A/N: Hello. First, let me say HOW FRUSTRATING IT IS TO NOT HAVE FULL MOBILITY OF MY ARM. I can't drive, I can't cook, and I can't even sleep comfortably. Somedays, I cry a little. Then I kick myself in the butt and tell myself to get over my little pity parties and write instead. :D That being said, this chapter took a lot longer to write because a few days after I posted the last chapter, I had to go back to the doc because my elbow started swelling…unnaturally. So after they drained all the gross stuff from my elbow (I'm told I had bursitis) I actually took my pain medication as recommended and thus, I was not very lucid for most hours of the day. It is not fun, being hurt. I highly do not recommend it. But after I felt better and could actually talk in complete sentences that made sense, my sister (who had been watching NCIS reruns with me bwahaha) helped me type out this one so give her a BIG hug. Also this chapter is longer than normal. :) Now, on with the chapter!
Chapter Six
"Where's DiNozzo?" Gibbs practically ran through the bullpen, "McGee!"
"He's," McGee hurried after Ziva and Gibbs, "Palmer took him home about an hour ago. He had a migraine."
"And Morgan and the kids?"
"AJ is at practice this time of day no?" Ziva asked.
"Yeah, and Tony mentioned April's play date with they're neighbor," McGee answered, "And Benny-"
"Is at the house," Gibbs said. Everyone knew where the poor boy would be. He rarely left the house now, "Ziva, look through DiNozzo's contacts," Gibbs tossed Tony's phone that he had grabbed from the agent's desk, "I'm pretty sure Tony got AJ a cell phone a couple weeks ago. If he doesn't answer, go to the school. McGee, you're with me."
"Yes Boss," the two agents hurried to follow their Boss' orders.
"We're coming DiNozzo."
"What are you doing in my house Martin?" Tony glared, at least, as much as he could. It was a bit difficult to keep track of Martin's sporadic movements as the man paced the kitchen. Morgan who was sitting at the kitchen table, tied to the seat, trembled with fear. Tony could hear Morgan's sobs as she cried around the masking tape that was on her mouth.
"What am I doing in your house?" Martin said, flailing the gun in his hand as he swung it from Tony to Morgan, "I should have asked that question to you when you showed up in my house unannounced, huh? But I didn't. And what do I get out of it?"
Tony didn't answer. He had to remain calm. He didn't know where Benny was-
"You stole my family!" Martin yelled, taking a few steps closer to DiNozzo, "You came in, and took them away! And then my wife has the nerve to sleep with you!"
Martin turned and backhanded Morgan, "I always knew you were a whore!"
"I don't sleep," Tony gritted out, "With married women. Even if her future ex-husband is an abusive asshole."
Martin grinned at Tony's comment and slapped Morgan again.
Tony took a half step forward before stopping when the whole room spun, "Don't you dare touch her."
"I can touch her however I want," Martin yelled, furious, "She's my wife!"
"You don't know anything about treating a wife with love and respect," Tony answered, keeping his voice down. If he even tried to yell his head pounded.
"And you do?" Martin laughed almost manically, "Last I checked Di-No-zzo, you've never been married."
"What happened to you Martin?" Tony asked, suddenly very sad, "You were a good cop."
"I still am a good cop!" Martin screamed at Tony, "Only now, no one will hire me with that fake charge on my record!"
"That's your own damn fault Adams. I wasn't the one that hit AJ and Morgan."
"I didn't give them anything that they didn't deserve," Martin looked around, "Speaking of that little bastard-"
"Don't you dare!" Tony yelled as he jumped at Martin.
"Hey AJ, there's this lady looking for you. She says she works with your Uncle?"
"What?" AJ said, taking a drink of water, "What's her name?"
"Zee-vah David," AJ's coach annunciated the name as if he had been scolded in the proper way to say the foreign name.
"Did she tell you where my Uncle is?" AJ asked, knowing that something was horribly wrong for someone else besides Tony or his mom to pick him up.
