Thirteen-year-old Layla Todd was alone in the two-bedroom apartment that she shared with her sister, Kate. Well, Layla felt alone. She and Kate were babysitting a six-month-old neighbor child while her mother was in Michigan for the weekend. Kate worked long, crazy hours, so she was never home. Layla felt like she, alone, was babysitting Baby Marlaina. She always told herself that Kate's job didn't bug her. She was lying to herself. She made a habit out of that.

Marlaina was sleeping in her playpen, which was set up next to Layla's bed. Layla was sitting Indian-style on her bed, jammin' to Avril Lavigne, while braiding her long, red hair into about a million different braids. Marlaina was a sound sleeper, so the music wasn't going to bother her. When Layla finished her last braid, she looked at the digital clock on her dresser. Eleven o'clock: bedtime. She turned off the light and went to sleep.

Kate was typing up her report to her team's current case. Her partner, Tony DiNozzo, was falling asleep with his head on his desk. "Ya know, Tony, the faster you type, the faster you can get outta here. Not to mention, it'll save you a concussion." She was referring the slaps to the back of the head that their boss, Gibbs, gives him.

Tony groaned. "As long as I start before Gibbs comes down from MTAC…."

"You fail, DiNozzo." Gibbs interrupted as he past Tony's desk.

Tony shot up. "Sorry Boss."

Kate giggled, Tony glared, and they got back to work.

Their current case was two Petty Officers, Petty Officers Karen White and Jasmine Collins, were found murdered three miles from each other. Both Strangled with a crowbar, then the suspect spit on them. The suspect in custody was twenty-five year old Kevin Blankenship. His DNA matched the spit found on the Petty Officers. What didn't match were the fingerprints found on the crowbar. It was found next to Petty officer Collins, but both women's DNA was on it.

Layla was awoken by someone jumping on top of her, knocking the wind out of her. Once she could breathe again, she opened her eyes to see a man, dressed in black with a ski mask, pinning her to the bed. He lowered his head to her ear. "Scream and I'll shoot you." He whispered. He sat back up and put his gun touching the side of her head. She flinched and nodded. He got up, pulling her up with him. Layla saw another man, also dressed in black with a ski mask, holding Marlaina. The baby was still sleeping. The four went into the living room and Layla was forced on the couch.

Tony fell asleep. Once again, his head on the desk. Kate took the pleasure of throwing a pen at him, nailing the top of his head. She managed to scare the hell out of him and he fell out of his desk. Kate laughed. "That's not funny." Tony protested as he got to his feet.

"I got a laugh." She boasted, grinning.

Gibbs smiled as he turned away. They can be funny sometimes. "Kate, DiNozzo, go home." He ordered.

Didn't have to tell Kate twice. She was starting to gather her things when her phone rang. "Agent Todd." She greeted.

"Put it on speaker." A man's voice demanded.

"Who is this?" she questioned.

"Just do it!" he yelled, causing her to jump.

She motioned for Gibbs and Tony to come over as she pressed speaker. They walked over. "What do you want?"

"Don't be rude, Agent Todd." He teased. Kate rolled her eyes. "Your sister is a beautiful girl. Definitely the odd ball of the family, but beautiful. I'd hate to have to put a bullet in her brain."

"Then don't." Gibbs replied in his usual calm tone.

Kate's heart dropped. "Go near her and you won't live to see tomorrow!" Kate yelled.

"Kate." Gibbs hushed her.

"I see where Layla gets her personality from. Right, Layla?" the man laughed.

"Go to hell." They heard her say.

Gibbs sighed in relief. Good, she's still alive. Then they heard a slap.

"What are you doing?! Stop!" the desperation in Kate's voice surprised her. Gibbs put his hand on her shoulder to calm her down.

The man laughed. "Relax, Agent Todd, I still need her."

They heard Layla's voice in the background, but couldn't make out what she was saying.

"Look," Tony began. "Whatever you think you need you need from her, forget it…"

"It's not what I need from her!" the man yelled. "It's what I need from you!"

Tony nodded in frustration. He's gotta be bipolar.

Kate didn't look up from the phone. "What do you want?" she asked, with no emotion.

"In good time, Agent Todd." She taunted. Then they heard a baby cry. Oh, God, I forgot about Laina.

"You have a baby?" Gibbs whispered.

"No, Laina's not mine. Her mom's in Michigan. She's coming home tomorrow." She whispered back, still with no emotion.

"That's right. Wouldn't want momma to come home to a dead baby, would ya? Listen up, Agents. You have an innocent man in custody. His name is Kevin Blankenship. You have twelve hours to prove his innocence or the girls get a bullet to the brain each."

"If you have a problem with NCIS, then you take it up with NCIS, not two innocent girls!" Gibbs began yelling. Tears formed in Kate's eyes, she let out a quiet sob, and was shaking, but kept her eyes on the phone. Gibbs kissed the top of her head. "It's going to be okay, Kate." He whispered.

"Layla is far from innocent. Isn't that right, Agent Todd?" the man, again, taunted.

"You son of a bitch!" Kate yelled.

"Kate, don't give him the satisfaction." Gibbs whispered.

"Too late, Gibbs." She sobbed and put her head on her desk.

"Good luck, Agents." He hung up.

"Damn it!" Kate yelled as she slammed her fist on the desk.

Gibbs walked over to his desk and picked up his phone. "Gibbs for the Director." He calmly demanded. "Director, we have a situation."

Since Layla didn't know the names of the men holding her and Marlaina hostage, she came up with nicknames. The guy in charge is Ringleader and the other guy is stooge.

