An Unidentified Scottish Brew

"So, do you come here often?"

Tony grinned with an extra dose of DiNozzo charm. Special Agent Kensi Blye stared at him a moment before asking, somewhat disbelieving, "Does that line actually work for you?" Tony's grin only widened, "Does it?"

She shook her head, turning toward her partner's seat in search of sympathy only to find Martin Deeks reciting some very bad jokes in an attempt to make Ziva David laugh. The Mossad agent in fact appeared wholly unamused, her eyes hooded as she eyed the blonde former-cop rather as a snake would eye a particularly fat mouse. Deeks, as usual, was oblivious and Kensi turned back around still shaking her head.

To her right, Sam sat across from the Washington computer-whiz, Special Agent Timothy McGee, and rolled his eyes at the others' antics. To his surprise, the scrawny McGee did the same when Sam caught his eyes. Grinning a bit, Sam reached a hand across the table, "I don't think we were properly introduced. Sam Hanna." The handshake was firm and the other agent's voice steady when he responded, "Tim McGee." Sam grinned wider, "Nice to meet you, Tim." With a glance at their more ridiculous team members, he questioned, "They always like that?" Tim glanced over as well and chuckled as Ziva grabbed Deeks' wandering hand in what had to be a painful hold.

"Yup."

Farther down the large restaurant table, Jethro Gibbs sat across from Hetty looking mystified, Callen laughing helplessly across from him. The youngest of the three commented, still chuckling, "Hetty, I think you broke him, and the Russian mob didn't manage that." Gibbs glared at him, reaching over to smack the back of his head. From the other end of the table, Tony turned their way and shouted, "Boss! You're not cheating on us are you? I thought those headslaps were your form of affection!" Gibbs shook his head, twisting to glare at his agent.

"Don't worry, DiNozzo, there's plenty of affection left for you." Tony winced, "Great, boss!"

Hetty chuckled at Gibbs' left and Callen grinned, rubbing the back of his head dramatically. It was Gibbs' turn to roll his eyes at his colleagues' antics.

On his other side, Abby Sciuto's rapid speech echoed from a streaming laptop. Eric was still a little wide-eyed at the unrepentantly Goth, caffeine-fueled force of nature that was Abby, but Nell Jones conversed with her easily enough, if not quite so quickly. Their conversation seemed to consist almost entirely of computer equipment and equations, which had Tim wandering over from his conversation with Sam to argue his point about some new program they were developing for the SecNav.

A new, accented voice from the laptop calling, "Jethro?" had the group moving back to pass it down to Gibbs' seat. Gibbs responded calmly, "Yeah, Duck?" Dr. Donald Mallard smiled out of the screen, "I was simply wondering if the lovely Henrietta was keeping you company, Jethro."

Gibbs motioned to his left and shifted the laptop down a seat. Hetty smiled and thanked him before greeting the medical examiner, "Donald, it is such a pleasure to see you again." Ducky's accent came through clearly over the stream, "My dear, the pleasure is all mine. I'm glad this nasty business is all sorted and we may catch up properly." Hetty appeared genuinely delighted, "Yes, indeed, Donald, you must tell me all about how you know Jethro – he is rather the tight-lipped sort, isn't he?" The sound of hastily stifled laughter came from the other table end and Gibbs sighed inaudibly.

What followed was a recount of several amusing anecdotes involving one Leroy Jethro Gibbs, an unidentified Scottish brew, and various ex-wives, which Tony carefully stored for blackmail material. When Director Vance appeared on screen to interrupt the next story, Gibbs actually released a sigh of relief.

"Gibbs, your team is scheduled for a priority flight tomorrow at five. Yes, DiNozzo, in the morning." Tony groaned from his place down the table. Hetty, smiling, greeted the man who had taken over the video feed in front of her with a wink and, "A pleasure to see you again, Leon. You are as handsome as ever I see." Vance disappeared without another word, faintly flushed in the cheeks. The group was treated to an uninhibited view of the autopsy room for only a moment as Deeks started a round of laughter at the Director's expense before a new face came on screen and Nell quickly snatched up the computer, moving to a quiet corner and already chatting happily, "Jimmy, I wasn't sure you'd get a chance at the screen tonight!"

Jimmy Palmer's boyish laughter was heard as he and Nell fell into conversation easily – they had hit it off within minutes of meeting over the case. Eric soon moved off to snag the seat between Ziva and Tim, making some joke for Sam across the way that had Ziva laughing effortlessly. Deeks gaped at her and then at Eric, unsure who to be more upset with before huffing and turning his attention to interrupting his partner's flirting.

