NCIS: Family

by TnJAGAz

Okay, this is a little bit related to Brotherly Talk, but with a twist because it's my story, so…. Folks think that because I write stories about Ziva being alive, I must therefore hate Ellie [or as Ducky calls her, Eleanor] Bishop, Nick Torres, and Alex Quinn. Heck, maybe I dislike Palmer too. AHHHNNNT! Wrong answer. I like them all. Thus the title 'Family'. Read and find out.

NCIS

Title: Family

Author: TnJAGAz

Rating: G/PG [some language, violence, etc.]

Classification: A NCIS Tale

Spoilers: Anything from Seasons 1-14, but especially the season finale of Season 14.

Summary and Author Notes: Okay, this is a little bit related to Brotherly Talk, but with a twist because it's my story, so…. Folks think that because I write stories about Ziva being alive, I must therefore hate Ellie [or as Ducky calls her, Eleanor] Bishop, Nick Torres, and Alex Quinn. Heck, maybe I dislike Palmer too. AHHHNNNT! Wrong answer. Both Cote and Michael left of their own accord. Notice that NCIS does not believe in headshots for main cast members anymore, but it's still open season on supporting cast. [Sorry, I digress].

What you don't know is that I am a *diehard* fan of *all* cast members [yes, that includes the supporting cast]. Now where is all this leading? Well, when we last left our heroes, Gibbs and McGee were doing their impression of 'Butch and Sundance in Bolivia'. Now do you think Nick Torres is just going to fly back to the carrier and cry about this? I don't think so. And do you think Bishop and Quinn [in my opinion, the female version of Batman and Robin] are just going to sit in DC wringing their hands saying: 'Oh, woe is me, whatever are we going to do?' If you believe that, then you don't remember a certain Marine Light Colonel who works for JAGC [heck, she's probably a One Star by now]. That's the women of Donald P. Bellisario's {and now Mark Harmon's} world.

And before I leave it out like I did last time, special thanks to Meg for her superior editing and to LauraBF and Rosensara for their feedback and suggestions, and yes, you guys that wrote in – this is for you.

Disclaimer: The characters in this story are the property of Donald Bellisario/Charles Johnson/Shane Brennan, Gary Glasberg, Mark Harmon, Frank Cardea and George Schenck, Belisarius Productions, Paramount Pictures and Columbia Broadcasting Service Entertainment – this story is for non-profit entertainment of NCIS fans only. No copyright infringement is intended or implied.

Paraguay
Consejo Armado Revolucionario [RAC] Encampment

Tim took in gulps of the stale humid tropical air. It hurt like hell to do so, but that was thanks to the bullets that had hit his bulletproof Kevlar vest he had been wearing as Gibbs had ordered.

What hurt worse was his leg which felt like it was on fire. Not opening his eyes, he did a check of his limbs and digits. Okay, except for the leg wound and most likely cracked ribs, he wasn't in bad shape. Still, how did he get here? Did he pass out? And more importantly, where was Gibbs?

It was kind of hazy, but the last memory he had was of him standing next to Gibbs as they both emptied their Sig Saurers into the charging RAC soldiers. Bullets of various calibers were buzzing and singing by them, and Tim thought this is kind of scene is what he would use for his character's death-if it ever came to that. Tony would have said they were going out like Butch Cassidy and Sundance Kid. Then Tony would have told them what a great movie that was.

The MIT Grad sat up, slowly now, those ribs took a beating… and surveyed his surroundings. It was obviously another RAC encampment, probably a backup location in case the first was ever compromised. There was a fire going in the center of the compound and his make-shift prison hospital was off to the left of the fire.

He looked around the dim interior of his building and saw giant insects and arachnids weaving their way in around the palm fronds that served as his shelter's roof. A quick check of the room, well, as quick as his battered body would allow, indicated the Boss wasn't here. Then a dark thought popped into his head. Was it possible that he was dead?

Can't think that way right now; focus on finding out what was going on….his mind told him.

Hey! Hey! Does anybody here speak English?! His Spanish was pidgin at best, but he tried yelling out to the darkened interior the only phrase he knew

Hey! Can anyone hear me!? [Oye! Me eschuches!?]

No one responded. Tim tried to get up, but a rush of white hot pain mixed with a wave of dizziness and nausea staggered him. The senior MCRT agent felt himself falling, but couldn't do anything about it but protect his ribs as best he could.

