The Gibbs/DiNozzo Companion Guide to Yankee White

This work of fiction in a collaboration between the original transcript of the episode, found here - ((http: / www . twiztv . com / scripts / ncis / season1 / ncis-101 . htm )) and the author's own imagination in which Gibbs and DiNozzo are in an established BDSM romantic relationship. In the author's twisted, perverted mind, over seven seasons NCIS forms a cover for the telling of how Gibbs and DiNozzo explore and extend their relationship, bringing in McGee as a second sub.

I'm not sure what happened with Kate's character. She just wouldn't co-operate, and quite a lot of Kate bashing resulted. Also, the characterisation of Gibbs is quite different, noticeably less severe, in the pilot episode. So this story doesn't really capture the essence of how I perceive Tony and Gibbs, but I had to start somewhere. But if I don't portray them accurately, I'll just have to keep making Companion Guides for the other episodes until I get it right :D

Scenes which I felt didn't add to Gibbs and Tony's relationship were removed, such as a whole lot of Abby in her lab testing the poisons.

If you don't like what I have to offer, don't flame me. You can constructively criticize, or write your own version.

Yankee White

Gibbs is working on his boat in his basement, diligently planing the wood

smooth. The television is playing quietly in the background when the phone

rings. He walks around the skeleton frame of his boat to the phone mounted

on the side wall and answers it.)

GIBBS: Yeah. Gibbs.

(It's Tony on the other end, calling from the NCIS office headquarters. He

appears to be the only one currently at work.)

It's Tony being at work that has necessitated the working on the boat. Gibbs needs something to do to keep his mind and hands occupied while Tony is absent.

TONY (to Gibbs, over the phone): A Navy commander carrying the Football on

Air Force One just carked in the air.

Of course Tony doesn't introduce himself. Gibbs will be able to recognize him from just his voice, but it irks and comforts Gibbs simultaneously that DiNozzo has the confidence do to it. It annoys him because he doesn't want Tony getting overconfident, but it comforts him because it lets him know Tony is becoming more self-assured and is confident enough in his relationship with Gibbs, whether professional or private, to rely on Gibbs, even if it is only to recognize the sound of his voice.

And of course Gibbs doesn't let any of this fill his voice as he asks where they landed as he checks his watch.

TONY: Wichita, Kansas. (types at his computer) The President's transferring

to the backup bird. (reading from computer screen) I booked us on a 15:00

United flight out of Reagan, stops in Dallas before going on to Wichita.

Gibbs likes speaking on the phone to Tony. The soft voice right in his ear, the intimacy of it that only becomes apparent when its Tony. He has the urge to order DiNozzo to sit at his desk and start stroking himself under it, but reigns the impulse back in. Not because he'd feel stupid, but because he knows Tony would do it. And the understanding is that Gibbs is the mature one, so even when tempted, he'll never abuse the power he has over Tony.

GIBBS: That the best you can do?

Gibbs knows it is. Tony would never do anything but his best in all aspects of his life pertaining to Gibbs. Gibb's approval and rare praises are everything to Tony. Gibbs is fully aware of this. Last night when Tony had gone down on him it had only reinforced how eager Tony was to please his boss. But Gibbs has to ask anyway. Praise worked for is so much sweeter than that freely given.

TONY: It's Saturday, Gibbs. (puts on coat) You know, if we had our own jet…

Typical DiNozzo. Since they'd started their relationship about a month ago Tony had become much bolder in his suggestions and hinting. Gibbs thought it was because Tony was finding himself and growing into a more confident young man, and not him attempting to abuse any power he held over Gibbs because of their romantic relationship, so he let it be.

GIBBS: We don't. Ducky's buds with coroners across the country. See if you

can't get one of them to hold the body until we can get there.

TONY: Alright.

(Gibbs hangs up. As he goes to leave the basement, he passes the television

and we see it's currently showing a news report. )

They hang up at the same time, perfectly in sync. It was a side effect of working together on a two man team for an extended period of time. And their ability to move in perfect synchronisation made for some of the hottest sex of both their lives.

NEWS ANCHOR (on TV) : I'm Doris McMillon, with a CBS news update. We have

just learned that Air Force One has made an unscheduled stop at Wichita's

mid-continent airport. Details are sketchy—

(Gibbs flicks the power off once he gets upstairs, and the TV goes black

instantly.)

Gibbs hurries from the room. A dead body, strong coffee and Tony. Even though the plane doesn't arrive for hours, he can't wait to get to work.

[Cut to Airport]

(Gibbs and Tony are just coming off an escalator behind a couple of flight

attendants. Tony is weighed down with several bags, Gibbs just has one small

bag and his ever-present cup of coffee.)

The status quo is important in their relationship. Even more so now that it carries into the bedroom. So Gibbs got just a little more pleasure than he had before at loading up his employee like a pack-mule. Tony could handle it. Gibbs knew personally how much muscle was contained under the

TONY: FBI, CIA, DEA, ATF, even the NYPD have private jets.

GIBBS: At 36 cents a mile. You wanna drive?

TONY: It's humiliating.

(They arrive at a Security check-point. Tony puts his bags down on the

ground, Gibbs lays his single one on the conveyor belt.)

GIBBS (to Security Guard): We're LEOs.

SECURITY GUARD: (smiling) Capricorn.

TONY: LEO, short for Law Enforcement Officer.

(Tony hands the Security Guard the paperwork for their weapons, while Gibbs

shows him his badge.)

In only a month Gibbs doesn't even react when Tony reaches over his shoulder to show the Security Guard his badge. Anyone else, and instinct would have kicked in, having him weave to the side or grab the wrist by his ear. It's slightly unnerving how okay it is having the younger man in his personal space that he barely notices. He should probably work on that. Last things he needs are rumours being spread because he and DiNozzo can't keep themselves a respectable distance away from each other.

GIBBS: You new at this, (leans over to read Security Guard's nametag)

Dennis?

Gibbs leans in closer to Dennis, putting a little bit of space temporarily between him and DiNozzo. Having the boy so close is messing with his head.

Tony meanwhile tightens his mouth as Gibbs leans closer to the other man. He mentally kicks himself. Dammit, the boss is reading the other guy's nametag. No need to have a jealousy-fuelled bitch attack.

