By the time Nick and I got to the banquet hall of the Addams House Hotel with our twins, their dates and Jayla; things were already underway. As I had expected the usual suspects were at the bar ordering drinks. JD and Dave of course had invited Franks, Leyla, Amira and Jackson to their wedding; Dave knew that even though Franks, Leyla, Amira and Jackson weren't directly let alone biologically related to JD that she still considered them to be family.
Franks and Jethro were at the bar getting drinks for themselves, Jen, Amira and Leyla. After I had given Jayla to Nick, I had gone over to the bar while Jethro and Franks waited for their drinks.
"Isn't it a bit early in the night to start drinking?" I asked as I came up behind the two men I considered to be my mentors.
"Its never too early darlin'." Franks said.
"Still on Mexico time, huh?"
Franks nodded as he turned away from the bar for a brief moment to say hello.
"It was a beautiful ceremony." Franks whispered in my ear.
"Thank-you."
"What would you like to drink Jay, it's on me." Jethro asked.
"That's sweet Jethro, but just because you're my brother-in-law doesn't mean you have to order me a drink."
"Stop being so damn stubborn Jaylyn and let me get you a drink."
"Jethro, you know what I drink. It's always been bourbon just like you and Jen since I was twenty-one."
Jethro then turned to the bartender.
"Make that three bourbons."
The bartender nodded as he poured my drink.
Jethro and I then rejoined the rest of the bridal party at the table.
"What's going on?" Jen asked.
"Oh nothing, Jethro just told me I was being petulant and he brought me a drink."
"Well he's an expert on petulance." Jen said as she looked to see what her husband's response was as she fed Bella.
Before long JD and Dave had arrived.
"I'd like to announce for the first time anywhere, Mr. and Mrs. Dave Anders." the dj said.
I started to cry a bit as I saw my daughter and new son-in-law walk onto the dance floor. Seeing my daughter walk onto the dance floor in her bodes corset wedding dress on the arm of her husband just made me lose it. Seeing JD dance with Dave to their wedding song which was Stealing Cinderella by Chuck Wicks reminded me of when Nick and I danced to At Last at our reception. Before long Nick would be up on the dance floor dancing with JD to Chuck Wick's Stealing Cinderella.
Once that was over Dave was going to dance with his mother to Somewhere Over the Rainbow, but it was the original version of the song; the one that Judy Garland herself sang in The Wizard of Oz since that was his mother's and JD's favorite song. I knew when I finally saw Dave and Grace dance to that classic song that I was going to wish that I had at least one boy during one of my pregnancies. Throughout the night I was told by the guests that both the ceremony and the reception were beautiful. Soon I would finde out that JD had planned something without me knowing.
"May I have everyone's attention; the bride has something she'd like to share with all of you." the dj said as he hadned the microphone over to JD as she came over to where the dj set up his equipment earlier.
JD thanked the dj before she spoke to the rest of us. I just wanted to say a quick thank-you to my parents; Jaylyn and Nick as well as my in-laws Grace and Chris, who made all of this happen. Now for those of you that likely have heard my parents, my aunts and uncles say to each other "Forever and For Always" throughtout the evening; believe me it's nothing compared to growing up hearing that phrase as much as I have. With the inside joke of everyone knows how long my parents as well as my Uncle Tony and Aunt Ziva have been married is the same as mine, Hannah and Leah's ages; is that the phrase they all say is their way of that life is short and unpredictable especially in their chosen professions. There is a minor story that goes with that whole rant I have been going on about. As soon as Hannah, Leah, Jayden, Jocelyn, Benjamin, Jaliyah, Noah, Ashleann, Drew Jr. and I all started dating we were told that untl we were each married we were not allowed to say "Forever and For Always." JD said taking a slight pauses
"So tonight I will be able to utter those words to my husband just as my mom has uttered them to my dad for nineteen years. Now that I am done with that rant, if you all don't mind. I have one more thing I have to do. Back when my parents as well as my aunts and uncles got married, they didn't get to have the perfect first dance as husband and wife like Dave and I. So first off in the order that they got married, Dave and I would like to invite my Uncle Tony and my Aunt Ziva up to the dance floor to have their perfect first dance as husband and wife."
As JD handed the microphone back to the dj, Tony and Ziva made their way to the dance floor. It was clear that this was JD's gift to the eight of us. Once on the dance floor, Tony shook Dave's hand in gratitude as Ziva hugged JD.
"Thank-you, baby girl." Ziva whispered to JD as she hugged her.
Just as they had danced to nineteen years ago, Tony and Ziva danced to Brad Paisley's She's Everything. Tony took Ziva in his arms just as Brad's voice came over the speakers. We all could tell that JD was doing this as a gift for all of us; had meant a lot to Ziva due to her history. As Tony and Ziva's wedding song wrapped up, JD returned for the microphone. Once Tony and Ziva had taken their seats with the rest of us after thanking JD again, JD spoke again.
"Next I'd like to invite the two people responsible for my existence; my parents, Jaylyn and Nick."
Nick and I walked up to the dance floor. I mouthed a thank-you to my daughter as she returned to her seat next to her husband. Just as he had nineteen years ago at our reception, Nick had me circle him at arm's length before pulling me into him.
"They look so perfect together up there." Jayden whispered to Jocelyn and JD from where she was sitting with Jayla on her lap.
"They do." JD and Jocelyn responded in unison.
"That's how they looked at their reception." Jen told her nieces.
As Etta James' At Last ended, Nick pulled me a bit closer and we shared a kiss. After Nick and I danced Jen and Jethro danced as did Delaney and Will. Following the dancing we all ate, JD and Dave cut their wedding cake; JD tossed her bouquet as Nick tossed the garter. In between all of that I was able to give a toast just before the cake had been cut.
Later on that night everyone returned to their respective homes. JD and Dave left from the reception for their honeymoon in Hawaii. All the kids had gone to bed and were sound asleep. With that the rest of turned in for the night.
"Forever and For Always." JD said to Dave as she fell asleep.
"Forever and For Always." Tony and Ziva said to one another.
"Forever and For Always." I said to Nick.
"Forever and For Always." Jen and Jethro said to each other.
"Forever and For Always." McGee said to Abby.
"Forever and For Always." Kate said to Drew.
"Forever and For Always." AJ said to Palmer.
"Forever and For Always." Ducky and Jordan said to each other.
"Forever and For Always." Kelly said to Jason.
"Forever and For Always." Delaney said to Will.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Here Comes the Bride
The following day was JD and Dave's wedding. And as all wedding go it was a joyous yet sad time, at least for me it was. Everyone was getting ready in their respective places. The guests were arriving and taking their seats. Those of us in what I referred to as "the bridal suite" even though it was just Jen and Jethro's bedroom, that we were in; the bridal part took part in JD finding out what her Something borrowed, Something blue, Something old and Something new were. JD was completely surprised to see that she got my mother's pearl necklace as her something old, my diamond earrings and bracelet as her something borrowed. She loved her new garter that was white with black lace lining and her new lingerie as her something new. But she was absolutely loved being the only one who had a baby blue ribbon aroiund her bouquet.
At one point I had looked out to the scene below from one of the bedroom windows to see Dave's grandparents take their seats. Shortly after both sets of Dave's grandparents were seated I saw my mother and father -in-law hobble to their seats. Upon seeing Nick's parents waiting below made me wish that my parents were there to see their granddaughter walk down the aisle.
"They'd be proud of her and you." Jen said as she came up behind me.
"I know they would. Besides it's not just that Jen. Still can't believe she's getting married, seems like just yesterday Nick and I were bringing her home from the hospital."
"JD is just getting married, it's not like she's joining the Corps and being deployed." Jen said.
"Ha, you'll be singing a different tune when Jethro is walking Bella down the aisle."
"If he can still walk by then."
With that sisterly banter put aside we began the wedding. Everything had gone as we had rehearsed the day before. Now I had assumed that JD wanted Nick to walk her down the aisle as all fathers did with their daughters. JD also knew that I was not as fortunate to have my father walk me down the aisle at my as she was, she even knew that Jen wasn't as lucky. But either way knowing everything, JD decided to walk herself down the aisle.
Now the wedding was absolutely perfect and was just as we had planned it. Dave had Tony, McGee, Palmer, Jethro, Nick and Drew as his groomsmen.
"We are gathered here today, in the sight of God; to join this man and this woman in Holy Matrimony. Who gives this woman to this man?" the Reverend asked.
"We all do." We all said.
There was a slight chuckle from Dave's family behind us. The wedding progressed and the vows were said. As JD and Dave exchanged their vows, those of us that were married all looked at our significant others after looking at our own wedding rings remembering the day we had been in JD and Dave's shoes.
"If there is anyone who has just cause as to why Jennifer and Dave should no be married, speak now or forever hold your peace." The Reverend spoke.
Just as predicted Jethro then looked to everyone seated behind us giving them his stare.
No one said anything and the Reverend wrapped up the ceremony.
"You may kiss your bride."
JD and Dave kissed.
"It is my great honor and privelege to introduce Mr. and Mrs. Dave Anders." The Reverend said as JD and Dave began to walk back down the aisle this time as husband and wife.
Just as Nick and I made it midway down the aisle I leaned slightly over to Nick to give him a quick peck on the cheek as a thank-you for being my rock through all of the wedding preparations.
"One down, three to go." Nick whispered to me as we drew closer to the house.
"Don't rush it." I said in response.
With that, after the rest of the bridal party had gathered in the house it was time for everyone to make their way to the reception which was being held at the banquet hall at the Addams House Hotel.
At one point I had looked out to the scene below from one of the bedroom windows to see Dave's grandparents take their seats. Shortly after both sets of Dave's grandparents were seated I saw my mother and father -in-law hobble to their seats. Upon seeing Nick's parents waiting below made me wish that my parents were there to see their granddaughter walk down the aisle.
"They'd be proud of her and you." Jen said as she came up behind me.
"I know they would. Besides it's not just that Jen. Still can't believe she's getting married, seems like just yesterday Nick and I were bringing her home from the hospital."
"JD is just getting married, it's not like she's joining the Corps and being deployed." Jen said.
"Ha, you'll be singing a different tune when Jethro is walking Bella down the aisle."
"If he can still walk by then."
With that sisterly banter put aside we began the wedding. Everything had gone as we had rehearsed the day before. Now I had assumed that JD wanted Nick to walk her down the aisle as all fathers did with their daughters. JD also knew that I was not as fortunate to have my father walk me down the aisle at my as she was, she even knew that Jen wasn't as lucky. But either way knowing everything, JD decided to walk herself down the aisle.
Now the wedding was absolutely perfect and was just as we had planned it. Dave had Tony, McGee, Palmer, Jethro, Nick and Drew as his groomsmen.
"We are gathered here today, in the sight of God; to join this man and this woman in Holy Matrimony. Who gives this woman to this man?" the Reverend asked.
"We all do." We all said.
There was a slight chuckle from Dave's family behind us. The wedding progressed and the vows were said. As JD and Dave exchanged their vows, those of us that were married all looked at our significant others after looking at our own wedding rings remembering the day we had been in JD and Dave's shoes.
"If there is anyone who has just cause as to why Jennifer and Dave should no be married, speak now or forever hold your peace." The Reverend spoke.
Just as predicted Jethro then looked to everyone seated behind us giving them his stare.
No one said anything and the Reverend wrapped up the ceremony.
"You may kiss your bride."
JD and Dave kissed.
"It is my great honor and privelege to introduce Mr. and Mrs. Dave Anders." The Reverend said as JD and Dave began to walk back down the aisle this time as husband and wife.
Just as Nick and I made it midway down the aisle I leaned slightly over to Nick to give him a quick peck on the cheek as a thank-you for being my rock through all of the wedding preparations.
"One down, three to go." Nick whispered to me as we drew closer to the house.
"Don't rush it." I said in response.
With that, after the rest of the bridal party had gathered in the house it was time for everyone to make their way to the reception which was being held at the banquet hall at the Addams House Hotel.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Rehearsal Dinner
Before I had known it was the day before JD and Dave's wedding. That night was the rehearsal followed by the rehearsal dinner. But first, it was time for Dave to meet the rest of the family before the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner. It was clear that JD was nervous as hell. It was one of those things where you had a gut feeling that bringing your fiance home to meet your overprotective parents who just so happened to be federal agents and to meet your three younger sisters was nerve-racking, but having your fiance meet your extended family; who were for the most part in the same profession as your parents was ten times worse.
JD knew that if there was anything that Dave should fear more than meeting his future mother-in-law and father-in-law, it was meeting her uncle; the legendary Leroy Jethro Gibbs along with her Aunt and partial namesake. JD even due to the fact that her godfather had been a cop as well as a federal agent for years along with the minor detail that her godmother was a trained assassin prior to her current position was anything but comforting. It was instances like these that JD truly detested the fact that she was protected, let alone that we chose a former Mossad assassin and a cop to be her godparents almost two decades prior. She just didn't see that Nick and I had wanted her to always be protected if anything should ever happen to us, it was the same thing we wanted for the twins and Jayla; t was what we wanted for all our girls.
"Everything will be fine. If I was able to get through a meeting with your parents and your sisters; then I can get through a brunch with your Aunt, Uncle and Godparents." Dave said as he and JD drove to the restaurant they were meeting Jethro, Jen, Tony and Ziva for brunch.
"Ha sure you are. Just remember Jethro is a marine; Tony, Ziva and Jen all trained under Jethro. They eve worked under him. Jen was Jethro's Probie way back when. Tony was a Baltimore cop prior to joining NCIS." JD said.
"You left out Ziva."
JD smiled upon hearing her godmother's name.
"Ziva is well, she's the female version of Jethro in every sense. Just whatever you do, don't mention anything about Shannon, Mossad or Eli David. And whatever you do, Leon Vance is still off limits as he was the last time."
"I got it babe."
"And one more thing, remember my Uncle Jethro is quite protective of the women in his life."
JD and Dave had walked into the restaurant to see Jen and Jethro with the triplets in their respective car seats, Tony and Ziva were waiting.
"Dave; this is my Uncle Jethro."
"It's nice to meet a former Marine Gunnery Sergeant, sir. My father was a Commander with the Navy during the Gulf War."
Jethro smirked.
"There's no such thing as a former Marine." Jen, Tony, Ziva and I said in unison.
Once again Jethro smirked; we could see how pleased he was with us quoting him.
"And this is my Aunt Jen, my mom's sister and half of my namesake."
"Nice to meet you ma'am."
"Nice to meet you too, Dave."
"And who are these adorable little ones?"
"They are my cousins, Bella, Carson and Jasper. My Uncle Jethro and Aunt Jen's kids."
"You have three beautiful children, ma'am."
"This is my Uncle and Godfather, Tony."
"Ah, it's nice to finally meet the famous movie aficianado, JD has told me so much about."
"And this is my Aunt and Godmother Ziva."
"Nice to meet you ma'.........." Dave trailed off after JD elbowed him in the side.
"Don't call her ma'am, she doesn't like it." JD whispered.
"Don't worry about it, JD is just being dramatic." Ziva said .
"Factious, babe." Tony corrected.
"Okay before this gets anymore dysfunctional, let's eat." JD said as she helped Jen and Jethro carry the triplets to the table.
The triplets had been quiet content in their car seats. Bella cooed ever once in awhile just to get Jen and Jethro's attention while Carson and Jasper sucked on their pacifiers.
"She's her mother's daughter." Jethro said to Jen.
"Ha, play nice Jethro."
Brunch had gone better than what JD had expected it to go. Before long we all had met up for the rehearsal. JD wanted to have her wedding in Jen and Jethro's backyard just as Ziva and I had nineteen years ago.
We had run through the entire wedding. Dave's parents'; Grace and Chris walked down the aisle to their seats as Dave took his place in front of the Reverend. After that the wedding processional started down the aisle with Liza, Addie and Jayla being walked down the aisle by Kelly, Jaliyah and Ashleann. Jake and RJ were carried down the aisle by Ducky and Jason. Following the kids' venture down the aisle it was the bridesmaids' turn to walk down the aisle. Hannah was escorted down the aisle by Vince followed by Leah and Andy who were linked arm in arm just as Hannah and Vince were. The DiNozzo twins were then followed by Jayden and Jocelyn who had their new boyfriends Eric and Clay Smithson. Then it was time for the matrons of honor to make their way down the aisle with their escorts. Now I had the honor of not only being the mother of the bride but also being one of the matrons of honor. So Abby was escorted down to the alter by McGee, AJ and Palmer followed, then Kate and Drew walked down, Ziva and Tony followed afterwards, myself and Nick followed as did Jen and Jethro.
