Rick met Gibbs and Tony at the elevator door - pushing himself from against the button panel with a nod of acknowledgement. "You're looking pensive," Gibbs observed as they followed the lean club owner towards the bar. "What's up?"
"Take a seat," Rick indicated two stools and rounded the end of the bar - collecting up two tall coffee mugs and setting them beside the coffee machine. "As for what's up? I'm still trying to figure out what in hell I missed - everything has been going on around me - right under my freaking nose and I knew nothing!"
"But I thought you guys - you know - " Tony leaned forward, looking sympathetic at Rick's plight. "Could - well - talk to each other but not talk - if that makes sense?"
"No - I understand you perfectly," Rick said above the hiss of steam heating the milk in a steel jug. "But - like I told Nicky - both of them have been closed off to me for a while - I didn't question it, I just thought they were - "
"Were what?" Gibbs prompted.
"I don't know - maybe just taking time out - I mean - yes, we're connected to that level but we're not Siamese twins," Rick set the jug down and wiped his hands on a chequered cloth. "Admittedly - there are occasions when it's good to just be yourself and not have one or other of your brothers buzzing around in your head - sometimes it's actually quite enjoyable to be alone - in that sense anyway."
"Buzzing?" Tony echoed.
"Yeah - " Rick nodded with a quick smile. "Back here - right here," he turned and pointed to the base of his skull. "It's like a tickle almost - but not on the skin - it's sort of inside the head,"
"And it doesn't bother you?" Tony looked squeamish.
"Nah - used to it - haven't known anything else so after a while you just accept it - except until this past weekend - I didn't notice the sensation had gone till then." Rick pushed two coffees across and then pulled the one from in front of Gibbs. "Sorry," he chuckled. "Talking too much - " he replaced the frothy coffee with a plain black one and Gibbs nodded his thanks. "So - what now?"
"I think," Gibbs wrapped both hands around his mug. "Rick - we just carry on like this for a while - just hang out till Melinda gets here - you need a diversion and this is it. How's Nicky?"
"Out of it - I'd put an exclusion zone of at least fifty yards around him - and no naked flames either - he's reeking of booze - " Rick took a mouthful of coffee. "He is so going to regret it in the morning."
"He doesn't have that long," Gibbs stated flatly shaking his head. "I want him sober - or as sober as is possible in an hour - I need to question him too."
"I really don't think that's a good idea," Tony held up a hand and glanced from one to the other. "What if he - you know - hurls."
"I promise it will not be you cleaning up the mess," Gibbs snickered, arching a brow at Rick. "Made him do just that at work - getting too cocky one day - weren't you, DiNozzo?"
"I was merely pointing out that - " Tony began - frowning as Gibbs cut across him.
"He was being a smartass," Gibbs winked.
"Was not!" Tony shot back indignantly.
"Guys," said Rick with a sigh. "Can we go up onto the roof? I always feel I can think better up there - any objections?"
"None from me," Tony agreed - glancing at Gibbs who nodded once.
"How'd you do contacting the guests?"
"Fine," Rick nodded, raising his eyes from his mug. "Not a problem - the promise of a free night on the house had them eating out of my hand."
"I didn't mean for you to bankrupt yourself - " Gibbs started and then immediately apologised. "Bad choice of words - "
"It's the truth," Rick shrugged as they made their way to the elevators. "My last bid at being a generous host."
"Not if we've got anything to do with it," Tony jerked a thumb at Gibbs and then himself quickly.
"There's a way out of this, Rick - count on it," Gibbs slapped his arm lightly.
"Matt!" Rick called across the hall - holding up his cell. "You guys go home - the night shift will be here in ten minutes - "
"But, Boss - you sure - we're extra muscle if you need it," Matt spread his arms wide. Just say the word - "
"The word is - go home Matt - get some rest - and you can all look forward to a bonus in your next pay checks. Anyone wants us, we're on the roof and if Melinda arrives -"
"If she arrives," Tony breathed - looking to Gibbs with a worried frown.
"Which reminds me - if either 'Mand or Inara try sneaking in - send them straight home," then, lowering his voice, he addressed the two agents. "I don't want Amanda getting all upset over Nicky - admitting to her what he's done is going to be hard enough - there's going to be fall out - and it could turn very nasty." He lifted his head again to Matt. "Send Melinda straight up - " as he waved a retreat and hit the elevator button. "What?" He asked as Gibbs seemed a little perplexed. "So - they've done good today - didn't have to stay did they? But they did."
"Maybe I'm in the wrong job," Gibbs sighed. "Can't remember when I last got a bonus."
*****
The three men were now standing high above the street - the vista of Washington laid out before them - the dome of the White House glinting in the light of the slowly setting sun.
