"strange men who push girls on swings" by iniq
title: strange men who push girls on swings
author: iniq
rating: teen
warning: pre-slash
notes: this is a WIP right now (I think), so consider this a "part 1" of something larger that may never get written. =p
thanks to periwinkle, who is a fantastic beta ♥
written for the amnesty challenge: I chose the "what if" challenge for this one
summary/what if: Tony is a deaf ex-cop and not part of the team, Kelly is alive but still a kid, Gibbs is Gibbs, and they meet.
strange men who push girls on swings
Sundays in the Gibbs household were usually spent together - with Gibbs and his daughter doing something that both of them enjoyed. That Sunday, however, Gibbs had caught a case he needed to work from home. It had happened before and he had taught his daughter to respect his work and do something alone when he needed her to.
She was old enough and carried an emergency whistle and a cell phone, so he didn’t worry too much when he sent her to the recreational area across the street alone. After all, he could see it when he looked up from his desk and out the window. And, despite the ever growing hedges, the swing was still in his line of sight.
Kelly had, under his watchful eyes, grown up to be a responsible ten-year-old, if a little rambunctious at times. The early loss of her mother hadn't hampered her as much as Gibbs had feared it would. Shannon, his wife, had died very suddenly of cancer only two years after Kelly had been born and he still missed her. Kelly, having no memory of her mother, had learned to live with it well.
Gibbs worked hard, but never forgot who was waiting for him at home. He prided himself in knowing all about his little princess, from her favorite book to her invisible friend ‘Tony’.
Absentmindedly, he cast another look out the window and made sure it was Kelly's blinking Barbie shoes he was seeing swing regularly into sight. Sighing, he determined once more that he needed to talk to the grounds keeper that the hedges would have to be kept lower; only being able to see his girl's shoes made Gibbs edgy and nervous.
Done earlier than he had expected to be - which may or may not have been fueled by the urge to go over there and check on Kelly himself - Gibbs left his house that Sunday to spend the rest of the afternoon with his daughter in the park. From his door, he could almost hear Kelly's laughter already, and found her shoes swing higher and higher. He would have to talk to her about that - and maybe take her with him when he visited Don the next time. It couldn't hurt to show her the inside of a cockpit at an early age.
Despite being able to see her from the house, he hadn’t expected to find his laughing daughter swing through the air, pushed by a stranger. Gibbs narrowed his eyes and stalked over to them, angry. Whether he was angry at himself for trusting Kelly, angry at Kelly for trusting a stranger, or angry at the unfamiliar man for believing he could prey on Kelly, he wasn't sure of. He shouted Kelly’s name when he was in hearing range, but the man seemed oblivious to his rage.
Kelly turned and waved at him, still laughing. The man then turned to him and a black German Shepherd rose from where it was lying in the grass.
“Daddy!” Kelly yelled and the man slowed down the swing until she could hop off. The man immediately took a step back, having recognized the dangerous look in Gibbs eyes. The dog growled and straightened when it saw Gibbs’ aggressive pose. A 'he', Gibbs decided when he saw the dog's stance.
“Elisha, down!” the stranger said and the dog retreated to his owner to wait by foot, the dark eyes never leaving Gibbs.
“Kelly,” Gibbs spoke quietly, restraining his anger from being seen by his daughter. “Who is that,” he demanded to know, not bothering to form it like a question.
“You know him, dad. That’s Tony,” she introduced the man with a smile.
“Tony,” Gibbs repeated. This was his daughter’s invisible friend? The not-quite-invisible Tony? He sighed and bent over to meet her eyes. “Kelly, could you go to the slides, please? I’d like to talk to your friend.”
“Sure,” Kelly said and bounded off.
When she was out of hearing range, Gibbs turned to the stranger, intent on showing this man what happened to pedophiles who thought they could get a piece of his little girl.
“Hi,” the man said and tilted his head, wincing when he saw Gibbs’ look.
“What do you think you're doing?" Gibbs asked, trying to stay calm, but having a hard time doing so.
The man frowned and his lips moved without sound, as if trying to recapture Gibbs' words.
"Are you Kelly's father?" the man asked and it was then that Gibbs realized the man's accent sounded strange - strange, but also oddly familiar. He had heard it before, from Abby's parents.
Gibbs lifted his hands and signed his answer. "Yes. And you are?"
"You think I'm a pedophile," the man replied, signing.
Gibbs grunted. "Aren't you?"
The man shook his head. "She's always alone here. I thought…" He wavered then, and Gibbs sighed. He wasn't going to apologize to a stranger for sending his daughter alone to the park. Gibbs could, however, after years of interrogating criminals, see that the man wasn't what he had thought him to be at the first moment. He didn't dare let the man go free, despite his reading. Men just didn't approach little girls on swings to make them laugh. No, even if this man wasn't a pedophile, who was to say the next guy who came along wouldn't capture Kelly's trust just as easily?
"So you're telling me you just played with her because you're such a good person," he said, mocking the man on purpose.
"It won't happen again," the man said and patted his leg before turning to leave the playground. The dog snuffled against the man's pants leg and sent a last glowering look at Gibbs before following his master.
Gibbs sighed and turned as well to look for Kelly. He thought he should be angrier at the audacity that man had.
"Daddy?" Kelly yelled for him from the top of the slide. "Catch me?"
He smiled and waited for her at the bottom. He caught her around the waist and lifted her off the ground to whirl her around like an airplane.
"Where's Tony?" she asked after he had put her back to the ground.
"He had to leave, poppet," he lied, unwilling to tell her the truth. He wouldn't send her to the park alone anymore and maybe, with some luck, she would never again come across strange men who pushed little girls on swings.
"With Elisha?" Kelly asked, tugging at his hand.
He nodded absent-mindedly as he looked around the park, his eyes searching for shifty-looking strangers.
For the next weeks, Kelly seemed subdued. The first weekend, Gibbs accompanied her to the park when she wanted to go. He noticed her searching eyes and the sadness at not finding the one she was looking for, but he was determined to make it up to her. He didn't want his daughter to suffer from what had happened - or rather, he didn't want her to suffer for a mistake he had made.
