NCIS Season 9

Episode 9.6.3

SKATING DEAD

By: Lady JenDragon

Disclaimer: NCIS ain't mine, I'm over it.

Author's Notes: I've tacked something on the end of the story...

SKATING DEAD

PART THREE

Chapter Twenty-One

Tim McGee returned to the arena in search of Jeff Karnes. Gibbs went to interview the representative for Taylor Sports while he was tasked with tracking down the point of an argument between Katlin Meyers and Desdemona Ryker.

Jeff was in the rink running back and forth on a pair of brown skates tied with black laces. He appeared oblivious of the NCIS agent watching him. When Tim walked forward into the light of the practice rink, did Jeff realize someone was watching him practice.

"I don't know who you are!" Jeff came to an abrupt halt near McGee. "This rink's off limits to paparazzi."

"Agent Timothy McGee with NCIS." Tim pulled out his credentials for Jeff to read. "I'm investigating the death of Desdemona Ryker."

Jeff did not react to the agent. "I heard about Dez this morning." He shook his head. "Shame to lose such a talent."

"So everyone agrees." Tim took out his notepad and a pen. "Where were you last night?"

"Home." Jeff skated over to the edge. "I usually go to bed early, around nine-thirty. I like to get up early and hit the gym."

Tim noted the red nose and the puffy eyes. "You go to the gym yesterday?"

Jeff Karnes was recently sick, he concluded. His footwork was off this morning running back and forth. He was having difficulty breathing through his nose. McGee observed enough skating competitions with Sarah to know how skaters responded when they skated a competition while sick. Jeff displayed all the symptoms.

"No." Jeff sneezed. "I've had a cold for the last week. Tried going Monday since I felt a bit better but I ended up sleeping in after I shut off the alarm. I went to the doctor's on Tuesday afternoon for something to fight this off. Regs limit what over the counter stuff we can take. Doctor's know what we can and can't take. Cold's suck. I need to get back into the game for Nationals coming up."

Tim smiled. "You finished just off the podium last year."

"You watch?"

"With my sister." Tim nodded. "She used to dream about winning a gold medal at the Olympics."

"Understand." Jeff smiled then. "I've got two sisters myself."

"They skate?" Tim wanted to know.

"No." He shook his head. "No inclination. But they're my biggest fans."

"We know Dez caught you with Claire Downes even though you're dating Georgia Reyes." Tim watched the smile disappear from Jeff's face.

"Yeah." There was more than a guilty look on his face as he glanced around the rink to verify they were alone. "Caught us Monday night after practice. Dez blew a fuse over it, demanded I tell Georgia. I've never seen her so pissed."

"Dez felt protective of Georgia?"

Jeff paused before he responded. "Dez had a thing for Georgia but she's like, straight. Georgia never caught on that Dez preferred girls over guys. She was always sweet to Dez because Dez liked to spend time hanging. Georgia's more socialite than athlete but people like her. So does the media."

"She is sweet, isn't she." Tim agreed. "A bit too sweet?"

"Georgia didn't put out." Jeff shrugged self consciously. "We're dating for the publicity only. Dez didn't catch on to it, no one did. Not the first time skaters have done it."

"Why for the publicity?"

"Keeps us in the media." Jeff sighed. "People forgetting figure skating exists. It's a dying sport these days. The more drama there is, the more people remember we're here."

Tim nodded. "Hymm…" He paused. "Dez was working on something that would light up Nationals."

Jeff frowned then looked directly at McGee. "You know about the skates?"

"Special skates?" McGee nodded to see where it took him. "Said you were involved."

Jeff looked down towards the ice. "Yeah, Dez was trying them out for us. Took us more than four years to design and construct them. Coach Morgan said it would be okay to practice with the skates on the side but not in competition. The figure skating gurus had to approve them before they could be used in competition."

"I'm going to need those skates now?"

Jeff suddenly got nervous but then thought better about refusing to hand over the skates to NCIS. Sometimes, Tim liked having a badge. If only Tony were here to see him now?

