Hey everyone. I know you've all been wondering why I so impulsively deleted two of my stories a while back, but I just wasn't satisfied by them anymore. They literally sucked, and my writing skills are way better than they were at that time. I decided to re-write my first story, but this time I want to really bring Lexi's story and personality to life. That means that this time around, it will include her history, how she came to live with Gibbs, a development of her character and also of her relationship with Gibbs, the team, and eventually Jenny. This story will begin in the spring of 2010, when Lexi is 11. It will continue until...well, not sure of that yet :)

I am now a high school graduate with way too much time on my hands (for now), so I think I'll be able to update this story and New Beginnings more often. I really hope to bring Lexi's character out properly and let you all get to know her fully. Please don't forget to review and favorite, I hope you enjoy this one.

*While it is certainly not the focus, this story will contain the disciplinary spanking of minors and adults in later chapters. Read at your own risk.*

Ally :)

Gibbs set his umpteenth cup of coffee down on his desk and reclined very relaxed in his chair with a contented sigh. His team had not had a case in a few days, so they were winding down with some cold cases and unfinished case reports. They all needed the break, as the previous case had involved a suspect who targeted children, and it took a lot out of them, especially Gibbs. It was nice to finally have a peaceful day at work, and the silence, save for the normal bustle of the bullpen, calmed all four of the team members.

The calm environment of NCIS contrasted with one that was not too far away…

The sound of a backpack hitting the ground with a thud and the front door slamming echoed throughout the house. Lexi slipped her feet out of her worn high tops and scrunched her eyebrows together as she took in the odd silence.

"Mom?" She called out questioningly.

Venturing further into the house, Lexi found that her kitchen and living room were still untouched since that morning. Spying an interesting piece of paper on the dining table, Lexi moved closer to get a look.

Written in pen in her mother's handwriting was a message that simply read:

'Gone to run some errands, don't wait up. Find your own dinner tonight.'

"Love, Mom," Lexi grumbled sarcastically. "At least she was decent enough to write a note this time."

Crumpling the paper and haphazardly tossing it into the trash, Lexi was about to search the fridge for an afternoon snack when a sharp rapping at the front door stopped her in her tracks. Lexi hesitantly shuffled to the front door, her hand on the knob.

"Who is it?" Lexi demanded, looking through the peephole. Her heart skipped a beat as she found a policeman and a lady dressed in business attire standing at the other side of the door.

"Hi, Alexia, can we speak with you for a moment?" the cop asked kindly.

"Am I in trouble?" Lexi replied cautiously.

"Not at all, sweetie. We just want to talk with you," the lady next to him piped up.

Lexi looked back in the direction of her kitchen. "Um, well, my mom isn't here. But, she'll be back soon, so I think you should come back later."

Lexi missed the look that the two adults shared with each other from behind the door. "No, honey, I'm sure she won't mind if we talk to you now. You aren't in trouble, but we have something to talk about. It's very important."

Lexi placed her hand over the lock and hesitated. She knew that she wasn't supposed to talk to strangers, much less open the door for them. Staying home alone so often taught her that she was not to open the front door for anyone except her mother. But there was a policeman with the lady, so that was okay, right?

Lexi sighed before unlocking the front door to reveal the two adults on her front porch. "My mom will be back any minute, I'm sure of it," Lexi told them carefully.

"It's alright, we just need to talk to you. It was very smart of you to check who was at the door before opening it," the policeman praised.

"Thanks…um, come in," Lexi replied uneasily, opening the door wider to let them in.

The adults entered the house and followed Lexi into the kitchen. "Sit down, sweetie," the lady instructed, and Lexi obeyed.

"Have you eaten yet?" she asked. Lexi shook her head.

"I'm not really hungry…" Lexi answered. "Can you please just tell me what this is about?"

The lady sighed and sat across from Lexi, while the cop stood by silently. "This is Officer Harrison from the local police station, and my name is Beatrice Miller, I'm a social worker from child protective services. We have something big to tell you, and it's important for you to stay calm, can you do that?"

