AN: This is my new story about the team as a family and the effect of Jenny on Gibb's and his children from previous relationships. It does get better than this chapert as this is more of a intro into the actul story. Please R&R! (As this is the only way my writing will get better)
The house had a very sombre, almost depressing feel to it. It was on the Navy base in Norfolk and was owned by one Leroy Jethro Gibbs. He had lived in this house with his first wife Shannon and their daughter Kelly until a deliberate crash claimed there lives almost 20 years ago. Since then Gibbs, as he was known to his acquaintance, had remarried twice. Firstly Susan Gibbs with whom he had two children Anthony 'Tony' Jackson Gibbs and Caitlin 'Kate' Savannah Gibbs. However after having Kate, Susan got Post Partum Depression and left two weeks before Kate's third birthday. About fourteen months, and two nannies' later, he married Daphne Sciuto and 4 and half years after she became pregnant with his little mini-me Abigail 'Abby' Jayde Sciuto-Gibbs. Life in the Sciuto-Gibb's house hold was a loving but chaotic environment in which Gibb's Nephew, Jimmy Mathew Palmer had moved into eleven months ago after cancer killed his mom.
Gibb's had been away from his family for five and a half months, on an assignment in Europe, finishing in France. He worked closely with a younger, Redheaded, female agent Jenny Shepard. The romance of the city had captivated them and before he knew it, Gibbs was head-over-heals for her. He hadn't planned for his wife to find out; well actually he hadn't planned any of this, but after an Ass call where his wife listened into him talking to Jenny, his marriage was pretty much over.
His cab was now turning down the street in which he lived and his house was becoming bigger. He was surprised his wife hadn't been there to pick him up until he remembered the last conversation they had. The cab pulled into the drive and noticed the blue mini copper. Oh great Melissa was here! Gibbs loathed his sister-in-law. She was younger than her Daphne; aging in her late 30's and had no concept of growing up as her life consisted of parties, drinking and holidays.
He gathered his bags out of the trunk and handed the driver $35 before walking into the house. Unusual quietness was first thing he noticed, no baby crying, no teens arguing and no hyper Abby. He made his way through to the kitchen were he saw his wife and Melissa drinking margaritas.
"Ahh if it isn't the cheating basted I married" Daphne slurred. The red head tried to stand but tripped on her own foot and fell until Gibbs grabbed her arm, pulling her upright and towards him. She tried to pull away but with no success. Melissa just took another sip of her margarita; watching the scene unfold.
"What the hell do you think your doing?" He gruffed angrily, his grip tightening.
"Me!" She almost squealed. "My husband leaves uh, he leaves me! He leaves me for almost five months with his children while he's sleeping with some Bilbo who's just trying to get ahead. Well I'll tell you Jethro, I will tell you something. I'm leaving. For good! Just Me, Melissa and the open road. No more kids, no more house and NO MORE YOU!" slurred Daphne drunkenly.
"Amen!" Shouted Melissa standing to join her sister who was now gathering up her bags that were next to the table. Gibbs took away Daphne's bag.
"Where are the kids, Daphne?" He asked impatiently. If she wanted to walk out he wasn't about to stop her, but he wanted his children first.
"They're with the Huntzberge's, number 7." Daphne answered coldly.
"The cabs here" Melissa said grabbing her duffle bag and walking out, leaving the front door open. Gibbs handed his wife her duffle bag and pushed past her to leave the front door first. He walked up the road in the direction of the Huntzberge's house.
The house was similar to his own. A nice car out side, a foot ball and some play toys where strode across the neatly cut grass. He rang the bell and a brown haired woman, maybe mid 40's, answered the door. She had straight blue jeans on and a white, plain T-shirt and an oversized blue striped shirt open at the front.
"Can I help you?" The woman asked, rather annoyed to be pulled away from the kids. Not just did she have to care for her twins, Zachary and Jonah, but she was also sitting for the Gibb's offspring. Saying that, Zach and Jonah look up to Tony and have sat with him all afternoon on the Xbox with out a single argument breaking out or at least not one Tony couldn't handle. And Abby was playing happily in the kitchen with her dolls while Kate helped her make lunch and keep an eye on Jimmy.
"I'm here for my children; I was told they were here." He answered.
"Oh, you must be Agent Gibbs. Abby's told me all about you." She smiled
"Oh" He wasn't sure how he felt about having the neighbours sitting for his children. The woman stepped aside letting him in to her house.
"The girls are just in the kitchen I'll go get them. The Living room's the second door on the left." She told him, her voice not leaving any space for arguing.
