Chapter 2

Beautiful dawn

You're just blowing my mind again

Thought I was born to endless night until you shine

High

Running wild among all the stars above

Sometimes, it's hard to believe you remember me

High-James Blunt

It was almost lunch time and Gibbs could feel the tiredness hitting him when he arrived in the airport of Los Angeles without sleep and with only the coffee and the memories of Jenny to keep him awake. The sun was strong and, taking the address, he entered the street and began to search for Heather Shepard's house, stopping in front of a white house.

Gibbs parked the car across the street, turning off the engine and leaning his head on the seat. He was just a few meters from his children and part of him was eager to meet them and although many people told him he was good with kids, this time he was worried about what to say to them, how to present himself.

He left the car, heading toward the door, but before he could knock, the door opened, revealing a woman with red and curly hair and brown eyes. Gibbs realized she had some similarities with her sister Jenny. The redhead didn't seem surprise and had a sad smile as she extended her hand.

"You must be Gibbs. I'm Heather, Jenny's eldest sister, it's a pleasure to meet you."

Gibbs shook her hand, staring at her for a few seconds, showing her that he was also suffering with the loss of Jenny.

"Ziva told you?"

"Yes. She said you were coming to see your children, come in."

She gave him space and Gibbs entered, being led to the living room. There were a few picture frames showing Heather, her husband and three boys and some of Jenny's children. His children. Heather saw that he was watching the photos and then she took a picture of two kids and handed it to him. She sat beside him and Gibbs stroked the photo, admiring his child, touched.

"They are beautiful. And good kids."

Gibbs turned to her, frowning.

"Why didn't you try to get the custody of them?" That was something that made him curious, although he would never allow her to take away his children with Jenny. Now that he'd found out about them.

The redhead stared at her lap, before taking a photo from her pocket.

"I already have 3 children agent Gibbs, and this was my sister's wish, you to stay with them, they are your children too." She paused, staring at the photo on her hands, sadly. "And every time I look at Francesca, I want to cry, she looks some much like Jenny when she was younger, take a look."

She handed him the picture and Gibbs picked it. The photo showed two redheaded girls, ten years old, playing in a sandbox, hugging each other and smiling at the camera. The one with auburn and curly hair was Heather and the other was Jenny, with her red hair long and wavy. Comparing Jenny child with their daughter, Francesca, from the picture frame, it was possible to mistake them with the likeness and he touched the photo, thinking about the young Jenny.

Seeing the look on Gibbs's face, admiring the photo in a mix of nostalgia and something that was love, she smiled, closing his hand around the photo.

"Stay with the picture."

Gibbs nodded and before she headed to the stairs to call the children, she said:

"You know, Jenny spent some time here with the children, before dying. She always came in vacations and holidays and even in the weekends. She confessed to me that she was dying." Her eyes filled with tears and she turned away. "She loved you more than anything, with the exception of your kids."

Gibbs felt a chill in his body, while his heart clenched, looking at the picture and then to the redhead who climbed the stairs. When Heather was halfway on the stairs, Gibbs found his voice.

"I loved her so much too. And I will love and care for our children."

Gibbs was standing, watching some frames when he heard hurried footsteps on the stairs and then the voice of a girl.

"Dad?" The voice seemed uncertain and the steps ceased.

Gibbs turned and his heart began to beat fast. A few feet away, down the stairs, was a girl of ten years old, with red and long hair, her blue eyes shining. The girl looked ready to cry and beside her was a boy the same age, with brown hair and green eyes. He seemed thrilled too, while putting an arm around his sister's shoulder.

Gibbs took a deep breath, stepping and nodding. The girl smiled excitedly, running and hugging him. Surprised with the fast movement, Gibbs hugged her back, bending his knees to stay in the same height as his daughter. Gibbs buried his face in her hair, feeling a lump in his throat and noticed the girl crying.

"Hey..." He called softly, pulling away a little and wiping her cheek.

The girl laughed, still crying a little and she stared at her father.

