As the four men walked back into the CSI lab, Fornell received a call and hung back to take it. The remaining three continued on into the building contemplating the case they were working on, occasionally discussing points of interest to the case with one another.
They passed the reception desk and a cry was heard.
“Ryan”
A blur of black pigtails ran into Ryan’s arms with enough force to cause him to take a step back. Tony looked on in amusement. He had been subjected to an Abby greeting on many occasions.
Abby, Ryan thought as his arms wrapped instinctively around the body hugging him as if her life depended on it.
“Ryan, I didn’t know that Tony was coming to see you. He only told us he gonna see his frat brothers.” She shot Tony a dirty look and punched him in his arm as her babble continued. “It’s so good to see you. You missed NY this year.” She punched his arm this time letting her displeasure at his absence known and continued without taking a breath. “I’m so sorry I haven’t been able to get here for a visit. I know it’s been rough for you…”
Ryan tried to cut her off before she could say something he would rather not be made public.
“Abby.” He interjected.
Abby continued as if she had not heard him, “…ever…”
“Abby” Ryan said a little more forcefully, a little louder, but she still either didn’t listen or didn’t hear him.
“ …since the fune…”
“ABBY.” Ryan yelled and shook her slightly. She looked at him a little guiltily
“Take a deep breath Abby.”
She looked at him with slightly sad, slightly guilty eyes took a deep breath and said, “Are you ok?”
Ryan glanced at his cousin. If he were going to get away with telling a lie, it would be to one or the other of these two people not both. He settled for a truth that he hoped would satisfy both of them.
“Getting there.” Ryan gave them the simplest answer that would not cause any further questioning. He had feared that Abby’s greeting would bring questions from his coworker, for once his team’s neglect of him working in his favor as Delko apparently had lost interest in Ryan. He appeared very interested in Tony’s coworker Kate however.
Abby seemed satisfied with that answer as did Tony. She hugged hard once again and then stepped out of Ryan’s arms.
Tony watched the interaction between his friend and his cousin. He knew they were close but he wasn’t aware exactly how close they had become. How working together with Greg on that DNA project had drawn the geeks in his life together. Tony shifted his gaze unconsciously looking for his lover.
Initially he only saw McGee and Kate, then he happened to catch a glimse of Gibbs just outside of the lab talking to Fornell. Wonderful!
The expressions on Gibbs face a clear indication of his mood. The man was angry.
Tony’s hopes that his lover’s ire was directed at some other person were quickly and decisively dashed once the rest of the team joined him. Kate and McGee had been talking to Delko for a few minutes before they came to join Abby, Tony, and Ryan.
Kate was the one to clue him in to exactly how much trouble he was on. Making sure to include a jab with it.
“Having the FBI do you grunt work now Tony? That’s low even for you.”
Tony winced and glanced at Fornell and Gibbs once again. He looked back at McGee and Kate and asked, ”How mad is he?”
McGee answered him, “ On a scale of 1-10…I’s say a 20.”
Abby who had still be talking quietly to Ryan about their research project, looked up and joined in on McGee’s conversation.
“Oh come on guys, it wasn’t that bad. Gibbs just went all Papa Bear since Tony wasn’t at the airport.
Tony wasn’t sure that was any better than what McGee was saying. Gibbs might be a papa bear with Abby but with Tony, he usually meant it when he reprimanded the younger agent.
Tony was about to make the introductions while waiting for the two older agents when a thought occurred to him.
“Where’s Ducky?” he asked.
Kate rolled her eyes slightly. They all loved the elderly ME but he tended to tell long winded stories that in the end, if you listened that long, generally had no point to them. The team tried to redirect him when he started on one of them.
“One of Fornell’s men, seemed a little green, Ducky is talking to him about the Korean War I think.” McGee supplied helpfully muffling a snicker which the rest of the team including Abby and Tony shared with him.
Ryan smiled but he genuinely liked the ME on Tony’s team. “Don’t tease about Ducky, I like his stories.” Ryan scolded gently and gave Tony a pointed look. They had had an older gentleman in their lives growing up, a Grandfather figure who was much like Ducky in his storytelling. Tony nodded in acknowledgement. He liked Ducky’s stories for the most part and would listen to him when time permitted if not on a case.
McGee took the opportunity to introduce himself to the man who had just spoken.
“You know Ducky? I’m Special Agent Tim McGee.” McGee held out his hand to Ryan and then to Delko in greeting.
Tony introduced the rest of the team as McGee and Ryan talked.
“Yeah I met him when I came to visit Tony last June or July. I’m Ryan Wolf, I’m Tony’s cousin.” He shook McGee’s hand.
Kate vaguely remembered Ryan, he had only been to the NCIS building one time. She thought that he came to visit with another man but she couldn’t remember his name.
By this point the introductions were over and Tony noticed Gibbs and Fornell entering the lab and walking towards the group. Gibbs laser blue gaze zeroed in on and DiNozzo and narrowed.
“DiNozzo” he barked.
Tony winced internally but nothing, not one speck showed externally. Ryan looked at his cousin though and Tony knew that Ryan at least was aware of what was going on inside his head.
Tony knew the reprimand was coming. He stood still, again not quite coming to attention in classic military stance but coming damn close.
“Yes boss?”
“Why were there FBI agents waiting for me at the airport and my own agent was not?” Gibbs asked eyes flashing.
Tony knew that Gibbs didn’t really care why he wasn’t there. The fact he wasn’t there, that Gibbs had told him to be there and he wasn’t, was enough tp cause the reprimand. He also knew better than to apologize. He went with the best answer he could trying to get a little cheeky with the answer.
“Time got away from me boss, so I delegated.” The happy go lucky grin was in place. Time to play the fool.
“I don’t pay you to ogle bikinis DiNozzo. I expect you to be where I tell you to be. Understood?” Gibbs the expected head slap delivered mid sentence.
Tony jumped slightly at the hit and rubbed the back of his head. “Won’t let it happen again Boss.” Was his reply even though even Gibbs knew that it most likely would happen again and likely in the very near future.
Gibbs looked into his younger lover's eyes. Something was bothering Tony and had been for several weeks. Gibbs had hoped that this vacation would help Tony resolve whatever was bothering the younger man.
He wasn’t happy to find out that Tony was not where he said he was going to be and when they got a minute alone together Gibbs was going to find out exactly why his lover was at the wrong end of Florida. He suspected that it had something to do with whatever was bothering Tony, at least he hoped so.
Now this case had come up. A complications he was sure Tony never counted on. Gibbs would have to watch his lover and see if everything personal was taken care of while still solving the case.
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