AUTHOR'S NOTE - Long time, no see, my friends. I come back to you bearing a present for my dear, dear friend Psycho Maddy. This would be her slightly belated birthday present - to celebrate her coming of age in every possible country in the world. :)
My dear, I do hope you enjoy this!
As usual, not beta'd and English still not my mother tongue.

THANKS - go to MarciaRebafan, for holding my virtual hand in the time of need. (Read: all throughout writing this fic.)

FAIR WARNING - This story belongs to the soon coming universe, now known as the Universe 2037. The year would be 1999.

DISCLAIMER - I do own Charlotte Alexis and I adore her name. :)

ENJOY!

THE PRINT ON THE HEART

"Mommy, mommy, mommy," – Charlotte Alexis Gibbs cried across the house. "Mommy, I'm done. I finished with Daddy's present."

Jenny Shepard barely had time to kneel and spread her hands before a running mass that was her four-year old daughter collided with her.

"Look, Mommy, look. Do you like it? Is it pretty? Will Daddy like it?"

Jenny smiled at her rambling child, trying to keep up with all of her questions.

"It's beautiful, honey, and I'm sure Daddy will love it. Now, why don't we wrap it up, so we can start with the cake, huh?"

Charlotte's smile widened as she nodded her head enthusiastically.

"Can I wrap it up, Mommy? Can I? Please?"

Jenny knew she shouldn't even try resisting her daughter's pleading face – it was a losing battle.

"Of course you can. Why don't I cut out the paper and sticky tape for you and then you can wrap it up while I prepare everything we need for the cake? How does that sound?"

"Good," – the child replied, even if the wide smile on her face was answer enough.

Ten minutes later and one very interestingly wrapped up present was resting in the middle of the already set kitchen table. Jenny couldn't help but smile at her daughter's devotion to make a perfect gift for her Father's birthday, even if she was – if forced to admit – a bit wary of the way he would react to the big spectacle they were about to make of his birthday.

In all the years Jenny has known him, Gibbs has not once celebrated it. Only presents would usually come in form of a bottle of Bourbon from Ducky and a little something from Jenny, usually ending with night activities both very much enjoyed. But since their daughter's gotten bigger, she started asking why Daddy didn't have a birthday like everybody else; and when she came to Jenny a couple of days ago with the idea of making Daddy a present and a cake, the mother knew better than to say no.

So she found herself spending better half of the day in the kitchen, making a dinner before Charlotte was ready to help her make a cake.

And as the little girl's laughter filled the kitchen, the frequency with which Jenny was looking at the clock on the wall grew.

What if her Father didn't come home in time?

There would be more than one broken heart.

Leroy Jethro Gibbs was growing increasingly frustrated with the every passing second of the day. What were the odds of having to spend a night in Baltimore, working on a case, a day before his birthday? No, he was not big on celebrating it, but he liked to spend the day with his girls, in the peace and quiet of their home. He was also very much aware that his four-year old daughter might end up very disappointed if he didn't come home today.

And his team had to bear the brunt of his displeasure.

When the clock struck five, evidence bagged and tagged, team in the car, Gibbs's phone rang.

"Yeah, Gibbs?"

"Hi," – came somewhat quiet greeting from the other side of the phone.

"Jen? What's wrong?"

There was an immediate mild panic attack.

"Nothing, I'm just hiding from Charley."

He could hear she was smiling and, when he listened more carefully, he heard his little girl singing somewhere in the distance.

"Why?"

"She, uh...," – there was an awkward silence that lasted a few moments, before Jenny continued. "I just wanted to check when you're coming home before I talked to her. She really misses you."

Gibbs closed his eyes momentarily, the feeling of guilt washing over him. It might have been four years – and eight, once long ago – but being away from his daughter was something he would never get used to.

"We're just done here. I'll be home in a little over an hour."

"Good. Drive safely. See you soon."

The click indicated the end of the call, but Gibbs stood still a couple of moments after replacing his phone in the pocket of his jeans.

She was planning something. She played the guilt card to distract him. Cunning woman!

He went back to the car, ready to make his way home as fast as possible.

"Can I put the candles, Mommy? How old is Daddy?"

Jenny smiled mischievously.

"Honey, I don't think Daddy would appreciate if we put all hundred and twenty-three candles on the cake. He'd have a really hard time blowing them out."

Charlotte's eyes widened and her mouth opened.

"One hundred and twenty-three? That's a lot, a lot, Mommy."

Jenny snorted.

"How about we put three – one for you, one for Daddy and one for me?"

The little girl thought for a second before nodding her head and kissing her Mother's cheek.

"Good."

