A/N A little more case. Plz Review.

McGee crept around the house the next morning, trying not to wake Chelsea. She had finally fallen asleep around 6:30. He had already called Gibbs, who let him take the day off. Ziva had headed to work before he could even talk to her. And he was pretty sure he knew why.

Chelsea had called her 'mommy' last night. Tim McGee had only seen Ziva David get caught off-guard a few times. When Gibbs was caught in the bomb-blast, when the team was split and when he and Tony saved her life. But he had never seen so many emotions on her face as there were when Chelsea called her 'mommy'.

"You look like hell."

"Thank you Tony," Ziva snapped, approaching her desk, "that is such a nice thing to say to a woman."

"How is Chelsea?" Gibbs asked.

"Something's wrong with Chelsea?" Tony asked, his concern revealing that his own heart belonged to Chelsea.

"She is sick." Ziva said, reviving her computer.

Before Tony could ask for more facts, a tattooed Mexican stood at the head of the bullpen.

"You Ramirez?" Gibbs asked.

"Yes Sir." he nodded, "Capitane said you needed my help."

"DiNozzo, take Ramirez to the conference room." Gibbs said, standing up, "I have to grab those files."

"Yes boss."

Ziva stood and looked at Gibbs for instruction.

"Ziver, you take an hour on Abby's futon." he raised his hand to halt her protests, "It's not a suggestion."

Ziva almost sulked as she headed to the lab.

"Thanks for coming in." Gibbs said, seating himself at the head of the oak table.

"Anything to get rid of The Gifter." Ramirez said venomously.

"You're in charge of what exactly for the LVM's?" Gibbs asked, just verifying.

"The Capitane has me go and check out any competition." Ramirez said, slouching in his seat, "I see how large they are, what they carry, and ensure territory lines."

"Does The Gifter have a crew?" Gibbs asked.

"He's wack." Ramirez snorted, "I have only seen him with a posse of 10, and he deals with other gangs."

"Is it a crew or not Jose!?" Gibbs growled.

"Geez. Ten people are not a crew." Ramirez grinned, "Capitane said not to piss you off."

"So don't"

"What's our perp look like?" Tony asked in an attempt to turn the conversation away from pissing off Gibbs.

"That's what's even more wack." Ramirez laughed, "He wears hoodies, sun glasses, and get this, an armband with a flower on it."

"Flower!?" Tony snorted, but sobered at Gibbs' glare, "How about skin color and height?"

"He's a white boy and medium height."

"And his posse?" Tony asked, "What do they look like?"

"They are like a cheesy cheer squad." Ramirez chuckled, "Whenever I saw them, they matched."

"Arm bands?" Gibbs questioned, jotting down notes.

"Yes." Ramirez nodded, "They were all different sizes, though most were tall and skinny."

"Anything else?" Tony asked.

"You'll be the first to know." Ramirez said, standing.

"Thank you." Gibbs said, standing as well, "DiNozzo, escort our friend out of the building. I am going to retrieve David."

"Friend?" Tony muttered leading Ramirez out of the conference room.

"Hi Gibbs!" Abby said in a loud whisper as he entered the lab.

"You do not know how to whisper Abby." Ziva said, rubbing her eyes as she left Abby's office area.

"How are you?' Gibbs asked Ziva, staring her down, not allowing her to lie.

"I am still a little tired." she admitted, and continued at Gibbs' glare, "And I am a little worried about Chelsea."

That caused Gibbs to stare at her again, but he quickly recovered.

"Call McGee and then join DiNozzo and I." Gibbs said, walking away.

"May I use your office Abby?" Ziva asked the dancing pigtailed girl, pulling out her phone.

"Sure thing!" Abby squealed, continuing to jump around.

McGee lunged for his phone. He had finally settled Chelsea down around noon after a bought of vomiting. He didn't want to wake her.

"McGee." he answered whispered, hurrying into his room, shutting his door.