"Nope," the coach shrugged, "But pack your gear. She says she's taking you home."
AJ ran to his bag, yelling goodbye to his coach and teammates.
Seeing the former Mossad Officer, AJ practically ran into her, "Where's my Uncle? Why are you here? Is my mom okay? Is my Uncle hurt?"
"I am here to take you to NCIS," Ziva said calmly, "Do you need anything else?"
"Where's my family?" AJ pushed, readjusting his backpack strap, "Why aren't you answering my questions?"
"As soon as I know the answer to your questions, I will answer them," Ziva said closing the door to the car before getting in the driver's seat, "Hold on. We will be there shortly."
"Something bad has happen, hasn't it?" AJ said somberly from the back seat, "That's why you won't answer me?"
Ziva bit her lip before turning up the radio and steering the car towards headquarters.
"And then, right before the big black dragon came," April read the story to Ms. O'Leary's granddaughter, Julie, "Ken came on his horse and saved-"
"April honey," Ms. O'Leary knocked on the door, "Are you in here?"
"Yes Ms. O'Leary," April answered, a bit annoyed that she had ruined the best part, "My and Julie are playing with her toys."
"My barbies," Julie agreed. She was a year younger than April but they had hit it off the moment they had met each other, "Ken is rescuing Barbie from the dragon monster."
Ms. O'Leary smiled at the girls, "Alright April. Agent McGee's here to take you on a ride. We can even have that sleepover this weekend."
"Do I have to leave now?" April whined, "The sun isn't even gone yet."
Ms. O'Leary smiled, "I'm sorry honey. But you'll be over again soon."
April sighed, the weight of the world on her shoulders, "Why isn't Momma here to pick me up? We only live right down the road."
"Your Mom is waiting for you at your Uncle's work," Ms. O'Leary said, gently herding April towards McGee who was standing nervously at the door.
"Woo," April said excitedly, her shortened play-date forgotten, "Is Abby there Tim?"
Tim smiled and worked very hard to keep the worry off his face, "Yes April. Abby's there and I just called her to tell her you're coming."
"Yes!" April said bounding out of the house and into the Agent's car, "Bye Ms. O'Leary, bye Julie! See you this weekend!"
Ms. O'Leary let her worry show now that April was in the car, "Are you sure Morgan, Tony and little Benny are alright?"
"Agent Gibbs is over there right now," McGee comforted, "They're in the best of hands."
Ms. O'Leary smiled, gave McGee a hug before locking the door behind the Agent.
"Let's go Timmy!" April called out, using the nickname she heard Abby call him, "I'm buckled in and everything!"
"What, not so tough now, are you DiNozzo?" Martin said, having slammed Tony up against the kitchen island. Tony had tried, had really tried to knock the gun out and away from Martin but he was in the midst of a migraine and he never had a chance really.
"What? You're gonna kill me?" Tony panted. Martin was by no means weak and Tony's ribs were suffering for that fact, "They'll know it was you."
"Doesn't matter," Martin laughed, "Doesn't matter anymore!"
Morgan started crying harder right about now and Tony really hoped that she passed out- that she wouldn't have to see anymore of this.
"Oh don't worry," Martin followed Tony's gaze to Morgan, "She'll be just fine with me."
"Go to hell," DiNozzo breathed, "For what you've done."
Martin threw his head back and laughed, "I'll be seeing you there DiNozzo."
Tony's eyes burned with anger at Martin.
"You don't have the guts to kill me," Martin slammed Tony's against the counter top again, eliciting a
cry of pain from Tony, "Not even you would have the gall to kill both of Morgan's husbands."
"I didn't kill Ben," Tony whispered.
Martin quickly pistol whipped Tony across the face just because he felt like it.
Seeing Tony helpless made Martin smirk, "Won't matter much longer anyway. Because today, well, today Tony-boy, you will die."
Tony pushed away from Martin's hands only to have Martin pistol whip him again.
