Months earlier Kim had heard it through the grapevine that Diana would need someone to cover for her during her maternity leave. Since no one else would be available during what amounted to vacation season she had been encouraged to upgrade her security clearance. She had jumped at the chance, even if it meant suspending her medications for a while to pass the drug screening. She stopped them immediately and by the time she peed in a cup her system was clear.

It surprised her to find she hadn’t really needed all those meds anyway. All they did was numb her to the world, making it a gray, lifeless place that she passed through almost without notice. Her job performance hadn’t suffered any and since she felt fine most of the time, except for the occasional jumpiness, she had elected not to start popping pills again after her promotion was complete.

A hushed but heated conversation broke into her thoughts, echoing into the office from the hallway just outside the partially open door. Tense moments like these were the only times she longed for something to calm her nerves. Willing her body not to respond, Kim reassured herself that the problem had nothing to do with her.

"Boss, there’s no reason for us all to go down for this. It was my mistake. Let me take the heat," a frustrated tenor voice urged.

"Shut up, Dinozzo," another man ordered brusquely. "You were doing what I told you to do and that’s exactly what I’m going to tell Morrow. So no grandstanding and no heroics, do you hear me?"

Kim physically flinched. The words were far from abusive but the angry tone took her by surprise, sending her mind down a path she really didn’t want to follow. Taking deliberate, deep breaths she clenched her fists and closed her eyes, counting backwards from a hundred as she willed her racing heart to slow.

"We’re going to be late," a worried sounding female interjected, effectively cutting off the argument and bringing Kim’s attention back to the here and now.

For the third time in as many days Kim managed to fend off an impending panic attack without pharmaceutical intervention. By the time a very attractive man with silvered hair led a group of three into the office, Kimberly had her emotions firmly in check.

"Sit," the first man through the door barked at the other two, pointing to the elegant leather sofa before turning to Kim.

With a practiced mask of detachment Kim watched the younger man and the woman obediently seat themselves on opposite ends of the couch, and then met their leader’s cool blue gaze levelly. "Can I help you?" she asked, projecting a composed demeanor in spite of the trepidation his voice had triggered in her. There was no doubt the man was handsome, but Kim knew she would never like him. First impressions with her were everything and he had come across as intimidating and rigid, not unlike her own father, what she could remember of him anyway.

"I’m Special Agent Gibbs. This is Todd and Dinozzo," Gibbs pointed to each of the other agents in turn as he introduced them. Kim ignored the woman, but the attractive man caught her attention as he pretended to casually straighten his already straight tie. NCIS was rife with this standoffish, GQ type of man and she constantly had to remind herself why they were off limits.

"He’s expecting us," Gibbs added with a nod toward the director’s door.

"I’ll let him know you’re here," Kim replied, hitting the intercom. "Sir, Agents Gibbs, Todd, and, uh… I’m sorry, what was your name again?" she politely asked the good-looking guy on the couch just to put him in his place.

"Anthony Dinozzo," he replied forgivingly, making eye contact as he leaned forward with a dazzling smile. "You can call me Tony."

His eyes lit up when he smiled and Kim found herself momentarily lost in his gaze. Her mouth went dry and her mind blanked for a second, registering only the striking face.

"Ahem," Gibbs cleared his throat, interrupting her minor fugue.

"And, um, yes… Agent Dinozzo," Kim stammered as she dropped her head, feeling her cheeks flush at her slip in professionalism. She had expected cold indifference as usual, not blatant flirtation, something with which she had very little practical experience. Inwardly, she cursed herself for responding so readily to him. "Sorry," she muttered without looking up again.

"Don’t worry about it," Dinozzo replied almost smugly. "I get that a lot."

Gibbs harrumphed and Todd shook her head sadly. "Like he needed an ego boost today," she grumbled in a quiet aside, but Kim still heard her and it stung.

"No, I just meant that Dinozzo is a hard name to remember," Tony protested his innocence, his smile still confidently in place.

"Sure you did," Todd smirked.

"Send in Gibbs," came the abrupt request through the speaker.

"You can go in now, Agent Gibbs," Kim passed on the information before pointedly returning to her work.

Gibbs studied his subordinates for another second before moving towards the inner door. "Keep him in line," he instructed the female agent as he tapped on the door twice before opening it and disappearing inside.

Dinozzo quickly leaned forward to try to catch a glimpse of the director before the door closed. Agent Todd stared him down until he made a show of unbuttoning his suit coat and relaxing back against the cushion behind him as he stretched an arm out along the back of the couch towards her.

"Comfy?" Todd questioned sarcastically.

"Very," Dinozzo replied, nonchalantly lifting his right foot up to rest on his left knee. "You?"

"Not at all. How can you be so calm?"

"You haven’t been called on the carpet much, have you Kate?"

"I’ve never been called on the carpet. At least not until I met you guys," Todd exclaimed, punching Dinozzo hard on the handiest body part.

"You’ll get used to it," Tony assured with a maddening grin as he rubbed his battered knee. "Besides, you’re not even in trouble; you were just an innocent bystander."

"So a character witness then?"

"Oh crap," Tony gasped in mock alarm. "I am so screwed."

Kim surreptitiously watched the byplay between the agents, trying to gauge their gentle banter and easy rapport. Her overactive imagination kicked in and provided explicit details of what these two beautiful people got up to in their down time. She felt a surge of an old well-known hurt, a demon she thought she’d conquered long ago.

In one brief moment bright eyes and a brilliant smile aimed her way had done injury to her already jagged heart, even though she knew he hadn’t meant anything by it. Men like Anthony Dinozzo simply didn’t notice women like her. Kim knew she might as well be invisible next to his gorgeous partner. Jealousy was a brutal taskmaster and she hated the way it made her feel, burning her deep down inside. Suddenly she longed for her overly medicated numbness.

"I really don’t want to say the wrong thing and get you in trouble," Kate fretted, suddenly very serious.

"I’m already in trouble," Dinozzo noted as he brushed away a piece of barely noticeable lint from the cuff of his pants leg. "Look, don’t try to protect me, that’ll only make things worse. Just be honest."

"Tony…"

"Seriously, worse case scenario; Gibbs gets yelled at and I get canned. No biggie."

"Gibbs is not going to let that happen," Todd objected strenuously. "He’s been bending the rules around here for way too many years to let them fire you over something like this."

"Aw, Kate, you do care," Tony teased, batting his eyelashes at her.

"No I don’t," Todd responded with a small smile and another gentler slap to his leg, "It would just be really, really boring around here without you."

Both agents jumped when the much watched door opened and Gibbs poked his head out. "Kate," he called. "You stay," he instructed decisively, pointing at Dinozzo as he glanced once in Kim’s direction.

Kate patted Tony on the shoulder as she moved to the door, glancing back at him one more time as Gibbs ushered her into the director’s inner sanctum.

When the door once again closed, Kim unwittingly witnessed the remaining man’s bravado slip for an instant as he ran a hand over his face and sighed. "Sit, stay. What am I? A dog?" he grumbled under his breath as he thumped his elevated foot back to the floor. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, looking dejected as he studied the rug.

The vulnerable man behind the self-assured façade was even more appealing and Kim had to make herself turn away to keep from reaching out to him. She quickly shoved a lid onto the box of Diana’s possessions as she stood. Hefting the whole thing, she moved towards the row of tall filing cabinets, searching for the most out of the way spot for it until she could realistically dispose of it. Belatedly she realized the box was heavier than she’d estimated as she faltered when she tried to lift it to the top of the nearest filing cabinet. She startled violently when arms suddenly reached around her to take the weight of the box.

"Easy," Agent Dinozzo advised smoothly. "I didn’t mean to sneak up on you."

The clean, masculine smell of him triggered an unwanted and quite noticeable increase in her respirations. Kim couldn’t stop the tremors that suddenly racked her body, which seemed to have a mind of its own as it rebelliously leaned heavily against the solid chest behind her. "S… sorry," she stuttered, her breathing coming even more rapidly.

"S’okay. I got it," Tony assured cheerfully, easily sliding the box into place. "You could have asked for help."

When the arms retreated, Kim felt herself wilt with the loss. Her knees became embarrassingly weak and she actively began to hyperventilate as the delayed panic attack finally hit home.

"Hey," her unsuspecting hero called out, once again rescuing her by catching her arm and deftly maneuvering her back to her chair. "Are you okay?"

Unable to speak, Kim shook her head as he started going through her desk drawers. Finding her lunch he emptied the contents onto the desk and helped her crumple the edges of the bag and hold it over her mouth and nose.

"Slow deep breaths, Kimberly," he soothed, rubbing her back with his free hand. "That’s it."

Usually she couldn’t stand to be touched but found his hand warm and oddly invigorating so she didn’t pull away. The concern on his face was heartening, but remaining in such close proximity to him did nothing to help her regain her composure. It had been a long time since she’d been handled by a man and even longer since one had been so kind to her. Confused tears pricked behind her eyes as she slowly began to calm down.

"I’m sorry," she muttered in mortification, lowering the paper bag when she finally had the breath to speak. "I’m so embarrassed."

"Don’t be silly," Tony placated with a pat to her back. "What happened?"

"I don’t know," Kim lied unconvincingly as a single tear escaped and rolled down her cheek. "I suddenly felt dizzy… um, sick. There must be something going around."

"I’m glad to hear that," Tony joked, offering a box of Kleenex. "For a minute there I thought it was me."

Taking a tissue Kim wiped her face before accepting the already open Diet Coke he pressed into her hand. "Take small sips," he encouraged, still kneeling beside her.

"How did you know my name?" she asked, realizing he had called her Kimberly.

"I’m an investigator," Tony grinned, threatening to make her hyperventilate again. "That’s why I make the big bucks."

"Dinozzo," Gibbs growled in apparent irritation as he and Todd stepped out of the director’s office. "I should have known better than to leave you alone in an office with a woman."

"She needed help," Tony declared defensively, rising to his feet and refastening the single button on his jacket. "What was I supposed to do? Sit on the couch like a good little agent and let her pass out?"

"Are you alright, Miss Gordon?" Gibbs asked in concern when he noticed her pale face and shaking hands.

Remembering the nameplate she had placed on her desk just that morning Kim felt like a fool for even imagining that Tony had somehow instinctively known her name. She was surprised how quickly she had slipped back into her old habit of what Doctor Burke used to call ‘magical thinking’.

"Miss Gordon?"

"I’m better now," Kim managed, "Thanks to Agent Dinozzo."

