Chapter Ten

8.45am

'Where is Commander West?' Gibbs was standing in front of her Chief of Staff, Lieutenant Douglas. 'Apparently we need her to sign off on searching some of the restricted areas of the base. The sooner we can get this done the sooner we can hopefully locate my missing agent.'

'What makes you suspect that he is even still on base?'

'We haven't had any reports of people fitting his description leaving the base, or any suspicious vehicles. We have viewed security footage of all exit and entry points, all having armed guards and security check points. As we currently don't have any information to go on until we have eliminated the entire base THEN and only then will we broaden the search to include the rest of the state.'

Douglas sighed, 'Well today is supposed to be a day off for her. She worked back late last night and I wasn't expecting her in until tomorrow. If it is urgent then you had best phone her and see if she will give the approval.'

'I'm going to need it in writing. Just tell me where she lives and I will go over there and explain what has happened. I'm sure that she will appreciate the update on exactly what is going on both with the pharmaceuticals case and why NCIS and everyone else seems to be traipsing all over her base.'

'I'll say!' Douglas agreed enthusiastically.

'What do you mean?' Gibbs fixed Douglas with a firm stare.

'Well it seems the fax your agents sent out about your missing man has generated some rather unusual interest. I doubt the base has been searched this thoroughly in its history. Normally we have some specialist military personnel checking quadrant by quadrant but currently it appears swarms of administration workers have taken up arms as well. Apparently he has a bounty on his head of a double all day spa voucher for whoever finds him first, on the proviso that he is handed into the Purchasing Department. You see the Legal Department is in direct competition with the Purchasing Department. There was some bad blood between them over some Volleyball Final that went sour and now the claws are out. The Motor pool has thrown into the pot an Automatic Transport Upgrade Approval, while Defence Housing is offering an outdoor spa and dishwasher. It has become an all out competition with the recovery of your agent as the prize, so to speak. There isn't a rubbish bin, photocopying room or bomb disposal storage unit that isn't being checked top to bottom as we speak.'

'Uhhhh Thanks?' Gibbs stared at Douglas in astonishment, not sure if he was joking or not. As Douglas continued to calmly return Gibbs look, Gibbs shook it off, before turning his gaze onto Tony and Ziva, reminding himself to speak to them later about exactly what they put in the fax that had generated so much interest.

'So can you let us know where the Commanders house is and we will get our authority, give her an update and be out of her hair.'

Douglas sighed knowing that between Gibbs and the Commander he was essentially between a rock and a hard place and he was going to get a 'seeing to' no matter what he did. 'Okay, but just for the record I'm registering my protest at the Commander being disturbed' He handed over the address to Gibbs, who within seconds had turned and headed out the door trailed by Tony and Ziva. He rushed to the door and shouted helpfully down the corridor behind the retreating figures 'You should take two of the MP's over with you as well. Once you have the request they could take it directly out to the two largest sites and get started. They would also get you to the Commanders house faster as directions are a little tricky….. he trailed off as he saw Gibbs snaffle two of the MP's standing awaiting orders at the end of the corridor and disappear out into the car park.

9.00am

Gibbs rang the bell of the large house and waited impatiently on the Commanders doorstep.

'Agent Gibbs, how delightful to see you' Tony peering over Gibbs shoulder almost didn't recognise the woman in front of him as the same one from yesterday. Instead of the dour and rather fierce uniformed Commander he had expected to see, there stood a very attractive full bosomed woman with long hazelnut hair tumbling around her face. She dazzled the eye in a scarlet two piece suit, the short skirt emphasising her long trim legs and sharp high heels while the crisp white blouse seemed to be unbuttoned just one button less than expected revealing her full cleavage.

'uh Commander West, I apologise for interrupting your day off but…'' even Gibbs seemed momentarily caught off guard

'No that's fine. I was actually expecting you to show up. Come in, come in won't you' she turned and disappeared down the hallway.

Gibbs after a quick glance at his team and a shrug followed her into her lounge. Once Gibbs, Tony and Ziva had arranged themselves on her couch and even the two MP's had positioned themselves by the doorway, Commander West smiled and turning to Gibbs said' I believe I have something of yours' She turned and called out 'Timothy, would you be a dear and come in here?'

Tony's jaw dropped as after a series of small crashes sounded from out towards the kitchen McGee stepped into sight onto the top step, wearing nothing but what was obviously the Commanders black silk dressing gown, complete with oriental lilies print. He was holding it firmly shut at the top in an attempt to cover as much of himself up as possible but it just had the effect of making him look as Ziva had once had it explained to her 'as guilty as sin' The light rosy blush he had didn't help matters either.

McGee shuffled his feet a bit nervously and waived 'ah Hi guys. I was just making some coffee. Would you like some?'

Tony couldn't hold back a relieved shout of 'Probie' before jumping to his feet which earned him a huge answering grin from McGee. Tony was in the process of leaping across the room to shake his friend by the shoulders and hug him and swear at him and apologise and hug him again when he caught the look on Gibbs's face. He glanced up at McGee and with a look full of 'laters' sat down again, grinning.

