Hi this is my first ever NCIS fic so try to bare with me. I hope the breaking is alright, I've spent the last two house trying to fix it. The original characters names may be a little bit confusing but it should make sense by the time the story comes to a close. Thank you for reading. I hope you like it. If you have any suggestions, don't be shy.
Liars, Criminals and Agents, Oh My!
Tony answered his phone, "Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo."
"Special Agent DiNozzo, you have a visitor. She says her names Alex."
Tony hung up the phone, the whole time looking smug. "There's a woman down stairs waiting to see me."
"An annoyed ex out for revenge," McGee didn't even stop typing to comment.
"Bleached Blond Bimpo-"
"Bimbo, Zivaaaa," Tony cut her off. "If you're going to insult me at least learn the lingo."
"Bimbo, Bimpo? What's the difference?"
"One's an insult to me, the others to your language skills.
"Why don't you go see what your bimbo wants?"
"For your information, the only Alex I knew was a tall, lengthy, strawberry blond and … She was a lawyer."
"I hate lawyers…"
Tony ignored her and stood up smoothly, "She had a killer-"
Tony should have seen the head slap coming.
"Get your head out of the gutter, DiNozzo," Gibbs walked passed him to his desk. "Where do you think you are going?" Gibbs looked over at his senior field agent. The look could bring down a bear.
"A visitor down stairs, Boss."
"Not too long, DiNozzo, there's work to do."
"Got it, Boss," DiNozzo took the elevator down. He walked over to the receptionist in the front office. She smiled brightly at him.
"She's sitting on the bench around the corner."
Tony walked around the corner. He was ready to pull out his best moves. He stopped stunned. The only person present in the hallway was a teenaged girl. She looked up at him. Her face was trying to be impasse but there was an edge of nervousness around her.
"Um, do I know you?" Tony asked the girl. "Are you Alex?"
"Yes," she spoke her voice filled with bravado. "Is this you?"
Alex handed Tony a picture. He stared down at the snap shot. It was him standing on a beach in some tropical location with a dark haired brunette with hazel eyes; she much resembled the girl in front of him. In the picture, both were tan, him in his swim trunks and her in a string bikini. Tony remembered the cruise he took one summer with his frat buddies. Tony flipped over the picture to see writing. Me and Tony -1993.
"Yes that's me." Tony took another quick glance and then handed it back to the girl.
A quick smile spread across her face, "Well I think I'm your daughter."
Tony dragged the girl through security and up the elevator. She barely had the visitor badge attached to her shirt, by the time the elevator door dinged open. He pulled her into a lab filled with a bunch of monitors and machines buzzing.
"Hey Tony. Did you guys get a case?" Abby turned and noticed the young brunette. She had a pair of green eyes that looked oddly familiar.
"Abby this is Alex, Alex, Abby. Abby I need you to run a DNA test for me."
"Sure," she snapped her pen in order to sign the transfer of evidence. "Are you here for a tour?" She turned slightly to the young girl, her bubbly personality showing through.
"No," she said looking between the optimistic Goth and the guy who could be her father. "You need to run my DNA with his."
"Oh," she snapped her pen closed. "Oh! OH! A paternity test. I can do that. Of course I can do that. I'm Abby by the way, Abby Scuito."
Alex couldn't help but be amused, "It's very nice to meet you."
"Abby, the test," Tony quickly interrupted his nerves obviously present.
"Oh, of course, I just need to take a mouth swab." Abby turned and found a cotton swab. Alex quickly opened her mouth. "Ok you go. It's going to be at least 24 hours before I know anything." Tony and the girl both moved to exit the lab and her swishing arms. "Wait does Gibbs know?"
Tony and Alex exited the elevator together. She looked around at all the little desks and cubicles. She tried to take as much as she could in. McGee stared at them.
"Hi Tony," McGee called when he didn't immediately move towards his desk. Tony walked towards the bull pen. He ushered Alex for him to follow and offered her his chair.
"McGoo, where's Gibbs?"
"He's in with Vance. Is this Alex?"
"Hello," Alex greeted politely.
"Mind your own business, McGeek."
"A little young for you Tony," Ziva walked past and to her desk. "I thought that was illegal in this country."
"It's not like that, Ziva," Tony leaned against the filing cabinet, blocking McGee's view. He was already trying to stare past him.
"How is it then, Tony?" Ziva asked.
"It's complicated. Where is Gibbs?" He stared up MTAC and then down at his supposed daughter. She was sitting silently, trying her best not to feel awkward which wasn't easy when she felt three pair of eyes watching her every move. She was used to it though.
"I've never seen you this anxious to talk to Gibbs."
"I need to speak to him."
"Speak, DiNozzo," Gibbs ordered coming out of no where; like always.
"Boss I need to take the rest of the day off."
Gibbs finally noticed the girl sitting in Tony's seat. She looked oddly familiar to him. Gibbs didn't miss the look of shock run across her face but it quickly vanished just as fast as it appeared. She stood up from the seat and grabbed her bag.
"I don't want to take up any more of your time," she stated timidly. "This is my number," she scribbled something onto a piece of paper. "Call me when Abby gets something."
"Wait, no. Just wait a second. I need to walk you back down."
"I can do it," McGee and Ziva both shot up from their seats at the same time.
"Gibbs," Tony turned back to his Boss.
"Go; just keep your phone on."
"Thanks Boss."
McGee and Ziva watched Tony enter the elevator. Both shot out of their seats. Both saying at the same time, "I need to go see Abby."
"McGee."
"Ziva."
"Both of you sit." Gibbs got up with his coffee in hand. He walked quickly down the stairs and snuck up on Abby.
"Hey Gibbs," Abby greeted, she tried to ignore his inquisitive stance.
"Abby," Gibbs pacified.
"Gibbs I promised Tony I wouldn't say anything," she stated quickly when she recognized the familiar stare, baring into the back of her head.
"Abby."
"I mean it Gibbs. This is big, huge! Private and nerve wracking even for me, but isn't she cute?"
"Abby," Gibbs kept his normal tone.
"Gibbs I can't! Don't give me that look. Tony trusted me with is."
"With what?" He paused. "Can you run her face through facial recognition?"
Abby gave Gibbs an aghast look, then she smiled, "It's running right now. I got it off the security footage."
"Any hits?"
"Gibbs," Abby stressed. "You can't force these things."
Gibbs walked out of the room. He should have brought a CafPow with him. He still couldn't get past his gut feeling. Something was off and she looked shocked to see him. She was too young to have known Kelly. Gibbs tried to place her face but nothing came forward.
"Thanks for the lunch," Alex smiled at Tony.
"No problem. It's my pleasure."
"Look, I'm sorry for springing this on you. It took me a little while to track you down and I honestly just wanted to meet you."
"You don't need to apologize. I'm happy to meet you."
"I'm staying at the Day's Inn. I want to go back to my room and take a shower. Do you want to have dinner?"
"There's this Italian place called, Alfonso's. I can pick you up at six."
"That's perfect. I'll just catch a cab back to the hotel."
"I can drop you off. Don't be stupid."
Alex stared up at him. "I know you probably have to get back to work and I really didn't want to take up your whole day."
"Good to know, but it's hardly a bother to drive you a couple blocks," Tony chuckled nervously. Did he really just call her stupid?
Alex and Tony took the short ride to the hotel. Tony waved goodbye awkwardly while Alex walked away. Tony drove away and had no idea where he was going to go. He didn't want to go back to the office and face the team. Going home and drinking away every thought that sprung forth sounded great but he had to go to dinner. Or he would gladly drink himself into a stupor.
Tony decided to take the chance and headed back to the office. McGee and Ziva were both typing away on their computers.
"You're back early. I thought you were taking the afternoon off."
"She wanted to go shower. We're having dinner tonight."
"Hot date?" Ziva smirked from her chair.
"No Ziva, that's disgusting."
"Because she's underage or?"
Tony signed onto his email. He clicked a bunch of keys and then got up from his desk. "I'm going to see Abby."
Tony walked into Abby's land. Abby hid her anger when no results came up from the facial recognition. She was now running through all the security footage from Dullus from the last couple days hoping to get a hit.
