A/N: Ah, glad to be back!

Chapter Eleven

Carter returned with the security footage of the bakery shortly after that and they were able to make a positive match, visually and electronically in the lab, to Gehob. Tim had already searched and found no connection between Gehob and Dar D'Amato, he'd already given those results to the SFA. Having finished his planned work for the day, plus some additional, Tim and his dad headed down to see Ducky. His vitals were all good but he did admit to being tired, and was instructed to rest for 30 minutes on Ducky's couch. After that he would be viewing Diopiti's interrogation. Tim had not thought he would fall asleep as he had so much going through his mind, but the couch was comfortable and he could hear his dad and Ducky's voices rumbling outside Ducky's office. Little knowing he was echoing Rob, he loved the sound of his dad's voice, it made him feel safe, secure and loved. He was asleep in minutes. Ducky persuaded Gibbs to let him sleep for 45 minutes, knowing Dr. Bwookie wouldn't pay too much attention to how long he was really here today.

XXX

Once Tim was asleep, Gibbs headed back to the squad room, arriving just as Carter was preparing a text to send to him. Legal felt they had enough between the documented links to organized crime, the documents regarding Fornell and the security footage from the bakery, to prepare an arrest warrant for a variety of charges. It would not be served until they had every scrap of everything, including Vance's all-important interview with DD Calloway over the weekend. Everything would be ready for Monday.

XXX

By Monday, everything was in play. The Gibbs' home was full to the brim as Tim joined them. He was discharged from the hospital on Friday and safely at home, having passed all his medical evaluations and been escorted home by his brothers. With their dad's approval, Sarah had assigned the master bedroom to Ziva and Tim. The family had shuffled beds around so everyone had a place to sleep; although on the nights Rob wasn't working someone, usually Gibbs or Damon, ended up on the couch. It had been a quiet weekend as Tim adjusted to being home. He could manage the stairs a couple of times a day, but had found the comfy chair in the living room was perfect for a mid-day nap. Being used to all the background noise of the hospital, nothing woke him once he drifted off.

As Claire Hubbard had invited a couple of friends of Callum and Ainsley for dinner and movies Saturday night, Tony and Jimmy joined the Gibbses for the evening for their own dinner and movies, a "James Bond through the years" marathon. Tim was still not allowed pizza or spicy foods, so dinner was spaghetti with meatballs that Ziva made.

Gibbs had finally had a chance to update Fornell and Pat; he'd found Tobias enjoying the company and the outdoors but clearly chomping at the bit to return home. The beleaguered man had been briefed earlier of NCIS involvement and the reason for it and had spent days brooding over that. He was miserable that he could not be involved in his own case; that is until Gibbs pointed out once again that he was staying safe for Emily's sake. That soothed what little bits of his pride that were left and gave him a reason to hold his head high. The Cookes planned to bring him to DC on Tuesday after the takedown on Monday.

XXX

Although everyone continued their vigilance, there were no further incidents. Carter did report that someone called Bethesda Wednesday evening wanting to know how all the NCIS agents were doing. Apparently Gehob was checking on his handiwork.

Over the weekend, Director Vance had visited the ailing Deputy Director Calloway as planned. To Leon's amazement, he found the man recovering not from the cancer, a rumor that had been bandied about, but from poisoning, source unknown.

Calloway, still a bit puzzled as to why NCIS was so interested in him, was further stymied when the Director offered to take over the investigation of the poisoning. It was Leon's turn to be stymied, and horrified, to find there was no investigation. Calloway had prevailed upon his physician to keep things quiet as he had his suspicions but hadn't figured out who he could turn to.

At that point, Leon held up his hand. "How's your security here?"

"We have the best home alarm on the market, but since I'm on extended medical leave, we have no protection detail, don't usually have one anyway."

"Mind if I use this?" Vance held up a sniffer and Calloway motioned to him to use it. The search found nothing.

"I must admit, Director Vance, it never occurred to me to look outside the Bureau."

"It's Leon, and I have a strong suspicion that your poisoning was not only an accident, I'll bet we can link it back to a case we're about to blow open, the reason I'm here."

