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

Close Encounters

When we arrive, Tony parks and tells me to wait as he hurries around the car to get my door. I smile and thank him as we head in and stand in line. As we're waiting, I look around the shop and notice that several people are chatting and laughing, a few glance towards us before returning back to their conversations. I glance over to Tony to see that he's staring into the case, he looks down to me and smiles softly before turning back to the case. I smile and look towards the case and make my decision, turning back to look around, waiting patiently. There's a small group near the wall sitting at a table, a woman and man. The woman looks familiar but I can't put my finger on it where I know her from. She has long blonde hair that is in a high ponytail, she glances towards me and makes eye contact. Something in her glance gives me a chill up my spine, she looks away back towards the man that has his back to me. She says something, I can't read her lips as it doesn't appear what she said was in English, the man nods and they both stand. I look to the man and see that he has dark hair, a crew cut and he's moderately taller than the woman. He doesn't look in my direction but instead keeps his head down and facing away. Something in my gut tells me that whoever these two people are that I know them from somewhere and it's nowhere good. The blonde exits the door and the man follows, before the door can close behind them I note a small scar peeking past the top edge of his shirt going up the back left side of his neck. In an instant I'm pulling away from Tony at the counter and following after the couple.

    "Erin?" Tony calls behind me but I continue towards the door and step out.

    I look up both ways of the sidewalk and across the street, they're gone. My heart rate quickens as I continue to look up and down the street, looking for a sign.

    "Erin? What's wrong?" Tony asks from behind me and I turn to him.

    "Um, nothing. Nothing, sorry. I thought I saw someone I knew from a long time ago and it wasn't," I say. He looks at me, giving me an analyzing look.

    "Who?"

    "Someone from high school, I thought it was some old friends," I lie. If I'm right, I need to get answers first before I say anything more.

    He nods, "Okay, well can we go back inside and get some ice cream?"

    I nod. He offers me his hand and we return into the shop, but my mind is elsewhere rather than thinking about what flavor of ice cream I want.

    "Do you know what you want to get?" Tony asks, I turn to look at the case and see that there is only two more people in front of us.

    "I think I'm going to get the cookies and cream," I say, I look up at him with a smile. He nods and turns to glance back towards the case.

    A boy walks up on the other side of the counter and smiles to us.

    "Hi, how can I help you?"

    "Two cookies and cream waffle cones," Tony replies.

    "Sure thing," the boy behind the counter says. I smile as he gets the ice creams ready.

    "Will that be it?" He asks.

    Tony looks at me and I nod, he turns back to him and nods.

    "Alright that will be $4.18," he says and Tony hands him his card.

    "Here you are, enjoy," he says as he hands the ice cream over. I take mine with a thank you and grab some napkins.

    "Want to take a little walk while we eat?" Tony asks and I nod. I turn to head back to the door with Tony behind me. I smile towards him as he offers me his hand and we walk down the sidewalk.

    "What are you thinking about?" Tony asks me as we walk down the street, silence surrounding us since we left the ice cream shop.

    "Hmm? Oh, nothing really; it's just nice being home. It's nice to feel like I can breath you know?" I ask as I turn to look at him and he nods.

    "It's nice having you here. So, how'd today go with the doctor? Saw Agent Wright return back to the office and you weren't with her."

    I nod and take a lick at my ice cream. "Yeah, I was pretty tired afterwards and asked if she didn't mind dropping me off at Gibbs' place on the way back to the office."

    "That bad?" He asks.

    "No, no just a lot of thought put on me to sort through."

    "Could I help?" He asks, stopping in his tracks. I stop to turn to him and smile softly.

    "When I can sort through some things, there are things we need to talk about. Things that I should have told you long ago and it may change how you feel about me once you hear about them," I reply.

    He shakes his head, "There's nothing that will make me change what I think about you."

    "Just promise me that you'll hear me out entirely," I request. He holds my gaze for a moment before nodding.

    "I promise."

    We continue down the sidewalk, changing the subject to movies as Tony goes on to describe in full detail this new action movie that came out. The thought of the close encounter back at the ice cream shop nagging at me.

    After about an hour, Tony returns me home. I bid him goodnight before checking in on Gibbs to find him still in the basement sanding away at the bow of the boat that is currently sitting in the basement.

    "You're still up?" I ask, a teasing tone underlaying my question. He smirks and gives me a look.

    "How was ice cream with Tony?"

    "Good."

    "Just good?" He asks.

    I smile, "It was really good, we talked and it was nice feeling like a normal person for once," I say.

    He puts the sanding block down and stares at me.

    "There's nothing wrong with not being normal," he says and I laugh.

    "Thank you, I will be sure to let Dr. Payne know about that one when I see him next," I say.

    He chuckles. "Dr. Payne? Seriously?"

    I chuckle, "Yeah, his name is Dr William Payne."

    Gibbs raises his brows and shakes his head, regrouping the sanding block. "Ain't that something."

    "Tell me about it. I'm gonna head to bed, don't try and stay up too late with this. I mean it's not like its going anywhere," I say and he just stares back as continues to sand.

    I nod and salute him off nonchalantly as I head up the stairs to collapse into bed.