Disclaimer: Of course NCIS… characters… and such belong to the powers that be & not ME!!! Story created for purely entertainment value.

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

A/N: Thank you to the many readers that have shown their support for this story with their reviews, PMs, questions, criticisms (yes those are important to if they're constructive) and tags as a favorite story/author:-)!

A/N: Some carefully orchestrated dialogue from the show has been tweaked and woven into this story to solidify the voice of the characters. Spot them if you can:-)??????

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

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Making a series of phone calls and reading through some reports he'd brought home Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs attempted to block out one daughter's sobs, as she headed to her room, while being forced to tune into the shrill voice of his youngest daughter followed by his wife's snarl and a door slam. Taking off his glasses all he could think was 'what now'.

Scrubbing his hands through his hair Gibbs made his way to the doorway to get a better view of the most recent loud exchange between his two 'girls'.

"I am not going to the stupid party!"

"Yes you are young lady. I make the rules around here."

"Wow, so the extent of your power rest on fashion decisions. Way to take a stand on the important issues." Abby didn't even notice her father behind her and although Jenny did see him she obviously wasn't ready for her husband to jump in.

"Look, I don't know what your problem is…"

"My problem is that I'm not five anymore mom. I can pick out my own clothes and I can DRESS MYSELF!!!"

"For the last time I was trying to help."

"I wish you would have tried to knock."

Jennifer Shepard wanted to have a calm rational conversation with her youngest, but it always seemed like the girl was on the verge of a meltdown or explosion lately. They had been making progress since the talk they had a few weeks back, but all of a sudden they were back to being combatants. The real problem was that Jenny couldn't put her finger on the cause.

Taking a deep audible breath the now wrung out mother continued. "I have already apologized and explained my coming into the dressing room Abigail."

Gibbs was ready to turn back to his work figuring this battle over wardrobe didn't need his intervention when his wife let the rest of the story unfold.

"What I don't understand and frankly am seriously ticked off about is your choice to flee the store with the dress on under your jacket like a common thief. Being stopped by security was a nice bit of insult to injury."

"I see it didn't take long to get us back to worrying about what other's think of the ever perfect Jennifer Shepard Gibbs!"

He was about to be all over her when his wife threw up her hand to halt his interference. "That is ENOUGH! You are going to that party. You will wear something appropriate and this conversation is over. You're only 15 Abby. You'll find out soon enough that appearances do matter."

Whatever, thought Abigail Grace as she climbed to the second floor of the house without acknowledging her father in the least. Going into her sister's room she started in on her tale before noticing that something was obviously going on with Kate too.

"Wow that was so close. Seriously it was like big screen close. It was the kind of close that has the potential to change the entire direction of the rest of the story. Mom totally almost saw my tattoo in the middle of Chelsea's at the Braddock Mall." Flopping back on the bed Abby looked up at the ceiling waiting for a response. When she didn't get one, or at least not the one expected, she rolled to her side and eyed her sister who she just realized was sitting at her desk.

"Hello, Earth to Katie… come in. I said mom almost saw my tat. Oh, and I caused a huge scene and almost stole a hundred dollar dress."

"What? You stole a dress?" Kate turned her red rimmed eyes toward her sister finally coming to full awareness of her presence.

"Someone's unfocused," Abby laughed. "What's wrong? Were you crying?"

"Your story first," Kate felt like holding in her horror for a few more minutes.

"Long story very short is mom and I argued all the way home, after she barged into the dressing room because she thought I was taking too long and needed help. Well, technically I did. I don't know why they make those zippers on dresses start so low on your back. Anyway, of course I freaked. Totally glad she didn't see it in the mirror. I grabbed my jacket and put it on over the dress and bailed. Set off the store alarm and security had to come over. Mom was mortified. I have to remember not to laugh in front of her."

Kate was staring in disbelief. Getting up she decided to tell her story in order to put things in perspective. After unfolding the entire nightmarish exchange between her and their father she added, "so see almost having her see the tattoo really isn't that bad. You do know you're not going to be able to hide it forever, right?"

"Who's thinking forever? I just needed to get out of it today. Dinner should be fun. Dad isn't speaking to you and mom isn't speaking to me. Maybe we'll get lucky and they'll just make us fend for ourselves."

"Right now I could stand to fend for some lunch. I couldn't gag down any breakfast and now I'm too scared to see dad so I've been hiding up here."

"I can't believe he hasn't come up here already. What's he waiting for?"

"I don't even want to imagine it."

Tiring of the conversation and needing to move around Abby got up practically bounced to her room. Calling over her shoulder she counseled her sister. "Like you'd tell Tony… the odds of this going wrong were pretty good. Sorry Katie."

~*~*~*~*~

Back in their office husband and wife sat on the leather couch. Jenny putting her feet in Gibbs lap. "Maybe you two don't need to shop together for a while Jen."

"Please tell me you're not defending that little outburst."

"Not at all… I'm actually staying out of that little outburst."

"Good because I know what's best in this situation Jethro. She can't run around town looking like one of Death's Minions. Each situation requires specific attire and that's something she's going to have to learn."

"She gotta learn it at 15 Jen?" They locked gazes momentarily and he continued. "Right now we have bigger issues on the table."

"You spoke to Kate."

"I did."

"What'd she say?"

"Everything mixed with an ounce of contrition and far too big a portion of outrage. She did not like hearing that we already knew she was lying every minute of everyday."

"What'd you do?"

"I didn't do anything. She'll come to me ready to accept what she did and ready to accept the consequences."

"You sure about that," Jenny asked getting up.

"Pretty sure."

"Jethro did you send those reports to Mike yet?" Having realized she wanted to verify two items before it got tossed back to her Jenny was hoping her husband hadn't picked this particular morning to show how efficient he was.

