Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters that appear in NCIS. They are all owned by CBS and Belisarius productions. But, if I was asked to create characters for NCIS 2.0 I would love to be a part of that. Please if you're reading let me help you. Any original characters that appear in this chapter are all mine.

A/N: Okay when we last left Tony he was thinking suicidal thoughts and then vengeful thoughts. Abby was blubbering on McGee's shoulder and Gibbs and Jenny were making out in the hospital while Stan Burley was in the Operating Theatre. But in all these going-ons we have not seen or heard about Ziva, Ducky and Palmer.

Tension filled the air in autopsy so much that Ducky had asked Jimmy Palmer to spend some time with Abby and McGee helping them to discover where Tony could have possibly disappeared too. From behind an examination screen Ducky worked without a word, Ziva was after all half naked. Finally Ducky removed the sterile gloves and turned his back as any good gentleman should before he spoke, "I think you'll be fine my dear, a little bruising for a couple of days and you'll be right as rain."

"I won't be," Ziva snapped, since returning from the building in downtown DC she had been in a mood. If Ducky guessed right, it was the sort of mood that tried to cover emotions of pain, usually the pain of a broken heart. "He shot me Ducky…"

"Ziva," Ducky turned back to Ziva ignoring her bare chest as she was scooping up her bra, "He didn't know…how could he?" Ducky's head shifted as he thought the door to autopsy had opened; it was time he kept quiet. Gibbs had arrived back from the hospital.

Ziva ignored Ducky's common sense as she began to dress, "How…how Ducky can you defend him…?" Ziva almost sounded distraught.

"Problem, Officer David?" Gibbs appeared round the screen, Ziva turned to glare at him only to meet a stare that she knew not even Muhammad Ali in his prime would be able to hold. It was almost like he'd settled the dispute before it had started. Gibbs looked over at Ducky, "Can I speak with Ziva alone Duck?" The words were now spoken softly and with a fatherly tone.

"Yes, I believe that even with Mr Palmer, Abigail and Timothy will be in need of my expertise." The older man gave Gibbs a knowing smile, after all he now knew about the letter that Gibbs held in his pocket. With that, Ducky disappeared behind the partition and the sound of the sliding doors closing together being the only evidence that he had been there with Gibbs.

Gibbs sat down on a high stool as Ziva finished fastening the bra and pulled a white shirt over the top. "Are you that mad at an amnesic man, Ziva?" Gibbs waited until she was looking in his direction before focusing on her again, the fatherly tone in his voice breaking down her defenses. "Or is it because you actually pulled the trigger?" Gibbs stood, his eyes held her, "Didn't I tell you not too?"

Ziva was shaking visibly, her pent up emotions beginning to burst out. "He…he," were the only words she could speak before wracking sobs and large tears caused her to bury her face in Gibbs shoulder. She had been a strong woman for so long, she had not allowed anyone in so deep as Gibbs and Tony. Without the usual mask in place, that she used to hide behind, she was just a usual and emotional Jewess.

"I know, I know," Gibbs held her close as only a father knew how, "It was a reflex reaction…I would've done the same!"

"I killed him Gibbs!" Ziva sobbed into his now dampening jacket.

Gibbs pulled her away from him, holding her at arms length, he looked her in the eye and holding her there as the next words were said, "You really believe that Ziva?"

"I am Mossad trained Gibbs," Ziva shivered as she fought to control her flow of tears, "He's dead as a doorknob!"

Gibbs smirked for a second as he realized she'd messed up her idiom. Ziva closed her eyes wishing the familiar voice of Tony would correct her, but it didn't, instead Gibbs' voice cut through her unconscious, "If you believe that, then this is for you to read. If you don't then he'll turn up in the strangest place that you never thought possible." Gibbs held out the letter that Tony had handed to Fornell all those months ago, another item tumbled clinking into her open palm. "You might want to try those set of keys, could be important."

Ziva sighed and wiped her drying tears sniffing as she spoke, "Thank you Gibbs."

