All landed safe and well, Gibbs looked around and saw that McGee was gathering his chute and walk over to where Tony was digging a hole. They were hiding the evidence, "Waste of good petticoats," Tony had said. Gibbs walked over and threw his chute with the others.

"What we got them?"

"Ammo, my radio equipment…..and your personal weapon I think." as he pointed to the gun. Gibbs approached and skilfully assembled. They sorted the gear out and placed into the assault back packs. Tony careful, that his detonators were separate, from the explosives. Tim was hunched over the radio talking.

"Boss reported in. Vance says good. Have spoken to Ziva, she says welcome to France but we should move out. German reconnaissance about."

Tony had broken the crates into strips and had them in bundles, he passed them round.

"We'll spread out, that way we are not all one line, unless they use a machine gun." Gibbs now added, but I would probably say one shot a sniper.

They stealthy and quietly moved over the land and into the tree line, at least they could have some cover there and the trees would make the shadows, if the moon came out. All was well until Gibbs heard a crack and then a scream, he looked to where DiNozzo was, or should that have been, he was no longer standing. Gibbs instinctively dropped to the ground and rolled over. All he could hear was sobbing. McGee crawled to Gibbs

"Corporal DiNozzo?" he asked.

"Well it's not me, and it can't be you so who else could it have been…..shhhhhhhh" as he heard a twig snap and a man appear from the woods, a German sniper holding a rifle, he was smiling as he approached Tony. Gibbs took aim and fired . The man was dead before he hit the ground. Gibbs placed his finger to his lips and shook his head at Tim, "Wait." Silence, Gibbs rose and walked to Tony.

"Why did he not just kill me?" Tony asked between sobs.

"Interrogation." as he looked down at the now red stain spreading over the uniform from a bullet in the thigh. "McGee, tourniquet now." As he looked out from the woods, he saw in the distance about a mile away,a farm steading and barn.

"You gonna manage to stagger, or should I say drag yourself there without help?" Gibbs asked.

"Nope." Tony replied.

"Didn't think so, McGee, we support DiNozzo, pile the excess on to him, we'll support him." as the two men began to help Tony to the barn.

Gibbs went first into the barn. Nothing. He indicated to Tim to help Tony. Gibbs pointed to the hay.

"Stay, don't move, keep quiet." Gibbs ordered.

"Where you and McGee going?" Tony questioned

"As they say in Blighty….The Pub." Gibbs replied, "Hell, DiNozzo, we are going on a reccie, so behave. Understand?" as he and Private McGee quietly left the barn.

What seemed ages, hours to Tony had tried to rest from the pain, he heard the barn door creak. There in the framework stood a young woman. Tony knew he had to stay quiet but the hay was beginning to annoy. He so wanted to sneeze.

"Bonjour." The girl said.

Tony sneezed.

"Stand and show yourself." She asked.

Tony stood and starred into the girls eyes, "hey don't shhot, I'm American and you are?"

"French…..this is my homeland my property. You are trespassing. Give me a good reason why I do not shoot you?"

"Hey we come in peace." Tony replied.

"We? There are more of you?" the girl questioned now beginning to be frightened, scared. She had heard of the enemy raping and murdering.

"For a Froggy you speak mighty good English, Ma'am." Tony continued.

"Maybe because my mother is a Doctor and she…." as Jeanne looked at Tony's leg, "Your leg?"

"Was Ma'am, when I woke up yesterday, but not sure how long it will stay with me. Some German Sniper took me for a jack rabbit, a pot shot," Tony smiled, "Lucky my Boss is a sniper too."

"You did say we, but who else?" Jeanne enquired.

"Yes Ma'am, my buddy Timbo and the Gunny, they carried me here. He said keep low and stay out of trouble."

"Which is what he did." As she felt the muzzle of the gun against her neck, "And you are?" as he turned the girl to face him.

"Jeanne Benoit….daughter of the Frog…Kort said keep an eye out for you."

"We safe here?" Gibbs asked, "Or can I expect a Panzer Division on the door step?"

"You are safe at the moment, if that sniper is on his own it will be tomorrow before he is missed. But we need to see to your friend. But where is the other one, he mentioned Timbo?"

"Corporal DiNozzo has a big mouth, but "Timbo" is outside making contact with our unit. The radio frequency is a bit dubious." as he glared at Tony.

"Corporal DiNozzo, he is Italian?" as she spat on the ground.

"No Ma'am I'm 100% American," Tony replied.

"Please we need to get him to the house." Jeanne now added, "Fast. Sergeant Gibbs"

"Gunny."

"Gunny I will not betray you, my father the Frog runs guns for the Resistance. My mother is a doctor, I have assisted her before, but we need to see to the Corporal before it is too late."

Gibbs followed Jeanne into the house. The kitchen typically French farm house, the big wooden kitchen table, but, as Gibbs eye twitched, the stains could only be blood, an operating table.

"Yes my mother has performed many an operation here, not only on your allies but the Germans as well. I watched and learned, now" as she looked at Tony, "Would you like a Calvados?"

"Ma'am that would be mighty fine."

Gibbs watched as Jeanne passed him a large glass, Tony knocked it back.

"Another DiNozzo?" as Gibbs watched Tony knock back another. He knew exactly where this was leading.

"Sure. If it is not too much trouble."

Jeanne and Gibbs watched as Tony got more and more intoxicated. They watched and waited. Jeanne, passing Tony another. As Tony knocked it back, Gibbs grabbed Tony's arms and held him tight. Jeanne, took some other brandy and poured into a glass, she turned, and looked at Gibbs, he nodded. She poured into the wound. Gibbs placed his hand over the now trembling Corporal 's mouth and Jeanne extracted the bullet with a pair of pliers. She finished the operation by pouring another brandy into the wound. Gibbs held Tony as he shook and then passed out with the effects of the Calvados and shock.

"He will wake with a hangover, a headache, but we need to get you all away from here. Will Timbo, have contacted the resistance?" she asked.

Gibbs looked at Tony sleeping, as Tim approached.

"Boss, have spoken to Ziva, she says the resistance have the place covered, but we need to get out of here tomorrow. Tony?" as he looked at his fellow Marine snoring slightly with a smile on his face.

"He'll be fine." Gibbs replied.