7:30 AM:
"Good morning." Gibbs greeted Jasper and Sterling when they woke up.
"Morning." Jasper and Sterling simultaneously greeted Gibbs.
"Is everything ok?" Jasper questioned, noticing Gibbs's face first.
"Yeah, everything is fine; I just need my coffee." Gibbs calmly answered.
"Is Haru ok?" Sterling questioned, noticing Haru pacing.
"Yeah, he needs to use the bathroom. Do either of you have to go?" Gibbs answered before inquiring, unlocking, and opening the door.
"No." Both boys answered, following Gibbs, Ariel, Haru, and Miku.
"Ok. Hold on; I'll take you out in a minute. Jasper and Sterling: stay by my desk and watch your sister—and the cat. Don't go anywhere. And unless it's Tony, Caitlin, Abby, Ducky, or Tom, do not talk to anyone or let them near you or your sister. Do you understand?" Gibbs ordered the boys to stay by his desk and watch Ariel.
"Yes, Sir." The boys happily replied.
"Good. The dog and I will be right back. Come on." Gibbs replied before taking Haru out.
"I hope Ariel wakes up soon." Jasper anxiously spoke, watching Ariel.
"Yeah, but what if she's afraid of us? She doesn't know us—and Dad already said she doesn't talk." Sterling anxiously replied.
"I guess we'll start slow. Are you happy to be here with our dad—or real dad instead of back in Road Island with Aunt June, sisters, and cousins?" Jasper replied before asking Sterling.
"Yeah. I was a little worried he wouldn't want us—or we wouldn't like him, but he's nice. And I know our sisters don't like us. The only ones who cared were Jayden, Diamond, and Sapphire. And since they went to live with their aunt and uncle, Diamond and Sapphire haven't contacted us like they swore they would. And you and I both know their aunt and uncle love and spoil them; they called us a few times at first. And Jayden—he's unable to talk to us. What about you? Are you happy here with Dad and Ariel?" Sterling sincerely answered before asking Jasper.
"Yes, I am. I know how you feel; I was nervous as well. It's nice having a sister that won't hate us because Mom and Aunt June put them on a pedestal and treated us badly. Dad won't do that. I don't know how I know, but I know he won't. And I remember. The last thing Diamond and Sapphire told us was that we were on our own now. So, here's to a new start?" Jasper answered before inquiring.
"Yes. To a new start." Sterling agreed with a smile.
"Oh, good morning. How are you two this morning? Where is your dad?" Caitlin questioned, walking to her station.
"Good morning, Ms. Caitlin. He took Haru out. He left us to watch Ariel and Miku. How are you?" Jasper and Sterling answered and questioned in tandem.
'Ok, that is kind of creepy now that I've heard actual twins talk at the same time like that.' "I'm good, thank you. Ariel's still asleep?" Caitlin replied after thinking to herself.
"Yes, Ms. Caitlin; she is." Jasper and Sterling replied, further freaking Caitlin out. They knew they were too.
Jasper and Sterling accidentally discovered a few years ago that when they said the same thing at the same time in the same tone, it sometimes freaked people out. Most times, when they do speak at the same time like that, it's by accident. But every now and then, they just like to mess with people.
"Well, I didn't know the twins from The Shining were boys; I thought they were girls." Tony teased, walking over with a flat, medium-sized box.
"Come play with us, Tony. Forever and ever and ever." Jasper and Sterling quoted the twins from The Shining. They even stood there, holding hands.
"Ok, that is just scary. You two have seen Stephen King's The Shining? You're what—six?" Tony turned to look at Jasper and Sterling.
"Yes, we have." Jasper and Sterling answered with smiles.
"We know it's not real. And in reality, while yes, Stephen King wrote the novel, The Shining, the movie was more of a Stanley Kubrick production. The book was better." Jasper spoke up.
"Did you know that the sisters weren't in the book? Their murders were only mentioned, and they weren't eight-year-old twins: one of them was eight, but the other was ten." Sterling added.
"I'm watching you two." Tony informed the boys, doing that thing with his fingers, moving them from his eyes to them and back.
