NCIS: Not Without Him
Done in response to the NCIS Special Ops May Challenge, and inspired by viewers like you! (I think I may have seen one too many PBS Pledge Breaks!)
("NCIS" and all characters are owned by DPB and Bellisarius Productions, and are only being borrowed. I promise to return everyone and everything back when I am done, but should DPB ever change his mind-I have dibs on Gibbs!)
The sun sank slowly behind the skyline.
Kate Todd was smiling as she hefted a bag of sandwiches and stepped onto the flagstone walk of Ducky's home. It was a surprise birthday party for Abby, and the good Doctor had volunteered his home.
True, an invitation to Ducky's meant spending time with his mother, whose dementia was both frustrating and puzzling. The woman's eyes were so full of challenge at any new person in her life, yet Kate had seen the intelligence there.
As she approached the front door, Doctor Mallard stood in the entrance, watching her with fond appreciation.
"Catlin, my dear, you should have let me meet you at the car." He chided, opening the door as she balanced the heavy parcel.
"Are you kidding, Ducky? I've carried heavier, and that's not including Tony!" she laughed, seeing her erstwhile partner behind him, sticking his tongue out at her. Handing him the bag, Kate embraced the older man as Tony snickered.
"Got one of those for me, Kate?" he waggled his eyebrows. Ducky shook his finger teasingly at him.
"Sorry, my boy, but you'll have to earn Caitlin's affections. The hard way."
Tony clutched his chest dramatically. "Duck, that hurts. What do I have to do?"
Ducky leaned closer to the younger man. "Age, my friend, age."
Kate laughed. "Good one, Ducky".
"Donald, what are all these people doing in our home?"
Tony stifled a sigh as Mrs. Mallard made her appearance.
"Mother, these are my friends from work, you remember Catlin and Anthony." Duck gently reminded her.
To their astonishment, a glint of recognition appeared on in her expression.
"I know you!" she pointed a finger at Tony with undisguised glee. "You're the gigolo!"
"Yes, Mrs. Mallard, Tony DiNozzo. I'm glad to see you." He smiled.
The older woman beamed, turning to gaze at Kate.
"You were here too, except, I don't know why."
"Yes, ma'am. How are you, Mrs. Mallard?" she said gently.
"Oh, as well as can be expected with that stranger skulking around." She fretted.
Ducky affectionately took his mother's arm. "Mother, it's time for your afternoon television show."
The old woman let herself be led away, protesting, "Donald, I like those two, but not the one with glasses! Don't trust him!"
Just then the doorbell rang, and Kate called to Ducky, "I'll get it, Tony, take the food into the kitchen, will you?"
Tony grumbled as Kate went to the door, thinking it was Gibbs. Instead a man in a delivery uniform was on the step, his head down.
"May I help you?" Kate asked, cracking open the door.
"Pickup from Doctor Donald Mallard." His voice was familiar. The man raised his head as Kate turned, "Ducky, are you …."
Abruptly a hand was over her mouth, another on her arm, yanking her forcefully out the door.
Instinctively she stomped on the man's foot, then used her free hand to drive her knuckles into her assailant's face. The man's hand dropped from her mouth, enabling her to yell "Tony!"
"Let go of her, now!" Tony appeared, gun in hand.
Pushing away from the man, Kate tried to shake his grip off her wrist. Instead, the man jerked her in front of him, his own weapon out.
"No, Tony. Put your gun down, Kate's coming with me. Unless of course, you don't want to see Gibbs again."
Tony gave a sarcastic laugh. "Yeah, sure, you kidnapped Gibbs."
A smirk crossed the man's face. "Here, see for yourself. Kate, put your hand in my breast pocket.
Scowling, Kate did as he said, drawing out a cell phone that had a familiar number on the screen.
"Hand that to him, Kate." As she did so, she caught sight of Ducky's reflection in the wall mirror.
"Go ahead, hit the call button."
Tony did so, then heard a familiar voice. "Who is this?"
"Uh, boss, it's me, Tony. Are you all right?"
"Just peachy. Wait a minute, is he there?" Gibbs' tone turned hard.
"Yeah, boss. We're at Ducky's. We have kind of a stand off here." Tony refused to take his eyes off the other man.
"Gibbs, I'll be returning now, I'm bringing friends." The smirk was back. At once the senior agent's voice was heard, shouting, "You touch any of them, and I'll kill you!"
"I don't take orders from you, Gibbs." He closed the phone and shoved it nonchalantly in his pocket.
"Put the weapon down, Tony, and back away from the door. Otherwise I'll be forced to shoot you."
"Or I could shoot you." Tony remained calm.
"I don't think so, seeing that Dr. Mallard is right behind you, I could kill him." The muzzle of his gun raised slightly, and Tony reluctantly placed his gun on the step.
"It's all right, Tony." Kate stared at him, trying to let him know she'd get them out of this.
Slowly Tony backed up.
"All right, Kate, pull the door closed."
Obeying the gunman, she put her hand on the doorknob and took one more glance at Tony and Ducky. Ducky's eyes caught hers then she shifted her gaze to Tony.
"Don't worry." He mouthed.
As Kate closed the door, her captor stuck a small box on the knob then hustled her to a medical van parked in the drive.
As they approached the rear door of the van, it opened silently and he thrust her into a seat, then pulled her arms behind her and handcuffed her.
"You bastard, you won't…" Kate started, then was cut off by his placing tape over her mouth.
"Kate, you two will be nicer to me in more comfortable surroundings." Smiling, he slid the door shut, leaving her to struggle helplessly against the cuffs. A sound caused her to turn her head, and she saw a figure huddled on the floor, also handcuffed. Abby.
As the van screeched away from the house, upstairs the woman in the chair slumped down in defeat.
