Yes, There Is A Santa Claus: An NCIS Christmas Tale
By WCUGirl

December was by far, Tony DiNozzo’s least favorite month. Everyone around him seemed so cheerful, so joyful. It wasn’t that Tony hated Christmas and the holiday seasonâ€"he loved it. But Christmas made him sad, for him it was not a happy time of year. This time of year reminded him of all of the things he’d always wanted, but never had.

As a kid, Tony hoped each year that his Christmas wish would be granted. Each year his Christmas wish was to spend the holiday with his family altogether, happy and loved, with everyone gathered around a brightly lit Christmas tree. Each year found Tony sitting sadly in his room, forgotten as his parents partied downstairs. His wish changed a bit when his mother died the year he was eight. After that, Tony wanted more than anything to spend one Christmas with his father. He wanted to open gifts together, share hot chocolate, and feel something other than lonely just once.

As an adult, Tony had decided to make his own holiday traditions. While he was in college, he’d found a recipe for caramel popcorn that would quite literally melt in your mouth. Each year he made some of it, along with hot chocolate and on Christmas Eve each year he would sit back and enjoy his sweet treats and watch It’s A Wonderful Life. It was good, comfortable in its familiarity, and something Tony could say he looked forward to each year. The only thing he was missing was family.

He had his friends, but as great as they were, each of them had their own holiday traditionsâ€"none of which included Tony in the plan. After Christmas each year everyone would scurry into the office, chattering on about the gifts they got from so-an-so and the dinner they ate with their family and all of the wonderful things that went on. All except for one person: Leroy Jethro Gibbs, Tony’s boss at NCIS. If it were possible for anyone to be more miserable than Tony on Christmas, it was Gibbs.

The older man grew quiet around thanksgiving, his usually gruff demeanor becoming even gruffer, the headslaps he passed out were a little harder, and his normally short, biting remarks were even colder this time of year. The older man’s behavior usually continued well into January before his temper leveled back out and things went back to normal.

“Alright everyone, go home. We can finish the paperwork later,� Gibbs told his team on the evening of December 15.

Tony picked up his backpack and sighed as he headed for the door. He had to go to the mall. Normally, Tony loved to go shopping, but all the lights, the music, the people…all of it just added to Tony’s feelings of holiday loneliness. But, he was out of shower gel and he’d burned up his last candle. Being a hedonist was hard work! But during the holidays, it was especially important to Tony that he have the things that made him feel goodâ€"Dial soap and Glade candles just weren’t going to cut it this time of year. So he left work and headed to the mall.

Tony stopped at several shop windows as he strolled along, wondering what to get everyone for Christmas. He knew he’d get Abby whichever CD she told him she wanted, Ziva would get something for her apartment, and McGee would get a gift card to the local geek gadget store where he could pick out his perfect present. Ducky would get a bottle of scotch and Gibbs would receive the best bottle of bourbon that Tony could find. As he walked along, Tony also remembered that he should buy his neighbor Mrs. Felts a giftâ€"she was always fussing over him and bringing him cookies.

Tony made quick work of finding his purchases; he didn’t have to browse the shelves or think about what he wanted. He entered the specialty soap store and found the eucalyptus scented body wash and picked up two bottles. Then he walked a little farther down the mall to the candle store where he bought himself two candlesâ€"the usual coconut-lime scent he typically burned, as well as a large cinnamon scented candle to burn for the holidays.

Satisfied with what he had and ready to leave, Tony turned and headed back toward the entrance closest to his car. As he walked through the mall’s courtyard, he could see the families lining up in droves around Santa’s Workshop. As a child, Tony was amazed that Santa Claus always brought him a gift for Christmasâ€"usually just what he’d asked his parents for, but who, in their intoxication, hadn’t remembered it. As an adult, Tony wondered if it were all a ploy by his parentsâ€"a cover up. Tony wondered if his parents had sent out the housekeepers, or if his multiple nannies had overheard him speaking of which gift he’d like most and gotten it for him in the name of “Santa.â€�

Tony had never gotten the chance to go see Santa as a child and he wondered what that must be like. He stopped for just a moment to watch the children and their parents, feeling the loneliness get even worse. Just as he started to turn away, a little boy plowed into him as he tried to escape from the scary man in the red suit.

“I-I’m so-sorry,� the little boy stammered out. Tony looked down at him with a kind smile and knelt so he was at eye level with the little one.

“It’s alright,� Tony said softly, “are you okay?�

“I want to see Santa…have to!� the little boy said quietly, almost reverently, “but he’s so scary.�

Tony looked around for the kid’s mother or father. “Where’s your parents? They could go with you.�

The little boy shook his head. “Mommy is shopping. She told me I could come see Santa and she would pick me up here when she was done…but I got scared…I really want to talk to Santa though…� The little boy looked over his shoulder longingly at the brightly colored structure behind him.

Tony sighed and looked at the line. “C’mon kid, I’ll go with you. I’m a federal agent, so I can protect you from Santa, alright?�

The kid looked up at Tony with huge, round eyes. “Do you protect the pres’dent?�

Tony chuckled. “Sometimes, but not too often. I work with the Navy.�

“My daddy is in the Navy. Mommy says he’s on the damn-boat right now. Dunno when he’s coming home,� the kid said sadly.

“What’s your name kid,� Tony asked him as they approached the line to meet Santa Claus.

“Drew,� the kid replied. “Who are you?�

Tony held out his hand for the little boy to shake it. “My name’s Tony. It’s nice to meet you.�

“I’m gonna be big like you when I grow up,� Drew stated, grinning up at DiNozzo with his front tooth missing. “I’m five years old now, but mommy says when I get older I’ll be real big.�

“I bet you will be,� Tony said.

xxx

Half an hour later, Tony was beginning to regret his decision to help this kid out. They’d moved maybe halfway up the line, and Drew was getting restless.

“When’s it gonna be our turn,� he whined.

Tony looked down at his with a raised eyebrow. “Soon.� I hope, he added silently.

Finally, finally it was their turn to go up to Santa. Tony breathed a sigh of relief and moved to step up to Santa. Drew didn’t budge.

“C’mon Drew it’s our turn. We’ve been waiting for a long time and there’s people in line behind us who have been waiting. We need to go on.�

“I’m scared Agent Tony,� Drew said quietly, his voice shaking with fear. “Santa’s scary.�

“Nah he’s not kid, Santa’s one of the good guys. Trust me.� Tony nudged him towards the jolly man in the red coat.

Tony lifted Drew up to sit on Santa’s lap and the little boy’s still looked very scared. He glanced nervously at Tony who smiled reassuringly and nodded.

“Ho! Ho! Ho! What’s your name little boy?� Santa glanced over his glasses and smiled kindly at Drew.

“D-drew,� he said quietly.

“Drew is this your daddy?� Santa asked the child, indicating Tony.

Drew shook his head. “Nope my daddy’s on the damn-boat. This is my friend. He’s a fer’ral agent and he said he is going to protect me from you.� Drew offered the old elf his front-toothless grin.

Santa raised one eyebrow at Tony who looked sheepish and blushed slightly. “He was scared of you. I told him you were one of the good guys. I’m a federal agent with NCIS,� Tony explained.