Lexi nodded. She liked the soft tone of both adults, and it made her trust them, just a little. But she didn't like that solemn look in their eyes.

"Alexia-"

"It's Lexi."

"Right. Lexi, I'm sorry, but I'm afraid your mom has met in an accident, and-"

"She's dead, isn't she?" Lexi finished solemnly.

The adults shared a glance before turning back to look at the young girl in concern. "Yes, honey, she is. I know this must be very hard for you to hear."

"Don't worry about it. It's no big deal. Why else would you be here?" Lexi said deadpan.

"You're a really smart little girl, Lexi," Officer Harrison remarked.

"I'm not stupid. I know what happens to kids who lose their parents," Lexi snapped, before softening slightly.

"What does this mean for me?" Lexi asked nervously. "My mother has no brothers or sisters, and I don't have any grandparents either. I don't even have any distant cousins on any side. What's gonna happen to me?"

"Well, we are still searching for the closest relative. But, if we can't find one, you-"

"Become a ward of the state and go into the foster system," Lexi finished in a whisper. Beatrice nodded grimly.

"We are still trying hard to find relatives on your father's side," Beatrice replied.

Lexi shook her head. "There's no use. He was adopted and his parents died years ago. I'm all alone…"

"Well, we're going to take you with us for right now, honey. I will do everything in my power to make sure that you end up in a nice home. Okay?" Beatrice told the girl gently.

"Can I go upstairs and pack some stuff with me?" Lexi requested quietly, rising from her seat.

"Of course, sweetie. I'll be down here making some calls. Take your time," Beatrice replied kindly. Lexi turned, ran upstairs to her room and slammed the door.

Her back against the door, Lexi fought the tears that threatened to fall. What was she going to do? She couldn't allow herself to be taken into the system, she just couldn't. Having both parents die leaving no living relatives seemed like something that only happened on TV. She never would've imagined that it'd happen to her. Lexi's mother was almost never home, so she was often by herself. But, now, Lexi realized that she truly was alone.

Hurriedly taking her duffel bag, Lexi filled it with clothes, her journal, and some pocket money before closing it. Opening her nightstand drawer, Lexi noticed an old, worn photograph and picked it up.

The photo had two men in body armor holding large guns, smiling together. Lexi's breath hitched as she realized that the man on the left was her father, years before he died overseas. The man on the right was unfamiliar to her, however. He was a bit older than her father with piercing blue eyes. Flipping the photo over, Lexi noticed a message in scrawled handwriting.

'Alexander Roberts and Leroy Jethro Gibbs- Kuwait 1989'

The photo was taken 10 years before she was born. That was exactly 21 years ago. Leroy Jethro Gibbs? Why did that name sound so familiar?

Then it hit her. Lexi remembered her father showing her pictures of him as a young man when he first enlisted in the Marines, and held up this very photograph.

"Ah, I remember when this was taken. This was in Kuwait," her father explained fondly to a much smaller, 6 year old Lexi.

"Kuwait? Where's that?" Lexi wondered aloud.

"Somewhere very far from here, pumpkin. That was when Daddy was younger, before he met Mommy," her father had answered.

"Who's that man with you?" Lexi had asked curiously, pointing to the slightly older man in the photo.

"That, Allycat, is an old friend of mine. Leroy Jethro Gibbs. He is also your godfather," her dad responded with a smile, gently stretching one of her brown ringlets and letting it go.

"He is? Have I ever met him?" Lexi inquired.

"A couple times, when you were a baby and once a few years ago. You probably don't remember him."

Lexi shook her head. "Uh uh."

"Well, I'll take you up to see him one of these days. He's a very good man. Just know, pumpkin, that if anything happens to me and Mommy, you go find him. Do you promise?" Her dad told her seriously, holding her hands in his.

Lexi nodded her head. "I promise, Daddy."

Snapping out of her flashback, Lexi knew what she had to do. She had to find this Gibbs guy and see if he could help her.

Grabbing a yellow pages book from her bookshelf, Lexi hurriedly flipped through the thin pages until she reached the 'G' section.

