A/N: Big thanks to follower/reader Catti-dano for the kick in the ass I needed to get Chapter 4 finished and posted. Once I got back to focusing the easier it got to keep writing! Already half done with the next chapter, too. :)

Difficult conversations are had on two fronts, but Tony and Gibbs get support and acceptance as they try to figure things out. I must warn you: Gibbs gets a bit OOC, but you'll understand why. The search for Tali's relatives begins. Will Ziva show up and put a stop to it? Will Tony make the right decisions? Will Fornell come through with a good enough job offer to entice Tony to move back to DC? Stay tuned ...

Disclaimer: Still don't own characters or places. Still not making money. Still no copyright infringement intended.

Warning: Still not beta, so ...

Dinner was finished locked in a nervous silence. Both men knew another likely painful, soul bearing talk was imminent. Gibbs silently vowed to keep his promise to stand by Tony no matter his decision, while Tony wrestled with his emotions and sorted out the myriad questions swirling in his mind.

Between bites Tony peppered Gibbs with banal questions about the team, trying to avoid any landmines that might lay in his path. Teasing McGee while getting the lowdown on Nick were safe subjects. Though Gibbs wasn't normally one to engage in office gossip, Tony was intrigued with his suspicion that Torres and Bishop might have something hinky going on between them.

Wiping his hands on a dish towel after tidying up the kitchen, Gibbs asked, "So, how do you want to do this? We can do it however you want."

"What?" Tony exclaimed with a high pitched squawk. He couldn't have interpreted Gibbs' question correctly. There's no way it was intended to be sexual in nature.

Gibbs rolled his eyes at Tony's panicked expression.

"Get your mind out of the gutter. I meant where do you want to talk," he said with a slight chuckle.

"Oh," Tony replied; equal parts relieved and disappointed. "Can we sit by a fire?"

Gibbs stepped up to Tony and cracked a hint of a smile.

"Sure. We can do it in here, or by the fire pit in the backyard. Your choice," Gibbs offered.

Tony snorted.

"Okay. Fireplace, but you have to stop saying "do it". It's putting all kinds of naughty thoughts in my head."

After giving Tony a cautionary look, Gibbs set to work building a fire in the fireplace. He would have preferred using the fire pit outside, but the nights were still turning chilly and he didn't want the additional distraction of worrying about Tony catching a cold. Years removed from Tony's bout with the plague, Gibbs still worried about him. Ducky's long-winded explanation about severe pneumonia and extensive scarring were hard to dismiss even after a decade.

Knowing it could be another long night of intense conversation, Tony brewed a pot of coffee. He reasoned that alcohol was probably not the best idea. It also gave him a few uninterrupted moments to gather his thoughts.

"Better keep our wits about us, don'tcha think?" he asked. Gibbs grunted in the affirmative.

Once they were settled in, Gibbs looked at Tony and waited for him to say something. Tony just stared at the fire as if he were intrigued by the dancing flames, so Gibbs broke the ice.

"Okay. First thing tomorrow I'll pull McGee aside and get him started looking for Ziva's relatives. At least we can get some names while Vance does whatever he's going to do. I may have to turn it over to Abby if we get a case. I'll make sure that McGee and Abby only talk to you or me if they find anything or anyone. If you don't want Bishop or Torres knowing about this, just say the word."

Tony nodded slowly, then looked at Gibbs and cocked his head.

"Do you trust him? Torres, I mean," Tony asked. "You can threaten to beat the shit out of McGee to keep him quiet. Abby won't talk, and I know Bishop is too sweet and polite to say anything. Palmer's probably still afraid of you and I'm positive that Ducky can be trusted, but there's no reason to tell those two anything yet. Vance is going to do what he wants. That just leaves Torres as a wildcard. What can you tell me about him?"

"Not much. We're not exactly close, you know. There's no reason to involve Torres or Bishop at this point, but if they find out I'll make sure they keep quiet. Do I trust Nick? I guess I have to, in the field anyway. But I don't trust him like I've always trusted you. Kind of like when Ziva first showed up. I don't really know him, just his reputation. I don't think I've talked to him much outside of work. I know he has a lot of secrets from his past and I haven't pushed him to tell me about them, and I won't unless I think it's affecting his ability to work a case. Tony, we can involve as few or as many people as you want," Gibbs replied.

