Summary; 'She wasn't fully sure why she had decided to finally come to NCIS. Maybe it was to put things in perspective.' A visitor to NCIS needs to see the effects of her actions. Set after Kill Ari, but with plenty of SWAK spoilers. First attempt at anything NCIS!
The (I'm-Stepping-Out-Of-My-Box) Author's Note; Okay, I've had this in my 'document manager' for the last month, since I finished my only going story. I'm still extremely nervous about posting this though -this is my first venture outside the Friends zone, and after one fully completed story I thought a one shot would be a good change of pace. I figured it was about time to bite the bullet and finally post it today (which is a big deal for me, since I didn't even have the nerve to ask anyone to Beta it! So apologies if anyone seems OOC...). I've been getting into NCIS since September, when I saw my first episode (Chimera). My favourite episode is undoubtedly SWAK, and I've read some good stories relating to it out there, but I don't think anybody has ever gone in this direction (or I just haven't read one like it). I like the whole idea of an outsider seeing into things. That, and I was a little bothered by how little concern Sarah Lowell had for Tony. I know she had her own issues but jeez, her mother gave him the plague! Show a little compassion! Hence, this story! Which is set after Kill Ari, so before Ziva becomes a member of the team. I hope I didn't screw up too badly, I've never written outside my box before! Just so we're clear, the 'Sarah' in this story is not McGee's sister. Just so you guys don't get confused! Enjoy!
Disclaimer; I do not own NCIS, sadly. And if I did, I doubt it'd be any way as good... and poor Tony would be even more unlucky than he already is. :]
Putting Things In Perspective
Sarah swallowed hard as she felt the elevator ascend. She had butterflies in her stomach... or was it a sinking feeling? She wasn't entirely sure. She wasn't fully sure why she had decided to finally come to NCIS. Maybe it was to put things in perspective. She'd only heard of the terrible thing her mother had done, but not seen a shred of evidence.
As the elevator neared the floor Sarah had been told was the one she wanted, the panic was more prominent. What if the agent who had interrogated her was there? The one with the cold, blue eyes? Sarah wasn't sure if she could survive another encounter with him. He'd been so angry with her over his agent. He had some how managed to keep his anger in check, but Sarah had seen the frustration and concern bubbling under the surface. Frustration for her, concern for the agent.
'That agent has a name.' Sarah reminded herself. It hadn't been difficult information to uncover. All she had had to do was ask the first employee she came across. However, she had felt rather foolish doing it.
"Excuse me?" she had asked the employee as he began walking away. He turned around and smiled at her. Obviously thinking he had a shot.
"Need something sweetheart?" his grin was smug, and a little off-putting. None the less, Sarah had some information to wheedle out of him.
"I'm looking for an NCIS agent?" Sarah asked timidly.
The employee looked a little disappointed but paused a moment before smiling. Clearly hoping Sarah was looking for a relative or female friend.
"Anyone in particular?" he asked slowly.
"I err," Sarah paused, wondering how to explain that she didn't know exactly who she was looking for. The cold-eyed agent had never told her the name of his ailed agent, and her mother was less helpful. She had only listed several agents she hoped had been infected. Sarah supposed she'd best be honest.
"I don't know the name." Sarah confessed.
He chuckled. "How do you know I'm not the one you want?" His smug smile increased even more.
Sarah knew there was no way this was the person she wanted. For one, he looked far too healthy.
She smiled sweetly at him and decided to bite the bullet, "Have you had the plague recently?"
He looked crestfallen. Obviously, he realised who Sarah was talking about. Well, it's not everyday someone you worked with contracted a seemingly medieval disease. Clearly, the news had spread like wildfire.
He sighed, "You're looking for DiNozzo right?"
"DiNozzo?" Sarah repeated, checking she got the name correct.
"Should've known the ladies would be throwing themselves at him, since he got 'the Black Death' and all." the man said, rolling his eyes as he did so.
"So... you're not fond of - Agent DiNozzo than?" Sarah asked slowly. She wanted to know what this guy was like, so she could really think through whether visiting him was a good idea or not.
"DiNozzo? Nah, he's alright. Good guy. We've played ball a few times. But he and the rest of the Major Case Response Team must have the patience of a saint to put up with that boss of theirs."
"What do you mean?" Sarah asked, intrigued. And just plain trying to put off the moment where she would finally meet the agent in question.
"In the entire time I've known Agent Gibbs, I've known him to only do two things. Growl and smack his agents on the back of the head."
Gibbs... that was the name of the Agent that had interrogated Sarah.
"Agent DiNozzo is on Agent Gibbs' team?"
"His senior field agent. He's been on Gibbs' team longer than any other agent ever has I think. Except Burley maybe... Probably why Gibbs was so touchy about it."
"Can you tell me where I can find...?"
"The squad room. Four desks in a little square..."
The elevator ding brought Sarah out of her thoughts. The doors slowly opened, as if to drag out the process even more. Sarah turned right as she had been instructed and came across the four desks the employee had described. He hadn't told Sarah who each desk belonged to however, so she just had to improvise.
The first thing that struck Sarah and panicked her was that the desk nearest her was completely bare. No evidence of inhabitance. The desk next to it was littered with files, pencils and even a discarded, broken cell phone. Why was the other desk so bare? Had the information the man downstairs supplied been insufficient? Had something gone wrong? Had this 'Agent DiNozzo' had a relapse?
