Chapter 5
Just as Jack was putting the finishing touches on his supper he heard a car drive up and knew that his new extended family had returned. It was a moment later that Neal and Tony entered carrying several bags and then disappeared up the stairs as they carried their new clothes to their room. A moment later Peter and Gibbs arrived talking about sports as they went immediately to wash up. "Get all of your shopping done?" Jack asked as he brought out a platter of steaks and potatoes and put them on the table.
"Yep, got enough clothes to last them a week of course for Neal it is going to be hard, he really loves those suits of his. For him to dress down, as he calls it maybe punishment enough without adding more…but don't tell him that. I want him to experience this and learn from it…I want him around for a long time," replied Peter as he looked cautiously around. He didn't want to be overheard.
"Trust me after a week with Dad he will learn one thing at least…not to piss him off," replied Gibbs with a laugh.
Saturday morning found Neal still in bed while Peter was getting dressed. Due to the extra bodies it was decided last night that Peter and Neal would share the guest room while Gibbs and Tony would sleep in Gibbs' boyhood room. While Peter was considerate of Neal and allowing him as much sleep as he could the same could not be said for Gibbs. Once he woke and had his shower he shook Tony and told him to wake up while he got dressed.
Tony had rolled over and looked groggily out the window and not finding light pouring through had turned back over to go back to sleep when Gibbs gave his butt a hard slap. "It's time to get up DiNozzo!"
"Owww…it's not even light out Boss," argued Tony, "let me sleep."
"Nope I want you to make a good impression on Dad by being up and ready to go by six…now get up; or I can give you a helping hand," ordered Gibbs.
"Huh," muttered Tony as he tried to comprehend the hidden threat of what a helping hand might consist of when he felt the hand smack his still sore backside again and jumped from the bed with a loud "OWWWW…getting up boss."
By the time Neal made it downstairs it was six thirty and everybody was waiting for him at the table, Tony was trying to catch a few extra ZZZ's before Jack put the meal on the table.
Neal grabbed a cup of coffee in an attempt to wake further, "do you always get up so early around here?" he asked no one in general.
"Dad usually is up by five, dressed and ready to fix breakfast by five thirty," replied Gibbs with a smile. "If you aren't ready to eat when he gets the meal on the table then you most likely won't get breakfast," he added with a grin.
Tony and Neal looked at each other and said simultaneously, "I can get by with coffee alone if it means I can sleep a little longer."
"Nope," replied jack as he placed a large platter of scrambled eggs and bacon in the center of the table. "You will be at the breakfast table by six or suffer a morning spanking; I want you well fueled for all of the work I have planned for you two this week. Lunch will be served at noon with an hour off afterwards and supper will be at six sharp…after dishes are washed, dried and put away the time will be yours that is until bedtime which will be at ten thirty with your bedtime spanking afterwards."
Neal and Tony gawked at Jack as he set up what their schedule would be for the upcoming week…they were speechless…but only for a moment when Tony began to protest, "Jack, you are treating us like kids with that schedule and we aren't kids. I haven't been to bed that early for years and I'm not about to start now!"
"Leroy, would you do the honors," replied Jack as he looked from son to surrogate grandson.
"I'll be happy to Dad," replied Gibbs as he got up and yanked Tony out of his chair and pulled him protesting from the house and out towards the woodshed as Neal looked on with wide eyes. He had felt the same as Tony but hadn't vocalized it yet and seeing what Tony's protest was about to cost him decide to stay quiet, at least for now.
It was a gingerly walking Tony who appeared about five minutes later. "S-sorry J-Jack," he apologized before he carefully sat back down with a wince. After that all that could be heard was the consuming of food. Once their initial hunger was at bay Peter broke the quiet with a question.
"What type of chores do you have planned for Neal and Tony to do this week?"
"I thought they could mow and rake the yard; I usually have to pay someone to do it but this time I can save my money. Then they can clean out the gutters and trim the bushes…spruce up the place a bit," began Jack as he paused to drink his coffee.
"The house could use a cleaning as well Dad," offered Gibbs which earned him a glare from both Neal and Tony.
"Yep, I thought of that as well and I thought they could do a little painting as well. Neal, I understand that you like to draw and paint?" Jack asked as he directed his question to Neal.
"Yes, sir, but the kind I like is with easels and canvases…not walls," replied Neal.
"Then you are about to learn a new talent. I thought you and Tony could share the quest room for a couple of nights while you repaint Leroy's room. It needs freshening up a bit…and then you two can also help me out at the store. I guess that should be enough to keep you busy this week."
It wasn't until later before Peter and Gibbs were to leave that Tony and Neal tried one more time to change their superiors' mind about staying.
"Boss…" began Tony only to be told by Gibbs,
"Oh, no, you aren't talking me out of this DiNozzo; you wanted a vacation from work and now you have a whole week. You know what I have to do once I get back? I have to explain to Jenny why you decided to go to New York City in the first place as well as why the agency was stuck paying for a rental car that I sent Ziva and McGee back to DC in once Jack called to tell me where you were and then to convince her that you are being punished sufficiently for this mess you got yourself in…no DiNozzo you are getting off easy because if I had my way your ass would stay on fire for weeks after this stunt; but don't worry if I get too many bad reports from Dad on your behavior this week it will….and I will be checking on you," explained Gibbs as he got ready to leave.
"Are you going to tell Ziva and McGee about my punishment here with your father?" asked Tony worriedly.
"Oh yeah, I think that they are deserving an explanation on why they were inconvience yesterday when you thought playing hooky was such a great thing…I'm sure they will ask about your vacation on your return…'bye DiNozzo…behave," replied Gibbs as he closed his door.
While Gibbs was explaining things to Tony; Peter was doing like wise to Neal. "If you think you are going to persuade me on why I should take you home with me, just get it out of your head. I'm hoping that when you return you will be a changed individual. Now with regards to your anklet, its radius has been changed to incorporate nearly all of Stillwater…I think it will go off if you leave the city limits if you try it without Jack being with you. I'm sending a monitor to Jack that will allow you to be with him when you go out of your radius…it should be here Monday other than that I had better not hear of you going out of bounds or we will be having a discussion once you return home…so this week you need to cowboy up and I'll see you in a week so behave and make the most of this …I really only have your best interest in mind Neal," and with that Peter got in with Gibbs and they drove off leaving two very unhappy people behind.