Fox's Den

L’amore è Sempre di valore Esso

 

Disclaimer: I don’t own NCIS. I don’t own the premise of the song that the case was born from. I just twisted it to suit my needs. Major Spoiler Warnings for SWAK.

 

Chapter Six

 

The next two months were relatively normal for the MCRT team. They would get called out to cases and solve them. Clint Smith seemed to have dropped off the face of the earth with only a few intermittent sightings. They kept the BOLO updated and had an APB out on the man but so far nothing concrete had turned up. Wanda remained in Protective Custody and would remain there until either Clint Smith was arrested or there was a slim chance of him showing up. Tony would make sure Wanda had a direct line of contact for him and Gibbs as well as NCIS dispatch when it was time for Wanda to be released from Protective Custody if Clint was still on the loose.

 

Things on the home front had also settled into a routine at the Gibbs-DiNozzo residence. Kelly’s nightmares had finally stopped. Sort of. There was still the occasional nightmare but not as bad as what they had been. The constant reassurance that Tony wasn’t going anywhere had helped.

 

Tony and Gibbs’ relationship was also starting to take off. They had been taking things slow because neither of them were very good at relationships and they wanted this to work, not just for Kelly but themselves as well. Gibbs was smiling more and Tony was calmer.

 

Rumours were still circulating at work but not as bad as when Tony first moved in. They’d pulled the team down to Abby’s lab a little over a month ago to somewhat explain things to them.

 

%Flashback%

 

Kate and McGee had been giving him odd looks lately and it was beginning to get on his nerves. Standing up he headed towards the elevator.

 

“Tell Gibbs I’ll be in Abby’s lab if he needs me.”

 

Once he was enclosed in the elevator he sighed running a hand through his hair. He’d known that he’d get odd looks but he hadn’t realized how annoying it would get. Kate’s constant teasing about Kelly not having a mother was beginning to really piss him off. He’d barely managed to stop himself from doing something extremely stupid the last time she’d brought it up. Her constant comments about how Kelly’s mom was smart to leave him and how he must have been mad that his lifestyle of dating was ruined were really beginning to wear on him.

 

Kate didn’t know the story and it was times like this that made him wonder why he acted like a care-free overgrown frat boy. Yeah people tended to underestimate him but it also stung when it was someone you worked with, cared for like a sister even. He knew she wasn’t actually trying to hurt him but damn it did hurt.

 

The elevator dinged and he stepped out and walked into Abby’s lab, smiling as he saw her dancing around with Bert while she waited on one test or another to get done.

 

“Hey Abby!” he half yelled since she had the music at a blaring 11 again.

 

Spinning around Abby smiled and shut her music off before asking what brought him down there.

 

“Kate and McGee are driving me insane.” He said in a deadpan voice.

 

Giggling Abby replied “Well that’s what siblings are supposed to do. Drive each other nuts.”

 

Shaking his head he was about to retort when “DiNozzo!! Aren’t you supposed to be helping McGee with those financials?”

 

“I was Boss. Kate just pissed me off and I needed to speak with Abby.” Tony replied as he turned to look at Gibbs, his eyes shuttered and cold.

 

Raising an eyebrow at Tony he told him to go wait by the elevator. He knew that look. It was the same look Tony got when he was angry and sad and he had no idea how to explain it to someone. Talking quickly with Abby he told her they’d be right back. Tony always went to Abby to talk when he needed to get something off his chest and for him to do so while they were working on a case usually meant something extreme was bothering him.

 

Walking to the elevators he got in and hit a random floor before waiting till they were in-between floors to hit the emergency stop button. Normally he would wait till they got home to talk to Tony but this looked like it couldn’t wait that long.

 

“Tony, look at me.” Gibbs said while Tony just kept his eyes downcast.

 

“Tony.” Sighing he grabbed Tony’s chin to force him to meet his eyes.

 

“What’s going on?”

 

Tony just shook his head, refusing to speak about it. It must mean someone on the team is involved.

 

“Kate? Or McGee?” he asked knowing Tony would tell him even if he didn’t use his voice to do so.

