A/N: Thank you for the excellent feedback on the last chapter:) I'm much obliged.
Note that we are nearing the end. There are two more chapters after this; one of them an epilogue.
Kelly Gibbs spun around slowly in Timothy McGee's rickety, antique chair, lifting a coffee mug he'd provided her with to her lips and giving her companion a passive look over the edge. Tim fidgeted and looked at her earnestly. Kelly rested her free hand on the neat manuscript next to Tim's quaint, ancient typewriter.
She swallowed her hot beverage slowly and lowered the coffee cup
She tapped her nail against the pile.
"This," she began, torturing poor Tim, "is fantastic, Tim."
She could almost hear the breath of relief rush out of him and his shoulders relaxed; Tim was standing against a wall next to his bookshelf.
"You really think so? I mean—I don't mean you'd lie but, really, Kelly? It's kind of…amateur and—"
Kelly held up a hand and laughed good-naturedly, stopping him in his fumbling. She looked at her colleague with bright eyes and grinned.
"Really, Tim. I had no idea you were so talented."
He flushed a little.
"ARGGGGH! DIE! Pyoo Pyooo!"
Kelly flinched slightly at the incredibly loud eruption from the other side of the bookshelf and leaned over a little, peering through empty space at her child. Tim did the same, bending a little to look.
Levi still stood on Tim's computer chair, in awe of the high-tech screens around him, a controller in his small hands, wrapped up in the world of video games and fantasy fights. He cackled scarily and jumped, his fingers moving rapidly on the controller.
"Hey. Star Captain. I told you not to jump on that chair," Kelly said sternly.
"Yes, Mommy."
She rolled her eyes.
"DIE!" screeched Levi again.
Kelly sat back and looked at Tim suspiciously.
"He's not killing people is he?"
Tim made a face and scoffed.
"Only very evil aliens and threats to the empire," Tim responded reassuringly.
"Ah," Kelly nodded. She smirked. "Your inner geek is showing, Tim."
He looked at her skeptically. When was it not?
Levi upped his volume again and yelled triumphantly. Kelly snapped her eyes to him again.
"LEVI."
He stopped.
"What, Mom?" he demanded, stomping his foot.
"Tim lives in an apartment. He has very close neighbors. Any more yelling like that and you're done."
He scowled at her and turned back around, his shoulders drooping a little. Kelly smiled and took a drink of her coffee turning her attention back to Tim.
"It doesn't matter, really," Tim said with a shrug. His look darkened. "I'd like to get the guy above me back for all the Swinger Parties he keeps having."
Kelly lifted a brow.
"What decade is he living in?" she snorted. Tim just rolled his eyes and shook his head.
He glanced sideways at his manuscript and Kelly glanced at it, patting it encouragingly.
"It really is good, Tim," she said pointedly.
"Do you think it has potential to get published?" he asked uncertainly.
Kelly nodded without hesitating for a moment. She smiled a little and leaned forward, cradling her coffee cup in her palms on her knees.
"I have no doubt Shep would love to read about Genevieve Flockherd and her adventures with the Marine Felony Investigative Unit," she teased, drawing a blush to McGee's face again.
He picked up his own coffee mug and Kelly leaned back again, smiling. She was glad to be spending time with McGee again. He had made good on his promise to take her out on her birthday, and offered her coffee back at his place after Levi had worn out the entire Chuck. E Cheese staff.
It was an interesting way to celebrate her twenty-fourth, but she couldn't have really imagined it without her son anyway. Levi was pretty much all that mattered anymore and she wouldn't change things for the world.
"Tim! Timmy! Tim! I got you a new score! It's flashing blue! Tim!" Levi turned around and was waving excitedly to Tim. Kelly smiled as Tim turned around and gave Levi a thumb up, which thrilled Levi.
He whirled around and returned to playing, complete with gun and spaceship noises that only combined with the ones already in the game.
Tim looked at Kelly and winced.
"He destroyed your high score, didn't he?" she murmured.
"It only flashes blue if you suck," he admitted in a low voice. Kelly gave him a sympathetic look and turned half of her mouth down, twirling in the chair a little.
"Tim, you don't have to let him play. You're good about that, but don't feel like you have to."
Tim gave her a look.
"It's just a game," he shrugged. "That I have beaten nineteen times," he added casually.
Kelly snorted. She ran her finger around the rim of her coffee cup and took a slow drink, looking up at Tim thoughtfully.
"I'm just saying, if he bothers you, let me know. You're not required to put up with him," she offered hesitantly.
"I like Levi, Kelly," he said firmly. "I wouldn't have asked you out if it bothered me you had a kid. I'm not Tony."
Kelly tilted her head back and laughed.
"You're making me blush," she muttered. Tim grinned.
She fell silent, and they listened to Levi's excited sounds as he continued to play, talking to characters, and occasionally talking to them. It had been a couple of weeks since her father had told her about Jenny's family.
She'd gradually found out that most of the team knew, even if Jenny thought they didn't—all except for Kate.