Later that night Nick and I had found out about the twins' boyfriends who also happened to be twins themselves. I had also later heard my daughter's soon to be mother-in-law refer to Hannah and Leah as the DiNozzo twins as she referred to mine and Nick's twins as the Balboa twins. I had to remind Grace that the girls all had names and that it would probably be best not to always refer to the four girls as the twins. Shortly after the rehearsal we went to the rehearsal dinner before calling it a night.
JD knew that if there was anything that Dave should fear more than meeting his future mother-in-law and father-in-law, it was meeting her uncle; the legendary Leroy Jethro Gibbs along with her Aunt and partial namesake. JD even due to the fact that her godfather had been a cop as well as a federal agent for years along with the minor detail that her godmother was a trained assassin prior to her current position was anything but comforting. It was instances like these that JD truly detested the fact that she was protected, let alone that we chose a former Mossad assassin and a cop to be her godparents almost two decades prior. She just didn't see that Nick and I had wanted her to always be protected if anything should ever happen to us, it was the same thing we wanted for the twins and Jayla; t was what we wanted for all our girls.
"Everything will be fine. If I was able to get through a meeting with your parents and your sisters; then I can get through a brunch with your Aunt, Uncle and Godparents." Dave said as he and JD drove to the restaurant they were meeting Jethro, Jen, Tony and Ziva for brunch.
"Ha sure you are. Just remember Jethro is a marine; Tony, Ziva and Jen all trained under Jethro. They eve worked under him. Jen was Jethro's Probie way back when. Tony was a Baltimore cop prior to joining NCIS." JD said.
"You left out Ziva."
JD smiled upon hearing her godmother's name.
"Ziva is well, she's the female version of Jethro in every sense. Just whatever you do, don't mention anything about Shannon, Mossad or Eli David. And whatever you do, Leon Vance is still off limits as he was the last time."
"I got it babe."
"And one more thing, remember my Uncle Jethro is quite protective of the women in his life."
JD and Dave had walked into the restaurant to see Jen and Jethro with the triplets in their respective car seats, Tony and Ziva were waiting.
"Dave; this is my Uncle Jethro."
"It's nice to meet a former Marine Gunnery Sergeant, sir. My father was a Commander with the Navy during the Gulf War."
Jethro smirked.
"There's no such thing as a former Marine." Jen, Tony, Ziva and I said in unison.
Once again Jethro smirked; we could see how pleased he was with us quoting him.
"And this is my Aunt Jen, my mom's sister and half of my namesake."
"Nice to meet you ma'am."
"Nice to meet you too, Dave."
"And who are these adorable little ones?"
"They are my cousins, Bella, Carson and Jasper. My Uncle Jethro and Aunt Jen's kids."
"You have three beautiful children, ma'am."
"This is my Uncle and Godfather, Tony."
"Ah, it's nice to finally meet the famous movie aficianado, JD has told me so much about."
"And this is my Aunt and Godmother Ziva."
"Nice to meet you ma'.........." Dave trailed off after JD elbowed him in the side.
"Don't call her ma'am, she doesn't like it." JD whispered.
"Don't worry about it, JD is just being dramatic." Ziva said .
"Factious, babe." Tony corrected.
"Okay before this gets anymore dysfunctional, let's eat." JD said as she helped Jen and Jethro carry the triplets to the table.
The triplets had been quiet content in their car seats. Bella cooed ever once in awhile just to get Jen and Jethro's attention while Carson and Jasper sucked on their pacifiers.
"She's her mother's daughter." Jethro said to Jen.
"Ha, play nice Jethro."
Brunch had gone better than what JD had expected it to go. Before long we all had met up for the rehearsal. JD wanted to have her wedding in Jen and Jethro's backyard just as Ziva and I had nineteen years ago.
We had run through the entire wedding. Dave's parents'; Grace and Chris walked down the aisle to their seats as Dave took his place in front of the Reverend. After that the wedding processional started down the aisle with Liza, Addie and Jayla being walked down the aisle by Kelly, Jaliyah and Ashleann. Jake and RJ were carried down the aisle by Ducky and Jason. Following the kids' venture down the aisle it was the bridesmaids' turn to walk down the aisle. Hannah was escorted down the aisle by Vince followed by Leah and Andy who were linked arm in arm just as Hannah and Vince were. The DiNozzo twins were then followed by Jayden and Jocelyn who had their new boyfriends Eric and Clay Smithson. Then it was time for the matrons of honor to make their way down the aisle with their escorts. Now I had the honor of not only being the mother of the bride but also being one of the matrons of honor. So Abby was escorted down to the alter by McGee, AJ and Palmer followed, then Kate and Drew walked down, Ziva and Tony followed afterwards, myself and Nick followed as did Jen and Jethro.
Later that night Nick and I had found out about the twins' boyfriends who also happened to be twins themselves. I had also later heard my daughter's soon to be mother-in-law refer to Hannah and Leah as the DiNozzo twins as she referred to mine and Nick's twins as the Balboa twins. I had to remind Grace that the girls all had names and that it would probably be best not to always refer to the four girls as the twins. Shortly after the rehearsal we went to the rehearsal dinner before calling it a night.
Friday, February 11, 2011
Mother, Daughter bonding
Mid-afternoon Tuesday, JD and I sat down to lunch; taking a break from all the wedding stuff. It was still hard for me to wrap my head around the fact that my first born, my baby girl was getting married soon. Just the thought of there being a second ring on my daughter's hand was enough to send me into a tail spin. It was as if Cinderella was being stolen away in the dead of night.
"What is it like being married, mom?" JD asked after our drinks were brought to us.
"Um, well being married is like. Being married is just being married." I said completely not knowing what to say.
"Come on, give me something tangible. You and Dad make it look so easy."
"Your father and I have been married for almost twenty years, Jennifer; being husband and wife is just second nature for us."
"That was helpful."
"What do you want me to say, your father and I just fit together; we balance each other. We know each other and each other's quirks. Your father and I love each other."
"So what you're saying is that you and dad mirror each other. When he moves, you move and vice versa." JD said.
"Basically."
"What about the honeymoon?"
"You want to talk about your wedding night with me?" I questioned.
"Yes mom I do and you can drop the federal agent side, and revert over to being my mom for a bit."
"This is just all together weird. I never thought I'd be discussing this with you." I said.
"Please mom, all I want to know is what your honeymoon was like."
At that moment I flashed back to my honeymoon that was almost twenty years ago, but with the intervening time between then and now; my wedding night with Nick is still quite vivid in my mind. Of course I had to choose what out of mine and Nick's activities from our honeymoon were suitable to share.
"Well mom?"
"My wedding night was one for the record books." I said with a smile on my face and look in my eyes that would give me away in a heartbeat if I wasn't careful.
"Wasn't that the night that you and dad conceived me?"
"Yes it was that night at some point."
"At one point?" JD questioned.
"Don't pry any further. All I am going to say on this subject was that your father and I were in love, just as we still are in love to this day; we were young. That night with your father was one the happiest times in my life."
"When were the other times?"
"When I gave birth to you, Jay, Joce and Athena. You girls are my world, my everything; besides your dad of course."
"I can't believe that in two months I'll be married. It's insane that in the two months I have to figure out my bridal party. Then I have to worry about that whole something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue thing."
"Jennifer, don't worry about anything but getting married and your bridal party. The bridal party and I will worry about the other stuff."
"I'll try, but its not easy being a bride."
At that moment I was thinking "Being the bride is a hell of a lot easier then being the mother of the bride.", but I had thought otherwise."
"I know what its like, I've been there." I said as I held up my hand.
"I think I know that by now, mom."
"You're luckier than I was."
"I know the story mom; I know that both your and Aunt Jen were shanghaied because Grandpa wasn't around. And before you go any further I know how fortunate I am to have both you and dad."
As lunch was wrapping up, I was already planning what JD and I were going to do next. And as usual I just chalked it up to my mind operating in Special Agent/mother of four mode.
"How about we go pick up the twins from home and you can call Hannah and Leah to tell them to meet us at the at the bridal shop so we can get their bridesmaids dresses as you choose yours." I had said to my daughter as we paid the bill and left.
"Sounds good to me."
With that we were on our way to pick up Jayden and Jocelyn. Nick had been called into the office for his mandatory psych eval, so the twins had Jayla in her car seat with then as they came out to the car. After we had picked the girls up it didn't take us long to get to the bridal shop.
"Some things never change, mom. You still drive like Uncle Jethro and Aunt Ziva." Jayden said as we parked in the bridal shop parking lot.
"Well it comes with knowing them for so long. You can thank your Aunt Jen for that when you guys see her again."
"Oh we will." Jayden and Jocelyn said in unison as Hannah and Leah came up behind us.
When we had walked into the bridal shop we were instantly greeted by one of the consultants.
"Hello; I'm Amanda, how can I help you today?"
"We're looking for a gown for her." I said as I pointed out JD.
"Congratulations, when is the big day?" Amanda asked.
"Two months." JD answered.
"Is there anything else you guys are looking for?"
"Yes, we need to get bridesmaids dresses for my sisters and my friends. I'd also like to see if you have any flower girl dresses."
"Okay, I am sure this little cutie will look adorable in anything. How old is she?"
"She's a month and a half." JD answered.
"If you don't mind me saying, but you look good for having a baby a month and a half ago." Amanda said.
"She's not my daughter."
"She's my daughter." I said.
"I'm sorry, I didn't know." Amanda said completely blushing.
Once we got past that incident we went dress shopping. JD found a wedding gown that she absolutely loved. Then I was able to pick out of three little flower girl dresses that would be absolutely adorable on Jayla, Addie and Liza. As I was driving back to the house multiple things came rushing through my mind at once. I began to reminisce, one minute I was a carefree twenty-five year old to being a forty - four year old mother of four. The other thing was my own daughter, who was half me just as her three younger sisters were; was getting married. I wondered where the past nineteen years had gone. I had also longed for the days where JD was a kid again.
But that wasn't the choice for this situation, my little girl was an adult now and she was getting married.
"What is it like being married, mom?" JD asked after our drinks were brought to us.
"Um, well being married is like. Being married is just being married." I said completely not knowing what to say.
"Come on, give me something tangible. You and Dad make it look so easy."
"Your father and I have been married for almost twenty years, Jennifer; being husband and wife is just second nature for us."
"That was helpful."
"What do you want me to say, your father and I just fit together; we balance each other. We know each other and each other's quirks. Your father and I love each other."
"So what you're saying is that you and dad mirror each other. When he moves, you move and vice versa." JD said.
"Basically."
"What about the honeymoon?"
"You want to talk about your wedding night with me?" I questioned.
"Yes mom I do and you can drop the federal agent side, and revert over to being my mom for a bit."
"This is just all together weird. I never thought I'd be discussing this with you." I said.
"Please mom, all I want to know is what your honeymoon was like."
At that moment I flashed back to my honeymoon that was almost twenty years ago, but with the intervening time between then and now; my wedding night with Nick is still quite vivid in my mind. Of course I had to choose what out of mine and Nick's activities from our honeymoon were suitable to share.
"Well mom?"
"My wedding night was one for the record books." I said with a smile on my face and look in my eyes that would give me away in a heartbeat if I wasn't careful.
"Wasn't that the night that you and dad conceived me?"
"Yes it was that night at some point."
"At one point?" JD questioned.
"Don't pry any further. All I am going to say on this subject was that your father and I were in love, just as we still are in love to this day; we were young. That night with your father was one the happiest times in my life."
"When were the other times?"
"When I gave birth to you, Jay, Joce and Athena. You girls are my world, my everything; besides your dad of course."
"I can't believe that in two months I'll be married. It's insane that in the two months I have to figure out my bridal party. Then I have to worry about that whole something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue thing."
"Jennifer, don't worry about anything but getting married and your bridal party. The bridal party and I will worry about the other stuff."
"I'll try, but its not easy being a bride."
At that moment I was thinking "Being the bride is a hell of a lot easier then being the mother of the bride.", but I had thought otherwise."
"I know what its like, I've been there." I said as I held up my hand.
"I think I know that by now, mom."
"You're luckier than I was."
"I know the story mom; I know that both your and Aunt Jen were shanghaied because Grandpa wasn't around. And before you go any further I know how fortunate I am to have both you and dad."
As lunch was wrapping up, I was already planning what JD and I were going to do next. And as usual I just chalked it up to my mind operating in Special Agent/mother of four mode.
"How about we go pick up the twins from home and you can call Hannah and Leah to tell them to meet us at the at the bridal shop so we can get their bridesmaids dresses as you choose yours." I had said to my daughter as we paid the bill and left.
"Sounds good to me."
With that we were on our way to pick up Jayden and Jocelyn. Nick had been called into the office for his mandatory psych eval, so the twins had Jayla in her car seat with then as they came out to the car. After we had picked the girls up it didn't take us long to get to the bridal shop.
"Some things never change, mom. You still drive like Uncle Jethro and Aunt Ziva." Jayden said as we parked in the bridal shop parking lot.
"Well it comes with knowing them for so long. You can thank your Aunt Jen for that when you guys see her again."
"Oh we will." Jayden and Jocelyn said in unison as Hannah and Leah came up behind us.
When we had walked into the bridal shop we were instantly greeted by one of the consultants.
"Hello; I'm Amanda, how can I help you today?"
"We're looking for a gown for her." I said as I pointed out JD.
"Congratulations, when is the big day?" Amanda asked.
"Two months." JD answered.
"Is there anything else you guys are looking for?"
"Yes, we need to get bridesmaids dresses for my sisters and my friends. I'd also like to see if you have any flower girl dresses."
"Okay, I am sure this little cutie will look adorable in anything. How old is she?"
"She's a month and a half." JD answered.
"If you don't mind me saying, but you look good for having a baby a month and a half ago." Amanda said.
"She's not my daughter."
"She's my daughter." I said.
"I'm sorry, I didn't know." Amanda said completely blushing.
Once we got past that incident we went dress shopping. JD found a wedding gown that she absolutely loved. Then I was able to pick out of three little flower girl dresses that would be absolutely adorable on Jayla, Addie and Liza. As I was driving back to the house multiple things came rushing through my mind at once. I began to reminisce, one minute I was a carefree twenty-five year old to being a forty - four year old mother of four. The other thing was my own daughter, who was half me just as her three younger sisters were; was getting married. I wondered where the past nineteen years had gone. I had also longed for the days where JD was a kid again.
But that wasn't the choice for this situation, my little girl was an adult now and she was getting married.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Beach Escape for the Parents
By the beginning of July we were all set for our beach escape. After four months of all nighters, 3am feedings and wedding preparations it was time for a bit oft relaxation. In the days following the babies' arrival, I had filled the others in. Of course AJ, Palmer, Abby and McGee weren't sure who would watch their respective children while we were all away. I said that Ducky and Jordan could babysit as well as Jackson and Franks.
After that theyy were on board for flying down to Cabo San Lucas for the weekend. At 11am we all left for Cabo. We had arrived in Cabo San Lucas around 4pm that afternoon. Once we had checked in and set our things down in our respective rooms. The men wasted no time in changing into their swimsuits and headed down to the beach outside our hotel to play some volleyball. Before they had left us they had told us to hurry. We then had to remind our respective husbands that we had more than just our swimsuits to put on.
AJ, Kate, Abby, Ziva, Jen and I were sunbathing in the sand a bit away from where the guys were playing volleyball. At one point the ball was knocked out of bounds and our husbands turned to see all six of us lying on our beach towels in our bikinis. It was obvious that they were completely stunned. I guess that Palmer, Drew, McGee, Tony and Nick forgot how hot we looked in our bikinis. Jethro had a smirk on his face that was a country mile wide as he ditched the game and came over.
Now keep in mind, Ziva and I were the only ones besides Jen and Jethro that knew the true details of what made Jen and Jethro, Jen and Jethro. So with that Ziva and I looked over to Jen to watch her reaction as Jethro drew closer. In the background behind Jethro we could hear Tony babble.
"Is it me or does Jaylyn and Jenny look hot as hell?"
"He's your husband." I said to Ziva.
"McGee head slap him for me." Jethro called back.
"Not just Jenny and the Director, Tony." Drew said as he looked over to Kate.
"Looks like they can't help themselves." Kate said.
"Can we blame them?" I asked rhetorically.
Jen, Ziva, Kate, Abby, AJ and I stood up as our husbands came over. McGee, Drew and Palmer then told their wives how gorgeous they were.
