All language subtitles for NCIS.S16E10.720p.HDTV.x264-AVS.en

♪ We wish you
a Merry Christmas ♪

♪ We wish you a Merry
Christmas ♪

♪ We wish you
a Merry Christmas ♪

♪ And a happy New Year ♪

♪ Good tidings we bring... ♪

Don't be shy,
we have plenty for everyone.

Santa's here till noon,
so take your time.

- Make way, make way.
- Hey.

Back again, Vicious?

That's Mr. Vicious to you, lady.

Got any milk back there?

You are not here for milk;
we all know why you are here.

Yeah? Well, call a cop.

I can't believe I need a bouncer
on the food line.

- Hey, where's Jerome?
- I think he's taking out the garbage.

Jerome?!

Jerome!

We need our peacekeeper.

Seems like our friend Vicious

didn't get the message
yesterday, and since you're

the only one he will listen to,
could you just...?

Oh, God. Jerome?

(breathless):
Oh, God.

♪ NCIS 16x10 ♪
What Child Is This
Original Air Date on December 11, 201

== sync, corrected by elderman ==
@elder_man

♪
♪

All right, final report's
almost done.

How's that witness list
coming along?

I am sending it to you
right now.

How's our confession summary,
Nick?

I'm pressing "print"
in three, two, one.

Ah, the sweet sound of the last
case before the holidays.

Jack, please, do not jinx us.

If anyone needs me,
I'll either be on the slopes

or drinking some damn fine
whiskey in the lodge.

Christmas in Vermont, lucky you.

- You driving up tomorrow?
- Crack of dawn.

And I'm not even close
to being packed.

Anyway, Merry,
Merry Christmas, all.

TORRES: Hey, you, too.

- Merry Christmas.
BISHOP: Sure wish I could drive.

I just hate flying
on Christmas Eve.

Yeah. You and me both.
Oklahoma bound?

Mom has been baking all week.
You?

Chicago with the in-laws.

Delilah's had the twins there
since Hanukkah.

We're talking
two whole weeks.

I'm sure you didn't mind, uh,
a little break from the kids.

Well, the first day
was nice and quiet,

but every day since then is
a little too quiet.

You'll know what
I mean someday.

Yeah, no.

Playing Candyland
with, uh, Palmer's kid

after Christmas, uh, dinner,
that's, uh,

plenty of parenting for me.
(chuckles)

I just love that Jimmy's
having you over.

Aw, I just love
that you make it sound like a,

like a charity case. Ugh.

Okay.

Last bit of paperwork. Donzo.

All right, guys. First round
of eggnog is on this guy.

Ooh, count me in.

Whoa.
I thought you were supposed

to be in New York by now.

Change of plans.
My mom and sister decided

to go on a cruise,
so I decided

to stay here
and catch up on work.

Hey. No one should be working
on Christmas.

Yeah, and no one should be
making eggnog plans

before noon on a workday.

You're so worried about jinxing,
McGee.

TORRES:
Yeah. Relax, McGee.

Listen, it's a known fact,

the crime rate goes down
during holiday time.

Actually, the exact opposite
is true.

- But one can dream.
TORRES: Guys, trust me.

Okay? It's eggnog time.
We are donzo.

GIBBS:
No, we're not.

Dead Navy vet
in Columbia Heights.

Uh, Navy veteran, boss?

That's not always
our jurisdiction.

Well, it is today.

MPD is slammed.

Hmm. Well, hopefully, it is
an open-and-shut case.

Ah!
ALL: Don't jinx us.

Geez...

NEERA: Jerome's tattoo
reminded me of his service.

It just seemed right
to call you guys.

Big dude.

NEERA:
He was a big teddy bear.

Big knife wounds.

How long had he
worked here?

About three years,

but strictly
as a volunteer.

Budget didn't cover
guardian angels.

That's what he was...
to everyone.

Boss, found this knife tossed
in a storm drain back there.

Could be the murder weapon.

Oh, well, all we need now
is a suspect.

- Jerome had enemies?
- No, none.

I mean, except for the
neighborhood drug dealers

he was always trying
to keep out of here.

You know, come
to think of it,

one of them was back
again just this morning

after Jerome had tossed
him out yesterday.

A-a guy they call "Vicious."

On it.

NEERA: After everything
Jerome had overcome--

PTSD, alcohol.

He even got himself a
bed at the local V.A.

And... now this.

Hey. You got anything, McGee?

One second.

