Disclaimer: I own nothing. Not Gibbs, not Ari, no one do I own. This is all for amusement. There I said it, now can someone have Ari put the gun down slowly…
STORY INFORMATION
Summary: Evelyn Matthews came to NCIS with one goal in mind, to get close to Agent Gibbs. But how exactly do you go about telling a man that you're his dead daughter?
Pairings: EVENTUAL Ari/Evelyn(Kelly)-ARLYN SHALL RULE THE WORLD-
Tate
Tony/Evie friendship
Ducky/Audrey (Other pairings will appear when I decide)
Warnings: Greyish! Eli, Neutral! Ziva
NOTE: Things I lack knowledge of I have researched from the internet, and while I do try to make sure information is accurate as can be determined some things may not be, so I apology before hand for any mistakes or ignorance on my part.
I also want to thank, athena9090, 777musiclover, UKgirl17, Tig442, Thedarkstorm,asdfaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa, UnknownFlux, HannahbananaJane, JainaSyal, skeeter88, stargatesg1973, Notheronebitesdadust21, smilin steph, bulletproofdeath, Leonarange, torontogirl12, wisergirl71301, LovelyxLittlexLauren, Rayne90, janno, Kendra29, Hope'sFace, lexilia, Annie016, KrisShannon, StarlightShivers, MismatchedSocksandKnickers, 1956johndeere50, Amelia Jessica Pond Williams, BrianB1126, calliegirl63, leoniebroeder94, Sirius7, byLunaA, SecretsAreHiddenByMe, Too Hard to Be Called Love, BurnedSpy, NikkiAlex, adrienmaciel, Annie016, bakaprincess85, spikewil, thelauers918, Animanga-smile14, Nicole1314, Trance20666, Viivs0612, sophiemom01, Rika92, Callipygian, EisForElephant, EzziBA, Curiouser-and-Curiouser101, Annika Sparks, CryDevil, Monochrome13, PayShaFan, Cosmos89, doggy bye, goldengloss, GibbsTonyZivaTim, CSIflea, FictionWriter09, ange1993, RedRiver21, winterhail, Tenshi of Heaven, MusicLover500, TwilightLover162, Romantic Journalist, JrSnape, xLyraCharlottex, JamesBond2007, Lizzy2586, SkullKey4758, Shades-Soul, lightningx94, ihateyoubaby, GryffindorWolfSlytherinHybrid, I am One with the Wind and Sky, OzNCISLover, Suddenly Psychotic, ElizabethMartin101, summercampgoddess, LTree16, RedEyedSurprise, katgirl9585, EmeraldFox01, Flausch, RAD092515, LegalAddiction20, ginny917, Som3on3, dogsrme, Hikari no Hoshi, thedarkrstorm, Tig442, UKgirl71, 777musiclover, athena9090, The Italian Rose, bera0053, LadyPheonixKnight and andrewjeeves for the favs!
I want to thank, Dricsj, Gibbs Girl Kelly, HannahbananaJane, JainaSyal, Lady Knight Aria of Haven, Notheronebitesdadust21, Probie girl1717, UnknownFlux, cheether, chrissypotter, Leonarange, lexilia, pavinet, torontogirl12, skeeter88, stargatesg1973, wisegirl71301, OzNCISLover, Kendra29, andrewjeeves, Fantasyfictionwriter, XxstarburstmonterxX, alterangirl, cookie62, kc5mzr, LovelyxLittlexLauren, Rayne90, faith1430709, jbn42, jrfan2383, yadoonkeenjaani, BONES-LOVER-94, FourHorses, IwouldrockJoshuaJacksonsWorld, lauram314, Angel-Lilly16, Captain Kathryn Janeway98, Jeremy Kelly, TivaBelieva.x.x.x, KrisShannon, Tris Holmes, Jenna Craig, MismatchedSocksandKnickers, jtr1812, Amelia Jessica Pond Williams, BrianB1126, calliegirl63, leoniebroeder94, CSIflea, MDDC26, Sirius7, amurdock42, byLunaA, buffy1242, Too Hard To Be Called Love, starchild295, swimgeek2007, Lady Isabelle Black, vampireacademyrulz797, Arkansas Sweetheart, Sweetest-Time, janno, Russian Flower, SimplyReBECca, GraceSong, Marauders Twilight, NikkiAlex, horsegirlrule, adrienmaciel, Alpha Centarus, Angelus320, Dreamspirit47, MrsScott323, bakaprincess85, mitchievw, potiongirl1992, Nicole1314, Trance20666, Viivs0612, cwatker222, Mal4Inara, sophiemom01, Pandora'sBox11, Callipygian, EzziBA, Curiouser-and-Curiouser101, leFlame, LadyMary33, swanqueen4, PayShaFan, Angelhaggis, starwarsfan1000, goldengloss, GibbsTonyZivaTim, Irjuni92, pinkrangerforever, persephone829, Forest Angel, RedRiver21, Nightwing's Gal, Emerald Pixie Dust, peacesista123, RogueShadow94, TwilightLover162, x-xLittle-Miss-Brown-Eyesx-x, x-X-x-Donna-x-X-x, xLyraCharlottex, Danielle89, Dark Alana, JamesBond2007, Lizzy2586, SocietyMember, SkullKey4758, Shades-Soul, tomboy4997, ihateyoubaby, lachicarebelde22, D3ANwasH3R3, othlvr16, GryffindorWolfSlytherinHybrid, Firecrane930, Dreamsb223, I am One With the Wind and Sky, Paddy and Moony's Angel, Suddenly Psychotic, gotta-love-acheron, Ugla, Willow Tree 26, Soccergirl0388, Collingwood39, Jowin28, sammyboyaldaway, BoredZero, RedEyedSurprise, katgirl9585, EmeraldFox01, Stars2008, Darkwitch716, NavyGirl05, bloodshadows, LegalAddiction20, Skyagon, jowhity, Som3on3, Rianna Hunter, dogsrme, Hikari no Hoshi, Souls of the Blue Fire Pheonix, thedarkrstorm, MeliaAlexander, Tig442, BlackIce33, silkly0670, Ladycat21201, 777musiclover, , jessgreenslade, animefreakv23 the beast, FarmerLiv, hummingbird23, Limetka.111, LadyPheonixKnight and zebraclrgard for all the follows!
