"Excuse me, Madam Director," Ducky interrupted her meeting, as he let himself into her office, knocking on the door and entering without permission. "Forgive me for intruding, it seems we have a situation at Georgetown Med that requires your immediate attention."
"We'll have to reschedule, Mr Cooper. Cynthia will be in touch with Dina to schedule another meeting." She said immediately dismissing the man in her office. As soon as her guest was gone, Jen ordered Ducky to tell her everything.
"It seems Jethro has been assaulted by Abigail." Before he told Jen what Kelly had said when she'd called him. He relayed everything that happened including when Tim threatened Gibbs with Ducky's presence.
"She's going to be having a meeting with me upon her return on unrelated matters. I think it's for the best that Jethro deals with the vase incident, himself. If I do, it might be perceived as bullying. Especially as neither incident occurred whilst on duty." Jen explained. "Thank you for letting me know. I will make a notation in her file for my own reference. How is Jethro doing?"
"I believe it is mostly superficial, besides the headache and concussion from the impact." Ducky told the Director. "Timothy and Kelly have taken him home from the hospital and are keeping a close eye on him. I shall pop over there after work tonight."
"Thank you Ducky." Jen told him politely. "I appreciate the update."
At the Gibbs family home, Kelly opened the front door as Tim helped Gibbs inside and onto the sofa. "Can I get you anything else?" Tim asked Gibbs. "Blanket? Pillow?"
"Some answers, McGee." Gibbs replied succinctly. "What happened in that room?"
"Abby flipped out." Tim told Gibbs, truthfully not mincing his words. "She was angry at me, angry at Kelly. Called Kelly a few choice names."
"Why did she throw a vase at me?" Gibbs asked, slightly confused at what had transpired.
"I think she was aiming for me." Tim confessed. "Kelly and I had bought her that vase and those flowers."
Gibbs sat on the sofa, questioning what he had learnt from Tim. He couldn't believe the way that Abby had behaved towards Tim and Kelly. He remembered hearing Abby snarling away at Tim. He didn't know what Abby's problem with Tim was. 'Could she be jealous? Jealous of Kelly and her growing relationship with Tim? Or jealous of Tim's growing friendship with me?' Gibbs thought as he closed his eyes in frustration at the situation.
"How are you doing, Jethro?" Ducky asked as he examined the side of Gibbs' forehead, having quietly snuck inside the unlocked front door.
"What are you doing here, Duck?" Gibbs asked. "The ER doc patched me up and Tim's been checking on me."
"Timothy and Kelly have gone out for the evening. I am your sitter." Ducky informed him. "Are you ready for dinner? I bought over some beef stew and picked up your favourite crusty bread rolls."
"Huh?" Gibbs asked, stretching. He must have fallen asleep with his own thoughts. "Food? Sure, thanks Ducky. Where did Kell and Tim go for dinner?"
"I believe Kelly mentioned Servetti's and a bottle of Chianti." Ducky informed his friend. "Truthfully, they had made earlier plans and didn't want to go. I made them go. The two of them should go out together. They've missed one another, dreadfully."
"I was wrong." Gibbs admitted to his friend quietly as Gibbs tucked into the stew Ducky handed him. "I should never have tried to force Kelly to stay with me last night."
"What were you thinking?" He asked Gibbs, imploringly.
"I don't know." Gibbs admitted. "It wasn't Tim's fault, but I lashed out and blamed him anyway."
"An apology is in order then, Jethro." Ducky reminded him. "I think that given the circumstances, when Abby is discharged it is best she stays with me, after all."
"You're right, Duck!" Gibbs told him. "Things have to change."
"I'd start by reining Anthony in, too." Ducky advised him. "Hopefully Abigail will fall into line."
"Gibbs?" Tony called out, as he let himself in Gibbs' home. "You home?"
"Out here, Tony." Gibbs called out, where Ducky and Gibbs were enjoying a warm drink on the back deck after their dinner had been consumed.
"Abby's been sedated and placed on a seventy-two hour psych hold. Did you know that?!." Tony panted out, having rushed to Gibbs' home, from the hospital. "Apparently, there was an incident today and she became aggressive. You have to come to the hospital. Tell them they have it all wrong, Gibbs." Tony pleaded with his boss.
