Chapter Nine

Gibbs and his team reviewed all of Tony's collected information, while Tony had his men hit the pavement looking for witnesses, checking CCTV, ATMs, store security cameras, and whatever else they could come up with. It was slow calculate police work.

Sitting at the spare desk Tony reviewed what they had so far. He looked at his watch. It was seven in the evening.

"Food, wonderful food, I really think I need some," sang Agent North.

Tony looked over at Gibbs expected a glare and saw a smile. Just like I thought, she a pretty red head and reminds him of his daughter.

"North, you hungry then order some Chinese for all of us and then take Strong and pick it up," Gibbs suggested.

"Yes, Bossman."

He turned his head to get back to work and saw Tony glaring at him.

"I know what you're thinking and shut up before I head slap you, DiNozzo," he growled.

"You sure you want to assault a police officer, Gibbs," smiled Tony.

Tony smartphone rang and he answered it.

"Yeah," he said while yawning.

"Boss, we got a grainy image from an ATM camera and we think it's our man," Tanner said.

"Let's get this image to the NCIS lab and have them see what they can do with it, Tanner," Tony ordered.

"I'll have Mickens send it in an email or whatever."

"I understand what you mean. Send it to . I'll warn her that it's coming," Tony hung up.

He looked over at Gibbs.

"We may have an image. I'm going to let Abby know," he said.

Gibbs nodded.

Tony entered Abby's lab carrying a CafPow and hoping they finally had a break in this. He walked up behind her and placed the CafPow beside her as she leaned her chin on her hand and napped while sitting on her stool. Gently he kissed her cheek.

"Hi, Tony," she said.

"I brought you a CafPow."

"Thank you," she opened her eyes.

"There's an email coming to with a link to an ATM feed with an image of our man. We need you to work our Abby magic on the image and get us something," he said.

"I'll give it my best, Tony," she said.

"I missed you, Abs," he said.

"So, you'll be coming back here," she said.

"No. NCIS is my past. But we are still friends and you know where I live," he smiled.

"'Kay, Tony," she said.

NCIS

North and Strong were asleep behind her desk, while McGee slept at his desk. Gibbs sat straight up with his eyes closed, but you wouldn't know it unless you got up close to him. Tony knew him too well, though.

He looked over at Ziva, who was staring at him with an expression on her face that a blind man could read. Getting up from his desk, he walked over to her desk. Holding out his hand to her, she got up and walked with him to the elevator. Entering the elevator, he immediately cut the power then pushed her up against the wall. It didn't long and the two of them were half undressed and Tony was pressing her up against the wall.

Besides clothes they lost track of time in the elevator, steaming up the small metal cubicle until the walls were sweaty. After getting dressed he kissed Ziva one more time then turned the elevator back on.

Instead returning to the floor they left, it went down and opened to Abby eating some licorice and looking at them with a sinister grin.

"You," she said looking at Ziva, "are a screamer. And you have way too much energy."

Ziva blushed and Tony smile.

"I have the image cleaned and I ran through all my databases and I've got hit," she smiled.

"Abby, this is great," Tony strode past her and into her lab leaving Abby staring at Tony.

"I'm glad you two finally got together, but if I told Gibbs what you did to his office, you'd be working for Tony," Abby said.

"I might not mind that," smiled Ziva.

Tony stood staring at the computer. His name was Edward Gilbert. Just like Tony thought he was a navy corpsman for six years. He'd spent time in Iraq and Afghanistan. He'd been home for a year working in hospitals inflating balloons in arteries.

This is the Goddamn bastard. Melony, I'm going to get him for you. I'm going to kill this bastard just for you.

Abby and Ziva entered the lab and saw Tony glaring at the image of Edward Gilbert. Both his were balled up into fists and his eyes had no warmth or humor.

Ziva walked up to him and placed her hand on his shoulder.

"Ahuvi, we will get him now," she said.

"He showed me her heart. After he cut it out of her chest, he showed it to me," said Tony.

"Let's go tell Gibbs we have him," Abby said.

"Come on, Ahuvi," said Ziva.

It's me or him. Either he's going to die or me. It's the only way this can end.

NCIS

Gilbert lived in the Douglas neighborhood. It was populated by St Elizabeth Hospital, two public housing projects, several Jewish cemeteries, Levine School of Music, The School of Washington Ballet, and trinity Washington University. Gilbert lived near the Public housing in a rundown three family building. His apartment was on the first floor.

