#ncis oneshot

ᕚ---ᕘ

You sat alone in the darkened kitchen of your apartment. The plate in front of you was empty, the remains of a meager salad that you had tossed around several times. Your gaze was blank as you stared at the plate, as if searching for answers that might be hiding in the dried lettuce leaves.

The last few weeks have been a challenge for you. The relentless cases and high stress levels at NCIS had taken their toll on you. The originally secret battle against the numbers on the scales had long since become an open war that you were waging against yourself.

Your colleagues started to notice your changes. Special Agent Ellie Bishop, your best friend, was one of the first to notice a certain distance in your eyes while you were working on a case. Gibbs, who could read his team's moods like no other, had also picked up on the subtle clues- the tired eyes, the emaciated appearance, and the color that had drained from your face.

After a discussion about the latest case and your lack of sympathy, Ellie and he exchanged worried glances before silently agreeing that it was time to talk to you. Together they decided to bring in Jack Sloane, the team's experienced psychologist and agent.

Just a few hours later, after gathering informally, Gibbs, Ellie, and Jack found themselves in her office. The tension in the air was palpable as they patiently waited for you to walk in the door unsuspectingly. “Sit down, Y/n.” The older man spoke calmly, pointing to the couch opposite.

You hesitated with a questioning and slightly confused look before sitting down. The gazes of your colleagues literally pierced you and made you nervous.

"We're worried about you, sweetheart," Ellie began gently, her arms wrapped around her body as her lower back dug into the blonde's desk. "You seem so different lately and we want to understand what's going on."

Jack eventually continued, bringing out her expertise, enhancing the expression of her words by readjusting her glasses. "There's no reason to walk alone in the dark."

It was hard to miss the tension on your face as you tried to control her emotions. Gibbs looked at you seriously, a hint of concern and sensitivity shining in his eyes. "Y/n, we are your team. If you have problems, you don't have to fight it alone. Talk to us."

"It's nothing. I'm fine." You spoke after listening to your colleagues' words, literally feeling the pressure inside you as a lump formed in your throat. You hesitated for a moment before standing up and abruptly leaving the room without saying another word. The look on your face told the three of them a mix of anger and shame as they realized there was a deeper reason for your change.

The door closed behind you with a muffled bang and Gibbs sighed heavily, keeping his eyes on the closed door. "Damn," he muttered. "She won't let anyone talk to her."

Ellie cast a worried glance in the direction you had just been sitting and furrowed her brow in frustration. "We can't just let her go through this alone. She needs help."

Jack Sloane nodded in agreement, her emotions contained as she considered what to do next with you. "I agree, but she also has to be willing to accept help. We can't force her."

In the next few days the atmosphere in the team remained tense. You tried to appear as normal as possible, but the tension between you, Ellie, and Gibbs was palpable. The usual jokes with Dinozzo, the shared breaks with Ellie and the feeling of togetherness with Gibbs seemed to have faded into the background.

Until the senior agent's team received an urgent mission that required your full attention and teamwork. A suspicious package with a bomb inside appeared in a public building. When you arrived on site, the situation quickly became aggravated by memories of 9/11. The building was evacuated and the team took control of the entire situation.

This effort that brought you back onto the field was actually intended to provide distraction and focus for you. However, the tensions in the team were obvious. You avoided all eye contact with your colleagues, the images of the failed conversation echoing in your head, and the pressure you were trying to hide weighed heavily on you.

While you were concentrating on your tasks, you suddenly felt a wave of dizziness. Your heart was pounding fast, the world around you was spinning, and your legs suddenly felt like they were made of rubber. Your vision blurred. Instinctively you reached for the closest thing possible to hold on to, which at that exact moment was Ellie, but your knees gave way and you sank to the ground next to her. The colors blurred before your eyes and you lost consciousness.

