Chapter 16

Fornell grinned, "Nice to see you too, DiNotso. I'm doing well, thanks for asking."

"I'm not in the mood, Fornell. You were the last person to have contact with Gibbs. Where is he?"

"I don't know where you're getting your information," he handed Tony his cell, "See? Check for yourself. I haven't called him since last week."

Frustrated, "Of course not. You don't like to be traced when you have something up your sleeve. Where's your burn phone? The one you were using during our last sting together?"

Tony tossed the cell phone back to its owner.

"Haven't touched it since."

Tony balled his fists on the desk. "Friend or not, Tobias, I will hold you if you refuse to cooperate. No more games." Both Ziva and McGee looked up at him, stunned by his threat, but approving of his tactic. He sounded like Gibbs when Tony was missing or injured. "Gibbs is alone and injured somewhere. I don't care if he is working with you on a secret op or not. I just want to know where he is and if he's okay."

Fornell's eyes softened with sympathy. When Gibbs called him last night, he said he figured out how to fix his team. Last he remembered, Gibbs had used his burn phone to call NCIS during that last sting. What was his ol' buddy up to?

"I swear, DiNozzo, I haven't seen him."

Tony, completely deflated, sighed. Dead end. Fornell wouldn't lie about something as serious as Gibbs' welfare. That phone could have gotten lost or stolen. He slammed his hands on the desk, making everyone in the bull pen stare at him.

"Tony..."

"I'm fine, McGee, keep working."

Noticing the commanding tone, Fornell commented.

"I thought you quit."

"Yeah..." Tony's mind was thinking again.

"Hey, you need anything, anything at all, you let me know."

"Thanks, Tobias."

Fornell felt eyes on him. He turned, looking up, to see the Director staring at him.
Leon gave him a nod even as he was walking toward his office.

"Guess I'll check in with the Director and offer my help officially."

Tony waved him off. Agent Keller approached him as Fornell retreated.

"I have something I think need you to..."

He waved her off too, "Show McGee. I got something else I need to look into."

She walked over to show Tim what she found, warily eyeing Ziva.

"I found a voice recording on Gibbs voice mail you need to hear."

McGee dropped what he was doing and slipped his headphones on to listen. He listened carefully, his eyes widening every second. He threw his headphones down on his desk and approached Ziva angrily.

"So it was you!"

Completely confused, Ziva looked up at him, her confusion clear on her face.

"What was me?"

"You did something to Gibbs!" He pulled her up by the front of her shirt.

Tony stopped what he was doing, coming around the desk in a flash.

"How could you even accuse me of..."
"Care to explain this then?"

McGee clicked his remote and the voicemail played out loud for the room to hear.

'Gibbs, I wanted to make one thing clear. I understand that you are furious with us right now. I am well aware that you miss Tony and think he is the only man for the job, but Tony has officially stepped down. You will need to choose one of us to be Senior Field Agent. I know that McGee has been with you longer, but I am far more experienced. I do not care what I have to do to make you understand that. I will do anything I have to do, to ensure that I have the new SFA position. Do not underestimate me, Gibbs. It will certainly be the last time you do. That is all I have to say. I will see you at work tomorrow. Goodbye.'

"You just couldn't let him make up his own mind. You'll do anything you have to for that position. Gibbs wouldn't pick you, so what, you decided you'll torture him a little until he gives in? You just decide that now you're going to call the shots?"

"Tim, that was...I would never hurt...I merely meant that..."

"Shut up! I don't care what excuse you have."

Tony broke in, separating the two, "Hold it. Now, that's enough."

"But you heard that message."

"Enough. No one, and I repeat, no one on this team would ever hurt Gibbs."

"She said she would do anything."

"McGee, you know Ziva. You know me. You know everyone on this team. You know them like you know yourself. No one would ever hurt Gibbs."

McGee, forcing himself to calm down, stared at Ziva. She looked completely appalled by his accusation.

"You're tired and frustrated. You're scared and unsure. Gibbs has been missing a long time now. Your mind is trying to find an answer, regardless of whether you believe in that answer or not. Just relax. I told you we would find him and we will."

"You're right. I'm...I'm sorry, Ziva."

