Boss Down...

Chap7

Gibbs walked to Jenny's office with his cane by his side.
"Cynthia..." he greeted her secretary and entered the office before she could tell him anything.
"Heard you came by the Navyward. I thought you weren't going to greet me. You said hello to everyone else first..."Jenny complained upon hearing her door open. She didn't even have to look up from what she was reading. Only Gibbs could enter her office without knocking.
"Hello Jen."
"So, what are you doing here?"
"Came to say hi to my team and talk to Ducky"
"Is there something wrong Jethro? Are you in any unusual pain?" She asked worried now... She knew that if Jethro wanted to talk to Ducky and he couldn't talk about it in the phone something was definitely wrong. He took his time sitting on the couch and she sat next to him her hand in his injured knee that was stressed on the coffee table. He put his arm around he shoulder and held her protectively. She leaned her head in his shoulder and he gently kissed her head.
"I'm fine Jen. I just wanted to ask him something and I thought that rather calling I could go for a walk. Get some fresh air. If you have any job to do I can leave. I don't want to disturb you.You are quite busy Madame Director..."
"Didn't keep you from bumping into my office before Special Agent Gibbs"
"Different times Jen..."
"Can't wait for you to be back... The office doesn't have the same...action. Did you go to Abby?"
"Nope. That where I'm headed to later if you don't want to sit with me five more minutes. My knee really needs the stretch." He smiled at her.
"Let me tell Cynthia to be left alone and to get you an ice pack."
She stood up before Gibbs could protest and she moved to the door.
"I know... No one gets in unless you give me the all clear and if it's absolutely necessary..." Cynthia talked before Jenny did originating a chuckle from Gibbs...
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Two days later Gibbs woke up a 7:00 from a peaceful sleep for the first time in a month. He went down the stairs more easily than he had before...
He thought that now that he was a bit more like himself that he could help his dad a little and make breakfast this morning. It was a special day today either way...
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"Morning Leroy! Woke late today. I'll go and make some breakfast." Jack greeted as he came into the living room.
"No need dad. I made scrambled eggs and bacon. I waited till you woke up to eat."
They ate in silence until Jack decided to break it.
"Good day today eh?"
"Yep. The best I had for a month."
"I think that the date might be helping..." Jack stood up and walked to one of the drawers in the hall. He opened it and took something from inside. Gibbs couldn't see what.
He came once again in the kitchen and walked towards his son kissing him in the forehead and giving him the package.
"Happy Birthday son."
"Thank you dad." He said and smiled. He opened the package as his dad sat down. It was a photo album. Pictures of his parents and him as a boy, pictures with Shanon and Kelly, his team, he and Jenny...all his good memories...
"Where did you find all these?" Gibbs asked surprised.
"Oh with a little help...You have a good team son"
"Thank you dad... Do they know?"
"I haven't told them... Why?"
"Nothing. We just don't celebrate birthdays because of the work. Apart from Abby's of course..."
"Yeah I understand... Well birthday boy what should we do?"
"How about a nice cup of Stillwater coffee? I was wondering if you would like to go back for a week or so? I could really use the change of surroundings."
"Yeah son. That'll be great!"
"Let me call Jenny to notify her  and then call Tim to book us two tickets for the next flight and then I'll grab a bag and we can go."
"Are you sure you don't want to spend your birthday here Leroy?"
"It's ok dad... I doubt they know it's my birthday anyway."
Gibbs Snr just shook his head and went to call John to tell him their plans.
"Hey Jen." Gibbs greeted when she picked up the phone.
"Hey handsome one... What can I do for you?" She asked him.
"I'll take my dad and go to Stillwater for a week or two... I just called to give you a sit rep. You can visit for the weekend..."
" That's a surprise...I plan to... Well I'll call later to see how you're doing,ok?"
"Yep" he hung up. Next it was Tim.
"McGee"
"Hey McGee I want two tickets for Stillwater. The first flight you see. Ok?"
"You're... You're leaving Boss? Today?"
"Yeah McGee why?"
"Nothing Boss! Two tickets right away!"
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"Tony! We have a problem!"
