Tony sat down with another beer and began to question McGee about his relationship with Abby, " So Probie, I heard you slept in the coffin last week, pretty hinky huh?". McGee shot Tony a look that said don't even go there, he was embarressed enough that Special Agent Gibbs knew that, but now Tony, he'd never hear the end of this! Tony glanced around the room, the bar was half empty apart from a big group of guys making a rucious around several pool tables, " Honestly why are marines soooo damn- HOT!", just then a young girl emerged from the crowd of marines. The girl had mid length brown hair, was about 5"5 about 19 and was the prettiest girl DiNozzo had seen in a long time -he felt his heart beat faster, if only he had the courage to go and speak to her, but he didn't like the idea of embarresing himself infront of a dozen marines, he began to feel like a teenager again - getting butterflies in his stomach. NO WAY. Tony turned to McGee who was also admiring the girl only a bit more obviously than Tony was - bulging eyes and jaw about hitting the floor. WACK - "oowww, DiNozzo, what was that for?" Tony had smacked McGee around the back of the head, the way Gibbs did. Tony didn't need to answer though, McGee knew that with Tony around he wouldn't have a chance with any girl.

They watched as the girl walked over to the bar... " Hey Jimmy, long time huh? Just finished up in Iraq and i'm home for 7 months". The barman started pouring drinks and carried on chatting away to her. DiNozzo thought heres my chance while she's on her own, he downs the rest of pint, straightings up his shirt and tie and strolls over to the bar -"....You can come join us tomorrow if you want, we are just gonna chill out and do a bit of target shooting and stuff, it'l be good fun", the barman considered it for a moment as the girl began to turn and walk away " 1pm - at Mackies yeah?". " Yeap see you there Jimmy!"

She took a couple of drinks back to the guys she was with and come back to get the rest - as she approached she saw Tony, she had been eyeing him all night from between the crowd she was with - WOW, Jo had always hahd a thing for older men - she knew exactly how to get what she wanted.

"Hey there gorgeous!", The girl said, Tony didn't know what to say, he was always the one who did the chatting up, " Hey". "I'm Jo by the way", " Tony, nice to meet you". Oh man he thought, he was melting just staring into her big, soft brown eyes. " Can I get you and your friend a drink?", "I'm ok thanks". Tony relaxed a little - " You know you've got the prettiest eyes?! Are you with any of those guys", Jo laughed in a polite, cheeky kind of manner " Several, only kidding, I work with these guys, there more like brothers, and what's it got to do with you who i'm with?", She wasn't serious in the way she said this, it was more of a flirtious, joking sort of way. " And anyway thats a bit forward for justing meeting someone,, or do you do this to all the girls?!" Tony began to smile, " Just curious thats all." Jo looked at her watch and gasped, "Sorry, I got to go - long way to travel".

"It's a pity huh, well you know what..." She paused and reached across and kissed him on the cheek,this was her own way of playing the game. " It was nice meeting you Tony, I might see you around some time - I hope, Bye", Tony was shocked he had no idea what to do or say, he watched her walk away and started asking himself why he hadn't asked for her number, she stoped for a second and looked back at him, she gave a cute wink and carried on walking.He was hooked he'd have to see her again but how?? ....

She returned to the group she was with and recieved a couple of pats on the back - "Pretty slick there Kid", as she moved into the crowd, "Well if one of you aren't going to hit on him, then why shouldn't I?", They all let out a laugh, they knew Jo well enough to know that she was winding them up! " Anyway i'm gonna leave you girls to it, I'm heading to my uncles don't want to get back too late", " OK, well we'll see you tomorrow". Jo waved bye to the guys and gave Tony (who was telling all about his encounter to McGee) another wink, and then she was gone.

"Well Gibbs, you've pissed the FBI off, you really are a b...", " Bastard?", " Well yeah". Gibbs was working on his boat in the basement drinking with FBI agent Tobias Fornell, they had pissed each other off on several occasions. Gibbs remembers the first time they met on Air Force One - He smirked he really was a bastard. Ever since then, Gibbs and Fornell had worked mutually on several cases- normally ending up with them drinking in Gibbs basement, tonight was one of those nights.

"So Tobias, at least we caught him" Gibbs said.

"Caught who?", standing at the top of the stairs was Jo (with a big grin on her face), Gibbs niece.