Marlaina was crying. She didn't like the strange man holding her. She reached for Layla. When Layla tried to take her, Ringleader grabbed her arms and pushed them to her side. "Look, Ringleader, she doesn't like strangers. Let me hold her." she glared at him. Yes, she was scared out of her mind, but no, she wasn't going to show it. Ringleader glared back. "I'm not going to try anything and get Marlaina killed. Tell Stooge to let me hold her."

Ringleader nodded and turned to Stooge. "Give the baby to the girl." Then he turned back to Layla. "One wrong move……"

"And you'll put a bullet in my brain, I got it." She interrupted, as Stooge handed Marlaina over. "It's okay, Little Laina. Shhhhhhh. It's okay." She gentle rocked her. The baby's crying slowly stopped.

Ringleader sat next to her on the couch. She scooted as far away as she could. "So, Ringleader and Stooge?" he asked.

"Well, Armed Dumb ass numbers one and two might get me killed." She sarcastically replied.

Stooge raised his gun at her. "Who you calling a dumb ass?!" he yelled.

Layla rolled her eyes. He won't shoot me yet. "Who's got the gun?" she yelled back.

Stooge pulled her to her feet by yanking her arm, and she almost dropped Marlaina. The sudden movement scared the infant and she started to cry. Stooge put the gun to her head. Layla closed her eyes. I could be wrong. Ringleader pulled the two apart. "We need her alive until her sister brings us Kevin. You can kill her after." He laughed.

"Wait, what?" Layla asked.

Stooge lowered his weapon. "You didn't think you were getting out of here alive, did you?" he, too, started to laugh.

"W-well, it w-was wishful t-thinking." She stammered. Stay calm, Layla, Kate's coming. She'll get you out of this.

"Well, if false hope will keep you calm, instead of annoying me, then okay. But, your sister will never prove Kevin's innocence in…" he looked at his watch. "Eleven hours and thirty-eight minutes. Science isn't that good." Ringleader explained.

Layla looked away. "Obviously, you haven't met Abby." Abby was the only member of Team Gibbs that Layla meet. The cheerful goth was always coming over to hang out.

"You going to shut her up?" Stooge asked. He was referring to Marlaina, she was still crying.

At NCIS, the team and Ducky were in Abby's lab. Kate was still shaken, but calmer. She knew they'd get Layla and Marlaina out of there safely. She had only been there about two months, but she learned quickly to never doubt Gibbs. Gibbs, Kate and Tony briefed Abby and Ducky on the situation. Abby pulled Kate into one of her bone crushing hugs. "Oh, Kate, don't worry. We'll get Layla and Laina out of this! You still owe me and Layla Cds, by the way." She attempted at humor.

"You owe them Cds?" Tony asked.

"Lost a bet." She answered, giggling. Then reality hit and she needed to sit. Abby noticed and pushed her chair over.

"Okay, we need to go over the evidence again. Ducky, call Gerald in and go over the bodies again." Gibbs called to order.

"Of course, Jethro." He answered and turned to Kate. "Caitlin, we'll do everything we can."

"Thanks, Ducky." She said as she hugged him. Then he left.

"DiNozzo, we're going to need coffees and a Caf-pow." Gibbs stated, turning to Tony.

"On it, Boss." With that, he left.

"Okay, Abbs, could you run the mystery fingerprints against every data base you can think of. Also rerun the DNA off the silva."

Abby sighed. "Normally, I'd be really mad that last request, because I'm never wrong, but because these are extenuating circumstances….." she babbled.

"Abbs!" he cut her off.

"Right, on it." She went over to her "baby".

Gibbs turned to Kate, who stood up from the chair. "Kate, are you going to be okay?" he asked.

She nodded. "I have to be, for Layla and Laina."

"And for you." He said, firmly.

She faintly smiled. "Yes, and me, too."

Gibbs smiled. "Good, go in Abby's office. Run a background check on Blankenship, the petty officer and any family they may have. Go as far back as you can go." Kate nodded and walked away. Gibbs took the file with the pictures Kate had taken at the crime scene and spread them across one of the tables.


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Layla hummed and rocked, a sleeping, Marlaina. Stooge was setting up Marlaina's playpen in the living room. Layla was forcing down tears. She didn't want to put Marlaina down. She was afraid to. These men, obviously, don't know what to do with babies. Ringleader put his gun to Layla's head. "Put the baby in the playpen." She hesitated. "Now!" he yelled. She flinched, then got up and laid the baby in the purple playpen. I swear this guy is bipolar!


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Special Agent Thomas "Tom" Reagan and his partner, Special Agent Amanda "Mandy" Sloan, of the Hostage Rescue Team (HRT) in the FBI, were setting up a command center in front of the apartment building. Tom and S.W.A.T. were evacuating the building, while Mandy cut Kate's phone line and patched it to the phone in the command center.


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The noise from Tom and S.W.A.T. evacuating the building didn't go unnoticed by Ringleader and Stooge. Layla looked, nervously, at Ringleader as he exploded. He struck her and she fell off the couch. She put her hand over her cheek. Instead of looking up at him, she braced herself. He grabbed the wrist touching her cheek and forced her back on the couch. "NCIS just made a huge mistake!" he yelled. He fired his weapon and Layla screamed.

The F.B.I. agents heard the shot fired. Amanda immediately pulled her weapon and went to run to the building, but Tom grabbed her arm. "Stand down!" he ordered S.W.A.T. through his radio.

"What are you doing?" Amanda questioned. "We have to get in there!"

Tom nodded and let go of her arm. "One shot, two girls. If one of them was shot, us going in could get the other girl shot. We don't even know if anyone was shot."

"Exactly, my point, Tom. If someone was shot we need to go in and get her out. If no one was shot, then we still need to get in there before someone does get shot!" she argued.

"Amanda, listen, stand down, that's an order!" Tom ordered.

