Doc, are there varieties of dengue? When I was living in Puerto Rico, everyone got it at least once, and no one I heard of was really sick. I felt it for like, maybe a day. Just picking your beautiful medical brain to learn, not criticizing. It should prove an interesting story.

Well if there's one thing I'm almost guaranteed to learn while reading your stories, it's the symptoms of various tropical diseases!

I'd think that even Kim would have taken the time to look at herself in the mirror in her room before heading to the conference. Though, of course, this may be something that is developing too quickly for that. After all, she felt fine the previous day, save for being at a conference, and now feels rather unwell - and is declining fairly rapidly given that when DiNozzo catches up with her he notes how flushed she looks.

And honestly, I know that Kim and Tony have this sarcasm thing going on, but doesn't she realize that he's smarter than he sometimes pretends to be and is actually a pretty decent human being? He wouldn't tell her to go to the clinic unless he really thought she needed it.

Typical Kim. Doesn't go to the clinic right away, though taking a nap isn't necessarily the worst thing.

Thank goodness for the Senior Chief. At least Kim's getting someone to take her symptoms who knows what they're doing. And while she might not have noticed a lower than usual blood pressure, most people can tell when they're running a fever - even if they're as stubborn as Kim. Though, to be honest, maybe carrying a baby around in Africa feels like that all the time!

And now I'm going to be Googling symptoms of various diseases to try and figure out what it is that Kim has before you post next week's chapter! Obviously something the CPO isn't immediately familiar with since he didn't immediately jump to any conclusion. I'm guessing Dengue Fever though, and given the incubation period she probably picked it up in Cairo. Of course, if that's common to Egypt but not where Kim is, that could be why the CPO doesn't seem to immediately suspect it.

Anyway, looking forward to next week when I can see whether my Google diagnosis was correct.

BTW, did you see that in the final Bleacher Report CFB poll, they ranked the Buckeyes as #3? Definitely think they would have made a better showing in the championships than Michigan State did. That was lame. Of course, with 8 juniors and 2 redshirt sophmores declaring themselves eligible for the NFL draft, the Urbanator has his work cut out for him next year.

Love the accuracy your medical training brings to your writing. I am resisting googling Kim's symptoms, as I'm sure you have something special in store for us. Thanks!

Thanks for the update and Tony/Ziva appearance!

I guess we are privileged enough to get a second chapter just a couple of days after the first. Now we're going to have to wait a week.

I've been to plenty of conferences, though obviously none of them military related, but can imagine it's quite painful to get presentations on things that you already knew weeks ago and yet have it classed as "current". I typically tend to tune out in those as well. And when you're pregnant and want to be moving, especially towards the bathroom, that must be especially difficult.

Nice to see some familiar characters pop up in DiNozzo and Dunham, as well as see some new NCIS names for the region. And nice to see Ziva getting a new role at Homeland Security, whatever that happens to be. I guess she'll still be based in the Middle East unless Tony's role is changing as well.

Kim definitely gets the short straw with being the only person at the team dinner not drinking. Though how anyone ever expects to get anything done at those events when everyone is drinking is beyond me.

How can Keller not get the white cat comment? I mean, even if they haven't seen the older Bond movies involving Spectre, wouldn't they have seen Austin Powers?

Looking forward to seeing a bit more of the NCIS team in future chapters, though don't know how much of a role you plan on having them playing. It is always nice to see some of the regulars though.

Thanks as always for writing.

Welcome bac, Doc! I've really missed your quality of literature. Off on a new Cunningham adventure! Happy New Year!

First off, Happy New Year! So does the fact that you're posting Mondays and that today is a Friday mean that we'll be getting a chapter in just three days? :-)

Starting a conference on a Wednesday does seem weird, but that's from a private sector POV. When everyone in the military is working most days, it probably isn't as weird as it seems. Do you get conferences like that?

I know Bill and Melinda are doing wonders with trying to eliminate malaria, but obviously precautions are still needed. I guess that's one upside for being posted in places like Kuwait - mostly desert so little in the way of bugs.

I think Jeff is just a magnet for trouble, whether it's kidnapping by terrorists or something else entirely. He probably almost needs someone like Kim just to get through life in one piece - or so I imagine she tells herself, and him, anyway.

It's always surprising how heavy a two-and-a-half year old can be because they just grow up so quickly. I can't remember how my wife handled that when we had a similar age gap between my daughter and son. I guess we managed somehow especially given that I did go to work most days. As for the books, with the number of times a parent reads the book I wouldn't be surprised if kids memorised what they said and then followed along through the book even if they can't read yet.

Given Kim's disposition, I struggle to understand how she regularly does conferences more than a couple of days. Four days really must drive her to fantasize taking out other conference attendees with headshots.

And that's the first chapter. By the way, congrats on the great win over ND today. My son and I were watching and both supporting OSU. Pity about Joey Bosa's college career seemingly ending so ignominiously, but I hear he and Cardale Jones are taking the NFL draft early. I guess that will make things a bit easier for Meyer with the QB role, though it was mostly Barrett in the second half of the season. Still hoping for a return to the championship game next year.

Hi Sashile! Hoping you're well and glad to hear you're resolving to write more in 2016. Always good to see Jeff and Kim back. It will certainly be interesting for Jeff to come to Kim's rescue for once.