~*~

"I’m sorry, boss." Tony stepped back out of his arms wiping his eyes. "I normally don’t lose it like that."

"It’s okay Tony," Gibbs walked into the kitchen and fixed a warm dishrag for Tony to wipe his face. "The situation just overwhelmed your senses."

Tony wiped his face, taking a deep breath. "Now what?"

"I’ve got McGee, Kate and Abby checking into things." Gibbs leaned up against the counter. "I’m going to leave you here with Lee, and go back to the office."

"Please don’t do anything without calling me," Tony ran his hand through Gibbs hair.

"I won’t," Gibbs took the hand and kissed his palm. "You go get some rest, she’s going to need you when she wakes up."

Tony smiled, as he grabbed Gibbs hand and pulled him out of the kitchen. "I know you can’t work miracles, boss." Tony turned and looked at Gibbs, "But…"

"I’ll do everything in my power to find him," Gibbs kissed Tony softly. "Now go be there when she wakes up." Gibbs walked to the door, turned gave Tony a deep kiss then turned and left.

Tony walked back into the bedroom. Lee was standing by the window looking out over the backyard. "I take it we’re at Gibbs's?"

"Yeah," Tony walked up and slipped his arms around her. "You wanna see the boat?" He asked trying to get her mind off everything.

She leaned back in his embrace, "Thanks for trying."

"I know there is nothing I can say to make you feel better. There’s nothing I can do to take the pain you're feeling. But I’m here for you, whatever you need." Tony whispered into her hair.

"Thank you," tears fell down her cheeks.

"Gibbs went back to the office," Tony said. "He’s going to find out what’s going on." Lee stayed quiet. "You can’t give up hope yet, he’s MIA. He could have just gotten lost out in that desert."

Lee cracked a sad smile, "You’re trying to tell me the military has the ability to lose units."

"Gibbs can never find his keys," Tony explained a small smile on his face.

Lee chuckled, "Thank you."

"For what?" Tony asked.

"Giving me hope," Lee turned in his arms taking Tony’s face in her hands. "I know if there is any information Gibbs will find it. He will either tell me how my husband died, or bring him home."

"Yes, he will." Tony took her hand and led her back to the bed. "Now get some sleep."

"I can’t," She sat down on the bed.

"How about I hold you?" Tony asked squatting down in front of her.

"Okay," Lee lay down; Tony curled up next to her cradling her in his arms. "I want him home."

"I know," Tony caressed her hair.

~*~

"Abbs, what do you have?" Gibbs walked into the lab where everyone was located.

"So far nothing." She looked over at Gibbs and quickly added, "But I’m working on it."

"We do know that it’s not just Colonel O'Neil. It's his whole unit that went missing," Kate informed Gibbs.

"You’re telling me a whole unit is missing," Gibbs walked up to Abby. "Abby, I want you to pull the unit’s history, Colonel O'Neil’s military records, and see if we can get a satellite feed of last known position."

"Boss?" McGee hesitated.

"Yes, McGee." Gibbs looked over at him, a patient look on his face.
"Should we be doing this? I mean isn’t this out of our jurisdiction?" McGee quickly asked.

"A missing Marine fits under NCIS," Gibbs informed him.

"But he is right Gibbs. I mean Lee is a friend, but we’re stepping on some series toes pulling this information." Kate countered Gibbs argument.

"Look," Gibbs took a deep breath. "Every day mothers, fathers, husbands, wives, sons, daughters, brothers and sisters are told their loved one isn’t coming home. They don’t know why, just that they died for their country. Colonel Rick O'Neil is missing, and if I can help one soldier return home then screw jurisdiction."

"And if we find out he’s dead," Kate asked.

"Then Lee will have closure," Gibbs walked out of the lab.

~*~

Tony picked up the phone, hoping it didn't wake Lee. She had finally gone back to sleep. "DiNozzo."

"Tony," Gibbs stated. "We may have a lead. I'm going to check it out. Stay with Lee, and I'll get back to you as soon as I can."

"Why do you sound so far away?" Tony asked very concerned.

"I'm getting ready to fly out," Gibbs answered honestly

"Fly out to where?" Tony demanded.

"Iraq," Gibbs stated. "I'll be back soon with Rick."

"Gibbs!" Tony voice cracked.

"I'll be careful," Gibbs's voice held repressed emotion.

"Just come home," Tony demanded. "If you don't I'm burning the boat."

Gibbs laughed, "How about Christmas in Georgia?"

"I'll hold you to it," Tony's voice softened. "I love you."

"And I you," Gibbs replied. "I have to go."

~*~

Gibbs looked out over the desert, wondering what possessed him to come back to this hellhole. 'Yeah that's right, something to do with the fact your lover's best friend is crying her eyes over her lost husband. And you would do anything to keep him happy. Face it Gibbs you're a sucker for redheads. Really need to get Tony to add highlights to his hair.'

