Sorry about the delay! My beta has run into some computer-related problems, and can't give me feedback for some weeks to come. I decided to go ahead and post anyway. So this time folks, ALL mistakes are mine, and solely mine. Hope you enjoy anyway! :)
Caring
Chapter 2
"Where the HELL is DiNozzo?!" Gibbs hollered at me in the early hours of the next morning. I was plagued by a dull headache from lack of sleep and not enough caffeine, and I squinted my eyes at him.
"Don't know, Gibbs. We spent the better part of last night interviewing SUV-owners. He may just have oversl…"
"You did what?!" he hissed, leaning in on me. "Why did…"
I was saved from further growls when the elevator dinged open to reveal a very disheveled DiNozzo. He leaned heavily on the wall and looked like he hadn't had any sleep at all last night. Or a shower, for that matter. His clothes were the ones he'd been wearing when I last saw him and his hair was standing up in odd angles. I watched him push himself up from his rather slumped posture and noticed how his red eyes widened as Gibbs approached, with all his seniority and dominance at display. He literally forced Tony to the back wall of the elevator, and without uttering a word pushed a button at random. They disappeared behind the closing doors, Gibbs' eyes still boring into Tony's. I felt an uneasy surge in my stomach as I watched the elevator stop. I hadn't really got used to Gibbs' dressing downs in the 'conference room' either, back then.
When they returned, Gibbs still looked mad and Tony looked…smaller. He didn't follow Gibbs into the bullpen, instead reached for the buttons and disappeared behind the sliding doors.
"Is he going down to Abby?", I tried in a light tone of voice.
"No", was all I got in return. He grabbed his jacket and gun and turned to leave. "I'm going down to interrogation", he called over his shoulder. There was no invitation in his voice for me to follow him. I would usually tag along anyway, but decided not to push my luck.
I was sitting alone in the vacuum that Gibbs had left behind, a nagging feeling in my heart.
I finally gave in to my curiosity and headed downstairs to the lab.
"Hi, Abby. Have you seen Tony?"
"He's down in autopsy", she said with a worried expression on her face. She tilted her head slightly to the side and looked devastated. "Why did he go after this Eric fella by himself last night, Kate?"
I was stunned. "He didn't! We went together to talk to three of them and they all had valid alibis."
"Well, then apparently Tony got his hands on a fourth one. Gibbs is furious with him for getting hurt. Me too. And Bert."
I blinked in disbelief. "Tony's hurt?" I looked at her, feeling more worried than I would care to admit.
Abby stopped her furious tapping on the keyboard and locked her marvelous eyes on me. "Yeah… " She sounded sad. Disappointed. "Aren't you supposed to watch his six?"
"I am! I was! We finished well after midnight and he gave me a ride back and headed home to get some sleep. He told me so, the little lying…"
"Well, apparently he didn't and got into a bit of a struggle when apprehending the fourth Eric. The bad one. Tony's with the Duckman right now."
I was fuming as I stepped out of the elevator, but slowed and came to a halt as I heard Ducky's concerned voice from behind the doors of autopsy.
"Why do you have to rub Jethro the wrong way, Anthony? You know he's hurting this time of year."
"I just try to keep it off his mind, Ducky! You know, she would have been PO Anderson's age."
"Well, my boy, I think you have succeeded, for the time being at least, in deflecting his ponderings. Here, hold this."
I was getting that uneasy feeling again. I knew I was being withheld vital information, but as the new one on the team I couldn't expect to be let in on all the secrets. I could however, by all rights, be very annoyed. I pushed open the door.
"What were you thinking, Tony?!" I spat at him, and with only a few long strides, I was in his face. He flinched, and dropped the icepack he'd been holding to his cheek, revealing a rather impressive swelling.
"What?" he asked, those green eyes of his all wide and innocent. I hated that look. Still do. "I decided to go check on the next guy on our list, after I dropped you off. He seems to be our playboy Eric from the bar."
"I thought you said you were going home!"
"Did not!"
"Did too!"
"Did..."
"Anthony, I told you to keep the ice on", Ducky scolded, voice soft. "Excuse me, Caitlin." He slid past me to have a look at Tony's sore cheekbone. He shone a flashlight in his eyes and made him follow his finger with his gaze. "Well, it seems your adversary didn't inflict any permanent damage, although that bruise does look rather ugly, dear boy." I watched as the good doctor gave him a new ice pack. "Keep this on for a while and refrain from any strenuous work today, will you?"
"Yes, Ducky. Thanks", Tony replied meekly and slid off the table.
"And Tony?" Ducky added.
"Huh?"
"Please, try to keep out of further trouble today. I do not enjoy keeping Jethro from tearing into you."
"You know how it is, Ducky."
At this, the ME sighed.
"Yes, we both do, I guess. Not much to do but ride it out."
I kept silent.
Tony followed me to the elevator and if his juvenile monologue about the best ways to use an ice pack to cool a beer was anything to go by, he was unfazed by this mornings events. I envy him his good mood, sometimes. Nothing seems to rattle him for very long.
We entered interrogation, but Gibbs was all but finished with Eric on the other side of the glass, and as he rose to leave, we walked out to meet him in the hallway.
"Thought I told you to go see Ducky", he grumbled at Tony, but there wasn't much anger left in his voice.
"I did, Boss", Tony pledged and dared a smile. "He cleared me. A quick shower and I'll be as good as new."
Gibbs gave him a quiet, scrutinizing glare, tilted Tony's head to look at the bruise with narrowed eyes, then nodded his consent.
"This Eric Hunter admitted to dating PO Anderson for a while and also being at her house last Tuesday, but has an alibi for the night of the murder, the smug son of a bitch." Gibbs was now his usual to-the-point self.
"Damn", Tony cursed. "Thought we had him."
"I can tell he's hiding something, but I need more if we're gonna charge him with anything other than resisting arrest. He's a former marine, dishonorably discharged some years ago and I'm willing to bet my boat he's at least capable of murder. Do a background check on him, see what comes up."
"On it, Boss", Tony said before all but running down the hall, bruise and promises made to Ducky clearly forgotten.
I watched him slip into the elevator before I turned to Gibbs.
"What happened last night?" I asked him and got the frosty stare right back at me. I stood my ground, however, and finally got an answer.
"My senior field agent decided to bring in a suspect all by himself and got beat up for the effort." He gave me a glare. "Where were you, Kate?"
I was appalled that he seemed to be angry with me. I blinked once.
"We were finished with questioning suspects, Gibbs! He was dropping me off and told me he was going home to get some sleep." I felt so stupid. Always, always watch your partner's back…"I didn't know he was going to act like an idiot."
"Well, you should know. We all should have learned by now." He sounded so angry.
"Yes, yes, you're right", I sighed. Well, he was.
My cell rang at that moment. It was Abby blabbering in my ear, and she was sounding really excited about something. I couldn't quite make out what it was regarding, but I knew not to question her enthusiasm.
"Gibbs, Abby's got something. I'm sure."
TBC
Thoughts?
