NO ONE GETS THROUGH LIFE WITHOUT SCARS
CHAPTER 1 - - - PROLOGUE
Breathing heavily and laughing, Mandie Sewell skipped off the dance floor, followed by an equally happy Tim McGee. He'd had just enough to drink to follow her to the dance floor. Poor Tim had to endure the good-natured teasing of Tony DiNozzo when they returned to their table. Just before she sat down, Mandie quickly looked over her shoulder….she had the feeling someone was staring at her. 'C'mon Mand, you're in a club, for Pete's sake - there's lots of people looking. At you and everyone else.' Still searching the crowd, she thought that this felt different than public display staring. It felt like someone was looking directly at her. With a frown on her face, she sat down next to her best friend since grade school back in Louisiana, Abby Sciuto.
"What's wrong, Mandie-Lou?" Abby looked at her best friend from back home, recognizing the signs that something was bothering her buddy.
With a final scan of the club, Mandie shrugged. "Just thought…never mind." She punched Abby in the arm. "And don't call me that! That's for back home, where I'm the baby. Up here in DC, I get to be 'Grown-up Mandie,' with a government job and everything!"
"And I, for one, am very glad you are 'grown-up Mandie'," said Tony, squeezing himself into the booth next to her. "Otherwise, as a federal agent, I'd have to arrest myself for all these thoughts roaming around in my head!"
Abby and Mandie looked at each other and burst out laughing. "Tony!" Mandie was laughing so hard, tears were in her eyes. "That has got to be the worst pick-up line ev-ver!"
Tony frowned. "Ya' think so? I thought it was pretty good, myself. Thought I'd try it on that hot blonde over there at the bar." He nodded his head in that direction.
A look at the bar showed that it was surrounded by blondes, all of whom Tony would consider 'hot.' "Which one?" Mandie asked, confused.
Before he could answer, Abby did. "It doesn't matter. If it doesn't work on one, he'll just keep going down the line 'til he runs out of blondes!" The table burst into laughter, except for Tony.
"Oh, ha-ha. I'll have you know I'm not quite that desperate, Abby."
"Yeah," Tim yelled to be heard from across the table. "He just needs to find the one drunk enough to fall for it!" More laughter from around the table.
Tony just shook his head at his friends laughing at him.
Just then, a fast song came up. Abby jumped up and grabbed Mandie's hand. "C'mon! I love this song!"
Mandie shook her head. "Still tired from the last one," she said, and no amount of pleading on Abby's part would get her up. Abby finally managed to get Ziva to go to the dance floor with her, and after a few minutes of watching, Tim decided he'd join them, leaving Mandie and Tony together alone at the table.
Watching McGee dance, pressed between Ziva and Abby, Tony shook his head. "That's it. McBoogieFever over there is cut off. No more alcohol for him tonight. Otherwise I'll have to put up with his hangover whining tomorrow."
Mandie gave him a sly grin. "Oh, that would be such torture for you, wouldn't it, Tony? I can see it now - talking loud, slamming the phone down…..you'd make his life a living hell!"
"You forgot the nice, greasy breakfast burrito waiting for him when he comes in," Tony smiled evilly, laughing along with her. He slid his arm over the back of the booth and turned slightly toward her. "Haven't seen you in a while Mandie, what's new on the Hill?"
"If the senator pinches my ass one more time….." She laughed at the look on Tony's face. It was like he couldn't decide if he wanted to put his hands around the guy's throat for touching his sister, or if he wanted all the juicy details. "I'm just kidding, Tony. I'm so far removed from the main office, I'm lucky I even know which senator I'm clerking for." Mandie and Tony made small talk for a while until everyone else came off the dance floor. She rolled her eyes. It was like an unwritten, unspoken rule - she was never left alone anywhere. She was only a year younger than Abby, but they treated her like she was 16. Tony slid out of the booth and went to the bar to try his luck with a blonde. Mandie, Abby, and Ziva decided they'd make a trip to the ladies' room. Mandie once again felt eyes on her. She wasn't normally this jumpy, but for some reason she was starting to get a little freaked out.
The three women made it to the restroom with no trouble. It was on the way back that things got a little scary. They had walked out of the restroom single file, Abby in the front, then Ziva, then Mandie. After only a few feet, a big, burly someone bumped into Mandie, knocking her to the side. Seeing as the club was packed, she didn't think much of it and went to continue on her way. Taking a minute to look for their table, she didn't see the young man in uniform until she'd bumped right into him. "Oh! I'm sorry!" She tried to continue on her way but he wrapped an arm around her waist.
"What's the rush, sweetheart? Come have a drink with me."
Feeling unusually uncomfortable, Mandie tried to extricate herself from his arms, but his grip only tightened. "No, thanks. I've got friends waiting for me…"
"I know," he smiled. "I've been watching you all night." He pulled her close and started walking in the opposite direction of her table and her friends.
"I said no!" She yelled, trying to stop walking, but he was stronger than she, and pulled her along easily. As they past the end of the bar, she caught the eye of the bartender, one the group knew well. She yelled 'NO!' again, and then yelled for help. She saw the bartender head for the other side of the bar and knew he was getting her friends. Even knowing she didn't have long to wait for help, she was still scared. This guy wasn't taking no for an answer.
"If you won't have a drink with me, then you'll dance with me." He dragged her out onto the dance floor and pulled her close, his breath hot on her neck, his hands running up and down her body.
"Let me go!" Mandie began to cry. She wasn't hurt, but she was terrified. "No! Let me go! Please, just let go!" All of a sudden, the music faded, the air around them went silent-except for her cries. The next thing she knew, she was wrapped in Abby's arms, and the guy in the uniform was on the ground gasping for air, Ziva's foot on his throat, Ziva's and Tony's guns in his face, while Tim, gun at the ready, stood in front of Mandie and Abby.
