The Silent Season by Karie

[LJG_NCIS]

This is great Karie, very interesting to see each person's opinions. More? Please?

[Karie]

Last act to this episode.

Act five:

I do not want to be here, in this room, talking to this woman. At least she’s not a red head. Everyone knows I have a problem with red heads. I think that’s why they chose a blonde to interview me. Good choice though, I’m sure Tony would have loved to get her phone number. Blondes and Brunettes are his specialty. McGee seems to like only one woman, and I’m not about to let him know that I have seen him around with Abby.

“Agent Gibbs, I want to thank you for taking the time to come in for this.”

“When my Director tells me to come in for a Psych Eval, who am I to argue?”

“Yes, well, you seem to have an aversion to authority, I was told you wouldn’t come in at all.”

“Yeah, well I’m here now, so can we get on with this?”

She flinches at the grit I fling at her with that remark. I should watch what I say to women. Kate always said I was such the nice guy. She was right, of course; otherwise what do you think the second ‘B’ is for? That was the joke. Dinozzo got that the first time I said it. He laughed his little ass off at it. He still does on occasion.

“Very well, Agent Gibbs, let’s start with your regular routine. Have you been eating well? Have you been sleeping well?”

“I have been eating. I have been… sleeping.” Damnit, I hesitated. Now she is going to really know something is wrong. But she doesn’t say anything about it, yet.

“How do you feel about having such young people on your team?”

Interesting turn around. I was expecting something about Kate or Ari, or that other woman that we got saddled with for so long! But I guess we have to talk about McGee and Dinozzo instead. That’s fine; I don’t have a problem with talking about them.

“Well, besides Dinozzo and McGee constantly pulling practical jokes on each other, things are running smoothly.”

“Is there any truth to the rumors that you harbored feelings for Agent Todd?”

Ok, where did that come from? My feelings for Abby coming out in the open, I could understand that. But my feelings about Kate, I never saw that question coming. Well, hell, let them think what they want about me and Kate. She was a good friend, no matter how many times she ticked me off about one thing or another.

“She was a good agent, and a good friend. I miss her very much, and you can put that in whatever context you want.” There, that should fix that.
“Then you were understandably upset with the loss of Agent Todd.”

“Well, of course I was upset. One of my agents had just been shot in the head, by a terrorist that the agency kept hidden! What was I supposed to do, ignore the anger?”

“No Agent Gibbs. These questions are not used to make you angry, or to irritate you in any way. They are simply a means to see to your state of mind.”

“My state of mind is just fine, thank you.”

She nods at me. Nice, now I’m getting the nod. This lady reminds me of my first wife, always nodding when I say something she thinks I should be saying. I glare at the woman across from me and she blanches slightly. That should take care of any further thoughts of her nodding at me.

“You still have the occasional dinner with Dr. Mallard, is that correct?”

“Yes, occasionally we have dinner and we discuss life.”

“And are you aware of his feelings towards Ari Haswari?”

“If you’re asking, then you already know I am well aware of his feelings.”

“And do your feelings match his?”

“The correct word is mirror, not match. I want him dead as much as the next agent, and not just because of Agent Todd.”

She doesn’t blink, or gasp. She simply looks at me with those blue eyes. She’s not afraid of me; I’m not the threat here. She just wants to know how far I am willing to go. I sit calmly for another minute or so; waiting for her to ask the next question.

“Do you still work on your boat in the basement of your home?”

“No, I finished the boat. I have other things to work on now.”

“Hmm,” she smiles, “how exactly did you get it out of the basement?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” I waggle my brows at her. I love to keep people guessing. It’s part of what makes me… me.

She smiles back at me. I think I’m beginning to warm up to this woman. That is not exactly a good thing to do at this time. I know Ducky already slipped up and told these people more than he wanted. I have to be sure that I don’t do the same thing.

“Have you dated anyone recently?”
Yeah, again like I’m going to tell people I date. I shrug my shoulders and try to put on an air of indifference.

“I have another rumor I’d like to know the truth about.” She slides closer to me, still sitting across the coffee table from me, but closer none the less. “Do women really find the smell of sawdust… sexy?”

Now she’s trying to make me reveal all my secrets! I chuckle under my breath. “I have been told so. I guess it’s true.”

She smirks slightly and sits back, lost in her own thoughts for a while. What I didn’t tell her was that she had about the same chance as a snowball’s in hell of ever getting close enough to find out how sexy the smell of sawdust really is. While she’s thinking her thoughts, I sit back and think mine. I remember how I had wanted to take Kate to my place and show her that boat. I know she would have been able to appreciate it much more than any other woman I had brought there.

“What are your feelings towards Agent Dinozzo?”

Back to that, I see. Alright, let’s see if I can make her understand me a little more. “Agent Dinozzo and I have a very interesting relationship. I know you would never tell him this, but I see Agent Dinozzo as my protégé. I expect him to take my place one day.”