Amanda sighed and put her gun back in the holster. "You better be right." She said as he walked back to the command center.

Everyone was off to their tasks. Abby's fingerprint and siliva DNA tests were still testing. Tony was still on his coffee run. No one had heard from Ducky since he disappeared into autopsy. Gibbs taking it on picture at a time, looking for anything they might have missed at the crime scene. Kate was sitting alone in the next room at Abby's desk, alone with her fears and her work. Kate and Layla's parents and two of their three older brothers were all killed in a car accident when Layla was ten. Kate promised them at their funeral that she would take care of Layla and not let anything happen to her. She failed. She failed to keep her baby sister safe. Abby walked in the room and tore Kate away from her thoughts. "How you holding up?" she asked.

Stupid question. "Fine, I guess. I'm not letting anything happen to Layla or Laina." Kate answered.

Abby smiled. "Wow, Layla and Laina. Ever realize how similar they sound?"

Kate giggled. Leave it to Abby to lighten up the mood. "I wonder if Leslie did that on purpose."

"So, how's it going with the background checks." Abby asked, getting down to business.

Kate looked back to the computer. "Petty Officer White has no criminal history. Her parents are dead. Her brother, Paul White, is twenty-five, lives in Ohio, and has a criminal record….."

"What kind of criminal record?" Gibbs asked, cutting her off as he walked over to them.

Kate frowned. "I was getting there." She answered, glaring at Gibbs. He returned the glare, so she continued. "He's been arrested five times since he turned eighteen: Assault, joyriding, robbery, and twice for possession. Petty Officer White bailed him out each time." As she finished Tony walked in and handed Gibbs and Kate their coffees and Abby her Caf Pow!.

"When was the last time he was arrested? " Gibbs asked.

"Last year, he was drunk and beat up a man for looking at him funny." She replied.

"So, the guy's got a short fuse." Tony joked, earning himself a slap to the back of his head from Gibbs and a glare from Kate. "Sorry, Boss. Continue, Kate."

"Their juvenile records are sealed. We're going to need judge to let us open them." Kate looked at her watch. "Damn it, which we don't have time for."

Gibbs looked to Abby. "Abs, hack into the records."

Abby jumped and saluted. "Yes, Sir." She smiled and walked away.

"Anything on Petty Officer Collins or Blankenship?" Tony asked.

"I'm starting on Petty Officer Collins, now. I'll let you…." Her cell phone ringing cut her off. She didn't need to look at the caller Id to know who it was. They walked over to Abby and Kate put the phone on speaker. "Agent Todd."

"You made to biggest mistake of you life, Agent Todd!" she heard Ringleader yell. Other than Ringleader, they could hear Marlaina crying and Stooge yelling something.

"W-what are you talking about? What's going on over there?" she asked.

"Don't play dumb. The F.B.I. is here aren't they?" he demanded.

"Yes." She, solemnly, answered.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't kill them, now." He hissed.

Kate took a deep breath. "Be-e-ec-cause, if you d-do, we'll stop out investigation. You'll never get what you want." She stuttered, but kept strong. (Barely!)

"Stand your ground, Kate." Gibbs whispered too low for Ringleader to hear.

"I wonder if your parent would mind seeing their youngest child so soon." Ringleader taunted.

"Leave our parents out of this." She, calmly, replied, trying to mask her rage.

He laughed. "Very well."

"Let me talk to Layla." She demanded.


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Ringleader looked over at Layla. She hadn't moved a muscle since he shot at her. The bullet just barely missed her head and lodged into the wall behind her. The sound of the gun was enough to wake Marlaina up. The five-month-old was screaming and crying. Stooge was getting annoyed. "Talk to your sister." Ringleader held the phone out to her, but it didn't register. "Now!" he yelled, snapping her out of her shock.

"K-kate?" she stuttered.

"Heyy, Laylee, are you hurt?" Kate asked, obviously overjoyed to hear her sister's voice.

"No." she sobbed.

"Is Laina?"

"No."

"Listen, Layla, we will get you out of this, got me?" Kate vowed.

Layla sighed. "Katie, they aren't going to….." she was cut off by Ringleader snatching the phone.

"You got lucky, Agent Todd. Next time, Layla gets a bullet in between the eyes. Remember, ten hours." He taunted as he hung up. He looked to Layla. "You going to shut that kid up?" he demanded, referring to Marlaina.


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Kate slammed the phone down. "Damn it!" she yelled.

"Relax, Kate." Gibbs, calmly, urged.

Kate glared at him. "How the hell am I supposed to relax?"

Gibbs sighed. "It's simple, Kate. Flipping out won't help Layla or Marlaina. Keep calm, Kate."

Kate nodded and walked away. Abby looked to Tony. "Do you think Kate'll keep it together?" she asked, nervously.

"Abs, it's Kate. She can do this." He replied.

"I hope you're right." She sighed and walked away.

Tony turned to Gibbs. "She can do this, right, Boss?" he asked. Gibbs glared. "Yea, Boss, me too." He backed away.

Kate was continuing her background checks when her cell phone rang. She looked at her caller Id. It wasn't Layla's cell number or their home number. "Agent Todd." She answered.

"Agent Todd, I'm Agent Amanda Sloan with the F.B.I.'s Hostage Rescue team. We set up a command center in front of your building." Amanda informed her.

Kate smiled. "Thank you, Agent Sloan."

"There's something you should know though." Amanda started.

Oh God. "What's wrong?"

"There was a shot fired from inside your apartment." She replied.

Kate's heart dropped. "When?!" she asked, panicking.

"About fifteen minutes ago."

She sighed in relief. "I talked to Layla since then, she and Laina are okay."

"You did?" Amanda questioned.

"They called from Layla's cell phone. Don't cut the line or it'll get them killed."