DENNIS: (nods) First week. (Gibbs chuffs a laugh while Dennis checks out the

badge) N.C.I.S...never heard of it.

GIBBS (leaning over to speak quietly to Tony): Now, *that's* embarrassing.

Tony feels a rush of heat at having Gibbs so close he can smell his bough-on-sale cologne. He covers it by putting the luggage he's carrying on the ground.

DENNIS: NCIS? Anything like "CSI'?

TONY: (sarcastically) Only if you're dyslexic.

Because Tony doesn't like Dennis with his stupid nametag who made Gibbs almost-laugh. The heat of the airport making him sweat isn't helping any.

DENNIS: Okay. You can go ahead and go around the, uh, metal detector, but

your bags have got to go through the scanner.

GIBBS: Wait a minute, you're letting us take weapons aboard but you want to

scan our bags?

DENNIS: Well, you've got permits for the weapons but you don't for the bags.

Tony starts putting the bags onto the conveyor belt and all Gibbs can think is, 'Thank God all we brought were the furry handcuffs.' He's still not sure how he's going to explain those. At least he won't have to explain a eight inch vibrating dildo or riding crop.

TONY (to Gibbs): We really need our own jet.

And Tony is apparently thinking the exact same thing. Because with their own jet, they could bring as much kinky shit as they wanted on board.

DUCKY (calls out from other side of security gate): Dennis! Those bags are

mine.

DENNIS: Ohh! (to Gibbs and Tony) Why didn't you tell me you were schleppin' for

the Doc? (smiles) He's got a bag permit.

DUCKY (to Gibbs and Tony): Move it, men.

(Tony and Gibbs exchange looks as they gather the bags to follow Ducky.

Ducky turns and starts walking away. )

Tony and Gibbs look at each other as they pick up the bags. Saved by Ducky. How relieving and embarrassing. Even worse Ducky probably knows what he just saved them from. Dennis seems nice but a little stupid, and the last thing Gibbs needs is to start answering questions or have the public overhear some ignorant comment made the Security Guard about his sex life.

Ducky is the only other person who knows about Gibbs and Tony's relationship. Tony had been fine with leaving everyone in the dark, but due to the nature of it Gibbs had wanted a third party to know, for Tony's sake.

Ducky is perfect because Gibbs knows him well enough to trust him and also knows Ducky will do the right thing if somehow something goes wrong. He's not sure what might go wrong, but he doesn't have the faith in himself Tony does. Gibbs is a military-trained soldier for goodness sake. With serious emotional baggage, although Tony doesn't fully understand the extent to it. But there's a darkness in Gibbs Tony doesn't see whether because he can't or won't, and Gibbs needs Tony protected, even if it is from himself.

Ducky smirks. "We don't want to miss our flight." Gibbs so owes Ducky and Ducky appears smugly aware of that fact.

[Cut to Air Force One, Night Time]

(Air Force One is currently surrounded by emergency vehicles, lit up on the

tarmac only by the various flashing lights of the vehicles. Inside is an

assortment of official personnel, from Secret Service to FBI to State

Troopers to Airport Security to the County Coroner's office. A Kansas local

with a "CORONER" jacket on is stalling the proceedings.)

CORONER: If J. Edgar Hoover was alive, I'd tell him what I'm telling you.

This body is in Wichita County, and as County Coroner I have jurisdiction.

No one moves it until the M.E. says they can.

FORNELL: Your jurisdiction doesn't supersede the FBI on Air Force One.

KATE (interrupting from her seat, hidden behind everyone else): It's not Air

Force One, Agent Fornell. (the men move to clear a path for her) When the

President departed on the backup plane, it became Air Force One. This is now

Alpha Foxtrot 2900.

FORNELL: Don't get into this pissing contest, Agent Todd. As you pointed

out, the President's gone – it's no longer a Secret Service problem.

KATE: Look. This could be a natural death, or it could be a botched attempt

to murder the President. Until I know which, it's my problem.

CORONER: Uh, I don't give a damn which one of you is boss. You ain't moving

this body until the M.E. says you can.

(Ducky enters, followed by Tony and Gibbs.)

DUCKY: You talking about me, Elmo?

ELMO: Ducky! How'd you like those steaks I air-expressed you?

DUCKY: Ah, delicious!

FORNELL (leaning over to speak quietly with Kate): He "air-expressed" him

steaks?

Ducky throws his jacket to Jethro, clearly expecting him to catch it in the role of his subordinate. Gibbs watches it flutter to the ground.

KATE: (shrugging) It's a big state. Look how long it took him to get here.

Tony frowns at what could be considered a personal insult seeing as he was in charge of booking their flight, although the pretty lady is unaware of that. Still, he doesn't like it being pointed out in front of Gibbs. Gibbs meanwhile concentrates on his notepad to avoid noticing how much Tony looks like a lost puppy. DiNozzo's already on the floor to help Ducky, embracing his role as assistant M.E, and it would be too easy to reach out and run a hand through the meticulously styled brown hair.

ELMO: (points out the players) Uh, Agent Fornell here is FBI. Agent Todd,

Secret Service. Ducky, they've been fighting over this body like two hounds

over a t-bone.

DUCKY: Well, it's our t-bone for the moment.

GIBBS: All these LEOs are contaminating the potential crime scene.

DUCKY: Oh yes, my assistant's right. Everyone who boarded in Wichita will

have to evacuate the plane.

Tony watches the contaminating LEOs. Gibbs.

FORNELL: I'm not going anywhere.

KATE: I flew in on it.

DUCKY: Very well, you two can stay. But everyone else must deplane.

ELMO: Alright, you heard the M.E., let's move it boys. Ducky, what do you

think?

DUCKY (examining body): No outward sign of trauma.

KATE: He was stricken after having lunch with the President.

TONY: Yeah, how is the President?

KATE: He's fine. His physician cleared him to fly on to L.A.

Gibbs asks, "What happened?" and notices the extra second it takes the woman to shift her attention away from Tony. Gibbs and Fornell share a look at the moment it takes for the woman to decide whether or not to answer.

KATE: When the Commander returned from lunch, he had an equilibrium problem

and his grip was too weak to hold his briefcase.

