Sorry about the huge delay. I had a major case of writers block plus that r/l came in the way a lot.
I've done some major editing to the previous chapters of this story. Some chapters have just been edited for grammar and typos, others have been re-written completely. Personally I like the new version better.
Here's finally chapter 13. I hope you like. Happy Holidays!
Chapter 13
Archie raised his eyebrows and looked over at the two men again, who had just closed the car doors and walked towards the house.
"Those the ones who came and talked to you, lass?" he asked and got an affirmative nod from the girl.
"Yeah", she said quietly and watched Tony and Gibbs walk up the stairs to the main entrance. For a moment it looked like Tony turned his head and looked at her, slowing his steps as he did so, but then he hurried to catch up with Gibbs.
Archie noticed the anxious look on the young face and crouched down so that he was level with her.
"A dollar for your thoughts, lass", he said somberly, using the word 'dollar' since Sarah had told him that her thoughts were worth a lot more than a penny.
"Tony looked at me", Sarah replied and furrowed her brow. "I don't think he recognized me."
"Or maybe he thought me recognized you but wasn't sure it really was you. Don't jump to conclusions, lass!"
"But..."
"No buts. Now you push those thoughts away and wait with me until we know why they're here. Those weeds are not going to come out on their own."
Archie always took a risk when he told Sarah to do something. The girl was headstrong and didn't like to do what she was told all the times, but he was relieved to see that this time she went back to pulling up weeds. He was positive that it would take most of her mind off her worries and besides, he had a feeling that he should keep her close.
XxX
"I think I just saw Sarah, Jet", Tony said eagerly as he caught up with his lover, who stopped and turned around to look at him
"You sure, Tony?" Gibbs asked and got a shrug from the younger man.
"Pretty sure. Looked a lot like her, but I didn't see her very well, so it might have been another girl."
"But you don't think so." It was more a statement than a question.
"No, I don't, Jet", Tony agreed with a smile. "I really think it was Sarah."
"Then let's hurry up and find one of the care-givers so that we can let them know we're here."
They didn't have to look for look, because in that moment the doors opened and the same care-giver they had met the first time they were there came out. She froze with a look of surprise on her face, but then she smiled brightly at them when she finally recognized them.
"Mr. Gibbs and DiNozzo!" she said and beamed. "Hi, welcome back! Are you eager to see Sarah again? Mark have told us that you want to adopt her."
"We are, miss Thatcher", Gibbs said and smiled back at the woman. "
"I was just on my way to find her for you. She's hiding somewhere in the park again and I'm getting a little worried about her. She's been gone for over an hour now. You can come along if you want to."
"I actually think I saw her just now", Tony piped up. "Over by the corner of the house. She was with an old man."
"An old man? Oh, that must be Archie. He's our gardener. Most children keep away from him since can be a little intimidating sometimes, but Sarah likes him for some reason. I think he's the first friend she's managed to make since she got here. If you follow me I'll take you to her."
Rose led the way down the stairs and over to the girl and the gardener. Archie didn't give a sign that he noticed them coming, but Sarah stopped with what she was doing and looked nervously at them and even moved a little closer to the gardener. The wary look in her eyes almost broke Tony's heart but he was determined not to let it show and smiled warmly at her instead.
"Sarah, Mr. Gibbs and DiNozzo are here to see you again", Rose said as they came up to her. "Do you remember them?"
"Yeah", Sarah said quietly with a swift nod but the wary look in her eyes didn't disappear, and now it was also mixed with disbelief.
"I told you not to jump to conclusions, lass", Archie remarked, still without looking up. "Now you go with them and find out why they're here. If you excuse me, I have some work that needs to be done elsewhere."
Without another word, Archie gathered up all his tools and walked away, leaving Sarah alone with Rose and the two special agents. The girl watched him leave and then she turned back to Tony and Gibbs with a look in her eyes that told them that she would be ready to fight if she had to.
"Hi, Sarah", Gibbs said and crouched down in front of her. "It's good to see you again."
"I'll leave you three alone", Rose said then. "I'll be right over here, so if you need me you can just call."
"Yes, ma'am", Tony replied and smiled.
"Why did you want to see me?" Sarah asked once Rose was gone.
"We missed you, Sarah", Gibbs said with a gentle smile playing on his lips. "And there's something we wanted to tell you."
"What?"
"Let's go sit on the bench over there, okay?"
Gibbs pointed at a bench that was placed under a tree not far from them and held out his hand for Sarah to take. She stared at it for a long time before she tentatively put her hand in it and felt the slightly chapped and calloused skin of Gibbs' palm. She wondered what it was they were going to tell her and was almost afraid to find out. When grown-ups said they wanted to tell her something it never meant anything good. Why should this time be any different? One part of her wanted to run away so that she wouldn't have to face whatever was coming, but the other part answered to the kindness in Gibbs' blue eyes and recognized the feeling of safety that seemed to radiate from Tony, just as it had the first time she had met them.
"It's okay, Sarah", Tony said then as if he had been able to read her mind. "I promise."
Gibbs stood up and Sarah let him lead her over to the bench. She wondered what it was they were going to tell her but didn't want to hope that it was what she wanted it to be. It rarely was anyway.
TBC