Tim 2.0 Chapter 3 - Friends
By dead-body-number-2
Author's Note: Sorry this took so long. I haven't had much time to write lately. Maybe if I gave up sleep entirely…
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc., are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author of this story. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any previously copyrighted material. No copyright infringement is intended.
Gibbs and McGee left Vance's office and walked to the elevator in silence. After the doors closed and the elevator started down, McGee reached over and hit the emergency stop switch halting the elevator between floors.
"Boss…," McGee turned and looked at Gibbs. "I know you're disappointed."
Gibbs cut him off.
"I'm not your boss anymore McGee and I'm not disappointed. I'm proud of you, of what you've become."
McGee though about that a moment and said, "Even if I don't want to work here anymore?"
Gibbs nodded.
"It's just that things have changed. I've changed. I've… I've watched people die. People who I trained with. Lived with. Worked with. People I was responsible for. I've killed men. Bad men yeah, but still they were human beings. I got shot. I almost died. Now, suddenly, out of nowhere, I'm a father and I have this, this new thing with Abby and I don't even know what she expects from me now. It's all so much."
McGee paused a moment then continued.
"I've always wanted a family, but it's like somebody just handed me a box of parts with no instructions and said, 'Here. Build one.' I don't know which is scarier, the things I saw and did on that mission or right here, right now trying to figure out how to have a… a..."
"Life." Gibbs finished for him.
"You'll figure it out." "You and Abby are going to make great parents and I will support any decision you make about this job and for you two because I know it will be the right one. Trust yourself. Trust her."
McGee was stunned. Other than work related conversations, Gibbs had never said much to him, usually preferring a slap to the head to make a point, but this was different. The man actually cared about him.
As McGee stood there digesting what Gibbs said, Gibbs switched the elevator back on. Just before the door slid open he added, "And Tim, it's not a sign of weakness to ask for help."
Tony, Ziva and Abby, who had just come up from her lab, were in the bullpen having a discussion when Gibbs and McGee came out of the elevator.
"So where are we going to celebrate McProdigal's return? The bar? Restaurant? Strip club?" smiled Tony.
Gibbs smacked him in the back of the head.
"Aw, I can't go. I can't find a sitter that soon," whined Abby.
Gibbs said, "My house. Eight O'clock. David bring the bread. DiNozzo bring the beer. I'll pick up the steaks."
"Cranberry juice for me. I'm nursing remember."
"Bo… Gibbs, what should I bring?"
"Just Abby, your son and those cigars."
"Cigars?" asked Ziva.
"Yes, Ziva, cigars. It's the American way of celebrating a great event like a sports championship, a business deal or in this case the fact that Probie managed to procreate."
"Yay great! It's a boy! Let's all get cancer!" Abby mocked.
"Guys, I have to run. Lots of stuff to do. I have to call my sister and my mom and dad. Get some clothes from my storage locker. Renew my registration and insurance on the Porsche."
"Good, you can get it the hell out if my driveway tonight."
"Wait, where's Ducky? I haven't said hello to him and Palmer yet."
"Ducky's at an ME's conference in Chicago and I think Jimmy is cramming for exams," said Ziva.
"Oh, I guess I'll see them later and I'll see you guys tonight. Abby can I borrow your car?"
"Sure."
"Still can't believe you traded in the hot rod for a hatchback."
"I could have gotten a mini van, but then I would have had to shoot myself," she grinned.
McGee went to the elevator as the others returned to their work. He looked back at the bullpen and it seemed for a moment that that nothing had changed since he'd been gone. Maybe it was just him.
Gibbs was in the kitchen when Abby, McGee and their infant son arrived.
"In here."
"Hey uh Gibbs," said McGee as he entered the kitchen. "You're actually cooking? I thought you were just gonna grill some steaks."
"Gibbs is a great cook. He made me breakfast and dinner almost every day when I stayed here after TJ was born."
"I forgot to thank you for doing that."
"Not a problem Tim."
"And he changes diapers too. Which reminds me, you have yet to do one plus you owe like a million."
"Just show me how and I promise I'll catch up."
"Speaking of which I think you have your first chance," said Abby as she sniffed the air.
"The big one?"
"Oh yeah. Come on daddy, baby 101 starts now." Abby grabbed the diaper bag and McGee picked up his son as they headed to the bedroom to change him. "
A moment later Gibbs smiled as he heard McGee yell, "Oh God! What has this kid been eating?" followed by the sounds of gagging.
