Chapter Six
As they waited for the girls’ night to begin, Shannon watched the frown deepen on her daughter’s face. While Kelly was excited about the festivities, she also kept looking toward the door and fidgeting. Shannon knew those behaviors in her little girl. Kelly wasn’t going to settle down unless she had more information and her unease would soon graduate to crankiness.
“Mommy?” There was the whine in her voice already. Shannon stifled her sigh.
“Yes, honey?”
“Can we call Grandmom and Grandpop? I just want to say hi to Daddy. Plleeeasseee?” Kelly drew the word out and Shannon found herself missing her daughter’s little impish smile. Kelly was subdued now, even though there had been a hint of teasing in her voice. Shannon knew this mood very well and she needed to head Kelly off at the pass, before she got in a funk.
“Okay, honey. But Daddy might not be there yet, and you know that Grandmom and Grandpop will be here soon, right?”
“Yup. We’re cooking ham, right? With pineapple rings and cherries.” Normally Kelly would be spirited at the thought of helping to make her favorite meal but Shannon knew her daughter’s cheery tone was forced. Kelly was deeply concerned about Jethro. This wasn’t just a child’s whim.
“Okay. Into the kitchen then, honey.” Kelly’s smile was much brighter and she skipped in. Shannon had to squelch the annoyance she felt toward Jethro. This had to be important. In his medical condition, he wouldn’t just leave like that. He was far too responsible, even if he was trying to ignore the severity of his injuries.
Shannon started to get worried when the phone rang three times before anyone picked up. Her father was still working and her mother had no plans that Shannon was aware of. They’d discussed the weekend at length when planning the trip.
“Hello?”
“Mom?” Her mother’s voice was tense and shaky and there was a thread of wariness in that word that was completely foreign to Shannon. “Is he okay?” Shannon asked, knowing her mother would know that she meant Jethro.
“Shannon! Oh honey!” The relief in her mother’s voice was palpable. “Yes, he’s in the kitchen now with our houseguest. I believe he’s eating a grilled cheese and probably drinking some coffee. Jethro is a bit shaky but I believe he’s all right. Though he had no business flying up here.”
Why did he? Shannon didn’t dare ask the question of her mother. She knew only her husband could answer that. “Who did he go up there to see? The girls and I haven’t heard of anyone being injured or hurt…”
Her mother sighed, and this was another sound she hadn’t heard in quite that way before. It was a world-weary sound that managed to convey deep concern. “It isn’t a marine, honey. It’s a boy.”
“A boy?” Shannon was confused. It had to be the brother or sons of one of his men. “What boy, Mom?”
“I think I’d better let Jethro tell you, Shannon. Here, talk to Dad while I collect him.”
Her frown deepening, Shannon went through the motions of making chocolate milk for Kelly as the phone was passed over.
“Hello, Little One.” Even though she was a parent herself, her father’s voice"warm and gentle"always managed to comfort her. Shannon searched for emotion in his words, relieved when there was none to be found.
“Hi, Dad. I’m completely confused. But tell me, is Jethro really okay?”
“He will be.”
~*~
Tony snuggled into Gibbs’ one-armed embrace, sinking into his arm, head buried in Gibbs’ shoulder. It felt right to comfort this boy. Gibbs hadn’t been exaggerating the bond between them. He could feel it forming and strengthening almost by the moment. His every watchful instinct was on high alert and he knew he’d protect Tony as he protected his men, as he’d protect his family.
Gibbs realized something then. Tony had become a part of his family. In his heart, where it mattered the most.
“Jethro?”
His head snapped up and he groaned as stars burst behind his eyes.
“Dad? You okay?” Tony asked, lifting his head.
“Dad?” Sarah asked and Gibbs tried to shake his head to her and then thought the better of it. He didn’t need more pain.
“I’ll be okay, Tony. What is it, Sarah?” He’d tried calling Shannon’s folks “Mom” and “Dad” but given the distance between himself and Jack, it seemed disrespectful to Nate, and losing his mother so young, it wasn’t right to call Sarah “Mom”. They understood and never mentioned it. They were his folks, in his heart, just like Tony was quickly becoming his son, in his heart. But they couldn’t possibly understand this bond with Tony. He was relieved when Sarah didn’t push it, though he knew she’d demand answers at some juncture.
“Shannon’s on the phone for you.”
“Who is she?” Tony asked, a thread of panic in his voice.
“It’s okay,” Gibbs soothed, running a hand over Tony’s hair. “Shannon is my wife.”
