Chapitre Quatre: Insomnie

"Jethro, what ware you going to do with Izzy and Liam? Do you want me to call child services?" Jen asked.

"No." Gibbs simply responded.

"Jethro, you can't take them home!"

"Why not Jen?"

"Jethro, you just… we're supposed to call child services, you know that."

"Jen, that bastard is still out there, is there a safer place in this word then my house?"

Jen sighed. "Fine, take them." And with that, she turned on her heel and was gone.

Gibbs put a sleeping Liam into his car seat and went down to Abby's lab. "What have you found out?" He whispered, so he wouldn't wake up the baby.

"The person that uses this toothbrush," She said, holding up a red toothbrush, "Is the man that molested Izzy."

Gibbs looked disgusted but didn't say anything.

"I found a match on the photo, his name is Darren. He was arrested back in 1987 for kidnapping. I put a BOLO out on him and his car, a 1989 Chevy Cavelier. Black. Licence plate number 738 Yankee Lima Beta. That's all I know Jethro."

Gibbs kissed her cheek. "That's great Abbs." He glanced across the room to where Izzy was lying asleep on Abby's futon. He smiled and whispered, "Come on babe, let's get these kids home."

Abby smiled and Gibbs handed Liam in his car seat to her. She picked up the diaper bag and grocery bag and Gibbs carefully lifted up Izzy. Holding her close to his chest, he grabbed her stuffed frog and her suitcase and they went upstairs.

"DiNozzo, McGee, Ziva, I'm going home. I want you all back her at 06h00, no later."

When they got to his car, Gibbs set Izzy in her car seat and buckled her up. She barely even woke up. Abby went over to the other side and set Liam down in the other seat. She struggled for a moment with the car seat and the seat belt, but managed to get it all done up. They put all of the luggage in the trunk and climbed in.

Gibbs relaxed into his seat and put his head back. He looked over at Abby. "I talked to Jenny today."

"I thought we decided to do that together?"

"She already knew. She came to me Abbs. She wants to separate us."

"What!"

"Abbs, shh. We don't want to wake up the kids."

"Sorry, Jethro." She apologized. "What do you mean separate us?"

"She wants me or you to work on a different team."

"You're kidding. Can she do that? Why would she do that? I don't want to leave Jethro! I love the team!" Tears began to run down Abby's face.

"Abbs, I won't let her separate us, I promise. And how do you know you'd have to leave, she might change me."

"She wouldn't do that Jethro, she loves you. You're the best agent NCIS has ever seen and you work great with your team now. She won't move you."

"Well I'm not going to let her get rid of you either, I promise." He pulled her in for a kiss. "Now, we need to get these kids home, ok?"

Abby smiled a little and nodded.

"I'm starving." Abby mentioned a little while into the ride.

"Have you eaten today?" Gibbs asked and Abby shook her head. "Did you feed Izzy?"

"Yes, I made her a peanut butter sandwich around lunch time. She ate almost all of it, except the crust."

"Good, I'm glad she ate something. But she's probably hungry, too. Do you want me to pick something up? Chinese maybe?"

"I don't know Jethro, kids can be pretty picky. We could just stop at McDonalds."

"Ok, sounds like a plan. What should I get for Izzy?"

"I don't know, do you want me to wake her up and ask her?"

"Well I didn't really want to wake her up, but if we have to…"

Abby reached behind her and gently shook Izzy's knee. "Izzy, sweetie, are you awake?"

Izzy's eyes open and she said, "Yes."

"We're going to stop at McDonalds; do you want us to get you something? What do you want to eat sweetie?"

Her eyes lit up a little, the way all little kids' do when they hear they are going to McDonalds. "I want chickens! And fries! And a toy! Don't forget the toy! And Can I get milk?"

"Of course you can sweetheart." Abby smiled at her. You can go back to sleep now if you want."

"I wasn't sleeping!" Izzy protested.

Abby laughed. Within a few minutes, Izzy was asleep again.

"I want one of those salads they have, I don't care which one. And get Izzy a McChicken happy meal with milk."

"Ok. Do you want something to drink?"

"No I'm good. Are you going to order yourself anything?"

"No, I'm not hungry."

"You're worried aren't you? You're stressed about the case." She looked at him concerned.

"I guess. A little, maybe. Yes." Gibbs sighed. "I just don't understand how someone can hurt such an innocent little girl."

Abby took his hand in hers. "I know. Izzy and Liam are lucky; they have you here to look after them." She smiled at Gibbs and squeezed his hand.

He kissed her. "I love you, do you know that?"

She smiled. "I think I know."

He gave her a look suggesting he was expecting more.

She laughed, "I love you, too."

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When they finally got home, it was almost 21h00. They carried the kids in, and then Gibbs went back to get the bags.

Gibbs found a laundry basket, which would have to do as a crib for now. He put a pillow in the bottom, and rolled up towels around the sides. He laughed, remembering a time when Shannon and he were in Florida visiting her parents. They had forgotten a bed for Kelly, and ended up using a laundry basket just like this.

After getting everything unpacked, and the spare bed made up for Izzy, he went back into the kitchen. Izzy was sitting at the table, on a phonebook so that she could reach the table. She was eating her happy meal. Abby was boiling water for a bottle and rocking Liam who was crying.

