***DISCLAIMER: I own nothing, all of the characters are the property of Belisarius Productions, CBS, and Paramount***
A story on what life would be like for Jethro Gibbs if Shannon and Kelly had lived. Gibbs doesn't work for NCIS, but all of the usual characters make an appearance! I welcome all reviews, especially suggestions on how to enhance my writing abilities!
December 19, 1991
Somewhere in Iraq
"Mail Call! Mail Call! Mail Call!" A booming voice shouted in the distance.
Marine Sniper Leroy Jethro Gibbs hopped off of his cot in record time. He immediately ran from his tent to the common area. His commander was driving slowly on a Jeep that was laden with packages and letters. The Jeep jerked to a stop and the commander got out from the driver's seat. By now half of the unit stood in the blazing heat of the desert. Christmas was in one week, and this was the most anticipated mail call of the year. The commander started rummaging through packages.
"Smith! Harper! Boyer!" The commander barked as he picked up several parcels and tossed them to the soldiers.
Gibbs stood patiently. He knew Shannon would be sending something, he just hoped that she had remembered to mail it in time. Finally, his name was called and Gibbs caught a heavy parcel. It was wrapped in brown paper and tied with twine. He looked at the post mark. November 30th. Shannon had waited until the last minute, but all that mattered was that it had arrived. Gibbs flipped the box over. In bright green marker it said "DO NOT OPEN UNTIL CHRISTMAS MORNING!"
Jethro Gibbs smiled his crooked smile and headed back to his bunk. Inside the large area he shared with eleven other men there was a lot of excited chatter about the parcels. Obeying the instructions, Jethro quietly slid his package under his bunk. He would save it for Christmas morning. Jethro sat on his cot observing everyone around him. Harper was opening a bag of beef jerky, and Boyer was taping a new picture of his girlfriend to the wall by his cot.
"Gunney, open your stuff." Smith said with a smile as he sat on the cot opposite of Jethro's.
"Can't" Gibbs responded quietly.
"Did you lose your knife?" Smith asked curiously.
"Nope." Gibbs replied.
"Well then..." Smith said confused.
"Gotta wait 'til Christmas morning." Gibbs said as he sat still observing everyone.
As if it were rehearsed seven faces stared at Gibbs. "That's what our packages said too." They all chorused.
"I'm waiting." Gibbs said as he leaned back on his cot.
"Wow, let it be known that even from a half a world away our Gunney is a whipped man." Boyer said snidely.
Jethro sat up sharply.
"For your information, it's not about being whipped, it's about being true to my word!" Jethro Gibbs said sharply.
Boyer knew Jethro well enough to back down. There wasn't anything Jethro wouldn't do for his wife and daughter, he had proven that two months ago.
December 25, 1991
Somewhere in Iraq
Sunrise broke over the sand dunes of the desert in a golden glimmer. Jethro Gibbs wished he was home with his family, but Christmas in Iraq wouldn't be half bad. The guard duty shifts were split into three hour blocks, and nobody had any official duties, with the exception of their three hour shift. Gibbs didn't have to work until five p.m. and he was going to enjoy his Christmas.
Without getting out of bed Jethro reached under his cot and pulled the large brown box up onto his cot. He reached for his knife and cut through the twine. Gibbs tore through the paper and opened the box. On top was a card that simply read "Gibbs" Gibbs ripped open the card and on the front was a picture of a snow man. Inside were three new pictures of Kelly and Shannon. Gibbs read the card silently.
"Dear Gibbs, things here are getting better albeit slowly. Kelly's recital went well. I have enclosed pictures of us from that night. We miss you so much, August seems like so far away, Merry Christmas, Love Shannon and Kelly." The card was written in Shannon's beautiful handwriting.
