The redhead couldn't take the smile off her face as she approached the familiar Georgetown house. It was just as it had always been, pristine and historic. She couldn't see anyone through the windows, but there was a sense of comfort in the knowledge that those she loved dearest were inside. Her flight from LaGuardia to Reagan had been on time and not too much of a hassle. The taxi driver had been another story, however. The driver had tried to take the long way around. That was all irrelevant now; she was home. She paid the cab fare and stepped out of the vehicle, sighing contentedly into the September night. A light breezed carried through the air, nipping gently at her exposed skin and causing her red locks to blow ever so gently like a fire catching. The woman carried her suitcases to the door and dropped them on the doorstep with a light clatter of wheels hitting stone. She wanted out of her heels, work attire, and a large glass of red wine.
Moments later, she was inside the townhouse, deeply breathing in the familiar scents of vanilla, ginger, and cinnamon. She knew it was a vanilla chai scented Yankee Candle. Some parts of home never changed. "Mom," she called out, listening for the sound of footsteps rushing to greet her.
Her mother came into the foyer and hugged her daughter tightly, relishing in the fact that she was home and safe. "I missed you so much," Jenny said, kissing her eldest's cheek.
"Where's daddy?"
"Your father -" But the explanation was interrupted.
Jenny, I got your number. I need to make you mine. Jenny, don't change your number.
Katie's eyebrows rose in surprise as she heard her father's boisterous singing. The older redhead rolled her eyes and looked at her daughter. None of his team would believe that the man currently singing at the top of his lungs was their fearless leader. They would have thought aliens had abducted him. "Has discovered the iPod," Jenny finished.
"Abby?" the younger woman asked.
Jenny nodded her head. The forensic scientist had given Jethro an iPod for his birthday, and he shocked everyone by actually using it.
"Katie!" Gibbs shouted and strolled to his wife and child. "When did you get in?" he asked, speaking loudly with the ear buds firmly planted in his ears.
"You're yelling, Jethro," his wife scolded.
"WHAT?"
Katharine put her hand over her mouth to hide her laughter. She'd missed her parents' antics. At times, Katie hated living in New York and being so busy she wasn't able to return home except on special occasions. She always felt like she was missing out on so much of her parents' lives and her sister's life. Of course, they were missing out on her life too. Phone calls and video chats were not the same as physically being there. Jenny snatched the ear buds out of her husband's ears and glared at him. "Jethro, what have I told you? If you can't hear yourself speaking, the volume is too loud."
"Well, Jen, I don't know how to change the volume," he answered, sounding like a bratty teenager. "I just know how to hit play and turn it off."
His wife threw her hands up in despair and walked away from him. Jethro smirked. He held the iPod up to his face, eyes squinting and brows knitting. He fumbled with the music device, trying to figure out where the button for the volume was located. His shoulders soon slumped in defeat; he couldn't find the damn volume control.
Katie laughed and hugged her father. "I got in about five minutes ago. Happy Birthday in person this time," she told him, giving him a peck on the cheek.
"Thank you." Gibbs slipped an arm around her waist as he walked towards the kitchen with her. He noticed the power stilettos and black fit and flare dress she had on. She truly was her mother's daughter. "What did you do? Leave straight from work and go to the airport, Jen Jr.?"
"Of course, I couldn't miss this weekend."
"Is something special going on?"
She hit his shoulder playfully and lowered her voice to a whisper. "I've heard this badass silver haired NCIS agent is turning fifty-five, but don't tell anyone."
"Secret's safe with me," he replied with a wink.
"While we're sharing secrets, Daddy, you're no Tommy Tutone."
He grinned. "I know, but you know how much your mom loves that song."
"I hate that song," Jenny spoke as they entered the kitchen, inviting herself into the father and daughter conversation. She noticed Katie retrieving a bottle of merlot and a glass.
"C'mon, Jen. You know you love it," Gibbs stated, looking over at his wife. Jenny still took his breath away even as she simply stood barefoot in the kitchen. He stared at the red polish on her toes and admired how her jeans hugged her thighs. Jethro grinned, deciding to take the opportunity to provoke her fully. He never tired of how those green eyes would blaze with fire at him.
"I've never put my number on a wall, and I'm worth much more than the price of a dime," she told him smartly and tossed her hair over her shoulder.
Gibbs shoved his hand into the pocket of his jeans and retrieved a quarter, holding it up smugly. "How 'bout a quarter, Jen?" He knew he was pushing his luck, but he couldn't help himself.
