It Happened: NCIS

Chapter 15

Tony's POV:

When I saw that Melissa was calling me, I was nervous. I thought she was going to tell me; my text was inappropriate or that she didn't want to see me tonight.

When I sent the text, it was like I blacked out for a minute. I told myself I was going to call her after work, but after leaving Tim I couldn't wait. It's like I saw how much pain he was in, so she must be going through it more and she's not showing it.

Though, seeing him that way pissed me off. I didn't want to pity him the way that I did. This is only the second time I saw him and that my pity for him went to anger. I can't help it. It may be killing him that he can't see her and is lying to her, but she genuinely thinks she lost someone and that's more heartbreaking than anything.

"Hey!" She seems more energetic and upbeat, than when I left her this morning.

"Hey." I lean down and we both kiss each other on the cheek. I don't know what came over me, but it was like instinct for her too.

I walk in with my jacket in my hands and I look at the living room where we enter. The clothes that were in separate piles this morning, are now in the same stack.

"I'm glad you called." I tell her. She smiles at me and walks towards the pile of clothes.

"Thank you for texting." She looks at the pile and then smiles back up at me.

I smirk. "What's going on?" This doesn't make sense, but when I look at her, I forget about the morning I had. I look at her now, and I don't feel bad like I did this morning.

"Well, to move on I have to do things that I have been putting off, but I don't want to do it alone." She looks back down at the clothes and I already know what she's going to say, but I let her say it because that bad feeling is coming back now.

"Will you go upstairs with me?" Her smile has faded, and she won't stop moving her body as she continues to stare at the clothes.

I put the jacket down on the couch and try my best not to sigh. "Of course." I'm here for her. I don't know what I was thinking on my way over here. Yes, I do, but I won't speak on it.

I take some of the clothes for her to help this process. "Thank you." She says to me softly and her smile is back.

We stand at the bottom of the stairs. I look at her and see that she's trying hard to hold that smile. I wonder what she's thinking. That it took her over three months to do this. The last time he walked down the stairs, or the last time that they were up there.

"Can you go first?" She asks while looking at the ground.

"If you want me to stop, just let me know." I take my first step and take a breath. I start to walk up the steps and don't look back. I have faith that she's behind me. In fact, I can feel that she's there.

I can tell that while my hands are full of clothes, hers is on the railing. She's being careful in more ways than one.

I reach the tops of the stairs, and only know where to go because of the tour Tim gave us. He was so proud of the life that he was able to provide her. I don't think I would see him happier if he bought a puppy.

I'm acting like he's actually dead, but that's a good thing. To her, he is actually dead, so this better work.

I turn into her room and I place the clothes on her bed. I turn around and I see her standing in the room, with not a sad look, but confused look on her face. "Huh."

"What is it?" I was expecting her to be crying, but there's nothing.

She shakes her head. "It's just... I thought that this was going to be harder."