NCIS

Friday evening came slowly for Tim as the team spent most of the day in court defending a case. The bright side was that with little physical activity required, he was able to finally able to get his right arm out of the sling just in time for the weekend with Riley. When he got home, he hurriedly starting packing but made sure to stick to his list of things he needed, including his typewriter and plenty of paper. The weather station reported clear skies until Saturday night with cool late-April temperatures, so he made sure to pack warm clothes and dressed in a zip-up sweater and jeans. He wasn't sure if he'd need extra sweaters or blankets, but the way Riley talked about the place he figured there would at least be a fireplace and wouldn't be too drafty. He was contemplating whether he should shower first or wait until he got there when his phone started buzzing with Riley's name.

"Hey," he answered.

"Saddle up!" Riley cheered through phone. "I'm outside."

Tim smiled and picked up his duffel bag. "Okay, I'm on my way."

When he got to the parking lot he saw Riley's black truck parked to the side with a small trailer carrying his motorcycle hitched to the back. At first he whimpered when he saw the bike, but getting a closer look at it he found it wasn't as intimidating as he thought it would be. Tim had read what Riley sent him (though didn't tell him in case it encouraged him too much) and from what he could tell the bike was just a small cruising bike, not a racing bike like he imagined Riley would have. It was definitely old but was in good condition. The white text reading "Honda Shadow" was polished brightly against the dark red of the fuel tank. Riley was all smiles as Tim loaded his duffel bag into the back seats while a country song was playing from the radio.

Tim didn't recognize the song, but rolled his eyes after he heard the words 'shotgun' and 'cheating husband' in the same sentence. He chuckled, "After listening to your Blink-182 collection, I never would've pictured you as a country boy. But right now, you're the perfect picture of one with your truck, music, and motorcycle."

Riley reached over to give him a kiss then laughed. "I am a man of many musical interests," he replied as he put the truck in gear. "You ready for this?"

"I think so,' Tim answered with a smile. "You look very excited."

Riley grinned as the cool wind blew in through the truck window. "I am. I'm also a little nervous, you're about to find out a lot more about me. I'm warning you now, I'll probably have a lot of stories to tell about the place."

"What's it like?" Tim asked, wondering how much could've happened in a small camping cabin.

"Well the plants are kinda dead because I haven't been there to water them, and it might be a little musty since I haven't been there in a few of weeks," Riley pensively went down a mental checklist, "but once we crack a window or two it'll be fine. I have a bit of dusting to do and some cleaning around the kitchen, oh and you may need to let the water run for a while before it gets hot. I'll get a fire set up for us for tonight, too."

Tim placed his hand on Riley's thigh. "Hey, don't work too hard. This is your getaway, too."

"I actually like taking care of this place," Riley admitted proudly. "The innocent little projects and chores are a great break from normal work."

They drove for two hours headed southwest, chatting back and forth and swapping CDs from the car's player. Tim teased Riley for still having a large binder of CDs instead of consolidating to an iPod, though Riley insisted that the old ways were the best. The sun was setting as they reached Bentonville, Virginia where they made a quick stop in a small grocery store. Tim didn't know how much room the cabin's kitchen would have so he selected sparingly, but Riley's selections made it seem like they would be eating every second of the weekend. Riley also picked out a couple of small potted plants to Tim's surprise, having never seen Riley tend to a plant.

They drove for a few miles, passing over a grated metal bridge that spanned over a dried river, then up several foothills, until they finally pulled into what looked like a long driveway. The sun had dropped below the horizon, but the pink-and-blue sky still left enough light for Tim to see what they were approaching as they neared the top of the driveway.

"Uh, Riley?" Tim's jaw started to hang as he saw the structure. "This isn't a cabin."

The driveway led to a large house that overlooked the valley. The house was two stories tall with a colorful stone basement exposed by the slope of the hill and grayish-blue siding covering the rest. It had a deck with white railing wrapping around three sides of the house on the first floor and a 2-car garage on the fourth side. Two stone chimneys jutted up on either side of the central section of the house while two small extensions continued out from the house on the left and right. On the lawn in front, a wide hammock stood between the house and a fenced-off area that housed a patio and what looked like a pool with its cover still on.

Tim's mouth was locked open in shock as he looked at Riley. "You said it was a cabin, not a friggin' mansion!"

"It's not that big," Riley replied humbly as he led them inside.

The rear patio was accessible from the driveway and had what seemed to be the "front" door, as well as a cast-iron fire pit surrounded by tarp-covered furniture. The door opened into a room with a few comfy chairs facing an enormous kitchen, the most beautiful Tim had ever seen. The cabinetry was polished wood and glass panes, the dark granite countertops contrasted the light brown stone backsplash, bright yellow-gold paint, and stainless-steel appliances – including a coffee maker that was bigger than the one at Tim's apartment. If Tim thought Riley's apartment was missing its share of color, this house was where it went. There were artful pictures and paintings on the walls that Tim was too stunned to study in detail yet. Riley grinned as he watched Tim's reactions while leading him through the house.

