Title : Trouble and Problem
Rating : PG 13 / K+/ Humor/ romance
Disclaimer : NCIS…definitely not mine
Spoiler : None


GIBBS POV
Gibbs is in anguish. The moment he acts on his feeling to Kate, he knows he is in trouble. Yet, as old as he is, he is still unable to control himself, shame on him.
About a week ago, after a long hard case, they returned to HQ and had a drink at Ducky's place. It was midnight after they went home; he was really careful not to drink in Ducky's place, guarding himself and her of course. He can feel that he is attracted to her, so he is avoiding her.
After a week sleeping and working together, driving him crazy, he can hardly concentrate, seeing her in mussed hair and sleeping attire are not helping. So, one thing lead to another, he ended up sleeping with her, TWICE, in her apartment. Damn it Jethro, you are bloody old with three divorces.

KATE POV
Despite of all her problem at work, boy toys, parents and the last but not least on her list, falling for her grumpy boss, Kate is excited. She shouldn't have slept with him though, TWICE!
Then he said he was too old for her, it's not going to work. She got pride all right. She pretends it was OK! That nothing ever happens, it cuts her deep and painful…but she feels good today.
It is almost Thanksgiving, count down to a few more days…YES YES YES, holiday season. Got great books to read, shopping, meet some friends for movies, shopping, the list goes on. Perhaps, liking her boss is just a phase, just a life's sad crisis.
Last night she received a call from her oldest brother Jeremy, His family is coming from Nashville, Tennessee to visit her, her niece and nephew are going to visit their "bestest-favoritest-coolest aunt in the whole world" they said. So, Kate has the whole week plan for her little ones. Life is great.

GIBBS POV
He shakes his head, trying to get back to the present. Away from her warmth, into the cold bleak existence.
She is cold to him now, he is hurting, but it is his own doing. But, she stays professional at work. She avoids him whenever possible. He was all right with her coldness for a few days, but now, he can't stand it anymore.
She hangs put more with Tony and McGee. Tony has stopped teasing her, he's been quite civilize with her. When Gibbs arrives in the bullpen, it was still empty. He sits in his chair, tired. He couldn't get much sleep for many nights; he wearily lies on his chair and feels asleep within minutes.

Abby's LAB
Kate is in Abby's lab. She rather stays with Abby and enjoys her antics than be in the bullpen with Gibbs. It was almost 9.
Lab's intercom buzz, "Abby/lab" she answers.
"Hey Kate, you have visitors in the…" Abby is cut off by Kate's screams. Kate jumps and takes the stairs down. "Yes, yes, yes" she said to herself.
Then she sees her brother, his wife and two angels.

NCIS LOBBY
"AHHHH…" Kate screams as the toddlers runs to her and jumps to her arms
"Aunt Katie…" they kiss her furiously, and she kisses them and blows raspberry to their tummies.
"I miss you Aunt Katie" Joshua said
"I miss you more Aunt Katie" Jaclyn said
"No…I miss you more, Aunt Katie" Joshua shoves his sister
"No…No…I miss you moooore Aunt Katie" she insists
"Guys…guys…stop it, I miss you all equally" she kisses and hugs them.

"Hi Kate" her brother kisses her in the head over his kids
‘Hi Jeremy" she hugs him hard
"Hi Lucy" she greets her sister in law. It's been too long.
Kate is so happy. Her niece and nephew are grabbing her skirt, for her attention.
"Kate, can we talk to you in private?" Jeremy asks
"What? Yeah sure" Kate is confused, still talking to the kids.
"Can we talk…without them?" Lucy points at the kids
"What? Yeah sure" Something is horribly wrong."Ok, I'll figure something out"
Where can she put them? Abby is busy, Ducky and Tony are not in yet. The bullpen is her only choice.
"Ok guys…want to see where I work?" she asks
‘YEAHHH…!" they scream and jump happily. Oh dear, she thought. She got a few minutes to convince Trouble and Problem to calm down and not destroy anything.

BULLPEN
Few minutes later, they arrive at her still quiet bullpen. They are much calmer than before. She holds them tightly, to make sure they don't charge in. Shoot! Her boss is there, asleep in his chair.
Kate walks them to her chair "Guys…remember what I told you?"
"Yes Aunt Katie" they whispers but with a twinkle in their eyes
"Promise?" Kate makes sure
"Promise, Marine's honor" Joshua and Jaclyn salute her.
"Oh…I love you guys so much" she misses them like crazy, kissing them again.
"Ok, I got to go to your mommy and daddy, ok? Be quiet, stay here, don't touch anything…remember what I told you in the elevator" Kate whispers to them
"Ok…ok…we know, we are not kids…we know…" Joshua whispers back to his aunt.
Kate dashes back to the lobby for her brother and his wife, she is worried about them.
What's going on? Never seen him that way before. She brings them to empty meeting room around the corner.

MEANWHILE, in the bullpen

Gibbs feels cold and tired, and he looks around. Did somebody turn off the light? Power failure? Then he remembers that Kate is secretly afraid of the dark. It's her phobia.
What is going on? What happen? I have to find Kate. Then he hears noises, hustling, and giggling…children voice. Where on earth is he? Then, as he groggily wakes up…he was dreaming.
He shakes his tired head. He didn't sleep much after the Kate incidents. His bourbon and boat are not helping much. Wait a minute. What's that noise? He raises his head and sees what's causing the rackets.
Two pairs of beady eyes are looking up at him. The boy is rather stout and cute with dark brown hair, cut in a bowl shape, his eyes looks like trouble, he looks familiar but Gibbs couldn't put his finger on it.
When he sees the little girl, he knows. She looks like a smaller, sassier version of Kate with lighter hair. It's her eyes, and she is sucking her thumb, looking at him, smiling.
"Hello…who are you? What's your name?" Joshua asks
Gibbs is shocked to hear his voice, he thought he was dreaming.
"I'm Joshua, I am three and a half or four" he said
"I'm Jaclyn, I am two and a half" she quickly said, not wanting to lose to her brother.
Gibbs clears his throat, ‘I'm Jethro" he is not stating his age.
"Are you sleeping on the job Jethro?" Joshua asks
Gibbs couldn't answers the question
"Aren't you afraid your boss will eat you alive?" she whispers to him in fear
"What?" Gibbs is confused
"Yeah…It is true…" she insists, still sucking her thumbs
"She doesn't say…eat you alive…Jaclyn. She said boss Gibbs will cook you first…then eat you…" Joshua is twitching his face, showing his teeth to her, scaring her.
"Stop it Joshua…" she screams, cover her ears and runs to Gibbs. She bumps his knees and Gibbs pulls her up and sits her on his thigh.
"Ha…ha…ha, you scary cat!" her brother laughs at her
Jaclyn buries her face to Gibbs' chest, refusing to see her annoying brother.

"So, who told you about that Joshua?" Gibbs is curious.
"Our Aunt Katie" he answers proudly, puffs his chest.
"She also said that Gibbs has fangs" Joshua rolls his lips up, showing his teeth, snapping at Jaclyn.
"Aren't you afraid he'll eat you up too Jethro?" She asks, ignoring her brother, looking up at Gibbs.
"Nope" he grins at her, "It's not going to happen" without realizing he hugs her.
"Why?" the boys asks, inching towards Gibbs with curiosity
"Because I have guns and I can fight" he answers cheekily
"Cool…" Joshua bellows, he is at Gibbs other knee now
"Can I see it? Can I touch it? My dad never let me touch his guns" Joshua complains
"For good reason I think" Gibbs answers
"Are you a sniper?" Joshua continues
"I was…" Gibbs wonders how three and a half years old could know so much.
Without realizing, Joshua is pulling himself up to Gibbs knee. So he pulls the boy to sit on his lap. He continues to talks excitedly.
‘When I grow up, I want to be a marine"
"Me too!" the girl adds, not wanting to lose
‘You are a girl Jaclyn and you cry too much, marines don't cry" he adds
"No, I don't cry too much" she snaps at him and kicks him in the shin.
"You are a cry baby" he shouts at her, rubbing his shin.
"No I am NOT", "Yes, YOU are"
"Hey…hey guys! The marines accept both girls and boys, no exception" Gibbs tries to calm the Kids that are occupying his laps.

Meeting room

"What?" Kate shouts, looking back and forth to her brother and his wife.
"That is not an option guys" It is ridiculous, it's not a game.
"We tried everything Kate"
"Then try harder, it's not good enough"
‘Kate, please…try to understand"
"No…you guys are so selfish"
"Do you know what it will do to your kids?"
"Have you considered that?"
"No, that is not an option…what about Joshua and Jaclyn?"
"They don't know about us Kate"
"Damn well they better not!"

Bullpen

"We are going to stay with out Aunt Katie" Joshua explains
"We are going to celebrate our Thanksgiving together, our big jolly family" Jaclyn holds her hands up and above, expressing herself.
"Do you celebrate Thanksgiving Jethro?" Jaclyn asks
"Ehh…no" Gibbs stutters, he is not celebrating Thanksgiving; he has nothing to be thankful for anyway.
"You don't have kids???" she finds it weird
"No…" I am pathetic Gibbs thought.
"Don't you like kids?" she asks curiously. She is worse than Kate, he thought and she is only two and a half years old!
‘I like children" he answers stiffly.
‘Are you Married Jethro?" He is not going to answer that.
"So why don't you have kids? You don't like the noise and the mess, is it?" she sounds so sad, Gibbs noticed.
"No no. That's not it…" not knowing how to answers such an innocent questions. How to explain to a sweet two and half and a three and a half years old that he is a loser that's been divorced three times with no kid.

Joshua saves Gibbs.
‘Jaclyn, you are so…stupid! You are such…a girl! Jethro doesn't has kid but that doesn't mean he doesn't like kids" He cross his arms in front of his chest
"Aunt Katie loves us and she doesn't have kids!" Gibbs thought he looks and sounds like 40 years old instead of three and a half years old boy.
"That's because our Aunt Kate kicks ass and boys are afraid of her, ha…ha…ha…"Jaclyn laughs
"If you are alone… you can join us for thanksgiving' she looks up to him, pitying him.
"Yeah…and bring your guns" Joshua adds excitedly.
"I'll show you my new dress" Jaclyn said
"EUWWW… nobody wants to see your stupid dress" Joshua mocks her
"OUWWW…" Joshua rubs his shin. She kicks him again, but Gibbs noticed that he never retaliates to his sister.
The elevator doors opened. Tony walks into the bullpen with his backpack.

"Morning boss…" he stops in his track…"Boss? Something you are not telling me about?"…‘Yours…?" he tries his luck
"No we are not!" Jaclyn answers haughtily and wraps her arms around Gibbs's neck, looking at Tony
"Kate is out aunt, who are you?" Joshua asks
"I see…I am special Agent Tony Dinozzo…at your service!" He straightens up
"I work with your Aunt Kate" he adds
‘Ohh…yaa… I know you…Tony!" Joshua exclaims
"So…did your aunt talked about me?" Tony asks smugly
"Aunt Katie said you chase skirt!" Joshua answers him
"Why do you chase skirt Tony?" Jaclyn asks…"Because he likes to wear skirt, Jaclyn…" Joshua answers, annoyed at his sister…"But…he is a boy!" Jaclyn looks confused, talking to his brother…"Aunt Katie said Tony wears them when no one is looking…hi…hi…hi" Joshua laughs

Suddenly, Gibbs laughs out loud. So loud that a couple of other agents looks at him. They never heard him laughed like that. Gibbs laughed till she shook. Tony is shocked! Bloody Kate! He thought.
So Tony just stands, not moving, in front of his boss who is holding two little munchkins.
The other agents who are passing by are looking at Gibbs holding his kids? That can't be right. They are so sweet and cute. On the other hand, Gibbs is not sweet or cute at all.

Kate is fuming mad, how could they do this to themselves. How could they do this to their children? She cursed. She enters the elevator, going up to her bullpen. Damn… It's been an hour…Shoot! Trouble and Problem.
‘Do you have fangs Jethro?" Jaclyn asks, looking at his mouth…"Nope" he shows her his teeth…"You smells like coffee Jethro" the little girl sniffed him
‘Of course he smells like coffee, he already drinks, one, two, three, four, five cups" Joshua counts the empty cups from his thrash…"Girls! They can only complain and cry, they don't notice anything" Joshua grumbles like an old man.
Gibbs is looking back and forth between Jaclyn and Joshua, listening to their bickering and nonsense that actually make sense?

Tony is looking at his boss. He never pictures Gibbs with kids. He is grouchy, rude, loud and overbearing, but right now, he is NOT!
Tony saw he kisses the smaller, sassier version of Kate to her head and the kid lets him. Gibbs laughed at the boy's jokes, looking at him proudly. Where's the monster that he knew for years?

