Chapter 15 - Nightmares

"Kate, are you sure you don't wanna come back with us?" Trisha asked as she paused behind Gibbs' car in the NCIS parking lot.

Kate smiled and shook her head. "I need to go to my apartment and get some real sleep. I have a feeling that Gibbs might be keeping me awake if I come back with you guys," she mused as she winked across the top of the car at Gibbs.

Gibbs chuckled, "I'm actually just too tired. I need to recharge before we do what I'm thinking you're thinking, Katie."

Trisha sighed and made a face. "Ew. Just… no. You two wanna do that, I mean if I'm thinking what you and you are thinking," she said, pointing two fingers at Gibbs and Kate, "then you do that at Kate's place. I'm not even taking the chance that you two end up doing the horizontal hustle somewhere where I eat or sit or… breathe, for that matter!" Trisha shuddered and climbed into Gibbs' passenger seat.

Gibbs and Kate were still laughing outside the car. Kate kissed Gibbs and said goodbye for the time being. "Should I call before I come over later?" she asked him as she climbed into her car. She started the engine and opened her window.

"Nahh," Gibbs responded as he leaned onto her car, "we're not going anywhere. Just use the key I gave you if the door's locked." He bent in the car and gave Kate a kiss on her temple. "See you later," he said, walking back to his car.

Gibbs slid into the driver seat and looked over at Trisha. "The horizontal hustle?" he asked accusingly. "Aren't you a little young to be talking like that? Eight years old, huh?" He saw the worried look on her face, so he gave her a reassuring smile.

"I take it either Abby or McGee got into my file, huh?" Trisha asked quietly.

"Yup," he answered.

"Gibbs, I'm sorry. It's just that the FBI told me that I could never---" she began to explain.

"Trisha," Gibbs cut her off. "Don't apologize for that. I'm proud of you. You were just following orders." He leaned over and put his arm around her shoulders. "You ready to go home, now?" he asked.

She smiled at him. "You're the best, Gibbs."

Gibbs ruffled her hair and chuckled lightly. "Yea, so they tell me."

They drove home in relative silence, each lost in their own thoughts. When Gibbs pulled into his driveway and parked the car, he glanced over at Trisha to find her asleep. He ended up carrying her inside the house and put her to sleep in her own bed. Gibbs kissed her forehead and tucked her under her blanket before he shut off the lights. He left the room and closed the door, leaving it cracked a bit so some light from the bathroom nightlight would shine into Trisha's room.

"No, please! Leave him alone, you don't want him! You want me! Come and get me!" Trisha yelled to the relentless attacker.

The man, dressed all in black and wearing a ski mask, just grunted and laughed evilly. "Oh, I will. As soon as I'm done having my fun with him, first!" The attacker turned his attention back to Gibbs, who was lying on the kitchen floor. The left side of his white t-shirt was drenched with blood. The man in the shadows kicked Gibbs hard in the ribs, causing him to cry out in pain. He kicked him hard again. And again.

"Stop!" Trisha screamed. "Gibbs!" she sobbed.

The man stopped and turned his attention on her. "I've got to go now, but don't worry. I'll be back for you. All in good time, Trisha. All in good time." He drew a large knife from his belt and grinned wickedly.

To her horror, Trisha watched helplessly as the attacker hovered over Gibbs. Then, in one swift motion, he brought the knife down and stabbed Gibbs in his stomach. And then he was gone; vanished into thin air, leaving behind a terrible mess in his wake.

Trisha ran to Gibbs and pressed both of her hands onto the wound. His blood ran between her fingers as he started making gurgling noises. "Stay with me Gibbs, please," Trisha begged as tears ran down her face. She watched as blood started running out of the corner of his mouth.

"I… I…" he gurgled, trying to speak. He grabbed her hands and held on tight. "I love you Trisha," he finally whispered. Then he was still.

Trisha felt the life leave his body. "Gibbs?" She grabbed his blood covered shirt and started shaking him. "Gibbs, wake up! Wake up!"

"GIBBS!" Trisha screamed at the top of her lungs as she bolted upright in her bed, her covers tangled about her body. She felt a sudden wave of nausea hit her as she recalled the image of Gibbs with blood all around him; his blood all over her. Trisha made a dash for the bathroom, making it to the toilet just in time as she started violently throwing up.

Gibbs flipped on the light and found Trisha hugging the toilet. She was throwing up, sobbing, and crying out all at once. He sat behind her on the edge of the bathtub and started running his hands up and down her back. Gibbs could feel her tiny body shaking violently underneath his touch. "Trisha, you gotta relax. It's ok, take deep breaths."

"I…" she gasped, "can't…"

He placed his hands on her shoulders. "Yes you can. Relax Trisha. Just breathe," he instructed, moving one of his hands to her back and making soothing circles. "That's it, baby. Relax, it's ok now," Gibbs told her. He reached over her body and flushed the toilet, then got a washcloth and soaked it with cold water. Reaching down, Gibbs gently picked up Trisha and closed the toilet lid, then sat her down on top of it. He took the wet washcloth and wiped her face. "Rinse," he commanded, handing her a cup of mouthwash.

Trisha nodded and went to the sink. She swooshed the mouthwash around her mouth and spit it into the sink, then rinsed again with water. She stood at the sink, visibly shaking.

Gibbs disappeared into Trisha's room. He reemerged with a fresh pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt. "Here," he said, handing them to Trisha, "change into these and tell me when you're done." He stepped back out of the bathroom and shut the door, giving her privacy.

She changed into the clothes Gibbs had given her. Trisha's other clothes she had been wearing were drenched in sweat. "Ok," she called weakly.

He came back into the bathroom and got another washcloth. This time Gibbs put it in lukewarm water, then knelt before her and gently wiped Trisha's face and arms. He got a dry towel from the back of the bathroom door and dried her off before he scooped her into his arms and carried her into his bedroom. Gibbs carefully cradled her in one arm and crawled into the middle of his bed. He kept his arms around her and felt her move into him. "You wanna tell me about it, baby?" he whispered to her. "Talk to me, Trisha. I'm here," Gibbs said softly.

Trisha started crying. "It was horrible. There was some guy… and, and he stabbed you. And I couldn't do anything to stop him. There was blood… blood everywhere! I tried to save you and I couldn't. And you couldn't breathe… so much blood…"

Gibbs put a hand on her head and held her to his chest. "Shhh, it's just a dream, nothing more. You're ok, I'm ok, everything's alright. I've got you now, no one can get you. I'll keep you safe, Trisha. Shhh…" he whispered into her hair. He could feel spasms running through her body as she continued to shake.

"I can't sleep, Gibbs. The bad men get me in my dreams," she cried.

"Listen to me right now," he said sternly. "No one can hurt you when I'm with you, ok? I promised to keep you safe, and that's what I'm gonna do. I love you, Trisha," Gibbs stated, nuzzling her head with his chin. His rough stubble caught on her hair.

Trisha snuggled as close as she could to his warm body. She smiled as her breathing evened out more. "You reek like coffee, Gibbs." She felt his chest vibrate as he chuckled.

Gibbs rubbed her back and began to hum, lulling Trisha to sleep. When he was sure that she was asleep and wasn't going to have another nightmare, only then did he allow himself to close his eyes.