Who are you?

An easy Observation

Callen's pov:

Today was a really quiet day. Sam and I only have some observation to do, easy but really boring . The guy we are after went into an apartment 2 hours earlier. As I already said, a boring day. Sam is doing origami again, i will never get how that is relaxing him but whatever helps him stay calm I guess. When an old black van pulls up in front of his curb he rushes out with a smirk on his face. We follow them with a small distance so they won't notice us, after only a few minutes they stop so we pulled over also. Suddenly they jump out and grab a small looking teenage boy. Sam and I immediately run over to help but when we come close the boy had two of them already floored and out cold. The last one got kicked in the stomach just as we pulled out our guns. „Federal Agents freez!" we shout out.
The boy froze for a second before sprinting of. Looking shocked at Sam for a second and then run after him, while he ran to follow with the car. Damn he is fast!! I hope we catch him!!
„Hey! Stop! We just want to help!!" I yell after him. Just when I thought I lost him, Sam pulls up in front of us.
„Hands up in the air!" sam shouts. He slowly lifts his hands up and I make my way to up to him so I could take of his backpack. What I didn't expect was for him to turn around to get my hands of the backpack. Even less did I expect the „boy" to be a girl!! Her fierce glare was impressive! When she starts to sign with her hands I slowly realize that she has to be mute. Not knowing if she could hear I show her my mark so she would see that i'm a cop and won't hurt her. She seems to relax a bit so I tell Sam to come over. He seems to have gotten what was going on since he also showed her his mark. Getting out a notebook and a pen, I wrote out that we need her to go with us so we could find out why they were trying to get her. She starts to shake her head vehemently. But we don't give her a choice, since that would mean that they maybe be getting her. She try's to break free but we could get her before she could ran off again. Calling Hetty to tell her that we caught the run away and are bringing her to the boatshed. The way there Sam and I talked about what Kensi and Deeks found out about the three kidnappers. But apparently they won't talk till now. Maybe we should let them know about us having the girl but that could put her in danger so that won't happen. Walking into the interrogation room i point to the chair. Telling her that i am going to look for a bigger notebook so we could communicate easier. That is exactly what I'm doing right now searching for a notebook.
„What do you think they want from her?" sam asks while watching her on the monitor.
„I have no idea Sam but I hope we find out soon. You think she will cooperate?" I ask him back. I'm not sure she would to be honest. He just shook his head, guess we this is going to be interesting. We both walk in and sit opposite of her, I hope she is going to trust us! It would make thinks way easier.
„Ok, lets start with an easy question. What is your name?" sam asks her without a reaction from her. Which I guess would of been logical with her being deaf and mute. Taking the notebook, I wrote out what Sam had just asked. Turning it over so she could read it, we wait for her to answer. She looks at us for a minute before she took the pen. What should that mean? Those are numbers? Wait a minute, I know that number? Taking the pen again. From where do you have the number? Turning the page over to her, she just underlines the number and wrote butterfly beneath it. I look at her trying to figure her out, not knowing what I should think of this. Pulling out my phone I call the number she wrote us down. He picks up after the second ring.
„G! How are you?" Gibbs asks.
„I'm fine Gibbs thanks for asking. Sam and I just had a runaway after someone tried to kidnap her. She won't say anything but she gave us your number and the word butterfly, what can you tell me about it?" I answer him getting an uneasy feeling after his sharp indrawn breath.
„I want to talk to her G! Now!!" he says determined. Ok, something is off!
„Gibbs what is going on? Do you need help?" i ask while my gaze hardens.
„Now G!!" he nearly shouts through the phone.
Putting my phone on the table, well after I put it on speaker.
„El was ist passiert? Geht es dir gut?" (what happened? Are you ok?) Gibbs asks. Ok now I need to concentrate! I knew I learned German for a reason but it's a bit rusty.
„Mir geht es gut. Weißt du was hier los ist?" (I'm fine. Do you know what's going on?) she answers. What? I thought she was mute! Sam looks shocked as well but also confused.
„Ich weiß nur das Drago aktiv nach Dir sucht. Das ist der Grund warum ich dir gesagt habe das du bei mir bleiben sollst El." (I only know that Drago is actively looking for you. That's why I told you to stay with me El!) Gibbs tells her sounding more worried than I ever heard him.
„Drago? Bist du sicher?" (Drago? You sure?) she asked sounding and looking scared for the first time since we found her.
„Leider ja. Hör zu, du bleibst bei Callen! Er passt auf dich auf bis ich in LA bin. Ich bin so schnell es geht bei dir." (I'm afraid so. Listen, you stay with Callen, he is going to keep you safe till I get to LA. I'm coming as fast as possible.) he instructs her.
„Ich kann auf mich aufpassen bis du da bist! Babysitter brauche ich auch nicht und das weißt du!" (i can watch out for myself till you get here! I don't need a babysitter you know that!" she answers angrily.
