"Carter!" snapped Special Agent Tony DiNozzo, "Quit fooling around and get in the car! You're going to be late for school."

"Didn't you ever bunk off school?" said Carter Addison sulkily.

"I went to military academy," said Tony shortly, "they weren't too hot on 'bunking off'".

"Bet you gave it a good go," said Carter, "you don't strike me as the sort to be the teachers' model student." He looked speculatively at the NCIS agent who gave a reluctant bark of laughter.

"I'm not admitting anything," he said, "now, get in the car. Just be grateful that the dentist appointment got cancelled."

Tony sighed as he mentally ticked off another day in the countdown to Carter going off to a new school in California and out of his hair. Carter's father, Gavin, was the CEO of a company bidding for a lucrative US Navy contract. Gavin Addison had been approached by a criminal gang who tried to bribe him into revealing Navy secrets if he got the contract. Addison, a former marine, had refused and had promptly reported the contact to NCIS.

The MCRT was investigating the incident and, in the meantime, Director Vance had decided that Addison's family should be put under NCIS protection. Gibbs was shadowing Gavin and Tony had drawn the short straw and got the sixteen year old 'brat' who seemed to regard Tony as the least objectionable member of Gibbs' team.

Just as Carter was about to get in the car, the housekeeper came running out of the house,

"You forgot your lunch, Carter," called Martha.

"Seriously?" said Tony, "again? You know that won't work." Carter was gluten intolerant and was supposed to take his own food to school as he couldn't be trusted to make healthy choices at the cafeteria. In the three days that Tony had been escorting Carter to school, he had tried to forget or misplace his lunch each day. "No, stay there. I'll get it," he said as he foresaw Carter using this as yet another delaying tactic.

"Thanks, Martha," he said, as he took the lunch box.

"You make sure he eats it, Special Agent DiNozzo," said Martha.

Tony suppressed another sigh and bestowed a smile on her. Somehow he didn't think that making sure a teenager ate healthily was in his job description. Martha went back into the house and Tony gestured to Carter to open his backpack. Carter scowled at him and clutched the bag to his chest.

"Look, kid," Tony tried reasoning, "if you eat the gluten, you'll get sick and you might miss going to the new school. Is that what you want?"

"I don't mind hanging round the house till then, watching TV and hanging out with my friends at the Mall," replied Carter with a challenging look.

"Look, Carter," Tony decided to go for bribery, "you eat the healthy lunch Martha has made for you and we can practise that elbow pass after school."

Carter beamed. He was a basketball fanatic whose ambitions were currently being thwarted by his lack of ability.

"Deal!" he said, holding the backpack towards Tony.

Tony smiled as he realised he'd been suckered – again.

"Let's g … – Carter! Look out!" yelled Tony as a car suddenly powered up towards the teenager. He shoved Carter out of the way but found himself spinning through the air as the car clipped him on the hip.

"Run!" he shouted at Carter before he hit the ground.

Carter took to his heels. His father and his NCIS protectors had told him that, in the event of an attack, he should run and find safety and now he found himself running at a rate he had so far not been able to produce on the sports field.

Tony drew his weapon but his attackers were already speeding back down the road and he didn't get a shot off. He groaned, he felt in a world of pain as his body complained about being hit by a car and then thudding to the ground. Tony got up but was hit by a wave of dizziness and nausea. He took off sluggishly to follow Carter; driving would be quicker but he was in no state to get behind the wheel.

Tony staggered on for a few hundred yards but, as his vision darkened, could not see Carter. The boy seemed to have made his getaway. Waves of hot and cold surged through his body and he longed just to lie down and rest. He would gather his wits together and try to think what to do next but he needed to stop for a while. At that moment he realised that he had reached some sort of shady yard with a line of trees. He made for the trees and slumped to the ground; he would rest for a moment or two and then move on. He felt unbearably hot so slid his coat off. That action exhausted his reserves of energy and his eyes slid shut.

NCISNCIS

Gibbs came down from MTAC where he had spent the morning co-ordinating the search for the people who had attempted to bribe Gavin Addison.

"DiNozzo checked in yet?" he asked.

"Uh, no, Boss," said McGee, "he's only a few minutes late."

"Carter's probably giving him the run around again," said Ellie helpfully.

"Call him," ordered Gibbs.

"Yes, Boss," said Tim picking up the phone. Before he could dial, the elevator dinged and he looked up, "No need, Boss. Carter's here."

"Carter," acknowledged Gibbs.

Carter looked relieved, "Agent Gibbs," he said in return.

The three agents looked at him in some surprise. Carter, to put it politely, needed what Gibbs called an 'attitude adjustment' and it was unusual for his behaviour even to approach courtesy. Gibbs' gut twitched,

"Something wrong, Carter?" he asked.

"No," said Carter unconvincingly.

