Melinda stepped into the NCIS building. She waved at Tony and he waved back. Melinda noticed he was talking to a woman with dark brown, curly hair. Tony was laughing with her. "She's at my desk." a cold voice came from behind Melinda. "MY DESK. And he's laughing with her. Flirting." Kate said angrily. Melinda paid her no attention and instead walked over to Tony.
"Hey." he said to her. "Melinda, I want to introduce you to my co-worker, Officer Ziva David." Ziva stood up.
"It's nice to meet you." she said with a distinct Israeli accent. Melinda smiled at her. She then leaned over and whispered to Tony
"Can I talk to you for a second?" he nodded and walked away. Melinda pulled him over.
"Kate's here." she hissed. Tony immediately looked guilty.
"I'm sorry if that made her angry."
"YOU'D BETTER BE!" Kate yelled. Somewhere behind her a glass paperweight busted. Tony jumped.
"Kate's angry." Melinda said to him. "Sometimes the mood of spirits affects their energy field, like now." Tony nodded.
"Yeah, or some people just think someone else did it." he said. Just then a voice yelled out from above.
"MCGEE!!!" Tony, Melinda, and Kate turned and saw a man with silver hair and icy blue eyes come down the stairs.
"That's Gibbs." Tony and Kate said in unison.
"You might want to talk to him now, or else he'll kick you out of the building." Kate advised. Melinda said nothing and instead walked over to where Gibbs was sitting at his desk.
"Um... Gibbs?" Melinda inquired.
"Yeah?" he looked up, "Who are you?"
"Um, my name's Melinda Gordon. This might sound strange, but, I have a gift to see spirits who haven't crossed over yet. One of them knows you, her name is Kate Todd." The mentioning of Kate's name made Gibbs' head snap up.
"I don't believe in ghost stories. I don't know how you found out about Kate, but get out of this offi-"
"GIBBS, Gibbs, Gibbs, Gibbs, Gibbs!" Melinda and Gibbs turned in time to see a Goth girl in a lab coat come racing in. Gibbs looked at her.
"Abby, in a minute." he said exasperated.
"But I found something really, REALLY important." her gaze shifted to Melinda. "Who's this?"
"Melinda Gordon. Abby, would you show her the way out?" Gibbs said curtly. Abby merely nodded and told Melinda to follow her.
"What did you say to piss off Gibbs?" she asked once they were in the elevator.
"Um...I just told him that I could see Kate. See, I have this gift to see spirits that haven't crossed over yet. I told him I saw Kate, and he got all mad." Abby looked at Melinda with interest.
"I think it's neat that you can see dead people. I miss Kate. Oh, you shouldn't have said that to Gibbs. He's been all moody lately since Kate died. He kind of blames himself for it." Melinda nodded.
"I'll keep that in mind." she said. All of a sudden Kate appeared in the elevator with them.
"Tell Abby I miss her." Kate said. Melinda smiled.
"What?" Abby said.
"Kate's here." Melinda replied. Abby grinned.
"Hey Kate!" she said. There was only a hint of dismay in her voice. "How is it being dead?" Melinda knew that Abby was trying to make a joke, buy she sounded a little sad.
"OK Abby. How're you?" Melinda told Abby what Kate said. As she listened to the conversation between the two, and told Abby what Kate said, she marveled at the Goth girl's calm composure, as if there was nothing wrong with talking to her dead best friend. Most people would have cried their eyes out, but Melinda supposed that since Abby had to endure loss in her work daily, it had taught her to be strong. They were both surprised at the ding of the elevator door, and Melinda noticed that both Kate and Abby shut up. The doors opened and Ziva stepped in the elevator. Melinda noticed that Abby immediately tensed up, and she wondered what was up between the two agents. Kate walked over and whispered in Melinda's ear.
"I think I'll stick around to watch this." Melinda responded with a mere shake of her head. Ziva turned to look at Melinda.
"I am sorry about Gibbs. I know it has been hard for him to lose Kate." Abby rounded on Ziva.
"You don't know. You don't. You don't know how hard it has been for Gibbs, for all of us. How can you know? You didn't know Kate; you don't know the pain of losing someone close to you. So, Miss David, shut up, and don't say you know." Ziva stiffened.
"I was only trying to help." she said.
"Too bad." Abby snarled. Ziva opened her mouth to retort when the elevator doors opened and Abby, Melinda, and Kate stepped out.
Chapter End Notes:
Part 4 of my Kate's Crossing series. I love feedback!!!