Another thing he noticed was that she had stopped telling stories about her invisible friend. Even the sign vocabulary she had proudly shown her dad that Tony had obviously taught her, but that Gibbs had assumed came from her 'Aunt Abby,' stopped cropping up in her conversations. Strangely enough, Gibbs found it hard to feel happy about that.
+
"I said, I need you to look at me when you are talking," a familiar voice was saying just as Gibbs was walking through the metal detector of the NCIS building. He collected his cup of coffee on the other side of the detector and took a sip before walking over to the commotion.
"We still don't allow dogs in the building," the security guard repeated, obviously distraught.
"It's a Hearing Dog. You have to," the man repeated.
Gibbs came to a stand beside the man he had gotten to know as Kelly's invisible friend.
"Is there a problem?" he signed.
"Yes!" Tony replied, agitated. He turned to Gibbs and his eyes widened. "Hi again," he said then.
Gibbs nodded in greeting. "What are you doing here?"
"I was called to help with a case," Tony replied. "And this man here wants to tell me my dog isn't allowed inside."
Gibbs nodded. "Charles, he's right. Service Dogs are allowed to go inside buildings that normally don't allow pets."
The security guard grumped and handed Tony a visitor badge.
"Elisha doesn't get one?" Tony asked, hopefully. A smile played at his lips and Gibbs involuntarily had to grin. He covered his amusement up with a sip from his morning coffee.
The security guard rolled his eyes and went down on a knee to pin a visitor badge to the dog's collar.
"Thank you," Tony said and pinned his own badge to the lapel of his shirt. "Now, if you could tell me where the forensics lab is located…"
"No need," Gibbs answered. "I'll take you there."
"Thank you." Tony patted his leg and Elisha got up eagerly. They followed Gibbs into the elevator and watched Gibbs push the right button. "I'm Anthony DiNozzo, by the way. We haven't been introduced yet, I think," Tony said then.
"Tony," Gibbs said.
"Yes."
Obviously, Tony wasn't going to talk about their first meeting in the park. Gibbs was inclined to agree that bringing that unpleasant memory up would be awkward for both of them.
"I'm sorry our paths had to cross again," Tony said when the elevator stopped at Abby's floor.
"It's okay," Gibbs found himself saying to his own surprise. He almost wanted to add that Kelly missed her invisible friend, but he restrained himself. It was best for them all - and, as far as Gibbs was concerned, knowing that the man had a name and a government security clearance still didn't make him anything less than a strange man who pushed girls on swings - at least not much.
Tony left the elevator car with the dog following closely behind. Gibbs held the door open for a moment before deciding that a first stop at Abby's lab this morning was warranted. He was sure she had run a test or two during the night for him - and if not, then coming to say good morning to her made her feel special; which was never a bad idea.
He was blasted by the music when the soundproof doors opened for Tony and the dog whined quietly, slinking around his master.
"Abby?" Tony asked into the noise, crouching down by his dog. Gibbs followed closely behind and yelled, "Turn the music off!"
A moment later, the music was shut off and Abby rounded the corner of the lab. Surprised by her visitors, she didn't quite know who to greet first. Finally, Tony easily took the decision from her by freeing the dog from his service with a quick order. Immediately, the dog bounded forward and jumped on Abby happily with a lolling tongue to give doggy kisses.
"Elisha!" Abby said with a grin. "My favorite Hearing Aid. Good doggie. Give us a kiss," she rambled while scratching and petting the dog enthusiastically. When the dog had dropped back on his fours again, she greeted her visitors, "Tony, Gibbs. Good to see you two, too." Talking fast, she accompanied her words with sign language to make it easier for her friend. "Give us a kiss?" she asked then, waggling her eyebrows. Tony immediately complied and walked over to kiss her proffered cheek. She laughed and hugged him. Then she pulled back and quickly said, "It's so good to see you again."
Tony patted her back. "Same to you, pretty lady."
"Gibbs, you know Tony?"
Gibb shook his head. "Only a little bit." He would not go into details on that topic, especially not when Abby seemed to be such good friends with the man.
"The department said you would put me to work?" Tony asked then, rubbing his hands.
"Yep," Abby replied. "We have a video with no sound and we need a professional to look at the tapes to tell us what the bad guys say."
"That means I can't add my own subtitles?"
Abby smirked. "You can, but only when you're done." She looked at Gibbs and stuck her tongue out. "He knows what he's doing, don't worry."
Tony looked put out. "Okay. Where can I work?"
"Right here."
"Oh, you want me to sit on your lap. I'm all right with that," Tony said and sidled closer.
"You can go with Gibbs, if you want. He'll clean a desk for you and you can tell him immediately what you hear."
"I don't hear," Tony said, wagging his finger.
"You do. You're just pretending to be deaf to get more sympathy from the girls," she repeated and stuck her tongue out.
"True. And boys," he added signing with a sly grin.
"Dirty old man," Abby signed and ruffled his hair. "Gibbs?" she asked then. "Do you want to have his findings as he goes, or when he's done?"
"He can come upstairs. I still have an empty desk, plus he'll be less inclined to be distracted by you when he's with me."
"I doubt that, but okay," Abby said and handed the sealed evidence to Gibbs. When he grabbed it, she didn’t let go for a moment and extended her index finger to point at him. "As long as you lend him to me for lunch."
"Done."
He linked his index fingers with hers in form of a mock promise before pulling away with the CD in hand. "Tony? You're with me."
"Yes, sir," Tony said and made to follow him. “Elisha, back to work,” he commanded the dog and waited till his companion was by his side.
“You can sit at that computer,” Gibbs said when they had reached the squad room, signing so he didn’t have to turn completely. He put the CD down on the intended desk.
“Okay.”
Tony rounded the desk and sat down, pressing the handle on the side of the chair to lower it a few inches. “Can Elisha run around?”
“As long as he doesn’t gnaw on anything.”