"Okay, I'll keep in touch." With that, she hung up.


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Amanda walked out of the command center, over to Tom. "We lucked out. Nobody got hurt." She snapped at him. Before he could reply, she walked away.

Layla was tired, very tired. Since two psychos were holding her hostage, sleeping was not recommended. Neither armed bad guy was talking. Them being silent scared her. The landline was ringing off the hook for the past three hours. Ringleader and Stooge didn't seem to care. "You going to get that?" she asked.

"No." Ringleader answered.

She rolled her eyes. Marlaina was sleeping peacefully in her playpen. Layla was glad that the infant was too young to understand what was happening. Her body and brain were fighting each other. Brain wanted to stay alert, but her body wanted sleep. She found this very frustrating. So much for mind over matter. She thought as she drifted off to sleep.

Time was flying. They only had seven and a half hours left. Amada kept close contact with Kate. HRT was getting nowhere, since no one was answering in Kate's apartment. The fingerprint on the crowbar matched no one. Blankenship was on his way back to NCIS from Leavenworth. Ducky and Gerald finished with the murdered petty officers' bodies: Nothing new to report. Kate went up to the bullpen to go through all her notes on the case at her desk. She saved everything she learned about the two petty officers on her computer. She finished the background checks. Next, she needed to put a profile together on the off chance that Blankenship was innocent. Her mind strayed a couple of times to Layla and Marlaina. Then she remembered that she had stuff to do and snapped out of it.

Layla awoke to Marlaina crying. The teen didn't know how long she'd been asleep. She picked up her head and looked at Ringleader. "Shut her up." He ordered.

Layla stood up and picked the infant up. Instantly, she started to calm. She kissed the top of her head. "She may be too young to understand what's happening, but babies can sense when something's wrong." She informed them, looking down at Marlaina. She remained standing, while rocking Marlaina. She decided against sitting down, she might fall asleep again.

Marlaina started whining. "What now?" Stooge complained.

Layla rolled her eyes. "She's hungry."

Stooge looked at the cable box. "It's six a.m.!"

"She doesn't know that, babies have their own schedules. She has a bottle in the fridge." She pointed out.

Ringleader nodded. "Go get it." Layla started to walk away, but he grabbed her arm. "Not you."

Stooge groaned and left the room. "Put it in the microwave for thirty seconds!" Layla called.

Ringleader sighed. "Babies are confusing." He complained.

"Who'd let you be a father?" Layla questioned. "You've been pointing a gun in our faces for hours."

He shrugged. "I do what I am told." He responded.

Layla raise an eyebrow. "Told by who, your mother?"

"My mother's dead." He informed her.

"Okay, then who sent you here?" She asked. Ringleader glared. "I'm dead, anyways." She reminded him.

"God." Was all he said.

"God? God wants you to kill innocent people? That's crap and a typical psyche defense. My sister's a fed, I know these things." She snapped.

Ringleader stepped towards her. "I'd watch it if I were you." He warned.

Layla rolled her eyes. These loons were annoying her. "Why? You still need us, so you won't shoot us, yet." She argued.

Ringleader laughed. "I need you, but I don't need the baby." He corrected, pointing his gun at Marlaina.

Layla turned her back toward him to keep Marlaina out of the line of fire. She looked down at the baby, who was still whining. "It's okay, Laina, food's coming." She whispered.

Stooge came back into the room. "Here, feed the brat." He growled, giving Layla the bottle.

Layla turned around and sat on the couch. Marlaina was big enough to hold the bottle on her own. While Marlaina fed herself, Layla and Ringleader were having a glaring contest.


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"Okay, Kate, talk to me." Gibbs ordered as he entered the bullpen.

Kate nodded and looked down at the papers she had just printed out. "No record for Petty officer White, but Petty Officer Collins is a whole other story." She paused. "She's been arrested ten times from ages thirteen to twenty, mostly for shoplifting, breaking and entering, and underage drinking. She spent three months in juvenile hall at fourteen for beating up a girl."

Gibbs nodded. "She joined the core at twenty-one, right?"

"Yeah, hasn't been arrested since." She answered.

"What about Blankenship?"

"No juvenile record, just an adult record. He has no listed siblings and his parents are dead."

Gibbs sighed. When this is over, he's giving everyone a week off. "Do you think he's innocent?" he asked.

Kate shrugged. "I really don't know. There are some unanswered questions, but I have a theory in the off chance that he is innocent."

A moment of silence. "You going to spit it out?

Kate went through the papers she was holding. She handed Gibbs a picture of a metal cross sticking out of the ground. "We found this next to both bodies, but once we arrested Blankenship, we ignored it. If Blankenship didn't do it, there could be a religious aspect to this."

Gibbs frowned. "How do you think?"

"Criminal record. He could see them as sinners. That would explain why he would go after Layla."

"How so?" he asked.

"She's been arrested twice: Once for shoplifting and once for breaking and entering. The kid has a mind of her own."

"Okay, but Petty officer White didn't have a criminal record." He reminded her.

"But her brother did and she bailed him out every time, enabling him to cause more trouble." She pointed out. "I talked to Petty Officer White's brother and Petty Officer Collins' parents. Neither of them are at all religious, therefore never repented."

Gibbs nodded. "Good point. Blankenship may not have done this, but I think he might know who did. What religion do you suspect?"

"I don't know. It could be any." Kate shrugged. "I don't think Blankenship is our murderer."

Tony entered the bullpen and walked our to them. "LEOs just escorted Blankenship here. I told them to put his in Interrogation one." He announced.


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Gibbs uncuffed Blankenship, ignoring the detectives' warnings. Blankenship sat facing the mirror and Gibbs sat on the other side of the table. "Who wants to clear your name?" Gibbs asked.

