Title: Solace
Rating: K+
Main Character/s: Timothy McGee
Summary: After a rough case, an old comfort comes back and leads to a new one.
Warning: Fluff :)
Solace
The elevator opened and Tim walked into the garage. They were finally finished with the Leona Phelps case and he couldn't be happier. The woman was evil. He didn't understand how someone could knowingly take hardworking people's money, all to buy everything her greedy fingers could touch. Just so she could have it. All for it to just go in warehouses.
He walked over to the item that's been calling to him since they brought it over. They hadn't only brought the writing desk from the warehouse but also a few other things as a fight between the heist team had taken place and a few spatters of blood had gotten on a few things. One piece was a cloth but what the cloth covered was what he wanted.
Tim gently removed the fresh sheet that had been placed over the item and stared at the beautiful Essex grand piano. It wasn't an antique or even way too expensive like everything else Phelps had. It was just a functioning and well made Essex.
Tim walked closer and trailed his fingers over the wood, gently lifting the lid and keeping it up. He took a seat on the bench and lifted the cover. The white keys stood out greatly against the black keys and the black wood.
His fingers hovered over the keys, years of time between now and the last time he played. But as his fingers found the right keys, it all came back and he could hear the strings as his fingers played.
"Thank you."
"I was just doing my job, ma'am."
"No, for calling us to see Tim."
Gibbs stared at Susan McGee and he could easily tell where Tim got his looks from. The soft face, pouty bottom lip, and green eyes; though Gibbs could silent admit that he thought Tim's were better.
He had watched the rest of the recording of Phelps' victims and saw a couple that instantly grabbed his attention. The McGees. It explained a lot.
Tim was a good natured person and still had an innocence when it came to things, so his reaction to the case hadn't been too shocking. It was the way he spoke to Phelps when they had visited her in prison. Because, really, it didn't matter what a woman did or does, he always treated a woman with respect. Hell, he treated those women in that prison, women that were threatening to harm him, probably the nicest they've been treated in a long time. But when they questioned Phelps, he had shown hate and a bit of disgust. If it had been anyone else he would have worried if he would hit the woman.
So when he saw that his parents were victims of Phelps, he understood the feelings the younger man had for the woman. And he called them to come visit him. Now he just had to find the young man.
"I'm just glad you could make it. I think he could use it."
"Is he alright?" Dan McGee asked.
"Just the case," he assured before looking to his agents and Abby. When Tony saw that Tim's parents were there, he had called down to her and she had come running up, babbling on and on about something until Gibbs put a stop to it. He loved Abby, he really did, but she was a bit much sometimes and this was one of those times. They were there for Tim. "Anyone see McGee?"
"Yeah, looking right at two, Boss," Tony grinned and Gibbs looked at him to let him know that he was lucky he was across the bullpen or he would be getting head-slapped. Tony thankfully kept the wisecracks silent as Abby spoke.
"He mentioned going to the garage for something, he's probably still there."
Nodding, he led the parents to the elevator, and after seeing the puppy looks the other three were giving him, he rolled his eyes and motioned them to join them. Dan and Susan chuckled as they raced over and they all made their way down.
As soon as the doors opened, they were graced with the beautiful sound of a piano. Looking at each other, they made their way out and around the corner to see Tim sitting at the grand piano they had brought in the previous day, playing.
Susan covered her gasp and Gibbs looked at her to see her smiling. "Divenire," she whispered and continued to watch Tim along with the rest of them.
Tim lost himself in the music, the song coming from both memory and heart. It was his favorite and playing it for the first time in years, it was like he never stopped playing. He could hear the violins, the cellos, and the double bass.
Gibbs watched as Tim's fingers slowly played the keys, holding a few down while his other hand played another. And suddenly the song got faster and higher, almost playful and Tim's fingers flew. And he wondered if the computer helped with that or if it was the other way around.
The song was beautiful; one minute soft, slow, and sweet, and then the next faster and happier. Tim came to a part where the notes were spaced and slow, almost unheard in its softness and he could tell that the others thought it was over but Susan stopped Abby from going into an enthusiastic clap when Gibbs heard why. It was building back up with every few notes and he watched Tim's fingers really speed up as the sound carried throughout the garage.
And suddenly it stopped.
Susan started clapping, the other joining, and that's when Tim finally looked up to see them. Gibbs watched the surprise fill Tim's eyes at both being caught and seeing his parents.
"Mom? Dad?"
"Tim!"
