All Work and No Play (Saturday)
Tony switched off the vacuum with a sigh of satisfaction and turned to survey his handiwork. The landing and upstairs bedroom were devoid of even a stray dust particle. He smiled and stretched, then began wrapping the cord around the machine handle before he pulled it to the upstairs linen closet, where they kept cleaning supplies for the upstairs, along with the towels and linens. He took a quick trip to the guest bathroom he and Abby shared and then to the bathroom belonging to Gibbs in the master bedroom. They gleamed, and he congratulated himself upon his superb job.
His work was done, and he was almost free for the day!
Chores rotated, so that this upstairs assignment was his just once per three weeks. He had been eager to get outdoors and play ball, so he'd begun his work the second everyone was out of bed and the vacuuming would not disturb the others. He had a day out in glorious, sunshine filled weather to enjoy, and then tonight, a hot date with a brunette who had caught his eye while he was out to lunch last week. Tony raised his eyebrows at the memory. She was one hot girl.
He made his way into his room and grabbed the new ball he'd bought the day before. Taking a second, he studied it critically. The last one he'd had had met an untimely end when one of his friends had been over shooting hoops with him. Devon had missed the backboard, and the ball had flown into the street. They ran to get it but were too late. The poor thing had just been flattened by an SUV on its way down the street. Tony stared sadly at the remains. Devon picked up the carcass and promised, "I'll get you a new one, Man."
Tony had told him not to worry about it, and just yesterday had made the trip to the sports store and purchased a replacement.
Where was Gibbs? Tony tried to remember as he jogged down the steps, and heard Abby completing her own roster of work in the living room.
"Hey, slowpoke," he greeted, poking his head into the area. "Where's Boss? I want to tell him I finished."
Abby scowled. She'd gotten off to a late start, and still had another hour or two of work left before she could head out. She had plans to visit the Smithsonian Museum of Science yet once again, and this time was going with a good friend, Vera. Having Tony finish first increased her irritation and she offered, "You probably didn't even do the job right anyway."
Tony refused to be baited into a fuss, not wanting to jeopardize his play time. "Actually, I did a great job today, and you know Boss is gonna check anyway before he frees me." He blew her a kiss. "I'll think of you when I'm outside having fun though."
Abby hissed, "Just get out, how about it?"
Tony laughed and made his way through the kitchen to the laundry room where he found that Gibbs was folding bed linens. He looked up as Tony approached, "Hey, are you through?"
Tony rested the ball against his hip. "I'm ready for you to check, Boss, then I am heading to some physical recreation!"
"Ok," Jethro put his hands on his hips and turned so that his back popped, then he made his way to the upstairs to survey Tony's morning work.
Tony moved back to the living room where Abby was still gainfully employed. "Work smarter, not harder, Baby Girl," he smugly advised, knowing it would annoy her.
Straightening up from the table that she was polishing she narrowed her eyes. "How about just closing your mouth, Tony? I don't want to hear you this morning."
"Nope, I'm at a loss for the next couple of minutes while the boss does his white glove Marine inspection, which I can already predict you are going to fail. Look over there- I do believe the mantel looks yucky. That looks like dust."
"Shut up!" she retorted, outraged.
"Shut up!" he mocked.
"Now, don't say anything else!" Her eyes were blazing with anger.
"Now, don't say anything else!" Tony repeated in a sing song voice.
Abby threw the dusting rag she was holding at him, and he ducked, watching it sail by him. He retaliated by pitching the basketball in her direction, a bit harder than he'd meant. It hit her in the left shoulder before falling to the floor with a thud.
She screamed angrily, "Look what you did, Dummy! You hit me!"
"You're not that hurt," he insisted, grabbing the ball from where it had landed.
"Gibbs!" Abby yelled.
Tony raced over to her and grabbed her arm, "What are you doing? You're going to get me in trouble."
Abby swung her head so that her pigtails shook, "I don't care. Gibbs!"
