A/N: I think that the language to this point has been pristine for my writing. There are about 4-5 "bad" words in this chapter, so be warned. With one exception, nothing you would not hear on basic cable.

The Red Haired Woman

Chapter 9

Four weeks later, Tony had returned to work feeling good, and had started dating one of his very pretty nurses Chanel had hired to care for him while he recovered from the plague. Jethro and Chanel went to lunch alone at least once a week, more if it worked out. They also went out several times a week in the evening, and spent all day together on Sunday. They often worked on the boat, but that usually ended in some serious make out sessions. Gibbs was definitely not making as much progress on his boat as usual, not that he minded terribly. He also started working out more often and drinking much less. If Chanel thought him as 'Old Man' and soft where she had hit him earlier, he was going to get in some serious shape. Unconsciously, things had turned into a race against her Lt. Col. as to who was going to both bed her and get her to agree to marry them first. Unfortunately for Chanel, Tommy saw things the same way, which made life a very challenging balancing act.

Gibbs got a call in MTAC from a former protégé. He was an Agent Afloat onboard an aircraft carrier. There was some sort of doping scandal which led to a dead petty officer and he needed help from Gibbs and his team. Gibbs agreed and everyone packed their gear and extra clothes and toothbrushes. Chanel was immediately irritated, even pissed that they were taking on this assignment. She mumbled under her breath as she crammed stuff she would need in a bag. Gibbs looked at her with his eyebrows raised. "Problem Chanel?"

"I take it we'll be taking a helo to the ship?"

"Probably. Or a transport plane. Why?"

Tony piped up to tease her, "Does our wunderkind Chanel get air sick or sea sick?"

"Shut up Tony. I have spent over 30 hours in a single flight on one of those shitty planes. And there have been many more than a single flight. I swore when I returned to the states I would NEVER get on one again. Christ Gibbs, can't your Agent Afloat protégé handle a simple petty officer death by dope. Why do so many petty officers die anyway? The odds of death of a petty officer must be one in ten. Fuck!" She was clearly panicking at the thought of getting back on one of those aircraft.

"Chanel! If I didn't think we needed to go we wouldn't, but you don't get to stay behind just because you hate to fly in these choppers or transport planes."

"I have done my time in them Gibbs. I have done everyone in this room's time in those shitty things." Gibbs and Chanel stared off, and finally she shook her head, stuffed the last of her things in her duffel and headed for the elevator to wait on everyone else. Tony was right behind her with Gibbs and Tim following. She slammed her hand against the button to call for the elevator, but remained silent. When they exited the elevator and headed for the car, she finally spoke but only to Gibbs, although the others heard as well. "I hate you for making me do this."

Gibbs smiled slightly at her, putting both their duffels in the trunk. "I know baby, I know."

Chanel didn't speak the rest of the trip. She was clearly a pro at the whole flight-with-nothing-on-board sort of thing. Tony would try to engage her and she just shot him down with a look. They finally got off the helo and went inside the ship. She took her helmet off shaking out her gorgeous red hair. She had intentionally not tied it back or up and left it down. Needless to say it was just as distracting as she had hoped it would be. The alleged protégé came over as they moved themselves and their gear out of the doorway. He introduced himself as David, greeted Gibbs warmly as he did everyone on the team. There was some small chitchat, which Chanel didn't participate in. Gibbs, sensing Chanel's increasing frustration, asked to be taken to the NCIS room and also shown to their quarters. David started to lead the way, Tony pointing out to Chanel how to navigate around an aircraft carrier.

"Tony, thank you. But I have been on a few before." She gentled her grouchy response with a stroke on his arm and he immediately relaxed.

Once they reached the NCIS office, David began to outline the problem they were having. Someone on the flight deck was giving amphetamines to the flight deck crew, and one had just died from an overdose. But the urine tests always tested negative.

Chanel spoke up finally, "David, why do you need us here? Gibbs seems to think it necessary, so I am sure it is. He would not have tortured me with that flight otherwise. I just need to understand why we are here."

David responded to her in a very condescending voice, "That was probably your first helo flight. Sorry they aren't very comfortable. I know, I have ridden in a few. I need you here…" Gibbs cut him off there.

"David, you don't know Chanel obviously, but you might recognize her father, General Atherton? The woman you just talked down to, Chanel Atherton, in top secret classified service to her country has flown in countless helo flights and transport planes and been on several aircraft carriers, more than the others of us combined. She can kill from more than 3000 yards, use any and every weapon and can kill all of us in this room with her bare hands. And she most definitely did not want to come here today. She is pissed enough at me that she could spit nails, but is unlikely to kill me. You on the other hand would be a no brainer. You will answer her question respectfully and succinctly. Because if you talked me into dragging my team out here for something you should have been able to solve on your own, it will be me she crushes, but only after I get through with you."

After that speech, there was a knock on the door and the Captain and XO entered, both men eager to meet Chanel. They knew exactly who she was and while what she had done was fuzzy, rumors had some sniffle of truth in them. They graciously shook her hand and welcomed her enthusiastically on board. The Captain even offered her his quarters for their stay.

"Captain! That is very generous sir. Really, very unexpected. I would be fine staying with the rest of my team sir."

