A/N: Here's a new chapter folks, sorry about the delay! What can I say, life! To my newest followers/favourites, welcome abroad! To my reviewers, thank you so much! I love reading your thoughts, they keep me inspired, so keep them coming!

Guest Reviewer Momcat: Thanks! I too like some calmer chapters amongst the rest, it helps break things up & is also more real I find. And thanks for the pick up, you're right it was soap, not soup!

Let's get into it!

Gibbs led his family into the bullpen, he needed coffee! His girl hadn't gotten a lot of sleep which meant neither did his wife or himself. He was grateful that Henry had offered to go get them some, his eyes though zoned into his first order of business "DiNozzo"

Tony looked up "Boss"

"A word" Gibbs signalled, motioning him towards himself.

"Good morning Tony, Ziva, Tim" Shannon remarked, she turned to her husband "Do they not even merit a good morning?"

Tony flashed a look to Tim, neither man ever expected a 'good morning' from Gibbs and they didn't know what to expect as an answer.

Gibbs pressed his lips together as he looked at his wife trying to decide what say when he was interrupted.

"He's not answering!" Kelly said hastily.

Gibbs refocused, here they go again "Kell, I'm sure everything's ok, he's probably just tied up"

Shannon moved closer to her girl "He'll call you soon darling, I'm sure he's fine, like dad said, he's probably just tied up"

"Probably?" Kelly asked "he said he'd keep his phone on him, its not even ringing, his phone's off! He wouldn't do that! He wouldn't be unreachable to me for over 6 hours!" she hadn't heard from Mike for hours and she was getting worried.

"Sweetheart calm down" Shannon said placing her hands on her girl's arms as she tried to calm her. She waited a moment while they both took a breath "now, dad said he'd make a call to check on him, so why don't we wait to hear from that"

Gibbs felt his girls now looking at him "give me 5 minutes & I'll make that call Kells, I just need a quick word with Tony first" he really didn't know what to feel, he wanted to be tough as nails with this boy, but how could he deny his girl that he'd check up on him? She'd been anxious for a few hours already, but seriously checking up on marine after just 6 hours, one who should be in the middle of a marine-base, wasn't exactly normal! But he better be ok! I mean what trouble could find him Frankfurt? He'd then consider reading him riot act for becoming unreachable! He'd teach that boy the rules & damn quickly!

"Well, talk to Tony then!" Kelly remarked briskly to her dad.

Gibbs felt that stare from his girl, he was getting his wife's stare too, he looked at his wife but pointed to his son, who's head was still buried into that handheld game thingy "he's not the only clone!" he smirked, he took a step closer to his girl "you my girl, are your mother!" he finished with a smirk.

Shannon grinned as she brought her girl into her side "that's because she a good girl" she placed her arm around her boy & ruffled his hair "and this, this hair is mine, but his attention to others is yours" their son still had his head buried & on his day, her husband could ignore the entire world & just do who knew what in that basement! Mind you he'd have Kelly with him once she was old enough.

Kelly couldn't help but smile, and it did feel good to smile.

Gibbs couldn't help but chuckle as he crouched down & tapped his finger on the screen "ah hem!"

"One sec!" Nix remarked

Gibbs raised his eyebrows as he shared a look with his wife, he just waited..

It only took a moment, but in that moment the eyes of the entire team had fallen to Nix.

"Yes! I did it!" Nix grinned, he instantly looked for his sister "I did it!"

"Did what?" Kelly asked

"I got top score again on Mario Kart! I beat Mike!" Nix grinned, he'd been trying to beat his score for ages! Like ages!

Kelly's jaw dropped "you what?" she grabbed the DS & looked at it "holy shit!"

"Kelly" Shannon called.

"Sorry" Kelly swallowed "but he just beat Mike's score! That's…"

Shannon could see the grin on her son's face was ever present & even she knew "impressive, he'll be mighty upset with you"

"I know" Nix remarked with a grin "isn't it great?!"

"And if he ever answers his phone again I'll tell him" Kelly remarked "dad!"

