To those who have subscribed, marked this as a favorite story and reviewed, I thank you. Really, thank you.

As you know author's lives on the feedback they get. Well, it seems to be slacking with reviews so not much writing in this chapter. I do get more charged in writing if I get more responses back. Then again, who does not? So keep that in mind will you. I hope you will review. Good or bad or even with suggestions of what you would like to see happen. Or if there is a character or character's you want see in scenes. Did you like the twist or hated it. Let me leave you with this image…

Gibbs is offering you a piece of gum and looking up at you saying "Please!."

''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

Somewhere in the back of his mind he thought this was a joke. Under different circumstances he would definitely have thought it was. Given the events of the evening and the fear he had seen in Kate's eyes and her determination of not to talk to him made him seriously doubt this was a joke. No, this was real. Leo's face showed this was real. He swallowed one, twice as he blinked a few times to gather his thoughts. Kate was a vampire? He only figured they existed in books and movies. However, Kate was real and if she was one then they did indeed exist. Of all the things he thought Kate was hiding from him this was not one of them. This was far from the scenarios he had played around with in his head. Kate had a boyfriend. Kate had a husband and a family. Kate was a lesbian. Kate, in reality, hated him and thought him to be too old for her. Kate was dying and yes, as terrible as the thought was he had thought of it and it had made him sick. Kate was leaving NCIS. The list was endless. However, being a vampire? That was not on the list. He ran a few fingers through his hair again as he sighed. Hiding something like this from everyone must have been utterly exhausting. How does one live with something like that? So many questions, he had so many questions and he didn't even know where to start. He knew one thing though. Now that he knew the secret he could honestly at least, say one thing.

"I will not turn my back on her." It was with a very low voice he said it but when he looked over to Leo he knew the young man had heard him.

Leo smiled and was glad he had been right. "Good. So you must have questions. You really should talk to mom but I am sure I can answer some."

Gibbs nodded but didn't know quite where to start. "People have turned away from her because of this?" Seems he did know where to start.

"Yeah, a few guys that she really liked that she wanted to know the truth before they became too serious. Like I said, some thought she was crazy and some when they did believe her were disgusted with her. She always moved every time that happened."

Gibbs could not image what it must have been like to have been rejected like that over and over again. He remembered how nervous he himself had been before talking to Kate about breaking rule twelve. How silly that seemed now. That had been nothing compared to how she must have felt every single time she was going to tell the truth to someone. He definitely understood why she did not want to tell him about this. He could not blame her for wanting to have kept this a secret. He would have done the same thing himself if the roles had been reversed. Heck, he couldn't even begin to understand just how to tell something like this to anyone. Suddenly he admired Kate like he never had before. She was a lot stronger than he had ever given her credit for.

Seeing as the man in front of him seemed to get lost in his thoughts again Leo decided to speak more about why his mother had been afraid to tell him the truth. "The lynching where mom lost her first family was… Well, it happened because one guy decided to tell his girlfriend the truth. The truth was that he was a vampire. She freaked out and soon had others with her back that basically killed over half the village."

Gibbs felt a bit ill. She really had been through so much. So much in her life had been filled with pain. She was so young. Wait. That might not be the case he realized. That might not be the case at all. "How old is Kate?"

Leo smiled. "I am not sure. Guess no matter what age women does not want to reveal it."

Gibbs couldn't help but to smile a little as well. How he knew that very well. Women did not like to reveal to much about how old they were.

"Think she was born around 1820 or something like that. I was born in 1940."

Gibbs couldn't help it but he started to laugh. It started small but grew to a fully hearted laugh. Seeing Leo's shocked expression he started to calm down. He just felt so relived. "I always thought your mom would find me to old. Guess that's not an issue now."

Leo could see the humor in it and let out a small laugh. "Well, you are taking it better than I had hoped. I just hope mom won't be to mad at me for telling you."

Gibbs let the last laugh die out before he started talking again. "Did your mother ever tell you about my rules?"

Leo was not sure where this was going. "Actually she did."

Gibbs smiled. "If she gets mad at you just make her think about rule eighteen." At the young mans confused look Gibbs went on. "It's better to ask forgiveness then ask permission."

"Ah, I'll have to try that one."

Gibbs decided the rest of his questions could wait. What was important now was to make sure Kate knew he was not going anywhere. Not going to leave her now that he knew the truth. It would take a lot more than this to make him turn his back on Kate. "I think I am going to see how your mom is." As he got up he noticed Leo did nothing to stop him. Taking that as an ok Gibbs made his way from the living room and was soon outside her bedroom. The door was half open and as he pushed it more open he saw her sitting on the edge of the bed drying her tears. She looked so lost and he felt a little burn in his heart at seeing her likes this. He would love to go in there to hold her in his arms but given the circumstances that did not seem like too good of an idea. Perhaps at least, he could make her fell a little better. He really hoped he could.

She felt a presence but did not move. Soon someone was walking closer to her and then she felt a little jump in her bed as that someone was seated not too far from her. She knew who it was. "Gibbs."

"Kate." He inched a little closer and took one of her hands in one of his. "Leo told me." He felt her stiffen slightly and in response he squeezed her hand lightly. "I'm not going anywhere." She was still stiff under his touch but he did not let go. He hoped his words and the gesture of him holding her hand would ease her fears somewhat.

She turned to look at him. Denial, he was still in denial. Clearly that was it.

"You need to get some sleep. You look tired." He squeezed her hand one last time as he got up. "See you tomorrow Kate."

"I'm still on your team?" The words were rushed out and she had not meant to sound so surprised but a part of her was.

He turned to face her as he stood by the bed. "Of course you are." How could she think otherwise?

"Am I… Are we still friends?" She was a bit afraid of the answer to that one.

She had been hurt so much. It hurt him to see her this way. So broken and worn out. He took a step towards her and lowered himself so that his lips were close to her cheek. "We never stopped." He whispered in her ear. He drew back and smiled at her. "Good night Kate."

She watched him leave and was now sure. He was in denial and soon when the truth would hit him she would be abandoned once again. Have to move and start somewhere else. Like so many times before.