Today is May 24, McGregor and Tommy are to only ones in the bullpen. L. J. Tibbs is out fulfilling his need for caffeine Lisa Knows what the day is, and she had been silent since she arrived an hour ago and she too had gone elsewhere.

McGregor was only a probie when it happened, but the pain from so long ago feels fresh. She was a part of the family, the big sister who would give you trouble one minute, but stick up for you in the next. Smart, funny, protective, witty, lively, never did what you thought she would.

McGregor looks at Tommy and sees the picture he holds, “I miss her Tommy.”

“I know kid.” Tommy said as he looks at the picture of the girl, I mean woman. If she would have heard any of them call her a ‘girl’ you’d have gotten an elbow to the ribs.

They could never prove it but McGregor and Ammy thought they loved each other. The secret glances, playful banter, flirting, slips of the tongue. McGregor slip into a memory of seven years before…

“Damn it Tommy I should just take you home and get you in bed!” She noticed all the looks from the rest of her team “that did not come out like in intended.” She and Tommy walk to get something and as McGregor passed he saw the famous smirk on Tommy lips.

As McGregor seemed spaced out and his paper work was done so Tommy thinks back to the woman they had all loved and lost, maybe even still loves. He will never admit it but, he had always thought of her as more than a sister.

Tommy put the picture of her down, but picked up the sketch of him, the one she had drawn. Him sitting at his desk, glasses on. Leaned back and feet in his desk. Unable to stop it he slips into a memory of his own…

They walked outside “It’s not the same you know.”

“What?” Tommy asked her.

Katie put her hand on his “Well You and Tibbs, Gurley and Tibbs.”

Tommy shakes his head and lies “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“It was a different dynamic, y'know? A different time. You can't compare the relationships.”

He looks her in the eyes “Who’s comparing?”

“All I'm saying is that...things on the surface are not always the same as when you put them in context with the way they actually developed, you know, under the surface, kinda.” She tried and failed to explain what she was saying.

Tommy smiled at the beauty “I have no idea what you said.”

“Neither do I.” she smiles back at him. “But the thought was sincere.”

L. J. Tibbs walked into the bullpen Lisa was gone, so was McGregor. As he looks at Lisa’s desk he can’t help but think back to when the same desk had belonged someone else, Katie Rodd.

Katie was one of the best agents he had ever met, she was a great profiler, and artist. She like Lisa was, no is, like a daughter to him. And the fact that she died because of him has eaten at him for seven years.

The sub hit the surface Tibbs flattened between the wall and young Katie. “Wow!” she said out of breath.

“Yeah.” He said with a straight face “That’s what they all tell me.” She rolled her eyes but pushed herself off once the shock had worn off.

Lisa had been floating around the building since she had come in, she knew the day, it was the day her love had lost his love, taken at the hand by that of someone she once knew as her brother. She had never met Katie, but the day she met Tommy she saw in his eyes he was in love.

And she thought she knew her brother but she was wrong. And she knows it. Even though she loves him and she knows he loves her back, she asks herself would Tommy be happier, had Lair not killed Katie?

Lisa walked into autopsy where Doctor Birdson, or Birdy was sitting at his desk. “What was she like?” Lisa asked the older man.
Birdy knew who the young woman was talking about, he himself had been thinking of her most of the day so far. “She was the exact opposite of you my dear, don’t get me wrong though, I do believe you and Katie would get along fine.”
“I do remember this one time she and Tommy had come to me in a moment where L. J. had turned them down and Ammy had also. I was to help them solve a problem, of which I believe Tommy had taken her lunch.” Said the doctor.
“He called it ‘sharing’ as where she called it ‘stealing’ I made the mistake of telling them we need to have multiple sessions a week. Every twenty minutes I was called.” Lisa is smiling picturing her boyfriend bantering with the woman. “Another good example of Katie is…” Birdy relived the moment as he told Lisa.
“Are you sure it was a bomb, Tibbs?” Tommy asked his boss.
“Yes, Tommy. For the last time... I'm sure it was a bomb.” L.J. said annoyed.
“If you say so.” Tommy looked out toward the drive way. “EOD are sure taking their sweet time getting here.”
“Sorry we're late. Herald got us lost several times.” It seemed the M.E. has always had assistants that couldn’t navigate.
Herald raised his hands in frustration.“Me? You had the map.”
“We have our own problems here, Bird.” Agent Tibbs said from behind his car, where they had taken cover.

