The Debate

Tony and Ziva spent one of the times when Jethro had gone for coffee arguing. They weren’t arguing about the case. Ziva and Tony were arguing about who was going to teach their daughters how to drive.
“I’ll teach them how to drive!!!” Ziva said.
“I don’t think so.”
“Why not? I was the one that carried them!!!!”
“They are my kids too. I want them to live through their driving lessons.” Tony said.
“I have live in this country for eighteen years. I am not as bad of a driver as I was when Director Shepard first brought me over, Anthony DiNozzo.” Ziva said.
“I still think that the girls should learn how to drive from someone who doesn’t drive like Gibbs and drives more like McNerd or the Director.”
“Speaking of the Director; she has been acting odd lately.”
“I know; Jen has never acted this way.” I said.
“Maybe she is…..” Kate said but trailed off as Ziva and I looked at her knowing what she was hinting at.
“She can’t be; she’s 59 and he’s 65.”
“Come on Jay, its possible; just because he’s in his sixties doesn’t mean they can’t.”
“I know, but it’s just disturbing to think of them doing that. I’m still scarred from walking in on them eleven years ago.”
“You know just as well as I do that when your sister wants something Jay; that she’ll get it whatever it takes.” Ziva said as we both remember Jen’s vendetta against La Grenouille.
Abby came up to the squad room looking for Jethro, she had heard part of our conversation.
“Director Shepard isn’t pregnant.” Abby said as she joined us.
“How do you know?” Kate asked.
“Ducky had me run tests on her blood again and there is no sign of a pregnancy in her blood.”
“What about her illness?” I asked.
There was a hint of concern in my voice and it was quite obvious. Even though I was the baby sister and Jen was the older sister, I was still protective of her and I still worried about her.
“I didn’t see any traces of it, but Ducky is sending her to another doctor to make sure our findings are correct.”
“Great so I get to worry more.” I said.
“I am sure Jenny will be fine, Jaylyn.” Ziva said comfortingly.
By this point Tony and McGee had joined in the conversation.
“Does Gibbs know?”
“Does Gibbs know what, DiNozzo? Jethro asked.
“That Jen is going to the doctor’s, Jethro.”
“Ducky sent her?”
“Yes Gibbs, he had me run tests on her blood like before he told her to go the base doctor.” Abby answered.
“Has she left yet?”
Lately Jethro was either completely silent to the point where we had to read his mind and anticipate what he wanted. Or when he did speak, he stuck to three words at the most and we had to interpret the rest.
“We have no idea.” Kate chimed in.
“McGee.” Jethro said.
“Get a GPS fix on the Director; on it boss.”
“DiNozzo.”
“Yes Gibbs.” Tony and Ziva answered in unison.
Kate, Abby and I muffled back laughs after the faux pas.
“Ah boss, Director Shepard is at the base doctor’s.”
“Tony, Ziva; go act as the Director’s protection detail.” Jethro instructed.
“Okay that was a low blow, Jay.” Tony said as he looked over to me and saw the look on my face.
“Sorry; I can’t help it, I’m just worried about her. I know history won’t repeat itself.”
On their way over Tony and Ziva had decided that it would be best for Tony to teach their girls how to drive. Nick and I had decided in light of recent events that it would be wise if Nick taught JD the ropes of driving. If anything both Ziva and I knew that this whole experience was one of those things that fell into the category of a father’s duties. Before long Tony and Ziva had escorted Jenny back to NCIS.
Jenny was smiling, which was a good thing.
“I’m healed, I’m no longer sick.” Jenny said.
I instantly hugged my sister.
“Thank God.” I said.
Soon after Jethro passionately kissed my sister with all of us watching kind of.
“Tim and I are pregnant.” Abby said out of the blue.
“We’ve known for a few weeks.”
We were all too stunned to say anything.
“You didn’t have to send Tony and Ziva over, Jethro. And having McGee locate me was really unnecessary.” Jenny said after she pulled back from the kiss.
Jethro had that “How the hell did you know this” look on his face. We all knew that look, but of course as most things go with Jethro; Jenny knew that look along with all his looks a little better than the rest of us.
“I know you Jethro, I knew it was you that had them do all of that stuff.” Jenny said as six of us started backing up to give Jen and Jethro there space.
JD had backed up with us, but instead of standing next to me she stood next to Abby. As the look on Jethro’s face began to dissipate Jenny went in for another passionate kiss, a smile played across her face as well as mine, Kate, Abby and Ziva’s.
“She was always able to read him.” I said.

