To all: Be healthy and safe!
Chapter 129
April, 2023, San Diego, California
As they parked the van at the airfield, Tim grinned at his wife, "I can't wait to meet the baby! And to see Geo, Bec, Tyler and Ben!"
She smiled, glad the family had braved traveling with 3 month old Mae, who'd surprised her family by arriving three weeks earlier than planned. Although a little small, she was perfectly healthy and Geordie reported that there was certainly nothing wrong with her lungs. When little Tyler, now 2½, asked if she could please sleep in another house, they played videos of him crying just as loudly. He was amazed, saying he didn't remember any of that! He giggled when Grampy told him his mama had been that loud and that most babies cry loudly when they're new.
Ben and Tyler were first off the jet, Tyler riding in his grandfather's arms and waving happily to them. Then Geordie and Bec emerged, Bec carrying a tiny bundle while Geo held onto his wife protectively.
By the time everyone had hugged hello, their luggage was waiting for them. Still, Geo and his family made no moves and Tim started to wonder. Turning to look at the plane, he exclaimed when his cousin Ainsley peeked out from the interior. "Ains! Wow, this is a great surprise!"
She grinned as she nearly ran down the steps into his arms. "I'm so happy to see you!"
"Me too!" Tim turned, "Artie, look who else is here!"
She'd been playing with Tyler and looked up, her face lighting up at the sight of their cousin Ainsley, now in her 3rd year at Harvard. "Ainsley! What a wonderful surprise!"
Bec laughed, "As soon as we made plans, I called to see if she'd like to come with us, to see all of you, your new place and get out of the snow for a few days. She took the train down yesterday and here we are!" With a grin, she added, "We let Malu in on the secret."
Tim grinned, giving his cousin another hug. "Feels like forever, kiddo!"
"I know, me too, Tim. It's been forever since August in Varkiza."
Geo snorted, "Forever is four years and seven months." He smiled at Ainsley's puzzled look, "When I came home in 2015, that's how long it had been since I'd seen Tim, Sarah and Rob."
"Wow, that is a long time."
Once everything and everyone was loaded into the van, they headed for home. As they rode, Geo looked around, "For not being Big Blue, this is a pretty nice van."
Artie nodded, "It's a 14 passenger, although we're down to three safety seats now so there's more room. Two of the seats in the last row fold down into the floor so there's room for Patrick in his wheelchair. There's also an automatic lift at the back to get him in and out. He has his own van to go to and from physical therapy and various medical appointments but when we take road trips, it's easy for him to go with us."
"Have you done a lot of road trips and fun things?"
Tim smiled, "We went to Snow Valley, at the base of the San Bernardino Mountains, in February for some skiing. Andy was with us and he and Greg also did some snowboarding. Hope was happy because she finally got to ski. We're used to cross country skiing at home so we did a little of that. Patrick and Jed rode in a sleigh and had fun. Jed also took ski lessons, which he declared 'a blast!' Next winter he'll be 5 and can do more. In March we did some sailing and ocean kayaking, that was also a lot of fun! Patrick can't sail or kayak but we also did a whale watching cruise on an accessible boat and he went with us, loved it. The older kids and I went paddle boarding, fun! We'll do more sailing and kayaking later in the year. There's also a big ship, almost the size of a small cruise ship, that does cruises around the bay and Mom and Dad want to take Patrick on that. It's so great that he can go places with us now."
"With one of his aides?"
"Always, sometimes two of them. It works out fine."
"I know his arms are stronger, any other changes?"
Tim tilted his head, "He's able to do more with his legs and feet when he's in the water. Right now, he's concentrating on using them to swim. Not kicking per se but at least focused, coordinated movement through the water. If he can do that, he might eventually be able to do the leg motions that are part of swim strokes. Like the breast stroke or side stroke, although those are fairly complex actions. The doctors are fine with him trying to improve any part of his body as long as he's patient, has help – and doesn't try to stand."
"Nothing there?"
Tim shook his head, "No. However, his shoulder and arm strength is really coming along and that will help with his overall health and his mental outlook." He huffed, "You know, I think the best thing for him has been his tablet. Being able to communicate with the world at large, not having to wait for people to be in front of him to sign, that's a huge benefit to him."
Ainsley said, "What will he do when Greg and Kyle are grown and leave home?"
"He'll live with us or I guess he could get a place of his own. We've always envisioned him living with us or maybe Sarah and James. It's up to him. It'll be several years before the boys are through with their formal education, have started their careers and settle down. When that happens, he may choose to live with Greg – or Kyle when he gets to that point."
"Will he always be in recovery mode?"
Tim chuckled, "Yes, if you mean will he continue to work at full physical recovery. He'll never stop hoping or trying."
Geordie shook his head, "I remember all the years he was comatose. That he's awake and has come this far is really a miracle."
Artie agreed, "Especially when you consider that he was routinely poisoned for more than a year."
Ainsley didn't know about that and she was quickly told more of Patrick's story.
The visitors' eyes grew wide as Tim drove up their driveway to the house. He pulled into the garage and parked.
"Here we are, our current home."
Geordie chuckled, "You just got here, planning to leave already?"
Artie laughed, "No, although we are homesick. We can't wait to see almost everyone in Maine – I wish my grandmother, aunt, uncles and cousins would join us! And we're so glad Maisie, Mac and Penny came here with us. While Penny was in San Diego, she went back and forth between here and Daniel and Ned's place. She's in Japan now after spending the latter part of February and the first half of March in the Philippines. She'll be back here in time for Jed's birthday, then go to Maine with us and return to Brambury. Or maybe she'll come visit you, she hasn't met Mae yet and you know she'll have things for Tyler!"
Tim nodded, "We're really looking forward to Maine and Greece."
"Are you going to Scotland afterward?"
"Yes, for a few days, we'll return here from Edinburgh."
They got the kids into the house where they were warmly welcomed by their Gibbs' grandparents. Jethro and Lu spent three weeks in Virginia helping out after the baby's birth in January and now they had a joyous reunion with Tyler and his parents. Ben was happy to be here, too. While he dearly loved his nuclear family, he missed Charlotte, Joe and their babies. And when he was with them, he missed, Bec, Geordie and their babies just as much. He also missed the larger group, the clan, as well as the camaraderie of his buddies Mac, Cesar and LJ. He grinned when LJ appeared, wrapping his arms around him. "Hey, Ben, it's great to see you, welcome to California!"
Patrick greeted each of them with big smiles and light hugs. He could move his arms enough now to place them around people, although applying light pressure for hugs was new.
Maisie and Mac were next, greeting them lovingly. After Tyler was kissed, hugged and fussed over, baby Mae went right into her great-grandmother's arms. The kids, now off for Spring Break, greeted them with enthusiasm, being very careful with their new baby cousin and Aunty Bec.
Mae was awake, hungry and in need of a change, so her mama, grandma and auntie took care of that while her daddy, grandpa, uncle, brother and cousins moved all their luggage, and cousin Ainsley's luggage, to the appropriate rooms. Bec, Geo and Mae were staying in one of the guest bedrooms while Tyler was excited about staying with his big cousins Jed and Kyle! Ainsley would stay in Lu's craft room, sleeping on a pullout couch, while Ben would stay in LJ's suite. Maisie and Mac lived in the downstairs non-suite guest room.
After everything was in and the baby taken care of, the visitors had a tour of the house and yard. Everyone approved, although Ainsley said it felt strange and Geo agreed. They were the same people, or some of the same people, who lived in the Manor but here they were in a house that was very modern inside and out and hundreds of years younger than either the Manor or the Arlington house. Artie and Tim laughed at that, telling the group how they'd surprised themselves with their fascination with the modern architecture and features of this house.
