Disc: I do not own the characters or the show of NCIS. I do own Mystery Andrews.
Couple: Leroy Jethro Gibbs & Mystery Andrews.
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I had been working at NCIS for about a year now and I was working on a cold case that was originally Agent Gibbs' case. I was a cold case agent, I had got out of the Marines about two years ago. I heard, through the usual scuttlebutt, about a case that Gibbs' team was working on. It was my best friend, they were thinking it was suicide. I couldn't allow that, he was a good man and would never kill himself.
Me and him had a lot in common, both adopted and both had hard a childhood. My family was a good family but I was treated like I was retarded. My real mother was a druggy and a drunk, she had given birth to me when she was homeless. When I was about ten months old she had found my parents, they had adopted me and so she flew back to California. I had found out that my real father had fought for me for about a year after adoption, trying to get me back, that was good of him. Doctors said I had ADD, which sometimes caused problems. I had been an active child and had acted up in school until the teachers decided it was a good idea to put me in treatment centers, to "help" me with my problems.
The treatment centers did a lousy job, they just drugged me up. The first one was okay, when I was eleven, but I was a angry child because I was away from my parents. I only saw them, maybe, once a month. Then, since they thought they couldn't help me, they sent me to my second one. First problem with treatment centers is that most of the kids are gangsters and I had to deal with them. I came from a small town so I had to learn to defend myself because the staff there didn't seem to watch us that well, most of the time. I was still an angry person and they would shove me into a small room where I would sit and bang my head until they came in to get me. Then they would tie me to a bed, with leather straps on my stomach, and shoot me full of drugs until I calmed down.
Besides that, the shit load of pills they made us take made it worse for me, they seemed to make me angrier. When that place didn't work, they sent me to the last resort place. It was the worst of all. They gave me a pill that made me look & feel coked out. I fell off my bed because I was so far gone. I had a gang member pin me to the wall, trying to choke me once. Then there was the time when I tossed a towel they asked for, out of the bathroom. I had to hold the door closed because I had two angry girls trying to beat the shit out of me. Then I finally got a personal room, when one of the other boy's that was in there, came to my room half naked and tried to rape me.
When I finally got out, they told my parents that they couldn't help me. I was more distant from my family than ever. I couldn't remember anything from the age of eleven down, there were bits and pieces of memories but that was it. When I got out, the only person in my family that had treated me well was my sister's husband and he had died, along with a man that was like a grandfather to me. What really tore me up the most was going to my sister's house, where a lot of his family was and my niece and nephew were. I promised from that day on that I would let nothing ever happen to them. Then, about a year later, I got sick and rushed to the hospital. It seemed I had three fist size tumors that had been growing around my left kidney. I was in the hospital for two months, I died twice but they resuscitated me. I sometimes wondered why.
Then the next three or four years of my life were hell. I was teased bad at school. There was one particular jock that liked to slam me against walls and pin me to the ground. I didn't want to fight, I'd done enough of that in the treatment centers, so I took it. I was a distant child and when I turned eighteen I finally graduated. College didn't go well though, I got depressed and liked my sleeping pills. When college didn't work out, I went into the Marines. I was amazed that I got in. It was one of the best things to ever happen to me, joining the Marines. I meet up with Eric Collins and we had become good friends, he was a good man and a damn fine Marine.
One of the problems with my love life was that I was always the best friend of the guys I fell for. In college they called me the tom boy from hell. I was looking for myself in college and I failed dismally. I shaved my head and kept it in a crew cut. I was a strong looking girl and I scared most of the girls in my dorm. They thought I was some lesbian that was going to beat the shit out of them. The thing was I was the total opposite. I was a good hearted person who would give my shirt off my back. Having a weird name didn't help either. I was teased for as long as I could remember for the name my mom gave me. I mean, it's unique and some people liked it because of that. I was a total screw up until I joined the Marines. It made me see where I had screwed up with my life so I could fix it, with Eric's help. He told me he was angry because of his adoption and other things and we talked.
