Author's Note: This is my first NCIS fanfiction, and also happens to be a crossover. I borrowed Natalie Durant from the show Medical Investigation and tossed her into this world for a prompt challenge I am in. This would have been posted in the other fandom, but there is more NCIS in this than there is Medical Investigation.
Disclaimer: I do not own NCIS or Medical Investigation, I'm just jumping around in their sand boxes.
Prompt Table: Crossover
Prompt: NCIS
Dr. Natalie Durant did not have red hair.
The steam rising from the 20 oz. Styrofoam coffee cup was testament, however, that she did have something. Ziva and Tony had spent much of the morning contemplating why their boss had given the NIH doctor the drink, their hypotheses ranging from delusions to blackmail on her part; the latter had brought up the question of who would blackmail someone into getting them coffee, while the former would explain why Gibbs had given Durant Tony's desk. After a few moments, Ziva had disproved the delusion hypothesis by concluding that a sane Gibbs would have no problem with giving away Dinozzo's desk to a specialist who needed the area to help them solve the case.
"They could be sleeping with each other," Ziva whispered into Tony's ear, watching Natalie discretely from behind a manila folder.
"Impossible," Tony mumbled, "She's been here three days and lives in Bethesda. It's very probable that they hadn't met each other before Monday."
"Then why did he get her coffee?"
"Why does Gibbs get Abby a soda everyday?" Tony countered.
"Definitely not because they're sleeping together," Ziva answered without missing a beat.
As if on cue, the pathologist reached for her drink and pulled it closer, taking a small slip before pressing her chin to her palm. It had been an hour and she had not taken her eyes from the computer, where she had been looking over patient reports from local hospital, determining whether or not their victims were the only ones with Mercury Poisoning.
"She had to have done something for him. Gibbs just doesn't do things for people without a reason." Tony ventured, lowering his elbow to Ziva's desk and cupping his cheek in his hand. He was openly staring at the NIH disease pathologist, awed by the fact that she was completely oblivious to their conversation.
Ziva tilted her head to the side, trying to get the same view as Dinozzo, and hummed, "She's pretty. Maybe he has a thing for freckles."
"Nah, I don't see Gibbs as a freckles sort of guy. It's hard to picture him affectionately counting them..."
Nodding, Ziva reluctantly accepted the statement, "She's quiet, maybe he's just thankful she doesn't bicker like we do."
"So he plans to keep it that way by giving her a large cup of caffeine? That makes no sense."
"She is solving our case," Ziva pointed out, setting down the manila folder, certain that Natalie would not be catching them in the peeping act.
Tony's head was moving in a horizontal swing, eyes narrowing, "Nah, that's not it, there has to be something el—"
"Dinozzo, David," Gibbs, in his characteristic fashion, rounded into the room and passed them without looking, "Is there a reason why you're making eyes at Dr. Durant and not working?"
At the mention of her name, the pathologist looked up from the computer and blinked twice, turning her gaze to the two spluttering agents. Giving a glance toward Gibbs, she frowned before settling back into her previous position of staring at the screen.
"-No Boss-"
"-Of course not, Sir-"
The two stated simultaneously, missing the small smirk that spread the corners of Natalie's lips as she took another sip of her coffee.
"Good," walking past them again, Gibbs tossed a folder on their desk, "McGee's waiting for you at the hospital. Go."
"-Yes, Sir.-"
They watched him until he was out of sight before looking at each other, disappointment etched across both of their faces. Surely he knew what they had been talking about and was sending them away to prevent them from discussing the point any further. McGee could handle talking to the Petty Officer who'd suffered from the latest case of Mercury Poisoning by himself. Gathering their coats, they shared a joint expression of dejection before beginning their walk by the desks.
They'd reached the elevator, after several minutes of delayed walking, before the sound of a tired, but notably amused female voice spoke to their backs.
"I asked."