Chapter 2 : The Past and Present Collide

It was still early, but the NCIS office at the Naval Yard was already buzzing with activity. Special Agent McGee was hard at work at his desk, typing rapidly at his keyboard. The elevator doors opened with a swoosh and two NCIS Agents stepped out. The dark-haired male, Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo, bag pack on his back, was gesturing wildly with his hands, his facial resembling more like an excited 5 year old than a serious federal agent.

"Oh believe me, Katie. Women find men with hairy chests attractive. Makes them want to stroke it, like a cat. Me-oww … "

His partner, Special Agent Caitlyn Todd rolled her eyes and shuddered. "Oh puh-lease. More like yank it out. All that hair..yucks. God only knows what insects are hiding under all that… all that … foliage."

"Those Neanderthals you've been dating don't count, Kate. They barely remember to brush their teeth as it is," Tony dropped his bag pack beside his desk and nodded a hello to McGee. "Tell me something, Kate," Tony waggled an eyebrow. "Dating men with hygiene problems turn you on?"

"Very funny, DiNozzo," Kate stuck out her tongue at the grinning man.

"Come on Kate, admit it. A well toned hairy chest just turns women on."

"Oh? You speak from experience?"

"Need you even ask? I'll have you know, women find me incredibly sexy. The hair plays a big part."

Kate rolled her eyes. "Big being the operative word. You've got more hair on your front than some dogs I know.."

"You're just jealous you've never experience the sensation that is my hair," Tony smirked.

"I'll offer a prayer of thanksgiving immediately," Kate rebutted, snagging her chair and settling on it.

"For a chance to worship my body?"

Any retort Kate might have made was lost as Special Agent Jethro Gibbs appeared from the corner and slapped Tony the head in one swift well practiced motion without breaking stride. The coffee cup in his other hand didn't even wobble.

Tony yelped, clutching the back of his head. He shot a wounded look at Gibbs. "What was that for?"

"For behaving like a three year old."

"But it's not fair! You didn't even smack Kate.." Tony whined, and then stopped as the glare-of-doom focused on him. Deciding that dying a slow and painful death did not feature in his calendar today, he smiled weakly at his boss, then retreated back to the safety of his desk. McGee was openly laughing at him, only subsiding when Tony glared at him. From across the aisle, Kate smiled sweetly at him, not bothering to hide her glee. He scowled at her, about to say something when he saw that Gibbs was glaring at him again.

"DiNozzo.." The warning was clear in Gibbs's voice.

Tony quickly turned on his computer, pouting slightly. This was just NOT his day.

Turning his attention back to his computer, Gibbs allowed himself a small smile. They were an amusing pair and he really enjoyed listening to their verbal sparring. He'd rather die than admit it though. His smile rapidly turned into a frown when he took in the display on his monitor.

The application has performed an illegal operation .

Giving into an urge to smack his computer, he whacked the offending object a few times but the message stubbornly refused to go away. Instead, that infernal crap of technology started to beep at him. Suppressing an urge to throw the damn thing out of the window, he did the next best thing.

"McGee!"

"Ah…Yes, Boss?"

"Fix this… this… piece of junk! Now!"

Tony was almost tempted to laugh at McGee's trapped expression but thought better of it. Gibbs was best unprovoked when he was in one of his moods. Staying silent and avoiding eye contact seemed the best method of self-preservation. The bowed heads of agents around him showed that everyone in the office knew it too.

The phone on Gibb's desk rang with a loudness that made everyone jump. Scowling at the phone like it was the source of all his technological problems, Gibbs picked it up with a curt "Gibbs". He listened for a few seconds before slamming it back down with more force than necessary. He pointed one finger at DiNozzo and Tony froze, almost expecting lighting to sizzle out from the digit.

"What have you done now?" Gibbs asked in a soft dangerous voice.

"Me?" Tony ignored the fact that his voice squeaked. "Nothing, Boss! I swear.."

Gibbs gave him a disbelieving look, turned and started for the stairs.

"DiNozzo! MTAC! Now!"