By Your Side
Chapter 14
Much to Gibbs and Mike's liking Spencer had slept in Avalon's room–on the floor, of course, with the door open. After a couple of days Mike, Leyla, and Amira were all leaving as Morgan picked Spencer up, the BAU having a case in D.C. Although things went back to normal, Avalon felt as though her life was even more boring and dull since Spencer left. Sure, they spoke on the phone and text but it wasn't the same as being together.
It was almost two months since they last saw each other, not that neither minded–though they did miss each other–as their schedule never clashed enough to see each other. Mostly when only two weeks ago Avalon had gone with her father to the west coast, trailing the finished boat he was going to give to his Goddaughter, and then he, Mike, and Avalon sailed said boat for the three days it took to get to Mike's home in Mexico.
All was peaceful.
Then the unthinkable happened. Gibbs had gotten a call late the night before concerning about his boat. He woke Avalon, let her get dressed, and the two of them quickly went to the airport that contained a private jet to fly them out to San Diego. It was on the plane that Gibbs explained to his daughter what was happening. Avalon took everything in silently, a frown like her father now set permanently on her soft face. Although inside she was scared of what could have happened to her Godfather, Lelyla, and Amira since her father had only one boat registered under his name and being used.
At the San Diego airport Avalon tried to smile at the familiar face waiting for them, but still couldn't help but frown about what she had just learned. She hugged Callen tightly, before letting him go so he and Gibbs can shake hands. As they got into a standard black SUV, Avalon getting in the front as Gibbs went into the back. Callen couldn't help but to look over at Avalon every few seconds, never had he's heard her so quiet let alone have the exact same frown as Gibbs...which in his mind was just a bit scary as they looked too much alike.
Callen reached over and took her fisted hand, which immediately loosened so that he was able to intertwine their fingers together. "You okay baby girl?"
Avalon sighed, shaking her head as she looked out her window, glad that she remembered to grab hold of her sunglasses as the sun glared towards her. "No, we just saw Uncle Mike not too long ago and now the boat dad gave to Amira has floated into San Diego Harbor carrying two dead bodies!"
"It's going to be fine Ava, there's always a reason Mike does things." Gibbs told her, though she knew that he wasn't too sure about his mentor this time either.
Avalon stayed quiet, gripping Callen's hand for both support and comfort. Callen did the same, knowing that the younger woman needed it. That's what big brother's are for, right? Though, Callen was grateful that Gibbs didn't smack the back of his head or yelled at him for holding his daughter's hand...or even smacked him for hugging her too long back at the airport. Callen frowned; they both must really be confused and upset to what's happening at that moment.
Nearing the docks, Callen parked and turned off the engine, getting out with the two Gibbs. He knew that Director Vance would probably lectured him later for being there but Avalon called him in distress on the plane over, he wasn't about to let his sister be distraught over this on her own. Even if Gibbs was with her he had his own problems in trying to figure this out as this was surely going to be his mentor's case.
"Hey!" Callen cried out when Gibbs smacked him over the head. "What was that for?"
"For hugging Ava too long, holding her hand, and not having any coffee for us." Gibbs told him simply, walking ahead of them.
Callen frowned and held out his arms in disbelief, "I was worried for Ava, I'm sorry for being concerned!"
"You'll be forgiven once you have coffee handy!" Gibbs yelled over his shoulder.
Avalon laughed–man it felt wonderful to laugh–hugging Callen around the waist as they followed after her father. "Don't fret, he's just worried in what's happened and wondered where Amira and Leyla are."
Callen nodded, knowing that was the case, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "So, how are you and that geeky FBI agent doing?" Ava smacked his stomach hard, making Callen grunt, "You didn't have to hit me so damn hard!"
"Baby," Avalon muttered, teasingly. "And Spencer and I are doing great, though our schedules are more screwed up than ever before and we haven't been able to see each other for over two months now."
Callen smiled, rubbing her arm as he hugged her to him and kissed the side of her head. "Don't worry Ava, you'll see each other soon. I bet you anything." he told her softly.
Avalon smiled gratefully, leaning up and kissing his cheek. "Thanks Callen."
She titled her head to the side, and stared at the older man curiously. Avalon was always attracted to Callen because of his mysterious background and how hot he looked with and without a shirt. She always felt something from him, too, when she was twenty and twenty-one, but he never acted on it nor she because of her shyness; so her little crush became sisterly love instead.
"How come we never got together before?" she whispered, hoping her father wouldn't hear her.
She watched him take out his phone to call someone–probably somebody from his team–as he also took out his badge for the nearby officer keeping a look out. Avalon loved her father, but he really was over protective of her, more or so after the death of her mother and older sister. Callen sighed–almost as though he was in pain–looking down at her. He did, at one point, felt attracted to her but fear of her father had him hold back until that attraction turned into a brotherly love instead.
