Austin was declared missing the next day after the commander had sent a search party out to look for her. All they came up with were many different footprints, which were probably from different Marines so that wasn't taken into consideration. There was also a stain of dried blood on the now hardened ground. Everyone assumed the worst.

---

Austin laid unconscious in a small bed in a little cabin in the middle of the forest. It was in the perfect spot because it was really hard to get to, and also the forest was really hard to maneuver through in the first place, and the cabin was considerably deep in the forest.

A woman sat next to her, dressing her wounds. She had put clean clothes on Austin as opposed to the bloody, wet, dirty ones that she had been wearing. Austin had scratches all over her. One required stitches because when she had fallen, she had fallen directly into a thorn bush. Of course Austin probably didn't notice because the pain in her back and stomach were probably much, much worse.

Where the bullet had entered was not a real problem because it was so small of an entry wound, but where the bullet had exited was the size of a golf ball because the amount of flesh it had obliterated.

Once the woman was done she pulled covers over Austin and hoped for the best. Even though she didn't trust American's because she was born and raised in Afghanistan, but at the same time, she couldn't let someone die. Especially one that looked so young. She had to keep her three children away from this woman at all costs, afraid that when and if this woman woke up that she would turn out to be full of hate for her and her country. That thought scared her the most.

---

While Austin was unconscious, she was having nightmares of her past. It was almost like she was reliving them. She even saw the car accident that stole her mother and her sister away from her. She saw Greg and Terry. She missed them so much.

---

The woman noticed Austin's slight discomfort and felt her forehead. She jerked her hand away. She had a fever that definitely broke 100. This was bad. The woman had absolutely no medical supplies except for bandages, dressings and a few band-aids.

Austin needed fluids, but how was she supposed to give them to her while she was in this condition without her choking?

The woman decided that if the fever wasn't gone by tomorrow and if she wasn't awake either, that their was nothing that she could do. Their was no hope.

She looked out the small window, watching her children play. One was Miguel, 10 years old. The other was Lee, 15 years old. And the last one was Susana, she was 7 years old. As the woman looked out at them, she felt overwhelming sadness. She looked down at the dying body of the young Marine, knowing that she was someone's child. Someone out there loved this girl. She couldn't let her die, knowing the depression that she would fall into if she ever lost one of her children, even if they were adults like the woman lying on the bed, fighting for each breath that she took.

---

The next day came and went. The Marine Corps finally decided that Austin was dead. They sent two Marines to inform the next of kin, which happened to be Gibbs, that his daughter was KIA.

The two Marine's marched to the door. Neither made a move to knock. Gibbs came to the door for them because the now four year old Timber had informed him that someone was at the door.

Gibbs's heart wanted to stop when he saw the two Marines. He knew what this meant.

"Mr. Gibbs?" One of the Marines asked.

Gibbs nodded. "Yes."

"We are sorry to inform you-"

The man was cut off by Gibbs who said, "Have you seen the body?"

"Excuse me?" Asked the other Marine.

"Have you seen my daughter's body? Are you certain that she is dead?"

"No sir… we haven't seen her body."

"Then don't tell me she is dead."

"But sir…"

"No. Either find her body, or don't come back here and tell me that she is dead."

"Uh…"

The door shut. The two Marines had no choice. They walked away.

---

Austin still had not awaken. Sweat dripped from her soft facial features. Hair sticking to the sides of her face and her forehead. Somehow, she still looked beautiful.

The woman looked down at her. She wondered what her name was. Curious as to how old she was. She wondered if she was going to be a good person. She was curious about this girl. She was also apprehensive.

---

Austin was slipping away. The fever had gone down, but it was still bad. She hadn't had fluids or food and she was dying. Austin felt herself slipping away as she saw Greg and Terry. She also saw Shannon and Kelly. They were all smiling at her. They all seemed happy, but they all looked so sad. She was standing in front of them. She was with them.

"We love you Austin." she heard the soft voice of a young Greg say.

"Soon, you'll be healthy and energetic, like your normal self." She heard Terry say. Austin thought that meant that it was time. She reached out her hand, wanting to go with them. She stopped when she heard Shannon's voice, louder than everyone else's, but at the same time so kind, so loving.

