Chapter 2
"DiNozzo!"
"Yeah Boss?"
"What'd you get from Melissa Johnson? Other than her phone number?" Tony blushed. They were back in the bullpen, doing background checks on the three people involved in their case.
"Well…uh," he stammered, trying to ignore the looks that his teammates were giving him. Gibbs added his stare and Tony managed to pull himself together.
"She thinks that her mother, Mrs. Johnson, killed the Lieutenant to hurt her. She was, uh, disowned by her mom after she, uh graduated high school," he looked down at his feet, not wanting to meet Gibbs' eyes, lest Gibbs make the connection between Melissa's past and his own.
"Right," Gibbs didn't pry, knowing that Tony's past had been hard, "What about Carrie Johnson?"
"She's got a record of violence, bar fights, etc," Ziva reported in a slightly bored voice, "She seems capable of murder." Gibbs cast her a look, "I mean she is…probably," she tried to amend. McGee saved her by reporting what he'd found.
"Lieutenant John Johnson, honorable discharge a couple years back, completely clean. I mean not so much as a parking ticket. I can't find any reason that someone would want to kill him."
"Keep working." Gibbs left the room, heading for Abby's lab.
Abby's music was louder than usual. Maybe she's finally going deaf, Gibbs thought to himself. He yelled over it to her, asking if she'd turn it down, but she either ignored him, or didn't hear him. He turned it off himself.
"You finally going deaf Abs?" he joked, but the sounds of heavy machinery from outside the window nearly drowned him out. The city was working on the sidewalk there.
"What?" she yelled back.
"Sorry, construction," she signed, while thinking ‘Thank God for ASL.'
"What've you got?" he asked, taking her lead and continuing their conversation in sign language.
"Not much," she signed quickly, "Duck found some prints on the dead guy's neck. I'm running them now."
"Think they're the wives?" he signed.
"Maybe, but it'll go faster if I just have hers to compare them to."
"I'll send someone over for them," Gibbs signed back. He turned to leave, but she tapped him on the shoulder.
"Aren't you forgetting something?" she signed.
"Good work," he answered out loud, handing her the Caff-Pow he had forgotten he was holding.
"Thanks," she told him, before spinning around, back to her computer and continuing to work.
"DiNozzo, David, go get Carrie Johnson's prints for Abby," Gibbs ordered once he was back upstairs. Ziva said nothing as she grabbed her gun and jacket, but Tony had been distracted. He was still sitting at his desk, staring at the number Melissa had given him. He was lost in a daydream about her. He truly felt that he was actually in love with this one.
"Don't make me say it again, DiNozzo," Gibbs growled and Tony looked up surprised. He glanced quickly around the room for hints as to what his boss had asked him to do. He caught sight of Ziva, standing just behind Gibbs, gesturing towards the elevator.
"Right," he said, "Sorry Boss." He jumped to his feet, grabbing his coat and his gun. Gibbs rolled his eyes and shook his head disbelievingly, before turning around and smacking Ziva upside the head.
"Hey!" She said innocently, "What was that for?"
"Helping him," Gibbs replied. Ziva sighed and the moment he was in reach, smacked Tony upside the head.
"Hey," he yelped, then echoing her own question, "What was that for?" Ziva grinned.
"Getting me in trouble," she replied smirking.
Author's Chapter Notes:
Abby's lab is loud, due to construction, and Tony is still distracted by Melissa.