Chapter 1 - Change of Orders

"Good morning Christopher." "Oh, hell, what is it King you don't call me that this early in the morning for nothing unless it's bad news."

"Depends on what you call bad news. I'm detailing you to D.C. They are still reeling from their recent losses. Gibbs can use a good man until they find their footing. So get your gear together including your passport. Unfortunately I do not know how long that you will be gone"

"Tammy. I'm going on a vacation" I saying laughing. "Where to?" "Your old stomping ground Washington." "Oh I have some great memories from being in D.C. I'll give you a list of places to go."

"Maybe you can catch up with Percy. Suspecting she has found some good places to party since she has been there. I have only spoken to her once since she has been gone. I think she wanted to put us in the rear view mirror. "You can say it Tammy. You mean put me in the rear view mirror. We all know I'm the primary reason that she took off." "I didn't say that to accuse you LaSalle." "I know Tammy. I've done enough to do that myself. I knew I should have spoken up when she first said she was leaving. Then when she showed up on the scene that day, I was relieved but not smart enough to rethink the situation."

"I never told you that on her last day we verbally spoke about 'what if'. It was too late then. It will take a long while to get her out of my heart though. Don't look at me like that Tammy. You know that I can be a knuckle head too. You also knew what was going on with us. I just couldn't see it. I thought I had stopped it but you were right. She's right here" I say as I point to my heart. That's why you haven't seen me out a lot. I'll spend time with you guys and the boys on boy's night out, but I'm not ready to find another woman. Not until I can ditch this feeling, I mean these feelings."

"It hurts doesn't LaSalle? I miss her too. I had a long time to think in my counseling sessions. I can't believe that Sonja and I bonded so quickly. We had a lot of talks about you Christopher. I would gamble even further than what I said before. I think that the girl fell in love with you and if you will be honest with yourself, I think you cared more than you want to admit to yourself."

I was quiet as I got my stuff together out of my desk and closet. "Tammy I need to go pack. Take care of yourself and the nerdy one. Text me Percy's phone number when you find will you please?"

Thanks to modern technology, Christopher LaSalle had no problem finding the D.C. NCIS offices. He wondered at the heavy level of security and would be reminded that their office was recently bombed and there were several assassination attempts on agents and staff. He had hardly been in the office when he noticed the director waiving to him from the balcony.

"Good Morning Agent LaSalle. Welcome to D.C. Is everything going well for you?" We exchange some small talk. "Well, I have some news for you. I will be detailing you to a multi-unit Task Force. It's a good thing we told you to bring your passport. You might well need it."

"I have been impressed with your leadership while Agent Pride was recovering from the attack on his life. This assignment will allow you to broaden your scope of the mission of NCIS and give you a different vantage point of agency interactions that we undertake. I know from your reports that you have worked with the FBI and the Coast Guard but there are a great number of agencies that we work with all over the world."

"Here is the address that you will need to report to in the morning. It's a non-descript looking building so put it in your directional equipment and it will get you there.

Good luck and remember to keep your head down. While you're here, would you please take a few minutes to greet the team downstairs including the new workers in the lab? They could use seeing a friendly face. Plus it will keep them out of my office finding some reason to check up on me."

Well, I guess I'm not in Kansas anymore I think. All I need is to be around a bunch of suits that I don't know. Wish I could have stayed in 'Nola'.