Chapter 13

Still don't own NCIS

Gibbs, Tony and Tim got some finger print evidence for Abby but the most important information had come in the package that Samantha's landlord had delivered. From the papers, letters and a flash drive McGee found in the package they were zeroing in on the mastermind of the embezzlement scheme that had gotten Olivia Stone and her roommate killed and Samantha injured.

McGee had issued a BOLO for former Captain Walter Isley who had been discharged dishonorably from the Navy a year before for attempting the same scheme that had been successfully done in this case.

Gibbs had interviewed Commander Wallace for the second time and received conformation that indeed Captain Isley was the man who was controlling the strings. Wallace also admitted that Isley was the one who ordered that Olivia Stone be killed. Wallace confirmed that he had hired the hit team to set up the hit on Sergeant Stone.

Gibbs and Tony had gone to Isley's last known address. When they got there he had taken off leaving most of his possessions behind. " He's on the run," Gibbs had told Tony. Grabbing his phone he called McGee to get a warrant on Isley's phone for calls as well as run a GPS trace on his cell.

Gibbs had a weird feeling in his gut. Where was this idiot running to? He had the money but the account was being monitored and he know doubt knew it. He was all but caught. The BOLO covered all airports, train stations and bus terminals but still something was nagging at him. He looked at his senior field agent. Tony was deep in thought as well as they drove back to NCIS headquarters. "DiNozzo my gut is telling me we are missing something."

" Me too, Boss. We have this guy dead to rights. He took off in a hurry. He does not have the money, Wallace is in our custody and he can't get at the money. He needs to skip town." Tony shifted in his seat.

Both agents came to the same conclusion simultaneously. "Samantha" they said at once. "Boss you don't think he would head for her. Do you? " Tony added.

"Call Ziva. Give her the heads up. " The two agents had just driven into the NCIS parking lot. " You get with McGee and see what he had got. I am headed to my house."

"On it Boss." Tony picked up his phone and called Ziva. " Boss !" Tony yelled before he drove away. " She did not answer"

While the team was busy hunting for Isley, Ziva and Samantha had gotten to know each other. Ziva had helped Samantha bathe and change. They had both settled down in Gibbs' guest bedroom to watch the game.

"I really don't understand American football." Ziva told Samantha. "Tony has tried to explain it to me once but all I understand is homeruns and injuries"

"It's Touchdowns, Ziva." Samantha corrected her. " I don't get Soccer. I guess we are even. Would you like for me to explain some of the more important parts about the game? Or we could just watch and you ask questions."

Ziva looked at her puzzled. She liked this woman but before they could really be friends she had to ask her a very important question. "I'll just watch and if I don't understand something I will ask. You see to be very good at explaining things."

"Well I teach first graders so I guess that comes with the territory. Also, my dad and I have watched football since I was born." Samantha smiled.

The game was just getting started so they both started to watch. Ziva saw that Samantha took her football very seriously. She would yell at the screen and cheer when her team did something great. "Who is the Jason you keep yelling at?" Ziva finally asked. " Is he a friend of yours?"

" Sort of. I used to attend training camp in the summer with my dad. We met Jason many many years ago when he was a kid. His dad was a scout for the Cowboys. He and my dad hit it off. That is why I have a field pass to the Washington game when they are in town. He is the current head coach. "

"So you are mad at him, No"

" Not really it is just part of the game. He is a far better coach that I am but I get frustrated when they are not playing well and they aren't now. " She slammed her good hand down on the bed and uttered a curse word when one of the linemen got a holding penalty and ruined a good play.

Ziva just shook her head. "Americans and their football" she thought.

Soon it was halftime. Samantha started to get up. " I will get what you need."

" Unless you can go to the restroom for me. Don't think you can help" Samantha laughed.

Ziva just looked at her and grinned. She wasn't sure why Gibbs liked her just yet. They were very different in a lot of ways but she had to be the good daughter and ask. " Can I ask you a question?" Ziva asked when Samantha returned from the bathroom.