"Er, is your dad still made at me for stealing you on your birthday?" Tim asked slowly, sounding sheepish. He must have heard Jethro yelling that through the phone when he called about meeting her.
Kelly rolled her eyes and waved her hand dismissively.
"Never fear, Timothy, all's well. Jenny is there to stop him from breaking out the Bravo61 sniper rifle."
Tim's eyes widened for just a moment until he realized Kelly was joking. Still, he wasn't so sure. He had the feeling her dad might very well kill him if he ever made a wrong move.
"Um," McGee began again. He fidgeted. Goodness, the man was good at fidgeting. "So, Jenny and your Dad are still—er, together?"
Kelly gave him an absurd look.
"Yeah."
"Oh. Tony thought they might break up," he murmured.
"Tony gossips like an old woman," Kelly snorted, turning towards Tim completely.
"MOMMY I WON AGAIN! MOMMY!" Levi jumped off the chair and dashed around the bookshelf, launching himself into her lap. Gasping, Kelly lifted her coffee mug out of harm's way and gently set it down, reaching down to catch Levi.
She smiled good-naturedly.
"Again? No way. You're pretty good at this, huh?"
Levi nodded vigorously and sprang away from her.
"Tim taught me the game secret while you were fixing coffee," he announced, beaming at Tim. He scampered up to him and looked up, his hands on his hips. "Can I do the next level, please?!"
"It's getting late, Levi," Kelly began.
Tim gave her a quick look that told her he didn't mind at all and she nodded slowly.
Levi gave a whoop of excitement and Tim followed him to set up the next part of the game. Kelly listened to them talking.
"Which button makes it go faster?"
"Blue. And hey, Levi, if you press red, you can jump real high, and catch the little gold coins."
"COOL!"
Kelly looked down into her diminishing coffee, smiling a little. She wasn't sure Levi completely understood what kind of relationship Kelly had with Tim, but he liked Tim—a lot. It was for that reason that she was nervous. She liked Tim, and she knew he liked her, but there was a kid involved.
She didn't want Levi to get confused or upset. And her father, annoying as it was, was already on her back about it.
Tim reappeared a few minutes later.
"Star command is up and running," he announced with a laugh.
"And thus the five-year-old is so occupied for another half an hour," she added with a smile.
Tim nodded. He wandered into the kitchen and took a chair from the table, pulling it up so he could sit with Kelly. He held his coffee in his lap as well, mimicking her, and sat back, relaxing a little.
Kelly rubbed her thumb against her mug, looking at Levi, and then looked over at Tim impassively, her hair brushing her shoulders loosely.
"You know about Jenny's little boy," she said, a statement of fact rather than a question. Tim just nodded. Kelly sighed. "I can't imagine losing a child," she said.
"Neither can I," Tim answered simply. Kelly looked at him, studying his features. She kind of needed someone to talk about it with, but her dad wasn't willing and she wouldn't dare bring it up to Jenny.
"Well now I keep thinking about it," she muttered, annoyed. "I keep wanting to say something to Jenny to make her feel better."
"Don't," Tim warned shortly.
Kelly looked at him.
He shrugged.
"I tried once. I…last year, after I joined the team. It only hurts her," he paused and shrugged his shoulders. "Jenny handles it her own way. She doesn't need the support. Or doesn't want it."
Kelly nodded, accepting his advice. She knew it would be unwise to say anything. Still, she felt like she needed to. She quietly looked up at Tim again.
"How did you find out, then? Tony tell you?" she asked.
"Sort of," he muttered. "We had a case with a child witness. Protection detail. Jenny was really good with him. I kept asking why she'd never had kids, or if she wanted them. Out of the blue, Tony bet me I couldn't hack into Jenny's personnel file. Guess he knew I'd take it as a challenge and do it," Tim shrugged. "I read about Peter and Jim. Never mentioned kids to her again."
"Pretty humane of Tony," Kelly remarked, her brows raised.
Tim smirked, and nodded.
"Yeah, well, Tony's like her obnoxious little brother, he thinks. They used to have a fling."
"Shut-up," Kelly said, her eyes wide in disbelief.
Tim nodded. He shrugged though, blowing it off.
"It was the textbook definition of 'fling' though, not kidding. A way to scratch the itch."
Kelly sat back, intrigued by the new bit of information. She'd always thought Tony's childish, suggestive sexual remarks and banter about Jenny were purely fantasy. Perhaps not. She smirked, though, and forgot about it. Ancient history.
"I suppose Jenny can't viably tell us not to see each other, then," she said.
Tim laughed.
"I take it that means we're dating?"
"Don't ask stupid questions, Tim," ordered Kelly.
Tim grinned.
"Okay, then, I won't stutter this time when I ask to take you out again—just you, this time," he said, and Kelly beamed, about to answer, when a loud crash sounded from the other side of the bookshelf.
"Uh-oh," they heard quietly.
Kelly jumped up and Tim followed; they both rounded the corner, finding Levi sprawled in a tangle of the chair, having apparently disobeyed and begun jumping on it again, sending himself into an unorganized heap on the floor.