"Ok Kells" Gibbs said trying to calm her, he was interested in what his son glee was about, he knew it was related to that game thingy, but didn't see what the big deal was about beating a score on it so big? He'd want to ask about it, but knew his girl wouldn't let him stall.

"Sorry to interrupt" Tony remarked taking a step closer to the family, he looked at Kelly "I spoke to him at 01:00" he said, clearly Shannon had spoken to them about it, and he was glad to not have to keep this from Gibbs! It so wouldn't have worked!

"You spoke to him?" Kelly asked

Tony could see the whole family looking at him "yes, needed to ask him a few things. He was about to go for a quick run & then to speak with his CO"

"Was he ok?" Kelly asked quietly

Tony nodded "he was" well, ok wasn't the word, he was furious! But he knew what she meant.

Gibbs decided it was for that chat, he turned to his wife "why don't you go to the conference room, I'll be there as soon as I know anything" he looked to his girl "I'll check on him Kells"

Shannon nodded "we'll get settled in"

Gibbs headed for MTAC "DiNozzo! With me" he called over his shoulder.

Tony nodded & went to follow him, but he looked towards Nix "good job on the score kid" he smiled, whatever the score was, he knew it was good, and he seemed to be really happy to have beaten Mike's score.

Shannon saw her son smile in reply "It was" she smiled as she watched where her husband had gone, he was halfway up the stairs & Tony was following him! "Jethro! What are you doing taking Tony up the stairs! His ankle!" how could he make the boy walk up the stairs with his ankle being sprained!

Gibbs was slightly annoyed that he'd been caught on the stairs, but her call had half the floor looking at him & he wasn't going to concede on this point "Its fine!" he answered "with me DiNozzo" he remarked knowing Tony would hear it & just kept walking.

"Yes boss" Tony answered dutifully, his ankle was a little sore as he put pressure on it but there was not a chance in hell that he'd disobey Gibbs! None!

Gibbs headed right into MTAC & only spoke once Tony was right by his side "Rooney, update!"

Tony nodded, he didn't know what Gibbs knew so he'd just lay everything out "There are two Rooney's, I think our guy is 2nd Lt Jeffrey Rooney, he's in Logistics, Lt Atkins identified him at being present at MacDonald's residence speaking with Quinn & Acron. The other Rooney is Major John Rooney & is responsible for ROTC deployments out of Texas, Louisiana & New Mexico."

Gibbs listened, this much he knew, but he knew Tony wasn't close to being done.

"I spoke with Major Rooney under some lame pretence & got him to send to over all of his deployment orders out of Rice University for the past 2 years, went through ever order boss…" Tony wasn't sure what he'd make of it.

"And?" Gibbs enquired

"All of the final orders, all of them boss were exactly the same as their tentative ones, there was no change to any of them when they left his command & they were all sent electronically to the Rice University ROTC commander" Tony answered

Gibbs took a breath, his wife was right! "keep going"

"I looked into the 2nd Lt, and at the time of their deployment orders being handed out he was in Houston" Tony remarked.

"And where is he now?" Gibbs asked

"On his way here boss, found him in Manchester, when our agents went to speak to him he tried to run. He's under an escort here" Tony answered "and ahh…"

Gibbs was glad he was on his way here already but "what?"

"Got a report a little while ago that someone tried to take a shot at him while he was still in Manchester" Tony reported.

"They get the shooter?" Gibbs asked, what the heck? Why would someone take a shot at him?

"Not sure, still waiting to hear" Tony answered "he should be here sometime this afternoon"

Gibbs took a breath "complete background on him DiNozzo & get McGee to work out how he intercepted the orders!"

"McGee boss?" Tony enquired, he'd worked out just 'who' Mike was & how he fitted in to their family and this would be a tough one for his probie to handle.

