SEASON SEVEN EPISODE FIFTEEN

JACK KNIFE

I was really looking forward to this episode as I knew Fornell was finally going to be in it and Fornell is one of my favourite characters, not to mention he's my second favourite slash ship (I've always said had it not been for Ducky G/F would have been my OTP). And I'd said to a couple of people prior to the episode that the 'ship of the week' would be Gibbs/Fornell (I was partly basing it on the last episode in which Fornell appeared Semper Fidelis which was again G/F heavy - remembers the wonderful conference room scene). How right I was. But in fact it was pretty much a shippers dream come true with G/F, G/Mc, Di/Mc, Di/Z, A/Mc, Werth/Ziva all featuring extremely heavily - albeit the most emphasis on G/F and G/Mc. One has to ask what SB is up to making all these ship lovers so happy in one episode.

And I'm pleased to say I was not disappointed with this episode at all. Lots of Gibbs, lots of Fornell, lots of McGee - three of my favourite characters. It's a shame Ducky wasn't in it more, but I'd been expecting that, as I knew it was mostly not happening at NCIS, so I wasn't overly disappointed by his slender part, as it was expected.

It had some wonderful banter; superb stuff all the way through. I wish JS was available more often because Fornell and Gibbs together are utterly priceless, they just feed and play off one another perfectly. We need a campaign for 'More Fornell'. There was no desire to slap anyone - be it a main cast member or even one of the guest stars; the characterisation was great, even the small irritating DiNozzo moments were perfectly DiNozzo and totally in character, the DiNozzo that works.

The storyline? Well it wasn't bad - at least to start with, I thought the whole reason for it was a tad lame and hard to believe. But then I'm not a car person so I can't get worked up over such things and find it difficult to conceive of such shenanigans over mere pieces of metal that's one purpose is to get you from A to B and back again. But hey, overall it was actually very much in keeping with the light-heartedness and fun of the episode.

We begin with a 'previously on NCIS' where we see a snippet of Damon Werth, who first appeared in Corporal Punishment as the young Marine who'd been 'experimented' on and because the Corps decided not the give him the medal which he totally deserved, Gibbs gave him his own medal. Then he reappeared briefly in Outlaws And In-Laws, when he helped Ziva and DiNozzo. Then we come to present day and Werth wakes up in a pile of rubbish bags out on the street; he speaks to another man - Hetherton - who doesn't answer him. Werth turns him over and finds Hetherton's throat has been cut.

We then get the first of several Gibbs/McGee moments. McGee has driven Gibbs home, he goes into Gibbs house with him, notices that Gibbs has a lock on the door, Gibbs says it's to keep out unwelcome visitors (finally, Gibbs puts a lock on his front door! which definitely to my mind adds even more proof to the fact he is simply playing Hart to get information, he told her he was going to put a lock on the door to keep her out and he's done so). McGee tries to fuss over him, saying he'll see if Gibbs has anything in the fridge to eat. However, all their is is fish food, so he suggests he'll feed the fish, then if Gibbs gets hungry he can eat the fish *g*; then he asks if Gibbs needs help to get his shoes off. Finally Gibbs gets him to go and McGee says he'll pick him up in the morning.

In one way it seems a bit odd that McGee is running around after Gibbs and fussing around him this week and not last. But it's likely that Gibbs was just too pig-headed before and ignored the advice/instructions not to drive, etc. sure that he'd be fine and could manage, only to find he actually ended up doing more damage to his shoulder/it started to hurt more, to the extent when even he realised he had to give in and accept help. I'm sure we've all done something like that, staggered into work when sick or injured, only to end up actually taking more time off/being more injured than if we'd been sensible to begin with. So I think could explain why McGee was looking after him this week rather than last. Gibbs is pigheaded and stubborn!

Gibbs then pulls out his gun and says that he know the fish didn't eat a T-bone, and Werth appears, saying he wants to help, but didn't want people to see them talking. At first Gibbs is a tad suspicious, well he is Gibbs, but then Werth starts to tell him about a trucking company run by Aaron Szwed, and also about Hetherton (an ex-Marine), who was doing some questionable work for them, whose wife had left him, taking their kiddie with her. He assures Gibbs he only had a couple of beers the night before, but that he'd blacked out and when he woke up, there was Hetherton with his throat cut. Gibbs pulls out his mobile phone and calls McGee to tell him the day isn't over.