Soon, they came back into the kitchen, McGee looking a bit green and Abby smiling at the father son bonding moment. They had put the baby down for a nap so it was just the three of them.
"How do you like Tim's new outfit?"
McGee was wearing a dark green long sleeve shirt with subtle vertical stripes and stone washed blue jeans.
"Yeah, none of my old clothes fit me anymore. Abby took me shopping after I picked her up from work."
Abby also had adopted a new look since she had gotten pregnant. Gone were the very child unfriendly spikes and chains and hard leather. She had on a short sleeve brown shirt and a pair of khaki cargo pants. She wore blue running shoes instead of her trademark platform boots. Her hair was pulled back in a simple pony tail because the baby had a tendency to grab one of her pig tails and not let go.
Gibbs smiled to himself as he watched them moving around the kitchen helping him prepare the meal. Abby and McGee were no longer the young Goth and Geek couple that had been when they first started dating. They were reconnecting after being apart for so long. They were parents now. They had grown up.
Tony and Ziva soon arrived and everyone moved out to the backyard. Gibbs put the steaks on the grill as the others set the table and poured drinks. Abby had brought a baby monitor to keep an ear on Timmy while he napped.
While they waited for the steaks they told McGee about the things he had missed, cases they had worked on, new employees who came in and old ones who had left. When the steaks were ready Gibbs brought them over to the table and Ziva ran in and got the side dishes that Gibbs had prepared.
After they had eaten, McGee remembered the cigars that the Director had given them and got them from the car. He handed them out to everyone but Abby, of course. McGee had never smoked a cigar or even a cigarette before, but thought, 'What the heck.' He lit up and took a big puff and immediately regretted it. He began coughing like an old man with emphysema.
"You all right there McWeezy?" Tony asked.
"Yeah Tony I'll be fine." he said as the coughing fit subsided.
"You not supposed to inhale the smoke Tim," said Gibbs.
"God how can you smoke those things? If I ran that smoke through the mass spec you guys would totally be freaked out about the junk that you are putting in your bodies."
Little Timmy's cries on the baby monitor gave Abby an excuse to get away from the stench.
"That was worse than when they maced me at boot camp. Hated those gas mask drills," McGee said.
"When were you ever in boot camp Probie?" DiNozzo asked as he blew a perfect smoke ring at Ziva who batted it away and glared at Tony.
McGee realized his slip and looked up at Gibbs.
"Tell em McGee. That part's not classified."
"Okay. Tony, Ziva, as part of my training I went through what was essentially Marine boot camp, so for that and other reasons they gave me a commission. They made me a Marine Corp lieutenant."
Tony and Ziva looked at each other in surprise.
"Not just a lieutenant," added Gibbs.
"Oh yeah, Sec Nav promoted me this morning to Captain."
"Wait, wait, wait…," DiNozzo laughed. "You're a Marine. The same guy who dressed up for Halloween as an elf. The guy who puts a dozen sugars and a gallon of cream in his coffee. The guy who told me that Toy Story 2 gave him nightmares, is a Marine. Come on!" DiNozzo looked at Gibbs.
"He is."
"Well, I believe it," said Ziva as she reached over and squeezed McGee's bicep.
"When were you going to tell me McGee?" said Abby angrily, as she come out of the house.
McGee got up and quickly went over to her. "I haven't had the chance with all that's been happening today."
"How hard is it to say, 'Abby, guess what. I'm a Marine,'?"
"I didn't know how you'd react so I wanted to wait until we had a chance to talk about it."
"So does this mean your not coming back to NCIS? Your going to go running off to some jungle somewhere leaving me and the baby behind?" She was almost in tears.
Tony and Ziva winced and glanced at Gibbs as Abby said it.
"No, no Abby I would never do that. I'm not on active duty anymore," said McGee as he put his hands on her shoulders.
"So are you coming back to NCIS?" she ask hopefully.
"What about rule twelve?" said McGee trying to dodge the question.
Everyone but McGee looked at Gibbs.
"Rule twelve says, 'Never date a coworker,' doesn't say anything about having a family with one Tim"
"Then you are coming back!" Abby hugged McGee. She had a contented grin on her face while McGee's face, which the others could not see, showed only worry and fear.
FOOF!