Chapter Twenty-Two

Gibbs sat in front of Jason Coulters desk. The office was sparsely decorated with furniture. His desk was set in front of wood paneling with two single chairs facing the desk. Behind him was a large oversized gray sofa with a table at each end. The low glass table separated the sofa from a white leather lounger. Above the sofa on glass shelves were numerous photos in plain black frames. Jason Coulters was a proud man of his many photos of the athletes he represented and worked with over the years spread out across the walls and set around the room.

"I was shocked when I heard about Dez." Jason sat behind his large desk, leaning back in his chair with a fake expression of shock on his face. Then he blew his nose. "Sorry, I'm getting over a cold."

"You recently signed Desdemona Ryker to a contract?"

Jason nodded. "Yes, we chose her over Katlin Meyers since her phenomenal comeback last year. Being a Navy enlisted would also make us look better."

"How did Katlin Meyers react?"

"She didn't know we were considering her for a contract." Jason regarded the NCIS agent. "Her progress over the last two years was good but not exceptional."

"Only the best for Taylor Sports?" Gibbs offered.

"Yes." Jason stood up suddenly. "People love the underdog coming back and winning the competition."

"Desdemona Ryker didn't win the competition."

"Close enough." Jason picked up a frame from his desk that faced him, his eyes staring at intently. "When she placed second at Nationals, we all knew that was an amazing feat to many who knew her long history. Then she arrived at Worlds, none expected her to do so well. She beat more than eighteen skaters to take that Bronze medal."

Gibbs considered the meaning of his statement.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Night fell upon McGee efforts to narrow down his list of suspects. Tim wandered around the arena looking for something to help him figure out what was going on around here. There were plenty of suspects but no one was coming to the front of the list.

He came across the janitor, Rusty Gugino, a second-generation immigrant from Austria. Though his name was deceiving, he was not an ethnic Austrian. His parents traveled around Europe for ten years before deciding to head for the United States. Not even he knew his nationality. Rusty was known as a quiet sort of man but pleasant to talk to about the operations of the arena. Very knowledgeable about hockey as well according to his boss.

"Rusty Gugino?" Tim glanced at his notepad to get his name right.

The tall gangly man looked up at Agent McGee. "I've seen you around lately." His voice was medium with a slightly lisp on the end. "Finding out who killed the ice lady."

"Yes." Tim nodded approaching the janitor with a mop in his hands. "I was hoping you could tell me more about two nights back. You were the last to leave Tuesday night. Did you see or hear anything before you left?"

Rusty stopped his mop. "I lock up after everyone leaves." He shrugged. "Nothing much to tell. Skaters finished up their practicing around seven. Then Morgan and Karnes were here till nine working on their little skate project."

"You see Dez here that night?"

"Yup." Rusty rested an arm on his mop handle. "She left the women's locker room all mad at something Karnes said. They were fighting. Later, she went back after she cooled off. Someone was coming to look at something."

"Lovers?" Tim led in.

Rusty shook his head. "Nah. Dez was hot after Georgia Reyes. You could see it in her eyes. Karnes boy was pissed off Georgia wasn't putting out for him so he blamed Dez for all her advice giving to Georgia to keep him at arms length. How bad it is for training and such."

Tim's eyes widened. "You heard the fight?"

"Yeah." Rusty nodded. "Anyone in the arena would've heard it."

"You see Desdemona leave the building?"

Rusty thought before he answered. "No. Karnes told me she left before he and Morgan did around eleven. They were the last ones out."

That got Tim's attention. "You see Karnes and Morgan?"

"Saw Karnes, but not Morgan." Rusty shrugged and began mopping again. "Morgan remained in the secondary rink, I heard his voice. Think he might've had a cold though. Didn't sound like him, was wheezing and coughing a lot."

"Thanks." Tim noted it down in his notes then he let Rusty get back to work without any more interruptions.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Gibbs arrived in Autopsy on the phone. He wore the gray blazer and red polo shirt from earlier. Today was going to be a late day trying to tie up the loose ends in the case.

"Thanks, Tim." He closed the phone.

Ducky stood by his desk waiting for Jethro to walk to him.

