Starts at "Two Faced" and spans through end of Season 8.
"He did what?" Brynn yelled into her phone just as the elevator doors opened. She trudged into the squad room glaring. "What the hell was he thinking?" Her lowered her voice when she realized she was being stared at. "Well, I don't care. This is B.S." She slapped her phone shut and squeezed it in her fist. She actually had to tell herself not to throw it.
"Everything okay?" Tony asked the still glaring pregnant woman.
"No! Everything is not okay! And what the hell is up with you!"
"Wha... Me? What did I do?"
"Falling all over yourself when that blond agent threw herself at you! Do you know how upset Timmy has been since she came along?"
"E.J. and I are just friends." Brynn rolled her eyes.
"And what the hell is with you being an ass to Ziva's boyfriend? Things between her and Nikki tanked and it hurt her. She's finally happy and you just can't handle it."
"Wait a sec, are you mad because of E.J. or Ziva? Your temper is just hard to keep up with."
"Where is Gibbs?" Tony jumped slightly in his chair.
"Probably hiding from you."
"Excuse me!"
"I said he's behind you!" Tony pointed over her shoulder. Brynn whipped around to see a frustrated looking Gibbs walking towards her. He had just come from Vance's office. "Careful, she's pissed." Tony hissed at Gibbs.
"Ya think, DiNozzo." Gibbs passed them by, beckoning Brynn to follow him. Tony watched as they headed for the elevator.
Once Gibbs had the elevator stopped he turned to Brynn.
"Okay, what is it?" He asked.
"I just heard from Steve in I.T. that Vance is letting that little blondie, Barrett, have your case! Is this true?"
"Yeah."
"And you're okay with this!" Gibbs took a very calculated step back.
"No, but there isn't a whole lot I can do about it." He shrugged.
"Why am I the one losing my temper, instead of you?"
"That's a really good question." He smirked.
"Is Vance throwing you on the back burner because I'm about to give birth? Is he making you step back because of me?"
"Oh, no," Gibbs stepped forward and put his hands on her waist. "You don't get to do that."
"Do what?"
"That blame thing you do every time something bad happens. The only reason Barrett is taking over, is because she's been following this case from the start. And the only reason you're losing your temper is because you are about to give birth. You need to try to stay calm. Getting stressed is not gonna help right now."
"I don't like her. She's like that annoying fly that keeps buzzing around and refuses to be swatted."
"You don't like her because she keeps coming on to Tony."
"Abby doesn't like her either!"
"Brynn…" Gibbs put his hands on her cheeks and kissed her nose. "You're do in a week. Why don't you go ahead and take your maternity leave. You should go home and rest."
"I don't want to go home. I have work to do."
"You just needed to rant didn't you." He smirked again. Dealing with hormonal Brynn was way more entertaining than he'd ever admit out loud.
"Maybe…" She pouted.
"Can I have a kiss before you go back to work?"
NCIS
Back in the cyber crimes basement, Brynn was punching away at her computer keyboard. Her mind was so focused on what she was doing that she never noticed everyone else leave for the night. It wasn't until she felt a pair of eyes on her that she even looked away from her screen. She twisted around in her chair.
"Timmy?" McGee was sitting in another chair just looking at her.
"Why do they always leave me? Men, women, they always just get bored and leave. Is there something I'm doing wrong?"
"Only if loving someone with your whole heart is wrong."
"That doesn't make me feel better." Brynn used her feet to push her chair until she was right in front of him. "I knew right away that Abby would be a fling. A fun one, but still a fling. And the other women I've been with… It was never what I wanted. There wasn't that comfort that I felt with Tony. When I found out Tony had feelings for me, it was like winning the emotional lottery. I was ecstatic. Now, I feel like my heart's been ripped out of my chest."
"Timmy, I know that Tony loves you. If he didn't, why did he hate me so much when he thought you and I were dating? He's like a little puppy sniffing at a new shoe. And to be honest, once he realizes that Barrett is just using him for entertainment before she goes back to Rota, he will realize what an idiot he's been."
"Yeah, but while he's having fun with his new shoe, I have to stand and watch."
"No, Timmy, you don't." Brynn grinned. "Show him how bad he screwed up. Let him know just what he's giving up. And if you don't want him back…" She shrugged. "Move on."
"How am I supposed to manage that?"
"Oh Timmy… You're not my only gay friend, you know."
"You wanna hook me up on a blind date?" He asked warily.
"Not blind… You know him. And better yet, Tony hates him." Brynn rubbed her palms together.
"Who?"
NCIS
McGee was a nervous wreck. He knew Brynn was on her way up to play out the little scene they had worked out. He was hoping that she would wait long enough for the team meeting to end. Barrett was on the other side of the divider blah blahhing, about her profile on P2P. McGee was busy getting real information that would actually help solve the case. Finally, his computer beeped.
"Boss, I got something here you should see." McGee looked up to see Barrett and Gibbs squaring off over Gibbs' desk. He quickly explained his lead to the team. Just as he finished, he saw Brynn walking towards them. As discreetly as he could, he waved her off. She nodded and headed for the break room. He felt his phone buzz in his pocket a second later. When Gibbs and Barrett looked away, he flipped out his phone.
Message from Brynnie: When?
Two minutes. He texted her back. He put his phone away just in time before Gibbs turned his eyes back on him. But he knew Tony had seen the grin on his face.
