Author's note: I always wished we'd seen Tim's reaction to Abby's additions to his desk at the end of 'Legend'. So here's my take. F.
Disclaimer: All characters etc are property of Belisarius Productions, I'm just borrowing them for a little while
McGee entered the darkened bullpen, unable to stifle a yawn as he exited the elevator. The flight from Los Angeles had been the usual nightmare, as were all red eye flights, and he'd been unable to sleep on the plane. Gibbs had dropped him back at the Yard, telling him to go home and get some rest, and he'd gone to do so when it occurred to him. He'd left his keys in his desk. So now he had to track upstairs to get the keys so he could go home and finally crash.
Rounding the partition at the side of Ziva's desk, he stopped in his tracks. What on earth had Abby done to his desk? When Tony had described it as a 'tacky tiki hut' he'd thought he was joking. But here he was, staring at a mass of yellow crepe paper and helium balloons. Annoyance warred with fatigue; he'd have to fix this up before Gibbs saw it. Otherwise, he was pretty sure, it would somehow be his fault. All he wanted to do was go home and sleep. Annoyance won.
He went over to the desk, prepared to start removing Abby's decorations, and then stopped again. His momentary anger was replaced by a rush of affection. With typical Abby sweetness, she'd left him a cupcake and a note. It was the little things like this that made him love her. He picked up the note and smiled. He'd missed her too.
Taking his cell out of his pocket, he stood back and took a few photos of his desk to prove that he wasn't dreaming, and then gently he started removing the tape that held her decorations in place, folding each piece carefully as he removed it. He couldn't destroy her handiwork somehow. He had no idea what to do with it; keeping it all just seemed a little disturbing, maybe bordering on obsessive. He kept the balloons, slipping both them and the note into his pack. Leaving the rest of the decorations in a neat pile behind his desk, he walked out of the bullpen and back into the elevator, remembering this time to grab his keys. He'd come in early tomorrow and see Abby. It was too late now to call her.
...
Abby couldn't sleep. She tossed and turned, trying to find the most comfortable position she could. She was so tired. But her mind was still busy worrying away, stopping her from getting the rest she needed. Opening her eyes, she checked the time on the alarm clock on the night stand. 2.16 AM.
Their flight was due to land over an hour ago; Tim should be home by now. She smiled, imagining his reaction to his desk in the morning. She really had missed him; it was rare and unusual for Gibbs to take him on one of these out of town cases. Normally he took Tony or Ziva. So she'd been Timmy- deprived for two whole days. She knew it was irrational; she didn't see him every day normally, but there was something odd about being at work and knowing he definitely was not just upstairs at his desk in the squad room.
She wished she'd been there to welcome him home. It was silly, but she was always there to welcome one of the team home from an absence, at least when they returned to work. But their flight had gotten in so late, she just hadn't been able to.
So she'd decorated Tim's desk instead, leaving him a special cupcake as a substitute for her usual hug. She knew she'd probably gone overboard on the decorations, but she didn't care. Tim was a special case. She admitted to herself that she was scared that Tim would want to transfer now that he'd had a taste of the Office for Special Projects. She'd heard about the gadgets they had, and her Tim was nothing if not a tech addict. So she'd gone a little overboard on his desk, hoping that he'd understand that it meant that he was loved here; for all their fancy toys, OSP couldn't give him that.
She sat up, throwing the covers back, and climbed out of her coffin. She wasn't going to get to sleep, that was obvious. Mind made up, she rummaged around for some clothes. She was going to go and welcome him home properly.