Tony gets up at the sound of the door slamming. He sees Johnny quietly crying and Sammie opening the door to the guest bedroom with a scowl on her face. The agent's face becomes soft as he looks at his youngest son. The poor kid doesn't meet his father's identical green eyes. "Hey John, what's wrong buddy?" Tony asked cupping his son's chin so they have eye contact.
"Come on, buddy. You can always tell me" Tony said kindly. Johny doesn't want to tell on his brother, but
"He left, Dad….he left" Johnny wraps his arms around his dad and wipes his nose on Tony's white shirt. For this part Tony grimaces; he likes that Johnny chooses to stay young for as long as possibly, but sometimes he does things that are gross. Wiping his snot of Tony's shirt for instance and not showering for two days.
"Who left, sport?" Tony asked his tone causing more tears. Johnny doesn't want to rat out his brother, but technically Kyle didn't do anything wrong. Besides leaving without telling anyone and slamming the door, Kyle didn't really do anything bad. He just left because he was angry is all.
"Kyle. He just ran off cos we overheard you guys say Sammie gonna stay" Johnny whispered into his dad's ear.
"You were eavesdropping, little one?" Ziva said making it sound more like a statement than a question. Johnny rubs his watery eyes and manages a pitiful nod. Ziva shakes her head at him disappointed; she looks past her husband and sees Sammie studying their every move. Feeling sorry for her youngest son, Ziva reaches over and smoothes out his once again untamed brown mane.
Sammie has been flying since breakfast yesterday and is very tired. Instead of shouting at everyone for waking her up, Sammie saunters back into the guest bedroom and slams the door. That makes two doors slammed in one day. Tony looks over at his father who shrugs his shoulders and puts on an apologetic smile.
"What happened, Junior?" Senior asked the same sad smile still on his face. He runs a hand through his snowy white hair and sighs. Sometimes…well most of the time Samantha can be a handful.
"Kyle ran off…Dad, could you watch Johnny?" Senior nods. "We'll be right back. You ready, my love?" Tony asked tossing Ziva for once he doesn't mind her driving. With Ziva driving there may be a chance that they'll be able to find Kyle sooner.
"Yes, let's collect our son" Ziva replied putting on her brown jacket. They both leave the house in search of their confused teenage son.
Kyle doesn't know why or where he's running. All he knows is that if he stops running then he'll be out of breath and his parents will catch him and most likely kill him. He just remembers that his dad said 'they were going to take Sammie in' and for some reason Kyle snapped. Tears are rolling down his cheeks as are little beads of sweat that make their way down the side of his cheeks. Feeling his lungs start to burn. Kyle stops running and tries to catch his breath. He starts panting and kneels over. Checking his phone Kyle realizes he's been running for thirty minutes.
Sitting down on the side of the curb, Kyle cries softly into his hands. He doesn't know why he's crying, but sometimes when Kyle starts crying. He just can't seem to stop. He hasn't cried like this since he found out about his birth mom and step-dad dying. A car jerks to a stop at his feet. The fourteen year old stumbles to his feet and staggers backwards.
Kyle's vision is blurred with tears. He sees two figures in front of him. They start to come closer: worried that they're going to kidnap him. "G-go…a-a-a-away. I-I…have a k-k-knife" Kyle stammered, watery tears rolling down his cheeks. He takes out a pocket knife he found in Ziva's stash and flimsily points it at the pair.
"Tony is that my knife? He has my knife" Ziva whispered loudly. That's the knife her Ima gave her when she was thirteen years old. It is simply beautiful knife and Ziva will probably give it to Kyle someday, but now that she has found out he has stolen it from her possession. There's no way in hell. He defidently is not mature enough for a knife, since he didn't both asking for it. Ziva is already determining a good year for him to receive the knife, maybe when he turns sixteen or seventeen.
"Kyle, put the knife down" Tony ordered softly. More tears roll down Kyle's somber cheeks as he starts to tremble uncontrollably. Tony honestly never thought he'd see the day when his own child, point a knife at him.
