A/N: Thank you so much for the reviews & support, so glad to have to see everyone's still loving this story! I loved seeing all the reviews after such a long hiatus, thank you to my reviewers! And to my latest followers & favourites, welcome! So glad to have you with us on this journey! :)

To my guest reviewers, I wish I could answer you directly, but:

Nobeni: Thanks so much for the review, glad you're enjoying my character development, and guess our Gibbs is coming out of his grumpiness, lol, though I would think that he isn't quite out completely

Ladyaloysius: thanks so much for the reviews! So glad you're loving the story!

AmyV: thanks for the review! So glad you're looking forward to this instalment, hope you enjoy it!

Not going to make you wait any longer, the family are coming home! Let's join them!

Gibbs elation a moment ago had been replaced by full blown nerves, all of a sudden he couldn't help but get really nervous as to what his family, but mainly his wife would think about the place, he'd barely done anything to the place in the last 13 years. What would his wife think about that? What would his daughter remember of the place? What would his son think of the place? He pushed the nerves down as far as they could go & releasing his grip of his girls he took the keys out of his pocket & he reached up to unlock his door. He had to admit, this was a novel experience, he hadn't had to unlock his front door in a very long time! He will never tell his wife that though! Never!

Gibbs led his family into their home, he had his hand intertwined with his wife's as they walked in, he knew the entry wasn't really that big of a deal, so he didn't stop them until he got to the living area, and then, well then, he stopped & took a very deep breath and waited.

Shannon was finding an incredible number of lumps in her throat as she looked around. She was trying to work out whether she'd stepped into a time machine, she knew she was looking at the same couch, coffee table & was that.. was that the same television? Couldn't be, could it?

Kelly was chewing her bottom lip as she walked in, she could do this! She started looking around & thought she was in one of her dreams "that's the same tv" she said out loud without even thinking about what she'd said.

"Still works" Gibbs replied, he himself speaking without thinking.

Shannon flashed a look between the pair, guess she was right in her thinking, the place had barely changed, she then took a look at her husband & could see something, was it nerves? Apprehension? Worry? She wasn't quite sure, there was one thing she knew though "the memories that couch has are endless" she said with a smile to him.

Gibbs felt slightly better "that's why it's still here" he replied softly, though he was still worried about just what they, she thought about the lack of changes to the place.

Nix was just looking around, his sister had described the place so well, like really well! It was hardly a modern living area & definitely not as fancy as the place they had in Houston, he couldn't really compare it to their place in DC, but it felt right none the less. He was curious about why his dad had a television that was like 14 years old… he couldn't even see a DVD player, was there even a remote? He saw something though on the mantel piece & walked up to it, reaching up he picked up the 2 pieces & turned to look at his dad "is this yours and Kelly's first wooden animals?" he asked holding the small carvings.

Gibbs couldn't help but smile "sure are, this one (pointing to the darker wood one) was the first small carving I made with grandpa's help and the other one is your sister's first small carving she made, we can work on something for you to put right next to them, if you'd like"

Nix smiled & nodded "yea! But mum, you've gotta make one too, we've all gotta have one up there" he finished looking at his mum.

Shannon could do nothing but smile & agree "we'll do it together then darling, but it's got to, not gotta"

Gibbs could only smile brightly at this, this would be fun! He put an arm around his little girl & whispered "we'll need to help mum, she's not the best at woodwork" he finished with a small chuckle & a glance and grin to his wife.

"I heard that Jethro!" Shannon retorted with a wry smile, she walked past him as she brushed her fingers over his cheek "you'll pay for that comment!...later" she chuckled as she headed for the kitchen.

Gibbs could only laugh, he looked forward to it, bring it on! He put his arm around his boy "come on bud, let's keep this moving"

Shannon entered the kitchen and oh my! if the living area hadn't changed the kitchen was.. well, almost exactly how she left it! Turning to her husband who'd just entered "did you ever even cook?" she asked with a smirk, though some part of her wondered if her question would be answered truthfully.

"Nah, too complicated" Gibbs chuckled, he wasn't lying to her because he didn't ever really properly cook, but he answered with enough cheek that he hoped she wouldn't prod too deep right now.

"Yes, cooking is complicated, but putting a boat together is a piece of cake" Shannon retorted, to her cooking was so simple it wasn't funny.

"Too right" Gibbs agreed, he didn't even wait for another comment he opened the door to the basement "this here is a piece of cake" he remarked pointing through the door.

Nix was the first to look through & wow! "Cool! It's a boat, sort of, can we go down?"

Gibbs could see the excitement pouring out of his son he could only grin "course we can bud, but careful on the stairs please" he'd been meaning to reinforce these stairs for a while as they'd been getting old & creaking a fair bit, he'd been putting it off though, guess now he'd better get onto that quick smart!

