Disclaimer: Of course NCiS… characters… and such belong to the powers that be & not ME!!! Story created for purely entertainment value.
You know the drill… I haven't purchased the rights in the last 24 hours… I still don't own it!
A/N: Talk about an idea taking hold and not letting go. This is a one-shot born out of a memory of two separate incidents from childhood… morphed into a fanfic w/ a twist. Hop on the rollercoaster and ride with me….
Abby is 9; Kate is 12; Tony is 14
Warning: THIS STORY will CONTAIN NON-SEXUAL SPANKING; ABORT THE MISSION… DO NOT READ… TURN BACK NOW IF THIS ISN'T YOUR THING.
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Present Gibbs' Living Room
"You guys are out of control! I mean it you better stop before you break something." Kate wasn't the oldest and she wasn't the one left in charge, but she was starting to feel like the only 'grown-up' in the room. What were here parents thinking leaving her brother in charge even for a few hours.
"Lighten up Katie-Kill-Joy. I'm just teaching the kid how to block a shot."
Abby, the baby in family and least likely to pay for what was bound to go wrong, was pouting because this was a rare occasion, Tony letting her have this kind of fun with him, and her big sister wanted to spoil the it. "Come on Kate go one round with us. I'll get more practice against two of you."
"You don't need my help for this to go wrong."
As she turned to head upstairs and away from pending doom Caitlyn Marie Gibbs felt a pillow graze her heals barely missing the invisible target her brother aimed for on her back. Then the sudden scream…
………………………………………………………………………………………………
90 Minutes Earlier…
The house was finally quiet after a weekend of teenage boys coming and going. Even though both Agents were on call they had not been needed for a case since leaving work on Friday night. Mike had begrudgingly agreed to their request not to be on weekend duty together unless they were short a 'man'.
With their oldest just starting high school they were supporting his efforts at making new friends and fitting in with the other guys on the hockey (his 2nd sport so far) team. So, when he asked if he could have a few of the guys over after the second game of the season they had agreed. The boys seemed to have a blast playing in the street on their roller blades and eating them out of house and home. Problems only came up when the youngest of his sisters refused to leave him alone and kept having to be distracted and corralled by one or both of her parents. His other sister was just generally annoyed by all of the extra testosterone in the house.
Most crises were averted and now husband and wife were snuggled up in the family room enjoying the calm. Jethro was looking over plans for some project or the other while Jennifer Gibbs attempted leisure reading without dozing off. Things having been so quiet when his cell phone went off Jethro didn't hesitate to answer not assuming it would be his boss on the other end.
"Gibbs… two inside…yeah, not a problem boss… we'll meet you out front."
Jenny was on her feet before her husband disconnected the call. "What's going on?"
"A Marine wife and her best-friend were found drowned in the hot-tub by her daughter. She was coming over to drop off her laundry. Father is deployed. Mike wants it contained now."
"Well, does he really need both of us. He agreed not to call us both in on the weekends. Noemi is gone for the day and I hate calling her back when she's with her family."
"Sort of what we pay her for Jen and Dixon is TAD with another team, so yes he wants us both." Jethro said as he walked toward the door.
"Fine I'll call her from the car. She won't get back here for at least an hour though because she's at her sister's house. It'll only take two or three tops to process the scene and we probably won't have any leads we can work before the morning."
"So, Tony can handle things until then. We'll call if it goes longer."
"I'm not saying that. I don't know about leaving him with the girls. He picks at Abby when we're here what do you think he'll do when we're not?"
Getting to the foot of the stairs Jethro called up to his son. "Tony front and center!"
He didn't see him appear from behind with a fist full of chocolate chip cookies and the gallon jug of milk which held less then a third of the liquid.
"Working on mastering your stealth-like movement's big guy." The boy's eyes constantly held a twinkle mixed with mischief and sincerity.
His mother was less impressed. "I'd be happy if you mastered a napkin and a glass."
"Sorry mom," Tony called to her retreating form.
"Noe can't get here for a few hours and we need to go now. We shouldn't be long, but if we are we'll call her."
"I'm in charge?"
"You're the oldest." Gibbs clipped out his response.
"Yes I am." There was a lot of pride in that statement. The longest he'd ever been left alone was an hour or so and then it was only with Kate.
Just then the girls came stomping down behind their mother. Arms crossed and scowls on their faces were indicative that the news had been broken. Handing off his weapon and badge Jen took her coat in exchange from her husband's hand.
