Wednesday Morning

Gibbs woke up to the feeling of eyes on him.

"You usually watch people sleep?" He sat up, being careful to not wake up his sleeping son besides him. He would be surprised if anything could wake up Zach once he was down for the count though, he certainly had trouble on school morning.

"Nope, just got here, thought you might want to watch us take down Petrov from headquarters." Callen shrugged, leaning back into the chair casually.

Gibbs nodded, swinging his legs over the bed and preparing to get up "You brought any clothes with you?"

"Yep, right here" Callen picked up the bag that was on the floor next to him, holding it out for Gibbs to take "There's some clothes in here for Zach too, Hetty gave them to him because she said she wouldn't have him coming into her building looking like a homeless puppy"

The silver haired man chuckled at that, looking at the boy he could easily see her comparison. He was covered head to toe in dirt and dust , his blond hair that was usually so carefully styled looked more like a birds nest and he had a bandage on his head giving him a hurt little boy look.

"I'll go get you a coffee from the Starbucks. I'll be back in twenty." The dark blond agent dismissed himself.

Gibbs went into the bathroom that was joined to the room, taking the duffel bag with him and routing around for his clothes. Whoever had packed it had been thoughtful enough to include a wash kit, and the Silver-haired man neatened himself up with a shave and a quick shower, minding to not get the sling and bandages on his shoulder wet.

He got redressed again with some effort, opting to just where his polo shirt in the hot LA sun because it was too much effort to put his jacket on. He was soon at his son's side, shaking him awake.

"Uh…. Dad…. Too early" Zach moaned, spreading out onto the bed now he knew his dad wasn't in it anymore.

"It's nine in the morning, that's a lie in." Gibbs pulled back the covers and ruffled the blond hair.

"mmmpphhh…" That roughly translated to 'If that's a lie in, I'm the bloody Pope', Gibbs didn't understand a word of it though and he simply caught his sons hands in his one strong one when he tried to pull the covers back over himself.

"Unless you want me to give you a prequel of what we are going to be talking about in the near future, I suggest you get out of bed now." Gibbs warned.

Zach reluctantly rose, fisting his eyes with his hands and yawning loudly. He knew not to mess with his dad when he was using that tone of voice, he may not have always listened to what he knew though, but this time he was because he was already in so much trouble.

"Good, here's some clothes, go get changed." He gave him a gentle nudge to the bathroom "And take a shower too, you stink"

Callen had dropped the father and son off at the diner just around the corner, and now Gibbs was looking on in a grimace as his son drowned his chocolate pancakes in syrup, and added several heaps of sugar to his coffee.

"Zach…" Gibbs groaned.

"What?" The boy looked up, oblivious to what his dad was moaning about.

"You're going to rot your teeth if you carry on like that" And he didn't want to be dealing with a hyper-active teenager, he was bad enough before he had too much sugar and caffeine.

Zach shook his head, pouting slightly when the man pulled the sugar away from him before he managed to add more to his coffee. The teenager was about to protest, but his dad raising his eyebrows at him telling him not to push his luck, stopped him.

Gibbs suddenly spotted the sunglasses that were placed on the diner table while they ate, he didn't remember Hetty giving him them and he had never seen his son with them before.

"Are those sunglasses new?" Gibbs asked suspiciously, picking up them up to inspect.

"Yea, Calvin Klein, nice aren't they?" The blond didn't even think about what he was saying, he just kept wolfing down the pancakes like a starved man.

"Designer huh? I bet they were expensive" Gibbs placed them down and took a sip of his coffee, all while watching his son's face carefully for any trace of a lie.

"Weren't that expensive" Zach had realised just to what his dad was getting at, and desperately tried to keep him from finding out how much they had cost.

"How much?"

"For Calvin Klein they were really cheap, and they were half price. So technically I reallysaved money." Suddenly he didn't feel so hungry, and he was just pushing the pancakes through the thick syrup.

"How much did you save?" Gibbs asked sarcastically, bracing himself for the answer he knew he didn't want to hear.

"Uh… two-hundred and fifty dollars" He said quietly, waiting for the man to explode.

"Two-hundred and fifty dollars!" Gibbs had to keep himself from yelling out in the diner.

