as a reminder no money is made and nothing is owned.
Deciding where to sit was easy, Penelope did as she pleased taking the back seat leaving the front for Tony and his bad legs. Gibbs shook his head but let her have her way, he even drove like a normal person as to give her a smoother ride.
She used her badge then gave the guard a note explaining that the two men were with her one a retired agent from NCIS the other still an active agent. That they were going to see Chief Cruz.
They only had to wait five minutes before they were let into the office. Matto Cruz stood as she entered the office looking very concerned as she came closer.
"Chief Cruz?" Gibbs says as he holds out his hand. "I'm Jethro Gibbs, NCIS. I'm here to be an interpreter for Penelope as we both know sing language I thought it might be easier for her and for you. Instead of her texting you to explain everything.
Cruz nodded his head then looked at Tony. "Any you are here why?" He asks offering his hand.
"Tony DiNozzo, a friend, I took Penelope to the doctor this morning."
"I read about you and about the help you gave Hotchner's team. I've also had the pleasure of observing you teach here at the academy."
"Thank you sir." Tony replied.
Cruz offers Penelope a seat, before she sits she pulls out an envelope out of her bag handing it to him.
Tony stands to one side so Gibbs can see and relay to the section chief.
"Eight weeks at least you're out because of the arm and clavicle, we won't have a problem with that, I imagine that you are a mass of bruises from being tossed. Aaron told he watched you land very hard. What about your hearing this says it is a great possibility that it is permanent 90 lost of hearing." Gibbs quickly translates for him.
Tony clears his throat, getting there attention. "Sir, the doctor also said that there is a slight possibility, that some of her hearing might return but not a lot. If she is lucky she might get back 60 percent total. She needs rest and to stay away from loud noises and stress is to be kept to a minimum."
"Then we can take one day at a time. Hope for the best. You won't be fired Penelope or even retired we still need your skills." Cruz tells her.
She waits until Gibbs finished before she signed herself. "I know I can't go back to my old team, maybe cyber or cold cases would be good. Digging for research and clues."
Cruz can't help but smile as Gibbs relays what she says. "I will put you where you are needed. Don't forget we have the technology to make computers bigger, better, and easier for you to use I'm sure you could even write a few programs yourself."
"Thank you sir. I'd like to clean out my office, return the computers in it to the Bureaus' operating systems. So whoever is assigned to the BAU can use them."
"Not a problem. If you need anything please don't hesitate to let me know."
She nods her head and waits while the men shakes hands before they leave.
She leads them the back way getting a few empty boxes, using her badge she enters her office and sighs softly. Her beautiful office, her home away from home. Seeing the look on their faces she lets out a small laugh.
"Tim and Abby would love this wouldn't they?" She types on the screen.
Tony reaches over her shoulder and in his usual hunt and peck style he typed. Tim would be in love and Abby would be having puppies because of jealousy. Is this all yours or is it standard for the techs in the Bureau?
She spun in her seat, spanning her arms to her out. Mine, my design and setup. She types after she turns back.
Pointing to the things that need to be packed away, she starts to type it doesn't take long for her to remove the operating system she uses and return it to what the Bureau uses in the rest of the building.
She helps pack things that she had in the drawers and on the walls. A final look and the room looked like any federal office, bland, efficient and without any personality.
Not wanting to take the chance of running into any of the agents in the BAU, knowing full well that her favorite team wasn't there since JJ already told her they were out of the office each one of them had appointments and meetings they needed to attend to, she leads them through the back way out.
Settled in the car once again she looks at Gibbs and quickly signs. "I know that you have to go back to work, but I'm hungry can we stop for food before we go back please? We can get take out."
Gibbs nods once he tosses his cell to Tony, call the office tell Tim and Ellie to finish then go home. I'm taking the rest of the day.
"Yes boss."
Sitting in the small family diner that Gibbs always goes to. After telling Gibbs she wants a veggie soup and a salad, she waits until they have given their orders before she says anything else.
"I need to ask for a favor Agent Gibbs?" she signs
"What do you need, and just Gibbs is fine."
"Could you, or do you know anyone that can install, replace my doorbell with one that makes the lights flash. So I know when someone is at the door?"
Gibbs smiles at her before signing back "As it would seem, I figured it would be needed I told McGee he ordered we just need to pick up. And don't you dare offer to repay me or pay me for doing it. It's a pleasure to be of service to the Black Queen."
Penelope was very surprised that Gibbs knew about her former name. But then again she shouldn't be after all Gibbs has spent time with Rossi and as former Marines, she could almost bet on the fact that's how he found out
"I have a question, when did you learn to sign, I mean It's not like you need it to do your job." Tony asks leaving Gibbs to translate. Curious himself he waits for her to answer.
"The theater group I belong to, we were asked to do a play for some children, some of them are deaf. I volunteered to do the signing. I learned the words for the play and it was fun the kids liked it. But so did I, the more I thought about it the more I came to realize that signing just might come in handy for the job, you never know."
"Smart girl" Signs to her as he talks to Tony,
. She watches as he tosses Tony small notebook. "DiNozzo we need to make a list of what else she might need.."
"What else do you think you might need?" He signs to her.
Coming back into his office, after being gone most of the day. The upper management loved their meetings and paperwork. He sees a memo telling from Chief Cruz telling him to come see him.
"Chief Cruz, you wanted to see me?"
"Yes Agent Hotchner, please come in. Close the door and have a seat."
He was curious, but not worried. As to why he was being ask to be seen, he had no idea why Cruz wanted to see him. No one on his team had done anything, that he knew of , and he knew he hadn't done anything that would warrant being called into Chief Cruz's office. He lowered himself into the offered chair, being sure to school his face blank of emotion.
"Aaron, Penelope came to see me this afternoon flanked by two other Agents that I am sure you know Agent Gibbs and former Agent DiNozzo. She brought me this letter from her doctor." He handed the letter to Hotch which he read quickly, twice. "Your tech has been hiding the fact that she can sign, I looked in her file it's not there. Agent Gibbs was her interpreter."
"I'm not surprised we all have things we don't like to share."
"As you can see the injuries she sustained are worse than the hospital in Pennsylvania diagnosed."
"How did they miss a fracture of her humerus?"
"No idea, she is out for six to eight weeks. You should know she asked to be placed in an other department when she comes back. I think she has doubts about being able to do her job, getting you the information quickly. She asked about the cyber crimes and cold cases."
"I don't want to lose her, we'll figure something out, even if we all have to learn sign language."
"That's what I thought. You might want to stop by and see her she looks miserable, like she lost her best friend."
"Thanks Matt, I'll go see her later today."
A/N: if you feel like it please drop me a review, I'd like to know what you think.