Gibbs and Barrett left to bring in their suspect. Tony went back to his desk, still looking at McGee suspiciously. Ziva ran off, probably to meet with Ray. McGee was still grinning when Brynn made her entrance.
"Hey," she whispered just loud enough for Tony to overhear. "So, is it tonight?" McGee knew that if he opened his mouth, he'd start laughing. He just nodded. "Oooh!" Brynn squealed. "Are you excited?" McGee nodded again. Brynn went back to whispering but knew Tony could still hear. "Are you ready? I mean, things between you and…" She leaned her head towards Tony. "I mean, I know you're on the rebound… I don't want you rushing headlong into another heartache."
"Uh, I can hear you." Tony called out. Brynn looked over her shoulder.
"So, stop listening." She turned back to McGee. "Where are you meeting?"
"He's picking me up from here."
"Call me tonight and tell me everything." She leaned over McGee's desk and kissed his forehead. Then she shot a glare at Tony before leaving.
By the end of the day, McGee was back to being a nervous wreck. He knew Tony was stalling leaving his desk so he could see who McGee was meeting. Checking his watch, again, McGee saw that his 'date' was two minutes late. He looked up to see Tony's head bent down, but he knew his eyes were watching him. McGee couldn't help but grin.
"Tim?" A familiar voice brought McGee and Tony's heads up. McGee's eyes shot to Tony for his reaction. Tony was frozen in his chair. He looked mortified. His hands were curled into fists, just above his keyboard. McGee stood and quickly grabbed his gear.
"Ron!" McGee circled around his desk, smiling. "You made it."
"Sacks? What the hell are you doing here?" Tony spat out at the FBI agent.
"Picking up my date." Ron Sacks smirked at Tony. When McGee got close enough, Ron put his arm around his shoulder. Tony glared as the two men walked away.
"I need a drink." Tony muttered to himself.
NCIS
Brynn sat at the kitchen table two days later, happily typing out an email to Tim.
My Dearest Little Green Eyed Gum Shoe,
(She giggled at her new title for him)
I'm so glad you actually had fun on your date. I thought going out with Sacks would just piss off Tony and make him realize what he was giving up. But now, I'm even more glad you went out with him. You sounded so excited on the phone. I would be calling and telling you this, but I can't find my phone charger and my cell is dead. I have to go now cause I think my water just broke… Can you tell Gibbs for me? Gonna call an ambulance from the house phone. Tell Gibbs I'm taking the baby bag with me so he doesn't have to stop here and get it. Luv you lots, Brynnie.
She clicked to send the email and wobbled into the next room for the house phone.
NCIS
McGee shook his head as he sat at his desk. Tony and Gibbs had finished interrogating Commander Tunney and were heading into the bullpen. Ziva was finishing her last second paperwork. This had by far been one of the strangest cases McGee had ever worked. Just as McGee focused on his computer, his email dinged. He saw Barrett and Palmer heading up the stairs towards MTAC. Rolling his eyes, he went back to his computer screen. He smiled when he saw the message was from Brynn.
"What's the autopsy gremlin up to?" He heard Tony ask. McGee watched as Palmer held the mystery eye up to the MTAC retinal scanner. The door popped open. Whoa…
It took McGee another minute to get over the shock enough to bring his attention back to his email. Reading the message only gave him another shock.
"Uh, boss…" Gibbs' eyes were on him in a second. "We may wanna head to Bethesda." Gibbs' eyes narrowed. "Brynnie's water just broke. She's on her way there."
NCIS
"That son a bitch better be on his way here!" Gibbs and his team could hear Brynn screaming all the way down the hall. "He is not missing this! He isn't allowed! Where the hell is the guy with my shot? What is that? What are you giving me? Get away from me! Gibbs! Where the hell are you!"
Gibbs looked back to see everyone three feet behind him.
"Are you guys comin?" He asked.
"Uh, maybe we should just give you two some privacy." Tony said.
"Cowards." Gibbs muttered before opening the door.
"Yeah." McGee nodded.
"I want Gibbs." By the time Gibbs actually stepped into the room, Brynn had been reduced to sobbing. "I want my Gibbs." The nurse just smiled and shook her head. Gibbs pulled at the curtain beside Brynn's bed.
"I'm right here, baby." Her tear soaked face turned to him.
"Gibbs…" She suddenly glared. "Where the hell have you been?" She demanded. Then her face dropped and she pouted. "I don't wanna have our baby without you here. Please don't leave me." Her face changed again and she smiled. "Can you find me some chocolate? I'd love some chocolate." Gibbs was at a loss.
"I'm so glad you're giving birth soon. Your hormones are driving me nuts."
"How do you think they make me feel?" She roared.
Gibbs shook his head and left the room. Once he got back into the hall he looked right at McGee. "Your turn." He pointed at Brynn's door. "Now!" McGee jumped and quickly rushed into the room. "DiNozzo, steal me some chocolate milk. Ziva, call everyone and let them know Brynn is here." He started to walk away.
"Where are you goin, boss?" Tony asked.
"Coffee. Trust me, we're all gonna need it." He called over his shoulder, not bothering to stop.
McGee carefully entered the room and made his way to Brynn's side.
"Uh, hey, Brynnie…" Brynn looked up at him and smiled.
"Hi Timmy!" She sounded like an excited five year old. "Sorry, about the screaming. How are things with Ron?"
"I take it your Epidural kicked in."
"Yeah, tell me about Ron! How'd it go?"
