DISCLAIMER: Same as all earlier chapters.

THANKS YET AGAIN to those of you who made it this far. I'm sorry there was a delay, but RL and other stories pulled me elsewhere. We're winding down here, and the next chapter well may serve to end this saga... at least this adventure! (But I see more quality time in the cousins' future, even after this...)

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON: February 12, 2020; 10:40 a.m.
SECTOR 5; Jam Pony

Max wheeled her bike in from her fourth run of the morning, coming down the ramp to hand her run sheet in Normal's direction and peer at the message board – nothing for her there, and her pager had been quiet. Does this mean that Eyes Only was still back in the box for another few hours? He certainly deserves the vacation... And Max's lips curled up a little to think how that "vacation" had brightened his eyes, cleared his brow... and opened his heart...

Far more curious about Logan's morning than worried, Max looked for Original Cindy before calling him, to be sure OC hadn't taken a message from Logan to be passed along to her. Not seeing her, Max pulled her bike out of the way and, crossing toward the desk where Normal argued on the phone with another satisfied customer, turned to see Cindy coming in behind her from a run of her own.

"Hey," Max greeted her roommate as Cindy slid up beside her to turn in her run sheet to Normal. "Logan didn't try you this morning for getting a message to me, did he?"

"No, boo – you expecting him to? What happened to your pager?"

"Nothing – I just hadn't heard from him yet, and I thought he might trust you over Normal if he had something to say..."

"Wouldn't you?" Cindy raised an eyebrow, and suddenly remembered why a message might be needed. "Oh, right; you said his cousin's 'sposed to take off today..."

"And he didn't know if he'd be able to get his scheduled flight, or if there might be things in the case to delay his leaving." Max nodded, a bit too casually, and shrugged, "I just hadn't heard from him yet."

"So call him, sugah," Cindy counseled the obvious.

To which Max rolled her eyes. "Just wanted to be sure he hadn't beat me to it before making the investment." She went to the pay phone at the wall, dropped in a few coins, and waited. As the phone rang, her eyes lifted back toward Original Cindy, who stood staring with unabashed interest in her eyes and a smirk on her lips. "What?" Max demanded, knowing full well what Cindy's expression meant. She just had nothing better to offer as a defense...

"Just lookin' at the new, improved, 'we gettin' like that now' Max. She's hot for Hot-Boy, no doubt, and the heat just makes her hotter."

Max's cheeks actually burned, and her words hissed in a stage whisper, "You know, if you wait a few minutes, Sketchy will be back, and you can announce it again, really loudly, so I will be a target for these pervs for the next whole month..."

Original Cindy just chortled, rocking her head in righteous justification, "Boo, you made me wade through too many months of "we're not like that" to take this from me. I am gonna enjoy watching you get all mushy over this boy and sayin' 'I told you so' for just as many months."

Max opened her mouth to complain, wondering at the small part of her that actually enjoyed the ribbing she was getting because of its implications, when she was interrupted by Logan's voice at the end of the line. Suddenly, her retort was forgotten and his voice filled her thoughts...

...it apparently also filled her face, because at the sudden change in her best friend's appearance, Original Cindy burst into a series of poorly smothered snickers, which earned her a sour look from Max, just feeding Cindy's enjoyment even more...

"Hey..." came the familiar voice, sounding a little winded.

"Hey yourself," she managed. Max thought she could hear 'outdoor' sounds behind his voice; a breeze across the phone mic, some light traffic... "Pager's been mighty quiet this morning. Did Tony get the morning off?"

"Yeah, they decided he knew what he was doing the first time through, and they didn't need anything else from him." On his end of the line, Logan looked over to his cousin who was hunched over a notebook, working in unshaken concentration.

"What are you two up to? A nature hike?" she laughed softly, enjoying the image.

"We've been out on the basketball court. Tony is writing us a whole playbook of ideas." He listened to the voice of the woman he loved as he watched his cousin scribbling x's and o's and sweeping lines onto another sheet in the notebook. Sitting in the borrowed court chair, diagraming what he and Logan had just tried and found worthy of passing on to the team, DiNozzo looked as happy as a kid to be doing so. Taking in the spectacular beauty of the park in the clear, February sun, seeing his cousin before him like old times, and hearing the voice of his angel cooing softly in his ear, Logan momentarily wondered if the world had suddenly been fixed, while he wasn't watching...

