Gibbs na své misi sehraje scénku s falešným pasem, aby se setkal se svým informátorem Galibem. Ten mu poté v prádelně lodi sdělí, že radista Pinpin Pula je ve skutečnosti terorista Abu Saif a chce vyhodit muniční základnu námořnictva do povětří. Dříve než Gibbs stačí upozornit NCIS, je prádelna vyhozena do vzduchu, Galib je mrtev a Gibbs těžce zraněn, Filipínec Pinpin Pula se pohřešuje. Gibbsův stav je kritický, ale stabilizovaný. Mozek je v pořádku, nicméně Gibbs se neprobouzí a lékař naznačuje, že je zřejmě existuje důvod, proč se nechce probrat z komatu. NCIS začíná pátrat v jeho minulosti, o které Gibbs nikdy příliš nemluvil.

Gibbs v komatu znovu prožívá tragické události z minulosti - těžké zranění z války v zálivu, smrt první manželky a dcerky. Když se konečně vzbudí, myslí si, že je rok 1991 a na své působení v NCIS si nevzpomíná...

gurney is being rushed down a hospital hallway as sirens wail in the background. Gibbs is alive but disoriented. His POV keeps flashing between the medic in this hospital and medics who attended him when he was wounded on active duty. Gibbs is in the ER now and the flashbacks continue between the current doctor calling Gibbs and the flashback one calling Gunny.

Ducky pulls up to the crime scene and hurries from his truck calling for Ziva, the first person he sees, and asking for a report. Ziva's report is very efficient but she has no details about Gibbs and gets impatient with Ducky when he is surprised. Ducky interrupts her to say that McGee and Tony will know where he is. Ducky then clarifies that he isn't implying Ziva doesn't care. Ziva is having none of it. Ducky continues to try and gets told "Drip it!" "Do you mean drop it or zip it?" asks Ducky. "American idioms drive me up the hall" replies Ziva. Ducky starts to and then thinks better of correcting her again.

Ducky catches up with Tony who is getting an update on the crew; Pinpin Pula is missing and they're putting out a BOLO on him. Ducky asks Tony about Jethro and gets the information he wants. Tony wonders what kind of name Pinpin Pula is and Ducky responds it is a Filipino name that means Rice Paddy Dike.

Jenny arrives at the hospital; she is dressed for a formal event. The head nurse gives Jenny his status but refuses her entry to the trauma ward. They then engage in a sparring match over whether or not Jenny will get in. Jenny left a White House dinner for this and she gets Condi on the phone. Condi has a few words with the head nurse, who buzzes Jenny in without saying a word. Just as Jenny goes through the trauma ward doors, the outer doors open again and Abby rushes in. She is talking non-stop expressing her serious concern about Gibbs and her fears. McGee called her with the news and she had to get there. Her hearse got a flat tire and she took a cab from DC to Norfolk. Abby continues on in this vein, dumping the contents of her purse to find her ID. All through this non-stop stream-of-consciousness monologue, the head nurse does not say a word. She simply hands Abby back her things as they spill off the top of the counter onto her papers and then presses the button and lets her into the trauma ward as well. As she presses the buzzer, Abby puts her hand over hers and says "You're a really, really good person." The nurse smiles at Abby as Abby runs into the trauma ward.

At the crime scene McGee is avoiding going into the room where the bomb blast took place. Ziva chides him and tells him he needs to go in there. McGee says he has, but Ziva knows he hasn't. Ziva tells McGee that if Tony smells his fear, there will be no living with him, as Tony shows up and gives McGee a special assignment: bag and tag Rice Paddy Dike's foot-locker, the dog found bomb making residue on it. "On it boss" says McGee. Tony loves that. Ziva questions Tony's motives. Tony denies being nice to the probie, but then says it's been a bad day. Ziva agrees with that. They discuss the actual blast.

It took place in a laundry room, the point of origin was a 55-gallon oil drum. The head and torso is intact but the rest of Galib is a slushie. It reminds Ziva of suicide bombers who wear explosive belts, although there should be something left of the lower extremities. Tony remarks that not even a tootsie is left. Ducky has come up behind them and explains to Ziva that a tootsie is a toe and in his generation it also meant your sweetie-pie, another expression Ziva is unfamiliar with.

Ducky has an update on Jethro, critical but stable. Ducky cannot believe that Gibbs was in the same room when the bomb detonated. It makes no sense that he survived. Outside the port hole you see the rain start.

