Cali wasn’t entirely sure where she was, and she stopped dead in the middle of the hallway, leaning back against the wall. She banged her head back, hard, and kicked the wall viciously. He didn’t have a right to be protective of her, he’d only known her four days and he’d only known they were related for three. As far as she was concerned, he had no business trying to fight her battles for her. Her mother had never done that, she’d let Cali fight things out her way, and if Gibbs thought just because Jenny’s will had named him as Cali’s father that he could control her life, he was so very wrong. She wouldn’t let him control her, she was her own person, almost a woman, and she didn’t need his help. Her back stiffened with resolve and a steely glint entered her eyes.
In the quiet, she could hear the quiet thrumming of a bass, and her soul immediately reached out to it. She’d always been a sucker for music, and the rhythm that was pulsing through the building had a cradling affect on her tired mind. The music grew louder with every step she took in its direction until all she could hear, feel, even see, was the rolling beat inside her head as she stood in the sliding glass doorway. Her eyes were a little dreamy as she stood there, letting the music wash over her. It was powerful and loud and heavy and controlling, and she loved it. Finally, she noticed the petite woman in a lab-coat standing in front of a computer wearing knee-high platform combat boots. The woman’s pitch-black hair was in two braids like a school girl’s, and there was a spider-web tat across her neck and metal-studded leather all over her. Cali grinned, recognizing the fashionable side of Goth-drama. The Goth’s back straightened nervously as she felt eyes on her and she turned her head slowly. She jumped when she saw Cali standing there. “Whoa! Hey!” yelped Abby, startled. She examined Cali carefully, taking in the electric blue eyes, stylishly careless workout clothes and scarlet toenails. “Don’t do that!” she sighed, clutching her racing heart dramatically. She dropped into her computer chair and spun around in a circle. “You must be the Boss-man’s daughter.” She observed, eyeing Cali fondly.
The teenager’s fists clenched and her anger returned. “Why would you think that?”
Abby grinned, wagging her finger in Cali’s general direction. “Not many people with baby blues like that darlin’.” She laughed. “Plus, the team put together a picture of what Gibbs’s and the Director’s kid would look like a few years back, and you’re practically a carbon-copy of that picture.” She spun around again, giggling at the dizzy sensation it gave her. “We’ve been waiting for those two to have Gibblets for a long time. Well, I have anyway. I guess we didn’t have to.”
“He’s not my father.” She muttered, furious. She plopped down into a chair, watching Abby suspiciously. “I like your music by the way.”
The Goth tossed her a sympathetic glance. “Thanks. Having some trouble bonding after what happened to your mom?”
Cali sighed, her head falling back over the back of the chair. “He thinks that just because Mom asked him to look after me it gives him the right to go all Prom Night on me. I don’t need him getting into my business, I can handle Vance on my own.”
“Whoa.” Abby looked shocked. “Honey, Director Vance is....” she glanced around, making sure he wasn’t in the room. “He’s a slimy bastard.” She whispered conspiratorially. “And he’ll do anything to get what he wants, Gibbs knows that. Don’t get mad at him for playing defense there, if Vance is trying to get a hold of you, we’ll all help him. It’s got nothing to do with you and everything to do with Vance and his arrogance.”
Cali looked surprised. “What do you mean, trying to get a hold of me? I’m only fifteen, I’m useless to the agency.”
“No, honey, you’re only useless on the payroll.” Abby pointed out. “You’re still young enough that if he can get you to train for him, manipulate you, he can mold you into whatever kind of agent he wants. It’s wrong, but he’ll do it.”
Suddenly Cali was ashamed of herself for pushing her father away like she had, for hurting him that way. She sighed and dropped her head into her hands. “God, I’m stupid.” She mumbled.
“No, babe, you’re a kid.” Laughed Abby. “You don’t need to know everything yet, it’s a time to have a little fun in life.” Abby tossed a hacky sack at the girl and it hit her on the head. Cali let out a sound of protest and flung it back, unable to help the lopsided smile that fluttered across her lips. Abby grinned wickedly. “There she is!” she exclaimed gleefully. “Awesome arm by the way. Hey, I’ll make you a deal.” Cali listened, interestedly. “You go tell your dad you didn’t mean what you said and try to work this all out with him, and I’ll see if I can talk him into letting me have you for the weekend. We’ll have fun, a real girls’ night out, no guys allowed, and you can let loose a little for once.”