The kitchen led to a living room which took Tim's breath away. A set of six large windows facing east stretched up the wall to the second story ceiling, opening the room to a vast view of the valley and mountains with the remnants of the sunset just barely shrouding the stars dotting the sky. Two covered couches were placed facing each other, one against the windows facing in and the other facing out through the windows. On the coffee table, which also had a furniture cover on it, was a vase with a dried-out flowers that Riley quickly swiped away. The wood floors showed age but were well-maintained, but together with the wood-paneled ceiling and different colors brightly painted on each wall, the house radiated life.

Riley flicked on the overhead lights, and Tim saw a large San Francisco Pride rainbow flag spread over a space above the windows near the ceiling, as well as a mirror perched above the stone fireplace on one side of the room. On the other wall above a small desk he saw a tall, thin tree painted in gold with framed pictures lining the branches like leaves. He looked more closely at the pictures and saw Riley's face in several, as well as what looked like him at a young age with a tall man with jet-black hair and larger glasses.

Riley smiled and embraced Tim from behind while they looked at the pictures. "That's my dad. I was eleven when we got this place. He always called it 'the cabin' so I guess I just always thought that's what it was. We'd keep doing little maintenance projects here or there as they came up, and every couple of years we'd add something big like adding the garage or the pool. In high school we'd have my friends come to help us, so we'd have a little army of workers, then we'd all enjoy the benefits after. Oh, and this picture here is my mom, it's one of the only ones I have of her."

He pointed to a picture of his dad with a shorter woman, who shared the same mischievous smile Riley often carried. Riley continued on with other pictures of friends from high school and college showing summers at the house, and a few with the designer friend Tim recognized from the picture at the apartment. Tim noticed what looked like an empty nail on one of the lower branches where a picture could be hung, but his attention drew to the a rectangular shape with a thinner layer of dust inside than outside, like a picture had been there but was removed not too long ago. He was too elated to worry about it now and filed it into his memory for later, then looked back around at the rest of the living room while Riley started pulling covers off the furniture.

"My god, Riley, how do you afford this?" he asked.

Riley chuckled while rolling up the covers. "I told you my dad worked in Wall Street, right? He left a trust to maintain the house and pay its taxes. I wanted to make it on my own, but he knew that I'd never be able to afford this place on a government agent salary. All we wanted was to keep the house in the family after all the work we put into it, so the money was his way of helping me keep the legacy."

He took Tim's hand and led him up the stairs overlooking the living room, all while chattering on about what a certain room looked like before it was refinished or repainted. There were two bedrooms upstairs that shared a large white-and-wood bathroom. The shower had more knobs than Tim knew could have functions for a shower. The open bedroom Riley showed him had a queen-sized bed with a headboard made of thick wooden branches. An entire wall of the bedroom was devoted to another bookshelf that was even larger than the one Riley had at his apartment. He showed him the rest of the house which had two more bedrooms and a bathroom in the basement, along with an office where Tim could set up his typewriter.

Tim groaned with pleasure at the relief he felt in the shower. From what he had seen of cabins online, he expected to be showering outside that weekend. He was extremely grateful for Riley's understatement about the "cabin" and now had significantly higher expectations for the weekend. After drying off and getting dressed he found Riley downstairs in the kitchen twirling a knife between his fingers.

"Hey," Riley greeted with a smile. "Come on, we're going outside."

Riley grabbed one of the apples he'd bought from the store and a blanket from a nearby closet, then started marching outside with Tim behind him. Tim was glad for packing an extra-thick sweater as the cold night was setting in. Riley led them down the lawn to the hammock, where Tim gingerly navigated on first and then Riley joined him, snuggling up close while draping the blanket over them both. Riley sliced off pieces of the apple and shared with Tim while they looked up into the cloudless night sky.

"This is…" Tim breathed, "Incredible. I haven't looked up at the stars like this in a long time."

"Me either," Riley sighed contently. "Back in DC I can never seem to escape the glow of city lights. I actually thought of moving out here once, but then all this would've seemed less special."

Tim smiled and tightened his grip around Riley. "I'm glad you didn't, then we wouldn't have met."

Riley grinned and let his head rest against Tim's chest. "Wouldn't trade that for anything."

NCIS

Tim stirred groggily in bed. He let his hands roam around as he stretched. Riley was gone, but his side of the bed was still slightly warm, so he hadn't been gone long. Tim slowly got up and slipped on a shirt and sweatpants, then walked out to the landing at the top of the stairs. From the top he could see into the living room and out through the large windows where the sunrise was beginning to blossom. Riley was on the deck outside in a t-shirt and sweatpants, leaning against the railing and sipping a cup of coffee. Tim saw an extra mug of coffee waiting next to him, then smiled and walked out to greet him. The morning air was still chilly, so he snaked his arms around Riley from behind for warmth.

