-1Hey, this is a bit of a song fic/AU type fic. As you'll find, it's kind of Kate centric but also ducky and Gibbs centric…anyway, let me know what you think and remember that I've said it's AU, people might not be what you think they will be :P please review and let me know what you think

Kate stood at the back of the church, watching as everyone paid their respects to Mrs Mallard.

Ducky had called her first, said that he needed to see her. It was two in the morning and she had instantly left the office, Gibbs looking at her like she was suddenly on drugs. Ducky sat outside on the porch, Kate slowly walking towards him. He swirled the whisky round in the glass gently, Kate kneeling down by the chair.

'My mother's passed away,' Kate smiled gently, placing her hand gently onto Ducky's hand before she went into the house and straight into Mrs Mallard's bedroom. She lay peacefully, her dogs lying around the bed on the floor.

She made three calls. One to Di'nozzo, telling him to call the undertakers.

'Di'nozzo'

'Tony,'

'What's happened?' Kate smiled softly, knowing Di'nozzo wasn't just a jackass.

'Ducky's mom died. I need you to come over, help me organise everything,'

'I'll be there as soon as I can,'

Her next call to Abby, knowing Abby would be the one that would be able to comfort Ducky best. Abby knew Ducky and knew Mrs Mallard, Saturday afternoons often spent having lunch with them both.

'Kate, it's two in the morning,'

'Abby, I need you to come over to Ducky's house,'

'Why?'

'Mrs Mallard's died,'

'Poor Ducky,' Kate knew when the phone went dead that Abby would be getting ready to come over. Kate leaned back on the door frame, taking a deep breath in before she called Gibbs.

'Where are you?'

'Ducky's,' Kate heard Gibbs sigh heavily

'When did she die?'

'About half an hour ago. Abby and Di'nozzo are on their way,'

'Don't do anything until I get there,'

Ducky sat in his study, holding his head up with his hand. There was an air of defeat surrounding him, Abby trying desperately to make him talk to her. Tony followed the undertakers around, making sure there didn't make a mistake. He wanted it to be perfect to Ducky, perfect for the man who had became like a father to him. Kate and Gibbs sat in the kitchen, Kate phoning florists and caterers. Six days and she would be buried, the Mallard family plot.

'Why did he call you?' Kate shrugged her shoulders, pouring another mug of coffee before sitting back down again.

'He knew I was planning on staying in the office,'

'Do you ever go home?'

'If I can help it, no,' Kate pulled the notebook over and started to cross various items off of the list she had made.

'Can I do anything?' Kate looked up, smiling at Gibbs

'Let Ducky stay with you till the funeral. He can't be alone,' Gibbs nodded, Kate smiling gratefully at him.

'I can't stay with him…I just…thank you,'

'It's ok,'

Kate arrived at Gibbs's house at seven in the morning, knowing that Gibbs would be up.

'How is he?' Gibbs handed Kate a mug of coffee, Kate following Gibbs down into the basement.

'He fell asleep a few hours ago. He's quiet, not filling up conversations with stories. He's barely eating,'

'I brought his suit over from the house. I'll run him a bath, get him organised for today. The cars arriving at eleven so I'll let him sleep a bit longer,'

'How much sleep did you get?' Kate shrugged her shoulders.

'Enough,'

'Coffee?' Kate hung the suit up on the door of the living room, smiling gently at Gibbs.

'That would be good,' Kate ran her hands over her face quickly, pulling her hair back into a loose bun.

'You've organised a funeral before,' Kate smiled.

'Three to be more precise,' Gibbs sat facing Kate, giving her a chance to open up to him.

'When I first joined the secret service, my two brothers' were out in Iraq. They had put in a request to be kept in the same convoy of men. It was allowed, the lieutenant wanting to keep the moral up. Their truck was hit with a roadside bomb. Seth died first, Louis trying to revive him before he died of blood loss. I bruised them both,'

'Marines?' Kate smiled, nodding gently.

'The third was my fathers. He passed out in the garden. Three hours before my mother came home and found him. He'd suffered a massive stroke and died instantly. My mom couldn't do it so I did. Plenty of experience as my mother said,' Gibbs refilled her mug of coffee, Kate grateful for the substance that was going to sustain her for the rest of the day. She placed the mug down gently, the bedroom door opening up the stairs. Gibbs went to move, Kate shaking his head.

