NCIS Short Stories

"She's Gone..."

Some parts of it may be a little strange. I am thinking about re-doing it later.

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February 28, 2016

"Morning Boss," Tony DiNozzo smiles at me.

"Morning," I say back. McGee and Bishop sit at their desk and smile as well. I walk to my desk and see a note has been left on it. I pick it up and open it.

I'm sorry Gibbs. You know where to find me if you need me. – Abby

The one thing I didn't want to be reminded of today. It's been 25 years since Shannon and Kelly were killed, and I'm still not over it. Honestly, how can I ever been? My first wife and daughter were brutally murdered by a drug lord.

"Gibbs," Director Vance calls my name from upstairs, "MTAC."

"Yes, sir," I mutter and as I walk to the stairs I notice that McGee, DiNozzo, and Bishop are all giving strange looks.

"And let me get one thing clear," I say to them, "If I even think I hear someone bring up what happened today, that person is getting a head slap!" Then I run up the stairs as fast as I can. I'm about to scan into MTAC until the Director puts a hand on my shoulder.

"Actually my office," he says. I follow him in, "Sit, Gibbs."

I sit in the office chair across from him, "What's this about?"

"You sure you good today?"

"Yes, I am," I quickly reply back.

"You can go home if you-," I quickly cut him off.

"I'm fine, Leon," I say and stand up, " I haven't let it bother me for 25 years and i'm not starting now." I storm out of his office and walk through the squad room.

"Boss? Where ya going?"

"Abby's lab," I say as the elevator doors close. Once they have, I put my head on the side. As the senor agent, I'm supposed to be the strong one. Be the boss who won't give up on his team. I have kept that promise for years. But there are moments when you don't think you can keep going; you can't live without a support system. Personally, mine has always been my team. We all have each other's backs and we are always going to. When you lose an agent, like we have many a time, we fallback on each other. Semper Fi, a Marine would say. The doors open and I walk into Abby's lab.

"Hi, Gibbs."

"Hey, Abby," I say to her.

"Whacha doing down here?"

"Well," I smile, "Vance things I should go home and everyone in the squad room thinks I'm about to go crazy, so I came to the only place I know that's not going to happen."

"Awe. Gibbs, that's so sweet," she hesitates, "So how are you?"

"I'm really fine Abby," I say.

"Ok, I believe you."

Abby's phone rings and she picks it up.

"McGee." He talks for a moment, "Yea, he's down here. Who? Oh my gosh. Yea, I will."

She hangs the phone up, "Let me guess, I'm needed in the squad room?"

"Yea, but I'm coming with you."

"Ok, that's fine with me."

We get on the elevator, and walk to the squad room. A woman, in her thirties with red hair, is standing talking to McGee and DiNozzo. Bishop sees me and taps DiNozzo on the shoulder.

"Boss, um, we have someone you need to meet," he says.

The woman turns around. She's beautiful.

"Hi," I say, "Jethro Gibbs."

"I know," she says, "I'm Kelly. Kelly Gibbs."

I don't really know why, but it sets me off, "Very funny. She's gone."

"No, she's not," the lady says.

"Kelly was murdered 25 years ago."

"Boss," McGee interrupts, "We ran her prints. She's your daughter."

I refuse to listen any more. I start walking away.

"I can prove it," she says, "The little burn I got when I was five. The one that kind of looked like a smiley face on my arm." She pulls her sleeve up to her shoulder. And there it is. I remember the burn, the day she got it. Her mom was cooking and Kelly accidently hit the pot when she walked by. She cried for hours.

"Kelly?" I say just above audible.

"Dad." She runs to me and give me a bear hug, which I return.

"I thought you were dead," I whisper in her ear. She lets go and DiNozzo grabs the chair from behind his desk and offers it to her. She sits and they all go sit back down, acting like they are filling in reports, when they are listening to every word I say, "What about your mother?" I'm holding on to hope that she is somewhere, safe.

A tear streaks down Kelly's face, "Mom was killed on impact." I let out a shuttering breath. I didn't realize I was holding it. I close my eyes for just a moment.

"How did you survive," I ask her.

"I don't know. The crash burned the bodies in the car. I escaped the flames and ran. That's all I remember. The last few months I started remembering names and faces. I was a clerk at a convenience store in Pennsylvania. I got enough money to come here and I found you."

"I'm glad you did," I say.

"So am I," she hesitates, "I remember the desert, the heat, and walking for hours on end. I found a little village and stayed with the locals. I started forgetting what happened, and moms face and yours. I wanted to die out there. About a year or two ago, the village was destroyed. I found the town in Pennsylvania and started working at the store."

"I'm sorry I wasn't there," I say.

"You are now," she smiles.

"And I won't be leaving."