Authors Notes: same as chapter one.
Timelines, dates and some character info changed.
For this chapter the biggest changes are Tim is an only child in this story. He will refer to SARAH as his baby sister (but the child was lost before twenty weeks gestation) it never lived.
Jackson Gibbs is joining the story and its before Heartland, so he and Jethro Gibbs are still arguing more than not. They aren't estranged, like prior to Heartland in canon.
Tobias Fornell will be Uncle Toby (because I can) oh and Diane mention. (Timeline change) she was married to Fornell first, then Gibbs, then Fornell again and then they divorced.
Tim and Gibbs never did have words that night. Partly, Gibbs was in relief for that. He didn't know what to say to his youngest agent. Words had escaped him. The other half wanted to strangle his 'chicken' side. He quickly teed up a dinner with Fornell and claimed to McGee he hadn't forgotten they were going to talk, but forgot he'd made plans with Fornell. He'd watched the involuntary smile that crossed McGee's face and hid back his own grin behind his coffee cup.
"So where's Kelly tonight?" Tobias asked. "Work or studying?" Making conversation, as Gibbs was suspiciously quiet. Something had clearly thrown Gibbs off his kilter and when he was quiet around Fornell, it worried the FBI agent, throwing up a red flag for Tobias.
"Neither." Gibbs smiled, thinking back to the day he'd watched McGee in the café make a date, unknowingly at the time, with his daughter. But today, he'd saw McGee send a text, most likely to make a date. Gibbs figured McGee wouldn't be making dates over the phone anytime soon, right now. "Right now, she's either headed to a dance club in the city or a bad foreign movie."
"Oh no, bad foreign movie? Who is this guy?! You've met him right? You got an ID? Background check, right?" Tobias asked worried after the whole Michael Ohara fiasco. Recalling his pseudo niece's broken heart, the tears and mood that followed.
"I met him." Gibbs whispered with a half smirk. "On a dock in Norfolk, four years ago." Gibbs explained. "I would get him to be TAD'd to our team every chance I got, too. He's literally a genius."
"Damn, McGee!" Fornell exclaimed in surprise, as he pieced Gibbs' puzzle together. "Suppose it could be worse, she could be dating DiNutzo." Gibbs gave Fornell the strangest look. One that clearly stated 'over my dead body'.
"They'd been seeing each other six weeks before he came over and asked me to meet the new girlfriend." Gibbs said, taking a long sip of bourbon, letting it burn down his throat. "I'd been watching the man become smitten with his new mystery girl. I wasn't prepared to see my own daughter take the seat beside him. Although, I'd been watching it happening from both sides, I knew they met. I didn't put the pieces together. How stupid am I? He literally left my house the day they met and she all of a sudden has a date. Some investigator, I am."
Tobias felt sorry for his friend. He couldn't believe Gibbs' agent, the meek and mild mannered Agent McGee had actually kept it a secret that long. "Ouch, talk about a sucker punched."
"No sucker punched is what our Director." Fornell's face screwed up at the way Gibbs spat that word out. "did to him." Gibbs explained the 'mix up' that concealed their victims identity and how she let him take McGee to his father's crime scene instead of stand him down.
"Oh crap." Fornell spat out. "How's the kid doing?"
"Hanging in there. Tomorrow's the funeral. I bet you all the nickels and dimes, that no one from his family shows."
"Yikes, got the team going I hope?" Fornell asked. 'If I knew Agent McGee better and didn't have my weekend with Emily, I'd go just to offer my support. No one deserves to bury a parent all alone, especially a kid his age.' Fornell thought.
"Yeah, they said they'll be there." Gibbs hoped they followed through on their promise to him.
"Maybe Kelly can take care of him afterwards." Tobias offered and Gibbs just glared at his friend. "Or not." Tobias backtracked, smirking. "Of all the men in your agency for Kelly to date, she choose McGee."
"Why's it always the quiet ones?" Gibbs sighed, with a small chuckle.
Gibbs had been suspiciously quiet for the remainder of the week. Both in the office with McGee and at home with Kelly. The young couple suspected that Gibbs wasn't 100 percent onboard with their relationship. To Tim, that was ok, despite that Gibbs claimed he was. Tim knew he'd have to work to re-gain Gibbs' trust in that area. That was how Gibbs operated.
There was no formal wake to be had, no viewing of the body either. Just the stiff, formal military service. The air at Arlington was terse and oppressive, as always. The service was attended by many naval personnel, including SECNAV and SECDEF who sat beside Tim, Kelly firmly attached herself to Tim's other side and didn't let go of him.
Gibbs had wanted to plant himself right behind the young man to show his support to Tim, but missed his chance as the Director had called him and the team out, for a last minute security breach at her home and it'd taken all morning to process. Thankfully, Ducky had taken his place behind Tim silently and offered the young man strength and support when he needed it.
The rest of the team, minus Abby had taken their own seats at the back of the congregation, having arrived late. Tim stood up to be presented with the folded flag. He was stiff, completely void of any emotion and that was a worrying sign for Gibbs. He'd been the stiff, grieving family member who was void of all feelings. He didn't want that for Tim. Gibbs saw the unshed tears in his agent's eyes and it twisted and pinged his gut. He saw Tim take a seat and immediately Kelly was comforting him in her arms again. Ducky and Davenport were patting his back gently, the tears finally falling, which relieved the pain in Gibbs' gut.
When the service was over, the crowd of naval personnel quickly dispersed, as did the pentagon and White House officials that were in attendance. Very few stopped to offer their condolences to Tim. Ziva needed to be physically held back, at one point. Her mumma bear instincts were raging, she just wanted to scoop her friend up, hug him tight and not let go until he no longer hurt.
"That's her Gibbs." Ziva said, causing Tony to look up too. "McGee's girlfriend." Pointing her out.
For a brief moment, Gibbs pretended Kelly wasn't his daughter, just a nice girl that Tim had began seeing. Trying to be a neutral observer, but it didn't work. He was still irked that Kelly and Tim had met and began dating. More so, that he couldn't do anything about it.
They watched as Tim had Kelly in his arms, he introduced her to SECNAV and SECDEF, both kissed his daughter's cheek and spoke warmly to her.
"Her name is Kelly." Gibbs said softly, debating whether or not to tell the team that she was his daughter. Ultimately, he decided against it. Tim was a private person and he didn't need the crap that he knew DiNozzo and Abby would throw at him. Tony stood straighter now but paid more attention now.
"You know her?!" Tony questioned and Gibbs didn't answer. "She's hot." Gibbs slapped the back of his senior agents head.
