**Chapter One - Better Together**

**December 20, 2013 - Tony and Abby's House**

Gibbs rested his paint roller in the tray and wiped his hands on his jeans. "Be right back. Gotta get the ladder."

"Alright." Tony said, continuing to paint the wall. He wasn't a huge fan of the pepto-bismol color that his daughter had picked for her new bedroom, but he couldn't stand to see her cry, so he had no choice but to paint it.

The sound of his little girl's footsteps on the stairs made him turn his head, watching as she rounded the corner and ran into his legs, hugging them tightly.

"Daddy!"

"Hey you! How's my girl?"

"Mommy not do my hair good. You do it."

Crouching down, he placed his roller in its tray and smoothed her blonde curls before pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Your hair looks perfect, princess."

She crossed her arms over her chest, pouting. "I wan' piggytails!"

"Daddy's hands are all messy with paint, Em. Can't you let Mommy put your hair in piggytails just for today?"

"No!" She cried, stomping her feet. "I wan' Daddy to!"

"Just do her hair, DiNozzo." Gibbs smirked, walking back upstairs carrying his ladder.

"Papa!" The toddler squealed, jumping into his arms as soon as he set the ladder down.

The older man smiled, picking her up. "Hello, beautiful. Where's your Mommy?"

The woman in question stepped into the bedroom, carrying her daughter's favorite stuffed animal. "I'm right here. Hey, Gibbs." Turning to her fiancé, she narrowed her eyes at him. "Tony, when are you gonna teach her about the stairs?"

"She's almost three, Abs. I think she can handle stairs." He sighed, cupping her face in his hands and kissing her. Pulling away, he frowned at the look she was giving him. "Okay, I'll talk to her about it. After lunch though. I'm starving.

She rolled her eyes at him. "You and your stomach, DiNozzo. You're gonna eat us outta house and home."

"Good thing I pay the bills then, huh?" He teased, kissing her again. "So, what did my girls pick up to eat?"

"Chi'ese." Emma said, smiling brightly. "I help after lunch, Papa?"

"Ah...that's up to your Mom and Dad, munchkin. I'm not gettin' involved." The silver-haired man smiled, moving toward the door with the little girl in his arms.

He chuckled quietly when he saw the girl's parents kiss before Tony pulled his fiancée into an embrace that Gibbs could only assume was his form of an apology. He had to admit that he had been pleasantly surprised by the strides the couple had made over the past 3 years.

The time they had spent in New Orleans during Abby's pregnancy made their relationship blossom in ways that would have been impossible under different circumstances. They had come to realize that neither of them were afraid to simply walk away if things went south, and that knowledge made them want to fight that much harder for what they had.

Gibbs entered the kitchen and set Emma in her chair before pulling the food containers out of the bags that were on the table. "Whatcha wanna eat, Em?"

"Eggroll, Papa. Can I have milk?"

"Sure." He said, pulling the eggrolls out of the bag and placing two on a plate for her. He went over to the refrigerator and pulled out the drinks that Abby had placed inside, handing the toddler her cup. "There you go. Are you excited about your new room?"

She nodded, a wide grin on her face as her curls bounced around. "Daddy say I get big girl bed!"

"You sure do, sweetheart." Tony said, ruffling his daughter's hair as he passed her. "And you should thank your Papa, he made it for you."

"Thank you, Papa!"

"Don't have to thank me, baby girl." He said, pressing a kiss to his surrogate granddaughter's forehead. "Happy Birthday."

The adults took seats at the table and began eating, taking the opportunity to enjoy their short break. They had been using every extra minute they could scrounge up between work and sleep, trying to get moved in before Abby's family came up to stay with them.

Glancing over at the clock on the stove, Abby sighed and finished her drink before she turned to Tony.

"We've gotta get to the airport. Their flight lands in an hour."

"You sure you don't want me to go with you?"

"You're not gettin' outta finishin' Em's room that easy, DiNozzo." Gibbs smirked, ignoring the pout on his agent's face.

"I wanna help, Papa!"

"Emma, Daddy and Papa have to finish painting. Don't you wanna go see cousin Jack?" Abby asked, pulling her parka on.

"No!" The little girl yelled. "I wanna help! Oh pease, Daddy? Pretty pease?"

"Sorry, baby. Mommy's right. Papa and I have to finish your room so you can sleep tonight." The Italian stood and lifted his daughter out of her chair before helping her into her jacket and beanie. "If you're a good girl, maybe I can talk Mommy into letting you help when you get back." He said, standing up and looking over at his girl hopefully.

Abby cocked her eyebrow at him. "Okay..." She conceded, leaning up and kissing her lover. "When we get back, she can help."

"Thank you." He whispered, nuzzling her neck.

"She's got you wrapped around her little finger, T. It's unfair, really." She smirked, separating herself from him and poking him playfully. "Go on, get back to work, lazybones. We'll be back in a bit."

The Goth scooped her daughter up and carried her out to the car, strapping her into her seat before driving to the airport. When they arrived, they parked the car and headed for the terminal to wait for Bradley's flight to land.

Emma started to get tired after 30 minutes of waiting for their family to come into the terminal, causing her to be antsy.

"Mommy..." She whined, pulling on the raven-haired woman's jacket impatiently. "I wan' ice cream!"

"Maybe after everyone gets here, Em. It's just a few more minutes." She said, silently praying that it was true. She released a heavy sigh of relief when she saw them rounding the corner, leaning down and pointing them out to her daughter. "Look, Emma! Who's that up there?"

"Jackie!" The toddler cried, running toward her cousin.

The fifteen year old knelt down and let her run into his arms, holding her tightly as he stood up. "Hey Mimi!" He grinned, using his nickname for his cousin. "How's my favorite girl?"

"Tired." Abby said, catching up to them. "20 says she passes out on the way home."

Jack nodded. "I'll take you up on that." He pressed a kiss to her cheek and smiled. "Missed you guys, Auntie."

"Missed you too, Jackie. Really grew since I last saw you!"

"Almost taller than me." Bradley said, sneaking up behind his sister and hugging her.

"Hey!" She grinned, turning in his arms and hugging him back. "Where are B and Jeremy?"

"Bathroom. Had to change his diaper." He watched as his niece laid her head on his Jack's shoulder and closed her eyes, holding onto him for dear life. "She's not gonna make it to the car."

"Eh." She shrugged. "Been trying to get her to take a nap all day."

Offering her brother a bright smile, she turned at the sound of her sister-in-law's voice.

"Where's my little angel?" Britty called, offering the Goth a smile, shifting her son in her arms.

"She's about to fall asleep. Don't you go gettin' her all wound up." Abby warned, holding her arms out for a hug. She laughed when Britty ignored her, setting her 2 year old son on the ground and reaching for her left hand.

"Let me see that rock!"

She rolled her eyes and held out her left hand, proudly displaying the black diamond engagement ring that Tony had given her on their anniversary a week earlier.

"Oh! Its gorgeous, Abby!" The redhead gushed, hugging her tightly. "I'm so glad you decided to say yes. Your Mama would have wanted you to have a nice wedding."

"I know." She nodded, pulling back from her friend. "C'mon, B. You tryin' to make me tear up here?"

"TeeTee Abby!"

She looked down at the little boy that was pulling on her leg and smiled. "There's my monster!" Leaning down, she scooped him up and kissed his cheek, laughing when he wiped at the mark her lipstick left behind.

"We should get goin', Abs. Looks like its starting to snow."

"Again? It's barely let up at all the last week!" She groaned, shifting her nephew to her hip. "Its times like this I wish we had moved to New Orleans."

"Yeah, 'cause the hurricane season is a big draw." Bradley said sarcastically.

Abby rolled her eyes at her brother and punched him gently. "Alright. Let's go before it gets worse. I don't have chains on the Explorer."

The group made their way out of the airport and piled into the car. After getting the toddlers into their car seats, they took off, heading back to the house.

When they arrived, both of the babies were asleep in the backseat. Abby parked the car and climbed out, heading around back to get her daughter out.

"You can bring JR upstairs, B. We'll put 'em in the spare room."

The slightly older woman nodded, unbuckling her son and following her sister-in-law into the house while her husband and son grabbed their luggage out of the rear of the SUV.

"This place is adorable, Abby. Good for you guys, gettin' yourselves a house." Britty said when they reached the guest room, laying their children down on the king sized bed. "Where's Tony, anyway?"

"Right here." The Italian whispered, laughing when the redhead jumped.

"DiNozzo!" She cried, smacking him on the chest. "Don't sneak up on me like that!"

"Aww, I missed you too, Britty." He said, kissing her on the cheek. "How was your flight?"

"Pretty good. Jeremy didn't take well to the plane. He threw up on the stewardess."

Abby laughed, leaning up and pressing a kiss to Tony's lips. "I'm gonna get dinner started. Wanna do the tour for me?"

"Sure, sunshine." He grinned, watching as she left the room. "Alright. Um, here's your room."

"Yeah, I figured as much." Britty smirked. "Hey, congratulations on the engagement."

"Thanks. I only had to ask her 3 times before she accepted, but..." He shrugged. "She's worth the wait."

The younger woman nodded. "She's lucky to have you, T. Most guys wouldn't ask once, much less take three turn-downs."

"I know that there were other issues. She was sure to make it clear that I wasn't the reason she said no. Besides, where else am I gonna go? I'm sure as hell not gonna leave my baby girl behind."

She nodded, pleased with his answer. "You did good, Tony. The ring is gorgeous."

Tony smiled brightly, soaking up the praise. "Really? You think so?"

"I do." The redhead patted his arm. "Now, show me the rest of this place!"

While Tony was giving Britty the grand tour of their new house, Abby went downstairs to start cooking dinner, startling slightly when she saw Gibbs chopping vegetables in the kitchen.

"Hey, Gibbs. You don't have to cook for us."

"Consider it my housewarming gift." He said, offering her a half smile. "You're gonna have a full house."

She chuckled, sitting on a barstool. "Yeah, I guess we are." Shrugging, she rested her head on her hands. "I don't mind it. Always had a full house when I was a kid, even after my parents died. It's Tony I'm concerned about. He doesn't know what to do with all these people around. Shoulda seen him on Christmas in New Orleans."

Gibbs chuckled quietly. "He'll be fine, I think. As long as he's got you and Em, everything else is gravy."

The Goth smiled. "All this is a little overwhelming, you know? The house, the engagment, the wedding. It's like...sometimes I think we're doin' too much, too fast."

The silver-haired man shrugged, taking the vegetables he had sliced and placing them on the grill pan next to the steak. "I don't know what to tell ya, Abs. If you ask me, it's overdue."

"Yeah." She looked down, twisting her engagement ring on her finger. "I just...I guess I need some reassurance. I need to know that we're doin' the right thing here."

He walked back over to the counter and leaned in close to her. "You two have been playin' at this for as long as I've known you. No one deserves this more." He pressed a soft kiss to her forehead and smiled. "Just take it one day at a time."

Her green eyes met his sharp blue ones and she nodded. "Thank you, Gibbs." She wiped at the wetness that was building under her eyes and she giggled quietly. "Look at me. A blubbering mess."

"Maybe, but you're *my* blubbering mess." Tony interjected, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her back against his chest. "What's wrong, baby? Is the boss messin' up our new kitchen?"

"Right." Gibbs said, pushing himself off the counter and turning back to the grill that was on the stove. "I don't think *I'm* the one she has to worry about when it comes to ruinin' her kitchen."

"Funny, Gibbs." He said, kissing his girl's neck. "I'll have you know, I've become quite the cook over the past few months."

"Cookin' what, Tony?" Britty asked, walking into the kitchen with her husband and oldest son in tow. "Macaroni and Cheese? Spaghetti O's?"

He frowned, putting his hands up. "You guys always manage to squeeze every last bit of confidence I have right out of me."

Abby giggled, turning on her stool and pulling him down for a kiss. They were both smiling when they parted, and as they looked into each others' eyes, she knew things would work out.

**Later That Night**

Abby wrapped her robe around her body and stepped out of the bathroom, making her way over to the bed. She sat on the edge and dried her hair with her towel, staring at herself in the mirror that hung on the bedroom wall.

"What's the matter, Abs?" Tony asked, sitting behind her and taking the towel, continuing to dry her hair gently.

She shook her head, smiling at him through the mirror. "It's nothing."

"Don't lie to me, please." He set the towel down and pulled her back against his chest, holding her close. "If it's something I did..."

"No, no." She chuckled, leaning her head on his shoulder. "You've been...awesome. Thank you."

"For what?"

"Gettin' us moved in so fast. I know that it's been hard work, and we haven't seen much of each other the last week, but it means a lot to me to have BB and everyone here."

The Italian smiled down at her. "Anything to make you happy, you know that." He explained, slipping her robe off one of her shoulders and kissing her bare skin. "I'll be more than happy to accept a show of gratitude, though."

She rolled her eyes and turned around in his arms, pushing him back until he was lying down on the bed. She smiled and crawled over him, pressing her body against his through the silk of her robe. "You know we can't...not with Britty and BB next door."

He groaned, closing his eyes as she kissed his chest. "You...this is our house, you know. We can do whatever we want."

She stopped her ministrations and rolled off of him, slipping under their blankets.

He jumped up and pinned her, slipping the robe off her body as he joined her under the sheets.

"I promise I'll keep you quiet. We have yet to christen the room, and it has to be done sometime."

"Oh..." The Goth teased, lifting her hips against his as he kissed his way down her body. "So this is...what? A chore?"

He pulled his lips away from her belly and looked up at her, his eyes wide. He slid back up her body and kissed her deeply, pressing his growing erection against her thigh. "That feel like a chore to you?" He growled, his voice deep.

"Mommy!"

Tony nearly screamed in frustration, flopping back against his side of the bed at the sound of his daughter's voice. "No fucking way. I've been cock-blocked by a three year old."

Abby laughed, slapping him on the chest gently. "I'm sorry, baby."

He rolled over and wrapped his arm around her, pouting. "Maybe...if we let her be, she'll go back to sleep."

"You know that won't work, T. I've gotta go see what's wrong." She slipped out from under the sheets and grabbed her robe, pulling it on before heading to the door. "I'll be right back."

Slipping out into the hallway, Abby made her way to her daughter's bedroom, frowning when she found the little girl sitting upright in the middle of her bed, her face red from crying.

"What's the matter, Em?" She asked as she sank down on the edge of the bed, pulling her daughter close.

"I sleep with you?" She asked, sniffling as she swiped a hand over her tear-stained face.

"You gotta sleep in your big girl bed, baby. We talked about this, remember?"

"I don' wanna!" She sobbed, burying her face against her mother's side, her tiny body shaking as she cried.

It took Abby nearly ten minutes to quiet her down and another fifteen to get her settled enough to even attempt sleep. She waited until she was positive that Emma had drifted back off, her little pink blanket tucked safely between her fingers before she hurried out of the bedroom and back to her fiancé.

She entered the room quietly, the corners of her mouth curving into a grin when she saw him lying on his back, having fallen into a deep sleep. She draped her robe over the end of the bed and climbed back under the blankets, curling up next to her lover.

Trailing her hand down his stomach, she was pleased when she found that he was still half hard. She wrapped her hand around his length and stroked him slowly, not wanting him to wake up yet.

She could barely stifle her giggle when she felt him thrust into her hand, a quiet moan escaping him. Pushing herself up just a bit, she tightened her grip around him before she leaned over, pressing soft kisses along his jaw line.

"Gonna wake up and play with me?" She whispered, her breath tickling his face.

"Not nice to tease." He muttered, his voice thick with sleep. He released a gasp when she squeezed him gently. "Holy fuck."

"You like that, huh?" She giggled, nipping playfully at his scruffy chin. "And who says I'm only teasin'?"

He was on her before she had an opportunity to react, rolling her soft body under his and attacking her neck and breasts with his mouth.

"Wow...someone's desperate." She chuckled, moaning slightly at the feel of his tongue on her skin. "But I'm running the show, Mr. DiNozzo."

He raised his head, clearly surprised by her insistence, and she took the opportunity to flip them back over, pinning his arms above his head. "Lemme give you that show of gratitude you were talkin' about."

The Goth kicked the sheets of their king sized bed back, leaving her fiancé exposed, which only served to make him harder. She licked her lips and looked into his eyes, giggling again when he shivered and gripped the headboard with his hands. Ducking her head, she started kissing her way down his chest, slowing down the closer she got to his arousal.

"I..." He swallowed hard, using every bit of his self control to keep his hands holding the headboard. "You're teasin' me again."

"Not teasing." She purred, allowing her teeth to graze the sensitive skin near his hips.

He gasped quietly when she nipped him. Closing his eyes, he sucked in a deep breath, willing himself to remain still.

She glanced up at him, barely stifling her laugh before she moved, taking him in her mouth.

The feeling of her warm mouth around him was nearly enough to make him lose it. He moaned pitifully, lifting his hips as he thrusted into her mouth. "Oh God...A...Abby..."

Repositioning herself between his legs, she grabbed his hips, holding him down as she pulled away, running her tongue over his cock.

"Easy." She teased, cocking an eyebrow at him. "So easy. You love this, don't you?"

He couldn't respond as she took him in her mouth again, running her teeth carefully along the underside of his shaft.

"Oh f...fuck."

She covered him with her mouth again, taking him as deep as she could, her tongue coaxing him closer to his release with every pass. She moaned, knowing that it would drive him wild, and she smiled around him when she felt his body begin shaking.

"B...baby, please...I'm gonna come."

Lifting her head, she offered him a devious grin and wrapped her hand tightly around the base of his cock, squeezing gently. "Not yet you don't. I'm not done playing with you."

He groaned loudly, his hips twitching despite his attempts to stay still. "You're killin' me, Abs."

"Just a little longer..." She teased, ducking her head and lapping at him gently. He was about to protest again when she swirled her tongue around the head of his penis, making her smirk when his words caught in his throat.

His gripped the headboard tightly with both hands, his entire body tensing as he exploded in her mouth with a pitiful groan.

The Goth swallowed quickly before she pulled away, licking her lips obscenely. Leaning down over his exhausted body, she kissed him hard, allowing him to taste himself on her.

Tony moaned weakly as he reached up, tangling his long fingers in her hair. "That was..." He managed, completely breathless when she pulled away. "Fucking amazing."

"Tell me somethin' I don't know." Abby smirked, moving off of him. She curled up next to him and rested her head on his chest, her fingers tracing patterns on his abdomen gently. "I love you."

"Mmm...I love you too." He moaned, running his large hands over her bare skin. "Baby, what about you? I could show you a good time, you know."

She shook her head, pressing a soft kiss to the center of his chest. "No, no, no. Tonight was for you. Me showing my appreciation for everything you've done."

"Well...I'd like to show my appreciation to you as well." The Italian smiled, his hand drifting down her stomach.

"Not tonight, T."

He frowned. "You know I don't like it when I'm the only one to get any."

The raven-haired woman grinned. "And that makes you an excellent lover. But I'm too tired to enjoy it. I will, however, accept your repayment in the morning, if you want."

"Of course I want to."

Leaning over, she pressed a kiss to his lips before she laid back down, snuggling closer to his side.

They both fell silent as they laid there, their room dark save for the soft moonlight filtering in through the partially open curtains. Releasing a contented sigh, Tony shifted just slightly on the bed, drawing her closer before he ran his hand down her bare back slowly, enjoying the feel of her smooth skin beneath his fingers.

"Love you." He murmured, closing his eyes as he relaxed against the pillows.

"Love you too." Abby replied, pressing her face against his bare chest. She closed her eyes and breathed in his scent, content to lay next to him in the silent darkness of their bedroom.

The Italian looked down at his girl worriedly, feeling her cling to him as if she was holding on for dear life. "Hey..." He whispered, cocking his head so he could see her eyes. "What's the matter?"

He felt her breath hitch slightly and he frowned, feeling his chest tighten. "Baby..." He pleaded, tipping her chin up toward him. "Is this about what happened in the kitchen earlier?"

She tried pulling her chin away from him, but he held onto it gently, letting her know that he wasn't going to drop the subject that easily. "I..." She closed her eyes, cursing under her breath when she felt a single tear fall. "I'm alright. Or...I will be."

"Abby...don't do this, please. Don't start hiding from me. We're about to get married, we have a daughter and a new house...we can't afford to keep secrets."

The Goth remained quiet, pushing herself up and sitting against the headboard with her knees pulled up to her chest.

He sat up and watched her carefully, noting the way that she refused to make eye contact with him. "You...you're having doubts about us."

Her head immediately snapped up and she swallowed hard, tears welling up behind her eyes. "No. No, I'm not." She released her knees and situated herself under his arm, placing her hand on his chest gently. "I'm sorry that I let you think that."

"If...if it's not that, then what's the problem? I mean...I thought we were finally past all this, Abs."

"We are! I couldn't be happier than I am right now. It's just...I'm feeling a little overwhelmed."

Tony sat back a little, looking at her curiously. "What do you mean?"

"You don't think that this is all coming a little quickly? I mean, like you said, we've got a new house, we're about to have a wedding..."

He cut her off with a deep kiss, his left hand tangled in her hair, his right hand finding hers and touching her engagement ring. When they parted he searched her green eyes, looking for the doubt he had seen in them only a few minutes earlier.

"Yeah...I know it feels like this is all happening kinda fast, but I'm okay with that. You know why?"

Abby's voice was quiet when she spoke. "Why?"

"Because...no matter how crazy things get, I'm exactly where I wanna be." He smiled at her and pressed another deep kiss to her lips. "Look. I can't guarantee that there won't be tough times. I can't guarantee that at some point, one or both of us aren't gonna want out of this. But, I can guarantee that I'll be here for you and Emma forever, because I know that in my heart, as long as I have the two of you, everything else will work out."

**Chapter Two - Look After You**

**Three Days Later - December 23, 2013**

"JJ..." Emma moaned, sitting up in her bed.

Jack's eyes popped open at the sound of his cousin's voice and he sighed heavily, slightly irritated at the little girl for having woken him up. The toddler had begged him to sleep in her room for the past two nights, telling him that she needed him to 'keep the monsters away'.

"Mimi, go back to sleep, baby. It's too early to wake up."

"Tummy hurts." She said, her voice slightly hoarse.

Jack almost told her to lay down, that her stomach would feel better in the morning, when she released a deep cough. Sitting up, the teenager frowned, climbing out of the sleeping bag at the foot of the girl's bed and moving to sit next to her.

He pulled her close to his side and pressed a gentle hand to her forehead, his frown deepening when he felt her burning up. "Em, c'mere."

She obeyed wordlessly, allowing her cousin to pick her up and carry her to the bathroom, sitting her on the counter as he dampened a washcloth with some cool water. He applied the cloth to her forehead and smiled sadly, taking in her pale skin and droopy eyes.

He cradled her to his chest as she sat on the counter, rocking her back and forth quietly when she suddenly pulled away and turned toward the sink, vomiting violently. Jack pulled her blonde curls back away from her face and held them, rubbing her small back until she was done.

The little girl was sobbing uncontrollably, not quite understanding what had just happened to her. She allowed Jack to stand her on the floor and take her soiled pajamas off, tossing them into the laundry hamper that sat behind the bathroom door. He wrapped her up in a large fluffy bath towel to keep her warm and rinsed out her mouth, reassuring her that she was okay the whole time.

"It's alright, Mimi. You didn't do anything wrong." He said, smoothing her curls back and wiping her eyes with a corner of the towel she was wrapped in. "I bet your tummy feels a little better though, huh?"

Emma nodded, tears flowing down her cheeks as she sniffled, reaching up to wipe her nose. "I wan' my Daddy!" She cried, fresh tears mixing with the ones that were beginning to dry.

Jack hesitated, not wanting to disturb his aunt and uncle, although he was sure they would want to know that their daughter had woken up sick. "Um..." He said, his chest tightening at the sound of his cousin's sobs. "Okay, okay, baby girl. C'mere."

