Chapter Nine

I don't own NCIS. Took me long enough to get this chapter up eh? I hope you like it originally it was supposes to be the last chapter before the epilog but it got to long and I decided to slit it into two chapters. I hope you all enjoy.

For what seemed like the hundredth time, Tim looked at himself in the mirror and adjusted his tuxedo and silver cufflinks. Stamped with the Navy's crest they had been given too his grandfather by his wife when he retired. They had been his pride before they were given to him when the man had passed and Tim was glad that he had a chance to wear them. The girls plus Tony had taken him out shopping and he enjoyed the outcome. With the weight loss, nothing fit properly and the team had kidnapped him out of Gibbs' house and forced him to get new cloths. His boss was too busy laughing at Tim's plight too be of any help. The three of them had swept in and out a matter of minutes and Tim still suspected that the older man had been in on it, but the results had been outstanding so he couldn't complain. His broad shoulders seem even broader against his slender waist and he had lost the baby faced look from the chemo and from grief. The upside was his hair was growing back though it was blonder then before and finer. He had been warned that might happen with the hair loss from chemo. One of the first stops made was to a tux place. The catcalls and leers when he showed the team his outfit had all but sent the shy agent running back into the change room mortified by their behavior, but he ended up buying it anyway. His friends had then surprised him by helping with the bill.

After grabbing the flowers he bought for Sophie, he headed for the Porsche. It was early but it was a bit of a drive to her house and he want to surprise her with his plans for the weekend. He booked a little getaway just for the two of them starting tomorrow. He still wasn't cleared for anything but light duty and wanted to spend as much time with her as possible before he went back to work full time. He would start that process when he got back. She squealed in delight when he told her then rolled her eyes when she learned that Tobias had been involved in the planning of the trip. The pair had become thick as thieves once the initial awkwardness evaporated and Emily adored him. Sophia suspected that the little girl was already planning their wedding not that she was far off on that count seeing as how serious they were getting. When she went into her bedroom to get changed Tim sat down expecting a long wait but much to his surprise she came out only in a few minutes, having already done her hair and make up, wearing in his opinion the most beautiful dress ever. The royal blue accented her light blue eyes, the mermaid cut hugged her slender frame in all the right places and the neck line gave just a hint of what lay beneath. In short he was stunned. Giggling she closed his mouth for him before offering her arm so she could be escorted to the car.

"Wow your director when all out didn't she," Sophie gasped as they entered the ballroom.

"Director Sheppard wanted every thing to be just right. We've got all the ARMFED agency's here plus about a dozen more who aren't on that list. The team's over in the far corner are you ready to meet them?"

"Sure Tim I'd love to," she replied shyly. He had already gone through this with Tobias's team, but she was unable to meet his due to a case coming up that had them in the office until all hours of the night. Poor man had been so drained afterwards that he had had to take a few days off work. Apparently, his boss had been furious that he had driven himself to that point, and chewed him out. Strolling over Tim smiled at his team. "Hi Boss, Ziva. Sof this is Gibbs, and Ziva. Guys this is Sofia You look great by the way Ziva. Where're the others?"

"Thank you Tim," Ziva smiled. She had been looking at the dress for sometime before Jenny had made her buy it saying the deep orange suited her skin tones and judging by the looks that she was getting other people thought so to. "They are coming this way now, and it is a pleasure to meet you at last Sophia. I am glad that Tim has found someone that cares about him as much as you."

"Thank you Ziva. Tim talks about you and the rest of the team a lot," she replied glad that they seemed to be so accepting of her.

"How'd you two meet?" Gibbs asked enjoying the look of pure bliss coming from the young man. He hadn't been able to meet her before now but watching him in the days following finding out about his girlfriend Gibbs knew that she was good for him and that's why he had been so willing to give Tobias the run around.

"Livie introduced us. When Tim's first round of chemo started she dragged me down to meet him and we've been going out ever since," Sophia told them tenderly as the rest of the group arrived.

"Yeah that little girl really brought people together," Tony said as he and the others approached their friends. After squeezing Tim's shoulder in support he smiled bashfully trying to think of a way to introduce his girlfriend, both Gibbs and Ziva were looking at him with barely disguised looks of surprise on their faces. Tim smirked at his best friends' squirming a moment before saving the introductions.

