Always a Hero

This protection detail is such a waste of damn time. There hasn't been one single threat to me in over a week so whoever shot at me when we went to the warehouse either knows I have a protection detail or thought I was someone else. If we want to catch these bastards then the protection shit is gonna have to end. I found out a few days ago that the dried blood on the chair belonged to my daughter and McGee tracked the computers to a shipment that was reported stolen by an electronics store. The IP address was scrambled all over the world so that didn't help much either. The only fingerprints found at the warehouse were from Edward Plano and he's still saying the men who contacted him had masks covering their faces. Right now Gibbs is in interrogation with Plano trying to get any names of those people involved while I observe in the observation room with Tony.

"I already told you that I don't know who they are! They were wearing masks."

"Agent Gibbs, you've questioned my client several times. He's admitted to the rape and kidnapping of the victim but he has no idea who hired him." Edward's attorney stated.

"He's telling the truth. If he knew their names he wouldn't hold out this long."

"I know." I said before leaving the observation room with DiNozzo right on my heels. We went back to the squad room and I sighed deeply as I ran a hand down my face.

"We'll find the men who did this."

"I know Tony. So who's coming home with me tonight?" I asked as I packed up my stuff.

"Gibbs. Are you headed there now?"

"Yeah. Tell Gibbs to meet me there." I said slinging the backpack over my shoulder which made Tsunami and Jethro stand up.

"Hold on a minute and I'll call Gibbs." Tony turned his back on me as he picked up his cell phone and I went straight to the elevator. Tony noticed as the chime of the elevator sounded. The metal doors closed right in front of him as he called my name.

When the doors opened up again, we headed out of the building and over to my car. Tsunami and Jethro were the first to get in before I took my place behind the wheel. I cranked the engine and began to back out of the parking space when the passenger side door opened and Gibbs got in.

"You weren't thinking of leaving without an escort were you?"

"Wouldn't dream of it Gibbs." I said with a sarcastic smile on my face. I finished backing out of the space and started the journey back to empty home.

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The car ride to my house was silent. Not even my radio was turned on. I pulled into my driveway and shut down the engine. I got out as Gibbs did with Tsunami and Jethro following. I unlocked the front door and my boys ran inside.

"Make yourself at home Gibbs. You want a beer?" I said as I went into the kitchen. I grabbed 2 beers from the 12 pack I bought yesterday and handed one to Gibbs.

"Thanks."

"Well there's food in there if you get hungry." I said before opening the back door and letting my boys out. I went down to the basement leaving Gibbs standing in my kitchen. I flipped the light on at the bottom of the stairs. I gulped down half of the bottle of beer and sat it on a shelf.

"Need a hand?" I looked up as Gibbs stood at the top of the stairs and I nodded. He came down and looked at the casket I had made for Jayla. Gibbs ran his hand over the smooth wood feeling the texture.

"Start on that end." I said handing him a manual sander. I never use power tools when I build. It somehow takes all the pleasure in knowing that you crafted a beautiful piece with your bare hands. As I sanded on the lid of the casket, I noticed Gibbs would stare at me. Why does he do that? I dropped the sander down on my workspace and took a seat on one of the extra sawhorses.

"Go ahead and say what you're wanting to say." I stated crossing my arms over my chest.

"What?"

"You keep staring at me like you want to say something so just spit it out already." Again he stared at me with his blue eyes. There was something in those cobalt blue eyes that attracted me. Probably just the intense way he was staring.

"You should've told me everything at the beginning."

"Look I know. After the FBI's blundering mistake, how could I trust anyone else to look into this?" I stated.

"Don't know. I probably would've done the same thing."

"I'm just angry as hell for what they did." I said and he nodded in understanding. I picked up the sander again and started back on my work. A quick little noise from upstairs caught my attention and I stopped sanding. I set the sander down and withdrew my gun from the holster.

"Stay here." Gibbs whispered. He ascended up the stairs not making a sound and disappeared out of the basement. I can't let him go alone.

