The next morning when Sonny, Robert, and Dante had made it back to the states and his cell phone had service, Sonny called Max about the guard situation.

"Do you really think the extra guards are necessary?" Sonny asked.

"Yes," Max said, "We tried to tell you when Kellie moved back here and Jason was going to marry her. We wanted to revamp security then, but you insisted again the danger was minimal."

"I don't want you all to be right," Sonny said.

"You hired us and Brick for a reason," Max said, "Not to mention, Jason is saying this is necessary. You realize that he left Kellie sick at the hospital to go after Carly? Are you really so stubborn as to let your pride over this put Carly, Kellie, and the kids in more danger? And pull Jason in too many directions? It's not good for anybody. While Kellie has always been more than capable of taking care of herself; she shouldn't have to not like this. We have the resources. Think of it this way. Maybe you weren't able to protect Kellie from everything she went through as a kid, but this might be one way of making up for it."

Sonny pondered Max's words.

MetroCourt

Carly walked into for work irritated at her guards presence.

"The man is doing the job Jason asked him to do," Olivia said, "After what happened with Ryan Chamberlain, I'd think you'd be relieved."

"It's just that Sonny and I hadn't needed guards," Carly said, "It's been quiet for the most part."

"And then Ryan Chamberlain and Garrett Esoterra wreaked havoc every possible direction," Olivia said.

"Ryan's hopefully dead," Carly said, "and Garrett is going to prison. Everything can go back to normal. I don't know why Jason's so worried."

"Maybe because his wife who can usually take of herself is now pregnant," Olivia said, "and Kellie's wicked morning sickness puts her more at risk if someone comes after her. It already did with her being in that creepy cabin with Ethan's brother. That's on top of her being more vulnerable the further along she gets into the pregnancy. What do you expect Jason to do if he has to come to the rescue and leave Kellie on her own again? If you care about Jason as much as you say you do, Carly, you'll quit trying to figure out how to convince him and Sonny not to have the guards."

"Why do you have to go and make so much sense?" Carly said.

Florida

"What's taking so long?" Kellie asked, "The doctor said I could go home."

"It does take time for the doctor's to process the paperwork and get you cleared to leave," Jason said.

"I just want to go home," Kellie said.

"You will," Jason said, "You're just going to have to be patient awhile longer."

"You should go get me a chocolate milk shake for the road," Kellie said.

"I'm not getting you that junk," Jason said.

"Then I'll go get it myself," Kellie said.

"You don't have credit cards or cash or any of that on you," Jason said.

"Are you sure about that?" Kellie smirked, backing away from Jason before flashing cash at him.

Jason checked his wallet to find some of his money missing.

"Be sure to get all the instructions from the nurse and doctor if they show up to release me," Kellie said, heading towards the door.

Jason managed to grab Kellie from behind and pull her against him, "What am I going to do with you?"

"I have a few ideas," Kellie said, " But first you need to let me go get my milkshake."

"You need to tell me how you managed to take my cash out of my wallet," Jason said.

"Trade secret," Kellie said.

"Do you two need a room?" Gibbs interrupted, one hand behind his back.

"Aww you've come to torment me one last time before I leave," Kellie said as Jason let her go.

"Nope" Gibbs said, "I'm just here to make sure you make it back to Port Charles. Director's orders."

"Now that your escort is here," the nurse said, pushing a wheel chair into the room, "I think it's time for you to go home."

"You're the reason I've been waiting forever to leave," Kellie said to Gibbs.

"The more you talk, the longer it's going to take you to leave, Corinthos," Gibbs said, nodding at the wheel chair.

Kellie rolled her eyes at Gibbs as she sat in the chair. Another nurse came in and hand Jason Kellie's prescriptions for prenatal vitamins and anti nausea medication.

"Did you lose an arm or something Gibbs?" Kellie asked.

Gibbs moved his hand from behind his back to reveal a chocolate milkshake. Jason tried to intercept it before he could hand it to Kellie. Gibbs stunned him with a smack upside the back of his head.

