Keep Quiet 21

By Wolfa Moon

Excuse the delay…

KQ 21: Previously in NCIS

Tony's eyes have blown wide. Pupils filling out all the color. Crab walking into the wall. Throwing his arms over his head. Jet makes a step toward him. Then he pauses. Shiloh is scratching and whimpering at the door but there is another noise. Crouching down in front of Tony he listens. Really listens. There is the most quietist of voices. Graveled from unuse or hoarseness from scars of screaming for help and pleas to stop. Repeating over and over again.

"I'm sorry… please, please. I'm sorry…please don't. I'm sorry, sorry."

KQ 21

Jet froze. His brother spoke. His brother wasn't screaming but was speaking. Saying a phrase over and over again. Clear as an endless blue sky. No hiccup in hearing the words to confirm. It frightened him as well as quirked another part of his mind. Pounding feet brought his attention to the stairs. Shannon standing there. Her knees covered in dirt. Her hands gloved and soiled. Looking between the two. Then she hears it.

"I'm sorry…Please, please." Her Tony is talking. Her Jet sitting stunned but with a bloody lip. Then a scratching at the door.

"What happened?" The obvious question. Jet looks to her then to Tony. Seeing that this was his fault. She moves in on Tony.

"Tony, Tony."

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Please don't let me go back."

"We won't honey." She rubs his sobbing back.

"Promise?" she pauses. Did Tony hear her? Did he understand her? His puppy eyes look up at her. She tries to see into them through the tears.

"Tony?"

"Promise?"

"I promise." Can he hear her? She doesn't care. Wrapping her arms around him. Feeling the shaking fear that has enveloped this boy pouring out. She looks over at Jet stunned. "What happened?"

"I.. I rented a limo…"she shakes her head pulling him toward her more.

"Jet."

"I know I know. I acted before thinking. I'm sorry." He moves over to kneel by them. "Tony, buddy, I'm sorry. I just wanted you to see what not daddy fun is like. What brother Jet and Shannon can show you. Have a nice ride." He tried to elaborate but each time his thought kept focusing on the innuendos. "Tony I just want you not to be afraid. I want you to be as free as a bird and damn the consequences." Tony stifles back to turn to look at him.

"I'm sorry." He begins to dry again. "I'm sorry Jet please don't send me back. I'm sorry. I'm sorry." Jet reaches in taking Tony from Shannon. His brother spoke. He spoke right to him. Even though he had lied. His brother spoke.

"It's okay Tony. It's okay. I'll never send you back. I promise. Please believe me." Tony squeezed tight then went limp. Looking down with concern. Tony is fast asleep.

KQ 21

They watched him sleep for a while. Shiloh tucking herself in next to her boy. She whimpered around Jet but both made up quickly. Especially when they tucked little Tony back in bed. Sitting downstairs now both with a cup of coffee between their hands.

"Do you think he could always talk?"

"Maybe, did we ever ask him if he could? We just presumed."

"We presumed a lot."

"But not about his asshole of a father. There was proof. But…"

"Jet don't you dare go questioning."

"I'm not," he cut her off. "He is my brother and I will do anything for him. It's just. How can I have been such a fool? His fucking father." Jet wrapped his hands tightly around the mug. Wishing in place was the man who loaned genetic material to the little boy upstairs. Wanting his gun and his scope. The perfect moment. "Tony is staying here. It must have been ingrained in his head to keep quiet." Those fuckers. There are worse names to call them. But that one is singing the high praises. "I want him to talk to me."

"I know Jet." Her hand encloses over his. His enclosing back.

KQ 21

Tony shudders as he awakens. He had broken his vow. The one thing that kept him safe. Waking to wondering if he is safe. Does he still have a place here? Moving slowly as to not make sound that he could hear and the other occupants of the house could do as well. Learning that the right of the stairwell creaks. Moving down he listens as his brother and Shannon prepare breakfast. His stomach betraying him. Shiloh betraying him more as she runs past him to get to the others.

Traitor, he thinks.

"Tony," Jet calls. So they figured it out or are they speculating? Tony stands still as ever. Even more than when his father made him stand with books on his head. A man stands straight and tall. If a book fell, an hour of what his father wanted. Stiffening so the books don't fall yet relaxes to maintain the time. Closing his eyes he waits. Listening to them murmur about something. Taking time he walks cautiously around the corner.

They both stare at him. He made to approach them yet pauses. Unsure where his feet should go. Is he someone they still want, a liar?

'Tony,' Jet signs. Tony watching his hands. Wanting to reply also afraid of those hands striking him. Jet steps toward him and he steps back. Watching as Jet steps back as if slapped. His heart sinking.

'Jet,' Tony signs to him. Jet smiles at him.

