‘Can you not take a nap or something?' Jen asked Roy as the elevator dinged and she made her way toward her office.
‘Um, have you ever tried to sleep while you're walking? If you recall, we are both in this body.'
‘Don't remind me,' she replied, keeping a pleasant expression on her face.
It was Monday morning, and Agent Diamond had finally released her from captivity. Director Shepard shook her head in frustration. Physically, she was fine. She hadn't sustained any injuries – not so much as a scratch. But Agent Diamond could read thoughts, and hers were anything but normal, particularly since they weren't hers alone. She had informed him that under no uncertain terms she would be returning to work, and was in full possession of her mental faculties. Maybe possession wasn't the right word, with Roy's spirit sharing her mortal space; but regardless of how you labeled it, she was ready and able to perform her duties. She ordered Roy to release her, and to keep from revealing any clues as to what was going on inside her. After securing his silence, she had commanded control of the situation and insisted on their returning to DC immediately.
The entire staff watched with undisguised curiosity as the Director made her way quickly to her office, as if it were any other workday. There was no trace of the trauma of the explosion that had rocked her world only a week prior.
Gibbs rose from his desk, grabbed his coffee and headed toward the stars. He stopped in his tracks and changed direction and the sound of the elevator's arrival. Agent Diamond was here; finally.
"Nice of you to join us, Diamond," Gibbs said sarcastically.
"I'm early," Noah said, checking his watch.
Gibbs took a step toward him, forcing Noah back into the elevator he had just vacated. He stepped in behind him, waited for the doors to close and stalled the elevator with the emergency stop button.
"Clearly you are both fine, so why the week-long disappearing act?" Gibbs asked Noah, not bothering with any pleasantries.
"I had to handle the cover-up for NPID, and had to make sure Director Shepard had sustained to long-term injuries," Noah explained.
"You could have done that from here. Don't insult my intelligence!" Gibbs barked. He was standing so close to Noah that he could smell the coffee on his breath.
"Yes, sir," Noah said, recognizing his boss's need to maintain control of the situation. "Director Shepard was in a state similar to that of a coma until the night Abby contacted us with your request for us to return. Once she had awakened and I saw that she was fine, I would have returned, even without your prompting," he explained.
"So, she's fine?" Gibbs asked, his concern finally showing through his previous gruff exterior.
Noah smiled. "I'm sure it's a little disconcerting to go through what she did, not to mention the coma. After some adjusting, I'm sure she'll be fine." Noah did his best to hide his amusement behind a flat expression.
"If you say so," Gibbs answered suspiciously. He started the elevator, giving Noah his most intimidating glance. Noah smirked. If he only knew.
---
Tony looked around the bullpen. It was as if he were having an out-of-body experience, looking on as someone else lived his life. He took a moment to reflect on the events of the past year. He had seen Kate. He had faced his feelings. He had loved her. She had gone. He had broken. After the most confusing series of months, he had begun piecing the important parts of himself back together. He had flirted; there was Jenny; and Ziva. And now Kate was back. He rose quietly from his desk and made his way to the stairwell. He needed to see Abby.
---
"I'm serious, Abby, she was exactly the same," Tim explained.
Abby waved her hands animatedly as she spoke. "But Tim, it can't be! Noah told me that what happened was really bad. And you say she didn't have as much as a scrape?!"
"Nothing," McGee answered. "But Noah said she was in a coma for a while. He assumed it was from mental trauma of some sort."
"Mmm hmmm," Abby said, bringing her hand up to stroke her chin. "Something's hinky."
"Isn't it always?" Maggie asked, entering the room from the elevator.
"Mags!" Abby said, rushing over to give her a hug. "Thanks for keeping our Gibby so mellow," she said perkily.
"You call bringing you into interrogation mellow," McGee questioned.
"Well!" Abby protested. "It could have been worse."
"Well, I appreciate the thought," Maggie said, "but I've had little to do with soothing our boss lately. He has some stuff going on, and the recent experience with Director Shepard seems to have brought it all to a head," she admitted softly.
"Awww…" Abby said, coming to hug her friend. "Is he being all Gibbs-distant? He has a way of pulling away when he feels…"
Maggie chuckled. "No, he's not pulling away, Abs. Don't worry; we're fine. He just has some history to reconcile."
"Is this a private conversation, or can anyone join?" Tony asked, walking into the room.
"We were just talking about Director Shepard," McGee explained.
"So, Maggie, how's little Shannon doing," Tony teased, eyeing McGee. "Probie, I hear she may need a date for the prom. Maybe you could…"
"Shut up, Tony!" McGee said, slapping him on the back of the head Gibbs-style.
"Hello, I'm the Senior Field Agent!" Tony said, raising his hands in self-recognition.
"Awww…" Abby said, going to hug Tim.
"I can take care of myself, Abby," he protested.
Abby backed away, holding her hands up in surrender. "You can obviously handle yourself very well. Look how you held off that itty bitty girl from mauling you in the stairwell," she quipped.
"I couldn't stop her because it was so unexpected, and you said you understood how it happened!" McGee turned toward her in protest.
"She's teasing you, Probie," Tony said. "But while you're thinking about how to get out of that situation next time, why don't you and Maggie go upstairs and talk about it. I need a moment alone with this gorgeous woman," he continued, putting his arm around Abby.
McGee narrowed his eyes at his coworker. Abby caught his gaze and gave him a conspiratorial wink. He smiled, knowing everything was okay.
"Let's go, Maggie," he said, escorting her out of the lab.
---
"Kate's back," Tony told Abby after the others had left.
"Oh my God, Tony!" Abby said, shocked. "Why hasn't she been to see me? How? Wait… I thought… I'm so confused!"
"Me too," he admitted. "I really care for her, Abby. But when she left before, she was adamant about the fact that she's dead, and our situation was not permanent. You, Maggie, Gibbs – everyone kept telling me that I had to move on. Now Kate comes back to find I've been sleeping with anything in a skirt. Not to mention, she heard me say Ziva's name," Tony rambled.
"She what?!" Abby asked.
"When she first came back I was apparently dreaming about Ziva. She heard me say her name in my sleep," he said softly.
"Wow, Tony, that's harsh," Abby replied. Tony laughed away his annoyance.
"I know. It's not like I did it on purpose, Abs. Anyway, she started to just leave, but decided to stick around and hear me out," he replied.
"That's the Kate I know," Abby said, nodding her head. "So, where is she now?" Abby asked him.
"I don't know. She told me she thought she had found a way to stay, but when I went to touch her, my hands passed through as if they weren't there."
"As if she were a ghost?" Abby suggested with a smirk.
"Very funny, Abby. You know that's not how it's supposed to work."
"Actually, we're in uncharted territory, as far as I'm concerned. I've never heard of a ghost coming back after fading," Abby informed him.
"It was like it was all smoke and mirrors," Tony said incredulously. "Like I expected it to be the first time."
"We'll figure it out," Abby assured him, patting him on the back.
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