(Monday 0700 hours)

Abby frowns listening to Bella tell her that McGee has yet to talk to her; or even look in her direction. She can tell that this is hurting Bella on more than a business level.

"I don't know what to do, Abs. He won't even look at me when I address him. He's become monosyllabic-like that guy in the show…he owns a diner," Bella says, making Abby smile, even though she has no idea what show Bella is referring to.

Abby pulls her friend in for a hug, "I'm sorry, Bella. McGee is usually never like this when he finds out something this huge. He is probably just scared that Gibbs will kill him if something bad happens between you guys. It was bad enough when we were dating, Gibbs, I mean. Imagine what he's going through, you are Gibbs's niece. That is huge."

"Yeah, but not looking in my direction? Abby, I miss him."

"I'll think of something," Abby says, and then gives Bella the information she came down for originally.

Watching the female agent walk away, she hit the remote to resume her music. Hopefully by lunch she could figure out how to get McGee to get over his stubbornness. Maybe her and Bella could get some pizza for lunch. PIZZA! Smiling to herself, she stared at her computer screen. The key now was how to get the both of them down there and how she would bribe the others to follow along with her plan. Glancing at the calendar, she noted she had a few days to plan everything out accordingly.

~*~

(Wednesday 0930)

The next few days passed without incident, they showed up for work, they worked, and they went home. McGee kept all conversations with Bella to a minimum, growing accustomed to the guilt that stayed in the back of his mind as he watched her grow quieter, no longer trying to draw him out to talk to her.

Gibbs couldn't help but note that the interaction between Bella and Tim had died over the past two weeks since Gibbs had told McGee that he was Bella's uncle. Watching her withdraw into herself, he could only think of how she had been letting go of the past with her parents and Connor's deaths just to see her retreat back into her own mental fortress. If she got into another incident like she did with DiNozzo a few weeks back and stayed in the same condition she was currently in, the likelihood of her making it out alive was exceedingly slim.

Hearing the elevator ding, he watched as Abby bounced her way into the bullpen stopping at Ziva's desk. Whispering something to the female agent, she gestured for Ziva to walk with her. Intrigued, but smart enough not to question what the cheerful Goth was up to, he watched as they disappeared around the corner. After a few minutes passed, he watched as Ziva returned to her desk, a smirk on her face as Abby grinned and stepped back into the elevator. "What was that all about Ziva?"

Glancing up at Gibbs, "Abby was telling me some information." Gesturing to Bella, she knew that he thought Abby was planning a surprise of sorts for Bella that evening and dropped the matter. Oh, if he only knew exactly what Abby was planning, he would probably flip a top. Glancing at Tony, she knew exactly how to get him to agree to follow Abby's plan. The trick was not to let Gibbs find out.

~*~

"Woods?" Bella says answering her desk phone.

"Hey Bella, I need you down in the garage really quick," Abby says, smiling evilly.

Bella looks over to Gibbs and mouths 'Abby.' "Um, alright, I'll be right down."

"What did Abby want?" Gibbs asks, when Bella stands.

Shrugging her shoulders, Bella answer, "I don't know. But I'll be back."

Gibbs only nods, knowing that the perky Goth is still up to something. After Bella has been gone for a few minutes, another phone rings and Gibbs looks in the direction.

"McGee?" Tim answers, putting his paper work on hold.

"Timmy!! I need help. Long story short, my platform shoes aren't tall enough and I need something off of one of the shelves."

"Use the fork lift, Abby," McGee says, looking back to the file before him.

"Please, Tim, have you tried driving in platforms?--No, don't answer that. Just help me please?"

Sighing, McGee caves, "Alright, be right down."

"Muh-Gee, what did she want now?" Gibbs asks, wondering why Abby is stealing all his agents.

McGee shrugs, "Apparently her shoes aren't tall enough."

Gibbs raises his eyebrows, "What?"

"It's Abby, Boss," McGee says smiling. "I'll be right back."