"Okay. Let's give Vance a chance to do his thing. I guess if the others find out about Tali, they find out. I can't do much about that right now. Who knows, maybe Vance will hear from Ziva and he can set up a meeting and we conveniently just happen to show up. Problem solved! I don't expect to hear from her. She never calls. Why would she? We really don't have anything to say to each other. I am going to need to call my dad, though. Probably not tonight. I'll call him tomorrow morning to let him know I'm going to be here a few more days waiting to hear back on job offers."

"Speaking of which, when are you supposed to hear from Tobias?" Gibbs inquired.

"Tomorrow. Yeah, was supposed to fly out Friday and I gave him until the end of business Thursday," Tony replied.

"You're welcome to stay here if you don't want to keep staying at the hotel. I know the Adams House is nicer, but …"

"I'd really like that, Gibbs. Yeah, it's real nice over there, but it's kind of lonely. I'd rather hang out here and watch you build a boat or something. I promise I won't cause any trouble. I'll call Fornell and let him know where I'll be, if that's okay with you," Tony said.

Gibbs' brow furrowed.

"Why wouldn't it be okay with me? It's not like you've never crashed here before."

Tony blushed.

"Well, yeah, but it's kind of different now, isn't it? I mean, this time I won't be here because of a busted water heater. I'm not sure what to tell him."

Gibbs smiled and patted Tony's cheek.

"You don't have to tell Tobias anything. Whatever is kicking off between you and me is none of his damn business. Again, who knows or doesn't know is up to you and me. That's it; no one else gets a say."

Tony was touched by Gibbs still entertaining the idea of "them". Purely out of reflex he grabbed Gibbs' hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.

Suddenly feeling bashful, he looked up at Gibbs through his long lashes.

"So you think something is happening with us?"

"Yes, as I told you last night. But if we turn our friendship into something more, that's it for me. I'm not going to play games, and I trust you won't either. I'm not going to deny it's going to be tough, at least in the beginning. I'm not great at relationships and you're pretty much a train wreck at them. Don't look at me like that! You know I'm right," Gibbs said with a chuckle at Tony's semi-threatening narrowed-eye scowl.

"I wouldn't say I'm a train wreck exactly. Yeah, I have a few minor commitment issues, but with you it would, will, be different. I already know all, or at least most, of your bad habits and all of the annoying things you do. At least if we're together you can't head slap me. That would be considered domestic abuse," Tony replied with a cheeky grin.

"Don't test me, DiNozzo," Gibbs mock warned, effectively breaking the tension.

"Okay, so where are we then? Do we need to do anything to make it official, you and me?" Tony asked.

Gibbs slowly shook his head and he moved closer to Tony.

"Just this," he said in a low register just before his lips met Tony's in a beautifully chaste kiss.

There was no spark of passion, no urgency, no need to deepen the kiss or move things any further. It was a simple kiss conveying promise, but it was enough to make Tony's breath hitch. The enormity of the gesture was not lost on him. With one ghost of a kiss, Gibbs made Tony feel safe, protected, loved, and home. He repaid the gesture with a genuine smile.

"So it's official then. Does this mean I get to call you my boyfriend, or honey, or dear, or sweetie?" Tony quiried.

Gibbs glared for a moment before answering.

"Not if you want me to answer. And don't expect me to be a flowers and candy kind of guy. Never been my style," Gibbs announced with a curt nod.

"Yes, because everyone knows what a total romantic you are. Having three ex-wives says romance is not exactly your strong suit. Look Gibbs, you don't have to woo me. I'm right here. I've never gone for the candy and flowers crap, either. I'm more a six-pack, pizza, and a DVD of a classic movie kind of guy. And for the record, I don't expect you to be anything other than Gibbs," Tony replied.

Gibbs grinned and shot back with, "Yeah, and I've never been one to talk about feelings, but here was are. I'm talking now, because it's important."

Tony sobered and fought back a wave of emotion.

"Yeah you are, and thank you for that," he said softly. After looking down at the swirls in his coffee for a moment, he asked, "Gibbs? Can I kiss you?"

Gibbs smiled and nodded.

"You don't have to ask my permission, unless we're in public. And never at work or a crime scene."

In the next moment as their lingering lips met again, everything changed irrevocably. A warm hug followed by beer bottles raised in a silent toast sealed the deal.

"Can I ask you one more thing?"

"Tony!"

"Okay, last question. The ex-wives?"

"What about 'em?"

"Well, did you love them? I mean, none of your marriages lasted very long, so what happened … if you don't mind me asking?"

Gibbs pondered the questions for a moment before answering. Tony could see the emotional toll it was taking and sat back to let Gibbs work through it at his own pace.