"I've waited so long to meet you." Gibbs smiled.

"I know. I've also waited to meet you, my daughter."

The girl embraced him again and Gibbs looked to the stairs, seeing the boy standing and staring him, his aunt behind him. Tentatively, he approached Gibbs and the man held out his hand. The boy then squeezed it before embracing him as well and Gibbs hugged they two.

"Hi Dad." The boy said softly, trying to stand firm because for him, boys shouldn't cry, he had to be the strongest, but he couldn't stand it and hugged him tighter.

"Hey son."

For several seconds, the trio was embraced in the middle of the living room, being watched by Heather, who was touched.

Soon the three went upstairs where the room of the two was and the kids showed some of their toys and told him stories. Gibbs sat on the edge of Ethan's bed, with the two beside him. After Gibbs had told them a little about himself, his memories of Jenny and his work at NCIS, Ethan told him about the soccer school, the games he liked and also the moments he'd had with his mother there.

Jenny would always take him to the football stadium when she went to Los Angeles and played volleyball with him, something that Gibbs didn't know she knew, but was happy to find out. Francesca showed him some of the dolls that Jenny had brought her and also some stories she had told her, of action and adventure in Europe at that time, talking about some missions of the couple and also, taking the girl to some parties of her friends, accompanying her and she told him about some moments of mother and daughter.

It had also touched Gibbs, realizing that Jenny hadn't omitted his identity from the children, telling them about the time in Europe and talking about him. The conversation between father and children flowed so naturally and gradually they came to know each other.

"Hey, Dad?" Ethan called Gibbs staring uncertainly. "This means that we will live with you?"

"Only if you want." Gibbs said, running a hand through the boy's brown hair and ruffling it. He wanted to live with their children, but didn't want to force them into anything.

"I want." Francesca said, smiling at her father, leaving the doll aside and taking his hand. "I've waited for a long time to meet you and mom would want it ... You two loved each other so much."

"And children should live with their parents." Ethan said. "We've lost mom and grandma, we don't want to lose you too."

"You won't lose me." Gibbs promised, looking deep the children. "We will be a family."

In the next day, after everything had been set and Gibbs called Vance, explaining his disappearance, the children were packing their things and Gibbs sat down with Heather in the kitchen.

"You know why Jen had never told me about our children?" Gibbs asked, staring at his coffee, before looking at the woman.

"I know. But Jenny will explain that to you." The woman said, smiling sadly.

"She's dead." Gibbs reminded her, feeling the pain in his heart to say those words aloud, but the woman shook her head.

"She will live forever in your heart Gibbs. And she left a letter with Ethan, explaining it all. I know he will show you it when you arrive in DC."

"She was sick?"

"Yes. She said she had only a few months left, it was when she took a leave from the NCIS and came to spend a month with us, wanting to be beside the children."

"I should have taken better care of her." He admitted, looking at the redhead and she shook her head.

"You always took care of her, even when you two weren't together, but there was nothing you could do, she was dying." She leaned over the table and placed a hand on his shoulder. "You need to take care of these kids, they loved their mother very much and wanted to meet you."

"I'll take care of them. Jen can be sure of that."

"Good."

When the two went to the door with the kids, Heather's husband stood beside her and Ethan asked his aunt:

"Will you visit us?"

"Of course we'll, Ethan, whenever we can. And you too, Fran."

"I promise to bring them in the vacation." Gibbs told the couple and they shook hands with the agent before he took his children's things to the car, giving them privacy to say goodbye to their uncles.

When the children said goodbye and got into the car, Ethan and Francesca smiled at their father.

"It is the beginning of our family?" The girl smiled and asked and Gibbs stroked her cheek, before turning the car.

"Yeah."

And later, near the airport, Gibbs's phone rang.

"Gibbs."

"Boss." Tony said. "We are making a party for you three."

Gibbs gave a small smile, and managed not to get mad at Ziva for telling the team, because after all they were a family. He looked at the children in the bank seat.

"Thank you, DiNozzo."