Disclaimer: I do not own NCIS or any of its characters.
Chapter 32
Taylor wasn't intending to go anywhere, but she wanted to hear what was going on. Sitting down near the bottom of the stairs she listened to the conversation drifting out from the living room. From what she could make out Vicky was the one facing the questions now. Her dad was like a dog with a bone, he was not going to let this drop. Not wanting to hear any more, Taylor slipped past the open door and into the store. It was not completely dark, some of the light from the street lamps filtered in through the windows. She sat down on the floor, back against the counter, and waited for a car to drive past. Taylor hadn't done this for a long time, but she liked the way the shadows changed as the headlights of the cars bounced off the shelves and walls. It was relaxing, just like trying to make out shapes in the clouds.
o
Jethro looked up when he heard someone racing down the stairs.
Vicky appeared in the doorway, still fully dressed.
"Taylor's not here."
"Did you check the bathroom?" Already on his feet, he didn't wait for Vicky's reply, wanting to check for himself.
"No I looked there." She called out after him.
Naturally thinking about what Taylor had said about going home he was worried that she might try to make it all the way back to DC on her own. As he searched the rooms upstairs he tried to convince himself that she wouldn't do something that stupid and dangerous, but New York kept springing to mind.
Jethro was beginning to panic. He was running out of places to look. Maybe he'd pushed her too hard. He met Patricia as he was heading down the stairs again. Just about to tell her that Taylor wasn't anywhere to be found, he stopped when Patricia put her finger on his lips to keep him quiet. He followed her down the rest of the stairs and into the store.
His blood pressure began to return to normal when he saw their daughter, fast asleep on the floor. When he scooped her up Taylor didn't wake, just mumbled something about shadows. Less than a minute later she was back in her bed, and Jethro used the opportunity to check out the bruise and scratch on her face. Whoever was responsible for it had given her one hell of a smack, and when he found out who it was, he was gonna make damn sure they didn't do it again.
o
Taylor wasn't patient enough to wait for Vicky to wake up the next morning. She needed to use her phone to email Lucas, who was also grounded. Her own mobile was under lock and key, or at the very least hidden, and she wasn't allowed on the internet without supervision.
Vicky responded to Taylor shaking her by swearing into her pillow. It didn't help. She was still awake now.
"I need to borrow your phone."
"You woke me up for that?"
"It's important."
"You're not gonna do anything stupid, are you?"
"No."
Vicky looked at her suspiciously before taking her phone out from under her pillow and passing it reluctantly to her cousin. "I'm going to take a shower. Put it back when you're done."
Not wasting any time, Taylor quickly went online, logged onto her email account and fired a warning message to Lucas. At least now he would know what the minister was capable of, and stay well clear when he was eventually allowed out. Her conscience was now clear. Didn't matter what her dad said now, she was not going to feel guilty, and he was just gonna have to suck it up.
A more confident Taylor put in an appearance downstairs, and didn't protest when both her mom and dad insisted on examining her cheek. When they were satisfied by the way it was healing, she helped herself to a bowl of cereal. Her dad sat down opposite her and stared. Ha! He was trying to make her feel guilty again. Taylor smiled at him in between spoonfuls of Rice Krispies. It was not going to work.
"What are we doin' today dad?"
"You haven't forgotten you're grounded have you?" He asked, thinking she sounded just a bit too happy.
"Nope. I thought you might want to wash the car, its awful dusty."
"You did, did you?"
"Uh huh."
"Maybe later."
"So what am I doing then?" Taylor was aware that he liked to keep her busy when she was grounded. Apparently it kept her out of trouble.
"You're going to spend some time with me in the store."
Taylor dropped the spoon into the bowl and looked over at him. She had not anticipated that, and wasn't sure what he was up to.
"Why?" The question just sort of slipped out. It didn't exactly fit in with her new air of confidence. "I mean, what do you need me for, if you're already there?"
"Don't you want to spend some time with me?" He sipped innocently at his coffee.
Taylor was not fooled, he might be good at the whole guilt thing, but she was on high alert. "Course I do. I was just wondering."
Thinking he had won, Jethro smiled at his daughter before standing up. "Well, when you're done here you can come on through then."
Starting to eat again, Taylor watched her dad leave. He was definitely up to something. Now all she had to do was figure out what.
o
Everything looked normal when Taylor went to join her father, although she had to admit to herself that even though she knew he wouldn't let anything happen to her she was still a little nervous. There were no customers and he was seated at the small table, his back to the door, playing cards spread out in front of him. He nodded to the chair opposite as he pushed it out from the table with his foot. "So. What do you want to play?"
As soon as the first customer entered the store, Taylor realised what he was trying to do. From where she was sitting Taylor had a clear view of the door, and whoever came in, while her dad was in the perfect position to watch her reaction. Oh, that was sneaky she thought, but now she knew what was going on it could be easily stopped.