They loved the pool and the yard and the Gibbs kids cheered when Uncle Geordie suggested they play softball later.
Over dinner, they all talked about living in the U.S. again and how hard it was to adjust. Kyle said everyone talked louder than they needed to and Ainsley nodded, "I think so, too, Kyle. People have private conversations, person to person or on their phones and you can hear everything five feet away!" She frowned, "The Porters aren't like that. But the Baxters are, to some extent."
Tim nodded, "I think Larry and Cyndi learned from their travels. Every country is different in culture and habits. However, we're one big country and we take each other, our habits and cultures for granted, just as other countries take themselves for granted. It doesn't mean we're right and other countries are wrong or vice-versa. It just means we have both differences and similarities."
Geo nodded, "It's funny that when I lived in the UK, I didn't really think about what was different, what we didn't do there that we do here. And the same with Spain. But when we moved to Virginia, there were things that were surprises, most of them good and nothing horrible, but things that I'd totally forgotten about. Transportation, for instance. On the East Coast, we're lucky to have great train service, but not so much in the rest of the country, not to get from town to town like we do back east, in the UK and on the continent. The western part of the U.S. is car culture. And wow, looking at maps is one thing but flying over the entire country is amazing! It's huge and no matter what anyone says, there are still big empty spaces. Today flying over, I'd look down, spot a landmark and looking back minutes later, I could still see the same landmark! In Europe, we'd be four countries away in the same time, same speed."
Tim nodded, "We miss our walking path and being able to walk everywhere. Part of that is choosing a home like this that isn't particularly close to hiking trails or any kind of downtown." He laughed, "And that's another thing, we live in a suburb of San Diego but there's no real town center for this suburb. There are government offices, and a park or two, strip malls with grocery stores, restaurants, etc. but there's no center to the place and no real identity. Maybe because out here many of the suburbs and towns are much newer than they are back east – or in the UK."
Dad sighed, "When I lived in Alexandria, I had a favorite home center and they knew me by name. We're new here so I don't expect to be remembered but there are 4 home centers and I can't really see enough difference to pick a favorite."
Mom nodded, "I miss the yarn and fabric shops. Even the chain fabric and craft stores are few and far between and I'm not finding the variety we…they, have in the UK and on the continent. Anyway, I'm glad I bought a lot before we moved."
Artie smiled, "We do love the variety of food in the grocery stores, cafes and restaurants. We could eat a different region's or different country's cuisine every day."
Tim nodded, "Yeah, that's wonderful – and what amuses me is that there are plenty of British products or we can ask our grocer to stock them. The weather is also wonderful, although we're told May and June will be cold and foggy."
Looking at each other, they laughed at that, cold and foggy was a normal UK day, until the sun broke through, the wind blew the fog away or the rains poured forth.
"People are friendly, too." Artie grinned, "Nobody can figure out our accents. Tim's, Dad's and Mom's are tough enough but then they hear me and have no clue."
Greg nodded, "My teachers say I sound British."
Rissa shrugged, "I've lived in the UK my whole life, I should sound British, although I'm not British! My friends don't get that."
Kyle nodded, "Mine don't either. I never went to school in the U.S. before now, so like Rissa, I sound British, even though I'm American."
Ainsley laughed, "Believe it or not, I get that too, people want to know what country I'm from. And I only lived there 3 years!"
After making plans for the next day, the travelers turned in early. Over the next week, everyone enjoyed catching up, relaxing, having fun and sightseeing around the area. Geordie and Bec wanted to wait until their kids were older for their first visit to a Disney park and the Gibbs' kids had been since they'd moved here, so no one mentioned the Mouse. They did go to the beach, had fun playing in the waves, took a boat cruise around the Bay, went for a drive into the mountains and crossed over into Mexico one day, driving as far as the beach that Mike Franks lived on. While Grandpa, Tim, Artie, Geo, Bec, Ainsley and the older kids went that day, Grandma, Patrick, the elders and the littles stayed home. Lu was pleased when the travelers brought home several pieces of Mexican pottery.
Overall, everyone had a great time and were sorry that the week flew by so quickly. However, they'd see each other, and the rest of the family, in Maine in about 6 weeks. Geo teased his brother that it was the first time he'd be in Maine with a tan!
NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS
The six weeks between the departure of their visitors and their own departure for Maine disappeared quickly.
Penny returned toward the end of April, ready to celebrate Jed's 5th birthday. She brought him several interesting things from Asia and the little boy was fascinated. His party with his friends was held on his birthday, a Saturday, and they had a great time in the pool and playing games around the yard. His friends' parents, many of whom hadn't yet met the Gibbses, were amazed at the house, the family and curious about their accents. With a laugh, Tim explained. The adults were also curious about the artwork, seemingly from all over the globe and Artie explained where they'd found this piece or that, mentioning that they'd been in Japan for Tim's work and in Spain, Italy and Greece to visit family members.
That night, Greg laughingly told his parents that they'd scored many points with Jed's friends' parents with the accents, the international travel and their artwork. Jed nodded, "My friend Donny said his parents want to join the family so they can go everywhere too." He frowned, "That's not why people are in our family!"
"You're right, Jed, it's not. People are part of our family because we love them and they love us. You love both your Uncle Johns, don't you?"
Jed agreed, he always had fun with Aunt Ellie's brother Uncle John and their old Uncle John told wonderful stories. Sometimes he and Uncle LJ would have a contest to see who could tell the best or funniest story.
Tim smiled, "Neither of them has traveled 'everywhere'. We haven't even traveled everywhere!"
When Grandma said, "Yet!", they all laughed and then stopped because there was a new sound, a kind of half laugh, half cough. Everyone turned to look at Patrick, who was as surprised as they were. They'd heard him cough before, that was a natural sound, not involving the larynx. Although they knew when he was laughing from his body movements and the expressions on his face, his laughter had, up until now, been silent. This was something to celebrate!
Jed's family party was held the next day, Sunday. Because of the time differences between San Diego, the U.S. East Coast, the UK and Europe, they had a Skype party with everyone eating the meal of their choice. For Jed and his family, it was breakfast, for those on the East Coast it was brunch or lunch, in the UK, France and Italy it was dinner and in Greece it was an evening coffee and dessert. That was fun and the youngster enjoyed talking with everyone as well as opening more presents.
Kyle's 12th birthday was three weeks later. He had friends for a grilled lunch outdoors, followed by hours in the pool. While Kyle had a lot of fun, he really enjoyed seeing his family again on Sunday for his family party. They did the same thing, a Skype call with meals by time zone. With their rendezvous in Maine only two weeks away, they had a good time planning their various side trips, what to pick from the list of things to do in Portsmouth, for instance. When Mimi said she'd be there again and that Katerina and Damaris would also travel with her, there were cheers across cyber space and half the world. While Nik and Sergio couldn't spare the time, the girls were old enough to travel by themselves to the UK where they'd join the rest of the family.
Artie was so happy she cried and Andy, on the call from somewhere in the UK, was thrilled that his cousins would be there. Ainsley, Callum and Jared Vance, all the Vances, would also be there.
