Disclaimer – I don't own NCIS

Authors note – okay, so this is a really short chapter but if I'm honest I think it's right to leave it where it ends.

I've decided I can't do Lucy's story the justice it deserves by writing every day ofg her life. I don't know enough to do that. So I'm going to write maybe another 2-3 chapters, spanning 6 months to a year. That way you keep knowing the story but I don't diminish her tale. I hope you don't mind.

Anyway, I want to that my reviewers:

Princess Alexia (and yes, Jenny will come back, but it will be near the very end of the story) , Shy Chey 97, Quiz (I didn't write the whole story with Jenny in mind, but some scenes I was picturing her out of habit. I have corrected the mistake I could see in the last chapter so thank you for pointing that out, I'll be more careful from now on ) , and Left My Heart In Paris.

Hope you all enjoy :D

Washington DC, February 24th 1999, 09:40 hours

"…locals Leo's spoke to the neighbours and it turned out that no one saw anything. Then again we didn't expect anything else as it was 10pm. Anyway, on the matter of the case, Leo's found a knife 100m from the crime scene. My guess is the killer panicked and tossed it. I've got the landlord of the apartment block sending over the CCTV footage of the hours surrounding the murder. Also, turns out that the Navy uniform she was found in belonged to a former Lieutenant, now her boss at the design company." Said Burly.

The team were all gathered in the bull pen around the wipe board as they went through the latest developments in the case. The wipe board was littered with pictures of persons of interest; there was a photo of the crime scene, a map of the local area and a sketch of the crime scene too. It ran as it often did, each stating what they had found out whilst Gibbs listed, head slapped and objected. Or at least, Burly went on as usual. Generally, as soon as Burly had finished Lucy took over, filling in the blanks and adding new bits in, both desperate to prove them even if they had long ago. But the previous night when Tom had hit her, after they'd argued in that air of … awkwardness maybe? She couldn't quite put her finger on what had been in the air that night, but she did know that something inside her had been lost in that moment, something that kept her smile on her face and the joy in her heart had snapped. It was the only thing that had been on her mind all morning, she hadn't been able to concentrate or do anything right. Now, Stan's words just seemed like distant noices she couldn't quite focus on.

Gibbs looked over at Lucy, waiting for her to speak. But she didn't. She just stood there with a distant look in her eyes. "Hey, Lucy, you got anything or am I going to have to head slapping you like I do Burly?"

She shook herself out of the daze and began to ramble off all of the things she had found out, as if nothing had happened. But she couldn't help but notice that Gibbs' eyes hadn't left her. She self consciously brushed her hair closer to her cheek which was still red and discoloured form the previous night yet had managed to be hidden by make-up. "…friends say she was completely work obsessed. She worked in client management for a design studio. Basically was the stepping stone between designers and clients. She spent her life in meetings and work parties. No boyfriend that they knew about but she kept her private life private. Family still live in England, they're flying over to see her body as soon as."

"Good. I want you putting a rush on that CCTV Steve, Luce with me, we're gonna talk to her boss." Said Gibbs, his eyes still not firmly focussed on her. She went over to her desk and pulled her leather jacket on. She was wearing a pair of leggings, with a white blouse and oversized baggy chunky knit jumper over the top. She had black high leg leather boots on. Her makeup was done to cover the mark but she didn't look the same as she usually did. Her hair was in lose curls thanks to her tying it back while wet the previous night. Her style was relaxed, not the usual sophisticated style that it usually was.

She holstered her gun under her jumper and grabbed her badge and bag before following Jethro out, jogging to the lift to catch it before the doors closed. He looked at her when she entered the lift, they were the only two in it which was a change. Then he pressed the emergency stop switch just as she'd predicted he would. The steal lift also doubled as Gibbs' private conference room. Once it had slowly stopped, the lights gone out and the emergency blue tinted LED's come into action he turned to look at her. "What's going on?"

"Leave it Jethro." She said with a sigh and avoiding his eyes as she leant back against the cold metal of the lift.

"Luce, you see a car before going into your place when I drop you off and act all strange. Then today you come in all shook up. Not on the ball. Lucy you are better than this, and you have a massive red mark on the side of you face. Don't tell me to leave it."

"The car was a neighbour's. Whenever he's over there is loud music. The mark on the side of my face is there because I hit it on the sink last night after slipping getting out of the bath. End of!"

Lucy flicked the emergency stop switch and they continued in silence. She was lying through her teeth, lying well just as he'd taught her, but lying through her teeth none the less. The worst thing was she knew he knew and it broke her heart that the one person she trusted with her life she was now keeping something from that could possibly tear her world apart. But Jethro also knew when to shut up and leave things alone, and for now at least, that was what he would do. When things got worse which he had no doubt in his mind they would, then he was interfere, but for now he knew she needed to deal with it herself. But at the same time Lucy knew she was slowly but surely falling into the blackness. Lying to Jethro was the first step, and she didn't know how long she would be able to hang on before she fell completely, and lost everything she had worked, and fought so hard to keep.

Hope it was okay, please pretty please review!

Any suggestions are welcomed too.