“You also see him as your son. Am I right?”

“In a way, yes. He and McGee have become like family to me.”

“And I assume that goes for everyone in your team, including Ms. Sciuto and Dr. Mallard?”

“The entire team is my family. If you hurt one of my team, I retaliate.”

“Agent Todd was a part of your family as well.”

“Yes she was. And I will miss her very much. And when she died, a part of me died with her.”

“Is that why you still harbor anger towards Ari Haswari?”

Again with that nice guy? I swear she’s going in circles here. “He is a terrorist, and I want him to suffer for what he did. Not just for me, but for every other person he has hurt through the years.”


Again with the nodding! But she’s not nodding at me, which is good. She’s nodding because what I say makes sense. She takes a few notes and I get the feeling that I’m about done with this interview. But then she looks up at me again.

“Do you intend to go after Ari Haswari in the future? And do your plans for him include his death?”

I sit back for a moment. Well, there it is, all direct and unabashed. The one question I have asked myself time and time again in the middle of the night with the bottle of Jack Daniel’s in my hand as I stare up at the stars and wonder what Kate would say to that; what Tony and Tim would want to do. I remember what Ducky said to me and I remember the tears in Abby’s eyes as she took in Tony’s appearance for the first time after it happened, the blood drying on his face. She had seen it, in a dream she said. It wasn’t a dream; it was the ongoing nightmare that we all still live from day to day. And no amount of counseling or Psych Evals were going to change that feeling in the pit of my stomach as I sit and wonder what the answer to that question should be, and if I should simply say what I want to say. I finally come to a decision.

“Ari Haswari is in no danger from me.”

Not what I want to say, but what they want to hear. I guess it’s enough, because she’s standing now and giving me a sympathetic smile as she escorts me to the door.

“One more personal question, what did you name the boat?” She smiles shyly. I shrug as I pull out my wallet and take out the picture I keep there. She looks at it and smiles. There on the water, a beautiful yacht sits moored at the dock. It has been painted Indigo blue, because that’s the color that Tony remembered she liked. On the stern, in sparkling white is painted the name Caitlyn’s Heart. Tony had taken the picture and everyone had a copy, thanks to Abby, either in a pocket or on their desk. Next to it is a small photo of the woman who inspired the name. Caitlyn Todd.

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Personal note: I can not in good conscience continue this evaluation. This team needs no more consultations and I would like to see this case closed. They are a healthy, although dysfunctional family that has learned to deal with their grief and loss in their own unique way. As for the concern to the safety of the double agent known as Ari Haswari, I feel that there is no more need for extra security in this area. These people have suffered enough; it is time to let them get back to work.
NCIS Director Jenny Shepard

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

I thought I would take the liberty of adding Jenny Shepard to my series, although this was not how I originally wrote the episode. (For the simple reason I didn't know her name :S) but I hope that you all still like it.

[LJG_NCIS]

Of course I liked it! It was awesome!!! Can't wait to read the next ep. ;D

[Karie]

Tomorrow, I promise. It's Maggie's first real case!

[Karie]

Disclaimer: Ok, you know what this means. It’s another “Episode” of my NCIS storyline. Which means I have to put in all the technical stuff about it not being my show, and my not owning anyone in this fic, except for Maggie Sauer, who is my own creation and I like her very much. So, DPB, if you’re reading this and would like to have her, or any of this for that matter, please give me some recognition? I take checks! Anyway, the rest belongs to CBS and its affiliates and to Donald P. Bellisario, who I believe to be an outstanding writer. And I should know I have been watching his stuff for years.

Author’s note: Thank you to all the reviews I have received for the last two episodes. This is the third in a series. And no I have no idea how long I’m going to be able to keep this up. I can guarantee you there won’t be a wedding any time soon. Every time that happens the story will fold! Have fun with this one!

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Act one:


Dinozzo entered the bullpen as the elevator doors closed behind him. He looked at his watch, only 2 minutes late today. He smiled as he walked around the partition to see Gibbs and McGee both working diligently at their desks. Gibbs looked up at him.

“Your late!” he barked.

“I know. Sorry Boss, I had traffic problems. What are we doing today?”

Gibbs glared at the young agent for a moment, then smoothed his features and answered his question. “Paperwork. Agent Sauer is coming in today and I want all your notes and case files to be in order.”

“Right, Boss. I’m on it!”

Dinozzo walked over to his desk, pulled out his chair and sat down. The moment he put weight on the seat, the entire chair collapsed to the floor and he sat in the middle of a pile of parts. McGee giggled quietly and Gibbs looked up scowling.

“Dinozzo, what are you doing?”

Dinozzo looked over at McGee, who could not keep the smile off his face. “I’m just planning a murder, Boss. Don’t mind me, it won’t be that messy!”

