"Abby, wait up!" McGee shouted down the hallway outside the door to the office. She stopped in her tracks, spinning around slowly to face McGee.
"Something the matter McGee?" she asked. McGee caught up with her and stood in front of her. His mind was reeling with thoughts from the day and the mishap in the lab.
"It's about what I wanted to ask you earlier." he said.
"And what was that McGee?" she said, staring up into his eyes. She placed her hand lightly on his chest and could feel his heartbeat. It was quick and she could tell he was nervous.
"I wanted to ask-- I wanted to ask you--" he struggled to say.
"Yes?" She said.
"This." McGee drew her in close and kissed her. His hands were placed lightly around her waist and he drew her in even closer. Abby ran her hands up the nape of his neck, making him shiver and kiss Abby harder.
Tony, not wanting to be seen, watched them kissing from the shadows. He hoped that no one was left in the office that would interrupt them. He wasn't going to, for he knew that Gibbs always did that and it annoyed everyone to no end. Abby withdrew from the kiss and stroked McGee's hair.
"Is there something wrong?" McGee asked.
"Well yes, technically that wasn't a question." she said. McGee laughed and pushed a section of hair out of her face.
"Okay, my question was, would you care to accompany me to dinner this Friday night?" he asked.
"I'd love to." she said and kissed him. While they were kissing, Tony slid up the stairs and left them in peace.
Ziva pulled back the covers on the small bed that was set up in a small room.
"Ziva, thanks for everything. I don't think I've ever been treated so nicely." Lauren said.
"You sound like you're at a hotel." Ziva said and offered the bed for Lauren to lie in. Lauren climbed in and flattened the covers.
"Well, it's just, under the circumstances, I've never been treated so nicely. You know I wanted to apologize for what I said in the locker room earlier. I didn't mean to offend you about whatever you feel for Tony." she said. Ziva sat down in the chair across from the bed and crossed her legs.
"It's all right. I just didn't expect to be bombarded like that. No one has ever really, questioned me about my feelings for him. Truth is I don't know what I feel for him. I can't believe I'm telling you this." Ziva said and shook her head.
"Just think of it as girl talk. You should be comfortable telling me anything, like friends would do." Lauren said.
"Friends? I never really had any friends growing up. My father being a Mussad agent, it was hard to make any friends. I think the only friends I've ever had is Tony, McGee, Abby, Ducky, and Gibbs." she said.
"Well maybe we should change that. I mean, a girl needs some friends to help her get through life." she said.
"I guess your right. Well, life right now is confusing. I mean, with Tony, work, and my past. It just gets complicated. I feel something for Tony, but I have no idea what that something might be. I guess I make fun of him to cover what I feel." she said.
"I think a lot of girls do that, act like they hate the guy but deep down want to marry him and bear his children." Lauren said.
"Well I don't know about marriage and bearing Tony's children, but you're right about the other part. I have to go. I need some rest and so do you. We'll talk tomorrow." Ziva said and left the room, shutting the door quietly behind her. Lauren turned off the light next to her and laid down to sleep. Thoughts from the crazy day she had were reeling through her head. But in the back of her head, she thought it would be all right soon.
The next morning, Tony was in a good mood. The suspects were being interrogated by Gibbs when he came in at 7:30. He guessed that Gibbs hadn't gone home yet, but to his surprise, he had come in early. He lightly knocked on Lauren's door.
"I'll be out in a minute." she said. Tony waited, leaning against the doorjamb and talking to the agent posted outside her door. She came out, her hair was wet and she had no make up on. She wore a light blue t shirt with a pair of jeans and flip flops.
"How was your night? Sorry you didnt get to sleep much." Tony asked.
"Fine, Ziva and I had a good talk. It was short but it was good. It was kinda awkward though having to walk through the office in my robe after taking a shower. I forgot to grab my clothes before heading to the showers." she said. Tony laughed and told the agent to leave and get some sleep.
"I need you to come with me. Gibbs seems to be making a breakthrough with the suspects. I need you to look at them and see if you recognize them." he said and brought her into the observation room. He knocked on the window to let Gibbs know he was there. Lauren looked at the two men. Her eyes stared for a few minutes, observing them. Michael Little was obviously stronger then Pauly, as he did most of the talking while Pauly sat in silence. Gibbs prodded him to talk but Michael always interrupted.
"They are two of the men that attacked me. I remember now, the one on the left was the one that pushed me down on the ground. The guy who isn't here is the one who banged my head on the floor." She said.
"Great, let's listen in for a few minutes." Tony said. He turned on the speaker and heard Gibbs' voice come flooding in.
"So, Michael, can you tell me where you think Jonny is?" Gibbs asked.
"I don't know. He was supposed to call me when he wanted to meet us about the job your agent talked to us about in the bar. We run on his schedule, we don't know where he is, ever." Michael said.
"How do you get in touch with him?" Gibbs asked.
"We don't, he gets in touch with us. He calls us and his cell number always changes, never the same number twice. Don't believe us, check the phone records. Every unknown caller is him." Michael said and sat back in his chair. He had a smug look on his face, like he had recited his lines well for the authorities.
"We did, and you are right. There's just one thing. If we can't find Jonny and prove that you two were just accessories to Paulson's murder, then you both are going to be charged with murder 1. Now if you help us find Jonny, who obviously pulled the trigger, then you guys will get away with accessory to murder. You're looking at 10 to 20 versus life in prison. It's an easy choice guys." Gibbs said. The two men whispered in each others ears and came to what seemed like an agreement.
"We'll help you. He has a girlfriend named Lucy. I have her number in my phonebook. We can call her and she should be able to let us know where she is. First, we need something." Michael said.
"And what is that?" Gibbs said.
"A guarantee that if we help you now, even if you don't get Jonny, that we will be only charged with accessory, nothing else. And to let us get a few hours rest, on a real bed." Michael said. Gibbs sat and thought about it for a second.
"Hmm, deal. But do not expect a cushy prison, we don't make that kind of deals with criminals. I'll let you sleep in about an hour, after we call Lucy. Guard, take them to get their breakfast." Gibbs said and left the room. He joined Tony and Lauren in the observation room.
"She did recognize them boss, and Jonny was the one to pull the trigger." Tony said.
"Great. Now since it's our legal obligation against cruel and unusual punishment to feed these two convicts, I'm going to grab some coffee and a CafPow for Abby. You want anything Tony, Lauren?" he asked as he made his way towards the door.
"Actually boss, we need to go. She has her appointment with her doctor. Was there anything else you found about Jonny?" he asked.
"Uh, he as a tattoo on his left and right wrists of a bullet. Weird thing to get a tattoo of." he said and left the room.
"Let's go. I don't want to keep Dr. Waters waiting." Tony said and held the door open for Lauren. She left the small blue lit room, headed towards the sunlight of outside. For some reason, Lauren couldn't feel this sense of overwhelming dread locked inside her. She chose to keep her feelings quiet from Tony; she didn't want him to worry. She didn't want him hovering over her as if she was some sort of porcelain doll, ready to be broken at the slightest touch.