I must just say that I'm getting very tired of seeing Gibbs's sitting room. Having gone for six entire seasons and into season seven only seeing the basement, suddenly we're seeing the sitting room in almost every episode - yet another part of the 'Gibbs enigma' is being stripped away. Bring back the basement!

In the alley McGee says how technically it is in Metro's jurisdiction, but if they have reason, NCIS can take it over. Gibbs suggests a co-operative witness, but McGee points out Hetherton was no longer a Marine and hadn't been for some time. Gibbs tells him to get DiNozzo and Ziva out of bed and McGee reacts in surprise over that and then realises Gibbs is saying to get them out of separate beds as it's the middle of the night and they'd be asleep. A lovely moment for DiNozzo/Ziva fen as McGee seemed to be blustering more than a little, as if he knew something and was trying to keep it from Gibbs. Nicely done. Gibbs comments that McGee needs some sleep, but McGee denies it. Gibbs says McGee has bags under his eyes, McGee says it's a look he's cultivating. Another really nice Gibbs/McGee moment and a fun exchange between them.

Werth tells how Hetherton did some serious across country driving for Szwed's company, and that he'd said he'd messed up at one point, but that he'd been told to do so and that he was a human first and that Hetherton was going to get Werth in on his next trip. We then flashback to Werth going to Szwed's truck business where he meets Gerald Lucas, Szwed's 'right hand man'. They ask after Hetherton and say he's unreliable, Werth says he isn't and he's up for the run. They tell him it's a two person job. We then come back to the present and Werth tells Gibbs how Lucas carries a jack knife and how he thinks Lucas killed Hetherton - he intends to take Hetherton's place in the truck and tells Gibbs he needs him.

We then have the first of many Gibbs/Fornell's scenes. Gibbs turns up at Fornell's house with coffee. Fornell has clearly not been in bed long as he looks dreadful (and I must say the beard didn't grab me at the moment). Gibbs asks about Fornell's face, in turn Fornell asks about Gibbs's arm. Gibbs tells him 'the job', Fornell tells him the same. I knew there had to be some exchange between them over Fornell's beard and Gibbs's arm; I was expecting something more than this, but actually the understated way it was done worked well. Gibbs hands over the coffee and then the sugar and then a sugar stirring thing, all the time with the fond smile on his face - the fond look he always has for Fornell, when they aren't pretending to be at odds with one another. It's not quite the same fond look as he has for Ducky, but it's different from the way he looks at most other people.. Fornell tells him not to look so chipper - poor Fornell. Gibbs then calmly tells Fornell he's taking over Fornell's crime scene. Fornell says he's going to jump in the shower and goes to close the door; Gibbs tells him 'nice slippers'. A wonderful scene.

Meanwhile in the car Werth is sleeping and McGee is trying to. McGee says he finds it hard to sleep as his brain just keeps going and going, it needs an on/off switch. Werth says in the Corps you learn to sleep when you can, where you can. Finally McGee does shut his eyes. When he opens them, it's to find Gibbs sitting next to him with a very fond look on his face, his fond, indulgent McGee look. Gibbs says to McGee: "Any time, Alice." McGee says he and Werth had been talking and then stops as he sees Werth is wide awake and sitting next to Werth in a smart suit and tie is Fornell. Fornell says about going to process the scene and then adds to Gibbs: "You're already doing it, aren't you?." Another fun scene. Once he was smartly dressed, the beard looked better on Fornell, rather distinguished, but I think I prefer him without it.

At the crime scene, DiNozzo is stretching and rolling his neck and says he has knots. Ziva says it's because he sleeps in a chair (another wee DiNozzo/Ziva moment, her knowing where he sleeps). DiNozzo says it's not a chair and goes on about how it's not just a chair, but a gentleman's reclining top of the range chair that massages as well. Ducky, who is not wearing a bow tie(!) comments about it being a knot chair and tells DiNozzo that the knots don't get any better with age and suggests he gives it up for the sake of his health. Ziva comments about the chair giving DiNozzo knots. DiNozzo asks Ducky not to say 'not/knot' any more. Ducky tells DiNozzo that Hetherton was killed with a blade with a serrated edge and that he would have lost a lot of blood very quickly and would have died quickly. He had been about to say 'not' but stopped himself. Another fun scene.

