NCIS

Chapter 3

"Look at that face! Look at the wittle faaace!" David's voice was raspy over the computer from his cold. Tim's webcam looked out from his desk over towards the couch where Jethro was laying down. David had been fawning over him between sneezes for the last half hour while Tim made breakfast. Tim was out of sight the camera, but was smiling and rolling his eyes at all the cooing.

Since Abby had asked him to keep Jethro, both Ziva and Abby started coming around a lot more often, which meant Tim needed more seats. He pushed his electronics workstation up against the wall next to his desk. With the extra space, he added a sofa that was centered across from his monitor, which also allowed him to watch movies out there with Jethro instead of just in his bedroom.

"He's so handsome, isn't he? Such a good boy! He's a- a-" David went silent.

"Bless you!" Tim called from the kitchen, while gathering his breakfast to carry over to his desk. He was grateful David muted his microphone this time. The last two sneezes were so loud they had Jethro up and growling. It was funny, and Tim was enjoying getting to know David more and more, even if he was sick.

"Ugghhhhh…" David moaned. "I think I need an entire truck to get rid of all these tissues and another one to refill me."

"Poor thing. Gonna stay home again?" Tim made soup to bring into work, but wanted a bowl for breakfast with bread to dip and a side of bacon. He wanted David to enjoy it vicariously, at least. For now, all David could enjoy were thick pajamas, a blanket, and his third packet of tissues just this morning.

"I might go in just to kill Maisey. First she gives me the cold, then she tells everyone I'm really just taking off to spend time with my car. It'd be funnier if my damn car wasn't still in the middle of the damn ocean because at least it COULD be true." He lapsed into a coughing fit.

"Shh, shh. Take it easy, now. Don't talk too much." Tim enjoyed coddling him.

"Hey, you called me, remember?" He gave a weak smile, which wasn't half bad given his puffy eyes and nose. "What kind of soup did you make again?"

"Chicken noodle. You'd love it."

"Enjoy it for me. I'm not sure if I can even taste anything right now. God, this sucks. I'm even missing leg day at the gym."

"Aww. Well don't worry, you'll be able to catch up in a couple of days. I gotta get ready for work soon, so you go get some sleep. Pop on a Golden Girls or something and stay put."

"Huh. Stay put. Jethro, I think your mother is talking to you," he said sarcastically.

Tim sputtered out some soup while laughing. "Come on, now, I'm not that bad, am I?" He pouted his lower lip just a bit.

"Mmm, a little bit, but it's nice." David smiled, but if his eyes weren't shutting themselves he would've seen Tim flush to beet red.

"Bed," he ordered, smiling confidently.

"Yes sir," David pulled off a lazy salute and chuckled. "Have a good day at work, Timmy."

"Sleep tight." Tim disconnected, then began clearing the dishes from his desk.

Their talks had become more and more frequent, and they ended up having breakfast together in the mornings unless the other had to leave earlier than usual. They kept getting more familiar, exchanging numbers, talking about coworkers, but telling each other their last names. At first, Tim was somewhat camera-shy, and he usually cooked in his t-shirt and boxers, but David was usually in the same attire and they were comfortable. It wasn't done as anything sexual, but each could tell the other didn't mind looking.

He thought about telling Ziva about him. She always had a more open mind and would be able to give an honest opinion. Tony would spout 5-10 movies where this would be a bad idea, not to mention the McNicknames he'd come up with if Tim said it was a man. Abby? He had suspicions about her knowledge of his potential bisexuality, but she'd probably ask for David's full name and IP address so she run could a background check him. Tony would probably support that.

Grabbing his keys and his bag, Tim strutted out to his car. This was his little secret, and it was making him very happy.

NCIS

"They're going to send one of us to Iraq!" McGee said excitedly to Abby.

They believed a marine was shot by friendly fire during a mortar attack in the International Zone of Baghdad, Iraq. He was down in Abby's lab figuring out a way to get chosen for the investigation since the whole team would not be deployed. He was pacing and couldn't sit still, whereas she was busy cataloguing evidence.

"Why would you want to go to Baghdad? You're gonna get bombed and shot at." Abby's tone was one of worry, but with a not-so-subtle hint of 'Are you stupid?' undertones.

"Everyone has gone except for me."

"I've never been." 'And I'm fully content with that,' she added in her head.

