Growing Up

A/N: multiple chapter fic. I think it'll be a long one so bare with me on uploading. It's TATE so yay!

also Rachel is based off one of my baby sisters and the kids I babysit for all mixed into one sweet little girl :)

Ch. 1:

As the day nears to an end, the team of Leroy Jethro Gibbs starts to prepare for their journeys home. It's now 4:45 and they are all patiently waiting while the last fifteen minutes slowly arrive. Well, all except for Tony DiNozzo, who cannot sit still for more than a few seconds.

Caitlin Todd looks up at her partner giving him that infamous glare of hers, "Tony could you stop!"

"What? I really wanna get home, and knowing my luck, Gibbs'll get a case within the last two minutes." Tony says walking towards her desk.

Kate just rolled her eyes and went back to the file in her hands. "Tony, we all want to go home. Just stop being such a five year old and sit down."

Tony groaned loud and obnoxiously, "I can't sit still Katie, I'm too nervous and anxious. Argh."

"DiNozzo, how many times do I have to tell you to stop calling me Katie?" Kate retorts to him.

Tony walked back to his desk, plopping down onto his chair. Trying to find something to do, anything to entertain him. The two agents plus Tim McGee sat there quietly for the next few minutes, until Gibbs rounded the corner.

"Got a dead body. Tony truck. McGee call Ducky. Kate go home." Gibbs announces as he walks over to his desk grabbing his gun and badge stopping at Tony's desk on the way to the elevator, "Got a problem DiNozzo?"

Tony just looks at him dumbfounded, "Yea, why does she get to go home?" pointing a finger at Kate. Gibbs just continues to stare at him, annoyed at Tony for questioning his orders. The agent suddenly feels all the blood in his body go cold, "I mean No, sorry boss. Truck, got it." he finishes walking to the elevator with McGee and Kate.

The three agents get into the silver, metal box; Tony turns to look at Kate once the doors close. "Why do you get to go home and we have to stay and work?" Tony questions her.

Kate continues to look forward, not paying much attention to him, "That is none of your business DiNozzo."

He continues to look at her, a small pout coming to his lips, "You always leave by five…..ok, well sometimes later, but no later than seven, and it's not fair."

McGee enters into the conversation now, "You know, he's right, you do always leave earlier than anyone else."

"Who asked you McGoo. Kate and I are having a private senior field agent's conversation. No probies allowed." Tony says turning to McGee, slapping him on the back of the head.

Special Agent Todd finally turns to look at Tony, "I have stayed late before DiNozzo. If I can remind you, of that case where Gibbs had us here for 32 hours straight, trying to solve the death of Petty Officer Michaels."

"Ah ha!" Tony yells triumphantly. "No, you stayed for 32 hours; I had to stay for 43 hours. He wouldn't let me go until I finished the case report." Tony replies smirking at her.

The elevator dinged letting the agents out at their floor. Kate walked out heading for the parking garage, while Tony and McGee headed to retrieve the NCIS van. And as Kate walked her separate way she yelled over her shoulder to her male co-workers.

"You know DiNozzo you whine and complain a lot. Quit being such a baby." She finished getting farther and farther away from the two men.

McGee chuckled slightly while Tony mocked Kate, "Quit being such a baby. Ha ha ha, so funny Katie."

McGee just looked at him, not daring to comment, yet Tony noticed this, "Got something to say Elf Lord?" Tony retorted glaring at McGee.

"Um, no." McGee replies walking away from the angry senior field agent.

Kate pulled into a small, quiet little neighborhood. All the houses were simple, and homey like. The picture perfect suburban area. And since the sun hadn't set yet, there were children of all ages running around playing, enjoying the spring air.

Kate made it to the house she was looking for. She hadn't gotten out of the car when she heard the sweetest voice ever, "Mommy!"

Kate smiled and made her way over to the jumping five year old. The little girl was absolutely adorable. She looked exactly like her mother. Same big brown eyes, soft chocolate curls, and beautiful smile. The child was tiny for her age, yet strong, and the girl had her mother's stubbornness and hard head. The girl also had the sweetest heart imaginable. She loved everyone and everything.

"Hey sweetie, mommy missed you so much." Kate says picking up the little girl, placing kisses all over her face. The child just giggled, squirming away from the attack.

