a/n: thanks for the reviews. this chapter doesn't have as much tate as usual but don't worry, i promise there's a lot more coming. things are just getting interesting : D

Chapter 12

"Damn," Gibbs smacked the steering wheel. McGee and the decoys had been at the safe house for 2 hours and Greg still hadn't showed. There'd been no sign of him during the hour drive either, and Gibbs' gut was telling him he wasn't going to show anytime soon.

Something about tonight just didn't feel right and he was starting to think he should have stayed with Tony and Kate. He knew they were in the safest possible place and that a surveillance team was still in place but he hadn't gotten this far by ignoring his gut.

"McGee," he spoke into his headset.

"Yeah, boss."

"I don't think he's going to show but stay alert. I'm going back to check on Kate and Tony." He was already pulling out of his hiding spot when McGee, after a brief pause, replied. "Okay, boss."

Back at headquarters, Kate had finally given into exhaustion and fallen asleep in Tony's arms. He'd been watching her sleep, one of his favorite pastimes, for the past hour, but he knew that he had to move soon. This had been his plan all along. Wait for her to fall asleep and sneak out so he could find Greg and make him pay before she ever woke up.

He knew it was the only way he could go after Greg without her worrying, but now he was afraid to move. He remembered what had happened the last time he'd left her while she was asleep and he didn't want to put her through that, especially since she'd be all alone this time. He couldn't do that.

In a stroke of DiNozzo brilliance, he grabbed his phone and sent a text message to Abby. Abbs, I need you to come up and stay w/ Kate while I check something out.

K, Abby replied. But you better not be doing anything stupid DiNozzo.

He grinned, wondering how many times today someone had told him that. They knew him too well. He heard the elevator ding and slowly slid out from under Kate, kissing her forehead before making his way to the door. She rolled around a little but didn't wake up and he breathed a sigh of relief.

He stepped out the door and found Abby already waiting for him.

"What are you up to, Tony? You know Gibbs told you to stay put." Abby chided him.

"I just got an idea and need to check something out. It's not like I'm leaving the building. I just didn't want to leave Kate alone in case she wakes up." Tony lied smoothly, already knowing that Abby would be one more person giving him hell about this later.

"You better not be doing what I think your doing, 'cause I'm not as nice as Gibbs. I'll smack something a lot more valuable than your head." She glared at Tony and he flinched, knowing exactly which body part she'd be aiming for.

"Relax, Abbs. I'm just going downstairs." Tony smiled and tried to act nonchalant, like he wasn't envisioning the pain that Abby would inflict on him when all this was over.

Abby continued to glare at him, wondering if he really could be that stupid. She decided to leave him with one final warning. "Look, I don't know what's going on with you and Kate but I know that she cares about you. She trusted you with her past. Not me, not Gibbs. You. Don't do anything that's going to make her regret that. You're her lifeline right now, the one person she's relying on. Don't screw that up. Don't make her worry or hurt anymore than she already is. You got that, DiNozzo?"

Tony nodded solemnly, then turned and walked away. He wished there was another way to do this, a way that would totally spare Kate, but there wasn't. He'd just have to make sure he got this over with quickly so she'd never have to worry again.

Abby watched until he got on the elevator then, after looking in to make sure Kate was still sleeping, whipped out her cell phone to call Gibbs. He answered on the second ring and she blurted out, "Tony just left."

Gibbs paused briefly then swore so loud she had to hold the phone away from her ear. "Shit! I knew he was going to pull a DiNozzo. Of all the stupid…Why the hell did you let him leave?"

"Because I wasn't willing to maim him…yet. Besides, I don't think he'd do anything stupid enough to get himself hurt."

"Usually, I'd agree with you, but this is Tony and Kate we're talking about. You know he's always been a little stupid when it comes to her." He took a deep breath. "Stay with Kate. Do not tell her about Tony. I'll be there in fifteen minutes." He hung up without saying goodbye and slammed on the gas. He needed to find Tony before he got himself killed, or killed Greg. He'd hate to have to arrest his own agent, especially when he agreed that it was justified.

Tony had snagged the keys to one of the cars and snuck out the back to avoid the majority of the surveillance team. He made it onto the road without any problems and was just about to turn at the stop sign when the hair on the back of his neck started to stand up. Someone was watching him. He looked to the right just in time to see a shadow duck into an alley way.

It was him, it had to be. He threw the car in park and jumped out, leaving it in the middle of the street. He drew his gun and took off down the alley, hoping like hell this guy gave him a reason to shot but only after he'd beat him to a bloody pulp.

Tony was getting closer and closer to where the alley broke off to form a T and he worried that he wouldn't get there in time to see which way Greg had went so he picked up speed. He reached the intersection and glanced to the right. It was empty so he turned to the left without missing a step, but he couldn't see Greg there either.

He skidded to a halt, glancing left and right before finally deciding on left. He turned and took two steps before he heard a tiny sound behind him. He whipped around just in time to see something dark and solid only an inch away from his head.

He tried to duck but it was too late. His last thought before metal collided with skull was, "I'm sorry, Kate." Then his world slid into darkness