Gibbs stared, taking in the scene before him then turning to the Commander and raging 'He has been here the whole time! We have been worried and searching the entire base and he has been here playing house with you all night?'

'Well I found him nearly naked, locked out and starving, wandering around my base so I brought him home for his own safety. I wouldn't have thought that was standard NCIS procedure. He did ask me to place a call to you to let you know where he was but it completely slipped my mind. Sorry about that.' The Commander was cool and didn't look at all sorry, in fact she smiled up at McGee who was fidgeting in the corner trying to pull the edge of the dressing gown down a little further over his thighs under Ziva's burning gaze.

'I was just about to call you and get you to bring some clothes over for him so he could get back to work. I obviously don't have anything remotely suitable for a man, particularly of his size. That bathrobe isn't much better than the towel I found him in, but it was the best I could do at the time. He really is a genius you know. He fixed up some problems I have been having with my security system in no time, although it did keep us up for most of the night.' Commander West stood tall, hands on hips confident in her own lounge room, almost as if addressing an audience.

Gibbs stood almost speechless and turned and stalked towards McGee who backed up against the wall 'I'm sorry Boss I thought she called! I was up late working on her……her……. security system and then I, I …… fell asleep on her couch' McGee blushed, though whether it was from his lack of apparel, his lack of conduct or Ziva trying to lean back and look up his dressing gown Tony wasn't sure.

The two MP's despite their training were openly staring at this strange confrontation taking place.

Gibbs glared at his young agent, a man he had previously considered privately as the most responsible of his team. McGee squirmed against the wall and then glanced up… and past Gibbs looking for confirmation from Willow. Gibbs caught it and resented it. McGee was lying. He never was a good liar but to look to her for answers? For confirmation? He would trust his career to her, after spending a few hours with her over him? A man who had supported him and backed him for nearly four years! To Gibbs that sort of trust built so fast meant one thing- sex. Gentleman McGee had slept with the Commander and now appeared stuck as to how to get himself out of the mess he had created.

Gibbs was past furious. He turned away from McGee, and directed his demand to the apparent reason his young agent had lost his mind.

'You will release him immediately so he can return to work. Tony, get his clothes.' Gibbs turned while Tony bolted out to the car to get the change of clothes he had retrieved from the house first thing this morning, and stared at McGee who started to stutter as he tried to explain 'I couldn't really leave you see Boss , I… I didn't have any clothes to wear……. not that she held me here against my will or anything but I just thought she had called you and I was doing work honest, not on the interview requests but I was working…' McGee was smoothly interrupted by a firm 'No' from the Commander

'What was that?' Gibbs was almost gob smacked at the audacity of this woman in telling him what he could do with one of his own agents.

"I said no. I wish to have a conversation with him first, and then once he is dressed I will return with him to Base Command. Than and only then will he return to work'

Gibbs glared and felt his fists tightening in frustration. The commander confidently held Gibbs glare and then flicked her eyes to the two MP's standing either side of the doorway who were bravely trying to not look interested in the confrontation before them. Gibbs for all his recognised lack of tact understood in an instant what it was she wanted to discuss with McGee. No matter what his own team said or did after leaving the house with the addition of the two MP's the strange occurrence of the missing naked NCIS agent turning up at the Base Commanders house after spending the night wearing nothing but her black silk bathrobe was bound to be scuttlebutt across Base within minutes. She probably wanted to make sure she and McGee had their stories straight after witnessing McGee's recent woeful attempt at justifying nine missing hours.

'Fine, just get him dressed and back to work!

Gibbs turned and gathering up the curious, (Ziva) the amazed (the MP's) and the relieved and amazed (Tony) and headed out to the car.

'Working on her security system my arse!'

'Is that what they are calling it these days?'

'You know I have a robe just like that at home'

Willow waited until they had left then sighed and stepped in front of Tim, her wrists rested lightly on his chest while her hands scrunched in the edge of the silk robe. The robe pulled open slightly revealing the multitude of thin red lash marks covering his chest. She wanted to pull him close and hold him tight but she was sure his cracked ribs would probably protest so she hugged him gently.

'Are you alright?' Tim nodded

'I still think we should have told them'

'Soon Timothy, soon. I promise. Do you think they all brought it?'

Ok now review and tell me how I am going- getting worried as 19 Reviews for Fabric Softener, basically Tony and McGee talking about well fabric softener and having a manly pillow fight. Ok I must admit pretty funny and The Prank 9 chapters, some 15,000 words and I have got 28 reviews 9 of those from Streak13!

Please let me know if this is interesting, dragging on, confusing you what?

And a big thank you to – Streak13, Denoument Intrusion, Special Agent Ali, Enthusiastic Fish, MissAbbyTaylor, TheSilentShogun, Ozgeek, paragondragon, rayven10, fictional reality and iheartgibbs for their reviews! Thanks guys!