A.N. This chapter is from the point of view of Jackson Gibbs, and therefore, Gibbs is referred to as Leroy (just wanted to clarify to ease confusion.)

Jackson Gibbs could feel his excitement building in his gut with every minute that past, every mile marker he passed as he drove from Stillwater towards Leroy's house in D.C.

Jackson resisted the urge to pinch himself. When Leroy had told him the news… that he had a living grandchild who had been stolen from Jethro before Shannon and Kelly were even cold in their graves, Jackson had felt his heart swell with emotion. He'd seen how the long months and years that had followed Shannon and Kelly's death had destroyed his son and to know that their had been a little baby… another little girl that could have helped Leroy through it, had it not been for some prejudiced doctor's interference, broke the older man's heart.

Jackson still missed Shannon and Kelly every day. He had a photo of them and Leroy together on a family holiday in his bedroom, so that he could see them when he was lying in his bed. The very idea of having a second granddaughter to love and cherish and dote on thrilled him. He knew that Leroy had come to view his team at NCIS as his family… especially Tony and Abby as well, and Jackson saw Tony as a grandson, even though the younger man wasn't aware of it, but even Tony and Abby and the rest of Leroy's team couldn't fill the hole that Jackson knew existed in Leroy's fortified heart. His long lost daughter, however, might help ease the pain of Shannon and Kelly's passing. It wouldn't completely erase it… nothing would… but it might help.

Jackson found himself wondering what his young granddaughter, Willow, looked like. He knew she was sixteen years old and he knew that she strongly resembled Shannon… even more strongly than Kelly had, according to Leroy. When he'd heard his son speak of Willow, he could hear the pride and affection in his voice. Leroy was obviously thrilled to be a father once again and Jackson couldn't have been happier for his son.

Sure, the circumstances weren't perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but at least Leroy now had a chance with his daughter. A chance to love her and raise her, just like he had with Kelly, and now Jackson had the same chance to meet and get to know his granddaughter.

The elder Gibbs slowly navigated the quiet streets of D.C., with the traffic being very sluggish. It was, Jackson reasoned, a Saturday morning after all. Most people were probably only just getting up and enjoying a late breakfast. He found himself wondering what time Leroy had awakened, ready for the day. Probably before the sun had risen from beyond the horizon, if he knew what his son was like. Was Willow a morning person or was she a night owl? Jackson found himself wondering as he finally pulled his car into Leroy's driveway, smiling to himself as he spotted the Mustang and the hearse parked alongside Leroy's Charger. He was sure the hearse belonged to Abby and he was pretty sure that the Mustang was Tony's. McGee or Ziva had not struck Jackson as the type to drive a Mustang like that.

Stretching his back as he got out of the car, Jackson surveyed the house. It had been years since he'd visited Leroy at home. In fact… it had been over sixteen. Jackson felt his heart clench in his chest as he remembered how Kelly had bounded over to greet him, Shannon following behind. The last time Jackson had seen her Shannon had just a hint of a baby bump and Kelly had excitedly told him all about the baby in her mommy's tummy and how she was going to be the coolest big sister ever.

He was drawn from his musing when he heard the front door open and Leroy himself emerged. Jackson smiled, seeing the slight difference in the way his son carried himself.

"Hey there, Leroy, how's it going?"

Leroy smiled and shrugged. "Fine," he said but it was the twinkle in his eye that told Jackson Gibbs how much of a difference Willow had made in her father's life already. The light in Leroy's eyes that had been extinguished, seemingly forever when Kelly and Shannon had died, had reignited and was burning brightly, for all to see.

"Let me help you with your bags," Leroy offered and Jackson shrugged, handing Leroy one of his suitcases.

"So, how are you getting used to having a teenager in the house?"

"By the time I get used to it, she'll be in her twenties," Leroy replied with a chuckle and Jackson let out a laugh.

"I had the same thought when you were about the same age."

Leroy stopped at that, his eyes closed as if he was willing some form of pain away. Jackson frowned. He hadn't said anything that should cause Leroy any pain… he was very careful about mentioning either of the girls when he was around Leroy.

"Dad… Before you see Willow… I've got to tell you some things… and you can't tell anyone. Willow and I agreed it would sound best coming from me."

Jackson frowned. "What's wrong, Leroy. Is everything okay?"

