Illusionist

Disclaimer: NCISLA characters belong to Shane Brennan. All original characters and this story are mine.

Chapter 15

"Scars have the strange power to remind us that our past is real." ― Cormac McCarthy

Lincoln

Alyssa's cell beeped indicating a text had come through. Gavin finally managed to persuade her to go back to sleep, after the stress of the day. He picked up her cell and saw that it was a message from Sam.

"Threat has surrendered. FBI have taken him into custody. Clear to come home."

"Thanks, Sam. For all you've done for my family. We'll head home once Aly and the kids have woken from their sleep. Gav." He smiled at what he had written to his partner. Life was finally returning to normal. He'd waited so long for this moment. He wanted to shout a whoop out into the town for all to hear, if only that was possible. A huge grin spread over his face. Honey, I'm home. He laid beside his wife of almost five years and watched her sleep. He could hardly believe the time had come. He wanted to laugh, but was under strict orders not to. This was going to be a challenge of a different kind. He was truly happy, the happiest he'd been, ever. He fell back to sleep, dreaming of sunny summer days lazing in the meadow by the river, on a picnic rug with Aly and their kids. Mama, I've done it. I've kept the family safe. But I couldn't do it on my own though, mama. My team helped me. You'd like Sam, Kensi, Deeks, Nell and Eric. Hetty's done everything she promised too. We've not let you down. She runs a tight ship. Everything she's done, was to help me, even when I didn't realise it. The people she brought into our team, was to make sure I wasn't alone. She's done it all for you. Jethro came with the Director and they all helped keep us safe. Even Granger turned out nice. I can go home for good now. I miss you. Gavin placed his hands on his wife's swelling belly, as he moved in closer to her and wrapped his body around hers from behind. She smelt so good. He always associated the smell of vanilla with her. It gave him peace even when he wasn't home, he had a bottle of her perfume at his Los Angeles' house to remind him of her.

Black Mountain Ranch

Michelle led the single file of riders back down from the cabin. The hour trek made her knees ache but it had been a necessity. She smiled as the older children urged their horses into a gallop on the remaining distance through the meadow.

"Your kids did good on the horses." Amanda came up beside the former CIA agent, impressed by the Hanna children's enthusiasm for horse riding.

"Yes they did, she replied proudly. "They've had some lessons." Michelle waved as she saw Sam's large figure heading towards them. "Hey you." Michelle climbed down from the chestnut horse she had ridden. She jumped into his arms and breathed him in, relieved he was okay.

Sam wrapped his arms around his wife, thankful the situation had been contained to a minimal fuss, although he knew the damage on his young colleague was going to last for a lifetime. He thought over his own parents and wondered how he would react if he found out one of them was a spy for another country. He breathed her in and shook the thought from his mind, as he enjoyed the moment with his family. Their kids joined them and wrapped their arms around them, pleased to be reunited. "Hey!" He pulled away and smiled at his family. "How was the horse riding?" He laughed as he saw his daughter's face brighten.

"It was awesome, Daddy." Kamran admitted. "Mr Read and Mr Stevenson found coyote tracks too."

Sam raised his brows surprised over her story. "Wow, even I haven't seen them before. That is cool."

Michelle laughed, pleased to have the threat behind them. "Now can we enjoy our time together here?" She looked to her husband who hadn't stopped working since news had come through about Barnaby Jones. She shook the thoughts away, glad she hadn't had dealings with the man herself. If she had, her alias, Quinn, would have been burned years ago and she wouldn't be here alive today.

"Great idea," Sam agreed, leading the chestnut back to the stable. "But you do know that it still means I'll be working." He saw her brow furrow in annoyance. "On the ranch that is."

Her smile returned, as she smacked him lightly on his derrière.

Nathan thanked the agents for their efforts in keeping them all safe. The details had been kept from him, but from what he saw, Nell had played a huge part in it all. She may be considered young by her colleagues, but he knew she had the guts and brains to be successful in her chosen career. He saw a lot of Clara in her and he smiled, sitting down on the porch beside her. "I hear you're eager to get free on one of our beauties?" He spoke of her love for horses which he had witnessed earlier in the day. "I'm sure there's still a horse that's not tired out from the trip up into the mountain, that would love a run."

"Thank you."

