Friction….Burns
They sat facing each other across the bullpen…glaring.
"Looks like "A few dollars more" to me" Tony DiNozzo had remarked, "I mean the Mexican-in-law and the Washington Outlaw." as they, Tim and Tony stood behind Ziva at her desk.
"I can just see them actually…if Mike keeps chewing that cigarette without lighting. I can see his hand going for…"
"His lighter?" Ziva asked. "And would or should Fornell not be the inlaw since Gibbs and he shared the same wife."
"No…I was thinking his gun." Tim replied. "But good point."
"Yep, and Fornell….slanty eyed, going for the pocket-watch in his suit pocket." Tony whispered.
"I would really like my desk back. I was working on something really important for Gibbs, until Fornell turned up." Tim now retorted.
"I was wondering where Gibbs was. I mean Franks just walks in and sits down at his desk."
"Hiding….I would say hiding. When the FBI, that's Fornells Bastard Institution and Mike turn up, that is usually trouble…but when they both turn up at the same time…..I think we have double trouble…no tea party so to speak. Talking tea party Ziva, when was the Boston Tea Party…..and why…..since you are wanting American citizenship." Tony now enquired."
"1773.…..start of the events that lead up to the start of your struggle for Independence from the English or should I say British…something the Scottish people have been trying to do from 1707."a certain Dr Donald Mallard butted in, now entering the bullpen. "But a cup of Earl Grey would be nice." now watching the two men still glowering at each other.
"Enough, "Director Vance shouted appearing from no-where. "Franks…Fornell. nice to see you both."
Mike turned and took the chewed cigarette from his mouth, and threw it in the waste bin. "Leon."
Vance just looked in disgust, took the now chewed cocktail stick from his. Turning to Tobias enquired, "You seen Gibbs?"
"He called last night. He was incoherent and kept muttering something about "should never have done it" I asked him what, and he muttered something about Diane and then Kelly."
"Diane, being his second and your first ex- wife, that correct. Funny having the same Mother-in-law?"
"Hey can't be any worse than Franks, he and his brother married the same woman.."
"Twice, Fornell…twice ….she was a hell of a woman. Now all I got is the sons' Mother-in-law breathing down my neck and her, being Muslim… can't even sneak away for a drink….it's so good to be here."
"Ah, in that case Mike, Les Dawson a good old fashioned English stand up comic once said when he told a joke "Take my mother in law…..I wish someone would." Ducky replied laughing.
"That's not what we are here for. Find Gibbs. Where did you stay, last night Franks?"
"Probies', and he didn't come home."
"Ok so where would he stay? I'm not asking a rhetorical question." Vance shouted, "You all know him better than me."
"May I make a suggestion Leon….." Mike asked.
"Not if it involves alcohol during working hours."
"In that case forget…..Fornell you're with me, "Mike shouted,, "And that's an order not a request. Tony, Ziva…pair off….not like that" seeing the glint in DiNozzo's eyes. "Tim," now looking at McGee, "You man the phones…..and keep an eye on the Director."
"I…I….am, why?" Tim stammered.
"You got to think like Probie. He's gonna call, he'll know who will answer, and you got to get a lock on his cell or position. Listen for noise in the background….you know bar, game anything. Probie needs friends and he knows you'll do…."
"Franks, I'm Director here and I give the orders" Vance shouted.
"Hell Leon, I'm a Vet Marine, as is Probie…..you didn't quite make it did yah? looking Vance in the eye. "No…. so I call the shots. Fornell" Mike now indicated to Tobias.
Tobias passed by and stopped at Vance. "Got a pool car?" holding out his hand. The Director pulled a set from his pocket and dropped then into Fornells palm. "Franks remember I'm Director." as he watched the elevator door shut.
"David, DiNozzo…go follow Batman and Robin…..or the gruesome twosome,….or whatever you want to call them. Just go."
"You know what car they gave us." Franks asked.
"Nope….but we just walk about clicking the open button until we see one that flashes" Tobias replied "But there is a tag with a registration number on it, for stupid people."
As the elevator door opened and they walked into the parking lot, Franks lifted his hand, Fornell ducked, and went for his pocket and produced a packet of cigarettes and a lighter.
"Thought for a moment…."
"That you were Probie…nah….there's only one Probie….and he needs our help." as Fornell found the black car.
Tobias jumped into the driving seat.
"Hey you driving?" Franks asked.
"I have the keys…you were too busy pushing your weight about….so don't…." he didn't finish as he looked in the mirror "So what you think?" indicating behind.
"David…Tobias you drive like a woman…put the boot down, you are FBI and in legitimate employment…me I'm a tourist, so put the pedal to the metal and move it." Mike shouted.
