Tigger sat sprawled in the sun, her sister FiFi, the over posh Siamese was lying in the vegetable patch. Why did she like to sleep there? There was so many more places to rest and sleep. The rhubarb patch it had lovely big leaves which swayed in the breeze, wafting a cool stream of air. Tigger, the younger of the two and a moggy….Heinz 57, no, she knew her mother……FiFi was…..the spoilt brat. Tigger didn’t care, because she could get dirty, muddy paws, play in puddles, climb trees and just be a tom-cat………not that she was a tom-cat, she was a mouser, and it was during one of her foraging jaunts, that she discovered a very interesting house. The porch wooden, and after a quick spray of the corner, she found her way to the garden. She watched the man digging under some bushes. Now if there was one thing cats were and that is nosey. There might just be something in it for them. Tigger advanced slowly from the rear.
“Hello puss,” the man whispered not even looking at her.
This annoyed Tigger, as she liked attention, and since this man was not going to turn and face her, then she would have to face the man. She walked round the bush and stood defiant. The man carried on digging. Tigger swiped out, only to get a cuff round the ears.
“Bad puss.” the man said. Tigger sat down and scratched her head and neck where the man had cuffed her. This sent fur into the air. The man smiled.
“You want some milk?” he smiled.
Tigger stood and walked over to the man and rubbed her head on his knee. She jumped, as his cell rang, “Yep Gibbs.” As he stood, and walked back to the house. Tigger wondered if she should follow………..
-oOo-
The next day saw Tigger scratching the door.
“You’re in a hurry today Tigger, you found a new friend.” her mistress asked.
“Meeoww” Tigger replied, looking at FiFi who was sprawled out on the couch washing.
“Ok but no fighting, and come back clean.” As the door opened, Tigger ran off to see if she could find the man.
She stealthily approached the house and sniffed the air, she heard noises from the basement. Carefully looking through the window into the darkened room she saw the man working away his head down. She could see dark snuffley places and wanted in. She scrapped the glass, the man looked up and smiled. He indicated to the side door, as he rose and walked up the stairs. Tigger cocked her head and went round the side. The man was standing with the door open, she went in. Gibbs shut the door, went to the fridge and poured some milk into a saucer and went back down into the basement, Tigger followed.
“So you got a name? I’m Gibbs.” The man said.
“Meoowww,” as Tigger scratched her neck. Gibbs bent down and looked at the collar.
”Tigger, nice name. Gonna drink that?” as he pointed to the saucer, before pouring a shot of something smelly into a mug.
Tigger sniffed the milk and then supped away. Finished she decided to explore. It was dark and interesting, the man who called, himself smiled, but carried on whittling away at the wood. He heard Tigger sneeze as she snuffled up some sawdust. She appeared from behind some boxes, covered in bits.
“Thought I’d cleaned up the room, but you seem to have found some dirt. Where you live little one?” as Tigger now jumped up onto the workbench, and rubbed her head against Gibbs hand. “I’m a Federal Agent, I find bad guys and bring them to justice.”
Tigger purred before jumping down off the bench and headed up the stairs. Gibbs followed her.
-oOo-
Tigger spent the week looking for the man called Gibbs, but she didn’t see him, this made her sad as she now had to play with Fifi, and Fifi was not the most playable cat. Tigger walked, no stalked the neighbouring gardens. Being adventurous and not wearing a watch, only following the time by the sun, she often returned late home hungry and tired. But this day when she was out foraging she heard screams and shouts and then a bang. Tigger quivered in the bushes. She had heard gunshots before, and she was scared. The noises faded and she silently crawled from the bush, a man lay on the ground, there was a red stain on the green grass, she sniffed and touched it was sticky. She prodded the man. That was when she saw the pips on the collar. What was it the man said….”I’m a Fed.” Tigger had seen enough CSI on the box with her mistress, to know that he was a good guy, so she started to gnaw one of the buttons. She was going to take to Gibbs, only problem her paws get covered in the red goo.
Tigger arrived at the house, she looked in the window and saw no-one, she curled up on the porch.
Gibbs arrived home mid-afternoon, he had forgotten something. He saw Tigger lying on the porch.
“Puss? What you doing here?” as Tigger jumped. The button lying under her, the blood paw print showing. Gibbs looked and carefully stretched to retrieve, Tigger wasn’t going to fight.
