Chapter 15
Semper Fi
To a normal human being it was a normal piece of paper on an official United States Marine Corps letterhead and nothing at all to be feared.
To former Gunnery Sergeant Fiona Brendon, it was something she dreaded each and every year, now more than ever.
'It' was the annual invitation to the Marine Corps Birthday Ball.
Stopping in DC had seemed like a good idea at first, but now Fiona was wishing she could be anywhere else.
Two weeks ago, Dean had called Fiona who was staying with Sam at a motel in Ohio. The three of them had talked for a long time and when Dean arrived, they talked even more.
Sam knew that they needed to stick together. As a unit, they were stronger and even though Sam was still afraid he'd go back to the demon blood, he knew that it was something he couldn't battle on his own.
Dean didn't say exactly why he wanted the three of them back together, but both Sam and Fiona could tell that something had rattled him.
xxx
The invitation had arrived on a cool fall morning and Fiona had acted like it was a letter bomb.
Dean didn't quiet understand what the fuss was about but Sam could tell that that Fi was bothered by the notion of going.
"Sounds like it'd be fun," Dean said as he handed Fiona a cup of coffee before sitting down at the kitchen table.
"It's not like I've never gone before," Fiona replied, staring at the invitation. "I just… don't want to go this year."
Dean frowned at that, not sure what made this year so special. But deciding to put off that question for later, he said, "Look, it's one night. Sam and I will even go with you."
Fi's eyebrows rose and she fixed Dean with a dubious look. "You? You would wear a tux and go with me to spend a night with a crowd of Marines?"
Dean didn't want to say that it was the least he could do, but he was sure it showed in his eyes.
Before rejoining up with Fi and Sam, Dean had had an unexpected visit from Zachariah who had flung the hunter 5 years into the future. It hadn't been pretty—Bobby was almost vicious after loosing Ellen in 2012, Fiona was dead, Chuck hoarded toilet paper, Cas was practically human and a stoner, and Dean hardly recognized Jo who had become a cold-hearted killer of all things supernatural.
And then there had been Sam.
Dean's blood still ran cold when he thought of his brother, who had become Lucifer's chosen vessel, talking about killing Fiona when she refused to join him.
Separated, everyone Dean cared about had been systematically destroyed. That was enough to prove to him that unity was the only true way to win against the Devil.
But before Dean could say anything to Fiona, he stopped when someone knocked on the front door.
X
Tony DiNozzo didn't want to be here, standing outside the townhouse that had belonged to Fiona Brendon and was now Ziva's home. Looking around outside, Tony admired the work Gibbs had done on the wheelchair ramp and the new front porch and swing.
As soon as Gibbs had heard about his goddaughter's situation, he and Ziva had worked together to make sure that Fiona would be as comfortable as possible when she was there.
Bringing himself back to the present, Tony reminded himself why he was there and reluctantly knocked on the door a second time. When the door opened, he saw Dean Winchester who looked a bit surprised to see the federal agent standing there. "Can I help you, Agent DiNozzo?"
"God, I hope so," Tony replied, his tone making it clear that he didn't want to be there. Pushing his pride and ego way, way, way down, he said, "I need your help."
Dean was surprised that the NCIS agent was asking for help, but he shrugged and stepped aside to let the other man pass. "So what do you need our help on?" Dean wanted to know as he led Tony to the kitchen.
Tony handed over a file and Fiona flipped through it as Sam came in from the backyard. "Two murders and one guy in the hospital. All three victims were…"
"Were what?" Dean asked with a smirk realizing that whatever the case was, it obviously involved something out of the ordinary.
Sam, who had started looking through the file, gave an astonished laugh as he read, "A high school English teacher was mauled by what the police believe to be a grizzly bear. A Navy Lieutenant Commander was found in the woods after being lost for more than a week. And a Marine Corps corporal was killed when a piano fell on him."
Dean looked doubtful at that last one and said, "A piano?"
Sam found the report and read aloud, "Corporal Garrett Martin was crushed by a piano when movers accidentally dropped the ropes they'd been using to haul it."
"And that's just the incidents themselves," Tony said, wearily. "Witness statements aren't adding up and the evidence is telling us next to nothing."
"What kind of evidence?" Fiona asked, curiously.
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"The only thing all three victims had in common," Abby said to Fiona, Sam, and Dean as they looked at the pile of evidence bags scattered on the table in the middle of the lab. "—are these." Abby held up a few bags containing—"Candy wrappers. Like… a ton of them. Found at each crime scene."
Sam and Dean exchanged a look before saying in unison, "The Trickster."
"Trickster?" Abby repeated, puzzled. But after a moment, her eyes widened as she said, "You mean like Loki?"
"Pretty much," Dean confirmed. "So tell us about the victims."
Abby pulled up background on all three victims, focusing on the guy still living first. "Lieutenant Commander Mark Harmon," she said, bringing up the man's stats. "He went on a solo hiking trip and was missing for a week before a local Girl Scout troop found him wandering aimlessly. According to McGee, Commander Harmon sometimes punished Marine privates by dropping them off in the woods without any supplies."