McGee suddenly needed to be else where and took off in the direction of the lab while Dinozzo picked himself back up off the floor. Picking up the pieces of his chair, he didn’t notice the pretty young agent walking up behind him. She stood watching him with soft brown eyes that hide her quiet amusement. Gibbs looked up and tried to figure out if he should say something or not. Choosing the latter, he stood and headed for the lab to join McGee and grumble at the young man about playing practical jokes.

“Oh, and by the way, Dinozzo, be nice enough to show Agent Sauer around the department when she gets in.”

“Any idea when that’s going to be, Boss?” asked Dinozzo as he reached over and picked up the last piece of chair.

“Right about now.” Gibbs pointed behind Dinozzo and smirked slightly.

Dinozzo spun around, dropping part of the chair on his foot. As he yelped from the sudden shock to his toes, he dropped more pieces of chair around him. This set Sauer into a fit of giggles behind her hand that embarrassed Dinozzo to no end. He was left with an arm in his hands and he put that down as well. With open hands he shrugged his shoulders in a gesture of helplessness and smiled at her.

“Hi Maggie, how are you?”

“Dinozzo, you are so hopeless.” She looked at the mess of parts at his feet. “What is all this?”

“A practical joke that needs a proper return, pay it no mind. What can I do to help you get settled?”

Sauer looked around and noticed the desks. She knew where Dinozzo, McGee and Gibbs did their work. She was just a little worried about where she was supposed to set up. She looked back expectantly at Dinozzo.

“Where do I work?”

Dinozzo gave her a puzzled look for a moment and then relaxed. “Right here should be fine, closest to the action, near the elevator in case we have to take off at a moments notice. And it’s close to me.”

This last came out of his mouth before he could stop it, so he simply tried to turn on the charm with his patented Dinozzo smile. She looked up at him with a glare, then back at the desk he indicated. It was ‘her’ desk, Agent Todd’s place. Sauer felt odd about that, and unsure. She literally couldn’t move towards the desk. Dinozzo came up close to her ear, his hands landing lightly on her shoulders.

“It’s ok. You’re not going to upset anyone by sitting there. And you need a good desk for work. This is the best spot. Or aren’t you happy with the prospect of sitting across the aisle from me?”

She glanced at him, noticed his hands on her shoulders and stepped away briskly. “Trust me, Dinozzo, you don’t bother me.”

He smiled. “Good! Then you should fit right in.”
She went to sit down at the desk and get used to the surroundings. While she was relaxing, Dinozzo moved the chair pieces to another cubical that no one was using and dragged its chair back to his own desk. Then he sat down and started in on paperwork. He hated case files, as they were long and tedious to organize and rearrange.

Sauer sat behind the desk and looked in all the drawers. All the normal supplies were present in a neat and orderly fashion and she knew she would already like this place. She looked behind her at the files on the shelf, which were all neatly arranged and ordered by date. Then she noticed a stack of files on the desk to her right. Each file was sloppily arranged and nothing was in any kind of order. This was obviously not the work of Agent Todd, but of her replacement. Sauer put this on her ‘to do’ list for later.

Dinozzo worked at his files without looking up much. He only had two cases to catch up on and things were actually going smoothly. Eventually he looked up once to see Sauer sitting in the chair, staring at the computer and typing a few things out to search for. He felt bad about neglecting her, but he told Gibbs he would get the paperwork done, and he wasn’t about to fall behind now.

After an hour, Dinozzo finished the last of his paperwork, deposited it all on Gibbs’ desk, and then leaned over Sauer’s shoulder so see what she was up to. She was actually reading the profiles of the other team members, trying to get a feel for the group individually. Dinozzo breathed into her ear, “That’s no way to get to know them.”

She looked up at him. Offering her a hand up, he led her out of the bullpen and towards the lab. “If you want to know this team, your better bet is to meet them first hand. Let’s start with Abby.”

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Well there's a secret I've been perfecting,
I swore I wouldn't but you let me
I'm comfortably confused
(and you...) You've gotten so removed
You know I, I could take the place of those pills
Ocean blue, paint it white
Now who ya gonna call tonight?

The music was screaming loud in the lab as Abby be bopped around the desk, typing on her computer one minute, looking through a file the next. She didn’t see Dinozzo and Sauer walk into the room, so it was a complete surprise to her to find Dinozzo standing right behind her just as she was taking a sip of her Caff-Pow drink.

“Hi Abby,” he said in her ear. She jumped about three feet in the air and squealed loudly.

“Tony! You are so gonna get it!”

“Yeah, tell that to your boyfriend, will ya?” he smirked back at her.

“Ok great, what did he do now?”

“Never mind what he did, just try to keep him on a shorter leash.”

“Right, as if I have control of him? You made him this way, Tony. All that teasing and ‘Probie’ junk you used to slam him with.”