"What McAnxious?"
"Gibbs! He's leaving for Stillwater! Today!"
"Ok ok calm down. We can figure it out... I'll talk to Jenny. Call Abby. Ziva's with her. Then call Ducky. I think the team will have a trip to Stillwater to make..."
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Gibbs and Jack landed at the airport a good four hours later. Johnny picked them up and half an hour later they were at Jack's house.
"Make yourself comfortable son."
"Don't worry dad. I'll be fine... Go and check the store...I'll call Jenny to tell her we're here..."
After five dings Jenny picked up.
"Hey Jethro..."she greeted chuckling.
"Jen. We arrived. Ok?" He heard the engine of a car and someone talking from the background.
"Yeah ok!"
"You finished already from work Jen?"
"Nope I'm with some friends. We'll go and grab some lunch."
"Ok. Bye" he said and hung up a bit roughly. Hear, hear... He just left the city and there she was having fun with some "friends". Two wives had already cheated on him... He surely didn't believe that Jenny would do such thing but he had to admit that she had already left him once... He was boiling on the inside right now... He was sure that he was a bit red-ish on the outside too.
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"Mission accomplished..." Jenny announce as she closed her phone.
Ziva lowered the music in the car.
"Well done Madame Director! I'm sure the Bossman will never know what hit him!" Said a super-excited Abby from the backseat.
"In how long are we gonna be in Stillwater Ziva?" Jenny asked
"We are going to be there in an hour and a half...As for the boys I think they're going to be a little late... Have you talked to Jack?"
"Yeah.He said that he will leave the key to the store under the mat outside and to call him when we are finished with the decorations so that he can bring Gibbs."answered Jenny
"Yey! I loooove surprises! We are a super team! Go girls!" Squealed Abby taking a sip of what would now be her seventh Caf-Pow for the day...
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Gibbs had dozed off by six thirty when Jack finished filling in Johnny for the team's plan to come and put the decorations in order in the store. They had agreed that when Gibbs and Jack were gone for a cup of coffee, he would have to lock the store and leave the key under the doormat.As much as he didn't want to wake his son he really didn't want to risk staying in the house while the store was being decorated in case Jethro heard anything. Jenny had called and said that they'll be there in twenty minutes.So he decided that if he didn't want to ruin the plan, he would have to wake up Leroy now.
"Hey sleepyhead wake up! We are going for a cup of coffee." He said shaking Jethro's shoulder.
"Can't we go later?" Gibbs mumbled sleepily.
"Nope. I'll need your help in the store later. I have to tag the price in some cans.Now get up get dressed and meet me downstairs. You have five minutes."
After four minutes Gibbs walked down to the store fully dressed in cargo pants, working boots and a grey t-shirt ready to go.
"Johnny I'm depending on you..." Jack said with a wink...
"I know Mr Gibbs!" Johnny offered giving him the biggest of smiles.
"Come on Leroy...I'll drive..."
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Jenny true to her word arrived with Ziva and Abby twenty minutes after she hung up the phone with Jack and she got right to work...
"Ok... Ziva you get the cake and then help Abby, Abby you are in charge of the music and setting the table. I'll go and grab the foods. I hope DiNozzo isn't too late. They have to put up all the signs and the lights... That's gonna take a while..."
"I just spoke with DiNozzo and he said that they'll be here in five minutes..." Ziva informed her as she put the special birthday cake for Gibbs in the fridge.
Tony, Tim, Ducky and Jimmy arrived just as the girl team had finished making a buffet with all the foods they had made or gotten.
"Well ladies, the boys are in town!" Tony announced as he stepped in the store...
"It was about time DiNozzo! Come in hurry up! We don't have all day it's already 7:50!"
"On it Director!"
Sure, in twenty minutes and with the help of everyone the team had finished with the decorations and Jenny called Jack to let him know that they were ready for them.
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Jack's phone rang and he picked it up.
"Hello?....Yeah ok Johnny. We're on our way." He hung up. "Finish up Leroy...Johnny has closed up the store and we haven't even tagged the cans for tomorrow. Let me pay Whitney for the coffees."
