XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Abby entered the result of the final spectral analysis into her report and pushed away from her terminal with a great effort. "FINALLY!" she yelled. She then stretched her arms up over her head and tried to work the kinks out of her back and neck. Once she was done with that, she looked down at her watch, only to discover that it was after midnight, again. She realized that it was a good thing she kept extra clothes here at work, because some nights, it was just easier to curl up on her couch and crash in her office. Gibbs had requisitioned that couch for her almost two years ago after he had found her sleeping on that cushion she called a futon on the floor one too many times. She really like her couch, and she liked it even more because Gibbs helped her get it. He realized that she worked just as many hours as he did (and sometimes more), and that had earned her even more respect in his eyes, and that was something Abby found precious.
She got up to cross the lab and go to her office when a slight bit of movement caught her attention. Still clicking away at her terminal was the Major, and it looked to Abby like she had not moved in the numerous hours since the last time they spoke, sometime the afternoon before. Abby realized it had been at least eight hours since they had communicated in any form, which meant the Major had been working without any break in at least that long.
When she moved closer to inspect that this was indeed reality and not some work induced delusion, she found several protein bar wrappers in the trash can, as well as a couple of sports drink bottles, which meant that at least the Major was not going to pass out from malnutrition. But she was just as shocked to find the Major still flying through programs and windows at the same breakneck speed as she had earlier in the day. Abby was convinced that no one could accomplish something like this without the aide of caffeine (or any other stimulant) in any form, let alone for this length of time. She was convinced the Major must be some kind of energy machine or something… Or maybe like that rabbit in those lame commercials, but whatever it was, she was still plowing through the mountains of data that had been collected on this and the other cases, as well as case studies and who knew what else she was using as source material. Abby was sure of only one thing; she never wanted to be in competition for anything with this woman.
She reached over and tapped the Major on the shoulder very lightly, and the Major simply took the headphones off and looked in Abby's direction, "What's up?"
"Umm…" Abby shifted a little uneasily, "Gwen, you do know that it's like after midnight, right?"
The Major pointed at the countdown clock she had running at the bottom of the computer screen, "Only way to keep track of time when you work like this… I'm just trying to get this thing finished, and decided to keep working until my husband was able to pick me up." She titled her neck from side to side, trying to work out some invisible kinks, "He's on-call tonight, and has been in and out of delivery since about 2000 hours." She then pointed at an IM screen in the other corner. "When he has a few minutes between rounds and deliveries, he checks up on me."
"Wow… Sounds like you guys do this kind of thing a lot." Abby was in awe at their efficiency.
The Major just chuckled at her comment, "Yeah, you could say that… A Navy Obstetrician and a high level Pentagon staff member?" Her face was the picture of normalcy, "Believe me, we're used to odd hours and time away from each other."
"I guess you've got a point there…" Abby looked around the lab absently for a moment and then made a decision, "Hey, I haven't eaten for a while, you wanna grab something at the diner down the block?"
The Major looked down at her dwindling supply of protein bars and decided it might not be a bad way to make it through the night. She blew out a long breath and then shut down her computer, closed the lid to her metal case and straightened up her area before getting to her feet, "Sounds like a wonderful idea. Walk or ride?"
Abby wriggled up her nose, "Well, it is Southeast D.C. after midnight."
"And I did leave my sidearm at home, so I guess it's ride. I am without a car, so I'll call us a cab." The Major brought out her cell phone and was about to call when Abby stopped her.
"Actually, I have my car here, so we can take that… As long as I stop in the Morgue and grab a sheet to throw over the seat." The Major looked at her with curiosity, "Ah, there's a serious glitter problem in there."
She nodded her head and chuckled. "So, I'll swing by the Morgue and grab the sheet, while you get the car started and meet you up there?"
"Perfect!" Abby jumped right to it and grabbed her bag before hitting the elevator as the Major took the stairs down to the Morgue.
As Abby reached her car, she realized it was much more than a glitter problem, and she started collecting all the Caff-Pow cups and flyers and magazines and stray items of clothing into her arms and tried to carry it all to the back of the car, then tried to open the lid to her trunk.
The first stack of plastic cups hit the ground in a crash just as the Major walked up to her in the garage. "So, just a little glitter problem?" she said as she bent down to pick up the stack of cups that were rolling on the ground. The Major popped the lid on the trunk and then turned back to Abby when she saw what was in there.
Abby peeked over the pile of stuff in her arms, "Man! I was wondering where I left that!" She then tossed all of the things in her arms into the trunk, pushing it around until it all fit around the large male dummy torso. "Ah… Long story, and not really worth mentioning." She slammed the trunk lid down and spun around quickly with her keys in hand, "Really long story, so not worth it. Let's go!" The Major laid the sheet over the seat and got in while Abby started the car and they left the parking garage.
