Chapter 5 Milk, coffee, ice cream and tears
Director Gibbs stalks to the Autopsy room and several passers-by stop as they see his displeased face.
He could have called his ME, but no! He wants some explanation, he needs to talk to the man himself. What the hell is going on? Is Ducky all right? Why won't the old man discuss the matter with him first? Is it because of his new position? All thoughts go through his mind as he strides towards Autopsy.
"Ducky!!!" He bellows as he enters the cold pristine room. What he sees, does NOT please him, he only sees the daft Palmer and Gerald.
"Where's Ducky?" He asks both of them, who are attending a corpse on the slab; Palmer begins to stutter, not knowing what to say. Gerald, who is more used to Gibbs's style, answers the man "It's his day off Gibbs" he explains calmly.
The Director frowns; it is true, he is not up to date with their schedule anymore, it is DiNozzo's responsibility now. Without saying a word, Gibbs leaves the Autopsy, leaving the two younger ME bewildered, what did Ducky do?
Gibbs calls Ducky's mobile, the old man had better not have turned off his mobile. Gibbs is about to lose his sanity, he only left work for three days and…
"DR. Mallard speaking" Ducky answers
"Ducky! What the hell is going on?" Gibbs questions the man, he is in the elevator, a couple of agents who are about to enter the elevator decide to use the stairs instead!
"Jethro, today is my only day off in a month! Please…leave me alone! You can shout as much as you want when I am back tomorrow! And I am so angry with you right now!!!" then the ME hangs up on his Director.
"What???" Gibbs murmurs in disbelief, he forcefully presses his number again.
"Ducky! Where the hell are you? And what is the meaning of…Is that Robert???" he hears his son's voice on the background as he is about to yell at his ME. He can hear his boy's voice very clearly, wanting to snatch Ducky's mobile.
"Hellooooo" Roberts manages to grab Ducky's mobile; by this time, Gibbs has entered his office and Mrs. Adams is already waiting for him by his desk.
"Robert! Is Ducky at home with you???" he asks the two year old, he has been worried about the ME, while the blasted man is at his house.
"Yes daddy, Ducky with Bobby" he answers, he is in the backyard with Ducky.
"Come home daddy, pleeeeeeeeeeeease" he begs his dad
"I can't Bobby, daddy is very busy right now. I will see you tonight, OK son! Put Ducky on!" he orders.
"Say please, daddy…" Robert refuses to give the phone back to
Ducky; the old ME is having the time in his life, Caitlin couldn't manage to teach Gibbs to say ‘please' and it looks like the boy is teaching his dad what his mother instilled in him.
Gibbs can't believe his ears, there is nothing else he can do. "Please" he speaks uncomfortably, out of the corner of his eye, he can see his secretary, trying desperately to hide her amusement.
It is going to be a long day. Gibbs covers his face.
"OK daddy!" he quickly passes the phone to Ducky
"Jethro, my time is precious, I hardly ever spend time with Robert, so why don't we talk over dinner at your house, I'll see you later Jethro" and Ducky hangs up.
Gibbs can't believe his day.
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This morning, Ducky arrived at the Gibbs house only a few minutes after he left the house. Kate opens the door for him, she looks surprised.
"Ducky, come in" she lets the ME in.
Dr. Mallard looks at her face, "Caitlin, what's wrong? Are you OK?"
"Yes of course, I am all right! Come in Ducky, Robert is inside" Kate looks down, avoiding Ducky's worried gaze, her eyes are still red from crying.
Robert must have heard his Ducky's voice, the tot comes out from the kitchen, lunges at the ME, he is glad for the extra company, he misses his dad playing with him; then Kate left the two of them to continue her chores and getting breakfast ready for the three of them.
Ducky finds out everything from Robert Jethro Gibbs, after he bribes Robert with Gummy Bears, he questions the innocent boy:
"So, have you been a good boy Robert?" he kisses the top of his head, the two year old is occupied with the candy, he just nods his head.
"Did mommy cry?"
"Yes" he nods
"Did she cry this morning?"
"Yes" he nods again; this time he speaks up "Mommy sleeps with Bobby" he says while chewing a Gummy Bear.
Ducky is surprised, this is NOT good! He decides to press on:
"Did your mommy cry last night too?"
"Bobby don't know" the kid shrugs his shoulders and stops his chewing, looking up at the ME.
"Daddy made mommy cry?" Ducky asks again, what the hell did Gibbs do to Caitlin?