„Ich bleibe sicher nicht bei Callen! Er wollte mir meinen Rucksack wegnehmen!! Das ist meiner, den darf keiner angreifen! Den hast du mir geschenkt nicht ihm!" (i definitely won't stay with Callen! He wanted to take my backpack from me! But that's my backpack, no ones allowed to touch it! You bought it for me, not him!) she jumps up angrily! Why is she so possessive of that damn backpack it's pretty worn out already.
„Ich werd ihm sagen er soll es nicht nochmal angreifen Schatz, er wusste nicht was er dir bedeutet! Aber du musst bei ihm bleiben bis ich dort bin, bitte versprich es mir!" (I'm going to tell him to never do it again love, he didn't knew how much it means to you! But you have to stay with him till I get there, please promise me!) he soothingly replies her. She took a few deep breaths before nodding slowly to herself.
„Ok, ich verspreche es. Muss ich mit denen reden?" (ok, i promise. Do i have to talk to them?) she agreed luckily, but why wouldn't she want to talk to us? That's kind of odd.
„Danke Schatz! Nein musst du natürlich nicht, nur wenn du möchtest." (thank you Love! No, of course you don't have to, but if you want to it's ok." he answers her softly and really relieved. He seems to care quit a lot for her, so where is their connection? I never saw or heard about her before today. Strange, I thought we were close and would tell each other everything.
„Callen you there?" Gibbs asks me redirecting his focus back at me. Taking the phone I put it back to normal, but not looking away from El.
„I'm here Gibbs. Talk to me, I thought we are friends so why don't you tell me what's going on!?" I tell him, sounding more frustrated than i was planning on revealing.
„It's complicated G. I promise to tell you everything when I'm there, but for now, keep her safe! You hear me? I know that you listened in on our conversation so you know she's in danger. I'm counting on you to keep her safe, don't let her get out of your eyesight. Oh, and don't touch her backpack. It was the first thing she ever got as a gift, I guess you understand that it means a lot to her." he answers well more like orders me. The last part clenched my heart a bit, I definitely know why she is so protective about that. If I would of known, I never would of touched it. I need to apologize later! So the least I could do is keep her safe.
„I promise Gibbs! I won't let her get hurt. How many did she...." I reassure him before trailing of. Not knowing how to finish that sentence without maybe hurting her I let the end hang in the air. He understands immediately what I wanted to ask him. Hearing his heavy sigh, already gave me the answer would be a lot.
„47 Foster homes until she turned 17. I need to hang up now, got to get a plane! Please keep my daughter safe till I get there." he answers before ending the call.
Wait did he just say daughter!? But his daughter died years ago and if she would of been his daughter why those foster homes. 47 until she was 17, does that mean he took her in after? That would be the only logical answer, right? Standing up I tell Sam to meet me outside. Waiting till he shuts the door behind him I turn back to her.
„He is your father?" I asked her quietly.
She doesn't answer verbally but at least nods her head.
„I wanted to apologize for touching your backpack. It won't happen again, I promise! I know you don't trust me right now, and that is fine. Your dad told me from where you were coming from, i know how you feel, was in the exact same place as you were. So if you need or want something just ask, you won't get punished for that, ok?" I tell her softly. Making sure to keep eye contact the whole time, so she could see that I was saying the truth. Hopefully that puts her a bit at ease because I really don't want her to be afraid of me.
„How many were you in?" she asks me in a whisper. I nearly couldn't hear her.
„37 until I aged out of the system. I know you had even more and for that i'm really sorry!" I answer her just as quietly.
„Thank you for apologizing, that means a lot. No one ever cared enough to do that, except dad of course. Even if it's against his rules." she replies with a shaking voice and tears in her eyes. I know that feeling, if you grow up with no one who cares, you start to think that you aren't worth enough to be cared for. Slowly I walk up to her and gently pull her in a hug. At first she stiffens up, but then she lets go and starts to cry into my shoulder. I just hold her close, let her know that i'm here, that she isn't alone. No idea how long we stayed like that but when she lifts her head she smiles shyly at me.
„Sorry for ruining your shirt." she says embarrassed and slightly scared. I gently caress her cheek, wiping away the last tears that were still there.
„Don't worry about it. It's fine. I already told you that i won't hurt you and I also won't let anyone else hurt you, ok?" she looks at me for a second, clearly thinking about what I just said.
„Thank you!" She replies softly. I just smile back at her, telling her I have to go outside to talk to my partner for a bit. When I see the panic in her eyes I quickly pull her into a hug again. Trying to reassure her the best I can. Telling her she doesn't have to worry, that I would only be on the other side of the door and that no one would be able to come past me. After she calmed down, I went out to talk to Sam but instead found the whole team standing there waiting for me.