DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN NCIS OR ANY OF ITS CHARACTERS

A Break Away

Chapter 6

"Has he always been so in tuned?" Ziva asked.

Gibbs smirked, "You mean attuned." He thought about his answer before saying, "I would have to say yes. He spent a lot of years watching my mom and me. It seemed he was on the sidelines a lot. The mine took up most of his time. Sundays were the only days we got to spend together as a family, aside from holidays. Winslow was a slave driver, but at least he couldn't deny his employees those days off."

"My father never took time off," Ziva stated simply. "Maybe it was reason enough to bring us to his work," she pondered.

"Don't know," he shrugged, topping the sandwiches and putting them on plates. "Maybe it's a father thing. Jack couldn't take me into the mines, but he had me in the store every day."

Ziva nodded, "Perhaps," taking her plate and following Gibbs back to the store. She sat at the table there and watched as Jack thanked his son for the lunch. Both men sat across from her and she compared them side by side- much like Tony would. She fought the smile at that unexpected thought.

"Something amuse you dear?" Jack asked with a half smile and a tilt of his head.

"It is nothing," she waved it off.

Father and son shared a look and both nodded their heads, "Uh-uh."

"Really," Ziva insisted. "Merely a passing idea."

"Passing thought," Jack corrected.

Gibbs eyed his father, a bit taken aback at his quick correction of Ziva. She seemed equally impressed as well as foolish for misspeaking yet again.

"I do not think I will ever get this language patted down," she said frustrated.

Gibbs and Jack held back their snickers and held their tongues. Now was not the moment to tell her she got that wrong.

"Don't worry so much about it," Gibbs shrugged it off. "I only got C's in English and I spoke it every day."

"Could never understand that myself, Leroy. How did you manage to not do better?" his dad accused.

"Too busy thinking of other things, I guess," his son shirked. "I like shop the best."

Jack snorted, "I know."

"Hey," Gibbs defended, "I was good at it. Still am."

Jack surrendered, "I'm proud of you son. You got those skills from me," he said proudly.

Gibbs rolled his eyes. "Grandpa Gibbs taught me what I know," he said pointedly to Ziva who sat amused by their exchange.

"Hah! He may have given you a lesson or two, but I gave you a whole workshop to learn in."

Conceding to end the battle Gibbs said, "True enough." Not being able to resist he added, "You gave me lots of reasons to head out there too."

Jack nodded his agreement, "You were always easier to deal with after spending some time out there."

Stunned at his father's revelation and not sure if he meant he'd riled him on purpose to send him out to the garage or if Jack was recalling how much it actually calmed him down to be out there.

Not wanting to delve into that Gibbs stood stacking the plates. "Why don't you take Ziva and show her your version of Stillwater." Seeing his father about to object he continued, "I'll mind the store. I think I can handle it."

"You sure?" Jack teased. Taking Ziva's hand he said, "Would you like to join me on another stroll through Stillwater?"

Smiling shyly Ziva answered, "I would love to see 'your' Stillwater, Jackson."

Pulling her hand into the crook of his elbow and taking his cane from beside the door they headed out.

Gibbs laughed lightly, 'Dad will never change.' Then he thought, 'I hope he never does.' Then he went to rinse the plates and get back to the store.

"Would you like me to drive us around Jack?" Ziva offered.

"We could see a bit more that way. 'Fraid this old body can only take so much walking these days," he confessed.

"You are not old," Ziva chided.

Jack tilted his head at her, "You may be a skilled liar, but I am too aware of my own age," he scolded, but added softer, "Thanks for the compliment just the same."

"You are welcome," Ziva said. "Where would you like me to drive to first?"

"Head that way," Jack pointed. "I'll show you the mine and the cemetery." Seeing her eyes look unsure, he confided, "I want you to meet Marie. She would've liked you, too. She always admired spunk. Think she got more than she bargained for in her son, but she cherished him nonetheless."

Having seen some of the mine during their investigation while collecting garbage, she wasn't sorry to spend little time there. Jack did share some of his work stories.

She was horrified to learn of his accidents there and saw him in a new light that he was brave enough to return again and again, until his injury prevented him.

"Best thing that could've happened at the time. Leroy needed me at home. And I needed to be there with him. We didn't get along, but I would rather have every last argument and remember every last scowl he ever threw my way, than have no memory of our time together."

She thought again of her father. Her memories of him weren't always nice ones, but she guessed Jack was right- at least she had some to remember him by.

When they got to the cemetery on the edge of town, she admired its simplistic beauty. Large trees spread branches over most of the grave markers. Of course they were mostly bare this time of year, but she could envision green leaves and the shade they would provide.

"This way Ziva," Jack cupped her elbow and turned her down a path. They walked silently though there didn't appear to be anyone else around. Cemeteries seemed to always be a place of silence.

After a few minutes of walking down the path they veered off to walk among some of the markers. She saw a small tree growing near one of them and Jack stopped there first.

Glancing down tears misted in his eyes. Ziva followed his line of vision to see the name etched there: Kelly Gibbs. She was confused; "I thought…" she began.

