Chapter Three
Gibbs walked around to the trunk and tapped it lightly, pulling out a mini evidence kit. He slipped on a pair of gloves and handed another to Trish. “Always wear gloves at a crime scene.”
“I could never do your job. I spend a lot of money on my nails and I wouldn’t want them covered up all the time.” Trish pulled her gloves on, but had no intention of doing any kind of investigating. That was Jethro’s job, not hers. “It’s a good thing you’re so good at your job, and all I’ll have to do is follow behind you and ooh and aah.”
“And I could never be a lawyer. I could never spend my career talking. I weigh every word in interrogations. Even that is hard for me. Older I get, less I talk. Outside of with you and my…partner. You both drag it out of me.” Gibbs replied.
"Your partner? The frat boy?" Her big brother had never been much of a talker, and yeah, Leroy Gibbs never would have made a good lawyer. The first client that disagreed with him would have ended up with a broken nose. "Me, you have to talk to because you know I won't stop until you answer me. But the fact that you have friends that talk is odd. I don't really know you at all, do I?"
He blinked twice, icy shock running through him. He wasn’t ready to let his sister know he was bisexual. “What? Tony? My…? Why would you think that? I’ve got three ex wives, Trish. I just told you Tony is my second in command…” He trailed off, aware that he was walking the line of protesting too much.
Trish stood there in shock. That wasn't at all what she meant. He'd said his partner got him talking. She'd just asked if he'd meant the frat boy, she hadn't meant to imply anything beyond that.
"You said your partner, I assumed that you meant Tony because you had said he was your second in command. I may not be a cop, but I know they have partners. If you weren't talking about him, just who were you talking about, Leroy?"
He scrubbed a hand over his face, trying to hide his expression of relief. “My partner, my romantic partner. Tony isn’t…I’m team leader, I don’t have a specific partner.” Though he supposed McGee would come close. Tony had been his partner once, before Kate, but since he’d shaken things up, never allowing the team to break down in the same ways all the time. It made things much more interesting.
“But Tony has been with me the longest of any agent. By over two years. I regularly scare ‘em off after four or six months.”
"My bad ass big brother. This Tony must be something if he's stuck with you longer than a couple of months. I wonder what he'd think if he heard that you used to catch me butterflies and bring home abandoned kittens and hide them in the stables." Lee had been great, until the accident. "I really want to meet your team. And this partner. When are you going to bring her around? I'd like to meet the person who has you so happy."
“That’s me. Huge bark. Less dangerous bite. This Tony is…incredible. He’s a great investigator. Loyal, sharp, witty. Old friend says he reminds him of the way I used to be.” He gave Trish a small smile. “See why I can never have my team here? My fierce reputation would be destroyed if you started talking about butterflies and kittens.”
He gave Trish a long involved look, not speaking again until they’d just entered Rich’s apartment. He couldn’t lie to her like this, he couldn’t continue to lie and have any respect for himself. “Tony is the partner, Trish. He…is my partner. The partner” He sighed before looking at his sister, worried about what he might see in her eyes.
Trish stopped, giving herself a moment to digest the news. Why on earth had he denied it to so easily cave in? Did he think that she would care who he was bedding? She'd ignored the three airheads after Shannon, so the fact that her brother was happy and in a good relationship made her very happy.
"I repeat, when are you going to bring him around? I promise no kitten tales, although I've got a feeling he sees past the gruff to the real you. Don't care who you're sleeping with, as long as you're happy, Lee."
“I can’t lie about him,” he said, answering her unspoken question “I can’t do it to him or us. Bad enough that I left him with mysteries and questions and those goddamn sad eyes he gives me, like he’s a puppy I just kicked. Mother and Father would eat him alive if they knew and he’s been so damaged by his own family. You…you’re different, Trish. I’ll figure something out.”
Patricia sighed. “You might be surprised, Lee. Mother and father, they aren’t the people you remember. I won’t defend them, they did some awful things to us kids. They still can do them, and probably not even blink at screwing one of us over. But they’re so much older. You probably wouldn’t even recognize them if you passed them on the street. That’s my one pitch, you won’t hear anything more out of me about them.”
