Sorry about the long delay between updates on this story. Two things happened, one, I wrote myself into a damn corner. Two, I got side tracked by MIT and Fathers and Their Sons, both of which have been gaining momentum. I think I finally have written myself out of my corner now. So hopefully Heal Thyself will gain momentum too now.
Enjoy :)
"Happy birthday, Baby." Kelly cooed as she crawled up onto her bed and kissed him intimately. She had been up early helping her father with scrubbing the floor in the kitchen. Tim had been discharged from hospital eight days ago and was recovering nicely under Gibbs and Kelly's care, in the Gibbs family home. With the workshop completed, Tim and Kelly decided to stay to celebrate Tim's birthday with the team, before flying home the following morning.
"Mmm, Good morning to you too, sweetheart." Tim told her softly, as he pulled her closer to him and continued kissing her. "We need to stop." He says in between kissing her and kicking the duvet down with his feet. "Your Dad's home."
"I know how to be quiet." She told him, kissing him again, her hands roaming his chest.
"Or we could just take this into the shower." Tim said, rolling out of bed and pulling her into the ensuite with him.
"Hey Duck." Gibbs called out from the sofa as his front door opened.
"Hello Jethro, how is our patient?" Ducky asked him, taking a seat in the armchair.
"Wait for it," Gibbs and Ducky share a silent moment and the pipes jerked and groaned before settling. "I believe he's now awake." Gibbs smiled. "He's doing well , Duck."
"You really should get that noise seen to." Ducky lightly tells his dear friend.
"What's that?" Gibbs asked, spying a grey gift bag on the coffee table.
"That is for the birthday lad when he graces us with his presence, it's not his gift. Just something I found and would like him to have."
"Let me make you a cup of tea, Duck. Floor should be dry now, it'll allow you to settle in for your wait." Gibbs offered, getting the good doctor's cup of tea going.
"Why will the wait be long? It's just a shower." Gibbs rolled his eyes at the good doctor who's naivety was shining through. "Oh" Ducky added, finally working it out.
"Glad ya finally caught up, Duck. Didn't want to explain the birds and the bees to ya." Gibbs teased his friend, handing him a cup of tea.
"Yes, well, that could have been highly amusing for me. However, I'd like to remind you that Uncle Duck had that talk with your daughter, remember?"
"Well Uncle Duck failed, because she's fifteen weeks pregnant." Gibbs jested in a sing song voice.
"So did you then, it would seem." Ducky teased his friend. "Kelly isn't a little girl anymore, Jethro. She isn't even an adolescent, anymore. She is a young woman."
"I know, Duck. She's going to be a mother soon."
"She already is a mother, Jethro. That swelling around her abdomen isn't gas, it has a heartbeat and all. Your grandchild is growing in there."
"Morning," Tim called as he entered the kitchen area, dressed in his jeans, button down shirt and cross trainers, in search of coffee.
"Happy birthday Timothy!" Ducky said cheerfully, as he shook Tim's hand and offered Tim the grey gift bag.
Tim thanked Ducky. "I thought you were coming to dinner later."
"I am and I have your birthday gift for then. This is an extra gift. It's not really a birthday gift, I was cleaning up at home and I thought that you might like to have this." Tim opened the gift and saw a beautiful leather bound fairytales story book. "My grandfather read this book to my father, my father read this book to me, I read this very book to young Kelly when she would stay with Uncle Duck and I'd like to pass it on to you, for you and Kelly to read to your wee one."
"I don't know what to say," Tim commented, humbled by such a sentimental gift. "Thank you."
"You enjoy reading stories, as much as writing them and I think of all the people I've known in my life, it would truly be appreciated by you the most."
"It will definitely be put to good use. Studies have shown that reading to the baby, helps form a closer bond with it and aides in language and speech development." Tim explained what he had learnt so far.
"See, truly appreciated. Now, let me examine how you are truly doing." Ducky told him as they retreated to the living area.
