Authors note

The usual disclaimers apply, as much as I would love to these characters to be, they are not mine.

Please let me know what you think

Chapter 11

Ducky raced from the NCIS building, heading for his home and his mother, the normally calm and collected Doctor had become flustered and scared, had he been analysing this as an outsider dealing with a case he would have recommended the person to have contacted McGee or the police seeing as Gibbs was out of reach, but as with most things if you are unused to a situation instinct takes over and his instinct was to protect his elderly mother.

The journey to his stately home did not take Ducky long, and somewhere along the way reasoning began to creep back into his mind, and when he pulled up to his house he paused wondering if he had taken the right course of action. But his worried mind could formulate no other plan, Gibbs had been unavailable and time was of the essence. Ducky wished he had thought to grab his mobile phone, but hindsight was a marvellous thing he thought to himself, and he decided he would call the team as soon as possible. He cautiously stepped out of the car and headed up the front steps, his eyes alert to anything abnormal, he could hear the feint yapping of his mother's welsh corgi dogs at the back of the house, he cocked his head and listed to the tone of the bark, and he consoled himself with the fact that they did not sound any different than usual. He paused at his front door listening again, and then he silently opened it. Tyson, one of his mother's dogs came bounding over to him and sniffed at his feet before returning to the kitchen.

Ducky breathed a sigh of relief when he heard his mother laugh from the kitchen and Graces voice murmuring some unheard words. Ducky leaned against the door and shakily drew a breath before heading to the kitchen to speak to his mother and Grace. As he passed the phone on the hall table he thought with some quilt that he really should contact Jethro or Timothy and let them know where he was, but first he wanted to check on his mother.

Ducky opened the door and paused and the sight of a tall man sitting at the kitchen table with Grace and his mother, Ducky frowned at the man and tried to place him, he was normally very good with faces but he could not place the man before him but he had a feeling he knew him in some capacity. Grace hearing the door open turned and smiled at Ducky

"Dr Mallard, we were expecting you home this early, is there a problem?" she exclaimed in some surprise, kindly lined face screwed up in concern. Ducky stepped into the room and smiled at her and his mother, his eyes silently questioning the presence of the strange having tea and cake.

"Mother phoned and screamed, I must admit Grace I became very concerned and came straight over to see if there was a problem," he informed her. Grace blushed slightly

"I am so sorry Doctor, that was my fault, I had popped next door for a moment and a spider frightened your mother as I walked in the door, I hadn't realised she was on the phone at the time, or I would have called you back straight away" the nurse told him hesitantly. Ducky nodded and crossed over to his mother dropping a kiss on her check as he passed her to look at the stranger.

"Donald, you remember Scot Restin? You and he worked together a few months ago" she beamed at him, the stranger stood and held out his hand to Ducky who took it with a smile

"A few years ago mother, not a few months," he gently corrected his mother before turning to greet Scot Restin

After pleasantries had been exchanged, Restin turned to Ducky and explained his visit

"I heard on the news about the shooting of Constance and Matthews and as I was in DC on business I thought I would stop by and say hello, I knew that you were close to both of them, and I have to say I was a little concerned that both of them were shot so soon after another" he laughed slightly "perhaps it's the old investigator in me but I began to wonder if their was some connection to the old team" he smiled at Ducky, his pale blue eyes sincere and friendly.

Ducky sighed and motioned for him to follow him into his study, once there Ducky turned and motioned for him to have a seat.

"I can't say too much Scott but I am afraid there may be a connection, Jethro is handling the investigation, so I have no doubts we will have some results soon" he told the other man bending to shoo Contessa, another of the corgis out of the room, so failing to notice the snarl that briefly broke across the other mans face as Gibbs was mentioned.

"Speaking of Jethro, I really must let him know that I am here and all is well" he smiled as he bent to pick up the phone on his study desk "I wont be a moment" he apologised flashing a quick smile at the other gentleman.

Restin stood slowly and crossed the room, his hand reaching out and disconnecting the line

"I am afraid I cannot allow you to do that Ducky," he said pointing the gun now in his hand at Ducky's face.

Ducky stared down the barrel of the gun and wished he had not disobeyed Jethro, if Restin didn't kill him he thought, then Jethro would surely try to do it verbally. Ducky watched in slow motion fascination as Restin aimed the gun and slowly pulled the trigger.