"Because you were always too young...and Gibbs would have killed me, especially since I was able to get him to like me after a long time." he replied truthfully, taking out his own badge to show the naval officer on duty.
"That can always change if you don't stop touching my daughter, Callen." Gibbs tells him (drawing out daughter a bit longer), hanging up his phone.
Callen quickly let go of Avalon, who smiled back at the naval officer that had heard and started to chuckle, looking back at them. She turned back around when she heard voices, Avalon and Callen stopping just to the side of her father. She noted the Director scolding not only at her father, but also at Callen, whom neither of them paid much attention as they looked over the boat and the two bodies that Ducky was looking over.
With a rush of air leaving her lungs, Avalon pressed a hand to her stomach as her heart raced with anxiousness. A million of questions raced through her, but the most important one was what's happened to her Godfather, Leyla, and Amira?
"I ran the vin and found the boat was registered to an NCIS Agent Gibbs." the woman standing near Director looked towards Gibbs, who stared at the boat. "That's you, right? What's the deal with the dead guys?"
"Shell casing Izzy?" the Director asks, looking back over to the group that joined them.
The agent looks back at the Director and holds up an evidence bag, "Bagged and tagged sir."
"Callen don't you have a case?" Vance wanted to know as he glared at the agent.
"I asked him to come, Director." Avalon tells him sternly, looking down at the boat with her own observation.
Vance hummed, looking to Gibbs. "Yes, but you aren't supposed to be here either."
Avalon's eyes sharpened and turned to the Director of NCIS–oh, she certainly was Gibbs daughter with that look if nothing else. But due to her being a woman the fury behind her eyes were sharper and more alive.
"This concerned my Godfather, his daughter-in-law, and his granddaughter; they're family and I'll be damn if anyone stops me for being here."
Before Vance could say anything or even the other agent Ducky spoke up, looking towards the female agent. Avalon looks back at the boat, glad for the interruption. She hated the new director, but he did get more things done then Jenny Shepard…but she did have her secrets like Vance did…well, everyone had their secrets.
To turn away the tension between Vance and Avalon, Ducky spoke to Agent Cortez, continuing to look at the bodies. "I take it you didn't move the bodies?"
Agent Cortez smiled at the old man, shaking her head. "No doctor I was trained better than that."
"There's no identification, Jethro." Ducky tells his friend, "Only cash; dollars and pesos"
"Agent Cortez if you didn't know that this boat, loaded with dead bodies, belonged to an NCIS agent, how do you think it ended up rolling into a naval base?" Vance asked the agent.
"I speculate given the currents, came from the south, somewhere in Mexico possibly. As for whom have set it on course, I wouldn't think to guess."
"Usually you light the thing for a Viking funeral." Vance looks towards Gibbs, "Do you know any Vikings that live in Mexico?"
Gibbs looks at Vance, before looking forward, coming up with his own conclusions and confusion of what was going on. However Vance continued to stare him down, knowing that no one would be able to break Gibbs with a look…unless it was his daughter.
"This does have more a Wild West feel to it." Ducky tells them.
"Solved it already?" Gibbs teased, looking at Vance before looking down at the boat."Glad I made the trip."
Ducky looks at Gibbs, "You've only taken one vacation this year, Jethro."
"Sailed the gulf route to Mexico, right?" Vance tells him, "Two plane tickets back"
"Did I have the fish or did I have the lasagna?" Gibbs looks at Vance.
"We left the damn boat with my Godfather, Vance!" Avalon glared at him, turning to face him. "We trailed it to the west coast; it was a gift for my father's Goddaughter. Apparently this was a message to my father–something happened?"
"This is how he repays you?" Vance demanded, wanting to get some answers.
Agent Cortez shook her head, "I got no idea what's going on here–you guys already know who the killer is?"
"Agent Cortez use your contacts with the Federalize, clear a path for us." Vance tells her, "We're heading south of the border."
Gibbs turns away from Vance and looks to his daughter and Callen. "Callen, take her home and stay with her."
"You can't just order my men around, Gibbs. Callen has cases just like you do." Vance argues.
"Hetty knows the situation, Director," Callen tells him, hugging Avalon's shoulders. "She's given me a couple of days off."
Vance glowers at this, "On whose authority?"
"It's called family, Vance," Avalon glares at him. "I'm sure you would be the same way."
With that said she and Callen turns back to the parking lot. Vance's glower deepened and turned to Gibbs, who held up his hands. He knew his daughter could get under the director's skin–she just didn't like him.
"Don't look at me, I don't even have a say in how she treats people."