"On the desk Jen."

She went to kiss him. It was good to know someone always had your six.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Stillwater, PA

Jackson Gibbs' General Store

"Alright Grandpa Jack be prepared to cook my favorite meal tonight and to listen to my music all the way back to DC. I'm telling you I am holding the winning hand. You sure you want a card?"

"Son if you don't put a card down on this table…" Jack's thought was interrupted by the phone on the counter.

"I got it."

"You just leave the deck right here on the table."

Tony looked at him in disbelief then stretched to snatch up the receiver. "Gibbs General Store Anthony Gibbs at your service."

"You don't sound like you're suffering too much." Gibbs said to his son.

"Not at all. I coming home with a wallet full of cash, the phone numbers of several very hospitable mining girls, a stomach full of my favorite meal and…"

"Put Jack on the phone and stop hustling grandpa at cards."

Tony waved the phone at Jack smiling at his father's snap judgment. Jackson Gibbs wasn't a man easily hustled and Tony wasn't entirely sure his winning had nothing to do with Jack's altruism.

"Jethro how's it going son?"

"Fine dad just seeing what time to expect you tomorrow."

"Well, all depends on how early I can get my grandson to get outta bed. The boy did not inherit our internal clock."

"Yeah, well I've got a solution to that particular problem. You just put him on the line before you hang up."

"How's everything else going? Did you get all the answers you were looking for?"

"Yes sir. Hey Jack if I know my son you better get back to that game before he takes you for everything but the deed to the store."

Laughing the phone was passed back to Tony and Jack took up his seat again. A few seconds later without anything more than a 'bye' the call was disconnected.

"How early is early Jack?"

"Best not let Jethro here all that 'Jack' business. How about we let the cards decide? I believe I was waiting on two cards"

Practicing his Gibbs stare Tony tried to get a bead on the family's true patriarch.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Late…

Gibbs' Home Office

"Fine Mike I'll tell her. Yes, she does and you're right she could end up being our boss in a few years. Of course I didn't point out how much we've noticed. She'll come to me when she's ready. I'm positive she's not. It wasn't part of the plan."

Mike Franks hung up without a goodbye and Jethro simply set the phone back in its cradle. He thought for a quick minute then immediately banished the ridiculous notion that his wife might be pregnant. That wasn't going to happen and he knew it. Jenny had her eyes on being out of the field, in charge, and done parenting in few years. Being pregnant just didn't figure into that strategy at all.

"It drives you nuts when he does that to you, huh?"

"What'd ya need Kate?" She hadn't come down for dinner. He made no attempt to see why. They had been purposeful in their avoidance. Keeping is ire at bay Gibbs was not impressed with her nonchalance.

"I could come back."

"You're here now… what do you need."

Needs and wants worked out in her head Caitlin Marie now stood in the doorway her courage waning considerably. Abby had told her to 'man-up' and face the music. Nobody wanted this hanging over their head for Christmas. She'd already come so far in just admitting everything earlier in the day. Her head wanted to move into consequences, forgiveness and most of all forgetting. Her body wanted to flee the room without looking back.

She was given statue like silence in response to her obvious hesitation. Walking further into the room closing the space between them the apprehensive 17-year-old looked straight in her daddy's ice blue eyes and spoke.

"I know I have to break-up with Ashen. I hate it and I don't think it's fair, but I know you're going to make me. I deserve a punishment as bad as Abby and Tony, so I'm not going to argue. Can I please just wait until after Christmas to tell him? None of this was his choice. His holiday shouldn't be ruined."

How the frick does he do that?

"Dad… you're making me really nervous. Say something please. Are you going to make me move back home too?"

"You seem to have all the questions and answers. What's left for me to say?"

She wasn't expecting that so she didn't offer up an answer.

"Sit down Kate."

Sliding into one of the wide chocolate brown leather chairs facing the double desk Kate angled her body to meet her father's eyes once again.

"You want this over quickly don't you?"

"No point in dragging it out."

This kid was bold there was no denying that. "So, swift justice is fine as long as it suits you?"

"That's not what I meant. I just know…"

"No, Kate, you don't know. I would venture to say you think you know, but you haven't been doing much thinking these days either. The only thing you have been doing with any level of consistency is lying. And you're going to tell me in painful detail exactly why."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm supposed to believe you let Tony take the bulk of the blame because you were too scared to admit your part of that idiotic caper up at Hilton." He got a downcast eyed head shake in response.

"Glad to her that because I don't. Now, tell me why you've been lying."

"I'm selfish. I knew had to tell the truth. I wanted to, but not as much as I wanted to keep seeing Ash. I kept telling myself that the truth at this point wouldn't change anything except I'd be in the same trouble without a boyfriend. This started out as Abby's problem and it felt like I'd have to pay the biggest price."

"Selfish is the most honest thing you've said in this house in the last two weeks young lady."

Ouch, that hurt her feelings in a way Kate wasn't expecting.

"If you thought about anything or anybody else beyond yourself and Ash this would be behind us already. So, what now Caitlin?"

"I want you and mom to trust me again. I know I have to make it up to Tony. Everything got so twisted up. My punishment should be as bad as Tony and Abby's. Trying to talk them out of it wasn't my best effort at all. I guess the answer is I don't know."

"Lucky for you I do. Off you go. Get ready for bed. I'll be up in few minutes."

Scooting out of the imposing space and it's now sole occupant Kate passed the family room. Apparently Abby's apology was a success. She and their mom were watching a show and laughing up a storm. Midway up the stairs she heard her father call her mom. Kate didn't need to be a fly on the wall to imagine what that conversation was about.

Entering her room there was no disillusion about how much her punishment would suck.