She reached out for the teenager, curling into a ball in his arms when he lifted her, burying her face against his neck. He stepped out of the bathroom and down the hallway, pausing outside of the door to the master bedroom.

Shifting Emma in his arms, Jack released a sigh and raised his hand to knock loudly on the door, praying that his aunt and uncle weren't in the middle of anything.

"Auntie Abby?" He called, frowning when Emma's cries intensified.

Forcing his eyes open, Tony frowned at his daughter's cries. Glancing over to make sure his girl was still asleep, he climbed from the bed, pulling his boxers on before he made his way over to the door.

The Italian frowned when he saw his nephew standing at the door holding his sobbing daughter wrapped up in a bath towel. "What's wrong, Jack?"

"Daddy..." The toddler sobbed, reaching for her father. She immediately calmed once she was in his arms, burying her face in his neck the same way she had with her cousin. Her little fingers curled in his chest hair gently, an action that provided comfort for her, letting her know that she was close to her father.

"I'm sorry, Uncle Tony. She woke me up coughing, when I got up I saw she had a fever, so I took her to get a wet cloth, then she threw up in the sink." He hesitated again, shifting from one foot to the other as he looked at his sick cousin. "I'll clean up the bathroom. I mean...I don't think she wants anyone but you, and it really should get cleaned."

Tony nodded, reaching out with his free hand and patting the teenager on the shoulder. "Thanks for takin' care of her, J. Means a lot."

He nodded, offering a half smile. "I just hope she feels better soon. I know it sucks bein' that sick." Leaning over, he pressed a soft kiss to Emma's upturned cheek and squeezed her little hand gently. "Feel better, Mimi."

The older man smiled, watching Jack retreat to the bathroom to clean up where his daughter had vomited. He re-entered his bedroom and grabbed a pair of his workout sweats from the drawer before heading into Emma's room to grab similar items for her, as well as her stuffed bear and her favorite pink blanket.

She was still sobbing quietly when he made it to the bottom of the stairs, turning into the living room and sitting on the plush leather couch. He shifted his little girl, settling her on the couch next to him.

"Here we go, Princess. Let's get some warm clothes on you, then we can watch a movie, okay?"

She nodded weakly, her body limp as Tony dressed her in the pair of long johns he had grabbed from her drawer. When he was done, he pressed a kiss to her forehead and leaned her against the pillow on the couch, standing up to pull on his own sweats before grabbing the blanket off the back of the recliner.

He settled himself in the corner of the long couch and pulled his daughter over to cuddle with him while he found a movie for them to watch. Emma was asleep against his chest before he had the opportunity to start their DVD, her thumb in her mouth and her blanket threaded between her fingers. Her head rested on her father's chest, rising and falling with his breathing pattern.

The Italian pulled the heavy blanket over their bodies and dropped his head back against the couch cushions as the movie played, hoping to sneak in a few hours of sleep before Emma woke up again.

**Four Hours Later - 0600 Hours**

Abby woke up as the alarm went off, rolling onto her back and stretching sleepily. She turned her head to the side and was surprised when she saw that Tony was gone. Climbing out of bed and pulling her robe on, she made her way downstairs, wondering silently where her lover had gone, when she heard the TV on in the living room.

Walking in, she saw the title screen for one of Emma's movies playing, and she moved further into the room, smiling at the sight of her daughter sleeping soundly on Tony's chest as they laid on the couch.

She leaned down and smoothed her little girl's hair, frowning slightly when she felt the heat radiating off of her head.

A quiet whimper escaped Emma as her eyes fluttered open sleepily. "Mommy?" She sniffled, lifting her head off her father's chest.

"Hi baby." The Goth responded, offering her daughter a smile. "What's the matter? Is my girl sick?"

Abby frowned when she saw the tears welling up in her eyes. Reaching out, she moved to lift the little girl from her father's chest when Emma accidentally caught Tony between the legs with her knee.

The older man's eyes shot open as a quiet groan escaped him before he moved to double over, holding himself.

She gasped, shifting the toddler on her hip as she tried to restrain her laughter. "Are you okay?" She asked, covering her mouth when a little giggle escaped.

"Not...funny." He managed, still groaning as he tried to straighten his body out. "Hurts."

Emma whimpered, seeing the tense look on her father's face. "I sorry, Daddy. I give you boo-boo."

His expression softened almost immediately when he saw his little girl's tears. "Oh, no...Princess. It wasn't your fault, sweetheart. Daddy's not mad at you." He stood up and reached out for her, pulling her close when she wrapped her little arms around his neck. "Daddy's not mad."

"How long have you two been down here, Tony?" The raven-haired woman asked, rubbing her daughter's back as she held tightly to her Daddy.

He glanced at the clock on the DVD player and shrugged. "I think Jack woke me at...2? I'm not really sure, baby." He offered her a small smile as their toddler stopped crying, her remaining tears soaking into Tony's sweatshirt. "He said she was coughing, she had a fever, and she threw up in the bathroom."

"Oh...Em..." Abby frowned deeply, pressing a kiss to the back of her daughter's head. "Why didn't you wake me, T?"

"You've got a lot of stuff to do today, and I knew you needed your sleep. I had it under control, baby."

"I know. I..." She sighed, running a hand through her hair. "I'll call her doctor. I'm gonna have to put off the wedding stuff until next week."

"Abs." Tony protested, lying Emma on the couch when he noticed she was back asleep. "C'mon, baby. I'll stay here with her, okay? Her fever's gone down since last night, and if anything else comes up, I'll call. Her doctor's only gonna tell us to give her fluids and let her rest."

She hesitated, looking down at her little girl curled up on the couch. "I...I don't know, T. I've never left her when she's sick."

He stepped behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her back against his chest. "Abby...everything will be okay. I promise. It'll be a Daddy-Daughter day. We'll hang out and watch movies. If she gets hungry, I'll fix her some lunch."

"Yeah." She chuckled, turning in his arms and pressing a kiss to his lips. "That's what worries me."

"You wound me, baby." He pouted, returning her kiss. "You'll be back soon enough, okay? Let me hold down the fort."

The Goth sighed. "Okay." She pulled away from him and took a deep breath, looking back at her little girl. "Okay."

"Go get ready, sunshine. Zee's coming over soon, isn't she?"

Abby nodded. "Yeah. I gotta wake Britty up too. When she gets here, could you get the door?"

"Sure thing." Tony agreed, pecking her on the cheek before she took off up the stairs. He smiled and sat down on the couch next to his sick daughter, rubbing her back gently as she continued to sleep.

Emma stirred just long enough to crawl onto her father's lap, curling up against his chest again. He grinned to himself and held her close, relaxing against the cushions and allowing himself to fall back to sleep as well.

He woke about an hour later to his daughter's hoarse coughs, the sound startling him slightly. He stifled a yawn as he sat up, glancing down at Emma's face, surprised to find her still asleep. Laying her down gently on the couch, he stifled another yawn and pushed himself to his feet, surprised to see Bradley, Jack and Jeremy huddled around the kitchen table.

"How's Em?" Bradley asked, taking a sip of his coffee.

"Still asleep." The Italian responded, clapping Jack on the shoulder as he passed. "Thanks again for takin' care of my girl last night, Jack."

The teenager blushed slightly, dropping his head as he took another bite of his cereal. "No problem, Uncle Tony." He muttered.

Rubbing a hand over his tired face, Tony poured himself a cup of coffee and had just taken his seat when the sound of a knock on the door caught his attention.

Pushing himself to his feet with a groan, he made his way to the front door, offering Ziva a smile when he pulled it open. "Mornin', Zee."

"Good morning, Tony." The Israeli greeted, looking him over carefully with a slight smirk on her face. "Abby kept you up last night, yes?" She teased.

"Emma, actually. My girl is sick."

"Oh, poor baby. I hope it is not that flu bug that is going around."

"Me too." He nodded, stepping aside so his partner could enter the house. "Abby! Britty! Ziva's here!" He called, smirking at the younger woman. "Want some coffee? They'll be down in a minute."

"No, no coffee for me. Do you have any of that tea that Abby drinks?" She asked, dropping her purse on the table in the entry hall.

"I think so. She just went to the store yesterday, so I'm pretty sure she picked some up. Go on, sit. I'll get you a cup." He ushered the younger woman into the kitchen, grabbing a cup out of the cabinet. He filled the cup with some boiling water and picked up the box of assorted teabags that Abby had purchased at the grocery store, setting both on the table in front of her.

"Daddy!" Emma cried, coughing hoarsely.

"I'm comin' baby." He called, exiting the kitchen to join his daughter in the living room. "Hey sleepyhead."

She sat up on the couch, rubbing her eyes as she sniffled before she held her arms out to him. Lifting her up, he cradled her against his chest, pressing a gentle kiss to the top of her head.

"Auntie Ziva's here." He told her, grinning when she snuggled against him. "You wanna go say hi?"

"Auntie Zeebra?" She asked, putting her finger into her mouth. "I go say hi."

He carried the little girl into the kitchen and set her down, smiling brightly when she ran over to Ziva and hugged her tightly.

"Auntie Zeebra!"

"Hello, Emma!" The Israeli greeted, pulling the toddler into her lap. "I heard that you are not feeling very well today."

"Uh uh. My tummy hurts. Daddy take care of me." She smiled, looking up at her father. "And JJ."

"JJ?" The brunette asked, looking up at Tony curiously.

Bradley chuckled. "It's her nickname for Jack."

"Hey, Ziva!" Abby said, stepping into the kitchen with Britty in tow. She turned to her lover and looked at him worriedly. "Are you sure you'll be okay? BB's takin' the boys shopping, so you'll be here alone."

"Abby..."

"I'm just asking!"

Tony smiled, cupping her face in his hands and kissing her deeply. "I love you. Now, you girls go on and get your stuff done. Em and I will be fine."

The Goth sighed heavily, dropping her head to his chest as she conceded. "Okay. C'mere, Em." She held her arms out for her, smiling. She lifted her daughter into her arms and hugged her, smoothing her blonde curls back. "Mommy and your Aunties have to go out, but Daddy's gonna stay here and take good care of you, okay?"

The toddler nodded, offering her mother a brave smile. "Daddy watch Lilo?"

"I'm sure your Daddy would love to watch Lilo and Stitch with you." She confirmed, flashing a grin at her Italian. She nearly laughed when he dropped his head back, rolling his eyes. "You be a good girl."

"Love you, Mommy."

"Feel better, Munchkin. I'll see you in a while." Abby pressed a kiss to her forehead before handing her to Tony. "We'll be back by 3. Promise."

"Take your time, baby. Now go, before I have to kick you out." He waved as Britty and Ziva pulled his girl toward the door, not giving her an opportunity to protest. "Stubborn, that one."

Bradley scoffed. "I tried tellin' you all those years ago, but no one listens to me. I only raised the girl, so I don't know anything about her personality." He picked up his coffee cup and walked into the kitchen to rinse it out before turning back to his sons. "Jack, take your brother up and get ready to go. We're leavin' in 15 minutes."

Lifting his brother from the chair, Jack led Jeremy up the stairs, leaving the two men and the little girl alone.

"Daddy..." Emma whimpered, snuggling down against her father's chest.

"Shh, shh. You're okay, baby." He cooed quietly, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "We'll go watch our movie in just a few minutes, okay?"

Bradley couldn't help but grin at the sight of his soon-to-be brother-in-law and niece. "You're really good with her."

Tony couldn't help but grin at the compliment. "Thanks, man."

"No problem." The older man said dismissively. "We'll be back in awhile. Need anything while we're out?"

"Nah, I think we'll be good."

Nodding, Bradley hurried upstairs to finish getting ready. Carrying his little girl into the living room, Tony laid Emma down on the couch while he looked for her movie.

"Daddy?"

"Yeah, baby?"

"I go s'eep in your bed?" She asked, rubbing her eyes tiredly.

"Yeah, we can go lay in my bed, sweetness. Let me find your movie and we'll go upstairs, okay?"

She nodded tiredly, releasing a quiet sigh as she curled up on her side. After finding the movie, Tony lifted Emma into his arms again and made his way toward the stairs.

"You guys have fun." He called, passing Bradley, Jack, and Jeremy on his way up.

Pushing the bedroom door open, he laid his girl on the bed and popped the movie into the DVD player before he turned back to the bed, frowning when he saw Emma curled in on herself, sniffling pitifully.

"What's the matter, Em? Does your belly still hurt?" He asked, sinking down on the side of the bed before he pulled her into his lap.

She opened her mouth to respond when she vomited violently again, her entire body trembling as she retched.

Tony swallowed hard as he looked down at his soiled sweatshirt. "Oh, Em..."

Her sobs reached his ears, the sound making his chest ache. "I sorry." She sobbed, coughing deeply as she trembled in her father's arms.

"No, no." He said, standing the small child on the floor. He pulled his sweatshirt off and balled it up, tossing it aside before reaching for his daughter again. "Arms up, baby."

Emma followed her father's instructions, allowing him to strip her dirty clothes off and toss them over with his discarded shirt. He lifted her into his arms and carried her into the bathroom, helping her to brush her teeth quickly before retreating to the master bedroom again, tucking her in on his side of the bed.

"Daddy's gonna get you some clean jams, baby. You watch your movie."

When the Italian returned a few minutes later, the toddler was fast asleep. He couldn't help but smile as he slid into the bed next to her, wrapping his arm around her securely and relaxing against the pillows, falling asleep himself moments later.

**Later That Night - 2100 Hours**

Tony woke up slowly, stretching his arms above his head and blinking his eyes, trying to focus in the darkness of the bedroom. The sun had gone down and when he glanced at the alarm clock on his nightstand, he was surprised to see that it was nearly 9 o'clock at night.

"Damn. Slept the day away, DiNozzo." He mumbled, moving to push himself up when he realized he couldn't move due to his daughter being wrapped tightly around his chest. Flopping back against the pillows, he sighed heavily, surprised to see the little girl dressed in the pajamas he had grabbed before he fell asleep.

The bedroom door opened slowly and he looked up, smiling sleepily when he saw his girl walk in. "Hey, lazybones." She teased, sitting next to him on the edge of the mattress and running a hand through his hair. "Sleep okay?"

The Italian yawned, wrapping his arm around her shoulders and pulling her close to him. "Guess so. Been out for 12 hours. How was the excursion?"

"Good. We got quite a bit done, actually." Abby said, resting her head on his shoulder. "And I narrowed down my dress to 3 choices."

"Oh really?" He grinned, moving to kiss her when he coughed deeply. "Sorry, baby."

"You'd better not be gettin' sick, DiNozzo. You're not gettin' out of Christmas Mass this year." The Goth reached up and brushed his forehead with the back of her hand, frowning deeply at the heat coming off his lightly tanned skin. "Baby...you're burnin' up."

"'M fine, Abs. Been under this down comforter for 12 hours. Of course I'm hot."
She cocked an eyebrow at him, though she quickly turned her attention to her daughter when the little girl stirred.

"Mommy?"

"Hi baby." Abby greeted, offering the little girl a smile. "You ready to get a bath?"

Emma didn't respond, though she held her arms out for her mother, snuggling against her when she lifted her into his arms.

Stretching out lazily on the bed again, Tony breathed deeply before he doubled over, coughing again. He pushed himself up and stretched his arms above his head, groaning when he felt his back give a satisfying pop. Pulling a tshirt on, he headed downstairs to find something to eat.

"You look like shit, Tony." Britty said, looking over her shoulder at him as she did the dishes.

"Wow. Thanks for that, B." He smirked, opening the refrigerator and looking for something quick to cook.

"There's some leftover spaghetti if you want." The redhead mentioned offhandedly. "On the bottom shelf in the blue tupperware."

The Italian smiled and pulled the container out, setting it on the counter. "I do love it when Abs makes her spaghetti."

She chuckled quietly, continuing to wash the dishes as he reheated some of the leftovers. "How's Emma feeling?"

"She seems to be doin' okay. Slept all afternoon as far as I know."

"That's good. It's always hard seein' your baby sick."

Tony nodded, pulling the plate out of the microwave. "I can only imagine how hard it'll be to send her off to school."

"Eh, you get over that one pretty quick." She reassured him. "Gettin' your days back is always nice."

He sat down at the kitchen table and started eating. "I don't get many days to myself as it is. I think I'd rather spend 'em with Em and Abs than with anyone else."

"Where have you been all my life, heartbreaker?" Britty teased, swatting him gently with the kitchen towel.

"Right here, baby. Your sister-in-law just found me first."

She rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah." Laughing, she turned back to the sink when Tony suddenly jumped up, running past her to the bathroom. "Tony? You okay?" She followed after him, frowning when she saw him vomiting in the toilet. "Abby!" She called up the stairs. "Better get down here!"

"Coming!" Abby called, heading downstairs with Emma dressed in her nightgown, her hair still wet from the bath. "What's wrong?"

"Your hubby's sick." The redhead said, lifting her niece out of the Goth's arms. "You handle that, I'll put Emma to bed."

"Thanks, B." She watched as her friend took the little girl upstairs before turning back to the bathroom. Stepping inside, she immediately knelt next to her lover, frowning when he heaved again. "You okay, T?"

He shook his head, shifting back so he was resting on his heels. "I feel better now than I did a few minutes ago."

"C'mon. Let's get you to bed. Hopefully you'll feel better in the morning."

The Italian allowed his girl to help him up, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand before flushing the toilet. She led him up the stairs and down the hall to their bedroom, peeking into Emma's room to see Britty finishing the story she had been reading to their daughter, despite the fact that the little girl was already asleep.

They continued to their bedroom, with Abby pushing the door open quietly. "Whatcha think about a massage?" The Goth asked, a smile spreading across her face.

"Mmm...I get my Christmas present early?"

"One of 'em. Lay down on the bed, big boy."

"Yes ma'am." He joked, coughing deeply again as he peeled of his shirt and laid down, resting his head on his arms.

She frowned as she walked into the bathroom, grabbing the trash can from under the counter before returning to the bedroom. She placed the can on the ground next to their bed and pulled open his nightstand drawer, pulling out the small bottle of massage oil they kept there.

The Goth crawled onto the bed like a cat and straddled her lover's hips, leaning down and pressing a kiss to the nape of his neck. "All ready?" She asked, popping open the oil and squeezing some into her hands. She massaged his back gently at first, using only her fingertips as she ghosted over his already warm skin.

"Mmm..." Tony moaned quietly, closing his eyes. "You sure you weren't a masseuse in a past life?"

Abby chuckled, moving to rub at the tense muscles in her Italian's shoulders. "Pretty sure I wasn't, but I did learn from the best."

He smiled at her over his shoulder before coughing again. His face immediately fell when his stomach turned. "Abs...up. Up, please."

She scrambled off his back and grabbed the trash can off the floor, handing it to her lover just as he retched again. She ran her fingers through his hair until he finished, leaning forward and kissing his temple.

"You okay, T?"

The older man fell back against the pillows, rubbing a hand over his face. "Think I got what Em had. I should probably go sleep downstairs. Don't need you gettin' sick too, sunshine. Not on Christmas."

"Shh." She said, sitting next to him and pulling his head down against her chest, threading her fingers through his hair. "You're not sleepin' anywhere but in your own bed. I'll be fine."

"Abby..."

"No. Don't 'Abby' me, DiNozzo. Just relax."

The raven-haired woman massaged her lover's scalp gently, smiling sadly when she felt him relax against her chest as he fell asleep. Leaning down, she pressed her lips to the top of his head gently.

"Hope you feel better, baby."

**Chapter Three - Where My Christmas Lives**

**Christmas Eve 2013 - 1330 Hours**

Glancing up at the sound of a ringing bell, Britty offered her sister-in-law a slight glare.

"You just had to give him a bell, didn't you?"

"He was sick! How was I supposed to know he was going to irritate the crap out of me?"

"Your first indication should have been that it was Tony." The redhead teased before she turned to her niece. "Ready to check on the cookies, Em?"

"I have cookie?" The little girl asked, offering her mother and aunt a sweet smile.

"Gotta let 'em cool off first, baby, then you can have one." Abby promised. "Just don't tell the boys, huh?" She teased.

"Daddy?"

"Especially not daddy. He'd be down here eatin' the whole batch." Abby smirked, pressing a kiss to the top of her little girl's head. "I'm gonna go check on him. You gonna stay with Auntie B and roll the next batch of cookies?"

"I stay." Emma decided with a nod.

Offering her little girl a smile, Abby exited the kitchen and headed for the stairs, rolling her eyes when she heard her fiancé ring the bell again, calling for her.

"Abby!" He whined, his voice hoarse.

"I'm comin'." She called back, poking her head into the bedroom. "What?"

"I need some more water."

"Your legs broken, DiNozzo?" She asked, her voice sharp despite the slight smile on her face.

"Ah, ah. If I recall correctly, you're the one who told me I had to stay in bed today." He reminded her with a smirk.

"A momentary lapse of judgment." She teased, making her way over to the bed. "How're ya feelin'?" She asked, dropping her hand to his forehead.

"A little better. Pretty sure its just a 24 hour thing. It can't possibly last much longer." He sighed, dropping his head to the pillows.

"I hope not." She responded, grabbing the empty glass from beside the table. "I'll be right back with your water. Anything else you need?"

She rolled her eyes when he growled playfully, reaching to pull her down beside him.

"Just you." He said, nuzzling his nose against her neck.

"Maybe later if you're feeling better."

"Promises, promises."

Laughing quietly, she pressed a kiss to his forehead before she pulled away, ruffling his hair gently. "I'll be right back with your water, baby."

Nodding, he burrowed back down under the blankets, releasing a quiet sigh.

Pausing to glance back at her lover, Abby couldn't help but grin at the sight of him before she headed back downstairs.

"Did you shove that bell up his..." Britty trailed off, eying her niece.

"No." Abby laughed, making her way over to the sink. "I'm saving that for when he feels well enough to try to stop me. Wouldn't be any fun if I did it today." She said.

"I go see daddy?" Emma asked from her place at the kitchen table as she plucked another cooling cookie off of the pan, dropping it into the front pocket of her tiny apron.

"Yep. You wanna go up with me to take him his water?"

"I go." She nodded, climbing out of the chair carefully and holding her arms out for her mother.

Lifting the little girl in her arms, Abby glanced over at her sister-in-law with a smile. "Be right back, B."

Glass of water in hand, Abby carried Emma up the stairs, laughing at the little girl's excited squeal when she caught sight of her father.

"Dow', Mommy! I go dow'." She whined, wiggling until her mother lowered her to the floor. Running over to the bed, she climbed onto the mattress beside her father, snuggling against his side with a content sigh. "Hi, Daddy."

"Hey, baby. What are you doing up here?"

"I see you." She said by way of explanation, settling herself beside him as her mother offered him the glass of water. "I stay with Daddy?"

Glancing over at her fiancé, Abby considered it briefly before she nodded. "Just for awhile, okay? Daddy needs his rest."
"Daddy take nap?"

"Something like that." Abby grinned before she dropped a kiss to her little girl's forehead. "Call me when you're ready to come down."

"'Kay." Emma watched as her mother retreated out of the room before she reached into the apron pocket and pulled the squished cookies out, offering them to her father. "For you, Daddy."

Tony chuckled, making himself cough gently. "Does your Mommy know you brought these up here?"

The toddler shook her head, reaching up and pulling on one of her curls. "You tummy feel good?"

He shook his head, leaning down and pressing a kiss to the top of his daughter's head. "Still feelin' a little sick, sweetness. Thank you for the cookies though."

Emma pulled the blankets down slightly, revealing her father's stomach before leaning down and pressing a kiss to his belly button through his t-shirt. "I kiss better. Now you eat cookie."

"Maybe later, baby girl. Daddy doesn't wanna get sick again. I'll save 'em, okay?"

"'Kay..." She pouted, dropping her head.