Santa smiled and looked back at Drew. “Have you been a good boy this year?�

“Oh yes! I’ve been eating all of my veg-et-ables and I clean my room every day and Mommy says I been doing a very good job of putting my dirty undies into the hamster.�

“You’ve been eating your vegetables, cleaning your room, and putting your clothes in the hamper? Ho! Ho! Ho! My, you have been a good boy this year,� Santa praised. Drew beamed.

“What would you like Santa to bring you this year, Drew?�

Tony figured Drew would need to think about it for a moment before answering. To his surprise there was no hesitation.

“I would like the Lego Star Wars At-At Walker. Issa limited edition collector’s set,� the child stated proudly. “They sell it at Toys R US.�

Tony couldn’t bite back the laugh that escaped him. Both Santa and Drew looked at him like he’d grown another head. “Sorry,� Tony said, “I just thought you’d need to think about it a little more.�

Santa regarded the federal agent kindly. “And what would you like for Christmas this year, Anthony?�

Tony blinked and replayed the conversation in his head. “How did you…how do you know my name?�

Santa set Drew down on the floor. “Your mommy is waiting for you over there,� he said, pointing to the dark haired lady standing at the exit gate. “I’ll see you on Christmas Eve. Ho! Ho! Ho! Merry Christmas!�

“Thank you Santa! G’bye! Bye Agent Tony!�

Tony waved at the kid before turning back to the old man on the Candy Cane Throne. “How’d you know my name?�

“Ho! Ho! Ho! My dear boy, surely you understand how all of this works?�

“B-but…that means…you? Really? Santa?� Tony smiled, he couldn’t help himself. It was a childhood dream come true.

“Yes my dear boy. I see you’ve grown up into quite a nice young man. Tell me again, what did you say you wanted for Christmas?�

Tony thought back over the years and the letters he’d sent to Santa, and the wish he’d made for himself every year for Christmasâ€"the wish that hadn’t ever come true. What did he want for Christmas? He was surprised at the words that flew out of his mouth.

“I want Gibbs to be happy for Christmas this year.� Tony raised a hand to cover his mouth. “Oh man…Oh I’m sorry,� he finally said.

“Anthony, what do you think would make Gibbs happy this Christmas? I can give him anything in the world you can imagine.�

Tony thought about it. What would Gibbs want for Christmas that would honestly make him happy?

“He always seems so sad at Christmas. I think maybe he’s lonely,� Tony said. “He won’t talk about it much, but I know…well I know he really misses his wife and daughter at Christmastime. So maybe something that would help that to not hurt so bad this year?�

Santa sat back on his seat and eyed Tony carefully. “And you want nothing for yourself?�

Tony thought about it. “No…really if Gibbs could be happy for Christmas and not look so sad…well that would make my Christmas better. I don’t need anything for me,� he said. Tony had given up his dream of having a family at Christmas a long time ago.

Santa offered him a gentle smile. “Anthony I hope you have a very merry Christmas this year. You’re a good manâ€"I’m proud of who you’ve grown up to be.â€�

Tony smiled and stepped back. “You’re…really? Wow. Merry Christmas Santa.�

“Merry Christmas Anthony.�

xxx

Director Vance was surprised to learn that Gibbs and his team had worked every Christmas day for the last five years. Closing the file, Vance decided to give his MCRT the holidays off this year.

xxx

On December 20, Gibbs’ team was assigned to protect the German Ambassador and his daughter while they visited Washington DC. A threat had been made against them, and it was Gibbs’ team’s job to make sure that threat didn’t get carried out.

The ambassador wanted to take his daughter ice skatingâ€"that was their holiday tradition. So Gibbs, grumbling, had set up a time when the two could go ice skating. Tony and Ziva would be posted on the outside of the building, McGee and Gibbs would be inside watching the Ambassador and his daughter.

It was difficult for Gibbs to witness such love between a father and daughter. It made him miss Kelly even more than he did already. Feeling the lump of emotion growing in his throat, Gibbs turned away, one finger going to his earwig and spoke quietly into his wrist-com.

“DiNozzo Sit Rep.�

“Everything’s clear on the backside out here, Boss. No sign of trouble. It has begun to sleet though, so it’s starting to get icy.�

“Ziva Sit Rep.�

“Everything is clear here Gibbs. No sign of trouble on the front side of the building. Tony is right though, it’s getting quite slippery out here.�

“Alright, we’ll start wrapping it up here. DiNozzo move to the front, join Ziva. Let me know when you’re in position.�

“On it Boss.�

xxx

Tony was soaked to the skin and freezing. He’d been standing outside in the sleet and the rain for hours while the ambassador and his daughter ice skated. Despite his heavy coat, Tony had not managed to keep warm. It took a long time to get the ambassador and his daughter back to their hotel and safely secured inside. They would be on protection detail for the rest of the night and in the morning when their two charges headed home the team members would begin their Christmas vacations.

Arriving back at the hotel, Tony stepped out of the car and around to the backdoor. He glanced around to make sure everyone was in place before opening the door to the car. As the man and his daughter headed inside, Tony moved to follow them. Gibbs blocked his way at the door.

“You post outside. You’re already wet.�

Gibbs turned and walked inside without another word. Tony sighed and turned around, facing the street, frowning as he felt the sleet and rain continuing to hit his face and run down the back of his neck. He fought down a shiver and swallowed around the tickle in his throat.

“Merry Christmas to you too, Boss,� he muttered to himself.

xxx

The next morning the team met back in the office long enough to finish off their paperwork for the week. Vance had ordered that Gibbs’ team be off from now until January 5. They all had vacation time on the books and every one of them had worked every Christmas for several years in a row.

Tony sat at his desk trying to control his shaking hands long enough to type out his report. He was still soaking wet and freezing. When he’d looked into his desk drawer to find his spare clothes, he was dismayed to see that he’d forgotten to restock the drawer after his last use of extra clothes. Tony knew better than to ask for anything from Gibbs right nowâ€"especially time off to go home and change clothes. The young agent knew that as soon as he got his stuff finished he could head home and change, take a hot shower and get warm. It’d be fine.

Tony cleared his throat and continued working. That tickle was getting worse.

xxx

Gibbs stayed late into the evening after everyone left. As he sat in the dimly lit bullpen, he opened his desk drawer and pulled out a dented flask filled with bourbon. He glanced at the side of it, running his fingers over the inscription there.

Love, Shannon and Kelly

“I miss you guys,� he said sadly, and took a sip out of the flask. “Merry Christmas."

Gibbs put the flask back in his desk drawer and locked it up. He glanced around to make sure no one had seen his slightly emotional display and then picked up his keys and left.

As he walked across the parking deck, Gibbs looked at his watch. Nearly nine p.m. It was later than he’d intended to stay. He got in the car and started it up.

As he drove, Gibbs thought back over the team’s job the last couple of days. They’d done a fine job of protecting the ambassador and his daughter. Gibbs was slightly concerned about Tony though; he’d been soaking wet when they’d arrived back at the office, but Gibbs didn’t recall him changing clothes. And he’d been clearing his throat quite frequently.