"D-Dad?" Kyle asked weakly. Tony smiles warmly at his broken child. The teen wipes his watery eyes on his sleeve.
Tony said, "Yeah son, it's me and mom" Kyle starts to cry some more. The teen wonders why his dad is even being nice to him in the first place.
"Mom, I stole your knife" Kyle said knowing he might as well confess. He starts to shove the knife into his back pocket, but he sees her staring at him with a perplexed frown.
"I know Kyle. I know" Ziva replied holding out her hand. "My older one, give me the knife"
For once Kyle doesn't put up much of a fight. The minute he drops the knife into her possession and Ziva shoves the object into her pocket. Tony grabs Kyle by the shoulders and gives him a gentle shake. "What were you thinking? You don't run off and you defidently don't steal. You get me?" Tony stated in a no nonsense tone.
"I got you" Kyle sniffled.
"Good" Tony sighed. In Tony's opinion he thinks Kyle is growing up way to fast. Some days the poor guy wants to be a little kid. Other days he wants to be an adult. "What's bothering you?"
"You're gonna let Sammie live with us. I-I…John and I over-heard you" Kyle replied wiping his nose with his sleeve. It's an act that he knows mom finds disgusting, but he does it anyway.
"You should not eavesdrop, that is correct Sammie will be staying with us, but I don't understand how you feel affected by this" Ziva replied, Kyle studies the ground.
"I'm not mad bout' Sammie stayin, I just I never had a Grampa before…I didn't think he'd…" Kyle gives his father a sour look, making the fourteen year old resemble a nine year old. "You don't understand" Kyle stomped his right foot.
"Help us to" his mom said giving him a soft smile.
"You weren't…I mean I didn't know that was the reason Mr. DiNozzo. I mean Grampa came to 'meet' us" Kyle puts air quotations around 'meet' and rolls his eyes at us.
"What reason?" Tony inquired. Kyle doesn't say anything for a moment. He wasn't excepting his dad to be so…so nice to him. He ran off and stole his mom's knife. Shouldn't he be dangling over his father's knee and getting his butt spanked? Kyle doesn't voice that concern. He is a kid after all.
"He doesn't care bout' me or Johnny. He just wanted to get rid of some little kid. He just pretends to care" Kyle scoffed. Ziva shakes her head at him. Senior DiNozzo is a very deceitful man, but he has a heart too.
"Kyle, listen to me. My father is a very complicated man" Kyle laughs at him, earning a warning glance from his mother. "You don't know him like I do, son. His emotions are much like yours: hidden and locked up. There is one thing I am sure about. He loves you and Johnny very much, but sometimes he loses track of what's important when business gets involved" Tony said running a hand through his son's blonde curls.
"What do you mean?" Kyle asked unsurely. He suddenly feels a pang of guilt for running off like he did. He shouldn't have done that. It was stupid and wrong. Maybe he should've talked to his parents, before he ran off.
"My father never really saw the importance in spending time with his family. That's why to this day we don't have a great relationship, but I still love and care about him and he feels the same way for me. You see my father and I didn't talk about our problems with each other. Now, I want you to start talking about your problem and we'll listen without any judgment" Tony prompted. The teen can tell by his dad's tone that he is telling the truth.
"You guys are way harder on me than Johnny" Ziva frowned at him. That is why he ran off because he thinks they are harder on him than his little brother. Kyle's cheeks flush realizing that what he's saying is sort of stupid for a kid his age.
"We're only harder on you because you're older and closer to adulthood. Your father and I know we expect a lot of you, but we also know you can handle it" Ziva stated sounding very much like her own mother. She winces, remembering all those years she felt slightly jealous of her mother and little sister's close relationship.
"That isn't fair" Kyle complained. Tony doesn't know what to say. He's never had any younger siblings. Therefore he doesn't know the problems younger siblings produce.
"Johnny will learn as he grows up. He'll get harder punishments because as he nears becoming an adult. Punishments must become a little harder than they did before so they can stick better in ones mind. Do you understand?" Ziva asked, Tony sighed in relief. He wouldn't know what to say if someone gave him a million dollars.
