A/N: I'm so glad people are reading. I have a very angsty direction for this story. It's really nice to hear from people. Chad Dunham is in this story quite a bit. He was in a couple of episodes. Endgame was one of them. I can't remember the other. Reviews keep me going. Sheila

Surviving Winter

Chapter 2

When they returned, Gibbs was gone. McGee waited for the Boss to come back. He felt bad that he'd challenged him publicly. He resisted Tony and Ziva's entreaties to go out for sushi after work. Instead, he stayed and focused on paperwork. He knew it would eat at him if he had to go home without some resolution with Gibbs.

It was 9 p.m. and McGee had finished his paperwork, and was working on Tony's when Gibbs returned. The boss looked at him and shook his head. "You just weren't going to go home, were ya?"

McGee shook his head. "I wanted to apologize before I went home."

An eyebrow went up. "You know how I feel about that."

McGee sighed. "Gibbs' rules. I know. But right now, I'm living by McGee's rules, and one of the big ones is that you are never disrespectful to someone whom you owe so much."

"What number?"

"Huh?"

"Are your rules numbered?"

McGee smiled. "I'm still organizing them."

"Good to hear you're not going to rely on mine for the rest of your life."

"Boss, I-"

"No, Tim, I owe you one. I should have told you about those evaluations from the beginning."

McGee shrugged. "I'm not that surprised. I know I was awkward. Unsure of when to show the gun. Unsure of how to do practically everything on a bust."

Gibbs nodded. "I thought you were too young. You were what…24, 25 when I first signed you on. The average age for a starting special agent is 29, 30…I just thought you needed a little more seasoning. Was still planning to work with you. Hoped you'd let me."

"And then Kate died."

"It was a week after her funeral that I got the paperwork transferring you down to Cybercrimes. I was going to sign it, but something stopped me. I went down to the evidence garage. The sedan was still set up showing where Ari had shot at you. I remembered where you were positioned before you were shot at. I put myself in that position. The average man would've heard that first shot and taken off. Run into the building and waited. You didn't do that. You stayed with your equipment. You moved, thank God, but you stayed with the equipment. In combat, it's crucial that soldiers don't rabbit at the first sign of trouble. You didn't. You stayed to finish the mission. I realized I couldn't ask for more out of an agent."

McGee looked down at his desk. "Thanks Boss."

A half grin pulled at Gibbs' mouth. "I thought you still needed work, and I was tough on you, really tough. I let Tony pretty much have his way as well. And you kept coming back for more. Pretty soon, I'd forgotten all about those transfer papers."

"Then what happened this morning?" McGee studied Gibbs carefully.

"Tim, you can survive combat. That I know. I didn't trust that Winter would take care of you."

"What do you have against him?"

Gibbs shrugged. "He's on TV too much. Talks like a politician. I've heard rumors that he takes a lot of risks with his men, some of them unnecessary. I worry that his reputation gets more care than his men."

McGee sighed. "I understand."

Gibbs shook his head. "I can't treat you like a Probie anymore. I was wrong to do that this morning. I've been up in MTAC all day hammering out an agreement with Winter and Vance. He gets you for three months. He doesn't put you out in the field. Instead, you go and you train computer techs the hacking skills they will need out in the field. You'll be given the honorary rank of Lieutenant. You don't want to be a civilian in Afghanistan. It's too dangerous."

McGee was on his feet. "Are you serious?"

"You leave in 3 days."

"I don't know what to say! It'll be a challenge, but I want to do this. I want to see what I can contribute."

Gibbs nodded. "You've got plenty to give. What I need from you is to know that you'll take care of yourself. You don't have to prove anything to anybody. If Winter tries to push you outside the agreement we reach, you tell me. You understand that, Tim?"

"I do, Boss."

"Okay. Anyway, there's a CIA operative over there, Chad Dunham. You probably remember him. Texan. Blonde hair. Beard. He was kind of sweet on Ziva…although that doesn't really distinguish him much from any other agent in the field."

"I remember him."

"I talked to him. He's going to watch after you a bit. I know you don't need babysitting, but he knows how things work over there. He's a good resource for you."

"Thanks."

Gibbs sniffed. "Okay. So get out of here. Tomorrow's going to be a long day. You're going to have to transfer all of your work to Agent Walker. He's going to be sitting at your desk for awhile."

…..

Ducky arranged a dinner at his home McGee's last night. Everybody brought takeout. There was fried rice, General Tso's chicken, lasagna, Greek salad, chicken masala, and hummus- a veritable international feast.

