Season 2, Episode 1.

Tony's P.O.V.
"He slipped this into a stack of folders and told me to take the rest of the day off." The secretary in interrogation said, handing Gibbs a folded note.

"Forget your glasses boss?" I asked.

"Office under electronic surveillance," Kate read "can't leave. Jill and Sandy kidnapped." I inhaled sharply, one of them was probably a child. "Must transfer 2 mil to overseas account by 1800 or they die. Contact NCIS, no one else."

"Finally someone who appreciates us."

"If anything should happen to them. . ." The secretary continued, "I mean, she's just a little girl Agent Gibbs." My fingers curled into a fist at that.

It was a weekday, so I didn't expect an immediate answer back from her. It was unnecessary to text in the first place, but I had to make sure, I was too paranoid of a father not to. But it had been 20 minutes, and Ellie still hadn't replied to my text. I checked my phone again, just to be absolutely sure I wasn't just being dumb, and I wasn't, still no text back. The printer beeped 3 times as the sheet Kate needed finished, pulling my head back into the case.

"The Watsons live in McLean. There's no answer at the door and their daughter Sandy didn't show up to school this morning: says here she's blind." Kate informed.

The "Tony" from Gibbs told me it was my turn.

"I can confirm he's the comptroller for JSOC, office is in the A-ring of the Pentagon. Pulling up the schematic now."

"JSOC?" Kate asked.

"Joint Special Operations Command, they fund SMU. SMU stands for-"

"Special Military Units, I worked with a few of them when I was Secret Service." Kate kept talking to Gibbs about the legality of one transferring that kind of money over seas, and we went back and forth a bit before McGee brought up Trojans.

"DiNozzo, I want everything on Watson and his family by the time I get back." Gibbs directed, filling his gun.

"Where you going, boss?" I asked.

"To talk to Captain Watson."

"Wait, Gibbs," Kate interjected, "If they're watching him and you show up-"

"I'd better make sure they don't notice me."

Kate turned back to me in exasperation. "That is not a good call."

My phone dung as I replied to her worries. "Relax, you think Gibbs keeps that haircut to save on shampoo?"

Ellie

Were all 12 texts necessary?
I'm going to text you 12 times to make up for it
I hope you're working
So you get all of these at once
I hope Gibbs gets mad at you
Dad
Dad
Dad
Pe're'
Papa'
Hellooooooo
It's meeeeeeeeeeee
Pick up your phone
Answer
Come on
I'm bored
Come on
We have a sub right now
And Brocks at the dentist
Daaaaaaaaaaaad

oh my gosh ellie what the heck
that was more that 12
and yes ellie yes they were all nesicary
r u ok?

*necessary
But yep! All okie dokie over here
Why? You're not usually this paranoid

just a kid involved case love, checking in

aw, I love you too
Get back to it before Gibbs gets mad
Good luck!!
Please don't die

love you

"Who you texting?" McGee asked, looking over my shoulder. "Didn't you already date a girl named Ellie?"

"Aren't you supposed to be doing something productive McLoser?" He nodded, walking to the elevator so he could go help Abby.

"5 hours left Captain," the computerized voice inside the office said. "Read the tote."

"I've managed to isolate 900,000" Captain Watson replied.

"I'd move faster if I was you." I knocked 5 times, loud enough to make sure the camera picked it up. "You're learning. You may answer."

"Enter."

I walked through the door, closing it behind me. "Hey Cap'in. Got your sweet and sour with extra pineapples. Though you might want to change your order tomorrow, hear we're getting in some fresh duck." Clicking my tongue, I made a face at him.

"I'll just stick with the usual." He decided.

"Alright, 8.75 today. How's the family doing?"

"Fine, and you?"

"Still having trouble communicating with the girlfriend. I talk, she doesn't listen. But I got some custody rights finally, so it's working out a bit better." In his change, I handed Captain Watson the earwig, just like the ones we used to use in Boston. "What are you gonna do?" I cleared my throat, as extra as I could.

"Oh, yeah, sure, for you." He handed me a couple of bills back.

"Thanks Captain. See you tomorrow."

"Freeze. Open your lunch, show it to the camera. NOW." I heard from inside. Followed by a chuckle, and an enjoy.

I called Gibbs to let him know I'd finished the job, and got a 'good work' in return.

"Thanks boss, means a lot."

"NCIS doesn't work out, I hear General Wei's Chinese Restaurant is hiring." he hung up before I could reply, so I just sighed and closed my phone. "At least I'll get the sweet n' sour chicken free."

...

Watching the feed from MTAC as Captain Watson tried to negotiate for his daughters release was ridiculously hard. All we could do was sit and watch Watson panic for 40 minutes afterwards. It made me sick to my stomach. I couldn't imagine what he must be feeling, but I sure knew how much it must've hurt. I can't imagine.

I promised myself I'd never subject Ellie to a situation like that. She'd just replied to another panic text making sure she was okay, so I knew she was safe still. But I understood the worry, and the anxiety.

Suddenly Watsons phone started ringing again. "Answer your phone Captain" the computer insisted.

"Where is she, where's my daughter?"

