I spent the rest of the day with Rae, then went home and tried to go to sleep. I would bring her home tomorrow, and she wasn't nearly as bad as I thought she was, but I still had trouble leaving her in that hospital. I knew that they'd take care of her-or else, I thought to myself grimly-and that was the same hospital that took injured NCIS agents so it had to be damn good, but that didn't make it any easier. She was my baby, and any time I wasn't with her or able to help her, a twang of guilt hit me right in the heart.

Yeah, I had a heart. Shocker. Shhh, don't tell anyone. People always thought that just because I was skilled in the art of killing and often called the "Angel of Death" by my family that my heart was made of stone. That wasn't always how it worked. I was simply able to compartmentalize the two halves of myself-work Emily and private Emily-exceptionally well. My one sticking point was Rae. She was mine, and I was hers, no matter what the situation was. She could show up at NCIS, right in the middle of a case, and I'd drop everything to get her and mother her. My phone suddenly flashed, showing that I had a text message from Tim.

DiNozzo called me this morning and told me about Raegan. Is she okay?

Yeah. She just had an ear infection, they said, but at her age, that can cause various unrelated symptoms. Her biggest one was a very high fever that bothered me a lot. That's why I brought her to the E.R. They're keeping her until tomorrow for Motrin and observation.

You made the right decision, Em. But I suppose my word means nothing because I have no parenting experience.

You might not, but it's good that you gave your opinion. Your opinion is important to me.

Really?

Well, yeah. And it's too soon to start calling me Em; that is reserved for close friends and my brothers.

Oh, so I can date you long-distance but I can't call you Em yet?

Dating me long-distance is different. I can't make you meet my brothers, or go on a actual date with you. This is us just talking a lot and we don't have to really worry about what people think or people seeing us together yet. Besides, we've only been dating for like a day. Give it some time.

Well, let me give you something to think about; I don't give a damn about what people think about this. This is all you and me. Don't make me have to get the next flight to D.C. and teach you a lesson.

I cocked an eyebrow at my phone screen. So he wanted to both threaten me and flirt with me at the same time? Well, two could play at that game. And what lesson would that be, Agent McGee?

It's a lesson that involves me flying in, going to your house, taking you out to dinner, and being overly obnoxious about our relationship.

Please don't. It's not that I'm ashamed of you, it's just that I'm not sure that this will work and I don't want to parade it out for everyone to see just yet. Like you said, it might not work between us and our lives are almost completely separate from one another's as it is now. There is a certain degree of safety within that fact.

That's true. I just...I've never been in a real relationship before, and I just want to shout it from the rooftops.

You've never been in a relationship before?

Not really, outside of a few blind dates when I was in Johns Hopkins and MIT, but it wasn't for lack of trying by my younger sister, Sarah. She tried to set me up with every girl in a 100 mile radius.

Now, that's funny. I bet you were ridiculously uncomfortable.

I was, yeah. A lot of the women were very intelligent, I can say that, but they were similar to Abby. They were entirely too sexually intense for me, and then they'd tell me that they loved me because I was cute and sweet, like a puppy. I didn't want to be loved like they loved puppies.

I understand. I'm the exact opposite of a blind date, though. You saw me before you knew who I was.

That's true. I'm like the Savage Garden song, I loved you before I met you.

Awww...now that's sweet. Love you too, my favorite computer geek. I'm going to go take a nap for a while.

You deserve a nap, my favorite sharpshooter. You going back to NCIS tomorrow?

Yeah. I'll take Raegan with me.

Okay. Goodnight, Emily.

Goodnight, Tim.

I put my phone down on my bedside table, cut the light off (never mind that it was only five P.M.) and went quickly to sleep. It was pure exhaustion that kept me asleep from 5 P.M. to 9 A.M. the next day; I woke up, looked at my phone, and thought crap! Gibbs would tear me a new asshole if I didn't get into work. I pulled my hair back into a ponytail, grabbed my Christmas sweater and jeans, and headed to the bathroom. I looked for a second at the shower, but then shook my head. I didn't have time for that. I flung on my clothes, and soaked myself in deodorant and perfume so no one noticed the smell of unwashed human that clung to me.

