The knock on the door came just as she was putting in her earrings, and she quickly checked her watch as the door creaked open. "Hey sis," Dan said, sticking his head around the door. "You busy?"

"Well, Gibbs is supposed to pick me up in five minutes," she said, absentmindedly as she tightened her ponytail. "What's up?"

"You and Gibbs are going out tonight?" he asked, easily sidetracked.

"Well, it's either that, or I stay here and Rachel analyzes me all night, which will drive me to drink. And I'm working tomorrow, so I need to be sober." She turned to him. "So yes, Gibbs and I are going out tonight."

He grinned. "So I shouldn't wait up for you… young lady do I need to establish a curfew?"

"Very funny coming from you, Dan, considering it was you and Edie who were out until three in the morning last night" she said, as he walked in, flopping on her bed.

"You noticed?"

"You may have been drunk, brother dear, but I was the one who let you in. And by the way, despite what you told me last night, Beauty and the Beast is not a good song for when Edie walks down the aisle."

He looked surprised. "I told you that?"

"Yes. While I was helping you up the stairs."

"Oh right. Well don't expect me to return the favor."

"Kelly is going to be with us, so I can guarantee that nothing is going to happen, Dan."

"So much for scoring," he joked.

She rolled her eyes. "Anyway," she said. "We're going to the drive-in for the double feature."

"Oh? What's playing? I mean, this isn't a date, it's more like a family outing," he joked. "You bought the boyfriend, got the daughter free." He was clutching a pillow to his chest, and rolled over to look at her, resembling a kid at a sleepover.

"She's not my daughter, Dan."

"Well what does she mean to you?" he asked, managing to notice her evasion immediately.

She threw up her hands. "What does it matter? And as for what's playing… it's not just a double feature, it's a Disney double feature. First movie is some animated thing with Michael J. Fox that Kelly wanted to see. Second one has Julie Andrews in it, which is enough motivation for me to go."

"It's really hard to get sexy in the backseat at a Disney movie," Dan said wistfully. "Never mind two of them."

"First off, you never know if you don't try." Kate made a face. "And second, you heard me say that Kelly is going to be there, right?"

"I did."

"Are you done being immature now?" she asked. "Because I do hope you came in here for a better reason than harassing me about going out with Gibbs and Kelly."

"I did actually," he said, sobering up. He sat up, discarding the pillow. "Kate, there's something I want to ask you."

"Uh oh," she said lightly. "Sounds serious."

"Come here." He patted the bedspread beside him, and she went and sat down. "I know this is kind of on short notice, but I wouldn't want anyone else."

"Dan, what…?"

"And before you say know, just know that you're my favorite sibling, and I'd never ask you to do it if I didn't think you were one hundred percent the right person for the job-,"

"Dan, what are you babbling about?" she asked.

"I want you to be my best person at my wedding," he told her.

"What?" Whatever she'd been expecting, it hadn't been that. "You mean, like… your best man?"

"Yes, only last I checked, you're not a man," he told her.

"Are you sure about this, Dan? What does Edie think?" she asked, still surprised by his request.

"Edie fully supports it. She really likes you, you know."

"I like her," she admitted. "But Dan, I…"

"I know there's only a week left but I know you can write a great speech and there is no one else I trust as much as you."

"Won't Rachel be hurt?" she asked, grasping at straws.

His face fell. "You don't want to do it, do you?"

"Dan, of course I want to do it," she reassured him, putting her hands on his shoulders. "Just not sure I'm worthy."

"You're not worthy," he said with a grin. "You're my sister." And then she couldn't take it anymore, pulling him into a quick hug.

"Thank you, Dan. And yes, I will. I'll be your best person."

"Yes!" he said, pulling away as a horn honked outside. "Give Romeo a kiss for me!"

"Give Juliet a kiss from me!" she retorted, before kissing him on the cheek, and hurrying down the stairs and out the door, ignoring the shouted inquiries from Rachel about where she thought she was going. She didn't relax again until she was sitting in the Jeep with Gibbs, the radio turned down, so that the song playing was barely a whisper. "Hey guys," she said cheerfully.

Gibbs leaned in for a kiss, but afterwards, his brow furrowed like she was a puzzle he couldn't quite figure out when she pulled away. "Everythin' okay?" he asked.

