The Life Of The Daughter Of NCIS

Chapter 4: Little Monkey

Gibbs

"DiNozzo?" I stated.

"Yes, Boss." I could hear people in the background.

"Am I interrupting something?" I asked as I made my way down the road.

"Nothing that matters. What's up?" Tony replied

"Az."

"She didn't take the news of the Reynosa's well." He supplied.

"Exactly." I climbed into my car "she ran off." I heard DiNozzo groan.

"I'll get Ziva and we'll help look."

"Rule 12 DiNozzo." I warned.

"No, it's nothing like that, we just met at the bar and it depressing to drink alone."

I hummed in agreement before ending the call, I rung McGee so he could track her phone but she had left it at the house.

Next I rung Abby to check that Azalea hadn't crashed at her place, Abby said that she hadn't seen or heard from Az since Sunday, though if Az stopped by she would call me.

I checked the free running centre, the diner and NCIS but Azalea wasn't at any of them and none of the people there had seen her.

"Az wasn't in town and none of the transport has seen her, so she can't of gone far Boss." Ziva presumed as I climbed into the back of Tony's car, I just gave her a look "never assume Ziva." I told her, referring to one of my rules.

"Boss what if the Reynosa cartel got her?" DiNozzo asked quietly, I was forced to turn to the idea of Az being kidnapped, a volatile girl running blindly through the dark was a tantalising opportunity for bastards like the Reynosa's. Horrific images and scenes flashed through my mind as if it was a slideshow, I shook the nightmarish pictures out of my head, and forced myself to think positively.

"Where could that Little Monkey go?" DiNozzo muttered, I hit the back of the chair with my palm "DiNozzo, the woods." I ordered, he froze for a second as it dawned on him,Tony floored it, driving so wildly it almost rivalled Ziva's.

I was out the car before it had pulled to a shuddering stop. The rain had progressed from a dribble to a almost torrential downpour in the time it had taken to drive here, as I jogged through the forest I shone the torch up the trees in to see if I could spot her, after about 10 minutes of searching I found Az up a large Oak, she didn't seem to be moving.

I groped for a handhold in the large trunk before pulling myself up, it was a difficult journey, there wasn't any branches to haul yourself up by until you reached the fifteen feet mark. I pulled myself up onto the subordinate branch, I reached over to shake her shoulder, one arm protectively secured around her waist like a seat belt.

Az's skin felt like cold marble as I laid my hand on it, she stirred "what are you doing here?" She grumbled, pushing herself up "we didn't give you the nickname Little Monkey for nothing." I told her. She smiled slightly, dozing back off into her unconsciousness, I took off my damp hoodie and covered her with it to try and keep the chill reaching her soaked clothes. "C'mon let's go home." I murmured, slowly slipping onto the branch below and pulling Az with me, instinctively she wrapped her arms and legs around my torso as I picked my way down.

DiNozzo and Ziva were waiting patiently in the car, lights on full beam into the forest, I walked round to the back and slipped Az into the seat, I got in the other side, pushing short wet strands of hair out of my face "there is a sweatshirt in the back Gibbs, if you want to use it." Tony called, looking in the mirror at my drenched clothes. I shook my head, looking down at Azalea who was curled up in my jumper, head resting on my leg. My mind wandered to when Azalea first showed me her escape mechanism was climbing.