NO ONE GETS THROUGH LIFE WITHOUT SCARS

CHAPTER 4

Two Days Later

Thursday….

The mood in the bullpen was somber. Every spare moment not spent on a case was spent looking for their friend/little sister, Mandie. If the agents thought it was bad for them, it was even worse for Gibbs - Mandie was like another daughter to him, and this was bringing up bad memories. So Gibbs was in a grouchy mood. Even Vance didn't try to talk to him.

Gibbs hung up the phone with a slam. "Get your gear. Dead sailor, Rock Creek Park." The three younger agents grabbed up their backpacks and headed for the elevator. "I'll meet you in the garage. McGee, gas the truck." He threw the keys at McGee, who caught them in the air. "I'm going to see Abby." Taking the back elevator down to the lab, Gibbs prepared himself for seeing Abby. To say she hasn't handled the last few days well was an understatement. The lab was quiet when he walked in - no music, just like the last two days. Never a good sign. "Abbs!" She waved at him from her office, and he walked over. "Whaddya' doin', Abbs?"

"I just got through talking to Mandie's parents. I didn't tell them she was missing or anything, just asked if she'd told them she was getting away for a few days. Nobody back home has heard from her, Gibbs! Where is she? What if she's lying hurt somewhere, and can't get help? What if…"

Putting his finger over her lips, he waited until she was quiet. "We…will…find her, Abby. You know none of the team will give up until she's back with us." Gibbs waited again until she nodded. "Right now, I have a dead sailor who has family that need answers, too. And only you can give them to them, Abbs. I need you to focus, ok?"

Abby knew Gibbs was right, but it hurt to think that Mandie would think they were abandoning her for another case. But this was her job, so do it she would. "I will not stop until I find all the answers for your dead sailor, sir!" She saluted, causing Gibbs to smile.

"Wrong hand, Abbs," he said, leaning in to give her a kiss on the cheek, then heading for the door. "And don't call me sir!"

"Then, yes, ma'am!" she replied, saluting with the correct hand, smiling at Gibbs' chuckle coming from the hallway. With a sharp, precise military turn, she turned to her computer and began typing with renewed vigor. Nothing like a peptalk from her silver fox to put her in the right frame of mind.

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Rock Creek Park

Leaves crunched under his feet as he made his way along the woodsy path. Jim Taybak preferred jogging this trail over any of the others in the park, even though it was kind of out of the way. Heck, that was one of the reasons he liked it. Very rarely did he ever bump into another runner or person walking their dog. He enjoyed the solitude, enjoyed the crisp sound of the leaves under his feet, enjoyed the piney smell of the…what was that? He jogged in place for a moment, listening for the sound again. There it was - a rustling off to the left. Listening more carefully, he could pinpoint the stand of trees the sound was coming from. Jim stopped jogging and took out his phone. Another reason he liked this trail was the wildlife. He had some great pictures of animals he'd encountered while out on his jogs.

Jim left the trail, slowly and quietly making his way toward the sound. Hearing a whine, he stopped for a moment, trying to identify the kind of animal from the noise. Judging from the rustle, it was fairly large. Maybe a deer…yearling bear? He crept one step at a time, phone at the ready. Again, it made a noise - like a moan. If he didn't know better, he'd say it almost sounded human. A few more steps, and all he had to do was sweep aside some bushes….

He'd snapped the picture before he realized what he was seeing. A young woman, covered in cuts, bruises and blood. There wasn't an inch of her body that wasn't injured in some way. It was so brutal that he gagged and nearly threw up. Was she even alive? "Miss?" He crept closer, got within a few feet of her. "Miss? Are you…"

Her strangled moan made Jim jump. She was still alive! He dialed 911, but was frustrated when there was no service. "Miss, I'm going to go get help, ok?"

"He-help m-me…" the woman croaked.

"I will, miss. But I have to go back to a clearing, I have no service….I'll be back, and I'll bring help, I promise."

She slowly reached out a bloody hand. "N-no….no leave…help…help me…." She begged.

Jim swallowed hard and took the young woman's hand. It was cold, and wet with blood. "I have to leave, ok? I need to go get help." He cringed when the woman wrapped her fist in his t-shirt. This much blood would never come out. "Shhhh, it's ok, ok? I'm going to go bring help, ok?" He gently pulled himself away from her grasping hands, blocking out her pained cries as she slid back to the ground. As he started running back the way he'd come - it was faster than going forward - Jim wished he could have done more to help her, to make her comfortable. But he sat at a desk, tweaking numbers and accounts all day. He knew nothing about First Aid. And as he ran, he decided that he'd never run this trail again.

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Rock Creek Park

Two Miles Away

Team Gibbs was working the scene of a dead US Navy sailor. McGee was taking pictures, Ziva was sketching the scene, Gibbs was consulting with Ducky, and Tony was working his way out from the immediate scene, looking for clues, evidence, anything that could tell them why the sailor was here. He was so bored with his assignment, he didn't even hear the thudding footsteps coming at him at a full run. Didn't even see the jogger until he'd barreled right into him. "What the…Hey! Watch where you're going! Didn't you see the crime scene tape? Get out of here!"

