Chapter 43

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or NCIS or any of their characters. I do however own this story, I wrote it and I do NOT give permission for anyone to post it anywhere else. If you want to share it post a link.

"My turn" Gibbs said grinning as he cuddled the baby girl and Ducky left to organise the serving of the meal. It caused him a few pangs as he was reminded of the days when Kelly was this age and he and Shannon were so happy but he was pleased that at least one of his team was able to have a stable family life. He wanted to show all the support he could while Tim and Hadrian worked things out with Abby. Of course, it also didn't hurt that the baby was truly adorable in her own right.

Tim and Hadrian chattered with Jimmy while keeping an eye on their children playing with the other members of the team until Ducky called them all to come to the table. Tim scooped up Teddy and plonked him on his booster seat while Hadrian helped Gibbs strap Rosie into the child swing.

"I must say Ziva that I can't thank you enough for this swing, it's been a real godsend" Hadrian said to his friend.

"Is she still not sleeping in her crib?" Ziva asked concerned.

"She's started to but not when there are things going on like now" Hadrian replied.

Abby pouted to hear that everyone else really had known Hadrian and the children. She felt left out and she didn't like it. This was her family, she should be involved in what's going on. She waited for them to realise how upset she was and was surprised when even her Silver Fox either didn't notice or ignored her feelings.

The feeling around the table was slightly awkward, nobody could actually miss the fact that Abby was unhappy with the situation but most of them didn't want to confront her about it at the table and ruin the lunch Ducky had put so much effort into organising and worked hard to make up for the atmosphere inadvertently going overboard to seem cheerful and make Hadrian and the children feel welcome.

Rosie happily sat in her swing with Tim and Hadrian paying attention to her each time she babbled. Teddy sat on his booster seat between Gibbs and his Papa and obediently ate his dinner without complaint, Ducky told stories of past picnics with his family in England and his first experiences of the fourth of July. Tony talked about movies that included the holiday, not that Hadrian had seen most of them. After dinner Jimmy and Ziva insisted on helping Ducky with the clean-up while the others headed outside to enjoy the fine weather. Rosie was passed around Tony taking a brief hold before handing the baby over to Tim, finding Teddy more interesting. Teddy tried to get Tony and Hadrian to chase him around the garden which they did until Tony collapsed panting on the steps. Gibbs frowned slightly at his SFA's shortness of breath and Ducky looked anxious but nobody said anything. Hadrian scooped up Teddy tickling him before hanging him upside down swinging him around from the ankles. Teddy shrieked with laughter and Tim passed Rosie off to Ducky and went to join his husband and son.

Ducky held the little girl so he could look into her face while he continued talking.

"Rosie loves listening to people talk. Ducky's finally found someone who will listen to his stories for hours. It's a perfect match" Tim joked watching the M.E. interact with his daughter as he returned to the back porch.

"He certainly seems besotted and she's hanging on every word" Ziva agreed.

Abby huffed and pouted glaring at Tim. She kept starting to speak before changing her mind and clamming up, sometimes as a result of pointed looks from Gibbs and Ducky.

Finally, Tim had enough and decided to confront her. Hopefully she would calm down after she said whatever it was she felt she needed to say. He got up and moved away from the others not wanting the children to hear her tantrum.

"You married a man McGee! You never told me you were interested in men" Abby said affronted.

"My sex life hasn't been any of your business for years now Abby. I stopped telling you about my relationships a long time ago because you throw jealous fits and I've never understood why. You don't want to date me. You broke up with me. Said I was too boring and vanilla" Tim said. "What's the real issue?"

"And why does everyone else already know him McGee?" Abby demanded.

"Abby if you'd been more reasonable when I told you about getting married you would've met him six months ago when everyone else did" Tim replied exasperated. "You accused me of lying to you to get out of taking you to that stupid concert that I'd already told you several times I had no intention of going to. I don't like the music. I don't like the band, or the venue. Your friends don't like me and I don't enjoy going out with them and I told you after the last time that I wasn't going again. I didn't need an excuse not to go to the concert and you should've known me better than to accuse me of lying."

