Not Beta'd; Standard disclaimer applies;

ENGAGING, PART 7

"What do you mean he wants you to break up with me? He doesn't even know me!" Tim argued.

"I know, and I'm not going to listen to him. He was ranting and raving so much I could barely follow the conversation. Kept telling me I could do better, not to settle. He was definitely not acting like the father, man, I have gotten to know."

"But why? Why does he want you to break up with me?" he asked again.

Tim could practically hear Lexi shrug. "Because he's crazy. I told you, he really wasn't making any sense." she replied. "He says he's trying to protect me. He says he knows enough. That this relationship will only end in disaster. That I don't know what I'm getting myself into."

Tim fell silent as he thought about his interactions with Lexi's father. The two men had only communicated by e-mail a few times and Tim thought he made a good impression. Last night was suppose to be their first fact to face meeting. Last night, Tim thought with a frown. "Is this because of last night? I'm sorry that I had to work, I really wanted to be there."

"I know,"

"I know I left it rather late, but I kept hoping that I would finish in time or be able to get away. You did tell him why I couldn't make it, right?"

"I told him something came up at work."

Tim nodded, "Did you tell him what I do?"

"No," she admitted. "I know you don't like sharing that information."

"Ah, honey," Tim soothed, "I don't, but he's your father. Regardless of how much he is a part of your, our life," he corrected, "He's going to be my father-in-law. I have no doubt that he's going to find out sooner or later."

Lexi grunted, "Not if I never talk to him again. I spent the first 27 years of my life not knowing him, not speaking with him, I am fine with continuing that for another 27 years."

"Lexi," Tim tried to calm her down.

"No, Tim. He has no right to order me to break up with you. He has no rights over me. The fact that he would even try," she stopped, and he could hear her soft cries.

"Ah, Honey, it's just because he loves you and wants to protect you. We'll figure this out."

"What's to figure out?" Lexi retorted. "I love you, you love me, we'll get married and he'll never meet his grandchildren."

"I…" Tim was speechless at the thought of children.

"He acted like he knew who you were. He started rambling that a Rapper or a Drug Lord would be better than you. That you would only use me and break my heart."

"A rapper or a Drug Lord?" Tim repeated.

Lexi sighed, "I have no idea where he got that impression. Well," she admitted, "The Drug Lord came from you cancelling last night. Apparently, since I couldn't tell him what you do and you had a work situation come up so late, he jumped to conclusions."

If the situation wasn't so dire, Tim probably would've laughed at the idea that he was a drug lord. "And the rapper?"

"I honestly don't know," she sighed. "He kept rambling about an e-mail and tea. I almost called 911, thinking he was confused, wondering if he might have had a stroke."

Tim fell silent at her words.

"Tim?" she asked, when he didn't comment. "Honey, are you there?"

"Yeah, and I think I know about that last bit," he admitted. "The good news, I'm pretty sure he didn't have a stroke," he added, before explaining the e-mail he sent to her father.

"Oh, Honey," Lexi softly whispered. "That was so sweet. And it explains why he kept flip-flopping about wanting to know about you and pretending you didn't exist," she added with a laugh. "He's known me for less than two years and someone is asking his permission to marry me."

"He's your father," Tim replied. "I know you were just starting a relationship with him, I didn't want to jeopardize any future relationship with him, yours, mine, or our children's in any way."

"That is one of the many reasons why I love you," Lexi shared, her words causing Tim to blush in embarrassment and pleasure. "But that doesn't give him the right to order me around," she argued. "He was ranting about how he would deal with you like he deals with Drug lords, shoot them. I don't want anything to happen to you."

"Nothing is going to happen to me, or to us. As long as I still have you, I'll be fine," he promised. "We'll set something else up with him, okay? You can invite him to join you for dinner to discuss this and I will show up. Hopefully if we are in public, he won't attack me. Hey, if we go to your favorite restaurant, I'll bring Tony to have my back, he hasn't stopped talking about that place or you."

"I don't know if it will be that easy," Lexi stated glumly. "One thing I have learned is that I've seemed to inherit my stubbornness from both parents."

Tim smiled, "Let's hope our kids aren't like that," he teased. "Still, we will keep trying with your father."

"We can always sic my mother on him," Lexi offered. "She loved you so much during our Skype time, that she flew in just to hug you in person."

Tim gave a faint smile, "I have a feeling she used that as an excuse because she missed you," he challenged. "But at least I know I have the approval of one of your parents."

"And my approval," Lexi added, "That's all you need. I said I would marry you and I meant it. Nothing my father says or does will change that."

"Hopefully we will figure this out and find out why your father has reacted this way before we even met," he reassured her once again. "Where is he now? You sure that you're safe?"

"Tim, I know I said he was crazy, but I meant in attitude. He's really not, he's as sane as you. Trust me, in his job, he has to be," she explained before answering his first question, "He said he had to go back to work."

Tim looked up and saw his team watching him, "Yeah, I think I do as well," he reluctantly admitted.

"Okay, I love you."

"I love you too, Lexi," he said before hanging up and approaching his team.

"Hey, guys,"

"Everything okay, Probie?" Tony asked, scanning Tim's face for clues as to what had happened.

"Yeah, just a slight situation with Lexi's father."

"The deadbeat dad?" Tony commented.

"Tony, don't call him that."

Tony just shrugged in reply.

"Tim, can I talk to you for a moment?"

Tim startled at Gibbs' question. Not only did the older man use his first name, but his tone was polite and he asked to talk to him.

"What's going on boss?" he asked.

"Let's go back to the conference room," he suggested.

"Boss, you are really scaring me," Tim stated, listing why he felt that way when his team members all looked at him in alarm.

"C'mon, I'll explain," Gibbs promised, leading the way, Tim following with Tony and Ziva in pursuit.

11-10-2018

What is Gibbs gonna tell McGee? How will McGee react?