Gibbs turned his car toward Tony’s apartment. He’d just swing by and make sure the younger man was alright. Ever since he’d had the plague five years ago, Tony’s lungs didn’t hold up well under cold and wet conditions. Gibbs could have kicked himself for not thinking of that. “And I’m the idiot that told him to stand outside in the weather,� he muttered to himself. “Some boss I am.�

The senior agent was relieved when he saw Tony’s car in the parking lot outside his apartment building. He pulled into an empty space and got out. He’d gotten a spare key from Tony when he had the plague, so he used that to key his way into the building, and then Gibbs jogged up the stairs to the fourth floor where his agent’s apartment was located. He knocked on the door and waited, listening carefully.

After a moment, Gibbs checked his watch again. Usually Tony was still up this time of night. He knocked again and waited. When he didn’t get an answer the second time, Gibbs slid his key into the lock on Tony’s door and quietly let himself in.

The first thing Gibbs noticed was how hot it was in the apartment. Tony didn’t merely have the heat on; it felt like he had it cranked up as high as it would go. The second thing Gibbs noticed was the lights on throughout the apartment. Gibbs’ gut churned a little bit more and he closed the door behind him.

“Tony? You here?�

Stepping carefully through the apartment, Gibbs noted how tidy everything was. A small Christmas tree was set up in the corner of the living room, but its lights were off. Gibbs smiled slightly when he saw the small collection of packages under the tree. He’d still not seen or heard any sign of Tony though, so he continued through the apartment. There were no dishes in the sink in the kitchen and no take out boxes that Gibbs could see in the trash. That likely meant Tony hadn’t eaten.

Narrowing his eyes slightly, Gibbs moved toward the back of the apartment, where he knew the bedrooms and bathroom were located. “DiNozzo! Where are you?�

The guest bedroom was empty, the bathroom was empty, but there were used towels there that told Gibbs that Tony had taken a shower. Continuing on, he saw Tony’s bedroom door wasn’t closed all the way, so he pushed the door open. Standing in the doorway, Gibbs’ eyes widened when he realized what he was witnessing.

Tony was curled up on the bed, wrapped tightly in his blankets, but sweat was pouring off his forehead. “Daddy,� Tony said, “why do you have to go away? It’s Christmas.� Tony was mumbling in his sleep. “Alone…so alone,� Tony whimpered, and Gibbs felt his heart tug towards the boy on the bed.

Gibbs couldn’t stop himself as he stepped closer to his sleeping agent.

“Tony? You okay?�

Gibbs reached his hand out and laid it on Tony’s shoulder. Tony jerked away from the older man’s touch, but didn’t wake up. Gibbs laid his hand on Tony’s shoulder again, shaking it this time.

“DiNozzo. Wake up. C’mon Tony.�

Gibbs could feel the heat coming from Tony’s skin through the sweatshirt and blankets the younger man was covered in.

Finally Tony rolled to his back and stirred slightly. His eyelids fluttered a bit and as he blinked them open a harsh cough burst from Tony’s lips. Gibbs frowned and wrapped his arm around the back of Tony’s neck and shoulders, lifting his head up a bit to help him breathe better.

“Easy DiNozzo, easy. I’ve got you. Just take it easy.�

Tony gasped and coughed for several minutes, before he settled slightly. Gibbs didn’t lie him back down, instead he sat down on the bed behind Tony and let Tony lie back against his chest. For several minutes Tony seemed to be sleeping well, but then he started to cough and gasp again, finally breaking off in a tired moan.

“Take it easy Tony.�

Tony jumped when he realized there was someone with him. He turned his head and was surprised to see Gibbs sitting behind him.

“B-Boss?� Tony’s voice was scratchy.

“Who were you expecting DiNozzo? Santa Claus?�

Tony shook his head slightly and his eyes slid shut. “Nope…not Christmas Eve yet.�

Gibbs wondered what Tony meant by that, but he didn’t say anything. Instead he stood up and pulled the covers back from Tony, who gasped loudly, his eyes popping open.

“G-G’bbbssss w-what-t’re y’d-doin?�

“We’re going to my house. C’mon. Let me help you.�

Tony shook his head and tried to cover himself back up, but he was shaking too hard. “N-no-nooo,� he whined. “C-cold-d-d…�

Gibbs sighed. He hadn’t felt like this toward anyone since Kelly was sick as a small child. “I know…it’s chills from the fever…you’re sick Tony…we gotta get your fever down, but I would feel better if we were at my house so I know where everything is. C’mon. I’ll help you. You can bring your blanket with you,� Gibbs said softly, helping the younger man sit up and wrapping the quilt around him.

Gibbs quickly grabbed a duffle bag and threw in several pairs of sweatpants, t-shirts, sweatshirts, socks and boxer shorts. He walked to the bathroom and grabbed Tony’s bottle of shampoo, soap and his toothbrush and toothpaste. He was only worried about the essentials now, if Tony wanted something else, Gibbs could come back later. Gibbs returned to Tony’s room.

Tony was slumped over sideways on the bed, sleeping again, still wrapped in the quilt. Gibbs quickly slid shoes on over Tony’s socked feet and tied up the laces for him. Tony didn’t even stir. Gibbs shook his head and glanced around.

“I’m going to run down to the car really quickly Tony. I’ll be right back.� Gibbs gently helped Tony into a better position so he wouldn’t fall off the bed, and grabbed Tony’s bag.

“Gibbs?�

The older man stopped and turned around. “Yeah Tony? You okay?�

“Don’t…don’t ruin your Christmas…don’t waste it on me,� Tony said softly.

Gibbs rushed back to Tony’s side. “Listen to me, you listening?�

Tony nodded and blinked several times trying to stay awake.

“Spending Christmas with you would never be a waste. You hear? Now we’re going to my house and we’ll figure it all out alright?�

“Kay…� Tony whispered, shutting his eyes. Gibbs ran a hand through Tony’s sweaty hair.

“Be right back, Tony,� Gibbs whispered.

On his way out of the apartment, Gibbs once again noticed the presents under Tony’s tree. He figured the young man would still be with him on Christmas, so he wanted to help make Tony’s holiday a little better if he could, so he thought he would bring Tony’s gifts for him to open on Christmas. Stopping at the tree, Gibbs knelt and picked up one of the gifts under the tree.

To: Abs
Merry Christmas, Tony

Gibbs set that gift down and lifted another one.

To: The Autopsy Gremlin
Merry Christmas, man. Tony

Gibbs looked over each gift, seeing that each one was carefully wrapped by Tony and the tags were written in the agent’s handwriting. Lifting the final gift, Gibbs read the tag and felt his breath catch in his throat.

Merry Christmas Boss.
Tony

Gibbs set the gift back down and looked back in the direction toward the bedroom. He couldn’t understand why this thoughtful, caring man was alone.

He’s not alone, Gibbs then thought to himself, he’s got you. He’s the closest thing you’ve got to a son.

Gibbs grabbed a box and put the gifts carefully inside of it. Then lifting it and grabbing Tony’s duffle bag, Gibbs went out to his car. Once he had everything loaded he started the car and turned on the heat. Then he went back inside to fetch Tony.

