Trauma Queen: A NCIS Fanfiction

Chapter Twenty Three

"So let me make sure I have this right. You came home and saw your apartment ransacked. After checking it out, you saw someone on your balcony. And you believe it to be Liam Allen." Officer Krup seemed to look at me in disbelief.

"Yes. He and I were dating when he raped those girls. And when he was in prison, he'd sent me letters. I have photographed every one of them in case something like this happened." I sat on the couch, a blanket around my shoulders and a cup of hot coffee in my hands.

He nodded. "I'm going to need all those photographs printed out and given to me if you really think this was him."

"I know it was. He's psychotic."

Officer Krup stood and handed me his business card. "If you need anything, do not hesitate to call. When you bring those photos in, leave them specifically for me."

I nodded. "Thank you so much for your help."

Tim showed the officer out and locked the door behind him before coming over to sit beside me on the couch. He put his hand on my knee and rubbed soothing circles with his thumb.

"You okay?" He asked gingerly.

I shook my head. "Definitely not."

"Anything I can do?"

"Not unless you can hunt Liam down and kill him, no."

"Well..."

I looked at Tim with my eyes wide. "Don't even think about it. I was kidding. I don't want you near him."

Tim looked taken aback. "What?"

I put my cup of coffee down on my table and turned towards him. "It's not that I don't trust you to take care of yourself, because I do, I don't trust Liam not to kill you."

"I can take care of myself."

"I know you can Tim." I put my hand on his. "It's just I kind of like you and I don't want you to do anything that would put you in harms way."

He smiled. "You only kind of like me?"

I rolled my eyes. "That's what you focused on?" I laughed. "Okay, fine. I like you more than kind of."

He smiled and kissed my forehead. "I like you more than kind of too."

I smiled awkwardly. "Tim, why are we both so cliché?"

"Well I'm a writer, I'm allowed to be cliche. You on the other hand are just awkward."

I felt myself blush. "Yeah well... I'm a nerd for a reason. I don't do that social interaction thing very well."

"I don't know. You seem to get along with everyone."

"It's an act... I promise."

When we heard a knock at my door, I immediately pulled my knees up onto the couch and Tim reached for his gun. Slowly he stood, pulling the gun out of its holster, and went over to the door to look out the peep hole. I felt my breath hitch in my throat and I could hear the pounding of my heart in my ears, all the adrenaline rushing towards my major organs.

Tim sighed. "It's just Gibbs." He opened the door and allowed Gibbs to walk into my apartment, his hair looking pristine and his clothing looking worn.

"Hey Boss," Tim greeted.

Gibbs completely ignored him and walked over to me, sitting down on the couch beside me. "What the hell happened?"

I sighed before I told Gibbs the whole story about Liam. Every little detail since college. I told him about the threatening notes and how I felt when I came home. I described what I saw on the balcony.

He shook his head. "You can't be left alone any more. I'll make sure someone is always available to keep you safe. You need to move all your things into my house. That's an order."

"Boss, I don't think I need to move everything..." I said, clearly frustrated.

"Maybe not, but it's a precaution. You can't be coming back here every day with this crazy man out there. You're a good agent Cahn and I'll be damned to see you taken away from us."

I nodded. "Yes sir."

***

I placed the picture frame of my family and I from my high school graduation party on the night table in the guest room at Gibbs' house. My brother held me up on his back and I had the biggest smile on my face, happy just to be with him. My parents stood on either side of us, their eyes showing happiness and they smiled wider than I'd ever seen them smile. My yellow dress fell on either side of my brother's torso and my converse covered feet flew out in front of him.

I smiled sadly as I took the photo out of the frame and held it in my hands. I felt tears brim my eyes.

"I really wish you were here right now." I wiped a tear from my cheek as I stared at the faces of my family. It was never easy since they died, especially because they were my greatest support system. "I wish you could protect me."

"Hey," Tim said, appearing at the door. "You doing all right?"

I nodded. "Yeah." I quickly folded the picture and put it in my wallet. "I'm fine. Just a little shaken up is all."

He nodded. "Understandably so." He looked over his shoulder before kissing my cheek. "Everything is going to be fine. We're here for you."

I nodded. "Thanks Tim. I know Gibbs doesn't know about ...us... but would you stay here? I don't want to sleep alone. And I'm sure if Gibbs saw us he would just assume you were comforting me and then we just fell asleep."

He ran a hand through his hair. "I don't know... that's kind of risky..."

I looked at the ground. "Yeah. I guess you're right."

It was a moment before he lifted my chin so my face was facing his. "Don't be sad. I'll stay. Just... if Gibbs comes in I'm going to push you on the floor."

I laughed. "It would be more believable if I pushed you on the floor Tim!"

He smiled. "Yeah, maybe."

I moved onto the bed, my head resting on the pillow and my eyes glued to the ceiling. I couldn't get the picture of Liam on my balcony out of my head. I just saw his eyes looking pleased and that half smile made me shudder. I was so nervous he would find me again.

"Hey," Tim said suddenly. "Stop thinking about it."

I rolled my eyes. "I can't help it. It was so scary."

He nodded. "I know. But it's going to be okay."

"How do you know that? Because I don't know that."

"Because it will be. Everything works out in the end. And if it hasn't worked out, then it's not the end!"

I smiled. "That's so corny."

He playfully hit my arm. "Way to ruin the moment Naomi."

I smiled. "I try."