Ellie noticed the suddenly tight grip on her forearm. Gibbs, who was standing right behind you, reacted quickly and caught you before your head hit the paving stone. “Y/n!” He called as he gently laid you on the ground and Ellie called emergency services while Dinozzo and McGee continued to focus on the case. You were pale and breathing shallowly, the older agent trying to wake you up while Ellie looked for signs of acute medical distress and checked your pulse, all while talking to the emergency dispatcher.

Gibbs watched worriedly as you slowly came to. When your eyes opened, they showed a mix of embarrassment and weakness. "What happened?" You mumbled, still dazed.

"We'll sort that out later," he replied calmly, brushing some stray strands of hair that had gotten lost in it out of your face. "Right now we need to make sure you get medical attention."

Even as the paramedics arrived and took care of you, the two exchanged a meaningful look. The events of the last few minutes had exposed a reality that they could no longer ignore and it became clear to everyone that this was not just about the case and the hot summer days that drove everyone into a corner - this was about the well-being of an agent who not only fought against external threats in everyday life, but also against her own demons.

ᕚ---ᕘ

In the hospital room, surrounded by dim lights and the hum of medical equipment, you sat up straight in bed. Gibbs and Ellie had alerted Jack to come to the hospital, where all three of them gathered around you, each of them with a serious but caring look.

"Y/n, it's time we talk about this," Jack began in a soft voice, sitting on the edge of the bed, her hand tentatively running over your still-shaky forearm, skillfully ignoring the intravenous access for medication. "We really care about you. This fainting is a symptom of something bigger. You need to tell us what's going on so we can help you."

You looked down, fingers folding nervously in your lap. The walls you had so stubbornly built seemed to be crumbling. Gibbs took a step closer to you. His eyes met yours, intense and fatherly at the same time. "You're part of my team, y/n. If you're having trouble, I'm here for you."

Ellie also wanted to join in the conversation, adding something that completely grounded your walls. "We are not only colleagues, but also friends and family. You can trust us. We will help you." You took a deep breath and nodded, a lone, slow tear rolling down your cheeks. "It's not easy for me to talk about it. It feels like I'm losing control."

Gibbs placed a protective hand on your shoulder, letting you know that it was okay to let them in and accept their help. "Sometimes it's okay to let go of control. You are not alone and together we will help you get back on your feet."

"I fell into something that I didn't think I would ever fall into again. An eating disorder that I actually left behind a long time ago," you began to say, many more tears following. Ellie had immediately moved to your side, wrapping you in a big hug to help you tell them everything they needed to know.

The following weeks were characterized by intensive discussions with Jack, supported by professional help from another psychologist outside of working hours. The entire team was there to support you every step of the way, enveloping you in care as they ate with you and brought you small snacks.

Gibbs, who was otherwise known for his strictness, became a protective father figure who lost his strictness on you when it wasn't work related. He constantly reminded you that there was no shame in showing weakness and that you didn't have to fight alone if you suffered a setback for the day.

“He is the owner, he’s watching the place,” you brushed off, handing a beer to a customer.

In truth, you knew why he was staring.

You had been working at the Tru Tone for a few months now. Bartending was a lucrative job in the French Quarter, but you also enjoyed it. The energy of New Orleans was addicting and you couldn’t imagine yourself anywhere else. Not to mention the Tru Tone was an amazing place to work. Great music, wonderful patrons, and of course the best coworkers. And boss. Jimmy was pretty much in charge of the bar, but Dwayne… He was the heart and soul of the place.

And handsome to boot. It didn’t take long for you to develop a crush on the older man. He was so damn charming, it felt inevitable. And for a moment, you thought maybe he felt the same way. The two of you were closing down the bar, which was rare for Dwayne since he had his job as an NCIS agent. It had been a busy night, but by 3 am, the bar was quiet and you began cleaning the bar. The tension had been building for a while between the two of you. All it took was one accidental brush of skin and Dwayne had you on top of the bar. You remembered the feel of his rough fingers as they skated across your shoulder. The pressure of his lips against yours. And then he pushed away. Said things like “I shouldn’t have done that,” and “It would be better if we didn’t go further.” That’s how things were left. He still talked to you of course, but it was all business.