"Gabriel…Gentry…Giannone…Gibbs!" Lexi mumbled to herself. "Wow that's a lot of Gibbses."

Thumbing down the long list of Gibbs', she stopped at what she was looking for. "Gibbs, Leroy Jethro. 1847 W. 12th street, Washington, D.C."

Slinging her bag over her shoulder and slipping her feet in sneakers, Lexi opened her room window and let down her homemade ladder. Lexi threw her bag down into the bushes before climbing down the ladder out the window.

Landing on the grass with a soft 'thud', Lexi grabbed her bag from the bush and broke into a sprint down the road towards the bus station.

At the Gibbs residence, the MCRT team which had been granted early dismissal due to the lack of cases had agreed to meet up at Gibbs' house to wind down and have dinner. Gibbs had requested their help to organize his storage room, to which they readily agreed.

"Take your time with that door, Dinozzo. It's not like you know how to fix one if it breaks."

"Sorry, Boss," Tony apologized, rubbing the spot in the wall where the door slammed open against.

"Wow, that is a lot of boxes," Ziva remarked in wonder at the stacks of boxes and junk in the otherwise unused bedroom.

"Yeah, I know. That's what you four are here for," Gibbs answered, pushing a box of old books into Tony's arms.

Tony let out a grunt. "Pleasure to help, Boss," he remarked, slowly turning and starting downstairs.

In under 2 hours and not without complaints (mainly from Tony), the team cleared out most of the boxes and organized the remaining items as best as they could.

Abby fingered the old, faded pink wallpaper on the wall and turned to Gibbs with a quizzical look on her face. "Gibbs? Was this room…?"

Gibbs sighed and turned around from where he was placing books on a shelf. "Yes, Abs. It was."

Abby and Ziva exchanged a glance. "I think it needs a child's touch, no?" Ziva piped up.

Tim chuckled. "He's already got Dinozzo for that," he commented.

"Hey!" Tony protested.

"No, I don't think so, it's too late for that. I was thinking about making this room into an extra guest bedroom. Besides," Gibbs paused, putting an arm around the girls' shoulders.

"I already have 4 children that bring light to my heart-" Gibbs was interrupted by a loud crash as Tony tripped over a box and brought a nearby lamp down with him.

"-and a pain in my ass," Gibbs finished with a glare in Tony's direction.

Tony hurriedly stood up, trying to clean the mess around him mumbling an apology. The other three laughed heartily as Gibbs directed them back downstairs towards the kitchen with a promise of pizza and snacks. Tony sprinted from the room excitedly, making sure to watch where he was going this time.

Lexi sprinted from her stop two blocks away, albeit not so much in excitement, but in desperation and panic. She knew that the social worker and policeman had definitely noticed she was gone by now, and were probably out looking for her. She had to find Gibbs quick.

A bunch of 'what ifs' entered the young girl's mind. What if this Gibbs guy rejected her and released her to the social worker? What if he refused to help her? What if she ended up in a group home or a random foster home?

Lexi turned on West 12th street and continued walking down the block as a light drizzle began. Scanning the house numbers as she passed them, Lexi let out a slight breath of relief as she found the house she was looking for.

Lexi started to jog towards the home until she stopped right before the front porch. The house had a welcoming feel to it, and suddenly, Lexi had a feeling that she belonged here. This was exactly where she was supposed to be. She noticed no car in the driveway but went to ring the doorbell anyway, assuming the car was in the garage.

After a few minutes of waiting outside, Lexi was startled as the door swung open and a man with brown hair stood at the door.

"Can I help you?" he asked.

"Yes, you can. Is there a Leroy Gibbs here?" Lexi replied, trying to peer inside behind him.

The man smiled slightly in the most irritating way to Lexi, as if he was mocking her. Leaning against the doorway, he crossed his arms with a grin. "He's right here, what can I do for you?"

Lexi shook her head with a sneer. "Very funny. Is Mr. Gibbs home? I need to speak to him. If not, I'll wait out here for him."

"Sorry, kid. You'd best be getting home. No trespassers allowed."

