Section 1

"Gibbs, DiNozzo. My office."

"How does he do that?" Tony complained about Vance's order as he exited the elevator. "I haven't even had a chance to put up my new picture." Gibbs swatted him. "Now that, I didn't miss."

"Hey, boss, Tony. How was vacation?" McGee asked coming from the stairwell.

"One week laying on the deck sunbathing and drinking wine? What do you think?" Tony smiled. Summer as he looked at his husband who sported a matching tan.

"Now." Vance bellowed.

McGee shrugged at Tony's questioning look. He knew Vance had been trying to get in touch with Jethro and Tony for the past three days but not why. Vance had also asked Abby and Ducky if they had a contact number. McGee suspected Ducky knew what was going on but evidently had been sworn to secrecy. His suspicion was confirmed as Ducky entered the bull pen and headed up the stairs to Vance's office.

"Happy Monday, director." Tony smiled entering the office.

"Leon."

"You've been out of contact, gentlemen. Isn't there a rule about that?"

"Well, yeah, Leon. It's my rule, not yours. We've been on vacation. Dealing with you would make it not a vacation." Gibbs' gut twisted at the look on Vance's face. He turned to see the door shutting behind Ducky. "What's going on, Leon?"

"Five days ago, there was a terrorist attack on a market in Germany. Dr. Leland Rerriten and Retired Colonel Hollis Mann were victims."

"Is she…" Gibbs started.

"No. Dr. Rerriten was killed immediately. Ret. Col. Mann is hospitalized."

"Were they the targets?" Tony spoke up.

"No. Dr. Rerriten was there to give a keynote speech for trauma surgeons. They just happened to be in the market when the bomb went off. They're holding a flight at Andrews for you."

"We're investigating?" Tony said puzzled.

"No. Ret. Col. Mann is asking to see you."

"She wants to see Jethro?" Tony tried to push down the tendril of jealousy he felt.

"She wants to see both of you."

"That's no reason for us to go running off to Germany, Leon. I can see her when she gets stateside." Gibbs' gut twisted again as he saw the look Vance and Ducky exchanged. "How bad is it?"

"CRT." Ducky said softly. "I'm sorry, Jethro."

"CRT?" Tony repeated.

"Can't really treat." Ducky took a deep breath. "When the car was driven into the market place, the terrorist detonated the bomb. It proved to be a magnesium based incendiary. Hollis was trapped under the debris and suffered severe burns over most of her body. The damage was sores due to a damaged water main. Between the burns and other injuries…" Ducky shook his head. "All they have been able to do is to provide palliative care. Truthfully, after I reviewed her file, I didn't expect her to last this long."

"Tony…" Jethro saw his husband's quick nod.

"I'll notify Andrews you're on your way. Gentlemen, I…"

"Thanks, Leon."

It had been a wild ride, Tony thought as they were escorted to the CCU unit to see Hollis. The two men had left immediately. McGee had ridden down in the elevator with them; taking last minute instructions from them and helping arrange for Zuma's care. Jethro's mad drive to Andrew's to catch the plane. The two men had found a pair of somewhat secluded jump seats for the ten plus hour flight. His Gibbs gut had started aching when they were met by a military lawyer, who identified himself as Hollis' lawyer, at the hospital.

"I've asked the doctor to lighten the medication so that Ret. Col. Mann will be able to speak with you. Since surgery, they've been keeping her sedated most of the time."

"Surgery?" Jethro pounced.

"I'll let her explain." The attorney deferred. As they arrived outside the room, he walked them through the sterilization procedures and donning of the provided gowns, before guiding them into the room.

Jethro bit back a sharp breath. Hollis' face was drastically disfigured on the left side. He and Tony could see the burns on her limbs and around the sterile sheet that covered her torso. As the men entered the room, her right eye opened.

"Jethro. Tony." Her voice was deep and raspy. Her fingers twitched and the two approached the bed moving to her right where she could see them clearly. "Wasn't sure you'd come."

"Shhh, Hollis. Of course, we came. We were away. We just found out this morning."

The right side of her mouth lifted into the semblance of a smile. "Honeymoon?... knew…"

"What did you know?" Jethro asked.

"You two. Knew before Hawaii."

"Guess we were a bit slow figuring it out." Tony replied.

Jethro said tenderly, ""I'm sorry about Leland."

"Me, too." Hollis paused to draw several ragged breathes.

"I'll get a nurse." Tony went to turn.

"No. Need to talk…"

"Hollis. Why did you need to see us?"

"Need you to do…something…Leland, no family." Hollis wheezed. "Me, no family."

Jethro and Tony exchanged a quick look, before Jethro said, "Anything."

"Finish…last tour of duty…"

"I don't understand." Jethro exchanged looks with Tony. She had seemed lucid but didn't seem to remember retiring.

"Jamison." Hollis whispered.

"If you'll allow me, I'll try to explain a bit. Neither Ret. Col. Rerriten or Dr. Rerriten have any next of kin. I helped conduct a search in the wake of the attack." At the look of confusion, he explained. "I was appointed her emergency medical proxy. Once she could communicate, she asked me to draw up papers making you her sole beneficiary. There are some outstanding issues that she would like you to handle. Are you willing to accept the responsibility?"

"Absolutely." Tony said immediately. "Hollis, don't worry. We'll take care of everything."

"I have papers right here. You may want to discuss this further before accepting."

"Tony's right. No matter what, we'll take care of it."

The attorney gave Hollis a wry grin. "You were right." The attorney walked over and opened a folder laying on Hollis' bed table. "Agent Gibbs, if you would sign here, here, here and here." He handed him a pen. Without even glancing at the paper, he signed his name. "And Agent DiNozzo, as his spouse and fellow custodian, would you sign here, here, here and here. Great. I will have a copy of this delivered to you as soon as it is processed. Here are the documents you will need for the flight back." He handed an envelope to Jethro who passed it to Tony. "We have arranged seats on a flight back to DC. First class, commercial flight." The attorney added as Tony rubbed his back with a grimace. "Leaves in two hours. I'll notify them to expedite your boarding. I'll also let the nurse know you're ready for your medication, Hollis." He turned and exited.

"Hollis. What is this all about?"

If not for the burns which robbed her body of moisture, Hollis knew she would be crying. "Take care… promise…"

"Don't stay. Once you get…" Hollis gasped. "Don't wait… me… die. Want to know… home… secure…"

"Hollis…" Jethro said. "This isn't making sense."

"Promise…" Hollis said desperately.

Both men could see her strength fading and lines of pain beginning to show on the unburned side of her face. "We promise." Jethro and Tony said earnestly and in unison.

The door opened and Tony looked to see if the attorney had returned. Instead, he froze in shock. "Jethro…" He tugged his husband's arm.

Jethro shrugged off the tug, his attention on Hollis who had seemed to have exhausted the little strength she had. "In a minute. Hollis? Hollis?"

"Jethro…Oh, my God, Jethro…" Tony felt that he might hyperventilate.

Jethro turned away from Hollis to hush Tony but saw the stunned look on his face. Following his husband's gaze, he looked towards the door where a nurse stood.