Note: Set in the country. I’m going off from where I live in Australia but it is still America in a sense.
“ Now until we catch who’s doing this we are going to stay here and Agents Todd and DiNozzo will got to school ect. with your son and daughter” Gibbs informed the Robinson family.
“ Fine with me. At least there’s some excitement in this house” the eldest Beck said as she got up of the lounge and went into her bedroom.
“ Can Kevin still come over Saturday?” Sam, the youngest, asked.
“ For yours and his safety I advise him not to” Gibbs says.
“ Oh man” he says then also heads off to bed.
Lisa looks at the NCIS agents standing in front of her.
“ I’m really sorry about those two. You know how teenagers are. 10 year olds are worse” she laughs.
“ It must be tough” Kate says with a smile.
“ It is. I’m just glad I have Joe” she says grabbing his hand.
“ Well we may as well head off to” Joe said. Gibbs left Kate and Tony in charge. Tony checked on the boy who was sound asleep. Kate went to check on Beck. Her light was still on so she knocked.
“ Yeah” she replied. Kate slowly opened the door and saw Beck lying on her bed looking up at the ceiling.
“ Hey. I just wanted to introduce myself properly” Kate said moving towards the bed. Beck sat up and let Kate sit next to her.
“ Can I go first?” Beck asked.
“ Ok. Sure” she replied with a smile.
“ Well I’m Rebecca Lee Robinson but everyone calls me Beck, Boop or Boob” Kate laughed and a had a questioning look on her face.
“ I’ll explain later. I’m 17 years old, attend Wingham high school, play softball or Manning River Kakadu’s, I work at Tinonee Takeaway and I sometimes wish I had a different family”
“ I know it must be hard living without your mother for long periods of time but she still loves you” Kate said.
“ I know. Ok your turn”
“ Well, I’m Caitlin Todd everyone calls me Kate, I have 3 brothers and 1 sister, I use to protect the president, I studied law and I am 31” Kate said with a smile.
“ Cool. Well tomorrow is Thursday and on Thursday’s I have to be at school at 8am because that’s when Entertainment starts” she says with a smile.
“ Oh ok. That shouldn’t be a problem” Kate said getting up off the bed.
“ Oh and another thing”
“ Yeah”
“ I normally would drive to school but since we don’t have a car do you think” Beck started to ask.
“ Sure. It should be fine” Kate said with a smile then walked out.
‘ She’s not as bad as I thought’ Beck thought to herself as she went to sleep.
***Thursday***
“ So you do this every week?” Kate asked as they pulled up to what looked like a deserted school.
“ Yeah pretty much. But believe me next year I’m dropping this subject. I will then be picking up Hospitality extension” Beck told her.
They made their way down the corridor and went into the library. Kate stayed behind Beck as she didn’t want to draw attention to herself. Beck went and got her teacher and brought her over to meet Kate.
“ Mrs Kendall this I Kate Todd from NCIS. She has to look after me until they catch the person who put a bomb in our car” Beck explained.
“ Well actually we think they were targeting her mother and me and my fellow agent have to stick to the family like glue. I believe my director has contacted the Principal to let him know what’s going on” Kate explained.
“ Oh ok. Nice to meet you. If you want you can join us. We have drama next so you will see just how talented Beck is” Mrs k said.
As the rest of the class arrived they decided to do a whole explanation for why Kate was here and got on with their work. Kate kept a close eye on the class as well as the people who walked in. she especially took note on how Beck reacted to Rowan, the teachers son, when he walked in. she realised that Beck went from happy and talkative with her friend Chelsea, to shy and quiet. Even when he left she wasn’t herself. This Kate took note of. When the bell went Kate followed Beck and Chelsea down to what they called the CAPA room.
Kate stood up the back as the class set up their set. They got their texts of ‘ Summer of the seventeenth doll’ and got into their characters. Beck played the part of Pearl.
