Tim ended up telling the Secretary Davenport everything about himself and Acosta. Well, most of it anyway. There were details he wasn't willing to discuss with a virtual stranger, but he told him what he needed to know. He hadn't had a choice. His family history was now case related. He'd had to disclose.

Secretary Davenport had been quiet since Tim's revelations, and Tim couldn't figure out if it was merely shock or also anger at Tim keeping this information quiet for so long.

"If the situation weren't so serious, I might ask if you were joking," Secretary Davenport said in a tone of disbelief.

Tim snorted. "Yeah, I'm afraid not, sir."

"I remember hearing about the Shepard case. There was a lot of media coverage, which was understandable given that it was a CIA agent and his family that were killed," he said.

Tim shifted uncomfortably. This wasn't a topic he liked talking or hearing about.

"Sorry, McGee. I can understand that this isn't exactly a topic you're comfortable with. Still, I wish you'd told me sooner."

"Sir, I had no reason to believe that what happened to me was connected to what's happening now. Or maybe I just didn't want to believe it was," Tim said. Thinking back, he was kicking himself for not considering the possibility. The attack on Jenny and Gibbs was very similar to the attack on the rest of his family. Both cases involved home invasions

"I understand, and I can understand why you would hide all this. I know enough about men like Sebastian Acosta to know that if you survived him, it was not because he let you, and if he had any indication as to where you were, he would've hunted you down," Secretary Davenport said.

Tim sighed in relief. He knew that he could catch a lot of flak for keeping all of this secret. While that was far from his biggest concern, he was grateful to hear that those he answered to could understand why he'd hid it.

"Still when this gets out, it won't look good, given your relationship with Jenny Shepard."

"Sir, Director Shepard does not know about me, nor did I know about her being a part of NCIS until long after I joined this agency," Tim said.

"I believe you. I've read your file. I know all you've done for this agency in the last five years. I know you started at the bottom, just like any other NCIS agent. I've also seen all you've done to keep NCIS afloat these last few days. I know you've earned what you have. However, there will be many of your coworkers who don't see it the way I do," Secretary Davenport warned.

"The opinions of the rest of rest of the agency are very low on my list of concerns at the moment. I do appreciate that you believe though, sir," Tim said. As long as his team had his back and he knew Jenny wouldn't face any formal repercussions for this, he didn't care what anyone else thought, especially at this moment.

"Alright, do have reason to believe that Sebastian Acosta has learned your identity?" Secretary Davenport asked.

"I can't be sure. Jenny was looking into what happened, so he it's possible he found out that way. I don't Silva found a way get information to him, or even tried, given that he gave Jenny information that Acosta would've killed him for leaking, but I don't know that Silva was as far as Jenny got in her investigation. I don't know how long she's been looking into what happened or if Acosta got onto her. However, it's also possible Acosta did learn my identity and went after her to get to me," Tim said. Either way, this had happened because of him. Either Jenny was bait or she was attacked for looking into the matter, which he could've prevented by coming forward.

"Or it could be both."

Tim nodded. That was certainly possible. It was possible that Acosta found out about him after finding out about Jenny's investigation. Currently, there was no way to know.

"Until we know for sure, we're going to assume your identity has not been compromised. That means this case remains hushed up, as does your true identity," he said.

"Special Agent DiNozzo and Officer David already know, as does Leo Silva. I was unable to keep my composure during interrogation.

"Under the circumstances, that's understandable. Frankly, I admire your ability to refrain from shooting him. Silva can easily be dealt with. I'll ensure he's put in isolation when he returns to prison. Those working this case need to know anyway. Everyone within the agency that already knows about this case can be told, but no one else. Unfortunately, that means I can't assign protection detail for you. Under the circumstances, I think keeping this quiet at the moment is the best way to protect you. That means you need to be very careful." Secretary Davenport said.

"I'm always careful, sir. I know very well what can happen," Tim said. He was always cautious. Not only did he know what kind of evil was in the world, but he knew that same evil would hunt him down if they knew he was still alive, and anyone else he cared about.

"McGee, under normal circumstances, I'd be getting you as far away from this case as possible, maybe even insisting you take paid leave. Unfortunately, I can't do that, but I need to know that you're capable of handling this situation and continuing to run NCIS," he said.

"Sir, I'm as capable as I would've been if this case wasn't personal," Tim said. He still had no delusions that he had the qualifications to run the agency, but that had nothing to do with Acosta or Jenny, and while it was certainly personal, he could handle it.

"Alright. There's no other option, so I'll have to take you at your word. Now, like I said, we're going to keep your identity a secret for now, both for your protection and to not tip our hand. To that end, it shouldn't be necessary, but I want the rest of your team ordered not to speak of it to anyone. If they do, they will be dismissed from this agency," Secretary Davenport said in a firm tone.

Tim nodded. That would actually be helpful with Abby, as she'd already tried to blackmail him with the information she knew once. He never would've fired her for it before, as it would've been an abuse of power, but now that he was being ordered to give such a threat, it wouldn't be an abuse, and it might be necessary to keep her in line. "Understood."

"Alright, keep me posted, Director," he said before ending the call.

Xxxxxxxxxxx

The first thing Jenny noticed as she started to come to was pain. It was understandable since she was shot in the leg in her own home. It was one of the last things she remembered before she passed out. Her last thought had been that she would not survive the attack on her home. She would die very similarly to how her brother had.

Jenny slowly opened her eyes and looked around. The room had some medical equipment, but she knew she was not in a hospital. Other than the equipment that was probably used to keep her alive, it looked nothing like a hospital. The room was plain, with nothing else but a door. There were no windows, and the only light came from the dim ceiling light above her head.

When Jenny went to move, she heard the clink of metal. She looked down at her left wrist and saw that it was cuffed to the side of the bed. As if she could go anyway. She couldn't walk on her leg as it was, and she doubted she'd be able to for a long time. Looking at the door, she was sure it was locked too. There was no doubt she was a prisoner.

Jenny's mind suddenly went to Gibbs, and she began to panic. She hadn't seen what happened to him, but there was no doubt at this point that he was caught. She would not be a prisoner if he wasn't. He wouldn't have let them take her if he could stop it. That meant that Gibbs was probably… No, she couldn't go there. She couldn't give up on Gibbs. That man was stronger than anyone she knew. She had to believe he could survive this. Of course, it was hard to believe these people would've let him live.

Jenny had little doubt about who was responsible for this. She knew the risks when she spoke to Leo Silva and chose to start looking back into the attack on her brother's family. She knew something like this might happen, and it had. She had been willing to accept that risk. She needed to know what happened to her nephew. Not knowing his fate or being able to lay him to rest tore her apart. She also wanted to make sure the man that killed her family never took another breath. She wasn't sorry for looking into it, but she did regret whatever it might have cost Gibbs. The last thing she wanted was for him to be hurt.

Jenny couldn't keep her eyes open for long. As much as she didn't want to sleep, she was exhausted, and soon lost the fight to remain awake. Her last thoughts before blacking out were on Gibbs and what his fate might have been.