It's still loading.

All right, there we go.
Here it is.

Street name "Vicious,"
real name Albert Leary.

He's got a long rap sheet
and a last known address

not far from here.

NEERA: That's him.
Th-That's Vicious.

Bishop, Torres, you're with me.

McGee, the V.A. center where
Jerome was staying,

see what you can find.

Let me get you the address.

Hey, don't worry about it, guys,
I got this.

VICIOUS:
I'm telling you now.

Ain't nobody coming in here
without a warrant.

Why do they call you Vicious?

Yeah. I wish I knew, baby.

You're looking at
a law-abiding citizen.

Maybe it's because
you're a vicious liar.

I ain't lying, mijo.
Me and Jerome maybe had

a little misunderstanding
the other day,

but I ain't never killed nobody.

- Did he just...?
- Mm-hmm.

Did you just call me "mijo"?

Yeah, and you just
called me a liar.

Now if you don't mind,
I got things to do.

We mind.

Get your foot up
out of my door, man.

Get your door off my foot.

(grunts)

We have some questions.

Fine. Hell with it.
Come on in.

See? I got nothing.

But I'm still calling my
lawyer to sue your asses,

'cause I know my damn rights.

Yeah, one would hope so
since you've

had them read to you
so many times.

Damn.

GIBBS:
If you didn't kill Jerome,

what were you doing at the
homeless shelter this morning?

Getting breakfast. That a crime?

You don't look very homeless.

Hey, yo, law man,
I got a problem here.

What's behind that door?

Hey. I said you
could come in here.

Back there ain't none
of your business.

Yeah. Here's the issue, though.

When you say that's none
of my business,

it kind of makes it my business.

Ooh.

I said don't go back there.

- Easy, buddy.
- Oh, yeah, now you say easy.

I told you I didn't want you
in here.

- Now, get out!
- A little late for that.

Let's put the gun down
before this gets any worse.

Put yours down!

Bishop, you okay?

Yeah. Yeah, yeah.

- Look-look at me.
- Okay.

- Are you all right?
- Yeah. I'm okay.

TORRES: He's dead.
(rattling)

- Okay?
- Yeah.

Ready?

(baby crying)
Uh...

Vicious is a dad.

Hardly any way to kick off
the holidays, Gibbs.

Understatement
of the year.

And Bishop is all right?

Yeah. Considering.

She and Torres took the kid
to Child Services.

Well, hopefully, they can
locate the baby's mother.

McGEE: Hey, boss.

Guess I missed some pretty
serious fireworks. Director.

Why, McGee, where were you?

I was at the, uh, V.A. center,

collecting our victim's
personal effects.

No obvious leads, but sounds
like we don't need them.

Bishop and Torres seem
pretty certain

this Vicious guy is our killer.
- They called you?

No, they're, uh,
down in the lobby.

Why didn't they
come up with you?

Well, they kind of have
their hands full.

Full with what?

Ah, Gibbs, Director, hey.

(quietly):
We can explain.

What happened
to Child Services?

Shh. He's sleeping.

TORRES: So we were sitting
in traffic and I called them,

like, five times and they put me
on hold every time, like, over and over.

Yeah. They must must be really
overwhelmed this time of year.

You know, so between that and
the traffic on the Beltway...

TORRES: Yeah, so we figure,
bring the baby over here.

We can find the mother way
faster than Child Services.

And once we find her, we will
have closed the case on Vicious,

and we can all go home
for Christmas.

Oh, that kind of rhymes.

So Bishop nearly
gets killed

and they both went
into shock?

No, uh, Director.

This office is no place
for a baby.

Though he is pretty damn cute.

Cool. So, uh, we're good?

No. We are not good.

We are not near good.

But here we are.

That baby is your
responsibility.

McGee, see if you can unlock

this creep's cell phone,

and see if the mother's
in there somewhere.

Nothing in his records
about marital status or kids.

You two, go down
and check with Kasie.

She's running prints
off the knife we found.

Tell her to run the baby's DNA
while she's at it.

- You got it, Gibbs.
McGEE: Uh, boss,

someone claiming to be
Albert Leary's attorney

wants to see his client.
Vicious.

(sighs)

Any prints from
our suspect yet?

I'm only just
unwrapping him now.

Okay. Well, then
this must be our victim.

Yeah. He is a
homeless vet.

Apparently a real hero
down at the shelter.

Um...

Jerome Murray.

Wow.

Wow, what?