"Where you good for Mrs. Mary?" Kate asked the toddler walking over to an older lady.

"Yes." The girl answered simply, nodding her trying to convince her mother it was an honest answer.

Kate again attacked the girl with kisses all over her face, but was stopped when the girl grabbed her mother's face with her tiny little hands. "Mommy, that's enough kisses for now, please."

Kate just smiled, chuckling slightly, "Sorry honey, mommy just missed her princess so much."

The child smiled brightly, "I missed you too mommy." Now attacking her mother in kisses, placing them all over Kate's face.

Mrs. Marry, a sweet older lady, watched the two smiling brightly. The older woman had great respect for Kate. Out of all the mothers she knew, Kate was by far one of the best. Even though Kate is a single mother, she did her best to give her daughter everything she needed. The child was also one of the sweetest and most respectful child that Mrs. Mary had ever had the pleasure of meeting. The girl always used her manners, saying please and thank you to everyone. Always eating her meal, and never complaining. The child would also help with cleaning up her toys and putting them back where they belonged.

"Kate, honey, it's getting a little chilly, why don't you two come in." The older woman motioned for Kate to enter into her home.

Kate walked into the small house carrying her daughter, "Did she behave for you, Mrs. Mary?" Kate asked the woman.

The woman nodded, "Yes, she is the sweetest child that I take care of, and very well behaved. She helped me make cookies for the other children today, and afterwards she offered to help clean up."

"Really?" Kate asked. Shocked that her daughter helped clean up. Kate did her best with teaching the child her manners and respecting your elders, but she had trouble teaching her cleaning. It's not as if Rachel was an overly messy child. She just had a tendency to leave her toys on the floor, and leave of trace of herself in every room she entered.

"Yes. She helped me clean up the mess in the kitchen and then before you arrived, she helped me clean up the play room." Mrs. Mary announced proudly.

Kate chuckled, "I wish she would do that at home."

Mrs. Mary joined her and chuckled slightly. Rachel confused as to what was going on, smiled brightly and laughed with the adults.

"Ok, well thank you so much Mrs. Marry, we should be leaving, say goodbye Rachel."

Rachel smiled and waved to the older lady, "Bye Mrs. Mary, see you tomorrow."

"And?" Kate asks her daughter.

"Oh yea, Thank you." Rachel says giving the woman a hug while Kate gathered their belongings.

"Not a problem honey." Mrs. Mary says hugging Rachel back.

Kate walked back to her car, holding Rachel's hand in one, and the girl's bag in the other. Getting the bags and Rachel into the car was a fairly quick process and the Todd's were off and heading home in no time.

The car ride to Kate's home consisted of Rachel explaining to her mother how her day went. "Mommy, today Mrs. Mary taught me to count to 20. Wanna hear? 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, um…" Rachel says thinking about the next number.

"14." Kate helped out her daughter.

"Yea, 14, good job mommy." The girl said reassuring her, "15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20!" Rachel finished.

"Good job sweetie. You are so smart." Kate says looking at her daughter through the car mirror.

Rachel nodded happily and then continued on, "Then I played dolls with Claire and Macy, but Macy wasn't playing very nicely so I left and played cars with Cody. Cody's nice mommy. I'm going to marry Cody one day, did you know that mommy?" the five year old explained.

Kate just laughed, "No, I did not know that. When are you marrying Cody exactly?"

"Soon mommy, soon. Cody will one day be my husband. And when he is we will play cars all the time." Rachel said to her mother. "Mommy, who are you going to marry?"

Kate had pulled up to their small three-bedroom home. And she stepped out of the car walking around to get her daughter out of the car seat. "I don't know honey, someone I love."

Rachel looked a little confused by her mother's answer, "Do I love Cody mommy?"

Kate grabbed the girl's bag and followed the child inside the house. "I don't know, only you know that." She answered the even more confused toddler.

"Well….." Rachel thought for a moment and then continued, "I love you mommy, so are we going to get married?"

Kate giggled while picking up her daughter and carrying her into the kitchen, "No honey, the love we have is different. One day you'll understand it all, but until then what would you like for dinner?"

