Hardball

Things were slowly starting to get back to normal for the NCIS crew after Jaylyn’s partial miscarriage. Jenny was able to convince the doctor that had taken care of Jaylyn at the hospital that it would be fine to release Jaylyn into her and Jethro’s custody. The doctor was a bit reluctant and kept saying that Jaylyn was a suicide risk. It wasn’t until Jethro stepped in that the doctor relented and allowed Jaylyn’s release. Jenny had the spare bedroom set up for Jaylyn ahead of time. Jenny had also allowed Jaylyn to work half days since the miscarriage.

In light of Jaylyn's miscarriage, Ziva had not been acting like herself. And of course Tony took note of it. Ziva would leave for the day around the same time as Jaylyn or she’d stay until her adoptive/surrogate American father left to get coffee for himself, her adoptive/surrogate American mother and a Caf-Pow for Abby. Then there were the phone calls that Ziva would get throughout the day that piqued Tony’s attention. With every phone call Ziva received she’d speak in Hebrew so that her nosey partner would not know what was going on. Today was one of those days where she got a phone call and of course Tony was in the squad room. So was McGee, Jaylyn was in the ladies’ room while Jethro had stepped away.

“Agent David.” Ziva said when she answered her cell phone.

“Hi, it’s Mads and Asher is here too.” Madalyn said.

Ziva reverted to Hebrew before she answered.

“Madalyn do you have the phone speaker?”

“Yes I do, Asher can hear you.”

                “How was school today?” Ziva asked.

            “It was really, really good; I made you something during art class today and I sat next to Grant at snack time.” Asher said excitedly.

            “Mads, how about you?”

            “It was great; I played with Ashley and Amanda at recess.” Madalyn said just as excited as Asher was.

            Despite how much Tony was trying to disguise the fact that he was eavesdropping, Ziva knew that he was and excused herself.

            “Who do you think she’s talking to McNerd?” Tony asked once Ziva left.

            “I don’t know, Tony. If Ziva wanted to tell us who she is always talking to then she would have told us.”

            “It took her forever to tell us about CI Ray and introduce us to him.”

            “That’s cause you act like a child about everything, Tony.” Jaylyn said when she came back from the ladies’ room.

            “We don’t keep secrets on this team, Jay. You should know that by now or at least you should after all this time.” Tony said taking a verbal jab at his ex.

            “Leave her alone, DiNozzo.” Jethro said as he sat down at his desk.

            Jethro looked over to Ziva’s empty desk.

            “David get another phone call?” Jethro asked.

            “She was on her cell phone when I came back from the ladies’ room, Jethro.” Jaylyn said.

            On the other side of the stairs that lead up to MTAC and Jenny’s office, Ziva finally changed languages once again.

            “Sorry my babies, I wasn’t alone in the squad room.” Ziva said.

            “Was Daddy there?” Ziva’s son and daughter asked in unison.

            “Yes your dad was in the squad room with me. So was McGee.”

            “Is Daddy why you started speaking to us in Hebrew, mama?” Asher asked.

            “Yes he’s the reason. My native tongue is one of the few languages that he has a hard time understanding.”

            “Are we ever going to meet him? Are we ever going to get to meet the team, Mommy?”

            “Soon baby girl, soon.”

            “Mama, don’t you have a lunch with Jenny, Jaylyn and Abby today?” Asher asked.

            “I do.”

            “Take us with you, this way we get to meet them at least. Once we meet them then we can wait to meet Daddy and the guys.”

            “I don’t know, Jaylyn is still going through a hard time and seeing the two of you especially seeing Asher may set her off.”

            “Mommy please, we’ll be good; I promise.” Madalyn said.

            “Yeah please mama, like Maddy said we’ll be really, really good.”

            “Fine you two win. Tell Nanny Maria that I’ll be by to pick you up at noon.”

            “We will, bye mama.” Asher and Madalyn said in unison.

            “I love you guys.”

            “Love you too!!!!”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            By 12:05pm Ziva David walked over to the food court with her daughter on one side and her son on the other. It was now or never. The last thing she wanted to do was disappoint her kids.

            “Who are these two adorable little ones?” Jenny asked.

            “My son and daughter. Madalyn and Asher.”

            “Your what?” Jaylyn and Abby asked completely dumbfounded by the revelation.

            “We’re her son and daughter. I’m Madalyn and I’m eleven. This is my kid brother, Asher; he’s six.”

            “Eleven and six, Ziva? Is there something that you want to tell us?” Jenny asked already knowing the answer.

            “Tony is their dad and I haven’t told him about them yet.”

            “So you are telling us that you had Madalyn in August of 2005 and Asher in October of 2010?” Jaylyn questioned.