"And don't worry," Martin said, "I'll make sure Benny and Morgan see the whole thing."
"He's your son," Tony said, more anguish than anger in his eyes now.
"Oh, he is," Martin agreed, "Which is why he didn't say anything when I talk to him a few weeks ago. He was playing outside, minding his own business. But then that was after the phone messages you and Morgan never got because little Benjamin Michael Adams was always afraid of monsters hiding in the dark."
"You're the monster," Tony said with the last bit of his strength.
"I've been called worse," Martin shrugged off-handedly, "But now," Martin grabbed his gun and pressed it up against Tony's knee, "This is going to hurt. But don't fret DiNozzo. It won't hurt for long…relatively speaking anyway."
Tony had lost the strength to hold himself up long ago and now there nothing he could do but look at Morgan and hope she knew he was sorry.
"Let's start with…You're goo knee," Martin switched the gun to Tony's other knee, the one he hadn't injured during college, "Let's countdown shall we," Martin chuckled at seeing Tony and Morgan looking at each other before pressing the gun down harder, "Three" Martin pushed the gun down harder, the smiling spreading on his face, "Two…On-Shit!"
Martin dropped the gun, his hands reaching for the knife that had just been stabbed into his inner thigh.
"One two! One two! And through and through, the vorpal blade went snicker-snack!" Benny yelled as he moved back, having pushed the big knife that Uncle Tony always kept on his leg as deep as he could into the monster.
Martin screamed in pain and rage as he reached out to grab Benny, "I'm going to kill you, you little bastard," Martin grabbed Benny by his arm and jerked but after falling to the ground and struggling, Benny managed to squirm out of his father's blood coated hands.
"SHIT!" Martin yelled again, reaching for his gun and firing after Benny. Turning his gun now to Tony who was on the floor, Martin smiled evilly despite the amount of blood that was currently leaving his leg.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Gibbs growled for the doorway, having broken down the front door.
Martin made eye contact with Gibbs for one second before tightening his trigger finger.
And Gibbs fired.
Tony laid, breathing on the floor. There had been gun shots after Benny-
Oh god Benny.
"Benny!" tried to yell but it only came out as a whisper, "Benny!"
"Hey DiNozzo," someone said to his far left, "Take it easy. Morgan's alright, you're alright. Just some bumps and bruises," Tony felt that person's hands move down his body methodically, checking for anything serious, "Just your meds are making you this way Tony. Everything's alright."
"Benny," Tony said again, knowing suddenly that this person was Gibbs and that this person had come to save him from the monsters, "Where's Benny?"
Gibbs yelled something to someone and Tony felt himself being lifted up, up, up and on something that was so soft and nice and warm.
"Just relax Tony," Gibbs ran his fingers through Tony's sweat drenched hair, "Everything's going to be okay."
"Benny killed the Jabberwock Boss," Tony said, feeling his eyes closing but knowing he had to tell Boss this, "He's gonna want…"
"It's alright Tony," Gibbs soothed, rubbing his aching head, "It's over."
But it wasn't, Tony knew.
It had only begun.
"Where's my mom?" AJ glared at the two agents who had just received Gibbs' tense and short phone call.
"AJ," McGee said, "Agent Gibbs just called. Your mom is fine. She's on her way to the hospital-"
"That's not fine!" AJ screamed, having to restrain himself from shoving McGee to the ground in his anger, "That's hurt! That's sick! That means something is wrong!"
"AJ," April trembled from her spot, cradled in Abby's soft warm embrace, "Is Momma okay?"
"She's okay April," AJ said, pacing the bullpen, "We're going to go see her right now."
Surprised by the young man's bravado, McGee nodded towards Ziva as Abby stood, holding April in her arms.
"And I'm not stupid," AJ whispered when his little sister was out of ear shot, "You didn't say anything about my Uncle or my brother."
"AJ, Gibbs just said," McGee tried to comfort the teenager.
But AJ just shook his head, "If Martin was at my house Agent McGee," AJ spoke quietly, "Then none of my family is alright."