‘ She’s quiet good’ Kate thought to herself. They were interrupted by Rowan again. He is in year 12 and is studying for the HSC and came down to the CAPA to do so. Kate realised that Becks mood changed again. She was quiet and couldn’t stop looking at him. When they swapped characters Beck came and sat down and looked quite depressed. When the bell went for recess she couldn’t get out of there quick enough.
Kate walked up the way they came and saw Beck sitting at a blue picnic still table with a blonde girl. Kate walked over to them. Beck looked up at Kate.
“ Oh Gem this is Kate Todd from NCIS”
“ Hi. So why is she here?” she asked.
“ I’ll explain when the other girls get here”.
Soon after two other girls came down to the table. They both explained everything to the 3 of them.
“ Oh my god, I didn’t realise that, that was your mum” Rachael said.
“ I know” Beck replied.
“ Beck could I have a word with you for a moment?” Kate asked.
“ Sure” she got up from the table and followed Kate into the car park. Everyone was watching them.
“ Are you alright?” Kate asked.
“ Yeah, I’m fine. Why?” she replies.
“ I watched you, every time Rowan entered the room your mood changed. What’s going on?” Kate asked. Beck looked around and turned back to Kate.
“ Rowan is going out with a girl named Adeline. She is in my year” she started.
“ And you like him?”
“ No. look when Rowan isn’t around Adeline is all over this guy Harley who is also in our year. I have seen them hook up. Its disgusting”
“ You want to tell him right?”
“ Yes”
“ But you have no idea how and feel that you have no right to say anything” Kate says.
“ Yes but how do you know?”
“ I am a profiler. Its my job. Plus I was a teenager once” Kate said with a smile.
“ Look can we talk more at home” Beck said.
“ Sure”. Beck went back to her friends and Kate observes from a far.
Every other class Kate waited outside except for Hospitality. The teacher said they should make something for their guest.
Home
Beck pulls into the carport.
“ Dad’s still at work” she tells Kate.
“ How often does her work?”
“ 3 times a week. He leaves when we do and gets back just after us. It worked well when mum wasn’t here” she said then got out of the car. She went inside, said hi to her mum and went straight to her room. Kate came in after her. She went into the kitchen and found Lisa sitting at the table with a cup of tea and reading the paper.
“ How was your day?” Kate asked with a smile.
“ Quiet. I got a lot of cleaning done” she laughed.
“ Looks good” Kate complimented as she looked around.
“ How was she?” Lisa asked about Beck.
” She was ok”. Kate went over and sat down in front of her.
“ She’s a good little actress, and she can cook to” Kate said with a smile.
“ Yeah she is. Those are her two favourite things. She loves performing. Her and a friend came first in the duologue section of the Eisteddfod earlier this year”
“ really?”
“ Yep. As for the cooking, that comes so natural to her. Before I got deployed she would come home and ask is she could make diner just to so us what they did in class” Lisa laughed and looked at her tea.
“ But all that’s changed now”
“ You cant blame yourself for this. Becks a teenager and I’m sure you would remember going through tough times and not wanting to talk about it. She’ll come around” Kate said with a smile then went to Beck’s room. She knocked before she entered. Beck was already getting her bag ready for tomorrow.
“ I hear you came first in the Eisteddfod this year” Kate said.
“ Yep. There’s the trophy to prove it” she replied pointing to the top of a wooden case hanging on her wall. Kate could not believe her eyes, she had 15 trophies. 8 of which were soccer ones.
“ You’ve done gymnastics” Kate said looking at the Gymaroo gymnastics trophies.
“ Cheerleading actually” she pointed out.
“ That’s amazing”
“ Yeah”. Kate could tell she was still down. She had a feeling there was something else on her mind.
“ Do you want to talk about it?” she asked softly. Beck nodded.
“ Not in here” she said. Kate followed her down the back and they sat behind a small tin shed which had a passionfruit vine growing on it.
“ Ok. I’m all ears”
“ I don’t know where to start”
“ How about that Rowan” Kate suggested.
