Chapter 14 (Conclusion)
"I am telling you, this girl was smoking hot," Tony said, bragging about his date the night before. Ziva smirked. She knew he was only attempting to make up for the damage his reputation had recently sustained.
"Is that so, Tony?" she asked.
"She was all over me," Tony continued. McGee rolled his eyes. "You should have seen it. And she had these amazing…" he stopped talking when Gibbs walked into the room.
"Amazing what, Tony?" Gibbs asked, hiding his grin.
"Eyes, Boss," he answered.
"That's what I thought," Gibbs said, placing a cup of coffee on Tim's desk.
"Why does Probie get coffee?" Tony asked.
"Because he doesn't come in here bragging about his dates, DiNozzo," Gibbs said with a sideways smile.
"That's because McGeek never has any dates," Tony said flippantly.
"I thought you just went to great lengths to prove that he did," Ziva reminded.
"Oh, yeah," Tony admitted slowly. "Speaking of which…" he began.
"Drop it, Tony," McGee said, just as Abby stepped off the elevator.
"Greetings beautiful people," she said in a happy tone. She flitted from person to person, kissing each of them on the cheek.
"What's up, Abs?" Tony asked.
"Can I not greet my co-workers on a Monday morning with a smile on my face?" she asked cheerily.
"After we spent almost the entire weekend here together? Not without arousing suspicion," Ziva answered. Abby smiled.
"I just saw the Director at the front gate, and her sister is with her! Gibbs, did you know she had a sister?" Abby asked him.
"Nope," Gibbs answered succinctly.
"Well, she looks young enough to be her daughter," Abby added. At a sharp look from Gibbs she amended her statement. "Not that the Director looks old or anything."
"Is she hot?" Tony asked, showing interest.
"Naturally, that is what you would want to know," Ziva commented.
"I'd do her," Abby admitted. "If I were into girls, that is," she added quickly.
"Of course," Tony replied quickly, giving Abby a totally different kind of stare.
"Stop thinking, DiNozzo," Gibbs said, slapping him on the back of the head. "If you have any brains in your head, you'll stay away from Jen's sister."
"Good idea," McGee said quietly, dreading the next few minutes.
McGee made a quick excuse to go to Autopsy and made his way to the stairwell. He heard the elevator chime its arrival just as the door shut behind him. He breathed a sigh of relief – saved by the bell.
---
Jenny and Julie stepped off the elevator together to the sound of silence, if silence could be defined as such. Jenny's smile was bright enough to light up the room. Even a casual observer could see that she was proud to be introducing her sister to her employees.
"Attention everyone," she said. "This is my sister, Julie Malloy." Gibbs froze.
"Not Fornell's Julie?" he requested clarification.
Julie turned to him and smiled confidently, knowing at that moment he knew what her sister and the rest of the group had yet to discover.
"Yes, actually," she answered.
Gibbs laughed out loud and took her by the hand. Instead of shaking it, he pulled her into a hug and kissed her on the forehead.
"I've heard wonderful things, and it's a pleasure to meet you," he said with a grin.
"Likewise," she responded.
Abby looked at the two of them strangely, and then introduced herself. "I'm Abby Scuito, forensics scientist," she announced, reaching her hand out to shake Julie's.
"Nice to meet you," Julie said, shaking her hand.
Tony pushed in for an introduction. Julie noticed him checking her out and smirked.
"I'm Tony," he said flirtatiously.
"Let me guess," Julie said pensively, "sometimes you can be a big butt?" she suggested. Ziva laughed.
"Your reputation precedes you, Tony," Ziva said. "I'm Ziva David," she introduced herself.
"Where's Tim?" Director Shepard asked, looking around.
"He heard you were coming and ran like a bat out of hell," Gibbs answered with a sideways smile. Julie laughed.
"What's going on here?" Shepard asked.
"Ask your sister," Gibbs proposed.
"Ziva, call Autopsy and get Ducky, Palmer and McGee up here," Shepard ordered.
"Sure," Ziva said, making her way to the phone.
---
"Timothy, was there something else you needed?" Ducky asked. "It's not often someone comes down here specifically to ask me to finish a story that was previously interrupted."
Tim blushed. "I hadn't heard that particular story before, and it was really interesting," he justified.
"Very well," Ducky continued. "A friend and I were vacationing in the south of France, when…"
His story was interrupted by the intercom.
"Ducky?" Ziva asked.
"Yes, Ziva," he responded, his words very clearly annunciated and louder than necessary.
"The Director wants you and the others to come up here," she informed him.
"As the Director wishes," Ducky complied.
"I just have to…" McGee began. He was interrupted by Gibbs' voice.
"No excuses, Tim, get your butt up here!" he barked, and then gave Julie a surreptitious wink.
"On my way, Boss," he replied grumpily. Gibbs smiled.
---
The elevator doors opened to reveal Ducky, Palmer and McGee. While the former two were walking with their heads up, eyes searching the group with curiosity, the latter held his head down as if hoping to avoid being seen.
Julie's eyes immediately sought Tim out, and she felt sympathy for his plight. He looked like a puppy that had been left out in the cold without attention. Her heart broke a little, and she knew she couldn't make him have to do this on his own. She smiled at him from across the room. He met her gaze, his eyes showing how very close he was to losing his breakfast. He was more nervous than she had ever seen him.
"Jen," Julie said, turning to her sister. "I was telling you yesterday about this incredible man I've become involved with," she said perkily.
"Yes?" Jen asked, not understanding where she was going.
"Well, what I didn't tell you is that he works for you," she said quickly. "Don't get mad – I didn't tell him you were my sister until after we had sex," she said brightly, as if that explained everything.
Tim turned and headed for the hall. He was definitely going to be sick. Gibbs laughed.
"McGee!" Gibbs said with false harshness. "Front and center!"
"Yes, sir," McGee responded, his face flaming red.
"Explain," he ordered.
"Umm… well… I…," Tim stammered.
"I was in trouble and he came to my rescue," Julie answered with a smile, coming to put an arm around him.
"You! and McGeek?!?!" Tony questioned. "This has to be The Twilight Zone."
"Hey!" Abby defended. "Don't knock McGee until you try him."
Julie smirked. "You took the words right out of my mouth." She gave Tim a look that told him he would explain about Abby later. Tim blushed even further, if that were possible, a sheen of sweat beginning to show on his brow and upper lip.
"Can we table this discussion for another time?" Jenny suggested, clearly uncomfortable.
"Am I in trouble?" Tim asked nervously.
"Relax, McGee," Gibbs said, noting his agent's discomfort. "You still have a job." He took another look at Julie and Jen. "But my guess is you'll have your share of trouble for some time."
THE END
(Note – very brief epilogue to follow)
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