A/N: Warning, John is going to take care of some very dirty business in this chapter. He is, after all, an NSA agent who is trained to deal with "sensitive" matters. He's going to give a whole new meaning to "taking out the trash," so, skip this chapter if you're skittish with the bad-ass side of John, as it will be somewhat dark and violent.

Two months later:

Colonel Casey was irritated and very glad to be done with his day. Today, he'd gone active into the field, which was getting to be a rare thing. Chuck had flashed in a big way and they'd sent their team off in the morning to find and detain a dangerous terrorist who had come up from South America to gain access into the country. Intel placed the suspect in San Ysidro and the team got caught in an ambush with two of his best field agents getting shot. Thankfully they had lived, but Casey, angered at their wounding, took matters into his own hands and helicoptered to the border. He decided not to mess around and brought a small but elite army strike team with him. They quickly found the suspect with help from the Mexican Army and he personally took the clown into custody after unloading half a clip into him.

While it was a rush to be back getting down and dirty in the fray, he was glad to be back at the office just a few hours later and now headed for home. He recalled the hateful look the suspect gave him on the ride to the hospital in San Diego. He'd stared at Casey for almost ten minutes before Casey decided it was time for the suspect to "rest" and knocked him out with a hard punch to the face. It felt good to dump the asshole at the hospital with the security team and be able to head back and not have to stick around as he would have had to in the past. Being the highest up on the food chain had it's merits.

He couldn't wait to flush the day and get home. He'd grown accustomed to the quick five minute drive home and as he pulled the SUV into the driveway, he smiled as he saw Ellie crouched on the perimeter of the grass, tending to her marigolds and impatiens. She dropped her tools and walked up to greet him in the driveway. She held her dirty hands behind her back and leaned in for a kiss. Casey didn't care if his shirt was dirtied by her hands and kissed her deeply, pulling her to his chest and supporting her back with his strong hands causing her to mewl and wrap her arms and hands around his middle. It was trash night, so he and Ellie, once they'd gotten home from work would do their yard-work together. He'd mow, she'd weed and tend to the flowers and it was just the way they both liked it. Then when they were finished, it was time for a dip in the pool and then he'd barbecue their dinner and more often then not Sarah and Chuck would join them. Tonight would be no different, in fact, he was looking forward to it.

"Let me go change, baby, and I'll be right out to join you." He went inside and tossed his clothes in the hamper and changed into shorts and a t-shirt and joined his wife in their front yard. If someone would have told him earlier in his life that he'd end up married and living in suburbia cross-cutting his freaking lawn he'd have shoved them to the pavement. Now, he was doing exactly that and actually enjoying it.

He quickly finished cross-cutting the lawn and was putting down snail bait by the marigolds while Ellie finished pulling weeds. As he glanced at his wife, he noticed she was flushed and had staggered ever so slightly when she stood from the flower bed. He was about to shut off the electric mower when she glanced at him and smiled and walked into the garage. He shut the mower off and pushed it into the shed on their side-yard and walked in the garage to check on her.

"Hey, what's up El?" he asked.

She was sipping from a water bottle she'd grabbed from the garage refrigerator. "Oh nothing, I just felt kind of weird. I'm good now. It was a hectic day today."

"Yeah, me too. I'm glad to be home. Come on, let's sit you down." He held her hand as they walked along the side-yard into the back. They took a seat on the lounger by the pool and kicked their feet up. Her face was still slightly flushed but not as red as earlier. She sipped at her cold bottled water and sighed, "I think I'll take a dip in the pool."

"Good, you swim for a few minutes while I get the hamburgers going on the grill. Are Chuck and Sarah coming over tonight?"

"No, not tonight, it's just you and me, babe."

Casey grinned lecherously as he knew what was coming next. Yep, right on cue, she stripped off her shorts, panties, bra and tank and dove into the cool water. He watched her glide under water and surface at the other end. She arose to stand in the shallow end and looked like a gorgeous mermaid. His own gorgeous mermaid. And there it was again, he caught himself grinning, holding a spatula and whistling. He was turning into Andy-freaking- Griffith.

She'd wrapped herself in a towel as he fixed the hamburgers and a light salad and they sat and ate and chatted about their day.

"You look better, are you sure you're okay?" He smiled and watched as her face suddenly lit up and she sat forward excitedly.

"Oh, yeah, I was just tired. Today was so busy. From the moment I got there until I left it was just non-stop. Wait until you hear what else I got to do. I, Dr. Ellie Casey, assisted the Department of Homeland Security today! You'd have been proud of me John, we got this creepy terrorist guy in our ER! He had a team of special security people with him but I told them they'd have to wait outside while I examined him like I always do, so, they waited just outside of the room, but you know what?"

