18 Never go anywhere without a knife

A few minutes later, Ziva brings out Becks, not happy at leaving her father but happy with the prospect of some breakfast. Ducky has found juice boxes and cereal for his girls. After the Cheerios are gone, Gibbs sits down with them. "I'm Gibbs," he says.

Her eyes go wide. "Never go anywhere without a knife!"

"Your daddy tell you that?"

"Yes. But he won't let me have a knife."

"You old enough for a knife?"

"I'm five. If I had a knife I wouldn't play that stupid game. They'd be afraid of me."

"What was the stupid game, Becks?"

"The man takes Babbo's car. I thought he hurted Babbo but he says it's a game. The game is for Babbo's job so I say ok." She straightens up, very proud. "Everyone on base works for my daddy. He's large and in charge."

Gibbs smiles. "Yes, he is. What happened then?"

"We left the clown car and he broke the iPhone."

"What did it look like, where you left the clown car?"

"Trees. Lots of trees. No road. It was bumpy."

"What happened after you left the clown car?"

"He put a thing over my eyes and I couldn't see and he says it's the game. And we drove some more in another car."

"What color was the car?"

"I don't know."

"Was it bigger than the clown car?"

"I don't know."

"Then what?"

"We drove some more. And then we stopped at a house. But he closed the door and I was all alone. And I couldn't see nothing and I didn't get nothing to eat for a long time. Then he let me talk to Mommy. Then I was all alone again. You didn't come get me, Mommy."

"We didn't know where you were. But we were looking for you."

"Then the man put me in the car again."

"Was it the same man?"

She thinks. "I don't know."

"Then what?"

"We drove. Then he puts me out of the car and says count to twenty and you can take off the blindfold. You're home." She straightens up again, this time proud of herself. "I didn't count to twenty."

"Smart girl. When did you take off the blindfold?"

"When the car door closed. It was dark and I wasn't home but I could see our house. And I knocked and knocked and no one answered. So I threw the rock."

"Did you see that in a movie?"

"Yes. You throw rocks and make wishes and they come true. We have caramel popcorn."

Becks is yawning now and twisting around to see into the ICU.

"That was a mean game, Becks. Your daddy didn't want to play a game like that and he didn't want you to have to play it either. But it's over now. You won't play that game again."

"It was mean." For the first time in the interview she seems upset. "They hurt Babbo."

"It's over now, and they're not going to hurt anyone else. You're a very smart and brave girl. Your mommy and daddy are very proud of you."

She smiles a big smile this time, showing all her baby teeth. He has seen that smile everywhere the last day or so. In person it's even more DiNozzo.

He fishes something out of his pocket. "This is for you, Becks. Do you know what it is?"

She gasps. "It's my knife!"

"It is. Your mommy will show you how to use it some day."

"Mommy, it's pink!"

"Gibbs," Ziva says, "she is too young."

"She can't hurt herself with it."

"Tony will be so happy to live with two women with knives."

"Keep him on his toes."

Ziva strokes Becks's hair and wipes the milk off her mouth. "I'm just happy he still has toes. That makes no sense."

"I understand. Ziva, you and Becks need to stay on base. I think they can set you up near the ICU, but until we know what's going on you're safer here."

"I don't care," Ziva says. "I don't even want a bed. How does that sound, my darling? Let's go take a nap in the chair in Babbo's room."