I apologize if I missed anyone, if I did just give me a shout out like 'Mirror, how could you?' Seriously all PMs are welcomed. :D And I know I lost some favs, and follows, but I'm keeping y'all on here anyways.
Wanna give a special thanks to, Buckeye am I, cwatker222, byLunaA, Soccergirl0388, smilin steph, and jethro10, for the reviews! THANK Y'ALL! If I have missed you and your review, or follow, or fav, just PM and I'll fix that.
Guest Reviews: No guests this time. lol
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
'Bang Bang'
"A storm is coming."
Her comment was soft, cutting the silence that hung over them. The afternoon air was still around them as a line of ducks waded through the lake, and Evelyn sat in her backyard watching the thunder clouds build up in the distant ominously. She was curled into Ari's side, and her face was expressionless, but there was so much in her blue eyes that it left Ari more than a little concerned. She had spoken little since her grandmother's departure, and he knew it had to with him. The woman had recognized him, he had realized that in the first few minutes of speaking with her, and while his survival instincts told him that she was a threat. However, he would never harm her because she was dear to Evelyn.
Ari sighed, heavily. He had many sins to answer for, many dark deeds staining his soul, and one day he knew that he would have to pay for them whether it be in this life or the next. Many things could be said of him. They could judge him in a thousand other ways and find fault, but in Evelyn's eyes she always find some good to see in him. There was a part of him that felt this wasn't fair, that she was only deluding herself and he should set her straight about what type of man he truly was. But he was selfish, and he wanted her to always look at him like that. "Tell me what is on your mind," Ari said, his fingers skimming across her delicate neck.
"You're not even going to offer me a penny?" She chuckled, but her humor fell flat. Her smile soon fell after it and she let a out a huge sigh. She watched as the baby ducks followed the mother one around the lake, and she felt a heavy sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. "Do you ever feel like…you're living on borrowed time?" She asked, her blue gaze turned towards him. "That you're just stealing moments until everything just comes crashing down?"
"All the time," Ari said, with a bitter smile on his face.
"That's how I feel right now. I feel like everything has been going so well, that I've been so lucky that something is going to give and when it does…" Evelyn bowed her head, and shook it slightly. "I don't know. Maybe I'm being overly paranoid or cynical."
"Fear is nothing to be ashamed," Ari told her, understanding better than she knew. His dark eyes pierced through her, and he see the unrest upon his shoulders. He stared into her eyes for a long time. Forever would never be long enough for him to live there. Right there in her eyes. He drew in a breath, and her scent enveloped him. The faint aroma, fresh like the blossoms of spring. There were so many things they should have said, so many things that needed to be talked about but perhaps in the end they were both cowards. Too afraid to count the hours that could be ticking away, and when they were up…they were up.
"It is when it holds you back from…everything," Evie stated, as Ari drew a strand of her hair and tucked it behind her ear. Evelyn didn't move, didn't pull away, just leaned into him and let out a soft sigh. "You know when I picked you up off that parking garage…" Evelyn pursed her lips. "I knew it would complicate things." She turned her head and met his eyes. "I don't regret it. Really, I don't. But that doesn't mean I don't have these doubts or guilt. I've been…" she licked her lips. "I've really been thinking about my choices, now more than ever."
