NCIS
Thicker Than Water
Chapter 12
Bulletproof
Haley James Scott kept herself busy after the lunch rush by sweeping the floors of the café and wiping down the surfaces including the piano, shelves, and window sills. The former high school teacher valued cleanliness especially in this setting as well as her home.
It was bittersweet to have the café rebuilt. Bitter because it meant that Brooke's business was officially gone and sweet because Haley had the chance to revive her old memories the atmosphere that Karen originally created. When she wasn't at the café Haley spent her spare time helping Peyton or working on her own music. Of course being a wife and mother was always going to be her first priority before herself.
While she was out back taking inventory before the inevitable after school pop of customers Haley heard the bell on the door followed by a pair of heels rapping on the hardwood floor. Haley didn't try to guess who it was before stepping out to greet what she thought would be a customer.
When she came out from the back she found Victoria Davis surveying the café with disapproving eyes. Haley swallowed hard and cleared her throat to get Victoria's attention.
"Hello Mrs. Davis." Haley didn't like the woman any more than the others for the way she treated Brooke but she was polite regardless.
Victoria who had her back to Haley as she looked around turned as she was addressed.
"Good afternoon Haley, interesting what you've done with the place." Victoria replied. Of course her tone suggested that by interesting she meant something distasteful.
At any rate Haley decided to take the statement as a compliment knowing that it would irritate Victoria.
"Thank you, I think Karen would be happy with how it turned out. Can I get you a cup of coffee?" Haley smiled and though it was false it appeared to be genuine.
Victoria stood in the middle of the café for a moment staring at Haley, assessing the young business owner. By Haley's surprise Victoria moved toward the counter and took a seat on one of the tall chairs.
Haley had expected her best friend's mother to decline and demand where her daughter was but maybe she was here for other reasons. While Victoria sat down Haley presented her with a cup and poured the freshly brewed coffee with practiced hands.
Victoria studied her the entire time and Haley pretended not to notice. After setting the pot of coffee back on its station she turned to Victoria and watched her sip the black coffee. It surprised her when Victoria seemed to approve of the taste and strength simply based on her expression.
Haley had learned long ago through Brooke that Victoria was opinionated. If the older woman didn't like something she'd make a person painfully aware. If she was silent Haley took that as a good sign whereas with most other people silence was negative.
Victoria took a second sip and swallowed slowly before speaking to Haley again. "I assume my daughter is not in town."
Haley nodded. "You assume correctly, Brooke is in Washington DC visiting her Dad and the friends she's made there."
Victoria became quiet again and for the first time Haley could see that she was actually thinking hard about what she was going to say next.
"Haley, you need to warn Brooke about her father." Victoria finally told her.
Haley allowed her confusion to show in her features. "Victoria I'm sure that Brooke probably wants nothing to do with you right now. However don't you think that's something you should talk to her about?"
Victoria sighed and seemed to become vulnerable on the spot. Haley felt a little uneasy since Victoria was typically the type of woman to hide such feelings.
"Brooke has blocked my number and hasn't replied to any of my emails. Trust me Haley I know this is my own fault and there were certainly better ways to tell her about her father. Now I'm realizing that she could really get hurt and if she does it will be because of me." Victoria explained.
Haley ran a hand through her blonde waves and sighed. "As her mother it's been your job to protect Brooke all her life. In all the time I've known her Brooke has been on her own because you and Richard expected her to raise herself."
"I think you should know that she is a strong and capable woman with the biggest heart of anyone I've ever met. I'll talk to Brooke but I'm not doing it for you. It will be because I have my best friend's interest at heart and she needs someone who knows how to talk to her without making her feel inferior."
Tony opened his eyes to the subtle scratching of a pencil against paper. When he turned his head toward the sound he found Brooke working diligently wearing a pair of glasses with her hair twisted into a casual bun and secured with a hair clip.
When he cleared his throat Brooke looked up and smiled warmly at him. "Hey there, how are you feeling?"
"I feel like I could eat a steak bigger than my head." Tony chuckled, his voice sounding groggy and rough from all the sleeping.
Brooke laughed as she closed her portfolio and tucked it away into her bag. "I think your doctor would recommend starting you with something simpler. As much as I'd like to get you what you want I'd hate to get you in trouble for it."
"I have an iron stomach, just ask my colleagues but if soup and crackers keep us both out of trouble, I suppose I can suffer." Tony replied as he carefully sat up in bed.
Brooke stood and retrieved the pitcher of water from the table on Tony's other side. She filled the plastic cup beside it and handed it over to him.
Tony took it and quickly thanked her before he practically gulped it down. It seemed to instantly cure the dryness in his throat quite a bit.
"Dad grabbed some clothes from your place. I brought them with me in case you wanted to change after you woke up." Brooke told him.
"It's kind of strange hearing someone refer to Gibbs like that." Tony laughed. "I hope my toothbrush is in there and some shower stuff too." He added.
"I think it's all there but I didn't look." Brooke walked around the bed again and grabbed the gym bag from the floor. She hesitated though when she turned to Tony with it afraid to set it on his lap because of his injuries.