Tony whined when Gibbs roused him again, and whimpered when the heat of the blankets left him. Gibbs pulled Tony close and slid his arms up into the sleeves of his coat, zipping it up carefully, before sliding gloves on the young man’s limp hands, and tugging a hat down over Tony’s head and ears. Wrapping Tony’s arm around Gibbs’ shoulders, the older man slowly lifted his young charge to his feet. Tony groaned and leaned heavily on Gibbs for a moment, before his legs accepted his weight and he stood mostly on his own.

“C’mon DiNozzo. Let’s go. Got you now, son. It’s going to be alright.�

Tony followed Gibbs out of the apartment without protest. Tony leaned weakly against the wall of the elevator as it descended and Gibbs moved to support him once they stepped off of it. Tony didn’t make a sound until the door to the building was opened and a blast of icy air hit Tony and Gibbs. Tony recoiled, curling in on himself, trying to get away from the cold, his teeth instantly chattering again, his entire body shaking with chills.

Gibbs took off his long trench coat and wrapped it around the sick young man. “Here we go. Car’s already running, it’ll be warm inside. C’mon Tony I got you.�

“Don’t wanna,� Tony whispered. “P-Please it’s so c-cold…�

“I know. We’ll hurry. You’ll be warm in no time. Let’s go.� With that, Gibbs opened the door and practically dragged Tony outside. Once they were in the car, Tony hunched over, his entire body was trembling with cold. Gibbs had a blanket ready for him and carefully spread it over the young man once he was buckled in. Then he shut the door and hurried around to get in on his side.

xxx

By the time they arrived at Gibbs’ house, the older man was beginning to worry about his Senior Field Agent. Tony was coughing harshly, breathing in short gasps, still chattering and shivering with cold, and barely able to respond when Gibbs spoke to him. Gibbs left the car running while he got out and ran up to the front porch. He opened the door and turned on the lights, hurrying down the hall to the guest bedroom where he folded back the covers and turned on the lamp in the room.

Hurrying back to the car, Gibbs frowned when he saw Tony hadn’t really moved at all. The young man was slumped against the door, head being cradled by the seatbelt. The fabric strap was all that was holding him up.

Gibbs opened the trunk and got Tony’s things out, taking them inside. Once he had Tony in, he wanted to be able to close the door and keep the cold at bay as much as possible. Gibbs returned to the car again and paused for a moment, watching the young man sleep in the car. He opened the door, reached across Tony to get his keys, and then unstrapped the younger man, supporting him when he fell sideways.

“Got you now,� Gibbs said softly. “Let’s go inside.�

Gibbs supported Tony as he pulled him out of the car, but this time Tony didn’t help him. Tony was completely limp, his legs not accepting any of his weight, and his eyes were shut. As Gibbs stood him up and Tony got a lungful of cold air, another sharp cough escaped the young man. Rather than wasting time trying to wake Tony, Gibbs merely stooped down, letting Tony’s body fall slowly over Gibbs’ shoulder. Standing up with Tony in a fireman’s carry, Gibbs shut the car door and hurried into the house.

Inside, he laid Tony on the bed and set about unbundling the young man. He unzipped the coat and took it off, pulled off Tony’s gloves and hat, and tugged off Tony’s shoes and then covered him under the warm covers on the bed. Tony shivered a bit, but it seemed to be lethargic; his movements were slow and sluggish and it scared Gibbs. He ran down the hall to the bathroom where he pulled out the thermometer. Rushing back to Tony’s side, Gibbs carefully slid the thermometer under the young man’s tongue.

Tony was awake, his eyes were open, but they didn’t look very focused and Tony wasn’t really helping Gibbs any by moving on his own. He was just too sick. Gibbs gently pushed the hair back from Tony’s forehead, and soothed the younger man while he waited for the thermometer to finish.

“Easy Tony…gonna take care of you…gonna be alright,� Gibbs murmured.

When the thermometer beeped, Gibbs pulled it out of Tony’s mouth and looked at it. 104.2. Gibbs hated it, but he knew he needed to do something to get Tony’s temperature down. He went to the kitchen and got a glass of cold water. Walking back to the bedroom, Gibbs looked at Tony. Tony still looked awake, but his eyes were fuzzy lookingâ€"he didn’t look like he was aware. Gibbs gently lifted Tony’s head and shoulders up and put the cup to his lips.

“Okay Tony…got some water here…take small sips, easy now…nice and slow.�

Tony managed to drink some of the water, but some of it went down wrong and he began coughing again. Gibbs eased Tony forward and pounded him firmly on the back. Finally Tony took a shuddering breath and relaxed against Gibbs. Even more concerned now than he was before, Gibbs pulled out his cell phone and dialed the only doctor in the world he truly trusted.

“Good evening Jethro. How nice of you to call.�

“Duck I need your help.�

“What seems to be the problem Jethro?�

“It’s Tony. He’s really sick. Can you come to my house?�

“Certainly Jethro. I’m on my way. What seems to be bothering him?�

“Really congested, coughing really badly, running a really high fever, and he’s…I dunno, not really responding to me.�

Gibbs’ fear doubled when he realized Tony wasn’t shivering anymore.

“He had chills earlier, but they seem to have stopped…�

“Is his fever still very high or has it broken? If his fever is down he won’t have the chills anymore.�

Gibbs reached out and laid his hand on Tony’s forehead.

“Still burning up Duck,� he reported to the old ME. “What should I do?�

“You need to get his temperature down. He’s going to hate it, but you need to put him in a cool bath. Not coldâ€"you don’t want to shock his system that harshly, but a cool bath. I’m in my car with my bag and heading your way. I’ll be there shortly.â€�

Gibbs closed the phone without saying anything else. With a last glance at Tony, Gibbs walked into the bathroom and turned on the water to fill the tub. Checking the temperature of the water, Gibbs then stood up and returned to Tony’s side.

Tony was lying on his back, just as Gibbs had left him, and was watching him through heavy lidded eyes.

“Gotta get you in the tub Tony. We have to get your fever down,� Gibbs said quietly. He gently pulled the sweatshirt over Tony’s head, frowning at the lack of shivering from the younger man.

“Kay,� Tony whispered.

Once Gibbs had him stripped down he scooped Tony up and carried him into the bathroom where he deposited him gently into the tub. Tony’s back arched and he sucked in a ragged gasp of air, clinging to Gibbs trying to get away from the cold. It felt like Gibbs was dropping him in ice water.

“Shhhh,� Gibbs soothed. “Just relax. I got you shhhh…�

The shivers were back in full force, wracking Tony’s frame and causing the young man to gasp for air. The gasping quickly turned back into the harsh, bone rattling coughs that sounded frighteningly familiar from years ago under the blue lights.

Tony was finally exhausted and quit struggling against Gibbs, whimpering softly when Gibbs lowered him even deeper into the water. A few minutes later Gibbs heard the front door open and quickly shut again.

“Jethro?�

“Bathroom Duck,� Gibbs called and Tony groaned.

“Ok, ok let’s get you out it’s alright now,� Gibbs said, pulling the plug on the drain. He gently propped Tony on the side of the tub while he grabbed a large bath towel out of the cabinet. Gibbs turned back to Tony and wrapped him in the towel, gently scrubbing him dry. Gibbs helped the younger man stand on shaky legs and held him securely as he slowly stepped out of the tub. Gibbs wrapped another towel around Tony’s waist and then began helping him back into the bedroom.

