Tony woke up the next morning feeling a little more energetic.

"You know," he said conversationally, "in some ways my Boss would quite like this."

"Why?" asked Mouse.

"He likes log cabins. He's got one of his own out in the woods. Actually, I've got a cabin too."

"You?"

"Why do you say it like that?"

"I don't know. You don't strike me as the sort of person who would have a cabin in the woods."

"Actually, you're right. My cabin is on the coast. Milsom Bay, North Carolina and it's a bit smarter than this one. For one thing, I can get to the bathroom in my cabin."

"You said your Boss would only like this in some ways? What wouldn't he like about it?"

"You mean apart from the whole chained to the wall bit?" Mouse nodded. "No coffee," said Tony mournfully, "he's addicted. But I must admit I wouldn't mind a cup of the caffeinated stuff from our coffee shop."

"I thought you'd stopped going there," pointed out Maisie.

"True," said Tony, "I thought it was the best thing to do. But I'm going to start giving them my valued custom again once this is all over."

"Why's that? Because their coffee is so good?"

"Partly. But I like the other customers there."

Mouse smiled, "I promise I won't stalk you anymore."

Tony risked sitting up. "Hey," he said, "No more dizziness. Not that this place looks much more appealing from here." He continued to look round and his eyes lighted on the necklace Mouse had been making. "Mouse," he said, "I've got an idea."

NCISNCIS

Gibbs and McGee left the college in frustration. McGee's search had had limited success as the records were well protected: he had found names but no extra details. The principal had been reluctant to give them photos of the students named Adam without some sort of court order but had gone far enough to tell them that no one named Adam was absent that day.

McGee got the request for a court order under way and, in the meantime, Abby was trawling through the photos which were on the college's website to see if any of them matched the picture from the white van.

McGee and Gibbs drove back to the Navy Yard in silence until Gibbs said,

"OK, McGee. What's on your mind?"

"Boss?"

"Come on, Tim, something's eating at you. Spit it out!"

"Well … I don't know … but Boss, isn't it possible that Tony and Maisie have gone off somewhere together for, well, you know …"

"Maisie Elkins is 21, McGee. You think DiNozzo is going to date someone that age?"

"I didn't say date, Boss. I mean, it looks as if Maisie has been throwing herself at Tony. Perhaps he decided to …"

"Take advantage of her? Or how did you put it before: act inappropriately?"

"Well, it's possible. You know Tony."

"Yes, I do. And he swore that he hadn't done anything wrong. And I believe him."

McGee opened his mouth as if willing to continue the argument but encountered a Gibbs glare so closed it again. The journey continued in silence.

"Gibbs, Gibbs, Gibbs, oh and McGee," said Abby when they got back to the Navy Yard.

"What you got, Abs?" asked Gibbs.

"I did a trace on Tony's cell."

"It's off," said McGee.

"I know," said Abby, "but I thought I'd check where it was last used."

"And?"

"As far as I can tell, on the road out towards the Shenandoah National Park."

"Good work, Abby," said Gibbs, "but it's a big area to search."

"Wait," said Abby excitedly, "there's more!"

"OK," said Gibbs, "you know I'm not going to guess."

"I didn't want you to," said Abby earnestly, "I was just catching my breath."

Gibbs inclined his head as a signal to continue,

"Sorry. I've got my breath now. So I looked at traffic cameras on the road out to the National Park to see if I could spot any white vans …"

"And?" asked McGee.

"And there were tons of them. And I couldn't see the license plates on all of them."

"It was a good idea, Abs," said Gibbs turning to go.

"So," continued Abby as she grabbed hold of Gibbs arm to pull him back, "so, I looked to see if I could see any coming back to DC."

"Why?" asked Tim.

"You told me that none of the Adams were out of school today. So I figured that might mean he'd come back into DC."

"And?" asked Gibbs.

"And I spotted one coming back in and it's the one we're looking for. I managed to track it all the way back into DC. I lost it in Falls Church."

"That's good," said Gibbs, "when we get the list of students from the College that'll narrow it down."

"So then," continued Abby happily, "I looked at drivers licenses for people called Adam with an address in Falls Church. Our picture isn't clear enough to run facial recognition so I just looked at all the drivers licence photos to see if I could see anyone who looked like the guy from the park. And look," she brought up a picture of Adam Dalrymple-Baxter.