"Sure. Fire away but I bet I can guess. " Samantha grinned. " You want to know do I love Jethro." Ziva nodded. " Very much. I know it does not look like it but we are really kindred spirits in many ways. We share the Corp. I am very much alone just like he is. I have been alone for a long time. He had not told me about the people he has lost in his life. That seems to be something he is not ready to share. That is ok with me though."

"Really," Ziva replied. "Most women would want to know everything."

"Not me. I see the pain in his eyes and that is all I need to know until he is ready to tell me. Been there and bought the T-shirt. " Samantha sat back down on the bed and got comfortable ready for the second half. Ziva wanted to know more about this woman Gibbs seemed to have picked for his own.

" So you don't ever want to know."

"When he is ready to tell me he will. Ziva, I lost my parents and my baby sister in a freak car accident when I was still in high school. Then just after I joined the Marines my grandfather who was my rock died." Samantha wiped tears from her eyes. " Then on my wedding day my fiancé was killed in a car accident on the way to the wedding. It took me many years to come to terms with those things and to be able to talk about it. So you see I can understand that he is not ready to talk about it yet. Does not bother me? He is not keeping secrets from me. He is just trying to cope."

Ziva just sat and looked at her friend. "You are the right girl for him. You really understand him. I think."

" Oh more than you know. You, Tony, Tim, Abby and Ducky are his family now. He cares for you all a lot. This way is not so alone."

" He needs you to. I think." The game had started up again so they both put mushy time away for a while.

They sat through the third quarter in silence except for Samantha trying to coach the team through the computer.

" I am getting thirsty. Can I get you something?" Ziva asked.

"Yes thank you."

"Coffee?"

"No thanks. Check the fridge. Jethro has a stock of diet coke in there for when I am over. I can't stand coffee," she laughed.

Ziva just rolled her eyes and went downstairs and Samantha got back into the game.

Gibbs drove his car though the city streets like a NASCAR driver heading for his house. If Ziva had not answered something was wrong very wrong. "Boss, you gave Sam back her phone. Should I try her number?"

"Nope. The game is on. She won't answer her phone during a game. It will go straight to voicemail."

Samantha had noticed that Ziva was not back yet. She had not smelled the coffee brewing if that is what Ziva got to drink. Her "Gibbs' gut" as she called it was letting her know something was wrong. She reached into the side table drawer to get her phone. It was dead. Since she had been in the hospital she had forgotten to charge it. "I had better go check things out," she thought. She knew that Jethro kept an extra gun in his bedroom for emergencies so she went into get it.

She walked carefully down the stairs so not to alert the intruder if there was indeed someone in the house. As she stepped into the living room a man grabbed her from behind. He knocked the gun from her hand and held a knife to her throat. "Well now, who knew that dumb slut Olivia had a friend who was dating an NCIS agent. You spoiled my plans little lady."

" So what good am I to you. Knowing NCIS you are all but caught. I don't know anything about what you and Wallace did to Olivia. I just got caught in the crossfire. Why bother with me?" Samantha tried to wiggle away from his grasp and he held the knife closer to her throat.

"Don't move. I want my money and you are going to get it for me."

"How?" she questioned.

"Well I would bet Leroy Jethro Gibbs would move heaven and earth to get you back. Would he not?"

Just then they both heard a car race into the driveway. "I wonder who that is?" Isley chuckled to himself and held her closer to him. "Special Agent Gibbs I would imagine."

Gibbs and Tony sensing a problem walked carefully toward the door guns drawn. Tony went high and Gibbs went low. Surveying his living room Gibbs saw Samantha in the arms of whom he assumed was Isley near the stairs. He looked at Samantha and saw fear in her eyes but he heard her talking to him about his plans trying to keep the situation from escalating and further endangering her life.

Gibbs tried to remain calm. "Get away from her Isley. You are done for. We have you dead to rights for both murders and the robbery. You have no where to go."

