The weekend allowed husband and wife to recover from the week's cases and personal matters. Jen had pulled out old photo albums and more home movies to watch with Jethro on Saturday afternoon, and the two of them paid a visit to Jasper's grave sight on Sunday. Tears were shed, but it was the first time the two of them had visited the grave together. Now, they were in a rush to get back home. The girls were coming back in the afternoon and were in need of civilization. The small town their grandfather, Jackson Gibbs, lived in didn't allow much excitement. It had allowed for relaxation and helping Katie and Lizzie work on a better tan considering they spent most of the two weeks in the lake behind their grandfather's home. Jackson Gibbs missed his granddaughters spending the whole summer with him, but he was grateful for the two weeks.

He helped them load the bags into the trunk of Katie's Accord coupe. When all the bags were inside, he closed the trunk and looked at his grandchildren. "Drive carefully. Don't get a speeding ticket," he said, looking at both of them. Both had inherited a lead foot. It was coded in the Gibbs' genes.

"Don't look at me. Katie's driving," Lizzie said to him, giving her grandfather a tight hug. "We'll call when we get home." She kissed him on the cheek and didn't get away from him without another hug. He nodded his head. There was no doubt he would get a phone call letting him know they returned safely.

Katie smirked at the speeding ticket comment. She hadn't ever been able to live down the fact that she got a ticket three summers ago and ever since. Jackson chuckled at her. "With that look on your face, you look like Jenny," he told her.

"Granddaddy," she said, trying not to laugh.

"You do," he replied, giving her a tight hug. "Tell Leroy he can pick up the phone. It works both ways."

She nodded her head. "I will." She kissed his cheek and released herself from the hug. The girls told their grandfather they loved him and loaded into the car, putting on their sunglasses. He stood outside until the car was out of sight.

Lizzie looked back in the window and over to her sister. "Think mom's okay?"

Katie shrugged her shoulders while she attempted to find a radio station. "You know what last week was."

"I know…that's why I was asking. I'll handle the radio. You focus on not speeding." She picked up her phone and saw the lack of service bars. "Damn."

"We'll be out of town soon enough," Katie promised as the speedometer reached 75mph.

As soon as they were out of town, full service was granted to them. Lizzie hit speed dial 1 and waited for the person on the other end to answer. She turned the radio down and put the call on speakerphone.

Jen fished her cell phone out of her purse as it began ringing. For a few seconds, Jethro took his eyes off the road and looked over. "Bet it's Lizzie," he said.

"I know," his wife answered, finding her phone and answering. She also put the call on speakerphone. "On your way home?"

"Yeah, we left about fifteen minutes ago."

"Hey Leroy!"

Jethro rolled his eyes when he heard Katie's voice. There was only one person who called him Leroy. "What's the message, Katie?"

"You can pick up the phone. It works both ways," she told her father.

Jen bit her lip to fight the amusement and looked at her husband. She had given up telling him he needed to communicate with his father more often. He shook his head, rolling his eyes. "I know that," he grumbled. The rest of his answer drifted into more unhappy grumbling.

"Anyway, we'll be home soon," Lizzie told her parents as she looked at her sister. "And hopefully in one piece." Everyone exchanged the goodbyes and I love you's.

"Hey Katie…don't get a speeding ticket," her father said before Jen ended the call. She rolled her eyes and mumbled under her breath. They cranked up the radio and sang along or talked about anything and everything on the drive home until Lizzie received a phone call.

She answered. "Hey, what are you doing?"

"Missing you," the voice replied. From the look on her sister's face, Katie knew who had called, and it was Anthony DiNozzo. Her sister's secret relationship with the agent was safe with her.

"I missed you too."

"Where are you?"

"Driving home. We might break a record since Katie's driving."

Tony laughed. He knew how that feeling felt. After all, he had been in the car with Gibbs driving. "Want to get dinner tonight?"

Lizzie sighed. "I'd love to…but…"

"But what?"

"I can't miss dinner at home tonight. How about dessert?" She hinted, hoping he would catch on. They had been seeing each other for a little over a month, and he hadn't made too many heated advances on her which confused her. She didn't know it also confused Tony. For the first time in his life, he hadn't been chasing skirts. His eyes were focused on one skirt, and they weren't wandering either.

He picked up on the hint but played it off. "That does sound good. I'm thinking a slice of cheesecake and cappuccino would hit the spot around 9 o'clock."

"I'll see you at 9, Tony." She hung up the phone and sighed.

"What?" Katie asked, looking over at her.

"Nothing…just frustration." She threw her lip gloss at her sister when she laughed.

"I'm driving!" Katie smirked, throwing the tube of lip gloss back at her. "Don't get mad with me. I'm not the cause of your sexual frustration!"

