Gibbs: Thought you were dead.
Franks: I got better.
"He could just be laying low…lots of heat out there." Tony offered in an attempt to calm Gibbs nerves, which didn't help. But then again, nothing ever did.
"If he was alive he will be in contact soon enough." Ziva tried next.
"Looked like a flesh wound, I'm sure he's fine." And then McGee.
Gibbs didn't say a word and left the bull pen for no place in particular.
Tony continued to replay the shooting.
"How many times are you going to watch that?" Ziva questioned with a hint of concern.
He didn't answer.
"Trying to be more like Gibbs by the second yes?"
Tony turned to face her. "And what's that supposed to mean?"
"Well first you miss my ceremony, for duty yes, but with no apology…then you respond to a simple question with no answer…"
"Can we talk about this later…Boss thinks his friend is dead. Somehow I think that takes priority."
"Perhaps he would not have to think that if you had followed orders."
"You and your following orders…spare me."
"What is the matter Tony? Afraid of the truth?"
"What truth would that be Ziva? That I was drawn into a set up or that I should have been shot instead of Franks?"
Ziva stopped herself. "What happened happened. You must let it go."
"It was forty eight hours ago…give me a second."
Tim figured now would be a good time to step in. "Uh, guys, look…it's been hard on all of us. Why don't we just…" Only he was interrupted by Tony storming out of the bull pen, confirming Ziva's previous statement.
"More like Gibbs by the minute, yes?"
McGee opened his mouth to respond when Ziva herself stormed off in the opposite direction. He took a seat at his desk after watching them leave and held his head in his hands. He looked up a few moments later to see Gibbs standing over him.
"Hey boss."
Gibbs didn't answer, but McGee had gotten better at reading his expressions.
"Tony and Ziva…they uh, stepped out for a minute."
"Stepped out?"
Tim nodded.
"Wanna try again?"
"And pretend like you don't already know what happened?" Tim spoke before he knew what he saying. "Not that you always know…except that you usually do, but in this case you might not, or you wouldn't have asked, which in doing so would make me presume you didn't know."
"You done?"
"Not with my job, I hope."
Gibbs almost smiled. "Get 'em back here and tell 'em to kiss and make up, we got a job to do."
"On it boss." And with that McGee did as he was told. "And boss…"
Gibbs awaited his response.
"I'm sure Franks is okay…"
It was then Gibbs sent McGee a stare that spoke volumes and little did he know just how right he would turn out to be.