10Disclaimer: I do not own any of the NCIS characters; I am just borrowing them for this story. Contains spanking of a minor in later chapters.
Had to be There – Pt 1
Chapter 1
Samantha shrunk down behind the trash dumpster out back of Pete's Pizza Parlor and pulled her knees up to her chest. She hadn't eaten since yesterday morning when she'd found the remains of an Egg McMuffin someone had dropped in the gutter. Her stomach hurt terribly and she was afraid of throwing up. She bit her lip and told herself to suck it up.
Get a hold of yourself, Sam.
She turned her head as the back door of the pizza parlor was pushed open. A young kid in a red uniform came out with a bag of trash. Sam's mouth watered as the smell of pepperoni and cheese wafted in her direction. She could almost taste the pizza. The young man tossed the trash in the dumpster and went back inside.
As soon as the door was closed, Sam jumped to her feet and clambered inside the dumpster. She could barely contain her excitement as she ripped open the bag of trash. There were paper cups, napkins, and other trash; but at the bottom were the remains of a half-eaten pizza and several bread sticks.
Samantha stuffed her shirt full of bread sticks then crammed a piece of crust into her mouth. She wrapped up several slices of pizza that had the least bitten off and slowly climbed out of the dumpster. As she munched slowly on her pizza, Samantha spied an open can of soda on the back step outside the pizza parlor's kitchen. Not believing her good fortune, she snatched the can and scurried back to her hiding place. The soda was warm, but it made the pizza go down easier. She was just settling down to finish her meal, when a car pulled into the alley.
Sam, as she preferred to be called, scrunched farther back into her hiding place so as not to be seen. The car stopped and a door opened. Something fell out with a heavy thud then a hand reached out. Sam almost gasped when the moonlight glanced off the metal barrel of a gun. Her foot twitched, banging the dumpster.
Sam shrunk back farther when a head poked out of the window and looked her way. She was fairly sure no one could see her in the dark, but she was terrified nonetheless. The head finally disappeared back inside the car and she heard a coarse laugh.
"Just leave him, Vino. He's dead already; he just don't know it yet."
The door finally shut and the car drove slowly from the alley. Samantha waited several minutes before crawling from her hiding place. She peeked around the dumpster to make sure the car was truly gone. When she was certain the alley was clear, she crept across the ground, the darkening sky almost obscuring the body from view.
Putting out a hand Sam rolled the body over and stared at the face of a young man. His arm was still warm, which meant he couldn't' have been dead long. Sam reached into his pants' pocket and pulled out a fancy looking cell phone. She looked it over, wondering how much she could get for it at Malloy's Pawn Shop. He would figure it was stolen, but maybe she could still get $25 for it.
Sam reached back into the dead man's pocket. She was pulling out a very expensive watch when she heard a groan from the "dead man". She jumped backward, eyes widening in horror, cell phone and watch clattering to the ground.
Sam stared as the body turned in her direction and tried to speak. His eyes glassed over and all he got out was an mmmph. Sam shivered, feeling a little creeped-out by the sudden turn of events. Quickly she made up her mind; she couldn't just leave him there. Scurrying back to her hiding place for the can of warm soda, she took a small sip before hurrying back to the body in the alley. She shook her head at her foolishness, but gently lifted his head and dribbled some of her precious soda onto his lips.
The body twitched and the lips parted slightly. Sam dribbled a little more into his mouth, glad to see him finally swallow something. Taking off her coat, Sam made him a makeshift pillow and slipped it under his head. Looking around, she spotted his phone and picked it up, intending to call 911 and leave an anonymous tip. The cops could take him to a hospital, and she could get back to her life, such as it was.
Sam flipped open the lid and was about to punch in the numbers when the body twisted its head toward her and tried to speak. She leaned over and put an ear next to his lips.
"No cops." He whispered in a voice so weak that she wasn't sure she'd heard right.
Sam looked at him in astonishment and his eyes pierced right through her. She stared around helplessly. He was too big to carry and possibly too big to drag. He wouldn't fit in her hiding place. Anyway, how was she to care for his wounds? She looked down at him again then moved to dial the phone.
"No cops!" His voice was hoarse, but the intensity of his plea stopped her fingers mid-dial.
Sam shook her head, "Look, mister. You're in really bad shape. If you don't get to a doctor soon, you're gonna bleed out."
The young man set his lips stubbornly and held out a hand. Samantha turned the cell phone toward him with a sigh. He lifted a trembling finger and pointed at the first number on the speed dial. Samantha stared at the phone as his hand pointed at the screen then fell to the ground. His eyes were glassing over and his breathing had gotten shallower. She swallowed hard then pressed the #1 on the speed dial before she changed her mind.
Samantha, you must be out of your mind.
Sam heard the phone ring once then a gruff voice spoke from the other end.
"DiNozzo, is that you? Where the hell have you been?"
Sam almost dropped the phone. She could hear the fury in the voice on the other end, and she wasn't sure she wanted to get involved. Then she mentally kicked herself. You're already involved, dumbass. Can't get any worse, can it? She lifted the phone to her ear, her eyes never straying from the ashen face of the young man lying on the ground before her.
"Hello?" Sam spoke tentatively, more of a question than a statement.
Gibbs: *glowers* What's up with Tony? You didn't hurt him did you?
Me: *sulking* Of course not. Now if you don't mind, I have to get back to writing.
Gibbs: Watch the attitude, little missy. (moves his hand toward his belt buckle)
Me: *gulping* Whatever you say boss, whatever you say.
Gibbs: Do you want me to smack you, because if I do it won't be on the back of the head!