Chapter 20: Simple Man
Disclaimer: I don't own any of it. If I had the money to own NCIS, I would pay someone to do my satistics for me.
Author's Note: Sorry that it took so long for me to get this out, but my stats teacher gives me more homework than I once believed humanly possible. It's an awful class.
On the upside, this is a big milestone. Chapter 20! The second dec-set of chapters! This is the longest and best fanfiction that I've wrote (which isn't saying much in either department). So, yes, this is a Gibbs/McGee chapter, but they have to catch up with Tony/Ziva's story. So without further adieu, Chapter 20.
The teenage queen
The loaded gun
The drop-dead dream
The chosen one
A Southern drawl
A world unseen
A city wall and a trampoline
Oh well, I don't mind, if you don't mind
Cause I don't shine, if you don't shine
Before you jump
Tell me what you find
Can you read my mind?
McGee reached over and turned down the radio; he and Gibbs were driving back to Russellville, to their hotel.
"So...is this really all we can do?" he asked.
"For now," Gibbs replied gruffly.
"...I don't understand this, Boss."
"Huh?"
"I...I don't understand what could drive someone to do something like this...especially if it is this David-kid. I mean, he's only eighteen! He's still got the world in front of him!"
"So does everybody, McGee."
"Then why do they do what they do?"
"Do I look like a freakin' mind-reader, McGee? I don't have any idea why in the hell any one would do anything that they do."
"You mean like with Tony and Ziva?"
"What the hell are you talking about?"
"Why would she fall for a... something like Tony? I mean...really?"
"You believe in soulmates, McGee?"
"What?"
"She does...he's been all over her since she came...it was all a matter of when, not if."
"You believe in soulmates, Boss?"
"I don't swing that way, McGee."
"What?! No! That's not what I..."
Gibbs chuckled at the young man's frustration and turned the radio back up.
People
Keep on learnin'
Soldiers
Keep on warrin'
World
Keep on turnin'
'Cause it won't be too long
Powers
Keep on lyin'
While your people
Keep on dyin'
World
Keep on turnin'
'Cause it won't be too long
I'm so darn glad he let me try it again
'Cause my last time on earth I lived a whole world of sin
I'm so glad that I know more than I knew then
Gonna keep on tryin' 'til I reach the highest ground
Teachers
Keep on teachin'
Preachers
Keep on preachin'
World
Keep on turnin'
'Cause it won't be too long
Oh, no
Lovers
Keep on lovin'
While believers
Keep on believin'
Sleepers
Just stop sleepin'
'Cause it won't be too long
Oh, no!
"I was wondering if you could give me some advice, Boss," McGee began.
"That depends."
"On?"
"On the subject."
"Oh. Well, the subject is life."
"Life?"
"Yeah, how would you live."
"What?"
"Philosophically, how would you advise me to live my life?"
Gibbs thought about all the good advice he'd ever been given. Never stop learning; that wouldn't be a life-changing piece of advice for someone like McGee. Fight hard; also, not really good advice for McGee. Value everything you're given; so cliché. Take any second chance you get; he didn't want him to go out expecting second chances. Be a strong leader; that really never panned out well for McGee. Focus; he had no problem doing that.
Mama told me when I was young
"Come sit beside me, my only son
And listen closely to what I say
And if you do this
It'll help you some sunny day
Oh, take your time, don't live too fast
Troubles will come and they will pass
Go find a woman, you'll find love
And don't forget, son
There is someone up above
And be a simple kind of man
Be something you love and understand
Baby, be a simple kind of man
Oh, won't you do this for me, son,
If you can?"
Gibbs turned up the radio again and made a vague gesture toward it.
"You want my advice?"
McGee nodded enthusiastically.
"Live simply."
"Live simply?"
"Yeah. Simple Man, that's the point of the song."
"Simple Man?"
"Lynyrd Skynyrd. Even I knew that! You should listen to less Bringing Out the Alpha Male or what ever that shit you listen to is called."
Despite the insult, McGee smiled at the rare lapse in the introversion of his boss.
"Gibbs, when we find this kid, what'll happen to him?"
Welcome to the hard times, back again like its never been
For the first time it seems to mess with my head
When I realize what it takes, can I relate
With whatever, but never will it drive me to hate
Could be the next guy you take before I wake
Now I lay me down to sleep, eyes tight when I pray
This here is real life, circumstances make you think
Should I be counting my blessings, the next second my eyes blink
Here in the Southtown you know that kid don't play
Put it down on the street, will I see another day
If I make it back this time, gotta hold what is mine
And thank God that I made it alive
"It depends."
"Depends on what?"
"We don't even know if he did it yet, McGee."
"But what if he did?"
"He'll be punished."
"As an adult?"
"He's 18 and he killed a man and kidnapped another."
"As an adult...Life's not really fair is it?"
"He made his choice, now he'll have to live with it."
Whatever life brings
I've been through everything
And now I'm on my knees again
But I know I must go on
Although I hurt, I must be strong
Because inside I know that many
Feel this way
Children, don't stop dancing
Believe you can fly
Away
Away
At time life's unfair and you know
It's plain to see
"What about Justin?"
"What about him?"
"Assuming he's alive-"
Gibbs made a grunting noise deep in his throat.
"-what'll happen to him."
"He'll go back to his normal life."
"It won't really be normal anymore, will it?"
"Probably not."
"He'll have to deal with just about every media outlet in America; they'll be trying to interview him on the Today Show, the Early Show, Letterman, Leno, Conan, Ferguson...he'll be a big deal...assuming he's alive."
Gibbs made the noise again.
"He'll be in magazines, someone'll probably try to write a book about his experience-"
"Someone like you?"
"It's not a bad idea. I'm sure in the end there'll be one of those police procedural shows with an episode based on his story...or worse, a made-for-television movie...even Tony doesn't watch those things."
"We're not talking about an adult, McGee. This kid will have to finish school, go to college; he's in the National Guard, before the year's up, he'll be in Iraq!"
McGee looked slightly taken aback by his boss's sudden anger.
"You wanna talk about how life's not fair for the killer?! Well, it sure as hell isn't going to be a walk in the park for Justin!" Gibbs snapped.
McGee breathed in shakily and leaned back into his seat.
The rest of the ride passed in silence.
A.N.: So as usual, the first thing I want to get out of the way is the songs that were in this chapter.
Read My Mind – The Killers
Higher Ground – Red Hot Chili Peppers
Simple Man – Lynyrd Skynyrd
Southtown – P.O.D.
Don't Stop Dancing – Creed
Gibbs got angry in this chapter, but I just thought that Gibbs wouldn't like the way McGee was talking. His nerves are really frayed right now and he couldn't listen to McGee talking like Justin would have it easy after this is over.
The whole thing that McGee was saying about a TV show or made-for-TV movie, that was what I said about some of the recent events locally...I'll discuss those in a moment.
Simple Man is the song that reminds me the most of Gibbs; so I thought it fit that the advice he gave McGee came from that song.
Now, back to the matter I had mentioned earlier. Life here in Arkansas has been filled with one tragedy after another. I'm sure that most of you have heard of Anne Pressley, unfortunately I hadn't until after the attack. It was a tragedy that seemed to shake the whole state and spread across the nation. Then late Sunday evening, the second tragedy occurred. A shooting on the campus of the University of Central Arkansas claimed two lives and another student was wounded. Only later was it told that the two students were killed by mistake. They were looking for two other people. Really? What purpose did these killings serve? Any of them? Sorry, I'm just so worked up about this...
...But anyways, please review.