DUCKY: Did he gradually become ill, or was it sudden?

KATE: Sudden. He started to convulse and collapsed. The President's

physician believed that the Commander had a stroke.

TONY (taking notes): Kinda young for a brain fart.

The half-smile Gibbs graces him with warms Tony's heart. Kate notices the small shared moment because she hasn't looked away from DiNozzo unless necessary. Her eyes follow his gaze to Gibbs who she studies, eyes flickering over Gibbs calculatingly.

DUCKY: Looks like a natural death to me, Elmo. They can leave with the body

as long as they sign releases.

FORNELL (to Elmo): Why the hell didn't you say that?

ELMO: Couldn't. Like I said, it's the M.E.'s decision. Release forms are in

my car.

FORNELL (to Kate): Let's go. We can work out jurisdiction for Washington on

the flight to Dallas.

Kate gives Gibbs a long look before she leaves, her eyes alighting on Tony meaningfully before flickering back to Gibbs. She isn't in the secret service for nothing.

ELMO: Ah, Ducky… about those soft-shell crabs?

Gibbs watches Kate leave. He sees the way she looks between Ducky and Elmo, and the look on her face tells him she's already half way to figuring out what's going on.

DUCKY: Ah, you'll have them by the weekend.

ELMO: Ten-four, partner. (leaves)

(Once alone, Ducky sighs in relief and Gibbs takes over command of the crime

scene. Quietly.)

GIBBS: Tony, go on. Show the pilot your credentials, get us the hell out of

here.

He's a little short with DiNozzo, although it's not the younger man's fault if the pretty brunette has suspicions about them.

(Tony starts down an aisle, but Gibbs calls him back.)

GIBBS: Hey! (points upwards) Cockpit's on the top deck.

TONY: (cluelessly) I knew that.

Gibbs smirks as Tony follows his directions, letting himself watch the younger man's ass as he climbs the stairs.

GIBBS (crouching beside body): Enjoy playing my boss?

DUCKY: (nods) I did, rather.

GIBBS: What do you think happened, Duck?

DUCKY: Good God, Gibbs, I barely met the deceased.

GIBBS: I think DiNozzo's right. Naval aviator, stroking at his age?

He only says it out loud because Tony's out of earshot and this is Ducky.

DUCKY: He could have been born with an aneurysm. They're timebombs in the

body. I remember this young promising basso-perfundo in London. He was only

27 when he keeled over, in the middle on an Notaro aria—

(Kate storms back onto the plane, her hand on her holstered weapon at her

hip.)

KATE: Who the hell are you people? (to Gibbs) You're no M.E. assistant (to

Ducky) and there's no soft-shell crab within a thousand miles.

DUCKY (to Gibbs): Sorry.

GIBBS (showing his badge): NCIS. We flew down here from Washington to take

over the investigation.

He can hear the high-pitched whirring noise of the plane's engine starting. Tony hasn't wasted any time.

KATE (drops her hand from her weapon, exasperated): First the FBI tries to

muscle in, and now NCIS.

GIBBS: Yeah, well, I do believe this is a dead naval officer.

KATE: Who died on Air Force One, after having lunch with the President it's

my job to protect.

GIBBS: Okay, we can share jurisdiction. You can be on my team.

KATE: Your team? Why should you head the investigation?

GIBBS: You ever worked a crime scene, Agent Todd?

KATE: I am a Secret Service agent.

GIBBS: (smirks) I thought not.

KATE: Well don't dismiss me like that! Okay? I earned my jock-strap!

GIBBS: Yeah, does it ever give you that empty feeling?

KATE: What?

GIBBS: Your jock-strap.

His meaning is clear between the two of them; they're obviously vying for Tony's affection although Kate's barely known the man ten minutes. Tony is with him because he needs a *man*, of which Kate is most definitely not.

KATE: No. Like some species of frogs, I grow what I need. (smiles brightly)

Gibbs smirks back, annoyed that somehow his mind is conjuring images of Kate fucking Tony with a strap-on doggy style. If this was a man, he'd probably be decking him right about now.

DUCKY: Gibbs! Pilot won't take off until the Secret Service chick gives us

the (sees Kate, pauses a beat) thumbs up.

KATE: (smirks at Gibbs) I think that just made it my team.

GIBBS: No. It means we'll just have to hijack Air Force One. Tony, escort

Agent Todd off this aircraft and close the hatch.

And Tony'll do it. That'll show the Secret Service bitch what's what.

KATE (incredulous): You're not serious. Wait! (chases after Gibbs up the

stairs) Okay, okay! Your team, but only because I don't want to delay us

further by having to shoot you.

Gibbs doesn't release the snarl that wants to rip from his throat, but it's a close thing. His eyes flicker over the staircase railing to Tony. Kate's a lot more serious about this than first thought. Agent Todd offers her hand to seal the deal, and she and Gibbs shake on it. And if the hand shake is a little too tight and goes on for too long, like a wrist version of an arm wrestle, then the brunette bitch is as much to blame as himself.

Tony's oblivious to the macho contest about him going on right behind him. Fornell is running up the steps to the hatch when Tony suddenly appears in front of him.)

FORNELL: Damnit, Agent Todd, let's get this show on the road!

TONY: Oh gosh, I'm sorry. We, uh, overbooked the flight. (closes hatch)

FORNELL: What the hell are you doing?

(As the plane starts to taxi away, Tony looks out a window and waves at the

thwarted FBI agents. Fornell yells at the people on the ground.)

(In the air, Gibbs is in the Comm. speaking with the NCIS Director, Tom

Morrow, over video conference.)

DIRECTOR (on comm.): Did you have to literally slam the door in the FBI's

face?

GIBBS: There were more of them than us.

DIRECTOR (at MTAC): (wryly) There's always more of them than us. You ever

hear of interagency cooperation?

GIBBS: Yes, sir. I got the Secret Service Agent-in-Charge at Wichita to

agree to share the investigation.

DIRECTOR: (surprised) Willingly?

GIBBS: (ruefully) Well, we could use a little backup when we land at

Andrews.

Because Todd was clearly going to be a pain in his ass on principle. The thought of her confronting a host of NCIS agents when they touch down is comforting, and Gibbs can't help the twitch of his lips.