"Hi," she smiled brightly at Tony.
Tony arched an eye brow at the forensic scientist. "What are you up to Abs?"
"Nothing Tony, I swear."
Tony walked over to the screen taking down the screen saver. "Where did you get this from?" There was a picture of Alex's face on the screen. There were markers present and it was running against the footage from an airport.
"Oh that. I was just trying to see if I could find out something about her. Do you know her last name?"
Tony thought back to the stunted conversations the two had had over the past couple of hours. She had been careful about not giving one. Tony shook his head a little. He was over thinking things right now.
"Sorry Abs, no last name."
"Damn. Sorry Tony. I didn't even ask you. Are you ok? This must be such a shock to you. Did the sperm bank really screw up? Are there other little DiNozzo's out there?"
"She wasn't made from that donation Abby."
"Oh, Tony, did you know? If you knew Tony," she threatened. "What am I saying? You're not like that. How did you know her mother?"
"I went on this cruise with some frat buds. Abby, Alex showed me a picture of her mom. She looks familiar and I know I've hooked up with her. I can remember the nights."
"Nights, Tony?"
"I can't for the life of me remember her name." Tony ignored the question. "I think it started with a G, Greta, Gretchen or Gemini."
"Gemini?"
"I don't know, Abs. How's the test going?"
"My babies are working as fast as they can, Tony." Abby looked embarrassed. "I'm sorry Tony I shouldn't have said that."
"It's fine Abby, just a word."
Alex had just gotten out of the shower. She heard rustling outside of the bathroom. Alex went on high alert mode. She quickly wrapped the towel around her body. She grabbed the gun she had on the bathroom counter and aimed it in front of her.
"Mother?" Alex stared at the woman sitting on her bed.
"Put that gun down," her mother rushed out in Russian.
"I thought you had business in London."
"Careful with your words. Anyone could be listening?"
"Doubtful, I checked. I knew I should have double latched the door."
"What are you doing in DC?" She curiously looked at her nails as if the answer met nothing.
"Don't be thick, Mother," Alex responded fast, still speaking the language she had learned as a very small child.
"Find one picture of your Papa and you go run off looking for him."
"I just wanted to meet him. I'll be on the next flight out to Berlin tomorrow night. You didn't need to come all the way over here."
"Plans changed, business led me here anyway. How was your trip to NCIS?"
"It was perfectly fine," she bit back any remarks.
"Well I need you to do me a favor," her Mother started.
"Mother no. This was meant to be a walk in and walk out thing. No attachments. Committing some illegal act will get me on one of their most wanted lists for sure."
"All I want you to do is run the name Derrick Volker through their case files."
"Mother, are you kidding? How am I supposed to be left alone with one of their computers in order to hack that type of information? Why can't you just let that go?" Alex let out a huff of annoyance.
"You won't even try for your Mother?" Her words were tethered with guilt.
"The only time you're my mother is when we're completely alone from the outside world or you need something."
Her mother got up from her seat on the bed. She ran her fingers through her daughter's hair. "You have his eyes and smile. Please, just do this for me."
Alex huffed. "You need to leave. I don't want anyone running into us together."
She kissed her daughters cheeks, "Thank you."
"You should be leaving," she pointed to the door.
"Hi Tony," Alex opened the car door and entered.
"Everything ok at the hotel?"
Alex looked startled, "Its fine. The service is acceptable."
Tony took off driving toward the Italian restaurant. The car ride would have made silent and awkward a day at Disneyland; half spoken syllables and croaking noises from misspoken sentences filled the journey.
Tony and Alex followed the hostess to a two person table. They ordered their drinks and sat quietly.
"Does your mother know you're here? Is she here in DC?" Tony hadn't even thought to ask.
"Oh of course…" Alex answered nonchalantly. "She knows I'm here, class field trip, but unfortunately she couldn't come along, business and such."
"I feel stupid for asking this but what's your full name?"
"It's Alexia Deanna Woods. I'm only going to be here tonight and tomorrow. I have to get back to school in Seattle. My school came out to see the capitol."
"Short visit?"
"Well we got here a couple days ago. It took me awhile to work up the courage to go to NCIS."
"Does your school-"
"Sort of. They know I have 'family' here. My mom worked it out with them."
"I'm glad you wanted to meet me," Tony stated awkward.
"Me too. I've always been curious." A look of guilt floated across Tony's face. "Please don't feel bad. I know you knew nothing about me till now. Mom, I'm not exactly sure. She doesn't like to talk about it. Grandpa kicked her out when he found out and she was determined to make it on her own. I realize that is totally unfair for you."
"I knew there was a chance this could have happened."
"Get around a lot?" Alex laughed.
Tony laughed shallowly, "Yes, but I've always been safe." Tony laughed self consciously again. "I really know how to put my foot into my mouth. No one wants to hear about their parent's protection," Alex could help but giggle. "What I meant to say is that I once donated sperm my freshman year in college and there was always…"
Alex burst out in a rush of laughter, "Condom use is off the limits but we can talk about how you jerked off in a cup freshman year of college."
"Way to put it boldly. I like it."
"That has to be the best ice breaker. So do I have any brothers or sisters?" Alex smile fell a little, "Of course I mean theoretically. The results aren't in yet."
"No. No one wanted my sp… it."
Alex's smile spread across her whole face. "That's too bad. They messed up on the genetic upside."
"DiNozzo's were meant for greatness."
Alex just chuckled.
Dinner had actually turned into a fun event. The conversation was easy going and they barely noticed that two hours had passed.
"Want the rest of my cheesecake? I don't think I can eat another bite or I'll burst."
"Pass it over."
"Whoever thought turning Cannoli's into a cheesecake were Gods. It was like heaven in my mouth. Although… Nothing beats eating a Cannoli and sipping espresso in Florence, even though they are Sicilian."
"You've been to Italy. I went to Paris recently. The city… beautiful," a grin spread across his face.
"There's always a, Je ne sais pas ce que, about Paris."
"Do you speak French?" Tony took a big bite, nearly dropping half of it on his lap.
"Many languages actually," she took a sip of her water.
"I think I remember that. Your mother was a really great translator."
Alex had a hard time picturing her mother helping another person out from the kindness of her heart. "It's still kind of early. Do you want to go see a movie?"
"I believe a new Gerard Butler action movie came out this weekend or we can go to this old theatre down town. They're playing The Birds tonight." Tony looked excited.
"I've never seen it. I don't really have time to see many movies or to get out much."
"Not see movies? Next time you're in DC we should have a classics marathon. Casablanca, Strangers on a Train and The Godfather Trilogy."
Alex took a deep breath, "That would be fun."
The movie ended and Tony could not stop laughing at the look permanently sketched across her face. "How can you laugh? What if something in the Eco-system caused them to freak out like that for real?"
"Its fiction, made up for entertainment."
"It's scary. I don't think I can ever see a crow and feel the same way." Alex yawned.
"It's getting late I should probably get you back to the hotel."
"No way. We should go do something. We should go see the Lincoln Memorial."
"Didn't see it on your class field trip?"
Alex smiled and shook her head, "It was scheduled for today. I missed it."
"Alright come on." Alex jumped into the car. Tony took off, while Alex messed with his CD's. "Michael Bublé and John Mayer?" she eyed him curiously.
Tony grabbed the two CD's and shoved them between his seat and the door, "Those are McGee's."
"Iron Spit?" Alex turned to him. "This band is amazing."
Tony looked at the dreaded CD Abby bought him last Christmas. "Yea they're pretty good."
Alex turned and made direct eye connect. She turned quickly away and put the CD in laughing. Loud acoustics and bass ripped through the speakers. The lead singer started to screech.
"Abby would love you," Tony tried to yell over the lead singer.
"That's the forensic lady right? She has some kick ass taste in music. She was playing Brain Matter earlier."
"I have no idea who that is?"
"I didn't think so," Alex lowered the music and then quickly changed the CD. "Nirvana, Grudge Rock will do."
"Music fanatic then?" Tony questioned.
