"If Gibbs catches you napping you're dead."
Tony didn't even look at Kate, he just blinked his eyes open as he replied, "I'm not napping, I'm meditating."
Kate snorted as she sat back down at her desk. "Yeah. On how much you drank last night. Or are you trying to remember her name?"
Tony yawned, "I'll never kiss and tell Katie."
McGee snorted in disbelief as he looked up from his computer. "Dinozzo, I know more about your sex life than I do my own."
"That's not surprising Probie, after all you don't have a sex life."
Sensing that this discussion was about to disintegrate into a childish argument between the two men, Kate interrupted, "Have you two finished writing up yet?"
McGee shook his head. "Not yet."
Tony smirked, and crossed his arms behind his head. "Done and dusted."
Kate gaped at him, "How? You've barely moved."
"Work smarter, not harder Katie."
Kate's eyes narrowed, "I don't believe you. You're up to something."
"You know what-"
Tony's reply was cut off by a small cough resonating from behind Kate. He heard Kate's voice ask, "Can we help you?"
He sat upright and his eyes focused on the pretty blonde who had moved closer to Kate. He let his eyes drift down her curves, that were encased in a prim business suit, and he smiled wolfishly. Before the woman could answer Kate's question, Tony was on his feet and standing next to her, his hand extended. As she shook his hand, he gave her one of his famous Dinozzo smiles, and watched in satisfaction as her eyes glazed over slightly. "I'm very Special Agent Anthony Dinozzo, how can I be of service to you?" He blatantly ignored Kate's groan.
The blonde flushed bright red, replying, "Sasha Brightman. I need to speak to a Leroy Jethro Gibbs, it's quite urgent."
Tony's smile faltered slightly, how come all the good looking ones came to see Gibbs? He looked over at Kate who was smirking at him, one eyebrow raised. Tony turned his attention back to Sasha, and led her over to his desk. "Why don't you sit at my desk. My colleagues and I will go find Gibbs and bring him to you."
Sitting down, Sasha smiled pleasantly up at him. "That would be very helpful. Thank you."
Tony grinned and nodded at Probie to follow him, and grabbing Kate's arm, dragged her over to near the lifts. As soon as they got there, Kate slapped Tony's hand away, "Could you not just have asked me to follow you?"
"This is important."
"Why? Because you wanted to get into her pants and you've just found out you might be flirting with Gibbs's latest."
McGee started laughing to himself, Tony glared at the young Agent and stepped on his foot, snapping, "You shouldn't laugh at your superiors Probie. Anyway Kate, she isn't Gibbs's type, she's blonde for a start."
"Types change."
McGee shook his head, "I hate to say it, but I agree with Dinozzo. If she was going out with Gibbs surely she would have asked to see Jethro. She used his full name."
"Exactly!" Tony sent a triumphant smirk in Kate's direction. She just sighed,
"Fine. So why do you think she's here then?"
Tony's smirk faltered, "That I don't know. It's why I wanted to talk to you both."
"Uh huh. Tony you could have just asked her" Kate pointed out.
"Yeah. But-" Tony was cut off by the lift doors opening and Gibbs stepping out.
He stopped and stared at his team. "Why are you all over here? And who is that at Tony's desk?"
It was Tony who answered, "Someone to see you Boss. Name's Sasha Brightman, do you know her?"
Gibbs didn't answer, just moved over to Tony's desk. The team exchanged confused looks, and followed onwards, eager to witness the show.
Gibbs stopped in front of Tony's desk. The young woman looked up at him and asked, "Leroy Jethro Gibbs?"
"Jethro's fine. What are you here for?"
The woman swallowed nervously at his curt tone and stood up, pulling a small card from her bag and handing it to Gibbs. "I'm Sasha Brightman, from D.C.'s Social Services. I'm here about your daughter."
At that Gibbs head snapped up, a dark, angry expression covered his face. He didn't even register the shocked gasps of his team. His voice low and dangerous, he asked, "Excuse me?"
Sasha bit down on her lip nervously and her hands began to wring together. She would be lying of she said the look on this mans face didn't terrify her. She cleared her throat nervously and replied, "I'm here to talk to you about your daughter, Lexie."
At this, Gibbs's expression relaxed very slightly. There had obviously been a mistake made somewhere along the line. He walked over to his desk, calling back over his shoulder, "I'm afraid you have the wrong man. I don't have a daughter."
Sasha frowned, and followed him over to the desk where he was now seated. "I'm sorry, but I have a birth certificate naming you as the father of an Alexandra Marie Sheppard." At the surname Gibbs looked back up at her. She swallowed nervously again, and pulling a piece of paper out of her bag continued, "Alexandra Marie Sheppard, born 16th of May 2000, at Bethesda Naval hospital to you and Jennifer Elizabeth Sheppard."
Gibbs reached out and took the slip of paper from her hand, reading over the birth certificate, his brain counted nine months backwards from May. She would have been conceived August 99. Gibbs flashed back to Paris, the long mornings and nights spent in bed, he and Jenny moving together, sweat covering their bodies, her moans echoing in his ear. He shook himself, trying to bring himself back to reality, shifting uncomfortably in his chair, as his body reacted to the memories. Sasha was staring intently at him, as were his team, well they were more openly gawping. Sasha coughed again. "I take it that you weren't aware of Alexandra's existence."
"No. I wasn't." Gibbs replied shortly.
"Right." Sasha's eyes flickered all about the room, trying to look anywhere at Gibbs. "Well this definitely makes things more difficult."
"Why?"
"I'm sorry to inform you that both Lexie and her mother were involved in a car accident on the way to Los Angles International Airport the night before last. There was a storm, and another driver lost control, hitting Ms Sheppard's vehicle. Lexie's injuries were relatively minor, she suffered a concussion and a broken wrist. I'm afraid however that Ms Sheppard's injuries were much more severe, she suffered numerous injuries, including a massive head injury. She's presently in a coma."
Gibbs's mind was reeling. He somehow managed to ask, "Where are they?"
"They were being treated at USC University Hospital, but they were transferred to Bethesda last night."
"Why?"
"We had to contact Ms Sheppard's solicitor to find out if she had any arrangements in place for your daughter. She left very specific instructions that should something happen to her, Alexandra was to be placed in your care. Since her condition is currently stable, the decision was made to transfer Ms Sheppard to Bethesda, so that she would be close to her daughter."
Gibbs blinked rapidly, trying to focus on what he was hearing. "What happens now?"
"That's up to you. Alexandra can either live with you, or we can arrange a foster home for her."
Gibbs didn't even have to think about his answer, "She'll be staying with me."
Sasha gave him a relieved smile, she hated having to put children into care. "Good. She's currently in the Pediatrics ward, shall we go just now?"
"No." Gibbs shook his head. "I'll follow on."
"Right. Well I'll meet you there then." Sasha turned to go, but at the last minute remembered the letter still in her bag. She pulled it out, and turned to Gibbs. "I have a letter for you, I was asked to make sure you got it." Handing it over, Sasha then turned and left, sending a flirtatious smile in Tony's direction as she did so. Tony however was too stunned by recent events to notice.
The team looked at Gibbs in shock. It was Tony who spoke first, "Um Boss….Are you OK?"
Letter still in hand, Gibbs grabbed his jacket. "Find something to do, I'll be back later."
The team nodded and watched him go, before slinking back to their desks, each with identical looks of shock and confusion on their faces.
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