"And just how did you two get a hold of that book?" Gibbs questioned, walking in with Haru, coffee, two chocolate milks, and one white milk.
"Amythyst and Aquamarine." Sterling answered.
"Actually, we got them from Diamond and Sapphire after they stole them from Amythyst and Aquamarine. We were going to give the books back to Amythyst and Aquamarine, but they destroyed our solar system models we made." Jasper explained.
"We like to read—and every book for our ages are boring." Sterling added.
"I'll find you some books that are more appropriate for you." Gibbs sighed, shaking his head.
"How many Stephen King books have you ready?" Caitlin questioned.
"Misery and Firestarter." Jasper and Sterling answered.
"We know not to speak any of the language in it." Jasper added.
"Mmmm…" Ariel started stirring awake.
"Come on. You two stay put and listen to Caitlin and Tony." Gibbs lifted Ariel into his arms and took her to the bathroom to change her.
Five Minutes Later:
"Here we go." Gibbs walked back with Ariel.
"Welcome back." Jasper and Sterling greeted, getting Ariel's attention.
"Ok. I have two people I would like you to meet." Gibbs told Ariel, setting her in front of Jasper and Sterling.
Ariel stared at Jasper and Sterling before looking at Gibbs, only to look back at them.
"Ariel, this is Jasper, and this is Sterling; they are your older brothers from me. That means they're not going to hurt you like your brother from your mother did. Ok? They won't hurt you. And I know they're excited to meet you. They got here last night when you were asleep. Jasper and Sterling, this is your younger sister, Ariel." Gibbs calmly told Ariel, introducing her to Jasper and Sterling before he introduced them to her.
"Hi, Ariel." Jasper and Sterling slowly greeted her.
Ariel stood there, watching Jasper and Sterling, studying them.
After a few minutes, Haru got up, rubbed against Ariel, walked to the boys, and sat beside their feet. He essentially told Ariel that Jasper and Sterling were safe and wouldn't hurt her.
Slowly and shyly, Ariel waved at them. And then she saw what Tony had—doughnuts. She went straight for him.
"Hi, Tiny Gibbs. What's up?" Tony questioned, oblivious to the fact that she saw the doughnuts.
"She sees the doughnuts, Tony." Caitlin informed him in a bored tone, watching Ariel stand next to Tony and look up.
"Uhhh…" "Give a doughnut, DiNozzo. I know that's a dozen box." Gibbs ordered Tony.
"Come here. Which one do you want?" Gibbs questioned, lifting Ariel to look at the doughnuts.
She didn't look long before Ariel pointed to a large, plain white doughnut with pink icing and sprinkles.
"Of course, that's the one you want. *Sigh…* Ok. Here you go." Tony sighed, giving Ariel the doughnut on a paper plate.
Once on her feet, Ariel waddled her way over to Gibbs's chair. She set the plate on the chair and started trying to pull the doughnut in half.
"Would you two like a doughnut as well?" Tony offered Jasper and Sterling.
"Can we?" Sterling and Jasper asked Gibbs.
"Go ahead. Your sister got one. It wouldn't be fair if neither of you got one either. Now, what are you doing?" Gibbs permitted Jasper and Sterling to have a doughnut before going to see what Ariel was doing.
"Can I have that one?" Jasper requested a chocolate doughnut with caramel icing and peanut crumbs.
"Can I have this one?" Sterling asked for a chocolate doughnut with chocolate icing and sprinkles.
"Sure." Tony gave Jasper and Sterling the doughnuts they requested on paper plates.
"Thank you." Sterling and Jasper thanked Tony before going to sit down by Ariel's wagon.
"Do you want this cut in half?" Gibbs asked Ariel. Ariel nodded in response.
Gibbs took the plate, placed it on his desk, and got his knife to cut the doughnut in half.
"Here you go." Gibbs gave Ariel her doughnut pieces, not believing she needed that much sugar. But he wouldn't take it from her.
"Thank you." Ariel signed to Gibbs before taking half of the doughnut.