Max smiled, knowing what the morning together would mean to them both. "That's great."

"I'll get back to you on that," Logan grumped for comic effect. "He's using me as a guinea pig to see what works and what doesn't ... I've heard of 'taking one for the team,' but in this case I may have to sit out a few games to heal up from his experiments." At Logan's words, Tony's mouth pulled into a smirk as he looked up from his work and turned to assess his cousin. Satisfied the complaints weren't serious, he turned back to his sketches, grin still in place.

"And you, with Bling out of commission..." she murmured, sympathetically. "You know... maybe I could help make you feel better..." And she threw a dirty look over her shoulder at Original Cindy, who started chortling all over again at the offer.

"Is that ... do I hear Original Cindy there with you?" Logan tried, thrown first by her offer, then by the sounds he heard behind it.

"Sorry." Max tried to turn away a little more, hampered by the short, stiff phone cord. "Some people seem to think..." Max paused, then smiled. What the hell... she figured. "...that I should have been offering to... you know... make you feel better a long time ago." When he didn't say anything right away, Max grimaced and quickly figured how long it would take her to ride over to the park and be able to see his face before she said anything else. "Logan?" she dared.

"Yeah, Max; I..." He was blushing. She could hear it. She wondered briefly if they were the only two people over the age of twelve in Seattle who found it so awkward to acknowledge an increasingly powerful desire for one another. "So it wasn't just Bling," he confessed, sounding almost relieved. "Or Tony."

"Not by a long shot," she laughed, relieved to hear him at least talking about it. "So maybe they're right..." she teased, the laughter lingering. "And I can help." She warmed to their conversation, imagining his reaction. "I have some training in that, too, you know – first aid... battle triage... war wounds..."

"I'll keep that in mind." His voice was low and sensual in response, almost a growl, and Max felt a sudden flip of her stomach to hear it. What is he doing to me? And this, over the phone...? With Original Cindy watching my every move? What in the world could he do to me behind closed doors?

...and I sure hope it's something I'm not trained to 'handle...' she grinned to herself. Getting her thoughts a bit straighter and knowing she wouldn't be able to talk in peace much longer, she tried, "so, Tony will be able to make his four o'clock flight, then?"

"Yeah, looks like." His voice shifted now to be too casual, and Max's heart went out to the man who would be saying goodbye too soon to the one family member he cherished, the one still in his life from his happier days ... She knew the pain of having family out of arm's reach, and promised herself to be around for Logan if this left him feeling low...

"Am I still invited out to the airport with you two?" She hadn't been sure whether he'd want to be alone with his thoughts as he left the airport without Tony in tow, or if he'd prefer company to get him through the necessary parting. He'd seemed pleased when she originally asked to come along. Now she wanted to give him a chance to be sure that's what he wanted...

"Sure," He almost sounded a little surprised, "if you still want to come along..."

"Yeah, I do." She smiled sadly at his voice, the familiarity she had with the unflinchingly strong man allowing her to hear the sound of the little boy, knowing that very soon he would, yet again, be left behind ...

"I'm glad," his words held her. "You'll help me remind him why he wants to come back and visit..." And why I'm not running along behind him to DC... he let himself reflect.

"What time do you want me at your place?"

"We were going to head out around 2:30."

"Then that's when I'll be there." She looked up to see Normal waving a package at her and before he could bellow, she raised a hand toward him and said quickly, "but I have to go make nice with Normal and get in a few more runs before then. Tell Tony to go easy on you ... now that you've come around, I want you to stay in one piece."

The call had cut off but Logan sat dazed, his hand slowly lowering the phone from his ear as a smile started playing along his lips. Only a few feet away as the pair sat near the picnic table at the court's sidelines, Tony glanced up at his cousin and again saw the same, love struck grin he'd been seeing in recent days. With a chuckle, DiNozzo looked back to his diagram and said, "must've been Max."

Logan didn't react in the first moment, intently working on Max's words, but in a moment blinked up at Tony and nodded, "yeah. She was... uh... she was checking on your flight time." But Logan's thoughts were wheeling around what she'd said at the end of the call – not only was she telling him she wanted him, but that she wanted him to "stay in one piece." As crazy as that it might sound to anyone else, Logan wondering if she'd really thought about how she said it, Max's casually describing him as being in "one piece" meant the world to him ... and he beamed at his cousin. "She suggested you go easy on me."