 

“Both.” It was a quiet exhalation but Gibbs heard it. Before he could ask Tony to explain he started talking, rambling really.

 

“They keep giving me these odd looks. They know I’ve moved in with you, they don’t know why. Kate’s comments don’t help. The fact that one or both of us leaves to pick Kelly up on days when we work late is getting them suspicious and I KNOW they have heard the whispers of co-workers hearing Kelly calling you Daddy which is just raising their curiosity and making Kate’s remarks seem vengeful when they’re not.” Tony said in a rush before stopping and averting his eyes again.

 

Sighing Gibbs pulled Tony into his arms, shocking the younger man briefly. Looking down at Tony he whispered into his ear.

 

“I’ll talk with them. Have Abby call them down to her lab and explain to them. Ok?”

 

Looking at Gibbs he replied “You mean…tell them about…about us?”

 

“If we have to, Yes. I don’t think we will just yet. We’ll just explain Kelly’s parentage.” Gibbs said wrapping his arms around Tony a little tighter. The smile Tony shot him had his heart stuttering a little. Turning him around he kissed Tony lightly on the lips before pulling away and flicking the switch to get the elevator started again.

 

“Thank You Jethro.”

 

Nodding in acknowledgement he told Tony to go back up to the bullpen and wait for him to call them down to Abby’s lab. He would speak with Ducky later, since he knew the ME was also curious about the rumours.

 

Tony had walked into the bullpen and sat back down at his computer, studiously ignoring Kate and McGee’s questioning looks. When his phone rang he picked it up absently.

 

“Special Agent DiNozzo... Uh Huh. Got it.” Hanging up he’d looked up at the other two keeping his nervousness hidden.

 

“Boss wants us down in Abby’s lab pronto.” He’d said before walking towards the elevators, Kate and McGee following at a short distance.

 

Once they’d all arrived in Abby’s lab he’d gone straight to one of the chairs that was near Gibbs and sat down.

Gibbs didn’t waste any time getting right to the heart of the matter.

 

“I’m only going to say this once and it WILL NOT be repeated to anyone outside of this room am I clear?”

 

There was a chorus of Yes Bosses from Kate, McGee and Abby. Tony kept silent.

 

“Yes Kelly is my daughter, biologically. Her mother was killed and Tony was the investigating officer. I was overseas and somewhere between his ex-captain and NIS it was miscommunicated that she was alive. Tony adopted her. Now they live with me for Kelly’s sake. You have a problem you better tell me now.”

 

When no-one deigned to say anything Gibbs nodded and told Kate and McGee to get back to work, keeping Tony back to speak with him about the case…or so he said.

 

Once he was sure the others had reached the bullpen he and Tony headed up and he flipped the switch so he could talk to Tony.

 

“You okay?”

 

“Yeah boss. Why wouldn’t I be.” Tony said glancing sidelong at Gibbs.

 

“If you say so DiNozzo” He replied flipping the switch as he did so. Tony had been vibrating with energy the rest of the day. When he’d gotten home he’d told Gibbs of the shocked looks Kate and McGee kept giving him and how Kate had first apologized then asked how he could stand living with Gibbs. They’d both gotten a laugh at her disbelief over Tony’s response.

 

“He’s not that bad when not working.” He’d told her. He’d told McGee something similar, then added that if McGee pissed Gibbs off Tony would strangle McGee which had caused McGee to both look frightened and curious.

 

%End Flashback%

 

It had certainly proved to be the right maneuver. Especially when some asshole that was just out of FLETC had decided to try and corner Tony one afternoon in the break-room.

 

Kate had seen the jerk follow Tony and had gone to the rescue. Sort of. The boy had already pissed her off when he’d made a snide remark about how she should be barefoot at home within earshot of her so this was also her own version of revenge as well.

 

She’d turned the tables on HIM by cornering the brat and saying that he should just run home to his mommy and let the big boys and girls handle the dangerous job. By the end of her tirade he was so red with embarrassment and they had gathered a crowd that he’d slunk off and hadn’t been seen around since. Tony had been laughing so hard he was damn near crying.

