"Gibbs!" Shadow screamed again. She sounded choked. "He's got a gun!"
Raven pulled Gibbs along desperately. She knew Skull was stupid enough to actually kill her. They kept running until her screams became louder.
"There!" Vlad shouted, pointing at a log cabin hidden in the trees. A single light was on in the window.
The teens stayed back while Gibbs and Ziva went first. Gibbs kicked the door open, their guns held out in front of themselves. He turned to the right and saw Skull pointing a handgun into Shadow's head. She was crying, trying to pull his arm off her throat.
"Hello, Agent Gibbs," Skull said. His hair was knotted and parts were hacked off. His eyes looked hollow and crazy.
"Shadow!" Raven screamed, shoving past Ziva and into the room. Tony joined them. McGee stayed back with the others. But Felony had gotten in.
"Let's make a trade Special Agent Gibbs," Skull said. His arm tightened around Shadow's throat causing her to cry out.
"What?" Gibbs asked, trying to find a spot to aim at that wouldn't harm Shadow.
"You'll get this bitch if you agree to my terms," he said. "No other circumstances will work. To get Shadow back, you have to fake a report saying I commited suicide in this building. Lie through your teeth. And make my death creative. And while you're doing that, I'll be leaving. Not sure where I'll go, but Shadow here wants to live. I'm sure she does. Don't you, bitch?"
He flexed his finger on the trigger, making it move just enough to scare Shadow. She gave a new sob and tried harder to pull his arm off.
"You expect me to do that?" Gibbs answered.
"Wait!" Raven said. In a flash, she had Felony on the ground, Tony's gun shoved against the back of her neck. "Don't you want Felony? Let's trade, Skull. Or better yet, BRANDON."
"Don't you dare call me by that," he hissed.
"You want Felony alive, right?" Raven asked pushing the gun harder into her body. Felony groaned.
"Raven, stop!" Tony ordered.
"Shut up," Raven said, shaking her head. "Come on, Brandon. Hand her over."
Skull looked like he was considering it. His eyebrows knitted together, his mouth hung open a bit. He licked his lips and glanced down at the struggling Shadow. He looked back up and smirked.
"I don't need her," he said.
"Bastard!" Felony shouted. "You said we'd go away together!"
"What?" Raven asked in surprise. "You have feelings for that jackass?"
"Do not call him that!" Felony screamed, struggling against Raven's grasp. Raven suddenly remembered something and her face lit up.
"She's not bullet-proof, you know," Raven said, standing up. She kicked Felony over and felt the vest. She smiled and aimed at her stomach.
"Don't!" Skull shouted. He actually looked scared. Worse than Shadow. "I-I'll kill Shadow if you do!"
"Bitch!"
"Traitor!"
"Rather be one than a bitch!"
Ziva, Tony and Gibbs watched, unsure of what they should be doing. The teenagers wanted ot do everything by themselves. That's how most are. Gibbs looked down at Raven and Felony and then up at Skull and Shadow.
"Please trade me, Gibbs," Shadow whimpered. "Lie, please."
"I can't," Gibbs said.
Shadow shut her eyes, locking her hands around Skull's arm. She sniffled.
A shot rang through the air. Then two screams. One was high pitched and the other lower.
"No!" Skull shouted. He threw Shadow aside, causing her to slam against the wall. He jumped down and shoved Raven aside, pulling Felony into his arms. She wasn't dead or injured, just hurt. The vest had stopped the bullet. Skull scraped at her shirt, pulling it off to find the vest.
"You lied, you little bitch!" he shouted at Raven. But Raven wasn't paying attention.
Gibbs and Raven rushed to Shadow's side while Tony got out handcuffs for Skull. Felony would also be arrested. Gibbs and Raven helped her up, and he pulled Shadow into his arms. She sobbed into his chest while he stroked her hair back. Raven squeezed her hand.
"It's okay," Gibbs said soothingly.
"He-he almost shot me," Shadow murmered against his chest.
Tony and Ziva took Felony and Skull out. Gibbs, Raven and Shadow followed after them. Vlad ran up to Shadow and picked her up. She had been stumbling along as it was.
"I'm so glad your okay," he said, wiping away some of the tears.
"What now, Boss?" McGee asked.
Gibbs laughed. "Take them away, take care of the others. Let's get going. Actually, you and the twins stay here and get all of the stuff packed up. Meet us back at headquaters when you're done."
Gibbs started off in the direction of the cars. Raven and Vlad, carrying Shadow who had her arms locked around his neck, followed after him.
"You're safe now," Vlad whispered.
It took hours, but they finally got back to the cars. Vlad and Shadow slid into the backseat of Gibbs's car, while he and Raven got into the front.
"It's okay now," Vlad said. "Sku- Brandon's never going to hurt you again. You'll be safe."
"How can I believe that?" she asked, looking at him. "I know him. He's such a bastard. He's going to find a way back to me."
"No he won't," said Gibbs. "We're gonan lock him up tight."
The next week, they had all testified against the murder. Felony and Skull ahd been "locked up tight." And they were all staying with Gibbs. None of the kids had homes to go back to.
"What do you think we'll do now?" Raven asked one day.
They were all gathered around his back yard.
"It doesn't matter now," answered Shadow. "But I know that we will do it together."
Vlad took her hand, and she took Raven's, who took Drachen's, who took Dragona's until everyone was holding someone's hand except for Necro.
"Come on," said Dusk. Necro took her hand and then Vlad's.
"Together," they all said.
What would you guys say if I made a sequel? I came up with a REALLY good idea for one. Tell me, please!
~Rayne