It was a Dark and Stormy Night

by bigdandilion

Written for the NFA challenge, "It was a Dark and Stormy Night"

It was a Dark and Stormy NightThere she was, lying in the bed. Staff Sergeant Wendy Carlston restlessly slept. A storm could be heard chilling the room from which she lay. Branches tapped at her window, seeking refugee from the storm. They continued this until she stirred. Wendy's eyes fluttered open and she groaned as the cold sank into her shivering wind was eerie, whispering and howling into her ears. Then she heard it, her name riding on the wind. Wendy! Wendy! No, How could this be? she shook her head silly child he thought. Wendy! Wendy! Carlston knew he wasn't mistaken and quickly grabbed her coat and headed outside. Wendy! Wendy! It was calling, steering her further out of the safety of her home."Hello?" Wendy called, "who's there?" Silence. No shadow passed over her, leaves rustled in the agonizing wind. Wendy hesitantly looked out into the vacant yard, and then she heard it again. Wendy! Wendy! She stepped forward and her eyes snapped open, pools of blue terror, as hands grasped and closed around her throat. She tried to scream but couldn't. Her hands dropped, her body shuddered then wind whispered."She deserves it, just like the others. No pity. No second thoughts. he brought this on herself."

_______________________________________________________________

Gibbs took another sip of his coffee, warming his body from the cold temperatures outside. He gazed out the window watching small rain droplets bead off the glass. Last nights storm was bad, discarded branches and leaves were scattered over every inch of the ground, and the wind, the wind was angry. He could have sworn it sounded like screams in the night.

Ding

Gibbs peered at the elevator as the familiar ding filled the office and an all to familiar voice pierced his ears.

"Good morning! Goooood morning! To you and you and you!" Anthony DiNozzo sprang from foot to foot and winked at a pretty agent walking by, swinging his bag smiling as it landed with a gentle plop next to his chair.

Gibbs watched him and smirked slightly behind the cover of his coffee cup. He watched as he chatted with the other two team member, Ziva David and Timothy McGee, greeting them with enthusiastic smiles. Gibbs suddenly jumped as loud screaming music blared from his phone, Abby.

"Gibbs, we'll be right there." he turned toward his team, "Gear up! DiNozzo, David gas the truck and meet as at the scene."_________________________________________________________________________________

"Ziva, turn left!"

"Tony, I know where I am going."

"If you did you would have turned left here!"

Ziva huffed.

"You missed it!"

"Tony, I swear, I will kill you with my bare hands!"

"OK, I'm sorry."

"Thank you."

Tony grinned, "So how was your date last night?"

"Tony! That is none of your bears wax!"

"Bees wax."

"What?"

"It's bees wax, not bears wax."

Ziva gave him a deathly glare.

"I'm just trying to have a normal conversation, you know, like a normal person!"

"You are not a normal person, Tony!"

"You're awfully snippy this morning."

"Snippy?"

"Yeah, snippy, Did you not get your morning coffee?" Tony waggled his eyebrows.

Ziva once again glared at him, "Yes, I had my morning coffee, not that I have to answer to you!"

"Aw come on Zee, don't be like that!"

"Why are you ignoring me?"

"Zeeee-vaah!"

"STOP IT!"

"There you go!"

"Tony…."

"Come on Ziva, where's that smile?" he shot her his famous smile.

"Your charm smile isn't going to work with me, Tony."

"What charm smile?" He asked innocently.

"That one!"

"No one can resist the charm smile, eh Ziva?"

Ziva rolled her eyes as Tony continued to grin.

"Turn here, Ziva!"

"Tony, we have been over this!" I know where we're going!"

"You're acting that way again!"

"What way?"

"Huffy!"

"I don't get huffy! I get annoyed! With you!"

"Ziva, if you don't take a left here, you're going to miss the last possible exit that will lead us to the crime scene."

"TONY! Guess who's in the drivers seat, ME! Guess who's in the passengers seat, YOU!" Ziva was turning red with frustration. "Now let's see who can be the quietist from now on until we arrive at the crime scene, yes?"

"Fine."

Two minutes later.

"Ziva?"

Ziva breathed deeply, trying to control her temper, "What?"

"You missed the turn again."

_____________________________________________________________________________

Gibbs glanced at his watch, how long could it possibly take them.

