Am I writing four days ahead? Yes. Did I procrastinate until an hour before the deadline to write chapter twenty? Also yes. Did I manage to write the entire thing within said hour? Yes yet again! I hope you've been enjoying reading this story, because I've had fun writing it!

-owl


Kate rolled over yet again, not able to get to sleep. The bell had not rung for midnight yet, but it had to be soon. She had retired to her room early, hoping to get some extra sleep before the Meadth group began the journey home.

Her musing was interrupted by a soft knock on her door. Kate didn't get up, hoping whoever it was would just go away. After a minute, she knew that she would not be so lucky. With a sigh, she got up and opened the door.

Ziva and Abby were standing there, wrapped in furs, Ziva carried a candlestick, and both were grinning. Kate sighed and moved aside to give her sisters access to the room. However, neither of them entered, instead Abby pulled Kate from the room.

"Where are we going?" Kate asked as she was being pulled down the hall.

Abby laughed. "Ziva and I couldn't sleep tonight, so we thought that we'd get you and all go down to the hot springs.

Kate shook her head, but didn't fight Abby. They walked for nearly twenty minutes, the closer and closer to the hot springs, the colder it got. That did, indeed, make sense, seeing as they were going underground. Kate was even colder than the other two, as she hadn't the chance to grab a cloak or fur of any sort.

Finally they reached the hot springs, Ziva pulling open the heavy wooden door, letting a cloud of warm air exit the room. The three girls ran inside and shed their cloaks, closing the door behind them. There were dimly lit torches giving enough light to see, but also little enough to give the room a comforting atmosphere.

They all got ready and hopped into the warm water, relaxing right away. Kate was thrilled at the warmth, having been freezing cold since she had gotten out of bed. For a while the girls sat in silence.

"It's too bad that there aren't any sort of hot springs at home," Kate finally said.

Abby nodded. "Definitely. Although it was probably a good thing, otherwise I could see us spending too much time there rather than more important things."

"Kate?" Ziva asked. "Do you know what time Father was wanting to be leaving?"

Kate shrugged thinking before speaking. Gibbs had told her when he wanted to leave, but she had honestly forgotten. "I'm not sure, before the noon bell, though, at the latest. Why?"

"I was thinking that we could ride with you guys until Eareg, and say goodbye there."

Kate grinned. "That sounds like a wonderful idea! What were you thinking about?"

"If Abby wanted to go with and stay in the carriage, you or one of the others could ride Burt next to me, then at Eareg Abby and whoever can switch," Ziva said.

Abby nodded. "That sounds like it would be fun!"

They fell into a comfortable silence after that, and it was only when Abby began to fall asleep that they decided that it was time to return to their rooms. They dried off as best they could and wrapped themselves tightly in the furs that were with them. When they made it back to Kate's room, Abby ran ahead of the other two and launched herself into Kate's bed, under the blankets.

Kate laughed at Abby, but didn't demand her to get out of the bed, instead joining her. With an amused sigh, Ziva followed suit.

"Ziva?" Kate asked.

"Hm?" Ziva responded, almost asleep.

"Did you have someone put a warming pan in my bed after we left?"

"Mm-hm."

Abby was already asleep, as was Ziva. Kate smiled and let herself drift off in the warmth of the bed, happy to have her sisters beside her for the first time in years. They used to do sleepovers more often, and Kate had to admit that she missed them.


Kate was woken by a knock on her door. Groggily she sat up and was about to tell whoever was at the door to enter when another voice did so. The door opened and Kate saw Jenny standing there. Beside her she could feel someone sitting up, and Kate rushed to do the same. Ziva had been the one to answer the door, as Abby, on her other side, was still asleep. Right, the sisters had had a sleepover in Kate's room the night before.

"Kate," Jenny said quietly, trying not to wake Abby. "Your father wants to be leaving soon. Are you ready?"

Kate nodded. "Yes. I got my stuff ready last night."

Jenny nodded and left the room, closing the door quietly behind her.

Kate turned to Abby, gently nudging the older girl. Abby swatted at Kate and rolled over, facing the wall. Kate shook her head, but she and Ziva got out of the bed and watched Abby as she rolled over once more, and fell off the bed.

"Ow!" she exclaimed.

Kate and Ziva laughed as Abby stood up, an annoyed look on her face.

"We will meet you down in the courtyard when you are ready," Ziva said, pulling Abby with her from the room.

Kate watched them go down the hall, and when they turned the corner, she returned inside her room and got dressed for the day. She wore her typical winter traveling clothes. Trousers were layered above long socks and a long slip. Then she put on her thick, woolen, long sleeved dress. Wrapping her fur cloak around herself, she clasped it at her throat. Boots were pulled onto her feet, and she grabbed her muff after putting up her hood.

As she left her room, a servant was waiting outside to take her things down to the carriage. Rather than risk getting lost, Kate followed the servant through the castle. Eventually they made it down to the courtyard where the Meadth carriage was ready. The eight horses were harnessed, and the coachman was waiting by the door. Ziva was astride her black stallion, and next to her was Abby's horse, Burt, saddled up.

Abby was climbing into the carriage, and behind her was Ducky. Once she saw Kate, Jenny also got in. Gibbs was standing by the horses, talking to Tony, serious expressions on their faces. Jimmy was just running towards them, wrapped in more cloaks than normal. He grinned at Ziva, and mounted Burt. That made sense, Kate figured, Ziva had had time with everyone in the Meadth group already. Except Jimmy.

Kate herself waved goodbye to Tony and McGee before getting in the carriage as well. Once seated next to Abby, she plunged her hands into her muff.

Outside, Kate heard Gibbs talking to Ziva. "Just until Eareg?"

"Yes. Abby and I will need to get back long before dark."

Then Gibbs hopped into the carriage and the coachman closed the door with a 'snap.' Then there was the sound of two horses trotting out of the courtyard before the carriage lurched into motion. Kate was looking forward to getting home. Yes, she would miss her sisters again, but there was something about home that she missed.

Kate let herself sink into the plush cushions on the benches. Her hands were finally getting warm and she was glad she had thought to bring her muff with her. Now, after her late night, Kate let herself be lulled to sleep by Ducky and Abby's conversation.


When she woke, the carriage was slowing down to a stop. They must have reached Eareg. After a chorus of tearful goodbyes, Jimmy had taken Abby's previous seat, and they were on the move again.

"Did you have a late night with Abby and Ziva ?" Jenny asked Kate. "I thought I saw you retire early."

Kate nodded. "They practically dragged me out of bed an hour or less before midnight, I wasn't asleep anyways, and showed me the hot springs that they had found while mapping the siege tunnels last summer. Then, when we came back upstairs, Abby insisted on a sleepover in my room."

"That was probably better than in either of theirs!" Jimmy put in. All he got in response was silence. "Sorry," he apologized, turning to face the window.

Ducky shook his head with a twinkle in his eye. He was also too used to Jimmy's random comments, as he often put his foot in his mouth.