"Ohhh, damn, cuz, now you're in it," Tony grinned, trying to feign a look of concern. "She's staked out her territory – she's worried about protecting her interests now." He tossed his notebook on the table for a moment as he grabbed the thermos next to it and unscrewed the cap to pour another cup of steaming coffee into his mug. He lifted the thermos toward Logan in silent question, asking if he wanted more.

Logan grunted thoughtfully at Tony's words, the look of wonder still engraved on his face not missed by his cousin, but came over to lift his mug for his own refill. "Yeah. Right." He peered over to the diagram taking shape on Tony's notepad and drew another mouthful or two of coffee to warm him. After another moment, Logan looked back up to his cousin and, in a soft, still-surprised tone, added, "you think?"

Tony looked back up to the waiting eyes, shrugged his best locker-room tough, worldly shrug, and opined, "Oh yeah, sure; what else?" He returned the smile he saw settling across Logan's features. "The girl's got it, bad..." He saw the optimistic glow light his cousin's face, where only days before he'd seen dark circles ringing his eyes and worry lines on a pale brow. Aunt Sara, if you could only see him now, Tony thought. After all that he's been through, if you could only see him with the woman he loves... And she'll make sure he's okay, for the both of us... "What do you think – want to try this one?'

Logan took another quick glance at the notebook, gulped the last of his coffee, and put down his mug to slap his wheels, spin and scoop up the ball, and head for the top of the key. "Ready when you are, coach." He dribbled the ball slowly at his side, his breath warmed by the coffee making whiter puffs of steam in the crisp, sunny morning air. Putting his own coffee down, Tony tossed the notebook back on the table and came back to join him. "You know, Tony," Logan's voice softened, the happiness in his eyes never fading, "I really appreciate this, your help with the plays ... and ... it's been even better than I imagined, being back on the court together." He paused, then corrected, "...being back, finally just having time together again..."

DiNozzo came closer alongside his cousin, to clap a hand softly on his neck and shoulder in a gentle, fond grip. "This has been the best week I've had in a long, long time, cuz," he promised Logan.

"For me too," Logan managed.

'Well, yeah, of course," DiNozzo quipped, broadly, lightening the mood as he sat back. "You've finally opened up to Max, and now she's ready to jump at your slightest whim. So I would think it would be a good week..." At the younger man's snort, he went on, softer again, "the only things that could have made it better would have been different circumstances to bring me out here ... and me finding a way to get you out to NCIS." He wavered only a moment before he smirked, "but I haven't completely given up on that yet, either..."

"I hope you don't," Logan admitted. "It's nice to be wanted."

"Then prepared to be hounded, li'l cousin," the agent beamed at the encouragement, digging in his pocket to find his leather gloves. He pulled them back on, getting ready to get back into play. "I will find a way to get you out there with me ... you and Max."

The intelligent green eyes shining behind their lenses processed DiNozzo's words for a moment, then sparkled with a rare happiness. "I like the sound of that –'Max and me...'"

"It suits you." Tony gave his wheels a shove and rolled backward, still assessing his cousin as he did. "So come on. Let's get a few more plays down so we can make you the big hero of your team..."

"Hey – I wasn't doing that badly without your help," Logan challenged, lifting the ball to spin it on his finger for a second or two. "I have moves, too."

"Maybe so," DiNozzo flashed one of his patented, charming grins, and pushed on backward under the basket. "But with my help, you're a genius. C'mon. Let's get you guys to the next level..."

OUTSKIRTS, SEATTLE, WASHINGTON: February 12, 2020 3:17 P.M.
Sea-Tac Airport

Despite Tony's protests, Logan parked in a nearby lot so he and Max could go inside with Tony to see him off. "Payback for sending Bling to get you," Logan admitted, self-consciously, as he pulled into a space near the walkway to the terminal. "Least I could do."

"I'll expect better next time," DiNozzo grinned, opening the door of the Aztek to step out of the passenger seat, where he'd ridden up front with Logan. Immediately he opened the rear door for Max, gifting her with a G- rated version of his tried and true, heartbreaking smile. She laughed her thanks at his overt chivalry, still amused by the remaining differences in two such similar men. Coming around to meet Logan on the other side as he pulled into his chair, Tony chatted amiably, continuing the conversation they'd last left in the car...

