Another chapter that is so so. I can get that way once I am into a story. My flow slows down. I am going to keep going of course but it might be shorter chapters and/or longer time span between chapters. I try to not take too long between updates and should I be on a roll it goes faster.
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Tony, Abby and Tim stood outside Kate's apartment not really sure what to expect.
Abby could not believe it when Tony had told her that Kate had a daughter and that said daughter had been to NCIS. Why did she always miss the good stuff? She didn't need to convince Tony much that they should visit Kate. Tim had been a little harder to convince though but with Tony's help here they were.
"Stop that." Tony pushed Abby's hand out of his way.
"I just wanted to brush off the dirt."
"I have no dirt. I am 100% dirt free." Tony proceeded to ring the doorbell.
Abby couldn't stop stamping her foot. She was really impatient.
The door was opened and Kate's was surprised when she saw the three outside her door. "I told you guys. I am fine. No need to check up on me"
"As much as we love you Kate: that's not why we are here." Tony smirked back. "Someone very interesting stopped by headquarters today. I believe the name was…." He faked some thinking. Soon he snapped his fingers. "Marcy. That was it."
Tim just rolled his eyes hoping Kate would not get to mad at them for this.
Kate knew she shouldn't be surprised but she knew her daughter well enough. Still Marcy should have known better. Kate did not need to ask why she had been there. "And now I suppose you want to meet her?"
Tony grinned. "Actually I have exchanged a few words with her but not actually met her."
"Is that a yes?" Kate interrupted him.
"YES!" Abbey almost shouted. "Please." She added a little lower with puppy dog eyes.
"Wait here." Kate almost closed the door on them.
The three of them exchanged looks. Why couldn't she just have invited them in? However, they decided to wait
"Marcy!" Kate stormed in to the living room. "You went to NCIS?"
"Yes." The young woman stood up. "I wanted to meet Gibbs."
"Marcy, we have talked about this."
Marcy did not back down. "I would do it again."
Kate did not have time for this. Not now. "They want to meet you." She glanced over at Leo who had not said a word but watched them with interest. "They might as well meet you too. I'll be right back and remember they don't know anything about me and Gibbs."
As Tony, Abby and Tim waited outside a voice interrupted their thoughts.
"Is there a reason why you three are here?"
The trio whipped their head's around to see a not too pleased Gibbs approach them. Tim felt like hiding, Tony expected to be slapped and Abby just smiled.
"Hi Gibbs." Abby greeted him as he came to a stop next to them. "We are here to meet Marcy."
"I figured that." He couldn't be mad at Abby especially when she smiled like that. He looked at Tony and Tim. He didn't get a chance to say anything when a voice came from the door.
"Gibbs." Kate was happy to see him but she didn't let it show.
"Kate." She was so beautiful. He wanted to take her in his arms but his face showed nothing.
"Come on in guys." Kate waved and waited as they passed her. As Gibbs came near her he smiled to which she replied in kind.
When they all entered the living room they saw Marcy and also noticed Leo. Kate started talking before anyone else got a chance to speak. "So this is Abby Sciuto, Tony Dinozzo and Tim McGee." Kate gestured to the trio. She turned towards her children. "This is, as you know, my daughter Marcy. And this is my son, Leo.
Gibbs was amused at seeing their reactions. All three had their mouths open in shock.
Abby reacted first. "It's so nice to meet you." She approached Marcy extending her hand to which Marcy took. "It is really nice to meet you." Abby then did the same to Leo.
"Damn Kate, how old were you when you had them? Ten?" Tony did not wait for an answer as he repeated what Abby had done just a few seconds earlier. He smiled sweetly as he shook Marcy's hand and then Leo's.
Tim soon followed suit and shook both their hands. "This isn't mentioned in your file." Noticing Gibbs eyeing him he realized he slipped up. "I mean…."
"Didn't think you'd be the snooping kind Tim? Tony put you up to it?" When Kate received no answer but only saw two men trying to look anything but guilty she had her answer. "Right. Well, I decided it was better that way."
"But why didn't you tell us?" Abby piped up.
"I just never got around to it. I thought about it but something always came up and then as time went on I figured no one really needed to know." Kate hoped that explanation would be enough. "Ok, you met my kids now don't you have work to do?" Kate really hated being so short but for the moment getting her children to know her coworkers not to mention friends were not in the cards.