Dinozzo snickered quietly, ducking his head and turning towards Sauer. He sobered quickly and motioned for her to come closer. “Abby, you remember Detective Sauer, right? Now she’s Agent Sauer, just starting with us today.”

Abby beamed as she took Sauer’s hand. “Hi, yeah I remember you. Welcome back to the nut house.”

Sauer smiled back at her, shook her hand, and then noticed something black on Abby’s wrist. Turning it slightly, she saw a Chinese symbol tattooed on the Goth’s wrist.

“Peace,” she murmured. She turned the other wrist over and found a second symbol. “Love… And Happiness is…?”

Abby came in close and whispered in her ear. “Right above my a$$.”

Dinozzo perked his ears up as he tried to hear what Abby said, but then moved suddenly as the two women broke apart. Whatever they were talking about, they obviously didn’t want him to use it later for blackmail. Sauer looked back at him and glared.

“So you’ve met Abby, again. And now it’s time to meet Ducky, again. We’ll talk to you later Abby.” Dinozzo headed out of the lab and walked down the corridor. Sauer turned back to smile at Abby, winked and signed something with her hands. Abby agreed with a wink of her own and went back to her music and her paperwork.

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Ducky sat at his computer with a look of distaste on his face. Gibbs was busy with McGee, hiding from Dinozzo, and Ducky was left with his work cut out for him. He needed a distraction, and one walked into the room in the form of Dinozzo and the very nice young lady that he had met during the Masters and Rock case.

“Ah, yes Dinozzo! Please come in and bring your friend.” He got off his stool and walked over to shake hands with the young woman. “You must be Agent Sauer. Welcome to NCIS.”

“Thank you. I’m looking forward to working here with you.”

Ducky smiled warmly at her. This woman would be a much better match for the team than that other ‘bimbo’ was. He thought back on his choice of words and realized that he must stop having serious conversations with Dinozzo.

“Well, I would show you around, but as you can tell, I am very busy with all of this paperwork that Jethro insists we complete today.”

“I understand Doctor. Thank you for the warm welcome.”

“Oh please, call me Ducky. Everyone else on the team does.” He watched as Dinozzo led her out of the room. As an after thought, he called out, “I wonder, would you mind telling me your true Christian name? It isn’t in any of your files.”

But Dinozzo calmly cut in, “Don’t do it Maggie, you will never hear the end of it!”

Ducky harrumphed as Dinozzo rushed her out of Autopsy at top speed.

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

As they entered the elevator to take them back upstairs, Dinozzo sighed. “That was close. Another minute and you would have to deal with him calling you Margherita all the time.”

Sauer sighed. “Well, at least someone is watching out for me.”

I’ll watch over you, always and forever, Maggie girl.

They walked out of the elevator when it reached their floor and walked smack into Gibbs. He was on his way out with McGee in tow.

“Dinozzo, you and Sauer grab a vehicle from the motor pool and meet us at this address.” He handed Dinozzo a slip of paper and entered the elevator with McGee. The doors closed and Dinozzo was staring at himself in the shining metal. Sauer gaped at him in surprise.

“Well, looks like you are going on your first official case!” Dinozzo grinned at her.

“Yippee!”

[LJG_NCIS]

Hehehe, I'm wondering whether or not Ducky will ever find out her real name. You write really well Karie, can't wait to read more!

[Karie]

Now Ducky finding out her real name... Can't say it will never happen, you know how Ducky is... Next Act up tomorrow

[LJG_NCIS]

That long?! Noooooooo!!!! Can't...wait...

[Karie]

Are you saying that I am posting these too slowly???

[LJG_NCIS]

No, I'm just saying they are good and I want to read more. ;D (Most people couldn't post a new part every day).

[Karie]

If you want it all on one lump, you can always go here www.fanfiction.net/~karieflybabe and read them all together. But other wise, you will have to wait til tomorrow!!! LOL

[Karie]

Act two:

The body was of Lieutenant Lisa Malcolm and she had been severely raped. The address Gibbs had given them was the house where she lived, and it was full of cops. Tony stepped out of the car he and Maggie had checked out and headed towards the front door, their kits in hand.

Tony flashed his badge and introduced himself and Maggie to the officer guarding the entrance. The Officer nodded and they entered the front room cautiously. Tony’s first order of business was to sketch the scene so he set his bag down, pulled out his pad and pencils. Sitting back in a quiet corner, he began to draw in earnest.

While Tony was busy getting the scene on paper, Maggie snapped on a pair of gloves and began walking slowly thought the house. She opened doors and drawers to see what could be found in the way of evidence. When she reached the bathroom, she noticed the blood on the wall and the floor near the toilet. She set her bag down and pulled out a swab to collect a blood sample that she found on the wall next to the light switch.

