Something blue (part 2/?)
read it in AO3 if you prefer
*this is a tiva fic. Please read chapter 1 first.
"Goooood morning!" Ellie exclaimed excitedly as she entered the bullpen, putting her backpack on the ground.
McGee was in his desk, concentrated on something on his computer, eyes unblinking, completely ignoring the world around him.
"Hey, McGee, goooood morning!"
There was no reaction, but Ellie noticed that some beads of sweat now covered his forehead.
"Goooood- hey what's wrong with him?" asked Nick, arriving at the bullpen, casting a puzzled look to Bishop who was still next to her desk studying the other agent.
"Don't know yet, he was already like that when I got here."
Nick and Ellie hovered around McGee, cornering him until they're standing on each side of his computer, but just as they tried to look at his screen, he was faster and closed it.
"Hey, guys, good morning."
"Okaaaaay. Weird," stated Ellie.
"Are you hacking this time of the morning, bro?" asked Torres, eyes squinting in distrust, "you alright?"
"Yeah, yeah I'm just-"
"Petty officer Grove isn't," declared Gibbs loudly, entering the bullpen as usual, in a rush, "grab your gear, we're going sailing."
"Sailing?" asked Torres, eyes wide "as in bluewater, sunset, a drink in my hand-sailing?"
"I think he means we're going to a ship," Ellie patted his shoulder in consideration, "maybe later, Gatsby."
"The man makes sailing boats all the time..."
McGee's eyes turned unfocused again and he stood silently, eyebrows furrowed in clear concern as he grabbed his backpack mechanically.
"Hey, man, you alright?" asked Nick again, eyeing McGee curiously.
"Yeah, yeah, I am. I just... Yes. I am," said Tim, walking towards the elevator without looking back.
Nick and Ellie exchanged a meaningful look as they entered the elevator, a clear connection between the two, who now shared the same thought.
McGee wasn't, in fact, alright.
°°°
"Oh, man, this isn't EVEN close to what I imagined it would be," said Nick loudly, trying to beat the sound of the waves and the wild sirens of the ship, "and I'm starting to feel a little bit sick."
"You might try to get used to it, we are in the middle of nowhere," Ellie smiled at him from where she stood on the main deck, the wind aggressively tousling her hair, "besides, something tells me we're going to stay here for a while."
"Why don't we do something different for once? Like, have a case that leads to Hawaii or some deserted beach?"
"Quit dreaming, Torres," said Gibbs as the team entered the accommodations, leaving the sirens and wind behind, "Palmer should be here already, find him."
Nick nodded looking a bit pale, and he left to search for the medical examiner.
Ellie eyed McGee with distrust, he hadn't spoken a word during the whole trip to the naval base. His forehead was furrowed and his eyes were darting everywhere, as if his thoughts were more important than the actual reality.
"Body is down in the control room," Nick popped his head by the door, sweat coating his skin, "oof, remind me to never again set foot on a ship."
"Will do," answered Ellie, patting his shoulder as they descended the stairs to the control room.
Palmer was squatting next to the petty officer's body, who was laying on the ground almost as if he was only sleeping, arms placed on top of his abdomen, hands together.
"He was shot once in the head, entry and exit wounds present, probably 0.38 caliber bullet. He was young, around 25, but it was a quick death, at least," Jimmy sighed, "as my grandmother used to say, never forget to seas the day."
Palmer barked a laugh but as soon as he looked up to the team and saw that no one was laughing with him, his face became serious again as he muttered his apologies under his breath.
McGee arrived at the scene with a camera around his neck, the back of his hand wiping his forehead, clearly uncomfortable.
"MCGEE!," exclaimed Jimmy, standing up in a second, "I need to talk to you."
"Not now, Jimmy, we'll talk later."
"But we have to-"
"Yeah, I know. I'm doing it. Just... Just let me think for a second."
Ellie's eyebrows shot up and she glanced at Nick with wide eyes, who sent her a knowing look in return. As McGee started to take the photographs of the scene, bending down to the ground, deep in his thoughts, Bishop and Torres got closer to Palmer.
"Hey, man," said Torres quietly, grabbing Jimmy's arm and pulling him to a corner, "is everything alright? He has a crazy look in his eyes."
Ellie got closer, crossing her arms, "do you know something that you're not telling us, Jimmy?"
Jimmy huffed an uncomfortable laugh, "Uh... I don't know if I can tell you, guys, it's just-"
"Let him be," a grave voice startled them from behind, "this time it's actually important."
Gibbs angled his chin to Nick, "Torres, with me, ask about witnesses. Bishop," he pointed to a video camera on a corner of the ceiling, "get that."
Nick's eyes shot to Ellie, the white of them visible as he motioned between them with his index finger, "only WE don't know what's going on, blondie."
"Hmmm," muttered Bishop, putting her hands on her hips as Gibbs and Torres left the scene to ask about the dead petty officer to the others on board.
She looked around, eyeing Palmer and McGee with suspicion, trying to discover any clue of what was going on, but they were both engrossed in their jobs.
"I will find out," she stated to whoever was listening, leaving the scene confidently, her boots stomping on the stairs.
She didn't notice that Jimmy's lips opened in a small grin.
°°°
"Dancing queen... Young and sweet..."
Jack Sloane was singing in the bathroom stall softly, whistling along with the melody of the song.
She opened up the door and almost fell to the ground.
"Oh, my God, Ellie," she declared, raising a hand to press at her chest in surprise, "you scared the hell out of me. What are you doing here like that?"
Ellie was leaning her back at the bathroom counter, arms crossed and face grave, "what do you know?"
"What do I know about what...?"