It was only a couple of blocks to the diner and the Major fed the meter where they parked out front. Upon entering the diner their senses were instantly assaulted with all the aromas of quality comfort food. They took their seats in the booth at the end of the row and the waitress casually made her way down to them.
"Another all-nighter, Abby?" the woman said as she turned a coffee cup over on the table in front of Abby and commenced to pour her some coffee.
"Yeah, well, ya know what they say; no rest for the wicked." Abby rubbed her eyes a little as the woman put some cream down on the table in front of Abby.
"And how about you, Major, do you fall into that category, too?" The woman was about to turn over a second coffee cup when Maj. Cassidy stopped her.
"None for me, thanks… And you must be pretty good to mark me for a Major in this sweater."
The woman just laughed, "I've spent a lifetime 'round the Navy Yard and the Marine Barracks, so you might call it an occupational hazard." She cleared the other cups from the table and turned back to the women, "So, what can I get you to drink, Major?"
"Ah, some OJ would be fantastic, and a glass of water, please?"
The waitress shook her head and chuckled, "Since I already know what Abby is gonna have, what can I get you, Major? The kitchen is at your disposal… Anyone workin' an all-nighter with this one deserves it." She bumped Abby in the shoulder with her hip and Abby giggled at the private joke.
"Come on, Tanya, I'm not that bad… Most of the time." Abby had returned to her gloriously impish expression.
The Major did not see a menu, so she just rambled something off the top of her head, "How about some scrambled eggs, whole grain toast and some kind of meat product?"
"Well, for meat, we got some steak, bacon, sausage patties, I'm out of the links 'til mornin', and I got some ham slices, too." The woman was still tormenting Abby playfully as she rattled off the list to the Major.
"Hmmm… I've been pretty good this week, so let's go with the ham slice… And maybe some hashbrowns?" As the Major listed off her requests she realized just how hungry she had gotten.
"Comin' right up… Just holler if you need anything before then." And as she left, Maj. Cassidy realized she already had her glass of water, and had not even noticed the waitress putting it there, so she took a drink.
Abby turned around in her seat to holler into the kitchen, "So, what am I having tonight, Tanya!"
The voice that came out of the kitchen was decidedly not belonging to the waitress, "Seein' as I just finished whippin' up a batch of waffle batter, I'ma guessin' your havin' some waffles wit my Sally's famous preserves, Missy." The purely masculine voice was matched by the large, burley man that came out of the kitchen door.
The man walked towards the booth where they were both sitting, but Abby jumped out of her seat to run up to the man and wrap her arms around him. "Freddy!"
"Well ain't that the best reason to have to come in 'n' work tonight," the older man said through Abby's embrace.
"I haven't seen you in so long… What in the world has you out here in the middle of the night, old man?" Abby walked him towards the booth where the Major was still sitting.
"Aww, we had another cook quit on us… And I ain't lettin' Tanya work in here at night by herself… You know what these animals has been gettin' like 'round here." The man's gray hair had enveloped his entire head and gave him an air of gentility that the Major was certain had not been there in his youth.
"Yeah, don't I know it… Freddy, I want you to meet a new friend… This is Maj. Gwen Cassidy." Abby extended a sweeping arm in the Major's direction.
"Pleased to meet'cha, Ma'am." He offered her his hand after wiping it off on his apron quickly.
"Honor to meet you, Sir."
He turned to Abby with a shocked look on his face, "Since when do you cotton to folks what got manners, Miss Thing?"
Abby laughed out loud that time, "Hey now, I brought Gibbs in to meet you!"
"That's what I'm talkin' 'bout." And he slipped a sideways wink at the Major to show he was just fooling around with Abby. When she was finished giving him her hurt expression, she sat back down and Freddy placed a glass of orange juice down on the table. "Now, you ladies just relax, and I'll have that food right on out for ya in no time a'tall."
Abby was all smiles now, and she sipped on her coffee before speaking again, "That family has been a fixture around this neighborhood for more than sixty years. Freddy took over the business after his father-in-law took ill back in the sixties or seventies. And Tanya literally grew up in here, just like her Mom did before her."
The Major nodded her head, "Sounds like a good place, then." Before the Major could say anything else, her cell phone started ringing with what sounded like the National Anthem. She took the phone out of her pocket and went to answer it after seeing the number, "Sorry, I need to take this one." And with that she got up out of the booth, answering the phone as she walked out of the diner for privacy, "Cassidy… Aye, Sir… Standby…" And with that last word, she was out the door, leaving Abby to wonder what in the world was going on.
