Epilogue
Four months later...
Gibbs hung up the phone and took the stairs to Vance's office, two at a time. As had become the routine, Tim came into the bullpen from his latest session with Dr. Andrews. It seemed as though he was doing really well, but there had been no indications about when he'd be allowed back into the field. He was showing extraordinary patience about it...eager to be there but willing to wait. They didn't discuss his therapy much, and as much as was possible, they avoided making an issue of his...issues. He sat down and began trawling through some data sent down from Intel.
"Good day?" Ziva asked.
Tim looked up and shrugged. "The usual. We're...just talking really most of the time."
"No emotional breakdowns?" Tony asked. "No past lives coming up...or times when your mother locked you in the closet...or..."
"No. I've only had one life and at no time during that life was I locked in the closet." Tim looked down and suppressed a smile as he continued, "I went in there by myself."
"What?"
He'd known that would get a reaction. He looked up, still trying to suppress his grin. "The closet is a nice place to think...especially when you have a nosy little sister who doesn't like the smell of your sneakers." He let the grin out and then went back to work.
The elevator dinged. "Timmy!" Abby said, her voice already wheedling.
"I'm doing some stuff for Intel, Abbs," Tim replied. "I can't."
"Come on, Tim! I'm swamped right now! I'll make it up to you."
Tim looked up and eyed her speculatively. "How?"
Her eyes danced with a wicked gleam...and Tim blushed.
"Ooh, I think the Probie's got a date!"
"Only if he survives not doing his work."
"Shut up, guys," Tim mumbled, ducking his head behind the monitor to hide his red face.
Abby sauntered over and began whispering in his ear, causing said ear (along with the other one) to turn red also.
"Got a body out at Anacostia," Gibbs said, reentering the bullpen. Tony and Ziva stood, gathering their bags. Abby was now pulling Tim physically out of the chair. He wasn't putting up much resistance. He'd barely paid attention to Gibbs' command. He'd inured himself to not going into the field with the team...mostly. ...and Abby was a worthy distraction.
"McGee, where are you going?" Gibbs asked.
Abby let go of Tim's arm so suddenly that he almost crashed to the floor. "Um...not down to help Abby?"
"Are you or are you not on my team?"
"I am, Boss...but..."
"Then, grab your stuff and let's go!"
Tony and Ziva both paused in their motion toward the elevator. Tim stared at Gibbs in surprise.
"Really?"
"Do I look like I'm kidding?"
"No...but..."
"Then, let's go!"
"Now?" Tim asked. "Are you...sure?"
"It's been four months, McGee. How much longer do you want to sit around?"
Tim gave Gibbs a searching glance and finally found the glint of humor...and of encouragement...and outright relief which were present in his eyes.
With a smile that was almost disbelieving, Tim grabbed his bag from the floor by his desk. He smiled at Abby who motioned him to keep moving. She looked so ecstatic for him that he'd probably be knocked to the ground by a hug when he got back. As he moved past Gibbs, he was slowed by a hand on his arm. He stopped and looked back.
"This is a trial run, McGee. You have any problems, you tell me. Got it?"
Tim deflated just a little. "Of course, Boss."
Gibbs' mouth quirked in an almost smile. "I don't think you will, Tim. You've been ready for weeks."
"You think so, Boss?"
"Don't you?"
Tim considered that...and then, nodded. "Yeah. I do. I just didn't want to think about it because I would have been impatient."
"If you think so, and I think so...I think you'll be just fine."
Then, he strode past Tim, beating even Tony and Ziva to the elevator.
"You guys don't get a move on, I'll make you walk!"
They all ran together and hopped on just as the doors began to close. For all that Tim had been left behind for much of the last four months, for all that this had begun with a brief fracturing of the team, for all that...the most far-reaching effect of Tim's problems, his therapy and recovery had been a strengthening of the bonds between them all. The potential loss had made the recovery that much more precious.
It was hard to tell whose smile was biggest.
FINIS!