A/N: First off, HUGE thanks to all the reviewers. I had two choices: respond to reviews individually, or get a chapter up. And that's how it's been for a week or so now. So, thanks so much- I appreciate all the kind words :)

Secondly, it took a while to get this written out, due to the...embarrassing nature for Tony. There was much contemplating... I hope it was worth it. Enjoy!

11 00 11 00 11

McGee had been caught up in the movie for a while now, but glanced over at Tony, once he'd become a bit quiet. The commentary from the older agent had ceased a few minutes before, and at first, Tim was glad. But now it was just weird.

Tony seemed to be uncomfortable. He was squirming a bit where he sat. Tim looked over at their nearly empty beer bottles, and suddenly figured out what the problem might be. But bringing it up was something he'd have to do subtly; Gibbs' earlier words did not go forgotten. Thinking quickly, he stood from the bed and picked up the two bottles.

"I'm gonna grab another beer. Want anything?" he asked.

Tony groaned, "No...nothing."

"You okay?" he furrowed a brow.

"Yeah, I... Just...nothing more to drink. I've gotta piss like a race horse, as it is."

"Well, why not go to the bathroom?"

Tony fixed him with a halfhearted glare, "I'm just gonna wait for Gibbs to get back."

"Why? I mean...can't I help?"

"You really wanna hold me up while I pee, Probie?"

"Want is kind of a strong word, I'd say," he replied, arching a brow. "I would, however, be happy to help you to prevent getting a bladder infection. How long have you been holding it?" Tony mumbled something under his breath as he looked away. "What was that? I didn't hear you..."

"Since sometime after noon, okay?"

"Why would you do that?" he asked, exasperatedly, setting the bottles back on the table.

"Well what was I supposed to do, huh?" he looked up at him, a bit angrily. "Have Abby in there while I drain the lizard?"

"I...Well, I guess I get why you'd hold it while Abby was your only option," he conceded. "But I've been here for over an hour. You could've said something once I got here."

"How is this different?" he asked, incredulously.

"Because I'm a guy...and we've peed in stalls side by side in the past. It's no different than that. Unless...um...and I'm not saying I won't...do this, either but..."

"No," he interrupted. "I don't need you to hold anything... I just need someone to stand behind me and hold me steady. I've worked out a way to do the rest...on my own."

"Well okay then! See? What's the problem?"

"It's just...weird. Come on, McGee... Standing in the same room is different than...being held onto whilst taking a leak..."

"So what, if it's weird? I'd rather spend a couple of minutes feeling a bit awkward, than to have you go through a back-step in your recovery."

Tony shut his mouth, eyes darting about somewhere in front of him. Tim was right. He'd been stupid to allow his embarrassment to keep him from this. It could make him sick; he just hadn't really thought of it that way. The first and foremost thing on his mind had been the black and white facts.

"Okay," Tony said, softly.

"Okay?" McGee questioned, raising a brow.

"I mean, you're right," he said, glancing to the younger agent. "I'm being stupid."

"You're not being stupid, Tony," he took a step closer to the bed. "I get what's going through your head. Hell, if it was me, I don't think I could've even gotten this far." Tony looked at him, fully, then. "But you're stronger than me. And I'm a hell of a lot easier to embarrass. I'd...I dunno...I don't think I'd be able to-" he shook his head and looked down at his feet, shifting uneasily where he stood. "All I'm saying is, I understand. But as your friend, I can stand here and absolutely tell you not to be embarrassed to ask me to help you with something like this. Even if...yano...you needed help with...yano...that other part that you've got figured out." He looked up to meet Tony's eyes again, realizing they were a bit shiny, and Tony was doing this blinking thing he did to fend off tears before they could fall.

McGee wasn't really sure what to do, now. He stood there, though, hoping that the answer would come to him. He replayed what he'd just told Tony, in his head. As he got to the end, he noticed Tony start to smile; that cocky smile he'd smile after successfully getting under McGee's skin. And that's when Tim realized that Tony purposefully took the last line out of context.

"And...I've just gone and embarrassed myself," Tim said. Tony stifled a laugh at the beet-red color that completely flushed his friend's face.

"This is uh...actually not bad timing, McGoo," Tony told him. "We're kinda even, at the moment, and I really need to pee."

Tim inwardly relaxed, relieved that whatever series of events just played out, it got them to here. "Let's go, then," he was sure to let his own embarrassment still show through, for his partner's sake.