“You find this?” as Gibbs eye twitched, “Where? Tigger where?”
“Meooww.” as Tigger cowered.
“Tigger not gonna hurt you. Show me where……” he asked gently.
Tigger was scared, but she turned and fled through the bushes. “Hey Tigger, I can’t go through bushes come back.” Gibbs got on his cell, “McGee get to my house with the team and bring a GPS collar that would do a cat…………..yes a cat. Now McGee.”
Tim and the team arrived within 15mins
“What is all the fuss about?” Tony asked, “Why ask McGee to bring a GPS collar?” as Tigger appeared back with another button. She dropped it at Gibbs shoe.
“That answer your question?” as he pointed to the button, “Bag and tag, Ziva. Who has the collar?” as Tim produced it from his pocket, “Well put it on Tigger.”
“But Boss…..cats and me…..” as he sneezed.
“Better watch, she might have poison ivy spores on her fur.” Tony replied.
“Tigger,” Gibbs now said kneeling down “I need to put this nice collar on you, we need to find the body, do you understand?” as he held out his hand for the collar. He took off her old one and placed the new one on. Tim fired up the laptop, as Tigger took off back through the hedge.
McGee tracked Tigger to a bungalow two blocks away. As they rounded the corner, parked up and went round into the garden. They saw Tigger playing with another button, but the body of a dead Naval Officer lay on the grass.
“Good puss,” was all Tony could say.
Gibbs got on his cell to Dr Mallard, and also asked that they bring a cat carrier, “Why? We got a lost cat and I want to find out if she’s chipped.”
-oOo-
The MCRT van arrived quickly and Jimmy jumped out with the carrier. “Where is the cat Agent Gibbs, Abbs says she will look after it?” waving the carrier.
Tigger took one look at the carrier and threw herself at the nearest person. She knew carriers and hated them, they did bad things to kittys, large jags and medicine and that horrible smell…..and the cries of the inmates. No she was not going anywhere, as she clung to a rather reddening Agent McGee, “Boss…..what do, I do?”
“Hold the damn cat Tim……tight……and talk to it,…..don’t let it scratch you.” Gibbs shouted as he approached Tim with the basket he had snatched from Jimmy. He put the carrier on the ground and then prized Tigger from Tims arms, Tim promptly sneezed. Tigger felt the calming power of Gibbs and stopped struggling enough for him to stealthily pop her in the carrier. Tigger glared and then hissed “Sorry Tigger, but we need to find out where you stay and see if you are chipped. If you promise to be a good cat I’ll take you back to my place, as that is probably nearer to your home, but we still need to see if you have chip. David, DiNozzo bag and tag, and search the house.”
He put the cat in his car, “Tim you travel with me.”
“Why Boss?” Tim questioned.
“I need someone to look after Tigger, and since you and she, seem to have made a lasting friendship you are my best bet.” Looking at Tim’s pouting face, “So come on in the car and put Tigger on your knee.”
Tigger hissed at Gibbs and banged about in the carrier meowing and caterwauling.
“Ok you drive McGee. Tigger behave.” as he settled into the passenger seat of the car, Tigger calmed down and started to purr like a V8 engine. Gibbs just smiled. They arrived along Gibbs’ street and saw a woman frantically walking up and down shouting, a small child was by her side. Tim parked up and Gibbs got out with the carrier.
“Tigger…………bad cat. Sorry” looking at Gibbs, “You bringing her home or catnapping her for vivisection or for dog batting,” as the woman made a dive for Gibbs.
“And you are?” Tim questioned, now looking at the woman.
“Tigger’s mom, Kitty Stevens.” As Gibbs stifled a laugh, “What you smirking at? Now give me my cat back.” as she made a grab for the cage.
“Kitty, I would like to talk to you about Tigger. This is my house and you live where? Because Tigger, has been visiting me, on and off for a week, or so now. Nice cat but slightly volatile.” Looking at Kitty who was beginning to calm down, “But today I had to come home for something and she was lying beside a uniform button. I asked her where she got, she ran away and came back with another. We managed to get a GPS collar on her and she found a dead Navy Officer.”
“And what has a dead navy Officer got to do with you unless you are Feds?” Kitty snapped.
