It was four am when their phone rang.
„Gibbs?"
„Jethro, it's Fornell."
„Tobias. Do you have any idea what time it is?"
„You mean you and Tony actually slept?"
Snorting Jethro stood up and went out of the bedroom. He didn't know how Tony could still be asleep but he didn't want to wake him.
„Why do you call, Tobias?"
„Have you heard of the playground scooter?"
Jethro put down the cup he had just taken out of the cupboard and sat at the kitchen table.
„Playground scooter?"
„Yeah. Five children have been abducted on playgrounds. I didn't expect Jen to tell you."
„Why should she?"
Jethro had a suspicion why she hadn't told him and he didn't like that.
„She turned over one of the cases. It's a daughter of a Navy Admiral."
‚I'm gonna kill her‘ he thought but took a deep breath.
„You still haven't told me why you're calling."
„We're not getting any further in this case. I thought if I tip you that we have this case you might storm into the office of your director and demand jurisdiction. We both pull our bastard show, Tony could use his „it could be my daughter" line and we can solve this case and get that bastard."
Jethro turned when there was a sound at the door. Tony slurfed into the kitchen and kissed Jethro on the top of the head.
„Work?"
„Could be."
He took another breath before he talked to Fornell again.
„I gotta think about it, Tobias. But if you haven't heard of me or Jen until tonight you know my answer."
With that he closed his cell phone and put it on the table. Tony sat down with a frown on his face.
„What's going on?"
„Tobias said they have a case and they're not making any progress. He asked me to join the investigation."
„You? Working with the FBI? Gotta see that."
„Well, if I do, you will. He said that it's a serial crime and one of the abductions was in NCIS jurisdiction but Jen turned it over."
Tony's frown became a little deeper as Jethro filled two cups with coffee and sat down again.
„What are you waiting for then?"
„Tony...it's about children."
The younger man sat back in his chair and nodded slightly.
„What happened?"
Jethro gave a half shrug.
„Five children have been abducted on playgrounds. That's all I know so far. You know how I am on such cases, I won't sleep until we have that dirtbag."
„Yes, I know. And I know that I won't sleep either. But the question, Jethro, is, can you sleep if you're not doing anything?"
Jethro sighed deeply. Tony was right, no point to argue. Now that he knew that there was somebody taking children, girls that probably indeed could have been his daughter, he felt sick. He wanted to throw up, as always with such cases. He knew that the longer he was sitting in this kitchen waiting for the answer to come the smaller were the chances to find those girls. On the other hand now he didn't have pictures of them in his head. He wouldn‘t see them cry in his dreams and he couldn't have to blame himself if they didn't find them.
„We can't do anything right now. Let's go to bed and we'll see tomorrow."
Tony nodded, knowing he would lose every following argument and accepted this as almost won. For Tony it was a clear thing that they'd take the case. He definitely couldn't sleep very well knowing that children are in the hands of some psycho who did things with them he didn't even want to think about.
„Ok, let's sleep for a few more hours."
„NO, JEN!! It's our responsibility!"
Tony startled out of sleep and sat upright in the bed. Lish was lying next to him on Jethro's side and suddenly, the house was very silent. Too silent. The door opened and Jethro entered the room. He picked his still sleeping daughter up and went back to the door.
„Get dressed, Tony. We're heading into work."
With that he left Tony alone, puzzled as he was. Still dazed he always needed a few minutes to really wake up so Jethro was back in the room before Tony was even up.
„Why are you still in bed?"
„Aren't we off today? It's sunday...oh...you decided?"
„Yeah, Tony. I decided. We're dropping Lish at the day care and get going."
Tony slowly stood from the bed and rubbed his eyes.
„Why do we have to bring Lish to day care? Can't Ducky watch her?"
„Ducky comes in aswell. We'll need a profile."
Tony frowned as he brushed his teeth. He stuck his head back into the bedroom.
„Hasn't the FBI done one?"
„I want Ducky to do another!"
Jethro answered angrily and then closed his eyes and pressed his fingers against the bridge of his nose.
„I'm sorry, Tony...I haven't slept well."
Bitting back the „I told you" Tony came back into the bedroom and started to dress.
„Didn't find any?"
„Worse. I had a nightmare. I thought without the pictures of the kids it would be easier, it wasn't. I saw Lish all the time. Sitting in a dark room crying, sobbing our names."
Tony looked at his husband for a long moment. Then he crossed the small space and kissed him softly.
„We'll take care that Lish is not alone for one single minute until this bastard is behind bars...or in the morgue...can't decide which one I'd prefer."
Jethro nodded curtly and went to the door.
„I do."
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