Sheriff vs. Agent
Chapter 9 Fish or Cut Bait
FLETC?
Marty was due at FLETC in 5 weeks. Hetty had given him a deadline of next Monday to decide and tell her if he was going to attend that session, or if he wanted to cancel and do FLETC down the line. If he passed this up, he was not certain when Hetty could get him another start date. He was nervous about asking her to do this again, and again. Was he pressing his luck? Hetty's good graces were not inexhaustible, after all. Were they?
He sits down and after thinking extensively about his choices, he produces the following document.
PRO'S AND CON'S, AS MARTY SEES THEM
Sheriff vs. agent.
Los Angeles vs. Middlebury, Indiana.
Surfing vs. no surfing (except vacations)
Kensi Blye or Claire Mason: Kensi a fairly done deal; Claire probably, but not certain. Professionally vs. Personally.
High danger vs. low-moderate danger, for him and his family. PRIORITY 1! Added later. Clear winner is Sheriff.
A team & community that loved him vs. a team that said they needed him and would learn to like him. (except Kens) PRIORITY 2! Added later. Significant edge to Middlebury, Indiana.
Moderate pay vs. higher pay.
DILEMMA
888888888888888888888
SUSIE'S BED & BREAKFAST
06:30 Breakfast with Mama Deeks.
Marty shows his mom the list of his pros and cons. She looks it over carefully. "Marty, can you prioritize this list?"
Marty looked it over carefully, for about 10 minutes. Then he marked DANGER-PRIORITY 1 and COMMUNITY/TEAM-PRIORITY 2.
If he stuck by those rankings, he was staying in Indiana. He didn't want to fight Claire in an election! He needed to talk with her, and with Kensi.
"Thanks, mama! I've got a call or two to make."
888888888888888888888
NCIS-OSP
Marty had scanned his pros & cons document and emailed a copy to Kensi.
He had then set up a face-time conversation with her. He approached this talk with much trepidation. They had discussed this topic ad infinitum. They had split over it (danger, safety, children), and had come back together. They had left their differences of opinion unresolved. What now? Had she modified her position? Even a little?
The laptops connected . . . "Hi Kens."
"Hello Marty, have you decided to go to FLETC, then come join the team?"
"Well, this talk will go a long way toward finalizing that decision. You have seen my pros and cons sheet, correct?"
"Yes, I have. What questions do you have of me?"
"Kens, have you modified your position regarding the dangers of being an NCIS field agent. The dangers to a wife and mother?"
"Do you mean am I willing to step back from being an agent in the field?"
"Once you are a mother, should that occur. Yes."
"No, I am not willing to commit to that. Maybe I would, but I cannot promise at this time."
Marty wonders what her feelings might be, holding her newborn baby in her arms. Would something snap? He hopes it would. But could he count on that? She has not even committed to having children. She is such a bad-ass, following in her father's footsteps has been her life-long dream. And she joined NCIS to solve her father's murder; she accomplished that. His killer is dead.
Now, a newborn baby? But even short of that, what about a husband? Leaving him crushed by grief; would that prospect be enough? Who knows?
He has 7 days to make a life altering decision for himself. Can he predict what she will do? Going by her, their past history, he is forced to say NO, she will not give up the NCIS Special Agent status for anything. DAMN! He just has to go with the preponderance of evidence. What a pickle.
"Well, Kensi, I guess that I will have to go on the best evidence I have. You have shown me over and over that you are an NCIS agent through and through. I will call Hetty Monday and give her my decision. Stay safe, Fern! Bye for now."
"Bye, Marty. Talk soon?"
"Soon."
8888888888888888888888
INDOOR PICNIC
Marty asked his mama to prepare a picnic basket, and deliver it to his office at 18:30 Friday evening. Monday was his deadline with Hetty and attending FLETC as scheduled or delaying that part of his plan. He had invited Claire for an indoor picnic with him.
He set the table with a crisp white table cloth, his finest china and silver ware. He had a bottle of white Zinfandel wine from the Sierra Nevada foothills. This was a very important talk.
He took the basket from Susie, thanked her and set out the food, wine, and waited.
18:30 on the dot and Claire entered. She stopped in her tracks, mouth partly open. "Oh my, I didn't dress for this!" She exclaimed. She had on jeans, a long-sleeved plaid flannel work shirt and her work boots.
Marty grinned, "No worries, you are beautiful, as usual." He escorted her to her seat, pulled out her chair and helped her to take her place.
He sat opposite her, said grace, and began to fill their plates.
She poured wine and they began to eat.
To start the conversation, he handed her a copy of his dilemma points – with prioritization. She perused them carefully, then looked to him for an explanation.
"I think you know that I have a Monday deadline. Do I attend FLETC in 3 weeks, or later. If I pass up this start date, I may not get another chance. Which means I will not become an agent, and will return to Los Angeles only if NCIS and LAPD continue the liaison position."
"You are looking for my help with your decision, Marty?"
"Yes, and no. This does involve you in a very significant way, Claire."
They slowly continue to eat, as they talk.
"In what way?" She asks.
"I want to be totally honest with you, as I am with Kensi."
"I appreciate that, Marty. Kensi and I? That's a little confusing; elucidate please."
"Well, my decision has both a personal component and a professional one. This gets a little sticky."
"A little?" She cocks her head.
"A lot!" He grimaces.
Silence, she waits for an explanation.
He continues. "I think you know that Kensi and I had a very close personal relationship. She declined my marriage proposal, which set off the chaos that landed me here in Indiana . . . considerations of returning to LA have hit a snag."
"Ah . . . the issue of danger and kids." She smiles.
Marty looks up, surprised. "You know about that?"
"We talked on our road trip. I expressed my stance that if I was fortunate to start a family, I would not hesitate to step back to a less dangerous job."
"Did she respond?" Marty wonders.
"She didn't say anything, but her body language spoke of tension. Marked tension."
"I was afraid of that . . . you saw that my #1 priority is job safety. For the sake of the family."
"I see that. Our priorities match!"
Silence, as they continue to eat.
"Marty, what is the personal consideration that you are mulling over?"
"Well, there really are two. First – if I stay here, I don't want to fight you in an election. I feel like I have given you my word that I will prepare you to replace me. We both have done our part to accomplish that. You are prepared, and the community is ready to embrace you.
"Second – it has been assumed by both Kensi and myself that when I return to LA that our relationship would resume. We have some ground to make up, and we have gained some of that back. But the issue of job danger and family is a snag."
Claire's heart clenches! 'Is this going where I think it is?'
"Marty, what are you going to do? That almost seems like an extremely difficult dilemma!"
"It is. That's why I invited you here; can we work through some of this together?"
"Well, I would like to hear your thoughts on the personal part. What would you like to see happen?" She voices, softly.
Marty looks deep into her eyes. "Claire, we have . . . ah . . . I don't know how to say this-
"Just let your heart lead the way, Marty."
"Ok . . . I feel like we have started a potential romantic relationship."
"I feel it too." She blushes.
"If I stay, in some capacity, I would like go pursue that."
"So would I," she takes his hands and squeezes gently. Then hangs on to one, across the table.
"I'd like to be your boyfriend. Ane you be my girlfriend. And see where our hearts take us."
"If you stay?"
"Yes, if I stay."
"Ok, I'm in with that." She grins. He returns the grin with a wink.
"Now, what about the professional decision?" Claire wonders out loud.
"Yes, what about that?" He frowns.
8888888888888888888
TBC
Fish or cut bait II