Proof

"You don't think this is going a little too far, do you H?" Natalia asked as she entered Jessica's information into the computer.

"No, not after that letter she received," Horatio said.

"But to file a missing persons report?" Natalia inquired.

"I need to find my little girl," Horatio said, "She's blocked me from accessing her computer files and internet history and if I try to use a Trojan horse it backfires and she sends me a virus."

"Damn, she must be serious about all of this," Natalia said as she finished the report. "There you go, if any fingerprints, DNA, or other evidence of Jessica is detected in any computer database in the country then you'll be notified."

"Amazing, thank you Natalia," Horatio said as he walked out of the lab.

Tommy Sherzer was led into the client room in the prison. He immediately recognized Horatio Caine but the other man with him he couldn't remember.

"Tommy," Horatio said as he towered over Tommy where he sat, "I assume you remember me and my partner, Eric Delko."

Tommy slowly nodded his head as he remembered the other man from the trial.

"Good, good, and I take it you still remember my daughter Jessica."

Tommy nodded his head again, confused this time.

"Alright why did you send her this letter?" Horatio asked as he placed a piece of paper sealed in plastic on the table.

Tommy looked at it and shook his head. "I've never sent a letter to Jessica," he practically whispered.

"Don't lie to me Tommy," Horatio said in an angry voice. "Do not tell me you didn't send this letter to my daughter in Germany."

"Why is Jessica in Germany?" Tommy whispered again.

"She was hiding," Eric snapped, "Hiding from people like you."

"No, I'm not like the others!" Tommy said as tears formed in his eyes, "I didn't want to do it!"

"Then Tommy tell me who sent this letter," Horatio said in a low voice.

Tommy sniffled and wiped at his eyes and nose. "I don't know," he cried, "I really don't know. I swear if I did I would tell you."

Horatio looked deep into his eyes. "Alright son, I'm going to believe you."

"H, are you sure you can trust him?" Eric asked him quietly.

"You know Eric I think he's telling the truth," Horatio said.

"But who else could have sent that letter?"

"I don't know, Eric, but that's what we're going to try and find out."

Horatio's head shot up as the phone on his desk rang loudly. He shook the sleep from his body and quickly answered it. "This is Horatio Caine," he muttered into the phone.

"Lieutenant Caine, this is Special Agent Timothy McGee from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service in Washington DC," the male voice on the other end explained.

Horatio sat up a little straighter as confusion bounced around the inside of his skull and a headache began to form. "Alright, can I ask why you're calling?"

"Lieutenant," the man said, clearly straining to form words, "We've found evidence of your missing daughter in our forensic lab."

Horatio's eyes widened as shock overtook him. "You found evidence of Jessica? In your lab?"

"Yes sir," the man responded.

"What kind of evidence?" Horatio asked.

The agent was silent for a long moment. Horatio could hear him breathing and could almost detect the nervousness in his body.

"Her," he quietly said, "Your daughter's been working for NCIS as a temporary forensic specialist for two weeks."

Ryan followed Horatio out of the helicopter with Natalia close behind him. A man Horatio's height and stature with silver hair was waiting for them at the edge of the hospital tarmac.

"Lieutenant Caine," he said, "It's been awhile."

"Special Agent Gibbs," Horatio said as he shook the man's hand, "It really has, Jethro. This is CSI Ryan Wolfe and CSI Natalia Boa Vista."

Gibbs smiled at Natalia as he shook her hand. "Natalia, you've grown up so much."

Natalia returned the smile. "You look good, Gibbs," she said. She looked at Ryan and Horatio. "I worked with Gibbs a few times back when I was a rooky for the FBI."

Horatio nodded his head in acknowledgement. "Where is she, Jethro?" he asked Gibbs, "Where is my little Jessica?"

"Back at NCIS headquarters," Gibbs explained as they climbed into a dark blue Dodge Charger. "Sorry about the commute, but apparently we have another helicopter that's doing a pick up that was supposed to come in at the same time as your arrival."

"Quite alright, Gibbs," Horatio said, "We weren't something you were expecting." Horatio looked over his shoulder at Ryan fidgeting in the backseat. "Something bothering you, Ryan?"

Ryan looked at him and then diverted his eyes out the window. "I don't know," he quietly said, "I'm excited to finally see Jessica again but I'm scared."

