Disclaimer: I do not own NCIS. I do not own the theme of this story. Originally it was written by lNightWriterl. She gave me permission to continue on with her story, however I feel like I could never finish the story the way she, or her readers, would want to. So I will be writing my own and it is based on hers, so there will be very obvious similarities – characters, theme, lines, etc. – but I will be changing things around. I hope you guys enjoy it!
"Run! I said run!"
"I'm not leaving you!"
"God damn it, Tony run!"
Tony shot up from his sleep, the cold sweat clinging to him, the clock on his night table flashing 3 A.M. Glancing around the room Tony tries to get his surrounding in order, he tries to swing his leg off the bed, but it gets tangled in the sheets. Huffing he kicks both legs out and lets the sheet fall to the floor. He'll make his bed later.
"Do it."
"I... I can't."
Tony stumbles his way to the bathroom hoping a shower will wash away his horrible dream - memory - but life never seems to be that easy for him.
"What are you, Tony?"
"A marine."
The scolding hot water cascades down his body.
"Do it."
No.
"No."
Why won't it stop?
"That's an order."
No... He rests his forehead against the cold tile.
A bullet.
A scream.
Tony slides down the shower wall and sits on the ground, with the water falling onto his tired form, he doesn't have to be up for five more hours so he doesn't have to rush this shower. In fact, he has time to kill. He didn't move, not even as the water ran cold. This water could never be as cold as he felt inside.
Chapter 1:
"What happened to you?" McGee everything but yelled as Tony plops into his work desk. Ziva turns her dark eyes to her partner and takes him in. His dark hair neatly done, the grey suit fitting perfectly over his form, and his eyes alert. What was wrong with him? Tony lifted his cup of coffee to his lips and Ziva saw it, the white bandages wrapped around his hand.
"Oh this?" Tony asks tauntingly. "I spent the night with a foxy, blonde. A solid 10 with a rockin' bod. When I went to leave this morning I tripped over her clothes on the floor and smashed my hand right through her glass coffee table. She was pretty mad, but I told her I would make it up to her later." His trademark smirk on his face. Ziva scoffs and rolls her eyes at him and McGee shakes his head and turns back to his computer. In reality Tony had put his fist right through his bathroom mirror. The liquid was the warmest thing he's felt in the last few months it was almost a relief to know he could feel.
"Please no. Take me instead."
"No."
"Stand down, Tony."
"No! Don't listen to him."
"That's an order Tony!"
Tony turns on his computer and goes to his mail, he never has anything worth reading but anything to keep his mind busy, well usually nothing interesting.
"Tony,
Here we are. Either letters waste paper; memories far too emotional.
I understand.
Archer "
Tony's eyes stare at the computer screen. It wasn't hard to figure out, anyone could figure it out, but the problem is how. How is he supposed to figure out how if he left nothing else, Tony's fingers itched to reach for his phone. Had Gibbs waited a few more seconds to enter the room and Tony would be on his burner cellphone he keeps in his backpack.
"Grab your gear."
"What do we got, Boss?" Tony reaches for his bag with his uninjured hand and slings it onto his back.
"Dead Marine over near Potomac."
"On your six." The team all march toward the elevator, but only Tony bumps into someone. "Oh. Hey sorry." Tony's eyes try to take the man in without being caught.
"It's no problem, sir. Can you tell me where Anthony DiNozzo is?" This time Tony didn't mind get caught studying the other man. Nothing rang a bell for Tony and he certainly didn't look like someone with good news for him. The man was short, only stopping at Tony's shoulders. And his suit, cheap and fit the man poorly with his own beady eyes staring at Tony, probably waiting for an answer. He couldn't scream lawyer any louder even if he wanted to.
"Yeah. He's over there." Tony raised his hand and pointed his finger in the other direction. Tony wasn't in the mood to deal with a lawyer, epically with his mind so fogged up with the lack of sleep he has been getting lately, the man nodded at Tony and scurried off. The agent ran to the elevators where his team stood waiting with raised eyebrows.