"Tony," Dinozzo insisted.

"Tony," Kim repeated with a tiny smile, glancing up at him in adoration.

Gibbs sighed and rolled his eyes. "If you’re through being a boy scout," he thumbed over his shoulder indicating the open door, "Director Morrow would like to see you now."

"See ya later," Tony whispered, giving Kim’s arm a little squeeze as he turned to go.

"I’ll look after her," Kate assured, stepping over to the desk.

Dinozzo winked at her then squared his shoulders and followed his boss into the lion’s den.

"Is he in a lot of trouble?" Kim asked in a shaky voice as soon as the door closed.

"Well, the director didn’t seem too mad and the impending lawsuit looks like so much smoke and mirrors," Todd mused, slipping a hand down to cradle Kim’s wrist, inconspicuously taking a pulse. "I don’t think he really has anything to worry about."

"Poor Tony."

Kate laughed lightly. "Now don’t go feeling too sorry for him, he did handcuff a high-powered attorney and drag him kicking and screaming into the office. Men like that don’t take public humiliation easily, there are bound to be a few repercussions."

"Tony must be very brave," Kim replied, apparently still in a daze.

"Riiiight," Kate drawled with a frown. "How are you feeling now? Your heart rate is still a little high."

"No, I’m fine," Kim insisted, coming to her senses and tugging her arm away. "Low blood sugar, I’m better now."

Eyeing the diet soda suspiciously, Kate nodded and moved back to the couch. "Uh huh."

As much as she’d already begun to hate Agent Todd on general principle, Kim didn’t want anyone to dislike her. "I wasn’t flirting with your boyfriend," she couldn’t stop herself from blurting out at the sudden change in the other woman’s disposition.

"Boyfriend?" Kate asked incredulously. "Tony is not my boyfriend. Did he tell you that?"

"No! No, I just assumed… the way you two act together," Kim explained hastily. "I just thought…"

"Um, Kimberly, right?" Kate asked, clearly reading the placard. "Look, you don’t know me from Adam, but I do know Tony. I love him like a brother, but really, you don’t want to go there."

"He’s already got a girlfriend?"

"It’s hard to say on any given day," Kate hedged guiltily before taking a deep breath and plunging on with brutal honesty. "Tony’s a player."

"But he’s so sweet," Kim objected, irritated that this person dared to pass judgment on such a wonderful man. Suddenly it became clear; the agent was simply jaded because Tony had not been interested in a relationship with her.

"Yeah, he can be very sweet when he wants to be," Kate allowed grudgingly, "Or when he wants something. But he’s definitely a skirt chaser. You seem like a nice person. Don’t set yourself up for a fall."

With a self-effacing laugh Kim shrugged dolefully. "He wouldn’t be interested in me anyway."

"I wouldn’t say that," Kate replied. "It’s none of my business; just don’t expect too much if you do go out with him. He’s not the type to settle down. That’s all I’m saying."

Kim stifled her growing resentment and got back to work. "Thank you for your concern," she sniffed haughtily.

"No problem," Todd muttered dryly, realizing she might as well be talking to a brick wall.

A tense silence stretched out until at long last Tony came out of the director’s office shutting the door quietly behind him.

"How’d it go?" Kate whispered, eyes wide.

"Ouch," Tony proclaimed with a grimace. He turned around and raised his jacket to show off his rump. "Is there anything left?" he asked, looking demurely at Kate over his shoulder.

"Yeah, there’s plenty left, Tony," Kate assured with a small huff of relieved laughter, catching Kim’s appreciative glance out of the corner of her eye.

"Oh good, ‘cause we’ve been ordered to get our butts back to work and I wasn’t sure I had enough to do that."

"Good thing you had some to spare," Kate teased relentlessly.

"Watch it," Tony warned with a raised finger before turning toward the reception desk. "Kimberly, it was nice to meet you. I hope you feel better soon."

"I already do, thank you so much… Tony."

Tony pulled a business card out of his pocket and borrowed Kim’s pen. "If you ever need anything, you know, boxes moved or whatever, give me a call," he flirted as he scribbled the number of his cell phone on the back.

"I will," Kim breathed softly, accepting both the card and pen.

"Tony," Kate urged, glancing warily at the still closed door. "Gibbs probably meant now."

"I’m sure he did," Dinozzo agreed with a final grin before gesturing for Kate to precede him out of the office. "Bye."

"Bye," Kim called after him, waiting only seconds after he was gone to pull up his personnel file on her computer.

"So everything’s okay?" Kate asked as soon as the elevator door closed behind them.

Tony leaned against the wall and crossed his arms over his chest as he grinned wolfishly at her. "I should probably act wounded for a few days, just for show," he replied contentedly.

"So you didn’t even get a slap on the wrist." Kate wasn’t sure if she should be mad or thankful.

"Yeah, well… that. But it’s not like it goes in my record or anything," Tony shrugged. "Besides, Gibbs yells at me all the time, I’m used to it. Tom Morrow is a sweet-talkin’ devil compared to Gibbs."

"Speaking of sweet talking devils, what did you do to that poor woman?"

"Who?" Tony asked in genuine confusion.

"Kimberly Gordon."

"I didn’t do anything to her," Dinozzo denied, straightening up. "Why? What’d she say?"

Kate huffed impatiently. "She didn’t have to say anything. My God, Tony, you had the poor girl tied up in knots with just one smile. I guess some women really do fall for that greasy Dinozzo charm."

"Hey," Tony protested. "I resent that."

"I can’t believe you gave her your number."

"She won’t call. She’s not the type."

Kim turned the card in her hand over and over until it was ragged and torn. The smeared ink was unreadable but it didn’t matter because the numbers were already permanently embedded in her brain. She wanted to call but it was after midnight now as she’d already been trying to screw up her courage for hours. Finally giving in to the urge she picked up the phone and dialed the first six digits as she had done dozens of times before.

"Shut up," Kim sighed resignedly as she made her decision.

Swallowing hard she hit the last number and closed her eyes as she tentatively held the phone to her ear. It rang once, twice. By the third ring she was ready to hang up when a sleep muffled voice answered.

"Dinozzo."

Not daring to breathe, Kim pictured him dreamily with his tousled hair and a generous five o’clock shadow. But the words she had practiced wouldn’t come as an unbidden image of a slender arm slinked across Tony’s bare chest on his make-believe bed, the unspoken ‘who is it?’ echoed in her mind.

"Hello?" Tony asked, sounding more awake this time. "Kimberly?"

Dropping the phone in near panic, Kim scrambled to shut it off. How the hell how she forgotten caller ID? Of course Tony would have it, everybody had it. But it didn’t really matter because she had heard his voice and that was enough. It was. It would have to be. But it wasn’t. She already felt the compulsion growing to do it again.

"Shut up!" Kim shrieked, throwing the phone against the wall hard enough to ensure that Tony Dinozzo would sleep undisturbed for the rest of the night.

"Can I help you with something, Miss Gordon?"

Kate quickly lifted her eyes from the file in front of her at the impatient tone in Gibbs’ voice. So it hadn’t escaped his notice that the director’s secretary had suddenly found a multitude of reasons to be in their work area off and on all week. No surprise there, nothing got past him.

Tony had told her about the spat of strange late night phone calls but she wasn’t sure if he had mentioned them to Gibbs. She suspected the fact finding mission he’d sent Dinozzo on down to Cherry Point yesterday had been his attempt to cool off the impending office romance. Except there was nothing romantic about it, it was just creepy and bizarre.

Kimberly never actually approached Tony, just hovered around him like a lovesick puppy, bolting whenever he got too close. The game, along with a distinct lack of sleep, was slowly driving Tony insane. If it wasn’t for her profiler’s instincts which screamed that the woman was seriously off her rocker, Kate might have found the situation humorous. Something told her Gibbs felt the same way.

"Are you lost?" Gibbs questioned further when he didn’t get an answer.

"I… uh, no," Kimberly stammered, clearly intimidated. "I have something for Agent Dinozzo."

"He’s out. I’ll take it," Gibbs volunteered, making the friendly words sound a lot like an order.

Obviously caught out in the open without a fallback plan, Kim faltered for a second before submissively handing over the note and then rushing for the stairs without looking back.

"That was a little harsh," Kate remarked, inwardly hoping Gibbs had scared the girl away for good, but somehow doubting it.

Gibbs grunted but didn’t otherwise comment as he opened the sealed envelope.

"Gibbs! That’s private," Kate exclaimed. She nevertheless rounded her desk to look over his shoulder as he slipped out the folded piece of paper. "What does it say?"

"It says ‘I’m sorry. I can’t help myself.’," Gibbs read before offering it to her. "It’s typed. How efficient."

Kate frowned and took the note, reading it herself. "Gibbs, I realize that Tony can take care of himself, but there’s something you ought to know..."

"In addition to the phone calls, she’s started following him home at night," Gibbs interrupted, sounding uncharacteristically uneasy as he tugged the message out of her fingers and carelessly stuffed it back into the envelope.

"How do you know that?"

"Because I followed her." Gripping Kate’s elbow, Gibbs steered her back to her desk and leaned in a little closer as he spoke quietly. "See what you can find out. Unofficially."

With a silent nod Kate settled in and got to work as Gibbs tucked the flap into the envelope and then taped the whole thing to Dinozzo’s monitor.

It was a beautiful day for a late lunch outside so Dinozzo went along peacefully when Abby kidnapped him and Kate from the bullpen. Especially since things were slow and Gibbs was tied up in meetings for the rest of the afternoon. With Gibbs out of the office Kimberly had been particularly bothersome in her own phantom of the opera, hanging out on the periphery kind of way.

After sneaking out the back of the building and a quick run to the closest burger joint the three escapees hid in plain sight, settling on a bench in the nearby park to eat. Having been unusually busy and feeling out of the loop, Abby gleefully claimed the spot between the two agents to catch up on things and confirm or deny the office gossip. When his cell rang Tony exchanged an aggravated look with Kate over Abby’s bent head as she started in on the oversized soda she’d purchased in lieu of food.

"Not the type to call," Kate parroted her current favorite ‘I told you so’ line as her partner stopped unwrapping his double cheese-burger and rapidly answered his phone.

"Kim, we need to talk. Please don’t hang up," Tony requested urgently as the display went out. "Dammit," he grumbled, setting aside the now hated piece of technology in favor of his lunch.

"Who’s Kim?" Abby inquired of Kate with interest as she swung her feet. "Not the chick from the director’s office who’s after Tony?"