"Hi Marnie, good to see you again," he covered. The surprise was reasonable she was not the usual Tony type girlfriend. She was very petite, barely coming up to his shoulder and was somewhat reserved.

"Have we met before," Ziva asked brow furrowed in confusion trying to place the woman's face.

"I just transferred to headquarters a few months ago. I work up stairs in INTEL," she offered.

"Yes now I remember," Ziva exclaimed. "You helped us with some analysis."

"Yes, that's how I meet Tony. Then when I heard that Tim was diagnosed cancer I wanted to offer my support. I have a sister who's struggling with her own battle so I know how hard it can watching those we love fight for their lives," she explained.

"I'm glad to finely meet the women who managed to make an honest man out of DiNozzo," Gibbs smiled enjoying the blush that was creeping its way across his senior agents face. He had known that the man had had a girlfriend long before the get together at his house, it had reflected in the mans life both in and outside of work. He wanted Tony to be comfortable enough to tell him on his own so he waited and it seemed to be paying off. He then put on his best scowl and turned to the man saying, "You treat that girl of yours right Tony hear me?"

"Yes Boss," he replied blushing even harder. The teasing was embarrassing but in a good way. It showed that Boss was not only accepting of Marnie but also happy for him and was not mad at being left out.

"I have to powder my nose, would you ladies care to join me?" Abby asked wanting a closer look at the two women. With that the four of them disappeared.

"Should I be worried?" Tony had too ask.

"Very," Tim told him with a scared look on his face.

"They'll be fine the girls just want to have a talk with them," Gibbs smirked.

"Yeah Boss that's what we're afraid of. The four of them talking about us," Tim replied causing Gibbs and Ducky to laugh at the pair.

"Probie's right it was bad enough with just Ziva and Abby knowing dirt on us, but now they're talking to the women in our lives. Now, they're knowing things about us and I don't want Marnie knowing things about me," Tony babbled trying to get his point across.

"Oh dear Anthony has it bad doesn't he Jethro? Jethro?" Ducky stopped in confusion and looked at his old friend growing worried at the mans odd reaction. The former marine was looking hard at his senior agent, who suddenly found his shoes very interesting.

"Anthony I'm proud of you," he said tipping the man's chin up so their eyes meet. "You've grown in incredible ways, and I'm glad to have watched it. Marnie is a beautiful young woman that I will be happy to have as a daughter-in-law when the time comes."

"Do you really think she'd say yes Boss?" Tony pleaded glad that his surrogate father could read him so easily.

"I don't think DiNozzo I know," he smiled. "Just wished I'd known sooner."

"Wanted to make sure I wasn't going to screw things up," Tony mumbled.

"Not with Marnie," Tim assured him. "You've been in love with her from the moment you two met. It's just taken you this long to figure that out bonehead."

"Hey I've covered for you," Tony protested before blowing a raspberry at his friend.

"That's not nice Tony," Colleen McGee laughed as she walked up to the group of men.

"Ya Tony not nice," Tim smirked before giving her a hug hello.

"Well I'm quite sure that what ever you said to Tony was not all that polite either Tim," Tom smirked as he joined the group.

"Dad you're here," Tim exclaimed embracing his father.

"Not for long the Seahawk is going out soon," was the reply.

"Why the Seahawk? She has an XO," Tim asked confused. In fact they were good friends.

"That's true, but I'm not going as her XO, but as the Seahawk's captain," he smiled.

"That's great dad," Tim replied before enveloping his father in anther embrace.

When the women came back Tim gave Ziva a questioning look, Abby was subdued and he wanted to know why. Both Sophia and Marnie looked a little put out them selves. Ziva just gave a slight head shake before asking Ducky to dance. That seemed to be the signal because all of sudden both he and Tony some how ended up on the dance floor themselves with their respective girlfriends. His dad quickly caved into the look on his mother's face and they too were on the dance floor. Tim stifled a laugh as he watched Director Sheppard flirt with Gibbs until he led her to the floor as well. The two were meant to be together even if they hadn't figured it out yet.

