Chapter 9

Jethro didn't want to move. He didn't want to look away from Hollis. He just wanted to lay where he was, secure in the knowledge that he hadn't lost her. He had slept, but awakened much sooner than Hollis. She was still asleep. She had stirred a couple of times but hadn't awakened. He had promised to stay with her so that she wouldn't wake up by herself and he had no intention of breaking that promise.

The black eye looked pretty bad, but Hollis had told him that it was Abadilla who had hit her. There was another bruise that she said she'd got during a failed escape attempt. Her statement had been clear and unemotional. Only when she'd been safe at home had she let herself react. ...and that reaction had been initially in solitude, but he'd been relieved that she had allowed him to do something for her, even if it was just holding her while she slept.

Now, the case was over. Hollis was safe. ...but he knew it would take time for her to relax again. ...and for him to deal with it, too. He'd had a moment when he was staring at her that he had seen Michelle Lee in that moment when she had silently asked him to kill her. The comparison had made him want to back off right away. He couldn't be asked to do that again...especially not with his wife. He needn't have worried, of course. Hollis wasn't that kind of person. She was intent on getting away from her captors. She wouldn't go that route, but he hadn't been able to avoid the thought. For probably the first time ever, he had been glad Kort was there. He wasn't sure he could have taken the shot. He wasn't sure that Tim would have been able to take the shot, either. ...but Kort? He wouldn't hesitate.

Hollis stirred again and then woke up very quickly. He felt the return of her tension as she emerged from sleep.

"I'm here," he said softly.

Hollis rolled over and hugged him tightly.

"I'm glad you're here," she said.

"Are you feeling better?"

"Yes. A little. I'm hungry."

"Okay. You ready to get up?"

"Yeah. What time is it?"

"Almost noon," Jethro said.

"I don't think I've ever slept so late."

Hollis sat up and took a breath. She smiled.

"Do you think that Jason is here?"

"I'd be surprised if he wasn't, but I told Dad to leave us alone."

Hollis laughed a little and then shivered a little.

"I feel like a child scared of monsters in the closet," she said. "It's like I expect Manny to appear out of nowhere, even though I saw him dead. He was..." She took a breath. "He touched me, Jethro. He thought he had the right to...take advantage of the fact that I couldn't fight back. I felt better when he just hit me because that was easier to take. I knew they were going to kill me. I knew that almost from the beginning. I was a lot more worried about the possibility that Manny would try to rape me. He would have. I know he would have. I'm so glad he's dead."

Jethro kissed her gently. "So am I. ...because I would kill him for what you just told me."

Hollis nodded.

"I know you would...but you know what? I'm glad it wasn't you."

"Why?"

"I don't know, really. I'm just glad that it was Kort."

Jethro smiled and stood up. He held out his hand and Hollis let him pull her up. She nodded at him and went into the bathroom...reclaiming a little bit of her usual toughness by not falling into his arms again.

"I'll go down and start breakfast."

"Little late for breakfast, isn't it?"

"Can have breakfast anytime. Any preferences?"

"No." Hollis smiled. "Surprise me."

"Okay."

Jethro went downstairs and was unsurprised to see Jack and Jason sitting together talking quietly.

"Leroy...how is she?" Jack asked when he saw his son.

Jason turned around and stood up.

"Where's Holly?"

Jethro smiled.

"In the bathroom. She's still a little shook up, but she's all right. She'll need some time."

"I can't believe how quickly everything changed. I got on a plane and no one knew where she was...I got off the plane and she's home." He sat down again. "I know that Hollis can deal with this. I don't know if I can...and it didn't even happen to me." He shook his head. "How do you deal with this?"

"Doesn't happen very often," Jethro said.

"In other words, you don't deal with it very well," Jason said.

Jethro shrugged a little and didn't answer.

"Hollis hasn't eaten. I'm going to make breakfast. You want to join us?"

"I've eaten already, Leroy," Jack said.

"So have I," Jason said.

Jethro nodded and walked into the kitchen to start making some omelets ...and coffee, of course.

"Coffee?" he called.

"Yes!" Two voices in unison.

He smiled. Figured.

It was comforting, somehow, to be doing something so mundane as making a meal. The only issue was whether or not he could get the omelets to behave, and he was determined to do that for Hollis. If he couldn't do anything else, he would get her eggs right.

x.x.x.x.x.x.x

Hollis looked at herself in the mirror. She had a nice shiner and a swollen cheek. However, all things considered, she'd come out relatively unscathed. It could have been much worse. Still, she could feel the residual fear from what had happened.

"It's only been a day...not even a day. You don't have to recover that quickly, Hollis. Take it easy. Take a couple of days. Let yourself deal with it. That will be better in the long run."

She nodded at her reflection, pulled her hair back into a ponytail and then headed down the stairs.

"Holly!"

She hadn't seen Jason move so quickly in a long time. She barely got to the bottom of the stairs before he'd got to her and hugged her tightly.

"Are you all right?"

"I will be...eventually. Not quite yet, Jason."

Jason pulled back.

"Yeah, I can see that. I guess I didn't need to come, but I'm glad that I could at least see that you got out of it all right."

"I don't mind that you came," Hollis said. She took a deep breath and let it out. "I'm sorry that you had to, but I don't mind that you're here...neither of you," she added, looking at Jack. "It's always nice to have family around. Anytime."