"Yep," Kate assured, popping the plastic top off her slightly wilted salad and adding a generous dose of fat-free French dressing.

"Wow. I’ve never been a witness to a stalking before."

"She’s not stalking me," Tony objected irritably, taking an unenthusiastically bite of his burger.

"What do you call it? She’s made your life a living hell for almost two weeks." Kate stopped talking long enough to sniff the dressing. She made a face, but ate a forkful anyway. "I don’t know how she keeps her job. Her obsession with you is bound to cut into her work schedule."

"Have you told her to stop calling?" Abby asked the obvious question.

"I’ve tried but she won’t talk to me," Tony retorted unhappily. "Ironic, isn’t it?"

"Of course she won’t talk to you," Kate put in, dabbing at her mouth with a paper napkin. "If she doesn’t talk to you then you don’t have the opportunity to reject her. Apparently she’d rather worship you from afar than take the chance you might dump her."

Abby pondered the situation for a second, still kicking her feet. "You could change your number."

"That won’t do any good," Kate shook her head. "Little Miss Gordon has access to that kind of information. If he changes it she’ll just look up the new one."

"And you can’t turn your phone off either," Abby commiserated. "Gibbs would love that."

"I know," Tony sighed, "But it’s not just the phone calls. Last week she started following me around with a digital camera and I think she’s even slept in her car outside my apartment building a couple times. She runs off every time I try to corner her."

"The girl has issues," Kate agreed, still steadily devouring the flaccid greens, picking out the odd bit of onion. "I profiled her."

"You did?" Tony and Abby asked in the same breath.

"What’d you come up with," Tony questioned further, nibbling on his fries but paying close attention.

"I’m guessing childhood trauma, possibly abuse," Kate reported succinctly. "She probably has father issues because I’m sure she doesn’t relate well to men in general."

"That’s cliché," Tony pointed out with a fry.

"Clichés are clichés for a reason," Abby countered, helping herself to Kate’s discarded onion slices.

"I know it’s not very helpful," Kate admitted ruefully. "I think it’s time for you to report her to Director Morrow."

"I just want her to leave me alone. I’d hate to mess with her job."

"Tony, she’s definitely got some obsessive/compulsive tendencies and I’m not so sure it stops there. If she didn’t hold a security clearance I’d think she had a history of serious mental illness because you don’t get that wacky overnight. But I checked her out myself and I couldn’t find anything either."

"You didn’t have to do that," Tony responded, obviously touched by the gesture. "Thanks."

"You’re welcome. And Gibbs made me do it."

"Oh."

"I’d love to get a peek at her hard drive," Abby suddenly laughed as she thought about the camera. "Anything shirtless you think?" she asked, leering at Tony playfully to lighten the mood.

"Abby," Tony choked out around a mouthful of food. "Please, I’m eating."

"Yeah, you want to keep it in your mouth?" Kate admonished, brushing imaginary crumbs off her sleeve.

"I know I can’t spray that far," Dinozzo disputed grumpily. His phone rang again and he checked the display. "Surprise, surprise, it’s her again."

"Let me talk to her," Abby volunteered, snatching the cell away before Tony could answer it. "Tony’s Massage Parlor," she purred huskily into the mouthpiece. "We never rub you the wrong way!"

The light stayed on but there was dead silence on the other end. "Helllloooo!" Abby prodded.

"Who is this?" a startled female voice demanded after another minute of the silent treatment.

"Who is this? No wait, I know who you are. I want to know why you’re harassing Tony."

"Give me the phone," Tony requested, reaching out his hand but coming away with a Big Gulp instead of a Motorola. "Abs," he warned as she got to her feet and walked away a few feet.

"Look, Kim, if that is your real name, I’ll make it simple; if you’re not going to talk to him, then stop calling."

Plopping down Abby’s drink and the remains of his lunch Tony followed as Abby continued to taunt the increasingly angry woman on the other end of the phone. She dodged and weaved but Tony eventually got his arms around her and squeezed.

"Tony!" Abby squeaked breathlessly.

"Gimme the phone."

"No!" Abby laughed, struggling in his grasp as she held the object of his desire at arms length. He slowly reeled her in until he had both of her arms pinned against her chest. "Oh, Tony… I like it," she giggled.

"You would," Tony smirked as he finally grabbed the cell phone and released her.

"Would you guys stop?" Kate scolded, glancing around to see if anybody had witnessed the spectacle.

"Kim, please talk to me," Tony pleaded before the display went dark.

"There she goes," Kate said, abruptly rising to her feet and pointing up a little rise along the path, having spotted the sun’s reflection off a camera lens.

"She’s here?" Tony asked, jerking his head in the direction of Kate’s outstretched finger. "I’ll see you back at the office, I’m gonna catch her and settle this once and for all," he called back over his shoulder as he took off at a run.

"I don’t think that’s a good idea," Kate protested loudly to his disappearing back. "What about your lunch?"

"You think he’ll catch her?"

"I hope not," Kate worried. "I really think this should be handled through official channels."

"Maybe he should call the police," Abby pondered as she sat back on the bench and picked apart Tony’s burger for the pickles and popped them into her mouth one by one before going after a half-eaten piece of tomato.

Kate shook her head. "As strange as it may seem, she hasn’t broken any laws. Tony needs to file an internal harassment complaint."

Abby licked the ketchup off her fingers thoughtfully. "He won’t do that. He’d never live it down."

"Well he needs to get over his pride and do it before something bad happens." Kate gathered up the detriments of their meal and stuffed them back into the bag.

"Bad as in a rabbit stew kinda way?"

"Yeah."

"So, Caitlin," Abby deviled in her best Ducky imitation, "You’re suddenly terribly protective of young Anthony."

"He’s my partner," Kate protested lightly as she carried the trash to the nearest receptacle and started back down the trail towards the car.

"Ha!" Abby scoffed as she jumped up and jogged a few steps to catch up. "Your mouth says no but your eyes still light up when anyone mentions the words ‘Gitmo’ and ‘iguana’ in the same sentence."

"You forgot ‘chair’, Abby," Kate laughed. "That’s key."

"Damn those sensible shoes," Tony swore as he stopped at an intersection to look around and catch his breath.

Kim’s head start had been substantial but he had caught up fairly quickly. Unfortunately what the girl lacked in speed she made up for with sneakiness. She’d doubled back at least half a dozen times, taking them further and further away from the park until they were now engaged in an urban game of cat and mouse. A game Tony couldn’t help but suspect she was enjoying. After all, she had his undivided attention and still didn’t have to talk to him. Every time he thought he’d lost her for good she’d make her presence known and the chase would begin again.

Giving up, Tony checked his watch and pulled out his phone to see if Kate would come get him. It rang before he could dial and he glanced at the display with disgust before hitting the talk button. "I’m done," he declared angrily. "From now on Morrow can handle this." It gave him a surge of satisfaction to hang up on her for a change.

Raising his head when he heard his name, Tony wasn’t surprised to find his prey standing on the corner across the busy street. With a huff of annoyance, he pointedly turned his back on her and called Kate.

"Are you okay?" Kate asked without preamble as soon as she answered. "You’ve been gone for half an hour."

"I’m a little frustrated about now, but I’m okay," Tony grumbled. "Can you pick me up?"

"Where are you?"

Tony supplied the address of the budget hotel on Kim’s side of the street and turned just in time to witness her withdraw into the lobby.

"I’ll be there in fifteen minutes," Kate promised and promptly disconnected.

"I’m really getting tired of women hanging up on me," Tony muttered as he pocketed his cell and cautiously trotted across the street, hopeful to catch Kimberly unaware.

An aging bellhop chatted up the female desk clerk, otherwise the undersized lobby was empty. Tony flashed his badge wordlessly and moved to the stairwell where the heavy metal door was slowly closing itself on an automatic hinge. He pushed it a little further open and peeked into the dimmer interior, careful not to make any noise. Footsteps echoed up the concrete steps above him and he figured Kim was headed to the roof of the two story building to take more pictures.

Stepping inside, he leaned against the door until it closed with a dull click. "Gotcha," he whispered, climbing the stairs stealthily. By the time he reached the second floor landing he could hear Kim pounding on the door at the top. Satisfied that she wasn’t getting away this time he leisurely continued upward, stopping a few steps below her. She growled at the door in frustration, giving it an ill-advised kick before giving up.

"Hi," Tony said casually when she turned around and found herself face to face with him.

Kim shrieked and stumbled, almost falling as she rapidly backed away.

"Now, now," Tony chided. "Don’t be that way. I thought you liked me."

In a fit of desperation Kim threw herself against the horizontal bar on the exit but once again it refused to open. With a frenzied cry like a trapped animal, she pounded the door with both fists.

"Should that be unlocked? There might be a fire code violation here somewhere," Tony offered wryly, placing one hand on the wall and one on the painted metal rail to cut off any possible escape attempt. "It’s about time we had a chat, don’t you think?" Kim froze in place but didn’t turn around.

Her shoulders began to shudder but Tony couldn’t tell if it was with silent sobs or hyperventilation or something else entirely. Kim thumped the door one last time before retreating into the corner of the landing as far as she could go, still turned away from him.

"Look," Tony sighed, the anger suddenly draining out of him at the pitiful sight, "I know you don’t want to hear this. Kate explained it to me and she’s pretty smart when it comes to stuff like this. She said if you don’t talk to me I can’t reject you. Is that what this is about?"

Not wanting to have this particular conversation any more than Kim, Tony thought of retreating as he waited for an answer but he bit the bullet and forged ahead anyway. "It’s not like I’m dumping you. We never had a relationship to start with."

Kim’s only reaction was to crowd even deeper into the corner, looking for all the world like a naughty schoolgirl being punished.

"You know, there are probably a lot of big, hairy spiders in that dark corner," Tony pointed out, allowing himself an evil grin when she jumped back a little, proving that she was at least listening.

"Kimberly, I’m really sorry if I did anything to lead you on, I didn’t mean to. I didn’t know you had… problems." Tony held up his hands in supplication when Kim spun around and glared at him with wild eyes.

Just as quickly as it had come her fury broke and tears suddenly streamed down her face. She didn’t speak as she lowered her gaze, looking crushed as she clutched her camera to her chest.

"Aw, Kim, it’s not you. I don’t even know you," Tony breathed regretfully. He really hadn’t wanted to make her cry. "We never had a chance. I know it’s not your fault, but your actions lately haven’t been normal. You need help." He reached out as Kim tentatively took an awkward step towards him.

