I Can Explain

Team Gibbs rode the elevator up from the NCIS garage. McGee carried the evidence container as Tony and Ziva were going through some of the notes they had taken at the crime scene. As soon as they got back, they were going to upload the photographs and exchange the ideas. It was the usual routine that they followed when working on a case. Leads would be created… Theories would be formed and dismissed.

The bullpen was more than home base it was a think tank. "I want you to go through all the evidence before taking it down to Abby," Gibbs stated what he wanted to happen. Everybody knew the tasks they were to be assigned.

As soon as they exited the elevator and turned the corner… They could hear female laughter coming from the bullpen. Since all the team members were there the activity in the bullpen was quite a surprise. The unmistakable white JAG uniform stood out like a sore thumb.

Faith Coleman… Lieutenant Commander Faith Coleman of JAG used her hand to brush some hair around her ear. She tried to stop laughing and just managed to get herself under control.

"Commander Coleman," Gibbs greeted in a professional manner. But the sight that greeted Team Gibbs was anything but professional. In front of Faith Coleman was Gibbs' former field agent, Stan Burley on his knees with a ring in one hand and he was looking at Faith who was now turning red with embarrassment.

"Boss," Stan said automatically. He noticed everyone staring down at him and quickly got to his feet.

"Stan," Boss now stood still in the middle of the bullpen.

"Tony," Stan greeted the current Senior Field Agent.

"Stan… Commander Coleman," Tony smiled.

"Tony," Faith responded.

"Commander Coleman," McGee greeted this time.

"Agent McGee," Faith said.

"Commander Coleman," it was now Ziva's turn.

"Officer David," Faith responded.

"Boss?" Tony turned to his superior.

"DiNozzo," Gibbs said.

"McGee," Tony continued with it.

"Tony," McGee responded.

"DiNozzo," Gibbs snapped.

"Boss," Tony couldn't help but grin broadly. Ziva shook her head. The antics had always surprised her and this was no exception. Gibbs and Tony seemed very friendly with this Stan man (an NCIS Agent according to his visitor badge) but of the few years she's been at NCIS, she had never heard the name Stan Burley mentioned… Not even as a passing mention.

"Who are you?" Ziva asked the visitor.

"Stan Burley… NCIS Agent Afloat. Formerly on board the Enterprise and now happily serving on the Kennedy," Stan introduced himself.

"Officer Ziva David… Mossad Liaison Officer," Ziva accepted Stan's handshake.

"Enough," Gibbs broke the round of introductions. Stan used to get stomach ulcers and anxiety attacks when working with him… But now Gibbs was developing migraine tendencies. "You care to tell me why you were on your hands and knees in front of Commander Coleman with a ring," Gibbs said as he waited for an answer.

"Is congratulations in order?" Tony winked. He saw both of their faces turn red as they stumbled over their words trying to explain the situation. "Can I be best man?" Tony asked.

"No!" Stan suddenly stopped stuttering.

"Can I give you away, Faith?" Tony piped up again. This caused the others to snicker.

"No!" Faith almost screamed.

"So when's the wedding?" McGee asked. He couldn't believe there was going to be one but it sounded like there was.

"There's not a wedding," Stan said emphatically.

"But you just said I couldn't be best man," Tony put on his best sulky face. Whenever Stan Burley and NCIS crossed paths, Tony felt like he was on the losing end. He folded his arms for added effect.

"So…," Gibbs prodded Stan for an answer to his enquiry.

"I can explain, Boss," Stan stood forward. Even though he hadn't worked alongside his Gibbs at all for a little over five years he still referred to him as Boss. Mainly because he was unsure what would happen if he called him something else. "Well you see…," he began the explanation.

Xxxxxxxx

10 Minutes earlier

Stan was sitting on the table where he sat at before going Agent Afloat. He was waiting for Gibbs and the team so he could pick up the reports on Corporal Roger Andrew Kingsley. Kingsley was serving on the Kennedy and therefore needed information on the case.

The female JAG lawyer soon entered the area. "You've replaced Agent DiNozzo?" Faith asked in hope. She was sick of being made fun of and often fantasized about impaling DiNozzo with her pencils if she didn't think he'd accuse of her of being married to Vlad.

"No," Stan said. "Agent Stan Burley… Agent Afloat," he showed his badge.

"Never heard of you," Faith said after she introduced herself.

"That's what they're all saying," Stan said. He was surprised, the security guy, the current Director, the guy in the elevator and even the ME's young assistant had all said that they never heard of him. Maybe it was a new NCIS game.

"What's that?" Faith pointed to the plastic bag that Stan was holding.

"This was the ring of Corporal Roger Andrew Clyde Kingsley. Thought that somehow this might be important. You know on a ship of forty four hundred it's hard to figure out who is sleeping with who," Stan sighed. He jumped off the desk and tried to get the plastic bag to open. As easy as it should be, Stan was doing great at making it look impossible.

"Give it here," Faith said with some annoyance. The poor attempts were annoying her.

"I got it," Stan defended his manliness.

"Come on," Faith said as they both grabbed hold of the plastic bag and both tried to open it. It burst open causing the ring to fly in the air and hit the ground and in an attempt to escape the clutches of NCIS, the ring rolled away as fast as it could.

"Damn," Stan cursed as he went to hands and knees quickly.

Stan crawled to under Tony's desk trying to find the ring. "How about getting on your hands and knees for me?" Stan asked.

"What?" Faith asked. She was shocked. "How dare you say that," she folded her arms.

"What?" Stan was surprised by the reaction. "It's half your fault you know," he stated. It was partly her fault for making a go for the bag when he clearly had it under control.

"I'm only about twenty-thirty percent responsible," Faith told him. She thought that was factual. After all if he hadn't been unable to open the packet then she wouldn't have had to offer to help him. Then if he wasn't such a pigheaded stubborn male about it, he would have handed it straight over. "Correction," Faith said. "Maybe ten percent at the most."

"What? Ouch!" Stan cried out as he lifted his head and hit the edge of the table. He put his hands on the sore spot and began rapidly kicking the carpet with his feet. It was terrible pain. What made it worse was Faith Coleman was now laughing at him.

"Oh come on," Stan said. "Ah-ha!" He exclaimed with pride as he reached for the ring that had eluded him. "Thought you can run from me, huh?" He swiveled around and screamed in pain as his little toe struck the desk leg. Not even the shoes could protect his little toe from hurting.

Faith laughed again. "You should be careful," she advised him.

Stan crawled over to her on his knees. "You wanted to see the ring. So see this? It's a wedding ring," he held it close to her as he could.

"It's a nice wedding ring," Stan smiled. "You wouldn't mind one like this would you?" He asked her.

Faith laughed in response and realized it was loud. "Commander Coleman," she turned around to see Gibbs and his team.

"There's the explanation," Stan said as he finished relaying some of the story.

"Sounds like a nice cover story," Tony snickered to Ziva. It was just too much fun to annoy Faith. Sometimes it was just so easy.

"It's the truth!" Faith snapped.

"Methinks you protesteth too much," Tony laughed once again.

"Jealous Tony?" McGee asked which caused Ziva to giggle.

"No," Tony almost snapped.

"Methinks YOU protesteth too much," everybody but Faith and Tony said with laughter.