When I was twenty eight I was given an honorable discharge from the Marines because I'd been shot and my kidney had to be removed. If you had a vital organ missing, you were not Military material. I didn't go home, instead I ended up in D.C. where I got an offer from Morrow to become a NCIS agent. I worked hard to learn the ropes. When I proved to be a damn good detective, he put me as a cold case detective. I've been at it for a two years now and we have a new director. She seemed to like me well enough, she set me up on a few undercover missions and I showed I could do that, but I stuck mostly to cold cases, more than anything. I owed Eric a lot for being the best friend I'd ever had and the man that saved my life when we were overseas.
I walked over to where Gibbs' desk was and looked at him.
"What can I do for you, Andrews?' I took a deep breath.
"I want to help with the Collins case." Tony made a crack.
"Myst, suicide was are best lead. He had lost his wife to cancer and he had taken a dive down into depression." I turned around and got in Tony's face.
"He was a proud Marine who would never leave his children like that. I don't ever want you to speak about him like that again." Tony was about to say something when Gibbs stood up and walked around.
"Andrews, with me." When we got in the elevator, he turned it off and I leaned against the wall as he looked at me.
"Is this personal for you, Andrews?" I was near tears and I turned away and looked down, so I couldn't look him in the eyes.
"Yeah, when I first got out of boot camp the man trained me. I was never close to my family. He wasn't much older than me, but he took me under his wing. When we were on leave together, I spent my time with him and his family." Gibbs looked at me.
"What else, Andrews?" I looked him in the eye, my eyes watering.
"If it had just been your wife that died, and your daughter had survived, would you kill yourself and leave your daughter without parents at all?" Before he could say anything, I went on. "Gibbs, he was a damn fine Marine. He trained those of us that came in lost, not sure what to do with our lives, where the Military was a last refuge. For me it was suicide, I joined up hoping someone would help me end my life. He was like a second father, Gibbs. He took me in and showed me what my life was worth. He saw that I was just a time bomb waiting to explode. He told me that I had a lot to live for." I felt Gibbs' thumbs slide under my eyes, taking the tears that fell and then he cupped my chin.
"He was right to take you under his wing, he made you who you are today." I looked him and whispered.
"Something tells me that he wouldn't do this, Agent Gibbs." He made a sound.
"Gibbs, don't need the whole Agent Gibbs thing. You're on the team for this case, I'll make it all good with the director. But you will follow my lead. Is that clear, Andrews?" I looked to him.
"Yes si… Gibbs."
He turned the elevator back on and we headed back up to the rest of the team, where he informed them I was working on the case with them. We went to talk to my old commanding officer. When we got in there, he smirked at me.
"Gunny, what can I do for you?" Like habit, I went to attention and looked at him.
"Sir, we want to talk about Collins." He looked at me and smiled slightly.
"He trained you well. You were a good junior Gunny to him, Andrews. I am sorry we lost a good Marine when he was killed. At ease, Andrews, you're a NCIS agent now." Gibbs sat down in one seat and I followed suit.
"What can you tell us, Commander?" Commander Ellis looked at us and took a deep breath.
"When he lost his wife, he did become a little depressed. But his mind was more on those children. He was taking some leave, to get them settled in with their aunt and uncle. Then he was going right back to the fight." Gibbs nodded as he leaned back in his seat.
"Commander Ellis, do you know if anyone was angry with him, or wanted to harm him?" He took his time, thinking.
"Gunny, you remember that private the both of you got kicked out of the Marines, because he was selling drugs and weapons? He was paroled out, about two months ago. If he's still angry about this and is the one that did this, you need to watch your back, Gunny." We finished our meeting and we were in the car, driving back to NCIS head quarters.
"Give me what you know." I took a deep breath.
"We didn't know he was selling illegal weapons. But he had tried to sell drugs to a few of the other Marines in our unit at the time. I reported it to Collins, we both went to see the Commander. With us in there, they called in Private Angelus Romano. He lost it when he was told he was being charged with selling drugs. He threatened me and Collins. I was a witness, I was the major witness that got him put behind bars." He nodded. When we got back to the bull pen, Gibbs let the team know what was said.
