They were sitting on the porch in front of Mike's house, Leyla had gone to put Amira to bed, Mike was dozing in his chair and Gibbs and Kim were sitting cuddled together watching the ocean. The warm evening sun filled the beach with an orange glow, the sound of seabirds and waves lapping was soft and soothing. He kissed her shoulder where his head and hers were pressed close together. Suddenly she stiffened, and he followed her gaze to see the shadow of horses walking around the headland, and onto the beach.

"Just locals" Gibbs whispered into her ear "they do that most evenings if the weathers good, they won't harm you."

"Horses?" She smiled and turned in his arms, "I love horses!" she shrieked and clapped her hands

Gibbs smiled "That much hey?"

"Oh can I go and pet them?" she begged "I mean will they get offended?"

Gibbs laughed and pulling her up straight led her across the beach, on seeing him the horse riders waved companionably and turned to meet them.

"Gibbs" the older man on the first horse greeted him like a friend "you have moved back in with Mike?"

"Just a holiday Paulo" Gibbs laughed and petted the man's horse, "This is my friend Kim, she likes horses."

Kim smiled and then reaching up immediately nuzzled the horse, who nipped her hair affectionately. There were two other riders with Paulo who spurred their horses off down the beach at a gallop, leaving Paulo and two final horses who were saddled and tethered to his reins.

"Would you like to ride Moonlight, Miss Kim?" Paulo asked her gesturing at the black mixed breed mare tethered behind him, "She's got a lovely temperament, but she's a bit too slow for my girls now."

Kim looked up at him wide eyed, and then to Gibbs for assurance "Really? Please if I may?"

Gibbs shrugged, and Paulo undid the tether passing her the Moonlights reins.

"Hey darlin'" Kim soothed the mare who had skittered slightly, the horse blew and then settled her muzzle onto Kim's shoulder while Kim petted her nose. "You're grand you are" Kim whispered, running her hand down the mare's neck and flank, whispering and cushing nonsense as she did so.

Gibbs was about to ask if she needed help mounting, when Kim stepped up and mounted the horse perfectly. The Irish girl gave the black mare a few seconds to adjust to her slight weight, then she took the reins between her hands, and squeezed with her knees, Moonlight took to faltering steps forward, before Kim leant slightly forward and the mare went from fast trot to gallop in seconds.

Kim's hair flew behind her, the salty air and the warm sun, the horse between her legs, she was a little girl again, riding as if there was nothing to fear, running as if without a care, she laughed and whooped with joy.

Gibbs watched her entranced forgetting for a moment that Paulo was still mounted behind him.

"If you want to catch her, you're gonna have to borrow my horse" Paulo laughed gesturing at the Stallion behind him.

"Two spare horses?" Gibbs asked "Mike?"

"Mentioned you had a girl with you, Leyla told him she needed to come out of her shell." Paulo told him "You should come back here Gibbs, it's a better life" Gibbs took the reins from Paulo and mounted the stallion. He smiled at his friend before galloping off after Kim.

Gibbs hadn't caught up with her, till she and Moonlight started plunging in and out of the water, then in the wet trailing moment as they lurched out of the sea for the fifth time he was casually trotting by the place they emerged. "So you like horses then?" he asked her.

"I've been riding since before I could walk" she told him "watch!" she dropped the reins, knelt up in the saddle, stood up and spread her arms, while Moonlight stood still and passive. She smiled happily, before sitting back into the saddle again, "I've not seen a horse since I came to the States" she said sadly, and then looking across at him "You ride?"

"I ride" he confirmed laughing "Paulo says you can go up to his finca tomorrow if you like, I think he likes you"

"My Dad bought me a Palomino called Eurydice for my eleventh birthday" Kim told him "I loved him, my cousin Danny got him when we moved"

Gibbs looked across "You have an extended family?"

"I'm an Irish Catholic, of course" she stopped suddenly "They all think I'm dead don't they?"

"You want to contact them?" he asked

"What do I say?" she shrugged "My Gran, my aunts, my cousins? They might be dead!"

"We can find out, you don't have to contact them, but I'm sure they'd like to know you're safe."

"Am I safe?" She asked

"Do you feel safe?" he looked her in the eyes "It's OK if you don't, but you will always be safe with me" he told her, reaching over and grabbing her hand "I won't let anyone hurt you"

"It's never going to be over is it? I'll always look over my shoulder won't I?"

"I don't know, there are people you can talk too, good people who will help you, and you can always talk to me?"

"Gibbs" she smiled

"Call me Jethro, Kim, if you want."

"Jethro?"

"It's my name"

"But everyone calls you Gibbs"

"Not everyone, and you don't have too"

"Jethro" she smiled then laughed then kicked her heels "Catch me if you can, JETHRO!"

He shook his head and laughed, before chasing after her.