Gibbs looked at the pictures of his wife and daughter. Shannon and Kelly were standing next to the grand piano Kelly had played during her recital. Kelly was wearing a pink dress with white flowers embroidered on the hem, and her red hair was neatly curled, and pinned back in a pink bow. Shannon looked fabulous as always Gibbs thought to himself. She was wearing a black skirt and pink sweater. Her red hair hung in loose curls around her face. The only obvious signs of their accident two months prior were the bright purple cast on Shannon's left ankle, and the fact that she had obviously propped herself up against the piano for the photo. The cut on Kelly's forehead seemed to be healing well. The stitches were gone, but a scar remained.
"It's a small price to pay." Jethro thought to himself as he stared at the scar above Kelly's right eyebrow.
It could have been so much worse. Two months earlier Shannon had witnessed a murder. When she identified the killer for NIS the man tried to come after her. NIS was protecting Shannon and Kelly around the clock, but it didn't seem to matter. The killer had found them anyway. The NIS agent that had been driving Shannon and Kelly to the grocery store was shot in the head. The van swerved on a busy highway, and rolled once before stopping. The NIS agent had been killed instantly, but by some miracle Shannon and Kelly had walked away with only minor injuries. The news had devastated Jethro when his Commander had informed him. He wanted to rush back home to California and hug both of his girls.
The night of the accident his Commander graciously extended Jethro's phone privileges to a full half-hour. It had relieved Jethro to hear their voices again, especially Kelly's. His little girl may have had fourteen stitches in her forehead, but she was alive, and that was all that mattered. Shannon had been shook up, and she had tried so hard to keep her composure on the phone. Jethro did his best to comfort his wife from the other side of the world, and when he hung up he didn't return to his bunk, instead he went and talked to the Chaplain. It always made him feel better to hear the word of God, especially before bed. The reverend had been so kind, and had promised to pray for Shannon and Kelly every night.
Now, as he sat on his cot Jethro meditated on the meaning of Christmas. He was convinced that the prayers of the Chaplain, and the men in his unit had kept his girls safe. Gibbs went through the contents of the box. Beef jerky, sun screen, chapstick, two issues of Sports Illustrated, some hard candy, and at the very bottom of the box a small cardboard Christmas tree, that when unfolded was three-dimensional, meant to represent the real thing. Jethro smiled to himself, all the essentials that a man needed to survive in the desert. It had been hard at first, figuring out what would melt, what would spoil, and what wouldn't. As time had passed Shannon had perfected the art of care packages.
"What did you get Gunney?" Harper asked.
"A Christmas tree!" Jethro said excitedly as he hooked the ends of the cardboard together creating the three-dimensional effect.
Jethro stood up off of his cot and placed the tiny tree in the walkway so all of his bunkmates could appreciate it. Gibbs returned to his cot to pick up the paper and box, and throw them in the trash. Harper was leaning over Gibb's cot and surveying his friend's stash of new items.
"Candy, jerky, magazines, you're right...Shannon knows exactly what to send." Harper said happily.
"And new pictures too." Gibbs said as he picked up the snapshots and handed them to Harper.
"How are they doing?" Harper asked quietly. Gibbs didn't really like to talk about what had happened, but everybody was concerned.
"Better, Shannon's cast must be coming off soon, because she didn't mention it in the letter, and Kelly is young enough, hopefully her scar will fade with time. NIS still guards my house day and night. I wish I could be home for the trial. I wish I could hold her hand as she waits to testify." Gibbs said absentmindedly.
"Man, you got nothing to worry about, those NIS agents are sharp, and Shannon's a tough lady, she'll be just fine." Harper wasn't trying to belittle what had happened to Shannon and Kelly, he was trying to make Jethro feel better.
"You're right." Jethro said with a crooked half-smile.
Christmas dinner in the mess tent left something to be desired as usual, but Jethro couldn't blame the Corps for at least trying. Canned mashed potatoes and over-proccessed ham weren't his favorites, but something was better than nothing, he thought as he shoved a third helping of potatoes into his mouth.
March 20, 1992
Somewhere in Iraq
"Well Gunney, I just got a message from the Secretary of the Navy himself." Jethro's commander said quietly.
