Gibbs had driven Tony to his favorite coffee cart, several blocks away from the naval yard. It was the same one he and Fornell frequented during the times they worked together.
DiNozzo stood awkwardly by the cart, unsure if he should order anything or not. Gibbs rarely bought coffee for his team, and usually when he did someone had either died, gotten injured, or helped him out. Tony hadn't done any of the three. He was just pissed off at his brother's mother.
"Are ya going to get something or are we going to stand here all day?" Gibbs' voice startled him back to reality. He turned, his boss watching him, and slowly shook his head. Gibbs turned back to the coffee cart guy, paid him, and led Tony to a bench.
They sat down, shoulders barely touching, neither saying a word. Tony ran his hands down his thighs, tapping his knees with his palms. He sucked in a breath and said, "It's nice here, boss. Kind of see why you and Fornell come here." Gibbs didn't respond, just took a sip of coffee. "I mean, there are some trees, a fountain, people…" he trailed off, realizing just how awkward he sounded.
For a while, they just watched the people walk by, back and forth, going about their days. They didn't have their lives tipped upside down. They weren't keeping a secret from their family. They were lucky bastards.
"It wouldn't be so bad if she'd just let me tell him," Tony blurted out, his hands stilling and bunching up into fists. "I mean, I know, you know, Ziva knows…" he shook his head. "All these people know this life changing secret, and the one guy who should know, who needs to know, doesn't…
"And I know, I know, it's not my secret to tell. But who else is going to tell him? I, sure as hell, doubt his mother will…" Tony's phone rang, cutting him off. He pulled it from his pocket, the screen flashing an unknown number back at him, and cautiously he answered, "Hello?"
"Tony?" he knew that voice.
"Sarah?" Why would Sarah McGee be calling him? And how the hell did she get him number?
"Have you seen Tim?" she asked, or more like demanded. Tony could picture her pacing across her floor, probably running a hand through her dark hair, worried about her brother. She really didn't have to be, last Tony checked their mother had offered to take Tim out to lunch. Plus, he was a trained agent, he could take care of himself.
"I thought he was having lunch with your mother," DiNozzo stated slowly, something nudging at his gut.
"Yeah, he was, but Mom just called and told me he took off. She can't get a hold of him, he won't answer his cell when I call, and I'm beginning to get worried. Can you try calling him?"
"Relax, Sarah, I'll give him a call and call you right back. Okay?" She agreed and Tony hung up. He ignored the questioning looks Gibbs threw his way and tried McGee's cell. It rang three times before going straight to voicemail. Tony hung up and tried again, this time the call went directly to voicemail.
"Hey, McMissing, it's Tony. I'm figuring you are either at the office or aren't near your phone. Call me." he hung up, the nudging in his gut getting worse. Maybe Cecelia told him. The idea was reaching, Tony remembering that she was against telling Tim. In fact, she was against anything even remotely close to revealing this secret to her only son. Of course, she could have changed her mind, but a part of DiNozzo seriously doubted that fact.
Just to be on the safe side, Tony scrolled through his recent calls and hit send on Sarah's number. She answered on the first ring: "Did you find him?"
"No. Did your mom tell you why Tim took off?"
"No, she just said they talked, he got upset, and left her at the diner. Dad had to go get her since Tim was her ride. They are looking for him…" she trailed off.
"Sarah, do you know where Tim would go? You know, when he gets upset?" Tony may have worked with McGee for nine years, may know that he liked to write when he couldn't sleep and video games were his life, but, he had to admit, he didn't know the younger guy as well as he thought. And if Cecelia did what Tony thought she would never do (that made more sense in my head) then McGee definitely went somewhere he was most comfortable.
"He'd usually go to Penny, but she's out of the country." She was quiet for a second, thinking, and finally took a breath and said, "When we lived in California, he'd go to the arcade, but I don't think…" Tony stopped listening to her. It was a long shot, Tim could have easily gone home or back to the naval yard. He could be sulking down in Abby's lab, refusing to speak to her, and she'd be calling Tony any second to complain about being ignored.
Again, he was reaching, but it was better than thinking about his thirty-three-year-old co-worker hanging out at an arcade by himself. It was a quarter to two, kids were still in school. Though, it would be less creepy empty, less pedophile-ish. However, as much as he wanted to call Abby, his gut told him Tim wasn't with her. He'd have to go to the arcade.
"I think I know where he is, Sarah," Tony said cutting her off.
"Where?"
"I'll let you know when I find him," he responded ignoring her question. She would be irritated, sure, but he didn't need her attacking her brother so soon after he found out his life was a lie; if that is what, in fact, happened because jumping to conclusions wasn't helping anything.
