The Grey Woods Beast

By Kushie

I do not own NCIS: I do not own Anthony Dinozzo, L.J. Gibbs or any other team members.

Please understand that some English spellings and types of dialogue differ from the American

ones. Some of us put the letter 'U' in a lot more word endings. I'm sorry if you find this awkward

It's second nature to me. As is putting certain words, in front of the verb, instead of after

Warning! Alternate Universe. Many Characters act out of Canon! Don't like don't read.

Chapter Six: The Importance of Abby.

He dreamed again that night. But not of the hideous terror that had haunted him since

infancy. No this time the dream was soft, comforting. He saw his mother.

She was as beautiful, as he remembered her. They seemed to be on a plateau looking down over

a wide desert. His mother stood facing him, illuminated from behind. By the silver glow of a full moon.

She raised her arms and he ran to her. Inhaling the, long missed, scent of her perfume. She ran her

fingers through his hair. Crooning his name. Whispering endearments. Just as she had, in life.

"My little Tony. My Precious Tony." But after a while she began to talk.

"You must beware my son. The demon seeks to weaken you. Do not let her wiles distract you.

Horusain blood run's unsullied in your veins. In your sire's, greed and lust, have despoiled,

The honour of the Gods." She again stroked his hair

"You must keep my image close to you. Heed well the counsel of Silver Hair. But do not let him set

aside Princess Bunches. She alone can speak the words to awaken my servant. Who will guide you

through the labyrinth. His paws are soft, he treads without sound." Her arms tightened about him.

"The Eastern Assassin will need the light of the Falcon's eye. For her arrows to fly true." Suddenly she

chuckled.

"Short Round?" Tony almost choked How could his mother know of the thought? But she was again

whispering instructions. "The Elven Lord is more than you think. His courage will come When you need

it most."

"Who are you?" Tony found he could speak.

"I have many names." The woman released him and stepped back. The Moon's aura surrounded her.

"Diana! Freya! Sekhmet! Artemis! But my true name is Bast't. Sister of Horus and, to my shame.

Cousin of Sokar's Diabolical Abomination.

The moon suddenly seemed to grow brighter. It engulfed Tony and his mother. He clutched at her hand.

"Keep him safe Tony! Keep Vinni by your side!" Her words were fading.

"Don't leave! Please! Don't leave me again!" But the light now pulsed ever brighter. Tony scrunched his

eyes, squinting against, the painful brightness.

"Don't leave me!" he begged.

"I'm not going to leave you Tony. You know, I'll keep you safe." It was a different voice.

A male one. Tony came awake. He opened his eyes and stared straight intoGibbs gentle

brown ones . "That's some dream you're having." Tony blinked several times. Try to gather his

wits and make sense of the dream. He sat up then shivered. He tried to joke away his mentor's concern.

"Are they sure Global Warming is real? I'm freezing!" Jethro recognised that Dinozzo

was embarrassed. That he talked in his sleep. He was trying to make light of it. Gibbs played along.

"It probably hasn't reached Wisconsin. I've heard it's a bit of a backward state. Tony managed

a second laugh.

"Well at least here. I don't have to clean the bath." Gibbs grinned and as the younger man slid out

of his sleeping sack. He ruffled his matted hair.

"Has this seen a brush, since you left my place? Do you need me to comb it through!"

"No!" Tony instantly replied. Gibbs's method of brushing his hair entailed yanking at every tangle.

Whenever he'd protested or moved The same brush had been used to swat his ass. Jethro

laughed at his expression. The instructed

"Hurry and dress. There's a briefing at 0900 hours." He turned and chuckling, walked out of the tent.

Tony yawned and stretched. Then winced as he banged his head on the metal tent support above.

"Somebody really needs to redesign these things." He griped to his puppet. Still at least he didn't have to

shave and being in the wilds meant, washing wasn't such a requirement either. Although a large part of him,

longed for a nice hot shower. But! He'd seen the facilities JAG had set up and instantly decided to forego

that torture Unless he really got grubbied up.

He was glad Ducky and Jimmy joined him just outside the mess tent. But, still blushed furiously

as he entered with them. Today he wasn't subjected to a barrage of snide remarks. More admiring ones.

