It was late at night and the wind was howling through the trees at a very threatening speed. It was raining heavily and tonight was the night of the new moon so the whole park was cast into darkness. A shadowed figure crept to the side of the park and ducked behind a bush, hidden from sight. The figure was watching a door in the street in front of him and waiting for something. A black Lexus was parked outside the door on the curb. A street lamp slightly further up the road was blinking and for seconds at a time, the tiniest bit of light fell on the figures face. You could tell the figure was a man from the slight trace of moustache on his upper lip; bristly and rough, like only a man's stubble could be. Dark brown eyes peered out from under a large dark hood, scanning the street for life, and a large nose protruded out. He waited for what seemed hours, without making any movement at all, constantly watching the door across the street. Watching and waiting. Finally, the door opened and a bright yellow light spilled out onto the tarmac outside. Four young women came out of he door laughing and joking. All of them wearing some form of stilettos, and they were all dripping in jewellery. One of the woman was wearing a long dress, black so that it hid smallest of bulges at her waist. She had long flowing red hair that tickled the small of her back. Two of the other women had brown hair and the other was bottle blonde with a Monroe style cut. The first brunette was wearing an emerald green dress and held a black sequined bag in her left hand. The second was wearing a blood red cocktail dress and large rhinestone earrings hung from her ears.

"That was a great party!" said woman in emerald green.

"It was sooo good," agreed the lady with the earrings. "It was such a good idea to throw a cocktail party Trudy! I feel so posh!" The lady with the Monroe cut smiled.

"Well it was Sara's idea," she said looking at the redhead.

"Don't look at me!" They all laughed. "Anyway, I've got to be going now, Jake will be waiting for me"

"Are you sure you don't want us to give you a lift home?" said the emerald green woman.

"Yeah" both girls looked unsure "Look its only two blocks. I'll be fine. Besides I need to work off the last of this baby weight," she said smiling as she patted her stomach. The other women just looked her as if she was crazy. It was the woman in green that spoke first.

"Whatever Sara, you only had Jacob three months ago and you still look better than any of us" The redhead blushed. A man called out from in the house.

"Trudy?"

"That's me" said the lady with the Monroe cut "look, thanks all of you for coming. Its been great having you all round" A round of hugs took place and then the woman retreated back into the house and the door closed.

"Are you sure Sara, its no trouble dropping you off," said the emerald green woman "I just feel so bad…"

"Well don't," replied Sara forcefully "I really have to go now. I'll see you all tomorrow at the lunch club" Another round of hugs and still looking unconvinced, the two brunettes got into the car. As the Lexus pulled out of the street, Sara turned and started walking the other direction. She smiled as she walked. In five minutes she would be her little boy. As much as she had enjoyed tonight, she had found it hard being away from him. He was only three months old after all. As she walked she looked to her right and thought she saw a movement in the bushes. Probably a rabbit of something' and went back to thinking about her son. She turned the corner carried on walking. ‘Pat…pat…pat' She turned round quickly but there was nothing there. ‘Strange, I could have swore I heard footsteps' she thought and began to walk quicker. ‘Pat…pat…pat' She whipped round

"Is there anyone there?" she called into the darkness. No Reply. She started to walk very quickly now, almost jogging. ‘Pat…pat…pat' She began to jog. Her heart was beating through her chest. ‘Pat, pat, pat' The footsteps got quicker. Her heart was pumping now and she started to run, her breathing heavy. A loud noise rang out and the noise bounced of the houses lining the street. Her heart missed a beat and a tear ran down the girls cheek.

"shit" she said her voice trembling. She fiddled about in her bag and came to a stop looking nervously around her. She pulled out her phone, flipped it open and put it against her ear "Sa...Sara" she said trembling. She heard the voice on the other end of the phone and immediately calmed a little. "Jake" she said letting out a relieved sigh "You just gave me a heart attack" she laughed. "No, I'm fine. I'm just walking home now. I'll be two minutes. Ok. How's Jacob? uh hmm. Has he needed a feed yet? yeah…What about…" She was cut short by hand grabbing her around the face and covering her mouth. She struggled to get out of his grip as the man held her tightly and jabbed a syringe into her arm. She bit his hand and he let go for a second and she let out a high-pitched scream. He grabbed her again, recovering her mouth. Her body slumped a little and her struggling became less. He held her until she sagged in his arms and her eyes drooped. He took her in his arms and looked around. Her body was limp in his arms and her long red locks falling towards the floor. The street was empty and he crossed over and disappeared into the park. Sara's phone lay on pavement by the side of the road a voice crackled from it.

"Sara? Sara?"

Kate rolled over in the bed and a beam of light from the crack in the curtains fell on her face. She moaned and squinted her eyes; someone stirred beside her. He opened his eyes and saw her on the other side of the bed; too far away. He leaned over and put his arms around her, kissing the back of her neck. She hugged his arms and smiled.

"You kiss well Agent DiNozzo," she said softly

"I think you mean Special Agent DiNozzo". She laughed

"Ok then" she turned to face him "You kiss well ‘Special' Agent DiNozzo". He smiled and kissed her lightly on the lips.

"I've heard that from a lot of women" he replied cheekily. She hit him hard in the chest.

"Ooof" he grumbled painfully "I guess I deserved that"

"Yes you did" but seeing he was in pain she tilted her head and kissed him back. The kiss deepened and Kate was starting to get into it when he pulled back.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing" he said and she leant forwards but he pulled away again. "Its just…"

"What?" she said nervously. This wasn't like Tony. Usually she had to beat him off with a stick. Then it hit her. "Oh my God, you're finishing with me aren't you" and she sat up in the bed, her back to the backboard her eyes staring forwards. Her eyes began to tear up. ‘Oh God, not only is he finishing with me, but now I look needy and pathetic'.

"No, Kate. No" he said panicking, sitting up next to her. He raised both of his hands and touched her cheeks, turning her head so that she faced him. "No, never!" She sniffed

"What then?" She looked into his eyes

"Its..." he suddenly became overwhelmed and had to kiss her again. "Its… well… move in with me" Kate froze, she hadn't been expecting that one. "Look, you're here all the time anyway, and your toothbrush is in my bathroom. So…move in with me?" Kate just stared back, her mouth open like a goldfish. "Well?" She snapped out of her trance.

"No" she said all too quickly, and Tony looked like he'd been kneed in the groin. She saw his face crumble and realised the full effect of what she'd just said. "It's not that I don't love you Tony" she forced him to look her in the eye. "Because I do, I really do. But it's a big step you know. Just…a really big step" she finished off.

"Oh… ok. It doesn't matter, it was just a suggestion" he shuffled so that he too was sitting up in the bed, eyes staring to the front. ‘Damn it, I've done it know' Kate thought to her self.

"Look I'm not saying never, just… not right now ok?"

"Ok," said Tony, his eyes still facing the front. Kate gave up and returned her gaze to the front, mimicking Tony. The silence was almost deafening, but it was thankfully interrupted by Tony's cell going off. He grabbed the chance to break the awkwardness and snatched his phone of the bedside table.

"Special Agent DiNozzo…Ok boss we're on our way…yes Kate's here too…be there in 10 minutes" He turned to Kate "We have a case"

***

The journey to the NCIS headquarters was a very quiet one. You could feel the tension.

"Look Tony…"

"Its ok Kate, really its ok" said Tony and he glanced at Kate smiling. Kate smiled back but his eyes gave it away. They were shallow and didn't show the emotion that they usually did. They were missing their sparkle.

"Good" she replied. Silence returned. 5 minutes later they pulled up in front of the NCIS building and walked up to the doors. Tony went through first and held the door open for Kate. They showed their I.D.s at the front desk and then stepped into the lift.

***

"McGee!" yelled Gibbs

"Yes boss?"

"Where's Tony and Kate?"

"Well I don't know boss" Gibbs stared at McGee

"I'll ring Tony now boss" said McGee quickly and pulled out his phone. As he did the doors to the elevator slid open and Tony and Kate entered the room. McGee returned his phone to his pocket.

"DiNozzo, McGee. I want both of you to go over to the husband's house. Petty Officer Gregg's wife hasn't been seen since yesterday night"

"That's it? No body or anything?" replied Tony. Gibbs just stared; it was amazing what he could accomplish with that stare. "On it boss" Him and McGee left the floor.

"Slow day at the office?" said Kate. Gibbs smiled.

"Maybe October just isn't the month for Naval officers to be murdered" Kate laughed

"Maybe…" said Gibbs quietly

***

Abby Scuito was MSNing from her computer in her lab; a Caf Pow in her left hand when Kate stepped of the elevator. She swung round in her chair.

"KATE!" she said, jumping up and leaping on the poor girl. Kate was laughing.

"Abby, how can you be so peppy at this time?" Kate felt Abby shrug and then heard a slurping sound from behind her shoulder. "What was that?"

"Me drinking my Caf Pow!" she said and she let go still tightly clutching the beaker. Kate looked at the bin and realised why Abby was so hyper.

"Abby! How many of those have you had?" said Kate loudly motioning towards the five empty Caf Pow containers in the bin. Abby blushed.

"Well with the weird lack of cases recently, I've kind of been stuck for things to do," she said as she hung her head. Kate smiled.

"Well we've got a case now; don't know about how much evidence there will be though. It's a missing person case" Abby looked like a mouse who'd had cheese swept from right underneath her nose. "Sorry" Kate added.

"Doesn't matter" replied Abby cheerfully, "They'll be a murder soon, ooh or maybe serial killer!" said Abby getting excited. Kate thought about taking Abby's Caf Pow away from her but she didn't feel like losing an arm today.

"That's not a good thing" she said

"I know, but still ‘that' would be a real case" Abby hopped over to her chair, sat down and started typing in to her computer again. Kate walked over.

"Who's ‘dragonmaster_33"

"McGee" replied Abby beaming. "He's got MSN on his cell now! We can chat anytime"

"That's cool," said Kate smiling

"By the way. How are you and Tony? We haven't had a girly chat in ages" Kate's smile faded.

"You'll never guess what Tony asked me today"

"What?"

"He asked me to move in with him," said Kate quietly. Abby started a fresh batch of hyperness and span her self round in her chair a couple of times with her hands in the air.

"YEAH!!"

"I said no," said Kate solemnly. Abby almost fell out of her chair. Her mouth hung open.

"What! Why? You're crazy about him. And he's crazy about you!"

"I know, but it's a major step. I've always been my own woman you know. I've never depended on anyone else. Moving in is like I'm saying goodbye to that part of me and I don't think I'm ready for that yet" Abby just stood there, her mouth hung open. "If you stay like that for much longer Abs, you'll be catching flies" said Kate cracking a tense smile.

"But…but…you two are meant for each other!"

"Well if we are, then its doesn't matter what I said and I'll move in with him when I'm ready. Abby retrieved her jaw from the floor and spun her chair so that she was facing her computer. "Abby…" Kate called but Abby remained silent. Kate sighed and left the lab.

***

"So what are you and Kate going to do now?"

"What are you on about McGee?" Tony snapped, "Me and Kate are fine"

"You're obviously not Tony. And I would feel the same if Abby turned me down"

"What?! What has Kate told you?"

"Not Kate Tony, Abby" Tony sighed.

"That means that Kate has told Abby"

"Didn't you think she would? They are best friends"

"I know, but this is big. Plus it's embarrassing to me"

"You shouldn't be embarrassed Tony"

"Why the hell not?" said Tony almost shouting.

"It's a big step for Kate. You should be happy that she values your relationship so much that she wants to take it slow"

"She told Abby all of this?"

"Well…yes" Tony sat in silence. "Tony?"

"Shut it McGee. I'm thinking" McGee shut up and they continued to drive. After a while Tony broke the silence. "I've been an ass haven't I McGee?" McGee opened his mouth but then hesitated. "I'm not going to hit you McGee"

"Well then…I guess you have" Tony sighed

"Why do I always to this? Whenever my ego gets hurt I climb into this massive ball and won't let anyone in"

"Correction Tony, you let me in"

"That's because I had too. If you hadn't of started this conversation, there is no way I would of. I'm such an ass" McGee nodded and Tony reached over and slapped him round he back of the head.

"What was that for?" said McGee rubbing the back of his head, "You said you wouldn't hit me!"

