To the outside world Jethro, Rachel, and Abby Gibbs looked like the traditional American family. In truth they were far from it. Jethro had lost his first wife and daughter to a drug dealer. Rachel's baby sister was killed in the line of duty. She was an agent on Gibbs's NCIS team years ago. Abby had lived in New Orléans until she was six. When her parents were killed by a drunk driver. Gibbs and Rachel had first met at Kate's funeral. They dated for a year than Gibbs was nearly killed in a bomb blast. That left him in a coma for fourteen days and then without his memory. He ran off to Mexico to stay with his friend and mentor Mike Franks. When he finally got everything together and returned three and half months later. He was sure that she would have moved on but she hadn't. She was right there waiting for him. One year later they were married and looking to start a family. Sadly they learned that it was unlikely that Rachel would become pregnant. So they began the lengthy adoption process. Where they were continually rejected due to Gibbs being past forty and working for NCIS. Then after four long years an old friend of Gibbs's from his early days at NCIS. Contacted him and informed him that he knew of a six-year-old girl. Where he was working in New Orléans. Who was staying with her grandmother who just happened to be a good friend of Agent Pride's mother. Sadly the old woman was slipping into the grips of dementia and Abby needed a new family. Gibbs and Rachel got with their adoption lawyer right away and the three of them flew down to New Orléans. The three hit it off right away and instantly they were a family. Today was Abby's eighth birthday and Jethro and Rachel were surprising her. By picking her up early from school and taking her for a special family day out. They pulled up to Cameron Elementary. Gibbs waited in the car while Rachel went inside to get Abby checked out. As far as she knew Rachel was checking her out early. So she wouldn't have to spend her birthday at school and the two of them would spend the day together. What she didn't know was that Jethro had taken a half day and they were going to do whatever she wanted. Rachel sat on the padded bench in the front office and waited for Abby to arrive.
"Hi mom!" Abby cried bounding into the office.
"Hi Abby are you ready to go home?" Rachel asked.
"Yes" Abby replied.
"Well come on birthday girl. There is a surprise for you in the car." Rachel replied.
"Really? What is it?" Abby asked.
"If I told you it wouldn't be a surprise silly." Rachel replied ruffling Abby's hair.
Gibbs watched as Abby raced to the car. With Rachel following close behind. He had ducked down on the floor. When he saw the school door open and Abby and Rachel come out. He couldn't wait to surprise his little girl. He remembered surprising Kelly like this on her sixth birthday. Of her eight years he had only been home for three birthdays. That year he got home from a deployment two weeks early to surprise her. Shannon had known for months but they agreed to surprise Kelly. That happened nearly decades before soldiers surprising their kids when they returned from deployment was a regular occurrence and fluff piece on the six o'clock news. Gibbs liked it better they way it happened for him and Kelly. No cameras just him and his girl. Maybe that was just because he couldn't deal with the pain of losing his girls the back-door opened and Abby jumped in.
"Where's my surprise mommy?" Abby asked.
"Surprise!" Gibbs cried jumping up.
"Gibbs don't you have to work?" Abby asked.
"I took a part day." Gibbs explained.
"YAY!" Abby cried.
"So what do you want to do?" Rachel asked.
"Whatever you want." Gibbs added.
"Can we go to the science center?" Abby asked.
"Of course." Gibbs replied.
"Science center it is." Rachel added putting the car in drive.
After the trip to the science center. Gibbs and Rachel surprised Abby by taking her to see Noah. Which she had begged to go see. They had told her no because it was PG-13 but they had planned to take her to see it for her birthday. After the movie. They took her to the toy store and let her pick out any toy two toys she wanted. She picked out pretend forensics kit and a stuffed German Sheppard that she promptly named Jethro. Their last day stop was a trip to the zoo. Where she got a hippo t-shirt and toy giraffe. After the zoo they took her to her favorite restaurant for dinner. Since her birthday was on a Friday this year. They were going to take her to lights out bowling. Which didn't start until nine. The hostess led them to a table.
"I'm Jenna and I will be your server tonight. May I take your order?" Jenna greeted.
"Anything you want." Gibbs told Abby.
"The shrimp scampi." Abby replied.
"I will have the bacon cheese burger." Gibbs said.
"The tuna salad plate please." Rachel finished.
"Any appetizers?" Jenna asked.
"The App Platter." Rachel replied.
"Coming right up." Jenna replied.
The family enjoyed their complementary bread. While they waited for appetizers to arrive. Gibbs and Rachel couldn't help but notice that Abby looked a little down. Both were concerned and surprised. They were sure that Abby had a great birthday. She was showered with gifts, they did everything she wanted, and Gibbs surprised her by spending the day with Rachel and her. Being a physiologist Rachel started racking her brain. Trying to think of what could have happened to make her usually bubbly daughter so quiet.
"Abby sweetie is everything OK?" Rachel finally asked.
"Are you feeling OK?" Gibbs asked.
"Yeah I'm fine it's just." Abby replied.
"Just what sweetie?" Rachel asked.
"Well I love everything you guys got me. I really do but there is one thing that I really wanted for my birthday that I didn't get." Abby explained.
"Really what?" Gibbs asked.
"It's a secret." Abby replied.
"OK well how about you write it down on this napkin and then your dad and I will read it when we get home." Rachel offered.
"OK" Abby replied taking the napkin and a pen.
Later that night Gibbs and Rachel lay in bed. After capping off a busy day by being sorely defeated by Abby in bowling. Both were more than grateful to finally be at home in bed. To make things worse they had to go back to the same bowling alley the next day for Abby's party.
"So what do you think is going on with Abby?" Gibbs asked.
"We are home and Abby is sound asleep. We can read her note now." Rachel replied.
"Alright" Gibbs replied.
"Just a second." Rachel replied reaching for the napkin.
"Well" Gibbs asked.
"Here" Rachel replied handing Gibbs the napkin.
"Oh" Gibbs replied.
Written on the napkin was. "I want a brother or sister."
A/N: This is my second attempt at a the team really are Gibbs's children. Bishop will be an adult in this fic but Abby, Tony, and Tim will all be children. All three will also be eight. Tony being the oldest will be close to nine. I am not sure if Ziva will be in this fic or if I will create character to be the fourth child. Jimmy will be a kid as well. He will be five almost six and live with Ducky. I promise that this fic will be less angsty then "What It Means To Be Family". Bad stuff will still happen to Tony cause it always does but it won't be as bad as the last story. Please review and thanks for reading.