 

He knew what subject to never mention to Kate…ever. He liked his important bits too much to risk her chopping them off…or more like cutting them off as she’d suggested she would do to that cocky brat.

They hadn’t been together very long and while it was more affectionate kissing for the most part there had been a few times where things had gone a little further than just kissing. Damn could Jethro kiss though! Every time, no matter if it was a soft peck or a more heated kiss Jethro never failed to make his toes curl. No wonder the man had been married three times! One time in particular was memorable because it was the middle of the week and they’d just finished a very rough case.

 

%Flashback%

 

They’d gotten in later than usual. It was something they tried to avoid. Thankfully Dom and Brian had agreed to watch Kelly for them on such short notice. Once they had gotten Kelly settled for the night they had gone down to find something to watch and so they could relax before going to bed themselves.

 

They’d been watching something mindless. Some comedian or other and had gotten distracted. The light kisses they had been sharing occasionally had gotten heavier and more passionate as the evening wore on.

 

Somehow Tony had ended up lying back on the couch with Gibbs on top of him, one hand under his shirt teasing his nipples while the other slowly rubbed Tony through his jeans.

 

Tony had barely enough presence to suggest they head upstairs incase Kelly woke up and came downstairs. They had managed to fumble their way upstairs and into the bedroom without falling, breaking apart too often, or waking Kelly up and Tony had landed on the bed with a soft gasp as Gibbs managed to get Tony’s pants open enough to reach hot skin.

 

As Gibbs continued to stroke his cock Tony had managed to work his own hand into Gibbs pants to return the favor. Gibbs’ groan as Tony gripped him tight and began to stroke had Tony panting.

 

“God. Jethro! I…Oh fuck…” Tony cried out softly biting his lower lip to stifle the scream that wanted to tear out of his throat as Gibbs bit lightly at his collarbone.

 

His hips thrust up into Gibbs hand as he continued to stroke, his hand slick with pre-cum.

 

“Oh God! Jethro!” Tony groaned, muffling his shout in Gibbs neck as his orgasm tore through him sending ropes of hot cum over Gibbs hand and on Tony’s own chest and abs.

 

“Tony…” Gibbs’ own muffled groan sounded shortly after.

 

Collapsing into a sweaty and sated tangle half on and half off the bed; they just lay there for a while, catching their breath. Groaning as he sat up Gibbs looked down at Tony and gave him a light kiss before standing and walking to the bathroom, removing his clothes and tossing them in the hamper before starting the shower for them both.

 

%End Flashback%

 

They had showered and fallen into bed, Tony asleep before his head had even hit the pillow. Thankfully Gibbs had set the alarm otherwise they would have been late getting up the next morning.

 

Thankfully no one had mentioned anything about the fact that they were in later than usual. They probably chalked it up to Kelly having a bad morning. If only they knew the truth. Kate would be wide-eyed, McGee would be stuttering and Abby would be squealing with delight, and probably collecting on a bet knowing Abby.

 

The easiest hurdle had been when Gibbs had told Ducky about Kelly. Ducky had already figured out that Tony and Gibbs were in a more serious relationship, though he’d thought it had been going on longer than it had. Though had Tony been drinking anything he’d probably have choked when Ducky made a comment, almost as an afterthought, that he and Gerald had been debating on how long it would take Tony and Gibbs to get together and that they had even gotten Mrs. Mallard in on it. Tony had had no idea that Ducky and Gerald were together.

 

Things had been pretty smooth sailing once the immediate circle knew at least some of the details.

 

No one realized the kind of strain that they would be put under in the coming days.

 

Tony and Kate had walked into the bullpen arguing lightheartedly about something. He was teasing her cause she had a cold and had never been sake bombing. He couldn’t believe that Kate had never been Sake Bombing. Neither had McGee, but that wasn’t as hard to believe.

 

“I work with a pair of wankers” he’d said and had gotten a smart assed comment from Gibbs, who had just come in from getting coffee.

 

“And you make three, DiNozzo.” Tony’s mind went back to what they had done early this morning in the shower when Gibbs said that. Oh yeah…it had been mind numbing.