"She's your team mate's girlfriend, you knucklehead. Back off!" Gibbs warned. He definitely didn't want DiNozzo near Kelly. He'd worked hard at making sure DiNozzo and Kelly hadn't crossed paths yet, he didn't want it to unravel today.
"McGee must have introduced her to him." Ziva surmised, as Tim, his girlfriend and the two men they speaking to made their way over. Ducky had sent Jimmy back to HQ to start the inventory count.
"Gibbs." Jarvis Clayton greeted, shaking his hand. "Thank you for you and your team's hard work on the case."
"You're welcome, Mr Secretary." Tony and Ziva immediately recognised the man as the secretary of the navy and stood straight.
"Yes, thank you." The other man shook Gibbs hand too. "Tim, my boy, please introduce me to your team." Phillip Davenport said wrapping his arm around his nephew.
"Sure, this is our senior Field Agent Anthony DiNozzo, Mossad Liaison Officer Ziva David, Ducky is our ME, you met him before the service. His assistant is Jimmy Palmer, who's gone back to HQ. You know Gibbs. Guys this is .." Tim trailed off, unsure to out his identity.
"Uncle Phil." He supplied, shaking each of their hands. Thankfully, for Tim. Ziva and Tony didn't recognise the Secretary of Defence.
It didn't take long before the two men left, leaving the team and Tim's girlfriend standing there in silence. Awkward silence. Kelly had stood beside Tim, in his arms still. "Well, my dear. Let's take a walk." Ducky offered Kelly. "Let the team take care of Timothy for a moment. You deserve a break, my dear." Kelly looked to Tim, that it was ok to leave him. "I promise, she's in good hands Timothy." Ducky said winking at him, as he ushered her away.
"Let me have it, Tony." Tim said as soon as they were gone. He could see the barbs on the tip of the SFA's tongue.
"Not today, Tim." Tony said softly, as Ziva practically bowled Tony over and planted herself in Tim's arms. "But when you're ready, be prepared for some questions like how in the hell did you get a girl that hot, Probie?" Gibbs automatically slapped the back of Tony's head. Hard. "Ouch boss."
"You doing ok?" Gibbs asked, more sincere. Tim nodded and Ziva began prattling on about all the food she was going to cook for him.
Gibbs could see Tim was at the end of his rope. Three days ago, Jarvis and Davenport made a surprise, after hours call to his home. They wanted to make sure he had Tim's back with the Director, having noticed her behaviour towards their nephew. Before leaving, they let Gibbs in on some big slabs of information about the Admiral and Tim's relationship and Tim's childhood. Which raised more questions than answers about his agent and the 'perfect family' image Tim presented to the world.
"Doors always open, McGee." Gibbs said, reminding Tim of his open door policy as Ducky arrived back with Kelly. "Take care of him, Kelly." He said, kissing his daughter's cheek.
"Don't I always?" Kelly retorted, which got a smile out of Tim.
"A heads up would have been nice, Jethro." Ducky chastised his friend, as they headed back to their cars.
"Hello Timothy," Ducky greeted the young agent. He was taking comfort in Kelly's arms, but her head was tucked into his embrace. "I am very sorry for your loss."
"Thank you Ducky." Tim said as Kelly backed off. He kissed Kelly's cheek and released her.
"Kelly?" Ducky asked. "Is that you my love?"
"Hi Uncle Duck." She greeted, with a hug and a kiss to his cheek. Ducky took in Kelly's appearance. Her little black linen dress, blazer, black strappy heels and a string of pearls. Make up and hair styled, looking every part the partner of the grieving son.
"I didn't realise you and my Timothy were an item, my dear?" Ducky bit the bullet, then prayed Jethro already knew. If he didn't, Ducky didn't want to be the one to tell him.
"Yeah Uncle Duck, we are." Kelly confirmed. "Dad knows too, you can relax."
"For almost eight weeks now, Ducky." Tim added softly, almost terrified of Ducky's reaction. "We met at Gibbs' house. I went to talk to him about something, he asked me to wait for him and he got sidetracked. Gibbs ended up standing us both up and we just talked over coffee, the whole night." Tim explained, when greeted with Ducky's encouraging smile.
"We stayed up all night talking, literally til dawn." Kelly added. "Tim offered to do it again and the following night, I invited him over for dinner and we've been together since."
"This is wonderful news, my dears." Ducky exclaimed, surprised, but excited for the new couple. "My lad, you can't have chosen a more beautiful young lady than Kelly." Turning to Kelly, "for you my dear, Timothy is the epitome gentlemen everywhere. I wish you two nothing but happiness together." There was a joyful spark in Ducky's eyes now. "When you two have a night free, you must join me for dinner. I won't take no for an answer."
"We'd be honoured." Tim said, before shaking Ducky's offered hand in congratulations.
Ducky moved off to the side, as a group of men came to pay their respects to Timothy. This gave Ducky a chance to observe the couple, without their knowledge. Kelly and Tim were a demonstrative couple, which warmed his heart. Tim looked truly emotionally over-wrought and Kelly seemed to be grounding him, helping him keep his emotions in check to get through the day. Ducky thought they were perfect for each other and could have slapped himself silly, that he didn't think to set them up with each other, himself!
"Young Timothy is quite smitten with your Kelly." Ducky said gauging his friend's response. "Do you know that?"
"Yeah." Gibbs replied. "She is smitten with him too, Duck." He admitted softly, in a resigned tone of voice.
"What's the matter then? You've always wished for her to find a nice, young lad." Ducky asked. "Timothy is as nice as they come and a gentleman too."
"Never dreamt she'd fall in love with one of my Agents, Duck." Gibbs explained.
"They're in love?" Ducky asked. "She has actually told him, she loves him."
"I don't know." Gibbs replied, frustrated. "Not sure I want to know."
"I think you do know and it scares you because now, you're not the only man in her life." Ducky said as they climbed into his car. "She's not the exuberant five year old running around in pigtails, Jethro. She's a grown woman, a house, a career, now a partner. Our young Timothy is as much a gentleman, as any man would want for his daughter."
"That's the problem, Duck." Gibbs said softly. "I thought that Tim would be good for Abby. I encouraged Tony to make it happen. Look at how that turned out. I don't want that for Kelly."
"We both know that Abigail has her own issues, that's on her, not Timothy. He didn't break her heart, she broke his." Ducky explained. "This is not a rebound relationship for him and our young Timothy doesn't seem to do casual relationships like Tony does." They drove in silence, each contemplating what the other had said. "What about that Gemcity fellow?" he asked, remembering seeing his friend read the man's book.
