Always faithful pt-5; The Calm before the Storm. A General Hospital/NCIS crossover story. All rights to the characters and backgrounds belong to their creators. Story the NCIS team and all of the family and friends are at Sonny's house with Morgan and Rachel waiting for daylight before they move for D.C. But they are also making ready for the battle that will come with the dawn. Rated K+

The night went slowly. Gibbs and his team took turns keeping watch. Ziva sat next to Rachel, with Morgan dozing on her other side. Ziva watched over both of them, keeping her thoughts to herself. In the study Jason and Sonny were still going over security, when Michael walked in. "Took a walk around the house, everything seems peaceful so far."

Sonny nodded. "Where is Starr?" Michael grinned "She was with me. I showed her some of the grounds" Jason and Sonny grinned at each other. Sonny teased his son. "What else did you show her?"

Michael pulled a face "Let's say that my plans for this particular evening were revised."

Tony walked into the study. "That will happen a lot, as you get older, kid."

Michael frowned "Something else to look forward too."

Ziva kept her watch over the two kids, when she had the feeling of being watched. She looked around and saw a little blonde-haired girl looking round the corner at her. Ziva smiled at the child and waved her to come in. Jocelyn walked over to Ziva smiled at her, and looked to Rachel and her big brother. "Are they sick?" she whispered. "No sweetheart." Ziva replied "Just tired, they have been traveling a long way." Jocelyn nodded pointing to Morgan. "That's my brother." She said with pride.

Morgan started to stir and saw his baby sister talking to Ziva and smiled. "Hey you." He whispered. "Come here."

Jocelyn ran over and jumped into Morgan's lap. After planting a big kiss on her big brother. She said "I missed you Morgan."

"Oh, I've missed you too, Little Bit." He told her kissing her on top of her head. "You're growing up so fast." A knock at the door Carly poked her head in. "Hey." She said quietly. "Have you seen..." she stopped talking when she saw Jocelyn sitting with Morgan. "There you are." Carly said. "You need to be in bed, young lady." Jocelyn said "I know Mommy, I wanted to see Morgan."

"Well now you have. So its bed time." Carly told her.

Morgan looked down at his little sister. "Want me to tuck you in?"

Jocelyn got a delighted grin on her small face. Morgan carried her out of the room as she waved bye to Ziva, Morgan told her "Let's see if we can find something to snack on first." From the sound of Jocelyn's answer. This was a good idea.

Carly turned to Ziva "How's she holding up?" Ziva looked down to her sleeping cousin. "She pretty much been asleep for the last couple of hours.' Ziva stroked her hair. If we can get her to Washington, then this will be over." Looking up at Carly. "I want to thank you for being so good to her." Carly sat down beside her. "Your welcome, Ziva." Watching the young girl as she slept. "She's a good girl; it's easy to see why Morgan is so protective." Another knock at the door, McGee was standing there. "Excuse me, ladies." He said "Ziva, the boss wants you." Ziva stood up. "Can you keep an eye on her?" she asks Carly.

"No problem." Carly replied. Ziva and McGee walked out as Morgan walked back in. "Jocelyn's down for the night. She went right to sleep."

Carly gave her son a very worried look "You need sleep too, young man." Morgan shook his head "I will Mom, soon."

Carly glared at him; "No soon, Now!" she told him in a tone of voice that left no room for discussion. Continuing to glare at him. "Or do I have to go get your father and Jason to make you go to bed?"

Laughing softly. Morgan said "No, Mom I'll go. He said. Giving his mother a kiss. Morgan walked out of the room.

Morgan wandered to the study where Sonny, Tony and Gibbs were looking the schematic of the grounds on the plasma screen. Morgan walked over to the men.

"I thought Aunt Carly was going to tell you to call it a night, kid." Tony asked him.

Sonny and Gibbs glared over at the boy. "I seem to remember her saying that too." Sonny told him darkly. "I know Dad and I'm going." Looking to the screen. Morgan frowned.

"What's troubling you, Cadet Captain Benson?" Gibbs asked.

Pointing to the screen, Morgan replied "Just considering what I would do if I were going to attack this house and not defend it." Curious now, Gibbs asked "How would you do it?"

Morgan looked to Gibbs and Tony, and then his father. Morgan paused then started to speak. "First I would have 2 or 3 guys in the woods, indicating the tree line between the house and Kate Howard's estate."