The trio headed towards what was becoming the, accepted NCIS table.

Tim and Abby had their heads together, bent over a large book. In fact they had several open. Abby looked

up and smiled at the newcomers. Tim did too

"Abby here thinks; She may know way to slow the monster down. Take away his speed advantage,

and we might be able to get a shot at it." Tony bit into a slice of cold toast as he sat down.

"Oh!" He looked to Abby. She tapped her book.

"There are a great many Grimoires written about Demons and how to deal with them Tony."

"So we're calling it a demon then. Not a Minotaur."

"Me? No! I still think it is a Minotaur." Ducky sighed and in most patient voice repeated

"Abby the Minotaur was killed by Theseus in the Labyrinth at Knossos."

"One of them was yes!"

"One of them?" Jethro laid down a tray.

"The Minotaur was the son of Poseidon."

"The God of the sea, right?" Jimmy looked inordinately pleased at knowing this.

"Yes but also rivers and waterways."

"So the Minotaur is dead!" Ducky thought. he'd squashed the ridiculous idea

"One of them is!"

"One of them?" Fornell , repeated as he joined them. General Roberts also sat at their table

"As I just stated. The Minotaur was the offspring of a God."

"So?"

"The Gods always birthed twins." Tim said quietly. Even Ducky was stunned. He should have

remembered that. But then he shook his head.

"There are no stories or tales of a second Minotaur."

"Not in Greece, No! But this looks suspiciously like one."

"Who is that supposed to be?" Jimmy frowned.

"Hathor!" Ducky turned a strange colour. The softly quoted

"Egypt ran red with the blood of her devourings. Like a plague the daughter of Sokar feasted upon

the innocent."

"Sokar?"

"The Egyptian god of the Nile." Tim supplied. But it was actually Ziva who voiced.

"Are you saying that thing in the woods is female?" Abby shrugged

"It's possible!" Jethro leaned forward.

"Abby how did the original Thessy what-his-name, defeat the Greek Minotaur."

"Apparently Ariadne gave him a ball of twine. To help him navigate his way around the maze."

Ducky answered for her.

"That's the official story," Abby said.

"There's another version?" Gibbs pressed.

"There are a few rumours that it was actually an aspect of the Goddess Artemis."

"What's that exactly? Fornell was feeling further and further out of his depth. "Give him a good

old fashioned Perp with a gun and he was happy. But demons and God spawned monsters...

"An aspect is when a god or goddess takes on the guise of a mortal form To aid his or her champion."

"You mean the Goddess could become human."

Normally yes but not in this case."

"What form did this God use to aid Theseus?"

"A cat!" Tim said. Jethro instantly looked at Tony then slowly asked

"And what sort of weapons did he have?"

"A spear from Aphrodite, a shield and sword from Ares. But the most important one

was the gift from Apollo."

"Which was?"

"The eye of the two horizons,"

"The what?"

"A golden orb that carried the sun within." Every eye looked straight at Tony.

"Gibbs! Where did you say that Paperweight came from?"

"My Dad bought it! He saw it in the window of an antique shop. He just thought

it would make a good stocking filler."

"What not Santa's Elves after all? Boss, you've destroyed my innocence." Tony tried to

lighten the mood."

"My senior man must have it!" Roberts said pragmatically.

"We hold Primary Jurisdiction. As we were assigned the case first." Tony blanched.

But it was Abby who denied the pompous general.

"It will only work for the one Chosen by the Gods and as we saw last night. That is Tony."

"Gibbs!" Roberts started to protest. But now Fornell forestalled him.

"No General. This isn't about Who holds the highest rank. It's about destroying an ancient enemy.

One that is impervious to our modern weapons. He paused to wipe some food from the side of his mouth

"I'm not saying I believe any of this. But we can't afford to take any chances The staff was made for Tony.

The Amber thing on it's top was not bought by accident. Even I can see it was preordained.

Dinozzo takes the lead on this one."

"Boss?" Tony looked to Jethro.

"Rule 38! Your case! Your lead!" Dinozzo inhaled and nodded.

TBC