Chapter 25
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It has been several weeks since Ziva killed Nider. It is one of the rare nights where the NCIS team have gotten of work at a time where they would consider early and Kelly, Ziva and Gibbs are down in the basement working on the boat, a far from uncommon occurrence.
"So are we actually going to get to sail this one or is it going to get burnt as well?" Kelly asks her father.
"We'll sail her." Gibbs tells her.
"Good to know." Kelly says with a smile. "How's Kenz doing after everything that's happened?" Kelly asks Ziva interested.
"Coping, she misses him I know that. Abs and I had a long conversation with her the other day and she seems to be doing better than she was. We're hoping to have a couple of free days soon so we can go and see her." Ziva tells her sister. "
"Give her my love when you do, she didn't seem to be doing too well last time I spoke to her. She still expects him to come back to her." Kelly asks.
"She loved him, I think you're right but I also think that even if she never sees him again a part of her will always be waiting for him to come back." Ziva explains to her sister.
"Well as fun and informative as this is I've got to go; I've got the early shift at Bethesda tomorrow." Kelly says walking over to put the sandpaper on the bench then she walks over to her father and gives him a hug goodbye.
"Drive safe." Gibbs tells her.
"I will, night Dad." Kelly tells her father "Night Zi." Kelly says as she walks up the stairs and once she is sure her father isn't looking at her but Ziva is she mouths "Talk to him." Once she exits the house she finds herself almost walking straight into Kate.
"Kate, what are you doing here?" Kelly asks her sister surprised.
"Do I need a reason now?"
"Of course not. I just didn't expect you." Kelly says to her older sister.
"You're leaving early." Kate comments as usually if Kelly comes over to help their father on the boat she stays later. "Yeah, I've got the early shift tomorrow." Kelly explains.
"So have you found an explanation for why Mum and Dad have been avoiding each other the last couple of weeks?" Kate asks her little sister interested.
"Not so far. All I know is that they have, and that their not talking about why." Kelly explains.
"So you know just as much as me then. I tried talking to Mum about it a few days ago but she shut the conversation down before it began said she had to call the Sec Nav even though I knew she only talked to him half an hour earlier." Kate tells her sister.
"Well find out eventually, we always do." Kelly says with a small smile "Well I've got to get going, see you later." Kelly tells her sister as she walks to her car.
"Tell Palmar I said hi." Kate says as she opens the door to the house.
"How would I? I'm not going to see him." Kelly tells her sister entering her car.
"Whatever you say Kel." Kate says as she walks in the house and down to the basement.
Once she arrives in the basement she finds Ziva and her father working on the boat in silence. After placing her stuff on the bench she pours bourbon into the glass she brought from upstairs, drinks what she poured then pours another glass and then gets started on helping with the boat without a single word.
Ziva is surprised by her sister's out of character actions but as she realises that she must have a reason for what she is doing she doesn't question her sister, deciding that if she wants to talk then she will otherwise it is best to leave her alone.
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For over an hour Kate, Ziva and Gibbs work on the boat in silence the only sound heard being the sound of the sandpaper rubbing against the wood.
"I'm going to bed night Dad, night Kate." Ziva says putting the sandpaper down and heading upstairs.
"Night Zi."
"Night Ziver."
Ten minutes after Ziva leaves Kate and Gibbs are still working in silence until Gibbs speaks.
"What's bothering you Kate?" Gibbs asks his daughter putting the sandpaper down and sitting in the frame.
"What gave me away?" Kate asks curious as she puts her own sandpaper down and walks over and sits next to her father.
"The bourbon, you don't drink it." Gibbs says simply "You drink wine, or if you decide to drink a spirit its scotch, never bourbon."
"You know you've got Grandpa Jasper to blame that one on he's the one who…" Kate begins to say but her father cuts her off.
"Gave you your first drink of scotch the night before your high school graduation, I remember." Gibbs finishes remembering the incident well for the reason of how angry Jenny was at her father for giving Kate alcohol despite the fact that she was younger than Kate was at the time when she had her fist drink.
