Disclaimer: All recognizable characters are the property of their respective copyright holders. No infringement intended. The original characters and places mentioned are the product of the author's imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to those living, dead, or undead is completely coincidental.

Autor's notes:

I've tried to describe the event's 'off screen' tat leaded to the episode "Identidy Crisis." S05E04

I'd like to thanks Ashlia, Paula Galtaroch, Toni M H, DS2010, Lil_Jei.

I'd also like to know what are you thinking about this story. Too slow? Too boring? Please tell me :D :D

Warning: The end's note have a spoiler of today's epidode, read only if you don't mind to read spoiler.

NCISNCISNCISNCIS

Chapter 7

"That went… well… not so good." Tim thought as he leaned against the door that just closed behind him. "What give you the idea that Tony would listen to you?" Tim's thoughts came aloud this time "You! From all people." McGee rubbed his left hand in his face as he pulled himself out of the door.

He walked toward his bedroom just stopping by his computer desk, to slide his bag from his shoulder, right there in the floor, in the right corner of his tiny living room. His lazy pace to the bedroom quite didn't show his eagerness, he didn't know exactly why he was feeling so troubled because if he was honest with himself he got exactly what he wanted. Tony had open up with him, after all, just a little, but it was already more than he was expecting anyway. He already knew how shaken Tony was, how in love he had been, so no news here. The knowledge that Jeanne Benoit had not, actually, left him left him, but asked him to leave with her, was a big surprise though. Not the fact that she had asked it, because this is Tony we are talking about, but the why he had back down...

Tony has said she didn't want him 'DiNozzo', but Tony DiNardo. Tim entered the bedroom stripping down his working clothes as his thoughts drifted out to few minutes ago when he watched Tony's face as the older man spoke his feelings out loud. His countenance was sad, but there was something else he couldn't place it, some uncertainty or consternation…

Tony may have a point, their whole story started with a lie but even if he was playing a role, he did fall in love with her, and she gave him the opportunity to change his life and finally settled down. " I don't do committed relationship very well." He had said and Tim wondered what he was afraid of? Why he thought she would love DiNozzo less then she loved DiNardo? Tim couldn't imagine how someone couldn't love Tony DiNozzo… He sat in his bed and took a sip of the bottle of water he had just take from the fridge… he may be the most annoying person in the world but he was also careful, kind, funny and… oh Gosh… beautiful and hot… too hot.

"Too hot for you Timothy, and too straight." He reminded himself out loud as he laid down and breathed hardly as he did. The image of Tony looking at him in the car as he leaned toward him, Tim closed his eyes and the embarrassment spread all over his face. What was he thinking? Kiss Tony? Was he crazy? Alright, that would definitely shows Tony how much not a Kid he was but that would be the mother of the mess up. He tightened the grip around the bottle he was holding above his belly.

It wasn't bad enough he had messed up with Kelly? No… Tim decided don't go that way, not today. It was late and he was too… too what? Annoyed? Upset? No, he usually didn't think straight when he was off balance. He got up, placed the bottle in the nightstand and laid down again, he had to sleep, his mind would be much more settled after few hours of rest, the warped pillow was uncomfortable beneath his head and he got up, punched it few times in order to make it better and laid down again.

He rolled and hugged the second pillow, then pulled his leg around it as well, then rolled over again, that moves and turns took a while until he finally fell asleep, not more than few hours later, the shrill and annoying noise of the alarm woke him up, he open his eyes but remained motionless for several minutes before turning to his back and brushed his hand over his lazy face in a vain attempt to rouse up, then he dropped his arm over his belly and scanned the empty room around him. On the left side opposite to the bed was his new and modern equipment for steam clothes that he had never used and where the shirt worn yesterday was sloppy thrown over instead, as well as his shoes and paint were undisciplined huddled at the foot of the bed.

