Tony, Ziva and Abby walked into Abby's lab to find McGee slumped on the bench fast asleep, head resting on folded arms. Tony pouted for a moment and then a grin spread over his face as he crept up behind him

"McGee", he whispered in a high pitched imitation of Abby's voice, "My computers french fried."

There was no response.

"Stand aside, DiNozzo", said Abby pushing him roughly out of the way. She leant down close to McGee's ear and whispered, "What do you think of the pink, Timothy?"

"Fine!" McGee bolted upright, "Any colour, whatever you like".

"Move with the times, DiNozzo", Abby laughed as they high-fived over McGee's head.

"What?" McGee was looking around in confusion.

Tony patted McGee on the arm, "Hard night, Buddy?"

"You have no idea", McGee groaned rolling his shoulders, "Getting married is like one of those Sci Fi shows: in order to get to the where you want to go you have pass through a black hole and suffer tortuous pain."

"How did 'meet the parents' go?" asked Abby pushing him off the stool with her hip to access the keyboard he had been sleeping over.

"Fine", he mumbled, stumbling to an adjacent stool, "They didn't really care who she brought home as long as I was breathing. Even then…I got the impression they never thought she would get married."

"Yep", sighed Tony sarcastically, "You're getting a real catch."

McGee frowned at him and heaved a great sigh, "You know what?" he said in a resigned tone, "It's fine. It will all be over soon and we'll be married and I never have to pick the difference between shades of pink again". He gave them a wane smile.

"You need a night off", Ziva summarised.

"I can't", he shook his head sadly: there isn't one scheduled in on the time line.

He straightened slightly as Abby rose from her stool and began to massage his shoulders and neck sympathetically from behind.

"Take her somewhere nice, somewhere romantic," Ziva suggested, "Make it a surprise; tell her she has been working so hard on the wedding preparations that you wanted to do something nice for her."

"Why would she possibly agree to that? Wedding planning is her life."

Ziva huffed at him, "You gentiles, just don't understand the power of guilt".

"What?"

"You're not saying 'I don't want to do wedding planning', you're saying 'here's a nice romantic gesture that I'm doing for you': Guilt her into it."

"You are truly evil, Officer David", Tony complemented her.

"Thank you, it's more of an art than a science".

McGee rubbed his forehead wearily, "I'll give it a try".

"Good", said Ziva firmly, "If there is nothing for us, we will come back later."

She spun on her bad leg and it gave out slightly. Tony grabbed her arm to stabilize her as she fell. She shot him a look of exasperation and then smiled begrudgingly at him.

"You're too proud, Officer David", he chastised her as he let go.

"Who would have thought you chivalrous?" she smiled slyly at him and headed for the door. Tony raised a suspicious eyebrow and followed her out.

Abby gave McGee a kiss on the back of his head and a small squeeze around his shoulders. "You sure you really want to do this?" she whispered sadly in his ear.

"Yeah", he said softly, "I really do."

"Ok then", she closed her eyes and leaned into the back of his head for a moment, taking a deep stuttering breath and drinking in his scent.

He turned to look at her and saw moisture in her eyes. He rose from his stool and enveloped her in a warm hug. "Oh, Abbs, come here" he invited.

"It's OK", she said sadly, her voice muffled, "I just feel like my sand pit buddy is going off to big school. Before you know it you'll be having kids."

"Oh, no", he assured her looking at the date on his watch over her shoulder; "They aren't scheduled for 2 years and six months."

Her tone hardened, "Keep talking McGee, you're making it easier."

He bent down to peer into her eyes, "We'll always be Team McGee at work."

She narrowed her eyes, "Team Scuito: I'm the brains, you're the brawn."

"You're the brains? Maybe the whacky team mascot…"

"Hey!" they sprung apart at the sound of Gibbs voice from the door, "Do you know what Lieutenant Sullivan would do to you if she caught you two-timing with Abby?"

"Ah Boss", McGee stammered, "we weren't, there was nothing…"

"Get your gear together", said Gibbs shortly, "You're doing a stake out tonight with DiNozzo."

"Ah... fine OK", he shot Abby a guilty look and left hurriedly.

When he was out of sight, Gibbs turned to Abby.

"That was a bit mean," she said.

"What?", said Gibbs with deigned innocence, "I gave him the night off didn't I?"

"At a stake out?"

"Believe me, it will feel like a night off", he smiled.

Then he turned his attention to Abby. "You OK?" he asked in his kind, gruff voice.

"No", she said sullenly accepting his hug, "but I will be".

Gibbs kissed her on the top of her head.

McGee trudged wearily up the two flights of stairs lugging his second load of equipment. It was the first night he had spent without his fiancée since he'd got out of hospital but he was too exhausted to enjoy the freedom. All he wanted was to lie down and sleep for a week.

When he reached the right door, he turned backwards and reversed into the room using his back to push the door open. He spun and saw Tony on his knees constructing a camera on a stand.

"Just drop that anywhere", said Tony distractedly.

McGee released his grip and the entire pile tumbled haphazardly to the ground with a resounding metal on metal grind. Tony stopped his work and looked up at him in surprise, "I didn't mean that literally, Probie".

McGee shrugged uncaringly, "Sorry".

McGee stretched his back with a groan and his eyes scanned the room. They came to rest on the single bed against the wall. It beckoned invitingly and he floated across to it as if drawn by some hypnotic chant. He was vaguely aware of Tony muttering to himself as he dropped one of the fiddly screws from the tripod yet again but his attention was almost entirely focused on the enticing idea of lying down. Slowly, he crawled onto the bed and stretched out full length. It was way too short but he really didn't care. He felt the mattress's warm embrace and he sunk into its contours gratefully.

"You could set up the computer on the desk, Probie," Tony suggested when he could hear no industrious noises from his companion. He swore as the tiny screw evaded him yet again and sat back on his heels trying to search for it on the floor. He was struck suddenly by the silence in the room.

"Probie?"

He looked around to see McGee face down on the mattress.

"Probie!" he tried again.

He stalked over to the bed. From close range he could hear McGee's steady breathing.

"Mc.." his cell phone went off. The caller ID told him it was Gibbs. Perfect.

"Hey Boss", he started.

"You ready yet?" came the curt response.

"No," Tony retorted, "but it would be faster if Probie wasn't SLEEPING", he enunciated clearly aiming his words at McGee.

There was a chuckle on the other end of the line. "Oh let him sleep, DiNozzo, it's probably the first chance he's had in months."

"But Boss," Tony whined, "I'm the senior field agent, I get to sleep first."

"Are you tired?" Gibbs quizzed him.

"Well, no but…" Tony petered out.

"Don't make me come down there, DiNozzo", Gibbs warned.

"OK", Gibbs could feel the pout from the other side of town.

"Call me when you're done setting up."

"Right boss".

Tony hung up and sulked. He looked down at McGee sleeping peacefully and tried to work out the best place to kick him.