"Absolutely," she told him firmly, before turning up the radio. "Now come on! We have a movie to catch!"

XNCISX

There was something about going to see a movie on an outdoor screen that was just quintessentially summer, even if it involved mosquitos and having to walk for a good five minutes to grab popcorn from the concession stand. The smell of bug spray and sunscreen mixed with the woodsy smell and the butter from the popcorn made for a heady combination. The sun had sunk behind the trees, and Kelly was sitting in a lawn chair in front of the Jeep, while Kate and Gibbs were sitting in the trunk, among a nest of blankets. Kate had wrapped herself in a blanket and was currently shivering, though she was at least trying to pay attention to the movie. She liked Disney movies, she was just currently distracted by the painful goosebumps she was sporting.

Gibbs shot a look her way. "Katie… you good?"

"I'm fine. A little chilly," she responded. "I was so caught up talking to Dan that I forgot to grab a sweater. So you can yell at him when I come down with hypothermia."

"I'll yell at both of ya," he retorted.

"I'd rather you didn't. Chill." She chuckled at her own weak pun, and he just rolled his eyes in the dim.

"Here," he said, passing her a sweater from the backseat. "Use this."

"Thanks."

"I'll want that back, ya know."

"You're not getting it back," she told him, her voice muffled as she pulled it over her head. It smelled like coffee, sawdust and something that was quintessentially Gibbs.

"How long have ya been sittin' there shivering?" he asked once she had the sweater pulled over her head, and he looked concerned.

"Most of the movie," she muttered.

"Katie, ya shoulda said something!" he protested, loud enough that Kelly turned around to glare at him. He gave her a sheepish smile, before turning back to Kate, who had pulled the hood up over her head. He grinned at her, before pulling the drawstrings tightly, and tying them in a knot so that her face wasn't visible. He started laughing, and all she did was sigh.

Kelly climbed into the trunk. "Can you two act like grown-ups for once?" she demanded. "I'm trying to watch the movie!"

"What are ya talkin' about, kiddo?" Gibbs asked, before gesturing to Kate. "The movie's almost over, and we're just havin' some fun."

"I knew I shouldn't have left you two alone up here unsupervised," she said darkly, and Gibbs had to hide a smile as she went back to her lawn chair.

"This has been fun," Kate said, her voice muffled, and that set him off laughing again. After a second, he realized she was laughing too. "How'd you like it if I returned the favor in kind?"

"Wouldn't be my favorite way to spend an evening," he admitted.

"Yeah yeah," she said, fumbling with the strings of the hoodie. "Are you gonna untie me or what?"

"What, do you prefer handcuffs?" he teased.

She fell silent at that, and then snorted. "Well I guess you'll never know."

"Aw Katie," he said, loosening the knot. "Ya don't mean that." She finally managed to reveal her face and he leapt away in mock surprise. "Ah! There you are, Katie," he said with a grin.

"Keep that up and I'll leave before the second movie," she threatened, and just her luck, that was when the credits started rolling.

"You can't," came a voice from the lawn chair, as Kelly stood up. "Because I want you to come with me while I get some more popcorn."

"Ya got money for that?" Gibbs asked, as Kate extricated herself from the blankets she was wrapped in, and crawled out of the trunk, looking as undignified as possible.

Kelly gave them a guilty look. "I don't have money. I'm ten," she informed him.

Kate laughed, wrapping an arm around her shoulder. "C'mon Kelly, my treat."

Kelly lit up. "Really?"

"Aw, you've done it now, Katie. She'll love ya forever… and all it took was some food."

"He likes to think that," Kelly told her as they walked away. "But the truth is that I love you anyway."

"Thanks Kelly," she told her, smiling down at her. "Good to know."

They walked in silence for a few seconds, and then Kelly spoke up. "Kate, thanks for the art gallery."

"What?" she asked, turning to her.

"I forgot to thank you. Bad manners. Blame me, not dad," she told her with a bit of a smile. "But that was awesome!"

"Tell you what, Kelly, you can return the favor by making your dad take you to the National Art Gallery in DC when you guys are home."

Kelly pulled Kate's hand into hers. "Maybe you could take me?" she suggested.

