Aftermath

A/N:- Thanks for the latest reviews! For all those who have so kindly stayed with me on this story, there are six more chapters to come, including this one. I hope you enjoy!

Chapter Fourteen – Biting the Bullet

If all the world's troubles could be solved with coffee, cookies, and simple straight-talking – hell, Gibbs mused through a mouthful of finest Maryland, life in that world would be so much easier.

Still, he'd leave that unenviable task to the UN – let them find solutions to the seemingly impossible. Besides, he was still struggling to solve just one problem, let alone a whole planet's.

That problem's greatest burden was still weighing far too heavily on Tim McGee's shoulders – the resignation in his voice speaking volumes for the nightmare which continued to haunt his conscience.

"I – I know it sounds crazy, boss, but I just wish I knew, for sure if-if I was the one who killed him. If – If I just knew for sure, one way or the other, then at least I could start to accept it, and move on. And I know Abby's run every test she could on it, but this not knowing, boss, this uncertainty, it's-"

"-still bugging Abs as much as you," Gibbs cut on softly, running a tired hand through his hair – this inadvertent vent of frustration now providing him, just as unexpectedly, with a crucial breakthrough.

It started with two wide eyes, passed through open-mouthed shock, and ended with an astonished question

"You – You mean she's still trying to process it?"

Okay, so he'd not expected it, but... hell, right now, Gibbs would happily take any break he could get. In fact, he was even smiling slightly as he watched a pensive frown set itself into Tim McGee's face.

It meant that special bond with Abby had kicked in, and gone straight into protective boy-scout overdrive.

Even though they weren't officially together any more, Gibbs knew they were still the closest of friends. Abby just had to bat that shadowed lashes at him, and her sweet, chivalrous Timmy was pure putty in her hands

And if Tim McGee thought, for one second, that she was upset, or unhappy, because of him – well, however upset and unsettled he felt himself, he'd just never stand for that.

So Gibbs knew what McGee's response would be, long before it came stammering out of his mouth

"And she's... I – I mean, is she- um... is she okay, boss? I – I mean, it isn't bugging her too much... is it?"

He'd tried, so hard, to sound casual. Unfortunately, Tim McGee just didn't have the face for it. And, to Gibbs' quiet amusement, the telltale blush which now crept into his cheeks didn't help either.

Yeah, the kid had it bad alright. Your face didn't turn that red, that fast, without a damn good reason. And it couldn't just be coincidence that mentioning Abby had made him colour up like a beetroot

For entertainment value, if nothing else, he'd definitely need to keep an eye on these two – assuming, of course, that Tim McGee didn't walk away from the most precious blessing he'd ever have.

Walking out on your career was forgiveable – just. Walking out on the woman who loved you wasn't.

With more reason than ever now, to keep the boy on his team, Gibbs then grew more serious – keeping his voice carefully gentle, but still firm and meaningful enough to make his point.

"Well, she's a scientist, McGee, just like you. And she knows how much that killshot means to you. She's the best there is, Tim. If there's a way to prove who fired that bullet, she'll find it."

"Yeah, boss, I know," Tim smiled, if rather wearily back at him, as he sighed and shook his head – uncannily echoing the same, gentle reality check that Gibbs had made to Abby himself, just days before.

"But however brilliant she is, boss, she – she can't work miracles. She-She can't find what isn't there.

Like you say, boss, I'm a scientist too, so I know what our technology can do, and also what it can't. I know she's run that bullet through every test I've used myself, and others that I didn't knew existed. And if trying to prove that killshot's upsetting her that much, boss, then... no, I – I can't put her through that."

He'd spoken typically quietly, and Gibbs had frowned at the slur of tiredness in his voice.

But then he smiled again as that tiredness, and the self-doubt beyond it, cleared from Tim McGee's eyes – his next words reflecting the same acceptance which took him a crucial step further in his recovery.

"I - I know she wants those answers, boss, as much as I do, but until the technology's there to find them... well, I guess we both just need to take what we have right now, and learn to live with it."

There'd been many times that Gibbs wished he'd shown how proud he was of his team. The title of special agent didn't come easily, and respect from Jethro Gibbs was even harder to earn.

But he'd been rarely so proud, or so impressed by Tim McGee's character, as he was right now. And for the first time in several days, Gibbs could allow himself a genuine, cautiously hopeful smile.

It had been brutally hard for him, but Tim McGee was finally starting to accept what he'd been through. He'd started to recognise the things he could do, things he had to do, to let him move on from it.

More importantly, he'd also recognised the things that, for now, he couldn't do anything to change. And, from that crucial acceptance, the chance of keeping this very special agent on his team had just come a little bit closer.