Un-betaed

All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Incompatible

(Hey you guys!  Back with more Jethro and Margie stories.  This is just a little bit of fluff so enjoy!)

Early on in their relationship, Jethro and Margie would have lunch together, usually at NCIS in the Naval Yard.  It gave Margie an excuse to get out of her office and she likes to go places where Jethro feels comfortable.  She knows about his staff being surprised that he was now leaving the office for lunch.   But during the past week they had no lunch dates because they were both busy with cases in their respective offices.  Therefore this weekend they plan to spend the weekend together doing fun things.  Margie has one special thing to do with Jethro and she hopes that he enjoys it as much as she does.

Jethro’s team is looking forward to the weekend.  They finally complete their cases and have plans to just relax before another week of work starts on Monday.  Tim and Delilah have rented a cabin and just plan to spend time with nature; Torres and Reeves are competing in a bicycling race in Annapolis; Bishop and Abby are attending a women’s retreat; and Gibbs has plans with Margie.  He doesn’t know what she has planned but he’s looking forward to it nonetheless.

Unfortunately all of their plans are delayed and they all are in the office on Saturday morning resolving one (1) snag that prevented the closure of one of the cases.  Because they all came in early they are able to finish before noon and that allows each of them to keep their prior engagements except for Gibbs.  

When he has to postpone his time with Margie she decides to go on a day excursion with her mother and one of her mother’s friends.  Gibbs is disappointed but she assures him that they will still get together on Sunday so it isn’t a total loss.

The team is disappointed for Gibbs but he tells them to enjoy their weekend and he will see them on Monday.  They all say that they want to hear about the big to-do with Margie when they see him on Monday.  He frowns at them.  They know that he won’t say anything about what he does out of the office especially what he does with Margie.  They like to tease him though because they notice the change in him since he and Margie got together and they think that the change is good for him.

On Monday the team files in and each one smiling thinking about all of the fun that they had over the weekend.  When they make it to their desks and see Gibbs already there they look at each other puzzled.  Gibbs usually comes in a little later and plus he doesn’t look too happy. Looking around at each other they prompt McGee to find out what’s wrong with Gibbs since he is the one who has known Gibbs the longest of the three (3) of them.  McGee is hesitant because he knows his boss doesn’t like explaining himself or talking about his personal business and surmise that it is personal because they are not working on any cases at present.

McGee gathers his courage and approaches Gibbs at his desk.

“Boss are you alright?  You look a little down and you’re not usually here this early.  Is everything all right?”

Gibbs looks up at McGee as if he would cut off his head but then he stops himself.  He knows that McGee is only asking because he is concerned.  He looks around at the other team members and see them all watching him and McGee.  In an effort to calm their fears he asks them how their weekends went. They all tell him but they know that he’s only trying to divert the conversation so McGee adds to his previous question,

“Boss if you don’t want to tell us what happened that’s fine.  We just want you to know that if you want to talk about it that we are all here for you.  We hope that you had a good weekend too.”

McGee turns to head back to his desk when Gibbs says,

“Margie says that we’re not compatible and she doesn’t know if she wants to continue to see me.”

They all look shocked.  They never in their wildest dreams thought that Gibbs would divulge such personal information.  Now that he’s mentioned Margie both Torres and McGee look at Bishop to say something with her being a woman perhaps she can help Gibbs understand what Margie means because they certainly don’t.  Bishop looks at both Torres and McGee with daggers in her eyes. Why does she have to say anything just because she’s a woman?  Not wanting Gibbs to suffer any longer she decides to give it a try.

She walks to his desk and asks if she can speak with him in one of the conference rooms.  That way they will have more privacy.  Gibbs stands and she follows him and Torres and McGee follow her.  She looks back at them and gives them a menacing scowl that she will make them pay for this.

They arrive at the conference room and all sit down. Bishop is the first to speak,

“Gibbs, in what context did she say you two are not compatible?  Did she mean because of politics, race, religion, or what?”

Gibbs looks at her and shakes his head and says,

“No, none of those things.  We’ve already talked about those things and we are fine with them.  We want the same things out of life for the most part.  Here’s what happened.  We planned to spend the weekend together and you know that we had to come in on Saturday.  That wasn’t a problem because Margie understands how things like that can happen.  So she planned something special for Sunday.  Well things didn’t go as well as she planned and afterwards she said that we’re not compatible.  I don’t know if this was some test of some sort and I failed but she’s not talking to me.  She won’t call me and she won’t take my calls.  I didn’t think that it was a big deal but for Margie evidently it is and I don’t know what to do.”

McGee and Torres are about to bust their guts laughing because they can’t believe that Gibbs is having women trouble.  He’s the smoothest guy they’ve ever met so Margie must be very special to him if he’s this torn up about her saying that they’re not compatible.  But if it isn’t about politics, race, religion or the usual things that people talk about as compatibility issues then they don’t know what to say.  They both look at Bishop for some clue as to what else to do when they hear Gibbs say,

“It boils down to my not knowing something that she considers critical so I’ll ask you guys.

"What is STAR WARS and what does it mean 'May the Force be with you'?”

Author’s Note:  I told you it was fluff.  Now if you don’t know the answers to Gibbs’s questions then I have nothing else to say.  Of course they reconcile.  Margie was just ‘pulling his leg’ but hey all’s fair in love.  And don’t worry Gibbs does get her back for this. Perhaps that’s another story. Who knows?

Un-betaed

All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Incompatible - Part II

(After some consideration decided to add a bit more to this story.)

