An Agent's Weakness
Matilda Rosemarie "Matt" Haycroft
27 December 2000 - 17 September 2013
Dead but never forgotten.
Holly stared at the gravestone from her wheelchair which was at the front row. On one side of the aisle sat Matt's uncles and father's parents Steve and Brenda who sat beside Violet Fitzwalter, Rosie Haycroft's mother. On the side with Holly sat Darren, Nathan, Tabby and Jared, plus half of NCIS including the team who sat in an unbroken line of sorrow on the second row. Even Vance and Gibbs looked close to crying.
"We are gathered here today to mourn the passing of our beloved Matilda or as she was known by her friends, Matt," the vicar said, struggling not to cry himself as he looked at the child's grave. "We're going to hear some words from her adopted father Jethro Gibbs, her biological grandfather Stephen Haycroft, her boyfriend Jared Vance amd her best friend Hermione Gibbs. Agent Gibbs, if you would care to step up..."
"Matt was great," Gibbs stood in front of the casket. "She was proud and cheeky. And she was quite frankly a pain in the ass. But that's why we loved her. She was my foster child for just a year but I'd known her for much longer. Her late parents, Rosie and Harry, were great friends of mine and I wish to honor their memory as well. That whole family were absoulutely incredible."
"My eldest grandchild," sighed Steve, looking at the name on the headstone. "She was a comfort to me and sometimes I do wish that I'd chosen to adopt her. Then she may not have stayed in Washington and gotten shot. She deserved a lot more than she got."
"My first girlfriend," Jared was crying as he took the stage. "And my first love. I'll never forget you Matt, I promise."
Finally, Darren wheeled Holly up to the stage. "Matt was my best mate. I've known her since we were like three. She was a right laugh and good for a cheer up if you were down in the dumps. She never stopped any of that, not when her mom got diagnosed, not when her dad died. She was always positive. Always smiling. And her ambitions to become a footballer were always her prime motive. She enjoyed baseball too. In fact that's the last thing I really remember doing with her before I had her blood all over me. I know that she was a great fan of English football, her favourite team was Liverpool for some absurd reason. Her grandma told me that she paid them ten million to dedicate a match to her. She'd love that. But what I want to say is that she deserved a reward, a medal of some sorts. She died trying to protect me."
"Like a true NCIS agent," Director Vance came up. "I'd like to see Matt posthumously receive a medal for her troubles. I'll put in a recommendation with SECNAV."
"Thanks Leon," Gibbs smiled, a lone tear on his face.
"Come on Holly, let's get out of here," Darren smiled to Holly.
"Darren," Holly said quietly, deep in thought. "Come here."
Darren came around to face her and the second he was within range, Holly punched him so hard he tripped down the stairs.
"If you hadn't said go on that stupid balcony she'd be alive!" Holly sobbed. "Don't talk to me. We're over."
END OF CHAPTER.
I'll be returning to work on this soon but in the meantime I have a fantastic idea for a crossover between NCIS and the Hobbit. Yes it sounds odd but...