"Uh, good actually." McGee was scared but he smiled and pulled up a chair next to Brynn. "Um, we just went out for drinks again last night."
"And, yeah, and?"
"Uh, he's actually a nice guy. I'm still not over Tony… But Ron is being a gentleman about it. I like that…" He smiled. It felt good to be able to talk about this with someone. Abby had taken Tony's side, even though she hated Barrett. Abby seemed to hate Ron even more. Apparently she didn't want Tony and McGee to be with anyone except each other. Ziva was going through her own drama with CI-Ray. So, Brynn was the only one he could talk to. Even though her hormones made civil conversation difficult sometimes.
"So, first kiss yet?" She pressed for more.
"No, not yet." He blushed.
"Oooh, so you want to." Her expression went from playful to pained.
"You okay?"
"Gibbs…" She was out of breath. "Ah!" She gripped the sides of the bed. McGee jumped up. "Gibbs!" McGee ran out into the hall.
NCIS
Four hours later…
Christopher Jackson Gibbs had his father's eyes and his mother's hair color. Abby had just taken about the fiftieth picture of baby Chris. Vance and his wife, Jackie, along with Tony, Ziva, McGee, Jimmy, and Ducky had all taken turns holding Chris and posing for pictures. Now, he was back in Brynn's tired arms, being snuggled by his mother. Gibbs saw how exhausted Brynn was and held out his arms for his newborn son. She gratefully handed him over and slumped back onto the bed. It was another hour of cooing and baby-talk before everyone headed out. A nurse came in and took Chris away, leaving Gibbs alone with Brynn.
"You should sleep." Brynn yawned as she spoke.
"You just gave birth and you want me to sleep." He grinned at her.
"I can't sleep unless you do." She paused. "That made sense in my head." She yawned again.
"You sleep, love." Gibbs bent down and kissed her. "I'll go home and get everything ready. Then I'll come get you in the morning."
"They're letting me leave tomorrow?"
"Yeah. The doctor told me I can take you both home."
"Hmm. Good. I'm sick of hospitals." Gibbs chuckled and kissed her one last time before leaving.
NCIS
Looking down at his five week old son, Gibbs felt a weight crushing his chest. Behind him, in a wooden rocking chair that Gibbs had built himself, Brynn was sleeping. He had come home to find Brynn asleep in that rocker, facing their son's crib, several times. Vance had ordered her to take at least four months off. It was a little more than maternity leave normally allowed, but Vance had become something of a surrogate father to Brynn in the past several months. And he knew as well as anyone that someone who had been through what Brynn just had, was bound to have more post-partum issues than normal. Gibbs was grateful to Vance for looking out for Brynn. She needed a decent father figure. And she deserved one.
Gibbs' mind ran over the past couple of days. Brynn had been getting updates about the P2P case from Abby and McGee. Gibbs had called her just hours earlier and told her all about the copy-cat killing and arresting Tony's old boss for the murder. Brynn had, for the first time since Tony had left McGee, actually called Tony and gave him her sympathy. Considering Brynn's ability to really hold a grudge, and the fact that McGee was her best friend, Gibbs was impressed that she let her guard down. The whole thing between Ron Sacks and McGee just confused Gibbs. He had told Brynn from the start to not involve him in any scheming.
Gibbs' loud sigh brought Brynn's head up.
"Hey." Her tired voice made him turn. "Ready for bed?" Her eyes were only half open.
"I think you are too." He pulled her up and led her out of the nursery. Once he had her in their bed and under the covers, he wrapped himself around her. "I love you, Brynn." He nuzzled his face close to hers.
"Love you, Gibbs." Gibbs smiled.
Brynn had changed since her attack. One of the bigger changes was that she no longer called him Jethro. Gibbs didn't mind. He wasn't a huge fan of his name anyways. He knew that the only reason she called him Gibbs was because she had just gotten used to it after not being able to pronounce Jethro for so long. The other big change was how much more protective she had become of everyone around her. Gibbs figured it was a mom thing. Tony may still be on Brynn's shit list, but that didn't mean she wouldn't be there for him if he asked. Gibbs pulled her closer and thought back to the little box still in his jacket pocket. After the week he had just had, he couldn't wait any longer to give it to her.
NCIS
The next morning, Brynn shuffled down the stairs carrying Chris. The scent of strong coffee, and the fact that she woke up alone, told her where she could find Gibbs. When she got to the dinning room another scent wafted up her nose. Her eyes went to the kitchen table and she smiled. Gibbs had set out breakfast.
"Mmmh, pancakes." Gibbs came out of the kitchen, grinning. "What's the occasion?"
"Why does there have to be an occasion?" He asked, holding his arms out for Chris. Brynn handed the baby over and sat down.
"You only cook for me when you have something to tell me." Gibbs set Chris in his little baby chair that was sitting on the kitchen table.
"Okay, I have something to tell you." He sat down beside her. "But first, we eat." She eyed him suspiciously but picked up her fork.
When breakfast was done, Gibbs picked up the dishes and went into the kitchen. Brynn was already busy feeding Chris. Brynn took her eyes off her son long enough to glance up. Gibbs was standing under the archway separating the kitchen and dinning room, watching her.
"Do you still have something to tell me?" She asked.
"Yeah. But right now, I'm just happy watching you." She smiled and dropped her eyes back to Chris. A few more minutes passed before Brynn shifted the baby on her shoulder. She tossed a towel over her shoulder and patted Chris' back. Once she heard him burp, she set him back in his baby seat. Then she sat back down and looked at Gibbs.
