May 4th, 2004
It's nearly midnight when she enters her apartment. She closes the door, and flips on the lamp in the living room. She takes a step, and freezes, realizing that she's not alone. She swallows hard, and slowly looks up. She finds him sitting on her couch. She feels her pulse quicken.
"Hello, Caitlin," he greets her.
"How did you get in here?"
"I'm here now," he rises from his seat. She reaches for her gun, and he raises his. He moves towards her, and she points her gun at him. He presses his to her temple, and she plants hers in his chest. Her clip is no longer in her gun. His lips turn upward as he realizes this. She placed her clip on the counter as she entered the apartment. He takes the gun from her hand.
"Why are you here?"
"I want you to remember me."
"Please leave," she pleads as she reaches for her phone. He cocks the gun, and her phone falls from her hand onto the floor.
January 20th, 2005
She stares at the infant lying in her arms. She's a few weeks early, and a few hours old. The newborn stares up at her. This wasn't the plan, none of this was the plan. She stares at the little girl, and she doesn't know she could possible give her to someone else to raise. She presses her lips to the baby's forehead, and plants a kiss. "I love you, Bailey."
He stares at a picture of Kate, in a hospital gown, staring at the newborn in her arms, completely unfocused on the camera. He places the picture back on the table, and stares at the ten year old girl. She has her eyes, and her smile. Her hair is long, and dark. He feels guilty for not knowing. He feels guilty for not digging deeper. He doesn't allow his mind to wonder what she's seen in her lifetime.
Abby studies the girl sitting next to her. She can't wrap her head around the fact that she is Kate's daughter. For ten years she was out there. The feeling at the pit of her stomach that they had missed something, that never went away. She has a hard time keeping the guilt at bay.
November 30th, 2004
Abby turns around, and finds Kate waiting on her. She is already bundled up in her coat, and scarf. Abby turns off the light in her office, and moves towards her. She notices that her coat is only buttoned halfway to the bottom.
"Are you hot?"
"No, why?" Kate responds.
"You're only half buttoned."
"Are you ready?" She deflects.
"Yeah," she grabs her coat, "Are you having a hard time buttoning because of those holiday pounds?"
All of the color drains from Kate's face. Abby elbows her, "I'm just kidding."
"I didn't know where else to go," Bailey admits, "I don't have any other family."
"Your mother has a sister, and brothers," Gibbs points out.
"I don't know how to reach any of them," Bailey adds, "She told me to come to you, if there was an emergency."
"You're still afraid that they will come after you?" Abby quizzes.
"Yes," she nods in confirmation.
"What about Ziva?"
"Who?" She furrows her brow.
Abby speaks up, "The other match. I got a twelve percent match to Ziva."
"I don't know what that means," Bailey admits.
"Ziva joined our team after your mother died," Gibbs explains.
"Why was she a match to my DNA?"
"Ziva was Ari's half-sister," Abby explains.
"She works at NCIS?"
"She used to."
"I didn't know that he had a sister," she admits.
"Bailey, what do you want us to do?"
"I just want to know that I'm safe."
"Can you give us a minute?"
"Yes," she nods.
Abby, and Gibbs leave the room. She follows him into the basement. He flips on the light before they reach the bottom of the stairs.
"Gibbs how are we going to protect her?"
"I don't know if we can. Abby, DC is not a good city to choose if you want to hide. There are plenty of people…"
She finishes his thought, "And plenty of cameras."
"Get Ziva on the phone," he insists.
"You want me to bring her in from the cold?"
"If Bailey is ever going to be able to sleep through the night we're going to have to put her fears to rest."
"You want to draw them out?"
"I want Ziva here when I do it."
"Okay," Abby agrees.
Bailey is sound asleep on the couch, as Gibbs sits at his kitchen table, cleaning his gun. Abby has long since gone home. He hears footsteps outside of his door. He doesn't instinctively grab his weapon. He leaves it lying on the table as he vacates his seat. He walks past Bailey, towards his front door. He doesn't peek out. He pulls the door open, and a familiar face stands in front of him. He ushers her in. She places her bag on the floor, and shoots him a look.
"Abby called," she tells him.
"I know."
"She said it was an emergency," Ziva adds.
"Yes."
"She called on your behalf."
"Yes."
"She gave me no details, and insisted that I come home."
"Home," he grins as he ruminates on her use of the word.
"I got on the first plane I could find. Gibbs, what am I doing here?"
"It didn't take you very long," he points out.
"I was already stateside. I was in New Mexico."
"On business?"
"I was on a security detail for an Israeli diplomat."
"Since when do you do security details?"
"That was my assignment," she grins.
"What was your real assignment?"
"Does it matter?'
"No," he shakes his head.
"Gibbs why am I here? You wouldn't have called unless you needed me."
"Bailey," he answers.
She shakes her head, "Bailey? Is that supposed to mean something to me?"
"Her name is Bailey. She is why you're here."
"I do not know anyone by that name."
"You've never met her."
"What does she have to do with me?"