Chapter 3
“Hi Boss. How's.....” Before McGee could finish his greeting, Gibbs was already making his way up the steps towards the director's office, completely ignoring him. “.....Tony?”
With a face that McGee had come to recognize as the one Gibbs wore when you didn't want to get in his way, he knew better than to try to even question why he might be in such a foul mood. In fact, it was the kind of mood he had been in all week since Tony was injured and Tim had been on the receiving end of too many headslaps to count since then.
McGee had just hoped that now that the doctors had decided to allow Tony to come out of the coma, that Gibbs might begin to relax a little, maybe even get some much needed sleep. The young agent wasn't even sure if his boss had gotten more than just a couple of cat naps in the last few days and the exhaustion was showing, even with the tremendous amount of caffeine the older man constantly took in, there was only so much even the mighty Gibbs could endure. But it wasn't as if McGee would just walk up to his boss and tell him that though; he did have some survival instincts.
As his boss disappeared into the Director's office, McGee turned his attention to Ziva, who had been watching the senior agent as he charged past the two of them as well.
The strain of the last few days was evident on her face too as her gaze lingered on the now closed door to the director's office. McGee could see that she was wondering what Gibbs was seeing Vance about as much as he was, but when her gaze finally fell on him, they exchanged a silent shrug and knew that Gibbs would let them know what was going on if they needed to know, otherwise there wasn't much else they could do except speculate.
Still holding her attention for the moment, McGee got up and crossed the room to her desk.
“Hey, Abby and I are going to see Tony at lunch, you want to ride with us?” He asked and Ziva looked away, turning to her computer, avoiding eye contact.
“Uh...I have to finish my report on the McGraw case.” She hesitantly answered. McGee knew that Ziva had yet to see Tony at the hospital and he wondered why she was avoiding seeing him.
“C'mon. Tony'll want to see you.”
“I will see him, just....later. He probably does not need so many visitors at once.”
“Oh alright,” McGee nodded. “but the offer stands if you change your mind.”
“Thanks.” She glanced up with a small, forced smile.
McGee began to move back to his desk wondering why Ziva seemed so reluctant to visit Tony and when he thought about it, he couldn't recall if Ziva had even been to the hospital to see him yet. He knew she was concerned, for she was constantly asking for information about Tony from Abby, Gibbs, Ducky or himself. However, it was almost as if Ziva was afraid to see Tony. But that couldn't be it. Ziva wasn't afraid of anything. Was she?
Still pondering the situation, McGee barely heard the ping of the elevator as a sharp-dressed, dark-haired and dark-eyed, young man stepped off. McGee finally took notice when the man approached him and entered the bullpen as though looking for someone.
“Can I help you?” McGee asked. Ziva took notice as well and looked up to watch the exchange.
“Yes....I am looking for special agent Gibbs, I was told he worked on this office.... is he here?”
“He's in a meeting right at the moment, but I work with agent Gibbs. Is there anything I can do for you?”
“Ah...well then, perhaps I should introduce myself.” The young man put the briefcase he was carrying down and held out his hand to McGee. “My name is Special Agent Aaron Foster.” McGee shook his hand.
“Special Agent McGee.” Tim introduced himself then pointed to Ziva “And this is Officer Ziva David.”
Ziva stood and shook the new arrival's hand and smiled genially.
“It's nice to meet both of you.” Foster smiled. “I'm looking forward to working with you and....”
“Working with us? Is there a case we should know about?” Ziva asked, putting her hands on her hips. The new agent gave her a confused look.
“What? Oh, No I...I don't think so. I've been assigned here T.A.D....”
“T.A.D.?” Ziva's eyes narrowed.
“As in it's only temporary, Ziva.” Gibbs' voice announced as he came down the stairs, interrupting them, his eyes on the new agent appraisingly.
“Oh...You must be agent Gibbs. I'm.....”
“I know who you are.” Gibbs ignored Foster's outstretched hand.
“Okay.” Foster dropped his hand, his smile fading. “Well, sir. What would you like me to do?”