In the conference room at NCIS, Gibbs, Fornell and Werth are looking at details of Szwed and Lucas and the truck company Szwed's owns and runs. They always use two drivers and came under the FBI's radar a while ago when a driver shot a potential hijacker, but they had no proof of anything. Werth suggests just bringing them in, but Fornell and Gibbs explain why they can't do that. Then Ducky calls Gibbs who says they'll be right down. Werth is about to join them, but Gibbs makes him stay and eat and drink and also puts down a urine test cup - Gibbs says Werth isn't 'good to go' until he says he is and until the lab says he is.

In the lift Fornell asks Gibbs about Werth and the 'co-operative' witness. Gibbs tells him a little bit about Werth and how he messed up as a Marine and how the Corps didn't give him the medal he deserved, but how Gibbs did, he just happened to have on lying around. Fornell then comments that it's not as if Werth is wearing Gibbs's pin, he's not going steady with him. Gibbs says it didn't mean anything, him giving Werth the medal, Fornell says it did to Werth. A really good scene, not just fun and light-hearted with good banter, but also moving too: Fornell is right; it does mean something to Werth - but it also means something to Gibbs. Gibbs does have a soft spot for Werth/thinks he owes him something.

They go into Autopsy where Ducky greets them and talks about how in some Eastern countries, it is believe if you save a man's life, then you are responsible for that life for the rest of your days and that's how Werth feels about Hetherton. Fornell comments that's only true if Werth believed in the Eastern 'philosophy'. Ducky, however, disagrees; saying that saving a life has a shared bond and looks at Gibbs and Fornell, now on opposite sides of the table, and says "As witnessed by the two of you."

Fornell: "Is that why we're friends?"
Gibbs: "More like shared misery."

Gibbs and Fornell then slip into more banter that is totally and wonderfully Gibbs/Fornell from beginning to end. Gibbs says that he's happy at the moment (why? I have to say that and other small comments later about Gibbs's house being 'different' are somewhat worrisome, when taken with the various spoilers we've had) and Fornell doesn't know what he's been doing as they haven't seen one another for months. Fornell asks whose fault is that and says that Gibbs never calls. Gibbs says he doesn't because when he does all he gets is grief - talk about playing that one up; a conversation that's had by on and off lovers all over the world. And there were so many G/F looks during this.

Ducky gently interrupts them with a cough and pulls there attention back to the body and his findings. He tells them he found that Hetherton's fingers had been severely fractured.

Fornell: "Recently?"
Ducky: "I just found them." Hee. That earns him 'his' Gibbs fond smile.

A really excellent Autopsy scene.

Meanwhile in the squad room, McGee is asleep at his desk and DiNozzo and Ziva are standing in front of it watching him. McGee wakes up and wants to know what they've done to him. He accuses DiNozzo of putting his fingers into the glass of water, DiNozzo says that would be childish (yes, but that's the kind of thing you do, Tony *g* he probably didn't think of it); then McGee thinks DiNozzo drew on his face - again no. DiNozzo admits that he'd wanted to strip McGee, tie a tag to his toe and put him in Autopsy so that when he woke up he'd think he was dead. But he adds Ziva stopped him. McGee thanks Ziva. DiNozzo also passes comment that a lot of people would like to see McGee naked (DiNozzo/McGee second). He then tells McGee they'd found nothing at Hetherton's apartment and McGee's only found a couple of speeding tickets. DiNozzo then asks McGee about the 'confidential witness', but rightly so McGee doesn't tell him, reminding him said witness is 'confidential'. DiNozzo, true to form, has a minor 'toys out of pram' moment when he says in that case he won't tell McGee what Ziva did to him. At that second, however, Werth appears with the cup and McGee shows him where the men's room is.