"Do you know what my mother said to Tim?" Sarah asked. Instead of answering, Tony just hung up on her. He didn't have time to explain to her what was going on, nor was it his place to explain. This was a conversation the McGees had to have together.
He stood up, only to be yanked back onto the bench. He glanced over, Gibbs giving him a slightly impatient look. Tony sucked in a breath and said, "I think she told him." Gibbs waited, knowing DiNozzo had more to say. "And I'm guessing he didn't take it well." Jethro flashed Tony a look clearly stating: 'what gave you that idea, DiNozzo?' At first DiNozzo was surprised Gibbs managed to get a majority of the details, but if Tony thought about, the conversation between Sarah and him wasn't that hard to piece together with his side alone.
"His parents and Sarah can't find him, but I think I know where he is."
"Let's go…"
NCIS
He shouldn't be here. He wasn't twelve-years-old anymore, this wasn't something he could hide from, but a part of him just didn't care. Right now, he didn't want to think. Thinking led to questions and questions led to anger and anger led to McGee wanting to drive to his parents' motel, storm up to their room, and demand to know just why they lied to him all these years. No, wait, he should say 'parent': one, singular, Mom.
He rolled his shoulders, placing another quarter in the machine, and started the game up again. He remembered the last time he hid out at an arcade, it had been six weeks shy of his high school graduation and his father… oops, Jack hadn't been pleased that Tim had stuck by his decision to study computers…
NCIS
1995…
"…MIT isn't the only school you were accepted to," Jack said pointing at the envelopes scattered across the coffee table.
"Dad, I want to go to MIT! I want to study computers," McGee argued, his patience running thin. He had repeated the same two sentences six times. His father just wouldn't listen to him.
"You can go anywhere, do anything. You are so smart, Tim. What about the navy…?"
"Dad, I told you I don't want to join the navy!"
"Tim, just hear him out," his mother said from the couch, barely paying attention as she graded papers for her class.
"I can set you up…" McGee turned on his heel, heading towards the door, cutting off whatever his father was going to say. He had to get out of there; fury was pulsing through his veins. "Where are you going?" Jack called after him.
Tim didn't answer. He just walked out the door and slammed it behind him. He didn't understand why his father was so hard on him. It wasn't just him, their dad had his fair share of expectations for Sarah, too, but it seemed he pushed Tim harder.
He found a pay phone and tried calling Penny, but she was on another one of her trips. It was hard to have his grandmother as a confidant is she wasn't home. He wandered down the sidewalk, kicking at a stray rock.
He wished they were living in Maryland again. Penny had told him to come over anytime, regardless if she were home or not. In California, over two-thousand miles from Penny, the only thing he could do was call. He hated calling her, it was so impersonal. Of course, he hated it more when she wasn't around at all. She always could talk him down, convince him to go back home…
He found himself out front of the arcade, the place was nearly empty. He slipped into the building, maneuvering around machines and people, stopping in front of Pac-Man. Ever since Playstation came out not many people went to the arcade anymore. Tim had been working his butt off to buy a Playstation, but the potato factory didn't play nearly as much as he wanted.
As he stuck a quarter in the machine, he let his mind wander. The more it wandered, the easier it was to just forget about his father's wishes for him. Even if it was for a while…
NCIS
Present Day…
McGee came back to himself when he felt a hand settle on his shoulder. He whirled around, slamming his elbow into the edge of the machine. Swearing, clutching his arm, he looked up to meet Tony's eyes. His stomach swooped, and he suddenly felt sick.
He knew Tony knew. He may not have let his mother explain everything, but from what she managed to get out she told Tony last night. And if his reaction was any indication, he was, most likely, taking the news about as well as Tim.
"Are you fourteen, McTimmy?" Tony asked giving him a small smile. Tim merely turned his back on DiNozzo and returned to his game. "I mean, playing Pac-Man, during a work day. Doesn't seem like something you'd do."
"Cut the crap, DiNozzo," McGee grumbled pounding on the keys, the yellow circle eating a 'Power Pellet.' He chased after one of the ghost, Tim not sure if it was Blinky or Inky, eating it. Its eyes returned to the center, just as the ghosts changed from blue to white and back to their original colors. "I know you know," he continued just as the orange guy, Pokey, 'killed' him.
"How much did your mom tell you?" Tony asked softly. Tim didn't respond as he began to play again. He was almost to another 'Power Pellet' when Pinky ran into him. "Did she tell you I wanted to tell you?" McGee was only half-listening to DiNozzo, trying with all his might to avoid the four ghosts. "Or that she asked me not to say anything? Actually, she begged me." he was eaten a third time, clenching his hands into fists.
"Who else knows?" Tim questioned quietly, eating the cherries before moving on to a few more yellow pac-dots. He knew his father… Jack knew, but didn't know who else. Did Tony run around, telling everyone? He just said he wanted to tell Tim, but was that a lie? Was he just trying to assure Tim that he was his friend? Was he just saving his own skin?
