Chapter 32

Tim was the first one into the bullpen, and he went right down to Abby's lab. Last night was the first time he'd slept alone in almost a month and he'd never realized how big his bed was with just him in it. He really hoped one of the places they were going to look at Saturday worked so they could get moved in. He'd even spent part of the evening after leaving Gibbs' house packing some things in boxes. Not because he couldn't sleep. That wasn't it at all. Just because they needed to get packed. And wasn't that a Tony-like stream of denial. Tim really hoped Gibbs had gotten Tony to open up and talk, because there was no way he'd be able to share with Tim until Papa Bear had given his absolution, and Tim really wanted them to get past this and be able to live their life together.

Abby was sitting at her desk when he walked in.

"Morning, Abbs," he said. "Boss has me back on Damocles duty until we catch a new case."

"So what'll it be? Ballistics or circuit boards?"

"You take the guns," he said. "I've got enough of the electronics repaired to start cracking some encryptions on them. Maybe if we leave Cryer's phone alone for a while, we'll figure out what the heck is wrong with it."

"Good thinking, McGee. I've finally got all the guns cleaned and printed. I want to see if I can match any of the bullets to other crimes." She headed for the soundproof ballistics lab where an entire box of guns lay waiting for her.

Tim settled down at the workstation in the main lab and started running decryption software on the first sat phone. While he was waiting, he opened up IM to see if Tony was in yet. He had just opened the window when Tony sent him an IM.

FilmBuff: You able to talk?

Elflord: Yes. Abby's in ballistics with a stack of weapons bigger then Jethro's collection of toys

FilmBuff: I think he knows.

Elflord: Jethro? Knows what?

FilmBuff: Not Jethro. Well, yes, Jethro, but not your Jethro.

Elflord: Gibbs?

Tim felt a twisting in his gut as he hit send. Tony couldn't mean that.

FilmBuff: Yes, Gibbs

Elflord: I wondered, but he didn't say anything

FilmBuff: No, and he still hasn't, but I think he knows.

Elflord: He can't know. Can he?

FilmBuff: This morning, he suggested I add you to my medical proxy list because you know what going on better than he does

Elflord: What? He has to know.

Tim was having trouble making his brain work.

FilmBuff: But he's not saying he knows

Elflord: But that comment last night, about sharing space

FilmBuff: I know. He said a few other things, too.

Elflord: What kind of things?

FilmBuff: Don't remember. I didn't process what he said. My brain was too busy freaking out.

Elflord: If he knows, we're so screwed

FilmBuff: He can't know. He'd say something if he knew.

Elflord: So he doesn't know.

FilmBuff: Unless he does

Elflord: How would he know?

FilmBuff: His gut

Elflord: If he knew, he'd say something

FilmBuff: He hasn't said anything

Elflord: Then he doesn't know

FilmBuff: But I think he does

Elflord: But how does he know?

FilmBuff: If I knew how Gibbs knows things, I'd do it too and we'd catch the bad guys faster.

"He just knows these things, McGee," Abby said from behind him. "He's like Santa Claus. He knows if you've been naughty or nice."

Tim whirled around in the chair. "Abbs, don't do that! You scared me."

"Sorry, Timmy. What does Gibbs know?"

"Nothing. He knows nothing." And then he jerked his head to the lab doorway because Gibbs was probably... He wasn't. Tim let out a sigh of relief. If Gibbs had heard that, he'd be head-slapped so hard he wouldn't stop until he hit Norfolk. An then he realized the chat window was still up on his screen. He turned back and as he was typing a reply, he looked to see how many lines were visible. He felt his shoulders relax as he realized all Abby could see was the two of them chasing their tails debating if he knew or not, not anything that showed what they were worried Gibbs would know. And oh, god, if he didn't get out of the lab soon he'd be talking like Abby.

Elflord: Abby says because he's like Santa Claus

"McGee. Are you keeping secrets from me?"

"Me?" No, his voice did not squeak when he said that. Not at all.

"If Tony's sick, you totally know Gibbs will find out. He can't keep something like that secret and you shouldn't be helping him."

"Tony sick? No! He's not sick."

