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Rain, he hated rain, especially when he had to be out in it, but he couldn't bail on the plans because of rain. She'd won a bet and this was his punishment, or what she saw as payment. He should've known better than to bet against her when it came to a wager about Gibbs. The woman knew Gibbs better than pretty much anyone, other than Ducky. The good news was, they had both agreed to keep the bet and payment from everyone, including Gibbs. Which meant he wouldn't receive a head slap or harassment about what he was about to do.

"Why the hell do these people always live out in the boonies?" Tony sighed as he turned down a dirt road.

"We're just twenty minutes outside of down town." Abby grinned. "This is not the boonies!"

Tony shook his head. "I should have just paid you off."

"Come on, she's the best." Abby said excitement in her voice. "She's told me all kinds of things no one could know."

"Yeah, right." He rolled his eyes, Abby could be a little trusting and naive sometimes, no doubt this woman had played upon that.

"Marie Darbonne is a world renowned psychic, people come from all over the world to see her." Abby scoffed at his disbelief. "She writes books, gives lectures, teaches, she does it all. And she's from Louisiana."

"Great." The word dripped with sarcasm. He wasn't surprised when he felt her punch his arm and he didn't even pretend that it hurt. "Abby psychics aren't real, they just read your reactions, your body language, and most people give them clues to everything."

"Fine." She shrugged. "Wait and see. I bet you'll be a believer before we leave."

"Not likely." Tony chuckled. "Does Gibbs know you go to a psychic?"

"Yes."

Tony glanced over at her and grinned. "And he told you the same thing I just said didn't he?"

She huffed then glared over at him. "You agreed to do this so try and keep an open mind."

"Sure."

Finally, the road turned into pavement and Tony's eyes went wide as the large house came into view. "Psychic business must be good."

"I told you she writes, lectures and teaches."

Pulling up to the house, Tony cut the engine and stared at the house. It was a beautiful old colonial home, looked to be two or three stories, a wrap around porch, several large bay windows, and painted an unassuming white with black trim. It looked...normal. Tony thought to himself. Then the rain stopped. Great, Abby would see it as a sign.

"Come on." Abby smiled as she climbed out of the car. "Rain stopped. It's a sign."

Tony stepped out of the car and shut the door, then saw the front screen door open and a woman walk out, no doubt Marie Darbonne.

"Abby dear!" The woman smiled, opening her arms as Abby ran up the steps and rushed into the woman's embrace. "It's been too long."

"I'm sorry, work has been so busy." Abby tried to explain as if she had just been scolded.

"Abby." The woman patted Abby's cheek. "It's okay."

"I want you to meet my friend." Abby said stepping aside as Tony made his way up the steps. "Marie Darbonne this is-"

"Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo." Marie smiled at him

She was beautiful, reminding Tony of a middle aged Jacqueline Bisset. She was wearing a black pant suit, the jacket open revealing a green silk shirt that matched her sparkling eyes. The belt at her waist showed off the natural curves of her body. Her sandy blond hair fell in heavy waves around her face showing off the high cheek bones and beautiful smile. Tony chuckled to himself when he saw the Ferragamo shoes. She had good taste.

"Mrs. Darbonne." Tony nodded extending his hand.

She looked at his hand, then at his face. "Formal aren't we?" She pushed his hand out of the way and hugged him. "Marie please."

He gently hugged her, then stepped back.

"Suspicious of even a hug?" She grinned at his quick retreat.

"Um, no."

"I don't bite...my dates maybe, but not clients." Giving him a wink, she chuckled and patted his arm. "Relax."

"Didn't think I was tense."

"You are." She waved towards the chairs on the porch. "Sit please."

Abby took the farthest chair, forcing Tony to sit next to Marie and she immediately received a glare from her friend.

Marie sat down and smiled at Tony. "I'm not what you expected."

"No." Tony shook his head.

"You expected an old woman in a long dress, a scarf around her head staring into a crystal ball."

His eyebrow went up and he smirked. "Yeah, kinda."

"I don't need that."

"You just read me?"

She nodded and saw him smack Abby's knee.

"See, I told you." He mumbled to Abby.

"People read each other, that has nothing to do with psychic ability." Marie sighed. "It doesn't take me being a psychic to know you're uncomfortable. Your body language tells me that, your reactions to me, and your teasing of Abby all tell me that." She leaned forward. "Being psychic tells me it's for two reasons. One is your afraid of others reactions if they find out you came here, even though it wasn't your idea."

"And the other reason?"

"You're afraid I might be the real deal and you won't be able to explain what I know about you." Tony wasn't the first skeptic she'd ever dealt with.