 

“Morning Boss” he’d replied.

 

“Morning” Kate had parroted him, which made Gibbs pause and turn around to ask, “Cold or Flu.”

Her response about it being just a plain cold and her comment about sneezing into her tissues unlike some people had gotten a small nod from Gibbs while Tony had said he had allergies.

 

Gibbs’ comment about never having allergies and never having a cold had Kate saying somewhat shocked

“Never had a cold?”

 

“Nope. Never had the Flu either.”

 

Kate had looked at him and said in a stage whisper

 

“Why do I believe that?”

 

“If you were a bug would you attack Gibbs?” Tony had replied.

 

It had gotten a laugh out of Kate and McGee had commented that he always got colds. When McGee brought a letter to his attention that was just addressed to ‘’NCIS Special Agent‘’ he had looked at it then snatched it from McGee’s hands saying it was for him. He recognized the lips and the scent wafting from the envelope. Gummy Bears.

 

When a fine white powder spoofed up out at him he froze, eyes wide. His eyes shot to meet with Gibbs briefly before they both stood up and Gibbs began to clear the floor of personnel while Kate tossed him a water bottle before hitting the Emergency button on her phone and speaking into it.

 

“Letter opened in Special Agent Gibbs’s office dispersed a fine white powder. Initiating Bio-Attack procedures. Third Floor is evacuating.”

 

Gibbs asked McGee, who was slowly backing away from Tony, if he was up on procedures. When McGee began rambling about what they were to do Tony couldn’t help adding the he was lucky cause he won a free trip to Bethesda to be poked and prodded like a pincushion. He also couldn’t help making a comment when Kate said they should hit the showers. Walking past Gibbs he said he was sorry and headed to the showers, Gibbs following behind not long after.

 

While in the showers Tony asked who would send him Anthrax. Kate’s comment of “Pick a girl Tony. Any Girl” had him snarling back that it wasn’t funny. As he went on to make a joke out of it to lighten the mood he said about his clothes, which were expensive, being incinerated. McGee had to chime in with all the other nasty diseases it could be besides Anthrax. He should have kept his mouth shut when he said it was Honey Dust.

 

Of course when Gibbs chimed in that he knew what it was and that he’d gotten some last Christmas that didn’t have a card he thought ‘shit’ before mouthing ‘damn’ and saying he thought the post office had screwed up, someone else had gotten Gibbs bottle of Jack and he got their Honey Dust.

 

‘Shit. I hope he doesn’t ask questions. I never actually intended to send him the Honey Dust. I must have grabbed the wrong package by mistake, which means the bottle of Jack is still somewhere in the totes of Christmas things.’

 

Kate interrupted him by saying “Hey, doesn’t the post office Irradiate our Mail?”

 

“Yeah, that’s right. All Federal Mail is funneled through the Ion-B facility in Bridgeport New Jersey. If it has DNA it dies,” McGee had replied.

 

Tony had asked about whether or not the diseases McGee had mentioned had DNA and had gotten an affirmative response from him. 

 

Once they were done they headed to Autopsy and Ducky drew blood from all of them. Gibbs had told McGee that he should have given the letter to him and Kate had said it wasn’t McGee’s fault since Tony snatched the letter from him. Tony had replied to the barb and said that McGee should have stopped him from grabbing the letter.

 

Gibbs had grabbed a plastic face mask and some sort of cloth covering and had headed for the doors to Autopsy only to be waylaid by Ducky.

 

“Where do you think you’re going” Ducky had asked.

 

“To find out who sent that letter”

 

“Uhuhuhuhuh…You cannot leave Autopsy. It’s negative pressure, so airborne pathogens can’t contaminate the rest of the building.”

 

“Ducky I have been scrubbed, sanitized, for all I know sterilized. I have an investigation to open.”

 

“I have a possible contagion to contain. Until your blood test clears you I cannot permit you to leave this room.” Ducky stood firm. Getting into a staring contest with Gibbs; that is until they were broken up by the sound of the door in back swooshing open.

