AN: I thought it would be good to have some stories about Tony and Celeste. Celeste was introduced to the MCRT in 'the force be with you' and met Director Vance in 'Tony tells a story'. I don't think you need to have read those first. All you probably need to know to start with is that Celeste is a librarian.

Special Agent Timothy McGee turned away from the information desk at the library with a rueful smile. Meeting Tony's new girlfriend had reminded him that his library card had expired and so he had come to renew it but so far he hadn't encountered any other brown haired bombshells like Celeste.

Clutching his new card Tim wandered over to the G fiction wondering if there were any Thom E Gemcity novels on the shelves. Even as he did so, he wondered if this was a good idea: he'd be pleased to see his books had been purchased by the library but potentially traumatised by the thought that nobody was borrowing them. As he stood hesitating about what would be best for his self-esteem, he heard his name being called,

"Agent McGee, isn't it?"

McGee spun round, he recognised that melodic voice.

"Um, yes, it's me, McGee," inwardly he cursed at his accidental rhyming, "Good morning, Celeste."

Celeste smiled warmly and then looked round anxiously,

"You're not going to tell me there's criminal activity going on, are you?" she asked.

McGee winced. The story of Director Vance's misunderstanding about Tony DiNozzo's new found interest in reading to children had spread like wildfire round the Navy Yard. McGee thought he would probably have taken two weeks' vacation if he had been in the Director's shoes but the Director was made of stern stuff and was possessed of a fearsome glare; and of course he had the power to transfer agents to less than desirable postings, so he had stuck it out.

"No," said McGee, "no criminal activity," and then, because he was scrupulously accurate, he added, "well, there probably is but none that I know anything about."

Celeste didn't look completely reassured.

"But I'm sure, well, reasonably sure, that nothing's going to happen. But, obviously, I can't guarantee that. But if it does, and I'm here, I'll do my best to keep everyone safe. And if I'm not here, and something happens, then I'm sure that Metro PD will respond quickly. But I'm sure everything will be fine … well, as sure as I can …"

Celeste's lips twitched for a moment or two but then she said with slightly false confidence,

"That's good to know, Agent McGee. I think."

"Please call me Tim," said McGee, "if you'd like to, of course. But it doesn't matter if you don't."

"Thank you, Tim, I will," said Celeste.

Tim wondered if his name had ever sounded so wonderful.

"What are you doing here, Tim?" asked Celeste, wondering if Tony's co-worker was going to say anything.

"I came to renew my library card," said McGee, displaying it proudly.

"Great," said Celeste, "but why did you come to this branch? I thought Tony said you lived on the other side of the city and it's not close to the Navy Yard."

"Um, there's a great coffee bar nearby," said McGee and, seeing Celeste's slightly surprised look said, "I didn't think you worked here. I thought you were based at the South East library. And this is the …"

"The North West one," agreed Celeste, "there's a sickness bug going round so they're short staffed here. I'm helping out."

"Oh," said McGee and swallowed a little nervously. He tried to think of something else to say before he let slip that he'd chosen the North West library as he thought it was probably the furthest from the South East library. He still remembered Tony's conversations about 'extreme yoga loving' Celeste and he spent his first meeting in the flesh with Celeste in a permanent state of blush. He had thought he was very unlikely to bump into Celeste in this other library and so had chosen this one in which to renew his card.

Celeste wracked her brains to think what else Tony had told her about Tim and then she realised that he had been heading towards the Gs.

"Oh," she said, "were you looking for your books?"

McGee shuffled uncomfortably, wondering what would be the usual response of an author. While he was still considering this, the librarian came up with a helpful suggestion,

"Would you like me to check how often your books get borrowed?"

"No!" half wailed Tim, with a sudden picture of being told that they were never borrowed and were going to be sold off soon.

"Oh," said Celeste in a disappointed voice, she loved to help, "I'm sure they're popular, you know. You don't have to worry."

Tim peered at her a bit suspiciously, this woman seemed to share Tony's uncanny ability to know what he was thinking. He hoped she didn't share Tony's talent for then using that ability to embarrass him.

Celeste wasn't quite as all seeing as McGee thought but she was empathetic enough to know that she had worried him slightly. She wanted to be nice to Tony's co-workers so she came up with another idea,

"I'm about to go to lunch. Why don't you show me this wonderful coffee bar?"

"What?" squeaked McGee, wondering why his voice seemed to keep going up an octave with Celeste.

"You said there was a great coffee bar," said Celeste, "that that was why you'd come here. I'm new to this part of DC so I don't know where to go for lunch." She thought regretfully of the sandwiches she had packed but decided to sacrifice them for Tim.