"My head disagrees with you, Tony." Gibbs told him and Ducky nodded along, confirming Gibbs' story. "She threw a vase at Tim, it missed him, hitting me on the head and shattering." Gibbs explained.
"It was an accident." Tony pleaded.
"She threw the vase at Timothy on purpose." Ducky reminded the senior agent firmly.
"McGoo must have angered her. She doesn't normally act irrationally." Gibbs glared at the senior agent. "Ok, she does." He conceded. "But not recklessly like that."
"I was there, DiNozzo." Gibbs told him. "He didn't do anything wrong. He didn't even get a chance to ask how she was doing before she snapped."
"Sounds like a psychological evaluation is required to me." Ducky added, giving his medical opinion.
"Yes," Gibbs agreed. "Tony, you owe Tim an apology for your behaviour, too." Gibbs told him after a moment. "I do as well, the accident wasn't his fault. Any of it, we both blamed him, automatically."
"What happened to rule six?" Tony asked shocked his boss would suggest breaking a rule, especially that one.
"Rule fifty-one trumps all the rules. 'Sometimes you're sorry'." Gibbs told him seriously.
"I'll swing by his apartment next." Tony conceded, reluctantly admitting to himself that Gibbs was right.
"Don't bother, Tony." Gibbs told him, saving Tony the trip. "He and Kelly are out on a date."
"Probie didn't waste anytime getting back into the he swing of things." Tony jested at the older man to see if he'd take the bait. "It seems all the Probie needed was some sleep and he's back to defiling your daughter."
"Excuse me?" Gibbs asked, not really understanding what Tony was thinking.
"He was in LA, land of the babes, sun and the surf." Tony said, as if it explained everything.
"He was on assignment, Tony." Gibbs reminded the senior agent. "Not a vacation. It was deep cover, he couldn't just call in sick and sneak off to the beach."
"Opportunity wasted." Tony sighed.
"Tony it's ok if you don't like the guy," Gibbs deduced. "but I'd like to remind you NCIS has a zero tolerance approach to workplace bullying."
"It's not that I don't like him, per se," Tony explained his thoughts on McGee. "He's just there, he's a junior member of our team and part of the office furniture."
"Not for too much longer." Gibbs sighed, sharing a look with Ducky. "He put in for a transfer. Originally, he was heading to Manhattan for a liaison position between the FBI and NCIS. But I believe that's fallen through. I don't know what Jen lined up to replace it, but I know it's not with us. Hell, the lead agent out of OSP told me Tim has potential as an OSP agent too."
"Probie undercover? No way, he'd blow it in two seconds flat." Tony thought out loud, again not censoring his thoughts.
"I actually got to see him in action, he's good." Gibbs told Tony. "He fought enough to maintain his cover and didn't react or even flinch when I arrived to play my part."
"Really?" Tony asked, surprised. "So you weren't called in to rescue him."
"No!" Gibbs exclaimed in anger at Tony's assumption. "My jaw and my ribs can attest to his skills undercover." Gibbs lift his shirt up and showed both Ducky and Tony his bruised ribs. "Still think Tim can't maintain his cover."
"You let him, right?" Tony asked. "I mean it's McGoo, he's gentle as a mouse."
"Jethro isn't the kind of man to take a beating, lightly." Ducky reminded Tony.
Tony took on board what both Ducky and Gibbs had told him, as well as the bruises he'd seen on Gibbs' ribs and the damage the vase that had hit Gibbs in the face had done. "Maybe rule fifty one does apply." Tony decided.
Tim and Kelly had gone to dinner to discuss Tim's career options. Tim had chosen the Woodmont Inn, an intimate little restaurant that served mostly fine foods. Tim had grilled lambs koftas on a rice pilaf, steamed greens and a tomato and avocado salsa dressed with a lime and chilli vinaigrette. Kelly had the Thai green chicken curry, rice and coconut crème sauce. Tim liked this restaurant in particular because it was small and the food was great. Across the street was an intimate jazz club that played live music and after dinner, Tim escorted Kelly across to the club for some dessert and a night cap.
