A/n: Hey guys! I'm back. I never meant to make you wait a whole week lol. Just a safety net for me. :) We all know how I can be with those updates.

So this will be the last installment for this little series. I may write more stories set in this little universe, should the inspiration come to me, but nothing so connected as these three have been. Thank you so much guys for reading and reviewing! I hope you like this one as much as the last. I really do!

Enjoy! :)

~Previously~

Two days later, Gibbs pulled out of the hospital parking lot, Jenny's list of things in his head. She and Ava were being released from the hospital in several hours and had sent him home to get some things for her. He intended to stop by his house first though, and make a few calls.

As he drove down the streets of Washington, what with all that happened, he could not help but flash back twenty-two years, Kelly and Shannon on his mind. He chuckled, shaking his head, as he stepped out of his car, keys in hand.

He slid his key into the lock, pushing his front door open. He stopped in his tracks though at what he found, his face draining of all its color. "Shannon?" he choked.

The woman on his steps stood with a nervous laugh. "I see all those years of me locking the door behind us never made much of an impact." She paused, staring at the shocked man in the doorway. His hair was now more salt than pepper, and the years had contributed a few more lines here and there; but he was still Leroy Jethro Gibbs. "It's been a long time Jethro."

Shannon sat at the kitchen table across from Gibbs not ten minutes later, and still neither had said a word. "I heard you had a new baby," she whispered, "You and your new wife."

"Not married," he mumbled in reflex. He took a long swig of bourbon, before looking up to the woman in front of him. "How are you here Shannon?" he asked, his voice full of disbelief, "You're supposed to be dead. You're-You've been gone fifteen years," he fumbled.

She sighed heavily before speaking. "I've been in witness protection. Me and Kelly." She watched his head shoot up at the mention of their daughter, but continued. "I assume you know what happened. I saw a Marine murdered. The man who did it, Pedro Hernandez, he came after us. We were in a car accident. God Jethro, it was awful. I was in a coma for two months. I had three broken ribs, my left ankle was shattered, internal bleeding, the works. And Kelly. She's got a scar all the way down her neck where the glass sliced her."

He cut her off, "Kelly's alive too?" he demanded, hope in his eyes.

She nodded. "We both survived it Jethro. She just thought, maybe you should hear it from me. About a week after we were given our new identities, they told us that he was dead, but that we were still in danger. Until they tracked down his children, and his wife, we had to stay. Jethro, I'm so sorr-I never meant to do that to you. I just-"

He cut her off, surprisingly calm. "Keeping you and Kelly safe. I know Shan."

"I wanted to tell you. Give you some hint we were alive, but it was just…to risky. I thought about you every day. We both did "

He smiled sadly. "Me too Shan. Me too." He sighed. "Shannon, you were-I'll always love you. You know that. But-"

She cut him off, the same sad smile on her face. "You've moved on. We both have. It's been fifteen years Jethro. I'd be upset if you hadn't." She moved to her feet. "I guess maybe I should go."

He shot to his feet, eyeing her incredulously. "You show up on my steps after fifteen years, and now you're gonna walk out again."

She sighed. "I didn't come here, to disrupt your life Jethro. I just didn't want you to hear it from someone else, that we were back." She smiled a watery smile. "We'll be fine Jethro. You remember Don, from next door. He um, ended up relocating to Albuquerque. Where they sent us. Cliché right? We got a lot closer Jethro. I'd given up hope of ever seeing you again long ago by then. He got a job here in Washington again though. I married him Jethro. Kelly loves him. He's been like a father to her for the past five years." She watched his face, and added, "But he isn't you. She misses you Jethro. God she misses you."

Hours later, Shannon and Jethro sat in laughter relaying tales of their lives since they had parted ways. He stopped though at the mention of Jenny. "What time is it?" he demanded, his expression panicked.

She sent a quick glance to her wrist. "Ten," she replied, concern evident in her expression. "Jethro what's wrong?"

"Shit!" he muttered, running to the door, Shannon on his heels."

"Jethro what is it?"

"Jenny was supposed to be released from the hospital two hours ago," he spat.