"The ER doctors will be done with Morgan in a few minutes," Ducky tried to assure the pacing AJ and the crying April, "Just a cut here and there that will be taken of some glue and she'll be just fine."
"They're gluing my Momma back together like a picture?" April said, shock apparent on her tear stained face, "Is she broken?"
"No April," Abby said, "They're just fixing her cuts with a type of glue, sort of like a band aid."
"Why is Momma hurt?" April asked this time, looking at her older brother for answers, "Did she fall off the counter like I did? Or did she get hurt riding her bike like Benny did?"
"I don't know April," AJ shook his head, not wanting to be the one to tell the little girl that her step-father had hurt his mom again, "But right now when we see her, she'll tell us."
April sighed, wiping her face with the back of her hand, "It was dad again huh AJ?"
AJ bit his lip, "I think so."
April lifted her hands, wanting to be with her brother, "I thought we left so he wouldn't hurt Momma anymore."
"I thought so too," AJ sat down and allowed April to sit on his lap.
It was quite after that, McGee, Ziva, Ducky and Abby all waiting from news from someone.
"You can come see your mom now," a smiling nurse walked into the waiting room, "Is a Dr. Mallard here also? Ms. Welsh would like to see you."
AJ stood quickly, making sure to hold onto April's hand, as Ducky followed them into Morgan's room.
"Momma!" April started crying all over again, quickly letting go of AJ's hand to launch herself onto Morgan's bed, "Momma, they said you were broken, and need glue, and-and did dad hurt you Momma? And Uncle Tony's not h-here and Benny's missing!" April buried herself in her Momma's arms, finally able to let out all her pent up feelings.
Even AJ, who had remained stoic this whole time, crumbled upon seeing that his mom was really okay, "Mom," AJ said, his voice cracking with emotion.
AJ bent over the rail and let Morgan hug him as he too let out his tears.
"I got you, I got you," Morgan said to both of her children, knowing that even when she was hurt, it was her job to comfort her children, "Shush now, everything's going to be okay. He'll never hurt us again."
April's sobs stopped momentarily but then even Ducky could see that they wouldn't stop for long.
AJ though, lifted his eyes and look at his mom with clear eyes, understanding his mother's meaning behind her words, "Never?"
Morgan shook her head and held her two healthy children close to her, "Never again."
Tony glared at his neurologist, "I want out."
"Special Agent DiNozzo," the neurologist said, "Your CT scan still hasn't come back and until we've determined the extent of your head injury, it would be foolish of me to leave you unattended."
"I won't be unattended," Tony said, making another move to get out of the hospital bed, "I am going to go see Morgan and Benny."
"Tony-"
"Bring a damn wheelchair if that will make you feel better," Tony tried to come to a compromise. No one, not even Gibbs who was currently standing right outside his door, would tell him whether or not his nephew and best friend were alright, "But I am leaving and I don't really care if the whole hospital get's a view of my behind."
Seeing that this was one argument he wasn't going to win, the neurologist agreed only on the condition that Gibbs stay with Tony.
"Finally," Tony huffed as Gibbs slowly pushed him down the corridor to Morgan's room. So far, Gibbs had told him that Morgan was alright and they were just going to keep her overnight for observation.
"And Benny?" Tony asked, turning in his seat to look at Gibbs, "Is he with Morgan already?"
But Gibbs just shook his head and let out a breath of hot air, "The rest of the team is in the waiting room. They would have come to your room but the doc didn't want you too "excited" about anything. Apparently, high blood pressure can set of a migraine."
Tony shook his head, "If I haven't had another migraine already, I'm pretty sure my blood pressure's gone as high as it's going to get."
Gibbs made an undistinguishable noise and pushed Tony gently into Morgan's room.
Gibbs looked away when the doctor walked into the room.
Tony, Morgan, AJ and even April had been asking about Benny for fifteen minutes now. Up until now, Ducky and the rest of the team had done a good job at evading their questions. But now Benny's doctor had arrived.
