The Red Haired Woman
Chapter 4
A month later the team was wrapping up a case about an Admiral killed in a taxi cab. Everyone was sitting around congenially completing reports talking about the weekend. Chanel's phone rang from the front desk.
"Chanel," she answered with her sultry voice.
Elizabeth at the front desk spoke somewhat in awe in response, "Agent Atherton, General Atherton is here with some friends of yours. He is on his way up."
"My FATHER is here, now?"
The team looked up a bit terrified and started immediately cleaning up their areas. Gibbs immediately picked up the phone to notify the Director.
"Yes, m'am. They are in the elevator now. Good luck Chanel. They are a pretty rowdy group."
Chanel hung up the phone, checked her mirror, popped a mint and waited for the known and unknown to exit the elevator.
She quickly asked Tony to call Abby and Ducky and ask them to join her.
The laughter could be heard through the elevator doors and then the 'DING' and the group poured out into the bull pen. Chanel saw her father first, he was an imposing figure, and following him was her Special Ops angels, all of them. They were laughing and carrying on until they entered the bull pen and instantly they regained their composure. Chanel lost her composure, shrieking when she saw them throwing herself into the Major's arms first hugging and kissing him, and making her way around the group. By the time she finished, she was crying unashamedly. She then gave her father a big hug and smiled at him through her tears.
"You brought them home. For good?"
"Yeah, baby. For good. They've done their time. They will take on assignments here on US soil, close to home. I couldn't have brought you home and left them there for much longer. It seemed the least we could do."
She reached up and kissed her father. "Thank you so much. I'd like to introduce you and the team to the team I work with now, and I'm sure the Director would like to meet them as well." She brought the men closer to the window and whispered, "The team I work with have not been read in to my assignment or the role you played. We'll have to be circumspect as possible. Gibbs and the Director are fully briefed."
She proudly introduced Tony, Tim, Abby, and Ducky to both her father and the Special Ops team. She explained that as a team they held a special place in her heart, having risked their lives repeatedly to save hers. They were her friends forever. She then turned to Gibbs and the Director asking if perhaps they could retire to the conference room to further talk. The team relaxed a bit being isolated again. They were always more comfortable being on their own. At the same time they were desperate to reconnect with Chanel, but also to reconnect with people in general, preferably girls.
The General invited the Special Ops team to his home the next night, Saturday night, for a casual dinner. Their wives were invited and any girlfriends they might have. The General asked how the team felt about inviting Chanel's new NCIS team to the party. There was a lot of discussion about if the party would be dampened because everyone had not been read in. Finally Chanel whistled loudly to get everyone's attention.
"Look guys. I won't speak to one way of the other, but I think it is important to note that none of the wives or girlfriends have been read in either. Either it is this happy little group or the whole group. What do you want to do? Personally, I'd like to party with my friends in both groups and not talk shop. It is possible to not talk about all the scary shit that happened in Afghanistan. No need for the hero stuff to come up. We all did amazing stuff that no one needs to know. The funny stories, yeah fine. The scary stuff, we just cannot discuss. Do you want to eat the best steaks in town, dance, drink, and go home in cabs for an evening back home?" Several in the group gave enthusiastic nods. "Then let's take the General up on his offer. If not, or you want to sit around and remember war stories about truly evil people, then let's just hang with the Afghanistan team and remember bad dreams. While I would participate in both, I prefer the first option, as I'm sure your wives would appreciate it as well."
The guys all looked at each other and back at the General. Major Gifford turned to the General, speaking for the whole group, embracing the idea of having the two teams over for dinner. Chanel was thrilled, laughed and asked her father what time so she could let the rest of the team know.
"Do NOT leave without stopping by my desk. I am so glad you are all home safely."
She turned to Gibbs, "Do you want to pass the invitation on Jethro?" She wanted to be sure and respect him in every way.
"Go on baby. Let them know. Director, General do you need me to stay or can I get back to work sir?"
Major Gifford, along with the rest of the team, turned in surprise to face Gibbs, while the General and Director snickered. "Baby?" Major Gifford was clearly unhappy.
Gibbs just stared the Major down waiting for him to break contact. It was several long minutes before the Major looked away. Then Gibbs smirked slightly, turned away and left the room.
The General spoke up, "You guys might be Special Ops, all of you officers, and you have performed amazing and heroic acts. But the man that just left is a former Gunnery Sergeant, one of the best snipers in the Marine Corps while his eyesight held. He has more medals and more accommodations than the lot of you, so I expect you to lose the attitude and treat him with the respect he deserves. Just a few of his medals include the Silver Star and the Distinguished Service Cross. He has earned the right to be in this room, and he has earned the right to date my daughter, albeit very slow and carefully. I trust we won't have any more issues here."
There was a group, "Yes, sir," to the General, even though there were still a number in the room that did not think he was good enough for Chanel.