"I always tell you, you're hot as hell when you're in your bikini." Tony said as he wrapped his arms around Ziva's waist and brought her closer to him.
"I know; the pictures from LA proved that." Ziva said as she kissed Tony.
"You're such a tease when you're in that." Nick said.
"I know, I'm your tease and I always will be."
I could see the smirks play across Jethro and Jen's faces out of the corner of my eye as I kissed my husband.
When it came to Jethro telling Jen what he thought of seeing her in her bikini, his functional mute side was all they needed. It was quite obvious that Jen and Jethro communicated better without words; and we all knew it.
Meanwhile back at home there was a slight hitch. The hitch was at mine and Nick's. JD had gone to meet Dave for lunch, which left Jayden and Jocelyn watching Jayla. The girls were having a hard time getting Jayla to settle down.
"We should call Mom and Dad."Jocelyn said.
"We can't, they're enjoying themselves on vacation." Jayden said in response as she swayed in place in attempts to pacify Jayla.
"Then what do we do, Jay? We can't call Mom and Dad; Jenny is at lunch with her fiance. We have no one to help us."
"Relax, Joce; we can handle taking care of our baby sister until Jenny gets back from lunch. And if you're that worried then we can call Kelly to come help us."
"Kelly's busy with Liza, Bella, Carson and Jasper."
"Then call Ducky and Jordan if you want."
"They're watching Addie and Jake.
"Call Jackson then."
"He's watching RJ with Franks."
"Jocelyn, we can handle watching Jayla. All we have to do is settle her down and put her down for her nap."
Jayden and Jocelyn managed to calm Jayla down before putting her down for her nap.
Back at the hotel, we had all returned to our respective rooms. In our rooms we had settled into our own little activities for awhile before we all went to dinner together at the hotel restaurant. Once we had returned to our rooms we quickly changed into something that was a bit more comfortable than swim trunks and bikinis. Jen and Jethro were like Nick and I, they had wanted to do something fun before they got ready for dinner; but with being parents of three newborns any chance of getting sleep without being woken up by one of their kids crying at the top of their little lungs.
Jethro was wired on coffee as usual so he just laid in their bed watching the sports highlights as Jen caught up on some sleep. Jethro knew how taxing parenthood was and knew that it wasn't easy bein a first time parent, even though it had been years between Kelly being a baby and the triplets. He was the seasoned parent and Jen was the probie parent. He knew it was one thing to be a parent to someone who was the same age as your younger sister; it was another to be a parent to three newborns that were actually biologically yours. The one thing that put a smile on Leroy Jethro Gibbs' face was that he had his probie back after years of his wife's probie side being retired.
Now when it came t what Nick and I were doing, it was a bit similar to what my sister and Jethro were up to. Prior to coming to Cabo I had told Nick that we were more than done with having kids, that Jayla was our last whether he liked it or not. Clearly Nick wasn't thrilled with my decision. I could tell that he still wanted a son and that he was a bit jealous of Drew, Palmer, McGee and Jethro. Anyway, Nick eventually got over everything by the time we arrived.
Like Jen, I was tired; between the baby and helping JD plan her wedding, the sleep deprivation was justifiable. Nick was just as tired as I was. Our bed in our room was more than inviting after we had changed. After awhile the silence was starting to get to me, making me wish that the noisy house we had left behind was with us.
The others did their own thing as Jen, Jethro, Nick and I slept. The others started to worry ifr we were going to make it to dinner or not. Then again they didn't want to wake us either since they remembered how taxing it was being parents whether you were a new parent or a seasoned parent like Jethro, Nick and I.
Jen, Jethro, Nick and I had woken up in time for dinner. Jethro as usual wanted to go to a casual restaurant but he had been overruled. We had decided to go to the hotel restaurant and get dressed up since it was our first night there. No one was about to say no to Jen and I, especially our husbands. By the time we had all met up for dinner I was completely entralled.
The last time Tony, Ziva, Abby, McGee, Jen, Jethro, Ducky and I went out to dinner was for my 25th birthdat just after mine and Ziva's accident in LA. Obviously this time we had additional people that hadn't been with us before at the last dinner twenty some odd years ago and then there was the minor detail that Ducky wasn't with us. There was also the detail that Ziva and I didn't have crutches this time around. At one point I had leaned over to talk to Ziva and Jen for a brief moment.
"We have to do this again. You guys, me, Tony, Abs, McGee, Kate, Jethro and Ducky. Just like last time." I said.
Jen and Ziva nodded in agreement. After dinner that night we all had enjoyed the remainder of our weekend beach escape. We all found this mini vacation as a way to reconnect. A means for Jen and Jethro to reconnect as wife and husband, for Tony and Ziva to do the same, as well as the rest of us.
Come Monday we had returned to DC. Now it was time to get on board with JD's wedding, to help my daughter have the fairytale wedding she had wanted.
After that theyy were on board for flying down to Cabo San Lucas for the weekend. At 11am we all left for Cabo. We had arrived in Cabo San Lucas around 4pm that afternoon. Once we had checked in and set our things down in our respective rooms. The men wasted no time in changing into their swimsuits and headed down to the beach outside our hotel to play some volleyball. Before they had left us they had told us to hurry. We then had to remind our respective husbands that we had more than just our swimsuits to put on.
AJ, Kate, Abby, Ziva, Jen and I were sunbathing in the sand a bit away from where the guys were playing volleyball. At one point the ball was knocked out of bounds and our husbands turned to see all six of us lying on our beach towels in our bikinis. It was obvious that they were completely stunned. I guess that Palmer, Drew, McGee, Tony and Nick forgot how hot we looked in our bikinis. Jethro had a smirk on his face that was a country mile wide as he ditched the game and came over.
Now keep in mind, Ziva and I were the only ones besides Jen and Jethro that knew the true details of what made Jen and Jethro, Jen and Jethro. So with that Ziva and I looked over to Jen to watch her reaction as Jethro drew closer. In the background behind Jethro we could hear Tony babble.
"Is it me or does Jaylyn and Jenny look hot as hell?"
"He's your husband." I said to Ziva.
"McGee head slap him for me." Jethro called back.
"Not just Jenny and the Director, Tony." Drew said as he looked over to Kate.
"Looks like they can't help themselves." Kate said.
"Can we blame them?" I asked rhetorically.
Jen, Ziva, Kate, Abby, AJ and I stood up as our husbands came over. McGee, Drew and Palmer then told their wives how gorgeous they were.
"I always tell you, you're hot as hell when you're in your bikini." Tony said as he wrapped his arms around Ziva's waist and brought her closer to him.
"I know; the pictures from LA proved that." Ziva said as she kissed Tony.
"You're such a tease when you're in that." Nick said.
"I know, I'm your tease and I always will be."
I could see the smirks play across Jethro and Jen's faces out of the corner of my eye as I kissed my husband.
When it came to Jethro telling Jen what he thought of seeing her in her bikini, his functional mute side was all they needed. It was quite obvious that Jen and Jethro communicated better without words; and we all knew it.
Meanwhile back at home there was a slight hitch. The hitch was at mine and Nick's. JD had gone to meet Dave for lunch, which left Jayden and Jocelyn watching Jayla. The girls were having a hard time getting Jayla to settle down.
"We should call Mom and Dad."Jocelyn said.
"We can't, they're enjoying themselves on vacation." Jayden said in response as she swayed in place in attempts to pacify Jayla.
"Then what do we do, Jay? We can't call Mom and Dad; Jenny is at lunch with her fiance. We have no one to help us."
"Relax, Joce; we can handle taking care of our baby sister until Jenny gets back from lunch. And if you're that worried then we can call Kelly to come help us."
"Kelly's busy with Liza, Bella, Carson and Jasper."
"Then call Ducky and Jordan if you want."
"They're watching Addie and Jake.
"Call Jackson then."
"He's watching RJ with Franks."
"Jocelyn, we can handle watching Jayla. All we have to do is settle her down and put her down for her nap."
Jayden and Jocelyn managed to calm Jayla down before putting her down for her nap.
Back at the hotel, we had all returned to our respective rooms. In our rooms we had settled into our own little activities for awhile before we all went to dinner together at the hotel restaurant. Once we had returned to our rooms we quickly changed into something that was a bit more comfortable than swim trunks and bikinis. Jen and Jethro were like Nick and I, they had wanted to do something fun before they got ready for dinner; but with being parents of three newborns any chance of getting sleep without being woken up by one of their kids crying at the top of their little lungs.
Jethro was wired on coffee as usual so he just laid in their bed watching the sports highlights as Jen caught up on some sleep. Jethro knew how taxing parenthood was and knew that it wasn't easy bein a first time parent, even though it had been years between Kelly being a baby and the triplets. He was the seasoned parent and Jen was the probie parent. He knew it was one thing to be a parent to someone who was the same age as your younger sister; it was another to be a parent to three newborns that were actually biologically yours. The one thing that put a smile on Leroy Jethro Gibbs' face was that he had his probie back after years of his wife's probie side being retired.
Now when it came t what Nick and I were doing, it was a bit similar to what my sister and Jethro were up to. Prior to coming to Cabo I had told Nick that we were more than done with having kids, that Jayla was our last whether he liked it or not. Clearly Nick wasn't thrilled with my decision. I could tell that he still wanted a son and that he was a bit jealous of Drew, Palmer, McGee and Jethro. Anyway, Nick eventually got over everything by the time we arrived.
Like Jen, I was tired; between the baby and helping JD plan her wedding, the sleep deprivation was justifiable. Nick was just as tired as I was. Our bed in our room was more than inviting after we had changed. After awhile the silence was starting to get to me, making me wish that the noisy house we had left behind was with us.
The others did their own thing as Jen, Jethro, Nick and I slept. The others started to worry ifr we were going to make it to dinner or not. Then again they didn't want to wake us either since they remembered how taxing it was being parents whether you were a new parent or a seasoned parent like Jethro, Nick and I.
Jen, Jethro, Nick and I had woken up in time for dinner. Jethro as usual wanted to go to a casual restaurant but he had been overruled. We had decided to go to the hotel restaurant and get dressed up since it was our first night there. No one was about to say no to Jen and I, especially our husbands. By the time we had all met up for dinner I was completely entralled.
The last time Tony, Ziva, Abby, McGee, Jen, Jethro, Ducky and I went out to dinner was for my 25th birthdat just after mine and Ziva's accident in LA. Obviously this time we had additional people that hadn't been with us before at the last dinner twenty some odd years ago and then there was the minor detail that Ducky wasn't with us. There was also the detail that Ziva and I didn't have crutches this time around. At one point I had leaned over to talk to Ziva and Jen for a brief moment.
"We have to do this again. You guys, me, Tony, Abs, McGee, Kate, Jethro and Ducky. Just like last time." I said.
Jen and Ziva nodded in agreement. After dinner that night we all had enjoyed the remainder of our weekend beach escape. We all found this mini vacation as a way to reconnect. A means for Jen and Jethro to reconnect as wife and husband, for Tony and Ziva to do the same, as well as the rest of us.
Come Monday we had returned to DC. Now it was time to get on board with JD's wedding, to help my daughter have the fairytale wedding she had wanted.
Saturday, January 22, 2011
The babies arrive
By the time we had gotten to the hospital the waiting room in the maternity ward had been overtaken. The team had completely occupied the room with Jackson and Franks. Kelly had arrived shortly after Nick, the girls and I had. Jason was with her; apparently they had left Liza with Jason's parents. After Kelly and Jason arrived the doctor that was taking care of Jen came over to us. He had that lookon his face like there was somethin wrong. It took me a mere five seconds to find Nick's hand so that I was able to handle whatever the doctor was about to say.
"Are you the family of Jennifer Gibbs?" the doctor asked.
"I'm her sister and she's her daughter. What's wrong with my sister?" I asked.
"Is there something wrong with my brothers and sister?" Kelly asked.
"There's a slight complication."
"What's wrong with the babies and my step-mom?"
The doctor didn't say anything.
"What the hell is wrong with my niece and nephews? What the hell is wrong with my sister?"
"Well since Jennifer has been in labor for as long as she has along with her age has put some unexpected stress on her and the babies. The only option we have right now is to deliver the babies via c-section."
After hearing that I went into panic mode which prompted me to double over in pain.
"Mrs. Balboa, how far along are you in your pregnancy?" the doctor asked.
"It's Director Balboa!!!!" I said at the top of my lungs in between the agonizing pain.
"Director Balboa, how far along are you?" the doctor repeated.
"I'm almost forty weeks."
"Let's get you into a delivery suite; it looks like you're going to have your baby today."
"Looks like the Shepard girls still do everything together." Franks said as I was wheeled through the swinging doors that separated the waitin room from the delivery suites.
"Shut the hell up, Franks." I said in between the contractions.
"She's fiesty, must run in their blood."
I glared back at Franks.
"She's always like this when she is in labor." Nick said as he followed me.
"Keep us posted." Abby called after us as the door swung closed.
They had put me in the delivery suite next to Jen's. I could hear her scream with every contraction she had and she heard all of mine.
"That's Jay, she must be in labor." Jen said.
"How do you figure?"
"Jethro, I think after being her sister for her entire life I think I know how she screams by now."
At one point Jethro and Nick had bumped into each other while they had gotten ice for us. Nick had told Jethro that I was in labor and Jethro said that they were waiting for the nurses to prep Jen for her c-section before they had returned with the ice. Now Jen and I had been in excruciating pain for hours now. The Doctor wanted to see if Jen could de-stress herself and wanted to see if that would alleviate the stress that was on the babies before they proceeded with the c-section. About midway through for both me and Jen, we were both literally begging for an epidural.
Jen had de-stressed, but the babies hadn't improved much. I could hear Jen telling Jethro that she was going to deliver their daughter and sons on her own without the doctor cutting her open. Jethro tried to convince her to let the doctor proceed as planned but he had no succes. Before long Jen had given birth to her and Jethro's daughter, Bella Rue.
Following baby Bella's arrival I had given birth to baby Jayla Athena. After Jayla joined Bella outside the womb, Bella's brothers soon followed suit. Carson Jackson was born before Jasper Scott joined his sister, brother and cousin. After a while of recouping and bonding, everyone that was waiting came into see the latest additions.
Once the team, Kelly, Jason, Jackson and Franks had left the hospital; JD left with the twins adter they met their new sister. Nick and Jethro left when visiting hours had ended. I wanted to see my niece and nephews, I had a feeling that Jen would want to meet Jayla as well. Thankfully the nurses had left Jayla in the hospital basinet they had put her in as I had asked. With that I sat up in bed and slipped into the slippers I had brought with me before picking Jayla up. I picked Jayla up and she looked up at me with her big brown eyes wondering what was happening.
"It's okay, baby girl; you're safe. We're just going next door for you to meet your Aunt Jen and your cousins."
I knocked on Jen's delivery suite door once I had Jayla in one arm.
"Come in and let me see her." Jen said.
"Jayla, I'd like you to meet your Aunt Jen; my big sis." I said to my newborn daughter as I handed her to Jen.
"She's gorgeous."
"So is Bella." I said as I cradled my niece in my arms.
"Thank-you."
"Carson and Jasper are quite handsome."
"Jasper has dad's temperment which is good since Bella is just like us when it comes to her temper and Carson is just like Jethro."
Now we had all known that Jayla was going to have brown eyes like me, Nick and her sisters. But the one thing that we all wondered was if she was going to be a redhead like her sisters, Jen and I or if she was going to have Nick's hair color. But when it came to Bella, Carson and Jasper; we wer all left wondering. Jen was hoping that her babies would have Jethro's cobalt blues and Jethro wanted them to have Jen's emerald greens. Bella was Jen's doppelganger when it came to her hair and eye color. The boys on the other hand were their half and half when it came to the hair and eye color. Jasper and Carson inherited Jen's green eyes, but were brunettes instead. After holding Bella for a bit I had switched her over to my right arm and picked up Carson.
"Okay now it's time to start losing the baby weight for our beach trip as soon as we're discharged." I said.
"I know, once Jethro and I are settled; and the babies are on a schedule, we'll hit the gym."
"Okay."
With that as Jen and I sat in her hospital suite admiring our respective children. I was more than done when it came to having children, especially now when I was taking on the role of being mother of the bride. I could tell that Jen was done too, three babies at once was more than enough.
After some time of basking in the innocence of the babies, Jayla and I returned to our hospital suite so that Jen could get some rest.
"Good night, sleep tight Jayla Athena; I love you."
As I drifed off to sleep I coul hear Jen saying good night to Bella, Carson and Jasper.
