Chapter 12
“The problem is that every time we solve a case or have time to get him out he has the excuse that he needs to get home to his dad. We can’t very well bring this up in front of his father and embarrass Jethro further,” Ducky was explaining to the rest of the team all grouped around McGee’s desk.
Abby cleared her throat loudly, gesturing towards the staircase leading to MTAC where she had just spotted Gibbs descending to the squad room. “Act natural, guys,” she said quietly, then in a louder, more conversational voice she began the ruse. “I am so glad we wrapped that case up today, guys. How about we all head out for a drink? Anyone up for our usual corner table at O’Malley’s?”
Everyone was expressing their interest in joining together for the drink and some much needed relaxation as Gibbs entered the squad room.
“Sounds like a great idea. You should all go ahead and get outta here. The case is all tied up. You can finish your reports in the morning if you’re not done already,” he said, eyeing a couple of reports neatly laid on his desk. “You all deserve the break.”
Tony spoke up first. “Shouldn’t our fearless leader join us? I mean, you are the one that broke that guy in interrogation and got the confession.”
Stepping up to him and giving Gibbs a hug that only she could get away with, Abby insisted. “Come on, Gibbs. It’s been forever since you went out with us. Jack will be okay for a couple of hours longer. You’ve got agents watching him, and, anyways, all week you’ve been going home much later than this so what difference will it make tonight? Please pretty please? For me, Gibbs?” She batted her big green eyes at him innocently.
Oh, Jethro. You know Abby has you wrapped around her little finger. He looked at his watch. Em shouldn’t be landing for at least another hour. Maybe one drink wouldn’t kill you. You’re just gonna sit impatiently at the house waiting for her to get home anyway, might as well blow some time at the bar with them. He shrugged his shoulders, nodding his head in agreement. “Fine. But just one drink, then I’m going home. I can’t leave my dad alone all night when I already leave him sitting alone in the house all day long.”
Gibbs still wasn’t sure he was ready to say anything to his team about Em. Part of him wanted to share his happiness with them, but the rest of him wanted to continue to keep his private life just as private as he always had.
The entire team seemed to him to be just a tad too excited that he was coming along, but then again, it had been a very long time since they had all been to O’Malley’s together. It was something they had done in the past at least somewhat frequently, enough that they were known there.
Soon they were in the Irish pub just minutes away from the Navy Yard, which was never too busy, part of why they all liked it, and were scooting in around their corner booth to take their seats. Abby and Ziva always sat in the center with McGee and Tony on either side of them and Ducky and Gibbs on the ends.
Just as they were all settled in, Molly O’Malley strolled over to them, grinning from ear to ear. “Well, I haven’t seen you folks in ages,” came her husky voice with the thick Irish accent.
They all greeted the pleasant, matronly owner of the pub with the smattering of freckles across her weathered face and flaming red hair pulled tightly into a bun low at the back of her head. She always came to personally welcome them whenever they came and assured that they were served quickly, never letting a glass or bottle reach empty without a replacement at the ready, if so desired.
Her husband Liam gestured a welcome from his usual place behind the bar across the spacious room. He was always chatting up the patrons seated in the barstools, his thick lips ever moving, and his ruddy complexion was alit with excitement tonight as he spun some tale to a middle-aged man in casual attire, sipping on a mug of beer.
As soon as Molly had left the tableside with their drink orders, the conversation turned to the case they had just solved.
Abby was still exclaiming her frustration at the confusing evidence that presented no clarity to the identity of the murderer this time when McGee quickly assured her that she would have been able to figure it out if Gibbs hadn’t extracted a confession from the brother first.
“I still can’t believe it wasn’t the ex-husband. I mean, I could have sworn it was him,” Tony exclaimed.
Ziva laughed at him. “Tony, you always say that it is the ex-husband, ex-wife, ex-boyfriend, ex-girlfriend, the maid, the butler. I could go on, but you get the idea.”
Tony began to retort but was cut off by McGee. “She’s right, Tony. You always call it like that. I mean, not that you’re never right, but I think you’re always going for the cliché movie plot.”
“I do not go for the cliché movie plot, McGee,” Tony insisted.
“Yes, you do, Tony,” Ziva agreed.
Before it turned into a real argument between the three agents, Molly was already back with their drinks. She passed them out around the table cheerfully. “Let me know if you need anything else, dears. I’ll be around to check on you later.” She bustled off to clear a table near the bar leaving them to their privacy with no other patrons seated in the booths nearby them.
Gibbs took a sip of his bourbon and suddenly felt the mood change at the table. He became painfully aware that they were all eyeing him nervously. He set he glass on the table and looked around at them. “What?”