"Turns out, that's Tim's book. He wrote that book." Gibbs said proudly. "Don't know if anyone else actually knows that or not yet."
"The whole office has been a buzz since that book was released, everyone's raving about it. It's up for the Crime Writers Association's Dagger award. Best First Novel. You're saying our young Timothy wrote that wonderful book?"
"Yep," Gibbs answered proudly. "Kelly tells me, the second book is in the final stages of being edited before publication and there's a rough draft for a third. Apparently it took Tim a long time to get the nerve up to submit 'Deep Six' to be published ."
"You knew?" Tony asked Ziva, about the girlfriend.
"As I said, I saw them together at the market." Ziva confirmed. "They we're grocery shopping together. Looked like he was going to cook for her."
"He didn't introduce us." Tony added, hurt more than he wanted to admit. "Ducky met her. Hell, Gibbs has even met her."
"It was not the time, nor the place." Ziva explained to him. "The last thing on Timothy's mind was introducing people. His own Uncle had to prompt him to introduce us to him."
"Pfft, Uncle, my ass. You didn't recognise the man, then? He's the Secretary Of Defence, Zee-va." Tony announced, drawing her name out the way she hated.
"SECDEF, are you sure?" Ziva asked. "He seemed to be familiar to me. But why would he claim to be Timothy's uncle, unless he actually is."
"He used to be SECNAV when I started at NCIS, he didn't recognise me." Tony explained. "Either there is more to the Admiral's death or Timothy McGee is not who we think he is."
"Timothy is who he says he is. He may or may not be related to SECDEF. Really it is not our business." Ziva lectured. "He is a private person and there is a lot of things he does not share with us."
"How is he, Kell?" Gibbs asked his daughter, as she let him into Tim's apartment with Chinese food, later that evening, after the funeral and after he'd been to HQ to find out why Abby never showed.
"Sleeping." She answered, hugging her Dad tightly as a tear slipped down her cheek. "One day, that's gonna be me. I'll be getting your flag and have no one back me up. Grandpa, Uncle Mike and Uncle Duck will probably be gone by then. I'll have no one." Kelly sobbed and Gibbs felt his dress shirt wet with her tears.
"You'll have Tim, I hope." Gibbs said softly, wiping his daughter's fresh tears away with his thumb. "He seems like he might be a keeper to me." Kelly smiled widely at that.
"Really Dad?" She asked, hoping he wasn't messing with her.
"Yeah Kell, you've done nothing but smile since you guys met." Gibbs replied.
"Glad you like him Dad, I like him too."
"Only want the best for my best girl." Gibbs said, hugging her extra tight. "He better do right by you."
"Tim's incapable of anything but doing right, Dad. Did you just meet him?" Kelly said vehemently.
Upon calling Ducky for advice, it was determined to let Tim sleep off the heartache and stress of the day. Kelly reminded her Dad that Tim hadn't been sleeping well since the Admiral's death, so he was exhausted.
Gibbs had left around ten, heading home. But not before reminding his daughter not to stay too late.
As soon as Kelly saw her Dad out she locked up, hit the lights, stripped down and changed into her cami and lacey black boyshorts. Chosen deliberately because she remembered how much Tim enjoyed them last time. She climbed into bed with Tim, cuddled in and drifted off to sleep.
Somewhere through the night, they both woke up wrapped around each other. Tim's hand had migrated up in a hot trail from her lace covered backside to the small of her back, under the cami. Kelly kissed Tim sensually, allowing his tongue entry. As he swirled his tongue around her mouth, his hand found her breast. Massaging it and tugging at her nipple. Causing her to arch her back in pleasure and moan. Kelly stopped and removed her cami and Tim's tee. Tim hooked his finger under the lace of the thigh of her panties in an effort to manoeuvre his hand inside them. Kelly shifted her legs open wider, Tim found out that her favourite lace panties had a string of pearls that lined her hot, went centre. Thumbing her clit and pearls had her screaming out in pleasure. "Easy Kel, I'll get ya there." Tim teased smugly, his lips nipping at her neck before travelling down onto her breast.
"Timmmm." Kelly whined as soon as Tim took her nipple into his mouth, as he continued to work her clit and slip his pinky into her wet, tight channel.
"Explore later, take me now." She instructed finding the waistband of his boxers, she removed them and her hand found his cock. She began pumping him in her hand. She occasionally ghosted over his balls. "Condom?" She asked.
He fumbled, wordlessly as he leant over into the night stand and grabbed one without looking, handing it over. "How do you want it? Hard and fast or erotically slow?" She asked hotly, as she rolled the latex sheath down over his mushroom head and down his thick shaft.
"Just want you." Tim panted out as Kelly exploded on his hands. "Not going to last long, here Kel." Tim threatened.
Kelly, worried her body wouldn't be able to take a cock that thick or long climbed on top of him, mostly so she could control the depth.
"Oh Tim," she moaned, stretching over him as she mounted him. Tim resisted the urge to thrust into her. He didn't want to hurt her. Once she was settled and her body stretched to accommodate him, she began small movements first as she began to ride his meaty cock. Slowly he added his own thrusting motions and his thumb had found her clit. She moaned again in pleasure as her lips found his, the new angle creating a new sensation against her clit, she climaxed again. This time taking him with her.
"Kel!" He shouted as he came. He was surprised, for such a big climax, he was surprised he didn't go flaccid inside her, remaining semi hard.
He rolled them over so that his body was covering hers still. He hardened again inside her. Leaning down he hotly whispered into her ear. "Ready for round two."
"Oh yeah, definitely." She panted as he began pumping into her slowly as he made love to her mouth with his tongue.
In a matter of minutes, he had her in an incoherent babbling mess and two climaxes later he was following her over the precipice.
"Morning." Tim smiled widely at her as she kissed him.
"Morning. I didn't hurt you, did I?" He asked worried.
"Nah, I'm good. Very good." Kelly said, feeling fully sated.
"Shower?" Tim offered, knowing that she has a standing date with her Dad on Sunday morning's.
"I'll start the water." Kelly said, throwing him a lustful, sultry smile.
They went another round in the shower, cleaning as they went this time and rushed out the door, running late to meet Gibbs for breakfast.
"Come on Tony, you're late." Abby chastised as soon as Tony was out of his car.
"Hold ya horses, Abs." Tony replied. "Ninja's not here yet."
"She's not coming." Abby confirmed. "She said he doesn't need us to smother him full of sympathy after yesterday. That we should leave him alone. Can you believe that?! Leave him alone, no, he's our friend."