"You always give in come to concerts with me in the end Timmy. I knew you would change your mind" Abby said.

"That's not the point. Abby, is that really what you want to argue about?" Tim replied. "You seriously only cared about my wedding because it meant that I couldn't drive you to the concert?"

"You never made any effort to fit in with my friends" Abby argued.

"Your so-called friends never made the effort of even basic politeness" Tim replied, "And neither did you, you'd abandon me as soon as we met up with them and only notice me again when you wanted me to drive you to the next location. I have better things to do with my evenings than that."

"And how was I supposed to know that you were seeing someone if you didn't tell me?" Abby demanded. "If he was that important to you I could have got him an extra ticket."

"Abby we weren't even here in DC. We were at Hadrian's family home just outside Boston. Massachusetts is the closest location where gay marriage is legal" Tim replied. "And don't tell me you still don't believe me about the wedding, Gibbs, Ducky and Jimmy were there for heaven's sake. I know they told you about it."

"I thought we were friends McGee? Friends don't keep secrets like this from each other" Abby said pouting.

"Friends don't turn on each other like you turned on Tim either" Hadrian said walking in.

"Stay out of it I'm talking to McGee" Abby snapped.

"If you think I'm just going to sit here and let you abuse my husband, you're out of your mind" Hadrian said evenly. "You may not have heard of me but I've heard plenty about the way you've treated Tim over the years and I have to say I'm astounded that you could still think that you're still friends after all that. But you're not a real friend, are you? Real friends care about their friends wellbeing and interests and want what's best for their friends. You only claim to be Tim's friend when it's in your own interests."

"I am his friend"

"Tim's been injured twice since I met him. All the rest of the team visited to check on him, or offer to help him out until he could look after himself again. You didn't know about me, you thought he was alone and yet you never came. You didn't even ring him until he was well enough to be of use to you again" Hadrian said.

"You don't know anything" Abby refuted.

"I've been living with Tim nearly three years. Whom do you think he talks to when he's had a bad day" Hadrian said dryly.

"He's never mentioned you" Abby said dismissively.

"Which should upset you more than it worries me" Hadrian replied grinning nastily. "Ask yourself exactly why Tim didn't feel comfortable telling you about his personal life. Why he felt the need to protect our relationship from you and your influence. Tony and Gibbs don't tell you about their girlfriends either, do they? You say this is a family and I'd agree your team often reminds me quite a lot of my family but since I think the whole lot of them should've ended up in prison for the way they treated me after my parents died that is not a good thing. I walked away the day I turned seventeen and haven't seen any of them since. One day Tim's and everyone else is going to have had enough of the way you treat them and do the same. Tim's already stopped wanting to spend any more time with you than he absolutely has to and even Gibbs and Tony have been helping to prevent him from having to go down your lab."

Tim wrapped his arms around his husband. "They've never been that bad" he reassured him.

"Abby's behaviour is frequently abusive" Hadrian said.

"Yes, but it's not systematic like your relatives' abuse was, there were some good times too" Tim said softly.

"That's ridiculous. I've never abused anyone" Abby protested furiously.

"Hadrian's right Abby, your behaviour to Tim often borders on abuse" Ducky said quietly. "That's why we've all spent the last six months trying to ensure he did not have to be alone with you unless he chose to be."

"Ducky how could you say that" Abby exclaimed.

"It's the truth dear. You treat Tim very badly and trade on being Jethro's favourite child to manipulate everybody but you're not a child. It's time to grow up" Ducky said gently.

Abby turned to Hadrian furiously making him take a step back and Tim move to a position he could grab her before she reached Hadrian if she tried to attack him physically. "Where do you get off trying to turn my family against me" she yelled. "You don't even know me! I'm a good person!"

