Chapter 5: Monday, Time to Go Home
Monday morning dawned with another brilliant sunrise but none of the DiNozzos, Palmers, nor McGees were awake to witness the spectacular colors. The family had returned to the cabins well past midnight after the nightly bonfire. The bonfire had started later than usual so the campers could view the International Space Station passing over the area.
While there were still limbs, small branches, and leaves strewn about the camp from the storm, damage to the main parts of the camp had been minimal. The worst was the downed tree by the Eagle cabins. Campers from other cabin areas came by to view the phenomenon of the exploded tree.
First outside were the McGee parents; Tim had been apologizing to his wife repeatedly since the panic of fleeing the storm had separated the couple and left Delilah with LJ and Tony to help her get to safety.
"Dee… I need to have you forgive me. I got caught up in the panic of everyone trying to get to safety and sorta abandoned you. I mean, when the crowd moved, I moved towards the buildings," Tim pleaded. "It was difficult at best to see anyone over the surge of people."
"Look, Tim, I get it. Me, LJ, the little girl that was with Ziva and Jimmy… we are all shorter than the crowd and easily missed in a panicking mob," Dee sighed as she tried to get her husband to understand that she wasn't upset with him. "In a way, it was probably better that the three of us were separated from the mob and didn't get trampled…"
"But, sweetheart, I should have been looking out for you," Tim tried again. "I was worried and looked for you, but I should have been with you."
"Timothy Farragut McGee, enough already. I have told you that I forgive you; please, please stop harping on this," she locked eyes with her husband. "And even though I am wheelchair-bound, I do not need your pity. I need your support! We've discussed this before… many times."
Tim sighed, "Well… okay, I guess…"
Ziva waved from the front porch of the other cabin, "Good morning!" She walked the short distance between cabins. "My family is just getting up and getting ready to go to breakfast. How are you this morning?"
"Good," Dee answered her sister. "I can't believe this weekend went by so quickly. It was mostly fun."
"True. And we will definitely have something to remember with the wild storm," Ziva added. "Did you get any pictures of the tree?" She pointed to the shredded pine on the opposite side of the clearing.
Delilah and Tim both nodded as Ziva continued, "Neither Tony nor I have ever seen a tree that has been struck by lightning. It is amazing and scary at the same time. I will never forget the sound as the lightning hit the tree."
"I'm just glad we weren't any closer," Jimmy stretched as he came out to the porch. "We got to safety just in time!"
"IMA!" LJ called from the porch of the DiNozzo cabin. "When is breakfast? I'm hungry!"
Thirty minutes later the entire family was chowing down on the final breakfast of camp; pancakes, bacon, ham, hash-browns, assorted fruits, and scrambled eggs filled plates.
"We won't forget this adventure," Jimmy quipped to the family.
"We will talk about that storm many years into the future," Ziva added.
The rest of the family flashed grins and thumbs' up gestures.
Tony looked around at the faces, "The best part, as far as I am concerned, is that we did this adventure as a family." He raised his glass of orange juice, "To family!"
"Do we hafta go home?" LJ chimed in. "Can we stay for another session?"
Tony tousled his youngest's hair to a scowl from the boy, "Sorry, kiddo, the adults have to go back to work tomorrow. If everyone has their stuff packed and ready to go, we can schedule the shuttle to take us to the parking area from the cabins." He looked at the kids, "At least the pets will be glad to have us at home."