“Listen to what you’re saying here, Trish. They can still do awful things and probably not blink at screwing us over. But they changed. Sounds like they’re the same soulless people who gave birth to us. I’d recognize them. I’ve seen the pictures. Just as classy and cool as always.”
His voice softened. “I know you have to do it for your own sake, Trish, but don’t push.”
"I won't push you. Just know, things aren't always what they seem, Leroy."
He opened his wallet and pulled out a small picture of the team, Duck and Abbs at the yearly Christmas dinner he sprang for. This last year he’d taken them to Morton’s in Tyson’s Corner. He pointed out the people, starting with the four in front. “Abby Sciuto, forensics. You wouldn’t know it from that picture but she’s a tattooed Goth. Dr. Donald Mallard, Ducky. Our M.E. and oldest friend. Tim McGee, computer whiz kid, and special agent. Ziva David, Mossad officer liaison.”
Then he pointed to Tony and him, the only ones standing, body language carefully not revealing anything, Tony looking incredible in a black suit and muted tie. “Anthony DiNozzo. Tony. My Senior Agent…and mine.”
“Oh, he’s a cutie! I can see why you would want to take him home.” Trish admired the picture, glad to see that Lee had a team he could depend on. “You’ve got what looks like a good team that you can count on. That makes me happy, I never liked the idea of you being out there all by yourself. But you have people to take care of you. And a hottie to take home with you. Did I mention that he’s cute? If I didn’t, I meant to.”
“Yeah he’s….he’s pretty good looking.” It was completely bizarre that he was discussing the looks of his partner with his sister…and that she was approving. It made him wistful for what should have been between her and Shannon. They’d talked and been friendly but that bond hadn’t been there. Trish was young and in school and Shan was just as young and adjusting to new motherhood. And Trish had been involved with medication…it had taken time and energy for her to come back to the family.
“My team is completely loyal. They’re good people, Trish. Came close to losing them recently. Made me realize how much they mean to me. And yeah, you mentioned that you think he’s good looking. Your co-workers know that you use a term like ‘hottie’? You ever use that in court?”
"No, they don't know that I even know the term ‘hottie’, and they don't need to. I have a good team in place, but not like you do." Trish couldn't help but be a little jealous. Lee had a great team and a hot lover. It was obvious he was loved, even if he couldn't let his guard down any. "You hold onto them; you don't get a team like that every day, and you need someone to take care of you, Lee. I'm glad you have them."
“I almost lost them,” he admitted in a low voice. When she looked at him, all he could do was meet her eyes. “After the director died in the…fire. The new director split up my team. Tony was at sea for over four months, Ziva was sent back to Mossad, McGee moved to cyber crimes. I got a new team…one of ‘em was a traitor who was killed. It all went to hell, Trish. Almost lost Tony for good. Losing it always made me see what I had.”
"Just keep that in mind, Lee. You didn't lose them, but doing the job you do, it's always possible. You need to hold onto them, and make sure you don't keep things from them. Let them know the real you. You can't keep lying to them, I know you have a reputation to hold up, but you can do that and still let them into your life."
“I’ll see,” he allowed quietly. He was very uncomfortable talking about this, especially to his sister, someone who had known him since he was a little boy.
“Which means as soon as you can get away from me, you’re going to forget we ever had this conversation.” Trish challenged, knowing she was going to push her brother too far, but given a shot, he’d push away his team and in the end he’d lose them even though he didn’t want to. “Take my advice for once in your life, Big Brother. I actually do know what I’m talking about.”
“Yeah maybe I will forget, Trish,” he retorted, rising to the challenge. “But it isn’t any of your business. Tony’s been with me seven years. Ducky’s been my closest friend for almost fifteen. They’re sticking around. Okay? Despite me, they’re sticking around.” He gave her a long look. “Credit me for knowing something about my friends and lovers.”
