WAKE-UP CALL
By
Ashleigh Anpilova
DiNozzo gets a shock and it makes him think.
A team gen story.
Written: August 2012. Word count: 500.
"Right," Tony rubbed his hands. "It's your turn to get lunch, McGeek."
McGee looked at him and frowned. "No, Tony, it isn't. I went yesterday."
"And I," Ziva said swiftly, "went the day before."
"And I went the day before that. It's your turn, Tony." McGee turned back to his computer.
Tony looked out of the window; it wasn't actually raining, but the sky was very grey. "I'm the senior field agent," he declared. "It's your turn, McGee."
He stared at McGee until McGee pushed back his chair and stood up. "You know, Tony," he said, "one of these days you are going to overplay the 'I'm the senior field agent' thing. Not that you are," he added, as he grabbed his coat.
"I am!"
"No, Tony. Gibbs is the senior field agent. You may be senior to Ziva and me, but that doesn’t make you the senior field agent."
"Tim is correct," Ziva said. "And even if you were how often do you hear Gibbs saying 'I'm the boss' or Ducky declaring he is the 'senior Medical Examiner'?"
To his surprise Tony felt his cheeks begin to burn slightly and he felt a wave of guilt race through him. It was true, he did make a habit of saying 'I'm the senior field agent', but that was out of insecurity because he knew full well that both McGee and Ziva were far more skilled and versatile than he was. He opened his mouth to tell McGee he'd go and fetch the lunch after all, but after one more look at him, McGee strode out of the squad room. He glanced at Ziva, but she had returned to her computer so after a moment or two he went back to playing Tetris on his phone.
TWENTY MINUTES LATER
Seconds away from beating his own best score Tony's concentration was jolted as Abby ran into the squad room dragging Palmer behind her. "Which one of you has - Oh, no, Timmy!"
"What? What is it Abby?" Ziva asked.
But it was Palmer who answered. "Look," he said, grabbing the remote control and switching channels.
Tony dropped his phone onto the floor and stared. "McGee," he whispered, staring at the carnage in front of him as his eyes focused on the street sign; he suddenly felt violently cold and sick.
"Yes, Tony?"
"McGee!" Tony raced across the squad room and hugged McGee furiously. "You're okay."
McGee frowned and then looked over Tony's shoulder and Tony felt him shake. "I . . . I . . . I didn't go to the usual place," he said. "I . . . I . . . I went to the other place the one that doesn't do scrambled eggs. I wanted to . . . I'm sorry, Tony."
Tony just went on hugging him. "No, Tim," he said. "I'm sorry. And I'll never be horrible to you again or tease you or -" He broke off at the look on McGee's face. "Well at least for today," he said. And to his relief everyone laughed and for a moment or two McGee hugged him back.
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