"You sure about that?" asked Gibbs with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes. I just thought you might all be a bit … cross."

"Why?" asked Tim.

"Well, you know … where's Agent Tony?"

"Isn't he with you?" asked Ellie.

Gibbs' gut twitched a bit harder, "Carter? What's going on?"

"I did what you all told me to do," said Carter defensively.

"When?" asked Tim.

"When the car tried to ram us."

Gibbs stood up, "What happened?"

"We were about to drive off to school when this car drove straight for us."

"And?" asked Ellie.

"Agent Tony pushed me out of the way and told me to run. So I did. Didn't he tell you?"

"Was Tony all right?" asked McGee.

"I don't know. I just ran as fast as I could to get out of there. Where's Agent Tony?"

"McGee," ordered Gibbs, "call DiNozzo."

"You mean Agent Tony's not here?" asked Carter.

"Do you see him here?" snarled Gibbs.

"Did you get a good look at the car?" asked Ellie, trying to keep the boy calm, "colour, model, licence plate?"

"Um, it was black. I think. Or dark blue. Saloon. It was big, or it seemed that way."

"Do you know what type of car?" asked Ellie, "did you get any of the licence plate? Just part will be good."

"I think it was a Toyota," said Carter, "or it might have been a Chrysler."

Gibbs took a gulp of his coffee. "When did this happen, Carter?" he asked.

Carter looked at his watch with an attempt at nonchalance, "about 8.30," he said.

"That's three and a half hours ago," gasped McGee.

Gibbs shot Tim a glare for stating the obvious but then turned to the real offender, "why did it take you so long to get here?"

"Why didn't you phone in?" asked Ellie.

"The principal won't let me take my cell to school," he said sulkily "I'm barred for two weeks."

"There are pay phones," pointed out McGee.

Carter just looked blank, it seemed that to a boy of his age the only method of communication was through his smartphone.

"I thought it would be best just to come here," he said finally, "I thought Agent Tony would be here."

"And it took you three and a half hours?" asked Gibbs, "What happened? Lose your way?"

"I was scared," admitted Carter, "so I stopped off in the Mall."

"Why?" asked Ellie.

"I knew some of my friends would be there. I needed to, you know, re-connect."

"For three and a half hours?" demanded Gibbs.

"I didn't mean to stay so long," said Carter, "but …"

"But what?" asked Tim.

"We got talking. And they were playing pool. And …"

"You played too," supplied Gibbs.

"Yes!" said Carter thinking for a moment that Gibbs understood.

Gibbs was a pragmatist. Part of him wanted to lay into the boy and let him know exactly what he thought of someone who stopped off to play games rather than raise the alarm but he knew he didn't really have the time, or the energy, to spare. Ellie and Tim held their breath as they waited for a Gibbs explosion,

"Did you see what happened to Tony?" asked Gibbs mildly.

"No," said Carter, relaxing as it seemed that he wasn't in trouble, "the car hit him and he yelled at me to run."

"Did you hear any shots?" asked Gibbs.

Carter sat down in Tony's chair and put his feet up on the desk, "No, I don't think so. I heard the car take off. They didn't come after me."

"Why didn't the school query you not being there?" asked Ellie.

Carter shrugged, "I was supposed to be going to the dentist this morning. It got cancelled. Perhaps they didn't know?"

"McGee, have you called Tony?" asked Gibbs.

"Yes, Boss. No answer."

"Tr …"

"Trace his cell. Already on it, Boss."

Satisfied that there was a minute or so to spare, Gibbs turned his attention to Carter. He strolled over to Tony's desk and smiled at the teenager. Carter met his eyes for a second and then removed his feet from the desk and sat up straight. Still smiling, Gibbs put his hands on the desk and leaned towards the boy,

"What do you think your father will say when he hears that you hung out with your friends because that was more fun than letting anyone know that the federal agent who was protecting you had been hit by a car?"

Carter wondered if this was a rhetorical question but, as Gibbs was still smiling that terrifying smile, thought it would be wisest to answer,

"Agent Tony will be all right," he said confidently, "won't he?"

Gibbs leaned forward a little further, "you better hope so," he said, "and now, I suggest that you sit there very quietly until your father arrives."

Gibbs continued to stare at Carter who looked as if he was about to hide under the desk.

"Uh, Boss?" said McGee.

"What, McGee?" asked Gibbs, not taking his eyes off Carter.

"Tony's phone is turned off. Last call was from outside the Addison residence. About the time he would have gone to pick Carter up."

"OK," said Gibbs, finally looking up from Carter, "you're with me. We'll go to the Addison house. Bishop, put out a BOLO on DiNozzo. Get Abby to put a watch on his cell. Tell the Director he'll have to make other arrangements for protection."

"Yes, Gibbs," said Ellie.