 

“Who opened the envelope?” the man who had walked in asked.

 

Tony had pointed to McGee and said it was him and when McGee started stuttering that it wasn’t him he’d said he was only kidding that he was their pincushion. When asked if he inhaled any powder he’d replied honestly that he might have. Ducky jumped in stating that they took blood and had Palmer hand them over. While he was doing so Kate sneezed which had everyone turning towards her.

 

“It’s a cold.” She said “I had it before I came in this morning.”

 

Ducky’s reply was that it made her more susceptible to airborne pathogens and that she should go to Bethesda had her up in arms. Gibbs put his foot down and told her to g with Tony to play it safe. Her teasing remark “That’s safe?” had him wanting to roll his eyes, something which Gibbs probably wanted to do too. She got off the table she’d been sitting on though and asked how long they’d have to stay in isolation. She didn’t seem Happy that it would be overnight at the very least. Before they left he motioned to Gibbs that he needed to talk to him. Moving off into a corner he began whispering fiercely,

 

“Call Dom and Brian please. Have them pick Kelly up from school early and stay at their place with them. She knows them and knows that if she’s spending the night there than I’m working really late. Tell them what happened but don’t let them tell Kelly. I don’t want her to worry.” Tony had said.

 

“Okay Tony. I will. Don’t flirt too much.” Had been Gibbs reply before Tony nodded and hurried after Kate and the others from Bethesda. Teasing her the whole way.

 

Meanwhile in Abby’s lab she got a sample and handed it to a guy that would fly it to Atlanta before placing her own sample in Major Mass Spec. Turning around she did a cartwheel towards her computer.

 

“I didn’t take you for the cheerleader type Abby.” Gibbs said through the plasma.

 

“Oh I’m not. Grammy taught me that. She was an Olympic Swimmer. Won the Silver in the 200 meter butterfly.” She said.

 

“What does swimming have to do with cartwheeling?” Palmer asked stepping in to view of the plasma.

 

“Nothing.”

 

Turning to McGee he whispered “I don’t understand.”

 

“Can’t think logically with Abby. Her mind operates like a Pachinko Machine.” McGee replied.

 

Gibbs asked what the powder was and she replied it was white with a hint of tan. Gibbs annoyed exclamation of “Abbs!” had her rushing to explain that she wouldn’t know until Mass Spec told her. She was Auto-sampling for a host of nasty bio-bugs.

 

Gibbs question of how long had Abby telling him a couple of hours.

 

“I thought you said these tests were fast?” Gibbs asked.

 

“It’s not a pregnancy test Gibbs.” Abby replied.

 

Meanwhile over at Bethesda Tony was commenting on Kate’s urine which had her in a tiff. When the doctor jumped in and said he couldn’t believe Tony was either he had Kate smiling like a schoolgirl with a crush. When he introduced himself as Doctor Brad Pitt he made it a point to say that he wasn’t related to the actor though he wished he was because he’d love to meet Angelina Jolie Tony scoffed.

 

Of course Kate would laugh at the lame joke and Tony called her on the fact that if he’d said that she would elbow him; which she did anyway. Walking into the isolation chamber the doctor made introductions with their Duty nurse for the night, Lieutenant Emma Ingham. After being given Streptomycin they were told to take any bed they wanted and Brad said to keep some separation between them. Also that they were informal there and for them to call him Brad.

 

Once they were settled he asked about the lights being sunlamps. They were UV lights to kill the bacteria they breathed into the air.

 

Back at the Navy Yard Gibbs was impatient. He’d used Ducky’s phone and had called Dom and Brian and asked them to pick Kelly up from school and to keep her overnight. He told them that there had been an attack on the Agency and that neither him nor Tony would be able to leave anytime soon. Once he’d gotten assurances that they would get her and not tell her anything he hung up. But not before being told to keep them as informed as he could on the situation.

 

Once that was done he went over to the Plasma and heard Abby’s comment about the letter.

 

“SWAK?” he asked.

 

“It’s Sealed With A Kiss Gibbs. Didn’t you ever get a love letter?” Abby said.