"What, Abby? I'm upstairs-" he called down from the upper floor.
Tony clamped a hand over her mouth and begged, "Abby, hush!"
She bit his hand and when he let go, called loudly, "Gibbs, Tony threw the basketball at me and hit me!"
Tony clenched his jaw with dread and waited for Gibbs to reply. There was silence. Maybe, just maybe, he hadn't heard her.
"I'll be down in a second, Abbs," finally came the reply.
Tony wheeled on Abby and turned pleading eyes in her direction. "Please, Baby Girl..."
They were interrupted by Jethro's appearance. He put his arm around Tony's shoulder and gave him a grin. "It looks good, Anthony. I think that's the first time I haven't had to send you back to do the job again."
He smiled again and Tony returned the greeting, backing out of the room. "So, I'm off to play, Boss."
Jethro nodded and turned to Abby. "You let Tony beat you this time, Abbs. Your game is off. What did you want?"
Abby glared in Tony's direction. He was nearly out the door and safely away. "Tony threw the ball at me and hit me in the shoulder right here."
The corners of her mouth turned down and Jethro wheeled to regard Tony. "Stop right there, Anthony! You know better than to hit each other."
"It was an accident, Boss, and Abby..."
Abby interrupted, "It wouldn't have even happened if the jock here hadn't been throwing the basketball in the house." A smug expression crossed her face and she relaxed a bit, waiting for the show that was going to follow.
Gibbs pinched the bridge of his nose and his voice was raised, "How many times have I told you not to throw a ball in the house? How many, Tony?"
Tony looked down at the floor but replied, "A bunch, but Boss, what happened was she was mad and..."
"I don't care. I don't care." Gibbs was so irritated that he drew the last words out to emphasize his displeasure. "Did you throw the ball in the living room?"
"Yes, but-"
"Did you throw it at Abby?" Jethro clarified.
Abby jumped in, "He did, and it hurt. Kiss it, Gibbs." She pointed to her shoulder and he leaned down automatically and kissed the hurt place.
Straightening up he commanded, "Hand me that ball."
"Boss, please, please, just listen..." Tony was not too proud to beg when it involved the toy he'd been looking forward to enjoying for several hours.
"If I have to repeat myself you are going to be far more unhappy than I am about to make you."
Realizing he was doomed, Tony sighed in resignation, walked over, and put the basketball in his boss's grasp. "When do I get it back?"
"Next Saturday," Jethro stated firmly, and at Tony's look of horror, "and that's for throwing a ball in the house. Benching your butt for the rest of today is the punishment for actually hitting Abby. You may not leave this house today under any circumstance or for any reason. I have told you two over and over again that I am tired of your fighting, and I have reached my limit with hitting, pinching, smacking, or any of the other things you do to torment each other. Am I clear?"
Tony was crushed. "Boss, please, you have the ball. Can't I at least get out of the house?"
"No, you may not. If there's another argument between you two today, though, I'm going to make it all weekend."
Abby couldn't stop a delighted giggle from escaping, and Gibbs turned to her.
"Young lady, you are very close to staying home yourself. If I hear one comment provoking Tony, or one bit of attitude, your butt is going to be here as well today. Furthermore, you have two seconds to wipe that smug look off of your face. Am I clear?"
Realizing she had gotten off with only the promise of future consequences she smiled. "Yes sir, Captain!"
He looked at Tony, and Tony nodded agreement.
Sighing, Jethro left the room and headed back to complete his own chores. It never ceased to amaze him how Abby and Tony were the perfect siblings, despite the fact that they actually weren't. They would do anything to get each other in trouble, and most days he felt like a referee. He shook his head, then told himself again that though that was certainly true, the two were completely loyal to each other, and extremely protective of one another once out of the house. Sometimes he reminded himself of the quiet life he'd lived before they had taken it upon themselves to join him, pleasantly, but then acknowledged that he now didn't know what he would do without them.