The alarm noise were still stinging through his ear, but all Tim could think of, was on Tony's face when he was talking about Jeanne the night before. Tim knew his friend had fallen hard for her, oh hell, that was why he had decided to ask for the movie nights in the first place, but, watching him so wavering just melt Tim down. Oh dammit, all this time they had spent together either watching movies or hanging out, Tony had talked about everything. The time he was a cop in Baltimore, his frat friends up on his teenage years or his boundless issues with his father and how his stepmothers were more present in his life than his own dad. However, the only topic not discussed was Jeanne ... And look at his face as he spoke about her, about how he have failed and how much not hopeful he looked like, Tim couldn't help the tenderness feelings. But thinking of Tony's words and the way he shook his head, and also the calm move of his body the young man wasn't sure if his partner was regret for his decision to stay… or this was just Tim's wish?

Anyway what Tim couldn't understand is why seeing Tony off balance made him so uncomfortable, why the joke about his age left him so unsettled? Tony was the same, the same DiNozzo who always tease him around ... The same one whom was always bragging about his weekly conquests ... so why does see how much Tony had loved Jeanne made him so ... Tim again ran his hand over his face trying to get rid of the thoughts that were beginning to arise in his mind. He sat up in bed and looked at the walls that wrapped his small enclosure. Except for the plasma above the dresser, everything else was white, withered and impersonal. Nor a picture, a photo, or even a curtain, nothing but the huge plush snowman Sara had given him last Christmas. She said it looked like him, Tim remembered how sweet and gentle was his sister gesture and how much amused he was with the comparison of him with such a doll but right now, for some reason, it made him angry.

The alarm clock finally gave up with the insistent noise and Tim found himself wrapped in a tedious and depressing silence, nothing different from all mornings from the last three years, not that Tim had any problem with his place or his life, except that he felt a different discomfort this morning. It was nothing related to the fact that his girlfriend had broken up with him the night before... okay…he had completely forgotten their date for the third time, but broke up with him by phone?Actually, by a message into his inbox phone, after he deliberately don't answer her calling. And, if Tim was honest, his act wasn't really nice and he could totally understand her. It was already clear to him that he and Kelly didn't have much in common as it is, even with all film sessions he had had with Tony, the relationship between him and Kelly wasn't quiet talkative. The sex part was amazing, he couldn't deny that, but other than that was just empty talk.

He stood up and slide his legs out of the bed sitting up on there and once again he looked at the room around him. He should clean up or at least separate the clothes for laundry, Tim remembered of Tony's words about few days ago when they were sitting in this same bed watching a movie.

"Are you in desperate need of a couch Probie." Tony said as he took one hand of popcorn from the container in Tim's hands. The younger man looked at his friend beside him leaning on the back of the bed, sure enough, he had to retorted that one.

"My house is perfectly fine, Tony." And he saw from the corner of his eyes when the Italian smiled widely before continue with his speaking.

"You know McGee you intrigue me." Tony said, but stopped for a few seconds to chew the popcorn in his mouth. Tim turned to face him while his friend kept looking at the plasma. "You're a famous author, made a lot of money publishing a best seller, is extremely intelligent ..." Tony turned his head to look at the blond man next to him in bed, "... and ..." his gaze swept all the way from the corner of McGee's right eye whose light green shone even shyly hiding under his eyelashes, path down through his cheek and square jaw to finally reach the round chin, where Tony carefully stopped to admire the small light moles he had there, on the left side of his chin. Tony always had a soft spot for freckle, and he had a hard time to stop staring it and went on with his eyes traveling down the whole length of Tim's torso. Tim felt his face burn and he was pretty sure it was redden, then he swallowed hard trying to disguise his anxiety of Tony's words. "... Sexy ..." The special agent Anthony DiNozzo concluded and Tim's heart beat effusively ... "sexy?!" Tim repeated half incredulous, half-hopeful and definitely looking forward the bottom of that, which suddenly something seems broke in Tony's mind and suddenly the hoarse tone disappeared breaking the magic and happiness of the young agent "... yeah ... well ... 10 kilos ago, of course, but this is not my point here McGee..." The jocular tone and pranky smile did Tim comes to his senses and roll his eyes trying his best to hide his frustration.

