Chapter 34

Tony got out of the bathroom to find Palmer leaning against the headboard, legs on the bed, and his face turned towards the window. His eyes were a bit out of focus, just like they had been when Tony walked over to him in Abby's lab, when the younger man was looking at the crime scene photos.

From all that they learned, it felt like it had been so long since that.

He didn't know what to think. He felt betrayed. He always thought that Palmer was a normal guy, as regular as they come.

' Not true is it? He managed to look so normal, that I didn't even think about asking him about his life. And when I did, he never answered. It took a crazy woman for him to talk, and only because we caught him on camera. '

He walked over to his bed, sat on it and turned on the tv, muting it. He looked to the side and saw that Palmer was still looking out the window.

He looked out, they were on the fourth floor and there were not many tall buildings around the hotel, but still, the woman had already shot at his place.

" Sorry to cut your star-gazing short, but it's better if we close the blinds. "

Palmer didn't move from his position. Tony stood from the bed and walked over to him, hand stretched to shake the his shoulders.

The moment Tony moved, Palmer reacted, faster than Tony though it was possible for a human, faster than Ziva, nevertheless injured Autopsy Gremlin. Before Tony realized he was on the floor, arms being held together behind him, legs pinned in place by Palmer's legs and his head buried in the hotel's carpet by a firm hand.

It was so fast that it took a moment for Tony to realize he was on the floor breathing in the carpet.

A second later the hold on him loosened, Palmer standing from the floor and away from Tony.

" S...Sorry, I... I didn't mean to-"

Tony stood dusted himself off and looked over to Palmer, who now was sitting on his bed, head on his hands, eyes closed shut.

" How? How did you do that?! " Tony asked, care-free persona be damned, how could Palmer throw those moves at him?

" What!? "

" Those ninja moves? How did you do that? "

" I'm sorry Tony! I was distracted and you scared me, and I just panicked and reacted. " He had opened his eyes and was looking up at the agent hands gesturing widely.

" I got that. But you still didn't answer my question. How? "

" I don't know what to tell you. "

Tony saw the look on Palmer's face, he was agitated, shaking slightly. Maybe it really was a unconscious reflex. He was distracted and has a crazy woman wanting to kill him. He would talk about it with the team in the morning, just in case.

" That's okay Jimmy. But those were pretty fast movement, maybe you should check your stitches. "

Palmer looked at him for a few seconds before checking his stitches, when he was done Tony was already at the window closing the blinds.

" Why are you closing the blinds? "

" Just being safe Jimmy. We don't want anymore sniper episodes, do we? " Tony answered, a characteristic smile on his face.

" Oh. Right. Okay then. " Palmer looked down at his lap. He then adjusted himself to be sitting leaning against the headboard, legs stretched on the bed.

Tony walked to his bed and sat on it on a similar position to Palmer.

" What were you thinking about Palmer? "

" Nothing. "

" You were thinking real hard about nothing then. Came on, it's me! What was going around in that melon of yours? " He said looking over to the man on the other bed.

Palmer looked at Tony. He liked the agent, he was a nice man, funny and competent in his job. If he survived the encounter with Artemis, he would miss the man.

" I was thinking about the past Tony. Nothing more. "

" What about it? "

" Just memories. Nothing that would matter to your case. "

Tony thought strange that Palmer said it was his case, excluding himself from it.

" Maybe not. But is good to talk. Get things out of your chest. "

Palmer looked at Tony and raised an eyebrow.

" What? " Asked Tony.

" Nothing, is just not like you. I mean the whole sharing and caring speech. "

" Is not! I'm just bored, want to talk. "

" I thought you wanted me to sleep. "

" Fine sleep. If you want to be all mysterious, be it. "

Tony watched as Palmer looked at him for a second, before lying down and turning his back to him, pulling the covers over his shoulders.

Tony turned his attention to the muted tv, keeping his ears opened to the sounds around him.