Hi everyone! You know, I should really stop promising I'll update by a certain day and then not. I'm really sorry! I started this chapter a while ago but never got around to finishing it, but today I decided enough was enough and I started writing! No, that's not really what happened. I did actually start it last week but I had to be pretty much persuaded to write. :P But here it is, finally finished and not exactly proof-read, so please excuse any major grammar errors. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: Its a good thing I don't own NCIS, or I'd keep putting off filming the episodes until it was Tuesday morning and I realized that in less than 12 hours, it would be on. Unless of course it was summer, then I could just sit back and watch as all of the NCIS fans got their hopes up for Tuesdays, only to be dashed when they realized it was June, not September.
Tony glanced back at Abby warily, wondering what she'd been frantically whispering to McGee since they'd gotten into the elevator four minutes ago. They should have reached the Squadroom three minutes and thirty seconds ago but for some reason, some one on every single level needed to go to there as well and was choosing to use the elevator that they were in. Tony was now crammed into a corner next to an exceptionally irritated Ziva and extremely jumpy Palmer, not a good match it seemed for Palmer kept making unrelated jokes and Ziva looked like she was just holding back from ripping his head off.
The elevator stopped once more at a floor that was definitely not Tony's and when the doors opened to reveal three Probies carting a smoking printer, he gave them a death glare so intense that they stepped back and stuttered about taking the stairs. The doors closed again and the agent felt them slowly traveling upward, at a pace that would put the slowest snail to shame. Letting out an exasperated sigh, Tony leaned his head back against the wall, just waiting for something to happen to make this experience even worse, like the elevator stopping or Palmer making another joke.
Ding! Tony practically jumped for joy when the elevator doors opened once more to reveal the Squadroom. Everyone inside the machine let out a sigh, as if they were holding their breath as they too waited for something awful to occur. When Tony was finally able to detach himself from the wall, he too slipped out of the elevator doors, heading straight for his desk, but not before he heard Abby whisper "Okay, Timmy. You know what to do!"
Leaning back in his desk chair and putting his feet up on his desk, Tony observed McGee practically run to his computer, followed by a smiling Abby. Sharing a knowing glance with Ziva, who had settled down at her desk with the book she'd been working on for the past two days, Tony wondered what Abby had McGee doing this , Abby disappeared up the staircase, a determined expression etched on her face. A moment later, she reappeared, sprinting down the stairs, one hand on the railing, the other on Cynthia Sumner's wrist.
"Abby?" Tony called, watching, amused, as she halted, the Director's assistant still in tow, in front of McGee's desk.
Tony was about to ask what was going on when the elevator dinged and Abby pointed towards the two people coming out of it, giving Cynthia a tiny shove towards the pair. Cynthia gave Abby a wary look before turning around and walking towards the elevator where Gibbs and Jenny were watching her with confused expressions.
"Um, Director Gibbs? Its a wonderful day and I was wondering if I could, um, suggest that you and Special Agent Gibbs could go get coffee and go for a walk or something?" She said, biting her bottom lip and giving Abby another worried glance.
"It's raining, how does that qualify as a beautiful day?" Gibbs asked, amused.
"Take an umbrella. I'm sure you'll be fine." Cynthia snapped, giving Gibbs a glare and confirming everyone's previous suspicions that she they hadn't quite gotten over their differences.
"Even though I'd love to do that Cynthia, first of all, this one refuses to let me have even a drop of actual coffee." She said, jerking her thumb at Gibbs. "And second, I have a briefing with SecNav in ten minutes."
"No problem! I'll just give him a call and post pone it for an hour. So, I guess that's that! Go on, enjoy yourselves, have fun, I'm sure the Agents here will be able to hold down the fort." She said, ignoring the amused looks the two were giving her and gesturing towards the elevator.
Jenny looked up at Gibbs, asking him his opinion with her eyes. He shrugged, always up for another cup of coffee and knowing that McGee would tell him if anything happened when he was gone. Cynthia smiled, backing up so that they could pass her on their way to the elevator. Once the elevator doors shut behind them, Abby gave McGee a thumbs up, giggling in anticipation. Jumping on top of Gibbs' desk, she whistled, waiting a moment for the room to grow silent before speaking.
"Okay! So, we're playing a very special home video today, so if you'd all like to gather around the plasma, that'd be great." She hopped off of the desk, skipping over to McGee and nodding to him once everyone in the Squadroom had condensed in the space between the four desk.
"And remember guys, no matter what, this video does not exist." She said seriously just as the video flashed up on the screen, showing her practically throwing Jenny into the elevator. "Enjoy!"
...
"So Jen," Gibbs began, picking his coffee off of the counter and joining his wife at a table by the window, where she was grudgingly sipping an ice-water. "I was thinking about what Abby said today. She's right, we need to at least start thinking about baby names."
"Please tell me that you're not about to say you're warming up to the name 'Café'." Jenny said. "Oh my gosh, is that Ryan!" She practically screeched, pointing behind Gibbs.
