When the sun begins to set over the waters of Great Neck Bay, the usual marine-loving visitors pack up their boats and skis and fishing gear into their SUVs or trucks and head back toward the comfort of their subdivisions and gated-communities. They are there, mostly, to enjoy the sun and water and seem to find no pleasure in the approaching darkness. To them, the thought of being out on the vast expanse of water, without the comfort and guidance of the sun, is not only unacceptable but, also, very frightening. So, they hurry to put away their equipment, to gather all the children and the family dog together, and be well on the road home before evening truly falls and changes the complexion of the landscape. What they don't realize is that one of the best times to be on or near the bay is at night.

First, as the sun is setting and the orb seems to kiss the syrfac eof the water, colors begin to change and explode across the sky. The brilliant blues of daytime fade and darken, while the hot-white sun melts into a palette of yellows and oranges and reds. Streaks appear, as though the receding star is reaching out for some purchase, trying to grab on to it's last bit of life, scratching desperately in it's attempt to hold on a while longer. There is no sound of a struggle but, it seems, the air is filled with the silent screams and voiceless pleas of longing. Everything is magnified upon the water's surface, mirrored back, until the horizon line blurs and fades into nothingness. The colors run and bleed into deeper shades of blues and violets as the blackness approaches. Finally, the warm-hued fingers lose their hold and slip silently away until only darkness remains.

The residents and locals are usually the only spectators of this daily display, most making their way to better vantage points, depending on their position around the bay, preparing to savor and absorb the ritual that is never the same and never disappointing. They stand, transfixed, on the porches or decks of their cabins or lodges, they pause, amazed, on their pontoons or houseboats, or, like Jethro Gibbs, Mike Johnson, and Tony DiNozzo, they sit, motionless, at the edge of their private dock and absorb the breathtaking exhibition.

But it doesn't end with the setting of the sun. As soon as the light is wiped away, the nighttime sky begins to appear. To merely say the stars are clearly visible over the bay would be like saying 'there's some grains of sand on a beach' or 'a few seconds in a lifetime'. People always try to simplify the most complex ideas. The sky was absolutely full of stars tonight. It is always an understatement to try and simplify the magnificence of Mother Nature in all her glory, especially on nights like this, when she decides to magnify her usually-wondrous display of heavenly constellations by adding a few hours of meteor showers into the mix.

The nighttime sky was, literally, alive tonight.

"Wow! Look at that one!" Tony's young voice broke the silence on the dock as his small finger pointed high in the sky, nearly overhead, to his companions. "This is so cool!"

Mike and Jethro watched the boy's excited face, still visible in the dimness, and shared a smile at his exuberance. He sat only a few yards away fron them on a pallet of blankets, body shifting and straining in every direction, as he continued to search the sky for more shooting stars. With legs crossed, Indian-style, and leaning back on straight arms, his head was fully tilted up, causing his mouth to gape open. In truth, the boy's mouth was hardly ever closed these days, his reticence at speaking long gone and a thing of the past. He was quite happy, now, to go into as much detail as he would be allowed concerning any and all aspects of his day: what he did, who he saw, where he went. He was even happy to tell the willing listener about his day at school. Candace and Jimmy never expected to recieve a silent shrug of the shoulder anymore when they asked a question and had learned, quickly, to be very careful when broaching particular subjects with him. He could, sometimes, wear a patient person down.

"There's another!" He said loudly, twisting to look at his companions where they sat, side by side, against one of the dock posts. "The stars never look like this at home. I get to see stars but they don't shine this bright and they sure don't fly around! How long will they keep doing this? Can I stay up all night and watch? Wonder what would happen if one of them fell into the water? I bet it would make a big, humongous splash and the water would go everywhere. Do you think it would get us wet?"

Tony quickly turned his attention back to the sky and didn't wait for any kind of a response, his focus already back on the stars, as he searched for another meteor. His young body was fairly thrumming with energy.

