Nuts, Chess, Innocence and Snow.
A NCIS Christmas tale
"Twas the night before Christmas when all thro' the house,
Not a creature was stirring not even a mouse,
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care
In hope that Santa Clause would soon be there…….."
"Uncle Jethro, what's a chimeney?" Emily asked. The look on her face so serious for an eight year old. It so reminded him of Kelly. He thought hard, looked at Fornell, smiled, put his arm round the child, and answered " A chimeney is where they sent small children, who used to ask too many questions, up in Victorian times."
"To do what? But what is a chimeney?"
"A chimney, was where the smoke, from an open fire, in a fireplace, used to go up into the air. They used to send small children up to clean. To get rid of the soot"
"Daddy," Emily said, looking at Tobias and then Jethro, " Did they not have carbon foot-prints in those days?"
"Probably" Gibbs replied laughing .
"But Emily but what sort are you thinking of?" Fornell questioned.
"Well at school, we are taught about climate change. And how we should trade carbon footprints with others and get money……… so can I have a new bike, and I can cycle to school and get all the money from those that use their moms' cars." Emily replied looking at the two men, seriously. I mean this was a future woman, who was going to coin cash, out of an unsuspecting male, if she took her mothers character, maybe they could change her.
"You been talking to your Mom?" Fornell asked.
"Nope Dad, been listening to you, oh ,and Uncle Jethro. I mean, oh I know, that Mom screwed both of you, well that's what she tells her friends. Got as much as she could out you both."
"Emily……………here now." both men shout. "Explain"…………………..
****
"Now this dress or that, what shirt, and tie for you?" she said seductively, "You don't do ties.........well not that kind" smiling at him. "Ties, why don't you and me just get something together. Get an apartment. Tony, my body clocks' running and ticking, and you're not getting any younger"
"Jeanne, you know me too well, so....what we going to do?" smiling at her.
"Probably nothing until I get those tights off you..................." she said laughing. "Thank you for stepping so soon and quickly. I mean its not every man who would turn up as an elf, to help out the childrens' ward. Santa was really glad, he needed someone who was ….well …..not hospital staff."
"Jeanne, but green tights are so last year." Tony laughed.
" I was thinking….."
"Jeanne, now that's dangerous….."getting a slap on the arm.
"No. Why not draw a fireplace on the wall. Put the tights up against ………… and fill with nuts…………"laughing.
"Jeanne, the nuts just came out. But, I know what you mean. One leg for me and one for you. Fill with the presents, we have bought each other. That what you are thinking."
"Yep Tony, please."
***
"So we got the eight reindeer. Dasher, Dancer, Prancer and Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donder and Blitzen. that's the eight pawns. Now we need the others. What you think McGee, Tim darling?"
"Well……, Gibbs, Santa Claus, the King and the Director, Jenny, Mrs Claus, the Queen. That's unless you thought otherwise?" he replied
" No. That's cool"
" Now, the Knights?" Tim asked.
"You and Tony. Oh this is so going to be good."
"Bishops, and the others, the Rooks or the Castles"
"Mmmmmmmmmmmm the Bishops, what about Ducky and Jimmy.? So that leaves Ziva and Me as the Rooks. That Ok?"
"Fine by me." Tim replies. "Yep, let battle commence."
As Abby moves Dasher forward………..
***
"Christmas Eve. But then you don't celebrate Christmas do you?. That why you chose to be the one on call." handing Ziva a tea.
"Could say that, Jen" accepting.
"Gibbs doesn't either. Celebrate Christmas that is, but he chose to spend time with Fornell and Emily. Sometimes I feel he is getting too attached to her. I sometimes think he wants to replace her as Kelly. I mean Diane is his ex-wife, maybe he sees Emily as his adopted child, his lost love. His….."
"Jen, Jenny, could you and the Boss, not have….. Well you know………..you could have tried……"
"To trap Him………. Ziva, he loved Shannon, always will, he's a faithful guy. No, Shannon was his one and only love. Children…….. Now that's different. He loves kids. He has a way with them. They trust him. But they would need a mother, and I mean a mother to love them. He's got to the stage in his life where he wants to hand them back. Give love but then they are your problem………….." she looked away, the tears not far away. She looked at the glowing fire in in the fireplace. The smoke going up the chimney. If only she hadn't done what she'd done………..Jethro, I hurt you and I'm so, so sorry.
***
"That's not fair, Tim to Donder"
"You mean, Knight to Donder."
"What-ever. But you cheated."
"Didn't"
"Did"
"Abby, the move was……………"
"Sneaky……….. I didn't see it coming"
"You taking a strop?"
"Yesssssssssssss."
"Ok, but I'm still better at chess than you."
***
"Mother. Mother…………What is this?" Ducky asked. Looking about . " Mother?"
"Don't shout Donald. What does it look like?" Mrs Mallard says, appearing from no-where.