"I'm ready now." She smirked up at him. He chuckled and moved to sit beside her.
"I uh, I've been carrying this around since the morning after Chris was born. On my way to the hospital to get you two, I made a stop and got you something." His smile was slowly fading as his voice grew more serious. "I was waiting for the right moment to give it to you. I wanted it to be special… You know, romantic. But with everything going on… I'm done waiting." He pulled something out of his jacket pocket. Brynn's eyes widened when she realized it was a small ring box. He set it on the table and pushed it closer to her. "And I don't have anything to tell you so much as something to ask you."
Brynn picked up the ring box and was almost too shocked to open it. When she finally did, she let out a breath that she didn't realize she had been holding. Nestled inside the black velvet box was a simple silver band with a cushion cut diamond in the middle. Brynn had never seen anything so beautiful. Her eyes started to water as she looked back at Gibbs.
"Marry me, Brynn. Marry me and be mine." He leaned forward.
"Yes."
He was out of his chair in a second and pulling her up. Their lips met. Brynn had to cling to him to stay standing. Gibbs deepened the kiss and wrapped his arms around her. When they finally broke away, Brynn was breathless and dizzy. She didn't realize that Gibbs had taken the box out of her hand until he was sliding the ring on her finger.
"Perfect fit." He said, looking at the ring.
"Yes, you are." She was still dazed.
"I meant the ring." He shook his head at her.
"Oh, yeah, that too."
"I love you, Brynn."
"I love you."
NCIS
Tony stood on Gibbs' front porch staring at the front door. It had been one hell of a day. He was still reeling from the murder of his old partner. After almost a week, Gibbs was still trying to get him to talk about it. But Gibbs wasn't the one he was here to see.
He had been surprised when Brynn paid a visit to the Navy yard with baby Chris. Agents from every department had surrounded her to congratulate her. She flashed the ring on her hand to everyone who passed within twelve feet of her. And had even bear hugged Tony, demanding he attend the wedding. No date yet, but he figured it would be a small affair, knowing Gibbs and Brynn. Tony was hoping her good mood was still in full effect. He needed her.
The front door swung open, breaking into Tony's thoughts.
"You gonna stand there all night, DiNozzo?" Gibbs looked amused and slightly annoyed at the same time.
"Uh, sorry, boss. I was just… Gathering my thoughts." Gibbs rolled his eyes and stepped aside to give him access.
"Wanna share those thoughts?" He asked closing the door.
"Actually…" Tony shifted uncomfortably. "I'm here to talk to Brynnie."
"Oh." Gibbs' eyebrows went up in surprise. "She's feeding Chris." He beckoned Tony into the kitchen. Once they both made it into the kitchen, Gibbs turned back to Tony. "I'll give you two some privacy." He smirked and turned towards the basement. Brynn was sitting at the kitchen table with Chris on one arm, holding a bottle.
"Something on your mind, Tiger?"
"Yeah…" Tony sat down in the seat next to her. "I uh, I need to talk to someone."
"Okay." She shifted Chris to burp him. Tony took a deep breath and let it out slowly.
"Tim used to say that you were the greatest person to go to for unbiased advice. He said you were honest and didn't sugar coat things to make people feel better."
"So you came to your ex's best friend for unbiased advice?" She laughed shortly. "I'll tell you what, let me put him to bed and I will be right back down."
Tony thought about just leaving the second he was alone. He drummed his fingers on the table and ground his teeth. Just as he was about to pop out of the chair, he heard Brynn behind him.
"So, tell me what's on your mind." She went into the kitchen and he heard the coffee maker start. She came back and sat down.
"A lot." He ran his hand through his hair. "I have to ask you something first."
"Shoot."
"Why did you set up Tim with Ron Sacks? Was it to punish me, cause you know I hate Sacks?"
"I will admit, that was about thirty percent of it. I wanted you to know that you're not the center of the universe. I wanted you to see what you were giving away. Plus, Timmy needed to get out and realize, there are other fish in the sea. I wasn't really counting on him hitting it off so well with Ron. But I figured it was for the best when you made it clear you weren't going back to him."
"What about the other seventy percent?"
"I wanted Tim to get over you."
"Why?"
"So I could stop being mad at you. That may sound selfish, but haven't you noticed how much better Tim's been feeling now that he's not lamenting over you anymore? He feels better, so I do too." She sighed. "Does that answer your question?"
"Yeah…" By now the coffee was done and Brynn grabbed them two cups.
"So, what's the advice you need?" She asked once she sat back down.
"I've been hearing some bad things about E.J. since she left."
"And?"
"Have you heard anything?"
"Oh, lots." She nodded and smirked.
"Like what?"
"Oh no, I'm not telling. Anything I say will just be you ex's bitter best friend being spiteful about your new girl-pal. What have you heard?"
"That's she's a pushy, rude, bitch."
"I could add a few descriptive words." Brynn muttered. "Sorry, please, go on."