But Robert keeps quiet, he doesn't answer the question. Ducky thought the boy looked upset and unsure of himself. He shouldn't have asked the detail.
"It's OK Robert, you don't have to answer me, if you don't want to, OK?" and the old man who rarely holds him because of his rheumatism, hugs and picks the boy up and takes him to the backyard. He will deal with his dad later.
Later that day, Bobby wants to go to the park with Ducky, so Kate drops them at the park and left for grocery. She canceled the doctor's appointment, she is NOT in the mood for her appointment, so she rescheduled.
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The two year old and Ducky are having the time of their lives. The aging man doesn't feel his backache and rheumatism when he is having fun with the child; his laughter, antics and company are making the ME happy. In the park, the two of them enjoy the day, the fresh air does wonders for their appetite.
They make a leisurely stop at a café, seated at the veranda, basking in the evening sun, they both enjoy their ‘tea time" with sandwiches, ice cream and iced milk coffee for Robert of course, a son of a coffee addict, he knows exactly what to order, but he likes his milk and coffee cold, not hot like his daddy, he tells the waitress; the waitress gawks at the boy and Ducky.
"Are you sure, Sir? You allow your grandson to drink coffee???" she asks the grandpa
"Yes, Bobby wants cold milk coffee, please" the kid answers the confused woman.
Ducky understands the woman's concern, but he confirms the two year old's order, before the waitress nods warily and places their order.
Soon, they are enjoying the delicious food. Ducky lovingly tucks a napkin into Robert's shirt because he makes a huge mess when he eats by himself, the waitress smiles when she looks at the scene, a sweet old man with a blue eyed cherub.
First they ate the sandwiches, then the ice cream; Robert scoops his ice cream and dunks it in his milk coffee.
"Yummy" he said, grinning at Ducky. Ducky looks at the melting floats of ice cream in the milk coffee, it looks scrumptious and he follows Robert's move, dumping his ice cream in his coffee too.
Robert finished his meal, even the skeptical waitress is impressed! The boy leans back in the chair, looks down at his bulging stomach and rubs it! Ducky does the same thing; the tot says "Bobby full".
After Ducky paid their bill, they continue their slower walk along the path. The old man holds the tiny hand, to make sure he doesn't lose the boy again.
The NCIS ME takes his time to educate the kid, showing him different types of trees, colors, bicycles, fishes, ducks, squirrels and everything else in the park, well…Ducky loves to talk! And he also thinks it is crucial for the boy's mind to be challenged, it doesn't matter to him that the two year old does not fully understand most of his words.
The boy listens to his Ducky, he doesn't run around like when he plays with his daddy, he seems to understand that Ducky is old and he walks much slower than his dad, the kid never once leaves his side; he obediently stays by Ducky's side, holding his hand, interested in whatever Ducky is talking about and sometimes he can not help himself and he mimics Ducky's gestures and some words.
Suddenly it is dusk.
Ducky sees Caitlin's car driving slowly by the park lot; it is about time to pick the child's father, NCIS's grumpy director, he guesses.
"Robert, your mother is here, I think we are going to pick up your father at N-C-I-S" he spells for Robert, and the kid nods then he hops gaily to the car.
"Ducky come with Bobby! N-C-I-S, come Ducky! Mommyyyyyyy" he screams to his mother.
"Hi guys" Kate greets them, she feels much better than this morning.
"Have you been a good boy with Ducky?" she skeptically asks her son
"Yes" Robert nods
"Did you run around and disappear on Ducky again?" she ogles the two year old
"No" he shakes his head
"Did you eat anything sweet?" Kate interrogates
Robert thinks hard for a while and, "NO mommy" he shakes his head, ‘ice cream is NOT anything sweet' and Ducky coughs uncomfortably, the sly boy lies to his mother.
"OK, then you can have a scoop of ice cream tonight" Kate is satisfied with his behavior, she sees no ice cream stain on his blue shirt.
"C'mon Ducky, it's pretty late!" Kate opens the door for the man
"We go Daddy office…N-C…?" he forgot
"N-C-I-S" Ducky reminds him
"We go N-C-I-S mommy" he shows off to his surprised mom
"You know NCIS Robert?" Kate kisses his cheeks and hoists him into his car seat, and she realizes something.
"Robert Jethro Gibbs! You ate ICE CREAM!" His cheeks are sticky.
"Yes mommy" he admits, and he explains before his mom corners him, "Bobby eat ice cream, not anything sweet" he defends his answers.