“See? Looking better already, DiNozzo,� Gibbs commented lightly, rubbing his hand over the back of Tony’s head affectionately. Back in the bedroom, Gibbs sat Tony down on the bed and dug him some clothes out of his duffle before helping him get dressed. Once Tony was redressed, Gibbs helped him back into bed and pulled the covers up over the young man.

“Sorry Tony…sorry you’re sick. It’s my fault,� Gibbs said softly.

Tony blinked at him. “R-rule n-num-mber s-six,� he stuttered out.

“It’s not a sign of weakness to apologize between friends Tony,� Gibbs said. “Or family,� he added softly and Tony’s eyes widened slightly.

Ducky joined him then. “Hello dear boys,� the old man said quietly. “Anthony what have you gotten yourself into?�

“My fault Duck,� Gibbs said, refusing to let Tony have any blame for his current state. “I made him stand outside in the rain and sleet all day yesterday and last night. I wasn’t thinking.�

Tony began to cough again before anyone could respond. He coughed and he coughed, choking and gasping, eyes widening in fear when he couldn’t get any air into his lungs. Gibbs scooped him up again and braced his upper body, very similar to the way he’d done when Tony had the plague all those years ago. Gibbs thumped Tony soundly on the back, helping loosen the congestion. Tony finally slumped against Gibbs, exhausted.

“Ok, ok Tony lean on me, that’s right, ok…I got you. Ducky can you help him?�

“Lean him back a bit Jethro. Let me listen.�

Gibbs laid Tony back on the mattress. Ducky pulled his stethoscope out and carefully listened to the congestion in Tony’s lungs. Then he pulled out his thermometer and gently inserted it into Tony’s ear. “Easy lad,� Ducky said gently when Tony flinched away slightly. “Easy now just a moment.�

A moment later the thermometer beeped again and Ducky looked at it. “101.7. Better than a few moments ago, but still uncomfortable for you, I’m sure,� Ducky said kindly.

Gibbs glanced between Ducky and Tony. “Does he need to go to the hospital,� he asked.

Tony’s eyes flashed in a momentary show of fear and Ducky smiled at him. “No Jethro, I don’t think so. Right now it sounds like Anthony has picked up a case of bronchitis. He’ll have a bad cough and some discomfort in his chest and throat, along with the fever, but he should be fine in a few days. The important thing now will be keeping his fever under control.�

Tony started coughing again and Gibbs lifted him back up again, propping him up. “Wonder if he’d be better off sleeping out in the recliner in the living room,� Gibbs commented.

“It might be a good idea, at least for a night or two,� Ducky said. “But only if it makes him feel more comfortable. I will prescribe him an antibiotic and a cough syrup to help him get over this quicker. I will pick them up tomorrow and bring them by. However tonight I think it would be best for me to administer an intramuscular antibiotic.�

Gibbs nodded, though his heart twisted at the thought. Tony was so sick, Gibbs knew it would help him, but he also knew that it would hurt the already uncomfortable agent. Carefully he leaned over Tony’s prone form.

“DiNozzo? Tony you with me?�

Tony’s glazed eyes blinked open again and he nodded slightly. “W-with you B-boss,� he croaked softly.

“Tony, Ducky has to give you a shot alright? It’ll start helping you feel better.�

Tony squeezed his eyes shut and tried to roll away, his body slow and sluggish thanks to the illness and the fever wreaking havoc on his system. Unfortunately for Tony, that only made things easier for Gibbs and Ducky. Gibbs gently sat on the edge of the bed and held Tony in place. He gently eased down the waistband of Tony’s sweatpants and boxers, revealing the slightly flushed skin of his hip.

Ducky flicked the needle a couple of times to make sure there were no air bubbles and held up the alcohol swab. “You’re going to feel the alcohol pad first Tony. It’ll feel cold for just a moment, then you’ll feel a small pinch.�

“No,� Tony whined softly. He didn’t consider how out of character he must sound to those people who knew him so well; he only knew that he did not want to be stuck with any needles tonight. “No needles…p-please…D-Ducky…n-noooo,� he whispered softly, his voice cracking.

“I’m sorry dear boy. You’re quite ill though and this will help. It won’t hurt but for a moment. Here we go.�

Tony struggled to move againâ€"he had to get away from Ducky and his needle. When he tried to move away though, he found himself easily restrained. Gibbs was holding him gently, one arm wrapped over his chest from behind, the other hand stroking through his hair softly.

“Sok Tony. I’m so sorry Ducky has to do this. I know how much you hate needles, but you need the medicine. It’ll help you and it’ll be over soon…just relax…jussst relax.�

Tony yelped when he felt the alcohol swab and he buried his face into the pillow. Gibbs continued stroking his hair softly and when Tony squeezed his hand into a fist as the needle made its injection, he found Gibbs fingers inserted between his own, letting the younger man squeeze his pain into Jethro’s hand.

“I got you now…you’re okay…you’re alright…shhhh…just relax…�

Ducky pulled the needle out and Tony breathed an audible sigh of relief, resulting in another coughing fit. Gibbs held him up and supported Tony’s weight for him. Gibbs watched in horror as Ducky prepared a second needle. “What’s that for Duck?�

“This is a very mild muscle relaxer. In addition to the antibiotic, I feel it would be very beneficial to helping Anthony get some rest tonight.�

Tony glanced over his shoulder, still only partly aware of what was going on around him. “N-nooo m-moreee…not…notta p-pin c-cushion,� Tony whispered, shaking his head pitifully and trying to move away more.

“It will only last for a moment, Anthony and then I will let you rest.� Ducky swabbed Tony’s hip again and Tony cried out, kicking his leg weakly.

“It’s too much Ducky! He can’t take it tonight. Can’t you see he’s nearly delirious as it is?� Gibbs tried to protest on Tony’s behalf, but Ducky leaned forward and quickly made the much smaller injection. This medication stung worse than the antibiotic and the needle’s gentle puncture felt like a blow with a bat on Tony’s hip.

“Owww…oh God Ducky please stop…please no more,� Tony whimpered. Gibbs’ gut and heart twisted when he saw tears of pain and anxiety leak from Tony’s eyes.

“Easy,� he said softly, running his fingers through Tony’s hair again, the other hand rubbing his shoulder softly. “He’s almost done, easy…shhhh…�

“Make him stop Gibbs…please…I duhâ€"I don’t wanna do this ‘nym’re,â€� Tony’s voice slurred on the last word, and his eyes fluttered heavily.

“Is he alright?� Gibbs’ concern and fear spiked at Tony’s sudden reaction to the medication.