In Georgetown, Jethro carried the dozen or so grocery bags into the house while Jen plundered around in the kitchen. She always cooked dinner for the family on Sunday, and the girls did not ever want to know what would happen if they missed Sunday dinner. Jethro took everything out of the grocery bags and set to work on his part of dinner. He would be handling the steaks. He turned when Jen started laughing to herself.

"What?"

"Nothing really…just thinking the team wouldn't ever believe I could cook."

"You're right."

Jen was an amazing cook but never had the time which was why Neomi, housekeeper and cook, was a necessity during the week. She grabbed whatever needed to be put in the fridge and put it there, bending over to open one of the lower drawers to place the lettuce in. She didn't hear any movement from Jethro. "Jethro, stop staring at my ass."

He smirked, knowing he'd been caught but didn't stop staring. Instead, he popped her on the ass. She shook her head and stood up, turning around. He still had the smirk on his face and stepped closer to her.

"Jethro," she warned him. The warning failed as he placed a kiss on her lips and slipped his hands into the back pockets of her jeans, squeezing not so gently. She broke away from the kiss. "Jethro, we have to," she said breathlessly and not able to finish her sentence before he kissed her once more. She tossed the idea of cooking dinner out of her mind and gave into the kiss, letting him take her upstairs. Making dinner could and would be delayed an hour or two.

On the open road, the Honda Accord had been pulled over. Katie watched the officer walk back to his car after she'd handed over her license, registration, and proof of insurance. She handed the items back to her sister to put them in the glove compartment.

"I told you to slow down," Lizzie told her. Not even five minutes ago, she had told Katie to slow down and set the cruise control if need be. It's usually what saved her from getting speeding tickets.

"Whatever. Shut up, Lizzie." Katie didn't want to bring a speeding ticket home to her parents. She watched the officer walk towards the car.

She smiled at him as he stood at the window. "Well?"

"You're going to get a warning. Slow it down."

"A warning?" she asked in shock.

He nodded his head. "Yes, a warning. I don't need my boss to get a call from the Director of NCIS on Monday morning, but that doesn't mean you can speed. Slow it down."

Lizzie turned her head to look out the window and bit back the laughter that was rising in her throat. There were perks to having a mother that was director of a federal agency. Katie nodded her head and took the warning from the officer. "Thank you. Have a great day," she said to him and hit the button, letting the window up. She put the car into drive and waved to the officer as the car got back onto the road. "Don't say a word."

"I wasn't going to say anything," Lizzie replied, unable to hold the laughter in any longer. "Just thank mom when we get home."

"For what?"

"Oh please, the only reason you got out of that was because the registration comes back to her, and any police in the area know who the director of every agency is around here."

Katie started to say something but kept her mouth shut, realizing her sister was right. "I hate it when you're right."

"I know." Lizzie grinned smugly.

Her sister glared and pulled the car over, getting out. She walked over and jerked the passenger door open. "You can drive."

"What if I don't want to drive?"

"Then we'll just sit here!"

"Fine. I'll drive as long as you don't act like you're three and throw a tantrum," she said, unclicking her seatbelt and getting out of the car.

Katie got into the car and slammed the door. She put on her seatbelt and shook her head. She hated her sister being right and also hated her mother's name had aided her in getting a warning. In some ways, she'd much rather have been slammed with a speeding ticket. Favoritism wasn't a favorite of hers.

Lizzie put the car into drive and waited until it was clear to get back onto the road. "Katie, let it go. You got a warning and not your fourth speeding ticket."

"Third," she corrected her.

"Third, fourth, whatever…trust me, there'll be plenty more opportunities for you to get a ticket."

Katie said nothing, knowing her sister was right for a second time. She took a drink from her bottle of water and threw her piece of gum out the window. Lizzie knew nothing would be said and turned up the volume on the radio. The rest of the drive was quiet. Jen and Jethro were coming down the stairs as they heard the car in front of the house. She was ahead of him.

"Jethro!" Jen shrieked.

"What? I heard the car," he said, pulling his t-shirt over his head. Before he knew it, a bra was being thrown at him. "Oh that," he said, catching the pink lacy bra. He forgot Jen had lost it somewhere between the kitchen and bedroom.

"Throw that in the bedroom right now before the girls come through the front door!"

"Jen, did you find your underwear?" he asked, a small smirk forming on his face.

She turned halfway and glared at him. "Yes, Jethro." She shook her head at him and walked to the door. He walked back up the stairs and threw the undergarment into their bedroom, closing the door.

She opened the front door and raised an eyebrow at Lizzie getting out on the driver's side. Jethro came to stand behind her in the doorway, following her line of sight. "I think Katie got a ticket," she told him.

"Why?" His question was answered as he saw Katie get out on the passenger side. He nodded his head and walked out the door to help the girls with their bags. "Catch up on sun?"

Lizzie nearly slammed the trunk lid shut on Katie's hand. Their father had snuck up on them. "Jesus Christ!"

He laughed and leaned in between them, taking two bags out of the trunk. He left them a bag each to carry. "Dinner's going to be late."

