A/N: Here's another chapter folks, to my recent followers/favourites, welcome! To my reviewers, thank you so much! I love hearing your thoughts, they keep me inspired!

To Guest Reviewer: Thanks! Glad you liked the chapter!

While the Shannon/Tony interaction may not be what you were hoping, I decided to have a bit more fun.. enjoy!

Shannon sat herself down next to her daughter who'd only recently come back outside after her shower, she was resting against the wall to one of the rooms "Kelly darling" she said softly

"What?" Kelly asked, she still had everything Harry had said to her running through his mind, though she was trying to concentrate on her book, trying being the operative word.

"I just want to see how you are angel" Shannon answered.

"I'm ok" Kelly replied, not really knowing how she was, she just kept her head down into her book.

"You don't have to be Kells, its ok if you're not ok darling" Shannon soothed

Kelly just shrugged "dunno how I am, it's just a lot" she whispered.

"I know it is darling" Shannon said, she had one arm around her girl's shoulder & used that hand to move her girl's face to look at her & not the book "I know it's a lot, and I know we've got a lot to talk about Kelly, but we'll talk about it all & we'll get through it" she knew that she had a lot to make up for with her family, but she knew that her & her daughter had had some very tense discussions & she had a long way to go before things would ok & then better "I love you my darling angel, more than anything & I will do everything I can to make it better"

Kelly allowed her mum to bring her into her embrace & just rested into her, she'd missed her mum more than anything & while she was still feeling angry about everything that had happened, she was so glad to be able to be held by her mum again "love you" she whispered

Shannon smiled into her daughter's hair "I love you too baby girl" she soothed as she ran her fingers through her hair soothing her daughter, relishing this moment with her little girl.

Her eyes cast around the garden, the soccer game had finished, her son's team being the victors of course, now though everyone had spread out & were just resting as they either chatted amongst themselves or slept under the rays of the sun. Her husband's team had only come outside roughly an hour ago, all except for Tony, she'd had brief conversations with each of them and after than when he still hadn't ventured outside she'd merely looked to husband who she knew was also concerned about his lack of appearance & he'd headed off to see what was going on.

Kelly was just resting, she hadn't really taken in who was out here, but she now saw that her brother was with Harry & Ted and they were playing with Buster, her grandfather was talking to Ducky, but "where's dad?" she asked quietly

"He's gone to.." Shannon started to say as she saw her husband & Tony appear walking in tandem, it was interesting sight "he's there, sweetheart what do you make of Tony?"

Kelly looked to where her mum had motioned & saw her dad walking towards them, but he was walking with Tony, and they were basically arm in arm, how strange! "he's.." she considered it for a moment "kinda goofy like Nix, bit of a smart arse, I hear he's a practical joker like dad, but he's rock solid when it counts just like dad"

Shannon smiled "and it seems he's just as stubborn as your father is" she was certain Tony had been in a wheelchair too.

"Probably" Kelly replied with a small smile of her own, but she saw her brother approach.

"Mum" Nix called coming closer

"Yes darling?" Shannon smiled, she'd never get sick of that name.

"Can we play the broken telephone game?" Nix asked "Ted reckons it'd be a fun game to play all together" he added

"Sounds like a wonderful idea, but do not pressure anyone, you may ask them but if they decline, leave them be, ok?" Shannon replied, she knew her son could pester with the best of them.

Nix nodded & headed off to see who else wanted to play.

Shannon rose with her daughter as her husband and Tony approached "we're going to play the broken telephone game, if you'd like to sit next to me Tony, I'd like that" she smiled at the man.

Tony wasn't sure how to react, firstly they were about to play a children's game & secondly, she wanted him to sit next to her? He flashed a look to Gibbs who was merely watching him "ahh, sure" he was becoming really confused!

"Good" Shannon smiled "do you either of you need help sitting down?" she asked

"Sitting is not the issue" Gibbs smirked at his wife.

Tony really wanted to retort Gibbs's statement, he would have issues sitting with a bad ankle & wrist.

Shannon looked between her husband & Tony with a clear statement that she was worried about Tony ability to sit down, but it took mere seconds for a reaction "Jethro!" she exclaimed

Tony had basically been lowered to the ground in one sweeping move, he was kind of dizzy "thanks boss"

"Any time" Gibbs smirked, he'd used a marine move to lower Tony to the ground, as gently as he could, but he saw the look his wife was giving him "what?"

Shannon shook her head "he is not one your marine recruits that you can just crash to the ground Jethro, his ankle & wrist are both injured, not to mention like you he's got damage to his rib cage, he needs gentle movements, not marine treatment" she finished crossly.

"He's not a puppy dog Shan" Gibbs retorted, he did love her, but she was always one that thought coddling applied to every man & their dog when they were just a little injured. He knew Tony was injured & he didn't like it, but like him, Tony wasn't on deaths door like she was talking.

Tony had no idea what to do or what to make of the conversation going on basically above his head. They were in what he considered was a tense discussion about his health, he saw that his teammates were equally taken aback by the conversation, Ziva was looking quite shocked.

