S2 E9 AU Forced Entry - Another episode I don't like very much. I might write something different at another time.

AU stories for NCIS episodes. Each is independent from all the others since this is based on the possibility of parallel universes and multiple timelines…. many, many of them. Later on some may seem to follow something that happened in an earlier AU episode story but it's probably coincidence unless I say otherwise in the beginning. Again, these are AU scenes/stories which means a character may die in one story and be alive in the next one. Or it might be a missing scene.

This is a short alternate universe story/scene for season 2, episode 9, Forced Entry

The original episode aired on December 7, 2004.
Rating: K+
Category: general
Warnings: Can't think of any
Disclaimer: Borrowing characters. Just borrowing. No profit.
And finally, all mistakes are mine.

The automatic doors to autopsy opened and Ducky walked through, turning on the lights. His eyes adjusted to the brightness right away and he headed for the desk. The last case had been too weird even for him and he was hoping for a quiet day or a quiet few days. He heard the elevator and looked up just as Gibbs came in.

"I didn't expect to see you, Jethro. Is everything all right?"

Gibbs tiredly replied, "Yeah, I just came to talk for a minute."

"I will get us some tea," Ducky cheerfully told him.

A few minutes later Gibbs confessed to Ducky about his prejudice and preconceived notions about Laura Rowans. With her husband deployed she was online in The Secret Scarlet website sharing sexual fantasies with strangers. That was not cheating on her husband in the traditional sense, but to Gibbs it was still a form of cheating and it made him mad. And it confused him.

"I let my feelings about her doing that influence the case, Ducky. She was guilty and we just had to find the evidence. If not for the DNA match to the other cases and the video of Grotinski being killed, Laura Rowans would be in jail charged with murder. And she didn't do anything wrong. Not really."

"You have personal experience with a cheating spouse, Jethro, and it's left you with bad memories. In many cases you've seen the results of cheating spouses and they aren't always the one that's left at home. Plenty of service members have been unfaithful and we have both seen the results. Murder, assault, domestic violence, custody battles. It's never pretty."

Gibbs sighed. "I expect my team to not get personally involved. Rule #10. I preach about not letting personal feelings influence them and then I go and do it. When I think of what could have happened."

"But it didn't happen. Laura Rowans is fine. Yes, she was detained and held for a while but she's home now and fine. And perhaps she'll think twice about going to internet sites like that."

"I sure thought it was her," Tony announced to Kate as he worked on his report.

"The pieces linking her to Jeremy Davison and Grotinski were there," she replied.

Tim joined in. "You know what's surprising? Gibbs' gut is usually more reliable. I didn't think Laura Rowans was guilty and even after the eyeballs were found I was still giving her the benefit of the doubt. Gibbs really went after her."

Tony responded, "She could have been guilty, McGee. But you're right, Gibbs didn't give her any benefit of the doubt from the very beginning after it looked like she cheated on her husband."

Kate added, "He had her cheating. He had her setting everything up. He had her slitting Grotinski's throat. He didn't believe a word she said until it was proven she hadn't sent the emails. Even with that, he had no problem believing her guilty of everything else."

Tim guessed, "Maybe Gibbs has personal experience?"

"Where is the boss, anyway?"

End

Thanks for reading.