"Are you the family of Jennifer Gibbs?" the doctor asked.
"I'm her sister and she's her daughter. What's wrong with my sister?" I asked.
"Is there something wrong with my brothers and sister?" Kelly asked.
"There's a slight complication."
"What's wrong with the babies and my step-mom?"
The doctor didn't say anything.
"What the hell is wrong with my niece and nephews? What the hell is wrong with my sister?"
"Well since Jennifer has been in labor for as long as she has along with her age has put some unexpected stress on her and the babies. The only option we have right now is to deliver the babies via c-section."
After hearing that I went into panic mode which prompted me to double over in pain.
"Mrs. Balboa, how far along are you in your pregnancy?" the doctor asked.
"It's Director Balboa!!!!" I said at the top of my lungs in between the agonizing pain.
"Director Balboa, how far along are you?" the doctor repeated.
"I'm almost forty weeks."
"Let's get you into a delivery suite; it looks like you're going to have your baby today."
"Looks like the Shepard girls still do everything together." Franks said as I was wheeled through the swinging doors that separated the waitin room from the delivery suites.
"Shut the hell up, Franks." I said in between the contractions.
"She's fiesty, must run in their blood."
I glared back at Franks.
"She's always like this when she is in labor." Nick said as he followed me.
"Keep us posted." Abby called after us as the door swung closed.
They had put me in the delivery suite next to Jen's. I could hear her scream with every contraction she had and she heard all of mine.
"That's Jay, she must be in labor." Jen said.
"How do you figure?"
"Jethro, I think after being her sister for her entire life I think I know how she screams by now."
At one point Jethro and Nick had bumped into each other while they had gotten ice for us. Nick had told Jethro that I was in labor and Jethro said that they were waiting for the nurses to prep Jen for her c-section before they had returned with the ice. Now Jen and I had been in excruciating pain for hours now. The Doctor wanted to see if Jen could de-stress herself and wanted to see if that would alleviate the stress that was on the babies before they proceeded with the c-section. About midway through for both me and Jen, we were both literally begging for an epidural.
Jen had de-stressed, but the babies hadn't improved much. I could hear Jen telling Jethro that she was going to deliver their daughter and sons on her own without the doctor cutting her open. Jethro tried to convince her to let the doctor proceed as planned but he had no succes. Before long Jen had given birth to her and Jethro's daughter, Bella Rue.
Following baby Bella's arrival I had given birth to baby Jayla Athena. After Jayla joined Bella outside the womb, Bella's brothers soon followed suit. Carson Jackson was born before Jasper Scott joined his sister, brother and cousin. After a while of recouping and bonding, everyone that was waiting came into see the latest additions.
Once the team, Kelly, Jason, Jackson and Franks had left the hospital; JD left with the twins adter they met their new sister. Nick and Jethro left when visiting hours had ended. I wanted to see my niece and nephews, I had a feeling that Jen would want to meet Jayla as well. Thankfully the nurses had left Jayla in the hospital basinet they had put her in as I had asked. With that I sat up in bed and slipped into the slippers I had brought with me before picking Jayla up. I picked Jayla up and she looked up at me with her big brown eyes wondering what was happening.
"It's okay, baby girl; you're safe. We're just going next door for you to meet your Aunt Jen and your cousins."
I knocked on Jen's delivery suite door once I had Jayla in one arm.
"Come in and let me see her." Jen said.
"Jayla, I'd like you to meet your Aunt Jen; my big sis." I said to my newborn daughter as I handed her to Jen.
"She's gorgeous."
"So is Bella." I said as I cradled my niece in my arms.
"Thank-you."
"Carson and Jasper are quite handsome."
"Jasper has dad's temperment which is good since Bella is just like us when it comes to her temper and Carson is just like Jethro."
Now we had all known that Jayla was going to have brown eyes like me, Nick and her sisters. But the one thing that we all wondered was if she was going to be a redhead like her sisters, Jen and I or if she was going to have Nick's hair color. But when it came to Bella, Carson and Jasper; we wer all left wondering. Jen was hoping that her babies would have Jethro's cobalt blues and Jethro wanted them to have Jen's emerald greens. Bella was Jen's doppelganger when it came to her hair and eye color. The boys on the other hand were their half and half when it came to the hair and eye color. Jasper and Carson inherited Jen's green eyes, but were brunettes instead. After holding Bella for a bit I had switched her over to my right arm and picked up Carson.
"Okay now it's time to start losing the baby weight for our beach trip as soon as we're discharged." I said.
"I know, once Jethro and I are settled; and the babies are on a schedule, we'll hit the gym."
"Okay."
With that as Jen and I sat in her hospital suite admiring our respective children. I was more than done when it came to having children, especially now when I was taking on the role of being mother of the bride. I could tell that Jen was done too, three babies at once was more than enough.
After some time of basking in the innocence of the babies, Jayla and I returned to our hospital suite so that Jen could get some rest.
"Good night, sleep tight Jayla Athena; I love you."
As I drifed off to sleep I coul hear Jen saying good night to Bella, Carson and Jasper.
JD and Dave
By the following morning the rest of us had found out what had happened over at Tony and Ziva's the night before. There was a bit of comfort knowing that I didn't exactly have to worry about JD sneaking her boyfriend, Dave into the house for their own physical endeavors. This was just one of the upsides to having twin fifteen year old daughters that were always around. Believe me I wasn't kidding myself into thinking that my nineteen year old daughter didn't sleep with Dave, the days of being young and in love weren't as distant for me as they were for some of the others. It was one of the benefits of being the youngest from the NCIS collective.
i was a typical Saturday for us. Like the traditional Saturday morning most families that lived in America had; I was in the kitchen cooking breakfast while Nick sat at the kitchen table reading the paper. All three girls were in the living room watching Saturday morning cartoons just like they had since they were younger. Being a month away from my expectant due date with Jayla; I pictured all four of my girls keeping the tradition going themselves and eventually with their own families someday. Before I knew it, JD had come in to see how breakfast was coming and to ask if it was okay for Dave to come over. When it came to something one of the girls wanted they'd always ask me instead of asking Nick.
"Hey Mom, can Dave come over to spend some time with me later? He said he had something important to ask me."
"Yeah sure, do me a favor and tell your sisters to wash up; breakfast is almost ready. Wash up too." I answered.
After putting breakfast on the table I had gone over to Nick.
"I think you should wash up too, Mister." I said as I bent over a bit in front of Nick just long enough to distract him from the paper.
"That is not fairm once the baby is here you won't be able to rely on your assets as much."
"Watch me." I said feeling a bit challenge.
As Nick went to wash for breakfast he kissed me on the forehead.
"Your mom is such a tease, Jayla." Nick said to my stomach before he left to wash up.
After Nick left the room, Jayla kicked my stomach.
"Its okay; Jayla, Mommy and Daddy are just playing with each other." I said to Jayla.
After that we all sat down for breakfast. Once the family breakfast was done; JD, Jayden and Jocelyn cleaned up while Nick and I relaxed together in the living room. Nick and I sat down on the living room couch; after Nick had sat down he had put on the baseball game he was waiting for while I decided to rest my head on his lap as I read the latest J.D. Robb book I had. As I read an idea popped into my head.
"Hey, what would you say to taking a trip to the beach after Jayla is born? Just us, Jen and Jethro, Tony and Ziva, McGee and Abs, Kate and Drew; maybe even Palmer and AJ." I asked during a commercial break.
"Sounds good to me. When after Jayla is born would you want to go?"
"Maybe a month or so after. I'm gonna want to fit back into my bikini once Jayla is here. Knowing Jen, she's gonna want to be able to fit in her bikini too once she has her three."
"Okay, but I don't know if I can get off of work; my boss is kind of a hard ass when it comes to time off." Nick said with a mischievous tone.
"I'll see what I can do about her and your time off." I said as I winked at Nick.
Midway through the game a few things happened. Dave came over .
"JD, we've been together for a few months now and for those few months I have fallen head over heels for you. Please do me the honor of marrying me?" Dave asked JD in front of Nick and me.
"Yes."
After JD had said yes to Dave's proposal and the ring was slipped onto JD's hand, the house phone rang. It was Jethro telling us that Jen was in labor. I instantly switched modes and told my family that we were going to the hospital.
Before I knew it, besides Jen being in labor and my nineteen year old daughter being engaged; things were gonna get interesting even more by this time the following night.
i was a typical Saturday for us. Like the traditional Saturday morning most families that lived in America had; I was in the kitchen cooking breakfast while Nick sat at the kitchen table reading the paper. All three girls were in the living room watching Saturday morning cartoons just like they had since they were younger. Being a month away from my expectant due date with Jayla; I pictured all four of my girls keeping the tradition going themselves and eventually with their own families someday. Before I knew it, JD had come in to see how breakfast was coming and to ask if it was okay for Dave to come over. When it came to something one of the girls wanted they'd always ask me instead of asking Nick.
"Hey Mom, can Dave come over to spend some time with me later? He said he had something important to ask me."
"Yeah sure, do me a favor and tell your sisters to wash up; breakfast is almost ready. Wash up too." I answered.
After putting breakfast on the table I had gone over to Nick.
"I think you should wash up too, Mister." I said as I bent over a bit in front of Nick just long enough to distract him from the paper.
"That is not fairm once the baby is here you won't be able to rely on your assets as much."
"Watch me." I said feeling a bit challenge.
As Nick went to wash for breakfast he kissed me on the forehead.
"Your mom is such a tease, Jayla." Nick said to my stomach before he left to wash up.
After Nick left the room, Jayla kicked my stomach.
"Its okay; Jayla, Mommy and Daddy are just playing with each other." I said to Jayla.
After that we all sat down for breakfast. Once the family breakfast was done; JD, Jayden and Jocelyn cleaned up while Nick and I relaxed together in the living room. Nick and I sat down on the living room couch; after Nick had sat down he had put on the baseball game he was waiting for while I decided to rest my head on his lap as I read the latest J.D. Robb book I had. As I read an idea popped into my head.
"Hey, what would you say to taking a trip to the beach after Jayla is born? Just us, Jen and Jethro, Tony and Ziva, McGee and Abs, Kate and Drew; maybe even Palmer and AJ." I asked during a commercial break.
"Sounds good to me. When after Jayla is born would you want to go?"
"Maybe a month or so after. I'm gonna want to fit back into my bikini once Jayla is here. Knowing Jen, she's gonna want to be able to fit in her bikini too once she has her three."
"Okay, but I don't know if I can get off of work; my boss is kind of a hard ass when it comes to time off." Nick said with a mischievous tone.
"I'll see what I can do about her and your time off." I said as I winked at Nick.
Midway through the game a few things happened. Dave came over .
"JD, we've been together for a few months now and for those few months I have fallen head over heels for you. Please do me the honor of marrying me?" Dave asked JD in front of Nick and me.
"Yes."
After JD had said yes to Dave's proposal and the ring was slipped onto JD's hand, the house phone rang. It was Jethro telling us that Jen was in labor. I instantly switched modes and told my family that we were going to the hospital.
Before I knew it, besides Jen being in labor and my nineteen year old daughter being engaged; things were gonna get interesting even more by this time the following night.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Leah and Andy
Now the two hour window Hannah and Leah had before their parents came home from work was quickly shrinking. Hannah and Vince were still in Hannah’s room. Leah and Andy had vacated the living room, leaving a trail of clothes behind them as they went to continue their escapade. It was safe to say that there was no chance Vince and Andy were leaving before Tony and Ziva were home, not if Hannah and Leah had their way. It was quite clear that the girls didn’t care. Both girls knew that they could trust each other when it came to things like this.
Things were hot and steamy in both girls’ rooms. Before the girls knew it, they were in the dog house when they heard their parents’ car door close. Tony and Ziva came into the house to find the one thing they had not wanted to ever see. The trail of clothes left behind from Leah and Andy were still strewn across the floor.
“Maledizione, ottenere quei ragazzi fuori adesso. Farli uscire di casa mia prima che io li uccidono e voi due.” Ziva shouted.
“Hannah and Leah, I’d do what she asks. If you know what’s good for you.” Tony called after his wife.
“Damn it.” Hannah said from her room.
“Shit, they’re home.” Leah said from hers.
“Hannah Tali DiNozzo, Leah Jacey DiNozzo; bekommen Sie Ihre Esel hier jetzt heraus!!!!!” Ziva said.
“That’s kind of impossible.” Hannah called from her room
“לא אכפת לי כמה זה קשה, לצאת כאן ועכשיו.”
“My mom tends to mix up her languages when she’s mad.” Hannah and Leah said in unison to their respective boyfriends.
“Girls, it be wise for you to come out here.”
“לבוא לכאן עכשיו או אבא שלך אני אבוא לשם עם הרובים שלנו נמשך על בנים יש לך איתך.” Ziva threatened.
Hannah and Leah came out of their rooms with a bed sheet wrapped around each of them. Vince and Andy were in tow behind the girls, thankfully the boys were able to quickly wrap a towel around their waists.
“We’re dead.” Hannah whispered to Leah.
“Yeah we are, without a doubt.”
Ziva walked over to her daughters and their boyfriends. Tony followed closely behind her just in case.
“Vai a sederti ora.”
Hannah and Leah did as Ziva had asked. Ziva then turned to Vince and Andy.
“I am sure that by now my daughters have told you that I was apart of Mossad before I was an NCIS Agent.”
Vince and Andy nodded.
“Then I’d suggest that if you two value your lives, that you both leave now.”
Vince and Andy left.
“You are so freaking sexy when you’re in intimidating former Mossad agent mode.” Tony said to Ziva.
“Not now, we have to talk to them. Our nineteen year old daughters just had sex under our roof.”
“I’ll hold you to that my crazy ninja.” Tony said as he winked at his wife.
Ziva and Tony went into the living room to talk to the girls. By midnight that night the girls were asleep and Tony made Ziva pay up as far as their evening went once they went to bed.
As Tony and Ziva lay in bed after their own “physical pursuit”, Tony turned over to Ziva and was entranced by Ziva’s brown eyes.
“Should I even ask what you are thinking?” Ziva asked.
“Its nothing, its just that we came home earlier to what we did and seeing you instantly go in to mom mode after being in agent mode all day kind of reminded me of an old case.”
“One with me or one with Kate?”
Tony knew that even though Kate and Ziva had become the best of friends there were still moments where there was bit of competition between the two of them.
“One with Kate, it was one where we had to protect the Navy Lt. Commander while she was on terminal leave prior to her retirement.”
“Oh.” Ziva said.
“Sorry babe, its just the way that you were with your gun out as you charged for the girls room before they came out just kind of reminded me of when Kate and I busted the Commander’s daughter for having her boyfriend in her room.”
“Yeah okay.” Ziva said as she turned away from Tony clearly Ziva did not want to have anything to do with Tony at the moment.
In attempts to remedy what had just happened with Ziva, Tony leaned in closer to Ziva and whispered into her ear.
“I loved it when you were talking in Italian and all those other languages.”
Ziva turned back to Tony.
“You know you make it impossible to stay mad at you when you say things like that, mon amour. Pour toujours et Pour Toujours.” Ziva said as she kissed Tony before they had fallen asleep.
Things were hot and steamy in both girls’ rooms. Before the girls knew it, they were in the dog house when they heard their parents’ car door close. Tony and Ziva came into the house to find the one thing they had not wanted to ever see. The trail of clothes left behind from Leah and Andy were still strewn across the floor.
“Maledizione, ottenere quei ragazzi fuori adesso. Farli uscire di casa mia prima che io li uccidono e voi due.” Ziva shouted.
“Hannah and Leah, I’d do what she asks. If you know what’s good for you.” Tony called after his wife.
“Damn it.” Hannah said from her room.
“Shit, they’re home.” Leah said from hers.
“Hannah Tali DiNozzo, Leah Jacey DiNozzo; bekommen Sie Ihre Esel hier jetzt heraus!!!!!” Ziva said.
“That’s kind of impossible.” Hannah called from her room
“לא אכפת לי כמה זה קשה, לצאת כאן ועכשיו.”
“My mom tends to mix up her languages when she’s mad.” Hannah and Leah said in unison to their respective boyfriends.
“Girls, it be wise for you to come out here.”
“לבוא לכאן עכשיו או אבא שלך אני אבוא לשם עם הרובים שלנו נמשך על בנים יש לך איתך.” Ziva threatened.
Hannah and Leah came out of their rooms with a bed sheet wrapped around each of them. Vince and Andy were in tow behind the girls, thankfully the boys were able to quickly wrap a towel around their waists.