The examination went well and Ducky was more than happy with his progress, before promptly taking his leave.
Gibbs was enjoying his Saturday morning paper, having looked up and noticing that Ducky had taken his leave and Tim was standing nervously before him.
"Everything ok, Tim?" Gibbs asked, taking in his daughter's partner's appearance. He was jittery and jumpy. He kept wiping his hands on his jeans. 'Maybe this is it,' Gibbs thought. 'Maybe todays the day.'
"Can we have a basement talk?" He asked his former boss in a small, nervous voice.
Gibbs lead Tim into the basement and noted that McGee closed the door behind them. "Whatever you've got to say McGee, just say it." He told him smirking, Gibbs now had a fair idea what was coming. He had been waiting for this moment for a while now.
"I love Kelly, more than anything in this world. You know that, right?" He asked and Gibbs nodded and smiled internally. "I love everything about her. How much of a amazing woman she is, that's a credit to you, to Shannon and Jackson, maybe even Ducky a little too. I never thought in my wildest dreams I'd meet the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with, in the living room, of my boss' family home. But I did and it was the start of the wonderful life Kelly and I are sharing together. May I have your blessing, to ask for your daughter's hand in marriage. I promise you that, I will be the best husband to Kelly and the best father to our child and any other future children we are blessed with, that I can be."
"Tim, you've always been…" Gibbs voice choked up a little. He hadn't expected to feel as moved as he actually did. "You'll know soon enough, when they place that bundle of joy in your arms, you'll peer down at it, scared shitless of what life is going to throw at you, next. Despite that you plan, you dream for them, for their future and the memories it will bring. You'll both look forward to and dread the moment that they fall in love. Most fathers don't see it at first. I was blessed, I got to see both sides of the coin. I watched my daughter fall in love with you, just as hard and fast as I saw you fall for her. I'd be honoured if you'd marry my daughter." Tim offered his hand for a handshake, but Gibbs did one better and pulled him in for a hug. "Have ya got a ring, yet?" He asked his almost future son in law.
"Not yet, I am struggling to find something that I know she will love, that I also like." Tim told him truthfully. Gibbs watched the young man and could see Tim had been stressing over it a little bit.
"Got something for you." He told Tim, opening the locked drawer in his workbench. He gently placed a small black velvet box in his hand. Tim opened it and stared in awe at the beautiful 2.5ct round infinity engagement ring in yellow gold draped of pavé-set diamonds around a centre stone and along the twisting shank of the ring. Nestled in beside it was a beautiful plain gold band that sat perfectly flush against it. "It was Shannon's. I planned to have her buried with them, because even in death, she will always be my wife. However, my father in law, of all people removed them from her finger and gave them to me to hold on to for Kelly. He told me that one of the best moments in my life, would be the day a man asked for my blessing to make my daughter, his wife. That I wouldn't understand where he was coming from, until the man was standing in front of me. Here you are now and I understand perfectly for the first time in my life, where he was coming from."
"Are you sure? I can afford a new ring." Tim asked, seeing Gibbs torn expression and the emotions running high, through his mind.
"For what it's worth Tim, you've always had my blessing. I appreciate the respect you've shown me, by asking for my blessing and I acknowledge the immense respect you've shown Kelly by not asking for my permission, but my blessing." Gibbs told him, looking him in the eye. "The engagement ring, before it was Shannon's, it was my Mum's. Before it was Mum's, it was my grandmother's. This is a Gibbs family heirloom. I am very sure, take them and use them." Gibbs told him, gently closing the box and putting it back in his palm. "It'll be an honour to see those rings on my daughter's hand." Tim was getting all choked up too, he didn't really know what to say to that. He had been getting himself worked up over this for a while now.
"It'll be my pleasure." Tim finally managed to get out and both men hugged again. "They're beautiful!"
"Have you got the proposal planned?" Gibbs asked, almost excited.
"I do, it's a surprise. But I'm sure she will tell you and everyone else all about it at thanksgiving dinner."
