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silverstar70 · 3 months ago

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Fandom: NCIS Character: Alden Parker & Jessica Knight (father-daughter relationship)

Author’s note: English is not my first language so I apologize for any mistakes. I love their relationship so much so I wrote this!

Warnings: father/daughter relationship, Jess teases Parker about his love life.

Summary: On the way back to the office, Jess teases Parker about Dr. Clara Logan. The conversation leads to a more hearth-to-hearth one. Set after the end of episode 8 of season 21.

Words: 4,768k

You deserve to be happy

The road stretched ahead, illuminated by the warm glow of streetlights that flickered on as dusk faded into night. Jess sat in the passenger seat of Parker's car, her eyes occasionally flicking toward him as he focused on driving. He gripped the steering wheel with one hand, his other resting comfortably on the armrest.

Parker could feel her eyes on him. He knew she was waiting for the right moment to strike with a teasing comment. He didn’t need to look at her to sense the grin that was creeping across her face.

He sighed softly. At first, he had hesitated to get close to her, unsure if they would ever find common ground. She was fiery, independent, and at times reckless. He was methodical, calculated, and approached everything with the calm reserve of someone who had seen too much in his life. But somehow, their differences had meshed in unexpected ways.

“You’re thinking too hard, Parker,” Jess said, cutting through the quiet.

He smirked. “Am I now?”

“Yup. Your face always gets that look when you’re brooding.”

Parker shot her a sideways glance. “I don’t brood.”

Jess chuckled. “Yeah, okay, sure. You don’t brood, you ‘think deeply.’ Got it.”

He let her comment roll off him like water off a duck’s back, focusing again on the road ahead. The last few days had been exhausting, the neck pain and being kidnapped didn’t help either. The last thing he wanted was to think about Knight’s teasing comments. But she had other plans.

Jess’s body language had shifted in the past few minutes. He wasn’t sure what she was going to say, but he had a feeling it would be one of those moments that forced him to confront something he didn’t particularly want to.

“So,” Jess finally broke the silence again, her voice casual, but Parker could hear the underlying intent. “Clara.”

Parker’s eyebrows rose slightly, but he didn’t take the bait right away. “What about her?”

Jess shrugged, feigning nonchalance, though Parker knew her better than that by now. “Nothing. She just seems like a good person. Intelligent, brave, funny.”

“She is,” Parker admitted after a moment, his eyes still fixed on the road.

Jess bit her lip to keep from smiling too wide. She could practically feel Parker’s discomfort radiating off him, which only fueled her teasing spirit more. “Mmm.”

Parker sighed. “Knight…”

“She seems to have joined the Alden Parker fan club,” Jess continued as if he hadn’t spoken, her tone dripping with playful amusement.

This time, Parker couldn’t help but roll his eyes, his lips twitching in a small, reluctant smile. “Again with this?”

Jess grinned, her arms crossing over her chest as she leaned back in her seat, clearly enjoying the way she could get under his skin. “Oh c’mon, Parker. Women like you. There’s nothing wrong with that. Besides, she’s totally your type. You should ask her out.”

“I don’t have a type,” Parker muttered, his voice tinged with exasperation. This wasn’t the first time Jess had brought up the subject; he had hoped she would have dropped it by now.

“Oh please, you totally do,” Jess said, laughing as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

He shot her a glance. “Enlighten me.”

Jess didn’t even hesitate. “Vivian, Joy, the Senator, Clara. They all have one thing in common: they’re strong women. You’re drawn to them.”

Parker didn’t respond right away, his face betraying nothing as he stared out at the dark road ahead. But Jess knew him well enough by now to know that his silence meant he was considering her words. He wasn’t one to react immediately, preferring instead to mull over things in that quiet, Parker-like way of his.

After a few more moments, Jess sighed softly. “Look, there’s nothing wrong with it, you know. You respect them, they respect you. That’s not a bad thing.”

Parker’s lips twitched, and the faintest smile finally broke through. “Is this your way of giving me dating advice, Knight?”

Jess shrugged, still smiling. “Someone’s gotta do it. Seriously, though, you could do worse.”

