Finals-

Freaking
Inimical
Nefariously
Atrocious
Lack of
Shit.

Anyway. Next chapter. Sorry about the wait. It wasn't so much a case of writers block as it was things blocking me from writing...because that makes a lot more sense?

Also, just for kicks, my mom thinks (for some unknown reason) I'm going to become a master criminal over the summer. I'm not really sure what the best course of action here is. Do I let her down and do the unexpected by not fulfilling her expectations and obeying the letter of the law or should I destroy my inhibitions and become a get-away driver?

Also, who can guess the quote without googling the movie year?

Chapter time!

Morrow watched the man through the window with barely concealed distaste.

Hernandez had said nothing.

Revealed nothing.

Just sat silently and stared forward at the reflective glass.

He growled under his breath and crossed his arms. Doctor Mallard had finally dragged Gibbs off to autopsy, making him lay on the tables and close his eyes for a few minutes, he was fairly certain the doctor had slipped a sedative into his coffee.

Morrow grinned tightly. He was going to stay out of the marines path when he woke up. The investigation was currently nothing they couldn't handle, and Gibbs was supposed to be on suspension anyway but Morrow knew he wasn't going to accept that.

The door to the observation room swung open and Morrow glanced over to see Fornell step into the room.

"Anything?"

"Not a damn word."

Fornell grumbled something under his breath that didn't sound English and probably wasn't repeatable.

"Don't suppose we could just step out and let Mike have a shot at him?"

Morrow smirked.

"We don't want to cause an international incident Tobias. As much as I'd like to watch Franks break the man's nose, that would just get us farther from our goal."

"I-"

The men were interrupted by a knocking on the table.

"Excuse me?"

They stared with shock at the man.

"May I have my phone call now?"

Tobias stared at Morrow in surprise.

"Director..."

"We have to."

Tobias chewed on his lip for a brief moment but then his face cleared and he slipped out of the room as quickly as he entered. The instant the door shut behind him, he set off in a run, down hallways and pushing agents out of his path till he reached the elevator.

Punching the button he tapped his foot impatiently until the door slicked open.

"Abby!"

The goth turned, her eyes pink and her pigtails coming loose.

"Fornell? Do we have something?!"

"Not yet, but I need you to do something..."

Abby quirked an eyebrow.

"Something I shouldn't?"

He nodded.

"Will it help us find Tony?"

"Hopefully."

"What do you need?"

"Hernandez is making his phone call. I need to hear what's being said. On both ends."

Abby stared at him for a long moment before nodding.

xxx

"Thirteen words."

Jackson rubbed his chin.

"Movie, book or television show?"

"Movie."

"Title?"

"Phrase."

"Hmm...have I seen the movie?"

Tony chuckled as he stared up at the ceiling.

Or rather, he assumed it was the ceiling. The room was so dark he could be laying sidewise for all he knew. He had never felt so off balance in his life.

Unless you counted the times he had a concussion.

But he tried not to think about that.

"Everyone's seen this movie. 16 questions left."

Jackson crossed his arms in front of his chest.

"Um… Decade the movie was made?"

"1980's. 1987 in fact if that helps."

"You weren't even alive then."

Tony smiled to himself.

"That doesn't mean I can't appreciate a good film."

Jackson shrugged.

"I guess not. 1987 huh?"

"It's a very famous quote. Say the first word with a mild Spanish accent and everyone instantly know what you're quoting."

"Can I have the first word?"

Tony cleared his throat and with gusto replied-

"Hallo!"

"...Oh! Oh I know this!"

"I should hope so."

"Hey don't go dogging on me young man. I have a lot more movies stored in my head than you do yours."

Tony rolled his eyes.

"You might be surprised. My mom and I used to watch a lot of movies. I've seen… a lot."

Jackson raised his eyebrows in curiosity. This was the first time Tony had mentioned a mother.

"Really? That's nice. You and your parents settle down for popcorn and a movie? That's mighty nice."v

Tony winced but his voice was steady.

"Not exactly. My father wasn't much of a movie person. Or a...family night person. It was usually just mom and I. Sometimes Mayer and Miguel would join us if they had nothing to do."

"Your brothers?"

Tony laughed quietly.

"The butler and cook."

"The...oh. Well that's nice."

Jackson stared forward. He was so confused. Tony had spoken so highly of his father earlier but now he was talking about him like he was a stranger. And a butler and a cook…

"It was nice. I loved spending time with them. I haven't seen them in ages."

Jackson frowned at the edge of sadness in the child's voice.

"Where are they?"

Tony smiled.

"Traveling. Last I heard they were somewhere in Spain. I wonder if dad's told them about this yet… they're going to be so upset. I hope dad's okay. I can't imagine what he's thinking..."

His voice trailed off as he pictured his dad, worried and stressed and working his team into the ground trying to find him.

"I'm sure he and your mom are both very worried."

Tony glanced over in the direction of Jackson.

"My dad is, yes."

"...your mom…?"

Tony smiled without humor.

"She died. A long time ago."

"Oh. Tony I'm-"

"It's fine. You didn't know. And it was years ago."

Jackson pursed his lips and cursed his stupidity. Tony had been referring to his mother in the past tense ever since he mentioned her, but he hadn't picked up the hints.

"...T-Tell me more about your family Tony. You mentioned a butler and cook, but tell me about your father."

Tony edged away slightly and his breath quickened for a moment.

"Tony?"

He doesn't mean Senior. He means Gibbs. Tell him about Gibbs. Talk about your dad. That's what he wants to hear. No one is asking you to talk about Senior.

"I'll...I'll tell you about my dad. My dad's great."

Jackson opened his mouth, but closed it right back, confused again but willing to let the boy do things his own way.

"Okay. I would love to hear about him."