"Lady…in the woods….blood….." the jogger was gulping in big breaths of air.

Tony looked down at his white dress shirt underneath his NCIS blue jacket. The white shirt with a large blood stain. "Awwww man! This was brand new! Thanks a lot, sweaty jogger-guy."

"She's….help….blood all over…"

"As if the jacket wasn't enough, you just had to get it on the white shirt, too…"

The jogger took Tony by the lapels of his NICS jacket. "You gotta' come…she needs help….please! Told her…I'd bring back help….she's…it's bad. You have to come…" He started pulling Tony with him toward the woods.

Tony wrestled his jacket away from the lunatic jogger. "Alright, alright, I'm coming. This better be good, or you're paying for this shirt…." He called to McGee over his shoulder, "Hey, McBoyScout! I'll be right back! This jogger found evidence in the woods!"

As he followed behind the jogger, Tony had to keep telling him to slow down. Ok, so he wasn't in the greatest of shape - he was working on it. "Hey! Jogger Guy! How much farther?" Damned shoes were getting ruined, too. He was so concentrated on running and breathing at the same time, he fell right over the jogger, who'd stopped and was bent over, sucking in air. "Warn a guy when you're gonna stop short, jogger guy. Jogging 101, being polite to your fellow joggers." As he stood, he looked where the jogger was pointing. "What? What am I supposed to be looking at?"

"She's….over…there. By…by the birch tree, under…under it."

Tony scanned the trees. "Birch….those are the white ones, right?" He ignored the jogger rolling his eyes. Still breathing hard, he began walking in that direction. "Nothing's going to jump out at me, is it? Cuz I will be royally…..Holy Shit!" He ran the last couple of feet and knelt down next to the woman, immediately feeling for a pulse. Thready, but there. "Miss? Miss?" he asked loudly as he took in her injuries. Some of these cuts were deep, needed stitches. She'd lost a lot of blood.

Stripping off his windbreaker, he balled it up and gently slid it under her head, wincing when she moaned. "It's ok, you're ok. We're gonna' get you out of here, ok? Get you some help."

"He-help….hel-lp meeeee." She reached out a trembling hand toward Tony.

Tony slipped off his white dress shirt and ripped it into a few strips. He wanted to get some kind of dressing on a few of those cuts. On closer inspection, he saw they were deliberate slashes. He hushed her softly when she cried out as he pressed down on the wounds. "You're ok, you're safe. I'll be right back." He ran back to the jogger, who was just starting to get his breath back. "I'm guessing there's no service in here?" the jogger shook his head. "Ok then, I need you to go back down and get my team. Tell them DiNozzo needs Ducky. Can you remember that? 'DiNozzo needs Ducky'."

Confused, Jim Taybak nodded. He had no idea why this guy needed a duck, but if it got that poor young woman help, he'd do it. "DiNozzo needs Ducky. Got it." With one last gulp of air, he took off down the trail once again. Never mind never jogging this trail again, Jim thought to himself. 'I'm never jogging again!'

Tony ran back to the young woman, who was trying to push herself up. "No, no, honey, back down, c'mon." He helped her lie back down. "There's help coming, I promise. A doctor is on his way, he'll help you until we can get you to the hospital." He checked the meager bandages he'd made, not surprised to see they'd soaked through with blood. "I need you to open your eyes for me, ok? Need you to stay awake….c'mon." He lightly tapped the woman's cheek, and she opened the one eye that wasn't swollen shut -but was filled with blood from the gash down her face. "Good job, good girl, just stay…." He looked at her eye and felt his heart drop right out of his chest. Mandie! He'd recognize those unique violet eyes anywhere. "Oh dear God…Mandie! Mandie? Honey, talk to me….Mandie?"

"Help…m-me. He-help…" If she had any tears left, she'd cry. "Can't…can't s-s-see…ca-can't s-see!" The more she panicked, the harder it got for her to breathe. She was gasping and struggling for air.

"Shhhhhh, it's ok, Mandie, you're ok." He was ready to cry for her. Tony got down on the ground and pulled her into his lap. He could feel her starting to go limp. "C'mon, Mandie, stay with me, sweetheart, stay with me. Shhhhhh, it's ok, sweetheart, you're ok…."

Gasping for air, Mandie realized she knew who this was holding her, knew why she felt so safe at last. "T-Ton-ny?"

"Yeah, sweetheart, it's Tony. Stay with me, honey." He kissed her forehead softly. "You've had all of us worried, sweetheart, McGoo, Ziva, dad, me. And I won't even tell you how devastated Abby's been…." Tony gave her a little shake. "Keep breathing, Mandie, c'mon…stay with me, sweetheart, stay with me…."