"McGee, where are DiNozzo and David?"

"Well, um, ah.."

"Spit it out McGee!"

"I don't know boss."

Gibbs glared at him with fierce blue eyes.

"I'll go find out." McGee chirped as he backed away from his boss's stare.

McGee started muttering to himself as he punched at the numbers on his phone, waiting patiently as it dialled.

"DiNozzo,"

"Tony! Where the heck are you! Gibbs is getting really angry and he wants to know where you are." "Hold your horses probie, we are closer than you think."

"What do you mea-" McGee was cut off as a giant 'boo' sounded behind him, startled he toppled to the ground. McGee groaned as two green eyes peered at him from above."Not funny Tony."

"Correctomando, probie, extremely funny." Tony sniggered, and stuck out his hand pulling McGee up.

"So, what took you so long?"

"Ask Ziva."

McGee glanced at Ziva as she walked past the two men, muttering angrily to herself. For the safety of his life, McGee decided the question could wait. Tony and McGee followed her and finally reached Gibbs who glanced at them irritably.

"According to Duck, It's going to be bad." The three agents gulped, If it wasn't Gibbs words that convinced, it was the sight of Jimmy, Duck's assistant, that ran out with his hands over his mouth. The four agents( yes Gibbs too) breathed shakily and began to picture the sight. Readying themselves, the team slowly walked up the small pathway leading to a be a very warm modest house, a petite white picket fence framing its body. The house looked like it had once been filled with laughter, love, happiness but as they walked to the door that atmosphere that filled the agents minds and hearts was dark and haunting.

Opening the door, they followed the familiar voice of their beloved examiner. Finally arriving at the correct room, they entered but instantly stopped in their tracks. The body. The body of a young woman. Her body was lying in a small pile on one side of the room. Her eyes had been removed, savagely removed. The ears missing, her face in a horrid display. The hands we're missing, looking like the had been amputated, but not cleanly. Clearing his throat Gibbs invaded the eerie silence.

"Duck?" was all he could manage.

"This poor gal. Jethro, there are so many injuries. Contusions on her face, lacerations, and amputation," he pointed towards the arms indicating where the hands had been. "I'll know more when we take her home."

"Do you know time of death at least?"

"That I can tell you. At least twelve hours ago, poor dear was murdered in that ghastly storm. No one would have been able to hear her cries in that wind.

Gibbs was directly taken back to his thoughts of the storm, his stomach churning slightly. He could have sworn it sounded like screams in the night. His thoughts were broken by his senior agents.

"Boss?"

Gibbs looked at his agents, who were looking at him curiously in return. Huffing he raised his arms.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Ziva, I want statements from neighbours, Tony bag and tag, McGee sketch."

With his agents running around doing their tasks, Gibbs bent down next to Ducky and helped take the body and into the back of the truck as Palmer was still absent.

_____________________________________________________________________

Snap, McGee shuddered as he took another picture of the pools of drying blood. Although he had been an investigator for years now, he still felt uncomfortable at a crime scene. How could anyone kill another person, he shook his head unconsciously. Continuing with his duty he was suddenly drawn to a hypnotizing 'drip drip' sound. Following the sound it drew him from the crime scene and down a narrow hallway leading to the backyard. McGee suddenly stopped, wide eyed and retreated running full speed back to Gibbs.

Gibbs looked up to see his young agent running towards him. Uncertain to what was happening he drew his weapon.

"Boss, you have to see this," McGee yelled towards his boss.

Retreating his weapon, Gibbs followed McGee back into the house and down the hallway. McGee motioned 'up' to the far end. Looking up at the wall, Gibbs sucked in a breath. It was smeared in blood. A message written from the kill, clear as day. Gibbs marvelled as the blood dripped around the letters, covering the floor with more blood splatter. Drawing closer, he squinted studying the messy words. Whispering under his breath he read the message.

"Listen for the song, you will hear it play. That is my warning."

This made McGee really nervous. And it didn't help that the air was suddenly pierced with a note from a piano. Running down the hall, McGee in tow, Gibbs found Tony struggling to remove a pair of pale hands from the keys of the piano. The hands were in perfect position resting gently on the lower C and D notes. Looking up, Tony drew a triumphant smile.

