Tiva Short Stories

Oh Wow- Part II

"Oh Wow" He said, sitting down slowly. 

"You okay?" I asked, shuffling my feet.

"Am I ? " He laughed. "Are you?" 

"I'm fine." I said without thinking. Its funny how people always ask, but never want to know. They want you to say fine, so why ask?

"You don't seem fine." He said, shaking his head and gesturing to ... all of me. 

"I'm fine. I promise" I repeated in monotone, instinctively. 

"The bleeding hand and crying aren't saying that" He smirked. 

"I get the feeling you're one of those girls who keeps saying I'm fine or don't worry or nothings wrong and one day tries to smother you in your sleep or rejects your proposal or gets shot in the head." 

"You miss her."I stated, looking at his glassy brown eyes. 

"Which one? The ex-fiance? The ex-partner? My mom?"He laughed. It began to all make sense. The jokester makes jokes not to make others laugh but to distract others from himself. 

"Your mom tried to smother you with a pillow?" I asked. I thought my family was screwed up. 

"What?" He asked. 

"Partner got shot in the head. Fiancé rejects proposal. That means mom smothers you in your sleep" I repeated. 

"No... that was some stupid example"

"My mom is dead. Very dead." He said quickly and bluntly, in the way that you do when you talk about people who are dead. 

"Oh"

"Mine too. And my sister. Hamas suicide bombing." I muttered in the same manner. 

"Oh wow." 

For a while, neither of us said anything, the common weight of death on our shoulders. 

"That was my ex-girlfriend" He finally offered. 

"What?" I said. 

"Who tried to smother me with a pillow. It was my ex" 

"It seems like you're the one who's not fine" I teased.

"I'm serious. I don't want you to make a habit out of saying 'I'm fine'" He sighed. 

"No one gets started investigating murders by being fine"

"Our job relies on the world being full of evil, and remaining that way eternally, despite our best actions"

"I'm not fine"

"Gibbs... he's more screwed up than anyone ever should have to be"

"Abby and Ducky they've both been to hell and back"

"And from what I can assume from the fact that you are here at 1 in the morning, bleeding, I get the feeling you have too" 

"I'll make you a deal then" I responded. 

"I really need to stop gambling with pretty girls" He laughed.

"Shut up" I barked, and tried not to think about the fact that he called me pretty. 

"I'll stop saying "I'm fine" when you stop making jokes" I smirked. 

"Well that's just..." 

"Yup" I said, head held high. 

"Come on Ms. Deal or no Deal, the loss of blood has messed with your head, let's go get a bandage and a scotch" He chuckled. 

"Bet I can handle more shots than you" I challenged, and let him take me by the hand. 

"I told you I don't gamble with pretty girls"

"Afraid I'll smuggle you with a pillow?" I smiled. 

"Low blow orphan Annie, you're on" He laughed. 

"But be warned Gibbs can smell a hangover from a block away, he's like a hunting dog"

And so 8 years of merriment began...

Ya know I was reluctant to make this, but I think it turned out really funny and adorable, so hope you guys like it as much as I do !