What's Going to Happen: NCIS

Chapter 22

Melissa's POV:

"Gibbs?"

He stands there with a smile. I don't get to smile back before he invites himself in. Of course, I would have done that myself. He just caught me by surprise.

I close the door and turn to him. "What? You can stop by my place and I can't yours?" He smirks. I know he's joking.

I hear James groan and him and his cane walk over to us. "Gibbs, nice to have you stop by. Would you like some coffee?"

"I already have it made." I walk into the kitchen without waiting for him to respond. I know he would never turn down a good cup of coffee, and he liked it the morning that he spent with all of us.

When I'm done getting the coffee, I walk over to the men who have made themselves comfortable in front of the TV. They seemed to be finishing a conversation. They must have been talking low because I didn't hear anything where I was. I'm happy to come back and see the tiniest smile on both their faces.

I hand him his coffee. He thanks me and I take a seat next to him. He looks at me closely. I smile and try to shy away until he speaks.

"Your eye is better."

I nod. "Thank you."

James goes on to tell him that I wasn't using heat on my other bruises. He said that they have all gotten better. I'm just glad they haven't seen all of them.

"Others?" Oh shit.

I forgot at the hospital, Ziva was the only one to see the bruises. I walked out of the hospital with the pants and jackets. No one saw anything besides my eye. Damn, I wish James hadn't just said anything. I don't want him to think anything of it.

"Oh, I see." He stares at my legs. I forgot that I was wearing shorts. I just lightly smile at him and watch him sip his coffee.

"How is everyone?" I ask.

"Good. They all miss you."

"I miss them." Trying to say it low because I remember the talk James and I just had.

Gibbs takes a long sip of his coffee and places it down. "I'm actually here because I wanted to see what you think about coming back to work soon?"

My mouth drops and my shoulders fall along with it. I didn't think that would be the reason he was here. I figured he wanted to tell me about what's going on there or just see how I was. I didn't think he would be giving me the go ahead.

"I would love to." I beam.

"Now I don't mean tomorrow or anything." Oh. "But just be ready for a phone call from me one night saying to be ready for the next day."

I shake my head. I thought that was going to be the signal that I can go in tomorrow, but he's right. I would love to go in now and see everyone, now that I have taken time to myself and realized, people have gone through worse than I have and make it back to work sooner than me. Or just their ordinary lives. My ordinary life is work and the people there. I can't wait. He's right to tell me ahead of time so I can prepare and get my head ready for whatever he has waiting for me.

I want to ask him what I will be doing when I get back, but I don't want to ask in front of James. I don't want him to freak out and get nervous like he did the first day of work. Even thought he was doing it internally. I had no idea he felt that way until this morning and I'm glad he finally got that out of his system. This way he can relax more, and I have reassurance that he cares about me. We haven't talked about everything that has to be talked about, but we will get there when the time comes. Also, Gibbs doesn't need a front row seat to that conversation.

"Sure. Okay." I say, trying to hide my smile. It isn't working. I can tell by the way Gibbs is trying to hide his smile from me too.

"That's good news to hear." James says as he gets up. "If you will excuse me. Nature is calling."

I make a disturbed face that he had to announce that at all. He never has told me where he was going before, so just hearing that made my heart stop. Gibbs looks unphased by it.

"I miss you too by the way." I say in a whisper. I know Gibbs' type and not putting his emotion's out there. I do miss having him around and asking me to do things. I miss having our heart to hearts and not telling anyone about them because those are private and rare.

"I miss you too kid." He brings me into his arm and kisses me on the head. I smile, knowing that he can't see it. I just hope that he is smiling as big as I am.

When James gets back, Gibbs coffee is done and it's time for him to go. I hug him and he shakes James hand. I watch him as he gets in the car and drives away from our house.

I smile and walk past James to go to my room. I make it down the stairs and end up walking on the mattress Ziva was sleeping on not too many nights ago. A smile grows on my face and I squeal and jump up and down on the mattress. I fall on it and start kicking my feet in the air.

I can't believe my life is going back to normal. This is like the moment they accepted me. I was more nervous then because I was sure it was a joke considering the situation. I was doing what I'm doing now on the inside with more nerves.

I pick out all the outfits I want to wear this week. I have never been the type to do this, so I know I'm excited about this. It's hard to pick out what to wear because I don't know what I will be doing there. My mind goes through all the possibilities. I know I have to be somewhere where Gibbs will see me. I have to be a part of his team still if he is giving me the green light to go back.

Mostly all the pants are leggings and some of the cargo pants that go well with my t-shirts. It's what I wore my first month there through on out and I plan to come back the way I am. I remember my first day as I set the clothes out on the mattress that isn't being used. This is how it feels. I can't wait to go back.

I remember there are a few things I have to do before I go back to work. This is a situation I just can't through myself into the fire. I have to take baby steps.

Looking at the clothes I don't plan on wearing whenever I go back, I pick a pair of jeans and a heavy sweatshirt. I don't put a shirt underneath or anything. Just my bra and I put on my chucks that I haven't worn in a while.

When I walk up the stairs, I look out the window and see that it's nighttime all ready. I didn't know I could be confused about clothes for so long. Then, again, I waste time when I play music and I constantly skip songs to find one when I could just search for it. I just skip until it pops up on the playlist. I don't know why I'm this difficult I just am.

I go into the kitchen to get some water and see dishes have been used for James and his dinner. I really have no perception of time.

"There you are. I thought you went into shock after you heard the news about work. At least I know I don't have to call an ambulance."

I laugh. I actually laugh. I never worry about what would happen to me if James was here. I don't know if he even in the house when I was taken. I don't worry about it or ask about it because I worry more about not being here and him needing me. If it wasn't for our recent talk, I wouldn't be doing what I'm about to do.

I drink my water and walk past him in his chair. I turn around and notice he doesn't flinch.

"Um. I'm going to go out." I try to sound confident but my voice shakes.

"What?" He doesn't hesitate to turn as fast as he can to face me. "Why now?"

"Because I have to."

"What are you talking about?" I get my vagueness from him, I'm sure.

I take a breath. "There are something I have to do before I go to work. I haven't been out, at least in my car alone ever since. There are other things I have to do before then."

I can't believe we're having this conversation. We've been surprising ourselves lately. If he wants to know if I'm going to come back here and be his daughter, he has to know at least one thing about what I'm doing, and I just told him part of it. It counts for us.

He sighs and then a smile grow on his face. "If you're sure you're ready."