DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN NCIS OR ANY OF ITS CHARACTERS!
DEAD DOESN'T MEAN FOREVER
Ch 9
Landing at the airport Gibbs waited until the cargo was safely transferred to his rental van before going off to await the arrival of his girls' plane.
The arrival board indicated there was a slight delay, so he decided to get himself a coffee while he waited. He also called his team to let them know he was back and would be coming in as soon as his 'guests' arrived.
That news piqued everyone's interest. As they each tried to guess who it could possibly be. The only thing they all agreed on was the hair color.
Gibbs was excited about his team's reaction. He'd known they wondered what all the secrecy was about. For sure there had been unasked questions about his first marriage, since it had been revealed to them. All the reasons behind that 'secrecy' had come to light recently and he'd been glad to have their unwavering support.
This would be a shocking revelation. He hoped that they would be as accepting and as understanding of his need to have them returned to him. He had no doubts that there would be a lot of questions to answer not only from his team, but from family as well.
Jack had always been fond of Shannon and losing his only grandchild had been heart wrenching. Gibbs was sure he'd welcome them with open arms and save any scrutiny for him alone.
Shannon's parents would be another hurdle. Though she was aware that they had separated she was unaware of the extent her mother had gone to avenge their murders. He hoped that she would never learn of it. He wasn't sure how to reach her father, but was certain that Joann would know how to get in touch with him.
As the time of the arrival approached Gibbs made his way as close as possible to greet them. The announcement of the flight brought out even more nerves of expectation. He watched as other arrivals were greeted by family and friends. Others who just went off on their own, much like he had always done.
Those days were behind him. Now that Shannon was back, he'd have her to come home to.
Slowly the traffic trickled down and he hadn't seen any sign of them. Surely they couldn't have gotten turned around. When there were no more passengers exiting and the flight crew made their appearance, Gibbs felt his gut clench tight. 'NO. This can't be happening. I saw them. I held them. They were real.' He ran up to the flight crew flashing his badge at the security guards trying to stop him.
"Excuse me. I was waiting for my wife and daughter to come off the plane. Are you sure no one is left on there?" he asked the small group.
They exchanged looks among themselves. All shook their heads. "I'm sorry, sir. Everyone has disembarked," the head stewardess told him, as the others dragged their bags behind them casting concerned glances his way.
"But wait," he stopped her from leaving. "They were in seats C12 and C13. Do you remember seeing them at all?"
She looked at him skeptically. "Sir, I'm not sure you have the right plane. Those seats were empty the entire flight." She looked at him sadly and walked away.
In disbelief he dropped his head, letting her walk off. 'How could this be?' He'd seen them get on the plane. He purchased the tickets himself. He even had the receipt. He searched his pockets until he found it. Holding it in his hand solidified his resolve that it wasn't a dream. Though now it appeared to be a living nightmare. 'Where could they be?'