bjq - thank you for kind words, I hope you like this as well

DS2010 - thank you for your inside, I try to create a chemistry between all the characters, which could possible

Sorry that it took me so long to write this chapter, but I have a new job and all that. So I hope you can forgive me and enjoy reading.

I don't own NCIS or NCIS LA, only this storyline

Chapter 9

Together G, Gibbs and McGee decided that they would start their journey form the evidence hall. This way they wouldn't walk to the public parking space and couldn't be seen in the process. They don't want to be followed. That would make going to a safe house obsolete. They need as much space as possible between them and the cartel to keep them away from their family. This way they get more time and hopefully an idea will come to mind for stopping the thread.

On the way down Tim called the agent, who watched J for him and tells him to bring the dog to the evidence garage. The ride in the elevator was silent, they all were thinking about this new development. No wonder the world changed drastically for Nell, Tim, Gibbs and Jackson. They have more family then yesterday. They are a family. But what does it mean? What does it change? What will happen next? Those are the questions that run through all their minds. To all of them was clear that they want to try to make it work as a family, even if it will be a hard way to achieve it. But being a family isn't easy.

G was happy for his father figure to have family again. As well as his love Nell that she found an answer to a question that he himself is trying to answer his whole life. The new father daughter circumstance between Gibbs and Nell will probably have some sort of effect on G. He knows that Gibbs will want to talk with him, about Nell, he is sure about that. Another first for G, something that is a common theme with Nell, they have many firsts together.

But besides that, he still was trying to think about the current situation. He must protect his family, his son. They can't simply hide, and G knows that it will not be all they were doing. Gibbs taught him things and one of that is always be prepared. For that they must work together, no lone wolf crap, which G and Gibbs sometimes do.

Only little Lucas was unaffected by the happenings. The world works different for a little child than an adult and sometimes it is better to be a child, because it makes accepting the world easier. He only knows that something major has happened, but not how it affects him. For now, he follows his mother to a big blue car. She already opened a door for him, and he gets in. There was a car seat for him, not his own, because he decorated his own with stickers and this one was blank, which was boring in his opinion. But for now, it will do. His Mom was taking the seat in front of him. A long man lets a dog into the back seat beside him.

Lucas smiles, he loves dogs and holds out his hand to the dog so that he can sniff and lick it. Which the dog does eagerly. Tim watches the interaction between the two for a moment, before he commands. "J sit." With that the dog jumps on the back seat so that Tim can buckle him up. "Stay." he commands him the moment later. As answer he received a wuff, so Tim scratches his ears, before taking the driver seat.

The whole time Lucas watched the long man and his dog. Before Tim starts the car, he turns around to his nephew, because he feels his eyes on him. "What is it champ?" Tim asks the little guy and to think that he is his nephew is overwhelming and needs time to get used to. The implication of the revelations still hit him. His family just got bigger, that makes him happy. But with Gibbs revenge on the murder of their Mum and the revenge threat as answer, makes the situation complicated, they were still in danger, which shines a bad light on the happy thoughts.

"Who you?" Lucas asks shy, because he can't remember his name.

"I am Timothy." he answers.

"Timo…" Lucas tries to say.

It was clear to Tim that the little guy has problems with his name. But Tim liked, what his nephew said, so he declared. "Timothy, but you can call me Uncle Timo if you like?"

A smile starts on Lucas face as he says again. "Uncle Timo." An equally large smile starts on Tim's face as he hears the happiness in the little guys words. So, he starts the car to follow the other car with the rest of his family, but most of all his father, in it. Wow, that needs some getting used to. Gibbs was his father. Not that he didn't like it, but after years of working for him the translation from Boss to Dad will be hard and long, at least that is, what he guesses.

Nell watches the interaction with a smile on her face. She likes that her brother and her son were already trying to get along. The nickname her son come up with will help with their relationship. Maybe she should follow her sons lead. "I like that, but I will call you Timmy."

A groan escapes Tim as he tries to keep up with G Callen. He isn't as fast as Gibbs, but still drives at a faster pace, than the average people. "Please don't." he tells her. Not that he hates nicknames, but this nickname reminds him of all the times that Abby used him.

For a moment Nell was hurt, that she wasn't allowed to call him by a nickname to bond with him. But one look at his face tell her that there is more to the story and she wouldn't be a good agent in the making, if she wouldn't dig deeper to find out, what's bothering him. "Why?" she asks him.

