Sound sleep Jimmy pass vibration in his pocket. Abby's name popped up on the phone screen. Sighing softly, he raised the phone to his ear.
"Hello?" Palmer muttered sleepily, trying to suppress a yawn.
"Are you alive at all?" the energetic voice of the girl hit the young man on the head like a drum.
"Hello to you too, Abby."
"Was it very bad?" Abby asked sympathetically.
"Not like last time, that's for sure. But I'm under house arrest," Jimmy muttered, muffled by the pillow.
"Bad luck, poor guy, then we'll meet tomorrow. Bye Bye."
Palmer didn't have time to answer before his colleague hung up. He did not think much about the words of his friend, he was too tired, so he dropped his head on the pillow and immediately fell asleep.
"Come on boy, it's time for a bite to eat." The next time he was awakened was Dr. Malard's voice and the pleasant smell of food.
"Another five minutes, please," the boy asked very plaintively.
"No chance. Get up," a soft push on the shoulder made it impossible to fall asleep again, "you can continue to sleep after dinner."
"But sir..."
"I won't repeat it again," the doctor repeated rather menacingly. The young man sighed dramatically, but complied.
Palmer barely held back a sob as his mentor pointed to a hard wooden chair. He looked pleadingly at the older man, but the older man just shook his head.
"Sit down and eat. No arguments, young man," Ducky warned, it was hard for him to be strict, but every time he reminded himself of how this stupid boy made him worry and pity for the child was a little dulled.
"Dr. Mallard, what's for dinner?" with the look of a beaten puppy, Jimmy sat down at the table. He hoped that at least dinner would please him.
"Be patient a little longer, my boy," the doctor smiled softly, causing Palmer to almost roll his eyes. He felt a little annoyed and couldn't stop fidgeting.
Dinner was good. But even his favorite beef strogon did not cheer him up. The doctor tried to strike up a conversation with him, but Jimmy was not in the mood.
"Finish your meal and go to your room, rest. You still look exhausted." The man patted the boy on the head, who nodded weakly.
After finishing the meat, he went upstairs and fell on the bed. I really wanted to sleep and smoke. But there were no cigarettes, so the boy just passed out.
Jimmy woke up a few hours later. He definitely felt better, but now he was terribly bored. No phone, no computer, or even TV is normal to watch. Therefore, the young man decided to take a walk to the library.
Palmer slipped out of his room, feeling like some kind of thief. The library in Malard's house was simply amazing. It had been going for several generations, so it occupied two floors, completely crammed with books. There was everything: from adventures about dragons and the Middle Ages, to travel to distant galaxies. From archeology to medicine, it was an amazing place by Jimmy's standards. The richest book collectors could envy the treasure of this room.
Pulling out the first book he could find, Jimmy made himself comfortable in a large velvet armchair and rolled himself into a rug. The book told about sea adventures, treasure hunting and travel around the world. The plot captured the boy, but suddenly he again felt terribly sleepy.
Ducky went upstairs to wake up his boy. But when I entered the room, I almost got a heart attack, the bed was empty.
"Calm down, the boy is probably in the house," the man said to himself, searching all the rooms for the same. The last one was the library.
What a relief the doctor experienced when he saw how his protégé curled up in an armchair with a book on his lap and slept sweetly.
"Come on, my boy, it's time to get up," the man gently shook the child's shoulder. The guy groaned, something not legible, - Get up.
"Doctor?"
"Yes, boy. You scared me." Malard ruffled Palmer's curly hair.
"Sorry, Dr. Malard, I was bored."
"I know, but you shouldn't have misbehaved in the first place." The man smirked, which made the young man feel embarrassed.
"I'm not a child." Jimmy moaned in his head. But he only answered out loud: "Sorry."
"I forgave you a long time ago, but don't do it again. Do something while I work. You can stay in the library, - the boy nodded, returning to the book on his knees," a good choice, when I was young I really liked it.
"Truth? Didn't know you were into sea adventures." Jimmy tilted his head in curiosity.
"You don't know much about me, dear boy, I once traveled by sea. But I'll tell you anyway later," the man smiled, watching the guy's eyes lit up with curiosity.
"All right," Palmer sighed in slight disappointment, but quickly turned back to the book.
The evening passed quietly, the young man did not even notice how dark it was, he was so fascinated by the story in the book. After that, Dr. Malard took him for supper. He ordered Chinese food, which surprised the guy the most, the older man remembered what he liked and what he didn't.
"Time to go to bed, boy," Ducky reminded him when they had finished eating.
"But only eight, even children don't go to bed this early," the young man pouted, crossing his arms over his chest. He felt familiar irritation at the words, but didn't want to push too hard, his ass still hurt.
"You should get some more rest, so don't argue," Ducky said softly, but Jimmy felt he had no choice, which annoyed him even more. After all, he was already an adult and not used to being commanded like that.
