Not Beta'd; Standard Disclaimer applies.
"Hey, Abs," Tony said a few minutes after he entered the lab when Abby didn't acknowledge him. He had been standing in the doorway for a few minutes, first, surprised that she hadn't heard the elevator and turned to greet who was approaching and then, worried when she hadn't said a word or moved. She was still in the same position she had been when he arrived, sitting in front of her computer, the screen off, staring at glumly chin resting in her hands.
"Oh, hey, Tony."
"Everything okay?"
Abby shrugged.
"C'mon, you can share with Uncle Tony."
"Uncle Tony?" She repeated giving a snort, "I'm the same age as you." A look of horror overcame her face, "Forget I said that."
Tony grinned, "Only if you tell me what's going on."
"I don't know."
Tony frowned, as he looked around, looking for anything that might indicate what had her worried. "Computer or Major Mass Spec causing you trouble?"
"Oh, no, this has nothing to do with the lab or a case."
"Oh…than what?"
Another shrug, "Everything's different."
"Like what?"
"Timmy not talking to me about his friend; Ziva getting serious about her guy; Gibb-."
"Calling McGee by his first name," Tony injected, sharing what was on his mind.
"No, I was going to say…Wait." Abby stopped and stared at Tony. "He called Timmy by his first name?"
"Not called, calling," Tony corrected, emphasis on present tense. "He's also sending him out to the field, leaving me behind to start searches and follow up with you."
Abby glared at him, "You don't have to sound so upset at that."
"The searches, not you," Tony replied with a smile, hoping that would get him out of the doghouse with the scientist.
"Hmm, I suggest you bring a Caf-Pow down with you next time," she muttered as she turned back around to face the computer.
"Done," he agreed before continuing their conversation. "Gibbs also refrained from 'redirecting' my attention at the request of 'Tim'." Surprising Tony used air quotes on the last word.
Both had Abby staring at him wide-eyed. "Timmy stopped Gibbs from slapping you?"
Tony nodded and the two fell silent as they thought about what that might mean.
"Pod people?" Abby suggested.
"I wish."
Abby looked at him again, "What are you thinking?"
Tony just shook his head, not wanting to share his thoughts.
"Come on, Tony. I shared my theory with you."
"I…Gibbs knows something,"
"Gibbs knows everything," Abby corrected.
"I'm serious, Abby. Gibbs knows something about Tim," he stated, as he began to pace. "This all began a month ago when Tim pulled Gibbs into a private conference. I…since then, Gibbs has told me to be careful about my actions, he specifically mentioned McGee," Tony added worriedly. "He keeps talking about actions and consequences."
"And?"
"And I wonder if, during that conference, McGee mentioned something about another job."
"McGee has another job?"
Tony rolled his eyes, "No, but like you, he gets unsolicited offers. If Gibbs thought he was thinking about leaving…"
Abby frowned, "Gibbs wouldn't give in to threats or blackmail. He doesn't back down for the Director, he wouldn't for McGee. He runs the team how he wants."
"If Probie left, I don't know if there would still be a team," Tony admitted.
"I…no, hold that thought, we'll get back to it," Abby promised herself, refusing to get sidetracked. "Just because he gets offers doesn't mean that he's seriously thinking about leaving," she pointed out. "Something else has to be going on."
The two fell silent for a few moments as they pondered recent events.
"You spend more time with him than I do," Abby began, "How was he the days or weeks before the conference with Gibbs?"
"Ziva spent more time with him than me, then and now," Tony admitted with a shrug. "They still carpool into work together at least three times a week," he stated, before answering the question, "But fine. Probie-like."
"So, maybe the conference was a coincidence?" she asked hopefully.
"Against the rules," Tony pointed out. "But…" he began before pausing to gather his thoughts.
"What? What but?" Abby eagerly asked.
Tony frowned as he thought about more recent events. "Everything seemed to be normal when we got the call about the crime scene earlier. We were in the bullpen, I was teasing Tim, then Ziva about her ringtone when she reappeared. Gibbs acted like Gibbs, called McGee McGee," he informed his friend.
"So what changed?"
"They rode to and from the scene together," Tony stated. "McGee got them their quicker due to a shortcut he found; at the scene, Gibbs called him Tim."
"Ha! I knew it! Pod People!" Abby excitedly interrupted, "They must've run into aliens on that shortcut."
"Or they had another conference," Tony added dryly.
"I…oh," a deflated Abby reluctantly agreed. "But about what? Why? I mean, how often does Gibbs have him and Timmy together? Why not you and Timmy? Or Ziva and Timmy?"
"It doesn't happen that often," Tony shrugged as he thought about it, mind flashing back to earlier that day. "McGee wasn't surprised that Gibbs had them together," he slowly stated, as he realized the truth. In fact, Probie seemed to be expecting it.
"Why not?"
"Hush, I'm thinking," Tony waved her away, as he once more continued pacing, remembering the events from earlier that day. "He mentioned leaving."
"Gibbs?" Abby asked incredulously.
"McGee," Tony corrected.
"Leaving the team?"
Tony shook his head, causing Abby to sigh in relief. "No, leaving DC, leaving NCIS."
"What why?" Abby cried despairingly.
"Peggy."
"It's that serious?"
"It looks like it is for him," Tony stated glumly.
A determined look overcame Abby's face, "We can't let that happen."
Tony snorted, "Abby, how can we prevent it?"
She shrugged, "We'll just have to figure out who Peggy is before things irrevocably change."
Tony snorted, "You've already dug into his phone records and the GPS on his car, what else can you do?"
"We," Abby corrected with a smile, "We."
Before Tony could ask what she meant, several of Abby's 'babies' beeped indicating that they had results. From that point on, the only thing consuming their mind was the case.
