Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

A.N.: Thank you to Mrs. Elizabeth Gibbs, Pandora of Ithilien, black widow mistress, HesMines, sn855850 and JenniferS. DNCIS for reviewing!

McGee and Abby took the elevator up to Nikki Jardine's department, carefully going over how they would approach her and what they would do with her once they had her. McGee was confident that she wouldn't run, that would look very suspicious and she was obviously going to try and make them believe she's not guilty. Abby was just worried about other Agents starting rumours, especially if Nikki is innocent. That could strain interagency relations quite badly.

"Should we cuff her, McGee? What if she's innocent?" she asked him for the third time. She paced the small confines of the elevator, wringing her hands as a show of her discomfort. McGee patiently answered her question, for the third time, and checked his phone for any calls from Gibbs.

"We only cuff her if she runs; otherwise we just escort her to interrogation and leave her there for however long it takes for Gibbs to get back." he turned to Abby and caught her arm, stopping her progress around the elevator, and bringing her into a hug to try and help her to calm down. She relaxed into his arms and buried her face into the crook of his neck, just breathing in his scent. It was calming, and she decided she would bite the bullet and tell him what had happened to her, or almost happened. She had to address it before it festered in her mind and made her afraid of everyone. She regretfully had to force herself away from his embrace when the doors opened on their destination floor.

"Thanks Timmy." She said to him, stopping him from leaving the lift immediately. She knew that now wasn't the time, so she just smoothed out his jacket. He smiled at her and then led the way to Nikki's desk, nodding and saying hello to the Agents that worked there. The other Agents were surprised to see them, but didn't hinder their progress. Nikki was sat at her desk, diligently typing away on her keyboard and not taking much notice of her surroundings. McGee approached her desk and then leaned over it, catching her attention.

"Agent Jardine, we need you to come with us, please." She looked up at him in shock and then glanced between him and Abby uncertainly. She locked her computer and then nodded to them, not wanting their conversation to be overheard. She stood and then rounded her desk before following them to the elevator.

"Can I ask what this is about?" she asked them, watching McGee press the button for the ground floor, and she waited patiently for an answer. McGee glanced at Abby and then directed his full attention to Nikki.

"Agent Gibbs would like to talk to you in interrogation." He said simply, hoping she wouldn't freak out and try to fight her way out of the building. It didn't seem very likely, but then did they even know her true nature? For all they knew, her germ-phobia was an act.

"Who is he interrogating?" she asked, genuinely interested in why she would possibly be needed in an interrogation. McGee kept silent for a few moments until the doors opened and he stepped out, allowing her to walk just ahead of him, with Abby taking the lead.

"You."

Gibbs stared at the corpse angrily, annoyed at himself for giving Kort the opening he'd needed to do something like this. He had expected him to try; he just hadn't foreseen that he would be so easily distracted by Jenny. That was his own fault entirely; he could have disarmed her in a different way, but he had felt like getting his own back for what had happened in his basement. He hadn't realised that she would suddenly command all of his attention after one kiss as herself. The kiss in his basement had been wonderful, but it hadn't been her. She had kissed him like it was their first time, and while that had been sweet, it had lacked their usual energy. The kiss with their energy had hyper stimulated his Jenny sense, and every movement she made seemed to be to entice him. She must be doing it on purpose, or maybe he was imagining it.

She stood beside him for a few seconds longer and then sprang forwards, stopping a few inches from Kort. The CIA Agent regarded her warily for a moment before deciding she was just trying to intimidate him. Then she brought her elbow up and pain exploded on his face when she hit him with the flat side, the strongest, boniest part, and his head snapped back. She spun on the spot and walked out of the room to the kitchen, unheeding of the sudden flurry of guns that were now being pointed around. Kort whipped out his gun and pointed it at her retreating figure as Gibbs, Tony and Ziva all pointed theirs at him.

"Try it, and we'll be decorating this place with your insides." Tony said to him. Kort reached up and wiped some of the blood from his chin, his jaw clenching when more just ran down. Tony watched the tight control of the double Agent slipping and he decided to help him lose it. They would get an excuse to shoot him with a clear conscience then. "Ziva, what do you make of that nose bleed?"

"Red does not suit him." she said, trying to smother her grin.

"Yeah, I expected more of a Vulcan green, myself." Tony added, throwing a nasty look at the older man, who was trying to stop the bleeding by pinching the bridge of his nose. His gun was still out, but was pointing at Tony now. That guy needed an attitude adjustment. He put his gun down though, there was no way he was getting out of here if bullets started flying, he needed to bide his time. Tony and Ziva put theirs down and then Gibbs motioned for them to leave the room. They did so, throwing untrusting glances at Kort. Gibbs wasted no time in closing the distance between them, and as soon as he was close enough, he disarmed Kort and then grabbed his thumb, pressing and twisting it until Kort was on his knees, trying not to show he was in pain. Gibbs was impressed, but not enough to cut him any slack. He leaned closer to him and whispered in his ear.

"Threaten any of my people again, and we'll take our chances on this case, without your help." He released Kort and pushed him forwards, before following his team to the kitchen. Kort needed them just as much as they needed him. The CIA wouldn't be able to help him if they revealed he was in on the conspiracy against Jenny, or when they proved he had killed the Sec-Nav. If he wanted the CIA's protection, he would have to confess and then wait to be turned over to his Agency. Right now however, Gibbs had Nikki Jardine to interrogate; Tony could record Kort's statement.

