Rifiuto: Non Mirena
She flipped through the information for the sixth time that night, her mind going back to Gibbs. He'd known her since she was basically enutero, he'd looked out for her brothers and her, after her dad after their mom died. Yes, Leroy Jethro Gibbs had been a part of her life even before Ricco was born. And he'd... spent all these years looking for her? Well, that was partially Eureka's fault; once they were recruited, their slates were wiped clean, leaving only the most basic information, but essentially, they didn't exist. Like entering Witness Protection, as Carter had once joked. He was right.
She sighed, sitting back on the bed and rubbing her hands over her face. She had two choices: go back to Eureka and claim her walkabout a complete failure, which, it basically had been, or accept Gibbs's offer and join his team. The only problem with that option, was that she'd be leaving everything and everyone she knew behind for the unknown. But then again, maybe that wouldn't be such a bad thing. She was uncertain about her place in Eureka as is, and maybe a change of pace would be good for her. She could start fresh; clean her slate once again of all the crap she'd lived through in the small Oregon town, and start over. Start a new life.
Her mind immediately flashed to Carter, Allison, Henry, Grace, Fargo, Holly, Zane...
No. Half of them were six billion miles away, having a grand time on Titan, and the other three were still in Eureka, monitoring and watching out for the crew from below. With a quick glance back at the file, she grabbed the phone on the nightstand, and quickly dialed. Come on, pick up...
"Hello?" She let out the breath she'd been holding.
"Hey, um, it's me. Do... does your offer still stand?"
"Come on, Jo, pick up. Pick up, damn it!" Angrily, Carter slammed the phone back on the cradle, running a hand through his hair.
"Unable to get her?" Henry asked, setting a cup of coffee on the sheriff's desk and taking a seat in the chair across from him. Carter nodded, snatching up the cup and taking a sip.
"She won't answer her phone, won't answer her e-mail, or her texts-"
"Jack, did you ever consider that the point of a walkabout is to leave technology behind and become one with yourself and nature?" The sheriff sighed, and sat back in his chair.
"I just... she doesn't know what happened with the ship, Henry. She doesn't know that Zane and Allison and the others on that ship are gone, and we can't find them. She doesn't know that something went wrong. And if we can't find her, then how can we possibly hope to find the Astreaus and her crew?"
The older man steepled his fingers, thinking. "Give her time, Jack. She'll get into contact with us eventually, and when she does, we will fill her in and find the crew-"
"But what if we're too late, Henry?" Carter asked, and the other man stopped. "What if we don't find them, but we find Jo? Or what if we find them and don't find Jo? What if something happens to her on her walkabout and it's not that she won't get ahold of us, it's that she can't? Henry, what if she's hurt or... or in the hospital or something equally as bad? Henry, what if she's dead?" As Carter buried his face in his hands, Henry struggled to think of something to say.
She tightened her ponytail and stepped out of the elevator. The first sight to greet her was the grey of the bullpen. Taking a deep breath, she strode towards the entrance, searching for Gibbs. She didn't notice the guy oogling her at the desk. "Natalie Wood doppleganger at ten." His two partners- a man and woman- peeked around their desks to see the newcomer.
"Where'd she come from?" The first man shrugged, eyes moving down towards Jo's ass.
"I don't know, but she is gorgeous-"
"Natalie Wood was an actress, correct?" The woman asked, glancing at the men. The first nodded.
"Mostly known for Miracle on 34th Street, West Side Story and of course, the ever wonderfully sexy, Gypsy." Before anyone could respond, they saw Gibbs strode towards the woman, and lean down when he got close, pressing a kiss to the woman's cheek.
"Whoa, Boss knows her? What do you think the relationship is?" The second man asked, surprised.
"Ex-wife?" The woman asked. The first shook his head.
"Too young. Daughter, perhaps?"
"No, Gibbs hasn't had any children besides Kelly." The second replied. They watched as the pair talked softly, and the woman beamed at him, before holding out a piece of paper. He said something to her, but took the paper anyway. And then, he turned, laying his hand on the small of the woman's back as he guided her into the bullpen. Instantly, the other three returned to their desks, pretending to look busy.
"You can all stop acting like you weren't snooping on a private conversation." Gibbs said, looking at the three.
"Snooping, Boss?" The first man said, standing. He went to Jo, turning on the smile and holding out a hand.
"I'm Anthony DiNozzo. Senior field agent for NCIS." She nodded, pasting on her own smile and taking his hand. "But you can call me Tony." Cocky and egotistical, just like Zane.
"Quit sucking up, DiNozzo." Gibbs said, slapping the man on the back of the head. Jo chuckled, grinning. "This, is Josefina Lupo. She's transferred here from Oregon-"
"So, she is part of the team?" The woman asked, rising from her desk.
"As of oh-nine-hundred, yes. Jo, this is McGee, Ziva, and you've already met DiNozzo." Gibbs said, gesturing to each in turn. "Your desk is over there, next to Tony's." He said, gesturing to the empty desk across from his. A moment passed, before Jo went to the desk and set her things on the desktop. She smoothed the blouse she wore, and then, glancing down at the pale yellow, quickly grabbed the black jacket she'd slung over her shoulder and pulled it on.
"Gibbs, I can here, expecting an interview for the position, not to just have it handed to me." She said, turning to the team leader. Gibbs cocked his head to the side.
"And there was an interview." She shook her head.
"No, no, there was no interview, because I was not there." She replied, frantic.
"Yes there was, and you passed."
"So what did you do?" She demanded as he headed to the elevator. "Offer one grand for me? Cause that's what it cost for me to end up in Oregon!" She demanded, as the doors of the elevator opened. She glanced at the others, before dashing from the bullpen.