"I think this is the first time I've ever out-slept you," Tim commented and propped his head up over Riley's.

Riley smirked and slipped his hands over Tim's. "I wasn't about to miss this."

As the sun rose above the horizon, the sky's colors split radiantly over the foothills and a breeze blew softly above them. Riley smiled as Tim shivered and gripped him tight. They waited a few minutes after the sun had fully risen, then Riley turned to Tim.

"Alright, Mr. Author," he began with a smirk. "Grab your typewriter. It's go-time."

DEEP SIX: ROCK HOLLOW

The Church of Saint Elizabeth stood abandoned far in the lower DC Metropolitan sprawl. It had been severely damaged during a fire in the late 1940's, but the superstitious population that made its congregation dared not try to resurrect it. Its gothic, arching stone exterior seemed sturdy, though its roof had collapsed in and most of the stained-glass windows had been broken by thrown rocks at one time or another.

The crumbling shell of the building stood inside construction fencing seemingly empty, and over time the locals simply stopped noticing it. No one cared about the wooden boards that appeared behind the windows overnight. Who would see the old, dirty building and notice, or even care, that its roof had been quickly and quietly repaired? Of course, the muffled sound of music from within on the occasional night turned a head or two, though passers-by quickly dismissed it as an 'underground' concert venue or some other monument to the 90's and 2000's defiant subcultures. Surely no one of interest to anyone would set foot in such a place, or even cared of its existence. Thus, the regal elite of Washington DC under cover of night could pass through the mangled veil of The Church of Saint Elizabeth and blend seamlessly into the raucous crowd of Club APEX.

"Oooh, the mangled veil of a church, I love it!" Riley grinned as he scraped ham and eggs onto a plate for Tim's breakfast.

"You don't think it's too much?" Tim asked and checked off a line from his free-writing page.

"No, no, it's good. Keep going."

Seated at the kitchen island Tim continued typing then read the next passage aloud.

Agent McGregor wondered about how the crumbled architecture appealed to the wealthy and powerful – if there was a threshold one crossed where lavish surroundings became too monotonous, if it was an escape where a family-type politician or businessman could indulge in wild hedonism without recourse. Whatever the appeal was, McGregor was about to find out. Club APEX had stayed successfully hidden even from local police, but came on NIS' radar when a hooker connected to multiple deaths was linked to the club's activity. Unlike other clubs that had dubious reputations, NIS had no information on this club whatsoever other than the building's history, and had only one way to get in.

McGregor adjusted the collar of his sleek black button-down shirt and checked his white bowtie in the reflection of the limousine's window. On the other side of the car, Agent Tommy examined his outfit to ensure that it matched McGregor's, and slipped his badge into his sock. Between them, forensic analyst Amy Sutton fanned herself under the heat of a puffy, black fur coat covering her tight leather mini-skirt and corset. She fussed with her golden bracelets and stiletto heels and huffed.

"I really don't know how people wear this kind of crap," she moaned.

Tommy sneered at her. "Says the woman who wanted her 'escorts' to look like Chippendales."

She raised a snarky eyebrow at him. "Honestly, I'll trade outfits with you. I can do boots with heels, but these-" she tugged at a loose strap on one of the stilettos "-devices of pure torture."

McGregor smiled at her. "Don't worry about it, just focus on playing a fashion journalist and get us through the door. After that, it's just a matter of finding Delaney inside before she finds another mark."

The limo lined up with a few other cars to get to a red-carpet entryway, though with no photographers allowed on site it looked more like it would've been a funeral procession. The fast beat from the techno music within the building and the security outside, however, gave away the club's intent. McGregor stepped out of the limo first, then extended his arm for Amy to gracefully exit as well, with Tommy following up to be on her other arm. With her bodyguard-like escorts, Amy glided up the stairs towards the club entrance. When stopped by security, she gave the guard a disapproving look and gave the name of a popular but reclusive online journalist that the team procured as an identity. The underpaid guard just barely recognized the name as someone noteworthy, and without further investigation let the group into the club.

The inside of Club APEX had been successfully modernized except for the original stone walls. Inside the front room there were covered tables with multiple attendants for the large coat check, which had a guard on each side to prevent theft. Walking further inside, the first thing patrons were drawn to bars on either side of the room, ensuring no one went without a drink. Behind the bars were tall black shelves for the drinks, however they were free-standing shelves as the owners didn't want to risk mounting anything of importance on the old walls.