"DiNozzo, any time that Andrews leaves NCIS headquarters, you are on protection detail if I am not with her." I was about to say something but he looked at me. "You work with my team, you follow my orders. If he is the one that killed Collins, he is probably after you next, Andrews."
I didn't say anything. He was right, this was his case and I was under his orders, right now. Second, he reminded me of Eric, when he was protecting one of his own, his word was set in stone. I also knew that I wouldn't be able to be there when we brought him in and questioned him. We started to do some searches on Romero. Ziva and Gibbs went to get him. I was behind the two way mirror when Gibbs started to question him.
Gibbs looked at Romero. He asked him were he was around the time that Eric had been killed, then after Romero had answered, he looked at him before asking another question.
"Do you know a Gunnery Sergeant Eric Collins?" He laughed and I clenched my fist as he spoke.
"That bastard helped put me behind bars. Oh, along with that bitch, Junior Gunnery Sergeant Andrews. Yeah, I know him." Gibbs looked at him closely.
"So, were you angry enough to kill him?" He looked at Gibbs and he smirked.
"You mean someone killed Sergeant Collins? Man, they beat me to that bastard! Please tell me they got Andrews as well and you will really make my day." Gibbs continued to stare at him.
"No, she's alive and well." He leaned back and looked at Gibbs again.
"Well, if you don't have anything to hold me here for, I would like to go. But when you find the person that killed Collins, let me know so I can thank him!"
I just headed back to the bull pen. I didn't want to hear any more because even I knew that he was going to be let go and something was bugging my gut. I sat down at my temporary desk, and as we were working this case I started to wrack my brain about the last time I saw Collins, to see if there was anything else I could remember, to lead me to the person who killed him. We continued to work through leads and other things on the second day but we drew a blank. I could even see that Gibbs had. Our main suspect was still Romero. Gibbs looked at the team.
"Everyone go home and get some sleep. Andrews, you're with me for the rest of the night, until we come in tomorrow."
I was tired and confused. Was there anyone else that could have wanted him dead? Gibbs drove me to my apartment and we went in. When I got to my bedroom, I saw the bomb. I came running out and pushed Gibbs away, knocking him down and I covered his body. When the blast came I felt intense pain in my back and right leg and then I passed out. When I woke up, I sat up, wincing in pain.
"Where is Gibbs?" Tony came into my view, easing me back down on my back.
"You saved his life. He's at the office, trying to catch the bastard that put the bomb in your apartment." I shoved his hand away and sat up, sliding my hands through my hair some.
"Good, didn't need to lose a damn good Agent." Ducky came in with a smile just at that moment. I had worked with Ducky a few times. He looked at me.
"Well, it is good to see you are awake, my dear." Tony stood up.
"I need to go call Gibbs and tell him that you're awake." Tony walked out and I looked over to Ducky.
"Ducky, Gibbs is fine, right?" Ducky sat down in the chair next to my bed.
"A few bruises from you knocking him down to protect him from the blast, that's it. You on the other hand, you have stitches on your back and right leg, where we stitched you up. Your ligaments in your right wrist were torn badly, along with some bones that were damaged, so you underwent surgery and they put some pins in your wrist. You are lucky you are alive, Mystery." I leaned back as I got the bed to bend so I could sit up.
"The team get anything from the scene?" Ducky looked at me.
"Not sure, my dear. Gibbs sent me to make sure that the Doctors didn't screw up taking care of you." I sighed and closed my eyes as the nurse came in to give me some drugs threw the IV.
"No, don't. I don't want any damn drugs. I want to talk to my doctor so I can get out of here, now." The nurse went off to get my doctor, as Ducky sat and looked to me.
"My dear, you need more rest. You should stay in the hospital." The doctor came in and said exactly the same things to me. I looked him in the eyes.