"I know you do good work for habitat for humanity but it takes more than grand gestures every now and again to be a good person" Hadrian retorted. "I learned a long time ago that you can fight for the light and still be a horrible person. You're possessive, petty and manipulative, you blackmail everyone around you with the threat of horrible behaviour or Gibbs wrath if they upset you and you enjoy watching other people be punished for your actions. You act like a spoilt teenager who's never had to be responsible for the consequences of their actions. You expect your friends to be interested in what you are but never take the time to get to know or share their interests. You're totally self-centred and narcissistic Abby Scuito and if you don't get help then you'll end up with everybody call friends realising that you don't care about them and leaving you all alone."

Hadrian took Tim's hand and led him back to the others. They collected their children, thanked Ducky for having them and made their way to the car, Tony and Gibbs following with the children's equipment while Ziva collected their dishes from the kitchen.

-o0o-

Abby looked around at all her friends taking Tim and his husbands side, helping them pack up their things and leave and threw back her head and yelled in sheer frustration, stamping her feet when she was totally ignored. She had underestimated the soundproof effects of Ducky's double glazing. She stormed into the house collecting her things without saying goodbye to her host and brushed past Tony, Ziva and Gibbs as they re-entered the house. Moments later they heard the roar of her roadster as she tore down the street.

Ducky looked a little annoyed but quickly put her out of his mind as Ziva handed him a fresh cup of tea and they returned outside to enjoy the beautiful afternoon in harmony.

Ducky persuaded them to stay for dinner and help him eat some of the leftovers and then they watched a movie on Ducky's large screen television then Jimmy and Ziva helped finish the cleaning up while Tony and Gibbs returned the furniture to its normal positions before taking their leave, thanking Ducky for the party.

-o0o-

Abby arrived to work early next morning and set up the pilfered wine glasses from Ducky's party in the fume chamber to raise the fingerprints. She wanted to know who this man masquerading as Tim's husband was. There had to be something wrong with him. He had corrupted her Timmy. She watched as the superglue vaporised and did it's job, taking the resulting prints and running them through Codas.

Abby screamed in frustration when all the prints came back to Tim, Ducky and Ziva, nobody else.

"What's wrong Abs?" Gibbs asked walking in. He noticed that the glass wear being tested looked a lot like the ones they'd used the day before. "What's going on Abs?"

"This guy came out of nowhere Gibbs. Nobody knows anything about him" Abby pouted. "You can't say you didn't want him investigated too."

"He's an FBI consultant" Gibbs replied. "I could have told you that without you misusing agency resources."

"How do you know he's who he says he is?" Abby demanded.

"We worked a case together a couple of years ago" Gibbs said frowning. He'd been pissed off when he realised that Lord Evander and Hadrian Black were the same person but given that he also knew that the man's real name was Harry Potter he figured that the deception probably wasn't aimed at him. "He and Tim have been together for years and you never even cared enough to ask if he was seeing someone, or believe him when he told you so why the big concern now Abs?"

"Why aren't you concerned? Timmy wasn't gay and this guy suddenly appears out of nowhere and all of a sudden Tim marries him without giving any of us time to check him out" Abby retorted.

"Ducky and I both met Hadrian when Tim was injured before he and Tim became engaged and I did check him out. He's legit Abs. Tobias has known him for years" Gibbs replied. "And if you didn't know Tim was living with someone why didn't you visit him after he was shot and make sure he didn't need assistance with shopping, cooking or just to help him out getting to appointments? No wonder Hadrian thinks you're not a very good friend."

"Gibbs I was busy" Abby protested.

"Too busy to help Tim out when he needed a friend and he never complained but as soon as he wasn't available to go to a concert you wanted him to drive you to you through a massive it, accused him of lying and being a lousy friend and insulted him about it for months" Gibbs said bluntly.

"I gave him chances to make it up to me" Abby argued. "It's not my fault he didn't fix this."

"It wasn't his problem to fix Abs" Gibbs replied. "You needed to apologise to him but even now you know you were wrong I didn't hear an apology in all that yelling at him you did yesterday."

