A/N: Looks like this is headed towards a McGiva backstory of sorts. For those who don't like those – I apologize

– it just kinda fell into place – and won't be going very much further with it – in detail, anyway.

Standing in the doorway of his kitchen, watching Ziva as she works to prepare dinner at six fifteen that night, Tim's mind finally slows down enough to cast itself back over the conversation with Gibbs. Unknowingly frowning, he already regrets the hastiness with which he attempted to discard the old in order to keep going with the new. It doesn't feel right, despite how right it felt in the moment.

"Something on your mind,Tim?" Ziva asks from where she's still busy. Her eyes are never resting as her hands nimbly work. "You have been distracted since I arrived. Do you wish to talk about it?"

Tim blinks to clear his mind. Shaking his head, he eases the frown from his face. "It's not a conversation fit for the company of the beautiful woman in my kitchen."

Setting the knife down, she wipes her hands on the cleaning towel and approaches him. "But it is a conversation fit for a friend who is more than willing to listen, yes?"

Smiling softly, he accepts her hand on his arm and turns her back to her hard work, not wanting to ruin the evening. "Thank you, Ziva. But it will keep. I promise to put it away. Now, what can I do to help you with dinner?"

"Timothy McGee, do not think you can hold me off from this discussion for very long." She threatens him mildly even as she smiles to soften the mood. "You may set the table."

Now Tim has to chuckle. "You see a table somewhere?"

Equally as playful, Ziva winks at him. "Perhaps, I brought one with me and have been hiding it in my bag of supplies."

Tim laughs, "Now, that I'd like to see."

Before anything more can be said, a resounding knock is heard on Tim's apartment door. "Probie!"

"Great, two of 'em in one day." Tim mutters despairingly as he glances regretfully at Ziva. "I'll just be a minute. "

"Two?" Ziva questions as she glances his way.

Shaking his head, Tim dismisses his own comment. "It's nothing, Ziva. Give me a minute and I'll tell him now's not a good time."

"Tim. Let him in. The two of you need to talk."

"Probie!"

"Not right this minute, we don't. My plans with you are more important." Tim disagrees with her with all seriousness as he ignores Tony for the moment.

Approaching him once more, Ziva takes his hands in hers. "Tim. He is your friend. I will still be here when the two of you have talked things out. "

"Probie! C'mon, man! Let me in! We need to talk!"

"You won't leave?" Tim asks with hope residing in his eyes.

"I will not leave. Perhaps by the time you have finished speaking with each other, dinner will be done and you can invite him to stay."

"Now you are asking for too much from me, Ziva." Tim frowns. "I'm not ready to break bread with DiNozzo yet."

"Probie! I know you're in there! Open up!"

"Break bread?" Ziva questions with a serious expression that says this isn't one of those times she's deliberately flubbing her words.

Tim shakes his head. "Never mind. Just know that I won't be asking him to stay for dinner."

Looking at him with careful scrutiny, Ziva sighs. "Alright. And you are right. It should be your decision to speak with him or not since he has arrived unannounced."

"Thank you." Tim replies with genuine gratitude for her understanding. Looking back at her for a long minute, he sighs. "You think I should hear him out. Don't you?"

"Damn it, McGee! I'm not goin' anywhere, til you let me in!"

"It is what friends do. It is obvious he has something he needs to say to you and I know he has been troubled by the way things are between you right now." Ziva reminds him.

"Okay. I'll go see what he wants. Maybe I'll even hear him out. You know I can't promise this won't get ugly, right?" He warns her. "I'm not the pushover for his crap that I used to be."

"I know and I am glad. But, you are doing right by a friend." Ziva reminds him with a kiss on the cheek. "No matter how 'ugly' it may become."

With another sigh of his own, Tim admits defeat. "Sometimes, I hate it when you're right."

Amidst the music of her quiet laugh, Tim heads to the door in hopes of putting an end to the barrage of banging and yelling Tony's been raining down on his hapless door. Swinging the door wide open, Tim lets a little of his irritation show as he greets his former teammate. "Tony. Did we have plans I forgot about?"

Nearly tripping into the apartment now that his momentum is changed, Tony huffs. "No. But I thought we should talk."

"Obviously." Tim replies dryly. "You just decided that we needed to talk – right now – tonight."

