A/N: As promised, here is chapter 14 for you all :D
DISCLAIMER: AS PREVIOUSLY STATED I OWN BASICALLY NOTHING
As they walked into the house they spotted everyone on the couch watching a movie, with the exception of Kristiana who was purely focused on her notebook, Tony figured she was finishing her song. Ziva looked at the clock it was 7 o'clock, the team was leaving in an hour.
"I'm going to order a pizza from Vincenzo's are there any requests?"
The team looked back at Ziva, they all seemed to have the same answer
"pepperoni and cheese"
Within the next half hour the pizza was delivered and they were all eating in silence, knowing what awaited them once they finished their food. Kristiana kept writing in her notebook waiting for everyone else to finish
"You're going to miss my set at Layla's"
They all looked at her, pausing whatever they were doing; she looked hurt at the realization. Of course, everybody else had realized it long ago but it just clicked for her now.
"It's just that, I haven't seen you guys for 4 years, and I finally got you back and now you're leaving again. I know it's only for 2 weeks but still. I wish you weren't"
Abby was the first to speak, forever the voice of reason in their little family
"Well, how about you sing the song you were going to sing at the set for us right now, so we'll still hear you sing?"
She glanced down at her notebook, only to look back up from her Mom, to her Dad and then fully around the rest of the table, all of them; including Gibbs was staring at her. It was true she had finished the new song a few minutes ago and there were no gaping problems with it, she just needed to sit at the piano
"Well, uh if you guys want...I don't want to make you guys late"
It was Gibbs who spoke up this time, despite him being who he is he probably loves the girl just as much as her parents. He would never admit it but if Kelly had lived through the wreck and into her teenage year he had hoped that she would be just as strong as his god daughter is.
"I'm sure nobody would mind spending a little extra time with you kid, nobody is in a hurry to get back to work in DC. Now go! get ready"
Kristiana smiled and hugged Gibbs as she rounded the table to go into the living room, sitting at the black baby grand piano; everybody following not far behind, Gibbs against the fire place, Abby and McGee on one side of the couch and Tony and Ziva sitting a little to close for Gibbs's comfort on the other end.
"Okay, don't judge me I literally finished this 20 minutes ago. It's about two very important people in my life, who to be completely honest frustrate me to no end with all of the dancing around eachother they do."
She took another moment to straighten up her notebook and go over everything one more time in her end, she took a deep breath and put her hands on the keys
"Loving him is like driving a new Maserati down a dead end street
Faster than the wind
Passionate as sin, ended so suddenly
Loving him is like trying to change your mind
Once you're already flying through the free fall
Like the colors in autumn
So bright just before they lose it all
Losing him was blue like I'd never known
Missing him was dark grey all alone
Forgetting him was like trying to know somebody you've never met
But loving him was red
Loving him was red
Touching him is like realizing all you ever wanted was right there in front of you
Memorizing him was as easy as knowing all the words to your old favorite song
Fighting with him was like trying to solve a crossword and realizing there's no right answer
Regretting him was like wishing you never found out love could be that strong
Losing him was blue like I'd never known
Missing him was dark grey all alone
Forgetting him was like trying to know somebody you've never met
But loving him was red
Oh red burning red
Remembering him comes in flashbacks and echoes
Tell myself it's time now, gotta let go
But moving on from him is impossible
When I still see it all in my head
Burning red!
Darling it was red!
Oh, losing him was blue like I'd never known
Missing him was dark grey all alone
Forgetting him was like trying to know somebody you've never met
Cause loving him was red yeah yeah red
We're burning red
And that's why he's spinning round in my head
Comes back to me burning red
Yeah yeah
Cause love was like driving a new Maserati down a dead end street"
The room fell silent for a moment, before Abby started clapping, bringing them all out of a trance. Tony and Ziva were looking at eachother both knowing what the song meant and the reasons for it. They both turned their heads at the same time and locked eyes with their daughter who was staring them down with a purpose. They stood up from the couch together and enveloped her into a group hug much to Gibbs' displeasure and Abby's pleasure. There was no denying it, they were a family, and there was no stopping them.