"I'm not really a fanatic of anything. I like a little bit of everything. I like music. I don't really have a preference. I'm not a big Bublé fan but who can resist the charms of John Mayer's sweet melodies. He's like a pop radio god. I like movies. I can sit and watch comedies for hours and hours. I love books, anything from Charles Dickens to Stephenie Meyer. I loved the Twilight Saga, Team Edward all the way."
"I just finished the fourth one. I did not see the baby coming out of anywhere."
"I had a feeling, maybe, because none of her 'vampire rules' are not like the norm rules. That's why I like them. They were different. You must have enjoyed the teen angst."
"I just liked it. Don't make me explain it."
"No worries. I love the Deep Sixth books," Tony's brakes screeched.
"Aren't those a little old for you? Pimmy Jalmer has sex with a dead body!"
"It was just a dream. You work with dead bodies. Do you ever?" Alex turned a vicious smile in tow.
"That's disgusting. I would never. I'm not talking to you about this," Tony put his eyes on the road and hit the gas pedal as if he was Ziva.
"Lighten up," Tony had just turned the engine off. Alex was already jumping out of the car. "Wait a second. The guy, McGee?" Alex turned accusingly. "Is he Thom E. Gemcity? He looks just like the author." She paused to think and then it was like a light bulb went off. "Timothy McGee, that's a pretty good, nom de plume. Wow, that makes you, Agsnt Tommy. You can definitely see the chemistry building between Tommy and Lisa," she eyed him curiously, "Are you and… Ziva?" she questioned. "Are you guys together in real life?"
"Rule number twelve."
"What?"
"Gibbs, my boss has a bunch of rules for work. Rule number three, never be unreachable, rule number nine, never go anywhere without a knife and rule number twelve, never date a co-worker."
"Like the book. Hmm… I don't know... there seems to be some teenaged angst between the two of you." Alex started to walk up the stairs. "Who knows maybe she's your Bella?" Alex ran up half the steps stopping almost to the top. "Or maybe you're her Jacob…" Tony ran up to catch up with her. He stopped to catch his breath. "…Minus the whole Nessie thing. That's slightly creepy. Wow it's a lot bigger than I thought." She changed subjects faster than a kid with ADHD on crack, "Have you ever done a murder scene here?"
"No."
"One of our greatest presidents, it really isn't as climatic as I thought it was going to be," she pushed her bangs out of her face to catch a glimpse of his face.
"What were you expecting?"
"I'm not sure," Alex turned back around and walked back to the steps sitting down. "I wonder which stairs are run up and down more. These ones? Or the ones in the Rocky film?"
"Rocky was a good movie." He sat down next to her, ignoring the voice in his head saying, dry cleaning bill, "More than once I've wanted to go to Philly just to buy a sweat suite and run those stairs."
"What's stopping you?"
"Too much work, not enough alcohol and my dignity."
"All three very good reasons," Alex nodded. She felt a buzzing in her pocket. She quickly read the text and shut her phone. "We should probably be heading back to the hotel. My roommate just texted me."
Tony pulled up to the Day's Inn. "Do you need me to pick you up?"
"I'll just take a cab. I'll be there around ten?"
Alex entered NCIS and the same receptionist smiled at her. She was already filling out her visitor pass before she got off the phone with Tony. It only took him minutes to make it to the front office.
"Abby says she has a feeling her babies going to be spitting out the results soon. We should start walking up there."
Alex followed Tony into her lab. Abby had a huge smile on her face when she entered. A piece of paper was in her hands when she ran up and hugged the unsuspecting teenager. "Welcome to the family."
Tony snatched the paper out of Abby's hand. He read over the results and took a deep breath. He was actually a little relieved the results were positive. He didn't have to worry about his little DiNozzo's anymore. He had one. His duties were now fulfilled.
"Abby let her go. You're smothering the kid."
"Shut up Tony. She has your eyes," Abby turned and smiled.
"I know Abby. I'm not blind." Tony didn't want Alex to freak out.
"Can we tell Gibbs now? He came down here yesterday. I told him I couldn't tell him because it was private and personal," Abby admitted.
"You didn't tell him," Tony grumbled. "I was expecting you to spill the beans so I didn't have to."
"He's really not that scary, Tony."
"But you're his favorite, Abs," He argued.
"Ok, fine, you're worse then McGee," she rolled her eyes and gave up.
"Why don't you both tell him," Alex suggested. Both smiled and nodded at the great compromise. "Maybe I should stay here, though. He was looking at me weird yesterday."
Abby pulled her chair and made Alex sit. "Sit here and don't move. I know Gibbs can be scary but really he's a big softy on the inside. Come on Tony." She took pity on the young girl.
The second the elevator doors closed, Alex turned to Abby's computer. She typed in the name in the NCIS database. An open case from over a decade ago was sitting in the archives. It wasn't even sealed. The hacking barely took anytime at all. Alex quickly downloaded it into her jump drive and deleted the search results off the computer and the server.
She was faster than she thought but she was definitely happy to have time to not feel so anxious. She had had a chance to scan the file quickly. There were even security pictures of her and Derrick. She had totally been shocked to see Ballon-Typen and now he has a name for his face.
"Gibbs," Abby strolled up to the man's desk with Tony trailing a step or two behind her. "I can tell you now."
"Alright Abs," Gibbs looked over at DiNozzo but he could tell it was easier for him to let Abby do all the talking.
"Tony has a daughter. I just finished the DNA analysis."
It took all of his military training for Gibbs to keep a straight face. "Is this true, DiNozzo?"
"Tony?" Ziva asked stunned from her seat.
"Yea Boss. She just showed up yesterday. I had no idea her mom was even pregnant."
"Where is your kid, DiNozzo?"
"She's in Abby's lab. She was kind of afraid of you."
"Who wouldn't be," Abby smiled.
"You left her unattended in your lab?" Gibbs asked incredulous.
"I told her not to touch anything," Abby stated like that meant everything.
Gibbs got up from his desk and the rest of the team followed after him. When they got to the lab both Abby and Tony were shocked to see the girl gone. Abby checked in the back room but she was no where to be seen. Tony called the front desk and they had said she had exited the building and hopped straight into a cab.
"Abby is anything missing?" Abby went through all the lists of evidence present.
"No Gibbs, everything is the way I left it. She didn't touch anything."
"What about the computers?"
McGee and Abby moved over to the screens. "This computer is still running facial recognition. Oh no."
"What?" Gibbs asked.
"She probably saw that I was running her face through security footage and freaked out and left. I mean, how would you feel? Gibbs I'm such a bad aunt."
"Abby," McGee put a comforting arm on her shoulder.
"I'm so sorry Tony. We should call the Day's Inn and see if she checked out?"
Abby pulled the number off the computer in a flash and handed it over to Tony. "Hi this Special Agent DiNozzo of NCIS- Naval Criminal Investigations; I was wondering if," Tony looked guilty. He hadn't even asked what school she was attending, "Have any school groups checked out today?"
"We don't have any school groups staying with us at the moment," he stated over the phone.
Tony knew something was up, "How about a girl, mid to late teens, she has brown hair and green eyes. She was staying at your hotel last night. She was wearing a dark purple hoodie. May go by the name of Alex?"
"Oh I remember her. She stayed in," Tony could hear keyboards clicking, "room 408."
"Can you email a copy of the ID she used?"
"She paid cash."
Tony flipped the phone shut. "Abby has the computer spit out any information on the facial recognition."
"Not yet. What's wrong Tony?" He looked like he needed a hug.
"The front desk said she had only stayed a night with them and she wasn't a part of a school trip."
"Maybe she ran away from home to meet you," Abby tried to come up with the least incriminating theory.
"Nothing came up on missing persons yesterday?" Gibbs asked.
"No but I can run it again," she turned to her computer, quickly typing in some information.
"Tony," Gibbs stated.
"Boss I have bad feeling about this. My gut is telling me there is something off about this whole thing."
"Check into it."
Gibbs walked out of the room with Ziva following after him. She had offered to call a couple of her contacts to see if they had heard anything about the girl. Tony put his phone away into his pocket when he felt a piece of paper. He pulled it out and a number was scribbled across it.