"Sort of makes you feel humbled," Gibbs breathed as his eyes swept east and west. "All this - built with blood, sweat and tears - "
"Whoa, Boss - that's deep." Tony applauded with a grin - only to earn himself a slap on the back of the head. "What was that for?"
"Not appreciating what past generations did for us," Gibbs stated with a sideways look to Rick who watched the two men with a thoughtful countenance. "Penny for them?"
"Who? Me? I was just wondering - what sort of day you two have at work - "
"Oh, that's easy," Tony lifted his chin as he shoved both hands in his pockets. "I always arrive first - then Gibbs arrives and we can usually tell what kinda mood he's in by the way he approaches his desk - it can vary between a growl as he passes me - hand clasped around his paper cup of coffee which usually means he didn't get the work done on his boat that he wanted - or there's the face like a bulldog chewing a wasp - which means he's either had a call from Fornell or the Director telling him something he didn't want to hear or want to do - "
"Enough." Gibbs raised a hand.
"But I was just getting started."
"Is he always like this?" Rick was sniggering now.
"Until he stops - yeah - and he will in a second or three."
"But the Boss I like best is the one that comes in fully rested after a night in Autopsy when we're working a case over night - I'm asleep at my desk - he kicks the front of the desk and I wake up thinking I'm having a coronary to see Boss man here with a slice of my cold pizza - which cost me sixteen bucks by the way - halfway down his throat and then he's spraying me with crumbs demanding to know why the Navy Officer he told me to call at two am didn't answer his phone - and here's a tip - never tell the Boss they didn't answer because they were asleep in bed - "
"Are you done?" Gibbs growled - fixing Tony with a steely stare.
"If you say I'm done - I'm done." Tony flashed a quick smile and turned to enjoy the rooftops of Washington once more.
"I wouldn't mind spending a day with you and the team sometime, Jethro." Rick said as he made his way to a nearby table and bench.
"Good idea." Gibbs nodded. "Give you some insight into what I," he jerked a thumb at Tony. "What I have to put up with."
"Are you done dissing me?" Tony pouted as he sat down.
"You start behaving yourself - I might just do that."
"I envy you two - you have such an easy calm about you," Rick sighed almost sadly. "It's something I've seen in too few relationships - you've been together - how long?"
"Two years - ten months - six days and - " Tony glanced at his watch. " three hours and forty six minutes."
"He's making it up," Gibbs chuckled.
"Am not - "
"And your co-workers? They have no idea - except for Abby and Ducky?"
"Only those two, Rick - no one else," Gibbs replied.
"If Ziva and McGee knew?" Tony whistled between his teeth. "I really don't want them to find out."
"They're not interested in this kind of scene?" Rick pressed.
"Oh boy - I hope not!" Tony was wincing at the very thought of Ziva confronting him.
"Put it this way," Gibbs leaned forward. "They don't ask - and neither do we - whatever they want to do - "
"Badda bim badda boom," Tony leered.
"What he said."
"Bill Paisley." Rick said the name out of the blue. "What are you going to do about him?"
"The lawyer who's uncontactable?" Gibbs asked.
"Yeah - I mean - what lawyer - any standing makes himself unavailable? Taylor's got to have some means of contacting him when he needs him - like now - over a weekend." Rick placed both hands flat on the table top and leaned back - easing the kinks from his lower back and spine.
"That's where Melinda comes in," Gibbs grinned evilly.
"Meaning?" Tony nudged him with an elbow.
"Meaning," Gibbs nudged him back. "I was initially going to ask Melinda to film Taylor naming his lawyer - but Alex told me what I needed to know - Ducky - apparently knows him sort of - well-ish - but I figured just what you said, Rick - Taylor will have a means of getting hold of him twenty four seven - and I intend to find out exactly what means that is - so - let's just pretend we're all completely clueless for a while - and Taylor is strung up ready for a neat little spanking - we roll the tape - and then sit back and watch - and wait - we get a number and an address - "
"And if the papers aren't at Paisley's place?" Tony didn't sound convinced.
"Then - Taylor gets a little more than he bargained for, doesn't he?" Gibbs sat back triumphantly. "If I have to - I will arrest Paisley and haul his ass back to DC tonight - those papers will be destroyed Rick - and then - I will spend as long as it takes to get the truth from our three guests downstairs - "
"What d'you mean you," Tony sulked. "We're here to help too - or did you forget that?"
"Yeah," Gibbs clasped his shoulder. "I know - my faithful St Bernard - and you Rick - you want to sit in?"
"Do I ever," the Uber Dom nodded enthusiastically. "I've my own questions I want answers to as well."
"I figured that might be the case," Gibbs laughed raising his mug and saluting the other two silently.
"Success," Rick and Tony clinked mugs.
"Bring it on!"
TBC -
Author's Chapter Notes:
And it's coffee time - plans being hatched up on the roof