𝐍𝐎 𝐑𝐔𝐋𝐄𝐒 ━━ 𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐲 𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐨𝐳𝐳𝐨

FIFTEEN | obvious choice

"Morning, everyone. Brought some coffee."

"You are hilarious, Ev."

I drop my things at the desk, tossing Tony a new coat since Lee spilled coffee all over his other one.

"Any news about my daughter?" Lee runs up to me first from the opposite desk.

Tony hands me a post-it note with a phone number. "N.S.A. got a hit. They're downloading the footage now." His lips graze my temple. "How was the doctor's appointment?"

"It went well." Like a reflex, I lean into his touch. "Got some blood drawn, though."

"Sorry I couldn't be there. I was a little. . ."

"Caught up. I know."

Both of our glares are directed towards the sole person in charge of putting the entire team in thai situation: Agent Lee.

"D-Does Gibbs know?" She stutters under our stares.

"Know about what?"

The man himself enters the bullpen.

"Do they have something?"

Tony sits down at his desk. "We had something. The pickup man in perfect position before you blew it with the brew."

"He knows my routine. I felt I may have been compromised."

She helplessly turns to our boss.

"Look, I did my part. I made the drop. But I couldn't risk him seeing anything unusual."

"What do you know about him?" Gibbs shows her the surveillance photo he'd taken from their stakeout mission.

"Nothing." Lee shakes her head. "I only see him when he's expecting a drop at the cafe."

"Always the same guy?"

"He hides his face. I try not to stare."

The footage from N.S.A. comes in, located in Hickory Grove, Virginia. Although the man is never seen, the girl he's carrying couldn't be more obvious: Lee's little sister Amanda.

McGee retrieves the coordinates from where Amanda and her captor were last seen, and Gibbs sends me and Tony out to track her.

"Your appointment's coming up in two weeks." I snap pictures of the little girl's shoe and the footprint left behind.

Tony bags and tags the evidence. "The one where I have to use a cup to. . .?"

"It's just to make sure we're both healthy enough to. . .you know, start trying."

The miniscule thought of starting a family with the man I love develops a red tinge to the cheeks and neck.

"Dogs and babies. All we need is a white picket fence house, and we'll have the picture perfect life of our dreams."

"Tony —"

"Other than the fact that our lives are on the line every single day."

We unfortunately find ourselves lost while following the trail. But a quick call to McGee shows we're six miles away from our starting point.

The only thing nearby is an abandoned house.

"Three years ago, we were stuck inside a shipping container."

"I remember having to buy you another bra, yeah."

"There's definitely more to this room than what meets the eye."

Along the wall, I notice a pair of hinges. With guns raised in defense, Tony and I enter the room. . .a child's room.

"So I found our kidnapper."