The girls nodded and looked at each other, surprised he hadn't said anything about the ticket. Jethro Gibbs knew all.

"Katie, your mother and I will see you in the study," he said as he walked away.

"Fuck," Katie whispered and removed her bag from the trunk. Lizzie took hers out and locked the car after the trunk closed.

"You'll survive."

The two of them walked into the house, and Jen closed the door behind them. After getting hugs, she let them go upstairs, and Lizzie let her grandfather know they had made it home. She joined her husband in the study and waited on Katie. Jethro poured two glasses of bourbon and handed one to his wife. She took the glass from him. "How are we doing this?" she asked softly.

"Follow my lead," he told her and sat down in one of the leather chairs. She took a seat next to him and crossed her legs, sipping the bourbon.

Katie entered the room quietly and stared at them. She despised how they sat side by side and gave no facial expression as to how this meeting would go. That's what happened when you were the daughter of federal agents who did interrogations regularly. She took her usual spot at the base of the fireplace and sat down, waiting for one of them to speak.

"Anything you want to share, Katie?" her father asked her.

She said nothing and stared straight ahead. She had nothing to say that they didn't previously know.

"Katharine," her mother said in a composed yet unyielding tone.

Katie looked at her parents and stood up, leaning against front of the desk. "I was pulled over for speeding, but I was given a warning. I thought it would be best if Lizzie drove the rest of the way, so she did."

"A warning?" her mother asked.

"Yes," Katie replied.

"Not a ticket?" Jethro asked his daughter.

"No ticket. You can ask Lizzie. I got a warning."

"Elizabeth," Jen called out. Lizzie had been on stand by near the entryway of the study. She was ready to come to her sister's aid.

"Ma'am?" She acknowledged as she appeared in the doorway.

"Katie received a warning for speeding? No ticket?"

Lizzie nodded her head. "Correct."

"Thank you. You can go," Jen said to her but knew she would only move three feet to the right to move out of sight from the doorway.

"How did you manage a warning? You aren't one for tears." Jethro took a sip of bourbon and waited for the answer.

"He gave me a warning because he didn't want his supervisor getting a call from the Director of NCIS tomorrow morning," she spit out hurriedly and with anger.

Her parents exchanged glances and stood up. Jethro left the study and took Lizzie by the arm, leading her to the kitchen. She didn't need to hear whatever Jen planned on saying to Katie. Jen moved toward her oldest and stood in front of her, placing her hands on her upper arms. "Look at me," she told her and Katie obliged. "If my name gets you or your sister out of trouble instead of in trouble, let it. It's not the end of the world if a connection works, Katharine. You're in Washington. Everything is about politics," she said, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her daughter's ear. "You should be grateful that I can get you out of trouble. Jasper won't ever have that luxury to use," she finished softly.

Katie nodded her head gently and gave her mother a soft yet firm hug. She took in the smell of her perfume and thought of all the things her brother hadn't been able to experience. She was lucky no matter how many times she thought she wasn't. "I didn't think of it that way," she whispered.

Jen kissed the side of her head and pulled away, smiling halfheartedly. She hadn't wanted to say that to her, but it needed to be done. "Think of it another way…your father's name would probably have gotten you into trouble."

She laughed and took her mom's hand, squeezing it. "True." The pair walked out of the study and into the kitchen. The girls helped their mother with dinner while Jethro cooked the steaks. After dinner, Jen went into the study to get a head start on Monday morning while Jethro left home to go work on the boat. Katie tagged along with him after helping her sister decide what to wear for her date.

Around 8:30, Lizzie descended the stairs and was curious as to where her mother was located in the house. The study was empty, so she went back upstairs, checking the bedroom and finding her there.

Jen glanced up from the case report she was reading. "Hey sweetheart."

Lizzie checked her make-up in the mirror before walking over and sitting down on the bed. Her mother removed her glasses and noticed the wardrobe change. "Where are you going? Another blind date?"

"For coffee. No blind dates."

"With who?"

"Kristin and Allison," she told her.

"No one else?"

Lizzie leaned over to see what the case report was about, but her mother closed it in one swift move, shaking her head. "I just wanted to see whose it was, mom."

Jen's mouth curved in amusement. She put the folder on the nightstand and looked at her daughter. "You're dodging, Elizabeth."

"Well…there's a new guy working at the coffee shop. He's cute."

Jen nodded her head. "Have fun. If you need anything, call."

"Are you going to bed early?" she asked. Her mother was in her pajamas and appeared to be fighting sleep.

"I might."

Lizzie nodded her head and gave her mother a hug. "I'll be quiet when I come in. Love you," she told her. Jen nodded her head and exchanged the words of affection. Lizzie was down the stairs and out the door, meeting Tony at the coffee shop they favored fifteen minutes later. She realized she needed to have a conversation with him and was anxious about it.