The other man shrugged. "I don't know." He answered. He didn't appear nervous, even with Gibbs giving him his famous glare. In his eyes, he didn't have much to lose.

"I don't buy it." Gibbs, calmly, accused. He put pictures of Layla and Marlaina on the table. "Someone would go so far to prove your innocence, that they are willing to kill these innocent girls if the results are not what they want. Don't give me that bull that you know nothing." Gibbs remained calm, hoping to rattle the man.

Blankenship laughed. Gibbs' tactics were obviously not working. "That's what it took to convince you that I'm innocent?"

Gibbs was annoyed now. "DNA puts you at the crime scene." He got louder.

"It's wrong."

"My forensic scientist is never wrong, try again."

Blankenship lost it. "I. Am. Innocent!" he yelled. "I have never met your dead Petty Officers, and I know nothing about anyone trying to kill these girls. Check Leavenworth, I haven't have any visitors and I have called no one."

Gibbs turned to face the mirror. "DiNozzo, have Kate check with Leavenworth." He ordered.

On the other side of the mirror, Tony took out his cell phone.


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Marlaina was very content at the moment. Layla sat with her on the floor and watched her play with her toys. The baby laughed as she tossed one of them towards Stooge. Layla smiled. Too bad she missed. Marlaina clapped her hands and let out a deafening screech.

"Must she make that noise?" Stooge groaned.

"She's a baby. Be glad she's not trying to pull off your mask. She's at the hair pulling stage." Layla pointed out.

"I liked you better scared." He insisted.

She looked away. "I used myself was the point was."

"Staying alive."

She didn't respond. Keeping Laina alive. Would be nice, too. Marlaina crawled onto Layla's lap. Layla gave her her pacifier. "I have to go to the bathroom."

Ringleader groaned. "I'll escort you."

With Marlaina in her arms, Layla lead the way out. The bathroom was at the end of the hall. Layla closed the door and locked it. It was the only way that she and Marlaina could be away from those morons for a few minutes. Layla sat the baby in the empty bathtub, and then gazed into the mirror. A bruise was forming on her cheek. She poked at it. It hurt like hell. Tears started to form in her eyes. She seat down at the toilet seat and quietly sobbed. She looked over at Marlaina. She was standing, using the edge of the tub to steady herself. Layla picked the baby up and climbed in the tub with her.


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A young blonde woman saw they cops in front of her apartment building and panicked. She, frantically, pushed her way through the crowd of people and reached for the yellow crime scene tape. She tried to duck under it, but someone stopped her. "Hold on, miss, you need to stay here." The female cop said.

"No!" the woman protested. "I need to find my baby!"

The cop nodded. "What's the baby's name?" she asked, know that a baby was one of the hostages.

"Marlaina Jackson, she's six months old." The frantic woman, tearfully, stated.

The cop pulled the tape up and let her through.


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Ringleader banged on the door. "Let's go! How can it possibly take you this long?" Then he paused. "Don't answer that." He growled. He was annoyed. Fifteen minutes passed and they were still in there.

Inside the bathroom, Layla had dosed off but Ringleader banging on the door made her jump. "Be out in a minute." She climbed out of the tub and grabbed a towel so she could wipe her face. She flushed the toilet and walked out. Ringleader lead them back to the living room.

The cop led Leslie to Amanda, who was sitting inside to command center. "You're Marlaina's mother?" she asked.

Leslie nodded. "Yes, What's happening. I left her with my best friend, Kate Todd and her sister, Layla." She, frantically, asked.

"Miss. Jackson, have a seat." Amanda pointed to the chair behind her.

Leslie nodded and sat, putting her purse on the floor by her feet. "Leslie." She introduced.

"Leslie," Amanda started, calmly. "There is a situation upstairs. Marlaina and Layla are up there along with a gunman or two."

Amanda saw Leslie's eyes widen. "Gunman or two?!" she, frantically, repeated. "Where's Kate?" she asked, trying to calm herself.

"She's trying to help at NCIS." Amanda answered. Leslie picked up her purse and started going through it. She pulled her cell phone out of it. "Who are you calling?"

"Kate." She answered.

Kate was on the phone with the warden at Leavenworth Prison. "Agent Todd, I need to check through my records for that information. I'll call you back." The warden told her.

Kate sighed. "Do it now. If I don't hear from you in ten minutes, I'm calling you back every five." She warned him. She heard him hang up. After she hung up her desk phone, her cell phone started ringing. She picked it up and looked at it. It was Leslie. "Damn it." She didn't call her. "Hi, Leslie." She, cautiously, greeted.

"Why didn't you call me?" the other woman asked.

"You're back early?" She wasn't expecting Leslie back until that evening.

"Yes, I'm home or at least I'm almost there. Why didn't you call me?" she asked, again.

Kate closed her eyes and rested her head on her free hand. "I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking that far ahead."

"You have a plan, right?"

"I'm trying, Leslie, I really am." She assured her.

"Get my baby out of this." Leslie sobbed.

"I will, but you have to trust me."

Leslie tried to calm herself, again. "Always have, Katie."

Leslie and Layla were the only ones Kate ever let get away with calling her Katie. "Leslie, I need to go now. Stay with Agent Sloan." With that she hung up. It took everything in her not to breakdown and cry.

Gibbs walked up to her. "I kept Blankenship in interrogation. How are you making out here?" he asked.

Kate picked her head up. "They warden has…" she paused and looked at her cell phone. "Three more minutes, before I start calling him basically non stop." She informed him.

Gibbs smirked. "Good girl." He commended, patting her on the shoulder.

Kate smiled, faintly, and then frowned. "Leslie came home early. Boy, did she come home to a surprise." She sighed.

"You were wrapped up in other things, Kate." He assured her.