 

“Does a Dear John count?” he’d replied.

 

She responded that she felt sorry for him. He asked about a return address and got one. Turning to McGee he asked if he’d gotten it. When he said yes he said Good. McGee’s comment that he wished he had his PDA was returned with an offhanded “Use Ducky’s” which prompted McGee to go look for Ducky’s PDA. Palmer was saying something but he just told him to go requisition replacement cell phones and Weapons for his team. Once Palmer was gone he turned back to Abby and began asking more questions, hoping to get to the bottom of this case quickly. Telling McGee that Ducky’s PDA was a Pad and a Pencil had his nerves on edge.

 

Ducky made the comment that the letter, which was opened under a special containment hood, had beautiful Calligraphy and Abby’s comment on the paper being beautiful 2 pound cotton rag had him asking if she could trace it. Her answer of yes was good. Ducky continued rambling about his mother writing in calligraphy and how at one point every young woman of breeding was taught it as well as his ability in reading his mother’s missives had him asking if Ducky could read this Missive. When he began to read, silently, he raised an eyebrow. Abby’s “I think he means out loud” had him giving a tiny quirk of the lips.

 

“Oh sorry. Of course. If you are reading this and have not initiated biological attack procedures, I suggest you do so immediately, since the powder dispersed by opening this envelope contains genetically altered” here Ducky paused to take a breath before continuing

“Y-Pestis.”

 

“Which is Latin. For what?” Gibbs asked.

 

“Plague” was Ducky’s response.

 

“The powder in that envelope carries Bubonic Plague”

 

“Pneumonic is more likely” was Ducky’s response.

 

“There’s more than one?” Gibbs asked.

 

“There are three actually. But pneumonic is by far the most dangerous as it can be spread simply by breathing the Y-pestis particles.”

 

“Tony must have breathed in some of it.” Gibbs muttered.

 

Abby chimed in stating that it might not be alive since it would need a host or moisture to survive more than a few hours. McGee’s comment that it was irradiated when it went through the post office didn’t help his building anger any. He got Honey Dust for Christmas for God’s sake!

 

Abby said she’d narrow her tests to pneumonic y-pestis that way they could figure out which strain it was and Bethesda could hit it with the specific antibiotic.

 

“Nnn… Yeah well that may not help. It says here I have genetically altered the Y-Pestis to render it impervious to antimicrobials.”

 

“That BITCH. She created a strain that antibiotics can’t wack.” Abby said.

 

“Ducky, give Bethesda a heads up” Gibbs ordered.

 

“A SWAK does not mean that this Bitch couldn’t be a bastard.” Gibbs said once Ducky had gone to let Bethesda know of their findings,

 

“You’re so right Gibbs. I have this friend, who’s a transvestite; her lips could out-SWAK Angelina Jolie’s. Remember McGee? You met her at my Birthday Party,” Abby said while examining the letter.

 

“Oh yeah. The uh low cut red dress with the built in plastic…*wack*

 

“I saw that Gibbs.” Abby said right after Gibbs had given McGee a headslap with the notepad in his hand.

 

“Read. Or you’ll feel it.”

 

“Not while you’re down there” Abby muttered,

 

“What?!”

 

“However, there is an antidote, She made a magic bullet, which, if administered within 32 hours of infection, will irradicate the disease. To procure the antidote, NCIS must make public the true results reported in dossier R-0377.”

 

“McGee! Pull up that file!” Gibbs barked.

 

“Yup Romeo Zero Three Seven Seven. Got it.” McGee replied, rushing off to Ducky’s computer to bring the file up.

 

While he did that Abby told Gibbs that that was all she wrote and that the envelope was gilded inside before gasping and saying that there was a moisture strip inside the envelope. Growling that it was to keep the bug alive till the letter was opened Gibbs barked for Abby to check the cancelled stamp. One way to get around postal irradiation was to not use the post office. Ducky walked in then and said he’d spoken with a Dr. Brad Pitt who had stressed that he wasn’t related to the actor in any way, which had Abby going off about if they’d heard when Brad and Jen split up which was interrupted by Gibbs shout of “ABBY!!”

