Disclaimer on first chapter
AN: ok guys here is chapter four! Thanks again to everyone who took time to review. I'm grateful. Keep it up and the story will keep coming :-) on to chapter four! - dark rolling sea
Chapter Four
Washington DCKate went into work early. She sat silently reading over a report, trying not to think of Gibbs. Slowly people started filling up the office and she put the report down. McGee walked to his desk tossing his bag on the floor next to it.
"Hey, Kate," McGee said.
"McGee," Kate replied. Tony came in shortly after with a smile on his face. He was saying good morning to everyone he saw. He then turned his megawatt smile on Kate.
"Goooood morning, Kate," he said with enthusiasm. Kate gave him a look only to see the smile grow even bigger. Kate thought his face was about to split. She gave him a pleasant smile in return.
"Morning, Tony," she said a little strained. "What's with the grin?"
"Oh nothing, just a week without the boss around," Tony said with a wink. Kate didn't respond she just turned away from him and took the file she had up towards the director's office. "Oh, come on, Kate!"
"Leave her alone, Tony," McGee said from behind him.
"You got something to say, McGee?" Tony asked whirling around his smile faltering a little.
"Not anymore, I just said what I had to say," McGee said, sitting down at his desk and starting to look over the stack of paperwork. Tony stared hard at him a moment then the smile came back.
"Man, what a bunch of stiffs," Tony said and then went to his own desk.
Kate went into the director's office and slid into the seat in front of his desk. She held the report in her lap and waited. He finally looked up at her and smiled.
"Agent Todd," he said.
"Director," she replied with a nod. "Here is the report Agent Gibbs was working on before he left. I finished it up for him." Kate handed the report over to him. The director took it and then smiled.
"When I saw his request for leave time I figured I'd see yours right behind it."
"Yes, sir, most people did. But this is something he needed to do, so I'm going to tough it out here."
"He get off ok this morning?"
"Yes, sir. Luckily he complied with all the rules at the airport. Although he was going to challenge the shoe thing until the security guard said they would strip search anyone who refused to take their shoes off."
"Glad he complied," the director said with a laugh. Kate smiled. She missed him already.
"All right. I'm placing you in charge until his return."
"Yes, Sir."
"I'll let the other know that too."
"Thank you, sir," Kate said with a smile and then got up and walked out. It was going to be a long seven days.
California"PAPA!" Hunter squealed in delight.
Hunter bent at the knees and sprung up with open arms and Gibbs caught him. They embraced tightly and then Hunter slacked and Gibbs let him slide down his legs back to the ground. Gibbs smiled and then looked past Hunter.
"Hello, Jethro," Ann said with a smile. He smiled back and stepped around Hunter into the house. He gave Ann a hug.
"Hello, Ann."
"Didn't know you were coming out, Dad," Jeb said with a smile. Kylie stood next to him silently. Gibbs looked over at Jeb and saw the nervous look on both his and Kylie's faces. Hunter was still beaming standing as close to Gibbs' leg as he could, looking up at him. Gibbs put a hand down and ruffled Hunter's hair. The boy smiled.
"I had some vacation time and thought I'd use it to come see you guys," Gibbs said.
"Kate make you come?" Jeb asked with a smile. Gibbs shot him a look for a moment before he smiled.
"She didn't make me, but she did suggest," he replied softly. Jeb beamed a smile and then shook his head. "Hello, Kylie."
"Hello, Gunny, nice to see you again," Kylie said with a smile. Gibbs smiled back. It had been a while since someone had called him Gunny. He remembered when Jeb was younger all Jeb's friends called him Gunny.
"How about we all go out for breakfast?" Ann suggested. She got a nod from both Gibbs and Jeb.
"Yee-ah!" Hunter said with a giggle. He then reached up and latched himself on to Gibbs' hand. Gibbs smiled down at him. Kylie smiled.
"Sounds nice," Kylie said. Gibbs looked from Kylie to Jeb and then back to Kylie. He kept his gaze, a playful smile on his lips, on her a moment before locking eyes with Jeb.
"How long are you going to stand there and not tell me you're getting married?" Gibbs asked with a smile. Ann smiled and shook her head.
"You're here five minutes, Jethro, and you already knew. They had to tell me," she said with a smile.
