Jethro POV
So far today we have done swimming lessons at 0730 followed by athletics from 0900 to 1300 hours, then netball at 1400. At 1630 Lucy needs to be taken to the book store to pick up the next instalment of the latest book she's reading.
I'll admit it. I'm tired. I don't know how Kat does this day in, day out.
Glancing up into the rear view mirror, I see the twins yawn. Deciding tonight's dinner will be a pizza delivery. The girls are tired after sport all day. I'm tired from watching them play sport all day. If only I could harness this energy.
My cell phone begins buzzing and the Bluetooth picks up on the third ring. I motion for the twins to be quiet.
"Yeah, Gibbs."
"Hello Jethro."
"Hiya Duck"
"Are you up for some company? My mother has company in the form of Aunt Agatha and I blatantly refuse to be there whilst she is there." I smile at Ducky. I met Aunt Agatha once and any man in his right mind would refuse. She has no concept of personal boundaries.
"I have company, Duck." Thinking of my angels in the back seat. No one at NCIS has ever met them or even knows about them. It's not that I'm not proud of them, but if someone decided to make them a target. I'm not sure I could live with myself if they got hurt. Or Kat. "You know what Duck, come on over and bring an overnight bag. You can have the guest room. I'm going to order some food, is pizzas ok?"
"Sure, see you soon."
I make a quick call to Mario's and order a thin crust cheese for the girls and two deep pan meat lovers for us.
"Zo, Luce."
"Yeah dad"
"If mums asks we had vegetarian pizza" I smile and the girls giggle at me. My heart constricts a little at the thought that I don't see them nearly as much as I wish.
"Daddy!" They cry out in laughter.
Ducky POV
Hmm, Jethro has company. I'm intrigued. As I pull up by his house I notice music. Boy band music. Which is unusual as he lives alone and I highly doubt he is into the latest Boyband. Squeals of laughter break up the music. I try the door and it's locked. Highly unusual I must say. Ringing the door bell is a novelty for me at Jethro's. I don't remember this door ever being locked.
"Hey Duck, come on in." he answers the door out of breath. With 2 children attached to his legs. Girls. Gorgeous girls.
Before I can speak one of the girls say "daddy, who's that?" My heart constricts.
He is a father. I'm speechless. We always thought he was wonderful with child victims. I guess this is why. He has children of his own.
"Hello Jethro."
"Sorry Duck, this is company. My twin girls Lucy - one of the left leg and Zoe - one on the right leg. Girls come and say hello to Ducky."
The meekly hide behind Jethro's leg and wave.
"Hello there!"
After an hour or so of this and that including dinner Jethro send the girls to bed. They're such sweethearts and it's plain to see how much they adore their father, and in turn how much he adores them.
Jethro's POV
"You must have a million questions! Duck" I say as hand him his brandy glass and settle in the sofa opposite him.
"Why? Why have you never mentioned them?"
"If something happened to them..." I shake my head. I'd be devastated.
"Where's their mother? Who is their mother?"
"Her name is Katherine. I call her Kat. We grew up together. She is back home this weekend for a family wedding. It's just easier if they stay here." I hand Ducky a photo frame from the mantle. It's the day the twins were born. Kat is all sweaty and red. She looks exhausted. She has the twins in her arms and my arms are around her and we are smiling like Cheshire cats.
"Beautiful woman. Clearly tired but beautiful."
"37 hours of labour. Lucy was born first. 6 hours later out came Zoe. You know for twins they have different birthdays?"
"Really?"
"Are you married to her?"
"No. I'm not" somedays I wish I was "we were at a celebration, too much alcohol and 9months later. Here we were."
"What does Katherine do? Besides be mom to these two angels."
"She's a paediatrician. Has her own practice. Kids first."
"She's a doctor?! Wow. Tell me about her." What does he want to know? I could marvel all day about Kat Fitzgerald.
"She's a shorty at 5'3". But growing up Kat was this awkward, teenager. A tomboy if you will. We were best buds. Didn't have the best home life. My parents adore her. Especially my mother. We're friends and we promise to keep I. Touch as we leave Stillwater for bigger and better things. I'm off to the marines and she's off to law school. We lost track of each other and 8 years ago our town had their bicentennial and I headed home to help celebrate. I bump into Kat and low and behold she isn't a tomboy anymore and a night of drunken passion and ..." I blush silently recalling the rest of the intimate memory. "We remain good friends and a great tag team parenting team."
Ducky POV
I'm gobsmacked. He has children.
It's silent in the house. Having not long turned in for the evening. I can hear Jethro downstairs checking all the windows and doors before turning in.
"Duck" Jethro hisses at me. It's 1.37am I can see the red led time illuminated on the ceiling. "You awake?"
"What's wrong?"
"Can you watch the girls? Just got a call from Mercy general. Kat got mugged at the airport. She's a bit loopy and needs to be discharged into someone's care. Apparently she hasn't changed her emergency contact info since the twins were born."
"Go Jethro."
Waking up properly I set about making some tea. And wait up to meet the woman that is the mother of his children and the woman who has clearly captivated his heart. Less his omission.
Katherine POV
I've always had a soft spot for Jackson, and chickadee (god rest her poor soul). She loved me and always looked out for me. She did things for me that my own mother wouldn't. The day she died a small piece of me died too.
The wedding finished 5 hours ago and I have not long landed at the airport. I couldn't stay there a minute longer. I wished Charlie and Sam all the best (they promised to visit DC soon and I hightailed outta there. After saying good bye to Dad and Jackson.
Just to get a cab and go home and relax.
What the ... ? Everything is still and goes black.