Susan walked over with Dan following and embraced her son in a hug that Tim seemed to melt into. The young man looked up at Dan and gave a small smile which Dan returned and he too joined the hug. Just when Gibbs was about to tell his people to give them a moment, the McGees broke up and turned to them.
"Uh," Tim started while rubbing the back of his neck, "how much of that did you guys hear?"
"Most of it Probie," Tony grinned. "Who knew you could play like that?"
"It was beautiful Tim," Ziva said in her way of saying that she was surprised, impressed, and still loved him for being him. They really had the brother sister relationship that Gibbs was proud to see. Ziva deserved to have someone like Tim in her life and Gibbs knew she secretly treasured it.
"Why didn't you tell us you could play?" Abby demanded with a grin.
Tim shrugged with a blush that Gibbs wanted to see how far it went. "Never came up and I haven't played since high school. My parents wanted me involved with something in school and not stuck in my room on my computer all the time, so I tried something that seemed natural to me. Hitting keys. I joined the orchestra and learned the piano. Turns out I can pick it up real well."
"Yeah," Abby chuckled, "we saw. It was great."
"Uh, thanks. So, why are you here again?" he asked up to his parents.
"Agent Gibbs called us to tell us about your recent case and besides, we wanted to see you."
Tim looked over to Gibbs and saw the way the older man was looking at him. There was surprise at finding him playing the piano but there was also worry and trying to hide that he in fact went searching for his parents' number and finding them. It meant a lot from the man that he had long ago fell in love with and sent him a smile of gratitude. Gibbs nodded back and Tim saw his lips twitch up in a small smile that had Tim beaming back.
He turned back to his parents and asked, "You want to go to dinner? I'll buy."
"Oh, honey, you don't have to," his mother protested.
"Actually," Gibbs cut in, "you're welcome to come over and have dinner at my house. I got a grill and I can quickly pick up some extra food."
Tim again beamed at his boss. He knew his parents couldn't afford to go out after losing all their money, it was why he offered to buy. But this way, Tim also didn't have to spend his money which some of it went to his parents to help. He would question his boss' sudden niceness later while the others stared at Gibbs surprised which was legitimate. The man didn't do spontaneous and never had them all over at once, most likely afraid what they could all end up doing to his home while his back was turned.
He smiled at his parents reassuringly. "That sounds great. Besides, I want you to get to know my family away from home."
His mother smiled back. "That sounds wonderful Tim. Thank you Agent Gibbs."
"No problem," Gibbs said back but his eyes were on Tim.
Everyone was in the backyard laughing and talking, Ducky and Palmer had quickly joined the spontaneous dinner at Gibbs' house when they heard about it and also heard that they could meet Tim's parents. Tim didn't know how many times he blushed through the night with some of the stories his parents told, but it felt good whenever Tony said something that would send him and Tim into a banter.
It was sad to think that he couldn't remember the last time he and his team had had such a carefree and fun time together. And looking to Gibbs, he was thinking the same thing as he looked around the smiling and laughing group.
Tim offered to get everyone more drinks as he got up to get some and Gibbs got up to offer as everyone wanted more. Tim knew that there was going to be a major sleepover at Gibbs' house with the fact that everyone was drinking, minus Ducky who had one glass of wine hours ago. He headed into the kitchen and moved around to fill the glasses along with Gibbs. They moved silently and without a hitch.
"I…" he cleared his throat as he was suddenly nervous being alone with Gibbs, "I wanted to thank you for inviting my parents. It's been a while since I've seen them."
"Hey, it's no problem Tim." He looked up at that and something in Gibbs' eyes had his breath hitching. Gibbs' hand rose to brush some of his hair back and caress his cheek. "I care about you and want to see you happy."
Taking a leap, and because he really wanted to, he slowly leaned forward and slightly down as he was about two inches taller than Gibbs and pressed his lips to Gibbs'. They were slightly chapped and there was no raw passion. It was testing and soft and Tim loved every second of it.
Tim pressed a little closer and felt a spark lit inside him when Gibbs pressed closer and had to pull back after a while before anything got out of hand. They weren't alone after all.
"Come on," Gibbs said, motioning his head to the back door.
"Right behind you," he replied and followed Gibbs out to his family.
It was all he needed.
The End.
A/N: Inspired by Divenire. Go to youtube and look up Ludovico Einaudi - "Divenire" - Live at Royal Albert Hall London. It's wonderful and if you like him, I highly recommend listening to his other music. It's great. :)
PLEASE REVIEW! They're appreciated.