"She's gonna splat on the elevator doors." Tony said, but all three watched as she leaped into the small space as the doors slid closed. "Or not."
Carter tapped his fingers against the table. "Shall I fix some lavender tea for you, Jack? Lavender is often used as a relaxant, and you are tense-"
"No thank you, SARAH." Carter cut the house off, sipping his coffee.
"Just call her already, Jack. If anyone can find Jo, it's you." Kevin said, taking a seat across from the sheriff. "Hell, you found people for a living." Drinking in the kid's advice, he grabbed the phone and dialed her number. A sudden, familiar GD ringtone began to sound in the house, and after a moment, Kevin got up. He rummaged over the sofa, and then lifted out Jo's cellphone. Carter dropped the phone, blood rushing to his toes.
"Crap."
"What the hell was that, Uncle Jethro?" Jo demanded, turning to him once the doors had closed. When they were a reasonable ways away from the landing, Gibbs stopped the elevator, turning to her.
"I told you-"
"No, you didn't!" She cried. Gibbs took a deep breath.
"Josefina, you didn't need to come in for the interview because I had Director Vance talked to General Mansfield, and his high opinion of you basically made the decision."
"So-"
"Do not try to analyze this, Josefina. You are on my team, and can put your past behind you." Jo scoffed, and straightened.
"They don't know about me, do they?" She asked. "My relationship to you?" Gibbs shook his head. She nodded, "Good. So, once we step back into that bullpen," She swallowed, glancing at him. "You start kicking my ass. Like old times." Gibbs sighed internally in annoyance.
"I don't kick ass. And I didn't back then, either." He replied, flipping the switch and hitting the button. Jo glanced at him, licking her lips in nervousness. When the doors open, she followed Gibbs back into the bullpen, and headed to the desk that had been designated as hers. "Hold it." The other three looked up, waiting. "Josefina, I need you to hand over all your weapons." Slowly, the ravenhead turned to him.
"Weapons? What weapons?" She asked. Gibbs raised an eyebrow and beckoned her towards him. She went. The others watched, silent.
"Remove the Walther PPK/S tucked into your back, Jo." She did, handing to to him. Even though she'd been on walkabout, she'd been unable to keep her weapons at home- the joys of working security detail at the most volatile research company in the world; the need to be constantly armed, even off the clock. "And the Glock nestled into your side holster at her side," She handed it over, rolling her eyes. "The Smith & Wesson Six-Thirty-Seven Airweight concealed at your right ankle, and the switchblade tucked into your ankle," Sighing, she did as told, handing both over. "And the knife at your waist, and the Swiss Army one concealed in your cleavage."
Tony's eyes widened and his mouth dropped, drool forming at the corner of his mouth. She lifted out first, the one at her waist and held it out to him, hilt first. Gibbs took it, flipped it around, and handed it back to her. "You can keep that. But know I know. Come on, hand it over. The Swiss Army knife." She rolled her eyes and slipped a hand into her blouse, pulling out the small pocket knife.
"That is the hottest thing I've ever seen." Tony muttered. Ziva and McGee shared disgusted looks. Gibbs examined the small weapon before handing it back to her.
"She has more weapons than me." Ziva groused, annoyed.
"What research facility did you work in that required you to carry so many weapons?" Gibbs asked, as Jo slipped the small compact knife into her blouse again.
"You don't want to know," Jo replied. "Are we done?" Gibbs nodded, and she went to her desk, collapsing into her chair. "Thank you." She leaned back in her chair, covering her face with her hands.
Kevin rushed up to Jo's room, reading Carter's thoughts. The sheriff waited, and minutes later, the boy came back downstairs with her laptop and several other electronics she'd obviously left behind. As he set the things on the table, he asked,
"So, what do we do now?" Carter sighed, shrugging.
"I don't know, Kev." A moment passed, before he grabbed the phone and dialed Henry's number. "Henry, Jo didn't take anything with her- not electronic, anyway. We gotta find her. She can help us find the ship and the crew. Eure..." He sighed. "It just isn't the same without her in town."
"I'm looking for Agent Gibbs." Jo's eyes snapped open and she sat up at the familiar voice.
"General Mansfield?" The old general turned, gaze landing on Jo.
"So Director Vance took you on my suggestion. It's good to see you again, Sergeant." Jo instantly straightened, hands behind her back as she stood before the general.
"It's good to see you too, Sir. But, if I may ask, what are you doing here?" She asked. The others on Gibbs's team watched as the new member did all but salute the older man.
"Clearly she knows him." Ziva said.
"Old commander? Same unit?" McGee offered. Tony wrinkled his nose, but didn't say anything.
"I am just... bringing the files from Eureka and Global Dynamics that Director Vance asked for." He handed them to Gibbs, and then turned back to Jo. His gaze softened for a moment, and his voice was gentle. "You'll do good work here, Jo. Any facility in the world would be happy to have you- even Mossad. Global didn't appreciate you, nor did that town. You're better off without them." She nodded, a hint of sadness flashing in her dark eyes.
"Thank you, Sir. It means a lot to me." Mansfield nodded, turning to Gibbs.
"You have one of the best sharpshooters on your team, Agent Gibbs. Her talents were squandered at GD; don't make me think the same here. I can easily reassign Jo, and believe me, that is the last thing I want to do. Don't force me to." And then he turned to Jo, who straightened, nodding to him. "At ease, Sergeant, and good luck." Jo relaxed, watching until Mansfield and his lackeys were gone, and then she relaxed, glancing at Gibbs. The older man nodded, and then, in one fell swoop, smacked her lightly on the back of the head.
"You can relax, Jo. Mansfield's gone." Rubbing the back of her head, Jo did as told, going to her desk with a glance back at Gibbs.