I'm sorry for the long delay. There have been many family situations, a loss of a beloved animal, school, a period of fostering kittens, and anxiety, my plate has been full. Anyway, I'm back now. No pitchforks, please. Please only use the torches to help see the story and the pitchforks for eating! (cheeky grin)

Gibbs was greeted after his afternoon nap by the smell off the coffee in the cup. floating above him. He blinked to focus on the hand holding it, following the arm to the chuckling Sheila. He smiled as he sat up and snatched the coffee from her. Sighing in bliss, eyes shut he heard poorly muffled laughter from Tim and Ellie. Opening his eyes and uninterested glare, busy enjoying his morning coffee to care about the amusement his actions caused. Throughout the day he started the massages and limb exercises to strengthen the weak body. They continued these over the course of the next three days. Then they started getting him to stand steady so that he could work up the strength in his legs. After two days he was walking aided by Donnie and Jimmy, each with an arm around his waist and their free hand supporting his shoulders. five days later Gibbs was back to normal and sheila declared him well enough to go home. He was in such a good mood since the babies started kicking and moving hard enough for others to feel three days ago, which happened to be when everyone from 'team Gibbs'(courtesy of Abby), Tobias, Emily, Sheila and Donnie where there.

"With the following conditions. Don't do more than walk around the house. Only to do things in the kitchen such as: making coffee, putting together a sandwich, heat things on the stove or in the microwave. Anything more will cause you to quickly fatigue and may induce a relapse. You will be back on complete bedrest meaning catheter, bedpan, only sitting up at a slight incline, all without the chance of relief from leg and arm stretches. And for Godsakes," she stressed, "under no circumstances are you to sand, drill, or otherwise work on your boat because it will cause your lungs to react like an asthma attack. Understood?"

Gibbs nodded and sincerely agreed both from their obvious concern and worry he'll overwork himself, as well as the unappealing thought of going back a little less than two weeks of recovery.

Donnie and Sheila said they would join them later. McGee, Ellie, Victoria, Jimmy, Ducky, and Abby saw him home safely, following his truck, driven y mike despite Gibs protests, in their individual vehicles. All but Victoria and Mike had work to go to with Tony and Ziva on shift. Mike staying to watch over his 'probie'. He was staying in the guest room beside the master bedroom. When the agents needed sleep between shifts and going to work to assist Tobias they would sleep in the rooms to the right. From left to right: in front is Mikes, then Gibbs, across from him sat the girls' room, and at the front left contained the boys' room.

Victoria decided to stay, "the boys need someone to make sure they eat a balanced meal once a day, right. After all, Gibb's no longer having meals brought to him, so he'll just have cereal, cowboy steak and take out if we leave it up to Mike."

As they entered the house Mike and Gibbs sat on the couch. Tony sat in the armchair as they watched McGee and Abby load the fridge with precooked dishes, groceries, and creamers.

Gibbs teasingly stated, "it's for those with weak stomached that will stay and visit here".

The cupboard had home-made cookies from Victoria and Abby as well as the dry and canned food. Gibbs allowed for the first and only time decaf coffee in his home for Victoria. Ducky stocked the first-floor bathroom with tubes of anti-bacteria and soothing creams, for the mostly healed burns that Gibbs had. After everyone left Victoria heated up some meatloaf that Abby made before curling up on the couch, Mike making sure she was covered with a blanket as they ate. She found out he was as bad of an overprotective mother hen as bad as Gibbs, who was like Jimmy. She had her legs criss-crossed sitting between Gibbs, to her right with his feet on the coffee table, and Mike who sat to her left by the wall with bookshelves. They where interrupted from their mystery murder movie, chosen by Victoria, by a knock on the door before it started to open causing the three of them to jump up. In less time then it took to blink they were covering the doors, Tim standing in the kitchen tilted so that both entrances were covered as Ellie focus on the front.

"Don't shoot!" Tobia said as soon as he opened the door.

Instinctively knowing that two fully armed agents and one former, not that he acts like it, would jump up to protect each other and the civilian. Also, sure that Gibbs would be sitting so that Victoria was behind him, gun pointing at where someone's head would be as they turned into the room. He was proven right by the three reholstering their guns. Ziva in front, Tony standing in a way to eye both front and back doors from the kitchen, and Mike's disappearing hands. He entered the living room after the two agents, with Emily following. He saw Victoria pick her fork and plate back up and Gibbs setting his firearm on the side table. He sat on the armchair by the couch holding the Ellie and Tim.

"Decided to stop by to check the perimeter guards"

"And He wanted to check on you. He was forced to take a lunch break by both agencies directors since he's had lunch at his desk the last two weeks." She ignores her dad's fond glare." I got fed up and finally called them." She handed her dad a plate of some meatloaf from the hot pan and flopped down the other armchair with hers. He ignored the knowing looks sent his way.

"There are two sets of four agents based in two houses diagonal yours. We have two of your men, under the two trees in the far back corners of your backyard."

"Gred and Forge dropped messages at the clinic to say that they were heading on a sudden vacation to Scottland to 'see family.' It was code that we made when they moved in." He expounded at their curiosity, "We served together, lived by each other three years int he neighborhood before their contracts released. They knew I joined NIS, as well as what happened in Mexico." Receiving nods they went back to the movie as they settled for Tobias lunch break, which was three hours of forced break from the case. They forced him to relax until a half hour later when he was laughing with the others and joined the rush to feel Victoria's belly when the baby kicked.

"Gibbs, like grandpa, get first dibs," she said getting good-natured grumbles. They all took turns, as had become a custom, of two or three people at a time.


If you want to leave a review and tell me anything you want to happen next. Again sorry for the long wait. This is still going. It is NOT on hold or hiatus!