[Gibb's POV]

She was really here, in my arms again. I thought.... Nevermind what you thought. She needs help. I didn't need to be a doctor to tell that she was still in danger. Without the proper fluids and the possibility of a blood transfusion being needed....

I didn't want to think of what might happen to her.

Carefully, I lift her up, slipping my arm under her knees. I needed to get her to a hospital. No, no, not there. Whoever shot her might expect that. She won't be safe. I mentally slap myself, but continue up the stairs. I spot her bag by the doorway, and I carefully kneel down. Resting her legs on my own, I slide the straps of the bag onto my shoulder before slipping my arm back under her knees and standing straight. Then I grab the car keys off the table nearby. Finally, I make it to the door, and I sigh.

Cautiously, I reach out and open the door, pushing it hard enough that it swings wide. I slowly move out  into the cold night air, and I make my way to my car. Once I near it, I carefully kneel slightly to open the passenger side door. I feel Mariam stir in my arms, and I hush her slightly. "It's alright. I'm going to take good care of you, honey." After securing the seat belt around her, I rush to the drivers side and throw the door open. I sit down quickly and start the car, then I swiftly turn out of my driveway. There was only one place to go, and only one person I trust the most to help her.

I whip open my phone and easily type in the number. He answers immediately. 

"Duckee? I need a favor..."

~~~~*~~~~~~*~~~~~~*~~~~

[Mariam POV]

I could feel that we were moving, and his steady arms were underneath me. However, I didn't dare to open my eyes. I could already see the light through the lids of them, and I didn't feel like meeting that light head on. My shoulder was numb by now, and I could barely make out the voices above me. I could tell we just stepped out of an elevator, but where were we? Dad had said he was going to take good care of me, so I know we aren't at a hospital.

He hates those.

No... Not there. Then where else could we be?

An idea comes to mind, but cool metal against my exposed skin makes me shiver and shakes the thoughts away. I feel something cut against the shirt I was wearing, and I shift away slightly. This wasn't my shirt, and I felt bad for having it cut. However, an older man's voice rings in my ears, and I settle down again.

He seemed nice.

I feel something being gently rubbed against my skin around the wound, then a stern voice say something along the lines of, "This might hurt, try not to move."

Then pain as the substance is rubbed over the gunshot wound. I hiss and try to stay still, attempting to obey the voice, but my body betrays the pain and I shift away again. A firm hand holds me still, and I recognize the hardened skin. His palms were rough from years of wood work, and I feel myself wanting to open my eyes.

Just to make sure I didn't just imagine it all.

Slowly, I let them flutter open as the pain begin subside, and I find messy blobs of color in front of a blinding light. I squint and move my head to the side slightly, positioning the figure above me into a better lighting. His face begins to come into focus, his gray hair standing out on his tan face. His blue eyes shining with worry. I slowly take a deep breath, and let it out as my vision finally clears up. My hearing takes a moment to catch up, but I can soon hear him speaking.

"Mariam? Can you hear me, honey?"

I crack a smile, and squeeze his hand. I don't know when he started holding it, but I didn't care. "Y-You know.... You still sound the same... when you call me that...." I see his face slightly lighten at that remark, but he becomes serious in a second.

Yup, definitely my dad.

"What happened?" I keep my smile, and squeeze his hand, keeping my eyes awak as an older gentleman inserts an IV into my arm. "I.... I hid in a tree, and... passed out...." I take a deep breath slowly again, as to not interfere with any of the kind doctor's work. "When I woke, I feel and..... someone... took me to their home.... and patched me up...." I recall most of what I saw to him before I feel the fatigue start to kick in again. My eyes start to flutter shut a lot, and I feel my dad tighten his grip on my hand.

"Stay with me, Mariam. Come on, don't give up now!" 

I snicker slightly. "I'm... not dying, dad.... just.... tired." I hear the good doctor start to speak again, but he is muffled as I fall back into the dark void of sleep.

~~~~*~~~~~~*~~~~~~*~~~~

[Gibbs POV]

"Duckee, is she going to be okay?" I ask, trying to keep my emotions in check. However, it was obvious the doc wasn't buying it. "I have her stabilized, and the medicinal numbing cream I put on her seems to have done what it should. However, Jethro...." I gaze up at him as he walks around to my side. "She has lost a lot of blood. A transfusion would most definitely speed up the healing process." I already knew he would suggest that, so I reply in an instant.

"Can you do it here?"

Ever since that bastard somehow slipped into autopsy a few weeks ago, and hurt Gerald, Duckee has been keeping more medical supplies on hand in case of emergencies like that happen again. The thought of him makes my blood boil. If he thinks he can get away with shooting someone on my team, I'll-

"Jethor, are you listening to me?"

I snap out of it and turn towards the doctor again. "I said, I, unfortunately, do not have the capability to do it here, but Abby might up there." He points upward, and I blink before nodding. "Yeah, okay Duck...." I carefully slip my hand out of Mariam's and turn towards Duckee. "Keep an eye on her." I turn to leave, earning a soft chuckle from the doctor. "Of course, Gibbs. She's in good hands."

