"Are you going to tell me?" Kate and Tony were in the car on their way to the office. Kate knew that the 20 minutes that were left of the ride, she would have to use well. And she had no intention of wasting it.
"Tell you what?"
"About your nightmare." She dared to glance over at Tony. She met his frown for a moment before her eyes turned back to the road.
"Now, why would I do that?"
"Tony, you were terrified." The lack of response made her even more determined to find out what bothered her team mate and friend. "As I told you before, you shouldn't bottle things up like this. Tell me."
"Why? Because you care so much about me?" This was more proof that something was off. That comment should have been teasing and sexiest, not dripping with sarcasm and anger.
"Tony?" She was surprised with the comment. He actually didn't think she cared? She looked at him and what she saw in his eyes broke her heart. "How can you ask me that? Of course I care."
The hurt look in Kate's eyes made Tony drop his eyes to the floor. She didn't deserve him snapping at her like this. He couldn't look at her. It crushed him to know what he did to her. What he did to the people that were important in his life.
It took several minutes before Kate tried again. After the lack of belief in Tony's voice, she had to calm herself down. That had hurt more than she had thought it could. "Tony." She talked with a very calm voice and it was full of concern for her partner. "I have never seen you this way. I've never seen you scared before." She could hardly believe the emotions that were running around in the car. She was tearing up. She refused to start crying, but this was ripping her apart. She dared another look at him. He was sitting with his hands over his eyes. They were just driving into the parking lot at the office. When she stopped the car at her usual spot. When he still didn't speak or move, she broke the silence. "Tony?"
He took a deep breath and looked over at her. The anger was gone and the sadness was back. "I can't, Kate. I just can't. At least not yet."
Their eyes locked together and the pain in those eyes was almost to much, but at least she was getting a response.
She gave him a small smile. "Okay, just know that I'm here for you." She got a small nod and a little, but genuine, smile in return. When he got out of the car she couldn't manage to follow him right away.
"Kate? Are you coming?"
Kate quickly dried away the tear that had managed to escape, before she got out and followed her partner for another day at work.
***
One night with some sleep had helped Tony's mood a lot. If he was completely true to himself he also felt better because he knew that Kate was there for him if he needed her. He had his doubts, but after the emotions that had run a little wild he understood that she was sincere. But he still had that nagging feeling in the back of his mind that said if she knew what the nightmare was about, she might not be so eager to help. It was still a comfort though. Which helped him to actually smile a little now and then, which lifted the heart on the others on the team.
Kate knew that even if she hadn't solved anything, she had at least helped him a little and that was a good start. Now if she just didn't push him, maybe he would trust her enough to tell her. That was just it. Would she be able to not do that?
Just then Abby came out of the elevator. "Hey Boss-man. Can I take your team out for lunch now?"
Gibbs frowned and looked down at the watch. "Go, eat. Be back in one hour."
While Kate and McGee started pulling on their jackets, Abby walked over to Gibbs' desk. "Come on, Gibbs. Even Ducky and Jimmy are joining us."
"No, just bring me back a cup of coffee and I'll be fine."
"You can't live on just coffee," Kate said.
"Watch me."
"For once, take a brake. Come eat." Abby actually grabbed him by the arm and tugged. She knew that she wouldn't win a fight against him, but she could maybe get away with being a tad annoying.
"Fine. For once, but you're buying."
"You got it."
Everyone started to move, except Tony. He still sat at his computer working. He was lost in his own thoughts, because he would have the bullpen to himself to work on the letters while the others were out eating.
"Tony?" McGee's voice got his attention. "Are you coming?"
"Nah, I'm not that hungry and I need to get this report finished anyway."
"Ah! Come on, Tony. Everyone else is going." Kate walked over to his desk and gave him a smirk. "My treat?"
"That's ok. Just go on." He gave her a smile in return. He was hungry, but this was more important.
"He's saying no to food. That can't be good," McGee mumbled.
"DiNozzo. If I can take lunch off, so can you. Now come on. We don't have all day."
"But..."
