Exams And Headslaps

072108

Disclaimer: Same as always. If you know 'em, they ain't mine.

Summary: Ducky makes a discovery. Jimmy has fun with a secret. Grant gets initiated.

Reviews: Yes please, Readers Rock but Reviewers RULE!

A/N: Ok, I pulled this down and reposted it because I personally thought it was one of the best chapters of the entire story. It grieves me deeply that it got absolutely no reviews the first time out. So please, people, as much as I dislike to beg for reviews it is true that positive reinforcement inspires the creative muse. So I find myself in the position of asking for the treasured review. If you like it, tell me so. If you hate it, tell me why. Thank you to all of you who alerted this story… y'all rock!

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Chapter 8

Abby nodded enthusiastically at McGee's yell. "Yeah, look." She pushed some buttons on Tony's keyboard and the link to her lab activated putting Romar's face and prints up on the plasma screen above their heads. "Grant said the New York PD had him six months ago but before the witness, the real witness that is, could identify him they let him go." The scientist stole the last bite of Tony's garlic bread from his hand ignoring his offended yelp of 'Hey!'.

Tim set Grant's computer searching for any document with the name displayed on the huge screen before turning to his own computer and setting a search command of his own. In mere seconds a BOLO was implemented and a search for an address had begun. Ziva set her lasagna slightly aside and, between bites, put her own computer to work searching the Interpol database for a fingerprint match of the suspect.

In Autopsy...

Gibbs watched Grant as he practically inhaled his pasta salad and garlic bread. After a few minutes of scrutiny Grant looked up sheepishly. "Sorry, guess I was hungrier than I realized. It was delicious. Thank you." He placed his empty plate on the table self-consciously. "I'll just get out of your hair now and let you get back to work." He pushed his hands against his knees in order to stand.

"Not so fast, young man. I'd like to take a quick look at you and make sure you're all right." Ducky set his own empty plate aside and reached into his desk drawer for his medical bag.

Grant watched him suspiciously. "But you're a medical examiner." He scooted back into the corner of the squishy sofa.

"Quite true, my lad, but before I entered this specialty I was a general practitioner." Ducky replied soothingly. "All of Jethro's team members consider me their personal physician." He looped a stethoscope around his neck. "I would only like to assure myself that there isn't a more serious underlying condition which may have prompted your unconsciousness."

Without being aware of it, Grant looked to Gibbs for reassurance. Jethro nodded, bemused, and took the last few bites of his lunch and finished his coffee. "I need to get back upstairs to make sure the children aren't goofing off." He stood. "Will you be all right with Ducky and Palmer?" He asked Grant.

"Who's Palmer?" The nervous FBI agent looked around, seeing no one else.

Ducky peered around and realized his assistant was indeed still gone. "He's my assistant. I imagine he's still upstairs with the rest of the younger people."

"I'll shoot him back down, Duck. Take good care of Mars. Can't have Fornell bitching about mistreatment, can we?" Gibbs winked at Grant and headed toward the stairwell door without waiting for an answer to his question about whether Grant would be all right.

Ducky called after his departing friend. "Don't do James any permanent damage, Jethro. I find his services quite handy most of the time." He turned his attention back to Grant. "Now, my dear boy, I don't believe we've been properly introduced. I'm Dr Donald Mallard. Everyone calls me Ducky for reasons that are rather obvious, I'm sure." He smiled, trying to put the younger man at ease.

"Grant Mars, FBI, Missing Persons Unit." Grant stuck his hand out for the elderly ME to shake, he did so.

"I'm very pleased to meet you." Ducky's smile broadened, swinging around as he heard someone join them. "Ah, Mr Palmer, so glad you made it back safely."

"I met Agent Gibbs on the stairs and he said you needed my help." Jimmy grinned at Grant. "Hey, I'm James Palmer. Most people call me Jimmy. Tony calls me 'Autopsy Gremlin'. You're Grant?"

The seated man nodded, still unsure as to how he'd gotten into his current situation. "Grant Mars, FBI, how ya doin?"

Formalities completed, Ducky got down to business. He extended a hand, helped Grant stand up and led him over to the desk. "I would never be so cruel as to ask you to sit on an autopsy table. Young Anthony on the other hand…" He paused, his eyes twinkling as his implication got the desired chuckle. "I'm sure my desk will allow me sufficient access. Now, would you be so kind and remove your clothing above the waist?"

After a small hesitation, Grant complied quickly stripping out of the expensive suit jacket, shoulder holster, tie, shirt and spotless white T-shirt exposing a torso that, while a bit thin, was surprisingly muscular. The older man launched into a story about the aforementioned 'nervous young lad in South Africa', thereby successfully distracting Grant while the quick but thorough physical was performed. It was over soon, to Grant's relief, ending with Ducky taking a blood sample.

"Well, you certainly seem to be in relatively good health. I would like for you to eat a bit more frequently though, you're a little too slender." Ducky smiled warmly at his new patient. He was positive that this would be far from the last time he'd see the young man. He handed the discarded clothing back and ushered Jimmy out of the office so Grant could dress in peace. "If you would deliver that sample to Abigail, Mr Palmer, I would appreciate it."

Jimmy grinned, his hazel eyes sparkling behind his glasses. "Will do, Dr Mallard. Should I tell her about..." He wasn't allowed to finish the quietly asked question.

"Oh goodness no. I think there should be one or two secrets she should be allowed to ... ah ... discover on her own, don't you? It certainly does explain one of the reasons why Anthony gravitated towards our Abigail." The ME smirked and shooed his laughing assistant away on his errand.

Abby's lab….

