Chapter 2

As the group broke up, he walked over to Abby, giving her a hug. "You okay, Abbs?"

"Fine, you get me the evidence, and I'll make it all go away, Tony." Abby may not have always been a big fan of the director, but Abby had finally opened up and found that the older woman could be a wonderful friend if given the chance. "We can't let her reputation get hurt by this. I don't know why they went after Madame Director, but they're going to regret it. We aren't letting her go to jail."

"We're not. You want to follow me over to Gibbs' place or ride along with me?" He wanted to let Abby know that he was the new boss alone, rather than with everyone else. "Come on, ride along with me. I could sure use the company."

"Sure Tony, I could use a ride. Gibbs doesn't like it when I park the hearse out in front of his place anyway." Abby held out her hand for Tony. He seemed a lot more tense than he should be today. Yeah, they were going to figure out this puzzle and get Jen out of whatever trouble she was in, but Tony had to know that was what was going to happen. "You going to tell me what's up? You've been acting weird, and when I say weird, I mean weird even for you. What's going on DiNozzo, if you don't tell me something, I have no problems breaking out the tickle torture."

Tony led Abby out to his car and started the engine before speaking. He rested his hands on the steering wheel and looked at her. "I'm interim NCIS director, Abby. I think they offered it to Gibbs and he turned it down. I don't know how to handle all this responsibility, not with Jenny's neck on the line. And I have to deal with Jeanne too..."

If he screwed up, he could lose the best thing in his life.

"I've got your back Tony, and you know Gibbs does. If he didn't think you could handle it, you wouldn't have gotten the offer. It's obvious you're well respected by your peers, and you've lead your own team which is one of the essential things to take over. It's not like you won't have guidance either. Jen's going to be on one of your random cell phones checking in with you, and Gibbs isn't going to let you do anything to embarrass him. You'll be fine."

"The team doesn't respect me, Abby. They tolerate me. At most. And Gibbs? Out of everyone at NCIS it should be him, not me." Tony ran a hand through his hair. "La Grenouille is back, dead this time. They think Jenny ... I mean, the director ... did it. She didn't, she couldn't have, but the FBI will be humping her leg for answers. They're still ticked off that we were right about Ari."

"Tony, you can call her Jenny. I'm not going to report you to the SecNav for calling her by her name and not Director Sheppard." Abby knew this was going to be difficult for everyone, not just Tony, but he was taking it especially hard. "Sure, Gibbs would have been a good choice, but you're more than capable DiNozzo. They never would have considered you if you weren't. I don't see a line of people saying they turned down the job. So if you were their second choice behind Gibbs, that's a pretty good place to be. And you're going to be an awesome director. They may not let Jen back in the door once they get a load of you."

"They will. They have to." Tony pulled up to Gibbs' house, glad to see the older man's car and Ducky's were there already. "Show time, Abby. I'm pretty nervous right now."

"Just imagine everyone naked, and you'll be fine. Well, maybe not Ziva, you might start uncontrollably drooling, and that would be bad. But everyone else.

At least she didn't mention Jenny, who he loved looking at naked. Or Gibbs, who he had a hard-on for years for. "Come on up, Abby. Better get this thing started."

"Well, aren't you sounding all bosslike? You're stepping right in and Jen would be proud of you. I can't wait to see how you handle Gibbs. You going to make him call you boss?"

"Not happening. Gibbs is still my mentor, and I like living. I have to work here after Jenny is reinstated."

"I still wouldn't mind seeing his face when you tell him that's what you want. Do you have your camera in your pack? I'll be the official team photographer. You say it and I'll snap a picture to save for your office when you move on to your bigger and better position next time around. I'll even have it blown up and framed."

"Not today, Abbs. Maybe when things are a little quieter." Tony was feeling too serious himself to make light of any of this. He tried to give her a smile but knew that the worry was etched into his features.

"Fine, I understand. And I'll try to behave, but only because it's your first day and I absolutely adore you."

Ducky had followed Jethro to his home and while the other man banged about in the basement, Ducky set to making sure the living room was in order. Sure enough, there wasn't a speck of dust to be found. He rummaged around the kitchen and unearthed some glasses still in a box, and a canister of powdered iced tea, probably left over from the Stephanie era. He made a pitcher, started some double strength coffee for Jethro, gathered the glasses, set everything out on the coffee table, and waited, either for Jethro to return or for someone to arrive.

Jethro clomped up the stairs after spending ten minutes in his basement, only to find Ducky settled on a couch as if he'd always been there. Jethro motioned to the pitcher. "What is that? Iced tea? I'm gonna get some coffee and order some pizzas." He knew the team did their best work when fed.

