Ziva has been tracking down Alberts since he touched the bag which unbeknownst to him had a tracking device too. Apparently this guy was sick but not very bright, they were just hoping he wouldn't get crazier and hurt the good doctor.

Gibbs and DiNozzo returned with Arthur and little Edgar back to NCIS after a hospital visit to make sure the little one is all right. Di Nozzo brought in Jane Higgins and was verbally making her wish for an electric chair as he went after her like a pit-bull in the interrogation room. Tony had come to love Ducky as his own relative and this woman had not only pissed them off, but was an accomplice in what that sick bastard was planning. It became known that she had wanted Janice gone because she was jealous of her, she wanted her new job and Alberts had presented her with the solution. Tony forced her to spill all about the plan and it came out that Alberts was planning to leave the state with Janice, probably after threatening her with having Edgar killed if she did not comply.

Gibbs went straight to Abby's lab and found his friend tinkering with her computer two passports appeared on the screen. Apparently, Jane had spoken the truth next time round. Ziva sent her pictures of fake passports for both Alberts and Janice both under different names.

"Hey Abby." said Gibbs as he strolled in with a sealed bag in his hand and a Cafpow glass.

"Gibbs! Is it true?" the Goth took the Cafpow from the special agent and focused on the man she regarded as a fatherly figure as she waited on his answer.

"That is why I'm here…I need you to perform a DNA test on this." He said giving her the sealed plastic containing a few hairs he got after holding the baby as Arthur got out of the car. The little guy was asleep with his head lying on his chest – his shirt. He needed to know for sure and this was the only way to get the confirmation.

"What is this? With whose DNA am I comparing?" she asked quizzically as she took it and set to get to work.

"With that of Dr. Donald Mallard."

She looked up as if to say "I can't believe it" but the look on the ex-marine's face stopped her from saying anything. "He's not dead is he?" she cried expecting the worst.

"No that vermin traded him for money – better to us than a human trafficker. He thinks the granddad will be satisfied and will get us off his back."

"But we're not, right?"

Gibbs gave a half smile " Ziva's on his ass as we speak and DiNozzo and I are joining her – call me as soon as you're finished."

"Always do!"

Ducky was bored and restless, he had no bodies today and he could feel his brain cells dying as he caught up on his paperwork but now that that was finished he wandered out to see how the world was today, might even catch someone from the team but the bullpen was almost empty which meant work was probably coming soon. He did however see an older man sitting on the chair opposite Ziva's desk holding a baby who must have been a few months old.

He wondered whether they needed any help and headed over towards them.

"Excuse me are you looking for someone?" he asked in his British accent as he offered the man a cup of coffee.

"Oh no that's all right. Agent Gibbs and the others are looking for my daughter…this guy's mom." Arthur said as he shifted the baby, clearly he was getting exhausted.

"Oh" Ducky said, he sympathized with the man who was wondering whether his daughter was alive or not "I'm sorry, but let me tell you. I have known agent Gibbs for many years and his team are some of the best people I know. They will get her back you'll see. Would you like me to hold him for a second?" he asked, noticing Arthur's discomfort.

"Sure thing, I'm actually lucky to have this one back – that son of a bitch just traded him for money." Aurthur growled as he handed Edgar to the doctor now sitting on the chair beside him.

"Yes the world is full of evil I'm afraid. Though these little ones do give me hope…I'm Ducky by the way."

Arthur smiled "Ducky?"

" Mallard is my full name but nobody calls me that." He chuckled as the boy in his arms woke up and became fascinated with his colourful bowtie. His face held an unexplained familiarity and he was looking at him as if there was a secret or a story he wanted to share…'not until you're a bit older my young lad' Ducky thought. I had never happened to him to have a silent conversation with anyone – let alone an infant but there was just something about him. Something he had never experienced in what he considered a well lived life.

The boy's eyes were identical to his and he wouldn't be surprised if he'd discovered he had Scottish ancestry.

"I'm Arthur, by the way, Arthur Byers."

"Byers?" The doctor looked at the plasma screen and beside a photo of a rather crazy looking man was a face he knew very well. Janice…he remembered meeting her at Bethesda, being speechless, asking her for her numbers…Gibbs' admonition that he should not let women affect him. He remembered a very romantic dinner in the Smithsonian basement, her sparkling eyes and that brown hair not to mention those lips." He looked at the boy, he had her Monroe-like lips.

His mind flashed back to that night as he rambled about his Morgan while he drove her home and her asking what he thought were knowledgeable questions (the lady knew her cars.) She was sophisticated, clever with an impeccable sense of humour and a sense of history which he thought quite wondrous in her. The road was blocked and it was getting quite late. They ended up in his townhouse. Mercifully his mother was visiting Uncle Malcolm in Scotland and took her nurse with her. He put her in the room opposite his and in the early hours of the morning he heard her scream. She'd had a nightmare – looking back it was probably about Dornan but at the time he just wanted to see what was wrong and make it better for her. She cried on his shoulder, sipped the warm milk he had prepared laughed at some of the stories he told to distract her from the bad dream and kissed him…he never made it out of her room.

The last he had seen her was at the hospital, he remembered how said he was when she tearfully told him she had to leave to figure out what came next in her life and putting on a brave face as he got back to NCIS with Jethro. He had been right about her all along after all. She did not murder the safety officer, he chose the treatment and she followed his wishes. It was a tragedy that she had to pay the price. As a person as well as a doctor.

And here he was…looking at a picture of the missing lady doctor who had captured his heart and possibly holding her son. He had to be sure.

"Is she his mother?" he asked the now almost asleep retired Chief PO.

"Yeah" he replied shaking his head to regain composure and took a sip of the now cold coffee. "My daughter Janice."

"Oh and is he….?"

"The father? Thank Christ no. Janice never talked to me about the father – I doubt she even told him about little Edgar there."

"Why not?"

"Well the relationship ended before she came home from DC. I guess she did not want to bother the guy."

Ducky felt the blood leaving his brain. He handed the boy back to his grandfather and ran out trying to get air into his lungs and his mental bearings back in place. It could not possibly be…could it?

The next chapter won't come in for a few days guys as I'll be a bit busy with school. I would like to thank those who followed, faved and reviewed. Feel free to give me any comment, suggestions, constructive criticism or plain old gushing about our favourite doctor!