Protecting Gibbs

chapter 27

After Charity and Tony had gone to bed, Gibbs went to the basement and started working on his boat. As he worked on his boat, he let his mind wander and travel back in time.

flashback...

After everything that had happened, Gibbs was finally able to bring his baby girl home. He sat on the couch , Charity sitting in his lap. She looked up at him, so much sadness and youthfull innocence in her eyes. "Daddy, why did God call Mommy and Sissy to Heaven?"

Gibbs looked into those big blue eyes of hers. They looked so sad. "God decided he needed two more angels in Heaven." He answered.

"But we needed two angels here." She said.

"It may seem that way, but they are still here with us." He told her.

"Where?" She asked.

"Right here." Gibbs said pointing to her heart. "Because we loved them so much, they will always be in our hearts."

"Do you think God made them our guardian angels?" Charity asked, her sweet little voice, sounding so pure, sad, and hopeful all at the same time.

"I'm sure he did. I bet they are watching over us right now." Gibbs told his daughter. "You know what else?"

"What?" She asked.

"I bet they are trying to tell us just how much they love us and that they want us to be happy." He told his little girl.

"Daddy, will you promise me something?" She asked.

"Anything baby girl." He answered, wanting so much to put a smile on her face.

"Promise me you won't become an angel for a long long time. Promise me you'll stay with me always." She said.

"I promise I will do what I can to make sure I stay with you. I won't leave you, baby girl." He told her, doing his best to keep the tears from his eyes.

"I love you, Daddy." She said with a yawn.

"I love you, too, baby girl." He told his daughter, hugging her tighter. He stretched out on the couch, still holding his baby girl. She yawned and snuggled closer to her father. She soon fell asleep wrapped in her daddy's embrace. After a short while he joined her in dreamland.

Present day...

It was two in the morning and Charity walked down the basement steps, where she found her father hard at work on his boat. "Daddy, it's two in the morning. What are you doing still awake?"

"I could ask you the same thing." Gibbs retorted.

Charity walked towards her father. "Your grandson keeps kicking me in the kidneys." She answered. "That makes it a little hard to sleep. Now, what about you?"

Gibbs smiled at his daughter. "I was just thinking."

"Would you care to tell me about what?" She asked.

"Just memories." He answered. Gibbs put his tools down and put and arm around Charity. He pulled her close and held her for an immeasureable moment.

Charity looked up at him. She knew what he was thinking even without him saying so. "I'm always going to be your baby girl." She said.

Gibbs kissed the top of her head. "I know. I love you baby girl."

"I love you, too, Daddy." She said, kissing him on the cheek.

"You had better get some rest." He told her.

"Okay, good night Daddy. I love you." She said.

"Good night Baby girl. I love you, too."

He watched her walk up the stairs and couldn't help, but picture that little six-year-old girl carrying her teddy bear and begging him to read her a bedtime story.