He observed her quietness as she remained with her knees up to her chest and her arms wrapped around them. Nathan knew she had something on her mind, but of course he had no idea what it was. His thoughts over the matter were disrupted when Alyssa honked her horn, pulling up by the house. Smiles spread across their faces as their family were safely re-united.

Gavin watched Nell's behaviour from the inside of the vehicle. He knew about her uncle, but he wondered what was on her mind and keeping her there in that position. He climbed out holding Maddy, as the boys ran past them towards their tree house. Apparently sick of being indoors for now. He handed Maddy over to Alyssa before he climbed the steps and replaced his father in the other chair. The blackboard remained leaning up beside the house with the chalk on the deck. He picked it up and drew a picture. It was of a sad face and question mark. Nell curled up even more as she shifted in her chair. She continued to avoid his piercing blue eyes, but knew she couldn't hold out for too long. He was a patience and kind man. She wiped the tear that escaped with the handkerchief Hetty had given her earlier. She sniffed before facing him.

"He lied to me," Nell began, her voice quivering. "All of my life, he pretended to be someone else, right up until he sat in that chair and denied he was here to kill your dad."

Gavin furrowed his brow in confusion. He rubbed the picture from the blackboard and scribbled something down. "Who are you talking about?" He knew about her uncle, but he had been arrested back in Los Angeles.

Nell realised at that moment that Callen had no idea that the last threat had been her dad. "My dad." Her words hung in the air, as a shock expression replaced the concerned one he'd had just a moment earlier.

He rubbed out his last words and wrote some more. "Your dad was working with his brother?" He had never met or seen pictures of Nell's family, but he knew she had been close to them.

"The two remaining names my uncle gave us were their real identities. Apparently he thought he could distract us with finding people who hadn't existed for over forty years, while my dad came here to kill your dad." Her voice continued to quaver from the emotion. She turned and looked him straight in the eyes. "He denied it to me right to the end, who he was and why he was here. They're both Russian spies living a lie in this country, fooling everyone around them including their family. Mom has no idea of any of this," she paused as she tried to muster courage to continue. "How am I going to tell her and Harry?" She stood up ready to bolt like a free spirited mare.

Gavin stood beside her and pulled her in for a hug. He held her tight, hoping he could pass on his own strength to her. It broke him to see her like this. He loved to see her face shine brightly when she was happy, or her determined look when she challenge him—when they discussed variables of a plan for an operation. But he hated to see her like this. Not their Nell, his little sister, as he had so fondly called her one evening while helping her with her agent skills.

Nell hung on just as tight to her team leader and friend. He had shown her nothing but kindness since her arrival on the team. She had heard how sure of himself he was when it came to the job, and his experience in the field supported him well. Even when she challenged him, he listened and defended his thoughts respectfully. But after discovering her father was involved as well as her uncle, she was sure he would look at her differently. Which is why she stood crying on his blue plaid shirt. He was killing her softly with his kindness.

Gavin slowly pulled back and picked up the board. His frustration over not being able to talk was evident in the way he scribbled with the chalk. He turned the board around and made her read every bit of what he'd written.

"Everything we endure in our lives makes us who we are. The love and the betrayal of those we encounter, whether they are loved ones or people passing by in our lives. What we do with these experiences eventually defines us as human beings. The love builds us up. The scars are the evidence that we have endured tough times and survived. They also prove that the life we have lived is real."

Tears streamed down her face freely from his words. She had picked up from the beginning that he was as intelligent as she was, but he hid it well. His life experiences had been tough but he had survived. It was his way of telling her that she would too.

"Thank you." Her voice was barely above a whisper. Gavin let her leave, watching her every step as she joined Kensi and Deeks at the stables to saddle up a horse for her. He was pleased she had chosen Jasper and he waved from the porch as she kicked the horse's sides to run like the wind.

"She tell you then?" Gavin turned and saw Gibbs standing beside him on the porch. Alyssa had headed off with Amanda and Suzanne to celebrate the safe return to family life.

Gavin nodded. Pain for Nell still visible in his eyes.

