Chapter Text
“I could have sworn I said I was never getting on a C-130 again,” Gibbs muttered as he propped his feet up on his duffle in an effort to get a bit more comfortable. He tried glaring in Jack’s direction but was met with an overly cheeky grin and a shrug of her shoulders. Gibbs just rolled his eyes at his blond companion.
“Well, I do seem to remember you saying that when you got back from Hawaii. But it appears as if you’d do anything for me,” Jack teased as she looped her arm through his and leaned her head against his shoulder.
“That’s probably true,” Gibbs whispered as he pressed a kiss to her forehead.
The plane’s engines roared to life and they settled in for the long flight. Jack put in her air pods to listen to some music, while Gibbs shoved the standard issues earplugs into his ears to try and get some sleep. He tossed blankets over both of them, made sure Jack had some water and snacks within reach before closing his eyes.
Two hours into the flight, Jack glanced to her left, feeling completely jealous of her companion’s ability to sleep anywhere. Gibbs was sound asleep, sitting upright, feet on his duffle, arms folded over his chest. Even with her music turned up she still couldn’t ignore the sounds of the engines or the general rumbling of the hulking aircraft. With her foot she snagged her backpack and opened it up, pulling out a granola bar and a folder. She reread all the information she had on the current situation for the third time. Making a few notes in the margins, she felt her eyes get heavy.
Eventually Jack did manage to doze off, getting a few hours of semi-restful sleep.
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“Jack,” Gibbs said as he nudged her shoulder, speaking loudly in her ear over the roar of the plane’s engines.
“Are we here?” Jack muttered as she rubbed as the eyes and stretched out her legs to get some blood flowing.
“Did you really think you’d sleep through this thing landing?” Gibbs teased as he brushed back the hair that had escape from her ponytail, gently tucking it behind her ear. Jack just chuckled. “About another 10 minutes,” he said, tapping the headset he had on. With Jack sleeping and his book not holding his attention he’d put on the headset a few hours earlier to chat with the crew to pass the time.
They stowed away any loose belongings and braced themselves for the less than soft landing.
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Jack and Gibbs took a walk and patrolled the perimeter of the compound as they had done every night after dinner for the almost two weeks they’d been in Afghanistan. As usual, when they came around the last bend heading for their quarters, they were joined by a small group of the girls and a stray dog or two. The girls chatted about their respective days, each vying for the attention of the adults. When they got back to their tent Jack and Gibbs headed inside. She was going inside to check in with Leon, provided she could get a good connection. Communication was spotty at times, but they had quickly gotten used to it and had adapted when necessary. The two remaining girls waited outside, chatting animatedly, slipping immediately back into their native language after Gibbs went in the tent to secure the weapon he’d had on him when he was walking the perimeter. He grabbed the soccer ball which had rolled under his bunk. When Jack got the sat link up and running, he waved a quick greeting to Leon, kissed Jack on the top of her head and went back outside with the girls for a few minutes of soccer, another one of their nightly routines.
“English, you two,” Gibbs said with a chuckle as he pointed to his new friends.
“Yes, Gibbs,” they said with twin grins.
The trio kicked the ball around a little as the sun dipped lower in the sky. The girls’ laughter, along with Gibbs own chuckles alerted more girls that a game was underway. Pretty soon there were half a dozen girls running around, laughing and just enjoying an everyday childhood activity, one millions of children took for granted.
Jack, spurred on by the sounds coming from outside, sped up here conversation with Leon. The tent flaps were open to let in the breeze and Leon was soon well aware that he was keeping Jack from something much more enjoyable than talking with him.
“I think you’re missing your game,” Leon teased as he started to pace around MTAC, well aware he needed to end the call to get to his next meeting. “Tell those girls to go easy on Gibbs. I need him back in one piece,” he chuckled.
“I will,” Jack said as she pulled her hair back into a bun. “And Leon, thanks for not asking when we’re coming back,” she said with a little smile. Leon just nodded, gave a little wave and disconnected the call.