Gibbs is being moved into his room and the doctor is giving Jenny and Abby an update on his condition. Abby tries to insist on a guarantee that Gibbs will be all right and persists until Jenny finally tells her enough. Abby and Jenny watch from outside the room as they lift the unconscious Gibbs onto his bed. The doctor orders his sedation removed so that Gibbs will wake up. The doctor then assures Abby that he is a positive person, but until Gibbs wakes up, no one knows anything for sure.

The camera pans into Gibbs' face and we see his eye twitching in REM mode. He is dreaming of his life with Shannon and Kelly. Gibbs is saying good-bye as he is shipping out. Kelly tells her daddy she will miss him and then Gibbs and Shannon exchange good-byes: "We've said it all before." "I wanna hear it again." "I will take care. I will come back safe." "Not those words." "I love you."

Gibbs is still unconscious, Jenny is in his room watching the rain out the window. Tony calls to check on Gibbs. Jenny is all business and asks for a sit-rep. Tony switches to all business and reports in. They've processed the crime scene and are looking for Pinpin Pula, the suspected bomber. Jenny thanks Tony for the report and then apologizes for being out of line and bitchy. Tony offers an opinion: "Never apologize it's a" and they finish together "sign of weakness." Jenny reminds Tony she was also Gibbs partner. Tony tells her that John Wayne said that in She Wore a Yellow Ribbon. Jenny agrees that Gibbs is a lot like The Duke. Tony does his John Wayne impression saying "That'll be the day." Jenny gets a little carried away reminiscing and says Gibbs told her that once in Paris when she.... Jenny catches herself and ends her memory in a disjointed fashion. Tony is concerned that Gibbs isn't awake yet. Jenny tells Tony that Gibbs is in REM. Tony thinks that's good, but Jenny isn't so sure. What if they are nightmares?

Another close up on Gibbs face and his REM. Gibbs is remembering being in combat in the first Gulf War and receiving the news that both his wife and his daughter are dead. Gibbs screams NO and runs into what looks like a mine field with explosions going off around him.

The captain of the freighter is being interrogated by Ziva and McGee. Ziva removes his cigar from his mouth and breaks it in half. The captain and Ziva exchange insults in a foreign language. The captain demands that his crew be let ashore. They deny him. He then demands to speak to the Turkish consulate. A local LEO standing in the room says that can be arranged. A glare from Ziva and McGee makes the LEO add on if NCIS agrees to it. Tony strides in to the room stating that NCIS does not agree to that. Ziva tells Tony that the captain knows more than he is saying to which the captain replies he knows nothing. Tony makes fun of him and does his Sergeant Schultz impersonation. McGee does not find it funny or appropriate but Tony tells him "It's the boss. He'll be fine." and then orders his team to come with him. Ziva feels Tony is morphing into Gibbs and will be drinking coffee next. McGee doesn't think so, Tony doesn't like coffee.

Ziva says she's suspicious of the captain because he smokes expensive cigars and has an expensive diamond ring. She informs Tony that she is an Israeli and she knows diamonds. The captain likes money and Abu Sayyad pays well to transport things like guns and terrorists. Ziva will take the captain in and interrogate him while Tony visits Gibbs, since Tony doesn't speak Turkish. This leaves Tony looking a bit perplexed. So far Ziva has shown no emotional response to Gibbs' injuries.

Ducky has the torso on his autopsy table and is asking Mr. Palmer for his initial thoughts. Mr. Palmer replies rather glibly that fingerprints are out of the question. Ducky is looking for something other than the obvious. Mr. Palmer starts to mention DNA, but catches himself. They discuss the position of the body in relation to the explosive as Ducky leads Mr. Palmer to the conclusion that the person had been sitting unawares on the bomb. Ducky laughingly admits he did that himself twice. The first time he was young, the second foolish. Mr. Palmer asks Ducky why he sat on an explosive device and Ducky gets a little impatient saying he's explained and why isn't he listening. All through this Ducky is removing shrapnel from the lower end of the corpse. He believes that the shrapnel is the remains of the 55-gallon oil barrel. Ducky starts to say "I must ask Jethro" and that sentence dies in his throat. Mr. Palmer says he will take the shrapnel to Abby and Ducky tells him to wait for a tissue sample for DNA matching. Mr. Palmer asks if that is really necessary and Ducky loses his temper, snapping that it is not necessary, they could always match his teeth. Would Mr. Palmer prefer to do that? Mr. Palmer says No and reaches for a specimen jar as Ducky procures the DNA sample. "A wise choice Mr. Palmer" Ducky says as he turns his back and walks away.