With schools out earlier for the summer than in the UK, the Gibbses left for the East Coast a week before they were due at Sandy Pine. So that Tim wouldn't use all of his leave days, they spent that week at their house in Arlington. Patrick was thrilled to return to the house where as little boys, he and Tim had spent many happy hours exploring the woods, wading in the creek and swimming in the indoor pool. They'd never stayed overnight, always returning to Grammie and Grandpa Drew's home at the end of their day. He told Tim they rarely saw Grandpa McGee, that Grammie or Uncle Jim were always with them at the Arlington house, along with Penny, of course. He did remember two times when Grandpa McGee had come home earlier than expected and they'd had to leave. Tim watched avidly as his brother told him stories of their childhood, feeling the joy of exploration and fun times they'd had together. He knew what his grandmothers and uncles told him, but this was much more personal and he felt that through Pat's memories, he was regaining the few years of childhood he'd had. He was healing.
Pat loved the changes they'd made to the downstairs and nodded in approval at the enclosed walkway from the house to the pool, very happy with the locks at either end and into the large room with the pool. He smiled when he saw Mom's craft room, signing to her that he hadn't known she had a craft room in every location, giving Dad a look when he saw his workshop.
This time, they were able to leave the property and were very pleased with the reconstruction. Life was nearly back to normal in the area. The roads and public transportation were operating at pre-war status, stores and services were open, people who'd left were returning, there were even tourists, always a good sign. The National Mall and the Capital were as full of energy as ever. Tim was happy to hear that more people were now commuting by train than by auto. Now if only they could manipulate the weather, things would be nearly perfect.
Putting his Assistant Director hat on, he visited the DC Field Office again, happy to find the base and the office housing only the military and the NCIS staff. Their refugees had been repatriated with the help of government and grass roots programs. The staff had also returned to their homes or to look for new homes. Some of them had new homes, built by the Reconstruction volunteers.
Following his visit to Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, the family took the rental van to Norfolk, turning the tables on Bec and Geordie and that was fun. Afterward, Tim spent parts of a couple of few days aboard the Navy Yard, getting caught up in person on what was going on in DC, with the Navy, USMC and the agency.
He was still there one morning when the SecNav dropped in. He thought that since his return to the agency in 2017, this was the longest he'd gone without seeing Secretary Porter. She did say she would see him in early July, when she'd be visiting the Pacific Fleet. When he warned her they weren't planning any kind of a party, she chuckled. Leon was happy to have Tim aboard the Yard and they spent several hours talking about plans for the agency's future.
A day trip for everyone was to Sandy Point State Park, on Chesapeake Bay in Maryland and they had fun wading, hiking and playing, having a picnic lunch. While it was a warm day, it wasn't quite warm enough, after San Diego, to swim. Patrick said they were spoiled and they agreed, asking what his point was. He laughed at that and they grinned, finally used to hearing his laughter.
At the end of the week, Geo and his family drove up from Norfolk, leaving their car at the house while the senior and junior Gibbses, Patrick, LJ, Maisie, Mac and Penny, packed up and headed for the airfield where they joined the Vances. Brody remembered them and was happy to see the Gibbs' kids, especially Rissa and Kyle, who were close to his age.
When the jet arrived, they found the Langstons, that is Daniel, Ned, Liesl and Mark, along with Luka and Menolly Sciuto, Randy, Big John and Nate aboard. That was fun and with everyone catching up, the trip to Pernton felt more like 10 minutes than 90.
Disembarking at the Pernton airfield, they were sorting luggage into rental vehicles when the flight from Europe arrived. They'd stopped to go through Customs in Boston so there was no delay now. More rental vehicles arrived and there was happy chaos for a few minutes.
Andy was the first one off the European jet and Tim and Artie cried when he nearly flew into their arms. For several minutes, the junior Gibbses were one big clump of happy parents and kids, soon joined by the senior Gibbses, followed by Sophia, Mimi, Katerina, Damaris and then the junior and senior Clachers, who were a surprise addition. Patrick's aides were at first reluctant to allow him to become part of the clump but when the clump of people moved to encompass their patient, they gave in, trusting the family would be careful.
Eventually, everything and everyone was sorted and on the road to Sandy Pines. Knowing the RVs with the Bishops, Baxters, Slaters and Abby's brother Kyle were already there along with those who'd driven up, the Kings, Porters and Morrises, the rental vehicles honked as they drove through the entrance to the resort.
Smiling at the huge banner welcoming them for their annual reunion, the parade of rental vehicles parked, and the children were led to the playground while their parents and grandparents queued up to check in.
When Ms. Murray, the resort manager, saw the flight ETAs, she realized nearly all of her lodge room and cabin folks would be arriving at once. Accordingly, she set up with six clerks at the front desk, three for the lodge guests and three for the cabin guests. That sped things up considerably and although the babies, Sarah's Sean, Susannah's 2nd child Brian and little Mae, were a little fussy, everyone was soon in their appropriate dwellings, unpacking.
Tim, Artie and the kids put together a picnic lunch and were happy to see that many of the family had the same idea. They took blankets up to the ballfield and sat there, visiting back and forth, joined by the Bishops, Slaters, Sciutos and Baxters from the RV park.
While Tim knew he ate as he was no longer hungry, he was so busy kissing and hugging his eldest child, his siblings, in-laws, cousins and friends that he had no memory of eating. He'd thought seeing everyone after the trip to Japan had been emotional but this…this was almost too much.
Last winter, they'd just begun to settle into their new lives in San Diego when Bec went into labor and his parents flew to Norfolk to help. While Tim was swamped at work, the retiring SSAIC had apparently stopping working a few months before his actual retirement, and the children started at their new schools, Artie faced a new country and home suddenly feeling very alone. Luckily, Uncle LJ, Maisie, Mac and Penny were there, saw what was going on and between the four of them and Patrick, they held her together, getting the house and family organized. While Patrick couldn't physically do much, he made lists of what needed to be done, sharing them with the grands and LJ.
For the first few weeks, as busy as they all were, they hardly had time to be homesick. It was only when Dad and Mom returned that they all realized how far from home they were and how foreign they felt in their own country, that is the Americans felt that way. Artie and the kids had expected to feel foreign because they were. Even though the children were all American citizens, Greg and Kyle were the only ones to have lived in the U.S. and neither remembered much.
It took a great deal of strength, courage and sheer stubbornness to get through those first two months but they did. After Tim took care of what had been left undone, he met with his team leads, there were 10 of them, met with the Navy Brass and then began to delegate some of his work.
That gave him more time to work with his poor Artie to get their lives organized. One of the first things they decided was that the next time they moved, they'd give themselves more time at the new place to get organized before plunging into work and school, although Artie pointed out they wouldn't have any control over babies arriving early.
When she laughed at herself, Tim knew she'd be all right. He profusely thanked his grandparents and Uncle LJ who told him they'd liked helping and would love to participate in the household chores. Once their beds and belongings arrived, a weekly Chore chart was set up and the Grands and LJ happily participated along with the children, Jethro, Lu, Tim and Artie. Patrick was in charge of the chart and if chores were left undone, the culprit(s) had to answer to him.
Now, sitting in the warm sunshine in Maine, Tim was reminded of those struggles and he resolutely told himself that living away from home was temporary. Two years in California, four in Virginia, that was it.
When Leon asked the couple how they were doing in San Diego, both hesitated and he winced. "That bad?"
Tim took a deep breath, "My predecessor left unfinished business that needed handling immediately. My sister-in-law had her baby early which meant my parents left for Virginia two weeks after our arrival. The kids were in school and Artie was by herself to organize the house and our lives in a country foreign to her. If Maisie, Mac, Penny and LJ hadn't been there, I don't know what we would have done. They held her together, worked with her, Patrick helped and it worked out. We decided not to cut things so fine next time we move. We'll give ourselves more time at the other end."
Leon nodded and leaning forward, said very quietly. "I'll make a note to check on the babies' schedule next time. How long would you like to stay there?"
