Sorry about yet another delay. RL kept on interfering, among other things.

Chapter 17

Sarah sat on her bed, knees drawn up to her chest and her arms wrapped around them, watching Rose pack her few personal belongings into a box. She'd been told that her fathers would arrive at 12 o'clock and Rose had just said that it was now just a few minutes past 11. In less than an hour her new fathers would come and then she'd be taken home.

Sarah was both excited and nervous, even a little scared. To her, getting a new family had happened so fast and she feared that Tony and Gibbs wasn't going to show up, that they weren't going to take her home after all. She had talked to Archie about it, even though it took a lot of persuasion from the old gardeners side to get her to tell him about her worries, and he had just simply told her to get those foolish thoughts out of her head since it had been cleared to all that her fathers had been determined to adopt her no matter what, which meant that they would come. Sarah had been calmed by Archie's words but a small sliver of doubt still lingered and it wasn't going to disappear until her fathers arrived.

"Are you eager to go home, Sarah?" Rose asked then and smiled at the girl, who shyly smiled back and nodded.

"Yeah."

"I bet your new fathers are just as eager to take you home", Rose continued. "I think they're hurrying as much as they can so they'll be here in time. You'll see."

Sarah nodded and glanced up at the big clock that hung over the door. "What time is it now?"

"Five minutes past 11", Rose said and had to suppress a smile when she saw the frown on Sarah's face. "Is the time going too slow?"

Sarah nodded and glared at the clock as if she tried to will the time to go faster.

"Tell you what", Rose said then, "why don't you go and look for Archie while I finish packing? I think he'd like to see you one last time before you go."

"He would."

Sarah looked up at the sound of Archie's voice and smiled when she saw the old gardener standing in the doorway.

"I guess that you won't mind if I take Sarah down to my cabin for a while, then?" Archie asked Rose, who smiled and shook her head.

"Not at all", she said. "I'll come and get her when her fathers are here."

Archie grunted in reply and waited for Sarah to join him before he turned around and walked off down the hall with Sarah trotting beside him.

Archie felt sad about having to part with the girl that he'd come to care so much about, but he was still very happy for her. She deserved to come to a loving home and from what he could tell from his brief meetings with her father, that was exactly what she would get.

They walked in silence until they reached Archie's cabin at the far end of the grounds. Sarah had only been there a few times but she liked it there. The cabin only consisted of a bedroom, a small bathroom and a larger room that worked as both a kitchen, a living room and dining area. Paintings of Scotland hung on the walls together with deer antlers and on the mantle above the fireplace stood a few keepsakes that Sarah knew Archie held very dear.

"I have something for you, lass", Archie said, which turned Sarah's attention back to him, and moved over to a cupboard that was standing in a corner. He reached up to the top and took down a long, thin item wrapped in a piece of cloth which he brought over to the girl.

"What is it?" Sarah asked curiously.

"Open it."

Sarah accepted the gift and removed the cloth to reveal a simple flute, the same flute she'd heard Archie play on so many times when she'd spent time with him after his work day was over.

"I want you to have this, lass", Archie said when Sarah looked up at him. "As something to remember me by."

Sarah mumbled a thank you and looked down at the flute. Suddenly it hit her that she was actually leaving and that she'd probably never see Archie again. She felt her chest tighten and before she knew it, Archie had picked her up and held her close. She wrapped her arms tightly around his neck and buried her face against his shoulder as she felt her tears starting to roll down her cheeks.

"There, there, lass", Archie mumbled and sat down on a chair with Sarah on his lap. "You'll see me again."

"I will?" Sarah asked and lifted her head from Archie's shoulder.

"Of course you will."

"Do you promise?"

"I promise."

Archie dried the tears off Sarah's face and then proceeded with teaching Sarah how to play a simple tune on the flute. They were both so occupied by it that they didn't notice how the time flew by and they both jumped a little when a light knock on the door suddenly interrupted them and Rose stepped in side.

"Sarah, your fathers are here", she said and gave Archie a small smile. "It's time to go."

"Are they outside?" Sarah asked and slid off Archie's lap.

"I asked them to wait by the car, but you better hurry. They're really eager to take you home."

"Do you want me to come with you, lass?" Archie asked and got a little nod from Sarah. "Let's go, then. We can't keep your fathers waiting."

XxX

"Here she comes, Tony."

Tony turned around and smiled when he saw his daughter walking towards him and Gibbs together with Rose and the gardener, Archie he remember his name was. She was holding the Archie's hand and Tony noticed that she had a somewhat sad expression on her face and that her eyes where kept on the ground. Tony wondered why until he saw a grim expression on the old man's face and realized that Sarah was sad because she was leaving Archie. He knew that they were close and made a silent promise that he'd make sure that Sarah would see Archie again.

Suddenly Sarah raised her head and a smile appeared on her face when she spotted her new fathers. She looked up at the old man who said something to her that Tony couldn't catch and then she let go of his hand and started to run. Tony took a few steps forward and crouched down just when Sarah reached him and had to brace himself for the impact when she flung herself around his neck.

"Daddy!"

Taken by surprise by Sarah's exclamation, Tony stood up and wrapped his arms tightly around Sarah's body. He hadn't expected that at all, but hearing that single word and knowing that it was meant for him made something click inside of Tony, as if a missing piece of him that he didn't know he'd lost now had been put back in place.

"Hi, Sarah", Gibbs said softly and stepped up to Tony and the girl. "Are you ready to go home?"

Sarah lifted her head from Tony's shoulder and nodded, but suddenly she turned serious and looked over her shoulder at Archie, who was standing a few feet away to give the family some privacy. Gibbs sensed what Sarah wanted and gently touched her shoulder to get her attention.

"Do you want to say good-bye?" he asked and got an affirmative nod.

Tony put Sarah back on the ground and watched her run back to Archie, who knelt to the ground to give the girl a hug. They spoke silently for a moment and then Archie followed Sarah back to Tony and Gibbs.

"You two better take good care of the lass", he said and looked Gibbs straight in the eyes.

"We will", Gibbs vowed and took Archie's offered hand in a firm grip. "I promise."

"Here", Tony said and handed Archie a folded piece of paper. "I have written our phone number and address on there. I think Sarah would be happy if you'd give her call sometimes, an maybe even visit."

Archie took the note and gave Tony a short nod. He said a final good-bye to Sarah and then stepped back so that Rose could do the same, and then it was time for the family to leave. He watched Sarah being put in the child's seat in the back of the car and a few moments later it drove away. Archie waved until he couldn't see it anymore and felt unshed tears burn behind his eyes. He swallowed hard and looked down when he felt a hand on his arm to see Rose standing beside him, smiling at him.

"Tell you what, Rose", he mumbled and gave her a sad smile in return. "I am going to miss that girl."

"Me too, Archie", she said. "Me too."

TBC

There are still a chapter or two left of this story, but I've started a request/ideas thread for future stories in this 'verse in my LJ. A link to the thread can be found in my profile.