Shannon followed the rest of her family down the stairs, she could see the excitement in her son, her daughter was looking excited too but had some nerves there alongside, she was almost at the bottom when she heard the step she was on creak a little too much for her liking "ah Jethro" she remarked quietly.

"I've already got the wood to reinforce these stairs, some of the steps I'll replace outright Shan, don't' worry, its ok for now" Gibbs replied, he knew what her question had been after hearing the same creak.

Shannon nodded glad for it, she looked around, the array of tools had certainly expanded, she ran her hands down one of the beams, the memories and feelings she got were amazing!

Kelly was still chewing on her lips, this was too surreal, she couldn't believe it really, she remembered so many things and they were here, it was like nothing had moved. It was like her dad had kept everything in the exact same spot as before. She tentatively reached out for a beam wondering what it would feel like to touch it again, she remembered it feeling big & tough, so strong she couldn't make it budge without her dad's help. Would it feel like that again? Or would her absence & the years go by make her touch now allow the wood to budge? She let her fingertips touch the beam and first let it slide down just a little before she used her hand to take a grip and she suddenly realised her hand could fit around most of the beam, she couldn't do this before, she couldn't reach around the beam with her hand, so many years had past.

Kelly hadn't realised it, but tears started running down her face as she held the beam "my hand's so big around it" she whispered, to herself yes, but her dad heard & she instantly felt him embrace her from behind.

"Shh baby" Gibbs soothed, he & his wife had watched as their girl had looked around tentatively and then moved to the actual frame, they watched as she reached for it, he wondered what was going through her head, but as soon as he'd heard those words his heart broke & he instantly wrapped her into a hug from behind to try to sooth her. Logically he knew that the comment was right, she was older & therefore bigger, which meant the wood would be smaller in comparison to all those years ago. Emotionally though it signified all the lost years & that was hard to cope with. He kept a tight hold of her with both his arms wrapped around his girl "shhh baby girl, I know, I know, we'll never miss another moment together my angel, my darling Kell bear" he whispered & kept up with the soothing words.

Kelly turned into her dad's embrace, so glad to be held so strongly within his arms "shouldn't have missed any" she cried as she buried her head into his chest.

Shannon had been watching her husband sooth their girl, as it was happening she noticed her son had gone quiet obviously affected by what his sister had said. She welcomed him into her embrace and was just gently rubbing his back, she knew her children shared a special bond, often feeling the emotions that the other one had. That last comment though made her almost crumble, she moved herself & her son to her husband & daughter.

Gibbs heard the sob & it almost broke him, he saw his wife was equally affected as she moved towards him. He moved one arm to go around his wife, this also allowed his wife to take a hold of their girl too. Once she & their boy was in this family huddle he took a deep breath willing himself to be able to speak "we know angel, we shouldn't have missed a second and I'm so sorry" he managed to get out through his own tears.

"I'm so sorry my darling angel, we know, we know it's hard" Shannon chocked out too, she had tears streaming down her face, she let her head fall into the crook of her husband's neck as she too let the tears fall. She was upset for herself yes, she was upset she'd missed the years with her husband most definitely, but she was devastated that her angel, her little girl had missed out on all the years with her father, just like she was devastated her son, her cheeky little man hadn't had the years either.

Gibbs just held his family as they all cried tears for the lost years they'd suffered, he never imagined that coming down into the basement, his sanctuary for the past 13 years would cause this, would cause his family, mainly his girls to break down. Though thinking about it, it made sense, the memories that he had from this room were intense, they'd spend hours down here together, him working on things with Kelly helping as much as she could, Shannon watching on from her couch she'd had in the corner. It was a place of peace and solitude they'd had from the outside world, so it would naturally hold a deep meaning for them. He made himself a promise, that they'd build on those memories, on that peace and they'd experience it again, ten-fold, no a hundred fold, if it was the last thing they did!

"How long are we giving them before we go in?" Myles asked his brother.

"As long as they need, we're not going in until invited Myles" Mike answered back, he wouldn't interrupt them, he knew this was something they had to do as a family.

Myles nodded, he got it but it had been ages! "Yea, I guess, … so you spoken to dad at all?" he knew his brother had been trying to get a hold of their dad to tell him about everything.

Mike just looked at his brother for a moment before answering "Not yet, but I spoke to Pop, he said dad's in San Paulo, had to quickly go there a couple of days ago for some taskforce. Pop said he knew how to get in contact with him & will."

"And did you tell Pop?" Myles prodded.

"Yea" Mike conceded "first time I've heard Pop or Nan for that matter swear!" his grandparents were always very old school and proper neither one using any form of foul language, hearing what had happened though, his Pop had let a tirade out, which brought his Nan out of the woodwork & when she heard what had happened, she'd let out one single word.. and it wasn't a tame one!

"Wow!" Myles said, half in shock, half in awe, almost like he'd wished he could have heard it, but glad he hadn't.