"You know I don't talk about my girls, ever, but losing Shannon and Kelly nearly destroyed me. They were everything to me, and I wasn't there when they needed me most. Shannon … that was love at first sight. Jack knew it, too. You know I was pissed at him for years for bringing a date to the funeral. What you don't know is he was just as pissed at me for not protecting them. He loved Shannon and adored Kelly. Then, I guess, I had to find a way to replace them. Didn't work. Yeah, I guess I loved each of them, at least in the beginning. But they tried to change me and erase any memories of my girls. I grew bitter and distant and ended up not caring if they stayed or left. Happened later, too."

"Colonel Mann," Tony stated.

"Yep. Walked in and caught her listening to a recording of Kelly singing to me. She took something precious from me, something I can never get back, and I could never forgive her for that. I've avoided serious relationships ever since, until now," Gibbs said, favoring Tony with a crooked smile.

"I'll never know the pain or understand everything you lost. I've never had what you had with Shannon, with anyone. Not even Jeanne. I think I wanted what I had with her to be real, but how could it be? Everything was based on lies. It would have blown up eventually, if my car hadn't. It wasn't her fault or my fault. It was the job, and I'm okay with that."

"Tony, you're not like any of my exes - aside from the obvious. You get me. You and I have already been in a relationship almost longer than any of my marriages lasted. We're partners, in every way that matters. Equal partners. With you, here, when we're alone together, I don't want to be the boss. I just wanna be."

"Yeah, I totally get that. You know what's really cool about this? I don't have to work so hard to get your attention now," Tony said with a laugh. "That gets exhausting after a while."

Gibbs laughed. Tony made a mental note to make that happen more often.

"You've definitely got my attention, Tony. Okay, let's get back to the matter at hand," Gibbs stated.

Plans were devised for the next day. Tony would call Senior first thing in the morning to fill him in on his potential job offers while Gibbs would set things in motion at NCIS. He'd check in with Vance then give McGee his secret assignment. Since Ducky would find out about the Tony-Ziva-Tali situation one way or another, Gibbs informed Tony that it would be better hearing any news from him instead of through the grapevine. Tony agreed knowing that Ducky would take any closely held secrets to the grave.

"Yeah. I was thinking about picking up Abby and Palmer for lunch. You know, have a chat with them. Palmer's been a good friend over the years, and Abby is like a little sister. They both worry about me, a little too much I think. That just leaves Bishop and Torres out of the loop for now. Is that gonna be a problem?" Tony asked.

"No. We still try to keep personal stuff out of the bullpen as much as possible. We're around each other enough as it is. No need to drag private and personal shit in, too. Gotta keep that separate. Like you and me. You okay with keeping quiet about us, at least for now? We need to focus on one thing at a time. Once this Ziva and Tali situation is worked out, we can start letting our friends about us. Deal?" Gibbs asked.

"Hell yeah it's a deal! I think that bit of news tacked on right now might just kill them," Tony exclaimed with a laugh. "You think they'll be okay with you and me?"

Gibbs shrugged.

"Doesn't matter if they're okay with it or not. It's not about them. It's just about you and me. They don't get a say."

It was after midnight before they turned in. Tony rifled through Gibbs' dresser and found a pair of worn but comfy flannel pajama bottoms and a t-shirt to sleep in while Gibbs set out a new toothbrush for him. Nighttime ablutions taken care of, they climbed into bed. Tony deferred to Gibbs, who preferred his usual left side of the bed.

Tony tensed for a brief moment when he felt the mattress dip as Gibbs settled on his left side and threw a protective arm over Tony.

"This okay?" Gibbs asked around a yawn.

"Yeah, definitely okay," Tony replied as he pulled the covers up and snuggled into Gibbs' arms. "Hey Gibbs, can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"Do you, you know, feel gay now?"

Gibbs scrambled to sit up and turn on the bedside lamp.

"What?"

Tony turned over to face Gibbs.

"Since we, you know, kissed earlier. And now here we are - in bed together. Are we officially gay now?" Tony asked.

Gibbs sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

"Tony, listen to me. As far as I'm concerned, sexual orientation, or whatever you want to call it, is just a state of mind. I don't feel the need to define what we have or what we are. Call yourself gay or bi or whatever you want. It doesn't matter to me. We're attracted to each other, right? So what if we're both guys?" Gibbs replied.

Deciding to tease Tony a bit, he added, "But, ummm, you're not going to suddenly start throwing glitter everywhere and dance around to show tunes, are you?"

Tony gaped. He knew Gibbs wasn't in any way homophobic, so this play on gay stereotypes had to be solely for his benefit.