"Where's Aunt Katie Jethro?"
"She is talking to mom and dad Jaclyn, discussing adult matter" he informs her proudly
‘We shouldn't make too much noise, she is going to be mad if we disturb her boss Gibbs" Jaclyn said
"He'll fire her ass!" Joshua closes his mouth after he said ass.
"Really?" Tony looks at the duo
"Yeah…if she is fired, she'll be jobless, no money, and no food…poor Aunt Katie" Jaclyn said, sadly shakes her sorry puny head.
"That's why we promise her, not to bother her grouchy boss Gibbs" Joshua supports his sister…"Are you afraid of him Tony" she asks
"Afraid…yes… you can say that" he looks at Gibbs
‘You should be… Aunt Kate said he got fangs, like a vampire and he can suck the life out of you!" Joshua said
‘AHHH…Jethro, make him stop!" She wails
"Hey…c'mon… don't scare your sister" Gibbs intervenes. He moves his legs apart, creating some distance between them.
"You two smucks are going to be in so much trouble when your aunt finds out…oh dear…oh dear" Tony said happily. Gibbs glares at him, he shuts up.
"Why is he laughing at us Jethro?"
"Aunt Katie is not going to be mad, is she? I'm scared" Jaclyn asks, poking at Gibb's chest…"Yeah, she is scary when she is mad" Joshua said
‘She kicked dad's ass before" The boy adds.
Gibbs hugs them, "nah… she won't be mad", "I won't let her, you are safe with me" they look up at him like he is their hero, Gibbs thought. He feels love seeping through his old bones like never before.

DING, the elevator doors open. Kate looks pissed, lost in her thought. Tony quickly moves back to his desk. "Good morning Kate" he greets her with a big smile on his clown face…"Hmmph…Morning To…" she froze.

She sees her niece and nephew, both of them on Gibbs' lap, talking to him, bickering with each other loudly.
"JACKLYN…JOSHUA!" she shouts at Trouble and Problem, without realizing how loud she is. She was still piss with their parents.
"WHAT DID I TOLD YOU?" She glares at them.
The kids jumps, shocked to see her so mad.
"Aunt Katie…we didn't do anything…" Joshua manages to speak, inching closer to Gibbs, while Jaclyn just plainly hides her face to Gibbs's chest. Oh my God, what do they do, Kate panics, and she walks towards Gibbs's desk…"Kate, they didn't do anything" Gibbs holds them closer to him; his arms are encircling the smucks, shielding them from her. WHAT? I'm their aunt.

Jaclyn is holding onto his neck, her face hiding in his crook. Joshua is looking at his own feet, holding Gibbs' arm tightly. Kate glares at them again. Gibbs glares at her, as if daring her to do anything to Trouble and Problem.
"JOSHUA, JACLYN…" Kate bellows again
"KATE…" Gibbs warns her. "What?" she answers, this is personal.
"JOSHUA, JACLYN" she barks at them, pointing where she is standing, which means, telling them to come to her.
"They didn't do anything wrong, Kate" Gibbs calmly explains, he change his tone, he has no experience with women and kids, decided to back down a little. But he still holds them tight, his voice in calm and clears but serious, she better not hurt them He feels them jumps again in his arms again.

He is protecting them, very possessive she noticed. They are not his; they are more hers and his, actually. Nevertheless, his calm tone calms her down a great deal, she is less mad now.
"Guys…I told you not to bother Gibbs, yes?" she asks them…"Yes, Aunt Katie, we promised you that" they answer…"We didn't bother Gibbs" Joshua said
"We just woke Jethro up; he was having a nightmare, poor Jethro…" Jaclyn sucks her thumb again, looking at Kate and Gibbs while she stroke Gibbs's cheek with her free hand.
Kate gapes at the trio. Now she understands, it's her fault.
‘I'm sorry I yelled guys" she said "But, Jethro…is Gibbs"
Both of their heads snap back in unison, looking up at Jethro who is smiling down at them.
"YOU are GIBBS?" Joshua amazes…"But you don't have fangs" Jaclyn said.
Tony laughs, " HA…HA…HA haha…KATE!... What did you say to them?" he hits his table over and over again.

"Aunt Katie…Gibbs is nice, he doesn't eat children" Joshua defend his savior
"..And he smells nice too, coffee…" Jaclyn sniffs him. Did she see her niece sniffed her boss? Oh my GOD, Kate closes her eyes with her hand. What did they do? She sees Gibbs eyes twinkling at them.

"C'mon guys…come here" she lowers herself to their height.
Gibbs turns his chair, so Joshua and Jaclyn can slip down to the floor.
"Sorry Gibbs…" Kate whispers…"Kate…don't be" he insists. "I'll be back Gibbs" as she takes the kids hands, takes their bags with them…"Bye Jethro", "Bye Tony" Jaclyn and Joshua wave their chubby hands at them.

Kate quickly walks back to the bullpen after she left them with Ducky.
"Gibbs…I am so sorry" she apologizes. "It's ok Katie, I really meant it" he looks at her.
"Their parents are going to get a divorced" she whispers to him, she has to share it with someone, it's been eating her alive.
"They drop them here to stay with me for a while, till they got things settled… the kids… they didn't know Gibbs and I'm going to keep it that way. I didn't have the heart to break their little hearts" tears start falling down her cheek.
‘I'm sorry Katie" he hugs her, hold her to his chest. She pulls away from him, not wanting to feel too much of him…"I'll get back to my paperwork, I won't slack, I promised" she goes back to work
Tony feels sorry for her and the two smucks. "Kate, I can help, as long as they don't make me wear skirts" Kate looks at him fondly and they laughed together, even Gibbs laughed.

They go back to their work, Gibbs couldn't concentrate, thinking about divorces, and what's going to happen to the kids.
He left the bullpen without a word. As soon as he left, Kate makes a couple of phone calls, looking for a sitter. With no results…during the holiday season.
Not to worry, we'll pull it through, she said to herself. She looks at the time. Oh shoot!
It's past noon, the kids, she has to feed them. "Tony…pizza?...my treat?" she asks the dubious question. "YES KATE!" and Tony dial his favorite number in the world.
Four large pizza, 3 large sodas and juices. Tony and Kate bring them to the Autopsy. They are not prepared to see what happen to the usually pristine, somber autopsy room.
Ducky is sitting on the floor, laughing with tears.
Joshua is wearing an autopsy scrub; folded to his minute size…Jaclyn is on Gibbs shoulder, singing and clapping her hands. Abby is lying on the steel autopsy slab, with Joshua operating on her head with a ruler…The noise, the laughter, the happiness, the mayhem.

Kate and Tony's mouths are gaped open, holding the food.
"Aunt Katie…" Jaclyn screams, "AHH……more, more,…higher…" she squeals as Gibbs throws her in the air.
"Hungry guys?" Tony and Kate go to the table to put the food down.
"PIZZAAAA!!!" Joshua jumps up and down, excited and runs to the pizza.
‘Wow, you are the best, Aunt Katie… mom never let us has pizza unless we are very good…and we are seldom very good…" he pries the box open.
"Joshua" Kate slaps his hand softly, looking at him.
Kate takes Jaclyn from Gibbs' arms, "C'mon, let's wash your grubby little fingers" she kisses her cheek lovingly and the three of them walk out the room.
Abby was looking at the domestic scene and she grinned. She thought they look great as a family. The remaining adults set the food on the tables. Abby pours drinks "WOW, I'm hungry" she said.
Few minutes later, they return, running to the pizza.
Joshua is big enough to feed himself with not much mess. Jaclyn sits on Kate's lap as she feeds her and the rest gallop their food.
"Tony…lay off the juice" Kate slaps his hand…"Yeah… lay..offf daa jusss toonii" Joshua talks with his mouth full
"Joshua…" she reminds him
"Mom only let us eats pizza once a month Aunt Katie…if we are good" Jaclyn complains to Kate.
"Well sweetie…when you are here, you can have pizza anytime you want" Tony adds and Jaclyn gives Tony her sweetest smile ever. But when Jaclyn is done with her food she goes to Gibbs' lap.
"Best lunch ever Kate" Abby said
"Yes, Caitlyn, very nice…my turn tomorrow, so you don't have to worry if you left for a case" Ducky adds. Kate looks at him thankfully.
"Thanks Kate" Gibbs said gruffly
He is still eating; Jaclyn is perched on his lap, drinking her juice, with Gibbs holding her puny juice box to her mouth. The man spoils her and she lets him.
Ducky, Abby and Tony are looking at Gibbs who is oblivious to his surrounding, enjoying himself with Trouble and problem…
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-Tbc-nova2007.edited…
Review please

Autopsy Room
Gibbs answers his mobile, “Gibbs.”
“No…Jethro…” Jaclyn tries to be funny. Gibbs beams at her, and kisses her head. Kate rolls her eyes – obviously annoyed.
Kate takes Jaclyn out of his arms, “C’mon baby, you got to take a nap.”
“Do I have to, Aunt Katie?” Joshua looks at her expectantly.
“Yes, Joshua, C’mon!” she pulls him, and looks into his eyes. As if Joshua understands the need for him to behave, he listens and follows his aunt obediently.
Abby leaves with Kate, “Kate…to my lab…” she signals her.

Abby’s Lab
They set up a makeshift futon on the floor at the corner, behind Abby’s extra desk.
“Guys, I have to work…so, stay with Abby and please take your nap, OK?” They nod.
“Don’t worry, Kate. I love their company, and compare to my younger brothers, they are very well behaved. I can take care of them without any problem.” Abby assures her. Then, Kate leaves.

Working
Kate goes back to her bullpen. She collects her things, and runs to the truck where the guys are already waiting.
It is an hour drive to the scene. Thank God, it is a clear case. But, after a few hours they still haven’t closed the case. After collecting the evidences and taking photographs, they go back to the HQ for the follow up on the victim’s information and the witness info.

Abby’s Lab
Kate excuses herself to check on Trouble and Problem.
It is almost 5pm. She is surprised to find them all fresh and polished up.
Abby has outdone herself, “Thank you, Abby…thank you!” Kate thanks her Goth friend.
She feels a presence behind her. Without turning herself around, she immediately recognizes his “fragrance” - coffee!
“Only Joshua is a little bit uncooperative.” Abby says cheerfully.

Joshua is standing a few steps away from Abby with his arms folded in front of his chest. He looks annoyed irritated, and says “Abby took me to the ladies room.”
“Yeah…you are a girl, Joshua!” Jaclyn enjoys herself while Abby is working on her hair “á la Abby”…Oh my God.
“I don’t want to use the ladies room!” Joshua insists.
“Joshua, you’ll have to adjust to the surrounding and do what’s needed, OK?” She kneels down in front of him and strokes his head, trying to calm the upset boy down. His pride is hurt. Kate whispers into his ears and begs,”Please…Joshua…for me.” He pouts and refuses to answer her.
“I’ll take you if you need to go…,” Gibbs joins in from behind.
“OK!” Joshua quickly replies.
“Gibbs!” Kate is shocked. “It’s OK, Kate.” He interrupts her.
“All right little miss Kate!” Abby addresses Jaclyn, “You are ready!” Her hair is all tied up just like Abby. Jaclyn grins.
“I’ll pick you guys up when I am done, OK?” Kate leaves with Gibbs.

Bullpen
“Gibbs, I’ll find a baby-sitter…” She explains to him.
“They won’t be bothering us like this in the office everyday.”
“Kate…” Gibbs tries to cut in… with no success.
“Besides, it’s Thanksgiving holiday soon. I might as well take some of my awaited days off,” she continues - talking more to herself than to her boss. And, she looks confused, he noticed.
“It’s going to be all right, Kate,” he holds her arm. “We all love having them here. Have you ever seen Tony NOT chasing skirts for a whole day!? He’s been behaving quite well…” Gibbs jokes.
“Why don’t you go home, Kate?” he asks.
“No, I’ve got some paperwork to do,” she tries to pull away from his grip.
“Kate…”
“No, Gibbs,” she insists.
“Kate, they are still little kids, and they don’t have the stomach and strength like we do. They fall sick easily,” he explains. She looks at him. Gibbs is right; she can’t treat them like she treats her colleagues. Damn, he is always right, and he knows more about kids than she does, she shames herself.
“Go home.” He leaves her, and he adds, “I might come by to check on them…later.”
Did she hear him right?

She quickly grabs her files, “Oh dear… the kids’ bag” then she sees a helping hand, Tony’s hand, which grabs their bag, and he tells her to go to her car while he picks the kids up.
Yeah right, they end up playing tag and Kate witnesses them running full speed, yes…including Tony holding their hands, heading towards her car.

Kate’s Apartment
It is 6pm when they reach her apartment. As soon as she opens the door, Joshua and Jaclyn rush inside, and start to mark their territory.
“This is my chair!”
“This is my towel!”
“This is my table!”
“This is my pillow!”
“No that’s mine!”
“I’m sleeping on this side!”
“Aunt KATIIIEEE…!”

Kate has learned from their mother to block their bickering since they rarely fight with each other. So, she lets them bicker and have fun swarming her apartment.
She is trying to prepare their dinner, but she realizes that it is, indeed, a lot of work to feed somebody, especially little children. She has to pay greater attention to the nutritional value. She could live on protein bars, fruits and the occasional junk food, but not the little tots.

She asks them to put their things away, and they instantly oblige themselves to tidy things up - they are actually quite independent which their parents make sure of.
Kate is making lasagna tonight. While she is preparing the pasta leaves, she is making a mental note that she has some grocery shopping to do.
She hears knocks on the door.
“I GET IT!” Joshua bellows.
“ME, TOO!” Jaclyn immediately follows.
“GUYS, peek out first!” Kate bellows…too late, Joshua has already opened the door.
She is about to walk to the door and change her mind when she hears him.

