Deeks kept pacing back and forth panicking, Kensi tried everything to calm him down but it wouldn't work. He was annoyed to say the least. His daughter was missing, and they expected him to calm down?

"Deeks, I'm sure Dani's fine. Alright?, she's probably out running or skateboarding,". Kensi supported.

"She took the files for the case from my desk. What if she went to track them down? What if she's hurt? What if she got kidnapped? I can't let anything happen to her, you hear?" Deeks ran his fingers through his shaggy, dirty blonde cut.

"You won't lose her. You have my word". Kensi promised.

So while Kensi and Deeks stayed at his desk, Callen, Sam, Eric, and Nell were up in Ops trying to find Dani.

"What kind of kid sneaks out at four in the morning?" Sam asked.

"That's when they usually sneak in, not out". Callen added.

"We know she has the files for the case. Could she have tracked them down?"

"But she left them. Maybe she didn't track down what was in the files". Callen said.

"So where did she go?" Sam asked.

Eric and Nell were typing on their computers fast, trying to figure out where Dani was.

"I got her". Eric said.

Everyone ran to his desk, hovering over the LCD glow of the monitor.

"According to her phone's GPS, she just arrived back at her house" Nell informed.

"Can you figure out where she was before that?" Sam asked.

"It looked like she went running nowhere else". Eric said.

"Sam and I will pick her up". Callen said.

The two partners then left Ops to go get their niece and to calm Deeks down. When they got to the stairs Kensi kept trying to calm her partner who was almost in tears by now thinking and wondering where his daughter was. Could she be hurt? Could she have gotten kidnapped? Could he have lost her? All that roamed in his mind but he kept trying to stay positive about the situation.

"Deeks we found Dani. Sami and I are going to pick her up. You stay put". Callen told the panicked father as they walked out the door.

He sighed in relief that they were able to find his daughter. He just hoped that nothing happened to her. Deeks heard footsteps and looked up to see Hetty walking toward him.

"At least you know now that she's safe and that's all you could ask for" Hetty told him.

"I don't know where I went wrong, Hetty. I tried everything to keep her safe, I did everything to protect her. I don't know where I went wrong," Deeks confided

"It's nothing you did Mr. Deeks, Dani's just growing up. She's a teenager and she will do things that a teenager will do"

"She's just like her mother"

"Grace was a fine woman and a wonderful mother,"

"You knew her?" Deeks asked, surprised at this new information about his deceased wife.

"Of course. I met her a few times when I worked with the FBI. She talked about her family all the time"

"I already lost Grace, I can't lose Dani too"

"And you won't". Hetty said.

"Hetty's right Deeks, you won't ever have to worry about losing Dani". Kensi said.

Deeks was just glad that they found her. He was able to calm his breathing and his racing heart. She was safe. His little girl was safe. That had been the only thing that mattered.

Dani quietly opened the front door of her house thinking her dad was still asleep. Dani was thankful that she could get away with what she just did.

After changing back into her pajamas, she heard a sound come from the living room in the main hall. It took all of Dani's might not to squeal in surprise. she tip-toed into her father's bedroom and retrieved the gun from his locked drawer, furiously trying to remember how to use it.

Dani slid up against the wall, and held her breath, and when she felt comfortable enough she walked down the stairs. From her view above, she could see two burly men. What were they doing in her house? Do they want something with her father?

"Freeze!" Dani exclaimed. They two men turned around, and Dani noticed the shiny badges. "Uncle Sam? Uncle Callen? What are you guys doing here?" Dani asked, mentally thanking the Lord she didn't have to actually use the gun.

"Getting you. Do you realize your father was worried sick about you? Why would you sneak out at four in the morning?" Callen asked.

"I woke up and couldn't sleep so I went for a run".

"So that has nothing to do with the case files you stole from the office" Sam spoke up.

"How do you know that?" Dani asked.

"Your father found them in your room, why did you steal them? And don't say because you wanted to help". Callen accused.

"It was one of the guys, Seth Ryder. He goes to my school. I wanted to dig around a little on him" Dani offered.

"Dani we told you to let us handle it so let us handle it. We can't exactly do our job if we're trying to bust our asses to save yours"

"Is my dad mad?"

"What do you think?" Sam replied.

"I'm so grounded"

"Let's go"

They then took Dani back to the office and she kept her head down the whole time, in shame or because she was afraid she would never know. When they got to the Ops, Dani felt her heart rate increase a little just as she was about to face the music.

Once they got up to the office she looked over to her father and saw how worried she made him. He ran over to her crushing her to his chest and kissed her head, running his fingers through her hair again and again and again. Dani held onto her father when he broke it, he brought her somewhere private to talk.