“He won’t,” Tony replied. “Go play,” he whispered and watched his dog jump up to get better acquainted with Gibbs.
“Sorry,” he apologized, half-heartedly. “Just… shove him away when he gets annoying?”
Gibbs nodded and absentmindedly petted the dog as he was working on his computer. The dog was very clean and well-behaved. He looked down when the dog sighed and put his head on Gibbs’ thigh. “You can stay for a bit,” he said then and lifted his hand up to work the keyboard with both hands. “As long as you don’t drink my coffee.”
The dog snorted in response.
On the table across from Gibbs’, Tony put the CD into the drive and got the video running. “Do you want me to write the conversation down?”
“Your speech is very clear,” Gibbs replied and rummaged around his drawer for his Dictaphone. “Just dictate it. That way I can listen in.” He made sure Tony was looking before throwing the dictating machine.
Tony caught it with a smile. “Thank you.”
Gibbs nodded in response. He wasn’t used to paying compliments, much less to be on the receiving end of a genuine ‘thank you’. He watched as Tony hung the earphones around his neck and bent the microphone to point at his mouth.
“Hey, Martin,” Tony repeated then, watching the men on the video. “There’s a problem with the route.”
Gibbs turned back to his computer to start a search on Anthony DiNozzo. Just to make sure the man wasn’t a child molester. The dog seemed to sense his intent and huffed before taking his head off Gibbs’ leg to rest it on his paws in a comfortable sleeping pose. "Okay okay," Gibbs replied, thinking that maybe the dog was right to be offended. He deleted the search and leaned back. He'd find out another way.
He looked up when he heard a familiar name leave Tony’s lips and got up to see where in the interview he was.
“Wait a moment,” he asked and squatted down beside Tony. “What was that?”
“Martin is talking about the new route. And that someone named Zaref - I didn’t quite get the name - was going to wait at the new drop off point. They describe it pretty well.”
“Zaref… could that by any means be Sarif?” Gibbs asked.
Tony clicked on the video and pulled the bar back a bit to watch it again. “Sa… Za. Yes, could be. Why?”
“We know someone with that name.”
“Want me to continue, or want to know where the drugs are stashed?”
“You watch a lot of movies, don’t you?” Gibbs asked.
“That has nothing to do with this. I’m just coloring the dull picture of drug trafficking,” Tony defended himself.
“Could you repeat the information for me?”
“Sure,” Tony answered and unplugged the Dictaphone from the microphone around his neck. He handed the machine to Gibbs and got up from his chair. “Can you tell me where the vending machines are?”
"Down one floor," Gibbs directed. "They're across from the elevators."
"Thank you."
The dog raised his head, but Tony ordered him to stay with a quick gesture. The dog waited until he was gone before shuffling over to where Gibbs was listening to the dictated conversation.
The dog bit into the corner of the desk playfully and looked at Gibbs with questioning eyes.
"What?" Gibbs asked and turned up the volume on the Dictaphone. He narrowed his eyes at the dog who was wagging his tail hopefully. Rolling his eyes, Gibbs searched for something to use as toy for the animal. Seeing a tennis shoe peeking out from beneath McGee's desk, he pulled at it and quickly knotted the laces before throwing it across the squad room. The dog yapped and followed it happily. Content that he had done his good deed for the day, Gibbs wrote down a few notes. The men they had caught on tape really had been talking about the new smuggling route. And thanks to Tony - DiNozzo, Gibbs quietly corrected himself - they had a big chance at breaking up the drug ring before the drugs could reach their intended destination.
His concentration was disturbed by a loud whoop coming from the cubicles near the elevator. Apparently someone had wrestled the dog for the tennis shoe and had involved the whole squad room which was now playing with the dog by throwing the tennis shoe around.
"Elisha, no!" came Tony's upset call from the elevator. "What's going on here? Gibbs?" he asked as he came closer.
Gibbs shrugged. "Someone must have…"
Tony narrowed his eyes when the dog dutifully brought the tennis shoe back to Gibbs and dropped it at his feet.
"Like I said, someone must have..." he cleared his throat and patted the dog's head. "Thanks for finding that for me, Elisha. Good doggie… really, a fine service dog." He signed the conversation, because he was sure Tony wouldn't be able to read his lips when his head was bowed to talk to the dog.
He heard Tony chuckle and was oddly pleased by the reaction.
"Did you get what you needed?"
Gibbs nodded. "Yeah, it was good we caught them on tape. Stupid idiots talked a lot," he snorted derisively.
"Yeah," Tony agreed and reached out to take the dictating machine back. "If you're done, I'll continue?"
Gibbs nodded and handed the Dictaphone back. "You do that."
"Where's your team?"
"Out," Gibbs replied. "Working."
With that, he bent over his paperwork again. He tried to concentrate, but sneaked little looks at the other desk from time to time, just to make sure Tony wasn't trying to get his attention for something important. Or so he told himself. However, when Tony frowned again and looked down at his notes in confusion, Gibbs couldn't restrain himself any longer. He called out and watched Elisha get Tony's attention.
“Yeah?” Tony asked after pausing the video.
“What's wrong?” Gibbs asked and pointed at the computer. Something was up and he wanted to know what it was.
“He's lying. It’s almost…” Tony trailed off and signed that the man gave him an odd feeling.
“Odd how?” Gibbs wanted to know and got up to watch the video with Tony.
“Undercover odd,” Tony replied.
“You think he's a cop?”
Tony nodded. “Strange, I know. But he tells these pointed lies - not lies exactly, but a rehearsed role. You know what I mean?” He wound the video back a few tracks and pointed at the man’s expression and body when they talked. “See that? He says he knows the dealer the drugs came from originally, but it’s not the truth.” Then he sighed. “I could just be wrong, but something’s odd.”
Gibbs shot Tony an odd look. “You… were a cop?”
Tony nodded and pulled at his ear nervously. “An explosion, six years ago. I… Yes, I was,” he said then, emphasizing the 'was' as if to convince himself before he pushed his chair back. “I need to talk to Abby.”
