Storytime with Rachel F Hundred

The graveyard was empty. 

Rain fell steadily down in a relentless drizzle that suited Jim’s mood.  He kept the black umbrella Bones had foisted on him over his head as he straightened from leaving the small bouquets of flowers which he’d brought with him.  He stared at the two headstones, his whole body vibrating with sadness and grief.

“George Samuel Kirk II, Beloved husband and father”

“Aurelan Kirk, Beloved wife and mother”

Jim reached out and gently touched his brother’s headstone.  He brushed it clean of a damp leaf and drew back.  “Sorry I wasn’t here for your funeral, Sam,” he said softly, “I didn’t even hear until…”

His throat closed up on the memory.  His team had just returned from a classified mission in Afghanistan.  He’d received orders to report to his CO immediately and…

Pike had tried to break it to him gently.

“They say you and Aurie saved the rest of the research facility putting the lab into lockdown when the containment breach on the virus happened,” Jim said out loud.  “You’re both heroes.”  He swallowed hard against the lump in his throat. 

Damn it.

He was the one who had followed their late father into the Navy; who had become a SEAL.  If anyone was meant to die in some foolishly reckless heroic act…

He sighed and blinked back tears.  “Sorry I missed the funeral.”

Anger stirred briefly in his breast.  His mother hadn’t waited.  Sure, he wasn’t close to his family, but his relationship with Sam had improved the past couple of years since he’d married Aurie; he would have liked to have been there. 

He rocked back on the black shoes he wore and wished he was in his usual combat gear instead of the smart black suit he had chosen in deference to his mother’s dislike for his uniform. 

Jim shook his head and turned away from the graves.  He might not have ever known about his brother’s death if it hadn’t been for the notice of the will reading and the lawyers contacting the Navy to request his presence.

He checked his watch as he walked back up the small path to the cemetery’s parking lot.  His bright blue eyes took in three waiting figures at the end of the path and he forced himself to keep walking towards them.

“Lieutenant Commander Kirk,” the oldest of the three stepped out of the shelter of their umbrellas to intercept him, seemingly heedless of the rain falling.  He revealed a badge with NCIS credentials before stowing it away again.  “Special Agent Gibbs,” the NCIS agent introduced himself crisply, “these are my team; Special Agents DiNozzo and Todd.”

Jim nodded at the two younger agents, both incredibly attractive and who on another day he’d probably have been flirting up a storm with.  “You’re investigating Sam’s death.”

Pike had mentioned the NCIS investigation to him.  Sam was listed as Jim’s next of kin and so it followed NCIS would have been pulled in.

“Yes,” Gibbs confirmed sharply.  “We’ve been waiting for you, Commander.”

Irritation crawled over Jim and the inner need for rebellion which had never quite left him even after years in the Navy sparked dangerously.  He glared at Gibbs and went to retort…

“Our condolences on your loss,” DiNozzo jumped in. 

His words, sincere and simple, soothed Jim’s frayed nerves; softened the sharp edge in his temper that had flared to life.

And God, DiNozzo’s vibrant gaze met his and Jim was lost to the frisson of connection that sang through his veins.

Bones was going to kill himself laughing, Jim thought with half-hysterically.  Only Jim would fall head over heels in lust for an agent in the midst of investigating his brother’s death; inappropriate and inconvenient – not that had ever stopped Jim, and at least he didn’t have the threat of DADT hanging over his head anymore after the repeal.  He took a breath and drew on his training to cover his reaction.

“Thank you.  I’m afraid this isn’t a good time,” Jim said, shifting his gaze to Gibbs.  “I need to find a cab and get to the will reading…”

“DiNozzo will take you,” Gibbs cut in briskly.

Jim’s eyes narrowed on the older man.

“I will?” DiNozzo said with apparent surprise. 

Jim caught the quick look that was exchanged between DiNozzo and Gibbs.

“Right, of course, I’ll take him, Boss,” DiNozzo said quickly. 

The bumbling swiftness of his speech, the use of the ‘Boss’ rather than name…it was all meant to give the impression of a surprised young agent jumping to his superior’s sudden bidding, Jim realised.  He also sensed DiNozzo was neither surprised nor that kowtowed by his boss.  The smirk on the female agent’s face almost sold it though, because she was surprised and almost gleeful at Gibbs throwing DiNozzo at Jim.  

“Shall we, Commander?” DiNozzo stepped back, revealing a path through the agents.

Jim shrugged and made his way past Gibbs and Todd, nodding to them crisply.  DiNozzo fell into step beside him and ushered him into a fairly generic agency car parked close to the path.

Jim settled into the passenger seat as DiNozzo drove smoothly out of the cemetery.  He glanced over to him.  DiNozzo was a really attractive man, Jim thought wistfully; dark hair, athletic body encased in a good suit under the shapeless Mac, and competent…

“Aren’t you meant to be seducing me into telling you everything about my brother?” asked Jim casually, as they swung a left onto a main street that would take them towards his family’s solicitors.

DiNozzo shot him a glance, amusement flickering over his features.  “I figured I’d save us both the pretence.”