Tony and Ziva walk off the elevator as Tim leaves. "Where is McGoo going, Boss?" Tony asks, dropping his things at his desk as Ziva goes to sit at hers.

"Abby's short," Gibbs says.

Tony and Ziva exchange glances, and they shrug simultaneously.

~*~

"Abby this is not funny! Why am I locked in here?!" Bella yells from the door of the evidence lock up.

Abby turns and smiles, "You'll see my friend, you'll see."

Bella stomps her foot, "Abigail Marie Scuito! Unhand me this instant!"

Abby laughs pointing at Bella, "You just stomped your foot. Are you a three year old not getting your treat after nap time?"

"Abby, please let me out."

"In due time."

"What do expect me to do in here?" Bella asks.

Abby shrugs, "Draw on the wall like a cave woman?"

Bella gives her a 'you're kidding' look. "Cave woman? Really, Abs?"

Abby shrugs, "Fine, entertain yourself then."

The elevator dings and Abby turns, "Well it's about time, McGee. Were you expecting me to grow?"

Bella looks up at the mention of Tim, oh you little Goth! I can't believe she was serious about locking us up in this thing. I'm doomed!

"I'm sorry, shorty, Gibbs asked what was going on."

Abby waves him off, "Trust me, he will thank me later." And so will you two lovebirds. And so will I! I won't have to play matchmaker and Ziva can quit being a 'chubby baby' as she kindly puts it. Abby, quit talking to yourself.

"Ok, where is this tall shelf of yours?"

"Right this way, McGee," Abby says, leading him over to the locked gate.

Bella's head shoots up, oh crap! Hide Bella! What the hell?! There is nowhere to hide! Damn you Abby!

Abby pulls out a set of keys and unlocks the bolt, and gently shoves McGee inside before quickly closing the gate and locking it back up.

"Abby! What the-" McGee says, grasping the gate in his hands.

"Welcome to jail, McGee. Do not pass Go do not collect $200," Abby says with a wicked smile.

"Jail?" Tim asks.

"Jail," Bella's voice says behind him.

Still smiling, Abby says, "You two need to sort this issue of yours out, cause honestly, I don't want to be a subscriber anymore. Bella, you like Tim, maybe even love him, but you are too scared to admit it. Tim, you like Bella as well, and who her uncle is shouldn't matter…sure he can kill you from over 100 feet away…but that still is no reason to be such a…be such a…well a complete ass!"

"Abby, I'm not being an ass, and this really isn't any of your business," Tim points out.

"Actually it is my business, Timmy. You are both my friends, and I love you both, and I hate to see you hurting like this. Plus, I told Bella that I would lock you both up in here until you agree to get along. Think of this as a time out, Abby style. Talk!" Abby says, turning her back and walking out. When she gets to the elevator, she retina scans her eyes for the doors to open. She turns and wedges the doors open with her foot, "I'll be back in a few hours. That should give you enough time to kiss and make up. Bye!"

~*~

The both of them stood in the locked box of old evidence, staring at the elevator doors.

"I can't believe we are locked in here," Tim says, and although Bella is in the same cage with him, he doesn't say it to her.

Bella sighs, why even bother. He still isn't acknowledging me. "Yeah, well, its Abby so, what can you do?"

Tim turns and raises an eyebrow at her. "I'm gonna get out of here, that's what. And then I'm going to go to her lab and take away her death music and replace it with Christina Aguilera."

"McGee! That is torture! And a death sentence on your part; however, the way you've been treating me this past week or so, I won't go to your funeral."

Tim sucks in a breath, "Bella, come on. Let it go."

"Let it go? We go from talking and hanging out on a regular basis to you not so much as glancing in my direction, Tim. What did I do that was so wrong?" Bella asks, finding an old box of files and sitting down. "Talk to me."

"What do you want me to say, Bella?"

She shrugs, "I don't know. Tell me you hate me, tell me you want me to transfer teams, I don't care. Just. Talk. To. Me."

