Chapter 2: Day One

Ziva David was worried. And this was definitely not normal.

Jenny – her friend, her former partner, the one who had brought her to America – was languishing in quarantine. And likely to die. To make things worse, Gibbs – her mentor, her father figure, the one she trusted with her darkest secret – was in exactly the same predicament.

She had barely been able to sleep, although she looked well-rested. She was too used to functioning on little sleep, first with Mossad and then with Gibbs. She had tossed and turned all night, her mind unable to shut down, memories of happier times with both Jenny and Gibbs playing through her head.

Forcing herself to appear calm at least on the outside, she continued to fill an envelope with talcum powder. An old note from a friend was tucked inside and she sealed it up. A slow grin formed on her face. With such a large shadow hanging over their heads, she knew they all needed something to lighten the moment.

If only she could think straight. Somewhere in the back of her mind, alarm bells were going off.

Tony strolled into the squad room, only late by accident. He couldn't be responsible if the roads around the Navy Yard had turned into a parking lot.

His shiny new black suit upon him, in an attempt to appease Abby, he continued on his way, a fake smile plastered on his face. He was the team leader for the moment. They would be looking to him to guide them and he couldn't allow them to wallow in grief before Gibbs and Jenny were declared dead. No bug would dare attack Gibbs and the boss wouldn't allow Jenny to die.

Not when he would have to break in a new boss.

He nodded at Acting Director Wofford as she passed him, her nose buried in a file. Deep down, he was glad that he wasn't running the agency. He wouldn't be able to go out in the field and he was sure the Acting Director was busy planning two big funerals.

Briefly wondering whether to send Abby her way to help out, he ducked behind a cubicle wall as he heard Ziva and McGee talking. He needed to have the upper hand before he saw them.

"I'd love to get a letter from an old friend." He heard McGee's wistful voice.

"I am excited," Ziva admitted. "I have not seen or heard from him in so long. We used to talk every day but since I joined Mossad, it became a lot more difficult."

"You going to open it?" McGee asked.

"Not when Tony could walk in any minute," she answered. "He would find some way to cheapen the moment."

Tony's grin became genuine. Things needed to go back to normal around here, and what was more normal than him annoying his fellow teammates? He stood up, brushed the imaginary specks from his suit and made his way over. "Do you have anything to share with the class?" he greeted Ziva.

She looked at him as though he had grown another head. "What class?"

He rolled his eyes. The things his little ninja Mossad chick didn't understand… "Never mind," he ordered. "Do we have a case yet?"

"Acting Director Wofford has ordered us to catch up with paperwork for the next few days," McGee interjected. "She told us to take it easy."

Tony nodded, agreeing with the idea. They weren't functioning at their best, not after the news they had received the day before. A little down time would be nice.

Ziva's cell phone rang, drawing him out of his thoughts. She walked away to answer the call in private, accidently leaving the envelope he was so curious about on the Probie's desk. Before McGee could claim it for himself, Tony snatched it and walked away.

"Tony," McGee hissed. "Put it back."

He shook his head, his fingers already pulling the envelope apart. Ziva was still out of sight so he gave it one final tug…

And almost screamed in horror when a white powder went everywhere. Over his new black suit, over his hands, over his shoes… and almost certainly a few particles into his lungs.

"Tony," McGee hissed, more urgently.

The terrified agent turned around to face McGee. The younger agent's eyes widened in shock before his brain kicked into gear. McGee stood on his desk and yelled for everyone to evacuate.

"Why is this happening to me again?!" Tony freaked.

With the boys in the showers, Ziva found herself in Abby's lab. Strange blue lights were everywhere, the music had been turned off and the Goth looked worried.

"It is talcum powder," the Israeli called out, having already ascertained that the lab was empty except for the two friends.

Abby whirled around. "How do you know?" she snapped. "It could be the plague, anthrax –"

"Because I put it there," Ziva confessed.

The Goth stared at her for a long moment. "Do you know what happened the last time Tony opened a letter with white powder?" she demanded in the end.

"I wanted to ruin Tony's suit," Ziva continued. "And bring him down a peg or two. I forgot that NCIS treats white powder in a different way than Mossad."

Ziva watched as Abby risked a small smile. "How does Mossad treat it?" she asked, her curiosity taking over.

"I did not come to tell you about our rules and regulations," the Israeli smiled. "I just wanted to reassure you that Tony will be fine. Scared, but fine."

Abby nodded. "You're not off the hook for this, Miss David," she warned. But there was a soft smile on her face and Ziva knew she was safe. For now.

McGee was already bored with Autopsy. Ducky and Palmer were in protective suits while he and Tony were sitting on separate metal tables. And Tony would not shut up.

It was obvious the Senior Field Agent was panicking. He hadn't mentioned movies in the last half an hour and he was rambling on about the last time he had been ill. McGee couldn't blame him – if he had ever had the plague, he would be as freaked out as Tony was now – but he wished Tony would shut up.

"I'm going to have to go to Bethesda," Tony whined. "I hate Bethesda. I wonder if I'll end up with Nurse Emma again? I'm going to be a human pin cushion –"

"Tony," Ducky interrupted. "It would be best if you could keep calm. Your blood pressure is high. If the powder is harmless, you will only have to spend one night at Bethesda. But if you keep increasing your blood pressure, they will want to keep you for longer."

A look of pure panic crossed Tony's face.

"What?" McGee inquired.

"Kill me now," Tony ordered.

"And why would that be?" Ducky checked.

"I'm going to have to share with Gibbs!"