Artie frowned, "I thought two years…?"
"Doesn't have to be. Brody's college fund is all set and Dani's hired a manager for her U.S. business."
Tim looked a little panicked and then relaxed. "How long do you want to stay?"
Leon grinned, "Do you feel you've proved your point yet? Have people's trust?"
Tim rolled his eyes, "Yes, I do."
There had been a nasty jurisdictional argument between NCIS and the FBI over a case and as Assistant Director, Tim stepped in to work with the NCIS SSAIC, guiding her and her team rather than taking control. Ultimately, NCIS was given jurisdiction and they'd promptly solved the case the FBI had been struggling with for two years. That had certainly piqued people's interest. It was a widely publicized case and when NCIS solved it, arresting the perpetrators, it made headlines in the U.S. and overseas. Tim smiled and rolled his eyes at the notes he got from Leon, Secretary Porter, Fornell, Director Sailes, CIA Director McKinley, all congratulatory.
A timely interview with Stars and Stripes, set up by his clever boss, gave the general NCIS population more knowledge of the public accomplishments of Assistant Director/SSAIC Gibbs, formerly known as Special Agent McGee and gave some subtle hints about his more clandestine works. There was also an interview with Patrick and that also gave folks more information about the Gibbses.
Now he and Artie asked to get back to Leon, discussing the matter off and on over their week at the resort.
While that was going on in the background, they had plenty of fun at the beach, in the heated pool, playing softball, soccer and American football on the lawn, hiking on trails new to them, bike and horseback riding, skating and taking their annual trip to Portsmouth, New Hampshire, crossing off another 'must see or do' item and one eatery the original list.
This year they went to the Strawbery Banke Museum, with four centuries of American history displayed in an outdoor living history museum that covered an entire neighborhood. Mimi, Sophia, the Clachers and the Costas girls went with them, learning as much about the U.S. as Richard and his fellow American citizens. They also managed a tour of Portsmouth Harbor, which was fun. Patrick was with them that day and thoroughly enjoyed himself, his sons hanging out with him, telling him what they had seen and done previously.
Knowing they were having a barbecue feast that evening, they didn't stop to eat but did bring freshly made ice cream back to the resort.
They grilled outdoors nearly every night, with most people chipping in or providing their own protein. Side dishes were always plentiful, there was never any lack of good food to eat!
Jed, Jilly, Diane and Jack were very proud that, having reached the grand age of 5, they were now allowed to swim in the big pool and to play a little farther out in the bay than when they'd been 'little'. Of course, they had to prove their swimming prowess, which they did quite easily, they were all strong swimmers, if still too young to venture too far into the bay or into the deep end of the pool.
Their younger cousins, Caty, Timi, Ro, Tyler, Joey and Anna, watched them with a touch of envy but were happy enough playing on the shoreline and in the toddler pool.
With the weather again warmer than their first year here, the campfires and outdoor movies were more popular than ever. As the younger children were usually asleep by the time the movies got started, Tony learned to select titles that would appeal to their slightly older siblings. That was fun too and parents rotated so one stayed with the littles while the other saw the movie. Tim quickly found that he could sit in the cabin, watch out the kitchen window and hear the dialogue just fine. Their cabin, Rob and Ellie's cabin and two of the RV sites worked fine for that, no other cabins or RV sites had the line of sight. As most of the former camp kids hadn't seen any movies as children, they loved watching with their kids, nieces and nephews. On the next movie night, Bill, Freddie, Barry and James with baby Sean, joined Tim in the cabin while Nikki, Alan, Artie, Joe and Sarah were at the movies, Nikki with her cousins while the rest were with their kids.
The night before the end of their stay, Tim and Artie met with Leon, giving him their answer. He agreed and hugged them both, saying his family would be on the flight to Athens with them in July.
NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS
Back in San Diego, they marked the calendar weeks until their return to Varkiza. Andy returned with them and from Athens, would go with them to Balmoral before returning to Bedford for the beginning of his second year there. He loved his classes, loved that he was still in Brambury with many family members and didn't mind living on campus as much as he'd thought. He was free on the weekends and was a frequent visitor to London. However, his life had changed in the last few months and he needed to talk with his parents.
When they finally sat down together, he smiled, a little nervous, saying, "I don't think this is a big deal but in case it is, I want you to know. Louise, that is Lady Louise, and I are dating."
Papa blinked in surprise before smiling while his mother stared at him. Papa said, "I assume her parents know, although she's 18 now. Where is she going to school?"
Andy told them, adding, "Yes, Louise thought it was silly but I thought I'd better ask her parents. So I did, last month, and they said yes and thanked me for asking. They said the same thing you did, that she and I are both over 18."
His father nodded, "Still, I'm glad you did that, Jammer, proud of you!"
Artie finally regained her senses, "Sweetheart, are you two serious? You've been friends since you met, when you were 14."
"We're not quite serious, it's more exploring whether we want to become serious. Mama, she and I are best friends, like you and Papa. And don't worry, we've decided not to go any further until we've figured things out."
Looking at his wife, Tim twisted his lips. If there wasn't any spark between the two then it would be over quickly. Artie managed not to roll her eyes as she excused herself, saying she'd make them some tea.
Andy looked at his father, "Did I say something wrong?"
"No, son, you're our eldest, it's our first time through anything like this."
"Oh, I hadn't thought of that."
Tim smiled, "I wouldn't expect you to! So, tell me this and there's no need for details but are there…sparks between the two of you?"
Andy blew out his breath, turning several bright shades of color and Tim nodded, swallowing his laughter, "Ok, that answers that! Congratulations, son, however this turns out."
"We both want to complete our educations."
Tim remembered Lady Louise's interests and nodded, glad to hear that. When Artie returned with their tea, she'd put aside whatever she'd been feeling.
"Tell us more!"
"Remember that lunch I was invited to with the Wessex family?"
"Yes. In April, wasn't it?"
"Yes. The two of us went for a long walk together afterward and well, uh, things got a lot more personal than they've ever been. That's when we figured out we were each feeling more than friendship. And that's great but we don't want to rush into anything. Her parents didn't and neither did you two, although I know that was for different reasons."
"Not entirely, son. We were, are, both goal oriented and our careers would have taken us in very different directions."
His mother added, "Or so we thought. We put our careers first, at that point. And that was fine, we probably needed to do that. But we didn't need to be apart for so long and certainly not after we conceived you."
Papa nodded, "But you know the reason for that and your story is an entirely different one."
Andy smiled, "Well, I know neither of you is likely to order me away from her or steal any babies."
When they both laughed and rolled their eyes at him, he relaxed, knowing he had their approval.
"Do you know if the Wessex family will be at Balmoral while we're there, Andy?"
"Yes, they will be and they're looking forward to seeing you. I'd forgotten they weren't at Sandringham when you went before Christmas last year."
"It was the only time we could go before we left and we wanted to say goodbye."
"They're all right, you know. Our cousin and the family."
"Thanks, son, we keep in touch with Cousin Teck but it's also good to hear from someone who's seen them recently."
Andy smiled at that and feeling better, went off to bed, first sending LaLo, his nickname for Lady Louise, a text.
NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS
With no party to look forward to on the Fourth of July, the adults put their heads together, coming up with a few ideas.
First was a cruising adventure on Hornblower cruises. They had 3 yachts, advertised as 'accessible tours'. They'd see the city from the bay as well as exploring the bay itself. Although they'd already done that, it would just be a different tour company.
Second was a day at the beach and they already had their favorites. One of those offered free beach wheelchairs, the same model Patrick used in Greece. They also rented beach umbrellas, which the Gibbses would need. That beach also allowed small gas barbecues on the beach so they could have lunch, dinner or both without leaving their spot.
