a/n - Thank you everyone for all the wonderful reviews. Things are going to be getting pretty hairy for our boys soon, so enjoy things now.

Tobias Fornell parked in front of the small, well-maintained home and leaned against the steering wheel. It seemed like a lifetime ago the last time he was here. The door opened and Violet Sacks came out onto the porch, watching him. He groaned, hating this part of the job most of all, and climbed out of the car.

She didn't move until he was up on the porch with her and by then he could see the fine tremors she was trying to hide. "Tell me he's alive, Tobias, just tell me he's alive."

"It's all right; he's alive." He opened his arms and wrapped them around her as she sobbed her relief into his shoulder. "He's got a slight concussion and they're treating him for exposure, but he's going to be fine." Tobias heard the softly whispered prayer of thanks and waited until she finished and pulled away from him. Are you ready to go see your boy?"

Violet nodded as she wiped at her face. "I'm ready." Tobias locked the house before wrapping his arm around her and walking Violet to the car.

"All right, sweetheart, we're going to pick up Julia and then I'll take you both to the hospital." He felt her almost stumble and pulled her tighter to his side. "Hank's alive, they're both alive."

Once the second stop was made, Tobias rushed to the hospital with the two worried women holding hands in the back seat.

---NCIS---

After six hours non-stop at the computer, Tim finally had to stop and work the kinks out of his fingers. Three more layers of encryption to go before he was inside the files Moore and his Dawn of Tomorrow group tried so hard to protect. Some of the apparently less important files only had two layers of encryption instead of five and he settled down to read those, trying hard not to think about the missing task force members or of his own team he'd sent out to capture Moore's informant.

---NCIS---

DiNozzo sat impatiently as Ziva cleaned the gouges on his arm. "Can you believe that woman? God, the look on her face, like killing herself was the greatest moment of her life. I've never seen anything like it."

"I have." Ziva dabbed at his wrist with an antiseptic wipe as she looked back over to the body. Gibbs was standing next to it, a troubled look on his face. Turning back to Tony, she explained. "Zealots believe so much in their ideology that it is their greatest reward to die for their beliefs."

"You're talking about suicide bombers in the Middle East, not law clerks here in America, Ziva." As Tony protested, the coroner's van arrived. Ziva waited until Gibbs finished speaking to Ducky and joined them before answering. "It would appear that McGee and Fornell are chasing a group of extremists"

"Really? And what was your first clue, Officer David, was it the sniper that went after his task force or her happily bouncing out of a fifth floor window." He thrust a finger in the general direction of the body Ducky and Palmer were processing. Gibbs pulled out his phone, still shaking his head as he dialed the lab.

~Hey, Gibbs, what's up?~

"Abby, I want you to start checking hospitals, find if any surviving FBI agents were brought in."

~What do you mean, surviving? What's going on?~

"McGee's FBI group was attacked…"

~What? No, not McGee… he can't… Gibbs, you… what…~

"Abby!" He used the bark that always stopped her rants. That accomplished, he reassured her. "He's all right and we're going to make sure he stays that way. Now, find me that hospital so we can meet up with the survivors." As soon as he disconnected the call, he shoved the phone in his pocket.

Ducky came up to the group, a concerned look on his face. "Our Jane Doe has a great deal of skin under her fingernails, did one of you…" DiNozzo held up his bloodied arm in response. "Oh Tony, I'll get my bag and we'll have you fixed up in no time."

"No."

"Jethro, really." Ducky was surprised at the force behind Gibbs' rejection. "I agree, it is only a superficial wound, but it still needs to be cleaned up and…"

"No, I'm taking him to the hospital." Gibbs looked over at the two agents with him and smiled. Both of them knew instantly what he was up to. His phone rang and he quickly answered it. "Gibbs."

~Two FBI agents are at GW. Where's McGee, Gibbs?~

"He's safe, and as long as we're careful, he's going to stay that way, so don't try to trace him, Abby."

