"Don't you dare touch them." My father, Petty Officer Knight, yelled at the Hispanic man. Blood was dripping on the hardwood floor from his split lip and nose "I warned you, I told you specifically what would happen if you broke your agreement." The man pronounced every word carefully and quietly, a hint of Mexican accent noticeable in his voice.
My mother scooped me up into her arms and I rested my head on her chest, my tears soaking into her blouse. "Close your eyes munchkin." My mother whispered, emotion thick in her voice as she buried her head into my shoulder as she hugged me tighter. A single gunshot rang through the small room, my mother screamed in horror and sadness and I cried more, the noise of the shot hurting my small ears. "Mama?" I asked, peeking through my wet lashes at her grief stricken face. "Shhhhh." She consoled "keep your eyes shut." I done as I was told.
Heavy footprints echoed on the hardwood floor "drop the child." He ordered "you son of a bitch." She whispered, her voice hoarse. "Or not." He added, sliding the bullet into the chamber with a click. My mother pressed her lips to my head "me and Dede love you so much-" I felt a burning sensation along the side of neck and my mother let out a choked noise. We both fell to the floor as another shot was fired, I buried my face into her chest, hoping to find the reassuring heartbeat the was always there.
Gibbs
"Kate, how long?" I asked, my phone cradled between my shoulder and head "five minutes, Boss." She replied as I made the turn off of the highway. "Okay, see you there." I told her, ending the call and tossing my phone on the passenger seat. Petty Officer Knight was in serious danger from the remains of the Reynosa Cartel, his twin brother- also a Petty Officer- had already been murdered by a hit known to work with the Reynosa's and once we pinged the hit's phone near his residence we knew his next target. I pulled up outside the house, a typical 'white picket fence' look in a quiet neighbourhood, DiNozzo and Kate moments behind me.
A gunshot ricocheted through the quiet evening air, I drew my Sig Sauer and rushed down to the front door in a crouch, as I reached the door another shot was fired. I raised my foot and forced it into the door, it swung open and we all ran in, I fired two shots at the man which landed in his chest and he collapsed to the ground. I stepped into the living room, Lucas Knight was stripped to the waist with only his dog-tags, a bullet in the head. Standard execution. Tia Knight lay strewn on the bloody floor, a wound in her chest, I held two fingers to her neck and sighed, dead, also. I heard the faint shouts of "clear" as Kate and DiNozzo travelled throughout the upstairs area of the house.
I turned and saw the little girl holding onto her mother for dear life.
"Hey." I whispered, shaking her slightly.
She jumped and her eyes shot open, fear was visible on her face as she scuttled backwards, hitting her back against the bookcase in the process.
"W-who are you?" She stuttered.
"I'm Special Agent Gibbs, NCIS." I told her, she seemed to relax a little
"Gibba? That a funny name." She giggled at the nickname she appointed, I smirked slightly and nodded at the small child.
"I need you to come somewhere with me..." I trailed off, I didn't know her name.
"Azalea."
"Azalea I need you to come somewhere with me."
"But Mama and Dede might not want me to go." Azalea replied, glancing at her mother.
"Azalea they are going to need some rest, so they called me, okay?" I asked, she nodded and walked over to me, climbing into my lap "if Mama and Dede said so." She mumbled as I lifted her up.
"Everything's clear, Boss." DiNozzo informed me as I walked out the room, he stopped and looked at me before gesturing to Azalea "that's a kid." He stated "well done DiNozzo." I replied sarcastically as I walked outside to my car and put her in the passenger seat. "Where was she found?" He asked, I looked down, she had blood caked on one side of her face and in her matted hair, it had also stained the top she was wearing. "Hugging her dead mom." I replied "God... " DiNozzo started, "yeah that's what I thought." I agreed "I'm gonna take her back to NCIS, are you and Kate okay to bag and tag and photo the crime scene?" My SFA nodded "Yeah, Boss, we've got it under control." I smiled slightly at him "Ducky should be here soon."
I slid into the drivers' side and picked up my half finished coffee and took a sip before grimacing at the horrid cold taste, I replaced the cup in the holder and glanced over at Azalea who was curled up in a ball asleep. The ride back to the Navy Yard was short. I hooked my arms behind her back and under legs and walked to security, I sent a nod in Michael's direction and took the lift directly down to Abby's lab as Azalea would be less disturbed there.
"Abbs?" I called as I walked through the door, she popped her head around the computer "Gibbs!" She smiled, rushing over to me, her black pigtails bouncing around her head.
Abby Scuito was our Forensic Specialist and like my daughter, ever since she first started at NCIS.
"I've got someone for you to take care off." I told her, gesturing to my arms.
"This is Petty Officer Knight's daughter." Abby said in surprise, then it dawned on her "both?" She asked quietly.
"Both."
She pointed to the grey couch in her office and I laid her down in there. "Thanks Abbs," I told her as I kissed the side of her forehead. "I'll be back down after I finished the report on both Petty Officers."
Everyone was back when I reached the bullpen, "how's the kid?" DiNozzo questioned, "asleep in Abby's office." I told him "there was a child?" Kate asked "where?" I picked up my new coffee- DiNozzo must of picked one up- and took a sip "with the mother." I told her as I logged on to my computer and started my report.
It was well past one by the time I made my way down to the lab, Abby was sipping on a Caf-Pow as she typed up the last of her report, fingers flying across the keys due to the amount of caffeine she had consumed "Gibbs, Gibbs, Gibbs." She chanted, I walked over to her, taking the red and white cup from her hands "stop yelling Abby." I told the goth "sorry," she apologised sheepishly before bouncing up and down again. "Before I started a report I looked up Azalea Knight." I gestured for her to continue "she's five years old- today- and was born in DC, but I done some more digging and I found out why the Reynosa cartel would put a hit on Petty Officer Knight. Guess Gibbs!"