The adventure to and from the bathroom lasted less than five minutes. Tony had talked through the entire process, attempting to distract both of them from the fact of what was going on. McGee had only rolled his eyes once, and it was to Tony's, "Look, ma! No hands! Actually, wait...no, don't look...heh. I've kinda been practicing for this, on and off, my whole life. I've got pretty good aim."

And yes, Tim had rolled his eyes. But in reality, he was laughing on the inside.

Now that Tony was settled back in the bed, Tim sat down where he'd been when they'd been watching the movie, and prepared to address a new concern that had been on his mind for over an hour now. He hadn't planned to say anything, but he felt now that he was more certain that his concerns were true.

"You're not eating, are you," it wasn't really a question. Tim watched as his gaze fell from the TV.

"What are you talkin' about, Probie? I told you Abby got us pizza..."

"But you didn't eat it, did you?" he sat up a bit. "What'd you tell Abby? That you weren't feeling well? You'd eat some later? How long has it been since you ate, Tony?" Tony simply shook his head, refusing to meet the younger agent's eyes. "You were lightheaded in the bathroom, and on the way in there. Has it been a whole day? How long, Tony?" he asked with a bit more heat than he'd meant to.

"Don't get mad at me," Tony turned to meet his eyes. "You said you understood; that you got how this could feel." The hurt in his voice made Tim's slight anger to recede a bit.

"Just tell me how long... You're not gonna get better, if you keep doing this."

"I can't do it, Tim. I can't eat when I know what I'll end up needing help with, in the end. I can't ask that of my friends; I won't. I don't give a shit how much you all are willing to help me, I'm not gonna let that be part of it."

"What're you gonna do? Not eat until your arms heal? You gonna starve yourself for months? You're gonna put yourself right back in the hospital!"

"So let them put me back there," he said. "At least I wouldn't be you all over for the next God knows how much longer!" McGee wasn't sure, in that moment, how to respond. "Look," he said, less heatedly, "I know you're right; I know this isn't the best way to handle things. But I don't know how else to do it. I can't. You might think I'm strong, but I'm not...not as much as I need to be. I gotta draw the line somewhere, and this is where I'm drawing it."

"I found you a nurse," McGee blurted out.

Tony looked at him with a furrowed brow, "What?"

"I've been looking. I knew there'd be some days where we might not be able to be here with you. So I was looking for a fill-in. I found the perfect one, but she was only willing to come on full-time. If you're willing to put yourself back in the hospital, you should be willing to accept a nurse's help, here."

"I can't afford that."

"The agency's covering it."

"How? This wasn't work-related."

"Yeah, it was," Tim met his eyes. "Jeanne Benoit was on the NCIS risk list. Your contact with her was through NCIS orders, and her showing back up was in complete regards to your assignment through the director."

Tony's eyes darted back and forth between McGee's. His lips curved into a smile, "You sneaky sonofabitch."

"I'm sure Vance we be happy to have a full staff again, too..."

"You'll...I mean, everyone will still come visit, right? I mean...I dunno if I'll even like this nurse..."

"'Course we'll visit," he replied, incredulously. "And you don't have to like the nurse. You just need her to...yano..."

"Yeah," he shook his head and leaned back on the headboard.

"I can have her start, day after tomorrow, if she isn't available to start in the morning."

Tony was silent for a moment. "You won't tell Gibbs, will you?"

"Well, I have to tell him. He'll need to be prepared for someone being here, and-"

"That's not what I meant," he met his eyes again. Tim realized, then, what he was talking about. "Please don't tell him, Probie..."

"You need to eat, then."

"I will, once the nurse is here."

"Tony-"

"No, Tim...Please. I'll be fine. Rockstars do this all the time, and I'm not even on heroin!"

"Tony..." he sighed.

"I've been drinking vitamin-ish stuff, this whole time. I'm not gonna keel over from a few days without food. I swear, if I start to feel sick, I will eat something...Please, Tim...don't tell him. He's just gonna get upset and not trust me..."

McGee was quiet for a long time as he contemplated Tony's request. Then he came to a conclusion. "I swear, if you make me regret this, I'll never let it go, Tony. Not till the day I die."

Tony smiled, and sagged with relief, "If I had use of my arms, I'd hug you. Thank you..." he said, on a more serious note. "I owe you...big time."

Tbc...