MONDAY--Part I
"Have a nice weekend?" Gibbs asked, after Tony had sat down and powered up his computer.
"Yeah." Tony paused. "Actually, I did. I really did." Tony said returning his attention to the file he had lying open in front of him. He then felt Gibbs' eyes still on him and looked up.
"What happened?" Gibbs asked.
"I'm not sure what you mean, Boss." Tony replied, confused.
"You were not acting like well...you, last week."
"I know...I...." Tony nodded.
The elevator dinged and Tim and Ziva walked through the open doors together, headed for the bullpen.
Tony's mood and demeanor immediately changed and he turned his full attention to the file on his desk. Gibbs thought he saw something dark in Tony's eyes but dismissed it. He turned and went to his own desk and sat down.
Tim and Ziva both greeted Tony.
"Agent McGee, Agent David." Tony said by way of greeting.
"Uh, oh." McGee said, smiling. "Tony got rejected by another college girl."
Ziva nodded and laughed. "Yeah, poor Tony." She said with mock sympathy.
Tony opened his mouth to speak but snapped it shut.
"Uww. No snappy comeback. Seems he's lost his touch in more ways than one." McGee said, teasing with an edge.
Tony glared at both Tim and Ziva, but got up and left the bullpen instead of responding.
"What is wrong with him?" Ziva asked, looking to Gibbs.
Gibbs wore he annoyed look, as usual. "I don't know. I was about to find out before you two showed up."
The interaction he had just witnessed confirmed to Gibbs that there was indeed something wrong. It also told him that Tim and Ziva were involved in some way he didn't understand. Gibbs left his desk and set off to find Tony.
"Tony, " Gibbs said, rounding the corner and seeing Tony in his accustomed hiding place. It was a back hall on the third floor around the corner from the stairs that went to the fourth floor. It wasn't exactly secluded as all the space was open space. But it was a corridor that was lightly travelled, even on a busy day. It was the place Tony went when things were bothering him. "...we never finished our discussion. You were about to tell me something."
"Not now." Tony said, begging off the conversation.
"What were you going to tell me?" Gibbs asked, in a slightly demanding tone.
"Not NOW." Tony repeated.
"Tony?!" Gibbs said, getting annoyed.
"Not here!" Tony insisted, looking around, as if he expected someone to come around the corner any moment.
"Tony, something is going on," Gibbs said, losing patience. "...either you tell me or I go talk to them." Gibbs said, indicating Tim and Ziva.
"They don't know."
"They did something they don't know they did."
Tony sighed. "They know they did it. They just don't know it bothered me."
"NOT in the mood for riddles, DiNozzo." Gibbs countered. "My threat still stands."
Gibbs phone ring and he snatched it up. He listened for a moment and then hung up. "Lucky for you, we got a call." Gibbs said, waving his phone at Tony. "We WILL talk about this later."
Tony nodded, relieved for the interruption and the opportunity to get his mind off what was bothering him. His mood persisted, however, Tony didn't make his usual comments at the crime scene and the ride over had been very quiet.
"What is pestering you?" Ziva asked Tony, circling the body of former Sgt. Laurie Walters, taking pictures.
"It's bothering, what's bothering me, and it's nothing I want to talk to you about." Tony said, kneeling beside the body collecting specimens.
"You are angry with me, yes?" Ziva asked.
"Very observant of you, Zee-va." Tony said snidely.
"Man, he's really pissed about not getting laid." McGee commented, grinning.
Tony stood and wheeled around to face Tim, who was also gathering evidence. Tony's anger was carefully controlled. "What I am or am not is none of your concern." Tony said seething. "The best thing you can do for yourself right now is to shut the hell up."
Tim was shocked. He had never seen Tony that angry before. Tim started to speak but thought better of it and closed his mouth.
"DiNozzo!" Gibbs said, witnessing this latest interaction.
"Yes, Boss." Tony said turning and walking over to Gibbs.
"What the hell was that?" Gibbs asked.
Tony shook his head.
"This is more than some minor disagreement between the three of you." Gibbs stated. "If this is personal, solve it. If it's not...."
"It's not." Tony replied.
"It's not personal?" Gibbs asked.
Gibbs paused and then swore under his breath as his phone rang. The Director had a bug up his butt about something and had decided to call Gibbs about it. He turned away from Tony and continued his conversation with the director. Tony went back to collecting evidence.
The rest of the day passed quickly. Gibbs was up in MTAC and Tony, Tim and Ziva spent the day trying to solve the case, running down leads.
Author's Chapter Notes:
Back to work at NCIS.