"You can't. You've grown so much Austin… your dad did good. Don't let him down."

"Tell daddy I said 'hi'!" Yelled a tiny voice. Austin looked down and saw Kelly.

Austin nodded and let out a choked, "I will. I promise."

"Pinkie promise!" Kelly said, wide eyed and as cute as could be.

"Pinkie promise…" Austin replied softly.

Austin heard Shannon jump in again. "Go home Austin."

"Mom…"

"I'll see you later, in the long run."

"I love you Austin! Baby sister!" Kelly shouted with a bright and smiling face.

Austin felt herself going home. She didn't want to. Not yet.

"It's alright Austin. We will see you again. Until then, We all love you. Goodbye."

They all said goodbye in unison. She looked at Terry and Greg, then at Shannon and Kelly, taking in the faces that she didn't want to leave. Finally she whispered, "Goodbye."

---

Austin gasped in air as she jerked awake. She jolted to an upright position and let out a scream of shock and agony at the severe pain in her back and stomach.

The woman heard the disturbance and ran in the room. She saw Austin sitting up, obviously in pain. She walked swiftly over to the side of the bed and put a hand on her shoulder. Austin flinched at the sudden touch.

The woman started saying something in a different language. It was Arabic. It took Austin a second to comprehend. She was fluent in Arabic. Finally she understood that the woman had said, "Its alright. You're safe. Lay down."

Austin did as she was told, wincing uncomfortably. "Who…are you?" Austin asked in Arabic, which was the language the whole conversation was in from there on.

"My name is Simone Akide. This is my home. I live here with my three children."

"Why am I here?" Austin asked, calming down a little.

"You were injured. I thought that you might need help, and I was right."

Austin took that moment to really look at Simone. She had dark brown eyes that seemed to look right through Austin. She had black hair and an olive complexion. She wore loose fitting earthy toned clothes. That's when Austin realized she wasn't wearing the same clothes she had been. She looked down, realizing that she was wearing a blue button up pajama shirt with matching pants. Her face took on a slight shade of red as she looked up at Simone.

Simone just laughed at the girl's reaction. "Your old clothes were torn up, bloody and wet. I couldn't let you stay in them." She was starting to calm down herself, realizing that Austin was just a kid really. She was twenty at the most.

"Austin Gibbs. Marine."

"I know." Simone said softly.

Austin was silent with a hint of confusion in her eyes.

Simone smiled. "Your dog-tags."

"Oh" Austin said simply.

Austin stopped as she remembered what had happened. She placed a hand on her wounded stomach, remembering that look on Megan's face. A look of hate. No trace of guilt. It was no accident like Austin had hoped it was.

"Are you all right?" The woman asked.

"I've been shot… and it feels like I have stitches in my right arm… I'm dandy."

"I didn't mean physically."

Austin looked up at Simone, knowing that she had picked up on Austin's mood.

"…Your friend shot you? Is that it?"

"How did you know?"

"Mother's intuition. When you have a child you will understand."

Austin chuckled. "Well… yeah… that's what happened. It doesn't really matter though." Austin said wincing as she sat up once again, this time aware of the pain so it didn't come as quite of a shock as it had before.

"I don't think you should move."

"I have to get back to base."

"At least stay for dinner. You woke up just in time for it."

Austin suddenly realized that she was starving. She didn't realize that she hadn't eaten for days. She was still stubborn despite everything. "I don't think-"

Austin was cut off by Simone. "It wasn't a suggestion."

Austin smiled. "I suppose that I could stay a little while longer."

"Good choice."

---

Gibbs walked into work that day. He seemed a little more uptight than usual and the team was starting to worry. He walked into the bullpen without a word and sat down at his desk.

"Hey boss." Tony said as he stood up with a case-file in his hand.

"We might have a lead on the case."

"Are you waiting for an invitation DiNozzo?"

"Uh. No boss. Sorry boss."

Gibbs just gave him a 'get on with it' look.

"Um, Miles Jovaline. Secretary at Bethesda."

