I DO NOT OWN NCIS OR ANY OF ITS CHARACTERS!

THERE WAS ALWAYS LOVE

Chapter Three

Kate and Gibbs walked down the stairs together and headed into the living room. Together they managed to pack up all the books and knick-knacks in a short time. Most of the books they decided to take home and a few of the pieces of décor Kate found too precious to give away.

The kitchen was next on his list. He was surprised to find little in the cupboards and drawers, until Kate confessed that she'd been busy while he was upstairs.

All too soon the house was packed up and the boxes moved outside to be picked up by the Goodwill truck or put on the lawn for the garbage men. One box went into the car with the items that would continue to bring back the memories of the man Leroy Jethro Gibbs had called Dad, or in his more ornery years, Jack.

As they drove along the road toward home Gibbs prayed silently that his father meant it when he said he was the best person he'd known. Smirking he shook his head and not for the first time thought his dad had got it wrong, because Jackson Gibbs was the best man.