"Uh-oh," he grumbled again, pointing at the screen.
The computers were all blank.
"Levi Michael Gibbs, what did you do?" Kelly demanded, crouching down and taking his arm, dragging him up with a livid look on her face. He slouched and looked at his feet, holding up the controller.
"Uh, he just unplugged the consuls," Tim announced from under the computer set-up, pushing a few plugs back in. The screens whirred to life and Kelly closed her eyes in relief. She took the controller from Levi and held it away, giving him a stern look.
"When I tell you not to do something, son, it isn't for my own health. You listen to me because there are consequences of your actions. What if you had broken Tim's games?" she asked.
Levi scuffed his foot on the floor and turned around, yanking his arm away from Kelly's grip.
"I'm sorry, Tim," he muttered.
Tim backed out from under the computers and turned around on his knees, shrugging a little.
"It's okay, you didn't mean to," he said.
Levi nodded, and then reached for his controller. Kelly held it out of his reach and then handed it to McGee, shaking her head.
"No sir, you're finished for tonight. We need to be getting home anyway," she said, ruffling his hair.
"I don't want to!" he informed her, crossing his arms.
"Too bad, punk," she responded. He stomped his foot and stuck his tongue out at her. "I told you to stop doing that before I cut it off."
"Mommmmmmy," he whined.
Kelly ignored him and stood up, pushing a hand back through her hair with a sigh and smiling at Tim.
"Shoes, Levi," she ordered, starting towards Tim's kitchen where her purse was. Tim followed her, his hands in his pockets. He watched her fish for her keys.
"If he wants to stay, you guys can stay the night," he offered. "I have a spare room. He doesn't have school tomorrow."
Kelly smiled a little, slipping her purse over her shoulder and holding her keys loosely in her hand as she turned towards Tim.
"That's sweet," she said, "and normally, I'd take you up on the offer—if it was just me," she added, and Tim raised his eyebrows. She smirked. "But I don't want to confuse Levi," she admitted quietly, lifting her shoulders. "I'm going to be cautious in that respect."
He nodded, seeing her point, and took her light jacket off of the table, handing it to her gallantly. She nodded in thanks and slung it over her arm, exiting the kitchen and peering at Levi. He was kicking his shoes petulantly, clearly refusing to put them on.
Kelly rolled her eyes and simply picked him up, balancing him on her waist.
"You're five. You're too old for this," she informed him grumpily. He let his hard head drop onto her shoulder and she winced, glaring at his back. "He's tired," she said to Tim.
"Am not. Don't wanna leave," he piped up.
She smiled, and Tim swept up his shoes, tucking them into her purse.
"Thanks," she murmured, tightening her grip on the ever-growing Levi. She turned towards the door and Tim wormed in front of her, opening it for her. "Gallant," she commented, smirking. He shrugged and rubbed the back of his head, stepping into the doorway as she stepped into the hall.
Kelly paused, looked at him, and then put her hand on the back of Levi's head firmly. She smirked and pressed her lips to Tim's quickly, giving him a parting kiss he hadn't been expecting. He blushed and mumbled a goodbye.
Kelly started down the hall, releasing Levi's head and jingling her keys.
"Mommy, did you kiss Tim?"
Damn perceptive kid.
"Yes, Levi," she admitted, rolling her eyes. He lifted his head and looked at her wickedly, looking so much like her father for a minute that it scared the hell out of her.
"Gunny said to tell him if you kissed Tim," he informed her loudly.
Kelly glared.
"You will do no such thing, tattletale," she warned.
"Yeah HUH," Levi retorted, scowling at her. "'Cause you're mean and you made me leave."
Kelly laughed as she wrenched open the car door, shaking her head. So much like her father, indeed.
Leroy Jethro Gibbs glared menacingly at the puppy that leapt up onto his chest, squirming towards him with wide big, liquid brown eyes and perky little ears. It whined at him pitifully and attempted to lick him on the nose.
"Bad dog," muttered Jethro, scratching him behind the ears.
Jenny reappeared in the living room, running a hand back through her thick hair, a half full glass of wine in her hand. She arched an eyebrow at the dog. Jethro stopped petting him and glared at the puppy again.
"You're in her spot," he informed the puppy.
Pterodactyl whined sadly and thumped his tail. Jethro narrowed his eyes and the puppy growled playfully at him. Jenny laughed and sat down on the couch at Jethro's side, pushing his legs over and rubbing Pterodactyl's soft head.
"Scoot," she ordered, and winked at the puppy. He clambered to his feet and tumbled down the couch to Jethro's feet, stretching out there instead and whining again, his tail wagging at Jenny. She met Jethro's eyes with a smirk.
"I see how it is," Jethro muttered darkly.
"He knows who the boss is," Jenny murmured, taking a sip of her wine and cutting her eyes at him.
"This is my house," Jethro whined. "I am the alpha male."
Jenny laughed softly and set her wine glass down on the coffee table, stretching comfortably before she snuggled up to him, placing her hands firmly against his shoulders.