“JETHRO!” Jaclyn screams and jumps on him.
“Hi, Jethro! Come on in!” Joshua invites him in, as if it the place is his.
“What’s in the bag, Jethro?” Joshua asks him while he peeks into the brown paper bag.
“Open it!” Gibbs pats the boy on the head, and he gives permission to the boy, who dares not to touch the bag, but just peeking at it anxiously. He is very well behaved for his age, Gibbs looks at him fondly.
With Jaclyn in his arms, “Hi, Kate,” he greets the woman, who actually owns the place, and he sees her struggling to cook for the kids.
“Hi, Gibbs,” she replies without looking at him, “had your dinner, yet…?”
“Actually, no,” he answers.
“OK, have dinner with us then. It’ll be ready soon.”
Then, she hears Joshua and Jaclyn wail when Joshua opens the bag, “Marshmallows!”
“Can we, Aunt Katie?” they ask her with joy.
“After dinner, OK?” she replies, looking at their happy eyes.
“Why not now?” Joshua tries.
“Josh, I think we should all wait, OK? Don’t want to spoil your appetite,” Gibbs intervenes.

The three “musketeers” help set the table. And, the duo bickers again this time about who may sit next to Gibbs. At the end, Kate glares at them, and they settle: it’s Gibbs, Jaclyn, Kate and Joshua
Gibbs is, in fact, having the time of his life - eating dinner with kids and listening to their questions. They are trying to probe him, especially Jaclyn. She wants to know everything - his age; where he lives; with whom he lives; whether he owns a dog or not.
While Joshua complains, “Girls…they talk too much,”
Jaclyn refuses to be spoon-fed by Kate. Both sassy ladies strike a deal - she can eat on her own at home, but not in the office. Gibbs thought Kate looks overwhelmed, yet happy.

After dinner, Gibbs and the kids clean the table up. Kate is taking out 2 small cups and 2 large cups when her phone rings. She picks it up.
After a few minutes, she calls, “Joshua, Jaclyn…it’s your mommy and daddy,”
And Gibbs hears them scream and run to the phone, “MOMMY! DADDY!”
Kate goes back to her kitchen, and heats the milk in the saucepan for the marshmallows. Milk for the three of them, and Coffee + milk for Gibbs.

“Kate, are you OK?” he asks the quiet Kate.
“Yeah,” she steals a look at her niece and nephew who’re talking on the phone with their parents. “I don’t know what’s going to happen to them, Gibbs. My brother and his wife are going away for a while to fix their problems, but there is no guarantee, isn’t there?” She looks at him. “Who knows what will happen by then, Gibbs,” she says quietly.

“Yes, Mommy, we are good, I promised.”
“OK, Dad, bye Dad, I’ll be good.”
”Yeah…I know, Dad…She can kick my bum, Dad,” Joshua laughs.
“We are eating marshmallows…yeah, Jethro got them for us…Aunt Katie’s boss, Dad…”
“Bye…bye…”

Finally, they are sitting in the living room, and each holding their own cup and dipping the marshmallows in it, including Gibbs.
“Hey, Gibbs. These are good,” Kate says.
“Yaa...jethoo…ihts…daa…besss...“ Joshua speaks with his mouth full of sticky marshmallows. “Thaanng… kyuuu… jethooo,” he continues, but __TWACK__ he gets a weak slap from his aunt, and he swallows them up and grins at her.
“EUWW…” Jaclyn wails. Gibbs laughs out loud - he just loves it.
Usually, it is Gibbs who is worried that Kate gets too attached to their victims. But, this time, it is Kate who is worried. She sees how he adores them, besides little Jaclyn has Gibbs wrapped around her little fingers.

Kate got a feeling that he’ll do anything she would ask. She is sitting on his lap again, and letting him feed her… ‘Hey?’
Gibbs loves the boy as well. He pays great attention to him, and his eyes shine when he listens to him talk.

Joshua yawns, and Kate takes a look at the time. It’s 9:30pm - early for her, but pretty late for the tots.
“OK, guys. C’mon, it’s late. Brush your teeth and put your PJ on!” she hustles them. Kate is greeted by many unhappy moans and groans from the duo.
“C’mon, guys…go on,” Gibbs guides them to Kate’s room and disappears with them.
In the meantime, Kate makes a quick phone call to her neighbor. Lest she has to leave for a case in the middle of the night, she’ll have somebody to check on the two. She is truly glad that they are fairly independent for their age.

She hears noise from her bathroom inside of her room. She hears mostly Trouble and Problem’s voice, and at the background, Gibbs’s very “patient” tone. ‘Patient? Yeah right,’ Kate thought.
Now, they are making him choose their PJs. ‘Unbelievable!’ Kate rolls her eyes, but Gibbs goes along with it. Then, ‘Oh…my…God, Jaclyn is making him brush her teeth!’ Kate sighs.

When she enters her room, they are both clean and shiny in their PJs, which they are showing off to Gibbs.
“Where do you sleep, Jethro?” once again, the nosy little Jaclyn asks him.
Gibbs smiles at Kate cheekily, and says, “Ask your Aunt Katie…she knows,” and he walks out of her room.
Jaclyn looks at her aunt curiously, and asks, “How d0 you know where Jethro sleeps, Aunt Katie?”
“Jaclyn, you are nosy.” Joshua interrupts and eventually saves Kate’s face. Gibbs is laughing in the living room, and Kate can hear him. However Joshua continues, “That’s because they slept together, Jaclyn,” he says innocently.
Jaclyn is eying both Kate and Joshua. “Oh…OK,” she spontaneously replies and smiles.
Kate wishes she could just disappear into the thin air.

Gibbs kisses them goodnight while he avoids Kate’s glare. Then, the kids jump into Kate’s bed, which Gibbs misses very much. He says goodbye, and as he walks out of her room, he finds Kate and kisses her goodnight on her mouth. She is lost in their kiss for a few seconds, then, hears…“EUUWW…!” - The kids’ comment on the kissing scene. “Goodnight Katie!” He leaves her in a daze.
As he walks out of her place and closes the door, he heard, “OK…no more question, enough now…sleep…sleep…sleep!” Kate is hustling them.
Gibbs smiles and chuckles, Gosh! I am falling for the kids as well as their aunt, he thought on his way back to his lonely place.

The little ones fell asleep as soon as their heads were on their pillows. It, certainly, was exciting day for them. After Kate showers, she joins them and kisses them over and over again before she falls asleep on their side.
-----------------------------------------------

She wakes up at 7am. After she gets herself ready for work, she takes a look at the Trouble and Problem who are still in their dreams in her bed. They look like angels, unaware of their near impending future. Kate kisses their soft chubby cheeks rather roughly over and over again until they flutter their eyes open. They look at her and smile. Their innocence and presence brighten her day.
“Guys, time to wake up and get ready!” Kate utters.
“You don’t want me to be late for work, don’t you?”
“OK, Aunt Katie…no problem,” Joshua slips down from the bed groggily.
Kate is happy that they are self sufficient. Even though they bicker here and there with each other, it is obvious that they love each other. Kate sees Joshua lets Jaclyn use the bathroom before him, and he hands her toothbrush since she is still too short to reach it.

Kate is apparently not used to the extra activities in the morning. She struggles to keep up with her schedule, thus she tells herself that she’ll do better tomorrow, and then, she drives to the HQ with two hungry children at the backseats.
“Sorry, guys. We’ll get something when we reach there, OK?” and they nod.
---------------------------------------
Bullpen
They reach the bullpen by 8:45am.
‘Excellent,’ Kate thought, ‘still empty.’ The kids are still calm. “Aunt Katie, I’m hungry,” Joshua says. Kate is about to reach for her purse, in order to take them to the cafeteria when…

“HEY, YOU LITTLE SCHMUCKS! TONY is here!!!” Tony jumps out of the elevator with 3 boxes of Krispy Kreme Donuts in his hands.
“Anybody hungry?” he purposely shows off the donut boxes in front of the kids. Suddenly the quiet bullpen turns into playground
“ME…ME…ME…ME…ME!” Joshua, Jaclyn, and Abby jump up and down screaming. ‘Abby?’ Kate noticed her. And, Ducky arrives with a jug of cold milk just in time.

The elevator doors open, the elevator doors open, and the smile is on Gibbs’ face. He heard the racket while he was in the elevator.
“Morning, Boss” “Morning, Gibbs” “Morning, Boss Man” “Good morning, Jethro!” “Hi Jethro!” They all greet him as he exits from the elevator.
Gibbs sees Tony opens all of the Krispy Kreme boxes on his table. Joshua and Jaclyn are both salivating in front of the boxes - eyeing them eagerly and waiting for the moment…
“Dig in!” Tony calls out, and each of them grabs two donuts at the same time, one in each hand.
“What do say, guys?” Kate reminds them in the chaos.
“Thanks, Tony!” they thank him in harmony.
Ducky pours milk for the duo. He has arranged 2 little cups for them – “Power Puff Girls” for Jaclyn and “Batman” for Joshua. “Thanks, Dr. Ducky!” they thank him blissfully while turning their cups to have a look at the pictures.

The “both” kids are sitting in Kate’s chair obediently, and eventually lost in paradise with their Krispy Kreme and milk in their brand new cups.
“Wow! Donuts, milk, new cups…I don’t want to go home anymore, Aunt Katie!” Joshua declares.
“Donuts, Boss?” Tony remembers his boss. At this time, Tony is up to his 4th donut and 2nd cup of milk. “Thanks, Dinozzo.” He grabs 2 donuts.
Kate has been busy pouring milk into the bottomless cups around her. Abby is now up to her 3rd donut. When Kate turns around to check on her niece and nephew, she finds Gibbs who is now sitting on her chair with the duo on his laps.
“Did you guys sleep well?” he asks them.
“Yeah, we did, Jethro,” Jaclyn replies, and gives Gibbs a bite of her donut.
“Yeah, Aunt Katie’s bed is all soft, big, and smells nice, too,” Joshua tells, and he, as well, offers his donut to Gibbs.
He takes both of their offers and bites small pieces off of their donuts. Kate gives the kids 2 more donuts each and tells them that’s enough.

“Hey Tony, have you ever seen Boss Man like this before?” Abby gulps her milk down and asks Tony. Meanwhile Gibbs is busy talking with the kids - not realizing that his guys are talking about him, which is highly unusual.
Tony shakes his head rapidly, not being able to talk with his mouth full of milk.

Gibbs is drinking his coffee slowly. And, Ducky offers him another donut, yet, Jaclyn intercepts, “I want to feed Jethro,” and she takes the donut for him.
“OK…feed Jethro then…” Ducky says to the small lady.
Kate almost chokes on her milk, but pretends that nothing happened. Gibbs must be mortified she thought, and she’ll, perhaps, need to talk to the girl. Then again, that seems to be unnecessary. Gibbs is not embarrassed at all instead he absolutely enjoys eating glazed donut from her hand.

Joshua and Jaclyn want to try his coffee, so Gibbs adds some milk in his black coffee to make it as mild as possible for the tots. While he is still adding milk in his coffee, he notices that Ducky is trying to ogle him. ‘Oh dear,’ Ducky thought, ‘the kids nailed Boss all right.’

As soon as they are done with storing sugar in their blood streams, Ducky and Abby bring them down to the lab, BUT not before Jaclyn kisses her Jethro goodbye on his cheek.
“What about me, Jaclyn? Don’t you want to give Uncle Tony a kiss as well?” Tony eyes her. Jaclyn shakes her head and covers her mouth with her hand, as Gibbs puts her down on the floor.
“She is smart, Tony,” Abby commends.
“Bye, guys!” They leave the bullpen.
It is rather a slow day, but Kate and Tony still have to go out to look for the previous victim’s relatives. Gibbs has to stay at the HQ for a monthly meeting with other senior agents and the director.

In the car
“Kate, so what’s the deal with your niece and nephew?” Tony asks promptly.
“Oh, Tony! It’s a long story,” Kate sighs.
“Well, I’m here…aren’t I…if you need to talk?”
“Tony, their parents are getting divorced.”
“That’s…not good.” He is surprised and thought, ‘no wonder Kate has been rather stressed out lately.’
“Yeah, tell me about it…and the kids…they don’t know anything about it?”
“They are still toddlers, Tony. Jaclyn is 2 and a half, Joshua is almost 4…” Then, she gets lost in her own thought.

In front of MTAC (2nd floor of the bullpen)
Gibbs hates the meeting. It’s time consuming and useless for him and time consuming. But, he has to do what he’s got to do, for two long hours…sometimes more.
It was past noon when the meeting adjourned. He walks out of the meeting room next to MTAC, and he is about to contact Kate and Dinozzo when suddenly…two kids are sprinting towards him with all their might. He catches them in time, and lifts them up and carries them both - he surely is very glad that he is still fit and healthy. On the other end of corridor, he sees Abby running out of breath and looking for the kids.
“Gibbs…they…play…hide and seek…and they…disappeared.”
“I’m going to tell… your aunty,” she tries to speak out.
“NO, Abby! We are just playing…don’t please!” Jaclyn begs.
“We are just hiding and running,” Joshua adds as he slips down from Gibbs to stand on his own.
“I’ll take them down in a moment, Abby.” Gibbs gives her a sign.

As Abby leaves the 2nd floor.
Gibbs advices, “Guys, please don’t do that again, OK? You might get lost or get stuck somewhere, and we would all worry…you understand?”
“OK…we’re sorry,” Joshua responds, and adds, “But, it was fun, and Abby is funny.”

At that moment, Director Morrow walks out of the meeting room. He at once stands still and looks at his agent, Gibbs. He couldn’t believe his eyes. ‘Who’s that?’ he wonders.
‘Gibbs with kids? His family?’ The Director knew him pretty well, and he doesn’t recall him having a kid or two. Gibbs is holding a little girl in his arms, and a little boy hanging on to Gibbs’s pants.