After Bishop and McGee explain to me what Star Warsis and the meaning to ‘May the Force be with you’ they deduce that Margie was only joking with me.  Although I feel a little better after that it still does not explain why I have not heard from her.  We usually have lunch together and our routine is to call ahead of time to decide whether she will bring lunch with her or I will meet her somewhere.  

McGee looks at me and says,

“Boss we think that you took this a little too seriously.  Ms. McGregor was probably just joking with you about the Star Wars thing.  Some Star Wars fans take it very seriously if others don’t share their enthusiasm for the movie but Ms. McGregor doesn’t seem like one of those extreme fans.  Now I’m sure that there are some things that you do that she does not find as enjoyable as you do.  Your woodworking is an example.  You wouldn’t stop seeing her just because she doesn’t share your enthusiasm for carpentry, would you?  So don’t worry she will call you soon and you will see that everything is fine.”

Not wanting to spend any more time on this we all return to our desks.  We steadily work to finish our reports on last week’s cases.   Several times I look up and see one of them watching me.  I stare at them to get them to stop and they all get the message. I am fine.

Lunchtime comes and goes and the team notices that I am still in the office and not at lunch with Margie.  A look at them tells me that now they are starting to doubt their own conclusions.  Now no one wants to look my way.  Maybe I was right in the first place to think that Margie was serious about not being with me because I am not a Star Wars fan.  But that would be silly for her to do and Margie is not a silly woman. This is simply a case of my overreacting and that is not something that I usually do.  That’s the effect that Margie has on me, doing unusual things.  For the most part I like the unusual things that she makes me do but this is not one of them. To even think about her not in my life is not a pleasant thought.

At two o’clock in the afternoon I attend a meeting with Director Vance in MTAC. This takes my mind off of Margie and puts it on something else.  When I return to my desk, needless to say, I am not prepared for what I find happening.  McGee, Bishop, Torres and Reeves are all standing around waving what looks like lighted swords around in the air.  Margie is standing at my desk with the same type of sword in her hand.

“May I ask what you all are doing?  This is a work place people.”  I say as sternly as I can even though I am so glad to see Margie and I’m trying to keep the glee out of my voice.

They scurry to return to their desks and make some pretense of working.  I walk to my desk and Margie moves for me to sit in my chair.  Not wanting her to know how much I missed her today but to show some restraint I do not touch her at all or even greet her, which is rude of me but it is how I feel at this moment.

“Special Agent Gibbs it is so nice to see you today.  Sorry I missed our lunch but you did remember that this was my meeting day with my Director and we have a communications black out during our once a month meeting.  You do remember that right?”

Now it feels like the air changes in the room.  I forgot all about Margie’s once a month meeting with her Director. She continues to speak,

“I’ve been in meetings since six o’clock this morning and just took a break an hour ago and I checked my messages as soon as I could.  One message was really interesting and it concerned a misunderstanding of a conversation about Star Wars and what I would consider from a compatible companion.  It was just a joke.  I don’t expect for anyone to have my taste in things because I have a very eclectic taste in everything.  Why would anyone want to be with someone who enjoys everything that they do?  Where is the fun in that?  Let them discover different things together and they can learn from each other.

I gave your staff light sabers and here’s one for you.  Just stopped by to let you know that I’m in meetings until eight o’clock this evening and I just wanted to see you.  I will leave now.  Agent Bishop thanks for the message.”

Margie heads towards the elevators and I rush to join her.  We are the only two on the elevator so I stop the elevator to talk with Margie.

“So it was a joke.”

“Not actually a joke but neither was it a serious statement.  It would be just like if you said to me that we’re not compatible because I don’t like your westerns or because I don’t like to eat steak once a week.  I said it out of frustration really. We planned to have a weekend together and then you had to work Saturday and then I tried for a movie on Sunday, one of my favorite movies, and you didn’t want to see that so I just lashed out at you.  I was wrong and I am sorry for the misunderstanding.  I had no idea that it would get this out of control.  

Bishop left a message for me about the conversation that you had with your team and so ‘woman to woman’ she wanted to give me a heads up on the confusion.  I appreciate that she did call me.  I brought the light sabers as a way to lighten the mood, pun intended. I’m sure they will explain what the light sabers are when you return to your desk.

Jethro there is no other place I want to be except with you. At least we’re still talking so let’s chalk this one up as a failure to communicate and I will try not to make this mistake again.”

“I thought that you were serious and it scared me a little.  Not many things scare me but the thought of you not in my life does scare me.  Mr. Rough and Tough Gibbs scared how do you explain that?  I will lose all respect from my team.”

“No you won’t.  They will respect you more because they know that you are human just like they are but ‘rough and tough’ still the same.  Look at me Ms. Secret Agent all ‘gooey eyed’ over some guy.  I’ve totally lost my ‘street cred’.”

“Not at all.  We’re still feared and revered by those around us so let’s keep it that way.  I’d better let you go back to work so that I can go back to work.  Call me when you make it home so that I know you are safe and sound.”

“I will do just that Special Agent Gibbs. Thanks for understanding. You don’t have anything to worry about a far as my attachment to you.  I’m stuck like glue.”

Before releasing the elevator I kiss Margie.  It feels good to know that I can do that and I will talk with her later. She exits to return to her office and I return to my desk.

All eyes are on me when I return but I don’t say anything.  The look of calm on my face is enough for them to know that all is well in my world.

See what happens when you jump to conclusions and see what happens when you lash out in frustration.  All kinds of confusion ensue.  Communication is key to any relationship, be it personal or professional.

Author’s Note:  Didn’t want to end the story with Jethro so confused.  Even though I hinted at the end of the first part that Jethro might try to get back at Margie and decided that trying to one up each other is not a formula for success in a relationship so instead I followed a different route.