"You keep chasing that dream, babe," she quipped indulgently, pressing her lips playfully against his jaw. He pinched her leg and she snickered, pressing her knuckles into his muscles and beginning to knead.
Jethro laid his head back and closed his eyes, more than willing to enjoy the massage if Jenny was voluntarily offering it. She had hands of gold when it came to working out his stiff muscles. She shifted and placed a leg over his waist, straddling his hips to access him better.
He rested one of his hands against her bare thigh, stroking the smooth, fair skin lazily. The television played a movie dully in the background, something Jenny had put in on a whim. She was supposed to be distracting him from the fact that Kelly's little twitchy colleague guy had stolen her away from Jethro on her birthday.
She was doing a fairly good job.
Jenny leaned forward and pressed her lips against his; a long, slow kiss that prompted him to tangle his unrestrained hand in her red locks. This had pretty much made up the entire night—aside from Jethro dragging Jen into bed the moment Kelly walked out. It might have been twenty years since he, for lack of a better description, laid around making out with his girlfriend.
Jenny paused a little inquiringly in her massage when she felt Jethro twitch his leg under her.
"Damn dog is licking my foot," he growled, his lips brushing hers. She arched her brows lazily and tilted her head, smiling devilishly.
"Should I be jealous?" she asked, and he snorted, drawing her lips to his again.
She redoubled her efforts in her massage and Jethro groaned, tugging her hair gently to expose her neck to him. She sighed softly and pressed her nose into his cheek, smiling. He kissed her neck, the unshaven stubble on his chin scratching against her seductively.
Jethro slid his hand over her thigh and under the slouchy, soft material of the yellow shirt she had on, dipping his fingers under the delicate lace of her panties and finding her sensitive warmth.
"God, Jethro," she murmured appreciatively, pressing her knuckles into his shoulders firmly.
He rested his free hand against her neck, stroking her cheek as he pressed his thumb against her centre teasingly. She bit her lip, her forehead pressing into his, and flattened her hands against his shoulders.
Jethro kissed her mouth again, coaxed her lips open. He slipped a finger inside her and she moaned, her hands tightening on his shoulders. He felt her breath catch in her throat; her nails dig into his skin through his shirt and backed off. Jenny lifted her head and looked at him, a fetching pink flush dusting her nose and cheeks.
He pressed another finger in her and reveled in her quiet groan and the way she shivered against him. She closed her eyes languidly and drew her lip into her mouth again, her breath coming quicker the more he moved his hand.
She reached for the hand he had on her neck and wrapped her fingers around it tightly, pushing his arm back into the cushions behind him.
"Look at me, Jen," he said huskily, and she did, her emerald, enticing eyes dark and full of arousal. He thrust his fingers in a come-hither motion and she gasped, arching into his hand.
She came with a shudder and a soft, sharp cry, his name tumbling from her lips like a prayer.
Jenny slumped against him, her muscles relaxing, her skin flushed and warm all over. He brought her hand, still clutching his, to his mouth and brushed his lips over the knuckles. Pterodactyl barked interestedly at them and jumped onto the back of the couch, wagging excitedly, his ears perked up.
Jenny let her breath out in a rush, her eyes lighting up as she laughed at the innocent puppy. Jethro grinned, his eyes on the smile gracing her lips and the sparkle in her enticing eyes. Her hair was a hot mess, all over her shoulders and her back.
"You're beautiful, Jenny," he muttered, reaching to touch her face again, brushing the backs of his fingers against her cheek and pushing stray hairs away. She smirked at him lopsidedly and he swore she blushed, though he'd never seen her do such a thing.
"So eloquent you can be, handsome," she answered, blinking slowly so her thick, dark lashes brushed against her cheeks.
She closed her lips thoughtfully, her sharp, mesmerizing eyes on his intently. The murmuring voices on the TV got louder in the silence and Pterodactyl whined at them, barking a little, begging for attention by wagging his tail viciously.
"Ironic," she remarked observantly. "You, Mr. strong-and-silent, getting along famously with myself, the maverick of witty and bitchy with a wordy-exterior."
She smirked at him and leaned back, shifting off of him to sit against his waist on the couch again, reaching for her glass of wine. She fluttered her eyes closed as she took a sip and he turned on his side, snaking his arm around her lithe waist.
"Jen—" he said, at the same time she replaced her glass and turned, dropping to her knees on the floor by him, her hair whipping around and tumbling down her shoulder in a distracting cascade.
"—I love you," his words just came; his eyes were on her tangled curls and then her lips and then her, and for a split second she looked like he'd slapped her, so strong was her surprise.
"Yeah?" she breathed, arching an eyebrow, that deer-in-the-headlights look gone in a flash. She reached for him, her head spinning, and fighting the stupid, ridiculous urge to cry. "I think I know how you feel, Jethro," she whispered hoarsely.
She kissed him, hard. She pulled him onto the floor with her, ungracefully and forcefully; he jolted the coffee table and from the small clink that they heard, spilt the wine. And now Pterodactyl was really barking at them.