"The first time you answered the my question. You nodding just then, was you saying I'm an ass"

"But you said…" Tony raised his arm again "Ok…never mind"

"I don't want to be an ass" said Tony and McGee just sat there. He didn't want to risk getting hit again.

***

Abby swung round on her chair swirling what was left of her 12th Caf Pow this morning. She slid down in her chair and shut her eyes. She tried to swim through the caffeine in her head and find spot where she could think straight. It was actually quite sweet what Kate said, and she could understand. When her and McGee had moved in together, she had had her reservations. Why had she been that mean to Kate? They were best friends and she should have understood. It was just hard to hear that, because she had known Tony for longer and no matter how close her and Kate became, Tony would always come first. He was the older brother she'd never had. She cared deeply for him and she knew how much he would be hurting right now. Still Kate was there for her, and now she had to be there for Kate.

***

"So your wife left the house where the party was 2 blocks away, alone and never came home?" said Tony

"Yes…is there anything you can do? I just really want her home…" The husband looked at Tony with an almost pleading look. It was all Tony could do not to let on his scepticism; in cases like these the chances were not on the girls chances.

"We are doing all we can sir. All our best agents are on this case" Tony gave an encouraging look trying to make the guy feel better. He knew that words would never be a comfort though; if this had happened to him and Kate…It just didn't bare thinking about.

"We're going to try an retrace her steps last night, what was the address of the party again?" said McGee.

"Here" The husband quickly scribbled down the address and handed it to McGee. "Thanks so much. All I want is for her to come home; to be safe…" He broke of unable to say anymore.

"We are doing all we can. Here's my card and call us if anything however small comes up" Tony hesitated with his next line…"If this is an abduction, you might receive a ransom call…if you do let us know immediately" Tony put an encouraging hand on the man's shoulder and then both him and McGee left him in peace. Once they were out the front door, it was McGee who spoke first.

"I couldn't bare it if Abby went missing"

"Lets just not talk about it," said Tony unwilling to start thinking about what it would be like without Kate. "I don't think it would be nice for anyone". They both started to follow the directions they had been given and they were silent as they walked. This time it was Tony's turn to speak first. They'd just turned a corner when he saw something glinting by the side of the sidewalk.

"Look, over there. I think it's a phone" McGee walked over and looked.

"Yeah, I'll bag and Tag it" He pulled a camera out of his bag, quickly snapped, pulled on some gloves and then picked up the phone. "Phone book has the husbands number. I think this is the vics"

"She's not dead yet McGee"

"I know Tony, I didn't mean it like that" Tony didn't answer back and carried on looking around. "There's nothing else here. Either this isn't where she disappeared or if she was taken; our abductor is good" The latter was best not thought about. Cases like these where hard enough. "Ok take some more pics and then we should head back to NCIS"

***

Kate sat at her desk and watched Gibbs writing. She remembered the first time she had ever met him upon air force one. The first time she saw him, he was pretending to be Ducky's assistant but she had seen through it. His silver hair was neatly cut and his voice showed authoritativeness. There had been something about him; he was like a caged tiger who even through his cage could instate fear in the hearts of all who challenged him. When he had tied to take over the investigation, she had tried her best to retain power but it had been no use. The moment Special agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs had stepped foot on that plane, there had been only one boss. Him. Gibbs was no M'E's assistant. When she had shook his hand, on those stairs, all she had felt was pure power. His grip was strong and there was something in his eyes that said ‘Trust me' Kate had remembered that look, it made her felt safe and right from that moment, he had had her trust. She looked at him now and she felt exactly the same. In some ways he was the perfect father figure, but in others he was the perfect man. She loved Tony and that was that, but Gibbs would always be somewhere in her heart.

***

Kate was lying back in her chair when a loud ringing sang out across the bullpen. Kate jumped in her chair and her eyelids groggily opened. She looked around and saw the phone vibrating on its stand.

"Damn it" croaked Kate "I fell asleep" She rubbed her eyes and leant forwards to pick up the phone. "Y'ello Kate DiNo..I mean Todd. Kate Todd speaking…". She was now totally awake and blood rushed to her face, ‘how could I have said that? Stupid stupid stupid! Oh my God what if it was Tony on the phone?'. She waited with baited breath…

"Kate?…Its me Abs" Kate let out a whoosh of relief. She'd been dreaming of herself and Tony, and what it would be like to be married. For her stubbornness against moving in, Kate was surprised at how she had enjoyed being married to Tony in her dream. It was stupid really how one little ring could mean so much.

"Oh Abs its only you" she couldn't help but smile knowing that crisis had been averted.

"What do you mean ‘only' me?…"

"Its just…just that…well…" Kate heard laughing through the phone.

"I'm playing with you Kate, its alright!" Kate laughed nervously, she had forgot that the last conversation she'd had with Abby had not ended on a good note. Both of the girls started talking at the same time, both muttering the same thing,

"I'm Sorry"

"I'm Sorry" They both went into nervous giggling and the ice was now officially broken.

"I'm so sorry for being mean to you Kate" said Abby "I totally get where you are coming from and I should have been a better friend"

"You're a great friend Abs and don't let anyone tell you otherwise. You hear me girl?"

"I hear you" said Abby laughing slightly.

"You were right Abs, I'm just stalling. The truth is that I love Tony and I was just afraid. I've never loved anybody this much before, and now I might have lost him for good…"

"Never gonna happen Kate, that boy breathes off you. You are his soul, he's always gonna love you"

"That's sweet Abs and I really hope so…God, I hope I haven't messed things up…"

"Don't worry Kate, it'll be ok. Listen to Abby" Kate laughed.

"I always do Abs, don't worry"

***

Tony stepped out of the elevator. He had left McGee downstairs with Abby and the phone they had found earlier. He wasn't exactly sure how much analysing of evidence would be going on however. McGee was never off his stupid phone now that he had MSN, it was like him and Abby were joined at the hip. Not like him and Kate. He gave her her space but recently it had felt like he'd given her too much, especially since she'd turned him down. He'd reacted badly to that and he hated how he was now pushing her away. McGee was right, he was an idiot and he was going to have to fix it. Tony strode up to the desk where Kate was sitting. She was sketching in her pad. She looked up at him and opened her mouth to talk but he motioned for her to stay quiet. She did as she was told and Tony gently removed the sketchpad from her hands and brought her to her feet. He put both of his hands on her cheeks and pushed his lips against hers, pulling her into a deep kiss. He felt her relax her body and he moved his arms to surround her and support her in his arms. They were now in an intimate clinch and neither was prepared to let go. They carried on like this in their own little world, undisturbed by surroundings for about 5 minutes until a loud cough brought them back down to earth. They moved apart but so that their bodies were still touching. It turned out that they had conjured up themselves a small audience.

"Shows over guys" said Tony as the crowd dispersed and both him and Kate turned to face Gibbs who was standing to their left. Kate slipped her hand into Tony's and he gripped it tightly.

"Evidence Tony. Now"

"McGee and Abby are working on it now Boss"

"Not good enough Tony. I want this case cleared up fast. If there's nothing left for you to do here go home and get some rest. I want you here bright and early tomorrow to work on this case. We don't need you two in here creating a scene." Kate and Tony frantically grabbed their things and then moved towards the elevator.

"On our way Boss" and they both scurried out like a couple of teenagers that had been caught in the act. Gibbs was left standing alone in the bullpen, a slight smile on his face. Sometimes breaking rule 12 was worth it. Seeing Tony and Kate together sometimes reminded him of himself and Shannon, all those years ago. ‘God how he missed her…'

***

Sun poured in through the window and Anthony DiNozzo stood in front of the mirror in his bathroom, completely naked. He looked at himself and felt again. ‘How could this be?' He ran his fingers over in to check for the 110th time. It was definitely there. He'd noticed it last night when he'd been with Kate. Now he was transfixed in front of the bathroom mirror just staring at his eyes. This was the first time that he'd looked at his reflection and not known the person staring back. The guy in the mirror wasn't him. Fear registered in his eyes and the corners of his mouth sagged, his cheeky smile nowhere to be seen. Cold furrows ran the length of his face and a wide worry line carved a gorge into his forehead. His skin pale and grey. Again Tony ran his fingertips over it. ‘Why was this happening to him? Why now? Why when he had just found happiness? Why him?' Tony finally couldn't bare it anymore and turned away from the mirror. He sat down on the toilet and put his head between his knees feeling sick. He could feel his mouth sweating and saliva filling up. His stomach convulsed and Tony whipped round just in time. Hands firmly on each side of the toilet seat, he wretched. He continued like this until there was nothing left to throw up. He wiped his mouth and walked over to the sink, splashing cold water over his face. As the water drained off his face and he opened his eyes, he was once again confronted with the stranger in the mirror. He hated this moment of weakness. DiNozzo weren't meant to show fear. Ever since he was younger he could hear his fathers voice. ‘You're a DiNozzo son, now stand up straight and it like a man'. He didn't feel much like a man right now. He felt like curling up in a ball with Kate wrapped around him. ‘Oh God' How was he going to tell Kate. They were barely speaking as it was after the awkwardness of her turning his offer down. It had all been so good last night and now…There was no way he could tell her. If she couldn't handle moving in, she couldn't handle this, and there was no way he was losing her now. On the other hand, he could never lie to Kate. Not to Kate. He hung his head and felt again just to be sure, his breathing shallow. There was no mistaking it. The lump was really there. Right there on his left testicle.

***

At the same time Abby woke up in her bed and jumped out of it, quickly running for the toilet. McGee who had awoken at her stirring, heard the sound of her emptying her stomach into the toilet.

"Honey, are you OK?" He was replied by a loud puking sound and he rolled out of bed. Walking over to the bathroom, he could see Abby bending over the toilet. He joined her and crouched next to her, rubbing her back. "You ok? This is the third time this week. Are you ill?" Abby began to talk then had to stop to be sick again. "Don't worry, just don't talk" and McGee continued to rub her back, kissing her on the top of the head. Abby continued to violently throw up.

***


It was 9.00 am when Kate and Tony entered the bullpen. After yesterday's reunion Kate had been so happy, everything was back to normal between her and Tony. She smiled to herself. Yesterday night had been the best bit; Tony had certainly made up for the lost time! But this morning it had been different; like yesterday hadn't happened at all. Tony was back to being withdrawn and cold towards her and she hated it. Just when things were on the up Tony had to go and ruin it. She watched as he sat down at his desk and she sat at hers. She smiled as she caught his eye and got a fixed smile back. Perfectly normal to any other observer but Kate knew that with Tony you had to look at the eyes. Just then they had been hard and cold; like he was blocking Kate out. She though there'd also been some amount of pain there too. If only he'd talk to her. She was disturbed from her thoughts by the surprise of Gibbs voice looming over her.

"Another wife has gone missing" he said solemnly.

***

McGee was on the floor his cheek touching he burning tarmac. Tony was standing above him doing his best John Wayne impression. He was shaking his head.

"Anything down there probie?"

"Nope, can I get up now Tony?"

" Are you absolutely sure that…"

"YES Tony"

"Ok you can get up now" McGee got to his hands and knees and pulled himself up so he was standing on front of a red minivan.

"I just don't understand. Why take someone in the middle of a crowded car park? Its so risky" said Tony

"Maybe risk isn't a factor? Like he knows he isn't gonna get caught"

"No one ever knows that probie"

"No but someone can think that they know that"

"Great. So we are dealing with a loony here then"

"I never said that!"

"But you implied it probie"

"But..."

"It doesn't matter anyway" said Kate, cutting the argument short. They didn't have time for a Tony and McGee argument now. Gibbs was already mad enough that there were now two missing wives.

"But…" repeated McGee

"It doesn't matter!" Tony stayed silent, obeying Kate. This shocked both Kate and McGee. Tony ALWAYS had something to say. At that moment Gibbs came strolling out of the supermarket.

"McGEE!" he barked "Get in there and get the box of security tapes with this security guard" Gibbs motioned to a rather hefty looking man that he had walked out with. "Tony and Kate, do what's needed to get this car back to NCIS" and with that he walked away, Tony and Kate left looking at his back.