"Well yea DiNozzo, you said it was electronically sent, you want to go looking through computer systems?" Gibbs asked

"Not particularly boss" Tony admitted

Gibbs didn't even bother answering that "I want the full background done before he gets here"

"Already working on it boss" Tony remarked

"The conversation with Lt Bond?" Gibbs prodded

Tony wasn't quite sure what to say "he confirmed his orders were signed by Rooney, and that the project he was working on was more aligned with what Lt Atkins did at college" he wasn't sure if he should tell him just how angry the kid was.

"Impressions?" Gibbs prodded wondering what Tony made of the kid.

"Ahh, well, he was angry at MacDonald, shocked that you & your wife were alive, and concerned about Kelly & even Phoenix, asked me half a dozen times if they were all ok. Seems like a half decent kid boss" Tony remarked, he hadn't spoken to him for that long.

Gibbs didn't say anything but motioned for Tony to get going & turned his attention "Maureen, get me Colonel Michaels in Frankfurt" Gibbs requested, this better be quick! He had another thought "DiNozzo!"

"Boss?" Tony asked at the door looking back.

"Get me Lt Bond's service record" Gibbs ordered, he needed to read the boy's file.

"Right boss" Tony nodded, he couldn't help but wonder how this boy would go with Gibbs? That he was looking forward to see!

Tim waited for not only Gibbs & Tony to go into MTAC but for his family to go down the hall before looking across at Ziva "what was that about? Who were they speaking about? Who'd Tony speak to at 01:00? We left the office at 20:00" he couldn't help but feel out of the loop, and he'd tried to say hello to Kelly & she'd basically ignored him. Something wasn't feeling right.

"I do not know McGee" Ziva said, she too had been intrigued about the conversation, whoever Kelly was out of contact with seemed to be important to her & the family too, and for Tony to speak with him "whoever it is, he seems to be important, seems that Tony has been working on something we do not know about" thinking back to last night, he seemed to have been preoccupied with something, and he'd taken his laptop & some paperwork home too. Was this the reason?

Henry was waiting for the coffees for Gibbs and the family when he saw his son, his grandson & another police Lieutenant approach "Ted, Harry"

"Hey Pop" Harry smiled.

"Dad" Ted greeted, he didn't think he'd see him here this morning "this is Lt Vincent Robertson from Seattle, Robertson, this is my father, Henry Taylor"

"Mr Taylor" Robertson greeted

"Lieutenant" Henry greeted before turning back to his son "you spoken to Jethro today yet?"

"Not yet dad, why?" Ted asked

"Well" Henry began but saw someone approach "Lt Atkins" he greeted.

"Sir" Samuel greeted, he then saw Lt's Taylor & Robertson "Sirs" he greeted

"Keeps" Harry nodded

"Harry" Samuel nodded

Ted nodded "Samuel"

Henry looked at Samuel "you wouldn't by any chance know what's got Kelly in a right mess would you?" the girl had been beside herself & worried about some guy not answering his phone.

"What happened?" Ted & Harry both asked before Samuel had a chance to reply.

"I don't know" Henry answered "I dropped them off last night and she was fine. This morning, she was quiet, angry & also worried"

Samuel felt all four men now looking at him "I'm afraid I do sir"

"and?" all the men asked

"It looks likes MacDonald had somehow gotten my deployment orders changed on purpose, he had me come here to DC on purpose" Samuel said

"Why would he do that?" Robertson asked, from what he'd seen, this boy was good friends with Kelly, why would he specifically have the guy assigned to be here, if anything it would be the other way around.

"Because my orders got switched with a friend of mine, I was supposed to go to Frankfurt, but ended up here. Mike was supposed to come here but is over in Frankfurt. He made it so Mike wouldn't be in the country" Samuel answered

"Mike?" Ted asked "As in Kelly's old boyfriend?" he remembered Nix mentioning the boy when they were checking out the tractor at the hotel.

"Boyfriend, yes sir" Samuel nodded, he knew they were no longer ex's.

"You're saying that MacDonald manipulated marine deployment orders to get Kelly's boyfriend away from her?" Ted asked, his nostrils flared again, arsehole! But how'd he manage to do that?

