The pastor said something about peace. Kyrie wanted to shout that nothing about the situation described peace. The casket seemed to mock every word the minister said.

The whole funeral seemed like a blur, with so many people there who she didn't know. The only person that she saw who knew her was Ducky, his black bow tie and suit seeming to contradict everything she knew about her playful grandpa. She wanted to say hello, but the social worker wisked her away the minute the funeral finished. The cameras were everywhere, and in the public eye, she was still a secret. In fact, to other than three people, well two now that her mother wasn't here, no one knew she existed as Kyrie Shepard, the daughter of the NCIS director.

The social worker took her right away to the office where she would be assigned a foster family until her mother's will would be read and executed.

Kyrie didn't pay any attention to what was going on around her. She nodded as the social worker, named Debra, told her to have a seat in the waiting room while she went to do some paperwork. She sank down into the hard chair, and put her head in her hands. Tears streamed down her face, as they had since she found out her mother was dead. Her heart felt broken, and she knew there was no way to stop the aching in her soul.

The last time she had seen her mother was when they took a surprise trip to Paris after her mother showed up at her boarding school in London in the middle of the school day. Her mother had checked her out of classes for a week, and they spent the time in Paris shopping, eating at exotic restaurants, and just having the fun they always enjoyed when they were together. Emma remembered how her mother laughed when Kyrie told her a joke, her eyes had sparkled like a green gem in the sunlight; she remembered the mornings that they had stayed in bed for the morning, watching old movies and eating breakfast in bed, snuggling to make up for the time that they had been apart while she was in school. No matter how much she wanted to, Kyrie couldn't go back to those moments to make up for the time she was going to miss.

She felt a hand on her should, causing her to whip her crimson hair away from her face, and wipe her tear stained face as she sat up to find herself looking into the eyes of Ducky.

"Kyrie." He said, his accent twirling her name into a sweet sounding comfort.

She just looked at him, "I just want her back." He sat beside her, and put his hand on her knee.

Ducky had been in her life since she was a little baby. He was a family friend, and because her mother's father had died before Kyrie was born, Ducky had taken his role as a grandfather seriously. She knew that the last few years he had worked with her mother at NCIS, but to Kyrie, Dicky was a friend who had given her birthday gifts, took her to the movies once in a while, and had just been there while she grew up.

Ducky nodded, and said, "Me too." For him to say very few things made Kyrie realize that her mother's death had affected him quite hard.

They just sat there, taking a few minutes of comfort from each other. The social worked interrupted the silence. "Doctor Mallard, the paperwork is all in order."

Shaking out of his reverie, Ducky stood up, and spoke to the social worker. "Thank you very much. Is there anything else we need to do before we leave?"

Kyrie was confused. But she listened.

"No, until Tuesday Kyrie should be fine to stay with you until the will is read by a lawyer and her permanent guardian is contacted and informed."

"I'm going home with you, Ducky?"

The older gentleman smiled at her and said, "You'll have to put up with me for a few days, if you want."

Kyrie nodded, glad to be with someone she knew rather than complete strangers.

After loading her bag into his small car, they got into the car, which reminded her of the cars that they had in London where her school was. "Thanks Ducky." She said, and he looked at her with a smile. "I'm sure your plans for the weekend didn't include having a teenager stay with you. I appreciate it."

Ducky smiled a sad smile. "Oh, Kyrie. Always caring about others! I'm sure you're plan for the week didn't include going to a funeral for your mother. You're no inconvenience."

They drove off, Kyrie's whole life in limbo. And Ducky knew it would only get more confusing and tumultuous after the will was read.