Don't Mind The Pink Elephant

Chapter Seven

Lucas found a nice place that was reasonable for Charlie to live. It was a few blocks from where Ducky lived. On a day that she had off she decided to make Ducky some lunch.

"Hungry for some fish?" Charlie called with a big smile.

Jimmy Palmer looked up from his desk, "Can I help you?"

"Hey, Jimmy. Where's my uncle?"

"Dropping something off at Abby's lab."

Going over to Ducky's desk, "I can wait. Do you like salmon?"

Jimmy fumbled a little with his words before actually spitting them out, "Yes I do."

Grinning, "Good, I made some extra. My mother's recipe. I'm the only one in the family who can get it the closest to the way she makes it."

Charlie stuck around after the three finished eating. When she returned from the restroom, there was a small group of people in the room. Ducky, Ziva, Tony, Gibbs, and McGee. Ducky had just discovered something in the body when the others walked in. They were all staring at it intently, trying to figure out what it was.

"It's a ring," McGee called.

"But it's too small for that. It's a belly button ring." Tony said.

"Belly button ring?" Ziva looked at Tony.

"Why would someone swallow a ring?" Gibbs asked.

"Whatever it is, it was deep inside that mans body," Ducky told them.

Charlie stood behind the group, "It's a nipple ring."

They all turned to her, "How do you know that?" Tony finally asked

Shrugging, "I have two of the same kind."

They all gawked at her. "What? Oh, come on! It was sad enough that Tony didn't even know, considering his love for women. I couldn't stand by watching you stand there and debate what that was."

Tony smirked as he was about to say something when Gibbs smacked him upside the head as he headed to the door without a word. The others murmured thanks as they followed him.

Ducky faced Charlie, "Those better be removed by the end of the day."

"I'll try." She smiled.

"Charlie!"

"Ducky!" She laughed. "I remembered the two-hour lecture about tattoos when I was 15, there was no mention of piercing of any kind. Which doesn't make sense because you made them sound like they were evil or something when Abby's got like a zillion."

Pointing at her, "She's not my niece."

Scrunching her nose, "I love you uncle, but interfere when it's something like I have gotten myself into drugs or alcohol. Piercing are removable. So I am going, I got a call from Lucas. He's picking me up here so we can see each other before he has to go back to is second shift."

Gibbs caught up with her as she was leaving the building, giving her that questioning look, "Took them out two days ago. Lucas didn't like them." She answered.

"Lucas?" Sounding slightly thrown by the name and slightly disgusted with it.

"You should talk Leroy Jethro."

Moving in front of her so she'd stop walking, "Ducky like him?"

A smug look fell on he face, "Duck man adores him. He's a future doctor."

"Well aren't we smug."

"Damn Skippy. And he apologizes for being an ass to me if he brings his bad day on our date. And he doesn't wait three weeks to talk to me either. We could have had something you and I. Would of been nice, I enjoyed your company. I also knew that you get work-obsessed and I was ok with that. Without you, not as many families would have closure."

Tilting his head, "But."

"I just don't know if it's worth it to get into something that complicated."

By now Lucas had arrived, he approached the two with a smile. Charlie politely introduced them. "You ready?" He asked.

"Yes."

Gibbs watched the two climb into the vehicle and drive off. He didn't like the man one bit, his gut feeling was buzzing away.

Charlie and Lucas had been dating for a little over two months. Charlie started to get bored with him for about six weeks into the relationship. He was a nice guy and she was happy she found someone that Ducky liked. But he didn't really get her jokes, deep down she thought he didn't like them.

Lucas came from a respected family, they are rich and well rounded. He came from a very long line of ivy league men. So it wasn't a surprise when he decided to become a doctor.

As much as Charlie hated it and didn't like to admit it, she sometimes still had a little bit of her small town charm in her. And Lucas had his rich, ivy league one. Charlie did find him charming and sweet, it's what attracted her to him. But the more she spent with him the more she doubted her judgment. But she wasn't really going to run out and tell someone how she felt. Lucas had come over that night to her apartment, they had a candlelit dinner. Later that night Charlie silently crawled out of bed, trying hard not to wake Lucas. It had started to rain at some point during the night. But she didn't care, she just slipped something on and went for a walk. Charlie's feet took her to the park, where she sat on the swings.

"You're a little old for swings." Gibbs sat in the empty swing next to her.

"Since when did NCIS become the swing police?" She looked over at him.

Gibbs thought for a second, "When I saw you sitting on the swings alone in the rain."

Making her eyes into slits, "Why Jethro, were you following me?"

Laughing, "No, not really. I was coming by your place when I saw you step out of your building. Then I followed you."

She started swinging a little. "Why were you coming to my place?"

He pulled something from his jacket. "It's that sorry that you wanted."

Taking the box, "You know you could have just said sorry."

Shrugging, "I like this way better."

Charlie opened the box to a little round silver pendant on fishing line. On the silver pendant was a little silver star, above and under it were the words 'I am sorry'

"I overheard Ducky telling Lucas some places you like to shop to him over the phone. That antique place isn't that bad for dusty, old things. It's where I found that it's for every time I'm an ass."

"Did you have to actually put it on fishing line?"

Eyebrows arching, "Are you criticizing my rustic charm at present giving?"

Closing the box, "One, yes and two, I can't take this." Handing the box back before getting up off the swing.

Following, "Why?" He called after her.

Yelling back, "You know why!" Gibbs reached out grabbing her by the arm. He pulled her into an embrace and kissed her passionately.

A/N: Reivews are most welcome.