Check out my sneaky little nod to the ending of the Gibbs & McGee scene in the final moments of 19x01.

Minor spoiler alert if you haven't seen it yet!

At LAX Vance and Gibbs sat around a coffee shop, waiting for their respective flights. Tim was checking in with the Director. "Three dollars and eighteen cents, Gibbs." Vance told him as he repaid an old debt. "I never forgot."

"Thanks. Congratulations on your AD position. Not bad for McCallister's rookie." Gibbs jested.

"Your rookie isn't bad either, Gibbs." Vance told him. "Pity he isn't going to be a field agent forever. Agent McGee has what it takes to climb the ladder, all the way to the top."

"All the way." Gibbs confirmed.

"If only his SSAIC stops giving him orders to piss of the paper pushers on the hill." Vance warned. "Anna Elliot has only just begun to be amused by the situation now, it has taken her a long time to get over. She is not an enemy you want to have."

"Copy that." Gibbs confirmed.

Tim returned to the table where the duo were sitting, cellphone closed. "I spoke with the Director, you and I are to report straight to the yard on arrival." Tim grumbled, picking up his coffee and gulping half of the cup in one mouthful.

Gibbs rolled his eyes at the Directors orders and Tim's impatience. He knew Tim was in a hurry to see Kelly.

Vance boarded his flight first and shook both their hands, before pulling Tim aside and shaking his hand and thanking him for saving him from being jumped.

Soon enough, Gibbs and Tim were seated in their seats, awaiting take off. "Sorry about your jaw." Tim told him.

"What about my ribs?" Gibbs jested.

"And your ribs." Tim amended and smiled back at his girlfriend's father.

"Apologies accepted." Gibbs commented, leaning back in his seat by by the aisle. "Ya did good Tim. Hell, I'm proud of you." Gibbs patted him on the back. "Get some rest."

MEANWHILE IN DC

The Director was extremely pleased, especially with Agent McGee. She had called a meeting in Conference room A and requested Ducky, Jimmy, Tony, Ziva and Abby join her. Abby had only returned to work the week prior after a small sabbatical away from work to deal with her Narcissistic Personality Disorder and her Alcohol Abuse. While she was away, Jen had reconfigured the lab, running two teams of forensic analysts. And now the MCRT didn't always have Abby as a lab tech.

"Good news is Agent Gibbs and Agent McGee are currently on-route to DC. The op was more than a success." She praised the duo. "Thank you to Agent DiNozzo for picking up from Gibbs leadership and running the MCRT in his absence. I know it was harder with no TAD."

Ducky started clapping a round of applause for Tony and everyone joined in. "Next up at 1800 hours tonight, I'd like all of you to meet me and Ducky at Georgetown University auditorium, sharply. Our seats are on the upper level. A member of our agency is graduating and I'd like as many agents there to support them. As the top team in the agency, I'd like you all to lead by example. It should take no more than two hours of your time and you'll be rotated off until 0800 tomorrow morning."

Ducky smiled to himself as he looked around the room, as Ziva, Abby, Tony and Jimmy exchanged curious glances at one another. Kelly had informed him that Tim's graduation was finally here.

Upon landing at Dulles, Gibbs made a huge show of taking his time with his bag, even offering to get Tim's checked bag, if Tim would go get coffee. While Tim was in the cafe, Gibbs found his daughter and kissed her hello.Before he lead her to wait outside the cafe for Tim. "Surprise!" Gibbs told Tim as he handed over his coffee cup and Kelly flung herself into his arms, just like she did that day in the bullpen at NCIS.

"Tim!" She cried, hugging him tightly, pushing her body flush against his.

It took Tim's brain a minute to catch up to what was happening. As soon as he did, his arms were around hers and he was murmuring in her ear how much he missed her, before kissing her thoroughly, right there on the sidewalk outside the cafe at Dulles.

"Come on!" Gibbs whined. "You two can say hello properly back at the house.