Large rubble piles were decoratively left around the room to add a grungy, forbidden feel to the space, though they were kept away from the more comfortable areas of the room. The floors in the sanctuary had been smoothed and booths with small tables were added, all facing the rear of the church where a few steps led up to a stage. Instead of an altar, a long pole protruded up to the height of the ceiling beside to large sets of speakers.

Riley called from upstairs down to the living room where Tim typed at the desk, "If I'm on that pole, Tim, so help me god-!"

"Keep it up and you will be!" Tim called back with a smile and continued narrating as he wrote.

Agent Tommy was instantly mesmerized by the show happening on the stage where a woman showed more of herself than anyone he'd seen on late night Cinemax. McGregor scanner the room for their target, but no hair or faces matched what they were looking for. They wandered to the bar on the right side of the room to help blend in, keeping slightly behind Amy to continue appearing as her bodyguards. As they approached, McGregor found himself staring at their bartender.

She was short with fair skin, she had long straight blonde hair with deep black highlights flowing down to her chest, deep blue piercing eyes lined with thick black eyeliner, a slim face with a delicate but straight jawline, and a smirk that showed she meant business. She wore a silver-spiked black luxury bra to hold up a firm bust, sleek black leather pants, black heeled boots that only brought her to average height, and black fingerless leather gloves. Despite her short stature, there was a formidable air around her that many at the club found attractive, keeping her tip jar filled more than any of the other bartenders'.

The bartender keenly observed the group as the approached. Her eyes locked on McGregor's for a moment, and her lips twisted into a subtle smile. She then diverted her attention to Amy who leaned forward against the bar, weighing her drink options.

Amy, knowing she could hold her liquor, decided to sound brave. "Give me something strong."

The bartender smirked. "Any preferences, or do I have to guess?"

Amy smiled. "Guess."

The bartender turned to get on a small stepladder, reaching up to one of the top shelves. As she did, she revealed a tattoo of large dragon wings that stretched across her back and down to her waist. McGregor, while drawn towards the tattoo, noticed a set of black brass knuckles tucked into the belt of her pants.

'Tough crowd,' he thought to himself.

The bartender poured a shot of cloudy green liquid and placed it in front of Amy, whose eyes went wide and her façade faltered.

"Um…" Amy hesitated. "Is this…?"

"Absinthe," the bartender answered. "And not the weak shit you find here. This is the strong, imported stuff."

Both Tommy and McGregor looked at Amy and the drink, wondering if she'd cross the line and drink something that was illegal to serve. The bartender stared at Amy as if daring her to drink. Amy slowly reached for the shot, but just as her fingers touched the glass, the bartender whipped it away from her.

"That's what I thought," she jeered and set it to the side. She pulled up a bottle of Jim Beam, poured a half glass over some ice and handed it to Amy. "I think this is better for a federal agent on-duty."

Amy's eyes froze like a deer in headlights. The bartender motioned the other two over with a quick flick of her fingers. Tommy and McGregor approached and leaned in close to the bar. The bartender made sure there was distance between her and the other bartenders and patrons.

"Relax. I'm Rita, and the only thing that'll make me care who you are is the tip you leave," she explained while pouring drinks for the two men.

All three of them sighed with relief, and Tommy slipped a twenty-dollar bill in her tip jar.

McGregor took his drink and replied, "Navy Investigative Service. We're looking for this woman." He pulled out a small photograph of Delaney and showed it to her.

A flash of intrigue lit Rita's eyes before they narrowed slyly, then she sized up McGregor. "And here I thought you were too cute to need a hooker."

Amy frowned with barely covered jealousy as she set down her glass with a firm thud. "She's connected to a murder and we need to question her," she grumbled.

Her tone was not lost on Rita, who bumped her eyebrows knowingly and began making a small tray of drinks. "Well, she was gone for a few days, probably met a mark that she could milk for a few grand… in one way or another. Saw her maybe an hour ago? Pretty sure she's still here chatting up one of the big dogs."

Tommy smiled and studied the curves of the curious bartender's torso. "Sounds like you know the regulars around here."

Rita pulled out a black running jacket from under the bar and tied it around her waist, then locked her eyes on someone in the crowd. "It's easy to spot them when they're talking to my mark."

McGregor looked surprised. "Your mark?"

"I'll be back in about 5 minutes, maybe less," she replied. "I expect 10's from each of you in the jar before I go."

Tommy glanced at his glass. "For just the drink?"

Rita scoffed. "No, for fantastic customer service and for the delivery charge for your suspect. Sit back and don't get in my way."

Riley's face contorted in disapproval as he rinsed off a dust rag. "Ugh, do I really sound like that?"

Tim shook his head quickly through a mouthful of soda. "No, no, it's an exaggeration. But it does take a certain attitude to get a suspect to confess by arguing with Gibbs."

Riley snickered and resumed dusting as Tim continued.