Turning cheeky, Tony replied with a sultry, "Not unless you want me to. Okay, I get it. No tiny little gold lamé shorty shorts or listening to Cher and Liza. Seriously though, you're not even a little bit freaked out by this? I'm totally cool with it, because you're my ultimate dream guy. The unattainable Gibbs! Bad ass Marine with piercing blue eyes. All of those women you married are crazy for letting you get away. But you're mine now, so I guess I should be thanking them."

Gibbs smiled down at Tony.

"No, I'm not freaked out. Ducky was right. Gender doesn't matter. It's just anatomy. It's what's in here that counts," Gibbs crooned as he tapped over Tony's heart.

"Damn Gibbs, got me again," Tony croaked around the lump in his throat.

"I'm serious, Tony. You know what really made me see the light … the job."

Tony sat up so he was facing Gibbs. The tone of Gibbs' voice and look of determination intrigued him.

"The job? How?" Tony asked.

"We've been through so much together. I first realized how important you were to me when I almost lost you to the plague."

"Oh my God, that was ages ago! Why didn't you say anything way back then?"

"Shitty timing. Right after you came back to work, we lost Kate. We were mourning and still trying to turn McGee into a good field agent, and it became all about hunting down Ari. Tony, I was messed up and out for revenge. I thought a lot of Kate; I really respected her. Losing her like we did brought back a lot of dark memories. I only saw a couple of photos of the so-called accident that killed my girls, but those images haunted me for a long, long time. Kate … that brought it all back. You know I was messed up back then. I sure wasn't about to drag you down with me. Then my former lover took over as NCIS Director, Ziva showed up with all of her drama, I lost my memory and temporarily retired to Mexico, then I came back to find that you were with Jeanne, and then that you'd been secretly working for Jen that whole time while leading the team, so I gave up. All of that, and don't forget NCIS getting blown up, kicked me in the ass again," Gibbs confessed.

Tony was gobsmacked to receive such a brutally honest confession. He moved to sit impossibly close to Gibbs and folded his hands in his lap. He bowed his head and asked so softly that Gibbs had to strain to hear him, "Then why did you keep pushing me away like you hated me?"

Gibbs' heart skipped a beat. Tony sounded like a scared, abandoned child.

"Awww, Tony. I had to, for you and for me. I was broken again. Took so long to recover from getting shot. The pain was as much mental as it was physical, probably more. You had another girlfriend, your old partner. I still had questions about you and Ziva. I didn't know what was up with you and Dorneget's mom. I didn't know if I could still do the job and still be me. So I pushed you away, hoping you'd find a happy life outside of NCIS. I am sorry for hurting you and making you think I didn't care. I've always cared too much where you're concerned. I sure didn't expect it to play out like it did, but you finally walked away and now here we are."

Touched deeply by Gibbs' words, Tony kissed him tenderly.

"Thank you. I totally get it. I wish I'd have had the courage to say something way back then. Of course, like you said things have been nuts for a long time. I don't think we could have handled getting together with everything so crazy. I guess what we've been through has brought us to now. Now we can deal with it, with us, and whatever comes our way. I'm in, and I'm damn lucky," Tony said.

Tangled up and secure in each other's arms, they fell into a restful sleep.

Tony was beginning to get the shakes by the time he placed the call to Senior. The combination of Gibbs' strong coffee and nerves was getting to him. Paris was six hours ahead of D.C. It was nearing 1:00 p.m. in Paris when the call connected.

"Yeah Dad, it's me. How's Tali? You guys getting along okay? Me? I'm fine, but I wanted to let you know I'm going to be stuck here in DC a little longer than I planned. Yeah, had some interviews. They all went pretty well. Waiting to hear back about a couple of them. FBI and US Marshals Service look really promising," Tony reported.

For the better part of an hour, Senior peppered Tony with questions and answered a few. He and Tali were fine. They spent most of their days at the park and shopping. Tali was an adventurous little girl who loved exploring the city.

Senior admitted he wasn't crazy about the idea of leaving all that Paris had to offer to return to D.C. "What would I do? Where would we live? Have you thought about what it would do to Tali to uproot her again?" he asked.

Tony sighed and said, "Yeah, we're gonna have to talk about that, but not right now."

The subject of Ziva never came up, so Tony decided against breaking the DNA test news over the phone. No, something this delicate needed to be handled face to face. The question became when and where?

