Chapter Thirteen: Everything Changes
What felt like only minutes after he'd lain down, the alarm clock went off and startled Gibbs awake. He rolled over and turned it off, pleased with the three hours of sleep he'd managed. He turned on the percolator then jumped in the shower. After he was showered, shaved and had gotten dressed, he headed into his childhood room and woke Bailey. A longer than normal night's sleep made the four year old easier to wake.
Gibbs helped him get dressed then they headed over to Frankie and Emma Jean's diner and ordered breakfast to go. There was no way Gibbs was eating hospital food if he could avoid it. When he and Bailey arrived at the hospital they found the nurse checking on Jack and doing her morning rounds.
"Everything's looking good," she told Jack. "Should be able to get you out of here real soon."
"Great!" Jack said. He hadn't wanted to stay the night but he wasn't given a choice.
Gibbs sat Bailey on the bed with Jack and put the tray table between them. He set out their breakfasts then sat down in the chair beside the bed to eat. Jack didn't miss the worry in his son's eyes or the concern on his face as his grandson chatted away. Not long after breakfast the doctor came in and looked Jack over one last time before discharging him. The group piled in the car and headed back to the house.
"I didn't mean for you to clean my house, Leroy," Jack said looking around the much cleaner living and dining rooms.
"Not a problem, Dad," Gibbs said. He got Bailey busy playing with his train set while Jack relaxed on the couch with the newspaper. The older man respected Bailey's grounding and didn't turn the TV on. He didn't need it anyways, he had his family there.
Gibbs got started on the piles of laundry, ironing and straightening the bedrooms. Jack fussed at him but Gibbs waved him off and told him to take it easy and enjoy his grandson. When lunchtime rolled around Gibbs made another run to the diner since there was no food in the house. Bailey did most of the talking while they ate then fell asleep while cuddling with his daddy. Gibbs put him down in his old room once again then decided it was time to talk to his dad.
"Why didn't you tell me Leroy died, Dad?" he asked as he sat down next to him on the couch.
"You were never close to him," Jack said, "didn't think it mattered much."
"You matter," Gibbs said.
Jack stared blankly ahead. He didn't feel much like talking about his recently deceased friend and business partner.
Gibbs took the hint and decided to change the subject. "I want you to come stay with us," he said.
"What?" Jack asked with fire in his eyes as he looked over at Gibbs. "I'm not leaving my home, Leroy. There's no need for that."
"I talked to Maggie," Gibbs said calmly, hoping his father would stop being so stubborn and listen to what he was saying. "She told me you've been kind of depressed. Dad, look at me." He waited until he was sure he had his father's attention before continuing. "You could've died taking too many of your pills. I'm worried about you."
"This is my home, Son," Jack said angrily. He had no intention of packing up and moving to the big city.
"I know, Dad," Gibbs said. He was quiet for a moment, trying to imagine how he would react if it was him in his father's shoes and trying to find a way to lessen the blow of his father losing some of his independence. "What if—"
"No Leroy!" Jack interrupted with a firm, fatherly voice."I won't do it now leave. Just— just go. I want to be alone."
Gibbs sighed loudly to show his disapproval but decided to give him some space in hopes that he would calm down and be willing to talk more later. He grabbed his car keys and headed for the grocery store. He was tired of eating takeout and knew his dad needed the nutrients in a home cooked meal. He'd eaten his share of takeout in his single days but he couldn't imagine living on it for months on end.
He took his time at the store, grabbing enough meat for a few meals, a few things for breakfasts and snacks and then headed to one of the local fruit and vegetable stands. He chatted with the owner for a little while, trying to give his dad time to cool off and himself time to figure out how to approach the subject again. He grabbed some potatoes and some fruit and veggies to cut up for salads and snacking.
When he finally returned to the house Jack and Bailey were spelling words with Bailey's train cars and making fun designs with the track. Gibbs and Jack spent the afternoon walking on eggshells around each other. Gibbs finished up the last of the laundry and was pleased to see the house clean again. He made steak, mashed potatoes and green beans and sliced up one of the tomatoes for dinner. Jack and Bailey cleaned the table off and they all sat down to eat together.
