(A big thank you to those reviewing this story and keeping me inspired to write it. There is some fun stuff coming up. Precious Pup)

Tim noticed a familiar figure slouching on a bar stool and sighed. It wasn't often he felt the need for a quiet drink and when he does who happens to be there?

DiNozzo. Great.

Tim ordered his drink and sat down next to his friend.

"Hey probie" Tony threw back another swallow of his drink and stared morosely into space. Tim though he sounded depressed and definitely not his usual confident arrogant self

"Hey there Tony" Tim sipped at his drink. He thought he knew why Tony was here tonight. He smelled like Ziva. Again.

Pomegranates and sandalwood. Not exactly Tony's normal scent of choice.

Still he figured Tony would tell him about it when he was good and ready. Beside who was he to raise an eyebrow at clandestine affairs?

That was why he was here tonight. When he was alone he found himself gravitating to Dante like he was a helpless moon caught in the gravitational pull of a bright shining star. Unfortunately lately it had seemed a little like Dante was actually a star that was about to go super nova and destroy the very fabric of his universe.

Or Tim thought with a shake of his head at himself he was a tiny x wing fighter to Dante's death star? Perhaps that was a better analogy?

And what was his advanced method of dealing with his emotional state? He tried not to be alone. If he was in a crowd or working, thinking, he didn't have a chance to consider what his life had become.

Tim found himself finishing his drink with a large swallow and with a nod of his head at the bartender he ordered another. A double.

Tony rather blearily turned his head and looked at McGee with surprise. So the Probilicious appeared to have problems of his own? Well good for him. It would put hairs on his chest. Someone probably burnt down his on line personas castle or something.

Ziva. Tony tried not to think about the way her thick dark hair tumbled across his pillow or how her eyes followed him as he moved around her bedroom even in the dark.

If only Ziva had pushed him. If only she had nagged or demanded or insisted then he would have been able to get angry and push her away and pronounce the whole thing a thoughtless slip. But instead it was like a slow patient interrogation and she was waiting silently for him to make up his mind.

What a bitch!

Tony squinted one eye into his now empty glass. He was sure that had been full a moment ago?

Seriously. How was she putting up with him? He had even chased other women, flirted, made jokes and still she just watched him as if she knew that eventually he would find his way back into her arms again.

And tonight he had.

He hated when she was right. He really, really did…….

What the fuck was he going to do?

Tony ordered another drink of his own and wondered how he had got himself into another mess precisely when he had been doing all he could to stay out of them. Without realizing it Tony found himself talking, staring out into space.

"Have you ever found yourself kind of in the middle of a situation without really realizing at the beginning what it might mean? I mean you knew but you didn't really think of how it would affect everything?"

Tim knew exactly what Tony was talking about as he considered his own situation.

"Oh Yeah"

"And now whether you do nothing about the situation or continue on and get involved further you are screwed anyway as nothing will be the same ever again?"

"Yup" Tim swirled his drink morosely as the two men sat together elbows on the bar.

Nothing would ever be the same again. He knew Vampires existed now for a start. He knew Cleopatra wasn't really beautiful like everyone said but she was sensual and charismatic. He knew the laws of physics could be broken with magic and he knew that for some creatures death was optional.

When Dante had come to him he had been dazzled by what he had seen and the wonders of a whole new world opening up in front of him. Tim had thought only of what he would gain by becoming Dante's Companion. He hadn't considered what he would loose.

And now it was what he couldn't have that was occupying all his thoughts. How could he go out on a date? How would Dante feel if he brought someone home with him? Could he involve this other person in his now complicated life? If he couldn't date then that also meant an end to other dreams he had quietly harbored.

Children, a wife and partner of his own, a normal life. Hell good old ordinary sex. Not that he had been getting an awful lot before but still it had been something.

Lately there had been a growing horror as Tim considered the eventual reality that he might end up old and feeble and bonded to Dante who was still young and strong and beautiful?

What would it be to live his life like that?

The silence stretched out for a while as each man was lost in their own unhappy situation before Tony with a slight slur started up again.

"So you find yourself feeling trapped and kind of angry even though it isn't really the other person's fault that you didn't really think things through?"

Tim heaved a big sigh as he realized the tension that had been bubbling away in his belly and making him anxious had just been identified. He was angry at Dante.

"Definitely"

"So then you don't know if you are really angry and unhappy about …well the situation because at times you feel like you have never been happier or if you're mad because it feels like you don't have any choice in it anymore. So then it spoils the happy times because you feel resentful and trapped."

"I understand completely Tony"

Tim threw his arm consolingly around Tony's shoulders as Tony leaned towards him frowning and pointing his finger to put emphases to his point.

"You do? Poor Probie then. It all feels loose/loose at the moment"

Tony ran his hands over his face before pronouncing to the world in general.

"It's all just so complicated"

Tim personally thought his scenario was even more complicated than Tony's but he could sympathize with his team mate. Ziva was a beautiful but complicated woman in her own right and being a member of the team and the daughter of Director David did make it worse.

Oh and she was a trained assassin who didn't like to be screwed with.

Still at least she was human.

Tim swallowed down the last of his third drink? Or was it his fourth? Whatever. He took a cab. He had been planning on getting drunk tonight and staying away from Dante so he could just think but seeing Tony a few stages ahead on the path to drunkenness was changing his plans.

"Come on Tony I think I had better get you home."

Tony nodded and gave Tim a manly double thump on his chest with his fist.

"You and me buddy. Don't worry I've got your back. Whatever happens in the end it's just you and me. Oh and Gibbs. Yeah he would be pretty good in a fight. I think we should have him on our side. What do you think McGee? Yeah I thought so and he's a guy so that's good right? Woman. Who needs em. Not me? Nah…Just you, me and Gibbs…..oh and we might need Abby sometimes too. Maybe we could give her a special pass or something into the club? She would like that. A special password or something……:"

Tony rambled as Tim practically carried him out on his own slightly wobbly feet.

"You're right Tony. In the end it's just you and me buddy."

Tim considered Tony's earlier words as the two of them rambled up the street towards the taxi rank and Tim carefully blocked out his mind to Dante's playful call.

He didn't want to see him tonight.