An Off Day
A/N: This is my first attempt at writing my own NCIS fanfiction story. I am an avid fan of NCIS and therefore thought I would try my hand at a DiNozzo story. There are so many wonderful and talented writers in this fandom, I hope that I have not bitten off more than I can chew. With so many good stories here, they are a hard act to follow but nothing ventured, nothing gained as they say so I hope you all enjoy my humble offering.
Chapter 1
Tony sat in his car outside, feeling miserable. He had spent most of the previous night on the bathroom floor of his apartment regretting the dodgy takeaway he had consumed after work the previous evening. It wasn't a take out joint he normally frequented but after a long and extra tiring day in the office and out at a particularly gruelling crime scene he had been especially ravenous on the way home and with Gibbs insisting that they made an early start the next day he had figured it was easier to pick something up there, as it was on his way home but boy had he regretted his decision. Not long after getting to bed, his stomach had started cramping and the rest of the night was spent either talking on the porcelain telephone or curled up on the cold tiles for some respite from the endless and painful retching.
He had managed a quick shower this morning and some water but hadn't risked consuming anything else and had made it to the office carpark but so far no further. Looking at his pitiful reflection in the rearview mirror, he sighed heavily. Looking as he was, Ducky might mistake him for one of his corpses and he frowned at what McGee and Kate would make of his sickly pallor. Then there was Gibbs who was NOT easily fooled. Something told him his sunglasses and his quick wit wouldn't be enough today to stop Gibbs from getting suspicious. As he felt a headache beginning to form deep within his skull, he dreaded the familiar head slap that on most days he found somewhat endearing but today he knew would also prove to be extremely painful.
He checked his watch and saw that he had only five minutes left before he was due inside and laid his head back on the headrest for just a minute's respite before his DiNozzo mask would have to be put firmly in place and business as usual would have to be attempted.
Inside Gibbs was in foul humor. McGee cowered slightly behind his computer screen while still keeping tabs on the Boss as he watched him eyeing up Tony's vacant desk with increasing annoyance. He could hear Kate on her phone, checking out things related to their latest case but even as she spoke, McGee could see that she too was noticing what Gibbs was staring at and their eyes met briefly. She shrugged her shoulders and they both clearly shared a sympathetic look which seemed to echo both their thoughts that they would NOT like to be in DiNozzo's shoes this morning.
The ringing of his cellphone roused Tony from where he had dozed off in his driver's seat and he jumped with a start, a move which only served to aggravate his by now thumping headache and made his stomach churn even more. He looked at the phone and saw Gibbs name on the screen and quickly checking his watch his heart skipped a beat as he saw that he was now forty minutes late for work. Clumsily putting on his sunglasses and fixing his hair with his hands he exited the car hastily, answering the cellphone as he locked it up. He held the receiver slightly from his ear as the familiar voice boomed from the speaker.
"DINOZZO! Are you joining us this morning or have you found something better you need to be doing?"
DiNozzo cringed as he heard the tone and sarcasm that always signalled the fact that Gibbs was NOT in a good mood and knew his day was about to go from bad to worse rapidly. Now breaking into a run despite his protesting head and stomach he spoke shakily into the phone.
"Sorry Boss. Traffic was hell. I'm just outside. Be there in five. "
"Make that TWO DiNozzo unless you want to spend the rest of the day helping Ducky with the cadavers! " Gibbs yelled before hanging up as Tony winced and stuffed the cellphone back in his pocket.
Rushing into the waiting elevator, he pushed the button several times unnecessarily and rubbed at his throbbing temples. With his stomach the way it was today, the last thing he needed was to be assigned to Ducky for the day. Even the ascending motion of the elevator was causing his stomach to protest and although he fervently hoped that his day would not get any worse, his head was telling him that with Gibbs in that mood, his day was about to rapidly descend into hell.