A/N: Hey every one! Ok so all I can say is that I am so, so, so, so sorry for the really long delay in getting this chapter out to you. I really wanted to say thank you for all the awesome reviews you all gave me, and that I really enjoyed reading them. Also wanted to say thanks to my beta.

So here it is. Don't be afraid to send me a review and tell me what you think. I hope you all enjoy.

Disclaimer—I don't own.

Chapter 11

Rethinking

McGee sat at his desk, watching as a combination of words and numbers flowed over his screen.

The sheer complexity of the code that he was running was to him, mind-boggling. He had admitted to himself several days ago, that he had been severely underestimating DiNozzo the whole time that he had known him. He had done something that he knew better than to do. He had underestimated him in everything, his professionalism, his education, and his personal life. Everything! McGee was finding it very hard still, to reconcile his Tony with the person who was slowly coming out into the light. He did smile a little at the thought of a nerdy Tony. In his mind's eye it was a most amusing image. This image surprisingly took the form of that picture that they had found of Tony when they had accidentally mixed up bags.

McGee suddenly realized that the real Tony had always been there, just hidden under the surface. He just hadn't taken the time or consideration to look any closer. Feeling even worse now than he had been, McGee thought back to the conversation that he and Tony had, had earlier as they were setting up the surveillance equipment.

~~Flash Back~~

McGee looked up in surprise when the door to MTAC suddenly opened and closed, and a harried looking Tony leaned heavily against the closed door, looking extremely relieved to be there. Not wanting to sound rude, and momentarily forgetting the new information that he possessed about Tony, casually asked, "What are you doing up here Tony?"

Realizing by the flash of indignation that crossed his partner's face, that he may have just insulted him, McGee quickly covered for him-self by adding, "I thought you were meeting with your doctors."

With his intentional sarcasm on the words doctors McGee saw his friend relax a little and sag more against the door. Tony finally made his way down the ramp saying, "You mean my guards. I was, but then I escaped while they weren't looking, so I could come up here to see if I could help you set this up." Tony looked at McGee with an air of desperation in his eyes and with a hint of begging in his voice said, "I'm bored stiff McGoo! My keepers are insisting that I 'rest' as much as I can."

At that McGee loudly snorted his amusement. The chances of Tony resting when something this big was happening under normal circumstances was zilch, and this was made doubly so since these were extraordinary.

He laughed outright when Tony went on with, "I know! I'm ready to lock them all in a closet somewhere and erase the key code until this whole thing is over!"

McGee just shook his head. This was a side of his partner that he wasn't used to seeing and even though he wished the circumstances were different he found himself really liking this more serious Tony and he found himself appreciating the more serious humor. He realized that maybe Tony was right and that he; himself, just needed to lighten up a little.

McGee knew that he was a serious kind of person.

Always had been and always would be.

He was beginning to understand that the juvenile behavior and childish pranks were just Tony's way of coping with all the shit that life had dumped on him. Tim found himself giving his friend a lot of credit. He wasn't sure that he could have gone through everything that Tony had and come out of it with his sanity. In fact knowing himself like he did, he would hazard a guess and say that if put in the same circumstances he would have become a very bitter person.

On impulse Tim turned his chair around and asked, "How did you cope with it all?"