"I suppose we'd better do what he said" said Kate turning to look at Tony and for a moment Tony looked back at her, feelings flooding his eyes. She could see hurt and pain and a lot of fear. It scared her and she just wanted to hug him to comfort him. But as quick as she had seen them, Tony's eyes glazed over and she was left with the puppet like smile and a nod. Kate felt like crying right there, in that parking lot, but she didn't. She just got on with her job.

***

It was later that day when Gibbs walked into Abby's lab. He'd left the awkwardness of the bullpen with Tony and Kate and favoured Abby's lab. He'd come bearing gifts of Caf-Pow for Abby and longed to see her smile again. That was the only thing that would get him through today. ‘Well not the only thing…" he thought and an image of Jen flickered into his eyes. This image was immediately replaced by the image of what he saw in front of him. Abby was leant backwards over one of her lad desks, her legs wrapped tightly around a mans figure. From the clothes he could tell it was McGee even though all he could see of him was his butt, for he was leant over the table in an intimate embrace with his favourite lab technician.

"uh hum" coughed Gibbs quietly. Abby squirmed a little bit, but Gibbs didn't think that was because she had heard him.

"UH HUM" he coughed again. Both of them jumped up and looked at Gibbs. McGee blanched and hastily tried to straighten his tie. Abby's face blushed but she laughed anyway.

"Gibbs!" she squealed. This forced a smile out of him.

"Hey Abby…McGee" he nodded

"Boss" croaked McGee still fumbling with his tie.

"What you got for me Abs?"

"What have you got for me?" she smiled spying the Caf-Pow in his hand. He laughed and handed her her caffeine.

"So evidence?" He was greeted with a long slurp before he got his answer.

"The tapes show that at 8am this morning, Leticia Dean was loading her shopping into her car when a car pulled up beside her. The driver got out and there was a grapple that ended in her being stabbed with what looked like a syringe. You can't see the drivers face as its always covered by their baseball cap. Anyway, He loads her into the back seat of the car and drives off. I got the number plate and I've already put a BOLO out on it. Should get some results soon"

"And her car?"

"Haven't looked at it yet but I don't think there will be any evidence there, he didn't even go anywhere near it. It was done quickly. He knew what he was doing"

"Thanks Abby, You and McGee can go back to working on the evidence now" McGee stared at the ground and looked like the kid from the nightmare when you go to school only to realise you are naked. Abby just smiled cheerfully.

"Bye Gibbs! Thanks for the Caf-Pow!"

"No problem Abs" and with that Gibbs left the lab.

***

Gibbs stepped out onto the corridor and brought out his phone. He dialled in a number, held it to his ear and waited for a reply.

"Hello this is Leroy Jethro Gibbs"

"I'm good thanks. Listen I was wondering if you'd though any more about my proposition?"

"You have?"

"What's your answer?"

"Well, how about you come and help me out with something and then you can give me your answer"

"Great! I'll see you tomorrow morning then?" Gibbs listened and then laughed to the reply

"It will be nice to see you again," he said still laughing and with that he shut his phone and walked towards the elevator.

***

Tony watched as Kate left the bullpen on her way home; home being her apartment. She was the last one, other than him, to leave since Gibbs had sent them all home. Tony still hadn't told her about the lump he'd found. It wasn't that he hadn't tried; he had so many times. Every time he opened his mouth his throat closed over and nothing came out. If he said it out loud it became real, a problem that he'd have to deal with; a problem that Kate would have to deal with. He loved her too much to drop this on her; he would deal with this on his own. His heart had sped up now and he was sweating.

"God I'm a mess," he said out loud, wiping his brow.

"Not as much as I am," a voice surprised him from the shadows near the elevator. Tony had been so deep in thought he hadn't even heard the elevator ping to let someone onto the floor.

"Abbs?"

"Yeah…how did you know it was me?"

"I can see the silhouette of your pigtails," he said smiling. She laughed at this. "So go on then, what makes you a better mess than I am?" She paused.

"Um…it's…umm…"

"You can tell me, Abbs."

"I should be telling this to McGee if anyone…or Kate. She would know what to say…"

"Oh great, so I'm last choice," he mocked.

"No!…There's Ducky…or Palmer,"

Tony smiled. "I was joking, Abbs. Go on tell me what's wrong."

"Ok…I'm just gonna spit it out ok?"

"Ok."

"Ready yourself…"

"ABBS!"

"Ok…well then…I'm pregnant." That shut Tony up. Abby saw Tony's face and suddenly got flustered.

"Oh God, I knew I shouldn't have told you," she said turning to leave.

"No! Wait…are you sure?" Abby fiddled about in her bag and pulled out a white stick. She handed it to Tony.

"There you go; proof." Tony looked at the stick then looked up at Abby.

"Yeah Abby, I'm a guy; I don't understand these things…"

"Oh!" she said surprised, "Well that means positive."

"Ok, well I've gathered you haven't told McGee,"

"No…"

"It is McGee's isn't it?"

"YES! Tony! Of course it's his. How could you even say that?"

"Ok, stupid question Abbs; of course it's his. Just ignore me; I'm still processing this,"

"Well?…"

"Well what?"

"What do you think?"

"Well it doesn't really matter what I think does it? How do you feel about it?" Abby sat down at this point and started fiddling with the front of her coat.

"I'm ok I guess…I just don't want for this to ruin things between me and McGee. I really love him Tony and if I tell him about this, I'm worried he's gonna leave."

"He'd never do that Abbs; this is McGee we're talking about." Abby gave Tony a proud smile.

"Yeah…" she said quietly

"Are you gonna keep it?"

"Yes. No question about that. I spend all of my time in my lab using science to hunt down all the murderers we come across. If I get rid of this baby, I'm no better than them."

"I don't think…"

"That's how I feel Tony."

"Well, then you have to tell McGee."

"I know…" Her expression suddenly changed and she looked at Tony, "What is wrong with you?"

"Oh…"said Tony, withdrawing into himself. "I don't want to drag you into it."

"Is it you and Kate? I thought you two were fine again now?"

"We are. Well we were…"

"What happened?"

"I found a lump."

"Kate!"

"No! God no…me." Abby's eyes teared up.

"Oh my God, Tony; I've been drabbling on about me and McGee and…Tony this is serious!"

"I know that, Abby."

"Have you told Kate?"

"No," he said and he hung his head.

"What! Why not? She'll want to know Tony. This is not something you can keep from her."

"I know…"

"What are you worried about?"

"She couldn't handle us moving in Abbs, so what is she going to do when she finds this out?" Tony looked straight into Abby's eyes begging for an answer.

"I can't answer that Tony. You have to tell her." Tony was silent and hung his head again. "Have you seen a doctor yet?"

"No. I only found it this morning."

"You have to set one up…I've got a friend. He's a really good doctor. I'll set up an appointment."

"…thanks Abs…I appreciate it."

Abby moved across the room and pulled Tony into a hug. Tony was surprised at how good this felt. It felt so much better to tell someone; he wasn't going through this on his own now. A tear rolled down his cheek, and he hastily wiped it away. He heard Abby crying on his shoulder and he hugged her tighter. They remained like this for a long time; to both of them it felt like forever.

***
Leroy Jethro Gibbs arrived home to find Jennifer Sheppard standing over the hob. He reached his arms around her waist, his head resting on her shoulders. He breathed in deeply and took in the smell of her hair. He could still smell it through the delicious aroma of the chicken in the oven and the pasta on the stove. Jen stirred the pan on the stove with one hand, and put the other one round her waist over Jethro's.

"Dinner smells nice."

"It does doesn't it?" she smiled. Jethro gripped her tighter, laughing softly.

"It does" He put his lips close to her head kissed her hair lightly. "You didn't have to cook for me."

"Cook for ‘us' you mean."

Jethro laughed again, "Yes…'us'."

"Well I thought I'd surprise you. We've been living together for almost 6 months now, and don't cook nearly enough. I'm a good cook I'll have you know."

"I do know," he smiled. "You're good at many things." This time Jen laughed.

"Is there ever anything else on your mind Jethro?"

"What besides you?…Never."

She laughed again and turned her head so that they were looking into each other's eyes. He reached forward and kissed her passionately. They were interrupted by the pinging of the oven.

"Dinner's ready," smiled Jen. Jethro smiled back at her.

***

Tony sat in his car; he had a dilemma. Go home to Kate and have to face her about the lump, or drive around the entire night and avoid her. The latter, he thought, was probably not the best idea he had ever had, both for worrying Kate and getting no sleep. Gibbs would not be happy to see an overtired Tony entering the bullpen in the morning. While Tony was debating in his mind whether or not to go to Kate's house where he said he'd meet with her; he realised that he was driving in familiar territory. ‘Why do these streets seem so familiar?' he thought to himself. Then it hit him; this was where the first Marine wife was taken from. Tony cruised along until he came to the spot they had found the phone and parked. This was the stalling tactic he'd been looking for. He could search around a bit here and delay going over to Kate's. ‘Genius' he thought. He got out of the car and started patrolling the pavement where they found the phone, staring at the ground. He found himself once more deep in thought about Kate. ‘What if she left me, unable to cope with the responsibility of me having cancer? Stop it Tony. You don't even know you've got cancer…but you could. What if I did? What would happen? How would Kate treat me?' God, he was going in circles, ever delaying facing the problem. A rustling ahead of him distracted him; his heart missed a beat. His head snapped up and his eyes scanned the darkness in front of him.

"Who's there?" Tony asked loudly. Silence.

"I said, who's there?" he said more loudly into the night. More rustling. Tony looked over to where it had come from and found himself looking into a wooded area. Slowly he walked forward toward the trees. The rustling got louder, and Tony could hear his own heart beat deafening him.

"Come out, whoever you are," Tony had reached the trees and with one hand he cautiously parted them. Something jumped out at him from below and Tony screamed, batting away in font of him. He fell backward, and still his hands were in front of his face; he was now kicking and hitting blindly into the darkness. He slowed and came to realise that he was fighting plain air. Scowling he pulled himself up to a sitting position, searching in front of him. He was just in time to see a small rabbit scurrying away deeper into the woodland. ‘Damn it.' This was not his day. First finding that lump and now being attacked by a rabbit. Nice. Tony continued to dust himself off and was coming to his feet when something caught his eye. He leaned over and examined what he thought looked like a syringe. It was! Tony grinned and rushed to his feet, hurrying to his car. He reached into the passenger's side and opened the glove compartment. Sweets, a CD, headphones, empty can of coke, Ah! Serviettes! ‘All those Pizzas coming in handy!' he thought to himself as he pulled out a wodge of them. He walked over to the syringe and carefully picked it up with one of the napkins. He wrapped it up further and then tucked it away in the glove compartment in his car. Smiling, he then got back into his car and drove off, heading for NCIS.

"What will Gibbs think now?" he said happily as he drove off into the night.

***

Kate sat on the sofa and looked at her watch. 12.40 AM. ‘Damn you Tony, where are you?' He definitely said that he was coming over, so where was he? She had begun to get worried; he wasn't picking up his cell either. She turned off the TV, annoyed at the shrill voice of the weather girl telling her it was going to be rainy tomorrow, and picked up her phone once more. She dialed the number that now came so naturally to her and put the phone to her ear. She heard it ringing. On its fourth ring it was answered.

"Hello?"

"Tony!"

"Hey, Kate; look, I'm not gonna be able to make it over tonight…"

"Why what's wrong?" she asked, panicking.

"Nothing's wrong, Kate; I found some evidence and I'm in Abby's lab processing it now."

"Oh…ok…well is Abby there?"

"Yes; she couldn't sleep, so she was here at the lab when I came in."

"Ok…well I'll see you tomorrow then?"

"Yes see you then."

"Love you Tony."

"Love you too, babe," and he hung up.

Kate was left holding her phone to her ear, listening to the piercing sound of the dial tone. She slowly brought the phone down from her ear and turned the TV back on. She sat staring blankly at the TV, not hearing anything of what was being said.

***

Chapter 8

As Kate walked out onto the floor, she was surprised to see that her desk was already in use. Blonde hair cascaded down the back of Kate's chair, hiding the face of the woman that sat there. ‘Who the hell is sitting in my seat' she thought, angry that someone had disregarded her right to a personal space. As she cornered round and entered the bullpen her mouth hung open at a familiar sight.

"Carrie!" Kate's face lit up and she dumped her bag on the desk.