“I have no doubt. I just don’t think you know yourself well enough. You’ll sacrifice your own happiness for someone else. Take this and run with it, Lee. It will go a long way in making me happy to see you happy.”
He sighed, trying not to seem angry. “I’ll do my best, Trish. Allow me to figure this out, okay? I know that you worry and care, but I know my people, Trish. The absence didn’t weaken me and Tony. We’re stronger than ever. We missed each other like you couldn’t believe. Over a hundred days and everything we said when we did talk was in damn code.”
He sighed. “I’m almost ready to come out, Trish. Even though it could destroy my career, I’m so tired of goddamn hiding. Of lying. Of the look in his eyes when we’re forced to lie.”
“You’ve got enough time in don’t you, Lee? You don’t have to work; you could walk away.” Her brother had money, not only from their parents but from their grandparents and their aunt and uncle. He wouldn’t use it, she wouldn’t remind him but it was available if worse came to worse. “You have a family, or at least a sister who will support you. And who has a little experience in wrongful termination cases. They think about relieving you of your duties before you’re ready to walk out of there. I might just have to come out to visit and take on your case.”
“I could. Would rather have my twenty in, but I could walk away.” He shrugged, uncomfortable. “But I don’t want to. I happen to like what I’m doing. I happen to be good at what I’m doing. The bigger picture is more important than just me, Trish. Much more important. Bringing the dirt bags to justice is what matters.”
Would NCIS really kick him out? He didn’t know, but he couldn’t take that chance with Tony’s career. Tony was a damn good investigator and deserved the career he was attaining.
"Twenty years, and however long your partner decides to stay in law enforcement. You could be looking at an awfully long time." Trish wondered if her brother had considered that. Tony looked younger, and probably wasn't anywhere near having enough time in, even if he counted all his other jobs. "What matters is your happiness. Just for once, I wish you would acknowledge that."
“And if we come out, as long as he’s in law for his ass to get kicked. This occupation isn’t known for kindness to gays or bisexuals, Trish. It’s just the way it is. He hasn’t even hit forty yet but at least with one of us out of the career, we’d have a chance for peace. As it is now, he’s virtually moved in with me and nobody knows.”
He sighed. “Fine. My happiness matters. And that guy there, he’s my happiness. Almost as much as….” He trailed off and swallowed hard. “Shannon was. He makes me feel things I wanted to stay dead after I lost her, Trish.”
“Then do what you need to do to make sure you keep that together. I’d love to see you as happy as you were then. I would enjoy a niece or a nephew too.” Trish enjoyed the shock on her brother’s face. “Rich, he’s in no rush to settle down and get married. I’m not sure he would know what to do with himself. But if you had a stable relationship. One that was full of love, like you had before. I think a baby would do you a world of good, Leroy.”
“We’re not family men, Trish. He had a bad childhood and well…you know mine.” He was stunned that she seemed to think he and Tony would make good fathers. “What could we give a kid? We work eighty to a hundred hour weeks, eat and drink on the run and sleep at work as much as we do at home. Who’d bring or let a kid into that, Trish? You’d be better off popping one out. You have to work less hours than we do.”
He paused. “I do have a stable relationship. But we’re not family men.”
“But you won’t always be that man. And the fact that neither of you had fairytale childhoods means you know what not to do.” Maybe she shouldn’t have said it, but it didn’t mean that Trisha hadn’t meant it. “You were great with Kelly, you did a great job with Rich and me too. You’re a natural father, and I don’t believe that you would be in a relationship with someone who wasn’t the same caring man that you are. Children, they need that in their lives. Me, I’m too selfish. I spend as many nights at the office as you do. Just because I want a niece or nephew doesn’t mean I want a son or daughter. I’m not hard wired to be maternal. You already know you can do it.”
“And Anthony?” he asked, almost before he could stop himself. “I didn’t do right by Anthony now, did I?” He closed his eyes. Broken marriages he could deal with but never having had another child cut so deep. “I’m selfish too in my own way. The boat, Tony, that is all I need. I couldn’t be an effective father again. I’m too goddamn cynical.”