"Tony," Ziva began, conversationally, "I know my English is still not very good, but I did not know that the meaning of the word 'no' had changed."
"That's because it hasn't, my little assassin. In fact, I'm pretty sure no matter what language you say it in, it still means the same thing."
The guy on the floor choked and gasped for air, his face turning red. "C'mon guys…all I wanted was a dance, for God's sake!" Ziva's foot stepped harder when he tried to move. "I'm in the Navy, man, c'mon!"
Tony sneered. "I can see that, Petty Officer. That uniform stands for the honor and integrity of this country. It doesn't mean you get special treatment when you assault a woman." He nodded slightly to Ziva, who took her foot off the man's throat, and they both kept their weapons trained on him as he stood.
Ziva stepped closer to him. "I believe you owe my friend an apology."
The Petty Officer just looked at Ziva like she had three heads, until Tony's hand came down on his shoulder, pinching the nerve. Twitching, he looked at Mandie. "I'm sorry," he growled.
Tony pinched harder, and the man's knees dipped at the pain. "I don't think he sounded very sincere, do you, Ziva?"
Ziva thought about it. "Mmmm, no, I do not. But maybe he just does not have reason enough." She lowered her gun so it was pointed at his crotch. "Maybe now, you can put a little more feeling into it."
Nostrils flaring in anger, the uniformed man took several deep breaths, trying to control his anger. "I'm…sorry, miss, if I scared you. It won't happen again."
Barely peeking out from Abby's shoulder, Mandie just nodded.
With a glare, Ziva lowered her weapon and allowed the man to walk away. He got about 3 steps before he bumped into an angry Tony. "You can still tell all the boys back on the ship you got lucky tonight." He moved his suit jacket back to reveal his gold badge. "You didn't get taken into custody. Oh, and you lived to tell about the Israeli Mossad assassin who almost shot off your little petty officer." When the man snorted in disgust, Tony got right up in his face. "Go back to your ship and stay there for the rest of your shore leave. That's not a suggestion. That's an order."
Looking around at the crowd staring at him, the Petty Officer snarled in disgust and strode quickly out of the club. After a few minutes, the lights dimmed and the music started again, people once more crowding the dance floor, like nothing had ever happened. Abby and Tim led Mandie back to their table, followed shortly by Ziva and Tony. Abby tried to convince Mandie to stay. "Thanks, Abby, but I just want to go home, ok? I'm just not in the mood for this anymore."
Tony, Tim and Ziva shared a look. "You know, I am rather tired, myself. I think I will also call it a night. I will walk out with you, Mandie." Ziva reached for her purse under the table.
"You know what," said Tony. "Why don't we all call it a night. I don't think any of us is really in the mood anymore."
With that agreed upon by all, the quintet exited the club. Gentlemen that they are, Tony and Tim walked the women to their cars. Mandie gave everyone a hug and thanked them for rescuing her. "I'm so embarrassed!" Tony pulled her into his arms and gave her a squeeze, tucking her head under his chin.
"Don't be," he said, rubbing her back. "You have nothing to be embarrassed about. You did nothing wrong." Tony pulled back and looked at her. "Ok?" He smiled when she nodded quietly. With a brotherly peck on the head, he held her car door open for her and helped her in. Before he shut the door, he said, "don't be afraid to call one of us if you need it, ok? And call one of us when you get home so we know you made it ok."
Mandie rolled her eyes. "Yes, daddy."
Everyone laughed as Tony glared at her and shut her door. The group stood and watched as she drove away. "Don't worry, guys. I'll call her, when I know she's gotten home." Abby said, hugging her friends. It was Friday night - well, early Saturday morning, and the team had the weekend off. "Thanks for everything, guys. See you Monday!" Abby got in her roadster and sped away, leaving the others to get in their own cars and head for home.
An hour later…..
"Honestly, Abby, I'm fine!" Mandie insisted, walking through her apartment. She'd showered and changed into pajama shorts and a long t-shirt. "Yes, my door is locked, the alarm is set, all the windows are locked, and I've got my Louisville Slugger under my pillow." She laughed at Abby's response. Hearing a knock on the door, she headed for the living room. "Well, my Chinese is here. That's one thing I love about DC - all night restaurants that deliver!…Ok…..I've got a few errands tomorrow….OK, gotta' go, the delivery guy is getting impatient! I'll talk to you Monday, ok?….I will. And thanks, Abbs…. For everything. Love you, too. Night!" She closed her cell phone and hurried to the door, hearing another knock. "Coming, coming!" With one hand, she scooped up the money she'd set on the hall table, and with the other, she opened the door. "Thanks for getting here so quick! I'm starving!"
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A/N - YES, I'M BACK WITH ANOTHER STORY. THIS IS FOR ONE OF MY WRITING BUDDIES, MANDIELOULUVSEWE (READ HER STORIES - TONY-CENTRIC, FUNNY AND AWESOME!), TO WHOM I PROMISED A STORY OF HER OWN. SO HERE IT IS, MY DEAR - HOPE IT'S EVERYTHING YOU WANTED!
DISCLAIMER - YOU'VE HEARD IT ALL BEFORE, NOTHING IS MINE. I CAN'T EVEN LAY CLAIM TO THE CHARACTER OF MANDIE, SEEING AS SHE'S A REAL PERSON.
SHAMELESS BEGGING - PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE REVIEW! IF I DON'T GET ANY REVIEWS, I'LL BE REPLACED BY MONKEYS THAT CAN TYPE! PLEASE DON'T LET ME BE REPLACED! NOT BY TYPING MONKEYS, ANYWAY… COWS, MAYBE, BUT NOT MONKEYS!
SHAMELESS BEGGING OVER!
(But please, please review! Thanks guys!)