"Of what?" Horatio asked.

"What if she doesn't love me anymore?" Ryan practically whispered.

"Ryan, you're dumb!" Natalia exclaimed, "You really think two months away is going to make Jessica fall out of love with you? That girl is crazy for you!"

A small smile spread across Ryan's face. "Ok, I'm dumb."

"What else is bothering you?" Horatio asked.

Ryan looked at him. "Well I kind of wanted to propose to Jessica when we finally found her," he quietly explained, "But I can't do it today because I never went out and bought a ring."

Horatio looked at Ryan and sighed. He turned his head back towards the front as his thoughts wandered through his head.

"So Gibbs, what evidence led you to finding Jessica?" Natalia inquired.

"Fingerprints," Gibbs said, "Abby was demonstrating our live scan to McGee's scouts and she got a hit on Jessica from the missing person's database. It informed us to contact Horatio."

Horatio chuckled. "So my little girl's been hiding in DC," he said, "And let me guess, she used the name Jessica Stone."

"Well that's the name Catherine gave me," Gibbs said.

"Catherine?" Horatio asked, "That wouldn't be Catherine Willows from the Las Vegas Crime Lab, would it?"

"The same one," Gibbs responded, "Well actually it was her colleague that gave me the name."

Ryan smiled to himself as he watched the city pass by him. "Let me guess, Nick Stokes."

Anthony DiNozzo looked at the envelope again. He held it up to the light and tried to read through it.

"Who in the world is Lieutenant Caine?"

"Not a Clue," Ziva David said from her desk. "I've never heard of a Lieutenant Caine before."

DiNozzo sighed and dropped the envelope onto his desk. "This sucks, why would she give me a letter for a man I don't even know? I mean, who the hell is Lieutenant Horatio Caine?"

"I'm Lieutenant Horatio Caine," a man with red hair said as he walked out of the elevator with Gibbs. "What's it to you?"

DiNozzo froze and stared at the man. He was the same height as Gibbs yet DiNozzo felt like he was looming over him. Another shorter man and a woman came into view behind him.

"Um, I'm uh," DiNozzo stuttered, trying to regain his thoughts. He finally decided on standing and holding out his hand. "Special Agent Tony DiNozzo, sir," he said awkwardly.

"Very special," McGee said as he passed DiNozzo's desk. He smiled at Ryan and held out his hand. "Officer Wolfe, good to see you again."

Ryan shook his hand. "Special Agent McGee, it's been awhile."

"Is this the Tim McGee you and Jessica met at the conference last year?" Natalia asked.

"Yes, the very one," Ryan said. "Agent McGee this is CSI Natalia Boa Vista and Lieutenant Horatio Caine."

DiNozzo's face lit up like a Christmas tree. He hastily grabbed the envelope he had previously been trying to peek at. "Um, this must be yours then," he muttered, handing the envelope to Horatio.

Horatio looked down at the familiar handwriting. He turned it over in his hands and ran his palms against it. He could feel something inside it that was rough in texture.

"Oh my god Ryan!" a loud female voice explained. A young woman with black hair wearing a plaid skirt with a white button down shirt and large black boots flung her arms around Ryan's neck. "Oh my god I didn't know you were coming!"

Ryan chuckled and hugged her back. "Thanks Abby, I've missed you, too."

Abby released her grip on Ryan and looked at Horatio and Natalia. "Ok I'm guessing this is Horatio and you are?"

"Natalia Boa Vista," Natalia said, "I'm with Miami Dade."

Horatio ripped open the envelope, ignoring the commotion that was going on around him. He read over the letter and watched the scrap of fabric fall into his hand. Sudden anger burned through him as his hands began to shake.

"Where is she?" Horatio asked, "Where's Jessica?"

"She should be down in the lab with Abby," McGee said. He stopped and looked at Abby as he became extremely nervous. "Abby where is she?"

Abby looked at McGee with frightened eyes. "She told me she was going to wait up here with you."

McGee looked from her to Gibbs then to Horatio and back to Abby. "She told me she was going to wait downstairs in the lab with you."

"Uh oh, the old switcharoo," DiNozzo chuckled in his usual sarcastic manner, "Dr. Stone got you two."