"Hey, Kate," Carrie said happily, beaming back at her. Her voice, as per usual, sounded as if she'd just got out of bed, raspy yet smooth. She stood up from her seat, revealing that she had grown since they last met; she was now whole two inches taller. Kate looked her up and down jealously.

"I can never get over how good you always look," Kate said. Carrie blushed and smiled at Kate.

"Well…" she said slowly.

"Oh…right! Sorry," Kate replied and jumped forward, giving Carrie a massive hug, Carrie laughed as she did so. After a full 5 minutes, they finally detached from one another.

"So tell me, what are you doing over our way?" Kate inquired.

"Well, Gibbs rang me yesterday saying that he needed my help. Who am I to disobey Gibbs?" They both shared a laugh.

"Gibbs was never one to be disobeyed," Kate agreed and then grabbed Tony's chair from the other side of the bullpen and dragged it over to her own desk. They both sat down.

"So? What's been happening here while I've been away?"

Kate smiled before launching into a full account of the past 6 months, Carrie listening intently.

***

McGee stepped off the elevator to see two girls huddling and gossiping in the bullpen. ‘God,' he thought to him self ‘this place is getting more and more like a schoolyard.' He walked over, standing that little bit taller to assert his authority.

"Right you two; you have no right to…Carrie! Kate!…I thought you two were teenagers the way you were acting!"

"So what are you trying to say Tim? That we're old now?" Carrie asked, staring at McGee.

"What?…No that's not…I didn't…" Carrie laughed loudly and leaped up onto McGee almost suffocating him with her grip.

"I was kidding, Tim! You never could take a joke."

"Sorry…" McGee replied quietly, his voice being cut by Carries strangling hold. McGee's reply just made Carrie laugh more, and she let go of him.

"So how's my favourite MIT chum?" she smiled revealing a dazzling set of almost perfect teeth.

"I'm fine," he replied, matching Carrie's smile, "Me and Abby…Well, I'll let her tell you herself, come down and meet them!" McGee strode over to the elevator, and Kate and Carrie followed.

***
As the three of them entered Abby's lab, they were surprised by the sound of snoring. They walked through the lab, which was empty, and through into the adjoining office. Tony and Abby were both lying on the floor fast asleep. Tony was lying on his back, mouth wide open, almost vibrating the floor with his snoring. He had his arm around Abby, who had her head on Tony's chest and apparently could sleep through a sound that could rival to the Blitz. Carrie could see an amount of shock on both Kate and McGee's faces, and coughed loudly to wake the two sleepers. Tony carried on snoring. Carrie stepped over to the side and grabbed a nearby bottle of water. She emptied it right on to Tony's face.

"Woops," she said innocently, and was met by a loud sputtering mixed with a few choice words from Tony's rather colourful vocabulary.

"Who the hell!…I was trying to…Carrie!"

Abby had already stood at this point and was over by McGee, her arm around his waist. Tony quickly got to his feet and then swayed a bit, a confused look on his face. "Woah…head rush." After a second or so, he recollected his senses and gave Carrie a huge embrace. They separated and Carrie was the first to speak.

"You were snoring," Carrie said.

"I don't snore!" Tony replied, outraged.

"I know you don't, Tony, but you were then," Kate said. Tony looked over to Kate and gave her a smile with something implied behind it. Kate smiled back, and their eyes connected for a second.

He turned to Carrie, "So what brings you here?"

"Gibbs asked me to come over; and before you ask, I have no idea why."

"Oh, well welcome back!" he said warmly, grinning. There were a few moments of silence while they all tried to take in everything that had just happened, and then Kate broke in.

"So what was the evidence you found yesterday, Tony?"

Tony again looked confused for a few seconds, and then answered, "Oh…that…It was a syringe."

"You found evidence?" McGee asked.

"Yes," Tony replied, "I was driving through the neighbourhood from where the first wife was abducted, and got out to have a quick look." This got a quick glance from Kate. That neighbourhood was at least 5 miles away from the route between NCIS headquarters and her apartment. Why had Tony been driving out there? "I found the syringe in the woodland the other side of the road where we found the phone."

"Have you tested it yet? For what it contained; fingerprints and such like?" Carrie asked.

"Yeah," Abby said. "The syringe at one time contained a substance called Phenobarbital which is a sedative used by the medical and veterinary communities. We linked it to the case be cross-referencing a sample of the blood we found at the end of the syringe with a sample from the hairbrush the first husband gave us in case we had to identify any bodies. It was a match. There where no fingerprints on the outside of the syringe either."

"Abby and I checked the video from the second abduction, and you can see that the kidnaper was wearing latex gloves. He was prepared," Tony said.

"So this was definitely the syringe used to inject the victim with Phenobarbital?" McGee asked.

"Well, I'm 99% positive," Abby replied.

"What does that mean?" Carrie asked.

"Well, I suppose there is a chance that this was stabbed into her in the past, and then traces of the drug put inside the syringe, but that would just be stupid. Why would anyone do that just to throw away the syringe?"

"Even Tony wouldn't be that stupid," McGee said jokingly. Tony walked over and reached behind McGee giving him a short sharp slap to the back of the head. "Hey!"

"Plus," Kate added, "We don't know that the syringe was from that particular night; it could have been an old one."

"So the victim regularly dosed herself up with Phenobarbital then?" Tony replied.

Kate gave him a look and then replied, "I'm just saying."

"No Tony; Kate's right," Carrie said "I've been to a lot of court cases and I've seen cases get thrown out that had a lot more evidence than this; and besides without fingerprints we haven't got a lot to go on."

"I suppose not," Tony replied in a subdued tone. At that point they were all interrupted by the sound of elevator doors opening. They filed out of Abby's office and into the lab just in time to see Gibbs standing in the elevator.

"Come on, a body has just been found," he said simply, and the doors closed in front of him leaving everyone looking blankly at a silver wall.

***

"Tell me again why we are not taking the truck?" Kate asked, fidgeting, stuck between McGee on her left and Carrie on her right.

"It's in the garage," Tony repeated for the fourth time from behind the wheel. "And the spare has a puncture."

"This is just great," she said trying to uncross her legs and re-cross them the opposite way, "No offense," she added, looking over at Carrie.

"None taken," she replied. Carrie was having the same problem.

"Head slaps are without regard to sex Caitlin, you're just as entitled as Tony," Gibbs said from the passenger seat next to Tony.

"It's quite comfortable back here actually, Boss," McGee said from the back seat gaining a look of disgust from both Kate and Carrie across from him.

"Take a page out of Probie's book, girls, and sit still for a while," Tony said. Kate stuck her tongue out toward the back of the driver's seat, a gesture that Tony watched with humour in the rear view mirror. "You can be such a kid sometimes," he said laughing, still looking in the mirror," Kate looked up and repeated her childish act again, this time right to his face. Tony laughed again, and then looked back to the road.

"Are we almost there yet?" asked McGee quietly from behind Gibbs' seat.

"About 5 minutes closer than when you last asked, McGee," Gibbs said with a weary voice. Kate fidgeted again, trying to make herself comfortable, and accidentally poked McGee in the ribs with her elbow.

"Ow!" McGee said in pain and poked her back

"Hey!" Kate said and hit him hard on the arm, "That hurt."

"And mine didn't?" McGee retaliated by pinching her on the arm. They had a full-blown fight in the limited space they had in the back of the car, slapping and hitting. Carrie was pushed right up the car door, her cheek spread across the door window. In Kate's attempt to punish McGee for his attempts at harming her, Carrie was suffering the backlash from it.

"OI!" Gibbs shouted loudly and the scuffle immediately ceased, "That is not how special agents behave."

"Sorry, Boss."

"Sorry, Boss."

"Now say sorry to each other."

"Sorry, Kate."

"Sorry, McGee."

"And now say sorry to Carrie who had to endure the whole of that, not without injury I think," Gibbs said.

"Oh my God!" Kate said, "I'm so sorry! I didn't realize I was hurting you; I'm so sorry," Kate said, her face going red.

"No worries," Carrie said, nursing her injuries.

"Yeah, I'm sorry Carrie," McGee said. "We're adults; we shouldn't have acted like that." This got a snort from Tony. "Oh shut up Tony, if you were back here you would have been the first one to join in."

"I'm not too far forward to reach back there and give you a head slap, McGee," Tony said warningly. McGee stayed quiet, and silence entered the car for the first time in twenty minutes.

‘Ah, silence' Gibbs thought to himself, but he was interrupted by a small voice from the back of the car.

"Are we nearly there yet?"

"McGEE!"

***

Tony could smell it before he could see it.

"Phwoar," he wrinkled his nose in revulsion, "Of all the places to dump a body…"

They rounded the corner and all became clear as they came face to face with the huge pile of rubbish that was the Lazenby landfill site. Tony entered the site and stopped the car. Everyone got out.

"Believe me, DiNozzo, when I say there are worse places," Gibbs said uneasily. Tony didn't seem to want to query him so he continued, "The body was found this morning the workers here." He paused to show his I.D. to the nearby official and then carried on, "We were notified when they identified her from her driver's license. The local police force gave it to us when they discovered that she was an NCIS open case."

"She had her driver's license with her?" Tony asked, stating the obvious. Gibbs reached over and gave him a sharp slap to the back of the head.

"I just said that DiNozzo."

"I've been told that this is a bad crime scene, so Carrie if you start to feel squeamish…"

"I won't," she said, more sharply than she had meant to, "I've seen my fair share of gruesome crime scenes." They ducked under the crime scene tape had even Carrie had to swallow hard at the site of the body.

"Okay, that is really disgusting," Kate said, looking away. In front of them lay a blood-covered corpse that even Tony couldn't tell was a woman.

"What the hell happened to her?" Tony asked quietly.

"She had her body pummelled to death, I expect," a voice came from behind. They all turned around to see Ducky making his way across the landfill. He reached the body, and bent down next to it. "My poor girl," was all he said.

"Right; Kate sketch; Tony photos; McGee collect evidence; and Carrie, you can help him if you want."

"I'm going to go and talk to the workers over there," she replied, pointing to three people standing in a huddle in the distance. Gibbs watched her walk off, and then turned to the group. Seeing them hesitate, he gave them a stare. Suddenly they all burst into life and hurried off to do their various tasks. ‘Every time,' Gibbs thought to himself, chuckling.

***

"Everybody finished?" Gibbs yelled to the team. From the numerous lazy nods he received, he took that to mean ‘yes'. "Back to NCIS, then."

"I'll drive," Carrie volunteered quickly. ‘Anything to avoid a repeat of the drive down here,' she thought.

"Ok," said Gibbs, "you three are in the back then," he said, motioning toward Kate, Tony and McGee.

"But that's not…" Kate stopped herself before she received the head slap that Gibbs had threatened her with earlier that day. "Ok," she said glumly, walking towards the car. "But I get a window seat."

"Kate, you're in the middle," Gibbs said.

"What! No, I was in the middle on the way down here," she protested.

"You're the smallest so you're in the middle," Gibbs said. Kate opened her mouth to argue, but wisely shut it before anything came out. The team got unhappily into the car; Carrie in the driver's seat, Gibbs in the passenger seat and McGee, Kate and Tony squeezed into the back seat.

About ten minutes into the journey, so far relatively without incident, Kate scrunched up her nose.

"Eurgh, what the hell is that?" she asked in repulsion, holding her hand to her face.

"What is what?" replied Tony.

"That smell," she said.

"I can't smell anything," he said sniffing the air.

"Lean over here," said Kate, still holding her nose. Tony leaned over her and immediately recoiled.

"Ok, I wanna know what the owner of that smell had for lunch today," Tony said, holding his own hand to his nose.

"Who the hell did that?" Kate asked as she looked around the car. She was met by a very red-faced McGee.

"I tried not to," McGee started.

"Silent but deadly," Tony said, pushing himself further up against the car door, "You've really outdone yourself there, Probie."

"I think I'm gonna be sick," Kate said, reaching across Tony's lap to open the window.

***

Kate stepped out from the elevator, followed Tony, Gibbs and Carrie. After the embarrassment of the car journey, McGee had decided to go downstairs to see Abby rather than come to the bullpen. He didn't know what was worse; Kate's snipes or Tony's embarrassing applauds.