“So…what do we have here?” the Director asks Gibbs.
“Say hello to my boss, guys. Director Morrow,” he urges the kids.
“Hi, Mr. Director!” Jaclyn greets the man.
“Hi, sir!” Joshua takes his hand and shakes it. Morrow is impress with the boy.
“Why don’t you introduce yourself to my boss?” Gibbs urges again, he loves showing them off.
“I’m Jaclyn. I am two and a half.”
“I’m Joshua, and I am four.”
“You are not four yet, Joshua! You are still three and a half. He is lying, Mr. Director,” she interferes. Gibbs sees a twinkle in Morrow’s eyes.
“How old are you, sir?” the nosy Jaclyn asks.
“Hmm…60,” he clears his throat uncomfortably.
‘Did she just ask his age? And, did he just answer her?’ Gibbs wonders. Morrow can see Gibbs is trying hard to hold back his laughter.
“WOW! You are old!” Joshua is somewhat impressed with Morrow’s age. Morrow laughs out loud.
“And, how are you related to Gibbs?” he asks and wonders, ‘such good kids.’
“No, we are not related, Mr. Director. Kate is our aunt,” Joshua explains politely.
‘Yes, we are related…Joshua!” Jaclyn stares annoyed at her brother. Morrow looks at Joshua and notices that the boy looks rather confused.
“They are sleeping together…remember???” she scolds at her brother for forgetting. Gibbs blushes, and Morrow coughs.
“Oh… yeah…sorry…then, we are related,” Joshua adds innocently.

“They are here to spend Thanksgiving with their aunt!” Gibbs quickly tries to change the subject. He doesn’t know what else to do at the moment; nevertheless, he sure is glad that Kate is not there. Or else, the 2 schmucks would be so in trouble right now.
“I hope you don’t mind, sir…we love your office. I want to become a marine when I grow up,” Joshua starts talking, and Gibbs is more than glad that he does.

They chat for a while. Then, “Come and visit me when you have time, OK?” Morrow says to them as he goes into his office.
Once he is inside, he bursts out laughing in tears. ‘Unbelievable!’ he thought. His gut feeling was right about his two agents
‘Kids’ he thought, ‘say the darnest thing sometimes.’

Abby’s Lab
It’s already late when Kate and Tony arrive at the HQ. They’ve reported to Gibbs, and they are closing up the case.
Kate finds them asleep in the corner of Abby’s lab just like yesterday, but Abby is not there. Kate kneels down to caress their hair and their peaceful faces.
“They’ve been good, Kate, for their age.” Gibbs stands behind her and surprises her.
“Oh, hi, Gibbs!” she replies while she still looks at the kids.
“They had burritos tonight with us,” Gibbs reports.
“I know…I checked with Ducky. Thanks, Gibbs…” She smiles and stands up.

He holds her close to him and looks into her eyes.
”We need to close the case. I’ll get the paper work done as soon as possible,” she switches the conversation. “You look tired, Kate” he points out.
“I’m fine, Gibbs.” She walks away once again, not wanting to feel too close to the man. She has a lot on her mind.
“Kate…” he stops her.
‘I’m fine. I’m just not used to the additional responsibilities…it’s different. It’s…” she tries to explain to him.
“Hey, Kate, It’s OK…”
“I don’t want to screw it up. They have their needs, and they need three meals per day, clean clothes, playing time, education…” she tries.
“I’m used to get something to bite…whenever I find time. There were times where we didn’t eat over 10 hours when needed. I did my laundry once a week, slept when permitted, but with the…there’s no way…I’m a terrible aunt!” she sighs.
“That’s not true, Kate,” he holds her, and she cries. She feels like a failure – her being over 30 years old, which is old enough, but she can’t even take good care of her niece and nephew.
“I think you are doing great, Kate.”
“I’m sorry.” She is feeling embarrassed, and wipes her tears away.
“I have to get going…to finish up the report, and then, to do some grocery shopping.” She walks away from him. Gibbs sighs and looks down at the kids, who are still sleeping blissfully, and unaware of their future.
-----------------------------------------------------
TBC.Nova2007

Bullpen

It is almost 5pm. She hasn’t finished her report.
“Damn it!” she swears quietly.
”Tony, I’ve got to go and do grocery shopping, or the schmucks would starve. I don’t think I can finish it up today.”
“You should go, Kate. In fact, I need to do my grocery shopping as well. It’s been weeks since I did mine the last time. I’m sure Boss wouldn’t mind. He wouldn’t want his kids to starve,” Tony makes a mock of his boss. So, they tidy things up and get ready to go.
-----------------------------------------------
Abby’s Lab

They arrive in Abby’s lab.
“Aunt Katie, we missed you!” the kids greet her cheerfully.
They’re genuinely glad to see her. All Kate’s tiredness and aches disappear. This is why parents keep their kids, she decides.
“Let’s go, Sweetie! We’ve got some shopping to do.” She picks them up.
“Yeah!!! C’mon, lets go!” They jump up and down. “Abby, C’mon!” The kids pull her.
“Let’s go, Abby!” Tony helps the kids and pushes her towards the door.
“Yeah…why not!” she responds.
“Aunt Katie, what about Jethro?” Jaclyn wonders all of a sudden.
”Oh…Jaclyn, he is busy. He has a lot of work to do, and can’t be with you all…the time” she tries to explain to the sad Jaclyn.
Abruptly, Kate is interrupted by Gibbs’ cheers, coming from outside the lab. “C’mon, let’s go! I’ll race you guys!” He stands close to the door.
In that instant, Trouble and Problem make a mad dash towards him, and Gibbs runs away from them towards the elevator.
“Be careful!” Kate tries, but nobody listens.
Thus, Tony and Abby carry Joshua and Jaclyn’s backpacks, and they walk to each of their own cars.
‘Funny,’ Tony thought, ‘four cars to the same destination…of course, the kids want to sit in Gibbs’ car.’
Abby can hear their happy cheers and laughter from inside of her car. ‘That Boss Man can really entertain kids,’ she thought. Kate makes a quick call to Ducky and invites him for dinner, which he gladly accepted.
----------------------------------------------------------
Supermarket

Kate pushes her own cart while Abby and Tony share. Gibbs pushes his own cart with the kids sitting inside, and they go around the isles having fun and getting some groceries.
Kate can hear them from the other side of the supermarket - they are happy with him.
Abby is soon done with her shopping, and she comes over to help Kate. She is glad to get her help since Abby is, surprisingly, good in organizing and deciding between good and bad food. Kate is simply impressed.
Abby tells her that she takes care of her family needs, including her younger brothers’.

So, the two ladies decide to get both yummy and healthy food, and the list goes on and on: bread, milk, eggs, pancake mix, yogurt, cereals, pop tarts, pasta, lasagna, potatoes, vegetables, cookies, chicken, variety of sauces, frozen pies and many more…including toilet paper, bounce, kid’s shampoo, soaps, juices, ice cream.

Kate doesn’t know when the kids’ parents would pick them up. Her colleagues have been sharing meals with her, and now she wants to do the same. Kate finds it kind of fun anyway.
It took them almost two hours to finish. She never buys that much when she’s alone. Abby and Tony pay at one end of the register counter while Kate and Gibbs queue up at the other end. She takes a look at Gibbs’ cart and sees that it’s filled with bags of cookies, marshmallows, chips, and many more things, which the kids and he love, plus some basic necessities for his home.
Kate is not paying attention to Jaclyn and Gibbs, she is disrupted by Joshua. He starts harassing her to buy him some candies, which he very much has to have, near the cash register…impulse buying.

In the meantime, there is an old lady with a cane who lines up behind them with the cat food.
Gibbs notices her and tells her, “You can go first, ma’am,” and he lets her through in front of them.
“Oh, thank you, young man.” Gibbs thought that he is actually still young if one compares with her. Jaclyn is staring at the cat food, trying to tell Gibbs that she does love cats as well.
“Doing grocery shopping with your wife and kids? How nice! And, what a sweet girl you have. She looks like your wife…” she says, while pinching Jaclyn’s cheek lovingly.
Before Gibbs could say anything, she speaks again, “Not many people do that…nowadays, too busy with their own hectic lives.” She goes on complaining as she pays for the cat food. Gibbs decides to keep quiet while Jaclyn does the same in his arms. She smiles at the sweet old lady with the cat food.
---------------------------------------------------------
Kate’s Apartment

Her usually quiet apartment is changing drastically. It is now with full of people.
The place is full of laughter and cheer. Gone, are all the fear and doubts she had. Her friends are there now to help her every step of the way, and she didn’t even ask for it. Besides, Abby thinks Kate’s place is great, and it rocks.
Abby and Tony are monkeying around with Joshua and Jaclyn. Gibbs is helping Kate to prepare dinner - cooking risotto and making salad.
Gibbs is the anchor and guardian for the two monkeys. When they can’t handle Tony and Abby anymore, they’ll run to him in the kitchen for the protection, and hide behind his legs, and then, stick their tongues out at the older monkeys; because they know he is the boss among all of them, and nobody crosses his path.
Then, Ducky arrives with loaves of bread and a bottle of wine to join the fun while Abby sets up the table.

Soon after…
”OK, dinner’s ready!” and they all sit and tuck in hungrily.
The table is too small for all of them, but she hears no complaint. They are all busy making yummy noises, enjoying the food, while sitting very close to each other. Gibbs sits very close to Kate, almost touching each other. In fact, they are enjoying the closeness, and the guys don’t seem to notice, or they just ignore them.
They are all eating and having conversation when, suddenly, Tony burps.
“EUWW…!” Jaclyn complains and closes her mouth.
“Ha…ha…ha!” Joshua laughs and burps, too.
After dinner, Kate serves yesterday’s marshmallows with cups of hot milk since there are still plenty of them left. She can see that they all love it. Tony’s eyes are twinkling when he sees the sweet treat. They are all quiet and savoring the sweetness in their mouth.
Jaclyn spoon-feeds Gibbs, and in return, she wants a sip of his milk coffee.
Abby is astonished. “Gibbs puts milk in his coffee?” she whispers to Tony.
“Yep!” he nods while he’s slurping his sticky marshmallow - too busy to make more comment since he is content and full.

It is nine in the evening when they finish and clear the table and the kitchen. They excuse themselves to go home when, all of a sudden, the sleep-induced miss nosy asks,” Can we all have the nice Thanksgiving celebration together since my Mommy and Daddy are not here, Jethro? Aunt Katie?” she asks pitifully.
“Kate, since your place is relatively small for all of us together,” he replies “we can have it in my house…”
Shouts of hoorays are heard from the kids, Abby, and Tony. Two more days until the holiday - life is great!

They all go home right away, except Gibbs. The kids make him stay to help them change into their pajamas, while Kate puts away her groceries and plans for tomorrow’s breakfast for the gang. Cereals would do, she decides, after days of unhealthy food.
Her boss is tucking her niece and nephew into bed. He totally spoils them. ‘Where is the discipline he instills with his agents?’ she thought.
All she hears is “OK” and “of course” from him.
It is almost ten, when he is out of her bedroom. The monkeys are asleep, and it’s all quiet now.
“Kate…” he calls her, and taps on her shoulder. She is doing their laundry.
“Thanks, Gibbs…really appreciate it,” she responds to him. Then, she feels him hugging her from behind, and she exhales. Things go through her mind – she doesn’t want to get hurt again; she is not foolish…
“Gibbs, please. Don’t…I don’t want to get hurt again, please…don’t do that,” she begs gently while prying his hand from her.
“Kate, I was a fool. Please, listen to me.” He tries to make her understand.
“Gibbs, we work together. You were right…it’s hard.” She is still prying his clenched hands on her.
“Kate, give me another chance. Before I was afraid, confused, and now…I know what I want and what I deserve. Please…I want you in my life,” he persists.
“Let me prove it to you Kate. Give me a chance to prove it to you.” As he turns her around, he sees her appearing broken.
Then, he kisses her passionately - hungry for affection, and she returns his kiss with the same urgency. They can hear their own breathing and heartbeats, along with their soft moans.

Out of the blue, they hear giggles and “EUWW…gross!” Joshua comments.
“It’s not gross, Joshua! It’s sweet!” she scolds her brother. They are peeking out from Kate’s room in their flannel PJs.
“Hmm…Gibbs?...asleep?” she asks him incredulously, and laughs at him.
“Next time, I’ll make sure…I’ll double check!” and he suddenly lunges at the kids, making them scream and run back to the bedroom.
Another half an hour to put them into bed again; Kate is all clean and comfortable in her nightshirt. She finds her boss asleep in between the kids, each on his side. Jaclyn is hugging Gibbs’ arm whilst sucking her thumb. Joshua’s tubby leg is on top of his thigh.

The three of them are sprawled peacefully on her bed.
She crawls carefully, trying not to wake them up, into her bed, and kisses his nose, and he is awoken. He wants to kiss her back, hug her, and do all kinds of things to her, but he can’t because the munchkins are asleep in between them.
Kate pulls him up and kisses him. “Goodnight, Gibbs. See you tomorrow,” she whispers in her kiss.
“Stay over with the kids tomorrow…at my place,” he asks.
“Gibbs, are you sure? These are unleashed monsters. They might destroy your house, your boat, and your bed, and then, mark their territories…trust me,” she says.
“No, they won’t, Kate,” he laughs and continues, “Although…Jaclyn is going to be worse than you…she got your gene,” he teases her.
“I’ll ask them tomorrow…” she replies.
“Let me asks them about it, OK?” He kisses her again, like there is no tomorrow.
Gibbs stumbles towards the door. “Goodnight, Kate,” and he goes home…walking in funny manner.
--------------------------------------------

Bullpen

Early morning, everything goes smooth, and Kate is doing better. They reach HQ before 8:30am, and are aided from bowls of cereal and cold milk.
It has become a ritual for them to have breakfast in the bullpen together ever since the babies are there.
“Aunt Kate, cereals? Why?” Joshua complains as he looks at the cereal boxes sadly.
”C’mon, guys. Once in a while…healthier food, Joshua? And, it’s the Coco Crunch…you love the Coco Crunch,” she answers the boy.
“Uuuuhhh…Coco Crunch…yum!” Tony snatches the box from Joshua and rips the box off, in order to…search for toys. Joshua laughs at Tony and joins him.

