A/N: Only one chapter tonight, sorry guys. I didn't get as much written today as I'd hoped. Still trying to sort through the particulars of what happens next as well as do normal, everyday stuff like work and sleep and eat, lol :P But thanks so much for reading and for all the reviews! You guys are awesome! : )

"Abby!" McGee whined as soon as he entered the lab. "Save me!"

The Goth spun around to look at her boyfriend. "From what?"

He sighed. "From who. Tony. And Ziva. I found these," he held up one of the black kisses stuck to his finger, "covering my desk this morning."

"Creative," Abby giggled.

"Not funny," McGee countered, frowning. "Gibbs was not impressed."

She shrugged. "Not sure how to help you Tim. Tony will be Tony no matter what we do. He always wants to know other people's secrets."

McGee leaned against the metal evidence table. "Why don't you tell him then?" He shrugged a shoulder. "They've pretty much already guessed it anyways."

Abby's eyes lit up. He could see the thoughts percolating inside her mind. "Now that has possibilities," she grinned mischievously.

"Can you get him to stop bugging me, maybe?" Tim pleaded.

She rolled her eyes and kissed him on the cheek. "Only God can work miracles McGee. Now," hands went to her hips, "what have you got for me?"

He held up the bags. "Blood and hair samples. We've got a missing Marine Gunnery Sergeant."

"Ooh," Abby reached for the evidence bags, pulling out her pen, "Gibbs is not going to like this."

NCIS

Team Gibbs stood at the crime scene, behind the bright yellow police tape which surrounded the abandoned car. Tony combed the area foot by foot, looking for anything the cops missed and Ziva took multi-angle shots of every relevant thing she could see. Gibbs was in a quiet discussion with the lead cop who'd been first to report to the scene.

"A lady who lives just down the road passed by the car on her way to work. She thought there might've been an accident and called us. We were all set to start investigating when one of my men saw the Navy decal on the back window. When we called the Academy to get an ID on the vehicle's owner, the officer in charge said that Mr. Dayes hadn't reported for work this morning. After that, this case was all yours."

"Appreciate the call." Gibbs shook the man's hand. "Thanks for your cooperation Officer. We'll be in touch." He adjusted his cap. "Tony, have the car towed back to Abby and she what she can find. Ziva, we're going to go talk to a few of the Gunnery Sergeant's colleagues. And somebody call McGee and find out what he's got for me."

NCIS

Several hours later, Gibbs slammed down the phone in disgust. It had been over six hours since they got the case and they barely had more than when they started. Of course, no one at the Naval Academy knew anything that would help and neighbours near the car hadn't seen or heard anything they could use. This was not turning out to be his day.

Giving up fighting the inevitable, Gibbs got up and did what he always did now when things got stressful, he went to see Jenny. Cynthia barely acknowledged him since she was on the phone and knew she couldn't stop him anyway. He opened the door to find his wife slipping several folders into her briefcase.

She looked back over her shoulder. "Hello Jethro." Then she saw the look on his face, dropped everything and turned around. "What's wrong?"

Gibbs tossed his empty coffee cup into her garbage with more force than necessary. "Ah, it's this case Jen. A Gunny is missing and so far we're missing who, when, why, and how. All we have is what we started with - what and where."

Jenny gave him a hug and he leaned into her, letting the subtle scent of her perfume surround and calm him.

"Gosh you smell good Jen."

She laughed and pulled back from the hug to settle her lips gently on his. "And you taste like coffee, as always." She arched an eyebrow at him. "Better?"

Gibbs kept his arms around her waist, not wanting to let her go just yet. He never knew from one moment to the next what they would look like together when he saw her again. She might be angry, afraid of having him get too close, or loving like she was right now. He didn't want to lose this moment.

"I love you Jenny."

"Me too," she whispered. "Always have..."

"...always will," he finished for her. It had been their promise since they got married. But they'd meant it since Paris.

Regretfully Jenny stepped back out of his embrace. Gibbs frowned.

"Okay today Jenny?" he asked, concerned.

She nodded. "Fine so far. We'll see after Kristyn gets done with me."

It was his turn to raise one eyebrow. "So you moved because...?"

"Oh." She gave him a sad smile. "Because I'm really sorry but I have to go. Agent Rafferty will be here any moment to escort me out to the car. Meeting number two."

"Ahh..." he nodded. "Don't suppose I could get another kiss to tide me over until tonight?"

Jenny shook her head at him and invaded his space again, letting her husband control the kiss and take the comfort from her that he needed. She held him a few extra seconds, leaning into the solid warmth of his body. "Incorrigible man. What am I going to do with you?"

"Keep me, I guess," Gibbs shrugged. "Since you sure as heck aren't going to get very far without me, that's for sure."

"Count on it," Jenny smiled. "Home tonight?"

Gibbs rolled his shoulders, seeking relief from the sore muscles. Jenny watched and wished she had time to work some of the kinks out for him. What a perfectly normal wife thought, she noticed, hoping that would be the norm instead of the roller coaster of emotions they'd taken these last two weeks.

"Maybe to sleep for a couple hours," he answered. "No rest for agents when there's a man missing though."