Mandie reached up a trembling, bloodied hand to Tony's face, as if to prove to herself it was really him. "To-Tonnny….You?"

"Shhhhh, kiddo, it's really me, sweetheart, Big Brother Tony is here. Don't close those eyes, Mandie-Lou…..there we go, keep those pretty eyes open."

"What….what hap-hap-happ….."

"We don't know, kiddo, you've been missing a long time." When she would have tried to speak again, he shushed her. "Save your strength for getting yourself better, ok?"

"S-so tire-tired, Tonnn-ny. So tired."

Tony heard the thundering feet of the rest of the team. "Stay with me, sweetheart, just stay with me. The rest of the team is almost here, ok?" He pulled her as close as he dared to give her a hug. "Just stay with me," he whispered sadly.

Half an hour later…..

The team was somber as they watched the EMTs come out of the woods with Mandie on a gurney, Gibbs on one side of her holding her hand, Ducky on the other, handing out orders to the EMTs. As they got ready to slide her into the ambulance, Mandie raised her hand enough to catch Gibbs' windbreaker. He looked at her, tears in his eyes. He could see she wanted to say something. "It's ok, baby. We're gonna' get you to the hospital, ok?"

Mandie shook her head. "S-sor-sor-ry, Gibb-s. 'M Sor-rrry!" She was crying now, causing her to have trouble breathing again.

Gibbs took her hand, kissed it, completely disregarding the scratches and blood. Here she was, beaten, slashed, most likely raped, and she was the one apologizing. "Don't apologize, darlin'. You did nothing wrong. Hear me?"

Nodding, Mandie tried to get her breathing under control as they loaded her into the back of the ambulance. Gibbs couldn't help but think how small and young she looked. "Dinozzo!"

Tony came running up, still shirtless, chest sweaty and smeared with blood. "Yeah, boss!"

Gibbs threw him his NCIS jacket. "Put this on and go with her. We'll meet you."

"But don't you….?"

Gibbs sighed. "You want to be the one to tell Abby?"

"Meeting you at Bethesda. Got it, boss." Tony climbed into the back of the ambulance, grabbing a seat near Mandie's head, so she would be able to see him and know she wasn't alone. He picked up her hand and cradled it between both of his as the doors shut and locked. With a roar of engines and sirens, they were on their way to the hospital.

Ducky watched the ambulance leave with a heavy heart. That poor girl, he thought to himself. "Jethro, I'm going to follow them in. I want to make sure there's a plastic surgeon on hand to do the stitches."

"Yeah, go ahead, Duck." Gibbs watched the elder man climb into the Coroner's van with Jimmy Palmer. As they pulled away, he turned to the remaining two members of his team. They both looked shell-shocked. He asked Tim to go collect their kits from the first crime scene - Balboa's team was coming to take over. When Tim had walked away, Gibbs sidled up next to Ziva. In a low voice he asked, "you alright, Ziver?"

Ziva jumped. She was lost in memories of Somalia, hadn't realized anyone had gotten so close to her. "I am fine." Seeing Gibbs' raised eyebrow, she smiled, albeit a small one. "I am fine, Gibbs." When he turned to walk away, she murmured, "thank you." Gibbs leaned in and kissed her on the temple.

"Help McGee, and take the truck. I'll meet you at the hospital."

Knowing that he had yet to face the toughest part of the job - telling Abby - Ziva touched his arm. "Would you like me to come with you?"

Gibbs took her hand from his arm and gave it a fatherly squeeze, shaking his head. "Go," he said with a small smile, and watched her walk over to McGee and begin helping him grab all their gear and lug it to the truck. 'I've got good kids,' he thought to himself, then sighed. Abby. This was going to destroy her. She was going to blame herself - she always did. He was leaning against the car as Agent Balboa and his team arrived. Gibbs briefed them on their findings and went to get in his car.

"Hey, Gibbs!" Gibbs turned his head to look at Balboa. "Hope your girl's alright."

Gibbs nodded his thanks, and as he drove away he thought, 'me, too.'

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A/N - AND THUS ENDS ANOTHER EPISODE OF 'SCARS.' MANY THANKS AND A SORRY TO THE REAL MANDIE, MANDIELOULUVSEWE (go read her stories - AWESOME!), FOR NOT WRITING THE HOSPITAL SCENE. THAT'S COMING NEXT, I PROMISE! HOPE YOU ALL ENJOYED THIS CHAPTER! IF YOU DID - OR EVEN IF YOU DIDN'T - DROP ME A REVIEW AND LET ME KNOW! NOT ONLY WILL YOU MAKE MY DAY, BUT YOU'LL MAKE THE REAL MANDIE'S DAY, TOO!

DISCLAIMER - NOBODY NOWHERE RECEIVES ANYTHING FOR THIS STORY. WELL, EXCEPT FOR THE REAL MANDIE, WHO'S GETTING A STORY ALL ABOUT HER. I OWN NOTHING. BUT MY HEART WILL GO ON…..

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