"What...." John hesitantly replied as he got an uncomfortable feeling in his gut.

"He was acting so oddly that I had to call them all back into the room while I worked because he kept staring at my name tag on my coat. Normally, I wouldn't request that, but he kept staring at me all weird and made some comment about my last name and how he knew a guy with the same last name that he'd met today or something like that."

"What did he say Ellie?" John carefully asked, trying not to sound alarmed.

"He said 'Casey' was an unusual last name, like he'd even know! so, I told him he was not allowed to speak and he just kept staring and said he met a Mr. Casey that very day, then one of the security guys walked up and just hauled off and smacked him in the face and told him to shut up and let me work. Normally, I'd have been so angry at the security guy for hitting one of my patients, but I admit, I was really glad he got smacked. Isn't that awful of me for thinking that?"

"No, babe, it's not. Did he-"

She cut him off, excitedly continuing with the story. "You'd have been so proud of me, John, I SO wanted to tell him that he was lucky you weren't there or you'd have smacked him twenty times harder! But, I didn't, even though I really, really wanted to tell him you were a Colonel in the Army and tell him to go-to-hell, but I kept quiet." She sighed and went on, "I really wish I could have just called you and had you come over and haul his butt off to Gitmo!"

"Where is he? did the security people take him away?"

"No, he couldn't be released into their custody until he was stable. I think he'll be in our hospital another night or so."

"Well, I'm glad you're home now and I'm proud that you handled it by the book. I know there will be times when you want to tell people what I do, but I'm glad you understand why you can't, but seriously, you can call me anytime you feel uncomfortable about anything and I'll be glad to come right over and bring the smack down," he grinned as he stood and collected the plates and cups.

"That's good to know. So, If somebody steals a parking space I'm waiting patiently for, or if someone cuts in front of me in line at the grocery store, you'll smack them up for me?"

"Of course, just call me and I'll be there."

"That sounds like a motown song," she giggled.

John processed everything she'd just told him and quickly concluded that the suspect was too great a threat to Ellie now that he may have made the connection, however slight it may be that she was his wife and that had to be immediately dealt with. Normally, John would follow the proper channels to get clearance to eliminate a threat, but this time, he would deal with the piece of shit himself and save everyone the time and trouble.

He walked up and gave Ellie a huge bear hug and kissed the top of her head. "Well, I actually have to go back to the office tonight as we've got a new client coming in tomorrow and I'm not quite ready for the meeting yet. But, I'll only be a few hours. You relax and go to bed and I'll come in quiet and try not to wake you, okay, babe?"

She sighed "Well, I guess I don't have a choice. I was hoping to take advantage of you tonight and make your toes curl, but that will have to wait Colonel Casey," she playfully chided. For whatever reason, lately she couldn't seem to get enough of her husband. Just thinking about him got her hot and bothered and as she swam and watched him barbecue earlier, she was really looking forward to sexing him good and proper. She knew he'd be tired when he got home later that night so she'd have to catch him in the morning before they both left for work.

"Babe, Sarah may come by to drop off some papers tonight. Just leave them on the table will you?"

"Sure. When are you leaving?"

"In a few minutes. I've got some papers to gather here, then I'm off."

He watched her settle down on the couch with her computer. She'd be busy with her own work and he could slip away as soon as he got hold of Sarah. He went into his office and shut the door as he normally did. He first called Sarah. "Come on, pick up...." he impatiently groused just as she answered. "Hey it's me, I need you over here at our house ASAP, it's priority. I need to take care of something but want you here with Ellie."

"What happened, is Ellie okay?"

"Yeah, she's fine and I don't have time to get into the specifics, but I need you to stay with her the entire time until I get back. I'll be about two hours at the most."

"I'll be right over. What's the cover?"

"You're dropping off papers for the company. Watch a movie with her or chat her up or something, just don't leave until I get back, got it?"

"Yep, I'm on my way. Should I bring Chuck?"

"No, not this time, I don't want you distracted at all. Just promise me you'll stay with her."

"You've got it. I'm on my way."

John stuck around until Sarah arrived. He got the door and brought her into the great room where Ellie was. He was relieved when Sarah started up a conversation with her and talked Ellie into watching a movie with her. When he left, they were giggling and watching some Brad Pitt movie.

He was on his cell as soon as he got in the car. "So, why the fuck didn't anyone tell me he was brought into UCLA instead of staying at San Diego Med Center?" he irritatedly demanded of his senior in command.

"Sir, he was diverted at the request of San Diego FBI. We were planning to debrief you this evening."

"And, which genius neglected to realize my wife works at UCLA!" he boomed.

"Sir, we obviously realized it too late, but decided it was best to just proceed, but when he started talking to your wife, Agent Williams just shut him up."

