Author's Note: Hey everybody, this chapter is a little shorter than the others, but meaty I think. Thanks for the reviews, views and followers. Enjoy!

Chapter 4

Gibbs led Lea to the elevator and pushed the button that would take them to the lobby. She knew he was not happy with her for not telling him what had been going on with Donnie so she wasn't surprised when spoke after the doors closed behind them.

"Why didn't you come to me sooner?" he asked sofly and heard her take a deep breath before she answered.

"I'm a trained Federal agent, I should be able to take care of myself," she answered.

"Everybody needs help once in a while," he told her.

"Not you," she whispered and he reached out and hit the emergency he turned toward her.

"I'm a stubborn bastard who doesn't ask for help even when I know I need it. Don't be like me Lea," he said and then set the elevator back in motion. She was surprised he didn't say any more than that, but she didn't want to push him and so said nothing herself.

They were quiet the rest of the way to his car and on the ride to his house, each of them lost in their own thoughts. When they arrived in front of his house he grabbed her bag and went around to help her out of the car. She accepted his help and then followed him to the front door. He opened the door and ushered her inside .

"There is a box on the mantel where you can put your Sig if you want to," he told her as he made his way to the stairs and propped her bag against the banister.

She walked over to the fire place and put her gun in the box he had mentioned and then she placed her badge on the mantel beside the box. Leann felt Gibbs walk up beside her and he followed her actions with his own. She stood there motionless for a moment soaking up his warmth and the feeling of safety he always envoked in her. She really hoped he wasn't too mad at her, she couldn't stand him being angry with her.

"You okay?" he asked placing his hand on her shoulder and giving it a gentle squeeze.

"I will be," she answered looking up at him and giving him a small smile. "Thank you!" she whispered surprising him.

"For what?" he asked.

"For not judgeing me, for being willing to help me, for just being who you are," she answered and lowered her eyes blushing. He reached out and tipped her chin up with one finger so she would look at him.

"You're family Lea. I'll do everything I can to keep you and your child safe," he told her.

"Thank you," she said and then took a deep breath before she continued. "How mad are you," she whispered.

"I'm not mad Lea, not at you. I just wish you would have told me about Donnie so you wouldn't have had to deal with so much," he said and rubbed his thumb over her cheek in comfort and for a long moment they just stood there, eyes locked together and Leann saw something in his eyes she had never seen before. But before she could figure out what exactly that look meant, he stepped away and turned toward the kitchen.

"You hungry?" he asked over his shoulder as he disappeared into the kitchen only to return a moment later with the cordless phone in his hand.

"A little," she answered.

"How about Chinese?" he asked

"I could probably eat some Lo Mein noodles, nothing heavy," she answered and he nodded and dialed the phone.

While he ordered, Leann settled down on the couch and tried to relax. She hadn't been able to completely relax in months and with Gibbs nearby she knew she could finally let her guard down a little more and try and get some much needed rest.

"I think I'll go take a quick shower," Gibbs said coming back out of the kitchen after ordering their food. "The food should be here in about fifteen minutes or so, I won't be long."

"Take your time," she told him and relaxed back against the couch and closed her eyes. She must have dozed off because the next thing she knew she was startled by a knock on the front door.

"It's probably the food, I'll get it," she called up to Gibbs and grabbed her purse as she headed for the door.

"How much do we owe..." she started to say while opening the door and rummaging in her purse for her wallet. Suddenly she found herself slammed against the opposite wall and looked up into the enraged eyes of Donnie Grant.

"How dare you go home with another man you whore," he raged pinning her against the wall with a forearm against her throat. Blinking to try and clear her blurry vision from her head slamming into the wall, she brought her hands up to claw at the arm he had against her throat.

"I always knew you were just a slut," he screamed in her face as he backhanded her stealing what little breath she had managed to drag into her lungs.

Leann clawed and scratched at the arm constricting her air way as Donnie continued his verbal and physical assault. Dark spots began to dance around the edges of her vision and she felt herself beginning to go under. Then suddenly the pressure on her throat eased and Donnie was yanked away from her.

"Get your hands off her you son of a bitch," a voice said and Leann recognized that it was Gibbs an instant before she slumped to the floor and darkness enveloped her.