"Well, I heard she's always rude to Tim and Ziva when I'm not around. And this didn't even come from Tim or Ziva. Other people have told me this, several other people. Adams told me that when she told them her team was coming in from Rota, she made some smart remark about her team being "top notch" and that we could "pick up a thing or two." When I heard that, I was surprised Ziva didn't punch her." He sighed again. "And she's constantly rude to Ducky and Abby. Who would be rude to Ducky or Abby? I heard from Swenson that when she was in interrogation with Gibbs that she kept blocking Gibbs from the suspect. And she actually flirted with the suspect! Then she basically insulted Gibbs for being old school. And when Gibbs called her out on breaking procedure, she threatened to call Vance. Like she was gonna run and tattle to the school principal. But Gibbs never said anything about it to me."
"Do you expect he would?"
"Of course not, Gibbs wouldn't tattle." Tony shook his head. "Did he say anything about it to you?"
"No, Gibbs has learned by now to not tell me about his encounters with Barrett. He knows I don't like her." She waved her hands. "But, not the point… Continue."
"Okay and more than what I've been hearing, it's what she actually says to me." He grimaced. "Every time she sees me with Ziva, she butts in to our conversation and wants to know what we're talking about. She's so jealous of Ziva. I don't even know why! Ziva's like my annoying little sister! If I don't call, she wants to know why. Every time she passes me by, it's like she has to say something to prove to anyone who can hear her, that we're sleeping together. Remarks about my cologne, questions about why I didn't come by that night, and she even flirted with me in front of Gibbs. It's like she has to mark her territory in front of the whole agency."
"Timmy was just as possessive you know."
"No, Tim was quiet about it. He didn't flaunt the fact that we were together. He didn't deny it, but that didn't mean he shouted it through the damn skylight. And he didn't get jealous-possessive. He was secure enough in what we had that…" Tony sighed when he realized what he said. "He didn't think I'd ever hurt him. That's why things were so comfortable with him."
"Was that why it was so easy to leave him, cause things were so comfortable?"
"Maybe… I dunno." Tony scratched his head.
"Is it comfortable with Barrett?"
"At first, yes. She was easy to be with." Tony's eyes widened for a second. "Now, I feel like I'm in the middle of a three ring circus. It's like a game… Tim never played games the way she does."
"Tony… Why are you with her, then? Don't get me wrong here, this has nothing to do with Timmy. I am still your friend. I still love you. And I don't wanna see you hurt any more than I wanna see Timmy hurt. So, why do you put up with her?"
"I just got distracted. Now, I'm confused. And you were right. I'm not the only fish in the sea. Now, Tim knows that… I feel like I've lost him forever. I screwed up so bad…" Tears were starting to well up in his eyes. "I hate myself for that. I want him back Brynn… I need him. It took this to make me see it."
"Is this the advice you wanted? How to get Timmy back?" Tony just nodded and sniffed. "Well, you sure did screw things up." Brynn downed the last of her coffee and sighed. "I guess I can tell you this… Timmy broke it off with Sacks last night." Tony went rigid in his seat. "He told me that he just didn't feel that same spark he had with you. He wasn't comfortable dating someone he didn't have real feelings for." She shrugged. "They had fun, but Timmy knew it was just a rebound fling."
"But I still… I hurt him Brynnie. If I was him, I'd never forgive me."
"It's a good thing you're not him." She smiled.
"What do I do?"
"Well, an apology wouldn't be totally out of order. And you might just try asking him out to lunch or something."
"You really think he'd say yes?"
"If you have enough humility to admit you were wrong and ask for forgiveness… Then I think Timmy might have it in him to give you another chance. I mean, worst case, he says no and you both move on."
"That doesn't make me feel better."
"I thought you wanted the truth, not something to make you feel better."
"Thank you, Brynnie. I'm glad you're still my friend."
"Always."
NCIS
Tony was willing to admit when he was wrong. It wasn't something he did very often, but desperate times called for pubic humiliation. Tony cleared his throat and ran a palm through his hair. His other hand clutched a cup holder with four coffees. Stepping out of the elevator, he tried to gather his usual confidence. As he rounded the bullpen, he found Ziva and McGee already seated and looking busy. Stopping first as his own desk, he shed his backpack. He set a coffee on Ziva's desk and nodded a hello at her. When he turned towards McGee's desk, he almost lost his nerve. Remembering what was at stake, he took a deep breath and moved to stand in front of McGee.
"Good morning." McGee's eyes came up in surprise at his greeting. Tony set the coffee down and grinned.
"Thanks." McGee took the cup and lifted the lid.
"It's not poisoned, I swear." McGee looked up at him and rolled his eyes. In his peripheral vision, Tony saw Ziva smile and tilt her head. "But it's got all the extra sugar you like." Not wanting to push his luck any further, Tony just turned and went back to his desk.
Gibbs had stayed back by the elevator and watched the whole exchange. A small grin played at the corners of his mouth. He had been happy enough when Brynn let her guard down and forgave Tony. But now, he felt a renewed respect for his beautiful little coffee mistress/plotter extraordinaire. She thrived on taking care of the people around her. It was why she felt the full burden of their pain when any of them were hurt. And it was what made her want to fix everyone's problems herself. She might not be very good at fixing her own problems, but she had Gibbs for that now. Tony hadn't seen it, he had already turned his back. But McGee had actually smiled at Tony the way that he used to, back when things were good between them.
Yes, Gibbs had eavesdropped on Tony's entire conversation with Brynn. He couldn't help it. It was the protective need in him to know if something was hurting his Brynn. Tony would never hurt Brynn intentionally, but intentional or not, Gibbs was going to know about it. It hadn't surprised him at all to know that Tony had gotten fed up with Barrett. She wasn't right for him at all. At first, Gibbs had tried to stay out of it. But seeing his SFA in such danger of ruining the best thing that ever happened to him, Gibbs had finally spoken up. Again, it had been his protective side needing to look out for his grown children. His team was family to him. He'd be there for any of them if they needed him, whether they liked it or not.