"You have something, Duck?"

"Time of death was ten-forty five or thereabouts." He shook his head. "I've been running through the calculations with her being left on the ice as she was."

"McGee just interviewed the janitor of the arena who identified Morgan, Karnes, and Ryker as the last three people in the arena." Gibbs had no clear motive yet.

"Timothy updated me as well to include in my profile of the killer." Ducky lifted a photo of Desdemona Ryker from the crime scene at the arena. "This was done by a male most likely. Abby sent me a copy of her recreation of the crime. From the angle of the blade slicing across Miss Ryker's throat, her killer stood above her."

"Karnes stands more than seven inches taller than Ryker." Gibbs leaned against the slab table near Ducky's desk.

"So does Coach Morgan." Ducky pointed out. "This was a crime of chance. The killer was shocked it happened. The blade leaves the wound and tapers off in depth as the blade crosses from the killer left to right, or Rykers right to left. It's deepest where it sliced into flesh then shallows before it reaches the other side of the neck."

"Tim confiscated the skates Jeff Karnes was wearing." Gibbs knew his next stop. "If Abby can match the blade to the wound and the dust, we got our killer."

"Abby's at the hospital with Ziva visiting Anthony." Ducky informed Gibbs. "You won't get any answers tonight."

Gibbs sighed deeply then.

"The killers will be caught, Jethro." Ducky leaned against the desk.

Then the Autopsy phone rang, prompting both men to look at the black phone. At eight o'clock in the evening, one hardly expected a call. Ducky faced the phone and noted the source. He smiled as he picked up the receiver.

"Autopsy." Ducky listened to Hach's voice on the other end. "Yes, Jethro's here, Hach." He paused. "Right." The call ended, Ducky put the phone back on its receiver. "It seems the skate is a match for the wound and the dust on Desdemona's hand. There was also a secondary blood type found in the seam."

"Dr. Hature ran the skates?" Gibbs eyed Ducky who seemed to enjoy this new version of the MCRT.

"For Abby." Ducky kept himself from smirking. "It's odd isn't it?"

His mind was focused on the case but guessed Ducky's point. "Someone helping Abby out?"

It was so obvious but Jethro made a point not to be accurate. "Abby finally trusts someone enough to share her lab."

That made Gibbs smile. Ducky had a point. This was the first person Abby Sciuto trusted to be in her lab at the same time as her. No one on the team thought this day would ever come. But here it was, a person Abby trusted with her equipment. Dr. Hature was not just anyone in NCIS. She was the Director of Forensics.

Chapter Twenty-Five

Tim felt guilty for leaving after turning in the skates to Hach to head over to the hospital to visit Tony. Ziva and Abby were already there by the time he arrived. They ordered pizza and snuck it into the room in a biohazard bag. Now that he was in the office this morning, he had to face the remainder of the day.

Hach arrived in the Gibbs' den to deliver her report from her finding of the night before. "Agent McGee, you look guilty."

Tim checked around for Gibbs and whispered. "I went to the hospital last night."

"I know." Hach smirked. "The night staff were pretty wound up about the floor smelling like pizza all last night."

Tim grimaced then scratched his head until Hach smiled.

"It's all right, Agent McGee." Hach laid the report on Gibbs' desk eyeing the various photos on his bulletin board above the desktop on the half-wall. "Everyone sneaks food into the hospital at some point. Agent DiNozzo's being released at eleven this morning. Are you going?"

Gibbs arrived at the office in a black blazer, light blue polo, white t-shirt, khaki slacks with his boots and the telltale coffee in his hand.

"Not until we close this case, McGee." He ignored Hach standing in the middle of the isle between McGee desk and his.

"Karnes and Morgan are already on their way here." Tim announced as Hach left the office leading back towards the lab.

Gibbs took out his phone and dialed a number. There was one more person they needed to come in today for a follow up interview.

Chapter Twenty-Six

Jeff Karnes sat at the table across from Tim McGee in Interrogation Room One. He was shocked when Gibbs gave him the lead on this one. He took that as a compliment and decided to play it straight with these people.