Jack kicked off her boots as she took a few deep breaths. While Leon had been very understanding since the moment she and Gibbs had decided to head to Afghanistan, it was only a matter of time before she and Gibbs needed to have a serious conversation and to make some decisions. But for the moment the giggling girls were going to get her immediate attention.
Jack joined in their game, to the delight of all the girls and Gibbs.
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When the sun dipped below the horizon and the last light of day faded, Gibbs gathered the girls together and started to walk them to their quarters. It wasn’t very far and he could plainly see them the whole way from where his and Jack’s quarters were, but walking with them to get them settled for the night was quickly becoming another nightly ritual. The littlest two grabbed his hands as they did every night. The action, although by then was fully expected, still tended to catch him by surprise, just a bit.
“Jack, are you coming?” one of them yelled over their shoulder.
“I’ll be there in a minute, get ready for bed. Pajamas on, faces washed and teeth brushed,” Jack yelled as she closed the tent flap behind her as she was going to get changed herself.
She shimmied out of the cargo pants, pulling on a pair of black leggings and a familiar red USMC hoodie. A brush was quickly run through her hair and she shoved her feet back into her sneakers as Gibbs came back. She glanced around the tent, clearly looking for something. Gibbs realized what she was looking for a pointed towards a pile of books and files next to the computer.
“Thanks,” Jack replied with a grin as she grabbed her well-worn copy of Little House in the Big Woods. She’d been reading it to the girls after they settled in bed for the night. Delighted to share her favorite childhood book with them, Jack knew it also helped them a bit with their English.
“Have fun. You want some tea when you get back?” Gibbs said as he pulled his hat off, rubbing his hand roughly through his hair.
“Yeah, sounds good,” Jack answered as the tent flap flapped closed behind her.
Gibbs took a minute to kick off his boots and stretch a little. He wandered around the tent as much as was possible, it wasn’t exactly roomy but it was however, slightly more comfortable that he had anticipated.
They’d been there for almost two weeks and he knew it was only a matter of time before he, and Jack, were summoned before Leon to make plans to return to DC. Deep down, Gibbs also knew he’d be returning to DC alone.
While a dusty compound in Afghanistan wasn’t a beach bar in Cosa Rica or any other exotic place Jack had dreamed about recently, it was where she belonged. Gibbs knew that. And so, it was also just a matter of time before he would be having a serious conversation with Jack about the future, or at least the very near future.
Gibbs ran a hand over his face, willing himself to think about something else. He focused his attention on the tea he promised Jack. Sitting on his bunk he put on his sneakers before pulling his hat back on, grabbing some teas bags from Jack’s secret stash and heading to the building which served as both the mess hall and the school for the girls. He flicked on the propane stove, setting the old, battered tea kettle on the slightly rusty burner. While he waited for the water to boil he grabbed some mugs, noticing as he did each time he reached for one, that the mugs were the same heavy white industrial ones found at his favorite diner.
When the water boiled, he dropped in the tea bags and carefully carried the mugs outside. He climbed up the little hill overlooking the compound and waited for Jack to arrive. Sometimes her tea was all but cold by the time she arrived, other times, like that night, the girls had settled quickly and her tea was still hot.
“Guess they fell asleep early,” Gibbs muttered as Jack dropped down next to him, not worrying about the dust and grime.
“They had a busy day, out like a light,” she said as she took the mug from him, clinking it gently against his.
“Leon have much to say?” Gibbs asked, his eyes scanning the horizon out of habit. As one of the few males around he felt rather protective of all the girls, young and not so young.
“Not much. I know he wanted to say something. And sooner or later I’m going to have to have a serious conversation with him,” Jack admitted as she snuggled against Gibbs’ side with a sigh.
“Yeah,” Gibbs muttered quietly as he pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “And I guess before you have that talk with Leon, the two of us need to talk.”
“Yeah, we do,” Jack said.
“After tea?” Gibbs suggested.
“And before bourbon,” Jack added softly.