Friday 6/25 - 1700 Hours
He is awakened by the utter stillness in the air and the coldness of the bed space beside him. A chill runs down his spine as he quickly sits up in the bed. Where's Leroy? Is he all right? Abby hasn't...no! Practically jumping out of bed, Tim is quick to throw on his sweatpants but spares no time for anything else as he runs from the room and bolts for the stairs. On wings, he reaches the first floor of the house, continuing to search for the older man. Just about to call out for him, he's stopped by the sounds of a quiet conversation, his lover's voice the only one he hears. Instantly his fears dissipate and the sense of comfort begins to return.
Following the sound of it, Tim finds the man he's been searching for in the kitchen, frowning at his phone as he closes it and sets it back down on the counter.
"There you are." Tim says with residual relief as he steps closer to him. Working hard to calm down without drawing attention to his moment of panic, he says nothing more. He knows he shouldn't have been worried but with Abby's stunts recently, the beginning of panic hadn't been avoidable. Once he has his nerves and his breathing back under control, he asks what he wants to hear the answer to. "Everything okay?"
"Yeah." Leroy answers as he reaches for him. Drawing him closer, both hands on Tim's hips, he pulls him close, kissing him on the temple before embracing him into a genuine hug. "Sleep okay?"
"Woke up in a cold bed- and alone." Tim admits to what woke him, trying hard not to make it sound like a complaint. Before Leroy can think he's trying to make feel guilty, he changes the subject. "I'm guessing work is calling you in?"
Leroy shakes his head enough that Tim knows that's not the answer. "Unexpected building repairs - we're all off for today, remember?"
"Yeah. So, who...?"
"Fornell."
Tim stands up and looks his lover in the eye. "Leroy, no." The younger man's not ready to let the FBI put Leroy in danger for them. He's fully invested in their time off and wants nothing more than the chance to relax with his lover, doing nothing but what the two of them want - together.
With a soft smile and a shake of his head, the older man dispels Tim's concern. "No. Nothing work related. I needed to ask Emily somethin'."
"Emily?" Tim asks in disbelief. "She's what, ten?"
"Yeah, ya know, almost a teenager - into all kinds of music - ...Emily?"
"But, I... "
"Need to eat." Leroy reminds him with a soft smile as he propels him to the table, kisses him on the lips briefly and turns away. "Needed to ask her how to work somethin'. Didn't wanna wake you."
"What about you - aren't you eating?"
"I'm fine." Leroy answers as he turns back around, bed tray in hand, as he sets it down in front of Tim.
Tim looks at the loaded down tray that had obviously been set up to serve him in bed. That realization is not lost on him as he stands up and embraces his lover. For a normally non-talking person, Leroy is endlessly romantic and open. Tim can't hold back his own emotions as this gesture; this effort touches him deeply and he pulls away enough to let him know that. "Thank you."
A silent, tender finger carding his hair, a gentle kiss on the lips and a loving look is the answer he gets before Leroy gestures back toward the tray.
Knowing that look is telling him more than he needs to eat; Tim takes a moment to really look at what's been set before him. He sees a covered plate that holds the aroma of a freshly made healthy sub sandwich, a mug of coffee fixed exactly how he likes it, a single red rose tucked into a tall, squared off shot glass, and a note that says : 'play me'
With an amused smile, he lifts the note and finds to his surprise that there's a little message written on the other side of it.
"Tim.
Words aren't easy for me.
This says it perfectly."
- Leroy.
With his heart beating wildly at the love and time that's obviously gone into this, Tim closes his eyes briefly. He wants to cherish every moment of this. This is Leroy allowing his romantic side to shine and Tim loves every minute of it. Without breaking the spell of the moment, Tim moves the note and finds what he now expects to be there - a small mp3 player. Suddenly, Tim's no longer interested in food.
Caught up in the emotions of the moment, Tim's concentration is centered on what he's looking at and completely misses the tender smile on his lover's face as the older man eases himself from Tim's field of vision, yet remains where he can see his lover's reaction to what's coming next.
Tim isn't familiar with this model of mp3 player so it takes him a bit to find the right buttons but when he does and he hits play, the song that fills the air startles him at the same time that it brings a smile to his heart.
Remember those walls I built?
