Chapter 21
Disclaimer: I own nothing in this story except the plot and Samantha Waverly.
Thanks to all for the reviews. Hopefully I will be back to posting sooner until next week. Have a teacher workshop out of town. Can't post from my phone.
Thanksgiving dinner at Ducky's was wonderful. Jokes and silly stories abounded. Samantha was a welcome contributor to the hilarity. Gibbs just shook his head and smiled. He was so glad she fit in. He had never seen her so happy and that made him glad.
"Well, I am ready for a piece of pie." Tony announced.
"Of course Tony. You are never full." Ziva told him.
"Anthony the pies are in the kitchen help yourself." Ducky replied. "Anyone else want dessert."
"Not now Ducky. That was a great dinner but I am full to the brim." Samantha answered. "Jethro, do you want a piece of pie?"
" I think I can wait awhile myself." Gibbs answered grabbing her hand." Samantha, weren't you issued a challenge?"
"Yes I was. Oh DiNozzo are you still up for the movie trivia challenge?"
Tony came out of the kitchen with his mouth full of pie. "You name the time and the place."
"Here. Time will be after the men minus Ducky clean up the dinner mess." Samantha giggled looking at the ladies. "Don't you think they need to wash up? After all we cooked."
"Absolutely Sam." Abby agreed.
Gibbs got up and started grabbing dishes. Tony and McGee looked at him. He was the boss and he was going to do dishes. "Come on gentlemen. We do owe that much to the ladies and Ducky. "
"But Boss" Tony protested, " I hate to clean."
"Either you help clean up or Ziva will have to convince you to help." Gibbs walked into the kitchen. "DiNozzo, McGee," Gibbs barked.
" On your six Boss." The two agents grabbed some dishes and headed into the kitchen.
Samantha smiled and motioned for the others to follow her into the living room. All three women burst out with laughter when they sat down. "Ziva you owe me 5 dollars. I told you I could get them to clean up." Ziva handed her the five just as they heard the first dish drop and crash on the floor.
"Mother's china." Ducky muttered as he rubbed his hand down his face.
"Relax Ducky. That will be the only dish dropped. Gibbs will see to that." Abby told him. Abby looked at the other two and smiled. "I wondered who got that head slap."
NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS
About an hour later, the men emerged from the kitchen. Tony and Tim were now wearing wet shirts and the front of their trousers were wet as well. Gibbs however was still dry and entered the room with a smirk. "Have fun?" Samantha asked him.
"Oh yeah, lots, " he grumbled sitting down next to her on the sofa. He then scooted closer to her and whispered in her ear. "Ready to kick DiNozzo's butt."
"Oh you know it," she whispered back. Then she turned to DiNozzo. "You ready for a butt whooping Tony."
"You are on. Do you have the game set up?""
"Yes. I brought my Scene it movie edition using my DVD player."
"How about teams? Ziva, Abby and me against you, Gibbs and McGee. Ducky will be the judge and ask the questions. Sound fair."
"Sounds great."
The game began and it soon was a battle between Samantha and DiNozzo. He would get some questions right and then she would come back and best him. After about an hour the score was tied and they were down to the last few questions.
It was Samantha's turn. "Samantha, your question is. Name the only actor who had a speaking role in the Mel Brooks film Silent Movie " Ducky asked.
Samantha looked at Tony. She could not tell if he knew the answer but she did. "That's easy. It was the mime Marcel Marceau. He said No."
"That is correct. Ok Anthony here is your question. Name the destination for the Griswold family in the original National Lampoon's Vacation."
"Oh I know that one " Ziva replied. "It was Wally World and it was closed for repairs."
"Correct Ziva." The whole group looked at her strangely. "What? Tony and I watched it last week on our movie night."
Samantha smiled and looked at Gibbs with an I told you so look in her eyes. Ducky pulled out the next question. "Ok Samantha. One tagline for this film read, what we have here is a total lack of respect of the law and who said it?"
