Prologue

Gibbs looked down at the baby in the cradle, the cradle he had lovingly built some 31 years earlier, it had needed a few repairs and a new lick of paint, for back then some paints were still not lead free. The child, beside the cradle looked so peaceful, so serene, so beautiful, just like her mother had been, when she had given birth to Kelly….

"Dad" a voice interrupted his thoughts, "Dad….meet your grand-daughter, Claire Shannon O'Donnell."
Gibbs looked at the child, only she wasn't anymore she was a grown woman of 30 and a mother.

"She's lovely Kelly, just like you were," he began to say, as the tears began to sting his eyes he kissed her forehead, "Rest baby, I'll get a message to her father, but it may be a bit difficult, since we don't know where he is in the world. But I'll get McGee to try."

"Dad, it wasn't my fault Claire was early…"

"Know Kelly," as Gibbs turned and walked out the room, his head held high a smile on his face but memories of that fateful day, when he was in Iraq…

Chapter 1, Starting Over 1991

Gunnery Sergeant Gibbs had been on night patrol in Iraq, he was tired he wanted to rest but first he wanted to write a letter to Shannon, but Lieutenant Cameron was waiting for him, "Gunny, Colonel Ryan wants to see you now." Gibbs looked at the face of his commanding officer it wasn't good, but followed Cameron out into the morning sun and to Ryan's tent, all he could remember were the words,…"Gunny, I'm terribly sorry, Jethro, she's dead and Kelly is in a coma."

"Noooooooooooooo" was all he could hear himself shout.

That evening he went out on patrol, his mind wasn't in the job, but he had to do this patrol then there would be a flight ready for him to go home….to Kelly, but that landmine….

-oOo-

His recuperation, and return to Washington took its time, eventually he was deemed well enough to make the funeral arrangements for his wife. Joann and her husband, Mack had taken in Kelly, and were reluctant to return their only grandchild to someone who may become an absent father.

"Joann, I may be a Marine, but Kelly is my daughter, she is Shannon's flesh and blood, I think you'll find that a court of law will give me custody of my daughter…."

"Not Jethro, if you continue to be an active Marine," came the reply.

"Joann, there are scholarships and I know Shannon had a couple of life policies set up in case I died, and she needed to fund Kelly's education," Gibbs retaliated.

"I will not have my granddaughter disrupted anymore than she has been. She has lost her mother, her father is absent…."

"I'm serving my country and if it is any concern of yours Joann, I applied and have been accepted for a post at Quantico."

"Doing what?" Joann shouted.

"My job. I'm a sniper and have been accepted as a Rifleman Instructor, I won't see active combat again but at least I can teach others the tricks of my trade," Gibbs had replied.

"Jethro," Mack continued, "What about Kelly, she could stay here during the week and with you at the weekends, there are some good schools….."

"No, she is coming to Quantico with me, the Corps have given me housing and at the weekends we can be back in D.C. if need be. And there is a good Marine school at Quantico," as Gibbs turned to leave he saw Kelly standing at the door silently crying.

"Look, you've made the child cry," Joann shouted as she made a move to Kelly, who ran to Gibbs.

"I want to stay with daddy," as she wrapped her arms round his leg.

"I think that answers your question," as Gibbs picked his daughter up into his arms, "Just make sure all her possessions are ready for me to pick up in the morning…..I have booked us into a hotel," now walking out the door.