So here is the Epilogue and with that the story is complete. Thanks for reading and reviewing, I hope you liked it. Check out my new story it is called Nemesis.

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Close your eyes and stay a while
But take me where you go
Single file we walk the mile
Wandering back home…

Foo Fighters – On the Mend

Epilogue

"Wow, you really did a convincing job playing a family…" Lauren asked with her voice still filled with disbelief and exchanged at glance with her husband who was holding their younger son Leon. It was their last day in Vermont and they were just saying their goodbyes to the Smiths.

"Thanks." Caitlin replied and didn´t know if she should be happy about that compliment or not. Gibbs and the redhead decided to tell them the truth and not lie to them about their sudden relocation. "Well, the names are different and we actually have other jobs. We aren´t from Miami either, but one of my brothers really lives in Dublin so that´s true."

"It´s just so confusing and I still can´t believe it that Emmett… Err Brady isn´t your real son." Tristan said and the NCIS agents nodded.

"Well, we had to protect him after his parents were killed and that´s why we moved to Burlington." Jethro explained curtly and the blond threw a pitiful glance at the five-year-old who was happily playing with her own son in the room next door.

"Will we ever see you again when you´re back in Washington?" Lauren asked and the gray-haired man nodded slowly.

"Yes, I had to promise Brady that we visit you and Gabe next year." Gibbs answered and Lauren nodded, obviously satisfied with the answer. "But first of all we have to tell our friends and family that we didn´t die eleven months ago."

"Yeah that is really important for you I guess." Lauren agreed and hugged the couple, following them to the silver Volvo. The Marshals told them to keep the car and only pack the essential things in the rest of their stuff would follow and most of their old stuff was stored in Gibbs´ house which hadn´t been sold. "I hope we´ll see you again soon."

"Yeah, I hope so too Lauren. I´ll call you and then you have my number too. See you." Caitlin said and followed her boyfriend over to the car. She helped the boy closing his seat belt and waved at the group on the sidewalk. The Marshals told them to show up at the NCIS HQ to have a quick debrief and after almost 12 hours the trio arrived in Washington D.C. in the early morning. The silver Volvo rolled into the parking lot and attracted a few looks of bypassing agents, for Gibbs and Kate it felt like coming home though a lot had changed in the past months.

"Tim pinch me please when you don´t see what I´m seeing…" They heard someone behind them and Caitlin turned around recognizing the voice of her former best friend. "Kate and Gibbs! Oh my god I thought you were dead! But well obviously you are not..."

A second later the Goth was hugging her friends, both at the same time and drew the attention of the whole bullpen on them. McGee was just watching but smiled at his former team mates. "Where have you been and why did you let us think that you died? Oh and I like your new haircut Gibbs."

"Long story Abbs." Jethro said and the black-haired woman slowly let go of him, furrowing a brow at his answer. "Of course we´ll tell you later."

"Am I seeing a redheaded ghost?"

"DiNozzo…" Kate and Gibbs grumbled unison and the Italian came closer, smiling broadly the trio.

"Well, obviously not." He said and hugged Caitlin, but only shook Jethro´s hand. "It´s good to have you back, but just tell me are you resurrected or what happened?"

"They´ll tell us later." Abigail stated when James Cooper and Cameron Thomas appeared in the crowded bullpen as well. By now every agent was trying to catch a glimpse of what was going on, why the agents of DiNozzo´s team were standing there. "Oh well I guess I know a huge part now."

"Director Shepard is waiting upstairs for us, agent Gibbs." Cooper stated and Abby rolled her eyes at the man. "Agent Todd I suppose the boy stays here with someone of your former team mates, we have to talk about him too."

"Sure thing." Jethro replied curtly and the Marshals went ahead while the agents remained one more moment in the bullpen. "Brady can you stay with Abby for the time we are upstairs?"

The five-year-old nodded and let go of Caitlin´s hand slowly walking over to the forensic technician. "Come on Brady we´re going to have some fun."

"I´ll tell Ducky." The two heard Anthony say while they climbed the stairs, walking towards the MTAC area attracting a few funny glances on their way.

"We´ll be the attraction of the month, Jethro." Kate mumbled and the gray-haired man just nodded, showing her his trademark smirk. Cynthia looked at them skeptically too, but told them to go right inside where Shepard and the Marshals were waiting for them.

"Nice to see you alive Jethro when I started here I heard you died in a car-accident." Jennifer greeted and flashed the silver-haired man a smile. Caitlin just looked at the other redhead and then at her boyfriend, she was a little taken aback by the familiarity the new director seemed to share with the older investigator.

"Well, I didn´t know that Morrow quit. So what are we doing here?" Gibbs replied and she just nodded, ignoring his tone.

"It is mostly for protocol that you are out of the Program and your status will be changed in every important place right now, but more important we have to talk about what happens to the boy." Jenny explained and the Cooper started speaking.

"We didn´t find any living relative he could stay with, except for a cousin of his father who lives in Virginia and she has own children and takes care of her ill mother. Speaks for itself she can´t take him and she didn´t have contact with the Gunny for over three years. I suppose we look for a foster family the Child Protective Services will take over guardianship until then." The Marshal explained and looked at the agents. "One call and they will pick him up in a few hours."

"He can stay with us, that isn´t a problem after all we took care of him for almost a year." Caitlin said after she exchanged a glance with Gibbs who just nodded.

"It isn´t that easy, for the last months he was under your protection but if you want to keep him you have to apply to court for the guardianship." Cameron spoke up now and looked from the female agent to Jethro and back to Kate. "Maybe you should think a little more about this decision after all you will be responsible for him at last for the next sixteen years."

"We had months to consider everything what may come after the protection detail so I think we are pretty sure." The gray-haired man stated and got a questioning look from Shepard. "Is there anything else you need to talk about with us?"

"No, we wish you all the best and good luck with the boy." James said and the Marshals left the office, leaving the NCIS employees to themselves.

"Well, I think you have a lot to do now. We can talk about your work in a few days I think there won´t be any problems to find suitable positions for you." Jen stated and the field agents nodded. Finally the two stood up and left the office as well, walking towards their old life which had new additions now.

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