RECAP FROM LAST CHAPTER: Gibbs took a deep breath and shut the file. Both of the victims had been kept in a basement. They had both been tortured for extended periods of time. Sexual assault was a given. There murderers were never found and their cases went cold. Just like Tony's mother.

"Tony, how did you find these other cases?"

"They were left on my doorstep."

Gibbs looked up at Tony. Tony made eye contact with Gibbs before uttering two simple words, but words that held so much power, so much emotion in them.

"He's back."

NEW CHAPTER:

Gibbs looked back down at the files, studying them closely. "These are official reports. Probably the local police department."

Tony nodded his head, having already come to the same conclusion much earlier when he had spent hours staring fixedly at the files.

"When did you get these, Tony?"

"Three days ago."

Gibbs's head snapped up at this. His steely blue eyes boring holes in his senior field agent. "Why the hell did you wait three day to bring this to me, DiNozzo?"

Tony flinched slightly, not only noticing the obvious anger in his boss's tone but also catching the way Gibbs had switched back to addressing him by his last name. "I'm sorry, boss."

"Don't apologize."

"Right, sign of weakness. Sorry. God, I," Tony let out a loud sigh, "I know you hate when I apologize, but I am sorry, Gibbs. I should have come to you with this. It was stupid of me not to."

"It's fine, Tony."

Gibbs set the files down on his coffee table, far from gently, and headed into his kitchen. No words needed to be spoken for Tony to know that he was supposed to follow. He hesitated only a second before following his boss. Gibbs was going through his fridge, his back to Tony, when he heard his senior agent sit on a stool at the counter. He didn't bother turning around to address Tony.

"You have any idea who this could be?"

Tony was silent for a few minutes, causing Gibbs to look his way. "Tony?"

"I don't know who this is."

"Why would someone give this to you?"

"I'm not sure, boss. I think my mother might have been the first victim. I don't know, though. I don't even know if these cases are related."

"You think it's a coincidence?"

"I don't know. I mean, it could be, right?"

"You know how I feel about coincidences, Tony."

"Yeah. Yeah, I know. It's a dumb thought. Why would anyone drop these files off on my door step if they weren't related?"

"Someone's toying with you."

"Why?"

"Hoping you might have that answer, DiNozzo."

"Right. I don't, though."

Gibbs grabbed the steaks off the counter before exiting the kitchen and headed out to his grill. Tony slid off his stool and wandered back into the living room. A half hour later Gibbs walked into the living room with the two steaks and two bottles of beer in hand. He sat down on the old worn-out couch next to Tony, setting the steaks and beers down on the coffee table in front of them. Tony hadn't so much as blinked since Gibbs had entered the room. He stared blankly at the wall in front of him, hands clasped so tightly that his knuckles were turning white.

"You okay, Tony?"

Tony didn't respond. The only indication that he had even registered Gibbs's presence was the fact that his gaze had shifted from the wall in front of him to his hands in his lap. Gibbs reached a hand out slowly and placed it on Tony's shoulder. Tony flinched violently and Gibbs hesitantly removed his hand, not wanting to pull back from his agent but also not wanting to upset Tony further. "

"Tony?"

Tony shook his head slightly. "I'm fine."

"Tony."

Tony slowly unfurled his clenched hands and reached for the already open beer waiting for him on the coffee table. After taking a long swig, he set the bottle back down and grabbed the steak. He ate without a word or a glance at Gibbs.

"This, uh, steak's real good," Tony blurted out awkwardly when the silence became too much for him to bare. Gibbs said nothing in return, but continued to watch Tony. "I'm sorry about… all of this," Tony muttered, gesturing at the two files that still lay on the table.

"Tony. You have nothing to apologize for."

"It's really not that big of a deal, you know? I mean, she died when I was eight. It - it doesn't even matter now. It was so long ago."

"Just because something happened a long time ago, doesn't mean it stops mattering."

"I was only eight. I hardly remember her."

"What do you remember?"

"I - I remember f-finding her. After, I mean."

"You found your mother?"

Tony hesitated for a moment. "Yes."

"How?"

"She was in the basement."

"The file said that. The file didn't say she was found in her own basement."

"She wasn't. I mean, she didn't live there. She hadn't for a while. It was my father's house."

"I didn't know your parents split up."

"They didn't. Not exactly. My mom was a - she had a- I mean, she -" Tony stopped talking, rubbing a hand roughly over his face. "She was on medication. And she drank. A lot. So she went to a treatment facility. She'd been gone for over a year before…before I found her in the basement."

"And she was dead when you found her?"

"Yes. She - her eyes were gouged out."

"I'm sorry, Tony."

"Yeah, it was pretty scary for an eight year old."

"It's pretty scary for anyone."

"Gibbs?"

"Yeah?"

"Can I tell you something?"

"You know you can, Tony."

"I - I know who killed her."

Gibbs tried to keep all signs of his anger out of his voice. Tony had known and that was infuriating, but this was a sensitive subject. "Who?"

"My father."