Tim walked into the bullpen the next morning and found Tony at his desk. "Morning, Tony."

"Hey, Tim. "Where were you yesterday? You didn't go to another bar the night before, did you?" Tony asked.

Tim rolled his eyes. "No. Why do people keep asking me that. Gibbs asked me the same thing when I called out."

"Well, you and Kate were both out so I figured you got drunk and Kate decided to stay with you," Tony said.

"Well, you were wrong. I was with Kate and our other sister, but we were just working through some things," Tim said.

"Wait, so you guys are talking now?" Tony asked surprised. The last he knew, Tim and Kate were still estranged. Tim had been so angry and hurt a couple of days ago that he got uncharacteristically drunk. He wanted nothing to do with Kate. That had obviously changed.

"Yeah, we're talking, Tim said without elaborating.

Tony waited for him to go on, but he didn't. "That's it? That's all you're gonna give me?"

"Why do I have to give you anything? It's none of your business," Tim said.

"I'm just curious here. One day you want nothing to do with your sisters and the next you're taking the day off to talk to them," Tony said. It just didn't make any sense, not unless something major happened.

"We'll, that's how siblings are. We fight like hell one minute and we support each other the next. At the end of the day, they're still my sisters. It's as simple as that," Tim said. While it was true that he had been angry at Kate and Rachel for a long time, he still loved them. He wouldn't have been so hurt and angry if he hadn't.

"Oh, come on, Tim don't give me that. Something else is going on here," Tony said.

"Back off, Tony," Tim said in a hard tone.

Just then, Kate walked through the bullpen towards her desk. Morning,Tony, baby brother."

Tim groaned. "Must you call me that in public?"

"I could always call you what I did when you were a child," Kate said with a smirk.

Tim's eyes widened in horror. "Don't you dare!"

This was normally where Tony would try to squeeze out the obvious embarrassing information, but he was too baffled by the scene in front of him. It was like Tim had done a complete one eighty."

Kate noticed the shocked look on Tony's face and smirked. "Baby brother, I think we broke him."

Tim smiled. I think you're right, Kate," Tim said.

Just then, Tim's phone rang. He immediately picked it up. "McGee. Hey, Penny."

Kate scowled slightly when she heard who her brother was talking to. She still wasn't happy that the woman had outed her to Tim. It had alright so far, but she still hadn't wanted him to know. Penny had no right to tell him.

"No, you're not interrupting anything important. I just got to work. Lunch? "Yeah, okay, as long as no cases come up. Okay, I'll see you then," Tim said before hanging up the phone.

"She wants to see you?" Kate asked.

"Yeah, I kind of left her hanging the other night. She probably just wants to make sure everything is okay," Tim said.

"I'm coming with you," Kate said. She had a few choice words for her brother's grandmother.

Tim groaned. "Kate."

"I'm going, Tim," Kate said firmly

Tim sighed. "Fine."

"Wait, is his grandmother yours too?" Tony asked curiously.

"No," Kate said simply.

"She's my father's mother," Tim said.

"Yeah, McDuh, I got that when she said no," Tony said sarcastically.

Kate narrowed her eyes at Tony. "What did you just call my brother?" It wasn't a bad insult. Hell, it wasn't really an insult at all, but if this was any indicator, he'd probably said much worse. She was not going to let it slide.

"Kate, it's fine. He's just messing around. Besides, he's said worse. And that probably wasn't the thing to say," Tim realized too late. Kate had always been very protective over him. Some might say overly so, but then those some didn't have to live with the Admiral.

"Overprotectiveness doesn't suit you, Kate. Been gone a bit too long, haven't you?" Tony asked bitingly.

"Tony!" Tim exclaimed.

"Oh. Tim, take a walk," Kate said, her eyes never leaving Tony's.

"Are you crazy? I'm not going anywhere," Tim said. The things they we're saying in front of him were bad enough. He didn't want to know what would happen if he left. He wasn't sure which one he was more worried for. He didn't want Tony giving his sister a hard time about the past and remind her about what happened to her. On the other hand, Kate had experience dealing with guys like Tony long before she joined any kind of law enforcement agency. He still. remembered what was left of one of the older boys on base who'd bullied him after Kate was done with him. She would eat Tony alive.

Kate gave her brother a look that would give Gibbs a run for his money.

Tim winced. He hadn't been on the receiving end of that look since he was a child. Somehow it still got to him. "This is ridiculous, so ridiculous in that I need to leave so I don't have to deal with it." Yes, he was lying to himself to make it seem like he had a choice,

Kate chuckled. "Yeah, that's why."

Tim scowled before getting up and walking towards the elevator.

Kate glared at Tony. "Okay, Tony, time to get all our cards on the table."

"Fine. How about you tell me what you did to him? How'd you get Tim to forgive you for leaving him?" Tony asked with a glare.

"That's none of your damn business. My relationship with my brother is between us and no one else," Kate said firmly.

"Oh, but it's okay for you to question the things I say to him?" Tony said. That had to be one of the most hypocritical things he'd ever heard.

"Yeah, you're damn right it is. That is my baby brother. I have made it my life's mission to protect him. That's not going to change because he's aged. He's still mine and I will still look out for him," Kate said firmly. She'd never let anyone take advantage of her brother or treat him less than he deserved and she'd be damned if that started now.

"And who's gonna protect him from you? I'm not the reason he got wasted a few days ago," Tony shot back.

Kate fought the guilt that threatened to take over. "Tony, I very grateful that you were there for my brother that night, but that doesn't mean that you get to question our relationship, and it certainly doesn't mean I'll let you make fun of him."

"It was a joke!" Tony exclaimed. "It was't even a real insult,"

"I don't care. I don't find jokes at my brother's expense funny. Now, I don't know how you treated him before now and you should pray I never find out, but it ends now. You don't want to find out what I do to people who hurt him," Kate said before standing up from her desk and walking away.