Tim shakes his head. "Well, I don't hate you, and I don't want you to transfer teams. I just hate not knowing."

"Not knowing what, Tim?" Bella asks, trying to hold back a fresh batch of tears.

"This," he says, motioning between him and Bella, "isn't going to be as simple as you think."

She throws her hands up in frustration. "Then make it simple, Timothy, because I'm trying really hard to understand."

"Fine, it's Gibbs."

"What does Gibbs have to do with anything? This is between you and me, Tim. Not you, me and Gibbs."

"Don't you mean Uncle Gibbs?"

Her face pales and her hands shake. Oh fudge-monkey! Who told him? "Who told you?"

"It doesn't matter who told me, it matters that you should have been the one to tell me. We aren't in high school anymore, Bella."

"We aren't in high school anymore? Who has been the one hiding at his desk, refusing to talk to me, hmm? Don't you dare put this on me, Tim."

"I'm not trying to pin anything on you. I'm trying to understand why Gibbs had to be the one to tell me that you were his niece and not you. Why have you been lying this whole time, and why were we not close enough for me to know?"

Bella sees the pain flash behind his green eyes; shaking her head she stands from the box she's been sitting on. "It's a long complicated story, Tim."

He throws his arms out; motioning to the locker they are in. "Well, Bella. Intrigue me. We've got plenty of time."

Bella sighs, damn it Abby! "Well, the only people that know about me and Gibbs, is Director Sheppard, Uncle Duck, Palmer-which was by accident-Abby, and Ziva-"

Tim holds up a hand, "Wait 'Uncle Duck'?"

She smiles innocently, "Yeah. Gibbs has raised me since I was fifteen, and Ducky has been a second Uncle to me."

"So the only one's who don't know about you and the boss is me and DiNozzo?"

She shrugs, "Do you want the story or not, McGee?"

"Sorry, go on."

"Like I said, Gibbs has been raising me since I was fifteen, which was when my parent-," she waves a hand, "-anyways, you know about my military career, and when that was over, I moved back here to D.C. One, to be closer to the only family I had left, and for two, I wanted to see if I inherited my Uncle's love of finding the bad guy. We came in, together and talked to Jenny. She agreed to letting me join NCIS, and placed me on Uncle Jay's team, just so long as we could keep our bloodlines hush, hush for as long as possible. I'm guessing so you guys wouldn't think that Uncle Jay was favoring me."

McGee snorts, "Yeah that never happens. You get treated like the rest of us."

Glaring at him, "When have I been treated any differently? When I got injured, yea he gave me the full recovery time and I'm sorry he gave me the day off for my parents' memorial."

Tim looks down, learn to bite your tongue, McBlabbermouth. Oh god, Tony's in my head! "I'm sorry, Bella. It's just-"

She holds up a hand and turns her back to him, "Whatever, Tim. I knew this would be pointless. I didn't want to tell you about my being Gibbs' niece because I knew you'd react like this. You're being an ass, and right now, I can't stand to look at you. Gibbs and I are family, and you need to accept that."

"What if I can't, Bella? What happens then?"

She shrugs, "Then I guess I transfer teams, and we'll never know about this," she says, motioning between them like he had moments before.

~*~

Hours later, as promised, Abby returns; she bounds over to the prison cell she's created, and looks at the two agents. Neither of them is speaking, and they are on opposite ends of the cage. She rolls her eyes, epic fail, Abby, epic fail.

She places her hands on her hips. "Tim, what did you do?"

Tim looks up, shaking his head, "Abby, just let us out. Your plan didn't work."

Abby looks to Bella who simply nods, "Ok, but don't say I didn't try."

She unlocks the door and Tim gives one last glance to the broken girl in the cage, shakes his head and heads to the elevator.

Abby steps in where Bella is and sits next to her. "So, what happened?"

Bella shrugs. "We fought. He asked questions, I answered, and we've been sitting here for the last four hours," Bella answers then turns to Abby, "Did you know that there are 1,500 pieces of evidence in here?"