DIRECTOR: Eh, that's what I thought. We're spread a bit thin, we've got no

agents.

GIBBS: If the FBI gets this body, we won't see an autopsy report until after

they leak it to the Washington Post.

DIRECTOR: Then make sure they don't get it. (Gibbs nods) Will this Secret

Service agent stand up to the FBI?

GIBBS: I don't know. She's got balls.

Balls she'd like pressed up against Tony's ass with her frog-dick hilt deep inside of him. Now in his mind Kate was leaning back while Tony crouched above her, fucking himself on the rubber protruding from between Agent Todd's legs.

The Director laughs and Gibbs smiles to hide how badly he'd like to shoot that irritating woman.

Meanwhile Kate is sitting in a nearby chair watching Ducky insert a thermometer into the

body's liver.

KATE: (incredulously) Are you starting the autopsy?

DUCKY: Goodness, no. I'm just taking his liver temperature to corroborate

the time of death.

KATE (consults her PDA): The President's physician declared him dead at

20:32 Zulu.

DUCKY: It never hurts to double check. (thermometer beeps)

(Tony steps up beside her, pen and paper in hand.)

TONY (to Kate): Excuse me, you'll need to stand clear so I can take

measurements for my crime scene sketches, thanks.

Kate tries not stare at his pretty eyes with his ridiculous eyelashes. To distract herself she asks, "Sketches? You've taken a dozen photos!" She doesn't really care, and obviously he's the expert, but she wants to draw him into conversation.

TONY (picks up a magazine, "Exotic Resorts", with a bikini-clad model on the

cover): Tell me her measurements.

KATE: Your pathetic.

TONY: No, I'm serious. Can you tell if she's (looking at the magazine) 5'4"

in a 34-C, or 5'7" and a 36-D? You can't, not from a photo. That's why we do

sketches, take measurements. Thanks.

Tony isn't sure why Gibbs doesn't really like Kate. She seems nice enough, and she's mighty pretty. But Tony can read Gibbs like a book and if his boss could throw this woman off the plan without jettisoning all of them, he'd do it in an instant.

Kate doesn't really care about the attitude. Tony'll grow to like in her no time, the way most men do. Her skin tingles through her jacket from where Tony's arm brushes up against her as he moves past her.

DUCKY: I've got 19:50 Zulu, that's nearly an hour earlier.

KATE: Well, then you miscalculated.

Gibbs comes jogging down the stairs, as if he'd just realised he'd left Tony and Kate together unsupervised.

GIBBS: What's the problem?

Selfishly, he's hoping there is one. Enough of one to get into a business-related argument to release some of the bubbling tension beneath his skin. He could really use one of Tony's blowjobs right now.

DUCKY: There's apparently a discrepancy between my time of death and the

President's physician's.

GIBBS: "Log yours." (Ducky bends to do so) He'd have said it anyway, but Todd's presence gave him a thrill of pleasure at being able to professionally contradict her.

"Enough sketches, Tony. Agent Todd's gonna give you a floor plan." It'll be easier for Tony, and Kate will have less of an excuse to hang over his shoulder.

KATE: Oh, no, she won't.

Kate walks off to follow Gibbs. Gibbs doesn't mind Kate trailing behind him like a petulant child because he's leading her away from DiNozzo. Ducky moves over to speak with Tony.

DUCKY: I thought your photo analysis was brilliant, Tony. But wasn't 36-D a

bit of wishful thinking?

TONY (looking at magazine again): You think?

(Gibbs and Kate are meanwhile walking down an aisle, arguing. Well, Kate

is.)

GIBBS: What can you tell me about Commander Trapp?

KATE: I can't give him Air Force One floor plans, they're top secret.

There's two men behind them, but there's only one *him*.

GIBBS: Come on, I saw this in a Harrison Ford movie.

Thanks to Tony, Gibbs has possibly watched every Harrison Ford movie ever made. Gibbs makes the comment because he knows the lack of professionalism will annoy her. She obligingly latches onto the bait.

KATE: Well that's Hollywood speculation, you're asking for the real thing.

GIBBS: Isn't the President's head down here someplace?

KATE: No!

Kate's getting annoyed at how blatantly Gibbs is showing his lack of respect and willingness to take her seriously.

GIBBS: Now this was in the movie! (looks around the conference room he just

walked into, indicates the chair at the head of the table) Yeah! Harrison

was sitting right here.

KATE: I can't risk those plans getting out on the Internet.

GIBBS: NCIS does not leak. These plans get out, you can shoot DiNozzo.

'Shoot' being code. But Gibbs trusts in NCIS, and if the plans get out, it will most likely by DiNozzo's fault. OF course, if Kate were going to be allowed to play with Tony, Gibbs would be present.

KATE: (unamused) No, I think I'm destined to shoot you.

Gibbs isn't surprised when she missed the subtext of the offer. He's a little surprised at the persistence of her threat to do him physical harm. At least he's established himself as a threat. It would be worse to be ignored.

GIBBS: What about Commander Trapp?

KATE: Only met him this morning. He just received his Yankee White clearance

and was Major Kerry's backup. The major has the flu.

GIBBS (walking away, still exploring): We'll have to get a Navy doc to

verify that.

KATE: He's got it. (waves her hands in frustration) But go ahead, and waste

a doctor's time double-checking like your… Ducky.

(Gibbs stops in front of cabinet, with a keypad lock on it.)

GIBBS: This is where the terrorists got their weapons in the movie. (starts

playing with keypad)

KATE: Oh, that is as ridiculous as the President's "escape capsule".

GIBBS: Anybody switch planes with the President?

KATE: The President was put on a separate plane. Everyone else boarded the

backup excepts three stewards who were put in the Press cabin.

GIBBS: What'd you keep them for? (opens curtains to Press cabin, waves at

stewards) Make coffee?

KATE: I may not know the finer points of investigating like sticking needles

in liver or measuring swimsuit models, but I do know enough to hold the

stewards who prepared and served the President's lunch.

GIBBS: Hmm, okay.

KATE: You want to question––?

GIBBS: No, they're not going anywhere. We've got a crime scene to

investigate. Rule number one, never let suspects stay together.