"Hello Ms. Welsh, Special Agent DiNozzo," the pediatric surgeon greeted the anxious family, "My name is Dr. Rice, and I was the surgeon that worked on Benny's arm."
Tony's face fell, "He was shot?"
Morgan started crying then and Tony extended his hand, grabbing hers.
"Oh no," the doctor quickly shook his head, "The bullet merely grazed his arm. However, Benny suffered a dislocated shoulder, a spiral fracture of his humerus, or his upper arm, as well as a fractured wrist. Spiral fractures are often very unstable so we had to insert a metal plate and two pins to help stabilize the fracture. Thankfully, none of Benjamin's growth plates were injured so that is some very good news. Benjamin's right arm has been placed in a hand to shoulder cast, as well as being immobilized to let his shoulder heal."
"But he'll be okay?" Morgan asked, wiping her eyes even though more tears continued to fall.
"The first week or so will be difficult," the Doctor said truthfully, "Pain will be a problem at first but in the long run, Benjamin's arm should be just fine, barring any complications."
"Thank you," Tony said, as he made a move to get out of his wheelchair and follow the doctor, "Can we see him?"
"In a few minutes. He's still in the recovery room but a nurse will be around shortly to take Special Agent DiNozzo to see him. Ms. Welsh, you will have to ask your doctors if you can leave your bed to visit your son but as soon as Benjamin is moved to a room on the pediatric floor, he will be allowed visitors."
"Thank you so much," Morgan shook the man's hand before the doctor quietly left the room.
"Can we see Benny Momma?" April asked quietly, "Did they have to glue Benny back together like you?"
"We can see him in a little bit," Morgan hugged April close, "Once Uncle Tony goes, then everyone else can go see him. Deal?"
AJ fidgeted in his seat, looking from his Uncle to his Mom, "I want to see him with Tony."
"AJ," Tony tried to say. He didn't want AJ to go in there without being prepared. Even though it seemed stupid, Tony felt that if he went in there first he might…
"I know it's gonna be bad," AJ cut off his Uncle, "But Benny will be okay. Martin-"
AJ shook his head, "No one can hurt him anymore."
Tony bit his lip, feeling Gibbs' comforting hand on his shoulder, "Alright AJ. Alright."
Benny didn't feel very good. His tummy hurt a lot and his arm felt like he had gotten it stuck in the door again.
Benny wanted to wake up but his eye felt really heavy, like his Blankie got when he accidentally dropped it in the bathtub.
"Momma?" Benny cried, opening his eyes slowly. When no one said anything Benny let out a small whine. Where was his Momma? And Uncle Tony? Had the monster-
"Hey Benny," someone said, wiping his wet hair off his forehead. How did he get wet? Did he fall in the bathtub?
"Hurts," Benny tried to say but his mouth was working right.
"I know Benny," Uncle Tony smoothed his hair again.
Uncle Tony was okay?
"I'm alright Benny," Uncle Tony said really quietly. He was talking like Momma talked whenever Uncle Tony had a migraine, really soft like you were talking to a baby birdie, "Everyone's safe."
Benny tried extra hard to open his eyes more.
"AJ," Benny smiled and tried to get up.
"No, no," Uncle Tony put a big warm hand on his little chest. It made Benny feel really safe because Uncle Tony never used his big hands to hurt Momma, or AJ, or April or him, "No moving. Your arm's hurt Benny so no moving."
"But I wanna see," Benny whined. He didn't feel good and he just wanted to see his brother. Maybe his Momma and sister were here too. Then he would know everyone was safe.
"Hold on," Uncle Tony smiled and pressed a button and his bed started moving. Just like Uncle Tony's bed did when he got hurt.
"Better?" Uncle Tony smiled and Benny smiled back.
"Hey Benny," AJ said, sitting on the chair next to Benny's bed, "Looks like you got a cool cast. It's even green!"