You know him?

Just, uh,
reminded me of someone.

Yeah? Who?

TORRES:
Oh, good.

Kasie, you're here.

Oh. Here I am.
Is that a baby?

Uh, yes. Yes, it is,
and he is not coming in.

Uh, baby, as in, like,
this guy's baby?

I heard you found one
at his place.

Uh, hey.
We need his DNA ASAP

and whatever prints
you found on the knife.

Oh, yeah. No problem.
What's the hurry?

The hurry is Christmas.

BISHOP: Well, we just need
to find the baby's mother,

and confirm that Vicious
was the killer,

preferably before
we leave tomorrow.

Oh, he is the cutest;
what's his name?

Well, we didn't get
the chance to ask,

with the shooting and all.

Right. I heard about that.

I'm so glad you're okay.

Thanks.

You'll send me blood and prints?

Quick as I can.

I admit, Agent Gibbs, to a
rather reluctant soft spot

for my pro Bono clients,
which is why I'm here.

Ah, so you're the one he called.

Yes, and I hadn't
seen nor spoken

to Albert since getting him
a plea deal months ago.

Then out of the blue this
phone call and those gunshots.

I went by his place and the
local P.D. pointed me here.

Well, what can we do for you?

I saw the blood.

May I ask what happened?
Is he even alive?

No. He was a suspect
in a murder investigation.

He would not answer questions.

He started shooting.
(scoffs)

Man, you try to help these
people, and they just...

won't be helped.

He ever mention a wife,
girlfriend?

Oh, couldn't tell you.

Soft spot or not, I maintain
a healthy personal distance.

I mean, for all I know,
Albert had ten of each.

- This one would have just had a baby.
- A baby?

(chuckles):
Oh, man. Come on.

Again... for all I know,
he had ten of those, too.

Right.

Okay. Sorry about your client.

Thank you.

Oh, come to think of it,

Albert said that
he was from Florida.

Might be a girlfriend
down there.

TORRES:
There you go, buddy.

Good boy, Nicholas.

Nicholas?

Yeah, we might as well
give him a name.

Hmm.

So you name him after yourself?

No, the... it's, like, NCIS.

You know, you move
some letters around,

you toss in a view.
- Mm, yeah, right, mm-hmm.

I'd say he's more of a...

Logan or Cody.

Those are, like,
the whitest names ever.

Rude.

Well, whatever his name is,

he is adorable.

Isn't he cute, McGee?

All babies are cute.

Yet you won't
even look at him.

Yes. That's because if we
make eye contact, I will bond,

and if I bond, I'll get
distracted from this case,

which in turn could prevent me
from spending Christmas

with my own two little cuties,
so let's just find his mother.

Okay, you're right.
We got distracted.

And, look, he's all asleep now,

so... we'll be able
to get some work done.

Careful. Babies do wake up.

McGee, don't worry.

We got this.

Okay.

(baby cries)

TORRES:
Whoa.

Nicholas, buddy, what happened?

You jinxed us. Again.

(flatulence)

All right,
somebody put a BOLO out.

- On who?
- On the 300-pound biker

who dropped a log
in this kid's diaper.

Oh, my God.

(sniffing)

- Oh, no.
TORRES: No worries.

We are prepared.

(clears throat)
Here, here.

Oh...
We got, um...

we bought plenty.

Oh, no.
No, these are for toddlers.

These are way too big for him.

Hey, uh, McGee?

So, like...

what do we do?

What do you mean?
You got this.

(groans)

Jimmy.

(baby crying)
Ah, come on, buddy.

It's nice to know I
haven't lost my touch.

Yeah, cloth diapers are so
much better than disposable,

both for the environment
and for the baby.

- Here, let me get that.
- What? No.

You can't use a stapler.

Safety pins.
Even I know that.

Seeing as we don't
have any safety pins,

these little
binder clips

should do the trick.

Palmer, what are you doing?
You're gonna pinch him. You're pinching him.

No, it's okay.
He's probably just hungry.

Oh, here,
I have his formula.

Oh, no, not
that brand.

No. That's filled with,
uh, preservatives, corn syrup...

Yeah. Put that back.
Maybe some apple juice.

That's even worse. You
might as well pour him a beer.

- Hmm.
- There's so much to know.

Yeah. So much we don't know.

You guys are
new to this.

It's like a rite of passage
for all new parents

to feel inadequate.

(chuckles softly)
Oh, there we go.

BISHOP:
Hi.