"Okay, then prove to me you're the real deal." Tony said with a tug to his suit jacket.

"Do you want Abby to stay?"

Abby's mouth dropped, she hadn't even considered that Tony might not let her stay. She looked at Tony wide eyes and scared.

"You can stay." Tony rolled his eyes. He didn't believe in psychics or mediums, whatever people called themselves, and he wanted Abby to witness Marie's failure. Maybe once she saw that Marie didn't know anything about him, she would start to question Marie's ability.

Reaching over, Marie took Tony's hand holding it gently in her own. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath, then another and released his hand. Opening her eyes she looked at Tony.

"Your mother died when you were young, around eight or nine, your father was absent from your life, too busy with work and women to show you the love you needed. Extended family tried to help, to be there, but it still wasn't enough. Boarding schools became your real home." She paused and took a breath. "You learned quickly to hide behind humor, so no one would see the hurt, it works most of the time. A few people see through it, some because you let them, one or two because they understand the truth."

Abby's mouth was hanging open.

Tony shrugged. "All things Abby could have told you, and some of it you could have even researched.

"I didn't tell her anything!" Abby snapped defending herself and Marie.

"Abby." Tony looked at her, head cocked. "You come here what four or five times a year and you never mentioned anything about me?"

"Well yeah, but I didn't tell her stuff like that."

"Are you sure?" He looked at her questioning.

She chewed her lower lip. "I don't think so."

"Abby has talked about you, but more about your um," She smirked. "Aptitude with the ladies."

"Well." Tony puffed his chest out proudly. "I do well with the ladies."

"So I hear." Marie nodded.

Tony's eyes narrowed, hearing the hint of sarcasm in her voice. "Tell me something you couldn't possibly know because of Abby or research."

"There was this tree in your back yard that you used to climb and look out at everything."

"And?" Tony wanted more.

"You had this small stuffed dog your mom gave you that you took up there with you, a German Shepherd."

Tony tried not to react, but he pulled his head back.

She smiled. "You were embarrassed that you love that toy so much."

Even though Tony's reaction was small, Abby saw it and grinned.

Leaning back, Tony stared at Marie as if trying to figure out how she could know that.

"Still not completely convinced?" She reached over and touched the watch on his left wrist. "This is from an ex-girlfriend, but you tell everyone you bought it because you don't want to have to explain the unpleasant story behind it."

Tony's eyebrows went up.

"You didn't want to accept the watch because you knew you were breaking up with her, but she insisted." She paused. "And you tried to return it when you broke up, but she wouldn't even talk to you."

Tony cleared his throat. Okay so that was something no one knew. Without his consent a question rushed through his mind.

Marie smiled at Abby. "Could you give us a minute?"

Abby looked at Marie surprised. "Um, sure."

"There's lemonade in the fridge." Marie glanced at Tony. "Would you like some?"

Tony shook his head.

"I'll go get that." Abby said standing up and walking slowly to the front door.

Marie watched as Abby stepped inside, then she waited. After a moment, she shook her head. "Abby!"

Peeking through the screen of the door, Abby tried to look innocent. "Sorry."

Once she heard Abby walk away from the door, her expression turned serious. "You have a question?"

"Yeah." Tony nodded, even more uncomfortable now that a small part of him really believed Marie might actually be able to read him.

She knew the question, it was the question so many people wanted to ask. "You've already met."

He cocked his head and gave her a confused look.

"Your soul mate, the one, the love of your life, or whatever you want to call it."

His eyes went wide. "Who?"

She laughed then shook her head. "I can't tell you that."

"You know but you can't tell me?" What the hell is that about?

"I know you've met, I don't know who it is."

"I don't get it, you're psychic."

"Yes, which means I read you, things you know, things that will happen to you. Although people can leave imprints on your aura, I can't give you information about other people unless you know it." She paused. "And you don't know who this person is."

"Then how do you know I've met them?"

"Because there's an imprint, an aura left by this person on you, but because you don't know, I don't know either."

He chuckled. "She left an aura on me."

She sighed, she was losing him again. "Everyone has an aura and when you share space and time together, people leave an aura on you, especially if it's a strong emotional aura towards you."

"So some woman I spend time with left an aura on me?" Tony rolled his eyes. "Right."

"I never said it was a woman."

His eyes went wide. "Excuse me?"

It was her turn to roll her eyes. "Don't act surprised or offended. You may show the world your Casanova ways with the ladies, but you like men just as much, if not more."

Involuntarily, Tony's jaw clenched.

