A/N: Alright. I just want to say. I have no idea where this series is going or how we got here. Nothing was planned ahead. Originally there wasn't even going to be a second story. So, you're just as clueless as I am as to where we're headed. All I know is it will have a happy ending because I hate sad endings.

Anyways, super busy and stressed with school this week so I wanted to give you this tiny update before I disappear for a few days.

Disclaimer: I only own what isn't canon. Mama Takuka and her twisted past with Chris is also mine.

Title and lyrics are from the song Scaretale by Nightwish. I think it inspire this entire fic you're currently reading. Nightwish will probably be influencing the next few fics as well.

The bride will lure you, cook you, eat you
Your dear innocence boiled to feed the evil in need of fear

Day 11

Dwayne was on the verge of a meltdown. It had been over twenty-four hours since he had read the letter from his missing SIC. Plus, the one to five hour variable when he might have actually left while the team was gone. The strategic move of leaving his phone and not retrieving his truck stopped them from finding him digitally. Chris' vast knowledge of both NCIS and NOPD protocal also allowed him to not be picked up on the BOLO. The younger agent had taken the most inconspicuous clothes he kept at the office and his non-NCIS black baseball cap, which would allow him to blend into any crowd of tourists. Those factors added to the fact that Chris knew the city like the back of his hand even while on foot made him practically impossible to track. Dwayne's boyfriend had essencially gone rogue, and he did not have a prayer of finding him.

The senior agent's well-hidden violent temper suddenly broke free. With gritted teeth, he lashed out and knocked a few empty pots from their shelf. He swore angrily under his breath and smashed his fist against the top of his cooking counter. His anger at Chris and fury at himself for not keeping a better eye on the younger man dulled the pain lacing up through his hand. How could he have been so stupid as to leave the younger man alone?! Chris just was not stable yet and Dwayne had just ignored that little fact since the younger agent had perked up.

"Dad?" Dwayne flinched at the very unwanted sound of his daughter's voice. He hated to let his temper escape around his loved ones. He had never hurt any of them but it still was not pleasant. It always hurt something inside when it was released around his little girl.

"D-dad, are you okay?" He could hear the fear and worry in her voice yet he could not move to comfort and reassure her. He stood there stiff, spine rigid. He felt her hesitantly touch his hand and somehow his body instantly relaxed. He slowly pulled his aching hand away from the hard counter, it was quickly taken into both of hers. He blinked slowly in confusion as she hurridly pressed an icepack to his bruised knuckles.

"Laurel, what're you doin' here?" He sounded shaky as the red haze of anger slowly eased from his mind as he watched his daughter.

"Your shift's over. Ah came to have dinner with you and LaSalle. Ah brought him a presant to apologize, Ah think Ah really upset him a few days ago." She whispered guiltily. Dwayne grimmaced and felt a little sick. He wanted to warn his daughter about what had happened in the past several days but it was not his place. It would have to be Chris' choice if they were ever going to tell her, "Where is he by the way?"

It took everything he had not to recoil and confess he wished he knew. Still, he did not wish to lie to her. So, a half truth would have to do. He only hoped his inability to lie did not hinder this as well.

"'e's not 'ere righ' now. He left to go look into someone for a case. Most likely won't be back tonight." Laurel frowned slightly at the reply. She felt like she was not getting the whole story.

Dwayne sighed softly and gently pulled her into his arms. He kissed her hair and smiled down at her tiredly, he had not slept properly since Chris' mother had come to town. She returned the expression but it seemed a little off. He was about to ask her what she had brought for Chris when a sound came from the office. They had not officially closed up so it could be anyone. He hoped against hope that Chris had come back though he knew that would never happen until the younger agent hunted that woman down.

He patted his daughter's hand and released her from his embrace. He gave her a reassuring smile and slipped away from her. He set his heart up for disappointment and stepped into the office from the kitchen. He found himself a bit surprised to find a fidgety young woman around Chris' age waiting for him. He smiled reassuringly at her as he went to greet the young dark-skinned woman. His eyes were drawn to her oddly tribal-patterned sundress, it was far too cold out for such an outfit.

"Can Ah help you, miss?" His voice came out soft and sweet, Laurel's earlier appearance had buried his temper once more. The young woman blinked rapidly and nodded timidly at him. She sucked on her bottom lip, dark eyes wet with tears as her slender fingers fidgeted with her wood bracelet.

"Y-yes. M-My name's M-mali Ta'Ki." She sniffled pitifully, the tears dripping down her smooth cheeks, "A-ah think mah boyfriend's gone missin'. A-ah just know you'll bring him back to me. H-he works along side the NCIS team." She hiccuped as she tried to stop the growing sobs. Dwayne's heart went out to her but he was a little confused at who her boyfriend could be. Had Sebastian gotten a new girlfriend? But then Loretta would have called him if the kid was missing. Perhaps the guy had lied to the poor girl. He smiled sadly at her as he laid a reassuring hand on her arm.