Gibbs walked into the living room. The large TV was mounted on the wall and Tony sat one floor, crossed legged. He had the controller in his hands as he passed the football from one guy to another on the big screen. One brown haired kid sat next him with a matching controller whilst the other boy leaned behind Tony cheering him on. The boy standing behind him put his little palms over Tony's face, making him lose the match. The teen grabbed his little legs and fake tackled him to the floor. The other twin jumped on Tony and both boys were laughing as Tony tried to tickle them. Suddenly Tony saw his father and nudged the twins of off him.
"Dad, what… What are you doing here?" Tony asked surprised to see him.
"Coming to pick ya up." He answered. Tony had grown taller and his voice had deepened since Gibbs last saw him over 5 months ago. Just then Kate walked in, holding Jimmy's hand as he happily toted along beside her. Gibbs smiled at her but she just let go of Jimmy's hand and walked over to where Tony stood. The two stood shoulder-to-shoulder as the tension in the room rose.
"I'm just gonna find Abby. Come on boys I'm sure I can find some sweets for you in the kitchen." The mother called after her twins, who instantly ran after her arguing over who would get more sweets. Before Gibbs could talk to them Abby came running full speed toward him, launching herself at his legs.
"Daddy Daddy Daddy!" The little girl yelled. Gibbs lent down and picked her up. The child rapped her arms around his neck tightly. Gibbs stroked her back
"I've missed you Abbs." He whispered into her ear calmingly. Abby tucked her head into the crook of his neck and refused to let go of him.
The Gibbs brood collected there belongs from around the house, though Abby never let go of her father. Mrs. Huntzberge left the kitchen to show the family out. Kate lifted up Jimmy and placed him on her hip like a natural.
Kate, Tony and Jimmy exited first, strolling down the road back towards their house. Mrs. Huntzberge stopped Jethro by placing her hand onto his arm
"Mr. Gibbs, six months is a long time for children. The twin's didn't even recognise there dad when he came back from his tour of Iraq." Gibbs nodded and then left with a clingy Abby and her rucksack full of her dolls and teddy's.
They got into the house and Gibbs put Abby down along with her backpack
"Where's mom?" The first thing Kate had said to her dad since he arrived.
"Dad?" Kate said again when he ignored her to take Abby's coat off.
"Hey, sit I need to talk to ya'. You too Tony" Tony and Kate shared a look before sitting down the kitchen table where the margarita glasses still sat. The older two grabbed chairs while Abby sat on her father's lap and Jimmy waddled off to the other side of the kitchen where his toys where.
"Your mother has gone away for a while with your auntie Melissa." He said not knowing how to explain this to his children. He decided to wait it out, hope Daphne would come round and decide to come home. Kate was first to talk.
"When is she coming home?" She asked warily. If her dad had vanished she wouldn't think anything of it, but her step-mom was a good woman who didn't take off. She wasn't stupid. She and Tony had heard the crying and shouting and hushed phone arguments that let her know the family were breaking.
"Two weeks most, she might come home before that." He lied.
"Where did she go?" Tony asked, trying to catch his father out.
"Not sure Tony, just some spa place with Melissa." Once again, a lie.
"Whatever" Tony said standing up and storming off to his bedroom.
"Jimmy hungry." The little boy stated before crawling over.
"Kate, can you get me a formula out of the fridge?" he said picking up the kid.
"He's sixteen months old! He doesn't have formula he has food." Kate argued
"Order in?" He asked his daughter. She shrugged and then followed in her brother's footsteps by storming off.
Nearly an hour later pizza arrived. Gibbs left it on the table and went upstairs to find his older kids. He knocked on Tony's door and waited for an answer. Tony opened the door and Gibbs told him pizza was downstairs. He nodded and ran down to the kitchen. Next Gibbs knocked on Kate's door. There was no answer so he walked in to find Kate face down in her pillow. He sat on the side of the bed and stroked her back, trying to comfort her. He noticed she had redecorated. The pink walls where now a greenish turquoise colour. The white fair lights where replaced with a black lamp and there was a large pin board up on one wall covered with photos. He recognised some of the girls as the kids who used to play at his house though he didn't recognise the boy who was in several of the pictures and he differently thought thirteen was too young to have boy friends or even know what boys are.
"Kate." He asked gently. The brown haired child turned to look at him.
"Mom's not coming back, is she?" Kate asked sheepishly; already knowing.
"She just needs time to calm down, that's all." He said kissing her head
"Anyway who would want to leave such a perfect child like you?" He said mockingly. Mentally kicking himself afterwards when she looked at him and saw the hurt in her face, which would always be there thanks to Susan and her disappearing act. He really hoped history wasn't repeating its self again.
"There's pizza downstairs." Kate nodded and got off the bed and followed him down.
Dinner was awkward as the two elder children ate in silence, Abby clung onto her dad like her life depended on it and Jimmy asked about where Daphne was a lot.