"Okay." The intercom beeped, letting Jenny know her security detail was waiting. "See you later then."

Gibbs squeezed her hand as she walked by. "Good luck Jenny."

She looked back at him as she stepped out the door, the look in her eyes and the smile she sent meant only for him. He sighed heavily as the door closed, taking his view of her with it. It was never easy watching Jen leave, especially now, after what had happened the last time he'd let her go somewhere on her own.

Every time Jenny walked out the door without him, he flashed back to watching her get off the plane after she'd whispered I'm sorry. He hadn't understood until he found the letter in the pocket of the coat she'd left behind, and read it while his heart broke a second time. That was the last time he'd see her for six years.

Then it was leaving her in the parking garage, her telling him to catch up later. He'd come back from Abby's lab and seen her car still there, gotten no answer on her cell and knew something was horribly, unspeakably wrong. He'd spent the next forty hours wondering if he would ever see his wife alive again or if he'd be called on to identify her body.

He'd never known fear like that. Every time he closed his eyes during that time, a new nightmare began until he couldn't bear to try to sleep and worked even harder to track Jenny down, not leaving the office. The bed hadn't been the same without her anyways, the empty pillow and flat blankets on her side a constant reminder that Jenny wasn't where she was supposed to be. Gibbs had picked up the wrap she wore at night and clung to it, breathing in the smell of his wife.

He shivered and had to take a deep breath to get himself back to reality. He knew he needed to focus on the case. But there was too much going on in his head right now and he could think of only one thing that would help. Grabbing his cell, Gibbs clattered down the stairs, dialing the number from memory. At the bottom he rounded the corner and stepped into the little alcove the team used for their semi-private, semi-secret conferences and conversations that they didn't want overheard by others on the floor.

He paced away from the wall as he waited for the call to get picked up.

"Reilley," came the calm, gravelly voice.

"Bill. Jethro."

"Jethro," he could hear the surprise. "It's been a long time. What can one old Gunny do for another?"

Gibbs rubbed his forehead. He was really bad at this. Give help he could, asking for it was something different altogether. "You got some time later this afternoon?"

"Let me check." He could hear pages being flipped. "I could disappear for about an hour around 1600. What do you need?"

"Can you meet me in the training gym?"

"We're not running laps, are we Jethro? I'm too old for that you know."

Gibbs chuckled. "No laps Bill. Just some good, old fashioned, Marine Corps stress relief."

"Understood. I'll see you then. Go easy on me Jethro," he chuckled, "my sparring days are long behind me."

"No broken bones or bruised ribs," Gibbs promised, thankful the brotherhood of the Marines extended beyond asking why. "1600." He hesitated. "Thanks Bill."

His friend's voice was sincere. "Anytime Gunny, anytime." Then he hung up.

Gibbs flipped his phone closed and headed for the elevator. The bullpen would hold too many questioning glances and he was out of patience and in no mood for explanations. Time to go see Abby. He could use a little Goth to brighten up his day. Caf-Pow first though.

NCIS

"Hi Gibbs," Abby said without turning around when he walked in. He stopped and stared at her. Abby looked over her shoulder with a grin. "Yes, you're that predictable Bossman. Ooh...Caf-Pow!"

He held it back. "Results?"

She frowned. "They are not going to earn me a Caf-Pow Gibbs. Can't I just have a sip?"

He shook his head. "After."

"Fine," she huffed, pointing to the plasma. "This is one of the hair samples McGee brought me. It's not human."

Gibbs just looked at her. He didn't even have to ask anymore unless she was being difficult.

Abby smiled. "It's dog hair. A couple possibilities for that one. Either the Gunnery Sergeant had his dog with him and the poor thing is now lost somewhere out in the cold, missing his master, afraid and alone..."

"Abby, missing man. Second possibility," Gibbs tried to hurry her explanation along.

"Right. Sorry. Umm, it came off the possible kidnapper. Which means he has a dog."

"Can you tell what kind?" he asked, leaning closer to the screen as if that would help him figure it out.

"Gibbs," she chided, "I'm just getting warmed up. You're looking for someone with a black lab."

"Only one of the most popular breed," Gibbs grumbled.

Kelly had spend the last year of her life begging for a dog. He and Shannon were waiting for her birthday. Now Gibbs wished he'd just said yes the first time she'd asked, so he could've seen the joy on his daughter's face as she cuddled her first dog. So many regrets. He shook his head, trying to push the past back into the past where it had to stay for his sanity.

"Patience el magnifico," Abby smiled. "The other hair belongs to Gunnery Sergeant Dayes, very boring." She turned around and grabbed a sheet of paper off the printer. "The blood is more interesting. DNA matched it to our missing man. So he put up one heck of a fight, he was injured, or..."

"Killed and his body dragged from the scene." Abby nodded reluctantly. Gibbs finally handed over her Caf-Pow. "He's not dead yet. Until we have confirmation otherwise, the Gunny is to be looked at as alive and kidnapped. Got it?"

Abby snapped to attention and saluted. "Yes sir."

Gibbs chuckled and leaned over to kiss her cheek. "Don't call me sir Abs." He stepped back and crossed his arms. "Now, tell me about the car."