"Just don't propose while watching tv, did that with ex wife number three and never heard the end of it." Gibbs laughed and his little tale seemed to have broken the stiff and choked up emotions that both men had been feeling.
"My plan is much better than that." Tim told him, seriously. As much as Gibbs wanted to know what the plan was, he could wait. Thanksgiving was only nine days away.
Before long the topic of conversation strayed to work and Tim told Gibbs about all the cases he'd worked so far and vice versa.
"Happy birthday, Probie!" Tony called out to Tim across the parking lot as they arrived at Servetti's. Ziva shot away from Tony, straight across the parking lot into McGee's arms, not launching herself at him in an Abby-style hug, but a gentle friendly hello-I've-missed-you-hug. She planted a kiss on his cheek and Kell snapped a photo them. "Thanks for your help with the gifts, Zee-vah!" Tony teased, before hugging his friend in a jovial, brotherly manner.
"You're welcome, Tony." Ziva jested and Tim was proud of her for biting back and getting her retort perfect.
"Happy birthday Tim." Breena said, kissing his cheek too as Jimmy shook his hand.
"Let's go guys," Gibbs urged all the 'kids' inside, with Ducky and Fornell bringing up the rear.
They all entered the restaurant and Gibbs gave Claudio his name and Claudio lead them to the private dining room at the back. Gibbs had ushered everyone to follow Tim, as the main dining room was extra crowded.
"SURPRISE!!!!" The group screamed and jumped out of their respective hiding places as Tim entered the private dining room. His Uncle Clay was there, as well as his Uncle Phil and Aunt Clare, both his cousins Lucy and Sam, Jackson, Teena, Leon and Jackie Vance, their kids - Kayla and Jared, Emily and a few of his pals from NCIS HQ including Balboa, Jaxon, Hill and Blaine.
"Wow!" Tim exclaimed. He was truly shocked. He scooped up his cousins and hugged them both enthusiastically. Before setting Lucy down and hugging Sam tighter. "Haven't seen you in forever, Sammy." He told her, "look at you." He gushed noting her prominent baby bump. "How's Callum?" He asked, putting his hand on his cousin's belly.
"He's good. He can't wait to meet Uncle Tim." She told him, placing her cousin Tim's hand on her swollen belly.
"Sam, that's great. This is Kelly." He introduced the two of them, so they could finally meet in person.
"You are gorgeous." She told Kelly, hugging her cousin's girlfriend. "Nice to finally meet in person. Good work there, Timmo!" She gushed as the two pregnant girls left him.
Lucy sidled up beside him. "Kelly's glowing. Five months to go, are you nervous yet?"
"Nope," he told her, kissing his other cousin's cheek. "I know I'm an uncle to Sam's little Callum, but you know you girls are Aunt Sam and Aunt Lucy to our little one too, right?"
"Of course, Mum and Aunty Nikki wouldn't want it any other way." Lucy agreed.
"The three musketeers!" Sam toasted, holding her lemonade high and handing the other two a bottle of beer each.
Kelly watched Tim with his cousins, she didn't have cousins, but she could tell the three of them were incredibly close. Snapping some photos along the way. She loved seeing the relationship that the three of them shared.
Phil took the camera from her as Lucy pulled Kelly in to their group as well, as Phil took some more photos. Ducky took the camera next urging Phil, Clare, Clay, Gibbs and Jackson into the photo for a large combined family photo, much to Gibbs' chagrin. Jackson took the camera next as the group continued to mingle and somehow managed to snap a photo of all the NCIS personnel. Tony had hooked up his iPod and had background music playing as the food started coming out.
"Tim!" Clare called him over, pulling her beloved and favourite nephew into an embrace. "Happy birthday, darling boy!" She cooed, kissing his cheek. "Makes me sad, your mum's not here. I'm just going to have to hug you extra tight, for her." She said squeezing him.
"Thanks Aunty Clare." He said kissing her cheek.
