Chapter 1

"DiNozzo….DiNozzo….Tony?" the voice emanated from the cell on the passenger's seat, "Kate…?"

-oOo-

Flashback

"Kate, DiNozzo, go and question Mrs Dawson on her husband's movements."

"On it Boss but I'm driving," Tony replied catching the keys.

"Just mind that I want to live another day," Kate said to Tony as he walked to the elevator.

"Keifer Sutherland, but then You only live twice," he smiled as the doors shut, getting a dig in the ribs.

The journey there was uneventful. Mrs Dawson had been distraught; she had no idea why her Navy Seal husband had taken the money and why he should have been killed. If she knew she would say but please find whoever did.

Tony and Kate thanked Mrs Dawson and returned to their car. They didn't notice a green sedan or a removal truck parked further up the road.

"Well that was pretty unhelpful," Tony said as he started the ignition and drove off past the parked vehicles.

The pair didn't speak until they were out of town.

"What are we going to tell Gibbs?" Kate asked, "I don't think he will be very happy."

"Nothing we can do now, let's hope Tim can hack into some accounts," as the green sedan shot past them and then moved in front, before slamming on the brakes.

"What the…" he began to say, now looking in the rear view mirror, as they suddenly felt the full force of metal hit the rear.

-oOo-

"Boss, Tony and Kate should have been back by now, shouldn't they?"

"Was thinking that myself," as Gibbs dialled Tony's cell and connected. Gibbs questioned, "DiNozzo….DiNozzo….Tony?"

"Tim, GPS Tony's cell, I want to know what the hell they are playing at," the emphasis on playing.

-oOo-

They found the car, it was in some mess, the front end slammed into a tree and the rear end concertinaed, it was lucky the gas tank hadn't exploded. Tony was sitting in the driver's seat turning the wheel.

"Voom, Voom. Veerrooooooooooom. Nearrrrrrrrrrrrr," making noises like a sport car on a track.

Gibbs looked into the shattered window and watched. "DiNozzo," he shouted.

Tony turned and faced his Boss, but what Gibbs saw, was a gash on Tony's forehead, the congealed blood.

"Dad, great to see you, and why did you have to bring him?" now pointing at Tim.

"Tony, where's Kate?" he now asked gently.

"Kate? Nope don't know her, but some girl called Caitlyn went that way," he replied pointing towards the embankment, but carried on pretend driving.

"Tim, stay with Tony," as Gibbs ran to the embankment and looked down. He saw Kate throwing stones into the brook. But he stood in shock at her. She had the hem of her skirt tucked into the legs of the briefs, and she was paddling in the brook, her shoes and tights on the ground.

"Kate," he called and watched as she turned. "What you doing?"

"Throwing stones. Like the man did. Trying to hit the metal can."

"What man Kate?" Gibbs asked gently, offering her his hand and helping her up.

"The man that threw the stones, at the window and hit Tony."

Gibbs wondered if it would be appropriate to help "tidy her up" so to speak. "Kate, why is your skirt tucked into your briefs?"

"To keep it dry, I always do that," as she now pulled the skirt from the knickers letting it fall free. "Can I leave my tights off as they are torn?" she now asked looking at Gibbs with a childlike expression.

Gibbs nodded as she picked up her tights and watched as she put on her shoes, but he was concerned, as Kate now took his hand, as Kelly used to do, he helped her up the embankment.

"Tim," he shouted over.

"What happened?" Tim asked, as he saw Kate now let go of Gibbs hand, and skip to the car.

"I don't know," he replied in all honesty, as he got on his cell to Ducky.

-oOo-

"Where we going Boss?" Tim quietly asked, "As this sure isn't the road to the Navy Yard."

"Bethesda, Duks said go there, so we are," as Gibbs continued to drive…fast.

It was then that it started.

"She made me do it."

"Didn't," Kate shouted

"Did," Tony niggled.

"Didn't."

"Did."

"Hey will you two stop it," Gibbs shouted at the pair.

"Didn't," Kate whispered nudging Tony.

"Did."

"I did," Kate answered back smiling.

"Didn't," Tony now replied.

"See he did do it," as Kate crossed her arms and stuck her tongue out at Tony. Gibbs just looked at the girl in the mirror and shook his head, what had happened to the pair.

"Tony will you stop that…..please," Tim requested.

"What am I doing now?" Tony replied startled.

"Kicking the back of my seat."

"Not"

"You are," Tim replied.

"Not, I'm kneeing it."

"Whatever you are doing Tony, stop it please."

"Hey will you two act your age not your shoe size," Gibbs asked looking in the mirror, but was shocked to see Kate take off her shoe and looked, "Well I'm 8."

"And I'm," as Tony took off his shoe and waved it under Tim's nose, "12."

"Oi, that stinks," Tim shouted as Tony smiled and put his shoe back on.

"Are we almost there yet?" Kate now asked as she sat forward and put her arms round Gibbs neck, almost strangling him and forcing the car off the road.

"Kate sit," Gibbs shouted controlling the car but bringing it to an abrupt halt, "Tim swop with Kate."

"I don't want to sit with him," Tony whispered as Tim got into the back of the car.

-oOo-

The drive to Bethesda Naval Hospital continued in silence, but Gibbs was worried, Tony had tried to play I-spy but gave up as the car was travelling too fast for anyone to notice, and Kate appeared to be sleeping. Gibbs was worried, there was no, or there appeared to be no head wound, but as Ducky had said, the sooner she had a scan the better anything could be under there, and her breathing seemed to be becoming laboured. Dr Mallard had gone against the wishes of Tim to get an ambulance, he had agreed with Gibbs the quicker they got to the hospital, the better chance the two agents had.

They arrived at full speed as Gibbs drove the car to the ER, almost colliding and driving over two orderlies.

"Hey mister you can't park here," one of the men shouted.

"Got two injured agents here, one appears to be unconscious," he replied.

Tim had called ahead and as it was, a medic and nurse rushed out the door with a trolley, they ordered the orderlies to assist. Kate was gently lifted onto the trolley and rushed inside.

"Hey what about me?" Tony asked.

"Walking wounded Tony," Tim answered as he helped his friend from the car.

-oOo-

Tony was examined and found, that apart from the gash on his forehead he was otherwise fine…what did bother the doctors was the fact that he had somehow regressed back to the age of 12. Kate on the other hand was a problem. They had drained a clot, but she was far from fine, they had her in an induced coma for now, but if Gibbs would like to come back tomorrow.

"I'll stay," Gibbs replied, as he looked through the glass at the now sleeping Kate.

The next morning the doctors had said she had had a good night and was now breathing on her own, unassisted. Gibbs was going home to change when he saw Tim appear.

"She's breathing normally now, but I need to get washed and changed, then get on with this case," as Tim nodded.

"So what do we do now?" Tim asked, as they left the hospital.

"What you do now, is get help from Abby. I want to know the make of the truck, and I want to see if Tony can remember the licence number. Take Abby and see if there are any tyre tracks, get moulds," he ordered.