"What! But Gibbs…" Abby began only to be interrupted.

"You owe Tim an apology and while you're at it you owe Ducky an apology for your behaviour yesterday too. Ducky invited us all for lunch to clear the air and get our team back to a more amiable working relationship."

"But Gibbs there are no fingerprints" Abby said.

"looks like there are plenty of fingerprints to me Abs" Gibbs replied looking over the glassware. "I hope you're willing to replace those glasses you've ruined."

"Yes of course there were prints but none of the fingerprints were his" Abby explained.

"Then maybe you stole the wrong glasses" Gibbs replied.

"I didn't steal them and I'm sure these were Tim and Hadrian's glasses" Abby declared.

"I'm sure they are Ducky's good antique glasses that you took without his permission and destroyed by using superglue to take the prints instead of just using fingerprint dust on the scene. Now I expect you to march right down to autopsy, admit your theft to Ducky, apologise for that and your behaviour yesterday and ask where you can find replacements for the glasses you've destroyed" Gibbs said angrily before leaving the lab.

Abby stamped her foot in frustration but once she'd calmed down a bit the sight of the expensive glassware did make her feel a little guilty. She put them in her office out of sight and turned her attention to the evidence she should have been processing for Balboa's team.

Hours later she got a call from Gibbs. "Hey Gibbs what can I do for you?" she asked cheerfully.

"Ducky's still waiting for that apology" Gibbs said bluntly then disconnected without waiting for a reply.

Abby shamefacedly took herself down to autopsy.

"Hey Abby" Jimmy greeted her.

"I need to talk to Ducky privately" Abby replied.

"Okay then I'll just go and ask Dr Mallard if it's okay for me to take my lunch break early" Jimmy replied walking over and knocking on the office door.

"What is it Mr Palmer?" Ducky called out.

"Abby's here and wants to talk to you alone so I wondered if I might go to lunch early. I've already restocked the truck" Jimmy said nervously. He wanted to be as far from the fiery tempered forensic scientist as possible.

"Thank you Mr Palmer. Enjoy your lunch" Ducky replied getting up. "What can I do for you Abby?" he asked.

"I came to apologise Ducky" Abby said wringing her hands. "I took Tim's husband's glass to fingerprint it."

"Why on earth would you do such a thing?" Ducky asked.

"I wanted to know who he really was" Abby replied.

"Hadrian is Timothy's husband. You had no right to investigate him without Tim's permission" Ducky said angrily.

"I'm sorry Ducky but he's turning Tim against his friends I was worried about him" Abby said crocodile tears glistening in her eyes.

"He is not. It is your own behaviour that has upset Timothy and driven a wedge between you" Ducky retorted. "Bring the glasses back and put them on the desk for me to take home. It's an old set of my grandmother's I'd hate to lose one."

"I used superglue to raise the prints" Abby confessed.

"Then you need to very carefully wash the glasses in acetone to get it all off and then wash and polish them properly and hope they aren't damaged because you will find it very difficult to locate replacements" Ducky said severely, making it clear that he fully expected his glasses returned to him in the pristine condition they'd been in yesterday. He quickly wrote down and handed her the details of the glass wear brand and design.

"Now I believe you have work to do on the samples I sent up this morning."

Deprived of fingerprints Abby attempted to search for Hadrian by name, hindered by the fact that he hadn't given her his real surname. Still Gibbs had said that he worked for the FBI so she hacked their personnel records inadvertently setting off their alarms and spent the rest of the afternoon fighting off their counter attack.

Balboa came in several times looking for results on the trace evidence found at the crime scene and on his murder victim. Frustrated by the delay and annoyed because she wouldn't even turn and talk to him to explain what was going on he complained to Gibbs.

"What's going on Abs? Balboa's team is waiting on the trace to give them a lead on their multiple homicide" he asked.

"I can't leave this Gibbs they're trying to hack me and they're really good" Abby said still frantically typing.

