Shiloh's hands gripped Jethro's leash with a surge of fear. The dog gave a low threatening growl.
"I've been waiting for you all night," Matt told her. "We should talk." His icy tone sent a shudder down her spine.
"I don't want to talk to you." Jethro bared his teeth.
"Aw, why not?"
"Look, just go away. Leave me alone and I'll forget you were even here. NCIS doesn't need to know about this, if you just go."
"I don't think so. I take off now, you'll be up those stairs and into the arms of your government paid stooge."
"No! I swear, I won't tell anyone you were here!" She wanted to cry. She wanted scream.
"You're right about that, you won't tell anyone. Anything." She tugged on the leash in her hands.
"Go get Tim. Go get him, Jethro." She pulled the leash hard to send the dog back to the building. For a split second woman and animal's eyes met and the understanding clicked. "Go!" She jerked her head towards the stairs. The dog bounded off into the darkness.
"Might have been smarter to keep Fido around." Matt sneered. Shiloh squared her shoulders and forced her spine to straighten.
"You always told me I wasn't all that bright."
"I told you were a stupid bitch, and you are."
"You don't have any power over me any more. I know what you are, and I'm not afraid." Matt flicked his cigarette at her, and she couldn't keep herself from flinching.
"Looks like you're shaking pretty bad for someone who isn't afraid." He pulled a switch blade out of his pocket and turned it in his hands. "I thought about shooting you." He told her. "I visualized pulling the trigger, feeling the kick back, watching the blood shoot out of the wound." He began to circle her, like a big cat stalking its prey.
She squeezed her eyes shut and prayed.
"Then I thought how poignant it would be to kill you with a blade, just like your father." The knife opened without a sound.
"You sent me the note."
"And it was right. I didn't leave a trail."
"Why are you doing this? What did my Father ever do to you?" She tried to stop her trembling. "What did you sister do?"
"She tried to threaten me!" He shoved Shiloh against the building, pointing the knife at her. "She saw me with your Mom," He grinned as the rest of the blood drained from her face. "Oh yes, I am fucking your mother. She's much better in bed than you ever were. With your bastard father going in and out of the country she got lonely." He came closer and leaned into her ear. "I fucked her in your parent's bed, while your father's ship was pulling into port. We had a nice laugh over the pathetic flowers he brought her." She spat in his face, and then went sprawling when he back handed her.
McGee dreamed about Shiloh. She was lying on the grassy lawn of his and Jethro's favorite park. After a few moments she rolled over to her side and patted the ground beside her. His dream self walked over and looked down at her serene face. She was talking, but he couldn't hear what she was saying. The sun was setting, painting her porcelain skin with a golden glow. He felt calm and happy, because she was calm and happy.
Then he heard barking. Jethro's coarse barking. It started off very far away, he wasn't even sure if he was hearing it. It got louder, more urgent, and closer. As he started to stir from his sleep he became more aware of the frantic sounds coming from his dog. He shot up and looked around, realizing Shiloh was not lying next to him. He started to panic and pulled on a pair of jeans and his trench coat. He quickly dialed one of the team, not sure which one it was.
"My apartment, he's here. He has Shiloh." He gasped out the words when he got a nasty response from the other end. He shoved the phone into the pocket of his coat and fumbled around looking for his weapon. He threw open the door and rushed past the dog, ignoring the fact that he was bare foot.
Shiloh hated that she couldn't stop the tears. She was certain she was about to die, and felt humiliated that she was going out sobbing out pleas for her life.
"Your dad tried to beg too. I had the chloroform so it wasn't quite as passionate as this little performance. I kept him weak enough to kill him, but strong enough to beg. Ashley didn't. She just drifted off. She didn't even know I put the stuff into her drinks. I watched her pass out, and I watched her twitch while she died."
"Shut up!" She shrieked. "Stop it!" She covered her ears with her hands. He kicked her in the shoulder.
"You'll listen to me, bitch. You'll hear it before I kill you." He kicked gravel at her. "Get on your knees." She shook her head. He leaned down and took hold of her hair and yanked. "On your knees. You're going to beg, and you're going to do it right." He pulled again, viciously, and then dropped her head back to the ground.
Slowly, still weeping, she forced her bruised body to move. Her wrist hurt badly, but she didn't think it was broken. Through her tears she watched Matt's mouth twist into a horrible grin.
"I remember the first time I got you on your knees." He rubbed the hand not holding the knife absently over his crotch. "You always did have a quick little mouth." Mortification spread like sickness over her. "Must have gotten that from your mother. But she's light years ahead of you. Older, seasoned. After your bastard father is buried, we're taking the life insurance money and leaving. It's supposed to go to you, every dime." He groaned and squeezed his arousal. "That's why she wants you dead. That's why she wanted him dead."
"You're lying."
"No, that's the beautiful part. He knew all about the affair. He changed his will, changed the insurance claim. He was going to divorce her. If you were both dead, she'd get everything." He lifted her chin with the tip of the blade. "But I'm going to kill her too, and ditch the body in the ocean, like it was an accident." He watched her eyes go wide with shock and laughed. "Just thought you should know."
"Drop it." McGee growled. "Drop your weapon." He had his gun aimed at Matt's back. Jethro stood beside him, tensed, just waiting for the order to attack.
"Fuck off." Matt sneered at him, but for the first time fear crept into his voice and eyes.