And here you were now, tending bar for a man you wanted but couldn’t have. He didn’t want you. You hoped you could get past this awkward mess.

“Jimmy, mind if I take ten? Need a breather,” you asked.

“Yeah, I can grab Pride and we can cover for you.”

“Thanks, I’ll be back in ten.”

“Take twenty and the bottle of water. And actually sit,” Jimmy ordered in a faux stern tone. You nodded and saluted him flippantly.

“Right away boss,” you said, dodging the towel he snapped at you.

You exited from behind the bar and made your way through the crowd. The horde of patrons felt suffocating once you left the safety of the bar, but you were able to slip through. You cheered when you realized your normal break spot was open, a single-seat table next to the open window. You snagged the table and plopped into the chair . The water Jimmy gave you was appreciated as you took deep swallows.

You bobbed your head to the music and you pulled out your phone to check your messages and emails. Nothing terribly important, but there were a few funny memes from Sebastian that made you snort.

“Beautiful smile,” a voice cut into your bubble, causing you to lookup. A man about your age hovered over your table.

“Mind if I sit?” he asked. “It’s a bit crowded here.” You went to stand to give the patron your seat, but he held up his hands for you to stop.

“No, I meant can I join you.”

You paused in your movements.

“Well there is only one chair,” you pointed out.

“Maybe you can sit in my lap,” he said, sitting on the table, caging yo in by putting his arm on the back of your chair. You groaned. You got hit on a lot at work, but at least this guy was upfront with his red flags.

You slid out from under his arm, putting some distance between the two of you.

“Yeah, no thanks. I’m due back behind the bar.”

“Aw come on sweetheart. I’m sure your boss won’t mind if you spent a little time with me. Customer service and all that.”

You raised a brow. Did he really think his lines worked?

“Not gonna happen,” you said, moving back towards the bar when he grabbed your wrist. It was a tight grip, verging on painful.

“Come on darlin’, don’t be like that.”

When he called you darling, a wave of revulsion washed over you. You wanted only one man to call you that, and he wasn’t him. You tried to yank your wrist away but his grip tightened, causing you to wince at the pressure. You turned to see if anyone was watching when a familiar presence was at your back. It was at that moment you realized the music had stopped and the crowd was watching the scene.

“I believe the young lady asked ya to leave her alone,” Dwayne said, catching the other man’s attention. He was standing tall, not aggressive in his stance, but there was a definite aura around him. This wasn’t Tru Tone Dwayne or even NCIS agent Dwayne. His face was tight, and his hands flexed as if he wanted to wring the man’s neck.

When Dwayne spoke, the grip on your wrist lessened, allowing you to pull your hand away with effort. You cradled your wrist and Dwayne pushed you back with his hip, standing in front of you. While you could take care of yourself and preferred not to have Dwayne or Jimmy step in, you were glad. Knowing that Dwayne had your back still, even after that night.

“And who are you, her dad?” he scoffed, taking note of Dwayne's silver hair and dismissing his authority.

“I’m the owner of this bar, and I’ll hafta ask ya to leave. I’d hate for this to get ugly.”

Maybe the man was drunk or maybe he was a fool. Probably both, especially when he reared back to hit Dwayne. Your boss dodged the swing and caught the man’s arm easily. He brought his arm up behind him, making him yelp at the pressure. The determination on Dwayne’s face made your knees buckle a bit. Like a knight defending a maiden. It was almost too much.

“Now see, this is ugly. Why don’t ya just go on and get out of here? Before you get arrested for assaulting a federal officer.” He shoved the man who stumbled toward the door. He recovered his footing, red in the face, and stood menacingly.

Dwayne flipped open his wallet flashing his credentials. The man faltered at the sight and stopped his movement. He spat at the ground and pushed through the crowd toward the exit.

You breathed a sigh of relief. You knew Dwayne could handle himself, but you couldn’t help but worry. Drunk men were unpredictable.