Kate crosses her arms across her chest, looking at the boy sternly.
Not knowing what to answer, she sighs, admits defeat and walks to the driver's seat, hiding her laughter.
"Let's go office mommy" Robert is already strapped in the seat.
"No Bobby! Daddy is not in the office anymore, and he will come straight home" she explains to the boy.
"Dinner is ready. Ducky, I assume you'll be joining us and spending the night, right? It is your day off" Kate asks the man sitting beside her.
"It would be my pleasure Caitlin" Ducky beams at her, his answer is greeted by Robert's shout, "YES…Ducky stay with Bobby tonight" and the boy cheers, words that none of the adults understand.
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The second they step into the house, Robert tugs Ducky all the way to his room, he wants to show Ducky something without his mother's knowledge.
"Oh dear" Ducky murmurs to himself, as the boy pulls out a wooden box which he hides inside his toy wooden box, which his dad made for him, the small box is filled with candy!
"Shhh…" the kid placed his index finger at his lips, signaling Ducky to keep it down
"Mommy don't know" he whispers in the ME's ear, then he takes one out, unwraps the candy and slips it into Ducky's mouth; the old man is shocked, he assumed the kid was going to eat the candy but he offers it to him instead.
"Thank you Robert, Ducky likes candy too"
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It is almost seven when the man of the house arrives home; he couldn't believe his day, now that he is home, he is reminded of their problem from last night.
As he steps into the warm cozy house, he is greeted by the two year old. "Daddiiiii" and Robert throws himself at him before he sheds his coat.
He picks up the excited two year old and the boy starts babbling about his day with Ducky. In five minutes he already knows about the park, ice cream, milk coffee and his ME is going to spend the night there.
"Good evening Jethro" Ducky greets him, Gibbs wearily nods to acknowledge the ME.
"Hi sweetie" Kate walks to her husband, kisses him and takes Robert from him and puts the boy down, "Robert is a big boy now, daddy is tired"
"Hi Kate" he greets her with a sigh, kisses her temple; it has not been a good day for him.
"How was your appointment with Strebel?" he asks his wife.
Kate tenses, she completely forgot to make up an excuse for him, oh…the hell with it! For ‘normal' people, they wouldn't notice the sudden change of her gestures and facial expression, but Gibbs, who spends half of his life interrogating suspects, he noticed the subtle changes.
"What's wrong Kate?" He asks Kate who is refusing to look at him
"I rescheduled the appointment" she answers.
Ducky who was engrossed in the Discovery channel, witnesses the disharmony in the couple.
"What? Why?" Gibbs sounds surprised
"Nothing Jethro! I am going tomorrow instead of today…no specific reason, no big deal, I just didn't feel like it" she looks into his eyes in defiance.
"Kate!" Gibbs can't believe his ears
"Jethro, please! Not now, not in front of…the boy, we'll talk later" Kate reminds him
Gibbs looks down and sees his son looking back and forth between his mother and father, he looks sad and confused, but unable to comprehend the situation; he seldom sees them argue.
Gibbs nods, agreeing with Kate.
It is going to be a hell of a long night!
"Bobby help daddy" he takes his dad's hand and they walk together to the master bedroom where his dad usually showers and changes before dinner, the kid already knows the ritual by heart.
Ducky looks at the scene and his mind wanders just for a moment; The bastard Jethro Gibbs about fifteen years ago, before the man was married for the fourth time, that awful bleak period in his life, coming home to an empty cold house, just his boat and dust awaiting him.
Look at him now with Caitlin, the ME liked the spunky girl the first time he laid eyes on her in Air Force One, a female Secret Service Agent, at that time he didn't know they existed.
Then NCIS's bastard hired her and naturally a few years later he married the woman. Now they have a boy, making Jethro more and more tolerable each day, he never hears him shout at his son, he barely lifts a finger at the mischievous boy.
"Ducky…Ducky" Kate calls him.
"Are you all right?" she looks worried, she places her hand on the man's shoulder.
"Oh yeah, I am sorry, I was just thinking, looking at Robert…" Ducky explains.
"Yeah I know…he is very close to his dad, he adores the bastard" Kate teases.
"You should have seen how he stuck to him during Jethro's three days off" Kate adds
The little kid loves company, for him, the more the merrier.
Kate tells Ducky about an incident few months ago, during the time Robert was waiting for his dad to take his shower, he decided to pick his dad's shirt, all Gibbs saw as he exited the bathroom was his son's butt, sticking out from the cupboard, and Ducky's laughter can be heard by Gibbs on the second floor.