"By everyone, I mean Tony and Ziva and Gibbs. Gibbs must have gone to Iraq dozens of times. I just want to go once!"

"To earn your stripes?" She looked up from her clipboard.

"Yeah. To prove myself."

"To die?"

McGee rolled his eyes. "I'm not gonna die in Baghdad. Thing is, though, before I go, they have to choose me."

"So why don't you just go talk to the Director? Or our Acting Director?"

"Assistant Director," he corrected.

"Right. Leon."

"I can't. Tony says if I really want to go, then I shouldn't volunteer. But if he says I shouldn't volunteer, then he thinks I will volunteer, which means that if I really want to go, I shouldn't volunteer."

"That's…" 'really not good logic, given Tony…' "... good, Timmy. It sounds like you're… Not doing exactly what you shouldn't?"

McGee looked satisfied, and a half-hour later he was ready when Vance walked into the bullpen with Gibbs. Ziva and Agent Jardine, on the other hand, intercepted Vance and immediately began regaling him with reasons why their own selves should be picked for the assignment. After speaking to them both, Vance turned away.

"McGee?"

"Yes, sir." McGee jumped up at the ready.

"Disappointed." McGee's face dropped as Vance continued. "You're the only one who didn't volunteer. Missions like this give an agent an opportunity to prove themselves."

'TONY!' His eyes narrowed at the other agent's desk, and Tony was looking everywhere but in McGee's direction.

"But, uh, Tony - he didn't volunteer, either!"

"He spoke to me earlier." With that, Vance gave DiNozzo and Jardine orders to get on the next plane to Baghdad. Then he and Gibbs walked upstairs, leaving McGee and Ziva in the bullpen.

McGee sat down in his chair, leering at Tony, who smirked then left to go pack. He looked over at Ziva, who also shared a disappointed look. He hated when Tony played him like that. He hated that every opportunity he had, Tony shoved him back down.

He pulled out his phone, seeing that there was a message from David.

David: Is it bad when you take a nap, and you're still so tired that you have to take a nap again?

McGee wanted to smile, but was too disappointed about Baghdad.

Tim: Wish my problems were that simple.

David: Oh no, what's wrong?

Tim: Work stuff. Tony tricked me out of a really good opportunity to go abroad.

David: Seriously? That's shitty. Where would you be going?

Tim: I can't say, but it would've been amazing. Only 2 of us could go, they picked him and one other person because he tricked me into not volunteering.

David: How much time before they leave? I could give him this cold. Would that disqualify him?

Now McGee couldn't help but snicker, which got Ziva's attention. Her eyes narrowed, and she analyzed McGee's body language. He seemed disappointed, but like whatever he was doing was lifting his spirits and bringing a slight tinge of pink to his cheeks.

'Oh really?' She thought. 'Something, or someone, was able to reverse the effects of a DiNozzo prank, and pinto. No, pronto is the word.' She got up from her desk and slowly walked over to McGee's desk.

"What's so funny, McGee?"

"Huh?" He looked up at Ziva's calculating look, and was suddenly aware of his smile and warm feeling in his cheeks. "Oh." He quickly typed "Haha TTYL" to David and stuffed his phone in his pocket before Ziva could see. "It's nothing."

"If it's nothing, why are your cheeks red?"

"No. It's really nothing, Ziva." He turned to his computer.

"Uh-huh." 'Not getting off that easy, McGee.' If she didn't get to investigate in Baghdad, she was going to do so now. "Well let's see."

"Ziva," he warned.

"You found something shiny and new that you want?"

He didn't budge.

"Maybe not something, but…" leaning down and whispering seductively, "someone?"

McGee glared at her but quickly look back.

"Ah ha, so definitely 'someone.' Who?"

Nothing.

"A woman you recently met?"

McGee used all his willpower to keep from making any movement that Ziva would detect.

"No? Perhaps…"

'Don't, Ziva…'

"A man?"

His eyes flickered.

"Ah ha!"

"Ziva." He looked up. "Please."

"Oh come on McGee, it's not that big of a deal!"

"You're right, so drop it."

"No no, we're going to be left behind on this assignment, we might as well at least cheer each other up. What's going on?"

McGee sighed. He wanted to ask her eventually, he just wasn't ready yet. He wasn't even sure if he could describe it if he wanted to. She was going to stay on the topic if he didn't give her something to work with, though.