"Gibbs overheard your mom and me talking," Tony replied after a few minutes pause. "And Ziva heard me talking to my father."
McGee nodded, just as he ran into Inky. He rolled his shoulders again, pounding on the machine as he tried to beat the level with his last life. He had never been this bad, opting to blame it on everything that had happened. "Keep it from Abby, please." He didn't want the Goth knowing, not yet. It was bad enough he had to know, had to tell Sarah, but to tell Abby would be opening a can of worms he'd much rather keep closed for as long as possible.
"What made your mom want to tell you?" Tony asked in a cautious voice after a few seconds of silence. McGee didn't say anything again, trying hard not to remember the conversation between him and his mother. He didn't want to remember, and he hated Tony for continuing to bring it up…
NCIS
Tim sat in the booth, staring straight at his mother, his mind taking a second to wrap around what he just heard. He was whose son? Jack McGee wasn't what to him?
"I know you are upset," his mother said quickly, swiping at her eyes again. "And I am so sorry I lied…"
"I am not…?" McGee trailed off, his throat suddenly dry, his whole body going numb. He needed to get out of there; he needed to get away from her. He couldn't look at her. But, for some reason, he just couldn't move.
"Tim, I never wanted any of this to happen," she repeated slowly. "Hell, I didn't even want Tony to know, but when I thought he already knew…"
"Tony knows," Tim said quietly, recalling the night before. Tony had tried to hide behind his usual masks, but he didn't do a very good job. McGee knew it wasn't just his father; DiNozzo had been bothered by this news, too.
"I talked to him last night, and when I returned to the motel your father and I talked. He said it was best to hear it from me and not Tony…"
"You shouldn't have waited until now to tell me!" Tim snapped, anger replacing the numb feeling, getting to his feet. "This isn't something you hide from your son! Not this! I can't… I don't even…" he shook his head once before storming out of the diner…
NCIS
Tony knew McGee wasn't going to answer him. Hell, had he been in Tim's shoes he wouldn't have been in a chatty mood either. So, Tony just stood behind McGee, trying to figure out just what to say to make this situation less tense. That's when he realized there was nothing he could say that would help McGee. Not now, at least. Maybe once it sunk in and he had time to process things, but until then…
"Gibbs is outside, waiting for us," Tony said watching as McGee continued his game. The younger man nodded once. He was down to one, final pac-dot. "If you want, I'm sure he'd let you go home. We don't have a case or anything." Another nod; he was so close to beating the level. "And your parents and Sarah are looking for you." He was almost on top of the dot, an inch away (if that) when Pinky came out of nowhere and killed him.
He pounded his fist on the machine before turning and heading toward the door. Tony hurried to keep up, flashing the manager an apologetic look. Gibbs was sitting by the curb, waiting for them, and offered Tim a coffee. The younger guy just shook his head and slid into the back seat of the Sedan.
Tony and Gibbs glanced at each other before getting in the car. The ride back to the naval yard was completely silent. McGee glared out the window, Gibbs concentrated on driving, and Tony found himself studying Tim again. He rarely saw his friend like this. Actually, he couldn't remember the last time McGee had been like this. The kid's life hadn't just been flipped on its side, it had been destroyed; just as Tony had predicted.
They pulled into the parking lot, Gibbs putting the car in park and shutting it off. They walked toward the building, the silence pressing in on Tony. He wasn't used to being this quiet. Childish, sure, but he wasn't built to keep quiet. It wasn't in his nature. It was why he and Abby got along so well… or one of the reasons.
After a quick elevator ride up, the doors slid open and all three guys stepped off, only to stop at the sight that was waiting for them. There, standing by Ziva's desk, a relaxed smile on his face, was the one person Tony did not want to see at that moment.
He looked up at their arrival, his eyes resting on Tony's face, and said, "Junior, been wondering when you were going to get back."
"Dad…?"
NCIS
I know, it probably wasn't the flashbacks you were expecting, but I did promise flashbacks. And speaking of flashbacks, I italicized the one because I didn't exactly have a real time frame. And if the cliffhangers are bugging you I am sorry, they are in my nature. Oh, and I'm not sure how in character McGee is either, so I apologize if he isn't exactly McGee. From what I saw he gets quiet when he's upset, but he also gets snappish if 'poked at...'
Whatever, anyway thanks ever so much for the reviews, alerts, and favs last chapter. They were awesome and I can't thank you enough :)
So, anything that is not from my cluttered head is not mine, thanks again for reading, and drop me a comment. Let me know what you like and what you don't.
See ya...
P.S. I am not exactly sure what date the first Playstation came out, but Google told me America released it in 1995.
Seriously going now :D
