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AN: Before the new chapter begins I wanted to post a note regarding the rather whiny message I left at the start of the previous chapter. Please accept my apologies for burdening you with my insecurities, my assurance that such a thing will not happen again and my sincere thanks to everyone who reads, follows, favourites, and most of all comments. Your support means a great deal, thank you.

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Episode Tag to 11:4 Anonymous Was a Woman

"McGee, your report can wait another day, you look beat."

"I'm good Boss, managed to get some sleep, and I got some shut-eye on the plane."

Gibbs gave him a look that told Tim he was pretty sceptical about how much sleep he actually got; truth was he'd been awake most of the time on their journey home. It wasn't so much the engine noise or lack of a comfortable seat on the transport that had kept him from getting some sleep; he couldn't get out of his head that for each woman they had been able to bring back with them there were probably hundreds more left behind in Afghanistan who needed help.

They'd got in at 02.30 and he'd gone back to his apartment straight from the airfield, hoping that once he was in his own bed he would sleep; he'd managed an hour or so and felt a little better once he'd showered and changed. Gibbs had told him not to hurry in but Tim wanted to get his report written; maybe if he wrote it down it would help him understand how people could treat defenceless women the way they did. As the day wore on he came to the realisation that there was no way he would ever understand such men, or the women who colluded with them; they had a mindset he found it impossible to comprehend.

He stuck at it, determined to chronicle everything the women had told him, and to set down what Gibbs had done, how he'd faced down the bullies and bought them the time they needed. The women had been so scared, and then so grateful; he'd never forget their almost rapturous expressions when they were told they were going to America. It was turned six when he took the last page out of the printer and added it to the others in the folder. "All done Boss."

"Good work; I'll read it tomorrow. It's time we both went home."

Tim drove back to his apartment building, but he didn't go inside, instead he walked around the corner to a neighbourhood bar he'd visited only once since he'd moved in. Somehow going inside his apartment didn't seem right, not when his mind was filled with images of the treatment meted out to the women he'd talked with, some barely out of childhood. They'd been threatened, abused, beaten, burned, all in the confines of what should have been the safest place in the world; home.

He wasn't a big drinker and he didn't remember ever wanting to drink alone, it was just that tonight he was so wound up he knew it would be useless trying to get to sleep anytime soon, so he figured he might as well have a glass of something to help him unwind. He hadn't even ordered a drink when his phone sounded; he was tempted not to answer until he remembered Rule Number 3. "Hey Tony, do we have a case?"

"No we're good; didn't think you'd want to drink alone."

"Why...why would you think I'd be drinking?"

"It's what I'd be doing. You're not the solo drinking type, come on man; tell me where you are, you know you want to, 'resistance is futile."

Tim raised his eyebrows and chuckled when he remembered Tony couldn't see him. "Guess I'm really in trouble if you're quoting Star Trek, okay I give in."

Barely five minutes after giving him the name of the bar Tim was shaking his head as Tony walked through the door. "Where were you Tony? Don't tell me you were home because even with Gibbs driving you couldn't have made it here this fast."

"Busted! I was parked near the local Metro station, figured you'd be somewhere within walking distance, I mean if you're aiming to get drunk you wouldn't want to drive home."

"I'm only having one drink Tony, so I can relax; get the pictures out of my head."

Tony sat in the booth beside Tim and put his arm round his shoulder. "Believe me Tim, however many drinks you have the pictures won't go away."

"I thought you might be here to cheer me up, not make me feel worse. Are you going to have a drink with me?"

"Sure; just don't want you to think getting drunk is going to cure what ails you."

Tim gave a bitter laugh. "Nothing ails me Tony; I'm fine; I live in freedom, without fear. No one's beaten me half to death, or thrown acid in my face because I looked at someone the wrong way. I should be counting my blessings instead of sitting here wallowing in self-pity."