"This is delicious, Leroy," Jack said. "Thank you."
"I thought we could all use a home cooked meal," Gibbs replied.
"Why don't I do the dishes since you did the cooking," Jack offered.
Gibbs nodded. "If you want to do that, I'll put Junior in the bathtub."
"No," Bailey protested. "I don't wanna!"
"Sorry Kiddo," Gibbs said. "Bailey's decided he doesn't like taking baths anymore," he explained.
"You never did at that age either," Jack said with a chuckle. "Your mother and I used to chase you all over this house."
They both smiled at the memory. Gibbs' mom had died when he was young but he had fond memories of her. Her death had changed his life and was one of many things that had put a strain on his relationship with his father. Gibbs knew blaming him was unfair but he was young and had nowhere else to put the blame.
While Jack cleaned up after dinner, Bailey suffered through bath time. Once he was dry and in his pajamas, Gibbs called Jenny and let them talk then he said goodnight to Josie. He let Bailey play for a little while longer then Jack cuddled with him and told him another made up tale. Once Bailey was calmed down, Gibbs took him upstairs and relaxed next to him so he could rub his stomach until he fell asleep. As he lay peacefully next to his son he prepared himself for round two of the battle with his father. He hoped the conversation would go better than it had earlier that day.
When Gibbs made it back downstairs he found Jack flipping channels on the TV. He knew it was now or never and decided to go for it. "Can we talk?"
Jack nodded as he turned the TV off. "I'm sorry I yelled at you earlier," he said as his son sat down next to him.
"I laid a lot on you," Gibbs said. "I tried to be gentle about it but sometimes you just have to come out and say things." He was quiet for a minute before continuing. "Besides this being your home, are there any other reasons you don't want to move?" he asked gently.
"I don't want to be a burden," Jack said, "I don't want to lose my independence, not to mention my store. What would I do in DC, Son? I'm not one for sittin' around twiddling my thumbs."
"I know, Dad," Gibbs said. "I wouldn't expect you to do that."
"I won't be one of them greeters at the Wal-Mart either," Jack added.
Gibbs smiled as he reached over and held his dad's hand. "You're not a burden, Dad. I love you and I just want to make sure you're okay. You'd be closer to your family, closer to your grandkids."
Jack perked up slightly at that thought. Four hours wasn't a terrible distance but it would be nice to see them more often.
Gibbs reached up and gently squeezed his father's shoulder, thankful that he'd calmed and they could have a conversation instead of another argument. "Jen and I have been talking about moving," he said. "We've got Bailey and Josie and another one on the way. We're kind of outgrowing the house we're in now. We could look for something that would give you your own space."
Jack nodded at his son. That didn't sound too bad. He knew there wasn't room for him in his son's current house and he didn't want to live in the living room or boot any of the kids out of their rooms. "But what would I do, Son?"
Gibbs thought for a moment. His dad had been the owner and operator of the small store for the past several years. He realized he probably wouldn't adjust to being bossed around by someone else very well, if he could even find a job with the state the economy was in. "What if you and I worked on building furniture together? We could probably sell it too, make a little profit. Between the two of us we have plenty of tools."
"That doesn't sound half bad," Jack said after taking a moment to think about it. "Maybe I could even open a small furniture store in DC." Gibbs smiled at the thought. It did sound nice. "I realize that'd be down the line a ways, of course."
Gibbs nodded. It was possible. A furniture store would be fun when he was ready to retire from NCIS and he found himself happy about the prospect of woodworking with his father. They always had a lot of fun building toys together at Christmastime. "I'd like that, Dad. You know what else? We could look for a house with some land to it. Maybe you could grow a garden in the summer. I bet the kids would enjoy that."
"It'd teach them all kinds of good lessons," Jack said. "On top of that we would save money on fruits and vegetables. Maybe we could even get a dog, you know, to chase the squirrels and rabbits away."
Gibbs smiled at his father's growing excitement. "I don't want to steal your independence from you. I just want to be there for you. Four hours really is too far. I was scared to death when I got the phone call that you'd been rushed to hospital. I didn't think I was going to make it."