Looking back at Sophia Tim though he knew what it felt like to drown, he was so lost in her eyes. All else faded from his view and the only thing he could hear over the pounding of his heart beat was the faint strains of the waltz that sent them fleeting over the dance floor. When the music faded all together reality seemed to snap back into place reminding them that they weren't alone. As applause rang out in enjoyment of their performance Tim leaned down and whispered I love you into her ear. The I love you too felt like it resonated in his whole being and one look at Sophia's face told him that she felt the same.

After a few minutes Tobias swept his sister away for a dance. Unsure of what too do with himself Tim's eyes scanned the room. Tony and Marnie were dancing again. Ziva had claimed Jimmy as a partner and he was proving to be a really good dancer. Who knew? Jenny was dancing with Ducky and Gibbs was talking to someone. Everyone was lost to their own little world, so Tim wandered around having a word or two with people he knew from work or the hospital. Yet he still felt restless and even if his mind wouldn't allow the reason to come forth his heart knew why. That's how he found himself standing beside Abby as she stared out the window.

"Hey Abs."

"Don't you hey me mister I'm mad at you."

"For what?"

"You know what and I expect you to fix it."

"Ah dating Sophie. You won't like how I fix it Abby."

"Well why not?"

"I'm going to ask to her marry me on the weekend. You can either accept that or not, but it's still going to happen."

"You're not allowed to love anyone but me," Abby snapped.

"Doesn't work like that," Tim replied before kissing her on the cheek and walked away.

Gibbs gave him an odd look when he found out that Abby had left right after the talk he had had with her. Forcing himself to ignore it Tim swept Sofia away for another dance. Latter that evening Director Sheppard announced that the money raised exceed 1.5 million dollars. When the applauses finished she called up Livies parents and Tim to accept the check. Exhausted Tim slipped out a side exist too a small foyer he had noticed earlier and sat down in one of the over stuffed leather chairs he still wasn't totally back to normal and it showed. Absently stroking the leather he decided that he needed on for his writing. His musing was broken by Gibbs sitting down in the chair beside him.

"I'm still starting my qual's Boss," Tim told the man.

"You don't have to rush Tim your body needs time to recover from what it went through. Nobody expects you to be a hundred percent right away," Gibbs replied.

"With the rumors? I have to prove them wrong that I deserve to be on your team," he got out in a rush.

"Oh Tim that's why you're rushing? Some idiot who'll never make field agent? You'll always be on my team, you're mine remember?"

"I know Boss it's just that I'm not as strong as Tony or Ziva and…"

"Bullshit you're not," Gibbs interrupted. "You are just as strong as they are."

"But I still get tired easy and I've lost any muscle tone I gained at the gym," Tim argued.

"How much time did Tony spend sleeping on Abby's futon after the plague?"

"A lot I guess," he answered trying not to flinch at the Goths name.

"Hell," he cussed which did cause the young man to flinch away from him. "No Tim this isn't your fault you go and ask that girl to marry you and come Monday you'll start your qual's just don't expect me to use you in the field till I know you're not going to pass out on me. Got that?"

"Yeah got that Boss," Tim smiled back wondering how the man had known about the weekend and that he had been planning on asking Sofie to marry him. "And I'll make up with Abby."

"No you won't," he was informed.

"Boss?"

"She will apologize for her behavior and make it up to you not the other way around, and don't worry I'll make sure Abby doesn't give you a hard time. You deserve better then what you have gotten in the past Tim."

"Thanks for everything I don't know if I would have been able to get through this without you dad," Tim whispered in the older mans ear.

"Your welcome son," he whispered back. It was a few minuets before either one of them was composed enough to head back inside. When they did Tim swept Sofie away for another dance and Gibbs went to the bar for a bourbon.

"Everything alright with Tim Jethro," Fornell asked.

"Yeah it is Tobias," he replied. Gibbs smirked a little it was strange hearing his friend call his youngest agent by his first name let alone be concerned about the man.

"Good he's a great kid and is even an alright guy for my sister to be with. I don't want to see either of them hurt."

"You won't I'll make sure off it," Gibbs told him knowing that an alright guy meant that no one but Tim was good enough for her.

"Good," was the simple reply.

The two friends talked the rest of the night laughing at their teams' antics and occasionally braking up DiNozzo and Sacks. People once and awhile looked over at the two and wondered how they got on so well with each other, it was only a hand full of people who know that they weren't talking about their respective teams but their children.