Even he knew that wasn’t true. When he’d dealt with the children on the job, it had warmed his heart. He was still in contact with Zach Tanner, whose father had disappeared when he was riding a carousel, and the little blind girl, Sandy Watson, and more recently Carson Taylor. He and Tony had talked about being Big Brothers together. They loved kids. Gibbs just wasn’t sure he could allow himself to be a father again, when he knew what the pain of losing a child was.
"Jethro, not everything has to link back to our brother. You did the right thing, even if you don't think so. Anthony was old enough to swim back. You couldn't have known he wouldn't make it." Her brother had an incredible defense mechanism. If you got too close to the truth, he got defensive. He'd been like that as a child, and it hadn't gotten more refined with age.
"You're scared, not selfish. I don't believe you wouldn't be a good father. Actually I take that back. You wouldn't be a father. You're much more the daddy type. I can't see you having a child who was afraid of you when you did bother to show up for an event. You are very hands on, and I can't see you being a distant father."
“I don’t know,” he said quietly. “I was ‘Daddy’ to Kelly but losing her changed me as much as losing Anthony did. Two children died on my watch and they both define who I am. I can’t help it, Trish. I can’t help it!” His emotions were already raw and bleeding and this was just the beginning.
“Tony and me, we could die any day. Not fair to a kid, Trish.” And he couldn’t forget how Fornell’s daughter had been targeted.
"Yeah, you could. Or you can both live to be eighty and would miss out on something special together. You may be right Lee, and I may never get the niece or nephew that I'd so enjoy. It was just an idea."
“You had one, Patricia. Kelly Remember her? You may have been a student at the time but she was here for over seven years. It wasn’t my fault, or Shan’s fault, or Kelly’s fault that you weren’t able to be an aunt to her. Not saying it was yours either, but that chance did exist. Don’t say things that make me think you don’t acknowledge her existence. Just…don’t.”
~*~
Lee Jamison Gibbs hung up the phone in his study and got up from his desk chair, walking over to the window and looking out over the grounds. The family had owned this house for many years, since before the children had been born. And this view in particular always astounded him. He loved the peace of the water, the brilliant vibrancy of the grass fading away to the deep blue of the water. Once, a long time ago, his four children had run around and played on that grass. He’d sip his cognac and watch them. Lee usually keeping an eye on Anthony, the bundle of energy, Patricia ordering everyone around, and Richard just happy to be out of doors.
Over thirty-five years had passed since he’d seen that view and the older he got, the more aware he was of what he had lost. Not only Anthony, taken from them in one horrible moment, but Lee, who had never been the same afterward. They’d lost Lee that day. And now Richard, gone, perhaps being the irresponsible youngest child of the family, but he didn’t believe that of his youngest son. There was more trouble afoot. He just hoped it didn’t lead to yet another family tragedy.
He sighed, smoothing down his hair, straightening his sport coat, his nerves kicking in. Marjorie would have to be told, given time to adjust to this new development.
He found his wife in the solarium along with Greta, their housekeeper and her companion. After all these years, Greta, her husband Weston, who had been Lee’s driver for as many years as Greta had kept house, and their daughter Noelle, maid and all around helper, were family. They lived in a small house on the grounds and were loyal and good friends. What he had to say could be discussed in front of Greta.
“Marjorie, I’ve just had some news come across to me. Patricia just met someone at O’Hare. It’s Lee, my dear. We should expect him to come by. I assume he’s helping her determine where Richard has gone off to.” He swallowed, studying his wife’s expression, measuring the clarity in her eyes. “It appears the prodigal son may be returning.”
"Leroy is in Chicago?" It shouldn't surprise her that Patricia went against the family and called in help, although that it was family made it somewhat better.
"Do you think if we extended an invitation to the boy, he would join us for dinner one night while he's visiting? Perhaps if we ask nicely, Greta would make his favorite cookies for him. He always loved Greta's oatmeal cookies. Lee, call Patricia and see if she will bring Leroy by for a social call. He's been away much too long. It's unforgivable!”