“We’re dead.” Hannah whispered to Leah.
“Yeah we are, without a doubt.”
Ziva walked over to her daughters and their boyfriends. Tony followed closely behind her just in case.
“Vai a sederti ora.”
Hannah and Leah did as Ziva had asked. Ziva then turned to Vince and Andy.
“I am sure that by now my daughters have told you that I was apart of Mossad before I was an NCIS Agent.”
Vince and Andy nodded.
“Then I’d suggest that if you two value your lives, that you both leave now.”
Vince and Andy left.
“You are so freaking sexy when you’re in intimidating former Mossad agent mode.” Tony said to Ziva.
“Not now, we have to talk to them. Our nineteen year old daughters just had sex under our roof.”
“I’ll hold you to that my crazy ninja.” Tony said as he winked at his wife.
Ziva and Tony went into the living room to talk to the girls. By midnight that night the girls were asleep and Tony made Ziva pay up as far as their evening went once they went to bed.
As Tony and Ziva lay in bed after their own “physical pursuit”, Tony turned over to Ziva and was entranced by Ziva’s brown eyes.
“Should I even ask what you are thinking?” Ziva asked.
“Its nothing, its just that we came home earlier to what we did and seeing you instantly go in to mom mode after being in agent mode all day kind of reminded me of an old case.”
“One with me or one with Kate?”
Tony knew that even though Kate and Ziva had become the best of friends there were still moments where there was bit of competition between the two of them.
“One with Kate, it was one where we had to protect the Navy Lt. Commander while she was on terminal leave prior to her retirement.”
“Oh.” Ziva said.
“Sorry babe, its just the way that you were with your gun out as you charged for the girls room before they came out just kind of reminded me of when Kate and I busted the Commander’s daughter for having her boyfriend in her room.”
“Yeah okay.” Ziva said as she turned away from Tony clearly Ziva did not want to have anything to do with Tony at the moment.
In attempts to remedy what had just happened with Ziva, Tony leaned in closer to Ziva and whispered into her ear.
“I loved it when you were talking in Italian and all those other languages.”
Ziva turned back to Tony.
“You know you make it impossible to stay mad at you when you say things like that, mon amour. Pour toujours et Pour Toujours.” Ziva said as she kissed Tony before they had fallen asleep.
Friday, January 14, 2011
Hannah and Vince
Things were about to get interesting in the DiNozzo household times two. Both Hannah and Leah had invited their respective boyfriends over while Tony and Ziva were at work. Now just as Jethro was protective of his work daughters, which he tend to include me in for whatever reason he had; Tony was the same way with his daughters. Although Tony’s protective father side wasn’t in much need until the girls started dating six years back. Hannah and Leah found it absolutely ridiculous that the guys they dated were afraid to even step a foot into their house due to who Hannah and Leah called Mom and Dad.
Albeit when the girls didn’t have a guy around, they had no problems being the daughters of two Federal Agents. Nor did they have an issue telling friends that their parents were Federal Agent who were trained and worked under the famous Leroy Jethro Gibbs for years. They didn’t even mind telling their friends that their mother was once apart of the Israeli Mossad prior to NCIS. Hannah and Leah were quite proud to say that they had the best of both worlds. Since the day Hannah and Leah did their presentation on their heritage back when they were in the fourth grade, Tony and Ziva were quite proud of their girls.
“Hi, I’m Hannah DiNozzo.”
“I’m Leah DiNozzo.”
“We’re fraternal twins and we’re Israeli, Italian and American.” the girls had said in unison.
“Our dad is Italian and American.” Hannah had said.
“And our mom is Israeli; she is also American.” Leah said.
I knew it was hard for Tony and Ziva to see their daughters as their nineteen year old twin daughters when in their minds Hannah and Leah were still their little eleven year olds. Anyway, Tony and Ziva had a rule for the girls to follow. And that rule was partially broken at the moment. The rule was that Hannah and Leah were not allowed to have their boyfriends over when their parents were not around, nor were they allowed to be behind closed doors with their boyfriends. Little did Tony and Ziva know, but their rule was about to be shattered to pieces by their eldest daughter’s rebellious nature; the same rebellious nature she had inherited from Ziva.
Hannah and Vince were occupying the living. The two of them had been on the couch making out when Leah came in with her boyfriend. By this point each of the girls had their own bedroom.
Meanwhile at the office things went on as usual. Tony had sent Kate and McGee to follow a lead they had on their current case. For a brief moment Tony looked up from his computer and noticed that Ziva had something on her mind.
“What’s wrong?” Tony asked.
“Its nothing, just worrying about the girls; you know a worried mother’s prerogative.”
“Ziva, Hannah and Leah are fine. They are nineteen years old and can handle themselves there is no reason to be worried.”
“You better be sure about that. I’m thinking otherwise.”
“I am sure; they are just as strong as their mother.”
Little did Tony know, but this time he was wrong. Although he’d argue that ever since Ziva came to the agency following Kate’s supposed death that he was rarely ever right anymore about anything.
“All I know is that they better not have invited those boys over.” Ziva said.
Tony just nodded.
Back at their house things began to unwind. Hannah and Vince had vacated the living room had moved into Hannah’s bedroom only breaking the rule her parents had further. Both Hannah and Leah had been with their respective boyfriends for the same amount of time that JD had been with hers.
So with things getting heated in Hannah’s bedroom between her and Vince; Leah and her boyfriend claimed the living room couch.
“Are you sure that you want to do this?” Vince asked as he began to remove Hannah’s shirt.
“Yes I am sure. This isn’t my first time, baby.”
“But it’s your first time with me.”
“Damn it will you stop questioning me. I want this. Now either finish undressing me and let’s have some fun. Or leave now and give me back my top, it’s your choice.”
Vince took the hint and they proceed on. In a few hours things would be turned upside down for Hannah as they would be for Leah. The girls knew that if Tony and Ziva had come home from work to find them in the situations they were in then it would be World War III in the DiNozzo house. But right now in the moments each of the girls were in, they obviously didn’t care. They figured that they’d be able to handle the repercussions whatever they maybe.
And in a mere two hours Hannah and Leah DiNozzo would have to do just that if they didn’t get their boyfriends out of the house in time.
Albeit when the girls didn’t have a guy around, they had no problems being the daughters of two Federal Agents. Nor did they have an issue telling friends that their parents were Federal Agent who were trained and worked under the famous Leroy Jethro Gibbs for years. They didn’t even mind telling their friends that their mother was once apart of the Israeli Mossad prior to NCIS. Hannah and Leah were quite proud to say that they had the best of both worlds. Since the day Hannah and Leah did their presentation on their heritage back when they were in the fourth grade, Tony and Ziva were quite proud of their girls.
“Hi, I’m Hannah DiNozzo.”
“I’m Leah DiNozzo.”
“We’re fraternal twins and we’re Israeli, Italian and American.” the girls had said in unison.
“Our dad is Italian and American.” Hannah had said.
“And our mom is Israeli; she is also American.” Leah said.
I knew it was hard for Tony and Ziva to see their daughters as their nineteen year old twin daughters when in their minds Hannah and Leah were still their little eleven year olds. Anyway, Tony and Ziva had a rule for the girls to follow. And that rule was partially broken at the moment. The rule was that Hannah and Leah were not allowed to have their boyfriends over when their parents were not around, nor were they allowed to be behind closed doors with their boyfriends. Little did Tony and Ziva know, but their rule was about to be shattered to pieces by their eldest daughter’s rebellious nature; the same rebellious nature she had inherited from Ziva.
Hannah and Vince were occupying the living. The two of them had been on the couch making out when Leah came in with her boyfriend. By this point each of the girls had their own bedroom.
Meanwhile at the office things went on as usual. Tony had sent Kate and McGee to follow a lead they had on their current case. For a brief moment Tony looked up from his computer and noticed that Ziva had something on her mind.
“What’s wrong?” Tony asked.
“Its nothing, just worrying about the girls; you know a worried mother’s prerogative.”
“Ziva, Hannah and Leah are fine. They are nineteen years old and can handle themselves there is no reason to be worried.”
“You better be sure about that. I’m thinking otherwise.”
“I am sure; they are just as strong as their mother.”
Little did Tony know, but this time he was wrong. Although he’d argue that ever since Ziva came to the agency following Kate’s supposed death that he was rarely ever right anymore about anything.
“All I know is that they better not have invited those boys over.” Ziva said.
Tony just nodded.
Back at their house things began to unwind. Hannah and Vince had vacated the living room had moved into Hannah’s bedroom only breaking the rule her parents had further. Both Hannah and Leah had been with their respective boyfriends for the same amount of time that JD had been with hers.
So with things getting heated in Hannah’s bedroom between her and Vince; Leah and her boyfriend claimed the living room couch.
“Are you sure that you want to do this?” Vince asked as he began to remove Hannah’s shirt.
“Yes I am sure. This isn’t my first time, baby.”
“But it’s your first time with me.”
“Damn it will you stop questioning me. I want this. Now either finish undressing me and let’s have some fun. Or leave now and give me back my top, it’s your choice.”
Vince took the hint and they proceed on. In a few hours things would be turned upside down for Hannah as they would be for Leah. The girls knew that if Tony and Ziva had come home from work to find them in the situations they were in then it would be World War III in the DiNozzo house. But right now in the moments each of the girls were in, they obviously didn’t care. They figured that they’d be able to handle the repercussions whatever they maybe.
And in a mere two hours Hannah and Leah DiNozzo would have to do just that if they didn’t get their boyfriends out of the house in time.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Kelly and Jason
Liza was down for a nap which gave Kelly and Jason some down time. Kelly had been asking for advice from those of us that had gone through the toddler phase with our kids whenever she was unsure of something. At one point Kelly and Jason like me and my family had gotten a phone call from Jen and Jethro asking if they’d like to come over for dinner. Kelly had said yes and that they would be over as soon as Liza woke up from her nap.
“Who called?” Jason asked.
“My parents.”
“Is Jen in labor or something?”
“No, she’s not due for another two months.”
“Then why did they call?”
“To invite all of us over for dinner. They invited Jaylyn and her family too.”
“Oh great two pregnant women under one roof.”
“We have no choice, Jason. If we don’t go then we won’t hear the end of it from Dad.”
“Okay, so when are we leaving?”
“As soon as Liza is up.”
“Okay.” Jason said as he leaned in to kiss Kelly.
“I can see where you’re going with this and as much as I’d like to, we can’t; we don’t have time to.”
“Come on, babe. We have time.”
“I’m not in the mood.”
Meanwhile over at my house, I had just gotten off the phone with Jen and went to find the rest of my family. Nick was easy to find, some may say that since Nick and I were soul mates that it was more than easy for us to find each other. Sometimes I akin us to Edward and Bella as well as to Alice and Jasper, Nick and I mirrored each other. We also tend to mirror each others moves. Nick was in the study.
“What’s goin’ on babe?” Nick asked as he took me into his arms.
“Jen just called asked us to come to dinner tonight.”
“Just us or us and the girls?”
“Well seeing how I am six months pregnant with our daughter and my sister knows that, she would obviously invite all of us.” I answered.
“You weren’t like this the last two pregnancies.”
“I was also younger the last two times, hell the first time I was a newlywed at the same time.”
“So you’re a pro by now.”
“You could say that, now do me a favor?”
“And what do you want, my crimson haired femme fatale?”
“Shut up and kiss me.”
Nick obliged. As we kissed we had an audience.
“If you two don’t mind getting a room, then maybe I can get my appetite back.” JD said.
I pulled away from Nick to address our daughter.
“I wouldn’t be talking if I were you.”
JD had that look on her face that said “What the hell are you getting at?”
“Oh come on Jennifer, don’t act like you were on the couch the other day making out with your boyfriend.” I said.
“I’m not beside, I am suppose to be doing stuff like that. And if you hadn’t interrupted Dave and I then things would have gone the way that I had want them to.”
“You know the rules, JD.” Nick said trying keep me even tempered.
“ I don’t see why I can’t kiss my boyfriend in the house when you guys kiss, make-out and have sex whenever you want.”
“Your father and I can do what we want when we want to cause we’re married.” I said as held up my hand.
“So what.”
“Don’t so what me Jennifer. Until you have your own set of rings on your hand, you don’t get to have the same privileges that I have.”
“Whatever.” JD said as she started to leave.
“JD, go get ready and tell your sisters to get ready as well. We’ll be leaving soon to go your aunt and uncle’s for dinner.”
“Ziva and Tony’s?”
“No not Aunt Ziva and Uncle Tony’s. Aunt Jen and Uncle Jethro’s.” I said.
“Okay.”
JD went to tell the twins and to get ready herself.
“Now where were we?” I asked as I turned back to Nick.
“Right about here.” Nick answered as we went back to kissing.
Little while later we had just gotten to Jen and Jethro’s for the dinner they had invited us to. Jethro answered the door after we knocked. The girls had gone in and settle in the living room. Nick, being the gentleman he always was; he let me go in before him so that I was out of the cold night air.
“How are ya, Jay?” Jethro asked.
“Just peachy, Jethro. I’m six months pregnant, the mother of three teenage daughters and the Director of an Armed Federal agency.” I said as Jethro took my coat.
Once I had gone into the kitchen where Jen and Kelly were. Liza had made her way into the kitchen and toddled her way over to Jen.
“Grammy, Grammy!!!!” Liza shouted.
While Jen picked up Liza and we dealt with the awkward silence, Nick got a chance to talk to Jethro.
“She’s been like that since after she got off the phone with Jenny. Jaylyn and JD got into one of the arguments again.
Dinner progressed and I had forgotten everything that had happened earlier. Everyone went back to their homes. When Kelly and Jason got home they put Liza to bed for the night. For a few minutes Kelly stood in the doorway of Liza’s bedroom when she had noticed the picture of Shannon she had placed on the dresser next to the door. Kelly picked the picture up.
“Wish you could be here, mom. I wish you were here to see her. Liza is just like you. I wish she was able to know you.”
Jason came up behind her.
“You’re still upset that Liza called Jen grandma tonight?”
“A bit.”
“Don’t worry she knows that she has three grandmothers.”
Kelly then turn into Jason and tucked her head into his chest.
“I miss her, I wish my mom was here to see her granddaughter.”
Once Kelly had calmed down a bit, she and Jason went to bed.
“Don’t worry, Kels; you’ve got me. Forever and For Always.” Jason said as they fell asleep.
“Who called?” Jason asked.
“My parents.”
“Is Jen in labor or something?”
“No, she’s not due for another two months.”
“Then why did they call?”
“To invite all of us over for dinner. They invited Jaylyn and her family too.”
“Oh great two pregnant women under one roof.”
“We have no choice, Jason. If we don’t go then we won’t hear the end of it from Dad.”
“Okay, so when are we leaving?”
“As soon as Liza is up.”
“Okay.” Jason said as he leaned in to kiss Kelly.
“I can see where you’re going with this and as much as I’d like to, we can’t; we don’t have time to.”
“Come on, babe. We have time.”
“I’m not in the mood.”
Meanwhile over at my house, I had just gotten off the phone with Jen and went to find the rest of my family. Nick was easy to find, some may say that since Nick and I were soul mates that it was more than easy for us to find each other. Sometimes I akin us to Edward and Bella as well as to Alice and Jasper, Nick and I mirrored each other. We also tend to mirror each others moves. Nick was in the study.
“What’s goin’ on babe?” Nick asked as he took me into his arms.
“Jen just called asked us to come to dinner tonight.”
“Just us or us and the girls?”
“Well seeing how I am six months pregnant with our daughter and my sister knows that, she would obviously invite all of us.” I answered.
“You weren’t like this the last two pregnancies.”
“I was also younger the last two times, hell the first time I was a newlywed at the same time.”
“So you’re a pro by now.”
“You could say that, now do me a favor?”
“And what do you want, my crimson haired femme fatale?”
“Shut up and kiss me.”
Nick obliged. As we kissed we had an audience.
“If you two don’t mind getting a room, then maybe I can get my appetite back.” JD said.
I pulled away from Nick to address our daughter.
“I wouldn’t be talking if I were you.”
JD had that look on her face that said “What the hell are you getting at?”
“Oh come on Jennifer, don’t act like you were on the couch the other day making out with your boyfriend.” I said.
“I’m not beside, I am suppose to be doing stuff like that. And if you hadn’t interrupted Dave and I then things would have gone the way that I had want them to.”
“You know the rules, JD.” Nick said trying keep me even tempered.