"But the doctor…" Palmer began to moan, looking imploringly at his mentor.
"No chance. Go upstairs, unless you need help, of course," the man looked pointedly at the child. He let out a dramatic sigh, but still headed to the guest room, "smart boy, I'll check on you later," Dr. Malard threw in the end.
After taking a shower and changing clothes, the young man sprawled on the bed. I didn't feel like sleeping at all, the phone was confiscated, the TV was in the living room, you couldn't get there. There is only one option left, the library. Slithering through the shadows like a little thief, Jimmy crept towards the library. Leaving only a small lamp lit at the very end of the room so that he would not be noticed from the other side of the door, the guy jumped onto the chair with his legs and began to read again.
The guy was so focused on the book in front of him that he did not even notice how the old door creaked barely audibly. Therefore, it was a complete surprise to him when a strong hand closed on his ear. Which made the young man howl.
"Hey, hey! Doctor, what are you doing here?" Jimmy asked in his most innocent voice, trying not to wince.
"I have the same question for you, dear boy, I think I told you to go to bed," the older man replied very calmly, but threateningly, forcing Palmer to get up from his chair.
"I had insomnia," the young man muttered, looking somewhere at the floor.
"I doubt you even tried, but it's okay, we fixed it quickly."
From the ominous phrase, the guy inside all shrank.
"Looks like I overdid it." Jimmy groaned in his head, trying not to whine as he was dragged into the room.
Everything happened too fast. When they returned to the guest room, the boy was rolled over the man's knee and given fifteen heavy spanks. It wasn't enough to bring tears, but enough to make her feel uncomfortable for a while.
"And now sleep."
Palmer quickly climbed into bed without further prompting. Frustrated, he turned to the wall and tried to pretend that he was sleeping.
"Doctor? Are you not going to leave?" the young man asked a little rudely, not bothering to make eye contact. His ass was already on fire, so it couldn't have been any worse.
"Until you fall asleep, no. I wouldn't want to look for you all over the mansion again. I'm not so young anymore to play hide and seek," the man smiled, which made the young man feel like such a stupid and capricious child. Unable to cope with his own shame, the guy just buried himself in the pillow. Evil tears welled up in his eyes.
"What an idiot I am."
"I'm sorry, doctor," the child finally squeezed out, muffled by the pillow.
"I'm not angry," Jimmy felt a warm hand fall on the back of his head, it slowly descended down his neck and to the middle of his back, "now close your eyes. Otherwise, you will definitely never fall asleep.
Palmer didn't want to argue anymore, so he did as he was told. It was sometimes nice to feel cared for. Suddenly, as if by magic, a terrible desire to sleep. The young man had no choice but to succumb to the impulse.
The week of arrest was unbearably long. Jimmy survived his second spanking a little worse. It was lighter than the previous one, but because of the already painful sensations of the past two days, it was unbearable to endure. Therefore, the guy could not hold back a few tears.
The work distracted him a little from his week-long confinement. Basically everything was the same as before. The only thing on the same day, when the young man returned to work, Tony ambushed him in an empty corridor to talk.
"Hey Gremlin, we need to talk."
"Well, what else do you want?" The boy sighed in annoyance, leaning against the wall.
"Come on, don't act like a jerk."
"Look who's Talking? If that's all, then I'd better go, unlike you, I'm trying to work."
"What are you all the same ... Okay, I wanted to apologize," the senior agent suddenly blurted out.
"How is it?" Jimmy wondered, eyeing DiNozzo suspiciously.
"Do not look at me so. Maybe I acted like a jerk sometimes..."
"Only sometimes?"
"Don't pick on words, I'm actually trying to apologize. Okay, I acted like a jerk, but... I like you and all, so I teased you," Tony explained awkwardly, rubbing his neck, "you are like a little brother to me."
The sudden revelation made Jimmy feel strange. He had never thought about it and would hardly have believed it if the man had not told him. Jimmy never had any siblings, although his high school and college friends often complained about their older siblings.
"And I'm sorry I made you feel like I hate you." Palmer thought Tony was being quite sincere, so he nodded.
"Now everything is all right. It's partly my fault too; I should have talked to you. And I don't mind if you continue to tease me." Finally, the young man felt relieved.
"All right, Gremlin, peace?" The young agent held out his hand and Jimmy shook it lightly.
"Peace."
The next unexpected thing happened to him when he returned from work to Dr. Malard's house. It was Friday night, they had just finished the job and the young man was sitting in the guest room doing his homework. A sudden knock interrupted him.
"Enter!"
"Dear boy, get ready," the older man suddenly told him.
"Where?" the boy asked uncertainly, putting down his pencil. He was still under house arrest.
"You'll see soon," Ducky smiled enigmatically, ruffling the young man's hair, "come on, otherwise we'll be late."
