I'M BACK AGAIN TODAY. I'm not even sorry, I'm actually doing pretty well with this story!! I'm on a roll!!! I've written chapter 8 but I still have two others I need to write and that might take a while which means that I probably won't be done this story by the end of the decade :-(
Also, if you want to see the evening function outfits, then please PM me and I'll get you the link of the Pinterest board I set up.
Review Shout-outs
Patti Lipscomb (Guest)
DiamondCrystal987
Esquinzo
YaleAceBella12
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A very special shout-out to Troubled-Angel-26, nerdydisaster, his-red-head and DS2010 for reviewing more than once
Enjoy guys x
Megan woke up on the morning of the 21st of July and noticed the time. 0830. Her eyes widened and she bolted out of bed. She quickly got ready and ran downstairs.
"Sorry I-" she was cut off by the sight of Hollis.
"Why are you so late?" The blonde asked.
"I slept in" the redhead responded honestly.
"We're going to be late because of you" Hollis told her.
Megan filled with guilt.
"Sorry" she said.
"Sorry isn't good enough."
Just then, Ducky walked in and saw the look on Megan's face.
"What's wrong?" He asked.
"Nothing" she responded with a weak smile.
Ducky kissed her on the forehead and began to get his breakfast. Megan did the same. Bianca walked in and stood behind Megan.
"Morning!" The blonde said loudly and the redhead dropped her plate.
She couldn't breathe. Dread filled her and she felt her chest tighten. Sobs wracked her body and Ducky went straight to her before wrapping his arms around her.
"Shhhh" he whispered, "it's alright."
A few minutes later, Gibbs walked in.
"What happened?" He asked.
"Bianca-" Ducky cut Hollis off.
"Bianca gave Megan a fright and now she's having a panic attack" the doctor said quietly.
"Bianca, go and eat your breakfast through in the lounge" Hollis told her daughter who nodded.
Megan pulled back and wiped her cheeks.
"Is there a dustpan and brush anywhere?" She questioned.
"I'll get it" Gibbs said.
"Jethro, it's Megan's mess. Shouldn't she clean it up?" Hollis asked.
"I'll clean it up" the Marine repeated, clearly getting annoyed.
Ducky and Megan shared glances before the redhead got another plate. She got her toast and they both sat down at the table silently. The redhead ate her toast before she went upstairs and brushed her teeth. After waiting for Bianca to finish getting ready, it was time to go. They drove to NCIS and when they got there, Megan got her visitor's badge and went straight to Abby's lab.
"Hey, Megs!" The goth said with a grin before she noticed the redhead's face and her smile vanished, "what's wrong?"
"I got up late and Hollis went mental at me, and then Bianca decided to give me a fright so I had a panic attack" the teenager told the forensic scientist.
"What did Gibbs say?"
"I dropped my plate and he said he would clean it up. Hollis responded that it was my mess and that I should clean it up. He said that he was going to do it and he sounded pretty annoyed."
"I hope he and she never get down the aisle. Hollis and Bianca are a pain. Are you still looking forward to tonight?" The goth said.
"I'm looking forward to wearing my new dress and shoes, but not the fact that Hollis and Bianca are there" the redhead replied, "sorry, I didn't mean to sound so negative."
"Don't worry, you have a right to be" Abby assured her as the door opened.
"A right to be what?" McGee asked as he, Tony, Ziva and Jimmy all walked in.
"Negative. Hollis and Bianca were being horrible to Megan this morning" the forensic scientist responded.
"What happened?" Jimmy asked the teenager.
"I got up later than usual and Hollis told me that we would be late because of me" tears filled her eyes but she continued, "after that, Bianca came up behind me and said morning loudly. I dropped my plate and had a panic attack. Gibbs walked a few minutes later, and asked what happened. Hollis tried to say something but Ducky cut her off and told him Bianca gave me a fright. Hollis sent her to the lounge and I asked if there was a dustpan and brush anywhere to clean it up. Gibbs said he would do it. Hollis replied that it was my mess and I should clean it up but Gibbs was adamant. After that I ignored Hollis and Bianca."
"That guilt-tripping manipulative bitch!" Tony shouted.
"Tony, keep your voice down!" Ziva hissed.
"The door's shut" the film buff responded with a shrug.
"Ziva's right" Megan answered, "I don't want you getting in trouble because of me."
"Megan, you're part of the family now. We'll do anything to protect you, just like we'll do anything to protect each other" Jimmy told her.
"Hear hear" the team and Abby chorused.
"Thanks guys" the redhead responded.
"Permission to hug?" Abby asked her and the teenager nodded.
The goth hugged her and everyone else joined in. They all eventually pulled back.
"Are you still going to the evening function tonight?" McGee asked Megan.
