Thank you all for your reviews and alerts. I hope you're enjoying this story line with Beth.

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Chapter 38

Their dinner eaten, Louise, Gibbs, Kim and Ducky decided to join the rest of the family. When they got near to the family, Beth stood back for a moment just watching and listening. She couldn't hear what was being said exactly but she could hear happy bantering and giggling. A lot of it from Beth. It made her smile. It was making her feel even more relaxed than before about her decision. Beth had found the place she was supposed to be.

"Nanna!" Beth yelled when she caught sight of her grandmother. She jumped up and threw her arms around her Nanna's waist. "I can't go yet. We're gonna haf ice cream."

"Really." Louise said. "Well I wouldn't want you to miss out on your ice cream. I thought I might come and meet your new friends."

"Everybody this is Louise."

"She's my Nanna." Beth said with a beaming smile. "I love her." She gave Louise another big squeeze before sitting back down at the table. The other adults shuffled around to make room and Louise found herself sitting between Abby and Ziva.

"You have done a great job with Beth." Ziva said. "She is a wonderful child."

"Thank you." Louise said. She looked around at the sea of children up one end of the table. "Which of these beautiful young people are yours?"

"The two biggest boys and my baby girls." she pointed to the stroller behind her and Tony proudly. "Two sets of twins?" Louise laughed. "I bet they keep you hopping."

"They do at that." Ziva said. "So does Tony."

"I bet." she said grinning at Tony.

"I'm Tim." Time said. "And you've met Abby. The other big boy down there is Dylan. He's ours, as is Jess who I think you may have met at the pool."

"Hi." Jess said with a wave.

"Sarah, my sister and her boyfriend Zac."

Zac stood and held out his hand.

"And this is our newest addition baby Ethan."

"He's lovely Abby. " Louise said touching his chubby cheek. "And who is this little darling with the gorgeous red hair?"

"That's our son Jack." Jimmy said. "I'm Jimmy and this is my wife Amber."

"Hi." Amber said. She smiled sweetly but wasn't really sure what to say. It was all a bit overwhelming. She didn't know how this woman wasn't a puddle of tears all time with what she was facing. Louise gave her a soft smile.

"This is a celebration." She said happily. "May I propose a toast? To new friends."

"And family." Ducky said.

XXX

"We need to have a little talk." Gibbs said when they were finally back in their own room.

"I didn't do nothin." Maddie said.

"Nobody said you did anything." Kim said. "You need to listen though because this is important."

"Ok." Maddie could see the seriousness on parents' faces.

"Maddie you know how you always wanted a little brother or a sister?"

"You're havin a baby?" She squealed with absolute delight and jumped up out of her spot and started running around in circles.

"Maddie." Gibbs said taking her arm. "Honey you need to listen. We're not having a baby." Her face fell and so did his heart.

"The why did you say that?" Her face was full of hurt and he felt bad. He could tell from Kim's face that she felt even worse. He'd always thought that Maddie wanted a baby brother or sister because she didn't want to be left out. Now he could see she just really wanted it.

"It's not FAIR!" she wailed. "You are SO mean!"

And she was back. "Now sit down and listen." Gibbs said.

"Maddie we're trying to tell you something. Actually not tell you, we want to ask your opinion."

"Sure." Maddie said sullenly.

"Enough." Gibbs said in a warning tone. When her face softened a little he tried again. "We could have a baby..." Gibbs started.

"We COULD?"

"Maddie I won't tell you again. If you want to hear what we're going to tell you you HAVE to be quiet. Not one more word until I get out what I'm going to say."
"Ok." she said less than charitably.

Gibbs' hand was itching but he wanted this to be a positive conversation. Although the way they were going having a conversation of any description was almost impossible. "As I was saying, we could have a baby but I think there might already be someone who needs a family more than a baby that hasn't been born."

Maddie narrowed her eyes. "Who?"

"I'm getting to that."

XXX

Louise tucked Beth into bed and kissed her forehead. "Bethy we need to talk."

"Oh no." Beth said.

"Why oh no?"

"Because when you call me Beffy it's always an oh, no."

"Well it doesn't have to be an oh, no."

"What is it?"

"Well, I got to thinking." Louise said brushing the hair from her granddaughter's face. She was looking at her with her with wide eyes full of interest and trust at what she was going to say. It never ceased to amaze her that trust that she had that everything was always going to be alright. It made her wonder if she didn't know something that the rest of them didn't.

"What about?"

"Well about us. You see Beth, we're a very small family."

"Just us two."

"I know. Just us two and we needed to make a bigger family."

"Why?"

"Well, for one reason big families are lots of fun."

"Like Maddie's family. They're fun."

"Yes they are. Gibbs and Kim they're nice people and they're a good Mommy and Daddy to Maddie."

"Uh huh."

"Well, a special thing happened."

"What special thing Nanna?"

"Gibbs and Kim want to be your Mommy and Daddy too."

"They do?"

"That's right and that would make Maddie your sister."

"It would? I would have a real sister?"

"You would."

"But I live wif you."

"I know and I love that you live with me." Louise said. "But remember when I explained to you that I wasn't very well?"

You were sick."

"That's right I was sick. I'm still a bit sick." She took off the bandana. "Remember I explained that the medicine made me feel bad and made my hair fall out? Remember I told you that if I got sicker that God would take me up to live with the angels. Your Mommy and Daddy are angels now."

"I don't want you to go away to the angels Nanna." Beth said a tear rolling down her chubby cheek.

"I don't want to leave you either my darling but we don't always get to choose. That's why we're going to go and live with Maddie's family. So if I go to heaven you will have a big family who will love you and take care of you."

"What if Maddie doesn't want to be my sister."

"Who wouldn't want to be your sister?" Louise asked with a watery smile.

"Will I be ok?"

"Yes." Beth wrapped her arms around her Nanna's neck and kissed her cheek. "I love you Nanna."

XXX

"Maddie, Beth's Nanna is sick and they both need a new family." Gibbs said.

Maddie narrowed her eyes while she contemplated what this meant to her. "Are you going to adopt Beth?" she asked.

"Yes." Kim said, her breath caught in her throat while she waited for Maddie's answer. Not that they would change there minds if she didn't want them to do this but she wanted Maddie to be happy. To want to have Beth for a sister.

"So Beth is going to come and live with us in our house?"

"Yes and her Nanna too."

"Really."

"Yes really."

"Sweet!" Maddie shouted. "I get a sister AND a Nanna."

"I guess you do." Gibbs chuckled. There would be time to explain to Maddie and the other kids about Louise's illness when he was sure that Beth understood.

"I can't wait to tell those other kids. They're gonna be so jealous."

"Why's that?" Kim asked.

"Cos they're gonna have to wait years for their brothers and sisters to get interesting. MY sister is interesting already.

TBC