"Yea" Mike agreed "Pop said he was going to speak to the local team in Houston who are still going through the residence to see if he can lend any help & also to provide them with some insights. He was also going to get in touch with Sanchez and get him to speak to the NCIS & FBI teams about the run in with those arseholes at dad's retirement party."

"Good" Myles nodded "I feel like I just want to beat them all to pulp!" he vented

"I feel the same" Mike agreed "Pop reminded me though we had to remain as calm as possible, especially in front of Kells and her family, that those arses would get what was coming, finally!" and he couldn't wait for that!

Gibbs didn't know how long they had stood in the basement for but his arm was actually a little sore from being so high and in a curved position. The tears and sobs had all but gone away, for now, so he thought that they could start to move "come on let's go upstairs huh? Maybe have a drink or something" he suggested quietly.

Shannon lifted her head as she took a deep breath "yea, let's go upstairs" maybe it was best for them to go up & leave the basement for now.

"Come on angel, let's go upstairs huh?" Gibbs suggested as he raised his girl's head to meet his "we'll come back down when you are ready and not before, ok?"

Kelly just nodded as she kept herself in dad's side, she let him lead her back up the stairs.

Shannon crouched down in front of her son as her husband led their girl up "are you ok darling?" she didn't want him to think they'd forgotten about him with all the focus on Kelly.

Nix nodded "yea, it's weird, I've never been here but it feels like I know the place, you & Kelly described it so well. And hearing Kelly say that, kinda made me upset that this was the first I've been here" he finished looking down towards his feet.

"I know darling" Shannon soothed as she rubbed her hands up & down his arms "it's hard for all of us, I'm so very sorry that you've missed…"

"It's not your fault mum" Nix said interrupting her as he gave her a quick look up & a small smile.

Shannon had to smile "well all the same, I'm sorry that we've missed so much, but let's go upstairs darling"

Nix nodded and headed for the stairs with his mum, as they came back into the kitchen area he saw his dad pouring something "what's that?"

Gibbs turned to his boy & lifted the bottle "Malted chocolate milk, want some?" he asked as he set down the glass for his girl "drink some of that angel, it'll make you feel better, I just know it" he whispered into her ear.

Nix nodded "uh huh"

Shannon saw the question forming on her husband's lips "yes thanks" she nodded, but she headed for the door, she thought it was more than time to let the boys come inside. She took a breath before she opened the door, she was about invite someone into a house without feeling that strange feeling of the house not being her true home. She was finally back in her home, and she was inviting people into it with open arms. It also made her feel quite happy that the first people she was inviting in were 2 members of the Bond family, a family that had welcomed her & her kids into their homes with such open arms.

Shannon opened the door, she couldn't help but smile that view out of the front of the porch & down the stairs onto the front garden hadn't changed, it was a such a warm level of comfort that it was extremely soothing. She saw the boys were on the far side of the front garden, almost on the sidewalk "Boys, why don't you come inside please" she called out.

Shannon waited as she saw the pair nod & head towards her when she felt arms wrap around her waist, she turned her head & saw her husband, her Gibbs was standing there with her. He was wanting to be there for the first people that walked into the home with her, she could just see it in his eyes "special" she whispered.

Gibbs smiled & gave her a kiss to her cheek "very" he agreed, he'd wanted to be there with her as they greeted their first guests. Though he couldn't believe it was these boys, he could see just what it meant to his wife that it was them, so he would of course honour that feeling she was having. He saw them come up the few front steps towards them "Boys" he greeted with a nod & small smile.

Mike led his brother to the porch & towards the door "sir, Mrs G" he greeted with a smile

"Sir, Mrs G" Myles greeted as well.

"Come inside boys, please" Shannon motioned

"Thank you" Mike smiled as he led his brother inside. Though they didn't go further than the entrance way, he didn't want to go anywhere they weren't ready for.

Shannon realised the boys were waiting for them, so closing the door she spoke "go on, into the living area, there's chocolate milk on the table if you'd like some"

Gibbs didn't want her to go into those cupboards just yet though, they were pretty sparse, he'd never replaced any glasses when they broke, so the number of glasses & mugs had reduced by simple wear & tear. He followed the 2 boys & wife back into the living area, bypassing them as quickly but relaxed & grabbed 2 more glasses down just in case the pair wanted a drink. It suddenly felt quite homely to be in this kitchen, a feeling he hadn't had in a very long time! He had to smile at that, they were home.

A/N: So that went in a slightly different direction that I was first thinking it would go, but I had to go where my muse took me. The family were certainly affected by the basement visit! What will happen though when they go upstairs? How will they all react?

I know some of you are wondering about Shannon's reaction to the lack of change, and that will come but right now she's emotionally working herself back into her home, she will tackle the issue soon.

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More up soon, so stay tuned & review away so I know that you're loving this!