KATE: Well I didn't consider them suspects.

GIBBS: Why'd you hold them? (passes her some latex gloves) Put these on.

KATE: My fingerprints are all over this aircraft.

GIBBS: Rule number two, always wear gloves at a crime scene.

(By this point, Gibbs has managed to steer them back to the crime scene

area. Ducky is kneeling beside the body when they approach.)

DUCKY: I believe I know why there's a discrepancy in the time of death. Now

since the Commander had lunch with the President, I'm sure the President's

physician rushed to evaluate his condition. He also called Trapp's time of

death.

KATE: Yes, once he was sure the President wasn't in medical danger, he

returned and… (realising) He was gone nearly an hour.

DUCKY: Yes. I'm sure the autopsy will show that Commander Trapp expired

almost immediately.

KATE: I owe you an apology, Doctor.

DUCKY: Oh, please, it's Ducky to my associates. I'm just relieved we

straightened it out. It's inconsistencies like this to lead to conspiracy

theories. It reminds me of a case once in New Orleans. A jealous husband

shot his wife off a Mardi Gras float, right out of the clock at the corner

of Bourbon Street.

GIBBS: Ah, doc, give it a rest. She's got work to do.

(Kate smiles at Ducky and gets up to follow Gibbs.)

DUCKY (to Kate, as she leaves): I'll tell you the rest later!

GIBBS: Rule number three, don't believe what you're told. Double-check.

KATE: Should I write these rules in my Palm Pilot, or crochet them on

pillows?

(They walk into another room. Tony is seated behind the desk, twisting the

phone around in his hands. A television is playing in the background.)

KATE (indicating Tony): Oh no, I draw the line at him sitting in the

President's chair.

TONY (to Gibbs): He's not using it.

KATE: Gibbs!

GIBBS (to Tony): If you're finished taking pictures, start bagging and

tagging.

TONY: "Just waiting for you, boss." Gets up and promptly starts bagging and tagging.

KATE: Bagging and tagging what?

GIBBS: Well, to start with (indicates lunch) … everything. (points at chair

Tony just left) President was sitting there?

KATE: Pretty good bet, since it is his desk.

(Tony passes Gibbs an evidence bag. Gibbs starts instructing Kate on proper

investigative technique.)

GIBBS: Okay, to maintain the chain of custody, take the item – in this case,

Commander Trapp's lunch – place it in the evidence bag. (he does so, seals

it, the folds it over to write on the label) Seal it, record all pertinent

information, initial across the seal.

(Gibbs then passes the filled evidence bag to Tony with a "Keep it cold"

order. Tony hands him a new evidence bag. Gibbs turns to Kate with it.)

GIBBS: Okay, why don't you try it?

(Kate gets queasy, throws a hand up over her mouth, and runs out of the

room. Gibbs follows with the evidence bag.)

GIBBS: Oh, wait a minute! Hey, wait! Wait a minute! Whoa! Stop! (he corners

her against the bathroom door, turns her around, and shoves the open

evidence bag in her face) In here, in here…

(Kate vomits into the evidence bag. Gibbs seals and labels it.)

KATE: Can I rinse now that you've got your evidence?

GIBBS: Yeah, sure.

He looks over his shoulder to see Tony watching in digust and feels ridiculous for even contemplating Todd as a threat.

(Kate gives him a disgruntled look, opens the door to the bathroom and

disappears inside. Gibbs finishes labelling the evidence bag then hands it

to Tony.)

GIBBS: Log it. Go find Ducky.

TONY: You think she's got whatever killed the commander?

(Gibbs just shakes his head, having no answer. Tony leaves, Gibbs sits down

and looks out a window at the clouds passing by.)

(Ducky is examining Kate, who is lying stretched out on a couch.)

DUCKY: Low temperature. I think it's a stomach virus.

KATE: I know it is. Did you use that thermometer on cadavers?

DUCKY: (laughs) Would you rather I use the liver probe?

GIBBS: Why you so sure it was the flu?

KATE: (sighs) It's the same symptoms Major Kerry had.

DUCKY: Did you work together recently?

KATE: No.

DUCKY: Well if you didn't work with him, then how…? Ah!

KATE: Did you think I was a virgin?

DUCKY: (embarrassed) I'd… hoped not.

(Ducky leaves and Kate chuckles. Gibbs just sits there watching her. She

gets comfortable, staring back at him.)

KATE: You gonna lecture me about sleeping with people you work with?

GIBBS takes a minute before answering. "Nope." It's as good as confirming her suspicions about him and DiNozzo, but if he'd had said yes there would have been no end to the ammunition she could use against him when she did have proof. Gibbs might be a lot of things, but he wasn't a hypocrite.

(Kate nods slowly. Gibbs keeps looking at her. Before anyone can say

anything else, someone calls for Agent Todd over the intercom system.)

COMM: Agent Todd, Agent Baer's on a secure line for you.

(Kate sighs and slowly, possibly painfully, sits up.)

GIBBS: You want me to take that call for you?

Gibbs knows who exactly Agent Baer is and what he wants.

KATE: I'd have to be dead.

She leaves and Gibbs nods to himself, laughing. She certainly did have balls.

(Meanwhile, Tony is sitting in an empty office using the desk to interview

the flight crew.)

TONY: And how long have you been on Air Force One?

CREWMAN: Five years, sir. Two with President Clinton, three with President

Bush.

(Gibbs walks in and heads straight for the bathroom. Tony wraps the interview up.)

TONY: Alright. Well, thank you very much, Chief Steward.

CREWMAN: Yes, sir.

The steward leaves and Gibbs questions Tony from the bathroom. Tony talks back, wondering if Gibbs would have been this nonchalant about having a conversation over the noise of his peeing before a month ago. Possibly. Gibbs was a very casual person. But still, Gibbs thought nothing of it at all now seeing as they'd done this before. Evenings after work and mornings after waking up in the same bed. Tony had only stayed over at Gibb's few nights, same for Gibbs at Tony's. But spending the night together, even when they didn't have sex, had let them gotten to know each other a lot better than working together for months had allowed them to.

GIBBS: What'd you get?