"Um, sure," said McGee feeling a sense of panic as he tried desperately to remember if there were any coffee bars nearby."

"Great," said Celeste, "I'll just go grab my purse."

As soon as her back was turned, McGee hastily Googled nearby coffee bars on his cell.

"It's two blocks away," he announced when Celeste returned, "it's about ten minutes' walk."

"Ten minutes?" queried Celeste, "not so near after all?"

"It'll be worth it," said McGee firmly and with his fingers discreetly crossed.

It took them a while to find the café because McGee lost the signal he was discreetly following but Celeste smiled bravely although she was wishing she was wearing sneakers rather than heels.

"This is nice," she said when they were finally sitting outside the café, drinking coffee and eating pastries, "this is one of the reasons I wanted to come to DC."

"To have coffee?" asked McGee.

"No," said Celeste, "to get the DC buzz. All this variety. I've never been to a café selling a fusion of Himalayan and Welsh food."

"Really?" said McGee with an attempt at nonchalance, "um, where were you living before?"

"I worked at the library at M.I.T." replied Celeste.

"You were at M.I.T.?"

"Yes, for four years. And I loved it but in the end, I wanted to work in public libraries. Academia wasn't really for me," she leaned forward conspiratorially.

"So you came to DC?"

"Yes, like I said, I wanted the excitement of living in the capital. To be at the centre of things."

"To eat fusion foods," said McGee.

"See," she said delightedly, "I knew you'd understand. Although to be honest I'm not sure I am all that keen on coffee with yaks' milk."

"Um, I find it helps my dairy intolerance," lied McGee.

"Oh dear," said Celeste, "I didn't know about the dairy intolerance before I ordered that pastry for you. You'd better not eat it, it's got ordinary cream in it," and before Tim could protest, she had snatched the pastry out of his hands. She licked some of the cream off her finger in a lingering way and Tim groaned, "Does the yak milk disagree with you as well?" she asked sympathetically.

As Tim didn't really like the taste of the yaks' milk either he thought it politic to agree.

"I think I'll go get a soya latte instead."

By the time he came back Celeste had eaten all the pastries. Tim smiled and wondered how much food she and Tony got through together but that sent his mind down a dangerous path and so he looked for another topic of conversation,

"Do you know many people in DC?"

"Not really. I know people I work with, and Tony, of course. A friend at M.I.T. tried to set me up with some of his friends in DC but I think they must have thought librarians are a bit geeky so nothing came of that."

McGee coughed as an awful thought crossed his mind but he tried to be polite,

"So, no relatives near?"

"No, but Sam is coming for a visit soon."

"Sam?"

"My twin."

"Oh," said McGee a bit more hopefully, "where does Sam live?"

"New York."

"What does Sam do?"

"Sam designs computer software."

McGee brightened still more, "When is Sam coming?"

"At the weekend. I'm going to be busy this weekend to start with, I need to work on Saturday and Tony might be working too."

"I'd be happy to show Sam around," said McGee.

"You would?" said Celeste, "that would be so kind. Sam's pretty self-sufficient but I feel guilty about not being there."

"No trouble," said McGee happily, "just give me the details. Er, are you alike?"

"Well, we're not identical twins," said Celeste, "but pretty similar really. Hey, I'd better be getting back. Let me give you my card, then you'll have my contact details."

McGee smiled broadly.

NCISNCIS

"Tony, I bumped into Celeste," said McGee as he entered the squad room.

"You did?" said Tony, "where?"

"At the library."

"But she's at the North West library today? Why did you go all that way?" asked Tony peering intently at Tim. "It can't have been for the coffee bars. There's only a weird Himalayan/Welsh fusion bar there. Although the yaks' milk cappuccino isn't bad."

McGee stared at Tony, once again astonished at his eclectic knowledge of DC's food outlets.

"Or are you going to all the libraries to check out if the Agent McGregor books are being borrowed? And if they are, that they're being treated nicely and filed correctly?" continued Tony.

McGee shook himself at this evidence of why Tony could at times be an astute investigator and then realised that he had something to distract Tony.

"Celeste sent this for you," and he placed a small brown sack on Tony's desk.

Tony peered inside and drew out a bran muffin with yoghurt icing. He smiled and McGee couldn't help but explain,

"She said it would be good for your cholesterol."

Tony often got a bit touchy when people, usually Ducky, suggested he needed to follow a healthier diet but on this occasion a goofy smile came over his face and he touched the icing almost lovingly.

"You usually get mad if anyone suggests you need to watch what you eat," said a surprised McGee.

"Tim," said Tony, even as he took a bite of his cake, "it's been a long time since anyone who wasn't a health care professional cared what I eat. I'm making the most of it."