"Abby I need you to see if you can track this," he handed her the phone number.
Abby and McGee put the number into the computer. The phone was on but there was no GPS. McGee tried to look for the cellular company but nothing came back from the results. "Tony it's a burn phone."
"Are you sure McGee? Maybe the phone just doesn't have GPS?" He moved to stand next to him and read the information with his own eyes.
"Tony it's not registered with any of the cellular providers. I'm positive. The best I can do, is give you the cell tower." McGee handed over the information.
"Isn't that out by the Dock's McGee? That's a big shipping district," the area registered from when he had been locked in a storage unit with Ziva.
All of a sudden a ping came from Abby's computer. "The computer got something off the airport security footage." Abby typed something quickly into the computer and a copy of a red passport emerged onto the screen. "This doesn't make any sense." The passport had a picture of Alex but the passport itself was French. "She got here yesterday morning from Paris. It says her names Corrine Danielle Moreau. Tony, I think we need to get Gibbs."
"You should call her," Ziva offered.
Tony picked up the phone and held in his hands. He took a stilled breath and dialed. It took a couple of rings but she answered. "Hello," a voice spoke hesitantly over the line.
"Alex, where did you go?"
"Tony?" she asked confused. "I forgot I gave you this number."
"Are you ok?"
"I'm fine. I got to go Tony. I'm really glad I got to meet you."
"McGee," Tony turned to the Junior Agent.
He answered back as fast as the words would come out. "I can't trace the call, but she's still in the same place. She shut off her phone though. I can't remotely turn it back on. She must have taken out the battery."
"That's a too large of a place to canvas," Ziva noted.
"Tony, Ziva, head down there. You might get lucky. McGee, see if there anything you can find out on the computer. Abby run her face through Interpol." Gibbs ordered.
"Elise," Alex walked into the storage room.
"Corrine," her mother stared into the girl's green eyes.
"Did you get what I needed?"`
"Yea I did. What's the big rush?" She pulled out the phone and showed her the message.
"We're getting on the next flight out of here. And so you know they've flagged your passport," her mother handed her a new passport like it was nothing to even get upset over. It was one of the one's they had on standby in case of emergencies. "It's a private flight but no reason not to be careful."
"Well I'm sorry Elise. How was I supposed to know? Well, maybe if you hadn't shown up and ruined my entire cover," she glared noticeably displeased.
"You shouldn't have come here in the first place. You're way too curious for your own good," her mother scolded.
Alex bit her tongue. She had to hold back all her rage. "Well be happy," Alex threw the jump drive over to her mother. "Good thing I was curious. I got what you needed."
"All things have silver linings," she smiled. "The flight leaves in a couple of hours."
"Well I'm going to go get something to eat. Be back soon."
"Be careful. They might have a BOLO out on you."
"Yes, Elise." Alex walked hastily out of the building. She had been on the verge of doing something stupid.
Alex walked down the street at a faster pace than usual. She needed time to cool off. There wasn't much around but there was a sandwich shop a couple blocks away. She walked in and ordered pastrami on rye. It didn't take long with her being the only customer. Alex had taken her last bite when she noticed someone walk past the window.
Alex was already spotted. She got up from her seat. She didn't need for him to come inside and cause a scene. "What are you doing here?" Alex asked stunned. She looked around the vicinity for anyone else. Tony's team could come out of the word work from anywhere.
"Who are you?" Tony asked back following her down the street when she started to head west. He reached into his pocket to grab his phone to quickly text Ziva. Alex spun around fast and had the phone out of his hands before he even saw her coming. She pulled the battery out and Tony watched the phone shatter on the ground.
"You need to get of here."
"Well, you need to come with me," Tony grabbed her in order to cuff her. Alex pulled out fast almost flinging him to the ground.
"What are you arresting me for?"
"How about assaulting a federal officer?" Alex rolled her eyes and then took off down the street. Tony got up quickly and chased after her.
"Damn it. Stop," Tony yelled.
Alex stopped abruptly when a van emerged out of no where. She took a deep breath when the door opened and her mother and three men were inside. "Grab him," her mother ordered.
Tony hadn't pulled out his gun but he went for it when two men emerged from the van. They grabbed him quickly, overpowering him. He was only able to get one shot off and he hoped Ziva heard in time. The men pulled Tony into the van and quickly tied his arms and legs together.
"Elise what the hell, are you doing?" Alex screamed at her mother.
"Corrine, you never know how to be careful. Have I taught you nothing?"
"He's a federal agent. What are we going to do now?"
"I will handle it Corrine. Don't start panicking."
"He didn't do anything wrong. We should just drop him off on the side of the road," Alex stared at her mother.
"I told you I will handle it."
Alex stared over at her father, "What are you going to do?"
"Corrine, please." She quickly changed to Russian. "Do not act like a baby. I will do what is needed."
Alex stared into her eyes and answered in the same language, "You're going to kill him. Why would you do that? He did nothing. When did you start murdering people?"
"Sometimes loose ends need to be cut off."
"You can't do this," Alex glared.
"Quiet."
Alex stared over at Tony. He was tied up and gagged. She couldn't help feeling guilty. When she came to DC all she wanted to do was meet her father. She should have known her mother would follow her there. Things didn't add up though. How did her mother know NCIS was behind the whole Derrick thing?
They reached the air strip. Her mother quickly grabbed her bags walking into the hanger. Two of the men followed her. Alex watched them enter the plane.
The one left behind turned to her, "You should leave. You don't want to see this."
Alex stared over at Tony and then exited the van. The man pulled out his gun, a silencer already attached. A piece of medal shined, glinting from the sun. Alex quickly picked it up and swung. The man hit the ground, out cold.
Alex reached for her knife and moved back into the van. She lowered the handkerchief stuffed into his mouth. "Decided to off me yourself?"
"I didn't know they were going to kill you. I would never have meant to put you into this much danger. I have to go." Alex handed Tony the knife behind his back. She dropped her phone beside him. "Cut yourself loose and then call for help. I got to go. I'm sorry." Alex rushed out of the car and into the hanger.
She rushed into the plane and told them that they needed to leave, now.
Tony explained what happened for the second time.
"Gibbs she saved my life."
"You said at one point they were speaking Russian."
"I know Russian normally makes people sound angry but they sounded like they were in an argument."
"Who the hell is she?" McGee asked aloud.
"How could she have faked a DNA test?" Ziva turned to Abby.
"She didn't fake a DNA test," Abby answered Ziva. "For one I took the DNA from her and second there was no way she could fake it. She's Tony daughter. I'm a hundred percent positive."
"McGee did anything come back off the burn phone?" Gibbs turned to the most technical member of the team. He needed answers.
"There have been one outgoing call but that was to Tony. There was one text message and a call from another burn phone. Essentially we have nothing," McGee stared at the rest of the team feeling a little bad that he couldn't give any helpful information. No one seemed to have any luck. Who ever she was, she was good.
A couple of weeks passed and nothing had changed. There was no word on Alex or Corrine. Tony was going through his mail quickly before Gibbs got back from his coffee run. He had a post card. It was addressed to him but on the back the message line was empty. Tony turned it around. It was a picture of a man at the park handing out balloons to children. The man was circled. Tony checked the postage, Moscow.
"McTim, what do you make of this?" Tony handed over the post card.
"I don't know some creepy message from a scorned ex-girlfriend," McGee took a short glance and then handed it back.
"I don't think so McGoo. I don't remember going to some park handing out balloons."
Gibbs pulled the post card out of Tony's hand. He looked over it with great detail, "When did you get this?"
"I just got it today boss." Gibbs nodded his head and took off towards the stairs. "Where are you going, Boss?"
"MTAC."
Gibbs stood waiting for the feed to be open.
"What do I owe the pleasure," the younger NCIS agent answered.
"Did you get my email?"
"Actually I did. Never, did I think the day would come, when I'd get an email from the great Leroy Jethro Gibbs."
"What do you make of it Callen?" Gibbs asked no nonsense in his voice.
"Are you asking me if I believe this has anything to do with Claudia Slavina?"
