Chapter Four
Lisa and I arrived back at the Navy Yard at 7:30.
“Lisa…” We got out of the car.
“I know, it’s time for you to ‘hate me’ again.” Lisa slammed her door.
“It won’t be for much longer,” I smiled. “Don’t look, but Tony is looking at us out the window right now.”
“Let’s give him a show then.” Lisa threw her hands up in an ‘I give up’ sort of way and gave me a horrible look (almost a ‘Gibbs stare’!). I could see the suppressed laughter at the corners of her mouth.
We pretended to yell at one another for several minutes, trying hard not to laugh.
I had never really been mean before… “Is this believable?” I yelled at Lisa across the car, and then began walking away.
“I’d believe you!” Lisa yelled back, walking around the car towards me. “I’m going to slap you, ready?”
“I guess I’ll never be ready for you to…” Lisa’s palm met my face, hard. I didn’t stumble, but could feel tears welling up in my eyes.
Lisa leaned in as if she were threatening me. “Are you okay?” She pointed her finger in my face for emphasis. I could smell her perfume-‘Dew Covered Lilacs’. It smelled familiar…
“I’m okay, but I think it might bruise.” I scowled, and she backed away.
“I’m going to storm off, come grab me.” Lisa stomped away, and I caught up with her, grabbing her arm. I turned her to face me, and she snatched away.
“I hate being unkind to you.” She made tears form in her eyes.
I also saw Ziva and Abby in the window now.
“I hate making you fake cry.” I tried to look malicious.
We reached the elevator, and as the doors closed, Lisa erupted with laughter. Her laugh was bubbly and contagious. I started laughing, too. I grasped my side, trying to breathe, and Lisa was doubled-over with both arms over her stomach. We got more hysterical as the elevator reached the bullpen. You make me act so different, Lisa, so carefree and confident… I wish I could tell you.
The elevator stopped and on the ‘ding’, we snapped back to seriousness.
I shot out of the elevator first, seeing the awed faces of Tony, Abby, and Ziva.
“Where’s Gibbs?”
“With Vance, waiting on everyone to get here.” Tony still looked dumbfounded.
Lisa walked right past me and slammed her bag down on the extra desk in the cubicle. “Can we get this over with?” Lisa looked to Ziva and Tony.
They ignored her. I figured as much.
I looked at Abby, who was still standing by the window.
“How dare you?” A storm was brewing in Abby. Uh-oh.
“Abby, it’s not what you think,” I pleaded.
“It’s exactly what I think, Timmy. She slapped you.” Abby walked toward Lisa.
“Abby.” Tony went to hold Abby back, but she turned and gave him a look. He pulled away like he’d been burned.
Lisa stood her ground as Abby came within inches of her. Abby balled her hands into fists.
“Abbs, what are you doing up here?” Gibbs came down the stairs.
“I was wondering that myself.” Director Vance leaned over the balcony next to MTAC, chewing a toothpick. He peered down at all of us in the bullpen.
“I was returning McGee’s free writing binder, since I haven’t had much evidence to process.” Abby continued to look at Lisa and slammed the binder down on my desk.
She backed away and began signing to Gibbs. She was signing too fast for me to completely understand, but I saw several obscene gestures that were aimed at Lisa. Gibbs raised his eyebrows and looked at me.
Great, so he thinks Lisa meant to hit the hell out of me, too. It was just a joke! I would never be able to tell them that, though. Especially Abby. She’d never forgive me.
Abby turned to face me. She looked at me with those eyes that said everything. I felt instant guilt as she turned away and headed toward the back elevator.
I tried to chase after her, but took three steps and was stopped by Vance.
“McGee, David, DiNozzo?”
“Yes, Director?” we all spoke.
“My office in five. Gibbs, take Miss Scuito a Caf-Pow on me, she’s in for a tiring night.”
Gibbs disappeared to the back elevator, Vance disappeared to his office, and I began to walk to the stairs.
“Favereaux?”
“Yes, Director?” Lisa jumped up.
“Stay in the cubicle.” She sank back down into the chair, defeated.
I caught Lisa’s eye; she smiled weakly.
I ended up behind Tony and Ziva walking up the stairs.
“I can’t wait until they ship Favereaux back to CID where she belongs,” Tony sounded annoyed.
“I, too, would like her to leave. Abby should have shoed her.”
“Ziva, I think you mean ‘socked her’, but that would have been interesting to see…”
“Look”, I interrupted. We all stopped outside MTAC. “You…don’t know the half of it. You would have done the same thing in her situation.”
“Probie, you’re standing up for Agent Butterfingers down there? Last time I checked, and I checked several times, SHE LOST our case against Silvers.”
“Not to mention, she hit you,” Ziva added.
“It was her brother we went and saw at Bethesda. He was the other driver in the accident. She probably didn’t want you to know, but there it is. That’s why she’s being so defensive. I would have done the same thing for my sister. Ziva, you would have done the same thing for Tali…”
I wasn’t trying to hurt her feelings, but Ziva wrinkled her forehead and looked away.
