What's Going to Happen: NCIS

Chapter 19

Tim's POV:

I stop at the coffee shop instead of the cart near work. I got a text from Melissa saying that she hopes I have a great day with about six smiley faces. I told her to do the same with a confused face. She's never sent me that many smiley faces before.

Maybe she's coming back. Maybe she wants to throw me off and make me think that she won't be there, and when I get to the squad room she will be there talking to Tony. Tony will be excited and feel like he has to announce her coming back. I'll tune him out and bring her into my arms like I'm sure he did when he saw her.

Except, I know Gibbs and I know her. Gibbs would say it's too early for her to be back at work and she would listen to him. It's bittersweet. Bitter for me to not see her and sweet for her to take time for herself. She says she misses me. I know it's true. I just think she's finally noticing that it is okay to take time for herself because she needs it.

Of course, I didn't know much about her when we first met.

I didn't know her.

Now, we have been together for over a year and know each other well. Hearing everything, she went through with her mom and James, it makes my blood boil. I remember feeling bad about all the times I didn't open up to her, but then she said she would never force me to talk about things I wasn't ready for. Just like I do with her. There are just some things I wish I didn't know prior to meeting her.

I make my way off the elevator and see Tony without Melissa. I knew it. I shouldn't have gotten my hopes but for a second. He's smiling widely at me, which means he's up to something.

"Whatever it is Tony I'm not in the mood." I say as I walk past his desk.

"I said the same thing when I came in."

At the sound of the familiar voice, I turn to the desk that's been empty, to see that it now holds the person that is meant to be sitting behind it, Ziva.

"Hey." I smile and put my things down and walk over to her for a hug. "Good to see you."

"You too, McGee." She says into my neck.

Tony speaks from his desk. "I would say the same, but you two always assume the worst in me. Why?"

Ziva and I give each other a look and start to laugh. Tony looks confused and stands up to join us in the middle of the room. "So, I think we've got the welcome backs out of the way. How is she?"

He asks the question I wanted to ask since I saw her sitting there. I swallow hard, so hard that I notice and look at their faces to make sure they didn't. By the looks of it they haven't.

"She's doing better than she was the first night. I can tell with the way she speaks or doesn't speak that she's still healing."

"Her eye?" It's all I've been able to think about when I think of seeing her again. I don't want to think about it. I want it gone. She's beautiful no matter the fact, but that's just holding her back with the bastard that took her.

"It's healed a lot. It's not as purple as it used to be. I give it three more days."

Thank God.

"Ziva," We hear the sound of the boss' voice and all scurry to our desks. "it's nice to have you back and give us a play by play, but we've got a marine that needs us."

I sit at my desk and realize that's why Melissa sent me all those smiley faces. She knew Ziva would be here today. I'll be honest I didn't think that she would be back so fast. Ziva saying that she's better by the way she acts and is talking, but knows there's something else, makes me wonder if leaving Melissa alone in that house with James is a good idea.

I can't ask Ziva if she left because she knew she was ready, or if she thought Melissa won't be guarded forever. She doesn't know that I would have it that way for the rest of my life if I could.

I look from my computer and see Gibbs call Ziva over to the stairs to talk to her. He's probably asking her how Melissa is and when does she think she can come back to work. We've all been in a situation that Melissa has been in, but we were together for a part of it. She was alone with someone she barely knows.

Her face of relief when we were arrived to rescue her, she knew it was all over and I saw it in her eyes that she could barely keep open. I saw the eye that was bruised and all I could think about was leaving him black and blue. I wonder what Tony would have done if I tried doing that at that horrible place instead of the hospital. Knowing him, he still would've stopped me. I would be mad at him then and thankful later, just like the hospital.

I feel a pen being thrown at my head. It hit my temple and it actually hurt.

"Ow! What the hell Tony!" I pick up the pen and don't bother throwing it back at him. With my luck, that's when Gibbs will come back, and I will look like I'm the one starting it.

"Well, thank goodness Ziva's back because not only is your head out of whack but your reflexes are too. That's not too much of a surprise though."

I roll my eyes and focus on the computer. "What are you talking about?"

He stands up and walks over to my desk. I try to scoot as far as I can without making it obvious.

He leans over by desk and whispers. "Listen, I appreciate everything you've done with the whole Melissa situation, really."

Does he know we're seeing each other? Did he see my phone and see her name pop up at some point during one of those nights? I assume the worse.

"But at work, your head is somewhere else. Where is it? I know her getting taken was scary. We were all scared. Now, is the time to get over it. Like we said, she's home and she's okay."

He definitely has no idea about us. He would not tell me to get over it if he knew we were more than what we're leading on. He walks away and I let him. He wouldn't understand. I know that's a lie, but I wouldn't be able to say that to his face. He has to admit it to himself that he really cares for someone like that. But like I said and will probably always say when it involves Tony; I know how to pick and choose my battles.

Ziva and I end up at a crime scene doing the things we always do, take pictures, and see what we can get from the crime scene itself. Ziva looks really happy to be back at work and be looking for clues to what happened here.

When Ducky and Jimmy join us, they ask Ziva how Melissa is doing. I can't help but smile, knowing that she has all these people that care about her and will do almost anything for her, and I come first in her heart. It makes me smile like a schoolboy. I wonder if she thinks the same way. I know with the way Ziva and Tony tease me sometimes, it's hard to see that they care, but I know they do, so does Abby. She doesn't tease me as much because we're one of the same. I know she doesn't mean it the way they do too. They'll say they're joking, but I know some things they say they mean it a little bit.

I take out my phone and text her that it's cute that she knew Ziva would be here today. I follow by asking her what she's doing with her time now that it's just her and James.

I put my phone away and take more picture of the crime scene. Things are slowly going back to normal and I can't wait until it's in full effect. Everyone won't be hassling about anything, she will be back at work, and everything will be like it used to be.

"McGee." I hear a stern voice behind me and turn around with fear. It's Ziva.

"What?"

"I just called you three times to go over and take a picture of the blood that's over there." I turn and see what she's talking about. It's a mess. I can't believe I missed that. She continues, "And not that it's a big deal but I saw you texting. That's not very like you."

She's right. It's not. "Sorry." I go over, walking past Jimmy and Ducky to take a picture of the blood. For some reason, the rest of the time we're here, I can't get her voice out of my head. That's not very like you.