It was another really good scene, all in character and not doing something to someone is far more amusing really than doing something. All three were in character all the way through; I love DiNozzo when he almost pouts and does his 'well if you won't tell me, then I won't tell you' act. It's fun to see and really fits his character and is a consistency we've had throughout all seasons - he has to know everything. And of course had McGee told him who Werth was, I suspect DiNozzo would have berated him for doing so, because Werth was, until he appeared, a confidential witness. Thus, at that moment DiNozzo and Ziva didn't need to know, and Gibbs hadn't cleared McGee to tell anyone.

Then Gibbs and Fornell arrive; the truck is due to leave in six hours. Gibbs asks DiNozzo what he's got.

DiNozzo: "We've got nothing.
Fornell: "I don't like the sound of that."
DiNozzo (putting on a bouncy, happy voice): "We've got nothing."

That earns him a look from both Gibbs and Fornell and DiNozzo visibly crumples. Again, so well done and so DiNozzo. To take Fornell's comment and twist it - either deliberately misunderstanding him or genuinely misunderstanding him - you never can tell with DiNozzo - and tell him the same thing in a different voice, is so DiNozzo. Very well done.

Gibbs suggest putting someone on the truck, DiNozzo makes a comment about Werth in relation to Rambo, which of course Gibbs ignores, Fornell in turn says Gibbs is taking a big gamble. Gibbs just looks at Ziva and says: "Let it ride."

In Abby's lab, Abby is working on some ear-wigs and then sees the clock. It's 2:00 p.m. She takes out the headphones she's been using to listen to her music and goes over to where McGee is sleeping, using Bert as a pillow, and holds the headphone to his ear. He wakes up and she reminds him he'd told her to wake him at 2:00. She then asks if McGee got bitten by the sleeping sickness fly whilst in Africa. McGee says he hasn't got sleeping sickness, he's just exhausted at it's impossible to keep up with Gibbs's schedule. Abby says he shouldn't even try as Gibbs has had years to hone it and asks why McGee is trying. McGee says it's because Gibbs saved his life; Abby says it's in his job description to do so; McGee says but he pushed him out of the way of a speeding car; Abby says that pushing people is rude. McGee goes on about how Gibbs is up at the crack of dawn - if he goes to bed at all - and wonders what he has in his veins. In true fashion, Gibbs appears and says: "Coffee." McGee is pleased to learn that's what Gibbs has in his veins, but no, Gibbs is telling him to go and get coffee. When McGee goes, Abby makes a comment that Gibbs likes having a valet. Gibbs asks if she has everything ready and she shows him the ear-wigs. And she confirms Werth was drugged. And asks if there's anything else he needs. He says if he does he'll ask McGee.

Another good scene with nice touches of Abby/McGee with her understated concern for McGee and Gibbs/McGee too with McGee doing all that he can to keep Gibbs happy and try to repay him. And I liked how basically without saying so, Abby let Gibbs know he was running McGee ragged. Of course Gibbs is doing it deliberately to see how far he can push McGee before McGee says 'no, boss'. That's in pure Gibbs character. Gibbs doesn't think McGee 'owes' him anything for saving his life, even though he did end up with a busted shoulder, and this is his way of trying to show McGee that. We know Gibbs doesn't do words, he does actions.

In the garage DiNozzo is in the black truck that we know has lots of geeky equipment in the back. He's clearing up a lot of things and saying how it should be a rule that the last person to use it has to clean it. Ziva and Werth appear and Ziva says there is a rule and when DiNozzo asks who was the last person she reminds him it was him. He says he isn't and by virtue of some kind of food he smells, he says it was Ziva and he calls her 'Probationary'. She pushes over a rubbish bin to 'help' DiNozzo. Werth questions that and Ziva explains how she is working towards becoming a sworn NCIS Special Agent. He says he thought you needed to be a US citizen; she says she's working on that also. He then says he thought that you had to be a legal resident. She says there are a few stings being tugged. DiNozzo calls 'pulled' and comments about Ziva being a marionette; Werth wonders who the puppet master is.