"Fits the profile," Sam said, looking at Dean before turning back to Abby. "What about the other two guys?"
Abby did some quick work on the computer and replied, "Corporal Garrett Martin received multiple noise complaints over his piano playing at all hours of the night when he was on leave. And our English teacher is a retired Marine Sergeant who used to hunt bears in Shenandoah Park."
"Okay, so, a Trickster," Fiona said, looking at the three victims. "Great. What now?"
"Now we gank the mother," Dean said with surprising enthusiasm. "Fi, you and Abby see if you can nail down anyone else who fits the profile." But before he and Sam headed for the door, Fiona's voice made him stop and turn.
"No," Fiona said, flatly. Looking at the Winchesters, she said, "Either we're all in this together or we're not."
"Look, if we know who the Trickster is likely to be after, we can find him faster," Dean argued, pushing Sam out the door before Fiona could say anything.
Abby looked at Fiona and after a moment, gave her a hug.
Hugging the forensic scientist back, Fiona gave her a smile. "Thanks, Abby," she said, wishing she could go back and undo everything that happened before.
Sam had been puzzled when he and Dean had left Fiona back at NCIS but when Dean drove to a formalwear shop in Anacostia, he was even more confused. "Dean, what the hell are we doing here?"
Dean parked and turned the engine off before he started to speak. "Honestly, Sammy? I don't care about the damn Trickster."
"Who are you and what have you done with Dean?" Sam asked, not sure what to make of his brother's statement.
But Dean pulled out the invitation to the Marine Corps Birthday Ball and gave Sam a look. "Why the hell do you think Fi doesn't want to go?"
"Cause then she'd have to explain why she left the Corps?" Sam replied, not sure where the conversation was going.
Dean sighed and took a breath, trying to be patient with his younger brother. "Or because she'd have to explain why she can't walk," he said with a knowing look. When Sam sighed as well, Dean rubbed his face with one hand. "Look, Sammy, I…"
"We're dealing with it, Dean," Sam said with a shrug, knowing how much his older brother hated 'chick-flick-moments'. "You and I are doing the best we can. We're helping Fi best we can… What else can we do?"
"Yeah," Dean muttered, nodding. Building his resolve, he got out of the car, noticing that Sam was following suit.
"So what are we doing here, Dean?" Sam asked again, as the two headed into the shop.
"We're going to make total fools out of ourselves for a girl, Sammy," Dean replied, browsing the racks of evening dresses.
In the lounge at NCIS, Ducky sat opposite Fiona as she sipped a cup of coffee and he sipped a cup of tea. "How are you faring, my dear?"
"I don't know," Fiona admitted as she played with her cup. "Some days are better than others."
"Well, naturally," Ducky replied with an understanding nod. "But I would think that being with the Winchesters would help some."
Fiona didn't really feel like talking about it but she also felt she needed to get it off her chest so she said, "Dean's been keeping me out of the more dangerous hunts. And I understand why. I do. But I'm not useless, Ducky."
"I'd hardly think that you were," Ducky assured her. He'd known Fiona for years—nearly as long as he'd known Gibbs—and he always thought of her as one of the most amazing women he'd ever known. "You've never been one to run from danger. You have an unfailing kindness, yet you're also strong-willed and determined."
"Thanks," Fi replied, wishing she felt a bit better. Leaning back in the wheelchair, she sighed. "As a hunter, you accept that you're gonna get hurt. Sometimes it's even something requiring a hospital. But no one accepts or expects something permanent."
Ducky could certainly understand that, but he countered, "What about your fellow Marines?" Seeing Fi's look, he said, "You are not the first wounded warrior, Ms. Brendon. And you know quite well that some warriors are able to return to battle after being injured."
"It's not like missing a leg," Fiona argued. But she knew what Ducky was talking about. Hearing someone behind her, she turned to see Sam and Dean coming up and—just like when the two brothers first walked back into her life—Dean held a large package. "What's this?" she asked, taking the box with a wary look. It didn't seem to be very heavy so she doubted that it was weaponry. Opening it, she was stunned to find an elegant evening dress in navy blue with red trim. It had spaghetti straps—also red—and looked somewhat similar to her Marine dress uniform.
"Sam and I rented a couple of tuxes," Dean said, and even as he saw the argument on Fiona's face, he held up a hand to halt her protests. "The three of us are going because I've already asked Ziva David to be my date."
Fiona fingered the dress, thoughtfully. She wanted to refuse, but looking at Sam and Dean, she couldn't find it in her heart to say 'no'.
The guests were just starting to arrive at the Greenbrier Hotel when a '67 Chevy Impala rumbled up to the front.
Dean got out and went to the backseat to offer his hand to Ziva who looked beyond stunning in a slinky black dress, her hair done up and her feet in stiletto heels.
Sam helped Fiona out of the car and into her wheelchair, following his girlfriend as she led the way into the hotel, Ziva and Dean behind them, arm in arm.
Fiona didn't feel as nervous as before, but she still looked around with trepidation. There were already one or two people she knew and they were looking at her with questioning looks.
"Hey, you made it."
