The journey continues…

Here we go, chapter 5! Enjoy!

As usual, I DO NOT own NCIS or anything related to it, but I'm working on it! :-)

Tony wished that he had of slept on the couch. While the night started off calm by the middle of the night, Arissa had decided to enter into a ten round boxing match in her sleep, kicking her arms and legs, hitting Tony numerous times throughout the night. Worried she might accidently hit Kate, he switched places with her placing her at the edge of the bed. Lying next to Kate wasn't any better as she flipped between being hot and cold, throwing the covers off and on all night. If she was this bad at only four months of pregnancy, Tony could only image what she would be like when her belly and a kicking baby interfered with her sleep.

At 6am, Tony woke up to the sight of Arissa's tiny foot in his face while the lower half of her body rested across his chest and her upper half on the bed. The sound of the flushing toilet let him know that Kate was dealing with his first wave of nausea for the day. He carefully moved all of Arissa to the bed, as he made his way to the bathroom to check on Kate.

Kate emerged from the bathroom and rested her head on Tony's chest as she breathed deeply trying to settle her stomach. Tony wrapped his arms around her and placed a soft kiss on the top of her head. He could only image what she was going through, not only did she have to deal with the effects of her pregnancy but for the duration of the weekend she had to play babysitter to a three year old who just twenty-four hours ago was completely afraid of her. The weekends were usually Kate's time to catch up on the sleep that she couldn't get during their hectic work week but Tony wasn't sure how that was going to happen with Arissa in the apartment.

Tony looked into the bedroom to find Arissa had spread out across the entire bed. Knowing Kate probably wanted to rest there was no way he was going to let her lay down next to that child. Instead he led her into the living room, where he laid down on the couch pulling Kate into his arms and pulling the blanket that was meant for Arissa over the two of them. He held her tight, gently rubbing her belly with his thumb as the two of them drifted back sleep.

The blaring sound of the television spent them jumping up from their slumber. Tony scrambled around the coffee table in search of the remote, turning the volume down. He then noticed Arissa sitting in front of the set with eyes focus on the colorful cartoons on the screen, unaffected by the loudness.

"Hey?" questioned Arissa, as she turned to face Tony with an angry expression.

"It's eight o'clock in the morning, Arissa! What are you doing?" asked Tony still in shock for being woken up so abruptly.

"I watch cartoons!"

"Have you never heard of sleeping in? Why is the TV up so loud?"

"My Daddy always turn cartoons up real loud."

"Yeah, well they could hear that in China! I think my eardrums may have exploded?"

Being woken up so suddenly didn't really sit well with Kate, as she jumped off the coach rushing full force to the bathroom to throw up.

"Kate still sick?" asked Arissa with a concerned look on her face.

"I think so."

"Gibbs said she no mean like all the other ladies?"

"What other ladies?"

"The ladies my Daddy brings home. They always yell at me and tell me to go away but Kate no do that. I like her! You like her, Nozzo?"

"She's okay," joked Tony.

Kate walked in and flopped down on the couch next to Tony.

"You still sick, Kate?" asked the little girl, shyly.

"A little, I don't think the baby liked being woken up by the loud noise."

"I sorry, baby!" said Arissa as she walked over and pat Kate on the stomach. "Is the baby mad at me?"

"No, it's not mad."

"Are you mad at me, Kate?"

"No, I'm not mad at you either!" smiled Kate to the little girl.

"Arissa, was just telling me that she thought that you were going to be mean like all her Dad's friends. I told her she caught you on a good day." said Tony giving Kate his signature DiNozzo smile.

"Shut up, Tony!" said Kate as she planted an elbow in Tony's side. "Is that true, Arissa? Did you think I was mean?"

"Yes," said Arissa afraid to respond. "But Gibbs said that you nice and I told Nozzo that I like you now!"

"Thank you, Arissa. I'm glad to hear that!"

Arissa gave Kate a big smile.

"How about some breakfast, huh? Are you hungry, Arissa?" asked Tony as his stomach started to growl.

"Yes," replied Arissa.

"Great! Kate? Why don't you go in the kitchen and make us something to eat?"

Kate looks at Tony in annoyance.

