Two Marine officers return from Afghanistan after an ambush; one night one of them dies in a fistfight in an alley in Washington, DC; Gibbs and company investigate. The gang see a familiar face but do not yet find the person. [Continued.]

Gibbs tells Joe that Joe was right about Kersey's presence with the enemy in Afghanistan, and that he and the gang need his help to find the bad guy; Gibbs talks with Joe, his brother (Evan), and their father. Evan stays to help Joe, but their father goes back home in Ohio; Joe goes with Gibbs to see Paul, another member of the outfit, who responds negatively to Joe. Abby uses virtual-reality (VR) gear to help Joe recover some of his memories; the gang increase their efforts to find Kersey; Gibbs continues to work with Joe; they catch a clue; the gang find Kersey's car but not Kersey, then they find a girl with blue hair, then Kersey; then Joe suddenly recalls another face. Abby tells the site of the next incident, and McGee tells its significance; Gibbs and the team saddle up and head out; they find and seize first a package and then a ponytail. Joe reconciles with Paul; Tony gives Ziva an audio treat; Abby serves Thanksgiving dinner to the gang at Gibbs's pad.