I am warning you before you read this story, It isn't beta-ed. It's not for a challenge or somethings and I didn't wanna go to the trouble of finding a beta. So, consider yourself warned.
Because we can't save them all...
This story is dedicated to every person who fights for peace. May it be in an other country, their own country, their own families or maybe their own lives.
It was one of those days.
Nothing would go right and everyone thing was messed up. Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs felt it in his gut. He had been careful all day, but he still couldn't shake of the feeling that something was going to happen. He knew it as soon as he woke up under the frame of his boat.
Later that day his entire team was working peacefully in the squad room. There was only paper work. And while working with paper the worst you can get is a paper cut, Gibbs thought smiling.
That was when his phone rang.
When he answered his phone in his usual gruff manner a clerk on the other side of the line told him that a marine had taken a group of shopper hostage in the mall. Metro was in place but since it was a marine they had decided that NCIS had to handle this one.
"Grab your gear!" Gibbs barked "Marine has taken civilians hostage. DiNozzo and I will take the sedan and go ahead. McGee, David, you follow with the truck."
Tony didn't hesitate for a second as he grabbed his bag and ran after Gibbs towards the elevator. Even McGee and Ziva made it down in the same elevator.
In the car Gibbs slammed the gas pedal almost trough the ground and sped of the navy yard. The mall was a 10 minute drive but he was sure that he could make it in 5.
Tony's terrified scream was the last thing he heard before he saw their car slam in to a blue truck.
Since McGee was driving he and Ziva made it save to the mall. When he noticed that Gibbs wasn't there yet he ordered Ziva to phone Gibbs or Tony. Somehow Agent David listened to him without hesitation and grabbed her cellphone.
McGee walked over to a group of Metro Officers?
"Special Agent McGee" he said identifying himself with his badge. "Who's in charge?" One of the policemen pointed to a men a few feet from their group. He was talking in to his cellphone and making big gestures with his other arm.
"I want a group of snipers here!" He yelled before shutting his phone.
"That would be our call sir" McGee said as politely as he could before showing his badge. "Special Agent McGee, NCIS. What is the situation?"
"We have one crazy marine in the middle of the mall" he man sneered pointing to a group of humans. "Claims that nobody at home knows that we are still fighting a war." He paused a second, lifting his cap from his head and replaced it. "But it is your case now." He said. "Good luck, use my people as much as you want."
Agitated that Gibbs still wasn't there he went looking for Ziva. He saw her phoning in a quiet corner. When he walked over to her she closed her phone and greeted him.
"That was the director" she said flat. "Gibbs and Tony have been in an accident. Nothing serious but the EMT's took them to the hospital. You are in charge for the time being."
McGee chuckled at the thought of Tony and Gibbs being dragged off to a hospital. He would have paid to see that.
Realizing that it was now him who had to call the shots he broke out in sweat. Ziva smiled and grabbed his hand. "If anyone is up for the task, it is you." She assured him. "I'll talk to the arriving snipers." she said before walking away.
McGee slowly walked over to the center of the mall. Stood a group of people, men, woman, old people, young people and that was when his eyes fell on one frightened woman with black pigtails.
Forensic specialist Abigail Scuito was standing next to a marine with the barrel of a gun pressed to her head. Her eyes sending silent pleas to him.
"Corporal Oak?" he said, his voice just a little louder than normal "My name is Special Agent Tim McGee." the man looked over to him and what he saw in his eyes frightened him. Those eyes show a mix of pain and anger.
"How old are you?" He man sneered "First day without a diaper?" he laughed shortly at his own joke. "I am here to help." McGee said calm. "Making fun of me isn't going to help any of us." He took a deep breath and decided to go right in. "Why are you doing this Corporal Oak?"
Pain on the man's face changed to frustration. "We are fighting a war over there. I lost men there in that war. But people here, they don't care!" He grabbed Abby's hair and pulled her head back. "Take this one, she was singing a song, and when I asked her if she even cared she didn't answer!" He released her hair. "I don't even know why we are fighting anymore."
"Do you know what is to have family in combat?"
"I do" McGee answered, "My father died in Irak a few years ago, but he was proud of what he did. It was importuned to him to protect people, give them a save life, no matter if it was at home, or at an other country."
"So this is what a marine does?" Tim asked, "They bring the war home with them?" he paused for a few seconds and deciding that this man needed some tough love. "You don't know squad about those people! I've been an agent for a few years now, and almost every marine I've met was proud to be one. Proud to protect the people at home, they want the war to stay over there so that their family, friends and loved ones could live in peace here."
He walked closer to the man. "Are you prepared to shoot away everything those marines believe in? Everything they fight for?" while speaking he raised his voice, only to yell the last sentence. "Are you, Corporal Oak, prepared to give up everything you believe in?"
"No " he whispered.
"We can't save everyone on this planet, we simply can't. But these people. You can sace those people Corporal." McGee said, his voice calm and normal again. "You know what to do." He waited until he had confirmation from the man. He nodded.
"Good, now put the safety and give the gun to the black haired woman next to you."
Without anymore words the man pulled the gun from Abby's head, put the safety on and handed it to her.
All of a sudden there was nothing left from the proud man Corporal Oak once had been. With his shoulders hanging he walked away, only to get jumped by several Metro cops.
McGee signed all the hostages to run to a group of social workers in the east corner of the building. He walked past Abby to the man. When he was sure that the man wasn't carrying anymore weapons or bombs he let some metro officers cuff the man and put him in to NCIS' custody.
Turning around he let Abby hug him. As he felt her silently sobbing, he hold her close as he let her sob. Pleased that he still could comfort he stroke her head.
"I will never let anything happen to you" he whispered, "you know that."
After he released Abby he could hear Gibbs coming, yelling orders, running towards McGee and Abby. He had still dried blood on his face. When he saw that the situation already had been resolved he sigh and patted McGee on his back.
"Atta boy."
Noticing the blood and bandages on Gibbs Abby leapt forward and hugged him. "Gibbs what happened? Are you hurt? You are never hurt!" she exclaimed.
Putting some distance between them Gibbs calmed her down. "Tony and I had an accident, nothing serious, we just go back from the hospital. Tony is outside, He goes with Corporal Oak back to the navy yard."
Satisfied she hugged him one more time and ran outside to find Tony.
"No one got hurt boss." McGee told Gibbs. "My first hostage situation and everything went well."
Gibbs smiled at his junior agent who was so clearly looking for a compliment. "Yeah, you did well." he said.
Then he added a head slap for good measure. "Don't ever do this kind of thing without me again." he told him, his eyes serious "I will slap you in to the next year.". But McGee didn't care at the moment, with a smile on his face he walked outside, in to the shining sun.