"I said, answer the phone Captain." We watched him press speaker. . .

"Yes?"

"Daddy?" Sandys voice called from the phone. A fist grabbed my heart. I was all too familiar with scared, tear filled phone calls with distressed little daughters.

"Sandy," the relief breaking in his voice was audible. "Sweetheart, where are you?" Kates mouth was agape, and my fists were clenched.

"I don't know. He let me go, but he said. He said he'll kill mom if I tell anyone what happened." Sandy sobbed back.

"Tell me where she is." Watson hissed to the camera.

"Lorton Amtrak station." the computer replied, and I took off up the ramp out of MTAC.

"Tony what are you doing?!" Kate called quietly after me.

"You got your good faith gesture, now get back to work."

"Getting the kid." I replied shortly.

"My people are on their way Captain, tell her to stay where she is." Gibbs said, telling Kate to go with me.

"When I'm a mother, I'm never letting my kids out of my sight." Kate decided out loud as we reached the station.

"Yeah? How do you plan on doing that?" I asked, my head on a constant swivel, looking for the little girl.

"GPS locator strapped to the ankle, audio and video surveillance built into their clothes."

"No, I mean the part about becoming a mother."

Kate laughed wryly. "Funny. Area looks clear to me."

"Me too, let's go get that kid."

She was scrunched up next to the telephone box she'd used to call her dad, sobbing. "Sandy?" I asked calmly, kneeling down in front of her. "My names Tony,"

"And I'm Kate. We're NCIS agents, that stands for-"

"I know what it stands for," Sandy insisted. "They spoke at my school." I sat down next to her, gently lowering my arm around her shoulders. She didn't recoil but shrugged off her backpack, leaning into me a little. I drew small shapes on the shoulder farthest from me: it was something I'd do when Ellie was littler and scared.

"Well then you know that we're here to help you." Kate continued.

"Your daddy sent us, we know what happened to you and your mum, but you're safe now. Okay? I'll keep you safe."

Sandy sniffed. "I heard him."

"Heard who, honey?" Kate inquired, bending down to put a hand on Sandys rope bruised wrists.

"He didn't know it but I heard him." another sniff "He told my mom, he. . . he. . . he's gonna to make my dad suffer." Kate and I made eye contact at that.

...

"Well she's 8 and blind Ducky, I mean it's not a great help in a situation like-" Ducky held up a finger to cut Kate off there.

"Sandy, are you thirsty?" Ducky whispered.

"A little bit," She replied in the next cubical. "More just hot."

"I got this," I assured them, taking a rubber band off of my desk. "Oh wait, no, we don't like rubber bands." I grabbed the hair tie off of Kates desk. Reaching Sandy again, I took out her hair clips and left them on the desk. I pulled her hair off of her neck, and carefully braided it. I twisted it into a bun, and secured it with the hair tie.

I blew gently on the back of her neck, the ac being very broken, and her being very scared, the cool air would help. At least it helps Ellie when I do it.

"DiNozzo, since when do you know how to braid hair?" Kate asked.

"There's a lot you don't know about me Kate."

"But you only have one sister who's younger than you, and I doubt you could keep a girlfriend long enough for one of them to teach you."

"Shut it you two," Gibbs said "Sandy, can you tell us anything about the car you were driven in?"

"Well, it was a van, and there were no windows in back." She replied.

"How could you tell?" Kate prompted.

"Because I couldn't feel the sun on my face."

"What about the place he was keeping your mom? Anything unusual about it?" asked Gibbs.

"I dunno, I was real scared. And I could hear him taking to my mom and she was crying. . . and he kept on pulling my hair."

"It's okay Sandy, just tell us what you remember." Kate assured.

...

"I want her watching the live feed." Gibbs insisted.

Kate rebuttled by saying "Gibbs she's been traumatized enough."

"Yeah? How about growing up without a mother. . . Kate?" I bit the inside of my lip. I closed my eyes for a second, thinking about how Ellie was raised without a mother. But it was easier I suppose, at least a little, because she never knew her. Sandy already knows her mom, is attached, and loves her. Losing her now would be terrible.

"Tony you okay?" Kate whispered.

"No," I replied simply.

Watching Sandy listen to the live sounds from the room broke my heart. I took the first assignment that would get me out of that room. Jogging, I went to find the train station.

...

"Everything's gonna be alright now sweetheart, everything" Captain Watson assured Sandy when we reunited the little family.

"Kinda makes you think." Kate sighed.

"'bout what?" I hummed back.

"Having kids some day?"

"Yeah," I smiled to myself, "I don't think I could handle that." This case has really made me start to think about my relationship with Ellie. How I wouldn't've hesitated with anything, just like Captain Watson, I'd've done anything to get her back.

But all of the work, the hours we spent trying to track his wives location, I couldn't put Ellie though that. I needed a way to be able to find her fast. I'd find something. Figure something out.

"We did good today Gibbs." Kate said proudly as he re-entered the cubical.

"Did we now Special Agent Todd? Greyson doesn't have the smarts to be in this alone. We still have to find out who hired him.

"Not gonna get it from Greyson," I put in.