She bunched her hand into his shirt. Jethro dragged himself into a less haphazard position, sitting against the couch, and tugged her unceremoniously into his lap. Jenny hooked her fingers into his jeans.
"Care to let a girl return the favor?" she murmured in his ear, her lips brushing his skin.
He could only groan in response, and wrap his arm around her shoulders.
"Pterodactyl; quiet," he barked.
"Phone's ringing," Jenny murmured suddenly, turning her head.
Jethro winced at the shrill noise that reached his ears. He actually felt dizzy. His heart was hammering and he still wasn't sure he was breathing right. Too much had just happened; seven different emotions—give or take—had just hit him like a ton of bricks.
He snapped his fingers at the cordless landline that lay on the table, reluctantly answering it when he saw his daughter's number on the caller ID.
"Yeah, Kelly," he grunted, rubbing his face.
Jenny leaned back against the coffee table, running her hand through her hair. She stretched her legs towards him, tangling them in his, taking a shuddering breath. It took him a few seconds to realize Kelly was almost hysterical.
"Calm down, Kelly," he muttered, furrowing his brow. He still couldn't understand her, but he noticed she was crying and he tensed.
"KELLY," he shouted, quieting her. "What's wrong, honey?"
Jenny gave him a questioning look, stilling and watching him intently.
It was still hard to understand her. She was scared and upset, and her voice was shaking as she tried to explain about Levi and a car…he set his jaw harshly and gripped the phone tightly, finally grasping the meaning of her broken words.
He stood up swiftly.
"Jethro," Jenny asked, her brow furrowing. She looked up at him worriedly.
"Kelly, where are they taking him?"
"Bethesda Naval Hospital," his daughter managed. Jenny had stood up; she came to his side, resting her arm on his supportively. She'd never seen Jethro look so pale.
"Just take a deep breath Kel, sit down. I'll be there, okay? Kelly?"
She finally responded to him in a weak voice and he nodded, even though she couldn't see it. She mumbled something about him hurrying.
"Just hang on, Kelly," he said, snapping the phone shut before he could hear a reply.
He was almost unaware of Jenny at his side, obviously concerned.
"Jethro?"
"I have to go," he said sharply, shaking her off and stalking towards the hall where his shoes where. Pterodactyl howled and leapt off the couch, bounding towards his feet. Jenny grabbed his shoulder firmly and stopped him.
"Is she okay, Jethro?" Jenny asked quietly, her worry sincere. "What happened?" she probed him calmly.
He reached out and grabbed her shoulders, holding onto her.
"She and Levi where in an accident," he said, "Someone hit their car, and Levi," Jethro stopped talking. He just stopped, and Jenny squeezed his shoulder. He jerked away again and put his shoes on, snatching his keys from his coat pocket.
"I'm going to Bethesda," he said mechanically, completely shut down.
Jenny looked at his hands and the slight shake that plagued them, and nodded once, pressing her lips together.
"I'll come, Jethro," she said decisively. She slipped her hand down his arm and gently started to take his keys. "Let me drive," she said.
He clenched his fist and she paused just a moment before continuing to wrench them from him. She had already made her decision and she'd be damned if he thought he could change her mind.
"Jesus Christ, Jen, I can drive," he barked at her, and she blew it off, ignoring the touchiness. His grandson was hurt, possibly his daughter; a little attitude could be ignored.
She took the keys and disappeared to the bedroom, pulling on her track pants from earlier and her cozy flats before she reentered the hall. She pointed at him, a hard look on her face.
"You can be scared, Jethro," she informed him sharply. "You think I took it well when I saw that plane hit the Pentagon? Freak out on the way to the hospital, because you are not allowed to lose it when your daughter needs you," she said strongly, yanking the door open and gesturing for him to leave.
He stormed out and she followed, thrusting out her foot to keep the whining Pterodactyl in the house and following him to the car. She hurried to the driver's seat of his pick-up and wasted no time, perfectly aware that her suspect-chasing driving skills would get them there faster than he could imagine.
As annoying and creepy as Leroy Jethro Gibbs sometimes found Kelly's colleagues, he felt warmer towards all of them when he saw two or three of them with her, chief among them, Timothy McGee.
He was a little wet—it had started to rain on the drive over—but Kelly didn't seem to care when she stood up from the waiting room chair she was sitting in and threw herself into his embrace, bringing up her hands to cover her face.
Jethro put his hand on the back of her head and kissed the crown of her hair, taking an immediate dislike to the sterile hospital environment.
"It happened so fast I—I tried to swerve but he just…that bastard was strung on heroin, Daddy, and he hit us! Levi's hurt…he's hurt, he screamed so much, Daddy--"
"Hush, Kelly," Jethro muttered, rubbing her shoulder. She cried into his shoulder, muttering incoherently before she just stopped. Jethro glanced at Jenny, and at the stricken face of Tim and the looks of worry and concern on Kate and Ducky's faces.
Jenny reached out and touched Kelly's shoulder; Kelly looked at her, hugging onto Jethro, her eyes red and swollen and her face white as a sheet.
She closed her eyes, shaking.
"I want to see him."
