Work Text:
The shift in air was immediate, he notes turning away from where he had been watching over the little one, his tail tapping softly against the wooden chair. His owner had taken a phone call that sounded like an argument between husband and wife… again, he sighs
The bronze dog jumps off the chair he was sitting on near the crib, with a nimbleness that only a dog that was used to a baby could conquer. Then goes over to her as the telltale thump of the receiver is set down, the call has ended. The woman turned to him, “He took another protection detail, Courage.” Her voice carried a note of worry. His bronze ears flattened, Junie didn’t have to specify who she was talking about… Courage didn’t know much, but he knew his owner better than anyone.
Four protection details in nearly just as many months. I understand, but this is getting ridiculous! He raised his head up to look at Junie, giving a soft lick to her hand. “He’s coming to pick you up,” she continued, grabbing the dog’s collar and leash from the hanger to get him ready for the case
Of course, his owner was requesting him, Courage had been trained for protection, but he had the most important protection detail right here. His tail droops as he turns back to his baby, and glances back to his owner’s wife You’re my greatest protection detail. If only Randy could get over his regrets and think the same way.
He tracks her with his eyes as she carefully clips his collar and leash on, “Don’t worry you know I’ll take care of him, you do your job, and most importantly bring Randy home safe,” she says.
Courage looks directly in her eyes.
Always
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“Lay of the land first, really quick,” Courage lifts his head from where it laid on his paws when Randy said that tracking both him and the other guy he had yet to be introduced to went over the importance of where everything was, and the standard procedure he knew like the back of his paws.
“Was the dog necessary,” He tilts his head at the skeptical tone in the Probie’s voice. He then takes a look at this place they were being kept up. The smell of dust was almost suffocating, the Probie had just broken the lock, and this place looked like it could easily be broken into. Maybe because this is the most unimpressive guard place I’ve ever seen ! He turns to his owner trying to show his disapproval.
“Yes, Courage was trained specifically to protect and with these budget cuts, the extra protection is needed,” his owner says. Courage wasn’t sure what budget cuts meant, but whatever it was… he looked around the shabby place again… he didn’t like it. “Besides," his owner continued, “The only pay he takes is treats.” Treat! He let out a gentle bark at that word and his owner chuckled.
“Courage?” the other man asked, and the dog finally turned to face him offering a paw as Randy had taught him to do. “What kind of name is that” the tall new agent continued. The dog squints at him. What's wrong with my name?
Special Agent Courage Randolph, meet our new Probie, Leroy Jethro Gibbs,” Randy introduced. Ah, so you're the one Moxie has been complaining about. He sniffs Gibbs, his nose twitching. Nice to meet you, I suppose. Gibbs held himself in a way the dog had seen many times before. He seemed fine, but Courage knew how to look through layers by now, after all his owner did the same thing.
He could sense the hidden turmoil inside, and if he wasn’t on alert for this case maybe he would’ve offered some comfort, but his ears and mind were elsewhere, attuned to all that was going on in the motel at the moment. All is calm for now, but who knows for how long that’ll last. He went to sit in with the priest as Gibbs and Randy continued talking.
It seems like it's been hours when Randy calls him out of the connected room to say goodnight to Junie. He gave a short bark into the phone "Don't worry, I’ll make sure he comes home safe.” he was trying to say, and hoping she understood as Randy continued talking to her.
As his owner hangs up the fire alarm goes off. That’s not good! His haunches raise, someone was trying to get them out of the room… The dog scratches against the door quickly waiting for his owner who was quickly getting redressed. “You guys good?” Randy calls out a hint of worry in his voice as they go into the connected room.
“Yeah!” Gibbs replies, but that wasn’t what Courage was thinking about. He could hear it… footsteps trying to be quiet but still echoing through the room. He barks, alerting Randy to the door.
“Courage hears something, we’ll check it out, stay here, stay on the radio, lock the door behind me,” his words were filled with urgency as he opened the door and Courage waited patiently for the command. Just say it already!
“Courage go,” with the command he jets off with little regard for anything else. His senses were attuned to the air, to the hallway and to the one… no two… strangers scents wafting through the air. His owner knew to follow him by now. As soon as the man was in sight the dog leaped knocking the guy off balance before allowing Randy to do the rest. He pants, his fur bristling. That went well. He thinks wryly as he goes back upstairs Randy dragging the suspect behind him.
Courage sits on his haunches, looking between the two suspects then Gibbs and Randy. He didn’t know much about the new Probie, but at least he knew Gibbs, like the other agents, were capable of watching his friend's and owner’s back when Courage was at home watching over their family.
Good work newbie.
For all of Moxie’s bark…. Leroy Jethro Gibbs is not that bad.