Third was to spend the day at Balboa Park, with the world famous San Diego Zoo and other attractions. They could also picnic there and possibly stay to watch fireworks.
Then Tim said that one of their neighbors said they could sit in their own backyard and watch at least three firework shows, including one over the bay.
After that, Tim offered another suggestion, "Why don't we invite our neighbors and have a party? We have time to get it together and maybe Geo could send us some American history trivia."
Then he laughed, telling his wife, parents and brother that he'd forgotten that the Fourth of July in the U.S. meant a day off.
His dad beamed, "Maybe they'll want to come here?"
"Yes, that was my thought. It won't be Brambury but we can have just as much fun. We have neighbors, school and work friends. The only caveat is that we make it alcohol-free as we don't know people all that well."
Patrick wanted to know what they'd have to eat and Tim smiled at his wife. "If I help, would you be willing to make some mezethes? If no one but us eats them, yay, more for us!"
She nodded with a laugh, "Yes, of course I'll make them. And maybe Geo or Bec will have a Spanish recipe from Rota. Ooh, that delicious dish they made us the last time we visited them."
Lu nodded, "That's good and that will go over well. Then hot dogs, hamburgers, veggie kabobs for any vegetarians."
Jethro was thinking, "I know the Bishops are going to Greece, but if Geo and Bec are flying out, want to ask the Vances, Bishops and the Porters, too? If Larry and Cyndi drove or took the train down to Virginia, that would be easier for the flight."
"Yes! And the Morrises!"
"Should we ask the Slaters?"
There was silence and Lu nodded, "Yes. Ed won't want to take more time off. I think they're going to Greece this year."
Patrick bit back a smile, finally asking if it was just Ed they didn't like. They all nodded, reminding him of how rude Ed could be to Jimmy. Lu made a face, "I'd rather they come here for the Fourth and skip Greece, that will save Jimmy two weeks of misery when he should be relaxing and having fun. Maybe Breena and the kids could visit Ottawa sometime. I'll have to talk to Ducky about that. As Jimmy's parents, we should be doing something, even if he is a grown man."
Jethro smiled, "Hon, he knows he's loved by all three of his parents." That earned him a kiss as Artie said, "Let's approach Ginny about the Fourth. Maybe Ed will stay home from Greece and Ginny, the girls and grandkids will go."
Once they'd decided to have a party, they made sure Paddington Air had a jet available in the U.S. for that week. As his family returned to the U.S., Tony made a request that one of the company's jets be hangared in the U.S. Since that would save money and flight time, the smaller jet, with a passenger capacity of 200, was now housed in the U.S.
After reserving the jet, they invited their Virginia family. Geo was so happy he nearly cried and Bec had a big grin on her face, saying, "Yes! We've been racking our brains trying to figure out what to do and we didn't want to impose on you. Most people here don't seem to do much. I'll work Monday morning and take Wednesday off for the flight home. We can be at the airfield by 1:00 on Monday, then the kids can nap on the plane. Who else is coming?"
Both grinned when they heard that the Porters, Vance, Morrises and Bishops would be invited. Bec chuckled, "We'll have most of the extended family with us, yay!"
"We're also going to invite the Slaters but we don't think they'll come as they're planning to go to Greece."
"Oh. Well, Jimmy will be in Brambury for the Fourth, so that should be all right."
The Porters, Vances, Morrises and Bishops all said yes, although Jerry and Barb said they'd drive their RV out, a cross-country trip had been on their bucket list for years. Along with fun of their trek, no guest quarters would be needed for them at the new house.
Cyndi, Larry, Carol and Joel said they'd travel together to Virginia and they'd get motel rooms in San Diego. Dani said they'd been debating what to do, wanting Brody to have fun. She asked if there would be room for Ross and they said of course! Brody could share Greg's room while Tyler would again share with Kyle and Jed. Ross could sleep on an airbed in Greg's room, there was plenty of space, or in the little room off the family room. That left the guest rooms for Geo, Bec and the Vances. Ben was in the UK, staying at the Manor with Charlotte, Jose, Joey and Hugh. He'd return to the U.S. from Athens with the others. The two guest rooms would go to the Vances, Geo, Bec and Mae. Tim and Artie also sent Sarah Porter an invitation. After she accepted, Tim had a call from Leon one afternoon. "Uh, I've just had a strange email from Henry Sailes, wondering if the Brambury party had moved to San Diego."
Tim laughed, "There will be more civilians there. More American civilians who will know who he is. They're more than welcome provided we can keep a media lid on the party. Some of my San Diego staff and a few of my team leads are coming. We have over 100 acceptances so far." Tim made a noise, "You know, I'd like the Sailes family to come. I'd like my brother to meet one of the people who kept us safe and I'd like his wife and kids to know that. I told them the day they arrived in London back in '17, but it'd be great for Pat to meet them. Are the McKinleys around?"
"On vacation somewhere, I checked."
"I'll send him an email anyway." When they disconnected, Tim added the Sailes family of four to the their July 4th Party spreadsheet, noting there were now 112 acceptances. Glad they would not be serving any alcohol or setting off any of their own fireworks, Tim looked at the plan. With so many people, they wouldn't use the pool, although they would have wading pools around the property to cool off. They were renting shade canopies, tables, benches and chairs. While they would make their specialties, they'd also hired a caterer. He laughed to himself, glad the property was fenced, thus limiting the number of people they could invite. Apparently, Fourth of July parties were no longer common in the U.S. He and James had a plan to link the two parties together, that would be fun for the family and those guests, like the Sailes and Secretary Porter, who'd been to the Brambury party.
NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS
When Lu called Ginny Slater, she left a message and it was three days before Ginny returned her call. "Lu, I'm sorry to be so long returning your call, we're absolutely swamped here! Another family owned mortuary closed after a fire. We purchased the business but the building isn't ready yet, so we're not fully staffed and going crazy! We're all doing triple duty and Ed's on the verge of begging Breena to help us out for a few weeks!"
"Oh dear and we wanted to invite you all to spend the Fourth of July with us."
"Thank you, but I'm afraid there's no way we can make it. We won't even be able to make it to Greece this year."
"Oh no! We were looking forward to seeing you and I know Breena and the kids have been."
"I think It's a blessing in disguise, now poor Jimmy can relax and enjoy vacation without his nasty father-in-law."
Lu and Ginny had had more than one conversation about Ed's rough treatment of Jimmy and Ginny had lost count of the number of discussions, arguments and outright fights she and her husband had had about their son-in-law, whom she loved dearly. Lu didn't hesitate to agree with her son's mother-in-law. "Yes, that is a blessing, as long as you're all healthy."
They didn't talk long as Ginny was exhausted. Lu had an idea but she decided to give it some serious thought before she did anything about it.
Barbara and Jerry were the only Bishops who'd be joining them. John and Jazzy and their kids were driving their RV to visit relatives in Colorado while George, Eileen and their nearly grown kids were driving their RV to visit friends in Texas. Artie was surprised when she realized that there were 3 RVs within the Bishop family. Jethro nodded, "They all like to travel and there's a lot to see and do in this country and some of the best things aren't anywhere near a commercial airport. Jerry says they bought each of theirs used and fixed them up. It's cheaper than staying in motels and eating out. And there are plenty of RV parks, even State Parks have spaces."
Tim nodded, "Barb said that Nick and Kenna will help with the driving to Texas and Ethan can help John and Jazzy. We liked the RV we rented when Jed was a baby, it was very convenient."
