Please see Chapter 1 for warnings and disclaimers.

Chapter 14

Ashlynn sat in a conference room chair staring up at Gibbs who stood, arms crossed glaring at her. After dropping Cam off at aftercare, Gibbs had arrived back at NCIS in a surly mood. At Ash's insistence, he'd offered up a brief explanation so that she knew Cam was fine, the fight hadn't been his fault, and that he was not in any trouble. It was rather obvious to the entire team that something about his meeting with the principal had gotten under his skin, however.

When he'd sent Tony to pick up the boys with a curt, "We'll meet you there," Ash realized that she was finally going to find out what was bothering the man. Of course at this rate it might be Monday morning before that happened!

"I have obviously done something to piss you off," she finally offered. "Are you going to tell me what that is or just try to stare me to death?"

Gibbs' blue eyes narrowed. "I just found out that the boys were accepted into the program largely because of a generous grant from their maternal grandfather."

Rolling her eyes Ash gave a shrug of her shoulders. "So? Both of them meet the qualifications for the program and it's a perfect fit. Why does it matter how they got in?"

"Their maternal grandfather isn't even alive," Gibbs ground out in frustration.

"Yeah, duh! I went to his funeral, but the school doesn't know that."

Eyes narrowing, Gibbs took a threatening step toward the teen. "You'd do well to lose the attitude," he warned. "I don't much appreciate being accused of buying my sons' way into a special program! The principal was worried that I was expecting special treatment for the boys!"

Ash held up her hands, palms out, "Hey, I'm sorry if you were taken to task by the principal, but I did what I needed to do to get my brothers into the program that I thought suited them best as quickly as possible. I'd do it again, too. You can't tell me you've never called in favors to help out a friend or family member," Ash accused. "Never given an old Marine Corps buddy or his kid a leg up when you could swing it? I've been here long enough to know you don't always play by the rules, Gibbs."

Gibbs paused, eying the girl before him speculatively. She had a point there, though it didn't make him feel tremendously better about his afternoon. "You could have at least told me!" He barked.

"So you could yell at me?"

Taking a quick step forward, Gibbs reached out and smacked the back of her head. "When it comes to my kids, I need to be in the know – that means all the details whatever they may be." His blue eyes looked earnestly into her blue-green orbs. "Do I need to drive that point home a bit more solidly?"

Ashlynn shook her head, "No, I get it."

"I don't want you buying their way into anything else."

"I understand," she replied to oblige the man, knowing full well she would do whatever she saw fit if the need should arise.

"Ashlynn," Gibbs growled.

"What? I told you I get it!"

"You'd better because you pull something like this again and it'll be my belt making the point loud and clear on your ass."

"Okay, okay. No more bribes."

"Let's catch up with Dinozzo and the boys then," the NCIS agent suggested, deciding to consider the matter closed so long as Ash kept her word.

"Where is it we're meeting them?"

"Place called Winner's Circle. Dinozzo said the boy's would like it. Has lots of arcade games."

Ashlynn laughed, "A sports bar? You do realize he's going to be using my adorable little brothers to get the phone number of every pretty waitress in the place?"

Little over a week later…

"I don't see why you can't stay," a petulant Cam stated casting an angry glare in his sister's direction. The ten-year-old was out of sorts because he'd been grounded for three days after choosing to get smart with his art teacher. Gibbs had made it painfully clear what behavior was expected at school before informing his eldest son that all TV, computer, game, and telephone privileges were revoked for the next three days. Ashlynn had thought the punishment a little extreme just for smarting off to a teacher, though she supposed the foul language involved hadn't helped, nor the attitude that he copped with Gibbs following the event.

As good as life was, Ashlynn couldn't help but wonder if Cam was starting to miss Deirdre. He'd been sporting a bit more attitude lately. Of course it could be that he was just settling in because in all honesty he always had been a bit of a smart aleck. She had done her best to be particularly nice and understanding the last few days, but even she was wearing thin on patience for her surly brother.

"Look, Cam, we've been through this," Ash said patiently as she folded another shirt from the pile of laundry in front of her. "You and AJ need some time alone with your dad."

"That's just a load of crap! We can bond just fine with you here. We're family, Ash!"