Ari fingers ran through her hair, and she could see him warring with the longing to ask her to elaborate. He however, held his tongue not wanting to push her. And she knew that he did not wish to have this conversation. She didn't either. They had ignored it all, shoved it under the rug to clean up another day. But there was this horrible feeling in the pit of her stomach, a horrible gnawing that left her breathless and she leaned into Ari, soaking up his warmth for comfort. "To be honest, Ari," she said slowly and perhaps a bit cautiously, "the first time I agreed to trust you-after you kidnapped me the second time-I argued with myself ever step of the way. I didn't know what I felt about you, or what I should feel. The second time…I realized that no one else got the chance to see you the way that I do. Perhaps no one else ever will."
She turned her back towards the thunder clouds that built in the distant. The faint stirring of the wind brought sounds of the far off thunder and she could see the flashes of lightning from here. She sighed. "I don't say this to make you upset, or have you draw away from me. But the longer that you stay here with me…the longer I want you to stay," Evie stated, biting her bottom lip.
"I would stay. If you asked, I would stay," Ari suddenly said, and afterwards he felt a bit foolish. It was not fair of him to say that. Not when he knew that there was a great possibility that he could not do that.
And she knew it, too. Her fingers ran across his jaw gently, and there was such a sad yearning on her face that it made his heart skip a beat in his chest. Craving struck him swiftly, hot and bright and shocking. His fingers reached out, and grasped her chin pulling her towards him. She blinked, but pull away. Her hair fell over his arm, soft and unbelievably silky. Every detail burned into his mind, as he bent his face toward her. He wanted to remember her. He wanted to remember everything about her.
Her eyelashes fluttered, and her lips parted in a swift inhale. Then his mouth settled on hers, in the softest of kisses. His fingertips bit into her waist, slid over her belly and caressed her hip as his mouth took hers. The world around them melted away as heat soared until he could hear the roaring and crackling of flames. Her body melted against his while his heart roared in his ears. She tasted a little like strawberries champagne, going straight to his head and hitting him hard. She made him weak and he knew without a shadow of a doubt that she belonged in his arms.
He couldn't stop kissing her, and she couldn't get enough of him. Her hands grasped his shoulder to hold herself steady, and she ached for more. Desperate for more. "Ari," she murmured, against his lips as his tongue stroked her lips in silent permission. She opened her mouth to him, and Ari tried not to be rough. However, his mouth had a mind of its own and his hand left the nape of her neck and fisted in her hair as she drew her into his lap.
His. She was his. Men like him didn't get to have homes, or anything they couldn't walk away from at a moments notice. All the money he acquired over the years, whether through legal or illegal means, would never be able to be spent on a home. Or wife. Or children. Yet, every fiber in his being said Evelyn was his—was made for him. It was so easy to get lost in her, to forget the world around them and just sink into oblivion as long as she fell with him. The suddenly something struck him through the pleasured dazed. The hair on the back of his neck rose, and he felt something in the pit of his gut twist violently.
"What…why did you…" Evie panted, out of breath.
"There is someone coming up the driveway," Ari said breathlessly. "Are you expected someone?"
For a moment, Evelyn stared at him clearly dazed then she blinked hard, and her expression melted into something wary. "No. No one that I know of," she said, and in a split second she found herself sitting on the ground as Ari carefully dislodged her off his lap. He rose to his feet in one swift moment, and Evelyn scrambled after him. The hair on the back of her neck rose up as her heart started racing for a whole other reason as an unfamiliar vehicle came barreling down the driveway. The tires skid and gravel flew into the air as the car came to an abrupt halt, dangerously close to her car.
Ari drew the gun from his waistband and had it raised as the door flew open. Shock hit him like a punch to the gut as he watched his sister stumble out of the car weakly. "Ziva?" He asked, his handgun falling to his side.
"Oh, my God!" Evelyn clapped her hands over her mouth.
It was Ziva. She was hobbling along, putting more support on her right leg and her clothes were torn and bloody. The right side of her face was black and swollen so bad that her eye was sealed shut. "I have to…" Ziva breathed out, then her eyes rolled into the back of her head and her knees buckled right out from underneath. Ari caught her right before she hit the ground, and felt the slickness of blood coat his hands. His stomach twisted violently as he realized this was his father's doing, there was no doubt about it.
Evelyn was at his side, and her face blanched of all color. "We need to get her inside," her soft voice broke through Ari's daze. "I'll get some towels and some bandages," Evelyn said, her hand coming up to squeeze his shoulder reassuringly and pressed her forehead against his shoulder blade for a split second then rushed towards the house as if the hounds of hell were nipping at her heels.
Fornell was driving way too slow. And Gibbs told him so. Many times, with deadly glares pointed in the FBI agents direction and if looks could kill then Fornell would have been a goner. Finally, Fornell rolled his eyes and said, "I am the driver. You shogun. Shut your cakehole."
"Cakehole?" Kate arched an eyebrow from the backseat, unimpressed. "Glad to the know the FBI stick to maturity," she stated, blandly.