"That’s it," Tony encouraged with a gentle smile which faded gradually as he began to realize she wasn’t only moving closer to him, but nearer to a two story drop as well. Her eyes gave her away as her glance darted to the handrail.

The door below opened and a baritone voice called up to them. "Police! What’s going on up there?"

Tony moved without thinking, taking a glancing blow to the temple as Kim hurled the camera at him and tried to bolt over the railing. He took her down easily but keeping her down proved more difficult as she fought savagely, howling with feral outrage and frustration. Blood from his head wound ran into his eyes and dripped freely onto the smaller body beneath him, spread wide by her struggles.

Multiple footsteps pounding up the stairs added to the din but Tony was too preoccupied to acknowledge them. Unexpectedly there were hands on his back and arms, roughly pulling him back.

"Don’t let her get to the rail," Tony shouted, refusing to let go. "She’s trying to jump!"

Kim’s eyes met his and for a split second he saw nothing but calm, cold hate. "Rape," she whispered hoarsely.

"What?" Tony exclaimed, releasing her as if he’d been burned. Stunned, he allowed one of the uniformed policemen to yank him to his feet to stand with his weight unevenly distributed between two steps in the suddenly overcrowded stairwell.

"Rape," Kim repeated a little louder, hugging herself and using her feet to push back into the corner of the landing. "Rape! RAPE!"

"No," Tony denied, cut off when he was slammed face first into the wall and manhandled into position to be frisked.

"Gun!" the first cop warned his partner and a 9 mil rapidly appeared inches from Tony’s head while his own weapon was stripped away.

"I’m NCIS," Tony explained to the cement wall. "Don’t leave her alone," he added, trying to turn his head enough to make sure Kim was still in the corner. He couldn’t see her but her screams and sobs and panicked cries of rape helped him to get a fix on her position.

One arm was jerked down and behind his back and Tony felt the cool metal ring of a cuff tighten around his wrist. He cooperated as best he could when his left arm was pulled down as well and linked to his right.

"You’re making a mistake," Tony said. He attempted to keep a level head when they turned him around and he caught sight of the hysterical, bloody Kimberly, the very epitome of a victim. "That’s my blood, I didn’t hurt her."

"Get him out of here," a female detective ordered the other two cops as she climbed past them towards Kim. "Hey there," she said gently as she knelt down in front of her. On cue, Kimberly turned the tears up a notch.

"Watch her," Tony warned over his shoulder as he was heavy-handedly assisted down the stairs. "She’s unstable."

"Asshole," the woman muttered, glancing back at him. By the time she turned back to Kim all traces of the brief spat of remorse were gone.

Kate’s earlier unease returned in spades when she spotted a black and white and an unmarked police car as she pulled into the motel parking lot. In the distance she could hear an ambulance siren that was quickly getting closer. She jammed the car into park and left the door open as she sprinted for the lobby. "NCIS," she identified herself to the bellhop/handyman who the officers had tasked with watching the door.

"Sorry, ma’am, the cops said nobody in or out."

"I’m with them," Kate insisted, showing her badge.

"Yeah, that fella that chased the girl up the stairs had one of those too. I hear you can buy ‘em at any good novelty store," the man replied, clearly unimpressed.

"Just tell me what happened," Kate pressed, stepping out of range of his foul-smelling breath.

The man’s demeanor shifted from indifference to someone eager to pass on a dirty little secret. "Well the girl comes runnin’ in, see? She’s all sweaty and tore up like the devil his self is after her. We don’t say nothin’ when she slips into the stairwell ‘cause the man rushes in and goes up after her," he paused as a frazzled tourist approached the door. "Sorry, sir, I can’t let you in right now. We’ve got us a little problem," he explained pointing to the haphazardly parked police cars.

"Come back later," Kate urged, patiently shooing away the interloper as politely as she could.

"But I’ve got to go to the bathroom," the man exclaimed.

"There’s a Mexican restaurant right down the road," the bellhop informed him, waiting a beat for the distressed man to move on before picking the story up right where he left off. "Anyways, a few minutes later we hear the first scream. Carla over there called 911 and told ‘em we got a rapist posin’ as a cop in the building. She wanted me to go up there but I didn’t. That was a pretty big boy and I ain’t no hero. But that was okay ‘cause by the time that woman really went to screamin’ the cops was already here."

"You didn’t hear any gunshots did you?" Kate asked apprehensively as the ambulance arrived and pulled under the covered drive in front of the checkin area.

"No ma’am, just a whole lotta hollerin’ and carrying on."

A door inside the lobby opened and Kate could see a cuffed and bleeding Dinozzo being led out by a couple of uniforms. "Tony!" she called out, pushing her way in.

"Hey!" the impromptu door guard squawked in protest.

"This man is Anthony Dinozzo, he’s an NCIS agent," Kate informed the policemen, sticking her own badge determinedly in the closest face.

The other cop opened Tony’s wallet and examined his ID. "Yeah, that’s what this says, too."

"That’s what I tried to tell them," Dinozzo explained, squinting and blinking as a persistent stream of red slowly trickled into his eye. "Things were a little tense up there."

"What did they do to you?" Kate questioned, digging a Kleenex out of her pocket and pressing it to his forehead to stem the flow of blood. "Officers O’Connell and Roth," she read their nametags accusingly.

"We didn’t lay a hand on him," Roth, the baby faced cop denied vehemently.

"See? Appearances can be deceiving," Tony retorted with a hiss as his overexcited friend pressed a little too hard on his injury. "Calm down, Kate, these guys are just doing their job. Kimberly played it up really well."

"So what happened to your face?"

"You-know-who clocked me with her camera."

An EMT opened the back of the ambulance and started to pull out the stretcher. "Hold up, Mike," the older cop, O’Connell yelled through the open lobby door. "Both subjects are going to be ambulatory I think."

The paramedic nodded and reached in for a large tackle box instead as his partner joined him and they entered the building together, zeroing in on the blood. "Have a seat," Mike instructed Tony, indicating the small, vinyl-covered couch with his hand.

"Just a sec," O’Connell said as he fished out his handcuff key. "If you make a run for it, Mr. NCIS, I am going to shoot you," he informed Dinozzo as he freed first one hand and then the other.

Kate removed the now sodden tissue and backed away slightly, glaring at the policeman.

Tony laughed as he rubbed his wrists and moved to the couch as requested. "Who does he remind you of?"

"You? Or Gibbs," Kate supplied unhappily. "I knew this was going to happen."

Tony winced at Kate’s words or the gloved fingers probing around his wound or possibly a combination of the two. "You can tell me I told you so later, okay?"

"I will," Kate agreed solemnly, looking grateful when the EMT relieved her of the bloody mess in her hand. "What happened?"

"Do I need to read him his rights?" the rookie cop asked, looking to his partner for guidance.

"Am I still under arrest?" Tony asked in surprise.

"Technically, yeah," O’Connell persisted, "At least until we can get to the station and sort this whole thing out."

"Did you lose consciousness?" Mike inquired as the other paramedic took Tony’s blood pressure.

"No," Dinozzo denied, flinching as the man shined a light in first one eye and then the other.

"Any nausea? Dizziness?"

"No, just a little headache."

"Is he gonna live?" O’Connell asked dryly.

"He needs a couple stitches, but it can wait a few hours," Mike decided as he applied a small pressure dressing to the wound then peeled off his gloves. "You want a wet wipe?" he asked Tony as he dug out a round plastic canister and popped the top.

"Yeah, thanks," Tony replied, tugging one out to clean his hands.

"Can I just…" Kate motioned to the container and took one as well at Mike’s nod. "Hold still, Dinozzo, you’re a mess."

Tony grumbled a protest under his breath but allowed Kate her aberrant foray into over-protectiveness, shooting a sheepish look in the cops’ direction as she quickly cleaned his face.

"Feel better now?" Tony groused.

"Actually, I do. Thank you," she muttered to the grinning medic who offered her another wipe for her own stained fingers. When she finished he took both of the soiled ones, as well as Tony’s, and disposed of them in the same red bag where the tissue had gone.

"How sweet," O’Connell commented drolly. "So you want to go to the hospital or the station?"

"Station," Tony said decisively as he got to his feet with a nod of gratitude to the EMTs. "Let’s get this over with."

The veteran officer fingered his handcuffs for a minute before putting them away. "In the interest of inter-departmental cooperation…"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. I’ll be good," Dinozzo promised as he allowed Roth to take him by the elbow and steer him out past the smirking bellhop.

"You have the right to remain silent…"

"Tony," Kate interrupted as she followed them, shooting a dirty look at the motel employee. "Are you sure you shouldn’t go to the hospital first?"

"I’m fine, Kate. But I’d appreciate it if you’d to go to the ER and keep an eye on Kimberly. Push for a psych eval. I think she’s suicidal."

"I should come with you," Kate argued, following them out into the parking lot.

"No offense, Kate, but I’d rather have Gibbs down at the station," Tony requested as they reached the car and the back door was opened for him.

"Yeah, okay," Kate gave in reluctantly as he ducked inside, knowing as well as Tony did that Gibbs had far better contacts within the police department than she did. "I’ll call him."

"Can I finish please?" Roth requested irritably as he joined Dinozzo in the car.

"Knock yourself out, rookie."

"God help me if I should ever have a female partner," O’Connell declared as he got in on the driver’s side and started the car.

Kate resisted the urge to tell him off and hit speed dial instead. As the car pulled away Tony waved at her and smiled reassuringly but she was sure he was faking it.

"Gibbs," came the answer on the first ring, a sure sign he was still wrapped up in a boring meeting.

"Gibbs! They’ve arrested Tony," Kate explained rapidly. "I think Kimberly Gordon played the sexual assault card."

"Where’d they take him?"

"To the local precinct… Gibbs?" Kate glanced down at her phone in disbelief. "He hung up on me."

When she raised her head the paramedics were already at the back of the ambulance putting away their gear. Kimberly walked out of the building on her own with a motel bedspread wrapped around her shoulders. She was disheveled and had streaks of dried blood on her face and in her hair but otherwise appeared unharmed and chillingly composed. A middle-aged black woman with a gold shield and a gun on her belt escorted her while keeping a wary distance.

"Kimberly," Kate greeted coldly, earning an odd look from the policewoman.

Kim ignored her and moved straight to the ambulance. "Don’t touch me," she warned Mike as she climbed in.

"I know. You don’t have to tell me twice," Mike replied as he followed her inside. "You coming with?" he turned to ask the detective.

"She’ll be okay, I’ll meet you there."

