Chapter 7

Jethro observed his cousin for several minutes with Kate in the observation room noting his posture as well as his face.

"He looks like he has lost it, Gibbs? Do you think he has suffered a break down?"

"I don't know Kate…I just know that the John Gibbs I grew up with wasn't anything like this…he was aggressive in our games but I didn't think he would resort to this when he was grown. I just know that he has been abusing my son since he was a teenager and I never knew. Tony kept it from me thinking that it would do him no good if I knew," and with that Gibbs left the room to interrogate his cousin.

Kate stayed to watch and a few minutes later she was joined by Abby.

"How's Tony?" Kate asked knowing how close Abby was to her team mate.

"Ducky called to say that he was doing fine…sleeping on his stomach in his old room…they had to move the Major's stuff out first before Tony would enter but all is well now. I'm going to go and keep him company…tell Gibbs for me," Abby said before leaving. Kate nodded and watched as the interrogation started.

"Why John? Why did you attack and abuse my son…your nephew?" he asked wearily.

"Jethro…why was it that your son always wanted to spend time with you…mine never did?" John asked instead of answering his cousin's question. "Your son told me that I never was a parent like you that I enjoyed punishing too much…but I had to if I wanted to keep them safe…they had to be tough to survive."

"John you never steeped your discipline with love; I punished Tony much like you did your boys but with love. I tried to cool off before I would take him to task not wanting to spank him in anger…I feel that is the only way your boys were punished…in anger. I explained to Tony why I was punishing him before I did it so he would have understanding…did you?"

"No…I guess I didn't…it wasn't the way I was brought up…no I don't mean as a boy but once I joined the service my drill sergeant beat it into me that power was the only way to learn. His power over me as he whipped my ass for any infraction I did had its results…it made me just like him; and once I learned it I it became the only way to discipline…

"John I'm not going to charge you with assault against a federal officer because I believe you have suffered some type of breakdown but you have got to see a psychiatrist and this is the end of your military service but it will not have a black mark against it if you agree…otherwise I won't have any other choice but charge you…do you agree?"

John thought it over and nodded, "Yes, maybe I can learn to be the type of father you are so I can get back with my family….this is why Betty and I divorce…she said I was a changed man and she just couldn't stand the way I treated the boys…maybe after treatment we can be a family again. Tell Tony I'm sorry…"

Gibbs nodded before exiting the room and was joined by Kate who passed on Abby's message.

"She will be good for him; she is the sister he's never had…they confide in each other," Gibbs said with a smile.

It was later in the day after the Major had been committed to a Psychiatric Hospital for observation and treatment that Gibbs wearily made his way back home only to find his driveway cluttered with cars. He had no trouble recognizing the vehicles and who they belonged to seeing that his family had converged on Tony to help with the healing.

"So what kinds of things did he get into as a kid, Ducky?" asked Kate as Gibbs walked in to find Tony lying on his side on the couch in the living room.

"My, this boy could get into trouble…I feared that Gibbs would wear out his paddle on the boy's backside too quickly for all the things he got into," began Ducky as Tony began to blush. "I remember when he decided that he would examine one of Jethro's revolvers and it accidentally went off and put an hole in the wall," began Ducky only to have Tony cry out,

"No…don't tell them that one…Dad never found out about that…he'll spank me for that one for sure.

"YOU WHAT!!! TONY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" roared Gibbs as he started for his son…as everyone laughed..

The End