Gibbs was never one to open up and talk about things. It was something Brynn had always understood and hardly ever questioned. Brynn had accepted him just as he was. The last few women in his life had worked to change him. McGee and Brynn were so much alike that it almost made Gibbs jealous sometimes. The bond they had was something Gibbs knew he would never be able to touch. It irked him sometimes, but he knew it was a different kind of love. But like Brynn, McGee accepted people as they were. He knew Tony wasn't one to be tamed. Gibbs was betting on the fact that McGee's blind acceptance was probably the only hope Tony had of winning him back. And Brynn had been right, in spite of rule six, an apology was not out of order.
NCIS
The rest of the day was so routine, Gibbs was actually getting suspicious. He couldn't put his finger on why, but something was off. A feeling of dread had been creeping up and down his spine all day. It had gotten so bad by sundown that Gibbs had called it a day for his team and sent them off. The entire drive home, he tried to shake off the bad feeling. But it got stronger and stronger the closer he got.
The second he stepped through his front door, Gibbs' gut clenched. He rounded the corner into the kitchen and froze. He knew post-partum depression was bad… But damn, was there a such thing as post-partum just plain pissed off?
"Your dinner isn't ready yet." Brynn spoke through clenched teeth. She was leaning over the sink scrubbing the life out of a skillet. Soapy water had splashed all over the counter and floor. She had been at this for a while. "If you had warned me you would be home early, I would have started it already." SPLASH. "I just have to get this damn thing clean." SLOP, SLOP, SPLASH. "Chris is upstairs, asleep. I fed him an hour ago." SPLASH.
Gibbs had had enough. He came up behind Brynn and gently grabbed both of her arms. He expected her to pull against him, but she just went limp. Okay, so she wasn't angry, but still very upset. He reached around her and pulled the stopper out of the sink to let the water drain. He turned on the faucet and rinsed off her soapy arms. Leaving her in front of the sink, he turned and grabbed a clean towel. She was facing him, leaning back against the sink, when he turned around. He held out the towel. She sighed and took it from him. Quickly, Gibbs went back into the living room and stowed his gun away in the small safe. Back in the kitchen, Brynn was bent over wiping up the water on the floor. Gibbs grabbed another towel and dried the counter. When they were both standing again, Gibbs waited for her to speak.
"I had a visitor today. She knocked on our front door and when I opened it, she just waltzed right in." Her voice was strained, like she might start yelling at any second. Gibbs leaned against the stove and crossed his arms. Brynn was still in front of the sink, clenching her fists.
"Who was it?" He asked cautiously.
"Your ex, Diane." Gibbs visibly blanched. "She wanted to congratulate your future fourth ex-wife. I was holding Chris, I had just gotten him to sleep in my arms… She said she figured the only way another woman would reel you in was by getting knocked up." Brynn slumped against the sink. Gibbs pushed off the stove and stood only inches away from Brynn. "I guess the good news of our engagement got around to all the agencies." Gibbs remembered that Diane had married some Homeland Security drone after divorcing Fornell. It wouldn't have taken much for Diane to find out about Gibbs getting engaged.
"Let it out, baby. What else?" Gibbs wrapped his arms around her waist and rested his forehead on hers.
"Nothing. I told her to leave. She gave me this smirk and left." Her hands unclenched and she let herself fall against his chest. "I'm just so sick of this. It just feels like every time things finally settle down, something comes along and tries to rip me away from you. It's like the world just can't let us be happy."
"There is only one thing that could ever make me leave you." He pulled back and looked her in the eye.
"What?"
"You telling me to leave."
"I wouldn't do that."
"Then I won't leave." He paused and just looked at her for a second. "You know better than to believe anything she said, right?"
"Of course, I'm just pissed that she had the gall to say it."
He tilted his head to the side and smiled. Confusion crossed her face when he pulled away from her. He dug his phone out of his pocket and flipped it open. Leaving her in the kitchen, he dialed a number and put the phone to his ear.
"McGee." His voice sounded bored but alert.
"Hey, you busy tonight?" Gibbs asked. Brynn was still in the kitchen, but she could just barely hear him.
"Uh, no, boss. You need something?"
"Yeah, a babysitter. For the whole night. Up for it?"
"Yeah, sure. I'll be right over."
Gibbs walked back into the kitchen. Brynn hadn't moved.
"I want you to go upstairs and put on your nicest dress. Pack an overnight bag for both of us. I'm taking you out."
"This is kinda sudden." Her voice sounded skeptical.
"We need to get outta the house. No work, no worries, just the two of us having a night out. I'm taking you out to a nice dinner. Then we're going to this nice little bed and breakfast I know." He kissed her cheek. "So go get ready. I'm gonna make our reservations." He flipped open his phone again.
Half an hour later Brynn came down the stairs. Her 'nicest' dress was a simple dark violet halter dress that just hit her knees. She knew Gibbs secretly loved when she wore her hair down, so she left it down but brushed out of her face. She set down the bag she had packed. McGee was in the living room with Gibbs.
"Okay, he eats about every three hours, or just whenever he wakes up." McGee nodded as he listened to Gibbs' instructions. "He should be asleep for another few hours. Keep the baby monitor with you. His diaper changing station is in his room. Have you ever changed a diaper?"
