AN: So this is my first foray into the land of NCIS Fanfiction. So please bear with me. I'll try and keep the characters as in Character as possible. If I do happen to make someone OC please feel free to inform me in a review. I've never actually been to Annapolis MD. I've seen a few pictures but that's it, I'm afraid. It does seem like a pretty nice place though. That said, every place that I mention there is pure fiction and any reference to street names or things of that nature is completely coincidental. I didn't actually look up any street names so...yea. Also SunAcre Books and Matty's bar and grill are works of fiction as well.

Disclaimer: NCIS and its characters are property of CBS and the brilliant mind of once Donald P. Bellisario. I am in no way making any money off of this. I do, however, own the Characters of Taylor and William Mitchell, The Rei family, The Carmai family, SunAcre Books and Matty's bar and Grill and its employees. With that said...on with the story!

Prologue

"Good night tonight."

"You're telling me," a young woman replied, not raising her eyes from the table she was wiping. "I had to park four blocks away just to get a parking spot in the area."

"Appreciate you coming in, Taylor," the older man replied with a grin. "don't know if me, Andi and Tom could have handled the front without you...and I know how hard it can be to find a sitter on short notice like this..."

"Don't mention it," Taylor cut in with a smile. "Will's always happy to go stay with his uncle Max...Besides, it's not like I can't use the money. Bookstores not doing so well right now."

"You should head home. Me and Tom can finish up here, especially if you have to stop and pick Will up first."

"Oh, no, he's staying over tonight. Momma gets the house to herself!"

"All the more reason for me to let you leave a little early." The older man grabbed the rag from her hand and nudged her toward the door. "Go home and wrap some Christmas presents for the little man or, better yet, read one of those novels you're so fond of."

"Thanks Matt. I think I will." Taylor glanced at the clock and sighed. "Not sure if Max will still be up for me to call..."

"Max? Go to sleep before the sun came up on a night when he doesn't have to work," Matt replied with a laugh. "You're more likely to sell that old store of yours. And we BOTH know that that will never happen.

The brunette chuckled softly, kissing the old man on the cheek. "Night, Matt."

She turned and, grabbing her purse from behind the counter, started for the door. "You be careful on your way home," Matt called out as she reached for the handle.

"Always am. Don't ya trust me?"

The dark haired man heard the laughter in her voice and smile. "Not you I'm worried about," he said into the, now empty, room.

"Hey, Max, just got out. How's my little man doing?" Taylor spoke into her cell as she stepped into the street outside.

"Been asleep since nine," came the voice over the speaker. "Thought you closed at 10. You guys stay open tonight? It's almost midnight."

"Had some drunken sailors in tonight and you know how Matt can be at kicking them out. Then, of course, there's the clean up once they finally leave."

"And how many numbers did you walk away with today?"

"Max!" Taylor huffed. "I'm there to work, not collect numbers. You know I always turn those down."

"uh huh"

"Andi got a few though." Taylor chuckled, thinking of the blonde woman. "Trust her to mix business with pleasure."

"Yup that sounds like Andi."

"Matt was surprised when I told him you were watching Will tonight."

"Oh well," Max replied, voice cold. "The old man thinks I can't move on with my life without falling apart."

"He's your father," Taylor exclaimed, pausing beneath a street light and glaring angrily into the snow. "He's just worried about you. It's not like you've really talked to anyone about it. There are times I worry too but you don't seem to get mad at me for it!"

"Relax," Max sighed. "I'm sorry."

"No, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that."

"So...anyway. What time did these sailors finally leave?"

"Bout 11:30." Taylor started walking again, wrapping her coat tighter around her against the cold. "Poor Matt's still..."

She paused, turning to glance behind her. An empty street met her gaze and she shrugged to herself and resumed her trek to her car.

"Taylor!"

"Sorry," she continued with a laugh, "Thought I heard something."

"Where are you Tay," Max asked, concerned. "Thought you said you were headed home."

"Can't really afford to pay for parking right now. So the closed I could get to the restaurant tonight was a few blocks away. I'm just headed to my car now.

"And before you start acting like my overprotective big brother," she continued, cutting off his reply, "I parked on a nice street under a streetlamp."

A light chuckle sounded in her ear and she smile. "Anyway," she said with a grin, "I'll bet Amy's standing there waiting, oh so patiently, for me to let you go. You two really should spend more time together, you know."

"I know. I've got some leave time saved up. Think we'll be headed south after new years."

"Sounds fun."

"It'll give us some time to work through things..."

"I know, " Taylor cut in, "you both need time to re-connect...I know part of the reason you haven't been able to is because I rely on you so much with Will. After the holidays Mandi should be back and I'll be able to have her watch him while I work."

"It's never a problem, Tay." The said smile was evident in his voice. "Amy and I both love him. And it's kinda nice having a kid around."

"But it can't always bring the best memories," she sighed. "I'm gonna let you go. You two take care. I'll see you tomorrow afternoon."

"Night, Taylor."

"Bye."

Taylor slid her phone into her jacket pocket and opened her purse to dig out her car keys. "I hate this weather," she said into he brisk December night, her keys jingling slightly as her shaking hand pulled them from the purse.

"Watch it!" she cried as a woman ran into her side. She turned and gasped at the sight before her.

The woman stood a few inches taller than her, her wide brown eyes wet with tears and panic. What pulled Taylor's eye, however, were the growing red stains that ran down her bare arms and spread across the front of her shirt.

Car keys slipped from her hand as she reached for the woman. When her knees gave out, Taylor tried to catch her, the weight of the taller woman dragging her down the side of the car and out of her shocked state.

"Oh my god!" she cried, grabbing her phone from her pocket and dialing 911 before removing her heavy jacked and trying to slow the blood flow from the wound on the woman's chest, the shivers running through her body passing her notice.

She jumped when she felt the woman grasp her wrist, the phone dropping, forgotten in the snow.

She felt something small and hard pressed to her palm and couldn't stop the tears that fell as the others arm fell, limply, away.

AN: So there's the first chapter. I know it's kinda short but I mean really the very beginning of each episode isnt very long before the theme song goes, you know. This was my version of that little scene. And I know its not Christmas yes but I'm planning of finishing this around that time and am hoping that, if I time it right, I'll be able to get the Christmas chapter up AT Christmas so...yea. Anyway, I've got the next chapter started hopefully it will be done soon. I'm planning of updating at least once a week if not more so...Please review! Reviews making me happy and help me to work faster knowing that people are enjoying my story! Also, I know that this chapter was a lot of talk and very little of our fav Characters! I promise you that everything in this chapter is IMPORTANT!

Much love,

Kaydera.