Kate looked at her cell phone. "Ten minutes is up." She picked up her desk phone and started dialing.

Layla was back on her spot on the couch. Marlaina was back in her playpen. Ringleader was sitting on the other end of the couch, while Stooge paced the living room. He had been doing that for the last ten minutes. Layla stopped watching him after five minutes, because he made her dizzy. Layla was bored. Ringleader wouldn't let her do anything to occupy herself. She was going to draw, but Ringleader objected by throwing the pencil and notebook â€"which Layla left on the coffee table the night before- across the room. "Very suttle." She said, sarcastically. He didn't respond to that. Now, they sat in silence. Even Marlaina stayed quiet.

"How hard is it to pull records?" Kate asked, frustrated. Once again, she rested her head on her hand. She was tired; they all were. Gibbs stood in front of her desk and watched as she argued with the warden. "I'm calling you back." She paused. "Bye." She slammed the phone down and groaned.

"Stone walling?" Gibbs asked.

She nodded. "Seems like it."

"I need coffee." He growled and walked away.

Layla wanted to get away from these nuts for a few minutes. "Are you planning on letting me eat?"

Ringleader nodded to Stooge. "Watch her." he ordered. Layla was about to pick up Marlaina. "The baby stays here." She turned to him and glared. "You going to eat or not." She sighed and followed Stooge out.

"Thank you, Warden." Kate praised as she enter the information to her PDA. "What was that?" she paused to listen. "Can you fax me a copy?" she asked. "Thank you, I need that ASAP. My fax number is the same as my phone number." She hung up.

Gibbs walked over with his coffee in hand. "Talk to me, Kate."

"Blankenship was telling the truth: no visitors, no phone calls, not even a letter." She informed him.

Gibbs sighed. "So, he doesn't know who is doing this."

"He may have an idea, whether he knows it or not." She suggested. "He has a picture from his childhood in his cell. Leavenworth is faxing over a copy." On cue, she heard the beeping of her fax machine. She grabbed the paper. Gibbs noticed her eyes widened upon looking at it. She looked back at Gibbs. "I think I know who did this."

She handed him the paper. He looked at it. "Well, didn't see that one coming, now did we? Go get DiNozzo."

Layla grabbed an apple from the fridge and grabbed a cup from the cabinet. She walked over to the sink to fill the cup up with water. Stooge was standing in the doorway between the kitchen and the living room. Layla kept her back towards him. She knew that wasn't the smartest move, but she was tired of looking at him. Half way through her apple, she heard Stooge walking towards her. She didn't know why, but she reached for a knife in the sink. She kept her hand and the knife in the sink. Once Stooge had a firm grip on her shoulder, reflex kicked in. She quickly turned around and stabbed him through the side of his neck with the big butcher knife. Stooge gasped in pain. Layla couldn't believe what she just did, as she slowly pulled the knife out of him and dropped it. The knife hit the floor at the same time Stooge's body did. Layla sank to the ground, staring at him. I can't believe I did that! Why did I do that?! Her mind screamed.

Ringleader calmly entered the kitchen to see his companion lying dead on the floor in a pool of his own blood and Layla sitting by him. She had Stooge's blood on her. "Come back in the living room." He, quietly, ordered.

Even though her body felt heavy, Layla stood up and followed Ringleader out.

Team Gibbs showed up at Kate's apartment building. They were lead to the command center, where they were greeted by Amanda, Tom, and Leslie. Leslie, immediately, wrapped her arms around Kate. "Get my baby out of this, Katie."

"I will, I promise." She whispered.

They broke apart and turned to Gibbs. "I'm going up there."

"The hell you are!" he growled.

"Gibbs, I have to do this. How much you wanna bet that that's the way he's going to want it?" Gibbs glared. Kate matched his glare for the first time since Air Force One. "You can stand outside the apartment door, but I go in alone." Gibbs kept his glare and didn't say anything. "Gibbs, I need to do this for Layla and Marlaina." Her voice was almost a whisper at this point.

Gibbs sighed. "Get her a vest." He said to Tom. He turned his attention back to Kate. "I'll be right outside the door."

"You can't be serious!" Tom didn't like this very much. Amanda went for the vests. "You'll get yourselves killed."

They ignored him. "I'm coming, too." Tony said. "No way, I'm letting you two get yourselves killed without me."

Kate took out her cell phone. "You think he'll answer?" Tom asked, as Amanda handed them each a vest.

"Yeah, he'll answer." Gibbs answered for her.

Kate dialed Layla's cell phone number.

Ringleader looked down at Layla's ringing cell phone. "Kate" it said. He smirked. "Big sister to the rescue." He said to himself. Layla said nothing. She was still in shock from what she had just done. She held Marlaina close. Ringleader answered the phone. "Hello Agent Todd."

Kate glanced around. "I'm coming up." She told him.

"Come alone or they die." She heard him hang up.

She, Gibbs, and Tony put on their navy blue flack vests. "Be careful!" Abby and Leslie said at the same time.

Layla was shaking. She knew Kate was coming and she was afraid that he'd kill all three of them. Ringleader paced with his gun in hand. They heard a knock at the door and Kate entered, armed. Her gun was directed at Ringleader. Ringleader had his gun trained on her. "Put the gun away. Agent Todd."

"Let the girls go." she demanded. Ringleader didn't budge. "Fine." Kate said putting her gun back in the holster. She looked to Layla. "Layla, come here." She heard Ringleader take the safety off his gun. Kate looked back at him. Shoot any of us and Blankenship is going down for the murder of those Petty Officers. Let them go or you won't get to hear anything of what we found." She warned.

"NCIS would fabricate evidence?" he asked.