Max had barely made it in time to ride along to the airport, Normal's last minute demand for another run throwing off her usual glib litany of excuses to leave. "Normal, it's personal – for Logan," she tried, hoping that for once, honesty was the best policy– and knowing that Normal had decided he liked the Cale who visited, liked having one of Seattle's finest in his shop ... and that he felt a bit of respect for the guy who didn't let a bullet slow him down. "He's got some family business that's gonna be hard to face, and needs a friend..."

Normal wavered, disarmed by the honesty he knew was there...

"C'mon, Normal, next ten times you need overtime riders I'm your girl, not one bitch about it from me," she promised.

"And me too," Original Cindy spoke up, Max unaware that she'd been following the discussion. "I'll get this run..."

"He's in Sector Nine, isn't he?" Normal grudged. At her nod, he grumped as he shoved a package toward her, "take this on your way – bring the signature back tomorrow. And make it a month of overtime and you've got a deal..."

"You got it," Max's words hung on the air as she disappeared up the ramp and around the corner.

"Ten days, Normal, from each of us, and that's the deal." Cindy looked at the blinking figure, looking at the now empty ramp. "You got a soul in there somewhere, and that's a fact. Just gonna take Max and Original Cindy to help you find it..."

And Original Cindy had called Logan to explain, telling him Max would meet them at his car. So when Max slammed into the garage just as the elevator doors were opening on the pair, the men found a windswept, grinning Max only inches away from them. "Timing is everything," she grinned.

Max had followed the men to Logan's car, watching how they spoke, how they were doing. Tony's manner, as always, was easy and light, but Max could see that he had to work harder at it, this close to leaving. Who'd've thought Logan would have a cousin like this guy, she mused, ... and who'd've thought there was someone in his family so close to him ... Logan's doing okay but is sort of quiet, smiling a lot but not talking... maybe he doesn't trust his voice right now...

The ride out to the airport allowed Tony, with some assistance from his cousin, to tell Max about their day on the court. She listened for everything between the lines as well as what they said, and felt a satisfied happiness for Logan that he'd gotten these days with his cousin. It's about time he has some happiness in his life, all his own, she observed. And as hard as this must be for him, to have had Tony out here because of the threat to Bling ... to see Tony go after such a short visit ... I know he still wouldn't trade a minute of it, even if he could...

And now, as the three reached the terminal entrance, Tony explained, "I have to go to the TSA office after check-in." They crossed inside as he added, "otherwise I might have a few problems getting through security, what with the weapon and all..."

"You're lucky the sector police didn't stop you while you were here," Max drawled, hoping Logan's growing silence would be less awkward with Tony not having to do a monologue. "Wouldn't matter what ID or badge you had, they catch you armed, you'd better plan to be there with them for a while." Tony murmured his sympathies for the locals as they came up toward the ticket kiosk, where, catching Max's interest, Tony inserted his NCIS ID rather than a credit or cash card, and the machine promptly spit out a small boarding pass. Wonder if Logan has that in his identity tool box, she tucked away for later, that at least his federal ID carries an expense account attached? Pulling the card from the machine, Tony turned to Logan to ask, "Know where we're going?"

"TSA office is this way," he directed with a tip of his chin, setting off down the concourse. If it surprised Tony that Logan knew where to find them, he never showed it, Max reflected: alike in far more ways than their looks, she considered... each keeping more secrets than either would know...

The cousins kept up an easy conversation, one any eavesdropper would hear only as casual and unworried, even with Tony doing most of the talking. They're both working on keeping their emotions in check, each one of them hating to leave the other ... maybe all this time Logan understood, better than I thought he did, how it felt to lose Zack and the others when they left ... He had been there for her, offered his comfort and company when she was hurting ... and here I all but blew him off, thinking nobody, not even Logan, could know how it felt...

Max paced alongside the men, not saying anything, knowing her part would come later. Wonder how much thought Logan gave to leaving with Tony? She had spent many hours on the Space Needle rethinking her own decisions, rethinking her choice to stay in Seattle instead of taking off with her siblings ... and even though every single time, she decided that her choice had been the right one, it didn't stop her revisiting the possibilities and the 'what-ifs' of her being with family again...

Logan would have considered it... but he stayed. He stayed here, in Seattle. Was it all just for Eyes Only? Or could she dare believe that there was more for Logan Cale in Seattle than the draw of the downtrodden? Was it all just about being the Caped Crusader for him? Or was there more for him here than only his work...?

