SUMMARY: Sequel to "The SecDef Cheats." Lt. Col Cassidy moves in to NCIS and this will mean for Abby in the long run. McAbby, Drama/Romance/Angst
RATING: T - Adult subject matter, rare mild language, killer smooching.
A/N: I had fun writing this one. And I love tormenting Tony and Ziva. :D
REVIEWS: I am always trying to improve my writing, so all constructive criticism is welcome. I would also like to thank you in advance for any reviews you might wish to leave. They really are a great boon to a writer's ego and gives you a huge incentive to live up to your expectations.
Chapter 17
"I really don't care what you think, Tony… I happen to believe this is probably the best thing to ever happen around here." Tim was speaking from his desk at the senior agent beside him as the man railed about the new requirements in the agency.
"You would, Probie… All that touchy, feely, emotional crap is probably right up your alley, McGee." DiNozzo tossed a wadded up piece of paper at the younger agent to emphasize his point.
McGee reached under his desk to retrieve the paper and when he unraveled it before getting ready to send it through the shredder, he realized DiNozzo had thrown his session requirement sheet at him. "Tony! You have to turn this in to your counselor!"
"Whatever…" DiNozzo's face showed his disgust at the suggestion. "I've been ignoring those for years, and it's never been a problem befor-" SMACK "OW!"
"It's a problem now, DiNozzo." Gibbs rounded the corner from Tony's desk after delivering an attention getting gesture on the younger man.
"What d'you mean, Boss?" Tony was sitting straight up in his chair after hearing Gibbs' words.
"It means you better get through those sessions, or find yourself back on a beat somewhere in Iowa." Gibbs sat down and then pointed his attention at Agent David. "And that goes double for you, David."
"You're going to send me to Iowa?" She was slightly confused by his logic.
"Worse… Back to Daddy." Gibbs watched as Ziva visibly cringed at his assessment.
"You're kidding, right?"
"Does it look like I'm kidding, David?" Gibbs' face was just as stony as any other day, and they all knew he was not kidding. "No job, no green card and then it's back to Tel Aviv."
"C'mon, Boss… We don't really gotta go to the headshrinker's do we?" DiNozzo was practically whining as he asked.
"Not only do you gotta… But you better get it done before the six months is up, or I'm gonna have your hide." Ziva and Tony both looked devastated by the mandate.
"Oh, and McGee?" Gibbs waited for the young man to look up from his desk before he continued, "Glad to see you're up to date, but the order also states that anyone currently in compliance has the option of additional services, if you want 'em."
"Thanks, Boss… But I already have that covered." McGee was smiling proudly until Tony sneered at him and made a gesture displaying that Tim might have a little something on his nose.
"DiNozzo, don't you have something better to be doing, right now?" Gibbs had caught him, again. "Like making an appointment?"
"But Boss, there's nothing but guys' names on this list of approved counselors." Tony's face showed his disappointment and frustration.
"I believe there was a point being made, Tony." Abby had chosen that moment to magically appear in the bullpen. "Obviously they've heard of your past experiences."
"Low blow, Abs… Low blow." He suddenly realized that Abby was not wearing her lab coat or holding a report. "And what are you doing up here anyway?" He cast a suspicious glare at her through a cocked eyebrow.
"Tim's taking me to lunch." Abby continued to walk over to McGee's desk and he looked up at the sound of her voice and smiled.
"What the heck is going on around here?" DiNozzo looked positively unsettled at this latest turn of events.
Tim looked out over his desk as he stood up and closed the file cabinet drawer. "I'm taking Abby to lunch… I thought it was pretty self-explanatory, Tony."
As Tim was coming out from behind his desk, Tony searched for assistance from Gibbs. "Boss! Are you just gonna let this happen?"
Gibbs looked totally nonplussed by the question, and he did not even raise his head from the computer screen to answer, "What's the problem, DiNozzo?"
"Well, putting aside the issue that it's McGee…" Abby gave him a shocked glare at his insinuation. "Rule twelve would be a good reason." Tony was practically coming unhinged at that point.
Gibbs only shrugged and answered, "Doesn't apply… Abby doesn't work for me…" When the smirk appeared on his face, Gibbs delivered the final blow to Tony's argument. "Besides, those rules never applied to her, anyway."
Tony was treated to a double dose of Nonny Nonny Tongue, as Abby and McGee left the bullpen with Abby's arm wrapped into the crook of his elbow.
Tony threw up his arms in exasperation as he tromped off towards the break room, leaving a chuckling Ziva and Gibbs behind in the bullpen.
Their laughter died out and Ziva felt an uncomfortable silence descend upon them. When she glanced at the notice on her desk, she felt compelled to speak to Gibbs while they had a small amount of privacy.
"Gibbs?"
"Yeah, Ziva?"
"I ah, have a little, well, some trou-" Ziva struggled with the words, but she had yet to get to the heart of the matter when she realized Gibbs was actually looking at her as she fought to put words to her concerns. "Gibbs, I've been told there are only two people I am allowed to see for this new counseling requirement… Is there any reason why?"
"I imagine it has to do with security clearances…" Gibbs worked out just how he was going to handle the answer to that question. "There're things that you might need to discuss regarding classified incidents, and if the counseling would be worth anything to you, they'd have to have equal, if not greater security clearance to hear those things."
"And what if I don't feel comfortable with either one?" Ziva was getting to the crux of her situation.
Gibbs pressed his eyebrows together and asked, "You know both of them?"
"Well," Ziva leaned toward his desk and almost whispered, "one is an old friend of my father's… And the other-"
"Is the Colonel?"
"How did you know?" Ziva was completely shocked at his knowledge.
"Because, outside of the President, there's only one other level of security clearance in the system, and the two guys who have that level job are a little busy with the cabinet, the NSA, the Joint Chiefs and the heads of the intelligence agencies." Gibbs gave her a smirk that put her more at ease.
However, Ziva was still concerned about spilling her guts out to someone within the walls of NCIS. "But can she be trusted? I mean, this place is like a first rate rumor mill, and it wouldn't tak-"
"She can be trusted." His answer was short and to the point, but Ziva still held her reservations.
"But how can yo-"
"I've been seeing her for two weeks… Have you heard a word of it?" His stony façade was right back in place and it spoke volumes to Ziva.
"But why?"
"Same as you… I just knew about it earlier and got a head start." Gibbs turned back to his computer and then casually added, "Make the appointment, David… And make sure you ask her about those profiling classes."
Gibbs looked down into his empty coffee cup and left the bullpen in search of more, leaving Ziva to sit at her desk, her mouth hanging slack and her eyes as big as saucers. Once again, Gibbs had managed to leave her completely speechless.