Tony and Jenny are watching the medical team working on Gibbs. Tony suggests that coffee would wake Gibbs. Since he's intubated, Jenny says they'll have to use the IV. They cannot tell if Gibbs is in pain since they've never seen Gibbs show pain, so Jenny asks the doctor. The doctor doesn't answer, instead he asks his own questions: Was this man a Marine? Was he wounded in Desert Storm? It is a small world after all, the doctor treated Gibbs for his injuries in Kuwait. Gibbs was in a coma then as well. They do not want to give him pain killers because they want Gibbs to wake up from the coma. Jenny keeps asking if he's in pain because she's never seen that expression on his face. The doctor says it is the expression Gibbs had in 1991, more anguish than pain.

Another flashback to 1991, Gibbs is wounded, on crutches, carrying flowers in a cemetery. We see his wedding ring and then we see Shannon's grave and Kelly's grave. Gibbs remembers a family ride on horseback along a beach. Kelly wants to race, Shannon is more cautious, but Jethro lets her go. Now we see Gibbs sprinkling a handful of dirt on the graves followed by a memory of the family camping on the beach. The scene swirls and we see Gibbs sitting on the same beach, totally depressed, pointing his service revolver at himself, considering suicide.

Tony is in MTAC speaking to someone about SeaLift security. He remarks that he would have a better chance of dating Jessica Alba than Abu Sayyaf has of infiltrating SeaLift. The NCIS agent on the screen reminds Tony how large SeaLift is and that Abu Sayyaf only needs one man inside. They then discuss why Galib ran instead of being arrested like they had planned. The NCIS agent thinks it was because there was something bigger than blowing up a ship. Did Tony ever hear of Port Chicago? No, but he saw the movie which he starts to describe and then cuts off as the agent stares at him. They have a photo of Pinpin Pula for the BOLO. The question remains, does Gibbs know anything that can help them? Tony feels he does and is sure Gibbs will come out of his coma in time to help them.

The doctor is having lunch with Jenny in the hospital cafeteria. Gibbs is still not out of the coma and the doctor wants to know why. This was the same issue in 1991. The doctor got his file and reviewed it. It was the same then as now, Gibbs stayed in the coma even though they could not find a medical reason for it. Some patients just don't want to wake up, could Gibbs be one of them?

Gibbs is having a CT scan and is having a flashback. He's at the NIS evidence yard, seeing the vehicle in which Shannon and Kelly were killed. We met Mike Franks for the first time as he explains that the NIS agent driving the vehicle was killed by a sniper. Shannon and Kelly were killed in the accident that followed the driver's death. Now we see Jethro and his family at the beach fishing. Franks shows Gibbs the picture of the suspect, Pedro Hernandez. Shannon witnessed Hernandez murdering a Marine.

McGee is in Abby's lab looking for her. The rain is still coming down. Abby is hunched up in a corner of her lab, in the dark, holding Bert, worrying. McGee admits to being worried himself. Two men come in carrying Pinpin Pula's footlocker. Abby stands up and as she does so Bert farts. The two men laugh at this. Abby walks up to them and asks them what their problem is. Never heard a girl fart before? Abby slaps Bert down on the counter as she says this and Bert farts again. McGee tries to explain to the men that it was hippo, but they're not buying it. Abby asks if he's sure and McGee says yes because Abby sounds more, er, feminine. "Like a hippo cow?" Abby wants to know.

Abby gets back to work but McGee continues to stare at her. He's on the other side of her monitors looking at Abby through the jumble of equipment. Abby wants to know what McGee isn't telling her, but he says he doesn't know what she's talking about. As Abby pulls a photo up on her monitor, she remarks that she'll have to put this one up on her wall.