            “And didn’t tell any of us? Why?” Abby pressed.

            “Rule 12.”

            “Clearly that rule of his is pointless. Not only have Jethro and I broken it, but you and Tony have, so has…” Jenny cut herself off.

            “So have I and Kellan. It’s okay Jen, you can say it; I won’t fly off the deep end.”

            The collective sat down at a table that was able to seat all of them. Jaylyn stayed with Madalyn and Asher while the others went to get lunch.

            “Ms. Shepard.” Asher said as he tugged on Jaylyn’s sleeve.

            “Yes Asher.”

            “I’m sorry that you lost your little boys, I bet they are up in heaven watching over you and their sisters right now.”

            “Thank-you Asher. And you guys can call me Jay, it’s alright.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            Back at the Navy Yard within the walls of the agency; Tony, Jethro and McGee were sitting at their respective desks when they overheard Agent Kellan James trashing Jaylyn to a fellow agent as they walked by the squad room.

            “She’s a whore plain and simple man. Shepard gave me drink after drink and then seduced me into sleeping with her while I was in drunken stupor just so that she could play house and have the perfect little life that the Director has with Agent Gibbs. Jaylyn Shepard is nothing but desperate whore.” Kellan said.

            Upon hearing that despite his current feelings toward Jaylyn, Tony got up from his desk and shoved Agent James against the windows.

            “She’s not a whore, you son of a bitch. And in case you haven’t noticed she’s been going through hell as of late.” Tony said as he started beating up Kellan.

            Jethro and McGee rushed over to break the brawl apart. Once Jethro had separated his senior field agent from the asshole agent that knocked up his sister-in-law he pushed Tony in McGee’s direction.

            “Take him to the lounge or down to Autopsy and calm him down, McGee.”

            “On it Boss.”

            “C’mon Gibbs let me finish the bastard off.”

            “DiNozzo go calm down or I’m taking your gun and badge from you.”

            “But Boss.” Tony protested.

            “Go or I’m suspending you.”

             With that Tony left with McGee as instructed.

            “Thanks Agent Gibbs, I don’t see why Agent DiNozzo acted that way.”

            “Really, I can think of a reason.”

            “Oh that. What can I say your sister-in-law is a whore.”

            “You never did learn while you were at FLETC that you don’t piss off a Marine, did you?”

            With that Jethro took his turn beating the crap out of Agent James.

            “JAYLYN SHEPARD IS NOT A WHORE. YOU’RE THE SON OF THE BITCH THAT TOOK ADVANTAGE OF HER AND KNOCKED HER UP.  It’s a good thing that you chose not to be a part of everything cause she and my nieces are a hell of a lot better off without you in their lives.” Jethro said as he stood over the scrunched up Agent James.

            Jethro walked away to cool off.

            “Thought she was having quints. Three girls and two boys?” Kellan called after Jethro before Jethro had completely disappeared from sight.

            “She was, she miscarried HER SONS a few days ago. It’s just her and HER DAUGHTERS, and the support she gets from her family; you deadbeat scumbag.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            Some time later Agent James was walking into Jenny’s office to file a complaint against Jethro and Tony.

            “Ma’am I’d like to file a complaint against Agents Gibbs and DiNozzo for physically assaulting me earlier today.”

            “Complaint denied, Agent James.”

            “Why ma’am?”

            “Cause you verbally assaulted my sister and expected no repercussions after impregnating her; that’s why.”

            “So you’re letting your husband and Agent DiNozzo off on a technicality?”

            “How about you do yourself a favor Agent James; shut your mouth before it gets you into anymore trouble, hand over your gun and badge. And get the hell out of my agency.”

            “I was wrong before.  Both of you are whores and bitches.” Kellan said as he handed over his gun and badge.

            “GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE BEFORE I BEAT THE HELL OUT OF YOU!!!!!!”

            Kellan started for the door.

            “One more thing Agent James.”

            “Ma’am.”

            “You’re lucky you only dealt with my husband and Agent DiNozzo earlier. If you dealt with me, you’d have a bullet in your head as your corpse rested on one of Doctor Mallard’s cold tables.”

            With that threat Kellan left. On his way past the squad room he received death stares from everyone but Jaylyn who was guarded by Jethro and Ziva. Jenny had taken her place on the stairs that she had taken the night Jethro had retired.

            “Thanks for getting me suspended whore.” Kellan said to Jaylyn.

            With that last remark Ziva left Jaylyn and the others, pulled her sig from its holster and fired the same shot she had when she took Ari out in the basement of the house Jethro had shared with Shannon.

            “Don’t ever call her that again.”