Tim made his way to Gibbs' front door. When got there, he paused for a second to will himself to do this. He hated himself for doing it. It wasn't the lying he had a problem with. Gibbs had done worse to him in the past. It was allowing himself to be reduced to this once more. To him it was the same as groveling at Gibbs' feet, something he swore to never do again. But Kensi was right. This was the best way to go. Brute force wouldn't work, not with Gibbs. This was the only way to find Tony. His job came first.
Tim took a deep breath and tried the door. He found that it was locked. Well, if he didn't know Gibbs was hiding Abby before, he definitely knew now. Gibbs never locked his door. It was a common fact that everyone who knew Gibbs knew. If he locked it, t meant he was trying to hide someone or something.
He knocked on the door and patiently waited for it to be opened. He didn't have to wait long. Gibbs opened the door about a minute later.
"McGee. Something you forgot to say before?" Gibbs asked.
"Can we talk?" Tim asked in an impassive voice.
Gibbs hesitated for a minute and then walked outside and closed the door.
Tim wasn't surprised that Gibbs didn't let him in the house, but it was further evidence to his theory.
"Where's your partner?" Gibbs asked.
"I asked her to give me some space to let me speak to you alone," Tim said.
"So speak," Gibbs said with a bit of authority in his voice.
Tim felt his ire rise. For a second, it seemed like Gibbs was ordering him again. It left him with the urge to remind Gibbs that he didn't order him around anymore, but he quashed it. "Look, I'm sorry about earlier. I was angry."
Gibbs just blinked in response.
"I didn't ask to have this crap dumped on my lap, okay? I thought I was done with all of you," Tim said. He decided to include some truth into the conversation. If he acted like he was suddenly all happy to be back in his orbit, Gibbs would see right through him. "But it was my responsibility to keep a cool head."
Gibbs still didn't speak and he kept his face as blank as possible.
"It's just that this isn't easy. I thought that I was past the point of caring about any of you, but that changed when this case came to us. I wanted to help Tony. I still do, but I need your help for that. Please, help me help him," Tim pleaded. He truly hated himself right now. He knew exactly how pathetic he sounded because he'd sounded that way before, for years in fact. It made him sick to revert to that.
"Wow. This must be hard for you," Gibbs finally spoke.
"It is," Tim said. It seemed that his plan was working. He could take solace in that at least.
"No, I mean this," Gibbs said as he motioned back and forth between Tim and himself. "It's gotta be killing you to be here talking to me like this. You're convincing though. I'll give you that. If I didn't know any better, I'd say that every word that just came out of your mouth was one hundred percent truth. It's amazing how Callen transformed you into the perfect liar in two short years. And if I didn't know for a fact that you hated my guts and Tony's, I'd believe what you're saying."
"I don't hate you," Tim said. He didn't. He was angry and bitter in the past and a part of him was still angry and always would be, but he didn't hate either of them. He would never allow himself to feel that emotion towards them. He wouldn't give them the satisfaction.
"Alright, fine, maybe hate is too strong a word. But you sure as hell resent us. Do you deny that," Gibbs asked.
"No," Tim said after a minute. He couldn't deny that even if he wanted to. He was a good liar, but even he wasn't that good. "But just because I recent you both doesn't mean I can't have compassion."
"Oh, I'm sure you do have compassion, but I also think you're trying to work me. You're not here for Tony. You're here for NCIS," Gibbs said.
"Or maybe NCIS is here for Tony. He's a missing agent that we are just trying to bring home," Tim said.
"Oh, don't give me that crap. You're not trying to bring Tony home. You're trying to put him in a cell. Now I don't know exactly what it is you think Tony has done, nor do I expect you to tell me, but I know there's something. Deputy Director Granger would not dispatch one of the most elite units in NCIS for that purpose alone, especially since Tony has been gone for nearly a month already and no one cared until now," Gibbs said a bit angrily. He was annoyed that no one had searched for Tony.
Tim shook his head in disbelief. He knew that tone. Gibbs was pissed that no one had looked for Tony until they knew he had committed a crime. "Let me ask you a question, Gibbs. How long would it have taken you to look for me Vance hadn't told you that I was transferred? If I had just disappeared?"
"Oh, don't go there," Gibbs said.
"Why not? It's a fair question, isn't it? You're all pissed that no one looked for Tony when he seemed to leave all on his own, but you would've have cared less if it were me. You would've just labeled me a deserter. Though I guess you did that anyway, didn't you?" Tim asked.
"I screwed up, okay? I get that. But this isn't about you or me. It's about Tony," Gibbs said.
"No, it's about the law," Tim said. He decided to give up trying to trick Gibbs. It obviously wasn't working. "And the law applies to Tony just as much as it applies to everyone else. I am going to find him."
"I don't doubt that," Gibbs said. He knew that McGee would find Tony eventually. He was one of the best agents NCIS had. Gibbs just hoped that he could find out what the hell was going on with Tony and how to fix it before McGee found him. "But don't expect me to help you and don't expect to talk to Abby. It's not gonna happen."
"Who the hell do you think you're dealing with here? The little probie you took onto your team nine and half years ago. I would think you'd no better by now. I will talk to Abby, even if I have to take you down to get to her. You're not going to impede my investigation. If I have to, I'll arrest you both. You may wanna warn her about that," Tim said.
"You threatening her?" Gibbs asked menacingly. If McGee wanted to threaten him, that was one thing, but not Abby.
"No, I don't make threats, I make promises. I will not put up with anymore crap from you people! You don't get to do whatever the hell you want and get away with it. It's time you learn that. I'll be in touch," Tim said before walking away without another word. He meant every word he did say. He was going to show Gibbs he meant business. It was time to bring in the big guns. It was time to involve Granger and Hetty.