"You're welcome. Now, what are you doing?" Gibbs questioned, watching Ariel waddle to Tony with half a doughnut. She tugged at his pant's leg.
"Hmm… What is it?" Tony questioned, looking down at Ariel. She held up the half a doughnut to him.
"Oh, that is for you. You wanted that, didn't you?" Tony questioned, confused.
"I think she's trying to share with you." Jasper told Tony, noticing Ariel pointing to the other half of her doughnut.
"Is that what you're trying to do?" Gibbs asked Ariel; she nodded her head in response.
"Well, thank you." Tony thanked Ariel before taking the partially crushed doughnut from her. She was squeezing the doughnut as she carried it to Tony. And while he wasn't thrilled about a crushed doughnut, he couldn't get mad at Ariel because she didn't understand that when you squeeze something like a doughnut, it crumbled.
"Good girl. But that's not what you tell Tony. You tell him, "You are welcome" like this." Gibbs calmly corrected Ariel when she told Tony in sign language. He showed her how to sign "You are welcome" in sign language three times before she was able to tell Tony.
"Cool. You know sign language?" Jasper and Sterling enthusiastically asked Gibbs.
"Yep. I learned a long time ago. Abby knows sign language, and Tony also knows a little." Gibbs answered, watching Jasper and Sterling as Ariel went to her doughnut.
"What about Ms. Caitlin?" Sterling questioned, interested.
"Not yet. But I'm hoping to learn." Caitlin answered.
"And you're teaching Ariel?" Jasper inquired, watching Gibbs.
"Slowly. Right now, for her, it'll be the basics. "Thank you." "You are welcome." "Yes" and "No." "Hungry." "Tired." "I love you." "Goodnight" and "Good morning." For now, that'll will have to do. If she's not going to physically speak, she needs a way to communicate somehow." Gibbs calmly answered.
"Does that mean we'll get to learn too, so that we can understand her?" Jasper and Sterling inquired, wanting to learn a new language.
"That can be done, yes. I'll get you some books, so you can study on your own. Of course, I'll teach you when I can. And I'm sure if you ask, Abby would be willing to teach you as well." Gibbs explained with a rare smile.
"Awesome!" Jasper and Sterling explained.
"Can we have something to drink?" Sterling requested.
"Right. Chocolate milk for you two and a regular milk for you." Gibbs gave Jasper and Sterling the chocolate milk he got for them and the white milk for Ariel.
"Thank you." Ariel, Jasper, and Sterling thanked Gibbs, using sign language.
"You are all welcome." Gibbs replied, watching the kids—his kids.
"Gibbs! Gibbs! Gibbs!" Abby happily called, skipping over to him with some bags.
"What is it, Abs?" Gibbs questioned, watching Abby skip over.
"I have presents." Abby happily answered with a smile.
"For who?" Jasper and Sterling inquired, watching Abby.
"For you and Ariel." Abby cheerfully answered with a smile.
"Don't forget about me: I have something for the kids as well." Ducky spoke up, walking over with a few bags.
"Not even a full day, and you're already spoiling them." Gibbs sighed, watching Abby and Ducky.
"Well, to be fair, Boss, in two hours, Ariel will have been here for a full day." Tony informed Gibbs.
"And how can you know spoil these three? Look at their little faces. Ariel is so adorable. And Jasper and Sterling are just as hansom as their dad." Abby cooed over Ariel, Jasper, and Sterling.
"Ladies first." Ducky insisted, watching Abby.
"Aww. Thank you, Ducky. Well, while Ariel is eating her doughnut, I'll start with the boys." Abby insisted, walking over to Jasper and Sterling.
"Thank you." Sterling and Jasper thanked Abby before she gave them anything.
"You are so welcome. I wasn't sure what you two liked, but I knew you were smart, so I picked you up some books and a model set each." Abby cheerfully replied.
"They like Stephen King." Tony informed Abby.
"No. Stephen King, really?" Abby questioned, looking at Sterling and Jasper, stunned.
"We've only read The Shining, Misery, and Firestarter." Jasper and Sterling simultaneously answered, freaking Caitlin and Tony out.