Lexi's temper rose and she gritted her teeth in frustration. "Listen, I'm looking for Leroy Jethro Gibbs. It's important and you're wasting my time," she growled.

"Whoa there, tiger. How do you know I'm not this Gibbs guy?" the irritating man countered, flashing a charming smile.

Lexi chuckled dryly. "Trust me, Hotshot. With the day I'm having, I know I can't be THAT unlucky."

The annoying grin faded from the man's face as he was about to retort when someone else did it for him.

"Can I help you?"

Lexi froze at the gruff voice that sounded behind her. Turning around slowly, she came face to face with a pair of vibrant blue eyes. She knew right away that this was Gibbs.

"Mr. Gibbs?" Lexi whispered in awe.

"Lexi?" Gibbs responded softly.

"You remember me," Lexi answered in disbelief.

"How could I forget my goddaughter?" Gibbs chuckled softly.

Lexi dropped her bags and threw her arms around his waist, burying her face in his stomach. Behind her, Tony, joined by the other three team members stood by the doorway watching the scene in a mix of confusion and surprise.

"You have to help me, please. I'm in a lot of trouble and you're all I have left, Mr. Gibbs. I need you," Lexi begged, looking up at Gibbs pleadingly.

"Let's get you inside, Lexi. You're soaked, let's get you warm and dry," Gibbs answered gently, handing Tony the bags of takeout. Tim wordlessly took Lexi's duffel and carried it inside after Gibbs motioned towards it.

Gibbs led Lexi into the living room. Grabbing a blanket, he wrapped it around her and motioned to the couch. "Sit, I'll get you some dry clothes and a towel from upstairs."

"Okay," Lexi whispered. Gibbs left the room and Lexi took in her surroundings. The room was simply decorated and had a pleasant, homey smell to it. She felt warm and safe, safer than she had ever felt with her mother.

Suddenly, Lexi felt as if she was being watched. Sure enough, she turned to look towards the doorway of the living room where 4 other adults stood gawking at her.

"Yes?" Lexi remarked.

The man she saw earlier cleared his throat. "We just want to know where you came from."

Lexi raised her eyebrows before sighing with a shrug. "Well, I didn't think I'd be having this conversation with a grown man, but I'll explain as best as I can. When a mommy and a daddy love each other veeeery much, they decide-"

"You know what I mean," the man interrupted with a wave of his hand.

"I'm not telling you anything," Lexi replied, crossing her arms and looking forward. "And I can do without the awkward staring."

"Hey, get some food and let me talk to her in private," Gibbs instructed, stepping in the room with a towel and dry clothes. The others obeyed, not without the goth looking girl giving Lexi a weird glance. Handing Lexi the clothes, Gibbs directed her to the downstairs bathroom to change.

Lexi changed into the oversized NIS T-shirt and baggy sweatpants, feeling 10 times warmer and comfortable than she was before. After wrapping her sopping curls in the towel, she picked up her wet clothes and carried them with her to the living room, before handing them to Gibbs and sitting down.

Gibbs took the clothes before sitting in the couch across from her. Lexi fidgeted uncomfortably in her seat and looked down at her lap.

"Explain."

That one word sent chills down her spine. It wasn't said in an aggressive or mean way, but the authority that dripped from that one word was an indication that this Gibbs guy meant business.

"Okay, I know you're wondering how I got here and why-"

"Ya think?" Gibbs interjected with a slight chuckle. "And why you traveled alone in the rain."

"I think I'm old enough to take a bus by myself…" Lexi commented with a shrug.

"You're 11, and still a minor. Anything could have happened to you out there."

"Yeah yeah, I get it," Lexi scoffed with an eyeroll, which made Gibbs raise an eyebrow. "You remember my father?"

"Of course I do. Alex and I have been good friends for a long time. We served overseas together," Gibbs answered.

"He…passed away four years ago. He was killed in action," Lexi admitted, looking down.

Gibbs was momentarily shocked, and it showed clearly on his face. He had no idea of his friend's passing. Suddenly things made sense. Why he hadn't heard from his friend in ages. Why he hadn't seen Lexi since she was a small child. But not why she was sitting right in front of him now.

