Staring Down the Storm
by channelD
written for: the NFA Sun, Sea & Sand Challenge. It's a beach-themed challenge.
rating: K plus
genre: Drama
set in: season 6, but no real spoilers
author's note: I'm sticking to my original conception of Tim's parents as meteorologists, rather than having his father be career Navy. Hey; I had my idea first.
- - - - -
disclaimer: I own nothing of NCIS.
- - - - -
Chapter 1
Tony cast a quick glance at the ZNN display on the nearby TV. So did Tim. Candide now a category 2 hurricane as she moves across Virginia, the crawl at the bottom of the screen read.
"Eyes on your work; not on the Panic System," Gibbs scolded as he swept through. Stopping only to pick up a file from his desk, the team leader went up the stairs.
Ziva smirked at her teammates. "Watching the screen is not going to make the storm arrive any faster, or depart any sooner."
"How wise," Tony grumped. "I'll bet you don't get many hurricanes in Israel, do you, Zee-vah? They're serious storms. And rare here in Washington."
"And you are an expert…? I did not know that Ohio was a target state for hurricanes."
"I've lived here on the East Coast long enough to show them respect."
"That was before he learned that there weren't real women behind the women's names," Tim gibed.
"Har har," Tony snarled.
"And you, McGee," Ziva continued, causing Tim to look up, startled. "You, like Gibbs and Tony, are from America's heartland. You cannot have had much experience with hurricanes."
"No, but with my parents both weather scientists, I do know something about them."
It was Ziva's turn to stare at the TV. "So, do you think it is true? Is the District about to get flattened?"
- - - - -
The storm had been predicted for almost a week. Not the exact path, of course, but all signs had pointed to Candide as one of the few named storms that would likely make landfall on the US this year. Daintily it skipped the Caribbean islands, breezed close to Florida while staying out to sea, popped over the North Carolina Outer Banks, and then took a less expected turn north and west into Virginia. There was now a greater than 90% likelihood that its now northeast track would take it over Washington, Maryland, Delaware and New Jersey before fleeting back to the Atlantic Ocean.
Washington, D.C. No wonder this was swiftly dubbed by pundits the "terrorist storm".
"Are they going to let us out early, do you think?" Tony mused. "It is going to get hazardous out there…"
Tim gave him a doubting look. "We're emergency personnel, Tony. We get to work the hazardous conditions. Someone has to."
"A dead seaman is going to be just as dead after the hurricane's gone," Tony argued. "Most stuff can wait."
"Arrival in D.C. expected in under four hours," said Ziva. "Sustained winds of close to 100 miles per hour. We might be just as safe staying here."
The seldom-used public address system came on. "May I have your attention. This is Director Vance. Due to the approaching storm, we are letting everyone go home now—"
"Yes!!!" Tony cried.
"—with the exception of Venterov's team and Gibbs' team and the Autopsy and Forensics personnel. We can't close down entirely. Travel safely, folks. That is all."
Tony growled. Tim only said, "Well, we'll get comp time for it."
"Might as well send us out into the howling gale, then," Tony said, still peeved.
Gibbs came back in. "Thanks for volunteering, DiNozzo," he said. "Got a lead on the missing Marine case, over in Chesapeake Beach. You and McGee go."
"Uh, boss, there's a hurricane coming," Tim faltered.
"At a couple miles an hour, McGee. Get going now and you'll be back long before it arrives."
Ziva gave her teammates a look as they reluctantly got up. "What?" Tony demanded. "Are you going to tell us to be careful, hurry back, stay safe, etc.?"
Her eyes crinkled as she smiled. "No. I was going to suggest you take an umbrella. It looks like it might rain."
- - - - -
The lead was a witness who lived in a house not far from the beach. Not that there weren't a lot of miles of beach; Chesapeake Bay was a large estuary, comfortably nestling along the shores of both Maryland and Virginia. Chesapeake Beach itself was the name of a community in Maryland.
It didn't take more than a quarter of an hour to get the information needed from the witness, take photographs, and accept the possible evidence that the witness gladly handed over. They should be able to get back to NCIS before the wind and rain made driving impossible.
Tony started the car. "You ever see a hurricane up close, McGee?" he said suddenly.
"Nope, and I don't want to. Let's go."
