Author's Note: This is my first NCIS fic, I own nothing, I'm just playing with them for my own enjoyment. Also, in my world, Kate never dies. This takes place roughly sometime between the end of season three and season four, maybe some season five along the way.
It was early on a Monday morning following a long weekend working a case. The NCIS bullpen was peaceful and quiet as the first few early birds began to arrive for the start of a new workweek. It had been a hectic couple of months for everyone. They'd nearly lost one of their own, they were adjusting to a new Director, Gibbs' team was getting use to a new member, and the cases had been coming hot and heavy. Everyone from the Director to the janitor who took trash bags full of empty coffee cups out every night was hoping for a slight reprieve, a moment to breath, a moment to enjoy the homecoming of the agent they nearly lost. Of course they weren't going to get that moment. The kind of bad they dealt with day in and day out wasn't going to take a day off just because Kate Todd was coming back to work.
Caitlin "Kate" Todd smiled as she stepped off the elevator and onto the bullpen floor of the Naval Criminal Investigative Services office. It was her first day back since being shot by Ari Haswari. Ari had nearly killed her, and if it hadn't been for Gibbs he would have. If it hadn't been for Gibbs and his famous gut moving her suddenly Ari's shot would have nailed her right between the eyes. Gibbs had pushed her backwards several steps and the bullet hit her just above the Kevlar vest she was wearing. Shaking off the memory of being shot, rushed to the hospital, waking up after surgery to Gibbs' watching over her, and the weeks of recovery Kate made her way towards her desk. She smiled as her partners, Tim McGee and Tony DiNozzo stood up, smiling as she approached.
"Welcome back Kate." Tim said with a cheerful, boyish smile.
"Let me see the scar." Tony demanded with a wiggle of his eyebrows.
Kate's scar was on her breast. "Not a fat chance in hell, DiNozzo." The dark haired, hazel eyed secret service officer turned special agent just shook her head at her friend as she turned and dumped her stuff on her desk. Sitting in her chair looking up at her was a dark haired, dark eyed woman Kate hadn't met before, but had a pretty good idea whom she was. "You're in my chair."
"I was just…" Ziva David began.
"You're at my desk." Kate replied.
Ziva looked the other woman over for a long moment. Since the day she arrived all she'd heard from her team was Kate Todd this and Kate Todd that. It was a little odd to be face to face with a fairytale. Another moment passed as the two woman sized each other up. Finally Ziva stood slowly, offering Kate her desk back.
The two women never took their eyes off each other, not until the sudden silence in the room was broken by a high pitched, very clearly delighted squeal that called out, "Kate's back!"
Kate felt the air being knocked out of her lungs as Abby Sciuto engulfed her in a tight embrace. "Abby." Kate wheezed. "You just saw me last night."
"Yeah, I know." Abby said, still hugging the slightly shorter woman. "But that was at your apartment and this is here. You're back! I missed you!"
From her perch on the third floor near the railing Director Jenny Shepard watched as her agency's number one team was reunited. She really hoped that having Kate back would help the team accept Ziva more easily, they hadn't really taken kindly to her mandate that Ziva be on the team, but she knew that they would all gain something from Ziva's addition. Just as she knew Ziva would learn a lot from them, from him mostly, but from the other too.
As she watched Doctor Donald Mallard take his turn in hugging Kate, welcoming her home, she couldn't help but think back to the days when they along with Gibbs were that tight knit team. The way they'd been together, the closeness, the reliability, the loyalty, the caring, that's what she wanted for these younger agents. Though as Director she could do without any clandestine love affairs between any of her agents, though if they were as careful and she and Jethro then only they'd get hurt, but she didn't want that for anyone. That kind of pain, the kind of secrets that could come from that, she wouldn't wish that anyone.
After Ducky and Abby left the bullpen everyone settled in at their desks and set to work on their various tasks. Kate was just getting up to retrieve more paperwork from the printer when a delivery made walked up to their row of cubicles. "Can I help you?"