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Dinner was pleasant and fun
When Gibbs is about to hoist his son to his high chair, he refused: "No daddy, Bobby big boy" he wishes to be seated in the adults' chair and Gibbs lets him be.
It is funny how they can only see half of his head poking out above the table.
"Oh Bobby! You can't sit there, you are too little" Kate sees the boy's head.
Ducky has an idea, he quickly goes to his old room where he left some of his books and belongings, and he comes out with two thick textbooks and places them under the kid's bum.
Robert is used to having guests at his dining table, his parents host plenty of "single Federal Agents" who hardly have time or bother to cook. Most of the time, Ducky, Abby, Tony, McGee or James would join them for dinner.
The old ME can see the strain between the couple, mostly from Caitlin, she is a little bit distant with her husband.
Even the two year old is not happy with his parents, out of the blue, the tot asks:
"Mommy angry with daddy?" he looks at his mother who chokes on her drink when she hears the question; his dad steals a glance to his mother.
Kate is sweating bullets, not knowing what to say to the kid.
"No Bobby, I am not mad with anybody" she quickly spoon feeds Robert so that he doesn't ask any more questions.
The boy closes his mouth and shakes his head, he is not done talking.
Gibbs is trying his best to put on a straight face.
"Daddy angry with mommy?" he turns to his dad
"No Robert, I am not" There is no privacy in this house, Gibbs thinks, his son is NOT a baby anymore.
Robert looks at Ducky for a while, unfamiliar with the cold atmosphere, the man just smiles at him, then:
"OK Daddy! Kiss mommy!" he orders his dad and Ducky chokes on his wine.
Gibbs is looking at the boy's blue eyes, realizes what an ass he's been, he is glad to have his family and he wouldn't have it otherwise.
Kate is about to scold Robert for being nosy, when her husband cups her face and kisses her for one long minute.
"I am a fool, I am sorry Kate" he whispers to her when he breaks the kiss with Kate already melting from his kiss. Her face is bright red from embarrassment and happiness.
"OK, Bobby happy" he declares and continues his meal in peace, while Ducky sighs in satisfaction.
But a few minutes later, the kid puts down his fork:
And, "Bobby want ice cream, mommy, please" he remembers the promise.
Within seconds, before Kate registers his demand and says "no" because he's already eaten his ice cream that evening, Gibbs stands up and walks to the fridge, takes out a tub of ice cream. His son just saved the day, he can have anything in the world, even ice cream.
Kate can't believe how a two year old can manipulate a seasoned investigator. She is speechless when her husband calls the boy to sit in his lap and spoon feeds him chocolate ice cream…from the tub!
"Jethro, you know what he is doing to you, don't you?" Ducky gawks at him
"Yeah, I know Ducky and I am glad he did" Gibbs answers the ME and kisses his son's head.
After ten minutes of chocolate ice cream moments, Kate intervenes, she says " That's enough Jethro" and Robert grins at his dad "thank you" and slowly slips down from his lap; that's how Robert saved the day.
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That night, Gibbs Jr. insists for Ducky to sleep in ‘his basement', he tugs Ducky all the way to his room, while scaring the ME, telling lies that the room nearest to the kitchen, which Ducky used to occupy is full of ghosts.
Gibbs is in the kitchen doing the dishes when Kate laughs loudly, hearing the boy's lie.
"He got that from you!" Kate manages to speak amid her laughter, for a few seconds she forgot about what an ass her husband been.
"I don't lie like Robert, Kate" Gibbs looks at her
"Yeah you do! When you interrogate suspects Jethro, you lie your ass off" she finally stops laughing. The couple look at each other, drown in each other's eyes, they realized that there are things they have to settle but they are sure that everything is going to be all right.
It is almost ten when Ducky is in his robe and Robert is in his pajamas, the old man takes care of everything; he is about to read him stories from the "jungle book" when Gibbs knocks at the door.
"Ducky, can I have a minute with you?" Gibbs is standing by the door with his coffee.
"Of course Jethro…" Ducky puts down the book; Robert interrupts the conversation
"Bobby too" he decides as he quickly slips down from his bed
"Why don't you wait for Ducky in your room?" the ME tries to persuades the kid
"No, Bobby follow" he wants to join them.
