Tony took a deep breath as Jethro knocked on the door. It took a moment before a spanish-looking woman opened the door. She was in her late twenties, maybe early thirties and could be considered as very attractive. But she had dark rings around her eyes and her tanned skin seemed pale.
„Special Agents Gibbs and DiNozzo, NCIS. We're here to talk about your daughter."
Jethro said softly and the young woman nodded. She lead them into the living room and they sat on the couch.
„Can I bring you a coffee?"
„Thanks."
They both said and waited patiently until she returned.
„So, NCIS finally joined in? Is there anything new?"
She asked with a slight accent that served her pretty well.
„We just joined the investigation, Ma'am. I'm sorry you have to go through that again, but could you tell us what happened on the playground?"
Tony asked not taking his eyes off her for a single moment. She sat back in her seat and took a deep breath, tears glistering in her eyes.
„I was there with Olivia everyday. At that day, I wanted to buy her a soft ice. I just turned my back to the ground for a moment, she was in the sand box...and then...she was gone..."
Tony looked down to his notes in a try to hold his own tears. These cases effected him a lot more nowadays.
„Mrs. Marino, it is very important. Have you seen anybody suspicious? A man who acted out. Somebody who wasn't with a child or talked to many different kids?"
She shook her head and sniffed.
„I was watching Olivia all the time. And I was talking to other mothers. I didn't spent attention to men..."
‚Naive‘ was the first word that came to Tony's mind but then he realized that he wouldn't have acted differently.
„You don't think you'll find her, right?"
She asked and Tony looked up.
„We'll do everything to safe your daughter, Ma'am."
„You know what Sola means?"
„She who lives alone."
Tony answered and Jethro shot him a surprised look.
„Yes...After the birth the doctors told me that I can't have another baby...we wanted to have lots of children, you know?"
A sad smile appeared on her face. Tony felt Jethro shift a little closer.
„Do you have children?"
„One."
They answered together.
„You...two?"
They nodded.
„Yeah, we have a daughter. She's four. We can fully understand your situation and we really try everything to get that bastard so our children can play again. And we'll try everything that your daughter can play again."
„Thank you, Agent DiNozzo."
She smiled softly and they left her alone again, with a very bad feeling in their guts.
The drive back to the office Tony was completely silent. The conversation with the young mother had shaken him.
„You shouldn't have said that."
Tony turned his head to look at his husband. Apparently he had said more before and the one sentence didn't make much sense.
„I shouldn't have said what?"
„Tony, the girl is missing for more than three weeks."
He looked at Jethro but he didn't understand what he was trying to say.
„I still don't..."
„You shouldn't have given her hope. The chances to find the girl..."
„Her name is Olivia!"
„I know what her name was."
If they had stood at a streetlight Tony would have fleed the car but he had no choice.
„You don't know if she's dead! Don't assume that she's dead!"
„Tony, I'm just realistical!"
Jethro said reasonable and calm but it only enraged Tony even more.
„Why the hell are you working this case if you don't have any hope? Are you really that bitter? Did this job kill all optimism in you already? What if it had been Lish? Would you want the police to talk about her as if she was dead? Would you?"
Tony yelled and Jethro's jaw was set tight as he pulled into a space at NCIS.
„Get out."
Jethro said forced calmly.
„No, Jethro!"
„GET OUT, DINOZZO!"
Everthing froze. For five years Jethro hadn't called Tony DiNozzo anymore. The younger man's eyes filled with tears and Jethro wanted to say something, to apologize, but Tony opened the door, got out and closed the door. The soft click of the lock was deafening and much worse than if Tony had slammed the door shut.
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