Alex was glad that she had told her friends about her past and got it off her chest finally. Carrying around a burden such as the one she was dealing with would tire a person down and wear them down to the point of no return. Abby was the first one to tackle Alex and wrap her arms around the other woman. Alex chuckled and returned Abby's enthusiastic hug after the Goth glomped her. "Abs, everything is alright now. If someone tried to hurt me again, I'm trained to shoot effectively, rendering my attacker incapacitated or shoot them dead if I have to. I'm an agent and a former Marine to boot," Alex said and the forensic specialist nodded her head against her best friend's shoulder.
Kate stood up from her seat and walked over to retrieve her girlfriend from Alex's arms. "Well, I should be getting some rest since it's late and I have to go see my sister in the morning about something. At least our older brother, Landon Michael "Mikey" McGee, and his wife Angela Roberts-McGee, will be there to referee between us. I'm still pissed at her, but she's family," Alex said. Everyone could hear the disdain and loathing in the woman's voice, but perked up a little bit at the mention of her older brother and his wife. "Tony, I'll be over to pick you up so we can go shopping and hang out for a while. Jimmy, I'm dragging you along as well," she added and exchanged hugs with her friends.
After everyone left, Alex closed the front door and made sure to lock it securely. She placed the used glasses onto the tray she carried them on and walked into the kitchen to clean them. The young woman turned some music on while she was starting some dish water and searching for something to eat since she was a little hungry at the moment. When the water was finished, she turned the faucet off and placed the glasses into the sink to let them soak for a few minutes. Unbeknown to Alex, the man that made her life a living Hell was lurking outside her house. Robert Dawson looked through the bushes that he was hiding in and saw that Alex was pregnant. 'Hmm, she has definitely grown up from the last time that I saw her out in public. She looks very beautiful pregnant and I bet that making love with her would be so much better than last time,' Dawson thought to himself. He slowly made his way towards the sliding glass door and saw that it was unlocked.
Alex had finished cleaning the glasses and dried them off to place back into the cabinet. She had heard something outside and looked over at the sliding glass door. Dawson hid against the wall and made sure that the expectant mother didn't see him. Alex frowned and headed into the living room. She made sure that her gun was still clipped to her waist and her back-up weapon was close for her to reach it. Dawson walked through the glass door and said, "Hello Alexandra. Did you miss me?" Alex froze when she heard the familiar voice and turned to face the man that had raped her repeatedly until she had graduated from junior high school. "You look even more beautiful than the last time I saw you," he said and walked over to her. Alex made sure that her hand was close to her gun and a song on the radio started to play. It was called Fighter by Christina Aguilera and she listened to the lyrics that were being sung by the woman.
After all you put me through
You'd think I'd despise you
But in the end I wanna thank you
'Cause you made that much stronger
Alex was pulled into her rapist's arms and tried to free herself, but the bigger man had an ironclad grip on her waist. "Yes, you are very beautiful from the pregnancy glow that is surrounding you. Your hair has grown longer and thicker from the last time I saw you out in public with your friends. Let's head upstairs so I can finish what I meant to do when you were younger," Dawson growled out. Alex raised her knee up slightly and then smashed it into the older man's ribs as hard as she could. Dawson lost his grip and Alex punched him right in the face to make sure that his nose was broken. She backed away from the man as fast as she could and Dawson looked up at her with crazy eyes.
"That wasn't very nice, Alexandra," he said and lunged for the expectant mother. He grabbed her and twisted her arm until an audible crack was heard. Alex screamed out in pain and she panted as she planned her next attack while her left arm was cradled against her chest. The woman used her foot and hooked it behind Dawson's leg to make sure that she was able to take him down. She managed to throw both of them through the glass table with as much force as she could create from taking Dawson's leg out from underneath him.
Well I thought I knew you
Thinking that you were true
Guess I, I couldn't trust called your bluff
Time is up, 'cause I've had enough
You were there by my side
Always down for the ride
But your joy ride just came down in flames
'Cause your greed sold me out in shame, mmm hmm
After all of the stealing and cheating
You probably think that
I hold resentment for you
But uh uh, oh no, you're wrong
'Cause if it wasn't for all
That you tried to do
I wouldn't know just how capable I am to pull through
So I wanna say thank you
Alex moaned painfully and rolled herself off the dazed and confused man that attacked her. She looked over at him and saw that he was getting up once more. "You're going to pay for that, bitch! I tried playing nice with you and you decided to fuck it all up. Playtime's over and now you're going to die!" Dawson snarled and pulled a knife from his belt. He charged at Alex, but the expectant mother was quick with pulling her firearm from her waist. She emptied five gunshots into the man's chest in rapid succession. The sixth and final shot hit the older man square between his eyes. Alex knew that she had delivered the killing shot and sighed happily for the first time in years. Robert Dawson couldn't hurt anyone ever again since he was finally dead. The expectant mother let her hand drop to the floor, the gun falling from her fingers. Alex closed her eyes and just laid on the floor silently.