As he hit the dirt floor, the room's odor of antiseptic mixed with rotting jungle foliage and the faint sharp tang of human excrement greeted his nostrils. Then the blackness came again.

MTAC
NCIS Headquarters

Eleanor 'Ellie' Bishop and Alexander 'Alex' Quinn stood in the darkened theater-like room staring at a king size picture of a clearly perturbed Nick Torres looking back at them. "I'm going back, Ellie," Nick said in Gibbs-like verbal shorthand. There was a look in the young former deep cover agent's eyes that indicated there would be no discussion about this.

Alex tried to use what she had learned from dealing with her many students over the years – the voice of authority and reason. "Nick, SECNAV has told us to stand down-"

Torres screwed up his face in obvious irritation at that order. "And what, Alex, wait for reinforcements?! No, I should have stayed with them! They might have had a chance-"

Ellie tried a softer approach. "Nick, this isn't your fault," It was nobody's fault, really. Who could have foreseen that the RAC troops would have returned to their base camp that soon?

But the former NCIS deep cover agent wasn't listening to her soothing reassurances. "The hell it isn't, Bishop! Gibbs and McGee have probably been captured by the RAC and will most likely be killed if we don't act right now!"

She really couldn't argue with that. If they hadn't killed them outright, the RAC would most likely hold them for ransom. And that was something ten times worse she didn't want to contemplate.

Alex tried one last time. "Nick! You can't go off reservation like this! What would Gibbs say?"

But the former deep cover agent would have none of it. "You stand down if you want, Quinn," giving her an angry determined look. "I'm going back. I owe both of them that much. Don't worry about me, I'll be in touch." He then cut the connection.

Alex almost lunged for the screen. She knew exactly what he was going to do. "Nick! Dammit!" she swore uncharacteristically.

"Get him back!" Ellie snapped with atypical terseness at the MTAC technician. It was almost as if she was channeling the gray haired head of the MCRT.

"I-I'm t-trying ma'am," he quickly replied, unnerved by the harshness of her command as he tried feverously to reestablish the connection.

"Dammit! Dammit! Dammit!" Bishop let fly with flurry of expletives as she turned away from the screen.

Now it was Alex's turn to be the voice of reason. "Calm down, Ellie-"

The acting Head of the MCRT turned on her, her eyes blazing with a fierce determination. "Calm down?! How the hell am I supposed to remain *calm* when Gibbs and McGee go missing in Paraguay at an RAC camp and now Nick is going Lone Wolf to try and get them back?!"

Alex understood where this anger was coming from. "Look, it's not your fault, everybody knows that-"

But Ellie would have none of it. "The hell it isn't, Alex! We should have been down there with them instead of back here wringing our hands like damsels in distress!" In the back of her mind, the former NSA Analyst wondered if being ordered to stay in Washington was punishment for her going rogue and killing that Chinese free-lance terrorist, Kai Chen.

Alex tried logic. "So what are we gonna tell Director Vance when he gets back?"

Ellie grabbed her backpack from a nearby chair. It was time to start acting like the Gibbs or Tim – even Tony. It was time to take charge. "You can tell him whatever you like, Quinn. I'm getting on the first transport to Paraguay-"

"And I would advise against that, Agent Bishop," said a stern voice emanating from the MTAC entrance.

Both women turned and looked up at the door. There stood an angry looking Leon Vance.

"Director! You got back just in time," Alex replied sounding relieved. He'd help knock some sense into her.

Leon acknowledged her comment with a quick nod of his head as he came down the steps. "I can see that, Agent Quinn." He turned to Eleanor Bishop. "Bishop, where is Torres?" he snapped.

Ellie responded automatically. "He's headed back to the RAC camp, sir."

Leon turned to the tech. "Get me the Captain of the Fort Sumter," he ordered tersely. Maybe the Captain could get a security team to hold the now 'loose cannon' agent until saner heads prevailed.

"Yes, sir." The tech quickly began tapping away on the workstation in front of him, relieved that the Director was here.

Alex knew what he was going to do. "I doubt that will stop him, Director."

Leon turned and gave Alex his 'director stare'. It wasn't as good as Gibbs' 'DI stare', but it did get the desired results from subordinates-especially to ones who were being insubordinate. "Well, then what do you suggest that I do, Agent Quinn?" he said coldly to her.