"Kelly…" Kate started, but seeing the young girl looking up at her was doing funny things to her heart, so she stayed quiet. "… I'd like that," she admitted after a minute. "I just don't know…"

"You don't know what?" Kelly asked, as the neon glow of the snack bar appeared over the hill.

"Well, Kelly, you and your dad are going back to DC."

"In September," Kelly confirmed.

"And I have the flower shop," she told her, regretting every word. "I have to run it. It's my job."

"Kate… I don't know what dad thinks, but I know what I think, and I love you. And… I want you… to come back with us to DC."

Kate stopped in her tracks and turned to her. "What?"

"I never see Dad this happy!" she told her. "He's not happy all the time, but he's usually happy with you! And I'm happy with you… and I want all of us to be happy… as a family."

"Kelly, does your dad know you're talking to me about this?"

She looked down at her shoes. "No," she admitted.

"Sweetie, come here." She pulled Kelly into a hug. "I love you too, Kelly." Her mind was already racing. Gibbs didn't know that Kelly was telling her this. But Gibbs must have had some inkling of his daughter's wishes, right? "And if it was up to me, I…"

"Isn't it up to you?" Kelly asked as she pulled away.

Kate managed to keep the smile on her face. "Kelly, I've got the flower shop. And your dad might not want me to leave my life behind."

"He'd do it for you," Kelly muttered. "If you asked. I can tell."

"Well, I can tell your father loves his job, so I couldn't ask him to give it up for me. We've known each other for what, three months?"

"What does that have to do with it?" Kelly asked, and Kate could see that she wasn't going to budge. "When Dad was telling me about Mom he said that you don't need to know someone a long time to love them."

She stopped, because such a statement was so unlike Gibbs. "He really said that?" she asked.

"Yeah."

"Oh. Right." She held open the door to the snack bar for Kelly. "Here you are."

"Thanks."

"So, what do you want?" Kate asked, as they made their way through the empty snack bar. "Popcorn… a hot dog… nachos with radioactive cheese?"

"Why is it radioactive?" Kelly asked, grinning.

"Because. I'm not even sure it's real cheese."

"I want popcorn. What are you getting?"

"Gummy worms. Probably." She blinked. "Wait, you just want popcorn? Not six types of candy?" She pressed her hand to Kelly's forehead. "Are you feeling okay?"

Kelly ducked away, laughing. "Stop! I just want popcorn."

"Fine, fine." She pulled out her wallet. "Wait, let me guess… a large popcorn."

"Extra-large," Kelly reminded her.

"How could I forget?" she joked, as they made their way to the counter.

"And it's your treat," Kelly told her.

"Can you keep a secret?" Kate asked her. Kelly nodded, and she continued. "I know the owner so I get a special discount."

"You know the owner? That's so cool!"

"Yeah, he was best friends with my grandma for the longest time," she told her, and they stepped up to the counter.

The owner, an old man who looked worried was speaking on the phone. "Yes, I saw her with her boyfriend when they came in… of course, I'll let her know immediately. You're where? Oh okay. I'll be sure to let her know. Yes. Just hang on young man. Everything is going to be okay."

"Hey Casey," Kate said, as he hung up the phone. He turned around, and while she thought he'd be happy to see her, the customer service smile he'd slapped on at her appearance slipped.

"Caitlin," he said.

"Since when do you call me Caitlin?" she asked, lightly, but frowned as he stepped around the counter. "What's wrong, Casey?"

"That was young Mr. Brennan who just called here looking for you. He said he tried your house first, but when he heard you were out, he called here."

"What's going on?" she asked, feeling herself go weak at the knees. "Is it Meredith?"

Casey nodded solemnly, and Kate found herself leaning against the counter, weak. Kelly grabbed her hand. "Kate?" she asked.

Kate swallowed hard, knowing she had to stay calm in front of Kelly. It was all coming back, the feeling of helplessness. "What happened?"

"Andrew said she collapsed," he said. "He took her to Greene County General."

"I… I have to go see her," Kate said, as it was the only coherent thought in her head.

"I'm sorry Caitlin," he told her. And it was like a punch to the stomach as she remembered the last time he'd said it; standing in front of a freshly dug grave as Meredith squeezed her hand hard enough to cut off the circulation.