Parker chuckled softly, shaking his head. “Yeah, I’ll keep that in mind.”

The two fell into silence again, and Parker continued to focus on the road, but her words were running through his mind and maybe, just maybe, she wasn’t that wrong after all. Knight always had a way of getting under his skin, but it was always rooted in something deeper. From the beginning, she had seen through his gruff exterior, recognizing that beneath it was someone who cared deeply, even if he didn’t show it in traditional ways.

They’d been driving for about fifteen minutes when Parker’s stomach began to growl. He hadn’t eaten anything since breakfast that morning and now it was past midnight, and he was starving. They decided to pull over at a small roadside diner. The neon sign flickered, casting a dim glow over the otherwise quiet lot.

Jess rubbed her stomach with a dramatic sigh as they walked toward the door. “I swear, if I don’t eat something soon, I’m going to pass out.”

Parker chuckled, shaking his head. “You’re that hungry?”

Jess shot him a look. “I haven’t eaten since lunch. And you had been kidnapped so I guess you haven’t eaten since this morning.”

Parker shrugged as if that was normal. “I’ve had coffee.”

“That’s not food,” Jess shot back. “You’re worse than Gibbs.”

“Don’t compare me to Gibbs,” Parker said, a half-smile forming on his face. “I eat.”

Jess smirked, passing past him as he was holding the door open for her. “Uh-huh, sure. You eat… maybe once a day.”

Inside, the diner was cozy in that small-town kind of way. The smell of greasy burgers and coffee hung in the air as they took a seat at one of the booths near the window. The waitress came by quickly, leaving menus before disappearing to check on another table.

Jess flipped through the menu absentmindedly, but Parker noticed her eyes kept drifting back to him. He sighed, sensing she wasn’t quite done with her teasing yet.

“You’re still thinking about Clara, aren’t you?” he asked, not even bothering to look up from his own menu.

Jess smirked. “Maybe.”

Parker set his menu down and leaned back in his seat, leveling her with a calm but knowing look. “You’re not going to let this go, are you?”

“Parker, come on,” Jess said, resting her elbows on the table and leaning forward slightly. “I’m just saying… it wouldn’t kill you to try.”

Parker’s expression softened, and for a moment, Jess thought he might actually take her advice. But then he shook his head, his eyes drifting out the window as if the answer lay somewhere in the distance.

“I don’t know,” he said quietly. “I’ve got too much going on right now. The team… this job… I don’t have time to think about that kind of stuff.”

Jess tilted her head, her expression turning more serious. “Parker, you can’t just bury yourself in the job forever. I mean, look at Gibbs. He moved to Alaska to be happy and find peace.”

Parker frowned, clearly not loving the comparison. “Gibbs is a different man.”

“Yeah, but you’re walking a similar path,” Jess countered. “You care about us, about the team. You put everything into it. But what about you? When’s the last time you did something for yourself?”

Parker didn’t answer right away, and she knew she had hit a nerve. Yes, he had his hobbies and Risiko’s game on Saturdays with his father, but after that, he had nothing, no one but the team and the job. Jess didn’t push, though. She let the silence settle between them, giving him the space to think.

Finally, Parker let out a deep breath and leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table and rubbing his hands together slowly. “It’s not that simple, Knight. Things… things get complicated. And sometimes, it’s easier not to deal with them.”

Jess studied him for a moment, her heart softening at the sight of him so vulnerable, even if just for a second. Parker rarely opened up, and when he did, it was usually in small, measured doses. But this—this was real. This was him letting her in, even if only a little.

“I get that,” she said softly. “I really do. But I’m not saying you have to marry her, Parker. Just give it a try, it might surprise you. Maybe she’s the right kind of strong woman for you.”

Parker arched an eyebrow. “The right kind of strong woman?”

Jess grinned. “Yeah. The kind that challenges you, makes you better.”

Parker’s expression softened. There was something in Jess’s tone that reminded him of the quiet wisdom she often tried to hide behind her sarcasm.

“You sound like my therapist,” Parker said dryly, though his eyes were warm.

Jess laughed. “Maybe I should’ve gone into psychology instead of law enforcement.”