The next time they looked at the clock it was 8:30 and they were supposed to leave half an hour ago.
"McGee, Abby get your stuff and get back to the cars. We've got to go if we want to get back to DC and get some sleep"
The group departed with sadness, nobody wanting to leave while Gibbs sat in the drivers seat of the car, still apparently having a hard time with this
"Abby, we will see you in 2 weeks. It is not like I am leaving again. I promise you that when two weeks comes I will be here with a whole new supply of caf-pow for you"
It wasn't what anybody wanted to happen but it had to be done, they each departed with hugs and walked out of the front door, leaving Tony, Ziva and Kristiana standing in the foyer; all looking a little lost.
"Mom, they're coming back right?"
Ziva looked at her daughter, though she hides it well she still realizes what leaving all those years ago did to her trust issues, she was just a little girl; she couldn't understand why she suddenly wasn't around her family anymore.
"Of course they are"
Kristiana headed towards the pool to swim a few laps before going to her room for the night while Ziva looked after her in a trance, she probably would have remained like that for hours if Tony hadn't led her back towards the couch.
"Penny for your thoughts Zi?"
She broke from her trance and slightly smiled up at Tony, "Just thinking about the last year Tony"
"Care to share?"
"I am just waiting for I believe the saying is for the other shoe to drop. Since going back to DC everything with Kristiana has been going really well and now she's dancing again."
"but..?"
"but..I can't help thinking about the hell that we both went through with her eating disorder and drug use. Then there was the night I walked into the bathroom to see blood running down her arm. She looked so weak Tony"
There was nothing either of them could do to remove the horror of the past year, especially Tony who wasn't there to witness it.
"Ziva, look at me. We can't change what happened. We can't change any of the things that were done but we also can't live our lives looking over our shoulders to see what might be sneaking up on us. Now, stop worrying for tonight. She's taking a swim and going to dance class. This is as close to normal as we're getting right now."
"You are right Tony. Let's just watch a movie, okay?"
That's exactly how Kristiana found them when she came down the next morning getting ready to leave for dance class, donning her new black leotard with her hair in a signature ballerina bun; old dance bag slung over her shoulder. She found a pen and paper in the drawer by the phone, where her mother had kept it since they moved there and wrote a note reminding them she was going to dance and she had her phone and then walked out to Kelleigh's waiting car.
"Hello Ms. Burns, hey Kell"
Kelleigh looked at her friend and laughed, in an essence making Kristiana very confused.
"Am I missing something here?"
"I'm sorry Krissy it's just a dancer with 3 holes in each ear, an eyebrow stud and a nose ring. It's not the stereotype...but it fits. It's totally you K, and Miss Anna is going to flip a shit."
Kristiana was about to reply to her friend when a voice from the front seat stopped her
"Kelleigh Francesca Clara Burns. Watch your mouth. No man is going to want a wife with a dirty mouth."
With a roll of her eyes Kelleigh gave an automated reply of "Yes Mama" it was comments like these from her mother that reminded Kelleigh she came from an aristocratic family in the city. The rest of the ride to the studio remained silent until they watched Kelleigh's mother pull away at which point they both started laughing
"Kell, does anybody know you're bringing me here?"
"No, now lets go; you know Miss Anna hates it when we're late"
Kelleigh grabbed Kristiana's hand and pulled her towards the studio, hearing an audible groan as she did it.
They walked into the dance studio, Kristiana keeping her head down until they reached The front desk, where every visitor had to sign in.
"Hi Miss Lacey!"
"Hello Kelleigh, just have your friend sign in and you can head back; you're in Studio B today"
Kristiana moved to sign in, she'd been going to this studio for year and she has never once been asked to sign a visitor's pad. She wrote her name in the elegant script Ducky had taught her since she could properly write. Lacey spun it around not really thinking about much
"Alright have a nice day at our studio Ms. Kristia-holy shit."