Cali glanced at her warily. “I don’t even know you.” She pointed out.
Abby shrugged, still grinning. “I don’t know you either, but do you really think either of us could claim to be Gibbs’s favourite girls and not get along perfectly? I’ve known Gibbs for years, and I wouldn’t ever have lasted at NCIS if I hadn’t gotten on his good side. I may look scary, but I’m really just a puppy.”
She said this with a very straight face and Cali couldn’t help laughing along with her. “That’s probably true.” She sighed, biting her lip. “Do I have to apologize?”
“Yes.” replied Abby firmly. “You’re worse than your father, you know that? At least he knows better than to ask. Now go ahead and talk to him and then come on back. I’ll work on my speech for later.”
Cali fidgeted uncomfortably by the bull-pen, waiting for McGee to get off the phone. When he set the receiver down, he turned to her, smiling. “What’s up?”
“Do you know where I can find my dad?” she asked, trying out the new word carefully.
“Uh, I’m not sure where he is, but I think he’ll be back soon.” Replied McGee amicably. “If you want to stick around, he’ll probably show up soon.”
She nodded and sat down at Gibbs’s desk, turning the computer chair in a bored half-circle. “Where is everybody?” she asked, puzzled.
McGee looked up at her, refocusing his eyes from his monitor. “Uh, well, Tony went out to interview a suspect, Ziva had to drive her cousin back home, and Gibbs, well, like I said, I’m not entirely sure where Gibbs is.”
Cali frowned, swinging her legs a little. She felt a pair of eyes on her and looked up, casting a true Gibbs scowl up at Vance where he stood watching her from the railings. Just then, the elevator doors opened and she saw Gibbs inside. She hurried over and slipped in before he could step out and hit the button calmly. As soon as the elevator started moving again, she flipped the emergency switch, and stood, looking down at her hands uncomfortably. “I...I just wanted...to say....” she struggled with the words, not quite knowing how to say it. “I’m sorry I said you weren’t my father.” She blurted, flushing deeply. Gibbs just looked at her, surprised and quiet, so she barged on, trying to say the right thing. “It was mean, and I know you were just trying to help, and I shouldn’t have gotten so mad, I just.... I don’t know what to do without Mom.” She finished helplessly. “I don’t know how to deal with anything anymore, and everything’s changing all at once.”
Gibbs watched her sadly, and reached out to pull her into a hug. She let him fold her up, sniffing a little, and he rubbed his hand along her back soothingly. “I understand.” He sighed gently, relieved that the argument hadn’t lasted long. He knew very well that the Sheppard temper was perfectly capable of lasting days, if not longer. “But it’s going to be okay, Cal, I promise. We’ll figure this out together, alright?”
She nodded, her face buried in his shirt. “Kay.” She muttered, curling up tighter.
He pushed her back with a sigh, holding onto her shoulders. “There’s something I’d like you to have, Cali.” He said, gazing at her sadly. “I meant to give it to Jenny, but I never got the chance, and I think you should have it.”
Cali’s expression was confused as he pulled out the little box that he’d been carrying around with him for the last few days, unwilling to part with its contents. He placed the box in her palm, closing her fingers around it and hugging her again, pressing his cheek to the top of her head. When she pulled back, she flipped the lid open and gasped. “It’s so pretty.” She whispered, staring at the ring. Her eyes darted back up to her father’s and she looked like she was about to cry. “But...But I....”
“It belongs to you.” He said decidedly. “Jenny would want you to have it, and so do I. Maybe...Maybe it’ll help you hold onto the good memories of her.”
“Thank you.” She whispered, plucking the delicate ring out of the box and slipping it onto her finger. Her eyes lit up at the sight of it and she wrapped her arms around him happily. “Thank you Daddy.”
He closed his eyes, burying his face in his daughter’s hair, and knew there were a few tears on his cheeks. He’d keep his promise to her, and they’d make this work. Together, they could learn to live without Jennifer Sheppard.
Author's Chapter Notes:
Abby offers Cali an ultimatum and some good advice and Ziva decides to play matchmaker.