As soon as Gibbs arrives, of course with his cup of milk coffee, he joins the breakfast along with Abby and Ducky.
Jaclyn sets herself on Gibbs’s lap as usual. “I want to feed you, Jethro!”
Kate shakes her head and thinks, ‘God! They spoon feed each other their breakfast again.’
“Abby, look at them…” Ducky says to her.
---------------------------------------

It has been an easy day - mostly finishing up the paper work from yesterday. Their usually grumpy boss is now teaching Joshua how to salute properly, with his sister still perched on his lap.
Kate wonders, ‘do all kids find him so irresistible?’
Kate is about to finish her work, when suddenly “Aunt Katie! Aunt Katie…is it true? We’ll spend the night at Jethro’s house?” Jaclyn whispers to her excitedly as she grabs Kate’s arm.
“Only if you want to, Jaclyn.” She smiles at the girl.
“Yes, I want to! Do you know that he has a boat?” and she runs back to him. Then, it is Joshua’s turn, but before he asks, Kate already answers, “Yes! Joshua, if you want to…,” and the boy jumps up and down.
“Hey…what’s going on?” Tony asks as he picks Joshua up and places him on his shoulders.
“Thanksgiving at my place, Dinozzo. Be there early to help, Dinozzo, or you don’t get to eat!” Gibbs says.
“Yes, boss!” Tony salutes him.

Gibbs counts up – five adults plus two kids. He will prepare dinner for them. He has always loved to cook, but ever since he lives alone, he doesn’t even bother. He either eats at the HQ or has the Chinese take-outs at home.
He makes a quick call to Ducky.
Then, Kate hears:
“Can I come, Jethro?”
“Better not, sweetie. It’s going to be a surprise, OK?”
“Surprise? For me?”
“Yes, for you and your brother. So…you guys wait here with your aunt, OK? I’ll be back soon to pick you guys up.” He pats her head.
“Promise?” she asks him dotingly.
“I never break my promise,” he says.

Kate has enough of Jaclyn’s nagging behavior.
“C’mon, Jaclyn.” She walks to her and grabs her hand.
“No, I want to stay here!” She won’t budge from Gibbs’ seat.
“Jaclyn…no!” Kate pulls her harder.
“I want to sit in Jethro’s chair!” she whines. Her two and a half years old niece has gone insane.
“It’s OK, Kate,” Gibbs tells Kate. Kate glares at Jaclyn, but she dares not to look at her angry aunt.
“Jethro, she is mad at me,” she complains to her savior as she tugs at his pants.
“No, she is not mad,” Gibbs tells her.
“Oh…yes! She is mad.” Kate snaps and glares at her.
“Jaclyn, Gibbs is going away, and you are staying with me! Understood?” she explains to the anxious little girl. Jaclyn quickly hides behind his legs.
“Kate…” Gibbs calms her down, but it actually is making it worse.
“What, Gibbs?” She glares at him.
“Give me a few minutes with her, OK?” he asks her calmly - he has learned a lot the past couple of days.

Tony and Joshua are observing them intensely from behind Tony’s desk.
“Jaclyn is in so much trouble now, Uncle Tony,” Joshua whispers to Tony.
“I don’t know. I’m not sure…your aunt versus Boss…hard to say Joshua,” Tony whispers back at the boy. They hide their bodies behind the computer screen on the desk, yet beholding the scene.
“She’ll get the spanking of her life,” Joshua answers Tony.
“Ouch!” Tony winches.
Tony catches sight of the boss talking to the little girl in his cubicles. She nods and shakes her head a couple of times. In the intervening time, Kate is sitting in her chair and fuming mad.
Few minutes later, Gibbs holds her puny hand and tugs Jaclyn along to Kate.

“Oh…Jaclyn…you are in sooooo much trouble.” Tony can’t help himself, and is grinning at her, but he instantly shuts up when Gibbs and Kate glare at him in unison.
“Aunt Kate…I’m sorry I didn’t listen to you. It won’t happen again,” and she looks at her aunt sadly.
At the corner of Kate’s eyes, she can see Gibbs is earnestly worried. He’s still holding her hand, and ready to pull her away if Kate grabs and spanks her.
“Ok! Jaclyn! No more funny business, you hear?! Or else…you’ll have to get the spanking of your life time, understood?!” she speaks to her sternly, and Jaclyn nods.
Tony now sees his boss kneeling to her level and whispering to her ear something, which seems to cheer her up at once, and she kisses his cheek. Tony wonders whether Gibbs asked her to kiss his cheek or she kissed him voluntarily. Gibbs definitely is popular among girls.

“He is spoiling her, Uncle Tony, just like Dad…” Joshua murmurs to him.
“C’mon, Jaclyn,” Kate calls her, and Jaclyn comes to her as Gibbs leaves to find Ducky.
“Play with Uncle Tony. You can ask him everything, and you can tease him as well,” Kate tells her with a grin on her face.
Jaclyn starts her attack:
”Where is your girlfriend, Uncle Tony?”
She continues, “How old is she?”
“Does she wear a skirt?”
“Is that why you chase skirts?”
She is standing in front of Tony’s table. ‘Oh dear,’ Tony thought. He meets his match, and she is worse than her aunt. Kate tries to wrap up her work.
------------------------------------------------------

“Hi, guys!” Abby jumps at them.
“Abby!!!” and they jump back at her. They treat Abby like she is in their age, besides they never called her “Aunt Abby” - she is way too cool for that.
“I’ll see you two monkeys at my lab for lunch, OK?” Abby carries Jaclyn and Joshua at the same time. “After cereals, we need something else…OK?” she whispers to them, and looks at them fondly. They nod in accord.
“What are we eating, Abby?” Joshua asks.
“It’s a surprise!” Abby replies.
“Thanks, Abby!” Kate looks at her Goth technician, thinking that one should never judge others by their looks
The kids remember their manners. “Thank you, Abby.” Joshua cups her face and kisses the tip of Abby’s nose.
“Yea, Abby, thank you!” Jaclyn pulls Abby’s face to her side and kisses both her cheeks. “Auwwww…you guys…” Abby feels like she is in heaven.

“Hey…what about me?” Tony is upset with the competition. They both laugh and shake their heads intensely with their mouth covered.
Tony, with a concentration span of five years old, decides to take the kids to the pantry and around the HQ. So, they follow him and take Tony’s hands at each side.
“Women love men with kids, Kate” He winks at her and says, “Proof read for me, Kate,” and as usual he dumps his report at her.
“Don’t lose them, Tony!” she warns him.
--------------------------------------------------

Her phone rings, and she answers, “Todd!”
“Hey guys, your monkeys just left with my friend.” She talks to her brother.
“They are fine. Don’t worry,” she says.
“OK…OK…why?” Kate asks.

Five minutes later, she hangs up. Her brother and his wife are back in Nashville, and they are hoping for Kate to take their kids over the holiday. Kate is very happy to have them, but she wonders about the impending divorce. It actually sounded bad - he told her that he’d see them in a few days.
-----------------------------------------------------

Supermarket

Ducky and Gibbs are at the supermarket. Gibbs seldom steps his foot in there, just once or twice a month. So, he takes Ducky to help him out.
He looks into his cart: a seasoned stuffed Turkey, Cranberry sauce, sugar, juices, potatoes, can foods and many more, the list goes on.
He supposes that they appear odd together in the supermarket - two old men doing grocery shopping with the cart loaded full with food… They also pass by the isle with bags of Chips and boxes and boxes of Cookies, and they just load some in. Before long, they finish doing their grocery shopping, and then, they head towards the Wall Mart.
-----------------------------------------------

Wall Mart
Gibbs goes straight to Children’s area. Ducky just follows him.
At the Toy’s section, Gibbs searches for some toys for the kids while Ducky is standing further away and letting him enjoy his time doing something he has never done before in his life.
He notices Gibbs smiling to himself quite often, and occasionally, ruffling his hair out of confusion.

Shortly after, he feels that he is being watched. He doesn’t have to turn around to see, but he knows that Ducky is watching him.
“Don’t say it, Ducky,” he warns his friend.
“I haven’t said anything…yet, Jethro.” He can sense that Jethro is feeling uncomfortable.
“Jethro, I think,” he tries to start.
“Ducky…” he warns him again.
“Jethro, I think you should move on with your life…and strive for what you want and what you deserve, Jethro…” Ducky continues, ignoring his warning.
“Ducky…” he warns him again.
“I am not finished yet, Jethro.” Ducky doesn’t care and goes on. Gibbs decides not to cut him off this time since he is slowly realizing that it’s way too important, for his own good in his future.
“You are a good man. You’ll make a good father and a husband,” Ducky tells him.
“You should…go for it, Jethro. Yeah…go for it!” He tries to convince the stubborn man, who is squatting in front of toys and searching.
Ducky is not prepared for Gibbs’ response.
“Yes, Ducky I know,” Gibbs replies.
“Oh…OK…OK, then.” He is shocked. He has actually managed to convince Jethro Gibbs…, but it’s very unlikely he thought.
”Let’s go, Ducky!” He straightens himself up and walks to the cash register. Ducky follows the man, still confused.
---------------------------------------------

Abby’s Lab
The lab doesn’t look like Lab anymore when Kate enters with Tony behind her, carrying both kids. Oh dear, she is surprised.
Abby is wearing a party head, and she hands more party heads for the kids and my God, she expects them to wear it too.
And what’s for lunch, Tony wonders? It’s TACO BELLS
I’m so sorry brother for I’ve ruin your kids’ taste bud, Kate said to herself.

They are having the time of their life, sitting on the floor, circling the food, sodas and juices.
“Burp…”
“EEUWWW…”
“Burp…burp…”
“Euww…euuww”
Kate is in the middle of circus’s freaks, eating her burritos.
Few minutes later Ducky and Gibbs enters the circle, “Nice…Taco Bells” and Gibbs gallops the food while Ducky sniffs it first then eat properly.
“Burp…burp”
“Euuww…”
“Tony…Joshua” Kate snaps at them
“Burp…”
“Gibbs!”
“Jethro!” Jaclyn screams. Then he comes near her and gives her a pat on her head, she is eating on Kate’s lap.
“Hi Katie” he touches her hair and she smiles at him. Jaclyn wants to sit with Jethro.
“No sweetie…waits till he finishes eating Ok” Kate said and Jaclyn nods.

“We finish our reports Gibbs, on your table” Tony informs his boss. Gibbs nods to him
“It’s a slow day…you guys can leave, It’s four days off including the weekend” he said while still chewing his food. Tony and Abby are holding hands, sitting very close, holding their breath.
“Keep you mobile on 24/7, in case…we are needed” still chewing his food, he is hungry.
And Abby and Tony jump, shout louder than ever “YIPEEE”

Joshua and Jaclyn are shocked. Ducky almost chokes on his nachos. Kate is laughing, Gibbs continues eating.
Ducky explains to stunned Joshua “They never have the permission to go home early Joshua…poor kids” Ducky said to him
“Really” Joshua asks
“I think Jethro is in a really good mood because you and Jaclyn are here” Ducky explains
So they quickly pack up and decided to be in Gibb’s house by five and starts dinner by seven and they left to the bullpen to clear their stuff.
---------------------------------------------

NCIS Parking lot

“C’mon” Gibbs carries Jaclyn and holds Joshua’s hand
‘We’ll go to your aunt’s place, get your stuff and go to my place” he said to them. Joshua hops all the way to the bullpen and then to the parking lot. A little embarrassing, or shall Kate say very humiliating incident happens in the parking lot. Trouble and problem wants to be with Gibbs. So they fight, who get to sit in the front seat.

“I said shot gun”
“So what?”
“I’m his favorite”
“No, you are not”
“Yes I am”
“No you are not”
‘I don’t care, I said shot gun” Joshua shouts at Jaclyn
“I am sitting in front” Jaclyn screams
“Jethro….” She wails at Gibbs, about to cry. Gibbs is confused, this time he doesn’t know what to do. Kate has a headache.
To make things worse, Director Morrow passes by.
“A little domestic problem? Agent Gibbs? Agent Todd?” He is looking at his senior agent field, his female agent and two kids squabbling.
“Oh no Sir” Kate replies hastily, she wants to spank them real hard.
“Nothing we can’t handle sir” Gibbs adds.
Morrow is in one of his mood, decides to rock the water.
“So, you guys are related to Special agent Gibbs right?” he bends down and asks the kids.
“Oh no sir, they are not…they are mine” Kate quickly replies the question; she feels guilty, she doesn’t Gibbs to be in trouble because of her kids.
‘We are related, Aunt Katie” Joshua decides to reminds his aunt.
‘What?” Kate is not getting it, looking at Joshua weird.
“We are related, you guys slept together” Joshua said impatiently, adults are so forgetful.
“Yeah…we are related” Jaclyn adds.