A short glance at his sister tells him that she is curious, and he doesn't know what to do. He never told anyone of all the times, Abby used him. Not even Tony, who become like a brother to him. But he has seen most of the things firsthand, but not all, like her using him for money, sex or as a bodyguard while she went clubbing to name a few. That she only ever asked from him when they were alone. But this may help him to form a relationship with his sister. "You met Abby?"

A hard glance starts on her face as she answers. "You mean the grown child in goth clothes working at HQ."

A laugh escapes Tim as he answers, because that description fits like a dime. "Yeah her."

"What about her?" Nell wants to know.

While he answers Tim concentrates on driving and not only because he was behind the wheel. No, he doesn't want to see her face, after he tells her, what he let Abby do to him. "She used the name Timmy for me." he starts to explain. "I hate it, because every time she wanted something from me, she used that name. As the lovesick puppy I was I needed time to figure out, that she only wanted my money, when she was broke or someone to accompany her to a concert or just sex, because one of her boyfriend's broke up with her, again."

Nell was shocked by what she hears, but not for the reason he would think. She can't believe that another person would use any person in this way. That is simply unhuman to her and if she ever sees this woman again, she will give her a piece of her mind. Again. With that she understands, why he doesn't like that nickname. She simply must come up with something else. It took her only a moment. "Ok, then I will call you Timbo." she also hopes to lift the tension a bit in the car with that. To show him, it is ok and that she doesn't thinks less of him.

Of course, Tim sees, what she is doing and is grateful for it. His sister apparently gets him after only meeting him today. "Ok, then I call you Nelly." he answers. It felt good, that she doesn't judge him for his habit with Abby, but it took him some time to learn that she was using him. He simply was to naïve and too hung up on her to see it. The relationship with Ziva was a huge help, in that matter.

Both start to laugh at the same time. They feel an instant connection between them, they apparently are cut from the same clove. Good, that they were currently standing at a red light. It took them some time to calm down, because every time they looked at each other they started to laugh again. As the light hits green Tim was calm enough to drive. Lucas watches them with a fond smile for a moment, before he goes back to looking out of the window at the scenery the drive by or observes as the dog slowly falls asleep.

To change the topic away from the Abby person, she wasn't worth any of their time in Nell's eyes, she asks. "So, besides the SCIF, what else did you achieve in your life?"

"I have a degree in bio-medical engineering form John Hopkins and a degree in computer forensic form MIT. What about you?" he answers.

"Nice, but that is not what I meant." she answers, because she already knew that. They had a briefing about him, not that he knows that. After a moment she answers his question. "I have a degree in political science as well as management science and engineering from Stanford."

"Interesting." was his first response and of course he understood the first time what she wanted to know. But he wasn't one to brag normally, that is why not many in the agency know that some of the gadgets they use, were invented by him. But a short glance at her, tell him that she will not let this go, so he answers her with a sigh. "Have you ever used the handheld fingerprint scanner?"

"Of course, who has not? Those things are very helpful." It took her a moment to piece it together. "Wait a moment you invented them?"

"Yeah, as you said it makes things easier, but at the same time faster and speed is something you need while working for Gibbs." he tells her.

That leaded to another question. "How is it to work for him?"

Wow, what a loaded question? Tim and Gibbs have some troubles to work through, before they really can be father and son. Something that isn't the case for Nell and him, so Tim doesn't want to interfere with a good start for them. But he also doesn't want to lie to his sister. That would undermine their starting relationship. So, he says with a heavy heart. "Not easy, I always felt as the stepchild on the team."

He doesn't tell her more but the short interaction with Abby and her habit told her everything she needed to know. "Because of Abby."

"Yeah, she always was his favorite and she used it to her advantage. I never knew what position, I have with him, until yesterday." Tim explains.

"What happened yesterday?" Curiosity always was a big flaw of Nell's. But G says that it makes her a good investigator and agent so she should express it.

"I finally told him about what is going on with me and he listened. It was freeing and after working him for years I heard him apologize for the first time since I met him." Tim says. Not going into detail, that is between him and Gibbs, their father. Nell can understand that.

"And that is something he normally doesn't do, or did he not apologize to you?" Nell digs deeper, because for her there is a difference. The second choice would mean, that he doesn't saw fit to apologize to him and she doesn't know how she would treat a father, should he act in this way.

Tim knows where she is going with this and can see, why it is important for her. "No, he has a rule against apologizing, and he lives by it, at least normally."

"Oh, and why?" she asks him. She already heard about the rules from G, but this rule is a load of bull to her. For her apologizing is very important and shows strength. But she finds it admiring that he has his own set of values and rules, by which he lives. That shows her that he has integrity and it makes him more endearing to her.