"Guy wanted to know where the Director was." Tony shrugged and the others let the subject drop.
"DiNozzo sketch. Ziva bag and tag. McGee witnesses." The three agents all went on their assigned duties as Gibbs stood and took in the scene. No local police swarming around, like they usual were, and only a few witnesses standing around. Overall it was very odd. Tony crouches down next to the body and runs a gloved hand over the face, brushing debris off the dead Marine. That's all it took for Tony's already numb body to spark up with fear, if only for a second.
Brandon. The Brandon. His Brandon.
Stark white face with glazed, brown eyes staring up at the sky. He's been dead for, at least, a few hours.
"Get the hell out of my face, DiNutso."
"DiNozzo, you fucking ape."
Dark hair still buzzed closed to his head.
"Sterling-"
"DiNozzo started it!"
Green eyes glaring hard at smug looking brown eyes.
Tony's stomach instantly started to churn and twist painfully.
"We have to go get them!"
"It's too late for them!"
Tony squeezes his eyes shut. He's had brothers die on the field and in his arms, that's part of the job when serving your country, but he's never had to investigate a brother's death. Images swirl around in his head and wouldn't stop.
"Tony."
He should have stayed in touch with everyone. Maybe he could have prevented this.
"Tony!"
"Get him away from the body!"
The remaining team looks over to see the man from the office rushing to the scene. His light colored hair peeling off one side of his head and the wind trying to pull the rest of it off. Tony would have thought that too be the funniest thing ever, if he had not been so absorbed on the dead man on the ground. Abruptly standing Tony stumbles a few feet back and whirls around, he ducks his head down and lets the content of his stomach freely fall.
"Oh for god sakes. Anthony DiNozzo, get away from the body!" The short man makes his way over toward the hunched figure of Tony, stumbling over a rock and almost falling on his face, only for Gibbs to stand in his way.
"Who the hell are you?"
"Get. Him. Away. From. The. Body." The man says through clenched teeth.
"I said," Gibbs leans into the man's face, "who the hell are you?"
"Henry Hamitch," the name made Tony whirl back around to stare at the man, "and I need agent DiNozzo. Now."
Tony takes a few steps forward and brushes by Gibbs in the process. "Hamitch. John?" The man nodded slowly.
"Cousin."
Gibbs narrows his eyes at is agent. "What the hell is going on?"
"I'm going with him Boss."
Tony's eyes stare into space in front of him and marches toward the car Henry had arrived in. If John sent his cousin to get Tony, then it must be important. The two left a fuming Gibbs and a confused team as they drove off.
"Where are we going?"
"NCIS."
"Why?"
A silence.
"Why?" Tony growled out.
"You have someone waiting for you."
For the rest of the ride Tony sat in a silence and kept his eyes focused on the passing scenery - trying to play movies in his head - anything to try and keep the anxiety at bay. Oh god, John. Tony hasn't heard from him in the last few years. Is he okay? Sterling sure as hell isn't and Archer didn't seem like he was doing so hot either. Fuck, that's two out of the original 10.
" - so we'll wait for your team."
"Sorry, what?"
Henry huffed. "I think you'll want your team present for this news, so we'll wait for your team."
Tony's eyes narrowed to slits, if they were waiting for his team then why the hell was he picked up from the scene? He could be figuring out who the hell killed Sterling, but instead he was sitting in a cheap rent-a-car with a cheap-rent-a-lawyer in the NCIS parking garage and his head swarmed with thoughts. No sooner had Tony been thinking this that a black, car comes speeding in. God, Tony wishes he stayed at the crime scene there's no way in Hell that he wants to deal with the wrath of Gibbs. Speaking of the Devil.
"DiNozzo, what the Hell?" The older agent storms over to Tony before his other two teammates even managed to get out of the car.
"I don't know! Genius here hasn't told me anything." The not so quiet conversation was halted as Henry stepped between the two.