"Ah, so you're not recruiting over the hill Bureau agents for your agency? And I'm Lawrence."

"No Lawrence, I have a much bigger agenda than that." Before Leon gave the particulars of the Gehob case, he interviewed the man about the rogue agent, not giving anything away. As he'd hoped, Lawrence Calloway had immediate answers.

"He's a terrible agent, but good at politics. I've had my eye on him for years as a troublemaker, had him transferred to my department so I could keep a closer eye on him."

"Do you have any specifics?"

"I believe he's tied to a minor mob family in the area. I haven't pinned it down, my findings were just getting interesting when I became ill. Why are you asking, what has he done?"

"For starters, I'm quite sure he poisoned you. Or ordered it done." From there, Leon outlined what Gehob had done or ordered his mob cronies to do to Tobias Fornell and his family. Calloway paled at the tale of Emily's kidnapping, only recovering his color when Leon reassured him the young girl had not been physically harmed, had no memories of any of the ordeal and would be offered professional help if and when she needed it. Vance continued with Fornell and Sacks' 'case' against McGee and subsequent failure, along with Tobias' flight to safety and the additional problems suffered by the Gibbs' family, the attempted kidnapping of Sarah and Rob, the explosive device at the hospital, the devices found and removed from their vehicles and the doctored pastries. After Leon outlined it all, he asked Calloway to remain quiet over the weekend and join them Monday for the takedown, offered to provide a protection detail for the rest of the weekend and secure transportation. The man, still reeling with all the information about his subordinate's crimes, was happy to accept both offers and to meet the agents who had followed Vance's own detail in anticipation of the offer being accepted. On the ride home with his own security detail, Leon briefly wondered who else he could install as temporary agents. SecNav had offered a few CGIS agents if necessary, but Vance thought his crew would be enough for the next 36 hours, until the takedown.

So, yes, by Monday the plan was in motion. All of the legal documents were prepared and in hand as Secretary of the Navy Davenport, NCIS Director Vance, and a puzzled FBI Director Mueller gathered in the SecNav's private conference room at the Pentagon. Mueller had been directed by his superior, the Director of National Intelligence to cooperate fully with the Secretary of the Navy. He was further puzzled but happy to see his ailing Deputy Director, Calloway enter the room, although he glowered when he realized the man was being guarded by NCIS agents. At first he thought Calloway was in trouble, but was disabused of that notion by the respectful tone in which the man was welcomed by the NCIS Director and the Secretary of the Navy. Vance made sure the man was comfortably seated and had everything he needed before the others were invited to sit. Once they were seated, SecNav Davenport gave them a little taste of their purpose and then turned the meeting over to Vance.

Thirty minutes prior to this heady gathering of the brass, S.A. Gehob had been pleasantly surprised to receive a call, telling him a town car had been sent to transport him to an important meeting. His enormous ego was such that he never doubted this meant another promotion and recognition as one of the Bureau's finest. He smirked to himself on the ride, so lost in his narcissism that he never noticed the limo was not traveling in the direction of the Hoover Building. When they arrived at the Pentagon, Gehob was startled but not dismayed. He'd been told this was an important meeting. He gloried in the military escort he was given to the meeting room and he nearly drooled when he saw Mueller there.

His delusions of grandeur ended, however when he spotted Calloway and Vance. Before he had time to gather his wits, he was accused of a variety of crimes, including one count of kidnapping a minor and two counts of attempted kidnapping, along with conspiracy to commit a laundry list of crimes, including intent to cause bodily damage to federal agents and perhaps the most damning of all, the link to organized crime. He never had time to gather those scattered wits as the accusations were accompanied by several stacks of paper and photos documenting his actions. Mueller, looking through the evidence, saw that the warrants prepared by NCIS were in good order and fired him on the spot. The Director then thanked Vance for his diligence, and was handed an manila envelope as he left, no doubt to find out what else was happening with his employees.

