Ch7

The next morning was gorgeous so Tony and Kate decided to take Olivia to the beach. They asked Abby if she and Conner wanted to join them as Tim was working. Conner was excited so of course Abby said yes.

First they all stopped at McDonalds for breakfast. They walked in and the adults ordered the food. Abby tried to give Tony money but he wouldn't take it.

"Its on me Abbs. I got breakfast for my favorite Goth and nephew."

Abby gave him a tight hug.

"Uh Abbs….cant….breathe…"

She pulled away and smiled while Olivia and Conner giggled.

After they got their food they sat down at a table while Kate got straws, napkins, and ketchup. The kids decided they wanted to share hot cakes, so Abby and Kate divided the meal between the two of them. Olivia had chocolate milk while Conner had apple juice. Abby had fruit and maple oat meal, while Kate had fruit and walnuts. Kate had tea, but Abby managed to sneak a Caf-Pow in. Kate shook her head.

"Abbs you need help."

"Come on Kate you know I cant live without it!"

Tony rolled his eyes as he had his sausage burrito, hash brown, and coffee.

After they were done and the kids used the bathroom, they were off. Olivia especially was excited. She looked over at Conner who was sitting in the back with her on Kates side with Abby in the middle.

"Conner I am SO excited. I love the water. Kate bought me a new swim suit too."

She turned towards Tony.

"Tony will you go in the water with me? Take me really far?"

Tony smiled at her in the rear view mirror.

"Sure I'll go in the water with you baby, but lets see how big the waves are first ok?"

"Ok!"

Conner turned towards Abby.

"Mommy I don't have to go in do I?"

Abby smiled and put her arm around him.

"No little man. You don't have to go in if you don't want to. You can watch Olivia, or you can play around in the sand. Whatever you want to do ok?"

She faced the front again.

"Conner doesn't like the water. He can swim but its just not for him."

Kate spoke.

"Its not for everybody. We understand don't we Olivia?"

"I wanted to swim with Conner too!"

"I know sweetie, but he doesn't have to if he doesn't want to ok?"

"Ok Kate."

They got to the beach and Tony found a close spot. They unpacked the stuff from the car(and there was a lot of stuff!). The kids held onto an adults hand as they walked through the parking lot and through the tunnel. Abby started to yell.

"Echo! Echo!"

The kids thought that was hysterical so they decided to do it. The adults laughed as they walked to the end of the tunnel. They then walked down to the sand and found a spot close to the water so it would be easier to keep an eye on the kids. Kate and Abby spread out the blanket as Tony set up the umbrella. He also thanked his lucky stars that the waves were small today. Kate and Abby then took out the kids sand toys and put them in the sand. Tony put a basket on the blanket as their lunch and snacks were in there for later. Olivia started to get fidgety.

"Tony can we go now?"

He smiled and picked her up.

"In a minute sweetie. First Kate has to put sun screen on you so you don't get burned."

Abby turned towards Conner.

"Same with you little man."

"Awwww Mommy!"

"No arguments Conner. Now take your shirt off."

Conner did as he was told and Tony put Olivia down and she took her shirt and shorts off as her bathing suit was underneath. The Moms put the lotion on and Kate put Olivias floaties on as well. She then spoke.

"Ok kids. Today I want you to have fun, but theres a few rules we need you to follow ok? The first one you can NOT go to the water without one of us. That is a must. The second one is you need to stay where we can see you. No wandering off ok?"

The kids nodded and Kate smiled.

"Now have some fun!"

The kids cheered as Tony took Olivias hand and walked her to the water. Kate and Abby sat on the blanket as Conner decided to dig in the sand.

Tony and Olivia got to the edge of water and Olivia squealed as the water went around her feet.

"Its cold!"

Tony smiled.

"Don't worry you'll get used it. You ready baby?"

She nodded and he picked her up and walked into the water quickly before another wave came. Tony put her down but still held onto her as she swam and kicked her feet.

"I like this Tony! This is fun!"

Meanwhile on the shore, Abby and Kate were helping Conner build a sand castle when Abby heard somebody call her name. She turned and smiled at a woman with long blonde hair, a man with sandy brown hair, and a boy and a girl. They all walked towards Abby and Kate.