“For starters, don't call me sir.” Without another word of explanation, The silver-haired man shouldered past Foster and headed for the elevator.
The new agent looked to Ziva and McGee for help.
“I'd follow him if I were you.” McGee offered then watched as the light bulb went off in Foster's head and he quickly turned and made it to the elevator just before the doors closed and he disappeared into the cab with Gibbs.
“What do you think this is all about?” McGee asked Ziva.
“I do not know, but I do not like it.”
“I don't either.” He agreed.
OOOOOOOOOO
As the doors slid closed, Gibbs allowed the elevator to descend a floor before he flicked the emergency stop button, startling the young agent beside him who had yet to become familiar with Gibbs' 'conferences'.
He opened the file in his hand before addressing the young man.
“Special Agent Aaron Foster” He read. “Army West Point grad, Summa Cum Laude. Served six years as an intelligence officer including two tours in Iraq with the 4th Infantry Division. Even had your own company on the second tour. But, it looks like you decided to leave the Army when your obligation to the academy was up. Didn't like the Army much, Foster?”
“Yes, si- I mean, no...Agent Gibbs, but it was never my intention to make the Army a career. My family is anything but rich and West Point paid for my college education. However, what I've always wanted to do was be in law enforcement and become federal agent.”
Gibbs snapped the file shut.
“Really? Then why NCIS? Why not the FBI or another federal agency?”
“Honestly, I still wanted to work with the military, but civilians don't investigate crimes with the Army CID, they only work in a support capacity, which isn't for me. Truthfully, I enjoyed my time in the Army, but this is what I'd rather be doing.”
Gibbs examined the other man's response, he still wasn't sure what to make of him yet, his gut remaining uncharacteristically silent on this one.
“It seems that Director Vance is impressed with your record and I have to admit, it looks good on paper. But you hardly have any field experience. You may have graduated at the head of your class at West Point and at FLETC, but none of that matters from here on out. On my team you start at the bottom and that's where you will stay until my senior field agent returns. In the mean time, you will do everything that you are told, not just by me, but by Agent McGee and Officer David as well or you'll be finding yourself shipped off to the nearest team so fast, it'll make your head spin. You got it?
“Yes, Agent Gibbs.” Gibbs only nodded and Foster met the older agent's eyes. The kid at least had the guts to do that, most of the probie's he ever had to work with had trouble doing that their first few days with the exception of Tony, of course...and Kate. While Kate had been gone for some time and he had fully accepted Ziva onto his team after that, he found it difficult to think that there was any chance in hell that he ever going to think of this guy as Tony's replacement. He would just have to put up with him for the time being.
Flicking the switch to the emergency stop button again, the lights in the elevator flashed back on and Gibbs pressed the up button to return the elevator to the bullpen.
“Go find a place to sit and stay out of the way for now.” Gibbs ordered the new agent as they stepped off the elevator. Of course, Foster headed for Tony's desk as it was the nearest unoccupied seat next to the elevator. Gibbs stopped him short with a clip to the back of the head.
“Not that one.” Gibbs' eyes bored into Foster's wide eye reaction to being physically assaulted . “You haven't earned that seat. You can go down there.” He pointed to the desk behind McGee's and Foster walked back down there and took a seat, giving McGee a little grin in greeting as he sat.
"Is he always like this?" Foster asked McGee.
"No, he's usually meaner." He informed him flatly.
“Go to Lunch.” Gibbs called out as he settled into his seat. McGee and got up and began putting on his coat and Foster got up as well, heading to the elevator.
“Not you, Foster.” Gibbs stopped him, causing McGee to stop and watch as Gibbs grabbed a stack of files and plopped them into the newest agent's hands.
“You just got here. Go file.” he ordered.
“Right." Foster responded, looking at the stack, a little put out by the menial task. "I guess I better get to it, Agent Gibbs.”
“It's not all action all of the time, Foster. Get used to it.” Gibbs deadpanned and the younger man nodded and walked off to complete his assignment.