Tobias hit the floor, and the car sped off. Franks watched as the car behind increased speed too.
"Now what?" Tobias questioned.
"Dulles….yep the airport." Mike replied.
"We goin' somewhere, 'cos I forgot my passport." Fornell shouted, over the sound of the engine.
"Nope," Mike answered, "To pick up a car….."
"Mike you know how long it takes to get a hire car. The time we get, those two will have caught us….." Tobias now answered.
"My car Tobias…." Mike smiled back.
"Your car…..then why we got this one," Fornell replied thumping the steering wheel.
"Tobias…level three, drop me off….move up to top. Dump the car…..and meet me at the steps marked "A"….I have the ticket to get out…." Mike replied beginning to laugh, "Let's call it backup which right now we don't have."
Fornell hit the gas.
"Ziva careful…..wow you almost hit that little old lady….." Tony shouted.
"Want me to go round again…" she asked.
"If you wish…hey they look like they're….."
"Heading for the airport." Ziva replied.
"Why do you always…?" Tony didn't finish
"Finish your sentences….you are so predictable." she replied now speeding up.
As Dr Mallard drove home, his thoughts were for Gibbs. He had been acting quieter than usual, but it was the time of his family's demise. Ducky tried to concentrate on what Fornell had said "Diane and Kelly….shouldn't have done." what did he mean. What had he been talking about? What was dear to Gibbs heart…boats. That was it….How many Marinas in the immediate area round the Navy Yard four, five…..As he pulled the car into the drive, he spied movement. He stopped the car and got out and moved to the movement. He found a very dishevelled Gibbs crouching in the bushes.
"Jethro?" he whispered. "My dear boy …come in and tell me all." as he helped Gibbs to his feet and ushered him into the warmth of his house.
The black NCIS pool car entered the high rise. Fornell screeched round the floors,
"Do tell me when to stop, Mike?" Fornell now requested.
"Now,….here." as Franks opened the still moving car door, and made a move to exit before it had even stopped. Fornell raced to the roof and hopefully a parking space.
Mike looked over the railing, yep still being followed. Why the spare car? He thought of everything…..he thought of Probie. Mike opened the car door and slipped inside. He heard the other car and lay flat…DiNozzo and David, the dynamic double act, or was it dueling duo, the car sped by. Mike waited and started the engine, carefully maneuvering over to the stair well, as he did the door opened and Tobias jumped in to the rear seat.
"Now what?" he questioned.
"I drive." Mike answered smiling, taking a cigarette from the packet and lighting it.
The dueling duo found the car. The car locked, the keys lying on the driver's seat, the window slightly open. Tony hit the roof, Ziva kicked the wheel.
"Never trust Fornell. Who we gonna call?" Ziva asked.
"Well it ain't ghostbusters," Tony replied smiling, as Ziva hit him, "Hey, you call the Director then."
"Going to call Tim." as she dialled the number and got the Director.
"You found anything, David?" Vance roared down the phone.
"Yes Sir and no Sir….we found the car….and it's empty. Tim could you get a fix on Mike if I give him a call?"
"David….I give the orders round here, but Tim, call Franks or Fornell and get a fix. I got the D.D's out there looking for the Friction Force, yes that would be the two F's, what a Freaky Friday this is turning out to be. Why the Friction Force?" "Vance asked, as he looked at Tim, "They rub me up the wrong way." As he watched Tim call Mike.
"Hello Leon, glad you could join us. Any word from Probie? Thought not." as the phone went dead.
"He knows," Tim responded as Vance thumped the desk.
"I can see that." Vance retorted, "Get the dynamic duo back here, we need to regroup."
"Duks...I don't know what to do anymore. Life was easy before she appeared."
"I gather we are talking Joanne, your mother-in-law. I was a GP before I was a ME, and I would say you are suffering from some sort of Bipolar disorder. You feel you have let everyone down, Kate, Paula, Jenny, and most of all Shannon and Kelly. Jethro, you did not kill Shannon or Kelly,"
"I did,... I wasn't there for them when they needed me."
"Jethro, Shannon married a Marine she knew what you did for a living. If anything, Joanne killed them with love...over love. She drove her daughter into your arms. Shannon stayed with you because..."Gibbs interrupted him.
"Because, she was my wife?"
"Yes Jethro, and no Jethro, Shannon would have travelled the world for you. She wouldn't, couldn't, have stayed with Joanne, she was suffocating Shannon, and Shannon knew that. You gave her the escape she wanted, needed...and no Jethro, Shannon, did love you."
"Duks if I had died..."