Tony finished the sketch of the front room and moved into the kitchen. There was blood everywhere, on the cabinets, the counters and the floor. He looked in the knife block to find one of the knives missing. After sketching that room, he pulled out his camera and began snapping pictures of both rooms. He moved towards the bedroom to join Maggie and found her pulling back the bedspread and sheets, searching for body fluids to collect for analysis.

He began snapping more pictures as she collected evidence from the sheets, the walls and the floor of the bedroom. Their conversation was in clipped tones, each one almost knowing what the other was going to say.

“There is a knife missing from the kitchen.”

“And there is blood in the bathroom on the floor and wall.”

“The struggle could have started in the front room and made its way into the bedroom.”

“She was reading a book or something of that nature.”

“Door looked clean so it may not be a break in.”

Maggie walked back through the house to the front door and pulled out a flashlight to get a better look at the Doorjamb. She found no markings around the knob or the lock. Like Tony had said, it was clean. She wandered to the back of the house and inspected the back door as well as the sliding glass door to the patio from the dining room. On the floor by the table she found glass and as she moved the vertical blinds, she found the large hole.

She wandered back into the bedroom where Tony was just finishing with the photos of the bathroom.

“Front door is clean. The sliding glass door is broken though.”

Tony looked up. “That’s why no one saw him come in.”

She nodded while picking up her gear and heading back to the patio door to dust for prints. She found several and lifted them with evidence tape. After tagging everything, she bagged it for Abby and looked around the house a while longer. She looked along the shelves in the front room. She found framed photographs of several people, including many of a beautiful blonde with bright blue eyes wearing a navel uniform and standing next to two gentlemen, both of them also in navy attire. They all seemed to be having a good time, smiling and happy.

Tony came out of the bedroom and glanced around towards the broken glass door. Maggie nodded and held the blinds out of the way so that he could get a good shot or two with his camera. He turned towards her and, for the fun of it, snapped a picture or two of Maggie. She blushed slightly, and then scowled at him.

“Dinozzo, stick to the evidence.”

He frowned, and then ducked his head and got back to work. For a moment, she had smiled. For a moment, she was Maggie, HIS Maggie, again. That moment wasn’t long enough for him.

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

While Tony and Maggie were at the victim’s house, Gibbs and McGee were at the hospital, taking a statement from the victim herself. Lieutenant Malcolm had been quite beautiful before the attack. Now she was bruised and bloodied, but she was alive. Gibbs came in with a sympathetic gaze to ask some pointed questions about the sequence of events that had led to her lying in a pool of her own blood on the bathroom floor of her small and modest home.

But the moment they walked into the door, Lieutenant Malcolm began screaming at the top of her lungs, sending both Agents out of the room in a hurry. Gibbs glanced over to McGee and grimaced visibly. McGee shrugged his shoulders, and then pointed out the Nurse standing at the desk. Gibbs nodded and walked over to question her.

“Excuse me, Ma’am? Agent Gibbs, NCIS? I need to ask you about Lieutenant Malcolm. She seems to be quite upset, but we need to ask her a few questions…”

The nurse looked up and smiled sympathetically. “She won’t allow anyone male to come near her. All the Doctors have either been female or we have had to resort to sedatives to sooth her. As for questions, you need someone really skilled in rape victims to handle her.”
Gibbs nodded and walked way, feeling just a little frustrated. He explained to McGee the situation and voiced his concerns. McGee waited for an order, as he was unsure of what to do next. Gibbs thought for a second, then made a connection and grabbed his phone out of his pocket. He hit the sped dial for Tony’s phone.

“Yeah, Boss?” answered Tony. He and Maggie had just finished with the evidence gathering and were packing up the car to return to headquarters when they got the call.

“Dinozzo, I remember from Sauer’s record that she tested well during the Victim Consultation and Crisis Evaluation at the academy?”

“She was top of the class. Boss are you guys having problems with the Lieutenant?”

“Bring her up here to Bethesda to talk with her. She won’t allow anyone male to come near her, and we need answers.”

“We’re on our way, Dinozzo out.” Tony hung up the phone and nodded to Maggie to get into the car. She didn’t ask any questions; just followed his lead and they were soon on their way.

When they arrived, Gibbs and McGee were sitting in chairs in the waiting room, each with coffee in their hands. They stood to meet their colleagues and discuss their options.

“Dinozzo filled me in on what he knew,” began Maggie. Tony went down the hallway to the coffee machines. It wasn’t what he knew she liked, but it would do for now. Maggie watched him go, and continued speaking to Gibbs. “So, we have to be very careful in what we do or say around her. Setting her off could end up with her far more traumatized than she already is.”

Tony showed up with two cups of coffee, one of which he handed to Maggie, and stood behind her. “So how are we running this?”

Maggie nodded thanks for the coffee and thought for a moment before speaking. “Let’s start slowly. Me first and then we bring in Dinozzo when I think she is comfortable enough for it. We try to get the sketch of the suspect today, and then leave her alone until tomorrow. If we try too much too fast, she might balk and close up on us.”