Kate is in their bedroom, she hears everything, her son is quite nosy. She enters Robert's room, "Robert…baby" Kate bends down to his level, "Mommy is lonely, Bobby, stay with mommy please?" she asks Robert who is already holding Ducky's hand. The kid thinks long and hard before he nods and follows his mother instead of the men.
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Gibbs and the ME are in the basement, he pours the old man bourbon in a clean shot glass, Ducky notices. His life is in much better shape than before…before he married for the last time, he hopes.
Ducky makes himself comfortable with his bourbon, sitting on the comfortable battered old couch by the corner, while Gibbs starts working on his boat; the old man knows that he needs time to open up to him. Ducky is about to be lulled to sleep when Gibbs speaks to him:
"Ducky, I read your letter today, your resignation letter"
"Oh yes, I know" Ducky replies and awakens slightly.
"Why Ducky? Are you unhappy with things at NCIS?"
"Oh Jethro, I am an old man. I want to resign and enjoy what's left of my time here. And young Palmer and Gerald are more than ready to take over my job" Ducky explains, his eyes closed, feeling the warmth from the liquid gold Bourbon.
Gibbs gazes at the ME for a while after he hears the explanation.
"I see. I thought you are unhappy at work" Gibbs is partly relieved.
"Oh no, what makes you think that? I have never been happier than these few years" Ducky thinks about the decades he has worked in NCIS.
"When are you planning to retire?"
"Perhaps, by the end of the year, after Christmas…about time your second child will arrive…I think"
Suddenly he remembers about the trip to the park this afternoon. "I had a great time today, in the park…with your son. He makes me happy Jethro…" Ducky sighs and opens his eyes.
"Couldn't imagine my life without the boy, Ducky" Gibbs places his tool down and pours himself a glass of Bourbon.
"He showed me his secret box today, do you know about it?" Ducky wonders
"Yeah, I gave him that box, it was mine. A week later I checked out the content…" Gibbs laughs, as Ducky interrupts, "…it's filled with candies, that's where he's been hiding them from Kate"
Gibbs is reminded with his Kate when Ducky mentions her name, "Ducky, Kate refused to see Strebel today, she canceled her appointment" he sighs heavily.
"I didn't know that" Ducky is surprised.
"I don't know what to do Ducky" Gibbs realized that shouting his displeasure is NOT going to work on Kate, she is not his agents and she is still pissed with him from the previous night.
"What I know is that you made her cry. Robert saw his mother cry…I assume you will fix whatever it is…" Ducky looks at his weary friend, and wonders why on earth is he still trapped in this nightmare.
"I don't know Ducky…" Gibbs is not sure what he can do to improve the situation.
Ducky has had enough of Gibbs, he seldom gives advice, but he can't help it anymore. "Jethro, don't be a bastard in your own home! You have every single thing you ever dreamed of: better job, a loving wife, A SON! And Kate is expecting your 2nd child…" Ducky sounds really upset and angry; Gibbs looks at the ME who is getting angrier by the second.
"Don't ruin it Jethro! Kate will never bash your head with a bat, or a golf club or whatever it is! She will not stick around for the alimony! They are not her style. She will just walk away…Please Jethro, don't ruin it for you and your family…" with that Ducky decides to leave the daft man alone, while he walks back to his beloved baby boy.
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"Hi Ducky" Ducky hears Kate's whisper as he enters the darkened room, only the night table lamp is on; he sees the boy is asleep in his bed, he still has his mother's hair in his grip as Kate is lying next to him.
"He wanted to wait for you, in his room…not mine" Kate explains, as she loosens the boy's grip and slips down from the bed.
"Sleep tight Ducky" Kate kisses Ducky's temple before she exits the room.
Ducky stops her, "Caitlin, how's my next grandchild doing?"
"I haven't seen Strebel yet" Kate speaks uncomfortably, she feels like she is putting the old man down; she slowly walks away before Ducky calls her again.
"Caitlin…be patient with our Jethro, it is at times like these that he needs you more than ever" Ducky holds both of her hands, then he hugs the woman he loves like a daughter he never had. It feels so good and comforting that Kate couldn't help but cry in his arms, after a while she feels better and she smiles sadly and nods at Ducky.
"I have given him all that I can give Ducky, but I guess it is not enough to heal his pain" and Kate returns to her empty room, her husband is still in the basement with his boat. Ducky stares at the empty space where Kate stood just a minute ago, he can only wish that the hard headed man comes to his senses before it is too late.
-Tbc-
Author's Chapter Notes:
The title says it all
Chapter End Notes:
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