"Abs, maybe she's right. Besides, McGeek's probably with his girlfriend." Tony tried to reason with her.
"McGee doesn't have a girlfriend." Abby screeched. "He would have told me! He can't have a girlfriend!"
"Ah, but he does." Tony confirmed. "He didn't introduce us, but Gibbs and Ducky met her. We saw her at the funeral yesterday with him, which you would know if you'd bothered to show up. I thought you were his friend."
"Ouch Tony!" She said punching his arms hard. "Look I got in too late from clubbing. I'm sure McGee didn't even notice I wasn't there."
"Nope, too wrapped up in his girlfriend to notice." Tony let the zinger roll off his tongue before he could think.
"He doesn't have a girlfriend, Tony. He's probably hired an escort so he looks good for Gibbs. He'd do anything to seek Gibbs approval." Abby argued.
"Then why did Ziva see them at the market too?" Tony asked. He was getting tired of arguing with Abby. Abby had been behaving bratty for weeks. He'd been watching her, ever since the night he'd called Gibbs about her car. Gibbs couldn't fix it and all of a sudden it's running again. That was hinky, to use Abby's word, especially since he knew she didn't believe in paying for mechanical repairs. As a forensic scientist, she knew more about cars than anyone else on the team anyway, except maybe McGee. Tony knew that McGee and the Admiral had built a couple of cars together over the years.
They arrived at McGee's door, and to Abby, it was perfect. She demanded Tony pick the lock, to which he said no and she threatened to kill him and not leave a trace. Tony knocked on the door anyway, there was a time to pick the lock and now wasn't it. "What?!" Tony asked, defensive. "Now's, not the time to break into Probie's apartment."
Abby becoming angry at Tony began banging on the door. "McGee! Open up." Her voice screeched. "Get your lying ass to the door now."
"Look lady!" The neighbour said, opening her door. "Quit banging on the door. He's either not home or doesn't want to talk to you."
"Have you seen McGee?" Abby asked in an overly sweet voice.
"Who?" She replies, getting more annoyed. "Look, I just finished a twenty four hour shift, the only thing I want to see is my eyelids." She yawned through the last words. "If Tim's not home, try his girlfriend's place or the hot silver haired man's. He's been here a bit lately."
"Thanks Ma'am." Tony said, ending the conversation.
"He has a girlfriend, a real girlfriend Tony." She sobbed through her tears, finding herself back on the sidewalk. "I honestly thought he just hired someone for the funeral."
"Abs, she came down, drove his new car and picked him up from Norfolk." Tony said softly. "Gibbs said he noticed the change in McGee, six weeks ago."
"Six weeks ago!" She exclaimed. "Why didn't I see it? Did he hide it from us? From me?"
"Hey, I didn't notice either. Nor did Ziva until she saw them together. Gibbs didn't say why Probie didn't say anything. Guess it's that private life he's so fond of. Gibbs doesn't exactly keep tabs on his agent's love lives either, Abs." Tony shrugged.
"We have to go to Gibbs, there's obviously something wrong with her. That's why he hasn't introduced us."
Tony dutifully followed Abby to Gibbs' home. Gibbs' truck wasn't there, but that didn't stop Abby from screaming his name through the house as she searched the whole house for him, including upstairs, which Gibbs has reminded her plenty of times, is off limits. "Abs, it's obvious he's not home. His truck isn't here."
"Then we wait!" Abby said, settling herself into the couch for the duration.
"Not me, I'm done Abby. You're becoming out of control. I just hope Gibbs can reel you back in." Tony hoped, bailing on Abby
Abby sulked as Tony left her alone in Gibbs' house.
"Hey Dad," Kelly greeted him with a kiss, as they arrived at the booth and took a seat in the booth opposite Gibbs.
"Hey baby," Gibbs said softly, kissing her cheek. "Hey McGee , you're looking better today." Gibbs chose not to comment on the fact that they were late, or that they both had wet hair from the shower still.
"Thanks Gibbs, and for the Chinese food last night."
"Least I could do." Gibbs replied. "Not everyday you bury a parent."
"Well I'm out of parents now, unless one of my stepmothers comes back to claim me." Tim tried to joke and it fell flat. Gibbs could see the hurt that was there. Tim and his father may not have had the best relationship, but the man was his father.
"Stepmother's are useless." Kelly added for good measure, giving her Father a hard time.
"Yep, completely useless!" Gibbs said remembering after his mum died the string of women competing to be the next Mrs Jackson Gibbs. A trace of a smile, could be seen on Tim's face, which made Gibbs happy.
"Yet you tortured me with three of them." Kelly teased him.
Elaine came and took their orders as Gibbs and Kelly discussed her upcoming exams before she started her first work placement, which she was really excited about. Gibbs noticed as McGee withdrew from the conversation, verbally, his arm had snaked its way around Kelly's shoulders across the back of the booth, Kelly had snuggled into him and her hand had joined his in his lap, fingers entangled. There was a new awareness between them as he watched them both and he watched as that ghost of a smile Tim had earlier reappear on his lips.
"I'm worried about my bio exam though. Biology is tougher than what I remember from when I was at school last." Kelly admitted.
"Oh Kel, I can help you study." Tim offered. "I have a degree in biology, remember? Sure, haven't used it in a while, but it's like riding a bike, you never forget." Kelly's eyes twinkled at that prospect, which amused Gibbs enough he let out a laugh.
"She has to actually pass Biology, Tim."Gibbs teased. "If you're going to help Kelly study, maybe you two should study at my house, with a house full of chaperones, just so you don't get distracted."
"Dad!" Kelly exclaimed. "I'm not a teenager I can be trusted to study with my boyfriend. We are adults, perfectly capable of controlling our emotions." More laughter, but this time Tim joined in and Elaine dropped another pot of coffee off.
"Hey," Gibbs objected. "Contrary to popular belief I was young and in love once..."
"When do you leave for California?" Gibbs asked, mostly trying to discover if his daughter is planning on joining his agent or staying behind.
"I'm not going now. Tess, Penny's housekeeper has already left. She will box up and ship everything to a storage unit I rented and then I'll meet with his lawyer tomorrow afternoon."
"Let me come with you, Tim." Gibbs begged.
"Dad, I already tried." Kelly said dejectedly. "Tim, you need to let Dad come. He has so much experience with lawyers, granted his experience is with divorce lawyers. But -"
"They're all pond scum, just the same." Gibbs finished for his daughter. "I have six rules about lawyers and they all come under the umbrella rule."
"Rule thirteen." Tim quoted. "I've known Dad's lawyer since I was a kid though, Ethan Barnetti. I'm sure I'll be fine."