"Or I can make breakfast," said Tony as he hoped off the couch and headed for the kitchen before Kate could elbow him again.

Arissa got up from the floor and sat down next to Kate, holding on to her teddy bear.

"Want to watch cartoons with me, Kate?"

"Sure, but let's keep the volume at a minimum!"

Arissa settled in next to Kate while Tony made breakfast in the kitchen.

Awhile later, Tony walked out of the kitchen carrying a frying pan.

"Order up! Hope you like pancakes? Or at least I think these are pancakes? That could have been cornbread mix?"

Arissa took hold of Kate's hand and led her over to the table taking a seat next to her.

"How many pancakes you want, Arissa?"

"I want this many!" said Arissa as she held up two fingers to Tony.

"Two it is! What about you, Kate?"

"I'll have two as well!"

The three sat down to a pancake breakfast complete with eggs and bacon. In the middle of eating the doorbell rang. Tony answered the door to find Abby on the other side.

"Why aren't you answering your phone, Tony? I called you like ten times this morning?" spat Abby.

"Sorry Abbs! I've been a little bit busy!" said Tony, stepping aside to allow Abby to enter the apartment where she saw Arissa sitting at the table with Kate.

"Is that the little girl?"

"Yep."

Abby watched as Arissa ate pancakes. Her light brown hair was matted to her head and her stitches from the day before were visible as ever.

"Poor thing! Gibbs said it was bad but he didn't say how bad? How could someone do such an awful thing?"

Abby walked over to the table to get a closer look.

"Hey Abby! What are you doing here?" asked Kate surprised to see Abby.

"Gibbs wanted me to bring over some things. This must be Arissa?" said Abby as she looked at the little girl sitting next to Kate. "Hi, Arissa! I'm Abby!"

Abby reached her hand out to the little girl. Arissa tensed up, looking to Tony for help.

"Its okay, Arissa. Abby is a friend," explained Tony.

"Is she nice?" questioned the three year old.

"The nicest, I promise!"

Arissa shock the Goth's hand. "Hi, Abby. I like your hair."

"Why thank you, Arissa! I did it myself. I can do yours like this too if you want?"

The little girl smiled. Despite her outward appearance, Abby was nothing more than a big kid in black and Arissa could sense that despite some apprehensions.

"What that?" asked Arissa pointing to the larger plastic bag Abby was holding.

"Oh, I brought you some goodies! I knew you were going to be staying with Tony for the weekend so I brought you some comfy clothes to lounge around in!"

"Can I see?"

Abby kneeled down so the three year old could see inside the bag. She pulled out a pair of black flannel pajamas with little skulls with pink bows on them.

"Really? Skulls, Abby?" asked Kate.

"Cute, right? I bought a pair just like them"

She continued going through the bag pulling out various items for the little girl. She pulled out a pink hoodie sweat suit with the word "Princess" written in glitter across the front.

"Pretty!" shouted the three year old as she held the outfit up for Tony and Kate and see. "Can I wear this one?"

"Sure, but let's get you in the tub and washed up first?" said Kate.

"Oh! I bought some bubble bath that's supposed to make like a gazillion bubbles! You wanna try it?" asked Abby in excitement.

"Yeah!" cheered Arissa with a big smile on her face.

Abby jumped up, grabbing Arissa's hand and the bag as the two of them ran off laughing towards the bathroom. Arissa let go of Abby's hand and ran back towards the table where Kate sat.

"Come on, Kate! You make bubbles too!" said Arissa as she grabbed Kate's hand and pulled her towards the bathroom.

"Hey, I better not have a gazillion bubbles all over my bathroom! Bubbles aren't very manly!" shouted Tony.

Inside the bathroom, Abby ran Arissa's water while Kate sat on the toilet lid undressing Arissa. As Kate pulled Arissa's shirt over her head, the little girl took notice of her face in the mirror and the scars that now covered part of her face. Kate and Abby stared at each other.

"Hey, don't even worry about those scars! We are going to get you into your new outfit and you are going to look so pretty!" said Kate trying to make the little girl smile.

Abby picked up Arissa and placed her into the tub that in fact looked like it was filled with a gazillion bubbles. Arissa laughed as Abby took a handful of bubbles and placed them on top of her head and then on her chin to make it look like she had a beard.

