Marked
By: AndiKaneUnderwood
Leroy Jethro Gibbs often though that if one of his own was in trouble, then he was first to react.
This was not the case where Joyce Palmer was concerned.
The honest-to-God truth was that whenever Joy was in trouble, then it wasn't Gibbs that reacted first. Ducky, her employer and good friend, wasn't first either. To everyone's surprise, even Ziva, it was Tony who was first to react whenever Joy was in any sort of trouble.
To those who wonder why, think of it like this.
Tony is the notorious ladies man that went to Ohio State on a sports scholarship.
Joy is the friendly Autopsy nerd that paid her own way through Medical school.
Why would Tony react to Joy being in trouble at all?
Joy was on his team, yes, but that doesn't warrant first reaction.
In the world that they lived in. The reaction Tony gave was only the reaction by which SoulMates reacted to each other.
But that was impossible. Tony wasn't supposed to have one.
NCIS~NCIS~NCIS
"Tony, have you ever thought about finding your Marked?" Kate asked after a late night of paper work.
"My Marked doesn't exist." Tony replied coolly.
"All Marks exist." Kate replied.
"Not mine." Tony growled.
NCIS~NCIS~NCIS
After Joy got there, there was less and less of Tony's rather boyish behavior. Why, was anyone's guess. It might be because of Kate's accident. But Joy had come around long before Kate had her shoulder wound.
One might argue that Tony had a steady girlfriend that checked him and made sure he stayed in line. He did. But one may not be right about who it was.
NCIS~NCIS~NCIS
"Do you have a girlfriend?" Kate asked.
"That falls under the category of none of your business." Tony replied.
Ziva smirked. "He does. Avoidance is a tell."
Tony growled and threw a paper wad at the both of them as they laughed.
NCIS~NCIS~NCIS
Many thought it was a super model or someone spontaneous. No one thought that it was young Joyce Sofia Palmer, the Autopsy Gremlin, that Tony was Bonded to.
But it was clear on his wrist. The words, Hi, I'm Joyce Palmer. I'm looking for Autopsy? where printed in neat lettering that traveled up his wrist and connected to a scalpel and a rolled up diploma (the scalpel symbolized medical profession and urge to help in anyway possible, the diploma symbolized intellect and book smart thinking).
On Joy's wrist was a gun and rolled up news paper (the gun symbolized law enforcement and need to protect, the news paper symbolized improvising and scrap-fighter style) that connected to the words, Autopsy's downstairs, take the elevator and hang a left, look for Dr. Mallard, I'm Tony DiNozzo by the way. Call me. scrawled in messy, sharp lettering.
Upon these words being spoken, there was a slip of paper slid across the desk and Joy, being Joy, had picked it up with a blush, and ran off down the stairs.
That night, she'd gotten the best date she'd ever dreamed of and better sleep than she'd had in a while.
Really, sleeping alone in an apartment was terrifyingly lonely, Joy wouldn't recommend it for the world.
Gibbs usually thought that he was first to respond to trouble.
This was not the case with Joyce Palmer.
The first to respond to trouble, or joy, or a bad day was always her Marked.
It was always Tony.