Gibbs kissed her on the cheek in acknowledgement.

"Where did you pick the white van up coming back into DC?" he asked.

"I'll send you the location of the traffic cam," said Abby.

"McGee, send Dorneget to the College and tell him to follow this guy if he leaves. And send another team to stake out his house."

"Yes, Boss. Where are we going?"

"We'll head out to the place Abby first saw the van. See if we can pick anything up from there."

NCISNCIS

Gibbs almost whistled as he drove. He felt much better now they had a name and address for Adam. Even if they didn't find the white van, they had a good chance now of picking up the boy and, once Gibbs had him in interrogation, he had no doubt he would find out what had happened to Tony. The only doubt was what condition Tony would be in when they found him; that was what prevented Gibbs from actually whistling.

"Balboa's team say that the house is empty," reported McGee, "seems everyone's out. Dorneget says he can't see any white vans in the college carpark but some of the students are out on field trips today so they may go straight home and not come back to college."

"OK," said Gibbs, "tell them all to keep position …"

"Whoa! What's going on, Boss?" gasped McGee, as Gibbs suddenly swung the sedan round and drove off in the opposite direction.

For answer Gibbs just pointed ahead where McGee saw a white van driving back towards DC. Gibbs accelerated and pushed in front of the van and screeched to a halt. He and McGee jumped out, guns drawn. The van came to a halt.

"Federal agents! Get out of the vehicle!" shouted Gibbs.

"Slowly!" ordered McGee, "keep your hands where we can see them!"

"Don't get your panties in a twist, McGee," came Tony's placid voice.

McGee ran up to where Mouse was shakily getting out of the van,

"Hands behind your back," he told her as he produced his handcuffs.

"You OK, DiNozzo?" said Gibbs as he went up to Tony.

"I'm fine, Boss, a bit casually dressed for a working day, but I'm OK. Hey, what you doing, McGee? Leave her alone!"

McGee stopped putting the cuffs on Maisie as his doubts about whether there had been a kidnapping resurfaced.

"DiNozzo?" said Gibbs, "what's going on?"

"I was kidnapped," said Tony. McGee resumed putting the cuffs on Maisie. "We both were. By Mouse's crazy ex-boyfriend Adam."

Gibbs nodded at McGee who took the cuffs off.

"Nothing to do with Mouse," said Tony, "well apart from having the bad taste to have a jealous boyfriend and the good taste to have a crush on me."

"Where's Adam now?" asked Gibbs.

"In class," said Tony a little bitterly, "he had to fit kidnapping in with his studies!"

"Good to be a diligent student," said Gibbs drily.

Tony swayed suddenly and Gibbs grabbed his arm.

"He was drugged," said Mouse, "with Adam's mom's heart pills."

McGee laughed and Tony turned a wounded look on him. "You have to admit. It's kinda funny, Tony," said McGee, "snatched by a part-time crook and drugged with his mom's tablets."

"You're just mad that we got away before you got to us," said Tony, leaning on Gibbs more heavily than he wanted to.

"We would have found you," protested McGee, "wouldn't we, Boss?"

"Let's get these two back to DC," said Gibbs, deciding not to get into another argument between Tony and Tim. "Lock the van. We'll send a team out to get it later and bring it back for analysis."

NCISNCIS

"Tut, tut," said Ducky, as he listened to Tony's heart in autopsy, "how extraordinary. Drugged with beta blockers! Well, I don't think it has done any lasting harm although your heart beat is still a little slower than I would like. Rest and food will see you all right again, my boy."

"Thanks, Ducky. It was a bit scary, I can tell you. I couldn't even think of a movie reference – that was really disturbing!"

"Indeed," said Ducky, "I'm sure it was. You said that this Adam boy seemed to be hearing voices?"

"Yeah. He seemed real confused by them. I don't think he wanted to hurt us, well … me. He definitely didn't want to hurt Mouse. She got the deluxe end of the cabin package."

"Hmm, hearing voices may be symptomatic of some mental illness," mused Ducky, "and sometimes it does manifest itself for the first time in young men."

"So, how did you get away?" asked Jimmy, "Agent McGee seemed almost put out that you'd escaped on your own."

"Poor Timmy," said Tony, "he wanted to do the knight on a white charger bit but it turned out that we didn't need him after all. Although I was glad not to drive all the way back to DC. Our daring escape took it out of me!"