Gibbs glanced around before thumbing the remote button for the roller door to the garage, which he'd had in his pocket. The roller door opened and both men walked in before Leroy flicked on the lights and closed the roller door. The garage had lots of boxes in it, elements of Leroy's past life.

"Son… what's wrong?"

"I couldn't say it out there," Leroy explained. "What I'm about to tell you is going to sound like a myth… but it's all true… I've seen it."

"Leroy… whatever it is, I believe you."

Leroy nodded and then sat down on a pile of boxes, gesturing that Jackson should join him. Jackson sat down opposite his son, putting the bag he was carrying down on the floor.

"When Willow was… taken, she was adopted by a couple called the Rosenbergs. Sheila's a well-known child psychologist and they thought adopting a child would add to her credibility. Willow grew up as a guinea pig. She was neglected and abandoned by the people she was supposed to be protected by. The place where they lived, Sunnydale, California, is the most dangerous place I have ever seen. The early settlers called it the Mouth of Hell and that's what it was. A pathway from this dimension to hell, right underneath the high school, emitting all kinds of dark energy, attracting demons and vampires and other things that aren't supposed to exist."

"Whoa, are you telling me that vampires and demons are real and that Hell actually exists?" Jackson asked. Leroy nodded and Jackson, remembering his promise, kept his mouth shut.

"Willow, her best friend who turned out to be Tony's cousin and a few other kids she went to school with, found out about it all after Willow's other best friend was murdered. Tony's cousin had to kill the demon that was wearing his best friend's body. They formed a vigilante group against the supernatural."

"Shows she's a Gibbs," Jackson said proudly. Leroy shook his head.

"What those kids were facing, one of them would be able to take both Ziva and I down at the same time, easily. They're stronger and faster than anyone I've had to fight and Willow and these other kids were fighting them on a nightly basis. One of the kids had super powers and one of the bad guys had changed sides years ago, so Willow was, to use her phrase, just a sidekick, but still."

Jackson was speechless, but Leroy had more to say.

"Most places in the world are nowhere near as dangerous as Sunnydale but Willow knows how to keep herself safe. She knew she was vulnerable, so she was laying low but last night was some big event, when all the vampires get very hungry for blood. Abby had told Willow that she was heading to a cemetery last night with some friends to go for a walk… or something, and Willow realized the danger. Despite being warned of the dangers by her friends back in Sunnydale, Willow went and saved Abby's life, almost getting herself killed in the progress."

Jackson's jaw was at his feet. "Is… is she all right?"

"Ducky says she'll be sore for a few days, but after that she'll make a full recovery. A couple of bumps and bruises, and a couple of bruised bones. She's in a fair bit of pain through and she's covered in bruises."

"Ah, hence the warning." Jackson nodded in understanding. While it saddened him that his granddaughter had faced so much already in her short life and was in a lot of physical pain at that time, it didn't take much of the shine off the fact that he was finally getting to meet the granddaughter he'd thought he'd lost sixteen years ago.

"Right, you ready?" Leroy asked. Jackson got to his feet, nodding. Leroy opened up the internal access door to the garage and the two men entered the main house. Jackson could hear soft talking and the sound of a TV set coming from the living room. He could pick out Tony's voice in the discussion and Abby's and another soft, feminine voice that Jackson guessed belonged to Willow. Leroy put the suitcase he was carrying down at the bottom of the stairs and Jackson lowered the one he was carrying as well, following his son into the living room.

Tony was sitting in a chair, looking relaxed and comfortable, as he watched the TV but Jackson paid little attention to the Italian NCIS agent, his eyes instead drawn to the couch where, laying on some cushions, a small red head was positioned, cuddled up beside Abby. Jackson felt his heart leap into his throat. Leroy had been right… Willow was the spitting image of her mother. It was if it was a sixteen-year-old Shannon sitting on the couch. Jackson wondered how difficult it was for Leroy to have Willow baring such a strong resemblance to her lost mother, like a constant reminder in the house of what he had lost, but a single look at his son's face answered the question. The obvious affection… the devotion that Leroy had for Willow was evident upon his face. Leroy was just thankful to have a second chance at fatherhood. Jackson nodded, approvingly, stepping up next to Leroy so he was closer to Willow.

"Willow, this is my dad, Jackson. Dad, this is Willow, my daughter."

Willow studied Jackson closely. She could easily see her father in the man in front of her, although Jackson's face was much kinder looking than Gibbs' ever had been.

"Hi." She smiled shyly.