- Where is everybody?
- With Jimmy.

Apparently, changing a diaper
is now a three-person job.

Swell. Update.

Well, no help
on the cell phone.

Other than calling his attorney,
Vicious used it exclusively

to call burn phones.

No wife or girlfriend
to be found.

Recheck the numbers.

See if any have
a Florida area code.

Boss, I hate to say this,
but I really can't miss

my flight to Chicago
in the morning.

No one's missing
anything, McGee.

Once we confirm
the killer, you go,

whether we find
the mother or not.

Thank you.

It shouldn't take too long.
Seems pretty open-and-shut.

Oh, it doesn't seem
open-and-shut, Tim.

It most definitely is.

Fingerprints?
And blood.

The latter being Jerome's,

and the former matching
Vicious, our killer.

Well, not a happy ending
for either party,

but at least it's the quick case
we were hoping for.

Kase, you get DNA?

DNA came back negative.

- What?
- Albert aka Vicious

is most definitely

not the baby's father,

making us oh-for-two
on parents right now.

BISHOP:
All right,

here's the little man,
good as new.

(chuckles) Yeah, no thanks
to you, McGee.

Uh-oh. Nobody's smiling.

What's wrong?

We're looking at a stolen baby.

Hey, wouldn't we
have heard something?

There had to be an Amber Alert.

Make that three alerts,
Director,

just in the Northeast this week.

But none for a newborn.

I just can't believe
the statistics on missing kids.

I mean, they're stolen
from hospitals, parking lots,

people's own homes.

Double-check every case.

Start locally, work outward.

I've got two cases here
in the Metro area,

but neither matches
our baby's age or description.

What kind of monster
would steal a baby?

The kind dead
on Palmer's table.

Whatever lowly, depraved person
you were in life,

here's your chance in death.

Where did you
get that baby?

Are you really
expecting an answer?

From beyond, maybe.

A psychic message.

At this point, I will
take what I can get.

I need a word
with my buddy Jerome.

Yeah, you mentioned that
he reminded you of someone?

Oh, yeah.
Not really, though.

But did you happen to find
anything in his clothes?

Anything that might
have fallen out, maybe?

Anything like...?

Purple Heart.
This box was in his duffel

with no medal inside.

Wow. No, I didn't find
anything like that.

Got me looking
into his service record,

and turns out
he did not one,

but three tours
in the Middle East.

Purple Heart came after
an IED nearly killed him.

That would explain
all the old surgical scars.

After he was discharged,
he battled PTSD

and a painkiller addiction
for years.

V.A. tried to provide support,
but with no living family,

he fell off the grid
entirely in '07.

- Off the grid?
- Oh, homelessness.

An all-too-common tale.

Yeah, the numbers
are pretty staggering.

You think the medal
might have fallen out

when McGee
was packing the duffel?

You know, that
or maybe Jerome

just pawned it for cash
at some point.

Yeah. But he
kept the box.

So clearly, it meant
something to him.

He should be buried with it.

(groans)
Too late to hit the V.A. center.

Yeah, we'll just have
to go over there in the morning.

Uh, "we"?
Tomorrow is Christmas Eve.

Okay, so we'll go
over there early.

Well, the medal obviously
meant something to Jerome,

which means something
to you, so...

why not "we"?

McGEE: All right, you bring
the blanket around,

keep it nice and tight,

and there you go,
snug as a bug.

He's like
a little baby burrito.

I like burritos.

Look how secure he looks.

Like he's back in the womb.
There you go, buddy.

GIBBS: Hey. Don't
you got to get going?

Uh, yeah, boss.
Got an early flight

to catch-- still got to pack.

But, uh, I know you'll find
the mother before then, so...

Go, McGee.
Say hi to your family.

Merry Christmas.
Merry Christmas, boss.

Happy holidays, guys.

See ya.
Bye, McGee.

What about you?

What time's your plane leave?

Uh, whenever.
I can book a later one.

You know, I still think

Child Services
is the best place for him.

BISHOP:
Ooh, and we

respectfully disagree.

"I mean, where are they
gonna put him, anyway?

He's already been
through so much

to be handed off
to some stranger.

Little Nicky's place
is right here.

Oh. Now he's Little Nicky?

Okay, I get it, but...

he can't stay here.

Which one of you
gonna take him home?

Well, your place isn't exactly,
uh, baby-friendly.

And your place
is no day care center.

And neither one of you

know how to take care of a baby.