"Agent McGee?" Jeff leaned on his folded arms on the table.

Tim continued reading the file opened before him on the table.

"You and Zach Morgan were collaborating on the design and testing of a new type of skate?"

Jeff nodded. "Yeah. Morgan's idea. But he couldn't design worth a damn so I got involved. In high school I made my own shoes for chemistry class. Designed the soles out of rubber I created in my garage and stuff. Won the science fair with it."

Tim eyed Karnes sternly. "So you got Desdemona Ryker to try the skates?"

Jeff nodded. "Yeah. We needed to find out if the idea would work on male and female skaters. I was already trying them out. Dez was juiced at the idea of being involved in the testing phase."

Time to lay on the pressure on Jeff Karnes.

"So which one of you killed Dez?" Tim dropped his hands on the table. "Did she threaten to tell someone you'd been using the skates in competition?"

Jeff's eyes widened. "No one even knew!"

"Dez figured it out, didn't she?" Tim thought about the whole scenario. "Did she use them herself at Nationals and Worlds last year?"

"No!" Jeff straightened his back in agitation. "I wouldn't let her do that. Not that she would've done anything to jeopardize her reputation. She wanted an edge but it had to be legit for her to use anything in competition."

Tim leaned back. "So you killed her then."

Jeff seemed incapable of speaking. His eyes welled up, the guilt clear on his face. But was it guilt over murder or because he got caught with illegal skates? Or both? Or because Dez was after him due to his fidelity issues with Georgia Reyes?

"I…no…I…" Jeff went silent after that.

Tim got to his feet and left the room while Jeff simmered in his mind.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Tim met Gibbs in the hallway between Interrogation Room One and Interrogation Room Two.

"He knows something." He kept his voice low.

Abby came around the corner in her white lab coat, black shirt, plaid skirt with a chain belt, her hair in pigtails. Gibbs was told that Abby arrived back late last night but she called him anyway to let him know around midnight. It was their way of doing things.

"Gibbs!" She walked quickly up to McGee and Gibbs. "I finished watching all the competitions from last year. Desdemona Ryker didn't wear the prototype skates in competition."

"We know." Gibbs responded. "Dr. Hature finished running the competitions last night too."

Tim added. "However, Jeff Karnes did wear them."

Abby appeared disappointed then she fisted her hand and slugged Tim in the shoulder.

"Ow!" Tim kept his voice low. "What was that for?"

Abby turned to Gibbs. "There was more than one blood type at the scene. Desdemona lost the most but someone else was there who also bled out. The blood we found at the scene contained traces of erythromycin. The chemical analysis just came in Hach ran over night."

"The antibiotic?" Tim frowned. "Karnes was recently sick. He might have been taking that."

"It's not his blood type." Abby shook her head and smiled at Tim. "I checked Morgan's as well. It's neither of them."

Gibbs suddenly knew who his killer was.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Jason Coulters sat in Interrogation Room Two sitting at the table facing the mirror. His expression was blank, his hands folded on the table. He patiently waited for Agent Gibbs to arrive to explain why he was brought to NCIS under these alarming circumstances.

"Who are you?" Jason eyed the younger man who walked into the room.

Tim McGee pulled out the chair similar to how he observed Gibbs had done so many times before. He sat down slowly, checking out of the corner of his eye if the suspect responded to the display.

"NCIS Special Agent Tim McGee, Mr. Coulters." Tim sat down across from the Taylor Sports. "I'm doing a follow-up interview since Agent Gibbs paid you a visit yesterday."

"He asked me questions about Dez Ryker."

Tim kept his face blank. "We're you having an affair with Desdemona Ryker?"

Jason appeared shocked at the accusation. "Wh…what?"

Tim continued. "You aren't married, no kids from girlfriends past, and no current social attachments. I know, I checked. Agent Gibbs said in his report that you picked up her photo and stared at it longingly. We're you having an affair with Desdemona Ryker?"

Jason took a deep breath. "I wouldn't have minded. Dez was a rather pretty woman. Taylor Sports expects us to keep our talent happy."