For a moment Tim must think about it and what he knows about their father. "I think it was our Mom, who started the rules. I think it was something about, who she should and should not date." That was one of the only times Gibbs was open about his past and his life with his first wife, their mother, Shannon.

That is nice to hear, that their father sees the usage of the rules to keep the memory of their mother alive. "Funny but endearing."

"Yeah." Tim says with a smile.

"Can you tell me more about him and what it is to work for him?" she asks him. It is a way to get a feel for her father and what she can expect form him.

With that Tim starts to explain his experience with Gibbs. Without really thinking about it, he tells her the good as well as the bad things. With stories like the Mauwer case or the dog incident, where he met his lovely dog Jethro, Nell gets angrier. Not that Tim sees that, she keeps it in for now. But as soon as they are at their destination, she will show them, what she thinks about her father and his actions. Gibbs be warned a storm is coming.

At the same time in the other car the discussion was mostly about the safety measures they must take and what they will do against the threat. "You know that hiding will not make the problem go away." G tells his father figure and possible father-in-law should he take that step in the future. Now it still was too soon for it.

"I know that G." Gibbs tells him. But right now, it is important to him to keep his newfound family save. He has a daughter and a son now and to top that their mother was the only woman he ever truly loved. He will not lose this precious gift, especially because his daughter made him a grandfather in the process. The little guy was sweet, and he loved him as soon as he laid eyes on him. He already considered him a grandson in the moment he heard about him for the first time. Just like he did with his children, even if it was easier with Tim. He simply knows him longer and already loves him; it was equally easy to do with Nell. "But you know that the most important rule in my book is hide woman and children."

That rule exists for a reason, G knows that and he is on the same page as him in matters of protecting his family. Still they need to do something against the threat, otherwise they may never have a change to live their lives again. "We still need to do something about it."

"And what son? We can't go down there and start firing at the bad guys or?" Jackson answered instead of his son. Being called son, by his grandfather-in-law makes G feel warm to his bones. He never had family. At least not those he didn't chose, but now they chose him, because he is the father of Lucas. It is a good feeling for G.

Jacksons idea made the two agents think a little. It may be risky, but at least it would put them in an offensive stance and not keep them in a defensive position. This way they have the upper hand and force the other side to make a move. With that they could make a mistake, which would give them the upper hand. Both Gibbs and G are on the same page, it could be a good idea. G looks at Gibbs for a moment, before he concentrates back on the road and says. "I don't know about Agent McGee, but I am sure, that Nell would be in on the plan, if it means that we could annihilate the threat this way."

That is good and bad. Good, because Gibbs doesn't have to argue with her, but bad, because he doesn't want her involved in any way. Tim on the other hand would be in for it. There lies another problem with allowing Tim to participate and not Nell, he wouldn't treat them as equals. Something that is important to him, he wants that both his kids see that they equally important to him, like Kelly, their younger sister was all those years ago. So, with a sigh, he says. "We must plan the whole assault to a dime. There can't be room for any mistakes. To many lives are at stake, especially Lucas, I won't risk my daughter or son or my grandson."

"Good, I wouldn't do so as well. They are important to me too, Gibbs. They are my family." G reminds him.

Before Gibbs can answer anything to that, Jackson puts in. "You can't be serious son. That is way too dangerous and can go wrong on so many levels."

Even if Gibbs knew that the statement was more for G than for him, Jackson knows if his son has set his mind to something it is hard to change it for anything. That is why he answered instead of G. "That is true Dad, but it also can go so right and keep the family save as well as destroy the enemy. We could go back to our lives." That is a fact Gibbs knows his father would accept, he hates that he can't live his life because of this.

That are valuable arguments to Jackson Gibbs, but that doesn't mean that he likes it. He already lost one grandchild and a daughter-in-law, even his son for some time, he doesn't want to lose another member of his family. But he believes that attacking instead of being defensive can put them on the winning side. So, he huffs. "You have to make the plan airtight then."

"Naturally Mr. Gibbs." G tells him.

"Call me Jack, son. As you said before, we are family after all." Jackson answered. He knew that this young man was the father of his great-grandbaby and with-it family to him, no matter what.

"Then call me G." was G answers.

"G?" Jackson asks perplexed, because what name is that.

A reaction G was familiar with. Jackson wasn't the first one in his life, who asked him that and he probably will not be the last. Hopefully he will find his name someday. He still answered a little shy. "I don't have a name or at least not that I know of. I only know that it starts with a G."