Ziva walks in right then, looks at the photo, and says she should have been a professional photographer. Abby assumes Ziva has come for information on Gibbs' condition so tells Ziva that the director hasn't called. "About?" asks Ziva. "Gibbs" replies Abby. "Oh" says Ziva in a very casual tone of face. This infuriates Abby who accuses Ziva of not caring about Gibbs at all. McGee tries to warn Ziva, asking Ziva what's different about the lab. There is no music blaring. Abby continues in on Ziva and Ziva continues to brush Abby off. Ziva makes an attempt at humor and Abby responds by slapping her. Ziva slaps back. Abby slaps back and Ziva slaps Abby again. They glare at each other and McGee's eyes get wider and wider as he's caught in the cross-fire.

Ducky is giving his report to Tony. There are x-rays up on the board and he is detailing the injuries sustained by Galib. The only explanation for the injuries is that Galib was sitting on the bomb inside of the oil drum. Why he was doing that, Ducky hasn't the foggiest. Tony needs a positive ID on the body. Abby has the DNA tissue. Ducky asks after Gibbs and Tony tells him he's still unconscious. Ducky wants to go and visit but Tony says not until he finishes the autopsy. "And while you're at it, why don't you ask your guest what he was doing sitting in an oil drum on a bomb." Ducky says he sounds like Gibbs as Tony leaves autopsy. Ducky then leans in to the body and asks "What were you doing in that oil drum? Hmmm?"

Tony is waiting for the elevator as McGee comes barreling out of it, knocking them both down. McGee has bloodied Tony's nose with his head. McGee is extremely sorry and even more sorry when Tony shows him the damage. McGee doesn't have a handkerchief so Tony uses his tie to stop the bleeding. McGee had better have something important to report and he does! McGee gives Tony a blow-by-blow account of the Abby-Ziva slapfest. Tony is very sorry he missed that. They get off the elevator, Tony is now in complete possession of McGee's tie. Tony wants the entire team, including Abby, assembled. When McGee seems reluctant to go back to Abby's lab, Tony turns back to him and deliberately shows him his bloody nose again. McGee scurries off.

Ziva is in the woman's restroom washing her face. She stares at herself in the mirror and replays Ducky's initial conversation when she didn't know which hospital Gibbs was taken to and then the recent conversation where Abby accused her of not caring. Tears start to drip down Ziva's cheeks.

The doctor is telling Jenny that there still is no good reason for Gibbs to remain in the coma. Jenny explains that Jethro was her mentor and is a wonderful field agent, but he deals with difficult politicians by shooting them, that's why he's still a field agent and she's the director. The doctor is going to contact the neurologist who treated Gibbs in 1991 to see if he has any answers. Jenny is going to go back to her office and get back to work. As she's leaving, Jenny stops and lays her hand on Jethro's forehead. Jenny tells the doctor she will look for someone who knew Jethro in 1991 and gives the doctor all of her numbers. The doctor is happy to have met Jenny, not under the circumstances, but still he's happy to have met her.

It's still raining out and Gibbs is having another flashback of a night with the family watching TV. We hear Kelly giggling, she's between her parents on the couch. Jethro covers her eyes so he can kiss Shannon, a scary kiss he tells Kelly. Then we see Mike Franks' office, he's holding the case file and telling Jethro he simply cannot tell him where Hernandez is hiding. Franks deliberately sets the file down on his desk and tells Jethro he's "going to take a leak." Jethro reads the file while he is gone.

Abby is sleeping on the squad room floor, using Bert as a pillow. McGee and Ziva are asleep at their desks. As Tony steps off the elevator, Ziva and McGee snap to readiness. Tony is drinking a cup of coffee. McGee loses the bet with Ziva but Tony snaps up the money. "If you're going to bet on me, I collect" he says.

Tony calls for Abby, who gets up, setting off Bert. Tony also calls for Ziva, front and center. "I know what happened" Tony says and Abby and Ziva start talking at once, blaming the other for what happened. "If there's going to be any *****-slapping on this team, I'll do it" Tony tells them. Then he makes them shake hands, which they do reluctantly. Tony pushes his luck and asks for a "big buddy hug" which Abby complies with, Ziva still reluctant. When Tony asks for a deep tongue kiss, they both sock him in the chest. "Now we feel better" Tony tells them, then asks McGee for a report.

