NCIS
Let there be blood
Chapter 10
It's not over
It wasn't supposed to happen like this, nobody else was supposed to get hurt especially not Joann, of all people. "No…" Brooke whispered in disbelief at the news she just heard about Shannon's mother. "You must be mistaken." She added as tears began to fall.
"It's been confirmed by Agents McGee and Todd…I'm sorry Brooke." Jenny told her sadly. "It's true."
Gibbs could see his daughter crumbling on the inside and he didn't know what to say. He and Joann never got along after Shannon and Kelly were killed or even before for that matter. However Brooke always remained close to the older woman against all odds.
"How did it happen?" Brooke's voice was barely audible over the sobs that were taking over. Tony stepped forward and placed a hand on her shoulder but she shrugged him off.
Jenny licked her lips and took a deep breath. "Single gunshot to the head…Special Agent Samantha Fielding was found at the scene with her weapon drawn. Until we know otherwise she's our number one suspect."
Brooke started shaking her head and glared at Jenny. "No, Sam would never...you know she's not capable of something like that!"
"It's been a long time since I've worked with her Brooke, for all I know Agent Fielding is capable of anything." Jenny replied sharply.
Even Gibbs was shocked by those words. He knew Jenny had never liked Samantha but that was a low blow. He respected the woman as his former sister in law and partner no matter what. Clearly Jenny always saw her as a threat.
"Brooke, get Shannon from Abby's lab and meet me in the parking lot. I'll drop you off at home on the way back here from picking up Samantha." Gibbs told her. He was no longer willing to stay put, as if he ever planned on following Jenny's orders to begin with.
Brooke collected herself and nodded as she left the bullpen and quickly made her way down the hall. Gibbs walked over to his desk where he holstered his weapon and shoved his badge into his pocket.
"Mind if I come along Boss?" Tony asked as he made sure he had what he needed.
"Well yeah DiNozzo, I didn't plan on leaving you behind." Gibbs chuckled and led the way to the elevator.
Tony gave Jenny a look much like the sour one he had given her in autopsy then he followed Gibbs to the elevator making it just in time. "Think she's going to can us Boss?" He asked after the doors closed.
Suddenly Gibbs' hand collided with the back of his agent's head. "Director Shepard is not going to fire us. We're the best she's got."
Jenny was too stunned to speak as she watched her agents deliberately go against everything she believed in. Every part of the agency protocol was being broken with every passing moment and it seemed that she was the only one who actually cared.
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Brooke rushed into Abby's lab looking frantic and like she was on a mission. The Goth noticed tears which was never a good sign. Brooke always used to be the strong one before the unnecessary mess began.
"Hey, what's wrong?" Abby asked quickly.
Brooke pushed her hair out of her face with the use of one hand and took a minute to catch her breath. "Joann is dead, McGee and that other agent found her."
"Oh my god." Abby immediately pulled Brooke into a tight hug feeling sorry for her.
"It gets worse." Brooke told her after hugging Abby back and pulling away. "They think Samantha did it because she was there standing over Joann with her gun drawn."
"Then what the hell are you still doing here, why aren't you on your way there?" Abby asked.
"I came down here to get Shannon. We're all going to pick up Sam then Dad is going to drop me off at home with Shannon and Tony on the way back." Brooke explained.
Abby nodded in understanding. "Shannon is at my desk coloring."
Brooke forced a smile and dabbed at her eyes with her fingertips before walking into the other part of the lab and picking up her daughter.
"Say goodbye to Abby sweetie, you'll see her tomorrow." Brooke told Shannon softly. The little girl waved at Abby from over Brooke's shoulder as they left the lab together.
Abby laughed and waved back at the five year old. If she had known of the danger to come she would have hugged her tightly and kept her there.
Suddenly Abby remembered something as she heard the elevator bell and rushed to the door of her lab. "Brooke wait, what's John Doe's name?"
Luckily the doors to the elevator hadn't closed yet and Brooke sighed before answering the question. "Mathieu Benoit." She replied as she pushed the button for the lobby.
"That's what I was afraid of." Abby whispered as she went back to work.
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Samantha sighed as she leaned against the front of the Charger that Kate and McGee had arrived in. McGee watched her shivering and somehow he just knew that it had less to do with the weather and more to do with the way she found her mother.
At the other end of the car Kate stood with McGee holding the weapon she confiscated from Samantha sealed in an evidence bag in her hand. She followed McGee's eyes to the other agent and sighed heavily.
Kate opened the trunk and placed the evidence bag into one of the bins they kept in the back to hold all that they gathered until it was brought to Abby. She then grabbed a blanket that was tucked away and handed it to McGee who looked confused.
"What's this for?" He asked her softly.
Kate nodded her head toward the front of the car silently and McGee chuckled to himself. "Right." McGee walked toward Samantha unfolding the blanket in the process. When he reached her he gently draped it around her shoulders.
"May I?" He asked softly indicating that he was interested in sitting beside her if she let him.
Samantha forced a weak smile and nodded. "Sure." She whispered.
McGee gave her a reassuring smile in return and sat next to her on the hood of the car. He stared at his feet searching for something to say to comfort her but he didn't know where to begin.
"So, what's happening at Headquarters?" Samantha wondered.
McGee was glad she was the one to break the ice. He looked up at her watching her seek refuge under the warmth of the blanket.
"Well it's pretty complicated but the short version is that Brooke is alive. We were called out to a crime scene earlier this morning and it turns out the victim was the man who killed her or in this case tried to. As it turns out it was safer for Tony if she stayed under the radar." McGee explained.
Samantha gave McGee a look of shock and opened her mouth to speak but before she had the chance to say anything a yellow and black 1970 Dodge Challenger pulled up. The muscle car screeched to a halt in front of the house.
Gibbs was the first to jump out of the vehicle and the second she saw him Samantha hopped off the front of the Charger and rushed forward colliding into his chest. Kate who had just closed the trunk watched the scene unfold with a pang of jealousy rising inside her.
Samantha threw her arms around Gibbs' neck and buried her face in his shirt while her entire body was still trembling. In return the lead agent wound his arms tightly around her waist closing his eyes as he whispered something into her ear that the others were unable to hear.
Brooke stepped out of the car next from the passenger side and Tony got out of the back holding his daughter in his arms. Kate couldn't help but smile at the sight of him with a child. Tony approached her with Shannon resting her head on his shoulder.
"Kate, this is my daughter." He said softly and proudly.
Kate noticed the redheaded child was asleep on her father's shoulder with her arms around his neck and legs dangling. "She's beautiful." Kate replied softly.
Tony smiled and rubbed Shannon's back as he rocked in place a little where he stood. "Yes, she is." He agreed.
Brooke took a deep breath as she shoved her hands into the back pockets of her jeans and dragged herself over to McGee. Gibbs was still comforting Samantha, telling her that Ducky was on his way. Tony was chatting with Kate until they were told to process the scene.
The young brunette bit her lip as she looked from the ground to McGee who was avoiding eye contact at any cost. He looked at his feet to her knees, from her knees to the house, from the house to the Challenger where he focused his attention.
"Tim, please look at me." Brooke whispered when she stopped in front of him. There was barely a foot of space between them.
McGee took a shuddering breath as he choked up. All he could think about was how betrayed he felt by his best friend. The one person who understood him and the one he pined after for years. "I can't Brooke." He managed to tell her.
In an instant her hands were gently cupping his face and forcing him to look at her. Brooke's bright blue eyes bore into his earthy green orbs and in that moment McGee lost all control of his actions. Before he knew what he was doing he was on his feet pulling her against him and pressing his lips to hers.