Disclaimer: If you recognise it from the real NCIS, there are 2 options. a) I don't own it. b) I'm secretly Don Belissario. Those of you who chose option b are correct (in my dreams).

A/N: This is set 5 years on from Time Flies, 22 years on from mid-season 6 of NCIS. Third in my beloved Time Series. Co-written with YouGottaSingAlong. She's... an idiot. But a great writer.

Oh, other Time Series fics you could read as stand alones, but to know the characters you should read TF before this.

Lucas charged past Tash, barrelling into Jamey. He took one look at her and resisted wringing her neck. "Jamey Emily Mulgrew, what have you done to my computer?!?"

Jamey didn't answer at first, but at a glare from Lucas and a snigger from Tash stammered, "I… may have given your systems a little boost."

"A boost! A boost that crashed it and destroyed all my files!"

"That was Tash's fault."
Tash leapt to her feet, "Traitor!"

"Yeah – "if you tell him I will break all of your limbs", really encourages allegiance."

"What did they do to your computer, Luke?"

"Oh, hey boss. Jamey was giving my system a 'boost' – please note the inverted commas and Tash did something which I presume . . . wait . . . you were being sarcastic, weren't you? You don't really care."

McGee smirked and sat at his desk. "Good call, Logan. A little announcement for you all. There's going to be a large NCIS do soon."

Lucas groaned, "Woo hoo. Function. Yay."

McGee, out of sight of Jamey and Tash, grimaced sympathetically at him, while saying aloud, "Suck it up, we all have to go."

-----

Sally Robins grinned at the sight of her best friend, squashed her under a tight and excited hug.

"Jay!"

Jamey spluttered. "Sal."

"It's been forever!"

'Two weeks."

"Forever."

Jamey rolled her eyes, "Forever, I know." She grinned, "Are you ready?"

Sally grinned evilly. "Of course I am. Y'know, I remember having the same problem with your colouring in school." She glanced back at Tash, and whispered, "Are you guys friends?"

Jamey seemed wary. "Yeee-es . . . "

Tash had been watching, but had turned back to her computer screen. As she felt a hand clasp her upper arm, she yelled, "Abby, let go!"

"Not Abby," she was corrected chirpily. "Sally."

A chain was created as the double effort of Sally dragging Tash out of her seat and Jamey attempting to get Sally to the lift before Lucas and McGee got back. Their combined strengths led to all three women eventually ending up in the lift, as Tash slammed down the emergency stop.

"What is going on?!" she demanded, "Jamey what is your… sister…?"

"Friend," Sally and Jamey groaned together with precisely the same inflections, "Not sisters. Friends."

"Really? You guys look really similar."

"We do not!!"

Tash was now sidetracked from her original line of interrogation by an opportunity to tease the two others, "You even talk the same way. That is sooo sweet, Jamey."

"We are nothing similar!" Jamey continued to protest. "She has brown hair."

"She has blonde hair," Sally added. "And she's shorter than me."

"Hey! Only by a bit. And she has brown eyes."

Sally paused. "Jay, so do you. That's the problem here."

Tash returned to the original subject, keeping it in mind that she could use this tease at a later date… just as long as Lucas never found out, "Okay, but why am I… where am I being taken?"

"Shopping," Sally answered, as Jamey once more rolled her eyes. "We have to track down a dress for Jay – have you ever noticed how hard it is to find stuff to go with blonde hair and brown eyes?! I remember back when we were at school and there was this Christmas –"

"That's enough, Sal," Jamey cut in.

-------

Lucas entered the empty bullpen. "Where the hell has everyone disappeared to?"

-------

McGee stood in front of the suit rack. Whatever he chose, he knew, was going to be submitted to extreme inspection by Tony.

"Can I help you, Mr. Gemcity?"

"No, that's fine, Clara."

She smiled and left. The shop was a high-class outlet, serving many celebrities. Mr. Gemcity may not have been the most famous or rich, but Clara liked him because he was soft spoken and kind of shy, and you didn't meet many customers like that here.

-------

"Jay, get out here," Sally said sternly.

"Do I have to?"

"Yes."

Jamey stepped out in a floor length blue dress that Sally had enthusiastically pulled off a rack. She and Tash looked Jamey up and down.

"No."