“Ma’am Agent Gibbs and I are NCIS, Naval Investigators.” as Tim flashed his badge, “As Tigger.” Tim sneezed at the name, “Found the body, we were wondering who she belonged to and if we could possibly borrow her for tests.”
“See tests, knew you were going to do bad things to my kitten.” Kitty screamed trying to grab the carrier. Tigger hissed.
“Ladies….Kitty and Tigger behave. Ma’am, we need to see if there is any DNA, or anything that could possibly help with our investigation. Tigger might have picked up some evidence on her coat or paws. So Mrs Stevens…..may we borrow Tigger?” Gibbs finished saying.
“If you take good care of her and bring her home soon.” Mrs Stevens reluctantly replied.
-oOo-
Given the permission by Kitty, they took Tigger to the Navy Yard. The journey, interesting, Gibbs had let Tigger out the cage and she had rode shotgun in the front, paws on the dash. Gibbs held, no supported the creature, Tim sneezed, Tigger meowed and then sneezed, glaring at Tim.
“Good puss.” Gibbs whispered, as Tigger purred. As they approached the navy Yard Gibbs put Tigger back in the traveller, much to her consternation. Timm sneezed at the amount of fur displaced, Tigger sneezed, just because she was annoyed, and she knew it annoyed Tim.
“Here you take Tigger to Abbs,” Gibbs said handing him the cage, as they walked from the elevator.
“And what is that, Agent Gibbs,” Director Vance now enquired.
“A cat Leon, never seen on.” Gibbs replied sarcastically.
“What’s it doing here?” as Tigger hissed at Vance and then sneezed.
“Dead Navy Officer, Tigger here found……so she’s off the Abby’s for some tests.”
“Broomsticks, spring to mind Gibbs, but ok by me,” as he spied another Agent, and walked away to talk to him.
Gibbs sat at his desk and called Ziva.
-oOo-
“What you got McGee?” Abby questioned as she heard the sneezing and the meowing.
“A Cat.” As Tigger now sneezed.
“We….”as Tigger hissed, “Sorry Tigger found a dead Navy Officer, and Gibbs thought you could maybe swab her paws and wipe her coat for any evidence.” as he sneezed, followed by Tigger.
“Hey you two allergic to each other?” she asked, as they both sneezed.
“Yep,” as Abbs took the cage and placed it on the table, before letting a rather wild Tigger out. Oh she, that would be Tigger, was going to have a field day in this place. She wasn’t too enamoured with the table, it reminded her of the Vets, but this new person seemed nice, as Tigger now swiped at one of Abby’s pig-tails, narrowly missing her face. “Hey cat watch.” Abby shouted.
“Her name’s Tigger.” Tim offered.
“Tigger, Tiggery Wiggery……yep now let’s see what you have on your paws, and then I will get you some cream. Hold her please Tim.” Abby now requested.
As Tim tried to hold Tigger, she slipped through his arms and jumped off the table and disappeared under one of the cabinets.
“That darn cat, as Tony would say.” Abby shouted, as Gibbs strode into the lab.
“What’s up, and where’s Tigger?” as he heard purring from under the cabinet.
“Tigger here puss, nice puss.” Tim began to whisper as he crouched on the floor, looking at Tigger, who by now was fed up with everything and swiped Tim’s nose. “Och.”
“Ok we now have the DNA of one Agent McGee,” Gibbs replied, as he quickly put his hand under the said cabinet and dragged a now motionless Tigger by the scruff of the neck. “They go limp if you get them just right. So Abbs, get the comb ready, and the swabs for the paws.” As he held Tigger he could hear and feel the growl in her throat, “Quick Abby.”
Abby quickly swabbed, and then took a comb sample from the now wriggling creature. Both Tim and Gibbs saw the anger in the animal’s eyes as Abby finished, Gibbs placed Tigger on the ground. As quick as cats were, Gibbs was quicker and it was the table that got swiped, Tigger cried out and hurried back under the cabinet.
“Good, now maybe we can get the forensics done without fur flying,” as she began to analyse the fur and the swab. Gibbs put his hand in his pocket and brought out the bagged button, “Want to see if you can get anything off this?” he now asked, handing her the bag.
“McGee you want to see?” Abby asked.
As the three began to see what the results would bring Tigger was getting bored. She couldn’t clean herself where she was, and, she was being ignored again. Now cats do not like being ignored, so she crawled out. Looking at the three backs to her, she stealthily crawled along and then…….pounced on the keyboard, just as the picture of a junior rating appeared.