Gibbs rang McGee. "Abby's being hacked. Need you down here" he barked.

"On the way Boss" Tim replied hurrying to the stairs. He arrived and quickly assessed the situation before starting to help. It took him a few minutes to get it shut down.

"That was a back hack. Who were you trying to hack and what information did you need? I might be able to find another way around. What did you try?" Tim asked.

"It doesn't matter it wasn't that important" Abby replied.

"Well if it wasn't important, perhaps you should get to Balboa's evidence which could be very important. They're out of leads and need you to work your magic Abbs" Gibbs ordered. His gut said that whatever she'd been trying to hack into wasn't related a case but trying to dig up more information on Hadrian Abby's not wanting Tim's help seemed to confirm it.

Later in the day four FBI agents arrived for an urgent meeting with the director. After they left the director visited cybercrimes before calling McGee up to her office.

"The FBI reported that someone from NCIS tried to hack into their personnel files today. Do you know anything about it?" The director asked watching him closely for micro-expressions of guilt. "We have no current open cases that would warrant looking into the FBI."

Tim flushed furiously. "Gibbs called me down to help Abby fight off a cyber-attack this morning. Once we'd shut it down I did what I always do and started looking for the origin of the hack and how they might have got through our fire wall. The contact was initiated by Abby and what I thought was an attack was their defences trying to do what I was, looking for who originated the hack." he replied angrily. "I can guess what she was looking for."

"Which case was it related to?" the director asked frowning.

"I might be wrong but I don't think it was related to a case. Abby met my spouse at Ducky's party yesterday and took an immediate dislike to them. Ducky told me she stole a couple of glasses from him and tried to run fingerprints. When that didn't work she probably tried to look at their personnel file."

The director didn't miss the careful absence of gender specific pronouns but decided to let that slide for the moment. "They work for the FBI?" she asked.

"Consult mostly but they're an agent they can pull in to help out when they're busy too. Seconded from the British Secret Service" Tim replied.

"Thank you Agent McGee" the director said, clearly dismissing him. "Please keep this to yourself for the time being."

"Yes Director" Tim replied taking his leave. Tim smirked slightly as he descended the steps, he'd never thought that could be vindictive until he got engaged to Hadrian and his family and friends reacted so badly but it was going to be good to see Abby get in trouble for harassing him.

Abby looked worried as she headed for the elevator to meet with the director. She'd been surprised that Tim had recognised the cyber-attack they'd fought off as being a back hack originating from her computer and she was a little concerned how long it had taken to fight them off, she doubted they'd got into her encrypted files but they may have got far enough to identify her IP address. And if they did find out that she was trying to hack their personnel files she was sure they'd come asking why. She hadn't heard of a commotion and Gibbs hadn't been down to warn her but if Tim knew she was hacking the personnel files would he have reported her, would he have realised she was trying to check up on Hadrian, his so-called husband.

A/N: Thank you to Kourtney Uzu Yato, sifshadowheart, Lientjuhh, Locket1, notsofrilly, lilly-flower15, Ace Trainer Jessie, icyquest4, PercyJacksonROCKS4ever, cldiva, Rori Potter, xDarklightx, DarkRavie, julschristine975, Almonda, Silvermane1, serenityselena, buterflypuss, DS2010, Firehedgehog, Selenity84, gabrieljuarezl, acherongoddess, Afrodity, Gracie15Trowa, afaineant, charm13insomnia, Village-Mystic , NicholasFlamelFan, Kris (Guest), Kaorilamb, fluffyluv2read, Islandmare, shal1979, , Ultima435, dobbys-stinger, nico2883, Badass Nightcore, loonygoody, Alyssa1432, Conan02, Pewterdragon, AlexCurtis, softballaddict11, kei-kanna-chan, , Jackanapes, maikko, Makkachi, Caredka, delnor, PrismFanatic, Faren12321, CrazyPedantic and lizira for your support.