Her green eyes flashed as she pursed her lips, scowling at him. "Jackass," she mumbled under her breath. "Jethro, no," Jenny said as her husband stepped nearer to her. The redhead knew exactly what he was planning. She shook her head and pushed him away. "No sir," she said firmly, shaking her finger at him primly.
Her husband grinned wickedly and enclosed her in his arms, leaning in and nibbling her neck. "What did you say? I didn't hear you, Jen," Gibbs teased and slipped the twenty-five cents into her pocket.
She giggled and pushed at him. "Jethro!" Their eyes caught. She tried to keep the annoyed façade in play, but those blue eyes never failed to make her knees buckle. Both had forgotten about Katharine in the room.
"Okay, I'm going upstairs and unpacking!" Katie announced hastily and left the kitchen, the noise of her heels echoing through the home as she retreated upstairs.
He held onto her tightly by the waist and began tickling her. She bucked and tried to wriggle away from him. Her laughter swiftly filled the air. "I hate you! Jethro, stop!"
Gibbs laughed and let her go. When she went to move away, he grabbed her hand and pulled her back against him. "Twenty-five cent kiss? Please?" Jethro whispered in her ear, his breath tickling her ivory skin.
Jenny turned to face him, and he kissed her softly. She stroked his cheek and smiled at him as she pulled away. "Will you let me go now?"
"Nope."
"Well, nothing will be ready for poker night. Maybe the food isn't burned."
"I don't care," he answered, nuzzling her. His arm was still around her waist.
"The others will."
He smirked and let her go. Friday nights had become poker night for him, Ducky, Tony, and McGee. There would be an addition to tonight's game, Jenny. He hoped she wouldn't clean house; she was a mean poker player. Years ago, Jethro had learned the hard way about her poker skills. He whistled for Cooper and took the German shepherd for a walk while Jenny continued cooking and making snacks for game night.
In Gibbs' absence, Elizabeth and Tony entered the house. Elizabeth removed the floral scarf from around her neck. ""It's not funny, Tony," she commented, elbowing her husband in the ribs to stop his laughter. The pain in his ribs didn't manage to shut him up.
"Liz, four arms? It is a little funny." He laughed harder. Tony straightened when she elbowed him a second time. "Okay, it's not," he replied, turning serious and rubbing his ribcage. "Liz, I think you might have broken something," he mumbled, pulling up his shirt to assess the damage.
Her blue green eyes flared at him, and Tony sheepishly pulled his shirt down. "I'll live. No worries."
She shook her head at him, and looked at her phone as it went off, reading the text message. Where are you? Hurry up! I want to see my sister! I'll be in my room. "Katie's upstairs."
Tony sniffed the air and smelled marinara sauce. Yes, Jenny had made homemade pizzas. "I'll be in the kitchen. Hey Liz," he said as she walked away. "Don't get too crazy tonight."
"Like I can," she retorted and headed up the stairs. Lizzie wandered into her sister's old bedroom while Tony ventured into the kitchen to see how much he could snack before his mother-in-law threw him out. "Hey," she greeted her twin. Lizzie was silently amused at how easily they fell into their old roles whenever one of them stayed at home.
Katie walked out of the ensuite bathroom and stared at her sister. "Oh my God, Elizabeth!"
"What? she asked, shifting her stance uncomfortably. Lizzie prepared herself for what Katie might say to her. Her twin had no filter most of the time; she had received that trait from her father
"I know we've skyped, but oh my God," Katie stepped closer to her sister and stared at her middle. "Look at you! Oh my God! When did that happen? Oh my God!"
Lizzie laughed softly at her sister's lack of high dollar lawyer vocabulary and shrugged her shoulders. "It snuck up on me," she replied. She was halfway through her first pregnancy. "Maybe a week ago. I'm in the definitely looking pregnant stage instead of looking like I've spent too much time with Ben & Jerry's Cherry Garcia," she said, sitting down on the bed to take the weight off her feet. She couldn't get used to the extra weight.
"How've you been feeling? Any better?" Katie questioned as she remained standing. "No heels tonight?
"I'm starting to enjoy it," Lizzie answered, proud of herself for surviving the sickness of the first trimester "No heels. I don't want puffy feet and an achy back in a few hours. Is my outfit that terrible?" she inquired, glancing over herself. Elizabeth had chosen black slim leg pants, black suede wedge heeled booties, a simple silk jersey three quarter sleeve tunic in plum.
"Lizzie, you look amazing. I might break into your house and steal that top."
Elizabeth smiled at her sister. "Anyway, you'll love hearing about this."