"Girls listen to your brother and we'll check in. Tony don't…"
Ushering her out the only thing the siblings heard as the door was closing was their father's words. "… They'll be fine Jen."
~~~~0o0~~~~
"Abs I'm not playing another board game. I'm done kiddo. Don't you want to do something with Kate?" Tony was drained. He realized after nearly an hour that being nice was exhausting.
"She's on the phone again."
"Alright we can play something, but I choose. You can help me with my hockey moves. Go and get your skates and I'll get the brooms."
"You better not take mom's brooms outside."
"We're not going outside. It's cold and getting dark. If you get sick that's my butt. We can play from the living room to the dining room if we move the furniture. Hurry up."
Taking off before he could change his mind Abby went for her skates. It was so unlike her big brother to spend this much time with her. Letting her skate on the slick hardwood floors was kicking nice into the stratosphere.
Zigzagging from room to room they were passing each other faster with every turn. Tony was teaching her how to block with the 'stick' and all about staying low. When she went down for the third time Abby's squeal brought her sister down the stairs phone in hand.
"I'm so telling." Kate proclaimed.
"Fine you do that Katy-did and I'll just have to mention your hour long phone call to dad. I could've sworn he said something about you not being allowed to be on the phone anymore this weekend. You tied up the line for three hours yesterday with Josie… I don't know maybe I'm remembering wrong. I'll just ask him when he gets home."
"Do what you want. I'm going to pretend I never even saw this." Taking the stairs double time the fence riding middle daughter returned to her phone call.
It would be twenty-minutes before she came back down. By then a throw pillow obstacle course had been set up. The fire place was goal and her mother's tea light candles were being 'swept' into the fireplace.
………………………………………………………………………………………………
Present
Then the sudden scream…
Running back into the room Kate witnessed exactly what she thought she would… disaster! Tony was cradling their little sister trying to keep her from crying. Abby was wailing and her foot was twister in what looked to be a very painful way. Worse her mother's statue now teetered on three of four legs a chunk of the fourth now under the sideboard.
"You just couldn't stop while you were ahead. Where does it hurt Abs?" Kate was glaring at her brother.
"My foot Katie," broken sobs stuttered her speech.
Tony picked her up skates still on and put her on the fancy formal sofa that was hardly sat on.
"Great genius move her… you probably just crippled her for life."
"I'm gonna be crippled?"
"No Abs, Kate is just being dramatic as usual. Let's get this skate off though, okay."
Before his hands even touched the lace she was sliding up and away from his reach. "No, no, no, no, no… don't touch it, don't touch it! It's gonna hurt too much."
"Abigail you can not keep this skate on. Now hold still."
Reaching for her big sister Abby braced herself for the pain. Her eyes were squeezed so tight it was off and on the floor and she didn't start screaming again until she peeked and realized.
"Kate, go put some ice in a towel for me."
"Why?"
"Because I said so… just do it."
"I'm calling mom. You don't know what you're doing."
"I play sports. They put ice on it."
"Don't they use heat sometimes? And shouldn't she have it up on pillows?"
"It's called elevating it and you only do that if she's about to faint. You're not going to faint are you Abs?"
"Who told you that? You take one high school science class and suddenly you're a doctor." Kate bit back.
"Katie call mommy. I want mommy." Big tears were falling again and this time the pleas weren't just for attention and affect.
"Abs mom and dad are working we can't call them right now. Besides dad is going to be really angry if he finds out we were skating in the house and I have to fix the statue before they come back."
"Okay Tony… I don't wanna get in trouble."
"Then you shouldn't have listened to Tony in the first place. I know who I can call."
"Not Uncle Ducky he'll just tell dad too." Tony was little panicked at that thought.
"He would, but Gerald won't. I'll just ask him questions like it's for a homework assignment."
"Yeah, yeah do that Katie." Abby just wanted relief at this point and she didn't care who her sister got answers from.
Watching the foot before him turn purple, black and blue not to mention the swelling made Tony nod in consent and agreement.
~~~~0o0~~~~
When Gerald hung up the phone he wasn't buying one sentence of the story Caitlyn Gibbs had tried to sell him. Homework his behind he thought as he went to his boss Dr. Mallard and reported his suspicions that ME's godchildren might be in a little bit of trouble.