TONY: Ah, food security's very tight. Incognito purchases, randomly selected

stores. No one knows their buying for Air Force One.

(While Tony is talking and Gibbs is peeing, Ducky enters the room. Tony

motions for him to be quiet, pointing at the bathroom, and grabs a camera.

Ducky quickly snaps a picture of Tony sitting behind the desk, then they

switch places so Tony can do the same for Ducky. Tony is giving Gibbs a

verbal report the whole time. Once done, they both retake their places and

act as if nothing at all happened.)

TONY: Stewards usually prepare all the food, but today the President had

ribs and coleslaw flown in from a smokehouse in San Antonio. So they only

reheated them and served them.

GIBBS: Anybody else have ribs?

TONY: No.

DUCKY: Gibbs, if the ribs were poisoned, then how come the President wasn't

affected.

GIBBS: Maybe he's used to PapaJoe's barbecue. (flushes) If you two are

through taking pictures of each other, maybe we can move that body out.

(Gibbs leaves and Tony and Ducky look at each other, caught.)

[Cut to Comm]

(Kate talking with her boss on the phone in the Comm. The Secret Service is

preparing a motorcade for the President.)

KATE (on phone): I made a deal with NCIS to share the investigation, sir.

BAER: You're not senior enough to make deals, Agent Todd. We're working this

with the FBI.

KATE: Sir, these NCIS agents are not just going to turn the body and the

evidence over to the FBI.

BAER (to driver): Let's go. (to Kate) NCIS had no right to use a local

coroner to delay your departure.

KATE: You have to see it from there side.

BAER: Agent Todd, shut up and listen. I'm giving you a direct order. That's

our aircraft, everything living and dead on board is under Secret Service

control. Turn the body over to the FBI at Andrews, or the only presidential

detail you'll get will be walking Spotty.

(Agent Baer hangs up on her. She forcefully puts the phone down, releasing a

huff of frustration. The motorcade pulls away. Kate walks back downstairs to

the crime scene, but the only one there is Gibbs. Not even the corpse.)

KATE: Where's the body?

GIBBS: (innocently) I don't know.

They both laugh, knowing he's lying through his teeth. The tension in the room is palpable. Kate shakes her head at the power play.

KATE: (smirks) You move it to the off-ramp for a fast getaway?

(Gibbs just grins and drinks his coffee. Kate puts on her coat and takes her

own seat as the plane is coming in for a landing.)

KATE: It won't work, Gibbs. I've been ordered to turn the body over to the

FBI at Andrews.

GIBBS: You could stall them until we get off.

KATE: "No, I can't. I won't defy a direct order." Even if it means she won't get a chance with Tony. "I'm sorry, Gibbs."

GIBBS: "Never say you're sorry. Ah, you don't have to crochet that

one." Gibbs laughed happily. The time before she left was drawing to a close.

(Kate smiles tightly, knowing she'd lost their power struggle.

The Captain's voice comes over the comm.)

CAPTAIN: Folks, please fasten your seatbelts, we're beginning our descent

into Andrews at this time.

(Gibbs and Kate both buckle up, but Gibbs keeps an eye on her, just because.

[Cut to highway, black FBI SUV driving down the road]

FBI AGENT/DRIVER: Why'd you let NCIS have the evidence they bagged on the

plane?

FORNELL: Since we have the body we control the investigation. If a few ribs

and coleslaw saves some face, what's it hurt? If the food was poisoned the

President would—

(A cell phone rings. Both FBI agents look around. The driver checks his cell

to be sure.)

DRIVER: Not mine, sir.

(The phone rings again. Fornell checks his cell as well.)

FORNELL: Not mine, either.

TONY: Hello?

(Both agents look back at the body bag where the voice came from. Tony is

inside it, with his cell phone pressed to his ear.)

Tony doesn't mind being in the body bag.

Gibbs had grabbed his crotch as he lay down on the open body bag while on the plane, telling Tony to keep still and quiet. He'd palmed Tony through his pants until Tony hadn't been able to keep back his moan. He'd wanted to press a kiss to DiNozzo's lips but restrained himself, holding Tony's eyes as he zipped him up until the zipper had passed over his head.

GIBBS (voice on cell): We're in the clear, you can get out of the body bag.

(The FBI SUV slams to halt in the middle of the road, forcing a driver

behind them to serve. Car horns honk.)

TONY: I never thought I'd say this, but I'm not sure I want to.

It's more than it sounded. Restriction –bondage- was one of Tony's biggest kinks. He'd enjoyed breathing in inside the bag after Ducky had assured him it was sterile. Feeling his warm breath puff back onto his face and being forced to stay completely still.

If they were at home- Gibb's house, he meant, then he would have happily slept in it. Now, facing at least two angry FBI agents, Tony found the quiet and comfort of the body bag even more appealing.

(A white van is driving down another road somewhere else. Gibbs and Ducky

are in the back with the real body of Cmdr. Trapp.)

GIBBS: Fine. You've got to search Commander Trapp's apartment tonight.

TONY: Oh, Gibbs, come on! It's 1:00am.

GIBBS: Agent [Axle Rod?] is trailing you to pick up the body bag when the

FBI tosses it.

TONY: That's funny, Gibbs, real funny. Especially since— Aaahhh!

(Tony trails off as the body bag containing him is dumped out onto the road.

Gibbs just calmly hangs up and turns back to look at Ducky.)

GIBBS: I guess they found him. (smirk)

He was secure in the knowledge Fornell wouldn't hurt Tony. Fornell knew Tony belonged to him, although he didn't realise the extent. And Tony could look after himself.

[Cut to NCIS headquarters. It's obviously a few hours later, the next day.]

(Ducky points out a yellow spot highlighted on the brain scan of the corpse,

which is being displayed on the widescreen television. Everyone is there,

including Agents Kate Todd and Fornell.)

DUCKY: My neural pathology exam indicates that our victim succumbed to a

cerebral embolism. Here, in the parietal lobe. I also found a number of

clots, most of them centred in the renal artery.

KATE: Isn't that unusual?

DUCKY: Oh, not at all. In most cases of arterial thrombosis, clots will

develop over a period of minutes or hours, spread to the rest of the body.

GIBBS: But what caused them to develop in a healthy young aviator?

