Apathy Is The Nation's Disease

She Had The World

"Gibbs is going mad looking for you two." McGee told us when we entered the pen a little later after the drive back up to the agency.

"We weren't gone that long were we?" I asked, looking up at Tony for an answer. Time hadn‘t really been something I was focused on.

"Two hours and nine minutes exactly." Ziva said with a smile, after glancing down at her watch.

"Damn." The two of us said at the same time.

"What took you so long anyway?" She asked us as she sifted through some paperwork on her desk.

"Tony ran into one of his ex girlfriends." I said simply, throwing her a knowing look. They knew the stories from the Casanova himself and she nodded in total understanding, unable to hide the smirk on her lips.

"And then Taylor had one of her little anger moments. I had to calm her down in the parking lot before we got back in the car." Tony added, determined not to take the entire blame for our tardiness.

"DiNozzo! Connor!"

The two of us froze and looked at each other. "It's too late to hide under the desk isn't it?" I asked him.

"Where the hell have you two been?" Gibbs asked stopping in front of our desks, coffee in hand.

"Well, you see boss--" Tony began.

"Save it. Abby found semen linking Petty Officer Saunders to the murder scene. Apparently he's working some medieval charity fair today with some other officers. I want you down there and I want you to bring him back here before the afternoon is over." Gibbs held up a photo of Saunders.

We looked at it and I picked up my gun and my jacket. Tony took the photo, folding it so it would fit in his pocket.

"Now get to it!" Gibbs hollered at the two of us.

As we were leaving I swear I heard Ziva mutter something along the lines of; "Gibbs is up to something hinky with those two."

*Tony's POV*

We arrived at what I guessed was supposed to be some sort of local carnival. I could see some of those travelling rides in the distance and balloons and children were everywhere we looked. There were people dressed in ridiculous costumes that were supposed to make them resemble court jesters, knights and medieval royalty. To me it looked tacky, but there was something in Taylor's green eyes as she discarded her jacket in the back of the car.

We moved through the gates and began to look around for any signs of naval officers. Everyone here though only reminded me of clowns, but Taylor loved it all.

"Fair maiden!" I raised an eyebrow at this stranger in front of us as he moved closer, his eyes fixed on my partner. He was apparently supposed to be a knight, his fake armour clanging as he walked. He had messy blonde hair that fell into his face and hid his rather blue eyes from us. He took Taylor's hand and raised it to his lips, kissing it gently. I had to stop myself from gagging. "May I ask what a beautiful maiden like yourself is doing amongst the presence of commoners such as myself?" His phoney British accent made it even tackier.

"I'm working. And do not frown upon yourself like you do. You are no commoner, kind sir."

I couldn't believe it! Taylor was actually flirting with this guy! The same woman who I had seen disarm a guy in the blink of an eye was now smiling a lop sided smile and was acting completely unlike the Taylor Connor I knew; aside from the natural British accent.

"Why, the triquetra."

The knight had spotted the new tattoo Taylor had on her shoulder blade. You could just see it from her black vest top. She'd got it done about a week or two ago. She went with Abby when the Goth was getting a new tatt herself. I swear the more time those two spent together the more alike they became.