Wow, thank you guys so much for the support of the story. :) I mean to reply to all the reviews and hopefully will this week. I was at my parent's this weekend helping them so…not a lot of writing or message replies got done.

Hope you enjoy the chapter. I put it up quickly so for any mistakes I sincerely apologize.


It hadn't taken Tony long to exhaust himself from the non-stop commentary. That worried Tim the most. Tony could talk for quite a while about movies and really anything, it was definitely not a good sign to see him winded so quickly. After Tony almost nodded off again though Tim figured the best way to keep him awake was to keep talking to him.

"Do you think they're looking for us?" He asked.

"Oh yeah, probably have been for hours." Tony answered his voice a little hoarse and his eyes still closed. "How long have we been gone?"

"From NCIS, nine hours, down this hole, probably five hours."

"I wish we could walk down the passage and see if it leads somewhere." McGee said wistfully.

"Tim, if you want to check it out, you can. I wasn't trying to hold you here earlier." Tony said turning his head finally and opening his eyes. He was leaning against the cave wall and allowing it to support his head as well.

"I know Tony, but I can't."

"I'll be fine here really. Freezing my butt off, but fine." He said with a small smile hoping he sounded convincing.

Tim smiled ruefully. "First I'm not leaving you because the first thing you'd do when it got quiet was go to sleep, second, I don't know how far I'd get before the light ran out, ant third, I don't know how far I could walk. The smoke was moving pretty slow so the entrance likely isn't close."

Tony shifted and then groaned. McGee looked at him sympathetically.

"How was Thanksgiving with your Dad?" He asked hoping to get him mind off the pain.

"Oh you know, it was Senior." He rolled his eyes. "Kind of nice though, him being there. Gibbs tricked me into telling him I loved him."

Tony grinned at the look on McGee's face and his open mouth. McGee finally shook his head.

"Ok you're going to have to explain that whole last sentence."

Tony smiled. "Pretty open and shut. Dad was in the kitchen cooking. Gibbs let me spill my guts to him, without telling me the old man was there and the profession of caring is what came out. Gibbs just let me talk it out."

As Tim listened he felt a sensation welling up in his chest. Tony noticed a strange look on his face.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Tim quickly shook his head.

"And the Worst Liar of the Year award goes to Timothy No-Middle-Initial McGee." Tony belted out in his best announcer voice. McGee grimaced, partly because it was the truth and partly because of how weak Tony sounded.

"It doesn't matter, Tony. I'm glad you and your dad made up."

Tony studied him a few more seconds before deciding to drop the subject…for now. He nodded slowly. "Yeah, me too. It was nice you know. Gibbs helped a lot."

The lump in McGee throat got a little bigger, so he just nodded. Tony's scrutiny got more intense.

"What's going on with you and your dad?" He asked gently.

Tim sighed, nothing to do but talk so he might as well.

"I talked to him the other day for the first time in seven years Penny talked me into calling him when she was here. That didn't go well so we probably won't…continue." He said looking away.

"Wow, I thought-. I thought you guys talked every day?" Tony asked his mind whirling.

"We did. He use to force me to "report" to him every day."

"Seven years… That's right after you joined NCIS?"

"Yeah, for once in my life I decided to stand up to him." McGee laughed humorlessly. "He didn't like that."

"I bet not. What's happened?"

"You know that case where you went undercover and were chained to that prisoner Jeffery White?"

"Yeah, kind of hard to forget Probie."

"Gibbs told me to…tell the Secretary of State to…stick it." He shook his head, all these years and it still made him nervous. Sometimes he was still shocked he had a job.

"I heard the stories." Tony grinned. "I was proud of you." The faintest of smiles tugged at the corners of McGee's mouth before he continued.

"I figured if I could tell the Secretary of State to stick it, and work with Gibbs daily," he added, "if I could do that, surely I could stand up to my dad."

"What's his deal? You're dad?"

Tim sighed and his voice took a mechanical tone as if reading from a script, or reciting a lecture he'd heard far too many times.

"I have disregarded three generations of tradition. McGee's join the Navy and become something, they do not join NCIS and play detective."

Tony raised his eyebrows signaling McGee to continue.

"I had always just kind of listened and never said anything back other than yes sir, but that day when we talked, I told him I wasn't playing detective and the work I did was just as meaningful as what he did and…well if just kind of went downhill from there."

