one month later...
"Where's the Probie?" Tony asked as he reclined in his desk chair. He looked at his watch for the sixth time that morning. "He's almost twenty minutes late."
"McGee has been though much pain in the past month," Ziva said. "You need to let him have his space."
"He's been out on bereavement leave for a month. He left DC and didn't even tell anyone where he was going."
"He probably did not want you to bother him with another insane road trip," Ziva retorted.
"Hey, that was not my fault. Those guys were crazy before Tim and I got stranded there."
"Don't you two have something you should be doing right now?" Gibbs asked, looking up from the file he was trying to read.
Tony sat up in his chair and pulled up a report on his computer that he'd been meaning to finish. As he started typing, the elevator dinged. He looked up and smiled as Tim stepped off the elevator.
"Probie! Welcome back!"
Tony met him in the middle of the room and shook his hand.
"How are you doing?"
"I'm doing a lot better, thanks for asking."
"So where'd you go?"
"Tony!" Ziva hissed.
"Oh come on, you know I have to ask!"
"It's OK, Ziva." Tim set his bag down next to his desk. "I went to Chicago, to visit my Mother."
"You have never spoken of your Mother before," Ziva said. "Did you have a nice visit?"
"It was just what I needed. My Mother has always been there for me when I needed her."
Ziva came around her desk and hugged him.
"I am glad you found what you were looking for."
"Thanks."
"Can we all get some work done?" Gibbs interjected.
Ziva and Tony retreated to their desks, and Tim smiled as he sat down and turned on his computer.
"Gear up! We've got a body out in Sterling."
Tim smiled and gathered his gear. He was ready to get back to normal.
END