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All Hell Broke Loose

It was getting to be late in the day and they still had no leads on who had kidnapped the daughter of a Naval Commander. Once again the tip line rang and, much to Tony's chagrin, he was responsible for ferreting out these calls. The rest of the team was working on trying to come up with new leads and theories when Tony's conversation caught their attention.

"No, you don't have to give me your name. You can remain completely anonymous. You say that you know the man that did this?...When was that?...Uh-huh…And the name of the bar you were in?...Was there anyone else there who might have heard him?" Tony continued to scribble notes as he was talking to the woman on the phone. "Do you know where he might be keeping the girl?...Yes, I know where that is….Is she still there?...Miss…please don't hang up yet…Miss…hello?"

The call connection had been terminated but not before Tony had the first credible lead since the case began. Tony looked up at Gibbs and nodded his head. "She says that she overheard a man talking in a dive bar – a real hell-hole – and she said that he said he had a 'little rich girl that was going to make him a very rich man.' She knows that he squats in an old house. She didn't have the exact address but she gave me the street name and a description of the crap building. Boss, I think it's good."

"Grab your gear everyone. Ziva, call McCallen's team to back us up. Have them meet us there but keep down at the end of the block. We'll call them if we need them."

When they arrived at the building, it was already nearly dark. The dilapidated structure showed no signs of occupancy. They all put on their headsets and checked their weapons."

Gibbs gave the orders. "DiNozzo, McGee take the front. Ziva and I'll take the back."

"Boss, our tipster said she thought the girl was upstairs."

"Ok. As soon as you clear the front door, head for the stairs, but be careful. Ziva and I will sweep the first floor from the rear."

Tony kicked in the front door and he a McGee quickly swept the front room toward the staircase.

The unexpected arrival of NCIS put a real kink in the kidnapper's plan and he was pissed. As he ran down the back stairs, he was glad that he set up extra measures when he brought the girl here. He had strategically placed flammables around the building to offer any uninvited guests a little surprise. As he was heading out the back door, he tossed a lit match. He heard the "foomf" and the room was ablaze. It was even better than he had expected

"Burn in hell," he said with a smirk on his way out the door. As soon as he hit the bottom step of the tiny back porch, he was immediately confronted by Ziva and Gibbs.

"NCIS. Drop your weapon!"

He spun pointing his weapon and both opened fire. He was dead before he hit the ground

The case was over in the blink of an eye, but it was also just the beginning. At the time none of them knew the hell they were about to face.

Everyone working outside the house turned in horror as the old wood structure went up in flames.

Tony and Tim had swiftly made it up the stairs. It didn't take them long to find the girl curled into a small ball with her wrists bound to the radiator. They made quick work of cutting her loose and McGee swept the child up into his arms while Tony continued to cover them.

"DiNozzo, there's a fire. You and McGee get out of there!" Gibbs shouted into his headset.

"On it, Boss! We have the girl. McGee's got her and we're heading for the front of the house. We're on the first floor and we're heading for the door."

Just then they heard the explosion. Tony felt the floor buckle and his first and only thought was to push McGee, with the small girl in his arms, toward the door. McGee felt the force of Tony's shove and stumbled forward out the front door and down the front steps, twisting to fall on his back, protecting the child. Just as he hit the ground, he looked back through the doorway to see Tony vanish through the now gaping hole in the floor. Then he watched as everything that remained of the old house collapsed.

Gibbs came running around to the front of what was left of the house yelling for Tony and Tim at the top of his lungs. He saw Tim in the yard holding the screaming girl.

"Boss! Tony pushed us out but he's still in there. The floor gave and then everything came crashing down."

McGee practically tossed the child to Ducky and Palmer and turned to run back in. Gibbs grabbed his arm and held him back.

"Boss, didn't you hear me? TONY'S STILL IN THERE!"

"OF COURSE I HEARD YOU! Tim, you can't go in there. Look at it. The fire department will get him out. We have to let the professionals handle it."

