He walked into the bullpen with his usual confident stride. coffee in hand. He looked at his team, they were laughing.........well Ziva was, Tony was smirking and Tim, he had a shocked expression on his face. He watched as DiNozzo hurriedly slipped something into his drawer.
"Boss you're early." he spluttered. As Gibbs raised an eyebrow, starred, no glowered at Tony and sat down.
"he means you're earlier than you usually are." Ziva answered.
"They mean..........." as Tim now added.
"Why I'm here earlier than I should be?" now looking at the clock. It read 07.25."Car’s in for a service. Could ask you all the same question?" now using his best interrogative face and eyes.
"I had trouble sleeping...........summer heat." Ziva replied.
"It's her hormones Boss, hot sweats. I had a dodgy suchi last night thought better in here than at home...........no Boss" Tony questioned.
"Nope." Gibbs replied. "Tim?" now looking at his third agent.
"I.....I.....I just had to finish that programme you wanted me to run." wondering if he was the only one telling the truth, or should that be the only one with a genuine excuse.
“Agent Gibbs……….my office now.” he heard the Director shout. He turned and saw Jennifer Shepard standing at the top of the stair. She had a strange smile on her face and a glint in her eye. He stood and walking to the foot of the steps, began to climb two at a time.
“Jen?” he asked.
“Director Shepard……………will do Agent Gibbs.” he knew this was serious, as she turned and walked to her office. He followed her into the room and closed the door behind him.
“Jethro?” she asked from a sitting position behind her desk. “Is there something you would like to share regarding your past………shall we say .career.” she spluttered.
“Nope. Should there be Director?” now wondering if his fly was open. EvenCynthia had looked him up and down before grinning.
“I mean in your past…….career?”the emphasis on career.
“Nope, as said, you know I was in the Marines……..a Gunnery Sergeant.”
“I mean in your personal past ………life?” Jen now enquired.
“Nope……. should there be?”
“If I said 1986, would that help?” Director Sheperd asked.
“1986? I had just returned from Italy…….. a Staff Sergeant. Shannon and I were in Lejeune for six months before going to Camp Pendleton for a time.”Gibbs now answered.
“Well if you do remember anything Jethro……….I am here if you need to talk.”
“Will that be all Director?” Gibbs now questioned back.
“At present Agent Gibbs.” Jen smiled placing her glasses back on to her nose and looking down at some paperwork. Gibbs looked at her, he wasn’t sure but he thought he saw her shoulders shake and she seemed to stifle a laugh. It came out a cough. He shook his head as he left the room and shut the door. He looked at Cynthia, who smiled a sly smile.
Gibbs stood at the top of the stairs looking down at his team. They were poured over something. It looked like a magazine. He took his phone from his pocket and dialled his desk phone. Ziva moved to answer. He looked down at the desk. He saw enough, before he saw DiNozzo grab the magazine and place in his drawer.
He walked down the stair and sat at his desk, he watched as the others of his team pretended to work.
Gibbs rose, “Going for coffee.” as he left the bullpen.
****
He wondered how it had got out. He really needed to find out. Who could he ask for a copy? Come to think of it who could have given them a copy? His immediate reaction was Hollis. No she wouldn’t do that to him……….could she. It had to be someone Military. The magazine………“Military Might (if asked nicely.)” It was the magazine for bored wives of the forces. They would send in pictures of their boyfriends, husbands, if they could get away with it. Every month a full centrefold of some guy in a pair of skimpy trunks. Rank and where they were stationed. They were the “Hunk in a Bunk.” But sometimes the ranks would get a copy. Oh yes he remembered the summer of ’86.
****
Flashback:- summer of ‘86
“Gibbs please. It’s for a good cause.”
“No Shannon……….no and that’s my last word on the subject.”
“What if it was Kelly?”
“Don’t Shannon……….it’s not….she’s healthy.”
“But what if…………….”
They had argued most of the night. It wasn’t as if anyone would ever find out. No-one is going to know. It’s a bit of fun. Charity.
A boy, of one of the Corporals based in Quantico, he had a life threatening illness. Needed ground-breaking treatment. It was a risk…….even if he died, the medical profession would know more. A circular went round the Marine and Naval Bases. A “Mr Universe” type pageant. Each base would have a contest and then the short listed winners would do a spread for the magazine and the readers vote.
He had been persuaded to do.
“I feel silly” Gibbs had said.
“Jethro……..you have a Mediterranean tan, you have the sexiest smile and body, you will win hands down.”
He had. Well, in the last three at Lajeune. Now the hard work. There were twelve bodies……so to speak. Navy, Army, Air-force and Marines. The public now voted. The September 1986 “Hunk in a Bunk” went to one Staff Sergeant Leroy Jethro Gibbs.
