Disclaimer: I own nothing, all that credit goes to Don Bellisario, CBS, and Paramount!

Author's Note: I've wanted to write a story like this one for a very long time, and I wasn't sure how to go about it. I also want to grow as a writer and challenge myself to something I've never tried before, so here it is! A lot of the historical details will be a bit skewed, but I hope the tale is enjoyable nonetheless! I don't think there was an NCIS in 1943 and so this is written from the perspective of Gibbs being a Marine. All of the regular characters will eventually pop up, and if there is a story out there like this I apologize to the author!

Introduction: It is 1943 and literally the entire world is at War. After the tragic death of his wife and only child Gunnery Sergeant Leroy Jethro Gibbs of the United States Marine Corps is entrusted with a secret mission. His superiors consider it a drawn out suicide mission of sorts, but they all knew that since Shannon and Kelly died the Gunny didn't care if he lived or died. Gibbs was sleeping peacefully as the plane carried him over the Atlantic, they would touch down in London soon, and there his mission would begin...

"Wake up!" A Private shouted as the engines on the large aircraft died down.

"We're here? Already?" Jethro Gibbs asked with a yawn as he stretched as best he could while still in a jump seat.

"London sir, it's been nine hours...you managed to sleep the whole time." The Private explained as he looked over his shoulder at one of his buddies who was un-fastening his safety harnesses.

Gibbs groaned as he stood up and grabbed the small drab green canvas bag that held a few possessions.

"I ain't never seen no man sleep like that on a plane." The one private whispered to the other as the three men exited the cargo hold.

"Gibbs?" A voice asked in a slight Scottish accent.

Leroy Jethro Gibbs turned his head sharply to see an older man wearing a suit and bowtie standing next to the aircraft. The man's wire-rimmed glasses and neatly combed hair exuded a sort of classiness and education that would have intimidated any other person, but not Gibbs.

"Yes?" Jethro replied cautiously.

"Doctor Donald Mallard of the Royal Air Force." The older man said as he stuck out his hand and Jethro stood next to the man and shook his hand.

"Gunnery Sergeant Leroy Jethro Gibbs." Jethro smiled a small crooked smile as he looked at the man thinking that if his grandpa were still alive, that he and Doctor Mallard might have a lot in common.

"Why'd the Brits send a doctor after me?" Gibbs questioned after the exchange of a firm handshake.

"Always curious...Fornell and Morrow warned me of that." Dr. Mallard said as he led the way towards a tan colored jeep waiting on the runway.

"You've been in touch with my superiors?" Gibbs asked incredulously.

"I have. They're good men...although I always seem to feel like Colonel Fornell is holding back just a bit." Dr. Mallard added as he gestured with his hand towards the jeep.

"It's a Marine thing." Gibbs grumbled as they got into the jeep, Jethro hesitated for just a second realizing that the steering wheel was on the opposite side and he and Dr. Mallard exchanged a wry glance and then shared a laugh noting Jethro's mistake.

Gibbs quickly switched sides and was lost in his own thoughts. The difference between what he held back and what Fornell held back were polar opposites. Fornell had a reputation for holding back vital information that could save lives in battle, whereas Gibbs held back his personal life, details about himself, and other not so vital information. The noise of the engine made it impossible for the men to talk and they drove for at least an hour before stopping outside of a low brick building that had obviously been hit once before by enemy fire.

"It's got a bit of the Swiss cheese look about it, but we're still partial to the building." Ducky explained as the men ambled into the lobby. Dr. Mallard led Jethro up a narrow corridor of stairs and into a large room full of desks. Men and women were everywhere on phones, typing up various reports, talking with one another, and somewhere in the distance Jethro smelled stale coffee and cigarettes.

"This is our command post of sorts...these men and women are charged with scrutinizing and taking down any information that might be considered vital. Tips on troop movement, black market supplies, counterfeit ration stamps, you name it, they take care of it." Dr. Mallard explained as they headed towards the final row of desks, where one office sat, with the British flag hung up in the window.

