Chapter 7 – Counting on McGee
Tony and Gibbs would deny it vehemently later on, but at the moment, Ducky's assessment that the two Agents were pouting was dead on.
"What would Abigail call this? A pity party?" The phrase sounded odd coming from Ducky, with his distinguished English brogue.
Tony looked at Ducky and frowned. "Yeah, so, what's your point?" He brought his hand up, almost involuntarily, to rub his temple.
Gibbs, instead of pouting outright, had taken on a brooding sort of sulk. "We need to figure out how to get the hell out of here," he said. He ignored the dirty look he got from his companions, his reward for overstating the obvious.
"With all do respect, Boss… how exactly do you propose we do that? You and Ducky have been in here for… how long now?" Ducky sighed. "Anthony does have a valid point, Jethro. Perhaps we need to wait until our next companion joins us, and then strike to escape."
"Our next companion? Ducky, what makes you think there's gonna be someone else joining us?"
"Because, Jethro, Anthony joined us when he was caught trying to find us. And your team are like bloodhounds when they get on the scent. Yes, Jethro… I believe Timothy will be joining us eventually."
Tony snorted. "That figures, OW, hey, what was that for?" he protested, as Gibbs slapped the back of his head smartly. "My ex-wives have just committed all sorts of felonies here, including administering a noxious substance, assault, kidnapping, unlawful confinement… I don't need a reason, DiNozzo. I'm allowed to be a little bit cranky."
"Well, why McGee, and not Ziva?" Ducky raised an eyebrow and a finger, both in Tony's direction. "Because, Anthony, Ziva was with you when you were taken, was she not?" Tony nodded affirmatively. "These women aren't interested in taking women. If they were, they'd have taken Ziva along with you and we'd have her with us right now."
Gibbs nodded thoughtfully. "Good point, Ducky." Tony glanced at his boss, noting that he looked tired, and for the first time since he'd met him, Tony thought that Gibbs seemed unsure of how to proceed in their current predicament.
"Timothy and Abigail are probably working with Ziva right now to find us, and I'm sure that by now, Jimmy has joined them in their search. They'll find us, Jethro, mark my words. But we may be joined by another before this is over with."
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"Maybe I should join them," Tim said, thoughtfully. He was met with two sets of green eyes, and one set of brown, glaring at him like he'd just said he was running away to join the circus, but not until after he'd had gender reassignment surgery.
"Tim, I don't think so." Abby looked at him squarely, then nodded towards their sleeping daughter, still slumbering against Uncle Jimmy's shoulder.
He glanced over to Jimmy, who levelled a steady gaze at him. "I don't think so either. Jasmine would kill me for letting you do that. I mean, it's not like I have anything to do with it or could stop you, but you know how she is. Anyway I can think of another reason for you not to do that." He brought his free hand up to gently stroke Caitlin's baby-soft hair.
Last resort. He gazed over at Ziva, in that endearing, brotherly way he had developed with the rest of the team, save, of course, for Abby. Tim McGee had an entirely different way of gazing at Abby…
"Leave me out of this, Tim," Ziva said, backing away slightly. "If anyone should join them, it should be me. I have no family and therefore, nothing to lose."
"Oh, Ziva, I beg to differ," Abby protested with a frown. She moved over to the Israeli woman and draped a sisterly arm around her. "We're your family. But if they were gonna take you, they would've taken you with Tony. I don't think they're interested in women."
They had no way of knowing that Abby had just echoed Ducky's words.
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"What's taking McGee so long?" Tony complained. He glanced over at Ducky, who had dozed off. Gibbs looked at his oldest Agent and simply shrugged. "Probably Abby and Ziva have him on a chain, or something."
"Oh, come on Boss, since when does that stop McGee from getting his way? A few years ago I could see that, but Probie's grown a pair since then."
"Well, Tony, Abby wasn't a mother back then either. We're talking about her Baby Girl's daddy, here. I'm sure they'll think of something. In the meantime, we just have to wait. There's nothing we can do from here. Trust me, I know these women. Now is not the time to fight back."
Tony snorted. "That may be, but you just watch, Boss. He'll figure something out."
"Indeed, Anthony," Ducky mumbled, as he stirred awake.