It was odd, the sudden thoughts flooding her mind. She often thought of Jethro and their past but for some reason she couldn't seem to shake them this morning. She'd had the oddest feeling in the pit of her stomach since she'd awoken with a slight startle that morning. Jenny still didn't know what she'd dreamt about that had jostled her awake, or even if it had been a dream at all. Maybe she should have gone with her instincts and called to check on Jethro, but she hadn't been able to think of a good enough excuse to just randomly call him at five a.m.
Turning away from the railing and heading into MTAC Jenny didn't see the sandy blonde haired man in the brown shorts and shirt get off the elevator and call out, "Special delivery for Leroy Jethro Gibbs."
"He isn't in yet." Kate said as she walked over to the man. "I'll sign for it."
The deliver man nodded and handed Kate the delivery tag to sign. After ripping off his copy he gave her the box and left. Not even a full second later Kate felt herself flanked on either side by the boys.
"What do you think it is?" Tony asked as Kate walked the package over to Gibbs desk and set it down.
"Probably something for the boat in his basement." Kate replied just as Tony picked up the package to give it a little shake. "Tony!"
"What?" The boyish man replied with a child like grin.
"What if it had something explosive in it?" McGee asked.
"Didn't you learn anything from blowing into a powder filled envelope?" Kate asked as she glared at her partner. He'd nearly died from being reckless and she wasn't about to let him forget that any time soon. Not after what he'd made her feel when she thought he'd died.
Tony just rolled his eyes. "They're extra careful with the mail. They're not going to send up something explosive. It doesn't sound like a piece for his boat. Maybe it's something for the redhead in the convertible? It sounds like fabric, something heavy, a clatter of something small. You don't think it's a ring do you? Ya know for number four."
"Number four what?" Gibbs asked, suddenly standing behind Tony.
Tony's eyes went a little wide. "Um, number four bolt, or screw, or whatever it is you use on your boat, Boss. Ya know, a ring for the bolt on your boat."
Gibbs just stared at the younger man until Tony put the package down and slowly backed away. Then he looked down at the package. "What's this?"
"Came for you a few minutes ago, Gibbs." Kate told him. "Special delivery."
Gibbs gave the package a closer look before sitting it down and taking out his knife to open it. He very carefully broke the string tied around it, the seal on the brown paper, and then the seal on the box. He lifted the lid on the white gift box carefully, as if he were expecting something nasty to happen. Using two fingers he carefully peeled back the tissue paper and then looked down at the contents of the box with a quizzical gaze.
"What is it Boss?" Tony asked as he, McGee and Kate approached Gibbs' desk slowly. They were being more cautious of Gibbs himself rather than box.
Gibbs gave everything inside a look over, carefully moving each item to see everything the box contained. Then he looked up and said, "Get this to Abby."
"Why?" Tony asked before he could stop himself.
"Because we need to know why someone sent me the personal items of a little girl." Gibbs answered.
The three agents looked into the box with wide eyes. Inside, clearly visible, was a school blazer and a stuffed rabbit. Gibbs had also seen a thin gold chain and what looked like a bullet casing. Kate picked up the package carefully, making sure to get the paper and string as well, and carried it down to the lab. She and Abby went through each item watchfully, bagging and tagging it as they went. Abby found a small white envelope tucked into the breast pocket of the school blazer and inside was a reddish hair with a root ball attached, prefect for DNA analysis. There was also a perfect little fingerprint on the cross pendant that was on the thin gold chain Gibbs had spotted.
After helping Abby, who was now busy checking for more prints or any other evidence she could find, Kate headed back upstairs where she joined McGee and Tony in talking about what the items in the package meant. Why would someone send Gibbs, send NCIS a box of things that clearly belong to a child. "Kate," Gibbs barked as he came back from where ever it had been he'd disappeared to. "Start checking missing persons, see if there's a naval or marine family out there missing a child, and see what you can find out about the blazer, what school it came from. DiNozzo." He thrust the copy of the delivery tag the deliver guy had taken, which he'd found in a trashcan outside, at Tony while saying, "Find that delivery man. McGee."