Gibbs listened to Maggie and nodded every once in a while as Tony pulled out his sketch pad and sat in the chairs in the waiting room in full view of the windows to the Lieutenant’s room. He would be ready when Maggie wanted him there.

Gibbs turned to McGee. “You and I will take the evidence to Abby while they take care of things here.”

To Dinozzo he said, “Make sure you eat something before you get back to headquarters.”

“Right Boss, we will.” Tony smiled and nodded as he sharpened pencils.

Maggie nodded as well, and then put her purse down next to Tony before marching towards the Lieutenant’s room. She didn’t notice Gibbs and McGee as they left the hospital. She didn’t notice Tony as he sat quietly in his chair. He had practiced this enough times with her during their academy days and so he knew what she would expect of him. He would wait patiently for her to talk to the victim. When the victim felt comfortable and saw Maggie as her friend, then Tony would wait for Maggie to call him in for the sketch of the suspect. But it was the way that Maggie got that information that Tony was never quite comfortable with.

Maggie had stepped into the room and sat in a chair next to the bed. The Lieutenant had not said a word as she came in, but only lay on the bed with her eyes closed.

“Lisa?” Maggie called out to her softly. The still form on the bed didn’t respond, so Maggie tried again. “Lisa… Could you open your eyes please?”

The other woman sat up and looked over at the Agent. She sighed visibly. “What do you want?”

“I just want to talk. My name is Maggie. Actually, it’s Agent Sauer, but I would rather you called me Maggie. I was sent by the navy to help you.”

The Lieutenant looked over at her, one eye bruised black. Her lip was split and her hair was tousled and dried blood was crusted on her scalp. Her hands and arms were scratched and bruised, from her fight with the suspect no doubt. “How can you help me?” she asked.

“I can help you by finding the man who did this and putting him behind bars.”

“I don’t know. I didn’t see much that night.”

“I understand. The human brain tends to block out things that would traumatize a person. And it is only natural to let that happen. I can promise you that when this is over, you won’t be haunted by those images you are hiding now.”

“How can you promise that?” The woman looked at Maggie skeptically.

“I can, because I have seen first hand what this kind of thing does to a person. And I know, because I have spoken to counselors on the subject countless time. If you don’t want to trust me, that is just fine. I’ll go and you can request someone else to investigate this.”

Lisa seemed to consider this for a moment, and then decided that she could do no worse. After all, Maggie seemed to know what she was doing, and Lisa had nowhere else to turn. She nodded to the other woman and sat back, trying to relax for the questions she knew were to come.

Maggie looked over at Tony and nodded quietly. He nodded back, relieved that they had gotten a toe hold on the situation. Lisa Malcolm was going to talk to Maggie, and that was just the first step.

[LJG_NCIS]

It was worth the wait Karie. ;D

[Karie]

Do you have an idea yet how Maggie get's the answers she needs?

[Karie]

Act three:

Tony sat watching Maggie speak to the victim, Lisa Malcolm, with practiced ease. She was in her element, talking to the victims and getting the answers she needed. Every time they had run these tests, Maggie always did the talking. She said it was because women who had been raped were afraid of men at first. She never worked with male cases. And she also worked well with children. Tony’s job was to wait until Maggie made a motion to her, and he did that well, too.

Maggie sat in the chair, watching Lisa intently. She didn’t want to rush this, the rushing would come soon, and it would be rough. She knew they would need a sketch of the suspect, as well as pictures of Lisa herself. But first she had to get Lisa’s agreement to bring Tony into the room. She would have to be cautious.

“Lisa, I’ve been to your home. It’s very nicely decorated. I saw the pictures of you with the two men. Both of them are friends of yours, I take it?”

“My fiancé, David, and his bunkmate.”

“Do you want me to call David?”

“They already did call him, as soon as I got here.”

“That’s good. You could use the friendship.”

“I don’t think…” Lisa faltered. Maggie knew what she was going to say. It was the same thing that every victim said at first. Some of them stayed with it, and they never healed. The others relented eventually, and let men back into their lives. They were the lucky ones, and Maggie was determined that Lisa was going to be one of the lucky ones.

“Lisa, there is one thing you do not want to do, and that is to hide. If you hide from this, you are giving all the power of your life to your attacker. And I don’t want to see you become like them.”

“Them?”

“I mean the ones that let the incident get under their skin and turn them into something that can’t be loved. They are the women who are cold as ice, and take themselves too seriously. I’ve seen it to many times, Lisa. And it is not a pretty sight.”

Lisa was staring at her now, opened mouthed. Maggie had gotten her attention now.

“Lisa, do you see the young man sitting in the chair in the waiting room behind me?”

The woman nodded slightly.