"Maybe we should do that again, maybe for Spring Break next year?"
"Sure, that'd be fun! We could go to the Grand Canyon again, only stay in our own place instead of motels. Or up into Mammoth Lakes country, although I think April's probably too early, we'd need a four wheel drive RV for all the snow!"
Jethro made a face, "Kids don't have time off in October?"
"No. They have Labor Day off in September, Veteran's Day in November, followed by Thanksgiving week. Two weeks for Christmas, then a day in January for MLK day and a long weekend in February. Then Spring break, and 2 days off in May, then school's over in June."
Lu shook her head, "I like the Brambury schedule better! Those weeks off were wonderful for travel and the kids didn't forget as much during the 6 week summer break."
Tim and Artie nodded, "The International Schools in Virginia follow that kind of schedule, a longer term overall with week-long breaks every other month. We plan to talk to the children about transferring to those. It'll be easier to transfer back to the Brambury schools."
While they'd originally planned to place the children in local International Schools, the campus proved to be nearly an hour's drive each way. If the setup and curriculum had been similar to what they'd had in Japan, they might have put up with the drive but neither were anything like Japan or Brambury, so the kids were attending nearby private schools.
NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS
The San Diego Gibbses' Fourth of July party was a lot of fun and well attended. To keep the crowd of black suits and sunglasses to a minimum, the FBI graciously ceded protection of their director to NCIS for the day. Considering NCIS was providing protection for Secretary Porter, who outranked Director Sailes, Tim, Jethro and Leon rolled their eyes and Henry Sailes later teased them about it. Megan Porter, home for a visit, arrived with her mother, the two of them staying in the same hotel as the Sailes' family.
To Tim's astonishment, no one outside of the family and the NCIS employees seemed to recognize Secretary Porter or either of the directors. His dad said he hoped that was because the SecNav and Vance had spent the last 6 years overseas, although in Porter's case it was more 'in the air' and Sailes routinely kept a fairly low profile, letting his Assistant and Deputy Directors take the limelight. Jethro reminded his son that they lived nearly 2300 miles from the center of power in Washington, DC; people here weren't as interested in the heads of agencies headquartered so far away, nor would they expect to see them at a neighborhood party.
There was a good turnout of Tim's staff, local and otherwise. They all seemed to be impressed with their new boss's family and friends – and the party itself. Most were surprised to find that Ned and Daniel were part of the family.
As far as the family, they had a blast. Tyler's biological grandparents came with Bec and Geo and had a wonderful time. When the Brambury party and the San Diego party were linked by Skype calls, the San Diego guests were surprised to find themselves in another country with a large number of expats, more of Tim's family, people from Scotland and what seemed to be an entire town. The Bramburians were thrilled to see their former hosts and spent some time chatting with them.
Although those familiar with the games had to do some convincing to persuade the newcomers to play the games and take part in the contests, once they'd seen some of the fun in Brambury, most signed up for the trivia contest, the Uncle Sam Top Hat decorating, the three-legged races and the other games. The American history trivia buffs, which included Patrick, were happy that several of the newcomers shared their passion and there was a tie for first place between one of the Gibbses' neighbors and Greg!
Four of the 5 neighboring households attended and had a good time; neither the adults nor the kids had ever been to an 'old-fashioned' Independence Day party. Of course the visitors helped keep things going, Geo and Leon handled the U.S.A. History Trivia Contest while Artie and Dani managed the Top Hat decorating booth. Tim and Bec handled the various games with Tim and Artie winning the three-legged race for their age group. The younger kids enjoyed the toddler pool and Mae, nearly 6 months old now, sat in it for a little while, splashing and giggling.
To their amazement, the baby girl didn't look like either parent or any of her grandparents, and there was some relief about that, but when Geordie pulled up photos of his mother and her family, they saw the little girl bore a strong resemblance to her great-grandmother Reid. Tyler, on the other hand, looked very much like his maternal grandfather, much to the older man's delight. Bec and Geo teased each other, saying maybe Mae's children would look like them. They didn't care, as long as the children were healthy and happy – and they were.
The visitors departed and the resident family was nearly recuperated from the party when the DiNozzos flew in several days later with Tony insisting on sharing his family birthday party with Greg as they'd been doing for years. They'd stay until they all left for Greece, they had everything with them. Of course, clothes for San Diego would be just fine for Varkiza as both had Mediterranean climates. As this was their third visit to Southern California since the move last January, the DiNozzos really didn't need to see much but did take full advantage of the beaches, taking everyone but Tim with them most days. Patrick's aides loved it, they got paid to spend the day on the beach!
Tim buried himself in work, reluctant to return from Scotland to stacks of overdue evaluations, case reports or case files needing a final approval before a court date. He was also a little smug about avoiding sunburn before Greece. The truth was, as both Tony and Geo pointed out, he already had a tan, built up over the last 7 months, despite the hats and long sleeves he wore and the many tubes of sunscreen he'd applied
In the weeks before they left for Greece, Lu, the Mallards, Jethro, Artie and Tim put together a plan so that Breena could help her folks in Ottawa for a couple of weeks. After their visit to Balmoral, Lu and Jethro would return to Brambury, staying with the Mallards and helping with the children while Breena flew to Canada to help out. Ginny cried with joy and relief when she was told the news and Ed even smiled. Ducky was relieved, he'd been trying to convince himself he could handle the children by himself but now he needn't worry about it. And he certainly would be happy to spend time with Jethro and Lu, he missed them all dreadfully.
Finally, the day for their departure to Greece arrived and the Gibbses and DiNozzos were at the airfield early, impatient to be on their way. They stopped in Boston to pick up Geo and family, the Vances, Porters, Morrises, Baxters and Bishops. With their transatlantic flight costs at a deep discount, the travelers, agreed to pay their own way to one central point, alternating between Boston and DC, to catch their Paddington Air flight. The Bishops had arrived last night, having driven from Tahlequah in their RVs. They were leaving the RVs at the heavily secured airfield.
Once everyone was aboard, they were off to cross the Atlantic and nearly the entire European continent. It was a long flight but one which most of them were used to. There were books to be read or written, games to play, movies to watch, exercises to engage in, meals and beverages to consume and many naps to be taken. Eventually, they started their descent into Athenian airspace and everyone cheered. The UK group had arrived just minutes before and were going through Customs when the US group arrived. These days, Customs took longer as UK visitors were no longer part of the EU. While Artie and her sister Susannah, with their EU passports and their children, each with Greek and American or British citizenship, swept through as citizens of an EU country, everyone else waited. No one minded too much, they were in Greece!
Once at their Airbnb, the Gibbses did a little unpacking, had beverages and a snack and then, taking flashlights, walked down to the beach. Tim held Artie's hand, sauntering behind the kids, remembering all the years of doing this, carrying first Rissa, then Hope and lastly their Jed for the first walk. In his mind's eye, he could see 12 year old Andy and 8 year old Greg running ahead, occasionally stopping to wait for 4 year old Kyle while Rissa, nearly 3, toddled along with her parents. He smiled at his love, "No matter where we live, this is the heart of who we are." She stopped him, pulling him into a kiss while Jethro and Lu continued ahead, Jethro smiling. Lu poked him, "I don't know how you fooled everyone for so long, thinking you were a hard ass!"
He chuckled, "I wasn't fooling anyone, I was a hard ass, except when my kids needed me. I never dreamed they'd actually end up being my kids!"
The two of them also stopped for a kiss and Andy, looking back, gathered his siblings, holding Jed and Hope's hands as they continued to the beach.
