It’s been the same thing every year since they learned the truth, they meet in autopsy.

“Anthony, I’ll be there around noon.” Ducky stated as he packed his medical bag.

“I’ll bring dinner around six,” Ziva noted as she started her shopping list.

“Jimmy and I will get there about nine, we’ll be out by eleven thirty,” Abby confirmed.

“I’ll get everything together and meet you there around five,” Tim agreed.

“Thanks team,” Tony smiled at them one by one.

One time a year, they come together in a true family fashion. One time a year, they are allowed to see beyond his tough exterior to the heart and soul of the man. Since they found out, he was never alone in his grief.

Morning came, Tony was dressed casually. He drove his car to Gibbs’ house, took his bag inside and up to the guest room. Abby and Jimmy were coming in the door as the cab pulled up. With a warm coat in his arms, handkerchief in his pocket, bottle of water in his hand, Tony set out for the most important part of their yearly task. Leaving Abby and Palmer to clean up the house, stock it full of groceries and get the laundry started.

The cab pulled up outside the gates of the cemetery letting Tony out, he always did it this way. He never wanted to disrupt those precious moment, moments when the grief had a firm grip on his friend. Instead, he wanted to support him through it. The first year, he fumbled around a bit but every year since, Tony had a routine.

Tony watched as his boss placed flowers on their graves. First, Shannon’s then Kelly’s, he always caressed the headstones and whispered words that Tony couldn’t hear. Tony’s job may have been viewed as the easiest but indeed it was the hardest. He stood quietly, watching his boss as he mourned for his one and only true love and his precious daughter. Tony never intruded; he only intervened when Jethro had pushed himself beyond his limit.

It took an hour before his grief started to take its toll. He stumbled slightly which was Tony’s cue that it was time to make his presence known. Tony walked up behind him; seeing his boss was shivering he put the coat over his shoulders and stood next to the man.

Tony handed his friend the handkerchief from his pocket and uncapped the bottle of water. Once Jethro’s eyes are dry, Tony exchanged the water bottle for the piece of material in his friend’s hand. Watching him carefully, he wanted to be sure he drank some of the water.

“I miss them,” Gibbs whispered as he starred at the bottle in his hand.

Tony’s not used to his boss ever saying anything, he’s usually quiet never one to talk at this moment.

“I know you do,” Tony replied as he put his hand on Jethro’s back for support and reassurance.

“I was in Kuwait, when they were killed.” Gibbs started off his voice so quiet that Tony had to strain to hear him.

“I still remember how heavy my commanding officer’s hand felt on my shoulder when he told me they were gone. I don’t remember much after that,” Gibbs confessed. “I saw the van; I remember thinking that I wasn’t sure how anyone could survive that impact. Then it hit me, they didn’t. I should have been here.”

Tony is watching his boss and successfully catches him as his knees buckle. Tenderly, he guides him to a bench just a few feet away and sits beside him. Fixing the coat around Gibbs, Tony waits because he knows there is more to come.

“I hunted down the scum bag responsible for their death, did you know that” Gibbs asked as he turned towards Tony.

“No,” Tony managed to get out around the lump that has formed in his throat.

“I put a bullet between his eyes,” Gibbs shrugged then shook his head. “It didn’t take away my pain; it just left me feeling ashamed.”

“I don’t know what I would have done in the same situation,” Tony said before turning towards his boss, his friend. “I don’t think I would have survived it,” Tony reached over and gently placed his hand over Jethro’s. “You are an incredibly strong man, Gibbs.” Tony finished giving Gibbs’ hand a light squeeze as he did.

“Shannon would have been ashamed of me,” Gibbs whispered.

“I think she would have understood,” Tony countered knowing his boss needed the reassurance.

Snow started to fall almost as if it were a sign, a sign from the loved ones he lost. Leroy Jethro Gibbs family had died leaving him lost and broken and out of his sorrow a new family was formed. A family that loved him beyond anything you would measure.

“Let’s go home,” Tony stated as he pulled his boss from the bench; snagging the keys from his pocket as he did.

Tony glanced to the passenger’s side where his boss lay sleeping, just like he did last year. The strongest man he knew, allowed himself to be human once a year.

Tony knew that Ducky would be waiting when they got to the house. He would play the part of the father making sure Gibbs got showered, changed and tucked in. Ducky would check Gibbs over, making sure the cold didn’t do any damage. Tony would have coffee ready to help him warm up before he fell asleep.

Tim would come by and hook up everything they would need for after dinner. Ziva would bring the meal and they would all gather together as a family and eat. Tim, Abby, Ziva, Palmer, Ducky and Tony would stay into the wee hours of the morning and provide the comfort of their presence.

Just like the year before, they would fall asleep watching a movie and Gibbs would cover each of them up studying them as he did. It had been years since he had felt all alone because as he did then, he now had a wonderful family that cared.

Once they were all covered and tucked in, Gibbs would take his place next to Tony and he too would fall asleep. Once his breathing changed, Tony would move slightly so Gibbs head ended up on his shoulder and his blanket would be shared with Gibbs.

Once a year, Gibbs allowed himself to be taken care of because if not the grief would consume him. Once a year, he let them show him how much they cared. Once a year, they came together in the true sense of family. Once a year, he allowed himself to feel their love. Gibbs wasn’t fooling anyone, not even himself... it happened more than once a year.