Saint Nicholas is the "Patron saint" of sailors, merchants, archery, wolves, thieves, children, pawnbrokers, and students in various countries. He was also a patron of the "Varangian". The Varangia Guard of the Byzantine emperors, who protected his relics in Bari.

Yawning Gibbs waited a few seconds for the alarm to beep. When the alarm beeped He reached over and shut it off as he did every morning. He didn't need the alarm but it was habit to set it every time. He sat up and stretched. After a minute or two he walked into the kitchen to start some coffee.

It was december twenty-fourth, normally he wouldn't be here. Vance had made it abubdantly clear that Gibbs would show up at this Christmas party. Either that or he would end up with two more weeks of Christmas "vacation". Gibbs sighed as he thought about the party and poured a cup of coffe as he walked into the dining room.

He sat at the table and took a drink of his coffee. He stared across the table at nothing in particular as he sipped his coffee. Even with it being the day before Christmas there were no decorations up, no tree. He didn't decorate. The house was the same as it was every day. Same table, same couch, same fireplace. Same baby carrier...

That jarred him out of his thoughts. Baby carrier? Carrying his coffee he slowly walked over to the baby carrier and inspected it. Yep, baby carrier, baby, fur blanket. There was a note tied onto the handle with silver colored thread. The baby looked up, made some cooing sounds and smiled.

He was pretty sure the baby was healthy and not in immediate danger so he took the time to open his front door and look for footprints in the snow. The snow had no visable marks at all so he checked the back door. No foot prints there either. He blinked a few times and rubbed a hand over his face.

*Gerald*
Gerald slowed as he approached the tree blocking most of the road. Dr. Mallard invited him as his guest for the Christmas party. It would be nice to see everyone again. He rubbed his shoulder absentmindedly. It always acted up when the weather got really cold. It was too icy to try to go around the tree. Gerald backed up carefully and took the turn off just behind him. Someone should probably call the tree in, he thought to himself. He was debateding calling it in himself he saw a car on the side of the road.

The driver's door was open and there didn't seem to be anyone nearby. Slowing to a stop Gerald looked around for any sign of the driver. There didn't seem to be anyone in the immediate area. Slowly he pulled closer and inspected the car further. As far as he could tell there was no sign of anyone in the car. Upon further inspection he noted base parking tags on the car. Something was definately not right here. He pulled his phone out to make a call.

*Tony*
Tony had just arrived and gotten out of his car when he saw Gibbs pull in. Tony walked over and waited for Gibbs to finish parking. Gibbs being Gibbs, hadn't said a lot when he'd called. As Gibbs got out of the car Tony started to ask what was going on, but Gibbs threw a pair of gloves at him. After catching them Tony just stared at them.

"Put them on," Gibbs told him while turning back to the car.

Tony pulled the gloves on and watched as Gibbs opened the back door. He didn't know what he should have expected. What he deffinately had NOT expected was a baby. When Gibbs started to hand the baby to him, Tony put both hands up and started to back away.

"Hey. Wait, boss me and babies... I mean... I don't-"

"Just take her DiNozzo," growled Gibbs.

Tony inched forward and gingerly took the baby from Gibbs. Tony carefully held the baby under it's arms a short distance from himself. Gibbs promptly turned around and reached back into the car. After a few seconds he pulled a baby carrier out of the back seat. When Gibbs shut the door he turned around and stared at Tony for a second.

"It's a baby not a bomb DiNozzo."

"I don't know boss, some babies-"

"DiNozzo."

Gibbs glared at him and Tony pulled the a little baby closer. He followed Gibbs into the building casting quick glances at the baby in his arms. Why did it have to be a baby? He didn't hate babies. He just didn't like holding them. They were soft, breakable and they spit up on things. Sighing in resignation he followed Gibbs into the elevator.

"I'm taking the baby carrier to Abby's Lab. Call Abby and tell her to get here ASAP. Hopefully we can find the baby's parents throught DNA. Start looking through missing children and abduction reports."

"What do I do with the baby, Boss?"

His phone rang and Gibbs growled at it before answering.

"Gibbs."

He turned and headed for Abby's lab.

Tony watched Gibbs leave to take the carrier to Abby's lab. This is so not happening, he thought to himself. How am I supposed to hold a baby and do this? He tried his best for a while but it wasn't working well. His thoughts were interupted by the elevator dinging. He looked up and saw Ziva walking out. Yes, saved by the bell. He put one of his best smiles on and walked towards her.