“ Right. Well I want to tell him what Addy is doing but I’m scared to. I mean if I do I will be hated by him, her and possibly Mrs K. my friend Chelsea feels the same way because she was on of the first people to see Addy and Harley kiss”
“ So you’ve actually seen them kiss?”
“ Yep”
“ Has anyone talked to Adeline about it?”
“ Nope. We all feel that its none of our business so we cant say anything”
“ I see. I’ll have a think. Is there anything else you want to talk about?” Kate asked. Beck looked away.
“ Beck” Kate urged her.
“ I go to parties with Gemma and we drink. She smokes and” she stopped.
“ What else does she do?”
“ Ecstasy and pot”
“ Have you ever”
“ No, drinking is enough for me. The thing is before we get to a party its always ‘ we’re guna get wild and hit the d’floor’ and when we get there its her and Ant hitting the d’floor and me being left out. I always feel like the tag along and I probably look like that”
“ Then don’t go”
“ But then she has no one to go with”
“ What about this Ant?”
“ They are going out but only meet up at parties. She wants me to go with her because she knows she has a lift home and a place to stay”
“ So your parents let you go?”
“ Most of the time. They have set rules though”
“ Have you told her how you feel?”
“ No. she wouldn’t understand. She doesn’t realise that it may be fun for her getting shit faced but its not fun for me” she said pulling apart a leaf.
“ Do you want me to say something? I could tell her that you cant go out for a while because of what is going on” Kate suggests.
“ That would be great. Just make sure you don’t mention anything I’ve just told you”
“ I wont. I promise” she said holding out her pinkie. Beck grabbed Kate’s pinkie with hers. Just then they were interrupted by Sam running down and picking up the ball.
“ Hey wanna play with me and Tony?” he asked with a smile on his face.
“ Not now” Beck replied and got up and headed up towards the house. On the way up she past Tony. She smiled at him and kept walking.
“ Does your brother always have this much energy?” he asked making her stop and look at him. This is the first time she actually got a good look at him.
‘ Oh my god he is fucking hot’ she thought to herself with smile.
“ Always and believe me it never runs out. Have you ever seen SpongeBob Squarepants?”
“ Yeah”. Beck laughed.
“ What? I watch cartoon in the morning”
“ There’s nothing wrong with that. Anyway I think Sam reminds me of him. Always happy, full of energy and never shuts up. Well have fun” she said with a smile and walked back into the house. Kate made her way up to.
“ How are you going?” Tony asked her.
“ Fine. She’s a nice girl. Very talented”
“ Hot to”
“ Tony!” Kate exclaims.
“ What? Its just the truth”
“ She’s 17”
“ Really? Wana swap?” he says as he kicks the ball for Sam.
“ Their not toys Tony” she said and walked into the house.
‘ Women’ he thought to himself.
***Friday***
Beck was up and in the shower before Kate and Tony were even awake. Tony though woke up as he heard the water running. He laid in bed and waited for his alarm to go off. He quickly jumps out of bed and grabs his gun as he hears a chilling scream coming from the bathroom. He kicks open the door to find Beck wrapped in a towel, sitting in the bath tub shivering and with a horrified look on her face. She is looking at something on the ground. He follows her gaze and spots a huge huntsman spider walking over the mat. He picks up the mouth wash bottle and hits it a couple of times to make sure it was dead. Kate, Lisa and Joe came running up behind him.
“ Just a spider” he informs them.
“ Oh no” Lisa says then makes her way over to her daughter. She sits down next to her and puts her arm around her. Beck cuddles up to her mum and tears can be seen falling down her face. Kate and Tony looked confused.
“ She has a bad case of arachnophobia “ Joe tells them.
“ Oh, I see” Kate says. Lisa gets Beck out of the tub and her dad takes her to her room.
“ Is it always this bad?” Kate asks Lisa.
“ Yeah. Sometimes worse”
“ Can I ask how she became so scared?” Tony asked.
“ Scary movies. Not mention she’s had a fair few crawl on her”
“ That would do it for me” Tony replied.