Tony acted as if he hadn't heard McGee's question. In fact McGee was about to ask it again when Tony finally said, "I'm not sure that I have Tim . . . I'm not sure that I have."

~~~End Flash Back~~~

Tim had been shocked to say the least. The complexity of his friend kept amazing him. The most frustrating thing for McGee was that looking back he could clearly see it. Tony had shown little bits of his true self on every case. Making important connections and leaps of intuition, not because of some stroke of dumb luck, but because of true and genuine intelligence and compounded personal experiences that gave him a wealth of examples to compare to.

McGee was literally kicking himself.

He should have recognized Tony's true potential just from his ability to quote movies alone. McGee knew that no matter how hard he tried he could barely remember anything from the movies that he watched. Still it was hard to merge the two Tony's into one.

McGee once again turned his attention back to the computer screen. The code sequence, which Tony had put in the computer for him before he was inevitably dragged away by his ever-constant watchdogs, was now casting an eerie glow around the darkened room of MTAC, could only be called pure brilliance. The pure simplicity of it still took McGee's breath away and yet it was able to break through many of the leading nation's security codes in seconds and breach firewalls in a matter of minutes.

Giving McGee access to any and all surveillance cameras that he needed in Bermuda.

McGee didn't realize that he was falling asleep until a very large cup of his favorite blend of coffee, from his favorite coffee shop was stuck under his nose jolting him awake. He leaned back in his chair and taking a deep breath rubbed his hands over his face and through his hair. He looked over expecting to see Ducky or someone, not Jenny from the other team. McGee instantly chided himself for thinking that way. They were acting like a pair of squabbling parents fighting over who got the child on which holiday. Trying to seem less hostile McGee smiled at her and said wearily, "Thanks. I didn't realize how tired I was until just now."

"You're welcome." She replied with a smile. "Tony told me to get you some about right now."

McGee smiled and shook his head while enjoying the first sip of his coffee. Jenny seemed just as entranced by the code running as he was. She slowly shook her and whistled lowly. Leaning back in her chair she smiled and absently said, "He really is something else isn't he?"

McGee nodded and hesitantly asked, "What was Tony like when you worked with him?"

Jenny sat there thinking pensively for a few moments before she slowly said, "Well he . . . he was a lot more reserved but he was also more open. Does that make sense?" she asked with a confused look on her face.

"I don't know." McGee replied with a shake of his head, "Can you give me an example?" he asked.

"He was not quite as boisterous and exaggerated as he is now; but I have noticed that he hides more of his true feelings than he did back then." Replied Jenny thoughtfully.

McGee nodded in agreement. It was true that Tony was a master at hiding his feelings and deflection. Gibbs seemed to be the only one who could really get a read on the younger man and he was the only one that Tony felt completely comfortable being honest with.

McGee let out a silent sigh. He was feeling tired and frustrated by everything that had been happening, and if this was how he was feeling then he couldn't even begin to imagine how Tony was feeling.

McGee sighed it was just going to be one of those things that were going to take time to work out. It was essentially like meeting Tony for the first time all over again. They all had to become acquainted with this new Tony and McGee secretly felt happy that it was the same for the old team as well. They were having to get used to the new Tony and for all of them it was definitely not an easy thing to do. McGee hated to sound so petty but he figured if they were all on uncharted waters then at least they had an even playing ground.

~NCIS~NCIS~NCIS~

7:00am:

Tony blearily sat up on the edge of the futon. He shook his head cursing the lingering haziness that always accompanied on of Ducky's homemade sleeping aids. "Chamomile tea my ass" grumbled Tony under his breath as he once again tried to shake the remaining cobwebs from his mind. He made a mental note to not ever accept a drink from Ducky unless he had watched him make it.

He wouldn't put it past Rock to have been in on it. In fact; remembering Rocks slightly smug look as he drank their concoction, he was pretty damn sure of it.

He stopped himself from getting up right away and looked around cautiously to make sure he really was alone. Not seeing any one was not a guarantee that he was really alone. One too many times he had made that mistake and now was always extra cautious in case anyone should decide that it was a good idea to suddenly appear next to him in mid transfer. He wasn't sure why but Ducky had suddenly become very cautious, not allowing him to hardly do anything.

After waiting a few minutes he carefully stood next to the futon with the aid of his crutches.

He hated them.

Hated everything they implied, the weakness that they represented. Taking a deep breath he forced himself to push those thoughts from his mind. It would serve no good for him to suddenly spiral into a self-loathing depression. He steadied himself by promising himself a break down once he was back in the privacy of his own home, without the watchful eyes of his friends on him.

He smiled slightly at the thought of having peace and quiet. It had been a long time since he had been well and truly on his own. He hadn't really been dating since the whole Jeanne thing happened. He figured if he could lose three great women in his lifetime then he figured that there must be something wrong with him and he determined that he wasn't going to even risk putting him-self or any other woman at risk again. So instead of being the man about town that he proclaimed himself to be, he had been working in the evenings; coming back in after the team had left, and coming in early before they had gotten there. Or if he had nothing to do at work he would help out his elderly neighbors, doing different handy work around their apartments for them that their landlord never seemed to have the time to take care of. Every once in a while if they caught him in the right mood at the right time, he might watch the next-door neighbors kids for them while they had an evening out. He both loved and hated to do it, it reminded him of what he had, had and what he had lost . . . 'STOP!' He chastised himself, 'You cannot go there!' He took another deep breath and shook himself to clear his mind and focus.

He needed to be focused and on point. There were no other options; if he couldn't hold it together then Gibbs wouldn't let him perform the interrogation, and as it was Tony was under no delusions about being able to do it alone. No he was fairly sure that Gibbs would make sure that he was in that interrogation room with him; no questions asked.

Straightening his shoulders and immersing into his pre-undercover mentality, Tony morphed into the persona he would need to be in order, to deal with everything the day was sure to throw at him. Checking his reflection in the glass windows, he headed out of the lab with an air of determination.

TBC . . .