"What position do you think I should take?" Tim asked Kelly. He valued her opinion and some days, she knew him better than he knew himself. "MCRT2 as a SFA means still crappy hours and days, but a pay rise, I'm not staying on your dad's team. Not if we're seriously about having a life. A SFA on the profiling team, which translates to batshit boring or SSAIC in the CCU, which would be good but has three major cons. One, I'd split my time between the navy yard and the pentagon. Two, I have to give up my field agent status and I'm ready to do that yet. Three, at the pentagon, it's likely I might run into the Admiral, not really my idea of a fun time."
"I think either the MCRT 2, you love your job and it's the most similar to the job you're doing now. It's a step up, you'd like your boss and you're still a field agent. Like you said, Dad's out, profiling is boring and the Admiral definitely out!"
"That's the way I was leaning." Tim told her with a kiss. "That's why I love you, Kel."
"I love you too." Kelly automatically replied, kissing him back, causing Tim to ask for the bill and the two of them left arm in arm.
Arriving back at Gibbs place, Tim and Kelly saw Gibbs, Ducky and Tony still in the deck talking and slipped upstairs together, into Kelly's bedroom. "Where do you want to go? I have a week off, from Friday after my meeting and we can go anywhere you like." Tim purred in Kelly's ear as she stood before him, high heels on still as she kissed his neck.
"Hmm, don't care as long as there's a big bed. I want to spend a lot of time getting physically reacquainted." She said as she resumed her ministrations on his neck.
"That goes without saying." Tim moaned into her as she played with his nipples. "Sweetheart, you need to stop." Tim begged. "I'm not going to make love to you under your father's roof."
"We both know we can be silent when we want to." Kelly reminded him.
"Still, we aren't teenagers anymore and I like making a little noise, at least." Tim told her.
"So sex is off the table, tonight? Dad will sleep on the sofa anyway, especially when he's got a concussion."
"Let's at least wait until Ducky and Tony leave, then." Tim laughed, not putting it past Tony to suspect what they were up to in Kelly's bedroom and try to sneak in for some teasing material.
"Deal!" Kelly kissed him again, hard. Before physically removing herself from Tim's body and the couple retreated downstairs.
"Hey," Tony said greeting the duo as they made their way downstairs. Tony was on the armchair in the living room, Ducky in the other and Gibbs was stretched out on the sofa. "What were you two doing upstairs?" He asked in a sing-song teasing manner.
"None of your damn business." Tim growled and Kelly laughed at Tim's response. Especially because nothing happened.
"Not your business, DiNozzo." Kelly told him firmly.
"Anthony!" Ducky exclaimed, chastising the senior Field Agent. "I know you think you need to know everything, but you really don't."
Gibbs sat up and patted the sofa for the two of them to join them, telling them Tony was about to put in a movie and that the duo were invited to join them. Tim told them they'd be right back and lead Kelly upstairs to change out of their clothes, into PJ's. Tim lead Kelly back downstairs, having reminded Kelly not to tell anyone of his decision, until after his meeting with the Director.
"Pyjamas Probie, really?" Tony teased him and Tim didn't understand what was so funny.
"Yes, why?" Tim asked. "When the movies over, I'll be going upstairs, to bed. Are you jealous, Tony?" Gibbs laughed at McGee and his response.
Gibbs had been surprised when Tony had spotted the loved up couple coming downstairs, rather than in through the front door. He could have sworn that Ducky told him they'd been out for dinner.
"Gibbs?" Tim asked, watching confusion cross the older man's face. "You ok?"
"Didn't Ducky tell me, you and Kelly went out to dinner?" He asked, confused.
"Yes Dad, we did go out and we came home and went upstairs." Kelly explained and Tony pressed play on the movie.
When the credits rolled, Gibbs was stretched out on the sofa, asleep. Tony excused himself to go home, Ducky had bought his go bag in and was settling in for the night upstairs, so he could observe Gibbs closer. "Come on Tony." Tim asked, "help me get Gibbs into his bedroom upstairs. It'll make it easier for Ducky to keep an eye on him. That way Ducky won't spend the night going up and down the stairs."