"The office is down that hall," Logan was saying. "A sign is posted down by their entry." He wavered, then managed his own jest to keep things rolling. "I guess they don't want all the riff-raff dropping in to complain about their suitcases being torn up by enthusiastic security guards..."

Tony flashed an understanding grin and turned to head back down the short corridor. "Be right back."

Logan watched him disappear, then turned to look at the quiet Max at his side, who was now looking away from him and around the airport, in curiosity. She probably hadn't had much reason to be here in the terminal before this, he realized, and looked away without speaking, quickly lost in his own thoughts.

In truth, Max was feigning a lot more interest in her surroundings than she felt – knowing how Logan must feel, having gone though her own heartbreaking good-byes with family, and knowing there was nothing she could say to make it any easier, left her feeling awkward. She hoped that just her company would help a little. She strolled off a little way, looking out the large windows toward the runways, and back down the wide corridors where some of the shops and food bars were back in business again. Casual, Max, she counseled herself. If he wants to admit how he's feeling, he will; just keep it light and it might help him through a bit more easily ... he knows why you came...

After a few minutes, Max came back up to where Logan waited, and moved around in front of him. As he looked up, and she saw the affection there he held for her, she smiled involuntarily. "Probably logged some time here yourself, back in the day..." she tried.

He nodded, glancing around briefly to come back to the lovely woman before him. "Gateway to the world," he offered. "You know, it does look a little better these days than I remembered, more active ... and like they're doing some things to make it fully operational again..."

"So that you die-hard westerners will come out and visit out East, so you can see that the recovery isn't just a rumor." Tony ambled back up to where they waited, smirk, as always, in place. "It's all to funnel you back to civilization."

Logan snorted softly in response. "Get done what you needed?" he asked.

Tony nodded, leading them back toward his terminal and the gate where he'd be boarding soon. "Much as I'd love to stay, I'd rather it be at your place, and not in some federal detention center explaining the Sig-Saur," he muttered. "I don't think they'd give me that choice, in the circumstances. My luck, they'd make me bunk-mates with young Seaman Parks."

The small talk became more subdued now, as the cousins found it harder to avoid the fact of Tony's imminent departure. They were quiet ... even private... but comfortable. Max watched them closely, unobserved, and was gratified to see in their bearing and to hear in their words that they were truly back to being just Tony and Logan, the years and the chair no longer a factor in their thoughts...

Nearing the security check point, they tried a surge of banter, each prodding the other about who owed whom a visit, about working too hard and traveling woes and vows of daily e-mails... But as a voice came faintly from the PA from down the corridor by his gate, making an unintelligible boarding call, Tony glanced at his watch. It was probably his.

He drew a deep breath and apologized, "I'd better get down there." Turning first to the lithe brunette standing next to his cousin, he managed to switch his expression to a softer version of the DiNozzo beam. "Max, it has been a real pleasure to meet you." Taking her in a gentle, heartfelt hug, he pulled back after a moment, and lightly kissed her forehead. Looking then into her eyes, connecting powerfully with the other person in Logan's life who cared about him as much as he did, he said, "I'm very glad Logan found you..." After a moment he looked to Logan to finish his thought, "before someone else did."

Logan looked up at the green eyes that gave away nothing, knowing Tony fully implied not only the meaning that Max would assume – another man in her life – but also the one she wouldn't yet catch: Manticore. And his breath caught as Max smiled her response. "Me, too."

"Cuz..." And the moment both knew would have to come began with green eyes meeting green, and Tony dropping his bag to the floor to throw his arms around Logan in a bear-hug readily returned by his younger cousin. In a fierce embrace, he growled in Logan's ear, "If you screw this up with Max, I'll come beat on you myself."

Tony's words, muttered low but, both men knew, apt to be caught by Max, made Logan chuckle, the sound carrying the emotions tearing at him. "Tempting offer," he joked back. "Why don't you just come back to kick some sense into me on general principle?"

"I should..." Tony straightened, his hand still firmly gripping Logan's, and looked appraisingly at the cousin he'd gotten to know in a whole new light over the past few days. "You know the door is always open out there, cuz..."

Logan nodded quickly, starting to worry about his voice holding up, as he blinked to clear his vision. "I know." Again it was clear that DiNozzo had more than one 'door' in mind... "And there's always plenty of room for you out here – and for 'Madam Secretary,' too..."

