After reaching the safety of the car Melanie turned and looked at Kate "where did you get that picture?" Kate was surprised by her tone, she sounded upset and angry but possibly a little afraid "I found it in the attic, I know you said most of the family albums burned in the fire when I was eight but there was a box with a few that must have survived." Kate said perplexed at the amount of tension she felt from both of her parents. Finally Kate asked "Am I in trouble why are you looking at me like I did something wrong?" Richard hesitates then shook his head "No Katie it's a lovely picture but you know how mom is she does the Christmas shopping 8 months early we were just afraid you saw some of your gifts." Kate was not completely convinced but decided to just let the subject drop not wanting to get into a fight on such a happy day.
That night Rick and Melanie took the box from the attic and put it in the fire place as it burned they tried to erase Kate's past from their minds but realized too late that the memories would still be there haunting them until the day they died.
The next few weeks passed quickly at NCIS and it seemed they were well into June in the blink of an eye. Tony had been so busy he had all but forgotten the conversation he and Ducky had. The team was currently wrapping up a particularly gruesome case that had involved the murder of a child, this combined with Gibbs' divorce had put him in a particularly foul mood and he expected nothing less than perfection from Tony and the team until the killer had been caught. Now just he and Gibbs remained in the bull pen finalizing the paper work, Tony looked at the clock wondering what Gibbs would do if he simply got up and left. He felt as if he hadn't been home in weeks and apparently his girlfriend, Wendy, agreed. He had received several nasty calls from her lately that had all resulted in her crying and hanging up before Tony could say anything to comfort her. Finally Gibbs looked up and said gruffly "go home Tony" Tony nodded and gathered his things but noticed something odd, a letter was on his desk but it was addressed "Mr. Gibbs" "Hey boss I think the mail guy messed up again I got your mail." Tony said holding out the letter. Gibbs glanced at it and noting the return address said "I don't know a Madison Tyler just toss it." Tony nodded and almost threw it away on his way out but then his curiosity got the best of him and he tucked it inside his jacket. Once he was in the safety of his own car Tony opened it, it was a typical Hallmark card with a picture of a black and white sailboat on the front. The inscription said Dear Mr. Gibbs,
I don't know whether you remember me but I used to be Kelly's best friend. I saw this card and thought of you especially since father's day is coming up. You were such a great father and Kelly loved you so much! I just wanted to say that I love and miss her so much and am thinking of you today.
-Love Maddie
Tony dropped the letter and gasped in shock Gibbs has a daughter! Tony thought incredulously. He waited until Gibbs had left then silently walked back into the bull pen. He reached his computer and typed in KELLY GIBBS, immediately a whole file came up and a picture of a smiling brunette with piercing blue eyes but then he saw across the picture in big red letters DECEASED. Then another picture of a gorgeous red head Shannon Gibbs came up but her photo had the same red letters across her pretty face. Tony opened the case file and read about how they had been killed, skipping to the end he saw the primary investigator was none other than Mike Franks. Tony sat there in shock for a moment before deciding that he needed to make a phone call.