A/N: I'm so sorry for the delay in getting this chapter up! RL has been crazy but i've got a small window of a break for a week & I hoping to get some updates for you out for this story & my other one too! So fingers crossed it happens! To everyone who's still with me, thank you! I know the updates haven't been as regular as you'd like & wish i could get more out for you all the time, so thanks for sticking with me!
Without further ado, here we go... Shannon & Joanne meeting, hope you all like it!
Nix swallowed, his grandma was still staring at him, he really didn't know what to do! "Daaadddd!" he called out, he really needed his dad to come & help him, like now!
Gibbs head shot up & turned so quickly he wondered if he'd given himself whiplash, his boy's call whilst not loud had sounded extremely concerned & that wasn't sitting well with him. The sight that he saw was his son standing down the hall in a frozen like state, the problem was he was directly across from where the marine was standing, he was at the room where Joanne was! Ohh boy! He turned back to his wife quickly & pressed a kiss to her forehead "be right back Shan, it will all be ok, I love you & we'll get through it together"
Shannon took a deep calming breath & nodded "go darling" she'd sit back down with her girl.
Gibbs gave her a smile before he walked swiftly towards his son when he realised the door to Joanne's room was open! His eyes widened at the realisation that his son had probably caught the eye of his grandmother, this was going to be interesting! He walked quickly to his boy, wanting to help him with whatever he was facing.
Gibbs noticed that his son was staring straight into the open room where Joanne was, he came & stood behind his son, placing his hand on his son's shoulders he looked into the room seeing Joanne staring right at them. He squeezed his son's shoulder to show him is wasn't alone, he saw though curiosity and something else in her eyes. Crouching down he turned his son's face to look at him and quietly spoke to him as he caressed his cheek "it's ok bud, go on back to mum, I got it"
Nix looked at his dad, he could see he just wanted to let him be free of the burden of it all but "that's my grandma" he whispered.
Gibbs couldn't help but smile at his son's quite words "she sure is your grandma, son" he whispered, rubbing his back though he encouraged him to move "go on, back to mum, you'll see her again soon enough"
Gibbs watched as his son returned back to his mum & sister, he couldn't help but smile at seeing him climb back into his mother's hold, it was picture perfect! A camera! He needed to dig his camera out again! They needed some family photos & soon! He shelved that thought for a moment, he'd deal with it later. He took a deep breath, he knew he had to go back into Joanne.
Gibbs approached Joanne slowly, he knew she hadn't stopped looking at him, he sat back down and just let her get through whatever thought pattern she was having. He saw the wheels spinning in her head, clearly his son had stirred something in her.
"That boy" Joanne finally got out
"Mmmmm" Gibbs sounded out, he wasn't going to say anything too shocking to her system just yet.
"Who is he?" Joanne asked, there was something about that boy.
Gibbs considered her questions carefully, how to answer this? Answer it without giving her another heart attack more to the point? "He's… well, he's someone very special" he answered with a smile. He leaned forward & took hold of her hand again "what we were speaking about before, you need to trust me on it Joanne. Our girls, they're alive. I wouldn't lie or even joke about this with anyone, let alone with you"
Joanne really wanted to believe him, she'd missed her daughter so much, and as for her granddaughter, she'd been a godsent and she'd cherished those precious years, and she'd yearned for more, could she get what she'd longed for, for so long? But everything she was hearing, had MacDonald really done those things? She took a breath "I….. I want to believe you…."
Gibbs could see her hesitation "Then believe me Joanne, Shan is desperate to see you, please.. " he thought that she looked ready, he hoped she was right.
Joanne swallowed the lump in her throat, she took a deep breath & nodded "ok"
Gibbs smiled at the response "be right back"
Joanne nodded, was she ready? Was he right? She took some calming breaths as she prepared herself.
Gibbs headed back towards his family, crouching down in front of them he had to smile at them all "hey" he whispered as he stroked his wife's hair.
Shannon lifted her head from between her precious kids to look at her husband, she swallowed the mountain size lump that was forming in her throat.