"Let's go now that you're here." He holds his arm out in a jester motion for Gibbs to lead them. Bless his soul, he was about to get killed for Tony.
The group all shuffle into the building and stay in an uncomfortable silence. Ziva and McGee sharing looks of curiosity to each other before furrowing their brows and stare at Tony, who in turn stood stiff and eyes trained to the elevator doors - he's making a run for it as soon as they open. The elevator dings and the door slides open - and like predicted - Tony took out of the space first and made his way toward his desk, well that is until he spotted a uniform clad body sitting in his chair with their back to them, and a dog sitting proudly. Letting out a loud park the dog made its way over - and as everyone knows dogs do not like DiNozzo - so it was surprising when the dog sat at the stunned agent's feet. Tony kneeled down and gently ran his hands down the dog, stopping at the black collar on his neck.
"Hey Buddy. Don't tell me. John?"
Tony stands as the man behind the desk turns around. Honey colored eyes meet green as they both let grins spread across their faces. John stands around the same height as Tony, but wider and more defined muscles, his uniform clinging tightly to his well toned chest, and a square face. Both men stare at one another with shit eating grins; their stances changing from relaxing to the business tone of a Marine. Standing straight with their lefts arms pressed firmly to their side and right hands against their foreheads. Saluting.
His team stood in shock. What the hell is this? Tony's never saluted anyone, Hell he doesn't even show respect. Gibbs marching over, there's already too many fucking mysteries right now and he's about to get to the bottom of this Tony one, but stopped short as he watched the Marine start to sign. He obviously doesn't know Tony well.
"YOU - LOOK - LIKE - SHIT."
Before Gibbs could step in and tell the man that Tony doesn't sign, but was shocked yet again when his agent barked out a laugh. Because Gibbs was standing behind Tony he couldn't see what he was signing, but he could see Tony's handing flying. His other two agents share another look before gluing their eyes to the scene. While the forgotten lawyer shuffles past the awed group and stands beside the two signing men.
"Alright," Tony claps his hands and starts to speak. "Why the hell are you here?"
John's face soon morphed into something serious before his hands started flying. Even Gibbs couldn't keep up with what this guy was saying.
"This isn't fair!" McGee cried out. "Uh.." All eyes turn to stare at him. "Ziva and I.. we uh.. can't sign."
"It's about the case," Tony starts of.
"The case we are working one now?" Ziva finally cut in and took a few steps forward to see more.
"Three Marines sir - oh you don't have to call me sir," Tony smirks at John. "How are they connected?" Tony's face paled as he watched his friend sign.
"Tony!" His boss hisses at him.
"Sorry. Staff Sergeant Peter Erickson, Master Sergeant Michael Hommand, and now Corporal Brandon Sterling." Tony's tone taking on a hollowness to it. How can this be? Tony knew those names. He knew them well...
"How are they connected?" McGee asks, he too, takes a few steps forward to be more involved.
"They are all in the same unit." Tony answers, his eyes staying on John. "The others?"
This time Henry steps in. "That's why I'm here. You and Jake are the only ones not in protective custody."
"Why would DiNozzo need protective custody?" Gibbs cut in sharply. He was tired of this not knowing bullshit, but he was putting two and two together. But theres no one he would believe that. He knows everything about his Senior Field Agent... right?
"Agent DiNozzo was in the squad that's being targeted."
Everything was quiet.
"Very funny, Tony."
"You think this is funny?" The short man growled out. "You think your teammate in danger is funny?" He looked outraged, even the Marine was staring at McGee with pure disgust on his face.
"No I mean... Tony isn't... uh... he's not a Marine!" McDweeb stutters out as the heated glares stay fixed on his form. "Come on Tony. This is some joke, right? Right?" The eyes of his team all turn to stare at Tony waiting for his answer. Taking a deep breath the NCIS agent shook his head meekly.
"Nope. Sergeant Anthony DiNozzo at your service."