Alex, though, had dealt with fellow instructors and hard case students. She could give as well as she received and she knew how to quickly assess a situation. "Sir, despite his rashness, Agent Torres is the best equipped to handle this situation, save Gibbs."

Director Vance looked at both of them with that 'Director Stare'. "So I repeat, ladies, what do you suggest we do?"

For a moment it was a staring contest until a stern voice interrupted 'the contest'.

"I have a suggestion, Director."

Leon's head turned when he saw the NCIS Medical Examiner coming down the stairs. "Doctor Mallard, what are you doing in here?"

Undaunted by the Director's sharp inquiry, Ducky continued down the steps. "You know I have clearance to get in here, Director, and you also know I've worked with Gibbs longer than anyone present in this room. We worked together in Europe when Jethro and Jenny Shepard were there. Remember, I shoved a French policeman off a cliff…and don't forget I played Charles Harrow for Director Shepard as well."

Leon tried to get him to listen to reason. Maybe if he could convince him, the rest would follow his lead. "Doctor, I appreciate your concern and your past contributions to this team, but you need to get back to your work in Autopsy-"

"And you need to listen to him, Director, sir," Abby B. Sciuto said speaking up, a fierce look of determination in her eyes. She and Doctor Palmer had accompanied him, and Leon, because of all the turmoil in MTAC, had not noticed them until now.

"Ms. Sciuto? What are you doing here? Why aren't *you* in *your lab*?" he demanded.

"Tim and Gibbs are prisoners of those goons, and Nick is only one person, sir. That's not good odds, we have to do something!" she demanded right back. Abby was not one to shrink from confrontation. She was ready for a fight.

Jimmy Palmer came up just behind Abby. "We have a plan to get them back, uh, sir. You have to listen to Doctor Mallard, sir, please."

"Yes, please, Director Vance, sir, listen to him," Abby added urgently.

He looked from Quinn and Bishop and then to the newly arrived trio and sighed heavily. "Okay, I'm listening…"

Gran Chaco
Paraguay

The older Volkswagen bus chugged to a stop in the town square of the little Paraguayan village.

"Ah, here we are, Doctor Palmer, I told you I knew the way back here." Ducky said as he put the venerable German built van in park.

"So how long were you in Doctors without Borders, Doctor?" Jimmy asked.

Ducky gave the younger man a paternal smile. "Oh, it was several years after my stint in Vietnam. My previous encounters there made me realize that what I wanted to do was something more than just set up an afterthought clinic for those without medical facilities due to war and other calamities."

As they sat there, the door to the church opened and an elderly man came down the steps toward the Volkswagen.

Ducky gave him a friendly wave. "Ah, hello my good fellow, we are looking for, Doctor Carla Ibera. Do you know where her camp is located?" he said in nearly flawless Spanish to man.

After a brief conversation, the man went back inside the church. Jimmy leaned over and spoke in hushed tones to Dr. Mallard.

"Did he see any signs of the guerillas, Doctor?"

Ducky shook his head. "The bloody bastards are hiding themselves well, Jimmy. I suggest we continue our reconnoitering until Eleanor and Ms. Quinn make their appearance."

"Right, Doctor," Jimmy nodded.

Ducky started up the Volkswagen bus and pulled away from the church.

Abby Sciuto's Lab
NCIS Headquarters

Abigail B. Sciuto was in her lab, tip tapping away on her computer. On the monitors various images began showing up. "Good thing Bishop still has friends in the NSA," she murmured more to herself than to the man standing next to her. She was glad not to have to deal anymore with that smarmy Curtis Hubley who had been sent packing by Leon.

Leon Vance observed her efforts with secret pride. He was glad to have her as a member of Gibbs' MCRT. "Have you picked them up yet, Ms. Sciuto?" he asked.

Abby nodded. "Yes sir, Director, sir. I've located Ducky and Jimmy and Bishop and Quinn."

Leon nodded, handing her a red soft drink cup labeled 'Caf-Pow!' "Here, I heard you work better with these. And you better start calling me Leon."

Abby's eyes lit with delight when she saw the drink "Ooo, thank you, Leon! I'd hug you, but I'm a little busy right now, and it's Abby, not Ms. Sciuto anymore," she told him.

Leon nodded again, glad to have gained this level of trust from her. "That's all right, Abby. Just do what you do."

