Tony sat on the edge of the steel autopsy table. His legs dangled and he held tightly onto the edges of the table, his knuckles turning white. He watched the windowless door in front of him like he had x-ray vision. Tony blinked when the door opened and Ducky slowly walked out.

"How is he?" Tony asked.

Ducky smiled at Tony empathetically, "He's asleep," He answered. Tony nodded dumbly, "How are you?" Ducky asked, moving closer to Tony.

"It's my fault," Tony answered after a second, "I pushed him, hit a nerve, kept on at him even when he asked me to stop," His voice barely a whisper.

Ducky placed a comforting hand on Tony's shoulder, "Answer a question for me please Anthony?" Tony didn't say anything so Ducky continued, "Why do you care so much about the boy?"

"I don't know Ducky," He shook his head, "Any other kid, any other case and I'd avoid them, they hate me, I hate them but Jake? I know him, I understand him."

"Have you thought that maybe Jake came into your life for a reason?" Ducky asked. Tony looked up but his cell phone rang before he could answer the question.

"Where the hell are you?" Gibbs voice questioned.

"Down with Ducky, you should probably get down here," Tone replied and then hung up. A minute later Gibbs stalked out the elevator, McGee and Ziva tagging behind.

"What!" Gibbs looked around, "And where is Jake? Don't tell me you lost him again."

"He's asleep on the couch in Ducky's office," Tony answered.

"Why?"

Tony sighed, "I antagonised him" He said cryptically.

"You antagonise McGee everyday, he's not asleep on Ducky's couch," Ziva spoke.

"He broke down okay? He tried to run from me I stopped him, he tried to punch me I stopped him so instead I held him while he cried," Tony snapped. He pushed himself off the table and walked to the door. He stood by it but didn't open it.

Gibbs walked up to Tony, "Are you okay?"

"I'm not the one asleep on Ducky's couch because I'm all cried out," Tony replied.

"Then why don't you go see if he's okay, and get him to tell you who killed Yates while you're at it."

"Okay," Tony nodded but didn't move.

"In your own time," Gibbs said sarcastically. When Tony still didn't move Gibbs opened the door to Ducky's office, pushed Tony inside and closed the door behind him. Jake jerked awake as the door slammed shut. Tony walked further into the room and sat down on the nearest chair.

"How are you feeling?" Tony asked.

Jake frowned, "Why are you being so nice to me?"

Tony smiled, "I know I haven't acted like it, in fact I've acted like a complete jerk but I really am a nice person, I do care if you're okay."

Jake nodded, "I'm fine."

"Really?"

"Really."

"Okay, ready to talk now?"

"Isn't that what we've already been doing for the last two days?"

"No," Tony shook his head, "We've been speaking, sniping, whatever you want to call it, we haven't been talking."

Jake shrugged, "What do you want to talk about?"

"Who killed Rick?" Jake shook his head, "We can protect you Jake, you do not have to be afraid. The people that killed him need to be brought to justice before they go and kill someone else, you trusted Rick, you can trust me…please." Tony watched Jake in silence as he decided what he was going to do.

"Look, I don't know their names."

"What happened?"

"I heard a knock at the door…It was late so Rick told me to stay put while he got rid of whoever was there….I heard a lot of shouting and then a big bang, sounded like the door being kicked in. I ran, hid in the cupboard. I….I left it open a crack," Jake stopped so Tony interrupted.

"What did you see Jake?"

"Rick ran into the room, a second later the three guys jumped him, pulled him to the ground, they just kept kicking him, over and over and over again, felt like it went on for hours….It was probably only minutes, they left once they realised what they'd done."

"Who were they?"

Jake shrugged, "I've seen them around…on the streets. Bully's all of them. They hang around underneath the 5th street bridge."

Tony nodded, "Thank you," Tony stood up. He stopped suddenly when Jake grabbed his wrist.

"What's going to happen to me now?" Jake asked.

"I don't know," Tony answered honestly.

"But it's all my fault!" Jake cried.

Tony frowned, "What are you talking about?" He sat back down.

"I just sat there and hid! Watched while they killed the only person who gave a damn about me! It's my fault he'd dead!"

"Jake, if you have tried to help Rick then they probably would have killed you too. You had no chance against three guys twice your size, Rick's death is not your fault do you hear me?" Jake didn't say anything, "This is not your fault."

He nodded, "Okay."

"Get some more sleep," Tony said softly before standing back up and walking out, closing the door behind him. He turned to find the team had stayed.

"Well?" Gibbs asked.

"Three guys stormed Yate's house after he turned them away. Rick ran into the bedroom, probably to get his service weapon. They jumped him, Jake hid in the cupboard during the beating."

"You know where we can find these guys?"

"He says they hang out under the 5th street bridge."

"Okay, we'll get him to come with us, he'll identify, we'll catch some killers," Gibbs decided.

Tony shook his head, "I don't think he's up for that."

"He's a strong kid DiNozzo, he can manage that."

"He feels that Rick Yate's death was his fault because he hid in the closet instead of trying to stop it."

"Look, I know he's been through a lot but he's the only one who can identify the killers, what do you want me to do? Arrest everyone under the bridge and interrogate them all until three of them crack? That's a popular hangout for the homeless, there could be twenty or more people there."

Tony sighed, he ran a hand through his hair as he thought about it, "Okay, I'll talk to him," Tony turned back round t the office door and frowned, "I swear I left this door closed," He said out loud. He walked into the office and instantly noticed that the room was empty. The team walked in behind him, "He's gone," Tony told the team. He turned to the couch and picked up the two items that had been left behind, "Damnit," Tony swore.

"What is it?" Gibbs asked.

"My five bucks, my jacket."

"I don't understand," McGee spoke up.

"He's gone after the killers himself Probie," Tony answered.