"Aspen!" Alex Karev shouted, throwing his arms out to the side, "Meet the Karevs!"
Jo hiked her purse higher up on her shoulder and rolled her eyes lovingly, "Alex...you're scaring the birds."
Natalie grinned at her dad's antics and kicked at the snow.
"So?" Alex shrugged, "Shouldn't they all be in Florida by now anyway?"
He looked down at Natalie, "Right, Nattie? Don't birds immigrate south in the winter?"
The ten-year-old rolled her eyes in a perfect imitation of Jo, "Daddy! Birds migrate!"
"Right, right," Alex said, winking at Jo over Natalie's head, "I forgot. Good thing you're smarter than your old man."
"You're smart, Dad!" Natalie exclaimed, "Aunt Arizona says you're a genius at the kangaroo hold!"
Jo laughed, "Yeah, that's about all dad's a genius at."
Alex scooped up a handful of snow and flicked it into Jo's face before she could react.
As she sputtered and brushed the powder from her face, Alex leaned down to whisper, "And that's what mom gets for being mean," to Natalie.
The girl grinned, "What happens when you're mean to mom?"
"I'm never mean to mom," Alex grinned, leading his wife and daughter to their cabin. Natalie trailed a little behind, having difficulty with the deep snow.
Jo let out a laugh, "Alex! You're nothing *but* mean to me. Especially when we first met!"
Natalie giggled as Alex gaped at Jo a little bit. Jo smiled smugly and hip checked Alex as she walked past him into the cabin.
"I'm nice now though!" Alex protested, dropping his bags to the floor.
"You try," Jo teased, "And that's all that counts."
She squeezed his arm affectionately and smiled, so he would know that she really was just kidding.
"When can we ski?" Natalie asked, dropping all of her bags to the floor and bouncing excitedly.
"I just want to call Aunt Arizona to see how Scotty and Zo are doing," Jo said, already dialing, "And then we can head out."
Alex watched as Natalie rolled her eyes and grunted, "Fine, but I'm gonna wait outside." Their oldest daughter stomped outside and Alex could see that she had settled on the front step.
Jo bit her lip and held her phone loosely, "Alex, should we have her talk to someone? I'm getting worried."
Natalie was only two years older than Scott and three years older than Zoe, but recently she'd been behaving like a jealous toddler whenever her younger siblings came up.
Alex shrugged, "I don't think she needs a shrink, Jo. Hopefully spending some quality time with us this week will help us figure out what's going on."
"I know she's starting middle school next year and that with Scotty's dyslexia we've been focusing more on him..." Jo trailed off, "Are we bad parents?"
"Nah," Alex reached out and dragged Jo into a hug, "We're all just figuring everything out. Call Arizona and let's hit the slopes, okay?"
Jo nodded and gave a small smile when Alex leaned down to kiss her.
"I'll be outside with Pip. Maybe I can get her talking," Alex grabbed his knit hat and yanked it on over his ears, "They don't call me the Kid Whisperer for nothing."
Jo laughed and called after him, "No one calls you the Kid Whisperer!"
"Dad," Natalie looked at Alex skeptically, "Are you sure you know how to ski?"
They were waiting on line to hop on the ski lift. Jo and Natalie knew their limitations and were only going up to watch Alex ski down. Neither one even had skis attached to their boots.
"Of course I know how to ski," Alex protested, grinning at Natalie.
Jo raised an eyebrow. She had never known Alex to be particularly good at skiing. In fact, before right now, she didn't even think he'd ever *been* skiing. But she wasn't about to call him out in front of their daughter.
"Daddy?" Nat sighed, "Can't we just ski on the bunny slope so Mom and I can join?"
Alex pretended to think for a bit. He finally nodded, "Alright, Pip. Let's hit the bunny slopes."
Natalie beamed and Jo laughed, knowing that Alex was hitting the bunny slopes for his own sake too. She was just surprised that he had waited so long to get off the ski lift line - they were three away from getting on.
Natalie held onto Alex's hand as he maneuvered away from the line and towards the cluster of small hills.
"Wait!" Nat cried, "Mom and I gotta get our skis."
Jo shook her head, "No, no. I think I'll just watch and maybe video you guys. I'm not the greatest skier."
"Don't you always say practice makes perfect?" Natalie questioned stubbornly. Alex grinned at Jo over their girl's head.