“ I don’t see why I can’t kiss my boyfriend in the house when you guys kiss, make-out and have sex whenever you want.”
“Your father and I can do what we want when we want to cause we’re married.” I said as held up my hand.
“So what.”
“Don’t so what me Jennifer. Until you have your own set of rings on your hand, you don’t get to have the same privileges that I have.”
“Whatever.” JD said as she started to leave.
“JD, go get ready and tell your sisters to get ready as well. We’ll be leaving soon to go your aunt and uncle’s for dinner.”
“Ziva and Tony’s?”
“No not Aunt Ziva and Uncle Tony’s. Aunt Jen and Uncle Jethro’s.” I said.
“Okay.”
JD went to tell the twins and to get ready herself.
“Now where were we?” I asked as I turned back to Nick.
“Right about here.” Nick answered as we went back to kissing.
Little while later we had just gotten to Jen and Jethro’s for the dinner they had invited us to. Jethro answered the door after we knocked. The girls had gone in and settle in the living room. Nick, being the gentleman he always was; he let me go in before him so that I was out of the cold night air.
“How are ya, Jay?” Jethro asked.
“Just peachy, Jethro. I’m six months pregnant, the mother of three teenage daughters and the Director of an Armed Federal agency.” I said as Jethro took my coat.
Once I had gone into the kitchen where Jen and Kelly were. Liza had made her way into the kitchen and toddled her way over to Jen.
“Grammy, Grammy!!!!” Liza shouted.
While Jen picked up Liza and we dealt with the awkward silence, Nick got a chance to talk to Jethro.
“She’s been like that since after she got off the phone with Jenny. Jaylyn and JD got into one of the arguments again.
Dinner progressed and I had forgotten everything that had happened earlier. Everyone went back to their homes. When Kelly and Jason got home they put Liza to bed for the night. For a few minutes Kelly stood in the doorway of Liza’s bedroom when she had noticed the picture of Shannon she had placed on the dresser next to the door. Kelly picked the picture up.
“Wish you could be here, mom. I wish you were here to see her. Liza is just like you. I wish she was able to know you.”
Jason came up behind her.
“You’re still upset that Liza called Jen grandma tonight?”
“A bit.”
“Don’t worry she knows that she has three grandmothers.”
Kelly then turn into Jason and tucked her head into his chest.
“I miss her, I wish my mom was here to see her granddaughter.”
Once Kelly had calmed down a bit, she and Jason went to bed.
“Don’t worry, Kels; you’ve got me. Forever and For Always.” Jason said as they fell asleep.
Monday, January 10, 2011
Ducky and Jordan
The next time I saw Ducky was about a month or so after Cassie's memorial. By that point we had found Cassie’s murderer and the team was on their next case. This one hit home for all of us. A Navy Lieutenant’s thirteen year old son and daughter had been kidnapped by a terrorist sleeper cell. The Lieutenant’s children were eventually killed after one of terrorist cell members decided to rape the thirteen year old girl. Of course the girl’s twin brother didn’t like what had happened to his sister and decided to beat the crap out of his sister’s rapist. After all of that the terrorist cell decided to kill the teens.
Now it was the agency’s turn to do what it does best. There was a bit of emotion and stress involved at my end when it came to this case the team had. I knew I had to stay stress free for Jayla’s sake. I also knew that for my sanity I could not let my hormone driven emotions get the better of me, especially not when it came to my chosen career. So with that I called my sister. Knowing Jen, she was likely going stir crazy.
“Hey Jen, I need to get away from the agency for awhile. Want to go to lunch and the mall with me?” I asked.
“Yeah sure, why not? Jay, what’s wrong?”
“The team has case where a Navy Lieutenant’s twin teenage son and daughter were kidnapped by a terrorist cell, who raped the daughter and beat the hell out the son before killing them.” I answered.
“Oh okay. Well get your protection detail together and I’ll be here waiting.”
“Be there soon.”
Once I hung up with Jen I had called AJ and Ziva to tell them they were on protection detail duty. Tony wasn’t at all thrilled that I was pulling Ziva away from the case they were working on. Since he wasn’t thrilled I had to pull the Director card on him just to get him to back off. A few minutes later we were picking Jen up.
“I don’t see why Director Balboa chose us for the detail. She knows you have a case and that I have one as well. She’d be fine with just one agent.” AJ said to Ziva.
“Ah no AJ, she wouldn’t be. Besides the Director always travels with two agents in her detail.”
“But with you on the protection detail; Ziva, she doesn’t need me.”
“Agent Wilson. Two agents are required for protection detail when there are two high value targets involved.” I said.
AJ looked over to Ziva for a slight bit of guidance.
“She’s including her sister, AJ.”
“But her sister isn’t the Director anymore, she is.”
“Jenny is the former Director of the agency. And she’s travelling with her sister which makes her a high value target. Plus they are both pregnant which means that Jenny’s kids as well as the Director’s baby makes them more of a target. Besides if only the Director was protected, Gibbs would kill us.” Ziva answered.
Jen and I laughed in the backseat.
“She has a point; Jethro would kill them if anything happened to you.” I said.
Once we were in the mall we headed towards the T.G.I Fridays that was there. Jen and I were in walking in front of Ziva and AJ took to the back. As we drew closer to the restaurant Ducky and Jordan came out of the restaurant.
“Hello Jaylyn, Jen. Ziva, AJ.” Jordan said when she saw us.
“Hello ladies. Director, Jenny; you two are coming along quite well.” Ducky said.
“I hope so Ducky, we are seven months along.” I said.
“Yes you are.”
Ducky pulled us away from Jordan, Ziva and AJ.
“I knew you wouldn’t have a problem with gaining weight, Jaylyn. It was Jenny that I was concerned about.”
“Me?” Jen asked puzzled.
“Yes you, Jennifer.”
“Why me?”
“Cause you were always set on staying physically in shape whether you were on the job or off and that hasn’t changed. I am just glad that you are gaining weight and aren’t afraid to bare your baby bump off.” Ducky said.
“Thank-you for the concern Ducky, but I am doing just about anything to keep my unborn daughter and sons safe.”
“And there’s the protective mom side.” I said.
“So what do you girls have planned for today?”
“Oh nothing much. Jen and I are just bonding for a while before we are occupied with newborns. Then we’re having the NCIS Christmas party at the Addams Hotel later.”
“A bit late on the holiday party this year, huh.” Jordan chimed in.
“Just off by a few days. You two are more than welcome to join us if you wish.” I said.
“Thank-you Jaylyn. Now you girls should go eat. We’ll see you tonight.”
Later that night around 7pm we all took a well deserved break. We had hired a dj and had the party catered by a local Italian restaurant. Of course we had a bar, but it was a cash bar. Before long the party started and the dj played song after song. At one point Hannah, Leah, JD, Jayden, Jocelyn, Jaliyah and Ashleann were up on the dance floor dancing to Beyonce’s Single Ladies. Now mind you; that yes Ziva, Kate and Abby were the only ones from the collective that baby bump-less stomachs and they insisted on getting up on the dance floor. Jen and I were quiet content with sitting at the table and watching.
But Abby as usual had other plans. Jen and I were dragged onto the dance floor. Shortly only some of the girls stayed up with us. Apparently it was awkward for them to have their mothers and aunts dancing to a song like Single Ladies. Ziva, Abby, Kate, Jen and I didn’t care at that point. We were having a good time and it was obvious that our respective husbands enjoyed the show they had before them.
Jordan came up and joined us. Once the song ended the dj then played a slower song and the men came up to sweep us off our feet. The girls that stayed on the dance floor for the entire Beyonce song returned to their seats briefly as the men came up. Hannah, Leah and JD had all persuaded their respective boyfriends to dance with them. While Ducky and Jordan danced, Ducky had leaned in closer to Jordan so that he could whisper something to her.
“Forever and For Always, my love.” Ducky had said.
Jordan smiled and kissed Ducky.
Now it was the agency’s turn to do what it does best. There was a bit of emotion and stress involved at my end when it came to this case the team had. I knew I had to stay stress free for Jayla’s sake. I also knew that for my sanity I could not let my hormone driven emotions get the better of me, especially not when it came to my chosen career. So with that I called my sister. Knowing Jen, she was likely going stir crazy.
“Hey Jen, I need to get away from the agency for awhile. Want to go to lunch and the mall with me?” I asked.
“Yeah sure, why not? Jay, what’s wrong?”
“The team has case where a Navy Lieutenant’s twin teenage son and daughter were kidnapped by a terrorist cell, who raped the daughter and beat the hell out the son before killing them.” I answered.
“Oh okay. Well get your protection detail together and I’ll be here waiting.”
“Be there soon.”
Once I hung up with Jen I had called AJ and Ziva to tell them they were on protection detail duty. Tony wasn’t at all thrilled that I was pulling Ziva away from the case they were working on. Since he wasn’t thrilled I had to pull the Director card on him just to get him to back off. A few minutes later we were picking Jen up.
“I don’t see why Director Balboa chose us for the detail. She knows you have a case and that I have one as well. She’d be fine with just one agent.” AJ said to Ziva.
“Ah no AJ, she wouldn’t be. Besides the Director always travels with two agents in her detail.”
“But with you on the protection detail; Ziva, she doesn’t need me.”
“Agent Wilson. Two agents are required for protection detail when there are two high value targets involved.” I said.
AJ looked over to Ziva for a slight bit of guidance.
“She’s including her sister, AJ.”
“But her sister isn’t the Director anymore, she is.”
“Jenny is the former Director of the agency. And she’s travelling with her sister which makes her a high value target. Plus they are both pregnant which means that Jenny’s kids as well as the Director’s baby makes them more of a target. Besides if only the Director was protected, Gibbs would kill us.” Ziva answered.
Jen and I laughed in the backseat.
“She has a point; Jethro would kill them if anything happened to you.” I said.
Once we were in the mall we headed towards the T.G.I Fridays that was there. Jen and I were in walking in front of Ziva and AJ took to the back. As we drew closer to the restaurant Ducky and Jordan came out of the restaurant.
“Hello Jaylyn, Jen. Ziva, AJ.” Jordan said when she saw us.
“Hello ladies. Director, Jenny; you two are coming along quite well.” Ducky said.
“I hope so Ducky, we are seven months along.” I said.
“Yes you are.”
Ducky pulled us away from Jordan, Ziva and AJ.
“I knew you wouldn’t have a problem with gaining weight, Jaylyn. It was Jenny that I was concerned about.”
“Me?” Jen asked puzzled.
“Yes you, Jennifer.”
“Why me?”
“Cause you were always set on staying physically in shape whether you were on the job or off and that hasn’t changed. I am just glad that you are gaining weight and aren’t afraid to bare your baby bump off.” Ducky said.
“Thank-you for the concern Ducky, but I am doing just about anything to keep my unborn daughter and sons safe.”
“And there’s the protective mom side.” I said.
“So what do you girls have planned for today?”
“Oh nothing much. Jen and I are just bonding for a while before we are occupied with newborns. Then we’re having the NCIS Christmas party at the Addams Hotel later.”
“A bit late on the holiday party this year, huh.” Jordan chimed in.
“Just off by a few days. You two are more than welcome to join us if you wish.” I said.
“Thank-you Jaylyn. Now you girls should go eat. We’ll see you tonight.”
Later that night around 7pm we all took a well deserved break. We had hired a dj and had the party catered by a local Italian restaurant. Of course we had a bar, but it was a cash bar. Before long the party started and the dj played song after song. At one point Hannah, Leah, JD, Jayden, Jocelyn, Jaliyah and Ashleann were up on the dance floor dancing to Beyonce’s Single Ladies. Now mind you; that yes Ziva, Kate and Abby were the only ones from the collective that baby bump-less stomachs and they insisted on getting up on the dance floor. Jen and I were quiet content with sitting at the table and watching.
But Abby as usual had other plans. Jen and I were dragged onto the dance floor. Shortly only some of the girls stayed up with us. Apparently it was awkward for them to have their mothers and aunts dancing to a song like Single Ladies. Ziva, Abby, Kate, Jen and I didn’t care at that point. We were having a good time and it was obvious that our respective husbands enjoyed the show they had before them.
Jordan came up and joined us. Once the song ended the dj then played a slower song and the men came up to sweep us off our feet. The girls that stayed on the dance floor for the entire Beyonce song returned to their seats briefly as the men came up. Hannah, Leah and JD had all persuaded their respective boyfriends to dance with them. While Ducky and Jordan danced, Ducky had leaned in closer to Jordan so that he could whisper something to her.
“Forever and For Always, my love.” Ducky had said.
Jordan smiled and kissed Ducky.
Friday, January 7, 2011
AJ and Palmer
Now we all pretty much envied AJ and Palmer. At least those of who had teenagers. Kate, Ziva and I all wished our kids were babies again, Ziva and I were more wishful in that area since we were mothers of college freshmen. Despite the circumstances behind Hannah, Leah and JD being home from college; it was comforting to have all my girls under one roof. I knew that Ziva felt the same way.
I was still a bit overwhelmed by losing Cassie, I was still not myself. Nick tried to comfort me as much as he could, Ducky and Jen assured me that things would get better in time while Jethro hovered nearby in the protective brother-in-law mode. But as the days progressed I knew that both Jen and Ducky were wrong, by the next time we lost one of our own; it wouldn’t be easy at all. But I had to hold my own; I was the head of an armed federal agency after all. There was one downside though, JD was also hovering.
I had to constantly remind her that I was six months pregnant and that this was my third pregnancy, not my first. I also had to remind her that I hated being treated like a precious china doll. Anyway, besides the insanity outside the office there was bit of insanity at the agency. Jen, Jethro and Ducky had returned to their retirement following the memorial. Which meant we had to readjust.
The first day back after the memorial, I had a major workload, agents and specialists coming to me every ten minutes. First AJ came to me to brief me on a case she had gotten. Tony came up shortly afterwards to tell me the progress they had made trying to find who killed Cassie. Palmer came afterwards feeling overwhelmed. But the one thing that lightened everyone’s mood was seeing little Ryan. AJ and Palmer had brought RJ into the office for the day since they couldn’t find a sitter. So we all took turns watching Ryan. At noon it was my turn to watch little RJ. Abby had brought him to me just as Palmer was leaving my office. Of course they had past each other and Ryan cooed at Palmer when he saw his dad.
“Here ya go Director, he’s all yours.” Abby said as she gave Ryan to me before she set down his diaper bag.
“Thank – you, Abby.”
“I just changed his diaper before we came up and he’s due for a bottle soon.”
“I’m on it.”
Abby returned to her lab as I took a break from everything to play with Ryan. I sat on the floor with Ryan. After a while Ryan turned to me and placed one of his little toddler hands on my baby bump.
“Baby.” Ryan said.
“Yes, there’s a baby in there. Your cousin Jayla is in there.” I said.
With that I decided that I needed to get away from the office for awhile. Just as Jethro had his own nickname for Leah, I had my own nickname for Ryan.
“RJ, do you wanna go shopping with me?” I asked as I stood up and picked him up.
Ryan nodded yes.
“Okay then, let’s tell your mommy and daddy so they don’t freak out.” I said as I called AJ and Palmer while balancing Ryan on my hip.
After I got off the phone with AJ and Palmer, I had to choose who was going to be my protection detail. I learned quickly from Jen and my other predecessors that it was virtually impossible for the Director of NCIS to go anywhere without there be some sort of risk involved, now with the pregnancy and having Ryan with me; I couldn’t take any chances.
“Okay your mommy and daddy are fine with us going shopping. Now Auntie Jay just has to figure out will be our protection detail.”
“Auntie Z and Auntie Kate.” Ryan said in his little toddler voice.
I laughed slightly at Ryan, ever since JD was born all the kids with the exception of Hannah and Leah; called Ziva, Auntie Z. I had always found it entertaining that they had found it harder to say Ziva then they did when it came to saying Kate.
“Auntie Z and Auntie Kate it is.” I said as I picked up the diaper bag and we left my office for the squad room.
“What’s going on Director?” Tony asked.
“Ryan and I are going shopping.”
“Ah, you’re gonna need two agents to go with you.” McGee said.
“No sh…..” I caught myself before I finished.
Ryan was at the age where he soaked everything that was uttered up like a sponge.
“I know that.”
“So who is on the detail?” Tony asked as he grabbed his gun out of his desk draw in anticipation.
“Sit back down, Tony. Ryan wants Ziva and Kate on the detail.”
Tony came over to Ryan and me.
“Hey little man, I thought we were tight?” Tony said to Ryan.
Kate, Ziva and I rolled our eyes at that point.