~~~~0o0~~~~
Comfortable in her bed with Kate holding ice on the bruised foot Abby was waiting for the three orange aspirin to make the pain go away. Tony meanwhile had put the furniture back and said a silent pray to the advertising Gods that the glue he was using worked as well in real life. They had worked out a plan to say Abby had gone to bed early because of a stomachache and she would wake up complaining about her foot like she tripped on something in the middle of the night on her way to the bathroom. Then she would have to stay home from school and Noemi would nurse her back to walking health. In his head it was a perfectly good plan that couldn't go wrong.
Holding the pieces together for the required amount of time Tony's reverie was broken by the sound of the doorbell.
~~~~0o0~~~~
As she looked down from the top landing Kate was the one who almost passed out when she saw her godfather at the door. Apparently she didn't do anywhere near as well as she thought on the phone with the ME's assistant.
"I take it she's upstairs." Ducky breezed past both kids with his medical bag.
Looking up and seeing the kindly face fresh tears washed the little girl's cheeks once again.
"Oh my dear sweet Abigail what have they done to you?" Sensing the two older ones behind him the good doctor held up his hand indicating the only voice he wanted to hear was from the sobbing 9-year-old.
"Tony tried to break my leg."
Both jaws dropped while their eyes bulged from their heads. They couldn't believe she just told that outright lie. The little brat wouldn't even look up to make eye contact with them. Neither could guess if it was in the moment or concocted when it first happened that she had intended on turning on them.
"I did not! Abigail you tell the truth right now. Ducky… Kate…" Tony's temper was bubbling up.
"Well, I wasn't really in the room when it happened." Tony looked like he might choke her where she stood. Kate quickly amended her statement. "But they were playing together and Tony wasn't trying to hurt her."
"Enough, downstairs you two while I check out the patient, I've no doubt that Jethro will get to the bottom of things when he gets here."
Not even Abby was looking forward to seeing their dad. Tony looked positively alarmed. "You called my…"
"Off you go and sit on those steps until I'm done."
~~~~0o0~~~~
"You are so dead. Want me to shove you down the steps? If you break your leg it might not look as bad."
"Leave me alone Kate."
"You're an idiot you know that right? I told you to stop."
Tony hopped down four steps to move away from his antagonizing sister.
"I'm the one that should be mad I didn't do anything."
He turned on her and made to lunge. "I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING EITHER KATE! Abby fell down."
"You gonna hit me or the wall again? Remember what happened the last time you put a hole in the wall."
Seething he turned his back to her again. They sat in silence until they heard the footsteps behind them. Standing up neither said a word.
"Well, it isn't broken. It's a bad sprain but since you did everything Gerald told you I think she'll be just fine in a few days."
"I told you it wasn't broken Kate."
"Whatever…"
"What did happen?"
From the entryway came the familiar stern clipped voice. "I'd like to know the answer to that too."
"Ah, Jethro… Jennifer," Ducky cut between the kids and made his way closer to his friends.
In lowered tones he explained what he knew and quickly exited. Looking up their mother's disappointed eyes met locked with theirs. All she could do was shake her head before running past them to check on her baby. Moving towards his office to lock up his firearm Gibbs said only one word in response to the pattering feet descending to him.
"Stay!"
~~~~0o0~~~~
"We can't leave them on those steps all night Jethro."
"You calm enough to talk them Jen? I'm not. What did Abby say happened?"
"She didn't say anything. I wasn't going to start grilling a sleeping 9-year-old. Besides I don't have a doubt in my mind that those two can fill in all the blanks. Ducky said Abby told him she fell in the living room."
"What were they doing in there?" Leaving his desk the now exasperated father headed to the room with his wife following. Both were thinking that this would be the second scene they were processing today.
Their nostrils were assaulted with the smell of pine fragrance floor polish and a cursory look around showed things were just a hair off. He'd seen enough.
~~~~0o0~~~~
"This is ridiculous just go and tell them what you did so we can get up."
"No Kate he'll call us when he's ready. Besides did you see mom when she walked past us the last time. I think it's smart to let her cool down."
"You know they just went in the living room. Sh, here they come."
It wasn't them, but Jenny and it didn't appear that she had cooled down much at all. "Anthony… Caitlyn in the office please, I don't want our voices waking up your sister."
They followed in quiet, hung-head, obedient fashion. Jenny had seen enough perp-walks in her work to recognize the slumped defeated shoulders of the guilty to know what she was about to hear would not make her happy.
Once they entered the space there was no invitation to sit down. From his perch behind the desk with his wife flanking him Leroy Jethro Gibbs asked one question.
"What happened?"
He was met with silence that he was in no mood to receive. "I said what happened?"
