Disclaimer: You know the drill… I haven't purchased the rights in the last 24 hours… I still don't own it!
Warning: THIS STORY will CONTAIN NON-SEXUAL SPANKING; ABORT THE MISSION… DO NOT READ… TURN BACK NOW IF THIS ISN'T YOUR THING.
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She had finished sorting the laundry, helped Noemi in the kitchen, checked out her room, restocked her bathroom with toiletries, and sorted CDs and was still avoiding making the phone calls she knew she had to since her father left the house. Dragging Kate and Tony into this mess wasn't part of the plan, but now that there was photographic evidence of their participation Abigail didn't think she could keep them out of it. Since they couldn't work a crime scene in the dark Abby knew she only had a few hours before her daddy's return. She couldn't let her siblings walk into an ambush. Sitting on the floor she pulled her cell phone from her back pocket and dialed.
"Kate…yeah, I'm home…uh, well… uh, dad had to go into the office… double homicide…not exactly… fine it can wait 'til you get home… yeah, tell him hi… oh, by the way dad knows about us breaking into Mrs. Updike's office."
Abby hung up the phone and kept looking at it waiting for the inevitable ringing.
"Thought you'd want more info…I don't know… I don't know… this morning Kate… I had to wait for him to leave…no, no, no… I don't know… no… I'm about to do that…when's soon… I don't know… okay, bye Katie…"
Flipping her phone open to place the next call Abby was shocked to hear a voice on the other end.
"Hello… hey T-man, I was just about to dial you…Geez, she's a blabber mouth… nope, she told you everything I know…double homicide… court… don't know…good… Hey Tony I'm sorry, but I didn't say a word they had pictures… love you too."
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Their cars practically pulled into the driveway at the same time. Tony didn't even bother grabbing his bag out but walked straight over to Ashen's VW and yanked the passenger door open.
"What the hell? Tony," Kate squealed less than joyfully.
"Ash, nice to see you brother, but Katie's gonna have to make this a quick goodbye. You, out… where's your bag?"
"Damn it Tony let go of my arm I'm not a child. My bag's in the back."
"Look Miss Priss far as I can figure they're going to have to leave the field soon if they haven't already, which means the count-down to our beat-down has already started."
"Way to bring the drama. Ash I have to run, but I'll call you tonight. Maybe lunch tomorrow since starting next week you'll be a big important Senator's aide."
"I'll always make time for the little people," Ashen leaned over to kiss Kate before she was unceremoniously pulled from his vehicle.
"Cute." As she leaned in for another quick peck Katie felt herself being pulled from the car and the door slammed. Tony pounded his hand on the roof and Ashen sped down the drive.
Marching toward the front door brother and sister barreled in together. Tony dropped his sister's bag and yelled.
"Abby! Abigail get down her girl! Abby!"
"Would you stop yelling? It's not like you're not sure she's hear."
Noemi came from the kitchen to respond to all the bellows. She hugged both of the 'children' she helped to raise and reminded them that yelling through the house wasn't a great idea. Heading back to the kitchen Noemi paused and mentioned that Mr. Gibbs, sir, wanted them to stay home until he returned.
Kate and Tony started up the stairs only to be met by their little sister midway. Tony turned her around. Keeping his hands on her lower back he pushed her back to the second floor landing then proceeded to drag her my the wrist to his room. Kate stayed on their heels.
"Explain… do it quick 'cause we're running out of daylight."
Abby took a deep breath and went over the story detail by detail realizing with every sentence that those details didn't amount to much after all. They didn't know why they were photographed, who set it up, why Updike let almost a full week go by without saying anything, Kate had even questioned the missing note telling her to report to the headmistress' office. The detail none of them could wrap their brains around was why Gibbs had defended his daughter considering she was already guilty of so much.
"I don't know. He was amazing though and she's not going to expel me. Well, what she said was that as long as I wasn't involved in the senior scam I could come back after break…But I'll be on major restrictions."
They were quiet Tony running both hands repeatedly through his hair and Kate sitting criss-cross with her back against foot-board facing her sister.
Kate finally spoke up. "So, mom doesn't know anything?"
"Nope, she's been in court all day. Her phone was off and dad couldn't reach her."
Tony was pacing undoubtedly working on a plan, but Kate kept the conversation going.
"Do we tell her everything before Gibbs gets home? We can't just avoid her I mean we have to come up with something."
"Well, Katie it's my guess that either way we have to come up with something. I don't think the old man is going to fall for the 'it wasn't me routine.'" Tony interjected.
"I have to tell him everything I did. I've been in knots all afternoon over it. He covered for me with Mrs. Updike. I can't lie, besides he already knows the worst of it just by deduction. The only thing he doesn't know is that I changed some other folk's grades too."
The two oldest shared a knowing glance.
"He's going to murder me and then hide the fact that I ever even existed. You two will get to split my share of the inheritance." Dropping her head in her hands Abby sniffled.
