Gibbs daughter

A view in the past

Elizabeth's pov

My memories are flashing before my eyes, both good and bad, as of I am being given a choice. A choice whether I should fight or give up. One choice to live or die. But I keep coming back to one thing. My family, my friends, the people I care about, they would be okay if I died, probably even safer, they would mourn me but they would move on and live their lives but this one thing bothers me. It tells me I need to wake up because I can't leave Johnathan to fight this alone. Because the ETA of the missiles wasn't wrong, someone wanted us to believe that we had time before it struck. They wanted to hit us when we were the most vulnerable. There's an insurgent high in the power of command, and we have to find out who before anyone else gets hurt. I have to live.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Gibbs pov

Having already dropped Kelly off at home with a sitter, Shannon and I sit on one side of the McGee's couch while they sit on the other. I wrap my arms around her and pull her close, and just hold her not prepared for what's to come. McGee grabs the remote and takes a deep breathe. "are we ready?" not sounding so sure himself. We all just nod, knowing that we would never be truly ready for this. McGee just stares at the remote for awhile whether he should hit play, whether or not he was prepare to see his missing son. He turns slightly and looks at Abby and she give him a slight nod while leaning in close to him just as he hits play.

The screen is black for a few second until two teens flash onto the screen both saying in unison "hi mom, hi dad." we all give a slight laugh of relief as they continue, alternating who speaks.

J: " we just wanted to let you know that we are okay."

E:"and that we have made it through boot camp."

J:"not only are we now marines."

E:" but we also graduated top of our class."

J:" we are constantly trying to out score each other."

E:" but we always manage to get the same score."

J:" but that's what happens when your strengths are their weaknesses."

E:"and your weaknesses are their strengths."

J: "we are being deployed tomorrow night."

E: "we don't know where or how long."

J: "we do know that the base is classified and we won't be able to contact you."

E: " so this is us saying goodbye."

J: "and that we love all of you"

They both smile and wave at the camera, then follows a string of videos of them checking in and telling us that they were okay. Then pops up a picture of their whole team. They are in the center of 6 other people making it a team of 8. And from the looks of it their the leaders. Theres also a soccer ball and some kids that must be locals near the base and their all smiling. The must of have just finished a soccer game and they all look so happy. And I couldn't help but imagine all of them being blown to pieces. Shannon must of been thinking the same thing because she starts sobbing into my chest and all I can do is tighten my arms around her and hold her close because I dont know if everything will be okay, and I dont know if they are okay, I dont even know if they are alive. I hear a frustrated breath and look back up at the screen. Elizabeth and Johnathan are sitting next to each other and I notice a different back ground. there are two beds instead of 30. She goes on about how they moved and that they now share a room, she sounds so frustrated but she then she cracks a joke and smiles. I see Johnathan give her a sideways glance and I see something in his eyes. It was just a flash but was it admiration, affection, or even love? I will never be sure because the video changes. The dates on the videos are getting farther and farther apart. They are back on the screen both looking excited, I notice there are still two beds but now only one is unmade. I don't dwell on this long, as I focus on what they are saying.

E: "we are okay."

J: " this week job specializations were given out."

E: " I am officially the youngest sharp shooter."

all I can do is smile, because nothing can describe how proud I am of my daughter.

J: " just as she is our aim, I am the brains of our team. I deal with all of our tech. But I am also the youngest medic."

They then stop talking as if they are listening. They give each other a look. In that moment I know that they are close with a relationship that is unbreakable. How close? I dont know, but I do know what ever they have will last forever. I am snapped out of my thoughts when they respond to the person on the other side of their coms. They smile and say their goodbyes and shut off the video.

McGee and Abby look at me and ask " what is a sharp shooter?" Shannon looks up and adds "it must be very important because it made you smile." I give a small nod of my head." its just another name for a sniper. They changed it s few years back from sniper to sharp shooter." the all had that O look on their face as they turn back to the screen as a slide show of pictures starts.

Most of the are them during their free time playing games or hanging out with their team. Then there was one of Johnathan working on what I am assuming is a radio that was broken and then there was one of him stitching a wound that Elizabeth had. Then there was a picture of Elizabeth holding her sniper rifle and laughing at something someone said. I remember looking like that when I was deployed and I am glad she got to experience the same thing. The picture then transitions to another video.

Johnathan is the only one in the room and I notice that this time there is only one bed. He starts to explain what he is doing. " I am going to show you Elizabeth during target practice. She has no idea that I am doing this and I might get in trouble with her but we will see. I know you were also a sharp shooter Mr.Gibbs so I figured you would like to see her shoot." at this point he was already in front on the shooting range that must have been indoors. The second he open the door you can hear the sound of a single rifle. He stands behind her so we can see her target. She hits the center x every time. She ejects her clip and inserts a new one and I count down the bullets until there are six left. Then with an accent I had no idea she had she speaks up "you know its not nice to stare at people John." he gives a slight laugh and adds jokingly "whatever you say beautiful." she then rapid fires her last 6 bullets. She hits the left eye, forehead, then the right eye then she shoots the right eye, forehead, left eye through the exact same holes. Then I hear Johnathan whisper "damn" as she sets her rifle down and turns giving him a smirk. "beat that."

Then the screen flashes to darkness and you can hear bullets going off and people screaming. Then Johnathan flashes on the screens, there's blood running down his face and it looks like he is carrying someone and based on his reposition of her name I am assuming that its Elizabeth. We all gasp knowing this was the moment that we would know what happened to them. All of a sudden the wall collapses beside them and the are flung to the opposite side. Shannon buries her head in my chest but I can't look away, knowing this could be the last time I see my daughter. She's laying on her side facing Johnathan, they both reach out and grab each others hand before they black out. it seems like forever before someone comes to their assistance and I assume take them to a hospital or worse a morgue waiting to be identified. The screen then goes black. We all just sit there numb by what we just saw. McGee is just about to shut it off when Johnathan comes on the screen. McGee and Abby give put a sigh of relief, as my hopes are raised. He goes on talking about what happened and where they are at, but then he flips the camera to show Elizabeth lying out cold in a hospital bed. Shannon gasps as I try to stay strong. He continues talking about how he wont come home until he comes home with him. He then flips the camera back around and looks straight into it. " to be honest... I love her and I can't imagine living with out her let alone go home." just as he is saying goodbye and about to shut the camera off I hear a small voice call out to him and see him look up. I see him smile and say " good morning beautiful." the screen then flashes to different videos of them in the hospital typical of them joking around in her room but a few of therapy and one as she was being rake into surgery for an unknown reason. But then the last video makes us all smile and wipe our tears away because it is a picture of them holding a sign that says we are coming home.