Disclaimer - I do not own NCIS.
Gibbs approached the foot of the stairs and threw the little girl over his broad shoulder, tickling her sides as he held her securely with one arm. The young girl squealed and wriggled, trying to escape the fingers in her side.
"Daddy! Stop! It tickles! Daaaaad!"
"Jethro Gibbs, you are supposed to be calming her down for bed, not getting her all fired up!" a stern voice came from behind them.
He pouted, and with his free hand, sharply saluted the woman holding a basket of freshly ironed clothes.
"Yes m'am!"
Quickly running up the stairs, with the little girl still over his shoulder, he reached the bedroom, stepped inside and gently placed her on her bed.
"You know Strawberry Shortcake dolls are the best dolls in the world," he said quietly as he picked up the doll and tucked it into her side.
"I think she's pretty, just like mommy," she whispered in response.
"You're my pretty girl too. You're also my sleepy girl. You have a good night baby it's time to sleep."
He kissed her lightly on the nose and began to retreat to the door. She sat up as walked away,
"But, I'm not sleepy daddy!"
He turned and raised an eyebrow, "You know that doesn't work with me."
She smiled sweetly and looked at him with wide brown eyes which reminded him of her mother,
"Tell me a story daddy."
He huffed and then sat down on the edge of her bed and she instantly snuggled back down onto her pillow and hugged her doll.
"Okay, just one story or else you mom will slap the back of my head for keeping you up late."
She giggled and there were a few moments of silence before he began, "Once upon a time there was a Drill Instructor..."
The little girl sprang up immediately and frowned, "No daddy, not another D.I. story, pleeeeaaassse!"
Gibbs gave her a look of shock, "I thought you liked my DI stories?"
She rolled her eyes and lay back down, "I did the first time Daddy, but they always end the same!"
He sighed and narrowed his eyes as he looked at his little daughter, scrubbing her eye and fighting the sleep she desperately needed.
"Okay...let's see..."
He thought long and hard before he clasped his hands and leaned on his knees and looked down at his daughter,
"Once upon a time there was a little girl called Kate. When Kate was growing up all she wanted to do was be a Marine. Her Dad even taught her how to shoot, although she always shot a little to the left. She'd also play fight with her brothers. But, even though she had a bit of an attitude at times, she worked real hard at school and got really good grades."
The little girl listened intently, not entirely convinced that her father was telling her quite a cool story. At least with the D.I. stories she knew where they were heading. But this story was different. However, the longer the story, the more time she could gain before she had to give in to sleep. So she lay still as he continued,
"Now, when she left high school, she thought alot about enlisting, because she wanted to go to Parris Island. But in the end she decided to go to University instead. Her mom and dad thought with the brains she had, she could put them to good use in school. Although she studied hard and graduated, she always knew that she would want a job, where should could help people and protect them, just like the Marine she wanted to be when she was a little girl."
She frowned a little and then whispered quietly, "So what did Kate do when she was all grown up?"
Gibbs smiled, "Well, Kate grew up to be a beautiful woman and she worked hard."
"I betcha she wasn't as beautiful as mommy," the young girl grinned.
"Nah, she looked nothing like mommy. Kate had brown hair and big brown eyes and she was tough and strong. And she decided that she wanted to help and protect the most important person in the country."
"She protected mommy?"
Gibbs laughed, "No baby, Kate joined the Secret Service and she got to protect the President himself!"
"Really?"
"Yeah, she flew with him on Air Force One, and made sure that he was safe when he travelled everywhere."
A yawn escaped from the little girl's mouth. Gibbs drew a gentle hand into her hair.
"Daddy, do you think I could protect the President when I grow up?" she asked drowsily.
Gibbs raised himself from the bed, leaned over and kissed his daughters' forehead and she yawned once more, her eyes getting heavier at each passing moment.
"Honey, when you grow up, you can be anything you want to be. Okay, I think it's TAPS for you devil pup!" he grinned at her.
"I'm going to miss you daddy."
He fixed the covers over her once more and stood up, kissing her once more.
"It's gonna be okay baby. You and mom are gonna be fine."
He took in a deep breath and steeled himself, knowing that in less than forty eight hours, the memory of the night and of his daughter drowsy with sleep would still be fresh as he stood guard under the hot Kuwaiti sun.
"I love you daddy" she whispered, her eyes eventually giving in and closing.
"I love you too Kelly."
THE END