Gibbs grinned, Director Morrow is looking at Gibbs and Kate, she looks like she is about to faint. Kate has a migraine.
“Kids!!!” she hisses at them fiercely.
“Stop it now! Or kiss your thanksgiving goodbye! And I’ll swear to God, I’ll spank the both of you…stop it!” she hissed and the kids are quiet.
“Have a good holiday guys” Morrow left, grinning when his back is turned.
“Bye…Mr. Director” the kids reply politely.
-----------------------------------------
-Tbc-nova2007

NCIS Parking Lot: Seating Arrangements

Gibbs decides to take control of the situation since Kate is about to faint.
“Joshua, a Marine would let the lady sit in front.”
“Jethro, I am not a Marine yet, and she is no lady!”
“But, you want to become a marine, right?”
“Yeah…” he pouts.
“OK…OK…OK!” Joshua moves to the back seat, looking rather unhappy with the consequence.
”I hate girls! I hate them! I hate cooties!”
“I don’t have cooties!” Jaclyn snaps.
“Guys, please…” Gibbs begs them. He is very much afraid that Kate would really spank them right there, right now.
“Kate…” he looks at her.
She exhales and says, “Gibbs, just go straight to your place. I’ll go and pack their stuffs. Can you handle them alone? You are too soft Gibbs! Is it OK?” She glares at him while she kneads her head.
“Sure, Kate. I can handle them,” and he fastens their seat belts and drives off.
Nobody has ever told him that he is too soft. He takes a glimpse at the kids who are sitting peacefully in his car.
Kate is glad when she reaches her apartment. She quickly straightens her place up as fast and best as she can. Within half an hour, it’s almost up to her standard. She then packs for tonight.
----------------------------------
Gibbs’ House

It is almost 4pm by the time she reaches his home.
She tries to open his door which is usually unlocked, but it doesn’t open. ‘Strange,’ she thought as she knocks and calls his name out.

Within seconds, she hears stamping tiny footsteps and their bickering.
“I want to open the door!”
“You are too short!”
“No, I am not!”
“Yes, you are!”
And then,”Jethro...” and Joshua’s face peeks out at her. “Aunt Katie, come in!” he instructs.
“Hey, Guys! Having fun?” she smiles at them.
They jump up and down excitedly, and are trying to talk at the same time - telling her this, and telling her that. She can obviously see that they are happy.

She notices the owner of the house walking towards them with his smiling face. Then, the kids start to show off the surprise presents Gibbs gave them - a toy gun for Joshua and a Teddy bear for Jaclyn.
“Kate, now that you are here, we can start!” Gibbs escorts her towards the kitchen.
------------------------------------------------------
It is very domestic and fun. The stuffed Turkey is already in the oven before Gibbs and Ducky join them for lunch.
He lets the kids run around and roam through, but to go outside of his house. They run down to the basement, up the stairs, into his bedroom, to his bathroom, and then, they come down again. She believes that they can keep it up for hours.
Gibbs spots them pause once in a while to sniff the air, “Yummy!” they say out loud and continue playing.
“Gibbs, are you sure about them running around your place? They are nosy, you know,” Kate confirms with him.
“Yes, Kate. I don’t mind. They are not that bad. They do know the limit,” he responds.
------------------------------------------

Kitchen
Kate finds it embarrassing as she finds out that Gibbs is a much better cook than her. He is organized, efficient, and simply good at it. She is impressed.
“What’s with the smile, Kate?” he asks.
“You! Cooking! The domestic Gibbs!” she replies.
Gibbs looks at her and says, “There are lots of things which you still don’t know about me, Kate.”
“You don’t know much about me either, Gibbs,” she responds smugly. She gasps when he suddenly moves behind her and closes in on her while she is stirring the thick cranberry sauce in the pot.
“Now, I know where Jaclyn got her attitude and sweetness,” he whispers to her ear and kisses her temple gently.
She turns around and faces him, and his lips gently graze hers, then they kiss each other with sweetness and passion, oblivious to the boiling sauce and two monkeys perched on the kitchen’s island, who are observing them with their mouth covered to suppress their giggles. After a while…
“Why do you keep kissing Aunt Katie, Jethro?” Joshua asks Gibbs.
“Because he loves her, Joshua!” Jaclyn is looking at her brother incredulously.
“Do you love my Aunt Katie, Jethro?” Gibbs thought that Joshua is looking very serious, making it all his business, and trying to protect his aunt - his father would be very proud of him.
“Of course he does, Joshua!” Jaclyn replies for Gibbs.
“Yes, I do, Joshua,” Gibbs looks at him very seriously and answers him with respect.
“See…I told you! Boys, stupid!” she haughtily tells her brother.
Joshua ignores his sister, and replies, “OK…you have my permission to date my aunt,” with his slightly puffed up chest.
“Mine, too, Jethro!” Jaclyn follows and gives Gibbs her sweetest smile, the one that usually makes her father give her anything she wants.
“Ehh…guys…!” Joshua points at the boiling pot to remind them.
“Oh, yah!” Kate saves the sauce at the last moment.
----------------------------------------

Gibb’s Living Room and the Dining Table

Their little incident is distracted by the arrival of Ducky who is shortly after, followed by Abby and Tony. Gibbs is looking over his lively house – it is warm with his fireplace lit on, cozy, and full with kids’ antics and laughter, and he brought the TV up to the living room as well. He feels content; he could just get use to this.
Abby brought a large chocolate mud cake and pies. Tony brought lasagna and bottles of beer, and Ducky brought a big bowl of salad, the savory meat, and bottles of wine.
By seven pm, the dining table is fully set with everybody’s help, even Joshua’s. Now, they are just waiting for the Turkey while Abby and Kate are pouring beverages into the glasses.
“Wow!” Gibbs exclaims when he takes a look at his dining table and his living room, which have been idle for years.
--------------------------------------------

He goes up to his bathroom inside his room to freshen up and change.
He stops in his pathway when he sees a little girl sleeping peacefully on his bed - Jaclyn is plopped in the middle of his bed. He has never imagined before that in his entire old sorry life, he would come across such a sight.
He watches the scene for a very long time, trying to comprehend his feeling, then he lifts her up and slips her under the cover. She wakes up and snuggles to him sleepily. “I’m hungry,” she says.
“Soon, Sweetheart. I’ll get you something to eat when it’s ready, OK?” he speaks to her gently.
“OK,” she nods and sleeps again.
Ducky is standing by his door and looking at the scene in front of him. Since he has no intension to disturb his friend, he leaves quietly to join the merriment downstairs.
---------------------------------------

Thanksgiving Dinner
The dinner starts by 7:30pm. Abby declares that it is a bash.
Gibbs goes down the stairs with Jaclyn stuck to his hip (Tony calls Jaclyn “Gibb’s shadow”), and of course, she sits right next to him on the table.
The seating arrangement is perfect. It is a large oval table fit for 10 people, so at each end sit Ducky and Gibbs, and Jaclyn and Joshua are each on his side. Kate sits between Jaclyn and Abby, who is facing Tony who sits next to Joshua.
Jaclyn is wearing her new pink pinafore with bows on her chest. Her teddy bear from Gibbs is in her arm.
“Wow, Boss, we could get used to this!” Tony is salivating in front of the feast.
“Wait! What about saying grace?” Jaclyn asks around.
“Why don’t you lead, Jaclyn,” Ducky gives her the permission.
She starts with her prayer, “Thank you lord for the nice meal, thank you lord for our new friends, thank you lord for the big house, thank you lord for the presents, thank you lord for the big boat in the basement…” and she goes on while Abby, Tony and Kate are trying to contain their laughter - amused with her antics.
She finishes by saying “…and I hope our Mommy and Daddy won’t fight anymore,” and she opens her eyes.
Kate is shocked to know that her little niece knew her parents are fighting. Now, she feels guilty for laughing at her prayer in view of the fact that she was serious about it. Meanwhile, everybody else is staring at Miss Nosy and Joshua, and all of a sudden, feeling sad. The sweet kids are about to suffer because of their parents doing. Ironically, Gibbs hates divorces - God is perhaps reminding him through the kids.

“I am hungry!” Joshua calls out impatiently as he slips his toy gun from Gibbs in his pants. He waits for the quiet adults to start, since he knows that he is not supposed to start before he is told to do so.
He breaks the sadness, and they start attacking the food. Gibbs notices that Kate’s eyes are red.
-------------------------------------------

Ducky carves the Turkey, and the rest concentrate on the kids first and help them get to their food before they fill their own plates.
The kids’ chatters, laughter, and antics really brighten the evening. Even though Jaclyn is nosy and rather spoil, and Joshua always bickers, they are considerably very good children, plus their table manner is impeccable for their age, of course.
Their parents did a great job, Gibbs thought.
They sit properly and eat properly – just poor Jaclyn can’t handle her cutlery quite well yet since they are still too big for her. As a result, she lets both Kate and Gibbs cut her food for her. Kate tucks a napkin on Jaclyn’s chin, and Tony does the same to Joshua. “Thanks, Uncle Tony!” he says though his concentration is still on his food.
Ducky is extremely happy with this gathering. He’s beaming all night long, and he feels as if he is becoming ten years younger. Tony, who has been watching Ducky, whispers to Joshua and Gibbs that it must be the wine.

They have never stuffed themselves so full in their entire lives. The amount and variety of food are just impressive for the lone federal agents and the ME.
Apart from the Turkey and the cranberry sauce, there were pies, the Caesar salad, the savory meat, lasagna, the mashed potatoes with gravy, the creamed peas, and croissants.
For dessert, there are Abby’s chocolate mud cake, ice cream, and apricot pies.
-------------------------------------------------

At the end of dinner, Tony is rubbing his stomach, and Ducky is not moving, but fully contented. Jaclyn and Joshua are very obedient when the dessert is served with coffee, of course.
Tony grins when Jaclyn spoon-feeds Gibbs once again. Kate asks her to spoon-feed Ducky and everybody else, and then, she does it happily. She goes around the table, and at the same time, shows off her new pink dress.

She has the audacity to ask Tony whether he likes her new dress or not, and he answers that it is the most beautiful dress he’s ever seen on a little lady, which makes her so happy that she kisses Tony on both sides of his cheeks. At this instant, he understands why Gibbs is melting in these kids’ hands.
Abby thought that she has never seen Tony beams at somebody that way before, and Kate also just realized that since the kids arrival, never once he made any stupid sexist remarks.
They all love the attention from the little girl.

When Jaclyn finishes going around the table, she goes back to Gibbs, but not to her chair - it’s like they’ve been doing it for years, instead of a couple of days.
He doesn’t have to look at her to know that she is coming to him, but he automatically lifts her up to his lap without her asking for his permission. She just does it, and they are both comfortable with the arrangement.
“Do you think I am a good girl, Jethro? Jaclyn asks Gibbs as she is sitting on his lap.
“Of course you are, the best ever!” he answers her as he looks at her adorable puppy eyes.
“I think you are a good boy, too, Jethro…and I am glad that we are related,” she whispers the last part. “I am glad you think so,” and he kisses her head.
Tony and Abby have never known Gibbs this way, showing such affection to another human being. He has become very patient and gentle with these kids, more than Kate has become actually. That’s why they are ogling him.
-----------------------------------------------

It is past midnight when everything is cleared off the table.
“Sorry, I can’t help you guys,” Gibbs tells them when they are clearing the table and the kitchen. Kate is busy rationing leftover food to be brought home by Abby, Tony, and Ducky. There is still so much food left for Gibbs that would last him a week.
“Good excuse, Boss!” Tony replies and eyes his sleepy boss, who is sitting on his couch with Joshua’s head on his thigh, and Jaclyn asleep in his arms against his chest.
He yawns and answers Tony, “…I can’t move, Dinozzo.” Abby doesn’t say a word since she is happy to see Gibbs so content. She hardly sees him at peace normally.
------------------------------------

After they left, Kate picks Joshua up and carries the sleeping boy to the guest bedroom.
”Kate,” Gibbs whispers and calls her. She acknowledges him.
”Why don’t we all sleep in my room?” Gibbs asks her.
“Oh, no Gibbs. You won’t be able to sleep since you are not used to have them,” she whispers back to him.
“Kate, I don’t mind.” He stands up with Jaclyn in his arm. Her head lies on his shoulder.
“These little guys take a lot of space,” she refuses.
“Kate, C’mon!” He doesn’t care and pushes her upstairs. She sighs, “Ok, your place, your wish,” she says.
------------------------------------------------

Bedroom
Gibbs takes shower while Kate slips the kids into their pajamas. She is tucking them into the bed when he comes out from his bathroom, all cleaned in his boxer short and shirt.
She collects all their dirty clothes and brings them to the laundry room to start the cycle before she takes shower. She can hear Gibbs footsteps walking through the house, locking doors and checking on windows.
After she is done with everything, she enters his bedroom. They are all asleep. Joshua and Jaclyn in the middle with Gibbs on the side of the bed. She has to admit that his bed is spacious, and then, she slips under the cover and falls asleep within minutes.
The man of the house is so comfortable that he doesn’t want to open his eyes.

Last night, before she put them into bed, she changed his bed sheet and the cover. He loves the smell and the touch of the clean sheet against his skin. Usually, he doesn’t bother changing his sheet too often since he hardly sleeps there, and he sleeps more often in the basement.
Anyway, all around him is soft and nice, but he can feel some movement. He slowly opens his eyes and sees the kids are sleeping in between him and Kate.
Jaclyn is hugging Mr. Fuzzy Jethro, and he can see Joshua’s toy gun peeking under his pillow, just like his aunt thought him. Kate is sleeping at the other end of his bed and holding small Jaclyn in her arms.

