Will You Take Care of Me?

Gone

"Team, what've you got?" Gibbs asked.

"Two of Jack's friends were married. One of them had a child." Ellie informed him.

"The kid's mother died six months ago, and I don't know where he went after that." McGee continued. "The other wife lives in Maryland. I've got an address."

"Alright. Torres, Bishop, go. McGee, keep trying to find out where the kid is."

"You think the kid kidnapped Sloane?" McGee sounded confused.

"Tim, I don't care how ridiculous it seems, we are going to turn over every rock and follow every lead until we find her. Everything. You hear me?"

"Loud and clear, boss."  As the team began to do what Gibbs told them, he headed up the stairs to Vance's office and walked in unannounced.

"Leon, have you found anything?"  Gibbs tried not to shout.

"Gibbs, I am doing everything I can.  So is your team. You know that.  I want Jack safe as much as you do, but getting information takes time."

"We don't have time, Leon.  We need to get her home."

"Gibbs, I know-"  Gibbs cut him off.

"No, Leon, you don't know."

"Gibbs, listen.  I know you are worried about your wife.  But Jack is a strong person, and she will get through this.  She will be okay.  I know she will."

"You don't understand.  We have got to find her.  I will not rest until we find her.  None of us will." He started to storm out of the room.

"Gibbs, wait."  Gibbs didn't even look back at him.  "Gibbs, that's an order!"  He came back and stood before his boss.

"What, Leon?"

"What would Jack tell you to do?"  Gibbs smiled a little when he thought about her.

"She would tell me that if I didn't take care of myself, I wouldn't be able to help anybody else.  But Jack isn't here, Leon.  That's the point.  We have to get her back."

"And we will, but you need to take her advice.  I know you aren't gonna sleep until she's found, but at least talk to someone.  You need to clear your head so you can think through how to find her."

"And who do you suggest I talk to?  You?  The one person I talk to about things isn't here."

"Dr. Grace is waiting in Jack's office."  Gibbs rolled his eyes, realizing he'd been set up.  He left without a word and headed to his wife's office.  When he walked in, Grace wasn't herself.  She didn't tease him, she didn't even call him Popeye.  Instead, she hugged him.

"Gibbs, I'm so sorry."  He nodded sadly.  He could've sworn there were tears in her eyes.

"It's my fault, Doc.  That day you were here, I let her leave.  I should have followed her."

"You can't blame yourself, Gibbs, you know that."

"Yeah, I can.  I didn't take care of her.  What kind of a husband am I?" He took a deep breath.  "....what kind of a father am I?"

***

When Nick and Ellie got in the car, he could tell something was off. "El, what's up?" She was lost in thought and didn't hear him. "B., are you okay?"

"Hm?"

"I asked if you're okay."

"Oh, yeah, yeah. I'm fine." Ellie stared out the window thinking again.

"What are you thinking about?" Nick wondered.

"A lot." She admitted.

"The call with your mom?"

"She told me something, Nick. Something I don't even know how to handle." He patiently listened to her. "Not long ago, I started remembering things.  I had memories of this woman, but I didn't know who she was.  I talked to my mom about it and that's when she told me about my birth mom."

"And that's why you had a fight?"

"My birth mom loved me, Nick, and I never knew that. I never even knew she existed." He looked at her understandingly. "I asked my mom to see if she could find her."

"And that's what the phone call was about?" His face was somber as he remembered what he had overheard from the phone call.

"According to records, she's dead." Ellie took a deep breath and looked away from him.

"I'm so sorry, El." She said nothing. They finally pulled up to the house and heard gunshots as they got out of the car.

"You take the front door, I'll take the back." She told Nick. They pulled out their weapons and took their respective positions.

"NCIS, open up!" Nick shouted. He heard another gunshot and kicked in the door. Looking around, he found a man lying behind a couch. "Hey Bishop, we got a body," he called. "Bishop?" When she didn't respond, he ran out and around back. "Ellie! Where are you?" He looked down to see drips of blood along the patio. "Ellie!" He screamed. He dialed Gibbs' number.  Before his boss could say a word, Nick whispered into the phone.  "Ellie... they took her... she's gone." As he said this, something hit the back of his head and everything went black.