Tony
Linda arched her eyebrows. "What an unpleasant young lady."
Jethro seemed a bit taken aback at the assessment. "Abby doesn't usually act like that. Truthfully, I don't know what has gotten into her this afternoon. Let's not focus our attention on her, though. Can I get you a glass of wine or something to drink?"
"You remembered," she smiled, batting her eyes at him. It was obvious that she was attracted to him, and she moved so that she was perched on the edge of her sofa cushion. She stretched out her long legs and placed one hand deliberately on his arm. "I can wait, though, until we're alone. In fact, I'm looking forward to it." She smiled with generous lips over straight white teeth.
"Let me go take a quick shower and we can go to the restaurant, do whatever else we want to do, then come back and conclude the evening right here. Abby and Tony will both be gone and we'll have the house to ourselves. Does that sound like a plan?"
"That sounds good- better than good, Jethro. I have been looking forward to getting together since we met at the crime conference. Obviously, it was meant for NCIS and the CIA to come together." She smiled seductively at him and licked her lips. "As you know, we at the CIA often rely upon our own creativity."
Jethro laughed, then leaned over to finger the hair framing her left temple.
She reached up and rubbed his cheek. "Why are they here anyway? Aren't they part of your NCIS team?"
"That they are, my dear, but they also stay here pretty much full time. It's a long story, though, and sharing it will do nothing to enhance our evening."
"Oh, well, let's don't waste any time talking about them."
Jethro stood up and leaned down to kiss her. Several loud, deep coughs interrupted from the living room doorway. His head snapped up to see Tony in obvious distress, one hand holding himself steady against the doorway. When the coughing finally stopped, Tony appeared exhausted and appealed to Gibbs.
"Boss, where did you put the acetaminophen?"
Gibbs was instantly concerned and alert. Tony's health was a matter of importance for the entire team. "What's the matter? How long has that coughing been like that?"
Tony held out a hand reassuringly. "It's nothing, nothing-" Once again he launched into a long coughing spell. Linda rolled her eyes at Gibbs, but he frowned at her before addressing Tony again.
"Is your chest congested? Does it hurt?"
"Uhmm, no, no sir, I don't believe so. Where are some aspirin I can take, though? Are they in your medicine cabinet? My body is aching."
"What do you need aspirin for? What's aching? What's hurting?" Jethro crossed the room and grasped Tony's shoulder to keep him still, and put up a hand to feel his forehead. "I don't think you have a fever, but the cough sounds rough."
Tony tried to squirm away, but Jethro pulled him back and narrowed his eyes. Tony smiled weakly in Linda's direction. She returned the look with a suspicious glare.
"I just need a couple of aspirins, then I can go on out. Boss, I really need to get moving now. I don't plan to be late to this party!"
"Wait a minute, where is it you are planning to go, Tony?"
"The cook out- remember I told you about that? A bunch of us are going to Rock Creek Park and spending the evening in the great outdoors. I'm communing with the lovely Lisa Marriott- I mean with some buddies- and with nature, of course."
Gibbs shook his head emphatically. "I don't think so, Tony. This is not going to be a communing with nature night for you."
Linda rolled her eyes, and actually clenched her jaw in irritation.
Tony drew back in horror. "Boss, what are you talking about?"
"You are not going to spend an evening outdoors in cool weather when you are already coughing like that. It's not going to happen."
Abby chose that moment to make her next entrance. This time she had on black pants teamed with a gauzy see through top which revealed a black bikini top underneath. Focusing on Tony immediately, she appeared upset and squealed. "Ooh, Tony, is your fever back? I told you to get the aspirin!"
Gibbs snapped around to look from Tony to Abby. He knew nothing about a fever.
Trying to get Jethro's focus back onto her, Linda chose that moment to get to her feet. "Really, Jethro, we need to get going. I'm sure that…."
She was interrupted by his commanding tone, "Let me take care of this first, Linda. This is important to me."
Obviously, this was not the reply she expected. A look of anger flashed across her face, but she covered quickly and spoke again. "I just meant that we have made our own evening plans." With that she turned an annoyed and appraising gaze in the direction of Tony and Abby.
"What fever do you mean, Abby?" questioned Gibbs.
Tony started sliding out of the room and grabbed Abby as he passed. "She's mistaken, Boss. Aren't you, Baby Girl?"
Abby turned towards Gibbs and smiled brightly. "Yeah, I am. I was mixed up. Sorry-"
They managed to take an additional couple of steps before Gibbs whistled loudly. They froze, mid step, and Linda threw her head back, clearly annoyed.
"Stop right there, both of you. Don't move until I give you permission to do so," Gibbs ordered.
Tony and Abby turned to face him and plastered puzzled expressions on their faces.
Linda glared at both of them and Jethro spoke with a level tone.
"Abby, I just cancelled your plans for the evening. You're not going anywhere tonight. When I tell you to do something, then that is what I want you to do, and I don't anticipate it should take three attempts. As for you, Tony, you are staying home, as well. You know better than to plan a get together outside when your lungs are congested and you are coughing like that. You will not leave this house until you are in no danger of an infection, and Ducky has cleared you."
This brought forth an onslaught of protests from both of them, and Gibbs held up his hand, ordering sternly, "Both of you get quiet right now."
They obeyed, but remained scowling in his direction. Linda reached for her pocketbook, gave them a mutinous look, and addressed Jethro. "Really, I can see that you are too bogged down with these two to make room for anyone else in your life. This has been a complete waste of my time, and I regret that I made a mistake about you. Don't contact me again, Jethro. I'll see myself out!"
Gibbs didn't respond, but just watched as she flounced to the front door, snatched it open, and stormed down the walk.