"Yeah, I mean it's not like you ever go anywhere or have a date, Probie. So, what's wrong with right now? I'm willing to give up part of my Saturday night to get this over with. "

"How very big of you, DiNozzo." Tim snipes sarcastically. "All right. Have a seat. Let's- as you say, 'get this over with.' "

"What? No, that's not what I …Crap! I'm not handling this very well. Probie. I'm not used to ….. just tell me, McGee, was I really that bad?"

"That what's got you all wound up and over here on your free Saturday night, Tony? The thought that what I said may actually be true? That you might have really been a royal jackass?"

"You never said that." Tony argues as if needing to defend Tim's character.

"No, I didn't. But, maybe I should have. Maybe then you would have been able to hear what I was saying better at the time."

"Doesn't answer the question, McGee." Tony grumbles as he practically drops down onto Tim's couch. "Hey this is pretty comfy. When did you upgrade?"

Tim refrains from commenting although his eyebrows do rise up in silent question. Was Tony really going to waste time with the small talk about Tim's furniture? "You want specifics, Tony? You really need me to rehash all of that crap you pulled on me over the years? Is that really what you wanna hear?"

"Yes! Alright? Yes, I need to hear it!" Tony retorts almost angrily.

"Why?" Tim asks with all seriousness.

"I just need to hear it, McGee." Tony insists as he sits forward, his arms planted on his thighs. "I need to hear all of it. And don't leave out any time you tried to say something about it either. I have to hear it!"

Tim sighs. "Okay, Tony. I just hope you realize what you're asking.

"Doesn't matter. Just let her rip."

"Okay. Well…."

*******NCIS*****

Tim frowns as he helps Ziva put away the last of the dinner dishes some three hours later. "I'm really sorry dinner was ruined, Ziva."

"Delayed is not ruined, Tim. And I was right. Tony obviously needed to talk to you – to hear what it is you really needed him to hear – so his visit was very important."

"Yeah. I know. I'm not sure who was more shocked when he threw himself at me in apology – me or him." Tim replies quietly. "I'm still not sure it actually happened. Tony DiNozzo hug anyone that's not a woman? Didn't see that coming, that's for sure."

"Tony may act like he does not think beyond the moment, but the truth is, he thinks very deeply." Ziva chides gently. "Even I could hear the remorse in his tone when he offered you his apology before he left. "

"Yeah. I know. That's why I wasn't too thrilled about dumping it all out like that. I never wanted anyone to have to rehash all the old stuff." Tim replies quietly. "I just wanted us all to move forward from here."

"Perhaps it was not possible until you were willing to talk about what went wrong, Tim."

"I get it. If we don't learn from our past mistakes, we're doomed to repeat them. I guess I never thought Tony thought about things like that."

"He has taken these changes on the team very personally and with difficulty." She admits. "He needed to understand why they have come about. He has been thinking about this for quite a while now."

"I'm not complaining, Ziva. I'm just hoping he'll let it go now. Start fresh, you know?"

"Are you certain that you are prepared to start fresh, Tim? You have had a lot to let go of. That is a lot to ask of any one person."

"You've gone through worse. You're not still holding onto all the crap." He deflects the conversation off himself and onto one of the qualities he admires most in her.

"We are different, you and I." Ziva reminds him with a sad smile.

"Not down here, where it counts." Tim replies quietly as he thumps his chest over his heart. "At least, I hope I'm not any less compassionate or forgiving."

Ziva smiles. "Oh, I know that you are much more so than I, Tim McGee." She replies with all seriousness.

"You don't give yourself enough credit, Ziva." Tim chides gently as he pulls her into his arms for an embrace. Holding her snugly, he relishes the scent of her and this moment that she remains in his arms, not even attempting to pull away.

It's a short hug before she's becoming restless and begins to move.

Stepping back, Tim gently holds onto her arms and gazes into her eyes. "One day, maybe you'll let yourself accept more." He leaves unsaid that it's love he hopes she'll one day accept from him. Somehow, he knows that she's well aware of what he's trying to say.

Raising one hand up, she caresses his face as she softly answers him. "Perhaps, one day."

"I'm not going anywhere, Ziva." Tim reminds her. "I promise you, I'll be here for you. Always."

"And I, you." She vows in return. "But for now, I must go."

"Promise me, this is just the beginning for us." Tim whispers as he steps closer to her once more.

Kissing him gently on the lips, she steps back and gives him what he needs. "I promise you, Tim McGee. This is just the beginning."