“Alright folks, let’s get the music started again,” he called out, and a cheer rang out in the crowd. Once the focus was off the two of you, Dwayne took your uninjured hand and led you towards the stairs.

“Dwayne, I gotta get back to work,” you said.

“Jimmy can handle it,” he said, nodding towards his brother. Jimmy nodded back, waving the two off. “I wanna take a look at your wrist.”

“I’m sure it’s fine,” you said, waving off his concern. You stopped at the base of the stairs when Dwayne leveled his gaze on you. This was not an argument you were going to win.

“Just let me take a look darlin’,” he said with finality. You nodded and allowed him to lead you up the stairs. He kept a hand on your back as you took each step. You relished it, even if it was just Dwayne’s overprotectiveness.

Once upstairs, he herded you into a chair and knelt before you. With gentle hands, he manipulated your wrist. He turned it all ways, rolling it with practiced care. You hissed when he touched a particular sore spot. He turned his gaze to you, worry in his eyes.

“Does it hurt?”

“It's not so bad. I’ll be okay,” you brushed off his concern. He cradled your hand in his, his thumb gently rubbing at your wrist.

The two of you sat in silence as Dwayne stared at your wrist. With each pass of his thumb, your skin tingled, causing the hairs on your arm to stand.

“I didn’t like him touching you,” he finally said.

“Dwayne it’s not your fault-”

He stood abruptly, taking a few steps away from where you were sitting. His back was facing you, and you could see the tension in his shoulders in the way he stood.

“I didn’t like him touching you. Talking to you. Smiling at you,” Dwayne bit out. He turned to face you, his hands clenched into fists. His normally carefree expression was stony, his eyes seemingly darker. You stood up and took a few steps toward your boss. You tentatively reached out and took his hand in yours, thumbing over his knuckles.

“I was wrong that night. Kissing you wasn’t a mistake. Pushing you away, that was a mistake,” he confessed. He brought his other hand up to the crook of your neck. While his long fingers brushed the hair at the nape of your neck, his thumb brushed over your fluttering pulse point.

“Seeing that man flirt with you, as unwanted as it was… made me angry. Jealous. I wanted to hit him for touching you. For hurting you.”

Dwayne was grappling with what he was saying. He had never felt the flame of jealousy as hot as he did that night. It wasn’t him. He had been helping Jimmy behind the bar when he saw the man approach you. He was instantly on alert when he saw him drape his arm over the back of your chair. Your expression when you were clearly uninterested. As soon as he grabbed your wrist, he was out from behind the bar and pushing through the crowd to you.

He felt guilty for not getting to you before your wrist was grabbed. The redness around your wrist was like a brand, shouting at him that he had failed you. He didn’t protect you in time. Dwayne clenched his jaw thinking about it. Your hand, soft and cool, brushed against his temple. You continued your ministrations until the furrow in his brow lessened. His head drooped, his forehead touching yours.

“Dwayne, I don’t want anyone but you,” you breathed. “That hasn’t changed.”

With your confession, his resolve broke, and he tilted your head up, capturing your lips with his. You surged against him, mindful of your wrist as you pulled him closer. Dwayne backed you up until your back was against the wall.

You gasped at the contact and Dwayne used that to his advantage to delve deeper into your mouth. One hand tangled in your hair, the other gripping the swell of your hip. Your mind fogged as he kissed you like a man starved and only your lips would satiate his hunger.

You responded in kind, clinging to his neck, pressing your body flush against him. He grunted when your hips met his and he pulled back with a groan.

“As much as I’d like to stay here, Jimmy is gonna be wondering where we are,” he said, catching his breath against your neck. You hmmed against his hair, trying to regain control of your mental faculties.

“To be continued later?” you offered.

Your life had been a living hell for the last three years, never knowing if you were going to make it to the next day or not. When you weren’t being beaten, used, or sold out, you were shoved into a small dark basement with only bread and water, the occasional bone from a chicken with a little bit of meat on it. You tried keeping track of the number of meals he gave you, but you passed out so frequently from exhaustion and pain that you knew you slept for longer than a day at times. 

