Man With the Answers
Jun. 1st, 2018 11:57 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
madimpossibledreamerThere are actually 3 Xander Gibbsverses, 2 distinguished by Halloween costume (Dante and Ollie respectively) and there's another one sitting in my drafts somewhere where Xander grew up most of his life as a Joestar and Gibbs is dating Jessica. Because, y'know, she's an awesome redhead.
~Dreamer~
Main Points:
Buffy the Vampire Slayer/NCIS/Arrow (yeah, I know, my whole life is out of control so you get this nonsense ;) BWAHAHAHA I CANNOT BE STOPPED)
Chapter Summary: Xander sits through a very strange interrogation.
Word Count: 1045
Rating: Gen
This Xander blinks. For the first time, he doesn’t look in control of the situation, like he’s playing with them. “What does that have to do with anything?” is the only response he can come up with. Usually, Gibbs enjoys this moment, when he throws the interrogated off their game, but given Abby’s little revelation not a minute earlier, he can’t quite celebrate his success.
“Just answer the question,” he barks, because he’s not ready to explain something he still hasn’t quite processed.
The kid tenses, but not in the way a civilian would. He fidgets, but it appears more like a controlled way of letting his restless energy out than simply of nervousness. “Yes, but then, you would’ve known that if you just glanced at the internet, and I figure Cute Goth Chick wouldn’t have interrupted with the grand news that the figured out who my parents are. Just an FYI if you want to talk to her for anything, she’s not going to be of much help, considering she kinda got herself committed, y’know, mentally.” Interesting. He finally decided to play for real. The information is a little disturbing, though. Xander lets out a sigh. “Look, how did those marines die?”
It’s Gibb’s turn to be taken aback, because if this Xander—his son—had watched as many crime shows as he’d mentioned, he’d know that was exactly the sort of question Gibbs couldn’t answer.
“Right, fine, I can be the one with the words in this situation. I do that a lot. The only weapons I really know how to use are swords, and knives, and bows.”
That’s…a really odd, and specific, group. “What about guns?” he asks quietly.
“Can’t stand ‘em,” is the rapid-fire answer, and Xander glances over again, laughs nervously, and fidgets. Again. “Oh, I know you’re packing, as was DiNozzo. I’ve been trying not to think about it. Thinking about it makes me nervous and nervous makes me out of control and out of control makes me nervous and it’s this whole vicious cycle. I mean, there’s a pinch of ‘they’re not medieval enough for me’ coupled with ‘the love of my best friend-slash-sister-for-life was shot to death in her arms’ and none of us really get along with guns, except for maybe Faith, but she’s honestly kind of nuts, so…” He shrugs helplessly.
Gibbs takes note of that, and also takes note of the fact that this Faith makes his son nervous, too. It makes him angry, but if he gets any angrier, Xander will think the anger’s directed at him, and he’s hardly making the best first impression as it is. “My gut says you’re innocent,” though that might be the ‘family takes priority’ part of him, “…so why are you stalling? Why won’t you tell us what you saw?”
An emotion he can’t read passes through Xander’s eyes, before he gives out a small chuckle. “So this is it. Cards on the table.” He takes a small breath. “Okay, here it is. Some of the stuff I saw was classified. Classified in a way that your team isn’t allowed to know.”
“You’re from another agency?” Gibbs asks. The surprise must have shown, somehow, given Xander’s reaction.
“Kinda? The ISWC. It’s international. I’m taking a break.” He’s still not saying everything, but he’s saying as much as he thinks he can get away with. That’s a good sign.
“Why?” Surely that much, at least, can be verified.
Xander winces. “Our last…mission…didn’t go well. For anybody. But especially for the people who died. It was decided that I should try to figure out what passes for civilian life these days.”
Gibbs suppresses a chuckle at that last statement, even with the anger and worry about his son. “How’s that going?”
Xander groans. “It’s retail. It’s going about as well as you could expect.” He shrugs. “I mean, I’d prefer carpentry, or construction, since I’m actually both good at those and enjoy them, but all the paperwork saying I have previous experience went down with Sunnydale, so…”
“Is that a ship?” Gibbs asks, and gets a very odd look in response.
“No, it is not a ship. Sunnydale, California? Town eaten alive by sinkhole, news at 11?” Right. That had made national news, but other than ‘natural disaster’, very little had been said about it. Probably Xander’s hometown, then, forever lost in the past. “Don’t worry, it’s probably better it no longer exists on maps.” That’s…actually more like the opposite of reassuring. “Anyway, I’m not sure what any of this has to do with suspicious Marine deaths in Maryland, unless you’re looking into me and my psychology and what makes me tick. It probably is, isn’t it?”
“What makes you think these cases belong to the ISWC?” Gibbs responds, and gets a knowing look in return.
“A gut feeling. I know you understand that sort of thing.” That nearly earns a smile. Fortunately, Gibbs’ poker face is legendary. “Something seemed off about the scene. I still haven’t processed what it was, yet.” And for the first time, Xander allows some of his own vulnerability to show. “I hate seeing civilian deaths. We, and by this statement I include you, really should be able to prevent this sort of thing. I mean, right?”
“They were Marines. Not civilians.” It’s an odd distinction to make.
“Ahh, and for the first time in a long while, I get a response that isn’t a question. Yes, true. And, I mean, obviously, the US isn’t the haven of comfort and safety we all would like it to be, but it sure should be.” From a joker like DiNozzo to a battered war veteran to a protector. Just what had happened to his son all these years?
“I can’t argue with that.” Being out of a job would be worth it if no more Marines or their families were dying on American soil. Unfortunately, that’s not the way the real world works.
“Gibbs?” Another interruption, but it’s slightly less annoying when he knew it was coming. Xander’s probably right, it’s the ISWC, angry about the fact that their agent got arrested.