"It is alright. I suppose if you had left a similar message and I found it, I would believe the same thing. Apology accepted."

"I think you two need a break. You've been at this for hours. Abby should be back with food soon. Hit the head, take some time. Eat, relax your eyes for an hour. I'll keep at it."

"You'll need help. We can't rest now."

"This isn't negotiable. Go. I've only been at this an hour so far. You need to relax and clear your head." When they just stared at him, he narrowed his eyes, Gibbs style, "Now. Go."

They walked off and headed toward Abby's lab. They would nap there and eat before returning to it. They knew they had no choice. He would check with Abby and she never lied to him.

Keller and Tony watched them leave. She turned to him.

"How can you be so calm?"

"It's my training. Gibbs training doesn't leave a lot of room for panic or error. We'll find him."

"But that message. She IS a former Mossad assassin. She has the means, the motive and the opportunity."

"Agent Keller, have you ever belonged to a team?"

"Belonged, no. Operated on one for a mission or case, yes. I do not belong to an official team. I am bounced around where needed."

"Then you can't understand. This team has always been solid. I know that Ziva is the new agent, but she has been here long enough to grow attached. She is more attached to Gibbs than she is to either me or McGee. You heard it yourself during sessions. Gibbs means too much to her to hurt him. No one on this team is capable of hurting Gibbs. When you belong to a team like this one, you become closer than blood. We're all partners, but we're family too."

"Those partners, as you call them, left you high and dry. You were forced to quit because they think so little of you."

Tony visibly flinched. That left a scar.

"I know. They don't think much of me, but I would never, not for one second, think that they would put me in danger or leave me without cover."

Keller was impressed. No matter what his team, his friends, thought of him or done to him during those sessions, he still held them in high respects. He still trusted them. He still loved them like family.

Upstairs, in Vance's office, Fornell stood watching the monitor. The bull pen was on full screen and the sound on so they could hear everything. Beside him, Vance and the individual in question stood admiring Tony's leadership skills.

"So, exactly how far are you going to take this? You know DiNozzo is going to be pissed when he figures this all out?"

Gibbs, who was completely unharmed and grinning, "As far as I need to take it. I need to make sure that it's sunk in. I expect DiNozzo to figure it out. I made it just deceiving and hard enough to require the need to call him in. If they can't learn from this...I'll have to make major changes to my team."

"And you knew all about this?" Fornell looked accusingly at the director.

"He called me early this morning. Told me all about how DiNozzo had given him the idea without realizing it."

Fornell gave him a strange look.

"Tony said last night, that they didn't need Tony, but that they needed me. The idea just clicked in my brain. What if they didn't have me? What would happen if I weren't around?"

"I see. Hope this doesn't blow up in your face, Gibbs. Not that I wouldn't enjoy the show." Fornell chuckled.

"I can only hope that my team learns and grows stronger. I'll apologize later."

Down in the bull pen, Tony worked tirelessly at Gibbs desk. It felt so wrong, sitting there. It felt very similar to how he felt when Gibbs left for Mexico several years ago. He had gone to Gibbs house every week just to see if his mentor snuck home without telling anyone. Gibbs didn't even lock the door then. Tony assumed that meant he would eventually be returning.

Tony smacked his forehead. The door was locked this morning when he went out for his daily run. Gibbs never locked the door. Never. Not even while he was in Mexico. Something didn't feel right. Something was off. He went over the crime scene report. There was blood in Gibbs car.

'Don't assume, DiNozzo. Verify everything.' He thought to himself, reciting one of his mentor's rules.

He called down to Abby.

"What's up Tony?"

"I want you to rerun the blood from Gibbs' car."

"Why?"

"Something is off about this whole thing. Don't just run it to find a match. We already know it is Gibbs' blood. I want you to run any other test you can think of. I mean, run everything. Something is off about it."

"Okay. You want me to wake the other two?"

"No, let them sleep a little yet."

"You got it, temporary Boss."She giggled when she could practically hear him smile at her joke.

Tony rechecked his financials. Nothing was used or moved in the last several hours. Nothing. Anyone who took Gibbs would most likely use a card for something, even if just for supplies. His gut was churning. Something was definitely wrong with this whole thing.