"So, you haven't seen him in seven years?"

Tim shook his head.

"Do you miss him?"

Tim frowned. "I don't miss the lectures or never doing anything good enough. I just wish…"

He trailed off and Tony resisted the urge to fill the silence with something knowing Tim would finish when he was ready.

"I wish I could talk to him. Sometimes I just wished I could pick of the phone and have someone to listen when...things get bad, a case, or a girl, or just-just life."

He glanced at Tony quickly and then hurried to continue.

"I mean I'm a grown man, I don't, not all the time…if would just be nice…sometimes to have a dad who remotely cared." He whispered the last bit, looking down. Tony was silent knowing the feeling all too well of having a father who seemed so distant. Sometimes he use to wonder what would have to happen for him dad to notice him, who he was and what he had become. He was grateful things had gotten better, but he also hadn't forgotten who had gotten him through all those insecurities and uncertainties.

"You should try it with Gibbs." Tony said. "I mean there were a lot of years he's filled the father gap for me." He missed the look on Tim's face. "See the trick is to just keep talking. He's sanding that boat and you think he's not listening but he really is. I think-". He frowned as Tim started shaking his head. "What's wrong?

"If I wanted to talk to someone who disapproved of me and who I am or made me feel like a wuss I would call my own dad." McGee said with more venom than he meant too.

"Gibbs makes you feel that way?" Tony's brow knitting in a frown.

"He doesn't you?"

"McGee, he's…different when we're outside of work and you need his help, really." McGee shook his head again.

"I don't think so Tony. He actually reminds me a lot of my dad, disapproving, like he expects me to be better or something I'm not."

Once again there was silence. McGee looking at the ground and Tony studying him, noting the defeated slump of his shoulders.

"Then talk to me." Tony said so quietly Tim almost didn't hear.

"What?" Tim asked his head coming up.

"I've worked with you for almost eight years. You're like…you're like a brother to me. I've never had a brother but-." He stopped at the look on Tim's face. He couldn't quite interpret the expression so he kept on talking. "If you need to talk I'd be more than willing to listen." He finished sincerely.

Tim studied his face for what seemed like hours, his eyes almost daring Tony to tell him he was joking, daring the hurt to come. After a few long minutes, he finally nodded. "Thanks Tony. That really means a lot."

"You're welcome." He paused half a beat. "But seriously we're going to have to get you over this thing with Gibbs." He said ignoring Tim's sigh. "I can't believe, you've worked with him this long and still don't know how to communicate with him."

"I communicate with him fine." Tim answered defensively.

"Outside of work?" Tony countered.

"Too communicate there must be some sort of interest in the other person. Gibbs has no interest in getting to know me." Tim said with finality.

"Well, that's not true."

Tim looked him in the eye. "Do you have evidence to support that conclusion?"

"Evidence? No, Tim, I don't, not everything is science." Tony said annoyed.

"Alright then a case, there is no proof or motive for him to care."

Tony blinked at him as he kept going.

"Tony why don't we just get it out in the open? I don't have the same relationship with Gibbs that you and Ziva and Abby do." He said frankly. "He doesn't care about me the way the does the three of you." Though he tried to hide it, Tony detected a hint of sadness in his voice.

"What do you mean?" Tony asked. "You think Gibbs doesn't care about you."

Tim didn't look at him. He spoke slowly, choose his words carefully. "I think he see me as an agent. I'm his agent you three are his-his family or his kids."

"Tim-."

"Tony I know he had my six in the field, that's all that matters. Gibbs is my Boss, he doesn't owe me anything else."

"You need to talk to him."

"About what?" Tim asked dully.

"This, Tim, you know life. I didn't know and I'm sure he doesn't know you feel that way."

"Tony we are two different, very different people. Nothing that makes me who I am is of any interest to him. And I'm tired of putting myself, out for people to reject." With that he shifted until his body was turned away from the older agent signaling the conversation was over.

Tony continued to study him, taking in his body language. McGee was clearly done talking or even listening so he decided to let the issue die…for now.


I had this conversation written no less than 5 different ways which is why it took me so long to get it posted. (One of my favorite definitions for myself is neurotic, if that sheds any light into this). :)

I hope you all enjoyed, please let me know.