McGee snorted awake and found he was looking blearily at Doris.
He sat up a bit straighter, though it was hard because the chair seemed to have developed a slope, "Oh, sorry", he apologised, "ice cream?"
"Special Agent McGee", Doris explained patiently, "Its 7am and I really need to get ready. I thought you might need to as well."
He sat bolt upright in the reclined chair noticing the morning light for the first time. There was a blanket over him and his shoes were gone. He felt the colour rising up his cheeks.
"Oh, I'm so sorry", he was trying hard not to panic, "I … we … no sleep in days, I didn't mean to…", he stopped, he was losing control of this speech.
"Its OK", she assured him, "but I think you'd better get home".
"Ah, right," he agreed hastily wrenching himself from the chair. Then he stopped, "Ah before I go…"
"Right over there", she pointed to the bathroom.
"Thanks", and he fled.
He tried to apologise some more as he was leaving but she seemed more amused than upset with him. As he opened the door he turned to her and said seriously, "Just one more thing"
She looked up at him expectantly, "I won't tell anyone about this but Tony DiNozzo will find out somehow. I'm sorry I've ruined your reputation before you even start but Tony just knows these things. I just wanted you to know that I wasn't the one who told him".
She stood there with a quizzical expression on her face.
He sighed, "I'm just sorry", he said closing the door behind him.
Tony allowed himself a small amount of excitement. He was anticipating the reactions of his team to a new member. Gibbs had had the luxury of seeing McGee interact with his staff before selecting him. All Tony had to go on was paperwork. He had selected this girl because, on paper, she looked like she would fit in. Chemistry was a hard thing to judge on paper.
He looked up as the Director appeared at the top of the stairs trailed by a small Asian girl. He followed them with his eyes all the way down the stairs and to his desk before he acknowledged their presence, allowing McGee and Ziva to work on oblivious to the events that were about to unfold.
"Special Agent DiNozzo", the Director addressed him, "Your new probationary officer, Doris Chin".
McGee's head shot up. DiNozzo waited for him to process the situation and anticipated the show of appreciation that he was no longer the Probationary member of the group. What he didn't expect was the crimson colour McGee's face was becoming. It wasn't what he had been expected but it was a very intriguing development.
The director introduced Doris to Ziva and then to McGee.
"Hello again", she said cheerfully.
"Ahh, hi", he fumbled belatedly putting out his hand to shake hers.
Tony could see the plot thickening before his eyes. McGee looked like he had just been caught doing something very, very naughty.
"You two know each other?" he prompted suspiciously.
"We met last night", Doris began confidently looking him straight in the eye, "Agent McGee was kind enough to offer me a ride home".
"Ah .. ha", said Tony suggestively eyeing McGee.
"Tony, it's not what you're thinking…", McGee was flustered: Too flustered for just a ride home. It WAS what he was thinking.
"He stayed the night", said Doris calmly, "I hope that's not a problem".
"No not at all", Tony assured her, raising his voice a little to be heard over McGee's coughing fit, "So long as you keep it on a professional level at work."
"Of course".
"Then welcome to the team, Agent McGee will show you to your desk", and he turned for his desk to hide the smirk that was threatening to spread over his face. Wow! He did have a knack for this! McGee hadn't slept with Abby until weeks after they met. He'd beaten the old guys record by miles!
"Its, its, it, not what you think, Tony", a very agitated McGee was trailing him, "It was a very comfortable chair and I hadn't slept in days."
Tony turned and looked around him to Doris, "Is this true?"
"Oh yes", she nodded enthusiastically, "It's a very comfy chair."
McGee's blood pressure was beginning to shoot through the top of his head. He couldn't shake the impression that his life was being scripted by someone who got a perverse pleasure out of subjecting him to bizarre co-incidences; a woman probably. Australian, no doubt, he never could get the hang of Australians. He gave up on Tony and gave Doris a pleading look.
"It's the only was to handle people like Tony", she assured him calmly, "Now which is my desk?"
McGee looked from Tony to Doris and back and then to Ziva for good measure. He could find no sanctuary anywhere.
"This way", he relented.