"Mamma? Mamma?" Jimmy asked again looking around. Gibbs was amazed, last time he had seen Jimmy he could only take a few steps and mumble what occasionally sounded like a word and now he was calling his aunt 'Mamma'?
Dinner was soon finished and Kate pilled the dishes into the washer while Tony went upstairs to brood some more. Gibbs looked at his watch, it was late
"Time for bed Abby" Gibbs told her as he made his way to the stairs.
"I sleep your room, Daddy." Abby said mater-of-factually causing Gibbs frowned at her. She had become extremely clingy since he arrived today.
"No Abs, you sleep in here." Gibbs said, opening the door to Abby and Jimmy's room. The walls where a cream colour with a white bed one side, next to the door was a wood coloured crib.
Gibbs changed Abby into the pyjamas and decided to wait until tomorrow to have the battle over bath time with her. Once she had changed, Abby got out Jimmy's sleep suit from the chest of draws next to the crib while Gibbs went to get his nephew from downstairs. The young boy wasn't a fan of bed time to say the least. As Gibbs tried to remove his shirt, Jimmy started screaming and twisting to get out of Gibb's grasp. He threw himself on the floor and cried.
Abby found this amusing and sat on the side of bed watching her father try to control and boy she had come to identify as her brother. Gibbs's patients was wearing thin and he grabbed the boy and changed him quickly into his suit and put him into the crib. After a moment the child stopped the noise and sat down pulling the blue blanket up to his mouth, sniffing it.
"Where Mamma?" he asked again unaware of the circumstances going on.
Gibbs kissed Jimmy on the head before rearranging him so her was lying in the crib with the blanket over him and his favourite stuffed toy, a tatty teddy, was in his arms.
"Read me a story!" Abby said happily bouncing up and down on her bed.
"Not tonight, Abby." He said rather coldly, he was tired and wanted to go to bed himself. She sighed and snuggled down into the duvet with Bert the Hippo. Gibbs flicked the light off and closed the door half way before heading over to the other Bedrooms. Both door's where open and he could see that neither of his children where in there. He ran down to the living room where James Bond was playing on the telly, Tony was watching it intensely. Kate, on the other hand, was reading her book on the floor, her head leaning against the end of the sofa. Gibbs took the seat next to his son, noticing no one had even looked at him since he walked in.
"James Bond, huh?" He questioned, trying to break the ice.
"Yeap" Tony answered, making the end of the word pop. Gibbs wondered just how much his children understood of what was going on. Now wasn't the time for a serous conversation, so it would have to wait for the morning. At around 10 the film finished and Gibbs switched of the TV set and stated that it was bedtime. Tony stood with out a word and walked upstairs. Kate however turned to her dad and hugged him tightly for a moment.
"I missed you dad." She said sadly. He kissed her head and let her go
"I missed you too Katie." She smirked at his nickname for her
"Night." She said, going upstairs, closing her bedroom door behind her.
Gibbs had a shower in the en suit bathroom and changed into some boxers and a plain white t-shit before climbing into bed. He heard Kate and Tony both having showers and he waited until they where both in the rooms before turning the light off.
It was half four in the morning, not the time Tony ever wanted to be up at again. He was aware that his bedroom door had just been opened and he flicked the lamp on to find his five year old sister in the doorway. She had tears running down her face and Bert hugged tightly to her chest.
"Abs, it's too early to get up! Go back to bed." He whispered harshly. Abby started to cry again and Tony was soon out of bed and kneeling down in front of her. The first thing he noticed was the smell. She absolutely reeked of wee. Then he saw that her pyjama bottoms were soaking wet. He sighed.
"Did you go wee wee in bed?" he whispered, stroking her head. The girl nodded looking down at the floor ashamed of the accident.
"Sowwy T." She said Tony put two fingers under her chin so she looked up.
"It's ok. I'm gonna get dad up." He said, wondering why she hadn't done that.
"No!" She shouted. Tony quickly put his hand over her mouth. When he was sure she had stopped shouting he put his index finger to his mouth, shhing her.
"Don't wake Daddy, he'll be mad." She said pouting at her big brother.
"Ok, no Daddy, how about Kate. She won't tell Dad, yeah?" He asked
"Uh-huh." She agreed and with that. Tony knew that with their Mom gone, Abbs, Jimmy and even Kate would need him more than ever.
Tony took her hand and they walked to the room next door, softly knocking first. Kate was curled up on her bed in a large basket ball hoody. She sat up swing her legs over the bed, looking at her siblings hand in hand at the door.
"What's going on?" She asked rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.
"Abby had a little accident." He replied pointing to her wet pyjama bottoms.
"Why did you wake me?" She moaned flicking the over head light; then grimacing at the brightness that illuminated her green bedroom.
"I'm not sure waking dad is such a good idea." Tony hinted hoping she'll get it.
