Elliot had gotten off work early, and was about to go home when suddenly she got a great idea. In fact, she was so excited, she didn't even tell Carla or JD about it. She just did the planning, and headed out on a little trip.
Half an hour later, she was outside the Washington Navy Yard, and briefly reconsidered the idea of showing up at NCIS and surprising Tim.
"Quit being a chicken..Just go.", she gave herself a little pep talk. The place was so large, she had to ask three separate people for directions. Funny how nobody knew who McGee was, but as soon as she mentioned Gibbs, everyone knew exactly where she needed to go. She rode up in the elevator, doing her best to contain the excitement. When the doors opened, she looked around the bullpen, but she didn't see Tim anywhere. She simply stood there, trying to figure out what to do next.
"Can I help you?" She turned to see a well-dressed male agent, sitting behind a desk and watching her expectantly.
"Yes, I'm here to see Tim McGee."
He leaned forward, resting his arms on the desk. "McGeek has a visitor? A female visitor? Oh, this is intriguing." The discussion caused the woman at the next desk to look up and watch. "Did you hear that, Ziva?"
For a moment her eyes flashed in recognition, and she sighed. "Yes, Tony. I did."
With a satisfied grin, Tony turned back to Elliot. "May I ask why you're here?"
Elliot did not care much for the route this conversation was taking. "No. Where is he?"
"He's here somewhere, let me call him for you." Elliot nodded.
"You do that."
Still grinning, Tony dialed McGee's cell.
"McGee."
Tony turned so that his back was to Elliot. "Why McGee, you dog. I didn't know you had it in you."
"Had what in me? Tony, what are you talking about?" Abby watched the conversation silently.
"You have a visitor, a female visitor. Before you ask, it isn't your sister." Elliot. It had to be. What on earth was she doing at NCIS? Was something wrong?
"I'll be right up."
"Don't keep her waiting." McGee hung up.
"What's wrong McGee?" Abby frowned at him.
"I think Elliot's here to see me."
"Elliot? Did she bring JD with her?"
Tim glared at her as he headed for the door. "Tony didn't say. I'm guessing not."
As McGee entered the bullpen, he could see Tony watching him with a smirk, Ziva silent and sympathetic, and Elliot doing her best to hide how glad she was to see him. All Tim wanted to do is get Elliot alone so they could talk, but it appeared that wasn't to be.
"So, McGee. Why don't you introduce us to your lady friend." Tony persisted.
"Tony, Ziva, this is Elliot. She's a doctor at Sacred Heart."
"Nice to meet you, Elliot." Ziva said. Tony just continued to grin.
McGee turned to Elliot. "Let's go talk somewhere." She nodded, a little confused by his abruptness, but she followed him down the hall. Opening the door to interrogation, he ushered her in, closing it behind him.
Tony watched them go, then turned to Ziva. "Let's find out what's going on.."
"Tony, I don't think that's a good idea. Give them some privacy."
He rolled his eyes. "C'mon Ziva, what can it hurt?"
----
Elliot watched McGee carefully. He didn't seem happy to see her at all. "What's wrong?"
He paused, taking a deep breath. "Why did you come here today?"
"I-I wanted to see you. I figured it would be nice since you came by Sacred Heart." She crossed her arms over her chest.
"Well, I really wish you hadn't."
--
Despite Ziva's protests, Tony was halfway to the Interrogation room.
"Tony, I really don't think this is a good idea."
"Ziva, this is McGeek we're talking about. You're telling me you don't want to know what's going on?"
Before she could answer, a familiar voice came from behind them. "Know what's going on with what, DiNozzo?"
"McGee's talking to a female visitor in Interrogation, and--"
"And you wanted to spy on him." Gibbs finished.
"Exactly." Ziva agreed.
"The answer's no, DiNozzo. Get back to work and take David with you."
"Right, Boss." As they headed back to the bullpen, Ziva nodded.
--
"What do you mean you wish I hadn't?" Elliot was hurt. "I thought we were getting along, and now you tell me that you wish I hadn't come by to see you??"
McGee tried to find a good way to explain it. "Nobody knows that we're seeing each other, and I didn't want you to have to deal with Tony." He finished, lamely.
"Deal with Tony?" Her irritation was only growing. "I read the book, Tim, I know about Tony, Ziva, Abby, Gibbs. I know about them all." She paused. "Is it because you're ashamed of me? That you don't want anyone to find out about me because I'm not as great as Abby is?? Is that it??"
Now, how was he supposed to explain to her that everyone here thought Abby was his girlfriend?That Abby had volunteered to be his fake girlfriend, and that's what started this whole situation, dredged up all these feelings that he'd finally gotten under control. "No, Elliot, that isn't it. It's just complicated." He stepped toward her, trying to put a hand on her arm, but she backed up.
"Complicated like your feelings for Abby?" At this point she was trying really hard not to start crying and she didn't know how much longer she was going to be successful.
"Elliot..."
"Don't Elliot me. I'm sorry I came." Without waiting for his response, she opened the door to Interrogation, almost bumping into Abby in the hallway.
"Oh, geez. Elliot, I'm sorry. Are you all right?" Abby asked, concerned.
Elliot swallowed thickly. "Yeah, I'm fine. You can have him, Abby, since you're the one he wants anyway."
"Elliot, wait." Tim followed her.
Elliot whirled on her heel to face them. "If you don't want me to make a scene, you're going to let me leave without another word. Trust me, I'm -really- good at making scenes, and I doubt you want that considering you didn't even want me here in the first place."
Tim didn't know what to say, so he simply stood there as Elliot stomped past Ziva and Tony, to the elevator, and out of NCIS.
Tony watched Elliot leave. "I guess there's trouble in paradise."
"You have no idea." Ziva muttered under her breath.
"What?"
"Nothing."
He nodded. "I bet Abby could take her, no sweat."