"Oh, that is so cool how you talk like that. And those three aren't too terrible, I suppose. Probably not the best language for you, but not terrible. You should probably stick to different reading material." Abby cheerfully insisted, shocking the boys by not being bothered by them talking simultaneously.
"I wouldn't bother trying to freak Abby out; she sleeps in a coffin, remember." Tony informed the boys, seeing their faces.
"Right." Jasper and Sterling replied, admiring Abby.
"Here you go." Abby handed the boys each a wrapped box before hanging a garbage bag on a chair.
"Goosebumps? I've never heard of that." Jasper spoke, opening a pack of five Goosebumps books:
"Night of the Living Dummy"
"Welcome to Dead House"
"The Werewolf of Fever Swamp"
"The Haunted Mask"
"One Day at HorrorLand"
"Neither have I." Sterling responded, also opening a pack of five Goosebumps books:
"Stay Out of the Basement"
"Vampire Breath"
"The Headless Ghost."
"Phantom of the Auditorium"
"The Scarecrow Walks at Midnight"
"Well, good. There are a lot more where those come from. All you have to do is look—when you are allowed to get new books or books from the library. And those are much more appropriate for your age." Abby happily insisted.
"Thank you." The boys thanked Abby again.
"Not yet. You have one more gift." Abby insisted with a smile.
"Oohh. I got a model ship building kit. What did you get?" Sterling marveled before asking Jasper.
"Cool. I got a model car building kit. Want to work on them together some day?" Jasper asked Sterling.
"Yeah." Sterling answered with a smile.
"They're something you can do together with your dad." Abby happily insisted.
"Yeah, he likes building things." Tony spoke with a smile.
"But moving on. Ariel, are you ready for your gifts?" Abby moved onto Ariel with her gifts in hand.
Ariel nodded; she had been patiently waiting as she watched Jasper and Sterling open their gifts while she ate her doughnut. She also signed "Thank you."
"You are welcome." Abby replied, handing Ariel her gifts.
The first thing Ariel opened from Abby was a soft orange and brown stuffed kitty cat. The second gift was four picture books:
A Dr. Seuss Collection
A Very Hungry Catapiller
Goodnight Moon.
Spooky Little Kitten (Halloween Cat-shaped board book)
Instead of signing anything, Ariel hugged Abby's leg.
"Aww! You are too adorable. And you are so welcome." Abby cheerfully hugged Ariel.
When Ariel let go, Jasper and Sterling went for a hug from Abby.
"Oh, of course." Abby cheerfully hugged the boys.
'I think Abby has some admirers.' Tony mouthed to Caitlin.
'It seems that way.' Caitlin mouthed back.
"Let's see what Ducky has for you now." Gibbs insisted, letting Ducky through. He and Abby had to get to work in a few minutes.
"I didn't wrap them like Abby, so I hope the bags will be ok." Ducky told Ariel, Jasper, and Sterling, handing them each a medium bag.
"Thank you." Jasper and Sterling thanked Ducky.
"Thank you." Ariel thanked Ducky in sign language.
"I don't think it matters to them, Duck." Gibbs insisted, watching the children dig into the bags.
The first things Jasper, Sterling, and Ariel pulled out were a pack of four rubber duckies:
Jasper's pack was pirate ducks.
Sterling's pack was classic monster ducks.
Ariel's pack was princess ducks.
The next thing they pulled out was a stuffed animal duck each.
Jasper's duck was blue.
Sterling's duck was green.
Ariel's duck was purple.
"Ducky got them duck stuff." Tony couldn't help but laugh a little at the pun there.
"You don't think that's all, do you?" Ducky questioned with a smile.
"You didn't have to." Jasper and Sterling insisted as Ariel hugged her duck.
"I know. As Tony stated, the duck gifts are a pun on my nickname. Everyone calls me Ducky. These are the real gifts. And again, I didn't wrap them up all fancy-like, but I did kind of wrap them. And these are kind of a necessity." Ducky insisted, handing Ariel a significant-sized gift.