"It's… It doesn't matter. We have to go. Thank you, Casey," she told him.

"Take care of yourself, Caitlin," he told her, and then slid the bag of popcorn across the counter. "Take it to go."

XNCISX

"Drew!" she called, having found him pacing nervously in a waiting room.

He looked up in relief, and she could see that he was grateful to see her. Another wave of déjà vu hit her, as she remembered other late-night phone calls and suffering and endless hospital corridors, the constant sting of disinfectant burning in her nose. "Kate," he said, and she pulled him into a hug. "Meredith told me not to call when we were in the ambulance, said that she didn't want to ruin your night, but I knew you'd want to know, and I'm sorry-,"

"How is she?" Gibbs asked, as he pulled away.

"I don't know, they won't let me see her!" Drew said, fiddling with his wedding ring. "She just… we were talking about the catering for the wedding, and she just… passed out. And I don't know if it's the baby, or… or…" He looked close to tears, and Kate pulled him back into a hug.

"It's okay, Drew. We're here. How long have you been here?"

"About two hours. I'm sorry," he told her, and she exchanged a look with Gibbs, before kissing Drew on the cheek.

"It's okay. You don't have to apologize. I'm glad you called. And I almost wish you'd called sooner."

"But-,"

"No buts."

"Drew," Gibbs said. "I'm gonna go get some coffee… I feel like we're in for a long night. Want to join?"

Drew glanced at the door, and sighed. "I guess…They're still running tests. And it won't take long?"

"Nah. C'mon. You need a distraction. Kelly, see if ya can find anythin' good on TV, huh?"

"Sure dad. C'mon Kate," Kelly grabbed her hand and tugged her over to the uncomfortable waiting room chairs.

Gibbs and Drew made their way down the hall to the cafeteria, which miracle of miracles, was still open.

"Thanks, Gibbs," Drew told him as they stood in line.

He shrugged. "Don't mention it." He looked over the younger man. "You holdin' up okay?"

Drew snorted. "My wife is in the hospital, my baby could be in danger, and you're asking me if I'm holding up okay?"

"Okay, stupid question… I know what ya must be goin' through."

"Do you?" he asked.

"Well, yeah. Shannon, my wife, she… she had a rough pregnancy too. Almost lost Kelly once or twice."

"Really?" Drew asked. "I had no idea."

"Not a fan of talkin' about my personal life," he told him, as he clapped him on the shoulder. "But Drew… they're worth it."

"I know, Gibbs, but… God… this is a nightmare," Drew said, before burying his head in his hands. "I'm sorry, I'm such a mess."

"It's okay. Meredith is gonna be fine, Drew."

"Talk is cheap," he retorted, wiping at his eyes.

"Havin' a little faith isn't a bad thing," he told him. "Just breathe. Things are gonna be okay. Mer is gonna be fine, Oggy is gonna be fine."

Once they had their coffees, Gibbs led Drew over to one of the rickety cafeteria tables. "Gibbs?" Drew asked.

"Yeah?"

"How do you do it?"

"Do what?"

"How do you… be a dad?" Drew asked. "I have no idea what I'm doing, and Oggy isn't even here yet."

"Ya got time to learn, Drew."

"But I… we didn't plan this kid, Gibbs. And we're too young, and-,"

"Shut it," Gibbs told him. "No first-time parent has any clue what they're doing. And 'sides, you're not that young. Look, Drew, do you want this kid?"

"Yes," he answered immediately. "Of course I do."

"Then the rest is detail," Gibbs told him.

"I barely even know Oggy… and yet the thought of losing them… or Mer… I can't… I couldn't handle it."

"Ya do anything for your kids," Gibbs said thoughtfully, taking a sip of his coffee. "Anythin'. An' that includes goin' on when ya think you can't. Because even if you never wanna get out of bed again, ya have someone else depending on you… someone you made."

"Is that what it was like when you lost Shannon?" Drew asked.

Gibbs nodded, wordless. "Dunno what I woulda done if I hadn't had Kelly, but… everyone has a reason to keep goin', and Kelly, my little girl… she is my reason."

"You know, Gibbs, if I end up being half the father you are, I'll consider that a lifetime achievement," Drew told him, and then sighed. "If I get to be a father."