"Yes," said Ducky judiciously, "it may take a little while for you to recover your usual vigour. But you haven't answered Mr Palmer's question."

"Oh. Yeah, it was simple in the end. Mouse is learning to make jewellery. She made a necklace while we were in the cabin. It took me a while to realise."

"Realise what?" asked Ducky.

"That she was using this little metal tool to make the links."

"Aah," said Ducky.

"What?" asked Mr Palmer.

"I used the tools to pick the lock on my handcuff and then to undo the lock on the cabin door," said Tony placidly, "Jump started the van and there we were. On the road back to DC. Oh, hey Boss," he said as Gibbs and McGee came in.

"How is he, Ducky?" asked Gibbs.

"He's fine," said Tony.

Ducky and Gibbs both ignored him, "He's on his way to being fine, Jethro. A good night's rest and some proper food and he should be as right as rain. I've dressed the cuts on his legs from where the trip wire cut in."

Gibbs nodded.

"Where's Mouse?" asked Tony.

"Actually, Tony, Dr Merton doesn't approve of Maisie being called Mouse," said McGee. "She says it reinforces stereotypes to call her by that nickname."

"She likes me calling her Mouse," said Tony, "and anyway, she's like 'the mouse that roared'."

"I know that one," said Ducky excitedly, "Peter Sellers film of the 1950s. Although, of course, it was a novel before that."

"Well done, that man," said Tony approvingly, "and Mouse did well."

Gibbs ignored this byplay and answered Tony's original question, "she's going to go home with Dr Merton. She's going to stay with her for a couple of days but Sal thinks she'll be OK. She's on her way down, she wanted to see you before she goes."

At that moment Mouse came in with Sally, "Hi," she said, "I just wanted to say sorry again."

"No need," said Tony, "it wasn't your fault."

"But if I hadn't been so silly," said Maisie.

"You couldn't have known what would happen," said Tony.

"Thank you. And I guess really that I got that crush on you because I knew you were safe."

McGee stifled a giggle.

Mouse continued, "Like I said in the cabin, I knew I was being silly and self-indulgent and it wasn't fair on you but it was a bit like having a crush on …"

"Don't say father," said Tony pleadingly.

"A big brother," said Mouse.

"Look after yourself, Mouse," said Tony, "I'll see you around."

He put an arm round Maisie and kissed her on the top of her head, "And keep up the jewellery making," he said, "I never realised what a useful hobby it could be!"

Maisie laughed and moved out of his embrace.

"Sal," said Gibbs, "we picked Adam up at his house. He's been arrested and is waiting in Interrogation so you don't need to worry."

Sal nodded, she gathered Maisie up and they left.

"Right," said Gibbs, "time to speak to our guest. DiNozzo!"

"Yes, Boss?"

"Put some clothes on. This is a federal building not a gymnasium!" but he smiled as he said it. "You're a victim here so you can't be involved in the questioning. Shouldn't take long. I'll run you home afterwards."

NCISNCIS

"So what did Adam say?" asked Tony some time later as Gibbs drove him back to his apartment.

"Don't think he knows what he was doing," said Gibbs, "rambled on about the voices."

"He on drugs?" said Tony.

"Don't think so. Might be, though. He's been taken to the psychiatric unit at George Washington," said Gibbs, "he's not going anywhere for a while."

"It was odd," said Tony wearily, "he seemed like a good lad in some ways."

"Apart from kidnapping you and drugging you," said Gibbs wryly.

"Yeah, and chaining me to the wall and making me pee in a bucket. You're right. I may be going off him."

"You did well, Tony," said Gibbs.

"I must be more tired than I thought," said Tony, "I'm dreaming. Did you just say something nice?"

"Idiot!" said Gibbs.

"I don't think McGee agrees I did well," said Tony, "he still thinks it was my fault somehow."

"Doesn't matter," said Gibbs as he pulled up outside Tony's apartment, "here we are."

Tony leaned back on the head rest and sighed happily, "Thanks, Boss."

"No problem, Tony. Sleep well."

"I will," Tony hesitated and then went on, "Boss?"

"What?"

"Would it be all right if I didn't come in for a couple of days? I'll still be working. Got that Dalrymple case to prepare for but I thought I might head down to the cabin for a while. I can do the work from my laptop. I just think it would be good to get away for a while. I don't want to fall out with McGee and if he says one more thing about what I got up to with Mouse I might lose it."