Jack felt guilty for his mistake and scaring his son. "I really did just get confused," he admitted.
"I know, Dad," Gibbs said rubbing his calloused thumb over his father's rough knuckles.
"You sure Jenny won't mind?" Jack asked.
"We already talked about it," Gibbs said. "She's fine with it. I think she's looking forward to having a little backup with the kids while I'm at work."
"Can't be easy with the youngsters," Jack said, "especially when the baby comes." He grew quiet as his mind wandered. "Guess that means I have to sell my store."
"I can help you with that," Gibbs offered.
"I don't want it going to some chain store," Jack said. "The people around here can't afford their high prices."
"We'll see what we can do," Gibbs said. He waited for his father to bring up the topic of the house but when he didn't he decided to. "What do you want to do about the house?"
"Oh, I think I have a buyer in mind," Jack said.
"What?" Gibbs asked, both curious and surprised. "Who?"
"Some bigwigs from the mining company have been after my property for some time now," Jack said. "They keep raising the offer too. They're up to half a million."
Gibbs eyes grew as big as saucers and his jaw dropped nearly to the floor. "Half a million dollars?"
"Well, I wouldn't let 'em pay me in gum," Jack joked. "They want to bulldoze it, rezone it and use it for some headquarters or something."
"Are you sure that's what you want?" Gibbs asked. He wasn't sure how he felt about his childhood home being leveled and replaced with offices. He could understand why they wanted the property though. It was on the edge of town, near the mine. It would be a prime location but it certainly wasn't worth the half a million they were offering. "We could always rent it out or something."
"No, I don't want to get into all that," Jack said. "You have to make sure your renters don't trash the place, deal with repairs, trying to collect money, all kinds of things. It's too much of a hassle. If you can sell your house, move and start over, so can I. Family's what's important, not the walls surrounding you."
Gibbs gave his dad a hug, thankful for the way the conversation had turned out. He felt much better after his dad agreed to move. It would be nice to have him close by. "I'll call DiNozzo, get him up here to help pack your things. We'll be cramped in my house for a little while but hopefully we can get moved into a bigger place in the next couple months."
He left Jack to watch TV while he called Jenny to update her on what was going on. She told him she'd look for a plane ticket for Tony and see if she could get the others over that weekend to help them unload the truck. She talked to him about her day and how Josie was doing. She couldn't wait for him to get home but they were doing okay.
Gibbs spent the next day with a realtor talking to the mining company that was interested in Jack's land. They managed to negotiate the price to $545,000. If Jack agreed to the price, which Gibbs knew he would, he'd sign the papers the following day.
He also managed to track down Leroy's son. The twenty three year old had graduated from college the previous year with a business degree and had been working a job he wasn't completely thrilled with. He was very interested in buying his late father's store and told Gibbs he'd start checking into things. As long as he could get financed and they could agree on a price, he'd take it. Gibbs knew Jack would cut him a break on the purchase price if need be, especially after the large sum the mining company was willing to pay for the house. Jack cared more about who got the store and helping his friend's kid out than he did about money.
The majority of Thursday and Friday were spent packing. A few friends stopped by to lend a hand or drop off meals. Gibbs was impressed with the quick progress they were making. By the time he had to leave for the airport to pick Tony up on Friday afternoon the only major project they had left was packing the dishes in the kitchen.
On the way to the airport Gibbs called Abby and Ziva and asked them to check in on Jenny, make her a meal, help with Josie and make sure she had fun. He called Tim to make sure the young man was available to help unload the truck on Sunday, Ducky to come over and hang out with Jack and keep Jenny from doing anything she shouldn't and Jimmy to help unload the truck. He'd seen his abs; he was definitely going to put those muscles to good use.
Tony's flight arrived on time and Gibbs didn't have to wait long for the passengers to deplane. Not many people flew into the tiny airport in Stillwater.
"Hey Boss," Tony greeted. "Where's the little guy?"
"At home," Gibbs answered, "helping Grandpa pack or actually they're probably playing go fish. Do you have luggage?"