McGee still wasn't packed. He'd done his homework, and there would be no need to wear a tie, but he needed both warm and cold clothing as well as protection from the sun, the wind, and the sand. He'd sent an email to Dunham, and was still gathering suggested items.

Everyone seemed in good spirits, but there was an undercurrent of anxiety. It was dangerous work, but it was also a life-changing adventure, and it felt like a milestone of sorts. Tony was especially off his game. His jokes were only partially conceived. He kept patting McGee's shoulder and telling him to keep his head down over there. Ziva was similarly unnerved. She had no illusions about life in a war zone. Her eyes followed him the entire evening. Gibbs said little but he stayed until the end, gruffly telling McGee to remember everything he taught him when it was time to go. Abby was the most honest about her emotions. She hung onto him quietly most of the evening, unable to muster even the smallest of smiles.

When he got in his car to go home, she got in with him. He swallowed and turned to her. "Abs, I got to get up at 4 a.m."

"You're not even going to sleep when you get home. You're going to be too wired."

"So, what's your plan?"

"I'm going to stay with you until the last minute."

McGee looked at her. "We're both pretty vulnerable right now, Abs."

"Just drive, McGee."

….

Inside his apartment door, she wrapped her arms around him tightly and touched his face. "I know you're not a casual guy, but this is definitely not a casual thing. I want to think about this the entire time you're gone."

McGee looked at her, his green eyes searching hers carefully. He started to say something, but stopped. Instead, he dropped his head and brushed his mouth across her neck, landing small kisses along her throat.

"You remembered," she groaned.

He lifted his head and teased her lower lip for a moment until she could take no more. She grabbed his face with her hands and fully captured his mouth. It had been so long since they'd tasted each other, and they took their time, exploring the people they'd become over the years.

McGee wrestled with her shirt and skirt, but was surprisingly adept at removing them. She grabbed his shirt and McGee chuckled as she pulled it apart. Buttons flew, but he didn't mind. He paid no attention as they clattered on his wood floor. This McGee was a different sexual animal than the one she remembered. He just stepped away, smiling at her as he walked backward toward his bedroom. He undid his buckle and shimmied out of his jeans and boxers. Then he stood there, naked, his long body clearing responding, and stared at her. "I've been waiting for a long time to have another chance at your skin."

Abby smiled. He wriggled a finger at her, and she chased him into the bedroom.

…

The digital alarm blinked and then it was 2:59 a.m. Abby watched with it him, her head resting on his chest. He rested his chin on the top of her head. "I haven't finished packing, Abs, and I got to be out of here in an hour."

She squeezed him around the waist even harder.

He sighed. "I was never going to let this happen again. I promised myself. I can't deal with the hurt of not being enough for you."

"Don't say that, McGee. You're everything to me."

"We want different things, Abs."

She nuzzled her nose against his nipple. "Not really. You've been making my heart beat funny for a long time. I just get scared is all."

"So why this? Why tonight?"

"I've never lost you for three months before. I mean, there was Cybercrimes, but we were only separated by two floors. We talked every day. I don't know how I'm going to do three months. Plus, I'm worried about you. Afghanistan, Timmy. What if I don't have another chance to tell you how much you mean to me?"

McGee shook his head. "It's not going to be like that, Abby. I'll be teaching classes, nothing more."

"I hope that's all it will be."

He found her ear and nibbled lightly at the lobe. "Well, you got a problem now, Abs. You might be scared, but you're getting nothing but trouble from me as soon as I'm back. I'm not walking away from tonight like it never happened."

She smiled into his skin. "You're on, McGee."

He sighed deeply as he contemplated his half empty duffel. "I figure that if you help me, I can be packed in 20 minutes."

She lifted her head. "That would leave us almost forty minutes of free time to do whatever we wanted."

He reached for her chin and kissed her deeply. "Okay. We can do this in 15 minutes. You grab the bathroom stuff and I'll start on socks and underwear."

She scramble off him and ran into the bathroom. He started pulling open drawers. Then his eyes widened. "Abs! I left my Nutter Butters on the kitchen counter. Can you grab 'em? I'm definitely going to need the Nutter Butters."

….

McGee stood in yet another line, and handed his passport to another Marine. The flight had been horrendously long and bumpy. When he got to Kabul, no one seemed to know that he was expected. There were certainly no orders classifying him as a Lieutenant. He told what little of his story he thought was appropriate, and watched as Corporals called Sergeants and Sergeants called Captains. When he brought up Winter's name, nobody acted all that surprised. They just rifled through his documents and argued over where to billet him.

