Warning: I guess this story wouldn't be complete without me offending someone. This time it is Thom E. Gemcity so if you are a McGee fan my recommendation would be not to read this chapter

A/N Well here we go with the epilogue and with abject apologies for taking so long posting it. Real life has been hectic for me and for my trusty Beta Arress. Speaking of which her contribution to this and the previous story cannot be overestimated. As per usual any boo boos are my bad. Thank-you to all that have reviewed, followed and placed this on your favourites list. Thanks especially for everyone who welcomed Ceinwen so warmly :) Knowing that she has been so well received has made the decision to write more in this 'verse sometime in the future an easy one. I have attempted to wrap up loose ends as much as possible but I have deliberately left two gaping plot holes open, one where Gibbs and Tony are confronted with Ziva at some point in the future. The second plot is outlined in this epilogue.

Finally, some responses to questions posed by readers. Yes Tony was in collusion with Carter re the emails exchanged with Mr Gemcity and no he won't discover that fact at this point in time. Some of you were confused about the significance of the jar of crushed walnuts. I think that by the end of the story you will understand the implications. If not PM me :) Last but not least someone requested a follow up five years in the future and I admit that I had so much fun writing this one that I was intrigued by the possibilities. I have written several chapters but I'm not sure if I will be posting the piece before writing and posting the two stories I mentioned previously. Thanks for all the support and I hope that you enjoy this last chapter.

What a Difference a Year Makes: 8760 Little Hours

Chapter 11 Epilogue

From: Carter Johnson carterjohnson

To: Thom E. Gemcity thomegemcity

What'sup Thom E?

Know you like to join in the debate on casting so just to let you know the latest, producers have been workshopping ideas about L. J. Tibbs. John Lithgow does freakin scary messianic complexes extremely well, Harrison Ford plays tough, silent emotional cripples with one hand tied behind his back but the current thinking is that we kinda like Richard Dean Anderson for the role. We think that RDA would be excellent for the role since you clearly modelled quite a bit of Tibbs' persona on the popular SC1 character Colonel Jack O'Neill.

The sarcastic catch phrase "Ya think?" was kind of a give-away, along with the embitterment due to the tragic loss of his young child and the uncompromising ethos of never leaving a team member behind but we think it's a bit too similar, so we'll play around with the Tibbs character a bit. Perhaps he could say "No kidding, Goosey," instead. And maybe he could have suffered the tragic loss of a twin brother instead of a wife and daughter.

Well that's the state of play at the present time.

Cheers and all that…

Carter Johnson

Reality Illusions Production Co

From: Thom E. Gemcity thomegemcity

To: Carter Johnson carterjohnson

no, carter, no…no…no,

l.j. tibbs is not modelled on some fictional character from a sci-fi show. he really has lost a daughter and wife in tragic circumstances and as a marine reservist firmly believes that you don't leave anyone behind. any resemblance to a fictional character is coincidental and unintended.

Have you thought any more about adam sandler to play agent tommy?

regards

thom e. gemcity

What a Difference a Year Makes

As Susan and Tony discussed setting up a time to meet along with Jimmy and Faith to nut out all the details about how to set up the foundation, Ceinwen popped her head into the study to see if everything was okay. Susan watched Tony's goofy besotted looked when he noticed the publicist and smirked cynically. Ah, the wonders of oxytocin!

"Is everything ok, Babe? Was thinking of cranking the coffee machine up for a last round of coffee cuz a few of them are a little tired," She grinned using air quotes when she said tired.

Smiling at Susan's confused look he explained. "Tired," He chuckled using the air quotes gesture, "Is a Hollywood euphemism for drunk too much or stoned off your face, although in this case she's referring to them having too much alcohol. Note to self, don't let Jimmy loose with the liquor next time," He finished with a wry grin.

Turning to Ceinwen he smiled at her. "Yeah, all's good here, Lovely. Doc holds her liquor pretty well, but she has something on her mind," he finished regarding her intently.

Susan shook her head, remembering that he was highly skilled at reading people which had made him such a damn good agent. "I just wanted to bring you up to speed about your stalker/profiler, Kristina Ferguson from Philly."

