Disclaimer: NCIS is not mine, You Had a Bad Day isn't either, only little Ally is and I make no money from that story!
I'm back... sorry for the long wait. So, here with go with another chapter in the life of little Ally. I have to say a huuuuuuugggge thank you to Jessie who is just awesome and beta this chapter for me.
Thanks a lot to all of you that left me a few words to say what you thought of my story, it's really appreciated.
The song in this chapter is You Had a Bad Day, by Daniel Powters.
So on with the story...
Where is the moment when we need it the most
You kick up the leaves and the magic is lost
They tell me your blue sky's faded to grey
They tell me your passion's gone away
And I don't need no carrying on
As soon as she opened her eyes that morning, little Ally jumped eagerly from her bed and headed towards her bedroom window. She pulled lightly on the pale blue curtain decorated with colorful dragonflies and had a quick look outside. She let out a happy squeal seeing the bright sun which was already shining at that early hour. The little girl than ran happily to her father's room. Today was a special day, they had a lot to do, and they couldn't waste any time!
She stopped at the doorstep and poked her head through the slightly ajar door. Her father had his back facing her and was talking quietly to himself. She could hear him speaking softly in a small quivering voice almost like the one she got when she was about to cry. But her daddy never cried, her daddy was the strongest daddy in the whole world.
She heard him talking, but there was nobody in the room. So she listened to what he was saying. "I'm sorry, Zee. I don't know if I can't keep going on like this. If only you knew how hard it is, looking at her every day. I… I tried, but I can't even keep my promise to you anymore… it's just that…you know… She looks so much like you! I never realized how difficult it would be to take care of her."
It was at that moment that the little girl understood to whom he was talking to, and about whom he was talking. She retreated quietly, trying to understand, feeling a big knot forming in her stomach. Then, she flew to her room. She didn't hear her father add quietly, "She's adorable, an awesome little girl. She's my whole life, all I have left. I miss you, Ziva David."
He gently put down the picture he was holding on his bedside table and headed towards his daughter's room. Today was a very special day, today was his little girl's fifth birthday and they had a lot to do.
Stand in the line just ahead of the law
You're faking a smile with the coffee you go
They tell me your life's been way off line
You're falling to pieces every time
And I don't need no carrying on
He was surprised when he saw his little girl still in her bed, deeply buried under the covers. In fact, Ally heard her father approaching and she still didn't really know what to do with what she heard him say a little earlier so she hid under her fluffy comforter, seeking a little comfort in front of this sudden uncertainty. Was it possible that her daddy didn't love her as much as before? What was so difficult? What did she do to make her daddy cry? Her dad's soft voice interrupted her thoughts. She felt him gently stroking her hair, telling her that it was time to get up. She pretended to sleep a little while longer but Tony didn't buy it. He smiled and whispered in her ear, "Good morning, Princess. I think I'll have to use other means to wake you up!"
With those words, he started tickling her and the reaction was immediate. The little girl shrieked and started to squirm, trying to evade her father's grasp. She quickly surrendered, emerging from under the covers and nestled in her father's arms, still laughing. She looked at his face and his beaming smile reassured her. She was almost certain that he still loved her.
They stayed huddled together for a while, Tony holding his little princess firmly against his chest. Then he loosened his hug and put the little girl on the ground. He made his way towards her closet. He studied the clothes in front of him for a moment, trying to find something suitable for their plans that day. When his choice was made, he handed the chosen garment to Ally, who looked at it for a few seconds, scrunching her nose, before indignantly starting to protest. "No! No, no, no." She said shaking her head.
" Ally," her Dad warned her with a firm voice.
"No! I won't! It's pink, it's itchy and it's a DRESS daddy!" Stated the little girl lifting her chin resolutely.
"It was a gift from Nikki, she'll be pleased to know that you wore it on your birthday and you'll be real pretty in it!" He added, trying to sell her the idea.
The little girl stared at the offending item of clothing with a disapproving scowl on her face. She stomped the floor with her little foot, crossing her arms on her chest and looked at her father defiantly. "NO!" She repeated forcefully.
Then, her father's reaction surprised the little girl greatly. He should have scolded her, or at least sent her to time out. Maybe even getting a little angry at her, but he didn't. First he looked shocked, with his eyes widely opened, just like the day he bumped into Uncle Gibbs and Aunty Jenny kissing, but something was a little off. Then, Ally recognized that look, that sad look he had when he was talking about her mommy, that look that she didn't like at all because it made her feel all funny inside. It was the reason why she didn't ask about her mommy anymore, but now, his daddy got that look on his face just looking at her. She was really disturbed when he simply told her, "Choose anything you want, Princess; it's your big day after all. I'll go make breakfast."