"I do say that," Jo laughed, "But, uh, in this case I don't think I'll take the risk of breaking something. Aunt Callie is mean when she has to set bones."
Natalie giggled because she knew exactly what her mom was talking about. Aunt Callie was a little crazy about bones.
"Looks like it's just me and you, Pip," Alex nudged Natalie in the back, "Go get your skis and come back."
They watched as Natalie ran off to the ski shop, slipping only a little bit on the snow.
"Did she talk to you?" Jo asked quickly.
Alex shook his head, "All she said was that she was glad she gets to spend time with us. I really think she's just going through some growing pains."
"I guess you're right," Jo sighed, "We just have to be more aware of her and her feelings."
Alex mock shuddered, "Ugh, feelings."
"You're the worst," Jo punched his arm.
Alex caught her hand as she went to punch him a second time, "Stop it. I'm just teasing. You love me."
He pushed aside the edge of her glove and kissed the inside of her wrist.
Jo smiled warmly, feeling heat all the way to her toes.
Natalie chose that moment to come running up, "Mom! Dad! I'm ready!"
Still holding Jo's hand, Alex grinned, "Alright, Pip! Let mom help you put the skis on and we'll go."
Jo knelt in the snow and locked the skis onto Nat's boots.
"Off you go," she grinned, watching father and daughter move slowly to the bunny hills.
When they got to the top of the hill, Jo flicked her fingers and opened up the camera on her phone.
Natalie waved to the camera just as Alex titled forward on the skis to head down the hill.
Jo watched, horrified, as he tumbled ass over teakettle down the slope. She knew something was going to be broken even before she heard the crack.
"This sucks," Alex grumbled, using his crutches to hobble out to the car.
Jo shook her head, "We're gonna have to head back early."
Natalie pouted, "I thought you said you could ski, Dad?"
Alex scowled, "I can ski, Nattie."
He turned to Jo, "And you! We are definitely *not* leaving early. We paid good money for this trip and I'm getting my money's worth."
"You broke your leg, Alex!" Jo exclaimed, "You're not going to be able to ski or sled or anything."
Natalie ducked as Alex swung one of his crutches into the back of the car. She crossed her arms and slumped down in the seat. She didn't really want to go home. Not when Mom and Dad would just go right back to helping Scott and Zoe with all of their stuff.
"We don't have to ski!" Alex waved his hands in the air, "The cabin's got a fireplace, a TV, and a stove. Movies, popcorn, and hot chocolate. That's all we need."
Jo squinted at the road as she navigated the unfamiliar Colorado roads, "That does sounds kind of nice."
"Can we watch James Bond?" Natalie piped up, leaning forward in the seat.
Jo and Alex shared a look. Nat had strangely grown-up tastes in movies and they wondered if she might pursue them as a career.
"Yeah, baby," Jo grinned at Natalie in the rearview mirror, "We can watch James Bond."
Natalie scrunched up her nose happily, "Thanks!"
"We're passing a grocery store in a few minutes," Alex remembered, "Maybe we should pick up some candy canes and cookie dough too?"
"Yeah!" Natalie bounced in her seat, "We can make peppermint hot chocolate and ice cream cookie sandwiches!"
Jo's worries about Natalie's behavior were lifting. Maybe Alex was right and their little girl just needed time with her parents.
"It's your week, baby," Jo said, "We can do whatever you want."
"Got a pencil anyone?" Alex sighed, "My leg's already itchy."
"Bailey's gonna kill you," Jo sighed, "You'll be out of commission for two months."
Alex groaned, "Aw man, I didn't even think about Bailey and the freaking surgeries. Shit."
"Dad! You gotta put money in the swear jar when we get home!" Natalie crowed.
Alex groaned, "Right, yeah. Sorry, Nat."
Jo giggled at Natalie's shit-eating grin. They'd instituted the swear jaw when Nat was two and repeating every word that came out of someone else's mouth. Now that the kids were older, the swear jar funds were used for Friday night ice cream sundaes.
They pulled into the grocery store lot and left Alex in the car so the trip would be fast.
"This is discrimination!" Alex shouted after his wife and daughter.
"Pip, baby," Alex sighed, "Hand me the crutches?"
Natalie hopped out of the SUV and grabbed the metal tools for her dad. She handed them over and watched as Jo carefully helped Alex to the door. She gathered the grocery bags in her hands and followed along.
Alex slumped to the couch, sweating underneath his thick jacket.