Gibbs could see the question in her eyes "she's ready babe" he rubbed her knee in comfort "I know it'll be hard, but I'll be right there with you"
Shannon took a breath "ok" she murmured.
Gibbs gave her a reassuring smile, he could only imagine how hard this was for her. He shifted his focus to their kids "you two stay here with gramps and the boys, mum & I will be back soon, ok?"
Kelly just nodded "ok"
Gibbs caressed her head before leaning forward to give her a kiss to her forehead "such a beautiful girl you are our angel", he then helped his boy shift from his mother's lap to his sister's. He placed a kiss to his forehead as he moved him "our special, precious son". He would tell his kids how he felt about them every chance he had.
Shannon kept a firm hold of her husband as they moved down the hall, she was beyond nervous.
Gibbs gripped his wife's hand as tightly as he could as they approached the room, he gave her a kiss to her cheek "love you, I know you can do this" he finished determinedly.
Joanne saw the door move, she took a breath not knowing just what to expect, as it widened she saw Jethro appear and then… then… then her eyes widened, oh my gosh! "Shanny" she whispered in utter shock, the volume of her voice barely travelling past her lips. She couldn't believe her eyes, she couldn't believe what she was seeing! She couldn't believe who she was seeing! "Shanny" she whispered again, was her voice any louder than before? She wasn't sure, but she was too shocked to know.
Shannon stepped into the room & the tears were instant, she saw her mum looking at her, she couldn't believe it! Her mum was alive & looking right at her, but hearing her mum speak the nickname she hasn't heard in a great many years broke her "mummmm!"
Gibbs watched as she almost fell towards the bed, falling her into her mother's arms that had shot out as soon as Shannon had moved towards the bed. He couldn't help but smile at the sight, he'd had an inkling that the encounter would go just like this but hadn't said a word to either party. He just leaned against the door as mother & daughter cried into each other, he'd not let the encounter be interrupted by anyone, he'd let them take as much time as they needed.
Gibbs wasn't sure how long he watched the pair, but eventually they came apart, it was only then that he moved himself forward. He pulled the chair close to the bed and gently pulled his wife into his lap, he made sure though that the physical connection mother & daughter shared was not broken, as he gently held her in his lap he saw that the pair were holding each other's arms as much as was possible given the few wires that were still on Joanne. He leaned forward & gave his wife a kiss to her cheek before looking at Joanne, he could see how emotional she was "I promised you it wasn't a lie, but I understand not believing me about this." He took a breath before continuing, he took a firmer hold around Shannon's waist "we're going to get through everything Joanne, we're a family & we're together now forever."
Joanne was just staring at her daughter, she really couldn't believe her eyes but Jethro's voice had jolted her, she couldn't take her eyes off her daughter but needed to say something "I just don't understand, how's it possible?"
Shannon was just staring at her mum, she was having a hard time coping with it & was glad for the strength she felt she was getting from her husband, but she couldn't bring herself to say anything, because really she had no idea how to answer it. She was still so angry with herself about everything she let that man convince her of.
Gibbs knew his wife wasn't up to saying anything just yet "how doesn't matter right now Joanne, we'll talk through it all after you've recovered a bit more. All that matters right now is that we're together and to let you know that you're going to be fine, we're going to be here for every step of your recuperation too"
Shannon nodded "we're together now mum, that's all that matters" she managed to get out.
Gibbs was proud that she'd said something, he knew another topic that needed to be discussed but he knew it would also bring a smile to a few faces "we are together now, but there's one thing we probably need to talk about"
"Which is?" Joanne queried
Gibbs smiled "you asked about that boy a few minutes ago Joanne, the one I said was very special" he gave his wife a smile & a nudge, he wanted her to tell her mum about their boy.
Shannon smiled at her husband, their boy was definitely special, turning to her mum she took a breath as she mustered up the courage to tell her. She'd often wondered how she'd break the news of the second pregnancy to her mum, but hadn't had to do it, now though she had to, but how? She took but a moment to consider it "That boy… he's our boy mum, your grandson" she smiled, taking a breath before explaining a bit more "I fell pregnant just before Jethro was deployed from Oceanside."