"I'm not sure yet, and I'm trying not to push it because I don't even know what it is."

"Whatever it is, he makes you happy?"

"Yeah. Somehow he does, even after Tony pulls his stunts. I'm just…" he shrugged, "not really ready to talk about it yet."

That seemed to satisfy her for now, as she smiled and said, "Well you know you can tell me all about it whenever you'd like. But believe me, if you don't, I will keep asking." He didn't doubt it.

NCIS

Tim had the question on his lips since he had gotten home, but was trying to find the right moment in his video chat with David to ask. What exactly were they? Where were they going? Should he tell Ziva about this new… somebody… who was brightening his days?

David had been doing better after a day's rest, but still seemed somewhat out of it. Tim was still smarting from Tony's prank, but talking it out made him feel better.

"At least I'm probably more comfortable than they are right now," Tim said over some leftover soup.

"I'm assuming they're going over the Atlantic?"

"Yeah, but they're not flying commercial or private."

"Ugh. My body aches just thinking about that. I mean, it aches anyway but that thought doesn't help."

They were silent for a couple of minutes. Tim took a few slurps of soup, David had a mug of tea that he was inhaling, though only one of his nostrils seemed to be functioning at the moment.

"So are you gonna tell me what else is eatin' ya?"

Tim looked up in surprise, but then looked away. 'Great, he's reading my mind now.'

"No, I'm not reading your mind, just your lower lip."

Tim blushed, then smiled and gently bit his lower lip, which had been twitching all night.

"Ziva asked about you today. Well, not exactly about you. Just, she noticed I've been a little happier, and she saw me on my phone earlier, and was just surprised to see me laugh just after one of Tony's stunts."

"Oh," he said, straightening up. He looked a little surprised, and a little more worried. "So… what did you tell her?"

"Well…" Tim felt like he was on the edge of a cliff. Were they just going to come out with it and try to be in a relationship? Tim didn't know how that would even work at this stage. Would he say they were just friends? And would doing so seal off the closeness they've developed? It certainly was more than just friends. Or would he be really safe and just say he didn't tell her anything?

"I really didn't know what to tell her, to be honest. I really don't know what this-" he slowly waved his hands around them "-is. I mean we talk like friends but sometimes it seems like we're more… than just… friends." Tim couldn't tell if the look in David's eyes was relief, terror, or his heart breaking. 'Oh god I'm blowing it.' His heartbeat stopped and he held his breath.

"Me too. I don't know what to do." David sniffed, and Tim wasn't sure if that was his cold or if he was upset. "I… do… feel something for you, Tim, and it's not just friendship."

Tim let out a surge of relief, and his heart skipped at the admission. 'Thank god.'

David let out a choked gasp on his end, and coughed a couple of times into some tissues.

Tim felt hopeful. "Why didn't you say anything?"

"Well, I wasn't sure how you felt. Why didn't you?"

"I've…" 'Uh oh. Here's the hitch in the plan.' "I've never actually… been… with a guy… before."

"I didn't think so. So… what does that mean for- this?"

Tim took a couple of deep breaths. He wasn't averse to having a relationship, especially with David, but he just didn't know how.

"What do you want it to mean?" Tim blurted out.

"I'd… I don't know. I haven't felt this, whatever this is, or this confused in a long time."

"Me either."

"I've really enjoyed spending time with you and you fussing over me."

"Me too, not to mention Jethro. He's been starting to look at my computer in the morning, waiting."

"I think since this is new for you, it should be your decision. I don't want to make you uncomfortable, ever. But we're also long-distance, and that doesn't usually end well. I don't want anything bad to happen to what we have, whatever it is."

"It's been great so far." Tim smiled again. "And yeah, I really don't know what to call this either, but I want to actually be able to feel it with you." 'This is right.'

David brightened up, his smile widening to its extent and cheeks reddening. Things were going to be ok.

"Me too. I keep feeling like I'm going to say something and you'll think I'm creepy or going to far, like before."

"I never thought you were creepy, and don't forget that you were right that time."

"You know what I mean. Do you think maybe we should meet? You know, for real?"

"I'd love that! Why don't you come down to DC for a weekend?"

"Great. I can break in the new car on the drive down. Like a maiden voyage."

"I'll work out a time and a place, and you can come stay with me."