Mike laughed quietly and shifted so he was sitting between Jethro's legs, leaning back into the other's warm embrace. Jethro circled his arms around his lover and pulled him close, dropping a quick kiss to the side of his head, and simply enjoying this moment in time. They were comfortable with their small displays of affection around Tony and the boy would actually smile shyly if he caught them kissing. Candace and Jimmy had gone to great lengths to explain their relationship in terms a young boy could understand but, quite frankly, Tony acted like he really didn't care one way or another. He just seemed happy to be surrounded by people who never screamed or yelled or hit and who always wanted to talk to him or listen to what he had to say. In reality, this child's desires seemed easy to fufill.

As he turned around to speak again, Tony's eyes widened as he saw their new position. Suddenly, he was scrabbling backward like a crab until he, too, was part of the embrace, giggling as Mike's arms pulled him close and Jethro's hand rubbed over his head in a gesture of affection. The boy loved being here with them.

Candace and Jimmy had left hours ago, after dropping Tony at the cabin, and Mike was going to take him home on Monday, after they delivered Jethro to the airport to catch his flight back overseas. It wasn't a lot of time but they'd learned to value each moment they could squeeze out. The men were still in the process of trying to come to some decision concerning their future but were having a difficult time with a compromise: Mike seriously considering reenlisting at the end of his service in eight months and Jethro, although not due to be discharged until after Mike, itching to get into some type of law enforcement. They'd spoken about it for months, some times while together but, mostly, while separated by hundreds of miles of desert and sand, and, still, they couldn't find a suitable middle ground. It was intensely frustraring and, worse, giving the men reason to question the security and stability of their relationship. It was an added stress neither man wanted nor needed in their lives right now.

"Am I going to have to sleep on the couch?" Tony's unexpected question broke the silence. "I had to sleep on the couch when Candace and Jimmy and I came up here on vacation 'cause they wanted to be alone."

Jethro squeezed Mike's arm, indicating he didn't want to share the bedroom space this time with anyone but Mike. The last time all three of them had been here, they'd made a cot for Tony at the foot of the huge, king-sized bed, putting an end to anything amorously adventurous the men had planned on or hoped for. They certainly didn't want to
start regressing into old habits, especially if he'd already been sanctioned to the couch by Candace and Jimmy.

"I think you'll do fine on the couch, buddy," Mike stated firmly, hugging him gently again but still feeling the disappointed sag of the shoulders. "If they think you're big enough to have that space all to yourself, than so do we. Right, Jeth?"

"Absolutely,"

Tony turned in the embrace and got to his knees, putting his hands on Mike's legs and peered at them through the dimness. "You want some alone time, too."

It wasn't a question. The boy made the statement with bold surety. The two men returned the knowing gaze and silently debated a response that would satisfy but not cause any discomfort. The best answer was always the truth.

"Yes," Jethro replied, "we want some alone time."

Tony suddenly leaned forward, his little body draping across Mike's so he could reach and lay his head on Jethro's shoulder, his position enabling him to have direct contact with both men at the same time. He hugged them tightly and pressed a kiss to Jethro's neck, sighing in disappointment.

"I want some alone time, too," he murmured, his voice reflecting his forlorn hope.

Mike eased him back to his knees so they could see his face, wanting to make the upcoming verbal exchange as clear and as simple as possible. He could feel Jethro tensing behind him and knew they were about to have a serious talk. They'd been warned, especially by Jimmy, about Tony's new physical aspects, had each been soundly kissed by the boy at his arrival, but hadn't considered the possibility of it extending into the sleeping arrangements.

"Tony," Mike began gently, "why do you think you need to be in the bedroom with Jeth and me?"

" 'cause you'll hug and kiss," he said bluntly.

"We hug and kiss other places, too," Jethro put a hand on Tony's shoulder.

"It's not the same," he almost pouted, taking Jethro's hand and holding it tightly.

"Why is not the same?"

Tony sighed. "Because when you really love someone you hug and kiss on a bed. Everybody knows that."

Okay...

Mike cleared his throat. "Who told you that?"