As Vance's agent read Gehob his rights and snapped the handcuffs on his wrists, he demanded his right to counsel. He was of course allowed to make that phone call. However, when the high priced lawyer he called turned him down and told him the family wants nothing to do with him or Diopiti, he tried to make a deal with NCIS. There were no deals to be made, S.A. Gehob was done, cooked to a crisp by the flames he himself set. NCIS took him into custody, he was placed in their lockup awaiting transport. By Monday evening, Gehob arrived at the maximum security Federal prison where he would await his trail. When word quickly spread that a former FBI agent had joined the population, his life became a source of misery.

With the firing, arrest and detainment of Gehob and the continued detention of Diopiti and his thugs, the ordeal was over. By the end of the day, the protection details were released and the special agent population of NCIS headquarters, the Pentagon and Norfolk exhaled a collective sigh of relief.

Ms. D'Amato was allowed to return to her home. The Hubbards, minus Maisie of course, slept in their own beds for the first time in a week. Tony and Jimmy returned to their own apartments. The Gibbs clan remains intact for the present. Although the danger is past, Sarah and Rob aren't in all that much of a hurry to leave both their elder brothers, father and Ziva. While Damon is happy for everyone, he is busy with his new job and knew he'd be staying with Gibbs for at least another month.

When Gibbs called Fornell, using his cell not the burn phone, Tobias knew the news was good and fought his emotions as Jethro told him of the takedown. As planned, he would return to Washington on Tuesday with Pat and his son.

As Fornell was due into NCIS before he went anywhere else, Vance invited all the Gibbses and Damon to the office on Tuesday. Damon was working so had to pass; Geordie drove Tim, Sarah and Rob to the office in time for an early lunch. Today they'd feast on Chinese food from their favorite restaurant. DiNozzo ordered it, ignoring the eye rolls from his co-workers. When Security called from the lobby, DiNozzo and David left to escort Tobias and the Cookes up to the bullpen. When the former exile emerged from the elevator and into the bullpen, it was to a round of applause from the teams that had worked so hard to bring down his tormentor and to protect their own from the same monster. Fornell accepted it in good grace and then gave them and their Director, who was standing with them, a very appreciative speech.

After that, DiNozzo and Jimmy left to bring back their lunch and Fornell joined Vance, Ziva, Ducky, the Cookes and the Gibbses in one of the conference rooms for their celebratory lunch. His time away had done good things for him; he had regained much of his spirit and health. He was surprised to see Tim at the office and then realized it was just to see him. Touched, he spirited the young man away for a brief and private conversation. Both seemed content on their return and Gibbs watched proudly. Tobias had been in contact with Victor Sterling and now reported that Emily and Diane were expected home from Australia at the end of the week. After lunch, he had another surprise when Ron Sacks arrived to give him a ride to the Hoover Building.

The Cookes also left; they were staying for the week and through the weekend with old pal Joe Murray. They would all be at Gibbs' home on Saturday for the 'blowout barbecue' being planned to officially welcome Tobias home and unofficially show their gratitude toward everyone involved in Fornell's case.

When Sacks and Fornell arrived at the Hoover Building, the place Tobias had worked for nearly 40 years, there was a tension in the vehicle that had been growing since they left NCIS.

Ron turned to his boss, "Tobias, we're here. I know this is going to be weird. But the Director wants to see you, you'll be reinstated and I happen to know there's an official apology."

Tobias sighed, "I know, Ron, I know. I need to do this, get it over with. Like Gibbs says, 'rip it off, like a band aid'."

"Sounds more like DiNozzo."

"It is a DiNozzo-ism, just didn't want to piss you off." They both laughed and that got Tobias out of the car. Ron walked by his side, as he always had, entering the building. Security waved Tobias through with a smile, a break in protocol since Fornell was not in possession of his badge.