'Cause it
Makes me that much stronger
Makes me work a little bit harder
Makes me that much wiser
So thanks for making me a fighter
Made me learn a little bit faster
Made my skin a little bit thicker
Makes me that much smarter
So thanks for making me a fighter
Never saw it coming
All of your backstabbing
Just so, you could cash in on a good thing
Before I'd realized your game
I heard you're going 'round
Playin' the victim now
But don't even begin feelin' I'm the one to blame
'Cause you dug your own grave
After all of the fights and the lies
Guess you're wanting to hurt me
But that won't work anymore
No more, uh uh, it's over
Jethro, Tony, Kate, Michael and Ziva had returned to Alex's house after the woman's alert signal had been set off. The five agents wondered what had occurred to have Alex alert them. Jethro kicked the front door in and called out, "Alex? Where are you?" Tony, Kate, Michael and Ziva had their weapons drawn as well to protect each other's backs in case someone tried to attack them. The five adults walked through the house and saw that it was in shambles. They figured that Alex had to fight to keep herself and her sons safe from her attacker. When they got to the living room, they saw Alex lying on the floor with her eyes closed. Jethro holstered his gun as he walked over to his field agent, hoping that she was alright. "Alex, sweetheart. Are you alright?" Jethro asked softly. Tony did the same thing as his husband and walked over to where the older man was kneeling.
'Cause if it wasn't for all of your torture
I wouldn't know how to be this way now
And never back down
So I wanna say thank you
'Cause it
Makes me that much stronger
Makes me work a little bit harder
Makes me that much wiser
So thanks for making me a fighter
Made me learn a little bit faster
Made my skin a little bit thicker
Makes me that much smarter
So thanks for making me a fighter
How could this man I thought I know
Turn out to be unjust so cruel?
Could only see the good in you
Pretended not to see the truth
You tried to hide your lies
Disguise yourself through
Living in denial
But in the end you'll see
You won't stop me
Alex opened her eyes slowly and saw her team standing around her. She realized that she was still on the floor and sighed softly. "It's finally over. Dawson died by my hands and he can't hurt me or any other woman ever again. I can't feel my left shoulder at the moment because the man broke my collarbone when he lunged for me and twisted my arm until I heard it fucking snap. I'm in some pain as well and it's not fun to have one of your limbs broken forcefully. I'm so glad that I kept my gun on my waist after coming home from the club. If I didn't have my firearm on me, who knows what would have happened to me. I need some help getting off the floor since my body hurts after throwing myself and Dawson into the glass table," the expectant mother replied. The five agents looked over at the body and saw that five gunshots hit the chest and the killing shot was right between the eyes. They knew that Alex was an exceptional marksman.
I am a fighter
(I'm a fighter)
I ain't gonna stop
(I ain't gonna stop)
There is no turning back
I've had enough
Makes me that much stronger
Makes me work a little bit harder
Makes me that much wiser
So thanks for making me a fighter
Made me learn a little bit faster
Made my skin a little bit thicker
Makes me that much smarter
So thanks for making me a fighter
Thought I would forget
But I, I remember
Yes I remember
I'll remember
When the ambulance arrived at the house and Ducky arrived in one of the NCIS automobiles with Jimmy, Jethro was carrying Alex in a bridal lift position and she had her right arm wrapped around the older man's neck to steady herself. Ducky approached the group and Jimmy followed after his his adopted father. Alex looked at the other couple from her position in Jethro's arms and smiled softly. "Yea, I know I have some cuts across my face and the large one on my forehead. I threw both myself and Dawson into the glass table so I could free myself from his hold he had on me. He broke my collarbone, but I managed to reach for my gun with my right hand and shoot him. He's dead and my past is finally gone. He escaped from FCC Petersburg and they had been searching for him ever since then," Alex explained as she was laid onto the gurney by Jethro. The two paramedics prepared the woman for transport.
Thought I would forget
But I remember
Yes I remember
I'll remember
Makes me that much stronger
Makes me work a little bit harder
Makes me that much wiser
So thanks for making me a fighter
Made me learn a little bit faster
Made my skin a little bit thicker
Makes me that much smarter
So thanks for making me a fighter.
As the doors closed, the young agent saluted them before the paramedics pulled away from the house. Jethro knew that Alex was being taken to Bethesda Naval Hospital since she was a Marine reservist at the moment. The silver-haired man turned to face his team and said, "We'll go see Alex now since what happened tonight isn't our case. It belongs to the FBI since they're here to retrieve the body. He was a federal prisoner and had been tried for murdering four women and raping over thirty people, men and women alike. Alex had testified against him six years ago and he was finally put on death row. It was surprising that he had escaped and knew where to find Alex after she made sure that no one knew where she had moved to." They watched as the FBI agents and their medical examiner walked into the house to survey the scene. The NCIS employees headed to their vehicles to go on to Bethesda and see how the junior field agent was doing. Tony had made sure that Alex's clothes and shoes were in the trunk of the car.
Author's Chapter Notes:
Alex had explained her past life to her friends. What happens when someone from her past returns to finish what they started? Will tragedy happen or will Alex finally get the closure that she always wanted?
Chapter End Notes:
Fighter by Christina Aguilera does not belong to me.