A/N: Short chapter; serves a purpose. I apologise for the delay. Had to finish the preceding storyline first.

It didn't take any of them but a few seconds to realize Gibbs had heard the entire explosion and subsequent discussion. To say he looked pissed; would be the understatment of the year. "I want to talk to Abby." Gibbs' tone was deceptively calm. They all knew this was just his way of relaying just how pissed he truely was.

"Jethro, where is Timothy?" Ducky asked in concern; as he moved toward the door.

"Sent him out for coffee, Duck. Told him to check in with you when he gets back." Gibbs answered quietly in a tone that let them all know he was still watching out for the young man in question.

"Boss; you don't need us for anything right now, right?" Tony asked earnestly; obviously with a game plan of his own in mind.

Knowing exactly what his Senior Field Agent was asking for; he hid a smile and answered him. "No, DiNozzo; I don't. Go on!"

"Thanks, Boss!" Tony bolted from the room; fully intent on reaching his destination in record time.

"Tony!" Gibbs stopped him in his tracks.

As Tony backtracked to where Gibbs stood; just outside the door of the conference room; he got a weird feeling in the pit of his stomach. What was wrong?

"Boss?"

"Put the frat brother away for this one, DiNozzo. Bring on the Big Brother, hmm?" Gibbs quietly and respectfully requested.

"Sure, Boss. Was plannin on it." Tony agreed and defended his intentions.

"Okay, Tony." Gibbs tone allowed a sliver of aplogy to be heard. Tony's relationship with McGee had grown a lot in the last two years, so Gibbs wasn't really concerned about it. He patted the young man on the shoulder and turned back into the room.

Gibbs closed the door to the conference room quietly; too quietly; considering the mood he had to be in. Abby was now almost scared.

As he sat down at the head of the table; with her on his right; he looked at her closely. Seeing how upset she was; but not knowing why; whether it was because she had caused such an uproar; because she'd forced Tim into a decision he didn't want to make; because he had heard everything she'd said or because she knew he was royally pissed at her.

He allowed her a good five minutes to pull herself and her thoughts together. For five golden, silent minutes, Gibbs held in his temper and worked to filter how he was going to deal with her about this. Finally, he couldn't wait any longer.

"Abby. I need you to talk to me." He told her calmly. It was taking every bit of his self control to hold his anger back. She wouldn't talk to him if he was sprouting anger at her.

Abby looked at him with doubt.

"Let her rip." Gibbs said encouragingly.

"I can't!" Abby cried.

"Do you want a letter of reprimand in your file?" Gibbs asked in frustration.

Tony bolted down the hall; now having to make even more time up. It took some fancy footwork and some near flying speed; but the end results were worth the full use of his college Phys Ed. Major; as he located McGee and was even able to add more coffees to the order.

"Tony, what are you doing here?" Tim asked in surprise; after all, it was the middle of the work day.

"Looking for you." came the honest answer.

"Why?" Tim couldn't quite mask the worry in his voice

"Thought you could use a friend." Tony's genuine answer was a relief to Tim,; since he'd been expecting some sort of bad news.

"Thanks, Tony."

"Wanna tell me what's goin on?"

"I can't Tony. If I can't tell Gibbs; I can't tell you; either. I appreciate your concern though."

"Probie, Abby told us about her ultimatum."

"She did?"

"Oh, yeah; she did; after we ganged up on her. Even told us why she did it!

"I still can't tell Gibbs."

"Don't have to, Probie. He was standin right behind her when she spit it all out at us."

"Really? So he heard it straight from her? Good!"

"That's what this whole resigning b.s. is about?" Tony asked almost quietly; with enough Senior Field Agent in his tone; Tim knew it wasn't worth the trouble to not answer him.

"Tony, think about it! If she'd given Gibbs the choice; let's face it; his little angel would not have been the one given the boot. I'm not saying he wants me to leave either. I know he doesn't. But, this way; I saved him from having to make the choice in the first place."

"Well that certainly explains it." Tony said dryly.