Fornell shot her a look in the rearview mirror, and just pressed on the gas pedal a little bit faster. The tension in Gibbs's shoulders eased ever so slightly, but the fear pounding in his blood did not fully go away. His past sins coming back to haunt him. He killed Pedro Henadrez in cold blood to avenge Shannon and Kelly. Now, Pedro's son was coming back for revenge. He gritted his teeth together, and his fingers clenched into tight fists, the knuckles white. His blue eyes were sharp and narrowed on the road before them that seemed impossibly long. In that moment, his cellphone rang and he reached into his jacket pocket and flipped it open. "Gibbs," he barked.
"Hey, boss."
"What do you got for me, DiNozzo?" He asked.
"Nothing helpful from our suspect, but McGee is working on tracking down Alejandro Rivera as we speak," Tony stated, quickly. "Also, with Abby's help McGee found out that our FBI mole was not contacting Alejandro directly."
Gibbs paused. "What do you mean?"
"What he means," Abby hijacked the phone, "is that our mole was feeding someone information, and that someone was feeding it to Alejandro Rivera."
And things just got more complicated. Gibbs pinched the bridge of his nose, and glared balefully at the storm outside. "Any idea who?" He asked, darkly.
"Not yet," McGee's quiet tone came over the phone next.
"Why the hell not?" Gibbs snapped.
"We are trying," Tony took back control over the phone, and his tone implied there was something Gibbs was not going to like. "We are trying to track the money exchanges, and the phone calls, but every step of the way we are getting blocked."
"By who?"
There was a moment of silence before Tony reluctantly answered. "Our very own NCIS director…and Mossad," Tony stated, with a heavy sigh.
Gibbs froze in seat. Gibbs had a sharp mind, it was what made him a damn good NCIS agent. Initially he understood Jenny's deflection, Mossad and NCIS worked well together. Anything that implicated Mossad in anything could very well impact NCIS. He pushed that to the side because that was not he important part. The important part was Evelyn was working with the FBI. She was working with something that Gibbs would not have supported, that much was clear by Fornell's dodgy behavior. But the piece…the piece that cemented it all together in his mind was: Mossad.
"That bastard is at my daughter's house, isn't he?" Gibbs's demanded, his voice ice cold as a violent rage boiled in his gut. He saw Fornell stiffen in his seat, and his heart dropped.
"I have no-" Fornell began to deny, when the click of a gun sounded through the car.
Kate's eyes widened. "Gibbs! What are you doing?" She looked at him, her face paling.
Gibbs ignored her, his steady gaze was upon Fornell and his gun aimed straight at Fornell's lap. "Don't fucking lie to me, Fornell," Gibbs stated, harshly. "I consider you a friend, so don't lie to my face. Is that bastard Ari Haswari at my daughter's house?"
Kate gaped, her brown swept towards Fornell. There was no way, her mind shouted. Absolutely no way that Evelyn would allow that prick into her house.
"It's not the kid's fault. Not entirely," Fornell defended Evelyn, lightly.
Gibbs's jaw clenched. "Son of a bitch," he cursed, violently. His hand gripped his gun so tightly that his finger began to go numb, and he turned the most vicious look he could muster upon Fornell. "Drive faster," he bit out, his words came out as a growl.
This time Fornell obeyed without complaint.
Rivulets of red swirled around in a spiral through the stainless steel sink, and spun down the drain as Ari washed his hands clean. His mind clinically categorized the wounds that he had cleaned, stitched, and bandaged. There had been many-too many-and each of them a harsh reminder of the kind of life that he and Ziva lived. He was not accustomed to feeling guilt, but in this moment he could not quite escape it. Ziva's injuried were upon his head. His father had turned on her for harboring Ari's whereabouts of that Ari had no doubt. He twisted the faucet off with more force than necessary before he stared out the window. His eyes raked across the green yard, and the tree lines as rain and lightning streaked downward from the sky.
His father knew where he was. Whatever play he would make, would be made soon and Ari could not be here when it was made. And neither could Evelyn. He glanced down at his cellphone screen.
Location compromised. Need assistance. -AH
The reply went:
On our way. -TF
His teeth ground together, and he resisted the urge to punch something violently. His breath came in harsh, uneven draws and he placed both of his palms against the counter tops as he heard Evelyn soft footsteps come up behind him. He stayed still, not moving a muscle and he could feel her hesitate before she leaned up behind him, wrapping her arms tightly around him. Her cheek rested upon his shoulder, and she asked, quietly, "How is she?"
Ari gave a wary sighed, hearing the transparent fear in her voice. The line of his mouth dipped down at the edges as he closed his eyes tightly. "Her physical wounds are painfully, but are not dire. They were not inflicted to be lethal. Mentally, Ziva is strong. She had been prepared for such things. She awoke for a few moments, enough time to tell me that our location had been compromised before she once again lost consciousness," he stated, and his jaw clenched tightly.
"Have you…" She paused, for a second. "Have you informed Fornell yet?"
