AN: Here's the next one guys. A little shorter than normal but it was all I could squeeze out of my brain on this one. Hope you enjoy. dark rolling sea.
Chapter Six: End to a Long Day
Gibbs was very tired, but he felt Kate sit up a little more when her mother sat down in the chair. Gibbs could feel he was being watched and he looked over. Kate's mom was looking at the two of them, and then she smiled.
"Hi, sorry been distant today, had a lot going on. I'm Kathy," Kate's mom said with a smile. Gibbs returned the smiled and nodded. Kate looked at Gibbs then at her mom. Gibbs glanced at her not sure what she was apprehensive about.
"Mom, I…we have some news for you," Kate said quietly. Kathy's eye lit up as she leaned in closer.
"What's that?"
"You're going to be a grandma again," Kate said with a smile. Gibbs smiled at Kate using the same form on her mother as she did on him.
"Really?" she replied, breaking into a huge grin. Her eyes sparkled. "That's not the reason for the marriage is it?" Her tone went from happy to accusatory. Gibbs cringed.
"No, mother, its not. He actually proposed to me long before I was even pregnant. He just waited so long before we planned this…"
"He waited?" she asked confused. Gibbs felt himself turning a little bit red.
"It's ok, Mom, I didn't mind."
"So long as you and him are happy," she said with a smile. Kate looked up at Gibbs and smiled.
"Yeah," she said. Gibbs was grinning.
"You told your father yet?"
"You are the first in the family to know."
"Douglas!" she shouted back towards the stairs. They heard her father moving around upstairs then the steps groaned as they supported his weight. He came down to the bottom.
"What?"
"Sissy has some news for us," she said beaming. Doug looked at his daughter then at Gibbs. Kate was brimming with a smile and Gibbs looked a little nervous. Doug came closer.
"What's that?"
"I'm having a baby, Daddy." Gibbs watched the man closely as the news registered. There was a blank stare as he processed then a smile, which started in his eyes, spread across his face. Gibbs let out the breath he didn't know he was holding.
"Congratulations, Sissy," he said and then came down and gave his daughter a hug. He then put a hand on Gibbs shoulder and nodded. Gibbs smiled. Doug then disappeared up the stairs.
"Don't mind him, he gets a little cranky from time to time," Kathy said with a smile. "Tell me about yourself then."
Gibbs was apprehensive at first, not knowing what to tell her. He decided to stick to safe subjects and told her about his family, his work, and the team. He didn't go into his past, where he came from, or how he got where he is today. Kathy knew he was holding back but she didn't push. The conversation was a few hours old already.
"Tell me about your son," Kathy asked. Gibbs looked off to the side. "How'd he have a hand it getting you two together?" Kate smiled and nudged Gibbs in the ribs. He looked down and smiled himself.
"He got into trouble on the job and I had to…help him. Kate was with me that day and ended up going though an ordeal."
"The kidnapping thing?" Kathy asked suddenly.
"Yes. Well it happened before the kidnapping actually. At my house, the day before."
"What changed?"
"Everything," Kate said looking down. "Jeb made us realize what we were hiding from and we decided it was time to stop hiding."
"Jeb, that's your boy?"
"Yes."
"What's he like?"
"He's a good kid. Works hard. Very loyal."
"He's like his father," Kate said with a smile.
"And you have grandchildren?"
"Yes, two boys. Hunter and Noah."
"How old?"
"Seven years and two months."
"Grandchildren are special. As you can tell, we have plenty to go around here." Gibbs nodded. "What does your son do?"
Gibbs told her about Jeb's job with the computer company and then she asked what he did prior. Gibbs told her about Jeb being a marine and it made Kathy smile.
"Family of marines," Kathy said.
"Military family for sure," Gibbs said softly. Kathy looked at him then and decided it was time to push.
"Who else was in the military then?"
"My other son." Gibbs replied looking down at his feet.
"I thought you only had one son."
"I had two, I only have one left," Gibbs said looking up and putting up a fake smile. Kate watched him as he pursed his lips and looked out the window. Kathy noticed the change in him and looked at Kate. Kate shook her head.
"You mind my asking what happened?" Kathy asked softly. Gibbs felt the softness and genuine care coming from her and it made him look at her. He waited a while not sure if he wanted to continue.
"He was an Army Ranger. They were training when he was nineteen, night jumps. He went up with the group when it came his time he jumped. Everyone else made it down, except he made it a lot quicker. Parachute didn't open," Gibbs said in a distant voice.
"I am truly sorry," Kathy said, putting a hand on his knee. He looked down at her hand then up to her face. He nodded. Kate rubbed a hand on his chest and he looked at her.
"Enough for tonight. Go get some rest, its nearly one in the morning," Kathy said. Kate agreed and stood up. She pulled Gibbs up with her and they went up the stairs. Kate closed the door when they were both in. Gibbs went over to the bed and dropped down heavily. He stared at the ceiling.
"Too much?"
"A lot," he replied.
"There's more."
"I know."
"Going to live?"
"Yeah," Gibbs said with a smile.
"So?"
"What?"
"How'd it go…with my dad?"
"Hmm, maybe I should let you sweat it out," Gibbs said sitting up a little. Kate glared at him but it only made him laugh. She picked up a pillow and tossed it at his head. He caught it and set it down, a grin on his face. She sat down on the bed next to him and stared at him.
He spread out and lay back on the pillows then closed his eyes, a grin still playing on his lips. Kate continued to stare at him. He opened one eye and looked at her and chuckled. She punched him lightly in the chest.
"Come on, Jethro," she said almost begging. It made him laugh again but he sat up against the headboard.
"It went fine ok? No bodily harm threats, nothing mean, we talked about being marines, and names. Nothing worth discussing ok?"
Kate stared at him a while longer and he slid back down so he was laying. She finally gave in on the death glare when she noticed that he was actually asleep. She felt the fatigue of the day hitting her hard then and as soon as she relaxed and her head hit the pillow she too was asleep.
TBC…