"A carrot, a glass of whisky and a cookie." Ducky replies, as a small boy would on Christmas Eve.
"Well, Father Christmas will be here soon. Need to give the Old Boy a treat." looking at the fireplace and the open fire. "If that doesn't warm the cockles of his heart , it will certainly warm his nuts."
"Mother I am not a child anymore. And I don't think Rudolph will want anymore treats. And as for nuts……"
"Good, then I will have the cookie and the whisky, and the carrot will do tomorrows dinner."
"Mother, you know its Beef Wellington, and yes I suppose carrots will go."
"Oh, and did you get chestnuts Donald? Chestnuts roasting on an open fire…….." going away singing to herself.
"Please Santa, I've been good this year, can I have a body to get away from Mother. Or please make Mother the body." he asked, looking at the ceiling
****
"Tony, so what you fancy doing? I need to know."
"Ok, an apartment. And I'll meet your mother. And I will be polite. I will not sup my soup. I will not pick my nose, break wind or any other thing you think I will maybe do. I will buy her a gift. Act a mature Adult and………."
"Beast…..But what about tonite? Are we going out to eat?"
****
"Well, Emily explain." Tobias asked.
"Mom says that" taking a deep breathe…… "she got what she could out you both. Her friends say she is a gold digger. I've dug the back garden but no gold dad, just some old bones. Uncle Jethro, if you and Mom were married that means you're my dad too. So can I have……….. A big hug and some kisses and the rest of the story, please. And you won't put me up the chimeney, will you?" she asked quietly.
"No, poppet, I won't. Come here………." smiling………..
"He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
Away they all flew like the down of a thistle,
But I heard him explain as he flew out of sight……..
Merry Christmas and to all a goodnight."
"And I think Emily, you should go to bed, or Santa won't visit." as he let Fornell take his daughter upstairs to bed. He thought of the last Christmas with Shannon and Kelly. He looked at the chalk fireplace, they had drawn. The red sock laying empty and sad. He took ten dollars from his pocket. Placed them in it. An orange, an apple, a voucher for Wal*mat. A set of fluorescent felt tips. An iPod. He left a card it said:-
"No carbon footprints. I used slippers."
Love Santa.
He let himself out, quietly, into the cold Washington air. He felt the first smurr of fine sleety snow on his face. And headed for his car. He hoped he would get a call. Christmas day was for children, lovers, not for the likes of him…………….
******
His cell-phone rang.
"Jen…….Yep……..on my way. You called the others………Good…….. Be there in about 20 minutes.
"What we got then Boss. I mean I was just going to carve the turkey, don't know why, I hate the stuff and the stuffing, but Jeanne wanted, I mean the stuffing………… I did last night"
"Too much information DiNozzo………."
"Yes Boss………..with all the trimmings."
"Beef Wellington on hold, Mother is out for the count, too many Wild Turkeys last night."
"Well, Abbs not talking to me, we fell out when Jimmy took Cupid, that was before Mrs Claus, Jen, checkmated Santa, you Boss.. It was going to be a Abby/Gibbs but I squared it."
The look on Gibbs face, the eyes slanted, "You will clarify won't you Agent McGee?"
"Ye…….ssssssss, of course, you see we were playi…………. "
"Later McGee…….Ducky?"
"Padded gentleman." pointing to the fireplace and the chimney. "Red coat. If I didn't know better I would say that the Gentleman in question was Saint Nicholas."
"Half right, Ducky, Nicholas Partridge, Ex Petty Officer, unfortunate name, for this time of the year." Tony replied.
"Shhhhhhhhhhhhhh" Gibbs indicated. The sound of a child gurgling, murmured, round the room. He moved the curtain. There lying behind it looking so ………..babyish, a baby. He lent forward, the child raised its arms towards him. He picked it up, he held, he thought 3 wise men, 3 shepherds, no presents. He thought Jen….hell, no he thought Diane. Diane she might just turn good for once. Diane please. He called Fornell.
****
"So Gibbs, You think she will?"
"Get Emily to convince, hell, I need help. Emily will clear for me ….I promise…………I owe you Tobias."
****
He laid the child in Emilys' arms.
"He's not yours. He is not Jesus. He is a lost soul. Diane please". looking his ex-wife in the eyes. "He's a baby. Just until Christmas is over. Please."
She took the child, from Emily. She looked into his face, she looked at, Gibbs, she looked at Fornell. A baby was a baby. Yes, she would, a mother, is a mother.
"Thank you Diane. I'll let Social Services know, and the Navy family services too" he said, as he walked away.
It was the best thing she had ever done for her two ex-husbands, maybe she did have compassion.
****
They still had to find the babys' mother. The father, he had been in the navy. They had to find out who had killed him and left the body. Was the father going to play Santa? Was the mother safe?. Was she part of the murder? At least he had something to occupy his mind. He turned his collar up and walked into Washington snow………..
****
Merry Christmas Everyone