The morning rolled on with no new case being called; and Gibbs had done nothing but contemplate this situation his team was facing. Abby had explained the situation to him. She had recounted the conversation she'd had with Tim on the night she was telling him about.

Abby: Come on, Tim; loosen up a little; a little wine won't hurt you.
Tim: Abby, you asked me to hang out with you tonight. We're here; my place with dinner and a movie was the deal. Wine was not included in the deal."
Abby; Come on; I know you've got a lot on your mind and you're upset with the crap from the case; just drink some and let it unwind you; okay?
Tim: Yeah; okay. maybe you're right."
Abby: Good. I'll even give you a back massage; help you work out the knots from all that stress you guys have been under."
Tim: That would be really nice, Abbs; thank you."
Abby: Why won't you talk to me about what's eatin you about this case?"
Tim: It's too hard to get through the day; if I bring it home with me. Let's not talk about it; okay?"
Abby: No, I think you need to talk to someone and I wanna help; so talk to me."

*************

Abb's tears had been steadily flowing as she told Gibbs what he needed to hear:

Tim talked to me that night; like he hadn't talked to me since before that whole nightmare with Jethro! He talked about the children involved in the case and the terrible things they had gone through and witness and how it made him literally almost sick to his stomach. the more he'd opened up to me that night; the more lost inside what he was feeling; he sounded. So I did what I could to help him through it; I got him to drink enough wine that he'd managed to relax; not seem so haunted; unwind. For the first time in over 2 years; he was leaning on me; like he used to; from down deep inside himself. He needed to let it out; to let go, Gibbs!

I leaned into him to give him a hug and a kiss on the cheek and he grabbed hold of me as I hugged him; it was like a drowning man holding onto an anchor. But, Gibbs' I had drunk a lot of wine too. The more Tim had talked about the horrors that were haunting him; the more we both drank. I know I can handle drinking; when I do it; but; that's because I always control how much and where and who I do it with. But that night, Gibbs; I got so wrapped up in trying to help him come back from where he was; I lost track of how much I was drinking; and how much I would remember. Not, to mention, what it would bring out in me!

"I don't realize what I'm doing when I'm blitzed; Gibbs; but I never forget what I've done when I wake up the next morning."

"You're telling me that you two did more than cuddle and hug." Gibbs had stated the fact he knew she was getting to.

"Yeah. And we never even talked about it again, Gibbs! After Tim apologised for getting wasted. He was ashamed of getting so drunk he couldn't remember half the night. And until now; I've had no reason to bring it backl up to him. I wasn't about to hurt him by telling him the details that would only humilate him more."

"Abby, are you telling me; the absolute truth; both of you were too drunk to realize what you were doing; but since you have a higher tolorance for alchohol; you remember everything; while he remembers nothing?"

"Yes, Gibbs, I am. We both just got too heavy into things. I was more drunk than he was; apparently. I would NEVER do something like that against his will! I'm not like that!"

"I know, Abby. It's just gonna be really hard to get him to understand how this happened and the consequences that have come out of hiding on you both now." Gibbs soothed. "Just tell me you never lied to him about it."

"No, Gibbs; like I said; we never talked about. it. I know this is really gonna knock his feet out from under him." Abby tearfully said.

"Abby; I know this is a lot for you to deal with. But, if you ever do something like you pulled on him Friday; again; you tear my team apart behind my back; because you don't come to me first: I will write you up; without even another warning; do you understand? ." Gibbs had promised.

"Yes, Gibbs. I really am sorry."

"I am not the one you should be apologising to."

While he'd witnessed first hand on at least one occasion; Abby's ability to get wasted and not realize what she was doing; how she regretted it the next day; Gibbs still couldn't fathom this situation and where it had landed these kids. His heart ached for Tim. His junior agent who he'd thought had finally been able to come to him with anything he needed to talk about; was still the agent who put the needs of others before his own. While he'd gotten much better at not taking that quality in himself to the extreme that he used to; apparently; he still did more than any of them had realized; well; except Abby.

Gibbs knew that Tim always held his family's tragedy in a respectful place. Anytime the young man thought anyone else said or even thought of saying something that would cause the Senior Agent to experience a flashback to that pain; Gibbs would see the side of the young man that few people outside his team did. Calm fury was not something often seen from Tim; so when it was witnessed or worse; experienced by the person on the recieving end; it wasn't easily forgotten.

To think that Tim would hold in his own emotional battles with the cases that involved kids because he felt unable to come to Gibbs; touched a chord in the Senior Agent's heart. Gibbs knew that Tim would certainly need the support of the team; most especially; those of his surrogate brother; uncle and father. First; Gibbs needed to have a talk with him. He could only hope no case would get in the way of them getting to call it a day at a reasonable time tonight.

Gibbs got his wish and azt 6 he told the team to call it a night. As the others left out; Tim was still steadily working on something; although what it could be; was anybody's guess. It was time to bite the bullet and let the cat out of the bag.

"McGee."

"Uh, Boss?"

"What are you still doing here?"

"Just finishing something up"

"We don't have a case."

"Cold case, Boss."

"It can wait, can't it?"

"Yeah, of course."

"Ok, call it a night. Come on; let's go get some dinner; I'm starving. My treat."

"Boss?"

"We need to talk. Come on; we can do it over dinner." Gibbs pushed with the tone that bordered on the request being an order.

As Tim left the squad room with Gibbs; he could feel the tension and worry building up.

What the hell was going on?