"Drop your weapon." McGee ordered again. His voice was lethally cold. Matt turned to lunge for him, but before he could pull the trigger, Shiloh pounced.
"No!" She screamed, and leaped onto his back, scratching and biting anywhere she could get. Matt bellowed and fought back violently. He finally got the upper hand and threw her off, and she crumpled to the ground. When he swung back around McGee reacted, and shot.
Matt's eyes filled with shock. The knife fell from his hand and he pressed his fingers to his stomach, where blood oozed out of the wound. He let out a short, breathless laugh and collapsed.
McGee stood frozen in shooting stance. His heart raced and his breaths were shallow. The surge of adrenaline made him feel giddy and not quite real. He didn't move for several seconds, until Tony's hand rested on his shoulder. Gibbs strode over to the body, and Ziva kneeled next to Shiloh, looking over her injuries.
"Its okay, Tim." Tony said gently. "Its over." The older agent took the gun from McGee's hands.
"Shiloh." McGee snapped back to reality.
"She is alright." Ziva told him. "She is coming back around."
"I'll call an ambulance." Tony announced. McGee kneeled beside Shiloh. Her dazed eyes met his and she smiled weakly.
"I should have just let the dog shit on the floor."
"I think Jethro owes you a life of unconditional servitude." She laughed faintly and winced.
"Ow. It feels like I played chicken with a cement truck."
"Shh…" He smoothed her hair back. "We'll get you to the hospital."
"No shots."
"I'll tell the doctors."
Ziva brought McGee a pair of clean socks and his sneakers. Shiloh was being poked and prodded by an ER doctor.
"Thanks." He said and pulled them on. He barely got the laces tied when Abby burst through the doors still wearing her pajamas.
"Where is she? Is she alright?"
"The doctor is checking her out right now." Abby dropped into the chair next to McGee and wrapped him in a bone crushing hug.
"You're okay, I was so scared. Tony said she went down so hard. And the creep was ready to sink a knife into you! Where's Jethro?"
"Right here Abs." Gibbs walked over with two cups of coffee. He handed one to McGee.
"Not you, but I am glad to see you. The other Jethro. The canine one. The valiant hero. He sure did live up to his namesake."
"He's at home." McGee sucked down the terrible hospital coffee like it was premium roast. "He's getting steak for the rest of his life." He looked up as Ducky arrived in the waiting room.
"Ducky! You should be taking care of Shiloh!" Abby scolded.
"I am sure that Miss. Evans is in very capable hands, Abigail, but I will go see if I can find out anything about her condition, which is why I am here in the first place."
"Sorry. I'm just worried." The doctor touched Abby's arm and smiled before walking off to speak to one of the nurses. "I should have known it was that scum bag." Abby seethed. "There had to be something I missed."
"Abby, you don't miss a speck of anything. This isn't your fault."
"I know McGee. I just wish I could have prevented this." Their attention snapped over to the entrance where a woman was shouting, and security was trying to get a hold of her.
"Oh my God, that's Shiloh's mom!"
Mrs. Evans was screaming her head off, and furiously trying to shove her way over to where the agents were sitting.
"You killed him! You killed him! Let go of me I'm going to strangle him!" The woman's eyes were wild, and she was in disarray. "Why did you have to interfere?! I want her dead! I want them all DEAD!" Gibbs set his coffee down and took a few steps towards her. "I'll kill you, you bastard! Ass hole!" She spat at his feet as more security rushed in to wrestle her to the ground. Gibbs calmly went over and got the hand cuffs on her before she could fight free. "Tell that bitch I'll kill her myself! I'll carve her like a thanksgiving turkey!"
Gibbs retrieved his coffee and walked off with the hand cuffed woman and a few local cops that had filed in.
Ducky returned a few moments later and sat down with a sigh.
"She is battered and bruised, with a mild concussion. All things considered she is in remarkable shape."
"Her own mother wanted her dead." Abby was still in shock. "I can't believe it."
"Can I see her?" McGee asked. Ducky nodded.
"They have just moved her into a proper room. They will keep her over night, just as a precaution. She will be discharged in the morning. Abby, why don't you walk with him. Second floor, room number 2003." Abby hugged the doctor.
"Thank you Ducky."
McGee stood outside of the room and let Abby go in and fuss over Shiloh, and help her to change into the pajamas she had thoughtfully thrown into a bag before she rushed to the hospital. When Abby appeared at the door way, he heard Shiloh's soft voice reassure her that she was fine, comfortable, and no, she didn't need a thing.
"Okay, the patient has shooed me away for the night." Abby told McGee. "Expect me at your doorstep promptly at noon, with a large pot of Granny Sciuto's famous chicken soup."
"Thanks Abby." She wrapped him in a hug.
"Take care of your girl McGee."
The pajamas were too big. Abby was several inches taller, and while she was also slender, wore a size larger. McGee thought Shiloh looked small and fragile.
"Hi there." She smiled and patted the extra mattress beside her. "Come share this cardboard bed with me. If any scary nurses come try to kick you out I'll use some tears." He got into the bed gently and put his arm around her, pulling her close.
"You need sleep."
"I just need you." She nuzzled closer. "Mmm no shirt under that coat. Sexy."
"Go to sleep." He stroked her hair and watched her eyes grow heavy.
"Don't leave, okay?"
"I won't go anywhere." He promised her, and she drifted off.