Four-leaved clover

Chapter 6 - Rules

Her phone was ringing, making her sigh and roll onto her side to grab her phone that was lying on her night stand.

"Gray." Her voice was laced with exhaustion since she hadn't been able to sleep that much.

"I apologize for calling this late but a ressource just contacted me. They are on the move and I need you to follow them. We need to figure out where they are planning to head off to next, agent Gray," Director Sheppard voiced quietly but one could detect the urgency in her tone.

Olivia rubbed her face with a grumble and sat up, glancing at the green numbers on her clock radio that illuminated her night stand slightly. 3:47AM.

"Don't you ever sleep?" Olivia halfheartedly joked while slowly getting up, stretching her limbs tiredly.

A chuckle was heard on the other end of the phone. "No rest for the wicked."

"Alright, I'll just hit the showers before I go play paparazzi again," she yawned and listened closely to the new address. "I'll see you later, Director."

Hanging up, Olivia headed for the showers, and even if she should be more focused on her task, she couldn't help but let her fingers touch her lips while her mind reminded her of the kiss that happened hours earlier.

~ ~ ~

Gibbs was glancing into the metal room of the elevator while it moved upwards to his unit. His thoughts were not with him - just as Agent Gray, Gibbs hadn't been able to get much sleep after what had happened in his basement. His jaw clenched tightly and with an annoyed groan he headslapped himself.

"Rule 12, you idiot," he scolded himself but ended up smiling crookedly at himself. He just didn't have it in him anymore to resist her, and he had on top of that reprimanded her about rule 3.

~Flashback last night~

Gibbs' anger deflated the second he felt her touch, and without thinking further about it, he crushed his lips against hers.

At first Olivia was astounded to say the least but not a second later did she kiss him back - her eyes closing as she savoured the kiss, and so did he. Her hands snuck up his chest and wound around his neck while his strong hands grabbed hold of her hips. The kiss deepened between them, and only the need for oxygen had them finally break the kiss and part.

It was then that reality set in and Olivia blinked, looking at him. She was at loss for words, and so was he apparently. They just stood remained in their spot and looked at each other. Both honestly missing the warmth from each other when they were closer but none of them addressed it. Their eyes spoke more than words could at the moment.

"I, uh..." Olivia finally found her voice again and could string a sentence together, "I better get home."

Gibbs nodded but his eyes held a whole different answer. "I'll see you tomorrow, Agent Gray."

"Night, Agent Gibbs."

~Present day~

As he stormed into the bull pen, his eyes way too quickly scanned the area as he rounded his desk. "Talk to me," he ordered while rummaging through some new papers that had landed on his desk.

McGee started and soon Tony and Ziva added more information to McGee's newfound information.

Gibbs frowned and looked up, noticing that Gray wasn't there.

"Where the hell is Gray?"

DiNozzo pulled out his cell phone and called her - again. He had been trying several times this morning.

"I don't know, boss. I've been trying to reach her all morning."

Gibbs didn't like this. "Keep trying!" he barked out while he set off and rushed up to Director Sheppard's office.

"You can't enter, Agent Gibbs. She is in a me-" the secretary tried to stop him but he ignored her - as always - and burst into her meeting, his anger evident as he glared at her.

"What damn mission have you sent Agent Gray on?!"

Sheppard rose from her seat and excused her incapable agent on the lack of his manners before she ended the meeting. Only as they were left alone did she stare him down just as he did her.

"I don't answer to you, Gibbs. Remember that."

"When it comes to my team, then hell yes you do!" he snapped.

Sheppard's eyes squinted and she tensed up. "This mission is classified and isn't of your concern at all, Gibbs. You work for me as do your agents. So don't you dare use this tone with me!"

"You may own me, yes but not my team! If something happens to her, Jen, then you answer to me. Are we clear?"

Sheppard didn't answer but watched him closely. She had expected an outburst from him but not like this. She knew how he felt about his team but this reaction and his whole demeanour was not like she had expected.

Within seconds, Gibbs had left her office and was back down with his team. Just as he was about to yell out more orders, his phone rang.

"Gibbs. Hey Abbs, yes, sure. I'll be right there."

McGee, DiNozzo and Ziva held their breaths. Their boss seemed slightly off but they couldn't pin point exactly what it was. Surely they knew he was always in a mood, never big on words and so on but he seemed concerned, and that wasn't sitting well with the rest of his team.

"What the hell are you guys waiting for!? Get back to work, and Tony, keep calling Agent Gray!"