4545454545454545
–Gibbs' household–
Avalon paced the basement floor, her thoughts in turmoil. She hasn't been able to sit still or wait for any news from her father. She knew that he was hard at work in trying to figure out all that was going on, the young woman just wished she could have been with him at the office. Callen sat near the working table, watching Avalon. As soon as they came to the house he watched her clean from the second floor to the bottom floor of that house until there was nothing more to clean.
They went down to the basement, Callen knowing that it would give Avalon some peace since it had Gibbs' presence. But it didn't last long. She was up and moving again, certainly beside's herself with growing worry. In the hours they have been back Callen could see Avalon was physically making her sick, which was starting to make him worry too. He went to stand up and stop her when they heard the front door open and two sets footsteps. Avalon stopped her pacing and sharply turned to the ceiling. She waited with bated breath as they grew closer to the basement door until she saw her father walked through.
"Look who I found outside." he told his daughter, moving to the side.
Avalon felt completely at peace when she saw Spencer smile down at her before walking down the steps. She moved past her Callen and into Spencer's arms, where all the worry and concern for Mike and his family lifted off some from her shoulders. Spencer, having felt the bit of tension, hugged his girlfriend even more tightly, nodding to Callen in greeting. Gibbs had told him what was happening and could only imagine what Avalon was going through. Gibbs nods with a smile and turns to go shower and change.
"Everything is going to be fine, you'll see." he whispered to her, swaying from side to side.
Avalon sighed with a nod, turning to wrap her arms around his waist. Callen shakes his head at the sight, not able to believe that this geeky guy was able to win Gibbs over by being himself–and being just as protective over Avalon. He stands and moves towards the stairs, needing a beer since he knew Gibbs only held bourbon down there. After a while of comforting his girlfriend did Gibbs and Callen returned to the basement, the couple still standing where they had left them twenty-minutes before.
Avalon turns in Spencer's arms, wrapping her arms around his waist, and looks at her father while Callen returns to his original spot. Gibbs, wearing an old sweatshirt, was going to begin in building something to keep his mind off of worry and try to think clearly. He was about to pick up a tool when a picture of him and Mike both holding a fish caught his eye. Gibbs took it from the board and smiled at it, almost shaking his head.
Avalon went to say something when they all heard the door open once again, followed by voices this time. It was a very familiar child's voice and older woman. With growing concern Gibbs rushes up the stairs with the others following right behind.
"It's okay, we're here." Gibbs sighs with relief, as does Avalon as the group walk forward, "Look Amira, it's your Godfather can you say hi?"
"Hello Amira; welcome to my home." Gibbs says with a smile.
He takes her in his arms before leaning over and kissing Leyla's cheek. Avalon sighs with relief and moves passed her father to hug Leyla tightly, closing her eyes to tears of relief. Clearing her throat, she moves back, hugging her stomach tightly. Leyla and Gibbs smile to each other, before Leyla became serious.
"He's right behind us." she whispered.
Gibbs nods and holding back his anger for her and Amira's sake. "You can put her down in there." he nodded to the side.
Leyla smiles knowingly, "Thank you."
She takes Amira back, speaking to her softly and walks away. Avalon turns sharply when the door opens and watches Mike holding two bags on either shoulder, standing before them. Gibbs watches after Leyla and his Goddaughter before turning to his old mentor, not knowing what to think as all he wanted to do was shoot him.
"You gonna stand there glaring at me Probie, or are you going to give me a hand with the bags?" he raises an eyebrow as he watched Avalon move aside with Spencer, making sure that they weren't in the way. "Or are you going to shoot me?"
"No, I thought I'll ask a few questions first," Gibbs tells him, "then I might shoot you."
"All right," Mike grumbles.
"I need some answers Mike," Gibbs tells him seriously, too much confused of what was going on.
"All right," Mike yells angrily, dropping the bags.
"Keep your voice down." Gibbs tells him angrily, moving forward. "Those two men you killed, why were they after you?"
"Damn Probie," Mike now looked confused at Gibbs, "I was hoping you can tell me."
Avalon shook her head, "What is going on Uncle Mike?"
Mike sighs and holds out his arms, Avalon rushing into them. "Didn't mean to frighten you, baby girl; sorry. I didn't think the Probie was going to take you along the ride." it was Mike's turn to glare at Gibbs, "Though I should have known."
"Callen, get a few beers." Gibbs ordered, turning away from his daughter and Mike. "And wine for Ava."
With a nod Callen turns towards the kitchen to do what he was asked, everyone there knowing that it was going to be a long night and couple of days until whatever was going on be finally resolved.
A/N: Sorry for the long wait, I recently just got a new job as an Assistant Manager and because it's all new to me I've taken my time in doing just that instead of writing. Which I am very sorry! I've had many ideas for this story, I just didn't have time to write it down or type it up. Thank you all for your patient, this is a bit of a longer chapter so I hope that will lessen all the hate you have for me. Please review! :)