All three of the remaining team reached the bullpen, where they met the Director standing with someone they didn't know. Both Kate and Carrie gave him the silent look up and down; for it was a young man who stood in front of them. He can't have been more than 25 years old, with mid-length sandy brown hair that had been teased to perfection so that it fell lightly across his forehead. He had a small scar cutting through his left eyebrow, and even through his blue shirt you could see the outline of an impressive physique; but the most startling thing of all were his eyes. They were a bright blue, sparkling in the light; almost hard to look at in fact, but nonetheless like two small pools of glittering water just waiting to show you their depths. Both of the girls where transfixed. Tony was not impressed, but even he had to admit that he admired this man's body.

‘He must work out at least three times a week,' Tony thought to himself, thinking of his own feeble attempts at visiting the gym. It wasn't that he was lazy per se; just that he always had other things to do. ‘Like eating, sleeping and watching movies,' he thought to him self with a grin.

"NCIS, I'd like to you to meet Liam Teagan," the Director said, raising her hand towards the man stood beside her. "Liam, this is NCIS. I'm sure they can introduce themselves on their own," she said, giving Gibbs a teasing look. Gibbs smiled back, the faintest trace of a glint in his eye.

"Jethro Gibbs, but Gibbs will suffice," he said moving forward to shake the man's hand. "This is my team, Special Agents Tony DiNozzo, Kate Todd and Officer Carrie Lockhart from the local police station. I have another agent downstairs with whom you will undoubtedly meet later on."

"Gee, Gibbs, you make me sound so important," Carrie retorted.

"Believe you me," Liam said, stepping forward toward Carrie, "I take you with the utmost importance." He took Carrie's hand into his and looked deep into her eyes. A flash of electricity ran across Carrie's lower abdomen and she felt her palm go sweaty. Tony rolled his eyes.

‘Geez,' he thought to himself.

"I'm Kate," she said walking forward to take Liam's hand. Tony's stance hardened and his fist clenched slightly. Liam finally pulled his eyes away from Carrie and looked toward Kate. He gave her a dazzling smile and took her hand as well.

"Liam Teagan, as the Director here has had the grace to tell everyone already," he said flashing the same smile toward the Director, who didn't notice as she and Gibbs were sharing a look of their own.

"Oh," the Director said as if coming out of a trance at hearing her name being mentioned. "Yes, um Liam is here for some training with us for a while. He'd like to become an agent with NCIS, so I said that he could do some shadowing here with you."

"So what should I call you, sir?" Liam said looking towards Gibbs.

"Not sir," he said gritting his teeth, "Boss if anything."

"Alright Boss, where would you like me to start?"

"Um, Tony you stay here and organize evidence. Carrie, could you go downstairs and see if McGee and Abby have found anything yet? And Kate, you can give Liam the grand tour."

"Ok," said Kate smiling happily and looking toward Liam. Liam smiled back, "Come on, I'll show you around." Tony gave Liam a cold stare that Liam noticed, and his smile faltered for a second before he followed Kate toward the elevator. Carrie followed them, and Tony watched all three of them enter the lift and the doors close. Only then did he sit down behind his desk to begin sorting through the evidence. Gibbs and the Director had left by this point to go up to her office and Tony was left on his own, a dark scowl across his face.

***

Jen and Jethro both walked into Jen's office and closed the door behind them.

"Why didn't you tell me about this before?" Gibbs asked, almost angry.

"I didn't think you'd mind," she said looking at him. She moved forward toward him, "do you mind?"

"When it affects my team, I would just like to be given the heads up," he said, his voice softening, Jen now playing with the front of his shirt.

"Oh yes, I quite agree," she said, nodding playfully, her eyes staring into his. "How could I possibly make it up to you?"

Jethro melted. "Damn you woman," he said, wrapping his arms around her. "You always know how to play me."

"And don't I know it!" she said giggling. Jethro leaned forward and gave her a quick, but firm kiss.

"Right, I've got to go," he said, letting go of her and walking toward the door.

"Tease," she said flirtatiously, as he opened it.

"And don't I know it," he said, walking through her reception. Jen walked over and shut the door.

"Still, he can't manage to use doors properly," she said, mocking him, but with the faintest trace of a smile on her face.

***

Carrie walked into the Lab to find McGee and Abby in a very compromising position.

"Is there any time you two aren't all over each other?!" she asked, disbelievingly.

"Not really," said Abby laughing, wiping lipstick from around McGee's mouth. "Why would there be when I've got a guy as handsome as McGee here?" she said, looking proudly toward him.

"That is true girl," Carrie said, smiling. McGee began to blush, and Abby slipped one arm around his waist. He reacted by doing the same to her. "So, what have you got for us today?" she asked.

"Well, DNA confirms that the body is indeed Mrs Hall, our first abduction victim," Abby replied sorrowfully. "There isn't a lot of other stuff I can do…" she continued, "I'm waiting on Ducky for any traces he's found."

"Ok," Carrie said walking toward the door, "I'll report back to Gibbs…and let you two get on with it," she winked.

"Thank you!" Abby said happily. McGee didn't say anything; he was preoccupied by looking down lovingly at Abby. Carrie took one last look at the happy couple who were now embracing, and walked out the Lab.

***

Kate stepped out of the elevator and brought Liam over to stand in front of the huge glass doors.

"This," she said triumphantly, "is Autopsy."

"So this is where all the bodies are brought," he said peering into the room.

"Yeah," she said smiling, "That's our M.E. Donald Mallard, but everyone calls him Ducky. He's doing an autopsy at the moment on a young woman we found today at a landfill site.

"How did she die?" he asked inquiringly.

"Well, that's what we're trying to decipher now, but we're pretty sure it was blunt force trauma. She was beaten," she added, seeing the confused look on Liam's face. "It actually one of the worst cases I've seen; there was just so much blood." Liam looked like he was going to throw up. "Maybe we'll come back and go in there tomorrow," she said, gaining a thankful look from Liam. Kate smiled and led him back to the elevator. She hadn't been good either, her first time in autopsy.

"So," Liam began, as they stepped into the elevator, "what's with you and Tony?"

"What?" Kate asked surprised, "How'd you…"

"The look Tony gave me as we left was not one that is usually given under friendly circumstances," he said.

"Oh my God; I'm sorry. He's just…overprotective."

"He should be. If I was with someone like you, I wouldn't let you go anywhere with strange men."

Kate was starting to feel uncomfortable now. "Look Liam, You're a nice guy but I'm with Tony. And I really really love him…"

"Oh my God! Do you think I'm hitting on you?" Liam asked, getting flustered "I'm so sorry…No, its Carrie who…well…"

Kate sighed in relief. "Phew," she said, "But Carrie…what's the problem? Go for it! She obviously liked you…" Kate said with a knowing smile.

"You think?" asked Liam, excited.

"I know…" Kate said. "Seriously, just go for it. Tony and I made that mistake, and wasted years not being together. Don't make the same one," she said, regret now flooding her eyes.

"Okay then," he said cheerfully. "I won't!" They both grinned happily as the lift ascended up from autopsy.

***

Carrie walked back into the bullpen looking for Gibbs, but all she found was Tony, sitting glumly behind his desk.

"What's the matter, Tony?" she asked.

"Nothing," he said, rolling a pencil from one end of the table to the other.

"Come on Tony, you can tell me," she said, dragging Kate's chair over to Tony's desk and sitting in front of him.

"There's seriously nothing wrong," he said, staring at the pencil going backward and forward.

"Is it Liam? I saw the look you gave him."

Tony slammed his hand down on top of the pencil, managing to break it in two, and the floodgates opened, "It's just Kate and I were really happy; I mean really happy. For the first time I was really happy. Then I had to go and ruin it by asking her to move in," he said angrily, still staring at the table. "We finally got back to normal, and then this stupid thing happened, and now I can't be around her knowing I'm keeping it from her. And now that guy has come at a bad time between Kate and me, and is gonna be all over her, and she's gonna be the same to him, and I'm gonna lose her…" Carrie wasn't sure but she could swear she could see tears forming in his eyes.

"You can't possibly be serious," Carrie said. "Kate would never do that to you; she's head over heels in love with you."

"Then why didn't she move in with me?" Tony asked, looking up at Carrie.

"I can't answer that," she said. "But give it time and it will all work out."

"No it won't; that just it. The more time that goes by, the worse it's gonna get."

"How come I get the feeling you're not exactly talking about Kate not moving in with you…"

"I'm not." Tony said. Abby knew, so Carrie might as well, "I found a lump."

"What! Oh my God, Tony, have you got it checked out?"

"Not yet; Abby's arranging an appointment for me."

"Let me guess, you haven't told Kate yet?"

"No…"

"Well get your act together and tell her, otherwise she will walk out on you for lying to her."

"She couldn't handle moving in with me so how is she going to handle this? I don't want her to feel committed to me out of pity."

"That's just stupid, Tony. She loves you and that's why she's staying. Now just tell her."

"I will, just give me time."

"You said yourself you haven't got time!"

Tony fell silent.

"Now just tell her already," Carrie said getting worked up. ‘Men could be so stupid sometimes.' They were interrupted at the moment by Gibbs walking down the stairs.

"What have you got for me then…" Gibbs said, but was confused by the looks of relief on Tony's face and almost anger on Carrie's. "Have I interrupted something?"

"No,"

"Yes," Carrie said, "but it doesn't matter." She gave Tony a glare and turned back to Gibbs, "Abby positively identified the body as that of Sara Hall, and is waiting on Ducky for more news."

Gibbs nodded and walked off toward the elevator, leaving Tony and Carrie to finish their argument.

***

McGee ran his fingers down Abby's back to the hollow just above her hips, where he rested his hands. Abby smiled as she kissed him

"You know…I love it…when you do that," she said between kisses. McGee just smiled and ran his fingers up and down her back once more. She shuddered with delight. McGee's hand then crept down Abby's leg and pulled her skirt up that little bit higher, his palm sliding up the outside of her thigh.

"McGee, wait…" McGee immediately removed his hand from under her skirt and placed it back around her waist, looking her in the eyes,

"What is it Abby?" he asked softly.

"There's something I have to tell you…" Abby looked at the ground. McGee reached out and tenderly touched underneath her chin, pushing her gaze upwards. He kissed her lightly on the lips.

"You know you can tell me anything."

"I know…Right, I'm just gonna come out and say it ok?"

"Just tell me, Abby; you're making me nervous."

"Okay, then…You can't get mad at me…"

"Abby," he said again softly, "just tell me."

"I'm pregnant." Silence from McGee. "Tim?"

"Say that again," he replied.

"I'm pregnant."

After a moment's pause he smiled broadly, pulling Abby into a deep passionate kiss. He pulled away, "That is the best news I've heard all day!" he said excitedly, his face falling slightly at the sight of Abby. "Are you not happy about this?"

"Yes, I am. It's just…a shock," she said choosing her words carefully.

"Smile then! This is great news," he said laughing loudly. He hugged Abby tightly, lifting her off the ground and twisting her round in the air. Abby couldn't help but giggle. McGee set her back down on the ground and looked deeply into her eyes. He saw a tear fall down her cheek, "Abby, what's the matter?" he asked with concern.

Abby smiled, "Nothing," she laughed, quickly brushing the tear aside. "I'm just so happy!"

McGee grinned back and they kissed again, which quickly turned into another passionate embrace.

***

"And finally, we are at the forensics lab," Kate ended proudly. "Our forensics expert is named Abby, and well…you can make your own mind up." Kate and Liam both stepped into the lab but couldn't see anybody anywhere. "This is weird," Kate said looking around, "Abby is always here. Abby?" she called out. They heard scuffling from Abby's office. "Abby?" Kate called again moving towards the office, her hand now cupping her gun holster, "Abby? Are you there?" She reached the doors, took one look inside and immediately swung round.

"Ooooooooh my God," she said, one hand on her chest and the other still on her gun holster. Liam walked forwards to take a look, and Kate's arm swung up from her side, "No! Stop; don't go in there."

Abby came running out of the office. Her skirt was on backwards and she was struggling to get her arm through her T Shirt. She finally got in on and began to speak, "We were…"

"I know exactly what you were doing," Kate interrupted, "but seriously guys this getting out of hand!" she said with the shock evident in her voice.