Zach nodded; his dad's angry tone enough to make him shrink in his chair. He had gone from being proud, to annoyed and angry, and the teenager hated it.

"I'll take them back." He tried to appease him.

"Damn right you will. Where did you get the money from? You better hadn't have done what I think you have" Gibbs glared at him.

"Depends…" Zach shrugged, trying to pick his words carefully, but inwardly wincing when he sounded cocky "On what you think I have done."

"Now isn't the time to be cheeky Zacharriah. You don't know how close I am to dragging you to the hotel to whip your ass for you" Gibbs' eyes narrowed.

"I didn't mean to sound …. I'm sorry." He sighed. "I took my card with the money grandpa gave me from your room"

"That money is for collage, and who gave you permission to snoop around my bedroom anyway?" His son knew that his bedroom was off limits unless he was in there. He had a rifle and cartridges stashed under his bed that he did not want him coming across; it would only put ideas into his head. Along with a Christmas present in his closet, and a few other items he didn't want his son getting his hands on.

"I'm sorry dad…" He said pitifully, feeling sorrier for himself rather than his actions and embarrassed that his dad was telling him off in a middle of a diner. Luckily it was busy enough that no one could really hear them.

"Believe me boy, you will be. Just wait till I get you back home…" Gibbs said darkly, letting his threat go unfinished, satisfied with himself when the boy was visibly squirming. It's the least he deserves after the week he put his grandfather and me through.

Zach didn't say anything. His stomach was in knots over the thought of what was going to happen when he got home. He was feeling incredibly childish for running off, and he knew it was wrong to have done what he had this week, but since it lead to his dad saying he was proud, he would gladly do it all again just to hear those few words.

Gibbs seemed to notice this, and he knew he would have to nip it in the bud as soon as possible. He would have to talk to the boy once they got back home, but for now he still needed to finish up in Los Angeles.

"Listen to me…" The Marine said "I have booked us a flight home for tonight, and we will deal with everything that has gone on this week at home. But between now and then, you are going to stay within my sight at all times, and you are going to behave, otherwise you are going to deeply regret it. Got it?"

Zach nodded. He would stick to the man like glue, otherwise he knew he would make his punishment so much worse that it already was.

"A verbal answer son" Gibbs barked out.

If Zach wasn't in so much trouble, he would have liked to point out here that his dad knew sign language so it wouldn't be hard for him to figure out what a nod of a head meant. But thankfully, for once in his life, his brain worked before his mouth did.

"Yes dad. I got it."

"Good"

Thursday Morning

Wednesday had seemed to fly by for Zach, even if it was extremely boring being his dad's shadow for the day. But he didn't want to come home and face his dad's consequences, or his grandpa's, and he guessed that was why the time had gone so quick.

His two new self appointed Uncles, G and Sam, had told him they would both be up in DC in a few months time on business and they would pop round and see him. They had also told him to come back to LA sometime, and they would take him around, but warned him he had better have permission of his dad next time. They hadn't had the chance to talk all that much, but the two men found the boy entertaining and funny, while Zach thought them to be really cool.

Hetty had warned him to keep out of trouble, all while giving Gibbs the name, address and phone number of a top boarding school for troublesome boys, telling him that she would pull a few strings to get Zach in there on a scholarship so he didn't have to pay the fees if he so much desired. Gibbs politely took it, mentioning he would look into it if Zach carried on the way he was going, and he was pleased to note that the teenager straightened up at the empty threat. Perhaps he could use it to his advantage in the future he mused.

Now the teenager, the forensic scientist and the two Special Agents were walking up the garden path to Jack's house, after the long flight home, planning to see their children and younger sister before they left for school and all of them planning to speak with the elderly man about the week that had just been.

"I… uh… can I go home and meet you there dad?" Zach stopped on the porch right in front of the door, unwilling to go in.

"No, now move it." Gibbs barked from behind him.

Zach sighed, still not moving. Well not until he felt a comforting hand on his shoulder, and his Uncle Tim whispering in his ear softly "Hey, don't worry about it Zach. He's not going to kill you"

The teen turned around, grateful when his Uncle and Aunt gave him an encouraging smile, even if his dad was scowling behind them. But it gave him the courage to open the door and make his way into the kitchen where the elderly man, teenage girl and two children sat eating their breakfast.