She was a little concerned about his reaction though. "Faith and I have been doing some digging and it seems you're not the only one, Tony, although I can't tell you if you were her first or not. She stalked at least two other guys, an agent and a cop, and they both bear a striking resemblance to you. Like you, they both complained about her, but she's got some friends in pretty high places and nothing came of them either."

He shrugged not too surprised. "I told you that already, so can't say that I'm shocked, Doc."

"Perhaps not, but I would really like to know if you were the original object of her obsession or were you just a replacement for the first guy she fixated on. The trouble is that we haven't really been able to find out, but it's important. I did have a word in the ear of the Powers-That-Be at the BAU and they launched an investigation into her behaviour. When she got wind of it, though, her friends swung into gear and whisked her away to be admitted to a private clinic for exhaustion and that effectively prevented her being questioned. At least for the moment," She countered.

Tony and Ceinwen shared frustrated looks and Susan explained hurriedly. "Exhaustion is a euphemism in our trade for a psychotic break or depression. And so they pretty much stalled the investigation, but my buddies at the BAU have promised that she won't ever work as a profiler in the unit again, but it's not enough."

Tony grinned wryly. "She's a slippery little sucker."

Susan was less pragmatic. "Have you still got any cop contacts that might be able to find out about if you were her first target or not?" She had a feeling this piece of information might be crucial.

He thought about it. "Yeah, I can find out. Shouldn't be too difficult… Grace will probably be happy to poke around if I ask."

Susan nodded. "I also didn't have a whole lot of success with the Psychologists Registration Board. Since all the complaints have been 'disappeared' and there isn't anything proven, i.e. no charges filed, they won't yank her registration. I'm so sorry, Tony."

He looked at her body language, her dispirited tone and her downcast eyes and recognised that she felt that she'd let him down. Having experienced that particular feeling far too many times in his life, he knew how it sucked and he didn't want to be responsible for her feeling that way. "Hey, Doc, don't beat yourself up over it. You did good, but it's like I said at the outset, she has some pretty influential people in her corner to clean up her messes."

The psychologist looked at him trying to see if he was just trying to make her feel better, because if she was in his place she'd be furious that Ferguson had gotten away with her crap. He smiled and she remembered that he was an excellent actor so she turned to the Hollywood publicist to gauge her response, which might reveal more about how he was feeling, too. The younger woman looked frustrated but sympathetic and Susan decided that they didn't hate her, even though she'd failed to get his crazy stalker off the streets, and she knew that while Tony was a very experienced investigator, she still needed to point out that he should be taking precautions. It's easy to miss important details when it's your own personal problems.

"Perhaps I don't need to point this out to you, but just in case, you need to watch out for her. Especially if you were the original point of her obsession and not a clone because I think she could be dangerous. Faith and I have stirred all this up and instigated investigations, but she could easily blame you for it." She warned them earnestly before something disturbing occurred to her.

Looking over at Ceinwen she warned. "Even if Tony wasn't the catalyst for all this stalking behaviour, even if us causing her grief as she sees it doesn't set her off, as Tony's profile increases as an actor, she is bound to notice him and put the pieces together about Anthony Paddington being Anthony DiNozzo. When Kristina makes the connection that they are one and the same person, it is highly probable that she'll stalk him again." Susan looked at them both seriously, "And, she's also likely to see anyone that thwarts her ability to be reunited with you as a threat. You might want to beef up your security, Tony, and keep in mind that she could easily come after Ceinwen."

What a Difference a Year Makes

Tony was making the rounds of his friends assessing their sobriety as Ceinwen and Susan doled out the coffee to the group. Balboa had drunk in moderation since his team was second back up for the weekend and technically could be called in if the on call team was unable to function for any reason. Jimmy was, to be blunt, three sheets to the wind and Cassie was definitely tipsy. Nikki was questionable, but she had arrived with Rocky so he would get her home in one piece. Faith was fine… she was well under the limit, even if she looked like she could do with a damn good sleep and some decent food.