She drew out a belt from under the bar with a holstered Walther 9mm, 2 sets of handcuffs, and a federal badge, then fastened it under the jacket around her waist to keep it hidden. She set the drinks she prepared on a tray and walked towards the tables with a sway in her hips. The three looked at each other when she left, and they stared as she approached a booth facing the stage.

The table was occupied by a well-dressed middle-aged man and a scantily-dressed woman in her mid-thirties, both barely visible over the back of the booth. Rita presented them with the drinks, but her arm wobbled and the tray spilled the drinks onto the table and the pair seated. Both the man and the woman shot up as Rita covered her mouth in mortified shock. From his angle, McGregor could make out from the curly hair and round face that the woman was Delaney, the prostitute they were after.

"Guys, that's her," he alerted them.

In the distance, Rita dropped to the floor out of sight for a moment. After a second, Delaney fell down to the floor with a shriek and Rita stood back up, no longer holding a shocked face but rather a focused one. The man in the booth used his weight to push her back towards another table, but she bounced back and kneed him in the stomach, then tossed him into the opposite booth.

Both Tommy and McGregor instinctively jumped up to help her, but seeing her easily dispatch her assailant made them decide to heed her instructions to stay away.

A security guard rushed from one of the side exits over to her, but it gave her enough time to arm herself with her brass knuckles. As the guard flung himself at her, she jumped and landed a punch straight across his face. With his inertia he still caught Rita mid-air and slammed her to the ground, but once there he was dazed from the impacts. She wriggled herself out from under the guard, but the man from the table engulfed her in a bear hug from behind. She freed one arm and jammed her elbow into the man's nose with a sharp crack and yell from him, which allowed her out of his grasp. Another guard rushed towards her looking ready for battle. Rita rolled her eyes in annoyance and ran towards him. She used a booth seat to jump up, wrapped her legs around his neck in a flying submission, and brought his head down hard on one of the tables while exiting the maneuver perfectly on her feet.

Riley's eyes widened as he read the text over Tim's shoulder. "I can NOT do that."

"You can in my book," Tim smiled and resumed typing. "Literally."

She stepped over Delaney and slapped handcuffs on the middle-aged man. Standing up, she unclipped her badge and held it out for the last security guard running to the patrons' aid to see. He promptly stopped in his tracks, minding the last two guards on the floor rather than her badge. Her other hand was on her hip-holstered Walther, but as the other guard stood down she returned to her task. She lifted up the man and began pushing him towards the bar.

As they got within earshot of the team, they could hear the man sputter out, "Who- who are you?"

"I'm FBI," she replied calmly while forcing him forward. "But I think a few more three-letter agencies want a chance to talk to you, too."

McGregor, Tommy and Amy all looked at each other in amazement and each pitched $10 into Rita's tip jar.

As she reached the three agents at the bar, she reached past McGregor to retrieve her tip jar, winking at him as she slid by.

"Your girl's by the table. I think she needs your help."

She then pushed the man towards the front door with one hand while carrying her full tip jar in the other. The team then rushed over to the table to find Delaney cuffed by her ankle to the table, furiously trying to pick the lock with a hairpin.

Tommy was the first to quip, "Yeah, those FBI cuffs are a doozy. We at the Navy like to use our own." He dangled a set of handcuffs he retrieved from his pocket."

Delaney huffed in defeat and fell back against the booth. "Crap."

NCIS

Tim and Riley both smiled and nodded happily at the chapter's end as they cuddled together on one of the living room couches. Tim leaned back and sighed while Riley shifted to face him, grinning proudly.

"You've definitely got your mojo back, babe," he proclaimed.

Tim hummed with happy exhaustion. "I haven't gotten that coherent of a chapter out on the first try since… I think since chapter twelve of Deep Six."

Riley nodded and stacked the papers together in a neat pile on the coffee table. "Well I love it, and I think your publisher will too."

"Thanks to your help," Tim reminded him and gave him a quick rub on his back. "Getting away from my normal space really helped get the ideas flowing."

Riley stood up and stretched, then looked at a nearby clock. "It's almost 5, do you want to catch the sunset? There's a really great stop up the mountain that usually ride to."

Tim's throat caught at the word. "Ride?" He knew he couldn't avoid it forever.

"Please?" Riley pouted his lower lip. "I'll take good care of you and you'll love it. Trust me."

Tim knew he could say no, but he also knew that it was important to Riley for him to at least try it once. He silently nodded, and Riley's face instantly lit up. He launched into a litany of do's and don'ts of being a motorcycle passenger while they were each dressing into a pair of jeans. Riley then led Tim out to the garage where he had taken the motorcycle off of the trailer while Tim had been writing. Riley opened a small closet in the garage and pulled out two sets of thick boots, handing one to Tim to replace his sneakers.

"I think these are a little small," Tim noted as he tried to shove his foot into a boot.