"But, Boss, Tony…"

"I know, Tim, I know." It took everything Gibbs had in him to try to keep his people calm and not lose his lunch all over the front lawn.

Gibbs thought he heard a voice in his headset. "Boss?"

"EVERYONE, QUIET! Tony? Tony, is that you? Can you hear me?"

"Yeah, Boss, I can hear you. Did McGee and the kid get out? Please tell me they got out."

"Yeah, Tony, they did. Thanks to you. You saved them both."

"Nah, Probie saved the kid. All I did was push them down the stairs." Gibbs could picture the relief on his agent's face but all he heard in his voice was fear. This was bad. He didn't even need his gut to tell him that.

"Tony, are you hurt? Where are you?"

"I'm not hurt. I'm somewhere in the basement, probably not too far from the front of the house based on where I was when the floor gave way." Gibbs put his hand over his mic and relayed the information to the closest firefighter. This caused an eruption of activity but Gibbs didn't see it. His entire attention was dedicated to the voice in his ear.

"Tony, help is on the way. The fire department is already in the building." Gibbs tried to keep his voice as even as possible in hopes of keeping Tony calm.

"Boss, I don't think they can do anything to help me. No one can. There's a lot of debris. I'm pretty much sealed in a fairly small section but there aren't any openings bigger than a loaf of bread. I think the whole building is on top of me. I guess, for now, the good news is that there isn't a lot of smoke, but it's really, really hot. I don't think anyone's gonna get here in time."

Gibbs' face reflected the direness of the situation and it didn't get by any of the team.

"Jethro, you know what my wishes are," Tony said quietly. "All of the papers are in the safe. You know what I want and what I don't want. You're my next of kin and the team is my family. I don't want my father or anyone in the DiNozzo family to be contacted. I want to be here in DC. This is my home and I want to be near my real family."

Gibbs considered arguing with Tony but decided that wouldn't help this situation. He wanted to give Tony the peace of mind that he deserved.

"Tony, I know what you want. I will take care of you, but I don't want you to give up hope. The firefighters are making progress in getting to you. Do you hear me? Don't give up!"

"I hear you, Boss. Um…I need to talk to them. Do they have headsets?"

"Tony…"

"Kate didn't get that chance. This is so incredibly hard but I need to do this…just in case. I need to do it while I still can." With that, the entire team knew that Tony was going to be saying his goodbyes.

"I understand, Tony," Gibbs said.

"Thanks. I'd like to start with Jimmy."

"Palmer, Tony wants to talk to you." McCallen, whose team had joined Gibbs' when they heard the explosion, signaled for his two junior agents to give their headsets to Palmer and Ducky.

"Go ahead Tony," Gibbs said.

"Hey, Autopsy Gremlin." Jimmy could hear Tony smiling when he said it.

"Hey, Tony."

"Jimmy, I know what it's like to learn from the best. Learn everything you can from Ducky. I know you're going to be great. You speak for those who can no longer speak for themselves and that makes you an invaluable member of the team. I know we don't always show that, but you are."

"I will, and thanks, Tony. We're really going to miss you."

"Take care, Jimmy."

"Yeah. Bye, Tony."

"Zee-vaah. Wow, I'm not sure what to say. We've been through a lot. You're a really great agent. You have terrific instincts. Trust them."

"I will, Tony. You have taught me a great deal over the years. I also consider you a friend and I will never forget you."

"Watch out for everyone, OK? I know they'll be in good hands if you're looking out for them."

"I will, Tony. Thank you for entrusting them to me."

"Goodbye, Ziva. I'll miss you."

"Goodbye, Tony. You will be missed more than we could ever say."

"Hey, Probie, are you there?"

"Yeah, Tony, I'm here."

"Hmmmm…Probie …guess no one will ever call you that again. You're going to make a great Senior Field Agent."

"Learned everything I know from you, Tony, but I don't think I'm ready."

"Yes, you are, Tim. You are. I believe in you, so does Gibbs."

" I'll do my best. You know, no one could ever replace you."