"Hey, hey. Now, no pouting." The Italian said, pulling his little girl closer to his side. "Santa doesn't like pouting on Christmas Eve."

Her hazel eyes immediately welled up with tears as she sobbed audibly. "I...I be good girl!"

"Woah, Em...what's the matter?" He questioned, pulling back to look at her face. "Talk to Daddy."

"I wan' Santa to come!" She cried. Her sobs immediately became louder as she buried her face into Tony's side. "P...pease...tell Santa to come!"

"Emma..." The brunette sighed quietly, rubbing his daughter's back. "Santa's still coming, Princess."

"P'omise?"

"I promise." Pressing another kiss to the top of her head, he picked up the bell from the nightstand and handed it to his daughter. "Let's call Mommy up here. You gotta make the cookies to leave out for Santa, remember?"

She took the little bell from her father's hand and rang it as hard as she could. "Mommy!"

Abby was up the stairs in seconds, wiping her hands on her apron. "What happened? Is everything okay?"

Tony took the bell back and blushed. "Sorry, sunshine. We're fine. Let our girl know that Santa's still coming, huh? She doesn't believe me."

The Goth smiled and picked her daughter up, kissing her cheek. "Santa's still coming, baby. We..." She stopped, seeing the squished cookies Emma had brought upstairs. "Hey sneaky! You brought your Daddy cookies?"

The blonde little girl blushed, smiling brightly. "Daddy say feel good."

The raven-haired woman rolled her eyes. "Sure he did. You are your father's daughter, you know?" She grinned, tickling the toddler.

"What's wrong with that?" The Italian asked, pulling his girls down to give them each a kiss.

"Hmm...lemme get back to you on that." She grinned, pulling away. "Let's go finish the cookies, Em."

**0200 Hours - Christmas Morning**

Tony's eyes opened when he heard the front door close, knowing that Abby and her family had gotten back from midnight mass. Rolling over onto his side, he grabbed her present from his nightstand drawer and put it under his pillow, waiting patiently for her to come into the room.

She came in quietly a few minutes later and sat on the end of their bed to pull off her heels. She jumped when he knelt behind her and kissed the back of her neck, his lips forming a grin against her skin. "Thought you were sleepin'."

"And miss unwrapping my Christmas present? I think not." He teased, pulling her zipper down and kissing her skin as it was revealed to him. "How was Mass?"

"Good. Em and Jeremy fell asleep about halfway through."

"Mmmhmm." He responded, moving his lips back to her neck slowly.

"I see you're feelin' better." She remarked dryly, leaning into his gentle touches.

"Uh huh." He grinned, wrapping his arms around her slim waist as he pulled her against him.

"Tony..." She warned teasingly. "You do realize that we'll be lucky if she sleeps until six, right?"

"Uh huh." He said again, nipping at her spiderweb tattoo gently. "Not concerned."

Abby couldn't help but giggle as she turned in his arms. "At least let me up so I can hang my dress." She said, pecking his lips before she pulled away.

He laid back against the pillows, watching as she stripped down to her bra and panties quickly before she slipped her dress onto the hanger, sticking it in the closet. Turning back to him, she offered him a smile as she made her way over to the bed. Holding his arms out for her, he pulled her into his embrace, grinning when she settled herself against his chest.

"Got somethin' I wanna give you." He murmured, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.

"Oh yeah?" She purred, rubbing her hand over his thigh.

"Not that." He laughed. "Well, I mean, I'll be happy to give that to you too but I have something else in mind first."

"Ooh, I get an early present?"

"Mmhmm." Kissing her head again, he pulled away for a moment, sliding his hand under the pillow before he removed the wrapped box. "Merry Christmas, baby."

She took the thin box from his hands and cocked an eyebrow at him. "This had better be a pen, DiNozzo."

"Or what?" He smirked, pinching her hip gently. "Open it."

The Goth eyed him again, pulling the paper off of her gift. She felt her eyes beginning to water when she opened the box, seeing a black diamond necklace that matched her engagement ring.

"Tony..."

"You like it?" He asked, pressing a kiss to her lips.

"Its beautiful. Thank you." She took it out of the box and looked at it, smiling. "Help me put it on?"

"Of course." Tony took the ends of the delicate necklace and draped it around her neck, securing it. "Mmm...looks beautiful on you. Just like I thought it would."

She turned in his arms, pressing her body flush with his as she kissed him. "I know something that would look beautiful on you." She smirked, pushing him onto his back.

"Does it involve you, that necklace, and nothing else?"

Abby chuckled, straddling his hips and pulling her hair out of the buns she was wearing, letting it flow down her back. "Well, I didn't know what to get you, so I hope this will do."

Reaching behind her back, she unhooked her bra and let it slip off her arms before tossing it to the floor.

"I...I'm pretty sure I can handle it." He managed, tucking his thumbs into her panties and tracing circles over her hips.

"I've never had doubts about your ability to handle me." She teased, leaning down to kiss him deeply as she buried her fingers in his hair. "But its my turn to take care of you, Mr. DiNozzo."

**Christmas Day - 1400 Hours**

"Mommy?" Emma whined, her nose pushed up against the window as she watched the boys playing football in the backyard.
Abby wiped her hands on her apron and walked over to the door, kneeling next to her daughter. "What is it, baby?"

"I wanna play wit' Daddy, but he say no."

"Oh, Em..." She sighed, nearly laughing when she saw her little girl wearing her mittens on the wrong hands. "The boys are playin' kinda rough. Why don't you come help Mommy and Auntie B with dinner?"

The toddler's eyes watered, the tears starting to fall down her cheeks only seconds before she sobbed loudly. "I don' wanna!"

"Hey, hey." Gibbs said, standing up from the kitchen table and meeting the Goth and her daughter at the door. "Wanna come help me put your dollhouse together?" He asked, lifting her into his arms. "Its too cold out there anyway."

"I not cold." She asserted, holding her mitten-covered hands up. "I have g'oves. You tell Daddy lemme play, Papa?"

Ziva looked up from her place on the couch, smirking deviously. "I could *make* him let her play."

McGee, Abby, and Gibbs all turned to look at the Israeli. "Ziva..."

"What?" She asked, eyes wide. "The girl wants to play with her father! You are all going to deny her that?"

Britty stepped out of the kitchen and smiled up at her niece. "You know what Auntie would like, Emma?"

"No." The little girl sniffled, wiping at her tears. "Wha' you like?"

"I would like to have a tea party. I haven't had one since your Mommy and I were little girls. Maybe if you ask nicely, Auntie Ziva will join us."

Emma smiled brightly. "Uncle Goo and Papa too?"

The redhead chuckled. "You'll have to ask them, baby girl."

"Papa?" She said, her little voice hopeful as she placed her hand on the older man's cheek. "Pease?"

"Of course, Princess." Leaning down, he set her on the floor and kissed her forehead. "Go ask your Uncle Tim."

"Uncle Goo, Papa." She corrected, running into the living room and climbing onto the couch next to him. "Have tea party wit' me?"

"Uh...well, see..." McGee hesitated, looking between the women that were staring at him. Ziva threw him a sharp glare, silently daring him to deny the toddler's request. "I'd love to, Emma."

"Yay!" She cried, hugging him quickly before grabbing the new tea set she had received for Christmas from its place in the corner of the room.

The group had just taken their seats in the living room, getting ready to partake in Emma's tea party when they heard the boys making their way inside.

"Ooh, a tea party?" Tony asked, peeling off his jacket and leaning down to kiss Abby on the lips. "Where's my cup?"

"You have to ask Em to invite you, T. It's her party."

"Uncle Bra'ley? JJ?" She asked, offering each of them a small pink plastic cup. "Play tea party!"

They looked between each other and then shot a quick glance to Tony, shrugging before sitting on the couch next to Abby.

"Emma, what about Daddy?" The Goth asked, glancing up at her lover.

"No."

"Hey. I'd like to play too." He said, dropping to a knee next to his daughter. "Please?"

"No, you stinky, D'ozzo. You don' play."

"Uh oh. You're in trouble..." The raven-haired woman warned, patting her fiancé on the back.

He opened his mouth to respond, when Jeremy's cries interrupted him from upstairs. The little boy had unfortunately caught whatever it was that Emma and Tony had been sick with, leaving him sleeping in his parents' bedroom for most of the day, missing out on his Christmas.

"I'll be right back, gotta go check on Jeremy." Britty said, starting to stand up when the Italian shook his head.

"I'll go. You guys enjoy your tea party." He said, pressing a kiss to his little girl's head. "Love you, Em."

Pushing himself up from the floor, he headed upstairs and into the spare room. "Hey, Jer. Feeling better?" He asked, sitting on the bed next to the toddler.

The brunette little boy shook his head, frowning as he leaned against his uncle's side. "U'cle T?"

"Yeah, buddy?" The older man asked, placing a hand on his nephew's forehead and frowning when he felt the boy's fever.

"See movie?"

"You bet, little man. Whatcha wanna watch?"

"Nemo?"

Tony chuckled, laying the boy back against the pillow before standing up and heading to the DVD player. "Good choice."

He put the movie in and returned to the bed, surprised when the child curled up next to his side, resting against his chest. Wrapping his arm around Jeremy's shoulders, he rubbed his back, smiling when the little boy closed his eyes and started drifting back to sleep.

**Twenty Minutes Later - Downstairs**

"Come help Mommy get drinks, huh?" Abby suggested, pushing herself up from the couch.

Nodding, Emma pushed her blonde curls out of her face and climbed off the couch, reaching for her mother's hand.
The pair made their way into the kitchen, though Emma couldn't help but glance towards the stairs. "I take Daddy drink?" She asked, pushing her curls back again.

"I think Daddy's probably okay, but we'll ask him when he comes back down, yeah?" Abby asked, offering Emma a smile as she pulling the refrigerator door open.

Removing the drinks that she had chilling in the fridge, she carried them over to the counter while she reached for glasses out of the cabinet, glancing back at Emma.

"Em, what do you want to drink?"

"I have soda?"

"No soda today, baby. How about some milk?"

"I have milk." She said with a nod, hopping from foot to foot as she made her way over to her mouth. She waited patiently while Abby poured her a drink. "I have now?"

"Hold on with both hands." The Goth reminded her before she handed Emma the cup.

Offering her mother a sweet smile, she lifted the cup to take a drink when it slipped from her hands, spilling down the front of her shirt. For a moment, Emma was too surprised to say anything until the liquid started to seep through the shirt, getting her wet.

"Mommy!" She screeched, pulling the cold shirt away from her body. "Mommy!"

"Oh, Em..." She sighed, dropping to her knees in front of her daughter.

"Mess! A mess!" She cried, tears running down her face. "Mess!"

"Yeah, you made a mess. It's okay though. No need to cry, baby." She picked the cup up, set it on the counter and cleaned up the milk quickly before reaching for her little girl. "C'mere, baby. Arms up."

Tears were still streaming down her cheeks as Abby lifted the wet shirt from her small body, tossing it near the garage door.

"It's okay..." She reassured her, smoothing her hair back. "Jack, c'mere please!"

The teen entered the kitchen a moment later, frowning at his crying cousin. "What's up, Auntie?"

"Could you take Emma upstairs and put her new jammies on?"

"Sure." Jack smiled, lifting the three year-old into his arms and heading out of the kitchen to the staircase. "What happened, Mimi?"

"I spill on Daddy's shirt." She cried, dropping her head to his shoulder. "He be mad."

He frowned, reaching the top of the stairs and making his way to the toddler's bedroom. "I doubt that, honey. It was an accident."

She sniffled quietly as they moved down the hallway, looking up when she caught sight of her father napping on the spare bed with her younger cousin. She began bawling almost immediately, making Jack flinch.

"Hey, Emma-girl...what's the matter?" He asked, setting her down on the end of her bed once they got into her room.

"Da...daddy don' love me no more!" She cried, tears flowing freely from her hazel eyes.

The blue-eyed boy sighed, scooping the young girl into his arms and pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "That's not true, Mi. You know your Daddy loves you more than anything else."

She trembled against him, her curls bobbing wildly as she shook her head. "Why...why...why he s'eep wit' Jer'my?"

"What...?" He asked, the realization of what she had seen clicking suddenly in his head. "Oh, Mimi...hey." Reaching down, he tipped her chin up and offered her a slight smile. "Let's get your jams on like your Mama asked, then we'll go talk to your Daddy, okay?"

Emma nodded, swiping at the tears on her cheeks. Jack set her down on the floor before grabbing the new pair of pajamas from the end of her bed. It didn't take long for him to get her changed, and once he did, he carried her into the bathroom, washing her face carefully.

"You okay now?" He asked, frowning at the sight of fresh tears welling up in her eyes.

"I...I go see Daddy?" She sniffled, rubbing at her eyes tiredly.

"Yep, we'll go see your Daddy." He promised, lifting her off of the sink into his arms.

Carrying her out of the bedroom, he made his way down the hallway to the spare bedroom, peeking inside. Frowning slightly, he lifted his hand and knocked quietly. "Uncle Tony?"

The Italian sat up almost immediately, rubbing the sleep from his eyes as he offered his daughter and nephew a sleepy smile. "Abby send you up here to kick my butt for being lazy?"

"Not exactly." Jack said, offering the older man a slight grin. "You have a very upset daughter though who wanted to see you."

"Em? What's wrong, baby?" He asked, pushing himself to his feet as he crossed his room, holding his arms out for the little girl.

Almost immediately, Emma turned her face and buried it against Jack's shoulder to stifle her cries.

"Aww, sweetie...c'mon, talk to Daddy. Tell me what's wrong." Tony pleaded, his chest aching at the sound of his daughter's sobs.

"Y...you no l...love me an'more." She cried, her fingers gripping Jack's shirt.

"Oh, Princess...of course I love you! Why would you say that?"

"You m...mad 'cause I...I no let you play tea party!" She sobbed loudly, holding to her cousin for dear life as her father touched her back hesitantly.

"Emma..." Tony kept his hand on her small back and looked at his nephew as he shrugged, trying to shush her. "C'mere, baby girl."

He tugged her away from the teenager and held her close to him as he made his way toward the door. "Watch your baby brother for a sec, okay?"

Jack nodded as he watched his uncle carry the sobbing child out of the room and down the hallway. Once they were inside the bright pink bedroom, Tony sat down in the rocking chair that sat in the corner, holding his daughter tightly.

"Why do you think Daddy's mad, Em?"

She hiccuped, reaching up to wipe at her nose. "Y...you don' lemme play fo'ball wit' you!"

"Sweetness...I just didn't want you gettin' hurt." He tried to explain, brushing her unruly curls back.

"B...but you watch Nemo wit' Jer'my?"

The Italian's head dropped back against the hand carved rocking chair, suddenly realizing what his daughter was thinking. "Emma...you were busy playin', and Jeremy isn't feelin' good. I didn't mean to make you think I was mad at you."

"Tony! Jack! Dinnertime!" Abby called.

He kissed his little girl's forehead and frowned, pushing himself up from the chair with the toddler in his arms. "We'll do somethin' special after dinner, okay? Just you and me."

"P'omise?" She asked, her little voice hopeful.

"Promise."

They headed downstairs to find everyone gathered at the kitchen table, waiting for the two of them. The brunette sat the toddler in her chair and leaned down to press a kiss to Abby's lips.

"Everything okay?" She whispered, noting the tears in her daughter's eyes.

"Yeah. Yeah, everything's good." Taking his seat between his fiancee and daughter, he smiled brightly. "Let's eat, huh? I got a date with my favorite girl after this."

**A Few Hours Later - 1930 Hours**

Tony sighed heavily, running a hand over his face as he closed his daughter's door behind him. He had been upstairs since they finished eating dinner, spending time with his daughter, reassuring her that he wasn't trying to replace her with the younger boy in the next room.

He had given her a bath, then they had a private tea party in her bedroom followed by her favorite bedtime story before she finally fell asleep.

"Hey, baby." Abby greeted as the older man made his way down the stairs, patting the space next to her on the couch. "Emma alright?"

"Oh yeah. You know, no one ever accused toddlers of being rational."

"Somethin' else she got from her father." Gibbs chided, smirking at his senior agent.

Everyone chuckled, various types of alcohol coursing through their bodies from a night of celebration.

"Yeah, yeah. Let's all laugh at DiNozzo, I'm the easy target. I don't see you two makin' any moves to have kids, huh, Probie? Ziva?" He joked, teasing the secret couple when his Goth elbowed him in the side.

"Ow. I was kidding!" He assured her, pushing himself up to get himself a drink from the kitchen. "So? You two gonna answer?"

The Israeli and the Geek eyed one another for a moment before Ziva's eyes found Tony, glaring at him as he made his way into the kitchen. "I do not know what you are talking about, Tony." She said, putting a little space between her and McGee.

"Ignore him, Zee." Abby instructed, rolling her eyes at her soon-to-be husband's insensitivty. Though nearly everyone at NCIS had known about Ziva and McGee's blossoming relationship since it started, but they'd all had enough sense to respect the couple's obvious wish for privacy.

Leave it Tony to bring it up and effectively embarrass them.

Walking back into the living room, drink in hand, Tony couldn't help but chuckle quietly at the scowl on Ziva's face and the slightly fearful one on McGee's.

"C'mon, you guys. Like it's not obvious." He snorted.

"Would you shut up?" Abby hissed, elbowing him again, harder this time.

"Hey!" He growled playfully, poking her back. "Don't make me tie you up tonight."

"Ooh, that a promise?" She said dryly. "Just let them be, huh?"

Bradley chuckled at the exchange, pecking his wife on the lips as he pushed himself up from the couch. "This is why I'm glad we didn't have girls. I can only imagine Tony embarrassin' the hell outta Emma on her first date." Picking up Britty's glass as well as his own, he grinned. "Refills, anyone?"

"Actually..." Ziva said, glancing at McGee briefly before she turned back to Abby, forcing a smile. "I think we will be going."

"Aww, c'mon, Zee. I was only kiddin'." Tony said, frowning darkly as they stood, ignoring the angry glare that Abby was sending his way.

"Do not worry about it, Tony. Tim and I are used to such...behavior when it comes to you." She said, smirking at the older man before she turned to Abby. "Thank you for having us today. It was nice to see you all again." She added, turning to Britty and Jack with a smile.

Pushing herself up from the couch, Abby followed after the clearly embarrassed couple, leaving Tony slightly dumbfounded on the couch.

"Do they really think they're hiding it from anybody?" He scoffed after a moment, ignoring the 'stare' from Gibbs.

"Not the point, DiNozzo." The older man said, shaking his head as he pushed himself to his feet.

Sinking back against the cushions, Tony couldn't help but glare at his drink until Abby returned, her face set in an angry scowl.

"What on Earth were you thinking?" She asked, ignoring the fact that they currently had an audience that included her sister-in-law and nephew. "I swear to God, Tony, you are one of the most insensitive people I have ever met."

"Wha...? I was only kidding!"

The Goth rolled her eyes, scoffing loudly as she put her hands on her hips. "You're ridiculous. It wasn't enough that you had to go and upset your daughter on Christmas Day, you had to embarrass Ziva and Tim too? When the hell are you going to grow up?"

The Italian's eyes narrowed angrily as he pushed himself to his feet, gripping his drink in his hand. "That's not fair, Abby. It's not my fault if they're too uppity about somethin' that no one really cares about."

"You're ridiculous." She said again.

"And you're out of line." He bit out the words before he turned away from her, heading for the stairs.

Abby stood and watched him walk away until her brother and Gibbs returned to the room with fresh drinks just a moment later.

"What'd we miss?" Bradley asked, not missing the concerned looks his wife and son were sending toward his sister.

Gibbs made his way over to the Goth and placed his hand on her shoulder comfortingly. "Want me to talk to him?" He whispered, stealing a quick glance up the stairs.

"Huh?" She asked, pulling her eyes away from the roughly closed bedroom door at the top of the stairs. "Oh, no. No." Forcing a smile, she shrugged his hand off and turned back to the small group that remained in the living room. "We'll work it out. We always do."

She cleared her throat and turned back to the living room, where her brother had already reclaimed his seat between his wife and son. "C'mon, sit back down, Gibbs."

"Abs." He said simply, watching as she stopped in her tracks and turned to look at him. "You need to go take care of this with Tony. I'm gonna head home." Leaning in, he pressed a kiss to her forehead and pulled her into a tight hug. "Call me if you need me to come kick his ass."

She chuckled quietly, her eyes distant as she motioned toward the living room. "Don't worry about me. I'm pretty sure I've got enough for a firing squad if the need arises."

The older man smirked as he dropped another kiss to the top of her head before he pulled away. "I think you'll be alright." He said. "I'll see ya later."

She watched as the silver-haired man stepped back into the living room, saying goodbye to her family before she released a heavy sigh and made her way into the living room as well, forcing a smile for her brother and sister-in-law.

"Things can never be uneventful around here, huh?" She joked, her smile faltering just slightly as she glanced towards the stairs. Though she'd never admit it, she was completely embarrassed at losing her cool in front of her family and she wasn't too happy at the thought of her soon-to-be husband being angry with her either.

"Abby..." Bradley began, and it was all the Goth could do to keep from groaning at his tone. She knew it well.

"Don't start Bradley. Please."

"I'm not gonna start anything." He defended, holding his hands up. "I just...you need to go talk to him. Work this shit out."

"I plan on it." She frowned, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Then what are you still hangin' around down here for?" The blue-eyed man smirked.

Frowning darkly, Abby glared at him for a brief moment before she released a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. "Yeah...guess you're right. Talk to you guys in the morning?"

"You know it." Bradley said, offering his sister a reassuring smile.

Glancing over at Britty, Abby forced a slight smile before she headed for the stairs, chewing on her lower lip nervously as she approached the bedroom door, taking a deep breath before pushing it open and stepping inside, closing it behind her.

**Chapter Four - Cave**

**December 25, 2013 - 2000 Hours**

The bedroom was empty when Abby entered, though from the sound of the water running in the master bathroom, she knew that Tony was showering.

Releasing a quiet sigh, the Goth sank down on the edge of the bed, chewing on her lip nervously as she waited. She hated the thought of embarrassing Tony in front of their family and friends, but she let the stress she was feeling get in the way of her common sense.

Glancing down at her hands, she sighed again and reached up, pinching the bridge of her nose with her fingers. She knew that Tony wasn't going to be a happy camper when he stepped out of the bathroom and found her waiting for him, but she knew that Bradley and Gibbs were right. They had to work this out.

Pushing herself to her feet, she made her way over to the dresser, intent on changing into her pajamas when the sound of running water stopped abruptly, followed by the shower curtain being pushed back.

Her stomach was in knots as she paused her task, glancing back to the closed door with a dark frown. She closed her eyes as Tony opened the bathroom door and stepped out, one towel wrapped around his waist and another in his hand, scrubbing his short hair dry.

He glanced up, surprised to see that she had come up to the bedroom so soon after their argument. "Hey."

"Hey." The Goth turned back to the dresser drawer, pulling out a pair of pajamas. She changed as they sat in the uncomfortable silence, each waiting for the other to say something.

"Its kinda early still, you wanna watch a movie before bed?" The Goth asked innocently, silently hoping to avoid another argument.

"No, not tonight. Could you hand me a pair of shorts?"

"Oh." She nodded sadly, making her way over to her lover and offering the boxers to him. "How 'bout a back massage? You seem a little tense."

The Italian scoffed, rolling his eyes discreetly as he dropped his towel and pulled the boxers on. "Not tonight, huh? Maybe in the morning."

Abby sighed, worrying the inside of her cheek. "Okay. Tony, look. I'm not proud of what I did down there."

"Then why'd you do it?" He replied firmly, his hazel eyes meeting her green ones for the first time since they had come upstairs.

She faltered, her jaw slacking slightly before she schooled her expression back into a small scowl. "Because, Tony! You know, you couldn't just let one holiday pass without incident. You *had* to start somethin' with Zee and Tim."