“You coming, Ziva?” Gibbs watched McGee ask as he came up to her desk on his way to the elevator.
“Uh...No, you and Abby go on ahead.... I need to finish this.” She pointed to her monitor and the report she had been typing.
“Alright, I'll tell Tony you said 'hi'.” McGee responded with a hint of disappointment.
“That would be nice. Thank-you, McGee.”
McGee headed to the elevator and Gibbs turned to Ziva, who was now staring out the window, lost in thought, doing anything but focusing on her report and he knew something had to be wrong.
“You should go with McGee, Ziva.” Gibbs began, speaking as he reviewed files in front of him, not wanting to appear too concerned about her reluctance to visit Tony lest he make her feel as though she was doing something horrible by not wanting to see Tony in his current state. He understood. It was hard even for him to see such a vital and alive man be brought down by something so simple as gravity. But he knew too from experience that hiding from it, would only make things worse.
“He's not as broken as you may think.” He added and Ziva turned her head to Gibbs as if she just heard him and the two made eye contact. He was getting through.
“I will later.” She replied. “However, I wish to speak with him alone.”
Gibbs only nodded before turning back to his work. This he understood as well. Sometimes there were things that had to be said that you just couldn't say with an audience around.
OOOOOOOOOO
As Tony woke up again, the pain wasn't as great as it was last time, but a quick press of the button for some meds was still in order. This time, he sensed that he wasn't alone as he heard the flipping of pages off to his side. He turned his head to the left towards the sound and smiled a bit at the sight and the fact that he could turn his head without being in agony.
“Ducky?” He greeted.
“Ah, Anthony.” The perky doctor replied with a pleasant smile. “It is good to see you awake. Gibbs wanted me to make sure you were not alone when you woke this time and I assured him that I would keep a close watch over you.”
“Thanks Ducky, but that's really not necessary-”
“Nonsense.” Ducky came back. “It is a pleasure, especially since there happens to be no cases that require my attention at this time and it allows me to catch up on my reading.” Ducky held up the magazine he had been studying before Tony woke up.
“Hmm, Human Forensic Psychology Journal.....Sounds....pretty boring.” Tony told him truthfully
“Some people actually buy magazines for the articles, Tony and not the pictures of half-naked women” A voice called from the door and Tony turned his head again and grinned.
“Probie!” Tony greeted McGee as a grin spread across his face and he began to stroll in. He never imagined he'd be so happy to see the younger man and he had to admit that he was missing his daily dose of picking on him or making him squirm.
"Let me at 'im, McGee!" Tony heard before Tim could enter the room completely and a pigtailed figure holding a large balloon bouquet shouldered past McGee, running up to the head of the bed. Balloons flying into the face of the hapless doctor beside him.
“Abbs!”
“Tony!” She squealed, going in for a hug.”It's so good to see you awake!”
“Gently-” He pleaded knowing how hard she could squeeze a person when she was excited.
“Right.” She embraced him lightly, laying her head onto his shoulder briefly then kissing his cheek.
“Abigail-.” Ducky called as the balloons tried to swallow him up. “Please...”
“Oh sorry, Ducky.” She removed the balloons from his face and tied them to the head of the bed instead.
“Thanks for the balloons, Abby.” Tony told her as he watched the colorful arrangement bounce against each other over his head. “Cool...Mighty Mouse and Sponge-Bob.”
“I thought you'd like those...ooh and look at this...” She pulled out one balloon and Tony's smile widened.
“Awww- Abbs...A Sean Connery as James Bond balloon, where'd you find one like that?”
“There's a shop on 5th street that custom designs anything you want on a balloon....isn't it great?” She beamed. “Oh!....I got you something else too.” She pulled out what Tony could only make out as two fuzzy black things from her hand bag.
“What are those?” He was almost too afraid to ask
She went to the foot of the bed and held them up, one in each hand.
“Socks, Silly.” She announced. As she began to slip them over his feet, she continued a lightening fast speech pattern that spoke of one too many Caf-Pows!