"What's bothering you Kate?" Gibbs asks his daughter concerned.
"How does she do it Dad?"
"How does who do what?" Gibbs asks confused.
"Mum, how does she not let how she gets treated by some people in this job affect her?" Kate asks her father "I'm not saying everyone I've worked with in the last few weeks treated me badly because they haven't but some have. Some think that just because you're a woman you don't deserve to be treated the same and it doesn't matter what your position is, if you're a woman then you don't deserve the same respect it's as simple as that. I've watched her for so long and it never seems to affect her and when she is treated like that she doesn't let them get away with it. She had a meeting with someone form the FBI who I had been working with organising some inter agency cooperation and he was a complete pig to me no matter what I did but as soon as he started to attempt to do that with her she completely shut him down and knocked him down a few pegs, how does she do it?" Kate asks her father interested.
"Practice." Gibbs says putting an arm around his daughter "In Stillwater there were these two guys who were just bully's they gave everyone a hard time and after a few months your Mum just stoped letting them. It didn't stop them I don't think everything would have but every time they tried to give her a hard time she gave them a harder one. When she joined NCIS it was the same there were some people who gave her a hard time and she just didn't let them get away with it and unlike Ed and Chuck most of them realised that they had to change." Gibbs explains smiling fondly as Kate puts her head on her father's shoulders. "You've got so much of your mother in you Katie, you always have. Stand up for yourself, don't let them treat you like you are any less than you are and don't let them get away with not treating you with the respect you deserve, I know you can do it, you have before after all." Gibbs tells his daughter which results in both parties laughing.
"You're right there." Kate says and the pair drifts in to silence.
"If that doesn't work let me know, and I'll handle it." Gibbs tells her a few minutes latter.
"Somehow I don't think that will help." Kate tells her father with an amused smile and the pair drift back into silence. Kate is tempted to ask her father about what is going on between him and her mother but decides against it so instead asks "Can I stay here tonight?"
"Of course Kate, you never have to ask that." Gibbs tells his oldest daughter.
"I might head to up to bed then, night Dad."
"Night Kate." Gibbs says giving Kate a kiss on the head before removing his arm that is around his daughter.
"Kate." Gibbs says stoping his oldest daughter when she is half way up the basement stairs "Your room is always your room, don't ever forget that."
Kate smiles down at her father then climbs the rest of the stairs out of the basement. Once she reaches the kitchen she puts the glass she was drinking burbon out of on the sink and makes a mental note to wash it up in the morning while she grabs another glass which she pours water in which she takes with her upstairs. Once she reaches upstairs she passes Ziva's room where out of habit she quietly opens the door to make she her youngest sister is sleeping soundly. Once she does that she climbs the stairs to the attic where when Ziva was adopted into the Gibbs family Gibbs turned the large attic into three more rooms one of which became Kate's bedroom and over time the other two became Kelly and Callen's bedrooms respectively. After she places her water on the bedside table she collects out of her chest of draws a large old hoody that used to belong to her Grandpa Jasper which she has kept for many years and she also collects an old pair of her own sweat pants. Once she is changed and is sure her gun is safely tucked under her pillow she climbs into bed and before too long she is fast asleep not even waking when about an hour later her father comes in to check on her.
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The next morning for the first time in a really long time Tony and McGee are the first ones to arrive in the squad room.
"You're in early." McGee says to Tony surprised from his desk.
"I thought it would be the best way to avoided being in the line of fire." Tony tells the probie walking over to stand in front of his desk.
"This can't go on much longer can it?" McGee asks
"What? Gibbs avoiding the direction, the director avoiding Gibbs both of them being absolute rays of sunshine." Tony says sarcastically "Who knows." Tony says with a shrug "It would be good to know why they are acting like this."
"You don't? I thought you would have made it your mission to find out what was going on by now." McGee says to Tony.
"I've tried, I asked Ziva what was going on but she said she didn't know." Tony explains.
"Would she tell us if she knew though? This is her family we're talking about." McGee points out.