Abby nodded and turned her head back to her screens and keyboard, a fierce look of determination in her eyes. "Don't worry. We'll find Gibbs and McGee, sir," she said with conviction.

xv*xv*xv*xv

Leon Vance was a man on the mission. His acknowledgments of the various congressional and senatorial representatives had been quick nods of greeting as he made a beeline to the Vice President's congressional office.

He was not expecting the familiar tough as nails female that pushed her way into his line of sight.

"Leon, I just heard-"

Leon eyes lit in recognition at the sound of that voice and her face. "Jenna!" But now was not the time for visits from Maryland's 9th District powerhouse. "I really don't have time to talk right now-" he began to say to her.

But Congresswoman Flemming was ready for that. "Then just listen. I know what you're doing and what you're up against. I've called for a joint emergency meeting of the House and Senate Armed Services Committees. The Vice President will be there as well." Before a stunned Leon could react, her features softened as she reached out to touch him arm. "We're going to get them back, Leon…"

xv*xv*xv*xv

The big transport rocked and shuddered in the bumpy air.

Ellie Bishop sat next to Alex Quinn. Both were dressed in civilian clothes, jeans, casual dress shirts. All around them were a group of men and women dressed in similar clothes, including the wise-cracking CO of SO1 Mathew Dean-CDR Peter Josephson. The only thing different about this group was that they were more heavily armed than the NCIS agents. Most were checking and rechecking their rifles and heavy weapons.

Ellie checked her Sig Sauer yet again. Alex silently observed her actions.

She felt Alex's eyes on her and turned to face Agent Quinn. "What?" she said sharply. She wasn't in the mood for this former instructor's dispassionate observations.

Alex was her usual cool, clinical self. "Just wondering if you're planning on using that. I mean, you've checked it like a dozen times since we left."

"If it gets Gibbs and McGee back, and it's necessary, then yes," former NSA Analyst said in a determined voice.

"You'll do what you have to, right?" Alex said playing devil's advocate.

The former NSA analyst's face scrunched up in irritation. "Why are you asking me this? You know who has them—what they are capable of-"

Alex nodded. "I do, really, I do. But I also want you to understand that it was not your mistakes that let this happen. You don't have to go charging down there like a wild bull."

"I should have been with them," she said fiercely, ignoring her efforts.

So Alex tried some New York-style sarcasm. "Oh, so then it would just be me coming to rescue you, Gibbs, and McGee. You know that the outcome probably would not have not been any different."

That was the wrong that to say to her. "You don't know that!" Ellie snapped.

It was like punching Jell-O. Alex began nodding. "Oh, you're right. *You* could have been killed and instead of rescuing them, me and this team might have been going down to retrieve your bodies," she said in that irritating sage voice of hers.

It was true. That might have happened. But right now Ellie Bishop didn't need any distractions. "Can we talk about this later?" she grunted.

"All right, all right,' Alex said, holding up her hands in mock surrender, knowing when it was time to back off. She wasn't going to make any headway at this point, anyway.

After a few minutes of tension filled silence between the two women, Ellie spoke up, her voice full of regret. "Sorry, I've got a lot on my mind right now," she admitted.

"Me too," Alex answered in reply. Her answer was laden with unsaid words.

Ellie quickly figured them out. "Your Mom?"

Alex gave her a weary chuckle and wry smile. "It shows, doesn't it?"

Ellie realized that is why she had been needling her. Not just to get her to face facts, but also to distract her from her own problems. "How is she?" There was real sympathy in her voice.

"I could say she's all right, but that would be a lie," Alex said trying to sound like her usual jocular self, but it didn't work.

Ellie saw through the mask. Alex had kept to herself what was really going on, but based on what the former NSA Analyst knew about Alex's mom, she had a pretty good guess as to what was going on. "What are you going to do?"

She gave Bishop a half-smile, more sardonic than reassuring. "I'll be honest, Ellie. I'm worried about her. When we get back, if we get back…I may need to take some time off…."

Ellie gave her a confused look. "Time off, for how long?" was all she could say to that.

Alex shook her head. "I don't know," she answered wistfully. Then she looked Ellie in the eyes. "Right now, let's concentrate on getting Gibbs and McGee home, okay?"

Ellie silently nodded her agreement.

