The next morning, having slept properly for the first time in three days, Tony sits in the squad room and stares at his compute

The next morning, having slept properly for the first time in three days, Tony sits in the squad room and stares at his computer, his fingers steepled under his chin. Now he has reached detente with Ziva, he allows himself to concentrate fully on the case at hand, and so in his mind he runs through the events of that night, trying to find a new avenue, a new route that they have not yet covered.

" McGee, did you check the security cameras?" he asks, finally, and his words seem to almost startle the other agent, as though he has forgotten that Tony is even there. He too has been staring at his computer all morning, running through programs and algorithms to try and find them any clues. Tony knows that he ran out of coffee almost a half hour ago.

Tapping on his computer, McGee nods, rolling on his chair and grabbing the remote to the plasma in one swift movement. Clicking it on, the screen is flooded with a large, black and white image of the Personnel office at Norfolk. " Cameras record everyone working in Personnel during the day, but they only cover the halls, and not Ryan's office." Pointing to the corner of the screen, he explains, " The only view we get of the office door is down here." Clicking the remote again, McGee and Tony watch as people zip across the screen, some carrying files, some stopping to chat, and one particularly unlucky person tripping over in the middle of the carpet.

" Wipe-out," Tony can't help but mutter, and then asks McGee, " Can you take it up to seven o'clockseven o'clock, see what we've got?"

Nodding, McGee clicks the remote again, and then stills the image for a moment. " At two minutes after seven, we can see Commander Ryan sending home his secretary."

" Jayne Dawson," Tony acknowledges, but can't help staring at the image of the Commander, who looks a far cry from the ailing person he has only caught glimpses of in the hospital bed. Over six feet tall, heavily built, with close-cropped salt-and-pepper hair, Commander Ryan looks every bit the gracefully aging Naval officer as he speaks with the dumpy, raven-haired secretary.

Tony watches as Jayne Dawson collects up her things and bids good night to the Commander. Even with the lack of sound, Tony can practically hear the simpering tones.

Continuing with the film on double speed, both men watch as the Commander disappears into his office for a few moments before exiting again. " He uses the phone on his secretary's desk and has a short conversation with someone before disappearing off-screen again," McGee explains, somewhat needlessly, as Tony is watching the same footage.

Another ten minutes in film-time elapses before McGee hits pause again. Allowing himself only a brief glance at Tony, he clears his throat with a slight cough. " This is, uh, where we first see Midshipman Adler." This too is needless, because Tony would recognise the way the beige uniform hung on her bony frame, and the swinging of the sensible, mousy-blonde ponytail anywhere. " She goes into the office and then she and Commander Ryan go in and out for about twenty minutes, collecting up files."

They zoom through the film, and Tony watches as Ramona in triple-time wends her way in and out, disappearing into the corner of the screen. The clock ticks past eight in the footage. " She called me at about half tenten thirty," Tony discloses, " And she had already made it to DC by then."

" Yeah, I know," McGee admits, guilt clearly evident in his voice. " Boss had me check your phone records." Avoiding looking at the Senior Field Agent, McGee instead focuses on the screen. " They both stay out of shot until about half eighteight thirty. Then this happens."

The image stills, and Tony can't help but gawk. In the corner of the screen, Midshipman Adler is frozen exiting the room, one hand clutched to her face. Even in black and white, they can recognise the blood that trickles from her face and down her skinny arms, and the fear in her expression.

When McGee speaks again, it is almost apologetic. " We don't get a clear shot of the office after she leaves. And there's no sign of anyone else entering or exiting."

Sinking into his desk chair, Tony continues to stare. Panic and anger war within him, each trying to vie for dominance as he studies the image of his friend.

He doesn't have time to wait for a victor, as before the battle has a chance to finish, Ziva and Gibbs stride into the bullpen, seemingly back from interrogation. " Gear up," Gibbs orders, stopping briefly at his desk to collect his weapon and his keys. " We're going to Bethesda."

Tony's stomach sinks. " Ryan's dead boss?"