Kate waited until the doors were closed before turning to the other woman. "I’m Agent Todd, NCIS. I have some information you might find helpful."

"Detective Hampton," the cop introduced herself, accepting Kate’s outstretched hand for a firm shake.

Kim leaned forward and glowered through the back window, never taking her eyes off them as the ambulance pulled out.

"That’s one strange cookie," Hampton replied, shaking her head. "I’m beginning to think there’s more to this than meets the eye. You want to ride with me? We can talk on the way."

"Um, one thing first," Kate replied as she looked back towards the lobby. "Tony said Kimberly threw her camera at him. Did anyone recover it?"

"That’s the first I’ve heard about a camera."

"Let’s see if we can find it," Kate suggested, leading the way back inside.

Hampton checked her watch and followed. "Make it quick. That girl’s gonna run if I don’t get there soon."

Captain Bill Haverstad got a glimpse of gray hair determinedly moving down the hall and knew the moment he’d been dreading had arrived far sooner than he would have thought possible. "Gibbs," he called, rushing out to run interference for his own team.

Gibbs stopped dead in the middle of the busy hallway and spun on him. "You’ve got one of mine and you didn’t call me?"

"Easy, Jethro," Haverstad placated. "He’s only been in the building for fifteen minutes and well, you’re already here."

A slight narrowing of the piercing blue eyes was his only answer.

"I was picking up the phone to call when I spotted you tearing down the hall like a cruise missile. You can’t blame me for this. Blame your boy for getting in over his head."

"What’s he charged with?" Gibbs inquired icily.

"Nothing at the moment," Haverstad supplied spreading his hands in a reassuring gesture, "The girl’s not talking other than the initial accusation and I thought we should get his side before things went too far. He hasn’t even been booked yet."

"Where is he?" Gibbs asked, his tone a little less hostile.

"They’ve got him down in interrogation," Haverstad started, stopped by Gibbs renewed glare. "I didn’t want to put him in a holding cell, all right?" he hastened to add.

"I want to see him. Now."

"He waved his rights to an attorney and he’s already giving his statement. Let him finish before you go busting in like the cavalry."

"That all depends on what I see when I get there," Gibbs advised as he altered his course for the closest elevators.

"You’re walking a fine line, Gibbs," Haverstad warned as he followed, dodging the slower moving traffic along the corridor.

"We’re talking about a man’s career here," Gibbs countered, stopping only when he reached his goal.

Haverstad caught up, breathing heavier than he should have been, deciding maybe he should get out from behind his desk more often. "Don’t expect any special treatment if he’s guilty…"

"He’s not guilty."

"You don’t know what happened."

"No, but I do know Dinozzo," Gibbs assured as he pressed the down button.

Kate paced the hall still clutching the evidence bag with the shattered camera in it, exchanging occasional glances with Detective Hampton as she used a corner of the nurse’s station to write up what little of her report she could. Finally the door she’d been watching opened and a physician came out.

"Well?" Kate asked as she cut off the woman’s retreat, aware of the detective arriving beside her.

"She doesn’t appear to be in any physical distress," the doctor responded in the vaguest of terms, "but it’s hard to tell since she won’t let us touch her. I honestly don’t think she’s hurt. Her clothes are intact even though there’s a lot of dried blood on her upper body. But as I understand from the paramedic’s report her attacker was injured and I’m assuming the blood is his."

Bristling, Kate took a deep breath to calm down and not defend Tony. "But you can’t prove or disprove anything if she won’t consent to an examination."

"That’s right. At this point a rape kit is out of the question. She’s even refusing to talk to a rape crisis counselor but her behavior is not uncommon for someone who’s been traumatized. She may change her mind later."

"Is she suicidal?"

The ER doc pushed a white strand of hair out of her eyes. "It’s hard to say, but I am going to call for a psychiatric consult."

"Doesn’t she still have to give her consent?" Detective Hampton asked.

"Not if someone is willing to involuntarily commit her."

"Who can do that?" Kate asked, whipping out her phone.

"Sorry, no cell phones in the hospital," the doctor hastened to explain. "They work on the same frequency as the cardiac monitors and cause interference. In fact we had to take Miss Gordon’s phone away because she insists on repeatedly calling someone."

"Really," Kate noted with interest.

"But to answer your question any family member can request an involuntary commitment. Barring that a judge or a physician can do it."

"Thank you," Kate exclaimed, moving towards a phone on the wall. "Do you think we can get a regular phone for Miss Gordon? I’d be very interested to find out who she calls."

"You think she’s calling your partner," Hampton surmised. "Even thought she’s allegedly been raped by him."

"I’d bet a month’s salary on it," Kate declared as she punched Gibbs’ number into the hospital phone.

Gibbs glanced at the unfamiliar number as they entered the anteroom to view Dinozzo’s statement. "That better not be blood," he warned Haverstad, noting the dark stains on Tony’s jacket and the bandage on his head. "Gibbs," he answered his call.

"How’s Tony?" Kate’s worried voice asked.

"He looks okay. I haven’t spoken with him yet. Where are you?"

"I’m at the ER with Kimberly Gordon. She’s refusing treatment."

"Of course she is," Gibbs sighed. "With no exam it comes down to her word against his. Sometimes an accusation is all it takes."

"She’s asking for a phone."

Gibbs snorted in amusement. "Can we get Dinozzo’s cell down here?" he asked Haverstad.

"Why?" Haverstad balked.

"To help prove the so called victim is unstable," Gibbs pressed before getting back to Kate. "Stall for a few minutes then let her have one and call me back with the number."

"No problem," Kate agreed happily before hanging up.

"What are you up to?" Haverstad questioned suspiciously.

"Watch and learn, my friend, watch and learn," Gibbs turned his attention to the one way mirror.

"So you followed a female suspect into a confined space without backup?"

Tony sighed as he toyed with his half-empty cup of coffee. "She wasn’t a suspect and I didn’t know the door at the top of the stairs was going to be locked."

"But you didn’t turn back when you found out, you cornered the poor girl."

"It wasn’t like that. I just wanted to talk to her."

"Because she’s been harassing you."

"Yes."

"In fact she’s been bothering you for a couple of weeks what with the phone calls and following you around. What’d you do? Have a little fun and then dump her?"

"We never even went out."

"You said you gave her your number."

"We never went out," Dinozzo repeated evenly.

"Maybe when you finally had her trapped you took the opportunity to teach her a little lesson."

"Oh please," Tony grumbled with a roll of his eyes, finally giving in to the goading. "Is that what you would do?"

"O’Connell says the woman was terrified. After they physically pulled you off her…"

"She was trying to jump."

"…she cowered in the corner screaming rape…"

"She was lying."

"…covered in blood!"

"My blood!" Tony emphasized, pounding the table twice with his index finger. "If anyone attacked anyone, she attacked me. At that point I was trying to save her life!"

The door burst open and Gibbs entered the room. "This isn’t a statement, Haverstad, this is an interrogation. Didn’t anyone ever teach you guys the difference?"

"Captain," the detective complained to his supervisor. "We’re just gettin’ started."

"Take a break," Haverstad ordered briskly. "No, wait. Run over and get Agent Dinozzo’s cell phone from his personal effects first. Have them call me if they give you any flack."

The cop hesitated before scowling at Gibbs and heading out.

"You’ve got five minutes," Haverstad granted, pulling the door closed as he exited.

"Hi, Boss," Dinozzo greeted meekly, not especially surprised how fast Gibbs had arrived.

"In deference to the head wound, I’m not gonna smack you this time," Gibbs replied magnanimously as he took the seat on the opposite side of the table and leaned forward to pull back the edge of the dressing to take a peek. "I do however owe you one."

"Thank you," Dinozzo uttered with a grimace as Gibbs pressed the bandage back in place. "I’m, ah, I’m really sorry about all this."

Gibbs sighed and ran a hand down his face. "I’m not blaming you, for the most part. I should have stepped in sooner. I knew that woman was trouble; I just didn’t have anything tangible to back it up with. I spoke with Tom Morrow this morning."

"What did he say?"

"He realized the first week when she started disappearing that something was up. When he got tired of answering his own phone he put in for a replacement. He hadn’t told her yet mostly because she was never at her desk long enough."

"Well I certainly understand that," Tony agreed.

"That was a bone headed move at the motel, Dinozzo. What the hell were you thinking?"

Tony blew out a long breath. "Look Boss, I knew she was a little… off. But up to this point she hadn’t done anything violent and I thought this whole thing was because she liked me too much anyway. I never dreamed she’d pull this crap."

"Excuse me?" Gibbs queried sarcastically. "Didn’t you just tell her you weren’t interested in a relationship with her?"

"Uh, yeah."

"Well there ya go. Hell hath no fury like a crazy woman scorned."

Tony managed a wry smile as he lifted his Styrofoam cup to his lips. "Spoken like a man with three ex-wives."

Kimberly stopped pacing long enough to open the door a crack and peek down the corridor. As she suspected Todd was still at the nurses’ station talking to the police detective.

"Damn it," Kim swore, wishing she’d made an attempt to connect with the other woman before Todd had poisoned her mind against her. Obviously she’d made a grave error in judgment. She would have to figure out some way to undo the damage, deciding on a tearful heart to heart with Hampton at the next available opportunity.

She closed the door and took three steps back to the exam table, flexing her hands over and over again. Even as she pictured Tony in a jail cell her fingers itched to call him. Substituting one compulsion for another Kim busied her hands by tearing the paper liner on the table into tiny shreds. The action calmed her nerves and she could finally think.

"I can handle the shrink," Kimberly replied offhandedly. She had lots of experience telling people what they wanted to hear. All she had to do was hold it together until she could get out of this place. There was no way she’d let them lock her up. She needed to call Tony.

A knock startled her out of her thoughts. "Yes?" she called out, standing in front of her telltale confetti to hide it as the door opened.

"Miss Gordon? The doctor says you can make your phone call now," the heavyset nurse informed her.

"Thank you." Kim followed the bigger woman to the nearest wall phone. "I’ll just be a minute," she dismissed her.

"Sure. Just dial nine for an outside line," the nurse supplied as she walked away.

Looking around for the audience she was certain she’d find she spotted Detective Hampton standing at one of the registration desks. But Todd was nowhere in sight even though Kim knew her adversary wouldn’t be far; watching her, listening to her every word. With shaky hands she punched in a series of numbers and pulled the phone to her ear.

"Momma," she said softly when her call was answered.