"Abs and I were playing and she fell and twisted her ankle. I did not push her. I wasn't even near her when she went down."
Her voice was so soft and controlled it made Kate shudder a little and she took an instinctual step back as her mom got closer to her brother. "What were you playing Anthony?"
"I was showing her some of my hockey moves."
Kate didn't hide her smirk fast enough and felt her father's eyes on her. She kept her head down.
"Caitlyn what were you doing when your sister got hurt?"
"Me, oh no I wasn't there remember. I wasn't doing anything. I told them to stop."
She wasn't usually as bad as Abby, but she was running a close second in the turncoat department. Tony didn't have it in him to draw it out any longer. The slipping patience of his mother looked tripled in his father. Best to wrap this up before the pissed off Gunny shows up the condemned boy thought.
"We were on skates… in the living room and the dinning room. She went to cut me off and lost her balance. You know before that she was getting good…"
"You were skating in my living room? What!!! Caitlyn…" Jenny walked right up to her daughter.
"Hey, I can't even skate at all. Besides the big doofus couldn't talk me into anything that dumb."
Jethro spoke next. "Did he talk you into not calling us?"
"No sir that was Abby." As far as Kate was concerned that was just a statement of fact.
Well, her brother thought, at least she's not just turning on me.
"I've heard enough. I left you in charge because you're the oldest which means you are the one that's supposed to make the smart choices. Instead you act like you're the 9-year-old. You won't have to worry about it again anytime soon though because I clearly can't trust you."
Feeling like he was nine all over again the 14-year-old couldn't stop his eyes from darting between his parents. He also couldn't stop them from swelling with tears. Wanting to do a good job was always his intent and he just wished he hadn't messed it up so badly. His mom looked so hurt and it made is stomach do somersaults.
"Anthony I'm really disappointed in your choices. I trusted you to take care of your sisters and you let Abby get hurt because you wanted to have fun." Jen just shook her head leaving the room.
Kate was waiting even though she wasn't quite sure for what. Self perseverance told her to keep quiet.
"Caitlyn no phone, no television and bed early for a week and the next time you see your sister doing something wrong and dangerous and you don't call us you will have one sore backside little girl. Go to your room."
She was one quivering 'little' girl indeed. Not convinced she should be punished at all no less have a spanking hanging over her head the look on her father's face said now was not the time debate the punishment fitting the crime. All her thinking meant she wasn't doing enough moving.
"Now Kate…"
"Huh… I… oh, yes daddy."
"What's going on in your head son?"
Tony didn't want to speak because he felt like a baby crying in front of his dad. Gibbs could see his struggle and wanted him to let it out before he dealt with his punishment.
"I'll wait." Gibbs prompted.
"I don't want mom to think I tried hurt Abby on purpose. We were just having fun. She was having fun, so I didn't think we needed to stop. I… mom just… she hates me now."
"Your mother does not hate you. She's angry, but she doesn't hate you and she knows you didn't hurt your sister on purpose. What she hates is that because you didn't think past the immediate fun she got hurt anyway."
The stupid tear fell without warning and Tony brushed it with the back of his hand just as quickly.
Beckoning his son to follow him to the leather couch on the other side of the office Tony followed knowing exactly what was to come. He had hoped for a growth spurt when he turned fourteen two months earlier, but he was still the right size to be deposited on his father's lap. With his head buried deep in his arms and his backside bare the remorseful teen let the tears fall before his father's hand came down.
"I want you to know this isn't going to hurt me more than you… SWAT-SWAT-SWAT-SWAT…the next time you're told to watch your sisters… SWAT-SWAT-SWAT… that better be your only focus… SWAT-SWAT-SWAT… and your first priority not goofing off… SWAT-SWAT… to show them a fun time… SWAT-SWAT-SWAT-SWAT… you don't get to be the oldest and then act like the youngest… SWAT-SWAT… your mother and I won't tolerate it!"
Laying in a half dozen more swats Gibbs' hand was stinging at least as much as his son. "You better think twice the next time you decide to save your own butt instead of getting your sister the help she needs."
Standing up Tony straightened his pants and stood facing his father.
"You know what you need to do next, right?"
"Talk to mom," was the reply.
"Oh yeah, I'm not getting in the middle of that one at all. Part of being treated more grown-up is acting more grown-up. You need to face her."
Nodding his head Tony went to the door and then turned around. "The next time you and mom are on call can Noemi just stay the whole weekend?"
Laughing Jethro threw his arm around his son and tousled his hair.