He ordered in four pies and some bottled soda for Abby, and noticed Ducky had made some coffee. He trotted downstairs, grabbed his mug and returned just as someone rapped on the door. "It's open!"

"Isn't it always open?" Ziva came through the door, bring with her a pale McGee. "Even after a terrorist corners you in your basement, you leave your front door open. If that doesn't make you find the keys to your front door, what would?"

"Just get in here, willya, Ziva, McGee?" As Tony and Abby hurried up the walk, Jethro nodded. "Director, sir, Abby. Get in here. Pizzas are on the way, Ducky made some iced tea and coffee is almost ready. And yeah, Abbs, caffeine for you is on the way too. You want to brief 'em Tony, or should I?"

"You do it?" Tony said, pouring a glass of iced tea.

Tim crossed the room, leaning against the wall, while Ziva sat on one side of Ducky and Abby on the other. Gibbs and Tony stood side by side, shoulder to shoulder.

"We have problems. Jenny's being investigated for the murder of René Benoit, La Grenouille. His body was found this morning. The FBI is gunning for her, she's been removed as director. Your interim director is Anthony DiNozzo." Jethro waited for everyone to absorb that.

Ducky responded first, shooting Jethro a concerned look, which he advised his friend with his eyes to squelch. "Congratulations, my dear boy. Well deserved after your team leadership of the past."

Tony gave the older man a faint smile. "Thanks, Ducky. It should have been Gibbs' but he turned it down."

"Irrelevant, Director DiNozzo." Jethro crossed his arms over his chest. "They chose you. You're the interim director. I'm not hearing any more about who you think should have had the position or not. They thought you could lead, and I agree, so lead."

Tony sighed inwardly. "Okay. So, yeah, they named me temporary director, but that doesn't mean that I won't be involved in helping Jenny. Everyone in this room needs to be sure they want to help. If not, nobody will hold it against you. But if so, we're in it to clear her name, regardless of personal cost. Am I understood? Gibbs, you're in. Don't need to ask. McGee? You in or out?"

"In, of course. Tony—"

"Yeah?"

"Congrats." Tim said softly.

"Thanks, McGee," Tony said in the same quiet tone of voice, extending a hand to Tim, who shook it firmly. He turned his attention to Ziva, waiting to see if she was with them. She wasn't officially NCIS, and she had a lot more to lose.

"I have some contacts that might be able to help. They're just slightly outside of what might be considered legal, but the intel will be reliable." Ziva had no intention of watching her friend get railroaded, not if she could do something. "I can also talk to some of my former colleagues, see if they've picked up any chatter. If someone is really gunning for Jennifer, somebody will have heard about it."

"So, you're in, Ziva?" Tony asked, and she nodded. "Ducky?"

"You don't even need to ask, my dear boy. I won't have the director take the blame for something she didn't do." Ducky flushed slightly. "I mean, Director DiNozzo." He lowered his voice. "You wear the title well, sir."

Tony nodded, giving the ME a small smile. "Abby? You in?"

"Told you, boss, you get me the evidence, and I'll make it disappear. Same thing with any bodies that need hiding. I am one of the few members of the team that can hide a body and never get caught. Ziva might be able to pull it off, but I know I can."

Tony didn't speak as the doorbell rang and Jethro brought the pizzas and drinks in, Everyone ate hurriedly, aware of the clock ticking against their friend.

"Abby, she isn't guilty. Let me make that perfectly clear. The director did not do this. Anyone who thinks she did needs to walk out that door and not look back. I'd stake my career and life on it." Jethro looked at DiNozzo, who nodded.

"Gibbs is right. And I don't care what your personal feelings are on this, I am your boss for the time being, so everything comes to me, not Gibbs, unless we make other arrangements. If you can't respect the SecNav's decision, you can't be a part of this."

Tony met their eyes, one by one. Nobody even flinched. "Okay. This is all strictly off hours, strictly away from NCIS. There are way too many cameras, microphones, et. cetera. If you don't have a prepaid cell, Abby can hook you up. We'll make a master list of numbers and contact details, destroy any copies or computer files—McGee, you can handle that, right?"

"Yeah, and we shouldn't use NCIS-issued laptops."

"Right. So, here is where we stand. Gibbs, get in contact with Fornell, see what info you can get out of him. Abby, hook everyone up with cell phones, and work with McGee to get a phone list out. McGee, can you track Jeanne Benoit? I don't want to get a nasty surprise and she obviously knows where I live. Ducky? Can you work the ME network and see how Benoit died, time of death, an autopsy report or a sit in if one hasn't been done hyet? Ziva, work your contacts and line up a protection detail for Jenny. Let's meet back here tonight, twenty-one hundred. I'll check in with Jenny and see what help she can offer, but for now, I pretty much have to be goddamn NCIS figurehead."