"Oh my God," she breathed. "Jethro I'm sorry. I didn't think. God she'll hate me."

She wont hate you Shannon," he muttered, running out the door. If she hated anybody, it would be him.

Twenty minutes later, Gibbs skidded into the Bethesda parking lot at record time, and jumped out of the car, sprinting though the hospital doors, and past the receptionist. He jammed the elevator button repeatedly until the doors opened and he darted between them, hitting the button for second floor. As the elevator began its ascent, he prayed she was still there. That way he may have a chance at explaining, no matter how upset she was.

Not two minutes later, the doors opened with a ding, and he shot out of them. He ran down the hall, bursting through the door of Jenny's room, only to find it empty. He cursed himself for his blunder. Out of his peripheral vision, he caught sight of a glimpse of pink scrubs. He spun to his right, demanding of the grey haired nurse, "THe woman that was in this room, where did she go?"

"Oh you mean Director Shepard?"

"Yes."

"Oh beautiful baby girl. You just missed her. She left about fifteen minutes ago with her sister. Lord they looked like they could've been twins."

He sighed wearily, turning back for the elevators. She was going to kill him.

Thirty minutes later, he pulled into their driveway, rubbing out the wrinkles between his brows, cursed at seeing Heather piling the kids into her car. "Jesus," he muttered.

"Heather," he called, and her head shot up at her name.

As he neared her, her eyes narrowed. He jogged up the walkway, but stopped in front of the blue eyed red head. She did not even bother to turn to face him. She simply said, "In the bedroom. If you're going to fix this Jethro, you better to do it fast."

He took the steps two at a time, and made his way down the hallway, until he stopped, panting, in the doorway to the bedroom. Jenny turned, her ponytail swinging behind her, expecting to find her sister, but glared, at finding the very person she did not want to see.

She turned back to the suitcase she was packing, and tossing, various articles of clothing into the bag, said, "You know, I was going to tell you to take the week to find out what you were going to do, but the very fact that you left me in a hospital with our two day old daughter, tells me that you already have." Zipping up her suitcase, she turned to him, a sad smile on her face at the shocked look on his. "You thought I didn't know. News travels fast Jethro. Especially when the news, is that Leroy Jethro Gibbs' wife and daughter, thought to be dead for fifteen years, pop back up just after his new girlfrien gives birth.

"Jenny," he tried, but she cut him off.

"I understand it Jethro," she sighed, biting her lip, forcing her eyes not to water, "She's her. Doesn't mean I have to like it though. I'm taking the kids with me to Heather's for the week. That should be enough time to have your things out by then."

"Jenny!" he snapped, finding that it was the only way to shut her up. It worked. She stopped, eyeing him reproachfully. "I don't want Shannon." She eyed him skeptically, and he grabbed her by her biceps, taking her to the bed with him. "I let you down. I'm sorry. I moved on Jen. I don't want Shannon. She doesn't want me."

"Jethro," she sighed, but this time he cut her off.

"Listen!" he snapped, and she clamped her mouth shut. "I stopped by my house after I left. She was there. We started talking, and I lost track of time. I'm sorry."

"Jethro," she sighed, shaking her head, "They're deaths are a huge part of who you are. They helped shape you into the man I fell in love with. Some things I would love to change, but-" It was all so much to take in. "I accepted that they would always be a part of your life, but Jethro this is different."

"What would you change?"

"What?" she demanded. Why did that matter?

"What. Would. You. Change?"

She made a sound something between a scoff and a laugh, and moved to her feet. "Your insane hatred of authority."

"Never liked authority, even in he Marines. What else?"

"The fact that you can't seem to play well with others."

"Never did that either. Ask Shannon."

She smiled. "Jethro."

"What else?"

"I don't know. I can't think of anything else right now," she sighed.

He nodded. "What do you love. Be specific."

"Need me to feed your ego Jethro," she teased, and he smiled.

"I'm serious Jen."

She bit her lip. "You will protect your family above all else. You consider your team your family. You save the women and children first. You put everyone before yourself." That is what she was worried he would lose.

"Marines instilled that in me from day one Jen. I was in the Marines long before I met Shannon."