'Let me go,'

Ducky stood in the hall, looking around slightly bewildered. Kate walked past him and laid the suit down on the bed.

'Ducky,' He came back into the bedroom, smiling at Kate.

'Caitlin, what are you doing here?'

'I brought your suit over. The cars arriving at eleven. I thought I'd give you a hand to get ready. You know, run you a bath, get your suit on you,' Kate smiled, Ducky outstretching his arms. She hugged him tightly, Ducky starting to cry gently.

'Thank you. When my mother died…you came straight over. I couldn't have done this without you,'

'Ducky, that's what family do for each other,'

'I don't want to be alone anymore,' Kate smiled, sitting down on the bed next to Ducky.

'You won't be. Gibb's is going in the car with you and he'll be right beside you during the service,'

'I want you in the car too. I want you there,' Kate nodded.

'I'll be there Ducky. I'll be there if you need me there,'

Kate stepped out of the car in her black dress. The long coat, knee length coat covered it, covered her slightly exposed shoulders. Ducky stepped out the car, Kate stopping him from going into the service. She gently adjusted his tie, Ducky squeezing her hand. He lifted his head and walked over to the car, waiting until everyone else was in place before he carried the coffin in. Kate did the same to Gibbs, stopping him as he got out the car, adjusting his tie for him.

'You ok?' Kate nodded once, taking a deep breath in.

'Yeah,'

'You don't seem ok,'

'Memories Gibbs, just memories,'

Kate stood at the back of the church, watching as everyone paid their respects to Mrs Mallard. Ducky hadn't cried since Kate had taken him his suit and she didn't expect him to until he was alone. Tony, Abby, McGee and Gibbs were around him, Kate taking the chance to slip out the back. She looked around her briefly, making sure she hadn't disturbed the service as she left. Her heels dug into the stones, Kate feeling like she was creeping about a grave yard. She stopped at in the middle of the lane, looking at the three stones. One to each member of her family, each stone hand picked by her, every word written by her before it was carved in. She reached out, touching each one and wiping any dirt that was on them with her hand. She rubbed her hands together, looking over to see Mrs Mallards coffin being driven into another part of the cemetery. Gibbs was standing a few feet away from her, Kate smiling.

'You caught me,'

'You ok?' Kate sighed

'No, I'm not,' Gibbs took her head, allowing her to link arms with him and walk over to the graveside. They stood at the back of the crowd, Abby having taken over helping Ducky for the duration of the service. The wind started to pick up, Gibbs pulling Kate in closer and allowing her to be shielded from it. She turned in towards him, Gibbs putting his arm around her shoulders. Ducky looked up from the grave, searching for Kate and Gibbs. Gibbs nodded, Ducky visibly relaxing. The crowd dispersed gradually, the service having finished early and cabs were ordered for later. They waited at the door to the small church, a small gathering organised back at the Mallard residence. Ducky, Abby, McGee and Tony climbed into the car, Kate taking Tony's car keys.

'I'll be there soon,' Kate had thought she was the only one who had stayed behind; unaware Gibbs had slipped away from her view. She stood back at the three graves, Gibbs watching her muttering to herself.

'It's not fair. You should be here…I shouldn't be standing here,' Kate walked back towards the church, stumbling slightly with her heels becoming stuck in the stones. Gibbs offered her his hand, Kate surprised at him still there.

'I thought you were away in the car,'

'I wouldn't leave you behind on your own,'

Abby was in the kitchen, unsure of what she was doing or how to work the oven. Kate threw her jacket over the banister, the relief written on Abby's face as she came into the kitchen.

'I can work all sorts of equipment, maspectromiters love me. Ovens, don't,'

'I got it Abby. Go be with Ducky,' Kate repeatedly burnt her hand, Gibbs reached across her and lifting the tray.

'Run your hand under cold water, it'll blister if you don't,' Kate instantly did as she was told, Gibbs handing people trays of food to take around.

'You can stop,'

'Stop what?'

