प्लॉट

The team must investigate a prison escape without Gibbs as he heads to Stillwater after his father's death.

Gibbs and the three musketeers catch a snail during an apparent burglary; the next morning they learn about a fire in the galley aboard a Naval vessel in the Atlantic Ocean; then Vance tells Gibbs that Jackson, Gibbs's father, has had a stroke and died; Gibbs goes to Stillwater, Pennsylvania, his hometown. The gang learn that the fire resulted from arson by an incendiary device. Abby finds a connection between the fire and the supposed burglary; Tony learns more and hears a familiar name, then he disobeys an order by calling Gibbs; both Tony and McGee pursue Abby's lead; Gibbs returns to work. Ellie finds a key player, then she and McGee learn much from her. At home Gibbs receives a visitor and deals with him, then Gibbs meets with Rivera. Abby gives a big warning. Inside Jackson's shop Gibbs receives another visitor and deals with him too, then he goes to his father's funeral and burial, where the whole gang, including Vance, along with L.J. Moore, join him.—DocRushing

Ellie and McGee stake out a bar, with Tony and Gibbs providing back-up in the truck. They're staking out a burglar named Wayne Levinson. They see him come in and Ellie and McGee catch him in the back room taking money from the safe. When Wayne runs out the back door, Gibbs intercepts him. The puddle on the street causes Gibbs to remember a glimpse of a scene from his childhood, with his father. He gets a chill.

Later, back in the office, a TV news report announces an accidental galley fire on the USS Niagara. The team engages in empty banter until Vance interrupts, summoning Gibbs to his office.

An employee at Gibbs' father's store called -- Gibbs' dad had a stroke, he died. (This episode pays tribute to actor Ralph Waite, who portrayed Gibbs' father for the past six seasons and who died in February.)

Later, in the office, Abby stresses about getting the right flowers for Gibbs' father. They tell Ellie what a sweet man Jackson was and how he was the only one who could do the Gibbs stare at Gibbs.

Vance interrupts, summoning Ellie, McGee and Tony to MTAC. Sandra Jenkins with the CIA and Captain Arnold Craig tell them a civilian contractor brought an incendiary device on board. He was killed after the explosion, but they reveal that the ship was carrying prisoners -- indicted terrorists, most of whom were captured following Benham Parsa's arrest and were part of his Brotherhood of Doubt. Two escaped during the diversion.

Tony steps out to call Gibbs with the update, but Vance follows and tells Tony not to contact him, saying he needs time. Tony objects, but Vance orders him not to brief Gibbs.

Gibbs arrives at his father's store in Stillwater. He sees a rifle on the wall and remembers he was never allowed to touch it, and his dad noted how ironic it was Gibbs grew up to be a sniper.

Back in NCIS, it's perpetrator rundown time. The escapees made off in a RIB (rigid hull inflatable boat) while the sonar was out of whack from the explosion.

The escapees are: Edwin Smith, a Canadian cruise ship mechanic, and Lateef Mir, who assassinated a group of American journalists in Pakistan. Mir is known for being able to drastically alter his appearance.

Abby comes up with photo of a RIB on a nearby shoreline that she was able to track down.

Tony and Ellie head to the beach and find the abandoned boat, and the dead body of Edwin Smith in it.

Later, Duckie and Palmer are on the scene. Duckie announces Smith was strangled. Tony ignores a call from Gibbs. "It's like I can feel Gibbs looking at me through the phone," Tony says.

Back at his father's place, Gibbs goes through his garage. He remembers seeing his dad tell his mom to get a second opinion and her getting angry, then Gibbs asking his dad later why his mom was mad at him.

Gibbs' reverie is broken when Cal, Jackson's store employee, comes by. He tells Gibbs he was there when his dad died and wished there was something he could do. Gibbs' dad thought very highly of Cal. Cal tells Gibbs that his dad kept him from going down a bad path. Gibbs asks for his help getting the store ready to sell.

Back in MTAC, Tony, Ellie and McGee are briefed on Fouad Ansour, Parsa's second in command. He released a video claiming responsibility for the jail break from the boat, but they're sure the Brotherhood doesn't have the money to have pulled it off.

Down in the lab, Abby has head, beard and facial hair from Lateef found in the abandoned boat, proving he shaved and bleached his eyebrows. She has a new composite of him that looks totally different and an off-duty cop just saw him going into the backroom of a bar - the Green Star Bar & Grill, the same one where they caught Wayne Levinson last night.