"I found the hands boss!"

"Really, DiNozzo, I hadn't noticed."

Frowning and ignoring his boss's comment, Tony handed him a piano book.

"This is the song it was on, I don't see any connection."

Taking the book from Tony, Gibbs glanced at the title and instantly wished he hadn't. His chest began to tighten and felt as if a fire was burning in his heart. The title read the sweet melody, "Hush little baby" the same song Kelly had played for him, the same song that was currently in his cassette player. Closing the book gently he handed it back to Tony who sealed it into an evidence bag. Deep in his gut, Gibbs then knew that this was not some random murder. This was personal.

McGee, shuffled closer to Gibbs.

"Boss I found something else."

Walking back to the hallway, Gibbs and Tony followed McGee out the back door onto the yard's back patio. In the middle was a large red spot that had stained the white stone.

"It looks like she was killed out here." Tony stated, and both McGee and Gibbs nodded in agreement.

With an uneasy gut feeling Gibbs wanted to get back the office as quickly as possible. With thoughts weighing and racing through his mind Gibbs stated to the two agents,

"Ok, good work, lets finish up here and get back home."

Tony and McGee stared wide eyed at one another. Did they just hear 'good job' and coming from the mouth of the one and only L J Gibbs. Smiling to themselves they quickly finihed up their work and made their way back to the truck, where Ziva was shaking her head and talking to Gibbs. Apparently no luck.

______________________________________________________________

Back at headquarters Tony, Ziva and McGee were working diligently, trying to find any lead that would help them get a grasp of the murder. Upon arrival, Gibbs had gone out for coffee.

"Tony," McGee broke the silence, "what was the title of the song?"

"Wh-y-y-y?" Tony asked raising his eyebrows.

"Well, ever since you handed it to Gibbs, he's been kind of, well you know…strange."

"Is that so, McGee."

McGee closed his eyes, Gibbs was right behind him.

"Oh, B-boss, I, uh, well, I'm thirsty!" McGee burst from his seat and ran towards the water cooler at the other side of the office.

Chuckling to himself, Gibbs sat down at his desk, flipping through the photos of the crime scene. Only to look up, and see Tony raise his hands in the air triumphantly and twirl out of his chair to the front of his desk.

"Yes, DiNozzo?"

"Staff Sergeant Wendy Carlston, is are murder victim."

"What did you say her name was," Gibbs sternly questioned.

"Staff Sergeant Wendy Carlston."

Gibbs ran his fingers through his salt and pepper hair. Tony noting Gibbs behaviour immediately took action.

"Camp Fire!" he yelled out.

McGee (who came running from the water cooler) and Ziva jumped quickly and went by Tony's side.

"Boss," Tony asked, "what's going on?"

Gibbs looked at the concerned faces of his team and drew out a breath.

" I thought I recognized our victim, but because of the lacerations and contusions I wasn't sure, now thanks to Tony I stand correct. I was on tour with Carlston during Dessert Storm, she was someone I could talk to when I would get lonely. When you gave me the piano book, the title read "Hush little baby" the same song that I have in my cassette player at home, the one Kelly played for me. I believe I have found the motive of our murderer."

The three agents looked into their boss's eyes.

"Me."

Before the agents had time to react to his comment, he had already hit the phone, dialling Abby's lab.

__________________________________________________________________

Abby took a large slurp of her Caf-Pow through the straw, savouring the taste of her favourite caffeinated drink. She set it down and shrugged her tense shoulders. She let her fingertips rest against the keys of her keyboard and took a deep breath before she started inputting more commands into her computer.

Phone ringing Abby hit the intercom button, eyes glued to the screen as she minimised her search to survey the results of the chemical analysis she'd performed on the blood Ducky had sent up to her from the morgue. "Forensics. Abby speaking."

"Who else would be speaking, Abby? You're the only one there." Gibbs' voice cut through the sound of the music playing in her lab and made her smile.

"Not true, Gibbs. Not true. Bert could've picked up the phone, then you'd be very embarrassed at assuming you were speaking to me." she heard him sigh and stifled a chuckle. "But you're not calling just to hear my delightful voice, so how about I tell you what I've found so far?"

"Anything from the blood sample Ducky took from the Staff Sergeant?" Gibbs asked after a slight pause.

