Holy Jesus, he was taking notes.
The young man looked up and over his shoulder to study Ty as Burns started talking. “Special Agent Grady, thank you for joining us. This is David Reese.”
The blond man stood, clutching the folder to his chest. Bright green eyes shone through wire-rimmed glasses. “Special Agent Grady,” Reese said.
“It’s great to meet you.”
Ty remained planted where he was, staring at the kid. He looked to Burns with sheer outrage glinting in his eyes. “What the shit is this?” he asked.
Reese blinked and looked back at Burns, who was smiling. “David is a junior at Georgetown. He’s interning with me this summer. Say hello, Ty,”
the Assistant Director ordered pleasantly.
Ty stared at him, slightly nonplussed as he looked back at the kid.
“Shit,” he finally muttered apologetically as he stepped closer and took his hand in greeting. “I thought you were my new partner,” he said with a laugh.
“Jesus,” Reese muttered as he shook Ty’s hand. “I feel for your new partner, man. He’ll be crapping his pants.”
Burns snorted.
“Yeah well, he also won’t look twelve, so he’ll be fine,” Ty huffed in return.
Reese smiled slightly, but he didn’t appear amused by the crack about his age.
“David, Special Agent Grady here is one of the more unconventional agents you may encounter here at the Bureau. Do not include him in your summaries,” Burns cautioned with a smirk as he leaned back in his chair.
Reese nodded and smiled wryly. “I should hope not, sir,” he answered. “I don’t know how you’d keep new recruits.”
“We’d feed them to the military,” Ty grumbled as he went over and flopped down into the empty chair. “So where is this ass**le, anyway?” he asked with frown. “You can’t tell me I’m the one on time.”
“Actually, you are, although he’s not far behind. Security said he came through a few minutes ago,” Burns said. Then he looked to Reese. “You see, David, one of the more arduous jobs we have here is figuring out how to gather agents who work effectively together. Special Agent Grady here presents a particularly difficult challenge, as I’m sure you can imagine.” The young man glanced to Ty, obviously agreeing with the sentiment.
Burns cocked his head when he heard the outer door open and footsteps clomp in. The office door opened and Reese turned curiously to look. Ty was almost afraid to do the same, but curiosity got the better of him.
Zane Garrett stood totally still just inside the doorway, his eyes already settled intently on Ty.
“Special Agent Garrett, how lovely of you to join us,” Burns drawled.
“This is David Reese, my newest intern. I believe you already know Special Agent Grady.”
After a short pause, Zane nodded slightly.
Ty found himself struggling for something to say as he blinked stupidly at Zane. The lack of reaction was disconcerting. Ty had tried every trick in his book, trying to find a way to get in touch with Zane after the medical leave had ended. But an undercover operation trumped even fake family emergencies, and Ty hadn’t been able to get anywhere before his own assignments commenced. He found himself wondering, not for the first time, whether Zane took an assignment he knew would keep him under on purpose, just to keep away from him after the haze of the drugs had cleared.
“Well, David, it’s time for your next appointment,” Burns said pointedly, ushering the student out the door past Zane. The Assistant Director shut the door behind him and turned to look at the two men. The office was quiet.
Ty finally swallowed down his shock and looked from Burns to Zane uncertainly. “Hey,” he offered.
Zane glanced to Burns as well, and back to Ty. “Hi,” he said quietly, taking in Ty’s features.
And there seemed to be nothing more to say. Ty finally looked down, unwilling to meet Zane’s unreadable eyes.
“Well,” Burns said as he moved back to the chair behind his desk.
“Garrett, if you choose to move from Arlington closer to your new assignment, the Bureau will pay for temporary accommodations until you can get yourself settled in DC. Paperwork’s in the mail,” he told them as he waved his hand through the air in dismissal, though there was the slightest twist of a smile on his lips.
Zane blinked, surprise and hope emerging in his eyes. “You’re …
partnering us again?”
“As long as you don’t blow anything up again or kill anyone else, yes,” Burns answered with some amusement as Ty glanced back up at Zane in surprise. “You’ll be working the DC area for now. No undercover work, no big cases until you’re both … mentally stable,” he said with a wry smirk.
“Does that mean this is a permanent assignment?” Ty asked, his voice low and slightly hoarse. Burns merely laughed and leaned back in his chair again.
Zane had to tear his eyes away from Ty. “No objection,” he said softly.
“Good!” Burns responded with a smile. “Now get the hell out of my office,” he said as the smile dropped back into his customary scowl. “And take a f**king shower,” he ordered. “Both of you.”
Zane took an awkward step backward, watching Ty again, and reached behind himself to grasp the doorknob. He pulled open the door and waited. Burns’ lips twitched as he watched, and he shook his head ever so slightly.
Ty looked back at the Assistant Director uncertainly and then nodded obediently, glancing at Zane as he passed by him out the door. Zane watched him the whole way and then followed, pulling the door shut as they left. He was completely oblivious to the secretary staring at them.
Ty slowed to a stop and turned to meet Zane’s eyes. He glanced at the secretary and then back at Zane, turning again to keep moving without ever saying anything. After a moment’s pause, Zane blinked and strode after him, out into the hall, catching up at the elevator.
Ty had his head down, waiting for the doors to open. “How have you been?” he asked quietly without looking up.
Zane cast over the five months of hell in Miami. “Shitty,” he answered in the same soft tone. “You?”
Ty looked up slightly but didn’t answer. The doors whooshed open, and he stepped inside the elevator car. Zane didn’t hesitate to follow. He punched the button for the parking garage, and the doors slid shut. “I tried to get in touch with you,” Ty finally murmured without looking at Zane. “They said you were unreachable. You went back to Miami,” he said bitterly, his voice almost accusing.