Ducky nodded and began packing up his bag as he spoke. “He’s quite alright Jethro. That last shot was a muscle relaxer as I said. Those medications, by nature, cause drowsiness. The medication I administered to him will only help him rest better tonight until I can get back over here with his pills in the morning. In the mean time, give the lad some Tylenol for his fever and put some Vicks on his chest to keep his bronchial passages loosened up. You must remember to keep him warm if you use it though, Jethro. Putting Vicks on him then letting Tony catch a chill could result in pneumonia. Of all the things I’m sure Tony would like for Christmas, I’m sure pneumonia is not on that list.�

Gibbs nodded. “Thanks for coming over Duck. Know it’s late. You’ll bring those meds by tomorrow?�

“Of course Jethro.� Ducky tipped his hat at Jethro and stepped out into the night, leaving Jethro to tend to his very sick agent all alone.

xxx

The first couple of days were terrifying for Gibbs as he watched Tony struggle to breathe and cough. Tony’s fever would spike, leaving the young man huddled pitifully under the covers, and then it would drop, resulting in Tony throwing back the covers as his body was bathed in sweat. For two days Tony barely woke at all, blinking his eyes open only long enough to accept whatever medication Gibbs offered, or accept drinks or broth that Gibbs carefully helped him sip on.

Gibbs made good use of the time when Tony was asleep. He got Ducky to stay with him for a bit on the second day while he ran out. He wanted to decorate his house for Tony for Christmas. He knew the young man like Christmas, and didn’t want his holiday ruined because he wasn’t at home. Ducky agreed to stay with Tony while Gibbs went to buy a tree and pick up a few things for the house.

The next day was Christmas Eve. Tony’s fever finally broke the night before and Gibbs had let him up out of bed the next morningâ€"enough to go to the couch and rest there. Gibbs supported Tony’s still-weak frame as he slowly stumbled his way down the hall to the living room. When he got to the doorway, Tony froze, his jaw dropped with surprise, and he blinked several times to make sure he wasn’t seeing things.

“Merry Christmas, Tony,� Gibbs said softly, patting him on the shoulder.

Tony turned to look at his boss. “Gibbs…you didn’t have to do all this…I mean it’s great and allâ€"really beautiful decorations, Boss, but…for me?â€�

Gibbs nodded and helped Tony the rest of the way into the living room and deposited him on the couch where he bundled him up with a heavy quilt and stuffed several pillows behind his head. Tony leaned back against the cushions and let his eyes drift over the beautifully decorated room he now found himself in.

The tree stood in the corner of the room, near the window. Gibbs was able to get a tall tree thanks to his high ceilings, and the eleven foot tree glowed gently in the room. Multicolored lights and decorations carefully adorned each branch and silver tinsel glistened from the tips of the branches. A brightly lit star topped the tree, coating the ceiling in its warm glow. A brightly colored tree-skirt wrapped snugly around the bottom of the tree, and Tony’s gifts to his friends were strategically placed beneath it.

There were candles in each of the windows in Gibbs’ living room, and on the mantle over the fireplace, a porcelain Christmas village was illuminatedâ€"buildings, cars and trees lit up with a gentle holiday glow. A heavy pine wreath hung on Gibbs’ front door adorned with a bright red bow and around the railings of the staircase, pine garland and red ribbons were carefully attached.

Tony couldn’t help but stare at the beauty of it allâ€"it was so wonderfulâ€"so much better than his stupid lonely tree in his quiet, lonely apartment. Tony dozed on the couch for a while. Gibbs had moved out of the living room and Tony could hear him tinkering in the kitchen. Sometime later, Gibbs shook Tony awake gently and offered him his meds. When Tony made a face Gibbs smirked, “you don’t want me to call Ducky to give you another shot do you?â€�

Tony swallowed the pills without further argument. He’d just gotten them down when he heard a beep coming from the kitchen. Gibbs spared Tony a quick glance. “You alright for a minute?�

Tony nodded slowly, trying to understand what Gibbs was up to. Gibbs turned and walked towards the kitchen, leaving Tony alone in the living room, surrounded by this wonderful scene. He took a deep breathâ€"thankfully without hacking up a lungâ€"and quietly sighed. It seemed that Gibbs had found some Christmas spirit after all this year. He glanced at the clock and was surprised by how late in the day it was. How long had he been sleeping on the couch?

He could hear more strange sounds coming from the kitchen and smiled at the idea of a domesticated Gibbs. A few minutes later, Gibbs returned to the living room carefully carrying two mugs of cocoa and a plate of sugar cookies balanced on top of one of the cups.

“Thought you needed a little Christmas cheer,� Gibbs said softly, offering Tony a gentle smile. “But don’t tell Ducky or he’ll have my hide for letting you have this much sugar.�

“Are those homemade sugar cookies?� Tony was dumbfounded. He leaned forward and picked up one of the soft buttery cookies. It was cut into a candy cane shape and had red sprinkles on it.

“Yep,� Gibbs muttered.

“You made homemade sugar cookies,� Tony clarified, blinking in shock and staring at his cookie. He bit into it. “Correction. You made really good homemade sugar cookies, complete with sprinkles,� Tony amended.

Gibbs nodded. “Just like my wife used to make,� he said quietly.

Tony nearly choked on his cookie. “Oh Boss,â€� he said sadly. “I’m so sorry that Christmas makes you so sad. And you’ve done all this for meâ€"it must be awful for you. We can take it down if you want. If it’s too hard, I…I understand.â€�

Gibbs turned and looked at Tony with an odd expression on his face. “This is the first year since they’ve died that I’ve even acknowledge Christmas. I buy the obligatory gifts, but I don’t do parties, or decorations, or cookies, or anything usually. This…this is a first for me. I wanted to do this for you Tony. I know how much you like Christmas.�

“Me? I don’t like Christmas, Gibbs,� Tony said quietly. “I hate Christmas. My least favorite day of the year.�

Now it was Gibbs’ turn to look upset. “I didn’t know,� he said quietly. “You wanna talk about it?�

Tony took another bite of cookie and chewed thoughtfully. “When I was a kid,� he started, “I had one wish every year for Christmas. Every year I wished…� Tony stopped and stared at the tree. “Huh, that’s funny,� he said softly to himself.

“What? DiNozzo you’re not making any sense,� Gibbs said, biting off a piece of his own cookie.

“I’ve always been alone at Christmas. Even when I was a kid. Every year I wished for someone to spend Christmas with. This year…� Tony shook his head and stared at his lap. “This is the first year I didn’t wish for that.�

“What’d you wish for this year?�

Tony smiled and shook his head. “It was nothing Gibbs. Don’t worry about it.�

“If you’ve only got one wish for Christmas, it’d be nice to see it come true wouldn’t it?�

“I think it will. You just gotta believe in it,� Tony said.

“Believe in what?�

“The miracles of Christmas Gibbs.�

“Now Tony don’t hand me that load of crapâ€"you know as well as I do that things typically don’t just happen, I’m not going to fall in love with you if we both stand under the mistletoe, and if you wish on a shooting star, the chances of you getting hit with the star are better than your wish actually coming true.â€�

Tony blinked in shock at the true lack of faith Gibbs had in Christmas. He didn’t blame the older man for it, but he was still slightly shocked by it.

Gibbs seemed to realize how harsh his words had come outâ€"as usual. “So what do you normally do on Christmas Eve, Tony?â€�

Tony smiled uneasily. “It’s kinda stupid,� he said softly, “but it’s my tradition. I do it every year, stupid or not.�

“What is it?�

“I uh…well every year on Christmas Eve, I make a batch of caramel popcorn, I make myself some hot cocoa and I watch It’s A Wonderful Life. I’ve done it ever since I was in college. Stupid huh?�

Gibbs blinked. He’d honestly never considered that Tony was really and truly alone each year on the holidays. Being estranged from his family, Tony had no “homeâ€� to go to when work let outâ€"no wonder the young man volunteered to work each Christmas, Easter and Thanksgiving.