"But, with Sammie staying. I'll hafta do more. I can barely handle Johnny. I won't be able to handle Sammie" Kyle complained adding an eye roll and a groan.
"You aren't meant to 'handle' Johnny we are. Same will go for Sammie. I know we've been distracted with a cold case, but that only comes once in awhile" Ziva pointed out. Kyle didn't handle Johnny the way his parents did. He'd never spank his brother. All he does is shout at him a little, if he's being overly cocky.
"Kyle, your mother's right. We know you can handle whatever comes to you. That's why we put so much pressure on you. From now on we'll try to relieve some of that pressure you feel. As for your brother, we know you try to protect him from getting in trouble. It's his own fault if he gets in trouble. You need to start acting like a kid, okay?" Tony said seriously. He knows Kyle does a lot of work and they don't appreciate him for it. Maybe the three of them could go out to dinner together. It'd give them a chance to say 'thank you' to their eldest for being such a great brother.
"That'd be great Dad" Kyle actually grins at this. The grin is short lived. He notices his mom looking at the knife and then at him. Now she's shaking her head like she still cannot believe he took the knife off of her.
Tony put a comforting arm around his son's shoulders. "You should try out for winter track this year" Tony joked. He already knows that Kyle does football in the fall, basketball in the winter, and baseball in the spring. Johnny does hockey in the fall, basketball in the winter, and soccer in the spring.
"Why?" Kyle asked with a curious smile forming on his lips.
"We're two miles away from home. You're so grounded" Tony stated with a solemn smile.
"You mean you aren't gonna spank me?" Kyle couldn't help, but grin at this. Spankings are far worse than getting grounded. Once you get spanked, your butt hurts. Being grounded just means you can't do anything fun, but at least you have a comfortable ass to sit on.
"When you justify why you did something and if your dad and I agree with your reasoning behind it; you will not receive a spanking. Instead, you'll receive a punishment we see fit" Ziva explained that actually seems rather fair to Tony. They'll have to put this new system into play for Johnny too.
"Hey! Wait a minute. That's not fair. What if you don't agree?" Kyle asked feeling compelled to rebel the second he knows he won't get whipped.
"Then you'll most defidently receive a spanking, but for now you are grounded for the rest of the weekend" Ziva said trying to hide her smile at the look of disgust on Kyle's grim face.
"What? Why am I grounded?" he whined.
"You honestly do not know why you are grounded. First you stole my knife, which belonged to my mother and therefore I do not trust you with objects like that anymore. It is also very sharp and I do not want you hurting yourself with it" Kyle looks down sheepishly. He wants to say he wouldn't hurt himself, but then he remembers something.
"But Mattie's birthday party is this weekend" Kyle's face falls. He knows there's no way on Earth that he'll be allowed to go. Not even if he builds a transporting machine and transports himself to Mattie's.
"You'll have to miss it" Ziva answered. The look on his face makes Ziva want to say 'never mind' or 'who cares?' but that wouldn't be very good parenting if she let him get away with stealing.
"No way! Mattie's my best friend. I'm not just gonna miss his party" Kyle said his arms crossed over his chest. Ziva is suddenly glad DiNozzo Sr. isn't here to see Kyle throwing a tantrum like this.
"No Kyle" Ziva said staying stern with her son. Kyle never gets punished by his mother, but when he does. He whines and acts like a ten year old, until he gets his way.
"We already bought him something" Kyle whined. There are rare times when Kyle whines and when he does. It reminds both adults of Johnny.
"Give it to him when you become ungrounded" Tony offered. The fourteen year old has been looking forward to this party since Monday. He didn't behave perfectly, just so his parents could ground him.
"This isn't fair. Can't I just be grounded next weekend?" Tony almost laughed. Kyle actually thinks he can choose when he's grounded. This kid sure is something.
"No, your mother and I aren't going to negotiate with you" Tony said sternly. He pulls Kyle into a hug. "We're only doing this, because we love you, son"
"I love you guys too…are you sure you can't unground me?" Kyle dared to ask. Ziva shakes her head no. Tony shrugs his shoulders saying 'those are the breaks kiddo.'
