Disclaimer: In this economy I'm holding on to my handful of possessions with a vice grip. Tragically NCIS is not one of those possessions. It is the sole property of the creators, studio, writers, producers, directors, etc. Lucky them….

I consider myself lucky to be able to take them out to play for a while.

**Some dialogue is taken directly from the episode.

Warning: THIS STORY will CONTAIN NON-SEXUAL SPANKING; ABORT THE MISSION… DO NOT READ… TURN BACK NOW IF THIS ISN'T YOUR THING.

A/N: This story is a complete AU episode tag… based on the S5E: Dog Tags.

A/N: A stubborn Abby gets a little more 'daddy' Gibbs attention then she was looking for.

A/N: I cannot say enough THANK YOUS to everyone that is still reading my old work & reviewing. I've also been in receipt of wonderful PMs just checking in and seeing how I'm doing. Real life is as interesting as ever. As much as I enjoy and miss it my writing (FF and personal) had to take a back seat. It's been a "minute"… So, sit back, suspend belief and enjoy it as the fiction it's meant to be.

**NCIS**NCIS**NCIS**

Prologue

"Come on Luka! We can hide him out back or maybe the tree house. Maybe Grams will let us keep him at her place."

"I don't think so Abby. 'Sides he looks like he might be sick."

"I know Luka. That's why we have to take him and get him back healthy. Ugh, think about it."

She was literally staring down at her little brother waiting for him to show signs of giving her proposal serious thought. To his credit the 8-year old did wear a very pensive look.

"Okay Abby, but we're not a'sposed to keep things from mommy and daddy."

"Don't worry kid. We're doing a good thing!"

NCIS~Present Day

Gibbs and the team were supposed to be serving a routine warrant. The suspect's past led them to believe he might make a run for it, but still it wasn't likely to be a hostile pick up. Gibbs sent McGee around back while he used Tony to break down the door. Oddly they cleared the house and only noticed the body as they were about to settle down for a look around.

"We gotta stop serving warrants after lunch. Ten bucks says McGee spills it on this one." Tony said.

"Where is McGee?" Ziva asked. They'd cleared inside relatively quick and he should've cleared the perimeter in the same amount of time and been back inside by now.

The unexpected shots rang through the house and all three took off hands on their holsters. What they found had them all standing around shocked. McGee was on the ground and the worse injured party was a dog laying in a pool of blood.

By the time Ducky and Jimmy arrived Gibbs had Tim sitting up on one of the back yard chairs. Ziva had gotten some wash rags from the house and Gibbs was stemming the blood seeping out of Tim's neck.

"Boss I really think it's slowing down now."

Swatting at his wandering hand Gibbs' gruff no nonsense tone halted him. "Hey! It stays on and you sit still until Ducky clears you. I mean it Tim."

"Yes Boss."

"Jethro?" The familiar call came from the front of the house.

"Out back Duck." Gibbs answered.

It took about twenty extra minutes before Ducky was done with McGee and everyone had learned of Jimmy's vast veterinary knowledge. Once Gibbs was satisfied he wanted them back focused on processing the house.

"Boss, what about me?" McGee asked.

Gibbs tossed him the keys. "Take the evidence back to Abby."

Timothy McGee, in that moment, would've traded with anyone on the team for their assignment. Taking Abby an injured dog, especially one he shot, was right up there with his worse nightmare. She would be unforgiving at best. Hell, even Ziva had gotten snippy with Tony for not showing enough empathy for the wounded canine. It wasn't that Tim didn't love dogs. He was just looking at possible adoptions the week prior. But this… this was a potential suspect covered in evidence. He would just have to convince Abby to treat it as such. Mind made up he stood in his new resolve. IT was evidence and IT would be treated as such. He'd be sure to point that out to her at every turn.

The closer he got to the Navy Yard the less convinced he was. He kept thinking about all the stories Abby had shared about her Bayou upbringing and the menagerie of animals that she'd rescued from certain extinction. That previous staunch resolve had lasted as long as the car ride. He knew it would be added to the list of weaknesses Tony would be happy to point out.

"Hey McGee." Abby was in a great mood. Her favorite thing in the world was pulling into the garage. New evidence could really get her mojo going. Well, it would have if she hadn't seen her sweet Timmy covered in bandages.

"Oh my God! What happened to you?"

"I was attacked by a vicious dog." Abby generously began fawning over McGee and he sucked up all the attentive sympathy he could. He knew the conversation was going to deteriorate.

"Are you okay?"

"Careful, careful…"

"Sorry. Did you provoke it?" Here it comes thought McGee. Abby had a squishy center about most things and her ability to empathize with any suffering living being was what made her so, well… Abby! But, he also knew that he'd have to keep her objective where this particular pooch was concerned. If she decided to dig her heels in about this four legged friend Gibbs would NOT be happy with her.

"Well, if you consider serving a warrant provoking."

"What happened to the dog?"

Gesturing to the car, "he was shot," McGee answered calmly.

That's when he disappeared to his little Goth scientist. Turning to the car he could tell she would only be half listening to anything he said that didn't concern the wounded maneater.

"What? McGee?" Looking at the sad puppy eyes Abby tossed thoughts of protocols out the window and started to unmuzzle the animal.

"Abby. Abby careful that is one vicious dog."

"Yeah, McGee it's really vicious." She answered giving him the ultimate in side-eye.

"Well, Ducky and Jimmy sedated him. Hoping you can get some evidence off him."

"Who would shoot this cute little dog?"

Silence loomed as realization washed over them both. Abby's scowl in that moment could nearly rival Gibbs. She thought she might deck McGee.

"It was self defense. It was self defense."

The conversation went down hill from there resulting in McGee's $500 dollar Hugo Boss jacket being used as a blanket and Abby thinking him more the murderer than the suspect they'd been after.

"Bad McGee!" She'd shouted at him. Then she refused his help getting the dog to her lab thinking McGee's presence would be too upsetting.

Getting the dog down to her lab Abby worked diligently to clean up her new friend. She didn't care what McGee said. There was no way this sweet puppy was a vicious killer and she would prove it.

Staring into his eyes she looked over at the collar she had removed. This dog was no Butch. This gentle giant was to be known as Jethro from here forward. Now, all she had to do was convince the original that his four-paw namesake would was worth saving.

~Stay Tuned~