Though he stares at Gibbs, it is Ziva who answers, and her eyes flicker between him and the startlingly graphic image still frozen on screen. " No," she states, and something almost like assurance tinges her words.

" He's awake."

XxX

" She attacked me!"

When they reach the hospital, Ryan is sitting upright in bed, his wife standing dutifully beside him like an ineffectual rag-doll, and save the bandage wrapped around his shaven head, there is no obvious sign that the man has just woken up out of a coma. The clean, scratchy white sheets are pulled up to his waist, and his body seems lithe and powerful beneath them, coiled and ready to strike.

Certainly his volume has not been impeded by his injury, Tony notes as they enter the room, and Ryan begins shouting almost as soon as they have introduced themselves. " Attacking a Senior Officer – I'll have her court marshalled for this! Dishonourable discharge!" he bellows, and it's all Tony can do not to flinch at the sound.

In the back of the room, Ziva leans against the wall, watching the Commander and his wife with purposeful calmness. Tony recognises the look – she is studying him intently, finding flaws and traits that he probably wouldn't even know he himself had.

Gibbs too is calm despite the heady ire. " Do you know why Midshipman Adler attacked you Commander?" he asksed, pencil paused over his notebook and an incongruously polite expression on his face.

As he watches, Tony sees the Commander's eyes flicker from Gibbs to his wife, only briefly, but then he wonders if he has imagined it, because Ryan's voice is just as forthright as before. " Look, I stayed late at work so I could talk to the girl," he begins explaining, and then crosses his arms over his chest. " She'd already been done in for it once, and I knew she was up to no good again."

" 'Done in for it'?" Gibbs repeats, echoing the question that Tony silently asked in his own head. For an instant, he is very sick of Virginia accents.

The look on Ryan's face is incredulous. " You mean you've been questioning this girl for two days and you didn't find out why she got kicked off The Reagan?" His voice is tinged with elation at being the barer of such news. " Fraternization! She was caught having it away with some of the crew on her last posting and got caught. Sent back State side to get some perspective. Then last week I start hearing scuttlebutt about her and another Officer." Shrugging, as though almost uninterested by his own story, Ryan continues, " I wanted to bring it up with her, give her a chance to explain. I was giving her the benefit of the doubt see? But as soon as I mention it, girl goes rabid. Starts attacking me. I tried holding her off, but she clocked me on the head with something hard. I – I don't remember anything else."

As he finishes speaking, Gibbs shoots Tony a look that he can read well – it's a 'did you know anything about this' look, and it has Tony shaking his head almost imperceptibly.

They leave the Commander's wife fussing over him as they troop out and silently slide into their waiting car.

XxX

" Bad news Gibbs!"

Abby looks stricken as they enter her lab. She and McGee stand side-by-side, both tapping away at computers with a pace that is beyond frenetic. Abby is surrounded by no less than four empty Caf-Pow cups, and pulling her hands away from the keyboard, she spins around as a page of results pop up on the screen. " The blood and the hair from the crime scene came back as a match to Midshipman Adler. There's no evidence that anyone else was in the room." Her eyes are wide and round, and when Gibbs leans forward to squint at the screen she mouths 'I'm sorry' to Tony over his shoulder.

The bad news is further compounded when McGee begins to speak. " Ryan wasn't lying about the fraternization either." Pulling up her file, he reads some of the details, and Tony can't help but clench his jaw and turn away slightly. He doesn't need to read this sucker-punch news for himself. " The Midshipman was written up for fraternization two months ago, right before her reassignment to Norfolk. Her CO on The Reagan decided not to put it in her record as an official reprimand, but it's noted as a warning." Tapping away, McGee continues reading the streaming text. " Apparently she was involved with a Lieutenant Nick Wilson. He's a pilot, based on The Reagan."

Gibbs points a finger at Tony. " You didn't know about this?" he reiterates, his tone verging on anger.

Tony is quick to shake his head, pulling at the collar of his shirt. " I didn't Boss. She didn't mention anything about it."

" You know I can have McGee hack your email."

" I swear, Boss."