"You two ladies ready for this?" CDR Josephson said as he sat down across from the two agents. He didn't understand why these two female agents hadn't just stayed in Washington and let his team take care of this. It was the least they could do for them finding and rescuing SO2 Dean.

"Just get us to the RAC encampment," Alex shot back to this smart-aleck in her no-nonsense Bronx accent.

"We'll take care of the rest," Ellie said in flat calm voice that indicated there would be no debate about their involvement. Josephson noted the determined look in their eyes. Two of their own were missing. He merely nodded his acknowledgment of her statement.

xv*xv*xv*xv

The team's two Hum-vees pulled to stop on the side of the road, facing a mixed convoy of Paraguayan military Humvees and jeeps coming from the other direction. Ellie thought she saw a familiar red head climb out of the lead jeep.

"Who is it?" Alex asked trying to get better view from her back seat position.

"You're not going to believe this," Ellie half-murmured as she got out of the Hum-vee and headed toward the ginger headed woman.

"Borin! What are you doing here?!" Bishop said to the red headed woman walking towards her. Alex had now joined Bishop as she stood in front of the HMMWV.

CGIS Agent Borin gave the two NCIS Agents a smirk. "Abby filled me in. Gibbs is in trouble- and do you really think I'm going sit on the sidelines on this one?"

"No, we didn't figure you would," Ellie shared a wary look with Alex.

Abigail Borin gave both women a 'damn right' nod. "Besides, we're doing drug interdiction raids against the RAC in other parts of the country," she explained. "We just happen to be in the same area as your 'off the books' rescue operation. My team from the John Hancock is ready to assist and our helos have more fuel than any Marine or Navy helos flying in from the Fort Sumter, because the Paraguayan government is letting us fly out of their airbase at Asuncion."

xv*xv*xv*xv

Deep in the Paraguayan rainforest, a small group of men and women made their way toward the RAC encampment holding Gibbs and McGee.

"And that ambassador, what a guy!" Tony did a pretty good impression of the elderly Israel diplomat. "'Ah, if only I were thirty years younger, I would be leading this mission,' Part Obi Wan and part Yoda if you ask me," Tony then lapsed into Yoda's voice. "'Hmmm, strong with the force are you young ones, hmmm, yes indeed,'"

That earned a chuckle from Tamera and Razi, the two other members of Ziva and Tony's team.

Ziva felt herself becoming slightly irritated at her husband's antics. "Ahuva, now is not the time for Star Battle references," she said as they worked their way through the jungle underbrush.

"Star Wars, Ziva, Star Wars. And right now is a perfect time to do this. A little levity takes the edge off the tension," Tony said in erudite voice.

Ziva shot him a wry look. "I don't remember Gibbs ever saying that. I do remember him giving you head slaps when you lapsed into too much movie trivia." She playfully let a branch swing toward him.

Tony deftly caught the branch and gave his wife his killer smile. "Well, see, you're not Gibbs, and I, for one, think your team appreciates my levity." the former lead senior NCIS agent replied. "Hey, a quick show of hands…" he turned back to the two grinning Mossad operatives. "See? They're smiling."

xv*xv*xv*xv

Ellie felt naked without her Sig Sauer. She looked over at Alex and could tell the former NCIS instructor was having similar misgivings. Up ahead of them, CGIS agent Borin also appeared unarmed, but Ellie could see the momentary outline of her backup weapon strapped to her ankle as she made her way through the jungle underbrush.

"Are you sure Ducky said he would meet us here?" Borin asked as she began hiking up a hill ahead of the two NCIS agents and Josephson's SEAL pathfinder team accompanying them.

Ellie indicated the top of the wooded rise with nod of her head in that direction. "He said he'd meet us at the top of the hill."

"I know I had some misgivings about you and your sidearm earlier, but I take it all back," Alex grunted as Ellie grabbed her hand and pulled her over the splintered branches of a downed tree.

Ellie gave her a smirk. "You've got your backup piece, don't you?"

Alex shot her a dirty look. "Yeah, of course I do, but this thing is not as powerful as my Sig," she declared.

Ellie gave her a dry chuckle. "If we're lucky, Ducky's plan we'll let us find Gibbs and McGee and rescue them without firing a shot."

