Disclaimer: I don't own NCIS or any of their characters, plots ect… If I did, Twilight would never have happened. I am in Twilight Denial…. I do however, own Tiana…
(To make up for the delay in new chapters, this one is extra long. Read it and then review…pretty please?)
In his toolshed, the man was calm. He felt peace and tranquility flow through his well maintained body as he once again studied his collection of photographs. Today was different though. Today was a special day. The man crossed to the wall and carefully pinned a new photo of his favourite girl to the wall before he lightly stroked the image of her face "Soon angel, soon" he promised and after several minutes of fantasizing he crossed to a section of wall labeled 'Hall Of Fame' behind the door and carefully attached a third drivers license to the wall and stepped back, a contented smile on his face.
Gibbs was not having a good start to the working week when he was summoned to Director Morrow's office, and he had a feeling, even before he opened the door that his day was about to get a lot worse…
"Good morning, Special Agent Gibbs" General Bradbury boomed as Gibbs entered the office and sat down in one of the chairs opposite the Director's desk "Morning, sir" Gibbs greeted warily as he eyed off the Director. "Now I know your team is busy right now Gibbs, but the General here has a problem and I'd like your team to sort it out" Director Morrow informed Gibbs who continued to stare at him unblinkingly "What sort of problem? This is not about DiNozzo's relationship with...Allysia is it?" Gibbs asked suspiciously and General Bradbury stood up and began pacing the office "Not this problem, no. That's an entirely different kettle of fish. Someone was outside my home when I returned home from work last night, and then proceeded to shoot at me! Someone was trying to kill me!" General Bradbury exclaimed angrily "Do you know of anyone who would want to see you dead, General?" Gibbs asked quietly and watched General Bradbury's face flush an alarming shade of reddish purple "I know exactly who it was who was shooting at me last night, Agent Gibbs. It was either that ungrateful brat I raised, or that hoodlum she's supposedly engaged to!" he yelled angrily and Gibbs felt his anger surge "With all due respect General, that 'hoodlum' as you so politely put it, is one of my best agents and I resent you implicating him in this matter" Gibbs defended heatedly before he snatched the skinny file from Director Morrow and stalked from the office.
Twenty minutes later Gibbs strode into the bullpen like a man on a mission "McGee, I want every piece of information you can dig up on Allysia Marie Bradbury from the moment of her birth until today" he ordered and watched as the young agent rushed to comply "What's going on, boss?" Tony asked suspiciously "If you want to know something about Tia, why don't you just ask her?" he asked and Gibbs shook his head "Kate, you're with me" Gibbs ordered and Tony reached out and grabbed Gibbs' arm "What is going on here?" Tony asked, a little more forcefully this time "DiNozzo, tread carefully here" Gibbs warned and Tony shook his head "No, I want to know exactly what is going on here and why you've got Probie running a search on my fiancé" Tony demanded and stared into Gibbs' icy blue eyes fearlessly. "Last night someone tried to kill General Bradbury outside his home. I need you to go and sit in interrogation room one until I get back from talking to Tiana" Gibbs ordered and watched rage flourish across Tony's face "I have to do this by the book, Tony" Gibbs said softly and slowly the anger on Tony's face subsided at the rare use of his first name, so he spun around, grabbed an armful of files and headed off in the direction of the interrogation room. "Kate, you're with me" Gibbs ordered and headed off towards the elevators, Kate falling into step behind him.
Kate stood with Gibbs outside Tony's apartment and slid a sideways glance at Gibbs "Problem, Kate?" Gibbs asked shortly and Kate shook her head "No Gibbs, no problem" Kate lied and Gibbs leaned insistently on the doorbell. There was only silence in the apartment so Gibbs tried the doorbell again. And again, and again until the door was flung open angrily. Tiana stood in the doorway, rubbing her eyes sleepily, her hair sticking up everywhere "Is someone dead?" she asked around a yawn and when Kate shook her head "Would you like to be?" Tia growled and ran a hand through her hair "Why are you still asleep? It's 1015" Gibbs asked and Tia bared her teeth "I was working last night, I didn't get home until 0700" she muttered and glared at Gibbs darkly "What's going on?" she asked and Gibbs motioned to the inside of the apartment "May we come in?" he asked through his teeth and Tia sighed. "If you must" she yawned and stepped aside slowly to let Gibbs and Kate enter.
With her eyes still slightly closed Tia headed for the kitchen on auto-pilot and nearly cried with relief when she saw that Tony had refilled the coffee machine for her. Tia automatically reached up and snagged three mugs from a cupboard, filled them with coffee and then placed them on the kitchen table before she grabbed an unopened bag of chocolate chip cookies and ripped it open before dropping it on the table. Kate and Gibbs sat down at the table as Tia carefully lowered herself into a chair and rested her head on the table. "So what's going on?" Tia asked after a minute "Someone was shooting at your stepfather last night. We need to know where you were last night." Kate answered and Tia sat up abruptly "You think I was sitting outside my mother's house last night, taking potshots at that old bastard?" Tia demanded angrily and Kate shook her head "We don't think it was you, we just need to clear you from the list of suspects" Kate defended soothingly and Tia turned to face Gibbs, fire brewing in her eyes. "I was out. Working. Do you really think I'd be stupid enough to take potshots at the General?" Tia asked Gibbs, hurt beginning to filter into her eyes "And if I did, do you think I'd have missed?" Tia added indignantly and rested her head on the table briefly "So what you're saying is that you have no alibi?" Gibbs asked and rubbed his forehead "Oh I have an alibi, and it's doozy, I'm just not going to tell you what it is" Tia replied smugly and Gibbs stood up "Do you trust me, Tiana?" he asked softly and Tia looked up at him "I think the issue at hand is more along the lines of you trusting me, but in answer to your question, yes. You're my dad, why wouldn't I trust you" Tia responded, driving the knife of guilt through Gibbs' heart and then Kate stood up and moved to stand in front of Gibbs "We've got to take you in, Tia. Just until we can prove that you were somewhere else" Kate said. Tia sighed and swallowed a mouthful of coffee before she stood up "Okay, just let me get changed first" Tia said, motioning to the large faded FDNY t-shirt she wore "This is probably not appropriate 'getting arrested' gear" Tia added cheekily before she headed off towards the bedroom.
In the bedroom Tia briefly entertained the idea of making a run for freedom out the window but the thought of Tony stopped her. She had a quick shower and dressed herself in a short denim skirt, pink t-shirt and denim jacket. As she pulled her hair into a ponytail she noticed the light on her cellphone was flashing, so she opened the message 'GOVT DEPT CHECKING YOUR FILES. STANDARD BLOCK?' the message read and Tia quickly keyed in a reply 'BLOCK UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE' and tossed the phone, her laptop and some bridal magazines into her backpack before she applied some lipgloss and headed back towards Kate and Gibbs.
Gibbs was relieved that Tia hadn't tried to make a run for it and she smiled as she walked down the hallway "If you don't mind, could we leave the handcuffs off until we get out of the building?" she asked and Kate nodded "That shouldn't be a problem, but why?" she asked as Tia herded them from the apartment, locking the door behind her "I do live here, and the last thing I need is someone mentioning that I was dragged from the building in shackles" Tia added reluctantly as the trio entered the elevator.
At the car Tia stood patiently as Kate fastened the handcuffs to her wrists behind her back, and Gibbs held the car door open as she slid into the backseat with the ease of experience. "Been arrested a lot, Tiana?" Gibbs asked smoothly and Tia grinned "I'd say check my file for the answer, but as I've installed a block on all my records you'll just have to wait until I unblock them" Tia replied smugly and settled back to enjoy the ride.