'We have breakfast. Chocolate chip pancakes.' Making his favorite. Still unsure Jet gives him a wide birth as he walks into the dinette area. Shannon smiles at him. He smiles back taking a seat. A seat with the wall behind him so he can watch them, his usual spot. But he couldn't look at them.

Shannon watched as her Tony sat all alone. The boy closed off in his tower again. No one there to call for help or reach him in his needs.

"Tony," she speaks with love. Hoping that the voice they heard before will answer them. If it is a fluke then ok but she would love her boy to smile at her and talk to her beyond fingers. "Tony." She tries again. Tony either can't hear her or is ignoring her.

Tony has become accustomed to ignoring them. It is a habit that he forced upon himself at his fathers whims. Keep Quiet. His hands digging into Shiloh's fur. The longing in her voice broke him in the inside. He had done this. He had hurt them by opening his mouth. For being afraid of the monsters of his past. Jet told him there are no monsters under his bed. He knew that. There are no monsters in the closet. He knew that as well since he had spent so much time in them. Yet when it came to the slick dark limos that people seemed to ride in all by themselves yet there is room inside for so much more. Having been on many rides. Yet Jet had rented one. To show there are no monsters. There are monsters. They hide behind suits and money. Deals made and hands shaken. Little favors exchanged. Him paying the price.

The plate is placed before him. His stomach, which had betrayed him earlier with growls of hunger, betrayed him again. He wants to throw up and runaway. He doesn't deserve this. Pushing the plate away from him. Shannon pouted as he discarded the food. He is always ravenous and good reason with his past. But to be back to this wary frightened boy. It's breaking her heart. Her eyes glance to Jet who is trying to contain the rage. The inner protective animal who is cowering at his wrong and willingness to sacrifice and fight for his family.

"Jet, please eat too. Everything will be fine." Jet wanted to scream FINE just to get a response out of Tony. Yet the boy seemed frightened enough.

"I just wish… Tony I'm not upset if you can hear me." He had this whole speech and idea in order to get Tony to talk to him again. To confirm that he can actually hear them. Patience is good but right now it is for fools and Gibbs is no fool. "I'm upset that you had to hide. That we didn't know. If you talk to us … it will change nothing. Please Tony." Tony keeps his head down. Hands digging into Shiloh's fur. "Tony, we love you. Nothing will ever change that." Jet reaches over. Tony flinches but maintains. "Please Tony. Please." He pleaded.

Tony wanted to say it is okay, sorry, forgive me, why, all of thee above. Also wanting to run away again. To let them be happy.

"Tony?" Jet reaches across to raise Tony's eyes to be level with his. 'I love you.' He signs. His emotions desperate in his eyes to come across. 'You don't have to talk. We love you but it is good to know you can. I got to go.' Getting up he kisses Tony's head. Wishing he could stay and reconcile this but he has to go to boot. Moving to Shannon he hugs her close kissing him.

"Take care of each other." He left.

KQ 21

Tony watches him go with emotions frazzled. Looking to Shannon she smiles at him.

"Love you Tony." She smiles and signs.

'I have school.' He signs. Getting up he gathers his things. Shannon steps toward him.

'Tony, we love you. Nothing will ever change that.'

'I know.' He moves off. Shiloh at his heels.

The walk to school always gave him time to think. Time to himself. Shiloh following him to school like always. Running his hand through her hair. There is so much going on. Should he stay or should he go now. But he couldn't, he had a family. A family who loved him and showed it, proved it. So lost in thought he didn't pay attention like he should to the squeal of a voice coming toward him. Shiloh though did.

Stopping beside her boy. Having felt the boy in such despair, emotions rapid. Then the casual stroll to school. Her boy more silent then normal. Then she heard it. Taking a step closer to her boy. Protecting him from the reality a territory she can protect him in. Her head turning to the new person running toward them.

"Oh my god she is so beautiful." Shiloh pushing more into her boy getting Tony's attention. Tony looks down at her then notices the girl coming toward him. The new arrival stopping right before the sidewalk. Her feet are bare squishing into the green grass.

Tony looks up as the shadow crosses his path. The weight of Shiloh also warning him. Then he sees it. A girl standing before him. Eyeing the moving trucks and workers before taking her in. The girl before him decked out in a Dorothy, Wizard of OZ, outfit. Hair in pigtails and a smile that would make light bulbs jealous.

"Hi," she speaks loudly. Tony smiles at her. She is a light bulb shining in the sun. Tony waves. "I just moved here. What's your name?" Tony tilts his head taking in the girl who just landed here. Tony brings his hands up.

'Tony,' he signs out. The girl gives another squeal jumping into the air. Her hands begin to fly a million miles a minute. Then she settles.

'My name's Abby.' She signs. 'Can I pet your dog?'

KQ 21

TBC…

HOPE YOU ENJOY! PLEASE REVIEW.

Author note: My youngest is into Wizard of OZ right now. And I thought what would a young Abby wear beside the Goth she wears now.