“Yeah, I can see that.” Birdson said looking at the trio. “FBI take over our crime scene again?”

“Tibbs thought he saw a bomb.” Katie looked to the doctor as she said this.

Tibbs was annoyed “What do you mean 'thought'?”

“Do I really have say it?”






















“Say what?” L. J. asked slightly amused at her.

“Yes, Katie. Say what?” Birdy asked intrigued and amused as to what she would say.

“You need glasses, Tibbs.” She sighed. “Are you happy?” behind them, the house suddenly explodes, sending everyone to the ground, glass and wood splinters flying into the air.

Tibbs lifted his head slowly. “Sorry. I didn't quite catch that last part...” he smirked at her.
As Tibbs is at his desk, Tommy off looking for Lisa, and McGregor on his way up to the bullpen, Ammy looks at the sketch of what she would look like as a bat.
Ammy thinks of Lisa and how hard today would have to be on her. But thinking back Ammy feels guilty because of how she had treated her, she didn’t want a replacement for her best friend, she wanted Katie.
Her friend and herself would play tricks on poor McGregor, like the time Ammy had made a hat for Katie with a flower on it and bet McGregor she could get him to wear it, she did and they split the money.
As she thinks of her friend she remembers the first time they met…
“Sulfuric acid! That would chew the shine off a trailer hitch.” Ammy said happily as she walked back the table behind them.
Katie took of the protective glasses “How’d you get into this?” laughter in her voice.
“Filled out an application.” Ammy said.
Katies smile widened “I mean forensics.” As she made her way toward the goth.
“Oh…Ah when I was kid we lived by this lot where they brought all the burned out hulks from the gnarliest car wrecks. I used to sneak in there at night and take pictures.” She said smiling “It wasn’t about the gore, it was about
figuring out how things happened, you know? Like action, reaction the science of the whole thing. I got hooked!”
“How about you?”
Katie paused then said “Actually I wanted to be a lawyer. I did a year in law school, felt like ten years in prison.”
“With really boring inmates.” Piped up Ammy. Katie giggled “Admit it, you just like strapping on a gun.” She gave Katie a look.
“More than one.” Katie returned the look.
“Really?” Ammy said intrigued. “You packing more heat than meets the eye?”
Katie meets her question “Those your only tattoos?”
Ammy smiles “You show me yours, I’ll show you mine.” Katie giggled again and bit her lip.
The day was slow and long, no one really did anything of importance but remember, of in some cases learn. Lisa made the family whole, they all played their own part but she would sometimes wonder if she had a part, today she learned she does, but so does Katie Rodd.

May 24
Tim was up all night finishing, the cover was made and he was now back at NCIS it was still early, only five, even Ziva wasn’t in yet. Just as he had hoped.
He walks through the bullpen putting one on each of the desks. Then to the lab and set one Abbys desk. And two in autopsy one for Ducky, and one for Palmer. With the last one in his hand he leaves.
Abby found hers first and cried for a minute, she couldn’t decide whether she was happy or sad.
Tony, he was speechless, never had he known McGee to be so observant.
When Ziva saw a tear slipped from her eye, but was quick to cover it, McGee was spot on.
Ducky Knew Timothy was good, but this saw something in a whole other league.
And Gibbs, Gibbs saw it and could honestly say he had never been prouder of anyone in his life.
As Tim walked from her grave he felt her presence and said “I miss you Katie.”
Kate walked her old partner to see what was lying in the grass at her grave. A book.



Bullet Proof Memories
In memory of special agent Caitlin ‘Kate’ Todd

Kate was happy, sad, proud, so many things when she saw what Tim had said. She couldn’t contain the tears in seven years it was the first time she had shed a tear.