Disclaimer: Not mine, but all mistakes are.

A/N: Well, there are no words I can say, or reasons I can give for not updating this. School, work, life, they just do their own thing and we can't stop it. All I can do is apologize from the bottom of my heart for not getting this up sooner. I hope you enjoy this next chapter!

Gibbs, Tony, and Ziva were all in the squad room, sitting at their respective desks. None of them really knew what to do. Jack was still up talking with Vance, while Tim had taken Daniel down to autopsy. Jack didn't want Daniel to go down there, he said that since he had identified the body there was no reason for him to see it. But Daniel had insisted. With no Daniel the team had nothing they could research.

"So." Tony drawled out as he stared at Gibbs. Ziva also watched Gibbs as their boss calmly sat at his desk, going through paperwork. After a few moments of silence he looked up at his agents.

"What?" Gibbs asked with his annoyed voice.

Tony and Ziva shared a look before Tony took a deep breath and asked, "Just wondering why you decided to go along with this boss?" Gibbs glared long enough to make both of them start to squirm.

"He was a Marine. It's what we do. A little help, every now and then, won't kill us." With that Gibbs went back to rearranging the papers on his desk. Tony and Ziva got the hint and did the same.

Five minutes later the front elevator dinged and two men in green BDUs stepped off, escorted by an agent. As they came into the bullpen the agent addressed Agent Gibbs, "These men are here to see you Agent Gibbs."

"Thank you Agent Nielsen." Gibbs got up and came around his desk to stand in front of the men. They stood between the divider that separated the walkway and the bullpen. The two men stood straight, one holding a box, and the other had what looked to be a computer bag. "What can I do for you gentleman?" Gibbs asked. Before either could answer Jack came walking down the stairs.

"Colonel, Major glad you could make it." Jack said as he strolled in front of the men.

"Yes Sir." They both exclaimed as they saluted him. Jack just rolled his eyes and gave a sloppy two finger salute back as he said, "At ease." The men relaxed into parade rest as much as possible still holding their items. "Agent Gibbs, DiNozzo, David, I'd like to introduce you to Colonel Reynolds, and Major Towen. They will be here with you for as long as Daniel is here." Jack stopped and waited for the explosion. He didn't have to wait long.

"Excuse me? I said we'd work with Doctor Jackson. That's it. No one else." Gibbs had a fire in his eye that would make most men melt into the floor. Jack was not most people. He didn't even flinch as he stared right back into Gibbs' eyes.

"You said you would work this case with Daniels help. These men are not here to get in the way. They are here to watch Daniel."

"Why?"

"If you think I'm letting our most valuable person go out on a field trip, with people I don't know, you're out of your mind. I don't care if you people are Federal Agents. Daniel doesn't go anywhere without an escort."

"Didn't see him with one yesterday."

"Yeah, well, if I could assign him one while he's on vacation I would. But that really wouldn't go over well." Jack was getting frustrated. "Will you just let them stay? They have orders to blend into the background."

Gibbs was starting to regret his decision, but wanted to catch whoever thought killing a marine was a good idea. "Fine." He said with a sigh. "But they don't get in the way."

"Nope, no getting in the way. Right boys?" Jack asked turning to Reynolds and Towen.

"Yes Sir. No getting in the way." Reynolds replied with a grin.

"See?" Jack smiled at Gibbs. "Look they have orders to do whatever Daniel needs them to do, but they will follow your orders too. To an extent, of course."

"Of course." Gibbs huffed.

Jack clapped and then rubbed his hands together, "Good that's settled. I have a meeting with Henry that I got to get to. You boys, and girl, play nice now. I'll, hopefully, be back later tonight." Jack looked right at Reynolds and added, "Good luck." As he patted his shoulder.

Reynolds closed his eyes as he said, "Sir. Doctor Jackson does know we're here. Right?" He opened them to see Jack wince as he took a step closer to the elevator.

"Well, you see," At that moment Jacks phone started to ring. "Excuse me."

"Oh boy." Towen said as he and Reynolds shook their heads.

"Yes Sir, I'm leaving right now. Yes Sir, see you soon. Bye." Jack hung up the phone and took a step backwards, wanting the safety of the elevator. "That was Henry. Really got to go. He's getting antsy. Talk with you soon." Smiling he took off for doors that would give him cover from the ensuing drama that was soon to unfold.

"Sir!" Reynolds tried one more time, knowing it was already to late. The ding of the doors had announced the arrival of Jacks chariot. "Well, this should be fun." He said with a humorless smile as he turned to Gibbs.

"I take it Doctor Jackson won't appreciate why you're here?" Gibbs asked while heading back to his desk.

"Um, no. No he won't." Both men sighed as the back elevator opened and Daniel and Tim came into the bullpen. Daniel stopped when he saw them, Tim looked at Daniel confused.

"Reynolds, Towen. What's up?" Daniel asked with a look that said, 'you better be here to drop stuff and run'.

"Hello Doctor Jackson. We brought the information you needed about Captain Johnston. We'll be here to help out with whatever you need Sir." Reynolds said trying to make it sound like there was nothing wrong, that there would be no reason for Daniel to tell them to hit the road.

"So you're here to do what I tell you to?" Daniel asked too politely.

'Dang, why's he so smart' Reynolds thought before answering, "Yes Sir, within reason, of course."

"Right. Well, thank you Colonel, Major, I think we can handle it from here. You're dismissed." Daniel said as he took the box from Reynolds and walked over to Tim's desk. The rest of the team stared at Daniel like he had lost his mind. Daniel looked up as the two men stood there. "You can go now Colonel." He said with an edge this time.

"Sorry Sir. While our orders are to follow your orders, the Generals orders over ride yours." Reynolds actually looked apologetic as he said this.

Daniel sighed as he sat down in the chair Tim had added to the end of his desk. "Jack said I couldn't order you to go away, didn't he?"

"Got it in one Doctor J." Towen replied with a grin.

"Darn that man." Daniel whispered to himself. He knew arguing wouldn't get him anywhere, and after seeing what he just saw in autopsy, he didn't have it in him to fight. "Well don't just stand there, help me split this stuff up for everyone."

With that Daniel, Reynolds, and Towen got Captain Johnston's blacked out files split among the team. Towen had Daniels computer and asked Tim where he could plug it in. Once everyone was set with files, they all got to work.

A/N: Thanks for reading. Hope you all liked it. I will endeavor to keep posting. I hated to leave it hanging for two years but life had other ideas.