Unearthed Secrets
AN: Thankyou all for your reviews!
Warning: Violent scenes
Also a huge thankyou to Kate for her fantastic work and help!
"Ah hah!" McGee exclaimed, standing up, "I found some of Trent's relatives, well, friends, but they were listed in his dad's will"
Tony and Kate exchanged glances, "Say that again" Kate said
"I managed to get a sneak peak of his dad's will. He left some money and a few personal effects to some people in California. I did a background check on them; they went to college together and have been close ever since." McGee explained, "They said they'd be happy to take Trent"
Tony put his hand on Kate's shoulder, knowing that she didn't want to let the child go.
"No," Kate said to McGee. "He's beginning to trust us"
"But you can't keep him" McGee said,
"Kate, our job is too dangerous" Tony told her
"You want him to leave?" Kate asked, raising her eyebrows
"He needs to be with people he knows" Tony argued
"He knows us" Kate insisted
"But it's not the same, Kate. We can't give him what he needs," Tony said softly
"We can try" Kate said, matching his tone, "He may even tell us who did this"
"He may never tell anyone" Tony answered, "Kate; we have to let him go"
Kate sighed, knowing Tony was right. She looked at him, knowing he felt the same way, "Let's say goodbye then?"
Tony nodded and held her hand as they made their way to the day-care centre. As they reached the centre, Trent saw them and came running out, giving them both a big hug.
"We going home now?" Trent asked
Kate looked into his eyes then gave him another hug. When she stepped back, Tony knelt down in front of the young boy, "Trent, do you remember Dave Grant?"
Trent nodded, then looked at them both, shocked, as he realised what was happening.
"I'm leaving?" Trent asked, his eyes watering up
"Yeah, buddy" Tony replied
"I don't want to go" Trent told them, "I want to stay here with you"
"Honey, you can't stay with us, we have a very dangerous job, and you deserve better" Kate said, kneeling next to Tony
"I don't want any better," Trent responded, tears rolling down his cheeks, "I want you"
Tony rubbed the tears off Trent's face with his thumb, "You can always visit us, you know where we are"
Trent began sobbing and gave them both a hug, holding them tightly. After what seemed like hours, they broke apart. Kate and Tony looked at the young boy, not knowing what the future held.
"You take care of yourself, buddy" Tony said as he stood up
"Okay" Trent said with a smile
Kate gave him another hug, "And be a good girl"
Trent gave her a strange look, "I'm a boy, silly"
Kate smiled, "Just playing"
Trent returned the smile, "And you be a good girl" he said
When Tony and Kate walked back down the corridor, Kate started crying. Tony rubbed her back and pulled her into a hug, wishing he could ease her pain.
"We could always try to find your daughter" Tony whispered, "It's not like we don't have the resources"
"She wouldn't be my daughter, Tony; she'd be somebody else's. Somebody else would have looked after her and raised her" Kate sobbed, "I wish that someone was me"
Gibbs sighed as he made his way back to autopsy. He rode the elevator down to the lab and stopped just outside the doors, squinting as his brain adjusted to her too loud music.
"Abs!" he shouted as he entered the lab
Abby turned around in her chair and smiled, "Boss-man!" she shouted
Gibbs grumbled and walked around her to turn off her music.
"Hey! I was listening to that!" Abby exclaimed
Gibbs rubbed his head and set the container of caf-Pow! on her bench, which she immediately grabbed, "How can you work with that noise?" he grumbled
Abby frowned, "You're such a kill-joy"
"Kill-joy?" Gibbs asked with a blank look
Abby rolled her eyes, suddenly changing the topic, she exclaimed, "So, what's new!"
Gibbs winced at the loud noise and pinched the bridge of his nose.
Abby frowned at him, "You know, boss-man, if I didn't know any better, I'd say you have a hang-over"
"That obvious?" Gibbs asked quietly
Abby nodded, "Have you heard anything?"
"Not a word" Gibbs admitted, looking into his cup of coffee
Abby put her hand on his shoulder, trying to comfort him, the gesture meaning so much more than words.
Gibbs took a deep breath and looked at Abby, "I should probably get back to Ducky, he'll think I've fallen off the edge of the planet"
Abby gave him a small smile, "Okay,"
Gibbs took the elevator down to autopsy, watching through the doors as Ducky studied the face of Lieutenant Wills and talked to him about something. The corners of his mouth tilted up, but didn't quite make a smile. He strolled into the lab and sat on the autopsy table next to the dead Lt. Ducky looked up at Gibbs, "What took so long?"
