YOU CAN LET GO
SUMMARY: For every dad, there is a moment when they have to let go. Sometimes they need their children to help them know when that time is.
WARNING: Character death; you may want a tissue!
DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own the song or the characters!
BETA: None! All mistakes are my own!
A/N: I hope you all like this! I heard the song and it just gave me this idea!!
OoOoOoOo
Wind blowing on my face
Sidewalk flying beneath my bike
A five year olds first taste
Of what freedom's really like
He was running right beside me
His hand holding on the seat
I took a deep breath and hollered
As I headed for the street
'You can let go now daddy
You can let go
Oh I think I'm ready to do this on my own
It's still a little bit scary
But I want you to know
I'll be okay now daddy
You can let go'
Kelly let out a squeal as her dad released his hold on her bike. "Look at me daddy! I'm doing it!"
"Good job baby!" Her dad yelled back. "Keep pedaling Kelly!"
Kelly pedaled with all her might. Her little legs spinning around as she finally did what she had set out to do at the beginning of the summer…ride a two-wheeler without any training wheels.
Her dad watched with his heart in his throat. He may have physically let go but emotionally he was still with her, still holding her bit, still guiding her.
When she finally came to a halt she got off the bike, and with a running start, leapt into her dad's arms. "Did you see me daddy? Did you see me?"
"You were amazing baby," her dad answered, hugging her tight, "How about an ice-cream cone to celebrate?"
Kelly nodded enthusiastically. She smiled a radiant smile; her daddy was home, if only for awhile and she had mastered the hardest thing she'd ever encountered. Neither knew she'd never get a chance to try and master more things.
Was standing at the altar
Between the two loves of my life
To one I've been a daughter
To one I soon would be a wife
When the preacher asked
'Who gives this woman?'
Daddy's eyes filled up with tears
He kept holding tightly to my arm
'Til I whispered in his ear:
'You can let go now daddy
You can let go
Oh I think I'm ready to do this on my own
It's still feels a little bit scary
But I want you to know
I'll be okay now daddy
You can let go'
Abby stared at the man who had been a part of her life for so long. The man, who had held her close when she cried, brought her a Caf-Pow on days that seemed endless…the man who had become a second father to her.
She wondered if he'd be able to say anything when the time came. And here it was…they walked their last step and he handed her off to the man waiting for her at the end.
"Who gives this woman to this man?" The priest asked looking the father in the eyes.
"I do," her dad answered clearly, his eyes misting over but tears never falling.
Abby smiled, taking a step back to give the man another hug.
"I love you dad," She whispered.
"I love you too, baby." The man whispered back, giving her a final kiss before going to sit down.
He knew that when the service was over she would no longer be 'his' but someone else's. How unfair life was…both his girls taken from him…in different ways but still taken.
It was killing me
To see the strongest man I ever knew
Wasting away to nothing in that hospital room
'You know he's only hanging on for you'
That's what the night nurse said
My voice and heart were breaking
As I crawled up in his bed and said:
You can let go now daddy
You can let go
Your little (boy) is ready to do this on (his) own
Its gonna be a little bit scary
But I want you to know
I'll be okay now daddy
You can let go
You can let go
It had been weeks since Tony had gotten the call that his dad had been in an accident and wasn't expected to make it.
Tony had rushed to the hospital to be by the man's side. He had begged for all he was worth, "Please dad, don't leave me."
And he hadn't. His dad had held on long past what the doctors had expected. Tony had prayed, hoped, and begged that it meant that his dad was getting better. But even he knew the truth.
"He's holding on for you," The nurse had told him.
Tony couldn't let go and he begged yet again, "Please dad, don't leave me."
But now…three weeks later, the rapidly deteriorating body of his dad let him know. It was time to for him to let go.
Tony lay with his head on his dad's chest crying silent tears. How could he let this man go? This man…the one who had trained him to become the best agent he could, the one who had helped him rise to Senior agent and then to lead agent, the man who had gotten him into a lead agent position in DC so that he could remain close…the man who had, just two months before, watched him become the youngest Director of NCIS.
Tony gave a small sob before declaring, "Its ok dad. Go to her…go to Kelly."
The beeping from the heart machine seemed to slow down. Tony couldn't stop the sobs that came to his lips. He held on to the dying man with all his might.
"I love you dad," Tony cried as the noise sounded through out the room.
The doctors rushed in but seeing the sight before them, did nothing more then turn the machines off.
At 3:02 p.m. Leroy Jethro Gibbs had finally let go.
THE END
A/N2: The song is "You can let go now daddy" by Crystal Shawanda. All parts in ( ) were changed to fit the story. The original last verse has the words girl, her.