******NCIS******

Monday morning finds Tim actually looking forward to going to work. It's been a rather stressful weekend even though most of yesterday was spent thinking back over the bumpy roller coaster Saturday had been as he went through his day. Between the members of his former team trying to make amends and the one he's trying to build a future with, he's not sure how much more he can fit on his plate. It had been a near sleepless night Saturday night and so it had taken him until nearly noon to get out of bed.

The remainder of Sunday had been taken up with apartment cleaning, laundry, grocery shopping and cooking for the week ahead with a healthy two mile run and some free writing time that helped clear his mind. He'd called to talk with Ziva, but had gotten her voicemail. His old insecurities had reared their ugly heads at that moment and he'd faltered in his message, finally erasing it – leaving nothing in its' place.

Now, heading into work, he's regretful that he didn't leave Ziva a message and he calls her again. This time, when he gets her voicemail, he leaves her a message of hope for lunch together and the hope that she's had a nice rest of the weekend.

Feeling better about leaving things there, he heads to his office, still not willing to go through the squad room to get there, he takes the back stairs up, passing a fellow employee and agent or three along the way. It's the buzz of whispers he hears that catches his attention now as he keeps going forward, despite the ugliness of it all.

"Psst. There's McGee! He's thinks he's too good to even talk to his former team now! Won't even talk to Gibbs, for cryin' out loud! After all that man has done for him, can you believe it?"

"Yeah, poor, DiNozzo! I always thought the guy was a pain in the ass, but the way McGee's actin', it's like Tony's dirt now! It's just not right! McGee wouldn't be half the agent he is now, if it weren't for Tony!"

"Tell me about it! Stuck up guy, won't even talk to Dr. Mallard! Who does that? That's just sooo wrong!"

"Yeah, I know. Whatever you do – don't get him mad! Next thing we know, he'll be thinking he's better than the rest of us, too!"

With the utmost control, Tim manages to refrain from shaking his head in silent disgust as he heads through the door he needs and keeps going, silently hoping none of those gossipmongers are in his first class.

Walking into his office, he's pulled up short at the sight that meets his eyes. Abby, dressed more conservatively than her usual style - her longer than usual skirt and solid color ¾ length sleeved t-shirt is a remarkable change to see, is sitting in his chair, apparently waiting for him. But when she gets up out of his desk chair and offers him a small smile, he's ill-prepared for the difference in her demeanor.

"Hey, McGee. Timmy."

"Abby." He greets her quietly and with a reserve that comes from his new-found self-preservation and unwillingness to have any new issues with her. "Something you need to talk to me about that can't wait until the class later today?"

"I just wanted to say thank you." She answers almost shyly.

This timid Abby is a new creature and Tim's wondering where the old Abby's gone off to. Still he has to ask, if for his own curiosity. "For what?"

"Your email."

"The email I sent in answer to your emailed apology, you mean." Tim clarifies to keep things on the up and up. "The one that said we can still be friends."

"Right. I just wanted to tell you that I appreciate that you're willing to forgive me and give our friendship another chance."

"I'm glad."

"Huh?" Abby is baffled at his unusual response.

"That you appreciate it. I'm glad."

"Oh. OH!" Abby's face lights up. "So, then, now that we're okay, let's do lunch, okay?"

Tim frowns at her. Does she really think that things are that comfortable between them anymore? Shaking his head, he lets her down a little less easy than he'd done in the past. "No, Abby. I can't."

"But…. I don't understand…"

"Abby. Look. I can't talk about this right now. I've got class. But I said what I could to keep things simple. We're friends that work together. That's it. Not lunch dates or anything else."

"What? You can't tell me friends don't have lunch together, McGee!" Abby argues with the passion of a woman being scorned.

Tim sighs. This is just what he'd been afraid of. "Abby. Look. Maybe someday down the road we can, but for now, I…no, I just can't."

"Fine!" Abby flounces from the room, her pigtails in full swing.

Tim sighs as he pulls out the folder he needs and heads to the classroom, trying to prepare himself to face the day. Forcing himself to stow away the situation with Abby, he puts on his game face and steps into the classroom, happy to see that the six chairs are all taken, two, it seems, with Cybercrimes Geeks, two with dayshift field agents and the last two with nightshift field agents.

While he's surprised to find Cybercrimes here, he's not entirely thrown off by it. It will do him good to have to meet the challenge. With a deep breath that he slowly lets out, he does yet another cursory glance around the room and is relieved to see that none of the gossiping co-workers he ran into earlier are here. He knows he may not be quite so lucky with the next group – but for now, he's got nothing to worry about. With his own name already on the board, Tim proceeds to the next stage of getting things started before he'll be ready to start the cameras rolling.

