𝐍𝐎 𝐑𝐔𝐋𝐄𝐒 ━━ 𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐲 𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐨𝐳𝐳𝐨

SIXTEEN | merry christmas

"Detective Kemp, was it?"

"Yes, ma'am. But you can call me Justin."

"Well, thank you for helping me with all the presents." I grin at the man to my right, who'd helped me carry two heavy boxes up to my floor.

"It was my pleasure." He tips his chin politely. "A young woman like yourself shouldn't have to carry such a heavy load."

"Kemp."

"DiNozzo."

"Tony?"

". . .Eva?"

Ziva and McGee stand behind Tony at his desk, all three staring in bewilderment as to why I'm with the homicide detective.

"Special Agent Gibbs. Sorry to ruin your Christmas." Kemp shakes the boss' hand.

Gibbs barely glances at the team. "It's December 23rd. We're not going anywhere."

"Looks like we'll be working together on this case."

"I. . .can't wait."

The reason Kemp's over at N.C.I.S. is because of a double-homicide home invasion robbery dealing with a petty officer — Ned Quinn — who supposedly died 17 years ago.

Ziva and McGee leave to talk to Ned Quinn's former wife, Connie Wheeler. And the next morning, Tony and I leave for the Vietnam Memorial at the chance of spotting Quinn well and alive.

"I did offer to help you with the presents, you know."

"I know you did."

"Well, I thought you didn't want any help. Turns out you didn't want my help."

A low groan leaves my body. "He saw me struggling and offered. What was I supposed to do, say no?"

"You could have mentioned you have a fiancé before accepting his help." He glances over at me from the driver's seat.

"And he has a wife. Whom you used to date." I nudge his shoulder in reminder. "Long-term, from what I hear."

"Guy in the blue hoodie. Could be him. I'll go check him out."

When he goes for the car door handle, I snatch the binoculars and take a look for myself.

"If Quinn was young, female, and pregnant, then sure. We found him."

"Am I wrong to be jealous?"

"You most definitely are."

My hand glides up his suit and neck before resting on his cheek. He presses his cheek further into the palm.

"Ever since the undercover assignment, I just. . .I'm scared you're going to leave me the second you realize you can do so much better."

"If I wanted to leave you, Tony. . .I wouldn't want to have children with you, now, would I?"

"I-I guess not."

Snowflakes flurry from the clouds up above, dark resting upon the night sky. Quinn stands in front of Roger Laurence Grant's name, not caring about the weather.

I call Gibbs, asking what we should do. But he insists we return to headquarters while he talks to our lead suspect.

Tony and McGee visit Quinn's hotel room downtown, Gibbs interrogates Quinn about the robbery, and Ziva and I observe from the backroom.

"Psst. Eva. Ziva."

The two of us glance back to see Abby — dressed in a very Christmas-red attire — standing at the door and waving us towards her.