"It was sent to my senior field agent. It was post marked from Moscow. The person took the time to circle the man," Gibbs stated bluntly, the only way he knew how. He wasn't known for subtle.
"Any prints off of it?" Callen asked back, trying to take in as much information.
"Abby is analyzing it now," he stated firmly.
"I heard your senior field agent was kidnapped by his daughter and her mother." Gibbs stopped almost stunned. "Gibbs?" came from the large plasma screen.
Gibbs held out his hand and picked up his cell phone. "McGee, email the picture of Tony's daughter to Agent Callen." Gibbs ended the call and quickly called Abby. "Anything yet Abs?"
"There is like twenty figure prints on this thing Gibbs. Not to mention the trace evidence all over it. At least three match personnel from NCIS," there was a ding; "Gibbs there was a match. It matched the print we pulled off Tony's daughter's cell phone. Alex or Corrine, she touched the post card."
"Thanks, Abs," Gibbs shut his phone and looked up to see Callen staring at his phone.
"Gibbs," Callen's voice held an edge of emotion.
"Damn it," Gibbs let out a rush of anger. "I knew I had known her from somewhere. She recognized me the second we met."
"It's not your fault Gibbs," Callen wasn't good at trying comfort people. "That case was a mess. Claudia was a step ahead of us the entire time. I underestimated her and got too close to the kid." Callen tried not to remember one of his worst cases, he should have protected her. She had been so sweet and innocent.
"She was here right under my nose. Her mother kidnapped Tony."
"She's gotten sloppy. There hasn't been anything on her. She's good at changing her identities, hiding bank accounts. That woman has more aliases…"
"Then you?"
Callen looked away and then quickly back, "Probably the only person in the world that does. Where do we go from here Gibbs?"
"I'll get back to you," Gibbs cut off the feed. He needed to get down stairs.
"McGee I need you to download this file," Gibbs gave the case file number.
"On it, Boss," McGee put the case number in and soon an open cold case appeared on the screen. "I'm putting it on the plasma now. This was your case, Boss."
"I know that McGee. I need you to see if you can find anything on the woman Claudia Slavina. I also need you to email all the surveillance pictures to Abby. Ziva I need you to call any of your contacts and see if they have any leads on her."
"Boss?" Tony asked.
"Help McGee. I got to go see Abby."
Gibbs walked into Abby's lab. She looked over to him eyes wide. "Has Tony seen these? That's her Gibbs. That's Tony's daughter in the picture, Gibbs."
"Are you sure?"
Abby turned and glared. "Science doesn't lie Gibbs. That's her. I'm positive. What do we do?"
"I need you to run her face and Claudia's through any database capable."
"Got it Gibbs," Gibbs turned to walk away. "Gibbs?"
"Yea Abs," he turned back.
"So is she Mira or Alex or Corrine?"
"Probably none of the above, her sister has been careful."
Gibbs and the team had been searching for a week and they had nothing. Gibbs got a call from a blocked number. "Hello Ballon-Typen."
Gibbs took a deep breath, "Mira or should I say Alex."
"I'd prefer Alex. I never really liked the name Mira." Gibbs ushered for McGee to trace the call.
"What can I do for you?"
"I thought you should know she's after Callen," Gibbs took a deep breath, "When I was in NCIS I accessed the file, Derrick Volker is Special Agent G. Callen."
"Your sister, Claudia?"
"She's not my sister. She's my mother. You should hurry; she knows he's in LA." The phone went dead.
"McGee," he turned to the young agent.
"Sorry Boss, but she used VOIP. I can't trace it."
Gibbs picked up his phone and dialed Callen's number. "Gibbs?"
"Claudia knows you're in LA. She knows your real name."
Gibbs could hear the smile in his voice. "Well she was bound to find out the truth."
"My team is going to be on the next flight out."
"Got it, I'll inform Hetty."
Gibbs, Tony and Ziva landed in LA. The last time he was here floated through Tony's head.
"Are you ok, DiNozzo?" Ziva asked.
"I'm fine, Ziva. Let's just get to NCIS."
The team entered the run down building that was hiding the location of special projects. A very short, women addressed them, "Special Agent Gibbs," she smiled. "It has been a very long time."
"Hetty," Gibbs smiled back, "I wish it was on better circumstances."
"As do I Agent Gibbs. Let me show you to Agent Callen and Hana. They've been working with Miss Scuito and Agent McGee while you were on your plane. Unfortunately nothing of interest has come up."
"Not that shocking. This woman is very good at hiding."
Everyone was quickly introduced once they were upstairs. Gibbs was talking to McGee over the feed to MTAC when Eric got an alert.
"Mr. Beal?" Hetty questioned.
"Someone's just pulled up to the building." Eric pulled up the security footage. A very familiar girl walked up to the front door and… knocked.
Agents ran downstairs all pulling out their loaded guns. Gibbs gave the signal to Callen and opened the door.
"Put your hands up?"
Alex did immediately.
"Up against the wall."
She followed orders while she was quickly searched. All that was found on her was a knife in her shoe. Alex was cuffed and quickly brought inside. They placed a chair in the middle of the walkway for to her sit on.
"Mira?" Callen asked her.
"It's Alex," she returned.
"How did you find this place?"
The door was flung open, "Found this tracker in the car."
"As he said," she pointed to Sam, "I tracked the signal here."
"Tracked who?"
Alex turned to see her biological father. "I bugged his wallet." Tony pulled out his wallet and searched for the bug. He pulled everything apart and couldn't find anything. "I could show you."
Callen stared at the girl and then Gibbs. She had three armed agents with their guns still pointed at her. Callen uncuffed her and handed the wallet over. Alex unstitched a small thread and pulled out the bug and then quickly stitched it back together.
"A trick I picked up when I was eight. Growing up the way I did you can't be too careful."
Gibbs stared at the girl staring up at him. "Why come here?"
"I never wanted this to happen."
"Why show up at NCIS at all? What were you trying to accomplish?"
"I just wanted to meet him," the hurt was present in her voice. "I should have known." A look of betrayal crossed her face.
"What should you have known?"
"She tricked me. She planted the picture. She found out that Tony worked for NCIS and that was the only lead she had on finding Volker. I never thought she would try to kill him. I've never seen her, this bent on getting revenge."
"Why does she want Callen so much?" He asked.
"Oh come on Agent Gibbs. She's crazy, like bat shit nuts. You know that fine line between genius and insanity. She flew past it and never turned back."
"On the phone you said Claudia wasn't your sister. Care to explain."
Alex scrunched up her face, "She's my mother," she stated with disdain. Gibbs gave her his famous Gunny glare. She groaned, "What else do you want me to say?"
"Why does she say that you're her sister?"
"So I'm not as big of a threat. If I was known as her daughter there would be more of a bond and I could be used against her. As her sister, there would still be a bond but not something so strong."
"You are her daughter though?"
Alex let out a stunted laugh, "Not really Agent Gibbs. I'm a tool like everyone else is to her. She's only my mother when she wants something."
"Like Agent Callen's information?"
"I shouldn't have done that. It was really stupid. I should have known. It was such a predictable move on her part. Anyways she used my weakness."
"And what's that?"
"Tony," she stated plainly. "I've always wanted to know about him. " Alex refused to acknowledge the presence of anyone else in the room. "I should have just let him be." Alex got a glance of him out of her eye. "I'm sorry."
"You shouldn't…"
"Apologize? It's a sign of weakness. That's kind of the point isn't it?"
"What are you trying to accomplish?" Gibbs asked.
Alex stared directly into his eyes. Gibbs had never seen so much hate present in such a young girl. "I want to finish what you started. Take her down."
Gibbs heard the others in the room move awkwardly. He could tell some didn't believe what she was saying. "If I help you," Gibbs started. He didn't need to be convinced. "I need to know everything."
Alex lifted her hand to her neck. A silver locket was hanging loosely. Alex yanked until the chain broke. "That's all I got." Gibbs took the locket and opened it. Inside was a black and white picture of a young girl and her mother. Gibbs guessed it was her mother and grandmother. Behind the picture was a tiny microchip, similar to the one that Ducky had found embedded in the pregnant assassin years previously. "It's encrypted," she stated blankly.
