Chapter 5

"They have no reason to feel that way, and I wouldn't ask it of them. No one seems to understand I'm not a safe person to be around." Why no one was taking her concerns into consideration was beyond her, but it was unsettling. "I'll be a good girl, I won't antagonize Tony or do anything that Jethro doesn't authorize. I don't have a death wish, I'm just realistic."

"And what you don't understand, Shannon, is that we work with unsafe people every day. We're quite used to danger. Or at least the teams is, though I've seen my share of close calls and scrapes. There was this time, when I in the Regiment and..." He trailed off, so used to Jethro and the others rolling their eyes and shushing him. "Well, anyway. You don't want to hear about my salad days, my dear."

"You were in the military too?" That was surprising, being married to a marine, she'd seen many rough and tumble men come through her home. This man was as gentle as they came. "I'd like to hear about it someday. Your military service must have been considerably different. You're so soft spoken, I wouldn't have guessed."

"Yes, indeed, Shannon. I was a doctor in the military, but I am well aware of what it takes to be a warrior if events warrat. Ducky gave her a genuine smile, impressed that she seemed to want to know about his life. "When this is all over, we'll go out for a lovely meal, just the two of us, and I'll regale you with all m favorite tales of the past."

"I'd like that doctor. I would enjoy getting to know you better. You've been so kind, and if you weren't someone who could be trusted, Jethro wouldn't have had you here." She could tell how much Ducky Mallard liked her husband, and that he genuinely liked her as well. "We'll compare war stories. I may not have been on the front line, but I can tell you that I have seen plenty of action."

"Jethro and I have known each other quite a number of years. I'm proud to count him as a a very good friend, the best, Shannon. And I would enjoy comparing, as you call them, war stories. I have no doubt that you too have some adventures to share and stories to tell."

"You'll have to tell me some Jethro stories as well. I was allowed small tidbits about his life, usually involving a marriage or divorce. Beyond that, no one wanted to share with me." She'd be willing to swap stories, she knew a lot of young Jethro stories that Ducky might enjoy. "I can tell you about nineteen year old Jethro and the opera, and a couple other stories I think he'd rather no one else know. And a handful of exciting stories from life on the run, who can resist?"

"Oh, I can share a great deal with you, my dear. Nineteen year old Jethro and the opera? I can't imagine contemporary Jethro and the opera. I've tried to get him to accompany me but he's having none of it. He'd rather be in the basement creating yet another not quite seaworthy vessel."

Ducky leaned in close. "We're going to be great friends, Shannon. Neither of u will take his bull."

"I can assure you, he didn't enjoy the trip, but I was dating someone else when we met, and he wanted to impress me by showing up. There wasn't a woman in the theatre that would have said no to a young Jethro Gibbs in his dress uniform that night. My date dropped me off, and Jethro arrived ten minutes later, complaining about the music but he was so charming I couldn't resist inviting him in for coffee." Jethro never left that night, and very few nights after that. "He still plays with wood? I had hoped he would have found another hobby. I guess he could be better at it now then he was when we were married. He and Kelly started a boat, before he left. I wasn't sure it would ever float, but they had fun doing it."

"He still builds boats, my dear. Names them after the disasters he married after he lost you. He was never able to put you out of his mind or to get beyond the memory of you, dear Shannon. Having met you, I understand why."

"You're going to make me blush Dr. Mallard." Shannon was enjoying her time getting to know Jethro's friend. That he had so many stories didn't hurt matters. "I don't think it had anything to do with me, I believe it had more to do with not being able to save us. Jethro is a knight in tarnished armor. He mourned us and missed us I'm sure, but what hurt him the most was that he couldn't do anything to help us."

"Such a pretty blush it is too," Ducky said, blushing himself. He hadn't meant to flirt with her. It was just so easy to do so.

Fbi? This came back to Fornell. Jenny walked out into the hall. "Jethro? I don't mean to [BSJ1] interrupt, but something has come up that you need to hear. This was an FBI operation, not the Marshals. Could Fornell be responsible?"

"I don't know Jen. He's the one that gave me the file with the information in it. If he had something to do with this, would he give himself up that way?"

She looked from Jethro to Tony. "Tony, you're point man on guard duty for now. Jethro, spend a little time with them. I'll have Tim and Ziva add Fornell to their list." As Tony disappeared back into the room, Jen touched Jethro's arm.

"How are you? Shannon is patched up and she'll be okay, but you two need to get to know each other. How is Tony doing with all of this? I assume from that embrace that you talked him out of sacrificing himself for you."

"Yeah, he's not going to take off or quit. I told him I need time, and I do. I never thought they could still be alive. If I even suspected, I wouldn't have given up until I found them." Jen would understand, she always seemed to know him just a little better then he knew himself. "Now, as glad as I am that they're here, I've moved on to a point. I don't know that I can be the same guy I was when we were all together."

Jen pulled her ex into her arms. "Jethro, don't analyze or overthink this. Get to know her again. Let her get to know you again. Tony is shocked and reeling but he's also as in love with you as anyone can be. Abby and Ducky will be there for him, you don't have to take that burden on your shoulders."

She just held him for a couple of minutes. "I like her. Shannon. I like her a lot, and Kelly is wonderful. And I'm so happy for you. I know this complicates your life, and that you're going to second guess and wonder what you did wrong, but don't get lost in that bull, Jethro. Live for these moments instead of the what should have beens and what might bes. We're going to find out who did this and deal with them."

She paused, looking at him now. "I have a couple of places, a yacht, a townhome, that are untraceable. Under the cover of darkness, I'm moving everyone to the townhome. We'll have McGee strip the GPS chips out of the cell phones, we'll get some disposables. I trust everyone in there with my life, and I know you do as well. We limit our flow of information to those we trust with our lives."

"Is the townhouse big enough for us all? I want someone on Kelly and Shannon at all times, maybe even Ziva staying in their room with them. Her inside and someone outside the door. I think both of them would feel better having a female on the inside, I know I would feel better. But this isn't just Kelly and Shan, it's all of us. I want my whole team moved off site."

"Four bedrooms, only two entrances, one of which can be secured and sealed from the inside, bulletproof glass, sun filters that make seeing inside impossible, panic room. It could sleep ten to twelve. Let me take logistics here, Jethro. Back off, and that is an order." Her hand went into his hair and she stroked it lightly. "I can't put into words how happy I am that you and Shannon have the choice to decide your own futures."