"Explains what?"

"Why I haven't seen Gibbs this pissed at Abby since; well never. But the last time I saw him even close to this pissed at her was when he heard everything your sister reamed her out for in the hospital two years ago."

"Yeah, it has been a long time since he's been this pissed." Tim agreed.

"You carry some of the blame here, Probie. It's not just Abby he's pissed at. He probably hasn't been this pissed at you in an even longer time."

"I know, Tony. I should have talked to him about it, but what the hell was I supposed to tell him? How was I supposed to explain the position she put me in?"

"Well, at least it's Abby's manipulation that's saved you from being at the top of his list; this time. He knows you handled it the only way you thought you had available to you."

"Thank heaven for small favors, huh?" Tim attempted to throw humor that he didn't feel; into the conversation.

"Something else is going on here, Probie. This is waaayyy too much of a sink or swim decision for it to only be about her being afraid of you getting hurt or not coming back from the field. As long as you've been here; and it just now gets this serious?"

"Yeah, Tony, I don't get it either. I'll tell you one thing; I damn sure don't appreciate it!"

"So, are you gonna sic that little sister of yours on her?" Tony joked.

"Don't tempt me!" Tim growled.

Ziva had calmly walked out with Ducky; accompanying him to Autopsy since there was nothing to do in the squad room at the moment.

"Ziva, are you all right, my dear?" Ducky asked in concern.

"Ducky, I do not think I have been this upset with Abby in a long time." Ziva stated.

"I find myself in the same position, my dear." Ducky admitted as he breathed out a sigh of frustration.

In companionable silence; each lost in their own thoughts; they drank their tea.

"You'ld seriously sic your sister on Abby for this?" Tony asked in amazement as he and Tim walked back to the office.

"Tony, I've never; ever been more pissed at her!" Tim exclaimed; letting his aggravation out in his tone.

"Not even with the whole nightmare over Jethro?" Tony asked in all seriousness.

"No, Tony; that was betrayal and hurt; more than anger." Tim admitted much more quietly.

"Yeah. But, the two of you worked through it."

"Barely." Tim whispered

Tony's jaw dropped.

"Gibbs!" Abby exlaimed; absolutely horrified that he would even consider doing that to her.

"If you don't explain yourself; you're leaving me no choice." Gibbs firmly told her. "I'll give you a few more minutes to think about your answer. Stay here. I'll be back. Don't go anywhere."

As he got up from the table; heading out for fresh coffee; Gibbs looked over at Abby; to find her lost in her own thoughts; more unhappy than he' d seen her in two years. Oh, yeah. Definately need to find out what's going on with her. Today.

For all of a minute Tony stared at Tim in silence. When he finally spoke; it was with disbelief: "But you salvaged your friendship with her!"

"No, I didn't. Gibbs did." Tim's quiet admission shocked Tony even further.

"Wait just a minute! Are you tellin me that the 'all forgiving Tim McGee' never forgave Abby?" Tony's voice was raised in shock.

"It wasn't like that, Tony." Tim answered in exasperation "It wasn't about not forgiving her. It was about self preservation."

Tony instantly thought back to the conversation he'd had with her about this very subject:

"Tim won't talk to me unless Gibbs is there. Gibbs said Tim's afraid I'll ask him for more than he's able to give and he won't be able to say no unless Gibbs is there! What is that?"

"Self-preservation, Abbs. Probie has always had a real hard time saying no to you about anything. We all know this. We all also know that Gibbs has been pushing him to start doing what's best for himself; staying on him to not worry so much about everyone else for a change. Put the pieces together, Abby. Figure it out."

"I get it. Hell; I even tried to explain that concept to her; two years ago. But you and Abby have a solid friendship; have for all this time; you can't fake something like that!"

"Only, because Gibbs talked me into giving her another chance, Tony. I didn't do it because I wanted to. I did it because Gibbs asked me to. Even said 'please'"

"Does Abby know this?"

"Whatta you think? Course not!" Tim exclaimed.