Ukazuje se, že Gibbsova ztráta paměti pokrývá celých předchozích patnáct let, pro něho se právě píše rok 1990 a je v Kuvajtu. Vůbec netuší, že je agentem NCIS a nepoznává lidi ze svého týmu. Všichni doufají, že se jedná pouze o dočasný stav a NCIS se nyní snaží soustředit veškeré své síly na to, aby dopadla teroristu Abu Saifa. Vyšetřovatelé odhalují skutečnosti, které před nimi Gibbs tajil, že měl se svou první ženou dceru a obě byly zavražděny, když se on účastnil operace Pouštní bouře. Zároveò vycházejí najevo další skutečnosti ohledně výbuchu, při němž Gibbs ztratil paměť. Je zřejmé, že teroristé připravují velkou akci a Gibbs je jediný, kdo ví o celé záležitosti víc.

The episode starts in hospital. Doctor and Ducky are talking about Gibbs who just woke up. They soon find out that Gibbs remembers an explosion, but it is the one that happened 15 years ago!

Director Shepard tells the NCIS team that Gibbs will be OK. But, she also has bad news for them. Gibbs lost his memory and doesn't remember anything that happened to him for the last 15 years. And now the team has to solve the problem on their own. Tony follows the Director and asks her to let him run this investigation.

Director Shepard tells him that she intended to do that, but she was wondering if Tony would ask her that... she wanted to know if Tony has as much guts as Gibbs. She goes to her office and leaves Tony wondering about what she said.

Gibbs and the doctor are sitting in a room and the doctor asks him what is the last thing he remembers. Gibbs doesn't say anything, we just see some of his memories.

Ducky and Jenny are talking about Gibbs. Jenny asks him if he knew about Gibbs' daughter. Ducky says that's impossible because he knew all of his three wives. Jenny shows him that Gibbs and his first wife had an 8-year old daughter called Kelly; they were both murdered. While Gibbs was in Desert Storm, Shannon witnessed Pedro Hernandez shooting a marine and a NIS agent was assigned to protect her. He was shot by a sniper and the three of them were killed in the car crash. Ducky wondered if Hernandez was ever caught, but Jenny said no. He fled to Mexico and NIS tried to extradite, but the Mexican authorities claimed they could never find him and it is in the NCIS cold case files. Ducky told her to close it because Jethro would follow the killer to hell and back. Jethro got his revenge.

Tony and rest of the team are trying to find out what happened to Gibbs. Tony already starts acting like the team boss and starts giving orders to them.

New scene opens, and we see PinPin Pula on the boat getting a piece of paper in which he is described as a suspect. After shredding the BOLO, he leaves the room and goes outside where somebody greets him.

The doctor and Jenny are talking on the phone about Gibbs. Gibbs is watching TV. Doctor says he is trying to catch up on what happened in the last 15 years, but Jenny says he hates television. She says that she should contact the retired agent Michael Franks who worked on Shannon and Kelly's case years ago.

In the next scene, we see two Mexican people talking. Jenny contacts that man who turns out to be Michael Franks. She explains to him that she is now the director of NCIS, and Mike starts laughing at that. She asks him for help. He refuses and then Jenny says "Leroy Jethro Gibbs," and that's where the scene ends.

McGee and Abby find out some interesting facts about the explosion...including the one that Gibbs knew all about the explosion. They continue investigating this case as the new scene opens in hospital where Jenny and Gibbs are talking. She shows him a picture of PinPin Pula and asks if he recognizes him. Gibbs becomes nervous and the scene closes showing Gibbs saying that he wants Shannon and Kelly.

Next morning, Mike visits Gibbs and they start talking about the time when Gibbs was a Probie. A nurse comes in saying that smoking is not allowed. Mike says it's just another reason for living in Mexico.

Ducky and Palmer discover something interesting and call the team to look at it. The discovery was that Galib was stuffed in the barrel and his neck was slashed and his cervical vertabrae was cut. A nurse goes to Gibbs' room saying that he cannot have steak if he doesn't finish his jello.

But Gibbs is actually outside talking to Mike and eating steak and chips. They're talking about Mike's life, his house in Mexico and some frightening facts (like 9/11) that made Gibbs throw up the food he ate. Gibbs says that the nurse was right...he wasn't ready for a steak.

PinPin Pula is working on the boat and somebody invites him for a poker game, but he says he's busy. Ziva pays Gibbs a visit. She forces him to remember some of the stuff. She takes his hand, slaps herself with his hand, causing Gibbs to remember Kate and Ari's deaths.

Gibbs returns to NCIS, making it clear to everyone that he got his memory back. He interrupts the discussion between Jenny and Dean Welsh. He explains that PinPin Pula will blow up Cape Fear, but Welsh doesn't believe him. Gibbs yells at him and leaves the room, leaving us to watch a boat exploding.

In the new scene, Gibbs is talking to Jenny about him being wrong. He was angry at Mike and he didn't understand how he could quit...until now. The whole team is waiting for him. He goes to his desk and tells Tony that the team is now his. He says to McGee that he is a good agent, and he shouldn't let Tony tell him otherwise. He kisses Abby on the cheek and tells Ziva that he owes her.

Gibbs asks Ducky to give him a ride and goes to leave the NCIS building. He then stops, turns around and looks back at his team and his soon to become 'past' life. He confidently says 'Semper Fi', then turns back around and steps into the elevator with Ducky.

After that, we see Mike smiling on the beach as he recognizes Gibbs walking towards him.