The waitress came by, taking their orders: Parker went with a burger, fries, and, of course, coffee while Jess ordered waffles and a banana milkshake. When the waitress left, Jess leaned back, studying him.

“You know,” Jess said after a while, her voice thoughtful, “you’re not exactly the lone wolf you think you are.”

Parker glanced at her, a little caught off guard. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, you act like you’re all ‘I work alone, I don’t need anybody,’ but, like I said, you care about the team.”

Parker’s brow furrowed slightly. “I never said I didn’t care.”

“Yeah, but you don’t show it all the time,” Jess replied, her tone serious but not accusatory. “You think you’re doing us a favor by keeping your distance, but really, it just makes us worry about you.”

Parker let her words sink in, unsure how to respond. Jess was right, as much as he hated to admit it. He had built walls, not because he didn’t care, but because he cared too much. It was easier to focus on the job, on the mission, than to get close to people and risk losing them even though he knew something changed in the past few years.

“You’re like a dad to me, you know that?” Jess said quietly, breaking the silence.

Parker’s chest tightened. He didn’t say anything for a moment, the weight of her words hitting him harder than he expected. He wasn’t sure how to respond to that.

Jess noticed his hesitation and quickly tried to lighten the mood. “I mean, you’re grumpy, you lecture me, you never let me have any fun. Classic dad behavior.”

Parker chuckled, though there was a lump in his throat. “I’m not that bad.”

Jess smirked. “Oh, you are. But it’s okay. I’m used to it by now.” There was a beat of silence, and then Jess’s voice softened again. “Seriously, though. You’ve looked out for me in ways I didn’t even realize I needed. And I know you do that for the whole team. It means a lot.”

Their order was placed in front of them just in time to clear the air from the weight of their revelation. Not that it was a bad thing what they said but they were both too tired to continue on that note. They eat their meal in comfortable silence that Jess broke again after a while, her voice light and teasing once more. “So… Clara.”

Parker groaned audibly, causing Jess to burst into laughter. “We were having a nice moment, Knight. Why’d you have to ruin it?”

Jess grinned, completely unrepentant. “Because I’m right. And you know I’m right.”

She was right, about everything but she dropped the argument to focus on the full plate of waffles with blueberries and whipped cream in front of her. Parker watched her eating for a moment with a grin on his face, he knew waffles were her comfort food after a long day or a tough case. When the plate was put in front of her her eyes widened with excitement like a kid on Christmas morning unwrapping the gifts under the tree.

Jess shot him a look, narrowing her eyes as she noticed his gaze. “What?”

“Nothing,” he said innocently, though the grin on his face said otherwise. He quickly dismissed the subject, taking a bite of his burger but keeping his eyes on her. They fell into a comfortable silence again, finishing their food as the hum of the diner surrounded them. Parker couldn’t help but glance at Jess every now and then, watching her as she devoured her waffles with the kind of joy that made him smile.

Once they finished, Parker paid the check, and they were out to head back to the car. The highway stretched before them once again, endless and dark, but the quiet companionship filled the space. Parker’s thoughts wandered back to Clara and Jess’s teasing.

“Why do you care so much about my love life?” Parker asked after a while, his tone casual but curious.

Jess smirked, not missing a beat. “Because it’s nonexistent and that’s tragic.”

Parker chuckled, shaking his head. “Maybe I’m content with how things are.”

Jess snorted. “Content, sure. But happy? I don’t think so.”

Parker gave her a sideways glance. “And you think a relationship is going to fix that?”

Jess shrugged, popping a piece of candy into her mouth. “Maybe not ‘fix,’ but it could help. You deserve someone, Parker. You’ve got too much good in you to just… waste it all on the job.”

Parker’s face softened at her words, but he didn’t reply right away. He wasn’t used to talking about himself like this, especially not about his personal life—or lack thereof.

Parker sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Maybe. But it’s complicated.”

Jess chuckled softly. “Everything’s complicated with you.”

He smiled slightly, but his mind was elsewhere, drifting back to what Jess had said about him being like a dad to her. He hadn’t really thought about it in those terms before, but now that she’d put it out there, he couldn’t shake it.