"Abby, why don't you go get some clean pyjamas from your room." Tony said.
"But be quiet, bring them in here." Kate added. Abby run out of the room on toes
"Rock, paper, scissor you for not changing the sheets." Kate said with a smile.
Tony moved his hand into a fist, Kate doing the same. They counted to three and Kate's hand laid flat for 'paper' while Tony's stayed in a fist for 'Rock' making him lose. Kate let out a little laugh of victory. Tony sighed.
"Best of three?" He asked, clutching to straws. She shook her head no
"I'll shower Abby down, you put the sheets into the washer downstairs." Kate instructed. Tony nodded and walked out, passing Abby in the landing.
"Got your new pyjamas?" Abby nodded and showed him the black outfit.
"Ok, well put them down for a second and take off your wet pyjamas." Tony said. She nodded and took his hand so she could peal of the clothes and handed them to him. He picked them up in a pincer grip just using his finger and thumb. He might be a good brother, the best in his mind but that didn't man he wanted to touch soiled clothes.
Abby went off to the bath room naked; Kate lifted her into the tub and tuned the shower on low. After ten minuets plus a little shower gel later, Abby was clean and rapped in a blue fluffy tower while Kate helped her put the black pants on as well as the matching black top with little white stars on it. Tony came into the bathroom just as Abby finished redressing. She smiled at him
"I took the old sheets off. Luckily Jimmy didn't wake up" He said.
"Tony?" Abs said giving him her best smile. There was something she wanted
"Abby?" He said mocking her butter-won't-melt voice she had just put on.
"Can I sleep in your bed?" She asked. He hadn't put clean sheets on yet in fear of waking Jimmy but he thought she would stay in Kate's room.
"Don't you want to stay with Kate?" He tried to persuade her kindly.
"Your bed's bigger!" She said, that was true Kate's was only a small double.
"Fine." He said. Kate stuck her tongue out at him in a childish manner.
Gibbs woke up about four with the sound of running water coming from the bathroom. It was to early for the elder two to have woken from there pits and Abby would off gotten him up. He rolled over and sighed, it was probably just one of the kids on the toilet. He fell back asleep again almost instantly.
The sound of Jimmy's cries where echoing through the house as Gibbs rolled over and got out of his bed. Pulling on a pair of sweats on before investigating the cry. He walked into the room and turned the lights on before opening the blind. Jimmy's crying ceased as soon as Gibbs picked him up out of the crib.
Gibbs turned, with the boy still in his arms to find Abby's bed empty. There where no bed covers and no mattress cover either. Gibbs walked out of the nursery and down the hall to Kate's room. The door was slightly open so he stuck his head round and noticed she was alone in her bed. Where the hell was Abby?
The little boy in Gibb's arms yawned and rested his head against Gibbs's shoulder. Gibbs opened Tony's door and saw a sight that would make any dad smile. Tony was wrapped in the blanket laying on the very edge of his bed while his five year old sister was in the middle of the bed, arms and legs in every direction taking up about 90 percent of the space.
Gibbs strode the few steps to his bed and tickled the little girl with his one spare arm making her wake up and start kicking her limbs about vibrantly. Tony woke up and looked at his dad and grunted as he got a kick in the stomach from Abby.
"Breakfast, Daddy?" stretching her arms up to be lifted out of the bed.
"C'mon then." He said taking her hand to walk her down stairs as he couldn't carry both of the young children at the same time. Tony moved back into the bed.
"Tony, you want anything?" Gibbs asked stopping in the door way.
"Sleep" He mumbled turning his head into the pillow, blocking out any light.
Jimmy was in the high chair rubbing the butter of his toast onto his face, not even attempting to get any his mouth while Abby sat at the large glass table with her bowl of cheerio's. Gibbs sat down with his up of coffee.
"Abs" He said trying to get her attention. She ignored him; carrying on eating.
"Abby!" She said a bit more forcefully making the girl look up at him.
"Yes, Daddy?" Her cute voice questioned her fierce looking man in front of her
"Why where you sleeping in Tony's bed this morning?" He enquired.
"I don't want you to mad." She said sadly making Gibbs more confused.
"I won't be mad, I just want to know." He said touching her hand soothingly.
"I went potty in bed but I didn't mean to. I'm really, really, really sowwy daddy" She said pitifully. Abby hated to upsetting her daddy.
"Abby, we don't go potty in bed, that's what the bathroom is for." Gibbs said. Truthfully he was disappointed she hadn't come to him and puzzled because she had gotten out of the bed wetting stage when she was three.
"Sorry" She repeated looking down at her cereal moving it around instead of eating it. Gibbs noticed and decided to reassure her everything was ok and patted her head in response when Tony and Kate walked in. They all had breakfast before Gibbs took the little two up stairs and dressed them.