Gibbs pulled up slowly in front of his sons' school and waited for the eight-year-old. Tony ran out excitedly and threw his backpack into the bed of his dad's truck. "Are you sure we shouldn't pick up Katy?"

Gibbs was always proud of the bond that his oldest two children had and hoped that Abby and Timmy would feel the same way about it. "Your mom is going to pick up Katy and they are going to go get paint. I think that's her car right there." Gibbs told his son, pointing to his wife's car that his seven-year-old had just jumped into.

Tony smiled, clearly relaxing, "you always think of everything."

"Yeah, so do you want to go hike or go get a burger first?" Gibbs asked, laughing.

"Can we go for a hike, and then pick up Timmy for guys burgers?" Tony asked.

"Yes Sir, that sounds perfect!" Gibbs promised. He shot a quick text to his wife about the boy's night while he waited for his boy to buckle up.

They chatted amicably about work and school on the way to the hiking spot and all the way up the mountain. He tried his wife's tactics of letting the boy talk, but it was getting old fast. When they got to the top of the mountain Gibbs put his hand on his sons' shoulder. "Alright Tony, time to talk."

"You're gonna be mad Dad." Tony told him, kicking around at the dirt.

Gibbs sighed as he sat down on the old stump. "Best to just pull the band aid off then son."

Tony walked over to his dad and leaned into his side. "Sometimes I miss just going on hikes, the four of us."

Gibbs sighed and wondered for the millionth time if his oldest two children would ever except the youngest two. "What's going on Tony?"

"I…I did something really dumb, well, actually not something…" Tony paused. "Lots of somethings."

Gibbs lifted his little boy up onto his knee, "Alright, well lets start with the first something."

"You know a couple weeks ago, when the guys and I asked to stay at the park after basketball practice?" Tony asked.

"The night Jay Ellis' dad drove you home?" Gibbs asked, thinking back.

"Yes Sir." Tony said, leaning even further into his dad.

"Are you about to give me bad news?" Gibbs asked the boy.

"Yes Sir." Tony said honestly.

"Then stand up and look me in the eye, like the man you are." Gibbs reprimanded, pulling his son away from him.

Tony looked up at his dad and tried hard to bite the bullet. "Well, we didn't stay at the park, we went down to the store to get some snacks because we were hungry."

"Did you ask to leave the park?" Gibbs asked gruffly, his mind racing with all of the things that could have happened to his boy.

"No Sir." Tony told him honestly.

"Ah, well there is problem number one. And wasn't Katy with you that day?" Gibbs asked.

"Yes Sir, but I haven't got to the bad part yet." Tony told him.

Gibbs looked up to the heavens for a moment bracing himself. "Alright, let me have it then."

"Well I didn't have my allowance on me when we got to the store, and all of the guys didn't have their allowance…"

"Then why did you even go to the store?" Gibbs asked.

"We were hungry, mostly." Tony told him.

"Mostly?" Gibbs asked.

"Well Katy said that she was hungry but when she learned that we would have to…" Tony paused.

"Steal?" Gibbs asked the boy.

"Yes, steal, then she didn't want anything." Tony told him honestly.

"So your sister had some good sense and didn't steal anything?" Gibbs clarified.

"Yes sir." Tony said.

"And how was that not your tip off that this was a bad idea?"

Tony covered his face with his hands, "I was just so hungry and everyone else was doing it."

"So what did you steal?" He asked, pulling his son's hands away from his face.

"A candy bar and some chips, and a sprite." Tony said.

Gibbs whistled low, "Is that the only time you've done that?"

"Well I thought that it would be the only time, because I felt so bad, but then we started to do it every Tuesday." Tony said, honestly.

"So safe to say that you aren't going to the park alone anymore." Gibbs told the boy.

"Dad, I've felt really bad about it everytime!" Tony defended.

"Not bad enough that you stopped doing it." Gibbs said harshly.

"All of my friends would have made fun of me!" Tony whined.

"That's not a good reason and you know it. It sounds like you need better friends." Gibbs scolded.

"Dad!" Tony whined.

"No, and we are going to sit down tonight and make a list of everything you stole, and take it down to the shop keeper to see how you can work off that debt." Gibbs told him.

"Yes Sir." Tony told him.

"Sports. Church. School and Home will be the only places that you can attend for the next two weeks, am I understood?"

"Yes sir." Tony said again, expecting that to be his response.

"And no video games, TV, or computer time either."

"What am I supposed to do at home if I can't play on the computer or watch TV!" Tony whined.