Jackson can feel that the topic is delicate for the young man. Understandable, if he doesn't know his name, only a letter, he would feel similar. That is why he put his hand on his shoulder, squeezed and says. "A name not really defines you, it only names you." To make a point he started to quote Shakespeare. "A rose by any other name would smell as sweet." A smile starts on Gibbs face, because only his father would come up with something poetic to make a point. He has a talent to make another person think about the things he wants them to consider. "So G is fine, because to me only your actions define you and what I have seen so far I like."

Of course, G knew that quote, hell Shakespeare was one of his favorite authors. If you don't sleep much, you need something to do at night and reading is a good hobby, besides learning or training your knowledge skills or taking something electronical apart. But he never thought about that quote in matters of his own regards, surprisingly it makes sense and G himself likes to judge people by their actions, they speak louder than words. A smile starts on his face as he said. "I like that."

"Good."

With that out of the way, they went back to threat again. "How will you keep Nell from being part of the actions?" Gibbs asks G, because he knew his daughter better than he does now. Something Gibbs likes to change soon, if he can.

A good question which needs an answer before they start planning something. "I think if we let her help with the plan and give her the feeling of being involved it would be easier." To emphasize his point G looks for a moment at Gibbs as he says. "You have to know that your daughter hates to be seen as a damsel in distress."

"I figured as much." Gibbs answered.

"How?" G wanted to know. He knew that Gibbs was good at reading people, but for that he hasn't enough interactions with her.

"Shannon." Jackson and Gibbs answer at the same time. "She always hated, if I treated her in that way." Gibbs continues after a moment. Talking about her still hurts, but having suddenly two children in his life, it feels like he got some part of her back and that eases the heart ache a bit.

"Like mother like daughter." G concludes with a smile. It is nice to learn something new about Nell, the woman he loves, as well as Gibbs, the man he considers a father.

Speaking of fathers, Gibbs steered G into something he never had done before. G never met the parents of his partners until now. That is why the next question took him a little off guard. "Speaking about my daughter. What are your intentions?" Gibbs sees his oldest a little gulp and starting to sweat. He never thought that G Callen would be nervous like this. That was a nice change from the hard ass agent he normally sees.

Blindsided G needed a moment to calm himself. He was nervous, especially because he feels two sets of eyes on him. The father as well as the grandfather of his love and how this will end for him, depends on his answer. Either they like what they hear or not, there is no in between. But he always was brave and never would back down from a challenge; beside he already has a plan in mind. That is why he declared in convinced tone. "I love Nell with all my heart and someday, in the future, depending on her, I want to ask her to marry me."

That was what they wanted to hear, because both father and grandfather start to smile at that. "Good to hear. If you plan on doing it come to me, G." Gibbs answers.

That went better than G thought it would. "Why?" he asks perplexed.

"So that I can give you Shannon's ring for your proposal to my daughter." Gibbs declares matter of factly, like it was nothing serious. But all in the car knew that it was important.

"But …" G starts but didn't know what to say.

That tells Gibbs that his functional mute person must stop where his family is concerned, that includes all of them, biological or not. With a smile on his face he declares. "G, you are not only my friend. Like I said during the meeting I consider you like Tony and Tim, as one of my sons and as the oldest you should have her ring. Beside the point it is that you will present it to my daughter, which makes it perfect in my opinion." Gibbs reaches with his hand for G shoulder and squeezes. "We are family, and nothing will change that." Not even the Reynosa cartel will take them away, Gibbs will make sure of that.

"I second that son." Jackson appreciably agrees.

Now G Callen was overwhelmed. He never would have thought that Gibbs considers him as a son, but to hear him say that and feel it, makes it truer to G. His life changed and not only because of Nell and their son, but the man he considers a father, considers him family. A single tear runs down his check, but he ignores it as he accepts in his mind that Nell is right. This right in front of his eyes is family and it has nothing to do with knowing, where he was coming from. Even if he doesn't know his own name, as Jackson said, not the name, but the actions define a person and that makes him happy. "Ok." he accepts in a husky voice.

"Good." Gibbs lets go of his shoulder, because he can see that his oldest is a little bit overwhelmed with this declaration and needs some moments to work through this. Besides he needs to concentrate on the road. They all want to arrive safely at their destination after all.

That is why silence started between the three men for now. They are a family. Family isn't defined by blood only, but by choice. All three know that you can chose who you want as part of your family and they are happy with the choice they openly declared today.

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