The DiNozzo's had lost most everything in the fire and most of what they did own was borrowed. So there really wasn't that much to pack. Just the few items that had been spared, including the fire proof safe, and the few things the family had collected in the three weeks since the fire. It was a true miracle that the DiNozzo children had survived the ordeal. Tony had to go into work early but Carson's school had a meeting delay. The kids would only be on their own for an hour or two and Tony's only real concern was Carson "accidentally missing the bus." The children were asleep and the person in the adjoining unit had accidentally left his space heater plugged in. The smoke alarms went off but the fire was already racing down the hall by the time the children woke. Carson managed to get out the window but Gavriella could not get hers opened. Mercifully their neighbor who happened to be a friend of Carson's still had to wake up early and walk his dog. He had junior firefighter training and saved Gavriella just in the nick of time. That day still haunted Tony even though everything turned out fine and the incident was not really his fault.

The move had seemed to be a difficult decision but in the end it was the easiest choice Tony had ever made. He thought back to the fire and how close he came to losing his children while he was gone. He could not chance letting that happen again. He could not be at sea and go days if not weeks or months without hearing from his children. He told Hetty and assistant director Harris his decision. They had given him three weeks and that time was up. He had three days to move across country and then report to NCIS DC HQ for his new job. Returning to team Gibbs would be a major challenge for him but he had to do what was best for the children.

"You guys all packed?" Tony asked.

"Yes" Gavriella replied.

"Almost" Carson said.

"Almost? What do you mean almost?" Tony asked.

"I still have a few things to pack." Carson replied.

"How much?" Tony asked.

"Three boxes" Carson admitted.

"Three boxes? I thought I told you to be packed by ten." Tony recalled.

"I overslept." Carson sighed.

"Not an excuse. I am going to get Gavriella's and my stuff down. You get finished. If you aren't done but eleven we are leaving anything unpacked behind." Tony barked.

"Yes sir" Carson sighed.

Jimmy Palmer was pissed to say the least. He could not believe the way the team was acting. Acting as if nothing had happened. They had run Tony off in the first place and they needed to be prepared for the fall out. They needed to be prepared for confrontation and anger. They had nearly destroyed Tony's life and yet were hurt when he departed the team. Yes it did look bad when Tony was in bed with Cassidy naked and drunk, but Tony was in boxers and obviously startled. Besides the fact that Cassidy was a hot mess and McGee was only dating her to get back at Abby. Cassidy was Abby's disaster friend and Abby had specifically told McGee not to date her. Not because of the dating an ex thing but because Cassidy did stuff like this. Still Abby had sided with her friend and everybody else had gone along with Abby and McGee. They had run Tony off and they had no right to be angry with him for leaving. They certainly did not deserve any apologies. His blood had boiled when he heard Abby and Ducky talking about how Tony should apologize. Apologize for what? Leaving after being humiliated, publicly arrested and stripped from his job, and have his wife leave the country with his young son.

Ziva slammed the door shut behind her and ordered her daughter Juliana upstairs. Being a single mom was bad enough but having to leave work because her daughter had been suspended. That was just a pure nightmare. Juliana had been a great kid. Until the start of this school year. She fell in with some rebellious girls. At first it was skipping school which Ziva would not tolerate but this was the first time a suspension had been required. The strange thing was that Juliana had stopped hanging out with those girls. After the last incident had led to a near suspension. Now all of the sudden Juliana was suspended.

"Let me start by saying you are grounded for the entirety of your suspension." Ziva announced.

"That is so unfair!" Juliana snapped.

"The fact that I am missing a day of work to deal with you is unfair." Ziva rebutted.

"Oh come on mom. Like the Mossad princess never got suspended for fighting." Juliana spat.

"That is beside the point." Ziva replied.

"Mom it was an accident." Juliana sighed.

"You accidentally punched somebody in the chest? You nearly stopped her heart." Ziva questioned.

"Mom she was talking about how she hated The Retards. I just reacted. Then it turns out that The Retards was a band." Juliana explained.

"So you thought you were standing up to people like your brother?" Ziva asked.

"Yes Ima" Juliana replied.

"Look you still punched Anna unprovoked. So you are going to apologize and you are still grounded through the weekend but I understand where you are coming from. So I am shortening your sentence by four days." Ziva explained.

"Really?" Juliana asked.

"Yes now get to work on that apology letter. I have to call John's school and let them know that I will be home to meet him at the bus." Ziva replied.

"Unless it interferes with my grounding. I will still get Johnny off the bus." Juliana offered.

"I will get him but thanks for the offer and thank you for being such a great big sister." Ziva replied.

A/N: Tony and the team reunite in the next chapter. How will it go? New chapter will be up soon. Please review and thanks for reading.