I sent her a look.
"Sorry. You don't like guessing. Got it. We thought that it was all to do with the hit man as it was Paloma Reynosa's uncle, and Knight's father killed his father. Tia Knight went through a whopping 27 IVF treatments before she had Azalea in 1998, it was in the news- it was big too, that pretty much destroyed their finances. Knight started dealing drugs for the Reynosa in 2001 he would pick them up anytime his ship docked at port and bring it into America. Now fast forward a year to now, well technically five months ago, Knight stole half a million from their personal account, he paid off all his debts and disappeared with his family until about three weeks ago when Azalea was emitted to hospital after a infection that caused her to have appendix removed. That red-flagged the Reynosa's which in turn called the hit." Abby explained, " good work Abbs," I told her passing her a blue and white cup "stick to No Caf-Pow." I instructed, walking towards her office.
"Abby, where's Azalea?" I yelled from the office, not taking my eyes off of the empty couch, I felt Abby stand behind me "she was here when I last checked, she was using Bert as a pillow." Confusion laced her voice "when was that Abbs?" I asked, frustration clear in mine "half an hour, maybe more, there was so many people coming and going... I'm sorry Gibbs." She apologised "don't say sorry Abby," I called from the lift "it's a sign of weakness." As the elevator ascended I called the director and told them to put NCIS on lock-down till we find Azalea.
The sirens blared briefly as I walked into the bullpen "what's with the lock-down?" Kate asked, glancing up from his computer, "Azalea has done a disappearing act and we gotta find her." I informed the group.
"Azalea?" Kate questioned.
"The kid from the Knight's house." Tony informed her.
"Everyone shut up." I demanded, they both closed their mouths and I heard it more clearly, the quiet, almost inaudible sound of farting. I strode over to my desk and pushed the chair out the way so I could kneel down.
Azalea sat huddled in the corner, hugging Bert, tears making trails through the blood on her face. "Hey, you got us worried there." I whispered, squeezing in next to her under that table "Gibba, all the people scared me, and then the alarms went." She explained between quiet sobs, "why did you come up here?" I asked, "I was trying to find you." Azalea replied, I smiled as she buried her face into the hippo teddy, releasing a small yawn. "Are you tired?" I asked and she nodded, I inched out and gently pulled her up, she wrapped her arms around my neck, Bert still clasped in her small fist.
Kate and DiNozzo exchanged a look "what?" I demanded, snatching up my nearly empty coffee cup "DiNozzo, head back to the Knights and pick up some clothes. Kate, you're with me." They all jumped up and followed me to the lift, DiNozzo rung up and NCIS was taken off lockdown.
Tossing the the keys onto the sideboard, Kate and I entered the house, Azalea holding her hand and leading her upstairs for a bath, seconds later DiNozzo walked in with a plastic bag
"I got a few things, enough for a couple of days." Tony muttered, passing me the bag.
"Thanks Tony, can you search for CPS's number." He glanced up at me, shock on his face "now." I added sternly.
DiNozzo pulled out his phone "do you want me to write it down?"
I sent him a look
"Of course." He muttered, scribbling it down on a piece of paper and handing it to me.
I dialled the number and only received a voicemail "I'm sorry our office is now closed for the weekend, please call back on the Monday at eight thirty and we will be sure to take your call."
Sighing, I disconnected the call
"No luck?" Tony asked.
"Office is closed till Monday."
I walked upstairs and put the clothes in my room, I grabbed a duvet from the cupboard in the bedroom and tossed it over the bed, followed by some pillows. "Kate there's some clothes on my bed, put her to sleep in there." I called through the door, getting a faint 'yes Boss' through the door. She'd only been part of the team for two days and already was fitting in.
"Azalea is in bed, Gibbs." Kate said, grabbing her coat, DiNozzo also stood up, lobbing his empty beer bottle in the bin "I'll see you all tomorrow. Drive safe." I told them all. As they left I heard "I bet he doesn't call CPS tomorrow."
"Wanna share something, DiNozzo?" I asked with a raised eyebrow but he shook his head "no Boss." He replied and hurried out the house, I smiled to myself as I heard the car drive away.
The basement was filled with a timber boat frame, this one I was going to call Kelly. I had only been working on it for about an hour when I heard the soft patter of feet on the stairs. I glanced behind me to see Azalea peeking her head past the banister post, I placed the tools down and walked over to her.
"Can't you sleep?" I asked and she shook her head.
"Nightmare. The man in the house was coming for me." fat tears rolled down her cheeks while hugging Bert closer.
"He's not coming back, I shot him." I explained, kneeling down to talk with her
"Like Dede- he shot the bad people because he's a good person, Mama said so." She agreed "are you a good person?"
"I try to be." I murmured, "it's a but chilly down here, let's put you back in bed, sound good?"
Azalea smiled and I hauled her into my arms. I placed her back in my bed and tucked her in, "Gibba can you stay and keep away the nightmares?" She asked and I nodded "only if you promise to keep to you side of the bed." I joked and laid next to her, she fell asleep pretty much instantly, curling up and slowly shuffling until she had moved next to me. I however couldn't sleep however much I tried. Azalea had had her life ruined by the same people who had destroyed mine.
This chapter was set on the 30th of July 2003. The other chapters will be set ten years later except if I do a flashback chapter or something.