"Yeah Boss?" McGee said with that wanting to please look on his face.
"Coffee." Gibbs said before sinking into his desk chair.
"Right Boss." McGee replied, looking a little chest fallen.
"Where the hell is David?" Gibbs asked.
"With the Director, Boss." Tony willingly tattled.
Gibbs got up and heading upstairs to get his team member and to have yet another chat with Jenny about his team and his people. He understood there was a connection between Jenny and Ziva, they'd worked together for a long time, in close, dangerous situations. But if Jenny wanted him to show Ziva the ropes then she'd need to cut the apron stings.
On Abby's main screen there was a little green fingerprint next to a quickly flashing array of comparison fingerprints. She was running a search to see if the fingerprint she'd pulled off the necklace was in someone's database. Abby herself was busy preparing the hair she'd found for DNA testing. Something about all of this felt hinky. Why would someone send them a perfect fingerprint and a hair sample? And the bullet casing they'd found in the box, what was that about?
"Anything?" Kate asked as she walked into the lab.
"Not yet." Abby replied, and then let Kate know what she did know.
"Gibbs wants me to have a go at finding out where the blazer's from." Kate said as she picked up the evidence bag with said article of clothing. She took the blazer out and arranged it so she could get a good picture of the school crest on the breast pocket.
When Gibbs and Ziva walked into the lab Kate running a search on the school crest and Abby was waiting for her results. Ziva walked over to the evidence table and started looking things over. She narrowed her eyes as she looked at the blazer Kate had left laying there, and then picked up the bagged rabbit. When her gaze caught on the necklace her eyes snapped open wide.
Gibbs had been watching his newest agent and caught the sudden look of surprise and confusion. "Recognize something Ziva?"
"Where did this come from?" She demanded as she raised her eyes to meet Gibbs' stare.
"It was delivered to Gibbs this morning." Kate explained. "Do you know who it belongs to? You look as if you know these things."
Ziva didn't answer her. She pulled her phone out and hit speed dial. When she spoke she spoke in a language she knew the others wouldn't know.
"If you know what's going on Officer David," Kate said as she glared at the other woman. "There could be a child out there who needs our help, and we can't do that until we know what's going on, so it would be nice if you filled us in."
Before Ziva could say a word Abby's computer beeped. "I got something!"
"What Abs?" Gibbs said, his voice and stare softening, as he looked over at the pigtailed young woman he considered a daughter.
Abby beamed as she struck a key on her keyboard and a picture popped up. "A hit on the fingerprint." She answered as everyone in the room stared at a little girl with auburn hair, bright blue eyes, and a sweet smile. It was a school picture and she was wearing the blazer and the necklace. "Kennedy Emerson…" Abby's eyes went wide.
"Shepard." Jenny said from the doorway. Her heart stopped, her breath refused to leave her lungs as she looked at the picture on Abby's screen. She took several steps into the room, her eyes darting from the screen to the table, and then back to the screen. Ziva spoke to her in the same language she'd used over the phone, letting everyone in the room known she'd called Jenny just a moment ago. Everyone in the room but Ziva was silently asking her the same question so Jenny nodded, confirming what they were all thinking. "She's my daughter."
Everyone standing in Abby's lab was staring at Jenny but none so intently as Jethro. The tension was overwhelming, smothering. Finally Jenny couldn't take it anymore and asked, "What the hell is going on?"
Before anyone could answer her DiNozzo walked in. "Good news bad news, Boss. Good news is I found the deliveryman who brought the package with the kid's stuff in it. Bad news, he's on his way to Ducky." Tony looked around at everyone, finally feeling the tension, and asked, "What did I miss?"
"I'm still waiting on an answer." Jenny snapped. She was trying to hold down her panic, trying not to drown in the sudden wash of fear she felt, but it wasn't easy. That was her little girl's picture up there; her daughter's things lay out in evidence bags. That odd feeling, that knot in her gut, it hadn't been about Jethro, it had been about Kennedy.
