Thank you thank you thank you for all of the reviews and follows and favorites. Never thought I would see. I will be answering the last round of reviews over the next two days. I started writing this and did not expect almost 3000 words, but I couldn't stop and never found a good place to break.

All mistakes are mine.

And still don't own, so sad.

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

Tony, McGee and Ziva just stood there listening to Alex talk to Gibbs. McGee looked guilty, Ziva looked concerned and Tony just stood there with a small smile on his face. He looked down at his desk to cover his grin. Tony knew that Alex wasn't going to back down and that Gibbs had met his match in the new JAG attorney.

Alex looked at the other agents in the immediate area. "I have not met you all yet. I am Major Alex Flores, I am the new JAG attorney assigned to NCIS and you all are?"

Ziva went first. "I am Ziva David. It is Officer David, I am a Mossad officer. I am assigned to NCIS." Alex nodded hello to Ziva and shook her hand.

McGee went next. "I am Tim McGee." Alex just looked at McGee.

"So are you the one who hacks, and tell me the truth now." Alex asked.

"Yes, Major I guess I am." McGee said sheepishly.

Alex looked at McGee. "Ok, here is how it is going to work from now on. You need to get into records. Call me first. You have cause, I will get a warrant. This is my card, which I am giving to each of you. I am never out of contact for NCIS. If I can't get the warrant, then I will make sure someone can. I will not lose a case because of tainted evidence. My job is to protect you and this agency and to make sure the cases are sound."

As Alex was talking she was looking at each of the agents in turn, and since she realized that everyone in the bullpen was listening to her talk to Gibbs and his team, she addressed then as well. "I want all of you to be protected. We are not going to lose a criminal because our case is legally suspect. I won't have it and I don't think you all want it either."

Alex stopped talking. She could see people nodding around her. Gibbs still had a dark look about him. He didn't like to lose. Alex ignored Gibbs and looked at Tony. "I don't think we have met."

"Ah, no we haven't," he stuttered. "My name is Anthony DiNozzo, Very Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo." Tony smiled at Alex, one of his best smiles. Alex raised an eyebrow and looked at him and shook her head.

"Very nice to meet you Very Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo."

At that moment the elevator dinged and Ducky and Palmer walked into the bullpen. Gibbs saw then and asked. "Duck, what do you need?"

Ducky looked around the bullpen. Everyone was just standing there looking at the marine. He paused for a moment, nodded at the young lady and spoke to Gibbs. "We thought you should know that are John Doe has been identified. His name is Walter Adams, and he is a marine stationed at Quantico. He is assigned to the Sea Hawk that is currently in harbor at Norfolk."

Before Gibbs could say anything, Tony interrupted further conversation by introducing Alex to the ME and his assistant. "Major Flores, this is Dr. Mallard and his assistant Jimmy Palmer. Dr. Mallard is our ME." Tony smiled at Ducky. "He is the best ME in the business."

Ducky smiled at Tony in thanks. "Hello, Major Flores, it is very nice to make your acquaintance."

Alex smiled at Ducky. "Dr. Mallard, it is nice to meet you also. I have been reading your documentation on cases upstairs. They are probably the best reports I have ever read. Very thorough, which is something I appreciate very much; unlike some." Alex turned and smiled sweetly at Gibbs. Gibbs just huffed.

"Oh, and Dr. Mallard, you can call me Alex. Major Flores is only for hard cases."

Tony thought he was going to choke. Ducky smiled at Alex and asked her what her full name was. "Alexandra Flores."

"Excellent. Do you mind if I call you Alexandra. I like to use people's full names and yours is so beautiful."

Alex smiled at Ducky. She was charmed. She looked at Ducky and thought that he would be a good man to have on her side. "That would be fine Dr. Mallard. I would like that."

"And you must call me Ducky. All my friends do." Alex smile got even bigger. Ducky started asking Alex why she was her at NCIS. "So what brings you to our humble home?"

"I am the new JAG attorney assigned to NCIS. That is why I was reading your reports. I am going over all of the cases that are currently pending both for warrants and for court. If I have any questions may I come to you?

"Absolutely, it would be my pleasure. You can always find us in autopsy. And if you can't find me let me introduce you to Mr. Palmer. He is my assistant and learning to be a ME. He can also answer any questions you have."

"Major Flores." said Jimmy, hold out his hand. "It is very nice to meet you."

Alex smiled at Jimmy. "Mr. Palmer, it is very nice to meet you as well." So these were the two men Tony talked about after class. She could understand why he did. They both seemed kind and would not speak unkindly. What Alex did wonder, was why he had not talked about the other three people on his team? They did not talk about work, but they did talk about the people in his life. Tony was going to have to tell Dr. Mallard that she knew all about him so that he would not get upset with Tony.