Joanne thought she'd been surprised to see her daughter, but this?! "grandson?"
"Grandson" Shannon nodded "he's name's Phoenix, Phoenix Leroy & he's the most special, gentlest & caring boy you'll ever meet"
"He's beyond special, I know you'll just love him beyond anything" Gibbs added with a smile, he knew she'd smother & shower their boy with love beyond anything.
Joanne could see the pair's smiles were ear to ear, she just didn't know what to say, but it made her smile "sounds special" she then considered something else, no someone else "where's…..where's Ke…. Kelly?"
Gibbs shared a look with his wife, how to answer this one? He knew that whilst their girl would want to see her grandma, she wasn't ready for that just yet.
Shannon saw the hesitation on her husband's face, she definitely understood where it came from, she knew her girl wasn't ready to see her grandma yet & she wouldn't push her into it. She though had to tell her mum something, "she's here mum, she's with Phoenix & Jackson at the moment." She took a breath before continuing "she's struggling with a few things at the moment though mum, so she's just things pretty slowly at the moment, but I am positive that it wont be long before she's ready to see you, please be patient" in a small plea to her mum.
Joanne just nodded, she thought she was on the same page as Kelly as she was struggling as well!
"Let me go get Nix" Gibbs offered, he wouldn't give either women a chance to argue & wanted to give them a moment alone too. As such he stood his wife & himself up, placed a kiss on her cheek & headed for the door.
Heading into the hallway he saw that his boy was sitting nestled between his sister & grandfather, though he was leaning more towards his sister. He gave an internal sigh at that, he knew it would take both his kids time to really connect with either of their grandparents & feel completely comfortable with them, it made him so angry! He swallowed the anger though, now was not the time for that.
Approaching his kids he crouched down in front of them & laid his hand in such a way that he was able to touch both of their legs as he greeted them softly "hey"
Gibbs saw both of their heads rise up & smile at him and whilst his girl's eyes showed uncertainty, his boy's eyes showed curiosity "mum's just in with grandma now for a moment alone, but what's say in a few minutes we go back in bud? Wanna meet her?" he asked his boy.
"Yea" Nix agreed with a smile.
"Good" Gibbs smiled at his boy before turning to his girl "we know you need time angel, so it's ok to stay out here"
"Thanks" Kelly whispered, she was glad they weren't going to push her because whilst she did want to see her, she wasn't nearly ready for it.
Gibbs bounced on his toes for a moment as he considered something "you know what I'm thinking?" not even waiting for a reply he continued "we have to drive past your place to get back to the navy yard anyway, why don't we stop off & pick up Buster on the way back? That way he wont be alone all day & we can play some catch in the park just outside the building later too, how's that sound?" He knew full well that both his kids would love to have their dog with them, adding another level of comfort for them.
"Yea!" Nix agreed easily
Kelly had to agree "sounds good"
Gibbs smile glad he could get both of them to do likewise, he stood up & put his hand out to his son "come on bud, let's go see grandma"
Nix stood up & took his father's hand and was slowly led towards her room, he suddenly got really nervous about meeting her, what if she didn't like him? What if his grandma was only looking forward to seeing his sister? His thought pattern got interrupted though..
Gibbs was slowly leading his son when he felt him tense up, he squeezed his hand comfort and spoke gently "relax son, your grandma loves you already, of that I am certain, she's looking forward to meeting you. Just relax" he soothed.
Nix did relax thanks to his dad's words, he was going to meet his grandma! He couldn't wait!
A/N: Next up Nix meets Joanne & we get through some more case related stuff, i am going to skip ahead just a little to get us to the more exciting things i've got planned for this story, so some of the grunt work will be taking place outside of the chapters but i will make sure everything is clear none the less!
Stay tuned for more & remember, your reviews keep the inspiration flowing, so review away & let me know your thoughts!