An Unknown Child 49

I could smell coffee, so I knew they were here. I headed into the kitchen and peeked into the basement. I saw Dad and Grandpa working on Dad's boat.

"You staying away from my secret project?" I yell down the stairs.

"Don't worry; I'm keeping your dad away from it." Grandpa told me. I nodded and smiled before leaving them alone. I headed back into the kitchen and grabbed a yogurt and spoon. I walked up the stairs and into mom's room. I could hear her humming in the bathroom. I sat down on the bed and started to eat my yogurt as I waited. She came out and smiled at me before moving to the closet to hang up her clothes in the bag to take to the dry cleaners. She changed into a pair of sweats and a tee shirt before joining me on the bed.

"What's up Miss Quinn?" She asked as she reclined, leaning against the headboard.

"Umm, we don't have any family plans tomorrow, do we?" I asked, not sure how to tell her about my date.

"Not that I'm aware of; your grandfather returns to Stillwater that day after you go to school. Did you want to do something?" She asked me, and I can tell that she know something's up.

"Umm, not particularly. I just wanted to check. . . I have a date tomorrow." I mumble, not looking her in the eyes. I don't see her eyes widen and a smile break out on her face, instead I feel her hand on my chin lifting me eyes to meet hers.

"You have a date tomorrow night?" She asks me softly, the smile still on her face. I nod, keeping silent.

"With who?" She continues, and her smile helps me relax slowly.

"David. We're going to the Ladies' Soccer Scrimmage." My voice is still a mumble. I have no clue why I'm this nervous to tell my mother that I have a date. I wonder if it's like this all the time, or to every girl when they tell their mother.

"You're acting like I'm going to get mad at this sign of you growing up." She commented lightly unable to hide the hurt from her voice.

"No, I'm not worried that you'll get mad; I'm worried that you'll go overprotective on him." I said, looking at her in the eye without her hand guiding my eyes to her.

"That's not my job; that's your father's job. My job is to help keep him calm, and get you ready." She leaned forward and kissed my forehead. "I don't ever want you to be afraid of telling me something." She mumbled as I leaned into her shoulder.

"Sorry, mommy." I mumble, relieved that she wasn't going protective over me, yet. I could feel her pulse against my forehead and relaxed into the sound. I was still tired so the feel of it lulled me into a doze.

We both must have fallen asleep, because the next thing I know; my dad has jostled my leg (which is what woke me) and was carrying me to my room. I stayed awake long enough to be of some help for my mother to get me out of my school uniform and into my pajamas. She bandaged my leg for the night and kissed my forehead after I climbed in my covers. I smiled and fall into a dreamless sleep.

****************************************NCIS*****************************************

I still can't believe my luck. My dad and I are talking again and I have two beautiful women to call family. When we got back from NCIS, without Quinn, my father and I headed into the basement and started to work on the boat again; still sanding the hull, though we were making fast progress. The benefits of having someone else working on it with me. We sanded away and it was almost like a normal Friday in the basement.

The tarp in the corner, that I knew held the bed frame we made under it; was tempting to go peak at, but every time I did, my dad would stop me and pull me back to the bed with his voice. About an hour later, Quinn poked her head in and checked to see where I was before telling me to stay away from her secret project. Dad told her that he was keeping me away from it and she headed back into the house.

My father and I made mindless chatter as we sanded; though for the most part we were silent, the only sounds being the sound of the sandpaper against the hull of the boat. The sound soothed both of us.

Sometime later, we both headed back into the house to find it silent. A look at the clock showed me that it was 2100 hours. Dad and I walked around the house turning off the lights and locking up. We headed upstairs and Dad headed into the guest bedroom to pack and get ready for bed. I headed into the room I shared with Jen and found both her and Quinn asleep; with Quinn curled into Jenny's side, her head on her mother's shoulder.

I smiled at the sight, still shocked by how well those two got along together. I showered and changed in the Master Bath before waking Jen with a soft kiss, she brought her free hand up to caress my cheek. I looked down at Quinn. For just a moment I was reminded of Kelly falling asleep on Shannon's shoulder occasionally when we watched movies. In that moment I knew that I had no clue what to do when Quinn started dating, and I was thanking the Lord that I had Jen, because all I saw was the two little girls: Kelly and Quinn. I went over to Quinn's side of the bed and lifted her in my arms and carried her to her room with Jen following me.

When I sat her on her bed, she was awake, though just barely; I must have jostled her leg. I left the room, so Jen could help her get out of her school uniform and into her nightclothes for the night. I headed back up to our room and lay on my side of the bed. Jenny joined me five minutes later and changed into an emerald nightgown before sliding into bed next to me. She curled into my side and I could feel her smile. I kissed her forehead and settled down in the bed.

We were silent for a few minutes before she started chuckling.

"What are you chuckling at?" I asked.

"I just pictured how you would look when Quinn's date showed up to pick her up before going on a date." She said with laughter in her voice, making it sound like honey, compared to the normal butterscotch tone she has.

"Yeah, well I have at least a few months to a year to prepare for that." I said, knowing that I was safe for the foreseeable future. Not.