"Wow. Not a lot of talking huh?" Abby says, looking around to the evidence in the room.

Bella shakes her head, "Yeah. Not so much."

Abby puts her arm around her friends' shoulders and says, "I'm sorry. I really thought that this would help."

Bella smiles weakly, "Yeah, I know you did. And in a way, your plan worked."

"How? He is still angry with you."

"That may be so, but he did talk to me, and look at me. For a few hours at least," Bella says, in a hopeful voice.

Abby smiles at her, "He'll come around. He's just real stubborn."

"So is Uncle Jay. I'm used to it."

~*~

(A few minutes after Abby sets them free)

While she was locked in the evidence lock up, Bella had made up her mind on how she was going to solve her problem. Let's just hope that Uncle Jay understands the reason for my transfer instead of blowing a gasket. Stepping off the elevator, she completely by-passed the bullpen and headed straight for the Director's office. Smiling at Cynthia, she knocked on the door, before entering.

Jenny looked up from her desk, watching Bella over the rim of her glasses. "How can I help you Agent Woods?"

Standing tall, gathering as much strength as she could, she approached her desk. "I would like to request a transfer."

Taking her glasses off, Jenny watched her carefully. "You are asking for a transfer from your current NCIS team?"

"Yes Director. I would like a transfer as soon as possible."

"No."

"Wait, what? No?"

Sitting straight in her chair, Jenny says in a stern voice, "Correct Agent Woods. Your request for transfer has been denied. You can see yourself to the door I assume?"

Trying to mentally piece together what just happened, "Yes. Have a nice day director." Walking down from the catwalk towards the bullpen, Ziva was watching her. Walking to her desk, she dropped her stuff and sat down. No? Well, there goes that idea. Why the hell can't anything be easy?

~*~

Working away, Gibbs could feel eyes watching him. Looking up, he could see Jenny standing on the catwalk. Seeing her motion to him, he stood and headed up the stairs. "What's going on Jen?"

Crossing her arms over her chest, she motioned her head down to the bullpen. "Bella came to see me to request a team transfer."

"She did what?"

"I had a feeling that you didn't know about this Jethro. I denied her request for now. Something is going on, and I have a feeling you know what it is. However, if she asks again, I may not be so inclined to deny her."

Giving her a nod, he head back to the bullpen. He had tried to stay out, but enough was enough. He was going to have a talk with McGee.

~*~

Returning from a late lunch, Gibbs saw Tim heading for the elevator to the bullpen. Sliding in, he remained silent until the elevator doors closed.

Hitting the emergency stop, Gibbs turned to the younger agent in the elevator with him. "What the hell are you doing McGee? Are you testing to see if I will really shoot you?"

Knowing the growl of the man next to him, he attempted to hide in the corner of the elevator. "I don't know what you're talking about boss."

Slamming his hand against the elevator, "Really? If you don't know what I'm talking about, then would you like to explain why Bella put in a request for transfer?"

I didn't think she would actually do it. He could only shrug, "I don't know boss."

"Like hell you don't McGee. I don't know what game you're playing, but it stops now."

Defending himself, he looks directly at Gibbs. "I'm not playing a game."

Squinting his eyes at McGee, "When she started working at NCIS, it was the first time I saw her smile without the pain reflected in her eyes. She was starting to be herself, something I have not seen in eleven years. I will be damned if I let her fall back into that dark mental fortress again." Hitting the emergency stop again, Gibbs was silent the rest of the elevator ride and swiftly left when the doors opened.

~*~

Picking up another file from his desk, McGee couldn't help but take a glance at Bella. Although she looked fine in appearance, her body language told him differently. Her movements were well guarded, but she was beyond exhausted. He could see what Gibbs had been talking about. The smile that usually graced her face was gone. Her eyes were non-expressive, guarding the thoughts and emotions in her head. Sighing to himself, maybe Gibbs truly did have a point.