"I'm afraid so sir" Samuel nodded

"Have you spoken to him recently?" Henry asked

"Called him last night to break the news, I imagine he then spent quite a while on the phone with Kelly. This would be why she's messed up" Samuel answered

"Have you spoken to him since?" Henry prodded

"No sir, why?" Samuel asked

"Because she was muttering again & again that 'he wasn't answering', my guess she was speaking about your friend, Mike, and she seemed very worried that she couldn't reach him" Henry remarked

Samuel's eyes widened "he wasn't answering her calls?" his friend would never do that!

"From what I heard it sounded like his phone was actually turned off" Henry answered

"I'll make some calls, because that doesn't sound like Mike at all, he wouldn't be unreachable to Kells, especially right now, excuse me" Samuel remarked, he knew Mike would not be unreachable to Kelly, he'd never do that, especially right now!

Ted saw the boy head off & dial his phone instantly "how are they otherwise dad?"

"Well, I don't think Kelly slept all that much, and I would say that neither did Shannon or Jethro for that matter, hence the coffees" Henry remarked

Ted nodded "we can take them up, I know you need to go meet your friend dad"

Henry shook his head "I don't need to Ted, it was a casual catch-up, one I have already postponed. I'm here all day"

Ted gave his dad a small smile & nod as he picked up some of the coffees "so, how'd my idea work last night?"

"What idea?" Harry asked his dad.

"I told Pop to wear his Manchester United jersey and bring it up with Phoenix as an ice breaker" Ted answered.

"I did, and it worked like a charm Ted, like a charm" Henry smiled "that young boy certainly loves his soccer & its something I am more than happy to keep going. At least I now have someone to impart my knowledge to considering none of you or your sister's kids appreciate the world game, the beautiful game"

"The boring game" Ted muttered

"yea" Harry agreed quietly as he shared a smile with his dad.

Henry eyed his son & grandson "neither of you have any appreciation for the skill required, you'd rather watch men go crashing into each other as they move their way across the field, and those men can't even see out the whole game, their only able to play either offensive or defensive, they don't have the same stamina as soccer players, who see out the entire game & run the length of the entire field doing both attack and defence duties"

Robertson watched the trio continue to banter, they'd clearly had this conversation numerous times before, and it just kept going as they went through the security checkpoint for NCIS. As they were about to get off the lift he just couldn't help himself "I'm more partial to Rugby" he remarked stepping off the lift.

Ted pressed his together, he really liked the cut of Robertson "not a bad game"

Henry eyed them & shook his head "Rugby is even worse! Do not get me started!" he took a breath "now, why don't you show me to the conference room, Jethro asked for the coffees to be delivered there"

"Sure dad, this way" Ted motioned down the hall as he bided Robertson farewell.

Ted knocked on the door before entering.

Shannon looked towards the door & smiled "morning Ted" she saw Henry & the trays of coffee & hot chocolates "thank you Henry, this is very much appreciated"

"No problem at all Shannon" Henry replied

Harry looked towards his friend, she was up the other end of the room & pacing "Kell"

Kelly shifted her gaze "Hey" she greeted before she looked to her mum "mum!"

Shannon took a breath before answering "Kelly darling, we have to wait for dad to check with his contact, I am positive that Mikey is fine, just try to be a little patient angel" she said gently trying to sooth her, but she had to admit she was getting frustrated with the constant harping on about it, she understood it of course, she'd be the same with Jethro, but it was still frustrating.

Kelly huffed & kept pacing "how long does he need? And why isn't he answering?"

Nix was getting sick of this "how would mum know! Its not like mum can magically see through walls or all the way to Germany!"

"Shut up!" Kelly grouched

"You shut up!" Nix replied

"Both of you be quiet" Shannon called "Phoenix, please leave your sister be & Kelly, I've asked for you to be patient, I know you're concerned, but dad is looking into it, as soon as he knows anything, he will come and tell us, ok?" she really needed to calm her down.