“That is my partner. His name is Anthony DiNozzo; he’s an agent like me. And he is a beautiful sketch artist. Much better than I could ever be, I assure you. I hate to tell you this, but right now I need him.”

Lisa shuddered slightly. Maggie stood next to her, and then sat on the tall stool close to the bed. “Lisa, if we are going to get the man who attacked you, we need to get a sketch of him.”

“I didn’t see his face though. I don’t think I could help you with it.”

“Let me be the judge of that. Now, I want to bring Agent DiNozzo in here, but not unless you say it’s ok. There would be rules and he would follow them to the letter.”

Lisa still looked hesitant. “Do you trust him?”

Maggie smiled. “I trust Anthony DiNozzo with my life. I have known him for quite some time. He is sweet, charming, and harmless. Well, I’d say he is mostly harmless. And around women he is exceptionally caring. He dotes on the women he loves the most, treating them like china dolls.”

Lisa had relaxed at this description of the handsome, young man sitting outside and watching anxiously. “I guess it would be alright. What are the rules he will follow?”

“Rule number one is that he will never say a word. Number two, he will sit in that chair behind me and will not make any advance towards you. Number three, he will not look at you for any reason but to sketch you. He will make three sketches, one of you now, one of you in the future and one sketch of your attacker.”


Lisa smiled and nodded slightly. Maggie looked back over her shoulder to glance at Tony. When he saw her wink, he picked up his sketch pad and her purse, and then silently stepped into the room. He didn’t need the rules repeated to him, he knew them well. He set down her purse, and sat quietly in the chair that was in the corner. He immediately began sketching Lisa’s face in full detail as he saw it now.

Maggie smiled at him, and then turned the smile back to Lisa. “See, that wasn’t so bad now, was it? Now Anthony is a good artist, I’m sure I mentioned, so while he is beginning the first sketch, we are just going to chat about a few things.”

Lisa wasn’t showing any nerves now. She was resigned to the fact that she was in this bed and that Maggie wasn’t going to do anything to hurt her. She was even relaxing more with Tony in the room. Maggie saw that as progress and prepared for the light part of the conversation.

“All right, we should begin with something simple. Where did you grow up?”

The questions were easy to answer, and Lisa was able to speak with more certainty as she answered. Questions like, where were you born, what was your life like growing up, how did you feel about being in the navy, where did you meet David, were meant to get background on Lisa and were answered quickly and competently. Tony continued sketching for about an hour, finished one and sat back, ready to work on the next.

“So, when is the wedding?” asked Maggie.

“It’s in November in New York. The entire family is going to be there.”

“Sounds like a nice plan. A fall wedding with beautiful autumn colors, am I right?”

“Yes. His parents and mine are going to join us for a Thanksgiving wedding and dinner.”

“Are you going to stay at your place or his?”

“His… but not because of what happened last night. I was going to move in with him anyway. His is a nicer house and its closer to the base.”

“What does David do for the Navy?”

“He is in Navy Intelligence. He’s just a secretary but he’s really good at his job.”

“Has he mentioned a honeymoon to you?”

“He won’t tell me. He wants it to be a surprise.” Lisa glanced up and noticed a young man walk in the sliding doors of the hospital. She bit her lip suddenly. “David!”

Maggie glanced over her shoulder at Tony, who quickly put the pad down and slipped out of the room. He intercepted David and said a few words to him. David didn’t look like he wanted to do anything that the agent said, but Tony held firm. After a few more moments, David nodded angrily and walked over to the waiting room. Tony came back into the room with the two women, nodded his head to Maggie and sat down again, pad in hand.

Maggie knew she was out of time, Lisa was ready and they needed to move now. She reached over to take the woman’s hand. “Lisa, I want you to close your eyes and tell me about what you want for a honeymoon. Spare no expense and give me the entire version.”

Lisa started slowly. “Well, I would love to go to Maui. You know, stay in a cabana on the beach. It would be nice to have the sound of the waves crashing on the shore at night, and be able to swim in the early morning. We could spend our day’s site seeing. Or better yet, never leave our room.”

“You could do both. You could spend a week or two doing everything you want.”

“That would be nice, to take time and not rush things.”

Tony had finished the second sketch and sat poised to begin the third. This was the hard part, the part that he and Maggie were both dreading. But it had to be done. The woman already believed she had never seen his face. But Maggie seemed sure that she had, and they needed that face. Tony held his breath for what was to come.

“Now Lisa, I want you to imagine your house. The one you live in now. I want you to imagine the house on the inside, starting in the bedroom. And I want you to tell me the events of last night. When did you know that someone else was in the house?”

Lisa didn’t want to go there. She was happier in Maui, with David in the cabana on the beach. But on the other hand, the house was so easy to remember that her mind automatically went back to the bedroom. Suddenly, she could see it clearly in her mind. She was in the bedroom, and she wanted to take a hot bath. She wanted to read a book while she was in the bath, so she went to get a book from the front hall.