"Ms. Atherton, or rather Agent Atherton, your team will be bunking with the other officers in the few available slots we have. There are no other women on board, m'am. Usually there is, but this ship currently has none, which means no female quarters or restrooms. So, I must insist that you take my quarters. I've had them cleaned and the sheets changed for you already. I would be honored to have such a legend as you share my quarters." The Captain's eyes suddenly got very big and his face got very red.

Chanel smiled gracefully at him, ignoring his faux pas and giving Tony a glare for his quickly stifled snicker. "Thank you Captain. I appreciate your effort on behalf of my comfort. Did we meet at the Navy Ball a few years ago? Yes. Good, nice to see you again. And don't believe in legends too much. Buddha gives us good advice when he admonishes us to not believe in anything simply because you have heard it. Do not believe in anything simply because it is spoken and rumored by many. You know how ripe the military is for rumor. I am simply a member of this team who arrived very unhappy about our mode of travel. I have, as I'm sure you can imagine Captain, grown to despise those transport vessels. But your care for my well being has certainly made me feel better about being here. I'll be sure my father knows the concern you have shown, Captain." She turned to David with a slight withering glare and "suggested" that perhaps before he starts his debriefing, they could all be shown to their quarters and have a short break from their flight before getting started.

Gibbs spoke up in quick agreement, sensing the need to get David and Chanel out of the same room. The Captain must have sensed it too, because he was soon asking the XO to show the gentleman to their bunks, the head and showers, while he escorted Agent Atherton to her temporary quarters. The men walked off hearing her voice asking the Captain to please call her Chanel. Chanel was quite pleased with her sleeping situation. There was a twin bed, why would the Captain need more? A private bath and shower and a locking door, which he made a point to ask her to use.

"We have been at sea a long time. You are the only woman on a ship with more than 6000 men. I know, even without the help of rumors, you can take care of yourself, but for the safety of my crew as well as you, please keep the door locked, your gun under your pillow, and travel only with at least one member of your team, my XO, or myself. I cannot guarantee your safety otherwise. Given what you are rumored to have done and the people you are rumored to have traveled with, I know you don't scare easily, but please keep as low a profile as you can and stay close to Gibbs."

"Message received loud and clear Captain. I will stay put, avail myself of the facilities, and perhaps you could give the same message to Gibbs, as well as Tony? We are very close and Gibbs especially will want to stay close to me. I will wait for one of them to retrieve me before leaving. Thank you again Captain."

"Good. I'll catch up with them. Perhaps you and your team could join me, my XO, and a few others for dinner in the officers' mess?"

"That sounds wonderful to me. But you would have to ask Agent Gibbs."

"Very good, I will leave you for now. Hopefully we will see you at dinner. Lock the door."

"Yes, sir!"

The team did finally get their briefing from David. Chanel remained silent, but she could see gaping holes in his investigation so far. She left Tony and Gibbs to point those out. She and Tony were given a few investigatory things to follow up on and they left to take care of that. Gibbs had taken seriously the Captain's concerns about Chanel's safety, or rather the safety of anyone approaching her. And Gibbs had agreed to dinner in the officers' mess because he knew it would please Chanel, and right now it was in his best interest to please Chanel.

Over the course of one day, but two nights, they solved the oh-so-very-troubling problem of the dead petty officer, the amphetamines, and the urine switch. Tony virtually never left her side and they had turned it into something silly like a Scooby-Doo movie, Mr. Hyde in a mask on the flight deck. David was clearly not on top of his game, and Chanel's ongoing silence towards him communicated the high volume of her disdain.

They were finally ready to leave, and Chanel graciously thanked the Captain for his hospitality, allowing her the use of his room, and the delicious meals they had enjoyed. He thanked her for her low keyed approach on the ship and minimizing her inevitable impact on the crew. She smiled and winked at him, put her helmet on and went to board the helo. David stopped her at the noisiest point, apologizing for not knowing who she was.

"David, do you really think I care if you knew who I was or not? Who do you think I am?"

"The General's daughter, Joint Chief of Staff. Who else would you be?"

"David, I am a lot of things, rumors and legends collide. My problem with you is you are just incompetent. I would think someone who had trained under Gibbs could have solved this quickly and easily as it ended up being done. It was like you didn't even try. And because of your incompetence I had to fly out here on some flying gas can. So, who I am doesn't matter a whit. Your capability to do this job does, and if it were up to me, you'd be toast. Good bye David."

She looked grumpily at the Captain who had heard every word. He had noticed the tension between the two and was interested in finding out what it was about. She teasingly saluted the Captain, put her helmet back on and headed towards the waiting chopper for their little "chop hop."

She sat next to Gibbs. He looked at her questioningly about what David wanted when he held her back.

She looked at him irritated. "I basically told him he was an idiot." Gibbs just laughed and leaned back holding her hand. She leaned against his shoulder and promptly fell asleep, just like the pro she was. He leaned his head against hers, wishing he could smell her shampoo but the helmet got in the way. Tonight, they would spend the night together. He knew he was running out of time. He knew she was still holding her Lt. Col. off and that he did not share her bed, even for sleeping. But he did not have much longer, and the Lt. Col. might not be so willing to just sleep with her and seduce her right away from him.