A/N ok, a lot more case. Plz Review. Reviews have slowed. Is there anything I could change? Plz be nice. Disclaimer: ditto.
Once they all entered the bullpen, Gibbs began pointing.
"Ziva first, me next, Tony last." he said, leaving no room for argument.
"I found a connection between all of the victims except Lt. Brenner." Ziva said, "They all went to the welfare building."
"So they were short on cash?" Tony asked, eyebrows raised.
"Well, that is what was really odd." Ziva said, grabbing some papers from her desk, "They were all in the military at the time they visited."
"They wouldn't have been eligible for welfare." concluded McGee.
"Exactly." Ziva said, smiling at him, "So why the welfare visit?"
After a beat of silence, Gibbs nodded.
"Alright." he said, "Abby has found a hair."
"We have DNA!" Tony cried.
"No DiNozzo." Gibbs snapped, "The hair is fake."
"But Abby found where it came from." McGee said with a smile.
"Tony?" Gibbs said with a nod his direction.
"McGee and I found out that Josie Brenner was bailed out by The Gifter." Tony said.
"Did you get a name?" Gibbs asked.
"It was fake." Tony said.
"How is this good news?" Gibbs snapped.
"The Gifter put down an address in his paperwork." Tony said quickly, "McGee drove past, it was an abandoned shack."
"We'll check it out." Gibbs said, "Could be evidence there."
"So to sum up," McGee said, ever the organizer, "We have a common link between victims, a traceable hair, and an address."
"Damn." Ziva and Tony said in unison.
"Where do we start?" McGee asked, looking to Gibbs for direction.
"McGee, Ziva you both head to the welfare office" Gibbs said after a brief moment of being overwhelmed at their new found luck, "DiNozzo and I will hit the shack."
With the official instructions, they packed up to go. Tony and Gibbs left first with Tony nattering about some movie the case related to.
"Do you want to go see Chelsea before we leave?" McGee asked Ziva shyly.
"I would like that." Ziva answered softly.
Wordlessly they headed for the stairs. And only if one looked really close, they would have seen McGee quickly squeeze Ziva's hand.
"Hey Cynthia." McGee said, "We came to check on Chelsea."
Suddenly, Chelsea burst from Jenny's office.
"Daddy! Mommy!"
McGee saw Ziva stiffen in surprise, but she smiled at Chelsea anyway. Chelsea's fever had broken earlier that morning and she was back to her happy self.
"Hey Chels." McGee said, hoisting the giggly girl into his arms, "Are you feeling ok?"
Chelsea nodded her head hard. Ziva and McGee laughed.
"Go home?" she asked, her blue eyes sparkling.
"Not yet Tetelah." Ziva said, gently brushing her hand on Chelsea's face.
Chelsea scrunched her face at the news.
"We have to go Chelsea." McGee said, handing the little girl to Cynthia.
"Bye, bye Mommy!" Chelsea chimed, "Bye, bye Daddy!"
McGee and Ziva waved as they left the directors office.
"She is adorable." Ziva said as they descended the stairs.
"You didn't mind that she called you Mommy." McGee said as they reached the elevator.
"No, I did not." Ziva said in a whisper.
Meanwhile, Gibbs and Tony had reached the shack. It was a shabby place that seemed to be boards and nails.
"Whoa." Tony breathed when the door almost fell on him.
"DiNozzo," Gibbs said, "Look around the perimeter."
"On it Boss." Tony said.
The shack was a basic square, so the search was quick.
"Did you find anything?" Tony asked Gibbs as he entered the shack.
"The place is pretty clean for a run down shack." Gibbs said.
"Crap." Tony said.
They searched a second time, but found nothing.
"Maybe McGee and Ziva found something." Tony said, discouraged that his discovery hadn't lead to anything.
After a long and silent ride, Ziva and McGee entered the DC Welfare building.
"Can I help you?" said the plump elderly woman behind the front desk.
"Uh- yes." McGee said, flashing his badge, "Special Agent McGee, David, NCIS."