"This morning I signed for a special delivery package for Gibbs." Kate finally answered. "When he opened it we found these items inside." She showed Jenny what had been in the box. She tried not to notice when Jenny's body tensed up when her eyes landed on the bullet casing.
Jenny's chest hurt, it hurt so bad she couldn't breath. She picked up the plush floppy white rabbit with it's little pink flowered hat, Peggy Rose is what Kennedy had named her though Jenny didn't know why, her hand tightening on it just a little. Then her head snapped up as she asked, "Why was a box of my daughter's things sent to Gibbs?"
Tony's eyes went wide. "The Director has a kid?"
Kate and Ziva both shot him a look that made him back off the way a head slap would have.
"That's a really good question Madam Director." Gibbs said as he continued to glare at Jenny, ignoring everyone else in the room. Of course he was refereeing to her question about why they were sent to him, and not Tony's. "But I have questions of my own that need answered." The two stared at each other, neither flinching, neither backing down. Finally Gibbs said, "Where is she now? Your daughter," There was something about the way he said it that made everyone but Jenny take a step away from the two. "Where is she?"
"School." Jenny answered.
"Did you take her?" Gibbs asked.
Jenny shook her head. "Boarding school. Roedean, in Brighton, England."
"Call them." Gibbs ordered.
"If something would have happened they would have called me." Jenny said as she pulled out her phone. Turns out they were about to. As Jenny talked to the headmistress she started to get angrier, her panic rising quickly. When she ended the call, her hands fisted so no one could see her trembling as she said, "Kennedy never came back from her riding lesson."
The panic and fear in Jenny's eyes kept Gibbs from snapping at her. His gaze never left Jenny as he said, "Kate, get on the phone with Kennedy's school. Find out what you can and get one of our London field agents over there to check things out. DiNozza, you and Ziva find out what happen to that deliveryman. Abby, you keep doing what you're doing. Director, a word."
No one said anything, they barely breathed, as they watched Gibbs and Jenny walked out of the room and onto the elevator. Gibbs hit the button for Jenny's floor but when the car was between floors he flipped the stop switch. The elevator car went dark, emergency lightly kicking in a moment later. The moment Jenny had said that little girl was her daughter he had one question on his mind and one question only. "How old is she?"
"Ten." Jenny answered softly, her eyes locked on Jethro's.
"Paris…" Gibbs started, his hands clenching into fists.
"Was eleven years ago." Jenny cut in. She stared into his eyes. The heavy weight she'd been carrying around for the last ten years was feeling heavier then it ever had until finally she said, "Ten years and forty weeks ago, give or take."
Gibbs' jaw tightened, his knuckles were white, and his short neatly trimmed fingernails bit into his palms as he glared at her. "Is she mine?" He demanded, and when she didn't answer fast enough he asked again, "Is she mine!"
"Yes." Jenny admitted.
They stood there just looking at each other. Even now they still had feelings, they might even still be in love, but trust, either they never had it or it was now so broken it might never be fixed. "You never thought I might like to know that I had a daughter?"
"Jethro, I…" Jenny began but he didn't let her say more. He hit the switch and the elevator jerked to life. Now she couldn't stop the burning in her eyes as she said, "Jethro, please, please find her."
"You know I will." Gibbs replied, his voice dropping, softening. When the elevator stopped he got off, leaving Jenny standing there worried and scared because someone had their little girl, their beautiful little girl with her daddy's eyes.
The tires of the private jet screeched as the plane came to a stop on the runway. A ground crew hurried to secure it as the door popped out and the stairs were released. A large man stepped out first, a small auburn hair child cradled, asleep in his arms. From inside the plane a man's voice called out, "Be gentle with her. She's had a very long day."
The man carried the girl down the stairs and over to a waiting car. He secured her in the back seat, careful not to wake her, not that he could. The girl had been given a sedative after her retrieval from the stables of her school. He waited by the car until his boss was in the driver's seat and then stepped back, watching as the car pulled away before walking to a waiting SUV and climbing into the passenger side and following.