So that left Jimmy and Cassie whose car keys he had to acquire with his Fagin-esque talents while Susan and Ceinwen watched on with admiration and Rocky tried not to give the game away by giggling like a school girl. Once Tony had secured their car keys, pleased that his pick pocketing skills had remained intact, he breathed easier. Now he could relax, safe in the knowledge that they couldn't slip off unnoticed and get behind the wheel of their cars.

Turning to other matters, he distributed an invitation to everyone present for the Inaugural Black Tie Fundraising Dinner for the Carlie Weber Foundation in three weeks. Ceinwen had used her influence and, much to Jimmy's excitement, she had secured the services of celebrity medico, Dr. Kiwi, to be MC, while Mrs. Morrow's musical protégés had all agreed to play, too. Tony, after some friendly inducement, had grudgingly agreed to perform, but not on the piano. He consented to sing a song and play guitar because he preferred to play piano for his own pleasure. Performing brought up too many memories he preferred to keep well buried. His guitar, though, was something he took up when he went away to school and had no bad memories associated his much loved old Gibson, and wasn't that ironic. Although he loved to play his newest baby, too, a beautifully handcrafted Australian made Maton guitar.

They were also working hard using the publicist's contacts to have a parade of 'celebrities' in attendance, including anyone currently hawking a new book deal or promoting a new album or movie. And there was the so-called cult of the celebrity – the reality stars that would turn up to the opening of packet of cookies if it meant they got publicity. Tony smirked as he instructed the DiNozzo support group that their services were required to assist him with hosting duties and grinned at their excitement at rubbing shoulders with a bunch of celebrities.

Calling cabs to take Jimmy and Cassie home, Tony told them that he'd release their car keys that he'd liberated from their key rings tomorrow as he bundled them into the cabs. As they said goodnight to Rocky and Nikki, Ceinwen watched in amazement as the NCIS Middle Eastern Intelligence Analyst let the others kiss her good bye before she pulled out a packet of antibacterial wipes to disinfect both her hands and also wipe off her face after being kissed. Susan and Tony watched in amusement before Tony commented.

"Hey, Doc, have you been working with Jardine? I can't believe the progress she's made."

Susan smiled, "Nikki's been working very hard. Baby steps every day."

Even as he and the head psychologist complimented Jardine's progress, Tony was aware that his partner was engaged in a surreptitious conversation with Balboa that seemed to involve an exchange of some contraband. Coupled with a series of sly winks and nods that Tony resolved to get to the bottom of whatever wickedness the pair was currently engaged in, he also was pleased that his Lovely got along with his friends.

He was sad that they couldn't know about his job and, while he hated lying to them, in some ways it wasn't that different from when he'd worked with them all. He'd always kept parts of himself closed off from everyone. Gibbs, Abby and Ducky might have each in their own way seen a part of him that no one else did, but none of them saw enough of the real him to be able to understand just how much power they'd had to hurt him. Well, clearly, or they wouldn't have gone straight for his soft underbelly, and that was why he tried not to let people get close enough to learn exactly what his weaknesses were. What people didn't know couldn't be used to hurt him.

As Faith was heading off it she gave him a speculative look as she kissed his cheek. "Did you have something to do with the former Lieutenant Rixon Wells getting his ass busted by Metro PD drug squad?"

"Captain may have owed me a favour." He shrugged nonchalantly. "Least he's off the street for now. Not enough but it's something."

"More than Susan and I managed to do with Kristina Ferguson. Said she told you about our monumental failure."

He patted her shoulder, "Yeah well you did your best, can't ask for more than that."

What a Difference a Year Makes

McGee decided that DiNozzo was an idiot. The working girl, Kandi Sass, landed a well-placed kick to his genitals that had him howling in pain (well, he would be if he actually had any breath now). As he tried to catch his breath he marvelled that the former agent, who was supposed to have been the best undercover operative at NCIS, could have claimed to enjoy this undercover crap.

As her co-worker, incongruously calling herself Huney Goodegurl, slammed her handbag into his face, splitting his lip and knocking out a tooth, he seriously questioned the sanity of Tommy er Tony. He must be crazy to have thought undercover work was fun. Clearly, it sucked. What the Hell did she carry around in her handbag, anyway? A freakin' brick or something?