"Tim," Gibbs pleaded. "I'm not asking, I'm telling you, I'm coming, I've got your six. When and where is the meeting?"
"1400, DuPont Circle Business Centre. Room 615." Tim answered automatically.
"I'll call you, we can meet up and drive over together." Gibbs promised.
"Morning Agent McGee, I have bought your visitor up." Acting Director Vance, accompanied by his security escorts greeted as they entered the MCRT bullpen just before dawn on the Monday morning, two weeks later.
Tim had been at his desk since 0130 running searches and doing background checks whilst Gibbs and Tony caught the helo out to the USS Roosevelt to investigate the rape and murder of a male petty officer. Ziva was on a conference call with her contact in Gitmo, where the ship docked and the staff had shore leave last, trying to trace their victims last movements. They hadn't been on call, but the acting director had called them in because the petty officer's Father works for the Joint Chief's of Staff.
"Morning Director." Tim greeted, not looking up until he initialised the next search. "Thanks you, good morning sweetheart." He said as he stood to hug and kiss Kelly hello.
"Hey Tim, as ordered. Coffee and a breakfast burrito for you and one for Ziva, kosher as promised." The Acting Director had made his way up to the mezzanine level before Tim's early morning visitor's worried voice caught his attention, stopping him in his tracks. "Did he get off ok?" She asked, looking at her Dad's desk.
"Ok is a relative term, they had to fly through a storm." Tim explained. "Just glad I'm not the one stuck with him on the ship."
"Dad would have loved flying through that storm." Vance noted that the young woman referred to Gibbs as Dad. "Gotta run, babe. Gonna be late, I've got a double today."
"I'll grab your favourite pasta from Servetti's for Dinner, then. 2000?" Tim offered, knowing they'd both be too tired to cook and he had to drive right on by Servetti's.
"Gonna have to stay at mine tonight. Got my bio exam at 0900." Kelly reminded her boyfriend.
"My gear's in the car. See you tonight." Tim kissed her, putting all of his feelings into the kiss, just as she did, this morning. As Keith from the security desk, escorted her out.
Tim continued running the background check on their victim before a shadow crossed his desk, causing him to look up. "It's not any of my business, but I hope Agent Gibbs knows about you and his daughter." Vance warned in a friendly voice. He liked the young agent, respected him too and didn't want to see him in trouble with his boss for falling for the grouchy team leader's daughter.
"He knows Director," Tim smiled reassuringly. "He seems ok with it, so far. It's only been a couple of months, so it's a fairly new relationship."
"I don't know if you're a brave or stupid man for dating Leroy Jethro Gibbs' daughter." Vance laughed at the situation McGee was in.
"Stupid, might be more accurate, Director." Tim joked. "He's known about it for two weeks, now. That first night, the night we told him, he threatened to have words with me the following night after work. I'm still waiting." Tim grinned.
"I'd sleep with one eye open from now on, if I were you Agent McGee." Vance advised, chuckling to himself. It wasn't hard for Vance to imagine that Gibbs would be a protective 'Papa Bear' to his cub, having seen how protective he is of his agents.
Ziva had looked up to see the mysterious girlfriend up close. She had been on the phone, speaking with her contact. Internally, she was cursing that fact. She had wanted to meet the young woman that had captured her Timothy's heart.
She didn't show surprise when the young woman referred to Gibbs as her Father, but she was shocked. Ziva just hoped Tim knew what he was doing could be dangerous. She was definitely thankful for the breakfast kosher burrito and coffee.
For all intent's purposes, she seemed to suit her 'little brother's heart'.
With the case put to bed, Tim and Kelly headed out to dinner, as soon as the case was closed the following Wednesday night. Mostly making up for the two cancelled dates together and the three over nighters they'd spent apart while Tim worked around the clock.
"Tim baby, do you think Dad would give you a long weekend off?" Kelly asked as they waited for their dessert. "Grandpa wants to meet you."
"Probably not Kell." Tim resigned. He didn't want to push the envelope, especially with Gibbs' mood as they left the office. "We could leave on Friday, I could probably get out early. We'd have to be home early Sunday night. He's in Pennsylvania, right?"
"Yeah, Stillwater. It's about a four hour drive."
"I can't use our relationship to get extra time off. Things are tense in the office at the moment." Tim explained. He didn't need to tell Kelly that everything Tim had began to find seemed to irk Gibbs' ire further.
"Is it Dad or in general?" Kelly asked already knowing the answer. Ever since her Dad got back from the Roosevelt, he'd been like a bear with a sore paw. He'd been short with Kelly and downright rude to Tim the one time that they'd gone to visit him together. "Dad shouldn't be making you uncomfortable, like that. Or making your job difficult. "
"It's not just Gibbs. Abby has been making my job complicated too." Tim confessed and then explained what'd happened with her withholding evidence until she could tell Gibbs directly. Noting that it has happened in their last three cases. "Tony has escalated his pranks to twice, sometimes three times a day and I'm exhausted from it all."
"Oh no, Tim that's awful." Kelly said softly.
"I'm thinking of leaving the MRCT." Tim confessed quietly. "I love my job, but I'm done taking crap from Abby, Tony and even your Dad. I'm trying to be professional and keep the office away from this and vice versa. "But they're making it very difficult."
"Tim, you've worked hard to get where you are. If you have to leave or transfer to be happy, then so be it. I'll transfer too." Kelly offered. "I love you, you know that, right? We aren't just dating, we're building a life together."
"I love you too, Kel." Tim said. "But I can't take you away from your family. I have no family left and it sucks."
"Plenty of kids move away from home, move interstate and only come home for Thanksgiving or Christmas." Kelly reasoned. "Where ever you go, I'll follow." Kelly vowed. She loved Tim and she wanted to be with him, no matter where they live.
"We have dinner with Ducky tomorrow and we'll head up and see your Grandpa for the weekend." Tim planned. "We'll talk about it over the weekend and I'll have a decision by Monday."
"Grandpa can't wait to meet you, I told him all about you and how much I love you."
"I can't wait to meet him either." Tim confessed.
Having the day off Friday was unexpected. But Vance had stood the whole team down to unwind from the last case. While Kelly was at work was the perfect chance to catch up on some correspondence, especially with his publisher. He'd been at work when she'd called last week telling him that book two had been published - 'Rock Hollow' and was set to be released in a months time. He needed to go in and select the final artwork for his cover.