Nope.

(chuckles):
No.

Not gonna happen. N...

I'm not doing it.

(baby fussing)

No.

TORRES: Yeah, this is
more like it.

No. More like it
would be you tending the fire

and me holding the baby.

And since when do you care about
stereotypical gender roles?

(groans)

Whoa.

Whew. Remind me
to clean out the attic.

You still have this.

Got to hold on
to what you can.

You know, it might be a
better idea to set this up

in the spare
bedroom upstairs.

Uh, we were also
thinking that

maybe, uh,
down here could be

a little bit more
cozy, plus...

you know, the three of us
can take shifts.

Shifts?

Yeah. Like... you know,
like, every few hours.

Yeah.

No.

No shift for me.

No, I'll be in the basement.

Night.

(Bishop sighs)

- What?
- Huh?

You sighed.

I didn't sigh.

Okay, I sighed.

I was just thinking
about what Gibbs said

about hanging on
to what you can.

Talking about the bassinet?

His daughter's bassinet.

Mm...

his ornaments.

You know, Shannon and Kelly,

they've been gone
for so many years, but...

he keeps them
right there up on the tree.

Forever means forever.

I almost died today, Nick.

I'm trying
not to think about it.

Yeah, you and me both.

And that baby...

made it a lot easier.

But it can't help
but make a person

reassess things,
you know?

Things like...?

Like what you just said.

Forever.

What we hold on to,
what we leave behind.

- And?
- And...

I don't know.

I always thought
I'd be a mom someday,

but... I never really
pictured myself,

like, mothering,
you know?

(chuckles)
Hmm.

Well, after today, I feel pretty
much prepared for anything.

(crying)
Ay.

Right on cue.

You know,
I never saw any medals.

But maybe that nice agent
who was here yesterday,

maybe he dropped them.

You might want
to look around Jerome's bed.

Thanks so much.
We shouldn't be long.

I must say,
I've been having some challenges

just trying to find
his next of kin

to notify.
Jerome didn't have any.

Parents died
before he was enlisted

and no siblings or cousins
on record.

- You saved me some trouble.
- But if you need a point person

for funeral plans, I'm here...
Uh, no, no, no.

No, no, the V.A.
will handle everything.

They'll come and pick up
Jerome's body

right after Christmas.

(phone ringing)
Ah. Excuse me.

Well, that was certainly
nice of you to offer.

Man's got no one else.

I'll never understand how a guy

like Jerome
could end up homeless.

You know,
some young people enlist

to escape a bad homelife
or neighborhood.

They get some structure,
some discipline,

only to be discharged
and come back to

none of those things.

Same bad homelife,
same low prospects.

Only for some of them,
it's compounded

by the emotional
and physical wounds of combat.

You sure know a lot
about this subject.

My, uh... my dad did.

Wait. Was he
ever homeless?

No, but he always said
he could have been.

Struggled himself
after serving.

Then he got a job with the post
office and started a family.

But he counseled homeless
veterans on the side.

He was helping 'em
get a leg up, he'd say.

So that's why
we're here.

This is something your
dad would have done.

Maybe.

Is it true what I just heard?

Vicious killed Jerome?

It appears to be the case, yeah.

So Jerome did it.

He went and ratted Vicious out
to the cops.

Uh, ratted him out?

Jerome was kicking himself
for not stopping it right away.

- Stopping what?
- Whatever he saw Vicious do.

He wouldn't say what, but Jerome
told me right here in this room

he planned to go
to the cops about it.

And now he's dead.

Wait, wait.

Whatever Jerome saw,

did he happen to
say where and when?

SLOANE:
♪ Dashing through the snow ♪

♪ In a one-horse open sleigh ♪

♪ Over the fields we go... ♪

(sighs)
Jack?

Hey, what about skiing
in Vermont?

Oh, I made the mistake
of checking in

with Vance before
leaving this morning.

(phone rings)
One mention of a stolen baby,

and I thought you guys might be
a little shorthanded, so...

Hey. Yeah, Palmer,
what do you got?

So you came all the way back
for, uh, the case or the baby?

Aw, come on.
Who doesn't love a baby?

I especially love a baby

in a safe and happy home.

Yeah, which we're still
no closer to finding. (baby cooing)

Palmer found a witness.

We need to dig up
security footage

from an all-night store
in Annandale.

TORRES:
What are we digging for?

Anything we can find

on Vicious or our victim.

(door opens)

Hey, guys.