Abby nodded before realising she couldn't see her. "Yeah, I was just going through it now." she narrowed her eyes and studied the results on screen. "I got negative results on the blood sample, it was all our victims, but according to Ducky, she went down with a fight. Duckman found skin under her fingernails I'm running them now."

"Good work Abbs."

She opened her mouth to reply but found herself listening to the familiar dial tone. She shook her head and hit the button to silence the sound. "One day, I'll get to hang up first."

___________________________________________________________________

Gibbs set down the phone and answered the questioning faces.

"All the blood at the scene was Carlston's, but Ducky found skin under her fingernails. Looks like she went down with a fight. Abby is running the test now, but until we get the results I want you to look up phone records, bank recites, anything that will link Carlston and the murderer to me!"

The agents immediately began to scurry around the office back to their desks. As Gibbs sat at his desk he began searching through the crime scene photos, hoping to catch something that they had missed earlier.

Frustrated sighs filled the office as one by one the agents, including Gibbs, were defeated. None had any leads. Angry, Gibbs stood up and faced his team.

"How can one person, hide from all of us! I want answers and I want them now!" He pounded his fist on his desk.

"Then your going to love me." The cheery voice easily penetrated through the anger of Gibbs as Abby walked into the middle of the office.

"What you got Abbs?" They all asked at once.

"You have no idea how cool that was. Seriously you guys could be N'SYNC!"

"A-a-abbs, today!"

"Oh alright my silver haired fox, settle down," she grinned at him, " I have a ninety six percent match on our skin sample."

"Well, who is it?" Gibbs barked.

"His name is Pedro Hernandez"

Gibbs froze, his heart beating rapidly.

"That's impossible."

"Gibbs, there is a ninety six percent match!"

"Abby, Pedro Hernandez is dead!"

"Are you su-" Abby was cut off by his hand on her arm.

"Yes, I know he is dead," Gibbs insisted, "I killed him."

Abby gasped and placed her hands over her mouth. McGee and Ziva shifted uncomfortably, Tony remained unfazed, already knowing this.

"When I come home from tour, my family had been murdered and when I found out who did it, I went after them. Abbs, the man who killed my wife and daughter was Pedro Hernandez, and I know he is dead because I shot him."

Abby still looked at him with uncertain eyes.

He sighed and whispered into her ear, "With a sniper rifle."

Abby looked at him with wide eyes, obviously getting the hint. Ziva then stepped forward.

"Then how did we get a match?"

"Good question Ziva" Abby answered, pondering over it herself.

"Did he have a son or a daughter Gibbs?"

"Not that I know of. McGee, find out if he had children." Gibbs barked once again.

After a few moments, McGee concluded that Pedro Hernandez did have a son, Jericho Hernandez.

"What do we do now boss?" Tony inquired.

"We find him." Gibbs answered, grabbing his gear and zipping up his jacket. The team instantly began to grab their stuff.

Gibbs looked at them, and shook his head.

"No, you stay and look for addresses, phone numbers, anything. I'm going home."

Tony instantly stepped towards him.

"I'm coming with you. You are not staying alone."

Smiling he did something no one expected, he placed his hand gently on Tony's shoulder.

"You are one faithful St. Bernard DiNozzo, but you stay. I need time to think quietly."

"Fine, but I'm phoning you every five minutes."

Smirking at one another the two men went their separate direction, and just as he had promised Tony phoned Gibbs five minutes later.

"Gibbs"

"Oh hey boss, just checking in." Tony said cheerfully.

"DiNozzo why on earth are you phoning me now? I'm still at NCIS!"

"Oh, well you never know, boss. There are a lot of creepy people these days."

"Goodnight Tony."

Rolling his eyes, Gibbs hung up the phone and headed for home. Of course Tony being Tony, did in fact call every five minutes to the amusement of Gibbs, each call of course ending with Gibbs hanging up on him.

Many, many five minutes later, Gibbs finally reached the familiar face of his home. Walking towards his door he pulled the collar of jacket up around his neck, the wind was chilly, unnaturally chilly. The windows peered through the bushes at him with cheerful eyes, as he grabbed his keys and fiddled with the lock.

Opening the door he plopped his bag and jacket by the shoe stand. Gibbs looked around, he was sure he had left a light on, but maybe not. He started to walking through the entrance, his feet making a soft 'padding' sound against the wood floor.

