NCIS: The New Recruit

Chapter 25

I woke up the next morning with a feeling of hopefulness. I felt rejuvenated, ready for what lay ahead. I didn't feel the despair I had been feeling beforehand. Although I had woken up again in a cold sweat, I refused to let that get to me.

I walked into the kitchen with a smile on my face and I found Tony waiting for me.

"You're not taking the bus today, so get ready quickly and I'll drive you," he said.

I frowned but quickly went to take a shower. When I got out, I examined the marks on my face. It was black and blue and the cuts had scabbed over. I looked a mess but I was determined not to let anything pull me down.

I got changed into jeans, my favourite t-shirt and a pair of Converse.

"Ready?" Tony asked and I nodded, grabbing an apple from the fruit bowl.

He drove me to the school and parked. I expected him to just drop me off, but apparently not.

I caught sight of Matt and went to meet him but then I saw Tony walking into the school.

"What is he doing?" Matt asked.

"I have no idea!" I said and we walked into the school.

As soon as we walked in, we were surrounded by laughter.

"What is going on?" I asked Matt, my head down and my face burning.

"Samantha must have posted that video..." he sighed.

"How are your blisters from last night?" a mocking voice asked.

"How is your face?" Matt spat back, " I thought you'd be thanking Molly! She improved it by a lot!"

I smiled slightly at that comment. He had my back.

"At least I didn't have to get the cops to come and save me," she said.

"They came as my family," I growled at her.

"Family?" she laughed, "Your family is gone. You don't have a family!"

"Wrong!" a voice came from behind me, "We are her family. Ever since she moved here, she's been a part of it. And we don't like people messing with our family."

It was Tony.

"You know what this is? This is a badge," I turned around to see him holding up his badge, "It gives me authority to arrest people if they break the law. Do you know what's against the law? Shooting people. It doesn't matter that you have the right to bear arms or if you use fake guns, if you injure someone with them for no good reason, that's a crime.

"Now, I have evidence of such a crime being committed. If you don't want to go to prison, I suggest you leave Molly and Matt alone. You got it?" he asked.

Samantha was glaring at me but nodded under the threat of being arrested.

"Good. See you after school, Molly," with that, Tony left.

I turned to Samantha with a grin on my face.

"Not so brave now!" I said with a laugh.

"You will regret humiliating me. I don't care about your stupid cop friends, I will make you regret ever coming to Washington!" she yelled at me before storming away with her lackeys.

"Thank Tony for me," Matt grinned.

"He's very protective of me," I laughed.

"Good thing for us or that could have turned nasty," he said, "Let's go to English."