I took my time going up the stairs with my weapon drawn. I checked out the door and it was clear. I went through the kitchen and turned the corner to go into the living room when I saw Gibbs laying on the floor unconscious. I entered the living room without looking and felt something hard hit the back of my head. I recovered quickly but 3 others grabbed me. I fought off the intruders as best as I could but they got the upper hand when another blow to my head came. 3 men held onto me tightly while a 4th punched me in the face and abdomen repeatedly.

"That's enough. I think she's got the point." I looked up to see a 5th man come into the room. The men who held onto me let go and I fell straight to the floor. Blood seeped from my busted lip and where I was hit on the head twice.

"You just don't know when to quit do you?" The man said. His voice was familiar. If only he didn't have that mask covering his face. The 4th masked man, and the one who had delivered the most punches, stood next to the familiar sounding man with my boys. What the hell?

"I warned you with a brick and then gunfire but you just wouldn't stop the investigation. I think since you won't listen you should be punished. Then if you still can't get it through your thick skull, we'll pay a little visit to your mother. I hear she's in Virginia with her sister."

"You touch her you son of a bitch and I'll fucking kill you." I threatened. The man's boot clad foot collided with my jaw knocking me onto my back and he kneeled over me.

"You're in no position to be threatening me. Now just lay there and take what you've got coming to you."

"Everything boss?" One of the men asked and he nodded before leaving my home. The 3 masked men's boots kicked me in the ribs and face. One of the men straddled me and leaned down to my ear.

"When the boss said everything, he meant everything that we did to your daughter." He whispered and that set me off with anger. I brought my hand up and hit him square in the nose knocking him backwards.

"You stupid bitch!" The man got back up and pounded my face with his knuckles.

"Tsunami Toten." I ordered and Tsunami broke away from the man holding him and to the man sitting on top of me. The man screamed out as Tsunami bit down on his neck.

The man pushed my companion off of him but there was already too much damage done. He bled out all over me and I pushed him away. The other men ran out of the house before they could endure the same fate. Jethro and Tsunami returned to my side and whined. I grabbed onto them and slowly pulled myself up as that voice rang inside my head. Realization of who it belonged to hit me and angered me even more. My head spun for a minute as I got to my feet. My jaw ached fiercely as I shook Gibbs but he didn't respond. I grabbed Gibbs phone from his pocket and sent a text message to Tony. It won't take him long to get here.

"Tsunami, Jethro Wache Gibbs." I ordered and they sat down beside him. I grabbed my old field pack and filled it with extra ammo for my AR15. Then I took the gun from the it's mounted position on the wall and loaded it with the last clip. I left the house leaving the front door open and grabbed a few things from the garage before getting into my car. I don't care if this ruins everything I've built since I was discharged from the Marines. I won't let those bastards get away with murder.

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~~~~~~~~~~~Gibbs POV~~~~~~~~~
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"Boss? Boss can you hear me?" A voice said as I regained consciousness. I shook the cobwebs from my head and stood to my feet with DiNozzo's help.

"I'm fine. Where's Blayke?"

"I don't know. I've looked everywhere. McGee is tracking her phone right now. What happened in here?" He asked.

"We were down in her basement, she heard a noise and I came up here to check it out when someone hit me." I looked around the living room and noticed that the gun that was mounted on the wall wasn't there.

"She must have recognized one of their voices. Have Ducky look after this body."

"Hold on it's McGee." DiNozzo said before answering his phone.

"McGee says she's heading south. Where could she be going?"

"Has McGee checked the phone records of her family members?" I asked and relayed the message.

"Yeah. Her father doesn't have cell phone. Her mother received calls from Blayke and made 2 calls to her husband."

"Call Abby and tell her to check that DNA against her father's." I said.

"Her father's?"

"Yeah DiNozzo." I said leaving the house.

"Where are we going boss?"

"I have feel I know where she's going." I said before whistling for Tsunami and Jethro. I opened the backseat door and they jumped right inside. DiNozzo got into the driver's seat making me take the passengers.

"Where is she going?"

"Bethel. Now drive DiNozzo. We got to get to her before she does something stupid."