"Where is your mother?"

"My mother died this morning. I came home from school and a social worker with a cop showed up at my door. They can't find any living relatives and were going to put me in a foster home. I can't go into a home, I just can't," Lexi paused for a moment.

"That's why I looked you up and left…" Lexi blurted out.

"Left? So they don't know where you are?" Gibbs repeated incredulously.

"N-no," Lexi whispered.

Gibbs gave her a disapproving look. "I had to! I don't know why they didn't see that you're the closest thing I have left. They wouldn't have listened. I came to find you so you can help me, I have no one left. Please?" Lexi pleaded Gibbs to understand.

Gibbs said nothing for a moment. His heart went out to this young girl who'd seemed to lose everything all at once. His gut was screaming at him that this was the right thing to do.

"Listen, Lexi. I made a promise to your father a long time ago that if anything happened to him, I'd take care of you. No matter how long it's been, I intend to keep my promise. You're safe here," Gibbs finally replied.

"I don't want to be a burden-"

"None of that, kid. You've always been welcome here, even if you didn't know it. You're here to stay, and I don't want to hear you call yourself a burden again. Clear?"

"Yes, sir," Lexi answered sheepishly, pulling the towel from off her head to let her now damp shoulder-length curls down.

"Nah, the sir isn't necessary. I work for a living," Gibbs chuckled. Both of them stood up and Gibbs had a hand on her shoulder, leading her into the kitchen.

The team sat at the table, sharing out plates of Chinese takeout and partaking in their usual playful banter. All conversation stopped when Lexi walked in, and the awkward staring resumed.

"We have a new member of our little family," Gibbs announced.

"But, Boss? Isn't she a bit too young to be an agent?" Tony piped up.

Gibbs rolled his eyes and sighed in exasperation. "Slap him, Ziva…"

Ziva eagerly obeyed, placing a good whack to the back of Tony's head, eliciting a yelp.

"As I was saying. Her name is Lexi, and she is my goddaughter," Gibbs continued.

"You have a goddaughter?" Ziva asked in disbelief.

"Yes, I do. Her father was an old friend of mine, we served overseas," Gibbs answered. "She will be staying here with me."

"Until?" Abby remarked, giving Lexi a strange look.

"Until nothing, Abs. I hope you all make her feel welcome. She's had a very eventful day," Gibbs scolded firmly. The team nodded in response.

Tim handed Lexi a plate of Chinese food, which she took with a quiet 'thank you' before sitting in an empty chair.

"You all going to introduce yourselves?" Gibbs remarked in slight amusement.

"Oh, right. The name is Tony Dinozzo, I'm the oldest of our little family," Tony spoke first, flashing Lexi a smile.

"I'm Tim, the second oldest," the man to Lexi's right continued, and she smiled. He seemed nice.

The really pretty girl who slapped Tony cleared her throat. "I am Ziva, it is nice to meet you."

"It's nice to meet you, too," Lexi answered.

The goth girl paused before sighing. "I'm Abby."

"It's nice to meet you all," Lexi addressed them all. "My name is Lexi, and I'm 11 years old."

"Wow, 11? You don't look a day over 9," Tony snickered.

Lexi scowled slightly. Ziva glared at Tony and kicked him once under the table. "He is only kidding. This is what we deal with on a daily basis," she said gently to Lexi, before giving Tony a look. "He acts as if he is 8 years old."

Lexi nodded before smiling mischievously. "It's funny, Tony. You act like you're 8 but you don't look a day over 45," she remarked, expecting the outraged squeak that came from Tony.

The others laughed in amusement at her comeback. Gibbs smiled at the interaction and shook his head slightly. He excused himself from the table to make a phone call, while the team and Lexi continued their banter.

Gibbs notified the authorities just to let them know where Lexi was and that she was safe. He was going to have a chat with the social worker come morning regarding Lexi. But for that moment, Gibbs returned to the dining room where Lexi was explaining the events of her day to the team. Seeing her among his people felt natural. It was as if she was meant to be there.