— …morning McGeek, Tony said as he entered the bullpen with Ziva, Tim strangely staring at his screen.
— Good morning McGee, Ziva smiled first, her smile finally fading away as she received no reaction from her colleague. McGee ?
She could see that Tony was about to make a joke, but maybe he had understood that something was wrong, because his previous teasing face suddenly transformed into something worrier.
— Tim ? Ooh ooh…he waved at him.
Tim's both teammates started walking to him.
— Tim, are you ok…
— Tony, Ziva. MTAC, now, a voice suddenly echoed from behind, interrupting them.
The silhouette of Gibbs appeared and he approached the duet, dark coffee in one hand.
— I…Tony gesticulated incomprehensibly, torn between the strange behavior of McGee and the order he just had received from his boss. I…uh…okay. Let's go.
Gibbs barely watched them leave and made his usual turn, reaching his desk.
— McGee…you okay ? he asked, raising his head.
— Yes, boss, Tim answered emotionlessly, his brain having trouble processing other people's conversations, blank eyes quickly looking at the man in front of him.
Gibbs didn't say anything and focused again on his own computer, already bored by his machine.
He hit his keypad when boringness seemed to weigh a bit more on his shoulders, but Tim didn't react to any of the sounds, still focused on his screen.
— Can't we have paper documents, for God sake ? Gibbs complained already.
He deeply sighed and put on his glasses, mumbling alone like a lion stuck in a cage, trying to read again what obviously couldn't be read otherwise than on a computer.
— How is it going ? he asked after a while.
No answer.
— McGee. Did you find how to crack the codes we needed ?
Tim slowly raised his head again, blank eyes still staring at the invisible nothing, but Gibbs wasn't really looking.
— On it, boss, he said, rather robotically.
That was what he usually said…wasn't it ?
The three words echoed again inside his brain as if it was trying to assimilate the information. He wasn't himself really making any effort. Words were coming out when they were deciding it.
That was all.
— Faster, then.
— Yeah.
Tim's head lowered a bit again and he then stayed focused another short moment on his screen, until a new emotional overflow started eating into his energy reserves, creating inside of him some overwhelming impatience he had apparently no idea about. Why was he even here ?
'I need fresh air' he suddenly thought, the obvious need of it not mixing anyhow with any other appropriate feeling. He just knew somewhere that he needed it, for whatever reason, this blinding obedience he owed to his own body...and so that was what he was going to do.
Tim then begun moving for no reason except the unknown need that he was following, leaving his desk without a word, blurry clouds still masking his thoughts and decisions…
Gibbs raised his head as he saw him leaving his space and started himself doing so, but Abby suddenly came up in the bullpen, shouting at him.
— Gibbs, Gibbs, Gibbs…!
— What the hell is going on…he sighed, watching Tim leave with no explanation, but Abby was walking very fast to him, blocking his way. Tim, what are you…he tried to add, before both dark ponytails begun swinging in front of him. What do you want, Abbs ?
— Wow…someone is in a bad mood today.
— Abby, what do you want ! he insisted, seeing the doors of the elevator closing, Tim vanishing now completely from his sight.
— What are you doing here, Gibbs…she said, disappointed. You're always coming to the lab when you know I've found something ! What happened to the Abby-Gibbs magic link ?
— Magic what ? he asked impatiently.
— You know…! When I find something you join me downstairs with my favorite drink and I show you what I got !
Gibbs raised his coffee to Abby, but she stepped back immediately, staring at the disgusting cup.
— Ewww… Gibbs, I know I'm not always the happiest person on earth, but I'm not suicidal ! No way I'm drinking this horrible potion of yours…
— So, what did you find ?
— It's strange talking in here…she mumbled before speaking again, Gibbs's face obviously not showing kindness. But I'll do it ! So, remember the criminal I've put in the system ?
— Yeah.
— That's a match ! she almost jumped. Fingerprints are the ones.
— Congrats, Abbs, he said, kissing her on the cheek before leaving his working place. Send the address to…Tony and Ziva, he hesitated, considering he would find out about McGee later. They should be done with the MTAC by now.
— Catch the bad guy ! Abby smiled and waved at Jethro, taking a quick look at Tim's empty desk.