"Good point Probie-one. I thought about that but then I overheard Abby and Ziva talking at lunch yesterday about how they didn't know." Tony explains.
"Why am I not surprised you've been eavesdropping on them." McGee comments.
"It wasn't intentionally I just happened to overhear. Talking about things I innocently overheard have you heard people talking about Abby and Ziva and a Halloween prank?"
"Yeah, what's that about?" McGee asks then notices Kate walking past Ziva's desk "Maybe Kate knows" He says making sure it is loud enough for Kate to hear.
"Maybe Kate knows what?" Kate asks walking over to the pair.
"Why agents who have been here a while are talking about Abby and Ziva and a Halloween prank." Tony says to her.
"It would be because every year since they were young teenagers until Abby went away to collage they would pull a prank on the whole of NCIS." Kate explains with an amused look on her face.
"Gibbs let them get away with that." Tony says shocked.
"The previous directors let them get away with that." McGee says even more shocked.
"The last prank they pulled before Abby went away to collage Director Morrow helped them with." Kate tells the agents with a laugh.
"You're kidding." McGee says surprised.
"No I'm not Tim. I'd explain if I had time but I have a meeting with Mum and state." Kate says walking away from the pair only pausing to say hello to Ziva who just arrived.
"So Miss Gibbs what horrors do you and Abby plan to unleash on us this Halloween?" Tony asks Ziva with a flirty simile as he walks over to her desk.
"You, like everyone else are going to have to just wait and see." Ziva tells him with a smirk and before he can ask any more Gibbs walks in "Grab your gear. We've got a dead marine coronel, suspected suicide." He tells the team "Ziver you're driving." Gibbs says throwing the keys at Ziva who catches them.
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When they arrive at the crime scene Gibbs instructs McGee to collect the evidence, Tony to shot the scene then help McGee and Ziva to interview the victims' daughter who found the body.
"What you got Duck?"
"Single gunshot wound to the right temple, time of death approximately ten to twelve hours ago." Ducky tells Gibbs "As to whether this is suicide or homicide I'll leave that until more in known." Ducky tells Gibbs.
"Thanks Duck." Gibbs tells his old friend
"It looks like suicide though." Palmar comments.
"We don't make assumptions, Looks can be deceiving Mr Palmar." Ducky tells his assistance.
"Ziver what the daughter have to say?" Gibbs asks his youngest daughter.
"She said her and her daughter were coming over to take the cornel out to breakfast then some shopping when they found him. She talked to him last night and apparently there was nothing out of the ordinary she also said that there is no way her father committed suicide, none at all." Ziva says and she looks at her father directly in the eyes once she finishes reading her notes and she knows that both of them are thinking the same thing.
"I want you and Tony to go interview the people he worked with find out if they knew something his daughter didn't." Gibbs says to Ziva before walking out of the room.
"What's wrong with him?" Tony asks Ziva and Ducky as he walks over to him.
"Nothing, nothing's wrong with him." Ziva tells him trailing off at the end of her sentence "I'll meet you in the car."
"Ducky?" Tony asks the medical examiner confused.
"It's not my place Anthony." Ducky says starting to wrap the body. "You better go catch up with Ziva." He tells Tony.
Tony nods and then leaves the room.
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An hour later Tony and Ziva arrive back in the squad room, during the trip to the office where the cornel worked Tony has attempted to get Ziva to talk about what happened at the crime scene but as of yet he has had no luck.
"What did he co-workers say?" Gibbs asks Tony and Ziva when they enter.
"For the most part the same as the daughter, that there is no way that he committed suicide." Tony tells Gibbs.
"But?"
"One person we talked to a Cornel James said that Cornel Harrison has seemed a little detached latterly, he's been spending more and more time alone." Ziva explains.
"McGee's down with Abby, go and see if they've got anything I'll be down soon." Gibbs tells Tony and Ziva.
Tony nods and walks to the back elevator, Ziva follows but pauses at her father's desk "Does she know yet?"
"No, she's still in a meeting with state." Gibbs tells his daughter.