"Here, lets…" Riley knelt down in front of him and began loosening the laces on the boot, then helped pry Tim's foot into it. "There!" he huffed, then stood up. "Now a coat."

He looked back in the closet and started to take a thick black coat off its hanger, but paused and looked at a brown leather jacket that hung next to it. He looked thoughtfully over to Tim and back to the closet, then instead pulled out the brown jacket. The brown leather was older with some wear on the chest, with ribbed shoulders and elbows, and had a single white stripe up left side of the torso.

"Here," he offered it to Tim. "Try this on."

Tim stood up and fit snugly into the jacket. It smelled a bit musty from being in a closet for who-knows-how-long, but he liked how it felt. He zipped it up and flexed his arms, then smiled. "I like it. Thanks!" He felt around and pulled out a matching pair of brown leather gloves from one of the pockets.

Riley smiled and took a breath. "Good. It was my dad's."

Tim's smile fell and the jacket suddenly felt a little tight. "Oh… should I-?"

"-No, no, it's totally fine," Riley reassured him while slipping on his usual blue-striped black leather jacket and gloves. "I think he would've liked you, and he would've liked you wearing that while riding with me. This bike was actually his, and I fixed it up. It's a 1988 Honda Shadow, nothing too huge but just right for that weekend ride."

He walked over to the red and silver motorcycle and pulled out an open-faced helmet and sunglasses from one of the leather saddlebags that hung from the passenger seat over the rear wheel. Tim was grateful to see that there was a small back rest where he no doubt would be sitting. Riley stood on the tips of his toes to reach up and put the helmet on Tim, making sure it would stay on tight. Riley looked at him with his eyes glowing with happiness.

"I'm really proud of you, Tim," he whispered. "You'll love this."

Tim nodded nervously as Riley released him and prepared his own helmet, then Riley opened the garage door and mounted the bike. Tim followed Riley's instructions as he gave them.

"Alright, now swing your leg over… there you go. Now those pegs right there," he pointed with his hands on either side of the bike, "put them on there. I'll handle our balance when standing still but let me know if you need to stretch your legs. Your hands will go here," he placed Tim's hands around his waist where Tim latched on tightly, making Riley giggle. "Yes, like that. Now I know you're left-dominant so use that hand to keep hold of me and your right to signal me. If you need me to slow down or stop, tap me three times on my chest. If you just need to get my attention or say 'yes,' tap my thigh. Make sure to lean with the bike, but don't overdo it. I've done this before, so don't worry."

"Okay," Tim breathed and shut his eyes.

The motorcycle puttered loudly to life. The sound of the engine and exhaust echoed loudly in the garage, but it didn't roar like Tim expected. He tightened his grip on Riley and his arms traveled further up Riley's chest because of their height difference on the bike. Riley grinned as he balanced the bike and kicked up the stand, then slowly throttled them out of the garage. Tim opened his eyes and cringed as he was pulled forward. Riley took it slow as they started riding down the driveway around the hill. Once outside the engine didn't sound as loud and Tim's senses started to calm. It wasn't as terrifying as he thought it would be, but they hadn't gone very far. Riley slowed to a stop at the end of the driveway.

"You okay?" he called back.

Tim tried to remember his instructions, then lightly tapped his hand against Riley's thigh and latched it tightly back around the man's chest.

"Here we go. We'll take it slow, but remember to signal me if you get scared or need me to stop."

Riley gently kicked them off and throttled the engine to life again. The rumbling sensation buzzed Tim's insides as they began moving. His nerves were on end as he felt himself shift slightly in his seat, but he held on tightly to Riley and used the footrests to help steady himself as instructed. They approached a slight bend and Tim held his chin onto Riley's shoulder, and found himself leaning naturally with Riley as they glided around the curves. The cool air on his face reminded him to keep breathing. He was surprised as he was quickly adjusting to it, and he almost began to relax.

Riley lifted off the throttle for a moment and yelled back, "We're about to go over a bridge. I know you don't like heights."

Tim nodded into Riley's shoulder, and held tight. He focused on the passing trees and hills as they rode, and as they approached the bridge they had gone over getting to the house he kept looking at the horizon and the bridge itself instead of down to the dried riverbed. The wheels buzzed more with the grating on the bridge floor but surprisingly it didn't bother him. Riley slowed them down as they came to an intersection. Tim felt himself slide more into Riley, but again he used his footholds to keep steady.

"How are you doing?" Riley called.

Tim took a deep breath. "I think I'm okay!"

"Want to keep going?"

Tim nodded. "Yeah, let's go."

"That's my man," Riley grinned.

Riley made a left through the intersection and throttled them up to a faster speed. Tim gripped him tightly, but his face began spreading into a smile as he started to enjoy the motion. His breathing steadied as he watched the trees breeze past them. He started anticipating the curves as he watched the road and leaned with Riley as if they were doing a gentle, swaying dance on the seats. The road they were on started climbing higher as it hugged the hillside, and Tim could see the sunset beginning in the distance.