I grabbed my socks and shoes, pulling them on, grabbing my phone, purse, and car keys and heading out. I wasn't a very happy person at the moment, because I needed my coffee-my hands were shaking-but I didn't have time to go and get it. I drove about 70 miles per hour, making the hour-long trip from my home in Maryland to NCIS headquarters in D.C. in thirty minutes. I rushed into the bullpen, to find Gibbs sitting there by himself. He looked up at me, signing quickly. I went and got Raegan for you. She and Abby are having a playdate.

Thank you. I was really tired-I slept for 16 hours-and was like, 'whoa, I overslept. Crap.'

It's okay. I told the others that you may or may not come in today. They're all off on a case right now. You can help me with tracking them from here.

Okay. Thank you, Gibbs. Really.

He nodded, giving me a NCIS phone to text back and forth with the group on. The screen in front of me was brightly colored, showing them as a flashing, little orange dot going up Interstate 76 towards Harrisburg. Where are they meant to be going, Gibbs?

My hometown. Stillwater, Pennsylvania.

No way!

Yes way.

Wow. Why are they in your hometown?

My father's store was vandalized and they found a dead guy out in the back.

So let's see if I got this right...your father had his store vandalized, and they found a dead guy in the back of it, who was killed as a result of what? Oh, maybe, robbery or drugs? That would be a hell of a case.

They think it's as a result of a drug deal gone wrong, but we don't know yet.

Yee-haw. This is going to be a hell of a case.

Yeah, Campbell, it is.

I sighed deeply. Of course, there had to be a huge case right after I got back from having a sick baby. I kept my eyes on the flashing orange dot that represented the team as I tracked them towards Harrisburg. I knew that Harrisburg was still over an hour from Stillwater, and I smirked a little. Oh, the beautiful state of Pennsylvania. They were headed right for a road closure, though, and Gibbs immediately got onto his radio. I could read his lips. US-11 North is closed. Take an exit and find US-322 North. It will lead you straight to Interstate 81 North.

He must've gotten whatever answer or response he wanted, because he nodded, satisfied. I smiled, too, and kept watching. Gibbs was the one giving them commands, I was just making sure that they got there safely. It wasn't like I could be there with them, so I made myself responsible for their safety. I always had to have responsibility in some form. I kept watching silently, as their speed brought their little dot closer to Minersville, a little town that I had personally never heard of, but Gibbs probably had. Gibbs suddenly reached behind his computer monitor, and gently slid a Starbucks cup beside me.

Thank Jesus.

He was officially the best boss ever. I smiled and then looked at him curiously. Does this have milk in it?

Nope. I made sure to get almond milk put in it.

Thanks. Regular milk can kill me.

Dairy allergy?

Yeah. Severe one. It causes me a lot of issues with food.

I bet it does.

The flashing dot caught my attention again, and I watched it carefully as they took exit 116 for Pennsylvania State Route 901 West towards Minersville. They then turned onto Main Street, then kept left to Lavelle Road and then right onto Pennsylvania State Route 54 East. They traveled 2 miles before turning left onto 61 North. The NCIS Medical Examiner's van was keeping a close tail on the regular NCIS vehicle, probably because Ducky threatened to put Jimmy in a body cooler if he got them lost. The three main NCIS Agents led the M.E.s into Bloomsburg and then into Stillwater.

Oh, the beautiful, but frozen hellhole that is the state of Pennsylvania. I signed, with a snarky smile.

Easy, Campbell. My dad will hurt you for saying that.

What's he gonna do? Beat me with a stick?

No. Too primitive. He'll just yell at you for a while.

I'm deaf, Gibbs. I can ignore him.

Good point. Might need to tell him that before he starts yelling.

Probably. So is he okay?

Yeah. He beat the hell out of the vandals, but didn't know that the dead guy was dead, so he's been put in the county jail until we figure out what happened.

Ah, ain't that some shit. I'm really sorry, Gibbs.