"Ever since Grandpa whenever there is someone who is suspected to have committed suicide who's family don't believe it she does whatever she can to prove that the family is right, no matter what it takes." Ziva tells her father.
"I know." Gibbs says simply. "Anything else Ziver?" Gibbs asks a couple of minutes later.
"No, I'll head down to Abby." Ziva says before heading out of the squad room not being able to think that things are going to be even tenser until the end of this case. While Gibbs is investigating a case where a man is believed to have committed suicide but his daughter doesn't believe it then Jenny will be a part of the investigation, it will hit to close to home for her no to be, and with things being so tense as they have been between her parents lately things are going to be interesting to say the least.
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"You took your time." Tony says to Ziva when she arrives in the lab.
"I was talking to Dad." Ziva explains.
"Has he told her yet?" Abby asks looking up from the computer.
"She's still in a meeting."
"She, Are you talking about the director?" McGee asks interested and both Abby and Ziva nod in reply.
"Why are you all so concerned about the director?" Tony asks interested.
"Do you remember me telling you about our grandfather who died when I was thirteen?" Ziva asks Tony.
"Of course." Tony responds.
"He committed suicide, but Mum refused to believe it. Ever since then if there is a case where a person is believed to have committed suicide and their family doesn't believe that they did Mum will do whatever she can to prove them right." Ziva explains.
"Believed to have committed suicide Ziva." Kate says entering the lab.
"Kate the evidence." Ziva reminds her sister.
"Dad wants everyone in autopsy." Kate tells everyone acting like she didn't hear Ziva's question before leaving the lab and Tony and McGee look to Abby and Ziva for an explanation.
"Kate was really close to Grandpa, she doesn't believe he committed suicide any more than Mum does." Abby explains.
"What about the two of you? Do you believe he did?" Tony asks curious.
"We were young when he died; I was 13 Abby only 14. The memories I have of the happy loving fun Grandfather tells me that there is no way that he killed himself but I was a kid, there was so much I didn't know, so much that I didn't realises, so much that I couldn't have realised . Grandpa once told me that the only person who can truly know you is yourself. I don't know if we will ever really know if he did kill himself I know the evidence said he did but I also know Mum and Kate must have a really good reason for not believing that he did." Ziva explains.
"We better get down there we really don't want to leave Gibbs and most likely the Director waiting." McGee points out.
The two Gibbs's sisters and the two agents look at each other then walk rather quickly to the elevator.
"You know if they keep on like this much longer we could always try my idea." Abby says to Ziva as they do.
"No." Ziva tells her sister as the door close.
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When the agents and sister reach autopsy they find Gibbs and Jenny standing on opposite sides of the slab where they body is Kate on one side and McGee and Ducky on the others.
"Abs what have you got so far?" Jenny asks her daughter interested.
"Gunshot residue fitting with either suicide or close murder, there was no drugs or alcohol in his system and I'm still working on the blood splatter." Abby explains.
"Duck what you got?" Gibbs asks.
"A single gunshot entered the right temple, consistent with a right handed suicide." Ducky tells everyone.
"Abby let me know as soon as you get the blood splatter results back." Jenny says exiting autopsy.
"So is she talking over Boss?" Tony asks Gibbs.
Gibbs doesn't answer just follows Jenny out.
"You can't deny my idea is looking more and more like a better solution." Abby says to her two sisters.
"Don't even think about it." Kate tells her little sister leaving the lab.
"Too late for that." Abby mutters.
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After leaving Autopsy Jenny headed up to her office while Gibbs went on a coffee run.
"Gibbs." He says answering his phone as he walks through security." Have you told her? Thanks Abs." Gibbs says as he enters the elevator hanging up his phone where he heads up to the director's office instead of the squad room.
"She doesn't want to be disturbed." Cynthia tells Gibbs when he walks into the outer part of Jenny's office.
"Cynthia, go have lunch." Gibbs tells the assistance, Cynthia begins to object but Gibbs cuts her off "Cynthia go." Gibbs instructs making it sound more like an order.
"Yes sir." Cynthia responds and picks up her bag before leaving.