They have the surveillance photos of the crew and Ziva will ensure that the captain identifies Pinpin Pula for them. Abby has the results of the bomb tests but they're a dead end. The bomb was too generic to be traced. Tony asks about the DNA and she tells him the results should be in. He asks her why she's standing there and she tells him because "someone" called a conference. McGee wonders about the DNA but realizes that Tony wants to be sure that it is Galib in autopsy. Ziva has asked her contacts if the captain is a blimp on their radar, Tony corrects her to blip. Abby has checked her DNA results and the body is definitely Galib's. McGee reports that without a photo the local LEOs are identifying every Filipino sailor in the area as Pinpin Pula. There are over 250,000 Filipino sailors but Tony doesn't care, he wants McGee to run all those leads down. McGee stands up to Tony, telling him to stop playing Gibbs. Tony glares at McGee, who says that's what he means. Ziva agrees and says she thinks Tony is getting a little grey at the temples. Even Abby agrees. Tony agrees he's not Gibbs, but he is in charge. "So if drinking coffee, staring, or whacking the back of your heads helps me lead this team, live with it."

A nurse walks into Gibbs' hospital room and starts talking to him. Ducky comes up behind her and startles her, apologizing for doing so and introducing himself. Since she was talking to Gibbs, Ducky was hoping he was awake. The nurse says she always talks to her patients. "Me too" replies Ducky. The nurse wonders if he is a neurologist but he says, no, a medical examiner. "Mine never wake up, but still I talk to them." The nurse gives a half laugh, gives Ducky an odd look, and leaves. Ducky settles in to talk with Jethro. Ducky starts off talking about the body being blown from a barrel, which reminds him of when he and his mother visited her brother who worked at the cooperage making casks for the distilleries. For once, Gibbs isn't going to cut Ducky off or bring him back on topic.

Ziva has the captain in interrogation. The captain is trying to figure out how Ziva speaks Turkish and establish a rapport with her. Ziva is ignoring him.

Tony and McGee are watching in the observation room, Tony imaging Ziva as a Turkish belly dancer, which leads him to the plot of From Russia with Love.

The captain has moved on to guessing Greek or perhaps Cypriot. Ziva tells him he's getting warm. They discuss the origin of the word liaison and Ziva reveals she's Mossad. "God help me" the captain says in Turkish. "Too late," Ziva replies, also in Turkish.

Back in the observation room, Tony has moved back to The Usual Suspects.

The captain is now a little frantic. He insists he is not a terrorist and begins naming things he did not do. He fights no jihad. Ziva loses her temper, telling him but he profits from it and for that he should die. Ziva threatens him and insists that he prove he is no terrorist by identifying Pinpin Pula.

Tony is now back on the cast of From Russia with Love. McGee tries to make sense of Tony
s monologue, but Tony interrupts him. Despite all appearances, Tony has been paying attention to what Ziva was doing in interrogation.

The captain identifies a photo and Ziva holds it up so that Tony and McGee can see it.

Ducky is still visiting Jethro and is describing a chess trophy he won in his lower sixth year and why he didn't compete in Edinburgh. Ducky suddenly realizes that the neurologist is standing behind him and gets up from his chair. The neurologist didn't mean to eavesdrop, but he was fascinated by Ducky's story. They introduce themselves and begin discussing Gibbs' case. Ducky was unaware of the coma in 1991, but then Jethro doesn't discuss his past.

While they talk, the camera moves in on Gibbs' eyes and the REM starts again. Gibbs is driving to Mexico with the picture of Hernandez on the seat next to him. We see the sun rise and set several times as Gibbs looks for Hernandez and then we see Hernandez exiting a building and going to his truck. As Hernandez drives off, Gibbs the Marine sniper is waiting for him. We see the kill and hear the kill shot, the windshield is red with blood and the camera tracks back to where Gibbs is hidden with his rifle. Gibbs rolls over and emits a wordless scream.

As Gibbs in Mexico in 1991 screams, Gibbs in the hospital in 2006 screams and begins coming to. The neurologist and Ducky attempt to reassure him, but Gibbs is disoriented and panic-stricken. The neurologist does a few simple tests to be sure things are functioning correctly, and they take out the respirator tube and put him on an oxygen mask. The neurologist introduces himself and the nurse and then says "but you know Dr. Mallard." In the background Ducky exclaims "He calls me Ducky. Welcome back, Jethro. We've all been a bit concerned. You shouldn't frighten us like this." Gibbs wants to know where he is. The neurologist tells him and says he was in an explosion. Gibbs remembers the explosion and that is a good sign. "I don't know him" Gibbs says, indicating Ducky. The doctors exchange glances and Gibbs lies back on his pillows with a look of bewilderment on his face.