Gibbs stood back and watched Tony leave with his dog in tow. With a nod at his back, Gibbs let him go. He looked down at the video and wondered what he would do if an explosion took his hearing and job with it.
He sat down in the chair Tony had just occupied and replayed the last part of the video. He had to agree with Tony. Although, if the man really was a cop undercover, he was bad at his job.
When Tony returned an hour later, his arms linked with Abby, escorting her to Gibbs' desk like a gentleman, he was smiling. The black German Shepherd was following at their heels, a white sheet of paper between his teeth. Gibbs raised his eyebrows. "You found something?"
"Yep," Abby replied and made a presenting gesture at her friend. "Tony is good," she purred.
"Not as good as Abby," Tony denied the praise, but, looking at Gibbs' expression, he quickly added. "I called in a favor from an old friend who might just know who the guy in the video is. We sent the picture over and here you go. Elisha?"
The dog jumped on Gibbs' desk with his front paws and let the slip of paper he was holding fall on the table.
Gibbs reached for it. "There's dog slobber on it."
"But it's dog slobber of love," Abby defended their courier, but was kind enough to hand Gibbs a tissue. "It's his ID."
"Martin Shane. He really is an undercover agent. FBI, even."
"He's not very good at his job."
Tony nodded solemnly. "Yep," he said, but signed that he could do better, even with a handicap.
Gibbs grinned. It was probably the truth. After all, Tony was very convincing as a perp - especially as a pedophile.
Abby smirked. “I was just going down to the lab to find out where that guy lives.”
Giving her free range with that one, Gibbs nodded. “I’d like to pay him a visit.” Undercover apartments were usually hard to find, but he had no doubt that Abby would find something. At least she wouldn’t leave any traces behind that would lead to NCIS.
“Give me an hour.”
“I’ll have the transcription finished by then,” Tony promised and turned from Gibbs’ desk to go back to work. Abby too, left for her lab, but not before giving Gibbs a jaunty salute and the promise to call as soon as she had something.
She turned out to be even faster than the hour she had estimated. Gibbs’ phone rang after barely half an hour had passed.
“Gibbs, I have the address,” she announced and gave it to him. He jotted it down on a notepad and hung up. Then he got Tony’s attention. “You ready?”
Tony nodded. He switched the dictating machine off and pulled the microphone from around his neck. “I just went over the names again, but other than that, I’m done.”
“Good. Because I have the address of that guy,” Gibbs said and pulled the memory chip from the machine. “I’ll get a copy from Abby before leaving.”
“And I’ll pack my stuff up. Can I come down to Abby’s lab with you? I want to say goodbye.”
“Sure.”
“Elisha, back to work,” Tony said and retrieved a reflective vest from his jacket. He put it on the black dog, snapping the buckles closed and got up. “Ready.”
“Reflective decals?”
Tony nodded. “Elisha… almost got run over twice before I got him the vest.”
Gibbs hmmed. He almost wanted to ask if Tony had one of those, too. Being deaf would make walking around in the dark a lot more dangerous. He didn’t ask - he knew that he wouldn't appreciate being asked such a question if he had a handicap like that. Instead, he ejected the CD from the computer and locked it in his own desk. Then he led Tony to the elevator and down to Abby’s lab.
He stood back while Abby said goodbye to her friend, hugging him close until he begged her to let him go for the sake of breathing. She hugged the dog then and smiled when Elisha enthusiastically wagged his tail. Gibbs shook his head.
“I’m sure you’ll see each other again soon,” he scolded them. “I need you to copy that chip for me so I can go? You know, bad guys to catch?”
Abby rolled her eyes. “Yes, boss,” she said and stuck the chip in the reader, quickly making a copy for Gibbs to take with him. “You’ll drive Tony home, yes?” she asked then and Gibbs was sure it was not a coincidence that she didn’t turn when she said it. He turned around and found Tony looking around the lab, poking at her dolls, oblivious to her words.
“Why?”
“Because!" she reasoned. "He came by bus. And since he’s done and you’re going out anyway…” she trailed off.
“You want me to drive him home.”
“Yes. It’s probably on the way. And he was a detective. I bet he could help you…” she tried again, from another angle.
“He’s deaf, Abby,” Gibbs said. He knew it had to be hard for her to understand that there were limits. She wasn't ready to accept anything until it had been proved to her. There were borders not even Gibbs could cross, and one of those was to take a person that wasn't capable of hearing orders or the sound of bullets, or of anything, actually, into a possibly dangerous situation.
As expected, Abby was ready to argue her point. “Which doesn’t make him stupid, Gibbs. He’s very smart.”
“I don’t doubt that,” he calmed her.
“Then what’s the problem?”
“He can’t hear. That’s not… good enough for the field. You know that.”
“He’s...” Abby looked at Tony’s back where he was lifting Abby's plush hippo Bert off the shelf, waiting patiently and staying out of the way. “He misses it, you know? Imagine what it would be like to lose your hearing and the work you love.”
Gibbs had asked himself that same question earlier - and he hadn't found an answer. “He got another job, didn’t he?”
“Yeah, but it’s not the same. He used to laugh more.”
Gibbs reached for Abby's hand and gave it a light squeeze. "We can't fix everything."
"I know that," she said, but added as an afterthought, "But we can try."
"I'll drive him home, but don't expect… I can't do more than that," Gibbs replied. He couldn't - wouldn't - do more. For all his respectable work, Tony DiNozzo was still a strange man who pushed little girls on swings. He wasn't completely redeemed yet. A look at the man squeezing Bert, oblivious to the loud farting sounds the plush hippo was making when being squeezed, made Gibbs realize that he was only kidding himself - he would let that man push his little girl on the swing any day. Even though he was sure it most likely wouldn't happen again after the fiasco that day in the park.
+
tbc?