Many people stopped what they were doing to say hello to Doctor Mallard and those that were on the phones waved. The Doctor smiled back and waved.

Arriving at the office Doctor Mallard knocked gently and waited for a reply.

"Enter." A voice barked firmly in a stern British accent.

The men entered the sparse and clean office.

"Commander Richards." The man said as he stood up from behind his desk and extended a hand to Jethro, the men shook firmly and all three sat down.

"Ducky I see you got him here...good work." Commander Richards said as he looked at the doctor.

"Ducky?" Gibbs wondered aloud.

"Oh my...it's a childhood nickname that stuck, nobody calls me Doctor Mallard, it's just Ducky." The older man explained.

"Alright...Ducky." Gibbs said as he smiled back at the man. He still wasn't sure what a doctor was doing escorting him around the base, working on a top-secret mission but he was here to find out.

"Gunny, they tell me you're the best...you better prove yourself, and around here we prove ourselves by staying alive." Commander Richards explained.

"Yes sir." Gibbs said dryly as he looked at the Commander.

"I've been told that Colonel Fornell has briefed you on the seriousness of this mission. Is that true?" Commander Richards pressed.

Gibbs only nodded.

"Good, you know what we're up against, and I'm sure it's just like General Morrow said, you Yanks want this scum wiped out just as much as us Limeys." Commander Richards added.

"This operation...I understand it completely, but it just boggles my mind that it's one man at the helm." Jethro added, hoping to convey his understanding of the situation.

"Renne Benoit is a terrible man, he's in charge because he kills anyone who attempts to over-ride him. Last week the body of his brother was found in a dumpster in a Paris alleyway. Clearly, they had some sort of disagreement. Ducky confirmed that the fatal wound could have only been made with the weapons that Benoit is known for smuggling and selling to the enemy." Commander Richards explained.

Gibbs glanced at Ducky. It was starting to make sense. Ducky was one of those doctors...what was the right word? Oh, yeah coroner. He had to meet with one after Shannon and Kelly had died. It had been a lame attempt at closure. A man he didn't know at all in a sterile white coat explaining without any sympathy or compassion that Kelly had died quickly while Shannon had suffered for an agonizing fifteen minutes. Gibbs would have rather not known that part. Suffering or not, his girls were gone and he had to live his life without them.

"It is now your job to help infiltrate the Benoit organization and stop the illicit sale of weapons we already have plenty of intelligence on the man, and the organization but we need more. If you take him out we're going to have to justify it when the dust settles." Commander Richards said plainly.

"How have you gotten this information? Can I read the files?" Gibbs asked, hoping it would prepare him for what lay ahead.

"That won't be necessary." Commander Richards said quickly, just as there was a light knock on the door.

Gibbs tried to conceal his confusion, surely knowing more about the enemy would only enable a better fight.

"Enter." Commander Richards barked.

The door opened, and closed quietly.

Jethro craned his neck to look at who had entered. Before him stood a tall, beautiful red-head in a white and blue uniform. She was American, and she was in the Navy, that much was for sure. Jethro was astounded by her good looks, and the shiny red hair that peeked out from the neat bun hidden under her hat.

"Gunny, meet your new partner, Lieutenant Commander Jennifer Shepard. She's been gathering intelligence on Renee Benoit for over fourteen months. She's a wealth of knowledge on the subject, we like to call her our walking case file." Commander Richards said as Jennifer extended a hand to Gibbs.

Gibbs snapped back to reality, forcing his mind to stop obsessing over the shiny red hair, piercing green eyes, and long slim legs that comprised Jennifer Shepard's amazing uniform looked amazing, the white skirt fitting her slim hips snugly, and her blouse highlighting what must have been the most perfect pair of breasts Jethro had ever seen. Jethro stood awkwardly shaking Jennifer's hand and mumbling his name before offering his chair to her.

"I prefer to stand..thanks." Jenny said as she smiled at Jethro. Jenny Shepard forced herself to ignore the piercing blue eyes, the tanned skin, trim figure, and hair that was slightly graying at the temples. Jethro was a perfect specimen of maleness and ignoring his good looks in the cramped office was going to be difficult, but Jenny forced back any lingering fantasies and got back down to business.

