Chapter 6 - Injured

Trisha had no idea where she was going. She just knew she had to get away; away from that photo of her mangled mom and dad. Away from Tony's laughter. Away from her nightmares. Away from everything.

She saw doors fly past her that led to various rooms, but as she sprinted further the maroon walls of the NCIS hallway transformed. In her mind's eye, Trisha was back in her house and surrounded by white walls covered in blood. She heard footsteps behind her, but she didn't dare to look over her shoulder to see who was pursuing her. She already knew it was the same man who had taken her family from her. And now he wanted to finish the job. He wanted her.

Trisha came to a 'T' in the hallway and she began to turn to the left. Although her tears were blinding her, she could tell that she had made the wrong decision; it was a dead end and she was going the wrong way. She quickly tried to turn, but she tripped on the carpet and crashed head first into the corner of a doorway. Trisha yelped in pain as she immediately felt blood running down her forehead and into her right eye. It only took her a moment before her brain turned back on and told her to run. She tried to scramble to her feet as the heavy footsteps drew closer, but she could only manage to get to her hands and knees before she collapsed back to the ground. Trisha clamped her eyes shut as she heard the footsteps stop next to her. She began to whimper and shake with fear as she once more pulled herself to her hands and knees.

When she felt a hand on her back and arm, instincts kicked in. She began yelling and lashing out with every ounce of strength she had left, but her attacker easily overpowered her and pinned her to the ground on her back. This is it, she thought as tears flowed from her eye that wasn't crusted shut with blood. Trisha gave up and became motionless, ready to feel a sharp blade slice into her body. Instead she felt a gentle hand resting on her chest and another running through her hair.

"Trisha," came a man's soothing voice. "It's me, baby. It's ok, shhhh. It's me, it's Gibbs. Look at me, baby."

Trisha finally willed herself to open her good eye to find that she was staring into Gibbs' face. She sat up too quickly and gasped as she instantly became dizzy.

Gibbs shot his arm out and caught her as Trisha fell backwards towards to floor. He put his other arm underneath her knees and lifted her into his lap, cradling her body. He held her snugly against him to try and offer her comfort.

"Please," Trisha cried as she clung to his shirt. "Don't let him get me… please. I can't do this anymore, Gibbs. Please, help me," she pleaded, her shoulders heaving with sobs of hysterical fright.

Gibbs began to rock his body front and back while he tried to comfort Trisha. His heart constricted; he didn't know what to say. He put his cheek against Trisha's head. "Listen to me, Trisha." He paused for a moment. "Are you listening?"

"I'm listening, Gibbs," Trisha whispered, her eyes shut again.

He glanced at Kate, Abby, and McGee, who were standing a few feet away in the hallway. He was about to open his heart in front of his colleagues, but he just didn't care anymore. Gibbs turned his attention back to Trisha. "I will keep you safe Trisha, do you understand me? No one, not one soul on this entire planet, will ever lay a finger on you as long as I live. I'd die before someone ever hurt you. Ok?"

Trisha didn't respond, but tears continued to flow and her breathing came in short gasps. She held a look of pain on her face.

Gibbs placed two of his fingers under her chin and lifted her face towards his. "Look, at me, Trisha." He waited for her to open her eyes before he spoke. "I'm going to protect you, ok?" he asked again.

Trisha searched his eyes but still didn't answer him back. She felt his thumb move and wipe away tears that were rolling down her face. She looked up when she felt something cold on her forehead to see Kate holding a wet towel on her wound. "Gibbs," Trisha muttered as she fought the blackness she kept fading in and out of. "Promise me… one thing."

He reached up to Trisha's face with the end of the wet towel and began to gently wipe away at the dried blood covering her eye. "Anything," he replied.

"Promise me… that no matter what… you'll never… leave me," Trisha said as her voice diminished to a very soft whisper.

"I'd never think of it, Trisha. I'll never abandon you," he paused and locked eyes with Kate. "And I'll never leave you either, Katie." Gibbs put his forehead against Trisha's and pulled Kate's head closer so that all three of their heads were touching one another's. "We're a family, now. Both of you are my girls, and that's how it's going to be from here on out," Gibbs whispered to Kate and Trisha.

Gibbs felt Trisha's body go limp in his arms as she succumbed to the darkness. He looked at Kate and said, "We need to get her to a doctor. She's gonna need stitches to close up that gash."

McGee and Abby came forward and helped Gibbs stand up. He refused to let go of Trisha when McGee offered to take her. "I told her I wouldn't leave her," Gibbs stated simply.

Using the nearest exit, Kate led the way to Gibbs' car and climbed into the driver's seat. McGee sat in the passenger's seat and allowed Abby to sit in the back with Gibbs, who held Trisha in his lap. Kate started the car engine and pulled the car out of the NCIS parking lot.

Abby placed a hand on Gibbs' arm and he turned his face to look at her. She saw a mixture of worry and anger in his eyes; the worry obviously for Trisha. The anger, however, could be directed at either Tony, who brought up the photos, or the actual murderer, who took the little girl's family from her and was responsible for all this pain in the first place. "She'll be fine Gibbs," Abby told him reassuringly.

Gibbs just nodded and turned his gaze back to Trisha's face. He brought his hand to her cheek and stroked her with his knuckles. She moaned and Gibbs looked at her, startled. "Trisha?" he asked.

"Gibbs," she moaned again, her eyes closed. "My freakin' head hurts… Did I hit a wall or a Mac truck?"

He smiled with relief; her last comment assured him that she would be alright, for the time being. Gibbs dropped his head and placed a light kiss under her eye that was swelling shut. "Just hang in there, kiddo. We're on our way to the hospital to get you all fixed up, ok? Just relax now," he whispered as he ran a hand through her hair. They rode the rest of the way in silence.

"We're here, Jethro," Kate announced. She pulled up to the Emergency Room entrance and stopped the car.

McGee hopped out and opened the car door for Gibbs. He slid out of the car slowly and carefully with Trisha. McGee turned around and began walking towards the hospital entrance.

Once out of the car, Trisha spoke again. "Hey Elf Lord, go flash your credentials around so we can speed this up…"

McGee whipped around to find Trisha holding a large smile on her face. He thought for a moment before he walked to her. "Anything for you, Cupcake," McGee said. He smiled at Gibbs before he gently kissed Trisha's temple.

Gibbs smiled down at Trisha as he carried her into the hospital. "So, Cupcake, huh?" He gently laid her on a stretcher that they had waiting for Trisha, but he didn't let go of her hand. The nurses had glared at Gibbs and tried to tell him to go into the waiting room, but he wouldn't budge from Trisha's side.

Finally Trisha told him, "It's ok, Gibbs. I'll be fine, really. Go to Kate."

Gibbs bent and gave her a kiss on her cheek. In return, Trisha squeezed his hand tightly before she let go and the nurses wheeled her down the hallway. Gibbs stood there in the middle of the hall, feeling quite helpless, when he felt Kate's arms wrap around his waist. They stood together in the hallway holding each other and watching Trisha, who opened her eyes and gave them the thumbs up sign before being pushed into a room.

"Come on, Jethro," Kate told him as she gently pulled him out of the hallway. She kept her arm wrapped around his waist and led him to the waiting room.