The next two weeks were wonderful, as always, holding a special significance for Tim and Artie as they suspected this was the last time Andy would be here without Lady Louise, if she was allowed to come. They also had some suspicions about other changes that might be happening and that first weekend, had one of them confirmed when Rob asked the two of them to join him, Ellie, Barb and Jerry and Mom and Dad. They walked down the beach as the couple told them that they were expecting baby #3 and that they'd decided to move home for a few years. Ellie smiled, "We've been talking about this for two years now. Rob likes his job but he really wants to work in the U.S., at least for a few years."
Rob nodded, "I've talked with Ducky about it and he agrees that it can be very important for an MD to work in different situations, hospitals, clinics, etc. I've learned a tremendous amount in the UK and now I'd like to learn more in the U.S."
Ellie continued, "I haven't talked to anyone at the agency yet and no, Tim, this doesn't count, but I want to return to the Navy Yard where I'd like to..." She looked at Tim who was trying to hold onto his emotions. "Tim?"
He smiled, "Ever since you became an INV agent and Leon nudged me farther along the path I'm on, I've envisioned you as the lead INV agent with the MCRT, carrying on for our old team. Dad's legacy."
Jethro looked surprised and then blinked back his own tears. "Thank you, son, Eleanor."
Jerry decided to be practical before they all dissolved into mush. "You said a few years. Not permanently?"
Ellie nodded, "When…long term, we want to raise our children in the UK and once Rob has the experience he needs, we'll return, hopefully to London and Brambury. We'd really like the kids to grow up with their cousins."
She turned to her brother-in-law, "We know there are details to be ironed out."
He huffed, "There are always details to iron out. If this is what you two want, I think it's wonderful. Now, when is my new niece or nephew due?"
"Oh! In February and we don't know what gender baby is yet."
Rob smiled, "We're not sure we want to know ahead of time. A surprise would be fun, as long as Ellie and the baby are healthy."
Barb grinned, "We have news of our own. We didn't think we were ready to tell you but we may as well. Hon?"
He answered her grin with one of his own, saying, "George and John are buying us out of the ranch over the next few years and at a certain point, we'll move to wherever you are. We're tired of ranch living, the weather, the tornados, the never ending work. What we don't know is if you two want in on the buyout. Rob, that doesn't mean you'd have to become a rancher or live there, it would just mean you'd have a share in the profits of the ranch."
Ellie was still thinking about her parents leaving the ranch where her father and grandfather had been born and raised, thankful it would remain in the family. "Who will live there?"
"As Matt, Chesnie and Ethan will be with them for a few more years, John and Jazzy will move into the house. With Nick already on his own and Kenna leaving for college next year, George and Eileen will sell their house and put a mobile home or something on the property. They're currently thinking they'll build on the property but there is also an opportunity to buy the Petersons' ranch and combine them, then George and Eileen would probably renovate the Petersons' home and live there. Bill and Trix are getting older, in their mid-80s now and their daughter and sons are in their 50s and 60s, they aren't interested in ranching, nor are their grown kids. They want their parents to sell and move into town, or closer to one of them."
Rob hoped nobody would ask him for an answer about the offer to buy into the ranch anytime soon, he had no idea and had only visited the place once. It would be great to invest in the Bishops' work but first he had to work through the idea of supporting raising cattle for slaughter. Mentally, he rolled his eyes at himself, he was neither a vegetarian nor a vegan!
Tim was still thinking about his brother and sister-in-law living and working in DC, near Arlington or maybe even in Arlington. He'd given up that dream for them, after all, it wasn't his decision to make or even to suggest. He just knew how much it would mean to Dad to have a former member of his team back on the MCRT.
Eventually the six of them returned to the crowd and Artie smiled at her husband. "You're very happy about their move, aren't you?"
"Yes, ridiculously so! Not just the move but the baby and them wanting to return to the UK."
"I think that will happen when we move back. And with any luck, Barbara and Jerry will be ready to move overseas then too."
Tim smiled, "I just realized the Porters only have another year before they plan to retire."
"They may decide to stay on for another few years. We're their family, Tim."
He nodded, "That's fitting, since they started out as our family, back in the day."
NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS
When Nicolas, Sergio and the girls arrived over the weekend, there were more celebrations as Katerina announced she'd be attending the University of Florence beginning the spring semester. In the meantime, she'd work in the restaurant's new catering business. While her fathers beamed proudly, the young woman was congratulated.
Knowing their two weeks would slip by very quickly, Tim spent as much time as possible with his siblings and their partners. If Geo, Bec, Tony and Maggie didn't see that much of him, they understood. Sarah had to stop herself from throwing herself into Tim's arms when she first saw him but she did her best to act like an adult sibling and not a 5 year old daughter. Bill, Jose, Freddie and Jimmy spent as much time as possible with their brother, feeling he'd been away for much longer than 8 months. Jimmy said it felt more like 8 years and his brothers and sisters agreed. Abby cried when she first saw Tim, Artie, Jethro, Lu and the kids on the beach and the others admitted they felt the same way.
Alan and Barry had quietly married during the spring, not saying anything beforehand and now their family joyously celebrated their marriage on the beach. Sergio and Sarah baked a multi-tiered wedding cake and the grill masters outdid themselves cooking for the crowd. Nik had his sous chefs helping him with several delicious dishes and Tony made the same garlic bread he'd introduced here several years ago. Alan's niece, now their adopted daughter, Madilyn, loved the party until she got a little overwhelmed. Then the four year old cuddled with Grandma and Grandpa while Papa and Daddy continued to celebrate with the rest of the family.
With Alan's position as SAIC of Marseille, his team and his peers were invited. While his team had to decline, retired Pete Russell and his family, and current Athens SAIC Lydia Warden and her family attended. Jazzy Bell from Rota had planned to come but landed a whopper of a case and had to send regrets. However, the Wilsons, still in London, came for the party and a long weekend. Dwayne, now the SSAIC there, and his wife were happy to reconnect with the Gibbses and celebrate Alan and Barry's nuptials and Maddie's adoption.
At some point during their first week, Lu told Jethro they weren't staying on in Brambury after all. He had an idea why she'd changed their plans but asked anyway. She grinned, "Because Breena's pregnant and I very much doubt Jimmy, Ducky or Rob will want her to work the hours she'll need to work once she gets to Ottawa. She was 34 when she had Jilly, she's 39 now. Working as much as they need her to will put her and the baby at risk."
Jethro nodded, "Any idea how far along she is?"
"Unless they tell us while we're here, she's not yet through her first trimester. I'd say she's close to 12 weeks, maybe a week or so out." She sighed, "I'll ask her, after all, she is our daughter-in-law!"
Jethro smiled, kissing her, "Yes, Luella Rose, and I'll have a chat with our son."
Later that afternoon, Lu asked Jimmy and Breena to join her on a walk. As they walked, she took a deep breath, but Breena beat her to it. "Yes, Malu, I'm pregnant, 12 weeks day after tomorrow. I've already told my parents I can't bail them out, it's too risky, with the chemicals, lifting and well, I'm not going. They've got plenty of money to hire experienced morticians, my father is being his usual stingy self and would be willing to have you take care of his grandchildren to get his way. I'm sorry we didn't say before, I had what turned out to be a sinus infection and thought that was why I felt so crappy."
Beside her, Jimmy smiled. "Mom, she's fine now. We'll have our first ultrasound and several tests when we get home. She's officially on leave from her job in Brambury, for the same reasons. Well, not Ed's stinginess or thoughtlessness."
"So if you're 12 weeks now, you're due…" Lu laughed before she could stop herself, "Another January birthday!"