"She called her mother," Dinozzo muttered in disbelief for the third time as he fingered his still silent cell phone.

"Yeah," Gibbs replied, his jaw set. "You know, she may be psychotic, but she’s not stupid."

"She is a world class manipulator, that’s for sure. Hell, I would have arrested me from the performance she gave."

"I just talked to my detective at the hospital," Haverstad commented from the door, overhearing the end of the conversation as he arrived.

Gibbs glanced at Tony and turned in his chair to face the police captain. "And?"

"Miss Gordon’s not ready to press charges yet. She says she wants to think about it overnight and then give her statement in the morning."

"What’s to think about?" Gibbs questioned. "Either he did it or he didn’t."

"She says she’s concerned there might be repercussions on her job," Haverstad explained.

"Repercussions my ass," Gibbs disputed, getting to his feet. "She knows she was already in trouble at work."

"World class," Tony repeated as he followed his boss’ lead and grabbed his ruined sports coat off the back of the chair.

"We’re outta here," Gibbs announced, daring Haverstad to make something of it. "Come on, Dinozzo, you’ve got a date with a coroner."

"For what?"

"Ducky needs to practice his suturing skills. He hardly ever gets to work on moving targets."

"Oh joy," Tony deadpanned.

Haverstad allowed Gibbs to pass but reached across the door to prevent Tony from leaving. "You know how this works; don’t leave town and don’t go near Kimberly Gordon."

Dinozzo snorted insolently. "Believe me, Captain, the last person I want to see right now is Kimberly."

Gibbs glanced coldly at Haverstad’s hand then slowly moved his gaze up to his face. Even though he was standing at an angle and missed the full effect, Haverstad lowered his arm and let Tony slide by him.

"I’m going to let her go," the psychiatrist announced when he finally came out of Kimberly’s room.

"Are you sure?" Kate objected. "My partner thinks she might be suicidal."

"Is that right? Just which medical school did your partner go to?"

Kate flushed at the rejoinder but stood her ground. "He witnessed her try to jump over a second story railing."

"Someone who actually wanted to die would have gone much higher than that," the doctor replied, far from convinced. "From what I can tell, this woman suffered a severe emotional trauma but I believe she’s coping very well."

"You think so?" Hampton asked in shock.

"Detective, there are no hard and fast rules for victims. Behaviors are as varied as people themselves in these situations. This young woman just wants her mother. I think that’s very reasonable," he added as he walked away.

"Idiot," Hampton muttered to his back.

"I need to warn Tony," Kate said, moving toward the phone.

"You know, you were wrong about her, too," the detective said, stopping Kate in her tracks. "If I was a betting woman you’d be out a month’s pay."

"She’ll call him again," Kate insisted. "I know she will, I don’t care what she says he did to her."

"We’ll see. I’m going to hang around and offer her a ride. Maybe she’ll open up on the way."

Kim stepped out of the room and focused immediately on Kate. "That’s mine," she said quietly, looking at the camera.

"Its evidence," Hampton told her. "But I’ll be taking it now."

"Not if I don’t press charges," Kim replied. "I told you I haven’t decided."

"Kimberly, it won’t be admissible if you take possession of it before they can examine it," Kate tried to explain.

"I don’t care. It’s mine and I want it back."

"No problem," Kate smiled tightly, handing the large bag over.

"I’m going to sign myself out," Kim declared to no one in particular as she wandered down the hall.

Hampton shrugged and followed. Kate watched them go as she dropped the second, much smaller evidence bag into her pocket.

"Ow," Tony complained, pulling back as Ducky methodically cleaned his wound.

"I haven’t done anything worthy of an ‘Ow’ as of yet," Ducky sighed dramatically. "Honestly, Tony, I thought you would be tougher than this."

Tony tried to suck it up and hold still, but the cold of the metal table was already leeching up through his clothes. "My ass is cold," he complained. "Are you sure you don’t have any of that numbing stuff?"

"Now why would I keep a local anesthetic in my line of work?"

"Gibbs says you’ve stitched him up lots of times."

Ducky chortled fondly as he put away the peroxide and brandished a suture. "Indeed I have. But Jethro never asked for an anesthetic."

"Really," Dinozzo said thoughtfully, trying harder to lie still as Ducky knew he would. He closed his eyes as the needle came closer.

"I once had the unwanted attentions of a femme fatale," the old man waxed poetic as he punctured the skin and pulled the silk strand through one side and then the other before swiftly knotting it off.

"Is that so," Tony replied through gritted teeth. "Tell me about her."

"Ah, Marie. She was a buxom young stripper who lived near the flat I rented as I summered in London in ’64," Ducky supplied happily as he clipped the excess. "Or was it ’65?"

"Buxom, huh?"

"Quite. In those days there was never any question of surgical enhancement. That’s one," he announced proudly as he studied his handiwork. "Four more I think."

"Four!" Tony protested, losing his battle to be brave about it. "The ambulance guy said ‘a couple’. Even I know ‘a couple’ is two!"

"I can practically guarantee there will be no scar with five stitches, otherwise," Ducky shrugged to indicate the situation was completely out of his hands.

"Scars are cool," Tony decided hastily. "Some women actually like scars. In fact they’re better than tattoos."

"It would be a shame to mar such perfect skin," Ducky balked. "You have extraordinarily tight pores."

"I do?"

"Who knows skin better than Ducky?" Gibbs mocked with a grin as he entered the room. "Of course the skin he deals with is mostly blue... ish."

Not wanting to look like a wimp in front of Gibbs, Tony sullenly consented. "All right, four more."

"Kate’s on her way in," Gibbs replied unhappily. "They let Gordon go so I want you to be with someone at all times until we get this thing settled. I don’t want her to get another shot at framing you."

Tony tried to nod but Ducky was already moving in for another stitch. "So what did your femme fatale do to you, Ducky?"

"Yes, well, Marie was a sweet girl actually, but she took to leaving me lurid love letters on my door. Relax your face, Anthony, or the sutures will pucker," Ducky admonished as the second stitch went in.

"Love notes? That doesn’t sound so bad," Tony fought his grimace.

"Not if she had used paper, no. Unfortunately she chose to carve her annotations into the wood…"

Gibbs shook his head and retreated.

"OW!"

Kimberly let herself into the small townhouse, never once looking back at the police car she had arrived in. Depositing the broken camera on the table in the foyer she moved into the livingroom directly to the fireplace. Plucking the first photograph off the mantle she ran her fingers over the frame as she studied the faces of the two little girls dispassionately.

"Cindy!" an older woman exclaimed as she entered the room, cheerfully removing the photo from Kim’s grasp and wiping it furiously with a dust rag. "I was so happy when you called. You never visit." She carefully positioned the frame back to the exact place it had been moved from.

"I’m Kimberly, Momma."

"Look at you. You’re a mess," her mother reproached lightly as she bent to wipe up an imaginary spot on the gleaming hardwood floor.

"I met a man," Kim started to explain.

Momma straightened abruptly, her merry disposition fading away. "What have I told you about men?"

"They’ll only hurt me," Kim parroted back obediently.

"That’s right. You‘ll do well to remember that, young lady. Now let’s get you cleaned up before you soil the furniture." Momma led the way back into the foyer without ever once touching her daughter. "Let’s go, Cynthia," she ordered over her shoulder, collecting the camera before climbing the stairs.

Kim swallowed and blinked back tears. "I’m Kimberly," she whispered to the empty room.

"Gibbs wants us in the bullpen for a confab ASAP," Abby broadcasted as soon as she entered the morgue. "Tony, are you okay?" She rushed to the side of the autopsy table and helped her pallid, shaky friend into a sitting position.

"Super," Tony retorted dryly as he latched onto her elbow for support. "Why do you ask?"

"Well, you’re kinda green."

Ducky tsk tsked as he went about cleaning up his mess. "Better green than blue on this table."

"Way," Abby agreed with a spirited nod.

Tony blinked his eyes and tried to clear his head without physically moving it too much. After a minute Abby helped him stand. "Thanks, Abs," he muttered, still slightly leaning on her.

"Ahem."

"And thank you, Doctor Mallard," Tony hastened to add properly, even if it was with less than heartfelt gratitude.

"You’re very welcome, Tony. I do so enjoy a challenge."

Ignoring the jibe, Tony gathered his grubby coat from the foot of the table and looked at it for a moment. "Do you mind if I put this in with the bio-waste?" he asked Ducky with an underlying tone of disgust.

"Don’t throw it out!" Abby objected. "I love that jacket. It makes you look very James Bond."

"It’s ruined," Tony pointed out, showing it to her.

"Here, give it to me," Abby instructed, snapping on the latex she pulled out of her pocket. "I can work miracles with bloodstains."

Dinozzo stared at her blankly as she took the garment from him. "I don’t want to know, do I?"

Abby shrugged and smiled at him innocently before dropping her gaze to the dark tweed. "Um, Tony? Kate wants to prove that Kimberly Gordon has pre-existing psychiatric problems, doesn’t she?"

"I guess."

"So wouldn’t the presence of certain medications in Kimberly’s system indicate she was under the care of a psychiatrist?"

"Indeed they would," Ducky agreed, "Provided of course she was actually taking any medication."

"She wasn’t. Kimberly had a drug screen about six weeks ago that was negative."

"Sure, but urine is limited to the metabolic half-life of a drug. On the other hand hair stores a record of drug use in its core for up to 90 days," Abby decreed as she pulled off several dish-water blonde strands that were stuck together in the dry blood.

Ducky adjusted his glasses and moved forward to examine the clump as Abby held it up for him. "The root bulbs are intact. I’d say these were traumatically extracted during the physical altercation."

"Okay," Tony reasoned, working out a time line. "So to get her promotion Kim knows she’s gonna have to take a piss test and a month out she stops whatever medication she’s been on. Add the six weeks that have passed since then and already we have ten weeks. That’s only a twenty day window, give or take. What if she stopped her meds before that?"

"Unlikely," Ducky surmised. "Using her recent behavior as an indicator then the return of her symptoms probably correlates to the depleting level of medication in her system. The therapeutic effects of most anti-psychotic drugs build up over a four to six week period and wan just as slowly. Surely she wouldn’t have been advanced to the Director’s office if she’d been behaving erratically before now."

"It’s worth a shot," Abby encouraged, bouncing with barely controlled enthusiasm. "I can set up a GC/MS as soon as Gibbs is done with us."

"A… what?" Tony prodded, rolling his hand.

"A gas chromatography/ mass spectrometry hair analysis. It’ll only take about 40 minutes."

