A/N: Yes, this IS another tag to Boxed In. That episode is just so full of Tony angst, it's hard to resist. But this one actually ends happy! ...sorta. ^-^" Enjoy!

Tony sighed, sinking into his overstuffed couch, and closed his eyes as he tried to push all the day's hurts behind his frat boy mask. Running through the day's events, he wasn't surprised when nearly all of them came up with red flags. First off, he'd had to investigate with Ziva. That brought up two red flags because, for one, he didn't even like Ziva and, for another, he'd ended up locked in a box with the harpy. Then he'd gotten shot; another two red flags came with the wound since Ziva assumed it was just a scratch and made him look like a wuss. Wait, three. She made him look like a wuss in front of Gibbs.

He finally got out of the box only to find out that the team went to Ziva's stupid party when he hadn't even been invited. That equaled another six flags- one for each person that went and another for his hurt feelings.

Backtracking, he admitted to himself that that last part was a bit childish. The team, no matter how many times he kept forgetting, was not his family and they totally had the right to toss him to the side for Ziva like she was the newer version of a toy.

If Tony was honest with himself, he had known that this was a long time coming. As it was, Tony felt the hurt just as strong and clear as it would have been had he been totally surprised.

Tony's whimper split through the silence in his apartment in a frighteningly loud way. Pressing the heels of his hands into his eyes, Tony tried to convince himself that the past day had been nothing but a nightmare.

He was just about to resign himself to actual nightmares when he was startled out of his daze by a knock at his door.

Attempting to stand, Tony winced as the wound in his arm throbbed painfully. He sank back into the couch and called out, "Come in!"

The door creaked open and in walked, much to Tony's surprise, Timothy McGee.

"McGoo!" Tony grinned widely, hoping to Hell that he didn't look as bad as he felt.

McGee smiled back weakly. "Hey, Tony. How was dinner with Ziva?"

Tony pulled his knees to his chest to let McGee sit down on the couch. "Well...nonexistent. I begged off because my arm was killing me."

A look of confusion spread across McGee's face. "I thought it was just a scratch."

"Mmm, no," Tony replied, ducking his head and picking at a loose thread in his jeans. "Gunshot."

McGee looked horrified. "But Ziva said-"

"Yeah and, what, Ziva's word is law now?" Tony snapped, the day finally breaking him. "God, McGee, you're pathetic!"

He shoved himself off the couch, ignoring the flare of pain in his arm, and stomped down the hall to his bedroom. Reaching the door, he called back to the living room. "You can see yourself out!"

Then he entered the room, slammed the door behind himself, and stumbled towards the bed, biting back a groan of pain when his knees crashed into the solid bed frame. He tilted, closing his eyes when he felt himself falling.

Soft covers cradled his battered body, the high quality mattress conforming around him. He whimpered in bliss, not noticing when his door opened.

"Tony, I'm sorry," said McGee from the doorway. He ignored the way Tony's body tensed and stepped closer to the bed. "I didn't mean to hurt your feelings."

Tony snorted before gently rolling over onto his back. "Hurt my feelings? That didn't hurt my feelings."

"I thought-"

Cutting McGee off for the second time that night, Tony sneered. "Oh, you thought? Are you sure? Because you could have done a little more thinking last night."

McGee slowly sat on the edge of the bed, turning towards the other man. "What do you mean?"

Tony shifted a little, feeling uncomfortable at McGee's closeness. "Tell me, Tim, what excuse did Ziva give for my absence?"

The younger man replied, "She said you told her you had other plans."

"How long have you known me, Tim?" Tony asked quietly. "Do I ever go to parties on a school night?"

There was a sharp inhalation as McGee caught what Tony wasn't saying. "Oh, Tony...I'm sorry..."

"Don't apologize-"

"-It's a sign of weakness, I know. But, Tony, you're not Gibbs and I'm definitely not Gibbs. I owe you. It was rotten to believe Ziva just because I thought she picked me over you."

Tony sighed, closing his eyes, and replied, "It's fine. I'm over it."

"No, you're not," Tim replied, feeling more horrible as time passed. "I know you, Tony. And I thought I was your friend."

"Know me?" Tony scoffed. "You don't know me."

Tim straightened and said, with a confidence that had built over the past few years, "Yes, I do. I know that you love movies-though that's not hard to guess-, I know that you prefer expensive things because spending your money like that gives you a feeling of control you desperately need, I know that you'd follow Gibbs down to Hell if you thought it would make him happy."

"All right, already!" Tony exclaimed, rolling over and facing Tim. "I get it, you know me."

"Tony, I'm not even halfway done with what I know about you," Tim said, his whole figure bleeding with remorse and sadness. "But there is one thing I know about you that should have definitely clued me in last night."

"Oh, yeah?" Tony queried, still not sure how he should feel about Tim's 'knowledge'. "And what's that?"

"I know that, no matter what happens, you have a deep-seated belief that one day you're going to be replaced."

Tony took a shuddering breath.

"That's not true," he whispered.