"Yes."
"Oh."
Ari grasped her hands, and broke her embrace in order to turn and face her. His fingers entwined into hers, and he stared down at her, his expression softening. "We knew that…this was a possibility," he said, his voice quiet and grave.
"I know," Evelyn nodded. Her heart sank in her chest, as if someone had squeezed all the emotions out of it and left nothing but an empty shell behind. She knew he was right. She just wished she knew exactly what it exactly meant for them, any of them. She chewed on her bottom lip, and her cellphone felt heavy in her pocket. Gibbs, Evie thought faintly. I should I call my dad. He would know what to do. But even as the thought crossed her mind, she knew it couldn't do it. Gibbs would be furious to learn about Ari. He would kill Ari before Evelyn could even explain anything. And while that would make her father's year, she would rather avoid that happen.
"Regret bringing me here now?" Ari jested, but there was a serious scrutiny in his eyes as he focused his gaze upon her face. His hands slid up to lazily rest upon her shoulders, and her body leaned towards him instinctively.
"Never," she said, with a smile. And she meant it. The butterflies were fluttering around in the pit of her stomach as she stared up at his face. He was so beautifully masculine. Why him? She wondered, lightly. Why did she hold her breath and wait for the brush of his fingers on her skin when she barely tolerate others?
His eyes were amazing. A deep tawny color, almost pitched black in the shadow of the room. She thinks that is what done her in. The last bit of her self-preservation gone the very second the moment she looked into his eyes. There was such a intensity, a smoldering desire there that he couldn't hide. His eyes couldn't lie, not to her. His fingertips brushed across her cheek bones, and then down to her stubborn chin. She was hyper aware of the skin-to-skin contact, and the innocent touch still made her heart sped up. She leaned forward, her hands grasped the back of his neck anchoring her to him as his lazily slipped one arm around her waist.
He was mesmerized by her, by the sight and feel of her, by the way she looked at him—as if he were the only man in the world. It was there in his head, that conviction that there could be no other for him. Evelyn drew in a breath as he leaned down, his nose brushing against hers almost teasingly before his lips sealed against hers in a slow, sensual motion so he could savor the taste of her. However, the slow tenderness did not last long. Evelyn tunneled her fingers into his air as she gave a small whimper, a plea for him to deepen the kiss. She felt his smirk against her lips before he obliged. He urged her mouth open, and his tongue devoured every inch of her mouth in an attempt to dedicate the taste and fill of her to memory. Evelyn melted into him, so sweetly and his hands smoothed down her the sides of her face against her neck before pausing upon the buttons of her shirt. He could feel the pounding of her heartbeat beneath his hands, and the quiver that ran through her. His fingers began to unclasp the first button when he noticed a drift of air brush past him, and he stiffened. He broke the kiss slowly and raised his head to peer over Evelyn shoulder in time to see a pair of enraged blue eyes.
Ari cursed violently in Arabic, and shoved Evelyn out of the way as Gibbs tackled him hard. The both of them slammed into the wall with a loud bang, and Evelyn stumbled backwards in shock. It took her a split second to comprehend what was going and her heart felt like it was ripped right out of her chest. Words got choked in her throat as she stood rooted to the spot unable to stop them from fighting.
Gibbs was fast-surprisingly so-and had the element of a surprise attack. However, Ari managed to block the blow with his forearm. That didn't mean Gibbs stopped. No, in fact it seemed to fuel Gibbs's rage even further. Gibbs delivered a hard one-two punch to Ari's gut sending the former Mossad agent stumbling backwards into the living room table. Ari grunted, refusing to fold or fall to his knees. It took everything in him not to draw his weapon.
"I'm going to give you the beating of your life, you son of a bitch!" Gibbs spat the words at him, a low, controlled, rage smoldering in his tone. His hard blue eyes bored into those dark, unfeeling ones. Ari ripped free from Gibbs's grasp by sending his knee up into the man's solar plexus and took a step backwards. They circled one another, like two warriors on the battle field. Eyes sharp and cold, and faces taunt with determination. Gibbs exploded into action, driving a hard punch which Ari blocked, but Gibbs lunged forward, throwing a punch that grazed Ari's jaw. It would have made contact if Ari had not twisted his face out of the way.
"Dad! Ari! No, stop!" Evelyn shouted, her voice strangled. Fear burnt through her veins, sharp and whitehot, as it seemed her nightmare was unfolding in front of her and it was all too real. The air in the room seemed to vanish leaving it very hard to breath, and Evelyn felt dizzy as if the world was spinning around too fast and too violently. "Fornell!" She screamed at the top of her lungs, just knowing that the bastard was somewhere in the house. Her body lurched forward in an awkward motion, the need to stop them and pull them apart overwhelming, but fear kept her back. The helplessness was suffocating.