Gibbs handed the locket over to Callen who handed it to Eric before running up the stairs. The room was silent. Not a word spoken until the young Mr. Beal stepped out onto the balcony.
"It's highly encrypted. It's probably going to take months to crack."
"Unless you had the password," Alex turned to the blond and smiled.
"Well yea," Eric wasn't used to talking to criminals. "Are you going to give it to me?"
Alex turned back to Agent Gibbs but couldn't help sneaking a glance at her father. His face was stone cold, not one common emotion showing through; expressionless.
"I help you get my mom. I'll tell you anything you want to know and you cut me a deal.
"What type of deal?"
Alex looked almost peaceful at the thought. "I want a new identity, a legal one. I'm tired of having to change my name and look over my shoulder. I never wanted this life in the first place."
"Give me the password and I can see what I can do."
Alex rolled her eyes. "I don't think so. I'm not stupid. You want my help, actually let me rephrase that. You need my help."
"Or I can arrest you right now, with kidnapping and attempted murder of a federal agent."
"I had nothing to do with that. I saved him."
"That's for a jury to decide."
Alex turned back to where Tony had been standing. He was gone. Alex turned quickly back to Gibbs and then to Eric. "431Au19c7v45wl9z." He looked at her with a little bit of a wide eye.
"It's only an eight digit code."
Alex shook her head, "Just plug it in. It will work."
Eric walked away and Gibbs handcuffed her back to the chair. "Don't go anywhere."
"Who knew you were capable of sarcasm."
Both teams were upstairs reading over the information the young girl had handed over. There were lists of known fugitives and what services had been given. It seemed her mother was a master money launderer, a true computer wizard. The amount of payments received and what other information that could be gathered, meeting addresses, contact information, safe houses, security passwords and protocols were present.
"This is a lot of information on a lot of very bad people," Hetty spoke aloud.
"That kid really put her neck out to get all this information, insurance policy or not," Sam responded.
"This is a lot of very important Intel. We'll need to inform the Director," Hetty turned to look at Gibbs.
"Inform him and make sure he contacts the attorney general. I'm going to go talk to her some more."
Alex was a little surprised when a chair scraped along the floor. She had expected to see Gibbs not the man she had been so desperate to meet.
"If my head didn't hurt so much I'm sure I could come up with some movie reference that compares to this moment."
"I wish I've seen more movies. I can't really help you out."
"I want you to answer some questions for me. I need you to be completely honest."
"Are these related to the microchip?"
He ignored the question and started. "What's your name?"
"I have a lot of those. You need to be a little more specific. What do I consider my name to be, my most used alias, or my birth name?" She asked blankly.
"You don't consider your birth name as your real name."
Alex shook her head, "Not at all."
"What do you consider as your real name then?"
"Well you see it's a little complicated. My mother's always had this back up name. Like it's our 'true' identity," Alex would have had better air quotes if she wasn't chained to a chair. "That's what I consider my name."
"And it is?"
"Alessia Katyana Rusakova," Alex stated. "That's why I told you to call me Alex."
Tony nodded, "And your birth name?"
"Mother's family didn't approve and they were suing for custody of me. She faked our deaths, car crash or something. You knew her as Giselle," the name brought back a quick flash of the pretty brunette on the white sandy beaches. "My name was Vittoria Eveline VonBerg."
"How much did you have to do with your mother's operation?"
"Not much, but I did start to help a couple of years ago. I'm a better hacker," Alex seemed resentful. "I've hacked some things for her but she didn't really want me to be too involved."
"Trying to keep you safe?"
Alex laughed, "I doubt it. She doesn't like that I'm better than her. I don't think she wanted her clients to go around her. After Volker," Alex paused. "Callen, she didn't let anyone close to her or me."
Gibbs entered the room after listening to the conversation. Tony looked up, "Hi Boss."
"You don't have to get up," Gibbs said seeing Tony edge off the seat.
"Yes Boss."
"Where is your mother now?" Gibbs asked.
"There's a house in Glendale. She's there now trying to track him down. I'm not dumb. I covered my tracks trying to get here. She knows, I think going after Callen is just stupid." Alex took a deep breath. "She thinks Tony got the one up and took down Manny. She thinks I nearly escaped."
"You gave us a lot of very useful information. The director is working out a deal with the attorney general. I think we can get you what you asked for."
"But?"
"If this take down goes bad and you are trying to double cross us. You can damn sure bet that you'll be locked up for the rest of your life. Understand?"
Alex took the threat completely seriously. That wasn't what she wanted at all. A brim of tears fell down her face. She felt so vulnerable. She couldn't even wipe them away.
She stared down trying not to let the two men see her cry, "All I want is some type of a semi normal life."
Alex felt the cuffs being removed. She quickly brought her hands to her face and wiped away the excess condensation. She looked over at Gibbs trying to convey her thank you.
She rubbed her wrist. They were a little sore. Gibbs turned to DiNozzo. "Can you handle watching her? Callen and I are going to survey the house and decide what's next. I don't want you anywhere near the bust. I don't want either of you anywhere near," he stated just in case she some how got away again.
"Got it Boss."
Gibbs turned to Alex for a reply, "Ja Ballon-Typen."
Gibbs looked annoyed. Tony looked confused. Alex just smiled wide. "Nothing to worry about Boss," Alex said quickly in Russian.
"Watch her DiNozzo." Gibbs walked towards Ziva and then Callen's waiting team.
Hetty came out of nowhere causing both Tony and Alex to take a shuddery breath in. "Hello Miss-"
"You can call me Alex."
"Well Miss Alex you have acquired some very useful information. I was wondering if you wouldn't mind answering some questions for me."
"Not at all," Alex smiled kindly at the older woman. She turned towards Tony. "Is that ok with you?"
Tony was slightly shocked that she asked for permission. "Anything that you can give I'm sure will be helpful."
"Serge Korsakov? How much do you know about this man?"
A scowl spread across her face. "I wish I knew a lot less." Alex took a deep breath. "He runs a sex trafficking ring. He drags women from Russia to America and uses them..." Alex bit her lip in anger.
"It's ok dear." Hetty patted her back.
"It's really not. This guy is a total womanizing pig. He hired Mother because she was the best at what she does. He wanted a bank account that no one could trace. He didn't treat her like complete crap but he was still a..." she was cussing in an assortment of languages. Tony got the impression Hetty understood most of them. "…Jerk. He paid a lot of money so it wasn't like she was going to turn it down. He offered to buy me from her," Alex almost threw up.
"I am so sorry. Are you sure the information you gave us was valid?"
"Are you kidding? I almost emailed that information to the FBI last year. I should have. That man is a creep," Alex started to cuss in another language again.
"You've done a lot of good here today, though I wish it could have come under different circumstances."
"I've done some things that I regret." She stated honestly, "I shouldn't be this young and hoping not to get charged with attempted murder."
"You have my word that Ill make a personal recommendation that you should not be charged."
Alex stared dumb founded, "thank you," she choked out. "That means a lot to me."
Gibbs and the team arrived back hours later. It seemed like they were planning a bust. Alex knew they should hurry. Sometimes her mother would get flighty with her safe houses.
"So?" Alex turned to Agent Gibbs.
"Kensi and Sam are still on the house. We're rounding up the Calvary," Callen spoke before Gibbs could. The glare was menacing.
"Anything you want to add, Agent Gibbs?"
"Shut it Callen," Gibbs glared. "We got news that your deal went through. Once we got her, everything will be finalized."
"Ok," Alex sat stoically. She just wanted this day to be over. "You should probably hurry up. Mother gets antsy sometimes."
"Is she expecting you?"
"I don't think so. She knows I'm mad at her about trying to off my..." Alex refused to finish.
Gibbs took point. Callen was right beside him when they entered the house. You could hear hushed tones upstairs and a television running in the room next to them.
It wasn't hard to clear out the bottom floor of the house. Barely a noise was created. They took heavy fire once on the second floor. Guards were posted with heavy machine guns. It took a couple of minutes to take them down.