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~~~~~~~~~Blayke's POV~~~~~~~~~
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I drove and drove not stopping for anything but gas. That voice kept playing over and over in my head. I knew who had to be responsible for beating the hell out of me and who was responsible for Jayla's disappearance and murder. How the fuck could I be so damn blind? I reached Bethel at dusk and parked my car a ways down the road from my parent's house. As I got out of the car a dizzy feeling came over me making me stumble. I shook the fuzzy feeling away and grabbed my weapon and old backpack from the backseat. I quickly and quietly trekked through the woods with my night vision gear on until I came to the outskirts of my parent's land. I could see 2 men walking around the grounds as if they were guarding it from intruders.

One man was standing guard at the entrance to the barn as the other went around the side of the house. I made my move for that man. I crept silently as I got right behind him before smacking the butt of my gun against the back of his head rendering him unconscious. I dragged him into the woods and stuffed an old rag in his mouth and used my handcuffs to secure him to the tree. I went back to the side of the house and the man guarding the barn door went inside. There wasn't anymore people around so I went to the barn. I peaked through the slats to see the man talking to my father. I went to the barn door and kicked it open. The man who just went inside turned and aimed his weapon at me but I fires first shooting him right through the heart. My father's face held shock but only for a second.

"Honey, what happened to you? Why are you bleeding?"

"Why dad? Why did you do it?" I questioned as I pointed my weapon at him.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Don't play stupid! I found the damn warehouse where Jayla was tortured!" I yelled.

"I sweater I don't know what you're talking about."

"Besides me, you're the only other person who knows that mom is in Virginia." I said.

"Well hell I didn't tell anyone! You gotta believe me. All these things that you're telling me is news to me."

"What about that fucktard who attacked me? Did you really think that I wouldn't recognize that son of a bitches voice?!" I yelled moving closer to him.

"You weren't supposed to keep digging into this. I warned you several times."

"You killed her didn't you?" I inquired.

"Yeah I did. You know she's a disgrace to this family. I did what had to be done."

"And threatening to get rid of mom was part of the plan after you sent Josh and his idiotic friends to beat me half to death?" I said.

"Necessary casualties to get what I want is more like it."

"I should fucking shoot you where you stand!" I yelled again.

"Blayke, put the gun down." I looked to the side to see Gibbs and DiNozzo pointing their weapons at my father.

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~~~~~~~~~~~Gibbs POV ~~~~~~~~~~~~
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As we got to Bethel, DiNozzo stopped on the side of the road to answer his ringing phone.

"Abbs you're on speaker. What did you find?"

I found a familia match. I ran it through the database and it does belong to her father.

"Track her cell. We need to know where she is right now."

Already on it boss. She's at a farm on Old Mill road. I sent the exact address to your phone Tony.

"Thanks Magoo. That's just down the road boss." DiNozzo said as he hung up the phone. He made the gravels and dirt fly as he punched the gas. He followed the map on the dash before turning into the driveway.

"Where could she be?" A shot rang out in the direction of an old barn and we drew our weapons. I looked through the cracks as Blayke had her father at gunpoint. DiNozzo and I went into the barn.

"Blayke, put the gun down."

"I can't do that DiNozzo. He has to fucking pay for what he did to my daughter." She said angrily.

"Killing him won't make your pain any less and it won't give your daughter the justice she deserves." I holstered my weapon and went to her side.

"Stand down Captain. We have all the evidence we need to make sure he never sees the light of day again." She looked between me and her father and I could tell she was fighting with herself on what to do but ultimately she dropped the gun to her side.

DiNozzo quickly handcuffed her father and lead him out of the barn reading him his rights. Blayke breathed heavias she stared down the spot where her father stood. No tears came to her eyes as she looked up at me.

"I know I shouldn't have come without backup. I'm sorry Gibbs." Blayke said and I gently smacked the back of her head.

"Rule 17: It's better to seek forgiveness than ask permission ." She laughed as we left the barn. I watched DiNozzo open the backseat door of the Charger letting Tsunami and Jethro out. They ran quickly to her and she bent down to great her boys.

"Oh Gibbs. There might be a witness who would be willing to talk about what my father had done." Blayke stated as she motioned for me to follow her. We went around the house and into the woods where she had a man handcuffed to a tree. I chuckled as he looked at us with a scared expression on his face. She never ceases to impress me.