"Tell me!" Katie picked up her wine glass, sipping. She rummaged through her suitcase and found nothing she wanted to wear to for the night. The redhead decided to stay in the dress she'd worn to work.
"I swear every single appointment that involves an ultrasound Tony thinks another baby is going to pop up."
"You married an idiot. You know that…don't you?"
Lizzie pinched her sister's arm as she sat down next to her. Despite Tony's idiocy from time to time, Elizabeth loved him. Katie knew he was a good man but how her sister put up with him was a mystery to her. She pinched her sister back and looked at her seriously. "I know you know. Why haven't you told me?" Katharine pried.
"It's part of Daddy's birthday present."
She moved to the door and looked up and down the hallway before theatrically shutting the door. "Coast is clear." Katie flopped back onto the bed and turned to her sibling. "You have to tell me! Niece or nephew."
Elizabeth smiled at the massive, hundred watt grin that made itself at home on her sister's face. "Wait," she told her, smiling even more. She took Katie's hand, placing it on the baby bump. Katie didn't move a muscle or bat an eyelash as she waited. Her eyes turned into saucers as she pulled her hand away, but she put it right back, laughing at herself.
"That's your nephew doing somersaults."
She squealed and hugged her sister tightly. "Daddy's going to be over the moon! A grandson…he's going to have a field day, Lizzie."
"I know."
"Have you told mom?"
"I haven't, but I think she knows."
Katie rolled her eyes and stood up, pulling Elizabeth up. "What doesn't mom know?"
It was true. Nothing ever seemed to take their mother by surprise. Somehow, she knew everything in advance more so than their father. The sisters touched up their make-up and chatted nonstop until they left the bedroom. Lizzie had made dinner reservations for 9 o'clock. She looped her arm with Katie's and nudged her. "Are you going to avoid Tim this weekend?"
She didn't answer and attempted to change the subject. McGee was not a topic she wanted to be discussed. "Are Abby and Ziva meeting us at the restaurant?"
"Yes. I'll take you ignoring the question as a yes."
"Shut up, Lizzie," she replied with a lighthearted tone yet there were serious undertones.
"He's coming tonight."
"When in the hell did he start playing poker? Mom's going to rake him over the coals."
"Everyone does. He has no poker face."
Katie smirked; that was the truth. At the bottom of the stairs, she greeted Cooper. The dog followed the girls into the kitchen. Lizzie laughed as her mother smacked Tony's hand. He kept picking pepperoni and sausage off the pizza in front of him.
"Tony, I'm ten seconds away from banning you from my kitchen," Jenny told him sharply.
"Yes, ma'am," he responded guiltily and smiled at his wife as she pulled him out of the line of fire. He glanced to his sister-in-law. "Glad you could make it, Miss Fancy New Yorker."
"Shut up and give me a hug," Katie said and hugged her brother-in-law.
DiNozzo returned the hug, giving her a squeeze. "I forgive you for not coming to my birthday party."
Katie smacked him in the back of his head – Gibbs style. She had apologized a thousand times for that weekend in July. It was another instance when work had pushed its way in and had pushed family out of the way.
Elizabeth took a pepperoni off one of the pizzas, and Tony noticed his mother-in-law said not a word. "Hey! Pepperoni stealer here," he said, putting his arms around his wife. "I caught her. Get her, Jenny."
Jenny rolled her eyes good-naturedly, shaking her head. Lizzie giggled at her husband's childish ways and stuck her tongue out at her husband. "She loves me more than you."
"Obviously," he mumbled and kissed Elizabeth's neck.
She leaned back into her husband's arms and looked at her mother. "You should go to dinner with us."
"Your father is finally letting me in on a game of poker. It may never happen again."
"It wasn't fair, Jen. You asked me in a weak moment," Gibbs spoke as he came into the kitchen. He took a beer out of the fridge and popped it open with a smirk on his face. He noticed the smile dripping with pride on his wife's face.
"A weak moment?" Tony questioned. Gibbs had weak moments?
"Yeah, DiNozzo. She asked me during sex," he replied, deadpan.
Tony looked like he'd swallowed a bitter pill, and Lizzie put her hands over her face. Katie cringed. She knew her parents had sex, but she didn't want to hear it. Jenny cackled at the looks on everyone's faces and hit Jethro's shoulder. He put an arm around her as she buried her face into his shoulder – the smell of coffee and sawdust assaulted her senses.
"Time to go," Katie spoke and glimpsed at her sister. It was definitely time to leave before her parents said something else that would scar them all for life.
