Kate stood at the back of the office and worked up the courage to step forward into the bullpen. Tony and McGee were waiting for her, knowing that this was hard for her and that she needed every ounce of support that she could get. Her hands were trembling and her body felt like it was doing somersaults on the inside. Gibbs stood up as he realised that Tony and Mc Gee were watching something and his face broke out into a smile when he saw her.

'Welcome back,' she relaxed slightly, going forward and putting her bag on her desk.

'So, what we on?' Tony picked up the remote and flicked the picture up.

'Gunnery Sergeant Tom Fords was found in his apartment last night by his brother Gunnery Sergeant Joseph Fords. Both are just back from a tour in Iraq. Joseph came into the apartment around eleven thirty and found him tied to the bed, shot in the head and in the chest three times. He was supposed to meet his fiancé, a Carla Yelsof last night at a bar and when he never showed she called Joseph,'

'Why call the brother? Why not him?'

'She says that she tried him and couldn't get through,'

'You pulled his phone records?'

'Yeah Kate, Here,' Kate smiled at Mc Gee, taking the sheets out of his hands.

'Thanks,' she scanned over the sheets.

'What's the Gunny's number?'

'Top one,' Kate copied it in her head and looked through them.

'She's called another number nearly forty times in the last two weeks and her fiancé only twice. That's not right,' Kate took the folder out of Tony's hand and shifted through the pages.

'She called his brother more than him. You seeing a pattern?'

'What?'

'When Tom Fords never showed up she called Joseph first. If you were genuinely worried about someone and the fact that they hadn't shown up you would call them, not their brother,' Gibbs sat silent the entire time, seeing Kate at her best and working like she had never been away or that anything had happened.

'Gibbs we need to bring the two of them in. put them in separate rooms and play them off against each other,' Gibbs smiled and stood up, lifting his gun and badge.

'McGee you go with Di Nozzo and bring her in. Kate, your with me,' Kate felt like she was back with NCIS properly when Gibbs spun the car round suddenly and forced her up against the car door. She winced slightly, the pain in her side slicing through her. Gibbs noticed and instantly slowed his driving down, Kate looking at him.

'What's wrong? You only drive slow when something's wrong,'

'Nothing, no point going fast when the traffic's bad and we'll end up stuck in it anyway,' Kate looked down the road, the road clear.

'Gibbs's there's nothing there,' he didn't take his eyes off the road, simply keeping the speed slow. She sighed heavily as she realised it was because she was in the car with him and nothing else. She never even saw him coming round the side of the car and it was only when he took her hand to help her out of the car she realised he was there.

'Thanks,' Kate tightened the red jacket around her waist, Gibbs rattling the door. Kate looked around, Tony and McGee pulling up behind the car.

'Gibbs,' she tapped his arm lightly, pointing to them.

'The brother's here, with her,' the door opened, Kate smirking.

'Carla Yelsof?'

'Who wants to know?'

'NCIS. I'm Agent Todd, this is special Agent Gibbs. We need you to come with us. We have a few questions that we would like to ask you concerning Gunnery Sergeant Tom Fords death,'

'Why? I told you everything when I spoke to…Dinatzo…Dinolo…something like that, this morning,'

'Well, I'm not him and I have questions that I want to ask you. If you wouldn't mind removing Joseph Fords shirt and putting your own clothes on and coming with me I would really appreciate it,'

'How did you know Joseph was here?'

'The fact we were looking for him too and the agents we sent to get him are now here. If you don't mind…I would like to get back to the office before the day is out,' Gibbs suppressed the smile that was inside, the tone of Kate sounding more like a female version of him. Kate followed her into the house, McGee going in behind her.

'How is she boss?' Gibbs looked at Tony

'Different…but a good different. She seems to be more forward. She's not afraid of saying what she thinks,' Tony nodded.

'That's good,'

'Yeah. Go and get him out the bed Di Nozzo, make sure McGee doesn't arrest the dog,' Tony took the stairs two at a time, Kate standing at the bathroom door watching Carla dressing.

'Can I not have five minutes?'

'Nope, you may conceal a weapon and it saves us having to search you outside,'

'Am I under arrest?'

'KATE!' Kate pulled her gun out and ran along to the end bedroom. Tony stood at the door and looked around to the other corners of the room. Kate stopped behind Tony, Joseph Ford lying dead on the bed.

'Gibbs isn't going to like this,'