~But Gibbs…~

"No, and that's an order, Abby." Ending the call, he turned to the remains of the team. "Ziva, finish processing upstairs and then ride back with Ducky. DiNozzo and I are on our way to George Washington Hospital. We'll all meet back at the office."

---NCIS---

By now, McGee was pacing through the apartment. The files he had read and the latest round of lab results were bad enough, but he hadn't heard from anyone in hours. The GPS chip from his phone was now stashed in his pocket, but it was a moot point as the battery was now dead, the charger locked in his car with the car keys safely in Fornell's pocket. Rubbing at the ache in his chest that the aspirin was no longer helping, he returned to the computers, determined to discover exactly what Moore and his people were up to.

---NCIS---

"Tobias, what a surprise. Fancy meeting you here." Gibbs put on his best 'play nice' smile he had as he joined the other man in the emergency waiting room. Fornell wasn't buying it.

"What a coincidence, Jethro." His tone made it apparent what he thought of the coincidence as the other man moved to sit next to him. Not wanting to discuss anything about the situation in front of the two women with him, Fornell stood and jerked his head towards the stairway entrance. Once the heavy door closed and they were beyond earshot of those in the waiting room, he rounded on Gibbs.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

"McGee called me. He found the leak and sent us to fix it." Gibbs watched to see Fornell's reaction as he continued. "Who else was he suppose to call, or would you have wanted to lose the informant?"

Fornell leaned against the wall. "No, he did the right thing. How'd he find the leak so quick?"

"How does he do anything he does with a computer?"

"Good point." Even under the circumstances, Fornell had to laugh at the two of them trying to understand how the geek worked his magic. "So, did you get the leak? I need to know exactly what information got passed along."

Gibbs knew the news wasn't good. "It was the clerk in the Judge's office. She smiled at us and stepped out of her fifth floor window."

"Shit." Fornell ran his hands through his hair in frustration. "The body with Ducky?"

"Yep." Gibbs crossed his arms over his chest and leaned one shoulder against the wall next to Fornell. "I want to know what's going on, Tobias. It's time."

Fornell knew he was right. They were down two agents for now and the case was spiraling larger than they had ever dreamed it could be. He still hadn't confirmed or ruled out a leak within the Bureau and he trusted Gibbs. More importantly, McGee trusted Gibbs and the rest of the team. "Yeah, it's time. McGee's presentation to Vance is scheduled for tomorrow. We'll use that as cover. Now, I've got to check on my men."

Gibbs followed him out. "How bad was it?"

"Sacks has a concussion, he'll be released in the morning. Thompson's got a busted leg. They're putting pins in it right now, so he's going to be out for a while." Fornell shook his head. "They're lucky; it looks like the guy they picked up is brain dead."

---NCIS---

Just as McGee was seriously contemplating how pissed Fornell would be if he left the safety of the apartment, Myers unlocked the door. "Jason, what's happening, how bad was it?"

"Sorry, kid, sorry. Didn't mean to leave you hanging so long. They're going to be all right." He reached out and grabbed McGee when the younger man swayed in relief.

"I'm fine." Tim tried to shake off the supporting hand, but Myers wouldn't let go until he was sitting down.

"Let me guess, all you've had today are pain killers and coffee." The reddening of the ears gave Jason his answer. "Time to eat and get some rest. Fornell called me, your team is getting a full debrief in the morning, so be ready to answer a lot of questions" He could see the weight lifting off McGee shoulders.

Tim knew what his reaction had been. "I'm sorry. You guys have been great, amazing really, but…"

"But we're still not your team. No sweat, man, I'd feel the same way if I were in your shoes. Now, did you find anything that can't wait until morning?"

McGee glanced over at the searches currently running. "I found a lot, but I need answers from the new search pattern to know if I'm right about it. I think I'd rather wait and brief everyone tomorrow. If I'm right, it's even worse than we thought."

"Crap, I didn't think it could get worse."

"Neither did I."