* * * * *

"Uh, Boss, what is that?"

"You were in a fraternity so I'm sure you recognize it. I know it's a little smaller than the ones you're used to, but I assure you, it serves the same purpose."

"Yeah, but…why do you have that?"

"What did I tell you last night about what happened when I disobeyed my father?"

"But you didn't send me to bed…"

"Not this time. But I did give you very clear instructions about what I expected you to do. And not to do."

"Come on Boss. You can't be serious. I'm not a little kid!"

"Could have fooled me, DiNozzo."

"But isn't that assault or something?"

"Maybe. But I'm ok with the risk. I think once I explain to the cops what you did, they'll agree that it was more than deserved."

"This is ridiculous! You can't do this…can you?"

"My house. My rules."

"Yeah, but…but…are you serious?!"

"Very."

"But all I did was…"

"Disobey me."

"Disobey you? No I didn't…ok, well, I guess I kinda…fine, I disobeyed you."

"Yes, you did. And like I said, my house, my rules."

* * * * *

"So what happened?" Abby asked eagerly.

"You are really enjoying this, aren't you?"

"Uh huh," she nodded, grinning broadly.

"I can't tell you how much I appreciate you finding joy in my pain," Tony said sarcastically.

"Sorry. Go on," Abby prompted.

"Well, at that point, I started begging him not to spank me like I was eight years old or something. It was not my finest hour, I'll tell you that. He wouldn't hear of it and before I knew it, my jeans were around me knees and I was bent over the bed.

"He made me tell him what I'd done wrong and then he laid into me. It was the first real spanking I'd gotten since my senior year of high school and let me tell you, it hurt!"

"Doesn't it always?" Abby asked grimly.

"True," Tony agreed.

"So then what happened?"

"Well, when he'd decided I'd learned my lesson, he stopped and stepped back so I could pull my pants up. Then he put his hand on my shoulder and looked at me for a really long time."

"Did you cry?" Abby asked, obviously now concerned.

"No, I didn't cry. My pride was already taking a big enough hit that there was no way I was going to cry. I have no idea what he was thinking all that time, but all he said was 'Don't ever make me do that again', and then he left."

"Was he mad?" she whispered.

Tony sobered. "No. He was more sad, you know, like he usually is after he spanks us. And that, rather than the spanking, was what really bothered me. I realized that I'd disappointed him and that was really hard to deal with."

Tony and Abby sat quietly for a little while.

"So was the rest of the weekend really awkward?" Abby finally asked.

Tony snapped out of his own thoughts. "Well, it was at first because I didn't know how to act around him. In fact, I just stayed in the guest room for a few hours before he came looking for me.

"He sat down on the bed next to me and asked if I was ok. I told him I was fine, but he knew I was lying. He explained that as far as he was concerned, the slate was clean and that we were starting fresh." Tony sighed. "I gotta tell you, Abs, no one had ever told me that before."

She looked at him kindly then put her hand gently on his knee. "Your childhood really sucked, didn't it?" she asked quietly.

Tony looked at her and smiled sadly. "Anyway," he said, "it took him a little while to convince me to go back downstairs with him. But eventually, I did and we just hung out and watched a movie for the rest of the night – well, after I put all the books back on the shelf. I went home sometime the next day, but I was really worried about what Monday would be like. And of course, on Monday, he acted like nothing had happened."

"And of course, you guys have never talked about it," Abby said matter-of-factly.

Tony shook his head. "What would we say? Besides, it's been so long, and it's happened so many times since then."

Abby turned to face him. "Do you mind at all?" she asked, after a moment.

"Do I mind what?" Tony asked.

"Do you mind the way he punishes us?"

"No," Tony shook his head. "And to tell you the truth, it didn't even really bother me that first time either. I mean, of course I didn't like it when it was happening, but it was the first time someone punished me more because he cared about me than just that I'd pissed him off, you know?" He sat quietly for a minute. "Does it bother you?"

Abby shook her head. "Not at all. Well, besides the obvious part when it's happening, like you said, but I know that he loves me. And I'm glad that when I screw up, I know that within a few minutes, I'll be forgiven and I don't have to feel guilty or walk on egg shells around him until he stops being mad at me. I can't even imagine what life would be like at work if he stayed mad at us for a long time after we did something stupid. I mean, he'd never stop being mad at you!" she teased.

Tony smacked her in the head with the pillow again then pulled her into a head lock. After they'd stopped laughing, he asked, "should I call you a cab?"

"Can I just stay here and watch a movie or something with you?" she asked, snuggling up to him. The wine obviously did make her sleepy.

"Sure," he said, putting an arm around her and kissing the top of her head.

"Gibbs does that better," she teased.

"Keep it up and I'll start practicing Gibbs-slapping you instead," he threatened with a laugh.

A few minutes later, he looked away from the TV down at the young woman curled up against him. Her eyes were closed. "Hey Abs," he whispered.

"Hmm?"

"When was your first time?"

"Not telling," she slurred sleepily.

"I told you," he whined.

"Mm hmm. But that's because you just can't keep things to yourself," she answered with a small smile, eyes still closed.

Tony shook his head and grinned. "I'll get it out of you one of these days."

"Don't count on it," she slurred. "Now shut up. I'm trying to watch Airwolf."

Tony rolled his eyes and grinned. Then he pulled the blanket off the back of the couch and covered both of them with it. Before long, Abby was fast asleep. Tony peeked down at her. He kissed the top of her head again before putting his own head back and closing his eyes. "I have the best family," he thought as he drifted off to sleep.