Shannon just eyed her husband "You're right, the puppy dog is over there running around perfectly healthy, Tony here is injured & doesn't need to be thrown around…"

"I'm fine" Tony whispered, he really didn't want them fighting, especially over him.

"There, he's fine" Gibbs remarked "now, let's play" he said as he sat himself down next to his son.

Shannon sat down next to Tony, knowing it put him between her & her husband who she looked at squarely in the eye "Phoenix darling you start & go the opposite way please" that'll teach her husband.

Gibbs raised an eyebrow at his wife, that meant he'd be the last in the circle, he just shook his head as he smiled at her "you'll keep" he grinned.

Shannon smiled "and you'll learn"

Tony really didn't know what was going on, weren't they just fighting? Now they were smiling at each other? He was just confused! But he drew solace in that he wasn't alone, Tim, Ziva, and even Jenn were all looking rather taken by the events that had just unfolded "ah, wouldn't you prefer to sit next to each other during the game?" he asked.

"I'd rather not Anthony, my husband is terrible at this game, so a buffer against meddling ways is appreciated" Shannon smirked, but it was directed at her marine.

"Meddling ways?" Gibbs asked with a smirk the size of Texas.

"Yes, you meddle, am I right Ted?" Shannon smirked, flashing a look behind her.

Ted pressed his lips together "you are Shan" gosh he was loving this "you meddle Jethro"

"And you don't" Gibbs retorted, receiving a laugh in reply from his friend.

Jenn still wasn't feeling all that comfortable with being in Gibbs & his wife's presence, and she was more than taken by the exchange between the pair over Tony. However she'd been in the middle of a discussion with Lt Peters & Lt Robertson when Harry had come to them & said if they wanted to join in, they were having a round of 'broken telephone' saying it was a good way to have some fun & relax, and when the pair of SWAT Lt's agreed, she felt like she couldn't not.

Jenn saw the area that people were now sitting in to form the required circle & decided she'd go sit with Ziva, who was on the opposite side to where Jethro was. She found it rather strange, everyone had basically decided to partake in this, she'd never have considered that a large group of federal agents & SWAT officers, mainly men, would partake in such a game.

Nix had Harry next to him as he thought about what sentence to choose, he smiled as he whispered into Harry's ear "Rabbits rumble, giants grumble, dogs bark in the dark, and wolves woo in the blue"

Harry looked at Nix a little confused, huh? "can you repeat that?"

Kelly sighed dropping her head back, she was next to Harry, if Nix's original statement was that bad, this wasn't going to be easy! "Squirt!"

"I'll repeat, but you can only ask for the sentence to be repeated once" Nix grinned as he repeated it for Harry.

Kelly listened & moved her head around Harry she gave her brother a look, with only a grin in reply & repeated the sentence into Tim's ear.

Tim had to admit, he'd sat himself in the position he was in on purpose but that sentence, huh? He turned & feeling strange, whispered the remark into Fornell's ear "Rabbits grumble, giants rumble, dogs bark in the dark, and wolves boo in the blue"

Fornell was feeling rather odd being in a circle like this, not that he'd never done this, he'd done it with Emily & her friends, but this was a little strange, and that sentence "repeat McGee"

"How are you feeling Tony?" Shannon asked as she watched the game being played, but she'd moved an arm behind Tony & reached for her husband's good hand, she interlocked her fingers with his, and they both rubbed each other's fingers.

"A little sore, but I'm fine ma'am" Tony replied, he moved himself forward just a little as he felt the pair lean closer to each other, he had no clue why they just didn't sit next to each other!

"Tom thumb took you too Timbuktu" Gibbs whispered to those closest to him as he watched Robertson pass the phrase onto one of his men "The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog and says hello to the cat" he added with a smirk.

Shannon heard the comment, she looked at him "stop that, it's not your turn to start, shush!" she smirked at him, before turning her attention to Tony "Tony you have my permission to hit him, if he meddles again"

Tony's eyes widened in utter shock, he really needed to move, only one issue he probably couldn't stand up on his own. He saw his shock wasn't alone, the rest of the NCIS team, all of them, even Maurice & Banks were shocked.

"Don't even think about it DiNozzo" Gibbs whispered into his agents ear.

"No boss" Tony swallowed, he really didn't know what was going on!

Jack would have preferred to sit next to his family, but he didn't want to force himself on them, so he'd taken the spot next to this charming Doctor. He was, like a lot the men in this circle, rather unsure about partaking in such a game, but as the sentence made its way around the circle he saw that they were laughing as they watched the men after them trying to make sense of what they were hearing and now it was his turn. He listened to Sgt Evans & understood everyone's reaction "I'm sorry Sgt, could you repeat that?" he shook his head as he heard the statement again, he leaned across & whispered to Ducky what he believed he heard "Rockets rumble, giants rumble, dogs lark in the dark, and wolves boo in the blue"

"I'm sorry Jackson, could you repeat that?" Ducky was confused to say the least.

Shannon looked to her son "Phoenix, how troublesome did you make it?"

Gibbs looked down at his boy, that grin just spoke volumes! "Good boy" he smirked, ruffling his hair.

