Chapter Text
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23 September 2003 – Washington D.C.
"Was that a job offer?" Agent Caitlin Todd of the Secret Service called after Special Agent Gibbs as he got into a convertible with some red headed woman.
Ignoring Todd with a smirk, as it inevitably made people chomp at the bit, he turned to Jenny Shepard and frowned. "What's the matter, Jen?" His frown became more pronounced when she handed him a thick folder.
"Read that while I drive, Jethro," she said quietly. "This isn't something anyone can just tell you."
"Where are we going?" he asked as he flipped the folder open. He vaguely heard 'London' as he stared at pictures of Shannon and Kelley. "Where did you get this?" he asked.
She glanced at him as she continued driving ten over the speed limit to get to Dulles. "Keep reading. Third page. For what it's worth, I understand why you didn't tell me. However, I think…"
"Shannon was PREGNANT?" Gibbs yelled at her.
Not intimidated in the least, she kept glancing at him as she turned off the main turnpike. "He lived, Jethro! Your son is alive!"
"Wh-what? H-How?" Gibbs was for once at a complete loss. A son? He had a son?
Glancing at the rear view mirror, she changed lanes. "There should be a report in there from Scotland Yard, London. A blood sample taken from a young man who had a broken arm flagged their DNA database two months ago, after that international cooperation hoo-hah between the U.S. and Great Britain caused the two databases to merge or sink or swim, or whatever the computer term is."
More in control of himself, Gibbs asked the obvious question. "How did a civilian DNA profile get matched with Military or Civil Service?"
"What do you know of the Statute of Secrecy?" she countered.
Blinking, he caught on. "I'm a squib, Jenny. Shannon was a witch. Kelly was set to go to Salem that fall. What's that have to do with anything?"
"Your son is a wizard. The man who got your son's adoptive parents killed escaped prison two months ago. MI-5 ran your son's DNA through in order to see if there were any other relatives that Black would go after, either to get rid of or to hide with. Instead of that, your profile came up as his father. I don't know what happened, how it happened or why it happened. What I do know, is that I'm supporting my partner. The Director authorized a month's leave and informed MI-5 that you're coming to get your son out of there before Black does anything."
Something long forgotten swelled in Gibbs' infamous gut. Indignation. Outrage. Protectiveness. Leroy Jethro Gibbs had a son who was in danger. There was only one thing he could ask, though. "Is this real, Jenny?"
She looked at him as she pulled into the parking garage. "Very."
"When do we leave?" he asked through gritted teeth.
"Ten minutes. They're holding the plane."
"Well, get a move on!" he snapped.
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