Phantasmagoria

Tony thought what a great film title. He had had this dream where he had been a great film mogul. A producer and director. He had bossed about Tim, and bedded a couple of young actresses. No you called it the casting couch. Oh yes, Kate and Ziva had both appeared in this dream. He began to try out his new word, Phanta….sm….a…goria. Sounded pretty nasty. Phantoms…..gory…Phantom of the Opera…..oh that reminded him of Jeanne. He had looked the word up:

1)an early type of magic-lantern show consisting of various optical illusions in which objects rapidly change size, blend into one another, etc. like a lava lamp he thought,

or: 2) a rapidly changing series of things seen or imagined, as the figures or events of a dream or nightmare, yes that was what he had seen,

Or: 3) any rapidly changing scene. That he decided was like work.

No, he went for the nightmare. He wondered what the teams' worst nightmare would be. He would ask.

"Ziva" he asked, as she entered the bullpen, throwing her rucksack in the corner, "Your worst nightmare?" he asked now standing and walking over to her desk.

"Being stuck in an elevator with you…or sharing a hotel room. No Tony, I have lived all my nightmares. I only live for dreams." as she buried her head in her work.

Tony just sighed, he needed another victim. Vic-tim, he smiled at his joke, seeing Tim as he entered the area.

"Tim, my buddy, my friend." Tony smiled.

"One out of three isn't bad Tony, what do you want?" Tim answered.

"Nightmares. What would be your worst or your greatest?" Tony ventured.

"Do you mean actual or in a dream?"

"Either, I'm not fussed." Tony replied now looking out the window.

"Wellll…." Tim thought for a moment,. He thought of what it must be like for Gibbs. His family dead, "I suppose, nightmares of my family dying. The nightmare I might really kill an innocent person in the line of my work. The nightmare my next book may fail. The nightmare….of…..I don't know, it maybe, hasn't happened yet." Tim finished, now returning to his work.

Tony wondered. He wandered off to look for Dr Mallard and Jimmy.

Tony entered autopsy. He saw Ducky working away. Talking. Chatting with a client. His patient, his victim. His soul. He didn't notice Tony, who stood waiting. He eventually coughed.

"Anthony, didn't see you what can I do for you. What instigates this visitation?" Dr Mallard enquired.

"Nightmares…..not that I'm having them…..as such." thinking Jeanne.

"Nightmares…dreams of the dark. They used to say, it was to relieve the problems of everyday, to find the answers. The mind, the brain solving. Sometimes answers were given, sometimes not. Sometimes the person would wake up in a cold sweat…" his thoughts were broken by the words of Gibbs,

"Wake up in a cold sweat…many a time…..what we discussing anyway?"

"Nightmares," Ducky answered, "Anthony here was just enquiring about them."

"Yes Boss, just was wondering what Dr Mallard's was, and well since you are here yours?"

Gibbs eyes misted over as he thought….of Iraq…and what he had lost. Everything that was dear to him…that was his living nightmare. What if someone ever seeked revenge. He shivered at the thought, "Nope, no nightmares….I drink." as he turned and left the room.

"Touchy subject Anthony, but me. A Medical Practitioner, once said mother should walk 2 miles a day…..always expected a card from somewhere, but no…like a boomerang, she just kept returning. Now that was a nightmare." smiling at Tony before going back to his work. Tony turned, he wanted to speak to Abby.

As he entered the lab, he heard Jimmy and Abbs arguing, well not so much arguing but heatedly discussing.

"No Jimmy, look" She said pointing at the large screen, "If the number of rings equal the number of years then we know it is genuine, but if the rings don't match…." she didn't finish, as she saw the reflection of Tony in the glass. She turned, "Hi Tony, didn't hear you approach. Just trying to explain to Jimmy, the rings in the fish's neck are like rings in a tree, they can tell you how old the fish is…..pretty neat eh?" she questioned.

"Yep if you say so…but I was wondering. No, I was wanting to know nightmares, what your greatest has been, or if we are talking real life what it would be?"

Jimmy thought for a moment, "I suppose you could say, what happened to Dr Mallard, when Agent Franks son came alive on the autopsy table…..now that would have been a nightmare. But you Abby, I mean you sleep in a coffin." Jimmy continued.

Abby stood, her hands on her hips, and looked at the two men, "Well…..I think it would be if anything happened to any of you. I did have a nightmare once, when I saw blood on your face Tony, and a body. But the body was Kate's and the blood on your face, hers. I try not to think of it too much now. It depresses me." as she turned and faced the screen again. Tony looked at her back. He tattoo and thought yes a nightmare. To be caught in a spiders web, it reminded him of the Fly. He shivered, and went back up stairs and went to the head. He met Leon inside.

"Skiving again Agent DiNozzo?" the Director asked. He had never quite been the same since Ducky had left a Scottish Dictionary lying about. Yes "Skiving" was the latest phrase of the month, and one Anthony DiNozzo was exceptionally good at it.

"No Director. I have been doing some investigatory work. Had to go and see Abby, sorry Ms Scuito about something." as Tony shook his organ and zipped himself up. He turned to leave before asking.

"Director, do you have nightmares?" Tony ventured.

"DiNozzo, what kind of question is that?" the Director enquired, now doing his own zip up, and facing Tony.

"But since you ask….my family. If anything should happen to them. If this department looses money or agents. If….if. There are too many if's." as he walked to the door. "You won't be long will you DiNozzo."

Tony returned to his desk, he had had quite a few answers, but he still needed his own ideas.

"So Tony," Ziva asked, "You have asked us what our nightmares were….are. What about you? What do you fear most, in life?"

AsTony looked across at her he began to realise what it was.

"Ziva, Tim, Boss…..as you know I didn't have much of a childhood. Maybe that's why I appear childish. I don't have any brothers or sisters, and so I probably treat you two," now looking at Tim and Ziva, "Boss, you probably are the father figure I look up to. So I would say my nightmare would be to loose the friendship, of you all."

Gibbs smiled, as Ziva threw a rolled up sheet of paper at Tony. The phone rang,

"Grab your gear, dead Petty Officer…Quantico." as Gibbs put the phone back in the cradle, "Son you're with me." as he left smiling.