A/N: This is my Halloween story for the year, although it's not a supernatural, monster story, and I didn't write it for Halloween. In fact, this was written two years ago for a Secret Santa exchange. It ends on a major cliffhanger and I didn't feel I could post it until I got the sequel going on. I'm over half done with it and I'm working on it now. I promise.

This is a fairly dark casefile story based on a poem by Edward Gorey called the Gashly Crumb Tinies.

Disclaimer: I do not own Edward Gorey's book, and I do not own NCIS. I'm not making any money off this story.

The Deadly ABCs
by Enthusiastic Fish

Chapter 1: A is for Amy who fell down the stairs.

He walked carefully into the building, knowing that this could be dangerous, knowing that he should have waited for backup, but he'd been told that it could be either one of them, that there was only so much time that he had to take Tony's place. The building was under construction but nearly complete. At this time of night, no one was working. There should only be two people there...well, three with himself.

Both our names start with T.

He couldn't get that thought out of his head. They had all been so sure it was only him. Why hadn't they thought of Tony? Why?

If only Gibbs wasn't still recovering. He'd know what to do. He'd save the day. He always saved the day. Except for now because he'd almost died himself. If only he was here.

If only there was more time!

He ignored that thought and continued his walk.

Suddenly, he heard a sound.

A voice.

It was a child's voice.

"A is for Amy who fell down the stairs."

He looked around. He couldn't see any sign of speakers. So maybe the voice was at the actual location he was trying to find.

"B is for Basil assaulted by bears."

It was really wrong to have a child reciting this. Was it a recording or had he taken someone else and forced her to read? He hoped it was the first.

"C is for Clara who wasted away."

He couldn't help but think about the fact that there were that many people who had died at this man's hands.

"D is for Desmond thrown out of a sleigh."

Then, he had a horrible thought. What if this was the countdown?

If so...when he got to T...

"E is for Ernest who choked on a peach."

Only fifteen more letters to go and then...

He started walking faster and faster, losing some of his caution in his fear that he'd be too late.

He saw a flight of stairs and the sound seemed to be coming from there. He started to run.

"G is for George smothered under a rug."

He got to the stairs and then, he stopped very suddenly when he felt a wire against his ankle. He looked down. There was a wire. He looked to one side and then the other.

His blood ran cold.

It was a trip wire.

There was a bomb and he'd just armed it.

x.x.x.x.x.x.x

Three months ago...

It was just too quiet. She hoped that she'd got away, but she wasn't out of harm's way yet.

But it was really quiet.

Then, the lights went out.

"Paul?" she whispered.

She heard footsteps.

She started to run. She knew where the stairs were. She could get there before he did.

She could get away.

She was almost there, but then, a hand snaked out of the darkness and grabbed her by the arm in a vise-like grip. He pulled her close and whispered in her ear.

"Where are you going, Amy?"

"Leave me alone. Let me go," she said, her voice shaking.

"Are you sure that's what you want, Amy?"

"Leave me alone!"

"'A is for Amy who fell down the stairs.'"

The hands tightened around her and dragged her forward.

To the stairs.

"No! NO!"

She fought him, but he was too strong.

"Good-bye, Amy. Don't worry. You're only the beginning. You'll have plenty of company soon."

Then, there was a strong push forward.

She only stayed conscious until she hit the first step.