Gibbs just glared at Abby. He had never glared at Abby before, and that made her uncomfortable, even though the situation wasn't all that comfortable to begin with.

"Do you think that's funny Abby?"

"Gibbs. Its not a joke. Honest."

Gibbs just stared blankly. "Damn it Abby! I don't feel like dealing with this!"

"Gibbs! I swear to you! DNA does not lie."

"Let me see the results!"

Abby handed him the results and Gibbs held them at arms length, squinting to see the tiny print.

Right there, in black and white, were words that Gibbs didn't think that he would see. Abby was telling the truth.

Gibbs fell into a chair, tired and distraught. He didn't believe it. He knew it had to be fake. He knew…it had to be… right? Well, until he remembered the compass.

He shot up from the chair and started to run to the elevator. He needed to see that compass. There was one sure way to tell if it truly was the one that he had given Kelly the day he left.

He practically sprinted off the elevator. He stopped at McGee's desk, knowing he would know where she was. "Where is Austin?!" Gibbs shouted, looking McGee in the eyes.

McGee was surprised and couldn't get the words out fast enough. "She's…um"

"McGee!"

"She's down with Ducky boss!" McGee responded, holding his breath.

When Gibbs hurried off McGee let out the air he had been holding in. He was curious now as to what was going on, but he had no business in it until Gibbs specifically told him that he was to get involved.

Gibbs made it down to autopsy, not seeing Austin. He cursed under his breath. "Where is Austin?"

Ducky saw how flustered Gibbs seemed to be. "She just left. She said she was going to talk to Abby.

Gibbs hurried off. He needed to find that girl that never seemed to stop moving. Now he was seriously considering putting a tracer on the kid considering how many times he had a hard time finding her. At any other time he would have laughed at the thought, but right now, this was no laughing matter.

Gibbs stormed in the lab and saw Abby and Austin playing a nice round of checkers. There seemed to be an apprehensive look to Abby, and Austin noticed it, but she didn't really pay too much attention to it.

Austin heard Gibbs walk in and looked up smiling. The smile faded when she saw that he was in one of his moods. This was a seriously bad mood from the looks of it. Everyone seemed to be in a weird mood lately.

Gibbs wasted no time at all as he commanded, "Let me see your compass."

"What for?" asked Austin confused.

"I'll tell you after you let me see the compass."

Austin dug in her pocket and hesitantly handed it over to Gibbs. "What's going on? Did I do something wrong?"

Gibbs said nothing as he started to pry the compass open.

"Hey! Knock it off! You're going to break it!" Austin said quickly.

At that moment the compass top popped up, revealing a secret compartment hidden below. Inside was an old, discolored, torn piece of paper. He took it out and unfolded it carefully.

It was Shannon's handwriting. He knew it all too well.

The note read:

Dear Jethro,

A week after you left I realized I was pregnant. It's a girl! Kelly is so excited to have a baby sister. I suppose I should have tried to call you, and I tried, but the call just didn't go through, you know how hard it is to get through to a specific marine on the base. Anyway, her birthday was on May 17th 1995. Her name is Austin. I wish you could have been here for that great day, but it was obvious that that was not a possibility.

Anyway, me and Kelly miss you, and Austin cant wait to meet her daddy. Hurry home, and please be safe. We all love you. Simper fi.

Love: Shannon, Kelly, and Austin

P.S. She has your eyes Jethro.

Gibbs looked at Austin, then back at the compass. Engraved on the bottom of the compartment were the names, Kelly, Shannon, and Jethro.

Gibbs looked at Austin once again. "Your mom wrote this letter…" He said handing her the letter. She read it over, grinning. After a few moments she shouted, "I have a sister! And a mom! And a dad…with a cowboy name…cool! Can we find where they are?!"

Gibbs looked like he had just been stabbed through the heart.

Abby was close to tears.

Austin looked at the both of them confused. She was suddenly afraid. "Wh-What's the matter? Why are you guys…" Austin couldn't finish the sentence. She didn't know how. She was so confused, she just didn't understand why everyone was so upset. She thought she had done something wrong.

"Austin…" Gibbs finally said. "My full name…is Leroy… Jethro… Gibbs."

Austin just looked at him. "I don't understand…"

"I always went by my middle name." Gibbs tried to explain.

Austin just smiled a quivering, timid smile. "You're kidding."

Gibbs shook his head.

"But… Gibbs… You don't have a kid…or a wife. The name is just a coincidence."

"I used to have a little girl named Kelly, and a wife named Shannon. I went away on a mission. I was in the marines. Do you understand?"

