N/B This hasn't been beta'd. My two have had RL situations. I am looking for others if anyone is available. I'm not getting rid of Nora or Mary, as I totally adore them and they have done an amazing job. I just am looking to add more to my list lol. Thank you all for all the reviews, follows, kudos, bookmarks, alerts and for those who just read. I think you are all wonderful. I know due to my health this story wasn't posted quickly. I am changing the way I do things for future stories. I will try to do longer chapters, and it will all be hand written before I even start. I hope you continue to enjoy my stories and that you like the end of this one.
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McGee stuttered as the evidence was laid out before him. "I was driven to it, ask Abby. She'll explain what it's been like. How it's all Tony's fault and the plan it was all Ziva, and Sacks." He pleaded, his fingers tapping on the desk in front of him. He knew that she was the one person that could get around Gibbs. He had to show that none of it was down to him.
"I wouldn't depend too much on Miss Sciuto's help." Fornell winced as he thought about the rant, the very descriptive and rant on things that she would do to him. It made the FBI agent just a little more nervous to be around Abby. He definitely wasn't going to get on her bad side. How the hell was it Tony's fault? Ziva, well that he could believe. He was disappointed in Sacks though.
"Why, what have you said to her?" McGee spat out, she would believe him, and they had something special.
Hotch shook his head. "She had to go onto your and Ziva's computer to get the original footage that you edited and passed to Sacks. Were you planning to do the rescuing on your own and leave him out in the cold? That is the only reason I can think why you would edit footage. But, back to Abby she'd read about what you both thought about her. She wasn't thrilled when she found out that you didn't think she was good enough. You wanted her to change everything about herself, until you deemed her good enough to meet you family."
"How dare you let her that was a private journal?" McGee shouted he didn't believe them. He would explain everything to her, she would understand.
"Actually, it's an NCIS computer. If you wanted it to be kept private you should have done it at home." Gibbs chuckled. "We have every right to search your work one."
McGee crossed his arms over his chest, his lip jutting out. "What do you want?"
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Reid stared at the footage there had to be something here. They needed to find Tony in a hurry. It turned out that NCIS hadn't been the only danger for him, but so had the FBI. They had realised this too late to save his friend from this ordeal. "Stop, where is this footage from?"
Penelope looked down at the file. "It's one McGee found, a hidden camera."
"It's a shame that his arrogance got the better of him. It's a camera that the killer didn't see. He obviously checked the area out first, so he managed to avoid all the others." The screen froze on a man, the description matched what Sacks, and other witnesses had told them.
"Baby girl find out everything you can about him, like his name. Pass that image back to Abby and see if NCIS have anything." Derek just stared at the screen.
"Will do."
Gibbs stared at the other information that was found, that confirmed what Sacks had told them. Ziva had done a lot more than McGee. She had helped with the plan by leaving a sedative at an undisclosed place. She had also given the killer every piece of info she could about Tony, which included his address, what weapons he carried, his car, and what way he would walk to the café. They'd also found the plans to take out Palmer and McGee. There was a rough draft of taking out the BAU members and blaming the CIA, or NCIS at a pinch. The only person she hadn't wanted to kill was Gibbs. It made him sick, how could he have believed that she had changed. Deep down she would always be Mossad and they did things a certain way.
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He reached out and gently stroked his captives face. Green drugged eyes forced themselves open, blinked as they tried to focus on the stranger, but finding it very hard to stay open.
"Don't worry it won't hurt. The FBI failed you, just as they did me. I won't make you suffer. They're the ones that I want to hurt. I'm sorry it had to come to this."
DiNozzo licked his dry and cracked lips. His eyes felt too heavy to keep open. They slowly fell closed.
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It didn't take Fornell long to find out who this guy was. His wife had been killed by someone in a naval uniform. They'd never found the killer. The uniform had been fake, which is what they had told him. The FBI had nothing to work with. There hadn't been any clues that lead to anything. It could have been just a random killing which meant there was no connection to the victim. The killer may have not even been from that state. If it was just someone travelling through it was like looking for a certain needle in a haystack of needles. Marcus Lowright obviously blamed them. Fornell needed to get together with the others and update them. This man would kill Tony and they needed to get there first.
