She's Yours

Chap 30 "Reminiscing And NCIS"

Alee's POV
"Great," I nodded.
"Drew Ryan Scott and Alee Oliver Hotchner!" the MC announced. "Singing Come, Now Is The TIme To Worship."
"Let's go," Drew smiled. The song started and we walked out onstage. "How's everybody doing tonight?" Everyone cheered and clapped. "Let's just open our hearts and worship our Creator."
"No matter what, He's always there even if you think you are alone," I smiled. "So let's just sing praise and worship Him every single day of our lives. Worship never ends and that's because He lives through you." Drew and I sang through the song as the song ended. I smiled. "Thank you everyone." Drew disappeared off the stage as a stool was brought onto the stage. I sat down on it. "Okay. I am going to sing a song that was sang by Tauren Wells." A mic stand and a guitar was brought out to me. I put the mic on the stand and put the guitar around me. "This is Hills and Valleys. I hope this song speaks to you as it has to me."
"You got this, baby," Morgan stated loud enough for me to hear.
I smiled and started playing the guitar. "I've walked among the shadows. You wiped my tears away. And I've felt the pain of heartbreak, but I've seen the brighter days," I sang. "And I've prayed prayers to heaven from my lowest place. And I have held the blessings, God, you give and take away. No matter what I have, Your grace is enough." I looked out into the crowd. "No matter where I am, I'm standing in Your love. On the mountains, I will bow my life to the one who set me there. In the valley, I will lift my eyes to the one who sees me there. When I'm standing on the mountain aft, didn't get there on my own." I smiled. "When I'm walking through the valley end, no I am not alone! You're God of the hills and valleys! Hills and Valleys! God of the hills and valleys. And I am not alone!" I watched as the crowd started raising their hands. "I've watched my dreams get broken. In you I hope again! No matter what I know, I'm safe inside Your hand." I looked at Morgan and he stood up. The rest of my team did. "On the mountains, I will bow my life to the one who set me there. In the valley, I will lift my eyes to the one who sees me there. When I'm standing on the mountain aft, didn't get there on my own. When I'm walking through the valley end, no I am not alone!" The rest of the audience started standing up. "You're God of the hills and valleys! Hills and Valleys! God of the hills and valleys. And I am not alone!" I smiled as I stood up never making a change in my playing. "Father, you give and take away every joy and every pain. Through it all you will remain over it all! Father, you give and take away every joy and every pain. Through it all you will remain over it all!" I smiled. "On the mountains, I will bow my life to the one who set me there. In the valley, I will lift my eyes to the one who sees me there. When I'm standing on the mountain aft, didn't get there on my own. When I'm walking through the valley end, no I am not alone!" I sped up the tempo a bit. "You're God of the hills and valleys! Hills and Valleys! God of the hills and valleys. And I am not alone!" I faded the chords out. They all clapped. "Thank you." I smiled as I looked into the wing. Drew was signalling me. "The next performance is from your very own Hillsong United!" They all cheered and clapped. The curtain came down to reveal the band. They started playing. "Here they are."
"And Alee here will be singing with us," Taya stated. "We're singing Desert." Taya nodded. "We hope you enjoy our performance."
"This is my prayer in the desert, when all that's within me feels dry. This is my prayer and my hunger in me. My God is the God who provides," I smiled. "And this is my prayer in the fire, in weakness or trial or pain. There is a faith proved of more worth than gold. So refine me, Lord, through the flames."
"I will bring praise. I will bring praise. No weapon formed against me shall remain," the rest of the band joined me. "I will rejoice. I will declare. God is my victory and He is here."
"And this is my prayer in my battle, when triumph is still on its way," Taya sang. "I am a conqueror and co-heir with Christ. So firm on His promise I'll stand."
"I will bring praise. I will bring praise," the rest of us joined Taya. "No weapon formed against me shall remain. I will rejoice." I smiled. "I will declare. God is my victory and He is here."
"All of my life, in every season, You are still God. I have a reason to sing. I have a reason to worship," I sang. "All of my life, in every season, You are still God. I have a reason to sing. I have a reason to worship."
"All of my life, in every season, You are still God," Taya sang. "I have a reason to sing. I have a reason to worship."
"All of my life, in every season, You are still God," I joined Taya. "I have a reason to sing. I have a reason to worship."
"I will bring praise. I will bring praise. No weapon formed against me shall remain," we all sang together. "I will rejoice. I will declare. God is my victory and He is here. I will bring praise. I will bring praise." Taya put her arm around me. "No weapon formed against me shall remain. I will rejoice
I will declare." She let go of me and put her hands up. The audience followed. "God is my victory and He is here."
