The tall, willowy brunette saw Callie and the guys the minute they entered the funeral home. The three men that surrounded her jumped at her shriek.
"Callie! You've finally come!" Kayla Harris ran to greet her older sister. Callie was smothered as the younger girl wrapped her in a hug.
Callie couldn't help but laugh. Kayla barely heard the muffled, "It's good to see you, too."
Holding her back at arms' length, Kayla continued to gush. "I was so afraid you wouldn't come."
"You know I'd never do that to you or Kyle," Callie answered.
Kayla was instantly contrite, "That's not what I meant, Cal. I was just afraid that, you know, you wouldn't."
Callie nodded as a tall, lanky man joined their group, "Hi, Callie. Remember me?"
Harris focused on the younger man but there was no recognition, "I'm sorry."
Kayla swatted at the man, "Of course you wouldn't remember him. But, you would know his brother. This is Mitchell Brandon."
"Marcus Brandon's baby brother," Callie replied.
"And, my fiancé," Kayla gushed, showing off the multi carat diamond ring.
"Yes, ma'am. I remember watching you at the State softball game. I guess I was…" Mitchell began.
"Yeah, no need to tell me how old you were," Callie smiled. "Congratulations."
Jethro and Tony shared a look. Something that neither of them knew about Agent Harris.
Kayla flashed an admiring grin towards both Tony and Jethro, "So, who are they?"
Callie gave herself a mental shake, "This is my boss, Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs and my partner, Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo. This is my baby sister, Kayla."
Kayla and Mitchell shook the men's hands as they were joined by two other men. One with the same coloring, look and build as Kayla stepped forward taking Callie's hands and pulling her towards him.
"Good to see you, Cal," the young man drawled.
Callie smiled, "You, too, Kyle." She broke the hug and made the introductions again, "My baby brother, Kyle Harris. And, this is his partner, Nick Morgan."
All the men exchanged handshakes.
"Is your father Anthony DiNozzo from New York?" Kyle asked Tony.
Tony was surprised, "Yes, he is. You know him?"
"We've had a few business dealings. Is he coming, too?" Kyle continued.
"I'm sorry, I wouldn't know, Kyle. We're not that close." Tony's answer was polite.
Callie filled up the awkward silence, "Where's your mother?"
Kyle locked a serious gaze with Callie, "Her doctors thought it best she limit her attendance. She'll be at the funeral and the reading of the will."
"Any problems with Blevins?" Callie was spoiling for a fight with the asshole attorney.
Kyle shook his head, "Not when the doctor gave him a detailed report. He agreed father's will didn't take something like that into consideration. Beside," Kyle smiled mischievously, in a look reminiscent of Callie, "he's not going to mess with me."
Callie nodded her approval, "Good. Carolina here yet?"
Kayla rolled her eyes, "No, Signora Franchetta hasn't made it here yet. She is, however, already installed in the guest house at the ranch."
Laughing, Callie answered, "That's why I'm at the apartment."
Kyle and Kayla shared the knowing smile, "We'll be in here." Kyle pointed towards a large drawing room where Callie assumed the casket for her father was in state.
"I'm fine here," was her abrupt response.
In cultured tones behind her, Blevins, who had joined their group, answered, "You're to be with the family, Callie."
Turning abruptly, with her head held high and a narrowed gaze, she explained, "The codicil says I must attend the family time. I'm here, Blevins. Pick your battles."
Blevins started to argue but the six pair of eyes upon him made him rethink, "Very well." And he stormed past the group into the family room.
Nick and Mitchell nodded their farewells and followed Blevins. Callie was engulfed in another hug by Kayla and then Kyle before they left her with Gibbs and DiNozzo.
"Your family not know you're claustrophobic?" Tony said knowingly.
Gibbs chimed in, "I'm surprised you know, DiNozzo."
"Hey," he shrugged, "I was nailed in a box with her. I know how she is. So," Tony changed subjects, a teasing smile on his face, "what happened to you?"
Callie was confused, "What do you mean?"
Gibbs laughed, "You the runt of the litter?"
Callie chuckled, "No. I'm the oldest, remember?" Both guys listened as she explained, "Kyle and Kayla's mother, Leesa, is five foot, eleven. She was a runway model for both the Houston and Dallas fashion marts. She also did shows in Paris, Milan, and a few other exotic places. Our father is six foot, two. They had a double dose of height."
"How much age difference?" Gibbs asked.
"I've got fifteen years on Kyle and seventeen on Kayla. I was long gone before they ever really knew me." Callie's voice was unemotional.
"And, yet," Tony spoke, "they both have a real genuine affection for you."
Callie nodded, "Yeah." But she refused to expound.
Gibbs questioned again, "What about your mother?"
"That would be Signora Carolina Franchetta. She lives in Italy or Sicily, I'm not sure which, with husband number five. Twenty years her junior." Again, Callie supplied the simple answers with little to no embellishment.
Gibbs and DiNozzo both knew that what they had seen and heard tonight was more than Callie had shared with anyone.
"I kinda meant about the height thing," Gibbs responded, throwing Callie off balance verbally.
She raised her eyebrows in surprise, "Oh, well, since you're coming out to the ranch on Sunday I'll show you where my looks come from. And, interestingly enough, it is neither my mother nor my father. I inherited my unique features from my grandmother, my father's mother. They seemed to have skipped a generation"
Satisfied that she was sufficiently distracted, the family visitation time began. It was a steady stream of people in and out of the funeral home. There was little or no time for Kyle and Kayla to rejoin their sister. Callie steadfastly remained outside the small, enclosed room, knowing even if she had wanted to be there, physically she couldn't have stood it.