"And you're lucky, otherwise you'd have to search for somethin' else to fight with me about."

"What's that supposed to mean?" She asked, placing her hands on her hips.

"What the hell do you think it means, Abby? You told me once that I like to argue. And maybe I do every once in awhile." Reaching up, he ran his hand through his still damp hair. "But, fuck, you love it! You manage to take picking fights to a whole new level."

"Asshole."

"I'm an asshole now? I didn't wanna fight with you. I came up here so I *wouldnt* fight with you! If there's one thing you know about me, Sciuto, its that I'm not one to avoid a public display. I might be an asshole, but you've been acting like a bitch all night." He spat.

He stood up, intent in climbing under the covers when she hit him from behind. Turning to glare and ask what she hell she was doing, she struck him in the face with her open hand, her palm stinging against his cheek.

A low growl escaped him when she moved to hit him again, but he caught her wrist in his hand, holding it firmly. "You have two seconds to knock it the fuck off, because I swear to God, Abby, you hit me one more time and I'm outta here." He warned.

Her eyes were filled with tears as she struggled against him, trying desperately to pull her hand from his grasp. "Let me go!" She cried.

"Then stop acting like a crazy woman!"

She didn't respond, though tears were streaming down her cheeks.

Despite his anger with her, the sight of her crying hurt worse than her hands. Releasing a frustrated breath, he pulled her against his chest, holding her as her breaths came out in ragged gasps.

"Shh..." He cooed, kissing her temple as he smoothed her hair back, holding her tightly against him as she struggled to pull away. "Its okay, its okay."

The Italian knew that he should be more upset with her for picking fights with him, but he couldn't bring himself to be. He wasn't sure why she did it, and whenever he asked her about it, she immediately clammed up. It wasn't something he was comfortable talking to anyone else about, even under the guise of gaining insight into the woman he was about to marry, out of concern that everyone would blow their petty arguments out of proportion.

Once she relaxed in his arms, he set her on the edge of their bed and knelt down in front of her, placing one hand on either side of her in an attempt to keep her from moving away. "Abby...we *can't* keep doin' this. We were doin' so good, baby. What...what happened?" He hesitated, searching her eyes with his. "Are you havin' second thoughts about me?"

She sobbed quietly as tears began falling down her cheeks again. "No! Wh...why would you think that?"

"What am I supposed to think, baby? The last time we fought this much, you took off to New Orleans without a warning." Moving his hand, he grasped hers, lacing their fingers together when a sudden realization dawned on him. "Y...you're pregnant again?"

"Oh God, no!" She cried, chuckling as she wiped her tears away with the back of her hand. "No, no. Not that we don't have enough practice, but no." She teased. Leaning forward, she wrapped her arms around his neck and slid into his lap, hugging him tightly. "I'm sorry, Tony."

"I forgive you, Abs. Just...what's goin' on? I mean, can I at least know why you're pickin' fights with me?"

Abby pulled back and smiled sadly at him. "I'm just overwhelmed, I guess. You know...I was concerned about how you'd deal with havin' Bradley and everyone stayin' in the house, but it turns out I'm the one havin' all the coping problems."

Tony wrapped his arms around her thin body and pulled her close, pressing a kiss to her head. "Just tell me what you need, Abby. What can I do to help relieve the stress?"

She took a deep breath, inhaling his scent and allowing it to comfort her. Closing her eyes, she allowed herself to relax as her lover ran his hand over her back, rocking them back and forth slowly.

"C'mon, baby." He whispered, sighing quietly when she didn't answer his question. "Let's go to bed, huh?"

The Goth nodded, crawling out of her fiancé's lap and straightening her nightshirt. "Sorry. I didn't..."

"Hey. No more sorries, okay? Let's not go to bed upset. Now..." He pressed a kiss to her lips and smiled. "I know an overworked forensic specialist that needs a massage." Leaning forward, he pulled the blankets back and helped her into the bed.

Moving around to the other side of the bed, he slid in next to her, massaging her lower back as he pressed kisses to her neck and shoulders.

"I'll try harder, sunshine. I promise."

**8 Days Later - January 1, 2014**

Despite the fact that they had gotten off to a rocky start after Christmas, the week had progressively gotten better. Abby still hadn't come clean about what she needed from Tony to make dealing with the stress easier, but he stepped up to the plate in ways she never imagined he would, helping out where he could to ensure that she had all the help she needed around the house.

Rolling over in the bed, the Goth forced her tired eyes open at the feeling of a much smaller body than she was used to snuggled up against her side, soft curls tickling her face. She couldn't help but smile at the sight of her daughter's goofy grin as the little girl giggled, pushing her hair back out of her face.

"You wake now?"

"Mmhmm..." Abby managed, barely stifling a yawn. "What are you doing in here so early, Birthday Girl?"

"Daddy say up. S'my birfday."

"Where is Daddy?"

"Ki'chen wit' Auntie Bee." Emma explained, pushing herself up on the mattress. "You wake now?" She asked again.

"Yep, I'm up." She smirked, pushing herself up against the pillows before standing up and pulling her long black hair into a sloppy ponytail. "Let's go see what kind of mess Daddy's makin'."

The little girl hopped off the bed and watched as her mother ducked into the bathroom to brush her teeth quickly before heading for the bedroom door. "Le's go, Mommy! B'eakfas' almos' done!"

The raven-haired woman growled playfully as she scooped the toddler into her arms, tickling her as they made their way downstairs. "Okay, monster, let's go! What's the Princess havin' for breakfast on her birthday?"

"Smiley face chocolate-chip pancakes." Tony said, smiling at his girls as they walked into the kitchen. "Happy New Year, sunshine." He whispered, leaning in to give her a kiss. "Sleep good?"

"I slept great until you sent Birthday Girl here upstairs to rouse me." She grinned, tickling her daughter again before setting her on the ground. "I'm surprised you're up this early, considering how much you and BB drank last night."

"What can I say? Your sister-in-law makes some awesome coffee."

"Kiss ass." Britty chuckled, kicking his leg as she sat on the counter near the stove. "Flip 'em, Tony, they're gonna burn."

"Oh, I see. A cooking lesson. She's gonna turn you into a gourmet yet, T."

The redhead rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I doubt that. I can guarantee that it'll be semi-edible and that he won't burn your kitchen down in the process though. I will admit at least he *wants* to learn, which is more than I can say for *my* husband." She called the last bit over her shoulder into the living room, only to receive an incoherent grunt from Bradley. "See? Completely disinterested. The only thing he can do is char a steak."

"An' pa'cakes!" He called, his voice still slurred slightly due to his hangover.

"Ah, yes, the ever popular pancake. And here we are, full circle with today's lesson." She grinned, reaching over and smacking Tony on the back of the head. "Burning. Quit starin' at Abby's legs and pay attention."

"Its not my fault she looks so damn good in my dress shirts."

Abby chuckled. "I'll go get the babies ready for breakfast so I don't distract you anymore. C'mon Em. Where's your cousin?"

"Icky Jer'my s'eepin'." She said, pointing toward the stairs.

"Hey, now. We don't call people names, especially not our family." The Goth scolded.

Emma frowned. "But Mommy...Daddy call you 'ba'ge bunny'!"

Her eyes went wide as she turned back to look at her lover, who froze as soon as he heard what his daughter said. It was everything Britty could do to keep herself from laughing as she watched the silent exchange between the two of them, resorting to small snorting noises as she covered her mouth with her hand.

"It...it was only once, baby. I swear! And...and it was a joke. I would never say anything like that about you and mean it!"

Narrowing her eyes at her soon-to-be husband, Abby barely contained the giggle that threatened to escape before she lifted Emma into her arms.

"We are not done here, DiNozzo." She warned playfully, shaking her finger at him. "You just wait until later. You're gonna pay for that one."

"Abby...baby! Can't we talk about this?" He pleaded as she made her way up the stairs before he turned back to Britty. "Uh oh. Busted."

"I warned you about saying things in front of small children, but nooo, you never listen to me! You're as stubborn as Bradley!"

"I heard that!" The older man called from the living room before he sat forward in the chair with a groan, rubbing his hand over his face and willing his stomach to stop turning.

"Good! I wanted you to." Britty called back. "Wake Jack up, please, and then get in here and help set the table."

"Yeah, yeah." Bradley muttered, pushing himself to his feet with another groan before he made his way over to the couch, ruffling his son's hair with his hand. "Up, boy." He commanded.

"Ugh." Jack whimpered, burrowing under the blankets on the couch. "Leave me the hell alone." He muttered miserably, though as soon as he felt his father's hand connect with the back of his head, he nearly fell off the couch. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I thought you were Jeremy!"

"What are you doin' talkin' to *anyone* like that?" Bradley growled. "Especially your little brother!"

"He...he kept buggin' me yesterday afternoon!"

"That's not an excuse, Jack. Now, get your butt up and get in the kitchen. We're goin' to the aquarium today for Emma's birthday."

"'M not goin'."

"The hell you're not!" Bradley hissed, pulling his son to a sitting position. "Its your cousin's birthday, and you're coming. End of discussion."

"Why can't I just stay home?" He asked, pushing himself to his feet sluggishly. "I don't feel good."

His father scoffed. "Everyone else had it for 24 hours, Jack. You're not sick anymore."

"You don't know, Dad. I feel sick to my stomach!" He cried, heading into the kitchen to get a Sprite from the refrigerator. "Mama, do I have to eat?"

"No, baby. You don't have to eat if you're still not feelin' good."

"B..." Bradley warned.

"But you have to go with the family today."

"But Mama!"

She shook her head. "No. Your Dad says you have to go, you have to go. Sorry."

"This is ridiculous! No one else had to do anything when they were sick!" He shouted, taking off for the stairs.

"Hey!" Tony called, dropping the frying pan in the sink and taking off after Jack, passing his girl as she stepped into the kitchen with Emma and Jeremy in tow. "Get back here!"

Abby watched as her lover chased the teen upstairs before turning to Britty and setting the toddlers on the floor. "What's up with them?"

"Oh you know, Jack's emulating his father again."

"Ah..." She nodded, fixing plates for her daughter and Jeremy while Britty got them drinks. "I see."

"That's not even fair, B. When I was his age I was raising my 9 year old sister and coping with my parents' deaths."

"I have a name."

The sandy-haired man turned to look at his sister, who was staring at him with her hand on her hip. He reached up and ran a hand over his face, dropping into his chair with a sigh. "Sorry. 'M just..."

"Hungover? Yeah, we know." Abby smirked, placing the plates of pancakes on the kitchen table.

The women took their seats at the table just as Tony came down the stairs, running his hand through his hair frustratedly. "Sorry 'bout that."

"Tony, you and Bradley really should cut him some slack. He's not feelin' well."

He took his seat next to her and started piling it high with pancakes. "Abs, it's a 24-hour bug. He's over it. He's just tryin' to get sympathy."

"Well, it's working." She retorted, taking a bite of her pancakes. "Just because it was a 24-hour thing for you and Em and JR, doesn't mean that he's still not sick, T. You guys all got plenty of rest, in a real bed. He's been sleepin' on a couch in the most populated room in the house. He's not really gettin' any rest."

The older man opened his mouth to speak again when Jack entered the kitchen, showered and dressed.

"C'mere." The Italian said, motioning for the boy to come over to him. "Say it."

He dropped his head, his voice low as he spoke to his parents. "Sorry." He stood up straighter when his uncle nudged him in the side. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have talked back."

"Better. Hungry?"

"No, my stomach is still upset. Mama, do I really have to go? I just don't wanna be a drag for everyone else." He pleaded, taking a seat next to the redhead.

"Jack..." She sighed, noticing the glare her husband was giving her. "You know I can't let you stay."

"JJ! You come! 'S my birfday!" Emma cried, her mouth full of pancake.

The teenager sighed, unable to help the smile that spread across his face at his cousin's excitement. "Of course, Mimi. Wouldn't miss it for the world."

The little girl beamed, taking another bite of her pancakes. "We go now, Daddy?"

"Soon, baby. Everyone has to finish their breakfast first."

Though the morning had started out pretty rough, it wasn't long before everyone had finished eating and piled into the car.

The ride to Baltimore wasn't a long one, but Tony couldn't help but feel bad when he glanced in the rearview mirror and caught sight of his nephew fast asleep, his head resting on his mother's shoulder as she ran her fingers through his hair.

It seemed almost cruel to wake the boy after he finally found a parking space in the upper level of a parking garage down the street from the inner harbor, but thankfully his mother did it for him.

"Wake up, Jackie. We're here." She smiled, pressing a kiss to her son's forehead.

"Mama..." He whined, rubbing his eyes sleepily.

"I know, J. Let's go, though, before your Dad gets upset again."

The teenager nodded and climbed out of the car, groaning quietly when he saw that Gibbs, McGee, and Ziva had arrived. Everyone greeted the birthday girl, then the group made their way out of the garage and down the street toward the aquarium.

Jack trailed behind the rest of the group, pulling his jacket tighter around his body as he walked.

"Let's hustle, Jack. The sooner we get inside the better you'll feel." Bradley called over his shoulder.

Gibbs glanced back at the teen and frowned, seeing that he looked pretty sick. Dropping back, he started walking next to him, nudging him with his shoulder. "You feelin' okay?"

"He's fine." His father grumbled, shoving his hands into his pockets. "Just wants attention."

"Oh. Sounds like someone I know." He smirked, cocking an eyebrow at his Senior Agent.

Turning back to glance at his boss, Tony didn't miss the look on Gibbs' face. "I heard that, Boss."

"You were meant to." The older man replied before he turned back to Jack. "Sure you're alright?"

"'M fine." The teenager sighed, reaching up to rub his face with his hand. "Just tired, I guess."

In front of him, Bradley snorted before he turned back to his son. "Stop complainin', J. Don't ruin this for Emma."

"Dad! I'm not..." He trailed off at the angry look on his father's face before he dropped his gaze to the ground, glaring at the sidewalk beneath his feet.

"Uncle Bra'ley!" Emma scolded, peering at him over her father's shoulder. "You not yell at JJ!"

"Hey, that's enough, Em." Abby chastised, reaching out to swat her daughter's bottom gently.

The little girl turned to her mother, her eyes wide with tears as she rubbed the spot where she'd been hit.

"C'mon, Abs." Tony groaned, shifted Emma in his arms as he tried to stop the tears he knew were coming. "Did you really have to do that?"

"She's not going to speak to her uncle like that, Tony. It's rude and disrespectful."

"So then you tell her that. You don't need to hit her." He scowled, pressing a kiss to his little girl's cheek.

"It won't hurt her to get her bottom spanked every once in awhile." Abby said. "That's how my Mama and Daddy taught us our manners. I didn't even hit her very hard."

"Not the point, Abby. I thought we agreed we'd try talking to her before we'd resort to spanking."

Britty stepped forward, pushing herself between the couple. "Can we save the discussion on spanking until later? Don't think your daughter's birthday is the best place for it."

They stopped outside the door to the aquarium and looked at each other before they nodded.

"Alright." Abby said, reaching up and smoothing Emma's hair back. "I'm sorry, baby."

"How many we got here?" Tony asked, running his hand over his fiancée's back as he did a quick head count. "10? 8 adults and 2 kids, right?"

The Goth nodded and took the little girl from her lovers arms as he moved to pull out his wallet and pay for the tickets. "All ready to see the fishies?"

"Yay! We go now!" Emma said, her tears gone at the mention of the fish housed inside the aquarium.

**A Few Hours Later**

"Mommy!" Emma squealed, hopping up and down in front of the Australian exhibit. "Ewww! Mommy! Look! Is a snake!"

"Oh gross." Britty complained, turning to hide her face against her husband's shoulder. "Did we really have to come this far down here?" She asked.

"C'mon, B." Bradley laughed, wrapping an arm around his wife's shoulder. "It's behind a glass. It's not going to bite."

"It doesn't matter." She frowned, pinching his side. "It even has a nasty name. Look at that! A Death Adder? What the heck is an animal like that doing here?" She shuddered.

Laughing at his girl's sister-in-law, Tony knelt down, lifting Emma into his arms so that she could get a better look at the snake, chuckling quietly when she hid her face against his shoulder.

"Ewww Daddy! Dow'!"

"Aww, you're not scared, are ya?" Tony teased, turning away from the snake exhibit.

"Look at this one, Em." Abby called, peering into the Black-headed Python tank, pointing out the large snake when Tony brought the little girl over.

"Oh icky!" She whined. "I go dow'!"

"Looks like Em inherited her auntie's fear of snakes." Tony teased, nudging Abby when she pointed to the redhead, who still had her face hidden against her husband.

"And her cousin." Abby snickered. "You're lookin' awful green over there, Captain Jack. You aren't afraid of a little itty bitty snake, are you?"

"Dow' pease!" The toddler cried, squirming around in her father's arms.

"Okay, okay!" The Italian said, setting his daughter down. "Where you goin', anklebiter?"

She stuck her tongue out at her father before running over to where her cousin was standing near McGee and Ziva. "JJ? Up, pease?" She asked politely, reaching up to her teenaged cousin.

McGee looked down and frowned before crouching in front of his niece. "Emma, why don't you let me or your Auntie Ziva hold you, huh? Jack's not feelin' very good."

"Okay." The little girl shrugged, allowing the Junior Agent to pick her up awkwardly. "S'older ride, Uncle Goo?"

"Uh...sure." He said, lifting her onto his shoulders as best he could.

"Better not drop her, McDeadMan." Tony called, giving him a pointed look as he wrapped his arm around Abby's waist and pulled her close to his side. "You won't live long enough to see your own kids."

"Daddy no call names! Time out!"

The raven-haired woman looked up and smirked at her lover. "She got you there, T. Time out for you when we get home."

"Ooh...can it involve cuffs?" He teased, grunting when she hit him in the stomach. "What? It was a valid question!"

Emma gripped her uncle's hair, holding on tightly as he carried her around the exibit. "Auntie Zeebra? Why you laugh?" She asked, watching as the Israeli tried to refrain from laughing.

"Oh, do not worry about it, sweetheart." She smiled, squeezing McGee's hand.

"JJ?" The toddler asked, her attention diverted when her cousin suddenly stopped in his tracks. "Stop Uncle Goo!" She cried, pulling on his hair. "JJ sick!"

The agent turned around and eyed the boy carefully, making his way back over to him. "You okay, Jack?"

McGee watched as the teenager literally turned green in front of him, just barely making it to the trash can before losing what little he had in his stomach. Pulling Emma down from his shoulders, he handed her off to Ziva before rushing over to the boy.

"Britty? Abs?" He called, looking up when the two women ran over to him. "Think we got a little problem over here."

Stopping next to her son, Britty rubbed his back gently as he continued to heave, despite the fact that nothing else was coming up.

Turning back to glare briefly at her husband, she offered Emma an apologetic smile. "I think we're gonna have to finish up here, sweetie. Jackie doesn't feel very good."

Forcing himself to straighten, the teenager swiped his mouth with the back of his hand, his body trembling slightly.

"You okay, baby?" Britty asked, running her fingers through his hair.

"I feel...a little bit better now." He managed, allowing his mother to pull him into her embrace. "We don't have to go if...if Em's not ready."

"We've seen everything anyway." Abby said dismissively. "We need to get you home, sweetie. You're still green." She teased.

"But Mommy! Daddy p'omised we go have lunch!" The little girl whined, stomping her feet.

"Emma..." The Goth warned, lifting her daughter out of Ziva's arms. "This is what got you a spankin' before. Just because it's your birthday doesn't mean Princess Brat gets to come out and play."

"It's okay, Auntie." Jack managed, sitting on a nearby bench. "I'm feelin' a lot better. We can still go to lunch. I just won't eat anything."

"You sure, Jack?" Tony asked, joining them. "We can pick somethin' up on the way home."

He nodded, pushing himself to his feet and offering a smile. "Let's go."

They all left the aquarium and crossed the street to the Hard Rock Cafe. Everything went smoothly for the most part, as everyone chattered and carried on conversations with each other about various subjects.

"Mama..." Jack whispered, watching as their waiter served everyone's meals. "I'm not feelin' so good."

"What's the matter, baby? Is it the food?"

The teenager nodded, taking a deep breath and swallowing hard as the waiter walked away. "Can I go wait in the car?"

Britty hesitated, not necessarily wanting him to walk to the parking garage by himself. "I don't know, baby...are you sure?"

"Let him go, B." Bradley said, feeling guilty for making his son go with them in the first place. "If it's okay with Tony and Abs."

"Of course." Tony said, offering a reassuring smile to his nephew and tossing him the keys. "Go ahead and lay the seat in the back down, okay? You'll be more comfortable."

"Thanks, Uncle Tony." He said, smiling weakly as he pushed himself away from the table. Stopping behind Emma's seat, he leaned down and pressed a kiss into her blonde curls. "I'm sorry, Mimi."

"It okay! You no feel good." She said, hugging him gently.

Nodding again, he zipped up the jacket he had borrowed from Tony and headed outside, making his way down the street to the parking garage.

Stepping into the parking garage, Jack released a quiet sigh as he pulled the jacket tighter around his body, frowning as he shivered slightly. Though it wasn't as cold as it had been, he was still freezing as he made his way past the rows of cars.

"What the fuck do you mean you don't have my money? I told your ass that I wanted it three weeks ago. Pay up, Marine!"

Picking up the pace at the sound of raised voices, Jack kept his gaze straight ahead, trying desperately to block out the sight of the three men arguing just behind the black Mercedes on the other end of the garage.

His stomach clenched uncomfortably in fear as the voices grew louder and it was all he could do to keep from breaking out in a run. As it was, he apparently hadn't drawn any attention to himself and he wanted to keep it that way.

"No... Please, don't..." The sound of the plea was silenced by the loud crack of a gunshot and despite his earlier attempts at remaining unnoticed, Jack couldn't help but cry out when he glanced over and saw the man slump to the ground, blood already pooling around him.

"Fuck! Chris..." One of the remaining men hissed, pointing at Jack.

Another cry tore from Jack's throat as he broke into a run, tears already burning behind his eyes as the sound of footsteps behind him reached his ears.

He felt a large hand clamp down on his shoulder before he was pushed roughly against the wall, the concrete digging into his skin.

"What did you see?" The tall one hissed, shoving Jack harder against the wall. The teenager could feel the barrel of the gun pressed against the back of his neck. "What the fuck did you *see*?"

"Chris! We gotta go!" The other man hissed.

In the distance, the sirens were screaming. "Tell me! What did you...?"

"Nothing!" Jack cried, tears running down his cheeks. "Nothing! P...please!"

"You're damn right, you didn't see nothin'." The man spat. "You let me find out that you said otherwise, and I'm comin' after your whole fuckin' family." He promised before he slammed the boy against the wall once more. Releasing him from his grip, it was all Jack could do to remain upright, though as soon as he heard the retreating footsteps, he took off for the car, tears blurring his vision.

Reaching the car, Jack pulled the car keys from his pocket, his hands trembling as he tried to unlock the door. He could feel the bile rising in his throat as he dropped the keys. Another cry escaped him as he dropped to his knees, retching violently despite the fact that he had nothing in his stomach to bring up.

**Chapter Five - Hard Times Happen** Josh Kelley

**Hard Rock Cafe Baltimore - January 1, 2014**

"Tony..." Abby whispered, looking out the window of the restaurant as the Baltimore Police cars sped around the corner, headed into the parking garage up the street. "Look."

The Italian glanced up as he signed his name on the receipt, frowning deeply when he heard the screaming sirens. "I'm sure everything's okay, Abby."

"What about Jack?" She asked, pulling Emma's jacket on and zipping it up. "What if something happened to him?"

Leaning over, he pressed a kiss to her forehead. "It's fine, baby. We're goin' over there right now. I doubt he even saw anything, seein' how sick he is."