"I know," Jethro mumbled tightly, looking down at her auburn hair. He winced when he saw the rips and scuffs in her clothing. "Are you okay?"
"No goddamnit!"
"Kelly," he soothed, stroking her hair when she tried to jerk away from him, maybe even hit him, if the look on her face was a warning at all. She squeezed her eyes shut, shaking her head.
"I'm sorry," she whimpered. "No. Yes, I mean. I'm not hurt. I'm…," she paused and held herself away from her father, looking down at her blood spattered clothing. "It's Levi's."
Jenny stepped closer and reached across Kelly's front to her other shoulder, her eyes solemn and her mouth pressed together. Kelly bowed her head and lifted a shaking hand away from Jethro's shoulder to her mouth.
"What if he…?" she asked desperately. "I'm scared," she sobbed.
"Kelly," Jenny called softly, giving Jethro a quick look as she took his hands away from his daughter. Kelly didn't seem to be able to stop crying. She turned towards Jenny and Jenny took her arm, drawing her away from Jethro.
He turned and Kelly wrapped her arms around Jenny tightly, burying her face in Jenny's neck.
"I know, honey," he heard Jenny mumble softly.
That was it. Jenny did know. Jenny might be more of a help to Kelly right now than he could be. Jethro turned towards the others, his hand over his face in frustration and stormed forward, placing his hands on the back of a chair and gripping until his knuckles where white.
He looked directly at Ducky.
"How long's it been since they brought him in?" he asked curtly.
"Ah, Levi has been in the emergency room almost an hour," Ducky answered promptly. Jethro nodded, thanking the older man silently from such an easy response.
"What happened, Tim?" he asked, turning to the young agent as calmly as possible. If Tim was here already, no doubt the accident had been close to his apartment.
Tim swallowed hard and straightened his shoulders. Next to him, seated on the edge of a chair, Kate put her face in her hands.
"She, uh, left with Levi about ten-ish, and I heard tires squealing I guess…faintly, maybe ten minutes later. She called me after she called the ambulance, I ran out to the scene with my gun, called the local LEOs—"
"LEOs?" grunted Jethro.
"Law enforcement officers," Kate piped up thickly. She looked at Jethro. "Tony's dealing with them and the stoned son of a bitch who hit Kelly," she explained. Jethro nodded at her, and looked back at Tim.
He looked lost, and more than upset.
"I called Tony, cuffed the other driver once I got his pulse, stayed with Kelly…" he trailed off.
"Levi?" Jethro asked forcefully.
Tim glanced past Jethro at Kelly and lowered his voice.
"I think it was bad," he said stiffly. "The other guy hit Levi's side of the car."
Jethro swore violently under his breath. Kate smirked grimly at the oh-so-classy marine-corp bred language.
"I told Kelly she and Levi could stay with me," Tim mumbled, distressed. "I should have insisted—"
"This is not your fault, kid," Jethro grunted distractedly, pointing at Tim. He glanced at Dr. Mallard and jerked his head tersely away from the group. The Medical Examiner nodded and put his head together with Jethro in a bit more of a private area.
"Were you at the scene?" Jethro asked.
Ducky shook his head.
"I arrived here soon after Kate and Tim, Agent Todd called me from the scene."
"You know anything about Levi, Ducky?" Jethro asked insistently.
Again, the older man just shook his head apologetically.
"Only what I heard the ER doctor tell Kelly, I'm afraid," he said. "That Levi had a head injury and he had been stabilized in the ambulance. They did not have much to say to Kelly, yet."
"Yeah," Jethro muttered, glaring at the heavy metal doors that led to the emergency hallways where his grandson was being treated right now. He put a hand to his forehead and glanced over at Kelly and Jenny.
Jenny had coaxed Kelly into a chair and was talking to her quietly, her hand on his daughter's cheek tenderly.
"I am surprised Jennifer came," Ducky remarked, nodding at the redhead. "I would not have imagined her willing to place herself in this position."
Jethro's eyes snapped onto the doctor.
"You know," he accused, and then restrained himself. He had thought Jenny had said Tony DiNozzo was the only one who knew about her family. Ducky looked at him sadly.
"My dear Jethro, the only one of us who does not know, is Kate. The rest of the agency, I cannot speak for; I myself was working to identify the bodies after the September eleventh attacks," he paused, drawing his crinkled old eyes away from Jenny. "I had files and dog tags to match, records to verify. Jim Laurent and dependent Peter Laurent, deceased. Survived by wife and mother Jennifer Laurent, nee Shepard."
Ducky repeated the verdict as if it were the day he'd first said it.
"I gave that report to Commander Laurent's boss on scene, and he ushered me away as she came walking up. My God, that poor woman was a mess."
Jethro sighed and looked over at Jenny and his daughter, exhausted, suddenly, and overwhelmed.
"You expect her to be anything else?" he muttered darkly, glancing at the team, too. He clapped Ducky on the shoulder, nodding in thanks, and turned his back, shoving his hands into his pockets to approach Kelly.