"But I have a bargaining chip Agent Gibbs or are you going to let me cut this lady's pretty little throat." He pushed the knife into her neck a little closer scratching the surface causing a trickle of blood to drip down Samantha's neck.

Gibbs knew the scratch caused her a little pain because he could she her shutter a little. He knew she was just holding things together with a thread when he had an idea. He hoped that she would remember their conversation on one of their movie nights at her place.

"Well do what you have to Isley. Either way you are not going to make it out of here alive. Sam, remember Mrs. John McClain."

Samantha's eyes widened and he saw a small smirk appear on her face. She winked at him. "On three," she mouthed. Gibbs nodded his head and mouthed " one, two, three."

Just then Samantha rammed her good elbow right into Isley's package and he went down like a rock. Then she kicked him in the face breaking his nose. Gibbs and Tony moved in and over powered Isley. Tony kicked the knife away. Samantha stepped back leaning against the wall. The knife had scraped her neck causing this time a three-inch gash just under her left ear. She grabbed for it putting pressure on the wound with her right hand.

Gibbs looked up having handcuffed Isley and setting him on the floor. "Oh my God" he gasped. He grabbed a towel that was lying on the couch and held it against the cut.

Just them McGee burst through the door with his gun drawn. " Everyone all right" he said realizing that Isley was in handcuffs and sitting on the floor. Tony had his gun still drawn and was watching him carefully.

"Take this guy McGee. I have to find Ziva."

Gibbs was holding Samantha and helped her to the couch before she passed out. "She is probably in the kitchen Tony. She was getting us drinks when I noticed something was hinky. "

Tony raced into the kitchen in a major state of panic. What if he had used the knife on her? "Ziva, where are you?" He heard a loud banging on the door of Gibbs' pantry. Opening the door he found Ziva sitting on the floor rubbing the back of her head. "You ok."

" I got hit from behind and tossed in here. So I am fine. Just my dignity was injured." Tony helped her up and found some ice for the goose-egg bump that was forming on the back of her head. "Samantha ok."

"Yes, Gibbs has her in the front room. I am calling Ducky. I want you looked after and I know Samantha has a cut on her neck. " Tony picked up the phone and called Ducky.

Samantha was shaking from the trauma she had just endured. Gibbs just held his her and continuing to put pressure on her cut. "You are going to be fine sweetheart. I am here. Glad you remember our conversation during Die Hard."

"Absolutely. Just can't stand females in movies who don't defend themselves and just scream. That never solves anything."

Tony came in from the kitchen. He had his arm around Ziva's waist and helped her to Gibbs' large lounge chair. "You ok Ziva," Gibbs asked.

"Just a bump on the head Boss and a bruised ego." Tony replied, "Ducky is on his way to check both of them out."

"Good idea." Gibbs pulled the towel away and saw that most of the bleeding had stopped. "Looks like all in all we are doing pretty good. I will watch these two until Ducky gets here. Why don't you and McGee get this scum back to headquarters? Get him some medical attention for his nose and then lock him up."

"Sure Boss." McGee said motioning for Isley to get up.

Samantha looked at Isley and grinned. " Mr. Isley I hope I did not break anything. You should only be singing soprano for at least a week or two." He looked at her and grumbled as he limped toward the door. "I think that broken nose helps his looks considerably. Don't you think so Jethro?"

Gibbs just chuckled and kissed the top of her head. "That's my girl."

"Boss, I have a question for you," Tony asked as he headed for the door.

"What Tony?"

" During the fight you told Samantha to remember Mrs. John McClain. What was that all about?"

Samantha looked up and Gibbs just chucked. "Don't you recognize the name Tony? John McClain from Die Hard."

"Sure Sam. I don't get it."

"Well I have this theory that if she had kicked Hans in the balls she would not have been screaming and almost killing them both."

"Oh so Gibbs used a movie reference. Wow"

"DiNozzo get out of here," Gibbs growled at his senior agent.

"On it Boss." Samantha looked at Ziva and winked and then snuggled into Gibbs' shoulder and closed her eyes. It had been a long afternoon.