“I was getting a book. The bath was full of water that I had just run and I went into the front hall to get a book from the shelf.”

“How far did you go into the front of the house before you heard something?”

“I was in the hall, and I heard the glass door being broken and then it was slid open.”

“Did you hear him slip the knife from the block on the kitchen?”

“Yes, it was almost like a whisper.” Lisa was getting scared now. Tremors were coming to her lips as she remembered that night.

“Lisa, did you go into the front room to see him?” asked Maggie, almost knowing the answer.

“Yes, I walked into the front room. I looked towards the kitchen and he was standing in the shadows there. He had the knife in his hand. I… I could see the moon hit the edge of the knife and flash in my face…” Lisa was getting more nervous, she wanted out of this. She didn’t want to remember any more, but she heard Maggie’s voice in her ear.

“Lisa, let’s take back your power now. Let’s see his face.”

“I can’t!”

“Yes you can. Listen to me, you can see it if you chose to see it.” Maggie was breathing heavily now and she was trying to stay calm for Lisa. “Look at him, remember what happened.”

“He came at me! I grabbed the first thing I could find.”
“You threw the statue at him.”

“Yes!”

“Then you threw books at him, trying to slow him down.”

“He wouldn’t stop! He grabbed my hands and he put the knife to my neck! He said he would kill me if I didn’t do what he said!”

“He dragged you into the bedroom.”

“He threw me on the bed!” Lisa was getting upset now, but her demeanor was changing. She was getting angry now. Maggie sat forward and waited silently, her hand held over Lisa’s arm. Tony sat forward as well, his pencil at the ready.

“Lisa, he’s in the light now, look at him. Look at him!”

“He’s… he…” Lisa stammered. She looked ready to cry, yet there was anger in her voice as she struggled to see clearly the face of the man before her.

Suddenly, Maggie grabbed Lisa’s arm and yelled in her ear. “He’s right there, open your eyes and LOOK at him!”

Lisa’s eyes flew open and she could SEE him in front of her! “He’s here! He has blonde hair and blue eyes. His hair is curly and short. His forehead is flat and his brow is low. His eyes are hard to see, they look like they are small, and hard. His brows are thin, pencil thin, and blonde. His nose is triangle shaped, and long! His chin is square edged with a cleft in the center. His cheek bones are high, he’s handsome in many ways, but his eyes ruin it for him…”

Lisa had trailed off now and sat back on the bed, panting heavily. Maggie patted her hand comfortingly. She murmured reassurances in her ear and smiled at her. “I told you it would work.”

Lisa was getting control of herself little by little and smiling back at Maggie. Tony finished the last lines of the sketch and handed it to Maggie, who showed it to Lisa.

“Is this him?” asked Maggie.

Lisa stared at the face before her and grimaced slightly. “Yes, that is him. Agent DiNozzo did well. The forehead is a little high, and the eyes were more narrowed, but other than that, it’s right.”

Tony took the sketch back and corrected the minor mistakes before folding the pad up and turning to leave the room. His job was finished and he needed to talk to the fiancé for a moment before Maggie left Lisa alone with him. Meanwhile, Maggie talked to Lisa about what was to come.

“Ok, Lisa, this is what will happen soon. David is going to come in here and he is going to hold you and tell you that everything is going to be alright. Don’t argue with him, just let him hold you and think that he is helping. You need counseling, and I would suggest that you do that as quickly as possible. Now, do you think you could recognize this man again if we found a suspect for you to look at?”

“Yes, I could pick him out again.” Lisa looked at Maggie curiously. “How did you do that?”

“Do what?”

“Know exactly the words to say and the tone of voice to use to bring the memory to the surface.”

Maggie smiled sadly. “Lot’s of practice.”

The young agent stood up to leave, but something caught her eye. It was the second sketch, the one that showed Lisa’s future. Maggie picked it up and turned to Lisa with it. Showing her the picture, Lisa gasped. Tony had caught a scene from the future. Lisa and David standing together before the alter. Lisa was in a beautiful wedding dress, and ready to exchange her vows with David. It was a lovely autumn scene. Lisa began to cry softly.

“It is so beautiful,” sighed Lisa. “How did he do that?”

“He’s that good.” Replied Maggie with a grin as she left the sketch and left the room. David walked up to her, nodded once, and then steered around her to enter the room and comfort his fiancé. Maggie watched over her shoulder for a moment, and then turned and fled the hospital halls.

Once outside, she leaned up against the wall of the hospital and began to tremble. Tony had seen her go and followed after. When he reached her, she was weeping softly behind her hands. He thought it best not to interrupt, so he turned around and went back to the door. After a moment, he called out to her.

“Hey Sauer, let’s get something to eat and head back to headquarters.”

She looked up and nodded silently before stepping away from the building and walked towards the car.