Tony sits down with Wayne in interrogation, telling him he's a loose end. Wayne says the money he took from the safe was his payment for three untraceable Glocks that were supposed to be picked up today. He says the woman who dropped off the first half of the payment was a Hispanic woman in her 30s with a child.

He got the job through someone he met in prison named Alejandro Rivera -- the leader of the Mexican drug cartel who tried to kill Gibbs a few years back. (Because Gibbs killed his father for murdering Gibbs' own wife and child.)

Tony finally calls Gibbs. "Is it bad?" Gibbs asks. "Worse," Tony says.

Later, Tony goes to visit Rivera in prison. Rivera says he hasn't had contact with Levinson since he got out of prison, but Tony doesn't believe him for a minute.

Back at NCIS, McGee says the owner of the Green Star is Rivera's second cousin.

Ellie reports that Leticia Gomez visited Rivera in prison and had a baby eight months ago.

Suddenly Gibbs storms in and up to Vance's office, saying he had a right to know what was going on. Vance reminds Gibbs of his own advice after his wife was killed, telling him to take time to recover. Gibbs tries to argue and Vance gently places him on administrative leave. As Gibbs leaves he tells Vance not to ever tell his team to hold out on him again.

Ellie and McGee meet with Leticia, who admits to delivering the money to Wayne for Alejandro. Alejandro saw news of NCIS capturing Parsa on TV. He used cartel money to fund the Brotherhood prison break because they had an enemy in common. Anyone who escaped was ordered to hunt down and kill Gibbs.

Meanwhile, Gibbs returns home and hears the sound of water flooding his basement. He gets to work fixing his spraying water heater, removing his gun in the process. But while he's under the tank, he sees a hacksaw and wires touching the water.

The lights go out.

A man comes from upstairs to inspect. Gibbs is no longer on the ground, he's clinging to the stairs and shoots the intruder several times in the chest. The intruder falls into the electrified water below.

Later, the team is on the scene. The attacker matches the new description of Lateef Mir, he burned off his fingertips with acid. He was carrying one of the Glocks.

Gibbs remembers his dad teaching him woodworking, saying it was something he could make right when other things can't be set right.

Duckie urges Gibbs to return to Stillwater, but he has a stop to make first.

Gibbs and McGee go see Rivera in prison. They show him Leticia's signed statement and show him video of an attack on Fouad Ansour's compound. The CIA followed Alejandro's funding trail there and they wiped out all remaining members of the Brotherhood.

Alejandro seethes at Gibbs, promising him he'll get him someday. Then Gibbs reveals the photo of Lateef Mir's dead body and the news that he was the only one to escape.

Back at the office, Abby comes upstairs in a tizzy with DNA results. The guy Gibbs shot was not Lateef Mir -- he was a mercenary. Mir planted the hairs in the boat so they'd think he'd changed his appearance, then hired the mercenary to take on the look and go after Gibbs.

McGee tries to reach Gibbs, but he's working on a truck in his father's garage, listening to blue grass. He hears the garage door open and catches a glimpse of Mir in the truck's side mirror. Gibbs waits for him to come around the side of the truck and then whacks him with a tire iron. The gun goes under the truck the two men grapple for a moment. Then Mir dives under the jacked up truck to get the gun. He's lying under it and taking aim at Gibbs when Gibbs whacks the jack out from propping up the truck and the trucks falls, crushing Mir underneath.

Back at Jackson's store, Cal arrives to pick up Gibbs, quoting Jackson that if "you're not early, you're late."

Gibbs gives Cal the keys to the store and asks him to take it over, saying it's what his father would have wanted.

The whole team turns out for the funeral, along with Jackson's old friend LJ (Billy Dee Williams), and Jackson's old Navy buddies. A color guard presents Gibbs with the folded up flag and a bugler plays Taps.

Back in basement, Gibbs opens a box labeled "Chickadee." He remembers presenting the box to his mom as a young boy, with a small boat, named Chickadee, that his dad had helped him build. "Water never forgets -- anyone with a boat named after them will live forever," his mom said.

Later, the family took the boat out to the water and Gibbs recalled the family time fondly.

Back home, Gibbs examines the small model Chickadee boat and unrolls a piece of paper. He starts sketching schematics for his next project.