"It's just that…"

"Seriously Abby, I could have been anyone. I could have been…Gibbs!" she finished dramatically.

Abby blanched. "We were just celebrating, Kate. It shouldn't have got that far and I'm sorry Kate."

McGee now came out of the office, immaculately dressed, and stood next to Abby; he was red in the face. Liam was smiling, having worked out what Kate had walked in on.

"Kate! I can't believe that you saw…you walked in on…I'm so sorry Kate," McGee spurted out. Kate had calmed down now, but was still in shock

"I just can't believe…McGee you should be ashamed," Kate said, looking over towards him.

"We were celebrating," McGee said, still with a red tinge to his cheeks.

"Celebrating what?" Kate asked, now curious. McGee put his arm around Abby and looked deep into her eyes.

Abby smiled and managed to pull her eyes away from his and turn to face Kate. "I'm pregnant!" she announced, waiting for Kate's reaction.

"What?!…That's great!" she said, now with a massive smile spreading across her face.

"I know! Isn't it?!" Abby said, happily pulling McGee that little bit closer.

Kate ran over and hugged Abby, then jumped on a hesitant McGee. "That's just great news; I can't wait to tell Tony!"

Abby's face fell slightly and she gave a weird look towards Kate, like she was trying to cover something up.

"What is it Abby?"

"Yeah what is it honey?" McGee asked, noticing the look on Abby's face.

Abby looked around, ‘Shit, both Kate and McGee didn't know that she'd already told Tony. If McGee found out she had told Tony before him? Well it wouldn't be good. And if Kate found out Abby had told Tony before she had told her best friend, that wouldn't be good either' Abby thought to herself.

"Nothing," she said, an instant smile plastered on her face. "It's just I kinda wanted to tell Tony myself," Abby said hoping that she'd covered it up convincingly.

"Well ok then," Kate said. McGee was smiling again.

"I think I've seen enough of the lab now," Liam said quietly, not wanting to offend anyone, but he was beginning to feel uncomfortable.

"Oh, sorry," Kate said. She had completely forgotten about Liam. "Abby, McGee, this is Liam. He'll be with us for the next few weeks."

"Hey," both Abby and McGee said at the same time, each giving Liam a small wave. You could tell they were both embarrassed.

"Hey," Liam said back, "Um, Kate. Where do you think Carrie will be right now?" he asked, looking hopefully towards Kate.

Kate's face brightened. "Oh! Come with me," she said, her eyes sparkling with mischief, "We'll find her." Kate and Liam said their goodbyes and then exited the lab.

Out side Kate turned to Liam, "You can find your way back upstairs can't you?"

"Yes, I think so," he said confused.

"Good, I'll be up there in a minute," she said ushering Liam towards the elevator. He unwillingly got in, and gave a feeble wave towards Kate, but Kate had already turned around to face the lab.

McGee may have been fooled by Abby's quick answer, but Kate wasn't. There was something up, and she was gonna find out what.

***

"This is really great news, you know, Abby," McGee said, looking at Abby. "I can't wait to see Tony's face when we tell him! When he finds out there is gonna be a little Probie running around…" McGee's face lit up with the image of Tony's face in his head.

"Stop it," said Abby; she couldn't take it anymore. "Tony already knows."

"What?" asked McGee, his face looking hurt, "You told Tony before you told me?"

"It's not as if I set out to do it," Abby started, "I only told him in response to him telling me something."

"What did he tell you?" McGee asked, now intrigued.

"I can't tell you McGee, you know I can't," Abby struggled to fight her moral conscience, "He told me in confidence."

"Is it about him and Kate?"

"No, not exactly…" she said, "Ok, if I tell you, you have to promise to keep it a secret."

"Honey, you know I will."

"Okay, then…Tony's gonna kill me for this…He found a lump."

"What!" McGee said astonished, "How? When?"

"The other day…, but McGee, he's gonna need a friend right now."

McGee swallowed hard and nodded. "If he'll let me," he said quietly. Abby was on the verge of tears and McGee noticed this, pulling her into a deep hug.

"It's gonna be okay," he said soothingly, "Tony is gonna be okay." Abby sobbed into his shoulder.

Outside the lab stood a dark haired woman, her eyes flooded with tears. She turned and ran to the open elevator; the doors closed in front of her. She reached over, flicked the emergency brake switch and backed to the wall of the elevator, the coldness of the metal numbing the feeling in her back. She sank to the floor in silence, tears now streaming down her face. She couldn't hold back any longer, and let out a loud sob into the empty elevator. ‘Why hadn't Tony told her? Didn't he trust her?' The sound of her cries echoed of the sides of the elevator, but nobody heard.

***

Gibbs walked into autopsy, expecting to find Ducky mid ramble to a rather bored looking Palmer, but instead he arrived into a room of silence and Palmer was nowhere to be seen.

"Ducky," Gibbs said, "Where's Palmer?"

"The dear boy rang in this morning claiming to be ill, so I have been left to my own devices all day."

"What have you found?"

Ducky sighed deeply before answering. "This is one of the worst cases I've ever worked on, and I've worked on a few distinctly brutal ones in my time." To Gibbs' surprise, Ducky did not go into a long story about these violent cases, and instead seemed intently focused on the one in hand.

"What happened?" Gibbs asked quietly.

Ducky took a second to answer. "She was tortured," he said solemnly.

"How?" Gibbs asked, not really knowing whether he wanted to know the answer.

"There are wounds all over the poor woman's body; some deep, some shallow. Some are cuts and some are bruises. I've even found the odd cigarette burn," Ducky said, his voice now sickeningly quiet and full of emotion. "Her stomach had shrunk to almost two-thirds the size it should be, which almost definitely shows she was starved. The only thing I know that didn't happen to her is that she wasn't raped. There was no indication of any sexual contact at all."

"So this woman was taken just to be tortured?"

"It would seem so, Jethro."

Gibbs took a minute to take all of this news in before speaking again. "Is there anything else you need to tell me?" he asked, dreading the answer.

"There are marks around her wrists and ankles, but the marks are consistent with them being from a metal chain, rather than a rope. And toxicology came back showing that there were no traces of drugs in her system. She endured all of this without medication," Ducky said sorrowfully.

"So, what was the official COD?"

"Too hard to tell at this moment, Jethro. There was massive internal bleeding throughout her body. As far as I can tell, her heart just gave up, unable to cope anymore."

Gibbs swallowed hard, "Thanks Ducky," he said, and he exited the lab. He didn't think he wanted to hear any more.

***
The next stop on Gibbs' list was Abby's lab. He walked in, preparing himself for an eyeful of Abby and McGee like before, but instead it was only Abby in the lab. She was sitting at her computer.

"Abby?"

She span round on her chair, "Gibbs!" she said jumping off her chair. She ran over and gave him a massive hug. Gibbs couldn't help but laugh.

"What's up with you?"

"Nothing," she said smiling mysteriously. To Abby, Gibbs was like her father. There were times when she thought it could be more, but since she had been with McGee, Gibbs was definitely a father figure. Telling Gibbs about her being pregnant would be harder than telling her actual parents.

"Well, have you got any news for me?"

"How did you find out!" she asked, shocked.

"About what, Abby? I was talking about the case."

"Oh…well then, nothing. Ducky found no traces on the body, no evidence for me anywhere. I've kinda been stuck with nothing to do for the last couple of hours. Well not exactly nothing…" she trailed off.

"I can imagine," Gibbs said smiling, a twinkle in his sparkling blue eyes. Abby giggled. Gibbs knew he loved Abby, but there were times when he wasn't sure how. He'd recently settled on loving her like a daughter, especially since she and McGee became involved, but there were times when he could swear he felt otherwise.

"Actually, there is something I've got to tell you," Abby said quietly.

"What?" Gibbs replied.

"Er, I don't quite know how to say it," she said, not quite meeting his gaze.

"Go on, Abbs, you know you can tell me anything."

"Ok then…You see me and McGee…well…I'm pregnant." Gibbs looked at Abby for a moment before answering. Abby hung her head a little and waited for the approval she needed. It came.

"That's great Abbs, I mean it is great isn't it?" Abby gave a sigh of relief,

"Yeah," Abby said, smiling, relieved. That was one less worry off her back, she had been worried about how Gibbs would react.

"Well then, that's great for you and McGee." Gibbs gazed at Abby. She was definitely a daughter to him; how could he have thought differently?

"Yeah, McGee was happy. Really happy actually…"

"What, that worries you?"

"It kinda feels like he's not letting me in. Not showing me how he really feels."

"But you said he was happy?"

"Yeah, and that's great, but I just can't stop feeling like he is holding back on me."

"Well, it will sort itself Abbs," he said, putting his arm around her and giving it a quick squeeze.

"I know," she said. "Thanks Gibbs, you always know how to make me feel better." She smiled and looked up at him.

"Well I'm glad I can put a smile on my favorite team member's face," he said, smiling back down at her.

***

Kate entered the bullpen, her face slightly paler than usual. Tony, Carrie and Liam where sitting around Tony's desk laughing. Tony looked up at Kate's arrival, but was greeted by a cold stare. Tony cocked his head to the side slightly, trying to figure out what was bothering Kate, but got no reaction from her. Carrie and Liam where still in a fit of giggles at this point.

Kate turned to them, "What's so funny?" she asked, smiling at the pair.

"Nothing…" Carrie said between laughs, "It's just something that Liam said; long story."

"Oh, well, what's everybody up to tonight?"

"Nothing," both Liam and Carrie said together.

"Well there's this movie on at the cinema tonight; wanna go Carrie?" Liam asked a bit too quick; Carrie hesitated. She hadn't dated in a long while, and as much as she liked this new guy she had her doubts. She'd given herself time to get over the loss of Paul, though somehow it always seemed like not enough. If he were here now, he'd be telling her to go for it.

"Ok," she said, smiling although her stomach was about ready to give way. ‘Why had she said Ok?'

"Cool!" said Liam, grinning broadly. He suddenly realized there were other people in the room and turned to Kate, "You're invited as well, Kate; and you Tony," he added quickly.

Tony had half got this mouth open before Kate answered, "Tony and I have already got plans for tonight," Tony was silenced by a quick stare that Kate slid his way.

"Oh okay, that's cool. I'll pick you up at eight then?" Liam said standing up, looking over at Carrie.

"Ok, you don't know where I live though."

"I'll phone you when I'm in the car and you can give me directions."

"Ok," Carrie said, smiling again.

"It's a date," Liam said, before rushing out of the bullpen. Carrie looked slightly flustered.

"What is it, Carrie?" Kate said, seeing her friend's obvious anguish.

"It's nothing…just that…well; I'm a bit out of practice at this, that's all."

"You're doing fine," Kate said.

"Hmm, well, I've got to get ready for my date tonight," Carrie said, standing up. "See you both tomorrow." Carrie bent and gave Tony a hug, a bit tighter than normal. She whispered in his ear, "You've got to tell her. Do it now."

"Bye, Carrie," Tony said, trying to ignore what she'd just said. Carrie gave him one last stare, said goodbye to Kate and left the bullpen.

Tony looked up at Kate, "You alright?"

"I'm staying at my place tonight; I'll see you in the morning." Kate hurried out of the bullpen and Tony was left staring at an empty floor.

"Great."

***

Carrie walked past the Interview Room, hoping to bump into Gibbs. It was weird; he wasn't in MTAC or the Directors office. Annoying too; she'd thought long and hard about his question and had come to an answer. As she looked into the Interview Room, she saw a man huddled in the corner of the room. ‘That was strange; there wasn't anyone to be questioned at the moment.' She opened the door and the man lifted his head. Carrie was shocked to find that it was McGee.

"What are you doing in here?" she asked. McGee didn't answer, Carrie wasn't even sure that he could. She quickly crossed the room and knelt beside him. He was breathing hard and rapidly.

"Oh my God, you're hyperventilating!" Carrie said shocked, she quickly opened her purse and pulled out a brown paper bag, handing it to McGee. McGee took it and gave her a confused look.

"I have panic attacks," she said unembarrassed, "now just breathe into the bag." She pushed the bag up to McGee's face.

Within a few minutes, his breathing had already slowed. "Abby…is…" he started.

"Don't talk, just breathe," she said, pushing the bag back up to his face.

Another few minutes and he was ready to talk, "Abby is pregnant," he said.

