NCIS

Chapter One

"Where do you think you're going?" 

I froze, my hand still on the door knob. I cleared my throat, nervous now. I had hoped to slip out before Caleb saw me and deal with the consequences later, but of course not. "Out?"

Caleb rounded the corner and leaned against the wall, arms crossed, watching me. "Are you now?"

I closed my eyes briefly, defeated. "No." I said quietly.

Caleb pushed off of the wall and walked over to me, slamming his hand against the door by my face, his other hand gripping my chin and forcing me to look at him. His eyes lowered to my lips before flashing back to my eyes. He kissed me, forcing my mouth open and deepening the kiss. He pulled away from me, his eyes narrowing. 

"Living room." he growled, "Now." He tilted his head, before stepping back. I kept my eyes on the ground as I walked over to the living room. Flinching, I did my best to keep still as Caleb slid his arms around me. He kissed my neck slowly, before turning me around and pushing me into the couch. He got on top of me, kissing me and grinding against me. I closed my eyes, trying to remember the book that I was reading.

"Caleb?!" 

Startled, Caleb looked up to see my mom- standing in the doorway staring at us. Caleb jumped up and started towards her. "Elizabeth, please- I can explain"

My mother shook her head, "No. You get out of this house and stay the hell away from me and my daughter."

My eyes widened at her bravado. Caleb shook his head. "I can't do that Elizabeth. I love her."

"She's just a child, Caleb! This is not love. This is sick." She looked over at me. "Run Bella. Call the police."

As Caleb started to turn towards me, I bolted. I ran to my mom's bedroom and shut and locked the door behind me. With shaking hands I grabbed the house phone and dialed 911. 

"911 Operator, what's your emergency."

"Please help us," I whispered. "1314 Lemmony St." My eyes widened as I heard two gunshots ring out.

I jumped as Caleb started banging on the door. "Bella, you open this goddamned door right now!" I hung up the phone and looked around the room for somewhere to hide. Deciding on under the bed, I dove under it just as the door busted open. I clutched my hand over my mouth as I watched Caleb's shoes walk closer to me. They stopped beside the bed.

And that's when I heard the sirens. I watched as Caleb hesitated for a moment before dashing out the door. I curled in on myself as relief and terror washed through me. Terror at not knowing what was going to come next.

What seemed like seconds later I heard people talking at the doorway. I could make out three different voices. 

"Gibbs, she's under the bed" I heard a female voice say.

A moment later, I watched as a pair of boots entered the room. I scooted further back when I saw a face appear, peering under the bed. It was an older man, with gray hair and blue eyes. "Are you Bella?" he asked me gently. 

I regarded him thoughtfully, trying to decide if I should talk to him or not. I went with the latter. 

"Bella? My name is Special Agent Gibbs, can you come out from under the bed so we can talk?"

I vehemently shook my head. Gibbs regarded me quietly for a moment before he spoke again.

"Bella? I just want to help you. But if you don't come out from under there, some people are going to come and make you get out, do you understand?" He paused, and when I nodded, he held out his hand to help me out. I studied his hand for a moment before I took it. 

After I had climbed out from under the bed, Gibbs helped me sit down. "Bella," he said softly, "Bella, do you know what happened to your mom?"

I nodded. "She was killed." I told him. I paused, then added without thinking, "I know who did it."

Gibbs tilted his head and I lowered my eyes to my hands, watching them as I twisted my fingers together. "And who would that be?"

I fell silent, still studying my hands. 

Gibbs looked over at his colleges and nodded to them. Without a word they left.  "Bella? You're safe now. Whoever did this, they can't hurt you."

I snorted in derision. Yeah right. I may be young, but even I knew that Caleb had connections.

Gibbs glanced over at me, "Why aren't you at school right now?"

I stayed silent. If I told him that Caleb taught me he might put two and two together. 

"Why were you here alone?"

I still kept my silence.

"Do you know why your mom came home early from her deployment?"

I shrugged. Gibbs raised an eyebrow. "Is there anything that you are willing to tell me?"

I tilted my head, considering for a moment. "I had Cheerios for breakfast this morning." I told him matter of factly. The corners of his mouth turned up slightly.

"I have to take you down to headquarters Bella." Gibbs told me gently. 

My eyes widened and my hands began to shake at the thought of what Caleb would do to me if I left. I shook my head violently, "No. No, I can't do that."

Gibbs tilted his head slightly, "Why?"

I shook my head, backing away from him, "No. I can't leave. I can't."

Gibbs watched me carefully. "Why can't you leave, Bella?"

I bit my lip, chewing it nervously. 

"Bella?"

I whirled around at the new voice directly behind me. Another man stood there. He had the arrogant confidence of Caleb, but with an air of kindness that was completely foreign with me. He was blonde with a tint of red in his hair with gray blue eyes, that were more gray than they were blue. He reached his hand out slowly and I regarded him cautiously. 

When I didn't pull away, he rested his hand on my shoulder. "My name is Patrick Jane, I work as a consultant." 

I stepped back, feeling trapped. "A consultant?"

Patrick half smiled, "Well, yes. Their words of course, personally I think I'm more of a lead on any of this than they are."

I stared at him, confused.

"Right. Anyway, I believe what Gibbs was trying to say is that you aren't safe here. More than that, you're a minor. And as officers of the law they can't exactly just leave you here can they? Unless there is someone who can stand in as your guardian. Whoever has been watching you while your mother is deployed perhaps?"

It dawned on me now what Patrick was trying to say. Unless I gave Caleb up, I had to go with them. There was no way he could argue with that logic. Right?

Finally, I nodded. "Okay. I'll go." I didn't miss the look that Patrick and Gibbs shared as Gibbs ushered me outside. I scanned around the house carefully, looking for any sign of Caleb. When I saw none, I slowly got into the back seat of a black, discreet SUV.