Kyle follows his mother and father into the car. The warmth of the car reminds Kyle how cold it is outside. He shivers slightly, but looks over at his dad driving and mom cursing in Hebrew about how rude her husband is for not letting her drive. He smiles, thinking this is right. This is how it should be. Pulling into their drive way, Kyle hears his stomach growl loudly. Ziva looks back at him and offers him a gentle smile. Kyle returns it with a smile too. He's still mad about being grounded, but not mad enough to be sent to his room for the entire night for mouthing off when he just got off with such a light punishment.
Kyle watches with dismay as his little brother and Grampa start playing video games together. He feels totally left out. Ziva looks over from the kitchen and suddenly feels guilty about grounding him.
"Kyle, come in here" Ziva ordered. Kyle glad to be out of the living room, heads into the kitchen to see his mother is waiting for him.
"I didn't do anything" Kyle replied wondering if his parents found out about the drinking. It only happens every one in awhile. Ziva gives him a suspicious look.
"I never said you did" she pauses. "Wash your hands and help me with the chicken" Ziva doesn't make this a big deal. She sounds like this is an ordinary thing. Kyle helping in the kitchen is perfectly normal. Nothing out of the ordinary here. The fourteen year old looks down at his hands; like this is the first time he's ever noticed that he had fingers.
"I thought Johnny is the only one who's allowed to help you in the kitchen" Kyle replied feeling sick. Cooking is Johnny's thing. He doesn't wanna take that special thing away from his little bro.
"That is were you are wrong. Anyone can help me cook. I am more than pleased whenever you MEN get off your lazy bottoms and help me cook" Ziva stated, stirring the salad with one hand and drinking a glass of white wine with the other.
Ziva doesn't drink a lot like Kyle's birth mother did. Only on those rare occasions when she does drink it's only a glass or two of wine; nothing more. Tony drinks beer. He hates the way wine tastes. He'd much rather have a cold beer than a glass of wine any day. Sometimes though, Tony has wine when he and mom go someplace really fancy for special occasions.
"I don't know how to cook" Kyle admitted. Of course Kyle can sort of cook, only microwavable stuff. Things he knows Ziva would never approve of him eating in the first place.
"Well that is about to change, young man. I will not have a child who cannot cook" Ziva said half-joking and half-serious.
The young boy couldn't keep the smile off his face. "Yes ma'am" Kyle saluted, causing Ziva to roll her eyes at him. He's way to much like his father.
"I've told you a million times, not to call me ma'am" Ziva jokingly reprimanded. Kyle puts on his innocent puppy dog face. In return Ziva gives him a playful pat on the butt.
Ally doesn't like being sent to the time-out chair or as her family calls it, the naughty chair. It's a blue chair that is facing the corner. The location of the 'naughty chair' is when you first walk in and near the staircase. Ally doesn't like how everyone can see she's in trouble when she hasta sit there. It's no fun at all. She wishes she could just be sent to the corner like Thalia, but that only happens when she goes to NCIS or something.
Ally also doesn't like cooked broccoli it's all gross and mushy and tastes icky in her mouth. She doesn't like uncooked broccoli eida. Mommy should stop cooking these gross foods and let her have ice cream. Gibbs has to stay late with his Boss, who has a funny name that Ally can't remember. Ally always thought Gibbs was the Boss. He seems so bossy at home. He must be the Boss, everywhere. Whenever Mommy brings her to NCIS Gibbs is bossing around Tony, Ziva, and Tim. He smacked her butt a few times when she said a bad word to Tim. It was called ass.
Julie tapped on her daughter's shoulder. Ally looks up at her mommy. "Ally, you were put in time-out because I told you to eat your broccoli and instead you threw it at the wall. Mommy doesn't like sending you to the naughty chair when you disobey her" Julie replied making sure they both have eye contact.
