Daughter of Frustration.
 
 
 
 

Tony walked into his apartment, listening to his daughter sing from her room.  She had a decent voice, that was good and he was happy that she was happy.  It was the song she was singing.
 
"I need a soldier!"
 
"Turn it off!" he yelled, dropping his coat over the back of the couch.  "Now!"  She came to her door, the song gone for now.  "Anything but that one and other songs that glorify gang bangers, daughter."
 
"But, dad, the headmistress said it was perfectly appropriate for me to sing for the school's talent show."
 
He walked over, tipping her chin up.  "You know I used to be a cop, right?"  She nodded.  "That song is about girls who want to date and sleep with a gang member.  I have a problem with it."
 
"Do you need therapy?"
 
He glared at her. "Not funny.  Pick something else."
 
"But I don't know anything else and Matt said it was okay.  He said his daddy's girlfriend sang it to him.  Besides, I heard Abby muttering it the other day at the lab when I came over after school."  She gave him a hopeful look. "I already know the words."
 
"Then forget them," he ordered.
 
"But, Dad!"   He shook his head. "Can I if I get Uncle Jethro's permission?"
 
He smirked, staring at her.  "As long as you make him listen to the song first and then we talk about it before he gives you an answer."  There was no way uptight Marine Jethro Gibbs would let a ten-year-old girl sing a song like that.
 
"Yes, father."  She trudged off, heading to her room to copy the file and send it to him.
 
Tony answered his phone, listening to Gibbs asked why he needed therapy to get over his former job as a cop.  "Listen to the song, boss.  Just listen to the words.  She wants to sing it in the school's talent show.  I said if you'd give her permission and make me relent she could.  Obviously the headmistress has never heard the song."  He hung up and headed into the kitchen. "Why is there new takeout?"
 
"You were working late?"
 
He looked at the clock then headed to her room.  "It's barely five at night.  Did we perhaps skip today?"  His daughter gave him a sheepish look. "I did some of that in my day too.  No more, Hannah."  She shrugged.  "Thank you for buying dinner though."  He smiled sweetly.  "Still grounded tonight."  He walked off, going to dish up dinner.  "Come eat.  Where was Matt while you were skipping?"
 
"Playing my playstation right beside me," she offered quietly, giving him a hopeful look.

He looked at his very mature ten-year-old daughter, then sighed and shook his head. "You're way too young for that talk."
 
"What talk?"
 
"The one your Aunt Abby and Uncle Jethro are going to have with you about boys and girls, dear."
 
"Oh, that.  Devine had one of those with me and she offered to take me bra shopping."  Tony choked on his last breath.  "Not okay?  I told her it was."
 
"When?" he gasped, taking the soda she pulled out to gulp, then he grimaced and looked at it.  "Now I know here was here, only he drinks Barq's Grape."  He put the can down once it was empty.  "When was she planning this excursion so I can ask Abby to go with you."
 
"Can I bring Aunt Ziva?" she asked, giving him a carbon copy of his own wicked grin.
 
He hugged her.  "I love you, you evil little DiNozzo.  Some day soon you'll be pulling pranks on McGee too."  He patted her on the back.  "Yes, you can ask her if she's free that day to accompany you and Miss Devine to the bra shop.  Do you actually need one?"
 
"Um, yeah, unfortunately.  You know, the average age for puberty for girls is now eleven, dad."
 
He had a sudden very evil thought.  "Dear, I'll pay you fifty bucks for each person you walk up and start that conversation with at work.  Ziva, the director, McGee, Palmer, and Ducky."  She rubbed her hands together and he smirked at her. "That should get you some decent bras and underwear since I know how Devine shops."  His daughter gave him an odd look.  "She needed an escort a few years back and I went with her."
 
"You mean they make pantyhose for guys who want to be girls?"
 
"Someone very nice makes all sorts of stuff for guys like Devine," he said dryly, taking a bite of his dinner.  "By the way, Ducky might give you the sex talk, and then we'll discuss it.  Because if you have sex before sixteen, I'm going to have you sewn shut."  He stared down at her.  "Got me here?"
 
"Yes, daddy."  She hugged him. "I'm going to see if Uncle Jethro wrote back yet."
 
"He's probably…."  He checked the clock.  "Never mind, he's still at work.  So, why did you skip today?" he asked as she walked off.
 
"So I didn't have to deal with Tiffany and her clique again.  I mean, so very freakin' obvious and all that.  Like I'm going to use some of my contacts to help her father's business get a defense contract?"   She strolled off.  "Oh, daddy, the prince guy called for you earlier and left a message.  I didn't answer since none of your former schoolmates know about me."
 
"Thanks."  He walked over to the machine to listen to the messages.  "Feel free to delete the hangups, dear," he called after the third one.
 
"I tried. Did I erase everything again?"
 
"Not quite."  He listened to the message from his former schoolmate, considering it.
 
"Go," she called.  "He might have information you can use, daddy."  She smirked at him.  "I'll be fine and Uncle Jethro is coming over, his email said we'd talk about this in person, and I'd be getting my first self defense lesson tonight."
 
"See if he wants to go bra shopping with you, Ziva, and Devine."  He finished his dinner, then went to brush his teeth.  He changed clothes to something more urbane and suave, the other Tony DiNozzo underneath the goofy exterior.  Then he headed out, passing his boss in front of the building.  "I bet her she couldn't ask Ducky for the sex talk," he offered.
 
"You want her to be a Victorian schoolmarm?" Gibbs asked, looking him over.  "Date?"

"Old school friend."   Gibbs made a 'go on' motion.  "Prince Hakim."  He headed to his car and got in, heading off to the bar the message had mentioned.

"Prince Hakim," Gibbs said thoughtfully, calling Ziva.  "Who on earth is Prince Hakim?"  He listened to her babble excitedly about the second son of a some smaller despot who was doing good works in his country.  "Thank you."  He hung up and headed upstairs, mentally steeling himself for this talk. He was not looking forward to it.  He tapped on the door and Hannah let him in with a smile. "You skipped school today?"
 
"Well, yeah.  Matt and I didn't want to deal with the social pressures to help someone's father get a defense contract."  She closed the door and locked it behind him.  "The headmistress looked at the lyrics and said it was perfectly acceptable for a girl my age to sing that song.  Mentioned some 'bop' or 'kid bop' group and their records.  Something like that," she said with a hand flick.  She beamed at him.  "I know all the words and Abby was humming it in the lab the other day."
 
He sat her down and sat beside her, looking at her.  She was definitely starting to grow up.  "Okay, first.  Your father doesn't need therapy.  He met some of the guys that the song talks about while he was working in Philadelphia.  They didn't like him very much.  Secondly, you're ten.  You don't need to listen to or sing songs that glorify having sex.  There is no discussion on that," he said when her face fell and she started to pout.  "There's a lot of songs you can sing that'll be more than appropriate.  Abby can give you some, I can give you some.  Matt's father's girlfriend was obviously teasing him."
 
"But Heather at school likes it."
 
"Nothing that the stripper dances to is appropriate until you're at least old enough to have sex."
 
"Daddy said he'd have me sewn shut if I did that before sixteen."  She looked at him. "I don't understand why anyone would."
 
He ruffled her hair.  "I understand that, Hannah, you're still a little bit too young for that talk.  When you start to feel those urges, we'll have that full, detailed talk with Abby and Ducky or whoever."
 
She blushed.  "Ducky would either want me to go clubbing like he did in his youth or make me wear long dresses like his mom.  He said he wasn't sure which."
 
"Long dresses are good," he assured her.  She scowled and he smirked at her.  "What?  You're too young."
 
"So!"
 
He frowned.  "I know you're about ready to start on that annoying thing called puberty, but for right now, enjoy your actual age.  Things start getting harder once you're on the other side. Not to mention more particular. Okay?"  She nodded, slumping down some more.  "Now, if you want to sing something more upbeat, there's a good few songs."  She got up and got him the list of things they couldn't sing.  "That one's about female empowerment."
 
"The headmistress said the singer's a slut.  She likes the band who did my song though."  She shrugged. "Can you help Devine take me bra shopping?  I want to bring Auntie Ziva with me too.  That way you're not totally bored and I know what I need to wear since you've promised me self defense lessons."
 
He coughed and shook his head.  "I'm not going anywhere near a lingerie shop.  Not even for Abby.  Ever."  She pouted.  "No."  She added the deadly puppy eyes, looking just like Tony when he told him he couldn't beat up on the suspect that had pounced Abby and knocked her down.  He was slowly learning how bad that look was.  "No," he said, steeling his reserve.  "You can ask Jen, Palmer, Ducky, Ziva, or Abby to go with you, but not me. Or even your father?"
 
"He said he went with Devine before to buy stuff that guys who want to be girls wear."
 
"They make special stuff for them?"
 
"He said they do.  I have no idea.  So, do you think Ziva would go?"
 
"One way to find out, when are you going?"
 
"Devine said Sunday afternoon."  She called Ziva.  "Hi, Auntie Ziva, it's Hannah.  No, a small favor.  This Sunday one of daddy's bestest friends, Miss Devine, is taking me out to get my very first bra and I needed a real female appraisal.  Well, no, I'm sure Miss Devine can show me what I need to kick butt when Uncle Jethro finally gets around to teaching me self defense; she was a Marine Drill Instructor.  No, I needed a real female opinion.  No, I know you're just as tough as she is.  No, just a real female perspective.  No, I don't want to bug Abby.  Abby would take me to get one with studs and stuff.  I need a really good set before I get one like her purple velvet with silver studs one."  Jethro choked.  "No, Uncle Jethro is here with me.  Daddy had to go meet an old college friend at a bar.  I don't know, something about some information daddy could use.  Uncle Jethro and Daddy said it would be okay if I asked you.  Please?"  She smiled.  "Thank you.  Sure, no, Sunday afternoon.  We'll call.  Thank you!"  she hung up and beamed at him.  "She'll go too."
 
"Good.  When did you see that bra?"
 
"When I went to the bathroom and she was in it on the couch, on your lap that time."  She checked the phone to make sure it had hung up and it had.  "What's that buzzing noise?"
 
Gibbs checked his phone.  "Not mine."  He looked at her, her father was good at tracking so maybe..... "Which direction?"  she stood up and tracked it around the apartment, finding a cellphone under the couch.  "Matt's?"   She nodded.  "We'll drop it off on the way to a real dinner.  I'm sure your father inhaled the rest of the Chinese food you two ordered for lunch."  She blushed and ducked her head.  He patted her on the back.  "Every kid's got to skip now and then.  Played video games?"
 
"Yup."  She grabbed her shoes and jacket, plus her wallet and keys, then headed out after him just like her father did.  "You know, I thought that song talked about soldiers like you, Uncle Jethro.  I had no idea gang members were soldiers too.  Do they have ranks and stuff?"
 
"It's a slang term, princess."  He walked into the elevator, watching her perform Tony's usual follow/turn/glance at him maneuver.  "You are such a clone of your father," he said as he pushed the button for the lobby.  "Only you don't complain about my driving."
 
"I like roller coasters.  I like Auntie Ziva's driving too."  He snickered at that.  "I do.  Why do you solider types call it a 'six' when it's a butt?"
 
"Because it's impolite to yell that across the battlefield to show you've got someone covered."  And suddenly he was having one of those surreal DiNozzo moments that kept happening around him since Hannah had joined them.  He drove them to Matt's house, letting her walk up there to hand him back his phone, watching.  The father gave her an odd look and Jethro rolled down the window. "It was a playstation day."'
 
"Did he at least each lunch?" the father asked.  She nodded, beaming at him.  "What?"
 
"Chinese.  We had plenty of good, leafy green things and onions with our noodles and chicken."  He cracked a smile at that.  "Plus, it got us away from someone who wanted me to do something for them."  She smiled at him. "It went off under the couch so I thought I'd hand it back tonight since you probably knew since Daddy and Uncle Jethro knew."
 
"It was ordering lunch," he assured her, patting her on the shoulder. "Don't worry, I won't yell at him. I played hookie many days, dear."'
 
"Why do you guys expect us to get into trouble and then yell at us for it anyway?  I don't understand how living up to expectations is a bad thing."
 
He considered it then he took a deep breath.  "Each realistic parent realizes that their children will get into the same trouble we did, hopefully not worse trouble, but the same sort of innocent trouble we did.  Now, all parents, realistic and not, hope their children are smart enough to stay out of trouble.  So it's our hopes being dashed when we realize our kids are just like we were, pretty dumb and thinking we know everything."  He smiled at her.  "Any other questions?"  His son peeked his head around his arm.  "You lost your phone, son."
 
"Oops."  He took it and checked the message.  "Tiffy, what a shock," he said, calling into his voicemail.  She moved forward to listen to it, then he groaned and whistled, bringing Jethro in to listen to it with his father.  "Please stop her," he begged.  "Please?  She's stressing *me* out, dad."  He looked at his buddy.  "Maybe next time we'll go to the park?" he mouthed.
 
"Not without an escort," Jethro said, not having to look to know what had been suggested.  He looked at them. "There's way too many bad people out there to risk you two."  He handed the phone to the father after he had hit the button to restart it.  "You can call Evan later."
 
"Yes, Uncle Jethro."  She smiled Matt's father. "I get my first bra soon."  He moaned and shook his head, patting her on the shoulder.  "I'm not looking forward to it either, but I feel I should reassure you that even if I decided your son was all that I ever wanted to make myself happy and content, I'd be waiting a few years so you don't have to worry about it until I'm at least sixteen.  Or daddy's threatened horrible consequences."
 
Matt's father smiled at her.  "Thank you for reassuring me, Hannah.  That does make me feel better."
 
"Great, does this mean I need a renewed awkward talk about girls?" Matt complained, looking at his father.  "I know the teacher's ineffectual, father, but really.  Please, just don't?  I'm already creeped out by the last one."
 
Hannah looked at him.  "We get taught that?"
 
"Yeah, you'll be getting it next week in health.  It can be summed up in about three phrases.  Sex is bad and it'll kill you, marriage is the antidote to that, and people who have sex outside of marriage are diseased and bad and the root cause of rape, child molestation, and murder."
 
"Uncle Jethro?"
 
"She's wrong and an evil bitch for telling you kids that," he assured her.  "We'll make sure Ducky gives you the good one, and then we'll let Abby and your father finish and fill in the gaps he'll leave."
 
"Okay."  She smiled at Matt's dad.  "I have pretty cool parents."
 
"You do," he agreed.  "Thank you for bringing the phone back, Hannah.  You too, Gibbs.  No actual father tonight?"
 
"He's meeting an old first college friend of his, Prince Hakim," Hannah sighed.  "They're at some bar downtown talking about people he probably slept with while he was there."  She waved and walked off on Jethro's arm.
 
Jethro looked back.  "Sorry," he mouthed.

"I expect it," Matt's father mouthed back.  "Tell Tony about that teacher," he called, waving and pulling his son inside the house, handing him back his phone.  "Don't delete that, all right?"  He nodded, going to download it to his computer.  Matt's father went to find a beer.  Sometimes talking with Hannah was very odd.  He wondered how her father dealt with that mouth on her.

"Her father was raised like her, only Hannah has no 'off switch' between her mouth and brain at times.  Suddenly appearing thoughts are the norm.  She scared the science teacher by asking how DNA related to genocide and if they didn't have DNA testing back then, how did they know.  She referred her to Sisa and the Poly Sci teacher."  He sat beside his father.  "I'm good on waiting for girls, dad, and I doubt I'd date my best friend. If and when I'm ready, I'll come talk to you again and we can go to that condom shop downtown that's got the hundreds of styles, okay?"
 