Down the table, Gibbs leaned back in his seat and rubbed his eyes in what could have been a display of exhaustion or despair. Callen decided on exhaustion when the ex-Marine didn't so much as twitch at Hetty's chuckling. Taking in the slow, even breaths and firmly shut eyes, Callen whispered to a shamelessly eavesdropping Hetty, "He's out. This case really took a toll on him."

Apparently, he wasn't quiet enough, however. Within seconds of the words leaving his mouth, Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo was crouching across from his slumbering boss with a disturbingly gleeful light in his eyes. Twisting, the Italian hissed, "Marty! Get over here!"

Martin Deeks raised an eyebrow, but obligingly stood and wandered over. At the sight of Gibbs dozing, his eyes widened and quickly assumed a similarly mischievous glint as his new partner-in-crime. Without a word, Tony passed a convenient sharpie over, a feather held back for himself. Deeks stretched across the table slowly, trying not to disturb anything – even the air currents – and marker pen uncapped. Three inches from Gibbs' limp palm, his hand stilled.

The ex-Marine had one eye open and his grip on Deeks' wrist tightened momentarily. Deeks squeaked and dropped the marker, turning toward Tony as if for aid only to find his so-called partner in crime innocently glancing between them, feather no where to be seen. At Deeks' glare, Tony grinned winningly, "You should have known better than to try and prank the Boss, Marty." Gibbs shifted his glare to his own agent before grunting, releasing Deeks and promptly returning to his nap.

Callen laughed as Deeks beat a hasty retreat with DiNozzo and returned to a scathing comment and eyeing from Ziva. The Mossad agent soon wandered over to Gibbs' seat and leaned in to murmur in his ear, "I would be happy to teach them a lesson on proper respect, if you like." Gibbs opened one eye and looked at her a moment before grinning and declining with thanks. Ziva shrugged and meandered back to her seat and a distinctly twitchy Deeks. To the blonde's right, a star-struck Kensi stared at Gibbs.

Ziva raised an eyebrow at the girl, who snapped out of it just long enough to whisper, "Why doesn't he smile more?" with an admiring sigh. The men and Ziva at her table end appeared alternately befuddled and amused at this and down the way, Callen could be heard laughing, "Another convert, Jethro! And not even a redhead!"

Kensi abruptly seemed to realize how she was behaving and blushed. Her twitching partner, relieved for the cover as everyone teased her, soon escaped the restaurant with a mutter about watering plants. From the corner table, Nell rose with the laptop and commented on how much paperwork she had to get done, slipping away with a nod for Hetty and a smile for the face on the laptop screen.

Tony grinned and stage-whispered to Kensi, "Paperwork, huh? Is that what they call it here?" Ziva elbowed him and he winced, whining about how it was just a joke and he was so unappreciated, Sam and Tim shaking their heads on the sidelines as an argument began.

Farther down the table, Callen poked the dozing Gibbs and responded to his glare with a raised eyebrow, "You're exhausted. Go sleep in a bed, Jethro." Gibbs raised an eyebrow of his own, "I'm fine. I can just sleep through the flight tomorrow." Callen flashed back to his last priority flight and winced. About to give up, he glanced around in search of inspiration and spotted a frighteningly calm-looking Ziva David fingering a knife-shaped outline in her pocket as she eyed the again flirting Tony and Kensi. Repressing a grin and nudging Gibbs, he pointed toward the man's team.

Gibbs snorted at the imminent violence but stood with a groan and waved his team up and out. Tony, Ziva, and McGee, accustomed to their boss's abruptness, scrambled and said quick goodbyes. Gibbs headslapped the smiling Callen, who turned on him, confused, "What was that for?" Gibbs' expression didn't change as he replied, drier than ever, "Affection." Callen snorted and waved him off.

Gibbs stepped around the man, kissed Hetty on the cheek and collected his team with a wink for the chuckling Los Angeles team. Hetty looked over her team after the DC team made their exit and stood, "I do believe that is our cue to retire for the evening." She paused and met each of their eyes, then smiled proudly, "Well done, all of you."

She led the way out the door and past the relieved restaurant manager, Sam and Callen bickering behind her and Kensi teasing Eric as they followed her out. The door slammed closed behind them and twenty minutes later, the lights went out.