"So why carpentry?" Gibbs asked as he watched Dani admire his handy work.
"Well…" she said running her hands over the wood. "It's kind of silly…I mean I've never been able to explain it really." She looked over at Gibbs and smiled. "She's a beauty."
"A work in progress really." Gibbs replied as he grabbed a glass off the workbench and a bottle from the shelf. "Would you like a drink?" He asked.
"Please."
"Hope this will do." Gibbs said suddenly aware of how little he knew about his daughter, he stopped pouring. "I don't even know if you drink." Dani smiled.
"Yes on occasion." Gibbs continued to pour.
"So about why you picked carpentry.' He said and started walking over to her, she sighed.
"I can't explain it. When ever I'm around someone doing carpentry work or when I would go into a workshop…I just got the feeling."
"Feeling?" Gibbs asked he stopped in his tracks.
"Yeah…I don't know…the smells…the sounds…the way the feels under your hands when you sand." She shook her head, her cheeks flushing. "I must sound like an idiot."
"No." Gibbs replied shaking his head. His heart pounded in his chest, could she possibly remember the endless hours they would spend in his workshop, talking, laughing, and working on projects together.
"Especially the smell…it always made me feel…safe." She shook her head and made a face as if what she said had been completely ridiculous. She walked over to Gibbs grabbed the glass and took a drink. "Almost felt like being a little kid and um being hugged, smelling the sawdust and knowing nothing could harm me." She took another drink and looked up at Gibbs with tears in her eyes. "It's so stupid because I didn't even know my dad…I can't remember him." Frustrated tears spilled down her cheeks. Gibbs wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close.
"Shhh." He said laying his cheek on top of her head. "It will be ok." Dani had her face buried in Gibbs shirt and when she took a breath she inhaled his scent…a tidal wave of memories came flooding back to her. She was working on a boat, his arms around her as he helped her sand. She pulled back, wiping at her tears.
"How could you just leave me?"
"No…"
"You left me to be raised by strangers." Gibbs felt hot tears burning in his eyes…he refused to let them fall.
"Let me explain." Dani turned and began to walk away. Gibbs reached out grabbing her arm, she shrugged off his hand.
"Don't." She said not turning around; she made her way up his stairs.
"Dani just stop and listen to me."
"Why should I?" She asked as she continued to walk away from making her way out of his house and onto his front porch. "You think you can dump me for fifteen years and then all of the sudden decide that you want me…"
"Damn it Kelly." Dani stopped and turned around.
"I am not Kelly." She yelled.
"You've always been Kelly to me." Gibbs sighed. "But I'll call you Dani…I will do anything you want…just listen to me…please?"
"Why should I believe what you say?"
"Why would I lie to you?"
"Oh I don't know maybe fifteen years of guilt for abandoning your daughter are catching up to you."
"No." Gibbs replied. "I will not lie to you." Tears glistened in his eyes as Dani looked into them.
"What I remember of you…what I feel is that you loved me." Gibbs nodded.
"I did…you and your mother meant the world to me."
"What changed?"
"Nothing…" Dani nodded.
"OK lets hear your story." She said sitting down on his front porch steps and he sat down beside her.
"So you're telling me my mom was a spy?" Gibbs nodded. "And…while you were in the Gulf they told you that we were in an accident." Gibbs nodded again. "But we were still alive and they dumped me at St. Michaels and told my mother I was dead." Gibbs nodded. "And they kidnapped me to get her back?"
"Yes."
"So the woman…that you brought…that was…"
"Your mom."
"I don't know what to say."
"I can show you the NIS file that documents the accident and the deaths…I can show you the file we got from the CIA about your mom…there is proof of what I'm telling you."
"No…" she shook her head. "For some reason I believe you." Dani laughed but it was a strained laugh not a happy laugh. "Unless you are the worlds best liar I don't believe you could have made all that up." She scooted closer to Gibbs. "I always wondered why. What was so wrong with me that…" tears started to fall and she couldn't finish the sentence. Gibbs pulled her closer to him and put his arm around her, she leaned into him and cried.
"It's going to be ok." He kissed the top of her head. "We are going to be ok."