"Sure, son," his father agreed, taking a long drink.  "We'll do that with Tony."  His son smirked at him. "Sorry, bad thoughts, kiddo. I'm not ready for you to hit puberty yet."  He patted him on the back.  "Stay away from that girl.  She could get vindictive and I'd hate to have to let Gibbs kick her ass over it."
 
"Oh, her daddy would do that," Matt promised.  "He made sure the headmistress knew that she was not the heiress everyone wanted to believe, even if she is, because if people started on that with her, he was going to get really pissed and mean and evil.  Oh, we're doing the talent show.  The headmistress said she could sing the song "Soldier" like your girlfriend did."  His father choked.  "What?"
 
"Um, son, that's about sex.  Does her father know?"

He texted her and then nodded when he got one back.  "Yeah, they're going to go song looking tonight."  He grinned at his father. "She said her father needs therapy to get over being shot like guys in that song.  I've got to teach that girl some hip slang sometime soon."  He got up to search out a slang dictionary online for the poor thing.  It was time for Hannah DiNozzo to prove she could be just as hip and cool as her daddy.
 
Matt's father got up to get a second beer.  He'd need one soon.

***

Tony knocked on the door to the townhouse their director lived in, holding up a diskette and then a wire. "You need this."  She let him inside, taking it from him.
 
"What is it?"
 
"I met with an old friend tonight, Hakim."
 
"Hakim…."
 
"Prince Hakim."
 
"Oh."  Her eyes went wide. "On his father?"
 
"No, on his brother who's leading a new rebellion movement. He's worried they're going to pull a massive slaughter of the population and it'll end up like a few notable ones in Africa over the last few decades."

"All right.  What format is it in?"

"Encrypted.  It's also in Russian.  It was his minor," he admitted.  She nodded, taking it to her computer.  He followed, letting her listen to the wire.  "He wanted someone, anyone, to stop him.  I agreed I'd bring it to you, my boss, and see if you could slip it into the right ear so I didn't have to hit the Pentagon tonight."
 
"I'll see what I can do, Agent DiNozzo."  She looked at him. "He's really worried?"
 
"After what's happened in Sudan and a bunch of the nearby countries?  Hell yeah.  He's terrified of his people dying that way in a long, bloody civil war.  He's not picking a side.  He said his brother's got some valid points, but there's too much of a chance of orphanages being burned and looted for soldiers."
 
"Good point.  I'll do what I can tonight.  Thank you."
 
"Not an issue. I'd hate to see another one erupt."  She nodded.  "I'll let myself out.  Just please try to make them see this isn't a good political movement to help grow.  Like they have in the past."  He walked out, shutting the door behind himself.  Then he headed to call Gibbs and get the tape he had made into his hands as well.  "Where's my baby?"  He smirked and nodded. "Be there in an hour, boss. No, worse, brewing civil war."  He hung up and got into the car, heading off to meet him at the mall.  He finally got there and walked in, slipping it into his boss's pocket.  "The tape from earlier," he said quietly.  He got a nod and buttoned that pocket closed.  "She having any luck finding something a ten- year-old can sing and not creep out everyone but the pedophiles, boss?"
 
"No.  everything she likes is older.  Something about _Bootylicious_ and some others."
 
Tony groaned and hung his head, looking at the nearest clerk, who looked pretty hip. "Help."  He smiled and came over.  "Daughter.  Talent show for school.  Headmistress thought "Solider" was appropriate for her.  She's ten.  List?"  It was handed over by Gibbs.  "Nothing on there. Please?" he begged.  "I ended up with creepy thoughts earlier hearing her sing it."
 
The list got a nod and he looked at Hannah, then led her over to an older person's section of the store, pulling up something.  "Jazz.  Classical.  Nice.  Blues could work but they're usually songs about hardship.  Jazz can be upbeat if you get the right sort.  That song's pretty good, pretty easy, and even if you freeze for the first thirty seconds, it's got intro music."  She smiled and hugged him, taking it over to listen to it.  He smiled at Tony and his boss.  "Billie Holiday, man.  Works at most every event."  He walked off when she squealed that she liked that one.  She got a few more on the computer's suggestion screen, including some Ella Fitzgerald.
 
"I owe you my sanity."
 
"Welcome, dude."
 
Gibbs smirked at Tony.  "Well, that's one thing out of the way.  Did you give it to the director?"  Tony nodded. "Good.  I'll see if I can whisper in someone's ear later tonight."  He walked over to grab the young lady and her music of choice, letting her buy the CDs.  He watched as Tony browsed and picked up ten in quick order.  "Do you need those?"
 
"Yup.  Abby's birthday is coming."
 
"Crap."
 
"I'm getting her tastes of home and stuff I know she likes but doesn't have since she was hinting."  He looked at him.  "The hint about needing more metal was either a new piercing or more music."  He found another three and brought them, checking out with his debit card.  Then he took the bag and walked Hannah out. "So, what did I miss?"
 
"Hannah told Matt's dad that he didn't have to worry about her hitting on Matt for a few more years."
 
"Better be more than a few," Tony said dryly.  "He drunk?"
 
"Possibly.  Tiffany called Matt to see if he could see her side of this debate, her word, and nudge Hannah toward calling someone on her father's behalf.  We've already talked to Uncle Evan about it and he called Matt's father to listen to the message himself."
 
"Good. I hate feeling used," she pouted, looking at him.  "I should dress up for this one too, right?"
 
"You should, as long as you get it approved," Tony agreed, patting her on the back.  "Did you remember to call Ziva about bra shopping?"
 
"Yes, but she didn't understand why I needed a real woman's opinion when I said I was taking Miss Devine."
 
"She probably doesn't understand anything about that lifestyle," Tony offered patiently.  "Not a lot of people do."  He ruffled her hair.  "We need to go see the guys and let them do your hair before then too."
 
"Okay!"  She smiled at him then ducked into the backseat of the car.  "Uncle Jethro, can I freak out McGee by coming in dressed just like Daddy some day soon and acting just like his little clone?"
 
"Sure," he agreed. "It might take him a few hours to understand what you were doing, but Abby would enjoy it."
 
"Thank you."  She smiled at her father. "I'll come over after class tomorrow, dad, okay?"  He nodded.  "Thank you too."  She blew a kiss and loaded the CD into her discman so she could go over it until she learned the words and inflection.   "Do you think I can dress up like her?" she asked really loudly.
 
Tony reached back to pluck out an earbud. "Maybe, we'll have to see once you get it approved.  You can tell the headmistress I was creeped out by the song choice as well."  She nodded and took the headphone back, then Tony looked at his boss.  "You wanna play that?"
 
"No, not really.  I'll drop it off on the way to your place."  Tony smiled at that.  "Go home, clean up the bedroom, and wait for me."  Tony winked and got out to do that, leaving his daughter with Gibbs.  She had been wanting to visit her Uncle Evan, the SecNav, for a few days now.  He had a new litter of puppies she wanted to check on.  Gibbs looked back at her.  "I'll take you home after we drop in on someone."
 
"That's fine.  I like Uncle Evan.  Think I can embarrass him?" she asked with a wicked smirk.
 
"You shouldn't embarrass family," he told her, starting the car and backing out of his parking spot.  It wasn't that far away, that's why he had picked this mall, that and it had better security if someone came after Hannah.  So they were there within minutes.  She left her CD player in the car and got out, heading up to knock on the door.  "Sir," Gibbs said, handing him the tape.
 
"Twice in one night, Jethro, that's usually considered a national emergency."  Hannah sighed and stomped a foot, glaring at him.  "I saw you, dear, but I can't help but tease Jethro."
 
She hugged him. "I brought him so I could play with the dogs.  Did you get that message earlier?  Are they in the study?"  He nodded, letting them inside and she headed right back there to check on the puppies she had seen born.

"What's this?" he asked quietly once the door was shut.
 
"Tony went to have drinks with an old college buddy, a Prince Hakim.  He came to Tony knowing he worked in the government hoping that tape would get into the right ear, Sir.  He's trying to prevent a civil war."
 
"It's a noble cause."  He led him back to the study so he could put it on, noticing Hannah was listening as well.  "This is top secret, Hannah."
 
"I'm hoping you can stop it as well, Uncle Evan.  It'd be horrible to see more people die for stupid reasons."  She went back to petting the mother dog, she wouldn't let her do more than look at the puppies yet.  "She's being a good bitch to them."
 
"She is," Evan agreed happily. "No problems nursing or anything."  He stopped the tape.  "Since when did this particular prince go to Ohio State?"  Hannah giggled and gave him a look.  "Oh, he did that."  She nodded.  "How much did he leave out?"
 
"Enough that I ended up nearly making him leave with my suspicions," Gibbs admitted, nodding at a chair.  He got a nod so sat down.  "Another college, a finishing school before that, and a few credits in another name."
 
"Wonderful.  Have him update his records, at least my copy of the records."
 
"He said if he did that, it would get back to the wrong people and he doesn't want others to use him like how they keep trying to use me," Hannah said quietly while she petted the dog.  One of the puppies escaped and she giggled, putting him back.  "You need to stay in there, little girl.  That way you stay warm and snuggly."  Evan smiled at her when she looked up.  "Can I help stop that tragedy in the making?"
 
"I know some people are watching that issue," he admitted. "I know a few people in the State Department."  He looked at Gibbs. "I keep a personal copy of all important records here. I want it updated, Jethro.  I understand why he does it, but I'll be damned if it won't become important some day."
 
Hannah got up and whispered in his ear, getting a nod. "That's what's not on there, Uncle Evan.  The same as it's not on my transcripts.  Neither of us want to fall prey to someone like Tiffy at the higher levels.  Especially since I want siblings and I want them to come from Auntie Abby's stomach."  She hugged his arm. Then she whispered something else. "That's on there but he never seems to use it."
 
"I remember seeing that and wondering why."
 
"He pissed off grandfather.  Why else?"  She got herself a glass of water and then sat down with the dogs again, letting the mother drink out of her glass.  "Has Uncle Evan forgotten to give you some water and soft food, momma dog?"  She got up, weathering the tolerant looks as she walked out to get some food.  "Shit!"  Gibbs jumped up and headed after her.  She pointed at the person stalking through the garden out back.  "Tell me that's a guard, Uncle Evan?  Please?"
 
He looked then shook his head. "It's not."  He tapped a code into his security system.  His guards nearly teleported into the back yard and tackled him.  "Those are my guards."  She smiled at him. "You two should probably go home."  She handed him the dog food.  "I know, I was about to feed her when you two showed up.  Jethro, do be safe with her.
 
"With my life, sir.  You know that."  He steered Hannah out to the car, letting her buckle up while he walked around and sped off.
 
"Every once in a while I want to shout 'whee' very loudly when you drive, Uncle Jethro."
 
He chuckled, shaking his head. "Do it to Ziva, honey."
 
"Okay.  Should we call daddy?"
 
"No, I'm sure he's pretty safe.  That's why I chose that building for you guys.  Including the fact that the owner's a former SEAL and the guy who manages it is a former FBI agent, plus they've got a few other retired agents living in there."  He turned a corner and saw the lights come on behind him.  He pulled over with a muted swear, pulling out his ID to flash it.  "We were visiting someone when their security forces had to pounce someone. I'm taking her to safety."
 
"Hi," Hannah said, smiling and waving.  "The SecNav was very nice to let me play with his dogs tonight."
 
The cop blinked and wrote out a warning. "Please try to keep it down, Agent Gibbs.  Have a better night, sir."  He walked back to the car, going in the other direction.  He had learned not to mess with agents over tickets in the time he'd been on the force.  They either got very cranky or complained to his boss.

***
 
The next afternoon, Hannah came off the elevator, dressed exactly like her father, sitting down at his desk since he wasn't there.  She logged onto his computer since it was on the 'locked' setting then looked at Gibbs.  She checked what he was doing and snorted, doing the background search for him.
 
"Hannah," he warned. "No"
 
"Oh, quit.  I'm bored, boss.  It's either this or I've got to stage a hostile takeover of somewhere that doesn't like women to have rights."  She sent what she found to him. "Does that help, boss?"
 
He looked at the new information. "It does actually.  McGee?"  He hopped up and came over to look at the new information.  "Weren't you looking for that?"

"Yes, boss. Thank you, Hannah."
 
"Mini me, outta my seat, no stealing my job," Tony teased, picking her up and kissing her on the forehead before putting her back onto her feet.  He snorted and pulled up a comprehensive background that he had been working on, sending it to Gibbs.  "Like that, princess."  She smiled at him and he mirrored it.  "Did you go talk to Ducky yet?"

"He drove me off since he had a body out.  I said it probably wasn't any more nasty than helping Uncle Evan's dog whelp the other week, but he said it was so I was to come help you."

"That's fine.  Pull up some homework.  Did you get the song approved?"
 
"She thought it was a very mature choice. She was surprised I knew what Jazz was."  She pulled her usual chair over, taking Ziva's since she wasn't at her desk.  She pulled out her backpack and looked at Jethro, who shook his head. "Should I order out for more coffee, boss?"
 
"No, I'm good," he promised, taking a drink of his.  "I could use it being warmed, Hannah." She came over to bring it to the microwave.  "She'll make a good agent some day."
 
"I'm showing her how her prior training can go toward that, boss.  I'll go over thorough backgrounds tonight."
 
"Good.  I'm sure Fornell will be pleased if she wants to take his spot some year."  She brought back his warmed coffee.  "Thank you, DiNozzo."
 
"Welcome, boss.  Any word on that tape?"
 
"He sent it up the chain and they're talking about how to stop it with a covert action."  He looked at her.  "We may not be able to fully stop it but from what I've heard it isn't being considered a useable action by any means."
 
"Good.  That coincides with my own research.  Oh, Auntie Marie called me to see how daddy got it.  I told her an old school friend.  She wanted his background files updated as well."  Tony cackled at that.  "She said she'd make it an order."
 
"Fat chance," he called sweetly.
 
"You know, they can fire you for that, DiNozzo," McGee offered, smirking at him. Tony glared at him.  "We all signed statements saying that what we had provided as background was full, accurate, and complete."
 
"Bite me," he snorted, going back to work. "My past is my own, and it doesn't usually impact my job.  If they want me gone that much, I'll go kick Fornell out of his desk and train Hannah over there."
 
"Would I have to wear a suit?" Hannah asked as she sat down again.
 
"Maybe.  Homework?"
 
"Deadly boring."  Tony gave her a look so she sighed and got it out, getting to work.  "Yes, boss."
 
"Thank you."  He found something else and beamed it over.  "Boss, reasonable motive."
 
"Thank you, DiNozzo."  He read it over, nodding.  "That's a good reason to blackmail someone.  Good work, both of you."  He looked at McGee.  "Where is David?"
 
"Ducky, boss.  Getting the autopsy results."  He gave him a hopeful look.  He got up to look. "How did you find that, Tony?"
 
"It was on his intake form for the service," Tony said dryly, smirking at him.
 
"I'll start checking those from now on."  He went back to his computer, he was working on his harddrive to find out where the safety deposit box was buried.  "Boss, I've got multiple mentions of Manassas.  He was a history major but I thought he wasn't a Civil War buff."
 
 "He's not by any indication I found," Tony offered.  "If you're going to bury something, that's a good place."
 