Carter relaxed slightly.

"And Bishop," said Gibbs as he grabbed his weapon and overcoat, "Call Carter's dad. Let him know what happened."

Carter looked across at Ellie who was usually the sympathetic one but slumped back in his chair when he saw an unfamiliar frown on her face.

NCISNCIS

Gibbs and McGee soon found Tony's car and were relieved not to see any signs of blood.

"Where is he, Boss?" asked McGee.

Gibbs bit back a sarcastic response and said, "Don't know, Tim. Carter ran away from the car and towards the Mall and I guess Tony probably went after him. We'll go this way. Keep a look out."

As they walked along, Tim said,

"Shall I phone Bishop? Get her to ask Carter what Tony was wearing today? Might help with the BOLO?"

"Good thought, Tim," said Gibbs as he scanned the edges of the road.

After a few hundred yards they came to a church and saw someone standing outside. They trotted over to him and showed their badges,

"Special Agents Gibbs, McGee, NCIS," said Gibbs.

"That's Naval …" said McGee.

"Naval Criminal Investigative Service. Former navy chaplain," said the man, "I know who NCIS are. How can I help you?"

"We're looking for a federal agent," said Gibbs, "you are?"

"Jack Grounoski. I'm the pastor here."

"One of my agents, Anthony DiNozzo, was hit by a car this morning. He may have come this way. You seen anyone around?" asked Gibbs.

"I don't think so," said Grounoski, "but we get people dropping in. We run a facility for the homeless. Some come for a hot meal, shower, medical attention. Some come in and sleep but it's been pretty quiet today. Just our regulars. Got a picture?"

"Uh, yes," said McGee, "of course. Just a moment," he scanned through his cell and brought up a photo of Tony and showed it to the pastor.

Grounoski peered at it. "No, I don't think I've seen him. Like I said, it's been quiet today but it'll get busier later."

"Why's that?" asked Gibbs.

"It's cold, it's going to rain. People will be turning up hoping to sleep indoors tonight."

"You're sure DiNozzo hasn't been here today?" asked Gibbs.

"Pretty sure. I've been here on and off all day. Looks as if the only person who's been here is Marty."

"Marty?" asked Gibbs.

"One of our regulars. He's asleep over there under the trees. Under that bright red blanket. Carries it everywhere with him."

"Can we talk to him?" said Gibbs.

"Don't think you'll get much sense out of him, Agent Gibbs. He drinks and then he sleeps it off. Looks to me as if he's in the sleeping it off stage."

"OK," said Gibbs, "here's my card. Let me know if DiNozzo turns up."

"Will do. I'll ask around as well. Hope you find him," said Grounoski.

Gibbs cast an eye over the tree lined church yard, considering whether to go and question Marty but he instinctively trusted Grounoski to know the people who came to him.

"Come on, McGee," he said, "let's go."

McGee nodded and they both put their collars up against the chill wind that was picking up.

Earlier that day

Marty shivered as he walked into the church yard. He looked around for Pastor Jack who might offer him a hot drink. Marty wouldn't go inside the church or any of its buildings; he had a horror of being shut in but the pastor knew that and wouldn't try to persuade him.

Marty scowled when he didn't see the pastor and scowled again when he saw someone lying in his favourite position under the trees. He staggered over to tell the interloper to move on but changed his mind when he saw the intruder's fancy coat.

Marty was permanently cold and his own threadbare coat offered no protection against a DC winter. He was also permanently in need of money to buy alcohol so the expensive coat at his feet offered a dual temptation. Marty picked up the coat and put it on; the soft wool felt warm and cosy against his chilled skin. He put his hands in the pockets and drew out a cell; momentarily alarmed he made haste to switch it off even as he considered who he might sell it to.

A few years earlier, Marty would never have even considered stealing but a discharge on medical grounds from the Marine Corps, followed by the breakdown of his marriage and being sacked from his job had led to him becoming homeless and embittered. Pastor Jack was one of the few people who looked him in the eye. Marty was used to being invisible, to being treated as less than human: it was little wonder that he had stopped thinking of other people as human either. His life was a desperate search for warmth, alcohol and food and he was willing to do almost anything to get them.

There were a few coins in the pocket of the fancy coat but they weren't enough so Marty looked in the jacket pockets of the man lying before him. He smiled when he drew out a wallet containing a few bills. Warmth and drink beckoned! He turned away but, unusually, some sympathy stirred within him. He pulled his red blanket out of his backpack and flung it over the man before going off to sell the phone.

Tony stirred briefly as the red blanket hit him but unconsciousness claimed him once more.

AN: this one is for Scousemuz as a reminder of our visit to Oxford (UK) where we sat in a churchyard where there was a homeless man asleep under a tree with nobody taking any notice of him. I wasn't looking for a story but this one popped into my head when I saw him.