Several minutes later, when the cake was put safely back into the refrigerator, and the dishes were washed, Charlotte was already impatiently looking towards the front door.

"Mommy?"

"Hmm?"

"What if Daddy doesn't come home?"

"Ever again?" – Jenny joked.

Two seconds later, she realised it was not a very smart move, as the four-year old's eyes filled with tears and the edges of her mouth fell.

"Of course he's gonna come home, Charley. I talked to him a little while ago and he's on his way," – Jenny said soothingly, picking her little girl up and hugging her close.

"Are you sure, Mommy?"

"I'm sure, baby."

"Really?"

"Really, really."

"Good," – Charlotte sniffled before burying her face into her Mother's neck.

"Should we go get dressed now?" – Jenny asked quietly after a couple of moments.

Upon feeling her daughter nodding her head, she moved up the stairs.

"Can I wear my new dress, Mommy?"

"Sure, honey. You want me to braid your hair?"

"Yes, please."

It was almost six-thirty when Gibbs finally made his way to his front door. The house was in dark and eerily silent. He locked the door behind him and hung his coat before he looked around.

"Jen? Alex?"

"Surprise!" – The little girl screamed, running out from behind the study door. "Surprise, Daddy! Happy birthday!"

She ran into him and Gibbs instantly picked her up, a big smile plastered on his face. Charlotte planted a big, loud kiss on his cheek and then another half dozen smaller ones.

"Happy birthday, Daddy," – she finally whispered into his ear.

"Thank you, princess," – Gibbs replied, before hugging his daughter impossibly close to him. "Thank you."

Only then did he notice Jenny, lingering several steps back, watching the exchange between a father and a daughter with a small smile of her own. The smile that widened when her eyes met his. She approached the couple slowly.

"Can we go to the kitchen now, Mommy? I'm hungry."

Jenny just nodded her head, her eyes still locked with Gibbs's. Charlotte wriggled in her Father's arms until he put her down and she instantly disappeared in the direction of the kitchen.

The moment his arms were free, he took a few steps separating him from Jenny, who willingly went into his embrace.

"Happy birthday, Jethro," – she whispered against his lips before kissing him, gently at first, but with an increasing force.

However, it was only seconds later that they were interrupted by a small huff coming somewhere from the ground. They broke the kiss before Gibbs brushed her forehead with his lips and thanked her quietly.

"Come on, Mommy-Daddy. I want to eat the cake."

It was some half an hour and a short struggle over broccoli later that the cake with three candles made its way to the table.

"We put only three candles 'cause Mommy said that hundred and twenty-four would be too many for you to blow out, Daddy."

Jenny choked on the sip of white wine before she left the table and turned towards the sink in the midst of her coughing fit. She could feel Gibbs's eyes burning a hole in her back.

"This one's for you and this one's for Mommy and this one's for me, 'cause it's the most prettiest," – Charlotte carried on, unconscious of what was going around her.

Jenny slowly turned around and met Gibbs's eyes with the mischievous smirk.

"In my defence, I said hundred and twenty-three," – she said, amusement heavy in her voice.

Gibbs rolled his eyes before smirking himself.

"Mommy, can I give Daddy his present now? Can I? Can I, Mommy? Please!"

"Sure thing, honey."

Charlotte all but ran to get the colourful wrapping before coming back less than ten seconds later.

"Here you go, Daddy. I wrapped it up myself. But Mommy cut me the paper and sticky tape. Do you like it? I wrapped it up so nicely. Mommy said you will love it," – the little girl rambled on, no intention of stopping anytime soon.

Suddenly, her Father snatched her up and she squealed in surprise, one of her hands instantly going around his neck, the other still holding on firmly to the present. Gibbs placed Charlotte on the table in front of him and she gave him the present, her eyes never leaving him as he opened it expertly.

When the wrapping paper was finally removed, Gibbs spread the light blue cotton he found in it.

It was a T-shirt and it was covered in Charlotte's small handprints in various colours, along with the one bigger, red one resting just over where his heart was supposed to be.

"Do you like it, Daddy? Mommy helped me make it. And she put her print, too, Daddy," – Charlotte said, pointing to the red print. "She said she would put it over your heart 'cause she will love you forever. Will you love Mommy forever, Daddy?"

Gibbs's eyes met Jenny's sometime during their daughter's ramble and the emotions flickering in his blue orbs were so intense, she had to look away.

Suddenly the kitchen went silent and Gibbs looked back at his daughter.

"Well, Daddy, do you like it?" – She looked at him expectantly.

"I absolutely adore it, Alex. And I will love you Mommy forever, baby."

- THE END -