Jamey nodded grimly. "I thought so." She returned to the cubicle, calling out, "I'm not even going to bother trying to make this bloody red one work. I could just do a Lucas and go in jeans and a t-shirt."

Sally crossed her arms, "Okay, Jay, I am using the age old technique of walking off and leaving you to find something yourself."

Jamey was still pulling on her trousers as Sally began once again dragging Tash off, "Where are you going?! If you're going to the food court, wait up… Tash! Sal! Have you two gone?"

There was no reply. "Bugger you, Sally Martha Robins."

Sally found something her tailor's eye had spotted earlier, she thrust it into Tash's arms, "Wait, what size are you?"

"12, 10 sometimes…"

Sally raised her eyebrows, "You're a twelve."

Tash nodded, "Usually."

"There's no way you're that big."

Tash had a dawning look realisation. "Oh, an eight, Yank sizes I'm an eight."

"Thank God." Sally grinned. "I promise you that is utterly perfect for you."

Tash looked doubtful. "I don't know, it's a bit . . . "

"Bit what?"

"I don't know!"

"You're hopeless, at least Jamey is potentially enthusiastic… if anything matched."

"I'm not really a dress person."

Sally shook her head in dismay. "Is this or is this not a massive function, attended by the Secretary Of The Navy?!"

"Well . . ."

"Enough arguing."

Tash was shoved with the dress into a changing room.

------

Jamey browsed unenthusiastically through the sale items that Sally had walked straight past. "And there were ten green bottles sitting on the wall…"

A shop assistant who had been heading towards her, diverted their course after hearing the warbled lines. Shopping Rule No. 1: make out that you're a nutter and they don't come near you. Her eyes widened, pulling out a dress, "I need to find Sal."

She began to jog, then slowed to a fast walk, expecting she still appeared insane. When she was the changing area she sped again, flying through the door, "Sally, I think I may just have found something!"

Sally shushed her, "Whatever, Jay, Tash is trying something on… I swear this will be awesome."

Jamey's eyes widened. After all the time they'd worked together, she'd never seen Tash in a dress. "This being something of the kind without separate leg-holes?" she checked.

"Yup," Sally looked very proud.

Tash emerged grudgingly. She wore a deep red dress with straps that crossed at the back and a flowing skirt that fell to just below her knees. She looked very uncertain.

"It's perfect!" exclaimed Sally.

Jamey stuck more to team tradition. "Not half bad, Paul," she said with an approving smile and slight nod.

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"Timothy!" McGee heard the exclamation from behind him, and turned to see Patrick William Kennard's form bearing down on him. "I didn't know you'd be here… well, of course I didn't… how are you doing? Is this for the big NCIS do that Gibbs hasn't got an invite to?"

"Does he want an invite?"

"Oh, no. He's thrilled not to be going. He's rather smug about it actually, but it means he hasn't got a ticket to give me."

"You can have mine," McGee grumbled.

"Tempting, Timothy, very tempting, but I couldn't possibly deprive you of the, well, no, no I couldn't… Now I think about it, the SecNav is at my party next week."

Clara edged back over, "Mister Kennard, can I help you?"

"Well, here's the thing Clara, I'm sure you remember that simply beautiful red silk tie and neckerchief set you foisted upon me about a year ago as a gift for my continued custom . . .? Yes, good. I've grown rather partial to the style, and was wondering if you have any more in stock, in a different colour maybe?"

"Of course," she laughed, "follow me. I'll be back with you in a second Mr. Gemcity."

"I am terribly sorry Clara, what was that you just called my friend?"

"Mr . . . Gemcity?"

Patrick glared accusingly at McGee. "Thom E. Gemcity, is that?"

McGee started to look slightly guilty, then smiled. "Nice to meet you Patrick William Kennard."

"This whole time this whole time that I've been bullying, begging LJ to bring you along to a party, and you were you?"

For the first time since she had begun serving him, Clara saw a look of smug satisfaction pass over 'Mr Gemcity's' face.

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Sally took a single look at the slate grey dress Jamey was wearing. "We're done here."

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Patrick took a single look at the dark blue suit McGee was wearing. "Well, if you're sure you don't want the glitter . . ."

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Lucas took a single look at the suit jacket he'd pulled out of his drawer. "I think this is the only thing I have."

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