"What's to fabricate? We have DNA evidence." She pointed out. Ringleader nodded letting Layla, with Marlaina in her arms, rush over to Kate. Kate kissed the side of her sister's head. The first thing she noticed was the bruise on her cheek and the blood. "Go, Layla. My team is out there waiting." She whispered.

"No, Kate, come with us." Layla sobbed. She didn't want to leave her big sister behind. What if he killed her?

"I'll be out soon." She assured her.

"Promise?"

Kate gave her a reassuring smile. "Promise."

With that, Layla walked out the door. Kate turned to Ringleader. He lowered his weapon as well. "So, you know that Kevin is innocent."

Kate nodded. "We also have a suspect."

As Layla walked out the door, carrying Marlaina, she was met by Gibbs and Tony. They startled her, so she jumped. She didn't expect them to be there. "It's okay, you're safe now." Gibbs assured her.

"Are you Kate's team?" She asked.

Gibbs nodded. I'm Special Agent Jethro Gibbs and this is Special Agent Tony DiNozzo." Tony waved. Gibbs noticed the blood. "Is that yours?" he asked.

"No." she answered. She didn't want to elaborate.

"How many in there?" Tony asked.

"Two, but one is dead." She whispered.

"Did the other gun man kill him?" Gibbs asked. He needed to know what kind of situation his agent walked into.

Tears formed in Layla's eyes. "No."

Gibbs nodded. "DiNozzo, take them outside." He ordered.

Tony nodded. "Come on." He held out his hand.

Layla continued to look at Gibbs. "Don't let anything happen to my sister." She said, before taking Tony's hand and following him out.

Layla, Marlaina, and Tony exited the building and were immediately met by SWAT. Layla jumped and hid behind Tony. Tony took that as a hint. Traumatized Layla didn't want them anywhere near her. Tony looked around and spotted Amanda. "Hey! Call the dogs off." He told her.

Amanda walked over. "You heard him, stand down." She ordered. SWAT backed off.

Tony turned to face Layla and Marlaina. "Layla, this is Amanda. She's with the FBI." He introduced.

"Hi." She said, softly, while showing Layla her badge.

"Take care of them." Tony ordered as he turned to run back into the building.

Amanda led Layla and Marlaina to the command center. Layla spotted Leslie right away. She rushed over. Marlaina reached for her mommy, so Layla handed her over. Leslie held her baby tight and kissed the top of her head repeatedly.

Ducky, Gerald, and Abby approached them. Abby gasped at the sight of Layla. "Oh, Layla, what did they do to you?" she asked, caressing Layla's cheek. "Ducky, check her out." Layla glanced at Ducky, then back at Abby. She didn't know Ducky. "It's okay." Abby assured her. "Ducky's a doctor and a friend of Kate's."

"The blood's not mine." She responded. "He only hit me in the face."

"Why did he hit you?" Amanda, gently, asked.

"He heard you evacuating the building. He hit me, then shot at me to scare me." She answered.

"He?" Tom asked.

"I nicknamed him Ringleader." She, shyly, smiled.

Abby giggled. "Cute."

Tom sighed. He didn't see the humor Abby saw. "Does he have a name?" Layla shrugged. Amanda led her to a chair. Everyone else followed. "Was Ringleader the only gunmen?" Tom asked.

"No."

"How many?"

"Two, but one's dead."

"So, there is one, then."

Layla glared at the man, then tears started to fall. Amanda noticed and turned to Tom. "Questions can wait." She turned to Ducky. "Doctor, make sure nothing is broken." She noticed Layla shivering, so she took off her jacket and put it around her shoulders.

"Thanks." Layla, shakily, said.

Amanda nodded, and then pulled Tom off to the side. "Leave her be." She demanded.

"We still need to talk to her." Tom argued.

"No, we got what we needed. One gunman in there with Agent Todd." She reminded him.

"Yes, but who killed the other guy?" he asked.

Amanda sighed. "Look at her, Tom." She motioned over to Layla. Tom looked over. Ducky was checking out her cheek. She was distant. "Something happened in there. She killed him."

Tom raised an eyebrow and looked back at her. "How can you possibly know that, she hasn't made a statement?"

Amanda glared. "She's shaking, in shock, and she has blood on her. Do the math!"

"We still need to question her." Tom argued, again

"Will you get your head out of your ass! Wait for her sister." With that she walked over to one of the SWAT members.

Kate was face to face with Ringleader. Both had their guns holstered. When Ringleader took a step towards her, she took a step back. "I told you to clear Kevin's name, not find the real killer." Ringleader growled.

"In order to clear him, we needed a new suspect." She informed him.

He laughed. "Well, don't keep me in suspense. Who was he taking the fall for?"

"You." She answered. She thought she'd try her luck, since there was no guarantee that the person she thought was under that ski mask was actually there.

Once again, Ringleader laughed. "Me? You don't even know who I am"

"True, but I can guess." She took the picture out of her pocket and unfolded it. "I bet this was taken during happier times." She showed the picture to him. It was of two identical twin boys sitting around the campfire, roasting marshmallows.

"How do you know that I'm one of these boys?" he asked.

"Identical twins having identical DNA is something I learned in high school biology. Fingerprints, however, is always different for everyone. That's why we matched Kevin's DNA, but not his fingerprints." She answered. There was a moment of silence. "Why did you spit on the Petty Officers? You knew that your brother was in the system. You knew we'd arrest him. Was that your plan? Was this all just a game to you?" she asked. She folded the picture and put it back in her pocket.

"You still didn't answer my question, Agent Todd." He reminded her.

Kate shrugged. "I'm a profiler. Who'd be here putting on this show for his benefit, but a family member? As you being his brother, I'm just guessing since your parents are dead." She paused. "It's over, let's get out of here."

"No!" Ringleader yelled and reached for his gun.

