A/N: Once again, thanks for the reviews, alerts, subscriptions, and all that other good stuff! At this rate, the story could go on forever! Every chapter I finish, so many more ideas come to my head than what I originally planned it's crazy. Plus my niece and nephew are around the same age as Isabella and every little mishap they get themselves into gives me so much more inspiration for this loveable little girl. :] As a writer, it makes me feel so awesome knowing that people actually read and are taking to this story! Thank you all so so so so much!
Disclaimer: No I don't own NCIS, just the characters that aren't apart of the series. Gosh it's so annoying writing that every time!
Hurt
There was no cheering Isabella up after she heard the news that she was no longer going to be in the regular class with all her friends and her beloved Mrs. Hurley. They all tried to reason that it was the best thing for her, but Isabella didn't want to hear any of it.
"But Isabella, honey, Mr. Peterson's class does so much more exciting things. You'll have a lot more to do in there and you'll never be bored in his class either." Mrs. Hurley was trying her best to convince Isabella that her moving to a different class was a good thing. She wasn't having any luck at all.
"I don't wanna go to his class though! I wanna stay here! I don't know anybody in that class! And I don't wanna skip third grade! Why do I have to skip?"
"You know Isabella, the advanced classes are really a lot more fun." Mrs. Carroll said trying to help pitch in.
"But Mrs. Carroll, if I go to Mr. Peterson's class, you won't be my music teacher anymore either!"
"Wait what?" It was Mrs. Carroll's turn to be confused.
"Ms. Johnson has the AP kids for music." Mrs. Hurley said quietly.
Isabella couldn't take it anymore. She burst into tears and threw herself into Ziva's arms hugging her tightly.
"I wanna go home now." She said in between cries.
Ziva gave both teachers a sympathetic look. "We will try and talk to her when we get home." She said getting up from her chair.
"I'm really sorry this had to end on such a bad note," Mrs. Hurley said. "I thought she would be excited about this." No one could imagine how awful she felt on the inside at that moment.
"Thanks for your time," Tony said following Ziva. With that, they both left with Ziva carrying a sobbing Isabella.
"Olivia, you need to fix this…like now." Mrs. Carroll said to Mrs. Hurley after Tony and Ziva exited.
"Monica, I don't even know what to do. The principal already signed all the paperwork for her to transfer," Mrs. Hurley said putting her face in her hands.
"Then go undo it or something! Look we all know that she doesn't wanna go to Peterson's class or skip the third grade even though she's pretty damn smart. But that's not the best thing for her. This is the only stability she has. Look at what her parents do every day! One of them could easily be taken from her and she knows that. School is like, her sanity, her safe place. If she can't feel secure here, what makes you think she's going to be able to handle seeing her parents go off to work every single day knowing the dangers they face?"
"Oh my God, you're right! I wasn't even thinking about that. Ugh. I screwed up big time."
"Yea you did! Plus I already cast her in the musical and if she goes to Johnson's class, she won't be able to do that either! Do you know how long she's been practicing for that?"
"She'll really hate me after that."
"I'll hate you after that! So go talk to Dr. Gordon now before he leaves pronto!" Mrs. Carroll said with a smirk.
Mrs. Hurley then scrambled out of her desk, and ran out of the classroom as fast as her heels let her.
*NCIS*
After the p/t conference, Tony and Ziva had return to NCIS. They had a case, and Gibbs needed everyone back in the squadroom. The babysitter was out of town for the weekend, so Bella was going to have to go back to NCIS with her parents. When they arrived in the bullpen, Bella was still not a happy camper. She walked in a couple feet behind her parents, her head hanging low, with a look that had a mixture of sadness and anger. Everyone immediately knew something was wrong. Bella was never not jumping around or talking excitedly about something.
"So uh how'd the parent/teacher conference go?" McGee asked trying to make a light conversation.
"Don't ask." Tony replied.
"I'm going with Aunt Abby." Bella said softly. Once she was out of earshot Tony and Ziva started talking.
"Ziva, I'm telling you if she doesn't wanna go, we shouldn't make her go!" Tony didn't mind his daughter being really smart and going to the AP classes and possibly skipping a grade, but if it wasn't what Bella wanted, he wasn't going to push it.
"Tony, I know she may not realize it right now, but I think this is the best thing for her. Think about how many opportunities she will have." Ziva was now trying to convince Tony that Bella transferring to the advanced classes was in her best interest.
"But what's the point if she's gonna be unhappy?"
"I'm sure that when she gets used to it, she will learn to like it."
"How do you know she'll even get used to it in the first place?"
"How do you know she will not?"
"Because I could tell by the look in her eye! She doesn't wanna go Ziva! Tell her Probie!"
"McGee, please tell Tony that Isabella going to the advanced classes and skipping a grade is the best thing for her."
"Um, guys I'm not in this." Poor McGee was now caught in the middle.
"It's a simple freaking question!"
"Remember I could kill you right now with this paper clip," Ziva said holding up a paper clip with her famous death glare plastered on her face.
"What's going on? Gibbs asked calmly walking in from MTAC.
"Bella's teacher wants to have her moved up to the advanced classes and take a test so she can skip the third grade. I want her to go through with it, but Tony does not seem to agree with me." Ziva said furrowing her brows at Tony.
