Getting out of the car was something DiNozzo would chalk up to one of the eeriest experiences of his life. The red and blue lights flashed on and off, pulses of light illuminating the darkness surrounding the first bombing scene. Flood lighting had been set up to cover most of the nightclub and surrounding buildings that this particular car bomb had targeted but there were still gaps of inky black darkness where rubble obscured the lights in certain areas. Ahead of him, he could make out Dunn getting out of his car, the black sunglasses still in place even though it was nighttime. Tony couldn't blame the man; the flood lighting made it brighter than daylight.

Since the NCIS team was taking a background role in the investigation, they remained behind the blue and white crime scene tape used by the Australian police services until Dunn waved them through to join him standing just at the edge of the crater where the bomb had detonated. A number of Australian police joined them where they stood and Dunn quickly introduced everyone, instructing his men to allow the NCIS team free reign through the crime scene and to assist them wherever required. McGee, Ziva and DiNozzo quickly dispersed into their usual crime scene roles and the anonymous bomb technician wandered off to do whatever it was that he did, Gibbs supposed. That left Gibbs standing with Dunn, both of them looking down into the crater at the pool of water that had formed from where the fire services had pumped it to extinguish the flames. Even as they watched, it receded as crews pumped the water out to examine the crater for potential clues.

Gibbs nodded to Dunn to walk back over to where they had parked their cars; it was almost too loud to hold a conversation over the din of people searching the rubble and machinery operating in the dim hope of finding more survivors. Gibbs wasn't much for small talk, and once they reached the cars he gruffly said, "I was wrong. I saw your reports about the risks surrounding the bombing. You did everything you could to prevent it. Why didn't you tell me about this?"

Dunn let a small sad smile play out over his face as he sighed, and removed his sunglasses; squinting as his bloodshot eyes were exposed to the bright floodlights. "With respect, Special Agent Gibbs, you do not appear to be a man who appreciates excuses in times such as these."

Gibbs almost made as if to Gibbs-slap the man before he quickly reconsidered. Even in his fatigue, Dunn was still alert enough to catch the move out of the corner of his eye and he regarded Gibbs with a confused smile, wondering what the American agent's bizarre semi-half-wave of his right arm meant. Instead, Gibbs positioned himself so he was leaning against the car alongside the Australian as they both stared out over the scene.

"So you take the rap and your managers who really are responsible get away with this?" Gibbs asked.

Dunn's semi-smile returned as he said, "What would you do?"

Gibbs retorted, "Hell, I don't know, retire, move to Mexico, spend the rest of my life staring out over a beach instead of this mess and let your superiors own up to their own responsibility."

Dunn turned to face him, "I've seen your file Gibbs, I know about your brief break from law enforcement and whilst I understand it, I'd never do it myself."

Gibbs' curiosity sparked, he asked the man simply, "Why?"

Dunn nodded towards DiNozzo who was sketching what remained of the nightclub. "I read Agent DiNozzo's file as well. Four years ago, I could have been his twin brother. Slightly immature when it suited me, chasing women all the time, I could joke and kid and put on a mask of indifference like nothing really hurt me. I had spent five years in Organized Crime, and then my team leader got fed up with the bureaucracy and quit with no warning. Suddenly I was team leader, in charge of a team that I'd worked alongside for five years."

Dunn continued, "I got used to the phrase, "That's not how the boss used to do it." I got used to feeling like a temporary replacement; trying to hold the team together and still keep our case-closure rate up until a 'real' boss came along. Whenever my team ran into a problem, they rang the old boss for advice instead of coming to me. You imagine what that's like Gibbs? Trying to hold a team together that doesn't respect you?"

Gibbs was silent for a long time, and then asked, "What happened?"

"I quit; requested a transfer to counter-terrorism and got it. The sudden retirement trick might have worked for you Gibbs, but I'll wager that your team went through hell for it. No, I won't quit, at least not until this investigation is through and by then I expect my team will be thoroughly briefed on my confidence in whoever I choose to replace me. Hell, some of them might even actually take the team leader jobs I've been recommending them for for the past two years. God knows they're all capable."

A long silence stretched between the two men. Gibbs' eyes never left DiNozzo as his senior field agent suddenly called out advice to McGee about a particular item of evidence he wanted photographed.

Dunn cleared his throat, embarrassed. "I'm sorry Gibbs, it wasn't my place to draw conjecture on what happened with your-"

Gibbs cut him off, "Don't apologize, it's a-"

"Sign of weakness," Dunn finished for him.

The two agents regarded each other with guarded smiles.

Dunn finally relented, "Gibbs, I'm gonna head back to the office, I'm expecting a briefing via phone from Mossad on any further information they've discovered."

Gibbs replied, "Dunn, after that, get some rest – you look like crap."

Dunn smiled and made as if to move away, and then abruptly Gibbs-slapped himself over the back of the head. Jethro blinked in surprise as the Australian agent turned around and smiled sheepishly, "I almost forgot." Dunn said.

The Aussie reached into the back seat of his car and pulled out three cardboard boxes, opening one to reveal two Sig Sauers, complete with two clips of ammunition each and holsters.

Gibbs looked up questioningly, "I thought we were only approved to work here as observers, I didn't think the Australian government had approved us to carry weapons."

"Technically, they haven't," Dunn grinned, "but we all know what happened the last time I listened to my superiors instead of my gut. Tell you what, if you get asked about it, just tell them I OK'd it. It's not like I can get into any more trouble around here at the moment."

Gibbs guffawed once, twice, as he watched the Federal Agent enter his car and drive slowly away from the crime scene towards his office and eventually, Gibbs hoped, some rest.

A particular note of thanks goes out to all the readers who have reviewed this so far, sometimes multiple times. Honest to god, it's a really rewarding experience to open my email and know that my story is being enjoyed by a few people out there. Particularly my fellow Australians, god knows I'll be returning to Brisbane in two months after having been away for it for eight months, so forgive any lapses in memory! And to all the readers from other parts of the globe - apparently I'm using some Australian terminologies - I'd love to hear what they are, because I re-read my story a few times and still couldn't pick up what might confuse any non-Aussies!