“Tigger.” Abby shouted, as Tigger now dived into Tim’s arms, making him sneeze. “Tigger, if you don’t behave you will go back in the carrier.” She added.
“Has anyone thought Tigger, is maybe needing the bathroom?” Tim asked through sneezes.
“What do you suggest McGee take her to the men’s room and let her pee in a urinal?” Abby now asked.
“Not a bad idea Abbs, Tim take Tigger to the men’s room, Abby got that Fullers Earth handy, the bag we used when we had that oil spill?” Gibbs now enquired looking about.
“It’s down in the basement and if Tigger gets out there, we’ll never find her.” She replied.
“Great………Tim…….. get the dirt and an oil tray from the basement, put Tigger back in the cage and hurry back.” Gibbs answered.
“Why me?”
“Because I say so, now shoo.” As he now turned back to Tigger who was now hunched in the carrier her back to everyone. If she was a human she might have had her arms folded, but definitely huffy.
-oOo-
Tim returned in about 10minutes, he was followed by Ziva and Tony, who was carrying a tin of cat food.
“Hey where’s Tigger I got her food,” he announced as Tigger turned in the carrier, and looked at Tony hungrily.
“Tim the tray.” Gibbs ordered as Tim poured some litter into the tray. Gibbs released the cat and put her on the floor. Tigger hissed at Tim, but sniffed the tray, scraped the earth, decided, any port in a storm, stepped into the earth, looked at the crowd, well Abby who seemed to have a fascination for this sort of things, turned her back to the voyeurs and pee’ed. Have relieved herself she stepped out the tray, turned to look at the wet mark, looked a Gibbs, and if cats could smile, smiled and then Tim before walking away, her tail in the air.
“Hey, thought cats were clean creatures, and buried their pee-pee?” Abbs questioned.
“They usually do, but in this case I think Tiggs wants you to inspect and take samples.” Gibbs now replied smiling.
“Boss?” as Tony watched Tigger slide up to his leg and then stretch herself up, the paw in the air, ”Hey you just pulled a thread.” He shouted looking down at Tigger.
“If I didn’t know better, I would say she was smiling.” Ziva added,”But you want fed, don’t you?” As they watched Tigger sit down and wash her paws and face.
Abby found a saucer or two, filled one with water as Tony opened the can and looked about for a spoon. Gibbs handed him a wooden spatula, “Thank you Boss.” As he spooned the tuna into the saucer.
Tigger rose, sniffed the food, looked at Tony and then Ziva, “Eat cat or I will eat you.” She whispered. Tigger ate, sated, she now cleaned her face and paws, jumped up onto the table again, looked McGee in the face,burped, the tuna breathe overpowering, and crawled into the basket, curled up and went to sleep.
“Wish I could do that after a big meal.” Tony sighed.
“Thought you did sometimes DiNozzo,” Gibbs now smiled.
“Ahhhh Boss.”
“Ok back to business. David, DiNozzo, bring in the Rating, McGee, all you can find on our dead Officer. Abby get this lab cleaned.” Gibbs shouted.
“And you Gibbs?” Ziva asked.
“Gonna take Tigger home. She’s in her carrier, and I think she has had a long day, and I think…” as he snapped the cage shut and Tigger didn’t move.
“She’s dog tired.” Abby finished, smiling.
“Not quite but I get your drift.” as he now picked up the carrier, gently, so as not to disturb, the now sleeping cat, he left the room.
-oOo-
That evening, as the Stevens family sat watching CSI on the television, Mrs Stevens having related the days’ events to her husband, Tigger lay on the chair with Fifi. She had tried to tell her sister of her day, but Fifi wasn’t interested, or so she made out. This annoyed Tigger, so she rose and jumped up into her master’s lap, turned round a couple of times and settled down facing the TV. She started to purr as she watched, turning her head every now and again and at one point pointed with her paw at the screen and sneezed.
“I think,” her master said, looking at Kitty, his wife, “Tigger knows that this is only make believe and she knows the truth. Don’t you puss?” as Tigger purred even more and settled down to dream of her day. She wondered if tomorrow would be back to being just boring.
The End.
Author's Chapter Notes:
Gibbs mets a furry friend