Unoriginal Sindi, the last of the trio, zapped him with her stun gun that was cunningly disguised as a cell phone. As it delivered several agonising jolts of electricity through his already battered body, he wondered why on earth he'd been so desperate to go undercover.

There was nothing glamorous about being beaten up by three working girls; even their professional names were frankly way too cheesy, especially Unoriginal Sindi. It was obviously a rip off of a character in a short lived sci-fi show that had a really lame assed computer geek, although Jessica Alba as a transgenic was pretty damned hot. But seriously, he was definitely not seeing the attraction in going undercover at the moment, and how long was it going to be before Gibbs and Adam came to his aid?

How had Tony stayed undercover for a year on the Frog Op or when he was living, breathing and sleeping with the Mob as he tried to bring down Macaluso? It wasn't as simple as McGee thought it would be, and he hadn't even lasted an hour before they must have recognised him as an NCIS Agent. And he had to say that they didn't appreciate being deceived, which was rather ironic. Ironic because he couldn't help thinking about how they'd turned on DiNozzo when his cover had been blown, and by the CIA no less. Okay, so they hadn't attacked him like the working girls, well, not physically, but they'd all made sure they got their own back, nevertheless.

Tim really couldn't believe he'd been so damned stupid to volunteer for this job. Volunteer… he'd whined, begged, argued and even played the Admiral card. Gibbs had been stubbornly opposed to sending him into the diner where the three hookers hung out and picked up their johns. It was rumoured that one of them was the girlfriend of their AU petty officer who had been discovered selling drugs to his platoon mates before fleeing from the MPs that tried to take him into custody. McGee had gone over Gibbs' head, knowing that SecNav was putting pressure on the Director to bring the PO in ASAP.

Tim had spent his childhood watching his domineering father bully people into doing what he wanted when he couldn't simply play the Admiral card and order them to do want he wanted. Since Vance had dropped his former golden-boy, demoting him from the SFA position, Tim didn't feel any loyalty to the man anymore and was prepared to use any means necessary to get what he wanted. If he may have mentioned that Admiral McGee would be very grateful if he got the opportunity to finally do some undercover work for a change, he wasn't going to lose any sleep about misleading the director.

Vance was ambitious and easy prey, even if his father wouldn't give two hoots about what his son got up to. In fact, the Admiral had made his disappointment over his son's second demotion pretty plain, and he'd always been dismissive of his son's career as a novelist. The debacle that started when he killed Agent Tommy hadn't improved his opinion on that score, either. Yet Tim had used him for his own advantage, even if he would never know because Leon Vance had dreams of sitting in an even bigger chair than the director's. That ambitiousness made him rife to be manipulated and so McGee got his undercover role and he was cursing his stupidity right about now.

As Huney Goodegurl's fist connected with his nose, breaking it with a sickening crunch, he wondered why it felt like the call girl was wearing a set of brass knuckles. That was his last thought before he passed out, coming around to find Gibbs bending over him, his unspoken thoughts all too plain for McGee to decode. Arctic blue orbs mocking him with a 'I told ya so, Elflord.'

What a Difference a Year Makes

From: Carter Johnson carterjohnson

To: Thom E. Gemcity thomegemcity

Hi Thom,

No, Adam Sandler isn't who we were thinking of. Actually the producers are seriously considering approaching an exciting new actor that won this years' Golden Globe for Best New Talent, Anthony Paddington, about playing Agent Tommy.

But have to admit that I'm a little concerned Thom, since your last couple of emails suggest that your books (despite your Statutory Declaration that they are a work of fiction which you signed along with the contract for the film rights ) is actually based on real people and situations. This may be a breach of your contractual obligations and I will need to discuss this with our legal people to see if we are legally able to make the movie.