Tony grinned, nearly coloring a little at that, nodding, laughing softly. "Okay," he managed, words becoming harder to find. He gave the strong, calloused hand another firm shake and then, withdrawing a step as he dropped his hand, lectured, "stay out of trouble, will you? And Max, watch him for me – call me the minute he thinks about getting out of line."

"The very second," she promised softly.

Tony nodded, lingering just a moment as neither man could bear to tear their gaze away... and he took another step back, managed a wide beam as he lifted his hand in a silent good-bye... and turned to walk on toward the security check...

Logan watched in silent grief, aware of the childishness of his feelings but unable to shake the sense of abandonment, that just as his mother and father had left him alone so many years before, right now his defender, his protector and larger-than-life hero was walking out of his life, just as they had...

...and at that moment, he felt a soft, delicate hand laid gently, warmly, on his shoulder ...

...his defender... his protector... his larger-than-life hero... And no matter the moisture in his eyes that threatened to pool into real tears, he felt his mouth pull up into a smile as he slowly covered Max's hand with his and glanced up to the chocolate eyes he adored...

"C'mon ..." Max said softly as she came around to face him, taking in the amazing features before her, and seeing that, as she had, he'd weather this parting with some help from his partner. "I'll make you dinner," she coaxed.

Logan searched the beautiful dark eyes looking steadily into his. Hope rising yet again in her spell, his smile started to widen at her words, a jest apparently offered in some seriousness too – and he spoke, his voice soft and low. "You'd do that for me?" he tried.

"Would you eat it?' she countered.

He didn't miss a beat. "In a heartbeat" he promised, his voice gentle. "Max," he raised a hand toward her, seeking hers, his expression tender now as he regarded her. As she took his hand, Logan went on, "thank you for coming out here, with me. I know you volunteered because ... you understood how this would be ..." He wavered, emotions threatening him again, but mastered them to smile, "It was a lot easier with you here to remind me how much there is to my life, here, in Seattle..."

The man she saw seated before her, left behind with her at his cousin's departure, was a better- rested, happier- looking, healthier- looking man than she'd known only a week before ... and Max could find no better reply than to do what she found herself wanting so often, these days – she leaned over to kiss him sweetly, hungrily, tasting his lips, feeling his surprise and his initial, hesitant return of her kiss...

She straightened, watching him carefully for his reaction: his eyes never left hers as he searched her face, yet again in the daze of her actions. But when she shifted a little so he could pass, expecting him to start back toward the car, he lifted her hand again, quietly ...tugged her back, gently... and pulled her toward him, surely and confidently now, for another long, seductive kiss...

OUTSKIRTS, SEATTLE, WASHINGTON: February 12, 2020 4:02 P.M.
Sea-Tac Airport, Tarmac, on board AirNational Flight 867

Tony heard all the familiar slams and thuds, telling him they would soon be underway. He avoided thinking about his week, knowing that at the moment the thought of leaving his cousin behind was too near his otherwise well-covered emotions for consideration. One of the darker aspects of his visit was learning that the sight of Logan in a wheelchair was a red flag for what could lay ahead for the "journalist," if he kept up all his activities. The thought was too haunting, and too close, to process it all just quite yet...

Tony sighed, and as he felt the plane begin to move, looked out the window, ignoring the stewardess' droning safety instructions as they prepared to get underway. What would it take to get Logan out east, with Max? he wondered, watching the nearby trucks and transport vehicles sharing the tarmac, littered with graffiti and taggers' paint ... He'd leave Seattle to protect Max, that's clear enough ... but it would probably have to be an immediate threat, some kind of dire emergency ... and for himself, a safety issue wouldn't do it, but maybe... Tony snorted softly to himself. He wanted to come, when I made the offer; and if it had been only himself to consider ... The plane pulled out slowly to a feeder lane, and Tony's eyes flickered along the row of service buildings and storage facilities there. ...if there weren't so many others he worried about...

His eyes met a sudden clean white expanse, a recently painted storage building along this path, traveled by the many planes coming in and out of Seattle... but amid the white, a clever graffiti artist had painted the now-familiar red, while and blue mask above and below a pair of intense, watchful eyes... and not fooled at all by the blue the artist chose to color the irises otherwise all too accurate to deny, DiNozzo squeezed his eyes shut tightly in a sudden, emotional surge, as the image... and all its implications... slowly receded behind him, as did Seattle ...

..to be continued...