I own nothing. I'm going to be ending this soon! Enjoy!
"Daddy," Michelle yelled waking me from my light sleep.
Michelle and I had fallen asleep in the living room after we ate some Chinese food. I didn't want her to be far away from me and I knew that she didn't want to be alone.
"Wake up, Michelle," I said lifting her into my arms and rubbing her back, "I got you Hun. Just wake up."
I continued to mutter comforting things to Michelle and tell her to wake up. The noises that Michelle was making, the sobs and hurt whimpers, were making my heart break.
"Daddy?" Michelle asked her eyes fluttering open.
"It's okay," I said smiling down at her, "I'm right here."
"What time is it?" she asked yawning.
"About five in the morning," I said kissing her forehead, "Come on. I know a place that makes amazing breakfast food."
"Okay," she said nodding, "Umm, can we change?"
"Yeah," I said letting her off my lap, "Be down here in five."
"Okay," she said running upstairs.
I watched her run upstairs and wondered what I was going to do. We barely knew anything about the man that might come after Michelle. The tattoo wasn't in the system and all Michelle knew was the name Floyd.
"Daddy," Michelle yelled from her room.
Jumping up I raced up the stairs only to have Michelle run through the hall and bury her face in my stomach. I lifted her up gently and waited for her to calm down before talking to her.
"What's wrong?" I asked softly.
"Backyard," Michelle said in a whisper.
I walked downstairs and through the house until I came to the backyard. Jethro had been following Michelle since she woke up so I wasn't surprised that he walked with us.
Opening the door I didn't bother to suppress the gasp that fell from my lips. I couldn't believe what I was looking at back here. The backyard was completely destroyed.
"Jethro," I said stopping him from going outside, "Stay right here and protect Michelle."
Even though Jethro and Michelle hadn't known each other for that long Jethro acted like Michelle was his little puppy. He barely left her side when she was home and he hated it when she left the house.
Putting Michelle down I watched her hug Jethro tightly and continue to sob. Jethro sat there calmly and watched me with intent eyes. I didn't want to leave Michelle alone, but I had to see what happened.
As I walked through the backyard I sighed at what I saw. Everything that was back here was broken and as I got closer to the pool I saw that there was something causing the water to turn red.
Turning around I walked into the house and picking up Michelle as I went. Jethro continued to follow me as I walked out the front door and across the street to Gibbs house.
I knocked on the door and waited until he answered. With Gibbs I had no idea if he would be awake or if he would be upset about Jethro coming, but I couldn't bring myself to leave him at the house.
"McGee," Gibbs said opening the door.
"Can we come in?" I asked sighing.
"Sure," he said nodding.
Snapping my fingers I made sure that Jethro followed me in before going to the couch. Jethro laid on the ground and kept his eyes on me and Michelle. I set Michelle on the ground next to him though.
"Michelle," I said handing her my cell phone, "I want you to call Ziva, Abby, and Tony, okay? Tell them that they have to come here."
"Okay, Daddy," Michelle said shakily taking the phone.
"Gibbs," I said motioning for him to come out.
Gibbs and I went outside, but I moved to the front window so I could watch Michelle. Once I could see that she was safe I turned to Gibbs and sighed sadly. I didn't know what I was going to say.
"What happened McGee?" Gibbs asked calmly.
"I'd rather show you," I said shrugging, "But I'm not leaving Michelle alone."
"We'll wait then," he said nodding, "Why are we outside?"
"I needed fresh air," I said sighing, "I don't know how long I'm going to be able to keep my composer and I don't want Michelle seeing that."
"Okay," he said looking at Michelle.
Gibbs and I stayed outside for awhile longer until a car pulled up. Abby, Ziva, and Tony got out of the car and walked up to us. The three of them started to talk at once trying to figure everything out.
"Guys," I said loudly, "I'll explain everything in a moment. First, Abby can you go stay with Michelle and not leave here alone while we go to my house?"
"Sure," Abby said nodding and going inside.
"Come on," I said before going to my house.
The four of us walked across the street in silence. I didn't want to go back there, but I needed to show everyone what happened in the backyard. The need to figure out what was going on was too powerful to ignore.
I directed them to the backyard before letting them go outside themselves. Every once in awhile I could hear someone mutter something to themselves, but I was barely listening.
The thing that as bothering me the most wasn't that everything was destroyed, but that I was inside with Michelle. This could have easily turned into something worse if the person had come in.
"McGee," Gibbs said putting his cell phone away, "Vance is waiting for you at his house. I want you to go there and drop off Michelle and Jethro then come back here, okay?"
"Yeah," I said numbly.
"We'll find this guy, Tim," he said calmly, "I won't let him get to Michelle."
"I can't lose her Gibbs," I said staring at him.
"I know," he said softly, "Now go. We have a lot of work."
Going back to Gibbs house I took a deep breath before walking inside. Michelle was talking softly to Abby as she laid on Jethro. I walked up to them and kneeled next to them.
"Daddy?" Michelle asked softly, "What's happening?"
"I'm going to take you to Director Vance's house," I said smiling, "And you're going to stay there with Jethro and the Director's family while we try to figure out what happened in the backyard."
"Okay," she said yawning.
"Let's go," I said as Jethro, Michelle, and I got into my car.
As I drove I watched Michelle as she started to fall into a light sleep. I hoped that this time Michelle didn't have a nightmare. I didn't know how Michelle would react if I wasn't there.
Pulling up to Vance's house I stopped the car and got out. I carried Michelle to the front door and Jethro followed calmly. Vance opened the door just as I was about to ring the doorbell.
"Come on in," Vance said calmly, "You can lay Michelle on the couch. There's a blanket and pillow there for her and I'm guessing Jethro will stay with her."
"Right," I said nodding and laying Michelle down.
Once Michelle was on the couch I followed Vance into the kitchen and gratefully took the cup of coffee his wife was offering with a smile on my lips as I took the first drink.
"I have to go," I said when I finished the coffee, "Thank you for taking care of Michelle."
"It's no problem," Vance said calmly, "I'll be going into work soon so call me there if you get any information."
"Alright," I said before going to Michelle, "I love you Michelle. Call me if you need anything."
"Love you too Daddy," Michelle said sleepily.
"Go back to sleep," I said kissing her forehead, "Everything will be okay. I'll figure everything out and you'll be safe."
"Will you?" she asked rubbing her eye gently, "Will everyone else be safe?"
"We might get hurt," I said honestly, "But we're going to be safe at the end of the day."
"Okay," she said yawning widely, "Night Daddy.
"Night," I said watching her fall asleep again.
I didn't want to leave Michelle at all now. She was worried about us and I didn't blame her. Our work was dangerous and if I didn't love my job so much I probably wouldn't be doing it anymore.
Working with NCIS was something I couldn't quit though. It was amazing once we caught the bad guy that how dangerous it was didn't matter as long as the bad guy was caught.
I got in my car and drove down to my house. Once I got there everyone was working it like a crime scene and I was happy knowing that even with how much we fought we'd do anything to make sure the others were safe. They were my family.