Working with Gibbs (a NCIS story)

Chapter 40: homecoming

A/N: why is it all the sad songs give me inspiration for this story? Anywho...this one is "Letters From War" again, by Mark Shultz...I don't own the song...but there's gonna be some minor changes...
-time skip: 2 years later-
Grace was utterly exhausted. AJ and Kenzie had just turned 2, and they were living up to the 'terrible twos'. She had help from the team, which she was very grateful for, but she missed Gibbs...she thought back to the first letter she got from him since he left.
-flashback, a month after he left-
She went to the mailbox and saw a letter from Gibbs. She smiled and opened it when she got inside. It talked about what was happening there, about the people he'd met. At the end it said these words:
'You are what I'm fighting for...' she immediately got a piece of paper and started writing.
'You're good, and you're brave...what a father you'll be to the twins when you return...make it home and make it safe'
-present time-
"No, AJ, don't mess with that" she said, noticing the toddler fiddling. She took it from him and he started crying. She sighed and picked him up. "What am I going to do with you, son? You're too much like your godfather, you know that?" She said, knowing full well that he couldn't understand her. Looking at him, she noticed that he may have had her personality (sometimes), he looked like Gibbs...and was as stubborn as him, too. She smiled, but then the smile faded as she remembered the last letter she got.
-flashback: two winters ago-
It was only a month after the first letter when she got the second one, and as she read it, tears were falling down her face. Ducky happened to be there helping her with the twins.
"My dear, what's wrong?" He asked. She handed him the letter. He started reading...
'"I was up on a hill, I was out there alone...When the shots all rang out, And bombs were exploding! And that's when I saw him, He came back for me, And though he was captured A man set me free. And that man was your husband. He asked me to write to you...I told him I would, oh I swore"'
-present time-
She was shaken out of her thoughts by her phone ringing.
"Yeah, Grace Gibbs speaking...okay, give me 5 minutes" she hung up the phone. "Great...ok, guys, let's get you dressed. Mom has to go to work"
-HQ-
When she got to work, she went straight to her desk. She left the kids with a neighbor who she'd grown to trust.
"Hey, boss." Tony said when he saw her, and she smiled slightly at that.
"What've we got?" She asked. They went over the case with her and she delegated tasks to them. She went back to her desk - she didn't have the heart to sit at Gibbs' desk. After a while, she heard the elevator ding and heard footsteps. She assumed it was Tony coming back from questioning the witnesses.
When she looked up, however, she stood up immediately. She looked the man up and down, wondering if it was a dream or if it was really happening.
"...Gibbs?"
"Yeah, it's me...I'm home." He replied. Her knees went weak, but he caught her before she went down. He led her to her chair and kneeled in front of her. She smiled, truly smiled, for the first time in two years.
"I'm so glad you're home..." she said, breathless. "When did you get in?"
"Just a couple of hours ago...I called Dinozzo and told him I was here and that I wanted to surprise you"
"Well you certainly succeeded in that" she replied. "Does anyone else know?"
"I'm sure he told everyone else, just not you." He got concerned when she started crying, but that concern went away when he saw she was still smiling.
"I missed you...and I'm so glad you're back!" She finally said.
"I missed you too" he replied and pulled her close. She kissed him, putting her arms around his neck. They were interrupted by applause around them.
"Told you she'd be surprised" Tony said and she rolled her eyes at him, but no one could wipe the smile from her face even if she wanted them to.