They looked out into the crowd and saw some people had started dancing, Phil had grabbed Sam and Clay was dancing with Lucy, Ducky was pushing Ziva around the dance floor and Kelly was trying to convince Gibbs to dance with her, before Tony offered his services and Gibbs grumpily agreed. Leon and Kayla were joining in the fun too, Tim held out his hand for his Aunty and lead her to the makeshift dance floor. Vance laughed as Kelly left Gibbs to cut in between Clare and Tim, leaving Clare and Gibbs standing there awkwardly in front of one another, partnerless on the dance floor. Before Gibbs could retreat, Clare grabbed Gibbs' hands and said to him "Come on Gunny, get your rear in gear!"
"Yes Ma'am." He laughed. Eventually the song ended and he escorted her to her husband, who was laughing at Gibbs and his pushy wife.
Ducky had retreated from Ziva, who was stalking new prey in the form of her fathers friend and the NCIS Deputy Director, Leon Vance. Jackie, Kayla and Jared watched from afar, laughing at the clueless expression on Leon's face. Before Fornell could join in the laughter, she had ditched Vance for him, vowing for sharing a dance with all the men in her life. Tim took Kelly to rest before he located the camera and Vance playfully threatened Tim, that if there were any photos of him dancing on there he wouldn't have a job on Monday.
Ducky found Gibbs at the makeshift bar, nursing a bourbon neat and looking pensive at Kelly and Tim who'd found each other again and were slow dancing in their own little world. "Penny for your thoughts, Jethro?" He asked his friend softly. Gibbs smiled at him, … 'a weird smile' Ducky would describe it later on, before Gibbs told his friend that he was lost down memory lane.
Rule seven flashed into Gibbs' mind. It wasn't memory lane he was lost in. It was the memories of moments that the future held. He was picturing Tim and Kelly, on their wedding day. Tim in his tux, Kelly in her white gown, him in his best suit, walking her down the aisle.
"It's all good, Duck." He told his worried friend, before patting his back and ordering Ducky a scotch on the rocks.
After the finger food was consumed, a delicious chocolate mud cake was produced and with a little interrogation, it was discovered to be the handiwork of Ziva's culinary skills and expertise. The group sang happy birthday to Tim.
"Thank you to whomever was the planner of this. I'm sure you all know I hate being the centre of attention." Tim told them, "But I am grateful. I've had a great night. Thank you to all of you for coming."
"I'd like to make a speech," A drunk said, raising his beer bottle in a salute. "Probie, you're da best!" He slurred slightly. "It takes a toughest man, no it takes a great man to date Leroy Jethro Gibbs' daughter and even a tougher man to fall in love with her. Now you have my undying love and respect. Happy birthday Probie!"
"Thanks Tony!" Tim rolled his eyes at Tony and his antics, with everyone laughing at him, even Gibbs chuckled at him. "Who's Tony's designated driver? He needs to go home. He's had enough." Ziva stood up, helping Tony down into a chair.
The cake was cut and served and Jackson found his son, sitting in the corner, looking out over the crowd. "You doing ok, son?" His old man asked him.
"Nights like this, makes me miss Shannon more."
"She was a good woman, son. One of the best that ever lived. She's being taken care of by your Mumma up there. The two of them, probably have Tim's Mumma too and they're probably in cahoots, doing their plotting and scheming, probably even did the matchmakin' to get those two together." Jackson told his son. "Shanney would be right there with Clare, trying to mother that boy, if she were with us here in person tonight."
"You're right about that, Dad." Gibbs smiled weakly at him. "I think it's great that they have each other. I look at them and can't help but think that Shannon would adore Tim."
"After Christmas, I say we start putting the hard word on that boy about marrying our girl." Jackson conspired with his son, which made Gibbs smile.
"Sure Dad." He smiled, his Dad always knew what to say to cheer him up … and exactly what not to say.