"Either give me the damn papers to sign out or I am going to yank this IV and walk out anyway." Ducky went with the doctor to get the papers while Tony looked at me. He had come back I in while we were waiting for the doctor. He tossed me a bag with sweats and a t-shirt in it.
"Thanks, Tony." He stepped out as the nurse came with the papers for me to sign and I got myself dressed. I sent her out as I did. When I came out, Tony looked at me.
"Come on, we're going to my place, so you can rest." I looked Tony in the eyes.
"Tony, either you take me to NCIS or I will find away to do it. This case isn't solved and I want to make sure the bastard that killed Eric is caught." He was about to fight me when I gave him a look. We drove off. Ducky had already headed back. When we got there and got into the bull pen, I went to the desk I was using. Gibbs stood up and walked over to me.
"What the hell are you doing here?" I looked at him.
"Getting justice for Eric. And don't blame Tony, I threatened him." Gibbs looked at me as he motioned for me to follow. He led me to the elevator, he turned it off when we got in there and he looked at me.
"You need to be resting. I will not let you work in your condition."
He sent me home with Tony. After that, there was no fighting him. Tony was actually polite, he put me in his bed and I fell asleep. When I woke up Gibbs was sitting in a chair in the room. I sat up and he looked at me.
"Where is Tony?" He looked at me.
"At the bar with the team. I figured you'd wake up soon. We got Romero for it all. We had the evidence and he broke under the pressure. Collins' brother came to head quarters with Collins' oldest kid, they want to see you. Told them they could see you in a few days, you were still recovering." I leaned back and slid my left hand through my hair.
"Luke's a good kid and so are the others. They deserve that their fathers murderer be caught." He looked at me.
"How do you feel about transferring to my team? You're a good agent and I could use you on the team." I slid out of the bed and headed to the kitchen, with him following me.
"No thanks, Gibbs. I want to stick to cold cases. Knowing our luck, I'll need your help on a case and we'll be working a few cold cases together." He looked at me as he leaned against the wall.
"You have a week to think it over. You're moving in with me until you get a new apartment. Since no-one is trying to kill you now and Tony needs his bed back." I shook my head, pouring myself a glass of juice.
"I can stay at a motel. I should be able to find a place in a week or two, mostly since the Director gave me two weeks of sick leave." He looked at me.
"Wasn't a choice, Andrews. Let's go, I had Ziva get you some sweats and shirts, and a few other things you would need, until you could go shopping." I took a deep breath and finished my juice. We headed out and drove to his place. He set me up in a spare bedroom.
"This is your room until you can find yourself a new place to live. Kitchen is open and if you need me, I'll be in the basement most of the time, when I am home." I looked at him, he was a good man, if a bit rough around the edges. I knew this was about me pushing him out of the way of the explosion.
"Gibbs, I didn't save you so that you would owe me." Gibbs walked over to me.
"You think that's why I moved you in here? Well, that's only part of it! You are a fellow Marine and NCIS Agent, I take care of my own." I looked at him.
"When I saw that bomb, all I was thinking was that it wasn't your time to join your wife or daughter. You have a family at NCIS that needs you. What was running through my mind was that I didn't have a team that needed me back. My life was more expendable than yours." He walked up to me and grabbed my chin, making me look at him.
"You are not expendable! I already said this once, you're a damn good agent. NCIS would have lost a good agent if you had died. Don't ever want to hear you say that you're expendable again. What would Collins think, if he had heard you say that?" I looked up at him smirked some.
"About what you're saying, but he would have slapped the shit out of me. He would say, "Gunny, suck it up"." His thumb slid over my cheek slowly and he looked me in the eyes.
"I agree with him there. Since you're not joining my team, how do you feel about going on a date with me?" I looked at him, a little surprised.
"Sounds good to me." He smirked some and he kissed my cheek.
"Get to sleep, you need rest is what Ducky said." He handed me a pill and some water. I was going to refuse but I saw the look in his eyes so I took the pill and then laid down. He headed down to the basement and I fell asleep.