"And what about you, Tony?" David asked as she sauntered over, "Didn't you say she stopped for a flirt when she gave you that letter."

DiNozzo's jaw stopped. "Ohhh…" he said in a low voice. He looked at Gibbs with an uneasy expression on his face. "Boss, I may have screwed up."

"Shit," Horatio muttered, "Did she tell you where she was going?"

"No," DiNozzo answered, "I assumed that when she got in the elevator she was heading downstairs to Abby's lab."

"But she didn't come down to my lab," Abby said.

"Well then if she didn't go down then she had to go up…" McGee said. He suddenly ran to his desk and began typing on his computer. "That pick up, Abby, what did you order to have picked up from the tarmac?"

"Pick up? I didn't order a pick," Abby said, rushing to his side.

"It says right here that a tarmac pick up order was filed this morning from the forensic lab," McGee read.

"What is it McGee?" Gibbs asked, "What was the helicopter picking up?"

"A shipment of stones," McGee read.

Horatio looked at him shocked. "Stones?" he repeated.

"Yeah, stones," McGee repeated confused, "Does that mean something?"

Horatio looked at Gibbs. "What's the fastest way to your tarmac?"

"The elevator," Gibbs answered, "The only way really, unless you want to climb five floors of stairs." He led Horatio towards the elevator and Ryan, Natalia, and McGee followed.

"What do you think it means, H?" Ryan asked as the cart jolted to life.

Horatio held out the letter and scrap of fabric to Ryan. Ryan didn't get the chance to read the letter because of the white scrap of fabric with the name "Stone" embroider on it grabbed his attention.

"Of course, Stones," Ryan muttered.

They burst through the door and ran out onto the tarmac. The thunderous clapping of helicopter blades sliced through the air loudly. Ryan ran to the center of the tarmac and looked towards the sky. The blue helicopter quickly gained altitude but Ryan could see her blonde hair and blue eyes. She looked away from him and the pilot sped away.

Ryan stood there silently, feeling like his heart had been ripped through his chest. His hands clenched into fists and he was vaguely aware of the crunching of paper in his hand. "Dammmmmmnnn it!" he screamed, "Noooooo!"

Horatio was suddenly at his side, holding him against his chest. Ryan hadn't realized he was crying until that moment. He sobbed and shook as Horatio whispered words of comfort.

McGee watched the interaction between Horatio and Ryan and felt his heart hurt.

"I should have known," he whispered.

"Known what?" Natalia quietly asked.

"I should have known she was going to pull a fast one on us," McGee said. "I can't believe I let this happen."

"McGee I've told you before," Gibbs said, "We're not psychics; we never know what this job is going to throw at us. You just have to work with what you've got."

"And what's that?" McGee somberly asked.

"Well for starters that paper crumbled in Wolfe's hand," Gibbs said.

Ryan rubbed the tears from his face as they walked from the elevator cart. He didn't want the entire NCIS team knowing he had been crying.

Abby looked at them as they walked into the office. One look at Ryan's face told her everything that had happened. She gently wrapped her arms around him and held him close.

"I'm sorry, Ryan," she whispered, "I'm sorry we screwed up."

"It's ok, Abby," Ryan whispered, "It's not your fault. These things just happen sometimes."

"If you don't mind me asking," Abby quietly said, "But what did the letter say?"

Ryan held it up and read over it again. "I'm sorry to do this but the game isn't over yet. I'll come home when I feel like it. Love, Jessica."

Abby looked at him with large empathetic eyes. "I'm sorry Ryan," she whispered.

"Well Jessie Bug wasn't much of one to let other people tell her what to do," Horatio said, "She was a rebel alright."

"Was, still is," Ryan scoffed.

Abby stood there looking at Ryan. She gently touched his cheek. "You're a lucky guy, Ryan," she quietly said, "She has a great guy like you."

Ryan smiled at her. "Even if she is a giant tease," he chuckled.

"Hey, a tease is better than nothing," she chuckled. "Makes me wish I had a guy like you."

Ryan smirked and leaned in close to her ear. "I bet you already do."

Abby looked at him and then looked at McGee. She slowly walked over to him. She looked deep into his eyes and fidgeted nervously.

"She was right," she quietly said, "Jessica was right about us."

McGee stood there speechless. He knew what she was saying but just couldn't seem to wrap his head around the idea.

