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kind of a non-important chapter. i would apologize, but i cant. there's something wrong with apologizing for and ncis fanfic. you understand, right?
Los Angelesâ€"OSP Bullpen

Tony was waiting at the bottom of the stairs by the time Gibbs got there.
“Well?” he asked. He tried to sound professional, but concern strained his voice.
“I told you I’d handle it, didn’t I?”
The wall Tony always kept up so carefully to keep his emotions in check came crashing down. Relief radiated off of him. “Thank you, Boss.”
“I didn’t do it for you.”
“I know…but thanks.”
Gibbs leftover anger from talking to Ziva faded away. He put a reassuring hand on Tony’s shoulder. “Anytime, DiNozzo.”
As they reached the bullpen, Gibbs started barking out orders. “Kensi, Sam, I want the two of you upstairs with Ziva. I don’t care what she says to you, if she says anything at all. I want eyes on her every second!”
They nodded and started upstairs.
“You afraid she’s gonna run?” Callen asked Gibbs.
Tony smirked. “Gibbs doesn’t get ‘afraid.’ He gets gut feelings. And when his gut tells him he needs eyes on an agent, it gets done, no questions asked,” he shot at him loyally.
“DiNozzo!”
“Yeah, Boss?”
“Cool it, and go down to the lab with Abby. We’re running short on time here, so help her out wherever you can.”
“Me? What about the McGeek?”
“Yes, you. McGee will be upstairs helping Eric and Agent Vaile with the computer stuff.”
Tony watched McGee pale. It was only acceptable to him when he was the cause. Tony decided to step up for his friend. “Uh, Boss? Why don’t Iâ€"” His words changed direction when the Gibbs-glare was turned on him. “â€"Go help Abby in the lab while McGee works upstairs? On it, Boss.” He grabbed Abby’s arm and pulled her toward the lab.

Los Angelesâ€"OSP Lab

“Tony, what is going on?”
“Well, Abs, a lot’s going on at the moment. You gotta be more specific.”
“With you and McGee.”
Tony laughed. “I promise you, NOTHING is going on there.”
Abby crossed her arms. “Tony, that’s not what I meant.”
He sighed. “Are you talking about what I did to Agent Vaile?”
She nodded. “And what you almost did before Gibbs glared at you just now.”
“Well,” Tony began matter-of-factly, “Agent Vaile was out of line.”
“Like you never are?”
“I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that.”
Abby grinned.
Tony continued, “He’s more of a probie than McGee. It was unnatural. I decided to put an end to it.”
“And just now…?” she prompted.
“I was thinking it would be fun to intimidate Agent Vaile some more.”
“Tony…”
“Fine! McGee’s better at helping you than I am.”
“And you’d be twice as bad trying to help Dom and Eric! Tell me what’s going on! You know my rule number 1: Never lie to Abby. Do I need to remind you that I can boil you from the inside out without leaving a trace of forensic evidence? Or that I’m Gibbs’ favorite, so even if I did, I’d get away with it anyway?”
“First of all, you forget that Gibbs likes me too, I think, and that I’ve been working with Ziva for about five years now. I’m used to threats. But fine. I’ll tell you that McGee and Eric don’t like each other too much.”
“Do you know why?”
“Yes…I think so. I haven’t asked McGee, but I’ve got a pretty good idea.”
“Can you tell me?”
“I don’t think so Abs.”
Abby scowled. “McGee wouldn’t tell me either.”
Tony couldn’t believe it. “You already talked to him?”
“Yeah, if you could call it that. He just told me what you did: They don’t get along. Then he told me not to try to fix it, that it wouldn’t work.” She frowned.
Tony laughed. “He’s right; it probably wouldn’t.”
Abby continued to glare at him, and he sighed.
“Abs, I’m sorry, but I can’t tell you. I’m sure McGee will tell you eventually.”
That was when she realized the enormity of the secret. If it had been something small and embarrassing, Tony would have told her in a heartbeat. She relaxed a bit. “Fine, but I’m not done being mad at you.”
“I’ll buy you a Caff-Pow when we get back. Now, focus, Abs; you’ve got something.”
“No, I don’t. Don’t change the subâ€"”
PING!
She turned around to gape at the machine, then back to Tony, incredulous.
He grinned at her expression. “I had to do something to get you off my back. Just because I’m not the boss now doesn’t mean I can’t use what I learned when I was.”
He sighed with relief when she smiled back and got to work. He knew from experience that when Abby got mad, it never ended well.

Los Angelesâ€"Sam’s Punching Bag

Ziva noticed Sam and Kensi as they walked inâ€"Sam was considerably heavier than Hettyâ€"but she chose to ignore them. She knew they weren’t there to talk to her and make sure she was okay, but to make sure she didn’t run to Israel. They didn’t care how she was; they were following Gibbs’ orders. That just made her hit harder.
“I can see why G would think she might be able to beat me,” Sam said, his eyes widening.
“When we were talking before, I thought they meant you’d be beaten when you were down, but, Sam, I think she’d kill you with her bare hands!”
Ziva turned around. “You are aware that I can hear you?”
“Yeah, but it’s a compliment. I don’t know many people that could take me down.”
“Do not feel bad; I have had years of training.”
“So have I. I’m a SEAL.”
She shrugged, much like Callen had. She turned back around, ending the conversation. After a few punches, however, she turned to face them again.
“So this belongs to you, then?” she asked Sam.
“Yep.”
She looked him up and down, sizing him up. “I would stop before I kill you, you know,” she said finally. “I do have some self control, unlike Tony with an attractive witness…or suspect…orâ€"Anyway, our building has a gym. If you would like to accept the challenge posed by our coworkers, I see no problem with it.”
“I have to accept, then. I have a reputation to uphold.”
Ziva smiled and turned back to the punching bag with less intensity than before. It was almost as if she had forgotten that her father was killing for her.
Almost.
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