"She did good." Gibbs went on to divulge the details of what went down. "She wanted to do it her way, and although she said she couldn't do it, she did do it and she did it well. William Jones was taken by FBI agents an hour ago, thinking we'd persuaded his daughter to stop him from his plan. He still has no idea he was found out because of his daughter." Gibbs saw the puzzled expression on Gavin's face. "Bishop had discovered the list form Barnaby's wine import company that was really a facade on sending out government secrets to fellow Russians spies. Everyone on that list has now been arrested, except for Nell and her brother, who only ever received wine for their birthdays and Christmas from their uncle. Her father was the last of them, Gav. She saw it through to the end for you. You've earned an extremely loyal team there." Gibbs was proud of the man Gavin had become as an agent, husband and father. "Remember my advice, Gav. Your kids won't be little for long. You've got your chance now to resign and have the life you were meant to have."

Gavin nodded. He wrote again on the board. His hand was aching from all the writing he was doing. He couldn't wait till next week to get the all clear from the doctor. He hoped his nerve had healed so he could talk. It was killing him. "She's one brave girl. It's going to be hard on her for a long time to come." He understood her pain. "But she will survive."

"That she will." They both watched Nell ride through the fields and down to the river. It was the perfect place for her to head after the day she'd had.

The sun sunk behind the mountain at the rear of the property, bringing an eerie glow over the houses. The horses and cattle had been tended to, now it was time for the family and their new found friends to feast on a job well done. Nell joined them and she remained between Kensi and Deeks for added comfort.

Vance sat with his kids, proud of how they did that day. They had gone off on horseback without a fuss. He turned to his son, amazed he could ride. "When did you learn to ride?"

Jared smiled over to Tyler and Wyatt, who had taught him, and had become good friends with.

Leon picked up that Amanda and Geoff's boys had worked with Jared, and thanked them. He looked around the table which was stretching at the seams. The younger children had been placed at another table under the wisteria with so many guests on the ranch. He felt the bitterness of Jackie's death was beginning to numb, and for the first time in eighteen months, he felt hope for a positive future for the three of them.

Hetty reached over her plate for some more fish the boys had caught in the river, earlier that day. Her sleeves pulled up, revealing her Romani wheel tattoo. Gavin froze as he saw it out of the corner of his eye. Dread overcame him for fear that all was not safe. But he couldn't understand why she, after all she had done to keep him safe, would ever betray him and his family? He instantly lost his appetite, but remained firmly in his seat. Alyssa looked over at him worried, and soon Sam and Michelle picked up on the changed ambience around Gavin. They knew something was up. They looked around them, to see danger lurking around, but night had fallen, diminishing their view to only the houses where the lights were on.

When Nell saw the expressions on Alyssa, Sam and Michelle's faces, she quickly turned her attention to Callen. His jaw tensed and his hands fisted together. She creased her brow as she followed his look to Hetty. She saw the edges of what she knew to be a Romani wheel tattoo, she accidentally discovered when she was given permission by Vance to look into her file a few years ago. Nell knew Callen had seen it and that it worried him. Anyone with that particular tattoo would bring out this kind of reaction from him, after a man with one had given him a tin soldier just before his mother was killed. To him it meant danger. She stood and walked around the table and whispered into his ear. "You need to talk to her. Sitting here in fear saying nothing isn't going to sort this out."

Gavin looked up to Nell with a quizzical expression on his face. He looked over to Hetty who appeared to be oblivious to it all. He stood up from his chair and walked back to the house in search for his weapon. The false sense of security he felt earlier had disappeared. Nell watched on in frustration over Gavin walking off. She bit onto her lower lip wondering what to do. Leon saw her look and caught her attention. She stood behind those who sat alongside Hetty, she felt safe to indicate the tattoo on her arm and point to Hetty. He nodded when he realised what was going on. He nodded to her before she walked over to their Operations Managers. "Hetty, may I have a word please?" She stood back to allow Hetty room to get clear of the table.

"What is it, Miss Jones?" Hetty looked expectantly at the young woman.

"It's," she nibbled on her lower lip, "Cal..Gavin has seen your um.." Nell pointed to her arm. "I think you need to talk to him."

Hetty nodded, surprise was evident in her eyes at the young woman's knowledge of her Romani wheel tattoo. She headed off in the same direction as her team leader, knowing she had quite a bit of explaining to do. Sam, Michelle and Alyssa watched the interactions between Nell and Gavin and then with Hetty. They were curious but also concerned over what was going on.

"Leave them be," Nell told them as she returned to her seat, although worry for both Callen and Hetty remained at the forefront of her mind.

