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They went back to the bullpen, letting go of each other's hands just before they became visible from there. Gibbs had made it very clear that they could only break rule #12 if they didn't break it at work. Once they had forgotten to lock the door to the men's room and Gibbs had caught them kissing there. Neither of them wanted to experience it again.
They both went to their desks, ignoring the suspicious glare they retrieved from Gibbs.
Ziva glanced at Rachel, who was sitting on Gibbs' desk, watching him.
"Uncle Gibbs, why were you in a bad mood?" she asked him, curious like children always are.
Gibbs thought for a while, considering what he should tell her. That he just got into bad mood when an agent of his was almost four hours late with no obvious reason? That the coffee shop was completely out of coffee when he got there?
"Didn't have coffee this morning," he finally said.
Tony and Ziva both looked at him with shock. As far as they knew, Gibbs never had a day without at least one cup of coffee. But Rachel knew nothing of Gibbs' addiction.
"Why do you drink coffee?"
Gibbs chuckled and was saved from answering by Abby.
"Rachel!" she squealed, running to the child like she were a child herself, and hugging her tightly. "Why don't you bring her here more often?" she asked Ziva, as if that was a huge crime.
"It is not the right place for her," she explained. She didn't want her daughter to be in the middle of all this murder-stuff.
Her thoughts were interrupted by Gibbs' cell phone.
He took it out of his pocket. "Yeah, Gibbs."
He listened for a while. "Where?"
He listened a bit more. Tony and Ziva exchanged glances. It had been almost a week since their last case, which had been the simplest ever.
"Okay, we'll be right there." Gibbs hung up without another word, as always.
"A case?" Tony asked eagerly, dying to get out of there.
Gibbs grabbed his badge and gun from his drawer.
Tony's face grew more alive. "Finally."
Gibbs threw the keys to Ziva. "You're driving. Anacostia Park."
Ziva caught the keys skillfully, but didn't move. Tony grabbed his bag and almost ran to the elevator.
"Today, Ziva," Gibbs called while passing her.
Ziva hesitated for only a second. "Would you look after her?" she asked Abby, who was still standing by Gibbs' desk, one hand on Rachel's shoulder.
She acted offended, then smiled brightly. "Of course I will."
Ziva smiled as a reply, kissed Rachel goodbye and ran after Gibbs and Tony. The elevator doors were just closing, but she managed to slip through.
"Um, what about McGee, boss? He's not back yet," Tony asked.
Gibbs didn't look at him, he was staring at the door, seemingly deeply in thought. "Call him," he ordered.
"Sure thing."
When the little metal box stopped, the doors opened and they almost ran into McGee, who was waiting there for the elevator, a tray with four coffees in his hand. He managed to keep it balanced, while dodging Gibbs in a hurry.
"Couldn't wait for your coffee, boss?" he joked, offering them all a coffee.
Gibbs said nothing, took his coffee and rushed out.
"Sorry, boss," he yelled after him. "Still in a bad mood?" he asked Tony.
Tony took a coffee too and headed out. "He didn't have his morning coffee today," he said as an explanation.
"Oh." McGee said like that would explain everything, not only Gibbs' bad mood.
They reached the car and found Gibbs sitting in the driver's seat, his left hand reached out of the window, waiting for keys. Ziva dropped them into his hand, a little surprised as to why Gibbs changed his mind so quickly.
"Thought you would let me drive," she noted, getting into the back seat, while Tony took the front one.
Gibbs started the engine, taking a big sip from his coffee. Coffee was for Gibbs what gasoline was for their car. "Can't drive without having coffee," he explained. Then he raised his cup. "Now I have one."
Ziva nodded.
"McGee, call Ducky, tell him to meet us there."