Disclaimer: You know the drill… I haven't purchased the rights in the last 24 hours… I still don't own it!

Warning: THIS STORY will CONTAIN NON-SEXUAL SPANKING; ABORT THE MISSION… DO NOT READ… TURN BACK NOW IF THIS ISN'T YOUR THING.

……………………………………………………………………………………………..

Abby was milling through her day in a fog. Getting back to the house she went through the motions of getting ready for class all the while dreading the conversation she knew she had to have at breakfast with Missy.

Missy was already downstairs and wrist deep into a bottomless bowl of oatmeal. "How do you eat like that and stay so thin?" Abby sat with her requisite yogurt, granola and fruit. She started slicing bananas into the bowl and pouring out the story at the same time.

"Okay so I know this is going to suck and you're probably going to hate me, but you have to remember I said there would be risk."

Missy wasn't sure where her friend was going so she just waited out the explanation.

Continuing, "Look I went through every scenario, but they all end the same. This was bound to happen this way. I mean if you believe my sister it's Karma and if you believe my brother it was poor execution. Personally…"

"Abby! You need to breathe girl and slow down. What's up?"

Leaning in as close as possible Abby caught her breathe and blurted out, "We have to change the grades back… mine, yours, everyone's. The audit is on Friday and if we get caught we'll get expelled. A lousy grade is the lesser of the two evils. I'm really sorry."

Okay so Abby was surprised that Missy found humor in any of it.

"I guess I'm handling this better than expected."

"A little…"

"Look my folks don't keep track of anything that's not on their social calendar. I wanted the grade changed to get into the summer abroad program. I'll just find another way or ask mommy to call in a favor. This isn't life ending Abs."

"Maybe not in your house, but my father keeps track of everything. He's entire life's focus is dependent on doing just that. What about Lisa and the girls in Libby hall?"

"You're kidding right? The only one who'll really have to be pulled off the ledge is Lisa. She's here on scholarship and this will royally screw her. Abs the rest of us just did it because we could. It felt good pulling one over on old Updike and the rest of the prison guards. Look, do what you have to it was fun while it lasted… don't sweat it. Guess I got to get to class and stay awake. Later Abs."

"Later."

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

"If you touch that one more time I will break your fingers."

"This heat is cooking me. I feel like Tony on the half-shell for crying out loud."

"We only have a few miles to go. I'm the driver so I get to be comfortable." She capped it off with a pointed stare.

"Fine if the flowers are dead and wilted and my cover gets blown you can explain to Abby."

Punching the heat off Kate screamed, "Fine you big baby. Just make sure you get me into that basement without any detours. I don't want to freeze anymore than I have to."

"Anything for you Katie!"

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Handling it poorly was an understatement. Lisa was having a full blown breakdown… tears, hyperventilating, pacing, yelling, rapid onslaughts of stomach cramps and the unstoppable urge to vomit. All Abby could do was think 'shit, shit, shit'! What had she done? This did start out as a favor if she remembered correctly.

Poor thing was inconsolable. He lunch long since forgotten Abby tossed her things in the trash. They'd gone back to Libby Hall and she ended up feeling grateful and relieved. This had turned into the only scene stealing display. Holy-soap-opera she thought. This isn't to say she wasn't wracked with guilt, but she was just beyond this stage in her grief. She was well on her way to acceptance.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Hot breath on my neck, hot breath on my neck!"

"Then hurry up!"

"How fast do you think I can climb through a window Kate?"

"The way you were talking I thought you did this all the time."

"Oh, yeah in my spare time I double as a superhero scaling tall building in a single bound."

Tony was done listening to the bickering as his sisters climbed in. "Get in here and shut up! With all the noise you're making why don't I just call security and invite them over."

Once they'd gotten back to the office Tony called Gordo and he started talking them through linking up the systems. Tony kept yelling about him going too fast and only being a Phys Ed major. Finally Kate made him get up to let Abby take over. Things did go faster, but not by much.

Kate's nervous energy and look-out duties had her plowing through the reserved snacks in Tony's back-pack. Finally, Abby signed off the computer and said her goodbyes handing the phone to her brother again. There was a brief awkward exchange that Kate was sure sounded a lot like solicitation.

"What'd you promise him?" She asked.

"Grown-up talk Katie nothing to concern yourself over."

"Whatever!"

"Can we go please? It's been a really long day." Abby was showing her age with her whining.

As she went down the hall Kate grabbed her arm. "Where are you going?"

"Home… what?"

"Basement Abs, we need to leave the way we came, alarms remember."

Once they got out of the building and raced the two blocks to where Tony had parked. They all let out a collective sigh. Abby lunged into her big brother's arms.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you," she moved on to Kate. "I'm sorry for every rotten thing I said. I love you guys you're the best."

Kate hugged her back. "What are sisters for?"

"And brothers… don't forget about brothers." Tony said throwing his arms open again. Both his sisters fell into them.

"Alright let's not push our luck. Let's get out of here!" He said.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

She had packed everything she was taking home for the Christmas break. Most of her more questionable outfits remained in her closet. There was no sense taking them home if she couldn't wear them. It was hard to believe that it had been two days since the whole 'break-in'. Things on campus were unusually quiet. Girls started leaving on Friday since classes ended at noon. No buzz regarding grades, or the audit had come up and Abby was feeling a sense of relief. There was no telling what things would be like when she got home and she started telling truths. She wasn't really sure she wanted to tell any but she had promised Kate and Tony. They'd gotten back to their schools and would drive home later that night.

Dragging her bags downstairs Abby deposited them at the door. There was nothing left but the waiting. Normally she wouldn't want her mother to drive up for the trip back to DC, but she would have welcomed the distraction today.

Maybe she'd go out and walk down to the gate just to kill time. She couldn't get her bags any closer to the door if she tried.

They almost knocked each other over. "What's the hurry?"

"Daddy, I was just gonna walk to see if your car was coming."

"Abs, you plan on letting me in."

"Yeah, of course, my bags are already down here though."

"I know, but I need to see Ms. Shumaker and sign you out. Nice outfit by the way. We have a little time to get lunch at that café you like. Your mom, Kate, and Tony will all be late for dinner."

"Really, is everything alright?"

"Of course it is. Mom has a late meeting. Tony is driving a friend home first and Kate is coming in with Ashen and they're stopping at his mother's first."

A beautiful blonde woman in a simple dress with boots came down making her way straight to Gibbs. She didn't look particularly upset, but she was focused and on a determined path.

"Abby didn't you get my messages?"

"Ms. Shumaker I'm so sorry I've been down here. Did you just leave something in my room?"

"I left you a message on your door early this morning."

Abby really was puzzled. She had never seen the note, but the look on Gibbs' face already read disbelief.

"Well, since your father's here I can just give him the message directly. Good to see you again Agent Gibbs I have a request from Mrs. Updike that you go to her office before signing Abigail out."

This has to be what a stroke felt like Abby concluded. What in the world could they want? She was mentally replaying everything step they'd taken and couldn't think of a mistake made. What the hell was going on?

Gibbs turned without another word. Both Abby and her house-mother remained fixated to their spots.

The last thing she heard with a semi-conscious and clear mind was her father's command. "Abby with me."