Carter Johnson

Reality Illusions Production Co

From: Thom E. Gemcity thomegemcity

To: Carter Johnson carterjohnson

carter,

there might be a few very minor similarities to real individuals and situations that may have accidentally crept in somehow but certainly nothing that anyone could recognise, i promise.

re anthony paddington auditioning for the role of agent tommy, honestly I think he is completely wrong for the part.

i'm sure we can work things out to everyone's satisfaction

thom e. gemcity

What a Difference a Year Makes

Gibbs was sitting at his desk, massaging the area above his brow ridges with circular motions. His calloused index and middle fingers attempting to chase away the threatening headache that had finally escalated into serious contender. He was thinking about how a supposedly simple UC job had become such a FUBAR. Of course, if Tony had been doing the job it would have been the most minor of missions, barely rating a paragraph in the case report, but at McGee's insistence that he be permitted to carry it out, it spiralled out of control quicker that he'd believed possible. Now he had an injured junior agent, a critical incident report and extra paperwork due to his injuries to write and he was not a happy camper. Okay – so he hadn't been in a good mood since forever, but he was in an even worse mood than usual.

Thinking back to the three interviews he had to conduct after the working girls that had assaulted his agent generated more paper work, time and effort, he grimaced, disgusted. To add insult to injury, these women were pretty savvy when it came to dealing with LEOs, and apparently they weren't any more impressed with feds either. They'd refused to give up the petty officer after all that, but since they'd attacked a federal agent, he'd had to interrogate them when he should be finding a dirtbag drug dealing petty officer. And to make his day, Gibbs had failed to follow one of his own rules - Rule #8 – Never Assume.

Scowling violently at Unoriginal Sindi and how dumb was that name anyhow, he'd demanded. "Why did you Taser a federal agent?"

Lolling insolently in the unforgiving chair in IR1 and looking completely at home, she shook her head firmly. "Not a fed, he's a freakin' author running around playing cop. Like that guy Ric Castle on TV who goes around with the homicide cops getting dirt for his books and calling it research. That sleazebag Gemcity was using us as fodder for his next dumb book. It pissed us off!"

Well, that answered that question. They'd all figured that McGee had tipped them off that he was a Navy Cop looking for the petty officer since he was such a lousy liar. That was why he was not a good candidate for most UC jobs unless it was something straight forward that he'd experience in like a waiter which he'd actually done during college. When he needed to be able to lie on the spot or ad lib, he froze and gave the game away, but he seemed unable to accept that his talents lay elsewhere. McGee seemed to think that if DiNozzo could do it, anyone could.

Huney Goodegurl confirmed Unoriginal Sindi's story. They'd recognised him from his photo on the back jacket of his books, although according to Kandi Sass - good lord, where did they find these names - she had recognised McGee from his self- promotion and the brouhaha about his damned books when he killed Tony. Yet another damned good reason why it was a bad idea for him to try to go UC, apart from being a poor actor. The man had been addicted to publicity and would turn up to the opening of a match book if it meant getting snapped by the paparazzi. Well, it was on Vance's head, and McGee's, too, since Gibbs told them it was a damn fool idea.

Curious to know why his subterfuge had provoked such a degree of vicious retribution in the 'working girls', he pressed. "Why assault him so ferociously, though? Why not tell him you recognised him and tell him to take a hike?"

Seriously, their responses shocked him. What the Hell was wrong with the world these days, anyway?

Huney Goodegurl shot him a withering look, raking her fingers through her peroxide locks. "Are ya serious? He killed off Agent Tommy, he was like my all-time fave and everyone totes underestimates him like all the time. I'll never forgive him for getting rid of my Tommy-boy. He deserves everything he got."

Ms. Sass' reasons were equally ludicrous to him. Kandi Sass crossed her shapely legs provocatively before adjusting her low cut top, and leaned forward displaying her wares to him as she explained. "Because that dumbass Gemcity shipped dweebie Agent McGregor with L.J. Tibbs and tried to suggest that L.J. was a sub. Honey, I ain't no homophobe or nuthin', but that man is seriously hot and there's no way he'd be a sub, nuh uh never ever. So I was madder than a pimp that had lost his last hooker! " She finished indignantly, as if that was a perfectly rational justification for maiming a man's most precious assets. Even Gibbs' exes had had the decency to aim for his head, not his balls.