Bishop gave two knocks on the door rhythmically and Nick appeared, locking the bathroom door behind him.
"Does she know something?"
"Nick, this is the women's bathroom."
"Yeah, I know."
"And what are you doing here, then?"
"We're interrogating you."
"Interrogating me?" Jack huffed a laugh, "what did I do?"
"What you didn't do, to be exact," said Bishop with distrust, "do you know something about what's going on with Jimmy and McGee?"
"With... Jimmy and McGee? And why-"
"Don't try to cover them up, it's been days since they have these lunatic eyes and secretive conversations," complimented Torres.
"But why-"
"Does it have something to do with you-know-who?" asked Ellie, getting closer to Sloane with her arms crossed, followed by Nick doing the same on her other side.
"You-know-who as in...?"
"T and Z, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, the hawk and the eagle, the shotgun and the dagger, ya know."
"Codenames? In the women's bathroom, seriously?"
Ellie looked at Torres and nodded in agreement.
"Yep," said both at the same time.
"It's been a few weeks since she left and we didn't get any news from anyone. Then McGee appears one morning looking like he's just been shot and Palmer is the same, not being able to form complete sentences. So... It's about someone they both knew."
"Them," stated Bishop, nodding to what Nick was saying, "and Gibbs knows as well. So... You know."
"Hey, guys, hold on," asks Jack, hands opened in front of her as an attempt of defending herself, "why do you think I know only because Gibbs knows?"
"Well, because-"
"That's not the point," interrupted Ellie, clearly impatient, "the point is: what is it?"
"Well, you should ask them," said Jack, eyes narrowing, "so excuse me, because I have no idea what you're talking about."
She washed her hands and fled the bathroom, leaving Nick and Ellie frustrated and confused.
"Do you think she's telling the truth?"
"I don't know, she’s hiding something."
°°°
Once they arrived at the bullpen, McGee was furiously writing on something. He then threw away the paper with a concerned face and started over again. The floor near his desk was already mostly covered in paper balls.
"Okay, MCGEE," called Ellie loudly, putting both her hands on his desk with loud 'thump', "What. Is. Going. On?"
Tim looked at her with wide eyes, as if it was the first time he noticed he was actually in the bullpen and not in his room in front of his typewriter. He looked at Torres, behind her, arms crossed and face puzzled. He looked at Gibbs leaving the scene with a smirk, coffee in hand.
"Okay, okay," he said, standing up, his hands opened in front of him in defense, "I wasn't supposed to tell you yet, but I think they've already sent them."
Ellie cast a questioning look to Torres, who appeared just as confused as she was, "sent what?"
"What's this?"
Kasie raised a light grey envelope in the air, eyes darting from McGee to Torres to Bishop. Ellie looked at Nick and raced to get it from Kasie's hand, but he was faster than her and grabbed it first.
"Okay," Nick said panting, "what's this?" he repeated, turning the envelope in his hands.
Ellie looked across his shoulder, Nick’s arms blocking her way to the envelope, "open. It. Nick." she asked.
It was wrapped in a bronze ribbon, with an olive branch placed behind a golden wax seal. It read "T and Z" in beautiful, cursive golden writing. It was lovely.
"No no no no, let me open it," said Ellie once she saw what it was, "or you'll damage it."
"I think you both got one," said Kasie, raising another envelope from Ellie's desk.
She raced to it, grabbing the envelope with a force but then carefully unwrapping the ribbon, opening it gently.
"Save the date," she breathed out.
Ellie held Kasie's hands and started jumping up and down in some sort of dance, a big smile on her lips "they're getting married! We'll have a wedding! They're getting married!" she started to chant.
We do.
(yes, finally, we know)
You’re important to us, so save the date!
- Tony and Ziva
McGee couldn't help but smile at the scene. His two best friends were finally getting together and starting a new life next to each other, and their daughter. For him, it was almost surreal. After years of bickering, boyfriends deaths, undercover operations, all finally ended well. His heart warmed with the thought.
"Yes, we have a wedding," he said to the group, "and I'll have to write the best man's speech, just as Palmer will have to make a toast as... Let's just say the man of honor. That's why we were so jittery the past few days. I have to get this right, they're both very important to me."
"Oh, McGee," said Ellie, patting his hand in reassurance, "you'll prepare a brilliant speech, I'm certain of it."
"Besides, we're all be there by your side to laugh at all your jokes," said Kasie with a smile.
"You're going too, Kasie?" asked Ellie.
"Oh, yeah, I think even George the janitor is going. I just didn't get the invite yet."
Just as she said that, Gibbs appeared in a rush, coffee on one hand and a light gray envelope wrapped in a ribbon on the other, which he softly gave to Kasie without saying a word.
"Guys," said Nick alarmingly, eyes wide while reading the invitation, "GUYS. GUYS. GUYS. OH MAN, THIS IS GOING TO BE SWEEEEEET."
"What? What did we miss? What's going on?" asked Ellie.
Gibbs was smirking in his desk, but silent. McGee had an amused look in his eyes but also didn't answer. Bishop ran to Nick and tried to seize what was in his hands to have a look but he was faster.
"This wedding isn't in DC," said Nick as he started to do a sequence of reggaeton moves, "MY MAN IS GOING ON VACATION!"
Everyone started to cheer and laugh loudly, as a family does.
In the back of the paper, a little message was placed at its center, a branch of olive leaves on each side of the elegant handwriting.
Grab your gear,
We are waiting for you in Greece.
- lots of love, T and Z.
P.S.: If any of you start to sing Mamma Mia like I'm listening to FOR DAYS from my two ladies, I WILL go mad.
P.S.S.: But if you have the urge to, do it. This will be a great party.
- T.
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