"You didn't, and I would say, you are bordering on paranoia, depression and here..." handing Gibbs a glass of bourbon, and a couple of tablets, from a cabinet in the kitchen, "Want to know, what the autopsy report will say?"
Gibbs shook his head and then nodded.
"Exactly Jethro, drowning with excess of prescribed drugs, or will you go for the other option? A gunshot to the head, you tell me." As Dr Mallard turned and walked away.
"Dr Mallard ...Ducky ...Duks ...help me please," as Gibbs dropped to his knees, his head in his hands.
"Mike,... if you were Gibbs, what would you do. Who would you trust?" Fornell now enquired, as Franks drove the streets.
"Hey would I really trust you? And would you really trust me? Abby, she's a blab. Ziva, not exactly the trustful type. They have repaid each other. The boys, nope…no way. The Director….pain in the ass….so that leaves?" Mike smiled.
"Dr Mallard?" Tobias added.
"Just my thoughts," as Mike turned the car on its axis and sped to Renton, "And if you and I can work that bit out so can Leon."
"Ok, lets start. Who would Gibbs get in touch with?" Leon asked looking at the team.
"Abby?" Ziva thought.
"Yeh, like then she would tell you or Tim," Leon replied.
"Ok then it has to be Dr Mallard." Tony replied, now looking worried, "And if we have sussed this, then so…."
"Have the Friction Force…" as he saw the team head for the elevator, "McGee… not, so fast, I need you here." as Tim reluctantly returned to the fold.
Ziva and Tony drove as fast as Tony was capable of.
"I could have driven." Ziva shouted.
"Like yeh and get us both killed." Tony responded, as he drew the car into Dr Mallards drive, and jumped out and raced to the door. They found it open slightly. Ziva pulled her weapon from it's casing.
"Ziva, this is Duks house. I don't think we'll need the guns."
"No?" as she heard the screech of tyres and the second car arrive. Mike jumped out, and rushed over. Tobias just leisurely got out.
"He's not here you know." he said, walking up to the door, and shoving it fully open.
Dr Mallard appeared from the kitchen, he was drying his hands, on a towel.
"Can I help you? I'm just making dinner, but I could put the kettle on for you all. I did make a very nice Victoria sponge this afternoon. Mother used to love sponge."
"Duks, you know why we're here?" Tony asked.
"Oh yes….Jethro? Didn't stay here last night you know."
"But you know where he is now don't you?" Mike shouted.
"Oh yes I have an idea. But then you are the investigative brains. I just do the post mortems" as he turned and walked back to the kitchen, "And yes I know what I said.""He used a British saying for autopsy." Tony said.
"I think," Tobias added, "he has had a heart to heart with Gibbs, and has given him some sound advise. Now, want to know how I know he wasn't here?" as the Agents turned to Fornell, "Saw him back there waiting for a bus."
"Hey Fornell you never said." Mike shouted. "Did you happen to catch where the said bus may have been going?" he added.
"Yep." Fornell replied.
"Where?" the three screamed.
"Boatyard, the Marina…I think I know what he meant when he shouldn't have done it. His boats. He misses his boats. The handy-craft. The love, that went into the building. He feels as if he has nothing now."
"You mean, Joanne, has or did something, to make him realise that all his years with NCIS, he had been channelling his emotions into building boats. It was his way of getting rid of aggression, and tension…..that and the bourbon. Me, I like to fish , drink and smoke. We all have our way of forgetting the past and our demons." Mike now replied.
"I would say yes…and to be honest, I know where he will be and what he is doing." Fornell replied, turning and walking back to the car.
Tobias and Mike arrived at Gibbs' house. There was a noise coming from the basement. Not a bad noise, just the noise of the wood steamer and the hand saw.
Mike and Fornell, walked through the house and to the basement door. It was open. They stood at the top and watched. Gibbs was pottering about. He had the work bench ready. The planks of wood steaming in the pan. He was ready to start again.
"Jethro?" Tobias questioned quietly, "You fine?"
Gibbs looked up and smiled. "Yep fine now. Friction,….it burns the soul, it can destroy you. I realise now all my boats have been my release. The friction was between, Joanne and my family. Dad and me. Hey Mike, you and me. Tobias.. you did sleep with my wife."
"You were in the middle of the divorce." Tobias replied smiling.
"She was still my wife. Jenny….Everyone I knew. I wasn't very good at anything, but I could build a boat. I burned Diane, and let Abbs destroy Kelly. No this one is for Amira. I'm going to make a dingy. I'll teach her to sail properly. There is no more friction in my life." as he walked over to the shelving and took down three jam jars. In the cupboard under the shelves, he produced a bottle of Jack, "Care to join me." he asked
The two men smiled and proceeded down the stair…
The End.