"Green?" Benny said, looking from his brother to his arm. It the movies, casts were only white, "It's really green!"
"Yeah," AJ smiled and his eyes crinkled like Uncle Tony's did when Benny told him a really funny joke, "And you know what the best part about having a cool cast like that?"
"What?"
"You get to have people put their names on it," AJ whispered even though he wasn't doing a good job at keeping this a secret if it was one, "And I bet Uncle Tony will even get all his friends to put their names on it too!"
"I can have their names?" Benny said, still trying to fight off the sedatives, "But Uncle Tony?"
"Yeah kid," Uncle Tony ran a hand through his hair and down his check.
"Won't it compromise their identities? They're special agents like you," Benny mumbled that last part before slowly falling asleep, his uninjured hand holding tightly to Tony's big one.
"Yeah," Uncle Tony smiled at AJ, "He'll be okay."
"Uncle Tony?" Benny asked his Uncle in the quiet of the evening. It had been a week since he left the hospital and his arm wasn't hurting much anymore. It was annoying though, cause he couldn't wear anything cool because his arm was hurt.
"Yeah Benny?" Tony asked the little boy that was cradled in the crook of his arm, his head resting on his chest.
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you about the monster," Benny whispered as he played with his Uncle's shirt, "I was afraid he would get you if I said anything cause monsters can only get you if you believe in them and I know you didn't believe in them and I thought…" Benny rubbed his face and slowly slid his thumb into his mouth. Ever since Benny had woken up in the hospital, he had started sucking his thumb again. It didn't take a degree in psychology to figure out Benny was using the old habit to comfort himself.
"You thought what Benny," Tony gently lowered Benny's hand from his mouth.
Benny allowed his thumb to be removed and sighed, "I thought not saying anything would keep you safe."
"Awh Benny," Uncle Tony hugged him tighter, "I'm so proud of you."
"But the monster still hurt you," Benny said, "I didn't do a good job."
"It was never your job to protect anyone," Uncle Tony smoothed his hair, "But you did a really good job."
"I slain the Jabberwock Uncle Tony?" Benny asked a few moments later.
"Yeah Benny," Tony smiled at the familiar poem, "You did."
"But there are still bad guys out there huh?" Benny whispered before slipping his thumb back in his mouth.
Instead of answering, Tony just reached and over instead of removing the thumb that Benny was desperately sucking on, he just rested his hand on Benny's broken arm, "As long as I'm here Benny, no one is ever going to hurt you again."
And until the day he died, Anthony D. DiNozzo would keep that promise.
Because no one was going to hurt his family ever again.
"Bear, can you sign my arm too?" Benny asked from behind Tony. Gibbs had to physically look around his Senior Field Agent to see the small boy that was currently hiding behind the six foot two man.
Gibbs smiled and bent down slowly. Just because Martin had died didn't mean little Benny's anxiety had gone away in the blink of an eye. Tony's youngest nephew was still on anti-anxiety medication although his new psychiatrist, Tony and Morgan had moved doctors after the last crack pot had made Benny have a panic attack during a session, was actually helping Benny, so much that psychiatrist was actually reducing the amount of medication Benny took.
"I'll sign it Benny," Gibbs gently took the black permanent marker from Benny's outstretched hand and ever so gently signed his name on Benny's cast.
Shuffling back behind his Uncle, Gibbs watched as Benny looked at the name.
"That's longer than Bear, huh Bear?" Benny asked quietly moment later.
Chuckling softly, Gibbs nodded, "Sure is."
Benny smiled softly in return before his thumb was in his mouth and his head resting gently on his Uncle's legs.
Uncle Tony and Bear would keep him safe.
Because his Uncle Tony knew how to keep all the bad guys and monsters away.
And Bear would always be there to watch his Uncle's six.
A/N2: It was un-beta-ed because I sleep most of the day and wanted to get this out to you guys as quick as possible. Hope you liked it. Just the epilogue to go now and I will try to get it up soon.