Hi Friends! I have returned from the land of all work and no play! Seriously tho, sorry to leave you all hanging on this story for so long. I am now completely done with grad school and getting back into writing (and reading) for FUN!!!

Here is the long anticipated next chapter. There will be two or three chapters remaining after this one. Please check out my new story, Close Quarters. And for those of you who follow the Abby/Quinta stories, a new one will be coming soon. For now, please read and review. Thanks to MaidenMoonshine for her wonderful edits and to all my readers for hanging in there with me! ((Hugs))

Chapter Thirteen

As soon as the front door shut, Gibbs turned around to address his other wayward daughter.

Abby was halfway up the stairs when Gibbs called her back down. She hesitated for a moment before deciding that further disobedience wouldn't get her anywhere good.

"Come here, Abs. We need to talk."

Gibbs sat down in the couch and gestured to the space next to him. Abby couldn't help but wonder if this exchange was going to be an actual conversation or one of those "talks" where she went to bed with a sore bottom.

Abby unconsciously smoothed her skirt down as far as it would go as she sat next to Gibbs.

"I'm going to keep this short because I know you're tired from having Tali all weekend. And I am too," Gibbs started, turning towards Abby.

"What was going on with you today? The attitude, using your phone, you know better."

Abby hung her head as she took in Gibbs's words. At the time she had felt justified in her actions. Now she just felt guilty.

"I'm sorry, Gibbs," Abby mumbled, playing with her rings. "I was just mad at being grounded and tired. I just wanted to be left alone today."

Gibbs nodded as he looked at Abby, her pigtails slightly unraveled, bags under her eyes despite the Caf-Pow! she had been consuming all day.

"I get that Abs, but as I said, you know better. What happens when you disobey during a grounding?"

Abby looked up and looked directly at her surrogate father. All the kids knew the answer to this question but generally didn't want to admit it when they were the ones being asked.

Instead of answering, Abby shook her head furiously, making her pigtails swish in time to her shaking.

"Yes, Abby. You know the answer. I want to hear it," Gibbs's tone had stepped up a notch in sternness.

"More grounding," Abby mumbled, intensely examining her hands again. "Or a spanking."

Gibbs nodded as he moved closer to Abby, placing a finger under her chin so she would look at him.

"Right," Gibbs said, his voice soft again. "Now I'm willing to overlook your behavior this afternoon because I know how hard it has been to be grounded and help watch Tali all weekend."

Abby looked immediately relieved. But Gibbs wasn't done yet.

"Still, I think it would serve you well to go to bed early tonight," Gibbs said as he nodded toward the stairs.

"Gibbs! It's not even 9! I had plans for after Tali left! Maybe a movie or at least some tv time!"

"Too bad, Abs. The extra rest will do you some good."

"But Gibbs –"

"Abby," Gibbs warned in a stern tone.

He looked at his youngest with his "dad stare" as Abby called it, and she finally threw up her hands in defeat.

Abby pouted as she made a show of getting up from the couch. Gibbs almost couldn't contain his smirk. Abby was the most challenging of his kids with Ziva as a close second.

Gibbs stood also and kissed Abby on the forehead.

"Go on, Abs," he said, fondly. "Just think, after tonight you're grounding is over."

Abby headed for the stairs as Gibbs grabbed yet another cup of coffee and made his way to the basement.

"Yeah, it'll be over," Abby grumbled as she climbed the stairs. "After throwing an early bedtime in there. Who does he think he is?"

"Your Dad," Gibbs called from the kitchen. "Now get upstairs before I change my mind."

Abby scampered up the last few stairs, secretly looking forward to going to bed as soon as possible. Tali had tuckered her out – not an easy feat for anyone!

Gibbs may have failing eyesight, but the man had the hearing of a bat. Abby wondered if he would hear her grumbling now all the way down in the basement. The young Goth decided she didn't want to take the chance. Gibbs was just that good.

—NCIS—

Tali bounced into the apartment as though she had just slept 12 hours. Grandpa Gibbs and Aunt Abby had kept her occupied all day but the excitement of having Ziva and Tony home was like a shot of pure sugar for the six year old.

"Ima, Abba, watch what I learned this weekend!" Tali's practically shrieked before doing a cartwheel into the living room.

Tali's cartwheel was perfectly executed but her landing was perilously close to the corner of the coffee table.

And unlike Tali, Ziva and Tony were practically walking dead after their weekend away and the long plane ride.

"Talia!" Ziva said sharply, not registering the proud look on her daughter's face. "Be careful!"

And true to Tali's fatigue under her adrenaline rush, the little girl burst into tears upon taking in Ziva's scolding words.

Ziva and Tony exchanged a look that said they understood they had a very wound up and tired child on their hands.

Ziva crouched down to Tali's eye level and held her daughter's little hands in hers.

"Tali bear," she said softly. "Ima is sorry for yelling. But you know you are not allowed to play like that inside. Your cartwheel was beautiful, baby. But you almost hit the coffee table. I do not want for you to get hurt."

Tali stopped crying and looked at Ziva, her green eyes still full of tears.

"I'm sorry, Ima," Tali said, throwing herself into Ziva's arms. "I was excited."

"I know, Tali. We missed you so much this weekend," Ziva said as she held her first born.

Tony came up next to them and rubbed his hand through Tali's unruly dark brown hair, so much like Ziva's.

"Hey, how about you go get pajamas on and I'll make us some hot cocoa?"

"Yes!" Tali's popped out of Ziva's embrace and went racing down the hall, her tears forgotten.

"Ugh," Ziva grimaced as she stood again, with Tony's help. "I was not sure I could get back up."

Tony rubbed Ziva's back and placed a light kiss on her hair.

"Well, my ninja, it's definitely not as easy when you're carrying extra cargo."

Ziva pulled away from Tony but still had a twinkle in her eye.

"Do not call our daughter cargo, Tony!" Ziva admonished as she headed for their bedroom with the rolling suitcase. "I could still take you!"

Tony snorted and smiled as he got out three mugs. He was sure he could take Ziva, especially while pregnant. Couldn't he?