"Oh," Carrie said, as if that cleared the whole matter up, "I hope you didn't react like this to her face."

"No," McGee said, "I was really happy; and I genuinely was…until I got into the elevator and it hit me. I'm going to be a father. Me! A father!"

"Yes, and a bloody good one, let me tell you."

"Abby will make the most amazing mother," he said ignoring, Carrie's last statement, and staring adoringly into the distance.

"So will you," Carrie said.

"Kids and me don't mix."

"What? Of course you do."

"My cousin, Tracy, has just had twins, and I tried to hold them, and they just wouldn't stop crying."

"That's nothing. All parents have trouble at first; you'll figure it out."

"They do?"

"Of course they do. You'll be a great father."

"You really think I will?"

"The best," she said flatly.

McGee hung his head, "I wish I was as sure as you," he stated and his breathing got gradually faster again.

***

Jethro returned home to find Jen sitting at the kitchen table, using her laptop. Her eyes were squinting and she looked drained. She didn't even notice Jethro come through the door. He walked up behind her and put a solid hand on her left shoulder. She jumped and turned round.

"Oh, Jethro. It's just you…" she said calming herself down. She turned back around and went back to concentrating on what was written on the screen of the laptop. Jethro placed both hands on her shoulders and rubbed deeply into her neck. The knuckles of his thumbs massaged up and down the ridges at the base of her neck at the top of her spine. She relaxed under his tender hands and closed her eyes.

"How long have you been working?" Jethro asked, his voice quiet and soothing.

"Since I've got home," she moaned in pleasure as Jethro smoothed out a particular knot that he had found in the top of her back. "It was um…a busy day at NCIS," she paused barely able to speak, but somehow managed to carry on. "Everyone wants to know what we are doing about this serial killer."

"It's not serial killer yet, and I don't intend for it to be."

"I know that, but the press doesn't know you like I do…oooh…do that bit again." Jethro repeated exactly what he'd just done and she moaned again, "How do you do this so well?…Anyway, I keep telling them that I've got my best agents on this…but they won't stop hounding me…I'm trying to write a statement now that I can release tomorrow…"

"Take a break," he said.

"I can't; I seriously need to get this done…"

"Come on," he said and took his hands away from Jen's neck.

"Don't stop," she said, almost drifting off to sleep. Jethro leaned forwards and slid his hand into hers.

"Come with me."

"I really can't…"

Jethro pulled her to her feet.

"Oh, okay then; but we can't be long…"

He led her through the house, hand in hand.

"Where are we going?" she asked, noticing they'd passed the bedroom door.

"Wait and see," he said, taking her nearer and nearer the door.

"Why are we going down here?" Jen asked as they descended the flight of wooden stairs behind the door.

"I'm going to teach you something."

"Like what?" she asked. "I really don't have time for games you know…"

"Just wait a minute," he said, releasing her hand and walking over to his workbench. He picked up a rag and walked back over to her.

"What is that for?" she said cautiously, "If you think…" Jethro stood behind her and placed the rag over he eyes. "Jethro this is not funny."

"Just wait a minute," he said tying the rag gently at the back of her head. "Ok, done." Still stood behind her he reached around her and held each of her hands in his. He guided her forwards slowly.

"Jethro, what are…"

"Shhhh," he said almost whispering. Jen kept silent and trusted Jethro as he walked her forwards towards the wooden carcass of his boat. When they reached it Jethro placed her hands on the wood and put his hands around her waist, "Right, now feel the wood," he said quietly.

"This is stupid…"

"Just do it," he said.

Jen sighed and rushed her hands quickly up and down the wood, "There, will that do?"

"No, like this," he said, removing his hands from her waist and pacing them on top of hers. He pushed her hands into the wood and slowly moved them up the curve of the wood.

She let out a small gasp, "It's so smooth! Like silk," she said surprised. Jethro smiled behind her and continued to move her hands up and down the wood. He felt them pull away from his and he placed his hands back around her waist. She didn't even notice as she was now deeply concentrating on the wood in front of her. Jethro smiled as she ran her hands over the smooth surface of the beam.

"That's it you've got it," he said.

"Shhhh," she said moving forward slightly out of his grip. He walked back over to his workbench and grabbed something off of the tabletop. He took Jen's hands tenderly off of the wood and placed them around the object. "What's this?" she said quietly.

"You'll see," he said placing her hands along with the object against the beam of wood in front of her. He slowly pushed her hands and the object up the beam and then back down again. "There you go; you've felt the wood; you know where its weaknesses and strengths are. Use your knowledge and the tool to shape the wood. You and the tool are one now. Hand tools are just extensions of the human body."

Jen slid the object up and down the beam, just like she had been shown, feeling the wood as she went. Some bits she spent more time on, some bits she glided over with ease. Jethro just stood and watched her smiling. This was probably the sexiest he had ever seen her, and she handled the boat with ease, just like he knew she would. After a while, Jen came to a stop from smoothing the wood and removed the blindfold.

"Where did you learn to teach like that?" she said admiringly.

"I didn't really teach you anything," he said. "It was all you."

"Come on," she scoffed. "That was amazing; I could actually feel where to work at the wood."

"That's how I learned to massage."

"Oh come off it."

"Same principles; you find out where the bits that need attention are and you work away at them until they are smooth again."

"Hmm, well you are very good at doing that," she said smiling, moving towards him and wrapping her arms around his waist.

"Oh really?" he said laughing, "Well I know a couple of other things I'm quite good at as well." Jen laughed, getting up closer to his firm body.

"How did I know that was coming?" she asked, laughing too, and she pulled him into a deep kiss, exploring his body like she had the wood. Jethro surprised himself by letting out a very small shudder.

"I believe I have taught you well," he said smiling, making Jen laugh again seductively, and then carried on the kiss, enjoying every second of it more and more.

***

He sat in his car with the lights off. Across the street was the park, and just through the trees he could see his target. The curtains were closed, but he could see her silhouette up against the window. He watched with attentiveness and frustration, she was near to him and yet so far, teasing him to come nearer. He reached over to the cubby hole and pulled out a syringe. He pocketed it inside his jacket, and then looked over again towards the house. She was still in front of the window, her figure standing out as he watched her from afar. His palms had become slightly sweaty and his breathing was shallow. It was almost time.

***

Carrie stood in front of her mirror and smiled at the reflection. She'd plucked up enough courage to wear the red top that showed off the best of her magnificent cleavage that was usually under wraps. It hung low enough to tease the admirer but high enough to be respectable. The back of the top hung low, just skimming the small of her own back, leaving a large amount of smooth skin on show. Paul had loved this top. Every time she wore it, it drove him crazy. Her smile faded, as she thought of him. Two years had past since his death and it was still only a month since she had taken his name of her will. She'd hated it when they had made their wills, but Paul had assured her that it was the best thing to do, just in case something happened. She had made him swear to her that day that he'd be there for a long time to come. He'd promised her right there on that spot, that he'd be there for as long as he could, nothing could keep him away from her. It was ironic that that had meant five months. She was still staring into the mirror thinking about Paul when she was startled by the sound of the phone ringing. Her heart jumped to her mouth and her throat felt just that little bit tighter. This would be Liam ringing for directions. She looked in the mirror one more time, rubbing out an imaginary crease in her top. ‘He can't see you stupid' She though giving herself a mental head slap. Trembling she walked over and picked up the phone.

"Hello," she said as calmly as possible but the nervousness shone through.

"Carrie dear? What's wrong?" Carrie let out a sigh,

"Hello mother," This was not the time one of her mother's lectures, and definitely not the time for a long line of questions about ‘this new boy of hers.' "There is nothing wrong, I'm just in a hurry that's all."

"Well you should always have time to speak to your mother darling,"

"And I do mother, it's just I'm busy that's all,"

"Well, what's this I hear about you working for NCIS now? I keep hearing there name on tele when they talk about those poor missing girls,"

"That's because we are in charge of the investigation, and how did you find out that I'm working there?"

"Well you're Auntie Chloe told me that cousin Nora had told Susan who had told her."

‘Damn it,' telling Cousin Nora something was like broadcasting it to the nation. How had she been so stupid as to tell her about NCIS.

"Well, I haven't even accepted yet. In fact I don't even know if that offer is still open."

"Well I don't want you getting involved with this, let someone else do it. I forbid you to go after this serial killer mad man" Carrie sighed. This was why she hadn't wanted her mother to find out.

"We had this talk when I joined the police mother, it's not dangerous. We have teams to do the actual apprehending bit, I'd just be looking at evidence and sitting in an office all day." Ok so a tiny white lie there, but what her mother didn't know…

"Well, if I find out that you are out there traipsing around after this man…"

"Mother, it may not be a man, and I really have to go now,"

"Your father feels exactly the same, in fact let me go and get him…"

"No! look mother I'm going now,"

"You haven't heard the last of this Carrie Edith Lockhart," Carrie cringed, she hated her middle name and her mother had a knack of making it sound even worse.

"Bye mother," she half shouted and slammed down the phone before she could hear anymore. No sooner had she done that, the phone rang again. Carrie grabbed up the phone and held it to her ear.

"Look mother I really don't have time to…"

"Carrie?"

‘Damn it!' It was Liam. Carrie sat down on her bed. Did she really just call him mother?

"Carrie? Is that you?"

"er…Yeah hey Liam, sorry about that," she said twirling the cord of the phone between her fingers.

"That's ok, Are your ready?"

"Yes, where are you?" After five minutes she had told him her address and he was on his way.

***
A car pulled up at Carrie's house and she peaked between the crack in the curtains from her front room. He was here already? She'd barely put the phone down on him five minutes ago. She went to the front door and put her hand on the door knob.

"Calm and collected now Carrie," she said to herself. She took a deep breath and opened the door. "Hey!"

"Hey, you ready to go?"

"Yeah hang on," she said turning and locking the door, "How did you get here so quick?"

"I was near the neighbourhood when I called getting petrol,"

"Oh, ok." She finished with the door and turned back around, "Ready," she said flashing Liam a smile that she hadn't used in ages. Liam walked around the car and opened the door for her. As she got in, his hand brushed against the base of her spine and sent a shiver up her back. She stifled a gasp and sat down. Liam came back round, got in the car and they were off.

***

Halfway through the film, Liam yawned and reached over, placing his hand around Carries shoulders. Carrie laughed silently to herself. ‘That was the oldest trick in the book, but it still worked!' She turned to him and smiled, nestling deeper into him. He had been so sweet, paying for both her ticket and all the popcorn and drinks. Maybe she'd been missing all of this since Paul. She'd closed up and let the world go by without her, now was the time to let it back in. She laid her head on his shoulder and threw back a handful of popcorn into her mouth.

***

The credits rolled and they both stood up and clapped. She'd been surprised how much she'd enjoyed the movie, but maybe that was just the company. As they walked out the room, Liam slid his hand into hers and Carrie smiled, she was really enjoying herself. She hadn't felt like this in so long. They reached the car and again Liam opened the door for her. ‘I could get used to this,' she thought as she got into the car. As they drove home Carrie was again surprised by how easy it was to talk to Liam. It turned out they had a lot in common. Liam had her on tenterhooks when he talked about scuba-diving in the great barrier reef. She'd worked over in Australia for a couple of years after College but had never actually done it. It had always been a dream of hers. After about twenty minutes, Liam slowed down and looked over at her.

"How about we go over to mine?" he said. Carrie froze. As much as she'd enjoyed tonight, that was a massive step for her and she just wasn't ready for that yet.

"Sorry Liam, I just…"

"It's alright," he said calmly but Carrie could here the coldness in his voice.

‘Damn it, why did he have to go and ruin it?' she thought to herself. Everything was going so well up until that point. Silence entered the car for the first time that night. Carrie sat still and looked out the window. Every now and they passed a streetlight illuminating buildings. It was kind of creepy, the way the light threw up shadows here and there. Everything looked different after dark, like a whole new world. A few more streetlamps passed and Carrie realised that the more she looked, the more she didn't recognise what she was seeing.

"Where are we?"

"I'm taking the scenic route, I thought it would give us more time to chat," Liam said quietly.