Well, baby they're tumbling down
And they didn't even put up a fight
They didn't even make a sound
I found a way to let you in
But, I never really had a doubt
Standing in the light of your halo
I got my angel now
Without any more wasted time, Tim is on his feet. Instantly, he's wrapping his lover in his arms as the love song from Leroy continues to play, filling his soul and making his heart sing. He could stay in this moment forever! This is heaven!
It's like I've been awakened
Every rule I had you breakin'
It's the risk that I'm taking
I ain't never gonna shut you out!
Everywhere I'm looking now
I'm surrounded by your embrace
Baby, I can see your halo
You know you're my saving grace
You're everything I need and more
It's written all over your face
Baby, I can feel your halo
Pray it won't fade away
Tim can't help but get caught up in the thrum of the music, his body gently swaying in a slow dance, a smile curving the corners of his mouth up as Leroy moves with him, the older man's arms holding him tight as his head rests on Tim's. The intimacy of the moment wraps Tim's heart in even more warmth and love than he'd even thought possible. It's not long before he's blinking to clear his vision as the words continue to wash over him,
...I can feel your halo, halo, halo
I can see your halo, halo...
Halo, ooh ooh...
Hit me like a ray of sun
Burning through my darkest night
You're the only one that I want
Think I'm addicted to your light
I swore I'd never fall again
But this don't even feel like falling
Gravity can't forget
to pull me back to the ground again
And it's like I've been awakened
Every rule I had you breakin'
It's the risk that I'm taking
I'm never gonna shut you out!
Leroy lifts Tim's head up with a gentle, yet strong finger crooked under his chin and gently kisses him, a tender reinforcement of the words filling the air and their hearts; the promise within those words. It's a big step for Leroy to make the promise not to shut Tim out. In fact, Leroy's love song to Tim is affecting them both. Banking the heat of the kiss at a simmer, they both keep each other tuned in to moment as it continues to bathe them both in its' magic.
Everywhere I'm looking now
I'm surrounded by your embrace
Baby, I can see your halo
You know you're my saving grace
You're everything I need and more
It's written all over your face
Baby, I can feel your halo
Pray it won't fade away
I can feel your halo, halo, halo
I can see your halo, ha...
The shrill ring of Tim's cell phone shatters the magic moment - yanking them back to the rest of the world's intrusion. Saddened, Tim refuses to answer it, stubbornly remaining tucked up within Leroy's arms, his own arms holding his lover just as securely.
Leroy sighs as he pulls back from him enough to look him in the eye as he gently talks him into changing his mind. "Never be unreachable."
Now it's Tim's turn to sigh. "You're right." Moving back a step, he snaps his phone open and answers it without looking at the caller id. "Tim McGee'
"I know who you are, sweetheart."
"Hi. Penny. Sorry about that."
"Timothy. There is no need to get flustered. I simply called to invite you to dinner. I'm anxious to catch up with you - it's been ages since we've spent any time together. And I'm only in town tonight."
"What about Sarah? Is she coming?"
"No, dearest. I've just spent the day with her. Now. I want some alone time with you."
"Okay. Where do you want to go?"
"Oh, I've already made the reservations, darling. I just need you to come."
"I'll be there."
"All right then. I'll send the information to your phone, all right?"
"Sure, Penny and uhm. Thank you." Tim offers nervously.
"You don't need to thank me for feeding you, Sweetheart. See you in an hour!"
Closing his phone, Tim looks reluctantly back at the tray his lover spent time and effort putting together for him. He hates that this interruption from his grandmother, however innocent it may be, has not only cut off his chance to enjoy what Leroy's done for him; but has also set his nerves rolling because now it's robbed him of his appetite. He's also unhappy that he's become so thrown by her call because she's always been the one person he's always been able to be himself around, he hates feeling this nervous about having dinner with her. Nevertheless, with her phone call, it's as if his heart's stopped.
Leroy's not sure what bothers him more; the look on Tim's face when he'd first come downstairs, obviously scared witless that something had happened to him; or the look on his face now that says he's more than nervous about his grandmother's untimely call and invite to dinner. There's no doubt about it. Tim's downright scared.
She knows! Tim's brain is screaming at him. And she won't care because I'm happy. His rational thought process comes back online and instantly, he's calm. What does he care what others think, anyway? NO ONE is getting in between him and the love of his life! Not even his own family!
Gibbs smiles softly as he shakes his head at the plethora of emotions that have just paraded across Tim's face and through his eyes as he's silently worked through whatever has just crossed his mind. One thing's for certain - the young man is no longer afraid. Satisfied, Gibbs gives him a bigger smile before taking up the tray. "Might wanna hurry if you're gonna get there in time."