Gibbs took a long sip of his coffee before answering, "Paid a visit to Abby"
"How is young Abigail?" Ducky asked, "I haven't seen her in a good few days"
"Her usual perky self" Gibbs replied, laying down on his back
Ducky studied Gibbs for a moment, "I told you you shouldn't have drank so much last night" he reprimanded
Closing his eyes, he remarked, "It sounded like a good idea at the time"
"It always does" Ducky said offhandedly
"Don't you have something you could give me?" Gibbs asked quietly, keeping his eyes closed as the light was making his head thump
"Some magical cure to take your hangover away and make you bright and chirpy?" Ducky suggested, leaning over the Lieutenant
"Yeah," Gibbs replied
"I have aspirin, and Prozac" Ducky said, picking up a scalpel
Gibbs turned over and watched Ducky work for a while, "Serious?" he eventually asked
"About what, Jethro?" Ducky asked
"You think I need an anti-depressant?" Gibbs asked
"Perhaps" Ducky said offhandedly, "It would be easier to be around you"
"What are you saying?" Gibbs asked
Ducky was saved from answering when his phone rang. He put his scalpel down, promising the Lt. that he'd be right back. Ducky listened for a while, then put the phone down.
"That was Abigail, some mail has just arrived for you" Ducky told him
"Here?" Gibbs asked
"They delivered it to your desk; Anthony brought it down to the lab when he saw the writing on the front. He thought it best that it was opened in a secure area" Ducky told him
Gibbs followed Ducky into the lab, thankful that Abby had turned her music off. He didn't know whether to be thankful or fearful when he noticed they hadn't opened the parcel yet. It lay in a ventilator, unopened.
"Ready?" Abby asked him
"Probably not" Gibbs answered
Abby looked to Ducky, then to Tony, before putting her hands through the sockets and cutting open the tape. She placed the knife down and unfolded the top of the box, revealing something wrapped in tissue paper. Frowning, she took it out and unwrapped it. She gasped as she saw what it was.
"Dear lord" Ducky said quietly, looking decidedly pale
Tony stared at the object, his mouth opening and closing like a fish, words failing him.
Abby looked back at Gibbs, whose eyes shone with tears. He uttered a single word, "No".
She looked back at the small hand that had been wrapped in the tissue paper, trying to comprehend what kind of monster could have done this.
Gibbs took a step back, hitting the wall. He gasped for breath as he forgot how to breathe. Ducky tore his eyes away from the vat to see Gibbs slide to the floor, holding his chest. Moving quickly to his side, Ducky took him by the shoulders, "Calm down, Jethro, breathe"
Gibbs choked a breathe, clutching his chest, straining for air.
"Abby, call the paramedics" Ducky said in an even voice, keeping his attention focused on Gibbs
The tightness in his chest got worse, "Can't breathe" Gibbs wheezed
"I can see that" Ducky said, trying to get him in a position that would open up his lungs
Tony looked around, still having not moved from when Abby opened the parcel. Eventually he moved to Ducky's side, "Is there anything I can do?"
"See if Abby has any oxygen, good knows what she keeps in that evidence locker" Ducky replied
Tony nodded, quickly asking Abby if she knew what she had down there. When Abby shook her head, Tony left the room.
"Duck?" Abby asked, unsure of what she should do now
Gibbs gasped and clasped his chest, tears running freely down his cheeks
"Meet the ambulance and direct them in here. Tell them he's having a heart attack" Ducky said calmly
"Roger," Abby replied, rushing off to the elevator
Ducky rubbed Gibbs' back as he wheezed and gasped, trying to get in the much needed oxygen.
Gibbs was starting to lose consciousness as the paramedics came into the lab, Abby following close behind. Ducky quickly exchanged information with the paramedics, conveying his heart rate and so forth, then stepped back to let them do their job. Ducky hugged Abby as they watched the EMTs begin prepping Gibbs for the ride. They helped the EMTs get Gibbs onto the trolley and watched as he was wheeled into the elevator.
That's it for chapter 19!...Hope you liked it! Please review! Tell me what you think!