"Hey kid" - both Tobias and Jethro said at the same time as she made her way down the stairs to give her a uncle a hug. She moved over to Tobias and he reached out to shack her hand, but she pulled him closer for a hug, Jo had always gotten along with Tobias - better than her Uncle anyway. He sat back down on his stool and took another drink. "It's been a long time Tobias. What are you two doing down here? Don't tell me your building a boat in your basement now?", Jo liked to make fun of them on occasions, she never crossed the line by taking a joke to far, she respected these two men too much.

Fornell let out a laugh and shook his head, " No, not yet, but you'll be the first to know"! Tobias swallowed the last mouthful of brownish liquid in his glass and stood up and reached for his jacket- " I better leave you two to catch up, the missues'll be wondering where I am, I'll see you for the conference next week Gibbs - We'll have to catch up soon kid, Night", Jo and Jethro said there goodbyes to Tobias and sat down at opposite ends of the boat.

"How've you been then?" Jo asked, this was always the first question that was asked after she had been away with the core for months on end - this time they had to catch up on 6 months of stories. Jethro gotup and reached for a bottle "Where do I start??", he handed a Jo a glass with a clear liquid in it and then he sat back down, Jo took a swig, "From the beginning Jethro". They stayed there, working on the boat until the early hours of the morning swappping stories.


....Tony had just got home, he couldn't get Jo out of his head and had walked around for hours after he had left McGee. He fell on to his bed, he was exhausted - what a long day, but with a near perfect end, except he had come home alone - but that didn't seem to bother him not tonight! He managed to find the energy to stand up and empty his pockets onto the bedside table... he felt in his jacket pocket and pulled out some change and a crumpled bit a paper, I didn't put that in there he thought. He put his jacket down and sat on the edge of the bed, he unfolded the piece of paper to reveal a small and neat handwriting. Written on the paper was a name and a phone number;

Jo
07893243568 x

Tony smiled, she was like him a flirt, that was sly - he sat for a while staring at the words written on the paper. He put the paper carefully down and smiled to himself. He switched off the light and got into bed, the only thing he knew for now was he felt like he had never felt before and the ball was in his court - it was his move.

Jo woke up to the smell of coffee that was circulating the house - Home Sweet Home she thought. She got up and headed down to the kitchen where Jethro stood with his usual mug of coffee - like every morning the statement was the same at this time- "How can you drink that stuff at this time in the morning?!! It's 6am" and always Jethros reply was the same " Easy.... Practise". They both laughed as Jo grabbed a coffe mug and began to pour the smooth brown liquid into it. Jo was the same as Jethro, she needed a coffee to do almost everything.

They chatted for a while over some toast and another mug of coffee, about what they both had planned for the day. Jethro was going to work and having a meeting with his director and wouldn't be back till 6pm. Jo was sorting some stuff out in the morning catching up with some navy stuff and the heading to Mackies- the nearby shooting range with 2 of her closest core buddies.

Jethro stood up and gave Jo a kiss on the cheek and left for work. Jo showered and dressed and spent most of the morning on the phone to Quantico, Norfolk and Gitmo - being in the core wasn't as simple as going abroad and coming back , there was always paperwork to do.

At about 12 Jo left the house and got in her car, when she felt her phone vibrate in her pocket - she had a text message from some random number, it read;

Hey there r u free on Friday? ;) Tony x

She went to reply but stopped, she didn't want him to think she was too keen, leave it an hour - let him sweat.

She arrived at Mackies at 1.15, She was last to arrive. "What kept you this time?", her two friends asked. The usual reply " Just making an entrance!".

They went into the range chatting about the day ahead and decided on loser buys dinner. After about an hour of non moving targets Jo was in the lead. She pulled out her phone as they walked to the next court, and replyed to the earlier message;

Hey there Tony, how r u? I'll have to get back 2 u about Friday, what do u have planned? Jo x

They finished up at the range at about 5pm and headed to the local Chinise where the loser Bobby paid for dinner. They got back to Jos when she felt another vibrating in her pocket;

Hey, I wanted it to be a suprise.Tony x

Jo replied;

Sounds 2 me like u don'tno yet? but I like surprises Jo x

half an hour later Jo recieves another message;

So ur gonna come then? How about 1pm? Tony x

The phone rings making Jo jump, she chats away for a couple of minutes. Was just Jethro he's on his way back" Across the table Leo and Bobby were laughing " You really thought that guy in the bar would call didn't you?" Jo smirked they sometimes knew better but in this case she'd sit there and be smug and not say anything, she'd show them!

She picked up her phone and replyed to Tony;

Yeah i'm coming on Friday, can't turn down a surprise now can I? Give me a text with a place when uve decided on one and i'll c u there, speak 2 u soon Jo xx