When Gibbs entered the interrogation room, Nikki had been waiting for over an hour. She looked calm and collected, but her hands betrayed her nervousness. She was twisting her fingers in her lap anxiously. Gibbs sat down at the table; sitting opposite her and carefully placing his hands flat on the table surface. She was afraid to touch the table, and seeing him putting his hands so casually on the top made her shudder in disgust. How many people before him had touched that? When had it last been cleaned? She focussed on him when he spoke. "Do you know why you are here, Agent Jardine?" she shook her head.

"Not really sir-Agent Gibbs." She corrected herself quickly, trying not to give him cause, or more cause, to shout at her. He watched her, weighing up her reactions to what he was saying and listening carefully to every word she said, trying to catch her out.

"Really? Well, let me help you figure it out." He said gently, almost like he was sincerely hoping to jog her memory. "The Sec-Nav has been involved in a conspiracy to murder certain individuals inside NCIS. Ring any bells?" Nikki blanched and her eyes widened in surprise.

"No sir, absolutely not." Her voice wavered at the beginning, but it became stronger by the end. The Sec-Nav wanted to kill his employees? It's not possible. Gibbs narrowed his eyes and sat forwards in his chair slightly.

"Hmm. Part of this conspiracy was a plot against Director Shepard. A plot to have her removed permanently from NCIS. Am I getting anywhere Jardine?" his voice was insistent and spoke of his exasperation with her denials, and she felt her heart begin to race. Did he think…? She shook her head.

"No sir, I have no idea-" he cut her off, standing up from the table to tower over her.

"The Sec-Nav named you as his source in NCIS, the one that gave him the information necessary to nearly kill the only witness to tie him to the conspiracy." He practically shouted at her, and Nikki felt her stubborn streak kick in. she sat straighter in her chair and crossed her arms angrily.

"I have no knowledge of any conspiracy sir, please believe me! I had no quarrel with Director Shepard; I liked her." She implored him to listen to her, how could they believe that she would betray them? That she could want Director Shepard dead?

"She likes you too Nikki, which is why she is finding it so hard to believe you were involved with the plot to kill her, but I know better than to put blind faith into someone." His voice dropped almost into a deadly whisper and Nikki felt a bubble of hopelessness inside her. Wait. Did he say…?

"What do you mean she 'Is finding it?' sir? I thought she was dead." Nikki asked carefully, not sure if it was the right question to ask, but too intrigued to stay quiet. Gibbs smirked at her and rounded the table so he was standing behind her. She kept her head straight forward, resisting the urge to watch his progress around her.

"Well she isn't. Nearly was though, I guess we owe that to you." his voice was very close to her ear and she was unable to stop herself from jumping in fright. She was getting sick of this.

"Sir! I don't know what you are talking about!" she shouted out angrily and he moved so he was right next to her, leaning in close to unnerve her and make her feel even more under threat.

"You were passing information to the Sec-Nav, Jardine. That information could have killed my entire team!" he shouted at her, watching her wince in discomfort at the proximity of his voice to her ear. She shook her head and then turned to him fully.

"I haven't passed any…! Oh." She whispered, her face suddenly clearing off all anger as her surprise manifested itself. Gibbs scoffed.

"'Oh?' Suddenly remembered your guilt, Agent Jardine?" he asked, but she shouted back at him almost before he finished speaking.

"No, it wasn't like that!"

"What was it like?" he asked quietly, rounding back around the table and sitting back in his chair. Nikki took a deep breath and started from the beginning.

"I was in the hospital sir, with my brother, and the Sec-Nav wandered into the room. He was lost; he'd gotten the wrong corridor. I helped him to find his way. He asked me about my brother, asked what was wrong with him, so I told him. I said there was some special medicine that he needed but I couldn't afford it, he said he could get it for me; all I had to do was earn it." she said forlornly. Gibbs nodded and pressed her to go on.

"By betraying the Agency."

"No! All he wanted was for me to tell him about all of the interesting things that happened in NCIS, gossip really, but nothing I told him seemed to be good enough." She looked up into Gibbs' accusing eyes and implored him to understand. "He's the Secretary of the Navy! It's his Agency too. I just figured he didn't get on with Vance, since no one seemed to like him or be able to talk to him. It seemed reasonable that he would have needed someone else in NCIS to tell him what was going on here on a daily basis." She closed her eyes for a moment.

"And then?" Gibbs prodded, knowing there was more, but unsure of how she fit in to what the Sec-Nav had told him. Nikki wiped her eyes, a lone tear escaping and slipping down her cheek.

"I saw… I thought I saw Director Shepard walk into the building a few hours ago. I wasn't going to say anything to him, but he realised I was distracted when he called me." She sighed heavily and more tears followed the path down her face that the lone one had forged. "Once I told him that, he said he would get the medicine for me, I thought he must have had enough of the gossip." She lost her control and sobbed, bringing her hands up to her face to cover her mouth and try to smother the sounds of her distress. "My brother isn't going to get that medicine, is he?" Gibbs stood and rounded the table once more, this time putting a comforting hand on her shoulder. With the Sec-Nav dead, there was very little chance of her getting what she needed for her brother unless they had signed an agreement, which he doubted.

"No, he isn't."