"Now, DiNozzo."
"Fine." Tony gave in. He still couldn't get himself to say no to his boss. Damn it! He pointed a finger at Kate. "You're still buying."
"Sure." Kate was silently cheering inside for one more victory to get Tony out of his shell. ‘Baby steps,' she reminded herself. ‘Take it slow.' They were finally going somewhere.
***
The lunch was coming to an end. Tony had mostly been quiet, but he had been smiling more in the last 45 minutes, than he had for the last few weeks. And that lightened the mood even further.
The cheerful conversation was broken by Gibbs' phone ringing.
"Gibbs." The others watched while he was on the phone. No one dared to speak. "We'll be right there." He hung up and started getting up. "We got a body, lets move it."
Tony and Gibbs left first since Kate and Abby were buying for them anyway and didn't have to pay.
"You go. I'll take care of the bill."
"Thank you, Abby my dear." The other left in a hurry to catch up to Tony and Gibbs.
***
They didn't have to go far to get to the body. Lieutenant Karen Wilson sat up against a tree in a park 20 minutes away from headquarters.
McGee was taking pictures, Kate was talking to local police officers and the one that found her and Tony was sketching the scene. Jimmy and Ducky were getting ready to transport her back to HQ.
"How long has she been dead, Duck." Gibbs came over and crouched down beside Ducky.
"Hmmm, by the liver temp I would say that she has been here for approximately 5-6 hours."
"And nobody noticed her? We're in the middle of a park for christ sake."
"I know, Jethro," Ducky said calmly. "But it looks like she was positioned to look like she was just enjoying the sun." He turned his gaze from Gibbs over to the body. "Cause you look very peaceful. I just hope your death was that too."
"Do you know what killed her?"
"No, I can't see anything that gives it away. But I'll know more when we get her home."
Gibbs left Ducky and Jimmy to do their work and walked over to Tony and McGee. "Have you found anything?"
"This is a park, Boss. We have found plenty. The question is if it has any relevance to the case. And we haven't found anything that sticks out."
Kate came over and joined them. "No witnesses as far as we know. It was a jogger that got a bit suspicious and went to check it out. I called Lieutenant Wilson's CO at JAG. Apparently she just started her vacation yesterday and she lives on her own, so she hasn't been called in missing."
"She's still in her uniform though. Maybe she didn't even make it home last night." Tony looked over to where Ducky and Jimmy were now putting the Lieutenant into the truck. "But then why doesn't she have any signs of a struggle?"
"We'll know more when we get back to HQ. Kate, McGee. Go to the Lieutenants apartment and see what you can find. Tony and I will keep looking around here for a little while before we return."
"Sure thing, Gibbs."
"Right away, Boss." By Gibbs' words they left to go to the apartment.
"Lets see if we can find anything that can help."
"Sure, Boss." They walked over to the tree where they found the Lieutenant and started there.
***
After half an hour they still hadn't come up with anything useful.
"Lets go back and get started with what we actually do have." They walked towards the car side by side. When they were getting close to the car, something caught Tony's eyes in the sun. Before he has time to react, the one in the bush with the gun fired a shot. The problem wasn't that they didn't know who the shooter had picked as his target. It was that Gibbs stepped in front of him and pushed him away.
Tony fell to the ground. He pulled himself up as fast as he could and pulled out his gun. But who ever had fired was gone. He pulled out his phone and called for backup when he finally noticed Gibbs lying face down on the ground. "Gibbs? I need an ambulance out here now!" He yelled into the phone. Tony knew that he shouldn't move Gibbs, but he had to see where he was hit and try to stop the bleeding. Tony carefully turned him over. He had a quick inhale of breath at the sight of blood from the wound on the side of Gibbs' head.
Author's Chapter Notes:
Back to work. A little talk in the car and a trip to the park.
Chapter End Notes:
Thanks for the guidance, Kathy. I'm sorry that I'm so slow to write, so... Marisa and Mel, thank you for pushing me to hurry up!
And feedback is appreciated...
And feedback is appreciated...