Elizabeth nodded. She didn't want to hear any more about her mother's persuasion in the bedroom, and she turned in Tony's arms. "Have fun with game night," she said, kissing him.
Tony returned the kiss and kept his arms around her waist, rubbing the small of her back. He looked at his sister-in-law. "You know you're keeping my wife out past her bedtime. Nothing crazy tonight. No dancing on tables."
"I'll take good care of the little mother," Katie answered and walked out of the kitchen, taking her Elizabeth with her. "Bye grandma!"
Jethro laughed out loud then doubled over when his wife socked him in the stomach. "That's enough, grandpa," she told him. Jenny was excited but hadn't quite adjusted to the idea of being a grandmother especially since fifty was around the corner for her. It made her feel ancient like she needed to have gray hair, trade in her stilettos for orthopedic shoes, and burn all of her knee length skirts.
As soon as Katie opened the front door, there was McGee standing in front of her, frozen in mid knock. "Hey Katie," he spoke, smiling from ear to ear.
"Hey Tim," she greeted, wincing. Why did he have to be arriving when they were leaving? She had been so close to not seeing him on her first night back in town.
"I didn't think you were coming this weekend. How long are you here?"
"I'm catching a flight back Monday morning."
"Great. Maybe we could…if you have time…maybe we could go out. Dinner. A movie. I'd love to catch up."
"Yeah, of course. We have dinner reservations. We're running late," Katie lied and muffled a groan when Lizzie purposely stepped on her foot. She didn't care what her sister thought; she was too busy trying to escape from Timothy McGee.
McGee nodded in understanding. He smiled at Elizabeth as she gently squeezed his arm as she passed by him. Tim stood on the doorstep, staring at Katie walk away. Tony clapped him on his back.
"McLovesick, you need to get over her."
He knew DiNozzo was right, but he hadn't been able to get over Katharine Gibbs. He didn't know how he could. She was intelligent, a mild computer geek, and successful. She made him weak in the knees. He'd never met a woman so mysterious and alluring. He thought they could be something, but she wouldn't give him the chance.
In the car, Elizabeth folded her arms over her chest and stared her sister down. "Katie, I think you should…"
"Do not start, Lizzie. Do not go there," she warned and turned the car onto the street. The older twin was concentrating harder than usual on the road and trying not to look back at the man standing on her porch looking like a lost puppy.
"You should give him a chance. He's a good guy."
"I slept with him! That was it! Who doesn't hook up with someone at a wedding? It was two years ago for God's sake!"
"You went to dinner with him three times after that. Also, I believe you took him to New York when you were apartment hunting."
Katie rolled her eyes. She felt awful about how she had handled McGee. The redhead hadn't meant to lead him on, but she unfortunately had. When Tim showed up out of the blue at her apartment with a dozen red roses, she knew he hadn't understood her wanting them to be friends with benefits.
"One day, you're going to have to stop leaving a trail of broken hearts, Katie."
"It's better than having mine broken."
Lizzie sighed and adjusted the air conditioning. "Katie, you have to put Liam behind you. He'd want you to be happy. It's been seven years."
She felt the lump in her throat and swallowed hard. Lizzie just had to say his name, Liam. The boy she'd fallen madly in love at sixteen while attending Sevenoaks School in Kent. Katharine had given her whole heart and herself completely to him, but he died tragically in a horseback riding accident days after their second anniversary. Katie had built walls and closed herself up after Liam's death and vowed to never get hurt again. She held her hand up and gave her sister a fleeting look. "Discussion over. I want to have a good night."
Elizabeth sighed heavily and looked out the window. She wanted her sister to be happy and to stop harboring the trauma of the last time her heart was shattered. She turned her head and stared at Katharine. Lizzie reached over and squeezed her sister's hand. She couldn't imagine the pain she'd felt then and still felt. The two were silent for the rest of the drive but were chatterboxes during dinner with Ziva and Abby. They didn't stay out too late since tomorrow was Gibbs' birthday party, and Lizzie had started losing the battle with sleep around 11 o'clock.
On Saturday morning, Gibbs walked outside with Cooper on his leash. He stopped dead in his tracks and stormed back into the house, yelling. "Jenny!"
"I'm right here," she answered from the doorway of the study, holding a fresh cup of coffee and wearing his robe.
"Where the hell's my truck?"
Jenny shrugged her shoulders and casually walked into the study, sitting down at the desk.
"Jenny, where is my truck?" he repeated with a growl. He grew more annoyed when she didn't say a word and put her glasses on. "Jen!"