Tony made a small exasperated sound. "I see it on TV sometimes but Jeffery and the other kids say it, too. Jeffery says his dad loves his mom so much he lays on her when he hugs and kisses her. Do you think she gets squished? Jeffery's dad is really big...I'm suppose to say 'big' and not 'fat'...and his mom is little like Candace. And, on TV, the man is always with the girl on a bed..."

"What kind of TV shows do you watch?" Jethro interrupted, concerned with the child's viewing habits. "I thought you liked Big Bird and Elmo."

Tony laughed. "That's for babies. I like Power Rangers and Ninja Turtles and..."

"And they have people hugging and kissing on those shows?"

"Well, no," the boy squirmed. "When I go to Jeffery's to play, his mom watches her 'soaps' and, boy, do people hug and kiss on those shows. She says it's because they love each other so much. Jeffery's sister has a boyfriend and he loves her and we saw them out back while we were playing with our GI Joes in the sandbox and he had his hand..."

"Tony," Jethro interrupted again, trying to deflect the direction of the conversation. He could feel Mike's anxiety growing and knew he'd probably be calling his sister before the night was out. "Stop."

"What?" Tony's voice sounded a little different now, a bit uncertain. He let Jethro's hand drop and sat back on his heels, staring at the man, eyes going a bit large. "Did I say something wrong?" Are you mad at me? I...I just..."

Mike pulled the boy into a rough embrace. "God, no, Tony. You didn't say anything wrong. We're glad you can tell us how you feel but I think you should also know how we feel about all this."

Tony pulled back and looked at them, his eyes settling to rest on Jethro. There was no doubt who he wanted to hear from. "Okay. Tell me, Gunny."

Hoping to get the words right, Jethro began. "I love you very much, Tony, and I love Mike very much, too. When I hug and kiss you, it's different than when I hug and kiss Mike."

"Why?"

"Because hugs and kisses mean different things to different people. Mike and I plan to spend our whole lives together, that's how much we love each other." He could feel Mike press gently back against him as he spoke.

"Can't I spend my whole life with you, too?" Tony looked like he might cry.

"When you get older, like Mike and me, you're going to have someone who will be so special you'll want to be with that someone all the time. But you won't have to sleep in the same bed or hug and kiss that someone all the time. You'll just love each other no matter where you are."

He felt Mike tighten his grip on his arm and knew he was thinking of their own current problem. It was hard not to think about it...all the time.

"But I love you and Mike..."

"Tony," Mike offered the boy a small smile, "we know you love us. It makes us very happy. You just turned eight last month and Gunny and I are twenty-three. That's a lot older than you. Just think, when you're twenty-three, we'll be ugly, old men."

"Will not," he huffed resolutely.

Amused by Tony's declaration, he asked, "Does Jeffery sleep with his mom and dad?"

"No."

"Does he have his own room?"

"Yes."

"Like you?"

"Yes, like me."

"Well, that's the way it's suppose to be," Jethro stated firmly. "Boys need to have a place they can go to be alone when they need to be by themselves. Grown ups need a special place, too. Since we don't have another bedroom here at the cabin, you'll just have to use the couch as your special place."

"It's not very special," he did pout this time. "Everybody sits on it. Jimmy even farted on it the last time we were here."

Mike and Jethro laughed at the comment and saw Tony was grinning, too, most of his sulking expression slipping away as the men chuckled at his comment. He liked when they were happy and they seemed a lot happier, now.

"We'll flip the cushions over before you go to sleep tonight," Mike smiled. "How's that sound?"

"Okay, I guess," Tony conceded and shifted around so they were all facing the water again, turning his eyes back to the sky. There was a few moments of quiet before he spoke once more. "You don't like when I hug and kiss you, do you?"

They knew they had to tread very carefully with this fragile child and it was Mike who decided to take the lead. "It's not that we don't like it, Tony. It's just that you need to learn when it's okay to do it. You know, you can just tell us you love us, you don't really need hugs and kisses to do that. Sometimes, words are enough."

"That's what Doctor Amberg told me," he sighed, head dropping back to rest against Mike's chest. "She says I can show my love other ways, that I don't have to touch people but..."

"What?" Mike prompted.

"I like to touch."

And there was the problem in a nutshell.

