Disclaimer: Tragically NCIS 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 STORY will 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 an installment of the This Means War series. 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. We are back to present time (Abby 17/Kate 19/Tony 21) and the focus of the trio's trouble is Abby, again.

No one gets away with anything forever… There's no such thing as the perfect "crime".

~NCIS~NCIS~NCIS~

Abby had dozed off with her ear buds in and music blasting. She wasn't sure how long she had been sleep, but the sun was down. The only light in the room came from a small lamp on her dresser. When she sat up and looked toward the door she saw her mom standing there.

"Mom."

"You slept through dinner babe. Daddy called a couple of times. Kate said you were sleep when she came up to check, but I want you to eat something."

"That's okay. I'm not real hungry. I can wait for breakfast." Abby kept her head hung low, so her eye contact was minimal. She'd been super pissed at her mother's reaction all day, but now she kept her eyes averted out of serious remorse.

Jen's mama instincts were in gear. Crossing to the bed she sat on the edge and reached for her daughter who drew back slightly causing Jen to drop her hand. "What's going on Abs? Are you feeling alright?"

Sliding to the other side of the bed and throwing her legs over like she was making to get off Abby attempted to deflect. "I'll go grab something quick."

"Uh-uh, no you don't." Taking hold of her little girl's arm Jen stopped her movement. "We clearly still need to talk. Look at me Abby."

"What? I thought you wanted me to eat."

"Using that tone isn't going to make me leave any quicker either. Talk to me Abby."

"You're mad at me. Everyone is mad at me and I just don't want to deal with that now. Is that okay, gosh?"

Jen had to use all of her training to not take the bait her daughter was dangling to trigger her temper. "I guess I need to go and talk to daddy. He must not be finished punishing you."

Abby's body finally turned completely around. "What? He is. He said so."

"I don't think so, because in this house when you mess up and you've been punished it's over. Your dad wouldn't be mad at you. I wouldn't be mad at you. Your brother and sister..."

"Fine, maybe not mad, but not happy that all your plans got ruined."

"Nope, no one's happy about that at all. That doesn't mean we're mad or that we all of a sudden don't love you. You know all of this Abby. Why is it so different now?

All she got in response was shrug. Loving your child did not make it easy to deal with them Jen thought. "Abby?"

"Can't I feel bad without the third degree? God, it's one stupid meal. So not the end of the world." Up off the bed in a flash Abby crossed the room her stance leaving nothing vague about her temperament.

Jen's temper wasn't fairing much better. Why, oh why did this girl have to push constantly. The ever patient mother that lived inside the far less patient agent moved to the door after kissing her daughter's head. "That's enough! Come downstairs now. Five minutes or we'll see if daddy is indeed finished saying everything he needs to."

Jumping back from her dresser after a misguided kick to it without shoes the sour teen went to her bathroom to splash some water on her face. Standing in the adjoining doorway was her sister. Tony stood behind her off to the side.

"What?"

Kate just stared. Tony bit into one of the candy bars he kept stashed in his room. Maybe they were gonna ambush her in the head.

"Seriously, we're not even gonna get a little more of an apology?" Kate asked. She wasn't as angry as she was earlier, but she did want a bit of acknowledgment of Abby's greater part of the mess.

Abby just rolled her eyes, dried her face and went back in her room. Her siblings were on her heels. "Guys if I'm not downstairs in three minutes I'm in more trouble, so how about you decide how you're gonna torture me for the next few weeks and let's get it over with okay."

Tony's sarcasm oozed from his mouth. "I think that's a no on the apology."

"For your information Benedict Arnold I already apologized to Kate and you don't get one. Turn coat!"

Shooting his wrapper in her trash can Tony turned to Kate. "Yeah, she's back to normal." They'd heard the exchange with their mother and figured if they didn't do something they would all be subjected to a moody, sullen sister the whole time they were home. Neither of them was up to that misery. So, they decided to give her as much normal as possible, so they could all move forward.

"Let's go. When you're done eating you're going with Tony and me to get my stuff from the apartment. Maybe you can come up with a story that doesn't make me sound like a naughty ten year old."

"Did you forget how grounded I am? Dad's not going to let me out the front door."

Tony started shoving the girls toward the door. "I think he will. They'll be looking for any little bit of time alone now that everyone's here for the duration. Something you learn when you're in as much trouble as me over the years. Your punishment becomes their punishment. We may end up with more free time to hang out then we would've without this second round 'Abby's Trouble'."

"Great, now I sound like some kind of a syndrome." Abby whined. With her big brother and sister flanking her the three exited the room.

Looking around her at one another they both said, "Now?"

They weren't sure their little sister would ever stop leaning over the edge, but they knew if they couldn't keep her from going completely over it they'd be tumbling head first with her.

~Fin~