Gibbs got out of the elevator and what he saw irritated him. And actually made him a bit worried. "Still no DiNozzo?"
"No, boss."
Just then a guy came over. He must be new, Kate thought. He came up toGibbs a bit to happy and calm. "I got a message to you from an agent DiNozzo," he said with a smile.
"And why didn't I get it hours ago?" The anger in Gibbs voice got the smile off his face.
"Emmm... Well... Ehh..."
"Yes?"
"... a lot to do and..." He gave Gibbs the message and fled from the office.
Kate almost laughed, but the look on Gibbs face stopped her.
"What does it say?"
"That he won't come in today and doesn't know when he'll be back."
"Do you want me to call him?" Gibbs didn't answer. He had to talk to Ducky.
"Okey... I'll do that then." Kate picked up the phone and dialed the number. There wasn't any answer. She tried his home number, but got the machine. She left a message.
"Something is up." She was talking to herself and jumped a little when she got a reply.
"He isn't answering?"
"No, McGee."
"Who isn't answering?" Just then Abby came in.
"Hi, Abby. Tony hasn't showed up for work. He just left a message and he isn't answering his phone."
"That's weird. He always keep his cell with him."
"Got a minutte, Duck?"
"Sure, Jethro. Mr Palmer, can you take these sampels up to Abby?"
"Sure, doctor." He took the test tubes and left the morgue.
"Haven't talked to Anthony yet?"
"He hasn't come in today." By the look on Ducky's face he continued. "He just left a message at the office last night."
"That's strange. He didn't call you?"
"No, I think Kate is trying to call him now."
"He'll be back, Jethro."
"He better be!" He knew he only had himself to blame, but he couldn't throw the thought that it might be something else going on as well.
"Good morning, sleepy head." Tony barely reacted at all and only by turning around. "Come on. You can't sleep all day."
"Yeah, I can." Just then he understood who the voice belonged to and jumped out of bed and gave his brother a hug. "Bobby!"
Bobby accepted the hug with a smile, but the sight of his brother's face and he couldn't keep it up. "You look terrible." Tony's face had a nasty bruise on the right side and the dark rings under his eyes said that he hadn't slept much the last few days.
Tony looked at his watch. He had barely slept for an hour. "Not much sleep when you travel all night and with my job I'm busy and easily get in to trouble." He said it with a small smile, but a true one. He was really glad that his brother was here. That would meen that his father would restrain himself.
Bobby knew he was lying. He knew that the round mark under his eye must have come from their fathers golden ring with the black stone. He tried to give a big smile, but couldn't quite do it. After their grandfather had moved in 8 year ago, their father's alcohol intake had shrunk to a mere minimum. He had thought that maybe he would be easier on Tony now. He was wrong. "Grandpa is waiting for us, but I think you should take a shower first."
"Are you trying to say that I stink?" Tony gave him one of his biggest smiles and got one right back. While Tony had more of the father side in him, Bobby looked like their mother's side. His hair was lighter, almost blond and was quite muscular and a foot shorter then Tony. But they had the same eyes from their mother. A blue green colour that got most people to feel like they were swimming in them.
Tony was thankful for the warm shower. He felt instantly more refreshed and awake. Some of the tightness in his shoulders and back left. He walked out of the shower and jumped at his father, who was standing in the door. Which wasn't good, because of the wet floor he slipped and fell. He only felt the pain on the back of his head an instant before he blacked out.
Gibbs walked out of the elevator after a long talk with Ducky. He had finally calmed down and stopped thinking about Tony. He had actually done some work down at the morgue and now it was just the paper work left for that case. A calm day again, but by the look on Kate's face he threw that thought away.
"He isn't answering. I've been trying every once in a while the entire day."
"I'll go by his appartment on my way home. Happy?" It had to be to much to hope for that his good mood would have lasted through the day. It looked like Kate was about to snap, but she just straightened herself up and sat back down.
Gibbs told himself that all he needed to get through the day was a new cup of coffee. So with a cup with hot coffee in one hand he went and got his car keys and walked toward the garage.