She looked up at him when he came into the room. "Yes?" she questioned sweetly.
"What did you do to my truck?"
"I did not do anything to your precious truck, and you shouldn't accuse me first thing in the morning, Jethro," she stated, fluttering her long eyelashes at him.
Gibbs looked up at the ceiling and put his arms at his sides, exasperated. He saw her right eye twitch. The man never understood why she always tried to lie to him when she knew damn well he would know if she was – he'd always been able to read her like a book. "Jen."
"I let Tony borrow it."
"JENNY!" he bellowed as his mind flashed with images of his truck coming back in pieces.
She rolled her green eyes at his dramatics, desperately trying not to burst into laughter. "It'll be back this afternoon."
He muttered and grumbled as he left the study, unhappily leaving the house and going for a jog with Cooper. Jenny smirked and took a sip of her coffee. She knew he'd be happy when he discovered why his beloved Ford truck was missing in action. The interior was being reupholstered, and there was a wrapped Shopsmith 10ER on the back of the truck. She dealt with a moping and nagging Jethro until everyone arrived for his birthday cookout. Tony snuck the truck into the yard while Gibbs manned the grill.
The team joked and told stories as they sat outside. They eagerly listened to Jackson tells stories from Jethro's youth. All tried to imagine the man as a child. Gibbs sipped his bourbon and passed the bottle to Katie. In true Gibbs fashion, she'd adopted the alcohol as her poison of preference She refilled her tumbler and tried to ignore McGee gazing at her. Jenny disappeared into the kitchen to start on the elote. Elizabeth followed her mother. Jenny glanced behind her and smiled at her daughter as she took a bottle of water from the fridge.
Lizzie opened the bottle of water and took a long drink. She put a hand on her lower back and groaned softly.
"Lizzie?" her mother asked, concern flooding her voice.
"I'm tired of stretching. I burst into tears over an infomercial for Proactiv this morning."
Jenny chuckled softly, remembering the feelings she had dealt with when she was carrying Elizabeth and Katharine all those years ago. "I hate to tell you, but you'll be doing a lot more of that," she told her as she began washing the shucked ears of corn.
"I know," Lizzie replied, washing her hands. "I feel like my body isn't my body anymore, and I want to strangle Tony half the time. I know it's only going to get worse."
Jenny listened to her daughter and didn't interrupt. It was healthy for Elizabeth to vent her frustrations and concerns.
"Mom, he wants to go to prenatal yoga with me," Lizzie told her. She'd been doing yoga for years but had switched classes when she found out she was expecting.
"Tony wants to go with you to prenatal yoga," she repeated, letting it sink in before she burst into laughter. Once Jenny stopped laughing, she shook her head and let a smirk settle on her features. "Let him go. He'll hate it."
"I could always tell him to go to yoga with you before work," Lizzie teased. She took the grater out of the cabinet and the cotija cheese out of the refrigerator.
"I don't think so." That was a thought Jenny did not want to entertain for a split second. The whole point of yoga was to not only keep fit but calm. If DiNozzo tagged along with her to a class, there would be no zen at all. She had continued with yoga after her brush with death in California.
"Mom, is this weird? It feels like the baby's staying on one side today, and I hurt right here," Lizzie explained, putting her hand over her lower abdomen. "It's almost a sharp, jabbing pain."
Her mother nodded knowingly and put her arm around her shoulders, kissing her head. "Not weird. It's round ligament pain," she said sympathetically. Jenny remembered all the aches and pains from pregnancy as though it was only yesterday. "It was terrible for me when I was carrying you and your sister around."
Lizzie let out a small sigh of relief that she wasn't pregnant with twins. "I don't know how you did it," she commented and grated the cheese.
Jenny laughed and rubbed her daughter's stomach, feeling her grandchild's movements. "It was worth it. Now, go get off your feet and boss your husband around," she told her as she straightened and removed the measuring cups from the cabinet.
"You need help."
"Avril Elizabeth, go."
Lizzie left the kitchen and went to the backyard. She stood in front of the lounge chair Tony was sitting in. He looked up at her cautiously. "Liz, baby…you okay?"
"No, my uterus is stretching. It hurts," she told him pitifully.
"C'mere," he said softly and sat up more in the lounger. She gently flopped onto the chair with him. Tony waited for her to get comfortable against him. He pressed his lips against her temple and popped his fingers. "Anthony DiNozzo to the rescue," he whispered and massaged her abdomen. Tony smiled when her eyes closed and a relaxed sigh came from her.