Gibbs whirled around, his eyes searching the coffee shop for any signs of the silver haired woman. When he saw none, he turned back around to see Jenny smiling angelically at him, sipping his coffee nonchalantly.
"Jenny." Gibbs said, the tone of his voice only slightly threatening.
"Mmmh-hhmmm?"
"Give me back my coffee." He replied, raising an eyebrow and intensifying his Gibbs Stare.
"What coffee?" She asked, staring back at him, her glare every bit as threatening as his.
"Jen." He just said, sighing but still not breaking eye contact.
"Do you really think that stare's going to work on me?" Jenny asked, laughing as she sipped the coffee again. "I'm practically immune to it after all of these years."
"Oh really?" He questioned, their eyes locked. Suddenly, his hand shot out and grabbed the cup from her, popping off the lid and looking inside as she slowly realized what had just happened. "You drank all of it?"
"I did? Huh, who would've thought." She answered, grinning. "So, what were you saying earlier? Oh yeah, baby names. So, any ideas?"
"I don't know... I was hoping you'd have thought of something." He replied, grimacing at her. Jenny just rolled her eyes, drinking a gulp of water.
"Nope. But we'd better think of at least one name by the time Abby brings it up again, which is probably going to be tomorrow, if not sooner."
"Yeah. Can we go back to NCIS now?" Gibbs asked, glancing back towards the building with a longing look in his eyes.
"Why, are you scared that under the strict supervision of Abby and Tony, the building's going to implode in about five seconds?" Jenny joked, standing up.
"Something like that." Gibbs responded, smiling although he was still worried that if he was away from the Squadroom for more than fifteen minutes, NCIS would actually blow up. "What was with Cynthia?" He asked once they were on their way back to the building.
"I don't know, I guess she just wanted us to take a break." Jenny suggested.
"She's been acting weird lately."
"Well that probably has nothing to do with the fact that every time you see her you glare at her." Jenny replied sarcastically.
"Hey, she started it first!" Gibbs argued, laughing, wondering what had really gotten into not just Cynthia, but everyone in his team, and why they were acting so strange all of a sudden.
...
Gibbs and Jenny entered the Squadroom to see everyone laughing, staring at the Plasma sitting in between DiNozzo and McGee's desks. All of the Senior Agents were sitting on desks, the Junior Agents were lounging in desk chairs, and the Probies covered the floors, holding bowls of popcorn and packs of skittles. Gibbs' eyes scanned the room as he stood frozen in place, completely taken by surprise that his agents seemed to be throwing some sort of movie party. His eyes landed on DiNozzo and Ziva, who were in the back on the Senior Field Agent's desk, laughing at something showing up on the screen. DiNozzo had to be behind this, there was no other alternative, no one else was so blinded by his love of movies that he'd organize a party in the middle of the Bullpen.
Jenny elbowed Gibbs, pointing towards the screen where the Team Leader hadn't even thought to look to see what movie DiNozzo was forcing everyone to watch. On the screen were two people sitting next to each other in an elevator, one with red hair and the other with either blonde or gray hair, Gibbs couldn't tell. Suddenly, his voice boomed across the room, making him jump, yanking out his gun.
His eyes flashed to the screen, from where the voice had just seemed to come out of. It had practically yelled "You really are hilarious, Jen." DiNozzo must have put the volume up all the way, probably aiming to make sure that everyone from here to Mexico could hear.
Abby smiled, her eyes scanning all of the chuckling people, looking for anyone who wasn't enjoying the feature presentation. Her eyes landed on a couple in the very back, one looking furious, his gun resting in his hand, and the other looking horrified. The smile fell from her face and her eyes widened as she realized who it was that was standing less than fifteen feet away from her.
"McGee! Cut it off!" She stabbed McGee with the pen lying on his desk, trying to stop his constant chortling at the film playing.
"Ow! Abby!" McGee whined, rubbing his arm.
"Timmy! Stop laughing and look!" She hissed, pointing across the Bullpen towards Gibbs and Jenny.
"Crap." McGee muttered, hopping off his desk and practically throwing a Probie out of his chair. A moment later, the Plasma went black, setting off a chorus of whines and groans from the people in the Squadroom.
"McBuzzkill! Why'd you turn it off?" Tony whined, pouting.
"Tony!" McGee snapped, nodding to something behind the agent. Tony turned around, his eyes widening as he realized who was standing not five feet away from him.
"Now we're screwed." Tony muttered.
"We're what?" Ziva asked, confused.
"Basically, Ziva, none of you are ever taking a break, or ever leaving your desks, again." The Team Leader replied, glaring at the four people in the room that would probably have preferred NCIS explode there and then than have to face the wrath of Gibbs.
Finished! Not with the story, just this chapter. So... I'll update on Thursday! No exceptions. But if for some reason I don't, I give you all permission to climb through your computer, or whatever you're reading this on, into my house where I will probably be unsuspectingly watching NCIS, and Gibbs slap me. Review! :D