"You can have Bert for the night" Abby said. "I find he is awesome for warding off bad dreams"
"You sleep in a coffin. No wonder you have bad dreams" Tony muttered. He squeezed Bert, taking comfort in the familiar farting sound.
"Thanks Abbs" he yawned.
She smiled at the site of Tony so childlike. "You're welcome Tony."
The elevator opened with a ding, mingling with the sounds of early morning traffic on the floor of Abby's lab. Gibbs stepped into her lab, breaking the light that streamed through her small window looking out onto the street above. A smile played on his lips as he looked at Abby slumped over on her desk, hand still resting on the keyboard. He crossed to take a closer look at the screen. Recognising the social services database he shook his head. DiNozzo.
"Abbs, Abbs, Abby, ABBY!" he started off as a whisper, growing louder each time.
"Gibbs?" She sleepily pushed herself into a sitting position. "Why are you here?"
"You got results" Gibbs called over his shoulder, crossing to her office. "DiNozzo!"
"On your six boss" Tony sleepily raised one hand before burying himself further into the blanket.
"Up and at 'em. Abby found out who Alex is staying with" Gibbs crouched beside Tony before quickly shoving both hands under the futon and tipping it upright.
"Boss!" He whinged, slowly getting to his feet.
"Tony, come here!" Abby squealed.
"Inside voices Abbs. Inside voices" Tony groaned. "I haven't had my daily dose of caffeine to get my ears working properly yet"
A Caf-Pow was thrust into his hands as she dragged him by the arm to her computer.
"Since she was taken by Social Services she was placed in temporary foster care of a Mr and Mrs Sutton. She was reported missing at 6:00 this morning"
Tony choked on his mouthful of Caf-Pow, spraying red liquid all down the front of Abby's lab coat.
"Sorry Abbs" he coughed in between words.
"It's okay" she said cheerfully. "Once I was dating this guy and we were out for dinner at this really fancy place…"
"Good job Abbs" Gibbs pecked her on the cheek in mid-sentence, steering Tony to the elevator by his elbow.
"Going somewhere Boss? Tony asked as they ascended upwards.
"To find Jerry O'Connell and find out why he killed the bastard" Gibbs replied.
It didn't take long to gather the team who sat in the bullpen, waiting for Gibbs. They hurried into the parking garage while slipping on bullet proof vests, splitting into two teams and taking two cars. McGee got the honour of riding with Gibbs while Tony and Ziva took the second car.
"Tony, are you okay?" Ziva asked, tired of seeing him check his phone then drum his fingers on the steering wheel every two seconds.
"Fine Ziva!" he growled. "I'm just thinking".
She looked a little taken aback. "Is it about Alex?"
Tony glanced at her questioningly.
She gave a small smile. "I know you know Gibbs gave her your card. And you haven't stopped checking your phone since this morning"
"She ran away from her foster family. I want her to be okay" he said hopelessly. "I just kinda hoped she would trust me enough to call me"
Ziva sighed. "I was like her when I was young. I wouldn't trust anyone after my parents divorced. I was angry at the world and lived on the streets for a week. Eventually I rang Schmeil and asked for help. It was the hardest thing I had ever done. Give her time. She will realise that she needs help"
"Ziva, I didn't know"
Ziva shrugged. "I believe in America it is common, yes? Children running away from home?"
Tony nodded, turning his eyes back to the road.
They arrived at O'Connell's house not more than twenty minutes after they left.
Gibbs and the team walked up to the house.
"Jerry O'Connell. NCIS!"
No response was heard and when tried the door was locked but a slight human shaped shadow crossed the upstairs window. Gibbs turned sharply to the other agents who were bantering quietly. Holding a hand up he first pointed at the window then held up three fingers. Tony, Ziva and McGee readied themselves around the door as Gibbs counted down from three on his fingers. Kicking down the locked door Tony went in first, followed my Ziva on his six and McGee and Gibbs covering the rear. Clearing the rooms one by one Tony led the way upstairs.
"Jerry O'Connell. NCIS. We have a warrant for your arrest. Show yourself!" He yelled before starting to climb the stairs.
Once again Tony was greeted with no answer. Reaching the middle of the stairs a figure in a brown coat and red shirt appeared. Holding a gun, he had it pointed straight at Tony's chest.
"NCIS. Jerry O'Connell. Put the gun down!"
All four agents shouted out some version of this but O'Connell didn't look phased.
"I had to do it. He was beating his partner. Wife died from her injuries. Then he started in on his kid. I heard her scream. I couldn't let him do it to her too. I figured I was going away forever anyway. That gun will lead back to dozens of murders. I may not be a good guy, but when it comes to kids…" O'Connell paused, then raised his gun.
"I can't be put away"
Aiming at Tony, O'Connell pulled the trigger just as three shots from McGee, Ziva and Gibbs hit him square in the chest. He swayed where he stood before crumpling onto the landing.
The shot from his gun spiralled as it flew into Tony's shoulder, just beside his bullet proof vest.
A cry of pain echoed with the shots as Tony too wavered, before his legs gave out and he fell backwards into Ziva.
"Tony!" the distressed cry from her was strangled. She caught him just before his head hit the railing, lowering him gently down the stairs and back down onto flat ground. Tony groaned as Gibbs clapped a towel onto his wound.
"Tony, hey Tony, stay with me" Gibbs ordered.
Tony was in immense pain. He tried to stay conscious but he kept threatening to black out.
His eyes fluttered with effort and Gibbs pushed down on the wound a little harder.
"Gibbs, an ambulance is on the way" Ziva hurried back to the couple.
Gibbs tried to capture Tony's attention and keep him from drifting off.
"Tony, what would your favourite character say to you right now if he were here?" Gibbs asked.
Tony tried to smile but if ended up as more a grimace. "I think he would say 'you're getting a great reputation, Sonny!' cause this is like what, the third or fourth time I've been shot? Or maybe 'Are you gonna do something? Or just stand there and bleed?'"
"Try sixth" McGee offered.
Tony attempted a retort but a wave of pain overtook him and in two seconds his eyes rolled back into his head, vivid green just visible in the slits between his eyelids.
"Ziva, how far off is the ambo?" Gibbs tried to keep his voice steady.
"They should be here just about now Gibbs"
Just as the words left her mouth a siren was heard and two EMT's came running in the door. One blond female and the other a young redhead male.
"Bullet to the Shoulder. Male. Thirties. Passed out maybe two minutes ago. No allergies" Gibbs offered.
The EMT's nodded. Working efficiently they strapped him to a backboard and started an IV.
"Sir, can you please continue to place pressure on the wound. The rest of you, help carry him to the rig" the young paramedic asked.
Working together they managed to get Tony out of the house and situated inside the ambulance.
"One of you can ride with us but we need to move now. He's losing too much blood" the blond paramedic urged.
Gibbs swung into the rig. "Ziva, call the director and get another team on this. Call Ducky. Tell him to meet me at Bethesda"
Ziva nodded and she and McGee stood in the middle of the road, watching as the ambulance pulled away.