Taylor played along with his little scheme for an hour or so, enjoying the games, until the perfect customer appeared. When the bell above the door jingled Taylor dropped the cards she'd been holding and shot to her feet, almost knocking over the chair. Her actions, and the expression she conjured up must of convinced her dad that the man he was looking for had just shown up. Standing up in record time, Jethro spun round, already all fired up, expecting to confront 'her attacker'. Instead he found a timid, extremely short woman, who must have been at least eighty. Startled, the woman took a hasty step back, and Taylor stifled a giggle as her dad hastily apologised for scaring her. She couldn't remember ever seeing him blush the way he was doing right now, as he dropped a length of washing line into a paper bag. The small woman was still muttering to herself about the state of the world today, as she hastily left with her purchase.
When Jethro closed the door safely behind the disgruntled customer he folded his arms and glared at his daughter, who couldn't help but grin at him.
"It's not gonna work dad."
"What's not going to work?"
"I'm not going to be scared if you're here, besides, don't you think he's gonna avoid this place for a while in case I told on him?"
It was obvious that her father wasn't happy that his plan had been scuppered, but he wasn't angry. He gently pulled her up, before taking her place on the chair, lifting Taylor onto his lap, and wrapping his arms around her.
"I just don't understand why you want to protect him."
"I already told you, I'm not protecting him."
"Then who are you protecting Taylor?"
"If I told you that dad, you'd figure out who it was. I do want to tell you, honest."
Sighing, he held her tighter.
Time to drop the subject. "Can we play poker now?"
"Who taught you to play poker? Tony?"
"Nope. Dorothy. She's really good. I owe her a lot of money."
"You have gambling debts?" He asked with mock seriousness.
That sounded awesome, just like something off the TV. "Yep, but its okay, Dorothy never asks me for it, and even if she does I can always give her my college fund."
"Uh huh. What are you going to use for college then?"
"That's easy. Tony says the best part of college is the parties, and you don't have to be a student to go to them."
"He did, did he?" DiNozzo needed a good kick in the pants.
"Well not the part about not having to be a student, I figured that bit out for myself."
"You might be better talking about college with your mom, not Tony."
Taylor slipped off his lap and gathered the cards together. "I'll deal."
o
The topic of Taylor's black eye was not brought up again, so by dinner Taylor decided it was safe enough for a little teasing.
"Grandpa." She waited until he looked over at her. "Dad nearly scared an old lady to death today."
When everyone turned to stare at Jethro he actually blushed again.
"Thanks Taylor."
"Who?" Jack asked.
"Mrs White." He admitted.
Taylor grinned at her dad's embarrassment. "I thought she was gonna hit him." Okay that might have been a slight exaggeration, but what the hell, it would have been funny.
"Wouldn't have been the first time." Jack still had his eyes locked on his son.
Taylor watched in amazement as her dad's face actually became redder.
"Oh come on dad, you don't need to tell Taylor…."
"That nice little old lady hit you?" Taylor wasn't sure if she should be shocked or give into the laughter building up inside. The mental image of that tiny woman swatting her dad won, and she melted into a fit of the giggles.
Unfortunately for Jethro, his father was determined to relate the story about when Ed and himself had been caught stealing apples from Mrs White's garden. Ed had escaped, but the woman had dragged him home by the ear, swatting him every few yards, just for good measure.
This was not doing his tough guy image any favours. "Got her back though." As soon as he'd said it Jethro wished he hadn't. His dad was giving him a strange look.
"And just how did you do that son?"
Now he knew how Taylor felt when she let things slip out by mistake. "Long time ago dad, I don't think 'how' is really important."
He managed to aim a glare in his daughter's direction. Oh she was loving this.
"Leroy Jethro Gibbs." Jack warned. "What did you do?"
When he hesitated, Taylor answered for him. "You cut the tree down, didn't you?" She was both surprised and impressed.
Not confirming or denying anything, Jethro kept his eyes firmly on Taylor. "Isn't it time you went to bed?"
"Too early dad." She just managed to get out before a whole new fit of laughter took over.
"She's right, isn't she?" Vicky grinned at him, pretty sure Taylor had hit the nail on the head. So was everyone else at the table.
"Maybe." He answered guiltily.
Now it was only the two men in the room not laughing.
"Come on dad. I was only twelve or thirteen, it was a long time ago. I'll buy her a new tree, and even plant it for her." Jethro couldn't believe he was feeling guilty about this.
"You're right you will, and don't think I won't be talking to Ed too." Jackson seemed a little happier now.
Taylor wasn't finished though. "Aren't you gonna ground him grandpa?" How she managed to keep a straight face while she asked that question she had no idea, but she was concentrating so hard she didn't notice her dad moving round the table towards her.
Vicky nudged her cousin. "Ah, Taylor!"
Taylor turned to see what Vicky was looking at. Her father was right beside her. "Oh, hi dad."
Lifting her up, he tossed a giggling Taylor over his shoulder. "Don't you 'hi dad' me!" He told her as he playfully patted her butt.
"Ohhhhhhhh, you're in big trouble dad. Don't you know its wrong to kill trees?"
Jethro carried her towards the door. "Where are we goin'?"
He gave her another gentle swat. "Anywhere you're not gonna dig me in any deeper!"