Jimmy walked into the lab where Abby was running tests on some of the minute pieces of trace evidence McGee had gathered at the scene of the kidnapping. He'd had a crush on the eccentric scientist from the moment he'd met her. He held a sense of awe at her brilliance. He had developed a relationship with Agent Lee which had cooled his crush on Abby into a deep appreciation and admiration.

She spun away from her whirring machine and noticed him. "Hey, Jimmy! Whatcha got for me?" She asked, spying the vial of blood in his hand.

"Ah…" He stammered. "Dr Mallard would like you to run some routine tests on this."

"No probs. What am I looking for? Drugs? Diseases? Is this an autopsy sample?" She put her hands on slim hips. "Is there a DB case I don't know about?" She leveled accusing blue eyes on the shy assistant.

"Oh no! Nothing like that. The doctor just did a physical on Agent Mars and just wanted to cover all the bases by doing a blood test. He wants to make sure it was nothing more than hunger and the panic attack that made him pass out the way he did." Jimmy explained as a gleam lit his eyes, only partially hidden by his glasses. He smiled as he remembered what the FBI agent had hidden under his clothing. He peeked at Abby's spider web tattoo and his smile broadened into a grin.

"Grant wouldn't do drugs. Tony told me how much he hates drugs and dealers. Besides, his eyes are too clear to have anything hinky in his system." Abby noticed his amusement and her gaze turned suspicious. "What's so funny?"

"What?" Jimmy's grin disappeared but the gleam in his hazel eyes remained. "Nothing." He started backing toward the door. "I really have to get back downstairs." His grin returned as he spun around and ran for the stairwell.

"I'll find out and then I'll hurt you!" Abby called after the fleeing young man. Laughter echoed in the hall as the door slowly swung closed. The Goth shook her head in exasperation before beginning the necessary steps to thoroughly check Grant's blood for … well… anything.

Meanwhile, in Autopsy…..

"He ok?" Gibbs asked as he silently walked up to stand next to Ducky.

"Unless the blood tests show something hidden, he's fine. A little undernourished but we already knew that." Ducky answered quietly. They watched as Grant, his back to the window, buckled his shoulder harness. Ducky had closed the office door to give the younger man the illusion of privacy. "I have the distinct feeling that we've just acquired another stray." He shot an amused glance at his old friend.

Gibbs sighed. "As if I didn't have enough problems." But his steel blue eyes twinkled. "The next few days should prove interesting though." They watched the FBI agent settle his jacket over his shoulders and give himself a little shake before opening the door and walking out, a facade of confidence firmly in place.

"Are they making any progress upstairs?" Grant asked as he joined them.

"Some but it's early yet. What I need from you is a report of what we can expect this Romar to do with Parker now that he has her." Gibbs started for the stairs, irritated that maintenance hadn't fixed the elevator yet. Jimmy passed him on the way back to his own work station, huge grin still in place. Gibbs sent him a narrow eyed glare but didn't comment.

Grant paused and smiled at Ducky. "Regardless of how it happened, it was a pleasure to meet you, sir."

"As it was meeting you, my boy. I daresay our paths will cross again soon." He smiled kindly as Grant shuddered. "But not, I'm sure, here. Go now before Jethro has an apoplexy.

Grant nodded and sped off. "Later, Dr Mallard." The reply of 'Please call me Ducky' floated after them as the stairwell door swung shut.

Jethro paused on the landing two floors up and sat down, patting the floor next to him. "Now, tell me what Romar's gonna do." He commanded.

"Nothing." Grant responded instantly.

"Nothing? Then why'd he take her?" Gibbs asked incredulously.

"Well, let me amend that. Nothing at first." Grant allowed. "She's young, pretty, seemingly unattached with no family close, right?" Gibbs nodded and Mars continued. "My guess is that he doesn't know that she's Navy. That's his biggest mistake to date. He'll take her to wherever he's got his latest house set up, drug her, intimidate her and force her into prostitution. When he deems her ready, he'll sell her to the highest scumbag bidder overseas."

"Not this time." The silver haired agent vowed.

"I hope not. The son of a bitch has been getting away with it for way too long." Grant said quietly. He hesitated, considering his next words carefully. "I have to confess that I've heard Fornell bitch about you and your team every day for the past month. If he'd mentioned just once that Tony was on your team, I'd have been better prepared but it's done and I apologize for the trouble I've been today. Thank you for buying me lunch. I'll pay you back." He stared steadily at the step below his feet.

"That's not necessary." Gibbs told him. "Tell me about New York. What happened there?"

With a sigh, Grant related everything that happened from the time he'd been met by Agent Johnson at the helipad to the circumstances leading him to walk out of the task force.

"Well..." Gibbs paused, thinking about the best wording for what he needed to say.

"I was an idiot, right?" The younger agent sighed in disgust.

Jethro gave him a light headslap. "I was going to say that you got royally screwed on that deal. We don't do things that way here. The local LEOs don't get our witnesses and we don't let anyone go if there's any doubt at all about them. And it never helps when the people you're depending on for back up are more interested in budgets than results." He said seriously. "I hate to say it but even Fornell isn't that stupid but don't tell him I said that. Romar won't get away again."

Grant rubbed the back of his head even though it didn't hurt. "How do I help?"

"We're going back upstairs and you're going to get with McGee. Tell him everything you know about Romar's habits and MO. Go through every file on your computer for any piece of info, even if it doesn't seem significant. They're running BOLOs and Interpol searches. We should get a hit soon." Gibbs stood up and headed up the remaining stairs to his floor, clearly expecting Grant to follow him. After a moment's disorientation, the younger agent scrambled to his feet and rushed after the Team Leader.

TBC