This seems to be good enough for Gibbs, who finally, slowly, nods his head. " Ryan busts her for fraternization for the second time in three months. Tells her he's going to write her up. Rather than suffer the humiliation of a dishonourable discharge, she attacks him."

Even as he says the words, they don't quite seem to ring true, and though Abby and McGee look perturbed, Tony is the first to voice his discomfort with the theory. " Adler wouldn't do it like this Boss. If she did something wrong she'd own up – she's too blunt to do anything else. She wouldn't attack him."

Gibbs stares at him for a long minute before asking, " She ever threatened you with physical violence DiNozzo?"

Tony curses himself even as he answers, " Yeah."

" More than once?"

" Yeah."

Turning to Abby and McGee, Gibbs opens his arms in a welcoming gesture. " There any evidence, any at all, that puts another person in that room?"

McGee shakes his head, as Abby voices the answer. " None. I'm really sorry Tony."

Nodding, Tony sighs and stares down at his shoes. He can't believe Adler would have done something so rash, so stupid. His brain aches at the thought of her beating the Commander over the head, just to try and get out of trouble. The idea is like a piece of a puzzle that isn't cut right – it doesn't want to fit.

As Gibbs brushes past, about to leave, he pauses next to his Senior Field Agent. " What does your gut tell you?" he asks, his voice low and barely audible over the thrumming electro beat of Abby's music. Tony knows the question is for his ears alone. As he stands, he considers it – really considers it – before answering.

Lifting his head up, Tony stares the older man dead in the eye, and can almost see his own image reflected back in the dark pupils. " We're missing something Boss," he finally voices, sounding definite.

" Then go find it out."

XxX

" Who's Nick Wilson?"

Ramona's owl-like, shadow-rimmed eyes widen as Tony enters interrogation, shutting the door behind him with a soft click. She has been sitting there for countless hours now, but has barely moved from the uncomfortable plastic chair. The only thing different is the small glass of half-drunk water on the table. Tony doesn't move to sit down, but leans his back against the wall.

She clears her throat, dipping her little finger in the glass of water, watching the ripples grow and ebb across the surface of the liquid. " He's a friend."

Tony's laugh is harsh and almost mocking. " Adler, you really think I don't already know that that's a lie?"

" Then why bother askin'?" She snaps, more forthright with him than with anyone else, and crosses her arms over her chest, frowning deeply. Her tone is brusque and frustrated, and she doesn't meet his eyes.

Stepping towards her, he cocks an eyebrow. " I was giving you a chance to tell the truth." Instead of sitting across the desk from her, he lifts the chair so it is on the same side as she sits, and drops himself into it.

Reaching up, she smoothes a piece of escaping hair back from her pale face, and leans towards him. Her voice drops to a barely audible level and she speaks slowly and clearly. " You know who he is. Lieutenant Nick Wilson. Pilot. I met him the week you left The Reagan," she admits. Then, for the first time in days, a smile flickers across her face, and she suddenly looks so much more the Adler he remembers: cocky, assured, hopeful. The flash of her happiness is like a punch to the face for him. " You'd like Nick," she can't help but suggest, and for a moment Tony wishes he could warn her that they are being watched behind the two-way mirror, but he keeps his mouth closed. " He's an officer and stuff, but he's a complete nerd. He's got a red Ferrari at home waitin' for him to fix up," she laughs softly. " Just like Magnum."

" Good taste," Tony replies, smiling weakly, and then forces himself to ask, " You slept with him?"

Staring down at her hands, she nods her head slowly. " I know I shouldn't have. We both knew we shouldn't. But we met, and we started talkin' all the time and…" Tilting her head up, she finally meets his gaze. " I think I might love him." Then, shaking herself, she presses the heels of her hands to her face, Tony suspects to stifle the tears that he sees shimmering in her pale eyes. " We ended it within a month. We both knew it was wrong, so we ended it. We didn't realise anyone had found out." Her voice is very soft.

Reaching out, Tony lays a hand on her shoulder. " Your CO?"