Gibbs interrupted the conversation. "Ducky if that is all you have then the team needs to get back to work."

"Of course, Agent Gibbs. Come Mr. Palmer, we have outstayed our usefulness."

"Ducky." Gibbs whispered.

"Thanks for the info Ducky," said Tony. "Let me know if you get anything else." Ducky nodded and he and Jimmy left.

"Gibbs," Tony said tentatively, "don't you think you were a little harsh with Ducky? He was only bringing us some information that we needed."

Gibbs looked at Tony. "I am going for coffee."

Alex looked around the room at everyone and back at Tony. "Is he always like that?"

"Lately, yeah." Tony sat back down at his desk. This time Alex sighed and walked away. As she walked onto the elevator her phone rang with a text.

Meet me later for lunch at coffee cart. Go from there. Let me know if can't make. 1pm.

Alex texted back, OK.

Alex and Tony met for lunch at the coffee cart. "We can walk to a sandwich shop not far from the main gate if you want," said Tony.

"Ok, let's go." Alex answered.

Once Tony and Alex were seated at a table Tony took a quick look around before stating, "I guess I need to explain."

"No you don't. We said no work. And I can understand why now. Is he always that difficult?"

"He has been over the past six months, since he returned from Mexico. He lost his memory in an explosion and he hasn't been the same since. Once he was back in the fall he was still calling Ziva Kate or me Stan."

"Who are Kate and Stan?"

"Kate was my partner before Ziva. She was killed by Ziva's half brother. I don't think I am supposed to know that, but I do. It is supposed to be a secret, so please don't repeat it. I had the plague and was just coming back to duty when Ari killed Kate." Tony looked at Alex. His eyes showed nothing but sadness. Something Alex thought that Tony did not show to everyone. "Stan worked with Gibbs before I started with him. Stan was Gibbs SFA before me."

"Wait, go back. Stan I get, even Ziva I understand, but did you say you had the plague? The honest to goodness plague?"

Tony smiled. "Yeah, I did. Some crazy lady sent an envelope to NCIS and I ended up opening it up and next thing you know I am living under blue lights and fighting to breathe." Tony took a deep breath. "Kate stayed with me the entire time I was at Bethesda. She was a real trooper. I don't know what I would have done without her." Tony paused again. The look of sadness was back. "I miss her a lot. She didn't understand me, not really, but I knew I could count on her." Tony looked off seeing something Alex couldn't. Tony laughed at himself remembering. "The doctor who worked on me was Dr. Brad Pitt, he stated that he was not that Brad Pitt but would have loved to meet Angelina Jolie." Tony looked at Alex again and laughed. "He was great, him and Sarah. They kept me going when I wanted to give up. Sarah helped me laugh at myself. Kate would roll her eyes at us. Brad and I figured out he was the man who broke my leg at our big game when I was in college. OSU vs Michigan. Because of that I missed out on the NBA."

"Wait, you went to OSU undergrad?" asked Alex.

"Yeah, didn't I tell you?"

"No, I don't think you did, otherwise, I would have told you I went to University of Michigan for undergrad and Gonzaga for law school. GO WOLVERINES! and GO ZAGS!"

"Oh no!" Tony says laughingly. "I guess this means we can't be friends then." Tony teased. "But," he said, "since I am still friends with Brad and he is the one that ruined my career I guess I can forgive you from going to all of the wrong schools."

Alex laughed. "I think I can forgive you as well. My father, though, always warned me about men from OSU. Animals, I believed he called them." Alex laughed. "My dad played football for Michigan," she explained to Tony, "he never liked OSU."

Tony laughed. "That makes sense. Brad and I get together to watch any games now between the two teams. We have a great time." Tony took a deep breath. He wasn't quite sure that he and Alex and been seeing each other long enough to let her know exactly what was wrong with his lungs, but he decided to take a chance and be honest. "I have to see him every six months. He has me on a pretty tight training program to keep my lungs healthy. I run a couple of miles and swim laps. It helps to keep my lungs strong. I try to keep dry when it rains and keep away from people with colds. If I get a lung infection it could turn serious."

Alex looked at Tony while he explained his life to her. She had a feeling he didn't tell people this much about himself. She felt privileged that he did. "Who knows what you have to do to stay healthy, I don't think you tell people that often."

"No I don't. Ducky and Jimmy know, but that is about it. Jimmy is a real workout nut. He doesn't live far from me so we run together in the mornings. I usually swim in the evenings at the local Y. That actually helps me with breath control even more that the running."