Clare, Jackie, Kelly, Ziva and Tim's cousins started tidying the room, taking down the decorations that had put up and collected all the dishes into one pile for the wait staff. Balboa unplugged Tony's iPod and Jaxon helped Balboa get Tony into his car, not wanting Ziva to manoeuvre a drunk Tony by herself. Emily and Fornell headed home, as did Clay. The Vance's were planning on walking back to their fancy hotel suite at the hotel the next block over, which Gibbs adamantly refused and Kelly drove them over there in Gibbs' car. Phil, Clare and the girls were headed to their place in Reston, as was Ducky, Jimmy and Breena, started their convoy to Reston, Maryland, with the latter two people spending the night at the Mallard Manor as their apartment had been painted earlier in the day. Ziva had joined their convoy too, just taking her exit for Silver Spring along the route. Hill and Blaine left, catching a cab to meet up with some of their friends for a late night gaming club in the city, leaving Tim, Kelly, Gibbs, Teen and Jackson to load the gifts into the trunk of Gibbs' challenger and head back to the Gibbs family home in Alexandria.
"What a night?!" Kelly exclaimed, as she sat in Tim's lap on the armchair in the living room, as Tim shuffled her to the side and leaned down to remove her strappy black heels from her, now swollen feet. "I'm exhausted." She yawned. Teen sat on the edge of the sofa, between Gibbs and Jackson.
"It was a great night" Teen added. "Thanks for the invite."
"You're welcome, couldn't not invite you." Gibbs told her with a wink and the older Gibbs man slapped his son's head.
"Leroy, leave the girl alone!" Jackson chastised her. "At least she goes home and visits with her parents. When was the last time you were in Stillwater, just to visit." Gibbs implored his old man with a look. "Exactly boy!"
Suitably chastised, Gibbs offered to show Teen to the guest room upstairs, as it was getting late. Kelly kissed her Dad and Grandfather good night, before dragging Tim upstairs too.
Not thirty minutes later, Gibbs came back up from the basement stairs to find Tim with a hot cup of coffee in his hand, sitting at the dining room table, in his pyjama pants and a crumpled old tee that had Pac-Man on it. "Thought you went on up to bed, son." Gibbs said as he poured himself a cup of coffee, finishing the pot.
"Nah, helped Kelly unzip her dress so she could shower and crawl into bed." Tim replied.
Gibbs opted not to notice, nor point it out, that Tim's hair was wet also and he was freshly showered. He had shared hotel rooms with Tim so often he knew the man's night time rituals by now. The two sat there in a companionable silence. Just enjoying the sounds of the sleepy house. Jackson's snores could be heard down the hall and Gibbs muttered. "He wonders why I never visit, that's why. Who could sleep through that snoring?" And Tim smiled at Gibbs.
"So basement or bedroom?" Tim asked, knowing the older man lived to sleep on the sofa the most, but Jackson snored Gibbs either took himself upstairs or down to the old sofa in the basement.
"Bedroom, not worth the argument with Teen either."
Tim finished his coffee and smiled at Gibbs before taking it to the sink and rinsing it. "I found myself watching you two tonight." Gibbs told him in a lowvoice, "dreaming about the future. Couldn't help myself." Gibbs grinned at him.
"Rule four Gibbs!" Tim reminded him. 'If you have a secret, keep it to yourself. The second best thing is to tell one other person. There's no third best.'
"Good night, son." Gibbs said to him.
"Night." Tim replied, smiling to himself as he climbed the stairs that Gibbs had taken to occasionally calling him 'son'.
As the Sunday morning broke, Kelly could hear both her Dad and Teen talking as they went downstairs. She had heard her Grandfather up and about when she'd gotten a bottle of water from the fridge downstairs at five am, before retreating back upstairs. She rolled over and snuggled into Tim's side, tucking herself under one of his arms.
