Rachel was smirking when Kate joined her on the church steps with Gibbs in tow, "Good morning little sister, Gibbs."
"Rachel." Gibbs nodded, Kate was holding onto his bicep.
"Breakfast after?" Rachel asked "Unless you have something else to do."
"Breakfast is fine." Kate said ignoring her sister's smirk.
"I know a diner." Gibbs offered his other arm to Rachel.
"Thank you." taking his bicep Rachel walked with them into the church.
"Nice little place." Rachel nodded walking into the diner after Kate, Gibbs nodded to the waitress as they took their seats.
"Good morning Gibbs, Kate."
"Good morning." Kate smiled sliding into the booth seat next to her sister.
"Some one new, Gibbs is your social circle growing?" Elaine teased placing the menus on the table.
"Elaine this is my sister Rachel." Kate introduced her with a chuckle.
"Nice to meet you, coffee?" Elaine smiled.
"Yes please, nice to meet you too." Rachel returned the smile.
"I assume you take your coffee like your sister?"
"Yes thank you." Rachel nodded, once the waitress walked away she asked "Come here often?"
"A while." Gibbs nodded giving Elaine a smile when she returned with the mugs and coffee pot.
"A very long while," pouring the cups she promised the ladies "I'll be back with your milk and to take your order, I already know what he wants."
"Let me guess, steak and eggs?" Rachel chuckled, Kate smirked.
"You forgot spuds." Gibbs sipped his coffee his own smirk covered by the cup.
"Oh, forgive me." Rachel feigned placing her hand over her heart. "So tell me baby sister, what are your plans for Thanksgiving?"
"No." Kate shook her head "We're working."
"You don't even work on his team any more." Rachel reminded.
Gibbs knew Kate didn't like to go home to the chaos, she loved her family but he'd overheard the horror stories she'd told Abby about holidays with the Todds, he also knew she pretended to be upset when they had to work a case on the holidays.
"Katie if you don't go they will..."
"Don't go." Gibbs said taking another sip, he knew the Todds would do to Rachel what they did to Kate, belittle her job ask about a boyfriend, they didn't mean too but they were lawyers and Rachel and Kate were not. "Always room for one more at Ducky's table."
"You can't invite me to Ducky's Thanksgiving." Rachel shook her head.
"Actually Ducky asked about your plans which means he is probably going to ask you tonight." Kate explained smiling at Elaine when she returned with the creamer and sugar "Thank you."
"Thank you." Rachel smiled as well, waiting for Elaine to leave Rachel asked Kate "Does this have anything to do with him knowing why you don't go home?" Rachel questioned.
"Ducky's very..." Kate paused searching for the correct term "perceptive."
"That he is." Gibbs agreed remembering all the shit Ducky had given him about Kate when they first met on the plane.
"You don't have to say yes Rach but I promise you it will be a stress free holiday, unless you have to work." Kate sipped her coffee.
"I'll think about it." Rachel promised bobbing her head.
"Everybody brings a dish, that way the pressures not all on Ducky to prepare everything." Kate explained.
"My dear so good of you to host game night." Ducky smiled handing flowers to Rachel "Do you play chess?"
"Of course, my father taught all of us." Rachel smiled looking to her sister as she joined her in the kitchen to get a vase.
"Caitlin you never said you could play." Ducky said with surprise, taking off his jacket he hung it up on the coat rack by the door.
Kate took the moment to glare at her sister before smiling at Ducky once he was facing her "I don't think I'd be that much of a challenge Ducky."
"One game my dear, I'm sure you'll do fine." Ducky smiled joining Gibbs on the couch. "Shall I trust Caitlin to bring whatever it is you are tasked with for Thanksgiving?"
"Oven baked rolls Ducky." Kate called from the kitchen giving her sister a shove. "I'm going to make apple and pumpkin pie for my part."
"Jethro do not let her do all that on her own." Ducky scowled at the other man as he set up the travel chess board.
"I swear Duck, I'll do whatever she lets me do." Gibbs promised taking a sip of his beer.
