Ok, This is a pretty short chapter just to introduce you to what's going to happen next. While I realise that getting an adoption to go through so quickly, wouldn't happen in the real world. This is not the real is fiction and it suited my purposes ;) So I apologise if it's not realistic enough. Hopefully you'll forget about that if you get into the story. Please review and let me know what you think :)

The next thing is that like my other stories, this story at some stages will contain discipline spankings. You have been warned.

Chapter1

It was about a month after the new school year had started and there had been no major problems to speak of in the McGee household. Sarah was still dating Zac, who continued to be a great influence on her. Although, a lot of the changes in Sarah had come from herself. She had grown up alot. She wasn't perfect and still got into trouble occasionally but not to the extent that she used to.

Dylan had settled into school nicely and he and Toby were still best friends although other friends had been in included in the mix as well. They often played out in the street on weekends. Toby often slept over or Dylan would sleep at Toby's house. Rex and Lulu were happy and loved everyone. Life at the McGee's was still fun, but definitely calmer. The NCIS family had taken to coming to Tim and Abby's every Sunday that they were'nt working now. The interaction with their extended family helped keep the family strong. Tony as usual loved his weekly visits.

When they were sitting down to dinner one night, Abby and Tim decided to broach a subject they had been considering for some time. Tim spoke first. "We have decided, if it's ok with you two, that we would like to look at adopting another child. Probably a little girl. What do you think?" Abby watched Sarah and Dylan's faces, trying to read what they were thinking, not what they were saying.

"Wow!!" Sarah said. "It'd be really cool to have a little girl around here."

"How old would she be?" Dylan asked.

"We don't know Dyl, we have to see what children are available. Who needs a home the most."

"Did you wanna get a baby?" he said.

"No. That is we don't know. Probably a bit older than a baby." Tim said. "Why?"

Dylan shrugged.

"Don't you want us to get another child? Because it won't make any difference to how we feel about you." Abby said.

"It's not that." Dylan said quietly.

"Well what is it then?"

"I was just thinking of something."

"Spill it Dyl, something's obviously on your mind." Sarah said.

"I know someone, or I did who needs a home."

"Who?" three surprised voices said at the same time.

"It was a girl at the home. Her name is Jess. Nobody ever wanted her."

Tim and Abby looked at each other. "Why not?"

"Cause she was bad. Whenever she got fostered, she always got brought back cause she was too naughty."

Tears sprang immediately to Abby's eyes. "How can you just return a child like an unwanted gift?"

Dylan shrugged. "Happens all the time."

Tim took Abby's hand. "How old is she Dyl?"

"Six."

Sarah eyes like Abby's were full of tears that threatened to escape.

"What.........what type of bad things did she do?" Abby asked still trying to get her head around the fact that someone could treat a child this way.

"She throws tantrums a lot. She steals peoples stuff. She bites people. She hits and kicks."

"Why do you think she acts like that Dyl?" Sarah asked.

"I don't know." Dylan said shrugging. "One lady told her she was crazy. I don't think she is. She just doesn't trust people."

"Why do you think that is?"

"Why would she? Nobody ever wanted her."

Abby looked at Tim and they were both in silent agreement, if she was still there, THEY wanted her. The problem would be getting through the red tape quickly. "Why don't you two go and get started on your home work." Tim said, wanting to get Abby alone.

When the kids were well out of earshot, Abby turned to Tim. "I want her Tim. I want Jess."

"Ok I know how you feel. I feel like driving over there and kidnapping her myself but we have to do it the right way. I'm gonna call Gibbs see what he thinks. Why don't you give the agency a call and see if she's available for adoption and see what else you can find out about her?"

"Good idea." They both went off to make their respective phone calls and then met back in the living room about twenty minutes later.

"What did Gibbs think?" Abby said anxiously.

"He told me to call Vance." Tim said. "I did, and he said he knew someone that owed him a few favours and that he'd get back to me. How'd you get on?"

"Well apparently Dylan was pretty spot on. She goes home with prospective parents and usually gets returned a few days later. She's a handful. Jess has a lot of emotional issues. She hasn't been abused physically or sexually, but she was severely neglected. Oh Timmy, I can feel it in my gut that we're the right family for her. She just needs a lot of love and some structure and discipline and eventually I know she can be alright."

"I feel the same way Abby, but this isn't just a doll we're choosing off the shelf. We have to be really sure about this. We have to be prepared to take this little girl no matter what. We can't take her like we did Dylan for visits and such. She's been hurt too much. We'll need to show her that we're willing to take her no matter what. That means the kids have to agree too because this could really disrupt all of our lives. Jess can't get her hopes up that she has a family only to be shunted back to foster care again."

They decided to go up and talk to the kids again. They went to Sarah's room first. "How would you feel about us taking on Jess?" Abby said. Sarah looked at them with tears again springing to her eyes.

"I was hoping you'd want to take her. It makes me feel sick to think of a child that lonely and hurt, thinking that no one wants her. When can we go get her?"

"Hold your horses Sar. There are legalities. But we're already looking into it." Tim said.

Next they went to Dylan's room. "Hey Dyl." Abby said pulling him into a hug. "Dad and I were talking and we were thinking......"

"What your Mom is trying to say Dyl, is that we would like to maybe offer to adopt Jess. What would you think about that?"

"Jess's cool, when you get to know her. Anyway, it was my idea wasn't it?" he said grinning.

Abby and Tim were walking down the stairs when Tim's cell phone rang. "McGee!" he answered. Abby clung onto him anxiously.

"Yes Director......yes.......I'll email you that now.................Thankyou. Thankyou so much."

"His contact said that because Jess has been so hard to place and because we have already adopted and have already met the criteria we should be able to fast track the adoption by the end of the week." Abby clapped her hands and jumped up and down almost falling down the stairs. Tim grabbed her and lifted her up off the ground. "We did it! Let's go and tell the kids."

In the middle of the night Tim woke to find the other side of the bed empty. He got up and went in search of Abby. It didn't take him long to find was in the guest room, well what would be Jess's room. Two o'clock in the morning and she was on a ladder measuring the window for drapes. "Abbyyy." Tim said. It's the middle of the night. What are you doing?"

"I'm measuring the windows Timmy. There's not a minute to lose." Abby said. "I'm not exactly sure whether to go with drapes or blinds or maybe just shutters. I don't even know what her favourite colour is. Do you think at six she'd be a girly girl or would she still like the younger sort of stuff. Not every girl likes pink you know Timmy. I hated pink........."Abby trailed off as she found her self carted off to bed over Tim's shoulder.

"Hey! Timmy!"

"Tomorrow Abby!" he said. Here we go again he thought with a smile.

TBC