Gibbs sat outside of his house, on the cement steps in front of the door. A Mason jar full of bourbon in one hand, the other propped behind him. The door stood wide open, letting in the cool evening breeze. The night progressed, the sky got darker, the air sharper, the fireflies came out, and finally the stars came out. Leroy Jethro Gibbs watched each light in the sky appear, and it seemed that another familiar face shone down. A star for Kate, her smirk ever so familiar.
"Should I write these 'rules' on my Palm Pilot, or crochet them on my pillow?" Kate Todd said, sarcastically.
"Palm Pilot?" Gibbs asked, attempting to pass her, but he had to ask.
"Really Gibbs?" The brunette held out a black electronic.
"Secret Service tools?"
"I can't believe this." Kate muttered, smiling.
"Remember them." answered Gibbs.
"What?"
"The rules. Rule number five: you don't waste good." A slight smile crossed his face, and he knew why she was on his team. Then he roughly threw her backpack at her.
"Gear up."
Gibbs took a sip of his bourbon. Kate was still missed by his team. He knew that DiNozzo cared about her, naming even a goldfish after her, and Kate would always be Abby's best friend. Ziva and Kate were different, but yet alike in so many ways. Both of them were like daughters to him; the team, his family.
Another star in the sky was for Jenny. His last redhead.
"Jethro," Jenny muttered. "Can you believe it's our last day in Paris?" Gibbs turned to look at her, and shook his head. The two sat on a blanket in the grass, waiting for the fireworks.
"I feel like the fireworks are for us. You know, to celebrate." Jenny said. She blushed a little, not wanting him to take that the wrong way. Jenny knew that she cared deeply for Gibbs. Maybe more.
"Where's Ducky?" Gibbs asked.
"He said he'd be here in a bit..." Jenny laid down on the blanket to stare at the sky. Her red hair was sprawled around her head. Gibbs followed her lead. She was his probie still, and he her boss. Relationships between agents never worked, but was that what they had? Suddenly, he heard her gasp, and looked up to see a burst of color in the sky. The fireworks had begun. They watched them silently, and Gibbs reached over to take Jenny's hand in his.
"I love you Jen," he said softly.
Mike had told him what he and Jenny had talked about in the diner a few years later. But Gibbs still couldn't believe that she hadn't let him go to California with her, instead taking Tony and Ziva. It's not that they weren't trusted, it's that he would have never left her side. They would always have Paris.
A large star stood for Mike Franks, his chain-smoking sun-loving boss.
"Hurry up there probie. Can't just sit here all day, and hot tubs can't use themselves." Mike said in his raspy voice.
"Ever thought 'bout helping, Mike?" Gibbs asked with a smile, knowing his answer.
"You're 'sposed to be the woodworkin' expert. And you're the one on a Margarita Safari."
"That's been your entire retirement," joked Gibbs, tilting back a beer.
"Well I'm glad you joined me probie."
"When are Leyla and Amira getting here?" wondered Gibbs, anxious to see his goddaughter.
"Soon, according to Camilla. They wouldn't miss you for the world."
"I'm staying, Mike." Gibbs said. Mike chuckled.
"Just keep tellin' yourself that."
There were many times that Gibbs was sure Mike's death was coming. Even if it was from smoking. But the two of them were partners from Gibbs's very first days at NIS. McGee had complained about Tony calling still calling him 'probie.' But to the day of Mike's death, Gibbs was called nothing other than the NCIS nickname of probie himself.
Two stars, as close as a mother and daughter, were for his first and true loves, Shannon and Kelly Gibbs.
"Here honey, this one's from daddy." Shannon said sweetly, handing her precious child one last package. Shannon's mother, Joann, sat nearby to watch as her granddaughter unwrapped the small, wooden toy that her father had made. Shannon smiled, seeing her husband's hard work in the form of a toy for Kelly. Kelly's own face exploded in a grin.
"Daddy made dis?" the toddler asked. Shannon nodded eagerly.
"And when he gets back in a few weeks you can thank him."
"Can we call him?" Kelly wondered. Shannon looked to Joann, who shrugged.
"It's late where he his. How about tomorrow?" questioned Shannon, trying to keep the girl's spirit's up. Kelly still nodded. Suddenly, the girls heard a knock at the door.
"I've got it," Shannon said, walking towards the door. Joann, from the living room, listened to the door open, and immediately heard her daughter scream. Standing in the doorway, in full Marine uniform. The redhead reached her arms around Gibbs's neck, tears falling from her eyes. She couldn't believe that her husband was here, for Christmas. It was all that Kelly had been asking for, and that Shannon had been praying for.
"Are you really here?"
"I'm here Shannon." They heard a small pitter-patter of footsteps as Kelly came to see what the commotion was.
"Daddy!" she screamed, running at her father. Gibbs picked Kelly up, without letting go of his wife. Shannon was crying softly in his ear and he swung Kelly onto his shoulders.
"Merry Christmas," Gibbs smiled. It was a dream come true, as he kissed his wife and daughter.
They were all bittersweet memories, but ones that he wouldn't trade for the entire world. Gibbs turned to look at his Mason jar, which was now empty. He set it aside and looked up once more. All of the stars seemed to weave together to create one big picture. And you can only see the picture if you know where to look.
A/N: Based off of OneRepublic's Counting Stars. Please tell me what you thought.