Trauma Queen: A NCIS Fanfiction

Chapter Twenty

It was seven o'clock in the morning when I turned on the news and saw his face. His smug smirk made me shiver and his icy blue eyes seemed to stare right at me. There were so many reporters following him, asking for a statement about his release. Because after just five years, Liam Allen was released from prison.

I watched him stride out of those gates and into a taxi cab in Massachusetts. I watched the reporters talk about his heinous acts. I heard the surprise in their voice when they said he had served only half his term. I hadn't believed them when they said he was on good behavior for the past five years. How could anyone who raped and beat five women ever have a good side?

It was almost two hours later when Tim woke up and saw me staring at the same news clip as it looped over and over. He rubbed his eyes as he sat beside me, placing a tender hand on my knee.

"Who is that?" He asked.

"Liam Allen." My voice was curt.

"Who?"

I sighed. "He went to MIT with us. He beat and raped five girls and is getting out of prison today after only five years. He is the devil in disguise."

"Oh wow. Did you know him?" I could feel Tim's eyes on me and it took everything I had not to look at him. Because if I did, I knew I would start crying.

"You could say that."

"Did he do all that to you?" Tim sounded worried.

"No. I was dating him when he was doing that to other girls." I felt a single tear drip down my cheek and land in my lap.

"I'm sorry." Tim put his arm around my shoulders and scooted closer to me. "That's terrible. He doesn't deserve to be out of prison."

"No, no he does not. I'm scared he's going to come trying to find me."

"Why do you think he would?"

I took a few deep breaths before speaking. "He's written me over the years. Letters. Usually telling me he's sorry and asking if I could forgive him. But as the time of his release got closer and closer, the notes got scarier and scarier. He tells me he's going to find me. He says I'm going to regret never writing him back. He's a scary guy Tim. And if he raped five girls when he was in college, I can't imagine what he could do to me now after five years in a jail cell."

"Naomi, you have to go to the police. They can help you."

"What are they going to do?" I felt more tears soaking my face. "They're just going to give a restraining order, maybe. I tried getting one before he went to jail, but they wouldn't grant it because I wasn't assaulted by him."

Tim pulled me into his chest and rubbed soothing circles on my bicep with his hand. "But this time you have letters to prove that he's crazy."

I shook my head. "I burned them all as soon as I got them. I have photographs of them, just in case, but I don't have the physical letters. I didn't want those in my apartment. I felt unsafe with them there." I wiped my face with the bottom of my shirt, leaving mascara and eyeliner stains on it. I laughed a little, thinking about the fact I probably looked like a drowned raccoon.

"So then we'll just have to go down there and see what they'll do. If nothing, then you have all of us at NCIS and we're not going to let anything happen to you. You can stay with me, if you want, but I'm sure Gibbs, Tony, Ziva, and Abby would open their doors to you. Ducky and Palmer probably would too. We all care about you and nothing is going to happen to you." He kissed the top of my head and I cracked a small smile.

"Thank you. I'm really glad I have you in my life." I paused. "I mean, that I have you all in my life."

Tim chuckled and my face heated with a blood rush. There I went with my typical not smooth cover up. "I get what you mean. Does your family know about what happened with Liam?"

I shook my head again, but slower this time. "No. They have no idea." I had never told them when they were alive, but when they died and everything happened, I went to their graves to just sit there and talk to them about it all. It was weird at first, but now I go there every year on birthdays or anniversaries to talk to them.

"You should tell them. I'm sure they'd be happy to help you out. I'll go with you if you need emotional support." I cracked a small smile; Tim was such a genuine guy.

"Thank you. I appreciate that. I'll let you know what I decide."

Tim's leaned in to give me a kiss just as his phone started to ring. He muttered something under his breath and picked up the call. "Hello? ... hi Tony. ... yeah, sure. ... see you soon."

"Do we have to go into work?" I whined. Today was not a day I wanted to spend in an office.

"Nope. Tony, Ziva, and Abby are going to breakfast and asked if we'd join them."

My eyes lit up at the sound of food. "Oh hell yeah!" I jumped out of my seat and almost ran over to my apartment to find a fresh pair of clothes.

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I swept my floral dress under my thighs as I sat down next to Abby. She commented on how cute I looked, both in the dress and beside Tim. The only one at the table who knew nothing was Tony; he was as dense as a brick though, so I didn't think he would ever catch on.

We were at this cute little diner in the heart of DC. It was a small place, but packed to the brim. The whole place was booths of red pleather and dark wood tables. There was no overhead lighting on, but the windows let in all the bright sunshine from outside.

It wasn't until I had ordered my food and had a cup of coffee in my hands that I began to calm down about Liam. It wasn't long before Tony was making his movie references and Ziva was making fun of him. My team, who I'd met only months ago, were some of my closest friends. I felt safe around them and most importantly, I felt at home.

"I've got to talk to you guys about something," I said suddenly when there was a silence in conversation. Tim rested his hand on my knee as everyone turned their full attention to me. "Did any of you watch the news this morning?"

"Yeah, why?" Abby asked, clearly concerned.

"There was this guy on the news, Liam Allen..."

"Oh yes I did see that." Ziva nodded her head. "Didn't he just get out of prison?"

I nodded. "Yeah. He went to MIT with me. He raped and beat five girls. And I was dating him at that time."

"Oh my gosh." Abby's hands flew to her mouth.

"And over the years he's been sending me creepy letters. And I never responded. And now that he's out, I'm scared he's going to try to find me."

"Well you can stay with any of us whenever you need, right guys?" Abby looked around the table.

"Of course. I have a spare mattress." Ziva gave me a reassuring smile.

"You can share my coffin with me!" Abby smiled brightly.

"Or my bed," Tony said with a flirtatious wink.

"Or mine," Tim added, blushing.

I laughed. "Thanks you guys. It really means a lot to me."

"That's what friends are for! We stick together!" Abby put her hand over mine. "We're not going to let anything happen to you. I promise."