"I'm sorry mommy. I won't do it again" Ally said repeating a phrase Julie has heard over a million times from Ally and a billion from Thalia only instead of the word mommy it was auntie.
"When you don't get your way, you do not through a tantrum. Am I clear?" Julie said trying her best to sound as stern as possible. Julie wishes Gibbs was here. He is much better at the firm parent act than she is, but then again Julie needs to learn how to deal with these things on her own.
"You're a dick" Ally said remembering the word Thalia told her. Only Thalia told her never to say it in front of her mommy or else mommy would smack her.
Ally gulps. She shouldn't have said dat. Now her mommy's gonna smack her. "What did you just say?" Julie asked a determined anger forming in her eyes. This is the first time Julie has ever been truly angry with her daughter. Julie doesn't wait for a reply.
"That is a very naughty word. I don't know where you learned it, but it was your own choice to repeat the bad word. You do not say that word to mommy or any adult. Do you hear me?" Julie stated, this time she doesn't have to try to sound firm. She sounds scary and really strict.
"I hear…but, Thalia told me the bad word" Ally explained yawning like this entire conversation is boring her. She sees anger flash through her mommy's green eyes. "But she tolded me not to say it cos it's a bad word" the six year old added. Julie nods not really satisfied with that. Thalia shouldn't have even told her the word, in the first place.
"That's right, honey it is a bad word, a very bad word. That's why, I want you to stay in the naughty chair until Gibbs gets home" Ally reluctantly and very slowly sits in the naughty chair. She already knows what's coming. Gibbs is going to spank her. This is all Thalia's fault. Ally kicked the wall. No fair! The naughty chair is stupid.
Julie goes up the stairs into her niece's bedroom. She waits by the door for a few minutes, before actually knocking. "Come in" Thalia said sounding friendly. Julie sighed, not really wanting to have to ground her niece. Then again, Thalia shouldn't have even told Ally about that word. Well, Thalia should only be grounded for the weekend.
"You want to hear a new word I learned from Ally" Julie said sounding eerily calm. The thirteen year old can already tell this is a trap. Her aunt sounds way to calm.
"Umm…okay" Thalia isn't so sure she likes where her aunt is going with this, but complies. She hasn't seen Auntie Julie this mad, since a guy flipped her off for taking his spot in the parking lot at Target.
"Dick. Do you know many six year olds who know the world dick?" Thalia shrugged her shoulders, helplessly. "Well I don't know any, besides Ally. Thalia Caruso, how could you tell her that word?" Julie asked her tone sounding unusually mild.
"It slipped" a look of annoyance forms on Julie's once calm face. "Gibbs came to school cos I got into a fight. You remember, right? Ally got in trouble too. She and I were sitting in the hall and I said Gibbs was a dick. I didn't mean it. It just slipped out. I mean stuff slips Auntie Julies" Thalia said as quickly as she could.
"Thalia Caruso, I don't want Ally learning this language at a young age. What if she were to say it during class? What would happen then?" Julie asked Thalia knows what would happen. Ally would get sent to the Principle's Office and then she'd get in trouble.
"She wouldn't cos I said for her not to cos if Gibbs heard her say it she would probably get her ass smacked" Thalia lied. She knows Ally too well to know that Ally can't keep her mouth shut, for anything.
"I might just smack yours, if you don't improve your own language" Julie said and honestly she means it. Thalia gulped. Her aunt would never spank her. Would she?
"Auntie Julie, I didn't know she'd call you that. I didn't think Ally was that stupid" a hard smack lands on the seat of Thalia's jeans. "Oww, Auntie that really hurt" Thalia said trying to rub the sting out of her behind.
"It was supposed to" Julie sighed. "You're grounded for the rest of the weekend. This will give you a chance to think about what words are appropriate in this house. Do you understand me?"
"Yeah I understand" Thalia follows her Aunt out of her bedroom and to the top of the staircase.
"Good, and if I hear of you teaching Ally new words, Gibbs won't be the one spanking you" Julie promised causing Thalia to blush and then glare at her aunt.
