Dealing With Trust

13

Twenty-Three Days Later

"So you caught the bad guy?" Aurora asked from the other side of the phone.

"Not exactly. Just. Stay where you are at and hide, hide with Bullet and don't make a sound. McGee's trying to get a ping on your phone now." Nick said frantically.

"Nick...I'm scared...I-If- If this doesn't end well I just want you --" Aurora started, grabbing the slightly grown pup and hiding in one of the closets, throwing and adjusting things carefully so they could be hidden.

"Aurora. This will end well. We will find you and get the bad guys."  Nick said firmly.

"My hero." Aurora said, a small smile on her face, knowing that he was just saying that to make her feel better. "But maybe, this time you could use a hero of your own." She said before muting the phone and hiding it.

"Ari?, Aurora?, Aurora this isn't funny." Nick said, trying not to panic.

"Got it. She's still online." McGee said.

"Bishop, get squad cars to the locations. McGee, keep the trace happening and Torres --" Gibbs started before turning to face him. "Go get her." He stated simply before Nick hurried out of MTAC and to his motorcycle to get to Aurora and make sure she wasn't  dead.

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Twenty-Three Days Earlier.

"So, who was the bad guy?, And the important question of all....Did you get their ass?" Aurora asked as she sat at Nick's desk, looking over to the others once they came back from another mission, one relating to the death of Rear Admiral Claire Thompson.

"It looks like a group assignment that just keeps making puzzles." Bishop admitted as she got her files and started to shuffle them  before grabbing them and her laptop and going to sit on the floor to try and rethink the strategy.

"So far, we got three suspects with clever alibis." Nick said. "Kasie's running fingerprints and DNA as we speak." He added.

"Sounds fun." Aurora said teasingly. "Today I got to play with construction paper, stickers and glitter." She added.

"That sounds fun." McGee said with a smile

"Thanks." Aurora beamed happily before starting to stand up and get ready to leave. 

"Leaving already Aurora?" Bishop questioned.

"I have to check on bullet, and finish grading some papers for my class, you're welcome to join if you would like." Aurora offered to Bishop who seemed slightly taken aback by her offer.

"Um, alright." Bishop hesitated, taking a slight glance over to McGee and Nick, hoping that one of them would help or say something. "Want to stop somewhere and get some food first?" She asked.

"Sure. That sounds nice." Aurora said as she adjusted her bag over her shoulder before starting to head out with Bishop.

"What just happened?" Nick asked once both women were out of the room.

"You could've just gotten replaced." McGee suggested which got him an evil glare from Nick.