It Happened: NCIS

Chapter 7

Tony's POV:

When I saw Melissa's, name pop up on my phone, I thought I was dreaming. Then, I remembered I told her to call me if she needed anything. Horrible things raced through my mind before I could answer.

When I did, I knew she was crying right away, but didn't address it because she immediately was confused to why I answered the phone when she was the one to call me.

Then, she told me she couldn't see. I put two and two together and realized it was because of the tears in her eyes. I was happy when she didn't fight me on coming over the second time, I said I would. It meant she needs me there. I want to be there for her. You know, she just sounded like she needed someone, and I said I would be there for her.

When I get to the front door, I almost don't knock. I look down and see that I came here in my pajamas. I mean it makes sense for someone at, now 4:00 in the morning.

I ring the doorbell, and I'm suddenly nervous. I feel like this is something I should be dressed for. I don't know if I fixed my hair enough.

"Oh dear, this isn't for me. I'm here because of her." I tell myself. "Snap out of it man."

I hear footsteps coming to the door and I straighten myself out. She opens the door, and I can see the tears still on her face.

"Hey." I say before hugging her. She wraps her arms around me, and I close the door behind us. "Are you okay?"

She sniffles and shakes her head, while I still hold her. "Yeah, I just had this stupid dream again and I knew it was going to happen."

I let her go and she starts walking towards the kitchen. "Do you want coffee?"

I shrug. It can't hurt. I would be getting up in an hour or two anyway. "Sure."

I look into the living room and I see there are clothes and suitcases set up on the couch. I wonder what that is about.

I walk into the kitchen with her and she pours me a mug. "I left the sugar and milk out if you wanted to add anything."

"Thank you." She's still thinking about others. What is her problem?

I see her drinking coffee, and it doesn't look like it's her first cup.

She walks into her living room and sits on the couch. I start to put the milk and everything away when I notice that there's wine on the counter. It's opened and I don't see anything surrounding it. I look back at her in the living room, and she doesn't know what that I have it.

I put it away quickly, I don't want her to know that I noticed, but she will when she see's when I put it away. Shit. What is going on with me?

I try to put the bottle back on the counter, but I make it clang against it.

"Are you okay?" I hear her ask from the other room.

"Yup!" No, I'm the most confused I've ever been.

I walk in to join her on the couch with our coffee. I look at her and see that she's just staring at the coffee in her hands. She catches me looking at her and gives me a soft smile.

"Hey." I say to her. "What's going on?"

Her smile fades and she shakes her head. "I just had this horrible nightmare. I had it up until two weeks ago, and now it's back."

"I don't mean to be rude, but is that why you were so tired today at work?"

She scuffs. "No, that's because I didn't sleep last night."

"Because of the dream."

"It was my first night back, and I thought the dream would come back. This time when I fall asleep, it does."

I wrap my arm around her, and she leans into me. "Is the dream about who I think it is?"

She shakes her head. "Okay." I hold her and kiss her on the head.

"What would Abby do when you would have this nightmare?"

She sighs. "I don't know. Nothing really. I would wake up screaming, and crying, and she would just hold me until one of u got up in the morning."

"Okay, well I'm here for you now."

I hear her giggle and it warms my heart more than this coffee. I know what I have to do. I put my mug down and pick up my phone. I text someone that owes me one if I'm going to be keeping this secret from her.

A few more letters and I click send. "Okay, you're not going into work tomorrow, or today. What time is it again?"

She takes her head away from me. I was comfortable with her laying on me, for comfort.

"What are you talking about?"

"I texted Gibbs."

"Texted him?"

I roll my eyes. "He'll get the message." I see her begin to get frantic, so I take her hands like we did earlier.

"Melissa, you cannot go to work if you don't sleep. I'm not saying don't work from home. I'm saying just don't go into work yet."

I see tears in her eyes, and I think I'm the one who's causing them. "But I just got back, and I can't let Jack down."

"Out of all the people Jack is going to understand." I press my hand to her cheek, and she catches her breath. I look around and see that the wine glass is on the table. I guess she really wasn't trying to hide it from me.

I look around more and notice the two blankets that are on the couch. There are two bed pillows at her end of it.

"Have you been sleeping down here?"

She shakes her head. "I can't go upstairs yet. I don't know why I just..."

I can tell she's getting emotional, so I bring her to me again. "Shh. Shh. It's okay. You don't owe anyone anything." But I owe her everything.

I lean back on the couch with her in my arms. She snuggles closer to me and I hold her tight.

I told her if she needed anything I would be there.

I told Tim I would take care of her.

I close my eyes and rest my head on hers. I can feel her breathing normally again, and that's enough for me to feel like I'm allowed to fall asleep with her.

So, I do that.

I didn't tell Melissathis, but I'm not going into work tomorrow either, and her coffee, didn't wake meup in the slightest.