After getting back to the Navy Yard, which was only a half-hour drive, things were the usual level of chaos as the team tried to establish an initial suspect list and shove a few slices of pizza in their mouths for lunch.

While both DiNozzo and Ziva - who had finally joined them - made their way down to the recruiting office to meet with the victim's Commanding Officer, Chief Petty Officer Carr, Jethro decided to go and grab himself a coffee and finish up one of his reports, McGee setting up an interview with their petty officer's sister for the following morning before trying to wrap up some of his own paperwork.

Not long after finishing the report that he'd been working on, Jethro went and grabbed himself a fresh coffee and went to check in with Abby who'd called him to say that she finally had something for him.

Ziva and DiNozzo's trip to the recruiting office proved fruitful though, as, in addition to calling PFC Craig's death a terrible loss, CPO Carr informed his agents that one of the potential recruits had a mad-on for PFC Craig and identified him as James Zanetti. The man had a criminal record which led to him being rejected. Zanetti didn't take it well. He called the office repeatedly, left the petty officer threatening messages, and even contacted the pairs Commanding Officer at district.

Ziva called Jethro while he was just down the hall from Abby's lab to let him know that the pair were going to go and talk to Zanetti at his place of work instead of heading back to the Navy Yard immediately.

Pleased they might have a solid lead, he continued making his way down the hallway and entered the forensics laboratory where Abby was chatting with both Dr. Magnus and Ducky about how forensic science had changed over the years.

"Forensics have certainly changed, haven't they, Doctor?" Magnus commented.

"Yes, indeed." Jethro saw Ducky lean into his predecessor slightly, clearly enjoying the topic of conversation. "You should see her when she gets excited about a case."

Just then Abby noticed that Jethro was at the door and he was greeted by her very enthusiastic, "Gibbs, Gibbs, Gibbs, Gibbs!" for what wasn't the first time nor likely to be the last. He took Abby's offered hand and allowed himself to be led into the lab. "Come meet Dr. Magnus. He's like a forensic history book. He's adorable." She smiled at the elderly gentleman. "I mean that with the utmost professional respect."

"Yeah," he said. "We've met." Jethro wanted her back on task. "What d'ya got, Abbs?"

She immediately pulled a computer reenactment up on her screen and started filling him in on her findings. "I digitally lifted a boot print from Petty Officer Craig's facial features. After he was hit at the top of the steps, he landed at the bottom of the stairs with multiple contusions, a concussion, broken bones, but this was the death blow." She switched the screen to show him an autopsy photo of the injury she was talking about. "It was a single downward blow that crushed the front of his skull."

"Leading to a severe temporal hemorrhage," Ducky chimed in.

"You have details on the boot print, Abbs?" he asked.

"Yupp," the forensic scientist said as she pulled a photo up on the screen to show him. "It is a Global Trailbreaker work boot."

"Unbelievable," Magnus stated. "What I would've given for a... a piece of, of hardware like her." Abby grinned at that. "I mean, like this."

"You were part of a different era, Walter!" Ducky stated, well aware of how many new resources they had at their disposal nowadays. DNA testing, for just one example, was a game-changer in so many ways. "An era that had to work harder for results."

He looked at Ducky. "Hell, Doc, nothing to be ashamed of."

"There was also a wood tack embedded in the boot's rubber heel," Abby continued to fill him in. "And Ducky found particles of sawdust in the grooves."

"Killer's a woodworker," he said, quite pleased with the information. Jethro then leaned in and kissed Abby on the cheek. "Thank you, Abbs."

As Jethro grabbed his cup of coffee from by the door and made his way out of the lab, he heard a very baffled Dr. Magnus speak up. "He... He just kissed her."

He shook his head in amusement as he just barely heard Ducky's reply. "Consider it an innocent gesture of endearment."

Up in the squad room, an hour and a half later, Jethro was informed that things really had not gone well for DiNozzo when he'd initially tried to talk to Zanetti. The poor guy had gotten a two-by-four right to the stomach. Thankfully, his Senior Field Agent had not been seriously injured by that little incident.

Ziva also reported that Zanetti admitted to sending hate mail to the recruiting centre, but that he denied the killing and apparently had a solid alibi. The man had apparently been taking a class. So, now they needed to look further into the five kids that their petty officer was advising at the high school.

Given the hour though, Jethro quickly briefed Vance, who looked absolutely exhausted by that point and sent his entire team home for the day. The teenagers weren't going anywhere and they wouldn't be able to talk to them until the following day anyway.

After getting home that evening, he and Shannon ordered themselves some Chinese take-out for dinner and spent some time talking with Wayne, who needed to borrow one of his tools. Apparently, his longtime neighbour had a bit of a plumbing issue and had seemingly lost the tool that he needed.

Jethro damn near owned a hardware store, as his wife liked to tease him, so his friend had definitely come to the right place. He had no concerns with lending the tool out.

He then let Shannon pick a movie for them to watch on the couch. Jethro had sort of commandeered the television the night prior to watch a rerun of American Pickers of all things so figured fair was fair.

Jethro was hoping a quiet movie night would help ease some of the stress that both he and Shannon had been feeling lately.

"And I got ice cream," he informed his wife, having stopped for a couple of groceries on the way home earlier. "Cold Stone."

"Oreo Overload or Coffee Lovers Only?" she inquired with a grin.

"Damn," he replied, feigning forgetfulness. "I got the Candy Cane."

She smacked him on the arm playfully. "And you're a bad liar. I know I'm not the only one here that hates that stuff."

Jethro quirked a brow before pulling out the tub of Oreo Overload ice cream that he'd just bought. "They were out of the Candy Cane."

She shook her head at him, amused. "Ah. Now, scram, or no ice cream."

"That'd hurt you more than me," Jethro replied with a laugh. "I seem to recall you and Kelly bonding over snacks, Mrs. Sweet Tooth."

"And all the rest is just to stay alive," she quipped. She then leaned down and started to pet Bailey who's tail was just wagging.

Jethro gave a snort. That was one reference that he immediately understood. He then headed over to the fridge and took out a beer. "Want one?"

"Sure," she said happily.

Jethro went back into the fridge, only for Bailey to immediately pop her head in.

Shannon chuckled and started singing a song to the tune of a song by The Police that he hadn't heard in a long while. "Every snack you make, every meal you bake, every bite you take, I'll be watching you."

He rolled his eyes, despite knowing that the redhead couldn't see it. "Corny, Shan."

His wife laughed as he passed her the beer he had just taken out. "I try. Anyway, while you scoop up dessert, I'll go put the movie on."

Jethro shook his head and smiled at his wife's antics. At least they would have some fun tonight. They both really needed it.