Tim felt the wind on his arms even though he was safely warm in the leather jacket. He started to feel like he was flying as the budding trees and foliage blurred into a green canvas. The daring thought passed through his head as he looked at the road ahead. He shifted his grip fully to his left arm around Riley's chest, then slowly started to extend his right hand out. The wind caught around his hand and he could feel it slipping through his fingers. With the wind, he let his arm reach fully out and his heart soared like an eagle above the clouds. He let out an ecstatic laugh and roared into the sky. Riley grinned as he looked back at him in the mirror.

After another ten minutes of riding up the mountain, Riley pulled off to a small stop with a picnic table under a blossoming tree. The spot overlooked the foothills to the west and had an unobstructed view of the coming sunset. After coming to a full stop, Riley instructed Tim on dismounting, but Tim's legs wobbled like jelly and he stumbled to the ground. Riley chuckled as he shut off the bike and helped him up.

"That… that…" Tim panted and tightly embraced Riley, "that was amazing!"

Riley glowed with happiness as he held Tim and removed their helmets, hanging them from the motorcycle handles. He took Tim's hand and led him to sit on the hill facing the sunset. Tim's breathing steadied as he sat comfortably on the ground.

Riley looked at some approaching clouds and checked his watch. "We'll have to high-tail it back home after sunset to avoid getting caught in the rain, but this'll be worth it."

Tim sighed contently. "Thank you for bringing me here, Riley. This is so amazing."

"You're welcome," he replied and squeezed Tim's hand. "I can't tell you how happy it made me that you were willing to do this. On our first date, I wasn't sure if you were the type to try something new like that."

"I'm normally not," Tim admitted with a sheepish smile and leaned back on the grass. "But since I've met you, I've felt more confident and I wanted to at least try it. Being around you makes me want to be brave and live with no regrets."

Riley flushed red. "That's… that's really sweet. I wish I felt like that more."

Tim tilted his head aside. "What do you mean?"

"I mean," Riley explained as he rolled over, "I'm not really that brave or adventurous all the time. I've spent more of my personal life running than I care to admit, and I sure as hell have my share regrets."

Tim rolled onto his side facing Riley and propped his head up. "Like what?"

Riley matched his pose and faced him with a smile. "You first."

Tim smiled nervously and thought back. "Hm, okay. I regret investing some of my book earnings into that crappy hedge fund, which crashed. I didn't exactly NEED it, but after Abby cut up my Armani leather coat for evidence, I couldn't afford a new one."

"Ouch!" Riley cringed. "I regret selling my Trans Am. I like the truck and I needed it to tow the motorcycle and to move things after my dad passed, but I really miss that car."

"My Camaro," Tim added and shook his head. "I regret crashing that into a school bus less than ten minutes after getting it for my Sweet 16. I wound up in traction."

Riley pointed towards his butt. "I regret not taking off work for longer when I got the griffin tail tattooed on my ass and thigh. It hurt so bad trying to sit down for a while, but I worked in Cyber Crimes so I couldn't just stand. And I don't want the tattoo listed on my file in case it prevents me from getting a promotion, so I practically layer cover-up all over my back so it doesn't get noted in my physicals."

"Oh man," Tim grimaced and chuckled. "I regret getting a tattoo on my ass, period! The itch after it was on, then getting it lasered off? Never again. At least, not there."

Riley laughed, then silently looked away. "You wanna hear a big one?"

Tim's lips straightened as his smile deflated. "Sure."

Riley sighed and looked at the glowing orange sunset in the distance and the dark clouds looming closer overhead. "I regret leaving NCIS."

Tim noticed a real change in Riley's demeanor, more than just the unbridled and carefree self that Tim had seen on the trip. He had seen Riley open up before back home, but on this trip he was truly seeing under Riley's armor. His eyes widened and he breathed deeply as he processed what Riley admitted. "Wow… that is big."

"Yup," Riley nodded. "This whole compartmentalization thing is really too extreme to be healthy. During that last raid on the warehouse, I killed 11 people and barely blinked an eye, all because they were the 'bad guys with guns' I was waiting for. And I had no guilt about doing it whatsoever. How messed up is that? I didn't have enough time to really balance being a soldier and an investigator before Dad died, and it really just screwed me up when I jumped ship for Cyber Crimes. It became like a switch that goes back and forth, but maybe if I stayed at NCIS instead of running away I would've been more seasoned in the field and would've been able to balance myself. I always remember that when I'm back out here, but then when I go back to DC I have to get the job done somehow. So I just deal with it. But I see you and Tony, and you guys have it all right. It makes me miss the old days."