"Nah. That's on me Dad... Come on let's go..."
They both took their canes, Gibbs payed and left.
In less than five minutes they arrived at the store. Nothing was out of normal. Jenny had Palmer drive the sedans in the back of the store so that Gibbs wouldn't know.
They approached the store and Gibbs went to unlock the door. It was pitch black until all of a sudden the lights went on and his team appeared from all different kind of places,scaring the hell out of him, yelling "HAPPY BIRTHDAY"
For the first time, Gibbs was at a loss of words. Jenny run and hugged him kissing him softly on the lips.
"Happy Birthday jealous guy! Thought that we could have forgotten?"
"Thanks Jen..."
They broke apart to leave the others say their wishes to Gibbs.
After a whole bunch of "thank you"s and hugs they had finally sat to eat. Gibbs was in the head of the table on the one side and Jack on the other.
"So, who had this great idea?" Gibbs asked
"Well it all started with Abby and we all then helped to make plans of the surprise until you called and said that you needed tickets for Stillwater Boss. We wouldn't have Jack involved but we had because we needed someone to distract you and give us the keys to the store. So, we made a plan B to set up the surprise party here." Tim offered.
Just then Ducky stood up his glass of wine in hand.
"Let me just make a toast. To our fearless leader, rock of our team, father of our family and dearest friend I wish the best in life and may whatever you wish for come true!"
"Well, thank you, Duck... I just have to say that I am a blessed man. I have the best family anyone could ask for. So let me toast to this. To the best family anyone could ask for! Cheers everybody!"
"Aw Gibbs that's so sweet...." Abby said and leaned in to kiss him on the cheek.
"If everyone has finished I'm gonna bring the cake now ok?" Jenny stood up and went to the kitchen.
She brought the box in front of Gibbs and opened it.
It was a cake with a navy blue frosting and a white anchor on it. With calligraphic white letters the sentence "Happy Birthday Agent Gibbs" was written on it. Jenny lighted up a candle in the center of the cake and then started to sing the happy birthday song.
"Make a wish Bossman!" Abby told him before he had the chance to blow it.
'I wish that my family here stays happy and safe' he thought and blew the candles...
"Now,now presents time!!! Love this part!" Abby took Gibbs' hand and lead him to the coffee table that Jackson had and in which they had their presents on
"Mine first!!!" She gave him a black wrapped box and he opened it. It was night vision gaggles.
"I noticed yours were getting a bit old. They have x35 zoom. I took them especially for your stake outs. They have your initials craved on."
"Wow...Thanks Abs" he kissed her on the cheek.
"Ok now Jethro it is my turn" Ducky got closer with his present.
Gibbs found it was a book. 'Wood-Crafting and it's secrets' the title had read.
"That will come in handy Duck" Gibbs thanked smiling.
"My turn Agent Gibbs..." Jimmy Palmer was next.
It was a wood carving set.
"That's a very nice crafting set Palmer"
He patted the young man in the back.
"And now the great DiNozzo's turn. I got you a DVD player Boss and a series of the best westerns. About time you got into the movie industry...The DVD connects to your TV. Tim will install it once you come back."
"Can't wait DiNozzo..." Gibbs chuckled a bit.
"I Boss, got you a high-tech security camera for your front door. I thought that with our job and you leaving your front door unlocked, it may come in handy. I will install it when I come to install the DVD player too."
"That's very thoughtful of you Tim"
"I, Gibbs, got you a new knife. It is a military one. Very sharp I might add. Doesn't hurt to have one more on you... It has your initials on the blade."
"Thank you Zivers."
"And last but not least my present.Come on open it up..." Jenny handed him a package. Gibbs carefully ripped open then wrap and opened the box.
It was a digital camera.
"Jack told me he got you an album, so I figured that you should fill it."
"Come on then let's take one right now..." Gibbs offered. "Tim set it up and gather around everybody... It's a family picture..."
After Tim had set it up and the pic was snapped everyone returned to eating the cake. Gibbs just sat in his chair looking at everyone happy and feeling whole for the first time since Shannon and Kelly. Yeah, it was good to have a family again.