"It took the jury seventeen minutes to deliberate. That drug-dealing scum is going to jail forever. NIS is stepping back, but the MP's on base at Pendleton will be keeping a close eye on your girls. Unfortunately, even scumbags have friends." The Commander added swiftly.
"And my girls?" Jethro asked in a quiet tone.
"Shannon did an excellent job testifying, and so did Kelly. They're staying with friends for tonight. I have it on good authority they enjoyed a nice dinner with some people from NIS after court was over." The Commander smiled as he said it. Shannon and Kelly Gibbs deserved something nice after the living Hell they had suffered through.
Jethro saluted his Commander and headed to the Chaplains' post. As Jethro and the Chaplain prayed, Jethro fought back tears. His prayers had been incessant ever since the day of the accident, and Jethro knew that he would thank God every day for the rest of his life that his girls had been saved.
August 8, 1992
Camp Pendleton, California.
Jethro Gibbs was exhausted. The trip home from Baghdad had taken three days total, and when he arrived home Shannon had a whole day planned for the entire family. Shannon had been too excited to even stop and think that Jethro would be tired. After a welcome home party, a trip to the local zoo, and a nice homemade dinner Jethro Gibbs had tucked his daughter into bed, and finally sat down on his own couch. Jethro felt a soft hand on his shoulder. It was Shannon. She rubbed Jethro's shoulder with one hand, and held a beer in the other.
"I thought this might be what you really want." Shannon said as she handed her husband the beer.
"Well, that and maybe some other stuff " Jethro said with a wicked smile as Shannon slid down the back of the couch and cuddled next to Jethro.
"I have no idea what you're talking about." Shannon said as she planted a kiss on Jethro's cheek.
"I'm going to ignore that." Jethro said as he sipped his beer.
In all honesty that's what Jethro loved so much about Shannon. She was mature, and responsible, but every now and then she could be playful and do things like slide down the back of the couch, instead of walking around to the front and sitting properly, and she could be just as sarcastic as Jethro. They were a perfect match.
"So what now?" Shannon said quietly.
"Well, my enlistment is up in ninety days. I can't decide if I want to stay in, or not." Jethro said honestly.
"Gibbs, all of our family is on the East Coast." Shannon said sharply. She instantly regretted the sting of her words.
"I didn't mean to be so harsh. Now isn't the time or the place...we'll sit down and talk in a few days when you've had some decent sleep. I'm sorry Gibbs." Shannon embraced her husband as she said "I'm sorry."
"It's fine Shannon, we're all a bit stressed and tired right now." Jethro added.
Jethro finished his beer and hit the "off" button on the remote for the television. He stood up and stretched. Jethro was looking forward to sleeping in his own bed for the first time in a long time. It had been over a year since he had shared a bed with his wife, and even through his exhaustion he was anticipating the perfect way to end his homecoming celebration.
November 12, 1992
Camp Pendleton
Kelly Gibbs stood in the driveway. She had just hugged her best friend Maddie good-bye. Her father was leaving the Marine Corps and they were moving back to Virginia. Kelly wasn't happy about leaving Maddie behind, but she was excited becasue Virginia meant they would have their own house back. The house in Virginia was big, and nice. It wasn't anything like on-base housing.
"Let's go!" Jethro Gibbs said happily. He was excited to head back to Virginia. Shannon had been right. Although they had a few friends in Annandale, most of their family was scattered along the East Coast, from Stillwater, Pennsylvania all the way down to Florida, where her parents had purchased a condo. They were enjoying the sunshine in their retirement years.
Shannon and Kelly got in the new minivan with a slight reluctance. It was hard to say good-bye. Maddie's father and Jethro had started out in basic training together, and it had surprised both men when they had been transferred to Pendleton at the same time. Having a familiar face in California had its benefits, especially when Jethro had been deployed.
