Sharp
Chapter 9
Kate stared at the blank screen in front of her, she had started to reply to Don's text a few times that morning after she'd been running with Ziva.
"Hey Howard!" Gibbs shouted "We gonna do something today? I do have a job!"
"Ah sure Sir" she was grateful to Gibbs, she was unwilling to admit it, but Don had hurt her, she didn't know what he meant by his message, or even if it was just a drunk and lonely text. She'd sent a few herself before, though not to him.
"I've told you" Gibbs said "It's Gibbs, or Boss"
"Boss?" she asked.
"You never felt like joining up?" he asked her.
"I like being a cop" she said "And I like New York"
"Offers there" he told her, handing her the rifle case "Come on, lets see if you can hit somethin' today" he left her slightly embarrassed, walking away grinning.
…...
"Bye Stel" Don hugged her at the terminal, he'd only been a couple of days away but it had relaxed him. He'd enjoyed the little he'd seen of New Orleans and catching up with Stella had been good.
"Bye Don" Stella hugged him back "Remember, you're always welcome"
"Thanks" he said, picking up his bag.
"Kate too" she said with a sly smile.
"We'll see" he smiled back.
"Life's short Don" Stella told him "We of all people know that"
He held his hand up in farewell, looking forward.
…...
He arrived back to his apartment and real life, bills and messages awaited him, he flicked through the envelopes while he listened to his messages.
"Hey Donnie, it's me" Sam's voice echoed around the apartment "Call me when you get back from your dirty weekend with the owner of the bra" the answer machine clicked off.
"Hmph" he said heading for the shower "Chance'd be a fine thing"
He ignored the phone while he showered, his cell took up where the house phone left off. He picked it up, looking at the display 'Sam' flashed and he answered it.
"Hey Sam" he said.
"Don?!" she sounded scared, he was instantly alert "Donnie?!"
"Sam?!" he almost shouted "What is it? What's wrong?"
"The guys that cop wants me to inform on" she dropped her voice "They found out, they're here!"
He grabbed his keys, his shield and his gun, slamming out of the door, he was still wet from the shower, barefoot and wearing shorts and t-shirt he wore around at home, he didn't even notice "I'm on my way Sam!" he told her "Lock yourself in, call 911"
He drove fast, blue and red lights flashing, cursing other drivers as he swerved around them. Pounding up the stairs to his sisters apartment he surprised two guys in the hall, banging on Sam's door.
"Hey!" he shouted "Back off!"
"Aw this is private business man" one guy said "Fuck off"
The first man within reach found himself slammed against the wall "What did you say?" Don asked, his hand holding the man by his scruff, his other hand on his gun.
"He's a cop dude" the man pounding on the door said.
"We just want to talk to her" the guy Don had hold of changed his attitude.
"Well you're not" he said "Move"
The man pounding on the door rushed him suddenly, taking him down by the middle, Don clutched harder at his gun, trying to roll out from under him. The other man, the one he'd had subdued kicked him, pain shot through his ribs, but he fought still, managing to get a swing into the guy above him. The one who had kicked him made a run for it as sirens sounded, Don managed to keep a hold on the man on top of him, and they fought.
"The cops are coming!" the first guy said, looking a moment and then taking to his heels. Don took a few more blows from elbows and fists before managing to get the man on his front and pin him. Two uniformed officers puffed up the stairs, guns drawn. Don looked at them, holding his badge up to them.
"Detective Flack" he said through breaths "This guy was trying to break into this apartment, and now he's assaulted a police officer"
He watched as they cuffed the man, knocking on Sam's door.
"Sam?" he said "It's me"
She opened the door as far as the chain would allow, he got a glimpse of wide and terrified eyes before the door closed and she removed the chain, opening the door to let him in.
"Donnie?" she reached out to him "Are you OK?" she looked at the blood on her fingers from his face.
"I'll live" he said, tenderly touching his lip where it was bleeding. His face wasn't too bad, it was his ribs that really hurt.
She rushed through to the kitchen, handing him a bag of ice, he put it to his lip.
"What the hell is going on Sam?" he asked.
"Please don't" she said, on the verge of tears "Just don't"
"Sam" he said shortly "I just found two guys trying to get in here to do God knows what to you, and got the crap beaten outta me, and you don't want me to ask?!"
"They work for the guys that cop wants me to inform on" she said "That was a warning"
"But you don't know anything" he dropped into a chair, wincing at the pain in his ribs and side.
"I know enough" she said "For them not to risk me talking"
"Damn it Sam" he said, he knew this wasn't really a result of her recent actions, more a case of the past coming back to haunt her. He looked at her, she looked like the frightened little girl she used to be when their brother had tormented her. He'd taken more than a few beatings for defending her then too, until he learned how to outsmart his brother.
"I'm sorry" she said, tears starting to fall.
He pulled her into a hug, stroking her hair "Hey come on" he said "I'm not gonna let anyone hurt you" he told her "I had a word with Klienman, I'll have another"
"It's too late" she sniffled into his t shirt.
"It's never too late" he lifted her head, wiping away her tears "You're staying with me until this is sorted"
"No" she said, pulling away "I'll be fine"
"It's not up for discussion" he said, sounding like their father "It's that or I call dad?"
"I'll pack a bag" she conceded, she was actually pleased that he wanted her to go with him, she felt safe around him, he'd never let her down yet.
"Thought so" he smiled at her.
…...
Don tried to get comfortable on the sofa, his body ached after a bad nights sleep. Sam was still asleep in his bed, he'd brushed aside all her objections of taking his bed. He threw his hands across his eyes, two weeks was up tomorrow, and he knew that the lack of sleep wasn't just down to the ache in his ribs and head.
He stood and padded to the bathroom, undressing and stepping into the shower, inspecting the damage. He had bruising round his rib cage to his back, his face was slightly swollen and his knuckles scraped and bruised. He shrugged, he'd had worse.
Coming out of the bathroom he met Sam.
"You look like shit" she said.
"Thanks sis" he replied, heading for his bedroom "I have something I need to do today" he told her "But you'll be safe here, you remember were my spare gun is right? Just in case?"
"You're going to work?" she said "Like that?"
"No, I'm not" he said "I'm taking a road trip"
"The owner of the bra?" her eyes twinkled, a Flack trait he thought, generally they bounced back pretty quick "I'm going to work" she said "I'll be safe there"
"You sure?" he looked doubtful.
"It's a police station" she told him "If a whole bunch of cops can't keep me safe, then I'm screwed anyway"
"Probably a good idea" he pondered, it was better than her being alone "I'll drop you off, stay there until I pick you up"
"You sound like dad" she scoffed.
"Thanks" he said dryly, closing his bedroom door.
…...