Ducky cleared his throat, pursed his lips together tightly, glanced down at the glass of scotch in his hands, turning it around in his fingers, looked back up at Gibbs, and relaxed his mouth to speak. “Jethro, to be honest, we all wanted you to come with us tonight because we wished to speak to you.” He paused to take a sip of his liquor. “We’re all very concerned about you.”
Feeling slightly angered that he believed he knew what this was about, Gibbs looked at Abby. They were the only two on the team who knew American Sign Language and often used it to speak privately when the others were around. “Did you tell them about the report findings?” he signed.
Her mouth fell slightly agape at his accusation. “Gibbs!” she cried out then signed, “Of course I did not. I would never share your secret with anyone. You know you can trust me.”
He looked at her warily. “Then what is this about?”
Abby looked as if she were about to cry. “Gibbs, we all love you so much. You know that don’t you? You’re like a father to us. You keep this family together. You know that, right?”
Gibbs was completely confused. “Abbs, I know. I may not say it out loud the way you do, but I do know. Trust me. Now would you mind telling me what this is all about?”
Once again, Ducky spoke to him as it seemed Abby were too emotional and the other three were far too afraid to start this ‘intervention’ as Ducky had called it. “Jethro, we’re all concerned for your well-being. We know you’ve been under a lot of stress, and that can take its toll on anyone and can make some people do crazy things.”
Ducky had paused briefly to try to think how to continue, but Gibbs stopped him short. “Would you just spit it out already? What in the hell are you trying to say, Duck?” Just then, his phone chirped its familiar ring. “Hold that thought.” He grabbed his phone off his belt, saw the Caller ID and smiled as he flipped it opened to answer. “Hey there. Where are you?”
“We just landed ahead of schedule. I was thinking I’d come straight over. Do you mind?” Em’s voice came through the earpiece.
“Of course not. I was hoping you would,” he replied, looking up as he realized everyone at the table was staring at him.
“Did you get your case solved?”
“Yep.” He turned in his seat, facing away from the team.
“I gave my team the weekend off unless we get a call out. How about you?”
“I could do that, I suppose.” He could still feel their eyes boring holes into his back.
“Could I stay tonight?”
“Do you really have to ask?”
She giggled softly. “I guess not. So, would I have to ask to spend the whole weekend with you?”
“Of course not.” The eyes on his back were piercing further into him by the moment.
“I’ll meet you there then?”
“Meet you there.” He heard the click of the line go dead as she hung up and flipped his own phone closed, turning around to the team. “Well, I’ve gotta go. I was thinking, we’ve had a busy week so why don’t you all take the weekend off unless we get a call out. Otherwise, I’ll see you first thing Monday morning.”
Gibbs stood up to leave, reaching for his wallet as he did so, removing a bill, and tossing it on the table next to his barely touched bourbon.
“Boss, we just got here. You can’t leave yet,” Tony declared.
“Tony’s right, Gibbs. I mean, you promised one drink, and you haven’t finished your drink yet,” Abby cried out with a pout crossing her black lips.
“Abbs, I’ve gotta go. That was an important call. I’ve gotta meet someone.” He hoped they wouldn’t ask too many questions.
Ziva was the only one with the nerve to call him on it. “Who was it, Gibbs?”
“A friend. A very close friend.” He stated very matter-of-factly, giving her a stern ‘don’t question me’ glare.
She stared him down, determination in her eyes. She was sure it was the escort he had been with weeks before. “Anyone we know?”
“No, it’s not.” He wasn’t standing any more of her questions or the questioning stares from the rest of his team. “Now, if you don’t mind… hell, even if you do, I’m leaving. I’ll see you all Monday.” With that, he turned and stalked off out of the bar not even bothering to wave good-bye to Molly or Liam as he threw the door open and walked out into the night.
McGee looked around at everyone sitting there stunned at Gibbs’ manner of departure. “Do you think that was her? You know, on the phone. Do you think that was the call girl he’s seeing?”
“I’m afraid so, Timothy,” replied Ducky. “It sounded as if he were making plans to meet her somewhere for the night. I suppose he’s not quite as concerned about his father being alone as he tells us. We may have to confront him at home, even if it is in front of Jackson, as much as that displeases me. Now that we’ve made this attempt and failed, he’s not likely going to let us corner him out like this again.”
Everyone agreed with Ducky. Gibbs was no idiot. Now that he knew they had been plotting to get him out only to confront him about something, he would be wary of letting that happen again. It appeared the only option left was to confront him at home in front of his father, it would be certain to embarrass Gibbs, but they were left with no choice. The discussion turned to how and when they should go about approaching Gibbs.
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