Second Chance

It's been three years since she died. Has it really been that long, he thought to himself? He had so many regrets. He had so many things he wanted to tell her. So many things he wanted to show her. But he was a stubborn man; he never did let her in. He could only wish he did. She took two bullets for him. Her face has haunted him since the day they met. The moment they met, he knew how attracted he was with her. Those green eyes and her dark hair, she was beautiful. He was so afraid to let her in that there were times when he really was a bastard to her. But still, she stayed and in the end, she took two bullets for him.

He can't stop thinking about her. He should be over her by now but he isn't. Everyday, he's sinking deeper and deeper. He thought that maybe, other women could replace her, but they couldn't. He was a fool to think that Caitlin Todd was replaceable. He was in denial for so long until his recent girlfriend called him on it.

"Jethro, I can't compete with her. I can't compete with her ghost?" Lt. Col. Susanna Thompson, a woman he had been seeing for the past six months.

"What are you talking about Sussana?" Jethro asked angrily.

"You know damn well, Jethro. Caitlin Todd. You're still in love with her ghost. Do you know that you say her name in your sleep?"

"I'm sorry Susanna."

"I'm sorry too, Jethro." Susanna walked to the door without looking back.

Jethro is standing over her grave, talking to her now. She wished he would let her go so that her soul will be free and she will finally be at peace. But he wouldn't and it's breaking her heart to see him lose himself, lose the kind of man she had fallen in love with the day they first met on Air Force One.

For the past three years, since she died, she had been a wanderer. God said that in order for her to find peace, for her soul to rest with Him, Gibbs has to let her go. And she has to let him go completely. But she can't, not while he's suffering like. He doesn't know that she listens to him, that she watches him.

"Katie, I missed you so much. It's been three years today and I know that I should let you go but I can't Katie. I love you, you know. I know I was a bastard for not telling you that but I was hoping that I would finally come around to it but He took you away too soon. It wasn't your time yet. It wasn't fair that He took you from me. He took you from Us. Why did you leave me, Katie?"

Caitlin Todd, watched as the love of her life breaks down, looking helpless. She wished she could comfort him and let him know that she's here for him. But she's already dead and all she could do is watch and listen. Just then, a bright light appeared before her and she knew that God has come to visit her again, to tell her what He has been telling her the past three years.

"Caitlin, you know that I can't let you in my Kingdom completely until you both let go of each other completely, right?"

"I know but how can I if he's hurting as much I am?"

"I tell you what, I'll make a deal with you."

"What deal is that?"

"I'll let you go back to earth for a year and do all the things you never had a chance to do with him but I warn you, when one year is up, you will die again and this will cause him heartbreak again, can you handle that? H e will get hurt again and this time, it might be worse."

"When you say, I can go back for a year and do all the things he and I were not able to do, you mean I will come back alive, as a real person and not just a ghost?"

"Yeah, you will not come back as a ghost but as a real person. What's it going to be, Caitlin?"

"Can I think about it? I need to talk to him."

"How are you going to do that? You can't communicate with him?"

"Let me worry about that."

"I need to know by tomorrow, Caitlin. I hope you make the right decision."

Caitlin watched Gibbs as the sun began to set. Gibbs is now sitting, touching every letter on the cement that bared her name. He closed his eyes and as he traced each letter. She needed to let him know she's there. She needed to know what he wants. She saw him shiver as she touched his cheek.

"Katie, is that you? Please talk to me. I want to see you once again. I want to see you smile. I want to hear you laugh. Katie."

After what she heard, Caitlin ran to Him and said, "I want to go back. He needs me."

And in one split second, she found herself standing over the love of life.

"Gibbs."

Gibbs wasn't sure if what he heard was real. He looked up as he felt a shadow hover over him. It can't be, he thought. But it is and she looks real.

"Katie, is that really you?"

"It is Gibbs."

"Are you real? Can I touch you?"

"See for yourself, Gibbs."

Gibbs got up and touched her face. She was real. She was warm as he remembered her. Tears started to flow and he pulled her close.

"I don't understand Katie. How did you get here?"

"You asked me to. I'll explain everything later. Take me home."