DUCKY: Abby? (turns the floor over to her)

ABBY: Well I did a fibrinogen test. The procoagulate numbers were high, but

they weren't off the charts.

FORNELL: Any drugs that might induce the clotting?

ABBY: Well yeah, but none of those popped up. I only iso'ed the epinephrine

that was injected when he got jolted and juiced on the plane.

TONY: No vitamins? Herbals?

ABBY: The guy was an organic freak. I mean, he probably whizzed green. But

none of that'll cottage cheese your blood.

KATE: Did you test the food that ingested on Air Force One?

ABBY: Everything that was bagged and tagged. Ribs, coleslaw, barby sauce… it

was all negative for toxins. I mean, that stuff will kill ya, but it'll

take, like, thirty years. Do you dudes in the Secret Service ever think

about throwing yourselves in front of the President's diet?

(Gibbs chuckles, Kate smiles ruefully.)

FORNELL: So, you're both saying he wasn't murdered?

DUCKY: However freakish and tragic, it apparently was a natural death.

FORNELL: I want my people to check your results.

DUCKY: Of course. You and Agent Todd will be receiving copies of all our

tests.

FORNELL: "Does it for me." Fornell came to stand right in front of Tony. He looked him over for a minute, seeing a contentedness that shouldn't have been on a man who'd only gotten approximately four hours sleep. Fornell had his suspicions about Tony and Gibbs. Looking Tony straight in the eyes he asked, "How's your butt?"

Tony's smile widened in memories from last night. Gibbs hadn't left the building either and cornered him in the back room of Abby's lab, humping him over one of the tables. Gibbs had been in one of his possessive alpha male moods and Tony's ass felt stretched open and tender.

TONY hoped none of that came through as he answered. "Still bouncing on the beltway."

Fornell nodded, smiling back, completely unconvinced by the innocent answer.

(Fornell leaves. Kate goes to follow, but Gibbs calls her back with a stick

of gum.)

GIBBS: Kate. (she takes gum) When's the President returning?

KATE: Uh, tomorrow. Noon. I'm flying back tonight to rejoin the detail.

GIBBS: Mind if I tag along?

(Kate waffles.)

GIBBS: (childishly) Please?

KATE: (smiling smugly) You can. Your Sig Sauer can't. We have a rule: no

weapons on Air Force One unless they're Secret Service.

(Kate pops the gum in her mouth. In the background Tony has a hand pressed to his mouth, head bent as his mind raced through the implications of Fornell knowing about him and Gibbs. Gibbs just shrugs and takes off his sidearm, tucking it away in a drawer. He puts on his coat and follows Kate out.)

His eyes land on Tony as he follows Kate out. Tony's eyes flicker up flirtatiously as he checks Gibbs out.

GIBBS (to Ducky and Abby as he passes): Keep looking.

ABBY: (amused) Wow. Gibbs said "please".

[Cut to Air Force One]

(The new Football carrier is currently being served lunch. Gibbs watches him

eat.)

KATE (to Gibbs): Expect him to drop?

GIBBS: (goes over to Kate) I see you're over the flu. (sits)

Now that the threat had passed, Gibbs allowed himself to explore the idea of Todd as an agent rather than a bitch. She had great potential, and was already proving herself someone Gibbs could rely on.

KATE: Twenty-four hour bug. Tim got over it yesterday. Tim is Major Kerry.

GIBBS: Yeah. I kinda figured that.

KATE: (defensively) I met him for a drink yesterday. I told him we had to

stop seeing each other. I mean, we hadn't been dating long. I mean, we knew

each other on the detail for a couple of months before we started… dating.

You know, when you're on the job 24/7, how else do you get to know someone?

GIBBS: "Church." Whore.

[Cut to street outside the bar where Kate broke up with Major Kerry]

(The police have found a body. Tony drives up to investigate.)

TONY (to cop): Agent DiNozzo, NCIS. What do you got?

Tony lacked his usual joie de vivre. Gibbs had spent the night flying around with Kate. And since Gibbs had yet to give Tony a key to his place, Tony was stuck curling up inside one of Gibbs's old NIS sweaters. The clothing smelt like Gibbs and soap. The only way Tony had been able to get to sleep was cuddling his pillow, wrapped up in the smell of Gibbs.

COP: One dead Marine officer. No signs of trauma. (indicates wallet) Doesn't

appear to be a robbery, there's still cash and credit cards in his wallet.

(passes wallet to Tony) I've got two shooting already this morning. Since

this guy's one of yours, I hoped you might take it.

(Tony flips open the wallet and sees the ID. It's Major Timothy Kerry.)

TONY: Yeah. We'll take him.

(Gibbs takes a teleconference call. It's Tony at MTAC.)

GIBBS: What's up?

TONY: Major Kerry is dead. D.C. cops found the body in his car on a street

in Georgetown. Ducky and Abby'll update you.

(Tony switches the teleconference over to open up windows into Ducky's

autopsy and Abby's lab so they can contribute as well.)

GIBBS: Another stroke, Duck?

DUCKY: I'm afraid so, Gibbs. But this time there are multiple embolic

infarctions. The Major must have received a heavier dose than the Commander.

GIBBS: Dose of what, Abby?

ABBY: It's venom, from a coastal taipan. It's a highly toxic Aussie snake.

Well this junk zaps the nervous system and it clots the blood. You convulse,

and then you stroke.

DUCKY: The toxin is almost impossible to detect.

TONY: Well, the truth is, Abby would have detected it if I hadn't

interrupted her while she was ALSing the uniform.

Tony was apologising, taking the blame upon himself. Gibbs thought it was maybe Abby's fault for not doing her job properly. Not wanting to have to punish either of them, Gibbs let the comment slide and focused on the obvious. But if Tony, who looked a little worn this morning, thought it was his fault then Gibbs would spank him harder than usual next time they saw each other so he could move past it.

GIBBS: The venom was in the uniform?

ABBY: Yeah. I found traces of DMSO in the collars and the cuffs. I think it

was mixed with the venom to make it absorbed through the skin.

TONY: Major Kerry was the intended target. When he came down with the flu,

he didn't put his uniform on until yesterday.