"Don't worry I won't tell anyone." She snickered. "Although, several people know. Abby for one."

"She told you?" Of course Abby would tell some random stranger that.

"She never told me." Tony was a skeptic through and through.

"A man is my soul mate?"

"Yes." Her eyebrow went up. "You shouldn't be surprised by that, you always thought that would happen."

Running his hands down his face, Tony slid down further in the chair. "I don't know, this is a little-"

"It's someone at work."

He sat up straight again. "Work?"

"You spend most of your time there, not unusual to meet "the one" at work."

"I work with a lot of men." Tony blew out a long breath. Maybe McGee, they were close, but McGee was dating that new girl...what was her name? Amanda. Maybe Dorneget, they had become friends. "Is he gay?"

"I'm not sure, but he has strong emotional feelings for you." She wanted to explain. "He left a strong pink aura lined with a clear inner red."

"What the hell does that mean?" Tony chuckled.

"Pink is the love aura, red is the passionate sexual aura. In combination it's very powerful."

"Someone I spend a lot of time with?"

"Not necessary, the power of the aura is emotion based. Strong emotions, especially love, can ingrain themselves into your aura in minutes, but it's built up, so it's not someone you've met only once or twice."

"Great, that still doesn't help." He spent time with tons of men. A case didn't just involve their team, other agents helped, plus people came and went on a daily bases through the bullpen and throughout the building.

"If you knew or had overt feelings for someone I might be able to tell you more."

"Yeah." When it came to men, Tony kept his penis out of work. It was safer that way. "Shouldn't you get something more from this aura? I mean come on, all you know is it's some man I've spent time with."

This was always hard to explain. "Sometimes I get more. But the truth is there are a lot of factors involved. The aura this man left behind is strong, intense, but he left little or nothing of himself behind."

"Is that common?"

"Sometimes." She shrugged. "People are different, especially when it comes to emotions. Some people write their name all over an emotional aura others aren't so forth coming."

"You're an odd psychic." Tony raised a questioning eyebrow at her.

"I won't give you false information just to make you believe what I say." She paused. "That's not how I work. Sure I could make up something, tell you, hair color, eye color, his names starts with the letter m, but what does that accomplish? Nothing and you could miss out on the man that is actually the one because I lied."

"Yeah."

She bit at the inside of her lips.

"What?" Tony knew that action, the look that was something else she wasn't saying.

"It's unusual."

"Unusual?" What the hell does a psychic consider unusual? Tony laughed. "This is all a little unusual, at least for me."

"It's a word, but not something you normally use, and I don't believe this other man normally uses." She couldn't put her finger on exactly why it was showing up to her.

"What is it?" Tony asked, anything might help at this point.

"Foible."

"Foible." Tony's brow furrowed. Who the hell uses the word foible?

"It's a clue, I'm just not sure what kind"

"Not a word used every day."

"No, it's obviously tied to this other man because all I can read is the word." She hated when her ability couldn't be more help. "This man is hiding his feels, he loves you, but he doesn't think you can love him back."

Tony's brow furrowed. "Okay." Why was he so surprised? No men at work would assume he would be interested, not with his skirt chasing reputation.

"Can I come back out?" Abby asked peeking her head out the door.

"Yeah." Tony said standing up.

"We can continue on a different topic if you would like."

"No, think I've had enough." Tony smiled. "But thank you."

Slowly, she nodded. "You're welcome, wish I could have been more help."

"Are you ready?" Tony wanted to leave and leave now.

"Um, yeah sure." Abby glanced at Marie concerned why Tony was in such a hurry.

Rising, Marie hugged Abby. "I will see you soon, I hope."

"Yeah." Abby hugged her back. "In a couple weeks."

"Good." Marie smiled.

Tony was already heading towards the car.

"I better go." Abby took off down the steps pausing at the bottom to wave goodbye. When she climbed into the car, Tony already had the motor running and took off as soon as she closed the door. "What the hell?"

"Just need to get home."

"What did she tell you?"

"Nothing."

"She was right about the tree in the back yard."

Tony rolled his eyes. "All kids climb a tree in their back yard."

"Yeah, but not all kids have a stuffed German Shepherd from their mom they carry with them."

He glanced over at her a moment, then back to the road.

"Come on she said something that freaked you out, what was it?"

"Nothing." Tony snapped.

"You know you're going to tell me eventually, why drag it out?"

Shaking his head, he groaned. She was right, he had to tell someone, he'd go crazy if he had to deal with this alone. "She said someone at work is in love with me, my soul mate."

She screamed. "That's so awesome! Do you know who?"