"It's lovely to meet you, Willow." Jackson smiled, hiding the pain that clenched in his heart as he saw Willow's obvious insecurities. He remembered what Leroy had said about Willow's adoptive mother and about how Willow had been neglected her whole life. Naturally, Willow would be insecure about relationships with her biological family after such an upbringing.

"It's nice to meet you too, um… Mr. Gibbs."

Jackson smiled. "Jackson is fine, Willow."

Willow ducked her head, hiding behind her curtain of red hair, her cheeks the same shade as her hair.

"Leroy mentioned that you and Tony's cousin are best friends," Jackson said as a conversation starter, shooting an appealing glance at Abby and Tony for a little backup. Jackson wasn't even going to try and entice his son's help. Leroy was not a conversationalist.

"I know. It's, like, a massive coincidence," Abby chimed in. Tony nodded.

"I know that we're not supposed to believe in coincidences, but yeah, when Gibbs said that he wanted us to look up a Willow Rosenberg from Sunnydale, California, I was, like, what? I went and visited Auntie Jessica and Uncle Anthony years ago and I took Xander and Willow to the park for the afternoon. I didn't even know Gibbs back then."

"That reminds me, Tony. Timmy showed Palmer and me that photo of you three on the playground. It is so cute. Xander looks a lot like I imagine young you, you know, like a sixteen-year-old you."

"Ah, you AND palmer? Really?" Tony whined. "Great, now I'm never going to show my face in Autopsy again. McGeek is so getting in trouble for this."

"Remind me stock up on that stuff that'll get McGee unstuck from his keyboard," Gibbs muttered to Abby and Willow quietly. Abby nodded while Willow looked confused.

"Huh?"

"Tony likes to pull pranks on the rest of the team, especially McGee. His favorite prank is gluing McGee's fingers to his computer keyboard."

Willow put her hand over her mouth to stifle her giggles.

"Tony, never give Xander that idea or any ideas of pranks," Willow said, thinking of how Buffy might react to getting stuck to a computer keyboard. Xander would be bruised for days from the arm slap he'd get.

"Wouldn't dream of it, Willow," Tony reassured her with a wink. Abby snorted.

"Why, are you scared that Xander will become better at it than you?"

"Ha, no one could be better at pranking than me. I am the master," Tony scoffed.

"Beer, dad?" Gibbs asked with a smirk, satisfied that Tony and Abby would be able to keep conversation going.

"It's a little early for me, but why not?" Jackson shrugged.

"Tony? Abby? More than two and you aren't driving home," Gibbs reminded them.

"That's alright, Boss, Abbs can have a couple and I'll drive her home," Tony said. Abby nodded, so Gibbs went and got the bottles from the fridge, as well as Willow's next batch of medication, which she was due for. He passed beers out to Jackson and Abby, a soda for Tony, and the bottle of pills and a glass of water for Willow. Willow took the medicine wordlessly.

"Thanks." She smiled up at him.

"So, Willow, tell me, what are your favorite subjects at school?" Jackson asked.

"Computers, science and math," Willow promptly answered. "Even though I don't mind reading books, so I guess you could say English class too. I'm not very good at drawing and I suck at P.E. and don't ask me to do anything remotely musical or perform anything, because I get stage fright really badly. I can't think of anything scarier than being up on stage in front of lots of people, except perhaps frogs, and, well, a few other things as well that are really scary, so I don't like doing drama class. I get the best grades in computers and science subjects though, so I guess you could say that they're my favorite subject, which is good because most of my friends aren't very good at science or math, so I help them out as much as I can with their homework and assignments and studying for their exams. I like being able to design things on the computer, like programs that can help us solve problems or can do things for us faster that we could ever hope to do them. Abby's been letting me hang out in the lab with her since I came to D.C., and it's been really interesting. She's been showing me how she does all these cool things with her machines and computers and different programs, as well as all the things she does with chemicals to find forensic evidence. I've been learning heaps, it's like my own private summer internship."

"Willow, take a breath," Tony instructed. Willow complied.

"Damn, you're supposed to stop me when I babble like that," she said to Gibbs crossly. Jackson, however, and begun to laugh.

"Well, she's certainly more of a talker than you, Leroy," he told his son. Tony snorted and Abby laughed.

Gibbs just shook his head and looked at Willow fondly, pride and devotion filling his gaze. Willow smiled up at him. Gibbs felt his heart clench and, for one of the first times since Shannon and Kelly's death, he felt like he was with his family.