An hour later, Ducky came around the corner, looking tired and anxious.

"How are you doing, dear boy?"

"I'm fine, Ducky. I sent Tim and Ziva to get some rest."

"They have been working this all day."

"Yeah. Anything about this case seem weird to you Ducky?"

"No, although now that you mention it, something weird did happen last night."

"What?"

"My morgue vault was broken into last night."

"What do you keep in there?"

"Personal information, files and things for each of you. I am your personal physician. Not just you, but the whole team, Abby and Mr. Palmer included."

A light bulb went off in Tony's head, "You keep viles from our blood tests in there?"

"Yes, and that was the only thing taken. One vile from each file."

"Thanks Ducky. You just broke this case wide open. Gibbs is alive."

"Tony...Tony...Tony...Tony!"

"What do ya got Abs?"

"I would venture to guess a caffeine high." Tim said coming around the corner, Ziva in tow.

"You were right about the blood."

"Yeah?"

"It's been tested. It's already been separated. The blood was planted."

"And I think I know by who."

McGee and Ziva were now wide awake. Tony had figured out who took Gibbs. He was just amazing. They had been at the case for hours and hours, he'd only be at it for a few. He really was a good investigator.

"Okay, campfire."

They didn't protest. They pulled their chairs around their desks and joined them in the middle. They stared at Tony, who looked frustrated.

He shook his head. He couldn't believe Gibbs would do something like this. Teaching the team a lesson was one thing, deceiving them into thinking he was hurt or dead was cruel.

"Okay, Gibbs is alive. He set this up."

"What?"

"You cannot be serious? This is your big breakthrough, Tony?"

"Just hear me out. I came in here worried sick about you guys. I thought this was real too. When I left the house I relocked the door and came straight here to help."

"Yeah so?"

"I relocked the door. McGee, Gibbs never locks the door. Ever. You were with me that one night while he was on his sabbatical. It wasn't even locked then. Why would it be this morning?"

"I do not understand."

"It was a clue, Ziva. Something that might not mean anything to most people, but is very significant to us...to Gibbs."

"He has a point Ziva. Gibbs never locks his house."

"The blood in the car is faked. It was planted. Just a couple of drops was enough to get you guys all worried and freaking out. I had Abby retest it. It's been separated. That happens when its tested during our physicals. Ducky just told me that his personal vault was broken into last night. He keeps all our medical files there, including the viles from our blood tests. One of each was taken."

"Only someone with NCIS access could get in there at anytime. Only someone who knows Ducky could crack that code to get into that vault."

"Exactly, Probie. Only someone from this team. I thought it was too convenient that a cold case with the location was simply laid on his desk for you to find. It's just too obvious."

"So you think Gibbs did all this?" Ziva asked.

"I do. He was talking to me last night about how he could get you both to change your minds and appreciate my place on the team."

Their eyes went wide. Gibbs set them up. Ziva was right from the beginning.

"He...he will not even give us a chance. He wants you, Tony."

"He wants the whole team. He doesn't want anything about our team to change. I'm afraid part of this is my fault."

They looked to him, stunned, "I made a comment last night that he gives me far too much credit. You guys don't like how I operate and you didn't need me. You only needed Gibbs, not me, to be happy on this team. I think he found a way to show you what would happen if he wasn't here."

Realization hit them at the same time, "We called you in," they chimed in unison.

Tony nodded his head. Then he noticed movement above them. He nodded in the direction of the stairs. Gibbs, the director and Fornell were descending together.

"Gibbs!" Abby shrieked and threw herself at him. After the hug, she punched him in the arm.

"Don't you ever do that again!"

"Never again." He promised.

He looked at his team. Tony was frowning. He would have to explain himself and apologize later. Ziva and Tim were shocked.

"Gibbs...this was uncalled for."

"Ziva's right, you didn't have to do all this." McGee agreed.

"I did. I needed you to see what it was like not having Tony on the team. I told him to quit. I wanted to see how you would change when Tony wasn't around. You didn't seem to get it. So, I thought of a way to make you understand what not having him around would be like. You both need Tony on this team. I need all three of you. Abby,Ducky and Palmer need you three on this team. This team falls apart without all its pieces."