“You really think of me like that?” he asked quietly, surprising himself with the question.

Jess blinked, caught off guard by the vulnerability in his voice. She shifted in her seat, sitting up straighter as she looked at him. “Like what?”

“Like a dad,” Parker said, his eyes focused on the road ahead. “You said I’m like a dad to you.”

Jess hesitated for a moment, not because she didn’t know the answer, but because she hadn’t expected him to take it so seriously. She thought back to all the times Parker had looked out for her—those small, subtle moments when he’d checked in on her after a rough case or made sure she was eating during long hours in the field. He wasn’t showy about it, wasn’t the type to give big speeches or emotional pep talks, but he was always there, steady and reliable.

“Yeah,” she said softly, her voice more sincere than before. “I mean it. You’re always looking out for me… for all of us, really.”

Parker’s heart swelled, but he kept his focus on the road, not trusting himself to meet her gaze. “Don’t get me wrong I love my dad; I’d love to spend more time with him but it’s just…I always feel like I letting him down. And then you say something like ‘You did a good job’ or ‘You’re a great team’, ‘I’m proud of you’ and I wish that my father could be more like you from time to time.”

Parker finally glanced over at her, surprised by how much she was sharing. Before he could say something, she continued. “This team is a family, and Gibbs was a father figure to everyone. But I didn’t work with him long enough to consider him as such. So, when you joined the team and we started bonding over being the last ones to arrive, the movies we both like, and the sweet tooth for pastries you turned out to be for me what Gibbs was to the others.”

Parker felt his heart swell in a way that was both painful and comforting. He hadn’t realized how much he needed to hear that—how much he had come to care about Jess, not just as a colleague, but as family.

“I never had kids,” Parker said softly, surprising himself with the admission. It wasn’t something he talked about often, if at all. “I always thought maybe one day I would,” Parker continued, his voice low. “But life… it didn’t work out that way.”

Jess didn’t say anything, letting him talk. She could sense this was something he needed to get off his chest. “This team is a gift that keeps on giving and it’s good to work with people who look after you. I earned a family I didn’t know I needed. And I feel the same way about you, Knight. You’re the daughter I never had.”

Jess felt a warmth spread through her chest as a smile formed on her face. She’d always sensed that Parker cared about her, but hearing him say it, hearing him admit it out loud, meant more than she could put into words. She cleared her throat, trying to keep the emotion out of her voice.

Admitting it out loud was a shock for Parker too, he had never been too vocal about his feelings but after Knight shared hers it was only fair for him to do the same. He hadn’t been so attached to a partner since Jeremy and sometimes this still scared him, being so close to the team scared him because he would never be able to forgive himself if something bad happened to any of them.

Back at the NCIS headquarters, the night had settled into a calm routine. The bullpen was mostly empty, save for a few agents finishing up paperwork. Parker and Jess sat at their desks, the soft glow of computer screens casting a faint light over their tired faces as they filled out reports from the case.

Parker leaned back in his chair, rubbing the bridge of his nose. Paperwork was never his favorite part of the job, but it had to be done. Near him, Jess typed away, her focus sharp despite the long day. She’d been uncharacteristically quiet since they returned from the diner, but the mischievous glint in her eyes was still there.

He glanced over at her, finding himself thinking about their conversation once again. Parker knew he was not gonna see the end of her teasing until he called Clara. He was never going to admit to her, or to anyone, but he already thought about calling Clara in the morning to know about her wrist. But deep down there was another reason to call her; she intrigued him and he was actually interested in knowing her more.

He shook his head, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth, incredulous of what he was about to say. "Alright,"

"Alright, what?”

“I’ll call her,” he said, sounding defeated but with a hint of amusement. “I’ll call Clara.”

Jess’s eyes lit up. “Really?”

Parker sighed. “Yeah, really. But don’t make a big deal out of it, okay?”

Jess grinned triumphantly as she had just won a prize. “I knew you’d come around!”

Just as Jess was about to tease him further, Torres and McGee walked into the squad room, both holding cups of coffee and clearly in good spirits. Torres immediately zeroed in on the look of discomfort on Parker’s face.