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"He's still lost to grief with no one to blame." Hotch's mind went back to Hayley. Reid moved next to him and placed his hand on the older man's back. He was lending his support without saying a word.
Hotch turned and smiled at him even though it still hurt to think about her, it always would. He had moved on and found someone new to love, and he found that person in the most unexpected of places. Right by his side.
"I don't give a damn. I want Tony back." Gibbs growled.
"You don't know what it's like." Hotch argued and frowned when he saw Fornell wince. It was obvious something had happened to the other man.
"Don't presume to know anything about me. I do know what it's like. I lost my wife and daughter, but I didn't go on a murdering rampage. There is no excuse for that." Gibbs normally never spoke about his deceased family, but he refused to feel sorry for a man who had taken his second chance at love.
"I'm sorry Gibbs I didn't–"
Gibbs turned away so Hotch stopped what he was saying. He wouldn't have wanted to hear the platitude either. It also made it clearer why Gibbs was so upset. He was this close to losing love a second time.
"Do we know where this Marcus Lowright is now?" Derek wanted to get back to the problem at hand, to save Tony. He smiled as he watched Abby and Penelope work side by side. It seemed that having a common cause, saving their friend had made the NCIS forensic tech put her feelings aside. He was sure that if the two women got to know each other they would be friends, or he could be wrong and they would clash too much. It was a difficult one to call.
"He still owns and, as far as we know, lives in the house he had with his wife." Penelope told them.
"Let's get everything set up and make sure it's by the book." Rossi ordered. They didn't want this to fall through the cracks. He also noticed that Hotch was still a little off and watching Gibbs with guilt. You could see him imagining losing his son as well as Hayley.
"Get Tony back safe and sound." Abby pleaded.
"We'll do everything we can Abs." He kissed her on the forehead, then turned and nodded at Ducky.
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Marcus placed a kiss on the photo of his wife. "It's nearly done my dear. The first part of the plan worked perfectly. It was a shame that the FBI took so long to get to the letters. It does really show how incompetent they are. All those extra deaths are on their already blood stained hands. We need to show the whole world what they are really like. I never got to face the person who took you away from me. It will always be a regret that haunts me. It's time to start phase two." He turned and looked at the unconscious man tied to the bed. "I will–." Just then he heard the menagerie of animals that lived in his neighbours properties. As much as he hated those animals they were a very good alarm system. "Ahhh, they've managed to find their own way here. They didn't need my help after all. When it is one of their own, a federal agent, they can find out who was involved. You weren't special enough to them, my dear. I need to hurry and get ready. I can't keep my guests waiting can I; you would be horrified if I did that."
He smiled at the photo before he placed it back on the table, and moved to sit on the bed. He grabbed the gun from the drawer on the bedside table. Marcus then placed the front of the weapon on the forehead of his prisoner and waited. He really hoped they wouldn't be too long. He did so hate waiting.
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Derek was the first one through the door. He saw their killer sitting next to an unconscious Tony. The smirk on his face, and the movement of his hand Derek knew he was going to pull the trigger. He reacted. The echo of a gun firing reverberated around the room as the others came rushing in. Panic on their faces, afraid of what they would find. All of them had lost too many people and they didn't want to lose another one. Not Tony.
Marcus Lowright was dead. His body collapsed over Tony's. Blood soaked into the shirt of the NCIS agent. Derek made his way closer, slowly, gun still in his hand just in case. He checked and nodded towards the others. The man they had been after was dead. On the floor lay the photo of the murdered woman. His wife.
"Death by cop." Hotch noted as soon as he saw the scene. It really was the only way for Marcus to go out.
"Looks like it, at least Tony's alive." Derek pulled away his hand from checking his friends pulse. He hated to kill anyone, but he didn't have a choice. There was no doubt that this man would have killed him. He wanted to join his wife, but make sure that people understood his pain.
Gibbs sighed with relief. He leaned against the wall, afraid that his legs would give way. He didn't think he could've survived the death of someone else he loved. It would've been too much for him to handle.
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McGee looked up as the interrogation door opened and in walked Vance. A smile appeared on his face. He knew that the director would do everything he could to protect him. After his skills were needed much more than Tony's, maybe he could get DiNozzo transferred?