Gibbs took Liam from Abby so she could finish making his bottle. Then he said, "Izzy, sweetie, you're gonna sleep in my spare bedroom tonight, ok? I put some of your blankets on it, and I brought your night light from home, so you should be nice and comfortable."

She smiled. "Thank you."

"So when you're done your supper, Abby will help you into your pyjamas and then its time for bed, ok?"

"What about my medicine?" She asked.

"What medicine?" Gibbs questioned.

"Daddy always gives me medicine before I go to bed."

Gibbs looked at Abby. "What kind of medicine sweetie?"

"I don't know, he says it's my bedtime medicine, so I won't wake up in the night."

Gibbs tried to give her a reassuring smile. "You're not going to need that anymore, ok?"

"How come?"

"Because you never really needed it, sweetie."

Shockingly enough, Izzy didn't ask anymore questions.

"Here Honey," Abby said, handing Gibbs the bottle. "Or do you want me to feed him?"

"No, it's ok, I got him." Gibbs smiled as he took the bottle and began to feed Liam.

Izzy yawned and said, "I'm done."

"You sure you don't want the rest of your French fries?" Abby asked her.

She shook her head, "I'm full."

"Alright, let's go get your pyjamas on, ok?" Abby told her.

"Ok," Izzy climbed down from her chair and took Abby's hand.

Abby led her into the spare bedroom, where she found a cute, little pair of pink pyjamas lying on the bed. She put them onto Izzy and helped her climb into bed.

"Is there anything else you need sweetie?" Abby asked her.

She shook her head.

Abby smiled and kissed her head. "Goodnight, sweetheart."

"Night."

Abby left the room and Gibbs handed Liam to her. "Here, I want to say goodnight to Izzy."

Abby nodded as Gibbs walked into the bedroom.

He sat down on the edge of the bed, and brushed the hair out of Izzy's face. "Goodnight sweetie. Sleep well ok? Don't you worry about anyone hurting you now, I'll protect you."

She smiled at him, which made Gibbs grin. He kissed her head and left the room.

"He's sleeping." Abby told him, speaking of Liam.

"Ok, I'll take him and get him changed into his pyjamas. Did you eat yet?" Abby shook her head. "Go. Do that now, it's probably already cold."

He went into his bedroom where he had put the diaper bag. He found a green sleeper and changed Liam's diaper and clothes. Then he put him into the laundry basket crib and covered him up with a blanket. "Poor boy," Gibbs muttered, more to himself. "Don't you worry; I'll take care of you. And I promise, we'll get you a better bed soon." He kissed the top of his head, and left the room.

He walked back into the kitchen where Abby was cleaning up. He walked up behind her and put his arms around her waist. He kissed her cheek and she moaned.

"Don't worry about the mess, you're exhausted, and so am I. Let's go to bed." She sighed and rested in his arms. He picked her up and carried her into bed.

She giggled. "You didn't have to do that."

"I know."

Within seconds of there heads hitting the pillow, they were both fast asleep.

Not five minutes later, Gibbs woke up to Izzy yelling for him.

"Sweetie, what's wrong?" Gibbs asked her.

She had tears in her eyes. "I miss my mommy."

Gibbs sat down beside her, and pulled her into a hug. "I know you do, sweetheart, it's ok."

Izzy sniffed. "Why can't I be with my daddy?"

"Because you're safer here."

"Why?"

"Because Darren is a bad man. And I'm afraid he's going to hurt you. I don't want that to happen. So I brought you here so I can look after you and keep you safe."

"But why can't daddy keep me safe?"

"Because he isn't a special agent. I'm trained to protect people like you, sweetie."

"Promise he won't hurt me again?"

"I promise, sweetie." He squeezed her tighter and kissed her head.

"I still can't sleep."

"How about some warm milk? That used to help me get to sleep when I was little."

Izzy shrugged. "Ok."

Gibbs carried her into the kitchen where he heated up a glass of milk in the microwave. He took it out and blew on it. Then he tasted it to make sure it wasn't to hot. "This should be good," he said, handing it to Izzy.

She took it and drank the whole thing.

"Now it's back to bed, ok?" Gibbs told her.

"Ok."

Gibbs tucked her back into bed and went back to bed himself.

Not ten minutes later, Izzy was yelling again.

Abby woke up this time, and went in to go check on her. "Hey sweetie, why aren't you sleeping?"

"I can't sleep." Izzy told her.

"Honey, I know you're in a strange bed, and I know you've had a horrible day, but you need to get some sleep, babe."

"But I can't!"

"Aren't you tired?"

She nodded.

"Then what's wrong sweetie? What are you thinking about?"

Izzy shrugged. "Nothing."

"Are you sure? Abby asked her.

She nodded.

"Hmm, well why don't you try thinking about something happy. Think of your favourite place in the world."

Izzy smiled and nodded, "Ok, I'll try."

"That's a good girl." Abby kissed the top of her head and went back to bed.

This happened all night. Izzy waking up Gibbs or Abby every five or ten minutes.

It was a very long night for everyone.

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