They Gibbs' siblings knew how to do one thing really well and that was rally. Tony and Kate embraced her in an attempt to reassure her that somehow it would all work itself out. It probably wouldn't be pain free, but it would work itself out.
"Hey Abs trust me when I tell you Katie's getting it all if you get cut out. Dad knows I'll blow it all on fast cars and even faster women."
His sister slapped at him and promptly lost her balance toppling forward.
"Now see that's why we don't hit Katie." Her scowl quickly turned into a smirk and soon all three were cracking up removing the pink elephant that had been sitting in the middle of the room with them.
They never heard the front door or their names being called and about flew off the bed when Tony's door opened. "I thought I heard the sounds of laughter and my three favorite people."
Running over first Caitlin Marie embraced her mother followed by Tony and finally Abby… albeit reluctantly.
"So, what are you guys doing home? I expected everyone later. I mean I'm thrilled, but surprised. Plus I smelled a feast downstairs. Noemi cooked? We always order pizza on your first night home." Jenny Shepard was always a little hopped up when she had all her kids home for a visit. It turns out that Abby got her rambling honest.
Tony jumped into a reasonable explanation which allowed his sisters to come up with something plausible for themselves.
"Ash had to meet his dad and another Senator for dinner to get ready for his new job, so he dropped me off a little earlier."
"I guess you haven't spoken to daddy yet," Abby questioned.
"No, I've been in the courtroom or witness room all day… no cell phones."
"He got called in to work a double homicide, so we came back and he dropped me off and went to NCIS."
"Okay, well I'm going to shower and change and then we can play catch up until he gets home. Love you guys and I'm glad you're home."
Abby went back and flung herself on the bed. She was mumbling something incoherent.
"What was that?" Kate asked.
"This is going to ruin the holiday for her. It's a rotten gift from rotten daughter."
"You could always ask dad not to tell her," offered Tony.
"I don't see that happening. He's not exactly in the mood to be granting request."
"So, what's our story Tony?" Kate wanted to have some sort of plan to go on.
"We don't offer up anything. We need to know what he's already come up with and then only confirm or deny."
"I'm telling the truth Tony. I can't live with anymore lies… please don't make me." A whining Abby was never a good one. The same could be said for a pouting Abby. Right now they both seemed to be present and accounted for.
Looking at one another again Kate answered for the both of them. "Then we'll tell the truth kiddo. United front alright, but Tony is right we don't need to volunteer anything. I'm guessing what he already suspects and knows is enough to bury us."
"Well, we better make this last supper count. Let's go raid those pots."
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There was a Mexican feast left for them with all the fixings. Kate had put the music on and once the sun had been down for an hour with no sign of their father the three siblings relaxed considerably. When Jenny came downstairs she joined the goodtime completely oblivious to the trouble they had stirred up prior to their return home.
Tony kept trying to sneak one of his dad's beers, but Jenny assured him that they weren't having that good of a time. Almost 21 wasn't 21 and she didn't care about what he probably did at school she wasn't breaking the law in her own kitchen. When her brother started to tell his tenth story about a 'hottie' from the Theta House Kate took over the conversation sharing most of what she was learning in her freshman psychology class. They were all having so much fun together Abby was almost able to forget her troubles. Then the headlights crossed the kitchen as they headed into the garage.
When Jen heard the front door open she called out to her husband. "Jethro we're in here!"
Standing in the doorway he said, "I figured as much Jen. I could hear the music out the door."
Abby jumped up to turn it down. Her parents hated the volume she listened to her music. The only reason her mom was being so tolerant was the wine and the fact that she'd missed her kids so much.
Jen crossed to her husband and greeted him properly with a smoldering kiss that frankly Tony was a little skeeved about wishing would go on a longer.
"Abby said it was a double. It had to be bad for you to miss first night home. I hope Mike appreciates you. How about I help you go through the evidence tomorrow." Jen didn't fully understand that the tension in his body wasn't only about the case. He could tell by her demeanor that she was blissfully ignorant to what was going on with their children.
"There's plenty of work left to do Jen, but I'll tell you about it later. You three clean up in here and go upstairs."
"Jethro, it's early. You haven't even heard how great Katie is doing in freshman psych or Tony's latest girlfriend…"
"Friend… we're just friends."
"Later Jen, I'm going to take a shower and then we need to talk. Did you loose the ability to hear? I meant do it now." His tone much harder he directed his last question to his still seated off-spring.
"On it!"
"Yes sir."
"Okay daddy."
His wife was following him up to their bedroom hurling questions at him none too thrilled about his abrasive tone.
"Damn, Abby, was he this pissed when he left?" Tony asked while he wiped the counter down.
"I don't know. It's kinda hard to tell."
"Well, if he was time away has not mellowed him at all."
"Brilliant observation Katie."