"I knew that you would help me. I made a mistake, but my skills–"
"Be quiet." Vance ordered and watched as the younger man paled quickly. "You honestly think that I would help you after everything you've done?"
"It was only Tony. He's replaceable, a joke." McGee snapped.
"Someone can be trained to use a computer; it's something that can be taught. There is no doubt that you have an amazing skill, that's not in question. Tony, his skill can't be. You either have it or you don't. He's an investigator, a brilliant one. What do you do in the MCRT? What do you think they did before you came aboard?"
"But sir…"
"More importantly you need to have teamwork, to watch each other's backs. Did you do that? No, and do you think anyone is going to want to work with you?"
"Of course they will work with me, why wouldn't they?" McGee stared at him confused. He'd only tried to get rid of Tony. He wouldn't do that with anyone else. Why would he?
"You turned your back, and tried to discredit a teammate. When that didn't work you sent information to Agent Sacks, and sent him to a serial killer?" Vance shouted, why did he seem to get what he did was wrong? "Tony was just about to be killed. If Agent Morgan's reaction had been a second slower, he would be dead right now!"
McGee paled, his body swayed on the chair. It had never really hit him that Tony could die. He'd always seemed indestructible and always survived no matter what was thrown at him. Tony could've died. He suddenly dived towards the metal bin. Tim just managed to stick his head in it as he emptied his stomach contents.
Vance stood up and left. All he could hear was McGee retching behind him. McGee would get told soon that he'd been fired. He had wanted to bring charges, but was told it wouldn't have gone anywhere. All he'd done was talk about what they were going to do, and sent over footage to Sacks. He hadn't been involved in anything else. McGee wouldn't get a job in law enforcement, but to Vance that didn't seem enough, not nearly enough for what he had helped to happen.
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Vance had already spoken to Eli. Their unusual friendship looked like it might be over, but that didn't matter to him.
Ziva looked up as the door opened. "Have you come to let me go? I am sure you have spoken to my father by now." She sat up right, and her head held high. She stared at him in the eyes, her face full of arrogance.
He could see that Ziva truly believed she would get away with this. "You're not going anywhere. You will pay for your crimes. Sacks told us everything, and we have evidence of the physical help you did. We also know of you plans for McGee, Palmer and the BAU if needed. Did you honestly think you would get away with this?"
"If you do this your friendship with–."
"Stop Ziva, you've ruined any diplomatic relations that Mossad had with us or any other agency. I don't care about my friendship with your father. What I care about are the agents that work here at NCIS."
"But I-."
"You no longer have anything to do with this agency. There is something you should understand. Before this, if I had to pick between you and DiNozzo I would have picked him. I know where his loyalties lie. He's an honourable man and we are lucky to have him here with us."
"You can't mean that?" Her eyes were wide, and her mouth stayed open as she listened to what he had said.
"You, McGee and Sacks are an embarrassment to both agencies and we are better off without you in them. At least now we can sleep a little safer without you around plotting a mass murder. You will be arrested and charged, both you and Sacks. McGee got away because he only talked and you kept him out of the loop. If you hadn't he would be with the two of you."
Ziva watched as Vance turned and left her alone. She was sure that her father would pull some strings to get her out of here. All she had to do was to wait.
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Eli stared down at the phone in his hand. It was not often someone hung up on him. At first he thought that it was a game that Vance wanted something from him, but he never asked for anything. His beloved daughter wouldn't have done this. She'd been trained better and knew how important her position at NCIS was. He had been in touch with other contacts within other agencies, they had refused to offer any help. Ziva had managed to ruin the reputation and skilled training of the Mossad. As he walked around the compound he started to notice the looks from his other new recruits. His daughter had turned her back on a teammate, would that happen to them? Eli would make sure they understood that this was not a regular occurrence. It would not be accepted, no matter who perpetrated it.
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Sacks was alone. No one came to see him, or to help. He'd sent messages to Fornell trying to explain. To tell him everything including how much he loved him, but there had been no reply. His father had been a cop, and he'd always felt that he was better than that. His father had been a nasty piece of work. He'd wanted to prove that he was better so he joined the FBI. He was going to make it all the way to the top and show to his father who was the real success of the family, him. That wasn't going to happen now. DiNozzo managed to land on his feet once again. Here he was in a cell all by himself.