"Anthony, I can make it three weeks, and don't worry, you will have plenty of extra chores." Gibbs told him.

"So no dinner?" Tony asked.

Gibbs looked at his little boy and pulled him close. "We can still go to dinner."

"YES!" Tony said excitedly.

"After your spanking." Gibbs told the boy. "Jeans and boxers down, you know the drill."

"Dad, we're outside!" Tony whined.

"Jeans and boxers down Tony." Gibbs told him stiffly.

Tony pulled his pants down and quickly dived over his dad's lap. Gibbs looked down at his son's bare backside and sighed, he knew that he was going to have to up the ante. He slowly pulled his belt from the loops and rested one hand on his son's back to keep the boy from shaking off of his lap.

"Dad?" Tony asked.

"Theft is never okay son, five swats and we are done here." Gibbs assured him.

Five very quick swats later, Gibbs hoisted up his sobbing son. He knew that he didn't spank him too hard, but it wasn't any easier to hear his boy cry. "I'm sorry Daddy."

"I know." He said, kissing the side of the boys head, "Let's put your jeans back on and then go get Timmy for some burgers."

"Yes Sir." Tony said. He pulled his boxers and jeans up but whimpered when he took a step. Gibbs picked his little boy up and hiked back to the car. He cringed as his son whimpered as he buckled, but knew there was no way around it.

"Dad?" Tony asked.

"Yeah?" Gibbs asked, sparing his son a glance.

"Is Katy going to be in trouble for not telling on me?"

Gibbs sighed, "Yes, she didn't do a very good job taking care of her team."

"It's not her fault, Dad, it's mine." Tony assured.

"No, we take care of each other in this family." Gibbs told him.

"Do you think that the girls have eaten yet?"

Gibbs looked at the clock on the dash, "No, I'm sure they are waiting for Timmy to get picked up."

"Do you think Mom told Timmy?"

"No, just in case, I'm sure." Gibbs said, trying to figure out what the boy wanted.

"Can we take Katy instead then?" Tony asked.

Gibbs grinned, again impressed with his son's love of his sister. "Yeah, I'm sure that can be arranged."

They pulled up to the house a couple minutes later and Gibbs got out of the truck with his son. "Don't forget your backpack."

Tony grabbed it and the two walked into the house together.

"DADDY!" Abby called instantly, launching herself into her fathers arms. Gibbs swung the three year old into the air and loved the way that she laughed. Tony walked into his mothers hug, as Tim walked up to hug his dad. Gibbs sat Tim down and looked over to see Caitlin leaning against the stairs.

"I think you and I need to have a conversation ma'am." Gibbs said firmly.

"My room or your office?" Katy asked. It was usually a good indicator for the kids how severe the spanking would be based on the room.

"I think that your bedroom is okay, lead the way."

"Yes Sir." She said walking up the stairs to her room.

Gibbs sat down on the bed and pulled his girl in close, "What color did you and Mommy pick for the room?"

"Green and blue! Vintage baby!" Caitlin cried excitedly.

"Sounds great baby. So what are we talking about here kid?"

"I knew T-Man was stealing and didn't tell you, but snitches get stiches, Daddy!"

"It's true that we don't want to tattle Katy-Bug, but when your team mate is in so over their heads that you can't help them, then you need to get your commanding officer, and I know that you know that."

"Yes Sir." Katy said softly.

Gibbs pulled his daughter onto his lap and flipped her skirt up. He left her panties because she had been honest with him and she was just trying to make sure her brother didn't get into trouble. After 20 firm swats he stopped the spanking and picked up his little girl who had tears brimming in her eyes. "Were you over your head?"

"Yes sir." Kate said.

"Then next time?"

"Next time, I will get you." Katy promised.

"Good girl." He praised. "Wanna grab dinner with me and T-Man?"

"Just the three of us?" Katy asked.

"Yes Ma'am, just the three of us."

"Yay!" Kate yelled, jumping from her dad's lap and running down the stairs.

"Whoa!" Tony cautioned from the bottom of the steps, "we don't want to get in any more trouble."

"That's true!" Katy said. "Ready for dinner?"

"Yeah," Tony said pulling down his sister's jacket, "Are you okay to sit in the truck?"

"Yeah," Kate said hugging her brother before putting her jacket on. Gibbs came down the stairs smiling.

"Change of plans, that okay?" He asked his wife.

"Yes," Jenn said finally kissing her husband, "You three have fun. I want to hear what all the commotion was about tonight though."

"Of course." Gibbs said.