I step out of autopsy and head straight for the elevator. I knew Abby was still in, since she was running tests on the latest blood sample taken from a recent crime scene on a case we were currently investigating. As it comes to a halt, I step out, and almost collide with said forensic scientist. "Oh! Gibbs! I was just coming to g-"

"Not now, Abbs. I need your help."

My tone catches her off guard and we both walk back into her lab. "Woah, Gibbs. What's wrong?" Her worry was obvious, and I hesitate for a moment. I didn't want many people knowing Mariam was here yet, but....

"Abby, remember the girl I sent Tony and Kate to find?"

Abby nods, and she can already tell where this is going. Her eyes held that gleam in them.

"Abby, that's my daughter..... And she's been shot."

I can see the gleam in her eyes vanish as her face falls. "What?!" She shouts, and I simply drag her towards her desk, and try to keep both of us calm. "Listen. I need you to draw my blood. She needs a transfusion, and we are the same blood type." Abby nods quickly, and turns around to grab her supplies. I slide my shirt sleeve up and pull a chair over. Abby swiftly comes back and begins prepping my arm, while I just sit and wait.

Oh, how I hated waiting.

~~~~*~~~~~~*~~~~~~*~~~~

[Duckee POV]

I finish wrapping the young girls shoulder and carefully lay her back down. She grunts at the movement, and her eyes slightly open once more. "Ow...." She mutters out, and I grin. "I do apologize. There is no easy way to lay you back down with a wound on your shoulder." The girl's eyes flick around until they land on me, and I keep the smile on my face. "Hello, dear. How are you feeling?"

She blinks, and her eyes open a bit more. "Better than before.... still in pain, though." I huff, already noting the similarities between her and Gibbs. "Ah, I see. That is good to hear.... The, uh, getting better part." She smiles slightly, and I move closer to her head. "I'm Doctor Donald Mallard, but you may call me-"

"Duckee?"

My smile widens. "So, you heard us earlier?" She slightly nods, and takes a deep breath. "Y-Yeah... I thought dad was just being weird..." I laugh at that one. "Oh no, dear. He's just... worried." Her face falls, and I regret my choice of words immediately. Before I can try to remedy the situation, she speaks.

"Where.... is he?"

"Ah. He's upstairs in the forensics lab with Abby. You are in need of a blood transfusion and-"

"He's a match."

I slightly shake my head. "If you keep finishing my sentences, I may end up calling you Jethro." This makes her slightly laugh, and she hisses in pain. "Oh, I'm sorry dear." I start, but she shakes her head. "No.... don't be! That... that was funny." I nod my head, and walk over to her, dragging a chair from Gerald's old desk to the side of the table close to her head. "You know, I could tell you a few stories about your father while we wait, if you don't mind?"

I see her eyes light up as she turns her head towards me. "You've got juice on my dad?" I laugh, and scoot closer. "Oh my dear, I have loads of 'juice' on your father." A smirk crosses my face as I remember one. "I can tell you about the time his last ex-wife beat him over the head with a golf club, and I had to stitch him up right..." I turn and point behind me. "...there. Because he just despises hospitals!" The girl giggles again, holding back her painful hiss. I contemplate stopping, but her eyes plead for me to continue.

"Now, I remember it like it was yesterday. He comes stumbling in while I'm doing an autopsy..." I continue with this story for a while, and Mariam just quietly listens to each detail. She occasionally pops in with a question or a statement about Gibbs that was all too true.

I was simply trying to keep her awake, as it is easier to make sure everything is okay when the patient is aware of their surroundings. Just keep her entertained, Donald. That's all you have to do right now.

~~~~*~~~~~~*~~~~~~*~~~~

A/N:

Yo! I know my chapters are shorter than chapter one, as that was originally much MUCH shorter, but I changed up a lot of it before uploading it. I wanted her to come into the scene around season one, but after Ari's appearance. Also, I still wanted to show her at her family's funeral.

To clear up a few things, here's a small backstory.

1) Mariam was already wishing to go to law school after her father refused to let her join the Marines like he did. When he heard she was studying law in hopes of working for NCIS or the FBI, he lost his mind and tried to get her to stop, as he feared she would get hurt or worse. However, this only made Mariam enraged, and she left the next day.

2) She had been athletic until she made it to high school. It was an early college high school with no sports teams, so she had no where to really continue working out. Because of this, she lost a lot of her strength and endurance. That's why Gibbs first says he remembers she wasn't very athletic. He didn't know she was training for duty.

3) She actually did make it into the Marines, however she was never deployed. After a few years, she was honorably discharged and her tuition paid in full. She continued in Law School and soon found herself working for the CIA, then the FBI as the spy job simply bounced her around to find bad guys and draw them out. (yay...... not)

4) Mariam is 10 years older than Kelly, and graduated early (early college high school. She graduated 2 years early at 16 and moved out on scholarships and benefits from her dad's service). That means she is currently 29 years old. IDK her birthday yet, so yall help me out with that!

Anyways! I think that clears up most things. I will post a picture of what she looks like later.

As always,

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