A/N: Episode Tag: "Dog Tags" - taken a little A/U - from Off screen - post episode timeline.


0730 the next morning found Gibbs seeing a sleepy yet anxious 5 year old find her way to his kitchen, having just brought herself down the stairs on her own, silently bypassing the still sleeping Tim. As if on a mission, she walked straight without even looking around, intent on her direction,

"Good morning." Gibbs offered her quietly.

Shyanne said nothing but walked up to him and snuggled up against him, sniffles beginning to fill the air between them. Obviously, she'd woken up already upset with her Daddy not being here.

Without much thought or even effort, Gibbs lifted her into his lap and let her snuggle into the crook of his arm while he sympathetically asked her a quiet question. "How's it going, kiddo?"

Shyanne shook her head and buried it deeper into the Gibbs' shoulder.

"Okay. We don't have to talk." Gibbs soothed as he settled back in his chair and let her have the time she obviously needed this morning.

It's wasn't but a mere two minutes later that Tim came down in a rush, barefoot, half-asleep and scraggly looking, his eyes bouncing everywhere, obviously searching for the 5 year old. 'Boss, have yo...oh, thank God!" Taking a minute to calm himself down, Tim stopped movement and went silent as he saw the moment for what it was, a moment when their pint sized guest had come looking for comfort and reassurance, finding it with Gibbs while she'd let Tim sleep on. Nodding at the boss, Tim turned and poured Shyanne a small mug of milk, setting in on the table in front of Gibbs, letting him control the situation from there.

Turning back to the coffee maker Tim fixed himself a cup of coffee before retreating from the kitchen without another word. He headed upstairs for a shower since Shyanne and Gibbs were keeping each other company for the time being. He couldn't help but feel relieved that those two were able to help each other, both wounded creatures that they were. Maybe helping Shyanne will be good for Gibbs in a 'healing the pain' sort of way,

Taking the time to relax under the shower, Tim cleared his mind of everything except the prayers he sent up for Andrew's complete recovery.

**********************NCIS******************

Watching Tim make sure Shyanne at least got a drink of milk to start her day off before silently leaving the room without disturbing the child, Gibbs could only respect the young man, appreciate his sensitivity to the needs of those around him, even the unspoken needs. Looking down at the little girl, he found her sleeping against him, her breathing once more level and steady.

Leaving well enough alone, he used his free hand to pick up his phone and hold it where his fingers of the arm holding Shyanne could reach the keyboard, he sent a text message checking on his Senior Field Agent and his probie agent. Getting back a response that they'd come up empty on witness statements, he issued them the order to stay down there and keep knocking on doors.

He found himself appreciating the silent communication this morning. Unfortunately it was a silence meant to be broken, as his phone rang a mere moment later. Gibbs was quick to answer it, his voice hushed yet firm. "Yeah. Gibbs."

"Agent Gibbs, Captain Reynolds, Metro P.D."

"Captain, what can I do for you?"

"I spoke with the hospital and got an update on Mr. Edwards. I understand his condition has been upgraded to serious and that he's intensive care without visitors allowed."

"For now."

" I Just wanted to warn you, Agent Gibbs Mr. Edwards' younger brother, Dustin is fighting tooth and nail to get his niece. He claims they're close and that his own son has been Shyanne's favorite person since she was a baby."

"Hold on a sec, Captain." Gibbs set the phone down and scooped Shyanne up, carrying her to the living room couch and settling her on it before making his way back to the kitchen and picking the phone back up. "Captain, her father made me promise no one in his family take her away. She needs to see him every day."

"I agree. But, when I heard that you did manage to keep her out of Childrens' Services, it gave me cause to be concerned."

"About?"

"Unless you can verify that you have her father's permission to take care of her instead of handing her over to her Uncle, you've got a legal fight on your hands to keep her while he's recovering."

"Usually takes time to mount a legal battle."

"He's already hired a lawyer, Agent Gibbs. I suggest you do the same."

"Appreciate the heads up, Captain."

"Anything to help that little girl, Agent Gibbs. She's suffered enough loss in her life already."

"No argument there."

"I'll check back later in the week. Oh and we'll be continuing to keep an eye on the house, as well. I understand you still think Mr. Edwards is in need of round the clock guards."

"Considering the dirtbag's relationship to the victim, Captain, yes, I do." Gibbs replied without hesitation.

"Appreciate your caution, Agent Gibbs. Hope this works out for Shyanne. You let me know if there's anything I can help you with for her."

"Will do, Captain. Appreciate it."

*****************NCIS****************

Watching Gibbs end his call, having walked in at the tail end of it, Tim remained silent but moved to the coffee maker to fix himself another cup of coffee. Looking over his shoulder, he noticed the boss' cup was empty too and promptly refilled it, receiving a nod of thanks from the boss in return.