"You will be," Gibbs told him. "And if not now, then eventually. You an' Mer are gonna have a baby, and you're gonna be good parents."

"You sound awfully sure of yourself," Drew told him.

"Call it gut instinct," Gibbs said. "And ya wanna know how to be a parent, Drew? This is how: ya take it one day at a time, and do the best ya can. Because that's all you can do." He clapped him on the shoulder. "Better go. Kate will want her coffee."

"I shouldn't have called her," Drew said, as they made their way back down the hall.

"Whaddaya mean?"

"This has gotta be bringing back bad memories for her," he said softly. "From when her grandma was ill."

"Well, Drew think of it this way. Think of how mad she'd be if you hadn't called."

Drew cringed. "True." He reached out to push open the door, but Gibbs threw a hand out to stop him, holding a finger to his lips.

There was a conversation going on between Kate and Kelly inside, and while Gibbs felt guilty for eavesdropping, it didn't stop him from doing it anyway.

"Kate?"

"Yes sweetie?"

"What is this?"

They heard Kate laugh. "Well, Kelly, remember how my brother's middle name is Hawkeye?"

"Yeah?" She sounded confused.

"Well that guy right there is who he's named after."

"Really?"

"Yep."

"How did you know what channel it was on?"

"Oh, well… my grandmother spent a lot of time in this hospital… and so I'd keep her company. I don't know if you have a special thing you watch with your dad, but my grandma and I always watched this together. It was our special thing."

"Do you still watch it?"

"Sometimes when it's late and I miss her… it's not the same without her."

"Well, I'll watch it with you, if you come back with us."

He heard Kate laugh. "Are you bribing me, Kelly?"

"… A little. I'll watch anything with you if it means coming back with us. I want you to stay with us, Kate, and maybe even forever."

"Sweetheart," Kate started.

"Please?"

Gibbs was surprised, but managed to school his features into a neutral mask as he opened the door. "One cup of lousy hospital coffee," he said, as he walked over and handed it to her. "Complete with cream and sugar."

"Thanks." She sniffed it. "Ick. This stuff smells like it was percolated in a boot."

"I thought my socks were wet," Gibbs joked as he sat down beside her. "It's a M*A*S*H kinda night, huh?"

"Old standby," Kate told him. They shared a smile over Kelly's head.

Kelly yawned, still clutching her bag of popcorn from the drive-in, though it was mostly empty at that point. Drew settled in on the nearby couch, and the four of them watched the show in comfortable silence.

"Didn't take you for a fan," he told her.

"Of course I'm a fan. My brother's middle name is Hawkeye. You could have guessed that."

"Well I do hate to be wrong," he told her.

XNCISX

They'd been sitting together in silence for a while, when the door opened. Drew shot up off his chair like he'd been shot from a cannon, his fear written all over his face, and showing in the tension in his shoulders.

The woman, dressed in scrubs, smiled at him. "Are you Mr. Brennan?"

"I am. Where's my wife? Is she okay? Can I see her, please?" he asked, frantically as he crossed the room to where she stood.

"Mr. Brennan," she told him warmly. "Your wife is fine. We're just keeping her overnight for observation. You're welcome to go and see her."

"And is the baby okay?" he asked.

"The baby is fine, your wife is fine… come with me, and you can see her."

Drew turned to them, but Kate made a shooing gesture. "Go on. Give her a kiss from us," Kate told him, before yawning.

Gibbs gave him a nod, and Drew smiled hesitantly as he followed the nurse out of the room.

Kate checked her watch. "Oh God," she said, before another yawn slipped out. "It's so late. And I told my brother not to wait up."

Kelly was blinking, looking about as sleepy as Kate felt. Gibbs stood up, and felt a sudden rush of affection for both of them. His girls. "Come on, Katie. Mer is okay, so we should all get some rest."

"Okay." She was glad to leave the waiting room behind, as they made their way out to the Jeep. Once outside the hospital though, she was surprised as she looked up. "Wow."

He looked up too, and grinned at the sight of the stars spread across the heavens above, endless constellations spilling into eternity. "Wow is right," he agreed, and then wrapped an arm around her shoulder. "It's not much, but you can stay at my place."

She blinked. "Are you sure? You can drop me off, you know."