"Will you be joining us this year Doctor, there's always room at the Mallard table." Ducky asked Rachel.
"I will think about it and please call me Rachel." she smiled handing her sister a bottled water "Would you like anything to drink Ducky?"
"Water will do fine my dear."
"Water it is." Rachel nodded.
"Told you." Kate whispered giving her sister a hip check as she left her in the kitchen.
"You are quite skilled Caitlin as is your sister." Ducky commented studying the chess board.
"Mom taught us to play." Kate admitted.
"And poker?" Tony asked checking his cards again.
"Rachel taught me." Kate smirked glancing up to her sister raising and Tony fidgeting with his cards.
"She's just saying that to get into your head." Rachel murmured recounting her chips before chiding her sister "Mind on your own game Katie." Tony snickered before raising the bet.
"Careful Tony." McGee warned, it was just Rachel and Tony left in the hand.
"Poker nights were like breathing at my frat house McGee." Tony snorted amused.
After losing her chess game Kate joined the poker table, she knew it would turn into a battle between Rachel and Tony and couldn't wait to watch, even if she did lose money, it was only $20 buy in. Ziva had bowed out and was watching Gibbs set up the chess board with Ducky. "Ah Miss David, would you care to play?"
"No, I simply came to watch." Ziva shook her head.
"I was wondering my dear if you would join us for Thanksgiving, I host every year, we all bring a dish to share." Ducky finished resetting his pieces.
"I do not wish to intrude." she shook her head.
"I am inviting you, it would only be intruding if you arrived without an invite." Ducky corrected. "It's just our little family, well mother will be out of country visiting family, but our little group here will all be there." gesturing to the table he waited for both Ziva and Gibbs.
Finishing his pieces reset Gibbs smirked "Just say yes David, he won't take no for an answer."
"Doctor I..."
"It's Ducky my dear, and I would be very happy if you spent this holiday with us rather than by yourself."
A small smile tugged at the corner of her lips, she couldn't say no, he was really a sweet man "What should I bring?"
"Anything you want." Ducky smiled in triumph before taking his first move against Gibbs.
"I'd say it went well." Kate helped her sister clean up, she'd sent Gibbs home and knew she'd find him in his basement.
"Your friends are very nice Katie, Timothy is a sweetheart."
"He is." Kate agreed, they'd had to practically shove him out the door, he didn't want Rachel cleaning up after her first game night, it had taken Kate telling him she was helping before he actually left.
"I'm still trying to figure out why Tony isn't leading his own team." Rachel shook her head.
"He thinks he has more to learn, I know Tim does, he's the only one that doesn't have some sort of law enforcement or military service in his background."
"But you think he's a good agent?"
"Tim or Tony?"
"Tim." her sister specified.
"Yes. competent and hard working, he understands the computers better than anyone and often helps Abby in her lab when she's hit a wall, he just needs to learn what to look for, questions to ask, things of that nature but he's picking everything up quickly." Kate responded as the finished putting the dishes into the sink.
"Seems like there's no choice when working for Gibbs." Rachel said honestly.
"True, it's very learn in the field, hit the ground running with him." Kate nodded. "They've changed since I was shot, Tony still kids but he's grown more serious, Tim as well although he was never the crash man-child that Tony was he's not as innocent as he was."
"You did say bullets struck the car next to his head." Rachel gestured to the couch.
"He saw the same guy we all did after..." Kate said straightening the hem of her shirt, Rachel knew it was a nervous tick, none of them liked to think of that day.
"Give it time, just like you need time so do they." Rachel sat on the couch waiting.
"I know but it doesn't stop the worry." Kate admitted.
"I know sweetie." giving her little sister an understanding smile Rachel hugged Kate once she sat down, Kate melted into her sister accepting the arms wrapped around her and the kiss to the top of her head.
"I'm supposed to be helping you get over your divorce."
"And you have and you are." Rachel assured her "You and Danny have kept me sane and reminded me it's not my fault and I'm not alone."
"You're not, you have us and my team, as Gibbs says DNA doesn't make you family."