"I knew that. Abby, you’re the best," Tony declared, kissing her on the cheek.

"I know," Abby preened.

"Ahem."

"You, too, Ducky," Dinozzo added dutifully, earning a contented smile from the older man. "We’d better get down there."

Kim sat gingerly on the edge of the bed in a heavily bleached and starched housecoat that irritated her pink, over-scrubbed skin and cried. She felt violated by Momma’s invasive and often painful cleansing routine that hadn’t changed since as far back as she could remember. The loss of her identity every time she entered her mother’s home was merely an added indignity to the lack of any real connection with her own flesh and blood, but one that made her bitter and angry all the same.

She tried to remember the feel of Tony’s hand on her back as he comforted her the day they had met, but images of Kate Todd and the black haired girl in the park wouldn’t let her focus. The almost overwhelming need to destroy something was checked by the fear of her dominating mother and she wondered again why she had come here. But she realized she’d had no choice. Forced into a corner by Todd and the nosy police detective, they had robbed her of the tenuous control she’d had over her emotions.

Aware that nothing short of an earthquake could tear Momma away from scouring out the tub, Kim knew she still had a few minutes. Almost of its own accord, her hand reached for the phone she wasn’t allowed to touch.

"Tony, you look like death warmed over," Kate greeted as she arrived, dropping off her backpack before joining the meeting in progress around Dinozzo’s desk.

"Considering who my doctor is, that’s not too far off," Tony responded with a smirk, leaning back in his chair.

"Abby, I have something for you." Kate pulled out the small evidence bag and handed it over.

"What is it?" Gibbs asked with a nod towards the object.

"Looks like a 128 meg memory card," Abby replied offhandedly as she examined the piece of hardware through the clear plastic bag. "It’s bent."

"Well the camera it fell out of bounced off Tony’s head and down a couple flights of concrete stairs."

"Mmm," Gibbs agreed, "Tony does have a hard head. Can you do anything with it?"

"Of course," Abby assured.

Dinozzo shot Gibbs a wounded look before turning to Kate. "So they let her go, huh?"

"Yeah, I’m sorry," Kate muttered gloomily. "But Detective Hampton hand delivered her to her mother’s house in Mount Pleasant so at least she’s not alone if she’s still suicidal."

Tony nodded his understanding.

"So what did I miss?"

"Abby can catch you up later while the two of you are checking out what’s on that memory card," Gibbs decided. "Go ahead and give us what you’ve got on Gordon’s background."

"Okay, I did an in-depth background check on her a couple days ago," Kate responded, leaning against Tony’s desk as she pulled out her PDA and tapped rapidly on the screen with the stylus until she got to the page she needed. "Kimberly Lynn Gordon started at NCIS in an entry level position straight out of college eight years ago and until recently had never taken the opportunity to advance."

"Why not?" Gibbs cut in.

"No ambition maybe? Her job performance evaluations were all just adequate. She came to work every day and did the minimum that was expected of her but not much else. For the most part, she kept to herself. Her co-workers admitted to not knowing her very well and considered her to be stand-offish. One girl who worked in the same office for a year and a half didn’t even know who I was talking about."

"That’s just sad," Abby responded sympathetically.

"Now Abigail, we can’t all be sparkling personalities," Ducky soothed.

"Apparently Kim got the recent promotion by a combination of tenure, timing and luck. No one else was available to cover for the director’s secretary while she would have been on maternity leave and then she had an accident that turned the temp job into something more permanent."

"What about her personal history?" Gibbs cut to the chase.

"This is where things get interesting. Kimberly’s mother was diagnosed years ago with ‘Obsessive Compulsive Disorder with poor insight’ and has spent years in and out of various institutions," Kate reported.

"Aw yes, OCD, not to be confused with Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder which has a completely dissimilar set of symptoms, is believed to be caused by the failure of the orbital cortex to communicate properly with the basal ganglia due to a decreased level of serotonin…"

"Later, Ducky," Gibbs requested shortly.

Ducky drew up, obviously offended. "I was merely going to point out that OCD has a distinct tendency to run in families. Although the general nature is inherited, the specific symptoms are frequently different in the affected offspring."

"Oh," Gibbs relented. "That information is actually useful. Now, in very short sentences, what are the symptoms of OCD?"

"Mental hiccups," Ducky responded succinctly.

"Feel free to elaborate for me," Tony requested, earning a hard glare from Gibbs. "I didn’t understand what he meant by mental hiccups," he explained petulantly.

"I’ll keep it brief, Jethro," Ducky huffed in a sullen tone. "The unfortunate individual gets stuck on one image, idea, or impulse which is the obsession. The compulsion is an act they perform repeatedly to relieve the obsession such as washing or checking or touching or counting…"

"Or dialing…" Tony put in.

"Quite," Ducky consented. "Most patients are aware of their problems and are distressed by them. Kimberly’s mother is not, thus the ‘with poor insight’ part of her diagnosis. The condition cannot be cured, but with proper medication and cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy it can be controlled."

"Kate," Gibbs appealed quickly, before Ducky could get wound up again. "What else?"

"Well here’s your clichéd childhood trauma part, Tony," Kate replied. "Kimberly’s father abandoned her and her mother after Kim’s younger sister died in a mysterious drowning accident at the age of four."

"That’d do it," Tony agreed as his cell phone began to ring. Every eye was on him as he checked the display. "I don’t recognize the number."

"I do. It’s Mount Pleasant," Kate responded, once again clicking impatiently on her PDA. "It’s her," she confirmed.

"Answer it so it’ll go on the log," Gibbs ordered.

Tony sighed and did as he was told. "Hello, Kimberly." He was surprised when the call wasn’t immediately terminated. "Kim?" he asked when he heard quiet sniffling. "Are you crying?"

"Send a black and white to that address immediately," Gibbs whispered to Kate who moved back to her desk to grab her own phone.

"Kim? Did you hurt yourself?" Tony questioned gently, trying not to scare her off.

"No," came the whispered reply, the first word she’d ever spoken to him over the phone.

"Are you alright?"

"I have to go," Kim said softly and hung up.

"Just when I was getting used to the rules," Tony muttered in worried frustration.

"So then I said ‘Look, Kim, if that is your real name…’"

Kate glanced up from the monitor and frowned at Abby’s words as a thought struck her.

"… and the girl went off! She started swearing and calling me every name in the book."

"Did she threaten you?" Ducky asked with concern.

Abby paused and shrugged sheepishly. "I’m not sure. By that time I was a little wrapped up in something else."

Clearing her throat, Kate tapped the screen to draw Ducky’s attention to the row after row of thumbnails that showed exactly who Abby was wrapped up in.

"Ah ha."

Halting her roaming reenactment of the scene at the park, Abby leaned over Kate’s shoulder for a closer examination. "Tony does sort of look like a psycho rapist in this one, doesn’t he? I’m gonna print it out as a personal keepsake."

"While you’re at it, get one of these for me," Kate requested, pointing to a picture of Tony talking with his mouth full. "I need it for exhibit A the next time he says he doesn’t do that."

"It’s amazing how many photographs that disturbed young woman took in only two weeks," Ducky noted, standing at Kate’s other shoulder.

"Two days," Abby corrected, scrolling back to the top of the screen to point at the first picture. "This is what Tony was wearing day before yesterday."

"You keep up with what Tony wears every day?" Kate asked.

"I keep up with what everyone wears every day," Abby supplied with an evil grin.

"Oh," Kate replied, self-consciously smoothing down her sweater with the recycled shirt underneath.

"She must have had the camera set for the lowest resolution because this card is only half full and there are nearly four hundred pictures on it. Plus, the quality is pretty bad."

"So she’s had the camera for about a week and we can guesstimate eight hundred pictures every four days," Kate sighed. "That’s a lot of Tony."

The glass door whooshed open and the object of their discussion came through in a clean tee-shirt and sweats, toweling his hair dry. "Oh good, you got the stuff off the memory stick. Did we get results from the drug analysis?" he asked.

"We’ll know in a few," Abby assured, checking her watch.

"Correct me if I’m wrong, Anthony, but did I not specifically instruct you to avoid getting your stitches wet?"

Tony froze in mid-motion and lowered the towel to rest around his neck. "Sorry, Ducky, I forgot. Besides, Gibbs ordered me to take a shower. He said Kate didn’t do a good enough job bathing me at the motel."

"What?" Kate squawked as Ducky and Abs exchanged raised eyebrows and knowing glances. "I can’t believe you told him about that."

"I didn’t say anything." Tony defended himself. "You know how he is. He finds out about everything."

"Where is he now?"

"He went to the cop-shop to check out the situation. Hampton went to get Kimberly. She’s bringing her back to the local precinct."

"So what’s the word on psycho-babe?"

"Her name is Kimberly," Tony corrected with a slightly exasperated tone.

"Okay," Abby surrendered, raising her hands. "Why are you suddenly so sensitive for Kimberly?"

"Yeah, especially after what she pulled today," Kate jumped in to back Abby up.

Tony sighed guiltily and looked away. "I don’t know, I sort of feel responsible for all this I suppose."

"No, Tony, don’t you dare," Kate rebuked. "You didn’t do anything to Kimberly that you don’t do to a half-dozen other women every day… including Abby and me. It’s annoying as hell, but it’s just you and we’ve all learned to live with it."

"You’re just a natural born flirt," Abby agreed. "I guess we’re gonna have to register that smile of yours as a lethal weapon. Or maybe tattoo a health warning on your forehead for those frail of heart."

Tony looked to the ceiling and shook his head.

"You had no way of knowing Kimberly couldn’t take the full force of your questionable charms," Kate added as she got out of her chair. "Cut yourself a break."

"Are you going home?" Tony asked, quickly taking Kate’s seat in front of the computer before she could change her mind.

"Not yet," Kate explained as she moved out the door. "I’ll be at my desk. Abby gave me an idea."

"I did? Cool. So what is going on with Kim-ber-ly?" Abby enunciated each syllable carefully as she turned back to Tony.

Dinozzo make a face as he rubbed his head just above the injury and started to study the photos. "There was a domestic disturbance in progress when the cops got there. Apparently Kim was trying to get out of the house in nothing but a robe while her mother beat the crap out of her with a telephone, providing yet more evidence for Kate’s clichéd theory of trauma and abuse."

"That’s odd, I didn’t believe violent behavior to be a usual symptom of OCD," Ducky pondered.

