Chapter Nine

"Ooh, you ready to go see Grandma, Jakey? Yes you are, handsome," Kate cooed over her son as she slipped his hand through the sleeve of his tiny onesie. Jacob gave his mother a toothless smile as he rolled over on the bed. Kate caught him before he fell off, and held him up high, then kissing his cheek before he nestled against her shoulder. "Oh, I don't thin so. You little roller, you can't fall of my bed." The baby purred delightedly at the sound of Kate's voice, and lifted his head to watch his father come in. The boys bright blue eyes followed his father's figure as he adjusted his uniform and rubbed a thumb across Jacob's own cheek.

As Nick's work with the Naval Station Annapolis had resulted in this transfer to that city, Kate was able to see her mother and twin often. The other boys made occasional visits, Doug more than Greg, who had forsaken his eastern roots for the Wild West. Maria lived just south of Annapolis, and Kate would take Jacob over to spend the day with his grandmother while she was at school several times a week. Some days Jacob would visit with Nick's mother, but today it was Maria's turn.

Kate glanced at the alarm clock by her bedside.

"6:30, Nick, I'm going to be late for school. You don't have to report till 0900 today, do you?"

"No, I'll take Jacob to your mom's, and be back in time."

Kate nodded, and handed her son to his father.

"Thanks, Nick, I owe you."

"Well, he is mine, too, but maybe I will collect on that." Nick winked before grabbing the diaper bag.

Kate watched out the window as her family left, She could see Nick's back and the top of Jacob's head as he lay sleeping on his shoulder. Suddenly, the baby opened his eyes, looked at his mother and smiled. Nick, turned around, too, and waved. Kate waved her hand, turned, and walked away from the window.

Nick adjusted his mirror so he could look at Jacob, who was sleeping soundly in his seat. Jacob would be nine months old in just a few days. Already he was so intelligent. Maybe he'd be a Marine like himself, thought Nick. Or an attorney like Kate wanted to be. Or maybe do something so entirely new and different, something to make his parents so proud, if it was possible to be even more proud than thy already were. Nick's mind drifted back to when Jacob was learning to sit up. Every day she would time him, and when Nick came home it would always be "Fifteen seconds today!" or "Nick, he did twenty-two seconds today!" He would laugh at her excitement over a seven-second difference, but he looked forward to it just as much as she did as Jacob gradually built on his time.

Nick readjusted his mirror in time to catch a glimpse of a car speeding behind him.

Kate threw her bag on the chair that sat beside the kitchen door as she walked in, almost tripping over the soft cloth blocks that had belonged to Nick. His mother had found them and given them to Jakey. She bent and picked them up, glancing at the clock. Nick was probably just about to leave to pick up Jacob as he had the car. They wouldn't be home for another half-hour, giving her enough time to cook supper.

An hour later, Kate was getting a little anxious. If Nick were going to be late, he would have called her. She absentmindedly stirred the pot that was being heated over the stove, getting lost in her own thoughts. Kate jumped when she heard the doorbell ring, and relieved, she answered it.

On the porch stood a sober looking uniformed police officer. "Ma'am, are you Sergeant Phearson's wife?"

Kate felt her heart sinking. Something told her that there was something wrong, very wrong. She merely nodded.

The middle aged officer paused as he watched the young wife and mother. "I'm very sorry to tell you this, but your husband was in an accident."

Kate froze, but asked quietly, "Is he all right?"

The officer shook his head sympathetically. "I'm afraid both he and your son were killed instantly"

Kate stared at the officer for a minute before she could comprehend what he had said.

Later, Kate was sitting in her old bedroom at her mother's house. She glanced around the sights so familiar. It had changed little since she had left-and it reminded her of those nights where she sat in a similar position, crying the same way. Crying over someone who had abandoned her; left her. And it had happened again. Kate remembered Nick's words--"I'll always be here for you." He had whispered them to her that day at school and many times afterwards. When they ran away, when Jacob had been born, when they came to Annapolis. When the tears of pain were falling, he always put her back together. And now, he couldn't comfort her even. She could no longer cry on his shoulder, fell his gently touch. He had always been there for her. He had promised he always would be. And now, he was gone. What they had together was process. What they could have had was even more valuable. Jacob was just the beginning. So much more was in store.

Kate closed her eyes. She could feel Jacob's tiny hands, his hair as his head lay against he and the soft curls brushed her cheek.

And then an image flashed though her head. The last time she ever saw Nick and Jacob. What had urged heron a busy morning to watch the two's departure through the window she now knew. The last glance of her baby's soft skin and bright eyes now terribly mangled. And the affectionate wave from Nick. They left thinking they would soon be home. The last glance was not supposed to be final. Kate lay her head down and for the first time, let the hot tears flow freely.

Well…that was really hard to write. I was growing attached…lol

StrawberryBlondeHazelEyes: I thought I was the only one who had noticed that! It was kinda weird, I was babysitting so I taped that episode, and after I watched the whole thing I re watched that scene, and kept it paused just where she looked at his lips. I kept it up all night. And..ah! Your twin is EVIL. Are you sure she isn't like psychic or something? And when Kate told her mother, yeah, I sorta felt like I rushed it.

Charmed-angel4: Yeah, eleven-year-old brothers can be a pain. I know, my brother is almost twelve. About the fourteen-year-old sisters, I can't say, as I'm barely fifteen myself. Lol

Wolf Jade: I kinda thought it might have been his sister too. unsure You aren't going to hit ME over the head are you? Its just the geeky computer stuff could run in the family…

Thanks to the rest of you reviewers!

And I have a favor, I know a lot of NCIS fans are JAG fans. Did anyone see the last episode? I really wanted to watch it; but I was away….