Kate did the same. "You wanted us to clear your brother, and we did. It's time to end this!"

Ringleader's attitude changed completely. He went from amused to angry. Kate didn't like where this was heading. "You know, Agent Todd, I had every intension of killing someone tonight. Since your brat sister and that baby got away, I guess you are the lucky winner!" he started rambling insanely.

Kate kept her gun pointed at him. "After I got in here I thought the religious theme was a cover. Game's over, put the gun down!"

"That's we're you're wrong!" he yelled, as Gibbs and Tony came running through the door, guns drawn.

"Drop your weapon." Gibbs, calmly, demanded.

Ringleader grew even more furious. He still had his gun pointed at Kate, while Kate, Tony, and Gibbs had their pointed at him. "Put your guns down, Agents, or I'll shoot her!"

"Gibbs, DiNozzo, what do you say the chances are of you shooting him after he shoots me?" Kate, sarcastically, asked. She already knew that answer.

"I'd say a hundred percent." Tony answered.

"It's not worth it, drop the weapon." Gibbs demanded, again.

They heard him take his gun off safety to shoot, but Kate was faster. She fired off two shots, both hitting him in the chest. As the bullets hit him, however, his gun went off. Kate was hit in the chest and they both fell to the ground. Kate was thanking God that she was wearing her vest as Gibbs and Tony went to help her up. "Damn it, that hurt." She cursed after she got to her feet.

Gibbs walked over to check to see if Ringleader had a pulse: he didn't. He turned back to Kate. She had her eyes glued to Ringleader's body. Gibbs stepped in front of her to block her view. "It's over." He assured her.

She nodded.

"Damn, Kate, you really know how to bring out the worst in a guy." Tony joked, trying to lighten the mood. Neither Kate nor Gibbs were in the mood, so Tony was rewarded with a nice slap to the back of his head, "Sorry, Boss."

Everyone heard the shots fired. Amanda and Tom ran in, followed by SWAT.

Layla buried her face on Abby's shoulder. "Kate." She sobbed.

"I'm sure she's okay." Abby assured her. "They have to be okay." She whispered to herself.

Tom, Amanda, and SWAT rushed into Kate's apartment, guns first. When they noticed the dead guy on the floor, they reholstered their weapons. "Everyone okay?" Amanda asked.

"Just great." Tony answered, giving her a thumbs up.

Gibbs walked back over to Ringleader's body and pulled the ski mask off. Kate was right. It was Kevin Blankenship's twin brother.

Kate, Gibbs, and Tony walked out of the building. Layla immediately came running. "Kate!" she yelled as she wrapped her arms around her big sister.

Kate hugged her back. "They can't hurt you anymore, Laylee." She whispered to her. She could hear Layla sobbing. Kate kissed the top of her head. "Come on, lets get out of here." Layla broke away and followed her sister.

Ducky and Gerald went home after they x-rayed Kate's ribs.

Gibbs and Kate were at their desks. They pulled up two chairs for Layla and Leslie. Leslie sat in front of Kate's desk, holding, a very restless, Marlaina. Layla sat next to Kate, resting her head on her shoulder. Kate rested her head on Layla's and held her hand, while holding and ice pack under her shirt. Ducky said that taking the bullet in the vest bruised a rib. Layla changed into a pair of sweat pants and an oversized NCIS sweat shirt that Kate had in her car. She hadn't said a word since her gave her statement. Kate hadn't left her side, either. Leslie sat there trying to get Marlaina to sit still long enough to have a bottle. The young woman held her baby tight since everything happened.

Tony was down in Abby's lab matching fingerprints and trying to figure out identities.

It was now noon and everyone was exhausted. Gibbs decided that Kate and Layla were staying with him until their apartment was no longer a crime scene and cleaned up. He wouldn't take no an answer: no surprise there. Leslie and Marlaina were allowed to return to their apartment, since nothing happened there.

Tony walked in. "Twin's name is Levi Blankenship. The guy Layla nicknamed "Stooge", love the name by the way." That earned a slight chuckle from Layla. "Anyways, his name is Daniel Carter. He thirty and was just released from prison for assault."

"I killed him." Layla whispered.

"It wasn't your fault, Laylee." Kate assured her again.

Layla pulled away. "I'm going to the bathroom." She got up and walked away.

Kate rested her head on her desk, while still holding the ice pack to her. "Give her time, Kate." Gibbs told her.

"I know, Gibbs." She said.

Gibbs stood up. "Okay, I don't want to see any of you here for another week, got me? We've earned a nice vacation. DiNozzo, pass that message on to Abby and go home." Tony nodded and left.

Kate stood up. "I'll go get Layla."

Gibbs was in his basement working on his boat. Kate decided to join him. "Layla's asleep." She announced as she walked down the stairs.

"That's good." He replied. She sat on the bench. Gibbs looked back at her. "You okay?" he asked.

"It was a long night. I almost lost my baby sister." She replied, a single tear slipped down her cheek.

Gibbs nodded. "You should sleep." He pointed out.

"So should you." She challenged.

Gibbs smirked, but decided to change the subject. "So, I'm guessing religion wasn't his motive for murder?" he asked.

"No, he wasn't rational on any level. He went from laughing to angry in no time flat. This was a game. He planed this." She answered.

"Yeah." He said, handing Kate his bottle of bourbon. "Sip it, don't gulp." He advised, sitting next to her.

She chuckle, took a sip, and handed it back to him. Her thoughts turned back to Layla. The red head went through a lot last night. She was traumatized, but Kate had no doubt that she'd be okay in time. She had to be. Right now Layla needed patience, because she wouldn't go back to normal immediately. The bad guys were dead and Layla and Marlaina were safe. Kate had a lot to be thankful for that day.