Title: Pressure

Author: Geekery15

Rating: PG. 13 for language.

Genre: General/Casefile/Drama

Summary: Tension between three agents settles while investigating a case of several dead navy officers.

Author's Note: My first attempt at writing an NCIS fan-fiction. Also, I lack a beta so I apologize in advance for any serious spelling and/or grammar mistakes. My philosophy is--it's fan fiction, it's meant to be fun--nothing more..

Feedback: Sure, I'm always hungry anyway.

Disclaimer: The characters of NCIS do not belong to me.

CHAPTER ONE

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It is Monday morning. The sun is rising . Spring is in the air which means the little twitter birds are out and about. Their chirping is waking anyone who considered themselves to be a light sleeper.

6:35am

DiNozzo wanders aimlessly around his apartment. His shoe and cell phone are missing. His hair is some-what dry, but wet enough to leaves beads of water over everything he leans over while attempting to retrieve two necessities he can not leave home without.

It was a long night. AMC had put together a marathon featuring some of the best movies of the 1960's. Their elegance and grace clouded Tony's vision; making him sit through every single feature.

"Damn…" He mutters to himself.

Now his alarm is having a conniption. He is unsure why, but his hand smacks it off the nightstand because annoyance got to best of him.

The ringing of his cell phone makes him stop in his tracks. He waits and listens. He leans over and tears the comforter off his bed. Still nothing. Bending down, he decides to eye his bedroom floor. By now the ringing has annoyed his neighbor so a pounding noise comes from the next wall.

"I know! I know!" He yells.

Running his long fingers across the boards of his floor, he spots the shoe he is looking for under his bed. Reaching for it, his cell phone presents itself laying inside the heel of his shoe.

"Figures." He mutters and grabs his phone. "DiNozzo."

He sits on his bed while working on his shoe.

"Where the hell are you DiNozzo?"

"I'm sorry boss, I--"

"I'm not interested in an answer. Get down here."

"Where is here?"

"The crime scene."

"Where is that?"

He grabs his keys and locks his front door.

"I've got an investigation to conduct. McGee will fill you in."

Tony is about to ask another question when McGee speaks.

"Uh, it's McGee."

"Hiya Probie, what's eating the boss today?"

McGee spots Gibbs normally speaking to Ziva while they linger near the dead body.

"From the looks of it, nothing." McGee shrugs to himself. "Why?"

"Nevermind." Tony grunts. "Give me the location."

7:55am

716 Sicard Street

Tony folds his sunglasses while McGee holds his NCIS work jacket in his hand.

"Where's the boss?"

"He's looking for any witnesses."

"Give it to me!" Tony rips the jacket out of McGee's hand. "Do I look like I'm ready for work?"

"Are you seriously asking my opinion because if you are I think you would have been ready for work if you had gotten to work on time."

"Now's not the time, Probie." Tony narrows his eyes. "We've got work to do."

Tony reaches for McGee's camera and rips that out of his hand, too.

"Thanks."

McGee begins to protest, but Ducky asks for his assistance in helping Mr. Palmer carry out some equipment. So any complaint is put off until a later time. At least McGee hopes.

Ziva wanders away from Gibbs while he continues to speak to the woman who claims she saw everything.

Ziva spots Tony snapping photos of things that have already been captured. A smirk falls on her lips when Tony notices her.

"Tony, you're late."

"Tell me something I don't know, Ziva." He narrows his eyes at her before he tosses her a look of annoyance and fatigue.

"Which one was it?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Last night. Your lady of the evening. Who is she? She's pretty, I know."

He stops using his camera. A blissful grin covers his mouth while he closes his eyes. He figures he might as well have some fun with this situation.

Ziva feels a slight twist in the pit of her stomach.

"Ava, you mean? Oh, she was a peach."

A sigh escapes him.

"Looks do not last forever, Tony. It is only a matter of time before the aging process begins and wrinkles become noticeable."

"Jealous?" He is hopeful.

"Meh." She shrugs. "I was just curious. With an evening like yours I would have not expected you to have woken up on the wrong side of the spread."

"Wrong side of the bed, Ziva." He corrects her.

She tosses him a look and one more shrug before looking down at her writing pad.

Gibbs eyes the information in his pad. The woman leaves the area to go about her daily business.

A slight feeling of worry washes over him. He is thinking about Ziva's comments to Tony. He knows he is wrong. He knows he should not have listened. It is too late. He knows.

She is jealous. Tony is wanting. He is in misery.

"Boss, I think we've got all the evidence we need."

Gibbs stares at Tony without saying a word.

"Boss…it's all right here." Tony shakes the camera in his hand.

"I got it the first time, DiNozzo!"

Tony's shoulders tense. Gibbs pushes past him.

"Ducky, Palmer--we're all set. Ready to go whenever--"

"Agent Gibbs, we're all set too." Palmer informs him.

Gibbs nods and begins his walk to the truck.

Tony catches up to Ziva and McGee.

"Ever think he could use a date once in a while?" Tony wonders out loud.

"He's dedicated to his work." Ziva replies.

"There's always time for pleasure." Tony remarks.

"Maybe the boss already has someone." McGee mentions.

The three of them walk on in thought about their boss and his 'could-be' personal life.