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… The character of Kathleen, the 2nd Mrs. Gibbs, is complete fiction and has no connection to actual show history. Other original characters include: Doug & Julie McGee, Stacey, Tiffy, and the Commander.

A/N: I'm leaping into the arena of crossover (NCIS/White Collar)… Her name is Kate, how could I resist??????

Tony is 18 (freshman at Ohio State); Kate is 16 (a very new 16… Junior in HS); Tim is 13 (freshman in HS)…. I think this covers background.

A/N: Sit back, suspend belief and enjoy it as the fiction it's meant to be.

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

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

It was great having their big brother home. Well, in the beginning at least. Kate and Tim had spent the last six months at Kathleen's parents while Gibbs was in Russia with his latest wife Stephanie. He'd been sent on an OSP operation undercover with Jenny that would take them throughout Eastern Europe and although she was now his wife Stephanie still wasn't comfortable being half way around the world with them on this job together. Now everyone was back in DC, at least for the time being.

Stephanie and Jethro were out leaving the three teenagers fending for themselves. Kate and Tim were due back to school in a few days, but Tony wasn't going back to Ohio State for another two weeks. They were all talking New Year's Eve plans in the kitchen. Tony, as usual, was standing in front of the refrigerator eating leftovers and talking with his mouth full.

"So, does little Timmy have a crush on the grandparent's neighbor."

"Not the neighbor Tony their granddaughter, she's visiting with her folks and little brother." Kate offered up details Tim wasn't as inclined to share.

"Um-hum, so is she hot Tim?"

Even though he was much better at dealing with his brother Tim still got flustered easily around certain subjects, like girls. He just sort of shrugged his shoulders without making eye contact.

"Oh, leave him alone. Abby, short for Abigail is a whiz kid just like Timmy. She loves mysteries and science and torturing her little brother. She has a great sense of humor and um…."

"What are you his matchmaker? Butt out interfering Izzy! What do you kids have planned for tonight anyway?"

"The country club is having a formal and I'm going with Stacey's family."

"That's right the Commander is back in town. I guess it'll be a tame night with him going along."

"Why you got something better?"

Tony slammed the fridge door dropping the empty containers in the sink without bothering to rinse them at all. "Don't I always Katie? Jeremy and I managed to wrangle an invite to a party at Quantico. Girls go gaga for guys in uniform."

Tim perked up turning to his brother. "Gonna be a lonely night for you then since you don't have one."

"Yeah, that's true tiny Tim, but I know where to get one."

Kate went to put her dishes in the sink and began cleaning around her brother's mess. They'd been down this road before, so even though she had a feeling what he was thinking she hoped there was no way he'd even consider going there again. "T the last time you went there was for a school play when you were fifteen and it could be the only reason you lived to tell the story. I don't think a party to pick up girls will seem as justifiable."

"You worry too much which makes it good that it's none of your business." Sauntering out of the kitchen Tony was far more carefree then his siblings thought he should be considering the choice he was about to make. He poked his head back in as they looked at one another shaking their heads at his antics.

"And McRomeo don't think you're getting out of here without me meeting this girl. I gotta check her out for my little brother."

"Any chance of me getting to grandma and grandpa's without that happening?" Tim asked.

"None," Kate passed him at the table and gave his shoulder a pat.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Stephanie was usually more agreeable than Diane and slightly less pushy than Kathleen. Today she was a combination of them both in her tireless quest to get him to do something fun and romantic for New Year's Eve. They had been back from Russia a couple of weeks but it seemed like his mind was still mostly on the job. After a short stay in Los Angeles for his debriefing at OSP headquarters Leroy Jethro Gibbs was put on leave for three weeks. His feeling on the matter surpassed mere agitation. The fact of the matter was that his portion of the mission had been completed. Leaving Callen and Jenny there wasn't his call, but a direct order. They had things to wrap up and would return to their post when it was done. Gibbs would only be called back if an emergency extraction became necessary. Gibbs also didn't have a team to run at present, so he was left waiting. He'd occasionally meet with the Director for briefings, but at present his job was to lay low. It was the one job where he didn't excel.

"Jethro you might actually enjoy yourself more if you helped with the planning."

Gibbs just leveled her with a fixed stare not normally used on his spouses. Stephanie backed off moving to the ticket window. After her husband's behavior she decided a night watching the National Ballet was exactly what he deserved. She would at least pick a restaurant where he could get a good steak. She was thrilled to be back home and wanted to ring in the New Year in true DC style.

"Can we please speed this up? I want to be there when Doug and Julie pick up Tim. Plus I need to make sure Kate and I have a discussion about this formal."

"Jethro stop worrying. Better yet stop hovering. The kids did just fine with Kathleen's parents for six months they can probably get off for one night without a review of Gibbs Rules the greatest hits."

He did not want this escalating. Gently placing his arm around her shoulder Gibbs leaned in to kiss the side of her temple. "No hovering I just want to be sure to say happy New Year and I love you."

Stephanie turned her face to him full on turning the chaste kiss into a more passionate lip lock. Knowing it couldn't go anywhere on the street corner they walked to their car arms linked.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Alright Katie I have the car and I'll be there in half an hour. Seriously you cannot mess around. I need you to be outside. The Commander is tripping about the car. Tiffy let me take it, but he'll be back in two hours."

Caitlin Gibbs was on the phone with her best-friend who she had seen very little of during the last six months. The casual way she referred to her parents also shocked Kate a little. Even when he wasn't around Kate took no chances calling Gibbs anything less formal then dad. They were still in the same school, but on very different schedules since Kate was in honors classes and Stacey barely held her own in the regular ones. It wasn't that she wasn't smart, but she did lack a certain academic focus. The other obstacle was Kate living nearly across town at her grandparents who were not big Stacey fans, even after all the years that passed. When the Commander returned to take a Pentagon post Stacey's freedom became seriously limited. She also wasn't as inclined to push the limit as much. All of a sudden Stacey became acutely aware of the type watchful eye her friend had lived under all those years when Agent Gibbs was home fulltime.

"Stace you know I can't leave before my dad gets back… he called he'll be here in a bit… I wasn't I was just telling you… whatever I'll be outside… you what? No… no… I don't want to meet any new guy… So if he's not from here what do I want with him… how do you know what my type is? I barely know… It can't be an official anything… No he hasn't changed his chauvinistic primitive ways… fine I will… see you in a bit… he has plans… no they don't involve a stop at the country club… sorry to disappoint… yeah, bye."

Hearing the door slam Kate took off down the stairs. Midway down she saw Tim, her grandparents and one Abigail Scuito. Coming from around the corner Tony came to an abrupt stop. Abby was a few inches taller than his little brother. Tim's growth spurt moved at a slower pace than most kids his age. She wore Doc Martens, a plaid mini skirt, a tiny fitted t-shirt with the name of some band scrawled across the front and pigtails. She was different, but she was definitely cute.

Full swagger in place Tony stepped up first greeting his grandparents then extending his hand to the tall girl a few feet in front of them he said, "So you must be Abby. I'm Timmy's big brother. What exactly are your intentions toward him?"

Never missing a beat Abby made sure to stand at her full height saying, "Ah, I thought we'd run off to Vegas and get married. I hear they have great deals on New Year's Eve."

The rest of the room stood still with eyes bulging. Tony just turned to Tim. Musing his hair as he walked away he said, "Oh yeah this one's a keeper."