A/N: Thank you all SO much for the reviews. I really do love this story, and I hope to get it all out. Please bear with me in the awkward first year or so that I have to make it through to get to the good stuff. Have fun!
*NCIS*NCIS*
Kaye continued to tell Gibbs little bits about her life with Kate and Roxy. He was surprised at how open and comfortable she already seemed. When he lightly questioned her on it, she replied with simple logic.
"Mom loved you guys and she trusted you. So you are obviously okay. If mom liked you, I like you. End of story."
He smiled at her Kate-ness. Kate had always been straight and to the point, as well,
"So, we're going to NCIS. You can get a look at where your mom spent so much of the last two years. You'll probably end up around there a lot. I'll introduce you to McGee, Ducky, and Palmer, who all worked with your mom. You'll meet Ziva, too. She's new-"
Kaye cut him off, speaking softly, now. "Ziva took mom's place, didn't she?"
Gibbs pulled the car off to the side of the road and turned his attention completely on her. This was important. "NOBODY could ever replace your mom. Caitlin Todd was a talented agent, and an incredibly special woman. She was unique, and held her own place on the team-a place that will always be empty. It's a place that Ziva can't fill. Ziva is her own person, with her own role on the team."
He chose to leave Ziva's origins out of the conversation. He hoped that Kaye and Ziva would have a chance to bond before Kaye found out about Ari.
Kaye was still awfully quiet, so Gibbs reached over and touched her hand. She looked up into his mysterious blue eyes. "I miss my mom. I don't always show it 'cause she always taught me to be strong, but I do miss her a lot."
"I'll tell you a secret. I miss her, too. A lot more than I'll ever show. Your mom meant a lot to me. She meant a lot to all of us. You'll find that with Abby, especially. If you ever need to talk about your mom, go find Abby. Abby looked at your mom like a big sister. Kate was so good with her. Abby will be able to tell you stories that I'm sure I'm better off living without." He said with a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.
He got the response he desired when Kaye let out a light laugh. "Okay. Let's go meet everyone. Do I get to meet Jen-ny?" She snickered.
Gibbs rolled his eyes as he pulled back into traffic. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"Just that I haven't even met Jenny yet, and Jenny's the one that's going to go shopping with us, and Jenny's going to help with my room. Not Abby, not Ziva, not even Tony, who seems like he would know about decorating stuff."
Gibbs knew he was in trouble with this one. "Tony would fill your room with James Bond posters and he'd try to dress you in Hawaiian shirts like that Magnum guy. Ziva's color choices are limited to black, tan, and dark tan, and there's no way in hell that I'm letting Abby run loose with her styles in an eight year old's bedroom. You do not need to try to go to sleep with a glow in the dark skull alarm clock beside your bed."
Kaye laughed throughout his explanation. "Okay, and what's so great about Jenny's style? Isn't she just another boring adult?"
"I wouldn't say that. She's just slightly more of a normal American woman."
"Fine. Jen-ny it is."
Oh, was he in deep.
*NCIS*NCIS*
When they finally arrived at NCIS, Gibbs took Kaye straight up to the bullpen to meet McGee and Ziva. Ziva was away from her desk, but McGee was working away behind his computer screen. He was concentrating so hard that he didn't even notice them come in.
"Hey! Ma-Gee!"
Tim jumped in his seat. He hated it when they did that. "Hey, Boss! What's…oh, hi."
Gibbs looked down at the small brunette beside him. She looked up and he nodded for her to go and talk to McGee. She walked over to McGee's desk, and stuck out her hand. McGee took it as she spoke.
"Hi. I'm Kaye. You knew my mother."
"Kaye, it's really great to meet you. Your, uh, mom…she was awesome. I miss her more than I ever thought I would. She was nice, and accepting of me, when I was new. I'm looking forward to getting to know you."
Kaye smiled sweetly, and motioned for him to come down to her level. He obeyed and crouched down. Kaye whispered in his ear. "Don't worry. I'll help you get back at Tony."
He stood up in surprise, a mild blush to his cheeks. "Uh, thanks?"
She nodded, then turned back to Gibbs and took his hand for the first time. He glanced down with a gentle smile at the action. "So? Which one was mom's desk?"
Gibbs led her over to what was now Ziva's workspace. Kaye trailed her fingers along the edge of the desk. Yes, it had once been Kate's place, but already, Kaye could sense it was no longer hers.
Just then, Ziva came around the corner. She stopped in her tracks, watching with sadness as Kaye inspected her desk, clearly hoping for traces of her mother. Ziva hoped that she and Kaye could have a good relationship. She had never known Kate, and although she had been upset that Ari had gone rogue and killed innocents, she never quite felt the pain of that loss until now. Now, she watched a sweet little child grasping at thin air for traces of her fallen mother. Ari had murdered this beautiful girl's mother, and she, herself, had taken the open spot on the team left by Kate's death.
Ziva never cried. It was against everything in her life-long training. But the reality of this situation; the hopeful gaze that Kaye was giving Gibbs; it hit her in a place she never knew existed. Deep in her heart, something cracked-something melted. She didn't even know she was crying until Gibbs looked up, told McGee to take Kaye for some juice at the vending machines, and moved over in front of her. She didn't know how much of a mess she had become until Gibbs, the man who never wanted her on the team in the first place, pulled her into a gentle embrace. She quickly wiped away her tears.
"I guess it is time for me to meet Kate's daughter." She said quietly.
"Guess so."
They met McGee and Kaye in the snack room, and Ziva almost timidly introduced herself.
"Hello, Kaye. My name is Ziva David. It is a pleasure to meet you."
Kaye tilted her head at her for a moment, before reaching out and shaking Ziva's outstretched hand.
"Hi." Kaye didn't know what else to say to the woman she knew nothing about. When Ziva looked somewhat sad at Kaye's limited reaction, Kaye called out to her once again.
"It's nice to meet you, too, Ziva. I hope you can be my friend." She said with a little smile.
Ziva responded with a 1000 watt grin.
*NCIS*NCIS*
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