Abby smiled and walked over to the couple.

"Kate this is Nate and Dina Bellows. They live next door to us. This is their six year old son Jonathan and their 4 year old daughter Sophie. You guys this is Kate Dinozzo. She works with me at NCIS. Shes a federal agent as is her husband Tony."

After saying hellos and nice to meet you's Kate offered them to join them. Dina spoke up.

"If you are sure? I mean we don't want to intrude."

"No really. Let me get my husband Tony and daughter Olivia out of the water. I would love for her to meet new kids."

While Dina and Nate spread out their blanket and set up their stuff, Sophie and Jonathan joined Conner in building a sand castle while Kate went to go get Tony and Olivia. Dina turned towards Abby.

"Abby I don't mean to get personal and if you tell me its none of my business its ok I understand; but what did Kate mean when she said she wanted her daughter to meet new kids?"

Abby thought back to a conversation she had with Kate. If the subject ever came up for some reason would it be ok for Abby to say Olivia was adopted? Kate didn't think it was a big deal. After all Olivia was their daughter now.

"No its ok! You see Olivia is adopted, but we don't even think about her being adopted anymore. She really is Kate and Tonys daughter. Just don't be surprised when you hear her call them Tony and Kate instead of Mommy and Daddy. Shes not ready for that yet."

Dina nodded and smiled and called her kids.

"Jonathan! Sophie! Come on sun screen!"

The kids groaned but did as they were told. Meanwhile Kate and Tony walked over with Olivia. Kate took Olivias floaties off, and wrapped a thick towel around her. She spoke.

"Olivia and Tony this is the Dina and Nate Bellows and their two kids Jonathan and Sophie. They live next to door to Aunt Abby and Uncle Timmy."

Tony and Nate shook hands and Olivia smiled shyly at Sophie.

Kate kneeled down next to Olivia.

"Olivia Sophie is your age. I'm sure you two will have fun together."

Dina kneeled next to Sophie.

"Sophie Olivia doesn't really have many friends yet. How about you two be friends?"

Olivia and Sophie smiled at each other, and then began to build a sand castle together while Conner and Jonathan did the same.

The adults talked and mingled. Tony and Nate talked sports and the girls talked about getting their nails done with Olivia and Sophie.

After the kids finished their sand castles and playing in the sand it was lunch time.

Abby stayed with the stuff while Kate and Dina took the girls to the ladies room to wash up, and Tony and Nate took Conner and Jonathan to the mens room. By the time they got back to the blanket Abby had all of the lunch spread out. There were peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for the kids, water and iced tea in thermoses, grapes, apples, and peaches, and the adults had cold cut sandwiches. The adults sat on one blanket and the kids sat on another and chatted. Olivia sat in between Conner and Sophie as she didn't want to leave one best friend out. She decided right there that Conner and Sophie were both going to be her best friends. She and Sophie especially had a lot in common. They both liked the color blue, they both liked to ride their big wheels, and they both loved to swim.

After everyone ate, Olivia and Sophie wanted to go into the water, so their dads took them. Jonathan turned towards his Mom.

"Mom can I have my squirt gun? Please?"

Dina took it out of the bag and handed it to him.

"Now you can play with this on one condition. You do not squirt anybody with it. Understand?"

"Yes Mom. Come on Conner! Lets go squirt the birds!"

The two boys started to run off but each Mom held their child back. Abby spoke.

"Conner you need to stay where I can see you. Don't wander off."

Dina was talking to her son.

"Jonathan remember Conner is two years younger than you. Stay here ok? I don't want you wandering off either."

Both boys gave an exaggerated sigh, but both Moms just smiled as they stayed in front of the blanket.

Meanwhile in the water, the two men were talking as the two girls swam. Nate smiled.

"So I think its great you and Kate adopted Olivia. Theres so many kids out there that need a home, and I can tell she really lucked out getting you two."

Tony smiled at the girls and then back at Nate.

"Yeah its only been a couple of days, but I feel like shes been with us our whole lives. WE lucked out having her in our lives. Shes my baby girl, and I cant imagine life without her."