"Hey, I would be all for it too, but she clearly does NOT want to go, and I'm not gonna be the one to make her to do something she doesn't wanna do!" Tony said making a face at Ziva. She narrowed her eyes at him in return.
"Gibbs, tell her she's wrong."
"No Gibbs, tell him he's wrong!"
"I'm just gonna go now," McGee said getting up from his chair.
"Stay McGee!" Tony and Ziva both said yelling at McGee. McGee sat back down, fearful that Ziva might use one of the paperclips on him if he didn't listen.
"Well, if you ask me, you're both wrong." Gibbs said.
"What?" Tony and Ziva said again.
"Did you even bother to ask Isabella why she doesn't wanna go in the first place?"
"Well, no, not exactly," Ziva started.
"She just said she didn't want to go," Tony said at the same.
"What are you waiting for? Go talk to her." Gibbs said finishing the argument. Tony and Ziva got up obeying Gibbs' orders. As they passed by him he gave 'em both smacks to the back of the head. They didn't even ask why he smacked them that time; they knew all too well they were both at fault.
*NCIS*
Down in Abby's lab, Bella had cheered up a bit. Abby was video chatting with Ducky while he was telling them stories about his childhood that had Isabella laughing.
"Hey Abby," Tony said entering the room.
"Oh hey guys! I still don't have anything on the fingerprints yet, but I can always use another Caf-Pow!"
"Well actually Abby we would like to speak with Isabella about a couple of things." Ziva said.
"Ok go ahead talk." Abby said smiling. Tony and Ziva knew that Abby was going to find out about the situation one way or another so they didn't even bother asking her to leave her own lab for privacy. They were pretty sure Bella already told her about the situation anyway. Bella told her Aunt Abby everything.
"Hey how you doing there kiddo?" Tony said picking up Isabella.
"Fine." She answered. Her green eyes were still sad.
"Can I ask you something my love?" Ziva asked softly. Bella nodded her head.
"Why do you not want to go into the other classes?"
"'Cause." Isabella answered softly.
"'Cause why kiddo?" Tony asked.
"'Cause all my friends are in Mrs. Hurley's class and she's my favorite teacher, and then Mrs. Carroll won't be my teacher either and I won't be able to be in the musical."
"We know that my love, but maybe if you just try it out, you will see that it is not that bad after all." Ziva said.
"But Mama, at the end of the year we were going to take a field trip to somewhere really really special and Mrs. Hurley said she was going to give out a special award! I've been really good all year 'cause I really wanna get the award." Bella was in tears again. "I don't want things to change. I don't like change."
"What's wrong with change?" Tony asked.
"Well Anthony, I believe she is not exactly referring to the change that you might be thinking." Ducky answered. Abby had forgotten to turn off the video chat and he had witnessed their whole conversation.
"Ducky? Where did you come from?" Tony asked barely noticing he was there.
"Oh my apologies. Abby left this video chat running and I certainly didn't want to interrupt. But if I may I would like to put in my two cents."
"What does this have to do with money?" Ziva asked furrowing her brows in confusion. Abby smirked while Tony and Bella just rolled their eyes.
"Well, I think Isabella is not quite at peace with the both of you working here. She sees the dangers that you face every day and for all she knows one of you or both of you could easily be taken from her. Her school is the only place she feels that everything is predictable. Her all of a sudden changing classes and switching instructors is the worst thing for her at this moment in time, especially when the semester is going to be over in several months. She'll have to get used to a whole new different group of people and when it's over, she's going to have to do the same thing all over again, with a group of people who are not in the same age group."
"So what should we do?" Tony asked.
"Can I make a suggestion?" McGee asked. He had walked in the lab quietly while Ducky was making his speech and didn't want to interrupt.
"McGee it's not nice to just butt in like that." Abby said scolding him.
"But Ducky.." he started to say.
"Nevermind that. I would like to hear what McGee has to say." Ziva said
"Well, I was going to suggest that Bella just finish out the school year as is, in her regular classes, and then have her put in the advanced classes next year so she won't have to skip a grade."
They all stood quiet thinking about what McGee said. Tony was the first to speak.
"That's actually not a bad idea Probie."
"Before we make any decisions though, Isabella, how do you feel about that?" Ziva asked.
Bella stayed quiet for a couple more seconds. Everyone could tell she was deep in thought.
"Mmmm…I think that would be ok." She finally answered.
Tony, Ziva, Abby, Ducky, and McGee all smiled in relief.
"This calls for a celebration!" Abby said lifting her Caf-Pow.
"After we finish the case Abs." Gibbs said waking in unannounced like he always did.
"Thanks boss." Tony said. Gibbs knew the meaning went much deeper though.
"Don't mention it DiNozzo." He said tousling Bella's curls making her giggle. "And if its ok with everyone I'd like to get back to the now." He said sarcastically.
"Well you know what means kiddo." Tony said with his famous grin.
"What?" Ziva and Isabella said in unison.
"Another parent/teacher conference."
So now everything is finally resolved! Yay! But things are just heating up! Stay tuned for more adventures for Tony, Ziva, Bella and the rest of the team. There may be a possible case that could have our little Isabella in danger O_O!