Still, this isn’t the end of it, even if it’s (hopefully) in a less official capacity next time.
~Dreamer~
Main Points:
Buffy the Vampire Slayer/NCIS/Arrow (yeah, I know, my whole life is out of control so you get this nonsense ;) BWAHAHAHA I CANNOT BE STOPPED)
Chapter Summary: Xander sits through a very strange interrogation.
Word Count: 1045
Rating: Gen
“Was Jessica Harris your mother?”
This Xander blinks. For the first time, he doesn’t look in control of the situation, like he’s playing with them. “What does that have to do with anything?” is the only response he can come up with. Usually, Gibbs enjoys this moment, when he throws the interrogated off their game, but given Abby’s little revelation not a minute earlier, he can’t quite celebrate his success.
“Just answer the question,” he barks, because he’s not ready to explain something he still hasn’t quite processed.
The kid tenses, but not in the way a civilian would. He fidgets, but it appears more like a controlled way of letting his restless energy out than simply of nervousness. “Yes, but then, you would’ve known that if you just glanced at the internet, and I figure Cute Goth Chick wouldn’t have interrupted with the grand news that the figured out who my parents are. Just an FYI if you want to talk to her for anything, she’s not going to be of much help, considering she kinda got herself committed, y’know, mentally.” Interesting. He finally decided to play for real. The information is a little disturbing, though. Xander lets out a sigh. “Look, how did those marines die?”
It’s Gibb’s turn to be taken aback, because if this Xander—his son—had watched as many crime shows as he’d mentioned, he’d know that was exactly the sort of question Gibbs couldn’t answer.
“Right, fine, I can be the one with the words in this situation. I do that a lot. The only weapons I really know how to use are swords, and knives, and bows.”
That’s…a really odd, and specific, group. “What about guns?” he asks quietly.
“Can’t stand ‘em,” is the rapid-fire answer, and Xander glances over again, laughs nervously, and fidgets. Again. “Oh, I know you’re packing, as was DiNozzo. I’ve been trying not to think about it. Thinking about it makes me nervous and nervous makes me out of control and out of control makes me nervous and it’s this whole vicious cycle. I mean, there’s a pinch of ‘they’re not medieval enough for me’ coupled with ‘the love of my best friend-slash-sister-for-life was shot to death in her arms’ and none of us really get along with guns, except for maybe Faith, but she’s honestly kind of nuts, so…” He shrugs helplessly.
Gibbs takes note of that, and also takes note of the fact that this Faith makes his son nervous, too. It makes him angry, but if he gets any angrier, Xander will think the anger’s directed at him, and he’s hardly making the best first impression as it is. “My gut says you’re innocent,” though that might be the ‘family takes priority’ part of him, “…so why are you stalling? Why won’t you tell us what you saw?”
An emotion he can’t read passes through Xander’s eyes, before he gives out a small chuckle. “So this is it. Cards on the table.” He takes a small breath. “Okay, here it is. Some of the stuff I saw was classified. Classified in a way that your team isn’t allowed to know.”
“You’re from another agency?” Gibbs asks. The surprise must have shown, somehow, given Xander’s reaction.
“Kinda? The ISWC. It’s international. I’m taking a break.” He’s still not saying everything, but he’s saying as much as he thinks he can get away with. That’s a good sign.
“Why?” Surely that much, at least, can be verified.
Xander winces. “Our last…mission…didn’t go well. For anybody. But especially for the people who died. It was decided that I should try to figure out what passes for civilian life these days.”
Gibbs suppresses a chuckle at that last statement, even with the anger and worry about his son. “How’s that going?”
Xander groans. “It’s retail. It’s going about as well as you could expect.” He shrugs. “I mean, I’d prefer carpentry, or construction, since I’m actually both good at those and enjoy them, but all the paperwork saying I have previous experience went down with Sunnydale, so…”
“Is that a ship?” Gibbs asks, and gets a very odd look in response.
“No, it is not a ship. Sunnydale, California? Town eaten alive by sinkhole, news at 11?” Right. That had made national news, but other than ‘natural disaster’, very little had been said about it. Probably Xander’s hometown, then, forever lost in the past. “Don’t worry, it’s probably better it no longer exists on maps.” That’s…actually more like the opposite of reassuring. “Anyway, I’m not sure what any of this has to do with suspicious Marine deaths in Maryland, unless you’re looking into me and my psychology and what makes me tick. It probably is, isn’t it?”
“What makes you think these cases belong to the ISWC?” Gibbs responds, and gets a knowing look in return.
“A gut feeling. I know you understand that sort of thing.” That nearly earns a smile. Fortunately, Gibbs’ poker face is legendary. “Something seemed off about the scene. I still haven’t processed what it was, yet.” And for the first time, Xander allows some of his own vulnerability to show. “I hate seeing civilian deaths. We, and by this statement I include you, really should be able to prevent this sort of thing. I mean, right?”
“They were Marines. Not civilians.” It’s an odd distinction to make.
“Ahh, and for the first time in a long while, I get a response that isn’t a question. Yes, true. And, I mean, obviously, the US isn’t the haven of comfort and safety we all would like it to be, but it sure should be.” From a joker like DiNozzo to a battered war veteran to a protector. Just what had happened to his son all these years?
“I can’t argue with that.” Being out of a job would be worth it if no more Marines or their families were dying on American soil. Unfortunately, that’s not the way the real world works.
“Gibbs?” Another interruption, but it’s slightly less annoying when he knew it was coming. Xander’s probably right, it’s the ISWC, angry about the fact that their agent got arrested.
Still, this isn’t the end of it, even if it’s (hopefully) in a less official capacity next time.