“Oh…” Tony nodded, smiling slightly. “Beautiful redhead?”
“That’s her.”
“Saw her picture up on Dr. Powers’ wall. You and her and the little girl.”
“Kelly,” Gibbs supplied. “I didn’t talk to Shannon before I left and she’s probably completely confused.” And if he knew his redhead, a bit ticked off too. He leaned over the table, picking up the phone from the wall extension before settling back and encouraging Tony to rest his head on his shoulder again.
Sarah was giving Jethro a very sharp gaze and he winced inwardly. He had a lot of questions to answer and he wasn’t sure he could. He had no idea how to explain this to anyone. But first he had to deal with his wife and her concerns.
“Hey, Shannon,” he said, trying to project calmness and strength into his words. She and her father were laughing over something but when he started talking, there was a slight gasp and Nate said a quick goodbye and hung up.
“Jethro,” she replied, her voice soft. “What are you doing up in New York?” She seemed concerned and confused, but also a thread of suspicion ran through her voice.
“Had something to take care of up here. A friend came to your father’s office in a bad situation and he has nowhere else to turn. I made him a promise that I’d be there for him.”
“And so you flew up to New York at a moment’s notice when our finances aren’t the best and your health is awful. Jethro, what were you thinking?”
‘Wasn’t,” he admitted softly. Nate had drifted into the doorway and was watching him and Tony. Gibbs tightened his arm around the boy’s shoulders in a subtly defensive manner, not sure why he was trying to protect Tony from his own family. Their family now.
“Then why go?” Shannon pressed.
“Because he’s a teenager in trouble, Shannon. He was badly beaten and…”
“Don’t tell her any more, please!” Tony pled quietly, green eyes glistening with tears.
Gibbs sighed, not trusting himself to nod yet. “He needed me, Shannon. He had no place else to turn. I keep my vows. My word is my bond.”
She pulled in a deep breath and was silent. He was tempted to say something, but as long as he could hear her breathing, he knew she was on the line, working things out in her own time.
“This is that boy we saw over Christmas isn’t it? The one I said looked as if he needed a hero. The one you took out for hot chocolate after the Radio City Christmas Spectacular?”
“Yeah. I gave him my numbers and your father’s and he came to see your dad. He…needs me.”
“So do we,” Shannon pointed out, her voice sharpening. “Look, Jethro…I called so Kelly could talk to you. I wasn’t expecting this…Let me put her on and when you’re done, I want to talk to Dad.”
“Okay,” he agreed, hesitating a moment before he spoke again. “Shan…I love you.”
“I know, Jethro. I love you too. But I worry.”
“Don’t, I have everything under control.”
She sighed but didn’t speak again and soon Kelly’s voice was coming through the phone. “Daddy!”
“Hey, Princess.” As Gibbs said that, he noticed Tony pressing closer, burrowing in tightly.
“You left me!”
“Didn’t mean to, Princess. I had some really important stuff happen and I had to go away soon, but I’ll be home real soon.”
“You’re leaving me?” Tony whispered and Gibbs felt torn between what Kelly needed and what Tony needed.
“Didn’t say that,” he said in an undertone.
“Didn’t say what, Daddy?” Kelly asked.
“Nothing, Princess. I promise you everything is okay though. You believe me, right?”
“Uh huh! Cause you’re Daddy and you’re the bestest!”
He didn’t feel it right now, very aware that he was letting both Kelly and Tony down. Both kids had such complex needs and working it all out was making his head hurt worse than ever.
“Put Mom back on, Princess,” Gibbs finally said, interrupting Kelly’s monologue about her day. As soon as Shannon was back on the line, Jethro handed the phone to Nate and turned his attention to Tony.
“You can’t leave me,” Tony said quietly. “You have to stay. I need you.”
“So do they,” Gibbs pointed out softly. He started considering options. If he took Tony out of the state as a minor it might be considered kidnapping and considering how much of a bastard his father was to bash on his kid, Gibbs wasn’t taking that chance. But he couldn’t be away from Shannon and Kelly either. It wasn’t fair to them.
Just as he reached a conclusion and started motioning to Nate, the older man spoke. “They’ll be on the eight am shuttle tomorrow, Jethro. Our treat. But when they get here, all the adults need to figure this out.”
“You’re staying?” Tony asked quietly, hoping shining in his eyes.
“I’m staying.” Jethro wasn’t giving this boy up to anyone. Tony was his now and that wasn’t going to change.
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. No money is being made from this work. No copyright infringement is intended.