It was the day after Christmas and the only thing heard in the bullpen was the typing away of computer keys; no bickering between Tony and Ziva or Tony and Tim, and no murderous looks from his niece to Tony for making cracks at her and Tim's love life, much to the pleasure of Gibbs. However, it unnerved the man like no other. Watching his team as if waiting for a full-blown war to suddenly appear, he didn't realize how soon that his quiet workplace would get up heaved.

A few minutes pass before a bouncing Abby appears from the stairwell. "Ziva, Bella, you guys are going to be coming to my house New Years Eve!"

Bella and Ziva share a confused look before looking at the Goth in the middle of the bullpen. "And why exactly are we going to do that Abby?"

"To get ready for the New Years Eve party that the director is throwing!" Seeing the confused look on all of the agents, "You guys didn't know?"

Bella glances at Gibbs, "Did you know about this?"

"Nope."

"But it's mandatory, unless you're on call that night, but Director Sheppard's memo said that we had to be there."

Gibbs looks as Abby confused, "Memo?"

"Yeah, the memo that she left on your desk. She left one in my lab and at Autopsy."

Picking up the phone, Gibbs punched in the extension to Jenny's office. After several minutes and a few swear words later, Gibbs looks up at his team. "Apparently we are all going, and we have been specifically taken of call. Hope you didn't have any plans."

~*~

New Years Eve Party

The night moved by slowly as Bella was introduced to various people from legal, linguistics, computers, and the list seemed to be never ending. Her brain was on overdrive as she tried to remember names and faces. Finally seeing an opening, Bella waited for the perfect timing before she excused herself; booking it far, far away from the director's side.

Feeling fingers lightly grab hers, she turns sharply to see Tim behind her. "I came to rescue you from the Director but you seemed to have snuck away without her noticing."

She nods with an eye roll, "If I got introduced to one more person I was going to go crazy, and not the good kind of crazy."

"I didn't realize there was a good kind of crazy."

Grinning up at him she arches an eyebrow as her eyes shine with hidden laughter, "Trust me, there is. Just depends on the context in which it's used."

Blending into the crowd, the two walked next to each other trying desperately to not touch the other. Dating and being at a New Years Eve party while trying to keep your relationship under wraps was a lot more difficult then they planned. Sitting at a table, they were shortly joined by Ducky.

"Good evening Timothy, Bella."

"Evening Ducky."

"If you don't mind me asking, but why aren't the two of you out there dancing?" He asks as he looks to the center of the room that had recently been cleared away.

Bella gives him a small shrug, "Not supposed to be dating fellow agents Ducky. We're just trying to keep everything under the radar."

"Well, the director knows doesn't she?" Seeing the two agents nod at him, "Well then my dear, what is the problem? She knows and so does Jethro, why care what the others think." Looking over at Tim, "Besides, if you don't I may just steal her for myself Timothy." He adds with a smile.

Glancing over at Bella, Tim couldn't help but smile at Ducky's words. Leaning over, placing his hand softly on her back, "Could I interest you in a dance?"

Bella smiles up at him, "I would love to."

Leading her out to the dance floor he couldn't resist on holding her close while a slow paced song started to play. Laying her head on his chest, she closed her eyes blocking out everybody but her and Tim.

Watching them walk away with a smile on his face, he began making his way through the crowd. Ducky finally found himself by his close friends side. "Evening Jethro."

"Evening Duck."

Seeing Jethro's gaze out at the dance floor, Ducky look to see what had captured his attention. Seeing Bella, he immediately knew what or rather whom his friend was watching.

"She always did have a way of going against the norm Jethro. She was so intent to model herself after you."

"I know Duck and that's what bothers me."

Giving Jethro a large smile before casting a glance at the girl he has considered family for years, "The fact that she broke all of your rules considering agents dating or the fact that she is doing so well at it?

Gibbs smirks, "No Duck." Taking a drink from his glass, "I feel like I'm losing her."

Ducky slowly nods, contemplating his friends' words. Ever since Bella had arrived at NCIS, Jethro's worry over her lessened knowing she was where he could watch her, protect her if needed at a moments notice. It was not simply losing her that he was worried of; it was losing her to another man. "Out of all the men that I know, Timothy is a good choice."

Replying softly as he watched the two before turning to Ducky, "I would rather that it didn't happen at all."