He was still in the processing area four hours later when a familiar face showed up.

"Hey McGee!"

"Dunham! It's good to see you." Tim jumped up and shook his hand.

"I bet no one knows what the hell to do with you."

He nodded. "There is quite a bit of confusion."

"Yeah, Winter is great at fighting, but as an administer he sucks wind. Devil probably hasn't even mentioned this to his staff yet. We better send a message to his chief of staff. I reckon they'll come searching for you in a few days."

McGee winced. "And I just sit here?"

"No Sir. You come stay with me until the whole thing's unraveled."

Dunham went up to the arguing Marines and pulled out his ID. It took only a few minutes to convince them to hand over their latest problem to him. Dunham beckoned to McGee. "Follow me, brother."

McGee stepped out into the hot, dusty wind of Afghanistan. The air was rife with the stringent odor of diesel fuel. Around him was a city filled with dusty roads and people milling everywhere. It seemed to Tim that every third building was a bombed out shell. Women wore hijabs, and he did his best not to stare at them. He'd read that it was improper to look at a Muslim woman. Men were everywhere, talking loudly; sometimes, yelling in his direction. Dunham didn't react to any of that so McGee focused on following him as he weaved through crowds of people.

Dunham turned off onto a side street and the crowds disappeared. The street was quite narrow, and women and children stared out of doorways as they passed. He took another corner and they climbed upward on slick cobblestones another couple of blocks. Then he took McGee by the arm and pulled him through an open doorway. The room was hot, and McGee saw a number of people laboring over their laptops and other electronic equipment. Dunham gestured and he followed him into a courtyard inside the building. It had a bubbling fountain, and chairs were littered all around. Dunham motioned for him to sit and then disappeared back into the house.

McGee sat down under some shade. This dry heat was new for him. He was used to wet heat in the D. C. area that seemed to melt him whenever he ventured outside. This heat was like a blast furnace. The air was thick with dust and smells, and he was glad he had the good sense to bring plenty of inhalers.

Dunham returned with two dark beers and handed one to him. "I know water would be preferable, but it has to be bottled and the next shipment isn't due for a few days. This is the local swill. It's got quite an edge, but it's wet, kills bacteria, and after a few, your troubles just don't seem so big anymore."

McGee hadn't had anything to drink since sometime over the Atlantic and he sipped it gratefully. Immediately, he screwed up his face at the overly harsh bite of hops. Dunham chuckled. "Don't push it away now. You'll get used to it soon enough."

"I wanted to get started right away. It's irritating that no one seems to know what I'm doing here."

"Yeah, well get used to it, McGee. Winter will remember you after a day or two, and send some of his men up here to liberate you from the CIA. I swear to God that if I'd left you in that processing center, you'd still be there two days from now surviving on whatever rations they threw at you."

"He acted like it was important that I get here as soon as possible."

"Everything is urgent when it comes to Winter."

"Boss thought he was sort of hinky. I should have listened to him more carefully."

Dunham chuckled. "Winter is a lot of things. He's a son of a bitch and an ass poor administrator, but he also gets things done. He's made real movement in the northern region. Taken down more Taliban and Al Qaeda than the three previous Colonels before him. He's a maverick. And he drives his men into the ground."

McGee shrugged. "I've worked for Gibbs the last seven years."

Comparable in some respects, I'm sure, but there isn't much about Winter that reminds me of Gibbs."

"I was supposed to be given an honorary commission."

Dunham took a long draw of his bottle and shook his head. "I heard a few fellows who were promised trinkets such as those, but it never actually happens."

"I suppose I don't need it really. I'm mostly going to stay on base and train radio and computer techs."

Dunham looked at him for a long moment. "If you say so. We're gonna' patch in a call to Gibbs tonight."

McGee frowned. "He hears this these mix-ups, and I'm on the next plane back to D.C."

"Probably."

"Let's not say too much. No sense making Gibbs nervous quite yet."

"I promised him an open channel tonight. Won't say too much, but won't lie either. I owe Gibbs."

McGee nodded.

Dunham looked at him out of the corner of his eye. "How's the lovely Ms David?"

"She's just fine, Chad. Lovely as always."

"I'm just jealous you get to spend every day with her."

Tim chuckled. "Yeah, I'm pretty lucky."

…

"What do you mean Winter's people didn't meet you?"

McGee let out a deep breath. "It's not a problem, Boss. I've over at the CIA operation. He gave me space to work on my training modules. I'm doing just fine."

"Where's your commission?"

"Uh, that's all coming, Boss. No worries."

