A Dare, Or Something More Sinister?
Rating: T
Disclaimer: I don't own NCIS... I'm just taking the characters for a spin!
Author's Notes: Thank-you all for the reviews, I'm glad you all like it... as always a few more wouldn't go unnoticed! Please!
Another short chapter...
And of course, again a humungous thank-you to Kate for her terrific work and inspiration!
Gibbs kicked at the ground, sending stones and a cloud of dust into the air. Way to go Jethro, nice way to make repairs! He thought to himself angrily. Putting his hands on top of his head, he closed his eyes and willed the ground to open up and swallow him. This was going to be a very long day. He watched Kate try to start the car, then stalk around to the front and open the hood. Kate reached under the hood and played with a few things. Gibbs watched and frowned, he wondered when Kate had learnt anything about cars and how she knew what to do. Perhaps Tony had taught her, he glanced to the younger man as he walked around the car. Gibbs paced to a nearby tree, trying to think about what he was going to do, he didn't want to lose an agent, he didn't want to lose Kate. When he reached the tree, he turned on his heel and walked back to the spot.
Maybe he should send her some flowers, roses. He looked back to Kate, who was still leaning under the hood. Tilting his head on the side, he thought about it, but decided against it, Kate didn't seem like a rose's kind of person. Her tattoo wasn't a rose. He sighed loudly and sat down, putting his face in his hands. Thinking over the events of the past day put his head in a spin. Nothing had prepared him for what Tony had revealed to them. Sure, there was the occasional remark, but they had been covered up nicely or at least dismissed as nothing, Tony being Tony. He suspected that Tony still wanted to leave, but he hoped that he'd be able to make him stay.
But he'd never seen Kate's resignation coming. That came out of far left field. He'd always thought of her as strong, determined and resilient to anything that tried to make her day a bad one. Given the chance to start the day again and asked what he expected the day to bring; this would certainly have not been something he would have predicted. He'd never thought this would happen. He'd never had need to. He liked Kate exactly where she was. No, that was the mind-frame he had to get out of. He wanted Kate closer to him, to be more than just a colleague, somebody he would see more than just in the hours at work.
Gibbs rubbed his face and glanced back at the car. Tony and Kate had finished looking under the hood and were now leaning against the front of the car. He watched as McGee came around from the back of the car and talked with them. Gibbs frowned and thought about McGee, he'd also been acting strangely of late. Perhaps he was considering resigning as well and hadn't told him yet, waiting for a 'good' moment to tell him. Gibbs shook his head and dismissed the thought, McGee was always acting like that, it seemed that he felt as though he hadn't found his place in the team yet, like he didn't know if he was part of the team. But of course he was, McGee complemented the dynamics of the rest of the team and worked well.
Gibbs sighed; he really didn't want or need any more surprises. It was enough with Tony and Kate leaving, especially Kate. He pinched his nose and closed his eyes, trying to calm the feeling of dread that had somehow made its way into his conscience. It was frustrating, he felt that his team was falling apart and there was nothing he could do to prevent it. Perhaps they had been planning this all along, to leave, timing their resignations to make it seem like he was at fault. Maybe they never wanted to part of his team since the beginning, since he had hired them. He began wondering if Abby and Ducky were in on it too and were just passing time until the right opportunity to leave came up. They must have been planning this behind his back, and for a long time. It seemed strange that he'd never picked up on it before.
Gibbs' thoughts were interrupted by the ringing of his cell. He pulled out the device and looked at caller ID and growled. Flipping it open he snapped into the speaker, "Ducky! Not now!". Flipping the cell closed, he threw it at the nearest tree, causing it break open and fall to pieces on the ground.
That's it for chapter 32.. I hope you like it! Please review, please!