"That include hooking them up?" Tim knew he had a way in now.

"Whatever they want." Jason shrugged, pressing his lips together. "Whatever they ask for, I try to get them what they request."

"What did Dez ask you to do?"

Jason took another long, deep breath in. "She wanted me to look at some skates."

"The ones Zack Morgan and Jeff Karnes designed and created?"

"Yeah." Jason continued cautiously. "Said it might take Taylor Sports to another level. Naturally I was intrigued that a talent would waste her influence on new equipment. I figured I'd make her happy this one time."

"But you were attracted to her."

"Yes." Jason saw no reason to hide the fact now. "But she didn't see me as anything more than her representative."

"Bet that made you angry."

"No, I'm a patient man." Jason smiled at that moment. "I figured if I held off I could make my move once I saw the skates."

"But you didn't know Dez was gay." Tim noted the anger return in Jason Coulter's eyes. "You looked at the skates, had them in your hands. Then someone lets slip that Dez is lesbian and you lose it. You confront her, blame her for leading you on all this time, then you swing the skate at her acting out your frustration. Maybe to frighten her a little. But you go too far and it slices into her neck. The blood projects everywhere, catches you off guard. You panic, drop the skate and run."

Jason's eyes dilated at the memory. "I…no…it never happened…"

Tim got up from the table at that moment. "We have the skates, your suit from the dry cleaners you took to have blood cleaned out of the jacket and trousers. We also have a janitor that places you at the arena at the time of the murder. At first we thought you were Zack Morgan but he had an alibi for that night. See you in fifty years." He moved to leave the room.

Jason got up. "No…"

Tim halted at the door, his hand on the handle.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Jeff Karnes stared at Agent Gibbs through red puffy eyes. He shivered in his chair, his elbows on the table. He leaned his head into his hands, having issues with the truth.

"We know Jason Coulters was there." He kept his voice low, his blue steely gaze never left Jeff. "He was there to see your skates Morgan and you created. Dez asked him to take a look at the skates you made. She cared enough to give you a shot even though she caught you with Claire Downes."

He paused for a long time to give Jeff time to speak up. But he said nothing, guilty of something as he sat across the table. So he continued, his voice low.

"You were away from them when the argument started. Jason accused Dez of leading him on, being a tease." He noticed the twitch in Jeff's shoulders indicating he was on the right track. "But then Jason sliced her with the skate across the neck."

He waited but Jeff said nothing. "The amount of blood spooked you. So you raced over to try to help. You were able to wrestle the skate from Jason nicking him with the blade. His blood was found between the blade and the boot."

Nothing yet.

"You ran from the scene with the skate in your hands." Gibbs played out the scenario in his head. "You couldn't stay there. But you went back, didn't you?"

Jeff lifted his eyes to Gibbs then looked away.

"You found her where she fell." Gibbs knew he had the right witness. "So you moved her to the main rink. You cared for her after all. Made sure she'd be found."

Jeff shook his head. Gibbs raised his hand and slammed it on the table. Jeff Karnes jumped so hard, he nearly fell backward with the chair.

"Tell me what happened." Gibbs folded his hands, set his elbows on the table and studied Jeff Karnes watching him from across the table.

"I…" Tears streamed from his eyes now, his voice quivered as he spoke. "He was consumed with his lust, he didn't know Dez was gay. How could you not? She didn't hide it. But I didn't care what she was. Dez was a good friend."

"The argument broke out…"

"Jason shouted all sorts of insults at Dez." He folded his hands, pushing them between his knees. "She was shocked just as I was. But Dez wasn't one to back down. Threw things back in his face that he was a typical guy, always using his position to get his way with women. That he was a loser." Jeff took a deep breath. "He swore her contract with Taylor Sports was at an end. Then he swung the skate at her, she dodged it the first time. Jason thought it would scare her and took a step forward and swung again. He got her the second time. The blood…it went everywhere." Jeff covered his face. "I panicked, I ran and wrestled the skate from Jason and…ran for it. I left everything there."

"What was Zack Morgan's roll in this?" Gibbs needed to know.