Lee folded his hands over his wife’s. Marjorie had her good days and her bad and today it appeared she was in and out in a mild way. Her details were often sharp but her sense of logic often slipped. “Darling, I don’t believe Leroy will want to visit with us. You surely remember that he doesn’t speak with us and hasn’t for a great many years. I do believe he will be by as part of his investigative work but you shouldn’t expect a warm reunion.”
He and Marjorie had a great many regrets about those times, but the damage had been done by the time they’d come to their senses and Lee had gone on to marry a string of perfect women, divorcing every last one of them. They had followed his life from afar. Marjorie even had a scrapbook of clippings that she looked at many evenings, more now that her memory was failing.
"We must try at least. I know he's angry about us not liking that girl, but he can't hold it against us forever. I want my son to come for a visit." If Lee couldn't make it happen, Marjorie would have to go to Leroy. She could convince her son to come for a visit. Weston could drive her, and she knew that if she asked, Patricia would make sure he was in one spot to receive her.
"I know I have not always done right by my children, and I would like to make up for that before it's too late. I understand Leroy is stubborn, but I did not raise a rude child. He will come and pay his respects."
“I’ll see what I can organize, my dear.” But she only tapped her foot in response and he sighed, releasing her hand and using his cellular to call Patricia. “Lee has nothing to say to us, my dear. I’m afraid we broke him a long time ago.” He hated having to crush her dreams but the boy was clearly not interested.
The phone rang three times before someone picked up. “Patricia? Father calling. Will you be bringing Leroy by? Your mother and I would like to have him over for a meal despite everything…”
“Dad.” Trish looked at her brother, not sure how he would react to their parents knowing he was in town. “I hadn’t planned on bringing him to dinner, but I’m sure we’ll come by before he has to head home. He’s going to want to talk to you about what Richard has been up to at work.”
Not sure what Lee knew about their mother and her condition, Trish didn’t want to him to find out this way. “Mother, she knows Lee is here and wants to see him? Does she realize what she’s asking?”
“I assumed as much, Patricia. Yes, for the moment she knows he’s here and wants Greta to make him some oatmeal cookies.” He sighed, giving his wife an encouraging look before sitting beside her and wrapping an arm around her shoulders. “She believes his absence from our lives has been completely unforgivable. Might you see if he’d be willing to just say a quick hello to her over the cellular?”
What he didn’t say was that especially if Marjorie became overexcited that her memory might start to go. If Lee would speak with her, it might be a memory she could hold on to. He looked over at his wife and the rapt expression on her face. “It would mean a great deal to Mother, Patricia. As you well know, every moment is precious.”
"Dad…" She'd promised that she wouldn't push the issue, but she had a tough time saying no to her father. He'd mellowed considerably with age, and her mother was more often then not, a child trapped in a woman's body. "I will ask, but I won't push the issue. I won't be put in the middle again, not even for a good cause. If he says no, I'm going to leave it at that. You shouldn't have told her he was here."
“I am prepared to accept that, Patricia. I’m not asking this for myself, but for Mother. Lee has every right to never want to speak to us again regarding personal matters and I will respect his decision, whatever it may be.”
Perhaps he shouldn’t have told his wife, who had taken to holding pictures of Lee and showing them to anyone who might wander past. “I had to, Patricia. She has been my wife for almost fifty years. I could not keep her fondest wish from her, not when every day we lose another piece of her mind.”
“What does that bastard want?” Jethro asked, hate and disgust hardening his voice.
"Hold on, Dad." Trish held the phone against her jacket, hoping to dampen some of the conversation. "Mother knows you're in town. She'd like you to come over for dinner. She's even promised to make sure Greta makes oatmeal cookies for you. Father was also hoping you might consider talking to her on the phone. She's not well, Lee. She's having a lucid moment, for her. She wants to talk to you."