"Ducky, some people are just plain mean with or without psychological problems," Tony responded unhappily. "Anyway, they arrested Mommy Dearest and she’ll probably get a first class ticket to the back to loony bin. Kim called Detective Hampton to come get her because she couldn’t think of anyone else but me. Under the circumstances, the officer at the scene didn’t think that was a good idea once he got the facts. They said Kim was an emotional wreck."

"Aw Tony," Abby commiserated as she rubbed his shoulders under the damp towel. "I can’t stand to see you this way. Kim will be okay eventually. But she’s sick and she needs help. You can’t take this personally."

"It’s not just that. I hate for this to happen so close on the heels of my other little debacle."

"You mean bringing in Mr. Hoity-Toity in cuffs? Please. Gibbs might have been all ‘bad, Tony, bad’ on the outside, but on the inside he was all ‘that’s m’boy’."

Tony finally smiled. "You think so?

"I know so."

"Hey Abs, can I get an eight by ten glossy of this one?" Tony asked pointing out a particularly attractive shot.

"Kate?" Gibbs asked as he exited the elevator into the bullpen carrying two pizza boxes with a large take out coffee on top. "You on to something?"

"Maybe," Kate replied distractedly as she scanned her screen. "Give me another minute."

Gibbs carefully deposited the boxes on the nearest reasonably empty surface, which happened to be Tony’s desk, then picked up the phone. "Everybody in the lab?"

"Uh huh."

Gibbs dialed and Abby answered on the first ring. "You got me."

"Pizza," Gibbs said simply and then hung up before taking his coffee and retreating to his own desk. "Detective Hampton is taking Kimberly Gordon’s statement now. Apparently the run in with her mother loosened her tongue," he provided. "I wish we had taken some pictures before because now she’s black and blue."

"That’s terrible," Kate winced, finally printing what she needed and logging off. "I can’t believe it’s after ten. Abby should have the hair analysis by now."

"So what’d you find?"

"Well Abby gave me the idea that maybe Kimberly was using an alias."

"No way," Gibbs disagreed. "They absolutely would have found that out when they did her background check."

"You’re right about that and I even double checked, she is Kimberly Gordon. But most places don’t have the resources we have."

"True."

"So I got to thinking, what if her psychiatric care has been under an assumed name?" Kate proposed. "Chances are no one would have questioned her."

"You think she bought documentation?" Gibbs asked, considering the possibility.

"She didn’t have to," Kate answered mysteriously. "When I did my first checks on Kim I kept running across records for a Cynthia Gordon."

"Let me guess. Cynthia was Kimberly’s four year old sister."

"Yep. There was barely an eighteen month difference in their ages and Kim would have had easy access to her birth certificate and social security number."

"And let’s face it," Gibbs sighed, "Nobody ever checks for a death certificate. That’s part of the reason posthumous identity thief is usually so successful."

The elevator arrived and Dinozzo, Ducky, and Abby spilled out. "I brought napkins," Abby exclaimed, waving a handful of small, hot pink bar napkins in the air before claiming Tony’s chair.

Tony mockingly gave her the evil eye as he opened the top box and let Ducky take the first piece. "Madame," he said, offering it to Abby next before moving on to Kate.

"What’d you get with the GC/MS?" Gibbs asked, waving off the box when Tony showed it to him.

"We struck paydirt. I believe Doctor Mallard would like to present," Abby replied craftily, starting to eat the toppings off her slice with her fingers.

"Yes, of course," Ducky accepted graciously, setting aside his dinner as he wiped his mouth with one of Abby’s cocktail napkins. "The combination of drugs suggests our dear Kimberly suffers not only from OCD but from anxiety and depression as well, not uncommon, I’m afraid."

"There were five distinct chemical signatures," Abby butted in.

"I was getting to that," Ducky huffed patiently. "Firstly we found Fluoxetine…"

"More commonly known as Prozac."

"Abigail."

"Sorry."

"Next was Clomipramine, a nonselective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, which combined with the Fluoxetine indicates perhaps Kimberly was not initially reactive to the drug therapy. Then there was Clorazepam usually given for anxiety although on occasion…"

"Ducky, please, it’s been a long day," Gibbs begged. "Can we have the short version?"

"Very well," Ducky gave in graciously, wanting to fill his growling stomach. "There were also traces of a neuroleptic and an antidepressant."

"Was that so hard? Thank you."

"So all this means what?" Tony queried, already finishing his second slice of pizza.

"It means that someone had established a carefully balanced, and I believe very successful drug routine for Kimberly; one which she foolishly tossed out the window for a security clearance."

"It means," Gibbs corrected, draining his cup, "That she lied on her security application about drug use."

"We should try to find her doctor," Tony decided.

"Doctor Jeremy Burke," Kate provided with a smile, handing over the sheet she had printed earlier.

"Wow, Kate," Tony grinned back at her. "Good work. Wait a minute, who’s Cynthia?"

"Dead sister," Gibbs muttered, finally getting up for food.

"That’s brilliant," Ducky marveled. "Are you quite certain?"

"I’m pretty sure," Kate responded, wiping her fingers before once again tugging out her PDA. "Kimberly has only missed a handful of days since she started working here. That is with the notable exception of a three week period about six and a half years ago. She claimed to have been in the hospital out of state for a hiking accident."

"Would that be February of 97?" Tony questioned, reading the paper in his hand.

Kate nodded. "Yep, the dates match to the day of Cynthia’s last commitment by Doctor Burke."

"All right, let’s call it a night. We can check out Burke in the morning," Gibbs decided. "Dinozzo, I still want you alibied. Pick your roomie. Not me," he added over his shoulder as he headed for the elevator.

Tony looked hopefully from Kate to Abby, waiting for a volunteer when Ducky slapped him on the back. "Very well, Tony. I suppose this one time won’t hurt."

With a disappointed sigh, Tony grabbed the rest of their dinner and followed the M.E. out, waving to the laughing women without looking back. "I have to stop at my apartment," he grumbled to Ducky as they joined Gibbs in the elevator.

"Why? It’s not like you need your pajamas," Gibbs noted as the doors closed.

Gibbs made a show of checking his watch as a late and slightly frazzled Dinozzo stepped out into the bullpen.

"I know, I know," Tony muttered, tying his tie. "Don’t blame me. I couldn’t sleep. Did you know Ducky has a…"

"Yep," Gibbs cut him off with a smirk, shooting a sly glance in Kate’s direction.

Tony followed his gaze and discreetly nodded his understanding. By the time Kate raised her head he was looking back at Gibbs. "So you’ve seen it," he replied as he lowered his voice conspiratorially.

"Oh yeah," Gibbs assure in the same hushed tone.

"Has he ever let you touch it?"

"Nope."

"What does Ducky have that he won’t let you touch and you don’t want me to know about?" Kate asked, immediately falling into the trap.

"Nothing," both men replied in unison as they went in separate directions.

"Guys! You do that on purpose," Kate accused caustically even if she couldn’t see either of them grin as they turned their backs on her.

"I’m going to present our findings thus far to Morrow," Gibbs announced as he headed for the stairs. "You two go pay a visit to the alleged shrink."

"Okay, boss," Tony agreed, dropping off his pack and waiting for Kate.

"Ducky doesn’t really have anything, does he?" Kate interrogated resentfully as she gathered what she needed and joined him.

"Ducky has lots of very… interesting things," Tony countered seriously. "I don’t even know where to begin."

"Hello?" a short man with a thinning halo of white hair answered the door.

"Doctor Jeremy Burke?" Kate queried, holding her ID and badge out to him.

"Yes?" the gentleman adjusted his thick glasses to get a better look at the offered documents.

"I’m Special Agent Todd. I work for NCIS."

"The National Coalition of Independent Scholars?"

"No, Naval Criminal Investigative Services," Kate corrected.

"Oh," Burke replied looking confused. "I’m not in the Navy."

"I realize that," Kate stammered, taken aback as she tried to gauge the elderly man’s age. "That’s not why we’re here."

"What’d I miss?" Tony asked as he came around the corner of the tidy little two-story house and joined them on the stoop. "Special Agent Dinozzo," he provided, flashing his badge. "I had to park practically around the block."

"Parking in this neighborhood is getting worse every day," the doctor empathized. "I hardly ever drive anymore, though. My eyesight’s not what it used to be."

"Can we come in?" Kate requested patiently.

"Certainly, certainly. Where are my manners?" Burke ushered them in, waving a hand towards the couch. "We’ll have to make this short though or I’ll miss my bus."

"We would be glad to give you a ride," Kate offered, much to Tony’s chagrin.

"Really? Well in that case can I get you some coffee?"

"No thanks," Tony replied as he automatically began a slow sweep of the nice yet modestly furnished room while Kate sat on the sofa.

"Doctor Burke, are you still actively practicing psychiatry?"

"Well I don’t carry a full patient load anymore, but I still have a handful of patients I haven’t been able to place with another doctor yet," the old man explained with a smile as he took a seat on the edge of the wingback chair next to Kate. "But there’s still plenty of time. I’m only eighty-two."

"Is that all?" Tony asked, ignoring the glare from Kate as he leaned in the frame of the door that led into the dinning room.

"Yes," Burke answered sincerely, turning slightly so he could see both of the agents. "So what can I do for the Navy?"

"We need to ask you about one of your past patients," Kate began carefully.

"Oh, no. I’m very sorry. I could never break doctor/patient confidentiality. It’s the cornerstone of my practice."

"We’re not asking you to do that, we just need you to tell us if you recognize this woman," Kate sidestepped the issue as she pulled out a copy of Kimberly’s personnel file photo.

"I suppose that would be alright." Burke accepted the picture and held it at arms length, once again adjusting his glasses. "Bifocals," he explained. "I’m afraid I need to upgrade my prescription."

"We already know the woman was once a patient of yours," Tony prodded. "We just want to know what name you knew her by and when was the last time you saw her."

"This is Cynthia Gordon, she’s one of my success stories," Burke supplied proudly without thinking. "I got her through college and into the work force against some pretty steep obstacles if I do say so myself. But I haven’t seen her for two months now; she just stopped making her appointments one day. I’m very worried. She won’t return my calls."

"She’s off her meds," Tony stated sadly.

"Oh my. Oh, no. That’s… that’s terrible," the doctor fretted worriedly. "We had such a tough time getting it right."

"Does she have a close relationship with her mother?" Kate asked out of curiosity.

"Heavens no! It’s been several years since she last visited Margaret. That woman is crazy," the old man declared as if someone might try to defend her. "I can’t image anything bad enough to drive Cynthia back to her mother."