A/N: Here is the next chapter; you'll see where this is going in just a few sentances.
An Unknown Child
48
"Hello?" I answered the phone.
"It's David, my phone died so I'm using Trevor's phone." He told me.
"Hey what's up?" I asked with a smile on my face. I wished there was a swing on the porch for me to sit at.
"Umm, I just wanted to apologize for the way I acted the other day at lunch, when Trevor said he'd ask his mom about the photo shoot." He sounded sheepish.
"You're forgiven." I smirked.
"The second thing I wanted was to know if you wanted to go out with me some time?" He sounded nervous.
"I might be open to that suggestion." I told him, beaming.
"Cool. I'll talk to you more about it tomorrow during lunch." He said.
"Sounds good; I'll see you there." I told him.
"Cool, I'll see you tomorrow." HE told me before hanging up the phone.
I had a huge smile on my face as I walked into the house and up the stairs to my room. I changed from my uniform into sweats and a tee shirt before using the crutches to get down the stairs. We ate dinner that night and I worked on my homework for the next day.
I was looking forward to the next day, and everyone could tell, though no one asked me about it. We all went to bed fairly early that night; well Grandpa and I did at least. I could hear the bath running in my parents' bathroom; so I knew that my mom was still awake at least. Eventually I fell asleep and slept through the night.
I woke that morning on time and went through the normal steps of my routine with one exception; I only used the crutches to get up and down the stairs. Grandpa drove me that morning; he wanted to see the building.
The classes before lunch seemed slower than normal, but finally it was time. I headed to the cafeteria. I was almost to our spot when he appeared out of nowhere and led me to a quiet secluded spot instead. We sat our stuff down and sat down to eat.
"So there's a soccer scrimmage to start the season on Friday; did you want to go?" He asked after a few minutes of silence. I mentally went through my weekend plans; there were none.
"Sure, did you want me to meet you somewhere?" I asked him, knowing that my parents scared the crap out of him.
"No, I'll pick you up at your house; I can't let your parents scare me forever." He sounded brave, but looking at his eyes, I knew that to be not quite true. But I still admired his bravery.
"For the record; I don't think my mom has anything against you. It's just my dad you have to worry about." I told him with a smile as I took a sip of the water bottle I had that day instead of milk.
"That is a relief; well at least a little one. So how about I pick you up at 5:30 for dinner before the game?" He asked as we both stood up to throw away the trash left over from lunch. I carried a single crutch in one hand and linked pinkies with him as we headed to the performance arts building for our next classes. I felt like I was floating on air.
The rest of my day was a bit of a blur; I couldn't wait to get home and tell mom that he asked me out. Finally the last bell rang and I packed up and headed out to the parking lot with the tail end of the rushing crowd. I saw that both my parents were in Dad's truck. I smiled and walked over to the car. I hoped in the backseat and saw Grandpa sitting on the other side.
"What's going on?" I asked.
"We are heading to the Navy Yard, I need your dad's choice of office so I can get it furnished and your grandfather wanted to see where we both work." Mom replied.
"Are we introducing him to the team too?" I asked.
"Abby and Ducky, yes; the rest of the team, if they're there." Dad answered from the driver's seat.
We headed to the Navy Yard and pulled into the parking garage in Mom's normal spot. The four of us climbed in and made our way to the main entrance. Mom, Dad, and I pulled out our ID badges from wherever we had them stored. Dad got Grandpa a visitor's badge from the security guard and we all entered an elevator. We rode it in silence to the top floor: MTAC and Mom's office. As we walked across I noticed that the team wasn't in the bullpen. Oh well, they might be when we left to look at offices or make the trip to see Abby and Ducky.
Mom was telling Grandpa all about the building as she and Dad lead us to her office. She and Dad were holding hands and he had a smirk on his face. When we got to Mom's office I noticed that Cynthia wasn't there. Mom must have seen my look, because she spoke.
"I gave Cynthia afternoons off for the week; she just needs to check into the office in the mornings for any important messages." She told me. We went into the inner office and let grandpa look around as mom and I dropped off our purses before leaving again. We walked out to the catwalk and down the stairs to the bullpen. Mom talked the entire time; telling Grandpa who sat where, though she did stumble a little with Dad's old desk and Tony's old desk. But Grandpa didn't notice; Dad and I did though. Mom then led us in the direction of the elevator that would take us down to Abby's lab and Ducky's Autopsy. There was a little Hallway just past the elevator that led to a decently sized office.
The office was slightly furnished; it had bookshelves along one wall and Maps on another. A third wall was all glass, and it looked out to the Navy Yard; it was almost the same view as from Mom's office, except it was a little lower.
Mom let Dad walk around the room for a few minutes before speaking.
"I knew you didn't want an assistant, so the empty office space with and outer office was out of the question. I also thought that you might like to be near the Team for any reason. The other option is down a few more floors; so when you're done here, we can go look at that office option." She told him. Dad spent a couple more minutes looking at the maps on the wall with the door.
"Where would the desk go?" Dad asked in his gruff manner.
"Either where mine is, near the windows, or facing the windows; whichever you prefer." Mom asked him. He nodded and did one more sweep of the room, before nodding that he was ready to go. He talked in a quiet voice on the way to the elevator.
