When Tim entered Sam's room to wake him from his nap he smiled. The boy had fallen asleep sitting up with his arms and legs crossed and had tipped back against the wall. Wanting to ensure a happy wake up he gently rubbed his son awake. "Monkeyshine… time to get up"
Tim was always amazed at how a kid could complain, spit nails even, about going to sleep yet be unable to wake up. "mmmm" Sam groaned. His scowl was still well plastered on his face. Tim playing "dumb" about what had happened at the beginning of nap time put on a sing song voice and happy face to encourage his son to get moving in a pleasant manner. "Come on. We need you on our team we're not doing so well" Tim explained.
"Who's our team" the child asked unable to maintain his "grump".
"Luc, you, me and Palmer against GG, Uncle Tony, Mommy and Ziva" Tim explained.
The two walked through the house and Tim took a few moments to check on the turkey before following his youngest out the back door. The game resumed and with 2 small children playing it was more a free for all. Tony decided that he was big enough that it didn't matter if one of the boys had the ball he would just pick up the child with ball in hand and run across the yard for a touchdown. Each time doing some sort of strange victory dance with a child upside down or spinning around. The boys howled with laughter and even Sam couldn't be mad that they had lost by a thousand miles.
As the game wound to an end Luc suggested "our team won because most of your team's points were taken illegally" pointing at his uncle with raised eyebrows and doing a victory dance of his own.
"I don't think so sport" Tony said scooping him up and carrying him into the house upside down.
"My turn. My turn" Sam yelled gleefully as he chased after his uncle and brother. Gibbs sneaking up behind the toddler took him by the waist and twisted him upside down. The group traipsing into the kitchen like a herd of elephants.
The whole family washed up and started to work on supper. The kitchen in the McGee residence was not very big and the salad prep had to be done at the table as everyone was bumping into each other to get the food ready all at the same time. The boys tried to do their part to get the meal ready but their running from person to person wasn't as useful as they felt they were.
Gibbs sent the boys to rewash their hands as they had taken to crawling under the table to get out of the way of so many grown up feet. Luc took Sam to the washroom and helped up on the stool and made sure he did a good job. When they returned Gibbs got them working on setting the table. Luc instructed Sam where to put things and Sam copied his big brother to the best of his ability. The silverware wasn't straight and sometime the fork was with the spoon but in the end all the places were ready.
A last minute flurry occurred as the turkey came out of the over and gravy was made. Ziva and Palmer were sent on a mission to get more chairs as the table didn't house this many people on a regular basis. The scavenged from Luc's desk, the office and the computer chair yet they were still one short.
"Hey Abby do you have another chair somewhere? We need one more" Palmer explains as he points to the table.
"Get the high chair out of the cupboard and just take the tray off of it Sam can sit in that" Abby calls over her shoulder not wanting stop what she was working on.
Palmer easily finds the chair but fights with it to get it to unfold. Tony comes over to help thinking he is going to show off and yet neither man can get the chair to open up. Tim walks over gently undoes the latch and gives both his team mates a rueful smile.
"Thanks so much McSmartypants" Tony calls over as he removes the tray and pushes it into place.
"Climb up little buddy" Tony says happily to the toddler in front of him. Sam looks at the chair and then his uncle with disgust. "I am NOT sitting in a baby chair. I am a big boy now" he declares.
"I know you're a big boy. This isn't a baby chair. It's a HIGH chair, meaning it's high up so you can reach the table" Tony says keeping his tone light.
"It's a baby chair and I'm not a baby so I'm not sitting in it" Sam says stomping his foot for added emphasis.
"Sam" Tim calls over from the counter with an edge in his voice he hopes his two year old will recognize.
"What?" the child snarkily replies.
"You're cruisin' young man" Tim answers knowing that Sam is well aware of what he means.
"Come on Monkeyshine get up into the chair and I'll get you a piece of fresh bread with butter" Tony coaxes hoping he can convince the child he wants to get into his chair before his father places him in the chair non too comfortably.
"I'm NOT getting in THAT chair" Sam's words laced with defiance. Luc seeing where this was headed and didn't like it one bit, his brother already went to bed with a sore bottom why does he want to eat supper with one he thought to himself. "Look Sam it's fun to sit in the high chair" Luc says as he places his skinny rear end in the chair and pretends to eat at the table. "Then you sit in it" Sam replies climbing into the big chair beside his brother. "Fine with me" Luc says reaching for a cucumber from the salad only to have his hand gently smacked away by Gibbs.
Abby came over and leaned in behind Luc hugging him as she whispered in his ear "Thanks Luc, I'm glad you helped out. But remember: you can't always save him".
"I know mommy. But I can this time" Luc whispered back turning his head to the side so only his mother could hear him.
The tension that had built up over the seating arrangements was soon dissipated and everyone was sitting around the crowded table enjoying the meal they all had a hand in preparing. Luc didn't mind sitting in the high chair and Sam was happy eating while he knelt on his big chair. Tim watched his boys as they played with each other at the table and only shut it down when Sam suggested they play swords with their green beans.