So, this is my first Gibbs/DiNozzo story. I used to write a LOT of slash, and have read so much here that I love it's making me move in that direction—though I'll keep shipping Gabby, lol. I have a lot of Gabby in my head that needs to come out. Not sure how in depth this one will get so we'll keep it at a T rating for now.
Disclaimer: I do not own NCIS or any of the pretty boys and girls that live in its world.
Taken
Gibbs drove through the DC streets like a madman, ignoring Ziva's fist clenched on the dash as well as the Hebrew prayer she was muttering under her breath. One of his was in trouble.
Again.
Tony was in trouble.
Again.
He'd just gotten Ziva back where she belonged, back under his protection and out of danger from both terrorists and her father, and now this.
And it was Tony.
Again.
How many times was DiNozzo going to cheat death before It finally won?
Gibbs made a sharp left, tires squealing and the car precariously tilting as he sped toward the house of Petty Officer Ridgeway. McGee and DiNozzo had gone to the house to pick up Ridgeway on an assault and drug possession charge when something had happened. McGee had called Gibbs directly informing him that Tony had been taken and giving him the address and little other information.
Tony had been taken, McGee said. What the hell did that mean? Was he hurt? Alive? Gibbs shook his head. No, Tony was alive. It sounded cliché but he'd know if Tony wasn't alive. He had a bond with all his agents, and with Ducky and Abby, but couldn't feel them like he did with Tony. He didn't know why and wasn't particularly interested in learning the answer, he just accepted it.
Tony was special. How special, Gibbs had never tried to figure out. Mainly because it didn't matter. He just accepted it.
The lights of the local LEOs and the other NCIS squad car came into focus and Gibbs slammed on the break, twisting the Dodge's steering wheel so the car parked parallel to the other one. He was out of the door before the engine died, running towards McGee as he stood with the SWAT leader.
"Sitrep, McGee," he barked, eyeing the house, the closed door and the shuttered windows.
"Tony and I arrived at Petty Officer Ridgeway's house at 1300," the young agent began. "We approached the house, and noticed the door was ajar and what appeared to be blood smeared on the frame. We withdrew our weapons as Tony announced us as Federal Agents. He pushed open the door and entered a few steps when someone, I assume it was Petty Officer Ridgeway, hit him from behind." McGee paused for breath. "Before I could enter the house, Tony was pulled inside and the door slammed against me. It was then a voice called out to leave the porch or the suspect would begin shooting."
McGee watched Gibbs, squaring his shoulders as if to ward off a blow. "Boss, I'm really sorry Tony got taken—"
Gibbs held his words with a stare. "Are you holding a gun on DiNozzo, McGee?"
"No, Boss, but if I had gone in first…"
"You'd be the one being held," Gibbs said, removing his cap and running an agitated hand through his hair. "It's not your fault, and not DiNozzo's fault. It's the dirtbags fault." He gaze took in the house again. It was a nice bungalow style, flowers in the boxes on the porch and a child's scooter tilted haphazardly against the garage door. "Who do we think may be inside, besides Ridgeway?"
Ziva jogged over to them, shutting her phone. "I verified with Mrs. Ridgeway's employers. She did not show up to work today and did not call in sick."
"Anyone else?"
"Ruby, their daughter, did not attend school today." Ziva exchanged a quick glace with McGee before continuing. "Ruby is eight years old."
A movement caught Gibbs' eye and he turned toward the adjacent houses, noting for the first time the SWAT teams in place on the roofs. Gibbs walked over the SWAT command station. "Do not move until I say, got that?"
The SWAT commander was young and certainly had never met Gibbs before. "That's a civilian house, Special Agent ?"
"Gibbs," McGee supplied.
"Special Agent Gibbs," the SWAT commander said. "As I said, you're not on a Navy ship or a Marine base here, Gibbs," he continued, missing the ice in Gibbs' eyes. "The suspect may be a sailor, but the jurisdiction is mine."
"You will not move until I say so." Gibbs voice was soft as he moved into the SWAT commander's personal space. "That is my man in there." Gibbs moved another inch forward, nodding in satisfaction when the commander backed away from him. "I don't care whose jurisdiction you may think it is, my agent makes this my jurisdiction. DiNozzo belongs to me and I will shoot you if I have to."
The battle of wills lasted another four seconds before the SWAT leader turned away. "Stand down until the order comes," he spoke into his wrist mic. "Stand down."
"McGee, do we have the phone number?"
McGee nodded. "Just got it from Abby, Boss," he said, handing his phone over to Gibbs, the phone already ringing.
Gibbs held the phone to his ear, relived to hear the catch of the answering machine. Hi, you've reached Bobby, Lillian and Ruby Ridgeway. Leave a message at the beep. "Petty Officer Ridgeway, this is Special Agent Gibbs. Please pick up the phone." Gibbs hit redial. "Ridgeway, this is Gibbs. Let me speak to Agent DiNozzo." A third dial. "Bobby, pick up the phone."
A voice yelled through the phone. "Stop calling here!"
"I can't do that, Bobby," Gibbs said. "I need to talk with you, and unless you let me inside, the phone is the only way."
"Don't come near the porch!" came the frantic yell. "I'll shoot!"
"I'm not near the porch, Bobby," Gibbs said. "We can talk on the phone."
"There's nothing to talk about!" Ridgeway's voice was high and tight. "Just go away and leave me alone."
"Can't do that, Bobby," Gibbs said, eyes trained on the front window. "That's my man in there, and I need to speak with him."
"Go to hell."
"Been there once already, Bobby." Gibbs' eye narrowed as the slit opened in the blinds. "Let me speak to Agent DiNozzo." Gibbs heard murmured voices, but couldn't tell if it was Tony or not.
"Boss?"
Gibbs' eyes closed as relief flooded through him. He opened them quickly and nodded to McGee and Ziva, seeing the agents sigh and Ziva flip open her phone, no doubt to call Abby.
"Hey, Tony. How are you?"
"Got a bit of a headache, but otherwise I'm okay."
"Anyone else in the house, Tony?" Gibbs asked.
"Mrs. Ridgway and Ruby."
"How are they?" Gibbs asked.
A muffled conversation occurred before Tony replied. Gibbs strained to understand what was being said. "They're just fine, Boss," Tony finally came back on the line. "You'd like Mrs. Ridgeway. She reminds me a lot of Agent Todd."
Gibbs' hand tightened on the phone. The wife was dead.
"And Ruby?"
"Not like Kate at all, more like Abby."
The girl was alive.
Now all Gibbs had to do was figure out how to get her and Tony out of there.