Hetty knocked on the fly screen door before stepping inside. It was the first time since she'd arrived on the ranch that she'd seen inside their house. So very different to the one she had bought on his behalf. It was filled with furniture, children's toys, family photos, books and a television. She understood now why he hadn't bothered to fill his Los Angeles home with much. It wasn't his home.

Gavin placed his SIG into the rear of his jeans and headed back down the stairs. He halted in his step when he saw the duchess of deception looking around the living room.

"I always wondered why you never made your house a home. Now I understand. You already had a home in Montana with your family." She breathed out heavily, knowing Gavin had seen her tattoo. She was surprised Nell knew about it, but she should have known it would come out eventually. She had tried hard to ensure it was well hidden, especially after hearing Callen's words on his hatred for the symbol. "Miss Jones tells me you've seen something that frightens you." Her eyes softened from the love she held dearly for him. "Do I frighten you, my dear boy?"

Gavin remained at the bottom of the stairs as if he was glued to the spot. His body remained tense, every muscle under his shirt rippled from it. His breathing became heavier, how was he supposed to answer her? He had no voice after all.

Hetty stepped closer, in hope for him to at least listen to her. "I know there is a lot about my past I haven't told you. Much of it I couldn't tell you even if I wanted to. The past is the past. However, there are some parts of the past that follow us whether we want it to or not. Like your mother's death and your need to protect your family from such a tender age. Ghosts creep out from the closet from time to time to haunt us, and sometimes the things we've done in the past come back to bite us. I am no Mother Teresa, Gavin. As you know I have enough bodies to fill my own cemetery. But one thing I assure you, is that I am never a threat to you or your family."

Callen's eyes widened at her admission. His trust issues resurfaced once more.

Hetty pushed her sleeve up her arm and revealed to him the markings of the Romani wheel. "This was given to me when I turned sixteen by the man who raised me. A family who my mother knew in a concentration camp during world war two. My father died before I was born, my mother, two days after. The Pavlenco family took me in and raised me as their daughter. I had no one other than them. I was an orphan at 2 days of age. I knew nothing of what kind of people they really were until after I had been inked with their family symbol. It was after I had met Alexa Comsecu's father, a relative of my so called father, when I realised who they were. I ran away, changed my name and made my way to America," she stepped closer. "I am Romani like your mother, my dear boy. I became good friends with her because we had our home country in common. Clara was the only one who knew my secret. Who I was at birth, who I was raised as, and who I chose to be."

Gavin stared his cerulean orbs into her paler blue ones.

"Every day since I knew I had failed your mother, I have done everything possible to make amends with my maker. To ensure that you and your sister were safe." Hetty's eyes glistened. "All this time I thought I had failed," her voice cracked with emotion, "only to find that I hadn't, was the best day of my life. To know that you remembered who you really were, who your family were and that you have kept them safe here, was all I have ever wished for you and your sister. And then you've surprised me even further, to find you have found your own piece of normal life with a beautiful wife and children. Why would I ever want to take any of that happiness away from you?"

Tears spilled down Gavin's cheeks. He looked lost like the small boy she had seen in the orphanage many years before. Bravely and lovingly, she took the remaining steps towards the man she had looked on as a son.

Gavin bent over and hugged her. He cried along side the woman who had proved her worth. He only wished he had the voice to tell her.

Sam bolted towards the house, worried for his partner. On hearing Hetty, he chose to remain outside the door. He was taken aback to hear Hetty's words. He now understood what had happened at the table. Relief washed over him when Gavin hugged their small Operations Manager. All was forgiven. He stepped away to give them the privacy they deserved. He saw Alyssa's worry and smiled. "All is good." Alyssa relaxed after that. She was still puzzled over what had started this in the first place.

Maddy's birthday

Two weeks passed since that stressful day. Everyone was walking around with a smile on their faces. The Los Angeles team had stayed on for Maddy's birthday, whilst Vance and his children left a week earlier. Gibbs smiled over to his friend, glad to see he'd settled into family life easily. The news had come good over his compressed nerve and slowly his voice returned. It had taken a few days longer than the doctor had hoped, but Gavin was given permission to try to talk after his follow up MRI. Each morning he'd try to speak alone in the bathroom, embarrassed to do it in front of anyone else. A loud whoop came out of the bathroom when his voice had returned. That was three days ago, and the whole ranch was in celebration mode after all that had happened. They had been through a lot together and now a shrieking one year old blonde haired, blue eyed girl, took her daddy over to the swing.