He'd packed for the weekend away, having agreed to pick Kelly up from work and leave directly from Georgetown Med. He'd dropped her off this morning and her car was safely locked in the garage he rented to keep his car safe. He placed his duffel bag by the door, beside Kelly's. Kelly and Tim had began leaving clothes at each other's place instead of lugging clothes back and forth, they'd bought new toothbrushes and toiletries to keep at each other's places too. They'd exchanged keys and alarm codes, too. But they didn't seem to favour one place over the other, they seemed to equally enjoy the other ones space.
He'd headed over to Kelly's, ensured that all the windows were locked. He watered her three indoor plants, folding and putting away the clean washing from the drier. He gave the floors a quick once over, before he reset the alarm and locked up again.
As he drove back to Silver Spring, he reflected on dinner with Ducky the night before.
"What's the matter, my dear lad?" Ducky had asked. He'd noticed that Tim had been quiet, throughout dinner.
"I'm thinking of leaving." Tim has whispered. It was so quiet, it made Ducky think he was hearing things.
"Oh no!" Ducky exclaimed and Tim had proceeded to tell Ducky everything that had been happening and how he was feeling. "It's no wonder my dear lad, you've been feeling like this for a while now."
"Hazing is one thing, but bullying and career sabotage is another thing." Tim resigned, sadly. "I can't work in a team, where the other members of the team won't share information on a case because I'm not trusted or not a team player. It's counter-intuitive to NCIS and all the agency embodies."
"Ducky," Kelly said softly, reminding Tim of her plan. "If Tim transfers, I'll be going with him. When I came to you and we discussed going into medicine, I remember you saying it's a job you do anywhere on earth. I can get a job anywhere."
"Oh." Ducky had been surprised. It had only been a couple of weeks since he'd found out that they'd began a relationship. Ducky kept forgetting that they'd actually been together longer than those few weeks.
"We love each other, Uncle Duck." Kelly announced. "We're passed the just dating phase, we're building a life together. I can't have Dad or the team stuff this up for us." She said, repeating the words she'd said to Tim at dinner last night.
"I assume this isn't common knowledge, yet?" Ducky asked, his heart breaking at the prospect of Tim leaving.
"You're the only one who knows, at the moment." Tim confided. "I'm hoping to have my answer by Monday. If I, we, decide to transfer, I'll speak with Gibbs on Monday night and make an appointment for the Director on Tuesday morning." Kelly smiled encouragingly at Tim. She knew how torn he was feeling, making this decision and how it was testing his loyalty to her father and testing the strength of their relationship.
"I shan't tell Jethro anything. You have my word." Ducky promised.
"If Gibbs' asks, don't lie to him Ducky." Tim said. "I don't want you to lie for me. If I move away, maybe we can have a better relationship off the job. But as it stands now, he has zero respect for me or how I do my job."
"Nonetheless, you both have my unwavering support." Ducky added, reminding them both, that no matter what, he still loved them both, equally. "Promise me, wherever you two end up, we will stay in touch. I'll visit you both and I expect you both to come stay with me, even if Jethro doesn't like it."
"Of course." Tim said thickly, as he succeeded in willing the tears to stop threatening to fall.
"Absolutely, you're my Uncle Duck."Kelly said vehemently. "Look Tim, we'll talk to Grandpa too and Ducky has ensured us, we have his support, no matter what. We will sort it out." She vowed.
They made excellent time to Stillwater, having left before lunch with a stop over in Harrisburg for a light, late lunch and coffee, arriving in Stillwater right on closing time.
They met Jackson in his house, Kelly and Tim coming in through the front door as Jackson came in from the store through the back door.
"Grandpa." Kelly called out as she led Tim through the house, their fingers laced. Reluctantly, she released Tim to hug her Grandfather hello. It had been more than five months since she had seen him face to face. Between work studying and her relationship with Tim it had taken Kelly a while to make it back to Stillwater for a visit.
"Kel-bel" he cooed, kissing her cheek, then holding her at arms length to get a good look at his granddaughter. "You look so happy, it makes my heart sing."
"Grandpa, this is Tim." She introduced the two of them. Jackson sized up Kelly's boyfriend. He'd only ever met one boyfriend before and he'd never really liked the boy. "Tim, this is my Grandpa. Jackson Gibbs."
"Mr Gibbs," Tim offered his hand in a handshake. "It's a pleasure to meet you. Kelly has told me so about you."
"Call me Jackson, or even Jack is fine." Jackson offered. "Tell me about yourself, Tim."
"I'm an only child, my mother died when I was young and my Father was an Admiral, so my grandmother did a lot of raising me. Although by the time I was fifteen, Penny, that's my grandmother and her preferred moniker, had left her tenure at Colombia and began independent lecturing circuit leaving me by myself for the bulk of the time. Penny is a Professor of Women's studies. " Tim explained. "I went to Johns Hopkins at fifteen and got a double degree in Biology and biomedical engineering by the time I was seventeen I had started another double degree in computer science and computer forensics. At nineteen, I started my doctorate in justice and criminology, while at FLETC. At twenty, I met your son, working a crime scene in Norfolk. I finished my doctorate, while working TAD that first year to him and by the time I was twenty one, I was permanently reassigned to his team, in Washington DC on the MCRT. I've been working for him, for four years now. Umm, I wrote a book under a pseudonym and it was a bestseller, with book two hitting the shelves next month."
"Wow!" Jackson said, clearly impressed. Kelly had said he was scary smart. She neglected to mention that he worked for Leroy, though. "That's impressive. Kelly didn't tell me much though. How did you meet Kel-bel?"
"We met at Gibbs' house. I was there and getting ready to leave and we met." Tim said, trying to simplify it a little. Not wanting to shed Gibbs in a bad light.
"We just clicked, Dad never showed back up, we ended up talking all night and by dawn I was inviting him to my house for dinner that night."
"That's great, I'm so happy for you Kel-bel." Jackson said, he noted Kelly's behaviour. Her eyes sparkled in happiness. "Speaking of dinner, I should check on it, it's got to be almost ready."
After dinner, Jackson asked some more questions, that mostly Kelly answered and Tim relaxed some more. "How does your dad feel about you dating one of his agents Kel-bel?"
"Grandpa," Kelly began. "We're not just dating. We're in love and we're building our lives together. Dad seemed ok in the beginning, but he's beginning to give Tim a hard time at work. So bad, Tim's thinking of transferring his job. A job he loves. He's barely talking to me now, too."
"Kel" Tim chastised gently. "Out of Tony, Abby and Gibbs, Gibbs is the least of my problems."
"What's my idiot son done now?" Jackson asked.
"Nothing, directly. It's more his indirect behaviour." Tim sighed.