The tempo slowed down and I took a deep breath. "And this is my prayer in the harvest. When favor and providence flow," I sang. "I know I'm filled to be emptied again. This seed I've received I will sow." The song faded out as every clapped and cheered. "Thank you all."
"Thank you again to Alee Hotchner," Taya pointed at me. I waved as everyone clapped. I walked backstage and turned off my mic. "We are going to sing a couple more songs for the next hour and a half."
"That was a rush," I smiled.
"I'm glad you enjoyed," Drew nodded. My phone vibrated and I looked at it. "Duty calls?"
"Yeah," I sighed. "I'm so sorry." I met my team and NCIS outside. "You guys ready for another case?"
"What are you talking about?" Morgan asked. "We weren't notified."
"We got the notification," Tony stated. "Gibbs?"
"I didn't get it," Gibbs nodded. "But my team, Alee's in charge."
"Oh, come one!" Tony and I stated at the same time. "Stop that!"
"DiNozzo," Gibbs looked at him. "Shut up and listen to her."
"Gibbs, I can't run your team," I replied. My phone beeped and I looked at it. "It's an e-mail from Strauss." I read it silently. "Great. I have to work a case with NCIS. This is going to be fun."
"What is Gibbs going to do?" Ziva asked.
"Uhm," I looked at my e-mail. "He's going to be in charge of the FBI for awhile."
"So, what if I purposely drop my gun after it's been fired?" Tony asked.
"You don't just drop a gun that's been recently fired," I looked at Tony. "It could go off, idiot."
"I was testing you," Tony responded.
"Yeah, sure," Ziva nodded. "Test a girl who grew up in the FBI for fourteen years."
"Ziva's smart," I smiled.
"She's Mossad," Tony pointed. "Trained to assassinate people."
"Why don't we all go home and get some sleep?" I asked. "We'll let the underdogs take this case and we'll take the next one."
"I like her already," Tony smiled.
"All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players," I replied. "They have their exits and their entrances. I'd like for you to take the exit."
"Ouch," Ziva smiled.
"Go home guys," I nodded. Morgan and I walked to the car and got inside. He started driving. "How are you guys going to be when Gibbs takes you guys on a case?"
"Just tell us what to expect," Morgan nodded as we got home. We walked inside. "So, what do expect?"
"Don't get smart unless you want a smack in the back of the head," I sighed as we walked up stairs. "Other than that, it's pretty easy going." I changed and got in bed. "Oh, and he's a former Marine."
"Great," Morgan sighed as he got in bed. He turned on his side and looked at me I did to look at him. He smiled. "I love you."
"I love you too," I smiled. "Now, let's go to sleep." I woke up the next morning and got ready. Morgan walked down the stairs as I opened the front door. "I guess we'll see each other when this temporary positions are over."
"Yes," Morgan nodded as he walked up to me. We walked out of the house and he locked the door. He gave me a kiss. "I'll see you later."
"Bye," I smiled. I got into my Vanquish and drove to the Naval Base in DC. I walked to Gibbs desk. I picked up the black wallet off the desk and looked at it. "They got me a badge that quickly? Huh." I looked at the team. "Don't get too comfortable." I sighed. "Abby has left to the dentist and we've got a dead body." I clipped my gun to my pants. "Come on. You all know the drill." We went to the location of the body. We put on our hats, gloves, and jackets. "Okay."
"He looks cold," Tim stated as he took pictures.
"That's the least of his problems, McGee," I replied.
"Parents didn't have much to add," Tony and Ziva walked to me. "Baby's room was empty, except for the baby." I looked at him. "They kept hearing the voice through the baby monitor. Cops did a search of the area. All they found was him."
"They identified the body as Marine Private First Class Marco Riggs," Ziva stated.
"And I am identifying some pretty gnarly toes," Tony replied. "This guy needed a pedicure."
"Bothers you so much, DiNozzo, go find his shoes," I stated.
"Boss, I'm gonna go find his shoes," Tony replied. I looked at him as he turned to look at me. "Sorry, Alee."
"This would explain the voice the parents heard," Tim stated as he picked up a walkie talkie. "Our dead guy had a military-issue cell scanner."
"Not exactly standard issue for privates," Ziva nodded.
"That's probably why he was misusing it," Tim responded as he walked up to me. "Take a look at the display, Alee."
I looked at it. "911?" I asked.
"Looks like Riggs was trying to use the cell scanner as a cell phone," Tim nodded. "Ended up broadcasting in a narrowband frequency."
"Got picked up by the baby monitor," Ziva sighed.
"Yeah, I don't know about the feet, thought," Tim pointed.
"That's because you don't know your history, McGee," Ducky walked in with Jimmy and a gurney. "Historically, going about unshod was considered by some to be an act of pious devotion, while others..."
