Soon enough, Emma was out of that hospital and out on the street. "How I love the terrible D.C. air!" she dramatized, making the three Muskateers laugh.
"We'll meet you at the Keatings's place." Tony smiled as he and McGee got in his car.
"Everything's already boxed up, we just need to go get it." Ziva explained as her and her niece got into the Mini.
The drive from the old house to the new was long and uneventful. Emma watched as they pulled up in front of Gibbs's house. "Gibbs lives here?"
"Yes, he used to live here with his wife and daughter, but now it's just him."
"So inside's probably gonna look like a hermit's place."
Ziva chuckled, "No, not quite. Gibbs is…full of many surprises."
Ziva was right, Gibbs was full of surprises. Her boss's house was more spotless than she had ever seen it before and the couch was freshly cleaned, leaving no evidence that he had been sleeping on it. The clutter that usually filled the fireplace mantel was neatly organized and everything was put in order. It looked like everything had been scrubbed and polished. It took Ziva aback for a moment before she proceeded to get some boxes they had brought along.
Soon the contents of Ziva's car were piled up in the front room. "Where's DiNozzo?" Gibbs asked.
"Right here, boss!" the man in question replied as he walked through the front door. "Sorry, we stopped at Beltway Burgers along the way."
"Tony, don't stand in the doorway- I'm carrying a heavy box!" McGee's voice came from behind him.
Once all the boxes were unpacked from the vehicles, it came time for them to be put away. The three new housemates stood at the bottom of the stairs bearing boxes. "Well, David, you gonna go upstairs or what?" The silver- haired man asked
She stepped aside to let her boss lead the way. He stood next to the first door and encouraged Emma to go in.
She let out a soft "woah" when she saw the room. It was the same color as her old room and it was filled with new furniture.
"Isn't this Kelly's room?" Ziva whispered.
"Was." Her boss corrected." Your room's down the hall."
After putting everything away, the group feasted on the Beltway Burgers that Tony and McGee brought.
"So when does school start?" Tony quipped.
"Next week." Ziva smiled, causing Emma to groan. "And mandatory therapy sessions start tomorrow."
"Awesome. And if I ditch?" her niece asked flatly.
"Then you get pulled out of all extracurricular activities." Gibbs responded, smirking.
"What 'extracurricular activities' could you be doing?" Tony wondered.
"Lacrosse, softball, kickboxing-"
"That'd be featherweight, right?" the agent teased.
The back-and-forth joking between Tony and Emma continued for a while, but Gibbs soon ended all the fun.
"DiNozzo, it's late and you have work tomorrow. It's about time all of us turned in for the night."
Next chapter, we get a basement scene.
In chapters to come, Abby will be up to something ;)