Sitting down at the table across from his mentor, Tim sipped his coffee and set his cup down. "What's going on, Boss?"

Without answering Tim, Gibbs opened his phone back up and made a call. "Leon, need Legal to get us firm custody of the witness until her father's recovered enough to regain custody of her. Need it yesterday... Good... Ok... Yeah, I'll keep you posted."

Tim nods his comprehension as Gibbs ends the call and sets the phone down on the table. "Crisis averted, then?"

"Let's hope so."

"I'll go get her up."

"No. You get breakfast, I'll get her up." Gibbs quietly redirected.

"Because she came looking for you this morning...makes sense she should wake up to finding you still looking out for her." Tim surmised. "Okay. But, I don't have to do the whole pancakes thing, do I?"

Gibbs looked at him like he'd just asked a dumb question.

Tim sighed. "Right. Pancakes it is."

*****************NCIS*******************

"Can Shyanne see Daddy this morning?" Please?" The obviously dejected preschooler asked when Gibbs brought her to the kitchen a mere ten minutes later, silently helping her get up in her chair.

"Good morning sweetie." Tim greeted her with a gentle cheerfulness he hoped would lift her spirits.

"Morning, Mr. Tim." Shyanne greeted dully. "Can I?"

"Honey, that's up to his doctor." Tim replied as he set her plate of pancakes in front of her. "He is taking really good care of Daddy so you can have him back home as soon as possible okay?"

"Okay." Shyanne sighed. Pushing her fork around her plate, she didn't pick up any food.

"Honey, aren't you hungry" Tim asked her.

Shyanne shook her head. "No."

"Ok. How about a little orange juice then? Do you room in your tummy for that?"

"I think so." The little girl's voice sounded so small it was obvious she was very distressed this morning.

"Sweetie? What's wrong?" Tim asked while Gibbs bowed out of the kitchen silently, taking this time to get his own shower.

"I miss Daddy and Mommy and sissy and granny an gammy and everyone!" The overwrought little girl wailed, her fork dropping noisily to her plate.

Pulling out his chair and pulling it close, he sat down and wrapped his arms around her shoulder. "Oh, Honey. I know it's tough right now. But you'll see. It won't be long before you have Daddy back home with you." Tim attempted to soothe her.

Shyanne sobbed as the tears ran down her face while she bravely tried to nod.

Opening his arms, Tim scooped her up as she scrambled to climb into his lap. Tenderly, he held her snug, gently rocking her while her emotions ran amuck on her.

*********NCIS********

"Hey, Lil bit." Gibbs greeted the subdued child when he returned to the kitchen after her tears had subsided and her cries quietened down.

Raising her head up off Tim's chest, she looked over at the older man and hesitantly asked him. "Me?"

"Well, yeah, silly goose. You don't think I can call Mr. Tim here little, do you?" Gibbs grinned at her.

Smiling back him, she giggled . "He's too big!"

"You're right about that. Now. how about we go somewhere I know you'll have fun?"

"Okay?! Can Mr. Tim come?"

"Sure." Gibbs replied as he tossed Tim the dish towel he'd just picked up to wipe off the counter. "Matter of fact, he needs to."

"Boss?" Tim asked in shock.

"C'mon, you'll both have fun." The Team Leader encouraged as he led the way out of the house.

***************NCIS****************

Pulling up in front of the place Gibbs stopped at a short fifteen minutes later, Tim was feeling more than a little anxious. Why would Gibbs bring them to an animal shelter? Maybe the guy figured filling some of Shyanne's time with the admiring animals she could do here would help her by taking her mind off her missing family members and her wounded father.

He personally - after his experience with that damned german shepherd that had tried to eat him alive, would prefer to leave the dog world alone. Even though Abby had done her damnedst to force the dog on him, Tim had stood up to her more firmly then than ever before and had come out dog-free with no regrets as he'd left her the chore of finding the dog a home. But, it left him with a bitter taste in his mouth when it came to dogs. He knew Gibbs didn't know about any of that but why had he made that comment about 'both of them' having fun here?

"Where are we?" Shyanne asked. "That's a doggie on the sign! Are there dogs here?"

"Very good, Shyanne." Tim applauded her as they parked the car. Forcing himself to continue to focus on the little girl kept his own nervousness at bay. He smiled at the child's enthusiasm as together they walked with Gibbs towards the building. Once again, the older man was operating on silence, merely watching with a grin on his face as Shyanne figures things out for herself.

"Doggies!" She excitedly cried, pulling hard on Tim's hand to get inside faster.