"Don't stop," she murmured, nuzzling her face against his neck. His hands felt wonderful.
"I won't," he whispered back. In May, he had been surprised when Lizzie showed up at headquarters on her lunch break, dragged him into the elevator, hit the emergency stop, and showed him the positive pregnancy test. The little DiNozzo had been a bombshell to both of them. Tony passed up a promotion to have his own team in Rota, Spain, but he knew it was best to decline the offer and stay in D.C. around his family. Lately, he'd had a hell of a time with keeping his mouth shut since finding out he was having a son.
Gibbs grinned at his daughter and son-in-law as he grilled the steaks. He couldn't wait for his first grandchild to arrive. The man hated to admit he was looking forward to the hell Lizzie's hormones would put DiNozzo through. He knew he would hear about it to no end soon enough. Abby brought out the corn for Gibbs to put on the grill. "Thanks, Abs. You helping in the kitchen?"
"Yep, I've been recruited."
"Did you bring your famous mac and cheese?"
"Of course, Gibbs! Don't I always make it for your birthday?"
Jethro smiled. Abby did always bring macaroni and cheese to his birthday celebration. He was curious about the potato salad Ziva had made. With all the side dishes the team had brought, he knew there would be plenty of leftovers.
Minutes later, Gibbs hollered at Abby to take the grilled corn into Jenny. With plenty of help in the kitchen, they were soon eating and celebrating Jethro's fifty-fifth birthday in the dining room of the townhome. After dinner, he opened all of his gifts. Ziva gave him well-made knife, and McGee had purchased a bottle of Pappy van Winkle's 23-year-old bourbon for him. Ducky went for sentimental; giving him a photo of the first day they worked together.
Katie leaned over and handed her father his gift from her. Intently, she watched him tear through the wrapping paper. He flicked open his knife and opened the long box. Jethro's mouth fell open. "Katharine Ann," he murmured and put the packaging on the ground.
"Do you like it? Grandpa helped me choose it."
With care, he removed the rifle and stared at it. His daughter had given him a rare Winchester rifle. He gazed at the 1876 Centennial model rifle and admired its beauty. It was in near perfect condition. He glanced at his father and gave him a nod of thanks. Katharine smiled proudly. Her father's silence and the grin forming on his features let her know she had done a good job. She looked over at her sister as she readied her gift. No one else would be able to out do what Elizabeth's present.
"Daddy, this is from me and Tony," she told him, waiting for him to put the Winchester away. He passed the rifle off to Jenny, and she handed it to her father-in-law. The older Gibbs carefully took it to Jethro's gun cabinet and locked it inside.
Jethro took the present and set the large gift bag on his lap. One of his eyebrows arched up as he dug through the tissue paper and felt soft material. Jenny leaned over, trying to peek into the bag. Finally, Gibbs pulled an infant's romper out. He stared at the little overalls that were appliquéd with a tool belt and pockets holding a hammer and wrench. He grinned from ear to ear at the words, grandpa's little helper. Jenny cleared her throat and wiped at her eyes as Jethro slowly looked to Elizabeth.
"A boy?" he asked softly, touching the blue fabric of the hammer on the romper.
Elizabeth bit her lip and nodded her head. She was desperately trying not to cry at her father's reaction, but it didn't last. As a tear of joy fell from her glistening eyes, she squeezed her husband's hand. Tony wrapped an arm around her.
He looked at his wife. "A grandson, Jen."
Jenny smiled at him and rubbed his back. He held the baby outfit in his hands and stood up, giving Elizabeth a bear hug. She returned the hug tightly. "I don't want him working on boats or anything else until he's at least a year old, Daddy."
Jethro laughed and nodded his head. "No promises, Lizzie." He looked at DiNozzo and punched his shoulder. "DiNozzo, if you think I'm going to cut you any slack for knocking my daughter up with my first grandson, think again," he said seriously but slowly grinned.
Tony snorted. "Of course, boss."
Jenny pushed her husband out of the way and hugged Elizabeth and Tony. She winked at Elizabeth. "I knew it was a boy."
Tony furrowed his brows. "Jenny, is there anything you don't know?"
Gibbs spoke up. "Yeah, she doesn't know where my truck is."
DiNozzo cleared his throat and turned to make a getaway. Gibbs remembered who had borrowed his truck. "Hey DiNozzo," he barked, making the younger man stop in his tracks. "You had my truck. What did you do with it?"
Swiftly, Jenny turned to her husband and looked at him angrily, plunging her index finger into his chest. "That's all I've heard all day, Jethro. I'm sick of it." Jenny looked to Ziva. "Get the blindfold, please," the redhead requested sweetly.
