Disclaimer: In this economy I'm holding on to my handful of possessions with a vice grip. Tragically NCIS is not one of those possessions. It is the sole property of the creators, studio, writers, producers, directors, etc. Lucky them….

I consider myself lucky to be able to take them out to play for a while.

Warning: THIS will STORY CONTAIN NON-SEXUAL SPANKING; ABORT THE MISSION… DO NOT READ… TURN BACK NOW IF THIS ISN'T YOUR THING.

A/N: This story is complete AU and is the 3rd installment of This Means War. Have fun suspend belief and read it like the fiction it's meant to be… Read, Enjoy, Review….

Dedication: This goes out to all the wonderful folks who have reviewed the series and enjoyed what I've taken great pleasure in writing. It was inspired by a request from ASERENE for a taste of what things were like when the 'kids' were younger. I hope I do your request justice:-)!

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30-minutes to departure

It just wasn't fair! Abigail Grace Gibbs was stomping around her sister's room seething mad. All she wanted to do was go with her. Why was it such a big deal? They were only two years apart in age and frankly Abby thought they were way closer than that in maturity. Stupid twelve year olds and their stupid rules for their stupid parties she thought. It just wasn't fair!

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Flashback #1

They'd been having dinner for about fifteen minutes before Kate drummed up the nerve to put in her request. This wasn't something that would go over with her father well at all, but she was hoping to get her mother on her side to persuade him. Since both of them were home early and seemed to be in a good mood she decided it was now or never. Besides she didn't ask for this sort of thing often and in little more than a year she'd be going away to Hilton Prep for H.S. He just had to say yes.

"So, Jody passed out invitations today for a slumber party at her dad's house this weekend." Kate addressed the room at large.

Gibbs never looked up, but his wife swiped the napkin across her mouth and inquired curiously. "At her dad's house… is it her birthday?"

"No, she just doesn't see him that often and he's in town and told her she could have anything she wanted and she wanted a slumber party." Kate had twirled her fork around the spaghetti on her plate continuously never getting a strand on.

Tony being older and rarely willing to give his sister a break for too long pushed the conversation forward. "I think she's working up the nerve to ask for permission to go."

"Shut up Tony! I don't your help." Kate shot back.

"Just trying to move things along Katie 'cause at the rate you're going the party will be over and you'll still be trying to ask."

Gibbs leaned back in his chair and sat his napkin on the edge of the table. He kept his gaze trained on his middle child boring a fire through her that instantly seemed to bring her head around to face him. "Do you have something to ask me Caitlin?"

Her mouth went dry. Picking up her water glass she felt all the eyes at the table on her and she wondered why he had to make things so difficult. "Well, I just wanted to know if I could go to the slumber party. I mean you know Jody and mom likes her and her mom, so it wouldn't be just going to some stranger's house."

"Actually that's exactly what'd be Katie. I mean didn't you say it was at her dad's place? What do we really know about him." Tony interjected.

Mother was all over son in seconds, "Anthony that's enough. This doesn't concern you."

Tony huffed as quietly as he could and watched his sister attempt to get her way. She was stubborn and mouthy most times, but when she wanted something he loved to see her put on the charms and use that ultra sweet voice that was just shy of phony.

"Dad I know what you're gonna say… 'everyone needs to sleep in their own house and their own bed'… 'your friends can just come here'… 'what are you going to do at night that you can't do in the daytime'. Dad it's just not the same thing. Besides I'm not going to keep my friends if I have to keep turning down invitations. I only have a another year here with them. Please."

Kate fell silent and looked back and forth between her parents. Anytime now mom she thought telepathically sending pleas to her mom for support.

"Jethro I will run a complete check on Dr. Jamison. Besides Kim has nothing but wonderful things to say about her ex." Jen offered up.

"If he's so great why are they divorced?"

Jenny sighed knowing her husband was being difficult on purpose now. "He wanted to travel the world with Doctors without Borders and she wanted her children to have a stable home life."

He only offered up a head nod as a response. "Let's finish up if we want to watch your brother's movie. Are you sure it was your turn to pick? It better not be anything to scare your sisters."

Tony gave him a 'trust me' look that Gibbs hardly bought. Kate's reaction was a bit more in character this time and no where near as subtle.

"Um, so… hello, am I going to get an answer. I don't see what the big deal is anyway none of my friends have to go through all of this just to go to a stupid sleepover. Why can't I just go?"

Never breaking strides with the back and forth motion his fork played between his mouth and plate Gibbs gave Kate the only answer she was going to get. "The only place you're going with that tone is to your room young lady."

Her ears were getting red and her mouth was about to take on a life of its own when her mother stepped in with an agreeable response. "Kate we'll talk about it and let you know."

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Present day 2-hours before departure

"Katie please let me come. We're almost the same height just tell them I'm twelve too." Abby was pleading.

"Abs, they know you're my sister. This is just for seventh grade girls. I'm sorry. It's not even my party I don't get to say who comes or not."

"But I'll be stuck here all night with Tony. He's always trying to scare me or chasing me out of his room."

Kate did feel sort of bad. She and Abby were close and the two year age difference was hardly ever an issue… until now. "Then stay out of his room Abs. Besides I thought you were going to his game with mom and Noemi anyway. You love his basketball games. I bet mom will take you for gelato too if you ask."