The menacing look when Callen's eyes met Claudia's was frightening. The look of pure hatred was present. She didn't even hesitate, putting three bullets into his cavalier vest. He landed on the ground, in pain. Another gun shot rang out and Claudia hit the ground. He looked up and Kensi still had her gun drawn. She extended her hand out to Callen.
"You ok?"
"Just got the wind knocked out of me. No worries Kensi."
"Who said I was worrying Callen."
The two walked out of the secluded room and surveyed the scene. Two men were in cuffs and another three were on the ground dead. One of the NCIS agents were wounded but luckily enough no one important was going home in a body bag.
Callen entered the building. The girl was still sitting in the same place he had last seen her. She didn't look like she had moved an inch in the last couple of hours. He sat in the empty chair in front of her.
He tried to look into her eyes. He couldn't forget how this little girl had been so trusting and loving. She used to hold his hand and walk down the park. Of course he had been using her as a cover so he could talk to Gibbs. It had been a routine. Eat lunch, then an afternoon stroll to the park and the balloon man. But he always seemed to relish the time.
She would always refer to Gibbs as Ballon-Typen. She was learning German at the time. She never did pick up that Callen actually knew the balloon man. She would always run off to chase some type of animal, allowing Callen to relay some useful information.
"Something happened, didn't it?" she asked staring into his deep blue eyes.
"I wish I didn't have to tell you this-"
"She's dead?" her eyes filled with tears. "I thought," she choked. "I, I..." she stood up abruptly. I really need some air."
"Ok," Callen led her outside. She leaned against the wall, tears streaming down her face. Callen wanted to do something, but when it came to crying woman all of his instincts told him to run.
He saw her slide down the wall, hugging her knees and hiding her face. She sounded on the verge of hyperventilation. Hetty came out of no where rushing him away.
"Miss Alex, are you alright?" she asked.
Alex lifted her head. Her eyes were red and her face was moist. "I thought this would be easy."
"Turning in someone you love is probably going to be one of the hardest things you do in this life, but tonight's outcome was not your fault. You wanted to set things right. That takes a very courageous person. The way your mother chose to end was her decision, not yours."
"I knew this was a possibility. She's so stubborn. It's not even that's she gone. It's..." Alex stared guiltily at her. "I feel relieved."
"There is nothing wrong with that reaction. She caused you a lot of hurt and pain. We have a psychologist would you like to talk to him?"
"Nate?" she asked.
Hetty had a knowing look cross her face. "He's already spoken with you."
"After Gibbs left, he was concerned. I'm pretty sure he just wanted to evaluate me."
"Well I see. How about a cup of tea, then?" She offered.
"I don't really drink tea."
"Well I'm positive you've never had a cup anything like mine."
"I would love to try some, thank you," she gave a half smile.
Callen entered the room watching Alex interact with Hetty. He could make out the gloom surrounding her.
"Callen," Hetty greeted. "Can I get you a cup of tea?"
"Actually I want to talk to Alex, if you don't mind."
Alex stood up from her seat. "Thank you for the cup of tea. It was delicious."
Alex followed Callen outside. They sat down next to each other staring at the falling sun. Alex started in Russian, "What did you want to talk about?"
"I wanted to apologize."
Alex looked around her trying to spot someone, "I was expecting Agent Gibbs to come out of nowhere. Apologizing is a sign of weakness."
"Not among friends."
"We're friends?" she asked sarcastically.
"I was your friend. I shouldn't have left you with her. I knew there was something wrong the night I dropped you off. We were after who she was working for. We should have picked her up."
"You don't need to apologize. This isn't your fault at all."
"Do you think this is yours?"
"Not all of it but I could have left. I should have told Tony the truth. I almost got him killed. Ask Gibbs?"
"Gibbs is really a big softy on the inside."
"Is that so, Callen," Gibbs appeared out of nowhere.
"I'm delirious from work," Alex grinned at Callen's comment.
"We need to talk about the deal you made?"
Alex's eyes widened. "Are you sending me to jail?"
"Gibbs," Callen started.
"Get of here, Callen." Callen walked away. After Gibbs was sure he was gone, he continued, "No ones going to jail. We want a written report on everything you can give us. All the knowledge of what your mother worked on, passwords to her computers..."
"Got it."
"Then the other part of the deal."
Alex nodded. Gibbs started to walk away. "And what about my mother? Her, her body?"
Gibbs took a deep breath and turned back to the young girl. "We're going to have to inform her parents."
Alex stood up outraged, "My grandparents?" she started to cuss under her breath. The conversation quickly turned to English once Gibbs had arrived. "What are you going to tell them? That their daughter faked her death and became a renowned Cyber criminal?"
"Not exactly."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"All we're going to say is that she faked hers and yours death to hide from them and now she died."
"You'll break their hearts."
"There's nothing I can do."
"Wait just a moment. Did you say your?"
"They're your living relatives."
"No way. This isn't what we agreed to."
"You said you wanted a semi normal life."
"Not this way." Alex glared. "You can't make me go."
Gibbs glared back. There seemed to be a fight of wills. No one would stand down.
"How long have they been glaring at each other like that?" Sam asked Callen.
"Twenty minutes."
"My bets on Gibbs," Kensi smiled, "He was a marine."
"I don't know Kenz. It was hell trying to put her to bed as a kid."
"You were scared of a kindergartener?" Sam taunted.
"She was a vicious one," Callen smiled.
"Am I interrupting something? Oh dear," Hetty stared at the two and then walked out onto the patio. "Special Agent Gibbs, Miss Alex would you like me to get Nate?" Neither of the two stopped glaring.
"Oh both are showing very dominating stances. Gibbs obviously alpha male but she's a little trickier. She's not so much an alpha female, but back her into a corner and she'll definitely do more than a little damage."
"A mini Kensi," Callen joked.
"What is happening?" The Israeli woman walked over to the group staring out the window. "This is not good. My money is on Gibbs." she said staring at the scene in front of her.
"I agree. She may be a good fighter," Kensi started.
"But Gibbs is better." Ziva finished.
Hetty had given up and Nate didn't want to intervene unless he had to. This was going nowhere and Alex thought maybe a compromise could work.
"I'll be eighteen in a couple of years. Just send me off to college. I'm sure I could fit in just fine."
"Not happening," both still glared at each other.
"What if you lived with me?" Alex swung around at Tony's voice.
"What? You want me? I almost got you killed."
"You didn't do it on purpose," he reminded.
Alex turned her head back at Gibbs to see his reaction. His face was blank. "She's your kid, DiNozzo. It's your decision."
"So what do you say?"
"Seriously," Alex smiled wide.
Alex fulfilled every detail of her plea agreement. Her grandparents had been informed on her mother's real death and were notified that their granddaughter was living with her biological father and at her time of her choosing would contact them when and if both parties wanted to meet.
Callen had given Alex his number and now she was choosing a new name on the plane ride to her new home. Abby would actually be setting up her new identity.
"Does he always look like that when he sleeps?" The, for now, Alex
questioned.
"He was a marine," Tony answered back like it should explain it all.
"I thought there was no such thing as a past tense marine."
"There is no such thing as an ex-marine."
"What if they were dishonorably discharged?"
"Then they weren't a marine in the first place. I think," Tony went back to reading his magazine. It wasn't actually that hard to talk to his, sort of, criminal daughter.
It was quiet for a couple minutes. "So what do you think of the name Veronica?"
"Like Archie and Veronica?"
"Isn't that a comic book?"
"Your point?"
"I just thought comics would be a more of a McGee thing than a, you thing."
"McGeek does read comics and everyone knows Archie and Veronica."
"Fine but what do you think of the name?"
Tony put his magazine down and then took a good look at her, "No kid of mine is being named Veronica," he quickly lifted up the magazine once more.
She made a disconcerting noise, "What would you name me then?"
"I should have that choice?" Tony looked thoughtful.
"That's not why I said that."
"Too late."
Alex sat back without any fight in her, "It better not be something stupid like Antoinette. I'm not a junior."
Tony grimaced, remembering his childhood nickname. "I'm not that evil."
The plane landed and Tony retrieved their baggage. "You don't have a lot of stuff."