"Go on." Gibbs encouraged her, speaking at long last, for the first time since they'd left the house. As discretely as he could, he watched Tim's reaction to the dog pound. He'd known of his agent's aversion to dogs ever since he'd been attacked by the one Abby had so thoughtlessly named after the Team Leader, If he could help Tim while he was helping Shyanne, it was that much more of a better day and a job well done as substitute dad for a day.

****************NCIS*************

With contagious smiles on the faces of the shelter workers faces, Shyanne laughed her way down the rows of dogs housed there - big ones, little ones and even the ones in between, amused her and had her stopping for their kisses and their yaps of joy so she could reach through the fencing and pet them at will.

Tim stayed right next to her, within reach of the ability to yank her out of harms way if one of the dogs became aggressive. As they stopped to pet dachhound after beagle, Labrador after Jack Russell terrier, Tim finally felt his tension and worry ease. When they came to the dog at the end of the second row, he not only lost the last of his worry - he fell in love.

For the first time since entering the kennel, Tim reached out to pet the dog they'd stopped in front of. Letting the dog sniff his hand, Tim smiled at the black and white sheltie's beauty and excitement, the dog's quivering from it obvious to see. "Hey, there pretty boy." Tim spoke to the dog, whose sign on the cage clearly let him know was a boy and his name was Pepper. "What's a good lookin' great breed of dog like you doing in a place like this?"

"His owner took sick. There was no next of kin to claim him. He's just two years old. Well trained, loves attention." The shelter worker informed him as she stepped up next to him. "He's definitely a keeper."

"I so want him." Tim said under his breath, completely unaware of his mentor's acute attention to this moment. "I've always loved Shelties. They're beautiful and smart and awesome lap dogs!"

"Mr. Tim wants a doggie?" Shyanne asked in surprise.

"Oh I'd love to have one, Shyanne, but my building manager won't let the people who live there have one. Besides, I work too many hours. it wouldn't be fair to the dog. It would have to stay in his kennel while I wasn't home."

"Ooh. We did that with Spike!"

"You had a dog?" Tim asked her in surprise.

"Yes! But he was rough. He used to jump on everyone. He made Gammy really mad one day when he jumped up on the couch right on top of my head! "

"Well, how did he do that, Honey?" Tim asked in confusion.

"I was laying down in Gammy's lap. Spike jumped on top of my head! Gammy didn't like Spike after that."

"I would have been upset with the dog, too." Gibbs offered. "Do you see one here that you like most, Shyanne?"

"Yes!" The little girl pointed to Pepper. "I like this one!"

"C'mere a minute." Gibbs encouraged her as he held out his hand for her and led her away from Tim, still stuck in place, not wanting to move away from the sheltie he'd fallen in love with. Stooping down low he reached out once more and plied the dog with affection. "What a good boy you are!"

"OKAY!" Shyanne's excited shriek rang out the next row over. "I like this one!"

"Okay. Rex it is - if he behaves around you. Ready to play with him and see how he does?"

"Yes, Mr. Gibbbs! Yes!" The little girl jumped up and down excitedly.

"Easy, honey. You have to calm down." Gibbs warned her.

"Okay." Shyanne stopped bouncing but held onto the older man's hand tightly, her excitement clear in her grip.

Only then did the shelter worker open the smooth coated Jack Russell terrier's cage, slip the leash on the dog's collar and hand Shyanne the leash. "Go on, sweetie. Keep a tight grip on his leash now. The room you two can play in is just down this way. Why don't you walk him into it?"

Tearing his attention away from Pepper at long last, Tim stood back up and caught up to them in time to watch Gibbs go in with Shyanne and the dog she liked. Not wanting to crowd them, he was happy to watch through the window. Seeing the little girl once again laughing with joy - no sorrow sitting on her shoulders in the here and now - brought a smile to Tim's face that got even brighter when he noticed Gibbs was wearing one too.

"You know, it would do Pepper a world of good for someone to do that with him, too." A new shelter worker spoke next to Tim. "I saw how much you were bonding with him. "

Tim shook his head. "Yeah, that's the problem. I don't want to mess with his head like that since I can't take him."

"Well, you'd be doing us a favor - exercising him for us. We're short-staffed and they all need it at least once a day."

"Really?"

"Yeah. C'mon. You can use this room right here. I'll go get him for you."

Before Tim could change his mind, the worker was briskly walking away, returning quickly with Pepper excitedly leading the way back to him. Once inside the room, Pepper was let off his leash and could barely control his excitement as he jumped and quivered for Tim's attention. Tim sat on the floor, making sure the box of toys was next to him - and lost himself in playing with Pepper - feeling like he, himself was re-finding a piece of his childhood, he'd only known for a short time.

Outside, looking through the window some twenty minutes later, with Shyanne standing next to him holding tightly to Rex's leash, Gibbs looked at the shelter worker with a grin. "Yeah. we'll be taking him too."

.