You heard him coming and you hid behind the water heater. You knew it was all for nothing, there wasn’t really anywhere else you could be. He always found you and always gave you a new reason to wish you were dead. The door busted open and you scrunched up tightly, waiting for what was coming. But it never did. The next thing you heard was a soft, gentle female voice.  “Y/n y/l/n? FBI. It’s okay, you’re safe now. We’ve got you.” she said, coaxing you out of your hiding spot. You peeked around, eyes full of tears. This had to be another dream. Or a trick...you paused. What if this was a trick? He’d done it before. You whimpered and went back behind the water heater. A man came downstairs, and this time you knew it wasn’t a trick. “T-Tobias?!” You stammered, eyes wide. “My God...y/n...” he said, grunting as you ran into his arms.  “Jethro...Jethro, is he...I...he’s...” you couldn’t get the words out, everything seemed blurry, suddenly you collapsed into Fornell’s arms. *************** You woke up in the hospital, Fornell sitting in the chair beside your bed. “Y/n. Good to see you awake finally.” “What...what happened...” “He doesn’t know.” He stated, knowing what you were really concerned about. You nodded quietly, waiting on him to continue. “He doesn’t even know I was still working the case. Better for him in case things...didn’t go well. I figure as soon as they let you go, I’ll drive you up to NCIS. You can surprise him.” “Didn’t think you were the thoughtful type, Tobias,” you said, chuckling a bit, teasing him. He shook his head with a smirk. “You haven’t changed one bit.” He said, walking to the nurses station. You grew quiet, thinking about everything that had happened over the last three years. You knew he was wrong about that. You had changed. You wondered if Jethro had. ***************

Your leg bounced in the passenger seat of Fornell’s car. You were in the Naval Yard, growing more and more worried about what would happen when you walked out of that elevator. You felt sick to your stomach on the ride up. You looked up upon hearing the ding of the elevator doors opening, you were greeted with the bright orange walls that you never thought you’d grow to miss. 

You stepped out of the elevator and your heart nearly stopped. You saw the silver hair from all the way across the room, his back to you. He was speaking to a woman, his hand on her shoulder. She said something and he laughed. That sound nearly had you on the floor. Had he...was she...

“Old friend. He’d die before going on a date with her,” Tobias said, making you feel a little bit better. “He never did get over you.” You felt your heart swell and you started toward him. You came within three feet of him, his back still to you, and you took a deep breath. “Jethro...” You saw him tense, he whipped around, those beautiful blue eyes trying to take in the sight of you before him. He blinked a couple times and spoke, his voice cracking in the process. “Y/n?” You barely had a chance to nod before you were in his arms. You gripped his shirt, tears forming in your eyes. Fornell came up and explained everything to him after you two had your moment.  “Thank you, Tobias,” Jethro said, never letting go of you. He was cradling the back of your head to his chest. “Gibbs,” you heard Vance coming toward him, but he stopped in his tracks. “Y/n?” He said, surprise in his voice. “Hi, Leon,” you said, not letting go of Jethro. “My God,” he stared, then turned to Fornell, “You found her.” “With the help of my team. But as much as I’d love to stay, I’ve got some things to take care of.” He left after bidding you all goodbye. “Gibbs. Go home.” Vance said, walking away. “Wasn’t gonna stay,” he said, taking you by the hand, leading you to the elevator, a look of surprise and confusion on his team’s face.  ************** The ride back to the house was fairly quiet, but it wasn’t a bad kind of quiet. He parked the truck and got you out. You went in and looked around. Nothing had changed. He hadn’t moved a thing that you had put out. Even the things he said he hated. Your eyes welled with tears. “Y/n? What is it?” He asked, taking your hands, sitting with you on the couch. “I was so afraid I’d never get back to you...or that if I did, you...you might have moved on...” you looked at him, eyes taking in every feature of his face. He just shook his head, holding you. “What happened to you...” he asked hesitantly. You paused, hesitating, but very slowly and quietly told him everything from when you were kidnapped up until you were rescued this morning. You looked up at him and saw a mix of anger, sadness, and relief in his eyes. He didn’t say anything, but he didn’t have to. The way he gently cupped your cheeks and pressed his lips against your own said it all. 