Once Cynthia has left Gibbs enters Jenny's office where he finds her standing by the widow looking out with a glass of bourbon in her hand.
"Jen if you keep letting this consume you it's going to destroy you." Jethro tells Jenny.
"What else can I do Jethro, and don't say let it go." Jenny tells Jethro.
"I wasn't going to Jen because I know you won't, but I do know you've got to stop doing this to yourself. You were so interested in this case because you thought if you could prove one daughter right give her proof that her father didn't kill himself then maybe one day you'll find the proof you need as well Cornel Harrison killed himself Jen and as much as this case reminded you of him, it wasn't about your father. " Jethro says walking over to Jenny. "Jasper and I didn't always get along but I do know without a doubt that no matter how he died that he wouldn't want you to do this to yourself don't let your obsession destroy you take a break, don't give up just take a break."
Jethro and Jenny stand in silence as Jenny drinks several mouthfuls of her bourbon. "The night after Ziva killed Nider I came over to see you." Jenny informs to Jethro changing the subject clearly not wanting to talk about suicide and her father anymore.
"I was ending things with her." Jethro says walking the last few steps so that he is standing next to Jenny.
"You looked pretty cosy for a couple who just broke up." Jenny tells him.
"It was a hug Jen that's it."
"I thought…" Jenny begins to say but Jethro cuts her off "The same thing I thought when you started to avoid me."
Jenny laughs "You would think that after 31 years that we would be better at talking to each other."
"We never have, why would we start now Jen?" Jethro asks with a similar laugh.
"I'm never going to stop investigating Jethro, not until I find the truth." Jenny says.
"You wouldn't be you if you did Jen." Jethro comments.
"But maybe you're right and a break would do me some good." Jenny admits.
"When you're ready to start looking again, I'll be right here Jen. Don't do this alone." Jethro tells her.
"I know, thank you Jethro." Jenny says looking up and Jethro and looking at him in the eyes and the pair stand in silence. "So are we going to talk about this?" Jethro asks.
"Like you said, why start now." Jenny says with a smile and Jethro laughs and takes a side step closer to Jenny and taking the bourbon out of her hand and taking a sip before putting the glass on Jenny's desk.
"We'll always be us." Jethro comments.
"Yes we will." Jenny says reaching out and grabbing Jethro's hand.
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A few days later on Halloween the employees of NCIS find themselves greeted with a squad room, upper level and MTAC covered in Styrofoam pellets giving the illusion that the building is full of fake snow.
"Really, this is what you decided to do?" Tony asks Abby and Ziva who are standing up on the catwalk watching everyone's reaction. "What is the point of it all?"
"No point that is our point." Abby yells down.
"And that's not our only thing." Ziva says pulling a string which causes hundreds of balloons to full out of box over the squad room over everyone and everything.
"Abigail Ann, Ziva Tali." Abby and Ziva hear from the direction of Jenny's office where Jenny herself has just walked out off.
"Yes Mum." Abby and Ziva say turning to face their mother with looks of innocents on their faces.
"You have two hours to get this cleaned up, start with my office I would like to get in there at some point." Jenny says sounding annoyed as she enters MTAC.
"She actually took that better than I thought she would." Abby says putting an arm around her little sisters' shoulder.
"She really did, I was expecting much worse two. It must be because her and Dad aren't avoiding each other anymore." Ziva says as the sisters walk to Jenny's office.
"We should wait to see his response." Abby says with a smile.
"It's only fitting." Ziva says with grin as the sisters' pause where they are standing to look down on the squad room again.
"The bubble wrap on his chair should be interesting." Ziva says as they hear the elevator beep on the squad room level.
"ABIGAIL ANN, ZIVA TALI YOU TWO BETTER BE ON YOUR WAY TO START CLEANING THIS UP." Jethro yells.
"Let's go before he sits down." Abby says with a grin as they enter the corridor to Jenny's office.
"Good idea."
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AN: From the next chapter I will be starting to implement my own changes into episodes of NCIS. First up is Under Covers.