I AM BAAAAAAACCCCCCKKKKK. I managed to write SO MUCH of chapter 6 today, which is great news.

Anyway, enjoyyyy! X

Previously

"Still going by your rules, I see? I don't know why I expected anything different," she said bitterly.

"Jen–" she cut him off.

"Just go, Jethro."

He left the office, a familiar ache in his chest, as she looked on, her eyes glistening.

Present

Connie and Lottie

The two of them walked down the stairs, with their arms linked, and anxiety filling Lottie.

"I'm scared," she whispered.

"Why?"

"Of how they're going to act around one another in a room together."

Connie nodded.

"Ah. I'm sure it'll be fine."

The two of them reached the bullpen, where they were greeted by the shocked faces of the team, Abby, Jimmy and Ducky.

"Lottie, you're a twin?!" Abby cried.

"Yeah, but technically you and my twin have already met," Lottie told the people who were like family to her.

The others shared confused glances.

"We have?!" The team, Abby, and Jimmy chorused.

"Lottie and I met at camp and switched places," Connie explained. "She was with Mom and I was with Dad, so it was me that was here yesterday and not Lottie."

"That's smart," Jimmy told them.

"Thanks, Jimmy," Lottie answered and he smiled. "Anyway, everyone, this is my twin sister, Constance Shepard. Connie, well, you know who these people are."

"We haven't met for a while," Ducky said, holding out his hand to Connie. "Doctor Donald Mallard, but you can call me Ducky."

"It's nice to meet you officially, Ducky."

"Do you mind if I call you Constance?" He asked.

"Not at all. If Lottie trusts you enough to let you call her Charlotte, then you can call me Constance."

Ducky smiled.

"You're just like your sister."

"And proud of it," Connie answered, squeezing her sister's hand, and then it dawned on her. "Hang on, what do you mean by "haven't met for a while"?"

Everyone looked at the older doctor, curious.

"I've known your parents for a long time, nearly twenty years. I was there when the two of you were born, and I was the first person they told."

"Why didn't you tell me?!" Lottie asked angrily, and everyone looked at her, shocked.

"Your father told me not to."

Lottie scoffed, tears in her eyes.

"This is your excuse?!" She answered, her face red. "Dad told you not to?! I had a twin sister. An extra sibling, and you didn't tell me?! Ducky, I trusted you! And you didn't tell me the truth!"

"I wanted to," the doctor whispered. "I wanted to so badly, Charlotte, but your father said it was for the best. His past with your mother causes him pain, and when they divorced they agreed to never speak again and to never tell you both about your twin, something that was made complicated by your mother getting the job of director. I did it because I knew you would be upset, that you would react like this."

Lottie caught Ducky's eyes, and was startled to see they were filled with tears. She stifled a sob as she hugged him tightly.

"I'm so sorry," she told him quietly. "I'm so, so sorry."

"I am too," he said as he stroked her hair.

"Should we take this somewhere else?" Connie asked her sister once she and Ducky had broken apart. "They might be able to help."

"I knew there was a reason you were Sorted into Ravenclaw!" Lottie cried and Connie grinned. "There is. Ducky, can we use Autopsy?"

"But what about Abby's lab?" The latter responded.

"There are too many of us."

Connie nodded.

"Autopsy it is then."

The eight of them went straight down to Autopsy, and Jimmy made sure no one would come in.

"Right," McGee told the twins. "Let's hear what you have to say."

Lottie looked at Connie anxiously, and the latter squeezed her sister's hand.

"I'll do it," Connie whispered and Lottie nodded. "We've decided to get our parents back together. Their past clearly causes them pain, and they still love each other, so if we do this, it might help them to be happy."

"But what if it does not work?" Ziva asked. "That is always a possibility."

The twins shared glances.

"We know that," Lottie responded. "But we want to at least try."

"You're sure about this?" Tony questioned the girl who had become like a sister to him.

"Yes," she told him fiercely.

"Listen," Connie stated firmly. "I grew up with a Mom who was never truly happy. She always put on a façade, and pretended she was fine, but sometimes the sadness in her eyes was overwhelming. I often caught her looking at the ripped photo from her and Dad's wedding day, which is why she gave it to me. She thought I'd like it, but I think part of it is that she wanted to forget him. She's happy in that photo, and I want her to be happy again. We have to help them."

"I'm in," Abby decided.

"Me too," Tony answered.

"Us too," Jimmy and McGee chorused.

"I am also," Ziva added.

"And me," Ducky said.

"Great. Anyone have any ideas about how we can go through with this?"

Everyone went silent, sharing glances.

"I've got it!" Ziva cried and everyone jumped. "We can all take a trip to laser tag!"

"Zi, you genius!" Tony told her and she blushed.

"I'll tell you later" Lottie mouthed as her sister looked at her questioningly.

Connie nodded.

"Laser tag is a good idea, anyone got any others?" She asked and they all shook their heads.

"If anyone does, then either use the group chat, or message me or Connie," Lottie said, and then she face palmed. "I still need to add you to the chat, Connie."

She pulled out her phone, and added her sister to the chat. Connie's phone buzzed and she looked at it.

"Thanks," she stated. "Anyone have any other ideas?"

"Yes, I do," Ducky responded with a mischievous glint in his eyes. "They could have a night in together in the basement while we do something else."

"Ducky, you're the best," Abby told him and he smiled.

Just then, there was a knock on the door and they all turned around to see who it was. It was Gibbs.

"Can I get in please?" He mouthed.

Everyone else shared panicked glances, before deciding to let him in, with Ducky going over and opening the door.

