Chapter 4
Note: I'll be calling Gibbs "Jethro" in this chapter when he's in a scene with Jackson. The rest of the time, he'll be referred to as Gibbs.

Jethro helped his father up and they went inside.

"Why didn't you call when you got into town, Dad?" Jethro asked as he closed the door behind them. Jackson reached up and head slapped his son.

"That's for disrespecting me on the phone."

"I'm sorry, Dad. This whole case… finding out about Lena… it's been weighing on my mind. Why didn't you tell me I had a sister?"

Jackson sat down on the couch, and beckoned for his son to join him. Jethro sank down next to him.

"I met Margaret a few months after your mother died. I'd convinced myself it was just for the companionship, but I fell in love with her. I saw her for two years before we parted ways. When she realized I was in love with her, she got scared and left. She never told me she was pregnant. She called me after she had Lena, and told me everything. She moved to Pittsburgh after that. I tried to keep in contact with her, and Lena, but she stopped taking my calls."

"How is it that I don't remember Margaret?" Jethro asked.

"You were never around much back then. I figured you wouldn't want to know who your old man was dating, so I never told you."

"You could have told me I had a sister!" Jethro shouted. "I deserved to know!"

"What would you have done if I told you that you had an illegitimate sister that you would probably never get to meet?"

"I would have tried to find her, Dad! Something like that isn't something you keep to yourself!" Jethro pushed himself to his feet and stalked toward the kitchen.

"Where are you going, Leroy?" Jackson asked.

"Basement."

Jackson heard a door slam moments later. He pushed himself to his feet and shuffled toward the spare bedroom. "I hope he at least has clean sheets on the bed," Jackson thought.

Gibbs punched his bucket of nails, sending them flying off his workbench. They scattered all over the floor. He could feel his heart pounding. How could his father not tell him all these years about Lena? He reached for the bottle of bourbon on the workbench and poured himself a glass as he picked up his sandpaper. It was going to be a long night.

NCISNCISNCIS

Jethro awoke the next morning with a massive headache, and an aching body. He sat up, and realized that he'd fallen asleep at his workbench. He stretched and got to his feet. He could hear his father walking around upstairs. Heaving a sigh, he turned and slowly made his way upstairs. The smell of bacon assailed his senses as soon as he opened the basement door.

"I figured you might be hungry," Jackson said as he turned the sizzling bacon with a fork. "There's coffee ready."

He nodded and made a beeline for the coffee pot. Jethro leaned against the counter, sipping his coffee silently. Jackson continued to cook.

"How do you like your eggs, Leroy? I can't remember."

"I'm not hungry."

"You never are, but you're going to eat anyway. It'll help that hangover of yours."

Jethro lowered his eyes.

"I know a hangover when I see one, son. You can't hide it from me."

"Scrambled," was all Jethro could say at the moment. Being hung over in front of his father was not one of his proudest moments. The kitchen was silent as Jackson finished preparing breakfast. He set a plate of scrambled eggs, bacon and toast on the table for his son.

Jethro sat down and picked at his food. He still wasn't sure what to say to his father. He was still raging inside for Jackson not telling him about Lena, but he couldn't bring himself to be visibly angry about it. They ate in silence. Jackson read the newspaper, completely ignoring his son. Jethro quietly ate, and sat back with his coffee when he was finished.

"You still cook your bacon the same, you know."

Jackson lowered his newspaper.

"What?"

"The bacon. It was extra greasy. You always made it that way when I was a kid."

"You always liked it that way."

Jethro stood up and picked up the plates.

"Thank you for breakfast."

"You're welcome."

Jethro started to run water for the dishes, but Jackson stopped him.

"I'll wash them. Go get ready for work."

"Dad, I can do the dishes."

"I've got it. Just go."

"All right." Jethro stepped aside and let his father start the dishes. He still had some questions, but he'd have to save them for later.

NCISNCISNCIS

McGee was the only one in the bullpen when Gibbs arrived. It was close to 8 a.m. He looked up as Gibbs made his way quietly to his desk.

"Everything all right, Boss?"

"Fine, McGee. What do you have for me on the case?"

"The BOLO Tony put out last night paid off. LEOs picked up Ian Summers trying to break into a neighborhood market near the florist shop. Tony's got him in interrogation right now."

Gibbs jumped out of his chair and started toward the back elevator. He stopped briefly at McGee's desk.

"Good job, McGee."

"Thanks, Boss. If you need anything…"

"I know, McGee."

"Good."

Gibbs turned and rushed toward the back elevator. It was time he got some answers from his nephew about what the hell happened.

TBC