Chapter 4: Trouble
McGee walks into the room and is met with a gust of tension that seems to be growing as he inches closer to the others.
Gibbs is facing Abby with such intensity, he is making it extremely hard for her to look him straight in the eyes.
"Not buyin' it Abs." His voice low.
"I'm telling you the truth, Gibbs." Her eyes flicker to his eyes, "…aren't I?"
He smirks at her timid behavior. "No, Abs."
McGee clears his throat; his hands clasped behind his back because he does not know how to address the still-vague situation. Gibbs is here--and he is tending to her. McGee feels there is no possible room for him to even slightly interfere--so he just stands and he just waits for either of them to acknowledge him.
"Who is this guy?"
"He's not a guy…I mean he is a guy--but he's not a guy, like some random guy…guy, but more like a--"
"A boyfriend?"
It is now that Abby locks eyes with McGee over one of Gibbs' broad shoulders. She knows that this connection between them is uncomfortable, yet undeniable for a number of reasons.
McGee knows that he is doing his best to keep his wavering jealousy under complete control.
"…um…yes…" She cringes inwardly at the disapproval she sees in McGee's eyes.
Gibbs touches her hair and she draws her attention back to the man that is literally squatting down in front of her. "…sorry…"
"Don't apologize--"
"It is a sign of weakness." She hugs herself and it sends a clear indication to Gibbs that she needs this type of physical contact.
"Blanket." He indicates to McGee, but as the seconds pass he feels nothing in his hand. "BLANKET, MCGEE--damn it!"
McGee snaps his neck and grabs the article; passing it to Gibbs' awaiting hand, he sets his jaw as if his teeth are grinding against each other.
"…sor--" He clears his throat to stop himself from making the same error Abby did, knowing damn well if he did he would be rewarded harshly by Gibbs, unlike Abby had been rewarded. "…what's going on?"
"…Tell you in a minute…" He finishes wrapping her in a blanket; his hands never stopping as they slightly touch her arms through the blanket.
McGee steps back as he watches their interactions. Deep inside, their closeness begins to unlock doubts he never thought he had. Shaking his head he tries to clear himself of such foolish thoughts; insisting that his in-going and out-going jealousy is the reason for such thoughts.
Outside, Gibbs meets Tony by his exceedingly maintained car. His face serious, his eyebrows slightly lower than usual. Peering inside the darkened car, he sees Tony reach for pack of gum inside his glove compartment. Straightening his back once more, he sighs into the chilly air before ripping open the driver's side door.
"Oh hey boss--"
Grabbing a hold of Tony by his shoulder; he nearly drags him out of the car and slams the door shut behind him. Tony's jacket just misses getting stuck between the properly hidden latch.
"Um…" His eyes are wide open. "…Abby alright?"
"You--alright, DiNozzo?" He grabs the stick of gum out of his hand and throws it somewhere on the ground. "I'm not that stupid."
"…'course not otherwise you would not be…" Tony shakes his head. "…wait--is this a trick question?"
"IT WASN'T A QUESTION!" He slams Tony's shoulders against his car. "Tell me why I called you here tonight."
Tony hesitates for a moment; the alcohol in his system only partially clouding his judgment. "You told me Abby was in trouble--that she needed our help."
He clears his throat, but Gibbs does not back off.
"…so I got here as fast as I could…" Tony catches sight of McGee's vehicle. "Looks like Agent Huntington is late to this gig."
"Not a gig--DiNozzo." He tone calm, but darker than normal. "…and your ass might as well have stayed right the hell where you were.!" He finally lets go of his Senior Agent. "You've been drinking."
"That a crime?"
"When you're hardly able to feel that your weapon is missing!" Gibbs waves Tony's gun at him. Tony swallows; hard. "What were you thinking?"
"I didn't know…you were gonna call…" He hardly can form a clear, continuous sentence because he is growing tired. "…paperwork…all day…well…'cept for the…" He abruptly stops because he feels a wave of nausea.
Shaking his head, he checks the safety on Tony's weapon, just in case, then pulls out his cell phone to phone McGee. While giving an order to McGee, he rounds the car and deposits Tony's weapon inside his glove compartment.
"Wouldn't…do that if I were…" His cheeks fill with air as he feels his stomach twisting more tightly. "I think I'm gonna--"
Gibbs catches Tony who is heavily leaning against his car. "How much did you have to drink, DiNozzo?" His voice sharp, but calm now.
"Not that…much."
"What the hell's with you, then?" His eyebrows knit as he notices Tony is beginning to sweat. "Where'd you go?"
"…bar downtown…" Tony hears rushing feet against the pavement, "McGee knows."
"McGee--" Gibbs pauses as he shifts Tony's weight more onto the car. Turning around he sees McGee arrive as if on cue. "Where's the bar Tony goes to?"
"…don't know the name…" His eyes grow large as he hears a low Gibbs growl. "…as I should…but I can take you there!" He finishes with a confirmed smile.
Gibbs shakes his head at McGee's unusual carelessness. "Go home--take him with you."
"What's wrong with you, Tony?"
"I'm sick." Tony now pouts.
"He's drunk." Gibbs stops himself from rolling his eyes.
"Can't I take him home, then? And come right back?"
"No--McGee. Take him to your place and stay with him."
"Why?"
"BECAUSE I SAID SO!" He barks.
McGee feels a rush of anger ignite somewhere inside of him, but his common sense tells him to keep his cool.
"We're taking your car." He states more to Tony than to Gibbs.
"You're not driving my car, McGee."
"Yes--I am."
Within seconds Tony is settled as best as he can be inside the passenger seat of his own car. As McGee fixes the driver's seat slightly, he peers out the window and in the direction of Gibbs greeting the now arriving Agent Huntington.
"Huntington's gonna so get on his good side…" He hears Tony's raspy voice from his side. "…she's gonna totally swoop down and pin her mark on him…on this team."
McGee knows Tony is rambling on with nothing, but drunken nonsense.
"There's no room for her, Tony." He looks to his lap quickly as he realizes how cold his words are.
"…sounds like the same thing we all said about Ziva after Kate was mur…died." Tony cringes; even drunk he feels the pain still. "…don't you think?"
"I think…you ought to shut your mouth, Tony."
"…you sound…angry…" Tony pauses for a few minutes. "…we gonna get moving…any time soon?"
Staring out he window, McGee thinks about Abby. "I didn't know Abby was dating someone."
"Neither did I."
"…Suppose this is a repeat of what's already happened with her other ex?"
"I'd like to think Abby learned her lesson."
"Gibbs didn't know, either." Tony hears the change of tone in McGee's voice. "…he didn't approve of it either when she told him."
"Oh, well…" Tony cracks his neck. "…not much that Gibbs can do now…" He shrugs. "…that ship has already set sail."
"He better not hurt her…" McGee's eyes narrow as he starts the engine. "…whoever he is."
"If he does, Gibbs'll sink that ship."
McGee does not take kindly to giving Gibbs the entire credit when it comes to protecting Abby, but he does not know how to correct Tony.
"I better get you on my couch."
"Whatever gets the job done, Probie." Tony's words are slurred and sleepy-like.
With a final look, McGee looks out his window. The bitterness is dueling with his good heart--and he too begins to grow tired.