Gibbs shook his head and advanced toward the door, "Don't thank me until you know where that leads." Gibbs paused at the doors that lead to the elevator outside, "I want you home and rested for the next day or so. I don't want to see you back here until you've either made peace or made something else clear!"

"We're already a man down Gibbs," Ziva looked at him concerned, "McGee…"

"McGee will do just fine David," Gibbs snapped at her then sighed, "Since when has that ever bothered you before? Now get outta here and get some sleep…" He paused a smile playing over his face for a second, "I have a feeling you'll need it!"

XXXXXXXX

Tony pulled the Aston Martin DBS over to the side of the road. Pulling a pair of binoculars from the glove compartment that he had stolen off a bird watcher only an hour and a half earlier. He'd knocked the man unconscious, he wasn't sure how long it would take Gibbs to find him now that the GSP tracker was no longer in his body. But every second counted and he had apologized most profusely to the man before he'd slugged him with the butt of the Glock, which was now empty. Now he was waiting at the Navy Yard for the familiar looking car to show up. He had to extra careful now, with Gibbs and the FBI on his tail and especially Gibbs knowing him so well

His rib hurt but the painkillers that he had scrounged from a couple of different places were doing most of the work. It wasn't his fault that they had expired long ago, all that he cared about was that they worked. He had parked the DBS a reasonable distance away so that the Marine MP's wouldn't call it in too quickly. But he knew that the car would have been BOLO'd, so he wanted to make his only transport last long enough for him to do what he had to do and disappear. His injuries were one of the reasons that kept him from returning to Starhan and Khaled. Soon he would and then they would be as good as dead for what they had done. They would pay for Ziva's death, he would make sure that Strahan will suffer the most. Tony lifted the binoculars to his eyes as a vehicle pulled out of the main gate but lowered them as another Government Chrysler passed by. Tony prayed the vehicle he was waiting for would leave soon, the target was fastidious for being British.

XXXXXXXX

Gibbs walked into Abby's lab Caf-Pow in hand. Abby wrapped her arms around him within seconds of catching sight or sound of him. Which had meant that it was when he was at her shoulder and she had been discussing the perimeter that McGee had just pulled up on the computer where Tony's last known location had been. "Gibbs," Abby cried loudly into his ear, "You're alive…" She pulled away from him, looking him up and down, "You don't look like you've suffered a scratch."

"Just lucky Abs," Gibbs grinned handing her the Caf-Pow, "What have you got so far?"

"Ah, well, we've pinpointed Tony's last known location before the GPS disintegrated into nothingness," McGee replied looking at Gibbs and earning a glare before he continued, "But with the help of Jimmy here, we've been able to workout what distance he's been able to travel."

"You included the car that he stole from that pharmacist guy, McGee?" Gibbs asked as he walked round to look at the ten mile red circle in the middle of the Virginian countryside.

"Ah…"McGee said looking at Abby for support, but when he turned to look back at Gibbs, he felt a hand connect with his head and McGee grimaced at his error, opening his eyes, he was face to face with Gibbs and his eyes were boring through his head.

"Calculate that now." Gibbs voice barely above a whisper but filled with enough menace for both McGee and Abby to start typing. Gibbs turned back to the plasma, "What's so important that Tony had to go out that far?"

"Ah…I don't know Boss." McGee said, not looking up for fear of being glared at.

Jimmy piped up for the first time, "It's actually a national park. It would have facilities where he could probably clean any wounds or rest before he decides what to do next."

"This is DiNozzo, Palmer." Gibbs turned to look at him with a hint of admiration in his eyes, "He doesn't plan that far ahead."

"Well, he probably knows the area a little," Palmer offered as Abby and McGee looked up as if they were on the same page. "Does he go camping?"

"Nope," Gibbs was beginning to remember now, "McGee!"

"Boss!" McGee replied back quickly knowing where his boss' mind was going. "That park is where we found the sailor who had been ravaged by the bear." Abby looked at him, McGee shrugged, "Where the boss shot that ranger in the ass."