"You can't really acquire much when you're on the run your entire life."
"Gotcha," Tony followed Gibbs to where Probie was waiting for them in the blue dodge. They loaded the bags into the trunk ready to head off to NCIS.
Gibbs had taken the keys from McGee. Alex took shot gun and locked the front door before anyone could get to it. All three Agents glared distastefully at her. They all squeezed in the back seat.
Alex reached for the radio when Gibbs head slapped her, "My car, my radio."
"Don't get your panties twisted in a bunch," Alex retorted in Russian.
Both Tony and McGee turned to Ziva for translation. "I do not speak Russian but it was something about women's under garments."
Alex was too side tracked expecting Gibbs rebuttal when the impending head slap came from behind her. "Ow," she glared at Tony. "You don't even know what I said."
"I know it wasn't nice."
The car ride remained silent on the rest of that way to the building. Alex jumped out of the car and was soon lead into the familiar building. Abby was waiting with a slight glare adorning her face.
"Cut her some slack, Abby. You read the report."
Abby's face brightened slightly but only just. She led them to a different computer. "Have you come up with another name?" Abby questioned.
Before the teenager could answer back snippily, "I decided I'm going to name her." Tony cut in. Abby smiled remembering when he named himself Gus. "Schuyler Abigail DiNozzo," Tony wasn't sure Abby was going to take that as a compliment or not.
There was wide smile spread across her face, "That's so sweet Tony." She quickly turned to the young girl. "You better live up to the name."
"I'll try my best, Abby." Abby gave her a quick smile and then went to fill in the rest of the data, birth records and such.
Abby showed her the information, born in Ohio, Dad was Tony, birthday was, "That's Hitler's birthday."
Abby looked a little guilty and then changed it to the eighteenth. She printed it out. "Memorize this, then burn it."
Schuyler followed Tony up into the bull pen. McGee was reading through his email when both DiNozzo's entered the room. "So what did you pick?" he asked Tony. Schuyler handed over the print out. McGee scanned the page. "Your initials are SAD?"
Ziva looked up from her computer. "Why are her initials unhappy?"
McGee rolled his eyes, "They are SAD." The now, Schuyler tore the paper out of his hand and gave it to Ziva.
"They spell sad. Why did you just say so?"
"Someone want to show me the paper?" Gibbs asked staring at his squabbling team. Ziva handed it over. "Schuyler?"
She turned around and cocked an eyebrow. "Yes," she asked.
"Does Abby know your middle name?"
"She was thrilled when Tony picked it." Gibbs nodded and went back to his work. Schuyler stood in the middle of the bull pen trying to figure out where to go. "When's your birthday?"
"April 18, 1994."
"Where were you born?"
"At home, by a midwife in Columbus, Ohio," she stated firmly.
Gibbs handed back the paper and went back to what he was doing. Schuyler made herself comfortable against Tony's filing cabinet. She took her iPod out of her pocket and started to let the music rain in from the ear buds.
An hour or so later Tony pulled one out. "Skye let's go home."
Schuyler entered Tony's apartment. It wasn't overtly big but there was a spare bedroom. Tony led her to the room and opened the door. Both were surprised when it was completely redecorated.
The room was black with rainbow accents, heavy on the indigo and violet. There was a note on the bed addressed from Abby.
Welcome to the family.
"I guess Abby doesn't hate me after all. She got this done pretty fast."
"Most of the furniture was all here before," Tony informed.
Schuyler sat down on her bed. It was nice to know there wasn't going to be any reason she would have to abruptly leave it. "So what's for dinner?"
"How does Chinese sound? Most of the take out has probably gone bad."
"I cook you know," she smiled brightly at him.
"Well?"
"Yes well. I wouldn't have said I could if I couldn't actually create something not just edible but tasty too. Can we go grocery shopping tomorrow?" She attempted puppy eyes.
"No ones that chipper about going to a store."
"I've never had this before," she stated clearly touching the counter.
"Had what before?" Tony was going through his mail.
"You know a home. We had safe houses. Not some place that I was positive I could come home to every night."
Tony had put down the mail. "I'm glad you like it here. All we need to do is enroll you in school. Abby's getting all papers together and maybe while we're waiting we can look at the one Hetty offered to get you in to."
Tony ordered quickly and then sat in front of his notebook computer. Schuyler sat next to him staring at the available school. "This doesn't look too bad, Stratford Academy."
"It's private. Look at the uniforms. I would have to wear a skirt every day," she stared down at her beloved jeans.
"Hetty already offered to speak with the head master." He went on. "She said he owed her a favor and that you were a shoe in."
Schuyler went back to staring at her jeans. "But look at this one." She opened a new tab. "It's only a mile away from here and we live in the district."
"It's better to have you closer to work," he smirked at her.
"Any way I can talk you into this one?"
"Not a chance."
Schuyler stared at the stupid skirt on the wall of the store. She had lived with Tony for three days and on Monday she would be starting school.
"Look at the bright side," Abby offered. She had come along to help keep Schuyler in a good mood, "At least it's black and gray."
"Some schools do have some really horrible color choices," she tried to see the good in awful turn of events.
Abby picked up a bunch of skirts, plus matching vests and jackets. She seemed to know what she was doing, so Schuyler let her do her thing. They walked up to the register with Tony's credit card in hand.
"Tony made me send Hetty, a thank you basket with a hand written card for getting me into Stratford."
"That's just good manners. I'm sure it won't be too bad. Just be happy there are no nuns."
Schuyler actually smiled at that, "I did get a pretty phone." She held up the new iPhone. "McGee is going to be so jealous." at that the phone went off. "Hello," she answered. "Abby and I are almost done... Yes we got all the stuff on the school list... No, none of it is against school regulation... I promise not to take the tags off before you inspect each item... We're heading to the Hearse right now... See you soon."
"Skye you got to get out of the car," Tony stated. "I'm going to be late for work."
"Didn't I ever mention I was home schooled. I've never been around these many kids before."
"They know that. They think your mom was some type of hippie."
"I'm just saying I wouldn't mind being home schooled again."
"Get out of the car, Schuyler."
"But Tony," she whined. "It's my first day. Aren't parents supposed to be nice?"
Tony opened the door and pushed her out, giving her slight pat on her bottom. "See you later, sweetie. I'll pick you up at three."
"How do you think its going?" McGee stared over at Tony.
"She's a big girl McWorrywart. I'm sure she's used her DiNozzo charm and she has a line of friends following her every move."
"You're full of yourself Tony."
"Can it McFlurry."
Tony walked into the lab shocked to see Abby texting on her cell. "What are you doing, Abs?"
"Skye's sent me like twenty texts so far. It's barely noon."
"I was going to go meet her for lunch but it's her first day and I want her to meet some new friends." Abby was sounding like a mother hen. It barely took anytime for Abby to forget all other grievances. As far as she was concerned Alex had made a mistake and now she was Schuyler.
"You don't have to baby her Abby."
"How can you say such a thing? She didn't grow up like other kids do. She deserves to be babied a little," Abby paused to read a new text. "Aw, Tony she met a girl named Jacey. They've really hit it off."
"Put the phone away Abs before Gibbs finds you," Tony answered quickly before exiting the lab. Tony smiled on the way up the elevator. She has a friend.
Tony picked up Schuyler who was standing next to another brunette but her hair was highlighted. She waved goodbye while the other girl pulled out a set of car keys.
"How was school?"
"It was alright but Jace is really cool. She offered to drop me off tomorrow at the Navy yard."
"Fine with me, but no later than 3:15."
Tony and Schuyler walked into the bull pen. She already put a change of clothes by his desk to change into. "Do you have any homework?" he asked logging into his email.
"Yes."
"Go sit in the desk beside McGee."
"Can I go tell Abby how my day went, first?"
"After," Tony used his Gibbs voice.
Schuyler rolled her eyes and went to sit behind the divider. No one could really see her other than Gibbs but he was busy. She pulled out her phone quickly and texted Abby a quick message.
Gibbs stood in front of her with his hand out. Schuyler grudgingly handed over her phone. This life was not going to be easy.