DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN NCIS OR ANY OF ITS CHARACTERS!

DEAD DOESN'T MEAN FOREVER

Ch 10

It only took a few moments before Gibbs' instincts kicked in. He flipped open his phone calling the one person who could help him the most in this kind of situation.

"Fornell," the FBI agent answered brusquely.

"Tobias, Gibbs. I got a problem here at the airport. How soon can you be here?" he had no intention of getting into any details over the phone.

Sensing that he'd have to get the information in person Tobias told him "Ten minutes."

While he waited Gibbs had security cordon off the area around the airplane's gate. He put a call into his team to come meet him there as well. It wasn't going to be an easy task to explain the situation, but he held fast to the trust his team had in him.

He also called Sven and asked him to check things out at the airport there for any possible clues or signs of the girls.

He also got the information on the crew members. McGee could do some background on each of them. He replayed every move he remembered from arriving at the airport to seeing them enter the gate for the plane.

"Damn the security measures that prevented him from walking them all the way to the airplane." IF they never got on the plane he was going to have to get back quickly before the trail ran cold. Hopefully Sven would come through as he always had. Gibbs made tentative plans to take everyone overseas if the need arose.

He saw Tony leading Tim and Ziva through the terminal. Gibbs smiled internally at the sight. Outwardly he stared and waited for them to reach him.

"Whatcha got Boss?" Tony looked around for any signs of a crime. Behind him Tim and Ziva did the same, and then regarded their boss.

"You won't see anything here," he told them. "When Fornell gets here I'll explain."

"Fornell?" Tony questioned, but held off any more remarks at the glare he got in response.

It didn't take too long before Fornell arrived, Agent Sacks in tow. After some obligatory greetings Gibbs got down to the crust of the case.

"This is going to be hard to believe, but I trust you all to accept what I'm going to say as fact," he looked them all in the eye and saw nothing but unwavering support. "With the research Abby successfully complete and McGee's creative skills I was able to…"

Tony interrupted, "You brought Shannon and Kelly back."

Ziva and Tim looked at him as if he was insane, and then looked at Gibbs to see if he was going to deliver the almightiest of head slaps. Instead they saw him grinning at Tony.

"Yeah, DiNozzo. I did- with the help of some friends," he glanced at each of his agents and nodded at Ziva. "Your friends were most helpful."

"I don't doubt that. But Shannon and Kelly, you expect us to believe they are really alive?"

"I hope you can. I need you to, so that we can find them."

"They're missing?" McGee questioned the obvious.

"That's why you're here McGee. I want every inch of that plane gone over for prints, fibers any and all traces that they were on it. The stewardess said they weren't, but I saw them heading for it. My friend is covering the other end. If need be we'll be heading there to search."

"Let's go," Tony led them onto the plane.

Fornell and Sacks turned to Gibbs waiting to hear what he wanted from them.

"You guys know about abductions. I need to know if you see any signs of it." He gave Fornell Sven's number to contact him and see what he discovered in his investigation.

"Jethro, I can't believe you went this far in bringing them back. I hope we find them for you. I really do."

"Thanks Tobias. I appreciate your help and support."

Fornell shook his head and grabbed Sacks' arm heading to search the plane before calling Sven.

As they collected all the possible evidence Ziva asked Tony, "How did you surmise what Gibbs had done?"

"Simple logic my little ninja," he smirked. "I just put my mind to work on all the little things Gibbs had going on. When my contacts told where they were headed it didn't take long for me to piece everything together."

"Where did he go?" McGee asked.

"We may find out soon enough. There's not much to go on here. Every seat has someone's markers, but I think it'll be Gibbs' friend that finds something first," Tony predicted.

Two hours later that prediction held true.

"Gibbs," the phone was answered quickly.

"They never left here," Sven informed him.

"We're on our way." Gibbs hung up as he went to inform the others. Within the hour they were airborne.

Less then 24 hours since he'd left Gibbs was back at the lab surrounded by his team and the FBI agents, who insisted on accompanying them to offer their expertise. Gibbs didn't argue, but thanked them for volunteering before he had to ask.

Sven laid out what evidence he'd been able to collect including the passports that still contained the photos that Anya had taken, so everyone would have a good idea whom they were looking for.

Tony's eyes widened at the beautiful faces smiling from the photos. Looking at Shannon it was no wonder his boss was willing to go beyond all measures to get her back. Even her older self was stunning. Gibbs had explained, shockingly intelligently about his reasons for advancing their ages to be current, as if they'd never been gone.

Tony tried not to ogle at the young woman Kelly had become, knowing he'd surely loose his head from the slap if Gibbs caught him. For once he didn't comment without thinking first.

"Your daughter sure turned out to be a real beauty," okay it was better than the other comments running through his head.

Gibbs must've agreed because he gave him the lightest of slaps.

"Thanks," he added distractedly.

Seeing the proof of his invention McGee tried to keep his pride at bay and not interfere with his duty. He focused instead on the evidence. Ziva tried to accept the impossible, but decided to treat this like any case until they found Gibbs' family.

Sven had gathered the scientists who were an extra set of eyes. Abby was making her way to the lab and they would assist her in any way she required. They were looking forward to meeting the woman that made their success possible.

Gibbs observed everyone. His gut telling him that the answer lied here. Someone knew something and he was going to find out who and what soon.

Sven explained that he found the passports in the ladies' room near the gate where their plane had boarded. A few personal items were found along the hallway heading away from the gate: Kelly's hair clip, Shannon's favorite bracelet (that Gibbs had brought along for her) and a tube of lipstick. They were all smile items that could be dropped unnoticed along the carpeted floor. When the carpet ended, so had the trail. The tiled floor led to the doors near the visitors' parking.

Fornell and Sacks took off to go investigate there. Gibbs' team on their heels.

Gibbs for what seemed like the millionth time replayed all the events from the past few days. Trying to concentrate on more of the peripheral images he hadn't paid attention to at the time. Something had to be there.

Abby arrived disrupting his reflection giving him a huge squeeze. "Oh Gibbs. We'll find them. I wish you had let me be in on this from the moment you decided to come here. I would've kept an eye on them for you."

"Yeah and maybe we'd be looking for you, too," he returned her hug and pulled her away. "Take Lars, Igor and Anya and process what we've got so far."

"Right," she turned on her heels and look at the trio. "Let's go. You heard the bossman."

Gibbs smiled to himself and shook his head. Abs would find something to help them.

As he watched them enter the lab, he had a glimpse of a memory. He called Fornell with his suspicion. He then watched intently to see if his 'suspect' did anything to hinder the investigation.

It didn't take long before Gibbs saw a piece of evidence being pocketed. Before he could go to confront the now seemingly guilty party, his phone rang.