Abby had come back into the lab once Gibbs had called her back in. She could tell they had both been crying & wanted to avoid the subject.
"Tony & Burley have gone out, Tony decided they should go check your place out & Kelly's, just incase. Nix said their security system is still on, so they'll only check the surrounding streets to not make it go off, Ziva is up in the squad room with Nix"
Gibbs nodded, it was a good idea, he was glad his senior agent was taking charge & thinking of all possibilities & acting. He also didn't know if he could bring himself to go home until he found Kelly, just wouldn't be right.
Gibbs got Shannon to agree to only look at still shots of the men, the footage was too difficult, he didn't think that either of them could cope having to look at it again.
Abby laid the images out of the three men for her to look at. Shannon studied each of them.
"I don't know who the two that are dead are, but that's Trent Quinn, he one of Macs hired helps, he's from Houston, 6'1, brown eyes, black hair & a snake tattoo on his right lower arm, former special forces, dishonourable discharge, I think" Shannon said looking at her husband.
He shouldn't have been impressed, but he was, she was always one for details. "Abs, get those details to Vance & Fornell, should help us track the guy" Gibbs called as he took Shannon out to the lifts, they were going back to the squad room, they'd left their son alone long enough.
"Gibbs, wait!" Abby called
"What Abs?" Gibbs said, with a slight edge to his voice, he was still trying to get emotions back in check.
"Kelly's clothes, their clean" Abby said smiling as she handed him the bag.
"Thanks Abs" Gibbs said with the smile, just as the lift opened.
After Tony & Burley checked the 2 houses out with no luck. Gibbs sent them to check out the site of the BOLO sighting that had just come in – but nothing came of it. Nix then thought of a few different places she might have gone & the 2 agents were more than happy to oblige in looking for her, even after Vance tried to get them to switch with other agents for a rest. Tony said he wouldn't sleep until Kelly was back & that Vance could shove the switch request, this was Kelly Gibbs & they didn't rest until family was found. Burley felt the same, even having only had contact on the odd occasion for the last few years with Gibbs, he considered Gibbs to be the man, someone he'd always help no matter what, sleep could & would wait.
When they finally returned to the navy yard they did so with coffees & some food in hand, it was almost sunrise again. There had been no further returns on the BOLO on the car & Fornell hadn't been able to locate Quinn either. Everyone was drinking their coffees & eating, trying to recharge their batteries, Gibbs had lost count on the number of coffees he had in the last few days, it was surely a record. He was trying to work out the next plan of attack when Tony's phone rang.
"Agent DiNozzo" he said
"Where…how long ago….occupants…we'll handle it, thanks" Tony said hanging the phone up, giving his boss a nod, hoping this one was it.
Gibbs stood up, as did everyone else.
"Bolo boss, local leo just spotted the car with two people matching Kelly & McGee's description…" Tony tried to continue the sentence, but Gibbs interrupted him.
"Where DiNozzo!?" Gibbs almost barked.
"Lake Barcroft boss" Tony answered calmly.
Gibbs & Shannon were stunned. "Where Tony?" She asked, she couldn't believe it.
"Lake Barcroft, its just.." Tony started
"We know where it is DiNozzo" Gibbs came back as he starred at his wife.
The pair stared at each other. Nix knew what that place was, he sat down & shook his "Ohh boy"
The team all stared at him, clearly this place had meaning to them all. Even Gibbs shot a look at his son, he knew?
Shannon put a hand on her husbands chest "Gentle darling, she's obviously gone there for a reason, Nix & I will stay here, I know you need to do this & I know you can only focus on her if we stay here. Just go and get her." Shannon said, she couldn't believe she was telling her man to leave her sight, but she knew he needed to focus on their daughter & she knew they'd be safe at NCIS.
Gibbs was torn, he did want to bolt and get Kelly, but leaving Shannon & Nix, he didn't know if he could do that, they still hadn't found a lead on Quinn or Mac. Vance whom was standing in his line of vision saw this.
"Gibbs, we will take care of them, take whom ever you want, the rest of this building will look after your wife & son & we will make damn sure they don't go anywhere nor let anything happen to them" Vance said, with every agent whom was on the floor at the time all nodding or confirming this directive, NCIS was a family, every agent felt that & Gibbs was, in many of their eyes 2nd in command & someone they'd do anything for, because he always did everything for them.
Gibbs nodded as he took Shannon into a strong embrace, whispering "I will take care, I will come back safe, I love you"
Shannon let a tear roll down her cheek. "I love you too" she whispered back.
Gibbs turned to his son whom had stood up. "At least this time the lakes not frozen over" Nix said, trying to get a smile out his father, it worked "Your right bud, that is a good thing" Gibbs said as he took his son into a hug "I'll be back pal, I love you" Gibbs said softly. "I know that dad, I love you too, just bring Kells back with you" Gibbs looked his son in the eye "Yeap" he said, as he brought them both back into another embrace.
Releasing them, he looked over to his team, Tony, Ziva, even Burley & Dornegat were all standing at the ready to go, part of him wanted to take them all, but knew it was overkill, McGee was already with her, then there was him, he'd take only 1 & leave the rest on protection detail.
Gibbs walked over to them "Ziva, get the car, Tony"
"Don't worry boss, like the Director said, we'll take care of them, they wont leave our sight. Do what you need to do, we will all be here when you get back" Tony said confidently, he was definitely not going to let his boss down.
Gibbs stared at his Senior Agent, he knew Tony would protect them, just like McGee has been doing, he hoped, "I know that Tony, I was just going to say, don't give in to her stubbornness, she can be worse than me" Gibbs said flashing a cheeky grin to his wife.
"Jethro, our daughter!" was all Shannon said, with a wry smile.
He nodded collecting his weapon from his drawer, he gave her one more kiss & patted his sons back & went for the lift. It opened, he got in & pressed the down button, but he couldn't bring himself to turn around, he didn't want to look at them watching him leave. He would be back, he would see them again, but only when his family was whole.
AU: What state will Gibbs find his daughter in, epescially given where she is? Will she be able to tell him why she ran?