Sam, Dean, Fiona, and Ziva turned to see a man standing behind them and judging by the looks Sam and Dean were giving him, Fi deduced that this was the Trickster they had been looking for.
"Oh, don't look at me like that," the Trickster said with a smile as he glanced around at the Marines and guests filling the ballroom. "Besides… Little crowded in here, wouldn't you say?"
"What do you want?" Dean snapped, taking care to keep his voice down.
But the Trickster smiled at Fiona as he said, "Just need to borrow Fiver here for a moment."
Fiona stiffened at the use of the nickname but she looked at the others before saying quietly, "I'm not back in half an hour… tell everyone he's a terrorist."
In a quiet alcove, the archangel/Trickster looked at Fiona and said, "So… ready to face the world again?"
"You've got 5 minutes to tell me what the hell you're doing here before I break a table leg and stab you with it," Fiona warned, crossing her arms which enhanced her bust.
"You know," the Trickster said, giving Fi a sly look. "Not many women can look sexy while in a wheelchair, but you…"
"4 minutes, 32 seconds," Fi said, coolly, checking her watch.
"You know, believe it or not," he said, taking a step back. "—smiting people gets dull after a while. So, yeah… I killed those two guys as a way to lure you out, Fiona. You know why?"
"Why?" Fiona asked, not sure where this was going.
But the Trickster was still smiling as he said, "Because folks like you aren't in it for the money, or the glory. You're out there trying to make the world a better place. You belong here tonight, Fiona. You, the Winchesters… And I don't know about you, but the gal that Dean brought?" He let out a wolf-whistle.
Fiona shifted in the wheelchair and adjusted her dress. "So what do you want? And don't think that I don't recognize you from the hospital."
"You really want to know?" Fiona nodded and the Trickster bent down and whispered in her ear. "How about a chance for you and Sam to get it on again? I know for a fact that you two have been sex-free ever since you were stabbed."
"That's the whole reasoning behind this?" Fiona asked, doubtfully. "So Sam and I can get back in the saddle again?"
"No," the Trickster replied, pointing at the entrance to the ballroom. "That is the reason behind this."
Fiona turned and saw two of the Marines she'd commanded and their families. Looking back at the Trickster, she started when she saw that he was gone. After a moment, she took a deep breath and wheeled over to the two Marines.
x
Sam couldn't help smiling as he watched Fi join her fellow Marines. He could see that she was nervous as she answered the questions asked and when one of the ladies looked over at him with an appraising look, he felt his cheeks redden as he gave a wave of greeting.
"You okay, Sammy?" Dean asked, seeming to take amusement at his little brother being embarrassed by ogling women.
"Let's, uh… let's go grab our table," Sam muttered, as he led his brother and Ziva to a table where—to their surprise—Gibbs was already seated with a glass of bourbon in front of him.
Sitting down, Dean flagged down one of the waiters and ordered a round of drinks. When the drinks arrived, Dean looked at his companions before raising his glass of scotch and saying, "To Dad and James Brendon."
Sam hesitated a moment before raising his own drink and adding, "To Mom and Jess."
Ziva seemed reluctant to make her own toast, but finally she said, "To my sister, Tali… and to Special Agent Caitlin Todd and Director Jenny Sheppard."
Gibbs went last and there was a deep-set sadness in his eyes as he said, "To Shannon and Kelly."
They all clinked glasses and took a drink, each drifting in their own memories of loved ones and friends lost.
Realizing that the mood needed lifting, Dean raised his glass for a second toast and said, "To the Impala." Catching the astonished and quizzical looks from the others, he went on. "She may not seem like much, but she's home."
Sam laughed softly at that and after thinking for a while, finally said, "To… a well-stocked arsenal. The best defense against anything."
"To a well-sharpened blade," Ziva added with a smile. "Because knives never run out of bullets."
"Hear, hear!" Dean said, laughing.
When it came to Gibbs, the older man smiled and said, "To a half-finished boat in the basement, a full bottle of bourbon, and a clean, empty jar."
xxxx
When Fiona joined the table more than half an hour later, she found Gibbs, Ziva, Sam, and Dean still toasting and drinking.
"To Fiona!" Sam said, brightly—he wasn't exactly drunk, but he was obviously getting close. "The most amazing woman I've ever met!"
"To Fiver!" Dean agreed, joining in.
"To the woman who convinced me that becoming a hunter was not a wise career move," Ziva chimed in.
"To my favorite goddaughter," Gibbs just said with a warm smile.
Getting her own drink, Fiona smiled as she drank with the others. After looking at the other Marines coming in, she looked at the others and raised her glass. "To family by blood, family by love, and family by friendship."
"To family," Ziva toasted, raising her glass as well.
"To family," Dean and Sam said in unison, although both of them were wishing Bobby and Ellen were there for this particular toast.
"To family," Gibbs said before they all clinked glasses. "Semper Fi."
"Semper Fi," the table said in unison, toasting one more time before each of them drained their glasses.
A/N: Next chapter—Pagan gods, (Yes, I used the plural) bedroom trysts, and more of the NCIS team.