Introductions, while a necessary part of the class – aren't necessary to be on the videotaped session. With these last few minutes available before the taping will begin, Tim takes advantage of it to get in some one – on one – with his students. "Okay, guys, we'll start taping the class in a few minutes – so for now, let's just get introductions out of the way – and maybe you can tell us what you're hoping to gain from this class – or if you were just one of the unlucky ones assigned without having to sign up."

Snickers can be heard through the class as one by one, Tim calls their names. "Let's see. "Mac England. Missy Taylor, Ed Paine, Josh Brown, Elaine Putty and Tommy Smythe."

One by one, the students call back to being called and the class rolls forward. With the introductions out of the way, Tim politely reminds them that the cameras are about to start rolling and there'll be no stopping it once it starts. He also takes the time to let them know that if they need questions answered – they're free to ask them – when he opens the floor for them – later on in the day. When that piece of news seems to lighten the mood, Tim heaves a sigh of relief. "Alright then, let's roll."

******NCIS*****

Breaking for lunch at the end of a most productive and engaging morning, Tim's spirits are buoyed even further by a missed call from Ziva and the message she's left for him.

"Hello, Tim. I apologize for not being available - I was busy with cleaning and had turned my phone off. I would love to meet you for lunch. I will have to get back to you on that. You know what it is like – we may get a call. I am looking forward to cooking for you again, as well. So perhaps we could do dinner again soon, yes? Goodbye for now."

Undaunted by the fact that she has, in fact, been called out on a case, as her phone going straight to voicemail gives testament to, he leaves her a message offering the same hope for a future date and the hope that she's having a great day and being careful. Since when does she need to be told to be careful?

With a huff of laughter at himself for that one, he heads back to the classroom and whatever Abby might be throwing at him in their joint session. He can do little else but hope that she's in a better frame of mine now. He doesn't need her screwing this up for him. Then again, he's already got the backing of both Vance and Gibbs so if she does mess up, it will be on her and only her, so long as he sticks to the program and doesn't let her sway him with anything unexpected.

Stepping back into the classroom, Tim is surprised to find Abby already there, quite studiously applying herself to writing on the chalkboard. As he silently walks in and takes his place at the other end of the room, he refrains from commenting as the students come back in as a group and Abby begins the afternoon with her own introductions. Once that's out of the way, Tim hits record on the video again and the afternoon session is underway without a hitch

.

*****NCIS*****

By the end of the day, Tim is pleasantly surprised that Abby has in fact adopted a new attitude, at least in front of the camera. It's a wait and see situation once the camera's off and the students have gone for the day, though. Tim isn't willing to stick around to see what mode she'll be in now. He's itching to review the tape and make sure they didn't miss anything on the class outline or miss any key questions the students had.

Heading to the computer in his office, he cues up the video and replays it, watching carefully for anything important they need to fix or address. When the recording stops where they took a break for lunch, Tim jumps out of his skin, as Abby's voice comes from just behind him.

"You did a great job."

Shocked, he turns to face her. "Thanks."

"Let's see the afternoon session." She keeps her game face on with no sign of being sidetracked by anything else left unresolved between them.

Grateful she's in the right frame of mind, he does just that and together, in silence, they watch the afternoon's session play out. It's a long afternoon but the class went off without a hitch and Tim can see nothing left out or any need for going back over anything from today – in tomorrow's class. They were on schedule and it feels great.

"Looks like we nailed it." Abby admits quietly.

"Yeah. We did." Tim agrees with her. "Thank you for that."

"We've always worked well together, Tim." She reminds him, her expression more serious than he's seen on her in a very long time.

"Yeah. We have." He offers in return. He's pretty sure she's leading up to something and for some unexplainable reason, he feels like he should just go with it and see what's on her mind, so long as he's careful not to lose control of the situation.

"Tim, I'm sorry about this morning." Abby offers without moving from where she's standing.

For once, she's not trying to cross into his personal space or demand a hug. Something's definitely different about her even if he can't put his finger on what that something is.

"Thank you." Tim offers just as quietly. He's not sure what the heck's going on, but he'll take any peace offering she's willing to give. Ziva was right. They are friends and he'd like to keep it that way and maybe build things back up between them to where he can trust her again, but this starting out slowly works for him.