Tim and Ziva didn't get a chance to continue their conversation, the return trip to the yard was mostly silent, as Tim spent the majority of it on his phone, either starting new searches based on evidence they found at the victim's house or texts with Tony regarding the results Abby received.
Once they returned to the bullpen, it seemed like Gibbs wouldn't leave Tim alone with Tony or Ziva, making her wonder exactly what was said between the two earlier.
In some ways, Tim was relieved that he and Ziva couldn't continue their conversation. Yes, he knew he started it, by asking why she wasn't asking and then telling her she could ask him anything, but it was only after he began talking that he remembered that the reason the subject of leaving came up was because of something Tim said. Something that was directly linked to his growing feelings for her, something Tim has no intention of sharing with Ziva.
"Hey, Ducky," Tim greeted as he entered autopsy. "I brought food for you and Jimmy."
"Oh, thank you, Timothy, you are a life saver."
"My favorite was always Butter Rum or Pineapple," Jimmy stated with a goofy smile that disappeared when the other two looked at him. "You know, life savers, the candy?"
"Yes, Mr. Palmer, we know," Ducky stated patiently, "Now, why don't you take a break and grab some fresh air while I finish this report."
"I can…oh, okay," Jimmy stated when Ducky gave him a pointed look.
"Is everything all right?" Tim asked once Jimmy left autopsy.
"Yes, yes, never better," the ME stated cheerfully.
Tim frowned.
"Well, obviously not for Captain Bry, Ensign Ingles, and Petty Officer Sharkles," Ducky added.
"Right," Tim nodded in agreement. "Well, I should probably head back upstairs."
"Surely you have a moment to join me for tea," Ducky said, indicating the pot in front of him.
"I, well," Tim hesitated.
"That settles it," Ducky stated, pouring Tim a cup and handing it to him. "We have not had an opportunity to talk lately."
"I guess not," Tim admitted. "It seems like we've had one long tough case after another."
"Yes," Ducky agreed, since he had been involved with most of those cases. "Luckily, you were able to take a few extra days R&R."
Tim snorted, "I just wish things were calmer. It's already Monday and I feel wiped."
Ducky nodded, "Just make sure you take care of yourself. There are some nasty illnesses circulating. As you know, less than 10 days ago, Ziva was sick."
"Hmm,"
"In fact," Ducky began as if sharing a secret, "I do believe she 'shared' her germs," he smirked as Tim started coughing. "Yes, she talked to me last week, it seemed as if her friend fell ill. Based on the symptoms she shared, I recommended a trip to the hospital."
"You did?" Tim croaked out.
"Yes, indeed," Ducky nodded sagely. "Apparently the poor boy's temperature was rather worrisome. Ziva, however, informed me that she doubted he would agree. She also said that the relationship was too new for her to risk it by forcing him or calling an ambulance. Now, let me ask you, Timothy, what kind of relationship would that be if he ended things simply because she was concerned about his health?"
"I…I don't know," Tim admitted.
"Why, no type of relationship worth saving," Ducky answered. "In fact, I shared with her a time when I was younger…" Tim's thoughts drifted off as Ducky continued with his tale.
"Now, what about you?"
"What?" Tim asked, jolting back to reality and realizing that Ducky had asked him a question.
"I'm fine, fully recovered" Tim stated, instinctively, not fully realizing what he had admitted.
"That is not what I meant," Ducky murmured to himself, sipping his tea. "I hear you have begun a new relationship as well."
"Oh, I…yeah," Tim finally answered.
"You must tell me all about the girl who has captured your heart."
"I…what?" Tim asked, "I never said…" his voice trailed off, not knowing how to continue.
"My dear boy, you don't have to," Ducky smiled. "It is obvious. The mere mention of her seems to make your eyes sparkle."
Tim blushed in embarrassment at that description, very thankful that Tony was not present, since he was sure he would've never heard the end of his 'sparkling eyes'. "I…it's complicated."
"Tsk, tsk," Ducky clucked. "Youngsters today, making everything more complicated than it needs to be. You care for her, right?"
"Yes," Tim definitely couldn't deny that. After all, he cared about Ziva before they started this…Tim sighed, he still wasn't sure what to call it. To him, it was a relationship, but he also knows how it began, how Ziva thinks of it. "More each day," he admitted.
"And she cares for you," Ducky stated, surprisingly not in the form of a question. "That is all that matters, that you care for one another."
"I…it's complicated," Tim repeated.
Ducky just shook his head, "Then I suggest you talk with her and uncomplicated it. That is the only way to handle these things."
"Right," Tim nodded before standing up. "Well, I'd better go before Gibbs has my head."
"Very well," Ducky replied, also standing. "I hope all goes well with your lady friend."
"Thanks," Tim replied sincerely as he exited autopsy. "Me too," he muttered softly, as he pressed the button to call the elevator, "Me too."
"Talking to yourself, Probie?" Tony asked softly from behind him. He had exited the stairs and had been surprised when Tim walked right past him, not acknowledging him. He had been even more surprised when he heard his partner talk.
"Tony! Geesh," Tim muttered, after calming down. "What are you doing here?"
"Had a few questions for Ducky."
"Oh, right," Tim nodded, "Well, he's in there."
Tony nodded, "Doesn't explain why you were talking to yourself."
Tim shrugged, "Just a lot on my mind."
"I'm guessing not case related."
Tim shrugged.
"Peggy related?" Tony asked shrewdly, only to receive another shrug in reply. "Work related?"
"Gotta go," Tim stated as the elevator finally arrived and he stepped in. "Gibbs is probably wondering where I am."
"Probie," Tony called, only to have the elevator doors close before he could say another word.
1-13-18
Sorry for the long wait...holidays...family...work (retail)...
Hope you liked it...Got Ducky involved a bit...
