Deep Lacerations: Chapter 30

For the second time that day, Gibbs and Gracy arrived back at NCIS in separate vehicles after leaving in one. After her—colorful, was the only word Gibbs could think to describe it—interrogation of Colonel Hauser, Gracy had taken the Charger back to the Navy Yard while Gibbs waited for a prisoner transport. It wasn't that he thought the Intelligence officer was that much of a threat; mostly, he wanted to embarrass the older man by making him stand outside his own building in handcuffs, and also got the added benefit of keeping him away from Gracy.

She had appeared to have calmed down significantly when he saw her again at NCIS, leaning against the wall next to the elevator after he dropped off Hauser to be taken to the holding cell. Neither said anything as he joined her in front of the elevator, and the silence continued as the doors slid open to grant them entry.

Gracy was the first to break the silence, although she didn't turn to face him. "I should have known something was up. Tut mir leid, dass das passieren musste. That's what he said when we talked to him the other day. 'I'm sorry that this had to happen'. Not that he's sorry that it happened, but he's sorry that it had to happen." She took a deep breath. "Verdammt Arsch," she muttered under her breath.

"I didn't see it, either."

She smiled slightly, knowing that he didn't know German and couldn't have caught the comment. Still, it made her feel a bit better. "I just wanted you to know, I don't usually swear that much. And I never swear in front of the children. In any language."

Gibbs chuckled as he turned to face the CID agent. "It's not like you offended me."

She grinned, a real smile that reached her eyes and lit up her entire face. On an impulse, she wrapped her arms around him in a large hug. "Thank you," she whispered.

He covered up his initial surprise and returned the gesture. "So I take it I'm not a bastard anymore?" he finally asked. She laughed as they separated.

"You're still a bastard."

"Mommy!" Sonja Gracy looked up in surprise, her expression quickly replaced by one of guilt. In all of the excitement of the day, she had completely forgotten that she had left her children in the squad room under the care of McGee.

"Hey, Affe," she said with a laugh, bending down to pick up her son, who had immediately run from wherever he had been hiding toward the elevators. "Were you being good?"

"Yes, Mommy," he said, nodding seriously.

"Lügner," Maddie muttered from her position behind DiNozzo's desk. Gracy gave Nate a stern expression, making him squirm uncomfortably until she placed him back on the ground.

Maddie waited until Nate had wandered off somewhere outside of earshot before she looked up at her mother, a serious expression on her face. "Did you get the bad guys?"

Gracy bent down to where her daughter was sitting on the floor. "We got them. All of them." She paused before adding, "It's over, Maddie. The men who hurt Daddy and hurt you won't be hurting anyone else."

"Are you sure?" Maddie asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Gracy hadn't even realized that Gibbs was listening until he bent down next to her. "We're sure, Maddie. It's over." She still looked doubtful, which prompted Gibbs to ask, "Do you want to see for yourself?"

"Gibbs," Gracy said in surprise, her head whipping toward him, her eyes wide. She was nearly as astonished when she saw Maddie slowly nod her head. Gibbs nodded in return, straightening and offering his hand, which Maddie took.

"Gibbs," Gracy repeated, also standing. "I don't know if—"

"She wanted to see, Sonja," Gibbs interrupted. "She needs to see that he can't hurt her again." She still wasn't sure, but she nodded her assent, remaining rooted in place as the NCIS special agent and small girl walked hand-in-hand toward the elevator.

Gibbs stopped outside Observation and lowered himself to Maddie's eye level. "Are you sure?" he asked again. When she nodded, he explained, "You're going to be able to see him, but he can't see you. He is in NCIS custody, and he doesn't have any weapons, and he'll never be able to hurt anybody ever again. Do you understand?"

"Yeah," she said, her voice carrying just the slightest tremor. He nodded and pushed open the door to Observation. She followed him in.

His eyes focused on the small girl, he didn't look through the two-way mirror until he heard her gasp. Still slumped in the chair, his arms still held behind him, was Musawi. New were the cuts on his forehead and a black eye that was nearly swollen shut. Leaning causally against the door, examining her fingernails, was Officer Ziva David. Gibbs smiled thinly; apparently, she had taken his command to make sure Musawi knew who he was dealing with seriously.

Maddie's eyes were wide, still fixed on the terrorist in the middle of the room. Gibbs bend down and picked her up, using both arms to balance her on his hip. "He can't hurt you anymore," he repeated. "He can't hurt anybody. He's going away for the rest of his life, with people with big guns guarding him to make sure he doesn't get out. It's over."

She nodded before burying her face in his neck, her eyes peeking out just enough to watch Musawi, memorizing the broken, caught man to replace her memories of the man who held a gun to her head, making her scream and making her mother cry.

Gibbs didn't know how long they were standing there in Observation, neither saying anything as they both watched the unmoving scene in front of them. He hadn't been sure coming down here was such a good idea; seeing a beaten terrorist wasn't on the top of his list of activities to do with seven-year-old girls. However, most seven-year-old girls hadn't faced the kinds of terrors that this one had. The last seven-year-old girl he had held in his arms had lived a happy life, playing with friends in the backyard and learning how to sand a boat in the basement. Kelly's life had been free from terrors—right until the last few seconds.

He used his free hand to stroke Maddie's hair, beginning to feel her relax in his arms. In the back of his mind, he wondered if his reasons for bringing her down here weren't more selfish than he initially thought, as if helping one little girl would make him feel less guilty about the one he couldn't help.

Any such concerns were erased a moment later. "Thank you, Agent Gibbs," Maddie whispered. "Thank you for getting the bad guys."