"It keeps mentioning this spot where his grandfather died, but nothing definitive on where he buried it."  He looked at Gibbs.  "I'll keep looking just in case."  He bent back over his keyboard and got back to work.
 
"Do we have coordinates?" Gibbs demanded.
 
"Working on it by mapping on my other screen," he reported. "It'll take about another fifteen minutes."
 
"Tell me when you've got it."  McGee nodded and got back to work.  "DiNozzo?"  Two heads popped up.  "The older one," he said.  McGee looked down at them.  "Did you find anything on the victim?"
 
"I did, boss."  He walked around her chair, patting her on the back.  He put it up onto the main screen.  "This is our victim, but the documents in the safety deposit box are from her sister, who is this woman," he said, clicking the view to change it.  "She was a former secretary to a Rear Admiral."  Gibbs moaned. "No telling if that's from her former job or not, boss.  All the victim said was that her sister said if she ever disappeared, to open the box and go to the press."  He looked at him.  "I'm guessing it is, or it was blackmail of another nature.  Either that or she ran into an issue that got covered up.  She said it's been two years since her sister handed it over.  She didn't realize her sister was missing until six weeks ago, then she went to the box and found it gone."
 
"So someone else knows what it was," McGee said thoughtfully, looking up.  "Do we have anything on her coworkers and past associations?"
 
"I'm glad you asked," Tony admitted, bringing that up.  "Sealed.  CIA."  He looked at Gibbs.  "That tells me it's definitely something she ran into at work, or a someone she ran into at work."
 
"I feel like I'm in Mission: Impossible," Hannah noted.  "Could it be more a personal notation, like her boyfriend was beating her?  Your report noted three calls to the police to have him taken off."
 
"It could be, but even those are sealed by the CIA so I'm guessing she was dating over there since she was Navy," he said, smiling at her.  "Good deduction, princess."
 
"Thank you, boss.  Um, what about this?" she asked, getting up and coming over to point at something.  "Do we know him?  He sounds familiar."
 
"That's your Uncle's golfing buddy.  He's been suddenly unavailable for contact all day, even when your uncle called to talk about the case with him.  He's her former boss."
 
"What was he over?"
 
"Special forces operations," he said quietly, looking at Gibbs again.  "So I'm not sure it's work or personal with this, boss.  Could go either way at the moment."
 
Hannah tipped her head to the side, looking over the information.  "Mixture."  Everyone stared at her.  "If she was dating someone at the CIA and caught them doing something, they could very well have sealed it for that reason.  Also, look at this."  She pointed at something on the financial sheet Tony had put up.  "Is it standard to get a huge ass bonus when you retire your commission six months early, and due to injury?"
 
Gibbs got up to look, frowning at that. "What injury?"  Tony highlighted that and pulled it up.  "A secretary got shot?"

"LEO reports that it was a drive-by, she was in the wrong spot," Tony offered.  "She was outside the office and no one should've been able to drive-by there, boss. I'm seeing what she is.  If I had to say something she either saw whoever she was involved with or someone she ran into at work doing something very wrong and took notes or something.  They tried to stop her, she walked away, thinking it'd protect her.  I can't trace that payment at all.  It's been too long."'
 
"We've tracked ones further back," McGee countered.
 
Tony looked at him.  "The bank said it was too far back."  McGee groaned.  "Therefore I'm thinking that someone knew what she had and it became pertinent again or something. She disappeared because she knew.  The file was taken shortly thereafter or just before then, possibly to draw her out as bait. The sister didn't realize because she thought she was on vacation, or so she said, and I've got my doubts after the morning interview.  She looked nervous during the second one, boss.  Fidgeting and looking at the phone.  The only reason she came to us and hasn't claimed her sister's returned is that she's scared to step out of what they've told her to do."

"All right.  Bring her here.  Incommunicado," Gibbs ordered.  Tony nodded. "McGee, see if you can trace that payment.  If we have to, we can go through the stuff her sister has stored.  It could give us another clue.  Go, now," he ordered.  Tony headed off and he stopped Hannah.  "You, sit and do homework.  No helping.  Also, no more swearing."
 
"Yes, boss." She took her father's spot, looking at his email message.  "Did you send him something?"  He came over so she clicked on it, letting him see the message.  "That's disgusting," she said, glaring at the picture.  "Truly disgusting."
 
"It is," he agreed.  "All right.  Print that."  He let her do that.  "Do your homework," he ordered quietly.  "Leave the work to the adults."  She nodded, pulling over her science textbook.  "Thank you.  Good job, Hannah."  She smiled at him and he went to find Ducky, showing him the email. "She looks familiar."
 
"A Jane Doe we had a few months back I believe," he offered, taking the graphic picture. "Yes, that was.  She had badly damaged dog tags so we were sure she was military but nothing else."  He heard the alarm go off and looked up.  "What's going on?"
 
"I don't know."  He headed to the lobby, getting a point from one of the guards.  He rushed out, calling Ducky.  "Get out here.  Someone tried to shoot DiNozzo."  He turned him around.  "Are you all right?"'
 
"I'm fine but someone's in deep shit," he said, pointing at his back seat.  "They shot at me when I saw that. She's going to kill someone."   He went to call Fornell, who would call Evan subtly to ask him about his dogs.  "Fornell, DiNozzo.  Someone put Evan's bitch's head in my backseat," he said quietly.  "They also just shot at me.  No, we've got a case with a CIA seal, man.  Please, check on him.  I'll tell her later. Thank you."  He hung up and looked at his boss.  "No further, Gibbs.  I don't want her traumatized."
 
"Of course not.  Ducky?"  He looked Tony over, making him sit down so he could work on a minor wound. "Fine,  Palmer."  He jogged over.  "Take that, cover it, do not let Hannah or Abby see it. Understood?"   He nodded and did that, wrapping it in a sheet and walking off with it.  He went to check on Tony.  "His hard head save him again?"
 
"A few abrasions," Ducky promised, smiling at him. "He'll be fine, Jethro."'
 
"Yeah, but someone's just earned my foot going up their ass," Tony growled.  "No one, I don't give a damn in what agency, threatens me or my daughter that way!"  He stood up and got free, heading inside.  He moved his daughter and got his special phonebook, walking back to the elevator and turning it off so he could call in private.  "Buck, it's Tony DiNozzo.  No, I need a small favor actually.  Not that sort but I can tell you to dump Microsoft sometime in the next six months," he offered.  "I'd watch them, they're wobbling at the moment with the suits and stuff.  It's making my senses itch and my tongue feels funny when I say their name.  No, someone stuck a dead dog's head in my car.  I'm working at NCIS with Gibbs.  My daughter's in with me today, man. All I want is to know who and why.  Yeah, that's my team's case.  Please."  He smirked.  "Yes, that's my baby girl.  No, my father had her come into being and everyone thought I knew.  I still owe some people one of my famous soccer kicks to the nuts.  Thank you.  No, to Abby.  Thank you."  He hung up and restarted the elevator, heading down there.  She smiled at him so he hugged her.  "Check your email.  I'm being sent a folder through you within the next half an hour."
 
"Okay.  By?"
 
"The person who just tried to get me to back off our current case.  They're sadly mistaken and I'd like to point that out to their face."  She gave him a worried look. "I'm fine, dear.  Just check it again.  It should be here by now."  She nodded and checked, and there was the message.  "Open it, print it, burn it, then erase it please.  Don't bookmark that address.  I can promise you it'll lead back to a virus within an hour."  She nodded, doing as he ordered with that one and the next one that came in.  then the third. She handed it all over so he kissed her on the cheek.  "Love you, Abby."
 
"Thank you."  She watched him walk off, then called Gibbs.  "Tony's pissed and scary," she complained.  "No, someone sent him some information through me."  She logged off that last message and erased it. "Thank you, Gibbs."  She hung up and went to check on Hannah for him.
 
Gibbs stopped Tony before he could climb into *his* car.  "Keys," he demanded.  Tony gave him a look. "Now."  Tony slapped them into his hand, then got the door open and slid in, closing and locking it so he could hotwire it.  Gibbs swore and found the right key, getting into the door just as the engine came to life.  "You're not supposed to do that, you know that," he complained, pushing him over.  "I'll drive.  You're in a bad mood."  Tony shifted over and took the information back.  "Where are we headed?"
 
"Manassas.  McGee was right."  Gibbs nodded and they headed off.  "He'll be there waiting on us.  Along with Ziva, who's apparently getting good at disappearing in the middle of a case."
 
"Why would she have?"
 
"I don't know," Tony admitted.  "That's why I'm skimming, boss."  He came to it and took the wheel, letting him have the sheet.  "That's why.  Daddy's in town."
 
Gibbs growled and handed it back so he could drive again.  "Great."  He sped through the yellow light and headed for the former battleground.  Someone was going to be sobbing by the time he got done with them, and he only hoped he could stop Tony from going after whoever it was for endangering his daughter. "You be all right?" he asked finally.
 
"Nope, not until he's begging and pleading for mercy."
 
"Okay.  I can enjoy some pleading today."  Tony shot him a smirk.  "The SecNav did order you to update your file or else he was going to fire you.  Just his personal one."
 
"Which is seen by anyone in his staff who has access to his office: Fornell, Marie, and a few others who I definitely don't want to know. I'll tell him but that's it."

"I could use it.  You've shown some skills from that military school you went to."
 
Tony snorted.  "Don't ask, Gibbs. Didn't you learn that lesson?"
 
"Well,  yeah, but I want to know, Tony.  You can tell me and I'll give him the edited version."
 
"We'll see."
 
"Tony, with how we're together…."
 
"I know.  Trust me.  I'm still considering it."  He looked out the window.  There were still people who wanted to hurt him and Hannah for his father's business dealings.  He had kept her out of it so far but it was getting harder. "Boss, I'm starting to worry."
 
"It won't keep going, Tony," he offered quietly.  He turned onto the highway and got up to a higher speed.  Lights came on behind him so he turned on his and they backed off.  "Good."  He sped up more, heading out there.  "Who was it?"
 
"McGee and Hannah were right; boyfriend was CIA doing bad stuff.  She reported it to her boss. Her boss reported it to his keeper.  His keeper made him shoot her then retired him.  He's missing.  I'm expecting her boss to be out there.  Any ID on the body I got emailed?"
 
"If that's her, it was our Jane Doe a few months back," he told him.  "Ducky said so."
 
"Well, at least it's a mystery solved," he sighed, rubbing his forehead.  "It's getting harder and harder to protect her, Gibbs."
 
"You're still trying to do it alone, Tony.  Quit being so stubborn."  He reached over to swat him, smiling when the head rested against his hand instead.  "It'll be fine.  We can protect her so we don't have to lose you."
 
"Thanks, boss.  Remind me of this later when I have nightmares, okay?"
 
"Sure."  He called Abby.  "Make sure Ducky knows not to tell her anything about what was in Tony's backseat, Abby."  He grimaced and sighed.  "Who told her?"  He nodded once.  "You tell her I wanna talk with her when I get back, Abby.  No, if anyone gets to scream it'll be Tony and it'll be stress relief."  He hung up.  "The director's secretary told her about the dog.  McGee's got her at the moment.  By the way, he thinks she's nothing like you."
 
"We'll see, boss."
 
"I noticed it last night, she's got your point, turn, gun check move down pat already."

"Yeah, well, we worry about you, boss.  You do stupid stuff."
 
"I do stupid stuff?" he said blandly.  "What do you call taking off after that person, DiNozzo?"
 
"A necessity.  They fucked with me protecting my daughter."

"Our.  If we're together, we're together.  That makes the demented little girl you helped create partially mine."
 
"So the demented tendencies are from Abby?" he asked, his mood lightening some.
 
"No, she gets that from you, DiNozzo. Trust me."  He pulled into the state park area of the battleground.  "Where now?"
 
Tony called the office.  "McGee.  Coordinates.  Now.  I know.  No, I'll be yelling at someone for telling her later.  I was going to break it gently tonight."  His daughter took the phone.  "Yeah, I know, someone did a bad Godfather impersonation. You can help me kick their ass later.  No, I'll be yelling when I get back.  Give me the coordinates.  We're in the north parking lot."  He nodded, pointing the right direction.  "Should we try from the other side?  Okay, big boulder.  Stray tree?  Stream, three hundred feet on the other side, go down the small hill and into the woods, past the bear's cave and the statue?"  He smirked.  "That works."  He hung up.  "To the camp statue, boss."
 
"Stray tree?"
 
"That's how it was written down.  Next time, I'm having him send me a map."  They got out and headed that way to find their missing suspect and what he had buried.  It only took them ten minutes since they took the direct path instead of the scenic route in the journal, and the admiral was indeed waiting on them trying to dig up his ill-gotten gains.  "Gee, Gibbs, should I start with him for trying to threaten my little girl?" he asked loudly.  The man turned and his gun came up.  Tony stared at him.  "The dog in my backseat?"
 
"Dog?" he asked hesitantly.  Tony moved closer. "Don't move!"  Gibbs stepped into view.  "Crap."  He noticed Tony walking over. "I said don't move!"
 
Tony backhanded him.  "For upsetting my daughter by cutting up her favorite dog."
 
"That wasn't me," he shouted.  Tony glared at him so he swallowed.  "That was probably my brother.  He's in the CIA."
 
"Thank you, I'll be talking with him later," he promised, flipping him over with his foot and handcuffing him.  "Struggle. I dare you to," he hissed.  "I'm not a happy camper."
 
"DiNozzo, quit trying to threaten him," Gibbs said as he came over.  "The safety deposit box?"  It was nodded at so he finished digging it up, looking inside.  He went pale and closed it, then kicked the guy in the side. "Bastard.  Pick him up and drag him with us."  They walked back, taking the scenic route this time since he'd have so much trouble climbing in the handcuffs.
 
"Boss?" Tony asked.  "What?"
 
"Her child.  They tried to have her miscarry and that's why she died."  He glanced back at him. "Disproves Ducky's theory about the body.  It's got where she's at.  Or he could tell us."  He glared at him, getting a swallow.  "He's a new father.  He's not going to be nice," he assured him fondly. "You thought I was a bastard?"
 
"Boss, some of us like you being a bastard," Tony assured him.  He got a smirk.  "I do.  It keeps me from hurting people." He glared at the admiral.  Who whimpered.  They made it back to the car and he shoved him into the back seat.  Then he got in to drive.  Gibbs gave him amused looks.  "Keys."  They were handed over.  "Good, you can question him and read him his rights."  He backed up with a squeal of tires and sped off, showing he had listened in defensive driving classes at the academy.

***

Tony walked into his apartment, wincing at the music playing.  "Turn it off!" he yelled. "That's even worse and I know you didn't own that.  You better not have downloaded the slutty music either."  He walked back to his daughter's room, seeing her confused look.  "That's all about butts."'
 
"I realized that, dad.  The Poly Sci teacher gave it to me earlier."  She took out the CD and handed it to him.  "I wasn't sure why he gave it to me. I thought it odd. I thought I'd see if there anything on there I liked before I gave it over."
 
"Let me listen to it first."  He headed for his room, nodding at Jethro as he came in.  "I dropped off the rent check.  Her teacher gave her this one."  He put it on in the kitchen so he could cook dinner, skipping through some very explicit songs.  Gibbs came in and turned it off. "Think they're out there?"

"They were at a staff meeting earlier but I doubt it.  Don't you have the headmistress' number?"  Tony nodded, going to find it and throw a fit.  Gibbs winced when he heard the screaming start in the hall.

