A/N: Thanks for still reading. There are a total of six chapters. There are a lot of astute readers here. When I was writing Paige Martin, I was thinking of Diane Downs from Small Sacrifices. Sheila

Chapter 3

Tony sat on the edge of his hospital bed, and worked his tie. Bishop had brought him a suit, shirt, and tie, and he'd murmured a thanks, but it was not the right tie for his Armani jacket. It was wrong but then everything was wrong. The video of him getting those kids on the roof had gone viral in a serious way, and the story of the Marine's family getting rescued had become front page news. A press conference in the hospital auditorium was happening in minutes, and SecNav decided that he had to be the hero of the hour. Usually, DiNozzo didn't mind the attention, but he was still feeling pretty shaky. More than that, his partner was being moved out of Intensive Care today. There shouldn't be a press conference until McGee could sit beside him, and share what that boy's cell phone didn't capture.

Ellie came back in and put her hands on her hips. "You look a little scruffy. You want me to find a razor?"

"A little scruff becomes me."

"It kind of does," she said, cocking her head.

"Tim is getting that tube removed this morning. I should be there."

She nodded. "Gibbs is with him, but you know McGee. He's not going to want an audience for that."

Vance came in. "You ready?"

DiNozzo sighed and tightened the knot in his tie.

Vance looked him over. "You could use a shave."

"It's not happening."

"Surly. The reluctant hero. I get it but you have a job to do."

"McGee should be up there as well."

Vance nodded. "He will be. The timing says we do this now, but you'll talk about him up there. I know you. That tie is wrong with that jacket."

"Yeah," he said gesturing to Ellie. "My stylist was off her game."

Gibbs opened the door. "Let's get this thing done."

"How's Tim?" asked DiNozzo as he eased off the bed.

"The tube is out, and his throat is pretty raw. They're going to hydrate him and then I'll take a statement from him this afternoon."

"I wish this could wait," Tony mumbled.

Gibbs turned to Vance. "They still haven't gotten a statement from the mother?"

"Nope. She says she's too traumatized. The husband, Sergeant Martin, got in last night. He's hovering around her like a bear with her cub."

"There are questions that need answers."

"I know."

"I've seen her when her youngest was in the ICU. There is something about her that seems off."

"Not our case, Gibbs."

"Not yet," he said.

Vance took a deep breath. "Okay people, it's time to put on a public face. The last thing the public needs to see is us looking sideways at a grieving mother- especially without proof. If the case was ours, we could do what we do, but we'd do it in the confines of the interrogation room."

"Thanks for the PR lesson, Leon," Gibbs said with a hand on Tony's shoulder. "Let's get this over with."

…

The hospital auditorium was usually used for students and case conferences. Today, it was filled with print and news reporters. Cameras on tripods jockeyed for position in front of the stage. Tables were lined up as if ready for an academic panel. Tony wished for an opportunity to go home, crawl into bed, and wait for Zoe to get home from the raid ATF was conducting in Texas. He'd downplayed the whole incident for her, but he felt relief that she was due back today. He'd been wondering about that feeling. Did it mean his feelings for her were growing?

Vance was guiding him onto the stage. The fire marshal was already as was an arson investigator. Across the stage was the woman with the cornflower blue eyes. She was wearing a sleeveless flower dress, and her soft, curly hair lay on bare shoulders. She looked young for a mother of five children. Her husband was a large man standing beside her in uniform, and he kept a protective arm around her shoulders. She hadn't moved onto the stage as if waiting for something, and then she spotted him. She waited until Tony was almost seated and then she trotted across the stage, and hugged him tightly around the middle. He took a step backward against the onslaught, and Vance steadied him. Not one camera in the room missed the moment.

"Thank you for saving my children," she said loud enough for people to hear. Her startled husband was there, prying her off DiNozzo and steering her to a seat. She resisted efforts to seat her in front of her placard, and instead, seated herself next to Tony, smiling at him while she wiped at tears. Vance sat on the other side of Tony, and he was grateful for the director's presence.

A hospital official quickly replaced the placard for Paige Martin for the one intended for Leon Vance. A Metro spokesman began the press conference with comments about the tragedy of the house fire, and how the community mourns the loss of 3 year-old Maggie Martin. She talked about how the investigation was in progress and that neither the marshal nor the investigator could say much at this time.

When she opened the floor for questions, the last focus of reporters was on the investigation. Questions were all for Tony. His years at NCIS. What he was thinking when he rushed into a burning building. How this fire was different from the one when he was a college student and rescued a child. He winced when he realized they'd dug up that story. He tried to bring McGee's name into the conversation, but was cut off each time with more interest in his history of heroism.

Finally a reporter focused on Paige Martin. "Mrs. Martin, how are your other children?"

She leaned toward the mic, and her voice came softly, "Three of my children have been released. My youngest, Sadie, should be coming home in another day. Maggie…" She bit her lip for a moment. "Lives in our hearts forever."

"Mrs. Martin, there were reports that the second NCIS agent hesitated before going in. In fact, your neighbor, Shelly Edwards, says that you had to beg him to enter your house."

Tony locked eyes with Gibbs leaning against the back wall and leaned toward the mic. "I feel I need to-"

Paige Martin's soft voice rose above his. "I don't blame Agent McGee. Not everyone can have the courage necessary to enter a burning house. It took a few minutes, but he eventually did the right thing. In fact, he has suffered the worst injuries of all- outside of Maggie. He has to heal physically as well as psychologically. He has to come to terms with what he could've done for Maggie."

Tony leaned forward. "I have worked with Agent McGee for many years. He's never hesitated- not once- in the face of danger especially at the expense of civilian lives. I don't beli-"

Vance kicked him under the table and whispered, "No".