Alex continued to watch Tony. She leaned in and placed her hand over his. "Thank you for sharing Tony. I know that you don't so I appreciate it." She smiled at Tony and Tony felt himself relax. "Damn," he thought to himself, "I am in so much trouble."

"Yeah, even Gibbs doesn't know to the extent I have to watch myself. I told him some of this before he left for Mexico, but I don't think he remembers. We used to be able to read each other without talking, but so much has changed in the last year or so, I don't know what to do. You saw him today; he wasn't backing down from you. He doesn't think he is wrong." Tony took a deep breath. "I was so impressed that you didn't back down from him today. I think a lot of people where in the bullpen. Most people don't stand up to him like that."

Alex just looked at Tony and stated proudly. "Tony, I am a United States Marine. We are the first to respond. I have been to places I can't talk about and done things that I will never forget. I had a life in the Marines before I went to law school and would have stayed there if I hadn't been injured and not able to stay. Your Gibbs does not scare me at all and he never will."

Tony looked at Alex and realized there was much there that he would not be able to ask but would have loved to. He wanted to know all about her and her life. He wanted her in his life. "Alex, I want to get to know you. I want to understand how you think. I want to see if we have enough to have a relationship, but you need to tell me if you don't. I don't want to start something and then we stop." Tony looked into her eyes. "Tell me what you are thinking."

Alex looked deep into Tony's green eyes. She loved his eyes. If you looked deep enough you could see his soul. Tony didn't hide from people he cared about and she knew she was blessed in that he wanted to share his life with her. Alex knew that the next few steps with Tony would change her life and she was ready. Alex held out her hand.

"Tony, I would be honored to know you, really know the person that you are. I may not be able to talk about my life in the Marines when I was younger, but I don't have a problem talking to you about everything else." Alex paused. "So Very Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo, where would you like to start?"

Tony's smile was warm and genuine, a smile he did not share with many people. "I have to go to Ducky's on Sunday afternoon if we are not called to a case. I am seeing his mother and would like you to come with me. She will ask what type of underwear you are wearing, but it will be fun and you can help me walk the dogs."

Alex's eyes got big. "My underwear, what does visiting Dr. Mallard's mother have to do with my underwear?" Tony just laughed and shook his head. Alex shrugged her shoulders and said, "If I get to visit with that delightful Dr. Mallard again you have a deal and I will deal with letting his mother know what type of underwear I wear."

Tony stood up and took Alex's hand to take her from the table. "Oh my dear," he said in his best British accent, "you have no idea what an adventure this is going to be."

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

It was Friday late afternoon and Tony still had not talked to Gibbs about his class on Saturday. Since it started at 8am and lasted till 1pm he hoped Gibbs would at least let him stay till 10. Tony and Gibbs were the only ones left in the bullpen. Gibbs had sent Ziva and Tim home on time. Tony was working on weekly reports the SFA's had to complete.

"Hey Gibbs, can I ask you a question?"

"I think you just did DiNozzo."

"Yeah, listen I know that we are on call this weekend, but I have some where to be tomorrow morning from 8-1pm. I was wondering if I can be there with cell phone in hand for the on-call and I will be wherever you need me if you call me."

Gibbs looked at his SFA. Gibbs knew that things had been strained between them for a while. Gibbs was still working on getting his memory back completely, but he thought he remembered that he and his SFA had been closer than they were now but when he looked deeply he just couldn't remember. "What is so important that you can't be here DiNozzo?"

Tony took a deep breath. "Well, I am taking a class and it only lasts a few weeks. I would like to attend at least half of it tomorrow if at all possible."

Gibbs continued to look at Tony. Tony was finishing the last of his reports and printing them out. Gibbs didn't know that Tony wanted to finish up as he and Alex had their first date tonight and he didn't want to run late.

Gibbs took a deep breath and said, "Ok Tony, go to class, but check in with me on an hourly basis and come here after class. I know that we will have work to do even if it is on a cold case."

Tony smiled, got up went to the printer and took out the reports. He put them together and handed the folder to Gibbs. "Thanks Gibbs. I appreciate it. Just call me if you need me." Tony grabbed his gear and walked to the elevator saying goodnight to Gibbs.

As Gibbs watched Tony leave and checked the paperwork that DiNozzo had handed him, Gibbs realized two things: that Tony's paperwork was complete and perfect, and Tony still hadn't called him Boss since he returned from Mexico.

NCIS NCIS NCIS

A/N Ok, so I have the next adventure planned and I will include the date Friday night and at Ducky's. Will try to post in the next couple of days. Thanks again for all the kind reviews and remember if you see any mistakes they are mine, but let me know so I can go back and fix them.