A/N: Here be chapter seventeen. hope you enjoy. dark rolling sea
Chapter Seventeen
Washington DC
Kate arrived at NCIS the next morning tired, angry, and depressed. A lethal combination. Even though she was up she still arrived a few minutes late. As she walked into the bullpen she caught Tony's beaming smile.
"Good morning, Kate! Good to have…" Tony said all too cheerful. The look that Kate gave him silenced him in mid sentence. He sunk into his chair and looked at McGee. McGee shrugged and tried to become invisible. Kate sat at her desk and stared at nothing. She didn't feel like working. She didn't want to be there.
As the day progressed Kate was constantly watching the clock. Jeb's appointment was at ten o'clock California time, which made it one o'clock on the east coast. They snagged a case and had to go into the field. She went through the crime scene on auto pilot and Tony became worried. He made sure to double check, without her knowledge of course, everything she tagged and logged.
Kate was continually checking her watch. Tony watched her from a distance and tried to keep and eye on her. He didn't know what was wrong but something was definitely not right. He walked over to McGee and pulled him aside.
"Hey, something is up with Kate," Tony said quietly.
"No, you think?" McGee said.
"Not the time, McGee, I'm serious, something is seriously wrong."
"Maybe it has something to do with Gibbs going to California and her coming home."
"Gee, McGee, you'd think you were an investigator or something."
"Ok, ok, Tony. Maybe you should talk to her," McGee said with a shoulder shrug.
"Maybe or maybe I should have Abby talk to her," Tony replied with a smile. McGee nodded and then went back to working. They were back at the bullpen by twelve thirty and Kate immediately announced she was taking her lunch. Tony and McGee just nodded and watched her walk out.
Tony decided it was a good time to go see Abby and Ducky about Kate. He rode the elevator down and stopped off first in Abby's lab. He found her looking over the evidence they had just brought back.
"Hey, Tony, what's happening?" Abby asked with a grin.
"Well, Abbs, I'm worried about Kate."
"How come?"
"She is seriously in a bad mood today."
"What'd you do?" Abby asked in an accusatory voice.
"Hey! I didn't do anything she came in that way this morning."
"Oh. It probably has something to do with Gibbs vacation. You know he took indefinite leave?"
"Yeah I heard. You think something is wrong in California?"
"Gee, Tony, Gibbs takes indefinite leave, Kate goes out for a week and is called back to mandatory duty and is all pissy, yeah I'd say something is wrong."
"Maybe Ducky knows."
"Let's go see. Where's Kate now?"
"She took lunch."
They walked to the morgue and found Ducky. He was just cleaning up after an autopsy. Abby stood back and let Tony approach him. They filled Ducky in on their concerns for Kate and everything they knew. They then asked him if he knew anything about it.
"No, I can't say that I do. Jethro didn't tell me anything except he was going on vacation. Now I hear he has indefinite leave. And you say Caitlin is in a fowl mood and was forced to return?"
"Yeah," Tony said.
"My, my. It can't be good then. Maybe I'll try calling Jethro then."
"Thanks, Ducky," Abby said.
"Hey, Abbs, why don't you talk to Kate when she gets back from lunch, maybe she'll shed some light."
"Ok, Tony, I'll try, but no guarantees after you described her mood."
Ducky attempted to call Gibbs a couple times and only got his voicemail and eventually gave up. Tony went back up to the bullpen to help McGee on the case while Abby made her way to the lab to wait for Kate to return.
Kate sat in the park alternating between staring at nothing and staring at her watch. The time seemed to be moving backwards as she waited for the time to pass. She would call Gibbs at one thirty to see if they knew anything yet.
California
Jeb didn't get any sleep. He was tired and irritable that day. The time couldn't pass fast enough for him as he waited for his appointment. It was finally time to go. He asked Kylie to come with him and received a nasty look when he told Gibbs to wait at the house. Jeb just sighed and walked away without another comment. Kylie and Jeb rode in silence. They finally arrived and found Dr. Youngblood's office.
He greeted them warmly in the hall and led them into the inner room. He sat them down and asked if they wanted anything. Jeb was getting a little annoyed. He told the doctor to just get on with the news and save the pleasantries for someone else.
"Fine, I can understand that. Now, Mr. McPherson," the doctor began.
"Don't call me that please."
"Ok, Jethro is better?"
"No, call me Jeb, everyone else does."