The sound of a car coming from outside, brought Tim back to the present time. He got out of bed and headed for the kitchen. Last night was not a total failure, after all he had finally managed to make Tony open up, and perhaps persuade him to move on. And hopefully he would not need to continue be the Tony's night company and finally go back to play online games, read books and… well does his usual stuffs. Tim felt his stomach tightened and he wondered what the hell was wrong with him? He leaned against the counter behind him, looked at the cereal bowl in his hand then to the apartment around and down again, but this time to his 30 pounds grown belly. That self-awareness made him turned up and placed the container on the sink and headed toward his room, and spent a while moving around, opening and closing drawers, rummaging through the closed until finally reach a box on top of his closed, where he use to keep some old stuff then he found it, he stepped back straightened his body and open the shirt in his hand, his former MIT shirt, not the one he had bought a few years ago, but that the one from back the time when he was still in college.

Yes... this is where he will start, first thing: fit in that shirt again, Tim looked at his watch, better hurry up or he would be late and receive a headslap from Gibbs wasn't definitely part of his plan of a new life, but even as he showered he couldn't kept his mind from think about what he needed. A diet, for sure, with fruits, vegetables ... what else ? He'd need to make some search at the internet, he was formed in biotechnology he could do a suitable diet for himself, wouldn't he? He also need to work out more than he have being doing, of course, but what kind of exercise?

Dance is a good way to lose weight and he used to be a great dancer back than in his childhood , his face brighten with that memory… No, he would need to join a class or something and with his untidy work schedule he would not making it right... box, soccer, swimming or any other kind of thing he should follow a schedule is out of the table as well. Running? That's it! Running was the best way to burn out calories, he could do it pretty much anytime, everywhere and he also could improve his time as his body would became used to it. Tim smiled hopeful and looked down at his closed, he would need to buy new shoes. Would he need new clothes too? No, no, no, his sweatpants and Sweatshirt were ok to that. Tim felt the blood pumping through his veins, he knew it wouldn't be easy, he was never a school athlete like Tony, oh hell, he barely got enough to pass the FLETC and the image of running alone was not so exciting, he pulled his pants up sat in his bed to put his shoes on, but nothing would make him fallback.

Tim thought of Tony, he used to run and he could also give him some tips, he smile widen further at the idea of spend more time with his friend, run together every morning and eventually take coffee together, Tim felt a warm feeling the pleased him more than he wanted or shouldn't, but when he thought of Tony's mocking face and how he would make fun of him, of his extra weight or how hard was for McGee to follow his pace he soon ruled out the option.

No, this was Tim's project, his target and he would do it without anyone's help, anyway if he has been successful last night in no time Tony would be busy with some hot chic in the mornings. Besides, the aim was get rid of Tony as soon as possible. Tim ignored for the second time the tightening in his stomach and, as he drove toward the Navy Yard trying to find a solution to his problem ... because the diet would be easy ... okay ... maybe not so easy, but running alone would be definitely his greatest challenge.

Tim was so distracted in his thoughts that he barely had time to stop the car in time to avoid bump in a small and sweet animal, a Beagle, and after to apologize with his very angry owner, he saw she away followed by the dog.

"Of course!" Tim said to himself, how he hadn't thought on that before? A dog, it would be perfect, he would always be waiting for him when he got home, he would make Tim company when he felt alone and would be the perfect to run with him.

The blond young agent was confident again, he had a goal and a plan.

That's it! Dog, run, diet and a new sexy body.

End Notes (spoiler):

I don't know what do you feel about spoilers, so again, this comment is about the Guest appearence on tonight's episode.

Did you see who is back?

I'm not sure how I feel about Scottie Thomas be back, even as a guest appearence. Well, I like a lot their chemistry (of course I'll always prefer Tim/Tony chemistry over them) but once Tim/Tony will never happen at the screen, she is definetely better than Zoe. But, I like the bad Jeanne, the one who accused him of murder, not the sweet, sweet... really sweet woman. Anyway I have something in my mind about a reunion but as a mean and revengeful person with the goal of make Tony's life a hell (I know I'm evil!) or maybe with some plot that would change Tony's life forever, for instance, he realize she had a son, his son and never have told him... I know this is also mean, but I'd really like to see Tony as a single father, I think he would grown up in a different way. That would be suitable for the screen. Wouldn't be?