Jimmy nodded while Breena rolled her eyes. "My birthday is in April. Three of my birthday celebrations have resulted in pregnancy."
Lu smiled, "Whatever the reason, I'm very happy for you!" She kissed them both and they walked a little further. Jimmy said they'd hoped to visit them at Thanksgiving this year but they would have to postpone their visit for a year.
Two days later, Breena and Jimmy told everyone on the beach that they were pregnant and that the baby was due in January. Jethro was glad Lu had already told him the due date. Tim blinked and then congratulated the couple. Before Tony could say anything, Maggie called out their congratulations as she grabbed her husband's hand to distract him. Abby opened her mouth and then shut it while Nikki covered for her, calling out congratulations from all of them.
Lu later high fived with her husband, "Two new babies next year!"
He nodded, silently counting. Then he looked up, "We have 22 grandchildren, with two more expected next year. That's…I can't even think of a word to describe it. Amazing and unbelievable!"
She grinned, "And our eldest grandchild could conceivably make us great-grandparents in the next few years."
Jethro shook his head vehemently, "I hope not! Andy's locked into his goals, like our Tim. And Louise, well, who knows what will happen with them. Luella, some days I just can't wrap my head around our family. 12 kids, 9 sons-or- daughters-in-law, all wonderful. I guess we should say 11 to count Abby and Freddie. How did we get so lucky?"
She tilted her head, "I really do think Timothy was determined that you be his dad. He selected you, you know, and he brought everyone else along with him, including me."
He grinned, wrapping his arms around her. "Remind me to thank him."
NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS
Relieved that his parents were returning home with them, Tim wasn't as crushed as he'd expected to be as they left Athens. They flew to Edinburgh where the Gibbses and the Clachers disembarked, telling the others they'd see them 'soon.' Saying an additional farewell to the Clachers, they picked up their rental vehicle, and drove to Balmoral where they were welcomed by Cousin Peter Teck.
Andy was both excited and nervous about his parents and Louise's parents being in the same place. However, he trusted his parents and hoped that everything would turn out all right – and not be too embarrassing. The family stayed in the same cottage they'd had before, on the grounds. Although they'd tried to keep their good clothes presentable, they'd failed and with a smothered laugh, Cousin Peter took all of their outfits to be steamed. Luckily they had several hours before they'd meet with Her Majesty.
Although the flight hadn't been long, they were all tired and took naps. They woke when their clothes were returned to them, looking like new. They thanked the young man who delivered them and he chuckled, "I'll pass the word along, then. I'm delivery, not laundry!"
After showers, they felt better and dressing in perfectly pressed clean clothes certainly helped! When a car arrived to transport them, they knew rain was expected.
Her Majesty was as warm as ever, happy to see them after their move. She asked about their new home and Greg showed her the photos they'd selected. Like everyone else, she was surprised at the modernity and Tim said they thought it was time for something a little different. She asked about the architecture, adding that the Prince of Wales would also be interested as architecture was one of his loves.
They didn't see the Wessex family until tea, which was lovely as always. Afterward, both families went for a walk or in Patrick's case a roll while Her Majesty excused herself. Pat and Greg volunteered to look after the younger siblings while Tim and Artie walked with the Earl and Countess. After they'd briefly talked about Andy and Louise's burgeoning relationship, all four of them visibly relaxed and then laughed. The Earl said, "This is our first time through this as well as yours. We asked my brother, who went through something like this with Will and Katherine, and he was very helpful, ultimately saying that both Louise and Andy had been raised well, with plenty of common sense and life goals. That as long as they weren't forced or feel that they're being forced into anything, in due time, they'll figure things out for themselves."
Artie shook her head with a laugh, "That's wonderful advice. And we thought his teen years would be difficult!"
"Were they?"
"Not at all, which both worried us and made us a little too complacent. However, they're both young adults, your brother's right, they'll figure things out if we don't fuss."
The Countess smiled, "Her Majesty is quite chuffed with the whole idea, although she's been very careful not to seem to push."
The Earl chuckled, "My father is also happy with the potential match and there were a few discussions before he also agreed not to push. There have been times in the past when that happened and in the long run things didn't go to plan."
No one responded to that and the conversation moved on. As they returned to the castle, Tim and Artemis were asked to call the Earl and Countess by their given names when they were alone with them. Tim nodded, "Thank you, we're honored. However, it might take us some time to get used to the idea." He smiled, "My father was my boss, my direct supervisor for 11 years and even after I left his team, after Greg and Kyle started calling him Grandpa, it took me months before calling him Dad came naturally. Boss still slips out occasionally, although we've known for years now that we're biologically father and son as well as chosen family."
The Countess wanted to know about that and Tim told them an abbreviated version of the adoptions, followed months later by the DNA tests that shocked both of them.
The Prince of Wales and his wife were also visiting and as soon as the Prince saw Tim, he asked to see photos of their current home. Trying not to laugh, Tim showed him and the Prince nodded with a chuckle, "I see why my mother is so amused. You own a colonial that's older than your country, you've lived in an ancient building here and now you've found this! It's lovely, all the windows and lights. How do you find it to live in?"
Artie smiled, "It's well insulated against the heat, the fences were built to keep the deer out and they work well and we have spectacular views. There are some photos," she pulled them up, "of our Independence Day party and the fireworks we saw in several directions. Our favorites were over the bay. However, while we love the windows and the natural light, keeping them clean is a problem. Luckily, we have big strong boys to help."
Tim chuckled, "She's kidding, Sir; we hired big strong men, professionals, for the windows. The boys have plenty of other chores and are very helpful but several of us have a fear of heights and I wouldn't be able to watch if any of the children were on those ladders. They're as tall as the ladders our firefighters use!"
"Does that include Andy?"
"I'm afraid so, although he works at it. I've had success in training myself to look out, not down and he's doing the same thing. Kyle and Jed aren't at that point yet."
"Your brother was a Navy SEAL, he must not have that fear."
"That's correct, he doesn't, nor does Greg, his son, or our sister Sarah. Patrick, Sarah and I have the same mother while Jethro Gibbs is my father and Commander Daniel McGee was their father. Since Kyle is afraid of heights, we believe that was passed down through our maternal genes. My grandmother remembers her father having problems with heights."
"I see. It's always a bit of a relief, isn't it, to know where something comes from?"
"It is, yes, Sir."
"Back to your various homes, which one is your favorite?"
"The Manor house in Brambury! It was not only our first home together, it was the first real home for both of us. I don't think we'll ever get used to falling asleep without all the creaks, groans and whispers of the Manor. The San Diego house is very quiet, well-built and all that. That's as it should be but it does take some of the adventure out of living."
The Prince laughed at that. He'd lived most of his life in old buildings and no matter how much they were updated, there was always some noise, a creak here, a step groaning there.
"I do have a favor to ask of you. My stepson is also a fan of your writing. Would you mind autographing another of your books, this one for him?"
"Of course not. Does he have a particular favorite?"
With a smile, he was handed the particular book and he signed it with a flourish.
They left two days later, feeling good about the Royal Family's response to Louise and Andy moving from friends to a possible romantic relationship. They were also relieved to find Her Majesty in good health, although she'd cut back on more of her activities. The Duke of Edinburgh was his usual witty, intelligent self and they were happy to see him several times. They asked the Earl and Countess if it was possible for them to visit them, privately, either in the U.S. or in Greece next summer and the Earl, Tim could not yet bring himself to think of any of them by their given names, not even Louise, and the Countess loved both ideas, saying they would discuss it with Her Majesty. The Earl noticed that neither Tim nor Artemis specified where in the U.S. they'd be living when he and his family visited.