"But if we have to resort to gunplay, at least we have these two guys and my team as backup," Borin replied looking back at them as they made their way further up the hill.

xv*xv*xv*xv

Leon Vance felt like he had been sucker punched. He thought the Joint Committee had understood the urgency of getting his men out of the hands of the RAC. But then one of them stood and began pontificating about the sovereign rights of the Paraguayan government and how we had no business putting NCIS agents on the ground there to rescue a single American soldier.

He was thinking some pretty dark thoughts about that particular Senator when Jenna Flemming caught up with him with a portly, distinguished looking gentleman in tow.

Jenna had a diplomatic smile on her face. "Leon, this is Javier Malanado, the Paraguayan ambassador."

"Mr. Ambassador," Leon said formally, ever the diplomat while shaking his hand. Before he could plead his case Malanado launched into what sounded like a well-rehearsed reply.

"Ah Director Vance, your Representative Flemming is a very powerful and persuasive speaker. She told me about the plight of your two agents and what they did. Rest assured, that our military is undertaking a joint operation, as we speak, that will rescue them from the RAC. Your Vice President and your President has assured us we will get all the support we need."

Leon gave Jenna a brief smiling glance before turning back to Ambassador Malanado, "Mr. Ambassador, I can't thank you enough for your help."

Malanado smiled. "We will get them back, Director Vance. You have my word on this."

xv*xv*xv*xv

Gibbs blinked. His jaw hurt from being hit numerous times, how many, he lost count. The same questions were asked over and over again in guttural Spanish, how many were there in his unit, where were they from, were they Americans?

Gibbs' answer was always the same. A dry chuckle, a shake of his head, and 'No comprende, senor'.

He paid dearly for that, but at least he knew Tim was still being cared for at their makeshift medical facility rather than being brought to this rat hole.

He wondered how long he'd been here – had it been days, weeks, months? At least Torres got Dean out of here…. He also knew the chances of a rescue were slim and none. They were on an unsanctioned rescue mission in a country that while it might be an ally, would take a very dim view of Navy personnel being in their country without permission.

Then he heard the scrape of key in the lock. So it begins again, Gibbs thought darkly to himself Once more into the breach, right Mike?

Mike Franks just smiled. Keep your chin up, Probie, help is comin'….

Gibbs turned his bloodied face toward the opening door and saw something he thought he'd never see again.

Nick Torres quietly approached the missing Head of the DC Major Case Response Team and unlocked the manacles that were holding him up by his bloodied and bruised arms.

"Easy, Boss, I've got you," Torres said quietly and grabbed a limp Gibbs who sagged into his arms.

The gray haired head of the MCRT looked up at him. Confused showed on his battered, bloody and bruised face. "Torres? I thought… I told you…to get outta here…" he said trying to sound stern.

Nick gave him a quick shot of that smart-alecky grin of his. "You did, Gibbs, but I've always been lousy at following orders."

As Nick draped him over his shoulder in modified fireman's carry, Gibbs grunted, "You're going to get us both killed…"

Nick man-handled Gibbs toward the open door. "I don't think so, Gibbs. Besides I have someone with me to help."

He nodded his head toward the blurry figure that Gibbs saw standing in the doorway.

"Ziver? You're alive?" was all he could get out when he could see her face.

Ziva David was torn by unbridled fury at Gibbs' captors and anguish at her former Boss and pseudo-father's sorry battered state.

"I'm here, Gibbs. We're going to get you home," Ziva said softly to him.

Gibbs shook his head in disbelief. "I thought you were with Mike…" Then he looked back at Nick. "Can't leave without McGee," in a weaker version of that no-nonsense voice of his.

Ziva grabbed Gibbs other arm and, together with Nick they quickly moved the badly injured NCIS agent out into the dank hallway past unconscious bodies of guards. "Tony is taking care of that," Ziva said to him as they headed for the soft glow of an open doorway at the end of the hallway, at least that's the way it looked to Gibbs.

"Tony's here?" were Gibbs' last words before he slipped into unconsciousness.

xv*xv*xv*xv

Tim looked up at the frond covered ceiling of the makeshift clinic and watched as another king-sized arachnid chased a large beetle through roof foliage.

Outside he heard what sounded like a scuffle. But it was hard to tell. It was raining again, another tropical downpour.

"Okay, McLeisureman, time to go home," said a familiar voice

Tim craned his neck until he could see all six feet of Anthony D. DiNozzo moving into his field of vision.

"Tony? I must be hallucinating…" Tim sighed. This couldn't be real.