 

Abby said she couldn’t until she could put the envelope under a microscope and she couldn’t do that until NCID gave her the approval to irradiate. When Gibbs asked when that would be she told him the Navy was sending a Sample to Atlanta and that it should be there…Ducky showed her his watch…right about then. She also said it would be another 12 hours for DNA Confirmation.

 

Gibbs asked Ducky what the incubation period was. The response of A day at most had him uneasy.

 

“How long until it kills?” he asked hoping that if Tony was infected they would have enough time to save him. He’d only just gotten the younger agent in his life in a more permanent way and he’d be damned if he’d lose him now because some crazy decided to go all postal.

 

“Not very long I’m afraid. In the 14th century the novelist Bocatuer, wrote that Plague victims had lunch with their friends and Dinner with their Ancestors in paradise.” Ducky responded. That didn’t give Gibbs much hope. When McGee told him he couldn’t access the file from Ducky’s computer Gibbs said they were coming up, ignoring Ducky’s rant that they couldn’t.

 

While Ducky ranted that he couldn’t believe Gibbs broke protocol Abby chuckled and told him he didn’t. He said that he’d left Autopsy and she replied but not isolation when Gibbs and McGee walked in in HAZMAT style isolation suits.

 

Telling McGee to use Abby’s computer to find the file he walked over to Abby and told her to pull the surveillance video from yesterday when he left at 2300 till McGee came in this morning. He’d had so much paperwork that he’d ended up staying late, which was happening less and less as of late. Abby’s “You gotta get a life Gibbs” had him commenting.

 

“The last thing I need is another wife.” He said while thinking ‘Especially since I have Tony. I have no intentions of re-marrying again. Why should I when I am finally happy again. At least there are no expectations from Tony and he understands me, better than all of my ex-wives combined.’

 

“Life; You gotta get a Life” Abby said.

 

'Oh. No not really Abbs. I have one, I just don’t advertise it. I like my privacy. Besides I don’t stay as late as I used to. Especially since I have Tony AND Kelly to go home to.’ He thought.

 

Walking into Abby’s office when he heard McGee yell he listened as the youngest agent said he’d found the file, that it was a rape case. Telling him to get the investigating agent down here he went to leave when McGee stuttered that he couldn’t because it was Pacci. Remembering the grisly scene of Pacci’s murder he told him to put the case up on the plasma.

 

Reading through the information listed in the case he turned to Ducky and told home to contact Cassie Yates in Norfolk and tell her what happened since he needed her help.

 

“I thought Cassie was working Narcotics Suppression?” Abby asked him once Ducky had left to go call her.

 

“Four years ago Cassie was Pacci’s Probie.” He said.

 

“The victim, Sarah Lowell was visiting Annapolis to register for an Advanced Study Program at St. John’s. Police had the case for three days before they called us in” he continued.

 

“They found a Navy Suspect?” Abby asked.

 

“A dozen of them. Firsties were partying at the hotel the night of the assault.” Gibbs said before being interrupted by Abby,

 

“Firsties?”

 

“Academy Seniors. They just got their fleet assignments. And…are you scanning?” he queried.

 

“Gibbs I can multi-task. I can listen to you. I can scan the video, I can rub my Tummy and ta…” she was interrupted by Gibbs.

 

“DNA testing cleared them. Closed our investigation.”

 

“And someone wants it re-opened.” Abby replied.

 

Nodding Gibbs went and told McGee to call Annapolis PD because he wanted their case file. Ducky came in and told him that he’d spoken to Cassie and that she remembered the case. She’d be there in 15 minutes.

 

“From Norfolk?” Gibbs sounded skeptical and surprised. Even he wouldn’t be able to make it to Norfolk in 15 minutes.

 

“No Anacostia. She’s working a Drug Sting.” Ducky told him.

 

McGee interrupted saying that the police in Annapolis wouldn’t be able to hear him through his helmet if he called, before stuttering that he’d use the computer when Gibbs glared at him. When Abby yelled for him from the other room he went to see what she wanted.