"Your fucking teacher handed my daughter a CD with explicit sex songs! You, me, meeting right after breakfast!"  He hung up and walked in, slamming the door.  "Is anything on there acceptable for her to hear?"
 
"Possibly."  He skipped through the first few songs.  "I like that one myself.  Abby listens to it now and then."
 
"I've got that one.  Keep going please?"  He added pasta to the boiling water.  He broke it when he heard the rap song.  "Please skip that?"  It was skipped past and he nodded, stirring the pasta and going to find the tapes she might like.  "These have things you can listen to," he offered, smiling at her.  "Did he say anything about why, Hannah?"  He sat next to her.  She shook her head, hugging her pillow. "Is he someone your creepy guy senses are going off about?"
 
"No, that's the gym teacher.  She got a bit too happy talking about periods the other day with us."  She looked at him.  "Is he one of those bad people?"
 
"I'll know by in the morning," he promised, smoothing her hair down.  "Cheese, sauce, or veggies on top of the pasta tonight, princess?"
 
"Veggies please.  I could use some veggies.  I'm sorry, dad."
 
"Hey, definitely not your fault, daughter."  He hugged her.  "It's his for giving you explicit songs like that.  No kid your age should have a 2 Live Crew song given to them."  He kissed her on the head. "Don't worry, if he thought he was going to touch you, he's in for a world of hurt when I get him tomorrow morning.  Gibbs might have handcuff me to keep me from going in there and hurting him."  She grinned at that.  "Seriously.  He nearly had to earlier when I found out who had threatened you like that.  Did you call him?"  She nodded.  "What did he say?"
 
"He was at the office and hadn't heard anything.  He sent his secretary to gather them and bring them plus some bottles.  He said he'll get him during his tribunal."  She snuggled into his arms.  "Thanks, dad."
 
"Not a problem, Hannah.  Like I said, none of this was your fault."  He stroked over her hair.

"Dad, I don't want to move to Chile unless we can bring Jethro and Abby," she said quietly.
 
"I know, honey.  I don't want to either.  But the good thing about this place is the security."  She looked at him. "Phil the doorman is a former cop.  The manager's a former FBI agent. Your Uncle Tobias is going to throw a fit when you email him later."  She gave him a weak smile.   "I can agree to telling him. If you don't, I'm pretty sure Jethro will."  She nodded and got up to email him.  "Good girl.  I'm going to finish dinner and plan on how I'm going to torture the slimy bastard.  Come out when you're done. It should nearly be ready."  He walked out, finding Gibbs stirfrying vegetables.  "Thank you."  He stole a quick kiss.  "Are you as pissed as I am at her teacher?"
 
"Very.  Are you going to be okay?"
 
"Nope.  Not if he tries to touch her."  Someone knocked on the door so he walked over there to open it, nudging the cat out of the way. "It's Ducky," he said even before he checked.  The cats loved him because they liked the smell of his mother's dogs.  He opened the door, catching the one trying to run out.  "You still live in here.  You can't visit the neighbors to eat."  He tossed that one onto the couch and looked at Ducky.  "Problems?"
 
"Sisa called me," he said with a tolerant smile. "Apparently the headmistress called that particular teacher and said something along the line of 'you hit on DiNozzo's daughter, how stupid are you?'  She assured me it's being fixed so you're not supposed to come armed tomorrow but she would like the CD to check and see what was on it."
 
"2 Live Crew," Tony told him.  "It's a mixed CD."  Ducky sighed and nodded. "She need it tonight?"
 
"If you could.  That way your temper would lessen a bit."  Tony nodded and went to get it, handing it over.  "Thank you, Anthony. Please try to stay calm and don't bomb the school tomorrow?"
 
"If he does, can I have the week off?" Hannah asked as she came out, giving him a hug.  "Dad, I'm coming in tomorrow too."
 
"Sure, kiddo."  He smiled at her.  "Did you tell Devine you were bringing Ziva for female support?"
 
"I did and I told her it was partially because Ziva's fairly sheltered and I needed her to loosen up around me or else I'd drive her insane too.  I told her to be the most flaming queen she could.  That is the right phrase, right?  She laughed."  Tony smirked and nodded.  "She promised that it was fine and she knew Ziva barely.  Said it was good to know who was guarding your arse."  She walked into the kitchen, looking at the pasta.  "I think it's dead."  She fished out a piece and tasted it.  "Bordering on mushy."  She drained it and rinsed it off, then looked at the veggies.  "Ready?"

"Pour it in," Gibbs agreed.  She dumped it in there then handed him some spices, getting an eye roll.  "Yes, dear."
 
"Thanks, Uncle Jethro."  She hugged him and went to talk to Ducky.  "Uncle Ducky, can we talk?"  He nodded, sitting down beside her.  "You know the average age for puberty these days for girls is eleven and I'm ten, and well, I'm hoping I'm not going to be quite as endowed as the last women my father was staring at."
 
"Hers were fake," Tony called.
 
"Good to know.  Can mine actually get that big?"
 
"Looking at your momma?  Yeah, definitely."

"Well," she said, looking at Ducky again, seeing the slight blush.  "They're arguing over who's going to give me the talk and dad suggested I ask a few different people, that way I get the whole story since our sex ed teacher told us it was evil and deadly before marriage.  Apparently part of the ceremony is administering an antidote for the poison that spreads if you have it outside of marriage?  She also said anyone who had it was an evil being and I don't believe that because my father's only slightly evil, and I think some of his exes drove it to him by what Director Sheppard told me recently."  Gibbs choked, Tony moaned, and Ducky blushed more.  She ignored their reactions.  "You are a doctor so I thought you could at least give me a factually correct talk."'
 
He patted her on the knee.  "I'm not ready for that yet, Hannah.  Are you sure you are?"
 
"I'm going bra shopping this weekend with Miss Devine and Auntie Ziva," she said.  She looked at the kitchen then leaned closer.  "Are they supposed to hurt when they come in?"    He nodded, patting her on the shoulder.  "I don't need pain.  Pain is bad."
 
"Pain?" Tony called, coming out to look at her.  "What pain?  Like needing the hospital pain or needing Tylenol pain or other sort of pain?"
 
"No, dad, my tits hurt."
 
"Do…not call them that," he sighed, heading back into the kitchen.  He came out with the bottle of Tylenol, handing it to Ducky.  "Please, administer."  He went back in there.
 
Ducky shook one out and handed it over.  "Take one before bed, Hannah," he said gently.  "The pain shall ease once they've reached full …girth. Then you'll get some limited growing pains for your legs, arms, and height.  As for the sex talk, I'm not really that sort of doctor, dear."
 
"I know, but you're a good one and an uncle.  Can you imagine Uncle Jethro giving me one?  Or Timmy?  Abby's would be cool but I might end up with a tattoo at the end of it."  He cracked a smile at that.  "When I'm ready who should I ask?"
 
"Ask the director, make her suffer through it," Jethro said as he came out.  "Just don't ask me.  Please."
 
"Of course not.  I might think that building a boat is the same as sex, Uncle Jethro," she teased, grinning at him.
 
"I made due for years, kiddo.  Ducky, staying for dinner?"
 
"No, I should fix dinner for Mother," he admitted, standing up.  "The pains will ease soon enough, Hannah.  You could ask Ziva, I'm sure she got a fairly comprehensive account on that subject.  If not, I'll have Sisa find you some reading materials, shall I?"  She smiled and nodded. "I'll call her later then."  He escaped.
 
Tony waited until he heard the elevator head down before coming out. "I said work but that's fine," he whispered, making her beam.  "I agree, ask the director, honey.  Ask Tim his opinions too."  She beamed evilly then let out a small cackle.  "Hey, it'll liven up the paperwork tomorrow."  She went to clean up and grab her plate.

"Maybe Abby should have that talk with her," Gibbs said quietly.
 
"I'm hoping someone does," Tony offered.  "Please, boss?  I'll beg and do anything, even behave tomorrow."
 
"I'm so far out of practice for women I couldn't tell her what she'd need to know."   He ate a bite.  "Think about Kate doing it?"  Tony started to laugh so he grabbed his plate before it fell.
 
"Who was Kate?" Hannah asked.  She slid down beside him.  "I've never met her."
 
Tony pulled her into his lap for a hug.  "Kate was our coworker until she died.  She died about when we got the present Director.  It's been a little over a year now."  She nodded, looking at him while chewing.  "Kate could be a bit stuffy but she was one fierce woman to have at your back. She was like a sister to me, Tim, and Abby."  She rested against his chest and he cuddled her. "If you get a baby sister some day I'm sure her name's going to be Kate somehow.  You would've loved to yank her chain, Hannah.  I yanked her so hard she sometimes had to stomp off fuming.  She was a good woman."
 
Hannah swallowed.  "Car accident?"
 
"Job," he said quietly.  "There was no way to prevent it.  She died saving Jethro."
 
"Oh."  She considered that then looked at him again.  "Is that a common hazard?"
 
"No, I usually have more chance to die from Jethro's driving than I do on the job," he assured her, giving her a squeeze.  "Right, boss?"
 
"That's true," he agreed quietly.  He handed Tony the plates and got their daughter instead.  "I promise, if we had been able, she'd still be alive, Hannah.  I'm not losing another team member if I can help it."  She nodded, cuddling against his chest.  "I'm going to keep us all safe."

"I know you will.  I trust you."  She looked up at him.  "Because you'd never let me be an orphan, or else I might have to take over Dad's job for real."

He nodded, giving her a squeeze.  "That's true, I'd train you just as soon as you graduated."

"Thank you, Uncle Jethro."  She took her plate back, wiggling until she was back between them.  "Eat, don't make me tell Abby you're going to deprive her of making more squealy noises from lack of energy."  Both men cleared their throats but ate.  They knew she'd do it - at work, in front of the director.

***

Hannah walked up to where Abby, Palmer, and McGee were sitting, sitting across from them.  "Guys, I need help."

McGee smiled at her.  "What can we do for you, Hannah?"

"Well, first, I'm going to need some help preparing my show for the talent show at school.  I'm not sure Daddy can do theatric."

"Oh, he can," McGee promised, patting her on the wrist. "I promise you he can.  He's every bit as much a drama queen as Devine is now and then."  She beamed at him for that.  "What's the second thing since you said first?"

"Well....."  She looked at him, then at Palmer.  "You guys know the average age for puberty in girls is eleven and I'm kinda heading there quickly.  As a matter of fact, Miss Devine and Ziva are taking me bra shopping this weekend.  But someone's still got to have the talk with me, and no offense, Auntie Abby, but I have the feeling I'd end up bonding with you via tattoo at the end if you gave it to me.  Uncle Ducky got *really* flustered when I asked him, and you three are young, hip, and partially cool."

"I think I should protest the partially cool part."

She gave him a look.  "Elf Lord McGee, not exactly the sort of hip Matt's trying to help me be."

"Okay, I can accept that point. I was never a hip teenager and I'm not exactly on the cutting edge, but I'm firmly comfortable with my level of hipness."

She looked at him. "You're nearly good at redirection as I am."   She gave him then Palmer her best puppy eyes.  "I really need the talk, guys.  I'm growing tits and they're bothering me.  They hurt!"

"They do," Abby agreed quietly.  "Mine hurt every time they grew."  She looked at the boys.  "Go ahead, she'll need a male perspective anyway."  She sipped from her big gulp.  "It's either of you or the Director, or Ziva and Miss Devine.  I can't imagine Gibbs doing it and poor Tony would start to share memories."

"Who is this Miss Devine anyway?" Ziva asked as she sat on Hannah's free side.

"Oh, a friend of dad's.  She's a former DI.  She works with Uncle Bryon, who's a real hoot.  He's assured me he can do my hair in a style that would work with the song I'm singing."  They all smiled at that.  "Daddy threw *such* a hissy when I was going to sing _Soldier_."

"Isn't that about gangs?" McGee asked Abby, who nodded, blushing just a bit.  "Where did she hear that one I wonder?"  He smirked, he had caught her humming it in the lab and could figure out why.

"Matt's daddy's girlfriend sang it to him, he said so," Hannah said with a grin.  "The Headmistress said it was appropriate."

"Oh, no, it's not," Abby assured her. "No way in hell are you singing that or dating a gang banger."  She stared at the little girl, who just grinned.  "Okay, Mini-Tony.  Ask the guys again, being your usual self."

"Guys, I need the sex talk!" she whined.  "Please?"

"I'm not qualified to give it. I haven't dated that much," Palmer said, running off.  "Doctor Mallard needs me back promptly today," he called over his shoulder.

Hannah turned her big, green eyes on McGee, who went pale and slowly shook his head. "I'd mess it up. I have no idea what to say or tell you.  Nothing like the practical stuff.  Sorry."  He fled, forgetting his lunch.

"You forgot your sandwich," Ziva called.  She looked at her.  "Please don't ask me.  My own discussions on that matter were very...clinical.  I doubt you need to hear that."

"Hey, it'd be more than I've got now."

Hannah looked at her.  Ziva shook her head.  "I was trained to get information from men like your father for my former job," she explained gently. "All of my discussions on the subject of sex were aimed toward that end."

"You could ask the director, see if she can explain it, or Fornell," Abby offered.

"I try very hard not to upset him since he wants me to follow in his footsteps.  Besides, I'm not sure he'd know," she admitted.  "I'd rather get it from a female but that's kind of limited in my life to you two, Miss Devine, which is rather out, and the Director.  I need stuff from a guy's point of view so I understand what I'm doing with one, but the base necessities I'd almost rather have from a female."

Abby suddenly squeezed her eyes shut.  "I just had the vision of you going all over DC asking each woman you met to give you the talk."  She shook her head quickly, then took a drink to clear her thoughts with the new caffeine.  "I'll see what I can pull up from various health sites and we'll talk after you get back from bra shopping with Miss Devine and Ziva."  She got up and left them together.

"I'd ask the director," Ziva offered.  "You know she's been trained the same way and it might do her well to think about dating."  She smiled and leaned closer.  "That way you can torment her like you did Timothy."  She patted her on the back when Hannah smiled at her astute guess.  "I'll leave you to foment how to talk to her."

"Daddy said he'd pay me fifty bucks if I got Palmer and her," she whispered.  She got up and headed up to ambush the Director.  Of course, she had Ziva's phone in her pocket.  She smiled when the director came out of MTAC for her own lunch, earning a smile back and she took the older woman's arm.  "I need some advice," she said quietly.  The director smiled and took her back to her office.  She sat across from her. "Unfortunately, I'm ten, and the average age for puberty is eleven in the US, and also unfortunately I'm apparently starting a bit early."  The director nodded slowly at that.  "I believe it's time to have the first of that series of talks, however I'm surrounded by men and Abby's looking for information but I've always thought those talks came better in person."  She shifted and crossed her legs.  "Also, I'm going bra shopping this weekend with Ziva and Miss Devine, a friend of Daddy's."  The phone in her pocket rang so she pulled it out, then held up a finger and answered it. "Uncle Jethro, I've got her phone.  It fell," she lied.  She smiled.  "Of course."  She got up.  "Be right back, ma'am."  She hung up and walked out to the catwalk, tossing it her father's head, smiling when he caught it.  She winked and headed back into the office.

Tony looked at Gibbs.  "She'll talk to her, right?  Not blow it off?"

"Oh, she probably will," Gibbs assured him. "Better her than me."  Tony nodded too.  Ziva's phone went into her drawer then Tony sat back down like nothing had happened.

Tim looked at them.  "She asked me and Palmer too, said she needed a guy's advice."