“I don’t think that’s a stupid tradition at all, Tony,� Gibbs commented, staring up at the tree.

“When I was with…when Shannon and Kelly were still here, we’d always make sugar cookies on Christmas Eve and we’d decorate them,� Gibbs said quietly. “Then we’d sit on the couch, and Shannon would read ‘Twas The Night Before Christmas to Kelly before we put her to bed. Then Shannon and I would just sit in the dark and look at the lights on the tree.�

“That’s beautiful,� Tony said softly, mystified by the idea of having someone to spend the holidays in such an intimate way with.

“It was the best day of the year,� Gibbs agreed. “So after…once it all changed…I just…I couldn’t do it,� Gibbs said softly, his voice thick with emotion.

“Every year as a kid I always wished I had someone to spend Christmas with. I wanted to eat cookies, drink cocoa and open gifts with someone.�

“You never had that?�

“Not ever. Even after I was grown…well Christmas is a time for family…I don’t exactly have one. I have lots of friends, but they’ve all got families, and somehow I just…I never…I don’t fit in the plan,� Tony explained quietly.

Gibbs leaned forward and lifted two cookies off the plate and passed one to Tony. “Well we can eat cookies and drink cocoa tonight, but in my house, we never open gifts before Christmas morning.�

Tony looked up at Gibbs then. “You mean…�

“Well who else would I spend Christmas with Tony? You…well you’re like a son to me. If I’m going to celebrate it, you’re the one I wanna celebrate it with.�

Tony smiled. “Christmas miracles,� he said softly.

Gibbs whacked him over the back of the head. “You’re getting coal if you keep on,� he said, but he was smiling so Tony wasn’t really worried.

xxx

The two shared a few more memories, a few more cookies, and watched as the lights outside began to flicker on in the neighborhood.

“Didn’t do outside lights,� Gibbs commented.

“Sok Boss. It’s not like I could go outside and look at ‘em anyway,� Tony said with a cheeky grin.

“Damn right. Besides,â€� Gibbs smirked, “this is the first time I’ve celebrated Christmas in nineteen years. I have to ease back into itâ€"too much and I might explode.â€�

Tony smiled and looked back at the tree, now glowing even more prettily in the room with the dimming daylight outside. “I think it’s perfect,� he whispered.

“I got an idea DiNozzo, if you’re interested.�

Tony glanced at Gibbs. “Ok Boss.�

“Well you said part of your Christmas tradition is to always watch It’s A Wonderful Life. You want to watch it?�

Tony smiled, but then hesitated. “We…we don’t have to. I mean you probably don’t want to. It’s no big deal,� Tony said, and stared at his lap. He wanted to watch it, but he wasn’t going to ask. Not tonight, not here.

“Nonsense,� Gibbs said and pushed himself up off the couch. Their bellies were full of the wonderful cookies and cocoa that Gibbs had made earlier. Gibbs disappeared into the kitchen with their dishes and returned with a glass of water and a small collection of pills. While Tony swallowed them down, Gibbs walked out of the room. He reappeared a moment later, much to Tony’s surprise, with a small flatscreen television in his hands. He carefully set it on the bookshelf and deftly hooked it up. Then he walked out of the room again, reappearing a moment later with a DVD player, which he also hooked up.

Tony was shocked. “Boss?�

“I’ve been practicing,� Gibbs said with a smirk. He pulled the movie out of a drawer and inserted it into the player. Gibbs stoked the fire in the fireplace before he joined Tony on the couch again, and Tony snuggled down under the blanket just slightly, fighting off the chill that was coming back again. He knew the medicines would work in a few minutes and he’d be warm again. Listening to the music at the beginning of his favorite movie, Tony smiled and glanced over at Gibbs who was looking up at the tree wistfully.

Turning back to the movie, Tony let himself be immersed into George Bailey’s world.

xxx

The sudden lack of flame in the room caused Tony to shiver slightly. He groaned softly and shifted under the blanket, snuggling up to the warm figure next to him, not even giving a second thought as to who that person may be. A moment later there was a rustling sound, and Tony shifted again. Some of the snow on the roof slid off and landed with a ka-thump outside the window, causing Gibbs to stir slightly.

Santa landed in the fireplace with a bump and grunted softly. No matter how many times he slid down a chimney, it just never got any easier to land. Standing up and backing out of the fireplace, Santa picked up his sack and turned. He was met face to face with the barrel of a gun, pointed straight at his head.

“Who the hell are you and why are you in my house?�

“Now Leroy Jethro Gibbs it is time for you to put that silly gun away. You know who I am!�

Gibbs didn’t lower the gun any and his expression grew darker. No one would ruin Christmas for him again. Tony either.

“Answer my questions. I don’t ask twice.� There was malice in Gibbs’ threatening tone and Santa actually gulped.

“My name is Santa Claus. Perhaps you’ve heard of me? I live at the North Pole, bring toys to children all over the world, fly around with reindeerâ€"they’re parked on your roof just now if you’d like to see them, dear boy,â€� Santa replied.

“I’m not playing games with you,� Gibbs growled. “What do you want with us? And why come down the chimney? The front door was unlocked.�

Santa glanced at the door ruefully. If he’d realized that he certainly wouldn’t have bumped down the chimneyâ€"that’s for sure!

Behind Gibbs, Tony began to wake up. Gibbs listened as the young man shifted around, stretching and yawning, before he cleared his throat and coughed a little. Tony’s words surprised Gibbs.

“Hi Santa! You made it! You’ve got to try some of Gibbs’ cookiesâ€"they’re the best ever!â€�

Tony pushed himself up off the couch, swaying slightly, before stepping up to Gibbs. Seeing the situation Santa had landed himself in, Tony raised his eyebrows.

“Gibbs put the gun away! You cannot shoot Santa Claus! You’d ruin Christmas for the whole world! Why, the earth would stop spinning! The sun would stop burning! It’d be a colossal failure! You’dâ€"â€�

Without breaking his gaze or his aim, Gibbs reached out and delivered a light headslap stopping Tony mid-rant. To Gibbs’ surprise, Tony’s hand closed over his wrist.

“I’m serious Gibbs. Put. The gun. Down.�

It was a testament to how much Gibbs trusted Tony that he actually lowered the gun. “Now sit down, both of you,� Tony demanded, pausing to let out a bone rattling cough. “Santa you need to talk and Gibbs you need to hear what he’s got to say.�

The two older men sat down and looked at each other. Tony paced back and forth between them nervously.

“Why don’t I begin by explaining the gifts, Anthony?�

Tony looked at Santa and smiled. “Yes. Brilliant. Great idea.�

Santa nodded. “Jethro, a week or so ago I got a visit at the mall from Tony. It happened quite by accident you see, he was helping a young boy overcome his fear of me, and in the process, realized who I actually am. You see he was like youâ€"a non believer. So I had to convince him otherwise.â€�

Gibbs shot a skeptical look at Tony, but the younger man didn’t say anything, so Gibbs turned back to Santa. “Go on,� he said.