When you got into your car you tried to avoid looking at him, but you were too curious as to why he gave in and kissed you, especially like that. But before you could speak up McGee did.

“I’m sorry”

“About?”

“Kissing you”

You couldn’t tell if you were suppose to be offended or not, you guessed McGee read that on your face as he quickly continued, rambling nervously “I didn’t mean it like that, I just mean, I’m sorry I didn’t warn you, I guess? I didn’t mean that I didn’t want to, cause I did, or I mean, I didn’t want to like that, I just-”

“McGee” you cut him off before he could dig himself deeper “It’s okay”

He cleared his throat before nervously adjusting himself in him seat, you smiled at his nervousness before you reached to start the car “Wait”

Stopping you turned to him “What?”

“Uh, I don’t want this to be awkward all day, especially not at the suspect house”

“Okay?” you weren’t sure where he was going with this

“I...didn’t want our first kiss to be like that..forced”

“What do you mean, our first kiss? You hate me”

He looked mildly shocked at that “No I don’t. Not even close, I mean I know that we annoy each other but I don’t hate you, I actually...I’m actually pretty fond of you and I’ve been debating asking you out to dinner or a drink...” he trailed off

You stared at him for a moment, shocked at his confession, but not in a bad way “Well, go ahead then”

He looked over at you “Go ahead and what?”

“Ask me to dinner, or a drink” you said with a light smile

McGee sat up in his seat “Oh, okay. Um, do you want to go to dinner with me, tonight maybe?”

“Sure” you said before starting the car

He just stared at you before smiling “Okay then, great”

Your heart was pounding as you were trying to hold back a grin. Pulling out of the parking space, he atmosphere was no longer awkward. And instead you were thinking of what to wear on your date.

Back at NCIS you were just finishing up your report when Tony appeared at the front of your desk, "Hey." You flashed him a smile, however half-hearted it was it was a smile nonetheless.

"You nearly ready to head out?" He asked, perching on the side of your desk, careful not to disrupt any papers.

Nodding while your eyes focused on the screen you moved your fingers over the keyboard quickly, "I can not wait to have a nice long bath. I don't know how long I was in the restroom brushing my teeth earlier." You shuddered at the thought.

Tony laughed softly and placed a hand on your shoulder, "Undercover assignments are always tricky."

"Tricky? That was disgusting...but at least we got him."

"You got him. I was just there for back up." He shrugged and picked up the model Humvee, a gift from Gibbs while you were in the Marines.

Lifting your head to watch Tony after you hit send on the report you smiled, "You really like that thing, huh?" He pushed it along the desk, "It reminds me of when we met. You in your fatigues...I was only a few years into NCIS..."

"Along those years ago." You hummed, leaning back in your chair for a moment, "Now look at us."

Tony shot you a grin, placing the Humvee down back onto its perch on the table, "Ready?"

You nodded once and gathered up your things, slipping into your coat with Tony's help. Pushing the button to the elevator you only had to wait a few seconds before the familiar ding sounded and you both stepped in.

"I can still taste it in my mouth." You blanched and shivered, "Ugh."

DiNozzo leaned around you and pressed the emergency stop button. He saw the frown creasing your brow and lifted a hand to cup your cheek, smiling to himself, "I have to say - I don't blame him...you're irresistible."

"Tony wha-"

He moved closer, his nose brushing yours causing both of your eyes to close, "Let me show you how a kiss should taste." He whispered and leaned down a little, he was much taller than you, and captured your lips in a deep kiss. You were both caught up in the moment, your arms wrapping around his neck while his clung to your hips and back. All you could smell, feel and taste was Tony - it was intoxicating but you weren't about to push him off, not for another few seconds anyway.