"My son is a hard man, but direct, if he's pissing you off, stand up to him. He doesn't change, then transfer." Jackson said simply. "Kel-bel, you could go anywhere and have a job."
"If I have to leave NCIS to have Kelly in my life, I will." Tim said softly. "I can write anywhere, I get job offers every other week. The FBI are always trying to poach me away. The NSA and DOD are always offering me consultation contracts, I could take one of them. Or even go back to school and get my Masters in Education and become a teacher. The career possibilities are endless for me."
"You two will be fine then." Jackson said truthfully. Jackson was in awe of this young man who sat before him. Here he was, he'd been dealt a crappy hand in life, losing his mother at such a young age, being raised by a never there military officer and a grandmother who's liberal views on women and their place in society is probably the reason he he treats women like their goddesses. He was literally a genius and they way his eye lit up around Kelly made Jackson so happy, he could burst. Kelly seemed to be head over heals in love with the young man too. 'No wonder Leroy's worryin' and distant.' Jackson thought. 'Leroy's probably seeing what I see, a man who could potentially be Kelly's forever and the thought terrifies Leroy.' Even Jackson knew his son 'needed to be needed'
"Gibbs you in?" Ziva asked as she tapped lightly on the basement door before entering.
"You ok, Ziva?" He asked gently. His Mossad Liaison Officer rarely visited the basement when there wasn't a case that bothered her.
"I'm ok, but very worried about Tim." Ziva confided in Gibbs. It had taken her three days, wondering constantly if Ducky was the better confidant in this situation. In the end, the Israeli decided that the team leader would need to be told anyway, best off just telling him. "He has been distancing himself from the team. He seems to be struggling. Getting basic evidence reports from Abby is a huge task for him, now. Tony is trying to keep everything as normal as possible with his pranks, but I fear it's actually creating more problems than fixing them."
"I've noticed too. At first I thought it was grief." Gibbs explained. "On the Abby front, I doubt it's McGee's doing. Abby seems to be refusing to give him any information about the case. I can't figure her out."
"If that's it, is it she is jealous? Tim and Abby used to be a couple, yes?" Ziva asked.
"Couple is a lose term for Abby, but yes. She could be jealous." Gibbs replied
"Maybe the new girlfriend is poisoning hun against us." Ziva theorised. "After all, Timothy doesn't seem to introduce us when our paths do cross with her. He didn't even introduce her to Deputy Director Vance when she came to NCIS."
"Vance, he may have recognised her anyway. I didn't know she came to NCIS."
"It was early in the morning, while you and Tony were on ship. She delivered breakfast and coffee for us both." Ziva explained. "I would have liked to have met her. They seem happy together, very much in love."
"She isn't poisoning him against us, I know that for a fact." Gibbs said firmly. He knew he needed to tell Ziva the truth.
"Are you sure?" She asked in a small voice, worried for the man who she'd come to love as her little brother.
"Kelly is my daughter, Ziva." Gibbs explained. "That's how I know it's not her fault. Whatever is going on with Tim, is NCIS related." Gibbs decided.
"Is Tim leaving then?" She asked. "Because dating the boss' daughter is a lot of pressure. Tony adding his pranks and whatever Abby's problem is, I can see how overwhelmed Tim might be feeling. I don't think he has fully grieved his Father's murder either."
Gibbs sat on the barstool by his work bench to contemplate everything that Ziva just explained and it made sense. He knew Ziva had glossed over his part in Tim's stressors. He hadn't been a picnic for Tim to work with and he even knew he'd been off with Kelly. She cancelled this Sunday's breakfast with him and that worried the father too. Gibbs knew his issue wasn't actually Tim, it was any man who'd end up serious with Kelly. He had been on board with it, even somewhat used to the idea of it and Fornell had reminded him what she had been like after OHara was done with her. And it irked his ire.
"Part of this, a huge part is actually me." Gibbs admitted. "It's hard to let go of your daughter and I'm struggling with that. I thought that it with be Tim, it would be easier because I know him and know the kind of man he is. But it's harder. We both know what being in a relationship with an agent is like. Broken dinners dates, forgotten anniversaries, not wanting to burden your partner with the trauma of the day. It takes a toll on any relationship and …-"
"You don't want that for your daughter. I get that, I even think Tim gets that. But Gibbs, we can't lose him. The FBI were sniffing around while you were gone last week. Jenny is normally good at keeping them away. But with her away on assignment…"
"Ziva, I'm the one who keeps them away because she wishes they would take him. She doesn't rate McGee as an agent." Gibbs said sadly. "She doesn't see he's good, his worth like we do."
"You and I do, I don't think Tony and Abby does either. If Tim leaves, I think I will probably follow too. He is my friend, I am loyal to him. If he feels strong enough that he has to leave to deal with what's going on, then he will need his friend."
"If he leaves, he leaves Ziva." Gibbs resigned sadly. "We can not force him to stay, especially if even the Director does not have his back."
"I think you should be prepared that if he leaves, moves away or transfers out, your daughter may leave too. To be with him." Gibbs looked at Ziva, like she'd grown another head. "I have shadowed them a couple of times." She explained further. "They are in love, a lot. It looks like they're in it for the long haul, Gibbs."
"Where?" Gibbs seethed. "Where have they been going?"
"The usual - the market, park, her school, her work, his apartment, her townhouse, the drug store, some high rise building on 105 west st, I couldn't determine what business they visited as it housed several companies." Gibbs let out a sigh of relief.
"You had me worried they'd been visiting cities and looking at houses, Ziva. That's mundane things that all couples do." Gibbs breathed a sigh of relief.
"The building on 105 west street, it houses three tech companies among the ten companies, that's what made me think that Timothy might be looking to leave NCIS."
"I will speak to him and try and fix things. Ok?" Gibbs offered.
"I'm counting on you, Gibbs. I can not lose another brother." She vowed.
