Instinct. Every creature on this earth has it. Even we humans have it, although it often gets buried by logic. Gibbs calls it his 'gut'. But, it's still all the same. When a creature gets into a dangerous situation, its single most primal instinct takes over: fight or flight.

"You. Killed. My. Wife."

McGee thought of nothing else except punishing this man for what he did to his family. He didn't know why he looked up, or even stopped hitting the man. But, when McGee looked up, he saw his worst nightmare coming true. There, on the sideline, close enough to hear every word, were his team.

McGee froze. It was in that moment that his single most primal instinct took over. And he ran. Across the street, down the sidewalk, and away. Far away.

"McGee! Stop!" Gibbs called. But, of course he didn't. He couldn't. So, he ran.

X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.

They're first thought had been to go after him. But by the time the shock dissipated, McGee was long gone. Gibbs wanted to know why in the heck that McGee didn't tell any one that he had a wife, or why they already didn't know about it in the first place.

So, after calling Abby with a quick update of the situation, the federal agents, the police officers, and the detective, all huddled around Captain Stottlemeyer's Desk, while Tony and Ziva sat at the computer, attempting to perform a background check on McGee. There was only one chair which, after a quick threat-filled argument, Ziva quickly sat down in. Tony leaned over her shoulder as she worked.

"Ok, click right here," Tony said, pointing to an icon on the top, left hand corner of the screen.

"I know, Tony," Ziva said, clicking on the icon.

Tony pointed to a search bar at the top of the screen. "Now, here type in-"

"I know, Tony," Ziva said a little sharper.

Tony watched Ziva work. "No, no. You have to-"

"I know, Tony! Please stop being such a passenger-seat driver! I can do this on my own!" Ziva hissed, exasperated.

"Ok, first of all, it's backseat driver. Not passenger-seat driver. Second, I'm just making sure you understand how to use the computer," He said, shrugging innocently.

"We do have computers in Israel, you know," She muttered.

Finally, after much 'backset driving', bickering, Gibbs Slaps, and complaining, they finally found what they were looking for. Tony and Ziva quickly moved out of the way, so Gibbs and Stottlemeyer could see the screen.

Katherine Pyper McGee

Born: May 11, 1979, Madrid Spain

Mother: Mariela Freire Pyper

Father: André Carlos Pyper

Spouse of: Timothy McGee

Married: August 21, 1997

Children: Annabelle Cereza McGee &

James Thomas McGee

Died: November 14, 2007

Cause of Death: Car Bomb

Murder Investigation: Pending

Annabelle Cereza McGee

Born: July 27, 2003, 7:32 a.m.

Mother: Katherine Pyper McGee

Father: Timothy McGee

Siblings: James Thomas McGee

Died: July 27, 2003, 7:47 a.m.

James Thomas McGee

Born: July 27, 2003, 7:18 a.m.

Mother: Katherine Pyper McGee

Father: Timothy McGee

Siblings: Annabelle Cereza McGee

Died: July 23, 2003, 7:25 a.m.

All eyes were glued to the screen staring in horror. Utter horror.

"This cannot be true. Why would McGee not tell us about this?" Ziva asked quietly.

"He was probably afraid we would ridicule him, or something…" Tony whispered, feeling strangely empty inside.

"He's like… like Monk," Randy stated, as though in a trance.

Monk remained quiet. He just stared at his hands. He knew about McGee's family already. But seeing the time of death for Annabelle and Jimmy… there was something different about seeing it on a computer screen instead of just being told. It made it official. Seeing the word 'pending' up on the screen, too, it made Monk feel funny. For the first time, there was someone out there who felt his pain. He had to help! Had to help McGee find out who killed Trudy.

Natalie put her hands over her mouth. She was too shocked to speak, so she said nothing, but simply hugged Mr. Monk.

Captain Stottlemeyer was almost too stunned to speak. "That poor man…" He said simply.

And Gibbs, Gibbs said nothing at all. He was at a loss for words. Why didn't McGee tell me about this? He wondered simply. He reread the words on the screen over and over again. His facial expression conveyed no emotion, but inside, his heart ached. In his mind, for some reason, he saw the faces of Kelly and Shannon. He felt a pang in his heart for McGee. McGee hadn't lost one child, but two. He didn't even get the chance to watch them grow up, even a little. At least he'd been able to watch Kelly grow up. Even for as short of a time. McGee never got the chance to do that. But there was something else, too. The murder investigation was still pending. Unlike himself, McGee never got closure. He didn't know who killed his wife. He never had the satisfaction of knowing that his wife's murderer would be punished for his/her crimes. That the person who did this would spend the rest of their life rotting behind bars. Gibbs had gotten closure for his wife and daughter's murders. McGee didn't have that luxury.

But, Gibbs had to admire McGee. His wife had only died two years ago. And yet, there he was, carrying on with life as if nothing had happened. Even with his closure, it had taken Gibbs years to get over Shannon and Kelly's deaths. McGee had done it in three years! Gibbs knew he had to do something. He had to help McGee get his closure.

X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.

Once the shock had passed, Gibbs took out cellphone and walked into the hall. No one asked questions, because they were still too stunned to speak. Out in the hall, where no one could hear, Gibbs pressed "8" on his speed-dial. After ringing for a long time, someone finally picked up.

"Director Shepard's Office,"

Gibbs couldn't help but smirk. "Would you put Jen on the phone?" He asked.

"Agent Gibbs? Um… hold on,"

There was silence for a brief period of time before someone picked up the phone. There was a different voice on the other end, this time. "What do you need, Gibbs?" the voice asked flatly.

"It's good to see you, too, Jen," He said chipperly. He could hear her sigh on the other end. "Look, Jen, I need a favor,"

"It depends on what kind of favor it is," Director Shepard said.

"I need you to send Abby over here to San Francisco," Gibbs said.

"Why?" She asked. "Aren't there forensic scientists over there? Abby's needed here right now,"

Gibbs' voice became serous again. "Yeah, of course there are forensic scientists over here. But we don't need a forensic scientist, we need Abby,"

There was a brief moment of silence. "Agent Gibbs, I'm sorry. But I can't let her go!" She said, exasperated.

"Jen, look. There are other forensic scientists at the Navy Yard that are just as capable as Abby! Get one of them to do it, because we need her here, now!"

"What on earth could possibly be that important?"

Gibbs was silent for a long time, so Director Shepard asked the question again. Finally, Gibbs told her of McGee's secret past, and his wife and kids. Then he told her his plan, and why he needed Abby there. Jenny went silent for a long time. In the background Gibbs could hear her talking with someone. Finally she spoke.

"Alright, Gibbs. Abby should be arriving in San Francisco by tomorrow morning," she said and hung up.

What could possibly be Gibbs' plan? I wonder...

Note: I know the timeline might seem weird, but because I had no idea what year season 3 actually takes place in, I've decided that it takes place in 2009. So it all works.