McGee?

Couldn't sleep a wink,
so, uh, booked a later flight.

What happened? I thought you
were supposed to be in Vermont.

Oh.

Any luck, Tim?

Well, took some doing, but
fortunately, there is only one

Atlantic E-Z Mart in Annandale.
You said the parking lot, boss?

That's what Palmer said.
Around 3:00 in the morning.

Hard to know
what we're looking for exactly.

(sighs heavily)

Slow it down.

Who's that?

Do we know her?

Nope, not yet.

Well, that's our guy
right there.

That is Vicious.

He's taking the baby.

I'm gonna be sick.

Here comes Jerome.

Wait. What is she doing?

McGEE:
He's giving her an envelope.

And she's... she's letting him
take the stroller.

Oh, my God,
that baby wasn't stolen.

McGEE:
Boss, that's got to be money.

He was sold.

I cannot imagine
what this girl's been through

to want to sell her baby.

You got anything?

Uh, the only prints
on this stroller belong

to Bishop and Torres,
and no hits on DNA, either.

Facial recognition?

KASIE:
No matches yet.

What's that about?
Oh, that? That's nothing.

It's not nothing.
She's trying

to find a Purple Heart,
Agent Gibbs, for Jerome.

You can buy one online for,

like, 50 bucks,

but delivery this time of year
takes weeks.

Why does Jerome
need a Purple Heart?

Because he earned it,
and lost it.

(phone ringing)

Yeah. Yeah.

Leon, I'm on my way.

What?

You're such a sweet boy.

Well, so much for your ski trip.

And McGee,
what about Chicago?

What can we say, Leon?

We're here
for the same reason you are.

Doubtful. I'm pulling the plug.

- What?
- This is what

Child Protective Services does.
It's right there in their title.

But, Director...

No, I'm not gonna waste
any more of our time,

our resources,
and all of our holidays

trying to do what they do best.

I'm not sure you'd say that
if you saw the video.

The mother was
sobbing, Director.

There has to be more
to the story.

Certainly her story.

BISHOP:
Hey.

So, no witnesses,

and we all but papered the walls
of the convenience store

and the neighborhood around it.
Nobody knows her.

How's my Little Nicky?

Hmm. Looks more
like a Logan to me.

BISHOP: Hey! I was
thinking Logan, too.

- Yeah.
- Yeah, or like a Cody.

See, I'm thinking
he looks more like a Luke.

Oh, another Star Wars name, huh?

Well, I believe, uh,
Logan is Wolverine.

How about, uh, Superman?
Kent? Clark?

VANCE:
Well, we may not have found

the mom yet, Gibbs, but this
baby certainly has no shortage

of aunts and uncles.

Hey, Superman.

Let's just call him Superman.
Albert's a better name.

I'm just saying, there was
no need to involve Gibbs.

There is always a need.

Look, if you want to help
Jerome, Kasie, you got

to let other people help you.
I let you help me.

I'm not Gibbs.

Surely your dad didn't help
all these homeless vets

all by himself, did he?

No. I don't know.

Look, just leave my dad
out of this.

There you go again.
Every time I bring up your dad,

you change the subject.
- No, I don't.

Now find a face already.

It was him, wasn't it?

Who Jerome reminded you of.

It was your dad.

You got all weird when

you saw Jerome's body,
the same weird

that you got
at any mention of your dad.

Look, I...

I'm sorry.

I overstepped there.
I didn't mean to...

No. No, you're right.

I get weird.

(sighs heavily)

Jerome reminded me of
the first dead body I ever saw.

It was your father.

About the same age, Navy tattoo.

(sighs)

It just reminded me
of our last Christmas together.

In the middle
of opening presents,

I mentioned
having second thoughts

about finishing grad school,
and he was... he was not happy.

(sniffles)

You know, he always said
I had a knack

if I would just
apply myself, and...

oh, needless to say,
it ruined the day,

and most every day after that,

right up till the day he died.

- When was that?
- (crying): A month later, out of nowhere.

Just had a heart attack
on his mail route.

(sniffles)
You know, the medics said

that he was dead
before he even hit the ground.

Mom couldn't bear to I.D.
the body, so I did.

Kasie, I'm so sorry.

You know, the day after that,
I went back to grad school,

and I busted my butt,
and he was right.

I had a knack.

And within a week, I started
working with Ducky, and...

man, I knew in my heart

that I was on the right track
after all.

Wait. All of this
was a year ago?