"Believe that direct contact with Mother Earth provided spiritual benefits," Jimmy smiled as he finished Ducky's sentence. "However, in Roman and medieval times, going barefoot symbolized poverty, since leather and boots were too expensive for the average..." He stopped as Ducky looked at him. "I wrote a paper on...never mind."
"Cyanosis indicates lack of oxygen," Ducky sighed.
"No signs of strangulation or ligature marks," Jimmy added.
"Did you write a baby on those, too?" Ducky asked. "Time of death...two hours ago."
"That a problem?" I asked.
"Uh...Mr. Palmer, help me with the body," Ducky nodded. "Yes, well, he's remarkably stiff for the recently deceased. It's too soon for rigor, even at this temperature." I sighed. "There's no entry wounds, no sign of trauma, but something sucked the life out of him."
"Sucked the life out is right," Jimmy replied. "Abby is going to love this."
"Yeah," I sighed. "Let's go. We got work to do." We went back to the base and worked on a report. "I can barely wrap my head around this."
"Why'd you join the FBI?" Tim asked.
"You're seriously asking me that?" I asked. "We knew each other for three years, dated one of the three years, and were engaged for a while and you're asking me why I joined the FBI?"
"Why did you join?" Tony asked.
"I love chasing bad guys that aren't dead," I replied. "I love interrogating my suspects and getting into their heads. I can't do that here." I looked at Tony. "Or the way I want to anyways. I can get away with a great interrogation at the FBI and still have our suspect. Then I get a chance to chase after them." I sighed. "Well, Foyet gave me a headache but we still got him. Should've seen the signs earlier but that obviously didn't work out."
"The deceased was Private First Class Marco Riggs," Tim stated as he pulled it up on the big screen.
"Recently assigned to CLB-3, Combat Logistical Battalion, supporting troops in Afghanistan," Tony replied.
"Until he was accused of stealing equipment, then selling it on the black market," Ziva added.
"That include military-issue cell scanners?" I asked.
"It did, but Riggs disappeared before he could be formerly charged," Tim nodded. "He's been listed UA since last week."
"Apartment was a dead end," Tony replied.
"We have a BOLO out on his vehicle," Ziva nodded.
"Also waiting on the blood work from Abby," Tim sighed.
"Well, we're going to have to wait a little bit longer," I stated.
"Oh, don't tell me she needs a root canal," Tim looked at me.
"No, Gibbs just called," I nodded. "Abby's been...requested."
"Requested?" Tony asked.
"By?" Ziva asked.
"He didn't know," I shrugged. "It just said the FBI has orders to transport her."
"Why don't you call and see why?" Tony asked. "Don't you have some pull on getting places in the FBI?"
"If I did, don't you think I'd know where she is by now, DiNozzo?" I asked.
"Wow, you really are Gibbs' granddaughter," Tony looked at me.
"Okay, I can access the FBI operations database," Tim nodded as he sat down.
"I have a contact at the DOD," Ziva walked to her desk.
"BOLO out on the FBI transport?" Tony asked.
"I don't know," I sighed. "I thought...maybe I'd just try to call her first." I dialed her number. "It usually works."
"Hey, Alee," Abby picked up. "Don't worry. No cavities. I was going to call."
"Gibbs already did," I replied. "You okay?"
"Yep," Abby replied.
"Where are you?" I asked as I walked behind the staircase.
"In the back of a van," Abby replied.
"Abby," I sternly stated.
"I'm fine," Abby stated. "It's exciting. Group of FBI agents swoops in and steals away an unsuspecting citizen to places unknown."
"Yeah, it's the unknown part I don't care for," I replied.
"If I didn't know any better, they could be your people," Abby replied.
"Abby, my team is on the other side of the country as we speak," I nodded. "My husband tells me about their location when he gets a chance to."
"Oh, I got Palmer's text about the vampire bite," Abby went off topic. "I can't believe I'm not going to be there for that. Who are you getting to fill in?"
"Working on it," I sighed.
"Well, if you need anything before then, I keep a step-by-step Abby's Lab for Dummies in my desk," Abby stated. "It covers the basics. A monkey could follow the instructions."
I saw Tony acting like a monkey, but his back was towards the staircase, so he didn't know I was looking. "Good," I smiled. "'Cause we got one of those." I hung up. "DiNozzo is being transferred from his desk to the lab." I went down to the morgue. "Okay."
"Then you may join me," Ducky stated.
"That invitation extended to me, too, Ducky?" I asked.
"Always, for my favorite girl," Ducky smiled.
"Great," I smiled as Jimmy left. "What do you have for me?" After Ducky's examination, I decided to give Gibbs the case. I couldn't handle it. I was in the conference room waiting for my team to come back. I turned off the TV and saw a shadow on the screen. I turned back around. " Hey Dad."