"I...I have to admit that it was easier after Tony was around. I was stressing out and I couldn't stay calm. I did not really get to deal with what I was feeling, not until Tony was here. Tim is a wonderful person, but he does not handle crying women well. Tony knows just what to say and how to handle my pain and my stress. He let me...be me. I can honestly say that...I was grateful to have him here when we were hurting and missing you."

"And I gotta admit that when Tony came around and took over the investigation, I was relieved. It's a lot to do and remember. I wasn't handling being the boss very well. I couldn't seem to take control and be there for everyone when I myself was scared and freaking out. I even blew up and accused Ziva. Tony would never do that. He reminded me that everyone here on this team was family and we wouldn't hurt each other."

They turned to Tony, "We're sorry, Tony."

"That's what I was hoping to hear. I knew that you two would figure it out. Tony is not a one man team. We are a team together. We are family. I know I messed up a lot when I went away, but this team is all we got. Tim, you are the only person here I trust to find a clue in the computers and highly technical areas of our investigations. You are extremely vital to this team and to our investigations. We would not have solved half these cases if not for your technical prowess and dedication, however, you are not ready to be SFA. You will one day, and Tony will help you get there, but not yet. I would never lie to you. You are a fine agent, and one day you may even run this place. I just want you to work on the here and now."

"Yes, Boss. I'm sorry, Boss."

"Ziva. You have given this team new resources. You speak a dozen languages. You have training that goes beyond anything we teach here at NCIS. You help us get contacts and connections in other countries. You are vital to this team. You also give us the female advantage. You are stealthy and quick. You are great investigator, but you too are also not ready to be SFA. You are trained and highly skilled, but you don't think like Tony. You don't always have the big picture in mind when you make decisions. You're all about being in the moment and don't always think about what might happen to those around you, what may happen in court, or to the other potential victims. You don't even really think about how your own actions might affect you later. I need you on this team just as much as I need McGee and Tony. Abby and Ducky and Palmer need you too. This is family"

"I am sorry, Gibbs. I should look at things from a bigger perspective."

"I'm glad to hear that. I was worried I was going to have to make some very unwanted changes to this team. We will talk and continue to work on any issues you have. I want you to come to me from now on when things bug you. I don't want this to ever happen again. You got that?"

"Yes, Boss." The pair chimed.

"DiNozzo, you are reinstated. I want that desk back the way it was. Even I gotta admit, I missed you not being here. It's odd walking by that desk and you not in it."

Tony inclined his head thankfully, but he still glared at Gibbs.

"Alright Tony, let me have it."

"I get that you needed to teach them a lesson, but this was way, way, way outta line. You made us think you were in trouble. We thought you were seriously hurt, or even dead. You know what that feels like, and you still went through with it!"

"I had to. There was no other way I could think of to make them see."

"Don't ever do that again! I would rather quit the team than ever have to go through that again."

"I'm sorry, Tony. It was just this once. I promised I would let you in more, and I will. No more going out on my own and no more deceiving."

"Good." Tony said, hugging Gibbs. Then he joined his partners, Abby and Palmer.

"Well you did it Gibbs. How do you feel?" Ducky asked.

"Yeah, how do you feel about all this?"

"Like a proud father, Tobias." He smiled as he watched the newly restored comradary between his three agents.

"I take it this means Ms. Keller will be leaving us?" Ducky asked.

"I'll have her shipped back to FBI immediately. In fact, why don't you take her with you Fornell?"

"Yeah, yeah."

"Agent Gibbs."

"Agent Keller."

"It was nice meeting you and your team, though I can't say I enjoyed my stay. You people are rather difficult to work with. I'll write up my report for SecNav. Don't worry, he has nothing to worry about. Take care of yourself, Agent Gibbs."

"Talk to you later, Jethro." Tobias said, leading Agent Keller out of the building.

"Now things can get back to normal around here." Vance said, slipping the toothpick back in his mouth as he returned to his office.

"Normal indeed." Ducky said, then joined the smiling team.

Gibbs stood watching his family. He was glad no changes had to be made. He would take special care to make sure that he caught everything from now on. This team, this family meant the world to him. He would never let anything threaten what they had again. Not even themselves.

They looked to him and he joined them. This was home.