Disclaimer: I do not own NCIS.

Chapter 11

Since that day, Tony and Lizzy didn't hide their relationship in or outside of NCIS but they warned everyone not to breathe a word to Gibbs.

In the last week of August, the four Gibbs girls went to Stillwater, Pennsylvania to visit their grandfather. On the drive up, the girls sang along with the radio and the closer they got to the small town, they started losing cell phone reception. "Annie, call mom and let her know that we're almost there." Rachel said.

"No problem." Rachel had been supportive of their mother dating but she always secretly hoped that her parents would get back together.

"How do you think grandpa is?" Chloe asked.

"He's good from the last time I talked to him but I told him that we were coming in next week and could only stay for a few days." Lizzy said.

"So he has no idea that we are staying for two weeks?" Rachel asked.

"Nope. Ah, here we are." Lizzy pulled up in front of her grandfather's house. They opened the door with a spare key that their grandpa had given them. They put their bags away and left the house to go to their grandfather's store.

They walked into the store and saw their grandfather tending to a customer. "I'll be with you in a moment." Jack said not looking their way right away but when he did, he couldn't stop the smile that had spread across his face. "I thought you girls were coming in next week?"

"We wanted to surprise you, grandpa." Annie said.

Jack came out from behind the counter and hugged each of his girls and said kissed their cheeks. "You four have gotten so beautiful. Annie you look just like your grandmother and Rachel you look more and more like Jenny each time I see you. Come in sit down. I want to catch up with the four of you."

The girls sat down and Jack sat down with them after bringing a pot of coffee with him. "How have you been, grandpa?" Chloe asked.

"I've been well, sweetie. What about you four? And how are Jenny and Leroy?"

"We're good grandpa. Lizzy and Rachel are both in serious relationships though."

"Really, maybe I should give your father my old Winchester to scare them a bit." Jack said jokingly. When he saw his granddaughters somber expressions, he knew that something was wrong, "What happened? Is Leroy alright?"

"He's fine. It's just that he got hurt on the job and became very confused. He thought Annie was Kelly and mom was Shannon. Afterwards, he left for Mexico and we haven't heard from them since. That was back in May." Chloe said.

"Grandpa, why didn't you tell us about Kelly and Shannon?" Lizzy asked.

"I never knew how to tell you girls about your half-sister and stepmom. And your father didn't want you girls or your mother to know about them."

"Why?" Rachel asked. "I mean we had a right to know about our sister."

"Yes you did but it was your father's choice and there is something you four should know. When your grandmother died, anger entered your father. The first time I saw it leave him was when he married Shannon. The darkness had finally left him until Shannon and your sister Kelly were murdered. Then, that darkness was back with a vengeance. He was angry with me for showing up to the funeral with a date and that led to the rift between me and him. When he met your mother, she was able to slowly heal your father of his wounds. You girls and your brother brought out the best in him. I had never seen Leroy that happy. But when Sammy died, it destroyed him. I think not being able to protect your brother brought up old feelings of his late wife and daughter. So don't hate your father for what happened. Try to be understanding. How is Jenny taking all of this?"

"She's trying to hold it together. Dad is not answering any of her calls that she finally gave up. She started dating." Chloe said bitterly.

"I'll come up and visit her soon. See how she is doing."

"I think mom would really like that." Lizzy said.

"So what are these boyfriends of your like? Do I need to come up there and remind these boys that if they do anything I will hurt them?" Jack asked with a smile.

"No, grandpa, their good." Rachel said with a smile.

Later that night, Lizzy approached her grandfather and said, "Grandpa, I need to talk to you."

"What is it, darling?" Jack asked with a smile.

"The man that I am dating is a NCIS agent and he is a former agent on dad's team. I don't know how to tell him."

"Just be honest with your father. He will understand but that is not what you wanted to ask me, now was it?"

"How did you-"

"I've known you for your whole life, Lizzy. You can't lie to me. And where do you think your father got his gut feelings from?"

"I guess he had to have gotten it from somewhere. Well it's just that I don't know how to forgive dad for what happened."

"What do you mean?"

"Well why hide them from us unless he was ashamed and didn't think that we deserved to know. And if that's the case, were we just mistakes? Were we just placeholders for him?"

"I want you to listen to me very carefully, Lizzy, your father loves you. When he first found out that he was going to be a father again, he called me and started crying because he didn't think he could see past Kelly. But when he held you in his arms, he wouldn't stop smiling. He was the one to name you and the first one to hold you. He didn't want to let you go. When they took you to the nursery, he would be there all night watching over you. When you first started school, your father was scared that something was going to happen to you. He has loved and worried about you and your sisters all of your lives. And whatever is going on with him, Leroy will eventually come to his senses and realize that he belongs with your mother and you girls. Rachel told me about the divorce. How's your mom taking it?"

"She didn't get out of bed for four days. She was heartbroken."

"I always liked Jenny. Between us, your father and Jenny were better matched than Shannon and your father."

"Why do you say that?"

"Well Shannon was the first love of your father's life, but Jenny is your father's soulmate. She never took any of your father's crap and she always put him in his place. They complimented each other. Your father knows that. He'll come to his senses and come back to your mother. It may not be tomorrow or the next day but he will. I have faith."

"Thank you grandpa. I love you." she said giving him a hug.

"I love you too, darling. Get some sleep. You're helping me in the shop tomorrow."

"Grandpa."

"Don't grandpa me." He said with a smile.