In a bar in downtown DC:
"So he is out of the hospital and staying with his team leader. Does that mean they suspect he was the true target all along?"
"Not necessarily, his team leader is Leroy Jethro Gibbs. You have your file on him?"
"Borderline alcoholic, married four times, divorced three, widowed once, considers his team a surrogate family. So you think he is just taking care of him while he heals?"
"We'll just wait for the right opportunity, once he is on his own again."
"How does the Queen feel about that?"
"She is in agreement, we continue to operate with a lower profile and when the time is right we make our move."
"The King was impatient and that was the reason for the change in leadership."
"The King is dead. Long live the Queen."
The two men raise their glasses in toast.
-NCIS-NCIS-NCIS-NCIS-NCIS-NCIS-NCIS-NCIS-
Gibbs breathe a sigh a relief, finally getting the younger members of his team out for the night, and returned to the living room to have a night cap with his old friend.
Ducky was just exiting the downstairs bedroom where Tim was resting, when Gibbs enter the room from the other direction,
"Jethro, he seems to be doing well, however, I'm a little concern over how worn out he seems to be. From what he told me you didn't even do the stretching and muscle building exercises today?"
Gibbs turned slightly pink, and lowered his eyes as he thought about activity that had worn out his partner so thoroughly earlier in the day.
Ducky being ever so observant quickly caught on to what the two men hadn't wanted to admit to their older friend.
"Jethro, I don't think that was what the Dr. Plum meant when he said the Tim would need lots of TLC over the next few weeks."
Gibbs was bright red by this point and he knew the elderly doctor was right, he should have shown a little more self-control, but he wasn't sorry and he knew that Tim needed the release as much as he did, so he was willing to take the scolding.
"Duck, it had been two weeks and we needed the release. I am not going to try to justify myself or apologize."
"Didn't expect you to, just try to be a little less enthusiastic until he is a little more healed up."
"So, should he go to the yard for a couple of hours tomorrow or is he pushing to go back too quick?"
"I see no reason for him not to, just make sure it is only for a couple of hours and don't let him get so caught up in anything that he forgets to eat and take his medications."
As they were finishing their conversation, the kettle that Ducky had put on in the kitchen whistled and the two men continued into that room for coffee and tea.
After Ducky left for the night, Gibbs returned to the bedroom that Tim was sleeping in and sat in the overstuffed chair by the bed, his hand reached between the cushions and rested on the handle of the hunting knife. Relaxed in the knowledge that he could quickly arm himself to protect the young man sleeping, he closed his eyes and finally went to sleep.
The next morning as the two men got ready for work there was no easy morning banter, it was an uneasy silence that hung over the house. While sitting in the kitchen having their morning coffee, Tim decided to get the unwanted conversation out into the open so it could be settled once for all.
"Jethro, what happened on the dock that day that scared you so bad?"
"You were SHOT!"
"We are both federal agents, we know that that is part of the job description, getting shot, poisoned, blown up it just comes with the territory."
"Me, DiNozzo hell even Ziva yeah your right, but not you Tim. You never get really hurt and it was my job to make sure it never happened."
"WHAT? Your not making any sense, I'm a field agent just like the rest of you, I face the same dangers everyday."
"You were never supposed to be hurt, I should have taken better care of you. I HAVE TO PROTECT YOU!", Gibbs slammed his fist on the table hard enough to knock over both of their coffee cups.
"Shit! Are you okay?", he asked despondently went he saw Tim quickly roll his chair backwards to avoid the hot liquid.
"I'm fine.", Tim said so quietly that if Gibbs hadn't seen his mouth move he wouldn't have known for sure he had spoken.
When the two men finally looked at each other again, two completely different emotions showed in their eyes, hurt in the green ones and fear in the blue.
AN:Well what do you think? Please review and let me know. Next update Monday evening or early Tuesday morning :)