"It's okay Brooke." Tony reached for the handles on the bag and took it from her. He gently placed it on the least effected area of his legs. It still hurt but he put on a brave face.
When he unzipped the bag he found the clothes he asked for, his toothbrush, and a tube of paste along with his body wash and shampoo. After looking through the bag he was pleased to have something other than the hospital issue clothing to wear.
"Brooke could you do me a favor and get the doctor, I'd like to find out if I can shower on my own." Tony asked.
"Of course but you should know that Dr. Moore isn't taking care of you anymore. Earlier another doctor was in here checking on you while you were sleeping. She didn't say why she was replacing Dr. Moore though." Brooke explained.
"Who is she?"
"Dr. Jeanne Benoit." Brooke shrugged.
Samantha remained at her desk while Gibbs and McGee left the office for the lunch hour. Of course she had the option to leave early as well but she didn't have the appetite for anything other than work. The agent considered visiting Tony but it was likely that Gibbs would be there and he had been making her feel invisible all day.
With her colleagues away and few people still in the office Samantha knew it was as good a time as any to take a walk down memory lane. First she glanced around the squad room to make sure no one was within view of her desk.
Once she was sure that it was safe she accessed the file on the event that nearly ended her life. The details of over half the report she had no recollection of whatsoever and that fact scared her more than what was written.
As she sat at her desk she quickly skimmed over what she knew without a doubt happened that night. When she reached the part of the report that documented the injuries she sustained Samantha's heart began to pound in her chest. Instinctively one hand found its way to the scar on her neck where she had been slashed. She traced the line with her fingertips while she placed her other hand on her abdomen over her shirt where she had supposedly been shot.
There were other injuries from the event but they were not as fatal as the gunshot and throat slashing. By the time she was through reading the report Samantha had tears in her eyes and looked up at the ceiling for a moment to prevent them from spilling. She had lost a lot more than just her life for a few seconds that night and since then she had been struggling to put the pieces back together.
Leaving her desk with the report still on her computer screen Samantha rushed to the elevator and once inside she punched the button for the evidence garage with extra force. The agent tapped her foot impatiently during the ride down which seemed to take an eternity.
When the doors opened she crossed the concrete floor of the garage to the lockup. The Baggie Bunnies as Tony referred to them had logged out for the afternoon which meant Samantha would have the privacy she was seeking.
Quickly she punched in the access code on the electronic lock, waited for the buzzing, and entered the enclosed space making sure the gate closed behind her. The clicking of her pumps as she moved was the only sound in the garage beyond the hammering in her chest.
When she reached the shelf that contained what she was looking for Samantha took a deep breath and with shaking hands she removed the cardboard box with her case number handwritten on the side.
Biting her lip Samantha carried it over to the desk in the corner and scribbled her name down on the evidence log. If people questioned her sanity for looking through the box then so be it but she wasn't about to lose her job over not acknowledging that it was still policy to sign.
Hands still shaking Samantha took the top off the box and peered inside having known what would be there before she even took it off the shelf. The box contained a hard copy of the file along with sealed plastic evidence bags. Samantha's focus however was on the brown paper bag. She reached for the box of rubber gloves on the table and pulled out a pair. Once she had them on she opened the paper bag and removed the contents.
The clothes she had been wearing that night were on the top. Each item had been separated into individual evidence bags. On the bottom of the paper bag were her shoes the suede fabric of which was soaked in blood. Samantha sighed and picked up each item of bagged clothing one at a time.
A shiver ran down her spine when she saw the torn undergarments and skirt. However what haunted her most were the bloodstains on the shirt that began at the neck and covered the entire front. Samantha choked on the lump in her throat and dropped the bag. Removing a glove she brought her hand to her neck again and traced the scar with her trembling fingers.
Unable to take it anymore she shoved everything back into the paper bag and returned it to the box. She placed the cover back on and was about to pick it up to put it back on the shelf but before she did she felt a presence behind her.
Slowly Samantha turned her head having an idea on who it might be. When she glanced over her shoulder her suspicion was confirmed when she found Gibbs standing there double fisting coffee. Samantha faced him with tears falling and didn't try to hide them for once.
"How long have you been standing there?" Samantha asked shakily.
Gibbs looked at her with sympathy in his eyes and moved to set the coffee cups down on the desk behind her. After doing so he grabbed the evidence box and returned it to its rightful place.
Samantha removed her gloves as he did this and chucked them into the trash bin beside the desk.
"You don't think I'm ready to go back to field work." Samantha accused when he was in front of her again.
"I didn't say that." Gibbs replied.
"You didn't have to Jethro, it's in the way you left Vance's office earlier and the way you looked at me just now." Samantha explained.
Gibbs was silent as he reached around her for the coffees. He handed her one and brought the other to his lips.
Samantha accepted it and wiped away her tears before taking a sip as well. She was avoiding eye contact with him now. Gibbs took notice and gently placed his hand under her chin and pushed up to get her to look at him. When he opened his mouth to speak however both of their cell phones began to ring.