He shook his head.

"Ouch, which means Marie doesn't know." Her excitement turned to a pout.

"How do you know this crap?"

"I've been seeing Marie for years." She smirked. "So what could she tell you? Long legged brunette, short haired blond. What do we have to go on here?"

His hands tightened around the steering wheel as he took a deep breath.

"WHOA. It's not a she is it?" Abby knew Tony only got this uptight when it involved his preferences for men. "Sweet, okay we can figure this out."

"Figure it out!" Tony laughed. "She couldn't tell me anything other than it's a man, at work, that I obviously spend some time with."

"But she did say he was in love with you?"

"Yeah. Some pink aura with a clear red inner lining or something."

"That's intense." Her shoulders fell. "But that's all she could tell you?"

He rolled his eyes. "Something about the word foible."

"Foible, like a weakness in someone's character?"

"I guess." He shrugged.

"Well what about it?"

"She didn't know just kept getting the word, said she thought it was a clue."

"Cool." She scrunched her face up. "Who do we know that would use the word foible... DUCKY!"

"Oh God, please no." Tony groaned.

"What's wrong with Ducky?" She asked offended.

"Nothing, just not really my type." Tony explained. "Plus, she said it wasn't a word me or the guy normally use."

"Okay, then rules out Ducky. Who do you think?"

"McGee was my first thought, just because we spend so much time together."

"It's not Timmy, he's straight believe me, tried."

Tony jerked his head sideways and looked at her.

"What? I tried to get him to have a threesome with another guy, he was having none of it!" She grinned.

"Okay, then Dorneget."

"Oh now that would totally make sense." She shook her head. "It's not him."

"Why?"

"Because you know he has a crush on you, if it was him Marie would have picked up on that." She took a moment trying to think of someone. She snapped her fingers. "Jimmy!"

"He's getting married."

"So doesn't mean he doesn't have a thing for you."

Tony shook his head. "Would someone in love with me really marry someone else?"

"Yeah. Probably not." She sighed, then her eyes widened. "The Director?"

Tony shivered. "Hinky!"

"Could be. I mean he was married before he met you, maybe he fell in love with you as time went on."

She grinned. "Can't really rule it out."

"Moving on." Tony couldn't even think about that one right now. "It has to be someone I don't know likes me or has a crush on me, so miss "I know everything that goes on at NCIS" who has a crush on me that I'm not aware of?"

"Well, Rick in Accounting definitely."

"Rick Hamlin, really? Huh." Tony shrugged. "Who else?"

"Daniel in Accounting. Him and Rick are always talking about you." She wiggled her eyebrows. "I think they'd agree to share you."

"Great." Tony sighed. "Who else?"

"Um Jonathan in the Evidence Lab."

"Jonathan?" Tony grinned over at her. "I thought he was dating Jenny from Payroll?"

"No, he was dating some guy from FBI, but that ended a couple months ago."

"Let's just stop for now." He still wasn't even sure he believed all this.

Abby reached over and grabbed Tony's arm, her mouth spreading into a wide smirk. "What if it's a man that we would never suspect?"

"Like who?"

"Gibbs."

Silence, then Tony broke out laughing. "Gibbs, yeah right."

"Why not?"

"It's Gibbs, that's why not." He continued to laugh. Oh now that was funny.

"It's not that funny."

"Come on, isn't he still dating Doctor Ryan?"

"No, that's over." Abby sighed.

"Still." Tony reined in his laughter. "You know him better than anyone. Gibbs and another man?"

"Yeah, I guess." She shrugged, then smacked Tony's arm. "But what if it was? I mean he's our silver haired fox. You two would totally be hot together."

"I'm not even dignifying that with an answer."

"You have to admit, Gibbs is hot." She sighed wistfully. "Those baby blue eyes, that silver hair, hot body, sexy voice."

"Do you have a crush on Gibbs?" Tony snickered, keeping his eyes on the road.

"No." Abby punched his arm. "But I can appreciate that he's a good looking man."

"He's good looking, I get it."

"So you admit he's good looking."

"Abby!" He knew she was trying to read more into it.

"I'm just saying. You would be lucky if it was Gibbs."

Tony shook his head. She was Gibbs biggest cheerleader.

"He's good looking, sexy, honest, trustworthy, loving, caring, sensitive and completely loyal."

"Okay, I get it." He wasn't sure he would have used all of those adjective to describe Gibbs, but then Abby knew a side of Gibbs most of them hadn't seen. "Who else?"

"Maybe, Jarrod in Security." Abby nodded. "He's made some comments about your ass."