Biting her lip, she nods again. " Someone had told him 'bout it. He brought me into his office, told me that he'd been informed. I was so scared," she admits, her voice heartbreakingly honest. " I thought I was gonna' get court marshalled, and all I could think about was my father and my grandfather. 'Bout havin' to tell them what happened. I'd have to tell my grandfather, who served two tours in Vietnam, and my father who served 30 years and already lost his son, that not only was I bein' dishonourably discharged from this Navy that they hold so dear, but that I was bein' dishonourably discharged for bein' a whore? I didn't know if I could tell him that." Choking slightly on brimming tears, she forces a smile on her trembling lips. " But then my CO said he weren't goin' through official channels. He said I was real young, and sometimes young people make mistakes. He said he was gonna' give me another chance." Rubbing the side of her eyes, she looks very weary for a moment. " But he said I'd have to leave The Reagan."

Tony sits for a beat, staring at her, taking in her pale eyes, and colourless face and tiny body swamped in oversized clothing. The badge of 'young and foolish' seems to have never been more fitting. " And then you let it happen again?" he asks, incredulous, and he knows disappointment is painted vivid and stark in voice.

But at his words, she looks up, frowning. " What?"

" You got reassigned to Norfolk. Met someone else." He watches her reaction, expecting to see evasion and shame, and so is surprised by the confusion that is stark on her face.

" I didn't meet no one else," she says, shaking her head. " I just told you I was in love with Nick. Just 'cause I left him don't mean I turned that off." Brushing imagined lint off of the knees of the baggy grey sweatpants, she looks up at him, and her voice is very small. " Why'd you think that?"

But it is not Tony that answers. Instead, the door opens again, and Gibbs' voice fills the small room. " Commander Ryan said he was going to turn you in on your second fraternization charge in three months. You attacked him."

At the words, at the definite, accusatory words, she looks panicky, and her voice takes on a desperate quality, aiming at Tony though he can no longer meet her eye. "That's not how it happened," she pleads, and her voice reaches out for him even though her arms stay firmly at her sides, as though bracing her body for a blow. " I'm tellin' the truth, Tony I swear I am, that's not how it happened."

" But you did attack him?"

" I had to!" The admission comes suddenly, and shoots out from between her lips so fast that both men are almost caught off guard.

Gibbs' voice is weary, and Tony is surprised by the slight tone of disappointment he can hear. " Because he was going to turn you in?"

Tears are now coursing down Ramona's cheeks, but she doesn't move to wipe them away. Instead, she just stares at both men. " He found out about Nick. And…I don't know. I guess he thought that made me an easy mark." Her words take on a bitter, exhausted tone, and her shoulders heave with stifled sobs. " I told you I didn't see him come in. I told you I didn't recognise him that night. He was so different. He knew 'bout what happened before, I guess he thought he could make it happen again. He attacked me because I said no, and I couldn't make him stop!"

She is almost shouting by the end, and when she finishes, she finally dissolves, like a sand castle in the rain. Tears cascade down her face and she lifts her hands, pressing her palms against her eyes as though in an attempt to hide from the two pairs of accusatory male eyes. As she does, the sleeves of the overlarge sweatshirt slip down her arms, and for the first time, Tony catches sight of the purple-blue bruises around her wrists.

The two men look at each other, practically dumbfounded for a beat before they move. Prising Ramona's hands away from her face, Tony pushes her sleeves back to get a better look at the bruising. From the way it rings around her arms, it screams testimony to a brutal grip. " Why didn't you tell me?" he asks, and for a moment all proprietary sense of 'Special Agent' is dropped, and he is simply Tony, her friend.

" I tried," she hiccups.

After a long silence, Gibbs finally speaks, and when he does his tone is soft. " Take her down to Ducky," he orders, watching as Tony helps the small woman up from her chair, looping a protective arm around her shoulders, looking more paternal than he ever has. " Have him check her out."

Tony nods in reply, and doesn't hesitate before exiting the room. Left alone, no one is present to see Gibbs slump into the chair and rest his head in his hands. He stays there, paused and unnaturally still for a long moment before slamming his hand down on the desk hard enough that the sound rings around the room. Then he stands up so fast the chair tips over, and without bothering to pick it up, he strides from the room, slamming the door shut behind him.