She was talking to Jenny now, and as he stopped in front of them and crouched down, she surprised the hell out of him by laughing, a smile breaking through her tears. He looked at Jenny. She was good, if she'd gotten Kelly to smile.
Kelly looked at him.
"I hear you're cheating on Jenny with the dog," she teased hoarsely.
Jethro blinked. He narrowed his eyes and then smiled a little cautiously. Kelly smiled and then pressed her lips together, reaching up to hold onto a strand of hair comfortingly. She used to do it when she was a real little kid. He remembered.
Jethro reached for her hand and held it, squeezing it reassuringly. Kelly covered his hand with her other one.
"I love you, Kelly," he said.
"I know, Daddy," she answered. "You're sort of required to by law."
He snorted. Jenny glared at him and poked him rudely in the shoulder, drawing a twin glare from her silver-haired lover. She gave him a prim, narrow-eyed look with her emerald orbs.
"Who do you think you are, you fickle devil dog?" she demanded snippily. She affected a slight southern accent. "Here you are, telling some other girl you love her right in front of me, not even an hour after…"
"Dad?" Kelly gasped, raising her eyebrows at him and staring, looking away from Jenny when she heard the words.
Jethro cleared his throat and muttered under his breath.
"Gibbs?"
Saved by the doctor.
Kelly jerked around towards the sound of their name, half-rising from her seat, Jenny's insinuation that Jethro had said the 'L' word wiped from her mind. Jethro stood and pushed Kelly to her seat gently.
"Stay," he ordered.
"Not a fucking chance," she growled at him, standing right back up and pushing past to get to the doctor. Jethro gave her an exasperated look and glanced at Jenny.
"How dare you even try, Jethro," she snapped at him, her gaze darkening suddenly.
He scowled and turned around, chasing after Kelly. Ducky approached the doctor as well; Tim and Kate hung back anxiously.
"Kelly Gibbs?" the doctor asked.
"Yes," she breathed tersely.
"Todd Gelfand, I'm your son's doctor. Who are you?" Dr. Gelfand asked, glancing at Jethro.
"Her father," Jethro growled. Gelfand nodded and looked warily at Ducky. "We meet again, Dr. Mallard."
Kelly said quietly: "My son?"
Gelfand drew his gaze away from Ducky and looked at Kelly, nodding purposefully.
"I'd rather not keep you in suspense, Miss Gibbs. Your little boy is fine," Dr. Gelfand said, and Kelly put a hand to her breast, smiling almost as if she didn't believe it. She pressed her lips together and glanced at Jethro, before looking back to Dr. Gelfand.
"Will you marry me?" she asked, relieved, and joking.
"Kelly," hissed Jethro.
Dr. Gelfand laughed. He seemed to loosen up a little at that.
"I was wondering when medical school was going to start getting me dates," he responded good-naturedly, tapping his pen against his clipboard. Kelly smiled and arched her neck, trying to peek at it. "Levi suffered quite a bit off blood loss, but we remedied that fairly safely with a transfusion. There was a deep cut on his left leg that we stitched right up, no problems, and the majority of blood you saw was from the injury on the back of his skull right," Dr. Gelfand reached behind Kelly's head and touched her head, indicating the spot, "here. He's got nine stitches in there, I'm afraid, but that kid is a fighter."
"Yeah," Kelly said thickly, shifting her weight anxiously. Jethro could tell at this point all she really gave a damn about was seeing him.
"We put him under to stitch him up; it was easier that way, and much faster. I know you want to see him, so I'll save the technicalities for later," Dr. Gelfand said, inclining his head.
"Where is he? Is he awake?" Kelly asked desperately.
"It will be a few more minutes, Miss Gibbs; Levi is being moved out of intensive care to a recovery room. A nurse will let you know when he's ready. He will mostly likely still be asleep. Anesthesia's tough stuff for a five-year-old."
Kelly put her hands to her mouth and closed her eyes, taking a deep, shaky breath. Jethro put his arm around her shoulders, feeling only relief, and she looked at him, smiling widely.
"Thank you, Dr. Gelfand," she said warmly, tears threatening her voice again. Jethro nodded to the man, and Ducky reached out to take his hand, mentioning something about a mutual friend of theirs.
Kelly turned to Jethro and brushed her hands under her eyes, smearing make-up all over carelessly. She pecked his cheek and glanced to the others, Tim; who was looking at her anxiously, and Kate; who just looked scared to look anywhere but the floor.
"I'll go brief them," she murmured, melting into her NCIS jargon in her distraction. She slipped away from Jethro and walked slowly over to her friends, reaching out to hug Tim.
Dr. Gelfand said goodbye to Ducky, nodded to Jethro, and Ducky turned back with a more satisfied smile.
"That poor man sees us in here far too much, I'm afraid," he said good-naturedly.
Jethro snorted.
"Oy, Red—"
"Ah, there's Anthony," Ducky said, starting past Jethro.
Jethro turned and saw Tony walking in, looking pissed and harassed, his NCIS cap on and windbreaker as well. He looked like he had come straight from dealing with these local LEOs Tim had spoken of.