Gibbs minds starts to wonder: is it all right for a failure like him to wish for a happy family? Is it too much to ask for sleeping peacefully with his kids and wife on one bed? But, his wishful thinking is disturbed as Kate awakes.
She raises her head to check on the kids and looks at the time. She raises her body with her elbow and looks at her niece and nephew while Gibbs pretends to be asleep. Kate is kissing Jaclyn’s head and stroking her arm. Then, she reaches for Joshua to kiss his cheek and looks at him fondly, and she flicks his button nose softly for fun.
She is about to leave the bed, “No kiss for me, Kate?” Gibbs asks her.
“You…are awake?” She eyes him, and he nods.
“It’s almost 10am, Gibbs!” She changes the subject and slips down his bed.
“Kate, I am still waiting for my kiss…just like the ones for them,” Gibbs persists with his both hands under his head lying on his back and waiting.
She walks to his side. He notices her short silk blue PJ as she gives him a sweet kiss, just like the ones for the kids, and then, she kisses his forehead and his cheeks. As she is about to stand, he pulls her to him and kisses her lips.
‘It is beautiful,’ Gibbs thought - kissing Kate on his bed with kids sleeping in it. He definitely has something to be thankful for this year.
‘One more wish,’ Gibbs’ thought. “Kate…stay one more night,” he says.
“OK…” she whispers to his lips. Their sweet embrace is disturbed by the kids’ movement of snuggle deeper into their pillows.
-----------------------------------------------

Gibbs’s Living Area
So the grown-ups starts the day:
It is a very domestic scene. Kate is doing the next round of laundry. She helps him to change the bed sheet from the guest room as well. He is taking the trash out and cleaning up his basement because he promised the kids that they can play there when he is satisfied with the condition of the place. He makes sure that there are no loose nails or broken glasses around. Then, he walks up to his living room:
He is stunned - the place is spotless; it smells different and good, too; it feels lived-in; even his kitchen seems different now. Not that he is a dirty person. In fact, he is fairly clean and dislikes clutters, but he supposes that a little bit of woman’s touch makes a whole world of difference - something that he really missed.

“Kate!” he calls out to her, but no reply. He calls her again a couple of times and looks for her around the house until he catches her shadow outside his backyard. She is hanging their clothes up to dry.
It looks funny - there are his, hers and the kids. He has never had a child before, so it feels strange for him to see tiny shirts, overalls and dresses hanging in front of his eyes. He thinks his backyard looks wonderful today.
He never bothered to hang his clothes instead he just threw them in the dryer. He is absorbing the new theme in his backyard, and he doesn’t notice Kate comes in.
“Gibbs…Gibbs,” she calls him a couple of times, cocks her head at him.
“You OK?” she asks. He nods, and he hears the patter of footsteps. The kids are up - Trouble and Problem are coming down.

It seems to become a fine day for all of them. After the kids are bathed and changed, they join Gibbs in his basement, while Kate tidies Gibbs’s room up and prepares lunch for all of them.
They greet her homemade lunch, which consists of sandwiches, sliced apples and glasses of fresh juice, excitedly. Then, they carry off their lunch down to the basement.
At three in the afternoon, Gibbs takes them out to the shopping mall, and they decide to watch the movie “Ice Age 2” - Joshua and Jaclyn laugh till their tummies hurt. After the movie, Kate buys them all ice cream.

She catches sight of Jaclyn who is whispering to Gibbs. “This is the bestest-funniest-holiday ever in my entire life!” she says seriously. Kate laughs and thinks that she still is only two and half years old.
-----------------------------------------

Chuck E. Cheese’s
They have rather late dinner at Chuck E. Cheese’s after the big bickering among Kate, Joshua and Jaclyn. Kate makes them promise not to play and go straight home after they have their meal, and they shook on it.
While they wait in their booth for the cheesy meals, they let the duo play around.
Gibbs is curious and asks, “Why can’t they play again after their dinner, Kate? It’s still early. I don’t mind,” and he sits closer to her.
“You want to know why?” She looks at him cheekily and says, “Wait…”

Soon, he understands…
He is enjoying their closeness and places his hand behind her back. Then, he watches his duo, not letting them get out of his sight, when suddenly a boy, who is a little bit bigger than Joshua, passes by their booth huddled up. He stops on his way and throws up all over the floor and on himself, then he bawls for his mommy. His mother quickly picks him up, and at the same time, she is scolding him.
The Chuck E. Cheese’s cleaning team spots the hazard and quickly cleans it up.
Gibbs laughs and says, “I see…OK then, I get it now!” and then, he looks at her.
“See, my brother and I have learned it the hard way, Gibbs.” She shakes her head trying to erase the unpleasant memory out of her head.

“We are hungry…” comes the duo. They are puffing, sweating and gasping for air, with smiles on their faces.
Kate takes them by the hands to go wash up before dinner. Joshua refuses by saying,” I’m not going to the girls’ wash room, euuww…cooties!”
“Girls don’t have cooties!!!” Jaclyn shouts and kicks his shin. Gibbs stands up and takes Joshua to the boy’s room spontaneously. Problem solved.
The kids and Gibbs are in the middle of their pizza frenzy. Just by looking at them eat, Kate feels already full.
Shortly after, a little boy about Joshua’s age with a pair of glasses comes over to talk to them.
“Jaclyn said you both have guns,” he asks them anxiously.
“Yes, we do. We are cops” Kate answers him carefully as he won’t understand what “NCIS” is.
“WOW! Jaclyn, you have the coolest mom and dad ever!!!” the boy exclaims. “My Mom and Dad only have pens to work with…” he starts to compare.
“They are not my parents, Jimmy,” Jaclyn tells, “We are just related because…” Kate immediately closes her mouth with her hand. Gibbs starts laughing.
“Enough, missy…don’t talk with your mouth full, and don’t spread rumors around.” Kate glares at her. “Hey, I think your mom is looking for you,” Kate says to Jimmy.
“Bye, Jaclyn!”
“Bye, Jimmy!”

“Jaclyn has a boyfriend…eeuuww” Joshua teases her.
“Be quiet, Joshua!” she says. “Jaclyn has a boyfriend!” He laughs at her.
“Ouwww…!” he shouts painfully as she kicks him in his shin once again.
Gibbs and Kate laugh as they separate them. Joshua is angry since his shins will stay forever bluish- purple.
“Daddy said, he’ll shoot her boyfriend” Joshua informs Gibbs.
“No, he won’t! Jimmy is a gentleman!” Jaclyn answers hastily back.
“What do you know about gentlemen, Jaclyn? You are only two.” Kate mocks her niece a little as she sounds older than herself, in other words, her aunt.
“I am two and a half, Aunt Katie…and I know boys,” she pouts.
--------------------------------------------

Gibbs’ Bedroom
Soon after they left for home, and they stayed in his basement for just an hour or so. Then, Gibbs tells them it is time for them to sleep, and he hustles them to bed while Kate does some ironing. She thought, ‘So much! It’s really different from her one-person load,’ and she smiles to herself.

As she is finishing it up, she sees Gibbs coming down to check on the doors and windows. After that, he pulls her to go to bed, and they tickle each other on their way up. Then, they stop when they see two pairs of beady eyes gazing at them.
Kate now takes shower while Gibbs works hard on putting them into bed again. He falls asleep with them, and Kate comes to the bed, takes a look at them, and falls asleep as well beside them.

In the late morning, Gibbs opens his eyes and looks at the time, and he smirks. It’s the second day where he wakes up so late: it’s almost 9am. He hardly gets up at such late morning even though he doesn’t work.
He notices the two kids sprawled in the middle of his bed. ‘Where’s Kate?’ as he realizes that her side of the bed is empty.
He slowly lifts their limbs that ended up on top of his body and leaves the room quietly. His nose is greeted by a nice aromatic smell - coffee! He looks down and sees some activity in his kitchen.
------------------------------------------------------

Kitchen
Kate is still in her PJ and making pancakes for their brunch.
“Morning, Katie!”
“Oh hi! Morning, Gibbs,” she replies. “Coffee?” she points to the coffee.
He sips his cup of coffee and walks to Kate, but he is, all of a sudden, taken aback. Kate’s eyes and nose are red. She was crying.
‘Katie, what’s wrong?” he worries. She tries to ignore him. ‘Nothing, Gibbs,” she murmurs and goes on with making pancakes. “Kate…what is it?” he bothers her for a while.
”My brother and his wife are getting divorced…they’ve decided, and they are going to pick up the kids today and explain to them what’s happening.” The silence is deafening.
“I told them where we are. They’ll be here in the afternoon,” Kate continues while she wipes her tears off. He doesn’t know what to say even though he is supposed to be very familiar with the divorce situation.

“The kids…what will happen?” he manages to say it.
“My brother is taking Joshua, and of course, Jaclyn will be with her mother,” she sobs.
“Jethro…” Jaclyn is standing at the archway with her teddy bear in her arms.
“Hi…sweetie…” he greets and picks her up, and then, kisses her cheek and her temple. He holds the girl closer and tighter to him than usual.
Jaclyn enjoys the extra affection he lavishes her, and she just smiles at him. “You sleep like an angel. You know that?” he tells her as he feeds her pancakes. “You can play in the basement after you’ve eaten and gotten changed, OK?” and she nods happily.
She then grabs the fork from his hand, and she feeds him back instead. She sniffs him and utters, “Coffee!” Gibbs suddenly feels like crying. He feeds her again while she adds milk to his black coffee, so that he can share it with her.
Kate is trying very hard not to cry. She is facing the stove and busying herself with the pancakes, so that she doesn’t have to look at her precious niece. She really doesn’t want her to know what’s going on, but it’s impossible.

Gibbs feels as if his heart stops beating when Jaclyn looks up to him, kisses his cheek and tells him, “You are my hero, Jethro!”
He can’t stand it anymore - “your parents are coming, Jaclyn.”
“Really?” she sounds happy. “Are they picking us up, Aunt Katie?” Joshua, who is standing just outside the kitchen, asks the question.
“Are they still getting divorced, Aunt Katie?” he asks his aunt, who has been avoiding to look at him. “I am not stupid, you know,” he sounds mad.
“What’s a divorce?” Jaclyn asks Jethro. He can’t answer this simple question. Damn it! He’s done it like three times.
“Guys, lets not talk about it now. Your parents will be here soon. They are going to tell you everything you want to know. OK, Joshua? C’mon, I made you your favorite food,” she tries to calm the boy down.
“No!” he shouts and runs off from the kitchen.
“What’s wrong, Aunt Katie?” Jaclyn gets scared and looks at her aunt.
“Joshua!” Kate tries to catch him. “Kate, don’t. Let him go.” Gibbs stops her.
“But…” she is confused. “He has to deal with it. Let him, Kate… I’ll go to him,” he decides. Gibbs finds the boy in his basement. He is hugging his knees, hiding and crying quietly in the corner.
He wishes he could tell him that everything will be all right, but then he’ll be lying to him. “Hey, Marine…come here,” he beckons to him. “I’m going to tell you a secret.”

-TBC-nova2007

Goodbyes
It was hell. It was just terrible - Gibbs recalls what happened in his living room and his parking area hours ago. He is now sitting on the couch with Kate, who is still crying oblivious to her surrounding, in his arms.
“I hate them for what they’ve done to the kids, Gibbs!” she hisses.
“They’ll survive, Kate…somehow.”

He remembers their tears, their cry and their pain. Jaclyn was wailing, and Joshua was holding his sister’s hand and staying quiet, but the tears were running down his cheeks.
He was mad at his parents for making her cry.
Gibbs heart was broken down to pieces when he saw the two kids were pulled apart in separate directions while they tried to hold on to each other as long as they could.
Kate was still screaming at her brother.
At the end, Jaclyn was screaming for her dad and crying so fiercely that she had to throw up. Joshua was also crying and holding on to Kate’s leg.

Kate, as well, was crying and continuing to scream at their parents. Things went so bad that it was dark when they managed to put the kids in the separate cars.
Gibbs offered Jeremy to stay there for the night, and explained that he has spare rooms that can accommodate them, but he still refused for the reason that he didn’t want to go through this hell again tomorrow. Gibbs thought that he looked also broken. He did recognize the look.
Thus they decided to stay at a motel for the night and to continue their journey tomorrow morning.

Gibbs could just stare at the hysterical kids dragged by their angry frustrated parents, who were getting more impatient and rougher every moment, while Kate was kissing them goodbye furiously and trying to calm them down.
She gave both Jaclyn and Joshua her mobile number and small changes, so that they can actually call her, and then, she promised them that they could call and talk to her anytime they want.

Gibbs closed his eyes when he heard Jaclyn cried out his name over and over again. He felt like as if someone was ripping his heart out. She thought of him as her hero, but in reality there is just nothing he can do to save her. He could just stand at by his door and look at them because they are not his to keep.
-------------------------------------------------

“I am going home, Gibbs.” Kate decides to go home and continue crying.
He doesn’t let her go from his lock. “Stay, Kate…please.” He is drained. He pulls her closer, and her arms are around his and so do his. They are both drown in their sadness, and at the same time, feeling the emptiness in themselves. “I don’t want to be alone, Kate,” he admits.
“So don’t I…” she replies.
They feel the cold emptiness in the house now. It’ll be nice to have some company around again…they thought.
Ducky is surprised when Gibbs told him about the kids on the phone. The M.E. is very disappointed since he was planning to take the tots out to the park to play. Now, he feels so sorry about the divorce.

