Beyond Rule 12

Walking A Tightrope

The next morning came far too quickly for Noelle. She'd barely slept after a conversation with Abby, her mind unable to settle. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw Gibbs with that other woman, and the knot of anger and hurt twisted tighter inside her. She knew she needed to stay focused, but it felt like she was walking around with a storm brewing in her chest, one she couldn't quite keep under control.

When she walked into NCIS that morning, her resolve was steel. She was still done giving Gibbs the satisfaction of her reactions. He could flirt all he wanted, throw around his smooth lines and his rugged charm, but she wasn't going to bite. Not anymore. She was keeping her distance and focusing on the case.

As soon as she entered the bullpen, she could feel Gibbs's eyes on her, watching her with that piercing gaze of his. Normally, she'd glance his way, maybe even smile, but not today. She breezed past his desk without so much as a nod, dropping her bag onto her chair and sitting down to get straight to work.

Tony, of course, picked up on the tension immediately.

"Uh-oh," he said, leaning back in his chair and raising an eyebrow. "Looks like the Raven's got a bit of frost in her feathers this morning."

"Must be one of those days," Ziva commented, her tone amused as she flipped through a file.

Noelle ignored them, her focus laser-sharp on her computer screen. She could still feel Gibbs watching her, but she wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of a reaction.

Tony, not one to let things go, leaned closer to Ziva. "What do you think happened? Lover's quarrel?"

Noelle's head snapped up, her eyes narrowing at Tony. "Mind your business, DiNozzo."

Tony raised his hands in mock surrender, a smirk on his face. "Hey, just asking. You've been all sunshine and rainbows with the boss man, but now? It's like someone froze hell over."

"Tony, if you don't drop it in the next five seconds, I'm going to file a formal complaint about workplace harassment," Noelle warned, her tone deadly.

Ziva snickered under her breath, but Tony straightened up, sensing she wasn't in the mood to play today.

"Alright, alright, message received, Raven," Tony muttered. "Sheesh, no need to go nuclear."

Gibbs, who had been silent up until now, cleared his throat, and the room seemed to hold its breath. He walked over to Noelle's desk, standing in front of it with his usual commanding presence.

"Raven," he said, his voice soft but firm. "You got a minute?"

Noelle didn't look up from her screen. "Busy, Gibbs."

There was a moment of silence, and Noelle could feel the weight of it pressing down on her, but she kept her eyes on the report she was pretending to read. Gibbs hesitated for a beat, then nodded.

"When you're done, come find me."

Noelle nodded tersely, still refusing to meet his eyes. As he walked back to his desk, Tony and Ziva exchanged glances, but neither of them said a word.

---

If there was one place Noelle could escape to, it was Abby's lab. The heavy music and Abby's chaotic energy were like a balm for her raw nerves. Plus, she knew Abby would have her back, especially after the events of last night.

When Noelle stepped into the lab, she found Abby hunched over her computer, her fingers flying across the keyboard as she analyzed some evidence. But the moment Abby saw Noelle, she broke into a wide grin, rushing over to hug her tightly.