“What’s going on here?” Torres asked, raising an eyebrow as he took a seat at his desk.

McGee, ever observant, glanced between Parker and Jess, his curiosity piqued. “Yeah, what’s up?”

Jess couldn’t resist. She leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms with a smug grin. “Parker’s going to call Clara.”

Torres' eyes widened in surprise “Wait—Doctor Clara Logan? The one who’s totally into you?”

Parker rolled his eyes. “She’s not ‘into me.’”

“Oh, she’s totally into you,” McGee said with a knowing smirk. “It was obvious earlier in her room.”

“We saw the way she was looking at you, Parker.” teased Torres. “And how you were looking at her,” added in a much lower tone, hoping Parker wouldn’t hear it.

Parker groaned, rubbing a hand over his face, knowing that now that McGee and Torres joined the tease it would be a matter of time before Kasei and Jimmy would join too.

“Right,” McGee said, snapping his fingers. "She is totally your type, man.”

Parker looked around at the three of them, knowing he was outnumbered. He wasn’t going to get out of this without some serious ribbing.

“I don’t have a type,” he muttered, though the argument sounded weak even to him.

“Oh, you definitely have a type,” McGee said, chuckling. “Vivian, Joy, the Sen-“

This conversation was starting to sound too familiar to Parker. “Okay, I get it.” he raised his hands in surrender, interrupting Tim. “I do have a type. I’ll call her tomorrow to check in on how she’s doing. No big deal.”

Torres leaned back in his chair, kicking his feet up on the desk with a smug grin. “You know, Parker, I’ve got some tips for the first date if you need them. I’m pretty smooth with the ladies.”

Parker, busy pretending to focus on his computer, muttered, “I’m fine, Nick. It’s just a call, nothing more.”

“Yet,” Jess chimed in from her desk, not even bothering to hide her smirk.

Parker turned slowly toward Jess, raising an eyebrow. “You’re liking this too much, Knight.”

Jess shrugged, leaning back in her chair with a self-satisfied grin. “What can I say? Seeing you squirm is one of life’s small joys.”

Torres, not one to let a moment like this pass, leaned forward, his grin widening. “Come on, Parker. This is a big deal. When was the last time you even went on a date? Or made a ‘just a call,’ as you’re putting it?”

Parker exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck. “I don’t see how that’s any of your business, Nick.”

“Oh, but it is. We’re a team. Your love life is basically my entertainment at this point.”

McGee chuckled from his desk. “Yeah, Nick’s just trying to live vicariously through you, Parker. He hasn’t been on a real date since... well, ever.”

“Excuse me?” Torres shot back, feigning offense. “I’ll have you know I’m a catch. I could be out on a date right now, but I choose to be here, working hard for justice. You know, priorities.”

Parker gave him a deadpan look. “Right.”

Ignoring Parker’s sarcasm, Torres leaned toward Jess, eyes sparkling with curiosity. “So, really—how did you get him to agree? This is Parker we’re talking about.”

Jess crossed her arms, her grin growing wider as she leaned back. “I wore him down. It’s a gift.”

Torres laughed, nodding in approval. “I respect that. Man, if I ever need to break him, I’m calling you in, Jess.”

McGee, still typing away at his keyboard but clearly listening, added, “Oh, I believe that. Parker, you never stood a chance.”

Parker shook his head, sighing in mock defeat. “I’m surrounded by children.”

Jess snickered. “You love us.”

Parker gave her a sideways glance, his expression softening. “Yeah, unfortunately.”

McGee finally stopped typing and leaned back in his chair, arms crossed over his chest. “So, what’s your game plan for this ‘call’ tomorrow? Casual check-in, or are you going to pull the ‘accidental second date setup’?”

Parker blinked. “What?”

“You know,” McGee explained, “you start off by asking about her wrist, make some small talk, then—oh, what a coincidence—she mentions something she wants to do once she’s out of the hospital, and bam! You casually suggest joining her.”

Jess chimed in, nodding enthusiastically. “Oh, yeah, that’s the classic move. And Parker, you’ve got the whole 'I'm a cool, laid-back guy' thing going for you, so you’ll play it off perfectly. ‘Oh, you’re into museums? Funny, I was just thinking about going to one myself.’”