"Do you think it will help?"

"Couldn't hurt," said Tony, "bit of home cooking and fresh sea air will settle me down again. And who knows, by the time I get back, McGee might have moved on a bit."

"OK, tell you what, take a couple days as leave. You've got the time on the books. And you stay in touch," said Gibbs firmly, "and don't worry about McGee. I'll talk to him."

"You don't mean take him down to the gym and pummel him into the ground, do you?" asked Tony.

"You implying that me talking to him won't work?"

"No, Boss. He'll probably feel that talking is like pummelling him into the ground," said Tony, "go easy on him. We need those fingers and that brain."

Gibbs didn't reply and Tony felt too weary to argue the point so he got out of the car and waved a sketchy farewell. Gibbs watched him go with something like a frown on his face; he didn't understand how his two agents could get on well one day and be at one another's throats the next.

NCISNCIS

Tony reached Milsom Bay early the next afternoon and went to see Millie at the beach café first.

"Tony! I didn't expect you. Sit down and I'll get you something to eat and drink."

Tony loved Millie. If he had to explain what 'motherly' meant to someone from outer space, he would simply point to Millie. Always calm, always welcoming, never judgemental … and always ready with food. She rarely asked him what he wanted to eat, she just instinctively seemed to know what would be right. Now, he went and sat in his favourite seat and waited till she brought out a mug of cocoa and a ham sandwich.

"I love you, Millie," he said as he bit it into the ham.

"I know," she said placidly, "you tell me every time. Now, tell me, what're you doing here in the middle of the working week? Agent Gibbs hasn't fired you, has he?"

"Sack me? His senior field agent? Who he can't manage without? Well, that might be a bit of an exaggeration. Actually a humungous exaggeration."

Millie waited patiently with a smile on her face.

"No, I'm not sacked. I'm combining some time off with some work from home for a couple days. I've had a difficult few days."

"What happened this time?"

"I acquired a stalker. Then I got kidnapped by my stalker's crazy ex boyfriend. Except that it turned out that my stalker had seen the error of her ways and wasn't stalking me anymore but her boyfriend didn't seem to care about that. Then …"

"Wait," said Millie, almost shaken out of her imperturbability, "I'll go and get myself a coffee and you can tell me the story properly."

Millie was soon back with a coffee and some brownies and she settled down to listen to Tony's tale.

"So," he finished, "then we saw Gibbs race past us and try to drive us off the road and then it was all over bar the shouting. Uh, Millie, where's …"

But before he could finish there was an excited barking by the door and Ruskin came barrelling in and ran towards Tony. Ruskin was the dog Tony had acquired somewhat reluctantly courtesy of FBI Agent Fornell. When the case ended Tony had thought of keeping the dog in his apartment but decided it was unfair on Ruskin. And so, Ruskin now lived with Millie in Milsom Bay where he had become a favourite with her customers and her grandchildren. Tony was popular in the Bay but Ruskin was the star. He had missed Tony's arrival because he had been out for a walk with one of his many friends but Ruskin's ecstasy at seeing him proved that Tony was his favourite.

"Hello, boy," said Tony as he lifted him up so that he could pet him more easily, "I missed you!" He looked at Millie, "Can I borrow him while I'm here?"

"Sure," said Millie, "you know you've got full visitation rights!"

Soon afterwards Tony and Ruskin left for the cabin, promising to come back that evening for supper.

"John'll be home later," said Millie as they left.

Tony nodded. His cabin stood in what had once been part of John Sutherland's garden. Tony had bought the land and the cabin from John and had extended the 'shack'. John had been Tony's first friend in Milsom Bay and he looked forward to seeing him. The warmth of Millie's welcome and the sheer delight shown by Ruskin soothed a hurt in Tony's soul. It was good to be with people who simply liked and trusted him.

Tony put Ruskin in the car and drove the short distance to his cabin. He smiled as he sighed happily, the customary Milsom Bay sense of peace descending on him. This really was a perfect place.

The person gazing at Tony through his binoculars also smiled. He hoped this quiet backwater would be the perfect place for what he had in mind.

AN: Ruskin was introduced in 'One Man and his Dog' in case you want to know more about him – but, hopefully, this story makes sense without reading the earlier one.