"Jeez, everyone pushing for this," Jeb said with a laugh. "Yes, Dad, Kylie and I are getting married sometime in the fall."
"Congratulations," Gibbs said with a smile.
"Thanks," both Kylie and Jeb said.
"Let's go eat," Hunter squealed and then pulled Gibbs by the hand out the door. The others followed behind.
While they were at the restaurant Gibbs was sitting between Jeb, on his right, and Hunter, on his left. Hunter was taking most of Gibbs attention as he non-stop talked about everything that had happened since he had last seen him. Six months is a very long time to a six-year-old. Gibbs was keeping an eye on Jeb though; he could tell something was bothering him.
Finally Hunter settled down and started to shovel pancakes into his mouth, which kept him silent for a while. Gibbs turned to Jeb just in time to see the boy wince a little then regain his composure. Gibbs looked at the plate in front of his son and noticed he had hardly eaten anything. He had taken a couple bites of everything but that was it.
"Something wrong with the food, Jeb?" Gibbs asked, leaning in close so no one else would hear. Jeb looked down at the plate for a while before he looked up at Gibbs.
"I'm just not so hungry this morning I guess," Jeb said with a forced smile. Gibbs frowned and Jeb looked away. Gibbs decided to let it go for now. No need to cause a scene in the restaurant.
After they were done eating they all made it back to Ann's house where they sat around catching up on everything that had happened in the last six months. Gibbs was glad he had taken time to come out here. He made a mental note to thank Kate when he got back. About an hour after they had gotten back from the restaurant Jeb disappeared for about ten minutes.
"Kylie, you know where Jeb went?" Ann asked, her concern evident. Kylie shrugged but Gibbs could see the concern in her face as well.
"Stop right now and tell me what is wrong with Jeb," Gibbs said suddenly. Both women looked up at him then at each other. They were trying to decide who had the privilege of telling Gibbs something was wrong with his son.
"We're not sure," Kylie finally said, avoiding making eye contact with Gibbs. His gaze bounced back and forth from one to the other like he was at a tennis match but neither one seemed forthcoming with knowledge.
"Jethro, he has been having headaches lately. I don't know what else, but other symptoms too. Kylie, you'd know more than me you spend more time with him," Ann said.
"His runs take longer and longer but I know he's running the same path," Kylie began.
"Maybe he added some distance," Gibbs said.
"No, he runs those six miles for a reason, Gunny, it's his way of staying close to Jake. Those boys started running those six miles with my brother Colton when they were thirteen years old. The three of them were in cross-country together and that was their training run. Now Jeb is the only one back here. Jake is gone and that run is his one strong connection to him. When Colton is home on leave they run it together," Kylie said sternly. Gibbs smiled at her.
"How is Colton anyway?" Gibbs asked.
"Gunho as ever. Deployed in Iraq right now. But now it's taking almost an extra fifty-three minutes a morning for Jeb. That's bad. He was running six-minute miles before now I think he walks half of it, or is stopped somewhere because he can't go further. Something is wrong with his eyesight too. He won't admit it but I know something isn't right sometimes," she continued.
"What else?" Gibbs asked. His stomach was in knots.
"Just little things, he's not eating as much, he is more irritable, but I think that's from the headaches. He has a tremor in his left arm and hand sometimes. He tries really hard to hide it but I still see it."
"Has he talked to a doctor?" Gibbs asked.
"No," Ann said softly. Gibbs nodded. He got up and walked towards the back of the house. He was about to go down the hallway when Jeb came out of the bathroom wiping at his mouth with the back of his hand. Jeb stopped cold and watched Gibbs eyeball him.
"What?" Jeb asked.
"You just disappeared a while ago," Gibbs said with a shrug.
"So I have to tell you when I'm going to go to the bathroom now too?"
"No, but if you're sick I'd like you to let me know," Gibbs said.
"Who said I was sick?" Jeb asked. Gibbs could hear the defensiveness in his voice.
"Easy, Jeb, we're just talking," Gibbs replied with a smile.
"Look, I know everyone is worried. I'm going to see Dr. Nash tomorrow ok?"
"That's good. Let him know about everything."
"I will."
TBC………….