Chapter 46
Olivia didn't stop walking until she got back to her dorm room. Her roommate was still in class so she slammed her door and fell onto her bed. She was still fuming until her eyes fell on the picture she had of her, Tony and Gibbs, the three of them standing together, their arms around each other. It had been taken on Gibbs's deck during her first year at Ohio State. Gibbs had invited them all over for a party. She dug her cellphone out of her backpack.
"Dad…?" Olivia asked as soon as Tony answered the phone.
"Yeah, Baby." Tony replied.
"I'm sorry."
"Its okay, Olivia." Tony could tell she was crying. "You're a grown woman. I just…."
"No, it's not." Olivia stated. "I wasn't trying to keep anything from you."
"I know, Baby." Tony said, hating to hear her cry.
"Where are you? Can you stay?" Olivia asked. "Kevin is out of class at 4 p.m. We'll meet you at that Chinese restaurant we went to the first time you came here."
"Olivia…you don't have to…."
"You and Grampy were just being…you and Grampy." Olivia said. "I did want you to meet him. I do want you to meet him. I just…I wanted to make sure he was going to be a part of my life for a while. I needed this semester to make sure."
"Baby…if you still need time…." Tony said, leaving it open for her to make that decision.
"No." Olivia said, shaking her head, even though Tony couldn't see her. "Are you still here? Please tell me you're not gone already."
Olivia hoped and prayed that they were not headed back to the airport.
"We're still here, Baby." Tony reassured her.
NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS
A few hours later, the 4 of them were sitting at the Chinese restaurant on campus. Kevin Lee Moore sat quietly after being introduced to the two men sitting at the table with Olivia. He shifted, uncomfortably, in his seat. The older, gray-haired man seemed to be peering into his soul. The younger man, obviously Olivia's father, from the green eyes and the brown hair, was harder to read. He had an amused expression on his face. Kevin knew what the two of them did for a living, and to say he was a little intimidated would have been a true understatement. He could not help but wonder if he was the one being served up for dinner.
Olivia took note of Kevin's discomfort. She took his hand and held it under the table.
Tony saw Olivia's action. He smiled broader. "Kevin, we don't bite." He paused. "Well, actually, Gibbs does. But only if you poke him with a stick."
Gibbs glared at Tony, in lieu of a head slap.
Kevin looked at Olivia, who was also glaring at her father. Kevin wasn't sure what to do. He squeezed Olivia's hand tightly.
Gibbs cleared his throat. "Kevin, we couldn't wait to meet you. It's been a long two months…"
"…and our curiosity got the better of us." Tony said, finishing Gibbs' statement. "She's my girl." He said simply.
Kevin nodded, feeling a little more relaxed. He smiled. "She was the tallest, prettiest girl in class." Kevin replied, talking about the first day he had met her. "I doubt many people wear a basketball uniform to a corporate law class. That really got my attention. She…she said she was late from practice and didn't have time to change. She had her hair in a ponytail and a towel around her neck, carrying her backpack."
Tony looked amused. "Leave it to my girl to make an entrance."
Olivia ducked her head and blushed. "I didn't do it on purpose.
Gibbs sighed. "You're just like your dad, Olivia. That's the story of Tony's life."
The rest of the evening was nothing at all like Kevin had imagined it might be. Of course, given Tony's and Gibbs' occupations, Kevin had scenarios of a small, cold, bare room in a police station with a bright light bulb shining in his eyes. But the conversation with a lot lighter. Kevin didn't feel like he was being interrogated. Though he did feel, by the end, that Gibbs and Tony had enough information to write his life story, if they had wanted to.
"I've got a basketball game tomorrow night…." Olivia offered as they were leaving the restaurant.
Tony and Gibbs looked at each other. "We'd love to come." Tony answered for the both of them.
"I'm really am sorry…about what happened earlier." She looked at both Tony and Gibbs. "You both know I wasn't trying to keep anything from you, don't you?"
Tony and Gibbs nodded.
"Good." She said, hugging them both.
NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS
The game had been amazing. Just being back in the auditorium full of people brought back the good old days for Tony. He smiled as he and Gibbs found their seats. Tony could remember the anxious moments just before the game started. He remembered, fondly, how it felt to be a part of a team. He remembered how it felt to have the crowd cheering for him. He had always loved hearing the roar of the crowd before he ran out onto the court. He hoped that Olivia found the same enjoyment in all that stuff that he had.
Tony and Gibbs were on their feet for the majority of the game. As Olivia made lay-up after lay-up and shot free-throw after free throw. The other team was tough, but Olivia seemed to have no trouble getting around them and making shots. By the time halt-time arrived the home team was up by 5 points. At the end of the game, Harvard had a 10-point win.
"There's my girl." Tony said as Olivia immerged from the locker room. He and Gibbs had sat waited for Olivia to shower and change.
"Great game." Gibbs stated.
"Yeah, if it hadn't been for all those ponytails out there…" Tony stated. "…I would have thought I was watching a bunch of guys play. I had no idea that women athletes were so…brutal. That girl who got hit in the face…."
"Yeah," Olivia said, showing them her elbow. "…I think I'll have a bruise in the morning."
"That was you?" Gibbs asked.
Olivia nodded. "It was an accident, and she's fine. Her coach checked her out. She is going to a doctor, just in case, though."
"You were great, by the way." Tony said, hugging his daughter.
Gibbs agreed. "And I'm not even a big fan of basketball."
TBC
END NOTES: I loved the idea of Olivia walking into corporate law class in her basketball jersy and shorts. It just makes a great, funny picture. Also, I am not sure if Gibbs likes basketball or not, so I made him not like it. Also, I will address Kevin's, Gibbs' amd Tony's conversation in the next chapter. I hope you enjoyed.
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.