Ash gave a tired sigh, growing weary of the recurring argument. As she got to know Gibbs and his team better, Ashlynn was increasingly confidant that she'd made the right decision in bringing her brothers to their dad. This is the life they deserved, but she maintained that this was their chance to start over, with her on the sidelines. She and Gibbs had got on fairly well the past week, but he was busy working a case and she had been occupied with plans of her own. Ashlynn was convinced that given too much time in close proximity she and Gibbs would clash again. This was something Ashlynn was avoiding at all costs…for the boys sake of course.

"It isn't like I'm taking off immediately. We've still got plenty of time together, but I can't oust Gibbs from his room indefinitely. I'm sure he's getting tired of sleeping on the pull out sofa. I'm not going to stay and kick him out of his room permanently."

"You just don't like having to follow the same rules as we do," Cam said, blue eyes narrowing much like his father's. "You think because you're the oldest you shouldn't have to."

"Well, you may have a point there," she answered with a smirk grabbing a pair of jeans from the dwindling pile.

"Yeah, well maybe I should just tell dad some of your secrets, huh?" Cam threatened, tired of his sister's condescending attitude.

"Cameron Jethro Connley Gibbs, you promised!"

"Yeah, well maybe it was a dumb promise."

"Cameron," Ashlynn growled but then thought better of the threat she was about to tender. Threatening Cam would only bring out his stubborn side. Taking a calming breath she changed tactics and offered a compromise. "You know I've been planning the expedition with Thales and the guys for months. Long before mom died. I really, really want to go ahead with it." The pleading look in her blue-green eyes wasn't wasted on her little brother. "It will just be for a while. When I get back, I'll think about staying here while I go to school instead of getting an apartment. Fair?"

Cam eyed his sister critically. "How long's a while?"

"A month, maybe two."

Cam snorted, "I don't think Dad's gonna go for that."

"Yeah, well, pretty soon here he's not going to have any say in the matter."

"What about AJ?"

"What about him?"

"He's already having bad dreams at night."

"What? Why didn't you say something?"

Cam shrugged uncomfortably and replied defensively, "I just did."

The sibling's conversation was interrupted by a curt knock on the bedroom door. "Come in," Ashlynn said, with one last look of irritation for her younger brother.

Gibbs entered. "Dinner's about ready. Why don't you go set the table, Sport?" he said ruffling Cameron's hair. The boy cast a questioning look first at his dad and then his sister, but hopped up to comply nonetheless. It was obvious his dad wanted to talk to Ashlynn. When Cameron left, Gibbs shut the door behind him.

"Something up?" Gibbs queried.

Ashlynn shrugged. "Isn't the first argument I've had with my little brother. Probably won't be the last."

"Anything I should know about?"

Ash's brow furrowed. "He said AJ's been having bad dreams."

"Well, he's been through a lot," Gibbs replied with a nod. "Maybe more than his young mind can cope with in the waking hours."

"Yeah, I guess."

"He's gonna be okay Ash. Give it time."

With a nod the teen opted for a change of topic. "You wanted to talk to me about something." It was a statement of the obvious, not a question.

"Just got a call from Vance," Gibbs paused, looking speculatively at the auburn-haired girl before him. "The FBI brought in Castillo."

Surprise was written all over the girl's face as she took a seat on the bed. "Really?" She knew that the CIA had pretty much hit a dead end with Covas who had seemingly disappeared off the face of the earth. Though Covas was the one she really wanted to see brought down, this at least was something.

"Yep, and with what they've been able to dig up on him, he'll be put away for a long, long time."

"That's good to hear."

"Not the news you were expecting, though."

"You think I was expecting some?" she asked with feigned innocence.

"Oh, I don't know maybe," Gibbs watched the teen before him for several moments before continuing. "Thought you might be expecting to hear that the judge's custody decision has been repealed."

Ashlynn smiled triumphantly.

"You don't seem surprised."

"The ruling was unconstitutional to begin with."

Gibbs just smirked. "McGee tells me you decided to go with Georgetown," he commented picking up a baseball that Cam had left setting on the dresser.

"Yeah," she answered, taken back at the sudden topic change and lack of inquisition. She had expected Gibbs to demand an explanation of her clandestine actions the past week.

Gibbs tossed the ball up in the air a couple of times. "Offer's still open to stay here when school starts," he stated softly. When she looked up to meet his solemn blue eyes the man held her gaze. "You're family, Ash, and nothing anyone says or does is going to change that."

