Life Line: An NCIS Fanfiction [Book One]

Chapter 23 - Living In the Past

"She's in an emotional state of shock... She's reverted back to who she was when she knew Scarlet, and not any of us." Ducky explained to Gibbs. Carter was still sitting on the bench where he and Tony had found her only an hour before.

"But will she be okay?" Gibbs asked. Ducky looked over to Carter and sighed.

"I don't know, Jethro... We will just have to wait and see... For the mean time, find Scarlet. Let her know what happened. Have her take Carter home." Ducky patted Gibbs on the shoulder.

Gibbs called Tony over and sent him to get Scarlet. Once Tony had left, Gibbs, Tim, and Ziva split up so they could watch Carter from all directions. About a half an hour later, Tony returned with Scarlet. She looked worried. She took a deep breath before walking over to Carter.

"Cart? Are you alright?" Scarlet sat on the bench beside her.

"How could I be, Scarlet?" Carter turned her head to look at her, "I have no one left. My family is gone... I just want to get away from here... Scarlet, I think I'm going to join the marines."

"But, Carter! You're not eighteen anymore. You've already been through the marines. You have friends. A home. A brother."

"What? No... I don't have any of that, and I would remember being in the military. I'm going to do it. Whether I have your approval or not. I just need to get away, okay?" Carter stood up. Scarlet went to grab her arm so she couldn't run but Carter pulled her arm away. "Don't you try and stop me."

"You can't leave. Not now." Scarlet said, but Carter ran anyway. Scarlet looked over to Gibbs with grief covering her face. Tim had already started chasing after her, calling her name, but she kept on running.

*****

It was two thirty-four when Carter stopped running. She entered a small building, miles away from the national mall. A recruitment office for the United States Marine Corps. She was filling out papers when Gibbs, Tim, Ziva, and Scarlet rushed in.

"Carter. You can't do this." Tim said, breathing heavily.

"I don't even know who you are and you're trying to tell me what to do? Well you're too late." Carter signed the sheet of paper and placed it on the desk. She looked into Tim's eyes before walking out the door.

"Gibbs..." Tim cried, "She doesn't know who I am." He sat down, defeated.

"Do not worry, McGee. She will soon enough." Ziva sat beside him and placed her hand on his back. Continuing to cry, he buried his face into her arm. Ziva looked at Gibbs helplessly.

"We just have to make her realize that living in the past is something she doesn't want to do." Gibbs said.