"Dad, I'm sorry"

"Where were you Dani? Do you know how worried I was that something could have happened to you?". Deeks exclaimed.

"I woke up and couldn't go back to sleep so I went for a run. I was hoping to get back before you woke up, I didn't mean to freak you out,"

"Then why steal the case files?"

"I wanted to know what you found out about one of the guys. Seth Ryder. I know him".

"How?"

"He goes to my school, he's a quiet kid who keeps to himself. But something isn't right with him"

"What do you mean?"

"Everyday after school he disappears, then the next day at school it's like nothing ever happened". Dani said.

"Well he probably left for home right away?"

"That's the thing, everyone would stay a little while after school, it's normal. Ryder...the moment the bell rings he's up out of his seat. I don't even know if he goes to his locker,"

"We will look into him, Dani but this is the last time I'm telling you. Stay out of this case or you're grounded,". Deeks said.

"Not a problem". Dani said.

By 6 am Deeks had taken his daughter home so she could get ready for school and he could change. By 7:45 Dani had taken a shower, changed, and had her inhaler. Her father had driven her to school, not knowing if he trusted her to actually go. He didn't want to get yet another call about his daughter being at another crime scene. Once dropping her off he headed back to HQ.

"Alright Eric, from what Dani told me she was looking into one of her classmates. Seth Ryder, what can you get on him?". Deeks asked.

"Seth Ryder. 16 years old, has one older brother Jason Ryder. Parents divorced when Seth was 10. Mom got Seth, dad got Jason. He's a straight A student, on the debate team, student government, and the tennis team". Eric listed off.

"So why would Dani be looking into this kid? Seems like a good kid to me". Kensi said.

"Maybe but till then we keep investigating. He could be too good to be true" Callen said.

Eric then heard his computer and rushed over to it. "Guys LAPD are responding to another bombing in West Hollywood".

"Let's move". Callen said.

Dani kept looking around for her boyfriend Seth when she finally found him. They've been dating for a couple of months, and she couldn't believe that this is really Seth. Everyone used to silently make fun of him, but after an English project they had to work on together, Dani realized that the bullying was uncalled for. Seth is a really nice guy, and she's glad to have found him.

"Hey you". Dani greeted, as she walked up to him in the hallway.

"Hey Dani". Seth smiled. God, his smile was beautiful.

The two teens shared a quick kiss before Dani spoke up. "So are we still on for after school? I thought we could go to the mall, hang out and grab some lunch". She said,

"I can't get something to do after school". Seth said.

Dani sighed. "Seth we've been together for a while and I think it's time you met my dad".

The young teen's eyes widened a little. "No!" Seth voice slightly raised in pitch

This took Dani back a little. "I'm sorry D but i don't think that's a good idea". He calmed down.

"Why not?"

"Just trust me, yeah? It's not a good idea"

"Alright" Dani wasn't born yesterday. He was hiding something.

The two teens kissed again before going their separate ways again. Once the school day ended Dani had decided to follow her boyfriend to see where he was going. She tried not to be too obvious and when he looked back she would hide. Dani was the daughter of a detective. It wasn't in her nature to keep quiet. Always ask questions, her father taught her. And that was a valuable lesson.

The following continued until Seth made it to his destination and Dani had a confused look on her face. She was shocked at where she made it. This was a dangerous neighborhood. Dani felt slightly embarrassed that she didn't know where her boyfriend lived.

She kept following him till she found him talking to a group of men. She then saw Seth taking something she bailed out before she could get caught, she took a bus and continued the walk to NCIS where she knew her dad and the team was at the moment.

When she walked in the team wasn't there. She figured she would go up to Ops and talk to Eric and Nell about what she saw. When she went up she already saw one of the techs heading back. Dani hoped that Nell knew what to do.

"Aunt Nell, can I talk to you about something?"

"Sure Dani. What's up?".

"First I need you to promise not to tell my dad. He is going to freak"

The red-headed tech was getting confused. "Dani what's going on"

"The other day when I stole a file on someone and today I followed him. I didn't know what he was doing entirely but I saw him get something in a backpack and before I could get caught I bolted". Dani explained.

"Would it be the file on Seth Ryder?"

"Yeah. I stole it from school and took the case files from my dad's desk. I thought I could help figure it out. When I saw what Seth was doing I didn't know what to do I panicked and left. I really wanna help Aunt Nell, I just don't know how to tell my dad"

"Is there something else about him?"

"Yeah there is"

Nell waited until she spoke again. What she heard would be very shocking. "He's my boyfriend"