"Nope," Tony said showing Gibbs a small duffle bag, "just my carryon. How is Grandpa?"
"Better," Gibbs answered as they headed for the car. "He's had some time to process everything and he's okay with the move now."
"I would think it'd be nice to be closer to family," Tony said. He tossed his duffle in the backseat then climbed in the passenger seat.
Gibbs nodded as he started the car. "It'll be nice but it's hard to leave your home."
On the way home the men stopped and picked up dinner. With the house in disarray they'd gone back to fast food and take out. Tonight it was burgers and fries with coke to wash it all down. Not the healthiest option but it would do the trick. Both Jack and Bailey were thrilled to see Tony. Bailey did a running leap into Tony's outstretched arms and squealed as Tony swung him through the air.
They ate their dinner then went to work finishing up the packing. Gibbs and Tony did the kitchen while Jack and Bailey went through the house and packed the rest of the miscellaneous knickknacks. Gibbs couldn't believe they'd managed to get everything packed in just two days. A lot of it had been thanks to the neighbors who'd stopped by to help. That was one of the benefits of living in a small town. There was a sense of family and most people were willing to lend a helping hand.
They discussed their plans for the following day then all went to bed early. Saturday would be another long day. Tony slept with Bailey at the four year old's insistence leaving Jack in his bedroom and Gibbs on the couch. Before he went to bed Gibbs called to check in with Jenny. He smiled when she answered the phone laughing. Ziva and Abby were keeping her entertained. He couldn't have been more thankful.
Gibbs was the first one up on Saturday morning. He was looking forward to getting the move over with and was anxious to get home and hug his girls. It had been a long week and he hated being away from them, especially when Jenny was so far along in her pregnancy. He wasn't sure if he'd ever be able to forgive himself if he missed the birth of their child. It was still three weeks before her due date but he knew anything could happen. He got himself dressed and poured a cup of coffee then went upstairs and woke Tony being careful not to disturb Bailey.
Tony dressed quickly and made himself a cup of coffee with a sickening amount of cream and sugar then he and Gibbs headed for the U-Haul dealership. Jenny had reserved one of their biggest trucks on the internet so all Gibbs had to do was pick it up. They arrived just after it opened and were in and out of there in a matter of minutes. Gibbs drove the truck back to the house and Tony followed along in the car.
Jack was awake and moving around by the time they returned. They decided to let Bailey sleep as long as he wanted while they started loading the truck. After granola bars and fresh fruit for breakfast they got busy. The larger furniture went in first along with a few boxes to fill any gaps. It would be a tight squeeze but Gibbs was determined to only make one trip.
As the morning wore on people started showing up to help. Some of them were too old to do much more than supply drinks to the workers and offer their opinions but some were young and strong. The furniture got loaded up fairly quickly. When they started moving around upstairs the noise woke Bailey. Barefoot and bare-chested, the little boy wandered around the house, anxiously looking for his daddy amidst the crowd of people. He was almost in tears when Gibbs scooped him into his arms and kissed his cheek.
"Morning Buddy," he said. "Did you sleep well?"
"I can't find you," Bailey said, his heart rate slowly returning to normal.
"I'm right here. I wouldn't leave you with a bunch of strangers," Gibbs said. "Are you hungry? Would you like some breakfast?"
Bailey nodded his head in the middle of a big yawn. Gibbs carried him back to his room and put a t-shirt on him then changed him into a pair of shorts and helped him get his socks and shoes on before they went down to the kitchen where Jack was talking with a few friends. He took Bailey from Gibbs and took over breakfast duty so Gibbs could get back to work.
After the bigger furniture was loaded progress seemed to slow down significantly. It was almost as if the smaller boxes were multiplying faster than they could get them in the truck. Frank and Emma Jean provided lunch free of charge as their parting gift to Jack. Once everybody was fed and had a moment to rest the work started again. Bailey played happily in the yard or near his grandpa, doing his best to stay out of the way of the workers while Jack visited with friends and said his goodbyes.