"He wasn't there." He shook his head. "Dez wanted it kept hush hush. I told Rusty that Morgan and I was there working on some last minute choreography. Coach Morgan usually went home after gym time. Sometimes he goes out to dinner for a light meal. But Dez came straight to the rink afterwards since she set up the meet with Jason from Taylor Sports."

"You went back to the arena." Gibbs wanted the whole story.

"Yeah." Jeff became more confident. "I freaked out but I got my head back together. An hour later, I went back to the arena. The door was locked but I knew where there's a window in without setting off the perimeter alarms. The security guard they have on duty sleeps on the job so I knew I wouldn't get busted for getting back in. I got back to the rink and found Dez and Jason gone. The blood was gone too, like someone cleaned it up. I didn't want to know so I grabbed by bag and took off."

"You didn't think to report this?"

Jeff looked to Gibbs. "And who would believe me without a body?" He shook his head. "She was gone when I got back. Once news broke she was found on the center ice, I knew Jason placed her there. The one time Dez made it there." His head lowered. "It wasn't fair, Agent Gibbs."

Jeff Karnes began to cry

Gibbs rolled his eyes then looked at the ceiling hoping for patience.

Chapter Thirty

Tim sat across the table with his arms folded waiting for Jason Coulters to admit to the crime. The evidence piled up against him and irrefutable. Abby and Hach did their jobs well and found what he needed to close the case.

"We have your blood, your prints, and a witness that places you at the arena at ten-thirty that night." Tim refrained from smiling. "It was you not Zack Morgan there."

He paused for effect then kept going. "We know Dez asked you to meet with her. Bet you thought she was inviting you for a little play time."

Jason nodded that was what he thought at the time. Tim stayed silent then. He shrugged, lifted his eyebrows and leaned back. This would take little effort for someone like Jason Coulters to spill the truth.

"Ok, yes. I was at the arena." His mind worked over time. "Dez wanted me to see the damn skates. So I saw them."

"And you were expecting something more…" Tim led in.

"I was hoping we'd go out afterwards." Jason leaned forward. "Maybe go back to my place."

"And then she told you she wasn't into guys." Tim knew how it played out.

"When I found out Dez was…gay, I over reacted. But it was that Karnes kid who came and yanked the skate out of my hand. When he did that, it swung out and sliced Dez across the neck. The kid freaked and ran for it." Jason paused then stated. "It was an accident."

Tim got to his feet. "There's only one problem with your story." He paused for drama. "You were the only one close enough to Dez when the blade cut her. The clothes Jeff Karnes wore that night has no blood spatter on it. We searched his house and his locker after our interview with him. Desdemona was already on the floor by the time he reached you to wrestle his prototype skate from you. Your blood dropped on the floor exactly where the person who's responsible for Desdemona Ryker's death was standing."

"I admit I was a bit angry." Jason wanted to be heard. "I never expected the blade to be so sharp."

"You killed her over your obsession to have sex with one of your athletes." Tim leaned towards Jason Coulters. "I wonder what Taylor Sports will think of you for over stepping your boundaries and killing the talent. Leading you on, making you think she was hot for you. Bet you thought she deserved what she got."

Jason's face contorted in anger. "She did deserve it!"

He flipped the table up as McGee took a quick step back against the wall. The table fell on its side followed by Jason Coulters lunging for him. Slightly surprised by the temper flare, Tim realized he had to be in control of the situation.

Chapter Thirty-One

Gibbs heard the commotion in the hallway once he left Jeff Karnes in Interrogation Room One. He kicked the door open to Interrogation Room Two as Jason Coulters fell backwards against the wall just to the right of him. Tim appeared to have a split lip and a bruise forming on his left cheek but he was in control of the situation.

Jason growled as the shock of slamming into the wall wore off, aiming for Agent McGee. His eyes were set squarely on the agent and he pounced. Gibbs bent his arm and took one step forward, ramming it into Coulters neck. He went down unconscious.

"Thanks, boss." Tim sighed at the intervention.

"What the hell, McGee." Gibbs looked down at Jason Coulters.