"It's not the same Kate. I've never been to a slumber party." Abby stood with her arms crossed. Her body language was in demand stance and she wasn't leaving without what she saw as an exceptable answer.

"Kate get this room cleaned and your homework done before we leave." Jenny stood in her daughter's doorway looking around at the avalanche of belongings strewn all over.

Abby wasted no time. "Mom tell Kate she has to take me with her. I should get to go too."

Jenny placed her arm around her youngest shoulder and pulled her close to her side. Kissing the top of her head she said, "Abby I know how hard this is for you, but Katie is getting older now and there are going to be things you just can't do with her. You understand that right?"

Pulling away her tone took on the sulk that was evident in her face. "I'm not dumb I know there are things Kate can do that I can't, but how old do you have to be to sleep. Have fun Caitlin."

Abby dragged herself across the bathroom that connected her room to her sister's.

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Gibbs Home Post Tony's Game

"Get out!"

"You're just being mean because you're in pain." Abby was standing at her brother's desk fiddling with his computer.

"No, I'm being mean because you won't leave me alone. What do I have to do?" Tony was in his bed on top of the covers with an ice pack on his knee. He'd collided with a kid on the opposing team during the game and came down on his right knee hard. It was the second injury he'd gotten during the season and he knew if the damage was bad sitting out the rest of the season would be his only option. That had made him less than agreeable the rest of the night. Sullen and in pain Tony had effectively brought the evening of fun to a close.

Leaving his desk behind his little sister bounced on his bed full of energy and not nearly enough caution. "T-man let's play that new game on your computer."

"No. Abby it's too hard and not very appropriate for you. Besides you'll just get scared and end up getting me in trouble for showing it to you."

"I swear I won't get scared and even if I do I won't say it's because of you."

"Yeah, right, no game get out I need to sleep."

"Come on let's do something. Katie's gone and I'm bored. We could play cards. I'll even use real money this time if you promise not to cheat."

"What's the fun in that? Abs out! One, two…" Tony grabbed the remote to his stereo and turned the theme from psycho up full blast.

Abby jumped from his bed with her ears covered yelling. "What happened to three? What happened to three?"

Tony hurled a pillow at her. "You don't get three when you're being a brat!"

The tray rocked back and forth and all efforts at keeping the contents upright were futile as Abby collided with her mother in the doorway. Hot chocolate and cookies slid to the end of the tray holding mid-air for a split second like gravity played no role then in a splendid display splattered across the floor. Only after hearing her mother shriek her name did she remove her hands from her ears.

"Abigail watch where you're going and why are you walking around with your ears covered?" Jenny started to pick up the snacks now covering her son's carpet. Abby bent down to help after taking a deep breath and conjuring up the tears. Getting her brother in trouble was always more effective if tears were involved.

"Tony's being mean and he played that music again and didn't warn me. I'll never be able to sleep now. Can I sleep in your room?"

Jenny Shepard was jealous of the stakeout her husband was on at the moment. Sitting in a cramped smoke filled smelly car with Mike Franks seemed like heaven right now.

"Turn it off right now. You know what I cannot believe you Tony. Didn't you get in enough trouble when you and Kate let her watch that movie? You know how your sister is and you pull this. I should let her sleep in here with you and you can stay up all night. I know you're in pain and I know you're upset, but you are going to stop teasing your sister."

Abby stood behind her mother mocking her brother. She wasn't really all that scared… well not much because she had covered her ears pretty quickly. Even if she had one nightmare about that horrible movie that the music came from it was worth it to get 'Sir Tony' in trouble.

"Oh, this is such a bunch of bull… I just wanted her out of my room. I would think that was my right."

Cutting him a look that even her husband would be impressed by Jenny made her son apologize then sent her youngest to get ready for bed. When she turned her attentions back to the messy tray Abby stuck her tongue out at her brother and took off across the hall.

"Tony I know she's ten and she drives you crazy, but we don't torment one another to get what we want. If she's bugging you call me and I'll deal with her. Oh, and injury or not don't use that tone or language with me." She left the room and her pissed off son.

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Waking up in a slight fog Tony realized the pain pills his mom had given him and the now warm ice pack on his knee had lessened the agony considerably. Looking at his clock he saw it was only a little after eleven and began to notice the growl in his stomach. He remembered the wasted cookies and the snack he never got. Standing tentatively unsure of how much pressure to put on his knee he took it slow and made his way downstairs. As he passed their office he could hear his mother's end of the conversation.

"Yes, Jethro she's fine… she called to say how much fun she was having and to say goodnight… I told her not to that you were working late… we don't know yet he has to go into the doctor on Monday… it was pretty good up to that point… to bed in a mood… no we never went… no she wasn't… of course she did and then he played that stupid CD with the horror themes on it… longer than normal… I don't like him picking on her… like that did anything… do what you have to do… in the morning… Jethro only if his knee is better… I know she provokes him, but he's older and should know better… of course it's because of that… fine I'll keep them out the house until you call… I love you… you know it won't destroy your image if he hears you say it back." With that she hung up the phone and went back to the stack of mail she was going through.

Picking up the pace in his hobble Tony decided if he was going to get in trouble for picking on his sister he was going to make it worthwhile.