"Mommy! Daddy!" Kate squealed, running over to her parents to give them a hug.

"Hi sweetheart" Tim picked her up on his hip "I heard you've been really good this week huh?"

The three miscreants all heard the silent 'unlike everyone else', Sarah and Jayden kept their concentration on their breakfast, clearly not as excited as Kate to see the return of Tim and Abby.

"Hello Zacharriah, Did you enjoy your vacation?" Jack said steely; he was far from impressed with his grandson.

"I… uh… Hi Grandpa" He smiled nervously, rubbing the back of his neck before spotting a plate of pancakes on the middle of the table. "So pancakes for breakfast huh? Great I love pancakes"

He sat himself down on the chair, and reached his hand out to grab one, only to withdraw it again when it was swatted away. He gave his grandpa a pout and a questioning glance.

"Naughty boys don't get pancakes" Jack told him sternly.

"Aww but Grandpa, I'm starving!" The blond whined. He was extremely tired after the long night flight, and he was hungry, a combination that was never good for him mood.

Gibbs interrupted them both by shoving an apple and banana from the fruit bowl at his son, and giving the boy a warning glare that screamed at the blond to shut up and keep quiet unless he was spoken directly to.

The only sound that could be heard in the kitchen was Kate babbling on to her parents about her week. Everyone else were in awkward silence, the adults too pissed to speak and the children too scared to speak in case they were rounded on.

Instead they watched as Gibbs made himself a coffee with one arm took a calming sip of his brew and turned around to face them, leaning on the side.

"You three, on your feet and in a line" The Marine barked at them, and they all rushed to comply.

They stood in an orderly line in front of the man, oddly feeling that they were in the Corps. Zach and Sarah had a good idea what was coming next, and it was all they could to stop from groaning as Gibbs spoke.

"Tim, Abby and I have already talked about this, and we've decided that a little Marine exercise is in order to help curb your lies. I want all of you ready at 600 hours on Saturday morning, do I make myself clear?" He looked at each of them, waiting for one to protest.

"Clear" They all chorused, the teenagers inwardly wincing. They knew it would hardly be a little Marine exercise, they most likely would be feeling it in their muscles for days to come.

"Right, Jayden, Sarah, go to school." Gibbs waited for them to leave; giving his granddaughter a friendly hug before the three McGee's were taken to school by Tim and Abby.

Zach looked longingly at their retreating backs. He so wished he was going to school right now instead of staying here with two very annoyed Gibbs'. Life sure sucked right now.

"Zacharriah, I want your nose in the corner while me and your grandfather talk." Gibbs pointed to the only spare corner in the kitchen. He knew it was best to keep an eye on Zach; otherwise he would not do what he was told.

The teenager looked like he wanted to protest, but he gave it a second thought and sighed, making his way over to the corner and resting his head on the wall. What was he supposed to do while he was here? Was he supposed to think or was he just supposed to get so incredibly bored that it substituted as punishment, he didn't know.

"So dad, do you want to deal with Zacharriah first or should I?" Gibbs said, clicking his fingers and doing a twirling motion with his finger when his son turned around.

"I will if you don't mind Jethro. I can have him home to you by lunch time" Jack replied, talking about it like it was the weather.

"That's fine by me." Gibbs rose from his seat, saying goodbye to the elderly man and giving his son a gentle pat on the shoulder as he passed and he too walked out the front door.

Zach shuffled his feet nervously, wanting so badly to turn around when he felt his grandpa's gaze burning into the back of his head.

He didn't know how long he stayed where he was, but when the time came to be move, he suddenly found that he would much sooner stay in the corner than have to deal with the irritated man.

"Zacharriah, come and sit down here please"

A/N: Thank you for your reviews, I'm honestly flattered. Sorry I took such a long time to update this, but I wasnt sure what direction I was going to take it. I write out the chapter like 10 different ways, but now I've gone with this version. I hope its okay. I'm planning to bring Callen and Sam back into another story, but I really need to watch more NCIS: LA first.