Nodding, Abby turns to head out. Stopping at the doorway, she turns back. "Tim."

"Abby?"

"I really am sorry I treated you so badly. I just want you to know that."

Without waiting for his reply, she's gone from the doorway, leaving him thinking hard about the changes he's seen in her in a remarkably short time.

******NCIS******

On shaky legs, Abby returns to her lab, so distracted in her thoughts that she walks right by her new assistant without speaking to her, locking herself in her inner office as she finally lets out the breath she hadn't even realized she'd been holding in. Wow, that was tough!

While the class had been a whole lot of fun, being in the same room with Tim and watching him teach the students without paying her any attention unless they were on the same points of discussion with the class, had been almost excruciating. She's so used to them working almost as one, that having to work apart while in the same setting, was really, really tough. In fact, only Rachel's strongly worded advice stuck on repeat in her head had kept her game face on and her focus where it needed to be.

"Time to break that mold you poured for Tim when you first met him, Abby. Haven't you learned by now that he doesn't fit it? Step back and learn to see him for what he is - his own person with his own qualities that you obviously don't appreciate."

Wow, that had really hurt. But she'd been right and Abby can admit that now. Even if that realization brings with it a heavy weight of sorrow for what she's missed. The gem of a man before her all afternoon is no longer the man at her beck and call, willing to jump through hoops to please her; but rather, can barely stomach being in the same room with her. He would have given her the world and even though he'd worn his heart on his sleeve for her, that hadn't been enough for her.

That truth by itself, brings tears to Abby's eyes. With her new assistant, Joyce Little watching with concerned eyes, the Lab Rat works to pull herself together. She has a job to do and her own unpleasant situation with Tim is not a part of that. With the deliberateness of sheer stubbornness, she refocuses on the current work at hand and gets back to it, sparing the quiet yet sincere Joyce a smile as she checks on how the afternoon went.

*****NCIS*******

Six weeks have never gone by so quickly before, in Tim's book. He can't believe they've made it through the first class and without any problems too! Not only that; it's actually been fun! Remarkably, Abby's kept herself together and refrained from pushing Tim about anything. Their conversations have been brief and strictly about the class and the video tape of it. It's been like looking at a whole new Abby, not that Tim's complaining.

He's still very much wary of taking things beyond work with her and it's become obvious that she's willing to wait. She's made no more complaints or even attempts to discuss it further. Tim being who he is, however, has not been able to refrain from bringing her a caf-pow with him when they have a session together by now. It's brought a brighter smile to her face and has turned the coolness down on their relationship, making it even easier to work with her, almost as well as he used to be able to do.

Sadly enough, these past six weeks have lent little time for Tim to reconnect with the others on his former team because they've been so busy with back to back cases and have never been around when he's been able to break for lunch or even going home for the evening. It's as if the stars have aligned to keep them from working on the bonds of friendship after all. It really sucks and it's the one reason he's regretting, even now, at least in some small degree, his choice to break away from the team. Thankfully, it's only a small part of him that feels that way, allowing himself to remain quite content in his new endeavor, despite the disappointments of not being able to see his former teammates and friends.

Even Ducky and Jimmy have been too busy to do more than chat with him for a moment here or there. Between active cases, Jimmy's schooling and both of their attendances at various speaking engagements, it seems like they've never been available either. At the end of the day, it's been difficult to recall the intent to follow-up when thoughts of trying to find time in Ziva's schedule seem to take center stage more often than not. It's a weird feeling to see them from afar like this – without seeing them very much at all.

His relationship with Ziva hasn't even been able to see any light in the last six weeks. Oh, they've shared a phone call or two – but without any time for even a meal together, it's been tough to keep the hope alive that theirs is a relationship that will grow strong and healthy. Thankfully, Tim's determined that this is one time he will not fail – well, that and in his work, too.

In fact, he's got a meeting with the Director in a short while, now that the first class has been successfully completed. He's glad now, that he did come up with those quizzes and tests as an adequate gauge for what constitutes a successful class. His students learned what they needed to learn and showed their ability to apply it before the end of their time together. All in all, Tim is very satisfied at how the class turned out and he believes the Director will be as well.

Glancing at his watch, he frowns. Time to find out. With a deep breath that he slowly lets out, he heads up to the man's office. There's no telling what's next on the man's agenda for Tim since he wants to talk before firming up any plans for another class, but whatever it is, Tim will face it head on. In fact, he's looking forward to it.