"Some day I hope she will.  Then again, she might end up liking girls.  I'd be okay with not being Grandpa Tony some day."  Gibbs suddenly shuddered.  "What's the matter, boss?  Not looking forward to being Grandpa Uncle Jethro?"  Gibbs choked on his sip of coffee.  "Just think, some year someone will call Abby Grandma Vampy."

Tim got up and ran off, then burst out laughing in the stairway.  He came back ten minutes later and sat back down, looking totally calm, cool, and collected.

Hannah came down the stairs a half-hour later.  She was wobbling and shaky, kind of pale, but her cheeks were pink.  She sat down next to her father.  "No wonder you make so much noise," she said quietly, then she got up and went to the bathroom.

"YES!" Tony shouted, jumping up and down a few times.  "Someone told her!"  He smoothed out his clothes and sat down again by the time she came back.  "Need help with your history paper?"

"Not yet," she squeaked, then cleared her throat. "I'm still considering a topic."  She turned to look at him.  "I was told it was painful the first few times?"

"Not if your lover knows what they're doing.  I always tried to make it pleasant."

"Okay.  Is that why Auntie Abby dates older guys?"

"She said it's a sign of maturity."

"I can see where she would come to that assumption, especially the first few times," she agreed, regaining her natural poise and composure.  "Are we encouraging me in that direction?"

He looked at her.  "If there's emotion there, and you want it to be good, it'll only get better with time," he assured her gently.  "So that means if you end up with Matt some year far in the future, which shall number at least six or else, then that's what'll make it the best."

"Okay," she agreed. "So I'm free to explore that once I'm sixteen?"

Tony leaned closer to her ear.  "If you turn into the slut I was, I will put you into a convent so fucking fast you'll beg.  Do we understand?  Dating is one thing, sleeping around is another."

"Yes, dad."  She nodded quickly.  "Never happen.  Dating is good for me.  I'm not going to be a ho."  She shifted some, crossing her legs.  "When am I old enough to date?"

"When you're fully through the other side of puberty, you've found someone you like, and you've introduced him or her to the three of us," he ordered quietly.  "Understood?"  She nodded, smiling at him.  "Until then, you can go out in larger groups as long as there is an adult there.  Preferably one of us though I will not endure ten giggling girls.  I doubt Jethro would either.  But Abby could go or I do trust Ziva and McGee enough if you wanted to ask them as long as we're informed."

"Yes, sir."

"Makeup and hot clothing can wait for a few more years."

"Yes, dad.  Not a problem with me.  I don't need makeup to make myself beautiful."

"You don't.  You're already stunning."  He smoothed down her hair.  "You'll be a classic beauty when you're fully grown but don't rush it, okay?"  She nodded, giving him a faint smile. "Good. Now, when you're a bit older, you can go to her and Abby to get the more full version."

"Can I go talk to her?"

"Sure.  As long as she's not busy."  She nodded and got up, going to talk to her pseudo- mother.  Tony leaned back and rubbed his eyes.  "I'm the father of a preteen.  Soon it'll be boybands, pushup bras, and makeup."

"Not with your daughter.  She's got more class," Gibbs reminded him patiently.  Tony gave him a grateful look.  "She's going to have really high standards."

"I don't."

"You do now."

"Point, boss. Thanks."

"It's a hard time for all of us, DiNozzo.  Just endure, even through the angry phase."

"I'll remember that."  He sat up and got back to work.  His daughter was downstairs in the lab filling in her knowledge by asking more detailed questions to the woman she could see becoming her mother.

***

Ziva walked Hannah into the house, letting her flop down onto the couch with a sigh of relief.  Then she knocked on Tony's bedroom door, walking in, not caring that Abby was in there with him doing laundry.  "You could have warned me Devine was a man," she said quietly.

"She kept saying a 'real woman's opinion'," Tony reminded her.  "Why, problems with Devine?"

"No," she said, shaking her head. "I don't understand it, but ...she seemed very nice and she only teased me a bit.  She also said you've got two tattoos?"

"I've got one tattoo," Tony told her.  "The second was a discussion we've been having."

"Oh.  Can I see?"

He looked at her. "It's right next to my ass.  Get permission from Gibbs."  She blushed and nodded, heading back into the living room. "Thank you for helping her."

"Not a problem.  It was a hoot.  That's the right word, correct?" she called, coming back to the door.  Tony and Abby both nodded.  Ziva smiled. "It was rather fun watching her pick out what she wanted for her very first bra, talking about support and holding them down for more active times.  I advised her on getting ones you can defend yourself in and Devine in ones that made her look sweet and cute.  Devine got into it with a jughead at the mall and there was a bit of trouble but I managed it very well."

"Jarhead, like a Marine, or Jughead, like an idiot?" Abby asked.

"Both really but he was in uniform.  I called Gibbs to get his advice and he talked to the security guards who agreed it was the jarhead's fault."  She shrugged.  "She wore herself out and is napping on the couch.  We let her go into the record store and Devine made sure the music wasn't rap and wasn't too bad.  Some of it was playing in the mall and made my teeth grate.  Then again that's most of the noise they call popular music.  She did call Matt to brag about her new bra and he's probably still bright red.  Devine had a talk about how young boys like him don't want to know those details until it's on their girlfriend and they're getting in a grope. She called back to apologize to him and bought him a CD he'd like.  How much did she earn for asking the Director?"

"Fifty bucks for you, Palmer, Ducky, McGee, and Abby.  I figured one of you would have the talk with her."

Abby patted him on the arm. "I corrected all the misconceptions she came to me with.  The director was going for 'you should really love them totally with your whole heart," she said, putting a hand over hers.  "You've got to wait until marriage.  All that stuff.  Which is nice, but not very practical for most teenagers."

"I told her if she turned into a slut like me she'd be a nun."

Abby smiled and patted him on the cheek. "You're out of that phase now and it was all practice to make sure you make it good for the ones you're presently with."

He smiled.  "Thank you for saying so."  He kissed her on the cheek then looked at Ziva, whose eyes were really wide.  "What?"

"I didn't...."  She looked in the living room then walked in and closed the door.  "You two are together?"  Abby nodded.  "Dating?  The Director knows?"

"We're keeping it fairly quiet," Abby told her. "I'd appreciate her not being told since we're actually a trio."

Ziva squeaked and her eyes got wider.  "Trio.  As in...three?"  They both smiled and nodded.  "Is that legal?"

"Do we care?" Tony pointed out.

"Probably not," she decided, calming herself down.  She looked around the room and instantly knew who the other person was.  His coffeemug was on the bedside table.  She shook her head.  "It hasn't affected the team so I don't care, but does McGee know?"

"I think Hannah told him because he hasn't been able to look at us for a few days."

"All right.  As long as it doesn't affect the team," she decided.  She opened the door again.  "Was there going to be dinner?  She wasn't sure."

Tony and Abby shared a look. "If Gibbs doesn't care, I can host a movie night for the team."

She called.  "Gibbs, Ziva wanted to now if we're having a team dinner."  She nodded.  "Okay."  She hung up.  "He said that was fine.  He'd bring over sawdust and grass since he was mowing earlier and just working on the boat."  She smiled at Ziva.  "What're we doing for dinner?" she asked, coming over to walk her into the kitchen so they could check the cabinets. "Tony, you have no food!" she called pitifully.

"Yes we do."

"Two cans of stewed tomatoes and six types of pasta, a jar of minced garlic, and venison in the freezer isn't food!" Abby complained. She stomped back in there, making him look at her, earning a smile. "Did you get really hungry?  We went grocery shopping not even a week ago," she patiently reminded him.

He kissed her gently then grinned.  "I know.  She had a food drive at school, took almost everything and we've eaten the rest.  Matt's at the bottomless pit stage."  She smiled at that and skipped out.  "Make Gibbs go shopping on his way over.  That way we're not out of coffee too."

"Sure," she called, picking up her phone to call him.  "It's me again.  No, dinner's still on but you're responsible for finding food.  Hannah participated in a food drive.  Ground venison, stewed tomatoes, pasta, and minced garlic.  Thank you."  She beamed and hung up.  "He said you owe him for Chinese."

"Sure," he agreed, coming out.  "The rest of the laundry can wait."  She turned him around and gave him a shove. "Fine, I won't be sociable," he complained. "Call McGee.  That way she can brag about her new bra."

"We talked her out of that," Ziva reminded him.  She looked at Abby.  "She's going to be very nicely built when she finishes growing. Oh, I forgot.  She and Devine did talk about the talent show and what she'd be wearing. She found her a dress, it's on reserve for her so Tony will have to go back and get it."  Tony came out of the bedroom. "She didn't have enough left after all the CDs and bras."  Tony shook his head and handed over his wallet. "Are you sure?"

"Devine's the best drag artist in the city, if not on this coast.  If she says it suits the music, the performance, and her, it's all good as long as it's not horribly expensive."

"Eighty-three but she can wear it repeatedly to formal events."  She headed off, going to pick it up for the young lady.

"You've got to do formal events?" Abby asked.  He moaned and let out a small whimper, nodding.  "When?"

"Next weekend, Saturday night."  He trudged off.  "Remind me to get my tux cleaned and pressed."

"Sure, dear."  She followed him.  "Are we going?"

He looked at her.  "Do you want to go?  It's going to be Senators and things.  Capitol Hill charity event."  She shuddered.  "I'll get you dressed up if you want, Abby."

"No thanks.  You can bring Gibbs, claim it's for security."

"He'd kill me.  Ziva making the connection is one thing.  Senators making the connection when they're over our budget is another.  Especially since some of the people there are going to be very, very unhappy with gay Marines.  I had to defend a few of them at the *last* one of these I went to.  They think I'm an opinionated ass but I don't care."

"You are, but you've got very liberal opinions and you don't discriminate, which is why we love you," she assured him, giving him a kiss.  "When is the show?"

"Thursday night.  And yes, I know we're on for cases then.  I'm hoping and praying it won't happen."

"It won't happen.  If it does, you'll show up later and I'll go in with you."  He nodded, walking her back to the laundry to finish putting it away.  Someone slammed the door.  "We're doing laundry."

Gibbs came to the door one he had put the food in the kitchen.  "I figured you two were making out," he noted dryly, coming in to get his own kisses and a hug from Abby.  "Where's Ziva?"

"Going to pick up the outfit she's wearing to the show Thursday night and then to the gala ball on Saturday night."  Gibbs hissed.  "We were personally invited to go since it's a charity event.  I wasn't going to mention it because there's so many bigoted asses who'll be there."

"That's fine. I hate those things."

"Yeah, me too," he complained. He hit himself on the forehead. "Boss, I've got to make it to the bank Monday and then on Friday to pick stuff up."  Gibbs gave him an odd look.  "Not like I leave the good jewelry here, boss.  She'll need shoes and stuff too."

"I got shoes, that's why the dress was so much," Hannah called, coming to the doorway of the bedroom.  "It'll be okay.  I'll look stunning and I've already arranged for Bryon to do my hair Saturday afternoon and Thursday afternoon.  We're getting out early for that so I'm heading there on the shuttle, I'll dress there and Devine will bring me back to the school.  Where I'll stun everyone but I'll understand if a case comes in."  She gave them all hugs.  "Did Ziva leave?"

"She'll be back.  She went to pick up the dress.  Make sure Probie's on his way."  She nodded, going to do that.  He looked at his lovers.  "I would've mentioned it but I didn't think either of you wanted to go."

"How many of these do you go to a year?" Abby asked.

"Traditionally three. Two gay ones and one children's one."  She smiled at that, giving him a squeeze.  "One's military oriented for their gay officers.  One's an AIDS related charity event.  The other is for the Children's Hospital."  Jethro smiled at that. Tony squeezed his eyes shut then pinched the bridge of his nose.  "I'm foreseeing a lot more invitations coming our way soon.  It's a bad thought."

"No bad thoughts in the bedroom.  We agreed," she said firmly, pushing him back onto the bed.

"You're right.  I don't have to think about my daughter dating and the press catching it.  I don't have to think about her wedding and having to throw it for her if she doesn't elope.  Please let her elope so I don't have to throw a society event."  He suddenly looked at them.  "His business partners are going to be there."

"Will you need backup?"

"God I hope not," he moaned. "Hannah, are you sure we have to go?"

"Yes, father, I'm sure we have to go," she called patiently.  She knew he was flinching from that word.  "The director said you had to go and be charming, that way they wouldn't cut our budget this year."  She walked into the doorway eating out of one of the boxes of food. "Thank you for getting me stuff, I'm starved, Uncle Jethro.  Miss Devine eats like a rabbit to keep her girlish figure and Ziva ate salads with her.  How do women stay alive on those things?" she complained, eating another bite.  "By the way, I ordered more food on my debit card since I'm going to pretty muchly eat everything you brought."  She ate another bite and looked at her father.  "There's another issue.  School trip."

"No way in hell you're going to Atlanta without a hell of a lot of chaperones, a personally hired bodyguard, and us," he told her.

"Okay."  She went back to her room, going to tell Matt that.

"I'll take a few of those days off and we can go to a theme park if Matt's not going," he called, feeling miserable for her.  "Why are they taking her whole year to Atlanta?" he complained.  "They do the same places every year so each year gets a different spot.  Next year is Montreal.  The year after that is Miami.  The year after that is LA.  Then New York, then London, then Paris, then Jamaica or Barbados, depending on forecasted weather predictions."

"Maybe next year she can go," Abby offered.  He gave her a horrified look. "Or not," she agreed quickly.

"It's too dangerous right now," Jethro agreed quietly.  "You don't think we'd be enough?"

"I do but she'll try to sneak away and this way Matt'll have someone watching him too. Besides, school trips like this often need more chaperones.  My sixth grade year we went to Paris with two of them for forty kids."  Gibbs looked horrified.  "Needless to say, a few of the students got lost. Two got arrested.  One nearly got picked up by a French lover.  I went to Germany with my girlfriend of the moment.  We spent the weekend at the family house over there.  Then we rejoined the group and she said she never realized we had left when I got caught sneaking out of my girlfriend's room three days later.  I asked."  Gibbs smirked at that.  He could just see Tony mouthing off about going to Germany being okay but sex not being okay.  "I brought home some excellent wines and chocolates and my father bitched about her not having a good enough bloodline for me.  So he had us broken up."  He looked at them.  "The last two probates are coming up."

"I've already got your paperwork in," Gibbs assured him.  "It'll be fine."

"It won't be fine.  One's the final one on the estate, making sure everything's all right, and the other's my Aunt's estate and that will was a nightmare.  Everyone wanted it to be broken and redistributed but no one wanted to agree on how."  They looked confused. "Seven ex-husbands, all playboys.  She left everything to Hannah so she could become a woman like her."

Abby shuddered.  "No!  Nononononononono!  Won't happen.  I know it won't happen."  She started to pace, until Jethro caught her and kissed her stupid, then she smiled at him.

"We won't let her turn into a slut like that.  Nor like her father before he came to us."  She beamed and nodded.  They both looked at Tony.

"I told her she'd be a nun.  Oh, did you hear, they want to cast Paris Hilton as Mother Theresa in a movie."

Abby gave him a horrified look.  "Wrong!  So very, very wrong!"  She stomped off, going to verify that.  "Hannah, honey, are you okay?"

"Admiring myself."  She came out in just her bra and pants.  "I look funny with tits.  Um, sorry, breasts."

Jethro came to the door and nodded.  "You do, put on a shirt.  That's normal.  You'll look better later on."  He closed the door so he didn't have to see that anymore.