Gibbs, Fornell and McGee then appear. They aren't going to bug Ziva and Werth until after they've got the truck. Fornell tells Werth he is only there to observe, to drive the truck there and back and they'll do the rest. Gibbs tells him someone will be with him and there'll be two teams following. He then says there are two ways of following. And we get another rule: #27. "The first way, they never notice you. The second way, they only notice you." And they split up to go; McGee is about to go with Gibbs, when Gibbs calls that Fornell is with him. Poor McGee's face falls somewhat and DiNozzo calls "what about us?"

DiNozzo and McGee are duly in the black van as Werth and Ziva arrive at Szwed's place. Lucas meets them and pats them both down to make sure they haven't got any 'listening' equipment, hence why they didn't bug them upfront. In the van McGee is doing his geeky stuff and DiNozzo passes comment on McGee's coffee; the fact it's so strong and so sweet. He then bitches about Werth and how he broke his nose two years ago. McGee comments that DiNozzo holds a grudge for a long time (and again with consistency, because he's right: DiNozzo does hold a grudge for a long, long time, we've seen it before more than once). He adds that Werth dislocated his shoulder. DiNozzo says that's okay because McGee had another shoulder, he only has one nose - so DiNozzo. He also says Werth shouldn't keep popping up all the time; he should leave them alone and Gibbs should tell him to get lost. McGee says that Ducky says Gibbs has a connection with Werth as he saved him. DiNozzo then talks about films and how there are two different views on saving someone's life. And he also tells McGee to pace himself with the coffee.

And of course DiNozzo/Ziva fen can take it as one reason DiNozzo doesn't want Werth around is that he's seen that he's interested in Ziva and DiNozzo doesn't like anyone else to be interested in Ziva. Actually, even on a DiNozzo & Ziva purely as colleagues front, you can see that. In some ways DiNozzo is like Abby, he doesn't like any other man coming in and messing with 'his' women (just as Abby does with any woman who takes an interest in 'her' men). He gets jealous of other men be that at a romantic level as he wants Ziva or just a friendship one. He did it with Kate too. So it's part of his character. To me he's jealous because he's falling in love with Ziva, but it can be taken either way. And DiNozzo/McGee fen, I'm sure, can find some Di/Mc moments in that exchange, that DiNozzo was concerned for McGee getting too high on caffeine and also it's equally valid for people who just see DiNozzo & McGee.

Back inside, Lucas confiscates their mobile phones and asks if they know how to use a CB. Werth says yes. And they want to know where the truck is.

At Gibbs's house Fornell is in the sitting room changing clothes into something more casual when Gibbs comes down, also in casual dress. Fornell asks if Gibbs now has a cleaning woman; Gibbs says he doesn't. Fornell says the place looks different. At the moment Gibbs's mobile rings and he's trying to get it and also fix the rest of his sling. Fornell asks is he wants hand, whilst grinning all the time. As they leave Fornell says he knows what a big deal it is for Gibbs to let him drive his car. Gibbs comments that Fornell already slept with his wife. They go. And another good G/F scene.

Back at the truck place a BIG truck arrives and Szwed tells them to start changing the plates and stripping the outside colours off. Ziva says she's just there to navigate and wants to know what's in the truck. They open the back and it's water melons! They are told to take the melons out and Werth realises, they aren't trafficking, they are hijacking. Just before they are ready to go, Szwed talks to Ziva in 'trucker talk', which she didn't understand (nor did I apart from the bit about the bears), but Werth translates once Szwed has gone. They have to stop at a garage as they don't have a full tank of fuel.

Outside DiNozzo sees a red Ferrari pull out and says he once had a hamster called 'Ferrari' and the truck follows. McGee is watching the truck though a pair of binoculars and stars to tap on the dashboard; DiNozzo tells him to stop, but McGee is tapping out Morse Code as Werth is using the tail-lights of the truck to send a message: fuel. McGee then asks if they can stop for coffee as his is empty, but DiNozzo reminds him that they are the invisible tail.