"This is definitely not how I planned on spending part of Christmas break," Alex grumbled as Jo and Natalie started putting together the snacks and hot chocolate.
"It'll be fun though!" Jo grinned, "Movies, games, our best girl, what more could we need?"
Natalie beamed at being called the 'best girl' and pranced into the den. She sunk onto the couch and cuddled up next to Alex.
"Can't we just not go back to Seattle?" She asked, munching on a handful of popcorn, "I like Colorado."
"We gotta go back to Seattle," Alex chuckled, "That's where all our family is and your friends."
"So?" Natalie sighed, "If I'm in Colorado I don't have to deal with Scotty and Zoe."
"What's the problem with your brother and sister lately?" Jo asked, settling three mugs on the coffee table and sitting down on Natalie's other side.
Natalie scrunched her nose, "It's just...you used to spend more time with me."
Jo's heart broke at the sad little tone in Natalie's voice.
"Nattie, honey," she sighed and grabbed her daughter's hand, "We're so sorry that you feel that way. We never, ever want you to feel like we don't have time for you."
Alex nodded in agreement, "You're our first kid, and we'll always have time for you."
Natalie eyed them skeptically, "How come you missed my dance recital then?"
Alex winced and it had nothing to do with his broken leg.
Natalie continued, "'Cause you missed my dance recital for Scott's soccer game."
Alex pulled Natalie onto his lap and hugged her tightly, "I'm sorry, Pip. Sometimes Mom and I have to split up to make sure someone is at all of your stuff. And besides, Aunt Arizona and Aunt Callie and Uncle Owen and Sofia and your other cousins all came to your recital."
Jo piped up, "You had more people in your cheering section than anyone else, Pip."
"I know," Natalie said softly, picking at her nail polish (applied on Christmas Day by Sofia), "I just wanted both of you there."
Jo joined the hug, "We try our hardest, hon. Someone's always going to be there for you. But, you know, you don't have to be so mean to Scotty and Zo. It's not their fault."
"Plus," Alex cut in, "We miss plenty of their stuff for you."
Natalie curled against Alex's neck, her boney knees digging into his side.
Alex rubbed her back, "Anyway, we're all yours for this whole week. We'll do anything you want."
"Can we just watch James Bond?" Natalie said in a small voice.
Jo looked at Alex. They both shrugged a little.
"Yeah, we can watch James Bond," Jo flicked on the TV and connected it to their Netflix account.
She pulled up a Pierce Brosnan movie and leaned against Alex's side.
One of Jo's hands wrapped around Alex's wrist and the other held onto Natalie's ankle. Natalie tucked herself closer to Alex and let out a happy sigh.
Alex kept his arms around both girls, feeling worse than he let on about Nat's feelings. He had made himself a promise that he would be a great dad and right now he felt like a failure.
"I love you guys," Natalie muttered half way through the movie, and Alex's heart lightened.
He caught Jo's eyes and was surprised to find that they were full of tears. He squeezed her hand.
Maybe they weren't so bad after all.
And when Natalie gave Scott and Zoe hugs on their return to Seattle, Alex knew that everything would be okay.
"It's a Christmas miracle," Jo whispered to him as they watched Natalie listen to Scott chatter on about the experiment he had done with Tucker and Uncle Ben.
"Nah," Alex shrugged, scratching at his leg with a spare chopstick, "She just needed some reassuring."
Jo wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek, "Thanks for being such a great dad to them."
He leaned into her embrace, "Hey, we both did pretty good for two people that are squirrely and clueless."
Jo snorted a laugh, "Save your smart ass energy and focus it on healing that leg."
"On the bright side," Alex grinned, "I'll get to spend more time with the crazies."
A sudden shout came from the den. Jo and Alex looked over to see Scott and Zoe wrestling on the floor. Natalie was watching them with wide eyes. When she saw that Jo and Alex were looking their way, she raised her palms and said, "Wasn't my fault!"
Jo turned to Alex with a wide, smug grin on her face, "Good luck with them, Daddy."
A/N: Story #3 in my Christmas series. You can find the NCIS and the NCIS: New Orleans ones on my profile.
Hope you guys liked this one. It literally came about because I pictured Alex saying "Are you kidding? We paid good money, we're not leaving" and I wrote the story from there.
So, happy holidays to everyone that's celebrating and Happy December to everyone that's not. I hope you guys enjoyed this one. Drop me a review to let me know what you think :)