"I've got a lot to tell you, but I don't want to do it over the phone. Dad, we really need to talk - in person. Yeah, it's pretty serious. I'll call you in a few days when I know more about a job here and other stuff. You guys have fun and I'll see you soon. Okay. Bye, Dad."

Tony snapped his phone shut and fell against the back of the couch with a sigh. He flipped his phone back open and dialed Abby's work number from rote. She answered on the second ring.

"Tony! What's up? No, haven't seen Gibbs yet today, why? I know, right? He's like two hours late bringing me a Caf-Pow! Lunch? Sure. Me and Palmer? That should be interesting. Yeah, I'll meet you out front at 1:00. I'll drag Palmer with me, unless they get called out to a crime scene. Okay, later Tony Baby!"

"Jethro, when you have finished pacing the hallway floors, please feel free to come in," Ducky admonished as Gibbs kept triggering the automatic doors to Autopsy."

Gibbs looked suitably abashed when he reached Ducky's desk and sat in the adjacent chair.

"Always good to see you, my dear Jethro. You look like a man with something on his mind; something not work-related. I have time if you'd care to talk. Mr. Palmer has gone to lunch with Abigail and Anthony. I do hope I get a chance to speak with that dear boy while he's in town. I have missed our banter, as I'm sure you have as well. What's on your mind, my friend?"

While Gibbs struggled with what and how much to divulge, Ducky prepared himself a cup of tea.

"It's about DiNozzo," Gibbs offered.

Ducky took a sip of tea.

"I figured as much. Please, do continue," Ducky stated.

Ducky listened while Gibbs ran down the news. He kept it business like, bordering on clinical. He reported on the DNA results, that Tony was not Tali's father, and that Tony was waiting to hear about job offers like he was giving a sitrep.

"As intriguing as all of that is," Ducky said, "what aren't you telling me? I know that you and Anthony spoke two nights ago. At your house, I believe. Anything you care to share on that front? Have you decided to take my advice?" Ducky's affect was far from judgmental.

Gibbs swallowed hard.

"Aw hell, Ducky! Yeah, we talked about it and we're both ready to explore the possibility of being together - as more than just friends. But we can't do anything about it until we deal with this Ziva and Tali situation. It's gonna be a mess. Vance is contacting the Israelis for information and I've got McGee searching for any known family members. Tony's thoughts are all over the place right now. He doesn't know what to do, and I don't want to push him. He's vulnerable and I don't want to take advantage of that," Gibbs replied.

"Jethro. I'm sure Tony is feeling quite vulnerable at the moment, and as he's done so often in the past he's looking to you for support and guidance. He trusts you not to hurt him because he knows you are an honorable man. Just be there for him, Jethro, and things will happen in due course. There is no need to rush anything on the personal front while so many questions remain outstanding. As proud as I was of Anthony taking custody of Miss Tali, I am even more proud of him taking her family history and religion into account. He's facing a very painful decision that will have long lasting effects not just on him, but on everyone around him as well. May I ask, what are Ziva's thoughts on all of this?"

Gibbs shrugged.

"You know Ziva, Duck. No one knows where she is. Tony says they rarely see her and she never calls. They aren't exactly what you'd call a family. Not a close one, anyway. I told Tony if it comes down to it, we can raise the kid together."

Ducy scowled.

"While that is admirable of you, Jethro, I do not believe that would be a wise decision. You and Anthony have enough issues between you to be sorted out without bringing an innocent child into it. She would be better off raised with a family who can bring her up in their faith and with a love of their country, even if that means Ziva or the biological father is involved. I do hope you can locate relatives with no ties to the Israeli government or the Mossad that are willing to take her as their own. I do think that would be the best for everyone involved. Please let me know if there is anything I can do to assist you and Anthony," Ducky offered with a supportive pat on Gibbs' arm.

After placing their orders, Tony handed the menus back to the waitress. She blushed at his toothy smile and teasing, "Thank you, Cheryl".

"Okay, spill Mister. Why are we really here?" Abby asked through narrowed eyes. "You didn't just want to "do lunch", did you?"

Palmer sat quietly with his hands in his lap, only raising them occasionally to take a sip of his drink. He didn't understand Abby's accusatory tone, but he didn't dare cross her to speak in Tony's defense. To be honest, he was just as curious about being summoned for lunch as she was.

"Hang on, Abs. You already know part of it, but I wanted to clue the Gremlin in on a few things. Gibbs is probably getting an earful from Ducky right about now," Tony answered.

Palmer looked from Tony to Abby and back again, hoping to pick up a clue but he received none.

"You guys are starting to freak me out," Palmer said.