The older adults looked at each other and at the time, before both Gibbs and Jackson began to get concerned. They knew that no matter what, Tim was an early riser, even when he was sick and when he was recovering from the dog attack. It was after 0930 before Gibbs was done waiting. He crept upstairs and listened at the door, hearing no sounds, he knocked lightly as he tried the door handle, which he was surprised to find unlocked. Gently pushing the door ajar slightly, he peaked in cautiously, hoping not to see anything he shouldn't . He smiled when he saw them both still asleep, Kelly in her sushi pjs and Tim in that old Pac-Man tee that had made him laugh the night before, curled around each other and sound asleep. He pulled his cellphone out and snapped a photo, cursing the quiet capture sound it made. "If you know what's good for you, you'll delete that! Or me losing my shit at you at the hospital will be a pleasant memory." Kelly growled at her Dad.
"Come on sleepyheads, it's almost 10. Don't you have a flight to catch?" Gibbs asked in a jovial manner.
"Argh!" Tim groaned pulling the duvet over his head.
"Hangover?" Kel asked, suddenly concerned.
"M'gra'ne." Tim supplied, slurring his words. "One b'r."
"Shit, you're meds are at home." Kelly swore and Gibbs gave her a stern look, for her language. Gibbs immediately remembered the O'Donnell case in Trenton, New Jersey. One of the last on the road cases they worked together, on the road. Tim got a migraine on the last day of the case, when he filled the script for him, Gibbs told him he'd keep a dose for an emergency and he tucked them into his bag.
"I think I have some in my sea bag." Gibbs said, remembering that since that case, he always carried a back up dosage of Tim's migraine meds, Ziva's antihistamines for bee stings and a spare inhaler for Tony as he ran into his bedroom to rummage through his bag, before locating the blister foil. "They're still in date. They expire at the end of the year, here." He handed them to Kelly and ran downstairs, remembering that Tim finds them to work quicker if he takes them with coffee instead of water. As Gibbs poured Tim's coffee, he even remembered Tim's long-winded scientific explanation for why he thought that way. All he remembered of the long and very detailed explanation was it involved the caffeine in the coffee.
He quickly returned upstairs, coffee in hand and Tim was thankful that Gibbs had some of his script on hand or he'd be miserable all day and flying would be a nightmare.
"T'ank you." Tim slurred out and Kelly got up to draw the curtains closed tighter, lowering the rarely used block out blind too. She grabbed a towel from the ensuite, rolling it up and blocking out the incoming daylight from under the door.
"Dad?" Kell called out quietly. "Close the door and open your cell."
As Gibbs did that, he watched as Tim slowly lowered the duvet from over his head and the tiny backlight of the Gibbs' cell phone screen that was barely four inches squared in area, lit up the room enough for Tim to take the medication with the coffee from Gibbs and immediately lay back down.
"Stay up here in the dark." Gibbs told him. "Kelly, you need to eat, Dad's got your breakfast warmed up, go one down and eat. I'll sit with Tim."
Kelly slipped out of the room with a practiced ease, barely letting any light in.
"Just relax, Tim. Sleep if it helps." Gibbs told him and he let his body sink back into the plush mattress.
Gibbs sat himself gingerly on Kelly's side of the bed, his sniper eyes had adjusted to dark. He could see Tim see his face still screwed up in pain, but his body resting comfortably as he slept. He gently thumbed his calloused thumb over Tim's forehead in a comforting way, the way he'd done to Kelly when she was a small child. He watched as Tim drifted further into a deeper slumber before stealthily letting himself out of their room.
"Welcome back to the land of the living." Gibbs teased as Tim emerged from the bedroom into the kitchen, fully dressed two hours later.
"Thank you." Tim said, gratefully as Gibbs handed him a coffee and a tall glass of water. "I'll bring some more meds next time we're here so you can restock."
"How are you feeling, son?" Jackson asked him, coming in from the back deck.
"Much better, some coffee and Tylenol and I'll be fine." Tim told him, truthfully.
"Good." Jackson agreed. "Your friend's called fifteen minutes ago, Kel-bel spoke with them. They said, they'll be here in an hour to take us all to the airport."