Tony gave his old NCIS partner that patented DiNozzo smile. "Well, it isn't Special Agent Tommy coming to your rescue, I can tell you that - and I brought some friends…meet Agent Razi, formerly an Israeli paratrooper. He and I are going to get you to the door." They man-handled Tim out his jungle hospital cot. "Agent Tamera would have said 'hello' but she's keeping a lookout for any RAC thugs nosing about," Tony said continuing his nonstop commentary.

Tim looked around and began to struggle with the two men. "Wait, what about Gibbs?"

Tony grunted. "Relax, McWorrywart. Ziva and Torres are taking care of getting him," he said in reply. "Now stop struggling. You've got an appointment to be married to one Delilah Fielding and to witness my wedding to one Ziva David."

xv*xv*xv*xv

"My good fellow, I am simply waiting here for Doctor Carla Ibera to make her appearance. My colleague, Dr. James Palmer, and I were told we would meet her here," Ducky said in that clipped British accent of his, sounding indignant about the whole thing.

Both Jimmy and Ducky had their hands raised as the two armed RAC soldier-terrorists looked suspiciously at them. "I do not know…Dr. Ibera," the first soldier said in broken English to them. "Where is she to meet you?"

"Right here, my good fellow," Ducky said sighing. "We're from Doctors Internationale, and we were told to meet Dr. Ibera right-"

"Doctor Mallard, Doctor Palmer, thank you for meeting me here," Ellie said in flawless Spanish as she appeared behind the soldiers. They quickly turned to face her. Ellie immediately raised her hands. "Doctor Carla Ibera, Doctors Internationale. These are my nurses, Consuela Rivera, and Gloria Borin. I'm reaching into my pocket for my papers." Ellie made an exaggerated show of reaching into her breast pocket and pulling out some papers.

The terrorist took the papers from her. On the sheet which had the official 'Doctors Internationale' letterhead were the likenesses of Borin, Quinn, and Bishop. "If you'll let me reach into my pants' pocket, I can show you some identification," Ellie said to the first gunman. He nodded at her.

She gave him a brief smile as she pulled her wallet from her pocket and handed it to him.

"Doctor Ibera, thank goodness you got here just in time," Jimmy gushed. "They were going to shoot us."

Ellie smiled again. "I am sorry, it is all my fault. I asked them to meet me here. We're on our way to Bahia Negra, and this was the closest place we could meet," she told them.

"Si, si, con permiso," Alex said trying to look subservient.

The terrorist was momentarily distracted by the ID he was examining. He never heard the silenced bullet that hit his head. The second one started to react but another silenced bullet hit him as well.

Both terrorists collapsed in a heap, their assault rifles clattering on the hardpan ground.

Borin turned to the two SEAL pathfinders emerging from the underbrush. "Nice shooting, glad you could get such a clean shot considering what was going on."

One of SEALs smiled. "I was just glad 'Doctor Ibera' moved when she did, ma'am. It made for a cleaner shot of the both of them."

Ellie watched as the bodies of the dead RAC gunman were dragged into the underbrush. The clock was ticking. "Now let's get to that RAC encampment, get Tim, and get the hell out here," she said to the assembled group.

xv*xv*xv*xv*xv

Ducky's Volkswagen van chugged to a stop on the jungle dirt road. Ellie and the others got out. The two SEALs crossed the road and faded into the marshy jungle undergrowth.

"According to Abby, the camp is just over there," Ellie said to Borin and Alex, pointing to the north in the same direction the two SEAL operatives had headed. She looked back at Palmer. "Give us no more than twenty minutes. If we're not back by then, head for the rendezvous point."

"We're not leaving without you, Eleanor," Ducky said leaning over and looking out Jimmy's window.

Ellie was about to argue that point, when a familiar voice was heard.

"And you won't have to Ducky, thanks to Mossad."

The three women turned to see the two SEALs approaching with two other soldiers dressed in camo, Tony DiNozzo and an unkempt and slightly spindled Tim McGee.

"Anthony!" Ducky said in astonishment.

"Well, well, if it isn't ex-NCIS agent DiNozzo," Borin said grinning.

"Tony! How'd you get here?!" Ellie said. She was pleased and surprised at the same time.

"Mossad told me you guys were trying to locate Timothy here and Gibbs, so we decided to help."