"Sorry Palmer. There's some stuff going on. Before I tell you, I need both of you to promise you won't say anything to Bishop or Torres. McGee already knows by now, and Vance does; we talked to him yesterday. I trust you guys to keep what I'm about to say confidential. I mean, don't even talk about it at work," Tony pleaded.

"Of course, Tony. You know I can keep a secret," Palmer replied, sounding a little bit hurt.

"Yeah, Palmer, I know you can and I trust you. It's just that this is pretty major. Abby already knows because she ran a DNA test. You see, long story short, it turns out that Ziva's kid I've been raising for almost a year isn't my daughter. We don't know who her biological father is. That's where McGee and Vance come in," Tony said.

He laid out the whole story for Palmer and filled in some missing blanks for Abby. Both pledged their total support and vowed once again to keep his confidence.

There was a brief pause when their orders arrived. As they began eating, Tony said, "There will probably be another bomb down the road, but this is what we have to focus on right now. Until we get some answers from Ziva or the Israelis, we're kind of in a holding pattern. Personally, I'm hoping Ziva shows up with the answers we need so we can get on with our lives."

Abby's knowing grin grew.

"You dog! You keep saying 'we', as in you and Gibbs, right? Is that the other bomb? Oh my gosh, Tony! Trust me, you won't be dropping a bomb on us. We already know that you and Gibbs have the hots for each other. We have all just been waiting for you two to do something about it," Abby announced as she leaned across the table.

Tony gaped then smacked a french fry out of Palmer's hand.

"What is she talking about, Gremlin? Are you one of the "we" she's talking about?" Tony demanded.

A wide-eyed Palmer swallowed the bite in his mouth and took a drink of his Coke.

"Look Tony, don't be mad. We, well me and Abby and McGee, have been talking for a while. We didn't think anything would happen since you took off like you did, but now that you're back I happen to think you and Agent Gibbs getting together - officially - is kind of awesome," Palmer said in his defense.

Abby nodded her agreement.

Tony leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Nothing is official about anything. Like I said, we have to focus on this other thing. And I'm still waiting for word on a couple of jobs. Supposed to hear from Fornell at the FBI today. I'll call him when we're done here. So, you guys are cool? Abby, I know how you get, but don't. Gibbs and I need time to figure things out, so don't go making a big deal out of it. We're just talking right now, okay? That's it … just talk," Tony begged while pinning Abby in place with a Gibbs-worthy glare.

"Okay, okay! I get it. I'll keep my mouth shut. I am so happy for you, but for my two favorite guys in the whole world, my lips are sealed," Abby replied sweetly. Palmer just kept stuffing food in his mouth and nodding.

It hadn't taken much convincing to get McGee on the search for Ziva's relatives in Israel. Knowing he had Vance's blessing - the closest thing he could get to a 'get out of jail free card' - he began a mostly legal deep dive and started compiling records of known associates.

"I figure someone on the list can put us in touch with Ziva's family. We might get lucky," McGee offered. "Hey Gibbs. Is Tony okay - with this and everything? I can't imagine it's been easy for him. I know he's never been really good with kids, but this is different. Is there anything else I can do to help him?"

Gibbs patted McGee on the shoulder. He had sent Torres and Bishop down to look through cold case files to keep them occupied until a new case presented itself. He told them to pick a couple to work on until then. They grumbled their displeasure, but Gibbs noticed the look that passed between them as they were sent off to the dusty storage room in the basement where the cold case files were kept.

"Just be there if he needs to talk. Yeah, he's struggling with some things, but he knows we are all here to help him. Just need you to keep anything you find confidential. You can tell me or Tony, or Abby if it comes down to it, but Tony isn't ready to read Ellie or Nick in, at least not yet. Just be his friend and we'll get him through this. Thanks, McGee."

McGee nodded and immediately returned to speed typing as he honed in on a potential lead.

Meanwhile, Vance was busy burning up the phone lines calling his contacts in Israel. He didn't want to contact the Mossad unless there was no other option. Unlike with Eli David, he had not established a good report with their current Director. It was vital to establish at least a modicum of trust, but Mossad's actions since Eli's death and current circumstances belied any good feelings he had hoped to achieve. The Deputy Foreign Minister he was put in touch with wanted to speak over a secure MTAC feed, but Vance begged him off.

"Due to the personal and sensitive nature of my call, we need to keep this conversation confidential, Deputy Minister. I'll need another party's permission before letting MTAC techs in on it. I hope you understand," Vance argued.

"Of course, Director Vance. How can I assist you?"