"Agent Gibbs," The soldier looked over at the older man. "We are coming up to the town."

"Captain how do the US Marines loss a unit?" Gibbs asked the Marine assigned with the rescue operation.

"Colonel O'Neil's team went into the town on a recon mission," The Captain explained. "The town was suddenly overran by the enemy, causing us to lose contact. The Marine manning the situation became ill with the flu suddenly and had to be taken to the medic station, missing the distress signal. When his replacement came, he didn't look over the logs and it got buried. The unit was considered MIA because they hadn't reported in, and no one could reach them on the radios. They were assumed either killed or taken hostage. It wasn't until NCIS called that we discovered the call. Your satellite feed proved they were still in the town just hidden."

Gibbs looked at him, "And what are you going to do about this serious breach of protocol?"

"It's being investigated now as we speak," The Captain told him. "In truth sir, as tragic a mistake it is, it was a serious of small errors. No one person is at fault."

"Tell that to the wives and parents that got told their loved one was MIA," Gibbs growled out.

"Exactly how did NCIS get a hold of this case?" The Captain asked.

Gibbs just smiled at him, "We have our ways. And believe me, we will be doing our own investigation into this."

~*~

The two BlackHawks landed on the outskirts of the town. Gibbs followed closely to the Delta team assigned to go in and get the lost unit. The town was in shambles, barely any of the buildings still stood. The townsfolk were hungry and desolate. This was part of the war no one at home sees, they broken lives from a torn apart country.

The signal beacon led them directly to Colonel O'Neil. Delta set up perimeter while the small Marine unit went into the structure to rescue the unit. There were fifteen men in total; about half were wounded in various degrees. Colonel O'Neil lay in the back on a makeshift bed. Gibbs breath caught, "God please let him be alive." Gibbs kneeled down next to the Colonel.

"Colonel O'Neil," Gibbs looked down at the man. He smiled, it seems Tony and Lee have similar tastes. "I'm Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs with NCIS, we're here to get you and you're team out."

"NCIS?" Colonel O'Neil asked his brown eyes prominent with relief, but held a slight confusion.

"Navy Criminal Investigation Services." Gibbs explained as the medic prepped the Colonel for transport.

"And you're in the desert why?" Colonel O'Neil asked as they lifted him off the ground, heading for the waiting BlackHawk.

"We investigate crimes against Navy and Marine," Gibbs answered as he ran along.

The Colonel was set inside the chopper, "How is he?" Gibbs asked the medic.

"He'll be fine," The medic smiled. "Broken leg, and busted ribs. He's going home sir."

"That's good," Gibbs climbed aboard the BlackHawk settling in between the Colonel and a few of his men, whom were not seriously injured. "How many men did you loose?"

"Five," The Colonel stated. "When the town was attacked we bunkered down. It was the flying debris that did the most damage. So why exactly did they send NCIS to find us?" Colonel asked the million-dollar question.

"Not NCIS," Gibbs smiled at the Colonel. "You're wife."

Colonel O'Neil looked at Gibbs a smile on his face, "Sergeant! You owe me a case of scotch."

"I'll gladly pay for it sir," The Sergeant smiled at his commanding officer. "You're wife's got some connections."

"Actually, Agent Gibbs," O'Neil asked. "How does a history professor from Georgia know someone at NCIS?"

"Did Lee ever talk about an Anthony DiNozzo?" Gibbs asked.

"Yeah, all the time. I've tried looking for him, but anytime I would ask for information about him from her parents they clam up, on the pretense they have no idea who I'm talking about. Of course her parents don't like me very well so I'm not surprised" O'Neil smirked. "Something about an old Marine corrupting their innocent daughter."

Gibbs laughed, "Tony works for me."

"I'm still not finding the connection?" O'Neil asked.

"We were on a case, at Georgetown. Lee was there lecturing and saw Tony." Gibbs explained. "They've been inseparable since, I'm ready to hire her she's at the office so much."

"So you came all the way to Iraq, just for Lee?" O'Neil asked his eyes bore into Gibbs.

"Got to keep my team functioning at the best of its ability," Gibbs stated not flinching from O'Neil.

O'Neil raised his eyebrow as he studied Gibbs a smile graced his face, "I think we just became good friends, Special Agent Gibbs."

"That's good, because we're having Christmas in Georgia." Gibbs grinned at him.

O'Neil laughed, "Can I invite the in-laws? I would love to see their expressions when they see Tony."

"Then I would have to shot them, for making his life hell." Gibbs responded.

"Oh, please do," O'Neil, pleaded. Gibbs laughed a smile on his face.

~*~

"Have you heard anything?" Tony asked Abby.

"No," Abby tried not to glare at the agent, but it was the tenth time he asked in ten minutes.

"You'll…" Tony asked as he paced around the room.

"Yes!" She paused, "I'm sorry."