She nodded, allowing him to pull her up and help put her coat on. The group headed over to the parking garage, seeing the EMTs loading a body into the back of the ambulance.

"Bradley...we have to go find Jack." Britty said, clinging to her husband's side as she held Jeremy on her hip.

"Ziva, McGee, go with Abs and the rest up to the cars, find Jack. Tony, come with me. Let's go see what happened."

"Got it, Boss." He said, pressing a kiss to both his girls' foreheads. "I'll be right there, okay?"

Abby nodded, shifting Emma on her hip as they headed up the ramp to the second level where their car was parked with Ziva and McGee. Tony turned back around and followed after Gibbs, heading over to the crime scene to speak with the local LEO's.

"Agent Gibbs, NCIS. This is Agent DiNozzo. What happened?" The silver-haired man asked, flashing his badge and putting it away.

"You guys got here fast." The Sergeant commented, walking over to the pair. "We only just got the okay to transport the body to you."

They gave each other curious glances before Gibbs motioned for his Senior Agent to speak to the EMTs. "What exactly happened, Sergeant?"

"We're thinking drug deal gone wrong. There are reports of two men driving a black Mercedes leaving the garage a few minutes after the shooting. Your guy...Garrett Lowe...we found his wallet under the car next to him, military ID inside." He explained, handing the older man the wallet they had found.

"We'll need your preliminary report."

"Already faxed to your office."

Gibbs nodded and the Sergeant walked away, leaving him staring at the crime scene. "DiNozzo." He called, motioning the younger man over.

"He took one to the head, Boss. EMT says that he died almost immediately, but Ducky will verify."

"Go up and check on Jack. Send McGee down, need him to take some pictures before the scene gets more trashed than it already is."

"Got it." The Italian said, brushing past the older man and heading up to where their cars were parked. He found everyone gathered around the rear of their Explorer with Britty sitting next to her son, holding him close to her side. "Hey. Everything okay?"

Abby walked over to him and frowned. "What's going on, Tony? Jack said he heard a gunshot."

"Is he okay?" He asked, glancing over at his nephew. "Did he say if he saw anything?"

"No. He said all he heard was the gunshot. He was already upstairs when it happened."

"I gotta talk to him."

"I don't know that B's gonna be too keen on that, T."

"I gotta talk to him." He repeated, offering his girl an apologetic smile. "You know I wouldn't put him through this if I didn't have to, Abs, but if he saw *anything*, then we need to know about it."

Running his fingers through his hair, Tony released a sigh and made his way over to the trembling teenager. "Hey buddy." He said quietly, crouching down in front of him. "You okay?"

Jack didn't respond, though he squeezed his eyes shut as he pressed himself closer to his mother's side. From where he sat, Tony could see the puddle of vomit alongside the car.

"Shhh." Britty whispered, rubbing her son's back gently. "It's okay, baby. You're okay now."

"What happened?" Tony asked, his voice quiet so that he didn't upset the teenager any more.

"I don't...he says he didn't see anything." The redhead managed, her voice strained. "When we got up here, we found him like this. He was...he was getting sick beside the car but when Bradley tried to check on him...I've never seen him so scared before."

"Okay." Tony said with a nod, reaching out slowly to rest his hand on his nephew's shoulder. He didn't miss the way juvenile flinched, nor did he miss the strangled cry that tore from his throat.

"Mama!" He cried, hiding his face against her shoulder.

"I've got you, baby. You're okay. It's just your Uncle Tony."

"Jack, tell me what you saw, buddy." Tony prompted, ignoring Britty's harsh glare. "What happened?"

"Nothin'." He cried. "I didn't...I didn't see anything."

"Tony." Abby sniffled, resting her hand on her soon-to-be husband's shoulder. "Don't do this to him."

"He's gotta talk to me, Abs." The agent replied, his investigative instincts taking over. "I need to know what he saw."

"He already said that he didn't see anything!" Britty snarled.

The Italian looked up at his girl's sister-in-law, frowning deeply. "Jack, if you know anything that might be able to help catch these guys, it's really important that you tell us. If not me, then Gibbs, or Ziva, or McGee...but somebody."

Jack nodded, watching as his uncle pushed himself to his feet and pulled his aunt off to the side of the car so that he couldn't overhear their conversation.

"Abby, he's not tellin' me the truth."

The Goth looked up at him, confused. "How do you know that, Tony? He's just a boy."

He sighed, giving her a sharp glance. "Abby..."

"I'm serious! He's just a kid, no matter how much of a pain in the ass he can be sometimes. Would you question Emma like that if something like this happened to her?"

"If I thought she may have seen something, yes."

"Bullshit." She hissed, cocking her eyebrow at him. "You know damn well you wouldn't."

The older man opened his mouth to respond when he was interrupted by the teenager retching again. His fiancee rushed back over to her nephew, leaving him standing near the driver's side door of the SUV. Ziva approached him, a concerned look on her face as she tried to calm Emma down.

"Tony, your daughter is concerned. Perhaps you should explain to her what is going on?"

"Em, c'mere, baby." He said, lifting the little girl out of the Israeli's arms and cuddling her against him. "Daddy's so sorry."

"What JJ do bad?" She asked, sniffling quietly as she swiped at her nose.

He shook his head, pressing a kiss to her cheek. "He didn't do anything wrong, sweetness, Daddy just thinks he saw some bad guys, but he's afraid to tell me."

"DiNozzo."

"Here, Boss. What's goin' on?" He asked, rounding the car and making his way over to the older man, still holding his little girl in his arms.

"Take your family home, get the kids settled. Gonna need you and Abs at the office." He said, leaning over and giving Emma a kiss on the cheek. "Sorry, Princess."

"No say sorry, Papa. 'S rule."

The older man smirked, kissing her cheek again.

"Already teachin' her the rules, huh, Boss?" Tony asked, shifting the toddler to his other hip.

"Not my fault a three year old can remember 'em better than you, DiNozzo."

"That's not..." He paused, seeing the look the older agent was giving him. "That's not what's important. See ya at the Yard."

Gibbs nodded, turning to walk back to his car, calling for Ziva and McGee to follow him. Once they had left, Tony approached his girl and her family as they continued to stand around Jack protectively.

"C'mon guys. We gotta head back."

Bradley walked up to the younger man, motioning for him to walk to the side of the car and put the toddlers into their seats. "What's goin' on? You gonna take Jack in?"

"No, of course not. If he remembers anything, I can take his statement at home."

"Alright. Sorry about Britty, by the way. She...we've never seen him this scared before."

Tony nodded, buckling Emma into her car seat. "I figured as much. I won't try to push him any more today, but I am gonna have to talk to him eventually."

"It won't be a problem." Turning back to the rear of the car, he called out to his wife and eldest son. "C'mon B. Abs and Tony have to get to work."

They piled into the SUV fairly quickly, with Britty and Jack sitting in the back clinging to each other for dear life. Just under an hour later, they were back at the house and unloading the car.

"Are you sure it won't be a problem, Bradley?" Abby asked, carrying her daughter inside. "I can call the sitter if you want."

"No. You're not gonna pay for a sitter when B and I are here to help out. We can handle them, okay? I'm pretty sure that Jack's gonna be upstairs sleepin' anyway. It'll just be the babies."

"C'mon, Abs. We've gotta get goin' or Gibbs is gonna have my...butt." The Italian said, refraining from cursing in front of his little girl. "Mommy and Daddy will be home as soon as we can, okay? You be good for your Uncle Bradley and Auntie B."

Emma frowned, crossing her little arms over her chest. "Don' go, Daddy! 'S my birfday!"

"I know it is, Princess. But you know that work is very important and the sooner we get it done, the sooner we can get home to be with you, right?"

"No!" She cried, clinging to the Goth when she tried to sit the toddler on the floor. "No go! S'ay here!"

Britty reached over and pulled her niece out of her sister-in-law's arms, pressing a kiss to the little girl's cheek. "Go on. I'll handle this, okay? Just get back soon."

They each pressed another kiss to their daughter's cheek before leaving, closing the front door behind them.

"How 'bout a movie, huh?" The redhead asked, frowning when her niece's eyes filled with tears. "Emma...it's okay. Your Mommy and Daddy will be home soon, okay? Let's go pick out a movie."

A few minutes passed before she finally got her son and niece situated with drinks and snacks in front of the TV, allowing her to slip into the kitchen and lean against the counter, an exhausted look on her face.

"Hey." Bradley said, following her into the kitchen and pulling her into his arms. "You okay?"

She shook her head, trembling slightly as she buried her face in his shoulder.

The older man wrapped his arms around her a little tighter, pressing a kiss into her hair. "Everything's gonna be okay, baby. Jackie's gonna be fine, he's just a little spooked."

Britty pulled back slightly and looked up at her husband. "He's never been like he was today, Bradley. Never. Not even when he was a baby was he that clingy."

"I know." He said, kissing her gently. "He's resting now, and I bet that he'll be better when he wakes up, okay?"

She nodded, swiping at the wetness on her cheeks. "I'm going...I'm going to check on him." She said, pulling away and offering her husband a slight smile. "Will you be okay with the babies for awhile?"

"Please." He snorted. "How much trouble could they possibly be?"

"And that, right there, is confirmation that I don't leave you alone with Jeremy often enough." She teased, pressing a kiss to Bradley's lips before she pulled away again, exiting the kitchen.

She made her way up the stairs quietly, frowning at the sound of retching coming from the bathroom. Hurrying inside, she dropped to her knees behind her son, resting her hand gently on his back. She didn't miss the way he flinched away from her touch, nor did she miss the choked sob that escaped him.

"Oh, baby." She frowned, settling in behind him until he was finished.

Positive that he had absolutely nothing left to bring up, Jack sat on his heels, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand and closing his eyes at the feeling of his mother's arms wrapping around him.

"You all done?"

"I... I think so." He managed, hiccuping slightly as she stood, pulling him to his feet.

"You can't possibly have anything left in there to bring up." She frowned, smoothing his hair back away from his forehead. "C'mon, baby. Let's wash your mouth out and get you back in bed."

She stood by the door, allowing him to rinse his mouth out before she reached for him, wrapping her arm around his thin waist as she led him back to the spare bedroom.

Collapsing onto the mattress, he didn't protest as she pulled the covers up around his body, nor did he pull away when she slid in behind him, wrapping her arms around him.

"You're okay now, Jackie." She whispered quietly, squeezing him gently.

"I don't...I don't wanna talk to Uncle Tony anymore." He sniffled, trying desperately to will away the tears forming behind his eyes. "P...please don't make me talk to him anymore. Please, Mama."

"Shh..." She soothed, rubbing his back gently, her heart breaking at the sound of his harsh breaths. "Everything's going to be okay, baby."

Turning in his mother's arms, the teenager pressed his face against her shoulder, allowing her to comfort him. It had been a long time since he'd needed her this way, but even though he knew she'd never make the images in his mind go away, he felt safe with her. Closing his eyes, he released a shuddery breath, breathing in her comforting scent as he allowed her gentle hands to lull him to sleep.

**Three Hours Later - 1930 Hours**

Bradley sat up from the couch with a start when the phone next to his head rang loudly. He made a feeble attempt to sit up, realizing that his son and niece were both sprawled out on top of him, sleeping soundly as the menu screen for their movie played on the flat-screen TV. Reaching behind him, he picked the phone up from the base and turned it on.

"DiNozzo residence." He answered groggily, running a hand over his face.

"Hey, BB, it's me." Abby said, her music playing loudly in the background. "How are the kids?"

"Well, Jack's upstairs with B, and the babies apparently decided to dog pile me before they fell asleep. I'm buried on the couch."

His sister chuckled and he could just imagine her rolling her eyes as she worked on her computer. "I'm almost done here, just running some fiber analysis then I'll be on my way. What did you guys feel like eating for dinner? I'll pick something up on the way home."

"I'm not sure. Lemme talk to Jack and Britty, then I'll call you back."

"Alright." She replied, hanging up the phone.

Bradley placed the receiver back on the base and ran his hand over his face again before moving the toddlers off of him carefully, covering them up with a blanket as he stood. Heading up the stairs, he pushed open the door to the spare room that his wife and son had been sleeping in, smiling when he saw his girl sitting up awake.

"Hey, baby. Sleep okay?"

The redhead nodded, continuing to run her fingers through the teenager's shaggy hair as he slept. "Who's on the phone?"

"Oh, just Abs. She wanted to see if you guys wanted anything to eat, she's headin' home soon."

"Whatever's fine with me, I'm sure Jack's not gonna want to eat very much if anything."

He nodded, sitting on the edge of the bed next to his wife. Running a hand over her back, he kissed her cheek.

"Want some coffee?"

"Yeah." She smiled, resting her head on his shoulder briefly. "I'll come down in a minute."

"Okay." Pushing himself up from the mattress, he headed downstairs and started a fresh pot of coffee.

He was just hanging up the phone with Abby when Britty walked into the kitchen, wrapping her arms around his waist and resting her cheek against his back.

"Hey you."

"Hey. How's our boy doin' up there?"

"Been sleepin' since we got home. He's exhausted."

The sandy-haired man poured two cups of coffee and smiled when his girl released him and reached for the cup.

"What did you tell Abs to pick up for dinner?"

"She decided to pick up a few pizzas. I guess Tony's gonna be headed home pretty soon too."

The redhead nodded, taking a sip of her coffee. "Think he'll wanna talk to J again?"

"Probably." He shrugged. "He doesn't wanna upset him, B, you know that. Its just his job."

"Yeah, I know." She sighed, leaning against the counter. "He begged me to not let Tony talk to him again."

Bradley cocked an eyebrow at her, frowning deeply. "You think he saw something?"

"I can't think of another reason why he'd be so hesitant to talk to Tony, unless he's not being completely honest with us."

"Lemme go talk to him. Abby's gonna be here soon with the food, and I know Jeremy's gonna need a diaper when he gets up."

"Okay. But don't push him too hard, okay?"

"I won't, baby." He promised, taking the stairs two at a time.

Reaching the top of the stairs, he poked his head into the spare room again, surprised when he saw his niece kneeling next to her cousin's head, brushing his hair back gently.

"Emma Marie. What are you doin' up here, little lady?"

She jumped, turning around to face her uncle. "I see JJ. He not feel good."

Picking her up, he swatted her on the bottom gently before setting her back on the bed and kneeling in front of her. "You're not supposed to be on the stairs without a grown up and you know it, Emma."

He watched as her hazel eyes filled with tears, her little lip quivering before she cried out. "Owchie! I be good girl!"

He couldn't help but chuckle a little at the toddler's show of theatrics, frowning when she started crying harder. "Aww, Em...you know Uncle didn't do that to hurt you. You could get very hurt on the stairs."

"I sorry, Uncle Bra'ley." She whimpered, dropping her head to her chest.

"Its okay, sweetheart. C'mon, Mommy's gonna be home soon with pizza."

"Daddy too?"

"Soon, baby girl. Daddy's very busy at work with your Papa."

The little girl frowned, reaching her arms up for her Uncle. He kissed her cheek, picking her up and carrying her downstairs just as Abby was walking through the front door.

"Mommy!" She cried, reaching for the Goth.

Handing the pizzas off to her sister-in-law as she joined them at the door, Abby lifted the little girl from her brother's arms, peppering her cheeks with kisses.

"Were you a good girl?"

"I good." She confirmed, though she eyed Bradley suspiciously before she dropped her head against her mother's shoulder, hiding her face.

"That's your guilty face." Abby accused. "What did you do?"

"Nothin'." Bradley smirked. "She was a good girl." He said, tickling Emma's sides before he turned back to Britty. "Jeremy ever wake up?"

"Yep. He's all changed and ready to eat. Was Jackie still sleepin'?"

"Yeah. I figured I'd take somethin' up to him in a bit. Give him a chance to rest a little longer."

Making their way into the kitchen, Britty and Abby settled the toddlers into their chairs while Bradley fixed them all plates and drinks. Dinner was a pretty quiet affair, no doubt thanks to the eventful afternoon that the family had shared.

Bradley's thoughts kept drifting back to his sleeping son and he found that the guilt he felt for making him tag along to Baltimore was becoming overwhelming. Pushing his plate away, the older man stood up and smiled at his wife and sister. "I'm gonna take some food up to Jack, see if I can get him to eat."

The women just looked at each other as he took what was left of the pizza and headed upstairs. Once he was upstairs, he paused outside the door when he heard his son whimpering inside.

"Jack? Everything okay?" Bradley asked, stepping inside and dropping the pizza box on the nightstand.

The teenager swiped at his tears, blushing furiously at the thought of his father having seen him cry. "Sorry."

"Nothing to apologize for, J. I brought you some pizza, if you're hungry."

"I don't know if I should...I don't wanna get sick again."

Bradley shrugged, sitting on the bed next to his son. "That's okay. Sleep good?" He asked, hesitant to ask his son about what had happened in the parking garage.

"I guess...considering."

"Considering what?"

Jack glanced up at his father nervously, hoping that he wouldn't push him to talk about what happened earlier that day.

"That's okay. You don't have to talk to me." Bradley reassured him, clapping a firm hand on his shoulder. "You know your Uncle Tony's gonna need you to talk though, buddy."

Sitting up, the teen played with the frayed hem on his favorite t-shirt. "I didn't see anything, Dad. Mama said I didn't have to talk to Uncle Tony anymore if I didn't want to."

"That's not what your Mama told me, J. We want this to be over with as much as you do, but that's not gonna happen if you're holdin' somethin' back from Tony or Gibbs."

"I swear, Dad. I swear I didn't see anything. I've never lied to you before. If I saw something, I would say so. I promise."

Bradley could see his son trembling slightly as he promised that he was telling the truth, but he was right. The older man had no reason to believe the boy was lying to him, except for his gut telling him something was off. Standing up from the bed, he offered the teenager a reassuring smile.

"Okay, Jack. I believe you. When Tony gets home, you'll have to give him a statement, but then we'll all leave you alone about it, okay?"

Jack nodded, sighing heavily when his father finally left the room. Slipping back underneath the blankets, he curled up into a ball and sobbed quietly. He hated the fact that he had to lie to his family, but he knew that he had to do whatever it took to keep them safe.

**January 2, 2010 - 0100 Hours**

Unlocking the door as quietly as possible, Tony stepped into the house and immediately toed off his shoes, dropping them on the pile near the door. He reached down and pulled his gun out of its holster, making sure the safety was on before turning the corner into the living room.

He was surprised to see a fire going in their fireplace, and when he glanced over, he smiled when he saw his girl on the couch waiting for him, wrapped up in a blanket.

"Hey you. You should be in bed." He said, turning back to the bookshelf and slipping his service weapon into its lockbox. "Didn't have to wait up for me."

Abby pushed herself to her feet and walked over to him, wrapping her arms around his waist from behind. "Can't. It's occupied. Besides, I wanted to. Heard you had a long night."

"Long day too." He sighed, turning in her arms and pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Wait. Why is our bed occupied?"

"Bradley and Jeremy are in there. B and Jack are in their room, so we're sleepin' down here."

"That why the fire's goin'?"

She grinned, pushing his jacket off his shoulders and draping it over the recliner. "Well, I figured, if we're gonna be displaced, we may as well make it a little romantic, don't you think?"

"Last time we tried romantic, you put candles all over the room."

"And you said you thought I was gonna perform some satanic ritual on you. So I decided to skip the candles this time."

He chuckled, allowing the Goth to pull him over to the couch and set him down before situating herself behind him. "You're the one that put 'em all in a circle. What was I supposed to think?"

She laughed again, leaning down to press a gentle kiss to the back his neck. She didn't miss the way that he shivered, nor did she miss the quiet moan that escaped him.

"That feel good?"

"You know it does." He sighed, closing his eyes as he allowed her to pull him back into her embrace.

"I'll tell you what, let me go heat up some pizza for you and while you eat, I'll give you a massage. You're so tense, T."

"I'd like that." The exhausted agent said quietly as he pulled away, allowing her to slide off the couch.

Hurrying into the kitchen, Abby grabbed a few slices of leftover pizza and dropped them onto a plate before she stuck them into the microwave. Fixing him a drink, she grabbed his dinner from the microwave and headed back into him, smiling when she found him exactly where she'd left him.

"You okay, T?" She asked quietly as she slipped behind him again, setting his food and drink on the coffee table in front of him.

"Yeah." He said, knowing that he didn't convince his lover. "No." He groaned, dropping his head back against her shoulder. "I don't wanna upset Jack anymore, but I can't shake this feeling that he's hidin' somethin'."

Nuzzling his neck gently, she released a quiet sigh against his shoulder. "Let's not think about it anymore tonight, huh? You need to relax and I'm gonna help you."

Leaning around him, she picked up the plate off the table and set it on his lap. "Eat. Let me take care of the rest." She grinned, kissing the back of his neck again before she started working on the muscles in his shoulders. "God, baby...you haven't been this tense since the Petty Officer Turner case last year."

"I told you...something's rubbin' me wrong about this. I just...can't put my finger on it." He groaned, relaxing into her touch.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart." Moving her hands under his shirt, she started massaging his lower back as she rested her cheek against his shoulder. "Don't like the pizza?"

"Just not hungry." He mumbled, reaching behind him and pulling her warm hands off of his skin.

She looked up at him, confused, as she allowed him to pull her into his lap gently. "Tony? What's goin' on?"

The Italian cupped the back of her head gently, pulling her pigtails out and running his long fingers through her hair before kissing her deeply. They were both slightly out of breath when they parted, his fingers still tangled in her hair and her arms wrapped around his neck. Resting his forehead against hers, he closed his eyes and released a small sigh.

"I just...don't wanna think about it."

She eased his shoulders back until he was leaning against the couch, allowing her to situate herself more comfortably on his lap. "I'll give you somethin' else to think about." The Goth smirked, pressing her body against his, feeling him respond to her gentle caresses. "Just...focus here." She said, pointing to her eyes.

"I think I can do that." He whispered, watching as she peeled the t-shirt she was wearing over her head and tossing it over the back of the couch. Picking up the blanket she had been wrapped in when he came inside, he draped it around her bare hips, running his hands over her thighs slowly. "God, you're beautiful."

"Kiss ass." Abby smirked, ducking her head and placing teasing kisses on his neck.

He moaned softly, dropping his head back against the couch and she continued her sweet assault. Closing his eyes, he focused all his attention on his girl, allowing her gentle touches to bring him out of the funky mood he'd been stuck in.

"Just relax, T." She mumbled against him. "Let me make it all better."

He didn't have the heart to tell her she already had.

**Chapter Six - Right Round** Flo’Rida

**One Week Later - January 10, 2014**

"You're seriously gonna force me to have a bachelor party?"

Abby chuckled, shaking her head. "I hardly thought you'd fight having one."

"I just don't need one." He explained, stirring the spaghetti sauce he was cooking. "Why would I wanna look at strippers all night when I get to come home to you?"

Bradley gagged teasingly, chuckling as he leaned over to his wife. "We weren't like that, were we?"

"Oh yeah you were." The Goth called over her shoulder. "There were plenty of times I wanted to lose my lunch listenin' to you two planning your wedding."

"Oh trust me, little sister...I wanted a bachelor party." He grinned, stepping into the kitchen and smacking Tony upside the head. "So quit complainin'. Your girl is practically beggin' you to go. Oblige her, if only for my sake."

Tony sighed heavily, turning around and leaning against the counter. "Guess I'll take one for the team then." He whined, rolling his eyes and flinching when his girl punched his shoulder. "Ow! What was that for?"

"You think you're gettin' brownie points for denying that you want a bachelor party?"

"Maybe." He teased. "You know you're the only person I'm interested in gettin' brownie points from."

It was Abby's turn to roll her eyes playfully as she reached up and pressed a kiss to his lips. Though she pretended to be irritated with her soon-to-be husband, Abby was glad that he was back to his normal playful self. It had been a long week following Emma's disastrous birthday party, as Jack had completely shut down and Tony had thrown himself into his work, even more so than he usually did.