Gibbs paced back and forth in front of the screen at MTAC. Tony was in the background making faces. It was all Tim could do to keep from smiling at his efforts. Ziva sat next to Tony smiling at McGee, and occasionally elbowing her goofy partner.

"I don't like it!" Gibbs glared at the screen.

McGee looked at Dunham. Chad broke in, "Hey y'all. Dunham here. No need to get your panties in a wad now. It's a war zone and they got other priorities. Don't you worry. Your McGee is in safe hands."

"My gut told me this was going to go South. Felt it from the first minute."

"Boss, it's okay. I'm going to take care of everything tomorrow. Sorta' wished we hadn't even mentioned these little SNAFUs."

Gibbs pointed at the screen. "You start keeping things from me, and I'll head over personally and drag your ass home."

"Uh, no need for all that, Boss."

"Okay! You have 24 hours to make me feel better. You understand?"

"Yes Boss!"

"Hey McGee," Tony jumped in. "Agent at your desk dropped coffee on your keyboard."

"Damn it, Tony. I told you not to put him at my desk."

Ziva punched Tony. "Walker didn't spill anything, and we put him at Lee's old desk."

Dunham smoothed out his beard. "Hello there, Miss Ziva."

She smiled coquettishly. "And hello back to you, Mr. Chad Dunham."

Tony rolled his eyes and McGee laughed.

…

McGee was sleeping in a cot in the operations room on the second night when he was shaken awake. He blinked his eyes open to three Marines dressed in fatigues. "Got orders to bring you in."

McGee packed up as much of his gear as they had patience for, and then followed them into the cool night air. He was escorted to a nondescript building on base. Colonel Winter was inside pacing in a rather utilitarian conference room made of prefab materials from the Army Corp of Engineers.

He looked sternly at McGee and ordered the room cleared. Then he walked up to McGee's face. "I got a team missing in the north! I got three units taking fire in Kandahar, but I got to focus on a nasty communiqué from your Director Vance! Seems that precious little McGee is being mistreated."

McGee blushed deeply. "I, I, I'm sorry, Colonel Winter. I had no idea that anyone would bother you."

"You'd think I was hosting a visit from Prince Harry the way I'm jumping hoops for you and your people."

"Uh, my apologies, Sir."

Winter sighed. "You're mine for three months, Agent McGee. I'm not sharing you with a Marine Gunny of all people."

"Yes Sir. Special Agent Gibbs arranged for me to check in periodically. He watches over his people pretty carefully, Sir."

"Not now, he doesn't. You're on my time. So essentially, you belong to me not to that glorified Marine Sergeant. Man does not know his place. No more chats for Gibbs without my permission. Understood?"

McGee nodded. "Yes Sir."

Winter relaxed his shoulders. "Okay. Now let's get down to business. We found you some quarters. Bunking with the Engineers. Is that a problem?"

"No Sir."

"And as for that honorary commission business; as you know Sec Nav doesn't like handing out undeserved commissions."

His cheeks reddened more deeply. "I wasn't aware. Didn't realize it was an issue."

"We're working on it, McGee. You gonna' give us some space on this or are you gonna' pout like some spoiled kid?"

McGee felt humiliation flood his gut. "No Sir."

"Your father was an XO on a battle destroyer. I wonder how he would feel about an undeserved commission. You aware he didn't get his out of a Cracker Jack's box?"

"Yes, Sir."

"So we're not going to worry about this right now, right?"

"Exactly, Sir."

"Any questions, McGee?"

"My training modules are almost completed. I believe I am ready for students now."

"I have no students for you. Nobody has time to go to school right now. You're going to have to do your training in the field."

"But I thought-"

"McGee, are you going to tell me your life comes at a greater cost than these Marines?"

"No Sir!"

"Hands on is always the best training."

"Yes Sir."

"In fact, I need you working on that missing team in the north. Twelve boys may not see their mothers again if you can't work a miracle."

McGee blinked in confusion.

"I have an adjutant who will get you suited up."

"I don't know the equipment well."

"It's a 20 hour drive. I imagine that'll give you plenty of time."

"Sir?"

Winter narrowed his eyes. "You got a problem, McGee! I gotta' hear more about how you're too delicate for dangerous situations! Those twelve lives have no meaning to you?"

McGee swallowed hard. "No Sir! I mean, they have meaning, and I will do whatever is asked to help them."

"Good man, McGee." Winter turned and sat down at the conference table and started shuffling through papers.

"Sir?"

"Dismissed!"

…..

TBC