Two security guards rushed around Gibbs into the room to take Jason Coulters into custody. His confession and attack on a NCIS agent were recorded for later charges. All in all, it was a good night for his team.

"I had him, boss." Tim felt pretty confident he would have taken Jason Coulter down if Gibbs had not interfered. "It was my first violent suspect."

"Good job, Tim." Gibbs left Interrogation Room Two. "Now go get DiNozzo."

Tim checked his watch. "Damn."

And left immediately.

Chapter Thirty-Two

Tony hated being wheeled out in public as a patient. The gauge head wrap would remain for another three weeks while he rested and healed at home. Hach warned him that any attempt to return to agent duties early would result in her hiring a nurse with arms the size of train cars and a penchant for stuffing food down his throat.

The nurse controlled his slow exit from his hospital prison with a calculated route designed to drive him mad with the fear he would never escape. He hunched over, leaning on one arm as he was wheeled in a change of street clothes towards the main entrance.

There waiting for him were Ziva David, Abby Sciuto, and Tim McGee. Suddenly, he could not help the smile on his face.

"You made it!" Tony opened his arms wide happy to escape the hospital finally.

"Of course." Ziva was just as happy to see Tony leave the hospital as she had been. "We couldn't leave you here."

"Geez, McWreck." Tony spotted the darkening bruise and the split lip. "You look like…"

"Got into a fight with a suspect." Tim smiled proud of his injuries. "Gibbs couldn't be here, he had to file the report and book the suspect."

"He finally got his NCIS merit badge." Abby smiled at Tim.

"So who did it this time?" Tony wanted updates.

"Taylor Sports rep." Abby jumped in to take over from the nurse. "He got mad Dez Ryker was gay and cut her throat."

The nurse gave Abby a once over then stepped aside and returned to the hospital. It was then a tan Rolls Royce pulled up silently next to them at the curb. No one noticed it since neither of them were expecting it. However, Abby smiled upon seeing it.

"Ouch." Tony shook his head. "Glad I missed the fun. Who's driving?"

Abby wheeled him towards the Rolls Royce. It was then Tim and Ziva turned and stopped to note the very expensive vehicle. They exchanged a quick glance.

"Hach is…well her driver anyway." Abby replied. "I asked her to borrow it."

Tim looked to Ziva both impressed that Dr. Hature had a Rolls Royce in her possession. Tony stared at the luxurious vehicle as Abby encouraged him to stand.

"She let you borrow this?" Ziva queried over her shoulder at Abby.

Abby smiled brightly. "Yep. With his head injury, I was totally freaking out about what car we should use to come get him this morning. You know how hinkey NCIS gets when we use the vehicles for personal use and such. I knew we need something with a seriously smooth ride to keep our Tony from hurting any more than he needs to. She mentioned she had a Rolls Royce. So I asked her if we could borrow it. She said she would have her driver come down from Norfolk and get us from the hospital to take Tony home."

"Here I thought she hated me." Tony winced at how she looked him over without really seeing him during her visits. "She's always giving me the evil eye."

"You need the evil eye." Tim mused.

Ziva reached over to Tony now standing, pinching a cheek. "See, Hach does care about our very special little Agent Tony DiNozzo."

Tony pouted at that moment, resenting his cheek was pinched. Tim opened the back passenger door, motioning for Tony to enter. He hesitated, contemplating the owner who showed him more chill than warmth. Ziva poked him in the head with her finger.

"Ow!" Tony winced, his hand raised to fend off her poking finger. "That's tender, Ziva!"

"Get in the car, Tony." Ziva ordered.

Tony crawled into the seat, sliding over to the opposite window. Tim, Ziva and lastly Abby piled into the car and closed the door. The Rolls pulled away from the curb leaving the wheelchair next to curb. Laughing could be heard emanating from the Rolls driving away from the hospital.

THE END

Author's Note: Forgot to do this on the other episodes I wrote.

NEXT TIME on NCIS

Ducky gets a death threat from an old nemesis while Gibbs and his team are still on the hunt to locate and capture the Reaper…