He still had that magazine somewhere.
****
Present day.
He needed someone to get a copy of the latest Magazine. Who could he ask? He needn’t have worried. In the mail box lay a A4 brown envelope. He picked it up, and turned it over. No return address. Address typed. Post mark Hawaii. Hollis. He tore open the envelope. A note fell out.
“Jethro, I hope you are well. I thought you’d better see this. Yes I laughed. The supplement……..you’ll find out your true friends…or should that be enemies. As much as I would like to kiss and tell, I won’t……see inside front cover.”
He opened and the supplement fell out “30yrs of Military Hard-wear. Hunk in a Bunk. Where are they now?” The article went on to say, tell us where our hunks are now and what are they doing and do they still look as good? He now knew, what was so amusing.
****
“Well, what do you think?” Abby questioned the others.
“I think it would be the worst thing we ever did, or could do.” McGee had replied.
“But think of it as revenge…”Tony had answered, thinking of all the head slaps.
“I will not do……..it is so wrong.” Ziva butted in.
“As Agent Gibbs’ Superior Officer, and Director of NCIS………I would say not a good idea.” Jen now added.
****
“Duks, what am I to do?” Gibbs asked, sitting on the autopsy table swinging his legs back and forward like a small child.
“You looked so cool……..or should I say cold………or should I just go before the conversation heats up?” Jimmy asked as he looked at Dr Mallard and Agent Gibbs.
“Come clean Jethro. Call their bluff.. Get Jen to hold an office conference. Write to the Editor…….explain the situation. Tell them why you took part initially. Tell then they died and this is opening old wounds. Hopefully someone might have compassion…Jethro, I can’t suggest anymore.” as he looked Gibbs in the eye. He went to find the Director.
****
The NCIS conference room was packed. The audience anticipating everything and nothing. Director Shepard entered the room and stepped up on to the emporium, followed by one Special Agent Gibbs, who was looking decidedly nervous. He could hear whispering and he saw out the corner of his eye his team. They were smiling. Gibbs stood behind the Director, waiting. Jen raised her hand for silence.
“Thank you for attending. You may be wondering what this is all about. It has come to my attention that a certain Forces magazine has been circulating this building. This magazine has produced a supplement…..and lets just say it contains a couple of photographs of one of your co-workers…….” there was a stifled cough or was it a laugh from the back of the room. Director Shepard shot a glare in the direction of the noise. “As I was saying, or going to say Agent Gibbs would like to say a few words.”
“Bet he would.” a voice shouted from the back of the room.
“I’ll see you in my office, in 15minutes Agent Smithe.”
Gibbs moved forward and began to talk. He explained about the little boy. He told how Shannon had persuaded him to take part. He tried to explain that he had never for one moment thought it would have come to this. He had written to the magazine Editor and had explained his actions and hoped any photographs would not be printed.
He could only wait.
****
As was expected the magazine, and it’s contents were a 3 day wonder. It was the guy in the next team…..and well did you or could you, really do that……I mean from a standing position ……….with a loofah.
Tony had remarked, “In some states that would be illegal.”
Gibbs? He just carried on quietly working. The team went on a case or two.
He waited for some reaction to his letter. A month passed and a brown envelope was delivered to his desk. He slit it open, and the next months magazine was inside. He pulled it out. His team sat staring. A piece of paper fell from the pages. Gibbs read and smiled.
“Something interesting Boss?” Tony had enquired.
“Want a look DiNozzo, be my quest.” as he walked over and placed it on the desk “Pages 56-58.”
As Tony turned the pages, Ziva and Tim joined him, looking over Tony’s shoulder, they saw some photographs. Some of the sights were eye boggling to say the least. Some “Hunks” had turned in “Hunks” alright, over-weight and balding. There was one silhouette photograph.
The wording underneath said “Staff Sergeant Gibbs, September 1986. Gunnery Sergeant Gibbs (as he was when he retired), wrote to say that as a Government Agent it would deem unsuitable, that a current picture were published, due to the nature of his work. We respect his anonymity.”
“So Boss………alls well that ends well.” McGee had said as he looked up and saw the Gibbs smile. From the top of the stair Director Shepard just looked down at the Team. Yes all was well………..except for the magazine and some pictures she had still hidden. She continued to watch as the phone rang.
“Yep Gibbs…………….Grab your gear……we got a body in a bath………and yes there is a loofah, DiNozzo.” as they headed for the elevator.
Author's Chapter Notes:
There is a Forces magazine doing the rounds of NCIS, and a certain Gunnery Sergeant Gibbs was in a Mr Universetype pageant.