Breaking of the handshake Jenny headed over to Ducky and kissed him lightly on the cheek.

"Ducky! What a delight to see you again!" Jenny cooed.

"It is a delight my dear." Ducky exclaimed as he hugged Jenny.

"So...when do we depart for France?" Jenny asked in an authoritarian tone as she looked at Commander Richards.

"Zero eight hundred...I suggest you all get some rest." Commander Richards said.

"Mind if I hitch a ride?" Jenny asked Ducky casually as the trio exited the office.

"We're all headed to the same place, it's no problem my dear." Ducky said as he smiled at Jenny.

Jethro followed behind them, content to enjoy the view Jennifer Shepard's backside offered him.

"Home sweet home." Ducky announced proudly as he parked the jeep in front of what Jethro assumed was the largest house on base.

"She lives with you?" Jethro asked incredulously as Jenny followed ahead and opened the front door eager for a hot bath.

"She needs somewhere to go in between assignments." Ducky explained.

"My home is a bit of a commute from here." Jenny said sarcastically as she stood in the front hall and toed of her white shoes, obviously comfortable at the Mallard residence.

"Donald? Jennifer is that you?" A woman's voice yelled from the parlor.

"It is mother...we are home and we've brought a guest." Ducky yelled.

A white-haired woman in a flowered dress emerged from the parlor, a book in her hand, and wire-rimmed glasses perched on the edge of her nose.

"Les Miserables? Again?" Jenny said as she arched an eyebrow and eyed the book Mrs. Mallard was holding.

"Victor Hugo is my favorite dear...we've been over this." Victoria Mallard joked as she looked past Jenny at Gibbs.

"Donald, are you going to introduce me to your friend?" Mrs. Mallard asked.

"Mother, this is Gunnery Sergeant Leroy Jethro Gibbs, he's an American Marine and he's going to be helping me and Jenny." Ducky explained.

"Leroy Jethro?" Mrs. Mallard exclaimed as she moved forward to shake Jethro's hand.

"That's my name ma'am." Gibbs said politely.

"What an unholy burden to place upon a child, you look more like a Matthew to me...you know if I had been able to give Donald a brother his name would have been Matthew." Mrs. Mallard smiled as she said it.

"Dinner?" Ducky asked quickly.

"Just some root vegetable soup, and a bit of brown bread." Mrs. Mallard said apologetically. It was the best she could do, considering the strict rations.

"Food sounds good to me." Jenny said as she headed towards the kitchen.

"You can have seconds." Jenny said as she stared at Jethro's empty soup bowl. She had only served him up two ladle fulls, unsure of how far the soup would stretch but there was plenty extra in the pot.

"I'm good." Gibbs said happily as he tore into his slice of pumpernickel bread.

"I know, but you were on a plane for nine hours. You probably haven't had real food in a few days." Jenny mused.

"I'm fine." Jethro insisted.

"For soup it's surprisingly filling." Ducky said as he served himself a second helping.

"That's what the carrots, potatoes and radishes are for." Jenny said knowingly as she cleared her bowl and Jethro's from the table.

"I must say mother has taken to this cooking thing rather well, considering." Ducky said as he stopped short.

"Considering what?" Jethro pressed.

Jenny shot Ducky a glance, and an eerie silence fell over the large kitchen.

"Considering she never cooked much." Ducky said quietly.

"A mother who doesn't cook?" Jethro thought to himself, but he knew better than to push the issue.

"Bathtime!" Jenny yelled triumphantly as she finished washing the dishes.

"That's the cue for us gentlemen to stay downstairs." Ducky said as Jenny exited the kitchen and headed upstairs to the bathroom.

"Fair enough." Jethro said, concealing a sly smile, hoping to hide any sign of impropriety from the doctor who had been kind enough to take him in.

Jethro wandered out of the kitchen and down the long corridor back to the parlor. Maybe he could find a good book to read while waiting for his turn in the bathroom.

