Chapter Two: Still Alive
Tony walked into work with a huge smile on his face, as he always did. Smile, laugh, smile. Everything was good, fine.
"What are you so happy about?" Kate Todd, his new partner asked him nonchalantly.
"Oh, nothing. I'm just happy," Tony told her.
"Hey! DiNozzo!"
"Not so happy anymore," Tony said in an undertone.
His boss, Leroy Jethro Gibbs, strode up to him. "DiNozzo, I thought I told you to place your report on my desk last night?"
"Well, I did...Well, I was going to...Well, I thought about it...Well...I forgot," Tony told him.
"Yeah, I noticed. I want that report on my desk by eight, DiNozzo. You got me?" Gibbs said adamantly, leaving no room for debate.
"Yeah," Tony said quickly, nodding his head. "Right away, boss."
"Good. Director wants me in MTAC. DiNozzo, you got point," Gibbs told him.
"Yeah, got it, boss," DiNozzo said unconcernedly.
"Why does he always get point?" Kate asked, slightly perturbed. "I think, in the time I've been here, I've already proven myself more mature, serious, adultlike."
Gibbs smiled inwardly. "So, you think you are superior to him?"
"A little," Kate honestly shrugged. "I mean, when I first met him, I was surprised he was allowed to be a cop."
"Hey!" Tony chirped.
Gibbs held up his hand to quiet Tony. "What can I say? He's my Senior Field Agent." Gibbs made to leave for MTAC. Tony smiled faintly at Kate, who, for her part, rolled her eyes. Gibbs looked back briefly and called, "You're not, by the way."
Kate looked up from her desk inquisitively. "What? I'm not what?"
"Superior to him. The two of you are equal," Gibbs explained at the elevator.
Kate bemusedly asked, "Then, why-?"
"DiNozzo has seniority, Agent Todd!" Gibbs said before he rode the next car down.
"I don't see why you can't just listen to me like a normal person?" Tony called, frustrated.
"Maybe because you're not a normal person," Kate quipped.
"Oh, ha ha ha!" Tony laughed sarcastically. "That's oh so funny, Kate! But, as you can see we have nothing and Gibbs is gonna be back any minute now."
"That true, DiNozzo?" Gibbs said, behind him.
"Boss, I would love to know how the hell you do that," Tony told him.
"That's interesting, DiNozzo. You found my killer yet?" Gibbs changed subjects with ease.
"Well, we...No, not at all," Tony answered sullenly.
"Why not?" Gibbs asked sternly.
"Because, I'm...not...as good a leader...as you are, boss," Tony said slowly, making it up on the spot.
"DiNozzo," Gibbs said with a facetious smile, "I want you to know that we got this case yesterday. Now right now, the two of you have gotten nowhere. So, I'm gonna tell you right now, if you don't get some sort of information soon, you're gonna be the next body on Ducky's table. Understand?"
"Yes, boss," Tony said, throwing a glare at Kate as the two ran back to their desks to find something, fast.
The case in question was a dead marine found in his home. The marine, Private Michael Taylor, was stabbed several times in his chest. He was placed on the family room couch in his home. TV on, he appeared to be watching television. That's how it appeared to his seven-year-old son, Noah, who had come to talk to his dad. The marine had fallen on one side when the boy had touched his arm.
"I'm going to see Ducky," Gibbs said, as he quickly stood up and headed for the elevator.
"You looking at his background, Tony?" Kate asked her partner.
"Yeah, from the time he was born. You can check his records; phone, finances, you know the drill," Tony offered from behind his computer screen.
"Yeah, okay," Kate said. After about twenty minutes, she looked up and quickly told Tony, "I'm sorry about before, Tony. You had point, I should've listened to you."
Tony shrugged and glanced up, untroubled. "Never apologize," he informed her, his way of letting her know he forgave her. "It's a sign of weakness."