"Yeah. I helped take care of my cousin's baby."
"Okay. Call if anything happens."
When Gibbs turned, Brynn gawked openly at his apparel. He had ditched the usual polo shirt and white undershirt for a simple black button shirt. He had left the top three buttons undone, showing his neck and the very top of his chest. The dark contrast of the shirt made his bright blue eyes pop out at her. It was only when he moved that she realized she had been staring.
Gibbs himself had been caught off guard when he turned and faced Brynn. He had seen this dress hanging in the closet, but in the year they had been together, she had never actually had cause to wear it. It hugged her body perfectly, showing her new curves in all the right ways. Her eyes were wide as he walked towards her. It had been a good thing that the bed and breakfast he had in mind did indeed have a vacancy. He was gonna make some noise tonight! It was only then that he realized just how badly he needed this night. He wasn't just getting Brynn out of the house. He needed to get himself out too.
NCIS
McGee had come prepared to entertain himself. He sat at Gibbs' kitchen table with his laptop and a large cup of freshly made coffee. The baby monitor sat on the table next to his cup. He was smiling down at a very funny IM conversation with a gaming buddy when he heard choked cries coming from the monitor. McGee checked his watch while he stood up. It wasn't quite time for a feeding, but he knew Chris might be hungry anyways. He quickly went upstairs and picked up the baby. As soon as he got downstairs he set Chris down in his baby seat. Following the directions on the box, he mixed the baby formula and shook the bottle. He had watched Brynn feed Chris a million times. He positioned Chris on one arm and held the bottle to his mouth. This was so easy. Normally, McGee felt too awkward around babies. They seemed to pick up on it and always became fussy. But Chris was such a calm baby, must be a Gibbs thing, that McGee felt so comfortable with him. McGee was so engrossed in watching Chris' face while he suckled the bottle that he never heard the door open. It was only when he heard a voice call out, that he even looked up.
"Brynnie?" Tony called out softly. He could see lights on in the kitchen and dinning room. That meant someone was up. But he had learned the hard way not to EVER shout with a baby in the house. The head slap he had received from Brynn that night had rivaled anything Gibbs had ever done. After that, Tony made it a point to speak and tread softly while in the house. "Brynnie, are you down here? I'm back for more advice." Tony had just crossed the living room and was almost through the archway into the dinning room, when he froze. This was not what he expected to see. "Uh, hi." Tim sat there, looking up at him with a perplexed expression.
"What are you doing here?" He asked quietly. He had not moved for fear of jostling Chris.
"I, uh, came here to see Brynnie." Tony stumbled over his words. The sight of Tim sitting there with a baby in his arms was so peaceful and beautiful. Tony couldn't tear his eyes away.
"For advice?" Tim's eyes fell back to the baby. The bottle was almost empty.
"Uh, yeah." Tony tried to make himself move. Just take one tiny step. His body refused to budge. "She's been helping me." He said without thinking.
"Oh." Tim repositioned Chris and set the bottle down. He stood up and went into the kitchen for a towel, still holding Chris. When he sat back down in his chair, Tony still hadn't moved. Tim shifted Chris to burp him and looked up at Tony. "They went out for the night. Won't be back till tomorrow."
"Oh…If I had known you were all alone babysitting, I'd have offered you company." Tony could finally move. He wanted to be near Tim, but his better judgment led him to the loveseat opposite the kitchen table. He knew he was still in the dog house. Tim felt Chris burp and snuggled him closer. Tony just sat there and watched him rock Chris back and forth. After five minutes Chris fell into a contented sleep. Tim slowly stood and took him upstairs. Tony heard the nursery door open from the baby monitor.
"There you go, little Gibbs." He heard Tim say. "Night, night, baby." Tony smiled. He heard the door shut and took a deep breath. When Tim finally came back into the dinning room, he sat back in his chair. He twisted it around so he was facing Tony. "So, did you want to stay?"
"If it's okay, yeah." Tim just nodded. "I was surprised when Gibbs let us all go home early. I guess now I know why." He figured starting a conversation about Gibbs was a safe way to go.
"Actually, this wasn't planned. Gibbs came home and found Brynn in a cleaning frenzy."
"Ouch. What pissed her off?"
"She had a very unwelcome visit earlier today. Instead of calling Gibbs and ranting, she tried to scrub a hold in a cast iron skillet." Tim grinned. "Gibbs said if he had been home any later, she might have succeeded."
"I can't imagine anyone being unwelcome to Brynnie…" Tony mused. "She likes everyone."
"It was Diane." Tim's smile grew.
"As in ex-wife, Diane?" Tim nodded. "Whoa… "
"Yeah, apparently she said some spiteful things about Brynnie hooking Gibbs by getting pregnant."
"That bitch." Tony blurted out. Tim's eyebrows went up in amusement. "How dare she come in here and… That bitch!" Tim held in a laugh. "And to Brynnie! Who the hell does she think she is?" Tony stood up and started pacing. "How could anyone, even a sour grape sucking ball buster, say anything so horrible to sweet little Brynnie-bear?"
"Boy, once you get started… You sure know how to champion someone." Tim chuckled. Tony stopped pacing and glared.