As the two played, Kate could feel sleep overcoming her as she let out a yawn.

"Kate sleepy?" asked Arissa.

"No, I'm fine!"

Abby turned around and noticed the fatigued look on her friend's face.

"You do look tired, Kate?"

"I didn't sleep to well last night."

"Why don't you go lay down? I can handle this?"

"No, I should help you with Arissa?"

"I got her! Isn't that right, Arissa?"

"Yeah, Kate! I's okay with Abby!" replied Arissa.

"Fine. If you need anything, call Tony!" replied Kate as she left the bathroom leaving Arissa and Abby alone.

"The baby making her sick again," said Arissa, innocently.

"Baby? What baby?" exclaimed Abby.

"The baby in Kate's stomach! Nozzo said it makes her sick sometimes."

Tony knocked on the open bathroom door.

"Hey is it okay if I come…" the pain from Abby's punch in the arm surged throughout Tony's body. "In!"

"Anthony DiNozzo, what is my number one rule?" spat Abby.

"Never eat Abby's cupcake" replied Tony in pain.

"That's number two! Number one is never lie to Abby!"

"What are you talking about Abbs?"

Abby glared at Tony, who stared at Arissa, who laughed at Tony, who then stared back at Abby.

"She told you about the baby?"

"Yep!"

Tony hesitated trying to make sure he picked the right words to explain the situation.

"Technically, we didn't lie to you. We just didn't tell you!"

"Same thing, Tony! I can't believe that you and Kate have been keeping the fact that she's pregnant from me!"

"We were planning on telling you two days ago but we got distracted with the case!"

"This is epic! Amazing! I'm going to be an aunt!" yelled Abby wrapping her arms tightly around Tony's neck.

"Um, Abbs? Kinda need to breathe?"

"Sorry! I'm just so excited!" said Abby letting go of Tony's neck. "It all makes sense now! Her nausea and fatigue is all because Kate is having a little Agent Dodd! No wait, ToNozzo! I'm so glad the two of you finally realized you were meant for one another!"

"Calm down, Abby! We are having a baby together. We're not getting married or anything!"

Abby smiled, "Whatever you say, Tony!"

Abby calmed her excitement over the new baby enough to finish giving Arissa a bath. She dressed her in her new outfit and put her much needed washed hair into her signature pigtails per Arissa's request. Once they were finished, Abby and Arissa joined Tony in the living room. Abby sat on the floor with Arissa as Tony made no effort to move his feet off the couch so they could sit down.

"Does Gibbs know?" asked Abby, excitement ringing through her voice.

"Yeah, he knows."

"Gibbs knew and I didn't? How unfair is that?"

"We didn't tell him, he just figured it out!"

"I bet Gibbs head slapped you so hard you went blind temporarily?"

"Surprisingly, he didn't. But I feel it coming."

Abby laughed.

"Nozzo, I want juice?" asked Arissa.

Tony looked at Abby.

"I don't have any juice, sweetie?"

"How do you not have juice, Tony?" asked Abby.

"I'm a bachelor Abbs! I don't keep things like juice around the house! She's lucky she got milk with breakfast this morning, I almost gave her Decaf Folgers!"

Abby rolled her eyes at Tony. "I'll go get you some juice from the store, Arissa. What kind do you like?"

"Apple!" shouted Arissa.

"Apple juice it is!" said Abby, getting up to put on her coat and shoes to head to the store.

"Hey, since you're going that way you mind picking up some chips and soda? Oh, and a box of Lucky Charms? Thanks Abbs!"

Abby rolled her eyes once again before exiting the apartment.

Arissa got up off the floor and settled herself into Tony's arms, resting her head on his arm as her tiny body nestled in his chest.

"So what do you and your Dad usually do on Saturdays" asked Tony, flipping the channels.

"We watch movies." Replied Arissa.

"My kind of guy."

"Oh, Toy Story! Can we watch it?" asked Arissa as she saw the animated toys walk across the screen.

"Sure! Toy Story it is."

Tony and Arissa laid on the couch watching the movie until they both drifted off to sleep.

What do you think? Reviews are welcomed. Update coming soon! :-)