With those words, Ally watched him leave the room, the knot in her stomach back with full force. She walked to her closet, grabbed a pair of jeans with a delicate embroidery on the back pocket and the bottom of the leg. Then she picked out a purple t-shirt and a little jacket that matched the pants. Her aunt Jenny gave her those clothes during a weekend they spent together a few weeks earlier. Her godmother took her shopping and she remembered what she was taught. A girl should always be pretty, but even pretty clothes must be practical. She should have been happy being able to choose what she wanted to wear and escaping that awful dress, but it didn't feel good at all. She made her daddy sad, and she didn't know how to fix it.
Cause you had a bad day
You're taking one down
You sing a sad song just to turn it around
You say you don't know
You tell me don't lie
You work at a smile and you go for a ride
You had a bad day
The camera don't lie
You're coming back down and you really don't mind
You had a bad day
You had a bad day
They arrived at Gibbs' place a little before lunch as planned, after visiting the cemetery like he did every year. They didn't talk about the morning incident again, but the little girl had been abnormally quiet. She left a drawing she made the day before on her mother's grave, and a bunch of wild flowers she had picked up on the way along the little wood on the edge of the cemetery. She whispered a few words to her mother; just like her father had taught her and she went to sit on the grass a little farther away to give her dad some privacy. He kneeled near the marble gravestone for a long time, completely silent. He had placed the white lilies carefully the ground in front of the headstone.
When they reached her godfather's house, almost everybody was already there. Abby almost suffocated her with one of her big hugs, and McGee ruffled her hair and kissed her on the cheek. Bucky warmly greeted her before enveloping her in his arms, and Jenny had tenderly kissed her on the forehead. When she was able to evade them, she saw her godfather standing in the corner of the room. She promptly ran towards him, her usual exuberance back. He lifted her from the ground and squeezed her against him, telling her softly, "Happy birthday, Little Angel!"
Gibbs and Jenny cooked a great meal that everybody really appreciated. When everybody was full, Tony decided it was time for the birthday girl to open her presents. Said little girl skipped with enthusiast towards the living room. A bright smile lit up her face when she saw the gifts sitting in a corner on the room.
McGee walked to the small mountain of brightly colored boxes and grabbed two of them, handing them to the little girl who was practically bouncing in anticipation. Abby, almost as excited as her little friend motioned her to sit beside her in the middle of the room. The exuberant scientist was armed with her pocket camera and decided to catch every moment of the day on it. Ally quickly threw away the wrapping of the first gift and squealed happily when she saw what it was. Her eyes shone with delight as she was closely studying the small children's laptop that was sitting in front of her. She put it down carefully next to her, discarding the rest of the wrapping paper and she started opening the next box, a smaller one. A puzzled look appeared on her face when she saw its contents. She got up and went to Gibbs, whispering quietly her request in his ear. Gibbs took the object she was handing him, looked closely at it for a moment and sent an approving nod towards his agent. "You should go and thank McGee, you know, it's a very precious gift he gave you. Heaven was missing an Angel, that's the title of the book, and you know what? It's a very special story that he wrote just for you."
If the little girl had looked at her godfather a little longer, she would have seen tears clouding his steely blue eyes, as he was remembering the exact moment when he spoke those few words. She quickly went to McGee and hugged him as hard as she could to thank him. "Your mommy would have wanted to tell you this story herself, Ally." He told her softly. "I hope you like it."
The little girl retrieved her spot on the ground and Abby handed her a box wrapped in black paper covered in red sparkles. Ally tore apart the paper and was delighted to discover a bright red t-shirt harboring a smiling skull on the front, and matching earrings. Toni's grumbling wasn't missed by anyone and both girls looked at each other and burst out laughing.
Then, Ally discovered in the gift bag from Jenny, a new ballet outfit in a soft lavender color tastily decorated with sparkling sequins forming a floral pattern. "Look, Daddy, look! I'll look like a real princess!" She exclaimed, proudly showing him her gift.