“ I should go check on her” Lisa said stepping out. Kate and Tony looked at each other. Kate laughed at the sight of Tony in his blue and purple boxers. He left to get changed.
“ Kate everything ok?” Gibbs asked through her ear piece at breakfast.
“ Yeah. Just a little spider scare, that’s all”
“ Ok. Keep me up dated” he said and was gone.
Kate, Tony, Sam and Joe were in the kitchen while Lisa was with Beck in her room.
“ Is she going to be ok?” Kate asked.
“ It depends on how bad it was” Joe said. It was time to leave for school and Beck wasn’t out yet.
“ Have fun at school, Tony” Kate said as Tony walked Sam out to the car.
“ Ha ha very funny Kate” He said then left. The kitchen was filled with silence until.
“ It was on me. On me. Right there” Beck yelled from her room.
“ Its going to be a long day” Joe said.
Kate went to cheek on Beck and Lisa. She knocked and then entered. She saw Lisa lying next to Beck, who had fallen asleep, with her arms around her.
“ Is she going to be ok?” Kate asked softly. Lisa slowly lifted herself off the bed.
“ She should be. She just needs to rest” Lisa said. They both walked out and left her alone.
It was night and everyone was sitting at the dinner table except for Beck. They were all talking and telling stories when Beck enter the room.
“ Are you feeling better?” Joe asked her.
“ Yeah” she said pulling out a chair next to Tony and grabbing a plate. She started to eat.
“ I just want to thank you” She said to Tony.
“ For what?”
“ Saving me” she said. He looked into her eyes and knew what she was talking about.
“ Anytime” he said with a smile.
***Saturday***
Tony, Kate and Gibbs have accompanied the Robinsons to Becks softball game. Lisa is the teams scorer.
The team was off to a good start. 3 up, 3 down and it was now their turn to bat. Beck was fourth up with none out. First ball strike, then two balls. On the fourth ball she swung and hit the ball out into the outfield which scored her on second base. Next batter is up. On the first pitch Beck steals third. The third base coach tells her to take a lead off. Kate, Tony and Gibbs all watch in anticipation. The pitch is thrown and Beck is halfway down the line, the catcher misses the ball and she shoots through to home. Everyone on the team cheers.
“ is there nothing this girl cant do” Kate says to no one in particular. They eventually get three out and once again field. Beck is the centre field and gets two catches and the pitcher gets one to make three. She bats again this time she steals second. She is about to take her lead off when she see’s Kate and Gibbs standing close to each other as she looks past the pitcher. She see’s him whisper in her ear then kisses her on the cheek. Then they inter-lock each others pinkies. Beck thoughts are quickly taken away by a throbbing pain to the head and she drops to the ground.
“ TIME” the umpire yells and everyone ruches to her side including Gibbs, Kate and Tony.
Kylie and Charmaine were the first of her team mates to reach her.
“ Beck. Are you ok?” they ask as everyone crowds around.
“ Yeah. I’m good” she says as she tries to sit up but cant.
Charmaine takes the helmet off her head so they can get a better look.
“ Alright, lets go” Tony said stepping in and picking her up and took her off the field. He laid her down on the metal bench and they got her an ice pack to put on her forehead. Jo who is a member on the team as well as a nurse checked her out.
When Tony made sure she was ok he went and checked on Sam who was playing with the other kids. Beck laid on the bench with the ice pack on her head. The team went out to field and new comer Hannah had to take her place. Kate went over to her and knelt down beside her.
“ How you feeling?” she asked concerned.
“ Ok. My heads throbbing though”
“ I bet. So how did you not see the ball coming?” she asked with a bit of a laugh.
“ I got distracted”
“ How?”
“ I was watching the pitcher and saw something as I looked past her”
“ Beck, what did you see?” Kate asked. Beck slowly sat up and Kate got up and sat next to her.
“ I saw you and him” she said hinting to Gibbs who was leaning against the pole looking out at the field.
“ Gibbs”
“ Yeah. You two were standing close then he whispered something in your ear, then kissed your cheek and then you two held hands. Are you two going out?” she asked.
