Sorry for the long wait for chapters, I'm writing 3 stories at the same time and this one is being particularly difficult to write. This story's been a bit angsty so far so I've lightened things up with this chapter. Find out next chapter what's happened to Jake!
McGee dropped his backpack under his desk with a sigh. It was at least an hour earlier than he normally arrived at work and he had skipped breakfast after Gibbs had ordered him to the office. The tone in his voice had made McGee practically run from his car to the office just in case Gibbs was already there. Last thing he needed was Gibbs snapping at him for being late when he didn't need to be in the office for another hour. He nodded at Ziva's direction. McGee didn't know how she could get up so early and get to work without looking like she'd just run a marathon. Which she probably had considering her fondness for running.
"Morning," he greeted gruffly as he tried to get his breath back.
"Did you run here?" she asked, noticing the exhausted look on his face and the beads of sweat on his forehead.
"Just about," he replied, dropping into his seat. "You know what this is about?"
She shook her head. "No, but Gibbs is going to be pissed when he sees Tony isn't here yet."
McGee looked over at the empty desk. "I think he'd be more surprised if Tony turned up on time," he remarked. Ziva smiled, her smart reply forgotten when the elevator doors slid open with a ding.
Gibbs stepped out of the elevator with Tony hot on his heels, a steaming cup of coffee in each man's hand. Ziva raised an eyebrow at the pair but said nothing as they rounded the corner and took their places.
"What's going on boss?" McGee spoke, wondering why Gibbs and Tony had arrived together.
Gibbs looked up at McGee. "Jake did a runner last night," he explained. "We need to find him."
McGee spun round to look at a silent Tony. He couldn't imagine what was going through Tony's head at that moment. He watched Tony's hand reach for the photo frame and pull it towards him. His eyes looked lost and it looked like he hadn't heard a word anyone had said.
"I want a BOLO out, notify DCPD, every hospital in the area and every drop-in center," he told McGee. Gibbs turned to Ziva and threw her a notebook. "Phone numbers of Jake's friends. See if any of them know where he is or have heard from him since last night." She nodded and started flipping through the notebook. "Tony?" Tony's head snapped up. "Come here." Tony stood and crossed over to Gibb's desk. Gibbs stepped round and spoke into Tony's ear so only Tony could hear him.
"Get your head back in the game," he ordered. "You're no good to anyone like this, especially Jake."
"Yes Boss." Tony nodded firmly, the resolve back in his eyes.
"Good." Gibbs nodded back. "Now get that photo down to Abby so they can get it out to the PD and hospitals." He pulled the photo frame from Tony's hands and pulled the photo from it before handing it back.
"Got it." Gibbs watched Tony return to the elevator and disappear behind the silver doors.
"What happened last night?" Ziva asked.
Gibbs turned to her. "They had a fight," he explained vaguely. He didn't think Tony would want his business to be aired at the office. What happened between Tony and Jake was their business and not anyone else's.
"Hey Abs" Tony greeted the energetic Goth as he entered her domain. The lab was filled with the sound of her favourite band playing and her head was nodding along to the tune as she spun round on her chair and took a sip of her Caff-Pow. It looked like Abby hadn't gone home that night considering the bin by her desk which was filled with empty cups.
"Tony!" She looked up and smiled at him. "What are you doing here so early?"
"The whole team is in," he explained. He leant on the edge of her desk. "I need your help."
She saw the serious look on his face and sobered quickly. "What's up?"
"It's Jake."
Abby sat up a little straighter. "Is he okay?"
"He took off last night after a fight. I don't know where he went." Tony handed over the photo. "Think you could scan this in and get it to the local LEO's?"
"Anything." She stood up, wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him into a tight hug. "You doing okay?" she asked him.
"Yeah," he replied honestly. "I just want to find him before he gets into trouble"
"Don't worry," she said as she pulled away from him "Gibbs'll find him."
"I'm not worried about not finding him I just…"
"Have an excessive need to apologise for something you may or may not have said?" she guessed.
"When did you get so good at that?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.
"You spend enough time around Gibbs and you learn to read between the lines," she explained. She took the photo from Tony and placed it in the scanner. "Sergeant Scanner will have this photo up on the computer before you can say…"
"I'm not crazy, I just give my machine's ranks?" Tony suggested.
Abby sent him a sly smile. "Don't tell me you've never named any of your prized possessions."
Tony smiled back, glad to have his mind off Jake for a few minutes. "I don't know what you're talking about," he faked ignorance.
"Yeah, yeah." Abby teased, causing Tony to laugh.
Abby pulled the photo up on the computer screen and cropped it so just Jake with in shot. It only took her a couple more minutes to email it out.
"There you go."
"Thank Abs" Tony said, kissing her on the cheek.
He began to leave when Abby called "Little Tony?" she suggested.
Tony spun round and his eyes widened. "I'm not calling my you-know-what little Tony!"
Abby laughed, "I was talking about your Mustang."
Tony narrowed his eyes at her. "Sure you were." he replied, ignoring the innocent look on her face.
"So what do you call it?"
"Abigail." he answered with a grin.
Abby's grin widened. "You car or your you-know-what?" she asked cheekily.
Tony winked. "Wouldn't you like to know?" he said before disappearing out of the room.