Abby looked at McGee, watching the gears turn in his head. "McGee?" she quietly said. He looked at her. "Abby?"

Abby looked at him again. She grabbed his face and smashed her lips against his. McGee was shocked, he couldn't move. His head was spinning and his stomach tightened into knots. Abby pulled back. She stared into his eyes. "Abby," McGee quietly said. A small smile spread across her face and she looked at him with a shy expression. McGee laced his fingers into her hair and pulled her back to him. He kissed her passionately, not caring who was there.

"I can't believe it." DiNozzo said, "I just can't believe it."

Ryan chuckled and shook his head. "Well it seems Jessica really has an effect everywhere she goes."

Horatio smiled and watched the two young agents. "Yeah, she sure does."

Gibbs ran his sander along an arched piece of wood. He blew on it, sending sawdust flying everywhere.

"Where did Wolfe go?" he asked as he walked around to his workbench, retrieving his mug full of bourbon.

"Upstairs," Horatio answered as he took a drink from the bourbon bottle in his hand. "I think he's taking you up on that offer for a soda. Won't he be surprised."

"About what?"

"To find out you don't really have any soda in your house," Horatio said with a chuckle.

"How did you know I don't drink soda?"

"Luckily guess." Horatio pressed the bottle to his mouth and took another long swig.

"Horatio, that's one-hundred-fifty proof," Gibbs chuckled as he resumed his sanding.

"So?" Horatio said with a hazy expression.

"You're not supposed to chug it. You're supposed to just sip it. That shit could curl even your hair."

"Your hair's not curly."

"That's because I don't chug one-hundred-fifty proof bourbon." Gibbs looked at him and shook his head, chuckling lightly. "Who would have thought I'd see the day Horatio Caine would get drunk."

"Well excuse me," Horatio said, slurring his words slightly as he stood from his seat on the stairs, "But my daughter's missing. I think I have the right to get drunk every once in awhile."

Gibbs laughed at him again and continued sanding.

Horatio walked over and stood next to him. He leaned against Gibbs's body and just watched him sand.

"You missed a spot," he slurred, taking another drink.

"You're drunk," Gibbs retorted.

"Yeah, I am, but that doesn't mean I don't know carpentry even when I'm wasted."

Gibbs laughed at him again. He stopped and looked at the rough patch of wood just to his left.

"Well I'll be damned, red, you were right," he said as he ran his sander across the rough patch.

"Told you," Horatio said, leaning his head on Gibbs's shoulder. A moment of vertigo hit him and he swayed in place. He grasped Gibbs's upper left arm to regain his footing. The vertigo stopped and Horatio just stood there holding Gibbs's arm. "You have very large muscles," he said.

"From sanding," Gibbs easily responded.

"No, these are like, much bigger then sanding muscles," Horatio continued on, trying to process his words in his drunken state. He looked at the bottle in his hand and took a quick drink. "No more booze," he mumbled. "I'm starting to have homosexual thoughts."

Gibbs laughed loudly and wrapped one arm around Horatio's waist.

"Oh, apparently so are you," Horatio said, slightly surprised.

"No, sorry to disappoint you, Lieutenant," Gibbs said, still laughing, "But I was going to take you upstairs to get some water."

"That would probably be a good idea," Horatio said, stumbling slightly as they climbed the stairs. "Where's Ryan?"

"Probably still searching the kitchen for that soda," Gibbs answered.

"Why?"

"He didn't seem too keen on the bourbon."

"Why not? Taste fine to me."

"Shut up and walk, Horatio," Gibbs said with another laugh.

Ryan lied on his stomach on his bed. Lucy was curled up against him and he subconsciously scratched behind her ear. He flipped through the photo album Jessica had put together of them over the course of the last year. They all looked the same. They were happy and smiling together. Then there was one of them kissing. Horatio had snapped the picture when they weren't looking. At first Ryan had been embarrassed and angry that Horatio had taken the picture, but now it made him smile and his heart flutter. He ran his finger over Jessica's face and smiled.

"I miss you Jess," he whispered, "Please come back to me. No more vanishing acts. Just come home."

The last part in Gibbs's basement wasn't originally in the story, but I thought of it one day and added it in. Just adding a little something fun to the mix. ;)