Tony searched for Gibbs at the back of the room and saw his boss shake his head slowly.

Paige Martin reached for the mic once more, her hand shaking. "I don't mean to disparage Agent McGee. Agent DiNozzo is loyal to his partner. I respect that. All I know is that I wish there had been two Agent DiNozzos at my house three days ago. My Maggie might still be here." She closed her eyes and more tears came. "She had the sweetest smile. You have no idea."

Tony reached for the mic again, but Vance put his hand on his arm gently and pulled him back. Beside him, Paige Martin started to weep and collapsed into her husband's arms. The hospital press officer walked in front of the panel and put an end to further questions.

Vance took DiNozzo by the arm and got him out a side door. "I got a car for you. Get in it and go home."

"Did you hear her?"

"I have ears, DiNozzo, but telling a grieving mother that she's a liar at a press conference isn't going to help anyone."

"I want them to know the truth."

"Not today, Tony. It's not going to happen today."

…

Gibbs stood in the same spot against the wall and watched her as people leaned over offering comfort. Some reporters stayed and continued to take pictures. He could tell she was aware of them, and yet she didn't seek privacy. She lifted her head a couple of times, and he could tell she was looking for someone. The third time she lifted her head, he could sense impatience on her face. Someone should be here that wasn't. Gibbs scanned the room, and took note of who was in the room.

"Gibbs?"

He turned to find the arson investigator standing there. The man was older, probably counting the days until retirement. He'd long ago stopped fighting the battle of the bulge.

"That was quite a little press conference, don't you think?"

Gibbs nodded. "And you are?"

"Lieutenant Louis Hanson- Arson Investigator."

"What can I do for you?"

"How about you and I take a ride?"

…...

The inside of the house was a disaster. What the fire hadn't destroyed, the crew had with axes designed to get at fire inside the walls. It had a dark, charred haziness, and the smell was a mixture of heat, mold, and chemicals. Both Gibbs and Hanson wore paper masks as they stepped gingerly through the rubble.

Hanson gestured at Gibbs and pointed out a line that was darker than the rest. It ran up and down along the 2nd floor hallways like mustard from a squirt bottle. Gibbs looked at Hanson, "Lighter fluid?"

Hanson nodded.

"You found the bottle? Matches?"

Hanson pulled down the mask as if years of fires had left him immune to the carcinogens. "The bottle and an electric lighter were found in the garbage next door."

"You sure it was the right bottle?"

Hanson smiled tobacco stained teeth. "Completely free of prints. Explain to me how lighter fluid gets out of the can without squeezing it."

"It's a homicide."

"Oh yeah. Up and down these walls with the lighter fluid, and then she goes to the stairs and lights it."

Gibbs' gut stirred. "You sure?"

"Three days ago, it was 78 degrees outside. Second day of summer vacation and yet all of these kids are upstairs in their bedrooms in the middle of the morning. Why?"

"Okay." Gibbs shrugged his shoulders. "So, maybe you're right. It's still not much in the way of evidence."

"You saw how she played your agent in that press conference."

"I was there."

"The other one give you a statement yet?"

"He just got off the ventilator this morning. I'm going to interview him this afternoon, but I'm not expecting much. There's some memory loss."

"Let me walk you through it. DiNozzo's statement is enough."

"Show me."

Hanson points down to the living room. "They find Paige Martin on the couch. She seems drowsy. DiNozzo tells McGee to get her out. Then DiNozzo heads for the stairs."

"It would've been smoke and flame up here."

"Mostly smoke. The fire gets into the wall and starts moving. DiNozzo rushed upstairs blind to all of that. McGee's call to 911 happened at 10:56 a.m. What time did he call you?"

"10:58."

"You stated that he had the fire extinguisher and was going back into the house. There was no hesitation. He got her out, got into the trunk of the car, grabbed the extinguisher, called you, and ran back in."

Gibbs nodded.

"DiNozzo is on his hands and knees at this point. He's found three of the children in the front bedroom. Charlie, 11, is still trying to find Maggie who got away from him. DiNozzo corrals Charlie at the time McGee shows up with the fire extinguisher. The decision is made for DiNozzo to get the kids out on the roof and McGee continues toward the back of the house looking for Maggie. The fire extinguisher probably didn't offer much protection."

"There are burns on his left hand."

Hanson nodded as he walked to the back of the house. "He probably burned it on the handle of the door. He went in here and started calling for her. She wouldn't have responded."

"Too much noise?"

"No," Hanson said. "She was autistic. Non-communicative."

Gibbs stared at him. "I didn't know."

"A neighbor told me. She said Maggie had a sort of sign language she used with Charlie and the Sergeant. Neighbor said that Mom was not very patient with her."

"She would've hidden."

"Probably. Under the bed. She wouldn't have understood what was going on. Panicked, I'm sure."

"McGee found her. A crewmember told me she was in his arms."

"Yeah but I'm sure she didn't make it easy."

"He threw the fire extinguisher through the window."

Hanson chuckled. "That was really a miracle. The smoke inhalation would've been severe by this time."

"McGee did the best he could."

"Hell, he did more than most. Pardon the pun, but Mrs. Martin is using him as a smoke screen."

"What does Metro think?"

Hanson sighed. "That's why you're here, Gibbs. They don't have time for this case. Murders are up in the District. This one is going to be circumstantial at best. They're giving me no energy. Our perp looks like mom of the year and the press loves her. Ask for the case."

"I'm trying to imagine a mother wanting all five of her children dead."

"That's going to be the hard part, but you saw her in that press conference. That woman is bad news."

Gibbs stared through the window broken by the fire extinguisher. "I'll make the call."

…

TBC