"Why?" Mike pressed for a clearer explanation.

Tony shifted in the circle of the man's arms and sighed. "Because when you touch me I know you really love me. You can say you do but really may not mean it. Grown- ups say a lot of things they don't really mean. A lot of things."

He sounded so certain. Jethro reached so he could brush his hand against Tony's face, feeling the smooth, flawless skin under his fingers, and decided to press for a little more information.

"Like who, Tony? What grown-up says things to you they don't really mean?"

"Everyone," he said in a rush. "Everyone says things they really don't mean. Jeffery's dad said he'd take us to Six Flags but he didn't. My teacher said she'd let my class could go out to recess first but she didn't. Jimmy said he'd get us tickets to see the Mets play but he didn't. Even you," he pulled out of the embrace and got swiftly to his feet, looking down to where they sat, stunned by his accusation, "you told me you would never hurt me but you did!"

The men were astounded at the anger in the boy's voice but remained where they were and let him vent. Tony clenched his little hands into fists and pressed them against his chest, almost like he was in pain.

"When?" Jethro got his mouth to finally work. "When did we hurt you?"

"When you sent me away with Candace and Jimmy!" He all but yelled. "I wanted to stay with you. I didn't want to leave you. I was safe with you and I knew I wouldn't get hurt if I was with you. But you sent me away and it hurt! It still hurts, in here," his fists pounded on his chest. "It hurts every time I think about you and I don't want to hurt like this!"

The anger was beginning to morph and the tears were going to start, they could see it as clearly as the meteors streaking overhead. He took a step back toward the nest of blankets he'd vacated on the dock earlier and, then, abruptly turned back. A small fist left his chest to swipe across his eyes and he was making a concentrated effort to keep the tears from falling.

"I don't like feeling like this...like no one loves me...like I'm not really suppose to be here. I feel better when you hug me and I can hug you back and when we do, I feel like you really love me and the hurt goes away for a little while," the words were spilling out in a rush and the men struggled to keep track of everything. "I see Jimmy kissing Candace, and Jeffery's mom and dad kissing and they kiss Jeffery, and when I come here, I see you kissing each other and I want to be kissed, too. Why is it so bad for me to want to be kissed?"

Jethro gently nudged Mike and slowly got to his feet, moving to kneel directly in front of the boy, placing a hand on each of the slim shoulders, trying to still some of the nervous, anxious movements. Tony's bottom lip trembled as he looked at the man.

"Tony," he began softly, "I don't know what I can possibly say that will make you believe we love you more than you know. There's probably not a day that goes by that Mike and I don't think about you, what you're doing, how you are. We try not to worry about you because we know Candace and Jimmy are taking very good care of you. They are, aren't they?"

"Yes," the little voice shook.

"Yes, they are. They wouldn't be taking care of you if they didn't love you. Mike and I wouldn't write you letters or call you on the phone or even want you here with us this weekend if we didn't love you," Jethro saw a tear escape and he released one of the shoulders to wipe it gently away. "We don't have to be with a person to love them. Mike and I are not together when we go back overseas, we are very far apart, but we still know that we love each other. And, even though hugs and kisses are nice, you have to let go of this hurt you've got and really try to believe you are loved, because it's true."

Mike was easing forward toward them, reaching so one hand was on Tony's other shoulder and one was on Jethro's back, the gesture bringing them into a loose circle. He smiled at Tony, tightening his fingers and shaking the small body slightly.

"You've got more people who love you than you realize, buddy," he stated simply. "They may not hug or kiss as much as you want but they make sure you're taken of: you have plenty to eat, you've got nice clothes to wear, you've got a warm bed to sleep in each night, and, no where, is there anyone hitting you or scaring you. That's what real love is like. Do you remember what it was like before Candace and Jimmy started taking care of you?"

The boy's eyes were huge, wet pools. "I remember everything."

The whispered statement made Jethro want to grab the child and hold him forever, to protect him from his own memories. It was difficult to accept this young boy would never forget what had been done to him by his own father and uncle, his whole life measured by that terrible starting point.

