Title: Drinks on Kate
Rating: K+
Disclaimer: Not my characters, no infringement intended
Pairings: McAbby is implied, but not portrayed. In fact, it's basically a brotherly bonding fic between Gibbs' two boys.
Summary: McGee and Tony reminisce and bond after a chance encounter in a pub.
Author's Note: This story is set just post-Twilight, sometime in the month prior to Ziva's assignment to the team, when Tony and McGee are still dealing with the loss of Kate.
Tony stepped through the doors and surveyed the half-full pub through the haze of smoke. The sound of talking patrons, clinking glass, laughter, and the music from the jukebox flooded his ears, along with the occasional sound of billiard ball striking billiard ball, sometimes followed by a rather colourful exclamation.
He looked around, then his eyes fell on the bar itself. Seeing the back of a pretty familiar looking head, he walked over to the bar, and up to the empty stool beside the tall figure sitting quietly alone.
"This seat taken?" he asked, a friendly tone in his voice. McGee turned and looked to him. "Hey, Tony," he said. "Go ahead. It's not taken 'til you sit on it."
"Flying solo tonight McGee? I'm surprised Abby isn't on this stool," Tony said, curiously, a warm smile gracing his face. McGee smiled slightly at him, his eyes shining something special at the mention of Abby. "She got called into the lab last minute, or she would've been here. That was the plan, anyway."
"Ah, I see. Work cutting into play again, huh?" McGee answered with an amused raised eyebrow. "Something like that I guess," he said.
"So, what brings you here by yourself then, McGee?" Tony asked, sitting down, as the bartender noticed his new customer and sauntered over. "I'll have whatever he's having," Tony said to him, gesturing to his companion.
"Not much," McGee answered. "Just thought I'd get out for a bit anyway. Couple of drinks, grab a bite, catch a movie. Nothing special." Tony nodded, understanding. He was at the pub for much the same reason. "Had to get away for awhile, huh? Amazing the thoughts that can plague you when you're alone." McGee nodded, saying nothing. They sat in silence for a moment, as Tony's drink was set in front of him. "Sometimes I just need to clear my head, you know?" Tony smiled. "I know. To be honest, I'm here for the same reason... How about we make it guy's night out, then?"
McGee looked at him skeptically, eyebrow raised. Tony laughed. "I'm serious, McGee! Jeez you're suspicious!" McGee smiled, shaking his head. "And why shouldn't I be suspicious of your motives, DiNozzo?" Tony elbowed him gently. "Got a point there, Probie. I wouldn't trust me either. Guess that makes two of us then, huh?"
McGee chuckled softly. "If Kate could see us now," he said, a mix of sadness and amusement in his voice. "You realize, it wasn't that long ago that you and I could barely tolerate each other on the job, let alone make a point of socializing after work." Tony said nothing, but sighed sadly as McGee added, "God, I miss her, Tony."
Tony gently clapped him on the back. "Me too, McGee. I miss her so much sometimes I think my heart will never stop aching." McGee glanced over at him, noticed a flash of pain in his eyes. He paused a moment to take a drink, gather his thoughts, twirl his glass around on the coaster, more to give Tony a moment than anything else. Finally, he spoke, sadness and regret in his voice. "I don't know how you felt about her, Tony, but to me… she was like a big sister. I think I even loved her like that, like a big sister I mean. I respected her, looked up to her. She was a friend as well as a colleague."
Tony paused a moment. "She liked you too, McGee, she considered you a friend. Actually, she said you were like a little brother… Maybe she didn't always show it, but she really respected you too." McGee smiled, and looked off aimlessly at the display of bottles on the shelf behind the bar. He took a pull from his glass, not taking his eyes off the back wall. "I know," he said, a small enigmatic smile appearing. Tony looked at him. "How…?" he asked, half smiling, his green eyes inquisitive.
McGee took a deep breath, and let it out slowly. He looked at Tony, his eyes reflecting longing and sadness over a memory. "Because… she called me Tim."
Tony said nothing, thinking about what McGee had just said. Finally, he broke the silence. "Hey, remember when Kate and I accidentally sent those jpeg's to Gibbs?" McGee snorted softly. "The wet t-shirt pic, and the one that Abby dummied up of you? Yeah. I thought Gibbs was gonna have a stroke." Tony laughed. "You and me both, McGee. Then his e-mail wouldn't let him delete them. Now, I might not know that much about it, but I KNOW e-mails aren't that hard to delete. You did something to his computer, didn't you?" McGee tried to keep the mischievous grin from appearing, but failed miserably, and his green eyes sparkled wildly. He cleared his throat in an effort to keep a straight face, then tried to protest lamely, "Anthony, I have NO idea what you're talking about." Tony looked at him, eyes wide. "HAH! I KNEW it! Timothy, you sly bugger!" McGee laughed out loud. Tony shook his head in admiration. "DAMN. Wish I'd thought of that… Then he had to get you to hack into it so he could get rid of them." McGee chuckled at the memory. "And all the while Kate was glaring at me from her desk, threatening me with death if I looked at that picture of her." Tony chuckled harder. "You looked, didn't you? You're such a DOG! I'm proud of you McGee! There's hope for you yet!" McGee shrugged, "Well, I'm a decent guy, but I'm still a guy. Wouldn't YOU look?" Tony sighed, still chuckling. "Good thing you got over your hesitation to fight girls. She really could have damaged you in the gym over that." McGee and Tony both winced at the memory of McGee's first grappling session with Kate, and both men involuntarily squeezed their knees together a little tighter, shuddering almost imperceptibly.
Tony signalled the bartender as McGee emptied his glass. "Fill 'er up again, barkeep," he said, gesturing towards the empty glass. McGee was about to protest, when Tony said, "No, it's on me. In fact, I'm gonna use the money I still owed Kate. She can buy our rounds tonight. Sound like a plan?" McGee half-smiled, a sparkle in his eyes. "Works for me," he said, chuckling.
The two men sat, silence intermingling with shared memories, sad smiles, and gentle laughter. Finally, when they had tired of the smoky atmosphere, and had decided it was time to leave before they missed the start of the movie, they arose. Tony paid the tab, and they started towards the door.
"After you, Tim," Tony said casually, gesturing with his hand. McGee turned to look at him, a mix of confusion and surprise on his face. Tony smiled. "Kate wasn't the only one who considers you a friend," he said, shrugging. A sudden emotion that Tony couldn't quite identify passed over McGee's eyes, and after a moment of exchanging looks, McGee turned, and with Tony following behind, stepped out through the doors, and into the fading twilight.