Punches and kicks were exchanged. They were both violent, fast and efficient, and either could easily kill the other and would gladly given the chance. Ari saw a dozen opportunities to kill the NCIS agent and the reason he did not act upon them was because he could hear Evelyn yelling in the background for them to stop. It was her presences in his mind that held him back. "Perhaps, Agent Gibbs," Ari grunted as a blow landed on his right ribcage, "we should talk this out before it gets too out of hand?" The suggestion was only made because Ari could not hold back his instincts forever.
Gibbs wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and spat out a mouthful of blood. His gaze clearly said that he would do nothing of the sort. He punched Ari hard in the face, and the force of it sent Ari to his knees. He didn't even have time to prepare for the next blow that sent him down on the floor.
"Gibbs! Enough!" Fornell stormed into the room. Kate following right behind him, and her brown eyes widened at the scene before.
"It won't be enough until that bastard is dead!" Gibbs snarled, and made to move forward when the unmistakable sound of a gun being cocked made everyone fall silent. For a moment, no one moved. No one dared breath, and Gibbs slowly craned his head to find himself staring at a pair of eyes much like Ari's except on a young woman's face.
"Ziva," Evelyn breathed out. Relief flooded through her body, then she against the wall for support when her legs shook feeling akin to something like jelly.
Kate reached for her weapon, pulling it out. "Put it away, Agent Todd," Fornell stated, sharply.
"You aren't my boss, Fornell," Kate replied, just as sharply. Her gun trained on the exotic brunette ready to pull the trigger at a moment's notice. She saw the woman's-Ziva, if she heard Evelyn correctly-eyes flicker toward her, but immediately they flickered back to Gibbs dismissing Kate as a potential threat. Kate let out a miffed noise in the back of her throat.
Gibbs narrowed his eyes on this 'Ziva', and was only marginally surprised she didn't wilt underneath his stare. Instead, Ziva returned it with one of her own. "You get one shot," Ziva told Gibbs, simply. "I know what my brother has put you through, and I will let you have one free hit because there is no excuse that could ever absolve him completely of the terror he brought upon your team. But you go after him again, I will shoot you. Being civilized is not something I am good at, and neither is Ari. He has instincts which he is suppressing, but he cannot suppress them forever."
Gibbs stared, calculating and Ziva's lips curled upward ever so slightly. "Don't be stupid. If you know my brother Ari half as well as I suspect you do, you know what he is capable of," Ziva stated, bluntly. "I am capable of much, much worse."
Ari snorted, but Ziva shot him a glare.
Gibbs let out a long breath through his nose before he turned to Ari, who was picking himself up off the floor and his jaw clenched tightly. His eyes were arctic cold, gleaming with repressed fire. He curled his fist so tight his knuckles blanched white, and he pulled his fist back and threw his entire body into the motion of the punch. It cracked against Ari's jaw painfully.
Pain exploded through Ari's head, and he could feel the adrenaline burn hot through him and he let harsh breath as Gibbs rose carefully. The NCIS agent painfully aware of the gun trained on him as his eyes flickered up to Evelyn. Evelyn stood there, her side pressed into the wall for support and her face was white as a ghost. Her blue eyes were wide and frightened, filled with tears of panic. Each breath came in sharp and painful wheezes, Evelyn slow sank to her knees.
Betrayal lanced through him like a burning hot blade, Gibbs stared down at his daughter and he felt a piece of his heart break. He swallowed thickly and made his way to her side. He stood there and stared down at her, his mind and soul at war with each other before he clasped her roughly by the arm. He hauled her to her feet, not gently, but neither harsh enough to hurt her. He took deep even breath and turned to Fornell with a the harshest glare he had ever given. "You will tell me what the fuck is going on here, and right now," Gibbs bit out, the rage barely contained. "Or I swear that Fornell I will not be responsible for what happens."
Evelyn couldn't breath. The room felt unbearable and too hot. She broke out in a sweat and her panic was full-blown. She couldn't speak, couldn't get the words out. Fornell, however, had no such affliction. "Eli David, Director of Mossad was…less than pleased with Ari's deal with the FBI. He needed a place to hide out until the water settled, and Evelyn was already well acquainted with him. It seemed like a reasonable spot to hide him," the FBI agent spoke, and made it sound so simply when it reality it was not as clean cut as that.
"How long?" Kate asked, surprised. Her eyes flickered to Evelyn, who stood there her face turned downward and her gaze suspiciously wet. "How long has he been here?"
"A few months," Fornell replied, vaguely.
Gibbs stood still before turning to Evelyn. "You've been keeping this from me?" He demanded, his voice sharp, and grave. "For months?"
Evelyn swallowed, thickly. She ducked her head, unable to look him in the eye as her cheeks flushed in mortification. "Since you shot him in the shoulder," she replied, quietly. She saw Gibbs cringe back from her, and his hand fell off her arm. She could feel him shut down on her, feel him draw himself away and build a wall. Just like when she first joined the team, only this was a hundred times worse. She dared to look up and saw Ari standing beside Ziva, his dark eyes on Evelyn the whole time. She silently pleaded for some strength to help hold her up, and she saw Ari jerk as if to walk to her.