"You don't need to be me. Be you and you'll do great."

"Thanks, Tony."

"Tim, I need you to do me a favor."

"Anything."

"I need you to go to Abby. Now. Don't let her find out some other way. She needs to hear this from someone she loves. She needs to hear it from you. Tell her that I love her and that I'll always be with her."

"I will. Bye, Tony."

"Bye, Tim. Go, now, please." Gibbs nodded to Tim.

"I'm going right now."

"Good. Thanks, Tim." McGee stripped off his headset and ran for one of the cars.

"Ducky, can you hear me?"

"Yes, Anthony, I can."

"Ducky, you know how bad this will be. You were great with Kate. I trust you to take me home and take care of me, too."

"Of course, Anthony. You know I will."

"You need to take care of Jethro. He's lost so much already."

"Anthony, you know everyone will help take care of Jethro."

"I know, but you have been with him before, when he lost Shannon and Kelly. I know I'm not in the same league with them but this will still be hard on Jethro."

"Yes, lad, you are in the same league. Don't ever think you aren't."

"Thanks. Goodbye, Ducky."

"Goodbye, dear boy."

"Jethro?"

"Yeah, Tony, I'm right here. Not going anywhere without you."

"You know, I've been in love with you as long as I can remember. I don't think there has been a single second from the first moment that we met that I didn't love you." Everyone could hear Tony's tears along with his words.

"Me too, Tony. I love you, so much. I can't do this without you."

For a fleeting moment, shock registered on the tear-stained faces gathered around Gibbs. Then their hearts were breaking and when they realized what this meant for Gibbs and Tony, everyone knew that Gibbs was probably losing his family again.

"This is too much, Shannon and Kelly, now you. I can't do this again. I can't survive without you."

"Jethro, listen to me. Do not give up on life."

"But it just hurts too much…don't know how I'll live through it again."

"But you will. I will be very disappointed in you if you do anything rash. You are a lot stronger than that."

"I'll try. Tony, do you have your ring with you?"

"Of course I do. I always do."

"Me too, Tony. I'm putting it on my finger now."

"I am too, Jethro."

"Never taking it off again," Gibbs said, unconsciously fingering the ring now on his left hand.

"Me neither," Tony said, cradling that hand against his chest, against his heart.

"Always, Tony."

"Forever, Jethro."

The dancing flames continued to cast an eerie glow on the devastated faces of everyone watching this nightmare unfold. McGee had returned with Abby and the team stood side-by-side, hand-in-hand supporting Gibbs, their tears flowing freely.

"Jethro, I think I'm out of time. I can see flames. I really was hoping the smoke would get here first. That would have been easier. It's kind of ironic, don't you think? Usually I'm hurt but don't die. Now I'm not hurt but I'm going to die."

"Tony…" Gibbs choked out.

"Will you stay with me until the end?"

"Of course. We will get you out of there. Never leave a man behind."

"Do you think this is what Hell is like?"

"You don't have to worry about that. You are such a good person and you have saved so many lives. I'm unbelievably proud of you. We all are."

"It's ok, Jethro. I'm not afraid to die, I'm really not, but I am afraid to burn. I've waited as long as I can." Tony took a breath. "Jethro, I still have my weapon. I'm gonna have to use it."

Gibbs couldn't let Tony go thinking Gibbs might be angry or didn't understand. He had to give Tony that. "Tony, I know Shannon and Kelly will be there for you. You do what you have to do. I love you always, no matter what. Nothing will ever change that. You are so courageous. I can't imagine anyone else being able to handle what you are handling right now, me included."

"Thanks, Jethro. Oh, God, this is it. This is it. Love you always, Jethro, love you always."

"Love you forever, Tony, as long as I live."

In the still of the night, the single gunshot echoed into the darkness around them.

It took another 4 hours to get the fire under control and clear the debris enough to get to Tony. When he was found, Ducky wouldn't let any of their team see him or help get him out, but the whole team was there to take him home.