Nodding, Tim's quick to head back up the stairs - racing for a quick shower and a change of clothes. It's almost a record - the short time he manages to shower, get a quick shave and throw on a decent outfit. Coming back downstairs in less than 10 minutes, Tim heads to the door, stopping only to kiss Leroy. "I don't know how late I'll be."
Leroy smirks. "I'll be here."
Tim quietly laughs at the humor while deeply appreciating the truth in that promise. "I know." He offers in return. Turning, he heads back out, only to be stopped by the sound of his name crossing his lover's lips.
"Tim!"
Turning back, he looks over at Leroy in surprise. "Somethin' wrong?"
"I promised you nothing was gonna happen to me. Time for you to trust in that, even with Abby's crap."
Busted for his earlier fear, Tim swallows hard as his eyes remain locked on the older man's. "I know. I just..."
"Panicked." Leroy surmises with understanding.
"Yeah." Tim sheepishly admits.
"Let me in on it next time?"
Hearing the plea in his lover's question, Tim can only offer a soft apologetic smile as he vows. "You bet."
With a nod of his head, Leroy gestures for the younger man to get going, his accompanying encouraging smile lighting up the room.
******NCIS*******
Tim's nerves are still feeling stretched thin as he walks into the restaurant and immediately sees his grandmother at a corner table, tucked away from the crowds and the noise. Apparently, it's worse than he'd thought. She obviously wants to grill him about his private life. Well, let her. He has nothing to hide and he's prepared to fight to have and keep Leroy in his life. With a wry scoff, he berates himself for consistently forgetting that Penny is a breed all her own and won't subscribe to that crap about why it matters to the rest of the world. She'll only want him to be happy. Well, she'll get no argument from him on that score.
"Hi." He greets her as he bends down enough to kiss her on the cheek.
"Hello, Timothy."
As soon as he'd settled into his seat across from her, he bit the bullet, looking her square in the eye. "There's no point in beating around the bush with you. I can see it in your face. You found out lemme guess, Abby told you."
"Yes. Timothy. She did. Although it wasn't me she spoke to."
"Great. Guessing saying she's pissed is an understatement?"
"Don't worry about your sister. She'll be fine. We both know once she stews for a little while, she recovers quite nicely."
Tim scoffs under his breath. "Don't I know it."
"Timothy."
He looks over at her cautiously because she is never this timid.
With a soft smile, Penny Langston reaches out and briefly touches her grandson's hand. "I don't want to talk about Sarah's view on this., Timothy I want to talk about yours.
Her silence sets his nerves a little tighter and he does what he can to alleviate the tension, he jumps in with both feet. "You want to know how Leroy and I...how we wound up together." He surmises with a touch of resignation in his tone.
"I want to know that you're happy with him, Timothy. That's what matters to me." Penny refuted quietly.
Looking her square in the eye, his heart singing clearly through his own, Tim answers her without hesitation. "Penny, I've never been so happy, felt so loved or so in love in my life!"
********NCIS**********
Taking some time to savor the peace and quiet that surrounds him now, Leroy slowly drinks his way through a cup of coffee as his thoughts dwell on Tim's initial case of nerves in regard to meeting up with his grandmother. It was plain to see that Tim's mind immediately jumped to the conclusion that Penny has somehow found out about the two of them. With a small huff of amusement, Leroy's smiles as the memory of Tim's moment of clarity came to him, as evidenced by the look of calm that came over him.
Getting up to pour himself a second cup of coffee, his thoughts turn to the memorable hours he and Tim have just given each other, the endless love, trust and warmth that Tim has showered him and wrapped him in. With those thoughts and the endless supply of vivid memories playing back over in his mind, the smile on his face is destined to remain there without any effort on his part.
Even the unexpected knock on his door doesn't dent the smile in his eyes or on his face; doesn't even alter his thoughts, still wrapped in Tim's love for him and his own for the younger man. Walking to the door, his smile morphs into a smirk and an accompanying chuckle as a particularly racy memory comes to mind. At the sight of the person standing in front of him when he opens his front door however, the smirk, the laughter and the smile all fade away in one fell swoop as he quietly greets them with his heart up in his throat.
"Hello, Sarah."
"Halo" by Beyonce
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