Last Christmas, yeah.
(sniffles)

Well, there you go. Kasie,

that's why
you don't want to go home.

No, I-I... I have
work to do, and I...

No. No, you don't.

And your mom and your sister--

they're-they're not going
on any cruise, are they?

I just... I know it's gonna be
a rough Christmas.

(computer chirps)

There we go.
Got a hit.

(sniffles)
Uh,

Tanya Jacobs, 17.

Three trips to juvie
for drug offenses.

GIBBS: Yeah, Palmer.
What do you got?

We're sure
it's the same Tanya?

Her I.D. and probation number
were used to check in yesterday.

She knows we're here.
Manager must have called.

Tanya Jacobs! NCIS!

- Tanya!
- Please let me go! Let me go!

It's okay.
Tanya, it's okay.

It's not okay.
Leave me alone, please!

Hey, hey, we just
want to talk.

It's not mine,
I swear. I swear.

It's okay.

(crying)

You pretty high
right now, Tanya?

I'm not high at all.

I've been clean for months.

There anybody we can call?

- Parents?
- Yeah. Yeah, right.

No. They kicked me out
as soon as I got pregnant.

Then my boyfriend
skipped town.

That's when the adoption agency
hooked me up with Pete and Judy.

- Last name?
- They don't tell you that.

They were nice people, though.

So nice.

They helped pay for my rehab
and my medical care,

all just for a chance
to adopt my baby.

When did Vicious come along?

Right before I delivered.

I used to be a customer
before I got clean.

When he saw me knocked up,
he offered me ten grand cash.

More money than
I had ever seen.

So I lied.

I told Pete and Judy
that I wanted to keep the baby.

And I felt bad for
breaking their hearts,

but adoption agencies--

once the baby comes,
they don't pay you.

And I knew it was wrong the
second I took the envelope.

But opportunities like
that, they don't...

they don't come around
every... maybe ever.

I thought I'd be okay,

but then I found out
that Vicious was dead,

and-and-and... and now I don't
even know where my baby is.

Tanya, we have him.

You do?

Yes. He's safe.

(exhales):
Wha...

(laughs)

What's the name of the agency?

(exhales)

This changes everything.

Why-why does it
change everything?

I mean, maybe this is a sign.

I've been...
I've been sitting here,

and I've been thinking maybe...

maybe if I would've
just kept my baby,

then I would've saved everybody
from all this trouble.

- No, no, no, no.
- Why not?

I've got money now.

I could get us a place.

A nice one.

I mean, maybe this-this could be
my second chance.

Hey, Tanya, y-your best chance
is without a baby right now.

And your baby's best chance
is with those adoptive parents.

(crying)

This opportunity...

doesn't come around much.

You have come this far,

but you could go
so much further,

and so could your baby.

If you let him go.

You seem so sure.
How do you know?

Because I know. All right?

We all end up
with regrets in our life,

but one thing
you will never regret

is giving your baby
a better life.

More than anything else,
I know that.

And I'll help you get
the support you need

to get clean and turn
your life around.

I promise.

- Okay? Okay.
- Okay, I will. Thanks.

Tanya... what did Vicious
have planned for the baby?

Well, that's just the thing.
It wasn't all about the money.

It was to Vicious.

Who was he selling the baby to?

He said he had a
nice home lined up.

Rich people.

Like, a-a doctor
or a lawyer or something.

Lawyer.

Let me save you some time,
Agent Gibbs.

It's already been
the worst Christmas Eve ever.

Yeah. How?

My wife figured out what kind
of strings I was pulling

to make this adoption happen.

You call paying a drug dealer
to buy you a baby

"pulling strings"?

Stupid, I know.

Oh, it is way more than stupid.
After I got Albert

the plea deal, he said if there
was anything he could do.

And he meant anything.

So you said, "How about a baby?"

Our third adoption
had just fallen through,

and we were crushed.

Albert said

for 25 grand, he would find us

a healthy
and willing birth mother.

$25,000.

I was desperate
to give my wife a family.

Never expecting
anyone was gonna die over it.

JIMMY:
Hey.

- Hear the good news?
- Yeah.

Uh, great. I mean, bittersweet,
but at least we can find

the original
adoptive parents now.

I'm sorry.
Am I interrupting something?

Oh, no. Just...

just deleting a bunch of spam.
You headed home?

Yeah, I just wanted to,
uh, come by.

Drop off a little something.
Jimmy, why?