Shortly after 5:00 that night the truck was finally loaded up and the helpers had gone with Jack and Gibbs' thanks. It was time to head to DC. Gibbs and Jack stood looking at the house, both of them lost in thought about all the years they'd spent there, the milestones, the happy times and the hard times. A lot had happened in that house and within the next couple weeks it would be bulldozed. The thought almost made Gibbs sick. He reminded himself that family was the important thing, not the house. The memories would live in him forever.
Bailey raced over to Gibbs, grabbing onto his leg and squealing as Tony came rushing up behind him, one last game of chase before a long car ride. Gibbs picked Bailey up and hugged him.
"Do you want to ride with me in the big truck or with Tony and your grandpa in the car?" he asked.
"With you!" Bailey said.
"It's gonna be bumpy," Gibbs told him.
"I like bumpy," Bailey said bouncing up and down in Gibbs' arms.
Gibbs smiled and kissed his son's forehead. With cell phones to communicate, they climbed into their vehicles and started the caravan back to the city. Gibbs called Jenny to tell her they were on their way and ask her to keep Josie up. He wanted to see his little girl when he got home. He wanted hugs and kisses after the long week apart. Before hanging up Bailey talked to Jenny for a little while, telling her all about his time in Stillwater and how Grandpa was coming home to live with them.
A couple hours down the road the group stopped at Wendy's for a late dinner. All of them were getting tired of fast food. Gibbs especially was looking forward to a home cooked meal. After dinner and a restroom break they were back on the road. Two hours later they were pulling up in front of Gibbs' house.
Bailey raced to the front door and into his mommy's waiting arms as soon as his feet hit the ground. Gibbs locked up the truck before heading in with Jack and Tony. Josie met him at the door and squealed in delight as Gibbs swung her into his arms and peppered her face and head with kisses.
"Did you take good care of Mommy while I was gone?" Gibbs asked.
"Yeah," Josie said, "and the baby."
"Thank you, Sweet Pea," Gibbs said. "You're such a good helper." He kissed her cheek one more time before Tony took her out of his arms. Gibbs turned his attention to his wife. "How are you?"
"Good," Jenny said. "I'm tired and ready to have this baby but I'm good."
"Well I'm glad you waited for me to get home before you had it," Gibbs said running his hand over her belly.
Jenny wrapped her arms around Gibbs and pulled him as close to her as she could. She'd missed him terribly and needed to have that physical connection. As afraid as Gibbs was of missing the delivery, Jenny was just as afraid of having to do it without him but she didn't say anything. Jack was family too and he needed Gibbs as well. She wouldn't make him choose. Gibbs returned her hug and they held each other for a moment while Tony cuddled with Josie.
"I think I'm going to get going, Boss," Tony said. "I'll see you guys at o'dark thirty."
"You're welcome to stay, Tony," Jenny offered. "We'll find a spot for you."
"I appreciate it but I'm looking forward to my own bed," Tony said. "It's been a long day."
"I understand," Jenny said.
"Thanks for all your help, Tony," Gibbs said taking Josie from him again.
"Anything for you guys and Grandpa," Tony said. "See everybody tomorrow."
After a chorus of goodbyes from the living room, Tony was out the door and on his way home. Gibbs gave Bailey a quick bath while Jack read Josie a bedtime story. Once both kids were in bed Gibbs got his dad some bedding. He'd have to spend a night on the couch but when the truck was being unpacked his bed would be moved up to the nursery. Gibbs and Jenny said goodnight then headed to their room for some private time.
"How've you been sleeping?" Gibbs asked as he pulled the door closed behind them.
"Better with the pillows," Jenny said hesitantly.
"But still not that great?" Gibbs asked. A slight nod of the head was Jenny's only answer. "A little over three weeks and the baby will be here," Gibbs soothed as he rubbed her neck and shoulders.
"I'm not complaining," Jenny said.
"I know." Gibbs arched his head around and kissed her cheek.
"How's your dad?" Jenny asked. "I mean, how is he really doing?"
"Excited about opening a furniture store," Gibbs answered with a smirk.
"What?" Jenny asked both confused and surprised.
"It's a long story," Gibbs said.
"I've got all night," Jenny replied.
