Tony's Salvation- Chapter 15
NCIS Special Agent Anthony 'Tony' DiNozzo wakes up slowly and stretches. For the first time in months he almost feels refreshed. He glances around the room, searching for Laurie when it hits him: he's in his own apartment. He'd dreamed the entire thing.
Tony shakes his head in wonder. The dream had been so real; he felt almost whole again. Surely it couldn't be all fantasy? Tony ducks into the shower and as the water washes over him he ponders his options. He knows that he has several weeks of vacation coming to him and the way Vance has been looking at him lately it might not be a bad idea to get out of the director's line of sight for a while.
Deciding that he'll see if Gibbs will approve an impromptu two week vacation, Tony starts writing down facts that could help him find Laurie Fields. The fact that she could actually be a Navy SEAL doesn't even cross his mind as he had been watching the movie G.I. Jane just a few nights before and figures that he could have put Laurie into Demi Moore's role.
He dresses and heads into work, stopping to pick up the prerequisite coffees for the team and Caf-Pow for Abby. Driving into the yard, he waves at the security guard as he goes into his assigned spot. Picking up the container of drinks, he makes it to the elevator just as it opens and steps inside.
He hits the button for the forensic lab and not hearing the ear-shattering music that is the Goth's signature, he leaves the Caf-Pow in her fridge. He then takes the elevator upstairs to the bullpen. After placing everyone's coffee on their desks, he turns on their computers. He sighs as he realizes just how good the coffee house he frequents is; they'd remembered to give him a chai tea for Ziva, something he'd forgotten in his absent-mindedness.
Gibbs is watching silently from the back stairwell. He'd come upstairs when he'd seen an extra Caf-Pow in Abby's fridge, curious to see which one of his agents had come in early. The fact that DiNozzo is here, almost before Gibbs is, is almost worrying.
"Morning Boss."
"DiNozzo, tell me that you did not spend all night here?" He knows that he didn't, as Tony's wearing unwrinkled clothes and his hair is still slightly wet from his shower. He waits for Tony's answer and is surprised by what his agent says.
"Oh, hey boss. Nope went home got lotsa sleep. No more sleepless in D.C. for this DiNozzo boss. Hey boss, when can I take my vacation?"
Gibbs had been on his way upstairs to get his morning shout out with Vance over. He pauses halfway up, not sure he actually heard what Tony said.
"You serious, DiNozzo?" In all the years that Tony has worked for Gibbs, getting the younger man to take any time off has been worse than pulling teeth.
"Yeah boss, I figure that I've got at least three weeks coming to me. Would it be okay to take one or two here soon?"
"I'll see DiNozzo." Gibbs continues upstairs and Tony turns to his computer, wondering just how many days off Gibbs would be willing to give him.
Gibbs enters Vance's office and the toothpick munching director stands up.
"The way I see it Gibbs I can give DiNozzo two options: either he takes two weeks vacation or I'm suspending him for three; the latter without pay."
Gibbs looks at him, "DiNozzo just asked for two weeks of vacation. Leon in all the time I've worked with him, Tony has never asked for time off."
"Maybe he realizes that his job is on the line."
"I don't think it's that. Something happened last night. I'm not quite sure what yet but I'll find out before the day's gone."
"Tell DiNozzo he's got his two weeks; if you don't need him let him have the third."
"Anything else I need to be aware of?"
"Not at this time."
Gibbs walks out and Vance turns to the one other person who'd been in the room and silent the entire time.
"Well, what do you think? Will putting him on vacation and not a suspension work?"
"All we can do is try director. The fact that Anthony asked for the time off is an indicator that something has happened. If you'll excuse me, I need to be in my lab in case he decides to discuss it with me."
"Very well, thank you for your opinion Dr. Mallard."
"You're welcome director."
As Gibbs walks downstairs to tell Tony that his vacation is approved, he sees that the rest of his team has arrived. Ziva is sipping at her tea as she reads something on her computer screen. The former Mossad agent nods in approval at what she reads and turns to face her boss.
"Hello Gibbs. Do we have an assignment?"
"Not yet. We'll concentrate on cold cases this morning."
Ziva nods and clicks on the case that she'd barely started the night before. Tim is busy typing away and Gibbs figures that he's already at work on a cold case when Tony comes back in the room. Gibbs tells him that his vacation is approved starting immediately.
"Cool thanks, boss."
"Any thoughts about where you'll go?"