"Two peas in a pod" Shannon rolled her eyes, her comment drew matching grins from the pair.

"What?" Samuels asked Abrams, he listened, huh? He leaned across & repeated to Brown "Rockets mumble, garments rumble, logs lark in the bark, and wolves loo in the cue"

"This is going to get so mixed up" Harry remarked to Kelly quietly, he received a nod in reply.

Banks shook his head, he'd heard the statement twice, he leaned into Maurice "Rickets mumble, garments babble, logs nark in the bark, stand bulls loo in the coo"

Ziva really couldn't understand what she'd heard but she couldn't ask Maurice to repeat a second time, she leaned into Jenn "Crickets mumble, pigments dabble, logs hark in the park, stand fulls lieu in the coo"

Ted was mighty confused, but he'd heard it twice, he leaned into Shannon "Crickets nimble, pigments dazzle, bogs stark kin the quark, stand mulls knew in the poo"

Shannon stared at Ted, flashing a look to her son who was grinning at her "if you wouldn't mind repeating Ted"

Shannon shook her head, her son certainly picked one just like his father would have, she wondered what the original statement was, but she whispered what she believed it was to Tony.

Tony listened, feeling rather odd to have Shannon so close, and like most people had to have it repeated, he looked to his boss "just for the record, I didn't create this sentence boss"

Gibbs raised his eyebrow but listened to Tony, that raised eyebrow remained & as a good SFA Tony repeated it without being asked. Gibbs felt all eyes were keenly on him, he knew that as the last person in the chain he had to say it out loud, but it sounded ridiculous! Utterly ridiculous!

"Well Jethro?" Shannon enquired

"Yea dad, what have you heard?" Kelly answered, this would be good!

"Culprits nipple, patients dribble, bogs mark fin the shark, stand nulls new in the queue" Gibbs remarked, and he was greeted a round of laughter from the entire circle! The entire circle!

Jack chuckled, that did not sound like what he'd heard & upon glancing around the circle, he wasn't alone, everyone was laughing

"How'd you come up with that Gibbs?" Fornell laughed, that was so far from what he'd heard it wasn't funny!

"Different from what I even heard!" Ted chuckled

"Me as well" Shannon smirked, how'd it change between what she'd heard & he had?

Nix was laughing, that was soo funny! "that's brilliant!"

"Where'd you get patients from?" Kelly laughed, seriously, where'd that come from!?

"He said it!" Gibbs explained, pointing at Tony, he shook his head, he couldn't believe he'd ended up as the last person, everyone was laughing, he looked down to his son "alright, what was the original sentence?"

"Rabbits rumble, giants grumble, dogs bark in the dark, and wolves woo in the blue" Nix said, slowly allowing them all to hear each word.

Almost the entire circle stared at Nix & gave a "huh?" none could work out how what they'd heard had come from that!

Shannon shook her head "two peas, two utterly identical peas"

Jack chuckled, he'd agree with that statement, he could see that most people were all in good spirits still, each ripping the others about how they got what they'd said to each other. It appeared this children's game had further reduced the tension & relaxed the atmosphere even more. They went through another round of the game, but this time Gibbs started & Tony finished, it was just as confusing as the first one & they were just considering who should start the next one when he saw Mason approach & couldn't fault the man for looking confused.

Brown was still laughing about what his teammate had said to him when he saw Mason approach, so he jumped up & headed straight for him

"Dinner has arrived Officer Brown, it's set up in the cafeteria as arranged" Mason said, though he had no idea why the entire group were all laughing & ripping into each other.

"Thank you" Brown smiled "we'll be there in a few minutes" he saw Mason nod & head off, he turned to the group, and headed towards Gibbs "excuse me sir, but dinner has arrived for everyone"

Gibbs nodded "great!"

Shannon rose & watched as her husband & Tony were both helped up by Ted & Officer Brown, some of the others also required a little assistance too, including her father in-law. She approached her son and crouched down "you remember me telling you were like your dad?" she drew a nod "do you believe me now?"

Nix grinned, she had said it many times that he was like his dad, but he was starting to believe it "ah huh"

Gibbs grinned, he put his arm around his boy & grinned at his wife "of course he's like me Shan, he's a good boy"

Shannon rolled her eyes "you'll keep" she turned to Officer Brown "tell me Greg, what have you prepared for us?" she knew he had taken on the responsibility for dinner.

"We hit up the TGIF restaurant" Brown grinned "Mac 'n Cheese all round, with Brownie Sundaes for dessert, as requested"

"Awesome!" Nix grinned

Samuels looked down at Nix "we've also arranged an after dinner movie"

Nix looked at Samuels "Home Alone 2?"

"Would it be anything else?" Samuels asked, he wasn't really sure what was causing him to act all child-like like most of the guys, but given the intensity that they'd maintained since Houston, and that was at the end of a high-octane week, this was rather nice, a good way to come back down to normal.

A/N: Well that was fun! And I think Tony is just really confused with how Shannon & Gibbs are both acting!

When getting back to DC who will show up for a visit to help reassure the youngest of some concerns?

You know I love hearing your thoughts, so review away! More up soon!