Chapter Five – Tuesday
When Gibbs and DiNozzo had cleaned up after their early morning run, they and the Pellegrinis went to Neva's house for breakfast. As Tony was having a second cup of coffee, Lance pulled him out to the back porch and sat down close to him in the glider.
"My dad's dead," Lance began.
"Yes," concurred Tony.
"He's not coming back."
"No."
"That's what happens when someone gets shot."
"Yes."
Tony put his arm around the youngster, pulling him closer. As Lance looked up into Tony's face, suddenly his eyes began to fill with tears, and in a moment he began to sob into Tony's chest as, for the first time, he completely realized his loss. Neva peered out through the screen door, but Tony shook his head at her to indicate he had the situation under control.
Finally the storm was over. Lance pulled up his shirttail and wiped his eyes.
"I guess I'm a crybaby just like Eric," he said with a hiccup.
Tony thumbed the tears off his cheeks. "It's okay to cry when someone you love dies."
When Lance had recovered, he asked Tony, "Are you going to come back and see us?"
"I'll have to come back to testify at the trial of your father's killers," Tony replied.
"Can I call you sometimes?"
"Absolutely," answered Tony.
With a satisfied sigh, Lance snuggled close to Tony again.
For some time they swung gently to and fro while Lance found comfort in the warmth and solidity of his new friend. Then it was time for Gibbs and DiNozzo to get their gear and get ready to leave. They had called an airline the evening before, when they knew the case was solved, to get reservations. It turned out that they were going to be accompanied to the airport by a large group of admirers and well-wishers to see them off. They rode in Neva's car with Lance still sitting close to Tony in the back seat. The Pellegrinis took Lauren and Eric, and a couple of other relatives, who had been impressed by the NCIS agents, made a third group.
When they arrived at the airport, they found that Anne Wojcewski, Mary Conway, and Jess Widstrom had also had decided to see them off.
"You guys can come work cases with us any time," Anne told Gibbs, as Conway and Widstrom murmured agreement.
Tony said, "If any of you guys, any of you, are ever in D.C., be sure and let us know. We'll give you the two-bit tour of NCIS."
Neva and Jethro discussed Lauren's upcoming stay in Washington, during which she would live with her godfather for the ten weeks of her internship at the Department of Agriculture. Both Eric and Lance were embracing Tony. A round robin of kisses and hugs and handshakes occurred among the group until the flight was called. With waves of farewell, the Columbus group said their goodbyes.
As Gibbs and DiNozzo stood in line, waiting to enter the boarding gate, DiNozzo suddenly realized something.
"Hey, boss."
"Yeah?" Gibbs said.
"You haven't hit me on the back of the head once since we've been here."
Gibbs gazed at him levelly.
"You did good, DiNozzo," he said. "I didn't need to."
DiNozzo smiled at him, a gentle, sincere smile that he seldom showed to anyone, which Gibbs returned.
On the plane, they took seats on the starboard side, with Gibbs sitting in the window seat. DiNozzo ordered earphones so that he could listen to music. Putting the phones on and selecting a station, he stretched out his long frame as much as he could and put his head back and closed his eyes.
As the plane lofted over the city of Columbus, Gibbs looked out to the blue sky above it. Raising his hand in a salute, he murmured, "Semper fi, buddy."
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