Together, they hoisted Gibbs upright on to his feet, one arm around each of the boys and they guided him up onto his feet and up the stairs. Kelly and Gibbs had swapped the rooms around while Tim was away on assignment and Gibbs room was now next to Kelly's ensuite, rather than across the hall.
"You can rack out on the sofa." Kelly told Tony after they got her Dad upstairs. "It's late."
"Thanks." Tony admitted he was tired and it was already going to be a huge day tomorrow, with now, no Gibbs and no Tim either. Although, they had Ned covering as a TAD for Tim, still."
"Night Tony." Tim called out quietly and Kelly told him to lock the door.
"With so many of us here, the door gets locked." Kelly explained, what her Dad usually did.
"Zee's on her way. She had a date and was coming over as soon as she could get here. Then I'll lock it." Tony promised. "Ziva is going to take the two recliners."
"She can have Grandpa's room." Kelly told him. "No good for you, you're too tall for that bed."
"Damn" Tony whined. "So close to a real bed at Chez Gibbs."
The following morning, Gibbs, Ducky, Tony and Ziva were in the kitchen, making coffee, tea and an early breakfast. "Where is Tim?" Tony asked, curiously. They'd been on the road for various cases enough to know that Tim was normally an early riser. He never slept in, even when he was sick.
"Probably still asleep." Ziva argued. "He was in deep cover for a long while, with everything that's happened since he got back, he's probably still exhausted."
"Why did you two stay?" Gibbs asked directly, confused by Tony and Ziva's presence in his home so early in the morning.
"Kelly told me to stay, I invited Ziva over. She was missing the fun, she had been on a lousy date and needed an excuse to leave." Tony explained.
Ziva cooked Gibbs a breakfast of bacon and eggs, while Tony and Ducky poured out coffee and cereal for the people heading off to work. "There you go, Gibbs." She said, placing the plate in front of him with his medication. "Eat up and get some more rest." She instructed him.
The back door, that lead to the deck opened and Tim and Kelly came through. Kelly in work out leggings and her Berkeley sweatshirt, Tim in his NCIS sweats and MIT shirt. "Morning!" They called out and Gibbs smiled at them. They were both sweaty and both red faced, from their early morning workout. Tim handed Kelly and bottle of water, taking another one for himself before they headed upstairs to shower and change.
Less than twenty minutes, saw them both freshly showered and changed and back in the kitchen for coffee. Tim was dressed as if he was going to the office. "I didn't think you were back at work for another fortnight, Timothy." Ducky enquired and Gibbs raised his eyebrows, following Ducky's questioning.
"Week." Tim corrected. "Kelly and I are planning to get away for a five days. Then I am back for a couple of days and back to work the following Monday morning."
"Tim?" Gibbs questioned. "A week really isn't long enough of a break."
"True," Tim agreed, "but Director Shepard needs me back earlier than originally planned, with the promise I can take that week at a later date. Besides, Kelly has a big interview that week for a new job, here in DC."
"Ooh, where are you guys getting away to?" Tony asked and Tim mimicked Gibbs in hooking his eyebrow. "You're really not going to tell me?" He asked, shocked.
"Absolutely not, we're not telling anyone." Kelly told them. "We leave this afternoon. Dad, we'll leave the number for the hotel. Don't use it unless it's an emergency. We're switching our cells off."
Gibbs hid a smile smile behind his cup, he suddenly realised that he knew exactly what this little impromptu getaway was about. "Don't you have your own apartment to stay at?" Gibbs asked Tim in a playful tone.
"Clearly you've never been inside it, then Gibbs." Tony deduced out loud. "A sardine can is bigger than that apartment."
"Tony's right, Gibbs." Ziva added to her thoughts. "Barely big enough for Timothy by himself."
"I have actually been to Tim's apartment a few times, I'll have you know." Gibbs defended himself.
"For your information, I've been looking for a new place for a while, now." Tim told the group. Gibbs was surprised to hear that, but a look that Tim shared with Kelly told him he could expect it to be closer to here than Silver Spring and he'd probably be right in assuming that Kelly would be a frequent overnight guest, if not a tenant.
"Good, it's a death trap." Tony was glad to hear Tim was moving. Tony hated Tim's sardine can of an apartment.
"Still doesn't mean we're telling you where we're going." Kelly added, causing Gibbs to laugh at the look on Tony's face.