"Hannah, clothing is no longer optional for you," Tony called.  "I don't want to see you developing.  It's creeping me out."

"I still say you need therapy," she called back.  "If I have big breasts, can I wear clothes like that one singer?"

"No!" he and Jethro called together, making Abby giggle and shake her head as well.

"Fine."  She went into her bedroom to put back on a shirt, coming out redressed in a t- shirt and shorts.  "I don't have to wear it all the time yet, right?"

"Not until you're older," she promised, kissing her on the temple. "Then you'll need to."

"Okay."  She knocked on the door. "Guys, can we talk before everyone else shows up?"  She went back into her bedroom and came out with a letter, noticing how everyone was staring.  "It hurts, okay?"  She sat down and held up the letter.  "My mother wrote back."

"Why didn't you tell me!" Tony complained, taking the letter to look over.  He smiled at the nice words letting her daughter down easy and telling her about her life.  "Well, she's nice enough I suppose."  They shared a look.  "You okay?"

"Not terribly, no.  I'm disappointed, a bit angry with her for abandoning me there with him.  I'm upset that she's decided I can't be part of her life and upset even more that she's surprised my grandfather let me write."  He nodded, getting up to pull her into a hug.  "I know it's stupid, but she is my mother."

"At the time she was very young and she made a financial decision," he offered quietly, stroking her back.  "If she doesn't want to be part of your life, then she's not worthy of being part of your life because of her bad judgement of not wanting her own daughter."  They shared another look.  "Got me here?"  She nodded, swallowing a bit.  "Remember, you get all your good habits from me," he teased, grinning just a bit.  "Plus your good fashion sense and your good taste."  She smiled at that and hugged her.  "Write her back, tell her it's fine, that her decision sucks but you understand it.  That you know it's hard on her since she moved on."  She nodded, going to draft the letter.  He flopped down and handed the letter to Gibbs.  "I'd like to smack the bitch," he muttered.  "How can you not want to have her in your life!"

"Easy, she doesn't know Hannah and how great she is," Abby reminded him, taking his hand to hold.  She took the letter when Gibbs was done, reading it over.  "Hopefully she's happy in her new life and she's moved on, but Hannah knows now that she made a choice and she's sticking with it."  She gave his hand a squeeze when he leaned his head against hers.  "Besides, a new mother in her life would only throw her."

"You're a good mommy, Abby," he said quietly. She sniffled and hugged him.  "Thank you."

"Welcome."  She climbed over him to hug Jethro, then sat in Tony's lap with her feet on his.  "Now, what're we doing for my birthday this year?" she asked Gibbs, who always celebrated it with her.

"The usual then a quiet dinner between the three of us?" he suggested.  She smiled and kissed him.  "We'll let Ziva babysit that night."

"Okay.  I could like that idea.  Then I could be really noisy."  She smiled at Tony, who just smirked back.  "You're having dirty thoughts," she teased.

"He's alive, of course he is," Gibbs agreed with her, smirking at Tony's hurt look.  "You have more than your fair share."

"I'm making up for all those who don't have any," he shot back, smirking at him.

"Boys, play nicely or I don't do anything but sleep tonight," Abby ordered.  Tony whispered in her ear, making her squeak, blush, and hide her face.  "Never mind," she said in a high, squeaky voice.

Gibbs looked at him.  "What did you have in mind?"  Tony whispered it in his, making him blink.  "Ambitious since we've got work tomorrow, DiNozzo."

"Tomorrow's a Federal Holiday so we're only on call.  If someone dies it'll be at the picnics later," he defended.

"I thought we still had to go in," Abby said, looking confused.

"We'll ask, I'm sure Ziva checked," Tony offered.  He called her. "Where are you?  I know you didn't go to Cleveland for bras."  He listened then nodded once.  "Okay.  I'll make note of that.  Thanks."  He hung up.  "She and McGee are both trapped, there's a fiery wreck on the interstate.  She said she can see McGee's car from where she's stuck and has talked to him a few times."

"Please tell me she didn't tell him how cute I look in the bra?" Hannah called.  "Do I have to put one on when they get here?"

"You can wear that if you want, for now," Tony called.  "They're family.  They've all seen me in my boxers before."

"Why?" Abby asked.  "I didn't get to see you in your boxers before this."

He grinned at her.  "That's what happens when Kate screams about a lizard in her room while we're trying to sleep."  She giggled at that.  "She did."

"She did, woke us both up," Gibbs agreed dryly, looking at Tony.  "No coffee in the house?"

"She took it with her, boss.  I swear."

Hannah came out, redressed and sighing.  "Come along, Uncle Jethro.  We'll go feed your addiction and get me some chocolate."  She hauled him to standing and then out of the apartment.  "I'm using my debit card."

"Sure," he called, waving at the now-closed door.  "She's very good at handling him."

"She is," Abby agreed, grinning at him and stealing a kiss.  "Love you."

"Hmmm.  Love you too, Abby."  He kissed her again, making her moan and clutch his chest.  The phone rang and he growled into it until his lips were free.  "What?"  He listened to the shocked voice.  "You caught us mid-kiss, Probie.  No."  He hissed and spanked her. "No biting.  Yet."  He listened.  "That's fine, she's already ordered and paid for it.  It'll probably be here about the same time you are.  Sure.  No, she and Gibbs went to pick up chocolate and coffee since she stole his.  That's fine.  No, we don't need a warning."  He stopped the hand inching up under his t-shirt.  "No, we're being good until they come back.  Laundry and stuff.  See you soon."  He hung up and kissed her, pinning her hands in her lap. "Naughty."

She smirked.  "How nice of you to remember."  She wiggled until she was straddling him and it was all good from there.

***

Tony walked in from the ball, letting Hannah proceed him and curtsy to the group.  "Doesn't she look pretty?" he prompted.

"Stunning," McGee agreed, smiling at you.  "It's clear you're growing up."  She beamed at him.  "Sorry, guys.  Had to call you back."  He glanced at her again.  That dress did highlight her burgeoning figure very well.  She looked at least three years older than she was.

"Thank you," Hannah said, hugging him. "I was bored shitless."  She sat down behind Gibbs' desk, logging into his computer since he wasn't there.  Everyone stared at her.  "Yes, I know what everyone's password is.  It's not hard to figure it out.  Can I help?"

McGee shook his head.  "Not yet. Fornell is briefing the boss, who'll be briefing us.  That gave you two enough time to get here."  Abby came off the elevator in black velour pants and a tank top.  "Did we get you up?" he teased.

"Yup, you sure did."  She looked Hannah over and sighed. "You're getting so big!" she complained.  They shared a smile. "I like that amber necklace with that dress."

"Me too.  Thank you for letting me borrow it, Auntie Abby."  She stood up and walked over to hug her uncle when he and the boss reappeared.  He gave her such a sad look.  "Is it related to the dirtbag?"

"No, but you're growing up so fast!" he complained.  He patted her on the bare shoulder. "You're chilly, go steal your father's jacket."

"Yes, Uncle Tobias."  She took her father's jacket when he held it out.  "Boss, I logged into your computer for you, just in case I had to help pull things up."  He shook his head and loaded the files they needed, and she glared at Fornell.  "It doesn't relate?"

"Not directly.  Two of his business partners."

She snorted.  "Please, try more like blackmail buddies."  She looked at her father, who shrugged.  "Yours?"

"I can."  He sighed and pulled open his bottom drawer, pulling out a small CD case holder, flipping past the music CDs to find a few plain ones without labels.  He looked up, mentally figuring out which one he wanted.  He pulled out the second one and loaded it into his computer, then got the clicker and loaded the files he wanted onto the main screen.  "Herbert Lafrac, French national," he reported quietly, highlighting something.  "Single, again.  Known to have some very vicious ex-wives that make Gibbs' look like pussycats.  Major trader and trendsetter for the London and Japanese stock markets.  Mostly involved in futures commodities.  Oil, foods, and fabrics for the most part.  He's very big and everyone listens to him about the silk forecasts.  He happens to be a silent advisor to OPEC about production levels.  Unsurprisingly my father had blackmail on him.  Apparently one of his wives was underaged, barely, when they married and her mother signed the papers a day after the marriage took place, making it invalid.  That one was kept until she and her mother died in a plane crash with his heir.   Since then he's had four more."  He clicked on another picture.

"Where you find Herbert, you find his counterpart and rival Docily Banks.  He claims it's a family name before anyone asks. Again a futures and trendsetter, this time for Paris and the AMEX.  He deals most often in businesses that're going to be sold or acquired by force.  Some limited futures buys."  He clicked to a third picture.  "That is their silent partner," he said, looking at Fornell, who was pale.  "Who I'd say this was about?"  He nodded.  "That is Sheik Al-Hazari's youngest son.  In school I called him Mortimer because he was such an asshole to me.  Always so stuck up and a pain in the ass. Kept trying to steal my girlfriends but they knew they were only a conquest for him and a passion for me.  Besides, I was the better lover."  He clicked on.  "This is Mortimer's last publicity photo.  I've kept a cautious eye on him over the years.  His dealings and style of management is aimed more toward offensive in all meanings of the word.  The man would kill his father and destroy his home mosque to get what he wanted.  In school, he actually said once that Mecca wasn't as holy as it could be and no one would really mind if he put a major hotel chain there.  Which he did but it got burnt down during construction."

Fornell nodded. "He's turned a bit more difficult since then, DiNozzo.  He'd destroy all the holy shrines to get his way in a good business deal.  Unfortunately he's using some very illegal means to do it.  Including some members of the military. He's blackmailed a few into dealing arms for him."

Tony shook his head and rolled his eyes.  "That's probably due to his brother."  He uploaded a different CD.  "Mortimer's little brother Jesus, as we called him.  "He was born a right wing radical and hasn't changed since then.  His views are so hardline it makes some of the Taliban rulings look like a Clinton orgy."  Fornell whimpered at that.  "Yeah, I've been out of the loop but he and Mortimer are still in the public eye. It's not that hard to track them and I keep an informational eye out for all my old schoolmates when they come up in the open press.  Since I don't go to reunions, I don't keep a very careful eye on them anymore." He looked at his daughter, who was giving him a calm, casual, bored glance.  "You have though."

"Some of them," she admitted quietly.  "Jesus there," she said, pronouncing it in the Spanish method, "is a bastard.  He wanted my older sister to help him or marry him once. She turned him down.  Amanda said she'd never marry someone that radical, it wasn't good for business to associate with anyone too far to either side.  Grandfather admitted it was probably wiser that way but he still had me as a moderate influence.  She calmly set his brandy on fire and glared at him.  That's when the start of their problems began.  Junior laughed."  She looked at Fornell again.  "Jesus was not happy and tried to tell the others she wasn't a real DiNozzo.  Amanda kindly talked to a few of her school friends and pointed out she deserved better than some grubby little wannabe prophet who lived in the desert and didn't bathe.  He has the delusion that he's the second coming of Mohamed.  Not many believe that way with him but he's got power and influence in certain sectors.  Not enough to get total obedience but some cooperation in turning the more moderate viewpoints to the wayside."

She shifted some, clasping her hands on the desk. "Uncle Herbert was going to take Junior in as his trainee when he graduated so I did see rather a bit more of him than I wanted.  He also liked Amanda as a future spouse. He saw exactly how powerful she was in her own right and what she could do for him.  He fell in lust with her skills.  She and Junior were teaming up to join his league, use him to overthrow Grandfather, then Herbert, and take both their places.  Amanda as the head of Herbert's since it was more openly influential and Junior as the head of the DiNozzo empire.  Then he started to see how Grandfather operated, Amanda got killed in the crash and he died of a mysterious ailment.  That's when my own grooming started in the business world.  Herbert was very cautious about me, thinking I was too nice to really do the job until I took over a minor company of his with my supposed-exercise company and made a move higher up the chain of command.  Grandfather stopped me before I got too serious.  Said it was bad business to openly screw your partners that way.  Of course, you're leaving out the fourth bastard at the square table, dad.  Morishma."

"I was trying not to remember the homicidal little bitch," he noted dryly, calling up that profile. "Sociopath with a Harvard MBA, too much influence in politics, especially in the weapon's industries, and her view point has always been 'suffering is good for business, it makes people need things'.  She worked her way to the square table because she took over each of their companies for a few months and then fixed it and sold it back at a huge profit."  Fornell moaned and sat down, rubbing his head.  "Morishma is the truly dangerous one of the group.  She'd use any influence to get what she wants.  She also happens to like Jesus and Mortimer a lot.  Jesus is her godson."  Fornell's head snapped up at that, staring him down.  "Whether or not she'd make family suffer?  I guess that depends on how it'd help her plans.  She has every plan to rule the world from behind the smokescreen the table set up.  My grandfather's ideas were often called 'quaint' and 'cutesy'."  Gibbs shuddered at that.  "Herbert's ideas were usually called 'sex and pleasure driven', which they were," he admitted.  "Docily she watched because he had some atrocious mood swings about what he wanted to see the world turn out as.  Their silent partner amused them all, and he was a great source of entertainment making him jump through hoops to get the best deals.  Hence Jesus being her Godson.  She wanted to train someone to take her place but not have the inconvenience of motherhood."

"She's one of my godmother's as well," Hannah noted calmly.  "I rejected her methodology out of hand immediately, stating that her ways led to worker shortages and higher costs of keeping those who were injured and damaged by the wars, plus a higher military expenditure that could better be spent creating infrastructure so your worker base would continue to grow and not have pesky union uprisings and things. She thought I was short- sighted but I pointed out my way led to total control without union bargaining issues.  Her way led to a lot of funeral homes being in business.  She bought funeral homes after that."  Ziva looked at her.  "Your father probably has heard of Morishma.  I'd be very surprised if he hasn't.  She's very large in the world of weapons as a backer and a heavy supporter of the industry."

Tony looked at the two supervisors. "So, why have these relics of power come up to haunt me yet again?"

"They're behind planning an attack to take out Hannah.  That's what the dog was about," Fornell said quietly, standing up.  "They want her out of the way.  She's posing a threat."

Tony was still for a moment, then calmed himself.  "We have emergency plans."

"They know that."

Tony smirked.  "I'm trained the same way she was and I actually made it through my training, Fornell.  I've got issues they can't intercede in.  Even if they tried.  Even if they had me declared an enemy combatant, there's people who'll be there for her and protecting her.  Plus, they always did discount me.  Did you want them begging, arrested, or out of the way?  I'd prefer the first two."

"Arrested," he noted.  "They're causing harm and the power vacuum could use some shaking up."

"Not totally.  There needs to be some stability or else the stock markets could all crash and create a world-wide panic," Hannah noted, standing up and walking around to hold her father's hand.  "I can."

He smiled at her, then tweaked her nose.  "They think they can fuck with me and it's time they learned they can't. You're untouchable."  She nodded, letting him go.  "Go home with Jethro tonight, Hannah.  Boss, I'll be out of contact for forty-eight hours."  He walked out, heading for his car and a very nice other place he had in the city.  Because someone was going to pay for getting near his daughter.

Gibbs called Abby.  "Track whatever he's going to do," he ordered quietly.  "All I know is it's in the city."

"It's in Alexandria," Hannah said, moving closer.  She looked at him.  "We're sorry this came back to haunt us here, Uncle Jethro."

He stared into her eyes.  "I expected it to sometime, Hannah.  Even before I knew about you," he said honestly.  "If you and your father try to enact any of those emergency plans or leave, I'm going to kick his ass, make him beg for mercy, and crawl back.  You can tell him I said that."  She smiled at him and tipped her head in acknowledgment.  "Go change into something else and give Abby back her necklace."