It took Gibbs a few moments to realize that something was wrong. he wasn't quite sure how he knew, it was just that gut feeling. Drawing his weapon he walked through his living room when he heard a soft whisper and suddenly stiffened. Gibbs, Gibbs! His ears must have been deceiving him. It had been a long day and it was just the wind playing tricks on him. Yes that's it. Gibbs, Gibbs! No, he definitely heard a voice. He peered around the kitchen, empty, he checked upstairs, empty. He was making his way back down stairs when it started playing. The soft, sweet melody of "Hush little baby" was tickling his ears. The sound was hypnotizing drawing him towards the basement door.

Ready for any danger Gibbs had his weapon loaded and ready for use. Cautiously descending down the stairs he reached for the light switch but before he could even reach over and flick on the light, something pounced knocking his weapon from the grip of his fingers, and then felt the grasp of a man was holding him around his shoulders and there was a sharp, cold, point jabbed into the middle of his chest.

A knife.

Gibbs froze. His mind flashed back to the crime scene pictures of Wendy.

No. He would not let this murderer kill him, Wendy was not going to die for nothing, and with that thought, he was suddenly free of his paralysis. Gibbs ignored the knife and tried to push the man away from him, but had no success, the man was stronger than he looked, and had a knife, and suddenly there was a sharp pain in his bicep and blood was dripping from the knife wound. The man smiled and Gibbs began to fight harder, wishing that he didn't have him cornered against the door so he could actually fight, wishing that he had his gun.

The man began talking, describing in explicit detail exactly what he was going to do to him. It was even worse than listening to his confession, and Gibbs tried to block out the words, tried to think of what he could do, how he could get away, how he could fight, anything he could do to make the words he was saying not be true.

The man grabbed Gibbs, and despite the knife now at his throat he struggled as hard as he could against him, but it was useless, and there was nothing he could do against the voice in his ear describing how he was going to kill him just like he had killed his Father mercilessly. Wait, had he said "Just like he had killed his Father?" His father? It then suddenly occurred to him who this man was. The son of Pedro Hernandez, Jericho Hernandez.

Jericho was just about to strike at Gibbs when suddenly the room was flooded by light, and the sound of a familiar voice rang through the house.

"Boss?" Tony's voice boomed.

Gibbs listened to footsteps above, he could tell that Tony was searching frantically, and took his great relief heard his agent run to the basement.

"Boss?" Tony's voice shouted once again.

"Not one step closer," Jericho spat out chillingly.

Tony froze but did not back down.

"You let him go, now"

Jericho stepped into the light, his arm wrapped tightly against Gibb's neck, knife still positioned against his throat. Tony's eyes darted to Gibbs, quickly looking him over, relieved that he was ok.

"You don't know what you're doing Jericho. If you kill him, you will go to jail for life, might even get the chair." Tony intimidated.

Angry that he didn't have an impact on Tony, Jericho tightened his grip.

"Put your weapon down if you want him to live."

Tony, stared at Gibbs, who gave him an almost unnoticeable nod. Slowly Tony began to sink his legs to put his weapon down. Happy at his accomplishment, Jericho began to laugh menacingly, and unconsciously loosened his grip on Gibbs.

Taking this to his advantage, Gibbs through back his head, breaking Jericho's nose with a shuddering crunch. Howling in pain, he tackled Gibbs to the ground jabbed furiously at his chest. Gibbs watched as the blade was coming down and knew he had no chance of stopping it. Bracing himself for pain, the basement was suddenly filled with the sound of a loud 'bang bang' of a gun and was startled to see a bullet fly perfectly between the eyes of Jericho.

Panting, Gibbs rolled Jericho off of his body, getting to his feet he found strong hands helping him up and putting pressure on his injured bicep.

"Boss, are you ok?" Tony asked worried.

"Yeah, DiNozzo, I'm fine." Gibbs looked from Tony to the body of Jericho, "Nice shot."

"Thanks." Tony replied grinning.

"How did you know he was here Tony?"

"I didn't."

"Then what made come here?" Gibbs questioned.

Tony shrugged, "You didn't answer your phone."

"Your kidding."

"I told you, I would phone every five minutes!"