"Yeah right" Thalia said sarcastically as she stomps down the stairs. Her aunt only smacked her cos she wanted to get her point across. She'd never really spank anybody.
Julie Caruso shakes her head. She guesses it'll have to be the hard way with Thalia. Then, again it never is easy with Thalia. It probably never will be easy as Thalia heads into her teenage years. Julie has a Gibbs gut feeling that swearing is only the bad beginning to the up-coming challenges.
Luke has been feeling sick and crabby. He's been feeling this way all week. That's why when Abby took him to the mall. He thought he'd finally feel better. Only he feels worse cos his mom bought him a new book called The Outsiders by S.E Hinton. It was a compromise instead of candy he'd get a book. Tim doesn't see how a twenty five dollar book is equivalent to a three dollar candy bar. Luke doesn't see how a book is better than a candy bar; so both of the McGee men are confused. Abby has been trying to get Luke to read more. Lately he's been more concerned with baseball and friends to be bothered with books and school.
"Come on, Lukey. It's a really good book. You'll like it" Abby promised. She has read that book for a school project too and she found out she enjoyed it.
"I won't cos I don't have enough time" Luke grumbled causing Abby to stare at him looking very puzzled. This is the first they've heard of a book report. For all they know it could be due Monday.
"When is the book report due?" Abby asked, noticing a flash of anger in her husband's eyes. He wants Luke to start caring about school early, so he can get into a good college.
"Next Friday" Luke sighed, like it was the end of the world. He winced too, but only Tim saw it.
"Lukey, you have tons of time. If you want your dad will help you" Abby offered, like she was helping both of them out. Tim grayish green eyes are startled and confused.
"I will?" Tim asked from his seat on the couch. He's been going over his latest book and this is his only chance to make any corrections to what the editor made.
"Yes you will!" Abby stated indignantly. It's all been decided in her mind. Tim looks over at Luke and offers an encouraging smile. "Luke, you used to love to read. What happened?" his mom asked causing Luke to shrug.
"I don't feel good, I guess" Luke stated truthfully.
"Let me feel you're forehead" Abby feels it. "You're warm and not the pretend sweaty or rubbing hot water on your head warm. The sick warm" Abby explained more to her husband than to Luke.
"Lucas, does anything hurt?" Tim asked. Luke looks up at his concerned father who somehow managed to make it to his mother's side without him seeing.
"My throat…it's real hard to sleep" Luke mumbled feeling his cheeks turn a violent red color of embarrassment. At The Home kids never told the directors they were sick. If they did they'd get this disgusting medicine and have to stay home while the other kids did lots of fun stuff, like visiting the zoo or something.
"Why is it so hard to sleep?" Abby asked stroking her little boy's cheek. Luke really wants to cry. His mom is being so nice and he lied to them.
"My throat hurts too much to sleep and whenever I try I always wake up ten minutes later or something. I'm sorry" Luke admitted sadly.
Tim asked, "Why didn't you tell us sooner?" he sounds so disappointed. The poor kid shrugs his shoulders.
"I thought you'd be mad" Luke sounds so sad. Tim ruffles his son's hair; hoping the little guy will feel better soon. Abby leaves the living room and goes into the kitchen to retrieve some medicine.
"We would never get mad over you being sick. Sweetie, here take some Tylenol it'll make you feel a little better" Abby hands him the medicine causing Luke to groan overdramatically while Tim struggles to hide his smile. It is like a rule for every child to hate medicine. "I know you hate medicine, but come on sweetie" sulking all the while Luke swallows the medicine as quickly as he can.
A sour look forms on the ten year olds face. Drinking medicine is like drinking vinegar; really gross. "If you feel sick, you need to tell us son" Tim advised with a genuine smile. When he was ten and sick, his mother used to dote to his every whim. Tim's dad always thought when his son got sick it was some sort of weakness. Tim vowed that he'll never be anything like his father when he has kids.
"Dad" Luke said softly and very remorsefully.
"Yes son" Tim inquired.
"I feel sick" and with that being said, Luke barfed all over his father's shoes.
TBC