Her sentance was abandoned once her brain comprehended the name on the page and Kristiana was ennveloped in a hug. When they lived up here Lacey VanGelderen was one of Ziva's closest friends, she along with everybody else at this studio watch Kristiana excel and grow and then spin out of control. No matter the moment, Kristiana always had to be sarcastic
"You know Miss Lacey, that was a bad word and what was it that you and Miss Anna used to drill into us during class? Oh yeah, "classy never trashy kids, stick to your class or you're out on your ash"
"Good to have you back kiddo, now the two of you, Studio B"
The girls hurried back to the studio, because now they were late. They stopped in the waiting area to take off their street shoes and change into their flats. Kelleigh in her well used pink ones and Kristiana in her new black ones. With one last look at each other they opened the door and everything stopped, nobody could see Kristiana as she was standing behind Kelleigh.
"Kelleigh you're late."
"I know Miss Anna"
"You know what your punishment is right, 50 situps, over there; now."
"Miss Anna, it's not my fault! My friend here never really understood the concept of 'don't be late to dance class'"
The dance instructor raised an eyebrow at the young girl as she walked closer Kristiana walked out from behind her friend.
"You know Miss Anna, however blunt my friend might be she's right. It's been a while since i've had to do my hair like this and it took a longer than expected." saying this all accompanied with a signature DiNozzo smirk.
At the sound of the voice many of the students who had been there for years turned around, one in particular was interested in her presence, Dustin Sterling, her dance partner. The one she bailed on a week before nationals, leaving him to drop out of the competition. He stared at her for a moment before walking over to her at an alarming speed, and giving her a hug. Apparently she was forgiven for her stunt. Atleast by him, Miss Anna on the other hand was still glaring at her, clearly unimpressed that she just turned back up here after months of being MIA. Though, that was to be expected; it was her name on the line, her studio at stake. You don't just pull your top kids out of nationals a week before it happens.
"Dustin, back in formation. Kelleigh, situps over there. Kristiana; hallway, now."
The girls looked at eachother, Kelleigh with wide eyes and Kristiana stoic. They made their way to their instructed locations before anybody spoke.
"Miss Anna I-" she didn't have time to finish what she was about to say before Miss Anna cut in
"Kristiana, what the hell are you doing here. Contrary to popular belief you can't just walk in and out of here whenever you want to. There are rules Kristiana, rules I expect all of my dancers to follow. One of them being you cannot just abandon your team, your dance parnter and your studio at the drop of a hat, especially a week before nationals. You made me look stupid out there. Now you have the nerve to walk right back in here, with piercing all over your face; you better have a good goddamn reason for this young lady."
She expected nothing less from her dance teacher, she had let her down and nobody had ever told her why. It still hurt though, she met her eyes; the intense blue ones of her dance teacher and then Kristiana's deep brown ones. She took a deep breath before she spoke,
"I was raped."
Anna stopped mid response and looked her in the eyes, "oh dear god"
During the next 10 minutes Kristiana told Anna everything, in a shortened condensed version of course. She found that the more she said it the easier it got. The less she wanted to curl up in a ball and never come out. By the end of the conversation Anna was much more understanding and wasn't as hostile as before.
"How long are you here for kid?"
"The trial's in 2 weeks, so probably a little over that time. Why?"
"Our annual recital is coming up. You and Dustin never got to perform your routine to E.T; if you're up to it the invitation is open."
"You mean, perform our duet at the recital?" Kristiana was shocked to say the least, Miss Anna always had these things set months in advance and in her experience only changed it once, and she was very unwilling.
"If you're up to it."
"Definintely" They smiled at each other and walked back into the studio. The recital was always on the 3rd of July. That was a little less than a week away. This was crunch time and she knew it. She remembered the routine and knew she could do it. She just wished that Gibbs, Abby and McGee would be there too see it.
A/N: Thank you for reading and i'm sorry it's a few weeks late but it's up and next chapter you'll see the recital and possibly the court hearing. Please review :) I see the follows and favorites but it would mean a lot if you reviewed it for me.
Cia