The Red Haired Woman
Chapter 14
The General, Gibbs, and Chanel walked in through the huge doors of 'The Big House' as Chanel and Gibbs had started calling it. The General knew she was emotionally exhausted at least but still had a few things he needed to say so motioned them both to the main living area where he sat in his big leather library chair and Gibbs sat on the huge matching sofa and Chanel laid her head on his lap.
"Ok, Daddy. Say whatever you need to."
"I know you are tired and today was difficult. I can only imagine how difficult it is to kill a loved one, even one buried in the past. I only have a few things to say. When you were in Afghanistan, I knew you were in extreme danger, but guarded by our best. You were there doing what some had determined only you could do, and you served your country well and I am truly proud to be your father. When I finally got to bring you home, and your angels close behind, I thought I could live with you having a safer, still dangerous, but safer job than Afghanistan and living at home. I would have strongly discouraged work at the CIA or any of the other black ops. The FBI is so huge I thought you would be safer there than anywhere, but it would never offer you the challenge you require. So when you chose NCIS working with the legendary Gibbs, I was thrilled. It seemed challenging enough, but not as dangerous as some of your opportunities. I no longer believe that is true. Within the last couple of months you were exposed to bubonic plague and almost killed by a terrorist in your own building. Chanel, Gibbs, I am going to pull out my selfish card for the first time ever. I want grandchildren. Now would be good. I have given enough service to my country for many people's lifetimes as have the two of you. I do not want to bury my only child or her fiancé before I die. I cannot order either of you to do what I ask, but I will ask and I want it strongly considered. Chanel, please resign effective immediately. I cannot go another day like today. Gibbs, I know you are eligible for retirement from NCIS and you are getting a pension from the Marine Corps. I want you to retire. If you are to marry my daughter, and give me the grandchildren I crave, I cannot abide the danger you face every day. You have done your time facing down death, now choose to face life."
Chanel and Gibbs just stared at the General. Chanel was surprised at the request, because while she intended to resign tomorrow, her father had never asked such a thing of her before. Gibbs was surprised that the General had given him any thought at all. After all, the Lt. Col. stood in the wings to replace him should he fall. The General looked at the surprised but mutually silent faces and continued.
"I know Chanel has always wanted a big white house in the country. I am prepared to gift this house in trust to Chanel and her children. The house has been in my family forever. This would become your home together instead of mine. I would like to remain living here for security reasons, but will move out of the master bedroom and turn that over to you. Chanel is already independently wealthy, but I will assure that you are both settled enough to raise your children in comfort, pay for Ivy League educations should they want them, and continue the family fortune into perpetuity. In other words, you will never have to worry about money. Gibbs, I know that you have apparently kept up appearances of having no money, but given the engagement ring and pre-honeymoon vacation you gave Chanel I suspect you have been underestimated, probably by design. You can use that money for whatever you choose, but you will not have to worry about buying the house, paying for staff, etc. I give these things to you because I can and I want to. You do not have to resign or retire to benefit from these gifts. You do however, have to get married and getting pregnant sooner rather than later would be great. Comments?"
Chanel laughed and went over to her father. "I am your only child daddy. I was already going to get everything anyway, but it was a very sweet thing to say and moving up the time table is also nice. Even before I killed Ari today, when I saw his face on the other side of the glass door and was pulled into that cold room, I knew that was my last op. I would either die, which I never believed he would kill me, or I would be forced to kill him which would be a truly horrible turn of events. Jethro baby, I was going to tell you later, but I will be tendering my resignation tomorrow. I would stay if I could, but the baby that I carry will not permit me to stay, nor would you, or my father for that matter, allow me to continue my work at NCIS. I would much prefer to quit than have the SECNAV force me to be fired."
Both men stared at her, running what she had said back through their minds. Gibbs looked at her in surprised wonder, "Somewhere in there did you just say you were pregnant? Or did I misunderstand?"
"My love, you did not misunderstand. I took a test a few days ago. I was just waiting for the right time. It must have happened in Jamaica. The whole time this afternoon with Ari, there was a very real fear that he would carry me off with him and you might never see me or your child again. There was a slight niggling doubt that he might actually kill me, and Jethro would find out from Ducky instead of from me. I am only maybe 6 weeks or so and it is very early to set high expectations. But we will obviously start the wedding plans with a vengeance and set a date not too far out, expecting the best. I do not want my father to walk an obviously pregnant daughter down the aisle. People might know, I don't care, but I don't want photographs to show it. How embarrassing for our children!"
Both men jumped up delighted with the good news. She saw their joy, in men who express very little joy ever, and felt happy for the first time today.
A short time later, Chanel and Gibbs went up to her room at the end of a very long day. They brushed their teeth, and Chanel left the bathroom and stripped out of her NCIS sweats and climbed into bed. She had destroyed all her clothes from earlier and wore nothing on under her sweats. Gibbs followed her lead and crawled into bed beside her naked as well. They had never actually gone to sleep naked, but usually ended up that way. She slid over the silk sheets to curl into his arms. "Before I finally fall asleep Jethro, do you have any questions you need answered?"
"You seem so certain he would not kill you Chanel. And yet you were also certain you would kill him if forced to. You obviously feel very strongly about him, and he about you. How do you explain that?"
"You are worried I might kill you some day?" She teased, and then answered seriously. "We were madly in love. I gave him my virginity. He gave me everything else, but when his allegiances became to murky and no longer clearly aligned with mine, I left him. He was too dangerous to be around. I thought of him often, and even wondered if I would see him while I was over there. When I saw his face in the glass, I just knew he was still in love with me. He always said I was the light to his darkness. I was still the light to his darkness, and he had become very dark indeed. I told you once I had been with very few men, and had made fewer mistakes. It is hard for me to look back at my time with Ari and see it as a mistake, but I certainly see some aspects as sad and unfortunate."
"You sound like you are, or were, still in love with him."
"Just as you are still in love with Shannon. But it was a long time ago, just as with Ari and me. I loved him, enough to kill him out of love than allow him to be killed out of hate. I am in love with you. I love many men, but I am only in love with you. Does this worry you enough that you would doubt my love for you?"
Gibbs turned and gave her that gentle soft smile he shared only with her. "No baby, I know you are in love with me only. We will be married and have our little peapod. I have no right to ask such questions of you, and you have generously answered them. If you ever want to talk about you and Ari, I will listen just as you listened to me talk about Shannon and Kelly. If that time never arises, then that is ok too. I love you and you only. There will never be anyone else but you for me. You will always have your Lt. Col. waiting in the wings." He gave her a very gentle teasing nudge. He would never forget the Gifford was, and may always be, standing in the wings waiting to snatch her up. She nudged him back and promptly fell asleep without saying anything else.