"Ah'll try mah best. Can you tell me what 'is name is?" Exhaustion and frazzled nerves made the warning bells in Dwayne's head sound too late as he saw her straighten up tall and immediately stop crying as soon as he touched her.

"Course Ah can, Agent Pride." She hissed softly, lips pulling back to show teeth sharpened to points as she suddenly jabbed her long claw-like nails into the still healing wound in his side, "'is name's Christopher."

~*~NCIS~*~

Burning farms and squealing pigs
A pool of snakes to swim with, oh sweet poison
Bite me, bite me

Chris panted raggedly as he slid down the filthy wall. He huffed angrily, this was the third minor den he had raided. He was glad that each one only had two to three guys but it still left him exhausted, he was unused to raids without a team. Though, the thought of several drug pushers being off the streets made him smile a bit. His gun was out of ammo but at least there had been few casualties and he had not been damaged too severely. He was sure the NOPD would have already picked up the unconscious criminals from the other dens, he had called the station on a phone from one of the downed men.

He was pulled from his musings by a sound in the darkness. He blinked slowly and pulled his flashlight out of his pocket. He clicked it on and slowly got up, his body aching from the previous fights. He swallowed thickly and returned his useless gun to its holster. He glared into the inky blackness as his gaze followed his flashlight beam.

His skin crawled with anxiety at the sound of tiny wooden bells. He followed the sound through the halls of the decrepid church basement. His stommach rolled as something crunched under his foot. His flashlight was quickly lowered to see what he had stepped on.

His pulse shot up as he saw rodent bones crushed below his foot. His eyes widened as he used the light to look at the floor all around him. Panic filled him as he saw rodent bones, chicken feathers, and blood sprinkled all about. He had lived in New Orleans long enough to know that was a bad sign.

The wooden bells sounded again, closer now. The sound was followed by uneasy hissing. He gripped his flashlight tight and looked about the floor again. He knew there was snakes nearby, where there was Voodoo there was snakes.

He swung the light about until he saw it glint off black scales. His heart stopped at the sight of Black Mambas milling around on the ground not six feet from him. He was about to step back when something else caught his eye.

He could see what looked to be a stone chair a few feet beyond the snakes. He could see a slender dark-skinned foot playfully using its large toe to draw in a puddle of blood. He felt sick, he knew those silver tribal tattoos anywhere. Those toes had crawled up his leg too many times to truly forget.

His jerked the flashlight up to expose the owner of the foot. His lungs refused to take in air at the sight of the woman lounging on the stone throne. His vision grew hazy as his body began to quiver with the memory of agony clawing under his skin. He tried to swallow but his throat was too dry. He stared at her eyes as they glittered from behind her mask. His eye was drawn to something she was playing with on her chest as she smiled at him cruelly.

Chris' blood turned to ice and his heart refused to beat. His hand shook so much he almost dropped his flashlight as the light caught the thing she was holding. It was a piece of metal, an unusual choice for her, though it was not the material but the item that horrified him. It was a badge, a simple federal badge. Though, not just any badge to him, it was one he had stared at and followed for the past decade.

"W-where'd yu ge' that?!" He could barely get the panic-filled words out. She blinked innocently at him and nibbled the badge, making the ice in Chris' blood turn to magma.

"Hello, Christopher. It's been such a long time. Ah've missed you too." She cooed and smiled around the metal between her teeth.

"Ge' yer filthy mouth offa tha'!" The snakes slithered uneasily and hissed at the volume in Chris' voice. Mama Takuka frowned and pressed a finger to her lips.

"Shh... Yer upsettin' the babies, Chrissy."

"Give it ta me, Takuka." Chris glared hatingly at the woman as he growled out the words. She pouted and held the badge close to her heart.

"No! Mah new friend gave it ta me!" She grinned, exposing her sharpened teeth, "'e and 'is little angel are e'er so sweet. They e'en came over for a party bu' the guest of honor hasn' come home yet." The air caught in Chris' throat, he knew the badge was proof of her words. The mad woman had the love of his life and what was essentially Chris' adopted daughter in her grasp.

"Come along, Christopher. The party's waiting." She did a twirling crawl over the back of the chair, the wooden bells strung into her hair jingling. She stopped all of a sudden and picked something up off her chair.

"I almost forgot your invitation." She laughed gleefully as she threw the item over the Mambas to him, "It's the only way you'll find yer way. Better hurry. Mah new friend has a nasty wound in his side. Ah'd hate fer somethin' ta happen ta him." Chris barely caught what was thrown at him and almost dropped it immediately in disgust. He stared down in terror at the glass syringe in his hand, a familiar thick silver liquid waiting inside for him.

"There's your invitation, love. Won't you join the party." She called playfully as she began to walk into the darkness.

~*~End~*~