Hello, and sorry. I have been updating very irregularly lately. Recently though, I was on a school trip to Chicago, so if you saw a group of about 104 string players parading the streets in matching clothes, that was us. We even played at the field museum!

Anyway. I am very behind on writing. In fact, I am still writing chapter 15. Oops. I would like to get on a temporary schedule. Very temporary. I will try to do every three days, but at the end of the week, I will be travelling, again, this time to visit family in Iowa. Now, however, it is spring break, and winter has decided to return, so I will be writing hopefully more often.

I'll stop now. Here is chapter 14.

Gibbs and Kelly stopped at Target on their ride home from NCIS to get some new clothes for her. Gibbs seemed so out of place, wandering the women's aisle. He hadn't bought clothes since his wives made him go shopping with them, and even then, the shopping was just for them. Her captives had only given her clothes if she had grown out of her old ones, and she was currently wearing grime covered jeans and a dark shirt.

Meandering the aisles, Gibbs attempted to be helpful, combing through the racks of shirts and dresses. Kelly seemed a bit more efficient in her search, already compiling a handful of outfits. She looked up at her father, who was currently examining a sparkly shirt that said 'Diva' on it. She smiled and rolled her eyes. He sure was struggling. Their excursion brought back memories of their shopping endeavors when she was a kid.

It was the last time Gibbs ever took his daughter shopping. She was eight, and enthralled with all things Barbie. Her beaming smile brought a feeling of warmth when he triumphantly held up a Barbie themed shirt. She gleefully jumped up and down, telling Gibbs that he had done well using only three words.

"I LOVE IT! I LOVE IT! I LOVE IT!"

He watched as she emerged from the changing room, trying on the shirt. She posed like a model, walking down an invisible runway, and blowing a kiss to him at the end of the walk, then turning around. He smiled and blew her a kiss.

"You look great, Kel," Gibbs said, resulting in a mile wide smile from his daughter. After she had changed back into the shirt she came in, she leaped into his arms, hugging him tightly around the neck.

"Thank you Daddy." He smiled and whispered into her ear, "I love you Kelly."

"What about this one?" Gibbs asked, still holding the sparkling shirt.

Kelly considered her answer carefully. She knew he still thought of her as an eight year old, explaining his inclination to look for kid clothes. She knew nothing would make him happier than her saying yes and maybe even wearing it. "Sure, Daddy."

He smiled that half smile of his, putting the shirt in the cart. Kelly proceeded to place a dress in as well.

"What's this?" Gibbs asked, holding up the piece of clothing.

"A dress," she teased, "You have seen one before, haven't you?"

"This is a hooker dress," he retorted.

"No it's not. Dad, come on, it's just a dress."

"I have seen a hooker wearing this dress during a case once. You're not buying it." His word was final and Kelly put the dress back on the hanger.

"Okay." She appreciated his protectiveness of her, and-she decided-she really didn't want that dress anyway. She preferred the kind that brought a smile to her father's face. An idea came to her, and she pulled a dress that fit the description perfectly off of the hook, and hid it from Gibbs' sight.

"What's that?" He asked, observing her sneaky behavior.

She smiled tauntingly at him, "A surprise, you'll see." She closed the door behind her and smiled giddily.

After a few minutes, Gibbs leaned forward in his waiting chair, and saw what may have been the most beautiful sight in the world. Kelly came out of the changing room wearing a gorgeous green dress, with sleeves that carried down half of the length of her arms. As she twirled, the skirt flowed around her like a movie star, and she grinned. Sparkles adorned her dress, a feature she was sure her father would love, and a feathery fringe laced the bottom of the skirt. It was grown up enough that she wouldn't be embarrassed to wear it, but it was kiddie enough for Gibbs to approve. He smiled as she emerged, just like old times, walking down the runway and blowing kisses to the invisible audience. Finally, she reached him, and threw herself into his arms, wrapping her arms around his neck and hugging him tightly.

"I love you Dad." She said.

Gibbs squeezed his eyes shut and hugged her like his life depended on it. He swallowed the lump in his throat. "I missed you Kelly," he breathed out.

Their moment ended, and Kelly said, "I think I've got everything." So they went to check out, grabbing a candy bar for Kelly just like she used to convince him to do each time they went shopping.

Kelly drew a shaky breath her old home came into view. Gibbs pulled into the driveway and parked the car, pausing to take Kelly's hand.

"Welcome home Kelly." Tears filled the girl's eyes, and she smiled back.

"I'm glad to have a second chance. Is everything the same?"

"Mostly. A few paint color changes here and there." Gibbs purposely left out the part where he told her that the paint changes were due to one of his ex-wives' demands. Kelly took a deep breath, stepped out of the car, and took a few slow steps toward the front door, Gibbs giving her some space and walking behind. Once she had reached the door, Kelly stopped and stared, unable to move. Finally, she reached out a wary hand and cautiously turned the handle on the door, which swung open with a creak.

Kelly swallowed a lump in her throat, taking in her surroundings. It felt so unfamiliar, like shorts do after a long winter of being bundled up. Despite not being used to the place, she still felt at home.

A floorboard creaked and Kelly turned around to look at her father, who had just stepped inside, closing the door behind him.

"Oh, Daddy," She said with a sniff, hugging him again. Gibbs figured her incessant hugging was as a result of trying to make up for the 24 years without hugs, but then again, so was he. He jumped at any chance to tell her he loved her, and that he missed her.

After they pulled away, they were met with a deadly silence. Kelly wiped her eyes, and looked around.

Gibbs—to break the silence—decided to ask a question. "Do you drink whiskey?"

Kelly laughed, shaking her head. Just like her mother. Shannon could never stand whiskey either. Gibbs poured himself a glass and got a glass of water for his daughter.

Sitting down on the couch, the reunited family began to catch up. "I can sleep at a hotel tonight. I wouldn't want to—"

"No."

"No? Didn't think so. So where can I sleep?" Gibbs pointed up the stairs, to the door that opened to Kelly's old room.

"It's still here? It's not a poker room or something?"

"Don't play poker." Gibbs explained.

Kelly excitedly climbed the stairs, Gibbs close behind. She eagerly entered the room. It was a light shade of purple, with a blue ceiling fan and a pink Barbie bedspread. A very thick layer of dust and cobwebs adorned the space, looking awfully eerie and abandoned. In shock, Kelly turned around to see her dad standing in the hallway still, watching her from out there.

"Why don't you come in?" She asked.

"Haven't been in there in 23 years."

"You can come in now." Kelly took his hand and pulled him inside. "It might need a little work, but I think this will be the perfect room for me to stay in. Do you have cleaning supplies?"

"Nope."

"Really? Ok. We can go to the store tomorrow. Till then, I can sleep on the couch."

Gibbs shook his head, "Couch is taken."

"By who?"

"Me." Kelly let this sink in. "Don't you have a bed?"

"Yep. I don't use it."

"What else has changed since I left?"

Gibbs rubbed his face and replied, "Sit down. I'll show you."

You can expect a new chapter on the 20th. Happy St. Patrick 's Day and Happy Spring Break!

~NCIS Obsession