"Nah, no point wakin' your brother, sister and Edie up so late. I promise I'll be a gentleman," he said with a grin, as he unlocked the Jeep.

"I trust you," she told him, climbing in.

He leaned across the gearshift and kissed her. "I'm glad," he said, before yawning himself.

"Sorry our date was interrupted," she told him.

"No shame in bein' there for a friend," he said, as they took off. "I… uh… heard you an' Kelly talkin."

"You did?" she asked, alarmed, turning to him.

"Yeah. Well, part of it, anyway. Not the whole discussion."

"Right," she said, before shaking her head. "That's embarrassing."

"No, it's not. I'm guessin' ya spent a lot of time at that hospital."

"Plenty." She stopped, and then continued, her voice lower. "She broke her leg in February, and between Drew and Mer, and Casey, and a few other friends, she was able to manage. I couldn't… I couldn't get home, you know? And then I came home in March to look after her."

"And ya left a life behind," he said, understanding, reaching across and taking her hand, squeezing it once before releasing it.

"It was worth it for her, but by the end of April, it was too late. Treatments weren't working, the cancer was too rare… so I was there for the end at least."

"What about your brother and sister?"

"Rachel insisted her work was too important to leave behind," Kate said. "And Dan was off in England, an entire ocean too far to be useful. So I juggled the flower shop and the hospital visits, and… well. Here I am."

"Here you are," he agreed.

"I'd never complain," she said after a few moments of silence, and he chanced a look at her, in the dark. "I had her, and that was enough for me to keep going."

"I know what ya mean," he said, though he was surprised by the similarity in her words to his conversation with Drew. "I know… exactly what ya mean."

"Having you here," she started, and then stopped. She sighed, continuing, clearly conflicted with what she was saying. "It reminded me who I was before I was Jean's granddaughter, before I was the owner of the flower shop… who I was before I moved back."

"Maybe I didn't know ya before, but it doesn't matter who you are," he said. "Not to me."

"I don't… I don't need to be rescued or anything. I don't hate my life."

"I know. I didn't come here to rescue you. Came to build a boat. You were a bonus. An unexpected but completely welcome bonus," he told her.

"Ditto."

XNCISX

She could hear the birds chirping outside the window before she was fully awake. She didn't open her eyes, content to revel in the warmth of the blankets she was wrapped in, before remembering where she was.

She opened her eyes and looked over at Gibbs, who was still fast asleep, hair sticking in all directions. He wasn't snoring at least, and looked younger in the early morning sunlight pouring through the window.

She stretched, vowing to go start making coffee – it had to have been percolating since the Revolutionary War, or Gibb refused to drink it – but as she stretched she accidentally whacked Gibbs in the gut.

He grunted in annoyance, and then his eyes opened, a very clear blue. And yet he smiled at her, despite the fact that she'd just smacked him. "Mornin' Katie."

"Good morning, Gibbs," she said, turning pink. Calling him Gibbs felt a little formal when they were lying in the same bed, but nothing… indecent had happened. They'd simply collapsed into bed upon getting back from the hospital.

"You sleep okay?" he asked, as he sat up, tossing his pillow aside. He was looking a little scruffy, and she wasn't sure when he'd last shaved, but he was all hers, and she was enjoying the view. He leaned over and kissed her lightly.

"Pew," she said, wrinkling her nose. "Your breath stinks. And yes, thanks, I slept fine."

"No nightmares?" he asked, purposefully breathing in her direction.

She walloped him with a pillow, and giggled as he pulled her into his lap. "No nightmares," she said.

"Good. Breakfast?" he asked.

"Sounds good to me."

He let go of her, dropping a final kiss on the top of her head, before disappearing downstairs, whistling. She lay there for a moment, clutching one of the pillows, still warm in her nest of blankets, before realizing that he was whistling as he made his way downstairs.

She grinned to herself, smiling into the pillow. Despite the bad memories that were slowly coming back as a result of the previous night, she almost felt okay. And while she'd never thought of herself as lonely, she'd forgotten how good it felt to wake up beside someone she loved- or at least cared about.

I could do this more often, she thought, as the smell of coffee wafted up the stairs, mixed with the sound of her boyfriend whistling in the kitchen.