Chapter 44: A special video session

The team slowly gathered their papers, notebooks and pens and got together in small groups to get ready for the following day. Abby came to McGee and Buchanan's side hugging her laptop tightly against her chest, her bright green eyes studying the tired looks on her favorite couple.

"Hey, Joy, we're working hard to solve your Papa's case and we will soon have this creep by his balls." She said gently, opening her arms and offering a hug.

Sighing tiredly, Joy hugged the Goth back for a moment before letting her go. "I know, Abby. And thanks for digging all this out. Morgan told me you were the one who traced Trent to that cemetery in Detroit."

The Goth looked sadly at Joy, thinking about how difficult it must be for the profiler. First you find out you had a mom and dad just to find out that they are all dead. Not only dead, but one of them was murdered in a cruel way. And the killer, that useless creep, is also dead.

No chance of retribution on sight.

"We do what we gotta do, Joy. But I wish I could have done you more for you."

"What could you possibly have done besides this?" McGee asked, "This is more than enough."

"I wish I could give you a body so you could use it as target practice." Abby added with a pout, bringing smiles to Joy and Tim's faces.

"You've been hanging out too long with me and my sisters. You're already starting to think like a Buchanan."

Abby shrugged but did not hide her grin, her eyes shining mischievously at the couple. JJ came into the room and whispered something in Rossi's ears, who glanced at the couple before nodding to the blonde media liaison. They finally parted, JJ following Prentiss and Reid out of the conference room as they went to their own desks to pack their things before leaving for the night. Reid nodded to his colleagues and went with Morgan as he left the bullpen, being followed by Ziva and Tony who would stay at Gibbs' place for the night.

Rossi exchanged a glance with Hotch and Gibbs who were quietly ironing out some details of the interview which would happen the following morning and approached the couple.

"You two may take my office. There's a comfortable sofa where you may rest for the night. Garcia has already left a go bag for each of you there that DiNozzo brought from your place. We'll be leaving at first light."

"Thanks Rossi." Joy said to the older profiler, who glanced at Abby and nodded almost imperceptibly.

Abby broke out in a huge smile and looked at McGee, her eyes shining. "You'd better go then. I'm sure you have a lot to talk about. And there's a little surprise for you in there."

McGee frowned, not sure about Abby's intentions. "What have you done, Abby?"

"Just trust me, okay? Go." She ushered both of them out of the conference room, and Rossi guided the couple to his office. They entered the room after Rossi opened its door, looking around at the tastefully decorated area as Rossi smiled at the couple, nodded politely in a goodbye and left, closing the door after himself.

Looking around McGee found a very comfortable looking leather sofa bed already arranged as a bed, with pillows and a throw blanket that must belong to Garcia judging by the colorful disarray of its colors.

There's no way Rossi bought that for himself, McGee thought. He noticed the sturdy table with small objects of art arranged on it, indicating the fine tastes of the man he knew was a well-known author. But what really caught his attention – as well as Joy's – was a small TV and DVD player set up on a small table opposite from the sofa.

Joy approached it and touched a DVD case, finding a small post it on it. McGee got curious and approached her, so she showed it to him.

There were only two words on it. Watch me.

McGee looked up at Joy who was looking at the DVD case almost as curiously as he felt, so after a shrug he took the case from her hands and pointed to the sofa bed. She went to it while he put the DVD on the player, killing the lights and going to her side once the images first came blurred, then became clearer.

It was the Knox's family video.

McGee felt rather than heard Joy's sharp intake of breath as she saw her own mother, barely out of her teen years, talking to a smiling man in a brand new uniform. They would share laughter and gazes, their feelings already exposed to anyone with eyes to see it. Sometimes a tall man with a booming voice would appear and slap the young man in uniform on his back, their kinship evident on their build and coloring.

Later there were scenes of a young woman in a seventies attire, down to the hippie skirt and the round wire glasses, talking to the man in the uniform. When side by side, their kinship was also evident as both of them had the same sharp grey eyes and high cheekbones. McGee smiled as he recognized the younger version of Dylan's sister, Dora, while still in her youth and rebel phase.

McGee then turned his gaze on Joy's face and observed as she stared at the TV as images of her parents' lives slowly unfolded before her awed eyes.

A Thanksgiving dinner.

A Christmas party.

The tall man laughing loudly as Laura shyly offered a glass of cider to Dylan.

They both sitting together on the steps of the front porch, watching something go by.

Then the wedding scenes and the reception. Everybody seemed so happy and enjoying the moment, completely unaware of the end the fates had prepared for them.

Dylan hugging his wife, dancing slowly in his gala uniform and she in her wedding dress.

Dylan talking with Laura with a go bag at his feet. He was apparently saying goodbye before going on a mission, as Laura clung to him unwilling to let go. He kissed her gently, before walking out of the porch towards the transport waiting to take him to the base, leaving Laura alone behind.

Joy started to silently cry as new scenes of her mother appeared on the screen. She looked older, but she was radiant as she held a baby onesie in her hand. The first one read 'Daddy's little girl'. Then came 'My daddy is a marine and can beat the poop out of you'. She finally lost it as Laura showed another one: 'My finger may be small but I can still wrap my daddy around it!'

McGee wrapped an arm around Joy's shoulders as she couldn't hold back the sobs anymore. She hid her face in his chest and cried, her mind trying to cope with the idea that life could have been so different, there was so much promise, but…

"He… he…"

McGee hugged her tighter, feeling the tremors running through her body.

"He loved you very much, Joy." He whispered against her hair. "Both of them did." She rubbed her face against his chest, raising a shaking hand to the back his neck. "They were deliriously happy with the idea of having a child. They knew the dangers. Laura had already lost a baby in the third trimester. But they were willing to risk everything for the chance of having you."

She lifted teary eyes to his, sobbing lightly as he continued. McGee glanced briefly at the video, which showed now Dylan soothing a newborn in his arms.

"When Laura died, Dylan was heartbroken but he had promised her that he would do everything in his power to protect you. And he did it. And he would have done it again and again if given the chance."

McGee wiped his cheeks, surprised to find wetness on them. He gulped and continued. "Dora, your aunt, she has never given up on you. Or him. She moved back into the house where Dylan lived once she's got her divorce and kept it as it once were. She kept watching that video year after year, longing to see you or Dylan again. When the investigators gave up and made his disappearance a cold case, she kept looking." Joy sobbed, looking down to their joined hands, and she noticed the wetness of both her tears and Tim's on them. "She is still there, Joy. Just waiting for you to come home."

Joy bit her upper lip, trying to stop her tears. "Do I… do I get to meet her?"

McGee lifted a hand and gently wiped her cheeks, "I promised her that as soon as the case is closed, I would take you there."

She smiled at him between her tears, leaning forward so she could hug him. He closed his eyes and glanced briefly at the video, which now showed Dylan in the garden sitting on the grass with a small toddler.

He gently pushed Joy onto the sofa bed, arranging the pillows so they could both comfortably watch the rest of the video. His arms were kept firmly around her shoulders, squeezing her lightly against his chest whenever she was overwhelmed by a scene or other. They watched it until the end, finally falling asleep over the covers exhausted from their day, unwilling to think about what other challenges tomorrow might bring to their path.