The trio made their way to Gibbs' yellow challenger. "Front seat with me, McGee!" Gibbs ordered and Kelly and Tim exchanged a heated, but disappointed look that they'd been separated. "I'm sure you can stand to be separated in the car for half an hour back to the house." Gibbs told them, with a light chuckle at the expression that they both wore.

"Aren't we supposed to be going to the navy yard, first?" Tim asked his boss.

"No, the surprise at the yard came to us, instead." Gibbs smiled, winking at Kelly.

"Your suit, cap and gown is hanging on my bedroom. Your graduation invitation came while you were away. It's tonight, Tim." Kelly told him and Tim groaned, he had been looking forward to a shower, some rest and cuddling with Kell.

"Thank you." He sighed and Gibbs could feel his weariness. Kelly caught her Dad's eye.

"Kell, Tim's just a little tired, that's all. Ya did good."

"Gibbs is right, Kell. I've been working hard and haven't had a day off since the funeral. I just need a good nights sleep. Thanks for helping out."

At the house, Kelly lead Tim upstairs by the hand, with his bag on her shoulder. He heard her bedroom door snip close. Inside Kelly's room she directed him straight into her ensuite. "Shower, we have some time." She whispered huskily in his ear. He didn't have to be told twice, as he stripped off and she prepared the water for him, just how he liked it. He stepped under the spray and let out an audible sigh of pleasure as Kelly got undressed and joined him under the spray in her shower stall.

Tim pulled her wet and naked body into his, hard, in a full body hug. "As much as I want you, need you and have dreamt of nothing but you, I'm not going to last long." He told her as her hand found his shaft and she began enthusiastically playing with it. He spun her around, backing her against the tiled wall of her shower stall, as he kissed her feverishly, one hand kneading her breast and flicking her nipple erect, while his other hand found it's way between her legs and onto her clit. With a few swipes she was crying out in pleasure, his mouth was over hers, muffling her cries in a kiss. They quickly dried off and Kelly lowered his naked body onto her bed. "Better cover your mouth with that pillow because I'm going to have you screaming in pleasure real soon." She warned him, in a low, sexy voice as she began to blow him.

"Kell baby, wait. If I cum, that's it. I'm done for. I'll be going to sleep and won't wake up until tomorrow." Tim told her, stilling her and tugging her body up over his own and rolling her so her naked body was under his.

A few minutes later, after the couple went upstairs, Gibbs saw the front door open revealing the Director. "Welcome home." Her voice was dancing on air and Gibbs smiled at her. "I heard our boy did good."

"He did very good." Gibbs agreed, giving her an extra long lingering stare, in which she smiled at him for.

"Ducky and I have managed to get the team to come, we've secured seats up on the balcony, so McGee won't see them until after, nor will the team see him. Ducky managed to contact his sister and his grandmother and although neither can make it, both have sent Ducky messages for him to be passed along." Jen scanned the room. "Where are the happy couple?" She asked, not seeing any trace of Kelly or Tim.

"Upstairs, saying hello." Gibbs grinned at her.

"I can debrief with McGee tomorrow, then." Jen told him. "I'm hoping you can drop me at the ceremony tonight. My security detail are grabbing dinner before meeting me there. Ducky has organised a celebratory dinner at his home tonight for the rest of us, afterwards."

"In that case, I'm drinking myself stupid and staying at Ducky's. I don't know what plans those two have, but I do know they're going to want some privacy." Gibbs told her. "What are you going to do with his resignation? Kelly resigned from BioTech and has permanently moved back here."

"I'll discuss his options with him after the debrief tomorrow. I do hope he will take some leave and relax before returning to work."

"Oh he will, I'll put the hard word on him." Gibbs commented. "Although, he was pretty tired when we came in, I wouldn't be surprised if he's upstairs having a nap, now."

"Oh Jethro, I think you're in denial." Jen laughed at the father of the young woman.