"You have to let her grow up Jethro. She is no longer the little girl you remember or the young teen constantly seeking approval from you that I recall. You will always be her protector, her uncle, and the one man who has always been out there secretly keeping his eye on her. Perhaps one day, Timothy will be that for their family."

Unable to suppress a growl, Gibbs eyes darted from Bella to Ducky. "Duck, you're not trying to tell me-"

Cutting him off knowing immediately where his mind jumped and trying to save the life of Timothy McGee, "No Jethro. She's not, at least not that I am aware of. You and I both know that after that young man's death several years ago she has refused to let anyone close. Her longest relationship was only several months long."

Sighing mostly to himself, Ducky placed his hand on Jethro's shoulder, "Even if they do not stay together, isn't it worth seeing the look of happiness on her face?"

~*~

"Tony" Ziva hisses as she eyes him cautiously, "Are you crazy?"

"What do you mean Zee-vah?"

She gestures around the room frantically, "You have pulled me into an empty room in the middle of a New Years Eve Party filled with people we work with including Jenny and Gibbs."

He takes a step forward closing the gap between him and Ziva. "Well, I couldn't exactly kiss you out where they could see now could I? Unless of course, you want Gibbs to know."

"Tony, this is not the time to roll in the barn. Gibbs also instructed us to keep an eye on the crowd, which we clearly can not do while we are in here."

Tony looks at her curiously, "Barn? Where did a barn-" Realizing what she meant he starts to laugh, "its roll in the hay Ziva, not barn."

"Either way, if Gibbs finds out we slipped away he will smack us both, and I do not want a head-slap to start off my new year."

Seeing Tony's head nod in agreement, though she's not quite sure what he was agreeing to exactly, she gives him a kiss before slipping away. "Maybe if you're lucky Tony, you will have a great start of a new year." The look on his face was priceless as she slips out the door heading for the main room.

Feeling Tony join her side a few minutes later, her eyes scan the crowd for the pair but she fails to find them. "McRomeo and Bella have disappeared."

Ziva stares at Tony, "What do you mean they disappeared Tony?"

"Well they were here, and now they are not. Simple enough for you Ziva?"

Ziva scans the room and looks back at Tony, "I cannot see them. Maybe they left for the evening."

"No, I checked with the guys at the door. His car is still here." Tony pauses looking at Ziva, "You don't think they snuck off to, you know-"

Ziva shakes her head no at Tony's accusation, "Absolutely not, Bella knows better then to do that here, especially with the director and Gibbs here."

Taking in the fact that they had just slipped out of one of the various empty rooms, they share a look. "Right, I'll start looking that way, you check that way. Meet back here in fifteen."

(fifteen minutes later)

Tony and Ziva meet back up both shaking their heads no. "Do we tell Gibbs?"

"Tell me what DiNozzo?" Turning to see his boss behind him, Tony gulps as his brain immediately remembering the word 'barn.' "To stay away from the foods containing dairy?"

Raising his eyebrow, Gibbs scanned the crowd realizing exactly what Tony had been trying to hide. Giving Tony a glare Gibbs turns and heads out of the hall.

Ziva turns, Gibbs-smacking Tony, "Really? Dairy? That was the best that you could come up with?"

~*~

Walking towards the outside garden, he caught movement towards the west-end. Catching a glimpse of the dark purple dress, Gibbs knew it was Bella and Tim.

They were slowly walking through the gardens, their fingers laced together. Stopping, he would point to some kind of flower and Bella brushed her fingers over it. Continuing on, they walked and talked as Bella looked up at him leaning into his side. Stopping and taking his jacket off, he places it over her shoulders before rubbing his fingers over her cheek, leaning down and kissing her.

Gibbs smiles when he sees her lean into him and Tim wraps his arms around her; simply holding her, completely oblivious to the world around them. Deciding to give them the privacy that they had undoubtedly been seeking, he turns and heads back into the main building.

~*~

10

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9

8

7

6

5

4

3

2

1

At the count of zero, a majority of the crowd started clapping. However, several kisses were "stolen" at the stroke of midnight knowing all eyes would be celebrating the New Year instead of looking around. However, one pair of steel blue eyes saw one of said stolen kisses.

David and DiNozzo?!

~*~

I hope you enjoyed it. It's a bit shorter and not as packed as the others. I had more, but it was no good so I deleted it. Anywho, Read. Review. Sent me cookies. I don't mind