Cars, Kisses And Warnings

072408

Disclaimer: None of these lovely people belong to me, if they did I'd have moved out of this disaster area by now.

Summary: Well, the title pretty much explains it all.

Reviews: Yes please. Reviews are the warm fuzzies that light up my day and fuel the imagination. Readers Rock but Reviewers RULE!!

A/N: Unfortunately this is the last finished chapter so updates might slow down a little. But I know where I'm going with this and I know how it will end. It only has 3 or 4 more chapters so hopefully I won't take long to finish this up. The old computer now works although I'm waiting for a new charger so I can access all my info on it. With any luck I should be able to finish Resurrected and update The Demon Within sometime in the near future.

I want to send a big thank you to 'girl1128' for her sweet emails and for reminding me what's important about fic writing.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Chapter 9

Tony hung the phone up in frustration when his questions garnered no results. His portion of the investigation was going nowhere fast and he knew Gibbs would be pissed when he got back. Unwillingly, his green eyes swung toward the elevator. What were they doing down there anyway? The Boss had made a brief appearance to chase Abby back to work only a few minutes after Palmer had decided he'd been absent from his post for too long. But the Team Leader had disappeared back downstairs after only twenty minutes. Realizing the control panel hadn't been repaired yet and the lift was still stuck down at Autopsy, he turned back to the papers on his desk. But his concentration was shot.

'Why is Ducky keeping Marvin down there so long?' Tony worried as his attention wandered yet again only to be swiftly refocused when his head bounced forward from Gibbs' headslap.

"Something wrong, DiNozzo?" The silver haired man asked as he continued his way to his own desk.

"No, Boss." Tony answered him quietly and went back to his list.

Grant was a few minutes behind Gibbs as he made his way into the bullpen. He paused for a moment just outside the team's area. As the desks were positioned, Tony's was directly in front of Grant, his back to the newcomer as he tried to concentrate on the papers in his hand. An evil smile lit Grant's lean face. Ziva, whose desk was positioned where she could see him, noticed and lifted her eyebrows in silent question. She watched curiously as he silently stalked up behind her partner.

Tony jumped as someone spoke directly into his ear. "I'm very angry with you."

"Grant!" Tony spun around to face his old friend. "I didn't know what else to do." He babbled desperately. "I couldn't let Gibbs tell Fornell that you're a basket case."

"I understand, I really do but that doesn't mean I'm any less pissed off." Grant stated as he moved past Tony to peer over Tim's shoulder at his own computer sitting open and running a search program.

McGee glanced back over his shoulder at Grant. "Would you like a chair?" He asked mildly, continuing to type away at his keyboard.

Mars smiled. "Sure." He answered.

Tim nodded towards several chairs off to one side, "Help yourself." He smirked and then laughed at the eye roll Grant gave him before going over, dragging one of them back and then placing it where he could see the computers that were flashing their search screens.

The FBI agent settled in and listened attentively as Tim filled him in on the progress that had been made in locating the suspect. He tried to ignore his ex-partner who kept sneaking glances his direction. Finally, he spoke without turning to look at the Italian.

"Still got the 'Vette, DiNozzo?" Grant asked casually.

An expression of sorrow filled pain crossed Tony's handsome face. "No. She got stolen, used in some robberies and then wrecked after a multi-state chase a couple years ago."

Grant looked at him in surprise. "I saw that chase. That was your car? I thought she looked familiar. Damn, man, that sucks."

"Yeah." Tony said mournfully. "Why'd you paint the Rocket?"

"Got vandalized. My boss took the opportunity to inform me that it wasn't wise to drive something so distinctive." Grant's face reflected his disgust over that opinion. He'd loved the red and gold flames that had been painted over the hood, flowing back towards the windshield, down the front fenders and along the bottom of both sides of the black car before flickering up the back fenders and tracing along the top of spoiler that spanned the trunk. He wondered if Tony had looked close enough to see that he hadn't changed the valve caps on the tires. He refused to give those up distinctive or not.