As an agent, he saw awful things on a day to day basis, but none of them had gotten him quite so worked up as the shooting in the parking garage had. At least, not to the point where he brought it home with him every night.

She'd almost been relieved when the case had been passed to another team. They'd been pulled off after a military brat had gone missing and thankfully, Lewis' team had decided that Jack was telling the truth. The boy hadn't seen anything that day in the parking garage and the family was free to resume their lives.

Joining her sister-in-law in the kitchen, she elbowed her husband in the side. "Now don't go thinkin' that just because Abby's bein' understanding, that I will be." She teased. "I better not find out you're lookin' at strippers."

"Exotic dancers." He retorted, tipping her chin up to kiss her. "And you know I only have eyes for you, baby."

"See? This is what I was talkin' about, BB. You guys think Tony and I are bad."

"We're allowed. We've been married for 20 years."

"Okay, you two, break it up. Dinner's served." He said, dumping the fresh pasta into a serving bowl and covering it with the sauce. "Where are the kids?"

The Goth pulled plates down out of the cabinet and moved over to set the dinner table. "Em and Jeremy are in the living room playing and Jackie's upstairs on his computer."

"He already said he wasn't hungry." Britty offered, stepping into the adjoining room to get the toddlers ready to eat. "I'll take him a plate later on if he wants."

The Italian glanced toward the stairs wearily as he made his way over to the table, only to be stopped by his girl's soft hand on his arm. "Hey. He's 15. Just...don't let it bug you, okay? Not on the first day off you've had in over a week."

"Abby..."

"Don't. Please, Tony. Don't do this. Can we just enjoy the time we have off? You're already not gonna have more than a couple days off between now and the wedding."

"That's so I can get the time off to take you to Italy. Unless you don't wanna go..." He shrugged.

Her eyes widened as she pressed her finger to his lips. "That...is not what I said."

"Uh huh. That's what I thought." He chuckled. "C'mon, let's eat."

The group took their seats at the kitchen table and had a pleasant conversation, talking about everything from work to the wedding preparations. As soon as they were done, the boys took the dishes into the kitchen and loaded up the dishwasher before meeting their significant others in the living room where they were waiting along with their children.

"Alright...who wants ice cream?"

"Ice c'eam!" Emma and Jeremy cried, clapping their hands.

"That's two." Tony grinned. "Girls?"

Abby shook her head. "No thanks...gotta keep my weight down if I'm gonna fit into that dress."

"Hah." Britty snorted, looking between the raven-haired woman and her fiance. "Tony should be watchin' his figure. You've always been rail-thin."

"Hey!" The agent pouted. "I've been workin' out!"

"Yes, baby...you certainly have. And you've been givin' me some...very good workout tips."

"I'm not even touchin' that." Bradley said, ducking back into the kitchen to get ice cream for the toddlers.

Rolling her eyes at her brother, Abby wrapped her arms around Tony's waist, offering him a bright smile as she pressed a gentle kiss to his lips. "Maybe we can uh...work out later? If you're feeling up to it. We wanna make sure you'll fit in your tux, after all," she teased, pinching his side before she pulled away with a laugh.

"Not nice, Sciuto. Not nice at all."

"Daddy! I can have frinkles on my ice c'eam?"

"You want sprinkles? I don't know. Better ask Uncle Bradley."

Dropping her head back against the cushion, Emma called out to her uncle. "UNCLE BRA'LEY!"

"You've got quite the set of lungs on you, huh, Emma-girl?" The sandy-haired man chuckled, walking back into the kitchen with two bowls of ice cream, one covered in sprinkles and the other with chocolate syrup.

"Frinkles!" She beamed, accepting the ice cream from him. "T'ank you!"

"Which movie are we watchin' tonight?" Tony asked, browsing his extensive DVD collection as he grinned at the toddlers eating their ice cream enthusiastically.

"Mo'sters!" Both of the kids exclaimed, their little faces covered in ice cream.

"Okay. That's good with everyone? Monster's Inc?"

Bradley and Britty nodded, relaxing with each other on the couch as he put the movie into the player. Making his way over to the loveseat, he grabbed Abby around the waist and pulled her down with him before pinching her ass, making her jump.

"Tony!" She hissed, her cheeks turning pink with slight embarrassment as she eyed her brother and sister-in-law, who were pretending they hadn't seen it.

He laughed, holding her close despite her attempts to get away. "What? I'm not allowed to play?" He asked, nipping her neck gently.

She managed to hold back her quiet moan the first time he nipped her, but she wasn't so lucky the second and third times, releasing the little sounds against her will. Her lover chuckled, continuing to nibble on her neck and earlobe, smirking at the slight noises she made.

"Okay, you two." Bradley said, eying them carefully. "The ass-pinching, I can ignore. The moaning and writhing around, not so much."

"Bradley!" His wife chuckled, elbowing him playfully. "Leave 'em alone. They're in love."

"They need to get a room." He teased.

The Italian stopped his attack on Abby's neck and looked up, a devilish smirk on his face. "Ooh, that's a good idea. Could you guys..."

"Watch Emma and make sure she gets to bed?" Britty finished. "Of course."

"Thanks." He grinned, lifting his girl into his arms despite her protests and taking off for the stairs. The long-married couple shook their heads as they watched them go to their bedroom, smiling when the door shut behind them.

"Why don't we ever do that anymore?" The redhead asked, snuggling against her husband.

He frowned, pulling her closer to him and tipping her chin up. "I'll make it up to you, baby."

"Promise?"

Ducking his head, he pressed a deep kiss to her lips, smiling against her. "Promise."

**Two Weeks Later - January 20, 2014**

"Uh huh. Yeah. 3 o'clock, yeah."

Tony shook his head as he listened to Bradley talking on the phone, making last minute arrangements for the bachelor party that was taking place that afternoon.

"Yeah...got it. Thanks!" Snapping the phone closed between his fingers, Bradley jumped up from his place at the kitchen table, a grin on his face.

"You're in for it tonight, man."

"Oh God." Tony groaned, dropping his head back against the chair.

"Don't even try to act like you aren't excited. I know you, DiNozzo. You're gonna be in heaven tonight."

"Until you get me home and there's hell to pay." The Italian muttered, though he couldn't stop the grin from forming on his face.

The older man chuckled, clapping him on the shoulder. "She can't get too mad, she did practically force you to have this party."

"That's only because she doesn't wanna feel guilty for the male strippers she's gonna have at hers."

"Daddy, wha's a male s'ipper?" Emma asked, skipping into the kitchen and stopping next to her father's chair.

"Uh..." He started, looking to Bradley for help only to have him walk away. "It's something you'll find out about when you're older. Much, much older."

"Hope you're not teaching our daughter about things she shouldn't know about." Abby said, entering the kitchen and lifting the little girl into her arms before pressing a kiss to her forehead.

"Of course not. Now, if we had a son instead, I wouldn't be able to promise that." He smirked.

The Goth rolled her eyes. "You're gonna pay for that one, DiNozzo." Leaning down, she sat Emma on the ground, sending her into the living room. "And just so you know, T...I'm not having any strippers at my party."

"Uh huh. Sure you're not."

"We're not." Britty said, cocking her eyebrow at the Italian. "We're having a pleasure party."

The brunette coughed, his eyes widening as he choked on his glass of water. "A...pleasure party?"

"Oh yeah." She teased, leaning over and whispering his ear. "A pleasure party."

"Where are the order forms? I've got a couple things I'd like to pick up."

The women looked at each other and chuckled as the doorbell rang, alerting them to the babysitter arriving. "Sitter's here. Time to go, Abs. We don't wanna be late."

The raven-haired woman made her way over to the door and pulled it open, revealing the blonde teenager that was Emma's babysitter. "Hey Renee. Thanks for coming."

"It's not a problem, Miss Abby." She smiled sweetly, stepping into the house.

"Just Abby, Renee. You make me feel like a schoolteacher when you call me 'Miss'. This is my sister-in-law, Britty. Tony and my brother Bradley are in the kitchen, and Emma is in the living room with her cousin Jeremy."

The girl nodded, following her into the living room and standing in the doorway as the Goth said goodbye to her daughter. "You be good for Renee, missy. I'll see you later, okay?"

"Okay Mommy. Love you!" Emma grinned, hugging her mother's legs. "Daddy go too?"

"Yep. Daddy has a party too. We'll both be back before you go to bed tonight." She reassured her, leaning down and kissing her forehead. "Tony, you gonna come say goodbye?"

The Italian sauntered into the living room, grinning cheekily at his lover. "You think I was just gonna let you go without reminding you who you're comin' home to?" He teased, cupping her face in his hands and pressing a gentle kiss to her lips. "I love you." He whispered, brushing a thumb over her cheek. "See you tonight?"

"You know it. Don't you boys have too much fun, okay?"

"We won't Mama!" Bradley called sarcastically, taking another sip of his beer.

Rolling her eyes at her brother, Abby pecked Tony's lips once more. "Have a good time. Be careful and I'll see you tonight."

"Later, baby." The Italian grinned, watching as his girl and her sister-in-law left the house before he turned to Renee. "Thanks again for comin' by tonight, hon."

"Oh...uh...it's...it's not a problem, Agent DiNozzo." The teenager blushed, offering him a shy smile.

"It's Tony, Renee." He reminded her with a wink before he lifted Emma into his arms, kissing her cheek. "Why don't you and Jer take Renee upstairs and introduce her to Jackie, huh?"

"You come see JJ, 'Nee?" Emma asked hopefully, holding her arms out for the teenager.

"Um...sure, sweetie." Renee said, pulling Emma from Tony's arms. Her face flushed even more when she accidentally brushed Tony's hand. "Oh! I'm...I'm sorry!"

"Don't worry about it." Tony chuckled, unable to hide his smirk when the girl practically ran to the stairs, Emma in her arms and Jeremy in tow.

"Wow, they start early with you, huh?" Bradley snickered.

"Don't know what you're talkin' about."

"Oh, c'mon! That girl practically wet herself when you looked at her. How old is she? 12?"

"Almost 16. And she's been sitting for Em since she was 6 months old." He explained, sitting back down at the kitchen table. "She's been comin' around the office for years with her dad."

The older man nodded. "Britty would never agree to have a pretty little thing like her sit for the kids."

The Italian scoffed. "Abby's the one who found her. She was doin' some 'Take Your Daughter To Work' Day with her dad and he took her down to the lab. Just so happened that night we needed a sitter."

The doorbell rang a moment later, and Tony stood up, heading to the door and opening it to find McGee standing there, a wide grin on his face.

"So, today's the day, huh?"

"Guess so. Bradley's in the kitchen. I just gotta head upstairs and tell Renee that we're leaving."

The younger agent headed into the kitchen, seeing Bradley pulling shot glasses and a small bottle of Jagermeister out of the cabinet above the refrigerator.

"Hey there, McGee." He greeted, pouring the liquid into the glasses and handing one to him. "Here you go."

Tony made his way back down the stairs and into the kitchen when Bradley shoved a shot glass into his hand. "A shot for the road. When's the cab gettin' here?"

"I called when I pulled up outside, it should be here in a few minutes." McGee said, looking down at the shot in his hand.

"What, McGee?" Bradley asked, cocking an eyebrow at the younger man. "Never seen a shot of Jager before?"

"Uh...yeah, of course."

"Don't lie to the man, Probie." The Italian chuckled.

He paled slightly, looking between the two older men. "The...the girls aren't actually gonna get...naked, right? I mean...they're gonna keep some clothes on?"

They looked at each other before turning back to McGee. "You've never been to a bachelor party either?"

"I...once. But...it wasn't at a strip club."

"So...you've never been to a bachelor party, Probie." Tony teased, slapping the younger man on the shoulder.

"Okay, okay. Knock it off." The sandy-haired man said, holding his glass up. "To a night of debauchery."

McGee and Bradley immediately tipped their shots back, downing them quickly only to groan as the liquid burned down their throats. Laughing quietly at the two men, Tony hesitated slightly, eying the drink with caution. It had been awhile since he'd had anything stronger to drink than a beer. In fact, the last time had been when Abby was still pregnant with Emma.

"C'mon, Tony." Bradley taunted, nudging the younger man after sensing his hesitation. "Nobody's gonna let you get into too much trouble tonight."

Glancing at McGee for confirmation, Tony released a quiet sigh before he lifted the shot to his lips, downing it quickly. The last time he'd drank, he'd gotten himself into a lot of trouble with his girl, though he knew that as long as his friends had his back, he'd be okay.

**Five Hours Later - 1800 Hours**

"So, then my dad had to go to some security review thing, so your Uncle offered to take me around the building. He was super nice..."

Jack dropped his head back against the couch cushion as he allowed the teenage girl's voice fade away in his head. He had been listening to her talk about his Uncle Tony for the last hour or so, and while he thought she was pretty, the sound of her voice was beginning to grate on his nerves.

He pushed himself up from the couch and stretched his arms above his head, pulling the kinks out of his back.

"What's the matter, Jack?" Renee asked, taking a sip of her soda. "The kids are almost asleep, we could watch a different movie if you want."

As if on cue, Jeremy's head came off the couch cushion it was resting on and he began bawling loudly, calling for his mother. Picking him up, Renee cradled him close to her chest, rocking him back and forth as she restarted the movie.

"It's cool. I'm gonna go for a run. I'll be back."

"JJ! S'ay wit' me!" Emma cried, hopping off the couch and grabbing her cousin's leg. "P'ease?"

Lifting the three year-old into his arms, he brushed her curls back and offered her a smile. "I'll be right back, okay? Just be good for Renee."

"I go wit' you?" She asked, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"No, Mimi. You stay here, okay? You know what you can do for me? You help Renee with Jer, alright?"

The toddler nodded, a slight frown on her face as he set her back down on the ground and headed for the door to pull his shoes on. Setting Jeremy on the couch, Renee stood up and followed him, placing a hand on his arm as he reached for the handle.

"I don't think you should go out, Jack. Abby and Tony said that we were supposed to stay in."

"I'm not goin' far. Just for a little run around the neighborhood. I'll be back in 20 minutes." He assured her, pulling the door open.

Stepping out into the chilly evening air, Jack shivered slightly before he walked off of the porch. Making his way down to the end of the sidewalk before he broke into a jog, closing his eyes as he breathed in deeply, coughing slightly when the cold air burned his lungs.

He made his way around the block a few times at a steady pace, trying to wear himself out before heading back to the house. He wanted to have an excuse to head upstairs and relax, not wanting to deal with Renee any more.

Rounding the corner onto their street one last time, he noticed a car he didn't recognize parked right down the street from the house. Shrugging it off, he started moving a little faster, wanting to get inside. As he approached the house, he saw the dark sedan start its engine and pull away from the curb, heading toward him.

He tried to bolt across the street toward the house, making it halfway across the street before the car sped up, catching his leg as he dove out of the way.

Jack hit the ground hard, his face and arm scraping across the pavement. Lifting his head as much as he could despite the pain he was feeling in his arm and leg, he saw the car pulling away at top speed before turning the corner at the end of the block.

Dropping his head back to the pavement, he could hear a voice calling out to him, seemingly getting further away as the darkness took over his sight and he lost consciousness.

**Cafe Soleil - Abby's Bridal Shower**

"Ooh, Abs, look at these cuffs. I bet they'd be better than using the ones Tony uses at work all the time." Britty said, holding up a pair of black leather handcuffs.

Abby smirked, shaking her head. "He's got a spare pair that we use. Besides, I doubt he'd appreciate those, he takes pride in his cuff marks."

"Huh. I didn't peg Tony for a sub. Well, you learn somethin' new every day, I guess."

"He loves bein' tied up. Not sure why, but he does." The Goth's phone started ringing in her pocket and she pulled it out, recognizing the number on the caller ID as the house number. "I gotta get this, I'll be right back."

Stepping out of the private room in the back of the restaurant, she flipped the phone open and answered it. "Hello?"

"Abby! It...it's Renee. I...I...I..."

"Renee, sweetheart, calm down." She tried, hearing both Jeremy and Emma crying loudly in the background. "What's goin' on? Are the kids okay?"

She heard the teenager take a deep breath before trying to answer again, her voice still shaking uncontrollably. "J...Jack...he got hit...I told him not to go out, but he didn't listen..."

"Hit? By what? Where did he go?"

"He...he went for a...for a run. Shhh...Em, it's okay. Abby...I...I called 911, they're on the way..."

Abby felt her blood run cold. Stifling a gasp, she closed her eyes against the tears that had already formed and took a deep breath, trying to control herself. "Okay honey. You listen to me, okay? When they pick Jackie up, I want you to go back inside and you wait. Someone will be there shortly, okay? I promise."

"O...okay. Okay. I'm s...so s...sorry."

"This isn't your fault, honey. I'm going to hang up now but I promise, someone will be there soon."

"Please tell them to h...hurry." The teenager pleaded before she disconnected the call.

Snapping the phone closed between her fingers, a sob escaped the Goth as she hurried back into the party.

"Wait until you see what Ziva is ordering for McGee." Britty giggled, missing the look on her sister-in-law's face. "I think it would make even Tony blush."

"Abby?" Ziva asked, her face contorting into a look of concern at her friend's tears. "What is wrong?"

"We have to go." She said, her voice wavering slightly.

"What? Why?" Britty asked, startling slightly at her friend's tear-stained cheeks. "What happened? What the hell did those idiots do now?" She asked, her temper flaring.

"There's been an accident, B. We need to go."

"What?" She gasped. "What the hell happened? I thought they were taking a cab!"

"Not...not the boys."

"Then...?"

"Jack."

The redhead paused, the shock of the Goth's announcement leaving her at a loss for words. "No...no, no, no! He's home! With the babies!"

"He went for a run. Renee doesn't know exactly what happened, but we've gotta go." She said, helping the slightly older woman to her feet as Ziva followed them out to Abby's car.

"I'm gonna go drop you at the hospital, B, then I'll go get the babies, alright?"

"I will go and sit with Emma and Jeremy if you would like." Ziva offered. "Would you like me to take Renee home?"

"Thanks, Zee. Really." Abby said, giving the Israeli a hug. "I'm gonna try to get ahold of the boys now, I'm sure Lewis is there with them. Hopefully he's not too drunk to go pick his daughter up." She said, pulling out her phone after getting Britty into the Explorer. "Just...I'll call you when we get to the hospital, okay?"

She nodded, taking off down the street to her own car. Abby climbed into the driver's seat and started heading toward the hospital, calling Tony, Bradley, Gibbs and McGee multiple times each with no answer.

Sighing heavily, she turned around and headed for the strip club where the bachelor party was being held, knowing that they would probably be upset at her for crashing it, but she needed to tell her fiance and brother what was going on.

**Club 55 - Tony's Bachelor Party**

Gibbs watched from the corner of the private room as the men whooped and whistled at the attractive brunette who was giving Tony a lapdance. His senior agent certainly seemed to be enjoying it, his hands resting lightly on the dancer's slender hips as she ground herself against him.

There was a fast knocking at the door, followed by Abby coming into the room, sending all the men who were sober enough to notice into a stunned silence. She rolled her eyes and started making her way over to her soon-to-be husband, when Gibbs jumped up and pulled her aside.

"Abs, what's goin' on?"

"Jack's been in an accident. He...he got hit by a car."

The older man was silent as he pulled the forensic specialist close to him, wrapping her in a hug. He didn't miss the tears on her cheeks or the way her voice trembled slightly when she spoke.

"I'm assuming you came to get DiNozzo and your brother, right?" He asked, glancing over at the Italian, who was still enthralled with his lapdance. "DiNozzo!"

Bradley's head jerked up, his eyes as wide as saucers when he saw his sister standing next to Gibbs. Reaching over, he smacked the younger man upside the head, pointing toward the door.
"You're so busted."

Tony followed his gaze to find his fiancee looking at him expectantly. He practically shoved the dancer off of his lap as he stood up, making his way over to his lover. "Abby...I...I can explain."

She held her hand up, signaling for him to stop talking. "I don't wanna hear it right now. Jack's in the hospital, we have to go."

"What?" Bradley asked, stumbling towards his sister. "What did you just say?"

"Jackie got hurt! We have to go now!"

Not needing to be told twice, Bradley pushed passed his girl and her fiance, making his way towards the door while Gibbs filled the rest of the party goers in on what was happening.

Stepping out into the cool night air, Bradley made his way drunkenly to the car, trying desperately to make his body cooperate with his brain as he pulled the door open, surprised to find Britty in the back seat.

"Baby?"

Despite her attempts to control her emotions, once Britty caught sight of her husband she couldn't help but sob audibly. She reached out for him, allowing him to wrap her up in his embrace.

"S'kay, baby. Jack'll be fine." He slurred, making an attempt to reassure her.

The redhead pulled away and socked him in the shoulder, smelling the alcohol on his breath. "You're fuckin' drunk! I can't believe you."

"I...I 'sat a bach'lor party, B."

She scoffed, turning away from him as Abby and Tony climbed into the car. The drive to the hospital was uncomfortable to say the least, with both of the men slightly embarrassed with the state they were in.

Pulling up in front of the hospital, Abby deposited her brother and sister-in-law in front of the emergency exit while she'll parked the car.

"Wha'...wha' 'xactly happened?" Tony asked, cursing himself for how stupid he sounded. He was trying desperately to clear his head, but it was to no avail.

"I don't...I don't know." Abby responded, her voice hoarse as she tried to hold herself together. She'd been trying to keep it together for Britty's sake, but now that the redhead was out of the car, she could feel her mask slipping. "Renee was practically...hysterical on the phone."

"'M sorry, baby." Tony managed.

Forcing a smile, she leaned over and pecked his cheek. "Not your fault. C'mon, let's go see if there's any news on Jackie."

Making their way into the emergency room, Tony flashed his badge and they were quickly led back to where their nephew was being kept. They stopped outside of the teenager's room, watching as Britty stood next to his bed, running her fingers through her son's hair while Bradley sat in the corner, his head in his hands.

Jack was still unconscious, various tubes and IV's hooked up to his body and for a brief moment, Abby wondered if that was all that was keeping him alive. The Italian took her hand in his and squeezed it, letting her know that he was there.

Looking up at him, the Goth gave a sad smile before releasing his hand and making her way over to the bed. The older man continued to stand in the doorway, watching as his girl made an attempt to calm her sister-in-law down when he suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Huh? Oh." He said, turning around to see his boss standing behind him. "Hey Gibbs."

"How's he doin', DiNozzo?"

"I...uh, I don' know, Boss. Gon' haveta ask Abs."

"Ah." The silver-haired man said, handing him a cup of coffee and nudging him toward the waiting room. "Go sit down. You need to sober up."

"On it." He said, saluting the older man with his left hand. "'M gon' sit."

Gibbs shook his head as he walked into the teenager's room, moving over to where Abby was standing and placing a gentle hand on her back.

"How's he doin'?"

"He hasn't come around yet." She said, allowing herself to be comforted by his hand rubbing her shoulders. "The doctors said that his injuries aren't permanent."

"That's good news."

She nodded, watching her nephew sadly as she continued to hold Britty's hand. "Where's Tony?"

"Out in the waiting room, sobering up. Got a coffee for Bradley too, if he's interested." He said, offering the cup to the younger man.

"Thanks." He mumbled miserably, taking the cup.

"Not a problem." Gibbs said, kissing the forensic specialist on the head. "I'll be outside if you need anything."

Retreating from the hospital room, Gibbs pinched the bridge of his nose as he made his way to the waiting room where he'd sent his Senior Field Agent.

"How's he doin', boss?" Tony slurred from where he was slumped against the wall, cup of coffee nearly empty in his hand.

"Still the same." Gibbs muttered, sinking down into a chair opposite him. His gut had gone into overdrive since the Goth had crashed the bachelor party, and now, he had a gnawing feeling that there was something more to this than a standard hit and run.