"Push dada?" How could anyone resist the beautiful birthday girl.

Leroy Jethro Gibbs chuckled watching Gavin give in to her. He'd heard him the day before singing the same song he'd sung to Kelly when she was little.

"Hush, little baby, don't say a word, Daddy's gonna buy you a mockingbird."

Gavin had come out of the turbulence of his life, smiling. Gibbs nodded to him with a broad smile plastered on his face.

"It still amazes me how much he's taken to fatherhood." Nathan came up beside him, watching the pair at the swings. "I worried over him for so long that he'd miss out on all of this," Nathan waved over to his granddaughter as she squealed with delight. "Who would have thought it by looking at him now?"

"Didn't we all," Gibbs agreed. "Perhaps he's got more Read in him than you thought. I know he's got that protector gene from the Callens, but to look at him now, one would think he'd never seen the horrors he's seen in his lifetime."

Nathan nodded his head and smiled. "Let's hope that's behind him now." He'd seen how close his son was with his team and he wondered whether Gavin would change his mind over settling at home. But Gain assured him that he had written his letter of resignation and personally handed it to Vance before he left a week earlier.

Ethan and Cooper ran outside at fast speed, they were being chased by Kensi and Deeks. Toy pistols fired in both directions, the boys were having the time of their lives. The four year old twins had sherif badges pinned to their plaid shirts as they ran for cover.

"Jesse James and his girlfriend have returned. Hide everyone," Cooper shouted. Giggles could be heard from behind the tree where their tree house was built.

Deeks signalled to Kensi as they quietly moved around the tree and shouted. "Bang! Bang!" Squeals from the boys rose from behind the tree as Kensi and Deeks tickled the boys.

Gavin looked on with joy, pleased his team had mixed in well with his family. I should have done this a long time ago, he thought. But the past was just that, as Hetty had pointed out to him two weeks earlier. It had been the final moment between them that had brought all the walls they had set up around their hearts, tumbling down. The air had been cleared and he finally relaxed. He was finally safe amongst his family and team. They had become his family over the seven years, since Hetty persuaded him to move across to her team. It was the best move he'd ever made. He continued to push his daughter on the swing and it felt the most natural thing in the world. To be here on the family ranch playing house with his beautiful wife and children.

"St-op dada!" Gavin grabbed Maddy and slowly brought her down from the swing. He cuddled her and had to laugh when she squirmed in his arms. He let her down and watched her run after her brothers. He shook his head in wonder as her wobbly legs managed the distance, without any tumbles.

"Family life suits you, G." Sam joined him by the playground. Kamran had seen the excitement and wanted to join the boys in their play with Kensi and Deeks. "I think we've solved Kensi's problem of being afraid of kids too." He chuckled over their junior members of the team's ability to capture the children's attention and entertain them for the past two weeks.

"I'm going to miss us," Gavin finally admitted. "It's been the second best part of my life working with you." He looked over to his best friend. "Brother." His smirk emerged on his face.

Sam chuckled at his now former partner. "About time, bro." He clapped him on his back. "And I'll allow you to say second, only because nothing can compare with this." He widened his arms at his life on the ranch. "I hope you realise what you've done by bringing us here." He saw the quizzical expression appear on Gavin's face. "You'll have us coming back every chance we get."

Gavin laughed. "You better." He looked over to Nell who was coming their way. "Are you ready for your new partner?"

Sam looked over in her direction. "After her performances with her uncle and father, definitely. She's got a lot of potential of running the office one day."

Gavin smiled over to her. "That she does."

Nell appeared after her early morning ride. The exercise had cleared her head from the nightless sleep she'd had again. After a week of her time with her mom and brother back in Cincinnati, her thoughts returned of her father. Out here she could forget him, although it was the last place she had seen him. She felt at peace on the Montana ranch. Eric and Nate were arriving today after clearing up the case from Los Angeles. She was nervous on how Eric would be around her after his reaction over her uncle. But she was glad he was coming with Nate. She needed to speak with Nate, with all the emotions that were running through her at the moment. She sipped from a flowered cup Suzanne had greeted her with after she left the stable. Tea brewed the way Hetty preferred, she noted. No paper taste which they had all become accustomed to since working at the Office of Special Projects.