"Some people have no taste." Tony observed, the disgust in his face mirrored Grant's as he checked his notes and made another phone call.

"If we're done with the automotive reminiscing, what do you have for me, people?" Gibbs demanded as he stalked around his desk to stand in the center of the bull pen. All the agents present, except Tony who was still on the phone, Grant included, sat up straight and riveted their attention on the Team Leader.

"McGee?" Gibbs pointed his finger at the computer tech.

"Grant's computer is almost finished separating the documents we need. No hits on the local BOLO as of yet but I'm also running a photo ID search in the DMV to see if he's got a license in another name. If he does, once we have it we'll run another property and vehicle purchase search." Tim reported promptly.

"Keep me posted." Jethro turned towards the Israeli. "Ziva?"

"No hits on Interpol yet. I've initiated a search of all international flights for Romar and for any passengers fitting the description of all the women that have been reported missing in the last six months." She said.

Gibbs nodded his approval. "DiNozzo, what are you working on?"

Tony said goodbye to the person he'd been talking to on the phone and hung it up. "I collected a list of contacts from Petty Officer Parker's CO and I'm calling all of them to see if she'd been seen with a new male friend or has been talking about anyone new in her life. No luck so far." He placed a check next to a name on the list in front of him and picked up the receiver again to place the next call.

"Mars." Grant jumped when the older agent barked his name.

"Yes?" He barely managed not to stammer as he blinked up at Gibbs' stern face.


"Have you told McGee what you told me?" Gibbs asked.

"Not yet." Grant admitted as a faint flush stole up his neck.

"What are you waiting for?" Jethro had decided in the stairwell that if he was going to 'adopt' Grant then he wouldn't be treated any differently than the others. "I'm going for coffee. You all have until I get back to have something solid for me." With that, he turned to the elevator that had finally been repaired and left.

"Is he always like that?" Grant asked Tim, sotto voce. "He smacked the back of my head when we were in the stairwell."

McGee gaped at his new friend. "Really?" He called out to Tony. "Hey Tony! Gibbs headslapped Grant."

Tony grinned in surprised pleasure. "Hey, what do you know? Welcome to the family, Marvin."

"Y'all are too weird for words." Grant grumbled, his voice reflected his deep confusion. "Tim? What am I missing here?"

"It means you've been accepted." Tim explained. "Gibbs only smacks his team, especially Tony. But all of us get it when we need it. Me, Ziva and even Abby once in a great while. The only one who's exempt is Ducky because… well, he's Ducky. No one would dare hit him." He lowered his voice. "Although, I can't be sure, I think maybe Ducky headslaps Gibbs once in a while. But don't tell anyone I said that."

"I didn't hear a thing." Mars assured him, his voice pitched low as well.

"McGee is correct." Ziva inserted from her desk. "Gibbs headslapped me the very first day."

Tim smiled at her. "It's sort of a wakeup call. Keeps us on track. Hell, with Gibbs it could even be considered a sign of affection."

"Huh, funny way of showing it." The shorter agent muttered with a last rub down the back of his gelled curls.

"That it is." Tim agreed. "Now, what is it he wanted you to tell me?"

Grant filled Tim in on everything he could remember about Romar and was startled when, at the end of his recitation, McGee jumped up from his chair and headed for the elevator.

"Come on, Grant." Tim beckoned urgently, pushing on the call button.

Mars hastened to follow. "Where are we going?" He asked, his curiosity peaked.

"Down to see Abby." Tim grinned at the delight that lit Grant's face.

Once more Tim led Grant into a wall of music that made him long for his own stereo system. Grant stared appreciatively at the sight of the tall Goth dancing in front of some machines as she sipped from a Caff-Pow cup. Her black ponytails bobbed with her motions and her white lab coat swayed over her curves.

"Abby!" Tim yelled.