"Oh, ok…" Carrie looked out the window again and watched as the world passed by. They passed a church, and several gargoyles peered at Carrie from the roof. One of them had massive eyes that Carrie could swear were watching her as they drove by. She shuddered and looked over at Liam,

"How long do you reckon we'll be?" Carrie said; she was getting tired now.

"Not long, in fact we're here" Liam said as he turned into a driveway. Carrie felt the tyres roll over gravel and she froze. She didn't own a gravel driveway.

"Where exactly is here?" she said slowly, she'd told Liam that she didn't want to go over to his. What was he playing at?

"I wanted to give you something," The car had now come to a stop and Liam reached into his jacket. Carrie was now completely still, her breathing shallow. What the hell was going on?

In seconds, Carrie saw a flash of something as Liam's hand came rushing out of his jacket. She didn't have time to react as she felt pain in her left arm.

"What the…" she said her eyes drooping, her head bobbed and the last thing she saw before blacking out was the end of a syringe sticking out of her left arm.

***

Carrie's eyelids fluttered and a dim light filtered through. She could just about make out a dark shadow moving in the distance. Groggily she tried to move, but realized that her hands were bound together. She struggled to free herself, but the metal rubbed against her skin. ‘Damn, handcuffs,' she thought. She returned her focus to looking around the room, and everything was a little clearer now. The shadow was now the dark outline of a man across the room sitting at a table. From what Carrie could see, she was in a cage. Three of the walls were pure stone, but one was a series of metal bars separating her from the rest of the room. She quietly rocked herself up into sitting position and looked more closely at the room around her. It was completely empty apart from a heap of something in the corner. She squinted and tried to shuffle forwards, but realized that a chain linking her to the wall accompanied the handcuffs binding her. She peered into the darkness and, after a few seconds, the object came into focus, and Carrie let out a small scream. She pushed herself backwards, kicking and scrambling to get as far away as possible. Looking closely at the object Carrie could vaguely make out the shape of a head and a hand protruding from the heap. Everything was in focus now and Carrie could make out the face of the victim. She let a tear fall down her cheek as she recognized it as the face of the second abductee. Her face looked scared and in pain, her eyes frozen open, staring at Carrie, pleading with her to help her. Carrie felt a deep sadness that there had been no one here to see it and come to her rescue. There was no way that the woman was alive; a pool of blood surrounded her and, looking around the cell, Carrie could see blood smeared just about everywhere. A metallic rattling rang out and Carrie let out another scream. The man was now standing at the side of the cell, his hands holding onto the railing.

"You're awake then."

"YOU! I can't believe…just wait until I get out of these chains you son of a…" she stumbled to her feet and ran forwards, tripping when the chain reached its full extent. She stood to her feet again and was just inches away from the bars; just inches from Liam's face.

"Now, now… Am I gonna have to punish you for using bad language?"

"What? What the hell are you talking about?"

"I'm warning you…"

"Yeah? Or you'll do what you bast…"

"RIGHT! Someone is getting punished for being a naughty girl."

Carrie spat through the bars, hitting Liam in the face. He quickly pulled a key from his pocket and opened what appeared to be a door in the bars. Carrie stumbled back, backing away from him.

"Not so cocky now are you? Without these bars to protect you," Liam sneered at Carrie.

Carrie eyes Liam cautiously, waiting for an indication of what he was about to do, "Really? Just come here and I'll prove to you just how cocky I can be."

"Ooh, big words from such a weak woman."

"Weak?! I'll give you weak," Carrie said, rushing forwards, but falling at a large smack across the face from Liam. She coughed into the dust on the floor, splattering it with her blood from a cut lip.

"I told you, you need to be punished," he said with menace in his voice. He began to unbuckle his belt and Carrie froze at the sight of it.

"Keep away from me you sick bastard; I won't make I easy for you."

Liam laughed, "Oh I'm afraid you will."

Carrie was getting frantic now, tears freely streaming down her face, "If Gibbs finds out that you raped me, you're life won't even be worth living," she said scathingly. If that didn't work, then she didn't really see what would.

Liam looked outraged, "You think I'm a rapist? That's what you think I'm going to do to you?"

"Then why did you take off your belt?" Carrie asked, trying to sound strong, but her voice faltered in her confusion.

"I told you, you need to be punished."

This time it was Carrie who let out a laugh, more out of hysteria than anything else.

"What are you going to do? Spank me?" she laughed at him.

Liam responded by lashing his belt quickly through the air so that it slashed the side of Carries face. Carrie let out a howl and end up sprawled across the floor, her hands still bound behind her back. Liam let his belt fly again, this time hitting her hard in the middle of her back. Carrie cried in pain, a mixture of spit, blood and dust now clinging to her face. Carrie screamed loudly, her voice piercing the darkness as Liam raised his hand to strike again.

***

A light turned on and burned through Carries eyelids. She snapped them open and quickly clambered into a sitting position, wincing from the pain in her ribs and jaw. Liam unlocked the cell and walked in holding a bowl in his hand and a wedge of bread.

"I hope you are ready to behave," he said. Carrie nodded solemnly. She didn't want another beating. "Soup and bread, you need your energy for tomorrow."

"Why?" asked Carrie suspiciously, her heart beating faster.

"We are going on a little field trip."

"Where to?" Carrie asked, studying Liam's face.

"I have some rubbish I want you to help me dispose of," Liam said, giving a sliding glance towards the body in the corner. Carrie winced again, this time not out of pain.

"How am I gonna eat this with my hands behind my back?" Carrie asked, spotting an opportunity.

"Trying to form an escape plan I see?" Liam said smiling, "I will unlock the shackles in return for a promise that you will not move an inch until I exit and lock the cell."

"I promise," Carrie said, the words not seeming to want to come out of her mouth.

"Okay then," he said, moving forwards. He took another key out of his pocket; this time a smaller, silver one. He bent down and unlocked the shackles; for they were shackles, not handcuffs as Carrie had originally thought; and stood up. Carrie seized her chance and fumbled up, running for the door. She had barely moved a meter when Liam wrenched her back by grabbing and pulling on her hair. Carrie screamed in pain and fell to the floor. Liam pushed her over onto her back and put his boot to her throat. "Am I gonna have to lock you up again?" he asked calmly, applying pressure to her neck.

"No," she whispered hoarsely, her windpipe being almost completely crushed.

"What was that?" Liam asked loudly.

"NO," Carrie struggled to say.

"Good." Liam said, removing his foot from her throat and walking towards the door. "Enjoy the soup."

"I will," Carrie said gruffly, massaging her throat.

"Oh, and what do you say?" Liam said as he locked the cage.

"Thank you," Carrie croaked.

***

Carrie was awakened by a loud clattering, bringing her to her senses. She roused quickly and sat up alert.

"Let's go."

Liam opened the cage and walked in, grabbing Carries wrist and pulling her to standing. She winced in pain but kept quiet. She'd learned her lesson after yesterday; if she was going to survive this she was going to have to play among. At least for now.

"Where are we going?"

"Wait and see," Liam said, pushing her in front of him but still keeping a grip of her. She stumbled forwards, a burning sensation where Liam's strong hand was wrapped around her wrist, but still she kept quiet. Suddenly she felt a sharp jab in her upper arm and jerked her head to look down. Sticking out of it was another syringe. She looked up at Liam's smiling face before blacking out and falling limply into his arms.

***

Coming round was less of a struggle than last time and her vision cleared up a lot faster. She was seated in the back of a van, hands tied together this time with duct tape, Liam was standing at the doors to the back of the van a spade clenched in his left hand. She could just make out the sun rising behind him.

"I couldn't very well let you see were I was keeping you, now could I?" Liam said smugly. Carrie's lip curled and she gave him a look Gibbs would be proud of.

"What do you want me to do?"

"The dump didn't work, obviously. So this time you are going to bury her," he said coldly.

"I'm going to find that very hard with my hands tied together," she said, the sarcasm evident in her voice. Liam reached forwards and grabbed one of Carrie's recoiling feet, wrenching it forwards out of the van. Her body followed and Carrie screamed loudly, but was silenced as her head bumped along floor and hit the edge of the van. She hit the sandy ground headfirst and her body smacked the ground soon after. Liam kicked her hard in the side, and she rolled over in the dirt and began coughing loudly.

He raised the spade he was holding above her, the metal glinting in the morning rays, "Do I have to punish you for being disrespectful to your elders?" he said, his eyes small and hard.

"No!" she screamed, her hands scrambling in the dust as she turned herself over and kicked away from him. He walked forwards, spade held high, his face menacing.

"What do you say?"

"No! Don't, I'm sorry, I'm sorry…I'm sorry."

"That's better," he said, happily lowering the spade, "Now dig." He leaned forwards and grabbed the front of her shirt, yanking her to her feet. Her head snapped backwards and blood trickled from a bitten tongue. Liam dragged her around the Van to the passenger door and brought another spade pushing it into Carries unwilling hands. He dragged her further, never once letting his grip loosen, and pushed her down onto the ground.

"There. Dig there."

Carrie remained still for a second to long and Liam's spade came crashing down her, throwing her face first into the dirt. She quickly turned herself over and grabbed the spade, standing up.

"Okay, okay, I'm digging. Just don't…"

"Don't what?" Liam snarled.

"Nothing," Carrie said quietly, feeling that was probably the best answer to staying alive. She was right. Liam calmed and backed away so that he was now leaning against the van. Now that Carrie could see van, she saw it was a greengrocer's van. A huge emblem of cabbage and carrots was painted on the side, and the name ‘Teagan and son.' If Carrie stared hard enough she could swear there used to be an ‘s' on the end of it but maybe not.

"What are you waiting for? DIG!" Liam said, strengthening his grip on his spade. Carrie returned her attention to the ground. She lifted her spade and drove it deep into the ground, shattering the dry soil apart. Liam went to the back of the van and pulled out a large bag. Carrie felt sick, knowing what was inside it. Liam closed the back doors of the van and smiled, pulling out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket. He lit up and blew ashen smoke up into the air, leaving a grey trail across the morning sky.

"So," he said as he watched her work, "What's it like working at NCIS?"

"What?" she said confused, but continued digging.

"Just answer the question," he said with a low growl. Carrie eyed the spade now back firmly in his hand and thought hard; the question wasn't as easy to answer as she first thought.

"It's different from the police. I really like the people I work with…"

"Go on…"

"Umm…I love getting to the truth, and locking up people who deserve it and throwing away the key," she ended, her voice monotone.

"Very nice, almost missed the snipe there at the end," he laughed sarcastically. He looked her up and down studying her figure. "You really are very beautiful," he said leering over her. Carrie remained quiet, relentlessly fracturing the unforgiving ground. She cringed as she felt his gaze inspecting her body and she felt abused, dirty, but tried to blank it out. After about five minutes, Carrie saw her chance.

"I'm going for a piss," Liam said loudly, throwing his cigarette butt down and treading it into the ground. He walked over, spade in hand, and leaned close to Carrie, his breath damp and disgusting on the back of her neck. "If you so much as think about doing something stupid, I assure you now it will be your last."

Carrie swallowed and kept silent. Liam stayed there for a couple more seconds, enjoying his closeness to her. Carrie wanted to cry out, but somehow managed not to. Liam finally moved away and walked a small distance away. Carrie watched him from the corner of her eye as he turned away from her unzipping his fly. She went to move but stopped dead in her tracks as he looked over his shoulder. She went on digging, still watching him until he turned back round.

That was it; she ran at him her feet lightly padding on the dry soil. He turned round as he realized, but it was too late. She swung her spade high in the air, put all her weight behind it and struck him straight across the face. She heard the sickening crunch as it made contact and she sucked back some air. His body fell to the ground and Carrie ran towards the van, dropping her spade.

She slammed into the door full force and fiddled with the door handle, she gave a large cry as it stuck steadfast. ‘The bastard must've locked the van when I wasn't watching.' She looked back at Liam and saw him stirring on the ground. ‘Shit.' She stared around frantically and saw some lights in the distance. She was going to have to make a run for it. She took off full pelt towards the lights and Liam swore loudly, pulling himself to his feet. He ran after her, but realized that she was too far ahead of him. He turned back, grabbing keys out of his pocket and quickly getting in to the van. He turned the ignition on and put his foot down on the accelerator.

"You can run all you want little girl, but I'll find you," he laughed loudly, as he turned the van around and sped after her.

***