Here it is folks! How the pool was started.

Who's bet: Ducky

Spoilers: None, pre-season 1.

Who's idea was the pool in the first place?

Jethro was leaning over Anthony to stare at his computer. Even though the older agent probably only had his face mere inches from Anthony's, the probationary agent didn't seem at all perturbed or uncomfortable.

Ducky watched from the next level as the two man team worked their latest case. He had to admit he was impressed. Jethro never took to new agents as quickly as he took to Anthony DiNozzo. And he never worked so efficiently on a two man team as well as he did with the young man either.

Somebody saddled up next to him. Out of his peripherals, it looked like Special Agent Chris Pacci. He was a good agent, he wasn't necessarily a team leader like Jethro was, but he didn't work for another agent either. Before Anthony, Chris was given the chance to work with Jethro, to be trained by one of the best agents in the entire agency. It was an honor, really. But he practically begged Director Morrow not to put him with the older man. Ducky believed that the words "would rather eat a live tarantula with an anaconda around my neck" were used.

"Sight to see, huh?"

Ducky didn't have to ask. He already knew. He knew from the start that Jethro took more than a professional liking to the young man, whether he was willing to admit it or not.

"I mean, I've never seen Gibbs take to an agent like that. Especially not a guy like Tony DiNozzo."

The medical examiner chuckled. Chris definitely had a point. He never would have thought that someone like Jethro Gibbs—stoic, rough, self proclaimed bastard—could fit so well with someone like Anthony DiNozzo—loud, sex-crazed, womanizer. But he did.

Chris gave him a perverted smile. It was the only way to describe that look, perverted. "You think they're doing it?"

The older man rolled his eyes. "Oh, for Heaven's sake, Christopher." He tried to hide the chuckle.

"Are you saying you don't see it?"

"Well of course I see it, I may have poor eyesight but I'm not completely blind. But Jethro is not going to sleep with a subordinate after only a month of working with him."

Chris 'hmmfed.' "So how long do you think it will take?"

"How long with what take?"

Ducky whirled around to see Director Morrow stride up to him. It was certainly a shock. Most of the time, Morrow was in Multiple Threat Assesment Center.

Come to think of it, did he ever leave MTAC?

"For Gibbs to have sex with Agent DiNozzo," the way Chris said that was too free for Ducky's liking.

The older man closed his eyes and took a deep breath. If Morrow thought that something sexual was happening between Jethro and his latest agent, the young boy would certainly be transferred. The medical examiner feared for his friend if that happened. Anthony seemed to be able to get under his skin better than anyone ever had before. Jethro was always a very closed off person, but he was getting better in the past month that the young lad was on his team.

And Chris was going to ruin it with his big mouth.

Morrow chuckled and stepped up to the guard rail to look out into the bull pen. "I'd say it's gonna take a few years, boys."

Ducky stared at the Director in shock. He never expected him to agree.

Chris studied the display closer. "You think?"

"Oh definitely," Morrow continued. "Jethro has three ex wives behind him, and DiNozzo will chase anything in a skirt. I bet they won't admit it to themselves yet."

The three men were silent again. They continued to watch Jethro and Anthony figure out their case. They were standing now, Jethro stood behind his only agent. Too close for polite society. Anthony was talking up a storm in a very animated way. He did that quite often. Whatever he said obviously upset the older man, he reached up and whacked Tony in the back of the head.

"I give it a year," Chris finally said.

"Not a chance," Morrow continued. "I'd say at least three years."

"You care to wager on that?"

"How much?"

Chris shrugged. "Twenty bucks?"

Morrow considered that for a while. "You have a specific date, or should I just let yo have an entire year?"

Chris chuckled. "I'm gonna say, by Halloween, those two are gonna be in each other's bed."

"I'll take New Years', 2004." The two shook hands.

Then they turned to Ducky.

The medical examiner looked at them each in turn. "You want me to bet?"

Morrow shrugged. "You know Jethro better than any of us."

"Yes, and I know that he would never sleep with a subordinate. Least of all a male subordinate. He has been married multiple times."

Chris shrugged again. "So was Rock Hudson."

"Are you telling me you don't see something, Dr. Mallard?" Morrow sounded very amused by that.

"Somebody'd have to be brain dead to not see something," Chris laughed.

Ducky huffed. "I see it as well as either of you, I just don't think its right to place a bet on when two coworkers are going to sleep together." He leaned heavier against the rail, his anger churning. "These are two grown men, and quite frankly it isn't any of our business what they do when they are out of the office. Not to mention, making a pool on this is completely juvenile."

The other two men were silent. They just went back to watching Jethro and Anthony down in the bull pen. Anthony said something that Jethro apparently agreed with. He started walking briskly out of the room.

"On your six, boss!" The young man shouted after him as he grabbed his things and humorously ran to catch up. Ducky knew his friend well enough to know that he was smiling at Anthony's latest antic, even if he couldn't actually see it.

"I'd put my money on the week of May 4, 2004."

Morrow snorted in laughter.

Another note, According to IMDB again, May 4, 2004 was the original air date for the episode Missing.

So who do you want to see get sucked into the pool next? Appreciate your thoughts!

Bob