"I think you might be wrong, Jen." Gibbs denied further.

After finally releasing each other, Tim went into the bathroom again to clean up and change, as did Kelly. Kelly headed down stairs looking for her heels, all dressed in her black dress she'd worn on their first date, after they'd reconnected. She had only had her stiletto's on the day before for a job interview and couldn't remember where she'd kicked them off. "Dad?" She called out.

"Hey, looking for these?" He asked, coming from the kitchen, fully dressed in a suit, with Jen in tow, dangling her black strapped stilettos on his finger.

"That's why you're the best." She told him with a kiss on the cheek and took the shoes that were dangling from his finger.

"Where's our graduate?" Gibbs asked cheekily. "Still asleep?" Gibbs asked in jest, winking at Jen.

"We weren't sleeping." Kelly told him with a straight face.

"Told ya, Jethro." Jen jested at him and he rolled his eyes at the Director.

"He was just taking a moment, he'll be right down." Kelly told him.

Gibbs and Jen looked up to see Tim coming down the stairs in his charcoal suit and white shirt, his tie knotted perfectly in a Windsor knot. His cap and gown in his hand and a wide smile on his face. "Congratulations, son." Gibbs told him, shaking his hand and patting his back "Come on," he urged. "I want pictures." Gibbs said as he ushered Tim to stand by the blank wall behind him, with Kelly by his side.

"Congratulations Agent McGee," Jen said, sincerely. "We are all very proud of you." While Gibbs was snapping away, Jen gently took the camera from Gibbs' hand, urging him to join the couple for one photo, which ended up being a few. Gibbs gave a wide smile, showing off just how proud he was of Tim. Kelly stepped away first as Jen snapped a few of the graduate and his mentor.

The short trip to Georgetown University saw Tim ushered away by one of his professors as soon as he arrived. He kissed Kelly hard before telling them he'd meet them in the foyer after the ceremony and reminding her, that he still didn't have his phone. As Gibbs and Kelly were handed a program, they were taken to their seats with the rest of the graduate's families.

Jen went to meet the rest of the team, including Ducky before escorting them to their seats. "How'd Gibbs get out of this?" Abby grumbled, only low enough for Tony to hear her.

"Maybe because he has been away on assignment, Abs." Tony said, setting her straight. "Obviously, McGoo isn't here, either."

"I'm still mad at him." Abby confessed in a whisper. "I have been calling him since the Director told us he was back and he hasn't even turned his phones back on. I need him to take me to a party on Saturday night."

"Did I just hear you right, Ms Sciuto?" Jen asked. "You need …? Without any regards to his wants, or any plans he might have."

"You're slipping again, Abigail." Ducky warned her.

"Last and only warning Ms Sciuto, one more slip and you'll be on mandatory psych leave, getting mandatory mental help. I allowed your nun friends to help you, as you were adamant that they would be more effective for you, however I can clearly see that is not the case."

The auditorium lights dimmed and the ceremony began. "Ducky, who's the agent we're here to support?" Ziva asked, realising they didn't get informed who they knew who was graduating.

"Shh." Ducky shushed them. "It's starting."

The ceremony was long and tedious before they began introducing the graduates. The Dean was introducing them in alphabetical order, before announcing their new qualifications and their score. Kelly yawned as they heard the Dean "McCarty, Norma-Jean, Masters of Education, GPA 3.88." A small statured woman in a wheelchair came rolling on stage and the family behind them cheered.

"McGee, Timothy, Doctorate of Justice and Criminology with a High Distinction, GPA 6.99." Kelly and Gibbs cheered loudly. Kelly stood and blew Tim a kiss.

The NCIS team and the Director were beginning to flag. Ducky smiled to himself. He suspected that aside for their own college graduation's they'd never sat through someone else's before.

The Dean's voice broke through and Jen held Ducky's hand to settle her nerves. He had been feeling nervous for the young man, too. "McGee, Timothy, Doctorate of Justice and Criminology with a High Distinction, GPA 6.99."