You didn't have to.
I didn't get you anything.

Yes, you did. Trust me.

- Do I open it now or...?
- That would be the idea, yeah.

- Just o-open it.
- Yeah. Okay. (laughs)

It's not Jerome's,

but it's-it's someone's.

Someone who doesn't need
it anymore, I guess.

- Who?
- I don't know.

But that is why
you involve Gibbs.

He knows people.

Thank you, Jimmy.

Merry Christmas.

Oh, and Kasie?

I'm a big believer in fate.

I know there's nothing good
that can be said

about your dad
passing away,

but if nothing else,
it led you here.

To us.

I sometimes think maybe my dad
gave me a little...

shove from above.

Well, we're all glad
that he did.

Hey.

We've got the hang of this now.
(fusses)

Yeah. He's looking stylish, too.
Aren't you, little Cody?

What? Cody?

Consider that
my Christmas present to you.

McGEE:
Great news.

The agency tracked down
Tanya's adoptive parents.

Pete and Judy Shaw

of Fairfax.
They're only 20 minutes away.

- Oh, that's... that's great.
- Mm-hmm.

I got a plane to catch.

May the Force be with you,
little Han Solo.

Really good job, you guys.

Thanks.

Okay, then, little
guy. Here we go.

Yeah, so, uh...

we tell Gibbs now, right?

- Mm-hmm.
- Mm-hmm.

You know, they say,
"You can't take it with you."

But this? (sighs)

This, Jerome, you are...

most definitely taking with you.

Or as my father used to say...

"No greater love than this,

that one should lay down
his life for his friends."

WOMAN: Hey, baby.
What's up? You okay?

No, Mom, I'm fine, really.
I just, um...

I actually finished that work
faster than I thought

and was thinking maybe I could
still catch a flight home?

Oh! We'd love to
have you here, sweetheart.

Hey, Jack.

Hey.

You still coming?

Are you kidding me?

I wouldn't miss it
for the world.

Special Agent Gibbs?

Ms. Miles.

Lydia, yes.
From the adoption agency.

I spoke with your Agent McGee
on the phone.

Special Agent Sloane.

Thank you so much for arranging
this on such short notice.

Of course. We were overjoyed.

We worked it all out with Tanya.

She spoke very highly
of you both.

I take it the child is with you?

- Absolutely.
- Great.

All right, here we are. Hi.
Hi.

Thank you so much for coming.
Thank you.

- And there he is.
- Oh.

Wonderful. Well,
I'll just take him from here.

No.

Sorry. It's just we'd like to...

deliver him ourselves,
if that's okay.

Actually, that might be better.
I told the Shaws I was coming

but didn't want
to get their hopes up

before you got here.

They've been let down before.

Yes, we know.

Why don't I just, uh, go on

and break the good news
while you wait at the door?

Great.

This is a nice neighborhood.

Good schools. I checked.

- That's good. That's good to know.
- Mm-hmm. Yeah.

Good schools.
That's important.

Hey, you two.

You should get over there.

Right. Okay.

Bye, buddy.

(clears throat)

Are you okay? Got it?

Ooh.

Oh, how adorable.

(Bishop chuckles)
Congratulations.

- Thank you.
- (chuckles): Thank you.

Come on.

That was weird.

Yeah. Just kind of came out.

(both chuckle)

(sighs) Okay.

Hey, uh, hold on.

You did good.

Yeah. You did, too.

We both did.

And you did good, too, bud.

Yeah.

You...

are going to a great home.

You're gonna love it there.

Absolutely.

- Oh, wow.
- All right, that's not even fair, buddy.

(exhales) Okay.

(Torres sighs)

BISHOP:
Let's go.

Pete and Judy,

these are the agents I
was telling you about.

They've been taking
care of your baby.

Our baby?

- Yeah, your baby.
PETE: This is, uh...

It's a miracle, right?

It's got to be a miracle.

Sure feels like it.

Does he have a name?

That's up to you.

JUDY:
Thank you.

(chuckles): Oh.
Thank you so much.

Congratulations.

(sighs)
Here.

(chuckles)

Merry Christmas, Gibbs.

Merry Christmas to you, Jack.

You still going skiing?

It's a little late now.

Why? You got a better plan?

I was just thinking about
that gift bottle you gave out.

- Kentucky's finest.
- Oh.

Small batch.

I want to crack that.
You in?

(laughs)

== sync, corrected by elderman ==
@elder_man