Jack nodded at her.

"If you think it will be beneficial, we're all more than willing to hang around."

Hollis hugged Jack briefly.

"Thank you...especially for sitting by me at NCIS this morning."

"My pleasure to keep family company."

Then, Jethro walked out and Hollis smiled to see him, feeling the knot of tension in her stomach ease slightly. She had held on to the knowledge that he would do anything he could to find her. It was all a matter of whether or not he could succeed...and he had.

"Breakfast is ready," he said with a smile.

"I'm ready to eat," she said in reply.

"And there's coffee, too."

"I never doubted it," Hollis said.

The four of them walked to the kitchen table and sat down to eat. Jethro and Hollis had omelets while Jack and Jason just had coffee. They didn't speak much while they ate, and Hollis appreciated the silence. It let her begin to adjust to what had happened. She needed to have the chance to think about it and realize that it had been real...and that it was over now. She knew that there would be reactions to what had happened. It was similar to what had happened to her when her unit had been ambushed. They weren't supposed to be in combat. It hadn't been planned, but she had dealt with it. When it had been over, she had reacted to the shock...but only when it had been over, and she had taken the time to get through it all.

It was the same now. She needed to adjust to it.

"What are you going to do, Holly?" Jason asked when she was almost done.

Hollis looked at her brother.

"I'm going to finish eating my breakfast. What about you?"

"You know what I mean, Hollis."

"I know." She looked at Jethro. "We have our anniversary to celebrate, still."

"Two days," Jethro said.

"We need to do something for that...but I wouldn't be opposed to a reunion later on."

Jason smiled. "Good. I called everyone else to let them know. Marty was about ready to blow a gasket when he realized that I hadn't told him you were missing, that I waited until you were back."

"Marty would have freaked out either way."

"I know."

Jack got up and started gathering up plates and mugs.

"You don't have to do that, Dad," Jethro said.

"I know that. I'm quite aware of my responsibilities," Jack said. He bent over and kissed Hollis on the head. "I'm glad you're back safely, Hollis."

"Thanks, Jack."

Jack walked to the sink. Jason followed him over, leaving Hollis and Jethro at the table together.

"What do you want to do, Hollis?"

"I don't know."

"I'm going to have to go in for a while today."

"I know. There's a lot to do to finish up."

"Yeah. But I'm going to take the next few days off."

"Thanks. I'll get over this, Jethro, but it will take some time."

"I know you will...and I know it will."

Hollis smiled.

"So...what are we going to do for our anniversary?"

"It's a surprise."

"I'm okay with that."

"I thought you would be."

"Well, I have two other men to fuss over me. If you need to go, go."

"You sure?"

"Positive."

Jethro stood up, but Hollis got up quickly and hugged him as tightly as she could.

"I knew that if there was any way for you to find me...that you would. I knew it, Jethro. I never had any doubt. If it was possible, you would do it. I love you."

"I love you," Jethro said softly.

He didn't say anything else, but he didn't need to. Hollis let him go and watched as he hurried upstairs to make himself presentable. She walked over to the back of the house and let herself out onto the back patio. Then, she sat down and looked at the yard, willing herself to let go of the fear and embrace her freedom again.

She heard Jethro leave and knew that he'd be back as soon as he could be...and she knew that she'd be all right without him. So she took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

The door opened and she jumped a little.

"Sorry."

"It's all right, Jack. Have a seat."

Jack settled himself beside her.

"Your brother acts like your father, you know?"

Hollis smiled. "I know. He had to be that way when I was young. It's hard for him to let that role go sometimes...like now."

"I can see that. He's talking to your other brothers in there, making sure they all know you're okay and that they don't need to come."

"Jason didn't really need to come, either, but I don't mind it at all. Family is always nice to have around."

"You including me in that?"

"Absolutely, Jack."

Hollis smiled and gave him a one-armed hug.

"I don't think I've ever seen Leroy as afraid as he was when he was worried about losing you."

"Not even with Shannon?"

"I don't know. He didn't get a chance to worry about her, really. ...and even if he had, he wouldn't have shown me. Still too angry. But he let me see it this time. He was afraid that he would fail you."

"Even if he hadn't found me, he wouldn't have failed me."

"I know that and so do you, but he wouldn't be able to accept it."

"I know. I didn't want that for him, either."

"Well, we all got what we wanted; so I think we should be grateful for it."

"I am. Believe me, Jack. I'm very grateful."

"Good. Now, you take the time you need and don't worry about acting tough. We all know you're tough and if you need to lean, it won't make you any less tough."

Hollis laughed.

"Am I that transparent?"

"No. I'm just smart."

Hollis laughed again and leaned against Jack for a moment.

"I'm not used to leaning...at least not on anyone besides Jethro."

"I know. That's why I'm telling you."

"Then, I'll keep leaning, Jack. Thanks for being there for him. He called and you came."

"That's what real fathers do."

"Yeah. I'm starting to see that."

"Good. Now, what are you going to do to pass the time until Leroy gets back?"

"Watch TV?"

"I'm all right with that."

Hollis got up, helped Jack stand and they walked back into the house together. Then, they sat on the couch and turned on the television. Jason came in a few minutes later and sat down on the other side.

They spent the afternoon channel surfing. Not speaking much. Hollis just appreciated the security she felt. It helped her relax.

...until Jethro could get back.