"Stay with you after just meeting you? You think I'm that easy?" David batted his eyelashes.

"Well, you could get a hotel in DC… it's not like they charge double on the weekends or anything…" Tim said sarcastically.

"Dibs on the couch. I've been eying it for weeks and it looks so comfy. Oh and Jethro sleeps with me!"

"The couch? You sure?"

"Yeah. I don't think we should get into bed too quickly, do you?"

"You're right. Not too fast, just… being us, and letting-"

"-Letting it grow naturally." they said together.

"Only give me some time to get over this cold, otherwise the only thing you'll be growing naturally is viral plague."

NCIS

Ziva was studying her computer particularly hard when McGee walked out of the elevator towards the bullpen. He already knew what she was doing, mainly because he was doing the same thing over breakfast with David.

"World clocks," he said as he looked over the half-wall at her desk. "Wouldn't be checking the time in Iraq, would you?"

Ziva quickly closed the program, flustered. "Don't know what you're talking about," she said shaking her head and trying to feign disinterest.

He smiled, then sat on the edge of Gibbs' desk facing Ziva. "I did some more digging into Rankin's murder. His wife thinks it had something to do with that land deal with Ridgeway."

"So she says," she added, but she didn't seem convinced.

"Think she did it? She is the one that called us."

"Well it would not be the first time someone tried to throw us up that way."

"Off," he corrected, "throw us off."

"Exactly. However, Kelvin Ridgeway is guilty of more than just being a pig. Of that, I am sure."

"You know what? I checked Captain Rankin's phone records from Iraq." He pulled up to Ziva's desk and opened the records. "In the two days before he was killed, he called 3 people: his wife Dina, his partner Kelvin Ridgeway, and this guy George Stenner." He pulled up Stenner's webpage. "He owns a small company called Land Test Labs. They do soil testing."

"Rankin called Stenner three times the day he was killed."

"Gibbs is definitely going to want to talk to him."

McGee made it halfway to his desk before Ziva called over, "Speaking of calls, any updates on the-" she dropped to a whisper, "mystery man?"

He dropped to his chair with a smile. "Yes, actually."

Ziva sat up in her chair, ready to absorb the juicy details.

"We've decided to meet."

Her expression dropped and her eyes widened in shock. "Wait, meet? You haven't even met this man yet?!"

"Alright, it's not THAT bad." He tried to calm her down. "We've been talking for almost a year. We started video chatting about 2 months ago, and we've talked pretty much every day since then. He's really nice, he even helped me pick out stuff for Jethro."

She moved over to his desk, and stood in front of him with her arms folded."How well do you know him? What do you know about him, and more importantly, what does he know about you?" She was in full 'big sister' mode.

"His name is David, he's 28, lives in Pennsylvania, runs a small bakery, and he plays the guitar-"

"Do you know that or did he just tell you that?"

"I'm not doing a background check on him!" He looked up and met her suspicious glare. "Well, ok, I did do a check on the bakery and confirmed that he actually owns it, but I only used public record and did NOT invade his personal life."

"I want to be there when you meet him," she said firmly.

"You are NOT going to interrogate him."

"McGee-" She looked down at him. He seemed pretty serious. "Tim, I just want to make sure you're being careful. You know the kind of people we deal with, and I don't want to see you get hurt because I didn't have your back. Please, let me do this. I promise to be nice."

He thought about it for a moment. He wanted to show David that he trusted him, but in his line of work he really did have to be careful. He thought about his little sister Sarah, and figured that if this were her, he wouldn't even ask to be there; it wouldn't be optional. He looked up at Ziva and smiled. She was supporting him.

"Ok. I want you to talk over chat first, get to know him a little bit so he doesn't feel intimidated when he comes."

"When is he coming?"

"Not sure yet. He's got the flu, and he's also waiting for his new car to arrive. He wants to drive it down here."

"New car? Expensive?"

"Mini, like yours but he's getting his from England."

"Hmm, not bad as far as taste. And he's staying…?"

"With me, and- no!" He looked up at her and shook his finger at her surprised, and rather knowing, look, "he is not going to be sleeping in my bed. He asked to sleep on the couch."

"McGee!" she hissed. "Are you seriously not even going to be a gentleman and give him the bed while you take the couch?"

"He specifically asked for the couch!"

