𝐑𝐔𝐋𝐄 𝐓𝐖𝐄𝐋𝐕𝐄 ━━ 𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐲 𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐨𝐳𝐳𝐨

FIFTY THREE | writer's block

"This guy probably never sleeps alone."

"Why do you think that?"

"He's got two six-packs of beer sitting in the fridge. Not a drop of hard liquor in sight."

"Except this."

Ziva picks up an untouched cocktail sitting on the countertop beside the sink. She takes one sniff of it and gags.

"If smells could kill. . ." The back of her hand touches her nose. "I think we just found our murder weapon."

"He couldn't have made a cocktail here." I shake my head.

She crouches down by the doorway. "Neighbors said this was a notorious party house. Maybe someone brought in the mixers."

"Must have taken them with them, too."

"Seems like a lot of effort for a couple of drinks. Wasted effort."

Ziva and I walk into the living room to see Tony and McGee standing by the beer pong table instead of taking pictures.

". . .you may not use me to get over your writer's block."

"McGee has writer's block?"

"No, McGee does not."

The probationary agent refers to himself in the third person while Tony simply nods his head.

"Just do what you did last time." Ziva shrugs her shoulders nonchalantly. "Write about us."

"My character better get her name changed legally." I grimace at the thought of McGee's choice in alias names.

He sighs exasperatedly. "Okay, I've told you guys a million times. The book is not about you."

"No, of course not."

The three of us answer simultaneously.

"It's about Special Agent Tommy."

"And Officer Lisa."

"Don't forget about Agent Madeleine."

"DiNozzo!"

"And L.J. Tibbs."

The blue Ford Ranger pickup truck is nowhere near the driveway of Petty Officer Cove's house, meaning the attacker has it. But before we can put out a B.O.L.O, Ziva receives a call from the Norfolk Police.

Snap!

"How are you feeling?"

I look up and see Tony's concerned face.

"Well, I've been better, but. . .I'm alright."

A small but reassuring smile appears on my face, and he returns it with a gentle grin.

"It felt nice, you know, to have you come over again."

"It felt nice to be there."

"Hey!" Gibbs struts over to the back of the pickup. "You two find anything?"

Startled, I let out a gasp.

"Uh, yeah. Yeah, we found the blanket that was likely used to cover the body, seeing as it's covered in blood."

"Or bodies."

He walks away with his cellphone pressed against his ear.

"McGee?" Ziva calls out to him. "McGee, you look like you've seen a goat."

The agent glances in her direction. "Huh? Oh, ghost. Seen a ghost. Yeah" He corrects her. "Do you know what déja vu is?"

"Bien sur." She obliges. "My French is better than my English."