"Well," Mike continued, "as bad as it was, I think it's good you remember. Your Uncle Robert didn't love you and he did things to you that showed he didn't love you. But Candace, Jimmy, Gunny, and I have always tried to show you how much we care in everything we do for you. Our lives are better because you're with us."

"Candace says it's part of God's plan," Tony sniffed and wiped a hand across his nose.

Mike looked quickly to Jethro, each not wanting to get into religion right now. "Whatever it was, having you in our lives has made us very happy and I don't think any of us could ever want you to be any other place."

Tony seemed to consider the words carefully. "Do you think my grandfather will take me away?"

They were totally unprepared for this question but, just maybe, this was what was creeping around in the back of the child's mind, scratching at his sense of security and eating away at his confidence. Jethro looked quickly to Mike, not knowing if Senator Hathaway had ever made that type of suggestion to Candace and Jimmy or if the boy's fertile imagination was just getting the best of him. He shook his head and sighed.

"I don't know, Tony," Jethro said gently, "but I think you'd get to have some say in what you'd like to do. What do you think of your grandfather?"

One shoulder rose and fell. "He's okay. He's real old and he doesn't like baseball."

That about summed it up.

Tony was suddenly pulling away and walking the short distance to gather the discarded blankets into his arms. He looked at the sky one last tome before turning back to the men.

"I think I'm going to go in and get ready for bed," he said quietly. "Is that okay?"

"Sure," Jethro agreed, not really liking this abrupt withdrawl but not wanting to push. "We'll be up in a few minutes."

"Okay," the soft response was void of emotion.

Both men got to their feet and, before he could slip by, Jethro snatched the boy up into his arms and was hugging him tightly, squeezing until a small grunt escaped. The child began to squirm.

"Oh, no," Jethro taunted jovially, "you don't get put down until I get my hug."

"Gunny," the boy sounded exasperated.

Mike joined them, pinning Tony between the two larger bodies, arms reaching to rest on Jethro's back. "Oh, boy! It's a Tony sandwich!"

The child began to giggle and struggle, little arms and legs flailing ineffectively against his stronger bonds, his actions bringing more laughter. The men just wouldn't budge.

"I want my hug," Jethro whined.

"And I want my kiss," Mike joined in.

Tony laughed harder, bringing his arms up to grip Jethro's shoulders, feeling Mike pressing his face against his cheek. He hugged and kissed both men quickly, hearing their delighted chuckles, and tried, again, for his release. The arms did not let go. Instead, they seemed to get tighter.

"You're gonna make me pee!" Tony warned and, as expected, was lowered swiftly to his feet. He met their smiles with one of his own and took a step away. "Hah! Fooled you!"

Before they could respond, Tony was turning and racing up the short path to the cabin's front steps, his sweet laughter trailing behind and one blanket snaking through the dirt in his wake. They watched until he'd successfully climbed the steps and entered the door before turning away and wrapping their arms around each other, laughing at his clever deception.

"What a little sneak," Mike chuckled, pulling Jethro close for a brief kiss. "Wonder where he's learning all these tricks?"

"He's a smart kid, always was, always will be," Jethro stepped back but gripped MIke's hands tightly, his expression turning serious. "You know I love you, don't you?"

"Jeth," Mike was dumbfounded by the question, "of course I do. What's..."

"No, listen to me," he broke in. "This problem were having, what we've been talking about for so long, we can work through this. Mike, I don't want to lose you. If you feel you need to re-up, then I'll accept it and see what I can do that will keep us close. Hell, we've been apart so many times already and still have managed to keep this relationship intact, surely we can find a solution now."

Mike was stunned by the admission and touched by the gesture. He pulled Jethro back into his embrace and held tightly, the strength of their combined arms not nearly as great as their combined wills. They could do anything, as long as they remained together.

"I love you so much, Jeth. There's nothing in this world that will change how I feel about you and you're just going to have to put up with me for the rest of our lives."

Five months later, while on routine patrol with the rest of his company in Beirut, and near the gleaming shores of the Mediterranean Sea, Mike Johnson was shot by an enemy sniper and was instantly gone.

TBC