A/N: I do not own either Magnificent Seven or NCIS; they belong to someone else. No money exchanged hands. Reviews are welcomed in lieu of money. Please note I tread in dangerous waters as I have never posted a crossover before, so please have mercy on me. If the characters go out of character I take full responsibility. Again this is not beta'd and all mistakes are my own.
This has taken quite some time to write. You have no idea how many times I started and then stopped to only start all over again. Maybe this time I got it right. Maybe. This has been extremely difficult to write. This will also be WIP. I've tried many times and different ways to write this and always stopped. The plot bunny has many times disappeared down the proverbial hole and refused to make its presence known. Also my muse has joined the plot bunny with the disappearing act. I swear they've gone out to lunch and failed to invite me along. LOL
The italics are sometimes each character's thoughts while most times it will be a flashback. I know a lot of you don't like the jumping around thing, but this is how I write. Hint: Pay attention to the flashbacks they also tell a story.
WARNING: There might be disciplinary actions toward teenagers in this story. If you don't like by all means don't read. The subject of alcoholic drinking by minors will also be in this. I do not promote this in any way, shape, or form. Also the use of cuss words. If this offends anybody please don't read. I'm not forcing anyone. So if your curiosity gets the better of you, blame yourself, not me. You have been duly warned. Remember folks, this is a fictional story with fictional characters.
RUNAWAY TROUBLE
Flashback
It had been a typical Saturday night outside the safe house; he and a friend had been casually shooting the shit like they've always done. Until he drew a small bottle of 'courage' out of his inner jacket pocket.
His friend frowned watching as he chugged it on down. "Jess, don't you think it's time you got some help?"
His first response came in the form of a glare soon followed by a warning of sort as he saw his friend's frown deepen. When the glare failed he then snapped, "When did you become the voice of reason?"
The response he received was totally unexpected. "When you became a drunk."
"Fuck you! I'm stressing!"
The other countered, "No, you got a problem. Stressing is a small shot here and there at the appropriate time. This, mi amigo, is a problem." His wide-eyed gaze hinted toward the bottle now currently tucked back into its hiding place.
In some strange way, his conscious tried to reason it out, but the alcohol within reared its ugly head and he venomously spat. "You call yourself my friend! What bullshit is that? Friends stick by you no matter what!"
"Believe it or not I am your friend!" The other couldn't help but shout. "Can't you see what this is doing to you? You're not the same person I know! And I'm not the only one who sees the change in you. The others see it too. Why are you so blind to your problems?"
His attitude went from mildly irritated to full blown rage. "You know, I don't need this shit from you. I get enough from my old man!"
"You can't shut out the voices of reason!"
He turned away and shouted, "Watch me!" He then flung open the door to his truck and proceeded to climb in.
As the driver side door slammed his friend repeatedly shouted, "Come on man don't drive!"
Too late the words fell on deaf ears as the truck engine roared to life. The gears shifted and soon the truck reversed. In a matter of minutes the tires hit the end of the gravel drive. The gravel flew as he recklessly threw that truck into drive. Purposefully leaving behind the one he once called friend.
End flashback
A sound similar to a slamming door startled another. What the hell? A slight movement followed by a scream opened a pair of unfocused green eyes. Nothing prepared him for what lay before his eyes. A mangled mess of glass and metal. He shivered which elicited another scream for the pain seemed to intensify every nerve ending he owned. Fear shot through him along with a heaping amount of more pain as he tried to remember how he got to be in this predicament. As the panic tried to overwhelm him a strange but gentle voice intruded.
"Easy now. Help is on the way."
His own voice sounding strange to his ears, barely above a whisper answered, "What happened?"
The stranger replied, or at least he thought he did because he saw the man's mouth move, but no words came out. Something didn't feel right.
"Hey!" The kid's eyes began to involuntarily close of their own volition. "Stay with me kid!" Damn it! The man then breathed a sigh of relief when he heard the distant sound of sirens. It's about time.
Denver, Colorado
Another man sat at his desk in an office trying to concentrate on the computer screen in front of him. He was so lost in his own thoughts he didn't even hear the knock on the door or the door opening until a voice snapped him from his daze.