Rachel didn't need to think about that, she always had the same answer when Kate asked about dinner. "Lasagna!" It was her favorite meal. No matter how many times she ate it, she never got sick of it.

"Of course, I should have known. Ok let me look and see if we have any left in the fridge." Kate says placing the girl at the kitchen table. "Yep, it looks like we have a little left, I'll have to make more this weekend." The agent says looking up and smiling at her daughter.

"Yay! I wanna help." The girl says getting up and walking over to her mother.

"Ok." Kate grabs the container and places the food on a plate. Lifting up Rachel and placing her on the counter. "Do you remember which button to press?"

"Yes." Rachel says watching Kate place the food into the microwave. And then the child pressed the button with a 2 on it making the microwave come to life flashing 2:00 and slowly going down.

"Ok, now go wash up." Kate says placing her back on the floor watching her run off towards the bathroom.

As Kate walked into the bullpen after dropping off Rachel at Mrs. Mary's she is met with a sleeping Tony and McGee. She chuckles at the sight and then sees Gibbs rounding the corner, "Morning Gibbs."

"Kate." Gibbs says walking over to her desk, "Come on." He motions for her to follow him. She does and he leads her to the elevator. Once the two are in he hits that emergency switch and the metal box comes to a stop, light dimming slightly.

Kate looks at her boss as he turns to face her. "Everything ok Gibbs?" She asks.

"Our new case is a bit personal towards you." He says eyeing her carefully.

"What's the case?" Since she left early to go home to Rachel she had no idea about the new case.

"A Navy lieutenant murdered. Single mother of a five year old son. He saw the murder." Gibbs informs her.

Kate eyes widen. Shock and anger filled her. That poor child witnessed the murder of his mother. Some monster had traumatized the boy, and shown an innocent child evil and pain. This case was personal to her. She can relate to the dead lieutenant. But no matter how close this was to her, she couldn't let it affect her work. She knew that's why Gibbs came to talk to her. To make sure she could keep a level head and work hard to catch the bastard. That she could promise she would do what she could to catch this sick and twisted killer.

"Who would do such a horrible thing?" Kate says trying to shake off the anger.

Gibbs just shook his head, "That's what we'll find out. But until we know the boy is safe, he will stay here. He won't talk to anyone though. I want you to try and talk with him. See if he can tell you anything about the murder."

Kate nodded and answered immediately, "Of course Gibbs, where is he?"

"He's with Ducky at the moment. But Agent Todd, if you're sure you're ok with working this case, I need you here 100%. The dirt bag is still out there. If you're here, you're here for the long run. Got it."

Kate nodded once again, "Yes, I just need to make a call first."

Gibbs switched the elevator back to life and motioned for Kate to make her call. Kate did, calling Mrs. Mary, asking if she could take care of Rachel for a few days. She of course said yes that she would love to watch the girl and experience the child's antics. Kate was grateful and thanked her before hanging up.

By the time she ended the call, the elevator made its way down to autopsy. Both agents stepped out to hear Ducky talking away as usual. He was telling the boy a story about some event from his past.

"Oh, hello Jethro, Caitlin." Ducky says acknowledging his co-workers.

"Hey Duck." Gibbs says grabbing the older man's arm and pulling him off to the side. "Anything new?" he asked.

Ducky shook his head, "No, he still hasn't spoken a word. Do you think Caitlin will be able to help?"

Gibbs just turned to look at the child and Kate. Even though Kate could be a hard ass, she had great compassion and kindness, especially towards children. Gibbs knew this and was hoping that the boy would feel safe towards her and might be able to help them identify the killer.

Kate walked over to the boy and knelt down to be at eye level with him. "Hi, my name's Kate."

The boy just stood there and held his teddy bear tight, not looking at Kate.

Kate placed a comforting hand on the boys arm, "Is your name Kyle?" the young agent asked.

The boy nodded, indicating that Kyle was his name. Kate looked over to Gibbs and Ducky and then back to the boy. "That is a very nice name Kyle. Would you like to come with me and we could color a pretty picture or read a book?"

Kyle nodded again and looked up to look at Kate. Kate stood straight and led the boy out of autopsy, and surprising everyone the boy reached out and grabbed Kate's hand. She smiled at the child reassuring him that he was safe now and she would protect him.