She laughed through her tears, swiping at the droplets of water in aggravation.

"I'm sorry Jen," he whispered, pulling her into his arms.

She nodded against his chest, cursing her hormones that wouldn't seem to go away, even after the pregnancy. He had probably told her he was sorry more times in the past few minutes than he had since she had known him. "You're not off the hook," she muttered, pushing away from him, swiping once more at the stray tears.

"I figured," he grumbled, and she laughed.

Heather appeared at the door, a knowing smile on her face. "I take it I won't be needed."

Jenny laughed with an imperceptible shake of the head. "Thanks Hev."

Heather nodded. "The twins are in their room, and Ava is in hers." She turned to leave, but quickly stuck her head back in, and said, "Don't do anything I wouldn't do."

"Heather!" Jenny growled, but the only response she received was her sister's laughter.

Later that night, Jethro watched from the doorway of their bedroom, as Jenny finished feeding their daughter, and laid her in her crib.

"Good night ma cheri," she whispered, running a gentle hand over the Ava's hair.

She crossed the room, shutting the lights off, and shut the door behind her. "She'll be up in two hours," she laughed, and Gibbs chuckled, following behind her toward the bedroom.

Five minutes later, Gibbs sat in bed while Jenny got herself ready for bed. "Jen?" he called.

She turned to him for a split second before turning back to the mirror, "Yeah," taking her hair tie out of her mouth, and gathered her, thick, red locks into a ponytail.

"They wanna when it would be okay to come by. If they can come by."

She paused, slowing in her movements, and turned to him. "Why?"

"Kelly," he sighed, and then it dawned on her.

"Jethro have you seen her yet?" she demanded.

"No," he replied, wondering what weight that held.

She sighed incredulously. "Jethro why are you asking me?" she demanded. "Did you think I would try to keep you from her?"

"No Jen," he sighed, "Shannon. She just, doesn't want to-"

She shut her yes in an attempt to calm herself, before opening them, and sighing, "They can come, whenever they want Jethro." She shut off the lights and walked around the bed, sliding in without another word.

Three days later, Gibbs moved around the kitchen, attempting to tidy up while Jenny slept with the baby upstairs, and the twins napped in their room. He had practically had to force her into bed. She was exhausted, any one could see that; and his suspicions had been proved true as she had been sleeping for two hours.

As he finished, he was startled by a knock at the door. He still wasn't used to locked doors. He wiped his hands on the dishtowel and tossed it into the sink, heading for the door. Stopping at the heavy, oak door, he looked through the peephole, sighing at seeing who his visitor was. He swung the door open, eyeing his visitor. "Hey Shan."

"Hi, Jethro," she sighed, clearly in debate about something. "I hate to come by so unexpectedly. I know you said any time, but I should've called." she paused. "Look, Kelly, she wanted to see you. I just thought, maybe we should give her a week you know," she said, referring to Jenny.

"Come on in," he sighed, stepping aside.

Jenny mewed as she woke, stretching out across the bed. She rolled over to look in on her daughter, and finding that she was, miraculously, still asleep, Jenny sat up, swinging her legs over the edge of the bed, and planted her feet on the floor. She ran a hand through her tousled locks as she stood. She had a lot on her mind, what with the baby, keeping her up every two hours, and Shannon and Kelly's sudden reappearing act.

Fifteen minutes later, she jogged down the stairs, dressed in a green rib tank, and matching running shorts, a pair of Nikes on her feet, her red hair, pulled back into a high ponytail. "Jethro?" she called, heading for the kitchen, knowing she would find him there. "Watch the baby. I'm going for a run with-" Her word caught in her throat at the sight before her.

Her hair had been died blonde, and cut into a stacked bob, the years had contributed a few lines; faint crow's feet and laugh lines. But there was no doubt about it. She was the woman in the pictures.

Shannon Gibbs, sat in her kitchen, a tentative smile on her face.

A/n: Soooo? Tell me what you think guys; I hope you liked it :) OMG YOU GUYS! TOMORROW IS MY BIRTHDAY! :D EEEE! I'M SO EXCITED!

You know what would be the bestest present ever?…Lot's of reviews *wink* Tehe.