Palmer nodded weakly. In twenty minutes they were already in the car. Jimmy still couldn't find out where they were going, so he leaned back in his chair, concentrating on the view from the window.
"Jimmy," the young man flinched at the unexpected touch on his shoulder.
"Sorry?" the young man muttered sleepily.
"We've arrived, boy."
Palmer dozed off during the trip, so he didn't see them arrive at their destination.
"But... This is Agent Gibbs's house. What are we doing here?"
The guy was here once when he gave Abby a ride after she hurt her arm.
"Now you will find out," the boy had no choice but to follow the man. An unpleasant feeling of nervousness began to arise in my stomach.
"What are we even doing here?" The young man was so worried that he didn't even notice the two cars. One belonged to Kate, the other to Tony.
The door was opened by a little girl, Gibbs' daughter, Kelly. All Jimmy knew about her was that Gibbs and his crew loved her more than life itself. They didn't have time to say anything before the girl threw herself on Ducky's neck.
"Dad! Uncle Ducky is here!"
"Hi princess. How are you doing?" The man grabbed the little girl, hugging her.
"It's all right, we're at school today…" Kelly finally noticed that the doctor wasn't alone. She looked at him carefully, which made the guy feel uncomfortable "is this the smart boy that you and dad were talking about?"
"What? What? What else does that mean?" Jimmy ran these questions over and over in his head, I feel the heat rise up to my neck.
"Yes Dear. He is a little shy. This is Jimmy Palmer, he's my best assistant."
This made it even worse. It was always difficult for Jimmy to accept praise, it became very awkward at once, especially when Dr. Malard did it.
"I'm Kelly Gibbs, nice to meet you," the girl held out her hand to him, the young man shook it awkwardly in greeting.
"Let's go see what your parents are doing," Ducky smiled, tugging at his charge's shoulder to follow them.
In the living room, Tony and Kate set the table at the same time sorting out the relationship. Agent Gibbs was cutting a salad; it was so strange to see him in a domestic setting. Mrs. Gibbs, Jimmy saw her once when he went up to the bullpen to give papers, she was cooking something by the stove. Abby sat at the bar with her homework next to her.
They exchanged greetings and Palmer was introduced to Mrs. Gibbs. Although the young man knew most of these people, he felt uncomfortable in such a homely atmosphere. The guy wasn't sure what to do. He seemed to be violating something personally that he shouldn't have seen at all.
"Come on, I'll show you something," Kelly saved him from this disgusting feeling. The girl grabbed Jimmy's arm and pulled him along.
The baby chatted incessantly about all her hobbies, about school and classes. This childlike openness made Palmer more or less secure in his place here.
"Hey, do you want to hear me play?" The girl pointed to the piano in the corner of the room.
"Of course."
Jimmy knew the tune well, simple but beautiful. Kelly plucked the keys elegantly, she definitely had talent.
"Good job," Jimmy smiled, "that was my favorite tune as a child."
"Can you play too?" the girl's eyes lit up like festive lights on a Christmas tree.
"A little, I haven't practiced in a very long time."
"Play, please. Tony can play too, but he never played me. He hates the piano, do you hate the piano too?" the baby began to chatter without much, Jimmy was surprised how in such a small body, there could be such a volume of lungs.
"I don't hate the piano, it's just... It's just that I don't have enough time for it."
"But do you have time now? Why not play?" the young man had no choice but to succumb to the plea of a girl with puppy eyes.
"I haven't played in a really long time." Palmer thought as he plucked at the keys. He remembered an old tune his grandmother played for him when Jimmy was just a child. Delicate as rose petals, she reminded him of his grandmother's little garden near the house. About pies with cherries and apples. About the old pear, which he liked to climb in search of the sweetest fruits. This melody reminded me of home.
"You play cool," the girl said when the young man had finished, "teach me also, please?"
"Okay, although I'm not as good as you think," the guy smiled, ruffling the girls hair.
"Hooray!" Kelly threw herself on his neck, when suddenly Shannon's voice was heard from the kitchen:
"The supper is ready!"
"Let's go quickly, otherwise Mom will be angry," Jimmy easily picked her up in his arms and went down the stairs to the living room.
"Kelly's therapy seems to have worked," Gibbs whispered to Ducky as the main courses were eaten and dessert arrived, Shannon's famous apple pie.
"I'm certainly glad," the doctor looked at how Jimmy was not forced to communicate with Gibbs' daughter and with his team.
He still needs time to get used to being part of the family, but he is already taking the first steps towards this.
"He'll definitely get used to it, he's not going to get rid of us that easily now," the doctor chuckled as he watched his protégé laugh with the rest of the kids.
"Don't be surprised if he gives you another test."
"Now I know how I should react."
That evening was the first step for Jimmy to embrace this new dynamic. He was no longer alone.