A/N: here's another chapter folks! To my latest followers & favourties welcome aboard, so glad to have you with us! To my amazing revierwers, you all rock! I love hearing your thoughts, they keep me inspired that no matter how busy I am I won't stop writing for you!
Guest Reviewer: Sue Dooely: Thanks so much!
Now, lets get straight into it... those kids need to see their parents after all..
Harry's relief at hearing his dad's voice was overwhelming, but he almost got bowled over by his friend as she threw herself & her brother up & raced towards the stairs. He followed as quickly as he could, wanting to not only see their reunion with their parents, but also see his dad!
Tim just got out of the way, he thought the dog had been fast, but Kelly had thrown herself & Nix towards the steps faster than he thought was possible, he just hoped they didn't trip going up the stairs.
Kelly raced herself & her brother towards the stairs, even before Ted had finished his sentence she'd gotten the pair of them standing, she saw her brother was struggling, so she put her hands under his arms and basically carried him up the stairs.
Nix had seen Buster charge up the stairs & had basically taken off as soon as he'd disappeared, he needed to see his dad, he wouldn't feel ok until he could get to him, he prayed he had gotten his mum! He just wanted to be enveloped into their embraces!
Kelly & Nix got to the top of the stairs & saw both their parents within a foot of them "Mum! Dad!" they screamed as they threw themselves into them.
Shannon saw her kids come up & threw herself towards them, she couldn't get them into her hold fast enough, she took hold of both of them.
Gibbs had thrown himself forward just like his wife, problem was he couldn't use both his arms like he wanted to. He stretched his one good arm as far as it would go, trying to get hold of both of them. He finally had his family back together, they were whole. "We're here, everything's ok, we're going to be ok" he whispered into his family.
Ted saw his son come up & felt a sudden urge to bring him into his embrace "everything's ok now bud"
Harry went into his dad's hold instantly, he understood the need for it "love you dad"
Ted smiled "love you too son" he just stood there with his son under his arm as he saw his friends bury themselves into their kids. The last 24 hours had been so tense it wasn't funny, but he suddenly realised the real challenge now began, it was one thing to get them all back together, it was another to get through the ordeals they'd all been through.
Shannon had let herself be engulfed by her kids, she'd buried herself into them just as much. She could feel the gentle sobs both were giving out, they'd clearly been scared, she wondered just how much of the gunfire they'd heard "shhhhh, it's ok now" she soothed.
Nix had thrown himself at his parents and had ended up right in the middle of them, he was gripping his dad & could feel his mum right next to him, her hand was on his head, stroking him gently, like she used to, they were ok! He felt overcome & just sobbed.
Kelly wasn't really sure who she was gripping, she could feel both her parents gripping her, their heads were all resting on each other's. Was it finally over? Could they really be a family without interference? She listened as her parents tried to sooth her, it tipped her, she started crying into them, she finally had both her parents again! It was something she never thought she'd ever get again, it was just too overwhelming!
Gibbs knew his son was gripping him & wanted nothing more than to grip him back, but he couldn't, however he moved his hand down to comfort him as best as he could. He felt his girl start crying into his shoulder, he leaned his head against her's and gave her a kiss trying to help sooth her too "shhh, it's going to be ok, shhhh"
Shannon had leaned her head against her girl's and teared up right at the moment she had, she pressed herself against daughter & gave her a kiss to her head, she was also running her hand up & down her son's head, neck & upper back as he was sandwiched between the trio "shhh, it's ok, shhhh"
Gibbs heard his wife's tears start to fall, he moved his arm around the back of his girl's and brought them all together, he rested his hand on his wife's head as he tried to sooth her as well "we're going to be ok, it's all going to be ok"
Tim had come up the stairs and saw the Gibbs family all huddled together, he'd even seen Harry go straight into an embrace with his dad, he was glad it was over, relieved more to the point, they'd obviously all come through ok! Thank heavens! He had to smile at being able to help them all reconnect, but he saw Tony was outside & motioning him out, so he vacated the store instantly.
Jack couldn't help but tear up at this family embrace, he could hear the tears flowing & wished he could help to sooth the tears. He'd seen that that Dr Mallard had already vacated the store, obviously wanting to help any of the other men that were wounded, then there was another young man that had come up the stairs & headed almost straight out, the only people left in the store, were his family, Ted & a young fella standing in his embrace, so he could only presume it was Harry, he'd certainly grown into a strapping young man.
Gibbs just stood there trying to calm & sooth his family's tears, every few minutes he moved his good arm to each of them, as he tried to let them all know he was there, curse his shoulder wound! As the tears & sobs flowed he wondered just how long it would take to get them all through it, to really get through it.
Shannon wasn't sure how long they'd stayed in the huddle, time had stood still & for her it didn't matter, all that mattered was that she was with her family.