As they walked, Tobias was greeted with well wishes by old friends, acquaintances, people he'd seen around the building and total strangers. By the time they got to the elevators, the two men were surrounded. Tobias fought a childish urge to spit into the faces around him, but his good sense persevered and his game face appeared. In truth, he was completely disgusted with these people, some of whom he'd worked with for close to 40 years and none of whom had offered support of any kind, had in fact gone out of their way to avoid him during Gehob's attack on his family and integrity. To avoid an angry outburst toward these 'fair weather' "friends", he focused on the overwhelming support he'd received from Gibbs, Tim, the team, Ducky, Leon Vance, and the NCIS special agents who had broken his case, and of course, Sarah, Rob and Geordie and the Werth kid. And all that was in spite of his behavior toward Tim during the whole Svetlana/Natalie fiasco; they'd given him the chance to state his case and had been taken back into fold, supported, taken to safety, allowed to put his best friend's loved ones in dire danger and yes, forgiven. Now he'd been welcomed back by the same people he'd tried to take down. When Sarah and Rob had invited him and Ron to the barbeque planned as his official welcome home, he had been overwhelmed at the generosity of his old friend and family. Thinking about all that put a smile on his face and Ron relaxed, hoping the rest of the day would go as well.

He hadn't been in his office more than five minutes when the call came from the Director's office. When he was ushered in, he was surprised to see his former Deputy Director Calloway standing alongside the Director. Director Mueller motioned for him to sit in one of the more comfortable chairs, always a good sign; as he sat, Tobias schooled his features into a neutral expression. The Director began by welcoming him back to work and then giving him the details of what had transpired with Gehob. The fact that the man had managed to weasel his way up in the Director's management team was glossed over but his treatment of Fornell was at least referred to as "regrettable" and his attack on Fornell's family, "unacceptable." Tobias tuned out then, trying to subdue his fury at the attack on his daughter, her kidnapping and being drugged being termed "unacceptable". It was flaming freaking evil and never should have happened.

Tobias forced himself to calm down and listen again. The Director was now talking about NCIS's 'help' in bringing Gehob to justice. That was it for Fornell, all his years of hard work, learning to go with the flow, living with all the political bullshit vanished as he rose and interrupted the man, who was still scrubbing and spinning the FBI's part in the whole mess.

"No."

"I beg your pardon."

"You will not do this to me, you will not spin this, not to me. I lived through all this, except for the past week. If I had not gone to Gibbs and asked for help, for sanctuary, my young daughter and I would probably be dead by now and possibly her mother as well. And this falls at your door, Director. You allowed this monster to rise in the ranks and to kiss ass his way into Deputy Director Calloway's job. Finish up whatever you have to say because I have about 30 seconds of patience left, and then I'm out of here. There's nothing more you can do to me. I've worked 40 years for the Bureau and you're spinning this to me, my own life. I deserve better. I'm done; give me the expense checks the Bureau owes me and my ex-wife for damages and I want to see the letter of intent signed by you to cover NCIS' expenses and then you'll have my retirement papers. I can't work here anymore, not in this level of bullshit."

"Agent Fornell… Tobias …you've just been reinstated, we need you, we have a case…"

Fornell stood and held out his hand. "I'll take the checks I see in the folder, Director and I want to see that letter of intent."

Calloway started to bite back a smirk then shrugged and let it out. He'd warned Mueller that Fornell would not be pacified. He would be following Tobias into retirement for the same reasons.

Stunned at the anger he'd never before had directed at him from this agent, Mueller handed over the envelope with the checks; there was one for Diane and one for Tobias. Tobias eyeballed the amounts, wondering who had provided the estimates; suddenly knowing in his gut that Gibbs and Vance had provided the numbers.

There was a third check, marked for Emily and Fornell almost smiled realizing 'Uncle' Vance and 'Uncle' Gibbs had made sure Emily would be able to afford the professional help she'd be getting. Calloway reached over to the open folder, plucked out another document and handed it to Fornell. It was the letter of intent to pay expenses, already signed by the Director and the document was marked and highlighted ' cc: T.C. Fornell'. Knowing that meant this was his copy, Tobias took it, folded it in thirds, waved it in a thankful gesture to Calloway and turned to leave.

Mueller finally spoke again. "Lawrence is retiring; I thought of offering the position to you; you'd be the new Deputy Director." Fornell didn't pause or answer; aside from wondering if there was a penalty for flipping the bird at the Director of an ArmFed Agency, he just kept walking.