"Blindfold? Jen!" Jethro's eyes widened in alarm. If she had been conspiring with Ziva, he was in for it. Before Gibbs could do anything, the Israeli had the blindfold over his eyes and pushed him closer to Jenny. She seized his hand and yanked him through the house and stopped in the front yard. The rest of the company watched from a distance.
"Now," Jenny whispered into his ear and pulled the dark handkerchief from his blue eyes. "There's your damn truck."
Gibbs hurried over, examining the body of the truck for scratches. He surprisingly found none and yanked open the door. "Jenny!" he exclaimed as he realized why his truck had been gone all day.
His wife laughed at him as he climbed inside and examined the new interior. She walked over and leaned against the truck's door. "Have you noticed what's in the bed?"
"No," he answered dumbly and turned around. Jethro scrambled out of the driver's seat and climbed into the back of the truck. He tore into the gift and looked at his wife. "Where did you find this, Jen?"
"I have my ways."
Jethro hopped off the back of the truck and kissed her deeply, not caring if anyone was watching them. He knew she probably spent months searching pawn shops for the Shopsmith 10ER. "I'm gonna go over and set it up."
"You are not," she stated resolutely.
"But Jen…"
"No. You can do that tomorrow."
The bystanders snickered quietly. It never failed to be amusing to them when Jenny put her foot down. With his team, he was completely in charge. At home, Jenny ruled the roost. He grumbled and put a tarp over the vintage machinery. His hands were itching to work with wood using that machine. Jenny walked with him back into the house. She put candles into the apple pie and grabbed the bottle of chocolate sauce. Gibbs was serenaded with song and slathered his apple pie in the sauce while everyone else ate true birthday cake. The group slowly dwindled until just the family was left except for Jackson. He liked to stay at Jethro's bachelor pad.
In the den, Jenny and Gibbs were snuggled into the recliner while Tony and Lizzie claimed the sofa. Katie was at the other end of the couch with her back resting against the arm, slowly sipping bourbon. Cooper jumped up and nudged her. She patted the spot in front of her and petted the German shepherd's head when he rested it on her thigh.
"Movie time?" Tony asked.
Gibbs nodded and looked up when Jenny stood to her feet. "Where are you going?"
"Start without me. I'm going to tackle the dishes."
"I'll help," Katie said quickly. Her mother looked at her strangely. "What? I can wash dishes."
Jenny gave her daughter a signature smirk and went to the kitchen while Tony looked through the cabinet for McLintock!, the John Wayne film Jethro always watched after his birthday party. As Jenny ran the hot water, she watched Katie make coffee.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing."
"Bullshit," Jenny coughed.
"I'm not happy. What do I do?"
Katie poured a cup of coffee and sat down. Her mother was silent and began washing the dirty dishes. Those were three words a mother never wanted to hear her child say. Jenny sighed heavily. As she stood in front of the sink, Jenny felt utterly helpless. She couldn't snap her fingers and fix Katharine's problems. Why couldn't they be little girls once more? Their troubles were easier then.
"Mom," she whined, aggravated with her quarter life crisis. She put her head down on the countertop. "Tell me what to do."
"Katie, it's no longer my responsibility to dictate your happiness. You're in charge."
She lifted her head and grumbled. For once in her life, Katie wanted to be told what to do, and her mother didn't jump at the chance. What was going on? She clucked her tongue and chewed the inside of her cheek. "I should be happy. Right? I live in an amazing apartment on the Upper East Side. I make six figures a year. I go out every night. I should be happy, but I'm not."
Jenny wiped her hands with a dishtowel and faced her oldest. She had inkling as to why her daughter wasn't happy, and she was going to finally verbalize the suspicion. "Katharine, stop worrying about what I'll think or what your father will think. Fill out the application."
Katharine looked at her mom like she had grown six heads and burned her with a flamethrower. With that reaction, Jenny knew she was correct in her suspicions. "Application? What are you talking about?"
"You know damn well what application I'm referring to, Katharine Ann. You're not happy because you're not doing what you love."
"But mom," she began.
"No but mom. I'm not surprised that you want to be an agent; it's in your blood. I won't stop you neither will your father. The chauvinist in him will bitch, but he'll understand it's what you want to do."
After several minutes, Katie let out a deep breath and looked at her mom. Jenny gave her a comforting, warm smile and held out her arms. Katie walked into her arms and buried her face into the crook her neck. Jenny kissed her temple. "I won't show you any special treatment if you become a NCIS agent. You have my blessing."