We then see Gibbs's yellow car, with Fornell driving. McGee calls to tell them about the garage, which they'd just passed, so Fornell does a very impressive turn with tires screaming (very Gibbs-like). They get to the garage and we have a wonderful, wonderful scene where Gibbs and Fornell bicker away at one another, drawing the attention of Szwed and Lucas to themselves. Gibbs goes off inside to get a Slim Jim, which Fornell doesn't want, but Gibbs says he wasn't getting it for him, leaving Fornell outside. Fornell continues to distract by approaching Werth about the truck, Werth pushes Fornell back, just as Lucas was about to intervene. Meanwhile as he passes her, Gibbs hands Ziva, who had gone to pay for the fuel, a small box. Slick, very slick indeed. Fornell tells Gibbs Werth was very convincing and asks what he's not telling him. Gibbs tells him about the steroids.

In the truck Ziva gives Werth an earwig and puts one in her own ear. She calls McGee, who is in 'trucker mode' having read up on the whole language, etc. - which is just the thing McGee would do, very in character. DiNozzo is driving NCIS's black truck and McGee, high on caffeine, is talking about 'the brotherhood of truckers'.

Ziva tells Werth to relax and he comments about a time in the Marines. Ziva says that friends of her who know about these things have told her that trauma intensifies the memory. Werth asks why and she says maybe to stop the person from making the same mistake again. He says he's stuck in his own history. She reminds him that the last time they met, he was in control, he helped them. He can move forward and find the right path. A poignant little scene. I don't really see a great deal of chemistry between Ziva and Werth. He's interested in her, I think she likes him well enough, they could possibly be good together, but . . .

Meanwhile Gibbs is yelling to slow down, Fornell does, then realises Gibbs is actually talking to McGee *g*. McGee tells them the truck seems to be heading for a garage in Alexandria that is run by a David Devoisier where special machine parts are being delivered. It looks as if that is the place that's going to be hijacked. Gibbs tells Fornell to 'put the peddle to the metal' and they race off.

At the garage Devoisier comments he was expecting a delivery, not Federal Agents. He was very slick and 'obliging' and with hindsight, too much so. I confess that I'd almost forgotten about the murder, having got so caught up in the fun of the episode, so apart from thinking he was too slick and too obliging, he didn't register with me at that point. Gibbs tells him about the possible hijacking and says he can't say who it is, but that it originated in San Diego. At which point Devoisier says it's Szwed. He explains how Szwed lost a bet to him and thus has a vested interest in what is in the truck delivering to him. Gibbs and Fornell are stunned: the whole thing is over a bet!

He takes them through into another part of the garage where there are lots of vintage cars and a bar; he offers them a drink, they decline and he explains how he and Szwed had set up a cross-country race with the prize being a car. They had a support car trailing them and didn't bother with minor things like speed limits. Apparently Szwed's car over-heated and Hetherton wasn't around to fix it. Gibbs tells Devoisier that Hetherton is dead and asks if Devoisier can get in touch with his driver.

Gibbs and Fornell, Gibbs holding the phone between them, call McGee who tells them Devoisier was on a commercial flight a week ago and also that he and Szwed have speeding tickets - there are lots of people with speeding tickets. Gibbs tells him to look into unsolved incidents on the route the tickets were acquired on. Fornell asks if Gibbs is worried about missing fender benders and then Gibbs hangs up on McGee.

McGee goes out into the cab and tells DiNozzo about the cars in the back of the truck and he seems surprised that people would kill for a car - me too, Tim. However, DiNozzo knows about cars and tells McGee just what kind of price they are worth.

Lucas and Szwed had been driving, in the bright red Ferrari in front of Werth and Ziva the whole time and they now order Werth to pull over and to use the truck to block the road. Werth comments it's a good plan. In turn Ziva asks McGee what their plan is, but he tells her Gibbs hung up and went dark.

At that moment a tire blows on the black truck and with McGee calling his name and DiNozzo McGee's, DiNozzo manages to keep it under control and bring it to a stop - nice piece of driving, Tony!

Meanwhile Ziva tells Werth they have to go alone with the plan and Werth does indeed block the road with the truck. Devoisier's driver is coming along; he sees the truck and starts to blast his horn, but it doesn't move. Finally, at the last moment, Devoisier's driver hammers on his brakes and we watch as the truck in effect jack knives its way towards the other truck. Fortunately, it does stop in time and Werth comments to Ziva: "You people think I'm crazy!" A nice comment, given they were both just standing there.