At the same time, Gibbs handed Jasper his, and Tony handed Sterling his to make it easier for Ducky.
"Thank you." Jasper and Sterling thanked Ducky as they opened their gifts.
"Ahhh!" Ariel excitedly squealed when she pulled out a soft pink pillow and an extra soft plush pink, purple, blue, and black swirled blanket.
"Well, I think she likes her gift." Gibbs spoke, watching Ariel drop to the floor and start rolling around in her blanket.
Jasper got a soft dark blue pillow with an extra soft plush dark blue, pale blue, and black camo blanket.
Sterling got a soft dark green pillow with an extra soft plush dark green, pale green, and black camo blanket.
"What do you tell Uncle Ducky?" Gibbs asked Ariel.
Ariel managed to get out of her blanket, got up, and ran over to Ducky to hug him.
"You're very welcome." Ducky told Ariel, hugging her before she ran back to her blanket.
"Thank you." Jasper and Sterling thanked Ducky again.
"Oh, come here." Ducky walked over to Jasper and Sterling and hugged them. And then, he was off to the morgue to continue working on Tessa.
"Who knew a child would be so enamored with a blanket and pillow over toys?" Fornell spoke, walking over.
"What do you need, Fornell?" Gibbs questioned.
"I… Who are they?" Fornell started to answer before questioning Gibbs when he saw Jasper and Sterling.
"My twin sons: Jasper and Sterling. Yes, I know they're mine. No, I'm not giving you details. Jasper, Sterling: this is FBI Agent Fornell." Gibbs answered Fornell before introducing him to his sons and vice versa.
"Nice to meet you." Jasper and Sterling politely greeted Fornell.
"You two as well. But I'm here on business. So, as much as I hate to ruin all this, I have another lead." Fornell replied before becoming serious. He was trying to anyway; he couldn't stop smiling at Ariel.
"Ok. Give me a minute. Abby, can you take the kids with you to the lab?" Gibbs told Fornell before asking Abby.
"Of course." Abby happily replied.
"Ariel, you're going to go with Abby and your brothers to Abby's lab for a little bit. I have to go to work." Gibbs told Ariel, lifting her and her blanket into his arms before placing them in her wagon with her pillow and other gifts.
Miku was on the pillow in a heartbeat.
"Let's see. Here we go—just enough space." Gibbs noted, placing the boys' ducks, blankets, pillows, and model sets in the wagon. The boys held their Goosebumps books.
"Are you taking Haru with you?" Abby questioned, grabbing the wagon's handle.
"No. Haru is going with you. Call one of us if you figure something out." Gibbs answered before instructing.
"Yes, Sir. Come on." Abby replied before calling Sterling, Jasper, Ariel, and Haru. Miku was asleep on Ariel's pillow.
"That little girl could care less where she is right now." Fornell noted, watching Ariel in her blanket before the elevator doors closed.
Gibbs's P.O.V.:
"What did you find, Fornell?" I demanded, watching him.
"We found a body in the same condition as Tessa Grant. He also has the same type of wound patterns. I wanted to know what you want done. I have several of my agents at the site, making sure nothing happens to the body." Fornell explained, watching me.
"Where?" I questioned.
"The same spot where Tessa was found." Fornell answered.
"Well, that's a coincidence." Kate spoke.
"No such thing. Todd, go tell Ducky and have him meet us there. I'm going with Fornell. DiNozzo, get ready and meet us there with Todd. Go!" I ordered, sending everyone on their way.
"Yes, Boss!" Kate and Tony immediately did what they were told.
"Well, come on." I led the way to the elevator, with Fornell following along.
Fifteen Minutes Later:
Fornell and I arrived at the scene.
"I'll give you credit. Your team certainly knows how to guard a body." I told Fornell, following him to where the body was.
"It helps to have a large team, that's for sure." Fornell fired back.
"Agents DiNozzo and Todd do just fine." I retorted.
"Not saying that they don't. Do we have an ID yet?" Fornell replied before questioning two of his agents by a tarp.
"Not yet." The two answered.
"Ducky and Gerald will be here in a few minutes." Tony informed me, walking over with Kate.