"If I pick that office; I want updated maps, the ones in there were out of date for Desert Storm, never mind today." Mom laughed and kissed his cheek as she nodded. Grandpa watched them with happy eyes and I leaned against the wall, thankful that we weren't going down the stairs, because my leg was tired. The elevator took us down to Abby's floor, but instead of us going straight into Abby's Lab, we turned right and down another hallway. The hallway leads to an office like the one upstairs; it was the same size and the same color scheme; the only difference was there wasn't a window wall because we were technically belowground. Dad walked around the office just like he did the other; though this room was completely empty, no maps of bookshelves.
"I like the other one." He said simply when he came to stand next to mom. She nodded and we left. I could hear Abby's metal music playing from the lab and snuck away from the others and headed into the lab. Abby was doing some work with one of her babies in the front of her lab. I snuck up behind her and tackled her with a bear hug. She shrieked and paused her music; she turned to face me with a glare, I smirked and bolted out of the room as fast as my leg would allow. She followed me to the elevator, where the rest of my group was waiting for the elevator. I hid behind dad, and I could hear Abby's boots clomp up the Hallway to get me.
"I think we need to introduce Grandpa to Abby now." I saw simple.
"Did you scare her?" He asked with a grin, and I nodded. He just rolled his eyes before moving me behind mom and moving to greet the bubbly Goth. Abby was distracted by the sight of Dad in the Hallway and tackled him with a hug, before moving onto Mom; she then saw Grandpa staring at her slightly and Dad introduced them and I was off the hook because the elevator doors had opened just as Abby hugged mom and I slipped into the metal box. Mom joined me in the elevator and after introducing Abby to Jack, so did Dad. Grandpa greeted Abby before joining the rest of us. The door closed on Abby yelling bye to us.
I had gotten away scotch free. Dad hit the button for Autopsy and left the lift first, to check if Ducky was busy. He wasn't, but a body was on the table, defrosting for another team's case; so Ducky stepped out of Autopsy to meet my grandpa. He hugged me and mom first before greeting the older man. I watched as both men got on with each other and smiled. I caught dad's eyes and signed that I was tired and was going to lie down in mom's office. He nodded and I left, closing the lift doors behind me and hitting the button for mom's office. I entered her space and made myself comfy on her couch and just dozed.
Abby came up to the office about five minutes later.
"Hey, I have Timmy convinced to do the photo shoot, and I've started on Ziva." She said coming to sit down next to me on the couch.
"Cool, I mumble before slipping off into sleep.
When I wake up again the office is dark and I can feel someone's finger running through my hair. I start to move and look up to find mom's face over me.
"Glade to see your awake?" She said in a wry voice. I just rolled my eyes and sat up and stretched.
"Are we ready to leave?" I asked as I ran my fingers through my hair to semi-tame the bed head I was sporting.
"Yeah, we're leaving; your father and Abby are introducing Jack to the team." She said as she laughed at my hair. I nudged her shoulder with mine as I smiled. She helped me stand up and we walked to the top elevator with her arm around my shoulder and my head on her shoulder. We joined the team in the bullpen and I gave hugs to everyone.
"Gibbs, can I steal my little sister?" Abby asked, her mouth pouting to try and get what she wanted. Dad laughed a little; which caused Tony's eyes to widen slightly, not used to the sound. Dad looked at Mom to see what she thought; both had the same idea in their heads: Abby needed help to convince Ziva and Tony to help with the shoot for the others' Christmas present. Mom nodded and then he looked to me, I nodded too.
"Sure Abs, bring her home when you're done for the day." He said and I hugged him, mom and Grandpa as they headed to the elevator and back to the house. We waited until the elevator closed. Abby gave a huge squeal and gave me another bear hug.
"Okay now that Mommy and Daddy are gone; Its time to talk presents!" She exclaimed and handed the floor, so to speak, to me.
"Okay; I know some of you have talked to Abby about a photo shoot next week. This is for my Christmas present to both of my parents: photo albums. Each album will have pictures from their past and their presents with room for more photos." I told them all in a quiet voice. I paused for air before continuing. "My friend's mother will take the photos and the place will be Ducky's back yard, he's already agreed to the idea." I finished and held my breath as I waited for their answer.
"You already know that I'm in." Abby told me, her arms still hugging me, though not as tightly as normal.
"And you know that I'm in too." Tim said and the three of us looked to Tony and Ziva, waiting for their answer.
"I'm in." Was all Tony said.
"As am I." Ziva said, shaking her head at the faces that were on mine and Abby's faces."
"YES!" Abby and I shouted before high-fiving.
"Okay, so the shoot will either be the day before or day after. I was thinking day before because I want to do some Black Friday shopping." I said.
"Okay, will there be a dress code or something?" Tim asked.
"Well, for the boys: Black. I haven't decided for the girls; I was going to look at my mom's wardrobe and dresses today when I got home before looking at mine. When I get a color I'll let Abby know, and she'll tell Ziva." I said. Everyone nodded and Abby and I left to head back to her lab.
I spent the next two hours schlepping and doing homework, until Abby was ready to leave. She packed up her stuff as did I and we headed to her Hearst.
She dropped me off at home and I headed into the house.