"Oh, I don't know boss, I thought I'd start with the Bahamas or maybe Bermuda. There's always Hawaii…then again forget Hawaii." Gibbs glares at his senior agent and Tony grins.
"Actually I have an idea and I'm having McComputerGenius check on something for me. I heard of a good restaurant out in Colorado and I'm sure that there has to be a bed and breakfast out there somewhere, so I'll take my vacation and go skiing or something like that." He gives Gibbs one of his patented devil may care looks and continues to McGee's desk.
"Hey Probie, you find that restaurant for me yet?
"Actually Tony I just finished researching it for you. Here's the address and phone number. Owner is one Laurie Fields, who also happens to cook at least once a week when she's in town. Hey Tony if you catch a flight out within the next twelve hours you might get to meet her. This is one of the nights that she usually cooks and she might know the name of a bed and breakfast that you could go to."
"Anything that we need to be aware of concerning this Fields person McGee?"
"Not at the moment boss. She's established four restaurants in the past 25 years. The first one, which is the Colorado one was created about 5 years before the other three. Those three are located in -,"
"California, Washington State and Texas." Tony's softly worded statement comes just before McGee's computer screen brings them up. The younger agent is a little confused because Tony had sworn he didn't know that much about the restaurants or their owner.
Covering up his confusion, Tim tells Tony, "If you're heading for Colorado, make sure that you pack some warm stuff. It gets pretty chilly around the mountains at night."
"Don't worry, McBoyScout, I'll have plenty of blonde to look at."
None of the others miss the way Tony said blonde as in single and not blondes plural. Gibbs makes a motion behind Tony's back for Tim to keep Tony talking while Gibbs and Ziva start doing some double checking.
McGee's computer beeps and he looks at the screen. "Hey Tony, I can book you a flight out in three hours. All other flights are booked for today unless you want a red-eye."
"Three hours? That'll work, I can wander around town for a while if I need to."
"Got it, and a window seat as that's the one that you prefer. Unfortunately, the b&b's are filled up at the moment." Tim waits a minute as he reads something else that pops up on his screen. He then pulls out his cell phone and makes a call. When he finishes he looks up at Tony with a smile. "Hey Tony, I might not be able to get you a room at a bed and breakfast, but would you mind a room over the restaurant itself?"
Tony had been about to slump down in his own chair as he waited for the next three hours to pass. At Tim's words he stares at him silently praying that his Probie isn't playing a practical joke on him. "You're kidding, right? They actually have rooms above the restaurant?"
"Ms. Fields set it up that way deliberately; so that if anyone got stranded and the hotels were filled, they'd still have a place to go for shelter. As an active member of NCIS they'd waive all room fees for you. I hope you don't mind that I accepted on your behalf."
Tony nods unable to believe his luck. Surely if he's rooming above the restaurant he'll be able to find her. Trying to hide his feelings he chokes out, "I could kiss you McGee, but I don't want your geeky germs."
Tim ignores the taunt, silently thanking God for the miracle of Tony being Tony again. Three months with no taunting, no Mc-nicknames had made Tim extremely worried for the man he looks up to as his older brother.
Tim finishes typing a few more things into the computer then tells Tony, "You're all set. The restaurant is arranging transportation for you from the airport."
"Thanks Tim. Hey you wanna take me to the airport? I need to go pack!" Tony's excitement, seen for the first time in months is almost contagious. Tim looks up at Gibbs who smiles and nods his approval.
"I'll meet you at your apartment Tony. You start packing and I'll get you to the airport."
Tony darts out, showing for the first time in months, the energy and enthusiasm that has always been a part of his makeup.
Gibbs steps over to Tim's desk and the younger man looks up at him. "Why did you tell Tony about the rooms above the restaurant?"
"Because it was in the online brochure."
"Show me, McGee."
Tim hits the key that sends the image to the plasma as he explains, "I had emailed the restaurant for more information regarding hotels in the area and this is what they emailed back to me. As you can see it lists everything that I described to Tony. I didn't have time to read the background on Ms. Fields but it's listed on the final page."
Gibbs smiles at what his agent isn't saying. He tells Tim to get Tony to the airport then heads down to Abby's lab. Ziva slips over to Tim's desk to finish reading the online brochure. Her eyes widen when she reads the fine print and she quickly picks up her phone to make a call.
Thank you to all my wonderful reviewers. Wow, so many said they wanted the story to continue so here we go again. ^_^