'Making yourself busy. Theirs other people here to do that,'

'And what have I to do then? Stand around, talk to Di Nozzo? This way I can do something for Ducky,'

'Your avoiding,'

'I've survived so far, so I must be avoiding all the right stuff,'

Kate had left Gibbs's house, Tony sitting with Ducky. Abby and McGee were clearing up, Gibbs having said that he and Kate had to run an errand. Reality was she had asked for lift, that she needed to get out of the house. Ducky had shut down to everyone but Tony, Tony seeming to empathise with him. Kate had told Gibbs where to go, but not why. When he pulled up outside the old bar, he knew instantly. She needed to be someone else for a time, however short. The bar was busy, Kate knowing what she was about to do. She threw her jacket over the back the chair, realising that she hadn't changed and was still in the black dress. Gibbs was the same, his black suit slightly more dishevelled than what it had been that morning. Kate lifted the glass and stepped up to the side of the stage, placing the drink down and selecting a song. Everyone became silent, a few hoping that she would fall on her face. Kate tucked her hair behind her ears before sighing heavily. She pulled the shoes off, dumping them down by the side of the mic stand. The single guitarist sat down beside her, Kate smiling weakly at him.

I want to hold the hand inside you

I want to take a breath that's true

I look to you and I see nothing

I look to you to see the truth

You live your life

You go in shadows

You'll come apart and you'll go black

Some kind of night into your darkness

Colours your eyes with what's not there.

A strange sort of silence was in the bar. No one was moving, no one was talking. Everyone was focused on Kate singing. She wasn't focusing on them. Just him, sitting staring at her like everyone else in the room.

Fade into you

Strange you never knew

Fade into you

I think its strange you never knew

A glass smashed in the background, a few people scowling at the fact Kate had been interrupted.

A strangers light comes on slowly

A stranger's heart without a home

You put your hands into your head

And then smiles cover your heart

Fade into you

Strange you never knew

Fade into you

I think its strange you never knew

Fade into you

Strange you never knew

Fade into you

I think its strange you never knew

I think its strange you never knew

Kate's voice faded slightly at the end, Gibbs going up and offering her his hand as she stepped down off the stage. She steadied herself, putting her shoes back on.

'I didn't know you could sing like that,'

'Yeah well, we all have hidden talents. Mine just happens to be that I can silence a room,' Gibbs smiled, faster songs coming on. He could feel Kate tapping her foot of the table leg and instantly offered if she wanted to dance.

'You dance?'

'We all have our hidden talents, mine just happens to be that I know how to dance without falling over my feet,'

Gibbs turned his key in the lock gently, trying not to make any noise. The light was still on in the living room, Gibbs looking round to see Tony, Abby and McGee watching an old black and white film.

'Where's ducky?'

'He fell asleep hours ago. Me and McGee tidied up the kitchen…but we didn't know where everything went so we just left it lying out. When we're taking Ducky home, we'll tidy it all up,'

'It's ok. Thanks for bringing him back here,' Kate crept up the stairs, trying to avoid everyone. She pushed Ducky's door open, checking that he was indeed sleeping. As she suspected he was still awake, sitting at the window looking through a small tin of photographs.

'Ducky, what are you doing up?'

'I couldn't sleep. For some reason not hearing mother talking in her sleep has kept me awake,' Kate sat down on the window seat next to Ducky, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. He rested his head against her chin, Kate rubbing his arm gently.

It isn't very difficult to see why

You are the way you are

Doesn't take a genius to realise

That sometimes life is hard

It's gonna take time

But you'll just have to wait

You're gonna be fine

But in the meantime

Come over here lady

Let me wipe your tears away

Come a little nearer baby

Coz you'll heal over

Heal over, heal over someday

Gibbs was standing at the bedroom door, watching Kate sooth Ducky and put him into bed. She kneeled down by the side of the bed, repeatedly singing, trying to lull him into a sleep. After a while he was sound asleep, Kate pulling the blanket up around his shoulders and followed Gibbs out into the hall.

'Thanks, for tonight, taking me to the bar and just…thanks,'

'Your leaving?'

'Yeah, I better go home,' Kate turned, Gibbs grabbing her hand.

'Stay here. There's empty bedrooms, and everyone else is, so stay. And you seem to be the only one who can get Ducky to sleep,' Kate placed her jacket over the banister at the top of the stairs.

'Ok, I'll stay. On one condition,'

'What?'

'I'm staying with you,' Kate tightened her grip on Gibbs's hand as he opened his bedroom door, Kate following him in gently and shutting the door over behind her.

Ok, so I plan on writing a second chapter cause I love this fic. I really do. Please tell me if you want me to post it and what you thought of this one…press the button…you know you want to :P