Jim settled in his seat so he could look at DiNozzo fully.  “Your boss won’t be mad at you?”

“Gibbs?” DiNozzo shook his head, a small smile lifting up the corners of his mouth.  “Gibbs threw me at you as a distraction.”

“A distraction?” asked Jim curious.

“He and Cait are going to arrest the guy who killed your brother,” DiNozzo informed him.

Jim blinked.  “Sam was killed?”

“He found anomalies in the research data, he was going to report it to the authorities,” DiNozzo explained, compassion edging his tone again, even if his words were succinct.  “The owner of the lab…he arranged an accident with the help of one of the technicians.  She sang like a canary when we got her in interrogation last night.”

Jim took a deep breath, rage filling him for a long moment.  His brother had been killed!  Jim grappled with the strong urge to demand for the car to be stopped; to get out and start running; to hunt down his brother’s killer and kill him with his bare hands. 

No.

That would be too quick.

Jim took a gasping breath, seeking air.  “My brother was killed?!”

“I’m sorry.”

Jim nodded, gulped down the edge of tears. 

They sat in silence for a long moment.

The steady hum of the car engine, the beat of the wipers on the windscreen helped Jim regulate his breathing, helped him calm down and assess the situation instead of just reacting.

“Gibbs went to arrest the guy?” Jim checked.

DiNozzo nodded.

“You’re sure it’s…”

“Absolutely sure,” DiNozzo said.

Jim’s eyes stung with sudden emotion.  “Does my Mom know?”

“No,” DiNozzo said.  “She’ll be informed once Gibbs has secured the confession.”

His words were said with the absolute certainty that Gibbs would secure a confession; DiNozzo didn’t doubt it and so neither did Jim.

Jim looked over at the agent.  “You weren’t meant to tell me, were you?”

DiNozzo lifted an eyebrow and shrugged.

“Your boss going to be mad at you for that?” Jim asked. 

“He’ll remember you’re actually SEAL Team Five’s CO and not just a player led around by your dick eventually,” DiNozzo said smartly.

Jim swiped a hand over his face, smudging away the shock of wetness under his eyes.  He shook his head and tried to recover his composure.  He used his usual default; cockiness and a smart mouth.  “You know I have something of a reputation about my dick.”

DiNozzo nodded.  “So do I.”

And just like that Jim knew DiNozzo knew.  Knew all his masks, knew all his evasions.  Knew because DiNozzo used them just the same. 

“Does he remember you’re not just a player led around by your dick?” asked Jim curious.

DiNozzo didn’t reply, but he grinned, sharp and swift, and so fleetingly Jim wondered if he’d imagined it.

They pulled up in front of an elegant building.

Jim looked at the awning and realised they’d reached their destination.  Another few minutes and he’d have to go inside, face his mother.  He bit his lip.  Some SEAL he was, Jim thought with weary humour; afraid of his own mother. 

“My mother died when I was eight,” DiNozzo said suddenly.

Jim turned to look at him with a frown.

“My father hasn’t been able to look at me since,” DiNozzo confided with an understanding glint in his eye.

God; DiNozzo really did know all his secrets.

Jim grimaced.  “My Dad sent her out of the embassy when the terrorists attacked because she was pregnant with me.”  And then she’d watched the building blow up as her helicopter had taken her to safety.  “She’s never forgiven me.”  For that, and for joining the Navy like his father.

“It’s her loss,” DiNozzo said firmly.

Jim stared at him for a second.  Bones had said the same thing to him once when he’d confessed his childhood neglect half-way through a bottle of tequila on their first leave after Hell Week.  Jim had wanted to believe Bones, but he hadn’t.  Somehow hearing DiNozzo say the same thing though…

“Yes,” Jim said and believed it.  He held DiNozzo’s gaze.  “Your father’s loss too.”

DiNozzo smiled crookedly.  He tilted his head towards the building.  “You’d best get going.”

Jim looked at him, feeling the slide from lust into friendly affection, the sense that he’d met someone who could understand him, flaws and all.  Like Bones only with the added sense that this could be more than friendship.  He wondered how far he would slide if he let himself continue sliding; if he and DiNozzo spent time together…

“Will you wait for me?” asked Jim.

DiNozzo’s gaze looked at him intently, searching for something.  “Do you want me to wait, Commander?”

The question was laden with meaning; they weren’t talking about the car ride and they both knew it.

“It’s Jim,” he said firmly, “and…I want you to wait for me.”

DiNozzo nodded, decisively.   “Tony,” he offered, “and I’ll wait.”

“Tony,” repeated Jim. 

He took a deep breath and got out of the car. 

He adjusted the black suit, straightening and smoothing it.  He headed inside.  He still ached with grief and anger over Sam’s death, still feared the imminent confrontation with his mother, but a sense of comfort and calm settled over him.  Hope and anticipation of taking a slide into a future with someone.

He glanced back and found Tony, leaning against the car and watching him.

Jim strode forward into the building; the sooner he had the meeting, the sooner he’d be done with it.  Tony was waiting.

fin.