Read me: All right, I was swamped with finals yesterday so I didn't get to post this like I had hoped. I am trying to get the next chapter up today as well, but we'll see.

McGee glanced up at Bella. It had been a little over a week since they had shared dinner at his place and just as long since she looked or even talked to him unless she absolutely had to. Since her and Ziva had the girl's night she seemed to be a little more relaxed, but still guarded. The evening had been pleasant enough. He didn't really get a chance to say anything to her the next morning.

(Flashback)

The light was barely shining through his window. He woke up to find Bella was lying on his chest, her arm draped wrapped around his stomach. He laid his head against hers; breathing in the smell of raspberries until she woke up and ran like Satan himself was after her, out of his apartment.

(Ends Flashback)

"McGee!" Gibbs voice broke through his memory, snapping him back to reality

"Yes boss?"

"Are you coming or not?"

He glances to see them all ready except him, "Sorry boss." Grabbing his bag he heads to the elevator, noticing the odd look he receives from Bella and Ziva.

"Come on McSleepy, save your day-dreaming for later."

"Shut it Tony," he growled as the elevator doors slid closed.

Ziva watched Tim, Sorry Bella but it is for you. She walked over to Tony, yanking the rig keys out of his hands, "Today, I am driving."

"Ziva I-" Tony stopped after receiving a small glare. "Not a problem Ziva," after she gets in the truck and closes the door, he mutters under his breath, "We're all dead."

"Hope you don't mind Ziva, but I'm sitting in back" Bella called out. Hard to get motion sickness if you can't see how fast you're going when Ziva drives.

Tim watched her climb into the back; this would be the perfect time to get her to talk. "McGee, you getting in or what?"

"No thanks Tony, I'm getting in back too."

Ziva smiled as he climbed in, shutting the back rig doors. Good boy McGee.

Bella glanced at McGee before turning her head away. Somehow Ziva, I know you had something to do with this.

"Bella, we need to talk."

"I have nothing that I want to talk about," Bella says, turning her attention down to her PDA.

He glanced up to see if Ziva or Tony were listening, then turns back to Bella. "You and I both know that's a lie," he whispered, "ever since the night of the ballet, you've been ignoring me. What did I do wrong?"

He thinks it's something he did. "I woke up sprawled across your chest, wrapped in your arms McGee. You cannot tell me that you didn't feel anything." Please tell me that you felt something too.

Watch it Tim. Careful how you word this. "Bella, you had a dream of some sort that scared you to death. You were scared and needed someone to comfort you." McGee swore that he saw a look of pain and sadness in her eyes, but it was gone before he knew for sure.

Feeling like a whole was just punched through her chest, "Right," she whispered.

He reached out lightly touching her arm, "Are we good then?"

Trying to ignore the tingling in her arm, she gave him the best fake smile she could, "Yea, Tim we're good."

Suddenly the rig jolted to a stop, sending both McGee and Bella flying. "Are you alright?"

She groaned, "I think so." She looked up and her face was mere inches away from Tim's. She held her breath.

"Bella-" The next thing they knew the doors were being yanked open. Both instinctively looked up to see Tony, Ziva, and Gibbs.

"Should have said something at base McNaughty, we would have given the two of you some alone time."

"It's not what it looks like Tony," McGee says in defense.

A sly grin on his face, "Of course not McGee, it never is."

Bella caught Ziva's eye as she gave her a slight smirk. Disentangling themselves, Bella shot Tony a glare and turned to see both her and McGee receiving one from Gibbs.

Gibbs bent down to her ear. "We are going to talk about this later" he growled and stormed off.

She sighed and gave Ziva an "I-told-you-so look," before following a very upset Gibbs to the crime scene.

Ziva grabs the camera and a bag of the teams' gear and shakes her head at her boss's reaction. Being a chubby baby was harder than she had thought.

After processing the crime scene, the team heads back to base. Upon Gibbs's orders, Bella was to ride with him in the sedan. The ride back to the office was painfully quiet; Bella kept looking over at her uncle, trying to read his face but was met with his stony glare.

"Something you wanted to say, Agent Woods?"

Bella sighs, "McGee was telling the truth Uncle Jay. Its Ziva's reckless driving, when she lurched to a stop we went flying. Trust me; nothing is going on between me and McGee."

He grunts, "As much as I want to believe the two of you, McGee's face was inches away from yours. If we hadn't opened the door at that exact moment, could you honestly say nothing would have happened?"

She turns to look at him, opening her mouth and shuts it turning to look out the car window. He glances at her and sighs inwardly. He pulls her as close to him as he can despite the confines of the car, "You used to be able to talk to me about anything, Bells. What makes this any different?"

"Rule 12."

He sighs, "What do my rules have to do with-you like McGee and you don't want to disappoint me."

She deeply inhales, hurt laced in her voice, "It's not just that. He's not even interested."

Gibbs just shakes his head, and kisses his niece's temple, "Life was so much better when boy's had cooties, huh Bells?"