“ Yes, but no one can know about it”
“ Why? Are you married?”
“ No”
“ Is he married”
“ No”
“ Then why such a big secret?”
“ Because at our agency romance between agents is not aloud” Kate said looking at Beck and she backed off.
“ Oh. That’s a good reason” she said softly. Beck looked over at Tony who has been sucked into playing with the little kids. She smiled.
Kate looked at her and who she was looking at.
“ You like him don’t you” she said.
“ Who?”
“ Tony”. Beck doesn’t say anything.
“ Its ok I wont tell anyone”
“ I do. I know he’s older but I just cant help it” she said with a smile.
“ You cant help who fall in love with. Look at me and Gibbs. There’s 20 years between us” she said with a laugh.
“ Really?”
“ Yep” Kate said with a nod. Beck looked back at Tony. Kate realised what she has just done.
“ But you and Tony that’s different”
“ How?”
“ Because your still only a teenager and he’s an adult”
“ So. He’s what 32 so that’s….16 years difference. It’s a much smaller gap then you and Gibbs”
“ I know but it’s not me you have to tell, its your parents. How do you think they will handle you telling them that your in love with a man that is twice your age” Kate explained to her. She rubbed Becks back in reassurance and left to stand by Gibbs.
The game slowly came to an end with Becks team wining 10-4.
They started to clear out. Tony came up to Beck.
“ Will you be alright to walk?” he asked.
“ Yeah I’ll be fine” she said with a smile. She tried to stand up but got a head rush and feel back down.
“ I guess not” she said grabbing her head. Tony offered her his hand and she grabbed it. She held his arm as they made their way over to the others.
“ So why didn’t you see the ball coming at you?” he asked.
“ I was” she stopped and thought that she couldn’t reveille Gibbs and Kate’s relationship. She would sacrifice her own feelings to save them.
“ I had my eyes on something else” she said softly.
“ What?” he asked.
“ You” she said. They stopped walking and he looked at her. She smiled at him and he smiled back.
“ Tony stay behind. Kate go check the cars” Gibbs ordered and they did what he said.
They were all laughing and talking about the game when Kate came running back with a scared look on her face.
“ The tires have been slashed Gibbs. Who ever it is here” She informed him.
“ Tony” Gibbs said. Tony stepped in front of Beck.
“ Stay back” he ordered. She did so.
It wasn’t long until they got who it was. She had a loaded gun. Her reason for trying to kill Lisa Robinson.
“ My husband dumped me for someone in his crew. The only thing he told me about her was that she had kids, was tall, slender and blonde. Then I saw her here with her kids and I knew”. She went to shoot Lisa but Kate and Gibbs got her.
On the way home it was a very quiet trip. They all knew what was to come next. The goodbye.
When they arrived home Kate told Gibbs to go home and her and Tony would stay here tonight and return tomorrow. Gibbs for once didn’t argue and with many thankyou’s he left.
Tony was still playing with Sam and Kate went looking for Beck. She found her sitting in the yard on the swinging chair hugging her knee’s. Kate felt sorry for her.
Once Joe and Lisa put Sam to bed Tony went and started to pack. Kate entered his room and closed the door behind her. He looked up at her.
“ What are you doing?” he asked confused.
“ I need to tell you something”
“ Ok but cant it wait?”
“ No. Are you going to say goodbye to Beck?” she asked.
“ Yeah of course”
“ She needs more then just a smile and parting words. She needs you to talk to her properly because as you see it your saying goodbye to just another citizen but to her she is losing the guy she has fallen for” she tries to explain.
“ Fallen for?” he asks confused.
“ Yep”
“ But weren’t you the on that reminded me that she was only 17”
“ Yes I know but I was talking to her today at he softball game and she said age shouldn’t matter and she had a very good example of that”
“ So what do you want me to tell her?”
“ What you feel”
“ Kate, she’s 17 how could I possibly” he started.
