A Soldier's Love Never Dies

I arrived back to my hone at around 4:30 yesterday morning and after getting some much needed sleep, I got to work organizing the basement before heading to Home Depot to stock up on wood working supplies. While I was driving my thoughts of the dream where Dakota stood over my sleeping form and speaking to me weighed heavily. I am done with carrying the pain I've felt for so many years after he died. All the memories I have of us is one thing that will never die. I did come up with a way to honor Dakota and Jayla's memory. I'm going to use my knowledge and skill of mechanics to rebuild 2 of their favorite muscle cars.

Dakota always loved the 1970 Dodge Charger and before he passed, he had planned to build one with his father. Jayla and I had talked about rebuilding her favorite, a 1969 Chevrolet Camaro, during the time she had liberty so we could possibly one day take them to the car show in Tennessee called the Rod Runs. It will take some doing but I plan on getting both cars ready for that weekend in the spring. Before I can do any of that I have to wait for the Charger's frame to get here from North Carolina and find a Camaro's frame or one that can be fixed.

Right now I'm in my muscle car driving to work at the Navy Yard with my boys. It'll be good to start working again and helping the families of the murdered victims. I pulled into the Navy Yard and quickly found my space next to Abby's Rat Rod. I wonder if she would be interested in going with me in the spring? I went into the building and was welcomed back by a few of the security personnel before getting on the elevator. I pushed the floor to Abby's lab. I think she should be the first person on the team to see me. Once the elevator doors opened, he music blasted into my ears. I stood at the entrance of her lab as she worked relentlessly at the computer. I bent down to be at ear level with my boys.

"Sprechen." I commanded and they began barking loudly catching Abby's attention.

"Blayke!" Abby ran to me with her arms out wide in front of her. I steadied myself as she hugged me tightly.

"I'm glad to see you too Abbs." I said chuckling.

"How are you? How is everything? Did you have fun at your mother's?"

"Abby will you please slow down with the questions? Yes I had fun with my mother. Yes I am fine and everything is good. I relaxed and helped around her house for 3 weeks." I said answering her questions.

"But how are you really doing?"

"I'm fine honestly. I did feel a bit depressed for a while but I got over it. I realized that I have 2 seta of pain that I needed to deal with. Dakota has been dead for 15 years and it's time to let that go. Jayla's death will take some more time to heal from." I explained.

"I'm always here if you need me Blayke. Just remember that."

"I know Abbs. You're such a great friend." I said giving her a hug of my own.

"Oh before I forget. I'm building 2 more muscle cars that I hope will be finished by the spring. I was wondering if you would like to take your Rat Rod down to Tennessee with me in the springtime?"

"For like a car show?" Abby asked curiously.

"Yes ma'am."

"Yeah that would be awesome! Just let me know what day and I'll keep my schedule open." She said smiling.

"Great! I better be getting to the squad room."

"Cone down all the time and welcome back again." Abby said giving me another bone crushing embrace before roughly petting my boys.

We left her lab and got back on the elevator. I pushed the button for the squad room and wait for the doors to reopen. The metal doors opened to reveal those ugly orange walls and dozens of desks. We stepped off the elevator and went straight over to my desk. It's still a bit early for the rest of the team to get here so I took the opportunity to search for 1969 Camaro bodies or frames that I could rebuild.

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My search for a body or frame of a '69 Camaro hasn't been too good. Other agents are starting to come into the squad room but none of the members of the team have yet to come so I continued my search.

"Well well well look what the cat drug in." I looked up from my computer's screen as Tony and McGee came into our section of desks.

"Hey DiNozzo, McGee."

"Welcome back Blayke." McGee said smiling as he sat his backpack down on the floor beside his desk.

"How are you doing?"

"I'm doing just fine. It's good to be back." I said as they petted my boys.

"That's good. So what did you do on your time off?"

"Well I've spent all my time at my mother's house in North Carolina. I built her a fence, did some fishing, we to the VAC, and I finished building a cabin Dakota and I had started." I explained.

"How is your mother doing with...with your father in prison?"

"I can yell that she's hurting. I mean the she loved murdered the daughter of her only child for the simple reason that he never wanted me to have a child at the age I was but luckily I was able to keep her mind off of that." I continued explaining.

"How did you manage that?"

"I bought hre a 1970 red and black Chevy Chevelle." I said showing them the picture I took of mom standing by her new car.

"Oh that's such a good looking car."

"Grab your gear. We got a dead body in Norfolk." Gibbs ordered as he came into our cluster and went over to his desk. I grabbed my backpack and started to attach Tsunami and Jethro's leashes when Gibbs stopped me. He looked down at my phone before smiling.

"Nice car. Welcome back Marine." Gibbs walked away from me and I quickly attached the leashes to my boys before following him into the elevator to join the others.

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I parked my car next to the NCIS van and Gibbs' Charger as I arrived at the crime scene. The local police officials had the scene taped off and Gibbs went over to one of them as I went to the back of the van. Ducky and Jimmy soon arrived behind us.

"Miss Carrington, it's good to see you back." Ducky said as he got out of the ME van.

"It's good to be back."

"How are you doing?" He asked placing a hand on my shoulder.

"I'm fine Ducky." I nodded as I grabbed some stuff to evaluate the crime scene. I ducked under the yellow crime scene tape and went inside the motel room. I stood there looking down at the mutilated body of an unrecognizable Marine Corp officer.

"Our victim's name is Major Flynn Oakes." McGee said after scanning the fingers with his portable scanner.

"Do you know how hr was killed Duck?"

"I won't know that until I get him on the table Jethro." Ducky said as he pushed the liver probe into the body.

"Time of death?" Ducky pulled the probe from the body and a look of confusion set upon his face.

"What is it Duck?"

"I put the probe in where the liver should be but it didn't read it. Mr. Palmer did you change the batteries in this like I asked?" Ducky said as he turned to his assistant.

"Yes doctor." Ducky turned back to the body and began examining it.

"Oh my Lord."

"What?" Gibbs asked as Ducky leaned up and away from the body.

"I was feeling for the liver but it's gone. Judging by the coolness and beginning stages of stiffening, I'd say he's been dead 8 to 10 hours. Mr. Palmer, go get the body bag and gurney please."

"Right away doctor." Jimmy said leaving the small motel room.

"Collect and document everything. DiNozzo, sketg the scene while Blayke photographs and collects evidence. McGee, you get back to headquarters and get me everything on this man." Gibbs bent under the tape and got into the NICS issued Charger.

I photographed the body as DiNozzo sketched the room. After taking a dozen shots, I collected each item of evidence but never once located a murder weapon. The person must have taken it with him or her. Ducky and Jimmy loaded the body bag onto the gurney and wheeled the man out of the.room. this is one weird way to welcome me back to work.