"Excuse me? Are you the family of Jack Sciuto?"

Glancing up at the sound of the voice, Gibbs was met by two uniformed officers, both rookies by the looks of them. This would be easy. Pushing himself to his feet, he removed his badge, flashing it quickly before returning it to his belt.

"His immediate family's back in the room with him. What can you tell me about the accident?"

"We don't know much, sir. Our detectives are still processing the scene. We were hoping to speak with Jack and get a statement from him."

"Gonna have to wait. He's not awake yet."

"Wha' happened t'Jack?" Tony asked from the corner, earning himself a wry smile from Gibbs.

"I'm afraid I can't..."

"Cut the bullshit." Gibbs growled. "This may be related to a case that my agency is workin'. You said you don't know much, tell me what you do know."

"There were reports of a black sedan speeding away from the scene. No evidence of skid marks, the detectives don't think the car tried to stop before hitting the boy."

He groaned, running a hand through his short hair before glancing back at his senior agent. "I'm gonna need copies of your preliminary report and the names of the detectives workin' the scene."

"I...I'll have to talk to my sergeant, sir."

"Then do it. Now!" He growled, watching as the rookie cops took off down the hallway. Sitting back down in the chair, he glanced over to Jack's room, surprised when he saw Abby making her way over to him.

"Why was Metro here?" She asked. "Did they find out what happened?"

"No. Those idiots didn't know any more than we do. Looks intentional, but I already had that one figured out."

"Who would do this, Gibbs? Why would someone want to hurt Jack?"

He frowned, his gut clenching at the younger woman's question. He had a sinking feeling the supposed 'accident' that Jack had been victim to had something to do with the murder that had taken place in the parking garage 7 weeks earlier, but he didn't want to frighten her with that prospect.

"I don't know, Abs." He said, pulling her into a gentle hug. "We'll find out. I promise."

**Chapter Seven - Should've Known Better**

**January 20, 2014 - 2000 Hours**

Abby jerked herself awake when she heard her brother shouting in Jack's hospital room. Pulling away from Tony's chest, she jumped up and ran into the room to see that her nephew was awake with Britty's arms around him.

"What're you thinkin'?" Bradley growled. "Y'know better!"

"Bradley, stop it!" His wife cried, holding her son close. "It wasn't his fault!"

Gibbs entered the room and grabbed the younger man by the collar, practically dragging him out of the room. Once they were in the waiting room, he shoved him into a chair and stood over him with his arms crossed over his chest.

"What do you think you're accomplishing in there by yellin' at him?"

"I...I was jus'..."

"Yeah. That's what I thought. You need to get yourself under control. Goin' in there and yellin' at your son isn't gonna change anything."

Tony chuckled drunkenly, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. "You go in an' yell, Boss. It always works."

Gibbs turned around and fixed the Italian with a fierce glare.

"Right. Sorry, Boss."

He looked back to the sandy-haired man and frowned deeply. "He's gonna have enough goin' on with everything that happened today, Bradley. You need to calm down or I'm gonna have to send you home."

Bradley held his gaze for a few moments longer before giving in, nodding in agreement with the older man's demands. "Yeah. Okay."

"Good. I'm glad we have an understanding." Gibbs said, leaving the two drunken men sitting in the waiting room and heading back to where Jack was being checked out by his doctor. As soon as the petite blonde left the room, he approached Abby and Britty, offering them both a reassuring smile. "I'm gonna need to talk to Jack. Alone."

"Gibbs I really don't think..." The redhead started, only to have Abby stop her.

*He won't push him too far.* She signed, promising her sister-in-law that her son's best interests were being kept in mind. Taking her gently by the arm, she led her friend out of the room, leaving her boss alone with the teen.

"Hey, Jack."

"Hi." He mumbled, not making eye contact with him.

Making his way across the room, he sank into the chair next to his bed and rested his hands in his lap. "You wanna tell me what happened?"

"I don't know what happened. I was just running back to my Auntie's, and then...I really don't remember, Sir."

"You don't have to call me sir, Jack." He said, giving the boy a small smile. "And I believe you. I'm not surprised that you don't know what happened tonight, but I was talkin' about the parking garage."

The teenager looked away, pretending as if he didn't hear what the NCIS Agent said.

"Jack. I don't know what you saw or heard in the garage that day, but whatever it was, I swear to you I can protect you and your family. You just have to be honest with me."

The teenager could feel his stomach turning, tears pricking the backs of his eyes as he slouched down on the bed. "I can't...I can't tell you."

"Jack, let me help you."

He hesitated, swallowing hard as he played with the edge of his blanket. "I...I saw them kill him. They...they argued...then they shot him."

Gibbs opened his mouth to respond to the boy, though before he could say anything, his Senior Field Agent stumbled into the room, pointing his finger at the teenager accusingly. "You...you lied t'us!"

"DiNozzo." Gibbs growled in warning, pushing himself to his feet.

"He...he put m'whole fuckin' family in danger b'cause he lied t'us!"

Jack sobbed audibly as his Uncle yelled, accusing him of putting his aunt and cousin in danger. "I...I'm sorry, Uncle Tony! I...I..."

"I don' wanna hear it! They know where we live! Y'shoulda told us the truth!" The Italian growled, attempting to make his way over to his nephew's bed when Gibbs stepped in his way.

"Out."

"Boss, I..."

He reached up and hit the younger man upside the head quickly. "Not a discussion. Out. Now." He followed Tony out of the room and watched as he angrily made his way back to the waiting room to sit with his girl.

"Britty, gonna need you in here." Gibbs called, motioning for the younger woman to join him. Standing up, she made her way over to her son's room and immediately went to his side, crushing herself against him in an effort to stop his tears.

Catching sight of the detectives that were working the scene from the corner of his eye, he excused himself from the hospital room and walked over to where Abby was sitting.

"I have to deal with the Metro detectives. Take your brother and Tony home. They're not gonna do any good bein' here, as drunk as they are."

The Goth nodded. "C'mon, you two."

"'M not goin' an'where, Abs." Bradley protested, watching as Tony stood up obediently to follow his fiancee out, knowing better than to mess with Gibbs when an order was given.

The silver-haired agent stepped in front of the younger man and pulled him to his feet before leaning in to whisper in his ear. "You will go with your sister. And if I find out that you gave her any trouble...well, you ask Tony what'll happen."

He stood his ground, barely refraining from rolling his eyes at the older man. "You don' scare me, Gibbs."

"Get your head on straight, Sciuto!" Britty yelled, punching her husband on the shoulder. "You may not be afraid of him but you damn well better be afraid of me."

He turned and glared at her, his anger holding on by a thread. "B...you better not..."

"C'mon, man." Tony said, stepping between the couple. "You don' wanna get on their bad sides, trus' me."

The redhead turned and slapped the Italian across the face. "And you! What the hell did you think you were doin', goin' in there and upsetting him like that? You really think he deserved that?" She cried, moving to slap him again when she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"B..." Abby said quietly. "Go back and be with him, okay? I'll take care of these two."

"Uh oh." Tony frowned, rubbing his cheek where Britty had slapped him. "We're in for it now, Bradley."

The Goth waited patiently until her sister-in-law was back in the hospital room before she turned back to her soon-to-be husband and brother.

"I don't wanna hear a peep out of either of you for the rest of the night. Do I make myself clear? I can't even stand to look at you." She said, turning her back to them as she stalked out of the waiting room, the men following her like scolded puppies.

They made their way silently to the parking lot, though when Tony made a move to climb into the passenger seat to sit next to his girl, she wordlessly pointed to the back seat, not having the strength to deal with him in his drunken state.

After getting them both situated, Abby took a deep breath and climbed into the driver's seat of her Explorer, grabbing her cell phone from the center console as she called Ziva to check on the babies. She'd promised the Israeli that she'd call as soon as they arrived at the hospital, but it had completely slipped her mind.

"Zee?" She greeted quietly when the other woman picked up.

"Abby. How is Jack?"

"He's...he's pretty hurt and seriously shaken up but he's gonna be okay. I'm so sorry I didn't call earlier. How are the kids?"

"They are fine. They have fallen asleep in the living room with Tim and I did not have the heart to wake them." She admitted, glancing over her shoulder at her lover as he laid on the couch with the toddlers, sleeping soundly. "I can take them to bed if you want."

"No, no. Don't worry about it. I'm on my way back with Tony and Bradley. We should be there in a little while."

Ziva nodded. "Alright. Drive carefully, Abby."

"I will." She said, snapping the device shut and dropping it onto the passenger seat.

"So...how's Em?" Tony asked, leaning forward in his seat.

The Goth didn't respond, instead holding her hand up and motioning for him to sit back. He did so, sighing quietly as he ran a hand through his hair before leaning over to Bradley.

"Told you. Knew I'd get in trouble." He slurred, shaking his head at the older man.

The remainder of their drive home was silent, save for Bradley's obnoxious snoring. When they finally pulled into the driveway at the house nearly 45 minutes later, Abby climbed out of the car and walked around to her brother's door only to open it and smack him upside the head.

"Wha' the fuck?"

"You know, I had almost forgotten how loudly you snore when you've been drinkin'."

He narrowed his eyes at her, rubbing his head. "I forgot wha' a bitch you are when I've been drinkin'."

She reached out again and socked him in the shoulder, surprised when Tony did the same thing on his other side.

"Don' talk t'her like that."

Bradley turned back to glare at Tony when Abby pulled him from the Explorer before shoving him in the direction of the house.

"C'mon, T." She sighed, helping her fiancé from the car before leading him up the front walkway slowly, rolling her eyes when he stumbled and nearly fell.

She followed her brother inside and somehow managed to wrangle both men toward the stairs. "Would you like some help?" Ziva asked, stepping into the hallway from the living room.

"Nah. I think I got it. They're kittens when they're like this. Big, 200 pound kittens." Abby teased, receiving glares from both of the men. "I'll be right back down, Zee."

Reaching the top of the stairs, she pushed her brother into his bedroom. "Go to bed and sleep it off. You know that B and I can't stand you when you're like this."

He opened his mouth to argue when his sister fixed him with a firm glare. "Yeah. Yeah, 'kay." He agreed, closing the door behind him.

Shaking her head, she turned away from the door to see her fiance leaning against the wall next to her. Grabbing his arm, she tugged him toward the master bedroom. "C'mon."

"Abs..." Tony tried, reaching for his girl when she sat him on the edge of the bed and frowning when she pulled away. "Baby...please."

"Tony, don't." She said, struggling to stay calm. She hated that she was irritated with him, as she knew the whole issue with Jack was mainly because of the alcohol, but try as she might, she couldn't forget the sound of her nephew's cries. "Just...get ready for bed, please."

Taking a deep breath, she headed into the bathroom and got a glass of water and a few aspirin before going back in to her lover. She was pleased to see that he had taken his clothes off, even going as far as putting them into the hamper himself, in an attempt to make her happy.

Looking up at her, he offered a sad smile and patted the bed next to him. "Abs...c'mere, please?"

The Goth nodded silently, making her way across the room and sitting next to him, pressing the glass of water and the pills into his hand. "Take."

He did as he was told, sitting the glass on the nightstand and reaching for her hand, grasping it in his lightly. Dropping his eyes, he sighed heavily before speaking. "'M...sorry, baby. I...the guys bought the lapdance, I..." He paused, running a hand over his face. "Don' be mad."

She felt the irritation she felt toward him disappear when she saw the look of grief on his face. Softening her expression, she leaned down and pressed a kiss to his lips, cupping his face in her hand.

"Tony...if you think that lapdance is the reason I'm upset, you don't know me as well as you think."

"Then...if it's not that..."

Abby gave him another kiss, running her fingers through his hair. "Look, we'll talk in the morning, okay? When you're sober. I'm gonna go back to the hospital." She said, pushing herself off the bed and walking out the door.

Closing the door behind her, she took another deep breath before she headed downstairs, stopping in the doorway of the living room and smiling. McGee was leaning against the arm of the couch with Ziva in his arms, resting against his chest as they watched TV.

"Hey." She said quietly, stepping into the room. The couple started moving to get up when she protested. "No, no. I...I was actually gonna ask you guys for a favor."

"Don't worry about it, Abs. We'll stay." McGee smiled, pulling the Israeli back against him. "You go back and be with Jack and Britty."

"Thanks, guys. I owe you."

Ziva smiled. "Do not worry about it. I put Jeremy in Emma's room, I hope that won't be a problem."

The Goth shook her head. "Nah. They'll be fine in there. There's blankets in the laundry room above the washer, and the baby monitor is on the counter in the kitchen. You probably won't need it though, Emma doesn't hesitate to let you know when she's awake."

"We've got it under control, Abs. Go on. We'll see you in the morning." McGee assured her, offering a sympathetic smile. "And before you say it, we'll keep an eye on Bradley and DiNozzo."

She chuckled, smiling at the couple. "Thanks again. Just..."

"Go!"

"Okay, okay!" Turning around, she walked out the front door and got back into the car, intent on returning to the hospital and apologizing to her sister-in-law and nephew for her fiancee's outburst.

**The Next Morning - 0600 Hours**

Gibbs used his spare key to unlock the front door of the house Abby and Tony shared and stepped inside, unsurprised to hear nothing but silence in the house.

"Good morning, Gibbs." Ziva said as he passed the kitchen. He poked his head in and saw her sitting at the table, sipping a cup of tea. "Would you like some coffee? I just started a pot."

"No." The older man growled, turning around and heading up the stairs, taking them two at a time.

Once he reached the door to the master bedroom, he didn't waste any time pushing it open and stepping inside. He rolled his eyes at the sight of his senior agent sprawled out on top of the disheveled sheets, wearing nothing but a pair of boxer briefs.

"DiNozzo!"

The Italian jumped up, clearly startled by the sudden noise in the otherwise quiet room. "'M in position, Boss!"

The silver-haired man simply stared at him, an eyebrow cocked as the younger man became aware of his surroundings. "Get dressed. Now."

"I...uh...Boss?"

The older man simply glared, leaning against the wall as Tony climbed out of the bed and made his way over to the dresser. He pulled on a pair of sweats and a tshirt before heading back to the bed and sitting down.

"Boss, I..."

"Stop."

He froze, watching as his boss continued to stand against the wall, glaring at him quietly.

"You know better than to treat a witness that way. How can you expect him to be honest with us if he knows how upset you are with him?"

Tony dropped his head, staring into his lap like a scolded child. ""M sorry, Boss. I..."

"You're gonna apologize to him."

"But...he won't listen..."

Gibbs crossed the room in a few long strides and smacked the younger man upside the head. "Do I look like I care if he listens to you or not, DiNozzo? This is not a discussion."

In the next room, Bradley growled angrily at the sound of Gibbs' raised voice. Rolling out of the bed, he rubbed his tired eyes and stumbled into the hallway, making his way down to Tony's room.

"The fuck you yellin' for?" He slurred.

"Havin' a conversation with one of my Agents." The older man said, studying him carefully. "Go get a cup of coffee."

The sandy-haired man considered arguing for a moment, deciding ultimately to let it drop. Waving him off, he exited the bedroom, leaving Tony and his boss alone.

Gibbs sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Can't deal with this right now." He left the room and headed downstairs, entering the kitchen to see Bradley grumbling as he poured a cup of coffee.

Both of the men turned around as the front door swung open, revealing Jack limping into the house with the help of his aunt and mother. Britty took over, leading her son into the living room, as Abby made her way into the kitchen.

"Oh, hey, Gibbs. Didn't expect to see you here." She grinned, pulling a glass out of the cabinet and filling it with water for her nephew.

He nodded. "Had to come by and have a talk with your husband. He needed some straightening out."

"I was gonna talk to him today, Gibbs. You didn't have to come all the way out here."

"Good t'know I'm not the only one you mouth off to like that." Bradley bit out, sipping his coffee.

She narrowed her eyes at her brother. "You know, you really are a miserable drunk, BB. I don't know how Britty manages to put up with you at all when you're like this."

"I don't." Britty said simply, reaching for the glass of water that her sister-in-law was holding while completely ignoring her husband.

"You don' wanna start with me today, B." He warned, moving to follow her as she headed back to the living room when Gibbs stepped in his way.

"You'd better watch it, or you will find out what I do to men who disrespect the women in their lives. Now, sit your ass down."

The younger man sat down at the table, sending his sister a glare that she returned with a roll of her eyes before walking out of the kitchen.

"Are you hungry, Jackie? I can make you some toast or something if you want." She offered, running her hand through her nephew's hair lightly.

Britty looked up and offered the younger woman a smile. "You go get some rest. I'll make him somethin' if he gets hungry."

The Goth frowned, though Britty glared when she opened her mouth to protest. "Really, Abby. Go lay down. I'll keep an eye on Em until you've gotten some rest."

"Are you positive?"

"Absolutely. Go."

Nodding at her sister-in-law, Abby turned her attention to Ziva and McGee as they picked up the blankets they had used the night before, offering them both a genuine smile. "I can't thank you guys enough for staying here with the babies."

"It was not a problem." Ziva assured her, leaning over to peck her cheek. "Do not hesitate to call if you need anything."

"Thanks again, Zee. I'll see you guys at work on Monday." She smiled, giving McGee a hug before heading upstairs.

She had to admit that she was tired, despite her hesitancy to leave her equally exhausted sister-in-law downstairs with the kids. Entering the bedroom she shared with her fiancé, she stripped her clothes off before slipping under the blankets on the unmade bed.

Usually she would be upset because Tony failed to make the bed, but she found that she was too tired at the moment to care. Resting her head on the pillow, she closed her eyes and fell asleep quickly not even noticing the sound of water running in the bathroom.

Ten minutes later, Tony walked out of the bathroom with his towel wrapped around his waist, surprised when he noticed that his girl was in their bed. He smiled, running a hand through his hair to make sure it was dry before dropping the towel and climbing onto the bed behind the Goth.

Wrapping his arms around her waist, he pressed a soft kiss to her shoulder, smiling when she moaned quietly.

"Hey Sunshine."

Abby woke up at the feeling of her lover's lips on her shoulder, cursing herself for releasing the nearly silent moan. She kept her eyes closed, deciding that she didn't want to get into an argument with him at the moment.

He released a sigh, nuzzling his nose against her neck. "'M sorry, Abby. I..." He stopped, shaking his head. "I'll tell you when you wake up." Settling in beside her, he pulled her closer against his chest and closed his eyes, breathing in her scent.

After a moment, the Goth turned in his arms, her green eyes showing her disappointment. "You let me down last night, T."

"I'm really sorry about the lapdance, baby. I shouldn't have tried to blame..."

Shushing him, she placed a finger against his lips. "Like I told you last night, Tony, I'm not upset about the lapdance."

His brow furrowed with confusion as he looked into her eyes. "Then...what? I mean..."

"You're seriously gonna tell me you don't know what I'm upset about?"

Pulling back from her slightly, he started shaking his head when realization finally dawned on him. "Oh..."

"Yeah. Oh."

"Abby...you know that I was..."

She closed her eyes, frowning deeply as she tried to remain calm. "You really think that I want excuses from you?"

The Italian dropped his gaze to the mattress, playing with the edge of the sheet that covered their bodies.

"Yeah." Releasing a heavy sigh, she flopped back against the pillows. "I don't wanna fight, Tony. We...we shouldn't fight."

"I'm sorry."

Abby didn't acknowledge him right away, and he opened his mouth to repeat himself when she rolled onto her side and crushed herself against his chest, her eyes damp with tears. "You
have to apologize." She mumbled, her face buried against his firm chest.

"I will. I promise." He reassured her, wrapping his arms around her thin body and pulling her close, pressing a kiss into her hair.

**Downstairs**

Gibbs closed the door behind McGee and Ziva as they left the house before walking into the living room and sitting on the edge of the coffee table.

"Jack, we need to talk." He said firmly, glancing over at the teen's mother. "Britty, can I get a minute with him?"

The redhead shook her head. "No, Gibbs. I'm not leavin' him to deal with this alone."

The older man sighed, running a hand through his hair as he studied the silent boy. "Okay, that's fine. But if you start interferin', I'm gonna have to ask you to go."

"Understood." She nodded, slipping her hand around Jack's and squeezing lightly.

Nodding briefly at the boy's mother, he turned his attention back to him. "Jack, I know tellin' me what you saw that day isn't gonna be easy, but like I told you in the hospital, I can protect you and your family. But you have to be honest with me."

Glancing over at his mother for a second, he looked at Gibbs and nodded. "I can...I can try."

"Good boy." The older man said with a nod of approval. "Let's start from the beginning. Tell me everything that happened after you left the restaurant."

"I don't...I don't remember everything. I just...I just wanted to get to the car so I could lay down because I wasn't feelin' so good. I didn't even wanna go that day, but my dad made me."

"I know. I remember." Gibbs said.

Swallowing hard, Jack looked down at his bruised hands, closing his eyes. "I heard 'em yellin' before I saw 'em. It was three guys...two of them were...they were yellin' at the one guy. I think they said he was a Marine. Pretty positive that's what they said 'cause I couldn't figure out why he was just standin' there taking it. He coulda kicked their butts if he wanted to."

Gibbs could barely suppress a smile. "Do you remember what they were arguing about, Jack?"

"Money, I think. I don't...I don't know much more than that, Agent Gibbs. He...the Marine...he begged them. He begged them not to kill him and they...they did. They shot him right in the head."

Barely stifling a sob at her son's recounting of the shooting, Britty crushed herself against him, holding him in her arms. He was trembling against her, though he made no move to pull away.

"That's good, Jack. I'm gonna get Tony to type up what you just told me and then I'll need you to sign it, but that's the last time I'm gonna have to ask you about it for awhile, alright?"

He said nothing, closing his eyes as he moved closer to his mother.

"Do you remember what the men looked like? Would you be able to help Abby come up with a computer drawn sketch of them?"

"I...I think so."

"Good. As soon as she wakes up, we'll get that taken care of and then you leave the rest to us, okay?"

**1630 Hours - NCIS Headquarters**

"This is pretty cool, Auntie. Think I could work here next summer?" Jack asked, looking closely at the Mass Spectrometer in Abby's lab.

"Uh, I don't see why not." She smiled, turning around on her stool. "You'd have to ask your Mama first. C'mon over here, J. We need to finish this so we can get it up to your Uncle for the BOLO."

He released a heavy sigh and moved back over to the computer, sitting on the stool next to his aunt. "How is this gonna help get these guys?"

"Well..." She started, watching as he picked out a nose from the pictures that came up on the screen. "When we're done, we'll run it through a facial recognition program. Tony and Gibbs are
pretty sure at least one of the guys has been arrested before, so we should be able to get a match fairly quickly."

"Of course you will, Abs. You make magic happen down here." The Italian teased, walking into the lab and pecking his fiancee on the cheek. He set a piece of paper on the desk in front of
Jack and rested his hand on the boy's shoulder. "Need you to read over this to make sure it's correct, then sign at the bottom, okay?"

He shrugged away from the older man, scowling at him. The agent had apologized to him earlier, but he was still upset. "That's him, Auntie." Jack said, looking at the computer animation.
"That's the guy that shot him."

"Good work, Jackie." The Goth smiled. "I'll run this through facial recognition, but it'll be a little while before we get a hit. Wanna go get some dinner?"

He teen nodded, standing up from the stool after scribbling his name on the bottom of the statement. "Just the signature?" He asked, handing the paper to Abby.

"Yeah. Just the signature." She said, watching her lover carefully as their nephew walked to the elevator. "It's just a phase, T. He holds grudges, he'll be over it in a few days." Handing him the paper, she patted him reassuringly on the chest before following after the teenager.

Tony released a quiet sigh, dropping his head back. "Yeah. Just a grudge. The ending of that movie sucked."

**Bullpen**

"I just wanna check if anyone else wants food first, okay?" Abby asked, stepping off the elevator on the third floor. Leading Jack over to the bullpen, she smiled when she saw McGee and
Ziva sitting at their desks, talking to a new agent.