I wrote two other small bits for this that kind of follow it when I was bored before Christmas but they aren't flashfic fics. If you want to read them, you can find them here and here. Warning: they're kind of... very bad. =P
author: iniq
rating: teen
warning: pre-slash
notes: this is a WIP right now (I think), so consider this a "part 1" of something larger that may never get written. =p
thanks to periwinkle, who is a fantastic beta ♥
written for the amnesty challenge: I chose the "what if" challenge for this one
summary/what if: Tony is a deaf ex-cop and not part of the team, Kelly is alive but still a kid, Gibbs is Gibbs, and they meet.
strange men who push girls on swings
Sundays in the Gibbs household were usually spent together - with Gibbs and his daughter doing something that both of them enjoyed. That Sunday, however, Gibbs had caught a case he needed to work from home. It had happened before and he had taught his daughter to respect his work and do something alone when he needed her to.
She was old enough and carried an emergency whistle and a cell phone, so he didn’t worry too much when he sent her to the recreational area across the street alone. After all, he could see it when he looked up from his desk and out the window. And, despite the ever growing hedges, the swing was still in his line of sight.
Kelly had, under his watchful eyes, grown up to be a responsible ten-year-old, if a little rambunctious at times. The early loss of her mother hadn't hampered her as much as Gibbs had feared it would. Shannon, his wife, had died very suddenly of cancer only two years after Kelly had been born and he still missed her. Kelly, having no memory of her mother, had learned to live with it well.
Gibbs worked hard, but never forgot who was waiting for him at home. He prided himself in knowing all about his little princess, from her favorite book to her invisible friend ‘Tony’.
Absentmindedly, he cast another look out the window and made sure it was Kelly's blinking Barbie shoes he was seeing swing regularly into sight. Sighing, he determined once more that he needed to talk to the grounds keeper that the hedges would have to be kept lower; only being able to see his girl's shoes made Gibbs edgy and nervous.
Done earlier than he had expected to be - which may or may not have been fueled by the urge to go over there and check on Kelly himself - Gibbs left his house that Sunday to spend the rest of the afternoon with his daughter in the park. From his door, he could almost hear Kelly's laughter already, and found her shoes swing higher and higher. He would have to talk to her about that - and maybe take her with him when he visited Don the next time. It couldn't hurt to show her the inside of a cockpit at an early age.
Despite being able to see her from the house, he hadn’t expected to find his laughing daughter swing through the air, pushed by a stranger. Gibbs narrowed his eyes and stalked over to them, angry. Whether he was angry at himself for trusting Kelly, angry at Kelly for trusting a stranger, or angry at the unfamiliar man for believing he could prey on Kelly, he wasn't sure of. He shouted Kelly’s name when he was in hearing range, but the man seemed oblivious to his rage.
Kelly turned and waved at him, still laughing. The man then turned to him and a black German Shepherd rose from where it was lying in the grass.
“Daddy!” Kelly yelled and the man slowed down the swing until she could hop off. The man immediately took a step back, having recognized the dangerous look in Gibbs eyes. The dog growled and straightened when it saw Gibbs’ aggressive pose. A 'he', Gibbs decided when he saw the dog's stance.
“Elisha, down!” the stranger said and the dog retreated to his owner to wait by foot, the dark eyes never leaving Gibbs.
“Kelly,” Gibbs spoke quietly, restraining his anger from being seen by his daughter. “Who is that,” he demanded to know, not bothering to form it like a question.
“You know him, dad. That’s Tony,” she introduced the man with a smile.
“Tony,” Gibbs repeated. This was his daughter’s invisible friend? The not-quite-invisible Tony? He sighed and bent over to meet her eyes. “Kelly, could you go to the slides, please? I’d like to talk to your friend.”
“Sure,” Kelly said and bounded off.
When she was out of hearing range, Gibbs turned to the stranger, intent on showing this man what happened to pedophiles who thought they could get a piece of his little girl.
“Hi,” the man said and tilted his head, wincing when he saw Gibbs’ look.
“What do you think you're doing?" Gibbs asked, trying to stay calm, but having a hard time doing so.
The man frowned and his lips moved without sound, as if trying to recapture Gibbs' words.
"Are you Kelly's father?" the man asked and it was then that Gibbs realized the man's accent sounded strange - strange, but also oddly familiar. He had heard it before, from Abby's parents.
Gibbs lifted his hands and signed his answer. "Yes. And you are?"
"You think I'm a pedophile," the man replied, signing.
Gibbs grunted. "Aren't you?"
The man shook his head. "She's always alone here. I thought…" He wavered then, and Gibbs sighed. He wasn't going to apologize to a stranger for sending his daughter alone to the park. Gibbs could, however, after years of interrogating criminals, see that the man wasn't what he had thought him to be at the first moment. He didn't dare let the man go free, despite his reading. Men just didn't approach little girls on swings to make them laugh. No, even if this man wasn't a pedophile, who was to say the next guy who came along wouldn't capture Kelly's trust just as easily?
"So you're telling me you just played with her because you're such a good person," he said, mocking the man on purpose.
"It won't happen again," the man said and patted his leg before turning to leave the playground. The dog snuffled against the man's pants leg and sent a last glowering look at Gibbs before following his master.
Gibbs sighed and turned as well to look for Kelly. He thought he should be angrier at the audacity that man had.
"Daddy?" Kelly yelled for him from the top of the slide. "Catch me?"
He smiled and waited for her at the bottom. He caught her around the waist and lifted her off the ground to whirl her around like an airplane.
"Where's Tony?" she asked after he had put her back to the ground.
"He had to leave, poppet," he lied, unwilling to tell her the truth. He wouldn't send her to the park alone anymore and maybe, with some luck, she would never again come across strange men who pushed little girls on swings.
"With Elisha?" Kelly asked, tugging at his hand.
He nodded absent-mindedly as he looked around the park, his eyes searching for shifty-looking strangers.
For the next weeks, Kelly seemed subdued. The first weekend, Gibbs accompanied her to the park when she wanted to go. He noticed her searching eyes and the sadness at not finding the one she was looking for, but he was determined to make it up to her. He didn't want his daughter to suffer from what had happened - or rather, he didn't want her to suffer for a mistake he had made.