"Then what are you two keeping secrets about?"

Tim heard the ding and turned back to the screen.

FilmBuff: Abby?

He tried to think what he could say to tip Tony off without alerting Abby. And when did his life turn into an undercover mission? No wonder Tony always looked tired when he was dating Jeanne. Trying to keep track of what to say to whom was tiring.

Elflord: She just came over to read over my shoulder.

"I was not reading over your shoulder," Abby said. "I was just..."

"Reading over my shoulder." Tim closed the chat window to clear it. As soon as Tony replied, it would pop open again.

"Well, OK, but if something's wrong with Tony..."

"Nothing's wrong with DiNozzo," Tim said. "I mean nothing more than usual. He's still annoying, juvenile and generally Tony."

"And yet you're planning on sharing an apartment with him."

"Umm, Abbs? You're one of the people who's been telling me to share an apartment with him."

Before the conversation could go any further, Tim's phone rang.

"Gear up. Dead ensign."

"Abbs, I've gotta go. Boss just got the bat signal."

"Go. I'll keep decrypting."

And that was out of one problem and into another. Tim needed to talk to Tony and they couldn't with everybody around. He worked the crime scene, hyperaware of Tony's presence, almost sensing it without even looking. When Ducky ruled the ensign's death a suicide, he breathed a sigh of relief.

"David, with me. DiNozzo, McGee, take the truck back. Make sure it's fully stocked."

As soon as they were in the truck, doors shut, they turned to each other.

"He has to know," Tim said.

"Forget Gibbs. Does Abby know?" Tony said. "The suspense is killing me."

"Abby thinks we're not telling Gibbs you're sick. She didn't see anything to tell her otherwise."

"Oh, thank god," Tony said. "Because if she finds out, it doesn't matter if Gibbs knows or not because everybody will know. She won't mean to tell..."

"... but she's Abby," Tim said. "Believe me, I know. I've known that since Gibbs asked me if I slept in the coffin."

"When was that?" Tony said. "Why didn't you ever tell me this story?"

"I wasn't even on the team then," Tim said. "It was the morning I figured out how to narrow down the pictures to find Ari based on his age. Not that we knew he was Ari then, but you know what I mean."

"Yes, yes, McRamble, I know. That was the day he kidnapped Kate." Tony's grin faltered for a minute. "God I miss her."

"Me, too." He sighed, but didn't let himself wallow. "But Gibbs had me stay for a few days to get that working and then Capt. Watson's computer held him hostage and the next time I went back to Norfolk was to pack my gear and move up here."

"I know. He actually asked you about the coffin?"

Tim nodded. "I hadn't realized it was a coffin. Abby kept the lights out so I wouldn't know."

"You freaked, right? The tat was one thing, but the coffin."

Tim head slapped him. "OK, so I freaked a bit. How would you feel if you found out from Gibbs you had slept in a coffin?"

"True. Good thing I sleep in a bed."

"Yes, and usually it's my bed."

"That's because Jethro can't stay home alone overnight. Not that we'll have that problem in a few weeks." Tony said. "Maybe after we look at places tomorrow, we can go back to my place, put a movie in, have a date?"

"Whose idea was it for you to stay with Gibbs this weekend?" Tim asked. "Because after a month of us practically living together, even Jethro noticed something was missing last night."

"Yours, McClueless. Remember, we're throwing Abby off the scent? You're talking about your date night with your sweetie."

"Right, Abby. You know, I almost wouldn't mind if Gibbs knew."

Tony reached over and pressed a hand to his forehead, but he was watching the road too, so he half-covered Tim's eyes. "You feeling OK, McDelirious?"

"Because Gibbs is really the only one we need to worry about. If he knows and he's OK with it, then even if the others find out about it, it won't make much difference. None of them are going to have an issue with us. Well, except maybe Vance. But nobody on the team would tell him."

"If Gibbs is OK with it. That's a big if. I'm not sure I want to find out the answer to that one."

"True. But if he knows, he seems to be OK with it," Tim said.

"Oh, no. We're not getting back to that discussion. We'll drive ourselves crazy trying to figure out if he knows or not."