Jethro or Tony were with her all the time. She was never left alone. And, although she knew what they were up to, Callie couldn't help but appreciate the quiet show of support that both men represented.
"So," Tony began soon after the visitation started, "Nick is your brother's partner?"
Callie smiled, "Yep. Started out as his business partner in the law firm they operated right out of college. Then, it blossomed into a partnership outside of work."
Gibbs quirked a brow, "I get the impression that your father might not approve of something like that."
Callie shrugged, "He was willing to turn a blind eye to my brother's preferences since he was doing what father wanted."
"Following in the footsteps of Calvin Harris, going to school where he wanted and learning the ropes in order to take over the family business," Tony supplied.
Callie nodded, "Everything his oldest child wouldn't."
At one point, Gibbs asked, "You know all these people?"
She wrapped her arms through his and leaned into him as she spoke, "I know of them. There are some of Houston's most prominent citizens that have passed through those doors."
"But what about friends?" He continued.
Callie nodded, "Most are Kyle and Kayla's. Some are Carolina's and a few are Leesa's."
"And yours?" Gibbs pressed.
Callie fixed him with a direct gaze and answered, "Most of my friends would be surprised to find me here."
Gibbs knew the remark was telling. He stored it away to pursue later.
Another time it was just Callie and Tony. "I'm sorry about my brother," she began.
"Why?" Tony was surprised.
Callie shrugged, "I knew he would recognize your name. That was another reason I didn't want you here. I was afraid you might have to confront your father."
"You knew my father did business with Corwyn-Harris?" Tony pinned her in a corner.
"Yes," she answered quietly.
"And you weren't going to tell me?"
"I tried to keep you from coming to avoid any awkward situations. Don't get pissed with me," Callie bit back.
Tony knew she was right. In her own way, she had tried to protect him. "Fine. In the future, if you think my path might cross with someone with whom I'm uncomfortable, tell me."
"Would it have kept you from coming?" Her tone was hopeful.
Tony dashed that hope with a smile, "No."
Her body language spoke her disappointment. Callie soldiered on, "Where is Gibbs?"
"Where do you think? Looking for coffee," Tony smiled, "But, I wish he'd get back. I could use a run to the head."
Callie pointed the direction, "Go. I'll be fine for the few minutes it'll take. I'm sure Gibbs will be back by then."
Nodding, Tony left Callie standing alone in the corner. It was just the opening Carolina Franchetta had been waiting for. Before Callie could react, she stepped up to her daughter and slapped Callie soundly across the face.
Unprepared for the attack, Callie took the full blow with no defense.
"How dare you," her mother hissed, grabbing Callie's arm and painfully tightening the grip, "stand out here as if you are too good to be seen with the rest of the family. Do you know what an embarrassment you are?"
Callie's voice was calm and emotionless as she answered, "Not near the embarrassment you are for that little display."
Carolina increased the pressure, finally causing Callie to flinch, "You will join the rest of the family and present the unified front your father expected and deserves."
"Look, Caroline, we haven't been a unified family since the day you walked out of the house when I was twelve. So don't think that this little tantrum has any effect on me whatsoever." Callie leaned in, her face inches from her mother as she spat, "And, I am doing my part for family, as you well know. If I wasn't here, you wouldn't get shit." And she jerked out of Caroline's grasp.
Her mother drew her hand back to strike Callie again but the wrist was grasped firmly. Caroline wheeled around to face the older man who had dared to touch her. "You lay another hand on her and not only will I deck you but I'll arrest you for assaulting a federal officer."
Caroline opened her mouth to speak but the glare and pure hatred in Gibbs' eyes stopped her words cold. Tony had hurried to back up Gibbs and stepped between Caroline and Callie, effectively shielding the shorter agent.
"Who are you?" Caroline railed, looking from one to the other.
"I'm her boss," Gibbs answered.
"And I'm her boyfriend," Tony added.
Disentangling from Gibbs' grip, she turned on DiNozzo and said, "Well, that at least puts one of those nasty rumors to bed." And Caroline turned on her heel and left.
Tony turned just in time to grab Callie around the waist before she pursued the older woman, "Remember what you told Blevins? Pick your battles?"
Gibbs handed Callie his handkerchief, "She cut you with her ring." He pointed towards her cheek that had a small pinprick of blood starting to trickle under her eye.
"Aren't you glad you came?" Callie asked sarcastically.
"Yeah, actually, I am," Tony answered, keeping her shielded from prying eyes of the other mourners.
"Even more so than before," Gibbs chimed in.
Callie rolled her eyes and shook her head.
Behind the two men, Callie heard Kayla's voice.
"Are you okay?" She asked quietly.
Callie pasted on a smile and shouldered between her two bodyguards, "I'm fine. Lord knows, I'm used to her and her mercurial mood swings."
Kayla nodded, still not liking what had happened to her sister, "Look, everything's done. We're all heading out to Antonelli's for supper. Kyle got a private room for us."
Callie nodded, "Thanks, Kayla, but I think we'll pass."
"Okay, then, see you tomorrow." And Kayla left Callie in the care of Gibbs and DiNozzo.