She leered at Gibbs appraisingly. "Ya know, Sugar, has anyone ever told you ya look a lot like L.J. Tibbs with those sexy baby blues and that taut tochus. What did ya say your name was again?" She frowned as she focused her gaze on her fluoro blue nail polish before launching into a totally incomprehensible rant.

" Leroy Jethro Gibbs…L.J. Tibbs. Hey, Gibbs, are you Gemcity's Nicki Heat? Does this mean you two ARE doing the horizontal rumba together? Oh, Hun, ain't no way you're his sub or anyone else's, of course, but I do one mean Mistress Sass role play with the chains and whips and leather. Sure would love to play with you Sugar-pie, Honeybun. Just say the word." She ogled him appreciatively. And about the only thing he understood from her tirade was that she was propositioning him. Maybe Abby would deign to explain it to him later, since it was case related. What the Hell was a Nicki Heat?

Meanwhile, Unoriginal Sindi had an equally incomprehensible and pathetic excuse for attacking McGee with a stun gun. When he confronted her demanding an explanation, the statuesque hooker with the warm mocha skin-tones glared back at him, giving a damned good impression of the death-ray glare. "I'm only filthy that I didn't get a chance to give him more. He killed off Agent Tommy and I'm into TISA. I'm so a TISA fan girl squee! Then he shipped Tibbs and Lisa. I ask you, who could blame me after he teased us TISAs for so long?"

She flicked back her tawny coloured tresses spouting at him an incomprehensible barrage of words, clearly demented, and it had something to do with a ship, too. What the devil was it with these women and ships? He doubted very much that any of them had ever set foot on a row boat let alone a ship.

Finally after booking, processing and finally turning them over for arraignment, he had returned to his desk to contemplate what had just happened before trying to put it into a cogent report. All that yammering about ships had him longing to be home with his three Bs, boat, bourbon and basement. Heading into the break room he discovered the sludge at the bottom of the coffee pot and decided that it would have to do. He could go get a proper cup of coffee, but he was just too damned exhausted. He'd jump start himself with this crap and then a bit later go and get a cup of the good stuff. Maybe Fornell would meet him and explain what those damned women had been raving about. Sometimes he felt like an alien from another planet.

As he noticed someone had left the milk out of the fridge, he scowled. How lazy were some people that they couldn't put something back when they were done? Gibbs opened the fridge and put it in, noticing that someone, probably McGee wanting to brownnose, had left a piece of chocolate cake with his name on it. Realising he hadn't eaten for hours he decided to take it and the coffee back to his desk. Maybe the extra caffeine would help him to make head-or-tail of those lunatic women and the incompressible language they were jabbering. Damn, that was seriously good cake. He tucked into it enthusiastically, pausing momentarily as he noticed a note on the bottom of the plate thoughtfully saran wrapped. Scraping off the remnants of the cake he unwrapped it, curious to read what it said.

Swallowing convulsively, he looked around the bull pen that was practically deserted. Reading the note a second time, he swallowed nervously, unconsciously covering his genitals with his left hand as he read the message again.

Gibbs,

Don't forget… Tony's mine and I'm his… so hands off! Did you enjoy the cake? I do hope you don't have a nut allergy since crushed nuts (walnuts) are a major ingredient. Oops…suppose I should have given you a heads up. My bad :(

Ceinwen Davies

All of a sudden the cake that had tasted so damned good going down a few minutes ago was sitting awfully sour in his gut. Was it totally irrational to feel like he'd just consumed something unmentionable? And why did he feel a sudden sharp pain in his testicles?

Damn the woman for playing psychological mind games with him. And what sort of dumb name was Ceinwen anyway? Ke-in-wen was stupid name, almost as stupid as the working girls that whooped Gemcity's butt. He so couldn't wait to get out of here and go home to his basement and a large mug of bourbon.

What a Difference a Year Makes

From: Carter Johnson carterjohnson

To: Thom E. Gemcity thomegemcity

Dear Thom,

Thought I'd update you on what is going on after talking to the legal eagles and the producers. Due to some serious concerns from the legal department about the books being based upon real people and actual cases they are telling us it would be extremely problematic to film it in its current form. Subsequently they feel that the threat of litigation is high and that costs if awarded against the film makers, could be prohibitive. They advise to this end that we should focus more on the dynamics and interpersonal relationship between the characters.

