ANOTHER DAY IN THE BULLPEN.
McGee and Ziva walk into the squad room to find a red eyed and disheveled Tony seated at his desk which is piled high with files.
"Did you go home at all last night?"
"Yes McQuisitive I did." He glares at Tim who is settling in at his desk.
"And did you stop somewhere on the way and get rendered before going home?" Ziva asks as she turns on her computer. The guys stare at her. "What? I am only asking if DiNozzo had too much to drink last night. I know what we saw yesterday was...horrific but I do not believe drinking to excess will help. After all we still have a case to solve."
"You mean plastered Ziva and no I did not stop for a drink on the way home."
"Then why do you look like that?" She makes a face clearly meant to indicate her distaste at his appearance.
"I decided to keep my date last night since it was only the second date and Cindy is really great so we met at the bar and..."
"Get to the point Tony" Ziva interrupts impatiently.
"She preferred the guy who kept hitting on her to me and she left with him." He pouts.
"Well some women are attracted to that bad boy type. For some violence can be quite the aphrodisiac." She smiles in a manner that is somehow suggestive and dangerous at the same time.
Tim and Tony exchange a glance and decide not to correct her mistake. All three return to work.
Several Hours Later.
"I can't take much more of this."
"Oh, do stop moaning Tony. You've been like a bear with a sore head all day."
"A bear? I did not know you supported the Grizziles or are you talking about the Chicago Bears? I thought you are a Buckyeye whatever that is?"
"All I meant Ziva was that he's been a grouch all day."
"I agree. What is wrong Tony? Is this still about you being dumped last night?"
"I was not dumped. DiNozzo men do not get dumped. Cindy simply made a choice as she was perfectly entitled to do. I'm just fed up as we've been going through these records for weeks."
"It's only been two days Tony." McGee rolls his eyes at his colleague's exaggeration.
"Feels like longer. I usually enjoy going through the bad guys dirty laundry but this is so boring."
"Boring DiNozzo?" a deep voice questions from behind him.
"No, Boss. Not boring at all." He stutters in response as Gibbs walks into the bullpen.
"Well you and Ziva can go and question the girlfriend now we have an address for her." He hands Tony a piece of paper.
"Thank you Boss." Ziva and he head to the elevator and step inside.
"I thought when you and McGee visited the suspects apartment it had been cleaned out and the suspicion was that he had run away?"
"Yeah. So?"
"So where did you find his laundry to go through?"
The doors open and they head out through the building to the car park. As they do so Tony is pondering how to phrase his reply to her question. After already being corrected once this morning she might be a bit touchy at having another expression explained to her.
"Tony? Was it found in his office on base? His gym? Or by the agents who canvassed the area?"
They reach the car. "You can drive."
"I thought after last time you said never again." She smiles at him.
"Consider it a second chance. I'll tell you all about dirty laundry on the way."
As they peel out of the car park at a furious pace he finds himself thinking I will if I live long enough!
A/N – I have to confess the rendered/plastered line comes from real world author Jo Bannister.