Fornell along with Agent Sacks joined Gibbs' Team and Tony and four of his men. With court orders and body armor they prepared themselves to take down Edward Gilbert. They broke into his apartment to find Gilbert gone but he left behind plenty of evidence.

"Okay, this bastard is still out there, so everyone keep your heads on a swivel," Gibbs ordered. "Agent North, you and Abby are staying at my place."

"Boss, can I stay, too?" asked McGee.

"Ziva?" he queried.

"I'll be safe," she said and looked at Tony.

Tony walked over to his people.

"Tanner, get some unies to Strong's place. And let's get a department wide BOLO out on Gilbert," said Tony.

"I'll take care of it," Tanner said.

Tony and Ziva got in his car and started driving. He drove until he saw an all night diner then he stopped and parked.

"I need food," he said.

"Sure," she said.

They sat silently and ate cheeseburgers and French fries along with coffee for him and tea for her. He paid then they got back into the car. Exhaustion as starting to catch with him, while she had become very quiet in the diner. He noticed, but he didn't push. Now he wanted to push.

"Where do you want me to take you?" he asked.

"No, Tony, I don't want to go back to my apartment. I don't want to see Ray. I want to be with you," she said.

"Okay," he smiled.

"Do you want me to stay with you?" she asked.

She was afraid of the answer considering all that they had been through. Maybe all he needed was the sex to clear his mind and he'd not want her anymore. Maybe he loved and hated her equally. She wouldn't blame him.

"Zi, I want you to live with me, stay with me, and when you ready, marry me," he said.

She smiled. Tony's smartphone rang. He reached into his pocket and answered it.

"DiNozzo," he said.

"Tony, you need to come to Gibbs right away," McGee said then hung up.

"That's strange," he said as he turned the car around and started to head to Gibbs.

"What is strange?"

"McGee wanting us at Gibbs now," he said. "Do me a favor, when we get there get down low, hide. Once I'm inside then come in the backdoor."

"Gut feeling?"

"A hunch," he said.

When they got to Gibbs Ziva hid out of sight, while Tony got out and headed into the house. Opening the door he entered to find Gibbs paralyzed on the floor, Agent North on his dining room table paralyzed with Gilbert threatening her and Abby and McGee staring on in shock and horror.

"Hi partner. You almost caught me tonight, so I decided to pay your friends a visit. You see partner if I die then I want you to die. If you say no, I cut this pretty young thing heart out. What do you say?" Gilbert asked.

"What do you want me to do?" he asked.

"Drop your gun on the floor," he said then he picked Gibbs' gun up off the table and pointed it at him. "Take your shirt off and replace her. How does that sound, partner?"

Tony slowly reached in and took out his gun and dropped it on the floor. He looked and saw the fury and Gibbs' eyes as he fought against the Nimbex. It was hopeless.

Next, Tony took off his coat and started unbuttoning his shirt.

"Sorry, it had to end so soon, partner, but we both knew that this wasn't going to last forever," Gilbert said.

"You're right. It was always a matter of which one of us died first," Tony smiled.

"Why are you smiling?" Gilbert asked.

"Because you're more dangerous than me, but I'm smarter," Tony answered.

Three shots were fired through the window. One hit Gilbert in the back of the head, and two right between the shoulder blades. In terms of shooting the shots had accuracy and precision. Gilbert was dead.

Epilogue

The MCU shared credit with several federal agencies for bringing an end to the life of Edward Gilbert. Now that he had accomplished what he started Tony had a choice: he could stay with Metro or rejoin NCIS and lead his own team. Vance had talked to Tom Morrow and was told that DiNozzo was a valued asset.

He was supposed to pick Ziva up at NCIS, so he decided to go up and give them his decision. When he got to the bullpen Vance was talking to Gibbs.

"Inspector DiNozzo," Vance said, "I have a feeling you've got an answer for me."

"Yes, Director, I do. I'm staying with Metro," he said.

"Really, why?"

"The MCU will handle in a week what a MCRT handles in two months. I can make a bigger difference there," he said.

"Tell him the real reason, DiNozzo," smiled Gibbs.

Ziva got up, put on her coat and put her backpack over her shoulder then walked over and gave Tony a kiss on the cheek.

"I make the rules," he smiled.