"Chris," The familiar voice began pausing long enough to gain his boss' undivided attention before finishing with, "We need to talk."
His best friend of many years lowered his tall, lanky frame into one of the chairs in front of Chris' desk. He first studied his friend's face to get a read on his emotions and what he saw unnerved him. Here sat a haunted man. Someone who hadn't slept well or not at all in the past several days. He wondered if some of the man's old habits were beginning to come into play.
Chris knew he was under close observation by Buck and decided to alleviate his friend's fears. "No Buck I haven't touched the bottle. In fact I can guarantee I won't considering the circumstances involved. Right now it's the furthest thing from my mind."
"Glad to hear that Chris."
"So I take it you have some news."
"Yeah and it ain't pretty."
"When is it ever?"
Well here goes nothing. "I've talked to Joe or uh Joe has talked to me."
Based on the way his friend began this conversation, Chris knew the news would not be good.
Buck then went onto explain everything Joe had told him. Flabbergasted by the information, Chris couldn't move for several minutes, even if he wanted to, after all he had heard. His son's past kept surprising him every step of the way. This new information concerned Chris. Not only did Jesse fight with him he also fought with three of his friends: Sly, Teddy and Joe. At least now he had some idea as to why.
"Now don't go blaming yourself."
Chris countered with, "Why shouldn't I? Looks like I pushed him over the edge once again."
"Chris…" Buck tried again.
"No Buck. I should have handled this differently."
"You didn't know. The kid certainly didn't want you to know."
"That's no excuse!" Chris' voice began to climb. "I should have seen the signs. Shit! I've gone through this myself." Recrimination began to show. "Why didn't I see the signs?"
"Perhaps he hid them better than you did. He had lots of practice."
"And friends who covered for him. I'm glad a few of them finally caved." Chris propped his elbows on his desk and interlaced his fingers contemplating his next move.
"You think it's time we tell the boys?"
A soft knock upon the door interrupted Chris' answer. "I think they know."
Sure enough the door opened and the rest of Team Seven entered the office. "Eavesdropping again boys?"
"Can hardly call it eavesdropping with all yer hollering." Tanner put forward. "I'm surprised Buck ain't deaf yet."
"How much did you hear?"
"Enough. We know yer hurtin' Chris. We all are. We will find him."
"Can't find something that doesn't want to be found." The words rolled out of Chris' mouth before he could stop them.
Nathan then lost his cool. "That nonsense needs to stop! We as a team and a family have found lost souls, including yours for several years now. Just because…"
"He's dropped from sight doesn't mean he doesn't want to be found." Josiah picked up where Nathan had begun. "Jesse loves you."
"Part of me believes it's the other part that has doubts."
"You, my friend, are the last one I thought would lose faith. Tell me it isn't so." Ezra watched as Chris drew a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "He needs you now more than ever and you know it." The undercover agent too released a breath he hadn't known he had been holding. "Believe it or not, you are an inspiration to us newly minted parents when the tribulations of teenage life become, well, exasperating. There I said it." Ezra proudly stated.
Chris barked, "Inspiration! You at least have Inez and Vin has Maria to help through those tribulations. Me, I'm pretty much alone on this."
Their youngest agent added. "Chris, you're forgetting you have all of us."
The truth of that one statement hit home. "Thanks J.D." Chris sincerely answered. "I've got to quit feeling sorry for myself. Thanks guys."
Then after a moment of silent they could see the old familiar gleam in his eyes as he quickly shifted moods. "Okay, enough of the pity party." The team as a whole smirked thankful to see their team leader and friend back to his old self again. "J.D., I want you to put an APB out and list Jesse as a runaway. Ezra see if any of your CI's have any valuable information, Vin, Buck, you two get the gang together and get them thinking on anything that might be useful in finding him. Josiah, see if any of the local churches or centers have had any contact with him in the past few days. Nathan, check the local hospitals and the uh…" Chris couldn't say the word, but Nathan understood and as he past him he clapped him on back. Recomposing himself he then added, "Time for me to talk with the Director."
Several days ago - somewhere on the outskirts of Arlington, Virginia
Voices faded in and out. Metal screeched in protest while the sound of glass shattered behind him. The enshrouding fog like haziness of his mind finally gave way and reality met his green-eyed gaze once again.