"What are you standing around here for? Go pick him up."

"Boss." McGee interrupted. "Abby wants to see you in the lab."

"Go help DiNozzo, McGee."

"Yes boss." McGee said following Tony to the elevator.

"Gibbs." Ziva said walking over to his desk before he went down to the lab.

"Yes Ziva?"

"She's fine. She probably just got a little turned over in the forest."

"Around…"

"What?"

"The expression is 'turned around.'"

"You know what I mean."

"Yeah. I do. I also know that she didn't get turned around. She's hurt. But I know she's not dead." Gibbs sighed heavily as he added the word, "Yet…" He headed down to the lab, leaving Ziva to think about what he had said.

---

Austin's story made the news with a bang.

"Austin Gibbs, a Marine from D.C. has gone missing somewhere in Afghanistan." Says a female news reporter, covering the story. "Reports show that her body has yet to be found. Search parties have been sent throughout the area but have yet to come up with any new information. Commander Samuel Johnson, who was in charge of the team during the time that Austin seemed to have just disappeared had a few words to say to reporters."

The commander's voice came on the air. "She was a good Marine. She always did a good job and put others ahead of herself. She came to me and said that a few people were not on their way back to base. She went to look for them. That was the last time I saw her. She did save the lives of those Marines."

The female reporter came back on the television. "We will keep updates on the Marine's situation. In other news…"

Palmer changed the channel quickly. He sighed heavily as he remembered when Austin was just fifteen years old. Palmer was no longer working with Ducky. He had branched off, doing his own thing. He missed Austin, and he never would have thought that when he had seen her off with everyone else when she was going to Afghanistan was going to be the last time.

---

Austin sat down at the dinner table, letting out a sigh of relief. The ten foot walk from the bedroom to the dining room was torture. Simone understood, and pulled the chair out for her.

"Thank you." Muttered Austin sincerely.

The children were all staring at her. Austin guessed that they had never seen a stranger before.

"Children, don't be rude. Introduce yourselves."

The fifteen year old was first. "I'm Lee." He said confidently, as if trying to impress Austin.

"I'm Susana." Came a soft female child's voice next.

Silence followed. Austin looked at the last child curiously. Wondering why he was silent. Then when he started making movements with his hands and mouthing a few of the words she realized that he was a mute. Austin knew that he was also deaf because of the wondering look in his eyes.

Simone was about to tell Austin what the boy was trying to tell her but when she saw Austin start to do sign language, she was astounded. No one was ever able to communicate with the boy before except for herself and Lee. Susana was really terrible at sign language.

Austin said through the use of her hands, "I'm Austin. Nice to meet you Miguel."

The look on the child's face was one that Austin would never forget. He lit up and grinned at Austin and had a look of understanding and relief. He looked at his mother and Simone just gawked. "Where did you learn to sign?"

"Well, my father and my friend taught me. They said you never know when it could come in handy."

Simone was overjoyed and she laughed. "Welcome to the family."

Austin chuckled, hand on her stomach, trying to hide the pain.

Simone decided to change the subject. "I'll apologize in advance for the food. I was never a good cook."

"It doesn't matter. I'm starving."

Everyone started to eat. They seemed weary of the meal because of how terrible it tasted. Austin on the other hand, was emptying her plate in a matter of seconds. She had truly been starving.

---

That night, Austin stared up at the ceiling, laying on her temporary small bed. Simone had convinced her to stay for an extra night, despite Austin's protests.

She thought of Greg, Terry, Shannon and Kelly. The memory drilled into her head.

You've grown so much…your dad did good…don't let him down.

Pinkie promise!

I'll see you later…in the long run.

I love you Austin! Baby sister!

A tear escaped Austin's tightly shut eyes. Terry… she looked so young… so full of life. It was hard to remember her before she got the cancer. Austin hadn't understood what was going on back then. She had lost so much and she was so tired. She had to get home.

Home… Timber barking at a random passer-by. Gibbs, being their for her whenever she needed him. The team, together in the bullpen. Laughing, joking, being happy. A family. Austin's family. Home.