Rule 39: There Is No Such Thing As Coincidence (Tony DiNozzo Love Story)

10.02.00

I quickly glance around the small hotel room, making sure I have everything. As I finish my once over, I can't help but think about what Gibbs would say. Shaking my thoughts away, I pull my bag over my shoulder and look both ways before leaving the confines of the room. Shutting the door carefully, I continue to look back and forth up the outside hallway and into the parking lot. I briskly, yet calmly walk down the hall and towards the stairs. As I continue to survey my surroundings, the site of our nation's capital catches my eyes and I look away quickly.

    It's funny to think just a year ago I was returning from an assignment in Afghanistan to get away from all the trouble and heartache of war, yet here I am running away like I had never actually left it. I'd seen and done a lot of things out there. A lot of which I can't take back, a lot of it coming back to haunt me. Most of it wanting me dead.

    I take the stairs quickly and efficiently, the parking lot is mostly empty except for a few cars near the office. I make my way for the street to the left, I'm halfway across the lot when a loud voice yells out. A voice that is all too familiar, a voice I grew up with.

    "Erin!"

    I keep walking, a firm hand on my bag as the voice yells again.

    "Carter!" The voice has grown louder and closer. "E!" He shouts again.

    "Leave me alone, Gibbs," I say as I turn around. He's standing about twenty-five feet away from me and he's giving me the look. The Gibbs look.

    "Don't look at me like that," I say.

    "Where ya going?"

    "I'm leaving," I reply.

    "Why?" He asks.

    "Its time, besides I'm not needed or wanted here anymore. The job's done," I say.

    "Yes, you are. You are needed here, you're a great agent and we want you here. Tony wants you here and so do I," he says. I sigh trying to control my breathing and heart rate as he brings up Tony. Tony, what was I going to do without him?

    "I don't give a damn what you want. I'm gone. It's done," I lie.

    "You said that the last time you left and disappeared, but you came back. Five years and you came back," he says.

    "It was a mistake, it was all a mistake. And at the time, I only came back because there was no where else to go after what I'd seen over there. I would have gladly gone anywhere else, but they're all dead," I say.

    "You're not leaving just to keep me from dying or anyone else for that matter. We all have the chance of getting killed because of the job. You know that."

    "If I leave you just might get to see next spring. I'm giving you all the chance to live and keep saving lives and helping people by leaving."

    "You're not a missionary E, you're only human. Anyone can get the opportunity to live if they wish to," he says.

    "That's a load of crock," I say, turning to continue heading for the street.

    "Rules one, five, eight, and fifteen," he shouts and I stop and look at him.

    "Then ten and twelve," I yell back.

    "Rule fifty-one, sometimes you're wrong. Some rules are meant to be broken, isn't that what you once said?"

    "Yeah, but there are always new rules Gibbs, there are so many more new rules. I'll give you advice, rule forty-four. Let me live with forty and forty-five," I say as I walk away. The street comes closer and I can hear Gibbs yelling after me. His bounding footsteps becoming louder, but before he can reach me I jump for the street. Doing the unthinkable, I wrap my arm around the edge of a handle of a passing delivery truck.

Third Person

    Gibbs runs forward towards the street after Erin, his voice shouting her name. She walks out and jumps as he drew closer and a truck went past. He reaches the sidewalk and looks towards the street only to find that she's gone. He looks up and down the road only to find no sign of her.

    "Damnit."