“Tony, you would have done the same thing for Jeanne.” Tony looked at the floor.
We stood in awkward silence for a moment, and then Tony and Ziva looked at each other. Then they both looked at me.
“You like her!” they both smiled.
“What? I was just…making a point!”
“Is that all you were doing, Ma-Gee?” Ziva had a devious look on her face.
I could imagine the thoughts swirling around in Tony’s mind. “You don’t hate her because you’re falling for her, McRomeo!”
A door opened. Vance appeared in the doorway. “My office, you three.”
Tony, Ziva, and I stood in front of Vance’s desk. I could still close my eyes and see Jenny in the same seat, possibly with a glass or bourbon (since it was after eight), her hair cut short. Gibbs would be behind us in an office chair, maybe turning in slow circles. I smiled to myself.
“Change of plans. McGee will now be on night watch with you two.” Vance turned his focus to me. “McGee, after tonight, you will be off of the Silvers case until further notice because of personal ties.”
“Personal ties, Director?”
“The victim died in your arms, Agent McGee. I would consider that pretty personal. I need you to speak with someone about that before you get back into the field again.”
“I assure you, Director…”
“I’ve already let one agent back on the case that lost evidence, and she doesn’t even belong to this branch. If I let you slide on this, the SecNav will be after me personally. Ducky has enough psychological background, so you can talk to him. After you’ve been cleared, I’ll consider putting you back on the case. Be glad you’re on night watch, otherwise you’d be off the case now.”
“How long is the night watch expected to be, Director?” Ziva changed the focus off of me.
“It’s scheduled from 9pm to 3am. Abby will be running special surveillance from her lab, since MTAC is currently tied up with a need-to-know project. Gibbs will be with Abby. If this weren’t college based, he would be with you and DiNozzo and McGee would be doing his psych evaluation. You three will be in a dorm building across from Silvers’. At 3am, there will be a team to relieve you from CID, if we decide to continue surveillance after that time.”
“What about Agent Favereaux?” Tony scratched the back of his head.
Both Ziva and I tried to stifle a yawn.
“She will stay here.”
“All night?” I couldn’t conceal the concern in my voice.
“Unless you have a better idea.”
“Uh…she can have my apartment until I get home.”
Vance raised his eyebrows. People seem to be doing that to me a lot lately…
“All right, since you’re being so generous. All of you make your final preparations before night watch. Be in place at nine on the dot. That is all.”
We left Vance’s office in silence. For once, Tony didn’t have anything smart to say. I was down the stairs first to give Lisa my apartment key. I have never given a woman my apartment key…Lisa would be the first.
Tony opened a drawer and pulled out a toothbrush. He stuffed it into his pocket, along with a pack of Starburst candies and a word search pad.
Ziva packed a small bag identical to mine: hairbrush, toothbrush, binoculars. She zipped her bag and stuffed a small folding knife into her shoe; though I was sure she had at least two more concealed on her body, along with her gun.
I found Lisa sleeping in the extra desk.
“Lisa…” I touched her shoulder. Her olive cashmere sweater felt warm and soft under my hand.
“yeah?” she sat up and wiped her face with both hands.
“Go home, get some rest.”
“McGee, my house is four and a half hours away. Just outside Norfolk.”
“No, I mean…my house…apartment, my apartment.”
“Oh.” She was wide awake now.
“Here’s my key, and my car GPS. I programmed directions in for you. Just press ‘Go Home’, and it’ll show you where to go.”
She gingerly took my key and GPS. I grabbed my night watch bag and began to walk to the elevator.
“Tim…” it was the first time she’d called me by name. I turned around.
“Thank you, for everything.”
I nodded, and walked to meet Tony and Ziva at the elevator. They were still quiet. I wonder if they’re still thinking about what I said, about Tali and Jeanne?
The elevator opened and Gibbs was inside. We all stepped in, and Lisa caught the elevator doors before they closed. She stepped on.
It was even more awkward and quiet and the elevator began to move.
Lisa broke the silence. “Agent Gibbs, DiNozzo, Officer David. I owe you an apology.”
The elevator stopped and opened.
“Don’t apologize to us.” Tony stepped off the elevator.
“McGee told us what happened.” Ziva followed Tony.
“It’s Abby you should be worried about now.” Gibbs remained on the elevator and Lisa and I stepped off. I caught a smirk from him as the doors closed.
“I guess the only person that hates me now is Abby. I’ll see you in a few hours if she doesn’t kill me before then.” Even though Tony, Ziva, and Gibbs no longer seemed to hate her, Lisa still looked a little sad.
“She won’t kill you…uh…shouldn’t kill you. I promise.” I smiled.
“Probie, let’s go!”
Lisa gave me a look, and then turned and walked to her Audi. I lingered for a moment and then ran to the already cranked car that contained Tony and Ziva.
I hadn’t stopped running since Rachel died.
I hopped into the backseat, and Tony began to drive before I even closed the door all the way. I caught a glimpse of Lisa’s silhouette in the rearview mirror as we left the Navy Yard.
It was going to be a long night.