“Auntie Z and Auntie Kate are cool.” Ryan said.
“And Uncle Tony isn’t?”
“Give it a rest, hun.” Ziva said.
“Yeah, Tony; give it a rest.” Kate seconded.
Within seconds Kate was at my side with her gun, ready to go. Ziva was about to join us but was stopped when she walked by Tony.
“Be safe.” Tony said as he leaned in for a kiss.
“Always am.” Ziva said in response once they parted.
“Love ya my crazy little ninja.”
With that Ziva leaned in for another quick kiss just to shut Tony up.
“Okay pregnant lady with a toddler wants to leave.” I said; clearly my impatient side was starting show.
Once we got to the car I had Ziva start the car while Kate put Ryan in his car seat as I got in the car. Meanwhile as we left the Navy Yard AJ met up with Palmer in Autopsy.
“Jimmy.” AJ said after the doors closed behind her.
“What’s goin on?” Palmer asked.
“Oh nothing, just need a little break. Wanted to see you. And with all the quietness I miss Ryan.”
“He’s in good hands, AJ.”
“If you saw so.”
“I do.”
“Promise me one thing?” AJ asked.
“Sure.”
“Forever and For Always.”
“I wouldn’t have it any other way.” Palmer answered as he kissed AJ.
I was still a bit overwhelmed by losing Cassie, I was still not myself. Nick tried to comfort me as much as he could, Ducky and Jen assured me that things would get better in time while Jethro hovered nearby in the protective brother-in-law mode. But as the days progressed I knew that both Jen and Ducky were wrong, by the next time we lost one of our own; it wouldn’t be easy at all. But I had to hold my own; I was the head of an armed federal agency after all. There was one downside though, JD was also hovering.
I had to constantly remind her that I was six months pregnant and that this was my third pregnancy, not my first. I also had to remind her that I hated being treated like a precious china doll. Anyway, besides the insanity outside the office there was bit of insanity at the agency. Jen, Jethro and Ducky had returned to their retirement following the memorial. Which meant we had to readjust.
The first day back after the memorial, I had a major workload, agents and specialists coming to me every ten minutes. First AJ came to me to brief me on a case she had gotten. Tony came up shortly afterwards to tell me the progress they had made trying to find who killed Cassie. Palmer came afterwards feeling overwhelmed. But the one thing that lightened everyone’s mood was seeing little Ryan. AJ and Palmer had brought RJ into the office for the day since they couldn’t find a sitter. So we all took turns watching Ryan. At noon it was my turn to watch little RJ. Abby had brought him to me just as Palmer was leaving my office. Of course they had past each other and Ryan cooed at Palmer when he saw his dad.
“Here ya go Director, he’s all yours.” Abby said as she gave Ryan to me before she set down his diaper bag.
“Thank – you, Abby.”
“I just changed his diaper before we came up and he’s due for a bottle soon.”
“I’m on it.”
Abby returned to her lab as I took a break from everything to play with Ryan. I sat on the floor with Ryan. After a while Ryan turned to me and placed one of his little toddler hands on my baby bump.
“Baby.” Ryan said.
“Yes, there’s a baby in there. Your cousin Jayla is in there.” I said.
With that I decided that I needed to get away from the office for awhile. Just as Jethro had his own nickname for Leah, I had my own nickname for Ryan.
“RJ, do you wanna go shopping with me?” I asked as I stood up and picked him up.
Ryan nodded yes.
“Okay then, let’s tell your mommy and daddy so they don’t freak out.” I said as I called AJ and Palmer while balancing Ryan on my hip.
After I got off the phone with AJ and Palmer, I had to choose who was going to be my protection detail. I learned quickly from Jen and my other predecessors that it was virtually impossible for the Director of NCIS to go anywhere without there be some sort of risk involved, now with the pregnancy and having Ryan with me; I couldn’t take any chances.
“Okay your mommy and daddy are fine with us going shopping. Now Auntie Jay just has to figure out will be our protection detail.”
“Auntie Z and Auntie Kate.” Ryan said in his little toddler voice.
I laughed slightly at Ryan, ever since JD was born all the kids with the exception of Hannah and Leah; called Ziva, Auntie Z. I had always found it entertaining that they had found it harder to say Ziva then they did when it came to saying Kate.
“Auntie Z and Auntie Kate it is.” I said as I picked up the diaper bag and we left my office for the squad room.
“What’s going on Director?” Tony asked.
“Ryan and I are going shopping.”
“Ah, you’re gonna need two agents to go with you.” McGee said.
“No sh…..” I caught myself before I finished.
Ryan was at the age where he soaked everything that was uttered up like a sponge.
“I know that.”
“So who is on the detail?” Tony asked as he grabbed his gun out of his desk draw in anticipation.
“Sit back down, Tony. Ryan wants Ziva and Kate on the detail.”
Tony came over to Ryan and me.
“Hey little man, I thought we were tight?” Tony said to Ryan.
Kate, Ziva and I rolled our eyes at that point.
“Auntie Z and Auntie Kate are cool.” Ryan said.
“And Uncle Tony isn’t?”
“Give it a rest, hun.” Ziva said.
“Yeah, Tony; give it a rest.” Kate seconded.
Within seconds Kate was at my side with her gun, ready to go. Ziva was about to join us but was stopped when she walked by Tony.
“Be safe.” Tony said as he leaned in for a kiss.
“Always am.” Ziva said in response once they parted.
“Love ya my crazy little ninja.”
With that Ziva leaned in for another quick kiss just to shut Tony up.
“Okay pregnant lady with a toddler wants to leave.” I said; clearly my impatient side was starting show.
Once we got to the car I had Ziva start the car while Kate put Ryan in his car seat as I got in the car. Meanwhile as we left the Navy Yard AJ met up with Palmer in Autopsy.
“Jimmy.” AJ said after the doors closed behind her.
“What’s goin on?” Palmer asked.
“Oh nothing, just need a little break. Wanted to see you. And with all the quietness I miss Ryan.”
“He’s in good hands, AJ.”
“If you saw so.”
“I do.”
“Promise me one thing?” AJ asked.
“Sure.”
“Forever and For Always.”
“I wouldn’t have it any other way.” Palmer answered as he kissed AJ.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
A Black Strapped Badge
Little did we know as we walked into the agency that morning for another day of work that we were gonna lose one of our own. When I walked into my office there had been a message left for me. Metro PD had called to tell me that they had found the body of an NCIS agent. They had said that the id said it was Agent Cassie Yates. Now I had to tell the team, Jen, Jethro and Ducky. It wasn’t easy for me to hear that Cassie had been killed, she was family in my book and some bastard took her from us. It may have been the hormones coursing through me, but I was hell bent on finding Cassie’s murderer.
I knew it wasn’t going to be easy for the others; Jethro would want revenge to the point where he’d want me to reinstate long enough to avenge Cassie. I also knew that out of all us; Jen and I would be the emotional ones due to us being six months along respectively. I got up from my desk and went down to the squad room. Palmer and Abby decided to hang out upstairs for the time being.
“What’s wrong?” Ziva asked as I came into view.
“Metro called.”
“Navy or Corps?” McGee asked.
“Neither.”
“Civilian?” Tony asked.
“Yes.”
The look that Abby had when Ducky told her and McGee that Jen had been murdered appeared on her face again as she realized what I saying.
“No, not again.” Abby said.
“Who did we lose?” Kate asked.
“Special Agent Cassie Yates.” I said.
Without any instructions Tony and the team grabbed their gear and left for the crime scene. Abby pulled her phone out, ready to call Jethro.
“Abby, call Ducky; I’ll call my sister and Jethro.”
Abby did as she was told while pulled my phone out to call Jen and Jethro. Jen answered the phone when I called.
“Jen, I need you to pull Jethro away from his boat and put the phone on speaker; there is something that I have to tell the both of you.”
“I’ll go get him.” Jen said as she made her way down to Jethro in their basement.
“What’s going on Jay?” Jethro asked once Jen was at his side and the phone was on speaker.
“Metro called me this morning said they found Cassie dead. Tony and the team are at the scene as we speak. Abby is calling Ducky at the moment.” I said.
“Okay, reinstate us and I’ll down to the crime scene.” Jethro said.
“Already done, Jethro. Bring Jen to the agency.”
Jen, Abby and I stayed at the office as Ducky tried to keep the three of us from crying which was easier said then done. Everyone at the agency knew that Abby was the one who wore her heart on her sleeve, they also knew that I was pregnant just in case they hadn’t noticed by the baby bump I had going. But besides seeing three emotional women the other agents seem to awestruck by Jen and I. By this pregnancy I was use to being gawked at when I had a baby bump. Jen wasn’t as use to it, she didn’t like how she could hear the agents that once use to work under her stared at her and were muttering under their breath about how big her stomach was.
She knew that they were all judging her just as they had been since her and Jethro got married. The agency was still in the mindset that romance between agents wasn’t a good thing. Hell both Jen and I were the subject of gossip at the agency. By now all of us from Jen and Jethro to Abby and McGee, we were all the subject of gossip in the agency. In their eyes we were the rebels.
Jethro and the team came back shortly after I set the agency straight. Palmer got to work with Ducky’s help. Abby followed suite while Jethro and the team followed leads. Jen and I worked on getting information on Cassie memorial while telling her family what had happened. I had decided that only Jethro, Jen, Ducky, Tony, Ziva, McGee, Abby, Kate, Palmer and I should go to Cassie’s memorial. Drew, Nick, Jordan and AJ would stay with the kids.
I wanted Nick to be at my side at Cassie’s memorial, I knew I wouldn’t be able to handle saying goodbye without shedding a tear or two. So with that I changed my mind, pregnant woman’s prerogative if you will.
“Jen, do me a favor?”
“Yeah sure.”
“Call Nick and tell him that he’s coming to the memorial with all of us. If he asks why just tell him I said so, also tell him to tell Drew and AJ they are coming too. Then call Jordan and tell her that I want her to come so that Ducky has her with him.”
“And if AJ asks who is gonna watch Ryan while she and Palmer are at the memorial?” Jen asked.
“Tell her I am calling JD, Hannah and Leah to have them come home to watch the younger kids.”
“What about Kelly? Losing Cassie struck a nerve with Jethro.”
“I know my brother – in – law, Jen. At the moment I think if anything Jethro is going to need you a bit more than he will need his daughter; besides we need at least one adult to stay home just in case the girls need help.”
With that Jen made the phone call I had asked her too while I called JD.
“Hey mom, what’s wrong? Everything okay with Jayla? Did Aunt Jen have the babies early?” JD asked when she answered her cell.
“I need you to go to Hannah and Leah; they need to hear what I have to say.”
“Mom, what’s going on?”
“Jennifer Delaney, stop with all the questions and do what I ask you!!!” I said at the top of my lungs.
Jen looked over from the couch when she heard me yell.
“Okay mom, don’t get all hormonal on me.”
“So what’s going on Aunt Jay?” Hannah and Leah said once JD was with them.
“I need you girls to come home to watch the younger kids for a while tonight.”
“Why can’t Jay and Joce stay home by themselves? Last time I checked Benji was old enough to watch his sisters and brothers. Aunt Abby and Uncle Tim just have the twins, then Uncle Jimmy and Aunt AJ just have Ryan; Jay and Joce could always keep on them.” JD said.
At this point I couldn’t get past JD’s attitude and Jen had finished her phone call.
“You tell your nieces why.” I said as I handed the phone over to Jen and walked out of the office.
“Hello?” JD said.
“Girls, you have to come home because we lost an agent today.” Jen said.
Before JD could put her foot in her mouth again, Leah spoke up.
“We’re on our way, Aunt Jen.”
Awhile later JD, Hannah and Leah were home watching the kids. Jen had told them if they needed anything to call Kelly and Jason. Soon after the girls arrived we had changed for Cassie’s memorial and put the case aside for the time being. Now we all had our badges and had the black strap across them. Jethro, Tony, McGee, Drew, Nick had their badges in the usual spot. Ziva, AJ and Kate had theirs clipped to their clutches while Jen and I wore ours around our necks just as Jen had at Kate’s “memorial”. Ducky, Palmer, Abby and Jordan did their own thing since they didn’t have NCIS badges.
Once we got to the site for the memorial Jen, Kate, Abby, Ziva and I looked to our significant others. Who knew that these sort of things were sore subject for us.
“Forever and For Always.” The five of us said to our respective spouses.
I knew it wasn’t going to be easy for the others; Jethro would want revenge to the point where he’d want me to reinstate long enough to avenge Cassie. I also knew that out of all us; Jen and I would be the emotional ones due to us being six months along respectively. I got up from my desk and went down to the squad room. Palmer and Abby decided to hang out upstairs for the time being.
“What’s wrong?” Ziva asked as I came into view.
“Metro called.”
“Navy or Corps?” McGee asked.
“Neither.”
“Civilian?” Tony asked.
“Yes.”
The look that Abby had when Ducky told her and McGee that Jen had been murdered appeared on her face again as she realized what I saying.
“No, not again.” Abby said.
“Who did we lose?” Kate asked.
“Special Agent Cassie Yates.” I said.
Without any instructions Tony and the team grabbed their gear and left for the crime scene. Abby pulled her phone out, ready to call Jethro.
“Abby, call Ducky; I’ll call my sister and Jethro.”
Abby did as she was told while pulled my phone out to call Jen and Jethro. Jen answered the phone when I called.
“Jen, I need you to pull Jethro away from his boat and put the phone on speaker; there is something that I have to tell the both of you.”
“I’ll go get him.” Jen said as she made her way down to Jethro in their basement.
“What’s going on Jay?” Jethro asked once Jen was at his side and the phone was on speaker.
“Metro called me this morning said they found Cassie dead. Tony and the team are at the scene as we speak. Abby is calling Ducky at the moment.” I said.
“Okay, reinstate us and I’ll down to the crime scene.” Jethro said.
“Already done, Jethro. Bring Jen to the agency.”
Jen, Abby and I stayed at the office as Ducky tried to keep the three of us from crying which was easier said then done. Everyone at the agency knew that Abby was the one who wore her heart on her sleeve, they also knew that I was pregnant just in case they hadn’t noticed by the baby bump I had going. But besides seeing three emotional women the other agents seem to awestruck by Jen and I. By this pregnancy I was use to being gawked at when I had a baby bump. Jen wasn’t as use to it, she didn’t like how she could hear the agents that once use to work under her stared at her and were muttering under their breath about how big her stomach was.
She knew that they were all judging her just as they had been since her and Jethro got married. The agency was still in the mindset that romance between agents wasn’t a good thing. Hell both Jen and I were the subject of gossip at the agency. By now all of us from Jen and Jethro to Abby and McGee, we were all the subject of gossip in the agency. In their eyes we were the rebels.
Jethro and the team came back shortly after I set the agency straight. Palmer got to work with Ducky’s help. Abby followed suite while Jethro and the team followed leads. Jen and I worked on getting information on Cassie memorial while telling her family what had happened. I had decided that only Jethro, Jen, Ducky, Tony, Ziva, McGee, Abby, Kate, Palmer and I should go to Cassie’s memorial. Drew, Nick, Jordan and AJ would stay with the kids.
I wanted Nick to be at my side at Cassie’s memorial, I knew I wouldn’t be able to handle saying goodbye without shedding a tear or two. So with that I changed my mind, pregnant woman’s prerogative if you will.
“Jen, do me a favor?”
“Yeah sure.”
“Call Nick and tell him that he’s coming to the memorial with all of us. If he asks why just tell him I said so, also tell him to tell Drew and AJ they are coming too. Then call Jordan and tell her that I want her to come so that Ducky has her with him.”
“And if AJ asks who is gonna watch Ryan while she and Palmer are at the memorial?” Jen asked.
“Tell her I am calling JD, Hannah and Leah to have them come home to watch the younger kids.”
“What about Kelly? Losing Cassie struck a nerve with Jethro.”
“I know my brother – in – law, Jen. At the moment I think if anything Jethro is going to need you a bit more than he will need his daughter; besides we need at least one adult to stay home just in case the girls need help.”
With that Jen made the phone call I had asked her too while I called JD.
“Hey mom, what’s wrong? Everything okay with Jayla? Did Aunt Jen have the babies early?” JD asked when she answered her cell.
“I need you to go to Hannah and Leah; they need to hear what I have to say.”
“Mom, what’s going on?”
“Jennifer Delaney, stop with all the questions and do what I ask you!!!” I said at the top of my lungs.
Jen looked over from the couch when she heard me yell.
“Okay mom, don’t get all hormonal on me.”