Maddie's father had decided to stay in the Marine Corps and make a career out of it. Jethro had known that wasn't for him, and now they were moving back to Virginia. Gibbs had found a job working on sailboats. He had always loved the water. Much to Jethro's surprise he stumbled across a classified ad looking for a disciplined individual with good carpentry skills to help make custom built sailboats for the elite and rich of Washington D.C. society. After a phone interview and a reference check Jethro had been hired. His new job started in three weeks.
Shannon had immediately applied with the local school districts in the Annandale area, and she too had stumbled into the perfect job. It was only part-time but the pay was reasonable. She would work in an elementary school providing speech therapy three days a week. Shannon was also willing to interpret on a freelance basis, and had even begun toying with the idea of offering Sign Language lessons to anyone who needed them. It would be extra money, and after living off of a enlisted Marine's salary for almost ten years, Shannon was ready for a step-up financially.
Slowly, Jethro backed the minivan out of the driveway, and the Gibbs family left Camp Pendleton behind. They arrived in Virginia five days later. As they drove cross-country they had stopped several times, to sightsee and spend the night after a long day of driving. Kelly had loved staying in a different place every night. The little girl had been surprisngly well-behaved on the long car trip. She didn't talk much, and spent most of the time coloring, or staring out the window taking in the scenery.
Shannon and Jethro busily unpacked and settled into their home once again. On the third night in their home Shannon sat on the couch and let out a sigh of relief. It was nice to be back in the home she had grown up in, and this time they'd be staying permanently.
February 1993
Annandale, Virginia
Jethro found that he enjoyed making boats more than he thought he would. Nothing was more rewarding than taking a pile of wood and turning it into a beautiful sailboat. In his five short months at the boat company clients had begun to ask for Jethro by name. His talents were obvioius as he would patiently complete his work without the use of power tools.
Shannon loved working for the elementary school. It was a nice arrangement because on days she worked she would always stay a half-hour extra to have lunch with Kelly. Shannon had also found an outreach group that helped interpret court proceedings for the hearing impaired, and Shannon was a passionate volunteer. Her memories of court were difficult enough to deal with. Shannon thought testifying had been hard enough for her, but she couldn't imagine how the hearing impaired struggled when they had to go to court. Jethro was so proud of his wife for helping others.
It was Valentine's Day, and Kelly had been invited to a sleepover. As they ate spaghetti at a candlelit kitchen table Shannon finally spoke up.
"Kelly keeps asking for a brother." Shannon said as she looked into her husband's blue eyes.
Jethro laughed, and shoved even more spaghetti in his mouth.
"I was thinking, now that we're settled, it's about time." Shannon said as Gibbs chewed his food.
Jethro kept taking enormous bites and he couldn't seem to make eye contact with his wife.
"Are you going to ignore this? I thought we agreed, get settled in Virginia, and have another baby." Shannon was incredibly frustrated with her husband.
"Shannon! Enough! Don't make me do this tonight!" Gibbs said with an anger that shocked him and his wife both. He instantly regretted raising his voice to a woman.
"Do what?!" Shannon demanded angrily.
"Great...now I've ruined Valentine's Day." Gibbs said as he looked at his plate.
"Confess now and you'll avoid sleeping on the couch tonight." Shannon said in a low voice.
"Shannon, I've been trying to think of the best way to tell you this. Apparently, there is no good way. In Iraq I was exposed to certain chemicals. Very dangerous chemicals. I'm in perfect health, but I had some bloodwork done before I was discharged from the Corps, and it was recommended that I not have any more children. I'm sorry, really I am" Gibbs said the last part quietly. It had killed him inside to get the test results back. He had searched for five months to find a way to tell Shannon, and now on Valentine's Day, the ugly truth spilled out.
"Well that explains a lot." Shannon said cooly as she got up and put her plate in the dishwasher. For five months she had been concerned that her husband was losing interest, but it was just the opposite. Jethro was still interested, but he was terrified of the consequences.
"There are obvious ways around our dilemma." Jethro added in a quiet tone.
"But I think that's something we need to discuss together, rationally when the shock has worn off." Shannon said as she reached in front of Jethro and took his empty plate.
"Thank-you." Gibbs said softly.