He tried to move and again alerted others to his presence this time with a groan. "You're back!" A weary but satisfied voice proclaimed. "Hey, we need a collar over here!"
A what? Where the hell am I?
"Okay kid, hold still, we need to get this neck brace on you?"
"Why? What happened?" What the hell? Is that my voice? Why is it so raspy? Will someone tell me what the hell is going on? His train of thought momentarily interrupted by the sound of metal protesting. His eyes must have betrayed his fears for another voice tried to soothe him.
"Try to relax. They will have you out soon. You need to keep still."
He replied, "I'll try."
Once the emergency response personnel opened the car like a tin can they were able to extricate the passenger and placed him upon a backboard. The driver however was already classified as a DOA.
The stranger who had stayed with the kid offering encouraging words throughout the entire extrication procedure stayed close even as they loaded him into the ambulance. Satisfied that the kid was in good hands the man turned to leave until he heard the kid's pleading voice, "Don't go. Stay."
Without too much thought he acquiesced to the teen's request. One of the paramedics nodded knowing who this man was and waited until he stepped aboard before the ambulance took off for MedStar.
Three agents, a Medical Examiner and an assistant arrived at the crime scene duly noting that their agent in charge was not present.
"Wonder where Gibbs is?"
"Perhaps his favorite coffee shop burned to the ground?"
"Anthony what a horrid thing to say." The chastisement came from none other than Dr. Mallard a/k/a Ducky.
"I was joking. But the question still remains, where is he?" DiNozzo's phone rang as if on cue. "DiNozzo. Yes, Director. Uh huh, okay." The Director supplied the answer. As soon as the call ended Tony informed everyone else. "Gibbs has already been here and gone. Director Vance mentioned there was a passenger, a teenager who survived. Gibbs is at MedStar."
Ducky quietly commented, "Dear God, someone survived that?" They all turned to look at the remains of the vehicle.
MedStar – Washington, DC
How many times had he sat and waited at a hospital? Too many to count. As he glanced at his watch he wondered how his team was doing. It had been several hours since they had brought the kid in. Why was he here? He should be with his team. Something about that boy's eyes struck a nerve. That lost terror stricken look the kid shot him pulled at his heartstrings once again. Yep, again a sucker for a kid in need – no matter what age they happened to be. Gibbs slowly shook his head at that thought.
His team knew where he was although waiting to be updated on the kid's status and what his team discovered ground on his nerves. He drank down the last of the coffee with a slight grimace. Hospital coffee never sat well with him.
A doctor in blue scrubs approached him. "Agent Gibbs?"
"Yes."
"I'm Dr. Greg Howard. The teenager you brought in did he give you a name?"
Gibbs answered, "No."
"I was afraid of that. I'm reluctant to give out any details pertaining to my patient, however I'm making an exception since I've learned the driver did not survive the crash. Any possibility the driver was related to the survivor?"
"Not sure. It's being investigated as we speak."
"Point taken. My patient has failed to give me his name and I believe it is due to the head trauma he obtained from the accident."
"Are you telling me the kid has amnesia, Doc?"
"I'm afraid so."
"There's more, isn't there?"
The attending doctor nodded in the affirmative. This is where Gibbs' gut kicked into overdrive. Whatever the news it more than likely wasn't good.
"Upon a more thorough examination I found…"
NCIS – Washington, DC
"Ah, Tony, I was half expecting Jethro. Don't tell me he is still at the hospital?"
"Yes he is and I'm just about to go and pick him up. Got anything on our victim yet?" Tony wanted to have some sort of information before he met up with his boss. Coming in empty handed would not bode well for him or the team.
"Like I said at the scene, this man was shot elsewhere and that accident was made to well look like an accident."
"And the gun Palmer found in the car?"
"Sent it up to Abby along with the fragment I dug out of his chest."
"Is it possible that the Captain's passenger wasn't another victim but instead the trigger man?"
"Always a possibility Anthony, only time will tell."
TBC
A/N: Well, should I continue or stop while I'm ahead? Then again I may continue whether y'all like it or not. Leave a message.