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"Gibbs." Fornell knew that they were going to have to talk about his feelings for DiNozzo.
"Do we need to have this conversation?"
"God no, just treat him better than you have. I will be there if he never needs my help, remember that."
"Okay Tobias. Tony has a lot of people supporting him."
"You're a lucky son-of-a-bitch Gibbs. Never forget that."
"I won't, I do know how lucky I am. It hits me every time I look at him." Gibbs smiled to himself.
Fornell just stared at him carefully and then finally nods satisfied that it was the truth. Not that his old friend lied to him, but he had to make sure about this.
Gibbs planned to make sure that Tony never regretted his decision to be with him. He had the rest of their lives to show it.
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Tony had been hugged by all of his friends, and there was only one person left, Spencer.
"Thank you Spencer, I don't know what would have happened to me if I hadn't met you." Tony held him tightly in his arms.
"You would have been fine." Spencer forced out a chuckle. He was terrified at the thought of what would have happened if his friend had no one to help him. His so called teammates might have actually succeeded in ruining his life, or Sacks could have caused his death.
"Not so sure about that, at least I did have you guys. The best thing about this whole situation, apart from Gibbs, is getting you as a best friend."
"I feel the same way and make sure that Gibbs takes could care of you."
"Hotch had better be good to you as well Spence. Stay in touch." Tony hugged him a little tighter before finally letting him go.
"I promise." This was one that Spencer was definitely going to keep.
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Hotch and Derek watched from a distance as the two men hugged.
"So, you threatened Gibbs?" Derek asked.
"Of course." He replied matter-of-factly.
"It's good we let him know that Tony isn't alone anymore." Derek sighed for a moment. "Hotch, I like and respect you, just remember Spencer is like a brother to me."
"I know, I've also been threatened by many people. I love Spencer; I have no intention of doing anything to hurt him."
"Okay." Derek patted his boss on the shoulder.
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"Tony, don't say anything. You did nothing to cause this. McGee, Ziva and Sacks' arrogance are what started this." Gibbs growled.
"I know but –."
"There are no buts here, well…" Gibbs tried to move his head so he could stare at Tony's ass.
"Gibbs," he chuckled.
"You speak to Abby yet?"
"Yeah, she's having a hard time of not noticing how bad things were becoming and guilty she nearly blabbed everything to McGee. She felt she had to tell me everything including pissed at how McGee and Ziva saw her. Good news it seems that her and Penelope are developing a kind of friendship, I think anyway."
"That could be a dangerous pair." Gibbs laughed.
"Oh so very true. So, uh, you start to pick a new team tomorrow."
"We pick a team. It's a partnership, you and I. Just remember, if you have a problem come to me."
"Got it the crime fighting duo is back in business."
"Tony…"
"Criminals ought to start quaking in their boots."
"DiNozzo," Gibbs growled and pulled him into a kiss, before dragging him upstairs to the bedroom.
"What does Vance say about us?" Tony asked as Gibbs started to strip him.
"There are no rules, if he sees that I am abusing you he will step in. Everyone is very protective of you now. He has no problem with us as long as we keep it out of work, and we are out of work so shut up about it."
Gibbs felt Tony needed to be naked and it to happen now. There was no sexy stripping of clothes. He did it efficiently and as quickly as possible. Once the man he loved was completely bare, he pushed him onto the bed.
Tony pushed himself up the bed so he was at the top. He laid his head down and watched as Gibbs removed his own clothing just as quickly. It was so typical of the older man that he had to laugh. It was perfect.
"What?" Gibbs looked down at his naked body. "Something funny?"
"No, you're just too far away. I can't get my hands on you."
"That is something I can rectify, immediately." Gibbs moved and lay down. "Better?" He whispered as his hand gentle stroked up and down one arm.
Tony shivered at that light touch, but he wanted so much more. He also had a lifetime to explore everything. He smiled as bent to kiss the man he had loved for so many years, and looked forward to their future together in and out of NCIS.
The End