"Tony, you know damn well it is!" McGee burst out in a rare show of anger. "I don't know why and I don't care. What I do care about is why I couldn't remember that tonight, when we were all going on about the party."

Scrambling to save the weird relationship he had with McGee, Tony sighed and said, "Forget about the party. I think the only one who knew I wasn't even invited was the host."

"Ziva."

"Yeah."

"You're right," Tim said, feeling as if he should assure Tony. After all, it was partly his fault that Tony was feeling so depressed right now. Three years of unconditional friendship and how did Tim repay him? By throwing him to the side at the first glimpse of a shiny new toy? He didn't think so.

"I want to believe you, but how can you be so sure?" Tony asked, his voice barely audible. Between the emotional roller coaster and the pain, he was ready for this night to be over so he could rest.

Thinking back over the past couple hours, McGee was quiet for a while before he finally responded.

"Well...you know that Abby would never leave you out of anything intentionally; neither would Ducky. Palmer was just there to tune the piano and was offered to stay in return. You know he would be personally insulted if anyone suggested you were anything less than the idol you are."

Tony smiled slightly and Tim was relieved, but he saw the older man was still a little upset. He knew just how to fix it, too.

"And Gibbs would totally kick Ziva's ass if he knew that she hurt your feelings," Tim continued. "He would do it for any one of us, but for you especially."

"No, he wouldn't," Tony objected. "Not for me."

"Yes, he would!" Tim countered.

Tony looked up at the younger man with questioning eyes. "Why do you think that?"

Smiling hesitantly, Tim answered, "You know how everyone thinks of us as Gibbs's kids? Even Abby thinks we're a family."

"Yeah, so?" Tony shrugged. "That doesn't mean anything."

"Maybe not to your biological family," Tim conceded. "But your N.C.I.S. family is your everything, Tony. I know it is."

"Still. How does that translate to Gibbs kicking Ziva's ass 'cause she hurt my feelings?"

McGee rolled his eyes. "C'mon, man! You're obviously the cool older brother who taunts the younger siblings but would totally beat the hell out of their bullies. You're Gibbs's pride and joy- a chip of the old block, so to speak. Big brother protects the younger siblings; who protects him?"

"Dad..." Tony answered, his eyes widening as he finally understood where Tim was going on his tangent.

"Exactly! Gibbs would never let anyone get away with hurting you if he knew about it. So can you honestly say that he could've known about Ziva not inviting you? You know that he's gotta know how much that would hurt you."

"You're right," the older man replied, closing his eyes. That didn't last long, however, as a new thought hit him. "Wait! If that's true, where does that leave Ziva?"

McGee thought about it for a while, before saying, "Well...her attitude and attempts to tear the family apart could leave her as the wicked stepmother but, to be honest, I don't want to think about her marrying Bossman."

Tony shuddered. "Eurgh...no, Boss is definitely a single dad. Forever. Understand?"

Grinning, Tim said, "Definitely. But that still doesn't answer the question of Ziva's place in the family."

"Well...she hasn't been with us long, right?" At Tim's nod of agreement, Tony continued. "She could be the adopted sister who doesn't understand that we're her 'forever family' now. Acting out like she did could be a sign that she's making sure that no matter what happens, she won't have to leave."

Wonder sparked in Tim's eyes. "Wow, Tony, I didn't know you were such a sap!"

Tony scowled halfheartedly and said, "It's just a theory."

"Well, it's good." At Tony's disbelieving stare, Tim said, "Seriously. I mean, Ziva probably thought that if she was mean to the favorite and she didn't get left in the dust, she wouldn't be abandoned no matter what."

"I'm not the favorite though," Tony objected. "Abby is!"

"Please," Tim said, rolling his eyes again. "Abby might be the baby and Daddy's little girl, but you're the one that Gibbs spent all his time on, his own project."

Tony stared at McGee. And stared. And stared.

"What?" Tim finally snapped.

"You called Gibbs daddy!" Tony answered, wonder striking through his voice.

"To-NY!"

Tony laughed and finally relaxed completely. "That means a lot to me."

"I know," Tim said, standing from the bed. "Now that you're feeling better, why don't you try to get some sleep? I can show myself out."

Flushing at his earlier words being thrown back at him, Tony realized that he did feel pretty worn out. "All right."

Tim nodded and walked to the door that led outside of the bedroom. He was stopped from leaving, however, by Tony's voice coming from the bed.

"Hey, McGee."

Leaving his hand on the doorknob, Tim turned around. "Yeah, Tony?"

Affection sparkled from Tony's eyes, barely visible to Tim in the darkness. "Thanks for being the best little brother ever."

"Anytime," Tim choked out around the lump that suddenly appeared in his throat. He ignored the tears that were burning his eyes as he hurried out of the room and out of Tony's apartment.

As he was met by the cool night air, Tim had only one thought.

'That's Tony, alright. Making sure the family stays happy, even if it costs him.'

A/N: Tell me what you think! Please! All I'm asking for is one teeny tiny review! And I'm thinking of making a sequel...depends on if I get inspiration (hint hint: reviews) PLEASE REVIEW! *begs shamelessly*

~S.