"Kelly" Henry said gently, he only continued when the family were looking at him "I bumped into that friend of yours whilst getting the coffees, Samuel. He explained what you learnt last night & I mentioned you were having trouble getting in contact with Mike, he said he would make some calls to try to find him. That's what he's doing now"

"Thank you Henry" Shannon gave Henry a small nod before looking back at Kelly "now we have dad & Keeps both trying to contact Mikey, they'll manage it, everything will be ok angel" she remarked rubbing a hand up & down her daughter's arm.

Shannon considered something "Harry, could I trouble to maybe take Phoenix outside for a short time, have a bit of a kick around?" she wanted some private time with her girl in the hope of calming her down.

Harry nodded "sure, can definitely do that" he looked to Nix who'd already picked up a hot chocolate "let's grab some pastries & head outside squirt" he grinned pointing to the box he'd brought.

"And what would you know about kicking a round ball mister?" Henry asked with a small smile.

"I can kick a round ball just fine Pop" Harry answered with a knowing smile.

"Well, just in case, I think I might tag along, if that's alright with you Phoenix?" Henry finished looking at the young boy.

"Sure" Nix nodded as he grabbed a Danish, heading for the door he looked to Henry "who's your favourite player?"

Shannon watched as the trio left the room, she turned to Ted "you spoke to your dad"

"I merely told him that there was a young soccer fan he could connect with" Ted remarked.

"I doubt that Ted, but thank you" Shannon remarked.

"Anytime Shannon, I know Jethro knows nothing of the sport & figured Nix would welcome someone he could share it with" Ted remarked. He'd already surmised that Phoenix had not really had a lot of positive male influences in his life & really it was the perfect fit. His dad was already loving that he had someone to impart his wisdom with & he knew his dad would be a good role model in that arena. He also knew that his dad would help Jethro learn about the sport.

"He's got Mike & Keeps" Kelly muttered looking at her laptop.

"Yes he does, but another person to share it with never goes astray" Shannon remarked

Ted nodded, he wasn't going to go into the Mike arena right now "I'm going to check in with my team, Martha will by around lunch time & I'll be back soon"

"No problem Ted, thank you" Shannon nodded.

Ted headed down the hall & bumped into his friend "Jethro"

"Ted" Gibbs greeted

"Found that boy yet?" Ted asked curiously

"No, but the base in the middle of a large drill, can't get in touch with the Colonel or him, been told to call back this afternoon. So that would explain his incommunicado" Gibbs answered "what do you know?"

"Bumped into my dad & Samuel down at the coffee cart place, the boy explained what happened" Ted remarked, he took a breath "Mac's body is under surveillance isn't it?" he actually felt the urge to do something to the man!

"Unfortunately" Gibbs remarked "but there's still the interviews to do with the men alive, that Acron guy is my number one priority, he was seen with the marine officer we suspect assisted Mac with this deployment change"

Ted's eyes widened, but "happy to lend a hand"

"Be ready in 30 then" Gibbs caught the smirk & returned it "want your impression with something"

"Name it" Ted offered

"Go see Tony, tell him to catch you up on Rooney & get the kid's service record, wouldn't mind another pair of eyes running the rule over this boy, the boy who will apparently be here within days" Gibbs remarked. He was going to run his eyes over the record himself that was a given, but having Ted do it too would be beneficial, I mean they used to joke that they'd double the boys that came within 20 feet of his girl, so why not do it now?

A/N: Apart from Kelly's worry about Mike, there wasn't a lot of meat in this chapter, but it does set up the next few chapters & is Mike ok? Why would someone take a shot at that Rooney? And let's not forget Shannon trying to lecture Gibbs on Tony's injury :) We've also got Gibbs's interrogation ahead with Acron and much more..

Just another plug for the Facebook & Instagram pages, I've put up some artwork for viewing, so come & say hi! I take artwork requests too! Go to Facebook url & then: /A-Chance-Encounter-verse-1107748372628862/

Instagram Account: shellycreates

You know I love to hear your thoughts, so review away! More up soon!