"Tom wants me to go, and Harriet's coming to it, so yeah" she said.
"We'll be there too" Tony reminded her, "and Morrow pulled a few strings to get Ducky and Jimmy to come as well."
Megan smiled.
"Thank goodness" she stated.
"Your outfit's through there, and Harriet's going to come later to do your hair" Abby told her.
"Great!" The teenager exclaimed.
The rest of the day passed quickly for Megan. She stayed in Abby's lab until lunchtime, when she and the other five alongside Ducky all went to the diner for lunch. A few hours later, it was time to go the evening function.
1745
Megan got into a car with Ducky, Abby, McGee and Ziva and they drove to the Architect Hotel. The others arrived and they all walked in. Megan didn't socialize; instead, she just hung around with Ducky, the team and Abby.
"Megan" Ducky whispered, gesturing to the stairs.
Megan turned to the stairs and saw her Mom coming down them. She ran to her Mom without hesitation and threw her arms around her, tears in her eyes.
"Hiya Meg" Jenny said softly with a smile once they had pulled back.
"Hello, Mom" the younger redhead replied, grinning.
They hugged again and then they walked over to the team and Abby.
"Guys, this is my Mom, Jenny Shepard. Mom, this is Tony DiNozzo, Tim McGee, Ziva David, Abby Sciuto and Jimmy Palmer" Megan introduced.
"It is a pleasure to meet you" Ziva stated as she shook Jenny's hand, "Megan has had nothing but good things to say about you."
"Thank you" the older redhead responded, "it's a pleasure to meet all of you too."
Jenny shook the rest of their hands before she walked over to Ducky.
"Hello, Jennifer" he stated with a smile.
"Hey Duckman" she answered before they hugged briefly and then pulled back, "you were right. Megan did get on OK in the end. I owe you big time for persuading me."
"You are very welcome" the doctor replied.
Gibbs walked over and Megan bit her lip anxiously.
"Hello, Jethro" her Mom said, "shall we skip the "you haven't changed a bit" bull?"
"Why lie to each other now, Jen?" He replied.
Hollis walked over, clearly feeling endangered.
"I'm Hollis, Jethro's fiancée" the older blonde introduced herself with a sugary sweet smile.
"Jenny" the older redhead stated politely.
"Jethro, we need to find someone to dance with Janny" Hollis suggested.
"It's Jenny" Megan said, "and why doesn't he just do it himself?"
Gibbs offered his hand to Jenny to dance and she accepted. Megan watched with a smile before she heard something that caught her ear.
"That girl is exactly like her Mother. I thought I was going to have to persuade Jethro to send her back to Edinburgh like I sent her Mother but she did better than I expected" Assistant Director Mann was cut off by Megan.
"You sent my Mom to Edinburgh?! Why?!" She asked angrily.
"It's none of your business" Hollis snapped before she took Megan's arm and pulled her towards the exit.
"Let go of me!" Megan cried, anxiety filling her.
Hollis ignored her and continued to drag her away. She pushed the teenager into a cupboard and locked her in. Megan couldn't breathe. Her chest and throat tightened and dread filled her. Tears rolled down her face as she banged on the door.
"Help me! Someone help me!" She sobbed.
But no one came.
In The Ballroom
The dance finished and Jenny and Gibbs walked back to the others.
"Ducky, where's Megan?" The redhead asked the doctor.
"She was here a moment ago" the older man replied and then Jenny's eyes widened.
Everyone became worried as they began to look for Megan. Jenny took a look in the cupboards and she heard sobbing from inside of one. She opened the door and saw her little girl crying into her knees.
"Sweetheart?" The older redhead asked, kneeling down.
Megan looked up and hugged her Mom, her frame shaking with sobs. Jenny hugged her back, letting her cry.
"I want to go home, Mom" the younger redhead sniffed.
"OK, honey" her Mom replied.
NCIS
They walked through a few minutes later. Megan's face was red but that didn't matter to her.
"Megan-" Gibbs stated and Megan cut him off.
"You know what, Gibbs?" The teenager asked with a small snap, "I thought that this was right for me, but maybe it isn't. I'm going home, where I can be in a place that I know and do things that don't scare me. I faced my fears, and that was the hardest thing in the world, but I found myself in the midst of it all, and I learned that is enough."
"Maybe this just wasn't meant to be" he replied softly.
Sadness filled Megan as the two of them looked into the other's eyes once more and then the teenager walked to her best friends and they had a giant group hug.
"I love you guys" she whispered, "thank you for everything you've done for me."
"We love you too" they all replied quietly.
The six of them pulled back, each of their eyes shining with tears. Megan smiled at them sadly before she walked over to Tom and Harriet.
"I'll see you two soon" she promised before she hugged them both.