Tony smiled softly and agreed, she would certainly look like a princess. The birthday girl was also pleased by the puzzle that Ducky gave her and by the new movies that she got from her dad. She was elated when the latter told her that he found her a piano teacher and that her lessons would begin the following Monday. Finally, the only thing left was a huge box in the corner of the room and Gibbs motioned for her to unwrap it quickly. She didn't have to be told twice and eagerly pulled on the wrapping. Her reaction when she discovered what the paper was covering was heartwarming for everyone in the room. She ran to her dad and grabbed his hand, literally dragging him towards her gift. "Daddy, daddy, did you see? Uncle Gibbs made it just for me! I'll do the bestest drawing now, and paintings. I'll have my own place. Look, there's even the little special holes to put the paint buckets in so they don't fall off and make a mess, like the desk at daycare. I can open it and put all my papers and pen and pencils in it, and there's my own name on it with a ballerina!" She exclaimed, all in one breath, sounding very much like their favorite scientist.
"I see all of that, Princess. It's great, go give Gibbs a kiss to thank him and everybody else too. You're a very lucky little girl you know that?" He said.
"Yes, yes daddy!" She said, scampering towards her godfather.
Well you need a blue sky holiday
The point is they laugh at what you say
And I don't need no carrying on
The rest of the afternoon went smoothly and everybody was in a great mood. Abby convinced everyone to plays some kids' games and they had to admit that it was a lot of fun. The bubbly scientist took memorable pictures of Gibbs, his eyes covered, trying to put the donkey's tail at the right place and lamely failing at it. She captured a few of Madam Director trying to mimic "A Hen on a Wall" and of Tony and McGee, tangled in a heap on the floor with Ally laughing at them during their Twister game. After the games, they shared an excellent chocolate cake, and judging by her icing covered face when she finished eating, Ally enjoyed it very much.
Soon, most guests said their goodbyes until only a few remained. Tony collapsed on a kitchen chair, looking lost in thoughts. Ally was immersed in an activity on her new laptop, and Gibbs who was watching them closely. Tony, after a while, announced that it was time to go for them too, but his little girl didn't want to go just yet. "Daddy, please, can we stay a little longer?" She pleaded.
"Ally, it's time to go now, no arguments please." He responded.
Since her dad didn't really seem moved by her plea, she followed him, huffing a little bit. When he tried to help her carry a bag containing her presents, she scowled at him, put her little fist on her hips and with a determined look on her face and said, "I can do it on my own!"
That's when she saw it, the look of sadness in her father's eyes, it was back again. She took a few steps back, this unpleasant feeling back in the pit of her stomach. She turned sharply on her heels and ran toward the basement door, down the stairs and hid under the upturned boat hull that her godfather was currently working on. She had made her daddy sad again and she didn't mean to!
Upstairs, Gibbs stared at his agent, a questioning look on his face. When said agent failed to answer him, he stated, "Do you have an explanation for what just happened, DiNozzo?"
"Ehhh…I…uhh, I don't know. I…"
"DiNozzo, you look like you've seen a ghost!" Retorted the team leader.
As soon as the words left his mouth, Gibbs understood. He understood why Tony had been acting strangely the whole day and why he reacted like that when he faced the little girl's protests. He went on, "DiNozzo, Tony, listen to me. The pain, it never goes away and I know that Ally reminds you of her, but she doesn't mean to! I bet she's confused right now. I'll talk to her; she can spend the night here. Go home, get some sleep, you look like you need it, actually you look like hell! I'll bring her back in the morning, but you'll have to set things right between the two of you. She's five, Tony, and she needs her Daddy, and she needs to know that her Daddy loves her. It normal that she starts asking questions, she's a very bright little girl, but you have to be there to answer those questions, to make sure that she doesn't find the wrong answers."
"I know, Gibbs, I know…I…Thanks boss." The younger man finally replied.
Gibbs watched his agent walk away before heading towards the basement, in search of his distressed goddaughter. I made you a promise, Ziver, and I'll keep it even if I have to hit DiNozzo so hard on the head that your grandchildren will feel it! He thought to himself as he started down the stairs.
You had a bad day
You're taking one down
You sing a sad song just to turn it around
You say you don't know
You tell me don't lie
You work at a smile and you go for a ride
You had a bad day
The camera don't lie
You're coming back down and you really don't mind
You had a bad day
You had a bad day
TBC...
So was it good, bad... Hit the little blue button and tell me what you think of it! What will Gibbs do, how will Tony make things right... What other events in Ally's life do you want to see...just take a moment and let me know!