Lily stood at the end of the path, staring at her father's house, fiddling with her hands nervously. She had no idea how he was going to react…scratch that she knew one way he was going to react. Hunt down her ex and shoot him OR beat the crap out of him and then shoot him. What she didn't know is how he was going to be with her. Was he going to be angry? Or disappointed that she hadn't reached out to him for help when her former beau started hurting her.
The ginger took a deep breath, walked up the path and knocked on the door. She didn't have to wait very long for the front door to open to reveal the one and only Leroy Jethro Gibbs. "Lily…" he breathed "what happened?" he asked noting the cut under one eye and the bruise on the other cheek. He took a step toward her "who did this to you?"
Lily didn't answer, instead she broke down in tears. Gibbs took his daughter into the house and sat her down on the couch where he held her until she'd stopped crying. "Sorry", she sniffled "I've been holding it in since I got in the car".
"You don't need to apologise", Gibbs said, gently trying to keep his anger in check, his baby girl isn't the one who deserved it, it's the scum who dared to lay a hand on her "can you tell me what happened?"
"It was my ex. He was drunk", Lily explained simply "it wasn't the first time", she admitted "but I decided it would be the last. So I packed up my stuff and left. I didn't know where else I could go that I'd feel safe. Liam…he scares me".
Gibbs placed a hand over Lily's seeing that she was genuinely afraid. It made him want to hunt the bastard down even more. "I'm glad you did come to me. Though I wish you came to me sooner", he said.
"Me too", Lily agreed "I thought I could handle it on my own. Big mistake. Are you mad?"
Gibbs shook his head "no, I'm not mad. I would like to speak to Liam", he said.
"By speak to you mean go all papa bear/former marine on his ass", Lily corrected with a small smile "but please hold off for a few days. Right now I just…I need my daddy". Gibbs put an arm around her as she began to tear up again.
"And I'm here for you. Whatever you need", he assured her.
"Thank you", Lily said quietly, resting her head on her father's shoulder.
Later…
Lily lay on her back, staring up at the ceiling. She couldn't sleep. Every time she closed her eyes, she got flashes of her beating. The ginger glanced at the clock. Midnight. She let out a breath. Wonder if dad's got a boat in his basement? she thought. Lily got up from the bed and padded down to the basement. A smile appeared on her face when she saw that there was a partially constructed boat sitting there. She picked up a sander from the workbench and began to smooth down part of the boat.
About an hour later, Gibbs descended the stairs, pausing when he saw his daughter working away at the current boat he was building. "Couldn't sleep, huh", he stated.
"Nope", Lily said "guess you couldn't either".
"Nope", Gibbs said continuing down the stairs. He picked up the extra sander, stepping up beside the young woman. The soothing sounds of sanders against the wood filled air as the pair worked. Gibbs set down his sander when Lily began to look like she was about to fall asleep standing up. He took hers out of her hand and escorted her upstairs, into the spare room.
"G'night daddy", Lily mumbled almost sounding childlike as she pulled the duvet around herself.
"Good night sweetheart", Gibbs said, pressing a kiss to her temple. He left the room, casting one last glance at his daughter from the doorway.