"I gotta get back downstairs. I'll see you guys later?" The blonde haired man asked, making his way toward the elevator when Abby approached.

McGee waved to him. "Alright. Later, Chris."

The teenager froze, the color draining from his cheeks. At his side, Abby stopped, glancing at him curiously. "Jackie?"

"Chris."

"What?"

"That's the...that's the name of one of the men. Chris."

She frowned, resting a hand on her nephew's shoulder. "Are you sure, J?"

Jack swallowed hard, nodding his head vigorously. "Yes. I'm positive. The...the second guy...he said it twice. Chris...he's...he's the one who shot the Marine."

The Goth moved over to Tony's desk and sat down, pulling up the facial recognition search she was running in her lab. Her fingers flew across the keyboard as she changed the parameters to reflect the man's name, and almost immediately there was a match.

"We found him. Chris Meyers."

**Chapter Eight - Tomorrow Still Comes**

**January 27, 2014 - Tony and Abby's House**

"Bein' treated like a God-damned child." Tony grumbled as he sat on the couch, his arms crossed over his chest.

Abby had banished him to the living room, citing the fact that he had been irritating everyone since they made the ID on the guys who killed the Marine and attacked Jack in the parking garage. He tried to explain that he was only trying to keep them safe, that until they found the men responsible, he didn't want anyone leaving the house without him.

She had told him he was being ridiculous, that he couldn't possibly be everywhere at once, and with their wedding less than two weeks away, he needed to be focused on closing the case. It was an argument that left him sleeping downstairs on the couch while she locked herself in the bedroom, refusing to speak to him until the morning.

"Daddy?"

The little voice jarred him from his thoughts and he uncrossed his arms, looking down at his daughter. "What's up, sweetness?"

Emma poked her finger into her mouth, tilting her head to the side as she studied him. "Why you sad, Daddy?"

The Italian shook his head, patting the couch next to him. "I'm in the doghouse, baby girl."

"We no have a goggy."

"It's..." He sighed, releasing a small chuckle. "It's like a time out."

She frowned, cuddling herself into his side. "Mommy 'panky you?"

He couldn't help but smile, pulling his little girl onto his lap. "No, Mommy didn't spank me."

"Okay." She said, hopping off his lap and running into the other room. He sighed quietly, turning back to his movie when she returned, carrying two juice boxes. "For Daddy." There was a bright smile on her face as she offered one to him. "Take."

"Thanks, baby." He smiled, pulling the toddler onto his lap and poking the straws into the juice boxes. Emma settled against him and they drank their juice in silence, watching the movie that was playing, when Abby walked in with a sandwich and a beer.

"Brought you some lunch."

"Not really hungry." He bit out, trying to keep his voice calm.

"Oh..." The Goth frowned slightly, stepping a little further into the room. "It's your favorite. Pastrami and beer."

Tony opened his mouth to reply when his phone suddenly started ringing, showing Gibbs' number on the caller ID. "DiNozzo." He answered, maintaining the eye contact he had with his wife-to-be. "Uh huh. On my way, Boss." Hanging up the phone, he moved his daughter off his lap and stood up. "I have to go. We got a lead."

"I could wrap this up for you. So you can eat when you get a chance."

He approached her, ducking his head and pressing a kiss to her cheek. "I won't have time. I gotta get dressed, get everyone in here. I'll be back in 5." He didn't give her an opportunity to argue as he exited the room, taking the stairs to their room two at a time.

Dropping her head back, she sighed before taking the sandwich into the kitchen and setting it on the counter.

"He still angry with you?"

She turned to her sister-in-law and nodded, shrugging her shoulders as she wrapped the sandwich and the pickle in tinfoil. "I guess I can't really blame him. I did get kinda bitchy with him last night."

Britty scoffed. "He was outta line. And besides, you know how many times your brother has slept on the couch in the last 20 years? I'm sure Tony's only been so unlucky once or twice in his life."

"Yeah, I guess you're right." The Goth placed the sandwich into a paper bag and set it aside. "He wants a 'family meeting' or something. Where's J and BB?"

"I think they're still in the garage playin' with that stupid pool table you let your husband put in there." She smirked, walking over to the door and pulling it open. "Hey, you two. Get in here, we've been summoned."

Setting down their pool cues, they walked into the kitchen. Bradley leaned against the counter and Jack continued past his Aunt and Mother into the living room, dropping onto the couch. Tony came down the stairs a few minutes later and entered the kitchen, a frustrated look crossing his face as he saw them standing around.

"What part of 'in the living room in 5' did you not understand, Abby?" He asked, leaning against the doorframe.

She turned to him, an eyebrow cocked at him. "Excuse me?"

"Did I not make myself clear? Living room. Now."

"Listen, I don't know who you think you..." Britty began, though he quickly cut her off.

"This is not a debate or a discussion, Brittany. I don't have time to play this game with you."

The redhead's jaw dropped as she looked over at Abby, irritated that she was allowing the Italian to speak to them like that.

"Tony..." Abby tried, stepping between the two of them. "What's the problem?"

"No one leaves the house."

"You can't really expect us to stay here while you're gone for God knows how long!" Britty cried, glaring at the older man as he stared her down.

"I can, and I do. Like it or not, I've got a job to do, and right now, that's to protect your family. So deal with it." He growled. Turning to Abby, he cocked an eyebrow at her. "Any complaints from you?"

"Nope." She spat, clearly not happy with him.

"Good. I'll be back when I'm back then." He responded before he hurried out of the kitchen, clipping his holster and his badge to his belt. He exited the house and Abby visibly shuddered when the door slammed.

"You're gonna let him talk to you that way?"

"Its not worth talkin' to him when he gets like that, B. He doesn't listen."

"That's not an excuse, Abby." Bradley said, agreeing with his wife. "He shouldn't treat you like that."

"This case is stressing him out. He's just trying to keep us safe, and we're not exactly making it easy on him."

"You're defending him now? That's rich."

She frowned, looking over at her brother. "You were always so into having the perfect subservient wife, I figured you'd be proud."

"Subservient wife? Have you met Britty?"

Rolling her eyes the Goth turned and walked out of the room, leaving her brother and his wife shaking their heads.

**Three Hours Later - NCIS Interrogation Room**

Tony leaned against the wall in the corner of the interrogation room watching quietly as Gibbs sat across the table from Chris Meyers, staring the younger man down. It had been surprisingly easy to catch him once they caught a lead on his whereabouts, picking both him and his cousin Sean up while they were dealing at Baltimore's Inner Harbor.

Sean had flipped easily, telling them everything they wanted to hear about what had happened and how his cousin was involved. It was painfully obvious that the kid had never been in trouble before, and his record reflected it. He didn't even have a parking ticket, much less an arrest.

Gibbs cleared his throat and flipped open the file sitting in front of him, beginning to read from the page. "Aggravated Assault, Assault with a Deadly Weapon, Possession with Intent...I'm sure the list goes on with similar charges. I'm gonna add Murder to it though."
The younger man smiled smugly, crossing his arms over his chest. "Good luck provin' that one."

The silver-haired agent simply glanced at his watch before pushing himself up from the table and making his way toward the door. Tony moved to follow him, not saying a word to the man cuffed to the table.

"Oh, Agent DiNozzo, say hello to that pretty daughter of yours, will you? What's her name...oh! Emma, right? Pretty blonde hair...she's a real cutie."

The Italian didn't hesitate at all as he lunged at the younger man, catching Gibbs off guard. For a split-second, he considered leaving his senior agent alone in the room and turning the cameras off, but he changed his mind, choosing to not let the younger man ruin his career.

"Tony!" He called, grabbing him firmly by the shoulders and dragging him out of the room.

"You son of a bitch! Stay the fuck away from my family!" He cried, struggling against his boss' grip.

Gibbs barely managed to get him out of the room before he broke free, slamming his fist against the wall. "Fuck!"

"You gonna let him get to you, DiNozzo?"

"He...he knows her name, Boss. Knows where we live...I don't know what kind of reach this guy or his family has. I can't protect them all the time, Abby's right about that."

Stepping forward, the older man grabbed his hand and saw that his knuckles were bleeding. "Go down to Ducky and get your hand checked out, then go home."

"Boss, you need me here."

"You really think after that stunt you pulled that I'm gonna let you back in there?" He scoffed, turning and starting to walk away. "It's not a suggestion. Go home. I'll see you tomorrow, we'll discuss protection details for Abby and Emma."

**Tony and Abby's House**

Abby looked up as the front door opened, immediately looking back to the TV when she saw her fiance walk through the door.

"Hey." She greeted half-heartedly, running her fingers through Emma's curls as the little girl slept on her lap.

"Hey." Shrugging out of his jacket, he hung it on the hook before taking his Sig off his hip and walking toward his gun safe. "Where is everyone?"

"Upstairs." The Goth replied simply, pausing before she shifted so she was looking at him. "You put me in a really awkward position today, Tony."

"I did what I had to do, Abby." He replied, turning around to face her after securing his weapon. "I'm sorry if your family didn't like it."

"They're gonna be your family too, you know."

He remained silent, reaching his hand up to run it through his hair when he heard his girl gasp loudly. "What?" He asked.

"You...what happened to your hand?" She asked, shifting Emma so she was laying on a pillow before standing up and making her way over to him. "Lemme see."

She reached for his hand and frowned when she looked at his swollen, bloody knuckles. "Baby..." She tried, only to be cut off by the sound of gunshots.

Tony grabbed her around the waist and dropped her to the floor beside the couch, covering her body with his. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah...I'm okay." Abby said, her voice shaky as she nodded her head.

Pushing himself off of her after a second, he ran outside just in time to see a black sedan peeling out around the corner at the end of the block. He managed to catch most of the license plate before the car disappeared from sight.

Cursing loudly, he made his way back to the house, shoving the front door open. Abby met him by the stairs, her green eyes filled with tears as she cradled a sobbing Emma in her arms.

"What...what happened?"

"I don't know. Stay away from the windows."

He started heading up the stairs to check on everyone else when Bradley pushed open the bedroom door, pulling his wife and sons downstairs.

"What the fuck was that?" He asked. "Are the girls okay?"

Tony nodded. "The girls are fine, just a little shaken up. You guys all right?"

"We're fine. The windows don't face the street, thank God." Britty said, rushing over to her niece and Abby, holding her youngest son on her hip. "Are you okay?"

The Goth nodded, cradling her daughter close as the little girl's tears subsided. "Just scared me, that's all." She smiled sadly as her lover came up to her and wrapped his arms around her tightly. "'M sorry, T...'m so sorry."

"Shh..." He mumbled, pressing his lips to her forehead. "I'm here. We're all fine." Closing his eyes, he rocked back and forth slowly, unsure who he was trying to comfort more, his girls or himself.

**0230 Hours**

Abby sat straight up in bed, startled awake by the nightmare she had just experienced. Looking to her right, she frowned when she realized her fiance wasn't there. Climbing out of the bed, she pulled on her fluffy black robe and headed downstairs.

"Tony?" She called, her voice hardly above a whisper as she stepped into the dark living room. As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she could see him sitting on the couch, his shoulders slumped forward. "You okay?"

He didn't respond right away, choosing instead to flex his bandaged hand a few times before taking a sip of his beer. "Not really, no. Couldn't sleep."

Walking over to the couch, she sat down next to him. "Wanna talk?"

The Italian shook his head, leaning back against the couch. Lifting the bottle of beer to his lips, he drained it before letting it hang loosely from his hand.

"Okay. I'll...I'll let you be, then." She whispered, pushing herself up from the couch.

Reaching out, he gripped her hand, his eyes searching hers. "Don't go, please."

She allowed him to tug her down onto his lap, slipping his large hands inside her robe and resting them against her bare skin. "I'm not gonna apologize, Abby." He mumbled, leaning his forehead on her shoulder.

"Didn't expect you to."

"I know...that I've been hard to live with, hard to be around...but what happened today, Abs, that was my biggest fear."

Moving her hand into his hair, she massaged his scalp gently as she cradled his head to her chest. "I know, T. I...saw it in your eyes." Leaning down, she pressed a kiss to his lips. "How's your hand?"

"Hurts. Thanks for cleanin' it up for me."

"Of course." She said, pulling the injured hand out from under her robe so she could look at it. "You never told me what happened."

He watched as her fingers trailed over his injury gently. "Got it caught in a closing door. It was an accident."

Cocking an eyebrow, she frowned. "Really? I saw your hand, Tony. I know what it looks like when you punched a wall."

"If you knew what happened, why'd you ask?"

"Well, I was hoping I could get you to be honest with me." Letting go of his hand, she twirled a strand of hair between her fingers absently. "Good to know that's not true."

"He knows her name."

Her lover's voice was barely above a whisper, and for a second, she almost thought he hadn't said anything at all. He slipped his injured hand back inside her robe, seeking the closeness that he needed after the trying day he had.

"Talk to me, T. I can't help if you won't tell me what's wrong."

"He knows her name, Abs. What she looks like...that bastard threatened you and Emma in so many words, and if Gibbs hadn't been there to pull me back, I'd be the one facing murder charges, not him."

She wasn't sure how to respond to his admission, and she could feel his body tensing the longer they sat in the mutual silence.

"I have to protect you, Abby. God...I don't know what I'd do if..." He stopped, interrupted by her slender fingers pressed against his lips.

"Don't talk like that."

Closing his eyes, he kissed her fingers gently. "I know I'm probably gonna be pretty unbearable for awhile, but I really need your support with this. I can't let you and Em be in danger."

"I understand, baby. I'm just sorry that I didn't see it earlier."

He pulled her close to him, running his hands over her warm skin. "I'll talk to Britty and your brother tomorrow, okay? They should know what's goin' on...so they can decide what they want to do."

Abby tipped her head to the side and looked at him curiously. "What about Jack?" She asked. "Aren't you guys gonna need him to testify?"

"I have to talk to Gibbs and Vance tomorrow. I don't wanna have to keep them here if its not necessary."

"Come back to bed?" The Goth asked, her breath warm as she nuzzled her fiancé's neck. "Please?"

The Italian hesitated before nodding, removing his hands from her robe and allowing her to stand. Taking her hand, he threaded their fingers together and led her up the stairs to their bedroom, knowing that he probably wasn't going to be able to sleep.

**The Next Morning - NCIS Headquarters**

It had been a bad night for his Senior Field Agent, Gibbs decided as he watched Tony cradle his head in his hands at his desk. What had happened in interrogation had been bad enough, but the shots fired in front of his house had spooked the younger man.

Releasing a quiet sigh, Gibbs pushed himself to his feet and rounded his desk, making his way to the stairs. "DiNozzo, with me."

"Boss?"

Gibbs didn't respond, didn't look back, but he knew Tony was on his heels as they made their way to the Director's office.

"The Director is expecting you. Go right in." Cynthia said, watching as the two men strode past her and into the office.

"Ah, Gibbs. Thanks for coming up. Please, sit." Director Vance greeted, motioning to the conference table near the door to the large room. "Agent DiNozzo, I heard what happened last night at your house. How are Miss Sciuto and your daughter doing?"

"Everyone's a little freaked out, but we'll be okay. Fortunately no one was hurt." Tony said, dropping his eyes to the surface of the wooden table. "Thanks for asking, though."

The older man nodded, resting his hands on top of the table as he eyed the Italian carefully. "I received Gibbs' request for a protection detail and of course, it's going to be granted, but before we decide on the specifics, why don't you tell me what you had in mind?"

"I want my people takin' the lead on it, Leon." Gibbs said, not giving Tony a chance to respond.

"I don't know if that's a good idea."

The silver-haired man shrugged. "Don't care. I want a perimeter set up around the house to be manned 24/7."

"And how exactly do you think your team of four is going to manage that?" Vance asked incredulously.

"We're not. The other teams will supplement. I want my team on the family at all times."

"With all due respect, isn't that a little excessive?"

"No. Not until we know what we're dealin' with."

The Director shook his head. "I can't afford to have your team off doing a protection detail for God knows how long while this case is active. You have the biggest case load in the agency."

Tony spoke up, finding the steadiness of his voice surprising considering the subject matter. "We'll be able to cut down on the number of agents needed once Abby's family goes back to Louisiana. Probably down to just the four of us, since it'll only be Abby and Emma that need it."

"What about Miss Sciuto's nephew?" He asked, addressing the younger man as he flipped open a file. "Jack Sciuto? He can't leave, he has to testify. He's the only witness."

"What? He's only 15, he has to get back for school. I had every intention of having him return in time for the trial."

"That's not an acceptable solution, Agent DiNozzo. I can't..." He stopped when the intercom at the center of the table beeped insistently. Pressing the button down, he answered as calmly as he could manage. "Yes?"

"There's a Detective Cheney here to see Agent Gibbs. He says it's important."

Gibbs stood up immediately and exited the office with Tony right behind him, frowning when he saw the Baltimore Homicide Detective standing in front of Cynthia's desk waiting.

"Agent Gibbs." The Detective greeted gruffly, eying the pair with a slight look of disgust.

The slightly older man said nothing as he stared the detective down, waiting to find out the reason for this impromptu visit.

"Chris Meyers." Cheney said, crossing his arms over his chest as he turned to face the two men fully. "What's the status?"

"What's it to you?" Tony asked, quickly closing his mouth when Gibbs turned and glared at him, a silent warning to keep quiet.

"He's currently in our custody, where he's gonna stay. That the reason for your visit? Coulda called, woulda saved you a trip."

"My department's lookin' to charge him for the deal you busted him on."

The Italian scoffed. "More like lookin' to get him off."

"That's rich, comin' from the guy who tried to assault him on camera in an interrogation room."

"Hey!" Gibbs said, holding his Senior Agent back with a hand to his chest. "Murder trumps a dealing charge, and you know it, Detective. So you're gonna have to wait until we're done with him. Let's go, DiNozzo."

He followed obediently, glaring at the Baltimore Detective as he passed. Once they were back down in the squad room, he turned on his boss.

"You don't think he's up to somethin'?"

The older man cocked an eyebrow at him, moving forward until he was only inches away from his face. "Did I say that, Tony? I understand that you're concerned about Abby and Emma, and I'm doin' what I can to get them as much protection as possible. But I will not stand for you accusing me."

After glaring at the silver-haired agent for a moment, he backed down, his shoulders slumping as he ran a hand through his hair. "Sorry."

"Don't apologize, Tony. I know." Clapping a hand on the younger man's shoulder, he squeezed gently. "I know."

"I'm gonna need to use some of my time off, Boss. I can't...I need to have people I trust with them, and Vance isn't gonna approve the detail you want."

"Lemme deal with that, okay? I promise you, Tony, one of us will be with them as much as possible."

He nodded, swallowing hard. He hated the way his hands trembled slightly, giving away his vulnerability. "Guess we should consider pushin' the wedding back, huh?"

Gibbs chuckled lightly. "I'll let you talk to Abby about that one."

He nodded, taking a few steps toward the elevator before turning back to face the older man. "Thanks, Boss. Really."

"I want 'em safe too, Tony. We'll work it out."

Offering a small smile, he released a sigh and stepped into the car, punching the button for the lab. The morning had been shot to hell, though he hadn't expected anything different. Dropping his head back against the cool metal wall, he closed his eyes, giving himself a moment to calm down before he forced his DiNozzo mask back in place.

The doors opened with a ding, and he stepped off, making his way into his girl's lab. It was unusually quiet, as her normally loud music wasn't rattling the windows. He spotted his Goth's brother and nephews huddled around the computer in her office, no doubt surfing the internet as they passed the time.

Britty was sitting beside Abby at her work station, watching as her fingers moved quickly on the keys while they carried on a quiet conversation, but his daughter was nowhere to be found.

"Hey." He greeted, pressing a kiss to her cheek. "Where's Em?"

"Napping on the futon in the back." She stopped typing and spun around in her chair to face him. "What's goin' on?"

"Can we talk?" The Italian hesitated, feeling her brother and sister-in-law's eyes on him. "In private?"

"Yeah. Sure." Excusing herself, she stood from the stool and led her fiance back to the soundproofed ballistics lab. She closed the door behind them and took a seat on the stool, looking at her lover worriedly. "What happened, T?"

He walked across the room, leaning against the workbench for a second before turning around to face her. "I need to talk to you about the wedding."

"You're not changin' your mind, are you?"

"No, no. It's just...with everything that's goin' on, I think it'd be in the best interest of everyone if we pushed it back. Just until after all this settles down."

Abby offered him a small smile as she pushed herself off of the stool and approached him, wrapping her arms around his waist. "You know that I don't need a ceremony, T. I love you, with or without a marriage license." Leaning up, she kissed him gently. "Now, tell me what's really bothering you."

Releasing a heavy sigh, he pulled her closer to his chest, leaning back on the workbench. "Vance approved Gibbs' request for a protection detail."

"Tony..."

"Abby, please. I really need your support on this, okay?"

Pulling away from him, she cocked an eyebrow, her hands on her hips. "We don't need a babysitter, T. Especially not you guys. What happens when you catch a case? I mean, are you gonna make us all come with you to the crime scenes so that you can keep an eye on us? Is that what the plan is?"

"God damnit Abby! Why can't you ever just back me up on anything? Everything turns into a fucking debate with you! You were fine with all this last night when I talked to you!"

She opened her mouth to respond when he held a finger up, shaking his head. "Just don't." Turning around, he left the ballistics lab and made his way to the elevator, ignoring his girl's family members as they watched him leave.

Bradley glanced back to where his sister was standing, her weight resting on the workbench. He pushed himself up and ran toward the elevator, slipping his hand between the closing doors.

"Not really interested in a lecture, Bradley." Tony spat, crossing his arms over his chest when the older man stepped into the small car.

He reached over and flipped the emergency stop switch, glaring at the younger man in the blue glow of the elevator. "Don't really care, Tony."

"You know what? I don't know what the fuck I was thinkin', tryin' to marry into this family. I can't get my fiancée to back me on anything, and her brother threatens me every time I even *think* about raising my voice!" The Italian threw his hands in the air dramatically. "I don't know why..."

He didn't have an opportunity to finish his sentence before Bradley's fist met his jaw, sending him stumbling back into the wall of the elevator.

"Fuck!" He cried, holding his jaw. "You know I can arrest you for striking a federal agent?"

"Ask me if I give a shit." Flexing his hand, he shook it out and flipped the switch to turn the elevator back on. "You know, DiNozzo, if we're all so fucking horrible, maybe you shouldn't bother marrying Abby."

The words were uttered nonchalantly, but Tony felt like a knife had been twisted in his gut. Before he had a chance to respond, the sandy-haired man stepped out of the car and back into the lab, intent on comforting his sister.

A few hours later, Abby stepped off the elevator and walked into the bullpen, ignoring her lover as she passed his desk. Bradley had told her what the Italian had said to him in the elevator, and while deep down she knew he didn't really mean it, the knowledge that he had said it at all hurt her.

The older man looked up from the file he was reading and cocked an eyebrow at the Goth as she stopped in front of his desk, looking at him expectantly.

"I'm gonna head home. Jeremy and Emma are gettin' grouchy, and I don't think BB and Britty are gonna last much longer stuck here."

She heard Tony audibly snort behind her, but chose not to acknowledge him as he stood up and walked out of the squad room.

Gibbs pushed himself up from his chair and leaned across the desk. "There a reason you're ignorin' him, Abs?"

"It's nothing. I just came up to tell you we're heading home."

He nodded, not quite believing what she was telling him. "You should cut him some slack. He's havin' a hard time dealin' with all this, and he's doin' a pretty good job of keepin' it together so he can do what's best for you and Emma."

"Yeah...I know."

"You don't give him enough credit, Abby."

The silver-haired agent didn't miss how her face fell, though she did manage to school her face into a neutral expression before she turned and walked away without saying another word.