Kelly couldn't believe she had just opened up like she did, she had spent so much time hiding her past away in a locked box, especially this memory, she thought she had even grown a hard enough shell to not breakdown, but apparently not.

McGee was looking at Kelly, these last few days were starting to take a very high emotional toll on her he thought, but he still wondered what was the real reason why she didn't want to see her father or her family.

Wanting to change the subject, she asked him a question "Tim, why'd you deck that guy in school?"

"He was sleaze & was cracking onto my sister for over a week, that day I saw him try to kiss her in the gym, guess my manly instincts took over" McGee said smirking.

"Brothers are protective of their sisters but your dad wasn't happy that you stood up for her? (McGee gave her a look) You didn't tell him the reason you hit the guy? Why?" Kelly was little surprised.

"My sister made me swear to not say why, she didn't want to get into trouble for ditching class to snog the guy, so I said that I'd take the hit with dad if she swore to never ditch a single class again & stayed away from him, so I told my father he had been picking on me & I couldn't take it anymore"

"Very big brother of you Tim, did she keep her promise?" Kelly was impressed that he took the hit with his father so readily.

"Yea, she became a straight A student" McGee said smiling, Kelly smiled back.

"Ahh, Kelly, what happened when you got home?" McGee asked carefully.

Kelly looked at McGee & then dropped her head as she started to think about it out loud..

FLASHBACK

Gibbs had arrived home & took a still sobbing Kelly straight up to her room, only stopping twice, once to allow Shannon to briefly hug her & the other to get the first aid kit from the bathroom to clean that cut.

He placed Kelly on her bed, so he could get a look at the cut. Kelly buried her head into her pillow & started scratching her back furiously. Shannon had followed them up noting that they both looked extremely upset at the other.

Shannon saw the cut on her daughters leg. "Jethro, what happened?" She asked in a panic. "Its just a cut, I'll clean it up. Kelly Anne stop scratching now!" Gibbs finished in almost a bark. Kelly instantly stopped & put her hands under her body. Shannon looked at him in shock, why was he speaking to his daughter in such a tone? Gibbs just shook his head, he knew he was being hard on her, but there was no way he'd let her harm herself or even threaten to do it!

Shannon had taken a seat and was stroking Kelly's back, trying to sooth her tears, it had been a stressful 24hours to say the least. It had taken Gibbs 5 hours to get back home from the training exercise, and when he did get home he was already in a complete state of stress, just like her. He had barely been at home since then, he'd gone everywhere he thought she might go. There had been arguments, crying sessions, everything. There were sighting that didn't pan out, but they finally got a call about a young girl spotted fitting Kelly's description & he took off like lighting. She just didn't understand why he was being so hard on her.

"Jethro, we need to talk" Shannon finally said, as he finished dressing the cut. "In a minute" he answered softly, as he lifted Kelly up to a sitting position on her bed "Stay" Gibbs told Kelly, she buried her head between her knees.

Gibbs proceeded to go through her room, opening her drawers & cupboards. "Jethro, what are you doing?" Shannon asked "In a minute Shan". She saw him take scissors, her little toy pocket knife, even the paintbrushes & put them into a bag.

Gibbs went over to the bed & took hold of his daughter by her arms, but her head was still face down "Look at me young lady. (Kelly raised her tear filled face to her father) You do not move from this bed, do you understand me?"

She nodded, but he just stared at her, finally Kelly spoke in a very shattered tone "Yes sir" and as soon as she was done, she put her head back down between her knees. Gibbs stood up with the bag in hand & lead Shannon out of the room & downstairs.

Kelly was angry with her father, why was he being so mean? He had cut her leg, it was hurting real bad, he hadn't even said sorry & he'd just gone through all her stuff, he was supposed to be fun one, the one that was nice & didn't get mad at her. She then started to realise she needed the bathroom, it had been a long time since she last went.

She heard some yelling coming from downstairs and got even more upset at causing her parents to argue, she wanted to do as she was told, but she really needed the bathroom, so she got up & slowly went to go hoping her father wouldn't hear her.

Too late, Gibbs had raced upstairs when he heard her door open & was at the top of the stairs by the time Kelly was just outside her door "Kelly Anne Georgina Eleanor Louise Barbara Gibbswhere are you going?" He demanded quite loudly.

Kelly who was already crying ran back into her room & tried to slam the door but Gibbs got there first "I just wanted to go to the bathroom!" Kelly cried. Gibbs sighed.

He went over to her & picked her up from behind, she struggled against him but he carried her to the bathroom & put her in, but left the door ajar so he could keep an eye on her in there until she was done.

"Go back and sit on your bed, now!" Gibbs said.

She ran back into room, "I DON'T LIKE YOU!" she yelled, as she slammed the door shut.

Gibbs was stunned, he opened her door to see her sitting on the floor by the window, that was open!

"BED, NOW!" He yelled. Kelly went to it in an instant.

Gibbs walked over to the window to secure it, he looked back towards his daughter, she was face down, and again, she was scratching her back, he was struggling to cope, she was obviously extremely upset, as he was.

Shannon had come back upstairs after hearing all the shouting & stood in the doorway of Kelly's room.

Gibbs had put Kelly back into a seating position so he could look her in the eye while he spoke. "I know you don't like me at the moment, and quite frankly I don't care, but I will not let you hurt yourself, I just couldn't bare it. I need to finish speaking with mum, while we are gone you will not leave this bed for anything Kelly, I don't care if the house is burning down, you don't leave this bed! We will be back in a few minutes & we are going to talk." Gibbs said firmly, waiting for Kelly to answer him.

"I don't want to talk to you! You hurt me! You didn't even say sorry! You're leaving ME! I don't like you!" Kelly half yelled half cried, retreating back into the corner of her bed burying her head. Gibbs let some tears roll down his face, he had never imagined that it was going to be this hard to go, the last time he had a long deployment it was just Shannon & she was pregnant with Kelly. Now though, he had this little angel whom he loved more than anything & he knew they had a special bond. He went to stroke her back, but she yelled "Don't touch me, just go away!"

"That's what I have to do Kelly" Gibb said through the tears that were streaming down his face.

END FLASHBACK

McGee didn't quite know what to say he hadn't taken his eyes off Kelly, she wasn't crying, but there were plenty of tears running down her cheek.

"You thought he left because you told him to go?" McGee asked

"I know he only went because he had to, but at the time I think I did think that." Kelly said with a sigh.

"You were a kid that didn't want their father to go, I'm sure he wasn't mad at you." McGee tried to sooth her thoughts.

"Yea Tim, I know, he was just petrified that I'd follow through on my threat, that's why he took all that stuff from my room. He barely let me out of his sight for days, he even kept me home from school & took a few days leave. There had been tears, hugs and arguments between everyone including my grandparents. He even slept on my bedroom floor for a week" Kelly said as she wiped away her tears.

McGee patted her back, she was obviously upset, but was glad that she knew that Gibbs wasn't mad at her for that.

Kelly had decided she needed to rest, but Tim only agreed to a lie down, if it was in the car with the doors locked & with him in possession of the keys, he couldn't risk closing his eyes & her taking off, she agreed.

AU: Can Kelly hold it together after telling McGee about it all? What does this painful day have to do with everything?