Austin had tears in her eyes. "How…how could you not have known. You can't be my dad!" Austin asked, which only crushed Gibbs even more. He knew that Austin didn't mean to hurt him. She didn't have the heart to hurt anyone intentionally. She was definitely Shannon's child.

"I would have been there if I had known. I just didn't get the memo."

"This isn't a joke!" Austin responded rashly.

"I know that. Calm down please. Shannon didn't get the chance to send me that letter… how could I have known?"

Austin looked away from him. Abby had left the room, giving them privacy.

"Austin…I really am your dad."

Austin didn't know how to react. "Where's mom? Where's Kelly?"

Gibbs looked away. "They…died…in a car accident fourteen years ago."

A tear ran down her face. She was trying so hard not to cry. She looked at the ground as the tears multiplied. "That isn't fair… You can't be my dad… that's not possible."

"Austin…" Gibbs said softly. He touched her chin and raised her head up slightly, so they were looking each other in the eye. "I am the father that didn't know. I am the father that was too caught up in his own life to figure it out. I may not be the best father… but I am your dad."

Austin looked at him, stunned. She knew he was telling the truth. He had to be. Who would lie about that? She had so many questions about her mother and her new found sister, but she knew that she had hurt Gibbs with a few previous comments. She didn't mean it. She didn't know. To make up for it, she hugged him tightly.

She hugged the father that she had never met before, and for the first time in a really long time, she was happy. She was allowed to be a kid for the first time.

Gibbs responded in the best way he knew how. He hugged her back.

The rest of the team had already heard the news. Abby, of course couldn't keep it a secret for very long. They were all lined up at the door, listening intently. Each and every one of them had a tear in their eye, even Ziva, and the macho Tony.

Every one of them were happy because they didn't have to say goodbye to a good friend.

Austin released Gibbs and looked up at him.

Gibbs smiled down at her and said, "C'mon. We've got a case to solve." He ruffled her hair and they both headed to the door.

As Gibbs opened the door, it smacked Tony in the head. Tony fell back, knocking into Ziva, who knocked into McGee, who knocked into Abby, who knocked into Palmer. It was like dominoes. They were all laying on the ground, groaning. All except for Ducky. Ducky was smart enough to stand to the side, knowing something like that would happen.

Austin smiled a little. It wasn't until that moment when everyone realized, she had the Gibbs smile! It was only a matter of time before she had the Gibbs stare, female style.

That was the moment when everything just felt right, almost complete. The moment when the puzzle was almost done. Everyone was where they should be, and everyone was accounted for.

Everyone stood up, dusting each other off. Insults flew as Tony jumped at the chance to dust Ziva off.

Everyone except for Ducky, Palmer and Abby went back upstairs, back to work. Everyone had an awkward grin on their faces throughout the rest of the day. Not a single person was wearing a frown. Gibbs wouldn't allow them to say why they were so happy, but everyone seemed to be communicating with their eyes.

When Ziva, McGee, or Tony looked at each other, their expressions would all say the same thing. Whether it was 'wow… I love this job.' Or maybe 'wow… what a day.' Maybe even 'wow… nothing could ruin this.'

When anyone of them looked at Gibbs, he would just smile that famous smile, that just said 'wow…'.

XXXXXXX

A few hours later, Austin was asleep at Gibbs's desk. Her head resting on her folded arms on the desk.

She had been so tired. McGee noticed that when she was asleep was the only time that she really looked calm, easy-going. In reality, she was headstrong and definitely stubborn and the most energetic person anyone would ever hope to meet. Just like her dad, minus the energetic part. That made him laugh a bit.

Austin started to stir. She raised her head and rubbed her eyes. She saw McGee and smiled. "Hey McGee. How's work going?"

"Its going." McGee responded with a simple answer.

Austin just laughed a little as Gibbs walked up. She turned a little and smiled at him. "Hey Gibbs! Can I go over to Greg's place? Just for a little while."

Gibbs raised an eyebrow. He understood why she wasn't calling him dad, that didn't bother him too much quite yet. "Are you sure you cant go later? You've got school tomorrow, and its getting pretty late."

"Don't worry bout it. Greg won't mind. Besides, it's not like I'm going to be gone for hours."

Gibbs sighed a little. "Alright, go on. Don't stay out too long. Which means, be home by ten."

Austin paused. She had heard the caring sound in Gibbs's voice. The word 'home'. No one would ever understand how much that word meant to her. Coming from the father she had never known about until now.

Austin finally spoke. "No problem Gibbs."

'Home'… A simple word, that holds so much meaning to the tiniest of people.

A/N Out of curiosity, I would like to know what some of the readers favorite parts of this story is so far. I'm hoping that if I get peoples opinions it will lead to better stories in the future. Thanks!!