Disclaimer: See Chapter 1.
My apologies for the length of time it has been since I last posted, I had writer's block with this one! I have so many ideas for later on in this story that I struggled to get through this chapter! Anyway, let me know what you think!
Chapter 21
It didn't take long for the paramedics to get the gurney up the stairs in Gibbs' hallway and into the master bedroom, where a hospital bed was set up and waiting. With the assistance of Ducky, Tony, and Abby, the movements carried out in the PACU were reversed, and Mia was shifted carefully into the bed. Mia was quiet throughout, her face white and showing signs of pain and exhaustion.
Tony and Abby quietly withdrew from the room, under Gibbs' orders for coffee, but understanding the need for less people to be in the room. Ducky, notepad in hand, questioned the paramedics about the drug regimes Mia was receiving, checked vital signs, double checked supplies of oxygen, and ensured all IV lines had remained connected and running during the short trip from the hospital.
"Hey, little lady," Gibbs soothed, lowering himself into the infinitely more comfortable chair which had been positioned next to Mia's bed. Her head turned in his direction, her eyes not moving further than the agent's knees. "You must be real tired after all that moving this morning. Ducky here's gonna get everything sorted and then you can get some sleep. After that, we're gonna have a talk about everything. Nothing you need to be worried about, we're all here to help and protect you."
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An hour later saw Tony, Abby, and Gibbs sitting round the wooden dining table in the kitchen, each armed with a hot drink. Ducky remained upstairs with Mia after it had been decided that she was still too unwell to be left alone. She wouldn't be able to alert anyone if she were to have problems with breathing and so they would take it in turns to sit with her.
"What's the best way to do this, Tony?" Gibbs asked, suddenly shattering the silence and pulling a notepad and pen from the drawer behind him. "How do we go about getting her to know that she's safe here?"
At first, Tony didn't reply. His face was pale, but his expression showed a complex mixture of insecurity, determination, and seriousness.
"Well, Boss," He started. "If the video clips Abby found are anything to go by, we can assume that she's been suffering abuse for a number of years. In which case, she probably doesn't know what "safe" means. Being both mentally and physically abused, following that list of rules, plus God knows what else, is all she knows. We've just turned her whole world upside down. Sure, we know that she is 100% safe here, somewhere that she will be cared for and where nobody will hurt her, but she doesn't know that. And if Dixon is anything like other abusers, just telling her that she is safe might not be enough."
"Then we start by getting rid of those damn rules!"
"Not 'get rid of', Boss." Tony stated. "Change. Those rules are the only constant she has right now, the only thing that she still has from before. They give her control, security, understanding."
"So we change the rules."
"Right. Dixon made four rules, we should keep to four rules. Need to make sure she still has that control. It'll help her to understand what you expect from her."
Gibbs was scribbling away on the paper, giving the occasional comment or nod. Abby sat silently by Tony's side, a small smile on her face.
"Um, Boss?" Tony hesitated. "Might be good if you have rules too?"
"You not been paying attention the last nine years, DiNozzo?" Gibbs growled, pointedly ignoring Abby's sniggering.
"No, I mean, let her give you four rules. Things that she can expect from you. Might make her feel a little more secure if she can anticipate your behaviour, know that you're not going to suddenly turn on her. She's spent her entire life afraid of what her father would do next, we can teach her that it doesn't have to be like that."
"That's good work, Tony." The lead agent praised, meeting the eyes of his Senior Field Agent, and nodding his appreciation. "Ok, Abs, what you got for me?"
"Well, I was thinking perhaps reading books to her while she's stuck in bed? Try and bring her imagination out and maybe she'll warm up to the idea that there are other options in life than what she's already experienced. As for introducing toys or games, I'm not sure that she's going to understand the reason behind it. "Fun" probably isn't something she's met before." Abby explained.
"I agree, Boss." Tony added. "If we were to give her a stuffed animal, she's probably gonna be afraid of what it's gonna do, then wonder if it's a method of being watched. Great idea on the books, Abs! We can lead it on to movies, and then she might be more receptive to toys."
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Gibbs had taken over from Ducky in the early evening after an afternoon spent brainstorming, catching up on all the missed caffeine opportunities, taking a hot shower to clear his head, and gratefully eating a meal of pizza with pepperoni, sausage and extra cheese, which could put the pitiful hospital cafeteria food to shame any day. The M.E. had declared that for the moment, a bowl of chicken noodle soup would be appropriate for Mia's stomach, but that her malnutrition would have to be addressed once she was more medically stable.
The lead agent pushed open the door to the main bedroom with his elbow, whilst carefully balancing a bowl of soup, spoon, and regulatory mug of 'proper coffee' which Tony had glanced at distastefully before declaring that it was 'brewed so strongly that all the water had gone, leaving pure caffeine'.
"How's she doin', Duck?" Gibbs asked, nudging the door closed again.
"Surprisingly well, given today's activities." Ducky rose and approached the agent, opting to speak to him on the other side of the room. "She has been sleeping on and off for the last two hours, but it took a long time for her to settle."
"Her lungs?"
"That, plus the change in surroundings, I feel. I administered a nebulised breathing treatment, which seems to have settled her chest nicely. Now, shall we try this soup?"
Gibbs took the bowl and returned to the side of the bed as Ducky grabbed a hand towel from the adjoining bathroom. The Marine felt a small smile appear as he noticed that Mia was awake.
"Hiya, kiddo." Gibbs soothed, bending to be at her level and ignoring the frustration he was feeling when she still wouldn't meet his gaze. "Got some soup here for you. My mother's recipe. Always makes me feel better when I'm sick."
Gibbs was thankful that Tony was downstairs and couldn't hear the comment about their fearless leader getting sick. It was true, he hadn't been sick in years, not since he had been a child. He remembered overhearing Abby commenting to Tony and McGee that 'germs wouldn't dare make Gibbs sick'.
"We're going to take this slowly, Mia, just like at the hospital. Remember? Two blinks and we stop." Ducky explained, noting the slight increase in the child's breathing rate.
Two blinks to stop. Two blinks to stop. He has a towel. More drugs? No, no, no! No more drugs! Blink!
As soon as Gibbs noticed the two obvious blinks, he raised his hand, halting the M.E.'s actions.
"Alright, sweetheart, we'll stop." Gibbs soothed, crouching beside the bed again. Mia's eyes were wide, fearful, and distant. Memories swamped her tired mind, dragging her into their unrelenting grasp. The Marine immediately recognised the signs of a flashback, hell, he'd seen enough troops taken over with one...
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