Authors Note - Thanks to all my reviewers and readers :) No warnings for this chapter :)

Enjoy!

Chapter Twenty-Five

When his mobile went, Gibbs answered it, hoping it would Aurora. 'Gibbs,' he answered.

He wasn't disappointed. 'It's me,' she told him.

'What do you have?' he asked her.

'Well he's certainly not suppose to be in DC that's for sure,' the barely controlled anger was easy to hear. 'He's suppose to be in Vegas.'

'Uh oh,' Gibbs muttered. 'What else?'

'Nothing at the moment but a couple of times he's been out of the office corresponds with other murders and crimes that we've been tracking all of them that are supposedly linked to our assassin Jason. He's never been suspected because he's always been on assignment at the other end of the continent,'

'Of course,' Gibbs muttered. 'He's going to get desperate and try and draw you out,' he said. 'Why are he after you though? I mean he knows O'Sullivan didn't get the information to you,'

'Because he's the leak and he knows that I'm out to plug the leak. O'Sullivan had found out it was him but died before he could tell me,' she said. 'And I won't rest until we have our snitch,'

Gibbs nodded. 'What do we do now? You have a plan?' he asked her.

'I put myself out there where he thinks he can have open slather at me. Have to draw him out Gibbs and that's the only way to do it. And you tell Tony know because I know exactly what he's thinking.'

'Is that such a good idea?' he asked. 'Putting yourself out there,'

'NO!' Tony said, picking up on what Gibbs was saying.'Aurora, don't,' he called to her

'Let me speak with him please Gibbs,' she waited until she heard Tony's voice came on the line

'Aurora you can't go out there alone. It's suicide!' he told her.

'I have to Tony, it's the only way to draw Barry out and keep you safe,' she said.

There was silence on the line. 'Tony,' she called his name again. 'Are you still there?'

'Yeah I'm here and I can handle Barry Smith, I'm not that hopeless you know and I don't need anyone to keep me safe.'

'I don't think you're hopeless,' she said. 'But Barry, if he is in fact Jason, which we are now starting to believe, wouldn't think twice but physically ripping out your heart and sending it to me in a Valentines day box,'

'Fine,' he muttered handing the phone back to Gibbs. 'I'm going to the shower.'

Aurora sighed. 'Childish,' she muttered.

'Yeah,' Gibbs said. 'He is just worried about you. You need back up?' he asked. 'I can offer my best people,'

'Gibbs it doesn't matter how good they are they are still no match for what we're up against here.'

'And you are alone?' he asked.

'I know Barry, I was his partner for long enough,' she said.

'Doesn't mean that it will give you enough of an edge Aurora. Extra hands never hurt,'

'I think my Boss is sending back up but I'll call you when I know how this thing is going down,' she said. 'I gotta go okay? Talk soon,'

'Talk to you soon,' Gibbs told her as he disconnected the call. He could hear Tony in the shower and knew he was worried for Aurora.

Not that he'd admit it aloud but so was he.

Aurora wasn't surprised when her phone rung an hour later and she saw it was Barry's mobile. She had been expecting it and she answered it.

'Hi Barry,' she greeted him.

'Hi Aurora. I heard you're on assignment in DC. What's happening down there. Gibbs still at NCIS and still pissed at you?'

'Forever and always,' Aurora groaned. 'How did you know I was down here? It's a code 1 assignment,' she said.

'Come on I might be in Vegas but we work for the same team and we're both looking for the same thing. Bad guys'

'Yeah,' she said with a forced smile in her voice.'What case did you pull up in Vegas?' she asked.

'Pullman file,' he sighed. 'Not a good one but..' he didn't continue.

'Yuck,' she said. 'Might have to come over and visit, we're getting no where down there,' she sighed.

'Actually I might be able to help you,' he told her.

'You have some info?' Aurora asked him, knowing he was going to ask to meet up with her.

'Yes actually I could and I can be on a plane to DC within the hour,'

'What about your case?' she asked. 'I can hop a plane and come over there,' she offered. The further away from Tony, the better she would feel.,

'Look I'm heading back home soon anyway. We're just chasing our tail over here,'

'Okay, we long as you're sure,' she said. She knew she couldn't push it, didn't want arouse his suspicions. 'Tell me when and where to meet you and I'll be there,'

'Okay well let me get there first and then we'll arrange a meeting place. Okay?'

'Okay, will do,' she said. 'Let me know when you get here and we'll go from there.

'Hey, you bet. Catch you soon.'

She hung up the phone, her mind racing. She needed to contact her boss and Gibbs as well.

Once she had notified her boss, she dialled Gibbs number and waited.

'Gibbs,' he answered.

'It's me. He called, saying he'd flying in from Vegas and wants to meet. He said he has some info on the case,' she told him.

'Okay, when and do you want to reconsider the back up?'

'He said he'd call me when he arrived and maybe,' she said. 'My Boss is sending down reinforcements but it depends when he calls me back. I'll let you know asap,' she said.

'Okay,' he told her disconnecting the call and frowning as he heard the water still running in the shower, then a terrible thought hit him. No he wouldn't. Would he? 'No,' he ran to the bathroom door and pounded on it.

'Tony, open this door now.' There was no reply and with a groan Gibbs went to kick the door in but the knob turned in his hand and his fears were confirmed.

'DiNozzo !' he yelled causing the marine guards to come running 'I'm going to kill you.'

Jesus Christ! He had done a runner an he was running straight into a trap himself. 'I'm gonna kill DiNozzo myself, damn the bloody assassin,'

Tony knew he had made good his escape, he also knew that Gibbs would be pissed and with good reason too. However he couldn't just sit by and see Aurora hurt, he just couldn't.

Aurora was walking into a trap with no real regard for her own safety. She was far too worried about him and his safety. And that would get her injured or, god forbid, killed.

So let Gibbs chew his butt out. It wasn't as if his butt hadn't been chewed out before now was it?

Aurora had said she wouldn't be able to live with herself if he got hurt or killed because of her, but he couldn't live with himself if anything happened to her because she was trying to keep him safe.

It didn't matter to him knowing that Gibbs would chew him out so badly, suspend or even sack him, nothing mattered at this moment except ensuring Aurora was safe.

Review Responses -

shirik - Yes, being mean to Tony had be alot of fun.And yes, it makes his friends appreciate him alot. Thanks for reviewing!

jtbwriter - Yep, Aurora is in danger. There are still a fair few chapters left though. As for Tony getting the girl... no comment. Thanks for reviewing!

Thats all for this week :) Hope you all enjoyed and I look forward to the reviews