A/N I'm sorry it's been so long, real life just kind of took over and Spartan-kicked me in the face. Here we go.

Abby's eyes were wide and she stood there, shocked, for thirty seconds before she could even move. She walked, jaw dropped, to the phone. She picked it up and paged Ducky.

"Yes my dear?" the crackly voice of Ducky came over the speaker.

"Ducky," Abby squeaked. "I need you to send up a DNA sample from the boy-"

"James," Tony interrupted hoarsely. Abby looked at him. "The boy's name was James."

"James," Abby said quietly into the phone. "Some of James's DNA, and a sample from Ophelia and Carl."

"Why?" Ducky asked. Abby looked to Tony. Tony shook his head vigorously. He didn't want Ducky to know yet, Gibbs, McGee, Ziva and Abby was already too large of a group.

"Just send it up Ducky, please?" Abby asked. "I promise I'll explain everything in good time." Ducky sighed.

"All right my dear, it is on its way."

"Thanks." Abby clicked off the phone. She turned to Tony who was still sitting down and hugging Bert to his chest. He slithered out of the chair and sat on the floor, squeezing the hippo. "Tony…"

"Yeah?" Tony asked. "What is it Abby?"

"Tony, uhm, how?" Abby asked softly, sitting next to him.

"Abs," Tony said. "I just…an ex-girlfriend. I dated Lia the right amount of time ago…James possibly, he could, he could be mine…"

"Oh, Tony," Abby said, running over. She wrapped her arms around him in a huge bear hug.

"What are you going to do with Tony?" McGee asked.

"I'm going to keep him here on desk duty," Gibbs answered without looking up.

"Is that strictly necessary?" Ziva asked. Gibbs looked up.

"Officer David, you know it is," Gibbs said.

"You think Tony will compromise this investigation?" Ziva asked.

"I know you think DiNozzo cares enough that he would do anything to find the Mason's killer, and you're probably right," Gibbs said. "And that's the problem. I want this killer and I want it to stick. I don't want him getting off on some technicality."

"I know Boss," Tony said, walking in. His face was blank and composed. "I'll stay here and do more research while you, Ziva and Probie question, run around, all that boring stuff."

"DiNozzo…" McGee said.

"Can it Probie," Tony said, turning his eyes to the computer.

"McGee," Gibbs announced. "Go get the car, we're going to talk to the relatives and friends."

"Got it," McGee said scrambling out. Gibbs stood.

"I have to fill in Vance on what's going on," Gibbs said. "We leave in three minutes, Ziva."

Ziva walked over and sat on Tony's desk as Gibbs disappeared into the Director's office.

"Tony…"

"Ziva," Tony said, not looking up from his computer.

"Tony, I know how you must feel."

"I know, Ziva," Tony said.

"If you need anything-"

"I don't," Tony snapped interrupting her. Ziva stood, taken aback. Tony quickly tried to recover. "No, I'm sorry Ziva. I just mean, I don't know what I need right now."

"I understand," Ziva nodded, slowly walking back to her desk.

"We're out," Gibbs said, walking by. Ziva grabbed her things, muttering "I love you" as she passed Tony's desk. He locked eyes with her as she stood waiting for the elevator to close.

"I love you too," he said under his breath.

"Well that was useless," McGee said, six hours later.

They had talked to the Masons' neighbors and friends, and all they had heard was that they were model neighbors and very nice people.

"Everyone has an enemy McGee, whether or not they are aware of it," Ziva said.

"Well you would know, you have like a million," McGee muttered.

"We'll talk to Ophelia's family tomorrow, then the petty officer's later in the day," Gibbs said. "There's nothing more we can do tonight. Go home, sleep."

LINELINELINE

"I don't know what to do Ziva," Tony admitted later that night. They were in her living room, sitting on the carpeted floor. Tony had had a little too much to drink. "Really Ziva, I really don't know."

"I know," she said. He was lying face down on the floor, Ziva rubbing his back in endless circles.

"If James was my son, then Lia, Lia she kept him from me, ya know?" he slurred. "And he's dead and I never got to know him. If it wasn't my son, well...ya know."

"I know," Ziva said again.

"I know it sounds really, really bad," Tony started. "But I hope he wasn't my son. I mean sure he was a great kid, but I don't want my kid to be dead! If I have a son, or daughter, either way, I want them alive!"

"I know," Ziva said yet again. Tony's phone rang and he shot up, fumbling for it.

"Whozzit?" he asked into the receiver. "It's three AM, you know! Oh. Hi Abby. Yup. Yeah. Just tell me!" There was silence for a few seconds, then - "Thanks Abby."

"Was that the DNA results?" Ziva asked.

"Yes," Tony said, breathing out.

"And?" Ziva asked gently, taking his hand in hers.

"It was a yes. James Mason should more accurately be described as James DiNozzo. Ophelia didn't tell me, but James was my son."