"Shit!" Tim swore, suddenly. "I'm going to be so late." He emptied his coffee cup and rinsed it. "Bye sweetheart." He kissed Kelly passionately by the door, conveying all his love into that kiss and Tony watched them closely.
"Good luck, Baby." She cooed before she whispered in his ear and he whispered in hers in return. Her face flushed red in embarrassment and she nodded, her eyes glazing with desire.
Gibbs, Tony and Ziva watched as Kelly returned all zoned out for her cup of tea, before heading upstairs where she passed Ducky on his way back down from the shower. "Man, I'd love to know what he said to make her zone like that." Tony wished and Gibbs head slapped him.
"I've seen that look before, Jethro." Ducky advised his friend. "I see that our young Timothy hasn't lost his touch"
"Nothing, just leave it be." Gibbs growled at Tony. "Aren't you two running late, too?" He asked before Tony and Ziva hurried out the door too.
"Jethro, please forgive me for overstepping my mark just now."
"It's ok, Duck." Gibbs told his friend. "Was it after my wedding to Stephanie? I overheard Stephanie and Kelly talking one evening, not long after, before we went back to Russia. She met someone and had sex with them. You made her talk to your friend." Gibbs asked, he had always been curious. "Stephanie refused to tell me anything about it."
"Didn't exactly 'meet' someone per se, she and Timothy met up after the wedding. I believe there was a hotel room involved. I am a confirmed bachelor and I have seen and partaken in the walk of shame many times, my friend. Kelly came in, in the previous night's dress and her little bag. I deliberately ignored the material hanging out of her bag. She gave me a story about clubbing with friends, which was clearly a lie. The girl had whisker burns on her cheeks and a hickey on her neck, Jethro. If I wasn't so concerned at the time, I could have found it amusing." Ducky laughed, finally telling his friend what had transpired on his wedding night.
"So Tim was a lover? I didn't actually know for sure, at the time." Gibbs said.
"They were in love." Ducky confirmed. "I forced the truth out of Kelly and immediately set her straight on a few truths about contraception and made a time for Jordon to talk to her and get her sorted out."
"Thanks Ducky. I guess that's when she got the implant thing." Gibbs surmised. "I noticed the stitches a few days later and she gave me a story of accidentally cutting herself. If I had of known she was serious about MIT Tim, I'd have made her invite him to the wedding. I'd have even spoken to her about contraception myself. Actually, I should have made an effort to meet him, too. That mistake is on me."
"I believe you've more than made up for that transgression by now." Ducky told Gibbs. "I wouldn't sweat it."
"Agent Balboa?" The Director called out from the mezzanine level. "Please join me in my office." The office was in code yellow mode. The telephone system was down and IT were working on it as fast as they could.
"Ha, ha, you're in trouble!" Tony teased the older man.
"Don't you have work to do, DiNozzo?" Matt Balboa asked the senior agent.
Entering the outer office where Cynthia sat, he was instructed to go straight inside. "You wanted to see me, Director?" Balboa asked, then looked up. "Oh McGee, I'm sorry for interrupting."
"Nonsense Matt, come on in." Jen hushed him. "I'd like you to meet your new Senior Field Agent."
Balboa smiled at Tim widely, "welcome aboard." Shaking his hand, he was truly surprised that Tim had chosen his team, rather than Jethro Gibbs' or CCU.
"Thank you for the offer." Tim told him. "I do have one question for you, McGee." Balboa stated, looking over his newest team member. "Why not back to MCRT with Gibbs? Not that I'm complaining. I am honoured to have you."
"I recently reconnected with my college girlfriend. It's beginning to get serious, again." Tim told him and Jen stifled a giggle at the bombshell coming Balboa's way. "This is not public knowledge, especially around these walls and I'd like to keep it that way … I thought it wouldn't be a good idea to work for her father."
"Yikes, you're seeing Gibbs' daughter?" He asked in a whisper and Tim was relieved to hear a lack of judgement in his voice. "No wonder you don't want to work for Gibbs."