"I know I'm irritating you." Tony smiled at her. "I can't believe Gibbs went to Iraq alone, without back up."

"He had a Delta unit with him," Kate stated trying to calm the irate agent.

"It's not me," Tony ran his fingers through his hair frustrated. "And when he does show up, 'cause he will - I can't think about it if he doesn't. I can't be to happy to see him, because well, you know."

"That sucks," Abby shoulders slumped.

Lee walked into the lab, a small smile on her face, though it didn't reach her eyes. "So this is where everyone is."

"Lee," Ducky stepped forward. "What are you doing here?"

"I decided to get out for a while," She shrugged. "I was actually talking to the boat so I decided it would be best if I got out of the house before it started talking back."

"You didn't touch it did you?" Kate asked concerned.

"I'm not suicidal," Lee grinned. "Where is Gibbs anyway?"

The room went silent, everyone turned towards Tony. "What?" Tony asked.

"You didn't tell her?" Kate demanded.

"Tell me what?" Lee asked.

"I didn't think it would be a good idea," Tony glared at Kate.

"She has the right to know!" Kate glared back.

"Know what?" Lee asked again.

"Kate!" Tony's tone made Kate back off.

"Will someone explain to me what the hell is going on?" Lee's voice rose with a tone that usually shut a classroom up in a second. Still did, the lab went silent as everyone looked at her.

"That I have someone here to see you," Gibbs answered standing in the lab doorway.

Lee turned around; tears began to fall as she saw Rick standing behind Gibbs. She ran across the room and conscious of his broken leg, wrapped her arms around him and decided never to let go. Rick buried his head into her shoulder, whispering words of comfort, tears on his own cheeks. Kate sniffled as Abby handed her a tissue, crying herself.

Tony gave a watery smile to Gibbs, the two communicated with their eyes. "Boss."

"DiNozzo," Gibbs grinned.

"Welcome home," Tony smiled. His smile faded, "If you ever do that again…"

"You have any other childhood friends who are married to a Marine that needs to be rescued?" Gibbs asked a smirk on the edge of his lips.

Tony thought about it for a second, "No."

"Then I won't need to," Gibbs looked around the room only seeing friends and family, pulled Tony into his arms. "I was selfish, I need you." He whispered in Tony's ear. "And you need her in your life and she needs him."

Tony held him tight, "I don’t care what the situation is, next time I'm going with you."

"So this is Anthony DiNozzo," Rick's voice called from across the room. He limped across the lab, with Lee's help. "I've heard so much about you, it's finally nice to meet you."

"Same here," Tony stepped out of Gibbs's arms. "Should I call you Colonel?"

"Rick's fine," Rick smiled at the man. "So Christmas in Georgia?"

"No in-laws right?" Tony smiled faded as he looked over at Lee.

"Like I would invite my parents," Lee laughed. "Though it could be fun…" An evil gleam in her eyes.

Both men frowned, "LEE!"

She paused looking at both of them, "Okay, this is bad. You two are teaming up against me."

"You better believe it," Both stated then looked at each other.

Lee turned to Gibbs, "Help?"

"Got anymore secrets about Tony?" Gibbs smiled at her.

"Oh YEAH!" She smirked at Tony.

"Boss?" Tony turned to Gibbs. "That's not fair."

"All's fair in love and war, Anthony." Ducky smiled at the two couples.

~*~

"So Lee and Rick on their way back home?" Gibbs asked as he got ready for bed.

"Yeah," Tony sighed. "It was nice finally meeting him, even though the circumstances could have been better."

"I'm just glad I was able to do something," Gibbs crawled into bed.

"You scared me, Jethro." Tony looked at him. "I was afraid of loosing you, just when I got you."

"I'm here, Tony. I'm home." Gibbs pulled the man into a passionate kiss. "And I don't plan on leaving soon."

Tony pushed Gibbs into the bed, "That's right, because I'm tying you to this bed for at least the weekend."

"And what makes you think you can get away with that?" Gibbs thrust, up his groin brushing against Tony's, who moaned in pleasure.

"I'm under orders," Tony's hand played with Gibbs's nipples.

"From who?" Gibbs moaned at the touch.

"Colonel O'Neil," He grinned as he lowered his head and licked a path down Gibbs's chest.

"Rick gave you orders to tie me up to the bed and fuck me senseless?" Gibbs asked a bit astonished.

"No the real Colonel," Tony grinned from his position farther down the bed.

"Then you better follow those orders," Gibbs hand found it's way into Tony's hair. "You ever think of red highlights?"

Tony grinned, "Where exactly would you like to see them?"

Gibbs groaned at the thought alone, "Tony…don't you have some orders to follow?"

Gibbs threw his head back and moaned as Tony did just that. Gibbs really did love redheads; they were always so…by the time Tony was done Gibbs had forgotten his name let alone anything about redheads.