“I was telling Gibbs while you were asleep that you looked like your toes were cold. He said that you weren't feeling much of anything, but I could tell that you needed some nice warm and fuzzy socks. But those stuffy nurses in ICU wouldn't let me put anything on you and I had to wait until you woke up...But now you're awake, so I decorated these for you. They're wool- that way your little piggies will never be cold.”
Tony had to grin at the ridiculous pair of socks now adorning his lower appendages. They were all black save for the skull and crossbones sewn onto the top of each of them and they were about the thickest and furriest things he ever had on his feet. Very Abby. Plus he had to agree that his feet did feel a lot better now that they weren't out in the open air anymore.
“Thanks, Abbs....They're very....warm.” She bounced up and down and grinned, loving that he appreciated her gift.
There was only one thing missing from this little reunion.
“Where's Ziva and Gibbs?” Tony asked. Abby and Tim looked at each other.
“What?” Tony asked.
“Ziva um....uh...she had a lot of work to finish up....and Gibbs is... well, he was keeping an eye on.....nevermind.” He bumbled over his words and Tony could almost see the internal ass-kicking he was giving himself. He was saying more than he intended and that put Tony on edge.
“Nevermind?” Tony asked “What's that supposed to mean, McGoo?” Tim closed his eyes, Tony had the sinking feeling that there was something going on at work that he was not going to like.
“Come closer, Probie.” He ordered the younger man when he didn't get an answer and McGee reluctantly edged closer to the head of Tony's bed.
“Closer.” Tony demanded and McGee stepped nearer by a couple of feet, right next to Tony's head.
“Closer, McGoo” Tony beckoned with the finger still attached to the pulse ox-monitor and McGee leaned in, thinking that Tony had to whisper something into his ear. Instead Tony's free hand made contact with the back of Tim's head as hard as Tony could manage without causing him any additional pain. It may not have been very hard, but it was still effective in getting his teammate's attention.
“What's going on, McGee?” He demanded to know.
“Well, uh...we were gonna wait until you were feeling better...” He looked to Abby for help, but she only bit her lip.
“Just say it, already. Will ya?” McGee's mouth hung open for a moment as he decided what to do, finally he began to speak again.
“Vance has brought in another agent, Tony. But just temporarily....” Tim told him.
“Another agent? Why?”
“He's kind of your....replacement...of sorts...But just until you can go back to field work, of course.” McGee added quickly, but Tony saw the flicker of doubt that flashed across McGee's face and he saw also that he wasn't the only one. Abby too wouldn't meet his eyes and Ducky was uncharacteristically quiet. He knew right then that they weren't sure he was coming back.
Silence hung in the room like a shroud until Ducky ushered Abby and McGee out, offering to buy them some coffee and claiming that Tony needed his rest. But how was he supposed to rest knowing that someone else was going to be doing his job, a job he was beginning to suspect he might not be able to come back to anymore?
Alone in his room, his head a swirl of mixed emotions, he felt for the first time since he woke up a sense of things beyond his control and a small, nagging pang of fear creeped up from the back of his mind. What if this wasn't temporary? What good would he be to Gibbs if he didn't get back on the team? Where would he go if he couldn't go back? What would he do?
What if all he could do was deskwork?
That just wasn't an option. Not in Tony's book.
If he could only will his bones and his body to mend faster, he would. He'd do anything to make damn sure that he wouldn't be laying here helplessly on his backside for long. He had to get back, he'd accept no less; there was no way he was gonna let himself be replaced. No way.
TBC....
The T.A.D. by Angie
Chapter End Notes:
A/N: I just wanted to give a big thanks to Crokettsgirl who pointed out that it would most likely be McGee and not Ziva who would fill in as senior field agent while Tony was out, and I have to agree with that. So, I've changed that in the last chapter and from here on out it will be McGee that is #2. Alos this chapter begins just as Gibbs is walking in to his meeting with Vance, but from McGee and Ziva's perspective to begin with.