He blinked rapidly. “Oatmeal cookies?” He eyed her, feeling confused now. “What do you mean, she’s not well and she’s having a lucid moment?” He sank onto a leather couch, looking up at Trish.
For so long he’d hated them with such a passion that it had kept him going in the bad times, but hearing this took the wind out of his sails.
“I promise not to give away you can still be bribed with oatmeal cookies. Mother, she may look the same, Lee, but she isn’t the woman you remember. She can still be biting, but ten minutes later, you walk into the room and she’s likely not to remember who you are.” It was the easiest way to describe what was going on with their mother, but it was very simplistic. The beginning stages of Alzheimer’s meant that Marjorie Gibbs could go days or weeks without an episode, but she also could, at a moments notice, forget who she was talking to or that she had a family. It was getting worse, but no one would say it out loud.
“Up to you, Lee. She wants to talk to you, but I couldn’t tell you if she’s going to be mother from twenty years ago or the older and somewhat kinder mother. You just don’t know. It’s a crapshoot, but there’s going to be a time, not too long from now, that she might not even remember you. Last time I was at the manor, she thought I was Aunt Junie. It comes and goes.”
He must have sat there for five minutes, absorbing the news and adjusting to it. He wanted to be the complete bastard; he wanted to be. But he couldn’t. There was some shred of sympathy inside him.
“Alzheimer’s?” Gibbs asked softly and Trish nodded, her eyes so sad. He scrubbed a hand over his face, considering his options, then reached out for the phone. They’d never been parents to him but for Shannon and Kelly, for Tony, he’d be civil.
~*~
Tony knew Abby wasn’t due for a couple of hours but he’d sent her a text message anyway saying she could come over any time. He’d pulled his bed apart even though he knew damn well he’d be sleeping at Jethro’s tonight, he’d scattered some DVDs around and put a few things in the fridge. And dusted. His flat screen had a layer of dust on it and Abbs wasn’t stupid. She’d know something was up then.
When someone knocked on the door, he was so deep in his thoughts that he was startled. “Yeah, it’s open!”
Richard Gibbs hesitated before opening the door. He'd done a lot of research on his older brother and his agents, and when he found out that Anthony DiNozzo was a member of the same fraternity, it seemed like a better idea to come to the man who didn't know him, who might be convinced to help him out and get him in touch with his brother. The brotherhood ran deep, but this was even above and beyond the call of duty.
"Agent DiNozzo, you might want to come to the door. I'm afraid if I come in, and I'm not who you think I should be you'll end up shooting me and I'm not ready to die yet."
Agent? Huh? Tony grabbed his gun and looked through the peephole. Nobody at his apartment complex knew anything beyond the fact that he was a government worker, but who wasn’t in this town?
He cracked the door. “Extend your hands…who are you and what do you want?”
Rich held his hands as asked. He knew the drill, if only having seen it on TV. "My name is Richard Lee Gibbs, you can call me Rich. We have a mutual friend, that I need help contacting. We also have a mutual brotherhood. My assistant did some digging, Special Agent DiNozzo, and I thought our fraternity bond may be enough to convince you I don't mean any harm. I need help, and I don't know that Leroy will see me."
Gibbs? LEROY? Tony had tried to dig into Gibbs’ files but they were sealed. Nobody"not even the director"had known he’d lost a wife and child before the coma. Tony studied the man as much as he could. Handsome. Dark hair. Those electric blue eyes. Even if this guy meant to harm Gibbs, he was family…Tony could see that.
“Okay, jacket off, roll up the cuff of your pants and turn around slowly for me.”
Doing as he was ordered, because there was absolutely no asking involved, Rich wondered not for the first time if he hadn’t made a mistake in coming here. “I mean you no harm. I don’t have any weapons on me, and I chose to leave my assistant behind. He’s the one you really should be worried about. I’m just trying to gather information, and I was hoping I could use the fraternity to get into your good graces. I’m not a criminal; I’m a lawyer. And no, those two aren’t exclusive to one another.”