"I'm not always so put-together," Tim admitted. "I almost quit NCIS. Well, actually I tried to quit. My sister was involved in a case and I tried to help her without getting the team involved, but it got so messy that I turned in my badge and my gun. Of course, Gibbs came and shoved them both back at me saying to never do it again, so just like that I was back. I don't regret standing up for my sister, but I definitely could've handled the whole thing better."

"Oh good, then it's not just me who messes up," Riley chuckled and nudged closer, looking away towards the sun that now glowed red as it was lowering in the distance. "Once I even thought of moving back to California just to start over. Sometimes my mind still goes back there."

Tim pulled Riley closer. "Cut yourself some slack. You may have had to do difficult things for your job, even keeping a work-related secret from me. That doesn't make you a bad person, and it doesn't negate all the good things that you do. Think of all the people that were saved from the drug and sex trade just from that raid. We got a lot of people out, and you were part of that. You do good work, and you deserve a happy place where you can just be yourself."

Riley's eyes glossed over with held-back tears as a smile twisted his lips. He looked out towards the setting sun, now starting to be blocked with clouds, and back to Tim. "Why are you so damn great?"

Tim stroked Riley's cheek with his fingers. "Because you are."

Tim leaned in towards him and kissed him tenderly on the lips, gently rolling Riley into his embrace, kissing until they started to feel droplets of rain from overhead.

NCIS

Tim and Riley burst through the door into the house from the garage, tongues entwined, water dripping down their leather jackets and wet shoes squeaking on the floor. Riley tugged at Tim's jacket as they kissed, but as Tim tried to kick his boots off he fell backwards with a crash and pulled Riley down onto him. Riley laughed and helped forcefully pry Tim's feet out, all while Tim started stripping Riley from the waist up. Once they were free of their shoes, they sprinted upstairs while darting kisses back and forth until they fell backwards onto the bed.

Riley whispered into Tim's ear, "I love you so much."

"I love you too, baby," Tim replied as he worked the button on Riley's pants.

Rain started hammering against the windows as Riley shed his pants and leaned back over Tim to continue kissing him. He slid his leg over Tim to begin to straddle him, but Tim placed a hand on his thigh to stop him.

"Wait," Tim breathed.

Riley panted as he looked into Tim's eyes, waiting.

Tim started to smile and started sliding his legs around Riley's hips. After trusting Riley with his life on the motorcycle, he knew he could trust Riley to be the first to fuck him. He looked up expectantly to Riley's face, where a grin was starting to appear.

"You want me to top?" Riley asked.

Tim nodded his head. "Yeah. I want you."

A sly grin spread over Riley's face as he maneuvered himself between Tim's legs and started running his hands and lips over the man's body. He gently rolled Tim over so he was laying on his stomach and slid his pants down over his hips. He slowly kissed his way up Tim's inner thigh, gnawed at the flesh of his glutes as he passed, then continued up his back to his neck. Tim felt Riley's weight as the smaller man laid down on top of him, the warmth of their naked skin building with the contact. Riley nipped at Tim's ear and kissed just below it as he reached into the nightstand for lube. He slicked up a finger and started slowly circling it around Tim's hole.

"Relax, I've got you, Tim," Riley whispered and pressed his finger into Tim.

Tim breathed steadily as he felt the intruder. He had the strangest sensation of déjà vu when Riley spoke and entered him, but he was too wrapped up in the new sensations to think about it. It felt different than when he fingered himself, as the control was no longer his. Riley slowly slid his finger in and out, making small circles to open and relax Tim's muscles. Tim moaned in pleasure and Riley latched his mouth onto his, letting their tongues and moans battle. Riley added a second finger, expanding Tim's entrance and causing Tim to sharply breathe in. Riley nibbled down Tim's neck and lined up his cock with Tim's entrance.

"Breathe, baby," Riley growled in Tim's ear.

Tim nodded and tried to relax, though his heart was hammering in his chest. He felt the pressure opening him as Riley leaned forward, then as Riley slipped past the ring of muscle he bit down on the side of Tim's neck. Tim gasped shallowly and gripped the bed hard as he felt his insides being filled, but as his nerves exploded through his body he saw flashes of every memory he had of the one man he'd planned to be there for this moment for years. The piercing light blue eyes stared back at his in the elevator, the lips burned in the same spot on his neck as in the alley with the other man, the warmth filling him was just as hard and satisfying as he'd dreamed, and his brain didn't yet know who any of it really belonged to. The boiling love and lust he had already been building wrenched his senses out of his control. The memories flooded through his mind, the stiffness and heat inside and out of his body slaking the yearning he'd felt for so long.

The warm voice breathed into his ear, "I love you Tim."

"I love you too, Gibbs." His head was too on fire to realize what slipped out of his mouth from sheer memory.

Suddenly the hot skin on his back lifted and was replaced with cold air, and the voice replied, "What?"