Jack silently nodded. When he composed himself he explained, "They were buried in Maryland," he pointed to a second marker which read 'Shannon Gibbs', "but I had these put here so I could visit and think of them as being here. I can't travel out that way and for a long time didn't think I'd be welcome there."

Ziva was compelled to throw her arms around him and hold him tightly to her. She was surprised that it came to her so naturally, never having been one prone to express herself emotionally before. A flash of anger stabbed at her that her boss could inflict that much pain on this kind hearted man.

Jack patted her hand as she eased her embrace. "Don't blame Leroy. We were both too stubborn to make things right." She was amazed again that she seemed so transparent.

"Here," Jack pointed to a larger marker: Marie Gibbs: Cherished Wife and Devoted Mother. Now it was Ziva's eyes that misted. Her own mother's marker noted only her name. Nothing to let others know that she loved and was loved.

"It is beautiful," she ran her hand along the words.

"She was beautiful," Jack breathed. "From the first day I saw her, I was in love. She and I were only ten or eleven years old. Seems silly today to call it love, but I couldn't take my eyes off of her. She had green eyes and strawberry blond hair, and a smile that was contagious."

'Strawberry blond,' Ziva thought. 'That is like red, no?' she nodded to herself knowing why Gibbs preferred those type of women.

Reading her mind it seemed once again, Jack was saying, "Think that's why Leroy always went for those red headed girls. They were like magnets to his steel," he laughed.

They went to sit on a stone nearby. "Marie loved our son beyond reason. I don't know what happened between us. Heard a doctor once say it may have been depression. We'll never know. That day she died in that car accident, she was coming out to have lunch with me. When she didn't show, I figured she'd changed her mind. Maybe if I'd gone to see what was keeping her I could've saved her."

Again Ziva hugged him. "We cannot second guess our lives Jack. Things happen for a reason. My mother died because bad things happen in this world- some worse than others. I used to think if I had been better at my training I could've stopped the bomber from getting that close, but now I know it would've meant my death too."

"I forget some times that your life was so much different. I don't want to imagine the horrors you faced every day. Maybe I can see why Leroy wants to protect you so much."

She pulled away from him. "He does not want to protect me. He worries, yes; that he gets from you," she lectured. "But he knows I can take care of myself."

Shaking his head Jack stopped her, "No, you misunderstand. He knows you can take care of yourself physically. Emotionally he hovers over you like a hen does her chicks. He does it in different ways to all of you. With you he wants to deflect anything that may cause you pain."

Ziva was unsure what to make of his words. She found Jack to be very observant and insightful. She tried to picture her gruff no nonsense boss being her emotional protector. Glimpses of him interrupting conversations or disrupting discussions over physical evidence made her think Jack might be right. It was recent, since her return from Somalia, but Gibbs may let her run free to do her job, but he was closer when sensitive material was being handled.

She would discuss this with him when they returned to Washington. "Tell me more about Marie," she asked ending her introspection.

"We were married nearly five years before Leroy was born. She wanted a child so much it was a shame it was so difficult for us. She wanted more, but it never happened. I often wonder if Leroy would've been better off with a sibling or two. Then again if I had more like him things would've been a lot harder," he joked.

Ziva laughed good naturedly. More than one Gibbs was a bit difficult to imagine. A vision of multiple head slaps around the bullpen arose and she snorted. "I am sorry Jack; I had a thought of multiple Gibbs in the office."

"I can only imagine," Jack smiled along with her. "After Leroy was born he became her center. I admit I was jealous, but she was so happy I couldn't deny her any of it. She was so good with him too. He knew she wouldn't tolerate any of his temper tantrums or disrespect. He was a really good kid. Had some troubles with Chuck and Ed- never did understand why. Maybe Marie knew, but she never told me."

"I think that they were bullies," Ziva told him.

Jack seemed a tad surprised, "What makes you say that?"

"They are the type. Rich father. Chuck would laud that over his peers. Ed was his side step."

"Kick. Side kick." Jack said distractedly.

"Yes. Yes," she waved him off. "As his side 'kick' he would do all his dirty work."

Jack contemplated, "I think you're right. I knew they never got along, but figured it was something mutual between them. I know when they were in high school Chuck had his eyes on Shannon, but she only wanted Leroy. Huh, just goes to show, you're never too old to learn something.

"So what else will you share with me?" she asked as they made their way back to the car.

"About Marie? She loved to cook and work in her garden. She was smart, intuitive- I think Leroy learned to read people from her."

"I do not know about that. You seem to be quite gifted in that regard yourself," she praised him.

"My 'gift' comes from living a lot of years. Marie did it naturally. She loved sailing, not that we got to do it often, but she would read books about it and occasionally draw pictures of boats out on the water." Jack seemed to be lost in his memories. Ziva guided him, not wanting him to miss out on any of the treasures he was recalling.

When they reached the car she opened his door. He returned fully to the present. "Thank you Ziva. It was a pleasure to share this time with you."

"No. Thank you Jackson. I have learned much. Not only of your wife, but about you and Gibbs, too."

Jack looked at her and thought of the things they had talked about. Maybe it was time to have a talk with Leroy.