Disclaimer is on chapter one.
A/N: All right back from an exciting weekend (went to OH to see Tonic Sol-Fa Auntie Theo), and after a weekend of lots of live music, and chatting with the guys I'm back to give you Chapter Eleven. Hope you all enjoy. dark rolling sea

Chapter Eleven

The week slogged forward, as slow as molasses. Kate forged a bond with the family, becoming a member quickly. Even Jeb's two siblings accepted her into their life. She felt honored. She had minimal contact with Gibbs. He seemed to be keeping his distance, from everyone. She felt her heart aching and didn't know how to go about approaching him. She decided to focus on the family in need in front of her instead of her own heart for the moment.

Hunter was ecstatic to have Kate around and he spent most of his time away from school with her. He kept up the brave outside appearance and continued to boost everyone else's spirits with his energy. Kylie slowly came around and started to interact once again and by the end of the week she was smiling again. Jeb felt his burden spread among the many of his family, including Kate, and it was an immense help as he faced the unknown. His stomach grew tighter and tighter with each day of not knowing. As the week neared its end he felt a tinge of panic over take him.

It was late on Friday night when he escaped the family gathering in the living room. They had all decided to watch a movie at Ann's house to help break the tension and after it started Jeb figured he needed time to think. He took himself to the front porch and sat in the calm evening air watching life pass him by. He was deep in thought when he heard the door open.

He looked up to see Kate smiling at him as she pulled the door closed behind her. She didn't say anything just walked around him and took the seat next to him. They sat in silence for a while as they both reflected on what the news in three days could mean. Finally she looked up at him.

"How you doing, Jeb?" she asked softly. Jeb took a deep breath and thought about it a moment. He had been doing wonderful as his family helped him to take his mind of things for a while, but every once in a while it would slap him in the face. I may die.

"I'm ok," he replied slowly after a while. He nodded as if to convince himself. Kate frowned.

"It's ok to be scared." Jeb flashed a look at Kate. She sat still waiting.

"I know. I am too. I can't tell you how scared I am. It's this…its not knowing. But what happens when I find out what it is. Does it change? Not really because all it changes is that I'll know what my killer is."

"Jeb, you know there is a strong chance it's nothing too," she said with a comforting touch to his arm. He nodded slowly.

"Yes, but the odds are that it's something more. I can't ignore that, Kate."

"I know. Have you talked to anyone?" Jeb's mind flashed to the conversation he had had earlier in the week with R. J. and again slowly nodded. He then realized that he didn't really talk about much just that he was afraid…and he missed Jake. He looked at Kate. Something in him told him he could trust her.

"Yes, but not a lot. I…I told him I was afraid. And I miss my brother, but it's so much more, Kate. I don't know how to explain it," he said. Kate sat patiently, quietly, waiting for him to continue. It worked. "It's a fear that I've experienced before. I…after the accident I was certain that that was it and I wasn't going to be whole any more. I wasn't going to be able to walk. Now look at me. I can run, I…well I'm almost back to normal except I can't stress my body as much. Then this. I get back on my feet and life kicks me in the teeth. I can't understand why things can't just…"

Jeb felt the tears in his eyes and closed the lids. He swallowed hard and took a deep breath. Kate said nothing. She sat quietly beside him. She laid a gentle hand on his shoulder and left it there. The contact seemed to give Jeb more strength. He wasn't alone. He had known that before, but now it finally felt real. He didn't have to go through this alone. He looked at her.

"This is so hard. How can Hunter be…so strong?" Jeb asked quietly. Kate smiled.

"He's a tough ol bird just like his uncle and grandfath…" she said, her words halting as she said grandfather. Her thoughts went immediately to Gibbs. But not for her own problems. Where was he? He should be with his son. They had seen him sparsely over the last week and when he was around he was cold, disconnected, and emotionless around them. Kate pushed it all aside. Jeb had looked at her and saw the emotion run though her. He looked down. He knew it was hard or her too, the way Gibbs was acting. It was hard on him too. With out Jake he had hoped to lean on his father, but now he was leaning on a friend on the other side of the country.

"I wish I could talk to him," Jeb said quietly. Kate wasn't quite sure who Jeb was referring to but she again stayed silent to let the boy's thoughts come out. It was a few moments before he continued. "I didn't even know him when it was so rough. I mean as a kid it was tough being without a father so young, and then Declan changed our world. We were a family. Then we were a family shattered. But it helped me to find the real father. Now where is he? Dammit, I need him and he's being a bastard."

"Jeb, I don't think he means to hurt you. I don't think he means to hurt any of us. He just doesn't know how to deal with…"

"He's NOT the one GOING through THIS!" Jeb said in frustration. "HE is on the outside. HE is…"

"Losing the only son he has left," she cut in softly. Jeb looked at her with tears in his eyes. The first of them started to fall and he let them. He nodded. He still didn't understand.

"How can you defend him?" he asked. Kate was surprised. She didn't know why she was defending him. She was livid with him right now, yet here she was trying to justify why he was being the bastard he called himself.

"I don't know, Jeb, just that I guess maybe I can see what caused him to hide. He's puts up such a show on the outside as the steel hearted, ice cold bastard, that no one really sees his underside. And when the he starts to lose control of that hardened exterior I think it scares the shit out of him and he shows everything he can away from his heart and his mind to protect that rough exterior."

"Why not let it crumble?" Jeb said slowly.

"How long did it take you to cry, Jeb?" The question caught him off guard and he quickly wiped at the tears tracks on his cheeks. He hadn't really noticed that he was crying until she said something and now he felt embarrassed. He felt himself flush a shade of red. "And now you are embarrassed that I saw it, it's the same concept."

"I…" Jeb started, but couldn't finish. She was right. Why couldn't he just let out the emotion that was bottled and trapped? He felt ready to explode yet it would be simple enough to let some of the pressure out. He dipped his head and let the tears roll slowly down his cheeks. Kate leaned over and draped an arm over his shoulders. His silent cry lasted ten minutes before he sat up and took a deep breath. He looked at Kate and smiled.

"Thanks that…helped."

"Just remember its ok," she replied with a smile. Jeb nodded and looked out into the growing darkness. He checked his watch and then turned to Kate.

"Hey, I have a phone call to make. Thanks for this, Kate; it means a lot to me."

"Anytime," she replied. They both smiled and then Jeb bounded down the steps, pulling his cell phone out as he went. Kate sat on the porch a while longer and just waited. Finally she decided to make a call herself. She pulled out her phone and dialed.

"Hello," the voice on the other line said cheerfully.

"Hey, Ducky, it's Kate."

"Ah, Caitlin, how is your vacation going?"

"Well, could be better, but…"

"Tell me, Caitlin."

"Having…issues with Jethro," she said softly.

"My, my."

"He's closed off, Ducky, he…Jeb needs him and we can't seem to reach through the barrier."

"Caitlin, I know you think I can reach him the best, but believe me, I know this man very well. You, my dear, are the one that can pull him out. You just have to face up to him and not back away. Let him know, dear, let him know what Jeb is feeling as well."

"I don't know how, Ducky," she said in a whisper, the tears nipping at her eyes.

"Sure you do, just go up to him and tell him. I've seen you do it before, you've always captured his attention even when you didn't know."

"Thank you, Ducky," she said and then ended the call. She knew now what she had to do, and she had the weekend to accomplish it. She went inside to find Ann to tell her she was leaving for the night. She then took a cab to Gibbs' hotel and walked back to room 205. She knocked hard on the door and took a step back. The door opened and she stepped through.

TBC……..