"McGee," Gibbs barked, turning around. "Take Palmer here with you, you're going to the park."

"But Agent Gibbs, I…" Jimmy began then turned toward Abby for support but the look told him to shut up and just accept it. "Do you mind if I check out with Dr Mallard?"

"Where is Ducky, he said he would be up here?" Gibbs looked at Jimmy.

Jimmy grinned his stupid grin, "Oh he…ah went up with the Director and Mrs. Burley holding the baby."

"Okay," Gibbs sounded a little surprised that both Jenny and Karen Burley were back.

"McGee, Palmer, beat it. I'll tell Ducky you're helping me. Get outta here." Gibbs walked back round the desk, stopping next to Abby, "Abs, you find Tony for me and I'll buy you ten Caf-Pows."

"Really Gibbs?" Abby beamed at him as he disappeared into the corridor and into the elevator.

XXXXXXXX

Jenny held Kelly Louise in her arms behind her desk as Gibbs walked unannounced into the office. "Look Kelly, its your uncle Jethro." Jenny looked at Gibbs, who winked at her before looking gruff again. Jenny went back to being Director again in an instant, "Something you need Special Agent Gibbs?"

Gibbs face betrayed an oh so slight smile and looked at Ducky, "Duck, you mind if I talk to you for a second?"

"Not at all Jethro." Ducky was lead away with an arm over his shoulder and towards the door where low whisperings were taking place.

Jenny watched the little meeting before turning back to baby Kelly who was smiling up at her with a toothless grin. Karen looked at Jenny as she held Kelly, "You're quite competent Director, if I wasn't her mother I would have said she was yours."

"Thank you Karen," Jenny smiled slightly as she tickled Kelly, earning a little giggle before she looked up, "I suppose I'm a natural. My sister Jess has two but I rarely get to see them."

"Girls," Karen asked looking at Jenny. Jenny's attention had wandered when Gibbs Cell had rung and he was now in conversation. She thought she could make out, 'Abs', 'close' and 'gut'.

"Yeah, my nieces are apparently a handful," Jenny laughed a little as Kelly giggled again as she was tickled. "Emma and Sherry are beautiful though."

"Director," Ducky broke the conversation as he returned to Jenny's desk, "I must get home. Mother will be wondering where I've been. I do apologize."

"It's okay Ducky no point having you around twiddling your thumbs, with the FBI doing all the autopsies at the moment," Jenny smiled, her eyes watching Gibbs and Ducky now. Both made slight head movements imperceptible to the untrained eye but Jenny could see they had been working on something. "Have a lovely evening and I'll talk with you tomorrow, no doubt."

"Jen, I need to go get some work done," Gibbs made an almost inadequate excuse as he advanced on the door. He paused at the door for a moment, "Jen!" She looked up at him from Kelly, "I need a man in Fort Leavenworth for a job."

"Does this man happen to have the last name of Prescott," Jen smiled coily at him, as Kelly burbled up at her happily.

"Yeah, I think that might be the man," Gibbs grinned at her, his eyes making insinuations at her as they flicked from Jenny to Kelly and back at Jenny. "Hey, maybe someone like Fornell can go and do it."

"I'll see what I can do," Jenny tried to ignored Gibbs eyes.

Gibbs grinned as he left the office, "I'll call you on an update."

"If I need anything Jethro?" Jenny called after him, as she handed Kelly back to Karen and skirted the desk.

"Call or see Abby," Gibbs said disappearing down the stairs as Jenny reached the balcony outside her office. "Trust me on this Jen!"

Jenny watched him proceed toward the elevator, she loved him, she hated to admit it to anyone but she loved him, "Don't I always, Jethro?"

A/N: Okay a little bit more of the puzzle to fit in a place. What is happening, Tony still thinks Gibbs is gonna kill him. Ziva isn't on the scene and Ducky is either walking into a trap or something bigger is happening. What will happen?