Tony leaned against the wall and closed his eyes, pulling up the image of his dad. Grey hair, cut close to the scalp, blue eyes, bright and full and warm. A smile that lit his entire face and was always ready to great him. Arms ready to open into a hug on the shortest notice.

"He's the most incredible man I've ever met. He… he saved me. He's kind and gentle and funny. He watches movies with me and reads books and doesn't get mad when I destroy the kitchen trying to remember how to make five cheese linguini. He's impossible to beat in checkers and doesn't care when I wipe out Tobias in poker, in fact he finds it funny. Says it serves him right but I tell him his vendetta against the FBI is totally unfounded."

"The FBI?"

"Yeah Tobias is an FBI agent. They have this whole one up-man-ship thing going on. It's ridiculous. I love them both though. I don't know what would have happened if it wasn't for them… He's my best friend. He saved me when no one else would stop to look. He's… he's my dad."

Jackson blinked at the fervor in Tony's words. There was such passion, such devotion and love. This was a son who adored his father. Loved him beyond reason.

"He..." he paused to clear his throat, overcome by emotion. "He sounds like an excellent father."

"No. He's an excellent dad."

Jackson reached over and gently pushed a hand through the boys hair, grateful he didn't poke his face in the dark. Tony leaned into the touch, something about it so so familiar.

"Tell me about your family Jackson."

Jackson threw his arm around the boy, letting him lean into his side.

"Well it's just been my son and I for years. My wife died when my boy was a teenager so we've been on our own for a while. But the past decade it's just been me. My son and I… we had a bit of a falling out."

Tony frowned and looked up, wishing he could see the older man's face.

"I'm sorry. What happened?"

Jackson stared into the dark, seeing his memories play out in front of him.

"I made a foolish decision that hurt him."

Tony chewed on his lip, emotions conflicting.

"Did you apologize?"

Jackson nodded.

"Yes, but he was hurting about something else and things escalated. We haven't spoken since then."

Tony reached up and patted the arm over his shoulders in a conciliatory manner.

"I'm sorry Jackson."

"Thanks Tony. I haven't given up. Leroy will forgive me eventually I just have to keep trying."

Tony blinked.

"Leroy?"

Jackson laughed.

"Oh don't you start on me too."

"No, it's just my dad's name is Leroy. I've never met someone else with that name. Mr. Leroy Jethro."

Jackson froze.

"Leroy Jethro?"

Tony smiled widely.

"Don't call him that though. Only person I've met other than me who can say it is Ducky. Personally I just think that's because Ducky's got all the medical stuff to threaten him with."

"Leroy Jethro."

Tony looked up at him, unsure why he was having so much trouble with this.

"...yes?"

"Tony...what's your last name."

Tony sat up straight and felt a rush of pride. He always felt like this when asked his name. His last name was something he would proudly declare until the day he died.

Which, at the rate you're going might be sooner than later.

Tony stuffed the voice down and looked in Jackson's direction.

"Gibbs. My name is Anthony Darin Gibbs."

Jackson opened his mouth in shock but before he could say anything, they heard something crash on the other side of the room.

"Jackson?"

The older man moved closer to the boy.

"It's alright Tony. I'm here."

Tony nodded but didn't reply as the noise grew louder.

"Boy."

Tony gasped silently and leaned back in the wall. He had no problem facing a threat, he wouldn't fight, but he wouldn't hide. He would face whatever came his way.

In the light.

"Get up and come on. You're with me."

Jackson reached out and gripped Tony's arm firmly but gently, speaking out to the disembodied voice.

"If you want him, I'm coming too. He's going no where without me."

There was a harsh laugh and the sound of shuffling footsteps towards them.

"Not my orders old man. Just the kid."

Tony swallowed hard and squinted, desperate to see something through the dark.

Still nothing.

Oh he hated the dark.

He took a deep breath. Jackson was going to fight this man. He was going to fight because he didn't want him to be alone. Because he knew he was afraid.

He didn't know much about Jackson, but he did know he was old, and probably didn't stand a chance against whoever was standing in the pitch doorway. He wasn't going to get hurt for his sake.

"Jackson."

The man turned his head towards the barely there whisper.

"Tony?"

"It's okay. I don't… I don't want him to hurt you. I'll go."

"Not without me."

Jackson heaved himself up to his feet in one smooth motion, Tony's hand tight in his own.

"We're coming with you, but it's both of us."

"I don't think you're really in a position to negotiate."

Jackson sighed and decided to take another tactic.

"He's just a boy."

The voice hesitated and then with obvious amusement replied.

"Alright then."

Xxx

"Gibbs! Wake up"

The man shot off the autopsy table, feet hitting the ground and hand automatically going to his hip.

"...Abby?"

"He have something!"

He straightened and hurried towards her.

"What? What did you find? How long have I been asleep?"

Abby glanced at the clock and winced.

"...a couple hours. But that's not important. Come on, I'll explain on the way to the bullpen, you can hunt Ducky down later."

Gibbs followed after the bouncy goth easily, the breath already easing as he saw her ponytails had been straightened. That was good sign.

They stepped into the elevator while Abby spoke a mile a minute.

"So Fornell had me trace a call and we found out that Hernandez is working with a mysterious partner, so Tony and your dad haven't just been left somewhere, and they're on the move. He didn't say where they were, he just said to move them to location B, but we got a trace on the location of his contact and she was downtown headed west. She said they had already collected them and were headed out. McGee's tracking the cell phone she was using and the team is scrambling. You got to go!"

Gibbs sprinted out of the box and ran to his team, the agents listening to last minute instructions from Fornell.

"Abby!"

"Yeah bossman?"

"What call did you trace?"

She grimaced and slipped back to the elevator.

"You don't want to know."