Disclaimer-I own absolutely nothing to do with NCIS.
25
The next morning Abby had just started analyzing the dirt from the bottom of Delaney's shoes when she heard the door to her lab slide open. She smiled to herself-old habits die hard.
"McGee, just because we chatted yesterday doesn't mean I'm your personal therapi...hi." Abby replaced her sarcastic smirk with a bright smile when she saw Becca standing behind her.
"Hey, um, are you busy? What am I talking about; of course you are. I'll just come back later..." Abby rushed forward, grabbed her arm and thumped her down in the swivel chair.
"You get right back in here. I may be stuck in a smelly chemical basement but I know when one of my chicas needs girl talk. Spill."
"I won't distract you?" Abby smiled and turned back to her table.
"I can shoe scrape and girl talk at the same time."
Becca took a deep breath and forced herself to stop chewing on her peeling lip. "I think maybe...I think McGee asked me out yesterday and I blew him off."
"Oh you mean when he asked if you wanted to get a drink with him?"
"You were watching?" Abby blushed.
"Well, I had to bring paperwork up for Gibbs to sign and I didn't want to be all elephant from The Jungle Book and crunch through everything. But what's the big deal? We go out for drinks sometimes. I mean, not now when we're all wound so tight and ready to explode, liquor's probably a bad idea, but I don't get..."
"I know, but it was just something in the way he said it, and how he looked at me when he did, that made me think..."
Abby raised her eyebrows at her. "That maybe it was less of a coworker thing and more of a date thing?"
"Yeah."
Abby fought jumping up and down and shaking Becca. She liked her, she honestly did, which rarely happened with women and even more rarely with women who got close to McGee, but for all her brilliance Becca was thumpingly thick sometimes. If a man she liked half as much as Becca obviously liked McGee paid her even a quarter of the attention McGee paid Becca, she would have had him in bed ages ago. But then, Abby acknowledged with an inward shrug, she didn't care a lot about things like anti-fraternization rules and the complications of juggling two men at one time. She just did what she wanted. She waved a dismissive hand at Becca.
"I wouldn't worry about it. I mean, come one; you're not supposed to go anywhere with anyone when you've got a PCD, and we don't know where Hanover's picking up his victims now-Sam's place is basically a Yard bar. And besides, doesn't your boyfriend hate McGee's guts?"
Becca suppressed a smile. "He's not too fond of him."
"I say let it go. And if you change your mind, you can always just say 'Hey, I'll take you up on that drink." You and McGee are like, best friends. He totally gets it."
"Yeah. Yeah I guess. Thanks Abs."
"No problem. How's the case going?"
"Crappy. Now that we know his identity, we've been taking apart Hanover's life. He was born in New York, no father to speak of, and his mother was in and out of psychiatric facilities. When Hanover was eleven NYCPS removed him permanently. His mother died nine years ago. Too bad. I would have really liked a chance to get into that crazy bitch's face. Anyway, I think I'd better get back to the quad."
"I'd be careful going upstairs if Gibbs has gotten here. He called me this morning in a real hissy fit. Something about the newspaper."
All of a sudden Becca had an urge to rip something apart. "Abby, do you have a copy of the Tribune down here by chance?"
"Yeah, over on the side table by my Caf-Pow. Why?"
In answer Becca snapped open the A section and scanned until she found what she was looking for. It was Monday, the day Terrance Graham did a rundown column of updates to his latest stories. Sure enough, the third blurb down the list contained four familiar letters.
"'Undoubtedly in response to my earlier article, Agent Gibbs of NCIS recently accepted the assistance of a few select DCPD detectives in the continued investigation if the Left-Side Killer. I feel confident that this humble step will ensure faster results for the safety of the Navy and the general public.' Shit, I'd like to get my hands around that sleazeball's neck and...wait, what is he talking about? There's no DCPD assist on this case."
Abby made a face. "Well, not really, but..."
"What?"
"Isn't the head of your PCD your boyfriend? Isn't he DCPD? Oh..." she started as she saw the look of stunned realization spread over Becca's face. "I'm sorry, Bex. I didn't mean to imply..."
"No, it's ok Abs, you didn't do anything. I just...I have to go talk to Tony. I'll let you know when I find out something."
Becca climbed the stairs slowly, and with every step she felt the weight in her stomach getting heavier. Somehow, without any proof but her own gut and a few coincidences, she felt the closer she got to DiNozzo's desk the closer she got to something she didn't want to know. She could have brushed off all this suspicion but for one thing. Gibbs rule number one-there are no coincidences. DiNozzo sat at his desk staring at his computer screen and clicking occasionally; the instant she saw the serious glare of his eyes under his furrowed brows she knew it was case related and she felt terrible about disturbing him. He had been far from his usual happy-go-lucky self since her and McGee's abduction, and she was about to add to his worries.
"Tony, we need to talk."
He looked up and flashed her a quick grin. "I'm not taking a paternity test- I swear it's not mine."
She didn't laugh and drew her chair up to his to sit down so their knees touched. His smile disappeared. "Why do I get the feeling I'm not gonna like this?"
"I know you've talked to Cody about the case. Right before New York got involved McGee was mad because Cody had called you asking questions, and at the hospital he said you had told him some things. I need you to tell me everything you told him."
DiNozzo looked sheepish for just a moment before his eyes met hers defensively. "Why?"
"Because just after Cody got angry about Gibbs not involving the DCPD, Terrence Graham writes that NCIS is 'stubbornly refusing to allow local law enforcement to assist the team,' and two days after he puts Cody in charge of my PCD, we get this morning's blurb. And Graham's named him the Left-Side Killer. Only us and the Bronx know about that. Those details were never released to the New York press and they weren't released here."
