A.N.: I AM SOOO SORRY about the delay! My inspiration toke a few days off and I'm pissed! And thank you all! A lot of favorites and followers and a review from my source of inspiration for this fanfic!
DISCLAIMER: See chapter 01 \o/
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The feet beat without rhythm, making a dry and repetitive noise on the waiting room's floor. The head returning the images seen and lived a few hours ago. Impossible not be on nerves when you see a child struggle to defend himself and his mother. He has no idea what goes on the head of a man who tries to kill his wife and son. He doen't even want know. All he just wants is see that monster in jail for the rest of his days.
He always hated hospital waiting rooms, and this makes him look frustrated to the sides every five minutes. But at least he's not alone.
- J, everything's going to be all right. He's a strong boy, he'll get through this.
- I know, Shan...and thank you for staying with Kelly and don't see that scene. So much blood...the boy's mother didn't stand a chance. And he tried kill his own son! I have to do something, Brandel can't get any close to Marty anymore.
Actually Shannon had been thinking about it for some time. From the first time she heard reports of abuse and violence on Brandel's house and had one of the rare conversations with Roberta. The woman was recovering from another beating session, but no blow she suffered had hurt as much as seeing her son beaten in such a way that he collapsed. That day, a few years ago, a desperate Mrs. Brandel begged Shannon and Jethro to adopt Marty and take him away from all that suffering.
She begged.
And if the feeling of regret could kill someone, Shannon Gibbs would be a body stretched out on a morgue's cold table right now.
- Shan. Shannon! Marty's doctor. He's coming.
The couple gets up at the same time the surgeon is approaching. He greets the couple with handshakes, not taking too long to give some informations.
- Marty was a fighter during the surgery. He arrived with severe hemorrhagic trauma, but we're able to repair with blood transfusion. The shot he suffered didn't catch any vitals, but damaged vessels and almost ruptured an artery. He'll be in the Pediatric ICU for the next two days so we can watch his progress. After that and without complications he'll be transferred to the room.
- And...his father?
- If we can call that a "father", Mr. Gibbs. I talked with his attending doctor, a colleague of mine. He underwent a quick surgery and was taken to a separate bed and escorted. I have no stomach to look at that animal.
- But I do. I need to talk to him.
-Mr. Gibbs, I don't think that's a good idea.
Leroy turns to his wife anxiously. He needs her approval and support. If he has, nothing else matters. Shannon just smiles warmly, looking sad but determined, nodding and kissing her husband. The two have already made a decision. They will not go back.
- I wanna see him anyway. We have things to solve.
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The hospital inmates' ward isn't very large and is an annex. No patient has an obligation to live with bad guys. Still, no one injured or sick should have their right to treatment and help denied. This was the way the hospital found to meet everyone's needs.
Gibbs stops in front of the closed door and adorned with an "authorized personnel only" sign. Two sailors make the escort, because the accused is a former Marine, dismissed with honors.
Not that he deserves any.
He shows the authorized credential and one of the officers opens the door. He enters without much ceremony and faces that poor excuse of a man in front of him.
Gordon is awake. He still feels some pain, but his face shows no regrets, at the same time he has some fear when sees the figure of the Marine in his room.
- What do you want, Gibbs? I'm not in the mood.
- Oh, I realized that. Marty and Roberta too. How can you do this to your wife and your child?!
- That cow cheated on me. He must have for years now, I don't know if that kid was really mine! Glad they're both in hell now!
- Marty didn't die. He shoots better than you.
His throat is dry. Yes, there're several witnesses against him, but they all came to his house only after the whole fight. Martin, a boy too smart to his age, not only witnessed everything but also he was targeted by Brandel's fury. The situation gets worse every second.
- I want to talk to my son. Now.
- Now is he your son? Forget it. We're already arranging a restraining order against you.
- You can't...!
- I can and I WILL. Now you'll hear, piece of crap: I don't know how the Navy accepted you, but you're a stain on the whole institution. A dirt that needs to be cleaned. I'm not going to mess my hands with it. YOU will.
Leroy removes a notepad and a pen from the pocket of his coat. He tosses them into Gordon's lap and holds his bandaged shoulder tight. The man clenches teeth and growls painfully, trying to put away the Marine, in vain.
- You'll write in this paper you're giving up parental rights. You'll communicate this to hospital's administration and Social Work. After that you will not look at Marty anymore. You will not talk to him any more. You will not get any close. You will not even THINK about it. Am I clear?
If there's a even more respected person than Gordon in that neighborhood, this is Leroy Jethro Gibbs. But he never inspired fear in any neighbor, whether they was known or not.
At that moment, Gordon felt every cell in his body tremble. He heard his own voice screaming in his brain so as not go against Jethro. So he doesn't.
But he'll never go to jail. He preferred death.
Quickly write what Leroy says and throw paper and pen aside. Gibbs grabs both of them and puts them back in his coat, leaving the room only when Brandel pushes the button to call a nurse. He stands outside, leaning against the opposite hallway's wall, talking to the two escort officers. A nurse comes in, and after a few minutes, she leaves. Some time later she comes back with two people. One of them carries a folder - probably the guard papers.
About half an hour goes by until they finally leave. Gibbs says goodbye to the officers and returns to where his wife awaits him.
- Jethro, what did you do to him?
- Nothing. I just put some good sense on that drunk head. He gave up parental rights.
- Oh, really? All by himself?
Gibbs chuckles and hugs Shannon, kissing the top of her head, lowering her eyes, cheeks, and lips. The woman returns the kiss, sitting in one of the chairs and inviting the husband to do the same.
- What now, Shannon?
- Now...now we talk to Social Work, and if Marty has no close relatives to take care of him, we've asked for provisional custody. In the right time we can request be his adopted parents.
- Has he woken up yet?
- No, and the doctor said he's probably going to be sleeping all day. It's better this way, J.
- Yeah...it's better.
He rests his head against the wall, willingly accepting Shannon's warmth. His eyes close and a thousand shuffled thoughts travel through his mind.
Gradually he becomes calmer. Decisions has to be made. And now it's up to him to guide the fate of an 11-year-old boy.