Gibbs knew they'd stayed huddled for a while, but he wasn't going to stop holding them until they were ready. He felt though that his girl had finally stopped her crying & it was only a few moments later than his son had also stopped. He leaned back & caressed his daughter's head angling her look at him "hey baby girl"
Kelly had had her eyes closed & felt her dad caress her, so opened her expecting to see him staring back, but the man in front of her looked… "Dad!" she exclaimed, she got scared seeing him so badly injured.
Nix was still buried into his parents when he heard his sister exclaim, she didn't sound good, so he lifted his head & his eyes widened in horror, his dad had his arm in a sling! "Dadd!"
"I'm ok, I'm ok" Gibbs quickly said, he placed his hand on his son's shoulder & gave his girl a quick peck, trying to reassure them "I'm ok, promise you both, I'm ok"
Kelly wasn't 100% convinced, but she felt a hand rubbing her back, she looked to her side & saw her mum's caring eyes staring back. It had been so painful saying goodbye 5 months ago that she'd been a wreck for days. To now see her again was… she collapsed into her mum, so thankful she was able to be held by her mum again.
Shannon took her girl into hold, wrapping both her arms around her, to be able to hold her was such a beautiful feeling, she just closed her eyes as she breathed in the scent that was unique to her little girl.
Gibbs smiled as his girls embraced, he crouched down to his boy "I'm fine pal, promise you, come 'ere" he said with his arm open, he secured his son as close to his chest as he could "everything will be ok now son, I promise you"
Nix flew into his dad, he wasn't looking great, but his dad kept saying he'd be ok, so maybe he would "I was soo scared" he whispered.
Gibbs's heart broke as he listened to his son "its all over now pal, your safe, I'll never let anything happen to you ever again, shhhh" he soothed, stroking his son's back.
Shannon pulled back from her embrace only enough to look her daughter in the eyes "Hi angel" right now, that's all the words she had the strength for.
Kelly looked at her mum & gave her a small smile "hi" she whispered before she rested her head back down onto her mum.
"I'm here angel" Shannon soothed her, but she saw her son's eyes were now focused on her.
Kelly felt herself being pulled back again & saw why, her brother was now staring at their mum, she saw her dad had his arm stretched out for her & she went into his hold instantly.
Gibbs had felt their boy shift his gaze from his shoulder to his mother & allowed him to move away, but he brought his girl into his hold just as quickly, he like them, needed physical contact right now, he just held her "shhh baby, it's all over angel, we're safe, your safe"
Kelly just gripped her dad as tight as she could, she needed to feel safe again, and standing here in her dad's embrace where she'd always feel safe was where she wanted to stay.
Shannon crouched down to her son, he was the one who deserved more apologises than anyone "Phoenix darling, I'm so so sorry about what I made Kelly do & what I put you through, I know it wasn't fair…." But she couldn't finish her sentence her son flew into her arms.
Nix stared at his mum, this was just too much, he heard her start to apologise but he just wanted to be held, so he threw himself into her & gripped her as tightly as he could "just never do that again, and don't leave me again!" he cried.
"Never darling, never" Shannon soothed him as she held onto him tightly, gosh this felt good! She'd missed her little man more than anything, she rose but didn't put her son down, and he wrapped his legs around her waist.
Shannon saw that her husband & daughter were now watching her embrace, she looked at her daughter "I will never do anything like that again to either of you, any of you" she said to not only the boy in her arms but her daughter & husband too.
Gibbs moved himself & their girl towards his wife, pushing them all as close together as possible "this family is not being split for anything. No one will be able to split us ever again, we're together now for the rest of our lives" he finished leaned his head against his wife's.
Jack had been watching all this unfold & was shedding more than a few tears, but this last interaction had resulted in Shannon's back facing him, which meant his grandson was facing him & it suddenly dawned on him that he had red hair! He had his mothers & grandmothers hair! He smiled, but it was nothing with the shock he received when the boy lifted his head towards him, he just stared in shock.
Nix was gripping his mum for dear life, but he opened his eyes & lifted his head slightly, there was an older man sitting down just staring at him, he suddenly got nervous & tucked his head back into his mum "mum, there's an old man staring at me" he whispered.
Shannon & Gibbs pulled the family apart & Gibbs looked behind Shannon, he expected it was dad but had to be sure, and yea, it was his dad, Shannon had turned at the same to get a look at this 'old man' the pair smiled.
"That's not an 'old man' darling, its your grandfather" Shannon said gently.
A/N: The family is certainly relived to be reunited! But I dare say there are more tears to come, this family's together, but as they know, there'll be a lot to work through!
I wanted to include Jack's intro in this chapter, but it's not ready yet & I wanted to get something up as it'll be a good week before I can get another chapter up & I didn't want to keep you all waiting that long for this part. So you've got that to look forward to!
You know I love hearing your thoughts, so review away! More to come!