Somehow in the aftermath of the incident, they both fall asleep in the bedroom in each other’s arms. After a while, Kate is awoken by her mobile - dazed, she reaches for it, but she doesn’t recognize the number. “Todd…?”
“Aunt Katie… It’s me!” Joshua’s voice.
“Joshua?” Kate is jolt awake.
“What is it…what time is it?” She looks at the time. It’s past two in the early morning.
“Something wrong? Where’s your dad? Let me talk to him,” she asks.
”Aunt Katie…” Joshua is crying. Kate panics. “Jaclyn is with me,” he continues.
“Where, Joshua?”
“I don’t know…” he cries louder.
Kate can now hear Jaclyn’s crying voice over the phone as well. “Gibbs!” Kate is in panic, and she doesn’t know what to do. Gibbs is already awake when she calls his name. Gibbs grabs her mobile when she tries to scream his name again.
“The kids…” she tries to explain to him.
He takes over and calmly asks Joshua to read out the number on the phone. After he finds out that the boy is using a public phone, he makes a quick call from his mobile and gets ready to pick the kids up. Meanwhile, he asks Joshua to stay on the line with Kate until the call is cut off.
------------------------------------------

Searching for Trouble and Problem
Within minutes, they are out of the door. It is raining cats and dogs. Gibbs drives like a maniac with a purpose, and she doesn’t care.
In less that half an hour, they find their lost babies. Kate sees shadows in the phone booth. Gibbs stops right next to the booth.
They are both in a pitiful state - Jaclyn is shivering, crying, and hugging her knees and her teddy bear; Joshua is howling and hugging his sister. It’s bloody winter! Gibbs thought. He wants to kill their parents. He is so mad that he feels hot all of a sudden.

He grabs both kids swiftly, and Kate follows them to the back seat to stay close to them. She tries to calm them down the entire way home.
As they are drenched to their skin, she takes their clothes off and hugs them, with the hope that her warmth and the heater in the car can warm them up somewhat.
“Shush…guys, it’s going to be all right, you are with me and Jethro…see,” she reminds them. They are still crying on her chest, but slowly subsiding, as they are becoming exhausted.
----------------------------------------------------------

Arriving Home
When they arrive, he instructs Kate and the kids to wait in the car first. He rushes into his house and comes out in seconds with huge towels. Then, he covers them up with the towels and quickly carries them inside. He can still feel their shiver.

“It’s okay, guys…we are home…we are here, okay?” he tells and kisses both their heads.
Kate brings them under hot water for a few minutes and dries them quickly. She gasps out loud when she looks at Jaclyn, “Who did these?” Jaclyn is naked and standing on top of Gibbs’ bed. Under the light, Kate can see clearly the greenish blue bruises on her arms and inner thigh.
”Mommy,” she murmurs and wails again. Kate hugs her small body and sways her.
“Mom pinched her, Aunt Katie, and she didn’t want to stop crying,” Joshua tells her.
“Mommy slaps Joshua, too…Aunt Katie,” she tells them with sound effect, “Smack…” she says.
“They were fighting,” Joshua explains.

Kate quickly dresses them in Gibbs’ sweatshirt, and they tell her that they feel much better. “Aunt Katie, I want to stay with you and Jethro,” Jaclyn mutters after she is done crying. “Shush…its okay, pumpkin. I’ll kick your parents’ asses. OK, baby?” she jokes with them.
Gibbs comes back with cups of warm milk and slices of bread.
“I’m not hungry, Jethro… I don’t want.” Jaclyn sobs, but he patiently forces the food and milk down their throats. And, he begs them, “Please, sweethearts, you have to. So you’ll feel better…please.” He feeds them both.

Kate comes with some ointment from his washroom. Gibbs looks angry while he watches her raise Jaclyn’s sweatshirt, in order to put some ointment on her thigh and arms. He heard her talking about the bruised thigh and arms, but didn’t register the incident until he saw the bruises. “Does it hurt?” Kate asks. “No,” Jaclyn replies bravely.
Her mobile rings: “Todd!” she snaps.
Gibbs observes her face turning red and becoming horribly mad.
“What? You lost your kids? Both of them? ...I have no idea, Bro,” and then, she hangs up cruelly.
“Let them suffer a little bit more. OK, kids?” and they both nod.
Kate is glad that they stopped vomiting and shivering. She hears Gibbs telling them that they are the bravest kids he’s ever met, and he tries to put them to sleep while he hugs them both and kisses their heads repeatedly.

Joshua cries because he forgot his gun. Gibbs promises him that he’ll bring it back when he wakes up tomorrow, and the boy nods sadly.
”You can borrow my Mr. Fuzzy, Joshua. I don’t mind,” she tells her crying brother, but Joshua refuses and sobs quietly.
Gibbs realizes after awhile that they must feel safe and comfortable in his arms and in his bed since they fell asleep in such short time.

He watches them - Jaclyn is asleep in his arm, and Joshua moves down to his lap. They look so small and weak, and what they’ve been through is far too cruel and traumatic. How could their parents do this to them; Divorces - shame on them, and shame on him.

He recalled how easy it was to please them. When he gave them their toys, Jaclyn screamed in joy, and she hugged the teddy bear and said that she’d name him Mr. Fuzzy Jethro. Then, she kissed Gibbs’ cheek over and over again until she was satisfied.
Joshua waited patiently like a gentleman, and for three and half year old, it’s not bad at all. His eyes bulged when he saw the gun. “WOW!” That’s all he could manage before a few long seconds later, and then, he thanked him. They loved his boat in the basement, and they thought that Gibbs is the coolest man on earth.
Kate arranges them properly in the middle of the bed, and they both fall asleep shortly after.
---------------------------------------------------

The light and the movement on his bed awaken Gibbs. He, then, sees Kate on the phone, and she looks awfully pale.
“What’s wrong, Kate?” he asks and yawns.
“They have fever, Gibbs.” He is jarred awakened by the news. He doesn’t know what to do, and he feels hopeless while Kate is diligently wiping their foreheads and limbs with cold washcloths.
“I’ve called Ducky. Don’t worry, and go back to sleep.” Like hell he would.
--------------------------------------------------

He opens hid door for Ducky, who, the M.E., looks worried.
“Poor lads,” he says as he examines their little bodies.
Kate goes out from his room. She is sad and at the same time, furious. She needs to keep herself busy. Then, she sees all the dirty wet clothes, and she dumps them in the machine. She is thinking what can she do for them? What can she say to their parents?

“Kate!” Gibbs taps on her shoulder and says, “I’m going to the pharmacy for their medicine. Ducky is staying with them.” He wishes that he can console her, but he has some urgent errands to do.
“Then, we’ll figure out what to do. OK?” She just nods her head and looks at him thankfully.
It is almost noon when the kids are awake. Their temperature has dropped, yet their throats are still sore, and they seem to have gotten the flu. Though they are doing much better, they’re still lying on the bed in Gibbs’ sweats, and they look like dwarfs in giant’s clothes - so comments Jaclyn their attire to Ducky.
Ducky is lying on the bed and talking to them. They talk about everything.
“Aunt Katie…where’s Jethro?” Jaclyn asks her.
“He is out, Sweetie, to kick your daddy’s ass!” Kate tells.
“And Mommy’s, too?” Jaclyn confirms.
“Yes.”

Gibbs dropped by for a while to drop the medicine and to check on the sleeping kids, and then he told Kate that he is going to look for their parents, in order to talk with them.
“Do more than talk, Gibbs!” Kate sounded pissed off. That was seven in the morning, and it is now noon.

Kate has fixed lunch for Ducky and the kids, and they have eaten all of what she prepared for them. She is now waiting for Gibbs. She jumps out of the chair when she sees him enter the house, all tired and damp. She walks to him and helps him take off his coat, and then hugs him.
”Hey…everything will be all right, Kate.”
“Let’s change you before you catch cold.” And, she pulls him towards his room.
“Why, Kate? You want to change my clothes?” he grins.
“Very funny Gibbs. You are fifty and not five, OK?”
The kids are very happy to see him. “Jethro!” Jaclyn walks on the bed to him, then he holds her in his arms for a while, and he pulls out Joshua’s gun from his jeans.
“Thank You, Jethro!” the boy gleams and thanks him with his sore throat.
“Sweetie, let Jethro eat first. OK? You don’t want him to become sick, right?” Kate says to Jaclyn
“Okay,” she replies and lets him go.
------------------------------------------

Kate drags Gibbs down to the kitchen and let him eat. Damn, he is hungry; he eats whatever his Katie serves in front of him. His Katie? Yeah right, he thought.
When he finishes his food, “Good Boy, Gibbs!” Kate teases him. He smiles at her.
“So?” she asks him anxiously. “So what, Kate?” he teases her back.
“Gibbs…spill it out! “She says and jabs his stomach.
“Tell me! Tell me! Tell me! What did you do?” she asks anxiously.
“You are going to love me…” he responds and glances at her smugly.

Then she looks at him softly and says, “I already love you, Gibbs. It’s you who never realized it…” she discloses to him.
He gazes at her like he’s never seen her before. Then she interrupts him, “So? The kids? My brother? What happened?” She wants to know everything.
------------------------------------------------------

Gibbs walks to her and embraces her in his arms, and he tells her that everything will be all right. Subsequently, he tells her about his fear, his pain, and the humiliation. And then he tells her how the kids opened his eyes and gave him hope, and now he dares to dream for a better future - he wants a family. They’ve released him from his past.
He went to her brother and his wife.
“They look like hell, Kate,” he tells her.
He advised them not to make the same stupid mistake like he did, and he told them that he was a blind stubborn fool who never believed in family although it is worth fighting for.
He told them that their children have opened his dying heart and would sacrifice everything to have what they have, and then he begged them to consider.
“You don’t know what you’ve missed out on until it’s too late, and you can’t just turn back the time.”

“Kate, marry me!” he suddenly says.

It is not a proposal, but it is a statement.

However, Kate is not prepared for it. One moment, he was talking about what happened today with her brother, and at the next moment, he asks her to marry him.
She laughs and places her palm on his forehead, and she says, “Yep, just as I thought. You have fever, like the kids.”
“Kate…” he sounds very serious.
“You are tired. You are stressed out about the kids. Wet, cold…you are not thinking straight, it’s all my fault…my poor baby,” she hugs him.
“Kate…” he tries again.
“Gibbs, ask me again...in a month time.” She looks at him seriously, and he smiles back and says, “Okay.”
“C’mon, your girl and boy are waiting for you!” “I’m jealous, by the way. I think they like you more than me, and I am…related!” and Gibbs laughs out loud. Kids say the darnest thing.
------------------------------------

God is fair, she thought. There’ll always be light after darkness.
Her brother and wife came to see their kids that evening, and they asked for their forgiveness and told them that they are not going to get divorced. After Trouble and Problem jump up and down, they make their parents let them stay with Aunt Katie and Jethro for another week and they said yes!
Happiness is definitely contagious.
-----------------------------------

Kate POV
Last night, my brother’s family decided to stay in Gibbs’ spare room. And, we all went out for a big dinner and my brother pays for the big dinner!
The following day, I am talking to my brother as I serve him the Thanksgiving leftover food.
Out of the blue, Gibbs enters his kitchen, and straight away tells Jeremy his purpose with his sister. My face turns red like a lobster, and I am embarrassed, but flattered by his action.

My brother looks at me and then looks at Gibbs. He swallows his food and has a biggest grin on his face:
“Sure, Gibbs! If you can handle her…” he continues eating.
“Actually, I am glad that you want her. I was beginning to worry that nobody would ask for her hand…” he swallows his chewed food.
“…you know, most of the guys that go for her…got their Asses kicked...to…” Then I choke him from behind, and he tackles me back, but I pinch his tummy so hard that he screams in pain. Then I flip him, and he flips me, and we hear claps.
The kids are clapping their hands excitedly and cheering for their aunt, of course.

Ducky is shocked, and Gibbs tells him that he asked her brother for a permission to ask for his sister’s hands. Ducky is now speechless. Imagine, Ducky being speechless, and he grins at Gibbs.
Suddenly, my brother stops fighting with me and lunges at his kids. He carries them around the living room, and they scream and laugh.
--------------------------------

Ducky POV
I wonder how innocent souls can make the worst cynic believe.
I am looking at the family that was almost shattered to pieces. Then I look at Jethro and Caitlin. I am content because now I can see that they’ll find their way to the family and to the future they deserve.
---------------------------------

Gibbs POV
Kate asked me to ask her again in a month, but I don’t bother to wait that long. The day before her brother and his family went home, I asked her, and she said yes.
I was relieved when she said yes.
The kids were screaming at the top of their lungs: “We are related! We are related!”
I told her that I’ll make her happy, and she can have the big wedding whenever she wants. Kate said she didn’t want a wedding since she doesn’t believe in wedding, but she believes in marriage.
One month later, after getting a license and being married at the city hall: I got married again for the very last time. As I lay in our bed with her tucked beside me, I thank God for Trouble and Problem, and for the last chance that God gave me.

-End-nova2007-
----------------------------------------------

Trouble&Problem~Marital bliss~Imagine~Cursed&Blessed~Drool~All I have~
Immortality (end)
I based Jaclyn and Joshua’s characters from my two year old cousin, named James. His antics, creativity and boldness give me great idea about kids.
Hopefully, along t he way of the KIBBS’s series, I’ll be able to ADD another kids characters…lets see.