The Major was out there for quite a few minutes talking very intently to whoever had called her at one o'clock in the morning. By the time she started making her way back into the diner, the food had already arrived. "Sorry about that, Abby… I've been waiting for that call for a few hours now… Just took them a little longer than anticipated."
Abby was trying to speak through a mouthful of waffle, but she was curious, "Took who longer for what?"
The Major chuckled at her attempt to speak through the food, and handed her another napkin, "You might need this." And she sat down, "Wow, this looks fantastic!" Without saying another word, she simply started eating without even acknowledging that Abby had asked her a question. Abby decided that it was on purpose, so she let the subject drop. Besides, the food really was fantastic.
They continued to eat in relative silence until they were both circling the drain on being able to finish their respective plates. Abby was the first to speak, "So, you knew Kate a long time?"
"You could say that," was all that the Major offered up.
Abby was not going to let this one slide, "How long?"
The Major smiled because she knew this was not going to go away this time, "Well, actually, she and my baby brother dated in college." The bombshell had been dropped.
"Oh my God! Are you serious!" Abby was in total shock with that one.
"Yeah, they were kind of serious for about two semesters and the summer break. But just before he went away for drill at the end of the summer, she got kind of freaked out by his military aspirations and they broke up." The Major popped the last bite of meat into her mouth.
"Wow… That had to be weird for him when you two became so close, huh?" Abby was running her finger through the leftover preserves on her plate and then stuck her finger in her mouth.
"Not really… It was through one of her brothers that she met my brother… He was serving under my husband, so she just couldn't get rid of us." The Major finished the last bite of her hashbrowns and placed her napkin on the plate to signify that she was indeed finished.
"No kidding! Wow, so you know like the whole family?" Abby was still working on the preserves.
"Well, yeah, seeing as J.T. was Michael's best man at his wedding, I'd have to say we know the whole family." Maj. Cassidy leaned back in the booth a little.
"That is so cool… I wished I could have gotten to know them a little. I only saw them briefly at the funeral." Abby thought about that statement a moment, "Hey! I didn't see you at the funeral."
The Major blew out another huge breath, signifying that this was not something easy for her to talk about, "Yeah, well, that was because I was working the intell on the case. Brass thought it best if our friendship was not part of the equation, and they also knew that the family would be asking questions." She paused a few moments before continuing, "And they were worried Gibbs would connect the dots, and start questioning me as well… Because, quite honestly, they doubted his judgment on the matter."
Abby shook her head, and realized that they really were on their own when they were looking for Ari. "So, if Director Sheppard hadn't gotten Ziva out here, we'd have never known what was going on?"
Maj. Cassidy shook her head, "Director Sheppard didn't get Ziva from Mossad." The incredulous look on her face led Abby to believe that there was more to this.
"So, how did she get sent to us?"
"I had my boss requisition her, because of her intimate knowledge of the tactics, behaviors, etc. of a Mossad operative. Plus she was familiar with Haswari's personal intell. She was the right cog for the wheels to keep moving." The Major tilted her head from side to side, stretching the muscles there.
"So, you guys had her sent over to us… But why; if everyone was convinced Gibbs was off his rocker?" Abby was still confused.
The Major looked Abby directly in the eyes, "Because our report showed the brass that all intell pointed to Haswari having gone rogue. It was all in the predictability patterns… And the fact that you were the second target."
Now Abby was completely confused, "ME! What did I have to do with it!"
"Easy, he had mother rage issues… Since most of the Al Qaida and Hamas folks tended to go after those in power positions, and to them that automatically meant men. By sparing McGee, and Gerald for that matter, but seriously working to get you after already having taken out Kate, it totally tipped his hand to let us know what was really going down." The Major's matter of fact attitude towards her near assassination was seriously disturbing to Abby, but she figured this was a woman who dealt with death tolls on a regular basis, so her measly little murder attempt probably was trivial to the Major.
"Man… I guess I just don't get what it is that you really do… Because I never would have drawn that conclusion, and certainly not with that kind of speed." Abby just sat there shaking her head as she threw her own napkin down on the table.
"Well, it does come after years of careful study, research and experience." The Major slid out from the booth and stood up, reaching into her pocket for her wallet. She withdrew a couple of bills and laid them down on the table. "Think thirty will cover it?"
Abby gasped, "Well, duh! And then some, for sure."
Maj. Cassidy just smiled, "Then I guess they can apply the rest to a worthy cause… This really was a great break, Abby, thanks."
"Okay, but next time it's my treat… I have to try to make up for being such a jerk earlier somehow… And you buying me dinner just doesn't help out that way."
The Major straightened her sweater after she had replaced the wallet in her hip pocket. "Shall we?"
Abby jumped out of the booth and had her bag slung onto her shoulder in time to gesture towards the door, "After you."