The ranch became a multitude of rainbow colours from all the balloons Alyssa, Amanda and Hetty busied themselves in blowing up with helium gas. They'd tied matching coloured ribbons to them and mixed the colours up in their bunches. They were all anchored down by water weights wrapped in cellophane and placed on the tables and around the garden. It was a sight that everyone there would never forget.

Sam drove off to the airport to collect Eric and Nate from their chartered flight from Los Angeles. They'd timed it perfectly for Maddy's party. They were staying for the rest of the week before the team were due back in the office. Nate was spending time with them to see them through the transition of no Callen. After witnessing how stressed Eric was without Nell, Nate had placed a request for a replacement Analyst who was starting the following week. They would be back to a full force of four agents and two in Ops as their eyes and ears. Owen Granger was given the all clear by Alyssa and was he was returning to D.C. before his next trip to the L.A. office. He wanted to give them time to settle before treading on their toes. However, after their time bonding on the ranch, they had all settled around him and treated him as part of the family. There were no longer barriers up around any of them. The whole experience of pulling together for one of their own had made them stronger and closer.

Four months later

Snow settled around the ranch, winter had arrived with their second snowstorm a week earlier. The Hereford and Angus cattle stood in the lower fields, shelter for the hay was situated at the nearest end to the stables to provide them food during the winter. The calves had grown and weaned ready for the harsh winter months ahead. The next season of calves were drawing close for their arrival, with the first due the following month.

The winter had been a shock for Gavin, in all his coming and goings over the years, this was his first winter working on the ranch. He was busy checking on the cattle to ensure they were all dealing well with the latest snow fall. Huddled together near the shed that housed their food, they managed well so far. The air had a bite to it, causing Gavin to cough every now and then. He'd woken up before the sun to he make his rounds around the fields before breakfast. The thought of the home cooked meals he'd become accustomed to since his return home, warmed him enough to keep him working. Jasper had proven to be a worthy horse, keeping up with him over the months into the freezing cold each morning. He'd made sure he had a special treat of apples and a warm blanket for his stallion after their return to the stables. It was nine days to Christmas, the excitement from their boys had spread to Maddy, who was growing constantly in height and development. He'd been teaching their children Romani seeing it was part of their heritage. Pictures of the country, the people, culture and a map were blue-tacked onto the cupboard door in the family room. His children grasped the language easily and they loved learning something new every day.

Gavin had almost completed his task of tending to the cattle, when he saw his father rush over in the Ford Pick up truck. "You've got to come now." Excitement was evident in his voice. "Aly's gone into labour."

Gavin jumped up onto Jasper's back and urged him into a gallop back to the stable. He passed his horse over to an employee, who took over the duty of brushing him down, unsaddling him and feeding him. Gavin ran over to their 4wd, where Amanda sat in the rear with Alyssa. His eyes widened when he saw the desperation in his wife's blue eyes.

"Hurry, Gav," Amanda told him. He watched Alyssa breathe through another round of contractions. He nodded and started the car. He looked over at Suzanne, she watched from the front door with their three children, who waved out to them. He waved back and pressed gently on the accelerator. Fortunately the driveway had been kept clear of the build up of snow from daily use of their own snow-plough, an essential piece of machinery for their part of the country. But he still needed to drive carefully. Black ice could catch them out at any stretch of road between their ranch and St Peter's hospital.

Their usual twenty minute drive became forty, which felt like hours for Alyssa as the contractions became closer. She continued to breathe through the contractions much to her own credit. Gavin found it hard to concentrate with the excitement and nerves of the impending birth of their second set of twins. But he managed to get them safely outside the maternity entrance without any drama. A midwife greeted them with a wheelchair and Amanda took over the vehicle to park it. Gavin went in with Alyssa, carrying her bag of things for herself and the twins. They'd agreed to keep the sex of the babies a surprise, however, they knew that this time they weren't identical like Ethan and Cooper.

Gavin remained by Alyssa's side as they led her straight into a birthing suite. The doctor came in and smiled reassuringly over to Alyssa. The midwives busied themselves, helping Alyssa at every turn. "Looks like you've got here just in time." Dr Keith Walters nodded to Helen, the midwife. Two heart monitors were strapped to Alyssa's belly, which had bulged further out, than it had with the boys or with Maddy. She was four weeks early, but that wasn't a surprise with twins. And she still looked beautiful, even with her face scrunched up, as the need to push over came her. She panted and readied herself, as the doctor and midwife held her legs.