Tim quickly explained to Matt and Jen, that he and Kelly had seriously dated for three and a half years while at MIT and for part of his time at Georgetown U. He explained that throughout their relationship he and Gibbs had never met, that Gibbs was stationed overseas when they were dating. Tim told him how they separated and lost contact with each other due to the long distance between Kelly's grad school and Georgetown, although he had then gone of to FLETC at Quanitco. That they reconnected when they saw each other at the navy yard when she flew in to be be with her father when his wife died.
"Tim was all set to take a position with the FBI as a NCIS Liaison Agent in Manhattan, to be with Kelly Gibbs." Jen told Balboa. "But the position fell through and Kelly ended up moving back home to help her father through his grief."
"You were under?" He asked before looking at both Tim and Jen. "As if I bought Gibbs' story that you were on holidays. Abby Sciuto then let it slip to me."
"As fun as this meeting has been. I have to get to a meeting on the hill." Jen announced, calling an end to the meeting. "Balboa, McGee has all of next week off. He will return Monday week and start with your team. He is owed a weeks leave at a later date."
"Thank you, Director." Tim said with a warm smile for her.
Balboa and Tim went across the base to the cafe and each ordered their coffees. "I'm not like Gibbs." Balboa told him. "I like the man and I respect him, but I don't hold my agents to the same impossible standards that he does. I don't give impossible deadlines. I don't demand hacking, that I know are capable of. I have a happy marriage, it's not perfect, but we're happy. I believe getting a good work/life balance is part of that success. Very few cases can't wait until morning. Everyone's opinion is valued equally and I don't tolerate any bullying or hazing, Tim. Some of Gibbs' rules like number 9 and 15 are good. Others you can toss."
"Rule 9 is a rule I have lived with long time, before I met Gibbs. My father is an a Fleet Admiral in the US Navy."
"Sounds like we're going to get along just fine." Balboa said with a smile. "To my second in command and right hand man," he toasted with his coffee mug.
"To my new boss." Tim toasted in reply.
"How's the head?" Tim asked Gibbs in a whisper, letting himself back into the Gibbs family home after his meeting with Matt and Jen.
"Getting there, my ear hurts still." Gibbs answered. "How did your meeting go?"
"I am officially a SFA working under Balboa on the MCRT 2. Start Monday week." Tim told Gibbs, mentally bracing himself for some pushback.
"Hey Congratulations, Tim." Gibbs said, genuinely. "I'm proud of you, Matt's a great guy and he can help hone and fine tune your skills."
"Thanks." Tim said, hesitantly.
"What's the matter? Gibbs asked, confused by Tim's hesitation. "I thought Jen gave you options."
"She did." Tim confirmed. "I just expected some push back from you, because I didn't choose to return to your team."
"Oh Tim." Gibbs sighed. "I think we both know you were stifled and should have moved on and stepped up a while back now. You were probably ready to move up a good year or two ago. Hell, I'm proud of you. You can't stay my JFA forever. Besides, you and Kell are getting serious. You and I need firm boundaries. Either Agent and subordinate or Father of girlfriend and boyfriend of daughter. I think if we tried both the lines would get too blurred."
"That's how I felt too. We are getting serious, Gibbs." Tim told Gibbs. "I love her, Gibbs. I've told her that."
"She loves you too." Gibbs admitted to him and the smile Tim gave Gibbs in return, told Gibbs that Kelly had said it to Tim recently. "So, week away? Where are you guys going?"
"Norfolk." Tim told him. "My family owns a house on the beach there, not too far from the navy base. Oh Penny's teaching at Ohio State this semester, she's a guest lecturer. Professor of Women's studies. My sister is travelling with her and the Admiral is at sea. It's going to be just the two of us."
"Phone number?" Gibbs asked and Tim's smiled at him.
"I'll leave the house number for you and I lied to Tony, we'll both have our cells on. If we don't answer and it's an emergency call back again within a minute and we will know it's an emergency and answer." Tim explained to Gibbs.
"Have a great time." Gibbs said to him as Kelly came down with her bag packed.
"I'm ready." She called out. "Where's your bag Tim?" She asked.
"We'll stop by my apartment and grab it on our way." Tim explained.
"Safe travels, you two." Gibbs called out from the sofa. Kelly kissed her Dad's cheek and Tim carried her bag out to the car.