*Ziva*
The sight of Tony with a baby froze Ziva in her tracks. Her mind began running through possible explainations, but none fit. She wasn't sure she wanted to know. Tony continued walking towards her grinning broadly. Whatever it was, it couldn't be good. She waited as Tony approached her.

"Hiya Ziva."

"Why are you holding a baby," she asked him narrowing her eyes.

"The bossman gave it to me to hold until you got here. Here you go Z, a baby just for you."

Tony held the baby out to her and she promptly put her arms behind her.

"Oh no. I do not do babies. You hold it."

"Come on Ziva, it doesn't bite. I don't think she's even got teeth yet. Please."

"Oh no. You still did not tell me why you have a baby Tony."

"Um. I'm not quite sure why I have her actually. Gibbs pulled in right after I did and handed her to me. I think her parents are missing. Please, you have to take her."

"Why do I have to take her?"

"How am I supposed to work and hold her. Besides, you're a girl, you know about babies."

"Why do you assume I know about babies just because-"

Gibbs voice cut her off.

"Ziva, with me. Tony, didn't I tell you to check abductions?"

"Getting on that. I was just letting Ziva take the baby so that I could-"

"She's has other things to do. We have an abandoned car registered to a Lt. Walker's wife. She's going with me to check that out. Take the baby and do what I said."

With that he walked to the elevator and pressed the button. Ziva took one last glance at Tony and followed quickly behind Gibbs. As the doors opened she stepped inside just after Gibbs. She waited until the doors closed before she said anything.

"Gibbs, why is there a baby here?"

"Because I found her and now I need to find her parents."

"You found her? Where?"

Gibbs turned and glared at her. "In my house, any other questions?"

She merely shook her head as she tried processing what he told her.

When the elevator stopped they started to exit and Tim almost ran into them.

"Boss, sorry I'm running late. I was-"

"Go help Tony. Tell Abby to call me as soon as she gets in. I want something by the time I get back."

*Tim*
Tim watched as Gibbs storm past. Ziva looked back over her shoulder with an expression Tim couldn't decipher, then the two of them were gone. Tim shook his head and got into the elevator. He was going to have to ask Tony what was going on. When the doors opened he walked to his desk but stopped.

Pens, paper clips and other office supplies lie in a pile near the file cabinet. The cabinet had one drawer missing. The drawer itself was on the floor near Tony's desk. He started to say something but Tony pointed a finger at him and glared. Tony glanced at the cabinet drawer and strode over to him.

"If you wake her up you get to take care of her," Tony hissed. "Search missing children and abduction reports. Also we have an abandoned car belonging to a Jessica Walker that Gibbs and Ziva went to check on. So you might want to see if she and her husband, Lt. James Walker have any kids."

Tim followed Tony back to his desk and looked inside the cabinet drawer. Shirts, presumably Tony's, covered the inside. Lying on top of them was a sleeping baby. Tim opened his mouth but couldn't seem to make it work. Tony glared at him again and pointed a finger back towards Tim's desk. Still too stunned to speak he walked to his desk to begin checking reports.

*Ducky*
After Gerald called about the abandoned car Ducky had called to infrom Jethro. When Ducky called, Jethro had news of his own. After a quick shopping trip he had managed to get the basic supplies needed for taking care of a baby for a short time. He briskly walked from the elevator towards Anthony's desk. He stopped before he got all the way there and frowned. There were office supplies strewn on the floor and the baby was no where to be seen.

"Anthony, where on-"

"Shh."

Tony and Tim both whispered in unison.

"Sleeping baby here Ducky," Tony replied quietly.

Ducky raised an eyebrow and walked closer. Apparently Tony had made a make-shift crib out of a file cabinet drawer. The baby was sleeping peacefully in the drawer just to the right of Tony's desk. Ducky shook his head. Ducky held one bag so Tony could see inside. Tony looked relieved.

"Good," Tony whispered. "At least we'll have something to feed her if she wakes up. How did you know, though?"

"Gerald called me about an abandoned car and I called Gibbs. While I was on the phone he asked if I could pick up a few things. A filing cabinet drawer?"

Tony shrugged. "It was the best I could find. My options were pretty limited."

"I think I can come up with something a little more comforable." Ducky smiled. "I'd like to do a check up as well. Just to make sure everything is okay."

"Well we should probably keep the clothes as evidence. I would say we could bag them now, but I don't really have anything her size to give her."
Ducky set the bags down carefully. He dug in one until he found what he was looking for. He held up a small pink outfit and Tony grinned.