"Goodbye, my darling" Harriet answered softly.
"See you, sweetheart" Tom responded.
Megan walked over to Ducky as Jenny hugged Tom and Harriet. After that she walked over to Ducky.
"I'll call you when I get home. Thanks for doing this, Duckman. You're the best. I love you" she told him before she wrapped her arms around him.
He kissed her hair.
"I love you too, my dear" the Scotsman replied.
The older redhead pulled back. She smiled at Ducky before she and Megan walked out. They went out of the hall and into the car that Jenny had hired. The two of them drove to Gibbs's house and got Megan's stuff, with Megan getting changed out of her dress into more comfortable clothes.
After that they went to the airport. Jenny paid for two tickets back to Edinburgh and then they went through security. They sat in one of the restaurants and ordered food while they waited for the announcement for their flight.
Their food arrived and their flight was announced. The two of them finished their food before they went to the boarding area. The redheads got onto the flight and when they sat down, Megan burst into tears. Jenny wrapped her arms around her daughter, rubbing her back as she cried.
"I miss them, Mom" the teenager sobbed.
"I know, sweetheart, I know" Jenny replied.
Megan slept for nearly the whole flight, and when she wasn't asleep, she was looking through the photos she had with the others. Jenny and Megan got home at 11:00 Greenwich Mean Time and they went straight home.
The next day, Jenny went to work and Megan went to the NCIS Childcare Center where she volunteered. That day though, something happened that would change their lives forever.
NCIS
"You wanted to see me sir?" Gibbs asked as he walked into Tom's office.
"Yes, about that promotion we offered you" Assistant Director Mann replied.
"I don't want it" Gibbs said simply.
"Why not?" Tom questioned.
"There are things that are more important" Gibbs stated.
Assistant Director Mann got angry.
"After everything we've done for you?! We got you into this position, and now you're throwing it all away!" He said angrily.
"I know the truth now! You told Jenny about Shannon and Kelly! I would have told her, but you did it to push her away! And then you persuaded Tom to send her to Edinburgh! You knew about Megan, and you kept it from me!" Gibbs shouted.
Tom's head turned sharply to the Assistant Director.
"Is this true?" He asked.
"No, of course not" Assistant Director Mann denied.
"It's true" Gibbs told Tom.
Tom thought for a moment.
"You're fired" he said eventually to Assistant Director Mann, "hand over your badge and service weapon."
Former Assistant Director Mann did just that before he walked out and Gibbs followed. Hollis and Bianca were in the squad room waiting. Gibbs saw him talking to them and walked down the stairs and into the squad room.
"How dare you get me fired! After-" Mann was cut off by Gibbs hitting him in the face.
"That's for taking my family away from me" he said before he tried to walk away but stopped when Hollis grabbed his arm.
"Jethro, I know Dad's not been very nice but what about me?" She simpered.
"You'll do fine on your own. We're done" Gibbs said before he went into the elevator.
He walked down to Autopsy and went in.
"Hey Duck" he stated.
"Hello Jethro" Ducky replied before he saw his friend's face, "what's wrong?"
"Assistant Director Mann told Jenny about Shannon and Kelly. He found out she was pregnant and persuaded Tom to send her to Edinburgh. He was the reason why she left me" Gibbs said sadly.
"Jethro, you need to go after her, before it's too late. When you get there, explain everything, not just to Jennifer, but to Megan as well" Ducky told his friend who nodded and got up to leave.
"Thanks Duck" he called as he walked out.
Gibbs ran up the stairs and went straight to Tom's office. He went right in, ignoring Cynthia as usual.
"I have something to do. I'll be back as soon as possible" he said simply.
"May I ask what this "something" is?" Tom inquired.
"I lost Shan and Kel. I'm not losing Jen and Meg too" Gibbs told him.
"Take as long as you need, Gibbs" Tom replied.
NCIS
Gibbs got off the plane at Edinburgh Airport, went through security and got his bags before getting in a taxi.
"133 McDonald Road please" he said simply.
The taxi driver nodded before beginning to drive. As Gibbs looked out the window he thought about what he was about to do.
Eventually, the taxi arrived at Jenny's house. Gibbs thanked the driver before he got his bags. He closed the trunk and took a deep breath before he opened the gate and walked into the front garden. He rang the doorbell but no one answered. He looked under a stone and saw the key.
'She'll be at work' he thought before he turned around and saw Jenny and Megan walking through the gate and towards him.
"I'll go. You wait here" Megan whispered to her Mom who nodded.
Megan hugged her Mom before she walked over to her Dad.
"What're you doing here?" She asked.
CLIFFHANGER
I do apologize, but that was the only place I could put it.
Anyway, thank you for reading and let me know what you thought!! X