"Thank you," Katie whispered and let go of her. She dried the dishes while her mother washed and rinsed. Katie stared in awe at her mother. Once again, her mother had just known. Shortly, they rejoined the McLintock! watching crowd in the den.
Jenny settled in the chair with Jethro and burrowed herself into his side, pulling a soft blanket over them. She rubbed her toes against his ankles as they watched the movie. "We need to talk later," she said in her soft, velvet voice. Later would be when Katharine was safely back in New York.
He looked at her curiously. Before he could ask any questions, she looked over at Katharine. "Katie, your father named you after Maureen O'Hara's character."
"Are you serious?"
Her mother gave her a nod.
"Jen changed the spelling though," he mumbled, looking as though she had burned his boat.
She smirked at him and laced her fingers with his. "I had chosen Elizabeth's name, and he had only chosen your middle name, Katie," she explained. "We were watching this movie one weekend when he informed me you'd be a redhead named Katharine."
Katie looked at her father in disbelief. She smiled at him, shaking her head with a laugh. Was there anything he couldn't do? He'd predicted the future even back then.
"Daddy, what if I'd been a brunette?"
"Nah, got too much Shepard in you."
Jenny cocked an eyebrow at him and sat up straighter. "What is that supposed to mean, Jethro? Too much Shepard?"
"Mom, I think you proved a point," Lizzie spoke, yawning and covering her mouth. The day of partying was starting to take its toll on her. She put her head against Tony's chest and burrowed into his side.
Jethro grinned and kissed his wife before she could argue with Elizabeth. It wouldn't have been much of a squabble considering Lizzie was soundly asleep within minutes.
Halfway through the movie, DiNozzo felt the pins and needles in his arm from Lizzie sleeping on him. He unsuccessfully attempted to move his arm without waking her up. "Sorry," Tony mumbled. She peered at him with sleepy blue green eyes and slowly stretched her legs out, rubbing her small belly. She cuddled into him and stayed awake. There was no drifting back to sleep; the earlier sugar rush from birthday cake had little DiNozzo active.
Tony threw a handful of popcorn into his mouth and munched loudly. He sucked down some of his drink and momentarily looked at his father-in-law. "Boss, you're a lot like the Duke."
Gibbs turned his head and glared at DiNozzo. When he heard Jenny snicker, he glared at her. Jethro wasn't 6 feet 4 inches and didn't spend most of his time on horseback. He didn't think he was anything like John Wayne.
"I keep waiting for you to say, 'That'll be the day,'" Tony articulated, mimicking John Wayne's deep voice badly. Lizzie sat up and looked at her husband with shocked eyes. Why did he have to say that? Tony didn't know the story. He had no idea Gibbs had used that line before and at a very wrong time. Her eyes wandered over to her mother. Jenny looked like a cat that was about to kill the canary.
Gibbs shifted in the recliner, uncomfortable and mortified. He hated to hear those words; they made him feel like someone had just punched him in the gut and made Jenny remember how much he'd ripped her heart out that day. He still felt like a mental defective for saying that to Jenny the first time she told him that she loved him. Finally, his blue eyes met his wife's green. "Don't, Jen," he said gruffly.
He grumbled when she patted him on the cheek. "That'll be the day," she responded haughtily.
"Hit him," Gibbs ordered, motioning for Lizzie to carry out his demand.
"What? What'd I do?" Tony yelled, confusion all over his face. "Don't hit me. I don't even know what I did!" He felt like a puppy that was about to have his nose rubbed in the carpet.
Lizzie laughed and rubbed his arm soothingly. "I'm not going to hit you. I'll explain later," she promised, settling back into her spot against him.
For the rest of the night, Tony sat there wondering what he'd done to keep receiving signature Gibbs' glares. He profusely apologized for bringing up a sore spot after he found out the back-story on Sunday morning. Jethro hung up on Tony after he apologized for the millionth time. DiNozzo kept interrupting his setting up the Shopsmith 10ER. Gibbs threw the phone onto the worktable and looked at his father.
Jackson had an amused look on his face. "Lizzie knows how to pick 'em."
"Yeah, dad," he replied with a chuckle. The two men smiled when the machine fired up.
"Let's get started. We got a January deadline, son."
Gibbs took a sip of coffee and nodded his head. His Sunday was going to be spent in the basement with his father working on a crib for the baby. He'd had another great birthday with the people that mattered most in his life. Next year? Well, he and Jenny would have a grandson to spoil and plenty more to celebrate.