Gibbs grabbed Sam's hand and smiled. "I have this one," he smirked. She smiled up at him and gestured to go ahead. " Smoky and the Bandit and Jackie Gleason said it."
All three of the opposing team members stared at him. Gibbs just stared back at them. "Well it is one of my favorite movies." Samantha said breaking the tension. "Since we are tied how about one more question and then we hit the dessert table."
"Very well my dear. I will make this a toss up question. Either team can answer. Who played Dispersal officer Ashley-Pitt in the movie The Great Escape?" Since no one outside of Tony and Sam knew the answer all eyes turned toward them. Tony made it obvious that he did not know but squirming in his seat trying to think about it.
"Well I have seen the movie but there were so many great stars in that movie I can't remember." Tony said looking Samantha in the eyes.
She stared back but she was unsure of herself as well. " Ok there was Steve McQueen, James Garner, and Charles Bronson."
" And James Coburn and Donald Pleasence" Tony added. "But truthfully I don't remember an Ashley-Pit"
" Me either. Ok Ducky you have officially stumped us." Samantha turned to Ducky. "What is the answer?"
"Do you concede also Anthony?"
" Yah Ducky. Tell me the answer. This went totally against the DiNozzo creed to concede but he truly did not know.
"Well it was David McCallum. An excellent actor or so I have been told."
The whole team laughed and headed to the kitchen for dessert. Gibbs walked up to Ducky. "Good job Duck. Isn't he the one who you are almost a dead ringer for when you were younger?"
"Well yes Jethro I believe so."
NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS
After dessert and everyone had cleaned up their mess the three couples decided it was time to leave. The team had to work the next day so a late night was not advisable. Abby and McGee left first saying goodbye to all and thanking Ducky for a wonderful evening. Then Gibbs and Samantha left along with Tony and Ziva. Ducky waved goodbye from the porch of his large house and then turned to head to bed. It had been a long but most enjoyable day.
Upon arriving at his house Gibbs helped Samantha into the house. It was obvious that she was totally exhausted. "You look so tired sweetheart. Are you sure you are up to going back to work?"
"Yes, tired comes with the territory Gibbs. If I stay out much longer I may go postal." He helped her up the stairs.
"You get changed and I will bring you your meds. I am sure that your arm is hurting. You kind of over used it today."
"Maybe." Gibbs left the room and Samantha changed into a pair of sweat pants and Gibbs' large NCIS t-shirt. Just as Gibbs was returning up the stairs he heard Samantha's phone ring. "Hello, oh hi Julie. "
"Miss Waverly, how are you feeling?"
"I told you to call me Samantha. I am not Kelly's teacher any more. We are now friends both of you."
"Did I wake you?"
"No we just got in from a Thanksgiving party. What do you need?"
Julie Williams stuttered a little. "Well I have a favor to ask you."
"I am here for you. What's up?" Samantha answered as Gibbs walked in with her diet coke and pain pills. She motioned for him to sit down on the bed next to her.
"Well I have to work tomorrow at 10 o'clock and since school is out tomorrow."
"You need a baby sitter" Samantha finished her sentence.
"Yes" Julie sounded relieved. She really did not want to ask but she had no one else.
"I would be glad to help you out. Gibbs has to work tomorrow too. You could bring her by his place in the morning."
"Thank you. How about 9:30?"
"See you in the morning Julie. " Samantha hung up the phone and took the medicine from Gibbs.
"Was that about Kelly?"
"Yes, Julie has to work tomorrow and has no babysitter so I offered."
Gibbs was skeptical about Samantha getting closer to Kelly. He was afraid that she would get hurt when Julie was not so dependent on others for help. "Are you sure you want to get further involved in this case?"
"Already am involved up to my eye balls here Gibbs," she told him.
" Just don't get hurt," he reminded her. " I can't stand it when you are unhappy."
"I know. I will keep my heart protected I promise."
"Good." He took her in his arms and kissed her. Pulling back after their kiss he looked into her eyes and smiled. He saw nothing but love and happiness. He secretly hoped that she was not setting herself up for nothing but heartache. And if she were hurting he would be also.