"I still can't believe Gibbs keeps his kid here!" McGee said, closing the door marked explicitly, "Keep out."

"I dunno. The kid's got it made though. TV, toys, that radio-thing that Gibbs has the other part of…"

"You mean the baby monitor?" Kate asked, coming out of the elevator. Kate had been added on shortly after Ria's first birthday. As it turned out, Kate was now one of Ria's favorite people to see.

"Yeah. That thing, sure." Tony said, stretching his feet on the desk.

"But what happens if something happens to her, and Gibbs isn't here?" McGee fretted. Tony rolled his eyes.

"Ask him yourself."

"He's…standing right behind me, isn't he?"

"You think?" Gibbs said, raising an eyebrow. "She's fine, McGee. Abbs has twenty-four hour cameras on the place. If Ria breaks a toy, she'll know."

"The kids going to end up spoiled, you know that Boss?" Tony said, smiling cheekily. The result was a smack to the back of the head. Tony flinched as Gibbs and McGee walked away. "I think that's rule number twenty-three- never mess with the Boss's kid."

"No, rule twenty-three is never mess with a Marine's coffee," Kate told him, sitting down and beginning to type.

"No it isn't."

"Tony. Yes it is."

"No it isn't. That's a stupid rule."

"You want to take it up with Gibbs?"

You have a point there, Tony thought. "No… I'm just saying."

"I'm never going to get any work done with you arguing, am I?"

"On the contrary, I'm getting a ton done." Tony said, staring at Kate with his eyebrows raised.

Kate rolled her eyes. "Oh, you are so funny. I know how to resolve this."

"Really? How?"

"Come here," she said, grabbing Tony and hauling him to his feet. Moving towards Ria's room, she gestured violently. "Come on."

"Why Kate, I don't know…there's a kid in there…OW!"

"Not like that, you idiot! Ria knows her dad's rules."

"You are crazy. She's two years old!" Tony argued, rubbing his now-sore wrists.

"Trust me," Kate said, pulling open the door.

Ria looked up from a plastic baby-doll and grinned. "Kate and Mr. Dee-nozzie!" she said, smiling and showing most of her teeth.

"Hi, sweetie," Kate said.

"Hey kid," Tony said, causing Kate to roll her eyes again.

"Sweetie, do you remember when you were telling me all about your Daddy's rules?" Kate said.

Ria nodded sweetly. "Uh-huh…"

"Do you remember rule twenty-three?"

"Um…" Ria said, scrunching up her face. "Daddy says wule twenty-tree is 'Never mess wit a Mawine's cowfee.' Yeah."

"Thanks sweetie," Kate said, smirking triumphantly at Tony.

"Yeah, whatever," Tony said, glaring at her.

"Bye bies!" Ria said, going back to her doll as Tony and Kate filed out…to where an assortment of people were waiting for them.

Gibbs was laughing quietly into his hand. Ducky, in a completely un-Ducky state, was practically on the floor laughing, along with McGee. Abby had her hand to her mouth.

"Awwww…." She said. "That's so sweet!"

Tony glared at her. "Yeah. Adorable."

Abby grinned. "Yup! Let the record show that Tony was once again owned by Kate!"

"Thank you, Abby!" Kate said, beginning to laugh as well.

Tony didn't hear the end of rule twenty-three for a long time.