A large picture caught Jethro's eye, it was of a large home that looked more like a castle, with a younger Ducky, his mother and a man standing outside in front of a fountain.

"Did you get to visit a castle on vacation?" Jethro asked as he sensed Ducky's presence behind him.

"Oh no, that was my childhood home. I handed it over to the British government when the war began. It's officers quarters, and a command post. It's been just me and mother for some time. I released the servants so they could fulfill their patriotic duties. It really was too much house." Ducky explained.

"Wow...how nice of you." Jethro marveled at Ducky's patriotic spirit.

"Don't worry...I got the biggest house on base." Ducky smiled as he said it.

"I'm done!" A voice shouted down the stairs.

Jethro forced himself not to imagine Jenny in a dressing gown with nothing underneath.

"You next...it's been a long journey." Ducky said as he patted Jethro's shoulder.

Shortly before midnight Jethro lay in a large bed all alone, knowing that one thin wall separated him from Jenny.

"After all this..." Jethro said to himself as he drifted off to sleep knowing that after the war there would be plenty of time to get to know Lieutenant Commander Jennifer Shepard.

"This...is it?" Jethro said in aghast as he dropped two bags on the dusty floor of the attic room he and Jenny had just entered.

"It is." Jenny said as she stared at the sparse accommodations.

They had flown to France that morning, arriving in a small village, and thanks to Jenny's perfect French they blended in seamlessly, and had received orders to photograph every person getting on and off of a boat. The small attic room provided a clear view of the marina, but it was stifling hot, and the only other area they had to themselves was a small privy area in the far corner. A wrought iron bed frame and old mattress with only one sheet and no pillows took up most of the room.

Jethro began unpacking hurriedly as Jenny locked the attic door. They had locked the front door to the abandoned house, but she wasn't taking any chances. Both were armed, but right now they knew the only two people they could trust were each other.

"Relief." Jenny said with a sigh as twilight approached.

"Yeah, by about twenty degrees." Jethro muttered.

"Dinner?" Jenny asked absentmindedly, more out of politeness than anything. The thought of food made her stomach turn.

"Too hot." Jethro muttered.

"Same here, just trying to be nice." Jenny explained.

"You are nice...very nice Jennifer." Jethro complimented.

"It's Jenny, I hate being called Jennifer." Jenny explained.

"Okay Jenny, how about a reprieve for some water." Jethro said as he stood and stretched. It was after sundown and taking pictures would be useless. It was also going to be after local curfew soon and anyone caught out would have the police to deal with.

Jenny stood on wobbly legs, and Jethro caught her just before her knees buckled.

"You're dehydrated." Jethro said quickly as an arm wrapped around her slim waist.

"Am not." Jenny retorted.

"Are so." Gibbs said as he led Jenny downstairs.

He was immediately thankful the home had running water. He let the tap run until the water was slightly cool and reached for a glass from the shelf right next to the sink.

"Take it." Jethro offered it as Jenny gratefully accepted.

Three hours later Jenny could hear Jethro's stomach growl over the radio program they were listening to. She was busily translating the story of Robin Hood for Jethro.6

"You need something." Jenny said as she tossed him an apple. They brought very little with them, just enough food to get through the three or four days they'd be in the cramped home.

"Thanks." Jethro said absentmindedly as he took the apple.

Jenny cut a pear into small sections and enjoyed the sweet fruit.

"Bedtime." Jenny said gratefully as she glanced at the clock. It was almost midnight and she was exhausted.

They headed through the empty home and back up to the attic.

"What are you doing?" Jenny asked as a small flashlight provided just enough light for her to slip out of her sundress and spread the old blanket across the mattress. Gibbs tried not to look at Jenny who was clad only in her bra and panties. Jethro had removed everything from his bag and had wadded the canvas up into a ball. He was now prone on the floor, the bag smashed against his head.

"I'll take the floor." Jethro grumbled, eager to sleep.

"Don't be ridiculous." Jenny huffed.

Jethro looked up. Jenny was standing over him, one dull beam of light highlighting her facial features. She extended a hand and helped him up.