"Can I help you with something?" a voice from behind Sarah asked. Sarah turned around and came face to face with an unfamiliar man. He was quite tall, over six foot compared to Sarah's 5'2. He was quite handsome, despite the pure exhaustion he seemed to be emitting. He had dark shadows under his eyes, and while he had more of a colour than Sarah, it seemed to be paler than it should have been. He looked like he hadn't slept in a week, but if he had it may have been at the desk he was currently leaning against. Tired or not, he gave her a huge grin, glancing at her NCIS visitor badge.
'Will the guys here stop staring at me like that?' Sarah sighed inwardly. She than remembered what she was there for, and that the agent had asked a question. Sarah decided to answer the question with another question.
"Is... is that desk always that bare?" she asked, bursting with curiosity. She needed to know. Her eyes drifted towards the empty desk, and she noted that the agent's eyes followed.
"No," the agent replied bitterly, "It's never like that. Never unoccupied either."
"I..." Sarah was in shock, words tumbled out of her without any thought prior, "Was it... a relapse?"
The agent looked up at Sarah again, confused. "A relapse?"
"The agent... who was infected... by the plague? Did the agent have a relapse?" Sarah was confused. Had something happened since the man downstairs had last asked?
Understanding slowly seeped back into the agent's face, he laughed a little ruefully and leant against the desk that seemed to belong to him.
"Agent Todd was shot by a sniper. Miss...?" the agent clarified, before making Sarah realise she hadn't given the agent her name.
"Lowell. Sarah Lowell."
"You mind... telling me exactly why you're here Miss Lowell?" the agent asked, his eyebrows slightly furrowed.
"I... I came to check up on... Agent DiNozzo?"
His eyebrows shot right back up again.
"Really?" he asked, surprised.
Sarah suddenly found her shoes extremely appealing, "It's ah, it's my mother's fault he got sick. She was the one who sent the letter. I just... I needed to see he was okay. With my own eyes. And I needed to apologise... I mean, if I had just... it was my lie that started this all! If I hadn't made that false claim... none of this would've happened. It was all my fault... Just... please. Tell him I'm sorry for what happened."
"I'll be sure to pass on the word." the agent replied kindly.
"Thanks," Sarah sighed, relieved, "I don't know could I face Agent DiNozzo myself. Especially after the chewing out I got from Agent Gibbs."
The agent chuckled, "Can't imagine that was much fun."
"No it wasn't! That man has eyes like x-rays."
"Believe me, I know." The agent sighed thoughtfully.
They stood for a moment, in blissful silence, not knowing what to say to one another.
Sarah sighed before straightening up. "Well I should go. My mother might wonder where I've gone... I like to think I currently keep her somewhat sane. And... I don't want to see her pull another stunt like that again."
"And I don't think Agent DiNozzo's lungs could handle it." the agent quickly quipped, still smiling a little.
"I'll see you..." Sarah paused, realising she had not managed to get the agent's name. He smiled wider at her.
"Tony." he supplied, surprising her with the unusual first-name-basis.
"Goodbye Tony, I'm sorry about your agent... both of them." Sarah walked in the direction of the elevator. Just as she reached the door, she turned for a final look. She felt bad for the agent. Since she'd lost Will, she knew a lot more about grief.
As she looked on, the agent she had been talking to, Tony, began coughing to himself. Another male agent entered the bullpen, and placed a box of tissues on the desk.
"Thought those might come in handy, Tony," the agent explained. Sarah watched the exchange, intrigued.
"Thanks Probie," the agent replied quietly, looking at the empty desk across from his.
"It won't be the same without her," the other agent sighed.
"I know McGee," the agent Sarah had been talking to replied softly. Just as Sarah was about to step into the elevator, she heard something unexpected.
"Was that Sarah Lowell you were talking to?" the agent named McGee asked.
"Flesh and blood."
"What did she want?"
Sarah hid out of sight for a moment. She wanted to hear what Tony would tell this Agent McGee.
Tony sighed quickly before stating, "She wanted to apologise to Agent DiNozzo for what her mother did."
"And what did you say to that?" Agent McGee asked.
"I told her I'd pass on the message."
"You didn't tell her -"
"See something interesting, Miss Lowell?"
Sarah almost jumped out of her skin when a familiar voice prevented her from further eavesdropping. She turned her head to come face to face with one angry agent.
"I..." she began. He cut across her.
"I don't want to see you anywhere near what's left of my team again. You got that, Miss Lowell?"
"I - I just wanted to see him for myself!" Sarah admitted.
"Who?" Agent Gibbs asked bluntly.
"The agent who got infected. I... I just wanted to see with my own eyes that Agent DiNozzo was okay!" Sarah said quietly looking at the ground. She felt like she was in trouble with a teacher, but Agent Gibbs was scarier than any teacher she'd ever had.
"Well, you've seen him now. He looks like hell, but he'll live." Agent Gibbs reply icily, nodding towards the bullpen. Sarah turned back to the bullpen expecting to see another agent standing there. That's when her brain finally put the facts together.
She'd been talking to him for five whole minutes. She had mentally noted that he looked like hell. But she had never clicked that the Agent she had been talking to, Tony, was Agent DiNozzo.
Sarah mentally head-slapped herself for not putting that together sooner.
Reviews are appreciated, even ones containing head-slaps!
x Little Squirt.