GIBBS: How did the terrorist get the poison into the uniforms?

ABBY: Well, they both have tags from Dry Doc Cleaners on 19th Street.

GIBBS: DiNozzo, why are you sitting there on your ass? Get a team and go hit

that dry cleaners.

(Tony looks behind him at Director Morrow. The Director sits down in Tony's

seat.)

DIRECTOR: I've passed that baton on to the FBI. This has all the earmarks of

Al-Qaeda; unexpected, well planned, brilliantly executed. But to what end?

TONY: Wouldn't surprise me to hear Bin Laden on Al-Jazeera bragging about

how he iced the President's Ball carriers.

DIRECTOR: I don't think that's what he wants to brag about.

GIBBS: Eh, neither do I.

(Gibbs signs off and leans back in his chair, thinking. Then he runs down

the stairs to the new Football carrier, who leaps to his feet when he sees

Gibbs.)

GIBBS: Where'd you get your uniform dry-cleaned?

MARINE: Base cleaner at Quantico, sir.

(Gibbs walks back down the aisle, encountering Kate on the way. She's got

her laptop open in her arms.)

KATE: I've accessed everything I could on the differences.

GIBBS: We need to talk. (goes to open a door to an office)

KATE: (stopping him) What are you doing? There's a campaign conference going

on in there.

GIBBS: I need to talk to you in private.

KATE: Well, there's no other private meeting room. You could ask the

President to give up his office, but it might be a little weird.

(Gibbs grabs her laptop and throws it down on a seat. While she protests,

Gibbs pushes her into a bathroom and squeezes in with her.)

KATE: Hey!

Gibbs was mad. He'd put aside his mistrust of her for two seconds and looked what happened.

GIBBS: (taking her weapon) Sit down.

KATE: What are you doing?

GIBBS: (holding her own weapon pointed at her) Commander Trapp was poisoned.

Australian snake venom. Hard to detect, mimics a natural death.

KATE: What? You think I did it?

GIBBS: Well, sweetpea, you were with him when he was poisoned.

KATE: Yeah, so was the President. You gonna accuse him?

GIBBS: No. He wasn't with Major Kerry yesterday.

KATE: Tim?

GIBBS: Yeah. Stroked, on a Georgetown street.

(Kate looks upset.)

GIBBS: You know, I bet it wasn't far from the bar where you two kissed and

said bye-bye.

(Kate starts hitting him, crying, very upset. She calls him an "asshole",

then buries her face in his shoulder while he holds her.)

Gibbs hugs her comfortingly, because after having more ex-wives than you can shake a stick at, not that he'd want his stick anywhere near them, it was second nature to comfort the crying woman.

GIBBS (explaining): I gave it to you cold, wanted to see your reaction.

Liars can't bail on cue. (hands her back her weapon while she gets ahold of

herself) Come on.

KATE: (takes weapon back) You're still a bastard.

(Gibbs doesn't argue.)

[Cut to Air Force One, once again parked on the tarmac surrounded by

emergency vehicles.]

BAER: I'm gonna be doing paperwork for a week.

GIBBS: Oh yeah, me too.

By which he of course meant Tony was going to be paperwork for a week.

BAER: Agent Todd told me about her and Major Kerry when she tendered her

resignation.

GIBBS: Are you accepting?

BAER: Of course, she broke the rules. (offers his hand) Well, thank you,

Special Agent Gibbs.

GIBBS: (shakes hand) No sir, thank you.

(Gibbs deplanes smiling. Kate is then seen walking despondently away from

the scene. Gibbs comes running up to her.)

GIBBS: I heard you quit, Agent Todd.

KATE: Happy news gets around fast. Yes, I resigned. It was the right thing

to do.

GIBBS: Yup. Pull that crap at NCIS, I won't give you a chance to resign.

Gibbs didn't mean the quitting. He meant the screwing around with workmates. Which roughly translated meant: you go anywhere near Tony and I'll fire you.

KATE: (surprised) Is that a job offer?

(Gibbs doesn't respond, but gets picked up by his mysterious redheaded lady

friend with the convertible. Kate looks on in bewilderment.)

[Cut to Gibbs's basement]

(The TV flicks on in the middle of a news report. Agent Fornell is giving a

press conference on site at Air Force One.)

FORNELL (on TV): Federal agents working in unison with the Secret Service

were able to foil a terrorist attempt to assassinate the President while he

was on board Air Force One. The body of the terrorist is being delivered to

the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, where FBI forensics experts will

endeavour to identify him.

REPORTER (on TV): Was it Al-Qaeda?

FORNELL: That's all we know at this time.

Despite the snub of recognition, Gibbs couldn't be happier. Tony was upstairs, passed out on his bed, and he'd recruited a new member for his team.

(The television sounds fade into the background as the camera focuses on

Gibbs, once again diligently sanding his boat's frame to smoothness.)

Except in ten minutes he's going to go back upstairs and give Tony that spanking he needs.

"Boss, it was my fault," Tony says, head down. "If I hadn't-"

"Shh," whispers Gibbs. "It wasn't your fault. Do you believe me?"

Tony looks up at him with wide eyes, biting his lush lower lip.

"Be honest with me, Tony."

Tony lowers his head and shakes it, sad at disappointing Gibbs. Gibbs raises his chin with one finger, kissing his younger lover on the lips. Before it can go any deeper he's catching DiNozzo behind the head and pulling him down, naked, over Gibb's lap.

"Boss," Tony gasps, giving an excited wriggle.

"It wasn't your fault," Gibbs murmurs to him. "I forgive you. But 20 spanks and you forgive yourself. Yes?"

Tony nods, his head bobbing enthusiastically. He gasps when the first heavy slap lands on his left butt cheek. Gibbs hands are warm, rough from extra calluses caused by working on his boats. Tony loves this, the absence of control, where he's not responsible for anything or anyone. He gasps into the mattress until halfway through Gibbs twists a hand in his hair and pulls his head back, making DiNozzo whimper.

With his head held above the covers Tony's moans and whimpers flow freely and openly into the air.

By the time Gibbs is finished he's as hard as DiNozzo who is shamelessly squirming upside down on his lap.

"Better?"

"Yes, boss."

[END CREDITS]