"Is everything alright McGee?" Ziva's sultry but tired voice floated into his ears.

"Yeah," McGee assured her, sitting on his bed, "Chelsea is asleep, so I hurried to another room."

"Oh." Ziva said, "What has been happening?"

"She threw up some more, but her temperature has gone down two degrees." McGee said, "Ducky says that this is probably a 48-hour bug."

"Bug?" Ziva asked, confusion in her voice.

"Virus." McGee chuckled.

Ziva chuckled as well. All McGee could think about was how much Ziva's laughter lifted his spirits.

"McGee?"

"What!?" McGee said, startled.

"I have to go." she said, "Call me if anything changes."

"Will do Ziva." McGee said, not noting the reluctance in his voice.

"Goodbye McGee."

Ziva slowly closed her phone. She really just wanted to talk to McGee. She enjoyed their conversations.

"Is Chelsea ok?" Abby popped up beside her, her head tilted in concern.

"Yes. Ducky says that she has a bug." Ziva answered, heading toward the elevator.

"Hey Ziva?"

She turned from the elevator doors and looked back to see Abby looking at her intensely.

"Yes Abby?"

"Are you ok?" Abby asked sincerely.

"Yes Abby," Ziva said.

Abby still stared at her.

"I promise." Ziva assured Abby as the doors closed in front of her.

After the doors closed, Ziva smacked herself in the back of her head. She was becoming too relaxed. Her emotions were too clear upon her face. Her father would be furious at her lack of Mossad demeanor.

"Glad you could join us David." Gibbs said from his desk as she settled at hers.

But before Ziva could say anything Gibbs phone rang and she and Tony instinctively grabbed the straps of their gear bags.

"Alright. Ok. On our way."

Tony's usual question of where they were headed was halted by the murderous expression Gibbs had as he threw his phone on the ground. He motioned for his two quite frightened agents to grab their gear and follow him.

"I think we have another dead marine." Tony said quietly to Ziva.

"Yes we do DiNozzo!" Gibbs snapped, causing Tony to flinch, "Shut up and call Ducky!"

Gibbs was not used to having a case that he didn't have the upper hand in. To Gibbs, every death beyond his knowledge of the killings was his fault. He was supposed to stop the madness. But whoever was doing this was good, and that left Gibbs very, very pissed off.

The crime scene was a solemn one. Lt. Josie Brenner had been stabbed through the stomach in the ally behind a strip mall. Ziva and Tony went about their duties silently. After seeing a sixth body, there was nothing left to feel but revulsion.

"Uh-Dr. Mallard?" Palmer stammered, breaking the silence. "What's that?"

Ducky moved closer to the young woman's mouth where Palmer was pointing, wide-eye.

"Hello, hello, hello!" Ducky clucked, removing a paper from her mouth, "What have we here?"

"What is it Ducky?" Gibbs snapped.

Tony and Ziva gathered closer as Ducky handed the paper to Gibbs.

"Agent Gibbs- I think it would be in your good interest to leave my business alone. Or more innocents will die."

They all looked at the Lt.'s stomach.

"She wasn't pregnant." Ducky said grimly "Dear God. Was that signed Jethro?"

"No." Gibbs said, visibly trying to calm himself, "DiNozzo, David, get every scrap of evidence you can find."

"Duck," Gibbs said as the other two scattered, "This Lt. died as a warning to me."

"Jethro."

Gibbs looked down at Ducky. Ducky stood, holding Gibbs' eyes as he did so.

"Do not make this your fault." Ducky said, in a tone he rarely used, "It will drive you crazy."

"It already has." Gibbs said after a moment.

Ducky said a silent prayer as Gibbs walked away. The others would have to walk on eggshells around him.

Ducky returned to the body after telling Palmer to get the gurney. He pushed aside the collar of the Lt.'s shirt and gasped.

"Oh my God."

Carved into the shoulder of the unfortunate Lt. was a threat.

I will return for Chelsea.

PHOOMPH!