He restrained himself, and it was a hard effort. She looked so lost, and so pained that he wished nothing more than to soothe it away. However, right now it would only make things worse. His hands clenched into fists at his side, and he let out a long breath slowly to cool his nerves.
"We would have told you of this," Fornell gestured at Ari, with a grimace. "But given your…volatile association with Ari in the past, we thought it best to leave you in the dark."
"In the dark, huh?" Gibbs stated, bitterly. "Until when Fornell? Until I found my daughter on a body slab put there because of this bastard?"
"Dad," Evelyn whispered out. "Please just-"
"Evelyn," he bit out. "Shut. Up."
Her jaw clicked shut, and guilt clogged her throat as the muscles in her chest tightened and squeezed. Her entire body hurt, from her head to her toes as the blatant rejection he gave. She valiantly kept the tears back, and looked downward at the floor unable to look him the eye.
"And so I don't have to say it again in a moment," Gibbs pinned Ari with a glare. "You shut up, too."
Ari arched a brow, but he stayed silent. Not because he was particularly frightened by Gibbs per say. He was more frightened by the gun in his sister's hand, and the look she shot him telling him clearly to stay quiet. Gibbs ran his finger through his hair roughly, trying to find some way of being calm about this and finding none. In the end, he let out a frustrated growl and pinned Fornell with a glare that promised retribution. "Get your men in here. Do the sweep of the area, and we are getting them out of here," Gibbs demanded, leaving no room for argument.
"Out of here?" Evelyn blinked.
Gibbs did not answer. Instead, he stalked out of the room, his face twisted with anger and violence simmering beneath the surface. Evelyn jumped when she heard the door slam shut behind him, and that was when the first tear fell. Fornell worked his jaw while running a hand down his face trying to pinpoint when this became such a clusterfuck. "We have to move you to a new safe house," Fornell informed them, tiredly.
"Why?" Ari demanded.
"Because there was mole," Kate shot him a glare. "And they know that you are here with Evelyn."
He had already suspected as much with Ziva's warning. Ari's face was blank, but there was a tension that visibly ran through his body. "How long until we move out?" He asked, tonelessly. There was little else they could do at this moment in time, except to follow Fornell's lead.
"We are going to sweep the house for bugs, then we are going to sweep the grounds for any lurkers before we set out," Fornell stated, with a pinched expression. "You have anything you need to pack, get it now."
There was moments in her life that she called everything into question. Her relationships, her choices, her job. It was a natural process that everyone faced, but never had she felt so uncertain of any of her choices before. Well, that was not exactly true, she thought as her gaze swept over to Ari who stood quietly propped up against her bedroom wall as she packed some of her things. His cheek was swollen and purple, along with a bloody lips just some of many wounds he sustained from the fight. She did not regret her choice so much as the way she went about them. Perhaps if she had gone to her father like her gut told her so many times these past few months, it wouldn't have been this bad.
She knew it wouldn't have been good. Gibbs hated Ari, so there would have been a bad reaction, but perhaps it would not have been to this magnitude. Maybe it wouldn't feel like someone had ripped her heart out of her chest, and ripped all into tiny piece then tried to shove it back in. Maybe it wouldn't feel like she just lost any chance she had at having a relationship with her father. "Are you alright?" Ari's voice cut through her thoughts, and she jumped because she honestly had forgotten he was in the room.
Her blue eyes caught his, and any assurances she was going to give promptly died on her lips. She let out a harsh breath, and shook her head. "No, I'm really not," Evie stated, her voice toneless. Guilt was eating away at her, relentlessly, but right now she wasn't sure what she could do about it. Gibbs had made it clear that he would not talk to her. He hadn't even glance in her direction since the fight, and that probably hurt more than any shouts ever could.
Ari frowned, and quietly he walked over to her. He placed his hands upon her shoulders, but he let her have her space at the same time. "I'm right here, Evelyn," he stated, knowing she needed to here these words right at this moment. "I'm not going anywhere."
A choked noise ripped through her throat-a sob? A broken laugh?-and she reached up, tunneling her fingers through her hair in an aggravated motion. "I don't know what I'm going to do," she admitted, weakly. "I always mess things up. I always act first, and think later and now…God, this is pathetic. I'm pathetic. I have to do something. I have to make things right."
"You have tried so hard to make everything right, because you think that will make everything better. But sometimes, Evelyn, we can do everything right, and still lose," Ari commented, before pressing a gentle kiss to her temple.
"What if your not prepared to lose?" Evie asked, her hand coming up to her shoulder and covered his.
"No one is prepared to lose," Ari stated, seriously. He knew that from experience. "It still happens. But until you are certain that you have lost…keep fighting. It is not in your nature to give up so easily."