"Ok, Jeb you can call me Cliff if you like. We have bad news but some good news mixed in with it. "
"How so?"
"I'll tell you straight, Jeb, you have brain tumor. But from the first tests and the scans it looks like a grade I or II tumor."
"Ok, Doc, that means nothing to me."
"Ok, I understand that. I want to run one more test…"
"Christ, Doc, how many more damned tests you plan on running?" Jeb said angrily. The doctor gave him an apologetic look and Jeb looked away.
"I'm sorry; it's just something that can't be avoided."
"We understand," Kylie said cutting Jeb off, "run the test if it will help."
"From the position of the tumor on the scan I'd say it was a Pilocytic Astrocytoma."
"A what?" Jeb blurted out.
"Sorry, yes a Pilocytic Astrocytoma. It's a tumor that affects mostly children and young adults. It is a build up of bipolar cells and Rosenthal fibers in the brain, also mixed with loose-textured multipolar cells with microcysts and granular bodies."
"That makes no sense, Doc," Jeb said evenly.
"It basically is a cyst in your brain. It's attached just behind your optical nerve which is what was causing the vision problems you were experiencing. It was causing large amounts of blood to flood through the tumor disrupting the optical nerve's functional ability. As I said we believe the tumor to be a grade I or II tumor."
"What does that mean?" Kylie asked.
"Tumor's are graded on a scale of one to five. One being a minor and five being a severe. The lower the grade the better option for treatment. In your case we believe that we may be able to take care of the problem with just surgery and not have to use radiation therapy or chemotherapy. Basically I go in and cut out the tumor and then we monitor it to make sure it doesn't return."
"What's the risks?" Jeb asked.
"With any surgery there is risk. Especially brain surgery. I can't tell you that it's going to be easy. It's going to be a difficult journey. Anytime we open up the brain there is chance of infection, or other problems caused by the surgery. The brain controls your bodily functions and if an area is damaged either by the tumor or the removal process it could leave permanent effects. There is also the chance of death. But like I said it comes with any surgery."
Jeb was silent as he let the words soak in. This was a lot to take in. Kylie slid her hand into his and he looked up at her. She gave him a smile and he took a deep breath.
"Can we do the surgery without this extra test?" Jeb asked.
"Yes."
"Then I don't want anymore tests. Unless absolutely necessary."
"Ok, that is fine with me. Now, I can refer you to a support group if you like. It often helps to talk with others that are either going through the same thing or that have come through something like this."
"Sorry, Doc, I got my own support group," Jeb said with a smile. The doctor only nodded.
"Ok. We'll need to get you in for pre surgery tests and a physical to make sure you're able to be put under the anesthesia. I will also need a complete medical history of yourself and your family," the doctor said as he handed Jeb a thick folder full of papers. Jeb opened it and began leafing through the pages.
"Can I bring this stuff back later?"
"Yes, that is fine. I don't expect you to stay here all day and work on it. I'm sure you have family to tell."
"Yes. You have no idea, Doc," Jeb said with a small smile.
"I hope I have been clear today, I know I've used a lot of medical terms. If you have any questions you can contact me day or night. If I'm not here at this number you can reach me through my service. They will always know how to either get you in contact with me or get a message to me to call you," Dr. Youngblood said scribbling down two numbers for Jeb. Jeb nodded and took the numbers shoving them down in his pocket. He then stood and shook the doctor's hand and picked up the folder of paperwork. Kylie joined him as they turned to leave.
"After you have the paperwork filled out call here and we'll set up the secondary meeting. At that point we can get you started on the physical and pre surgery tests and get this ball moving. The faster we can get this taken care of the better."
"I agree, Doc," Jeb said and then he and Kylie walked out. They walked to the car in silence. Jeb got in behind the wheel but didn't start it. He leaned his head against the steering wheel and closed his eyes. Kylie reached over and stroked his head.
"It's going to be ok, Jeb," Kylie said softly. He just sighed. This was all too much for him. There was a mass of evil growing behind his optical nerve. It was trying to kill him. Well he would show it just how tough he was. He would kill it first. He started the car and made the drive back to Ann's house where they were waiting for him. He would have to say this more than once. He would have to let everyone know. He was not looking forward to that.
TBC……….
AN: Thanks again for the reviews! They help the story grow ;-)...and just to let you know...don't have a clue how big this one will get. It's taken on a life of it's own. So sit back and enjoy the ride.