"This is hers, not yours, Morgan," Gibbs said, handing Kellie the shake.

"I knew somewhere deep down inside you like me just a little bit," Kellie said, sipping the shake as the nurse wheeled her out.

"I pegged Morgan for the feed you spinach and straight milk type," Gibbs said, "You're on your own once you get back to Port Charles."

"I think I can manage," Kellie said.

"What the hell was that?" Jason asked.

"You mean this," Gibbs said, smacking him again.

The Airport - Private Plane

On the plane, Gibbs was talking to the pilots and ground control while Kellie and Jason got on board. Jason made sure Kellie was settled for the flight before making some calls to arrange for Johnny and one of Kellie's other guards to meet them at the Airport.

"You could have delegated escort duty to Sloane or another underling," Kellie said, when Gibbs sat down.

"Well, I didn't," Gibbs said.

"Just admit it, Gibbs," Kellie said, "you were worried about me."

"Doesn't mean you're still not a pain in the ass, Corinthos," Gibbs said, "Though your father is a much bigger pain in the ass."

"You've met my father?" Kellie asked.

"I spoke to him briefly last night," Gibbs said.

"About what?" Kellie asked.

"That's between me and him," Gibbs said.

"And you think I'm a pain in the ass," Kellie said, irritated he wouldn't answer.

"I'm just getting started," Gibbs said, "There are a few things we need to discuss. What the hell were you thinking running after your daughter when from what I hear you could barely keep food and water down when the day started and had already passed out once."

"Maybe because some psychotic pervert had her," Kellie said.

"What is the use of you having guards if you don't let them do their job, protecting you?" Gibbs asked, "From what I understand you had at least one guard who could have done what you did jumping on the boat to get Alyssa and you probably wouldn't have passed out."

"Don't tell me a gunshot wound or illness would have stopped you from going after your daughter if she was in the same position mine was?" Kellie said, "We both know damn well it wouldn't."

"You took an unnecessary risk, Corinthos," Gibbs said, trying not to let it show Kellie's words got under his skin, "regardless of whether you were healthy, unhealthy, or pregnant or not."

Kellie stood up to get in Gibbs's face, too quickly, causing her to become lightheaded.

Gibbs caught Kellie to steady her.

"I know it's been awhile since you've had a kid," Gibbs said, helping Kellie sit back down, "But slow movements, okay."

"Damn you, Gibbs," Kellie said, tearing up, "It's not like I meant to end up…"

"I'm not blaming you," Gibbs said, "But there's no reason for you to put yourself in that kind of danger or take that kind of risk. Not where you hire your own personal army for that very reason."

"Is everything okay here?" Jason asked, having finished his calls.

"Hormones and I have to remember to move slowly," Kellie said, "And not get up too fast."

Jason glared at Gibbs not buying the explanation.

Before anything further could be said, the flight attendant advised them they were ready for take off.

At some point during the flight, Kellie dozed off, allowing Gibbs and Jason to speak more freely.

"What did you say to Kellie to put her in tears?" Jason asked.

"All I did was point out there are risks she doesn't have to take. Risks that she pays her guards to take for her if she'd let them," Gibbs said.

Jason didn't have a response.

"It was her daughter's life and well-being at stake," Jason finally said, "As much as I wish she would have waited or let her guard go first, I can't blame her. I highly doubt you do either."

"No," Gibbs said.

After several moments, Gibbs continued, "You and I run on opposite sides of the law and will probably always piss each other off on a good day. Whether I like it or not, it's your responsibility to keep her protected even when she's trying to protect everyone else. I know she probably doesn't make it easy for you."

"No she doesn't," Jason said.

"I know Kellie's going to do what she's going do," Gibbs said, "But I had to say something to her. Maybe she'll listen maybe she won't. But at the end the day at least I know I said something. It's the same as me saying something to you about her father's lack of guards."

"I'm trying to make that better," Jason said.

"I know," Gibbs said, "You better keep trying. Don't think I've forgotten my promise to make your skills seem like child's play if you can't protect her."

"You know for a federal agent," Jason said, "You make a lot of threats."