"You're the host! You still give him the bed!" She walked back to her desk, shaking her head. "Men." Sitting down, she shot him a threatening look, "At least tell me you're making him dinner."

"Of course, Ziva. Geez, you make me sound like a monster. And Ziva?"

She looked up.

"Thanks."

She smiled and turned to her computer.

He pulled out his phone to text David.

Tim: I told her :)

David: And?

Tim: She's wants to chat with you before you come down.

David: Good chat, or run for your life chat?

Tim: Big sister chat.

David: LOL ok. When?

Tim: This evening?

David: You want me to speak to someone who's basically your big sister while I'm still coughing up a lung and only have half of a useable sinus?

Tim: lol not video, just text chat. I already told her you were sick.

David: Ok.

Tim: You'll be fine, I promise.

David: You sure?

Tim: Trust me.

David: Ok :)

NCIS

McGee and Ziva just finished arresting Stenner, Ridgeway, and their hitman Alan Hayes. They were both at their desks finishing the last of their paperwork when he opened up his chat window.

Elflord: Hey, just finishing up work. You ready?

ScruffyLookin: Yeah. I'm just a little nervous. She sounds… intimidating.

Elflord: Don't worry! One sec.

[LadyZ has been added to the conversation]

Elflord: Hey Ziva

Ziva looked up at McGee and raised an eyebrow. He nodded back to her screen.

ScruffyLookin: Hi Ziva, I'm David, nice to meet you.

LadyZ: Oh, hello! How are you?

ScruffyLookin: I'm doing ok, been resting for the last couple of days trying to get over this cold.

Elflord: Did the Benadryl help?

ScruffyLookin: Yeah. I was knocked out pretty much until around 3. My phone rang right next to my head and I slept right through it.

LadyZ: Do you get sick often?

ScruffyLookin: Not really, maybe a couple of times a year. I have to be careful since I work with food.

LadyZ: And what is it that you do?

"Ziva," McGee verbally warned from his desk.

"Just making sure," she said.

ScruffyLookin: I run a small bakery. We do all kinds of things - pastries, desserts, cake.

LadyZ: That's nice, any specialty?

ScruffyLookin: I like wedding cakes, especially when the couples have some imagination or want something original.

LadyZ: I see. McGee was telling me you're getting an imported car. That's pretty expensive, especially to ship. You afforded that running a bakery?

"Ziva!" McGee hissed, "You promised to be nice!"

"What? It's a valid question. He could be laundering money!"

Elflord: Ziva it's a Mini. You drive one too.

ScruffyLookin: We had a lot of Christmas weddings. The entire shop pulled double-overtime. It was kinda a treat to myself.

LadyZ: Did you go to school for baking?

ScruffyLookin: No, I went to school in Philadelphia for IT, but I really enjoyed baking. I was good with tech, but I always saw people enjoy themselves more with something fresh from the oven than electronics.

LadyZ: Well I look forward to tasting your desserts sometime. How did you meet Tim?

Elflord: We met playing that MMORPG that I showed you.

ScruffyLookin: Yeah, and we started talking about more than just the game, and had a lot in common.

LadyZ: When do you think you might be coming down?

ScruffyLookin: I don't know, we haven't set a date yet.

"You, Ziva and Scruffy can find dates on your own time, McGee."

McGee's eyes widened in horror and he scrambled to close the window. Gibbs appeared out of nowhere behind McGee.

"Turn in your reports and go home," he said on his way up to Vance's office.

"Sure thing, boss," McGee called.

He opened up the window to see Scruffy frantically messaging.

ScruffyLookin: OMG IT'S HERE! IT'S HERE! MY BABY MADE IT!

ScruffyLookin: They just called! I get to pick it up tomorrow! Not a scratch, baby!

ScruffyLookin: Ok I really have to go I've got so much to do

ScruffyLookin: Lovely to meet you Ziva, give Timmy a big squeeze for me!

ScruffyLookin: Bye Timmy I'll talk to you tomorrow! :D

McGee couldn't resist grinning when seeing David so happy. He finished his report and he and Ziva dropped them on Gibbs' desk together.

"Well?" he said expectantly.

"He seems nice, I just would like to know more about him."

"Me too. Every time I find out more, I end up like him even more."

"Good." She reached over and gave him a tight hug.

"See you tomorrow."

"See you, Timmy," she teased, and poked his sides causing him to jump.