a/n - Hope everyone had a good 4th of July. I got to watch my youngest son march in the parade with the rest of the high school band. Thank you all for your wonderful comments, you do make my day. I'm aiming for a daily update, let's see if I make it.

Director Shepard was in the bullpen, asking questions about the various cold cases they were working when Abby called. Gibbs listened for a few short seconds. "I'll see what I can do, Abby." He closed his cell phone without waiting for an reply, usual for him, but it still caught Jenny's attention.

"Have you made enough progress on one of these cases for Abby to get involved?"

Gibbs didn't look up from the papers he had spread out on his desk. "I think she's reviewing some old ballistics. I haven't brought her a Caf-Pow this morning."

"I'll do it, Boss." Tony almost tripped over himself getting to his feet. "Gotta keep her happy, since she knows how to kill and leave no forensic evidence."

Jenny watched him leave with a slight smirk. "Don't tell me DiNozzo's afraid of little ole Abby."

"Let's just say he has a healthy respect for women who can do damage." If Jenny picked up on the double meaning in Gibbs' words, she didn't show a reaction.

"Very well, I'm still waiting for your decision about McGee's replacement."

Still staring at the pages, not trusting himself to look at her, he tapped the edge of the folder. "Still reading through the files, Director. McGee left some pretty big shoes to fill."

"He was an inexperienced agent with good computer skills. What is there that's so hard about finding another one? He's where he wants to be, Jethro, move on."

"Just like that, move on?" Gibbs tossed his pen onto the desk as he stood, Ziva frantically trying to find a way to calm him down without attracting attention. "You seem to be under the impression that I was oblivious to McGee's contribution to this team. I promise you, Director, that I was perfectly aware of how much he did. The fact that the rest of us couldn't comprehend half of what he said was a mark against us, not him. If he didn't feel that way, we should have been given the opportunity to work though the problems. Now you've got DiNozzo drowning in guilt and Abby beside herself. Either let me choose his replacement my way or just assign someone yourself since you obviously feel that you know more about my team than I do. I'm going for coffee." He didn't give her a chance to respond as he stormed out and down the stairs, not waiting for the elevator.

Gibbs didn't slow down until he was outside and most of the way to the coffee shop. There was a park bench and he dropped down onto it, shaking. He'd almost let it slip that he knew she had him undercover somewhere. Until he knew why she was keeping the operation such a secret, he couldn't tip his hand, and he sure couldn't throttle the woman, no matter how tempting it was. Forcing himself to calm down enough to punch the small buttons on the phone, he texted Tony to let him know where he was.

-NCIS-

In his rush to get to Abby's lab, Tony almost forgot the Caf-Pow, but now he was standing next to her computer, drink in hand. "The Director was hanging around the bullpen. Gibbs told her you were complaining that no one had brought you one this morning."

Abby didn't argue as she grabbed the cup and took a long drink. "Well, good, because I needed it." She continued to suck on the straw.

"Umm, that's not actually why you called him, is it?" Instead of answering his question, she held a finger up as until the cup was empty.

"Like I said, I really needed that. I found a blip."

"A blip?"

"A blip." She agreed and waited for it to register. It didn't.

"What do you mean, a blip? What kind of blip? Remember, you're talking to me, not McGee, use little words."

Instead, she smacked him in the arm. "You're smart, Tony, just in a different way. Now, look." She pulled up a screen on her computer, showing transit logs that registered when a driver went through a toll booth and the bar code of their pass was scanned instead of stopping to pay. Tony recognized the logo instantly. He didn't purchase a pass, but he knew McGee did.

"No, I'm an idiot. Why didn't I think of looking for that? So, what did you find?"

She highlighted an entry. "He left right on schedule, no big surprise there, but look at this one. It scanned enough to recognize it, but the scan was too short to charge the toll against his pass."

"He was driving too fast? McGee?"

Instead of answering right away, Abby pulled up a picture from the traffic cam at the toll booth. The picture was grainy, but it showed a flat-bed tow truck carrying a vehicle that was covered with a tarp. "Not too fast, too high up."

Tony leaned close, trying to get a better look. "Can you track it, tell where it went?"

"I did, at least I did until it turned down a street with no traffic cameras. I might be able to find something on another camera if I knew what direction to look. This is the last confirmed sighting I have." Abby pulled up another picture and Tony grinned.

"Thanks, Abs, I know where they took the car."

-NCIS-

"Maria said you didn't eat much of your breakfast." Kort grabbed the chair next to the bed and swung it around to straddle it. "Are you nauseous?"

"No, I'm just not hungry. Besides, have you ever tried to eat like this?" As ordered, Tim was laying flat on his back, his head only slightly elevated. Even while he complained about laying flat, he rolled to his side to get up.

"What do you think you're doing?"

"The doctor said I could be up for five minutes every four hours, so what do you think I'm doing?" Partway up, he stopped as the dizziness overwhelmed him and he closed his eyes to ride it out.

Kort knew where he was headed and helped him to his feet. One arm around his waist and the other hand supporting his elbow, Kort guided McGee to the bathroom. Once inside, he leaned him against the counter. "Are you all right to take it from here?"

"Yeah, thanks." Tim opened his eyes and gave a wan smile. Kort wasn't at all convinced as he stepped back, waiting for the other man to straighten up. When he was finally convinced that McGee wasn't going to fall over, he left the small room, pulling the door closed behind him.

"Don't lock it." He wasn't hovering, he told himself as he waited, but he didn't relax until McGee was finished and he was able to safely get the younger man back into bed. There was a murmured thanks and he was back asleep before his head rolled back onto the pillow. Kort quietly straightened him out and pulled the covers back up.

"You'll make a fine mother someday, my friend."

Kort carefully turned around. "Max."

Duplantis walked the rest of the way into the bedroom and stood at the foot of the bed, watching the undercover agent as he slept. "I can't help but wonder exactly what he is to you. Why not leave his care to the staff, why fight so hard to protect him?"

"I told you..."

"Yes, yes, I know." Duplantis waved his hand around. "You owe him, he saved you, but there is more. Much more that you have not said. I am beginning to feel that you don't trust me anymore. So, what is it about this boy?"

Kort remembered Fornell's joking reference to 'PapaGibbs'. "Let's just say that when it comes to saving my sorry ass, he is his father's son."

"Family is something I understand. Will his father forgive you for hiding what has happened to his son?"

You have no idea.

"Probably not if he were still with us." Kort turned back to the bed.

Duplantis looked thoughtful. "Did he lose his father because of you?"

"Let's just say that we all have a mutual devil, and leave it at that."

"Ah, she does get around, doesn't she? Well, in that case, you were right to bring him to me."