"Why not?" Kate inquired, "Get him to roll for a deal."

"I don't deal." Gibbs insisted.

"He doesn't deal?"

"Not when Greyson doesn't know who hired him." I informed with a half-smile.

The 5 hours Gibbs had us stay after to watch the money was enough to get the paper work for the case in. As much as I desperately wanted to go and see Ellie, I couldn't. I texted her again, to which I got a reply that sounded just like my daughter but my worries weren't satiated.

But when Gibbs told us the money was coming back here, my jaw locked in anger.

"Captain Watson." Gibbs said, pointing his gun right at him.

"Agent Gibbs," he replied. "It's not what you think."

"You're right it wasn't."

"You did this to your own family?" Kate asked incredulously.

To which Watson replied "No, no one was supposed to get hurt."

"Supposed to's a key word there. Cause they got hurt anyways didn't they Captain?" I 'asked', putting his hand in cuffs. "That tight enough for ya?" I squeezed the cuffs as hard as I possibly could.

"I can't believe this is happening. It was the perfect plan. Not even Greyson knew who hired him. How did you figure it out?"

"Next time, you might want to send your note to the FBI." Kate half-taunted.

"She's 8, Watson. 8 years old." I reminded him. "You did this to your blind daughter?"

"Look, you gotta understand. I needed the money because-" But Gibbs cut him off by violently pushing him up against the wall.

"Don't you dare, tell me that there's a reason for you throwing away what you had."

...

McGee put a stack of folders in his backpack and slung it over his shoulder. "Your network is up and operational now, so I'll be heading back to Norfolk." I loaded my gun. "I'll take that as a thank you" he decided.

"McGee," Gibbs said, entering teh cubical. "Where you goin'?"

"Uh, Norfolk."

"Well, I got some good news and some bad news. You've just been promoted to a full time field agent."

"Wha- well, that's incredible! What's th-"

"You belong to me now.

I watched the smile spread across McGees face, smirking along with Kate.

Kate said "Congratulations!" and approached him.

"Yeah, what she said." I agreed doing the same.

"Wait, so I-I'm one of you guys now, right? Uh no more, no more getting coffee, no more hazing?"

"Sure!" Kate and I said together.

"Right, well I just wanted to say, uh, that I never took it personal, and I really look forward to-" Kate and I cut McGee off with a double slap to the back of the head.

"You know, I could really get used to that." I mused, as a click told the building that the ac had finally been fixed.

...

As soon as Gibbs released us, I left for my car. She's 15, I know how capable she is, I taught her everything I know. But I still had to check. Even though she replied to my quick panicked texts between tasks I didn't trust it. And by now I needed physical proof. I'd seen the relief in her mums eyes when Sandy was returned to her parents. I wanted to feel that relief. Not the fake kind Captain Watson had.

I didn't even glance at the speed limit signs, taking a leaf out of Gibbs' book and just driving. I probably closed the car door too violently, unlocked the door in too much of a hurry (I put my office key in first), and should have locked the car. But I didn't care.

"ELLIE?!?!" I yelled as the door swung open, and then closed with a thud. "ELLIE, SQUIRT YOU THERE?!?!"

"Dad?" she called back, stepping out of the kitchen with a towel in her hand, eyes filled with concern. "Are you okay? Why are you yelling? What happ-"

"Ellie," I ran to her with my arms wide open, engulfing her in a gigantic hug. "You're okay." I breathed in relief.

"Why wouldn't I be?" she asked with a confused giggle, returning the hug nonetheless. "Oh you're so sweaty. You're so sweaty. Aah, dad, please. Dad, you're so- ugh. Did they boil you?? What happened? Ugh- so sweaty."

"Sorry," I muttered, chuckling, but not letting go. "I'll explain over dinner. Let me shower and I'll get started on it."

"Oh, okay! I'll go turn off the oven then. I was gonna make bagel pizzas but it is your night after all."

As fast as I possibly could I was clean again, smelling good and in the kitchen with Ellie.

"You wanna hear about my day?" Ellie asked, twisting back and forth like she did every night when she asked me this question.

"Yes!" I agreed, like I did every day. It's the highlight of my day as a matter of fact, my little daughter spewing all of the little events in her day made me so happy. After she told me about her day I'd tell her about mine.

As I laid down in bed that night I thought about what Kate had said about having kids, and how I'd replied.

'I don't think I could handle that'

I like to think I'm doing a pretty okay job with Ellie. Maybe not the best, maybe not spectacular, but pretty good. I think I'm a good dad for Ellie, I think we work well together. I would not be a good fit for most kids, but with Ellie it works. We're such an amazing team.

I truly do look forwards to our little conversations over dinner every night. Watching Ellie explain what she did in all 7 of her classes, talking with her hands. Sneaking out of work to go to orchestra concerts. Throwing snow at each other whenever it happened to be around. Shared hot cocoa around Monopoly. Feeling her body snuggle against mine as she tearily explained whatever it was stressing her out. Wall testing spaghetti doneness. Flicking wet fingers at each other.

Maybe I'm doing better than I think I am. . .

-Eliza