Moonlight Serenade
Disclaimer: I don´t own any characters or anything
Summary: Christmas is a time when miracles really do happen. The team is in for some surprises and they´re getting more than they have wished for…
1) And One Makes Five
It was one of those Monday´s again. It wasn´t just any Monday, but the last week before Christmas. Anthony Dinozzo yawned and stretched as he tried to wake up enough to concentrate on his work, but failed miserably. The lack of sun and light was slowly getting to him –like every year during the winter, but for some reason it seemed worse this year. He glanced over at the woman who sat at the desk across from him, typing something. "How come you´re never tired?" He asked and she looked up.
Ziva tilted her head. "Why should I be tired?" She inquired and noted the dark circles under his eyes. "Maybe you should try to sleep at night instead of taking girls out on a date." She added and watched how McGee disappeared behind his desk, obviously laughing.
"That´s not funny, probie! I do sleep, but this dark weather is making me tired." Dinozzo complained and yawned again. Only seconds later he shot up when a steaming cup was put onto his desk.
"You should try some coffee, Dinozzo. Maybe that would help you to get your reports done on time." Gibbs said as he walked over to his own desk. "McGee, you need to turn your desk –we´re going to put in another one." He added and got three surprised looks from his team.
"Another desk?" Tony echoed surprised and sat up straight. "New probie?" He wondered and already started to make plans about how to drive the new agent crazy. He had done the same with McGee, but the younger agent had somehow made it through this time and was now a full field agent. Still, his nickname stuck to him like chewing gum to cheap carpet.
Gibbs turned towards Dinozzo. "Actually, we´re getting an additional agent, Dinozzo –we´ve been keeping up good, but recently there´s a lot more cases and we will do better with another set of eyes, ears and brains on the team." He explained and took a file out of his drawer. "The director wants us in her office at 11 am sharp –so get that desk in here now."
McGee obediently turned his desk far enough that they could fit another desk into the office and watched Tony doing the same. "Where am I going to put all my stuff now?" The older agent complained and looked at the boxes which had been hidden beneath the desk before.
"Why don´t you leave it at home, Dinozzo? You´ve got more stuff under your desk than I have in my basement." Gibbs was standing right in front of him and had his arms folded in front of his chest. "If I see any of this here tomorrow, you will find it in Abby´s disposal bin or in one of Ducky´s coolers. Is that clear?"
"Yes, boss. Crystal clear." Tony replied and started to move his belongings towards the wall. He had just piled everything up when he heard Gibbs calling his name. When he turned, he noticed that the whole team was already half way up the stairs that lead to the director´s office. He hurried after them and was rewarded a slap up the back of his head. "What was that for?"
Gibbs didn´t answer, but walked right into the office. Jenny Shepard stood near the window and seemed to be looking at something at a distance. "Ziva, would you close the door, please?" She said after a moment and waited until the lock clicked shut. "Have a seat, everyone."
All four agents sat down at the large table in front of the large desk and waited. Tony wondered why Shepard wanted all of them here today. Usually she would call Gibbs up, tell him what he needed to know and he would relay the message to the rest of them. Today it was different though and he could only guess why.
"I take it you know that you will have a fifth agent on your team. I expect you to be absolutely professional about this. Dr. Mallard and Miss Sciuto have not been informed so far, but I believe you are going to fill them in shortly." She said, looking directly at Gibbs. "Now, the reason why you are here isn´t that simple. I must ask you to keep all that is said here to yourselves for the time being. I am still not completely sure whether this is a good idea or not, but fact is that you have too many cases open and not enough people to close them all at once. If this is not working out, one of you will have to got –and no, agent Dinozzo, it doesn´t necessarily have to be the one who came last."
All four were following her words highly concentrated. McGee wondered what this was about. After all, new agents usually just turned up at the office in the morning and were integrated into a team within a few days. He wasn´t quite sure what to make of this, but he didn´t get the time to follow his thoughts to the end as Shepard continued to speak.
"I did not like the idea of this whole thing –I still don´t like it, but it has been decided on much higher grounds. I´m just warning you to behave yourselves." Jenny walked around her desk and picked up her phone. "Cynthia, we´re ready now." She told her secretary and sat down, a small smile playing on her lips as she watched the team staring at the door. The smile widened when she noted the questionmark that seemed to hover above Gibbs´ head at the moment.