"Now where's your sense of adventure??"
"My sense of self-preservation kicked it out of the house long ago."
"Would your parents have gotten as far in their careers with that kind of attitude? They're tornado chasers, aren't they? Like in the movie Twister?"
"Only my mother is a tornado chaser," Tim said in grunting acknowledgment. "My dad's in theoretical research."
Tony could see that Tim was weakening. "And didn't you find storms thrilling, growing up?"
"Well…yeah, I guess so."
"So here's your chance to grab a prize! Let's get the hurricane experience!"
Tim's eyes gleamed suddenly. "It might be fun," he admitted with a smile.
"When will we ever get a better chance? It's not every year that a hurricane blows over DC!"
"But…it's dangerous."
"And our daily job isn't?"
"And an ocean beach would be the best vantage point."
"Too far to go in this short time period. The Bay will do."
"We should be careful, though."
"Ah, they always exaggerate the dangers. We'll be fine. If it gets really bad, we'll just…drive back to NCIS."
"If we're too late, Gibbs will kill us."
"I can come up with a plausible excuse." Tony staved off Tim's objection. "I said I would come up with a plausible excuse. Yours have too much of the truth in them. I'm more devious."
"No argument there. Okay, let's go find a nice stretch of beach, then, with wind-whipped waves."
- - - - -
Inside the NCIS building, Gibbs stood over Ziva's desk. "Logoff, David. Now."
"Yes, Gibbs," Ziva said with reluctance. "I do not like working anywhere but at this desk. All my supplies, my notes, my favorite pens are here."
"Bring your pens with you, if you want. We're under orders to move out two minutes ago. This area isn't safe."
"But the subbasement is so cold."
"Bring your jacket. You can work in Autopsy if you prefer, though there are fewer computers there. Everyone, from the Director on down, is moving downstairs to windowless rooms. We don't know if these big windows and the skylight, much less the roof, can withstand hurricane-force winds."
Ziva thought of something, and stiffened. "Tony and McGee—when they get back, will they know where to go?"
"There will still be guards at the entrance, and they've been briefed. I expect DiNozzo and McGee to call soon, anyway."
Casting one last look out the window at the trees bending in half in the wind, Ziva said, "I would have expected them to have called by now."
- - - - -
As the sedan pulled to a stop in the North Beach parking lot, Tony shut off the engine and was about to open the door when his phone rang. It was Ziva.
Tim listened in amusement while Tony blew her off, but then was shocked when Tony started to get out of the car. "What are you doing??"
"What does it look like I'm doing?! I'm getting out to enjoy the storm."
"But it's very windy and raining!"
"Didn't you bring an umbrella like our dear Ziva told you too?" Tony said mockingly.
Tim snorted. "If I opened an umbrella in this wind, I'd fly away like Mary Poppins. Tony, I thought when you said you wanted to see the storm, we'd do so from the inside of the car."
"Think what you like, McGoo. I am going to the beach! Woo-hoo! Surf's up!!" So saying, Tony closed the car door and went running for beach, puddles splashing in his wake.
Tim looked after him for a moment, and then considered that it might be fun, or at least thrilling. He'd done a bit of thrill-seeking lately; he wasn't really sure why. Some of these adventures had come to Gibbs' attention, and Gibbs had yelled at him for them. There were several others that Gibbs didn't know about. This would be one of them.
Waves, higher than their heads, crashed on the sandy beach before falling back into the bay. Rain fell, but it wasn't a drenching rain…yet. The winds were gusty, rather than sustained, and even the gusts weren't too much for them.
Tony disdained the boardwalk, opting for the beach itself. He struck a pose as a wave approached him, and then laughed as it made him stumble. "Come on! To that pier over there! Let's take pictures!"
"Good idea!" said Tim, without wondering who he could show pictures to. It wasn't like he could ever give this adventure away.
There were, of course, no boats to be seen on the bay. All that could be seen was mist and the unsettled bay. Tilghman Island, the closet bit of land, about six miles due east, was invisible.
The waves splashed up on the pier from below mightily, as if part of a stage show. Both men laughed in silly amusement. Tony spun, taking pictures. "Bring it on, Ma Nature!" he cried, turning his face to the heavens. "We can take it!!"
He turned around to say something to Tim.
Only Tim wasn't there.