"On the next contraction you can push." Gavin sat behind her on the bed, supporting her back and shoulders.

Amanda looked up with a smile when her father joined her. He held a takeaway cup of coffee in his hand for her. "Thought you might need this."

"Thanks, Dad." She held the warm cup in her hands and inhaled the aroma. "They took her straight into a birthing suite. The contractions were really close when we got here. I don't think we'll be waiting long."

Nathan grinned over to his daughter. His family was expanding all the time. "This family keeps expanding. Brad's proposing to his girlfriend on Christmas Eve. And Daniel's not far behind him."

Amanda's face brightened with the news. "That's awesome news. It's about time those brothers of mine made the big step." She hugged her father. "Time to build another two houses on the ranch then."

Nathan laughed. "Keen to keep your brothers close, aren't you?"

Amanda nodded. "For sure, Dad. I've finally got my baby brother home full time, I'm not going to lose the others."

"I agree. With all we've been through as a family, it's important to keep them all close. We'll become our own town, with the way our family's growing." He'd thought about this when his grandchildren grew and started their own family. He knew he was getting ahead of himself, but with all the threats towards him out of the way, he was excited to push forward for their future.

"That sounds perfect." She continued to sip her coffee, as they waited for news of the latest arrival into the Read family.

A loud cry emerged from down the corridor. Nathan and Amanda looked to each to each other and smiled. "One down another to come."

Tears welled up in Gavin's eyes as he looked at his brand new daughter. He kissed Alyssa, who was doing great. "She's beautiful."

The paediatrician took their daughter to be measured and weighed, as well as check her over. They saw the woman wipe clean their daughter and place her on the scales. The digital screen on the scales came up with six pounds, six ounces. A good weight for a baby who'd arrived four weeks early.

Another contraction took over Alyssa's concentration, she pushed with all that she had left. She was exhausted from the past half an hour of pushing. Finally another cry came as their fifth child entered the world. A boy, slightly smaller than his sister came out with a huge cry. Gavin kissed Alyssa on the lips, overwhelmed by the emotions that rippled through his body. It was the most amazing moment watching the safe arrival of their babies. Each one of their five children were precious to them.

Their son was placed on the scales and weighed in at six pounds, one ounce. Their daughter was brought over to Alyssa to nurse.

"She's so tiny," Gavin whispered, although the scales agreed with their surmising that she was bigger than her brother.

It didn't take long for their daughter to nuzzle her way to the breast and suck. She proved to be a hungry baby, but content once she was fed. She looked just like Maddy had when she was born. Alyssa passed her over to Gavin after she had fed her. The paediatrician brought their son over for her first cuddle.

"Hello Eleanore, I'm your daddy." He gently kissed her chubby cheek and burped her over his shoulder.

Alyssa lightly stroked her son as he nuzzled his way to the other breast from the one his sister had latched on. Tears fell down her cheeks as she thought about the toll early in her pregnancy. The worry if they would survive the stress of almost losing Gavin and the threat on the family.

"We made it." Disbelief that they had come through unharmed overwhelmed her. She kissed his soft fair hair, as he continued suck. Both babies proved to be good feeders which was a good sign. She sighed with relief that everything was okay. She looked up at her husband who was doting on his daughter. She smiled through her tears of joy at the sight.

Gavin walked back over to her and sat on the chair. He leaned over and kissed their son. "Hello, Samuel. Welcome to your family." He kissed Alyssa again, tenderly and full of the love he felt for the love of his life. He knew from that moment that Eleanore and Samuel would be safe and have a happy life growing up on the ranch. He'd retired from NCIS and he hadn't looked back from the life that had consumed him since he was five. Now he joined a new chapter of his life that had started without him, but he was determined to stay where he was with his family. John Legend's song, 'All of Me' came to his mind as he smiled over to his wife.

'Cause all of me

Loves all of you

Love your curves and all your edges

All your perfect imperfections

Give your all to me

I'll give my all to you

You're my end and my beginning

Even when I lose I'm winning

'Cause I give you all of me

And you give me all of you, ohoh

THE END!