Disclaimer - I do not own NCIS.

Warning - Contains spanking, don't like, don't read - Step away from the story now!

The plan of action concocted with Ducky silently rippled around the team over emails and instant messages whilst successfully managing to keep Gibbs unaware of their covert communications.

It had been agreed that Ducky would arrange for Gibbs to be told of his vacation by the Director. He would also enlist Jenny's help to arrange for the SecNav's private jet to take Gibbs and him to Mexico and to square things with Mike Franks. The quicker and easier Gibbs got on vacation the less time he had to change his mind or think of a way out of it.

Ducky approached the Directors office and smiled politely at Cynthia as she gave him permission to go into the office. He knocked on the door sharply and walked in purposefully.

"Ducky, it's not often I see you in here. What can I do for you?" Jen smiled.

Ducky took in a deep breath and began, "It has come to my attention Director that Agent Gibbs is not fit for duty."

Jen frowned, totally taken aback by Ducky's opening statement.

"Jethro was in my office around half an hour ago, and he looked fine. In fact, he looked more than fine...let's just say his vocal chords are in peak condition, judging by the way he argued with me."

"That is precisely my point. He is being even more cantankerous than usual. Unless you are aware of anything that is particularly bothering him, I would recommend that our Jethro needs to recharge his batteries!"

Walking around her desk to stand in front of the older Medical Examiner, Jennifer Shepherd wrestled with her thoughts. She knew Jethro better than most. The former partner in her recognised that his train was going slightly off track but the Director in her knew that asking Gibbs to take a vacation would be a battle that wasn't entirely worth the fight. She sat perched on the side of her desk and folded her arms and looked wearily into Ducky's eyes.

"We both know, Doctor, that I can't make Gibbs take a vacation."

Ducky's eyes softened in mutual understanding, "Yes, I know my dear, but for the sake of the team, I think, to quote Agent DiNozzo, 'drastic action' is called for."

Jen winced, "I heard that Agent DiNozzo was on the receiving end of Jethro's wrath this morning...I've also had Ziva commenting on how difficult he's been to work with over these past few weeks."

She sighed heavily and Ducky smiled deviously, "I think I have a plan, my dear, which will solve all our problems...although...I do need your...assistance in a number of matters."

Raising her eyebrow, she grinned, "Tell me more Ducky."

Ducky proceeded to brief her on the plan devised by the rest of the team and she listened intently and paced up and down. She stopped mid pace and frowned,

"I'm not sure Ducky, what if I order both you and him to visit a base on some fake story, that way, you won't spend all of the flight fighting with him..."

Ducky opened his mouth to protest, but she continued, "...and that way, it's me he'll be pissed at, as usual, and not you."

He sighed in defeat and placed a hand on her arm, "Okay then my dear, we shall go with your plan. But rest assured that if I have to pull rank, as his physician, and order the stubborn bugger to rest I shall have no hesitation in doing so!"

Despite her reservations, she agreed to have Tony cover the team for a week while Jethro spent some time in Mexico. She also, more surprisingly in Ducky's mind, agreed to arrange for the jet transport and to brief Mike Franks.

"Like all effective operations, I assume that you have factored in the risks."

Ducky grimaced, "Ah, yes, we will be looking at all of the worse case scenarios which may render our little plan unsuccessful."

Jen chuckled, "It's Gibbs you are trying to fool, Ducky. It won't be easy, so I'd plan scrupulously for all eventualities, if I were you."

Ducky returned the smile and left the room, his mind already racing with the prospect of putting the plan into action. Meanwhile Jennifer Shepherd reached for the buzzer on her phone,

"Cynthia, I need you to get hold of Mike Franks in Mexico. Tell him it's an emergency."

Around twenty minutes later, her telephone buzzed, "Mike, it's Jenny Shepherd, NCIS."

In Mexico Mike Franks gripped his beer bottle a little harder as he took a few seconds to respond,

"What's the problem Director?"

Jen bit her bottom lip. For her, the only thing worse than dealing with Gibbs, her former partner, was dealing with Franks, her former partner's former boss. Taking a deep breath, she steeled herself and called on her reserves of confidence.

"Gibbs needs a break, Mike. Ducky is worried about him, and so am I. He needs to de-stress a little to bring his focus back into line."

There was an awkward silence before Jen continued,

"Mike, can I send him to you for a week? He just needs a short break. Perhaps you can get him to calm down a little, for the sake of the team and for his own health."

"Is he sick or just being more of a bastard than usual?"

"The latter, Mike."

Jen detected the snort at the other end of the phone, "So, Probie's playing up and you can't handle him."

Jen swallowed hard and her mind raced, thinking of a response. Eventually, she resigned herself to the truth,

"You of all people know how difficult he is to handle at times, Mike, and you are the one who has always proven to be able to get him back on track more than anyone else, so, as Director of this Agency I'm using all of the effective means at my disposal to make sure that my teams are working at optimum performance levels."

Mike took another swig of his beer and then grinned wickedly,

"Okay Jenny, you get Jethro down here...hell, I'll sort him out...won't be the first time I've had to calm Gunny Gibbs down."

With a sigh of relief, Jen smiled, "Thanks Mike, you've got a week to bring him back to his senses, then when he gets ba..."

As the phone went dead, she bit her lip once more and worked through the plan in her head,

"Lie to Gibbs, put him on a plane under false pretences, force him to take a vacation, leave him with Mike."

She whispered quietly to herself, "He can't do anything...you're his boss and you are doing this because you care about him."

She gulped as she finished the sentence in her head, "Just you keep telling yourself that, Jennifer, and you'll be fine."

To be continued...