A/N: As promised. :)

Chapter Four

"You're late again, McGee, and I'll superglue you pants to your desk chair."

"Yes Boss," McGee said, keeping his head down as he sat down, "Won't happen again."

Gibbs just huffed, lifting his coffee cup to hide the small smile on his face. He knew, by the look on Ziva and even McGee's faces, that they remembered the last time McGee had been super glued to something.

"I'm sure it won't McGee," Gibbs said before picking up his desk phone when it let out a shrill ring.

"Gibbs. Yeah. Alright," Gibbs hung up, opening his bottom desk drawer to retrieve his badge and gun. His fingers brushed the other set in his drawer. He contained the small sigh, instead yelling at his team.

"Dead sailor," Gibbs said, "Wilson, get Ducky, Ziva, get the car."

"And me Boss?" McGee asked, lifting his backpack onto his shoulder.

Instead of answering, Gibbs just smirked in McGee's direction before walking out of the bullpen.

"Hit and Run," Wilson said, surveying the scene in front of him.

"Looks like it," McGee said, from where he was squatting down taking pictures of the mangled sailor. He glanced at Ziva to see what she would have to say about it but caught Gibbs' glare instead.

"But- um, we won't know for sure until we've processed the scene and Ducky's gotten a look at the body, Wilson," McGee said, wincing slightly when Gibbs gave him a head slap, "Sorry Boss."

"Never assume anything Wilson," Gibbs glared lightly at the Probie of the team, making sure he got his rule across, "Got it?"

"Yes Boss," Wilson nodded before lowering his gaze back down to the sketch book.

Gibbs stared at Wilson for a second longer, before looking at his senior field agent. McGee was a bit twitchy today, had been since he had arrived at the bullpen almost an hour late.

"Ziva, make sure you walk the perimeter. Tim, don't forget the tire marks," Gibbs watched each member nod before continuing on with their own designated tasks. Seeing Ducky and Palmer finally arrive on scene, Gibbs walked over to the ME and his assistant.

"Hey, Duck," Gibbs said, "Dead sailor's over there. Half of him anyway."

"Oh my," Ducky said. He walked over to the body and examined it, "You know Jethro, this reminds me of that one time in Germany. A poor old-"

"Duck."

"Ah yes, another time I'm afraid," Ducky reached into the sailor's back pocket, "Wallet, Jethro."

"Thanks, Ducky," Jethro flipped the wallet opened, seeing the dead man's Navy ID and Driver's License.

"Dwayne, with me," Gibbs yelled, walking to the Charger.

Dwayne handed his sketch pad over to Ziva before hurrying to follow his Boss.

"Where are we going Boss?" Wilson asked, slipping into the car and buckling up.

"His house," Gibbs said, "It's just down the street. Bag the wallet."

Wilson's face fell slightly, "Do we have-" He stopped mid-sentence, seeing the look gave Gibbs gave him.

"Yes Boss," Wilson nodded, placing the dead sailor's wallet into a bag before labeling it. That done, he glanced at Gibbs, wondering why the team leader had yet to leave the crime scene.

"Well?" Gibbs said, gesturing to the bagged wallet.

"Oh!" Wilson hopped out of the car quickly, taking the wallet back to McGee so he could process it.

Wilson turned and, surprised to see the car still waiting for him, hurried back to the shotgun seat.

"You sure you don't want McGee to come Boss?" Wilson asked as they were leaving the site.

"Nope," Gibbs shook his head, not taking his eyes off the road. He heard his agent let out a small sigh but decided to not call him on it.

There was a chance, as Wilson probably knew, that this could turn out extremely sad if anyone was waiting at the sailor's home.

Gibbs picked up the bucket of paint sealer again; making sure his paintbrush was clean before dipping it in. Using broad horizontal strokes, Gibbs started sealing the port side of his boat.

"Hey Boss."

Gibbs huffed, "DiNozzo."

Gibbs didn't even have to raise his head now to guess that the man/ghost now occupying the bottom of his stairs was smirking at him.

"You know I would offer to help but, you know how that goes," Tony said a few moments later.

After finishing one board, Gibbs glanced up. Tony looked the same as he always looked when Gibbs saw him- hair slightly ruffled and wearing his weekend clothes consisting of jeans, tennis shoes, a t-shirt and his OSU letterman's jacket.

"You know it isn't winter anymore right?" Gibbs raised an eyebrow at Tony's wardrobe.

Tony just look down at himself, fixing the seam of the jacket before shrugging and looking back at Gibbs, "What's so wrong about being comfortable?"

In response, Gibbs just huffed. Even when Tony had really been here, there was no talking him out of wearing his letterman's jacket on his days off during the winter.

"Anyway," Tony said, still sitting down on the steps but shifting his position slightly, "You've been at this almost all night. Tough case?"

Gibbs just snorted his reply. He knew DiNozzo knew that he hated cases like these.

"Yeah," Tony sober voice rang out, reading Gibbs' thoughts, "These sort of cases suck."

"Yep," Gibbs said, giving Tony a fleeting glance before picking his paint brush back up and dipping it into the sealer.

"But you know," Gibbs heard as Tony stood, his footfalls making tiny echoes as he walked towards Gibbs and his boat, "At least the family-"

"Found out that their son was the victim of an awful hit and run accident? That after surviving three tours in the Middle East he comes back to the States and dies while changing his flat tire?" Gibbs stopped mid-stroke, looking at DiNozzo, cursing the fact that even this Ghost version of Tony was taller than him.

Instead of rising to the bait like Gibbs thought Tony was going to do, Tony's posture just seemed to fold in on itself, his back hunching slightly so that he was now eye to eye with Gibbs. Tony shrugged before speaking, "At least they found out what happened to him."

"And you think that's better?" Gibbs raised an eyebrow, setting the brush down, "Before we came to their house, they had hope DiNozzo. Hope that their son was just out with a friend, partying or traveling the country or some other stupid thing that young men sometimes do. They don't have that hope anymore Tony - it's dead. Their son's dead."

"And you think that's better Boss?" Tony said quietly, his voice the sound of a mouse compared to Gibbs' thundering yell, "You think it's better that they never found out what happen to their son?"

Gibbs didn't answer, his anger preventing him from speaking.

But Tony answered the question for him, "You know you don't think so. It's always better to know. That's why you investigate, why you try to help bring closure for those families," Tony held his breath for a moment before continuing, "This is because of me, isn't it Boss?"

"What if you're dead Tony?" Gibbs said, never one to beat around the bush, "I know to ask you to answer that question is useless, but what if you're dead Tony? What if that's why we can't find you? At least this way, I still have some hope that you're okay."

Tony shrugged, "Yeah, but you don't have the truth Boss. And you know as well as I do that the truth is better than that. It might hurt like hell, but it's better. You taught me that Boss. Don't go back on your word now."

"Yeah well," Gibbs looked at the side of the boat instead of Tony, "I promised to find you and I haven't. Seems I've been going back on my word a lot lately."

"You haven't broken a promise yet Boss," Gibbs heard Tony say.

"Yeah DiNozzo-" Gibbs started but stopped, glancing around.

Tony was gone.

A/N2: Hope you enjoed the chapter and if you did, tell me so. :) I love hearing from you guys and I try to respond to everyone (if I missed you, sorry. Know that I cherish every review!)

Also, for all those who live in the States, who else is looking foward to tomorrow's episode! :O

Next update should take take a bit longer to get up as I am traveling on a aeroplaaanne back to my home. :) I promise however, I will get this up before Saturday. Even if it is 11:59 Friday night my time. :) Thanks to all those who reviewed. :)