Authors Note: The song Erica performs in this chapter is "I will be there for you" performed by Jessica Andrews.
Erica Takes the Stage
At the benefit the team was waiting for Erica to perform. It had been a long night already and if Erica hadn't been performing some members of the team would have already left. Gibbs had gone to check on Erica but was back now. "Erica will be performing any minute, everybody be supportive." Gibbs said. Just then the announcer took the stage. "Okay our final performance tonight is the young teenage daughter of NCIS Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs. Everyone give it up for Erica Gibbs." The announcer said and went to sit down. Seconds later Erica took the stage. "This song is for my father and his coworkers and friends, my friends, my family." Erica said. Then the music began.
When I lost faith…
You believed in me…
When I stumbled…
You were right there…
For every act of love you've done…
I owe you one…
Tony and Kate looked at each other. "That's our song Tony." Kate whispered. "I know." Tony whispered back and put his arm around her. Abby looked over to see her friends. Abby remembered that this was the song Tony and Kate danced to at their wedding.
There were hard times…
I know I survived…
Just because you stayed by my side…
With all I have…
With all I am…
I promise you all my life…
Whenever the road is too long…
Whenever the wind is too strong…
Wherever this journey may lead to…
I will be there for you…
Oh I will be there for you…
McGee and Abby listened to the words not only did this song apply to Tony and Kate it applied to them. They had had their share of hard times but they stayed together and things got better. It was amazing that Erica who had only known all of them for such a short time could pick a song that fit all of them. This song is more than how Erica felt it's all they all felt.
Though sorrow on the darkest night…
When there's heartache deep down inside…
Just like a prayer, you'll always be there…
And I promise you all my life…
Whenever the road is too long…
Whenever the wind is too strong…
Wherever this journey may lead to…
I will be there for you…
Oh I will be there…
As Gibbs sat and listened to his daughter sing this song he knew that his daughter finally felt at home with him. He felt that she was singing this song to him because he was there to help her through the hardest time of her life, her mother's death. But he knew this song was for Jen and his team because if it weren't for them neither he nor Erica would have made it through. This indeed was a song for the team. Now it was more than the love song that Tony and Kate considered to be their song. It was a song about love and trust and just being there for the people you care about. It was now the team's song, his family's song. After all his Erica and his team were his family and they would always be there for each other in one way or another.
Whenever the road is too long…
Whenever the wind is too strong…
Wherever this journey may lead to…
I will be there for you…
Oh I will be there for you…
I'll always be there…
"Thank-you." Erica said and took a bow then she exited the stage. The moving song had made the team think and brought the team to tears. Most of all it helped Erica express what she had been needing to say. It was one of those moments when time stood still but just how many more of those moments would they have?