Tony quickly demolished the cake and then said, "So, did you enjoy your chat with Celeste?"

"Sure, we had coffee together."

"Really?" drawled Tony.

"Nothing happened," said McGee hastily.

"I know," said Tony promptly.

"How do you know?" asked a slightly miffed McGee.

Tony's lips twitched in a way very like Celeste's had earlier in the day but he managed to say seriously, "Because I know you, McGee."

"What does that mean?" asked McGee stilling feeling a little nettled.

"It means that you're my friend and friends don't do the sort of thing you're thinking about."

"Oh," said an appeased McGee.

"And, besides," said Tony, rather spoiling the effect, "have you looked in a mirror recently?"

NCISNCIS

That evening McGee remembered to look at the card Celeste had given him. He looked at the name and his heart sank, 'Frances C Jones'. The awful thought he had had earlier in the day had proved to be true. He remembered the email he had received six months ago from Chris Mason, a lecturer at M.I.T.:

"Hey, Tim. A friend of mine is moving to DC next week. She doesn't know anyone there and I wondered if you'd look her up, perhaps show her around. She's going to work in one of the public libraries there. She's a nice girl. Frances Jones. Let me know."

Alas, Tony had been teasing McGee about his love life (or lack of it) and urging him to be more adventurous. And Tim had been very busy with work and Webelos so he made an excuse and let Frances come to DC without benefit of a McGee welcome. Now Tim sighed at the thought of what he had let slip through his fingers but then he smiled. There was always Sam, who was a computer software designer. How great to have a girlfriend who understood binary. He wouldn't let this opportunity pass him by.

He picked up the phone and called Celeste.

"Ms Jones' phone," came Tony's voice.

"Tony?"

"The very same. Is that you, McGoo?"

McGee winced and hoped that Celeste wasn't nearby. He was half hoping that she wouldn't hear the mcnicknames; they tended to be contagious.

"Is Celeste there?" he asked.

"Are you trying to make an assignation with my girlfriend?" asked Tony.

"Yes, of course, I am," said McGee thinking that attack was the best form of defence.

"In that case, I will pass you over to her."

"Hello, Tim," came Celeste's voice. Tim took a moment to wonder how her voice could sound even more huskily velvet down the phone. "Hello, are you there, Tim? It's not your dairy intolerance playing up again is it? I'm not sure the yaks' milk is the right thing for you."

"No, I'm fine," declared Tim, "I was just wondering if we could make arrangements about Sam."

"Oh," said Celeste, "of course. There is a change of plan. I don't have to work after all and Tony's not busy either."

"Oh," said Tim in a disappointed voice.

"But I'd love you to meet Sam," hurried on Celeste, "so why don't we all meet up later on?"

"Great," said Tim, wondering how it would be to meet Sam with Tony present but deciding to be brave.

"Tony says there's a Hungarian/Icelandic fusion restaurant in Georgetown. As you like fusion food so much, we thought we could go there. Apparently they do some sort of fish goulash."

"Can't wait," said McGee, determining to stock up on antacids before the weekend as well as having a manicure and haircut.

NCISNCIS

Saturday lunchtime saw Georgetown at its best, the sun was shining, the breeze was gentle and people had smiles on their faces, none as broad as that on the face of Special Agent Timothy McGee as he approached the HungIce Bistro. He spotted Celeste sitting at one of the sidewalk tables, her brow was furrowed as she perused the menu but her face lit up when she saw Tim approach.

"Hi, Tim," she said warmly, "this is so kind of you. Tony and Sam are inside getting some drinks, they'll be out soon. I suggested they get you some still water, in case your stomach is still a bit fragile. You know, fizzy drinks aren't good for delicate digestions."

Tim smiled and wondered if he was going off Celeste a little.

"Thank you," he said, politely if insincerely.

"Tim," said Tony arriving with a tray of drinks, "I got you one of those beers you like."

McGee thought he had never liked Tony so much but Celeste looked a little reproachful at his disregard for Tim's inner workings,

"It'll be fine, honey," said Tony, "Trust me."

Tim took a sip of his beer and wondered what he had done to deserve such a wonderful day. He closed his eyes for a moment to savour the moment.

"Tim," said Celeste happily, "I'd like you to meet Sam."

Tim took another microsecond before opening his eyes to meet his future soul mate.

"It's good to meet you, Tim," came the husky voice of Celeste's twin.

"So far, so good," thought Tim. Sexy voices run in the family.

Then he opened his eyes to look at Sam. Celeste had been right, they were similar. The same deep, lustrous eyes, the same shiny mid brown hair but Sam was taller than Celeste. And Celeste didn't have a beard … but her twin brother did.