“Yeah, well I have to be sure,” Tony retorted. The guy seemed clean so he opened the door wider and motioned him in. “You said your name is Gibbs. What’s the relation to Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs. Did you get someone to contact him? Is that why he left so fast?”
"Leroy isn't here?" Rich hadn't considered that his brother might not be in town, although it sounded as if it was a sudden trip. "He's my brother, older brother that is. I haven't seen him in years, and I need his help. I was hoping that you would help me smooth things over with him, but you say someone called and he left? Is there any way you can get him back here?"
“You’re his…? Gibbs has…?” Tony shook his head slightly, sucking in a deep breath. The guy looked a lot like Boss, enough to be family, brothers. Brothers? Unbelievable. “You’re his family? I didn’t know…he always said he had no family.” And this guy wanted things to be smoothed over. Interesting…
“You need help with something, sounds like you guys aren’t on good terms. And yeah, he left. Don’t know where he went. Someone called looking for ‘Lee’ and he said he had to go away. No idea where. You’re in trouble, so tell me what’s going on and I’ll see if I can get him for you.”
No way in hell was Tony gonna involve Gibbs in this until he knew what was going on.
"A brother, yes. I have an older sister, but she's younger than Leroy too." It didn't surprise him in the least that Leroy had never spoken of them. To the best of his knowledge, he had disavowed all of them except for Patricia and their uncle. "I need my brother's help, yes. I didn't know whom else to turn to. Our parents, they expect perfect children. I'm far from perfect, and I knew that Leroy might understand. It could have been Trish that called. She's one of the few that calls him Lee. If they've found out I'm gone, she could be looking for me. But why go to her? I didn't believe he would care enough to bother."
“A brother and a sister and he never told,” Tony said quietly. This hurt. It shouldn’t have hurt but it did. And parents? Gibbs had a whole family out there and nobody knew? Or did Abbs and Ducky and he was the only one at a loss?
Tony looked at the man, trying not to hate him and failing miserably. “I don’t care about your goddamn family drama. Tell me what trouble you’re in so that I know what help you need.”
“I haven’t seen my brother since his wife and daughter’s funeral. I’m not surprised he doesn’t talk about us. My family…” How did one explain the dysfunction that described his family? There was no civilized way to do so. “We’re not close, for reasons that go far beyond even my comprehension. I don’t know all of it, started when I was still little.”
Rich knew that he’d screwed this up. Maybe he should have just called Leroy like he planned. Tony DiNozzo obviously thought it was his job to protect the elder Gibbs, and wasn’t looking like he wanted to help.
“I can wait for my brother to come back into town. I obviously overestimated the fact that you might be willing to help me. I am not here to hurt Leroy in any way. I need some help, and can hide out here until he decides to come home. If I pass muster, I think it might be best to leave and take my chances.”
“Look, you’re here now,” Tony said, softening his voice. “Tell me what you need. Tell me what kind of trouble you’re in. I’ll help if I can.” The idea that Gibbs had run off to help family was more appealing than him going to help an ex. “You know Shannon and Kelly?” The words felt strange on Tony’s lips and he felt like an idiot. This guy was Gibbs’ brother, of course he did.
“What were they like?” he asked.
“Kelly was the most beautiful little girl. I was a teenager when she was born, but I can remember seeing her at the hospital. She wasn’t all red and scrunched up like all the rest of the babies. She was very pale, with a whole lot of red hair on her. Shannon was great, so nice to me. I wasn’t exactly a nice kid. But she never made me feel like I was a geeky teenager, like a lot of other people would have.”
Rich had always thought he’d grow up and marry a Shannon of his own, or marry Shannon if Leroy would share her. Life had been so much simpler back then, before reality settled in. A reality he wasn’t happy with right now. Rich debated on if he should tell his brother’s agent what was going on. He’d been running for so long, it would almost be a relief to get it off his chest. Only Randy knew what was going on.
“You have something to drink around here? I could really use a beer, and this story isn’t easy to tell drunk, but it’s impossible to talk about sober.”
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. No money is being made from this work. No copyright infringement is intended.