"I don't see any wallowing Tim, you've been to a bad place, heard things we all wish we never had to hear. The people in here, look at them, they're all letting their hair down after what they think was a tough day at the office; if they had to deal with half of what we see..."

"Most of them don't want to know, they're happy in their own little worlds."

Tony glanced round the room and shook his head. "Not sure that's true, most people are decent and caring; and isn't it true most of us get wrapped up in ourselves more than we should?"

Tim raised his eyebrows. "Who are you, and what have you done with the real Anthony DiNozzo?"

"Don't spread it around but this is the real me. Tim...our world can be a grim place, we know that better than most; we also know better than most that there are some amazing people doing incredible things. The women you and Gibbs got out of there, they have a chance for a new life, you gave them that chance."

"Not me, it was all Gibbs."

"That's B.S. and you know it! Gibbs showed me his report; and don't forget I was watching you from MTAC. You scared me to death, both of you, but I was so...it was incredible what you did, putting your lives on the line to save a bunch of women you'd never laid eyes on before that day."

Tim suddenly found it difficult to swallow, he could feel a tell tale tingling in his eyes and was relieved when a waitress appeared to take their order. "Erm...Tony what will you have?"

"How about we both have a light beer, I'm driving and we have work tomorrow."

Tim had wanted to drink himself into a stupor, funny how the idea sounded so crazy now. "Sounds good." He nodded to the waitress and she hurried off to get their drinks.

"Thanks for coming Tony, I...this kind of stuff, not sure...it's weird because I know if Ziva was still on the team, Gibbs wouldn't have taken me. I'm no good at missions like this...ow!"

"You'll get a few more head-slaps if you talk that way. No good? If you were no good you'd have walked away; left Gibbs at the shelter."

"Almost did."

"Almost...the way I see it, going back makes you pretty good at this stuff."

"I'm not so sure. All the time Gibbs was facing them down I kept thinking, I could never do what he was doing."

"Neither could I; not many people would, Gibbs is one of a kind."

The waitress set their drinks on the table and Tony gave her a $20 bill. "Keep the change." She gave his a broad smile and went on her way. "Here you go Tim; I know it's not what you were hoping to drink tonight."

Tim took the glass and tapped it gently against Tony's. "This is better, okay, maybe not the drink, but having company, feels good...you didn't have to come over, you must be tired too."

"I haven't been to Afghanistan and back in the last few days." Tony took a sip of his beer and stared into his glass searching for words, usually they came easy to him, but he wanted this to come out right. "Tim...before, when I said I was scared, I wasn't kidding. Watching the satellite feed, listening...I felt so helpless; we're partners, I'm supposed to be there for you, with you. Feels like I let you down somehow."

Tim almost choked on his beer. "You have to be kidding! Don't you get it? Wherever I go, whatever I do, you're always there."

Tony couldn't contain a wolfish grin. "Does Delilah know?"

Tim punched his arm lightly. "Okay, not everywhere. You know what I mean; what I've learned from you, it helps me be better at what I do." He saw the gleam in Tony's eye. "At work Tony!"

"You keep telling yourself that McMentee, and I'll keep right on mentoring you...in everything."

Tim rolled his eyes. "Why do I even bother?"

"Because you learn so much from your master." Tony grinned for a moment, then turned to his friend, all joking at an end. "Serious answer; we're partners, we learn from each other; drive each other crazy sometimes, but like all great teams we're better when we work together. That's why I was so nervous when you were away, the team wasn't complete, and then you go and manage pretty well without me."

"You were with me Tony, every step of the way; and you're here right now, you knew I needed a friend and you came."

Tim leaned back and felt himself relax for the first time since he got on the transport to Afghanistan. He'd never forget the things he'd been told over there, and if there was anything he could do to help the women left behind, he'd do it. For now, he was content to spend some time counting his blessings.

"You're quiet all of a sudden; everything okay Tim?"

"Yeah, just thinking...it's good to be home."

THE END

The next chapter starts a story arc that will be several chapters long, so there could be a slight delay while I get everything sorted...

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