DiNozzo was quiet, and Becca laid her he hand on his knee. "Look, I was a cop too, remember? We trust one another, we have to, and yeah, sometimes we talk under the table. Ninety-nine times out of a hundred it's just harmless chit-chat but...Tony, I'm not mad and I'm not calling you a leak. I just need to know if there's a good reason I should suspect my boyfriend did something I really, really hope he didn't do."
When DiNozzo finally spoke his voice was soft and gruff. "I told Barnes some things I probably shouldn't have. At first it seemed like innocent questions, but later...I told myself that if someone were after my woman I'd want somebody to fill me in too but...I've been thinking the same thing since that first article."
"What did you tell him?"
"About how we discovered Hanover's weird religious obsessions and what you symbolize to him, how he's after you specifically." Becca closed her eyes and nodded painfully.
"Goddammit it all makes sense. I couldn't figure out why Graham would leave out the most explosive part, that NCIS caught up to Hanover in the woods because they were recovering two abducted agents."
"Graham didn't know. But what source would have a motive to leave out that juicy tidbit?" He grimaced when she stared at him tight-jawed. "Yeah, I can't think of anyone else either."
"Am I interrupting anything?" They turned to see McGee standing behind them with a folder in his hand, and DiNozzo fought back a grin when he realized how quickly Becca pulled her hand off his knee. She awkwardly twisted a short curl around her finger.
"No, you didn't, we were just, um...what have you got there?"
"Can we talk? Privately?"
"Is it about what I asked you earlier?" He nodded, and she sighed. "Then you can say it in front of Tony."
He hesitated just a moment before he opened the folder. "I got into Barnes' recent financial records and you were right. No increase in his direct deposit advances from the precinct but there are substantial deposits from an unnamed source. I managed to track the check numbers and they lead back to-"
"The Tribune," Becca and DiNozzo finished together. McGee's eyes narrowed.
"How did you know that?"
Becca couldn't look him in the eye. "Never mind. I think the two of you should go find Gibbs. Let him know what you've found." McGee took a step towards her, and she still refused to look at him; she knew if she met his gaze the concern in his blue eyes would destroy her.
"Are you sure?" he asked gently.
"Of course. He's compromising a military investigation."
"Bex..." He reached a hand out to her shoulder, and balked when she shied away from him.
"McGee, just...look, you need to go find Gibbs now. If he finds out we knew about this and didn't come to him immediately he's gonna get really pissed."
McGee held up his folder. "You know when I give him this Barnes will not only be off your PCD- Gibbs won't let him come within thirty feet of you."
She swallowed hard. "I know."
Just as they left Ziva came up from the elevator with a full coffee carrier to find Becca alone and forlorn in the center of an eerily quiet quad.
"What did I miss?"
For some reason she didn't understand Becca felt like laughing maniacally. "My life is a mess."
"What's the phrase? Join the party?"
"The club."
"Yeah," Ziva said as she handed her a coffee. "That too."
A half hour later Gibbs gathered everyone in the quad. Becca cleared her throat nervously. "What did Cody have to say?"
Gibbs shrugged. "I took it up with his captain-I don't want to talk to him." Becca nodded and looked down at her shoes. After a second's pause Gibbs held his arms out to her and she smiled tightly.
"I don't need a hug Gibbs; I'm fine."
"I'm not asking. Get over here." He wrapped a quick arm around her and squeezed lightly. "It'll be ok. We do our jobs, take care of our people, and it'll all be alright. You believe that, right?"
"I don't know anymore."
"You trust me, don't you?"
"Always."
"Well ok then." He let her go and turned to look at everyone. "From now on, no one talks to anyone about the case but the six of us and Ducky. Not the assistants, not the CSU's, not the SecNav, not Vance, not your mother, no one. Got it?"
DiNozzo stood at attention and looked up at the ceiling. "Boss, I take full responsibility for my actions and will be happy with whatever punishment you see fit. Even if you keel-haul me. Please don't keel-haul me."
Gibbs took a deep breath and waved him off. "We'll deal with it later. We've got to have everyone's heads on this and as much as I'd like to take after yours with a baseball bat, I'm gonna need it. Alright I'm sick of this crap. DiNozzo, take Hanover's picture and start canvassing every squid and jarhead bar in the city. He can't get onto the Yard anymore-he's gonna have to go outside for his type. Ziva go with him. New rule; no one goes anywhere alone. McGee, start sending Hanover's photo and description to all law enforcement in a fifty mile radius. Don't tell them anything, just say he's wanted by the Navy and to take him into custody. Becca, you get down to the lab with Abby-she's got a lot of evidence to process and you can help her do that. Oh and McGee, you're on PCD for Becca until further notice."
Everyone froze. Ziva sucked in her breath. "Oh...."
Becca looked around with panic in her eyes at everybody's wincing face. "Oh...what?"
"Ziva..." Gibbs said warningly. She put her palms in the air.
"Just...am I the only one who remembers what happened the last time McGee had a protective custody detail?"
Becca raised her hand. "Hello! New team member! What happened?"
McGee scoffed. "Nothing happened."
"Eh," DiNozzo said, "something happened."
"What happened!?"
Gibbs slammed the case file down on DiNozzo's desk. "Dammit, why does is everyone second-guessing me all of a sudden? If I say McGee's on PCD, he's on PCD!" And no, Ziva," he said as she opened her mouth, "it is not time for Tony to leave your apartment. How much clearer do I have to be? Until we catch Hanover, nobody is alone, ever. Nobody!"
"Who's gonna protect Abby?" McGee called out as Gibbs stormed off to his office.
"Abby's protected!" he hollered back. They turned to look at her, and she shrugged.
"I've been sleeping in Gibbs' guest bedroom for the past two weeks."