The look on everyone's face was priceless and it took a jiffy for everyone else's mind to catch up before they all joined in clapping and cheering for Tim. They all gave him a standing ovation, except for Abby and Jen took note of her expression and mannerism. She looked pissed off. Her arms were crossed across her chest and one of her hands was balled up in a fist.

The ceremony continued on and Jen continued to glance over at Abby on occasion, as did Ducky. She noted that Abby had removed her spiked wrist cuff and all of her rings off her right hand. She discreetly alerted Ducky, who made a mental note to alert Jethro to the possibility that Abby was planning something.

After the ceremony, Jen escorted Ducky, Jimmy, Ziva and Tony to the foyer to meet Jethro and Kelly. Abby had excused herself to the ladies room and they'd promised her, they'd meet her in the foyer. "Well he did it." Ducky commented as soon as he approached the father and daughter. "It's official."

"Wait, you two knew?" Tony asked, surprised he hadn't known, especially with all the snooping he had done over the years. "How did you guys know?"

"Tim told me" Ducky answered truthfully. "Don't feel too bad, Anthony. I only found out about three months ago."

"Kelly let something slip the day after they'd first met again at the Navy Yard. I didn't realised he had finished it, until when he told Ducky." Gibbs added, proudly.

"It was handed over to me when I took over as Director from Director Morrow. Every time I was sending McGee to cyber crimes for the afternoon, he was working on his doctorate or studying at the library on campus." Jen threw her two cents worth in.

"I was not aware." Ziva added. "We are dear as kin and he did not tell me."

"He told me, that he hated turning down offers to go for drinks with you both, but doing his doctorate part time was taking a toll on him and he needed to hurry up and get it finished." Gibbs reassured Tony and Ziva and Tony smiled at that, knowing it wasn't him that didn't know.

Kelly had remained quiet, she was watching out for Tim in amongst the sea of families, all celebrating their loved ones graduation. As soon as she saw him approaching them, she shot off from the group like a pocket rocket, straight into her lovers arms, kissing him. "Congratulations Baby!" She cooed in his ear. He was about six foot from the group when he lowered her to the ground.

Gibbs took some more photos as everyone congratulated him. A photo with each of his colleagues.

Tony had been a proud of his probie and had rightfully verbalised that very thought, before explaining that it was a pity he was tied down with Kelly because "chicks dig doctors."

Ziva had hugged and kissed the man she saw as a brother, before telling him how proud of him she was. "Congratulations Brother." She had told him, then playfully punched his arm. "Now we are even, you did not tell me." She laughed at him again, before allowing the next person their turn.

Ducky and Jimmy both shook his hand, before Ducky hugged him too. They welcomed him to 'the club' as Jimmy referred to it.

Jen had kissed Tim's cheek and said "Congratulations, Agent McGee. We can discuss what this means for your career tomorrow, during our meeting."

"Hell I'm proud of you, son." Gibbs said as he hugged McGee tightly, pulling Kelly into the hug too. "You always keep pushing." He told him.

A fellow student, whom Tim had tutored came by and congratulated him and thanked him for all his invaluable help and prospective career advice. He offered to take the photo of his whole family together and it wasn't until after the photo was taken that Ducky realised that Abby hadn't returned from the ladies room.

Abby had used the distraction of Kelly in his arms to slip past the group towards her car, sobbing along the way. 'It wasn't fair.' She had thought to herself, angrily. 'He's not only smarter than me, but I could never catch him in the degrees department. Gibbs won't need me, now.'

She started her car and tore out of the parking lot at a breakneck speed. Determined to wait for them all at Ducky's home.

She sent Tony a quick text, as she drove, telling him she was feeling unwell and had gone home. As she took her eyes off the road to make sure the message sent, she lost control of her car and ran off the road. Her hearse wrapped itself around one of the trees that lined the road on the way to Ducky's home.