"Ah," the woman said, "what can I do for you?"
"We need to find out if these women applied for welfare." Ziva said, handing the woman a list.
"I'm afraid I cannot give out that information." Flo, as her name tag said, stated.
"We can get a warrant." Ziva said, lightly threatening the woman.
"I am afraid you'll have to." Flo said apologetically.
"We'll be back." McGee said politely.
"That was a crust." Ziva said as they walked away.
McGee gave her a funny look, then smiled.
"I think you mean 'bust'." McGee said, "Not crust."
Ziva smiled and let out a little giggle, then gasped. She covered her mouth with her hand.
"It's ok." McGee said, smiling back, unlocking the car.
Suddenly, shots rang out. McGee and Ziva grabbed their guns, ducking down.
"We'll get Chelsea!" someone screamed, followed by the squeal of tires.
McGee and Ziva were unable to look at the vehicle because the shots continued as the vehicle sped off.
"You ok Ziva!?" McGee said, hurrying to her side.
"Just a scratch Tim." Ziva said, clutching her shoulder.
Ziva had been grazed by a bullet, but McGee felt panicky any way.
"McGee, I am alright." Ziva said, even as the pain was evident in her voice.
McGee just rapidly dialed 911 and Gibbs.
"We're on our way McGee!" Gibbs said into his cell, snapping it shut, "Let's go DiNozzo! Ziva's hurt."
When they arrived on the scene, Ziva was sitting in an ambulance, a paramedic tending to her wound. McGee was collecting shells, but constantly checking up on Ziva.
"What happened McGee?" Gibbs asked.
McGee was startled, something he hadn't really done since his probie days.
"McGee?"
"We were leaving when shots rang out." McGee said, obviously shaken, "Somebody yelled that they would get Chelsea."
Gibbs noticed how McGee's eyes kept pointing in the direction of Ziva. He saw how McGee wanted to maintain professionalism, yet yearned to be by Ziva's side.
"Go to her." Gibbs said quietly, so only McGee could hear.
McGee hurried over to Ziva.
"DiNozzo." Gibbs said, "Find whatever shells you can."
Gibbs went ahead and photographed the tire treads, mentally scolding himself. He never should have let two targets out together.
He smacked the back of his head. That made it a little better.
"McGee, I assure you," Ziva said, her arm being bandaged, "I am ok."
McGee nodded, but couldn't seem to say anything. Ziva could almost see the wheels turning in McGee's mind.
"McGee?"
"Alright." was all he said.
"Have you checked on Chelsea?" Ziva asked, trying to find something for the hovering man to do.
At that, he snapped to attention, dialing away.
Ziva was amazed at how attentive McGee had been. McGee had held her until the ambulance arrived. He had commanded the paramedics to be careful with her. She was wondering why she didn't mind relying on someone other than herself.
"Chelsea is fine." McGee said, bringing Ziva out of her thoughts.
"Good." she said, relieved.
"You're all set." the paramedic said, setting his gear back in the vehicle.
"Thank you." Ziva and McGee said at the same time.
"You ready to go McGee, Ziva?" Gibbs asked, breaking them out of a trance.
They both nodded, following Gibbs to his car, as Tony drove their car back. It was now dark, and McGee was exhausted. But Ziva was falling asleep and her head landed on his shoulder.
After collecting Chelsea, and explaining that Mommy had an 'owie', Gibbs returned every one to his basement.
"Goodnight Chelsea." McGee said, kissing her forehead.
"'Night Daddy."
"Goodnight Tetelah." Ziva said, doing the same.
"'Night Mommy."
This time, Ziva's heart warmed.
It was a silent agreement between McGee and Ziva, that tonight they would rest, tomorrow was Saturday.
In another part of the city a man was speaking harshly to a frightened woman.
"You will give up your child." the man hissed, "We had an agreement."
"But I want my child!" the woman cried, a hand on her swollen belly.
The man gripped her arms tightly, causing the woman to cry out.
"You will give me the child!"
"No!"
Suddenly, the woman's sobs were heard no more.