My many thanks to WmGeorge for all of her hard work. To everyone else, thank you very much for all of the reviews and for the alerts.
If anyone looked they might wonder at the groupings in the yard. The women were relaxing on the patio furniture and happy laughter could be heard from time to time wafting across the yard to where the men were.
It all became clearer when you saw the men gathered around the barbeque grill, and the large pot sitting nearby ready to be used. It was a division of labor. The women chatted while the men labored.
It was almost dusk when they heard yelling, followed by a very loud screech. They could tell the sound was coming from a child, just from the pitch of the voice. Penelope looked at her friends and shrugged her shoulders. "I'll go."
She knew that she would be followed, it was a given. Opening the front door she was surprised to see that all the yelling was coming from Becca and her brother, who lived a few houses away.
"Becca, Ryan - what's going on and why all the screaming?" Penelope knelt down to get to the eye level of the children.
"I said there is no such thing a fairies and little people. I told Becca you put the door and window on your tree. That you did the one on our tree, too." Ryan waved his arms as he answered.
"I screamed and told him that he was wrong. That fairies are real. Then he called me a big baby, so I yelled at him," Becca added softly.
"I see." Penelope managed to hide her smile.
Ryan put his hands on his hips and glared at Penelope. "Well, are you going to tell my sister the truth, that you put the door and window on the trees?"
Ducky frowned as he looked at the children. "Young man, has no one ever told you never to doubt the existence of little people?" The children looked up at him in awe as they heard the gentle Scottish accent.
Penelope held out her hands to the brother and sister. "I'll tell you the truth and I'll even pinky swear. How does that sound?"
The agents standing behind Penelope can see the tears start to form in Becca's eyes and a smug look come over Ryan's face.
Penelope locked pinkies with both children. "I hereby swear that I did not nail the windows or doors on the trees."
"Really?" Ryan's voice was skeptical.
"Really. I would never break a pinky swear, it's bad luck."
"See I told you so!" Becca danced around triumphantly. "There are fairies and little people."
Penelope grinned. "Why don't you go home and tell your parents that you are all invited to a party, and the only thing they have to bring is an appetite. We have plenty of food, and there are other kids here to play with."
She laughed as they watched Ryan take Becca's hand in his and pull her as he ran down the sidewalk.
Tony helped Penelope stand and shook his finger at her. "Lying while you pinky swear, Cookie. You're going to get it."
"I didn't lie. I didn't tap in even one nail. I did put the little decorations outside, but that's all."
"Then who did?" Abby questioned Penelope while watching Ducky as he stared intently at the little door on the tree.
"I'm not at liberty to say." Penelope replied.
Ducky turned to face the group. "It was Jethro, there's no mistaking his work. Not a mark on the wood and everything is perfectly set in place."
Will raised an eyebrow. "You got that all from a simple look?"
"It's all in the details, young man. Jethro enjoys working with wood and always makes sure he does the best he can, be it driving in a nail or building a boat by hand. Talent will out." Ducky turned to Gibbs. "But the little chair outside is not your work is it, my friend?"
"Didn't have a thing to do with the furniture." Gibbs sipped reflectively on his coffee. "It still needs something. Maybe a mail box." He shrugged and went back into the house.
Not long after the neighbors left, a sleepy Henry and Jack were tucked into Penelope and Tony's bed.
There were enough chairs for everyone to sit and relax. Not having to think about cases or reports made the evening even more special. Somehow the two teams from sister agencies had become friends. Friends in arms, or family due to the horrors they saw. All they knew was that if called upon for help, each of them would go without any hesitation at all.
Sipping her glass of wine Penelope happily sat closer to Tony. She smiled as she listened to the conversation of the agents. They were telling tall tales, and trying to outdo each other. One-upmanship at its best.
Savannah laughed. They were as bad as the doctors she worked with, and had the same sort of conversations. The bloodier the better.
"I'm so glad you got married Tony. I can't wait to be an aunt. I hope you have lots of kids." Abby smiled joyfully as she reached for her glass.
The BAU agents watched Penelope carefully just in case she needed any help. They saw the tears start to form and stop in a blink of an eye.
"I can't have children, Abby. We aren't going to adopt either. Neither of us has family like Hotch and JJ to help in case we both have to go out in the field. So, we'll have our cats, Nick and Nora."
"Where are you going for your honeymoon? You are going on one, aren't you?" Savannah tried to steer the conversation to a happier topic before Abby could think of something to say to try to change their minds.
"Little Italy in New York." Tony leaned closer and slipped his arm around Penelope's shoulders.
"Why don't you go to the real Italy? Tony speaks Italian, and I'm sure he has some family there you could go visit." Abby shook her head. "It would be way better."
Penelope shrugged. "I don't have a passport."
"Go get one, I can go with you and cut through the red tape. Or make Gibbs go, I bet he has a friend that can get you one the same day." Abby bounced in her seat, her pigtails swinging in the air.
Penelope looked at Hotch and Rossi, silently pleading for help. Getting a blank face from Hotch and a smug expression from Rossi, she gave back a small glare.
She closed her eyes and exhaled slowly before looking at the forensic scientist. "I'm not allowed to leave the country unless it's for FBI business, Abby. I'm on a list."
"What kind of list? Are you going to blow something up, what are you hiding?" Abby scowled at Penelope.
"A kind of list that you will never find out about, Abby." Gibbs stared at her, making it clear that no more will be said about it. He looked over and saw Tim choking on his water.
Ducky sighed softly. "Such a shame."
"Not entirely, Dr. Mallard." Rossi's smile was almost a smirk.
"You know something." Penelope sat up straighter. "I know that smile. Tony has the same look when he's hiding something. He always says it's an Italian thing. I says it's bologna. So tell or I'll zap your cigar account in that New York store."
"There is a conference that I've been asked to attend and I really need another agent to come with me. Also someone to take notes to on a laptop who can type more than my twenty words a minute."
"Where is this conference, Dave?" Tony asks.
"Didn't I say?" He widened his eyes innocently.
"Please tell us." Penelope scooted closer to the edge of the seat.
"Rome, Kitten. The three of us are going to Rome."
"Rome." She sighed and leaned back with a dreamy expression.
"What are you thinking about Garcie?" JJ grinned at Garcia's goofy look.
"Shoes, real leather, Italian made shoes. Ooh, and cookies, all those yummy Italian cookies."
"Now I wish I was going, too." JJ and Savannah spoke at the same time, giggled, and then stared at Rossi, each wearing a calculating look.
Rossi cleared his throat. "Now ladies…"