“So what’s going on Aunt Jay?” Hannah and Leah said once JD was with them.
“I need you girls to come home to watch the younger kids for a while tonight.”
“Why can’t Jay and Joce stay home by themselves? Last time I checked Benji was old enough to watch his sisters and brothers. Aunt Abby and Uncle Tim just have the twins, then Uncle Jimmy and Aunt AJ just have Ryan; Jay and Joce could always keep on them.” JD said.
At this point I couldn’t get past JD’s attitude and Jen had finished her phone call.
“You tell your nieces why.” I said as I handed the phone over to Jen and walked out of the office.
“Hello?” JD said.
“Girls, you have to come home because we lost an agent today.” Jen said.
Before JD could put her foot in her mouth again, Leah spoke up.
“We’re on our way, Aunt Jen.”
Awhile later JD, Hannah and Leah were home watching the kids. Jen had told them if they needed anything to call Kelly and Jason. Soon after the girls arrived we had changed for Cassie’s memorial and put the case aside for the time being. Now we all had our badges and had the black strap across them. Jethro, Tony, McGee, Drew, Nick had their badges in the usual spot. Ziva, AJ and Kate had theirs clipped to their clutches while Jen and I wore ours around our necks just as Jen had at Kate’s “memorial”. Ducky, Palmer, Abby and Jordan did their own thing since they didn’t have NCIS badges.
Once we got to the site for the memorial Jen, Kate, Abby, Ziva and I looked to our significant others. Who knew that these sort of things were sore subject for us.
“Forever and For Always.” The five of us said to our respective spouses.
Kate and Drew
Kate had wanted to go to the gym today but she was unable to with Drew at NCIS and all five kids at home. At one point Kate wanted to say to hell with it and leave Benjamin in charge of his younger sisters and brothers but she knew that would be too much since he had been inundated with homework. The other downside was that today was Kate’s birthday and she wasn’t getting to do what she wanted to do. Kate didn’t want to look like the type of mom she saw in the local grocery store that barely could stand being near their kids. Then again Kate Todd – Mackensie needed a break from being wonder mom. She also needed a break from being Wonder Woman, even if it was only meant to be for a day.
Another downside to what today was; was that she had barely gotten the normal amount of birthday wishes. Drew had wished her a happy birthday as he kissed her goodbye on his way out the door to head into work. As usual all five kids had wished her a happy birthday. Then everyone within Kate’s NCIS family had wished her a happy birthday. Abby wasted no time in wishing Kate a happy birthday. But what had gotten under her skin was that her parents as well as her brothers and sister had yet to call.
It was instants like these that made Kate agree with Tony, Ziva, McGee and Abby. Jethro Gibbs and Jen Shepard – Gibbs were her parents while Tony, McGee and Abby were her brothers and sister. Now since her return to the agency Kate was slowly considering Ziva and me to be her family as well. With each day Ziva became more of a sister to Kate, than Kate’s own sister was. As for me, well it seems to be that I was her aunt that tended to me be her younger sister more often than being her aunt.
Kate wanted more than anything to get out of her house. Now everyone knew that Jethro took Abby out to dinner the night before her birthday as he had done for countless years. And their little tradition didn’t waver in the slightest when Kelly came back into the picture or when Jen and Jethro got married. There was only one change that occurred prior to Kelly coming back. Back when Jen came back to NCIS as the Director after faking her death and when I started as an NCIS agent, Jethro decided to take Ziva, Jen and I out to dinner the night before our respective birthdays like he had with Abby.
When Kate came back to the fold following her own death faking; Jethro included her in the tradition. Then as predicted, with Kelly’s arrival; our lovable functional mute included his daughter in the tradition. We all knew he would, it wouldn’t be right if he hadn’t included her. Kelly was a part of him after all.
So just like the year before Jethro had asked Kate where she’d like to go for her pre – birthday dinner. Kate couldn’t choose and had been a bit on the busy side when Jethro had inquired. Jethro had then said if Kate had wanted they could go to lunch on her birthday instead. Kate had agreed to that. Now it was only a matter of waiting for Jethro to arrive. From years of driving to crime scenes and other places with Jethro, Kate knew it wouldn’t take him long to get from his house to hers.
Within minutes of looking up from her phone after sending Drew a text message Kate saw that Jethro was in the driveway waiting. She knew after working under him for so many years that it wasn’t a good thing to keep Jethro waiting, hell we all knew it wasn’t a good thing to keep him waiting.
“Its time for me to go, Uncle Jethro is outside waiting.” Kate said to the kids.
All five kids left what they were doing to say goodbye to her.
“Bye mom, have fun.” Jaliyah said.
“Will do.”
“Tell Uncle Jethro, we said hi.” Drew Jr. said.
“I will.”
“And tell him we said congrats on the triplets. And tell him to tell Aunt Jen for us too.” Ashleann said as she hugged Kate goodbye.
Kate smiled as she wondered how her kids found out about that.
“I will.”
“Go mom, before Uncle Jethro gets annoyed.” Noah said.
“I’m going. Just remember Benji is in charge until I or your dad get home and I am only a cell phone call away if you need anything. And remember your aunts and uncles are a phone call away if you need them as well as your dad.” Kate said.
“Mom, go enjoy lunch. We’ll be fine. We can take of ourselves; we are the kids of two federal agents after all.” Benjamin said.
With that Kate grabbed her phone and her clutch as she left.
“Sorry that took so long, Gibbs.” Kate said once she was in Jethro’s car.
“Don’t apologize; it’s a sign of weakness. Besides you were just being a parent; I understand.” Jethro said as they pulled out of they driveway and headed to the restaurant Kate had chosen.
Kate smirked when Jethro quoted his rule to her. But once they had arrived at the grille Kate had chose, Kate had picked up on the detail that Jethro wasn’t himself. Things only became peculiar when Jethro had asked her a question after their waiter went to get their drinks.
“Just out of curiosity; Kate, but do you still sleep with your gun under your pillow?” Jethro asked.
“Gibbs, I have slept with my gun under my pillow since I was Secret Service. That hasn’t changed.”
“That’s good to hear.”
Kate could see in Jethro’s eyes that he was processing something in his mind after she had answered his random question. Now Kate knew that she wasn’t the only one that Jethro had probably asked this question to, she also knew that something had to be up if he was inquiring about her gun. She also knew that Jethro knew from sharing a bed with Jen that she had for years done the same as Kate. Then with Ziva’s history of being a Mossad agent prior to her being an NCIS agent, Kate knew that sleeping with a gun was second nature for her teammate. As for me, Kate didn’t have to guess with. Having Jen as my sister and Ziva as my best friend, Kate knew that they made sure that I had followed suit. Kate knew that Abby just picked up on the whole sleeping with a gun under your pillow from McGee as well as her countless near death fiascos over the years.
“Gibbs, what’s going on? Why did you ask if I still slept with my gun? You should know that we all do. Even Kelly does.”
Gibbs smirked again.
“That’s my girl.” Jethro said almost inaudible.
“She learned from the best, Gibbs; just like the rest of us.”
Lunch continued on and Kate tried to get answer from Jethro about the whole gun inquiry, but he never gave her an answer.
“So have you gotten any other birthday wishes besides from me and Jen today?”
“I have. Drew wished me a happy birthday as he left for the office, the kids wished me a happy birthday when they gave me their cards at breakfast. The team called as did Ducky and Jordan. I have basically been wished happy birthday by everyone except my parents and my siblings.”
“Kate, give me your phone; I am gonna fix this.”
“Gibbs its fine. I don’t care if my parents or my siblings wished me a happy birthday or not. You and Jen have become more parent-esque to me than my own parents have.”
Soon after that lunch had wrapped up and Jethro brought Kate home.
“The kids wanted me to tell you they said hi and to say congrats on the triplets. They also wanted me to tell you to congratulate Jen for them.” Kate said as she got out of Jethro’s car.
“Will do.”
Before long Kate had all five kids fed, showered and in bed. Just she began to unwind from her bizarre afternoon with Jethro, Drew came home.
“Happy Birthday to my gorgeous wife.” Drew said as he gave Kate a bouquet of her favorite flowers.
“Thank-you babe.” Kate said as she kissed him.
Drew didn’t want to stop once Kate had kissed him in thanks for her flowers.
“Okay what has gotten into you?” Kate asked.
“Nothing, I just thought we spend some time together alone.”
Kate knew what Drew was hinting to.
“You do remember that’s how we became parents, right?”
“Yes I remember.”
“We’re not trying for number six, Drew. Not when Jen and Jay are both expecting. You know perfectly well that we were done having kids the minute Ash and Jr. were born.”
“I know, but let’s just go have a bit of fun. Let’s go act like we did before we had the kids, just for one night.”
With that Drew had won Kate over. After a few hours, Kate and Drew lay in bed. Kate’s hair was completely messed up and like things of this nature had gone the only coverage they had was the bed sheet. Kate hoped against hope that none of the kids would wake up and come into the room when her and Drew were in bed the way they were. Drew didn’t say much after they had sex. Kate on the other hand knew that the smirk on her husband’s face was oddly similar to the one Ray Barone had after he and Debra had their own tryst. After that thought Kate knew she had been around Tony too much since she started making random references.
Once those thoughts were driven out of her head, Kate looked at her husband next to her.
“Forever and For Always.” Kate said she laced her hand with her rings with Drew’s and fell asleep in Drew’s embrace.
Another downside to what today was; was that she had barely gotten the normal amount of birthday wishes. Drew had wished her a happy birthday as he kissed her goodbye on his way out the door to head into work. As usual all five kids had wished her a happy birthday. Then everyone within Kate’s NCIS family had wished her a happy birthday. Abby wasted no time in wishing Kate a happy birthday. But what had gotten under her skin was that her parents as well as her brothers and sister had yet to call.
It was instants like these that made Kate agree with Tony, Ziva, McGee and Abby. Jethro Gibbs and Jen Shepard – Gibbs were her parents while Tony, McGee and Abby were her brothers and sister. Now since her return to the agency Kate was slowly considering Ziva and me to be her family as well. With each day Ziva became more of a sister to Kate, than Kate’s own sister was. As for me, well it seems to be that I was her aunt that tended to me be her younger sister more often than being her aunt.
Kate wanted more than anything to get out of her house. Now everyone knew that Jethro took Abby out to dinner the night before her birthday as he had done for countless years. And their little tradition didn’t waver in the slightest when Kelly came back into the picture or when Jen and Jethro got married. There was only one change that occurred prior to Kelly coming back. Back when Jen came back to NCIS as the Director after faking her death and when I started as an NCIS agent, Jethro decided to take Ziva, Jen and I out to dinner the night before our respective birthdays like he had with Abby.
When Kate came back to the fold following her own death faking; Jethro included her in the tradition. Then as predicted, with Kelly’s arrival; our lovable functional mute included his daughter in the tradition. We all knew he would, it wouldn’t be right if he hadn’t included her. Kelly was a part of him after all.
So just like the year before Jethro had asked Kate where she’d like to go for her pre – birthday dinner. Kate couldn’t choose and had been a bit on the busy side when Jethro had inquired. Jethro had then said if Kate had wanted they could go to lunch on her birthday instead. Kate had agreed to that. Now it was only a matter of waiting for Jethro to arrive. From years of driving to crime scenes and other places with Jethro, Kate knew it wouldn’t take him long to get from his house to hers.
Within minutes of looking up from her phone after sending Drew a text message Kate saw that Jethro was in the driveway waiting. She knew after working under him for so many years that it wasn’t a good thing to keep Jethro waiting, hell we all knew it wasn’t a good thing to keep him waiting.
“Its time for me to go, Uncle Jethro is outside waiting.” Kate said to the kids.
All five kids left what they were doing to say goodbye to her.
“Bye mom, have fun.” Jaliyah said.
“Will do.”
“Tell Uncle Jethro, we said hi.” Drew Jr. said.
“I will.”
“And tell him we said congrats on the triplets. And tell him to tell Aunt Jen for us too.” Ashleann said as she hugged Kate goodbye.
Kate smiled as she wondered how her kids found out about that.
“I will.”
“Go mom, before Uncle Jethro gets annoyed.” Noah said.
“I’m going. Just remember Benji is in charge until I or your dad get home and I am only a cell phone call away if you need anything. And remember your aunts and uncles are a phone call away if you need them as well as your dad.” Kate said.
“Mom, go enjoy lunch. We’ll be fine. We can take of ourselves; we are the kids of two federal agents after all.” Benjamin said.
With that Kate grabbed her phone and her clutch as she left.
“Sorry that took so long, Gibbs.” Kate said once she was in Jethro’s car.
“Don’t apologize; it’s a sign of weakness. Besides you were just being a parent; I understand.” Jethro said as they pulled out of they driveway and headed to the restaurant Kate had chosen.
Kate smirked when Jethro quoted his rule to her. But once they had arrived at the grille Kate had chose, Kate had picked up on the detail that Jethro wasn’t himself. Things only became peculiar when Jethro had asked her a question after their waiter went to get their drinks.
“Just out of curiosity; Kate, but do you still sleep with your gun under your pillow?” Jethro asked.
“Gibbs, I have slept with my gun under my pillow since I was Secret Service. That hasn’t changed.”
“That’s good to hear.”
Kate could see in Jethro’s eyes that he was processing something in his mind after she had answered his random question. Now Kate knew that she wasn’t the only one that Jethro had probably asked this question to, she also knew that something had to be up if he was inquiring about her gun. She also knew that Jethro knew from sharing a bed with Jen that she had for years done the same as Kate. Then with Ziva’s history of being a Mossad agent prior to her being an NCIS agent, Kate knew that sleeping with a gun was second nature for her teammate. As for me, Kate didn’t have to guess with. Having Jen as my sister and Ziva as my best friend, Kate knew that they made sure that I had followed suit. Kate knew that Abby just picked up on the whole sleeping with a gun under your pillow from McGee as well as her countless near death fiascos over the years.
“Gibbs, what’s going on? Why did you ask if I still slept with my gun? You should know that we all do. Even Kelly does.”
Gibbs smirked again.
“That’s my girl.” Jethro said almost inaudible.
“She learned from the best, Gibbs; just like the rest of us.”
Lunch continued on and Kate tried to get answer from Jethro about the whole gun inquiry, but he never gave her an answer.
“So have you gotten any other birthday wishes besides from me and Jen today?”
“I have. Drew wished me a happy birthday as he left for the office, the kids wished me a happy birthday when they gave me their cards at breakfast. The team called as did Ducky and Jordan. I have basically been wished happy birthday by everyone except my parents and my siblings.”
“Kate, give me your phone; I am gonna fix this.”
“Gibbs its fine. I don’t care if my parents or my siblings wished me a happy birthday or not. You and Jen have become more parent-esque to me than my own parents have.”
Soon after that lunch had wrapped up and Jethro brought Kate home.
“The kids wanted me to tell you they said hi and to say congrats on the triplets. They also wanted me to tell you to congratulate Jen for them.” Kate said as she got out of Jethro’s car.
“Will do.”
Before long Kate had all five kids fed, showered and in bed. Just she began to unwind from her bizarre afternoon with Jethro, Drew came home.
“Happy Birthday to my gorgeous wife.” Drew said as he gave Kate a bouquet of her favorite flowers.
“Thank-you babe.” Kate said as she kissed him.
Drew didn’t want to stop once Kate had kissed him in thanks for her flowers.
“Okay what has gotten into you?” Kate asked.
“Nothing, I just thought we spend some time together alone.”
Kate knew what Drew was hinting to.
“You do remember that’s how we became parents, right?”
“Yes I remember.”
“We’re not trying for number six, Drew. Not when Jen and Jay are both expecting. You know perfectly well that we were done having kids the minute Ash and Jr. were born.”
“I know, but let’s just go have a bit of fun. Let’s go act like we did before we had the kids, just for one night.”
With that Drew had won Kate over. After a few hours, Kate and Drew lay in bed. Kate’s hair was completely messed up and like things of this nature had gone the only coverage they had was the bed sheet. Kate hoped against hope that none of the kids would wake up and come into the room when her and Drew were in bed the way they were. Drew didn’t say much after they had sex. Kate on the other hand knew that the smirk on her husband’s face was oddly similar to the one Ray Barone had after he and Debra had their own tryst. After that thought Kate knew she had been around Tony too much since she started making random references.
Once those thoughts were driven out of her head, Kate looked at her husband next to her.
“Forever and For Always.” Kate said she laced her hand with her rings with Drew’s and fell asleep in Drew’s embrace.
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