“ Tony I’ve seen you looking at her and who was the first person who ran from the bunker to see if she was alright or saved her from the spider attack” she pointed out.
“ Ok” he agreed.
“ Good. By the way I would change your shirt before you do anything” she said with a smile and walked. He took her advice and changed his shirt. He made his way over to the swinging chair where she was. He sat down next to her.
“ It’s a nice night” he said trying to start up a conversation.
“ Yeah. It always is in summer”
“ How’s your head now?”
“ Its good now. It doesn’t hurt, it just looks bad” she said with a look.
He turned to have a look at it.
“ Nah doesn’t look that bad” he said with a soft smile.
“ So are you all packed?” she asked.
“ Yep”. The night was filled with silence.
“ Kate told me what you told her at softball” he said. Beck didn’t say anything.
“ I think its kind of sweet” he said.
“ What, a 17 year old having liking a 33 year old man is sweet?” she said.
“ Not only the 17 year old” he said. She looked up at him.
“ What?” she said. He didn’t say anything. He smiled and leaned in and kissed her softly. Her heart started to beat faster. Her body tingled all over.
“ I’m sorry” he said breaking the kiss.
“ Don’t be” she said. She pulled out a small camera from her pocket and took a picture of her and Tony together. They stayed out side and talked things through. Tony went inside and said good night to Joe and Lisa and went to bed. Kate was watching them and went down to see how Beck was once Tony left.
“ So how are you” she asked.
“ Ok I guess”
“ Tony said goodbye I take it”
“ Yep”
“ And?” she asked.
“ I love him even more now and I will probably never get to see him again. Or you for that matter. It sucks” she said and put her head down on her knee’s.
“ I know it does but our job is done. We have to go back. If I could stay I would and I’m sure Tony would to”. Beck didn’t say anything. Kate put her arm around her and she hugged Kate back and started to cry.
“ Hey its alright” Kate said. They sat there for a while. Kate said good night and went inside.
Beck stayed out for a while before she got the best idea ever.
***Sunday***
The day has finally come.
“ Beck honey its time to get up. Tony and Kate have to leave soon” Lisa aid trying to wake her up. Beck stirred so Lisa left her alone. Beck laid in bed.
‘ Crap’ she thought and with a start jumped out of bed grabbing to parcels of her bedside table.
She ran out the front where Tony and Kate were standing by the car.
“ She’s up” Joe said with smile.
“ Lucky we were just about to leave” Kate said. Beck went up to tony.
“ Here I made you something” she said with a smile handing him one of the parcels. He unwrapped it revealing a framed picture of the two of them that she took last night. Down the bottom in gold letters was writing ‘ Always’.
“ Wow. I love it. Thanks” he said and gave her a hug.
“ Don’t forget me” she whispered in his ear.
“ Never” he replied. When she let go of him he put his hand in his pocket and pulled out a card. It had his mobile and email on it. She smiled at him. She made her way over to Kate.
“ This one’s for you” se said with a smile. She gave Kate the package and she opened it. It was a photo frame filled with pictures of her and Beck over the past 3 days. As the with Tony’s, her’s had the gold writing ‘ Always’ down the bottom to.
“ It’s beautiful’ Kate said looking at it.
“Thankyou so much” she said as she hugged Beck.
“ I’m going to miss you” Beck told her.
“ I’ll miss you to” She said.
“ Don’t forget to invite me to your wedding” Beck said quietly.
“ I wont” she said with a smile.
“ I have something for you to” Kate said and pulled out an envelope from her bag.
“ What is it?”
“ its my advice” she said with a smile.
“ Thankyou” Beck said with a smile. As they aid all their good bye’s Kate and Tony finally set off.
“ So who’s up for pancakes?” Joe asked with a smile.
“ Me, me ,me” Sam said jumping up and down. Joe and Sam went inside to start on some breakfast.
“ You going to be ok?” Lisa asked Beck.
“ I hope so” she said with a smile and they both walked inside.
Author's Chapter Notes:
what happens when the team are sent to protect a family of which one of them is a teenager who is in love.