Kelly Gibbs was excited as she came in the door from her first day in 2nd grade. Her mom Shannon gave her a hug and a kiss to welcome her home. Shannon told Kelly, "Go wash up dear your Daddy is going to be home in ten minutes for dinner and then we both want to hear how your first day in 2nd grade went."

Kelly gave her mom a huge smile and ran off to wash up and put her things in her room. Thirty minutes later the whole Gibbs family were sitting around the dinner table enjoying the special dinner of all of Kelly's favorites Shannon made to celebrate her first day of school.

Kelly's Daddy was a marine he was big and tough and served in the war but with his girls he was sweet daddy. He asked Kelly, "So Bear (his pet name for her) how was your first day of 2nd grade? Did you make any friends?"

Kelly smiled, "Yeah I made one friend. We sat together and then we played on the swings together and shared snacks from our lunch boxes. I know we will be best friends before the year is out."

Kelly's Daddy smiled and asked, "So what is your new friends name? Are the military do I know her parents?"

Kelly smiled at her daddy thinking her new BFF was a girl, "His name is Anthony, and you wouldn't know his parents they aren't military."

Kelly's dad nearly chocked when she said her new friend was a boy named Anthony. He thought, "BOY, when did my sweet girl start liking boys?"

All Shannon could do was smirk at her husband's reaction and Kelly's smirk. She decided to me merciful to her husband and take over the conversation, "So Kelly a boy hmm, well do you like him or do you like, like him."

Kelly let out a loud, "MOOOM, he is my friend, I am too young to like, like a boy. Boys still have cooties but Anthony is different. He is not like the other boys he is sweet. He has really pretty eyes too. Like Daddy but his are green and not blue."

Shannon smiled at Kelly as she kept describing this little boy to her parents. She was smiling to herself thinking that her baby has her first crush. Jethro, Kelly's dad was busy thinking to himself, "This young man and I need to have a little chat."

The next day at work all Jethro could think about was his little princess liking a boy. When did she start liking boys? She is only in 2nd grade? He worked himself up so much that he decided to leave work early and go by the school and pick up Kelly and see if she will introduce this Anthony to him.

It was nearing 1600 hours so Jethro asked off work early and left for Oak Bridge Elementary School and waited outside Kelly's classroom for school to get out. Jethro looked pretty intimidating with his military fatigues and his fresh crew cut. He also made it a point to wear his side arm just to be extra intimidating to the boy in his daughters life.

The bell rang and the doors were thrown open and he saw his daughter and a little boy grab their belongings and head out of the door. Kelly was shocked to see her Daddy there. She saw him and ran up to give him a huge hug.

Kelly asked, "Daddy, what are you doing here? Is everything okay? Is Mommy okay? You aren't having to ship out again are you?"

Jethro laughed, "No Bear, I was able to get out of work early so I decided to come and pick up my favorite 8 year old from school."

Kelly wrapped her tiny arms around Jethro's broad shoulders then she looked up at him and said, "Anthony, you have to meet Anthony. He is awesome and do you think he could come over and play for a little bit?"

Jethro smiled and thought success, I get to meet this Anthony boy. He smiled, "Go and stop him from getting on the bus and he cant come over today but I tell you what we can give him a ride home and I can meet his dad and ask if he can play one day next week."

Kelly smiled, "Okay Daddy, wait here I will go and get him."

A few minutes later Kelly came up walking hand in hand with this adorable little blonde haired green-eyed boy. He was small for his age but he smiled at the attention Kelly was showing him. Jethro couldn't help but notice Anthony walked with a limp and as the boy got closer he could see what looked like hand shaped bruises on both his arms and what appeared to be two black eyes healing.

Jethro swallowed hard and put on a happy face, "So you must be Anthony. Kelly has told me a lot about you."

Anthony smiled and stuttered as he said, "Y-Yes sir, I am Anthony. K-Kelly and I are friends. She is a r-r-really nice girl. Thank you sir for giving me a r-r-ride home. The kids on the bus pick on me a lot cause I-I s-s-stutter and I am the last stop and so it isn't very f-fun."

Jethro patted Anthony on the shoulder and said, "The offer for a ride home stands if Shannon, Kelly's mom or I come and get her okay."

Anthony smiled and his little green eyes sparkled as he said, "T-Thank you Kelly's Daddy S-Sir."

Jethro ushered both children to his pick up truck telling Anthony that he could call him Jethro. Anthony smiled and said, "Jethro I like that. Y-you can call me T-t-t-tony."

The three made their way out of the school and Tony told Jethro where he lived and Jethro spent the next half of an hour smiling and laughing over the stories that Tony and his Kelly were telling him about the adventures of being in 2nd grade.

Tony saw his house and quietly said, "That one with the

m-metal gates is my h-h-house."

Jethro pulled into this gated driveway and once he was buzzed in his mouth couldn't help but drop as he drove up to the house where Tony lived. The house was as big as a mall. There were gardeners working in the yard and many uniformed house staff worked around.

He parked his truck and took hold of Kelly and Tony's hand and walked them up to the front door. He rang the bell and this gray haired man in a business suit answered the door. He was talking on his phone but when he saw his son with a man in a uniform he asked the person he was talking if he could call them back.

He looked at Tony and then at the man in uniform and rudely asked, "So what did my useless son do now?"

Jethro was stunned silent for a moment then said, "Your precious son did nothing but befriend my daughter Kelly and I thought I would give him a ride home. He said there have been bullies on the bus."

The man in the suit grabbed Tony and yanked him into the house. He didn't say another word to Jethro he just slammed the door in his face.

Jethro was livid. He didn't notice the same look of complete disgust on his daughters face. After a moment Kelly looked up at her Daddy and said, "You and Mommy tell me to respect my elders but I am sorry Tony's Daddy is a mean JERK."

Jethro bent down and picked up his baby and said, "Sweet heart in this case I think I will agree with you."

The next day in school Kelly was waiting at her desk for Tony to get there but he never came to school. Kelly came in the door that night with tears streaming down her face. Her Mommy met her and she sat in Daddy's big comfy chair and asked her what was the matter?

Between sobs Kelly said, "Mommy, Tony wasn't at school today. Daddy told you how bad his Daddy was. Do you think Tony is okay? I have a bad feeling in my tummy about Tony. What are we going to do Mommy?"

Shannon kissed her sweet baby on the top of the head and said, "We are going to tell your Daddy and we are going to let him and the other Marine Police figure this out okay?"

Kelly tried to stop crying but her little bottom lip stuck out a farther the longer she tried to hold her tears. Shannon hugged her tightly and promised her it was okay to cry. Kelly just said in a broken sad little voice, "But Daddy said Good Marines don't cry."