Chapter 2
The next few days at the Vance residence flashed by in a flurry of activity because trying to coordinate a donation drive this late in the season was no small undertaking.
There were posters, flyers, and handouts that had to made in order to advertise the sale and reward. While Jared and his classmates made most of posters, there were still nights at the Vance household that were spent making glittery posters and flyers as well.
Then, the school had to be notified as well as teachers and parents about the impromptu fundraiser and that meant that Jackie had invited the PTA members over to their home and told them just how much this meant to her, and even though Leon hated interacting with more politics outside of the office, he gave in just this once.
Jared and some of his friends posted the advertisements on the school walls and passed them out to local kids as well, and then Kayla and her class helped to spearhead support with the endeavor.
All in all many were eager to show their support for a good cause and even those who weren't implored to action because of how good the cause was entered into the donation spree on the off chance that they would get to meet a real NCIS agent.
….
"So is an NCIS agent really going to come talk to the class that wins?" Kevin Richardson asked one day during recess.
"Yep!" Jared exclaimed proudly while him and his friends raced to the monkey bars that were being left unused. Truth be told though the little boy was nervous at first that the incentive would not be glamorous enough, but at least from talking to his friends people seemed pretty excited about the prospect of having a real agent come talk to them.
Another student nearby exclaimed, "Cool I wonder if we'll meet a real agent!"
"I wonder if they drive nice cars and if we'll get to see them" the classes resident car enthusiast chimed in.
Dan, one of Jared's friends piped in and added, "Or if they use their badges to get to the front of the lines at cool clubs."
"Well I guess we'll just have to win the contest to find out" Jared replied while flipping upside down on the monkey bars.
Leaning against the rock climb Samantha said, "My dad is buying some toys at his work for us!" before each child shifted gears to talk about sports and their test next period.
….
While the fundraising efforts were a smashing success Vance's end of the bargain was proving to be elusive to hold up.
He had already talked to three agents and each had politely declined the offer to speak to the class citing vacation time, mounting paperwork, and another just had no desire to talk to kids.
Leon Vance was no quitter though because if he was then he would have let the retina injury keep him down for the count, or he would have let the government head finish him off in that hospital bed a few months back without even a fight.
But he had done none of those things, and instead he had numerous surgeries to strengthen his eye and he had plunged a knife into the wannabee attacker.
No he would not give up he mused, however his musings and thoughts of who to ask next were interrupted by his no nonsense Marine leader.
"The door is there for a reason Gibbs" Vance pleasantly said while going into his desk drawer and grabbing a new toothpick to knead in between his teeth.
Vance's eyes were met with the patented Gibbs glare and the patented Gibbs grunt.
Vance scowled before being the bigger man and realizing that this line of conversation was one that he could not win because it was an ongoing dispute and instead reworked the conversation by saying, "Right, well as much as I love having my employees in my office what can I do for you Gibbs?"
"Need to ask for Charismas off for the team" Gibbs replied in his usual curt and few words tone.
Of all the things that Vance had expected to come out of the hardened man's mouth that was not one of the things that he had expected. Quickly schooling his shock into his usual neutral demeanor Vance said, "Going soft in your old age Gibbs" while he smirked and channeled DiNozzo.
Rolling his eyes Gibbs merely replied by saying, "No Leon. Dad is coming down."
Again whatever smart aleck remark Leon planned at volleying back at the man quickly died on his lips once Gibbs said that line.
Everyone within the agency knew of Gibbs' past, hell even newer recruits had heard things here and there about his old wife and daughter, and how the prime of this man's life was ripped from him.
Various agents also knew of the fractured relationship between Gibbs and his father, however those agents were not as large in number as the latter group.
Vance quickly mused to himself that sometimes being left behind to carry the burden of keeping the candlelight memories of those lost forever was the hardest and bitterest to bear.
"I'll see what I can do Gibbs. You're team has worked in the past it may be time for the others within the agency to pull some weight" Vance said in a gentle tone, which was a tone that Gibbs didn't hear often.
Looking up once more from paperwork Vance caught the tail end of a nod before Gibbs disappeared from the office.
…..
Later on that evening as the Vance's were sitting down to dinner, albeit a later than normal dinner, the topic of conversation began once again began with talk about the "Toys for Tots Campaign."
"So in our class we have two full bins already" Kayla exclaimed triumphantly as she grabbed some corn from the center bowl.
"Well we have 3 and ½ full fins thanks to Shania's dad buying out half of the Walmart Toy department," Jared said happy to hear that his class was at last one upping his sister.
Taking in the good natured sibling rivalry Jackie couldn't help but smirk and beam in happiness as she took another bite of the pot roast.
"That's enough you too" Jackie gently chided before the good natured rubbing could turn ugly while the woman also added, "besides according to counts done by the school Mr. Anderson's class is in the lead with 5 full bins."
"Not for long" Jared grumbled out.
"Pftt they'll never win, they are a statistical long shot to win" Kayla reasoned out knowing that their class wasn't as large as the other classes.
Once again Leon was reminded of how well the fundraiser was going and how miserably the lining up of the speaker was going.
Seeing her husband receding more into his meal than the conversation Jackie tried to draw her husband out by asking, "how is the speaker search going?"
For the second time that day Leon was caught off guard but once again the man recovered quickly before saying, "It is going okay." After all the search was progressing just not in the way that he had hoped.
Not picking up on the trepidation in their father's voice each child started firing off their own questions.
"So who's it going to be?"
"I bet DiNozzo right..I mean he would be so cool…so cool looking!"
"Nooo not him. I want Ziva so she can teach me about her paperclip collection."
"Juts pick someone cool dad" both children said in unison.
Using her old southern snappiness Jackie whistled loudly quickly ending that part of the conversation.
Once the peace had overtaken the formerly frenzied table Jackie spoke deliberate by saying, "Now whoever your father chooses will be suitable, interesting and well worth it. Isn't that right honey?" Jackie asked looking pointedly at her husband.
Mustering up as much confidence as he could Vance said, "Of course."
However as Leon cleaned off the table after dinner while his wife was overseeing the children's nightly routine Vance had to admit that his children had given him an idea. As he put the dishes in the dishwasher he thought that someone within the MCRT would most likely be willing to meet the winning class, and he prayed that one of them would catch the flailing Hail Mary pass that he was about to release.
Mentally the man added talking to someone on the MCRT tomorrow about the idea.
…..
Once again Vance entered the NCIS headquarters aboard the Navy Yard with gifts in his hands once more.
This time he was holding several decks of cards as well as stuffed animals for the underprivileged kids.
Today was going to mark the first time that he had looked into any of the collection bins since he had told Jackie about the lack of donations, and he was rather dreading the encounter.
While in the elevator he prayed that more donations had been placed in the bin, but exiting the elevator to the somewhat empty floor he wasn't holding his breath.
Vance was surprised though to see an agent bending over the collection bin and placing toys in the bin.
Scurrying over to see who it was he dropped his jaw at both the man and the amount of gifts he was stowing into the bin.
"Morning Director Vance" the man jovially breathed out as though this was just another morning.
For a few seconds Vance let his eyes dart back in forth between the bin and the collection bin and back again.
Once again he was caught off guard. That was three times in the past two days. Vance made a note of speaking with his doctor to make sure that his usual razor sharp reflexes were not on the decline.
Finally Vance's mind started firing off monosyllables in a string which then made a sentence.
His voice slowly retuned to him and Vance said, "Agent McGee what are you doing?"