"All of us?" Tim asked, 'was Jackson coming back to Jacksonville with them?' He thought, worrying that maybe his proposal plans might run aground.
"Yeah, my flight leaves fifteen minutes before yours. Chuck Winslow is in DC on business, he's gonna meet me at the terminal and I'll ride with him back to Stillwater." Jackson told him. "Oh and I'll be here again for thanksgiving, but I'm flying on to spend some time with Kelly in North Carolina. Hope that's ok?"
"You're always welcome in our home." Tim told him. "Don't be silly. Unfortunately, we can't explore too far away because I have to be within an hour of the yard. But bring a suit, there's a fancy restaurant up in Topsail Beach that we want to try. Apparently they serve the best mess of saltwater crab in the area."
"Fancy restaurant that serves salt water crab, I'm game." Jackson agreed, writing on a piece of paper to pack a suit for his trip to North Carolina.
"Tim could even show you the NCIS HQ there, Grandpa." Kelly offered, coming into the room. "Hey baby, bags are packed. Dad's just put them by the door. What else am I forgetting?" She asked him, looking around the room.
"Jasmine tea bags?" Tim asked, reminding Kelly to grab them. They we're here favourite brand and you can't get that brand in North Carolina.
"They're packed, Dad's stocked me right up." Kelly said softly. "Dad even managed to get your birthday gifts into our bags."
"Pretty sure, that's it!" Tim said.
"Hey Tim, that fancy restaurant?" Gibbs asked, coming back in. "Kelly was just telling me about it, any chance we could wait 'til Christmas to go there? I'm keen to try it. Haven't had salt water crab since I was in the corp."
"That's fine, we can do that." Tim told Gibbs. "Jack should still bring a suit, I'll make reservations at New River Estuary Cove restaurant. It's one of the fancier restaurants on the area, but their grill menu is delicious. We go at least once a month."
"Rib eye?" Gibbs asked, his mouth watering.
"It's a Michelin five star restaurant, Gibbs. We are talking about pure perfection." Tim's answered him.
"Looks like we're going there too." Gibbs told him. "I'll be there on the 23rd through to the 3rd, barring any international dramas that need my attention." Telling Tim the specific dates of his leave.
"I know all about rule thirty nine, but that's the exact dates I'm on leave for, too." Tim told him.
"Not surprising, three quarts of the offices across the globe are on leave for this dates." Jackson added.
When the Vance family arrived in their hired mini van, Leon helped Tim load the bags, while Gibbs and Kelly ushered Jackie and the kids inside. Out at the van when the last bag was loaded, Tim stopped Vance from going back inside. By lightly grabbing his forearm as he went to walk off. "Wait, Leon!" Tim whispered, "come this way." Tim asked, walking with the man for a small walk two houses down from Gibbs, in case anyone was looking out the window. "Need you to do me, a huge favour."
"Anything, you know that?" Leon told the younger man, truthfully. "I've always got your back."
"Get this through security at the airport for me?" Tim asked, holding up the black velvet ring box, the one from Gibbs. "Kelly can't know I have it, or even suspect it."
"May I?" Leon asked, before opening the box. "Wow, it's beautiful."
"It was Shannon's. Before that, it belonged to Gibbs' mother, Anne and Grandmother Esme." Tim told him, as Leon studied the beautiful antique rings. "I asked Gibbs for his blessing and he offered me the rings."
"Wow." Leon said, closing the box and pocketing it. "Of course I will. I can't believe Gibbs gave you a family heirloom to propose with. Jackie's father gave me a twenty minute lecture on how I'd never be good enough for her before telling me he shoot me if I was unfaithful and brandished his twelve gauge shot gun at me." Leon explained. "The man loved me like a son, before that conversation. For Gibbs to do that, speaks volumes in Gibbs-speak."
"I know. I was going to buy a proposal band and take Kelly to pick her ring." Tim told Leon, his original idea. "Kelly thinks her mother's rings were buried with her. Shannon's father removed them, telling Gibbs to keep them for Kelly."