“Or,” Torres interjected, leaning forward with a serious expression, “you could just skip all the small talk and hit her with the Parker charm. Tell her you’re interested in more than her wrist.”

Parker shot Torres an exasperated look. “That’s terrible advice, Nick.”

“Yeah, well, works for me,” Torres said with a cocky shrug.

McGee glanced over at him, eyebrows raised. “Does it, though?”

Torres huffed, giving McGee a look of mock offense. “Hey, you don’t know what happens off the clock, McGee.”

“I have a pretty good idea,” McGee shot back with a grin. “You’re still single.”

Jess laughed, her gaze moving back to Parker. “Don’t listen to them. Just be yourself. You’ve got this.”

Torres crossed his arms, nodding in agreement. “Exactly. You’ve got the mysterious, rugged, older guy thing going for you. Women eat that up.”

Parker sighed heavily, rubbing his temples. “Remind me why I let any of you into my personal life again?”

“Because we’re your family,” Jess said sweetly, batting her eyelashes at him. “And because deep down, you love us. Admit it.”

Parker shook his head, though a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. “You’re all insufferable.”

McGee smirked, closing his laptop and getting up from his desk. “Well, I’ll leave you to it, Parker. Good luck with Clara.”

“Thanks,” Parker muttered, already regretting the decision to tell them anything.

Torres, standing and grabbing his jacket, grinned as he made his way toward the elevator. “Hey, remember—confidence is key. Just don’t be too smooth, or she’ll see right through it.”

Jess chuckled, watching Torres and McGee leave before turning back to Parker, her tone softening slightly. “Seriously, though—you’ll do fine. She likes you.”

Parker sighed, running a hand through his hair as the squad room grew quieter. “Yeah, we’ll see.”

Jess stood up and grabbed her own jacket, draping it over her arm. “And if all fails, you can blame me.”

Parker shook his head, chuckling softly. “Oh, trust me, I already do.”

Jess smirked, walking toward the elevator. “You’re welcome.”

As they stepped into the elevator together, Parker glanced over at Jess, a quiet smile settling on his face. He didn’t say it out loud, but he appreciated how much she pushed him, even when it was uncomfortable. She had a way of keeping him grounded and making him realize that sometimes, it was okay to let people in.

The elevator doors slid shut, and the soft hum filled the silence between them. Just before the doors closed completely, Parker broke the stillness.

“Thank you, Jess.” His voice low, barely above a whisper. “I mean it.”

Jess turned to him, her expression softening at his words. A genuine smile spread across her face. “I’m returning the favor. For that talk, you had with my father a few weeks ago.”

Parker raised an eyebrow, surprised. “You know about that?”

Jess nodded, her eyes twinkling. “He told me. Said you gave him a lot to think about. Helped him come around.”

Parker looked away for a moment, humbled by the thought that he’d made a difference. “I just wanted to make sure he knew how proud he should be of you.”

Jess smiled wider, feeling a warmth in her chest that she rarely let show. “Well, it meant a lot to me.”

The elevator descended in comfortable silence into the building's parking lot, the ding signaling its arrival at its stop. As the elevator doors slid open, they stepped out into the quiet parking garage. The cool air greeted them as they walked side by side toward their cars.

Without a word, Parker veered slightly in the opposite direction of his car, accompanying her to hers. It was something he did often, a quiet gesture of protection, though he knew she didn’t need protection. Jess noticed, of course, but she didn’t call him out on it. Not tonight.

When they reached her car, Parker paused, his hands stuffed in his pockets. He gave her a small, almost fatherly smile.

“Goodnight, kid,” he said softly, the warmth in his voice unmistakable.

Jess smiled back, feeling that familiar sense of safety Parker always managed to provide. “Goodnight, Parker.”

He lingered for a moment, watching as she got into her car and started the engine. With one last nod, Parker turned and made his way to his own vehicle, the faint echo of his footsteps accompanying him into the quiet night.

#ncis #alden parker #alden parker imagine #jessica knight #nick torres #tim mcgee #dr. clara logan #fanfiction #father/daughter

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