The trio reluctantly agreed that indeed they had work that had to be done.
Before their sulking could get worse Kate felt like she had to improve their mood. "Listen guys, Leo and Marcy are going on a trip tomorrow but when they get back why don't you all come over and we will all have dinner together?"
Abby brightened up immediately. "That will be great. Come one guys, back to work." She grabbed Tim and Tony's arms knowing full well Gibbs would stay behind. She was not sure why but she had a feeling that just wouldn't leave her.
"Bye." Tony waved as he was being dragged away.
Hearing the door being opened and then slammed shut Kate peeked out the window and sure enough, soon she saw them walking away wildly debating. She could imagine what they were talking about. She turned on her heel to glare at her daughter. "NCIS, Marcy?"
Marcy rolled her eyes. "Yeah, so?"
Gibbs tried to calm things down before they got too far. "Kate, it's fine."
"No it's not fine. Because of Marcy's stunt they all now know about you two."
"They would sooner or later." Leo pointed out.
"Later, maybe. I could have kept you away from them if I had decided to. Now what, how long before they know the whole truth? Damn it Marcy, we have been over this and over this." Kate was steaming mad and she did not hide it.
"Mom, I know. I know!" Marcy got up and walked over to her mother. "I know there was a risk but come on you could have hidden Leo when they got here. I think perhaps you wanted them to meet us. It would be one less secret to keep."
Gibbs thought perhaps Marcy had come up with a good point but he knew Kate well enough to know she wouldn't back down.
Kate shook her head. "Then we have the fact the reason why you were there. I do not need you to check out every man that shows an interest in me."
Gibbs for one was glad Kate had someone like Marcy looking out for her. Between the two of them, Marcy and Leo probably had scared away some potential boyfriends. Perhaps he should thank them for that.
"You've been through enough, mom. If I can make sure you won't get hurt again I will do so." Marcy crossed her arms and stared at Kate.
Gibbs couldn't help but to admire Marcy. She was her mother's daughter alright.
"Marcy." Kate took a deep breath to calm down. "There are no guarantees in life."
"I know but at least I can try." Marcy uncrossed her arms and embraced her mother. "I love you mom. I don't want to see you hurt."
What was left of Kate's anger vanished then as she returned her daughter's hug. "I know."
Gibbs sighed as he quietly started to walk away.
Seeing Gibbs as he started to leave Kate withdrew from Marcy and followed him. As he opened the front door she called out to him. "Gibbs?"
He turned to face her.
She could see he looked troubled. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing." He took another deep sigh.
She put a gentle hand on his chest and pushed him outside even more. Behind her she closed the front door giving them some privacy. "Gibbs, talk to me" She tried gently.
"Nothing. I just…" He couldn't do it. He couldn't lie to Kate. That had come so far. "Seeing you with Leo and now with Marcy I just…" He bowed his head and looked at the ground.
She realized what he was trying to say and her heart ached for him. "You miss your daughter."
His head snapped back up to look at her. Of course she would know. She would understand. "Yes."
"And that will never go away. Your hopes and dream you had for her. Wondering how she would have turned out? It won't go away but at least you have your memories and the knowledge of how much you loved each other." Kate had started to stroke his arm as she was talking hoping that least she could take some of his pain away.
"I know." He wondered if Kate knew just how grateful he was to have her in his life. "Don't give Marcy too much grief. She's only looking out for her mother."
Kate nodded as she bit her lower lip. She wanted to say something but wasn't sure it was appropriate.
"What is it Kate?"
Damn, he knew her all too well. "I bet if Kelly was alive she would have been just as protective of you." She withdrew her hand from his arm not sure how he would react to that.
Gibbs smiled at that.
"Of course Shannon would still be here so no need to protect you but I mean if…" Suddenly his finger was on her lips shushing her.
"I know what you mean and I think you are right." He said keeping his finger on her lips. He removed it and gave her a light kiss. "I do not want to see you at work tomorrow. Spend some time with your kids before they leave for their trip."
Normally she would agree but not now. "Ok. Will you call me?"
"Better. I'll come by." He winked at her before turning to walk away.
Kate was grinning as she headed back in to her apartment. Her life was finally in a good place. What she didn't know was that life was about to throw her yet another curveball.
