Gibbs/DiNozzo Family Twist

Chapter 6

Charity had fallen asleep cuddled up with her father. He looked down at her when he heard snoring. He smiled and decided to let her sleep. She had looked so tired when she had arrived home. He moved and shifted her on the couch. Then he pulled the blanket from the back and draped it over her.

Gibbs kissed her forehead and then headed to his own room. He climbed under the covers and fell asleep. Just a few short hours later, he woke to the sound of Charity screaming. He jumped from bed and headed back to the couch where he left her.

Charity was still asleep. She was clutching the blanket to her chest and screaming "No! Stay with me! Come on! Don't close your eyes!" Over and over again.

Gibbs rushed over and grabbed her shoulders and shook her awake. "Charity! Baby girl! Wake up!"

Her eyes flew open and it took her a moment to realize where she was. Then she fell into her father's arms, her head against his chest, as sobs wracked her body.

"It was just a nightmare." Gibbs said, as he rubbed soothing circles on her back and kissed the top of her head.

Charity shook her head. "No." She croaked. "It happened and I...I couldn't..." She stopped as a sob swallowed her words.

"It's okay baby." He soothed. "Everything is gonna be okay."

Charity let her father cradle her and comfort her. She couldn't even begin to tell him what she had dreamed about. She couldn't tell him that it had been a flashback and that every time she slept, the scene played over and over in her mind.

Gibbs held his daughter while she cried. Her sobs slowly began to subside and before long, she fell back to sleep. She was clinging so tightly to him, as she slept. Gibbs just sat there for a while watching her face, making sure she looked peaceful. Then he too, fell asleep, still holding her.

The next day...

Gibbs was getting ready for work. He'd grabbed his fourth cup of coffee. "Are you sure you'll be okay by yourself?" Gibbs asked.

"I'll be fine Daddy." She answered. "If I need you I'll call."

"You better Corporal." Gibbs replied.

"I will, Gunny."

Gibbs then gave his daughter a kiss on the forehead and headed for work. He arrived and found that his team filling out case reports. "How's the case?" Gibbs asked.

"Well, McGeek finally found something useful in the emails and traced the sender and found the killer." Tony answered. "After twenty minutes in interrogation with Ziva, he cracked and confeced."

"Good work." Gibbs said and made his way over to his desk.

Vance then called and gave the team a new case. They arrived at the crime scene and started collecting evidence. They arrived back at NCIS and Gibbs took the evidence to Abby.

"Hey Gibbs!" She greeted brightly. "So how's Charity?"

"I have some evidence for you." Gibbs said, laying the bag on her desk. Then he started for the door.

Abby grabbed his arm. "Gibbs?"

"Yes?"

"You didn't answer my question. How is Charity?"

Gibbs sighed. "She's not quite herself. She woke up last night having a nightmare. I think it was a flashback."

"Is she talking about what happened?"

"No." Gibbs answered. "I don't think she's ready yet."

"Do you think she would like to have any visitors today?" Abby asked.

"I think she'd like to see you, Abby." Gibbs answered. "You should go see her when you go to lunch. Maybe some girl time would be good for her."

Abby nodded. "Okay, I'll go see her then."

Gibbs gave Abby a kiss on the cheek and then left.

A few hours later, Abby was taking her lunch break. She headed on over to Gibbs's house. She walked up the steps and knocked on the door.

"Who is it?" Charuty called.

"Just your friendly neighborhood forensic scientist." Abby answered.

"Come on in, Abby."

Abby walked in the house and found Charity sitting on the couch, changing the dressing on her knee. "That doesn't look good." Abby observed.

"I still have my leg." Charity said. "Still have my life." Then a look of sadness came over her face.

Abby walked over and sat down by her. "Hey, you need to have some fun. So, tonight we are all going out to celebrate you being home and alive."

"I told you, I don't feel like celebrating."

"Charity, you can't sit around here feeling sorry for yourself. You have to get out and enjoy life." Abby said, her voice stern.

"You just don't understand." Charity said, as she finished wrapping her knee.

"Then tell me so I can understand." Abby said, feeling angry with the coldness in Charity.

"I...I can't. I have no reason to celebrate. I have no reason to enjoy life."

"Yes, you do!" Abby yelled, getting up. "You have people that love you and want you to be happy! Your dad loves you and I love you! We want to be happy that you're home, but we also want you to be happy!"

"Well, I can't be happy! Not now!" Charity shouted back, tears streaming down her face. "Maybe you should just leave." Charity added the last part in a low quiet voice.

"Fine." Abby said. "But I'm not giving up on you."

Charity didn't look up as she heard Abby stomp away. the door slammed opened and closed and Abby was gone. Charity was alone. Charity looked up at the cieling and shouted, "Why? Why did you take them? Why did I survive? Why me?"