"Baby, her date is taking her to a soccer scrimmage tomorrow." Jen told me, her face serious and eyes glued to mine, reading my reaction to the news.

"Damn, I thought I had until spring or summer; when she didn't have to deal with school." I sighed, and remembered that she would be 16 in February. She was growing up.

"Don't threaten the poor boy; you did that when they were planning the team sleepover." Jenny begged me.

"I won't threaten him." I grumble, and think to myself; not if he is good to my baby girl.

"Jethro; just because she's growing up, doesn't mean she loves you or me any less." Jen saw right threw me. She saw a thought that I didn't even let myself think.

"So it doesn't bother you?" I asked, wondering if she felt different because she didn't give birth to her or if it was because she was 'mom' and not 'dad.'

"Not in the way it bothers you. What bothers me is her fear of coming to me and telling me things. It took a lot of effort for me to get her to admit to even liking this boy. She didn't want to tell me or you because she feared we'd go overprotective on her." She said and locked eyes with me, and silently read me as only she could.

"I don't want what I'm about to say to insult you or Shannon; but I love her like I went through hours of labor pushing her out, and when I remember that I didn't do that; I wish I did. Jethro she's my daughter just as much as she is yours." She told me, and I loved the way her eyes shown with fierce conviction. I loved her even more for her statement and I could tell that tears were starting for form.

"And I love you for that." I whispered. I buried my head in her shoulder, to hide the tears.

We spent the rest of the night in that position, or a similar one. We woke the next morning with our arms around each other. I woke before she did, and took the time to just look at her. Her face was soft and smooth; no wrinkles yet framed her beautiful face. Her face held the remnants of a smile and it added to the glow of peace about her. I reached a hand up and stroked her cheek, brushing a stray lock of her hair off of her face.

The touch woke her and she started to stir. She blinked sleepy emerald eyes at me and smiled. I smiled back and leaned forward, kissing her softly. Her hand caressed my cheek lightly and stayed where it could cup it.

"Good morning." I whisper to her.

"Morning." She replied moving to rest her head on my chest. She was cuddle-y in the mornings; not that I minded. I missed it, truth be told.

"You ready to get up? We need to get Quinn to school and Dad back to the airport." I ask, my hands moving up and down her back.

"Fine, if I have to get up, you are joining me in the shower." She grumbled, rolling out of my arms and out of the bed. She walked over to the bathroom and looked at me over her shoulder, causing me to get up and follow her.

I was suddenly glad that I had her to myself for the rest of the day, until Quinn came home. Quinn and Dad were eating downstairs when we got there. Dad's bags were by the door; waiting to loaded up into the truck. Jen and I quickly drained a cup of coffee each before the four of us headed to the truck. Dad's bags were placed in the bed of the truck and Quinn and Jenny climbed into the back.

We dropped Quinn off; Dad got out of the car to help her out and gave her a hug and kiss before telling her that he'd see her for Christmas. Dad climbed back into the truck and we all watched as she walked into the school before leaving and heading to the airport.

I pulled Dad's bags out of the bed of the truck and the three of us walked into the airport. We waited while he printed his boarding pass and checked in his luggage. When he finished all three of us walked him to the security check point where Jen and I took turns hugging him and telling him that he would start to get weekly calls from us; we weren't going back to our old ways. We watched as he headed for the gate and the LEOs of the airport checked his boarding pass and ID before moving out of our sight.

My arm was around her shoulders, pulling her into my side. She rested her head on my shoulder and wrapped her arm around my waist and we started walking back to the truck. I drove us back to my house one handed; the other held her hand with fingers laced.

We made it home and enjoyed a few lazy hours with each other until it was time for Jen to pick up Quinn, because I had laid down for a nap. They took their time getting home, they got back an hour after Quinn was out of school. When she got home, she immediately hopped in the shower and started to get ready for her date tonight. I saw that Jen was waiting in the living room so I kissed her softly before heading down to the basement. I worked on the boat until about 5 o'clock and then headed back upstairs. My bathroom was taken over by my girls and their girly products, as Jen helped Quinn with her hair and make-up.

Quinn was wearing a pair of dark skinny jeans tucked into a pair of Jen's high-heeled boots. She was wearing a soft cashmere sweater that looked new. She also had a pair of Jen's earrings; a simple pearl stud with a diamond dangling from it. They were the pair she wore when Tom first assigned her to my team. Jen had just finished braiding her hair into a French plait and had now moved onto make-up. So I once again headed downstairs. I brewed a fresh cup of coffee and sat in the living room and turned on the news.

About twenty minutes later, I heard a knock on the door, and before I was able to get up and answer it, Jen flew down the stairs and opened the door for David. I could hear him speak in a nervous voice thanking Jen for letting him take Quinn out. Jen assured him that it was no problem and that Quinn would be down in a second and led him to the living room.

What little color the kid had, was lost when he locked eyes with me. I silently laughed to myself; sometimes I liked to scare people. I didn't say a word and turned the sports recaps on the TV. Quinn came into the room all ready to go and kept looking between me and David while Jenny held in her laughter. Finally the kids left with Quinn yelling behind her that she'd txt Jenny when they were headed home.