"What are you all doing?" The Marine asked them all suspiciously.

"Just making plans about what we're going to do with one another," Lottie responded.

"Okay. I need to talk to Ducky. Would you all mind giving us a minute?"

"Not at all," McGee told him, and he and the other six all left the room.

Ducky sat down at his desk, and gestured to the seat opposite him.

"What is it?" The doctor asked.

"Jen and I had an argument."

"About?"

"I asked her how we ended up sending the girls to the same camp. She answered with if it was a coincidence. I told her rule 39, and she got angry with me," Gibbs's eyes grew sad. "I made her cry, Duck. I haven't made her cry in fifteen years. It doesn't feel good at all."

"She got angry over rule 39?"

Gibbs nodded.

"She observed that I was still going by my rules. I tried to say I was sorry, but she told me to leave. So I did."

"Where did you go?" The Scotsman asked his friend.

"For coffee."

"Ah."

"How did Lottie seem?"

"She seemed alright, she looks exhausted though."

"Connie said she was anxious about switching places, so that's probably why. She was scared about how Jen and I would react."

"Poor girl."

There was a knock on the door, and Gibbs caught a pair of green eyes.

"Oh no," he muttered.

"What?"

"It's Jen."

"Ah," Ducky nodded and went to the door.

"Hello, Jennifer."

"Hey, Ducky," she hugged him tightly.

They broke apart and she looked at Gibbs.

"I'll just leave," the Marine said awkwardly and then he did just that.

"Are you alright?" The doctor asked the woman who was like a daughter to him.

"Honestly?" She answered. "Not really."

"What happened?"

"I thought maybe he'd change, and that things would be different between us now, but if anything, they're worse. All I see when I look at him is the pain that I've caused, not just with me, but with him, and worst of all with our daughters. If I hadn't left him, then our daughters wouldn't've grown up without a parent and without each other. I'd be truly happy."

"You still love him," Ducky realized.

"You can't tell him," Jenny said firmly. "He can't know."

"Jennifer, he still loves you."

"Don't say that. He can't, not after what I did to him," she got up. "Thank you, Ducky."

He nodded at her as she turned around and left.

'Good God,' he thought. 'We really have our work cut out for us.'

He got up and went upstairs to the squad room, where the team were sitting, but Abby, Jimmy and the twins weren't.

"Where are the others?" He asked.

"Abby's lab, I believe," Ziva answered.

"Thank you."

He headed straight down to Abby's lab, where the goth, his fellow ME and the twins were all gathered round a table on their phones.

"Jimmy, KILL THE ZOMBIE!" Lottie shouted.

"I am! It's not dying!" Jimmy replied.

"Aaaaand you died," Connie stated.

"What are you all doing?" Ducky questioned.

"Minecraft," Abby told him.

"Well, I have something to tell you."

They all turned to face him, and Lottie got up.

"Take my seat, I'll get another one," she told him.

"Charlotte, it's–" she cut him off.

"I'll get another one."

She went into the next room, leaving Ducky confused.

"Is she alright?" He asked Connie.

"She feels bad about shouting at you," she explained.

He nodded, and followed Lottie into the next room.

"Sweetheart?" He asked.

"Yeah?" She answered, not turning around to face him.

"Can you face me?"

She looked at him, and there were tear tracks on her face.

"Oh, my dear," he wrapped her in his arms and she held on tight, seeking in his warmth.

"I'm so so sorry," she sniffled. "I shouldn't've shouted."

"Don't blame yourself, you can't help it."

They broke apart a while after, and she looked up at him.

"Are you willing to go through now?" He asked her.

She nodded.

"Okay. Let me take that chair for you," he said.

"I can take it."

"I know you can, sweetheart, but I'm going to do it because you're so kind and considerate, so I'm going to be kind and considerate to you."

Her lip quivered slightly as her eyes filled with tears again.

"I love you, Ducky," she whispered.

Ducky looked shocked briefly, but then he smiled.

"I love you too, Charlotte. Shall we take the chair through together?"

She nodded, and they pushed the chair through to the main lab, where the other three were playing Minecraft again.

"I got it! I got the skeleton!" Connie cried.

"All hail Connie our savior," Abby said as she mock bowed to the redhead.

"Thanks, Abs," she responded, and then caught the eyes of her sister. "You feeling alright, Lot?"

"Better."

Connie nodded. Lottie sat down beside her and the former squeezed her sister's hand briefly.

"So what's the news?" Lottie asked Ducky.

"Your parents got into an argument earlier. Your father asked her how they ended up sending you two to the same camp. She asked him if it was a coincidence. He mentioned rule 39, and she got angry with him. He said he made her cry."

"Stupid Dad and his stupid rules," Lottie muttered.

"Don't go around saying that," Connie warned.

"I don't, it's just some of them are pathetic, like number 12. If he hadn't put that one in place then Tony and Ziva would be together by now."

"Rule 12?" Her sister asked.

"Never date a co-worker."

Lottie caught a pair of green eyes, and she gasped as the owner of those green eyes rushed off and up the stairs. She bolted out of the lab, following her mother up the stairs.

"You!" She heard her mother shout. "You're preventing the happiness of your agents just because your marriage ended badly?!"

"I don't want them to get hurt like I did, Jen!" Her father shouted back.

"Did you ever stop to think that maybe I got hurt too?!" Jenny screamed.

Lottie's breathing quickened, and she gripped the wall to steady herself while her parents glared daggers into each other's eyes.

'Shoot.'

DRAMAAAAAAA. I love you all, thanks so much for reading! X