The town house was empty and locked up tight. He'd left Tim's apartment and the cranky blonde neighbour across the hall had informed him that Tim was staying with his girlfriend for the weekend. He'd let himself into Kelly's, hoping to catch them there to talk to them both, but there was no sign they were here. They weren't on call this weekend so could have gone anywhere, in theory. Gibbs wondered through his daughter's house, bypassing her bedroom for the time being. He rarely went in there. Her car was gone, he noted as he closed the internal door to the garage. He wondered into the laundry to see a basket of clean washing folded on the bench. He knew his daughter didn't fold this load, his father and he folded tees like that, so did Tim. It was a military fold and roll. In the basket, he spied several pairs of male underwear and various clothes and socks of Tim's, mixed in with Kelly's clothes, her scrubs and her underwear. He moved on, in Kelly's study he found another desk and chair where Tim's laptop was and on top of it was the final proof for Tim's new book Rock Hollow. "Nice!" Gibbs verbally approved the new book, making a mental note to preorder his copy from his bookshop in Arlington. Finally searching the bedroom and bathroom seeing the two toothbrushes laying side by side in the cup on the bathroom sink told him more than the basket in the laundry and the study combined. They were up to the leaving things at each other's house stage. Opening his daughter's closet he saw several work suits of Tim's and three shelves of his casual wear, sweats, pyjamas and underwear. On the floor next to Kelly's all of shoes lay Tim's slippers, trainers and the pair of dress shoes Tim wore to work.
It was plain as the nose on his face. His daughter, Kelly Gibbs and his agent, Timothy McGee were building a life together. They'd passed the just dating phase and he wondered when he missed the change.
Tim and Kelly had a great weekend with Jackson, he'd taken them fishing down the creek and Tim had heard lots of stories about Kelly growing up here. Jackson was careful not to tell or mention Leroy much, which had been easy because Kelly had stayed with him a lot of times without her father. Kelly had taken them for an early picnic lunch after church on Sunday before they said their goodbyes and made the king drive home of which Kelly had kept Tim entertained with more stories of summers and vacations with Jackson and told Tim of all the trips they'd taken together.
Without speaking, they found themselves at Kelly's place. He knew she had the earlier start and without her car, which was currently still not running and stored in his garage in Silver Spring, it would be easier for her to get to and from work placement if they spent the week here. Kelly was doing her work placement at the hospital where she worked, which was a bonus for them both.
"Home sweet home." Tim said as he pulled into the garage attached to Kelly's townhouse.
"Yes." Kelly agreed. "It was a wonderful weekend away though."
Tim unpacked the bags, leaving the toiletry bags, as they'd packed the stuff from his apartment and he knew they already had toiletries here. He started the washing machine with their dirty clothes from the weekend away as Kelly, too tired to cook, ordered them a pizza.
They ate their pizza as watched a movie on cable and just relaxed. As the movie neared the end, Kelly climbed up onto his lap, sitting stride and began kissing Tim. He responded with kisses of his own, before she broke off the kiss and removed their shirts. She guided his hands to the front of her bra, where the clasp was, urging him to remove it, as her hands found his belt buckle and she began undoing his pants. "Kel, baby, condoms are in the bedroom." Tim panted between kisses. His hands had worked their way into her leggings and underneath her lace g string and he was slowly, torturously moving them past her hips.
"I'm on the pill, Tim." Kelly whispered as his long finger stoked her clit and entered her. "Ah," she moaned as he slipped a second finger inside her. "Don't need a condom. Take me here."
He withdrew his hand and stood up removing her pants and his flawlessly.
"Where were we?" He asked seductively.
"We were right here." She replied, lowering herself on to his unsheathed, rigid, hard cock.
"You sure they'll want to join us for dinner?" Tobias asked his friend as they arrived at Kelly's townhouse. Spying the lights on when they'd pulled up, it made Gibbs hopeful that all was ok.
"Sure, it's Kell and free food." Gibbs replied, using his key to let themselves in.
The sound of the credits rolling filled the room as Kelly cried out Tim's name in ecstasy. "Timmmm" drawing out his name in the height of her climax.
"Holy Fourth of July weanie roast!" Tobias exclaimed as he entered her living room "What hell is going on?!" Gibbs stood there silently, completely in shock.
Tim was mortified, he pulled Kelly flush against his chest to protect her modesty. He grappled the throw rug from his right, trying to cover Kelly's naked body up in it.
"Wait in the damn hall." Kelly seethed in anger as the two men retreated hastily. "Sorry baby, didn't think that'd happen." She kissed him again as she grabbed some tissues to clean up and they got dressed.
"What the hell was that?!" Tobias fumed and then laughed hysterically. Gibbs had a reputation for being a functional mute, but right now, he was barely functioning and extremely mute.
"Coffee Uncle Toby, Dad?" Kelly offered as she poked her head into the hall, fully dressed. They followed her into the kitchen where Tim was starting the coffee maker and pulling out the scotch from the top of the cabinet, preparing to make an Irish coffee.
"What the hell was that?!" Fornell reiterated. "Fucking intertwined like horny rabbits on the sofa." Tim and Kelly exchanged a look and blushed. "You broke him, look, he's completely mute now!" Fornell continued to rant on about Kelly and her choices in men.
"Ok, enough!" Tim snapped. "What you saw definitely wasn't ideal for us and not what anyone wanted to walk in on! But don't disrespect Kelly's choices in her own home." Tim berated the FBI agent as he put the Irish coffee down for Gibbs and Fornell on the breakfast bar.
"Sorry Kell, but geez!" Tobias conceded.
"Ya done, Tobias?" Gibbs asked, finally breaking his silence. He was proud that Tim had stood up for Kelly against Tobias. "I promise to knock and use the doorbell before the key from now on baby!" He said. He kissed her cheek. "Sorry to barge in, Tim." Gibbs said offering his hand in apology.
"Apology accepted." Tim said shaking his boss' hand in shock that Gibbs had once again broken a beloved rule.
The couple's conversation with the older men focused on other things, not the now forgotten dinner invitation. Gibbs watched Tim and Kelly carefully. He still couldn't see when the relationship changed.
Gibbs had to prompt Fornell several times before he got the message to head out.
"Well …" Tim began as they locked up behind the older two men. "That was …"
"Come upstairs and I'll make it up to you." Kelly promised and he dutifully followed her upstairs.
"What the hell was that, Gibbs?!" Tobias screeched as they got in Gibbs' car. "McGee has a backbone all of a sudden. I can't believe you're leaving him there with her. If it was Emily, I'd be throwing the guy in the street."
"Something changed Tobias." Gibbs admitted softly. "Something changed between them. I saw it yesterday when I came by looking for them and again tonight. Tim's at ease in her home. He knows where things are and things go. Kelly's like that at his place too, saw it the day of the funeral. It's serious now."
"Oh shit!" Tobias said gently. "They're not just dating now, are they? They're in love and it's moving fast."
"Reminds me too much of me and Shannon." Gibbs analysed. That thought alone scared him more than any other thought in his head.
"I know, but think how happy Shannon made you and you made her. McGee's the man that makes Kelly that happy and I know your agents are like your kids. Kelly makes McGee that happy."
"Oh Tobias!" Gibbs exclaimed. "You can't use logic on me like that!"