While they got ready for bed, Gibbs told Jenny about the conversation he'd had with his father and the events of the previous week in more detail than he'd gone into on the phone. Jenny filled him in on how her week had been and what she and Josie had been up to. The two shared hugs and kisses and simple affections, happy to be wrapped in each other's arms again. It had been a long week and stressful with the scare of something being wrong with Jack and Jenny trying to wrap everything up before her retirement. They enjoyed relaxing together until both of them drifted off to sleep.
Sunday morning arrived much faster than any of the group wanted it to. Tony, Ziva, Tim and Abby arrived early. Ducky and Jimmy weren't too far behind. Ducky brought a breakfast casserole, chocolate milk and a bottle of strawberry milk for Bailey since he didn't like chocolate. He rambled on about breakfast being a break in the overnight fast and how important the meal was while he served his friends. While the group ate, Gibbs moved a few things around in his garage to make room for his father's things. With the exception of his bed and a few other essentials, his possessions would be stored in there until they could move into a bigger house.
After breakfast the younger group headed outside with Gibbs leaving the twins inside with Ducky, Jenny and Jack. Ducky and Jenny washed the dishes while Jack cleaned up the kitchen and the kids watched cartoons. As the morning went on Ducky kept the workers hydrated and Jenny company so she wasn't tempted to do any manual labor. Jack helped a little with unpacking the truck then got things organized in his new room.
The crib was moved into the master bedroom to make room for Jack's bed but the other furniture would stay in the nursery. The kids bounced around between everyone, helping Ducky serve drinks, giving their mommy and baby sibling hugs and kisses and helping Grandpa get his new room organized. Jack's flat screen TV replaced Gibbs' old TV which thrilled everyone in his household except for Gibbs. He could've cared less but if the others were happy that made him happy. He knew getting cable hooked up was only right around the corner. He wondered if he could persuade them to hold off until after they moved.
By early afternoon the truck was empty and Gibbs' garage was full. Tony followed Gibbs and Josie to the gas station then to the U-Haul dealership to drop the truck off. Josie wanted a turn to ride in the big truck just like her brother had. On their way back to the house they stopped by the pizza shop to pick up the pizzas, breadsticks and salad Jenny had ordered to treat everyone for their hard work and thank them for their support. After the late lunch the tired group headed home.
Gibbs and Jenny headed upstairs to put the twins down for a short nap and Jack to work in his room. The twins ended up in the master bedroom with Jenny and all three of them fell asleep. Gibbs left them with kisses on their cheeks and closed the door before heading down the hall to Jack's room.
"I know it's not much but is it okay until we can get moved?" he asked.
"It's everything I need and more, Son," Jack answered gratefully. "Thank you. Any chance my grandkids can skip daycare tomorrow and spend some time with their grandpa?" he asked as he and Gibbs made the bed.
"If you're sure that's what you want," Gibbs said with a little laugh. "They can get pretty wild sometimes."
"I'm sure," Jack said confidently. "I don't want to be stuck here by myself in the quiet. We'll be fine."
Jenny's last week as the director of NCIS started out hectic before finally calming down towards the end. Assistant Director Leon Vance had spent the previous weekend moving from San Diego with his family and was taking over the majority of the responsibilities with Jenny observing. In theory that would make things easier on her but going from meeting to meeting and double checking all his work while being 37 weeks pregnant was not only tedious but also exhausting. She couldn't wait to finally be done but time seemed to be dragging on forever.
Friday morning brought an agency wide celebration complete with an omelet bar, balloons and gifts. People were in and out of her office all day long bringing her flowers and cards and wishing her well. The evening was spent with the team at a fine dining restaurant. Everyone had chipped in to treat her to a nice meal. By Friday evening she collapsed into an exhausted heap on her bed. Gibbs propped her up on her pillows and rubbed her back, neck, shoulders, ankles and feet while she simply focused on breathing. It had been a fun day but she was glad it was over. As she drifted off to sleep that night surrounded by Gibbs' arms she realized she was just Jenny Gibbs, wife and mother, she was no longer the head of an armed federal agency and she didn't mind it one bit.