Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Back on Air Force One – although Kate quickly pointed out, "When the President departed on the backup plane, it became Air Force One. This is now Alpha Foxtrot 29000." – The FBI, the Secret Service, and the County Coroner were arguing over jurisdiction.

"I don't give a damn which one of you is boss, you ain't moving this body 'til the ME says you can." The County Coroner said after hearing both Agent Fornell of the FBI and Kate arguing. Fortunately, Ducky chose that moment to arrive.

"You talking about me Elmo?" He replied, and the two started talking about the food they air mailed to each other.

Kate and Tony weren't really listening, as they had just noticed each other and were having a staring contest. It was hard to work out who might have been winning. They both seemed to have the 'deer caught in the headlights' look on their faces. It was confusing Gibbs a lot.

Gibbs soon started complaining that all the people in the plane were contaminating a potential crime scene. Ducky again was enjoying playing the 'boss.' "Oh yeah, my assistants right. Everyone who boarded in Wichita will have to evacuate the plane." As usual there were two who refused to leave. Agent Fornell, and Kate.

At first, Ducky couldn't see any outward signs of trauma. Kate began to explain, "He was stricken right after having lunch with the President." Upon noticing Kate changing into 'work mode,' Tony did the same.

"Yeah, how is the President?"

"He's fine. His physician cleared him to fly on to LA."

Despite how hard they were trying to hide it, Gibbs could feel the tension between his agent and the Secret Service agent only he didn't quite know what it was about yet. He decided to avert her attention to him, which seemed to help a little. "What happened?"

"When the Commander returned from lunch, he had an equilibrium problem and his grip was too weak to hold his briefcase."

It was Ducky's turn to ask the questions, "Did he gradually become ill, or was it sudden?"

"Sudden. He started to convulse and collapsed. The President's physician said that he had a stroke."

Tony was writing in his notepad when he looked over at the body. "Kind of young for a brain fart." Kate had to restrain herself from rolling her eyes at him. 'Such a typical Tony comment' she thought.

Ducky seemed to agree with the physician's analysis, and decided that they could release the body, as long as the release forms were signed. Agent Fornell was furious, wanting to know why they couldn't have done that hours before. "Couldn't. Like I said, ME's decision."

Agent Fornell began to try and tear Kate away from the scene, although she was not so willing to go. She cast a look towards Gibbs and slowly headed for the door. Just as she reached the door, she paused and searched around to find Tony. When they made eye contact, she silently told him that she missed him, and they needed to talk. He seemed to understand, as he nodded and went straight back to work. Just as the coroner made to leave, he reminded Ducky about the soft-shelled crabs he was to send over, who reassured him that they would be arriving by the weekend. Kate and Agent Fornell lead him off the plane.

Immediately, Gibbs sent Tony up to the Cockpit to show the pilot his credentials to get the plane off the ground. Unfortunately, Tony didn't know where he was going, "Hey!" He pointed upwards, "Cockpit's on the top deck."

Sheepishly, Tony replied, "I knew that."

Gibbs finally found his opportunity to ask Ducky if he enjoyed playing his boss. To which the ME nodded saying, "I did, rather."

Gibbs knelt down beside his friend to have a look himself at the body. "What do you think happened, Duck?"

Sighing, Ducky replied, "Good God, Gibbs. I've only met the deceased."

"I think DiNozzo's right. A naval aviator stroking at his age?"

As usual, Ducky had a story up his sleeve to tell, "He could have been born with an aneurism. They're time bombs in the body. I…I remember this young promising basso profundo in London. He was only 27 when he keeled over in the middle of an Otello aria."

Kate chose that moment to appear back on board, gun out of its holster and in his hand. "Who the hell are you people? Why would homicide be here?" Looking over at Gibbs she argued, "You're no ME assistant," and to Ducky, "And there's not a soft-shelled crab within a thousand miles."

Ducky was the first to apologise. Gibbs just showed her his badge, "NCIS. We flew down here from Washington to take over the investigation."

"First the FBI tries to muscle in and now NCIS."

"Yeah, well, I do believe that this is a dead naval officer."

"Who died on Air Force One after having lunch with the President it's my job to protect."

Gibbs moved around the body to see it at another angle. "Well ok, we can share jurisdiction. You can be on my team."

"Your team? Why should you have the investigation?"

He turned around to look at her. "Have you ever worked a crime scene, Agent Todd?"

"I am a Secret Service Agent." He smiled at her in triumph.

"I thought not." He knelt back down to examine the body.

"Well don't dismiss me like that. Okay, I earned my jock strap.

He stood up and looked at her. "Yeah, does it ever give you that empty feeling?"

She looked at him, confused, "What?"

"Your jock strap."

"No. Like some species of frog, I grow what I need."

Tony had started to come down the stairs, claiming that the pilot wouldn't take off until the 'Secret Service chick' gave the thumbs up. Unfortunately he caught sight of Kate towards the end of his sentence and was forced to pause before finishing. 'He really hasn't changed much,' she thought.

Smiling, she replied, "I think that just made it my team."

Unfortunately for her, Gibbs was one step ahead of her, "No. I think it means I just have to hijack Air Force One. Tony? Escort Agent Todd off this aircraft and close the hatch."

"You're not serious!" Kate almost shouted, shocked. She looked towards Tony for help, but he had already started to make his way towards the hatch. Gibbs was going up the stairs when Kate followed after him, "Wait! Wait, okay! Okay!" the stopped at the top of the stairs, "Your team. But only because I don't want to have to delay us further by having to shoot you." Gibbs smiled and they shook hands.

"There's just one thing though." He asked, "Why did you think we were homicide?"

Kate looked uneasy for a moment, unsure on what to say. "Tony was in homicide until a few years a go, right?" Gibbs nodded. She continued, "Tony and I were married and I didn't realise he transferred to NCIS. If he told me it didn't really register. Sorry if this causes any complications in the investigation."

Gibbs surprised her by laughing, "Don't worry about that. I've been divorced three times! Funny though, he never really mentioned anything about being married."

"Well if he transferred after we divorced, then I'm sure he just wanted to forget about it." Kate tried to brush it off, but deep down she was upset that he never mentioned her. "So he never talked about me?"

"You know Tony, he's got a different girl every week it seems like. The only name that I think crops up more times then most is Emma…Amy…"

"Emily?"

"Yeah Emily. He seems a lot happier once he's seen her. One of the only one's he spends whole weekends with as well I think. I take it you know her then?"

Kate scoffed, "Figures, he'll talk about every other conquest he's had 'til the cows come home, but he won't tell anyone about his daughter or me."

Gibbs stood there speechless. Kate made a mental note that she may need to keep that image as it probably won't come up very often. "DiNozzo has a daughter?" he finally got out.

"Yeah, she's coming up for 5 now." She had that 'proud mother' look in her eyes.

"I'd like to meet her at some point." Again he surprised her with his comments.

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