"Ok, kid." Tony asked "Why?"

"To have covering fire for my assault teams. There's enough cover and elevation out there that a few guys with SMGs could cover every entrance." Morgan continued. "Then I would have my assault teams hit from two sides. Maybe in the front door, and one of the wings. My bet would be on the east wing."

"Why Morgan?" Michael asked as he and Starr walked into the study. "The east wing would be the better choice because there's more cover. And if they come in early, they'll have the sun behind them when they strike."

"You're a good tactician, Morgan." Gibbs told him. "You have a good eye."

"Where did you learn all this, son?" Sonny asked him.

"School of course." Morgan replied. "They call it a military school for a reason." Morgan got no further in his explanation as Carly was glaring at him from the doorway. "Was there a part of get some sleep that you did not understand?"

"I'm going Mom." Morgan said, as Carly quick marched him out the door. Everyone has a laugh at Morgan's predicament. Sonny looked to Gibbs with a grim look on his face. "He's right you know"

Gibbs said "Yes he is, it's a plan that could work real easy."

"Dad." Michael said, looking worriedly at Starr. "Maybe we should think about getting the girls down to the safe rooms."

Sonny had considered this. "Gibbs and I have been talking about that. It's not really the best place for that pregnant girl, and not really the best place for your baby sister until we have too."

Looking to Starr, Michael asked "What do you want to do?" Starr took a breath "I'll stay up here with you until we have to go down there."

Sonny asks Starr "When the time come you're not going to argue are you?"

Starr gives Sonny and Gibbs her best wide-eyed little girl look; "Would I do that?"

"Hell yes, you would." Tony answered for the group. "And I don't even know you that well."

Starr giggled at that, but then got serious "No, when you say its time to run for cover. I'll run."

Sonny nodded "Good enough, you two need to crash for a while."

"Ok." Starr said "Good night" she tell everyone and heads out of the study. Michael started to follow her but Sonny asks him to wait. He walks over to the safe on the wall and opens it taking a small case out. "I want you to take this." He tells Michael. Michael opens the case; it turns out to be a Glock 9mm.

"Are you sure Dad?'" Michael asked. Knowing how Sonny felt about him having guns. "Your Dad is right Michael." Gibbs tells him. "We don't know how this is going to play out."

Michael replies "I know he's right Gibbs. He usually is."

He took the Glock and put it behind his back "What about Morgan?"

"What do you mean?" Gibbs asked.

"If I wanted to bet money." Michael answered"I think little brother is likely packing."

Jason and Sam were walking back inside. "Everything is in place" Sam tells him. "If they are out there we'll know it."

Sonny tells them. "Keep an eye on Morgan, Michael thinks he's carrying." Jason shakes his head "Not anymore he isn't". He pulls the pistol from his jacket pocket. "Walther PPK." Gibbs says as he walks up. "He knows his guns too. How did you know he was packing?"

"It's part of my job to know, Gibbs." Jason told him; "Just like I knew Michael here is carrying a Glock." Turning back to Sonny; "I explained to him that it was not really in his best interests to have either you or Carly catching him with a gun in his hand."

Sonny says "Good enough, we'll watch him though. He's beginning to remind me too much of Carly in his decision making processes for my likening."

A voice from up stairs called down. "I heard that, Sonny!" Carly snapped.

As Gibbs and Sonny walked to the west wing and Michael and Starr headed upstairs. Jason gestured Sam to the den. Sam already had a good idea what Jason was going to say to her, but she waited for him to speak." I would feel better if when the shooting starts, you were down in the safe room." Jason told her. Sam took Jason's hands and looked into his eyes. "I know you would." she said. "And I think this time; I'll go along with it." Jason was pleased, but puzzled. "You're not going to argue with me?"

"No." Sam replied. Then she laughed. "What did I do, take all the fun out of it?"

Jason just held her close and did not reply. "Want to call it a night?' he asked her. The smile and look in Sam's eyes answered that question in a hurry. They walked off to their room. Finally there was quiet in the house except for the guards walking their posts.

Meanwhile several miles from the house there were10 men who were preparing to attack the house in the morning. After conferring they settled down for the night as they were planning the assault at daybreak.

End of part-5.