"Yes, Uncle Jethro."  She smiled at Fornell.  "Would you escort me home for a moment?"

"Of course. I haven't seen your cats in days."  She smiled and took his arm to walk out on it. "You are so very grown up some days."

"Yes, but I was so bored!" she complained as they got onto the elevator. "You'd think people that powerful could hold real conversations, especially when someone else starts them."

Jethro shook his head once the doors had closed.  "McGee, go unload that CD and put it back.  I'll let Tony copy down the information we'll need."  He looked at Ziva, who was just staring at Tony's former spot.  "It's how they were raised," he said quietly.

"I know Morishma myself.  He's right about her, but I had no idea he was connected that way."  She blinked, then got up.  "Gibbs, they're like the mafia in some ways."

"I know that, now.  That came out when Hannah showed up, Officer David.  The same as the fact he had two other children who died."  She straightened up.  "We knew something about this before. I got to see all the files Amanda had hidden on the people around her.  I got to see all the other files that got put out about his family for the wills and things.  I'm really surprised that Tony isn't using it for anything but that's not the sort of guy he is."

"Did he use it when he was picking up women?" McGee asked.

"Probably not. You've got to be pretty high up to have even heard of the family," Gibbs reminded him.  "It wouldn't impress a bar pickup."  Abby came up the stairs.  "What's wrong?"

"Hannah's acting oddly," she told him, staring at him.  "What's wrong?"

"The dog's head was a warning that some of her grandfather's former associates were going after her," Ziva told her gently.  "Tony's went off somewhere to handle it."

"Excuse me?  Alone?"

"He'll come home, Abby," he reminded her.  "He knows that."

"I don't care, Gibbs!  You can't let him do this stuff alone!"

"Abby, it was his choice and he'll come back.  We'll calm him down again," he reminded her quietly.  She sighed and stomped off, going to call him.  "He'll be fine."  He looked at Ziva.  "Since it looks like we can't do more than security for her tonight, did you want first or second watch at my place?"

"Second.  I'll take the dawn watch."  He nodded.

"Boss, I've got a dentist's appointment tomorrow," McGee reminded him. "At two.  So I'll have to leave at lunch. Should I cancel?"

"No.  We'll have her here tomorrow.  We'll have the additional security.  Just don't let him sedate you."

"Routine check and cleaning, boss.  He shouldn't have to."  That got a nod.

"Are we sure it's safe?" Ziva asked.  "These people could very well try to target us if Tony moves against them."

"It'll be fine, Ziva," Gibbs said firmly.  "I doubt they'll know until the noose is around their necks.  DiNozzo was more subtle and he's seen all their weaknesses for years."

"Yes, but they saw his."

"He's got different ones now. He's not nineteen," Gibbs said quietly.  She nodded, relaxing again.  "You can tell the Director if you want.  Tell her we've got ample security at my place.  Fornell was planning on moving Tony and Hannah over there and he was going to be on my couch as well."

"Very well."  She went to do that.

***

Gibbs looked up as Tony came home late Sunday night, looking at him.  Tony sat down next to him, then laid down so his head was in his lap.  "Need help?" he asked quietly, stroking through the damp hair.  It wasn't raining and he smelled sweaty.

"I hate myself."

"No you don't."

"I just set the torch to the foundation of their empires," he whispered.  "I'm destroying lives and it could put a lot of people out of work.  It was the only way."

"They'll be fine and someone will take over.  There's always someone looking to take over in a higher prestige and power business."  Tony nodded.  "Are you safe?"  That got a slight shrug.  "Is that an answer?"

"Morishma saw me doing my last one.  She wanted to know why, so I told her my daughter meant the world could go to hell for all I cared.  She laughed.  I hung up on her and torched her last company through her last business deal.  By 8 am Madrid time, she'll be in custody of the FBI or the CIA, depending on who checks their informants first tonight."  Gibbs nodded so he looked up at him.  "I just rocked the foundation of the business world, boss, and I'm hating myself."

"I know, Tony, but you did what you had to do to protect your daughter. The rest is unimportant as long as she's safe and content."

"Is she?"

"Will she be?"

"No one'll come near her again.  If she wants to go back to that life it might cause problems."

"Then she's safe and you're safe.  That's all I care about."  He went back to stroking through his hair. "Did you run from Alexandria?"

"No.  She told you where my office was?"

"Just the city.  When you're ready, you'll show me," he promised.  Tony nodded, closing his eyes.  "Why are you sweaty?"

"I had a bad case of the dry heaves on the way over."

"I understand.  Did you manage to get us a raise in the budget so I can get a raise?  Abby's an expensive habit."

Tony gaped at him then burst out laughing. "I wasn't going to manipulate for you, you know that.  The director might come to expect it."

"That's fine.  Maybe I'll ask her for a raise during our meeting tomorrow."

Tony gave him a hug.  "You deserve one, boss.  You're the crankiest boss and you'll need it to keep up your coffee habit since the price of coffee is going to skyrocket soon."

"I'll stock some extra in the freezer," he assured him.  "Ready to go to bed?"  Tony shook his head.  "Abby's already asleep."

"I don't want to use you two as stress and anger relief.  It's a bad habit to get into."  He sat up and looked at him. "I've been blocking Hannah's attempts to get the estate's final draft of the resolution more equal," he said quietly.  "I'd almost rather be cut out."

"Tough.  Take it anyway, DiNozzo.  Consider it a bonus for surviving so long and hiding it so well."  He stood up and hauled Tony up as well.  "Shower, then bed.  You can have nightmares between us.  Even the day off if necessary."  Tony nodded, following him up the stairs to their bedroom.  Hannah had apparently climbed in with Abby sometime recently, she was being used as a teddybear by the loudly snoring little girl. "I thought that was you that night," Gibbs muttered, taking Tony into the shower with him.

Tony let Gibbs set the water and help him out of his clothes, needing to feel like he wasn't in control of everything for a little while.  He let Gibbs set the entire pace, just holding onto him and relaxing again.  "I hate being in charge," he murmured finally.

"I noticed that. It's a good thing I am."  He rinsed them off then got a kiss and a smile.  "Good boy.  You ready?"  He nodded so they got out and headed for the clothes Gibbs had pulled out earlier in the evening.  Tony was dressed in a pair of sweats and Gibbs in a pair of running shorts, then they went to curl up beside Abby, with Tony between them.  Abby sniffled Tony's chest a few times, then one of her arms got put around his waist, and she drifted off again.  "See?  Not in charge," Gibbs whispered.  "They run us both."  Tony smiled and let himself finish drifting off.  Gibbs watched, then smirked, only getting up at the other loud snore.  He pulled Hannah off Abby but both girls whimpered.  "I'm putting you back in bed, Hannah."

"Scary people with lights," she complained, tucking her face against his neck.  "Not sleep alone."

"Shh."  He walked her back to her room, checking everything to make sure it was sealed tightly.  Her cats made way for her body then got their usual spots, one beside her head, the other under the covers against her lower back.  He tucked her in and went back to her father, who was shifting some. He laid down behind him, making Tony calm down, which made Abby smile in her sleep.  It was good to feel needed and wanted.

***

Tony hung up his cellphone as he walked back to the crime scene a few weeks later. "Boss, your fondest wish was just asked of me.  I said I'd ask the Director, but do you want what you asked about?"

"I was joking but I could take it," he admitted. He smirked at him.  "Why?  Who's offering?"

"The budget committee.  We're doing some of the CIA's job with what the director's doing so they were going to switch some funds over."

"I'm sure they'll be pleased.  Talk to the director, Tony.  Hint you heard it at the ball."

"Sure, boss. Thanks."  He looked at the body, then at their boss, who nodded, so he left.

McGee looked at him.  "We're getting a bigger tech budget?   We could use some new computers and lab equipment, boss."

"I'm sure some of it will go that way.  Abby's already given her a list of 'want', 'need', and 'special presents that would make Abby squeal'."  He smirked at him.  "The director's secretary thought that was cute."

"It was," Ducky agreed.  "I saw what her list entailed.  It was well thought out," he agreed.  "Jethro, this one was eaten by something post mortem.  I'll need to take dental impressions once I get her back."

"Go for it, Ducky.  Let me know if we've got rabid squirrels or something."

"Squirrels eat people?" McGee asked. "I thought they ate nuts and leaves."

Gibbs looked at her.  "I was being facetious, McGee.  Get back to work."

"Yes, boss."

***

Tony smiled at the director's secretary.  "I have a bit of news to share.  Is she alone?"

"On a call."  She smiled and typed in a text message, getting a 'send him in immediately' one back.  "Go in but be silent."  He nodded, sneaking into the room, even closing the door silently.

"Sir, I'm most appalled by the circumstances you've pointed out to me, but I do know that my agent was kicked out of that family at the age of nineteen for not wanting to play along."  She looked at Tony.  "Hold on, sir, I've got an urgent message from the field.  Let me answer it."  She put him on hold.  "Somehow they found out the information came from you," she hissed.  "That's Senator Penrose."

Tony smirked at her.  "It did come from my father's files.  I inherited them after his death and my daughter had access to them.  Thankfully she's ten and learning better."

She nodded, clicking back on.  "Sorry about that.  We just had an agent in the field have a minor injury, some people don't prioritize very well."  She listened to him complain, waving her hand in a go-on motion while the headset dug into her ear.  "No, sir.  No, I did talk to his supervisor, who pointed out he had inherited some of his father's files and that his daughter had been raised in the house until she ran away for her own sanity and security.  No, a very abusive household.  Well, sir, there were suspicious circumstances surrounding her two siblings' deaths," she admitted.  "No, she's ten.  I doubt she planned it.  I personally believe Agent DiNozzo's father planned it since he made the children come into being and made sure no one told him about it. Yes, sir.  I know that, sir.  I can have him paged, sir.  Not a problem."  She put him back on hold.  "I'm supposed to page you."

Tony smirked and took the headset, then her seat, kicking back, hands on his stomach.  He clicked the button.  "Senator Penrose, this is Special Agent DiNozzo. You had some questions about the information I turned over on your business dealings with my father?"  He listened to the spluttering.  "Well, sir, he did die.  I did inherit some of his files, and my daughter did inherit more of them, plus her sister Amanda's files.  That's the majority of where I found that information, and I was only doing my job."  He smirked at the director. "While you're right I could have, I did wait until I saw that they were refusing to leave my ten-year-old daughter alone.  When a threat was sent her way, I felt I had to act.  I'm sorry if the oil deal you helped them work toward was mentioned.  I didn't offer anything specifically about that.  Though I'm sure the further connections were being investigated once they were in custody for the various issues they've had.  Well, no, but then again I wouldn't call supporting and cheerleading genocide to be an issue either.  I'm more talking about the various methods of removal they've used over the years on senators, diplomats, and other business associates.  I do believe it was that sort of information that got them arrested and then the investigation dug deeper.

"No, sir, I never wanted to be promoted ever again.  I like my spot under Jethro Gibbs's iron control.  No, he didn't know what I had.  I never shared that information with him since it hadn't been pertinent for a case.  He wasn't even aware of what my father did for a living before this incident and my daughter came to light.  You know, sir, the President asked him if he needed to take a closer and stronger role in making sure this information didn't get out.  I believe the president decided to bend his moral limbo bar and suggest he claim me in a way that would allow him total control over my life."  He smirked at the horrified look on the director's face.  "No, sir, not needed, but thank you, sir, and do realize that I didn't intend to get you, the six lobbyists, or the other four congress members who may end up impacted, depending on how deep the probe goes, sir."  He listened to a bit more spluttering.

"You know, sir, there is the option of checking on the investigation's depth.  I'm not sure if it goes very far or not. It might not extend to that deal since it does look legal on the surface; it's only knowing OPEC countries' rules and Sharia law as I do that I know it's illegal on the other end. Thank you, Senator Penrose.  You might ask the FBI agents in charge of it.  I know Agent Fornell was assigned to guard my daughter so he wasn't involved.  No, my father had him guarding her in the past so she trusted him to do it this time with the rest of my team.  Thank you, senator. You have a better day."  He hung up and dialed another number.  "If I do this for you, you grant our team's wish lists, Gibbs gets a raise, and you don't think about removing me from Gibbs' team ever again," he ordered, looking at her, his finger hesitating over the last number.

"Do what?"

He smirked and hit the last button.  "Jackson please.  Tony DiNozzo.  He's expecting me."  He hummed along with the music.  "Jackson, I've asked and she graciously agrees, as long as she can use it to up our tech and lab budgets, plus reward one of her hardest working supervisors with a long overdue raise."  He smirked.  "Well of course I want my boss to have a raise.  Think about it, I'll have a happier boss."  He grinned.  "Thank you, Jackson, for pointing that out.  No, I just had a talk with Penrose.  He's panicking.  There's going to be so few of those soon, but he's full out panicking.  Called my director and she had to page me so I ended up back here when my team's out on a case. Thank you, Jackson.  Sure, I'll let her know you want to have lunch.   She'll probably talk about her cats and the talent show she just recently won.  No, nothing business related.  She sung Ella very well, in an appropriate outfit and hairstyle.  No, the same one from the gala but a more time-oriented hairstyle.  Nope, Devine helped her create the whole performance.

"Yeah, I love Devine's style.  Just barely over the top is good for me.  Love you too, man, and say hi to Curby the kitty for me.  Of course.  Jackson, to be honest, you heard about the SecNav's dog?  That was a warning that they were coming after her.  I'll be *damned* if anyone's coming near my daughter.  Yeah, let it be known.  Well, Fornell wants her to follow him and she's seemed pretty interested so far.  I've been pointing out how her training is good for that.  Sure, thank you.  Want the director since she's hovering?"  He smirked.  "Love you too, man."  He handed it over and stood up, letting her have her chair back.  "Welcome," he said, then smirked as he walked out, going to make some coffee.  Gibbs would need some more when he came back.  He always did and he'd only snap at them more if some wasn't waiting on him.  He heard the elevator so grabbed his boss's cup and poured some in, handing it over as he walked past him on the way back to his desk.  "Do we have an ID yet, boss, so I can start a background?"

"Ducky thinks it may've been an accident and then he got eaten," Gibbs said, sniffing the coffee.  "Did you put that stuff Abby does in it?"  He nodded.  "Why?"

"It was the only coffee in there."

"I'll fix that later."  He sat down to drink it.  It was caffeine and coffee-mostly.  He heard the squeal of delight from upstairs and smirked.  "I take it you talked her into it?"

The director came jogging down the stairs and smiled at Tony.  "Thank you, Agent DiNozzo."

"As long as the deal stands, boss."

"Fully.  Not an issue, Agent DiNozzo.  Are you sure?"

"Oh, yes, ma'am, I'm sure.  He was slightly right about me needing the firm hand and careful hand-training. Otherwise I might continue my former dating trends."

"If that should happen, I'll overlook it, even though I don't personally like the idea of it."  She looked at Jethro.  "We need Agent McGee to get with Technical Support to see what we need to upgrade.  I need it today, Jethro."  She walked off, still smiling and happy.

"You heard her, Probie, we just got a raise in the agency," Tony said with a smirk.

"Boss?"

"Go."  He jogged off, having to come back for his coffee to take with him.  He looked at Tony. "Feeling better?"

"Much, thank you," he agreed, smiling at him. "I like making others happy.  Even if she did blanch, choke, and shudder at Uncle George's suggestion to you."  He unlocked his computer. "Boss, ID?"

