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

Going Home

We drive silently back to the air field where they landed from. My body feels exhausted, I know I'm bleeding from my side but I don't care. At least one person that wants me dead is gone and I can sleep a little easier now. Getting out of the SUV, we walk over to the small lounge and Gibbs offers me coffee to which I happily take before taking a seat. Knowing full well that we're going to have a bit of time before the rest of his team returns.

"Why did you leave in the first place?" Gibbs asks. I look into my coffee and without really thinking about it I start to tell him everything.

"To tell you the truth, with my reputation with being so notorious amongst wanted people and murderers, there wasn't going to be a long waiting period before I or someone I loved ended up dead. So I bailed when I knew I had the chance."

"And four years ago?"

"Hackery got caught up in an old mess I had and I needed to fix it. So I made the customary drop in's and sightings for you and Hackery. More him than you actually, I just made some subtle moves."

"It was you who I saw when we came up Hackery's ex-wife's office building?"

"Yeah, anyway I called up an old friend to help me out. Joe was a great recon guy and well I needed a way out. So I devised another plan to have me killed. Got another friend aim in my direction but not kill. I dove down seven stories and swam two hundred meters to the bank where Joe was to lend me my escape. Got a car, alleged job, and I drove to Cape Cod. Thirty-six hours later I was on a plane headed for Europe. If you were present, and I know you were," I look up to him, "you know that my job in Europe lead me to another death and new identity. Three went down until I got to Morocco and started the gig with Vega and Antoine. That one died too, and I assume this one will as well and an old one will revive itself."

"How many recon's have you done?"

"Four with Joe. The past four have been on my own, the one I have now I guess doesn't really have a name.

Silence overtakes us and I look down into my coffee again as he takes a sip.

"Gibbs, there's still one man out there that wants me dead. Ivann , he's the Russian mafia guy everyone wants to know about."

"We'll take care of it."

"It's not that easy, he's not like any other crooked businessman or murderer. The man has had children killed, he's made children kill their own parents before forcing them to work for him. He has no mercy."

"We'll take care of it, together. Alright?"

"What do you think the team is going to say when they find out?" I look up to see him contemplate it in his mind and he sets his coffee down.

"When have you ever been one to care what others think?"

"When it has to do with people I care about."

"I think they'll have mixed emotions, but glad that you're alive."

"I need some of advice."

"If you mean about Tony, there's nothing I can tell you that will make you feel any better. Because if you're anything like you mother, you're a maniac about emotion. If you're anything like your father, you're a master of denial and hardheadedness."

I smile and he breaks a small one too.

"I never stopped thinking about any of you."

"I know, and we haven't either."

"You built a boat and named it after me didn't you?" I ask, a slightly disconcerting expression on my face.

"It was one of the best I've ever built."

"All of the boats you make are the best you've ever built."

A car pulls up and I turn back to my coffee.

"Hey Gibbs, we're back from the port."

"What was in the cargo?"

"Quite a lot of junk actually, but we found the shipment and found the emeralds. They're being shipped back to Colombia where they're originally from, and they send their greatest thanks to returning such admirable gems," Tony says but stops and looks at me as I'm sitting on a stool with my feet pulled up underneath me and the coffee in my hands.

"Is that it?" Gibbs asks.

"Uh, we got casings and bullets from Claxton's gun to do analysis. We should have an identical match to those found in Captain Nichols," Tony says.

"Good, we're clear for take off in about twenty minutes so if you want to get some coffee or use the restroom you got time."

"Thanks, Boss," Tony says as he looks at me again. I look at Tim and Ziva and they're looking at me as well.

"Great work, I thought you'd never show up," I say. I look at Gibbs and nod.

"I'm just gonna head to the restroom, and I'll be back. I promise."

He nods and I put my coffee down. As I retreat to the side and to the door I can hear the close whispers between them and Gibbs.

"Gibbs, are you sure we should be letting her just walk around? She could run."

"She'll be back." The door closes behind me and I walk towards the restroom.

Washing my hands I run them over my face, brushing softly at the facial appliances forcing me to look unlike me. Drying my hands and face I walk back to the hanger and see Gibbs standing near the plane and Tony, Tim, and Ziva are standing along with him.

"We're clear to leave in a few minutes so if you want to finish your coffee you can," Gibbs says as I move toward them.

"Thanks, but I think I'm actually done. I don't want to be up all the way back to Virginia, I'd like to get some sleep."

"What's the record this time?" I smile and think about it, the three agents stare at Gibbs and I.

"Well, the longest so far is fifteen days."

"I didn't think you'd get past ten, I guess I owe you that eight hundred bucks."

"Damn, right you do."

"Is it just me, or do you feel like you've missed something?" McGee asks.

"I don't know, maybe she's done some psychological mind scramble on him," Tony says.

"I think we have reason to worry, I have never seen Gibbs so—happy," Ziva says.

"Yeah, let's just act normal. Maybe she won't catch on to us."

"We can hear you," I say as I look at them.

"Agent Gibbs, we're going to move the plane out to the runway. You'll be up in three."

"Let's get back home," he says looking over the group.