She whirled around gracefully on her platform boots. She beamed at her visitors. "Timmy! Grant!" She bounced over and turned the music down. "What's up?"

"We need to borrow one of your computers. Ours are tied up in other searches and Grant just gave me a huge idea." McGee explained as he walked over to an unused terminal. "Can I use this one?" He pulled out the chair in front of it and hit the power switch without waiting for an answer.

"Sure, not like I'm using it." Abby told him sarcastically. "Help yourself."

"Thanks." Tim answered absently, already engrossed in his latest task.

"What's he looking for?" Abby asked Grant.

Feeling useless, Grant looked over at the scientist and shrugged. "I'm not sure."

"Ok. He'll tell us when he's ready. We'll let him do his thing all alone then." She grinned as she grabbed his hand and tugged him toward her office. She waited until the door closed behind them and took off her despised lab coat. "Want a Red Bull?"

Grant almost groaned. "Oh yes, please." His voice was deep with longing. It felt like it'd been years since the last one.

Abby's crystal blue eyes widened at the sound. "Oh… my… God. What else can I ask you that'll get me that answer in that tone?"

Sapphire eyes roamed over her body, starting at her feet and ending at her lust filled eyes. His voice kept the same low husky tone as he spoke. "Anything you want to ask me, Baby."

Abby's hands shook and her knees were weak as she went over to the cooler and took out a can of Red Bull, her back to him for a moment. He didn't give himself time to even think about it, he gulped, took a leap of faith and grabbed the opportunity to sidle up behind her. He slid his hand caressingly down her arm and took possession of the can as his other arm wrapped around her waist. "Thanks." He murmured in her ear.

She closed her eyes and bit her lower lip with even white teeth. "You don't know how much I wish we were anywhere but here." She whispered after a minute as she let her head fall backwards onto his shoulder, exposing her throat. A tiny voice deep inside told her they were moving too fast but it felt so damn right that she couldn't have stopped for anything.

"Oh, I think I do." Grant whispered back, aching to taste those dark red lips. He settled for planting a lingering kiss right on top of the spider web tattoo. He let the tip of his tongue flicker out tease them both with the sensation of it sliding over her silky skin. A low groan echoed through the office as Abby melted into his arms. A tap on the glass door startled them out of the sensual haze they'd fallen into.

As soon as the hydraulics opened the door, Tim stuck his head in, a smirk firmly in place. "Gibbs wants us back upstairs. We might have a lead."

Grant rested his forehead on Abby's shoulder and took several deep breaths. He tightened his arm, pulling her back tightly against his front for a long moment, before sliding it slowly away from her waist. As soon as she was loose, she turned to face him; her eyes wide and stunned. McGee was amused to see that she appeared to be speechless. The FBI agent took a step away from Abby but stopped when she grabbed him by the tie, yanking him back. McGee's jaw hit the floor as his ex-girlfriend pulled the new guy close and thoroughly kissed him.

In the time it took for the computer expert to recover from his shock, Abby had finished the kiss and guided the thunderstruck victim out of the office. McGee grabbed a tissue from a box next to the door and led Grant into the elevator.

"Here." He said offering the tissue. "Don't let Gibbs catch you with that lipstick on your face."

"Thanks." Grant took the offering and began scrubbing at his mouth. He blinked in surprise when Tim flipped the stop switch on the control panel, sending the lift into semi-darkness.

"One other thing." McGee's face was deadly serious. "You hurt her and there won't be anywhere you can hide. Not from me, not from Tony but the one you really have to be careful of is Gibbs. No one messes with Abby while he's alive. Got it?"

Grant glared at the taller man. "Yeah, I got it. As long as you understand that I don't hurt women." He turned away and concentrated on erasing the evidence of that amazing kiss. He spoke again, almost too low for Tim to hear. "Doesn't stop them from hurting me." He reached over, restarted the elevator and ignored the other man's puzzled gaze the rest of the way back to the bullpen.

TBC