Chapter 2
Gibbs did not like what he was seeing, what had been happening within and to his team. And as he stood in his basement, working on his latest boat, his gut churned even more. Something was wrong. He had no idea what. He could get no answers from Tony, Ziva or Tim. But he knew it involved those three and he knew it had to have been very serious to explain Tony's request and his radical change in behavior.
Ordinarily Gibbs would have balked at Tony's request to be assigned cold cases. He hated them as much as his team did. He knew Tony had been dealing with a sinus infection, but he also knew it was not serious. He had got that particular piece of information directly from Ducky. Gibbs supposed what persuaded him was the hint. The ever so slight shade of fear, apprehension he detected in Tony's voice. Gibbs had only know Tony as fearless. His eager, fearless SFA. Gibbs needed to know the cause, the reason for that fear. And if it took taking time off active duty. If that was what Tony needed to get back to his old self. If that was what he needed to deal with this...fear. If that was, indeed, what it was. Then Gibbs was more than willing to take the time to give Tony what he needed.
Thinking back Gibbs had noticed something the very day Tony had come back from that one case. The neighborhood terrorism, homegrown terrorist case as he referred to it. It was weird, him coming back from MTAC and his whole team...missing. Then Tony immerged from the elevator. Tim and Ziva followed a few seconds behind him. Both looking, he had no other words besides, shell-shocked.
Gibbs had watched Tony enter the bullpen and take his seat. He then watched Tim walk past Tony's desk, toward his own, but giving Tony's desk a wide leeway, as if it had some sort of invisible force field around it. He did not look at Tony as he walked past. Ziva also scooted in behind her desk. She seemed to duck her head, not looking up at anyone as she began working at her computer. Had Tony delivered some minor scolding to Tim and Ziva? Tony was well within his rights to do so as SFA. Was that the reason for this behavior? Gibbs didn't think so. First of all, this didn't FEEL minor to him. Second, Tony rarely scolded anyone about anything.
Gibbs shook his head as he put down his sandpaper, drank up the last of the bourbon he had poured, and headed upstairs. "No, there is much, much more to this." Gibbs muttered to himself as he climbed the stairs. "What is it you're not telling me, DiNozzo?"
TBC
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