Another thing he noticed was that she had stopped telling stories about her invisible friend. Even the sign vocabulary she had proudly shown her dad that Tony had obviously taught her, but that Gibbs had assumed came from her 'Aunt Abby,' stopped cropping up in her conversations. Strangely enough, Gibbs found it hard to feel happy about that.
+
"I said, I need you to look at me when you are talking," a familiar voice was saying just as Gibbs was walking through the metal detector of the NCIS building. He collected his cup of coffee on the other side of the detector and took a sip before walking over to the commotion.
"We still don't allow dogs in the building," the security guard repeated, obviously distraught.
"It's a Hearing Dog. You have to," the man repeated.
Gibbs came to a stand beside the man he had gotten to know as Kelly's invisible friend.
"Is there a problem?" he signed.
"Yes!" Tony replied, agitated. He turned to Gibbs and his eyes widened. "Hi again," he said then.
Gibbs nodded in greeting. "What are you doing here?"
"I was called to help with a case," Tony replied. "And this man here wants to tell me my dog isn't allowed inside."
Gibbs nodded. "Charles, he's right. Service Dogs are allowed to go inside buildings that normally don't allow pets."
The security guard grumped and handed Tony a visitor badge.
"Elisha doesn't get one?" Tony asked, hopefully. A smile played at his lips and Gibbs involuntarily had to grin. He covered his amusement up with a sip from his morning coffee.
The security guard rolled his eyes and went down on a knee to pin a visitor badge to the dog's collar.
"Thank you," Tony said and pinned his own badge to the lapel of his shirt. "Now, if you could tell me where the forensics lab is located…"
"No need," Gibbs answered. "I'll take you there."
"Thank you." Tony patted his leg and Elisha got up eagerly. They followed Gibbs into the elevator and watched Gibbs push the right button. "I'm Anthony DiNozzo, by the way. We haven't been introduced yet, I think," Tony said then.
"Tony," Gibbs said.
"Yes."
Obviously, Tony wasn't going to talk about their first meeting in the park. Gibbs was inclined to agree that bringing that unpleasant memory up would be awkward for both of them.
"I'm sorry our paths had to cross again," Tony said when the elevator stopped at Abby's floor.
"It's okay," Gibbs found himself saying to his own surprise. He almost wanted to add that Kelly missed her invisible friend, but he restrained himself. It was best for them all - and, as far as Gibbs was concerned, knowing that the man had a name and a government security clearance still didn't make him anything less than a strange man who pushed girls on swings - at least not much.
Tony left the elevator car with the dog following closely behind. Gibbs held the door open for a moment before deciding that a first stop at Abby's lab this morning was warranted. He was sure she had run a test or two during the night for him - and if not, then coming to say good morning to her made her feel special; which was never a bad idea.
He was blasted by the music when the soundproof doors opened for Tony and the dog whined quietly, slinking around his master.
"Abby?" Tony asked into the noise, crouching down by his dog. Gibbs followed closely behind and yelled, "Turn the music off!"
A moment later, the music was shut off and Abby rounded the corner of the lab. Surprised by her visitors, she didn't quite know who to greet first. Finally, Tony easily took the decision from her by freeing the dog from his service with a quick order. Immediately, the dog bounded forward and jumped on Abby happily with a lolling tongue to give doggy kisses.
"Elisha!" Abby said with a grin. "My favorite Hearing Aid. Good doggie. Give us a kiss," she rambled while scratching and petting the dog enthusiastically. When the dog had dropped back on his fours again, she greeted her visitors, "Tony, Gibbs. Good to see you two, too." Talking fast, she accompanied her words with sign language to make it easier for her friend. "Give us a kiss?" she asked then, waggling her eyebrows. Tony immediately complied and walked over to kiss her proffered cheek. She laughed and hugged him. Then she pulled back and quickly said, "It's so good to see you again."
Tony patted her back. "Same to you, pretty lady."
"Gibbs, you know Tony?"
Gibb shook his head. "Only a little bit." He would not go into details on that topic, especially not when Abby seemed to be such good friends with the man.
"The department said you would put me to work?" Tony asked then, rubbing his hands.
"Yep," Abby replied. "We have a video with no sound and we need a professional to look at the tapes to tell us what the bad guys say."
"That means I can't add my own subtitles?"
Abby smirked. "You can, but only when you're done." She looked at Gibbs and stuck her tongue out. "He knows what he's doing, don't worry."
Tony looked put out. "Okay. Where can I work?"
"Right here."
"Oh, you want me to sit on your lap. I'm all right with that," Tony said and sidled closer.
"You can go with Gibbs, if you want. He'll clean a desk for you and you can tell him immediately what you hear."
"I don't hear," Tony said, wagging his finger.
"You do. You're just pretending to be deaf to get more sympathy from the girls," she repeated and stuck her tongue out.
"True. And boys," he added signing with a sly grin.
"Dirty old man," Abby signed and ruffled his hair. "Gibbs?" she asked then. "Do you want to have his findings as he goes, or when he's done?"
"He can come upstairs. I still have an empty desk, plus he'll be less inclined to be distracted by you when he's with me."
"I doubt that, but okay," Abby said and handed the sealed evidence to Gibbs. When he grabbed it, she didn’t let go for a moment and extended her index finger to point at him. "As long as you lend him to me for lunch."
"Done."
He linked his index fingers with hers in form of a mock promise before pulling away with the CD in hand. "Tony? You're with me."
"Yes, sir," Tony said and made to follow him. “Elisha, back to work,” he commanded the dog and waited till his companion was by his side.
“You can sit at that computer,” Gibbs said when they had reached the squad room, signing so he didn’t have to turn completely. He put the CD down on the intended desk.
“Okay.”
Tony rounded the desk and sat down, pressing the handle on the side of the chair to lower it a few inches. “Can Elisha run around?”
“As long as he doesn’t gnaw on anything.”