Lucas and Szwed tell Werth and Ziva to pull a gun on the driver and they run to the back of the truck. Werth does, Ziva tells the driver to co-operate. Lucas and Szwed open the back of the truck and . . . lo and behold, who should be inside but Gibbs and Fornell, pointing guns. I do hope they had something to hold onto during the jack knife! Fornell tells them they are under arrest.

Back in the evidence garage, Devoisier is thanking Gibbs and Fornell and is gazing lovingly at his car. Abby makes a comment about boys and their cars, saying she's a hot rod girl. Devoisier tells her the car cost $1.2 million. Abby is surprised but Fornell (who calls her Abbs) explains only eighteen were made and it's a Hemi Cuda. Devoisier comment about having a perfectly restored car, but Gibbs says he hasn't. A magnet is produced; it sticks to part of the car, but not to another - another that had been hastily repaired. They say that Szwed and Lucas admitted to various things, but categorically denied murder. It turns out that Devoisier had been the driver in a hit-and-run out west when he'd knocked down an 18 year old girl. Hetherton had seen it, carried the girl to hospital and stayed with her until she died. Devoisier has to kill Hetherton so not as to delay getting the car. Abby takes great pleasure in telling Devoisier she's going to take the car apart.

In the squad room, an exhausted McGee is once again asleep at his desk. DiNozzo is watching Ziva and Werth say goodbye. Werth is saying he isn't looking forward to telling Hetherton's wife about his death and he doesn't know what to tell her. Ziva says he should say that Hetherton died because he was a good Samaritan and a good man and that Devoisier is not. Werth kisses her on the cheek and says: "See you later." DiNozzo is not at all happy by the kiss. However, he tells Werth that he used to go to school in Columbia, Hetherton's wife is in Cleveland, and if Werth likes he can make some calls about a job - good old DiNozzo, getting rid of the competition, Werth thanks him and goes.

DiNozzo then asks Ziva what was meant by 'see you later'. Was it just a 'goodbye' or a real 'see you later'. Ziva gives him one of her smiles and inscrutable looks and asks doesn't he understand straight English. DiNozzo demands an answer, but she just continue to smile at him - much to DiNozzo's frustration and yes, he's jealous - to my mind.

OVERALL

A really good, fun episode. Very light-hearted, which makes me wonder just what we are going to get in the next episode. IMS, it's 'that' episode when once again Gibbs's past pops up to revisit him. I just hope we won't get 'that' year mentioned AGAIN. And I 'fear' it's going to be quite a angst heavy episode and once again all about the personal side, not the work *rolls eyes* I just feel having had such a fun one, we are in for something heavy.

I really don't buy killing over a car, but there you go, it takes all sorts to make the world and clearly these people were very passionate about their cars.

Although it was more than just the cars, I presume, given the FBI were already interested in the company and Hetherton had done something 'wrong on order'. So I presume they'll get far more than a slap on the wrist.

A shippers delight pretty much all the way through, with so many ships slash and het, but definitely the emphasis on Gibbs/Fornell, followed by Gibbs/McGee and in third place DiNozzo/Ziva.

As much as I enjoyed it, and I really did, I'd love to have a 'real' meaty case episode soon, of the kind we used to get in S1&2.

Irks.

- Really only too little Ducky. But as I said I was expecting that.
- Seeing Gibbs's sitting room again!
- The reason why Szwed and Lucas were already under the FBI's radar wasn't really dealt with - but I guess that doesn't matter that much.

Best scenes:

- McGee bringing Gibbs home and fussing over him.
- The first Gibbs and Fornell scene at Fornell's house.
- Gibbs and Fornell in the lift.
- Gibbs, Ducky and Fornell in Autopsy.
- Abby and McGee in Abby's lab and Gibbs arriving.
- Gibbs and Fornell arguing like an old married couple at the garage.

Pairing of the week:

Gibbs/Fornell

Character of the week:

Fornell

Actor/Actress of the week:

Sean Murray

Storyline: 10.00

Enjoyment: 10.00

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