Jethro, though, looked at Jenny, who had been farther off than he'd last seen her at a window. She turned as Tony yelled her nickname, her face unreadable, and met them sort of half-way in the midst of a chair cluster near the window.
Tony snapped a cell phone open and closed.
"I can't get the goddamn DC cops to give us jurisdiction on this bastard, they're claiming we have no right," he snarled, his body language tense and angry.
Jethro's eyes narrowed. If there was anyone he wanted punishing the guy who'd almost killed Levi and Kelly, it was Jenny Shepard.
"Who's the captain in charge?" Jen asked firmly.
"Some dickhead named Fornell," Tony growled.
Jenny's eyes flashed.
"Oh. That dickhead," she said nonchalantly. "I'll deal with it."
Tony thrust his cell into his pocket and fumed, looking around. Ducky had inched away towards the others, choosing to remove himself from an angry Tony, apparently.
"Hey, man," Tony grunted at Jethro. He looked at Jenny briefly and did a double take. Jethro knew the younger man's intuitive investigative skills had picked up on Jenny's impeccably restrained distress.
"You okay, Red?" he asked, lowering his voice.
"You want to back off, DiNozzo?" she responded like a gunshot, hostile. He lifted his brows but said nothing, glancing at Jethro and turning on his heel.
"What's the verdict, Probies?" they heard him ask, prancing over to the lighter group.
Jethro knew her vicious response to Tony had been a defense mechanism to get him away from her. He just didn't know if it was going to be turned on him next.
"Jen—"
"I'm glad Levi is okay," she said, glancing away stonily.
Jethro moved forward and grabbed her arm, sighing. He should have known this would be hard on her. She jerked as if to pull away and spun towards him, that dog tag she cherished so much tumbling out of her shirt and tinkling against her clothing.
"You can take a long walk off a short bridge for all I care, Jethro," she snapped, and he recognized that for exactly what it was. Just a reaction she would regret later. He knew she had risked a lot of herself in developing a relationship with Levi, and a scare like this was only sending her crashing back to memories of losing her son.
"No, thanks," he answered firmly. "Is it your time of the month, Jen?" he asked a little harshly, but with enough levity to let her know it was a tease. He tugged her to him whether she liked it or not and pulled her against his chest, cradling her head on his shoulder.
She trembled and hit him feebly.
"I know it hurts Jen," he muttered, frowning in her hair. "It's hard."
"Damn waterproof eyeliner," she swore. "Stays on in the shower, comes off when I cry."
She put her head against his chest and her arm around his waist, hugging him. He felt a few suppressed tears and seep through his shirt. She looked up and kissed him, probably aware of the tears of her pale cheeks. She held onto him tightly.
He kissed her back, gripping her shoulders, glad everyone was safe and alive and well. He wanted to tell Jenny she wasn't alone, she never had to be alone again. But he figured she understood that.
That's why she responded to him now, and kissed his shoulder, and laid her head on him even in public. When she knew the team was carefully avoiding even thinking of looking over.
Kelly smiled again as a warm looking nurse waved her over. She dropped her conversation with Tony about what had happened mid-word and hurried over, anxious for more good news.
"You'll be pleased to hear this, honey," the older woman said kindly. "He's wakin' up little earlier than we expected. Bit fuzzy, from all that anesthetic, but he might be talkin' if he feels okay. We've got him all situated in room 1110, if you—"
"Just a moment," Kelly said, holding up her hands together and turning to get her Dad. She knew he'd be as eager to see Levi as her, even if he didn't show it. He did kind of get half the credit for raising him.
She saw her father with Jenny and faltered for a minute, her smile fading. He was talking to her by the window; she was standing very close, her hands on his waist tightly. Kelly bit her lip, a rush of sadness hitting her.
She shook it off, resolving to treat Jenny exactly how she had been or run the risk of getting eaten alive, and cupped her hand around her mouth.
"Daddy," she called, and he looked over after a brief moment. She beckoned.
He touched Jenny's cheek and turned, walking over. Jenny followed, crossing her arms forcefully at her chest and arching an eyebrow.
"We can see Levi," Kelly said breathlessly.
Jethro looked at the nurse impatiently.
"He can't have much excitement, I'm afraid," the nurse warned a little sternly.
Kelly just nodded.
"They haven't met him, have they?" Jenny scoffed, and Kelly laughed genuinely.
Kelly started forward and the nurse looked at them hesitantly.
"Family only," she said, eyeing Jenny.
She must have been briefed on Levi's records by Dr. Gelfand. Kelly hardly batted an eyelid; she thrust her thumb at Jenny and shrugged, daring the nurse to question her next words.
"She's my mother," she said nonchalantly, waltzing forward again.
Kelly Gibbs didn't even feel like she was lying when she said it. Jenny Shepard had reached a certain point of no return—particularly if she'd wrangled the 'L' word out of Leroy Jethro Gibbs—that made her family.
Silly readers, you know I would never harm my darling Levi. Though I do pride myself on a bit of foreshadowing in the McGee/Kelly bit at the opening.
-Alexandra