NCIS: The New Recruit

Chapter 31

Because of the events that had happened, Samantha didn't even look at me for a few weeks out of respect for Dougie, but she soon went back to her old ways. You know, passive aggressively glaring at me.

I visited Dougie's grave a few times but I didn't want to go too often so I didn't seem like I was crowding it. It wasn't fair on his parents.

Kirsty seemed to distance herself from us, hang out with Samantha instead. I think she blamed Dougie's death on me. I could have been the one who died instead, but it was him. I didn't blame her, I knew how she felt about Dougie.

Life had slowly returned to normal. I was back at NCIS and Matt and I decided to act as though none of it had happened. Dougie wasn't dead, just...gone. Sure, it maybe wasn't the best way to go about things but it kept me going better than thinking about his death.

I had taken up martial arts. Well, it was more I had started going to the gym regularly and a martial arts instructor was there at the same time on some days. His name was Michael and we had struck up a conversation, and he offered to train me in martial arts.

That was where I went to unwind now. To get rid of the anger seated in me after everything that had happened. I normally got home from work, took Atticus for a quick walk and went straight out to the gym.

Gibbs was still trying to keep me away from murder scenes, telling me to get ready to get information from the field and start researching the victims before they got back. It was annoying but I knew he was just trying to be nice.

"We've got a robbery case," Gibbs said, coming into the squad room.

"Robbery?" Tony asked, frowning.

"Yes," Gibbs said, grabbing his stuff, "Is there a problem, DiNozzo?"

"No, it's just... We don't normally do robberies..." Tony said.

"Well, we are today. Hurry up," we all grabbed our stuff and went out to the cars.

We arrived at the victim's house and Gibbs assigned us our jobs.

"DiNozzo, Molly, there have been multiple reported robberies in the past few months, so both of you take a section and interview the other homeowners," Gibbs said and we nodded.

I walked over to the first few houses and got the usual 'I haven't seen anything suspicious' before I saw something suspicious.

I was going to the fifth house before I saw someone running out of the corner of my eye.

"HEY!" I yelled, running after them.

They sped up and I chased them around the block before I finally caught up with them, pinning them to the ground.

"I told you to stop," I growled.

I froze when I saw who it was. It was a boy who looked a few years younger than me, pale and skinny. His eyes were sunken and darting around and I relaxed my grip.

"Are... Are you OK?" I asked, helping him up.

"You're going to arrest me, right?" he asked.

"Do you want to be arrested?" I asked and he stared at me, "Why?"

"I robbed those house, I should be punished," he said quietly.

"Why do you want me to arrest you?" I repeated.

"Have you ever been out on the street?" he asked and I shook my head, "Then you would never understand."

"You could have gone to someone. You didn't have to commit a crime to get shelter," I said.

"You don't understand," he said.

"What's your name?" I asked.

"Marcus," he told me.

"Come with me," I said, "We'll sort you out."

I walked over to Gibbs with Marcus and he frowned when he saw us.

"Who is this?" he asked.

"Marcus," I lowered my voice, "He's the one who has been stealing. He's been doing it so that he is arrested and therefore gets shelter."

Gibbs expression softened when I explained that to him.

"Where is the stuff, son?" he asked quietly.

"It's in a box out in the woods. I made sure it was safe," Marcus told him.

"Ziva, McGee, go find the box!" he yelled then he spoke softly again, "Come with Molly and I, we'll take you back to NCIS and get you sorted out."

We drove back to NCIS and Gibbs spoke calmly to Marcus. He asked him what had happened to him and about his life on the streets.

"We can get you to a foster home, you don't need to get arrested to receive food and shelter," Gibbs said.

"I had given up on getting a foster home, I'm too old for anyone to want me," Marcus replied softly.

"Plenty of people want young teens, you just need to get in the right system," Gibbs told him.

We walked into NCIS and Gibbs went to speak with the Director, leaving me with Marcus.

"So, your parents died?" I asked.

"Yeah, in a car crash. They were on their way to the airport to pick up a friend and a drunk driver hit them. They died immediately. I was in the back of the car, but I suffered minimal injuries..." he sighed.

"I'm sorry," I said quietly.

"I've gotten used to it," he said, "What about your parents? Do they work here?"

"No..." I sighed, "They're dead too. Murdered right in front of me."

"Oh..." he said.

There was an awkward silence after that until Gibbs appeared.

"A foster lady has been looking for you. You ran away from the home," he said.

"Yeah, I... I had given up," he said.

"Just before you ran away, a couple were looking at adopting you. They are still waiting for you," the Director's voice came from above.

Marcus' eyes lit up with hope.

"Really?" he asked.

"Gibbs will take you there," he said, "The residents of that street aren't pressing charges. They just ask that you don't steal from anyone else."

"Of course! Thank you!" I smiled as he walked happily after Gibbs. Imagine the feeling of knowing you were going to have a family, a family who chose you.

"Where is this kid?" Tony asked, walking in.

"He's left to possibly be adopted as the residents won't press charges," I smiled.

"That was quick?" Ziva said.

"Yeah, he'd run away from the system just as a couple were looking into adopting him," I said.

"Well, it's good he's going to be happy," McGee said.

"Yeah," I agreed.

"What about you?" Ziva asked, "Are you happy?"

"I mean... I guess I'm alright," I said.

"Do you need to talk to someone?" Tony asked.

"I'm fine, I can get through it," I said.

"Don't hesitate to come speak to any of us if you need it," McGee told me.

"Thanks," I smiled slightly.

With that, I decided I was going to make myself a set of rules, like what Gibbs had done.

I opened up my notes in my phone and put in my first ever rule.

Rule 1 - Remember, no one is in charge of your happiness except you.

I closed my notes and set myself the task of making a list of rules to live by, much like Gibbs had.

I would write them in my dad's notebook.