Evelyn let out a heavy sigh. "If it only it was that easy."
The world was silent. Too silent.
From the quiet sway of the trees, to the gentle drops of rain, and even the thunder had fallen silent. The dark clouds had made the night look even darker, or perhaps that was just Gibbs's mood that colored them so. No matter how many times he counted backwards in his head, or how many calmly breaths he drew in, he could not dispel the anger that burned through his like molten lava. He was angry at Fornell, for keeping this from him when it involved his daughter. He was angry at Ari, because the man was a good for nothing bastard. And lastly, he was angry at Evelyn. He tried to wrap his mind around what possibly motivations she could have had, but it was a hard thing for him to do because in no universe would he ever consider helping Ari Haswari. The front door opened, and he knew just from the foot falls who it was walking towards him.
He wished Evelyn would just turn around and go back inside. He didn't want to be angry at her. Hell, she was his daughter. His baby girl. And the fact that she so recklessly threw her into something that was likely to get her killed-killed after he found her!-made him angry than the fact that she was harboring Ari, but only by a small margin.
"Did Fornell's men find anything?" Evelyn murmured back in a low tone. Her gaze flickered to him, half hoping to catch his eyes before she quickly looked away afraid of what she would find there if she did.
"You should be in the house now," Gibbs snapped. The majority of him not wanting her out here when the danger was so great, and another part of him angry at her. His blue eyes slid over to her, and he was keenly away of the pain upon her face.
Horror was a metallic taste in her mouth. She had ruined everything, the thought struck her like an arrow to the heart and she stumbled back away from her father. Her chin quivered, and she blinked hard to keep her brave face up. "You shouldn't be out here alone," she stated, softly. "Someone should have your six."
"I have Kate for that," Gibbs stated, dismissively. He didn't want to hear whatever Evelyn was going to say. Whatever the excuses, whatever the explanation. Right now he could not stomach them, as the sight of Ari and his daughter ran through his mind over and over again. His throat convulsed with pain, as his urge was to shout to scream, but in the end the words wouldn't come out. He looked at his daughter, and his emotions were so mixed that he didn't know what to say or to feel at this moment in time. Betrayed. Anger. Worried. And so much more.
Evelyn ran her hands through her hair, and she shifted from foot to foot. "I'm sorry," she blurted out. With a grimace, she closed her eyes and placed her hands to her forehead. An apology? That was all she could say? Resisting the urge to groan, Evie opened her eyes and looked at her father.
"I know," Gibbs said, resigned. No heat in his words anymore, just the same sheer exhaustion that Evelyn felt deep down in her bones. "Damnit, Evelyn, what were you thinking?" Gibbs demanded, his voice hoarse. Her eyes closed as her heart lurched in her chest painfully. "Did you even stop to think? Did you even consider the risks? Not only for yourself, but for you team?"
"I…" Evelyn fumbled with words. "I didn't mean for this to happen," she breathed out, shakily.
"We don't always mean things to happen, Evelyn. Sometimes they just do," Gibbs twisted towards her, his blue eyes hard.
"Are we going to be able to get past this?" She asked. She didn't want to ask, but she had to know. Her head throbbed painfully, tension shooting up to her temples and down to the base of her skull. Her heart was like a drum of war inside her chest, and she stared at her face with stark blue eyes.
Gibbs stood there for a moment, his hand twisting around the porch railing as the question echoed inside her mind. "I'm not sure if I can get past it," he said, and the second the words fell out of his mouth he wished he could take them back.
She felt her heart break. A sharp intense pain blossomed in her chest, and she bit the inside of her cheek in order not to dissolve into tears. Instead, she sucked in a deep breath grappling with her composure and murmured, quietly, "Oh."
"Evelyn…" Gibbs breathed out.
"It's okay..." she said, trying to put up a façade, but it failed. Her voice shook and her eyes betrayed everything she was feeling as tears burned within them. "I completely understand," she breathed out, and she did understand. He wanted her to trust to him like he was willing to trust her, and she had betrayed that trust on both ends.
Gibbs opened his mouth when the sight of a red dot on the side of Evelyn's temples stole his words from his mouth. Horror struck him, quick and white-hot, and her name ripped through his throat in a scream.
"Kelly!"
A gunshot ripped through the night. A body slumped to the ground with a loud thud and a horrified scream was muted by the ominous sound of thunder.
And there was so much blood.
END OF CHAPTER
I know a cliffhanger. You all hate me. :D
NOTE IMPORTANT NOTE:
It's about The Girl in Memory: Spooks Edition. Okay, so I know some of you mentioned that you were sad to see The Girl in Memory (the original) come to an end, which will be in the next few chapters. So, I've decided that before I wrap this story up, I will go ahead and at least post the first chapter of Spooks Edition in the next couple of weeks. That way when this story ends, you all have that one to start reading. Anyways, hoped you enjoyed the chapter!
Rrs are appreciated. :D