“He won’t,” Tony replied. “Go play,” he whispered and watched his dog jump up to get better acquainted with Gibbs.
“Sorry,” he apologized, half-heartedly. “Just… shove him away when he gets annoying?”
Gibbs nodded and absentmindedly petted the dog as he was working on his computer. The dog was very clean and well-behaved. He looked down when the dog sighed and put his head on Gibbs’ thigh. “You can stay for a bit,” he said then and lifted his hand up to work the keyboard with both hands. “As long as you don’t drink my coffee.”
The dog snorted in response.
On the table across from Gibbs’, Tony put the CD into the drive and got the video running. “Do you want me to write the conversation down?”
“Your speech is very clear,” Gibbs replied and rummaged around his drawer for his Dictaphone. “Just dictate it. That way I can listen in.” He made sure Tony was looking before throwing the dictating machine.
Tony caught it with a smile. “Thank you.”
Gibbs nodded in response. He wasn’t used to paying compliments, much less to be on the receiving end of a genuine ‘thank you’. He watched as Tony hung the earphones around his neck and bent the microphone to point at his mouth.
“Hey, Martin,” Tony repeated then, watching the men on the video. “There’s a problem with the route.”
Gibbs turned back to his computer to start a search on Anthony DiNozzo. Just to make sure the man wasn’t a child molester. The dog seemed to sense his intent and huffed before taking his head off Gibbs’ leg to rest it on his paws in a comfortable sleeping pose. "Okay okay," Gibbs replied, thinking that maybe the dog was right to be offended. He deleted the search and leaned back. He'd find out another way.
He looked up when he heard a familiar name leave Tony’s lips and got up to see where in the interview he was.
“Wait a moment,” he asked and squatted down beside Tony. “What was that?”
“Martin is talking about the new route. And that someone named Zaref - I didn’t quite get the name - was going to wait at the new drop off point. They describe it pretty well.”
“Zaref… could that by any means be Sarif?” Gibbs asked.
Tony clicked on the video and pulled the bar back a bit to watch it again. “Sa… Za. Yes, could be. Why?”
“We know someone with that name.”
“Want me to continue, or want to know where the drugs are stashed?”
“You watch a lot of movies, don’t you?” Gibbs asked.
“That has nothing to do with this. I’m just coloring the dull picture of drug trafficking,” Tony defended himself.
“Could you repeat the information for me?”
“Sure,” Tony answered and unplugged the Dictaphone from the microphone around his neck. He handed the machine to Gibbs and got up from his chair. “Can you tell me where the vending machines are?”
"Down one floor," Gibbs directed. "They're across from the elevators."
"Thank you."
The dog raised his head, but Tony ordered him to stay with a quick gesture. The dog waited until he was gone before shuffling over to where Gibbs was listening to the dictated conversation.
The dog bit into the corner of the desk playfully and looked at Gibbs with questioning eyes.
"What?" Gibbs asked and turned up the volume on the Dictaphone. He narrowed his eyes at the dog who was wagging his tail hopefully. Rolling his eyes, Gibbs searched for something to use as toy for the animal. Seeing a tennis shoe peeking out from beneath McGee's desk, he pulled at it and quickly knotted the laces before throwing it across the squad room. The dog yapped and followed it happily. Content that he had done his good deed for the day, Gibbs wrote down a few notes. The men they had caught on tape really had been talking about the new smuggling route. And thanks to Tony - DiNozzo, Gibbs quietly corrected himself - they had a big chance at breaking up the drug ring before the drugs could reach their intended destination.
His concentration was disturbed by a loud whoop coming from the cubicles near the elevator. Apparently someone had wrestled the dog for the tennis shoe and had involved the whole squad room which was now playing with the dog by throwing the tennis shoe around.
"Elisha, no!" came Tony's upset call from the elevator. "What's going on here? Gibbs?" he asked as he came closer.
Gibbs shrugged. "Someone must have…"
Tony narrowed his eyes when the dog dutifully brought the tennis shoe back to Gibbs and dropped it at his feet.
"Like I said, someone must have..." he cleared his throat and patted the dog's head. "Thanks for finding that for me, Elisha. Good doggie… really, a fine service dog." He signed the conversation, because he was sure Tony wouldn't be able to read his lips when his head was bowed to talk to the dog.
He heard Tony chuckle and was oddly pleased by the reaction.
"Did you get what you needed?"
Gibbs nodded. "Yeah, it was good we caught them on tape. Stupid idiots talked a lot," he snorted derisively.
"Yeah," Tony agreed and reached out to take the dictating machine back. "If you're done, I'll continue?"
Gibbs nodded and handed the Dictaphone back. "You do that."
"Where's your team?"
"Out," Gibbs replied. "Working."
With that, he bent over his paperwork again. He tried to concentrate, but sneaked little looks at the other desk from time to time, just to make sure Tony wasn't trying to get his attention for something important. Or so he told himself. However, when Tony frowned again and looked down at his notes in confusion, Gibbs couldn't restrain himself any longer. He called out and watched Elisha get Tony's attention.
“Yeah?” Tony asked after pausing the video.
“What's wrong?” Gibbs asked and pointed at the computer. Something was up and he wanted to know what it was.
“He's lying. It’s almost…” Tony trailed off and signed that the man gave him an odd feeling.
“Odd how?” Gibbs wanted to know and got up to watch the video with Tony.
“Undercover odd,” Tony replied.
“You think he's a cop?”
Tony nodded. “Strange, I know. But he tells these pointed lies - not lies exactly, but a rehearsed role. You know what I mean?” He wound the video back a few tracks and pointed at the man’s expression and body when they talked. “See that? He says he knows the dealer the drugs came from originally, but it’s not the truth.” Then he sighed. “I could just be wrong, but something’s odd.”
Gibbs shot Tony an odd look. “You… were a cop?”
Tony nodded and pulled at his ear nervously. “An explosion, six years ago. I… Yes, I was,” he said then, emphasizing the 'was' as if to convince himself before he pushed his chair back. “I need to talk to Abby.”