"First Lieutenant Moon."  Tony got to work on that, happy he was earning his spot on the team yet again.  "Remember that I hired you for the work you do," Gibbs said quietly.

"I know."  They shared a look and Tony smirked.  "If you had known what a slutpuppy I was before I'd doubt you'd have hired me, boss."  He got back to work, still happy.

***

Abby's squeal echoed up the elevator as she got off and ran over to hug Gibbs. "I got what I wanted, even the present list!" she squealed in his ear, cutting off his airflow.  "I love you!"  She planted a big kiss on him then went to hug Tony.  "I love you too!"  Then she went to hug McGee, the director, Ducky, and anyone else who got into her path but wasn't in handcuffs.

"I thought you said you'd never do that at work," Gibbs called after her. "I take it it's present day?"

"Apparently, boss."  Tony smirked at him, then got back to work.  "You remember we're leaving tomorrow?"

"Yes, I did.  It'll be quiet for a change," he noted.

"Suck it up, boss.  I'm annoying to provide you with stress relief."  He smirked at him.  "Hannah's cooking dinner tonight.  She wanted you and Abby over."  That got a nod.  "If we can pull her off the ceiling."

Ziva came in rubbing her neck. "What's wrong with Abby?  She just grabbed me and tried to choke me while babbling something about a new computer?"

"She got her wishlist fulfilled for the lab," Tony told her.  "You probably heard the squeal as she came up to pounce us all."

"I heard a loud noise, I thought perhaps it was that cat in heat in the garage that snuck in the last time."  She sat down.  "Is there any other good news?"

"There is," Gibbs agreed.  "They've gotten around to giving those of us who deserve them raises. Letters from HR are just now out, DiNozzo."

"I don't have one, boss. I'm not up for review this year."

"Check anyway," he noted.

Tony looked then shook his head.  "Nothing."  He smirked at him.  "Why do I need a raise?"  He got back to work on his report. Gibbs came over to look so Tony showed him, even reloading his inbox for him.  "See? I'm not up for one this year," he said quietly.  "I don't need one either.  I got one last year and the year I started they bumped me up due to my background as a cop."

"You sure that's why?"

"I asked a few times, that's what they said," he admitted.

"Good."  He went to sit down and get back to work.  "You didn't want one?"

"Boss, I was making what you were," he pointed out.  Gibbs blinked.  "Sorry, but truth."  He shrugged and got back to work.  His phone rang and he sighed in relief as he answered it.  "DiNozzo."  He listened, then frowned.  "No, I don't need one.  No, I'm good.  Thank you anyway.  No, that would be using my family for unholy means.  Sure, thanks."  He hung up and looked at Gibbs.  "She suggested it too, boss."  He smirked and sent on his report.  "There you go, a preliminary."

Gibbs looked then snorted and shook his head.  "Let's try using the spell checker and thesaurus this time, DiNozzo.  It might help."

"I said it was a preliminary, boss."

Abby came back and hugged them both again.  "Thank you!"  She hugged him again then headed back to her lab to clean and make room for the new stuff that was coming in.

***

Epilogue:

Hannah walked Tony back into work. She still had the day off to recover from the horrors of the trip.  He had to check in and let his lovers know they were back.  She smiled and hugged Jethro. "Uncle Jethro, we were very mean to daddy and he pouted the whole trip."  He raised an eyebrow.  "Well, Grandmother died the second day. The judge called her an evil bitch, and I am quoting, for treating us children that way and hoped that she'd remember that as her mind went.  She died later that night, supposedly sobbing to our pictures."

"Which I doubt since she didn't have one of us, just of her dogs," Tony added as he sat down. "She pulled sway with the judge and got it split evenly."

"It's not like I need that atrocious amount of money and things," she complained, glaring at him.  "Then he got given the house and the judge asked if we'd be moving back.  Daddy's answer of 'no thanks, I've got a life I love' was good enough and she smiled sweetly, asking if he was planning on marrying, to be more careful with his own will.  Daddy said it was already done and that we were all included and done right by him."  She slid into Jethro's lap, cuddling him.  "Then the judge threw out the other will about six days after the funeral.  Totally flummoxed all the ex-husbands.  They're threatening to sue us over it.  The judge pointed out they hadn't done more than whine and eat, and she left them with a nice pension fund since they had been divorced due to no longer being pretty and young. So we got that one settled, and then Grandmother's will was a holy wreck."  She looked up at him.  "The woman wasn't tidy anywhere, no matter her fear of dirt.  She left money to take care of a local tiger that had died and been stuffed.  I found out I do have an aunt on her side but she's ancient and hates me for being my father's daughter and we snubbed her whole time.  Daddy arranged to sell the gaudy trash to her.  So what we have left is some jewelry that I may never wear, a lot of money neither of us need or want, and a desire from daddy to have a beer."

"To cure the headache I've had the whole trip," Tony agreed.  "Couldn't sleep at all.  The judge wanted us to stay in the family home since it was left to us.  I had nightmares the whole time, boss.  She had nightmares the whole time."  Hannah nodded at that. "Then we were forced to go to a charity polo match to hold a meeting about my aunt's will.  That's where the judge wanted to hold it. Hannah petted the horses, I had a beer, the judge decided it was a good thing I wasn't raising her as an elitist snob, like I had been. She split it that way so I could go back to the lifestyle I had been accustomed to and let my daughter see how evil it truly was."

"I pointed out he had money to do that with but all he had done was sleep with a lot of pretty girls until he met his current lover, who was stunning and stimulated him to no end and distraction.  She looked quite interested. I thought it better not to mention the true nature of that relationship," she added in a quiet word in her uncle's ear.  "Daddy then went off on how his lover was going to be spanking him for pouting so often.  I ad-libbed and mentioned having a leash moment.  Then I went to pet the horses at halftime."  She snuggled into his arms again.  "So it's all set and we only have to go to Rhode Island if there's a case or you guys want to see the house before it's sold to my tacky aunt who wears way too much perfume."

"Did you bring pictures?" Ziva asked.  Tony tossed over the package.  "Of the house?"

"Be forewarned, it's enough to give museum people nightmares and they've seen all the tacky crap that people loved through the ages."  She smiled at her uncle.  "Can I stay with Uncle Ducky and his mommy or maybe Matt tonight?  That way I make it to school tomorrow?"

"You can ask Ducky but it's not necessary."

She patted him on the cheek.  "If it's not, you're not treating him well enough.  I should complain as the only daughter."  She stood up.  "Which I do hope is solved some day soon.  Is Ducky downstairs?"  Everyone nodded so she headed that way.  "Uncle Ducky, can I stay with you tonight so Daddy can have a welcome-home party with his lover?"

"Of course, dear.  How was it? Did you get the judge on your side?" he asked with a smile.

"Of course I did.  Who can resist me?" she asked with her cutest smile.  "She decided this way Daddy could go back to his prior lifestyle to show me how evil it was to be the slutpuppy Uncle Bryon said he was."  Palmer squeaked and blushed at that. "What is a slutpuppy anyway?  I haven't gotten a good definition yet."

"Someone who sleeps around rather more than they should," Ducky assured her, smiling at her. "It's slang, dear.  Now, please quit tormenting Mr. Palmer's delicate nature, and go wait in the office while Jethro debriefs him in the elevator."  She blushed but giggled and headed for the office to hang out in there again.  "Do calm down, Mr. Palmer.  It's about the same problem Ziva has with slang terms.  She was never raised around them."

"She asked me to have the talk with her a few months back," he hissed.

"Yes, well, I heard the Director had a wonderful one with her then she went to Abigail for her viewpoint since Abigail might as well be her mother at times."

"The director said she'd look the other way if Uncle Jethro took up Uncle George's idea," Hannah called from the office.

Even Ducky blushed at that.  Having the President tell you to sleep with your subordinate was not exactly a protocol he was used to.

***

Jethro pushed Tony into their apartment, taking his jacket then kissing him hard.  "Get ready."

"I am ready," he said, pouncing him to kiss him again.  "More than ready.  I'm going back into hiding since so many of the people who know are retiring after this term.  As long as I don't get suggested for Director when Sheppard leaves, we'll be good."  He dove in for a deeper kiss, making his mate moan.  "Where's Abby?"

"Running a calibration test, she'll be here in a few hours. Just enough time to wear you out so she can do whatever she wants to you."  Tony moaned at that. "Even if she does suffocate you with her needing your tongue."  Tony moaned.  The phone rang so Gibbs growled, answering it.  "DiNozzo's place."  He listened, then put it on speaker.  "Go ahead and repeat that, Hannah?"

"Uncle Ducky and I have talked.  I want a sibling by the time I graduate high school, which is in eight years.  That should give you plenty of time to make sure you're going to stay together and figure out who's going to be the main parent and father.  Or else Uncle Ducky has promised to take Abby's pills before he retires in another four or five years."

"Ducky can retire the same day I paint my hair pink permanently," Gibbs told her.  "That's a decision between us, princess, not one you can force."

"But I need a sibling, that way Daddy can have a normal child who's not as spoiled and bratty as I am.  That way you can have someone to turn into a Marine, stepdaddy, and stepmother can have someone to make goth while I'm the glamorous being I was born to be.  Because let's face it, I'm never going to be a Marine, I'd look truly horrible in a uniform."

"Are you drunk?" Tony asked.

"Well, only slightly.  Uncle Ducky's mother cooked chicken in brandy sauce.  I did have thirds since it was so good. Uncle Ducky is presently passed out as is his mother.  But I still want a sibling before I graduate high school.  Or else I might have to marry early and give you grandchildren.  He did say that was an option to cure that ache to have siblings."  She hung up.

Tony looked at Gibbs' watch.  "It's not April, right?  That says October?"

Jethro checked, then nodded.  "It does say October."  They shared a look, then a gentler kiss.  "We should send McGee over to check on them."

"We should," Tony agreed happily.  He called him.  "McGee, Ducky's mother cooked.  Hannah just called up quite drunk, said they're both passed out.  Can you gather her and get her sober enough for school in the morning?  No, something about chicken with brandy.  Thank you."  He hung up and rested his head on Jethro's shoulder, shaking it slightly.  "Why me?"

"Because she loves you," Gibbs reminded him, patting him on the back.  "She misses the other kids."

"I do too but I'm scared shitless of babies, boss," Tony complained.

"Me too.  We'll talk about it some other weekend," he promised, taking a harder kiss.  The phone rang again.  "If that's her, I'm going to spank her," he complained, putting it on speaker.  "What?"

"Oooh, someone's grumpy, I just wanted phone sex," Abby teased, sounding happy.  "I'm stuck in hellish traffic.  Part of the expressway is in fire from an overturned tanker and there's no way we can get around it, Gibbs.  It's in front of the exit.  They're diverting traffic behind us so maybe we'll be backing up but I'm literally getting a tan from the tanker."  She heard a meow and smiled. "Hi, Felix.  It's the mommy.  I'll be home as soon as I can but I'm about last in line to get turned around if they're going to do that.  Fortunately it was a gas truck and nothing toxic."  The sound of a honk.  "Oops, sorry!" she called, sounding like she had called out the window.  Then it got quiet again. "I was putting my seat back and turning off my engine.  So, can I have phone sex?  It's nearly dark out here."

"Sure," Tony agreed.  "Let me switch you to the bedroom phone."  He did that and pulled Gibbs in there by his belt.  He turned her back on.  "Abby?"

"Still here, and I have my headset in," she said happily.  "Good thing I packed it today, huh?"

"It was.  Do you have your cape?"  She made an assenting noise.  "Cover yourself like it's a blanket so no one but us can see, Abby.  You're our present."  She giggled and you could hear fabric moving.  "Good girl.  Now, what sort of fantasy did you want?"

"Gibbs, you jump him and tell me what you're gonna do to him and then Tony can tell me how he's gonna lick me clean later and kiss my little pocket monster."

Gibbs blushed. "This is not what I'd consider normal."

"Gibbs, I'm going to have a tan soon," she complained.  "It's not normal for me to tan."

"Fine."  He pulled Tony closer and kissed him, making him moan.

***

Later that night, when everyone was well rested and recovered, plus Abby had showered off, they curled up on the couch with a pizza, just cuddling against Gibbs for now.  Abby poked Tony on the head, getting a look at her.  "Are you going to let us see your office?" she asked quietly.  He shrugged.  "Has Hannah seen it?"

"No.  She doesn't even know where it is.  She's running everything from her home computer, including her little company that she's looking to sell. She never wanted to see."

"I want to see.  I figure it looks like some modern office, only with smutty pictures."  He shook his head, smirking at her.  "No?"

"Nope."

"Like a library?" Gibbs asked.

"Nope."  He stood up with a moan, stretching up.  "We can go.  It's a full apartment."  They smiled and got up, heading out with him.  He drove them over there, going fairly slowly for him, just enjoying the time in the car with them. He pulled into the parking garage and got out, noticing the crime scene tape.  "One of my neighbors was gunned down by her husband.  They only see me now and then."  He pulled out his keyring, taking out a key neither of them had wondered about, which got them into the elevator and up to the penthouse.  "I wanted a view.  It was worth the price," he offered as he let them in.  He got out of the way.

Gibbs looked at all the wood.  "This is nice.  Did you redecorate?"

"Yeah, I bought the stuff from the house in Germany when it was remodeled a few years back by my mother."  He walked in and closed the door behind him, locking it and arming the security system again.  "The key disables it so it's back on."  He led them back to his office, which looked like a gentleman's study from the Victorian times, though it did have a few classical nude paintings and a few smaller figures.  He pointed at one.  "That's actually Kate," he said with a smirk.  "One of my former frat brothers dated her and sculpted it.  When they broke up, he gave it to me and ordered me to hide it from her."

Gibbs looked at it then moved on, looking at the computer then the books.  Not all of them looked well read but a good portion of the more modern ones.

Abby went to look around, finding the kitchen, which was empty except for a can of beer, and then the bedroom and bathroom was just past that.  "Wow," she called.  "Gibbs."  He followed the noise, finding her looking at a king size canopy bed with tapestry curtains and a dark red canopy.  She looked at Tony.  "You sleep in that?"

"Yeah, I don't mind canopy beds, it's the gold tassels that bothered me.  This way I feel like I'm in some dark, warm, safe cave."  He led her over there, sitting down with her then shutting the curtains.  "See?"  Gibbs got in with them and he closed the curtains. "I'll understand if you want them open, boss."

"I'm good with them being closed for now," he promised.  "We've got a good security system."  Tony leaned over to kiss him, making him smile and run a hand through his hair. "How often do you end up here?"

"Once, twice a month.  When I have to deal with stuff like my investments."  He stole another kiss. "I'm taking half of each of your paychecks and investing it for you."  He stole a kiss from Abby, making her moan and flop backwards with a smile.  Then he pounced her, making her giggle and pull Gibbs onto his back, like he wanted to have happen. "I'm good with this."

"So am I.  Even if a very drunk little girl did tell me I'm having a baby within eight years or Ducky was going to confiscate my birth control pills."

"Ducky's mom cooked," Gibbs told her.

"She said she did. McGee got there and took the phone away from the giggling one.  Good choice, boss."  She licked up the front of Gibbs' throat, making him moan and pull back.  "Good boy.  Now, we should reward Tony for letting us into the real him again."  They shared a smirk, then Tony got pounced, held down, and loved until he promised them anything they wanted.  Then they let him come and pleasure them, which was all they wanted.

The End.