“I asked Anthony what he wanted most for Christmas this year.�

“Oh really?� Gibbs smirked. “What’d he ask for?�

“He asked for me to make you feel happy again this Christmas.�

Gibbs blinked and looked at Tony. Tony’s eyes were on his lap and his cheeks were a deep shade of pink. Gibbs didn’t know what to say. Finally Tony looked up and saw his boss’ questioning gaze.

“I’m sorry Boss…you just always seem so sad around Christmastime. I knew it had to do with Shannon and Kelly, but…I just couldn’t stand the thought of you being that sad again this year.�

Gibbs’ jaw dropped with shock and he turned back to Santa.

“I knew the best way to make you feel happy would be to make you feel useful,� Santa said. “You are at your best when you have someone to take care of. I regretted having Anthony get ill in the process, but I must say you’ve certainly done a fine job of caring for him, Jethro.�

“You made Tony sick?! Why you sorry bastard I’llâ€"â€�

“Jethro,� Tony said sharply. “Shut up and listen to him.�

Gibbs blinked at Tony’s sharp tone, but quieted down.

“You were sad because you were alone Jethro. I knew the best way to get you over your feelings of loneliness was to give you someone to take care of. I also knew that you wouldn’t go to the lengths you needed to for just anyone, so it had to be someone you already cared for. And by doing this…well I actually granted two Christmas wishes.�

“Two?� Tony asked. “What was the other one?�

“Anthony I received word each year for decades saying that this year you’d only asked to have someone to spend the holidays with. Now surely you understand that’s not an easy Christmas wish to grant.�

Tony nodded, looking dejected.

“But,� Santa continued, “You were so selfless in your request this year…I knew I needed to figure out a way for you to have both of your Christmas wishes. Jethro you know in your heart that you’ve been wishing for someone to spend Christmas with ever since your beloved Shannon and Kelly passed on. This year, someone else wished for it as well.�

Santa sat back and smiled, happy with himself. “Ho! Ho! Ho! So I decided that the best way to grant each of your wishes, would be to give you each a family for Christmas! And what better family than each other? Consider it. If Anthony hadn’t gotten ill, what would you each be doing right now?�

“Getting drunk,� they answered together, then looked sheepishly at each other.

“So by doing this, you can see that I’ve granted each of you the wish you had for Christmas, and in the process I have saved you from yourselves, Ho! Ho! Ho!�

Gibbs looked at Tony, then at Santa, and then back to Tony. “Is this guy for real?�

Tony nodded. Gibbs raised one eyebrow and turned back to Santa. “Are you for real?�

Santa nodded and reached into his sack. “I have a gift for you Jethro,� he said. “Not from my workshop, but sent to you from someone special, by special request.�

Santa produced a small, beautifully wrapped, flat-ish box. “Go on, dear boy,� Santa said gently. “Open your gift.�

“It’s safe, Boss. Santa won’t blow you up,� Tony encouraged him quietly, his words breaking off into another cough.

Gibbs huffed, but reached out and accepted the gift. He admired the shiny paper and the perfection of the wrapping before he broke the seal on the gift. Tossing the discarded paper on the floor, Gibbs saw that it was a plain white box. Glancing nervously at Tony, Gibbs slowly slid the lid off the box.

His eyes filled with tears, but he quickly blinked them away. “How’d you get this,� Gibbs choked out. “How’d you get to it?�

Gibbs carefully lifted the flask out of the box. It was the same flask that Shannon and Kelly had given him all those years ago, complete with the inscription on the side, and the dent in the back.

Love, Shannon and Kelly

Gibbs read the inscription and slid a finger over it softly. Then he remembered somethingâ€"the flask had been a Christmas present to him, the year before they…

A quiet sob escaped Gibbs before he could stop it and for a moment, he held his gift close and bent his head over his lap.

Santa nodded encouragingly to Tony. Tony reached out and laid an awkward hand on Gibbs’ shoulder. Gibbs leaned into the touch, and a moment later sat up straight, his face a carefully controlled mask, completely lacking emotion.

“Where’d you get this?� Gibbs’ voice was low and dangerous.

“Out of your desk drawer at NCIS,� Santa said quietly. “I knew it was the only way.�

“The only way what?�

“The only way for you to believe in it again.�

“Believe in what?�

“The miracle of Christmas,� Tony said softly. “I get it now, Santa. I wished for Gibbs to be happy, so you made me sick so he’d have to take care of me. You knew he’d feel bad that he wasn’t celebrating, so he’d have to go out and get all these awesome decorations. And you can’t have Christmas without cookies, so you knew Gibbs would fix some. I’ve always wished to not be alone on Christmas, so by giving me my wish for Gibbs, you also gave me the wish I had for myself.�

“That’s right Anthony.�

Tony smiled and yawned. “You should probably take off. You have lots of kids to see tonight, and we’re not exactly kids.�

Gibbs was still staring at his flask in shock and awe. Tony pushed himself up off the couch again. “Before you go, you have to have some of these wonderful cookies that Gibbs made. They’re really great.� Tony disappeared into the kitchen to get Santa a bag of cookies to take with him.

Gibbs finally looked up and stared at Santa. “I don’t know how to thank you enough…all these years…he and I have both been alone, and for what? Now we have each other and I have you to thank for that.�

“No, you have Anthony to thank for that. It was his wish that got you where you are.�

Tony returned with the cookies and Santa patted him on the shoulder. “Feel better soon, dear boy,� he said.

“I’m trying.� Tony smiled. “Merry Christmas Santa.�

“Merry Christmas Anthony and Jethro.�

“Merry Christmas,� Gibbs said softly.

Santa walked to the chimney, picked up his sack, and crawled into the fireplace. He winked at the two men and stood up, disappearing a moment later. A moment after that the fire reignited and bathed the room in its warmth and light.

“NOW do you believe in Christmas miracles, Boss?� Tony grinned at his supervisor.

Gibbs glanced at him with narrowed eyes. The frown broke way into a small, sad smile. “I do,� he said quietly. “I still miss my girls,� he said, gazing longingly at the tree, “But all this has reminded me that Christmas is still worth celebrating.� He smiled at Tony. “And I’ve got pretty good company for it too.�

Tony yawned and stretched.

“We can continue our celebrating in the morning,� the young man said, “I’m exhausted.�

“You should get some rest; you are still sick.�

Tony nodded and headed for the guest bedroom. Gibbs stood back, staring at the tree, clutching his flask.

“I hope you don’t mind,� Tony heard Gibbs say softly into the darkness, “But I’ve got Tony now and he needs me to celebrate the holidays with him. He wants to be part of our family, and I think that’s the best thing in the world. I won’t forget you,� Gibbs promised softly, “but I do promise to keep my promise now. I promise not to quit living. I promise not to give up.�

Tony smiled and walked down the hall, leaving Gibbs on his own. He’d just entered his room when a terrifying thought suddenly occurred to him.

“GIBBS!� Tony shouted from across the house. “YOU ALMOST KILLED SANTA CLAUS!�

Gibbs raised his eyes to the ceiling. “God help me,� he muttered quietly. “I am never going to live that down.�

The End.