Chapter 18
Gibbs got into the elevator, sipping at his coffee as he started to feel a bit calmer. He had already finished one cup on his way from the coffee shop and was now on his second. As Gibbs leaned against the wall, he contemplated this whole situation with DiNozzo’s Father; his gut telling him the worst was yet to come.
Once the doors opened, Gibbs straightened up and put on his game face as he walked off the elevator. He was about to head to the bullpen when a movement from above caught his eye. Standing there, watching his team was the director. As she turned to Gibbs, she gave a slight motion with her head, indicating he should join her.
Gibbs jogged up the stairs and joined the director at the railing. Copying her stance, they both leaned on the railing, sipping their coffee as they looked out over the bullpen.
“Agent Gibbs” Jen began.
“Director” he said as he nodded his head.
“Do you have an update for me?”
“We found some more files at DiNozzo’s Fathers house, they contain some confidential information about his business. The team is going through them now.”
“We?” she asked.
“DiNozzo and me.”
She turned her head toward Gibbs; “I thought I told you to keep him out of this as much as possible?”
“I know what you said Jen, but let’s be honest here.” Gibbs said as he turned and faced her. “I wouldn’t have gotten those files without him and they’re probably our best chance at catching our killer.”
Jen looked him in the eye and as she read the truth in what he was saying, she smiled.
“So this isn’t just another case of you defying me just for the hell of it.”
With a smirk, Gibbs turned back to looking out over the bullpen. “No comment” he said as he sipped his coffee.
That’s what I thought she said to herself as she turned back to face the bullpen again. As her gaze settled on Tony, she spoke quietly.
“So how is he really doing?”
“He’s fine.”
“Jethro” she said with a disbelieving tone to her voice.
“Jen, he’s fine” Gibbs insisted, or at least he will be he thought to himself as he turned and walked away. He headed toward Autopsy to check in with Ducky and pick up the final report on DiNozzo Sr.’s autopsy.
Tony sat at his desk, trying to concentrate on the papers in front of him but was getting distracted; he kept feeling as if someone was watching him. He glanced up at Ziva a few times but she always seemed to be focused on the file in front of her. As if he would ever be able to catch her watching him Tony thought to him self.
Tony was convinced that he was just being paranoid when he spotted the director out of the corner of his eye. She was standing at the railing looking out over the bullpen. Tony was somewhat relieved, figuring that it was the director that he felt watching him. Just as he started to get back to work the same feeling came over him. This time when he looked up there was no one there but as his gaze drifted to the right, he caught McGee looking at him.
McGee quickly averted his gaze, “Damn, I hope Tony didn’t notice” he was thinking. He was considering sneaking another look when McGee was startled by a voice behind him.
“Is there a problem McGee?” Tony asked.
McGee whipped around in his chair, “I…um…I don’t know what your talking about” he stammered.
“You keep staring at me.”
McGee turned back around to his desk “I do not, your just imagining things.”
As he began nervously shuffling the papers on his desk, Tony’s eyes narrowed. He could tell that McGee was lying and now he just had to figure out why.
Tony leaned over McGee’s shoulder and said quietly “You’re lying”.
Then he straightened up and as he started to walk away he threw over his shoulder “With me McGee, now.”
McGee struggled with what he should do. He knew that he should follow Tony; he WAS the Senior Field Agent after all. But he also knew that if he went with him, McGee would probably let slip what he knew about Tony’s childhood.
Having made the decision that it was better to just get this over with, McGee got up and slowly started to follow Tony. But when Tony turned and saw that McGee wasn’t right behind him, he shouted “Probie!” As he jerked his head towards the elevator, indicating that McGee should follow, then kept walking; McGee practically ran to catch up.
Once inside the elevator, Tony took a page out of Gibbs book and pulled the emergency stop button. He then drew himself up to his full height and turned to McGee, who unconsciously took a step back.
“OK McGee, start talking.” Tony said as he crossed his arms.
“About what?”
“Oh, I don’t know, how about the fact that you keep staring at me. Or that you seem more nervous than usual and you can’t seem to look me in the eye.”
McGee had been nervously shifting from foot to foot but at that last statement he looked Tony straight in the eye, just to prove him wrong. Something must have reflected in his eyes because Tony’s gaze narrowed as he said, “You know something. What is it? C’mon McGee, spill.”
They just stared at each other for a few seconds before McGee finally lowered his eyes, took a deep breath and then looked back at Tony’s face.
“Earlier I was doing some background searches on your…on the case. I came across a file.”
McGee paused, not sure how far to go or what Tony’s reaction would be. Tony meanwhile, had taken a step back but had started to tense up.
“What file?” Tony asked quietly.
“It was a Police report.” McGee paused “Filed by a nanny of yours.”
Tony knew about the report but needed to know how much McGee knew.
“Did you read it?”
“Well, I…um…I skimmed it.”
Tony turned his back to him and hit the button to start the elevator moving again. McGee could see he was embarrassed as a slight flush start up the back of Tony’s neck.
“You had no right McGee, it had nothing to do with this case.” Tony mumbled.
Without thinking about what he was saying or doing, McGee reached over and hit the button; stopping the elevator himself this time.
“Listen Tony, I had no intention of invading your privacy or anything. But Ziva said that we should…”
Tony cut him off as he turned and said “Ziva! Ziva knows?”
As he turned back and slammed his hand against the button to restart the elevator a second time, Tony muttered “Great, just great. It’s bad enough that you dig into my personal business but you couldn’t even keep it to yourself.”
Damn it thought McGee, me and my big mouth. He could see that Tony was both angry and embarrassed. Trying to smooth things over he began, “It wasn’t like that Tony.”
Just then the doors opened to reveal Abby. She had just come from her lab and been waiting for the elevator.
“Hey guys, what’s the hold up?” she turned to Tony, “Were you pretending to be Gibbs again?”
As she got a close look at his face, her eyes narrowed “What’s wrong?”
Tony brushed past her as he exited the elevator. “Nothing”
As he walked briskly down the hall towards the stairwell, Abby shouted after him “Tony! Talk to me”
“Just drop it Abby.” He threw over his shoulder as he disappeared around the corner.
McGee had come off the elevator and was standing next to her when she turned and suddenly punched him hard in the shoulder.
“Ouch! What was that for?” he said as he began to rub the spot where she had hit him.
“What did you do to piss off Tony?” Abby glared at him.
With a guilty look on his face he said, “I didn’t mean to Abby. I just…I don’t know, I always seem to mess things up.” McGee sighed, “Can we go somewhere and talk, in private?”
As much as she liked McGee, Abby was more protective of Tony right now. Her gaze softened, but only a little.
“OK McGee, I’ll give you one chance to explain. Just one.”
Abby headed back to the lab with McGee slowly trailing behind her. He was just trying to figure out the best way to explain everything to her without getting hit again.
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