"What's wrong, Todd?" I questioned Kate, seeing her reaction.
"This is the exact spot we found Tessa yesterday." Kate answered.
"Still think this is a coincidence, Todd?" Tony questioned, watching Kate.
"Remove the tarp." Fornell ordered his men before Tony and Kate could start arguing.
"He looks familiar. Wasn't he at NCIS yesterday?" Tony recognized the dead guy.
"This is definitely not a coincidence. His name is Evan Something or other. I don't remember his last name, but he was Tessa's gay best friend. Make sure Ducky gets the body! Fornell, DiNozzo's in charge of this case: make sure you get DiNozzo everything. DiNozzo, Todd, with me—now!" I answered, turning to head up the embankment.
"Gibbs! Where are you going?!" Fornell yelled at me.
"NCIS!" I yelled.
"What's going on, Boss?" Tony questioned, watching me.
"Sorry, we're a little late. Jethro? What's going on?" Ducky greeted us before asking.
"I have a bad feeling. Go to the body. Kate said he's in the exact same place that Tessa was. And his name is Evan." I replied, getting in the van.
"Tony, where are the damn keys?!" I snapped at Tony as he and Caitlin got in.
"Here, Boss." Tony gave me the keys from his pocket.
"Thanks." I replied, shoving the keys into the ignition, turned on the sirens, and got on the move.
"Whoa! Slow down! What's going on?!" Kate yelled from the backseat.
"Bad thing to say, Kate!" Tony informed Kate, holding onto the "oh, shit" bar.
"What's going on?!" Kate questioned again.
"I have a bad feeling! Something isn't right!" I yelled, keeping my eyes on the road.
Normal P.O.V.:
Ten Minutes Later:
Gibbs got him, Tony, and Caitlin to NCIS faster than it took to get to the scene. He got out, not bothering to shut his door.
"Ok. That man should not be allowed to drive." Caitlin spoke, shakily getting out of the van.
"Ah. You were a virgin." Tony spoke, shutting the driver's door.
"Excuse me?" Caitlin demanded, offended.
"You were a virgin to being in a vehicle while Gibbs is driving on a mission. Congratulations." Tony clarified with a smile. That smile, however, faded once they entered NCIS and saw bodies everywhere.
"Nobody's dead." Thomas spoke, walking downstairs.
"What happened? Where's Gibbs?" Tony questioned.
"Honestly, I'm not sure. Gibbs left with Fornell and then you two left a few minutes later. Once Ducky and Gerald left the lot, someone threw a smoke bomb, knocking everyone in the lobby out. Gibbs ran to Abby's lab." Thomas answered as janitors and techs brought in fans to air the place out.
"Abby's lab?" Caitlin questioned, confused.
"The kids! Come on or Gibbs will kill us!" Tony yelled, running to the elevator.
Once they reached Abby's lab, Tony and Caitlin stood there in shock.
"What happened?" Caitlin questioned, watching Abby.
Abby was sitting on her stool, holding an ice pack to her head.
"I don't know. The kids and I got to the lab, and everything was fine. Fifteen minutes or so later, there was some kind of noxious gas, and something hit me on the back of the head. I am so sorry, Gibbs." Abby answered before apologizing to Gibbs.
"This isn't on you. This is on me for not thinking this was a trap. Keep that ice pack on your head." Gibbs replied before ordering.
"Did they get anything else from the computers or anything else in here?" Caitlin questioned, looking around.
"I don't think so. Everything here is password protected. And it didn't look like anything was disturbed. I didn't even get time to turn anything on after getting the kids situated. I'm so sorry." Abby answered before apologizing again.
"Again, this isn't on you; it's on whoever took them. Whoever these people are, they took Jasper, Sterling, Ariel, and the dog. And whoever these people are, are going to pay. And if they harm a single hair on those kids or even the dog's head, they had better pray God saves them. Todd, you stay with Abby. Tony, you're with me. And for the love of God: Abby, take it easy." Gibbs dangerously threatened the kidnappers before ordering Caitlin, Tony, and Abby…