"Boy, you better have some tissues. She's going to cry her pretty little eyes out." Leon told him, slapping his back as they both turned and walked towards the Gibbs family home.
As the large group of people consisting of The Vance Family, Tim and Kelly, Jackson and Teen passed through the security checkpoint, the guards didn't bat an eyelid at the ring box. Vance and Tim had some trouble with their weapons, but an ID and credential check, along with their NTSB paperwork giving them license to carry on board, soon cleared up the mess. As soon as they were through security and I got he terminal, Vance and Tim made a beeline for the mens room, before telling everyone else they'd meet them over at Starbucks. Once inside, Leon gave Tim the ring back, before both men used the facilities.
At the basin, Leon commented. "I see what you meant about Kelly. She was glued to your side, there was no way you could have gotten it through." He picked up the paper towels before continuing. "Luckily Jared and Kayla were bickering and it distracted Jackie. I was afraid she'd see it and say something, draw attention to it or even worse, make me tell her your plans."
"Just make sure I'm home with plenty of time to spare on Friday evening." Tim told him with a wink. "I'm counting on you."
"I'll send you home at noon." Vance joked, before realising something. "Hey, that's not a bad idea. We have running at full steam for so long on this project. I should treat you all to lunch and half day."
"Given my plans, I'm not going to object." Tim teased him as they met back up with the rest of the group, getting their caffeine pick me ups, before heading to Jackson's gate so he could meet with Chuck Winslow.
"Chuck!" The older Gibbs man greeted him, hello. "Do you remember Agent McGee?" He asked as Tim offered his handshake.
"Certainly, Kelly's young man. Nice to see you again."
"You too, Chuck." Tim politely added as he kissed Kelly's cheek hello.
"You taking care of our girl?" He asked teasingly, looking Kelly over carefully, wisely keeping any opinion he may have had to himself.
"Always." Tim told him.
They called Jackson's flight and he hugged Kelly tightly before hugging Tim, Teen, Jackie, Leon and their kids. "See you all soon. And I'll see you two in just over a week." He added, pointing to his Granddaughter and her partner, Tim.
A chorus of "goodbyes" and "see ya soon's" echoed from the group and they watched as Jackson and Chuck Winslow boarded their flight back to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
Jackson's flight had barely taken off when their flight to Jacksonville was called. Kayla, Teen and Jackie began chewing Kelly's ear off about planning a baby shower, so Vance, Jared and Tim took advantage of the women being distracted to discuss the upcoming thanksgiving day football game at Camp Lejeune. "I'm sad that I'm going to miss it." Tim had announced. "Kelly and I will be at Ducky's annual Thanksgiving Dinner. We were going to have everyone come to ours, but the MCRT are on call. So now they're all descending on us for Christmas. Well, I think Tony will be seeing his father in New York, but everyone else will be coming."
"We're going to the Bahama's." Jared announced to Tim. "Ten whole days. Just the four of us, No NCIS, No Deputy Director Dad, just us." Leon smiled at his son.
"They're just a tad excited about it." He explained to Tim. "We haven't had a vacation like this since Kayla was six and Jared was four."
"Well you deserve it, Leon." Tim told him, before turning to Jared. "You're really lucky, i never had a vacation with just my Mum, my Dad and me. Dad was in the navy and always away. When my Mum died, I was always shipped off to some relative so Dad could be at sea."
"Maybe when your Dad retires, you guys could have a manly trip." Jared offered. Leon looked at Tim and saw Tim bite his bottom lip, reining in his emotions.
"My Dad died," Tim told him quietly. "Back in July this year."
"You can share my Dad with me." Jared said, trying to cheer Tim up.
"Thanks, but we're more friends and coworkers then father and son."
"Tim's right son, besides I'm not old enough to have a son Tim's age." Vance jested and the ladies rejoined them, when their flight to Jacksonville was called.