Tears sprung unbidden to Ashlynn's eyes and she self-consciously picked up one of the last t-shirts from the pile, folding it with more care than was needed while she regained her composure. "Thanks. I'll think about it."

With a nod Gibbs started for the door, but turned back before exiting, "Oh, and just for the record, there's no way in hell you're going on an international treasure hunt with three teenage guys. Might as well tell the Greek one that on the date you have set up for next week. And no bottles of expensive Bordeaux. Drinking age in this country is twenty-one."

This time Ashlynn was too shocked to even reply as she watched Gibbs shut the door behind him. "How in the hell?" she asked aloud, despite the empty room.

To Ashlynn's extreme frustration, the FBI insisted upon sequestering her for four whole days to finalize her depositions, none of which would probably even be used in the upcoming case against Castillo. She was sick of answering the same questions posed in different ways. Gibbs had promised dire consequences should she pull another disappearing act, though, so she stayed the course. It made for a most intolerable few days. Adding insult to injury, Thales was unable to make it to their planned rendezvous as his family's travel plans to the US had been postponed. By the end of the week a very cross and aggravated Ashlynn returned to Gibbs's house.

AJ was ecstatic to see his sister, slamming into Ash to wrap his tiny arms around her waist, and despite acting cool and unconcerned she could tell Cam was pleased as well.

"Guess what? Her youngest brother asked rushing on before she could respond. "Bobby plays soccer and I'm going to play soccer too – on the very same team!" Over the past weeks the family had grown used to being regaled with Bobby's exploits. Bobby had been to South America and seen real Incan ruins. Bobby's dad had been a marine just like daddy, but he had died in Iraq. Bobby wasn't afraid of anyone and stood up to the mean big kids. Bobby and he were going to be best friends for their whole lives!

"That's great! I'm sure you'll have a lot of fun with that!" She turned to Cam. "How were baseball tryouts?"

"Awesome! I'm going to pitch!"

"Good job, bro! No more groundings?"

"No, and Ms. Lerrin moved me out of art and into computer graphics with Mr. Jerome which is really cool and means I don't have to deal with that bi- ah stupid art teacher any more at all."

"Wow, you definitely owe Ms. Lerrin a solid for that. Congrats!"

"And Ash," AJ said tugging on her arm to regain her attention "We have a surprise for you."

"Shut-up!" Cam said smacking his little brother on the arm.

"My teacher says 'Shut-up' is a bad word! And I wasn't gonna tell her what it was just that we had one."

"Hey," Gibbs deep voice interrupted any further arguing as he walked into the house. "You, knock it off," he said pointing to Cam, "And you," here he pointed at AJ "Need to keep quiet about our little secret."

"I will Daddy. I promise."

Ashlynn was intrigued but not wanting to cause anymore discontent between her brothers decided to leave the mystery for now.

"Why don't you guys run up and drop your stuff in your rooms, then go for a bike ride to burn off some of that extra energy." The two boys were quick to follow this suggestion. Ashlynn was taken back when Gibbs moved forward to give her a one armed hug. "Welcome back."

"Thanks," she replied with a grin, "It's good to be…" Ash faltered realizing that she had almost said home, "back."

"Yeah, I hear that your stay with the FBI wasn't particularly pleasant."

"Hey, all you said was not to do a disappearing act. You didn't say I had to be nice. And Agent Grein offered to spar with me of his own volition. It isn't my fault if Ziva is such a good teacher," Ashlynn responded moving toward the kitchen.

Gibbs chuckled. Tobias had called him to complain, but his old friend's whining had fallen on deaf ears. In fact Gibbs had mercilessly teased the FBI agent about not being able to handle one teenage girl. Honestly though, Gibbs was pleased Ash was done with the FBI. He only hoped the meeting on Monday wouldn't send Ash into a downward spiral. Of course he knew there was little chance of that, which was one reason he wasn't going to mention it to the girl. They'd enjoy a nice family weekend, maybe even invite the team over and deal with Monday when it arrived.

"Oh my God!" Ashlynn exclaimed from the kitchen. "Did you even shop while I was gone? There isn't a thing in the fridge except milk."

"We'll order Chinese," Gibbs replied with a grin as the girl continued to harangue him about the lack of foodstuffs. Yeah, Monday would come soon enough but for now it was good to have all of his kids back home.

TBC...