This is an all McGee chapter. The next chapter will be an all Abby chapter. I hope you guys like this and I hope you like the original character I've introduced in this chapter. Please review and tell me what you think.


'You're very foul-mouthed when you're drunk, you know that McGee? Abby told me you haven't talked to her yet. You know you should probably get on that. That is, unless you want your sister to tell Abby where you're living. That is, unless you want to have one very upset forensic scientist who could kill you and get away with it looking for you.

I'm well aware that you can take care of yourself Probie, that's not what I was implying at all. Just watch your back ok. CALL ABBY!' –A.D.-

Tim sighed as he went back over to his typewriter and sat back down. He was really getting tired of walking from one side of the room to the other. He promised himself that he would contact Abby in the next 24 hours. For the moment though he would write.

That's what he was hoping to do, but whatever it was that had possessed him to write so much had suddenly left him. McGee wasn't even going to try and kid himself that he wasn't suffering from writer's block. His imagination was drying up just sitting around his apartment, only going out when the occasion called for it.

He knew if he wanted to give his muse something to work with then he would actually have to go looking for inspiration. It was getting close to nine and he was getting hungry so he decided it wouldn't hurt to go out to one of the coffee shops.

McGee hadn't even looked at the name of the shop as he entered. He didn't really care; he was just running on autopilot for the moment. He had sat down at a free table close to the back, he didn't pay he people around him any mind. The place was moderately busy and he knew if he wanted to break himself of his block he would have to pay attention. He sighed and looked down at his menu.

"Hey," he heard a woman say to him.

McGee looked up to see a pretty young woman with black hair stuck up in a messy bun and blue eyes smiling at him.

"Um, hi," he answered wondering why she was talking to him, she didn't look like any of the other waiters running around.

She set her purse down before taking a seat opposite him. He wondered what she wanted; no stranger had come up to him without wanting something.

"Looked like you might need a friend," she explained, throwing him for a loop.

The woman looked friendly enough but he decided to make sure she didn't get to close to his pockets. He remembered Tony's advice to watch his back and that's exactly what he was prepared to do, pretty girl or not.

"My name's Edith," she said, looking slightly embarrassed about the oddity of her name.

"Tim," he replied. "So, Edith?" he asked.

She smiled and shrugged "Yea, my mom's a huge fan of this French singer and she named me after her."

Tim grinned, "Edith Piaf," he said, laughing at the surprised look on her face.

"Yea, how'd y-"

"Mom was a big fan too," he said simply.

"Well I'm impressed, most of the time I just get a blank look, although having her name didn't save me from not being able to sing," Edith said with a laugh.

"Mom was from Paris, she made sure my sister and I were introduced to her at an early age," Tim explained before clearing his throat. "Um, so why do you think I look like I need a friend?"

Edith's face softened, "You've got this look in your eyes, like you're lost but are too stubborn to ask for help."

Tim looked away from her "You're very perceptive," he said softly.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend you," Edith said sincerely.

He shook his head and looked back at her "No it's fine, you're right."

Edith smiled slightly and she opened her mouth to say something when a waiter walked over to their table.

"Hey Edith, making new friends I see," the man said.

"Well you know me Aaron, I always like to meet new people," she replied.

"That you do," the young man said with a smirk. "So what can I get you guys?"

"Wine for me, doesn't matter the colour," Tim said, he needed a change from the beer he had been drinking recently.

"Usual," Edith said, but Aaron was already writing it down.

"Ok guys, it'll be out in a sec," he said before spinning on his heels and walking towards the kitchen.

"I'm guessing you come here often," Tim said.

She nodded "It's my home away from home."

"Are you from here?" Tim asked, suddenly wanting to know more about this woman.

"No I'm from Ohio originally."

"I have a friend who went to Ohio State," Tim said, smiling sadly as he thought about Tony and his precious red and white letterman jacket.

Edith noticed the nature of his smile but decided to leave the subject alone for the moment. "What about you?"

"Virginia, this little nowhere town called Jonesville, but my family moved to Norfolk when I was 15."

"Your mother must have thought it boring coming from such a big city like Paris," Edith said as she rested her chin in the palm of her hand. She wanted to hear more about this man who had such a wounded and lost look in his eyes.

Tim shrugged and thanked Aaron as he delivered two glasses of red wine to their table. "My mom loved Virginia, but she always wanted to go back and visit France one more time."

Edith took a sip of her wine "Has she?"

Tim was silent for a moment as he looked down into his glass. "No" he said so softly she almost didn't hear it. Despite it's soft tone, that one word spoke volumes and she realized she had made a mistake by bringing up Tim's mother once more. He already looked down in the dumps and she had a feeling she had made it worse without meaning to.

"What was her name?" Edith asked and he finally locked eyes with her.

"Chantelle," he answered.

Edith picked up her glass "A toast to Chantelle."

Tim couldn't help but grin, some of the sadness leaving his eyes. "To Chantelle."


Alright, I know McGee is a Scottish name but I thought it would be cool if McGee's mom was French and since we haven't heard anything about his mom that I know of I decided to play with that a bit. As for the Edith Piaf thing, if you don't know who she is I suggest you go and listen to some of her songs, doesn't matter if you don't understand French or not, she's amazing.

Ok well I'll shut up and please review.