Junta

“As you all know Tony has been really secretive about his date today. He wouldn’t even tell me who he was seeing or where he was going. No matter how much I pushed him and usually he’s overly eager to share details.” Tim started off the junta or junto to discuss Tony’s date that he’d dragged everyone else to this bar to participate in.

Abby fought with herself as she had promised Gibbs she wouldn’t share what she knew about his and Tony’s date, but it was so hard to sit silently. She fidgeted with her hands trying to keep herself occupied so that she didn’t accidentally blurt something out that she shouldn’t.

Ziva stared at Tim with a blank look. “What is wrong with this? Is he not entitled to a private life?”

“Please. Tony pokes his nose into our lives all the time. Should we not do the same? Also, the last time he was this silent about a relationship he was undercover on an unsanctioned op. We need to look out for him.” Tim worried about Tony. Despite how Tony often played pranks on him, Tim knew instinctively that Tony was helping him out.

Abby almost spoke up at that as she wanted to reassure Tim that Tony wasn’t undercover, but she quickly shut her mouth before saying anything as she realized that anything she said would lead to more questions she couldn’t answer or worse would answer and reveal something.

Tim glanced at Abby and then looked at Ziva tilting his head towards Abby. It was unusual for Abby to be so quiet. He wondered what was up. “Are you ok, Abby?”

“Huh? What? Yes, I’m fine.” Abby looked up startled out of her thoughts.

“No, you’re not. What’s going on, Abby? You’re not usually this distracted.” Tim pushed. He worried about Abby. He still had a bit of a crush on her and distracted Abby never meant anything good. Hopefully it wasn’t another ex stalking her.

“Just something that happened today.” Abby muttered for lack of anything better to say that wouldn’t reveal Gibbs’ secret. She really wished Gibbs had let her stay at his house while he was on his date with Tony. Then she wouldn’t have been at her place when Tim knocked and dragged her to this get together.

“You know something. Spill.” Tim demanded. He was flipping back and forth between worry and a sneaking suspicion that Abby knew something about Tony.

“I don’t know anything.” Abby was beginning to wish she was anywhere but here. Both her normal saviors were busy, however. Desperately she searched through her mind for someone she could text under the table to save her.

“Abby.” Tim warned her.

“Why is this the Abbyquisition? Huh, Timmy? Why?” Abby asked defensively.

“It wasn’t supposed to be. It was supposed to be plan how to follow Tony and check on him to make sure he’s ok and not hiding something dangerous from us again, but then you were acting so weird. So come on Abby tell us what’s going on.” Tim wheedled. He was now almost certain that she knew something about Tony’s date given she would have spilled by now if it was her personal thing.

“Nothing’s going on, Tim. Geez. But if you keep this up, I’m going home. I didn’t come here to be interrogated.” Abby threatened desperately trying to figure out a way to keep Gibbs’ secret without having to run away or hurt Tim’s feelings.

“Alright. Alright. Calm down, Abbs. Now what are we going to do about Tony?” Tim questioned to the whole group.

“Why must we do anything about Tony?” Ziva asked. “Will he not learn his lesson if we leave him to float in the wind from a second unsanctioned op?”

“Ziva!” Abby gasped. “We don’t want Tony to die.” At this point Abby figured she’d better go along with the whole Tony’s on another unsanctioned op and apologize to Gibbs and Tony later if they actually found them or if it became a thing at work.

“Would he not have learned to have better backup?” Ziva wondered.

“Tony doesn’t see himself as important. So no he wouldn’t make sure he has proper backup. Gibbs is the one who makes sure Tony has proper backup and if it’s unsanctioned then Gibbs doesn’t know.” Abby continued explaining hoping that maybe she could use this as a chance to get Ziva to see Tony as more than a joke.

Tim cut in before Abby and Ziva could get carried away. “None of this helps us figure out how to find where Tony is having his date so that we can be his backup.”

Abby raised her hands and stood up backing away from the table. “Oh no. I’m not helping you track Tony. If he is on an undercover mission the best plan is to tell Gibbs you suspect something and let Gibbs handle it. If he’s not on an undercover mission Tony will take your head off for following him. I suggest you drop it, but if you won’t I won’t be a part of this.” With that Abby turned and started to leave.

Tim stared after her surprised. Usually Abby was the first to want to follow someone. Turning to Ziva, Tim asked. “What do you think?”

“I think we should wait until tomorrow before doing anything drastic and see if Tony is there and what his ghosts are like. If he has unexplained doctor’s appointments or misses a bunch of work for some reason then we will know something is going on. Right now we still need to gather evidence that there's something to be concerned about.” Ziva replied.

Tim blinked. “I think you mean spirits.”

Ziva responded slightly confused. “Spirits, ghosts. They are the same thing, no?”

“Not in that context they aren’t.” Tim replied standing up and paying the bill before taking off after Abby.