Theory Of Relativity
By Cade
September 29, 2002

Fandom: Navy: CIS

Pairing: Gibbs/Mallard

Rating: PG

Summary: A security system raises questions

Theory Of Relativity
By Cade

Gibbs gave the red-haired woman the obligatory kiss at the door and declined her sultry invitation for a night cap. She looked surprised and Gibbs thought she’d try to convince him to stay, but she just shrugged and went into her apartment without a word.

Grateful for the extra few minutes the lack of attempted persuasion granted him, he headed for his car at a brisk walk so he wouldn’t appear too elated in case she watched him through the large picture window holding prominence in her 70s tract home. As soon as his car rounded the corner he abandoned appearances and raced towards the freeway. With the expected light traffic, he could reach his destination in 15 minutes. Fifteen minutes that would seem like an hour. The hour he might be lucky enough to have after his arrival would seem like 15 minutes. He wished Einstein were living so he could tell him just what he thought of his theory of relativity.

He pulled up to the curb, barely out of the traffic lane, but couldn’t be bothered just then with proper parking etiquette. Nor could he be bothered any longer with what anyone watching from a window would think of the speed at which he traversed the front lawn to the door. Clearly no one here was watching through a window as he had to ring the doorbell and wait impatiently for a couple of the precious minutes he so desperately coveted. Finally, he heard footsteps and the door opened, spilling light onto the porch.

"What happened to your date?" Ducky asked as he moved aside to allow Gibbs inside.

"Took her home as soon as I decently could. It’s not too late is it?" Gibbs smiled suggestively.

"Depends on what you have in mind. The game’s over. And, yes, my team lost; and no, I don’t want to hear it. I could feed you but the left-overs will be pretty dry by now. I can offer you a drink, how’s that?" Ducky teased.

Gibbs frowned as Ducky double-locked the door and reset the alarm. "Are you ever going to tell me why you have such a state-of-the-art security system?"

"Lots of folks have security systems these days," he responded as he headed towards the room he fondly liked to think of as his library.

"Yeah, but not in this neighborhood. The biggest crime in the last twelve months was the lawn on the corner lot when the grass grew in a different shade of green than everyone else’s. Why the secrecy?"

"Why is this such an issue? Do you realize how many times you’ve asked about this?"

"Yeah, and you’re always evasive. It has to do with your past, doesn’t it?" Gibbs asked, settling himself on the sofa.

"You know it does. Now can we drop it?" Ducky responded sharply.

"No, I don’t think so. Not this time."

"Damn it, Jeth, we’ve only got a little time. Let’s not waste any of it on unimportant things," Ducky said as he handed him a drink and sat down beside him.

"It’s not unimportant and you know it. Whatever you’re hiding is serious. No one takes the
precautions you do unless they’re in danger. Is that it? Tell me, damn it. Let me help," he pleaded.

"I don’t need help. There’s nothing to worry about."

"I don’t believe you," Gibbs said. Then suddenly it hit him, "It’s that job you had that you refuse to discuss, isn’t it? The 20-odd years you never talk about."

Ducky sighed, "Please, just leave it alone."

"No, not any more. I need to know."

"No, you *don’t*. It doesn’t concern you and I want to keep it that way. Let it go or let me go. Your choice," Ducky said as his temper threatened to ignite.

The silence of seconds seemed like minutes then Ducky said quietly, "You’re going, aren’t you?"

Gibbs placed his drink on the coffee table and stood up, shrugging into the jacket that he’d tossed on a chair by the fireplace just minutes before.

"Yeah," he said quietly.

Even more quietly Ducky said, "Ty brat moj dusha."

"What?" Gibbs asked, then without waiting for a response changed his question. "What language was that?"

"English, of course."

"No, it wasn’t. It sounded Slavic. Ducky, please, talk to me."

Ducky looked at him and simply shook his head.

Gibbs took a half-step towards the door then stopped and looked back at his lover. He saw the sadness in Ducky’s eyes and suspected his mirrored that look. But he knew his man well; there would be no answers tonight. Heedless of the alarm he unlocked the door and walked out into the night. And that hour that he had expected to feel like minutes would feel like hours instead.

End

Ty brat moj dusha – you take my heart