The New Agent

Chapter 14

    Kaylee dropped the file onto Gibbs' desk and smiled. All finished! She turned to her desk and pulled the chair away, grabbing her purse and backpack sitting behind it. She dug her keys out of her purse, strapped on her Sig, and walked to the elevator. The doors were just opening when Tim came into the squad room. He glanced around and half whispered, "Kaylee?" He spun in a circle and saw her standing at the elevator, about to step on. Grabbing his gun and backpack, Tim ran for the elevator, calling out, "Kaylee, no! I'm supposed to drive you!" He reached the elevator just before the doors closed and jumped in. He turned to Kaylee to see her swinging her keys on her finger and looking him in the eyes. She took a step closer and whispered, "I dare you." Tim frowned and tried to grab the keys from her, but they flew above his head. He looked up at the mustang keychain, floating near the top of the elevator, then turned to Kaylee. She had one hand on her purse and the other held out like she was throwing the keys. Her mouth was open in shock and she breathed, "That's new." She pulled her hand closer to her, as if pulling water and the keys followed. She held them in front of her, studying them. Tim noticed a slight shimmer surrounding the keys, and was about to say something when she quickly pulled her hand away from under the keys, closing it into a fist. The keys dropped with a clank just as the elevator doors opened. Kaylee bent down to pick up her keys and stumbled. She placed the keys in Tim's hand and said, "If you scratch her, you're dead."

    Tim pulled into Kaylee's driveway moments before the school bus stopped at the end of the drive. Maddie came flying off, after waving goodbye to her friends and hugged her mom around the waist. She looked up and gasped, "Mommy what happened? Did someone hurt you?" Maddie glanced around her mother and gave Tim an accusatory glare. Kaylee laughed and replied, "No, I tripped and hit my head on a table. It was just an accident." Maddie nodded, then pulled on Kaylee's shirt, making Kaylee kneel down. Maddie hugged her mom, then kissed the white bandage, giving Kaylee a bright smile.

    "There, I kissed it better, like you do!" Kaylee smiled, then took her daughter's hand, walking to the house, Tim following. Once inside she helped her daughter remove her yellow converse, then shooed her off to her room.

    "Put your backpack away, then I'll make us a snack, ok?" Maddie nodded, "Ok, Mama!" Her little feet thudded footsteps down the hall, and Kaylee made her way to the kitchen. She reached for the fridge door but McGee's hand stopped her, "Sit down and relax, I'll get her snack." Kaylee returned his smile, sitting down at the table. Tim pulled out some cheese cubes from the fridge and got some crackers from a cupboard, setting them on a plate just as Maddie came flying into the room.

    "Yes cheese! Thanks Mr. Tim! You're the coolest of Mama's work friends! I think you and her should get married!" Tim and Kaylee both choked on their drinks, Tim turning a soft shade of red while Kaylee laughed.

    "I don't think so, Mads. Mr. Tim is just a work friend. He's just staying tonight to make sure I'm ok after hitting my head." Maddie looked up at them, comic disbelief on her face, "Mmmhmmm, if you say so." She finished her snack, then glanced between the two adults, before asking, "Is it ok if I go swim?" Kaylee nodded, "Sure honey. We can come with you, sit at the counter." Maddie's jaw opened slightly and she leaned over, 'whispering' very loudly, "He knows??"

    Tim chuckled lightly as Kaylee nodded, "Yes, he knows. It's ok." Maddie grinned, "Cool! Now you two can really get married! He can be my Daddy!" Kaylee felt a pang in her chest, wincing slightly, but her daughter was already gone down the stairs before she could answer.

    Tim put his hand on hers as she sighed, "She wants a Dad so badly, all her friends at school have one. I remember the first time she came home, all confused. She just walked up to me and flat out asked, 'Mommy, why don't I have a Daddy?' I didn't even know what to tell her, so I just said that her real father was a bad man. Since then she's been wanting to find a 'good daddy' that's not mean."

    "You'll find someone, a man who loves you, and her, and all your magical secrets. Someone who will take care of you both, protect you, and make sure she's always safe." Tim smiled, standing, "But we should probably get downstairs before she gets water on everything." Kaylee nodded, "Yeah, we should." She stood, placing the plates in the sink, then turned, wrapping her arms around her friend.

    "Thank you, Tim." He smiled, wrapping his arms around her, "Of course, Kaylee. Anytime." They stood for a moment, holding each other, then Kaylee pulled away, her face dusted pink, "We should get downstairs." Tim coughed, "Yeah."

    The two headed down to the basement, where Maddie was swimming around, enjoying the water. Kaylee tapped a button on the side of the stairs and a panel slid out from the platform, extending across to the bar. Tim laughed, "Where was that the other day?" Kayle shrugged, making her way across, "I couldn't reach the button." The two sat, watching Maddie and talking, until Maddie swam over, stating that she was ready for dinner. Kaylee gasped at that, "Oh shoot, I was planning to go grocery shopping today, we have like nothing in the house." Tim laughed, "It's fine, we can get take-out,

There's some great places around here. What would you guys like? There's a good Mexican place, Indian, Chinese, or Pizza." Maddie, who was already dried and standing on the platform, bounced up and down a bit, "Pizza! Please mom?" Kaylee laughed, nodding, and the two adults made their way back across the walkway to the platform. The trio went upstairs and Tim pulled out his cell phone, "What do you girls like on your pizza?"

    Kaylee gave her daughter a small wink, smirking, then turned to respond, "Anchovies, seaweed, caviar," she trailed off as Tim's face turned to one of disgust and confusion. Maddie started giggling, followed by Kaylee joining in, "She's just teasing Mr. Tim! We like pepperoni!" Tim relaxed, joining the laughter, then dialed the phone.

    "Yeah, hello? I'd like to order some pizza, do you have any specials? Ok I'll do that then, one with Pepperoni and black olives, one with sausage and bacon...thanks, I'd also like an order of breadsticks...delivery...uh, one second. Kaylee, what's your address?" She told him and he relayed the info to the pizza dude, "Alright..thank you very much." He ended the call, turning to the girls, "They said about twenty minutes." Kaylee nodded, reaching for her purse, "How much is it?" Tim shook his head, "Its ok, I'll get it."

    "Oh, ok, thank you." Maddie tapped her mom, "Can we watch a movie and eat in the living room? Like when we have sleepovers? Since Mr. Tim is having a sleepover?" Kaylee laughed, "Sure, Minnow. What do you wanna watch?"