DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN NCIS OR ANY OF ITS CHARACTERS

DEAD DOESN'T MEAN FOREVER

CH 7

They sat on the floor, Gibbs arms protectively and lovingly around each of his girls. They each rested their heads on a shoulder, secure in his embrace. Shannon ran her hand over his chest feeling his hear eat beneath her touch- something she never thought she'd have the pleasure to feel again.

Unsure where to begin Gibbs began with the truth behind his desire to reunite them. "I missed you both so much. I couldn't live with the emptiness any longer," he confessed.

"I know," Shannon leaned into him harder. "Ï saw it all, though the time seems so different to me than I see it through your eyes."

He kissed her head, tears brimming in his eyes. "Did I hurt you? Did I betray our love?" he choked.

He could feel her vigorously shaking her head, before he even finished asking the questions. "You could never betray our love," she told him earnestly. "Ï was in a place beyond pain, but it was also a place I couldn't offer you comfort. I wish you had chosen more wisely, but then again, if you had," she looked up at him and their daughter with a wry smile, "we wouldn't be here with you today."

Kelly asked quietly, "Why are we here?" She pulled away to watch her father explain. "You told us the 'how', which is still too amazing to comprehend completely, but why? After so much time?"

"This is something I've wanted for a long, long time. I've been trying to find the right people to help me and hoping that technology would advance enough to do this right."

"This is right? Almost 20 years have passed and the only memories I have from those missed years are from news reports, radio and your own recorded ones. I barely know who I am any more," Kelly felt tears falling before she could stop them.

Gibbs' heart nearly broke from the anguish on his daughter's face. "You're you Kels. Older, but still you. I didn't think it would be fair to you to bring you back as an eight year old and see that all your friends have gotten older. I'm sad, too that I missed out on watching you grow up. Only the dreams I've had that showed me what you could be on day.

"And if the process went according to plan you should have all the education you missed out on set in your mind. A bachelor's degree in Arts and Science. I know you were never one for liking school," he smiled at her.

"I don't know, Daddy. It doesn't feel right somehow."

Gibbs' gut clenched, he was hoping to see his little girl overjoyed. He supposed he could see her point though. Hopefully it would be something they could work out. He also hoped her 'gut' wasn't as attuned to trouble as his own.

Turning to Shannon he had to know how she truly felt. "How about you Shan? Are you unsure about coming home?"

"No," she stated. "I'm happy; to be here with you, to see you smile, to feel your heart beat- it's all good. It'll be alright Kelly. You'll see. I promise."

Kelly listened to that promise and hoped that it was true. Mommy had never broken a promise before.

After a few more moments of silence, Gibbs suggested they get something to eat.

They met up in a small kitchen with Sven and the others who were still congratulating each other on their success. They were thrilled to meet Shannon and Kelly and to touch the proof of their experiment.

"Tell me Gibbs," Sven spoke off to the side, as the girls were meeting their 'creators'. "Do you think this is a true success?"

Gibbs contemplated all that had happened in the past few hours. Finally getting the loves of his life back in his arms. Was it wrong? Shannon seemed pleased to be back, but Kelly. That was the problem, she wasn't very happy at all.

Using the video and audio to enhance their brains and fill their minds with the more important events of their lost time seemed ingenious at the time. He actually had Tony to thank for the idea. With his natural ability to recount the most trivial facts of movies and TV Gibbs figured installing the vital information that way would help them to feel more aware of the times and not be clueless about the world around them.

In answer to Sven's question he shrugged on shoulder. "I'll know more tomorrow. They need time to adjust to being who they are. I hope by the next day they're ready to go back with me. Maybe I should've planned for more time."

"I think the faster you get them home the better. They'll be more adaptable in a familiar setting."

"I hope you're right Sven," Gibbs said as he went to sit with his family.