"Look, Ducky, just drop me off. I need to…to practice. There is a concert coming up." Let me out soon, Ducky, I don't think I can hold it together any longer.
"Oh? I need to tell Jethro where we are."
"No, Ducky, just drop me off. Then you can go and let him know. It's a church, I'll be fine."
"My dear, they need to protect you."
Morgan heaved a sigh, trying to hide her frustration, "Then have DiNozzo wait outside the church; he's just a few cars back as it is."
Ducky chuckled, "Should have known you would catch him."
"Please, just let me go in. I need some time by myself, to work."
"Fine, but Tony will be in the area," he hedged, pulling out his cell phone. "Just wait here until I-" Click went the car door as it closed "…work it out," Ducky finished to himself.
Morgan was almost running through the doors of her church, glad she didn't see anyone since she needed to be alone. She turned to the empty sanctuary and sat down on a pew. Things had twisted to where her reality was distorted; she just needed to…acclimate herself. Eventually, she wouldn't have to be followed around. They would catch the bad guys and she would go home. Though when this was all over, she would be disappointed to lose the friends she had made. She sighed and strode to the piano. Her emotions needed an outlet and this instrument was an old friend.
Tony turned, glancing at his boss before his gaze returned to the figure at the piano. "She's just been playing. She's really…" He trailed off, letting her playing speak for itself. They listened, feeling like Morgan was sharing something personal with them.
The music was agitated, frenetic, and perfectly matched Morgan's mood. Her fingers flew across the keys, her body an extension of the expression that the music was evoking. That urge to hide, the agitation and frustration, all of it was leaving her body. She gave a soft sigh and smiled, segueing into an achingly sweet melody. Music never lied; it just portrayed emotions. It was a mirror to humanity.
Her phone rang and she frowned, but ignored it. It finished ringing, there was a pause, and it started again. "Oh, for goodness sake!" She muttered, reaching for the phone and putting it on speaker. "What?" She asked, none too happy to be stopped. She saw movement in the back of the church and was able to finally pinpoint their location. It was Tony, and Gibbs, too, she was sure.
"You know, I'm sure that I'm the one that should be having a fit," came the snide voice from the phone.
Morgan rolled her eyes, preparing to be irritated. "Dana. What can I do for you?"
"You know, Morgan, if you are hired to be our accompanist, you should show up at our practices to accompany!
"Practice?" Morgan frowned, then slapped her head, "Last night! Oh, I'm sorry Dana-"
"Is this job not important to you anymore?"
"Dana! I'm sorry. Yesterday was-was a difficult day, okay? I found-"
"Yeah, yeah, I read the newspaper. Was that why you couldn't come? You were reveling in yet another press opportunity?" Dana asked venomously, unable to completely hide her dislike for Morgan behind her anger.
Morgan's eyes narrowed at the phone. "Dana," Morgan said, in a voice that rivaled the iciness Gibbs' had when he was interrogating a suspect, "A man was killed. How dare you make light of that? Furthermore, I have been nothing but supportive of you when you took over the conducting job last year. I am sorry, but that was the first practice I've missed in two years." Dana was trying to break in. "No. You listen. I know you feel like I have insulted you in some way, I know you have more snide comments you want to say, but I don't need to listen to them." With that, Morgan disconnected the call.
"Everything okay?" Gibbs settled down on the piano bench next to her. She glanced at him and smirked, "She just feels threatened."
He crossed his arms, "What about everything else?"
Morgan looked away, pressing down a key on the piano. "I felt like the walls were closing in on me. I mean, I stumbled across that petty officer, saw what that man did to those people in those pictures, and someone broke into my house," She raised her voice at the end.
"Hey!" Tony's voice floated back, "Technically, that was Ziva! She picked your lock!"
Morgan gave half a laugh and then sobered. "I needed something familiar." She shook her head, "Felt guilty, too. I knew my being with you guys put a kink in your plans. I just-I feel like something has to give soon. I can't stay in limbo forever and I hate being a burden to you." Her wide green eyes fell on Gibbs and he was struck again by how innocent she was. She had that personality where being with her was like getting a breath of fresh air.
He jostled her shoulder a bit, "Don't worry about being a bother. You've become a younger sister to everyone, a granddaughter to Duck." He squeezed her shoulder and let go. Morgan took that for the unspoken comment that it was.
"You guys…it feels like you are all my crazy family I haven't seen in ages. It's weird. I mean, I just met you all yesterday." They sat comfortably for a minute.
"We'll find who did this," Gibbs swore.
She smiled at him, completely trusting. "I know."
AN: I would love to know what you guys think...