"This is Brynnie!" He stepped forward and shook his fist. "This is our Brynnie! Nobody hurts our Brynnie!" He paused for a second. "I mean other than, her brother… And her father… And that asshole who assaulted her when she was a teenager… And that one guy who tried to mug her last year… But now, no one hurts our Brynnie!"
"Tony, calm down." Tim stood up and put his hands on Tony's shoulders. The contact made Tony's body stiffen. "Gibbs is making her feel all better right now. It's okay." Tim moved even closer to Tony. It was all Tony could do to just stand there with his arms at his sides. "Brynnie is fine now." One of Tim's hands slid to the back of Tony's neck. 'Please kiss me,' Tony's eyes begged.
Crying from the baby monitor broke the moment. Both men took a step away from each other.
"Oh, God, I hope I didn't wake him up." Tony's eyes bulged.
"He probably just needs to be changed." Tim grinned. Tony followed Tim up the stairs. Tony had never actually been in the nursery. All the furniture was Gibbs-made polished wood. The powder blue walls were a welcome difference to the stark white of the rest of the house. The middle of the room was taken up by a beautiful rocking chair that faced the crib. Tony imagined Brynn sitting in that chair, watching her son sleep. Tony sat in the rocker and watched Tim attend to Chris. He crinkled his nose when the dirty diaper came off.
"You seem oddly good at this."
"Not the first time I've changed a diaper."
"Hmm." Tim held Chris on his shoulder and paced the room, gently rocking him. He quietly hummed as he paced. It didn't take long for him to lull Chris back to sleep. Tony felt his gut clench when Tim kissed Chris on the head before setting him down in the crib. "I see why they asked you to be his God-father." Tony remarked on the way back down the stairs. "You're really good with him." Tim just smiled at the compliment.
Once they were back downstairs, they found themselves sitting on the couch in the living room. They chatted back and forth about work, sharing ideas about the latest small cases. Neither of them really wanted to discuss P2P. A hour passed before Tim got up to check on Chris. Once he was gone, Tony leaned his head back on the couch and stared at the ceiling.
"You dumbass." He said out loud. "How could you have walked away from him… He was the best thing to ever happen to you. The only good thing in your life. And now he knows just what a bastard you are." He sighed. "God, Tim, I love you so much. I'm so sorry. I wish I could change what happened. I wish we could be us again. I need you… You're everything to me. If I knew how to make things better, I would. I'd crawl through anything you asked me to. I'd jump through every fiery hoop I know I deserve." He rubbed his face in his hands. "Now, how do I say this to your face?"
"You kinda just did."
Tony jumped off the couch. Tim was standing just to his left.
"How much of that did you hear?" Tony's eyes widened.
"All of it. I thought I heard you call me a dumbass, so I came back down to yell at you. But then…"
"Yeah… That may have not come out right. I mean, not like I wanted it to…"
"I think it came out perfectly." Tim took a step towards him and Tony went rigid. "And apology accepted." Tim smiled. "Now, I actually do need to check on Chris. So, stay right here." Tony just nodded. When he was sure Tim was really gone, he let out a loud sigh.
"I need to talk to myself more often."
When Tim came back down, he was smiling. He sat next to Tony and turned so his back was against the arm of the couch. Tony did the same so they were facing each other.
"So…" Tim wasn't sure where to begin. "Was this the advice you wanted from Brynnie? How to get me back?"
"I was just hoping for forgiveness. I do want you back, but I figured the chances of that were nill. But I couldn't stand for you to hate me. I at least wanted to tell you how sorry I am for hurting you. And to ask your forgiveness."
"What did Brynnie say?"
"That I should tell you how I feel. How much I hate myself for hurting you… And if I had it in me to do that, then you might forgive me. She said I should also try just asking you to lunch or something."
"I take it she also told you I broke it off with Ron."
"Yeah…" He swallowed. "But I wanted you back before I knew that."
"Well, you said your apology. You asked my forgiveness. Are you going to ask me to lunch?" Tim's face was completely relaxed. Tony couldn't tell what he was thinking at all. Usually he could read Tim as easy as one of his books. But now…
"Do you forgive me? I know you don't trust me yet. I haven't earned it. But, do you forgive me?"
"Yes. Brynnie was right, you just had to ask." Still, his face was relaxed. It was like torture! Tony licked his lips.
"Would you like to have breakfast with me in the morning when Brynnie and Gibbs get back?"
"Yeah, I'd like that." Tony let out another breath.
"That was… Relatively easy. I expected hoops."
"I'm not gonna make you jump or crawl through anything. You know you screwed up. But you were right about me not trusting you. I'll give you a chance… But I'm keeping my guard up."
"Okay…" Tony's eyes circled the room before resting on Tim's face again. He sucked his bottom lip into his mouth. Tim just sat there, not really staring him down, but not taking his eyes off of him either. "So, uh…"
"Tony."
"Yeah?"
"Gibbs said they'd be back around eight or nine. I'll swing by your apartment and we can go have breakfast. But right now, I need to get some sleep… And you're on my bed."
"Okay, well, uh." Tony jumped off the couch and looked around wildly. "I'll, uh, go then." Tim stood and they both moved for the door. Tony twisted around once they reached the door. "What are the chances of a goodnight kiss?" Tim's eyebrows came together. Then he smiled and leaned forward. Tony closed his eyes and waited. He felt Tim's lips tap the top of his forehead. When he opened his eyes, Tim was smirking at him. "I deserved that." Tim nodded.
"Goodnight, Tony."
"Goodnight, Tim."