The producers have identified several characters that they want to focus on and feel that rather than an action dramedy, they are keen to explore a more adult erotic approach. Frankly the analysts have predicted that this genre is going to be the next big thing.

I have enclosed the new screen play that we are collectively terribly excited about. I'm sure you will be equally thrilled when you read what we've come up with. Let me know what you think.

In anticipation

Carter Johnson

Reality Illusions Production Co

P.S. One of the producers suggested that perhaps the best person to play Agent McGregor would be yourself despite your lack of acting experience. You clearly identify strongly with the character so we could think about an audition.

From: Thom E. Gemcity thomegemcity

To: Carter Johnson carterjohnson

wtf carter!

you've made agent mcgregor the sub sex slave of l.j. tibbs , sweet innocent little amy & officer lisa. are you freakin nuts? adult erotica my ass! this is a porno movie not the novel I wrote.

I'LL BE TALKING TO MY LAWYER :((

thom e gemcity

What a Difference a Year Makes

Curled up together in bed that night after Tony's old NCIS colleagues had gone home, Ceinwen rested her head on his chest. "They're a good bunch, although the women were all very over-protective of you, Tony. S'nice!"

"Mmm, sorry if they gave you a hard time, Lovely. But you seemed to hit it off with Rocky, and Jimmy was already besotted with you. If I wasn't a top notch investigator and now a super spook, I'd be thinking that I should punch out Balboa for totally inappropriate flirting with my girlfriend. So, you wanna tell me what you two were really up to, hey?"

She smiled at him, widening her eyes to look innocent as possible.

Tony groaned, "Oh, no, not the innocent puppy eyes. What did you do? Tell me you and Rocky didn't decide to hurt Gibbs, please?"

"Why would you ask that, Tony?" Ceinwen asked, her expression particularly ingenuous, and he knew that look well. It was evil personified. "Of course we wouldn't hurt him. Not really." Seeing his look of distress, she rushed to assure him. "Not physically!"

Groaning he had a sudden flash of presentiment "This has something to do with that damned jar of nuts, doesn't it?

"Wait… Don't tell me yet. I need something to soften the blow." Disappearing out of the room he soon returned looking upset. "Lovely, where's the rest of the cake? Tell me you didn't spike it with something like laxatives and get Rocky to smuggle it into NCIS?"

"Oh, Tony, how could you think that?" She cried indignantly.

"Thank God," he sighed.

"I would never spike food. That's illegal, and I would never do that to such a superb cake… that would be criminal. I just left him a little note reminding him that you're mine and hoped he wasn't allergic to walnuts." She explained reasonably, her cherub expression far from reassuring him.

Looking at her apprehensively he wondered if plausible deniability was the way to go. Deciding that the curiosity would be the death of him he steeled himself. "Okay, I'm probably gonna regret asking you this, but what's the deal with walnuts and Gibbs?"

"You remember the other day when Gibbs was so clumsy that he fell?" She asked smiling jubilantly.

Tony snorted. "When you tripped him or when he tried to head slap me?" He asked, amused.

"When he overbalanced and I helped him up?"

"And spilled coffee on him"

"Yeah…then! Well'm I might have warned Gibbs if he ever hurt you I'd crush his nuts." Ceinwen admitted unrepentantly.

Tony gasped in mock horror before collapsing in giggles. "You didn't say that to Gibbs! Why didn't you say it loud enough for me to hear?" He pouted.

Glaring at him, she said, "Because it wasn't a joke."

Without consciously realising it he drew in on himself, guarding his own nether regions. "Oh…well…okay then. Just one thing, Lovely…"

"Mmm what's that, Babe?"

"Did you really have to give away the last two pieces of my cake? I only had one piece tonight and I was really looking forward to a second desert before bed." He complained grouchily.

"Hey, Babe, I'm sure I can find a way to make it up to you." She snuggled up to him tantalisingly.

"I don't know, Lovely, it was a pretty fine cake!"

Finis