"Did he have any contact with anyone else, no matter how inconsequential it may seem besides my wife?"

"No Sir. Never. We've been on him the entire time. He's secure."

"Good, inform me if anything changes." No need for anyone to know he was coming he thought as he pulled into the Solution System parking lot. In his office, he gathered what he needed and set off to UCLA Med Center.

Casey was in killer mode now. He was going to handle this personally and save everyone the trouble of dealing with this scumbag. He'd done things like this before for his country and now it was for both his country and his wife. It was personal. The asshole had gotten too close to his wife and would pay with his life. John knew he'd do whatever it took to protect Ellie and killing a terrorist was small potatoes. He was the best of the best and could easily make it look like a heart attack so there would be no implications of any wrong doing on anyone or any agencies part. In the end, justice would be served efficiently and quickly.

He'd donned a hospital issue Janitorial uniform. Printed up an ID badge, weaponed up and donned a hideous mullet wig and mustache. He was so good, he knew there would be no inquiry, but better to not take any chances. He quickly located the power supply to the security cameras and took them out for just enough time to run a loop on a different channel and turn them back on again. He'd need approximately ten minutes at best. He then picked up his cell and called his team who were covering the suspect. He regretted that he'd have to upset his team, but for his plan to succeed, he'd have to really rattle them good. As the Agent on duty answered, Casey boomed into the phone. "Where the hell are you people!" the man on the other end stammered and didn't have time to reply before Casey continued to yell and rattle him. "You told me he'd be room 2112 but this is the damn pediatric wing. Now I know you didn't place him there, so where the hell is he!"

"Sir, he's in the east wing, room 2112. We didn't realize you were coming, Sir. I'll send Agent Martinez right over to meet you."

"Jesus, that's on the other side of the freaking campus. Tell Martinez to meet me in the courtyard and he can debrief me on the way." He hung up the phone and knew enough about the two newer agents that they would panic and be distracted just enough for him to slip into the room via the outer window, take care of business and they'd be none the wiser, but he'd have to work quickly. He hung on the rope and lowered himself to the window of the room. He could see the room was empty except for his mark and could see the shadow of his two Agents on duty through the window of the room. They were so distracted now, with the threat of Colonel Casey unexpectedly showing up, that the first agent was busy instructing his partner on where to meet up with the Colonel. Casey knew they were a bit green, but he also knew they were good at their jobs and he had a minute or two at best. He slipped into the room and noted his mark was drugged to keep him calm after his bullet wounds had been treated. He wasted no time as he silently injected the mans IV bag with the classified and untraceable drug that would stop his heart in a few minutes. Once he finished he crept back out the window and pulled himself to the safety of the roof. He whipped off the janitorial uniform and disguise to reveal his no nonsense, black Hugo Boss business suit that he wore when duty called. He stashed the items in a bag and tossed it into the bushes near the parking lot and made his way into the building and put on his "I'm irritated" face. In less than a minute, Martinez hurriedly approached.

"Sir, I'm sorry for the mix-up. Come with me and I'll bring you to the suspect." They walked back towards the East wing as his Agent briefed him. Casey had no intention of showing up in the East wing so he'd arranged for Sarah to call him on his cell once he signaled her. Right on cue, his cell rang and he took the call. The other agent respectively gave Casey his privacy as he took his call. He made a show of irritatedly hanging up and walked over to the Agent.

"I can't believe this, but I need to leave, there is a situation that needs my immediate attention. Thank you for briefing me and I'll leave you now to do your work. I'm sorry for the fuss. Call me if anything changes."

"No problem Sir, is there anything else you need?"

"No, carry on."

"Yes, Sir."

And, that was it. He grabbed the bag he'd dropped in the bushes, got into the car, drove around the corner, changed back into his civilian clothes, stopped at Starbucks to grab a mocha-latte and was home in ten minutes. Total turn around time less than seventy minutes. Threat eliminated, case closed.

As he walked into the great room, he smiled. Sarah and Ellie were watching their movie and painting their toenails.

"Hey, that was quick!"

"Yep, I didn't have that much to do and decided I'd wrap it all up quick so we could do that thing you mentioned earlier, you know the one that would make my toes curl?"

"Ah, yes, I seem to recall saying something about that," she grinned.

"Well, I'll take that as my cue to leave. Ellie I had so much fun hanging out with you. I'm sorry I just barged in and stayed so long, but it was fun and I love this nail polish color and the movie was cute."

John and Ellie walked Sarah out to her car and stood together as she drove off. He nuzzled her neck as they walked back into the house.

"Let the toe curling begin," she giggled as she tugged his t-shirt over his head and scurried off to their bedroom. John followed with a grin on his face that was a mile wide and not a care in the world.