Accidental Revelations

A/N: This a different version to a story I wrote many years ago called 'Lifetime of Lies'. For those who read it, this one will be a little different than the original.

Timothy McGee was standing in Jackson Gibbs' store helping the man with some stocking. He had no leads on the case he was working with Gibbs, so he saw no reason not to make himself useful and help Gibbs' father. He was still awed by the fact that Gibbs had a living parent. Gibbs never mentioned his father. Then again, Gibbs didn't mention a whole lot that wasn't case related, which Tim got. He didn't discuss his family either, for good reason. He could understand the need to keep your private life private. Still, he couldn't help the excitement at the prospect of learning more about Gibbs.

"Thanks again for your help, son. Sorry, I forgot your name," Jackson said.

"It's no problem, sir. My name is Tim McGee," Tim told him.

"Right. I should've remembered that. It sounds familiar," Jackson said.

Tim chuckled. "Well, if you met someone with my name, it must be a coincidence. Believe me, I'd remember if we'd met."

"No, just the last name seems familiar, but I'm an old man, and that's a common name. I'm sure I met someone with the name at some point," Jackson.

"Yeah, it is common. When I was around ten, there was a kid in my school with the same last name. We both thought it was kind of cool," Tim said as he began stocking some canned goods on a high shelf.

"Yeah, it's nagging me a little though," Jackson said.

Just then, Gibbs walked in with a cup of coffee. Ziva was right behind him. "What's nagging you, Dad."

"Oh, your boy's last name sounds familiar. I'm sure I knew someone with it, but I can't remember who it is," Jackson said.

"This jackass I went to school with had the same last name," Gibbs said without even having to think about it. He'd made the correlation not long after meeting McGee. He didn't think much of it, other than noting that he'd known someone else with the name.

"That's right," Jackson said as a look of realization hit his features. "You and that boy were always going at it. Half the time I got called to the school, it had something to do with the McGee boy."

"He was a smug little bastard," Gibbs said with a shrug.

"And you both had a thing for the same girl," Jackson said with a knowing smile. "I always said that girl wasn't worth all that trouble. She was playing you both."

"Mmm," was Gibbs' only response. His father wasn't wrong. She wasn't really worth it, as she did play them both, but at seventeen, Gibbs had other opinions.

"I was never happier when both of them left town," Jackson said.

"You seem to remember 'em now," Gibbs commented.

"Yeah, well, I just needed my memory jogged a bit.

Both Tim and Ziva looked on with amusement and excitement. They had begun to see their boss in a new light. "Tony is going to be very jealous he missed all of this," Ziva whispered.

Tim chuckled.

"Well, obviously you're not related to that kid, Tim. You've been nothing but polite since I met you," Jackson said to Tim.

"You think?" Gibbs asked.

"Thank you, sir," Tim said with a chuckle.

"I've already told you to call me Jack," Jackson said.

Tim nodded and went back to stocking.

"So, what other happened to the other McGee, the one you knew?" Ziva questioned.

"Well, all of them moved away. They weren't here that long. The family was military. I did hear the kid went into the service too," Jackson said.

Gibbs snorted. "Definitely not the Marines. Wouldn't have lasted a week."

"No, it had to be Navy. His whole family was Navy," Jackson said.

Tim, who had been stocking some cans, fumbled a bit when he heard Jackson's words, and a bunch of them fell on top of him.

Gibbs immediately went over to give his agent a hand.

"Are you alright, McGee?" Ziva asked.

Tim was looking at Jackson in disbelief. "He went into the Navy? You're sure?"

"Yeah, pretty sure. Why?" Jackson asked.

"What was his first name?" Tim asked. A part of him thought it had to be a coincidence, but the other part of him had Gibbs' voice in his head telling him there was no such thing as a coincidence.

Jackson seemed to think about it for a minute. "Was it Jim? I know it started with a 'J'.

"John?" Tim asked.

"Ah, Hell," Gibbs said after a minute. This was why he didn't believe in coincidences. He couldn't believe he didn't know that Tim was John McGee's son. Hell, he couldn't believe Tim was that bastard's son. They were nothing alike.

"Damn. I guess you might have a point about coincidences, Leroy," Jackson said.

"You knew McGee's father?" Ziva asked in disbelief.

Gibbs sighed with regret. He'd said a lot about John McGee in front of his son. He wouldn't have done that if he'd known their connection. "Seems so. Look, Tim, what we've been saying about your dad…"

"Boss, you don't have to apologize," Tim interrupted immediately.

"Not gonna do that. No reason to break rule six. But you didn't need to hear that. This crap happened over thirty years ago, and it's not your problem," Gibbs said.

"Boss, it's okay. Calling my father a smug bastard is probably the nicest thing you could say about him. I've heard him be called worse," Tim said. Hell, Tim had called his old man worse himself. It didn't exactly work out well for him, but he sure enjoyed saying. He had no qualms whatsoever with what Gibbs said about his father.

"Hasn't changed much then, has he?" Gibbs asked.

"I can't believe you're his son. You don't act like him. I don't even think you look like him," Jackson said.

"Oh, believe me, I know I don't," Tim said. That was literally something he heard his entire childhood. "I favor my mother."

"Yeah, you do," Gibbs said as he looked at his agent. Now that he knew what to look for, he could see the features of his former on again/off again girlfriend. "Your mother's Clare, right?"

Tim nodded. "You knew my mother too? She's the girl you were talking about, wasn't she?"

"Yeah. Again, shouldn't have said what I did," Gibbs said.

"And again, it's fine, Boss. I…I'm just kind of in awe here. You knew both my parents. You dated my mother!" Tim said in disbelief. He really hoped things didn't get awkward between them. He was already nervous enough around Gibbs. He didn't need that made worse. He was grateful that even though Gibbs didn't like his parents, his opinion towards him didn't seem to have changed.

"It was a long time ago," Gibbs said. He stared at him for a moment, as though he was looking for something, but then he looked away. "Alright, we need to get back to work. We've got a case to solve. You good, Tim?"

"Yeah, Boss. I'll try to get Tony. See how far away he is. He should be here soon," Tim said before walking outside.

"Leroy…" Jackson started when the younger agent was out of the room.

"Not now, Dad," Gibbs said. He knew what his father was going to say, but he had a case to solve, and he also had to process everything he'd just found out before he could begin to contemplate answers to questions that were just beginning to form. Questions that could change the relationship he had with his junior agent forever.