……………..On Monday……………………

"David was in town yesterday and he saw Gibbs sitting in a café with a woman but he couldn't see who it was." Abby told them.

"He has always been good with women but he doesn't talk so much about them." Tony stated even if everyone already knew this.

"It's good he has someone but I thought he was dating someone else. We met her once and she seemed nice. I wonder what went wrong." Kate wondered.

"What went wrong?" Gibbs asked once again sneaking up on them.

"What went wrong with the protection of Ellie?" Tony quickly said saving them from any embarrassment.

"Great that everyone is here. Everyone has Ducky's report on their desks. I guessed you've filled Tom in on what is happening." Gibbs said to them.

"We have." Kate answered.

"Is the new agent here? I thought you would come with him or her." Tom wondered.

"Her name is Matilda Miller. I sent her to the indoor shooting range while I talked to the director." Gibbs answered.

"So she likes to shoot?" Andy asked.

"Not really but she has a talent for it. She has to train a bit to be as good as you but it's one of her hidden talents." Gibbs explained.

"I thought all agents were good at shooting." Becky wondered.

"She's not an ordinary agent. You'll see." Gibbs said before he went away to get her.

"I wonder what he meant by that." Abby said.

……………….

Gibbs had just informed the director about what was going on. She wasn't so happy about what he had done without her knowledge but CIA paid for this and would do so for the rest of Ellie's life. CIA assured her there wouldn't be any risk for NCIS or Ellie. CIA apparently liked the idea since it cost less than protecting her all the time.

Now Gibbs wished that his agent would be just as accepting as the director. After telling the director about his plan he presented Matilda for her. They hit it off and he knew that with her help it would go quite well.

………………..

The team stood there and watched Gibbs coming. Someone walked behind him but they couldn't really see how she looked like. Then she stepped to the side when Gibbs stopped.

"Ellie!" Abby said very surprised.

"I'm not a CIA agent. I'll be sticking around for a while until I find a job. The safest place to be is here. There is no danger for you or your families. They are closing in on the terrorist network. Several arrests were made this weekend."

"Why isn't CIA protecting you? Why are we?" Kate wondered.

"I'm not under protection anymore, well not literally. I made the choice of being protected this way. It's a long story which I don't want to go into. Gibbs can fill you in later maybe…Right now I'm just here to help you out with paperwork and things like that. I'm not and will not become a NCIS agent. NCIS and CIA are helping me with finding a real job. I need to learn as much as possible about protecting myself so I wanted to do it here." Matilda further explained.

"Couldn't CIA help you do it?" Tony wondered. He and Kate feared that their kids would get kidnapped or even worse maybe killed. They weren't so happy about her being here.

"No."

"I have to be truthful…Everyone here is worried about our safety and our families safety…Right now you're a terrorist magnet." Tony told her. He didn't want to be harsh but he had to be.

"I totally understand how you feel. Not many know I'm still alive or even here. The director said I could work at her office for the time being so we won't see much of each other. I just wanted to inform you." Matilda continued.

Everyone stood there and watched her. She was determined and seemed so strong. A different person all together.

"So should we call you Emma, Ellie or Matilda?" Kate asked.

"Not until everyone who is threatening me are dead or in jail, can I become Emma again. I'm Matilda now but I hope it is the last name change. At least I got my age back. 27 and turning 28 next month. I wish you all the best." Matilda said before leaving the team to go to the director.

"Tony, Abby and I want to talk to you alone right now." Kate demanded. All four of them went to an interrogation room.

"I'm sick of the lies. Tell me the truth now." Kate demanded as soon as the door shut.

"All this was my plan. I knew all along the whole truth. She came to me 8 days ago. Matilda wanted my help and I gave it to her. I know you're not happy about it but it is for the best. She hasn't been happier." Gibbs assured them and defended himself.

"You should have told us sooner! I don't understand why she is suddenly our responsibility." Abby told him. She was a bit upset but not as upset as Kate and Tony.

"Are you sure you can handle the whole truth? I know how you'll react if I tell you. You'll become silent and while hide your true feelings for me. Right now you're telling me how you feel but you'll never complain again if I tell you the truth. The truth is often so painful that you can understand why people are willing to go to such lengths to hide it." Gibbs explained to them.

"Nothing you say will surprise us anymore. What could have happened to her except for the shooting in the house? She was well protected." Tony stated. He was so tired of the lies and sneaking around.

"Not as protected as you would have thought…One of the CIA agents had sex with her for months but I call it rape even if she said yes in the beginning…He took advantage of her, convinced her to have sex with him. The last month she didn't want to do it anymore but he didn't accept a no. After the last time they did it she said she refused to do it anymore and he had to accept that. He wanted to do it one last time for old time's sake but she refused. He then hit her several times. She ran and looked herself in the bedroom. When he left the bedroom she put on her clothes. She decided to go down to the living room where both agents were. Then the three hit men came in and you know the rest…Setting her free was the best thing I could do. She is hurting a lot but stronger too. Matilda is even starting with therapy again today. We hope that we'll find a place for her to work at. She will probably only stay here at NCIS this week. Then she can move out from my home to her own place and have her own job somewhere else." Gibbs explained to them.

"Kate, we are always threatened by terrorists…Maybe having her here will be an asset. If the director wants her to keep on working there but not with us then I think I can accept that." Tony told everyone. His statement quite surprised everyone else.

"Me too." Abby then said.

"I can get used to the idea. I guess we owe her an apology." Kate then said.

"There is one more thing. Kate I know you suspected agent Adam Craig felt quite strong for Ellie. I told him to let go and he did. He doesn't know she is still alive or where she is. I've talked to Matilda about it too. She would never be with a man who already was in a relationship with someone else. She has high morals." Gibbs explained to her.

"It's confusing with all these names. I can't wait until we can call her Emma again." Tony told them.

"Me either. I just hope Matilda will meet someone and have kids. Her dreams should come true. Maybe we can help her." Kate then said.

"I don't think matchmaking is our skill." Abby told her.

…………………….

That didn't stop Kate. Sometimes she got a gut feeling about something and she knew she had to research something. Did something other than hugs happen between Adam and Ellie/Matilda/Emma? Why would he act so emotional if something hadn't happened? Why would he show it so much since he was still married?

It took only one hour until she had found out why Adam had acted like he had.