Olivia and Sophie playfully splashed each other and giggled. Olivia turned towards Tony.

"Come on Tony play with us!"

Sophie looked at Olivia; wanting to ask her a question.

"Why do you call your Dad Tony?"

Nate cleared his throat and picked up his daughter. He smiled sheepishly at Tony.

"Sorry Tony. You know how four year olds can be curious."

Tony laughed.

"Its ok I understand. You can explain it to her."

Nate looked back at his daughter.

"Sweetie, you see Olivia was adopted by Tony and Kate. Do you know what that means?"

Sophie shook her head.

"Come on lets go for a walk and I'll explain it."

The two of them walked off and Tony turned towards Olivia.

"Well missy…what do you say we go dry off? You are shivering."

"Ok Tony. I want to play in the sand with Conner anyway."

As they walked back to the blanket, Conner came out of nowhere with Jonathans squirt gun and squirted Olivia right in the face. She coughed as she got water in her mouth. Abby was on her feet in an instant.

"Conner Jethro McGee! You get over here right now young man!"

Dina looked at Jonathan.

"I think its time to put the squirt gun away."

"But Mom!"

"No buts Jonathan. Put it away. Now."

Jonathan walked off in a huff but did as his Mother said. She turned towards Abby as Conner was walking towards her and Kate ran to dry Olivia off with a towel.

"Sorry about the gun Abby."

"Don't apologize Dina. My son knows better."

She leaned down to Conners level.

"Conner. Why did you squirt Olivia in the face? That wasn't very nice."

"I'm sorry Mommy. Jonathan told me if I did it he would give me some candy."

Dina looked at her son with a mad look on her face as Nate walked over with Sophie.

"Whats going on Dina?"

"Your son told Conner that if he squirted Olivia in the face he would give him candy."

Nate looked at his son with a stern look on his face.

"You are the oldest child here. You need to set an example. Go sit on the blanket. You are staying there the rest of the day, and no tv tonight."

"But Dad!"

"No buts Jonathan. Go."

Jonathan stomped off in a huff and sat down on the blanket with his arms crossed, and Dina turned towards Kate who finished drying Olivia off.

"Kate I'm sorry."

"Oh Dina don't apologize. Its ok. Kids will be kids, and Olivia is fine."

Olivia smiled.

"Yeah I'm ok!"

Abby was talking to Conner again.

"Conner I understand that Jonathan told you to do it, but that still doesn't make it right. You apologize to Olivia and then go sit in your chair. You are in time out."

Conner walked over to Olivia and hugged her.

"Sorry Livy."

Olivia hugged him back.

"Its ok Conner! You are still one of my best friends!"

The adults smiled as the two girls started to build with their buckets and giggled.

Dina and Jonathan sat down next to Kate and Tony. Nate spoke.

"Please let me apologize again for my son. I don't know what got into him today."

Tony smiled.

"Really don't worry about it. Like Kate said kids will be kids. Its already forgotten."

After that little catastrophe, the girls played nicely and then Abby let Conner join them. All three giggled as they buried Tony in the sand.

Kate giggled.

"I swear sometimes I don't have one kid I have two."

After a fun day at the beach, the adults decided it was time to head home. Kate had an idea.

"Would everyone like to come over tonight for dinner? We would love to barbeque."

Abby smiled.

"That sounds like fun! I'll let Timmy know he should be home by now. I'll bring dessert!"

Dina and Nate looked at Kate and Nate spoke.

"Are you sure it wont be too much trouble?"

"No way not at all. Tony can barbeque hamburgers and hot dogs, and the kids can play in the backyard. Besides, I think our girls hit it off quite well."

Olivia and Sophie looked at each other.

"Yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!"

The adults laughed. As they walked towards the parking lot, Tony gave the Bellows their address and told them not to bring anything.

"Really I have plenty of beer and soda. We got plenty of food. Just bring yourselves."

The Bellows left and after the car was packed so did the NCIS gang.

Next chapter will be about the little party at the Dinozzo house. Sorry this chapter took so long. I had writers block and just didn't feel like writing for awhile.