"Tim, how are you feeling?" Alex asked McGee as the two Israeli soldiers turned him over to her.

Tim nodded. "I'm okay. Where's Gibbs?"

"He, Ziva, and Torres should be arriving at Fortin Coronel Bogado as we speak," Tony replied, "Which means it's time for all of us to leave as well."

"What about the RAC encampment?" Ellie said.

"Not gonna be a problem for a while." Tony turned to one of the Pathfinders. "Radio Commander Josephson and tell him it's time to go."

USS Fort Sumter
Off the coast of Paraguay

The big Osprey gunship touched down on the deck on the amphibious assault ship. As soon as it was secure, the aircraft's ramp dropped down, and out came Tim McGee being supported by Ellie Bishop and Jimmy Palmer, and Leroy Jethro Gibbs aided by Alex Quinn and Ducky. The six NCIS members were met by the Fort Sumter's medical team. Nick stood back with Tony, Ziva, and the two Israeli operatives. Overhead, two Navy F-18 Hornets were followed by two British Eurofighter Typhoons headed toward the Paraguayan coast.

"Are you guys always hanging around the jungle, waiting to help out like that?" Nick said to Tony and Ziva.

The two former NCIS agents shared a look. "We just happened to be in the neighborhood and thought we'd lend a hand," Tony said glibly.

Nick looked at Ziva, "Seriously though, thanks for your help. Tim told me about you two."

"Gibbs is a good friend," Ziva said to the former undercover agent.

"And he was *our Boss*," Tony added. "C'mon, let's go see what Ducky and the Sumter's doc has to say about Tim and Gibbs."

Rooftop Garden
Tim McGee's Apartment

Tim was sitting on the edge of the roof away from the rest of the wedding guests, looking out at the early evening skyline of DC. It was a small intimate affair, but Tim needed some alone time to think about everything that had happened.

"Don't tell me you're thinking of jumping after all this."

Tim turned to see Tony DiNozzo walking over to him. "Uh, no Tony, no, I was thinking…I wanted to-"

Tony held up his hand to stop him. "Skip it, McGrateful. I know you'd do the same for me if the tables were turned."

Tim gave him a crooked smile for that. "Thanks, Tony, really."

"Don't mention it," Tony said sitting down next to him. "Where's the rolling bride?" he asked looking around.

"She and Ziva are over there talking," Tim said. The two could see the two ladies involved in deep conversation with Ellie Bishop, Abigail Borin, and Alex Quinn. Occasionally one of them would look over at Tim and Tony and begin laughing.

Tony shook his head. "Bad idea, Timmy. You know what happens when ladies get together like that."

"There you two are! Just what are you two up to?" Abby Scuito ran over and grabbed Tim and Tony in a crushing hug.

"Uh, Abby, careful, you don't want us to fall off the roof," Tony warned playfully.

Abby stopped in mid-hug. "Ooo, right, right, sorry. I'm just so glad you're safe, Timmy." She gave Tony a grateful smile. "Thanks for bringing him home, Tony."

"My pleasure, Abby. Where's Sergeant Burt?" Tony asked the Goth Forensic Specialist.

Abby looked over at the DC Police Park Sergeant and then back at her two of her favorite NCIS agents. "He's over there with Gibbs playing with Tali. Burt's really good with kids, you know."

Tony and Tim shared a look about that comment.

"Hold on to that thought, Abby," Tony finally said.

Abby looked confused for a moment, but then dismissed the comment. "Thank you again for bringing him home, Tony." She said as gave the former NCIS agent a quick crushing hug.

"Uhh, well the McGeester owes me and Ziva one. Besides how could we have had a double wedding without him?" Tony replied, his voice returning to normal as Abby released him from the hug and grabbed his and Tim's arms.

"This is how it should be, family, together again." Abby said definitively.

The three turned at looked at the darkening skyline, arms interlinked, with Abby between them.

Finis -

SPOILER

AFTERWORD: Yes, it's nothing like the premiere, but it wasn't supposed to be, I wanted to give Quinn a graceful exit, and I also wanted to point out something that is a motto with all soldiers: 'leave none behind'. Maybe it runs contrary to good storytelling, but NCIS has followed that motto in the past. Why they didn't this time...

Yes, the story is a bit choppy, but I'm still for the most part satisfied with it. I think it tells the season opener the way it should go.