Non explicit, brief mention of child abuse.

Facing Demons

It was not an easy ride back at the Navy Yard. Tony was trying to explain Lyn the reason behind her-not really- arrest while Ziva was looking for any unwanted actions from the petite lady and Gibbs was driving. The last one also wanted to stop thinking the green eyes widening as she heard who he was. He had actually seen a thrill of relief until she heard the reason behind their op. At one moment about ten minutes afar from their destination Ziva shouted to stop the car.

The Israeli woman was looking at the woman sitting next to her to stop any attempt at escape, but she didn't expect the panic attack. A posteriori she could remember all the little hints that led to that, but she had chosen to ignore the dilated eyes, the sweating, the grabbing of the handle of the door, the pale face. But the unmistakable attempt at hiding the nausea was not something Ziva could miss.

Before Gibbs, having the time to question her, she had the smaller woman kneeling on the ground dry-heaving. The men were out of the car in no time and Tony brought the distraught woman a bottle of wine while Gibbs tried to calm her down as if she was a child. She flinched away from Tony but when Jethro came closer she looked at him as if begging him to understand her. Gibbs didn't know what to do when he found his arms full by their red head suspect. She held him tight as Ziva was talking in her ear. It took more than any of them had wanted, but after ten minutes she had collected herself and stepped away from Gibbs.

'I'm sorry.' She said looking on the ground. 'I don't know what came over me.' She returned to their sedan and took the same seat as before.

'Actually, I think you do…' Gibbs said to himself but decided not to push the situation before having Ducky by his side. He was not going to have another breakdown on his own.

As soon as they reached NCIS he had Tony escort Lyn to a question room, while Ziva called Ducky. He was ready to start his questions when Tim stopped him.

'Boss, I think I have something you need to see before starting.'

Tony couldn't believe Probie had done it again; Tim had stopped an interrogation once again. This kid would never know! A rather angry Jethro followed Tim outside the room.

'McGee! How many times do I have to…'

'Sorry, Boss, but you should know.' Tim stopped him and that was a surprise on its own. 'It's something that happened about thirty years ago, in 1979. Magdalene Fergusson was gone missing. Her father reported it as abduction, but a couple of days later two officers found an 11 year old girl wandering in a park. At the police department they called a social worker who said the kid was abused.' Jethro made a questioning noise and Tim clarified. 'Sexually abused. She was in a very bad shape, both physically and emotionally. The kid didn't want to return home, wasn't telling them her name, but they had photos of Fergusson and they recognized her. When her father and older brother came to take her home she didn't want to go with them, but hugged her dad. Her brother pressed charges against anyone responsible, but the case was never sold.'

'How about the evidence?'

'No DNA profiling was used to solve cases back then, Boss, so even if there was something on the kid back then, it was of no use.'

'So, are you saying that she's killing men as revenge?' Tim just shook his head. He didn't know.

'But, Boss, maybe you can make her talk.'

'OK, good job, McGee!'

Lyn was for the second time in a questioning room, only this time she knew she was the suspect, the accused. Her mind and thoughts were reeling. Was there any chance for Robert to have found out what she'd been doing and killed a man to stop him from talking? No, not even he was such a monster to do that. But, he was, a voice inside her head reminded her; he was a bigger monster than that.

'Miss Fergusson, we want to talk with you about your whereabouts on last Friday and if you, by any chance, know this man.' He put a photo of Peterson, as he was found behind the hotel, right in front of her. She stared at the photo for a while trying to calm her stomach, she ten took a deep breath and looked Gibbs in the eyes.

'I'm certain Agent Gibbs, you know that I do know him. Who was he?'

'He was Navy Officer Adam J. Peterson.'

'A Navy Officer?' She was really surprised.

'Yes, can you explain me what transpired between the two of you that day?'

'The same thing that transpired between you and me tonight, Sir.'

'Did you have anything to do with his murder?'

'No.' She shouted. For the first time since he had met her she seemed angry. 'But I may have been the cause of his death.' She whispered.

'What do you mean, Miss Fergusson?'

'If my brother knew about my meeting with Peter, that's the name he had used, he may have tried to see if he knew who I am… and stop him from talking.'

A knock on the door stopped them and Jethro turned angrily to see who had the audacity to stop him. He saw a short, brown haired man dressed fancily.

'I'm George Harrison. Miss Fergusson's lawyer.'

'Miss Fergusson doesn't need a lawyer for the time being, Mr Harrison.'

'And if I did you wouldn't have been the wanted one.'

'Your brother asked me to defend you.' Jethro saw the woman fighting with herself and wondered what nightmares she had faced in her life and if said nightmares had anything to do with her brother. Finally she seemed as if she took a decision.

'I don't need your defence. Or his for that matter.'

'Miss Fergusson. Lyn…' The lawyer tone sounded off to Gibbs and not a little patronizing.

'You heard the lady. Get out.'

'Agent Gibbs…' Tony appeared from nowhere to escort Harrison out of the room.

Gibbs turned to look at his 'suspect' and he found himself staring at a pair of green eyes wet with tears.

'Are you ready to talk?' He asked her.

'If not now, then when?'