A/N: This bunny came to me at the beginning of the year - long before we heard Cote was leaving the show.

Unfortunately, it's been sitting on the back burner all this time - but I wanted to get it out before the new season starts tomorrow.


Tues, June 1, 2010

He can't keep the smile off his face these days; actually, hasn't been able to for well over two months now. Even the others have commented on his happier self; his uplifted spirits and his increased tolerance for all things DiNozzo hazing and pranking. At least, when they're not working a new case, that is. Tonight is no different. It's been a day of drudgery though cold cases and it's finally done.

As he closes down his work station on this Friday night, once the 'go home' has been called, he's practically vibrating with excitement that even the realization that they're working this weekend can't diminish. He's already got the rest of his evening is planned out and is nearly dancing with anticipation of her reaction. Candlelight dinner for two under a starry summer night; what could be more perfect?

It's been an enjoyable and enlightening six months of bliss. He's been careful; letting her make the moves that left no doubt she was ready for more as their relationship started, progressed and has since begun to bloom under the power of mutual attraction and respect, as well as admiration, shared convictions and ideals. Everything from leaving it up to her if they even had a second date – to waiting until she had to ask him if he was ever going to kiss her – before he made that move – has been deliberately, though often with barely contained impatience, left up to her.

Patience has always been something he thought he had plenty of, but this dating thing; trying to wade through it for the long haul of permanency and forever – well it has shown him that the supply he'd had before now – was just a drop in the bucket compared to the supply he needed to invest in for this journey. Maybe that was why, it had been reflecting so much into his mannerisms at work lately.

Mentally shrugging his shoulders, he turns and heads for the door. "Night!" he calls out to his team as they, too pack it in for the night.

"What gives, McSecret? You've been grinnin' like a love-sick puppy for a month now!"

"Tony. We've had this discussion a hundred times already." Tim patiently reminds him as they fall into step with each other on the way to the elevator.

"Yup, and every one of them have ended with you NOT answering the question specifically enough to make me happy. The longer you stall on this, the more often I'm gonna ask." Tony replied matter of factly. "You want me to stop asking, just answer the question, Probie. Simple as that. Who's the lucky woman? And how many online dates have you managed to have without scaring her off? Actually, the bigger question is what number is she since you've had to have gone through a string of them by now – no, wait, online dating, means less complications, so maybe this one is the only one you've had in a while, right?"

"Technically, that's four questions, Tony." Tim laughs good-naturedly.

"McGee, you know he is telling the truth. He will not stop asking until he hears what he wants to hear." Ziva chimes in from right behind them.

"Whoa! Da'vid! How many times do we have to tell you, don't sneak up on us like that!" Tony gripes as he breathes in just deeply enough to try to calm himself from the jolt she's just given him.

Tim smiles as he steps into the now open elevator and pushes the button to hold the door open for his teammates. "You're always tellin' us some things will never change, Tony. I think you should take your own advice and realize her doin' that - is one of these things." Tim quips.

"Just for that wise-guy, you're buyin' dinner!" Tony announces authoritatively as he joins them on the elevator.

Across the room, Gibbs has been a silent witness to the banter among his agents and cannot help but chuckle as he hears Tim's last remark before the elevator door closes on them. "You're right, Tony, I am. Just not for you."

****NCIS*****

She waits with a touch of impatience, as first one cab, then another, passes her by without acknowledging her raised arm that signifies she needs them to pick her up. With her long blonde hair pulled back into a stern bun at the nape of her neck and her eyes covered by large oval shaped sunglasses, she knows she's not the picture of beauty but still, a fare is a fare; or at least should be. Right? With a chuckle, she feels the impatience slip away, to be replaced with the feeling of de-je-vu. After all, this very predicament is how she met the man she's truly, madly and deeply in love with.

Not one to accept rides from strangers or even talk to one in any normal circumstance, only the sudden onset of a deluge of rain on one of the coldest days of spring could have driven her to entertain the thought for even a minute when the dashingly handsome young man in the 'to die for' car pulled up and offered her a ride, complete with proffered identification badge to let her know he was safe, she could hardly say no.

Her heart sings in response to her thoughts because, she always thinks back on that moment with fondness and although Tim hasn't said it, she knows he has carefully and painstakingly invested as much into this relationship as she has. Charming, polite, kind, soft-hearted, yet oh so very slow to move things along from simple dating to anything even more romantic, he's been slowly but surely wining her heart for months now. It wasn't but a few days ago that she realized just how much she counted on having him in her life. His weekly delivery of a single rose; this time red in color, had turned the heat up on her feelings for him.

The screech of tires pulls her from her thoughts and she looks to see not a harried cab driver stopping to pick her up, but rather, her very own knight in shining armor. As her smile lights up her face, he gets out to greet her while quickly opening the passenger door for her at the same time. "Hi, sweetie. Sorry I'm late."

"Late?"

"Well, you've been standing here for a few minutes in the heat, right?"

"Yes, Tim, but you don't have to…"

"I know." Flashing his megawatt smile at her, he reaches out to tuck a stray section of her hair back behind her ear. "But I like picking you up after work."

"You're adorable, you know that?" She smiles as she leans in to kiss him.

When the need for air has him gently pulling back, Tim huffs out a soft laugh and shakes his head. "At my age, I was hoping for something a little more dignified, but I'll take adorable."

Laughing, she maneuvers herself in her seat so that she's leaning against him. "Mmm. Let's just cancel dinner and spend the night cozied up at my place." She suggests.

"Oh, no." He counters a bit firmly. "Plans have been made, table's been set and we're expected."

"Ooh, sounds mysterious." She teases.

"Good." He smiles back. "C'mon, I'm starving. Are you?"

"Oh, I'm hungry, alright.". She plaintively reminds him, stepping into the playful aura he's offered. "The only problem is, you won't feed me from the menu I've been hungry for; something silly about waiting until we're both sure we're ready."

"Considering that when you asked me, we'd already gone through an entire bottle of wine? Yeah, I'd say that was pretty smart thinkin' on my part." Tim teases her back, his grin just as wide as her own.

"Well, it was my birthday." She pouts playfully.

"Yes, it was."

"The best birthday ever." She remarks dreamily, no longer playing as she lays her head down on his shoulder. "Thanks to you."

Kissing her temple, Tim's heart sings. "I'm glad, sweetheart. C'mon, let's get to dinner and we can enjoy the rest of the night together afterwards."

With a soft smile of acceptance, she shifts around in her seat so she's once again sitting up straight and buckled up. "Spoilsport." She murmurs.

With a straight face, Tim answers her. "I'll remind you that you said that when we get to 'afterwards'."