11 years later

As I sat in front of Georgetown high where Hannah, Leah and JD attended school I came to the realization that the past 11 years had gone by in a blur. It seemed like just yesterday that Nick and I had a ten year old and twin six year olds. I had Katy Perry’s Hot n Cold playing as I saw the girls walk over. Just when I wished that JD was my sweet little ten year old again I remembered how hectic it had been when Jayden and Jocelyn came into the picture.
JD had been more than jealous when her baby sisters were born. On the other hand I was more than happy that they were here, despite the pain that came with their delivery. As it was my turn to pick-up Hannah, Leah and JD; it was Jen’s turn to pick – up the other seven kids at Georgetown Elementary school. I had figured that it would be best if I turned the car off and enjoyed the spring day while I waited. Before long I saw my daughter and nieces coming closer to my car. As they got closer I noticed my daughter’s boyfriend, a junior and captain of the high school’s baseball team staring at me. That didn’t make JD all that happy.
“Damn Jen, your mom is hot.” JD’s boyfriend said.
JD was so much like me and my sister when she was mad. Much like Jen and I, JD didn’t say a word and got into the passenger seat of my car as Hannah and Leah sat in the back. With my daughter’s subtle hint I got into the car.
“So how was your day, JD?” I asked.
“JD?” JD’s boyfriend questioned.
“It’s short for Jennifer Delaney. We named her after her aunts.”
“Mom, stop.”
With that I drove away from the high school to Tony and Ziva’s and then back to NCIS. Thankfully the drive back to NCIS was peaceful, but I knew that the peace was going to turn to chaos soon. After all JD was her mother’s daughter. Before we made our way back to NCIS I had dropped Hannah and Leah off at their house so they could get some homework done before Jenny left Kate and Drew’s son Benjamin along with their two sets of fraternal twins Jaliyah and Noah; and Ashleann and Drew there. She also dropped off mine and Nick’s identical twins Jayden and Jocelyn.
So that just left me and JD. Once we got back to NCIS; we were the only ones squad room. Which led to the chaos ensuing. Jethro, McGee, Kate, Tony and Ziva in the field with Ducky and Palmer, obviously they were working a case. At some point I would get the details of the case and Jethro would brief Jenny. When JD had walked over to the squad room she decided to sit at Ziva’s unoccupied desk as she dropped her backpack on the side of the desk that faced the main elevator. JD was pissed and it was quite apparent. She had my temper, which made me hope that when Jayden and Jocelyn were teenagers that they would have Nick’s temper instead of mine. At times it was obvious that I had no idea how the hell to handle a 15 ½ year old and her various mood swings so I relied on Jen, Delaney and my mother-in-law quite a bit.
“You know we have that rule about not staying mad at each other in this family.” I said to JD.
“Well you should know why I am mad; mom. How many times during my life have you, dad, Aunt Jen, Uncle Jethro and the others say that I am the mini version of you?”
“So are you mad because I got out of the car and waited for you, or that your sixteen year old boyfriend said that your mom was hot or could it be that I embarrassed you when I called you JD in front of him?”
“You completely embarrassed me. Everyone at school calls me Jen, with the exception of the teachers who call me Jennifer and in five seconds you shatter that by calling me by the nickname I’ve had since birth in front of the entire school. It’s bad enough I have to constantly deal with the fact that all my guy friends think you are hot, but its another when my boyfriend thinks my 39 year old mother is hot cause she still dresses like she did eleven years ago. And please do me a favor; don’t call me JD in public.” JD said as Jethro, Jen and the other came over.
“I’ll be back.” I said as I grabbed my gear and gym bag as I headed to the elevator.
“JD, what the hell did you do?” Ziva asked.
Before JD could answer, Jen and Jethro took over.
“David, Todd go figure out what is wrong with Jaylyn.” Jethro instructed.
“Jennifer Delaney Balboa; go up to my office and wait for Jethro and me.”
JD did as she was told; she knew she was in trouble when Jen called her by her full name. Meanwhile I was still on base, but at the gym that was in the Navy yard. It was the same gym from nineteen years ago when Jethro, Kate, Tony and McGee had the Napolitano case with Fornell.
I had changed into my gym clothes and was now throwing punches at the punching bag as a beat the crap out of it.
“What happened between you and JD to cause that outburst?” Ziva asked as I nearly hit her with my roundhouse kick.
Ziva caught my kick before I hit her.
“Nice roundhouse.” Kate said.
“You just have to perfect you form.”
“Yeah, that’s not the only thing.” I said as Ziva released my foot and I grabbed my towel to wipe off the sweat.
“What happened between you and JD before?” Ziva asked again.
“Oh nothing; I am just the world’s worst mother and I am turning into my father.”
“What did she say?” Kate asked as I put on a pair of boxing gloves and tossed the other set to Ziva.
“JD said that she is embarrassed by me since I dress like I am still 28, she hates being called JD in public. And she hates the fact that her boyfriend thinks that I am hot.”
“She’ll get over it. This all comes with being a mother to a teenager.” Kate said.
“And how the hell would you know that when your kids are 11, 10 and 8?” I asked as Ziva and I boxed in the ring.
An hour later Ziva, Kate and I were back at NCIS. I had learned that Jen and Jethro talked to JD about her outburst. Everything was better between JD and me. JD had decided to do her homework up in Jen’s office as Jen took care of the things she needed to take care of. Jethro had gone to get coffee and a Caf-Pow for Abby like he always did as Tony, Ziva, McGee, Kate and I worked on our latest case. In the back of my mind as I ran down leads on the phone; I couldn’t help but think that the next four years were going to be stressful, especially when Jayden and Jocelyn became teenagers. The thought of three teenagers in one house absolutely terrified me.