Gibbs stood back and watched Tony leave with his dog in tow. With a nod at his back, Gibbs let him go. He looked down at the video and wondered what he would do if an explosion took his hearing and job with it.
He sat down in the chair Tony had just occupied and replayed the last part of the video. He had to agree with Tony. Although, if the man really was a cop undercover, he was bad at his job.
When Tony returned an hour later, his arms linked with Abby, escorting her to Gibbs' desk like a gentleman, he was smiling. The black German Shepherd was following at their heels, a white sheet of paper between his teeth. Gibbs raised his eyebrows. "You found something?"
"Yep," Abby replied and made a presenting gesture at her friend. "Tony is good," she purred.
"Not as good as Abby," Tony denied the praise, but, looking at Gibbs' expression, he quickly added. "I called in a favor from an old friend who might just know who the guy in the video is. We sent the picture over and here you go. Elisha?"
The dog jumped on Gibbs' desk with his front paws and let the slip of paper he was holding fall on the table.
Gibbs reached for it. "There's dog slobber on it."
"But it's dog slobber of love," Abby defended their courier, but was kind enough to hand Gibbs a tissue. "It's his ID."
"Martin Shane. He really is an undercover agent. FBI, even."
"He's not very good at his job."
Tony nodded solemnly. "Yep," he said, but signed that he could do better, even with a handicap.
Gibbs grinned. It was probably the truth. After all, Tony was very convincing as a perp - especially as a pedophile.
Abby smirked. “I was just going down to the lab to find out where that guy lives.”
Giving her free range with that one, Gibbs nodded. “I’d like to pay him a visit.” Undercover apartments were usually hard to find, but he had no doubt that Abby would find something. At least she wouldn’t leave any traces behind that would lead to NCIS.
“Give me an hour.”
“I’ll have the transcription finished by then,” Tony promised and turned from Gibbs’ desk to go back to work. Abby too, left for her lab, but not before giving Gibbs a jaunty salute and the promise to call as soon as she had something.
She turned out to be even faster than the hour she had estimated. Gibbs’ phone rang after barely half an hour had passed.
“Gibbs, I have the address,” she announced and gave it to him. He jotted it down on a notepad and hung up. Then he got Tony’s attention. “You ready?”
Tony nodded. He switched the dictating machine off and pulled the microphone from around his neck. “I just went over the names again, but other than that, I’m done.”
“Good. Because I have the address of that guy,” Gibbs said and pulled the memory chip from the machine. “I’ll get a copy from Abby before leaving.”
“And I’ll pack my stuff up. Can I come down to Abby’s lab with you? I want to say goodbye.”
“Sure.”
“Elisha, back to work,” Tony said and retrieved a reflective vest from his jacket. He put it on the black dog, snapping the buckles closed and got up. “Ready.”
“Reflective decals?”
Tony nodded. “Elisha… almost got run over twice before I got him the vest.”
Gibbs hmmed. He almost wanted to ask if Tony had one of those, too. Being deaf would make walking around in the dark a lot more dangerous. He didn’t ask - he knew that he wouldn't appreciate being asked such a question if he had a handicap like that. Instead, he ejected the CD from the computer and locked it in his own desk. Then he led Tony to the elevator and down to Abby’s lab.
He stood back while Abby said goodbye to her friend, hugging him close until he begged her to let him go for the sake of breathing. She hugged the dog then and smiled when Elisha enthusiastically wagged his tail. Gibbs shook his head.
“I’m sure you’ll see each other again soon,” he scolded them. “I need you to copy that chip for me so I can go? You know, bad guys to catch?”
Abby rolled her eyes. “Yes, boss,” she said and stuck the chip in the reader, quickly making a copy for Gibbs to take with him. “You’ll drive Tony home, yes?” she asked then and Gibbs was sure it was not a coincidence that she didn’t turn when she said it. He turned around and found Tony looking around the lab, poking at her dolls, oblivious to her words.
“Why?”
“Because!" she reasoned. "He came by bus. And since he’s done and you’re going out anyway…” she trailed off.
“You want me to drive him home.”
“Yes. It’s probably on the way. And he was a detective. I bet he could help you…” she tried again, from another angle.
“He’s deaf, Abby,” Gibbs said. He knew it had to be hard for her to understand that there were limits. She wasn't ready to accept anything until it had been proved to her. There were borders not even Gibbs could cross, and one of those was to take a person that wasn't capable of hearing orders or the sound of bullets, or of anything, actually, into a possibly dangerous situation.
As expected, Abby was ready to argue her point. “Which doesn’t make him stupid, Gibbs. He’s very smart.”
“I don’t doubt that,” he calmed her.
“Then what’s the problem?”
“He can’t hear. That’s not… good enough for the field. You know that.”
“He’s...” Abby looked at Tony’s back where he was lifting Abby's plush hippo Bert off the shelf, waiting patiently and staying out of the way. “He misses it, you know? Imagine what it would be like to lose your hearing and the work you love.”
Gibbs had asked himself that same question earlier - and he hadn't found an answer. “He got another job, didn’t he?”
“Yeah, but it’s not the same. He used to laugh more.”
Gibbs reached for Abby's hand and gave it a light squeeze. "We can't fix everything."
"I know that," she said, but added as an afterthought, "But we can try."
"I'll drive him home, but don't expect… I can't do more than that," Gibbs replied. He couldn't - wouldn't - do more. For all his respectable work, Tony DiNozzo was still a strange man who pushed little girls on swings. He wasn't completely redeemed yet. A look at the man squeezing Bert, oblivious to the loud farting sounds the plush hippo was making when being squeezed, made Gibbs realize that he was only kidding himself - he would let that man push his little girl on the swing any day. Even though he was sure it most likely wouldn't happen again after the fiasco that day in the park.
+
tbc?
I wrote two other small bits for this that kind of follow it when I was bored before Christmas but they aren't flashfic fics. If you want to read them, you can find them here and here. Warning: they're kind of... very bad. =P