Last Man Standing – 9/23/08
Legends Part II (5/5/09)
Truth and Consequences – 9/22/09
Royals and Loyals - 10/12/1010

1900 Tuesday Night – West Coast Time

"It is done." Ziva offers as she lays back in bed, nestled in Tim's arms in his L.A. apartment.

"Good. I feel better knowing you're not going back on the red-eye tonight. You need more rest than that. No, don't look at me in that tone of voice, Ziva. I know you can take care of yourself. Doesn't mean I'm going to be reckless about your safety or about taking care of you." Tim firmly reminds her.

"Tone of voice?" Ziva muses. "How does one do that with a look?

Tim chuckles. "It's a joke. An attempt at infusing a little humor into a tough moment?"

"Ah. What you really mean is that it was your attempt to distract me from your worry."

"Ok. Busted." Tim admits as he pulls her in closer and nibbles on her ear.

Leaning her head back on his shoulder, she looks up at him. "I do like it when you look out for me. Now."

"Yeah? I remember when you were actually insulted by it."

"You showed me that it was part of your love for me."

"I'm just glad you were open to seeing it." Tim murmurs as he nibbles on her again. "I'm hungry. Let's feed each other again before we call it a night. It's been a heck of a day."

"You enjoyed every minute of it."

With a twinkle in his eye, Tim looks back at her. "I did. Tomorrow will be even better, now that some of the ice has been broken between us."

"You are looking forward to this, yes?"

"Yeah. I am." Tim sits up and gets comfortable against the backboard of the bed. He pulls her back to him and wraps his arms around her. "Especially since they've completely accepted that you're not some traitor we were dealing with back when Michael was a problem. I'm really relieved that we're all on the same page."

"I am relieved as well." Ziva remarks. "I have not felt that uncomfortable with NCIS in a long time. I was happy it was easily resolved by retelling the truth of what happened, even if it painted me unkindly."

"I'm relieved, too. If they hadn't been able to accept you as part of 'us', I'm not sure what would have happened to my position here. Or if I would have still taken it." Tim admits. "But, I had faith in them. It's been so long, that I knew they wouldn't be hard-asses about it."

"And now, you are looking forward to it. Both Sam and Callen are going to whisk you away when we arrive there again in the morning. Apparently the three of you have much to discuss."

"You're right. I am looking forward to it. But right now, I'm really hungry." He murmurs as he returns his attention to kissing her neck once more.

She turns in his arms and kisses him ardently, her arms wrapping themselves around his neck. "A snack before bed yes?"

"Definitely."

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

0800 Wednesday morning

The sound of a slamming desk drawer brings the Team Leader out of his revere of things that had transpired the night before. Looking in the direction the sound had come from, he spies Tony trying to look settled into a working routine. Although, he's in the dark about where his Senior Field Agent's inability to focus entirely on work is coming from, he can certainly identify with the unsettled feeling that seems almost tangible in the room. That call from Ziva last night, had come as a complete surprise.

"Yeah. Gibbs"

"Gibbs. I will need another day. Please."

"Everythin' alright?"

"Yes. However, I am not able to get back before then."

"Ok."

"Thank you."

Until that call, he'd had no idea his agent had even left D.C. The fact that she had, has left him wondering if that meant that she and Tim had taken a quick jaunt out to wherever his next posting is. It doesn't actually matter where they went, he sharply reminds himself. What is important is that Tim's made it clear he doesn't want the team to know where he's being reassigned to – temporarily or not. The least they can do is respect his wishes on that; no matter how much that pulls at his sense of taking care of his own and never leaving them behind.

He'd tossed and turned most of the night, thinking about this as a part of Gibbs' mind stubbornly clung to regret and a heavy dose of self-flagellation that isn't his usual way of thinking. If only he'd done things right; been there for Tim the way he should have been, the kid wouldn't be leaving and wanting to do so without his former team tracking him down. Damn it!

That thought had reminded him that Tim's fooling himself if he thinks it won't be a walk in the park to find out where he's going since there'll be a full out paper-trail that will follow him, with his paycheck information and all that goes with that. But, the strengthened internal threads of paternal guardianship he feels towards the young man just as strongly veto the idea of shoving that information in the kid's face. It won't hurt anybody to let Tim have his privacy respected; his wishes respected; especially since he's made them quite clear. Still should have been told when one of your active agents leaves D.C.

With that thought in mind, he'd finally found a sliver of sleep before dawn.

Getting up at the crack of dawn, this morning, his thoughts had quickly returned to the train he'd left off of last night. This morning, he's found some reassurance along the way because Gibbs knows he can trust Vance to keep a sharp eye on Tim's progress and him specifically to make sure nothing happens to him. Tim's sharp enough and experienced enough to take care of himself in general; but with whatever new situations he's going into with this new training he's specifically going for; well, Gibbs sure as hell hopes whoever his surrogate son's being entrusted to, takes damned good care of him.

Now, with the boring morning dragging on, his mind just isn't cooperating or settle into focusing on work. The thought of all the training he'd failed to give Tim; being thrown at him at once now because he'd fallen down on that job, is haunting him now. In need of some fresh air, the Team Leader gets up, tossing his pen down on his desk and scooping up his coffee cup as he rounds his desk. Heading to the front elevator, Gibbs surprises his Senior Field Agent. "With me, DiNozzo."

Knowing that Dwayne will keep working on the cold case in front of him, Gibbs silently rides the elevator down to the front entrance, with a bewildered and equally silent Tony beside him. It's as though he can't turn his mind off, His thoughts are stuck in the midst of this ongoing situation he's been completely unable to fix.

Unable to unwrap his head from the muddled confusion that surrounds this whole ordeal with Tim, mostly because there's no fresh case to immerse himself in; Gibbs finds himself wanting answers from the rest of his people as to why they've never brought the subject back up themselves. Why is it they all acted as if it had never come up before? Hell, for that matter, why does it seem like sometimes he needs things thrown in his face after things have gone to hell in a hand basket in order to realize he should have been asking things in the first place before the s*** hit the fan? What the hell's happened to his acute sense of awareness of things around him that has long stood him in good stead all these years?

He just wishes like heck the two of them could talk things out once and for all before the final day arrives and it becomes too late. Vance's warning on the risks of that happening hasn't gone unheeded. Listening to advice; however, is oftentimes easier to do than following up on it; as Gibbs is finding out. After all, he can't force Tim to talk to him and given the rough road the younger man's had lately, he wouldn't anyway.

It's obvious to Tony that the boss has a hell of a lot on his mind. He wonders why he's even been summoned to go along for this coffee run. The silence in the elevator isn't unusual, although the atmosphere seems to be a hell of a lot more gloomy with heavy introspection than he's ever seen from Gibbs before. Still, it's easy to reside comfortably within the quietness since his thoughts are muddled in a minefield of their own.

The silence that remains between them until they're well on their way to the coffee shop down the street from the office when, surprisingly enough, it's Gibbs that breaks it.

"That day Vance told us Tim left the team…" Gibbs leads off, seemingly from out of the blue.

"Back in November? I remember that day. Kinda hard to forget being ripped into by Vance like that." Tony offers rather quickly, his tone as serious as the boss has ever heard from him.

Gibbs glances at him rather sharply. "You remember everything he said"

Tony's silent on that question, obviously thinking back to find the answer. Forcing his mind to dig a little, it begins to come back to him. "Actually, now that you mention it…."

"Vance brought up the mess in Mexico." Gibbs cuts to the chase.

Tony stops walking. "Crap! Well, how the hell did that happen, Boss? I mean, until you mentioned it just now, I'd completely forgotten – even when McGee let me in the other day – How the hell did I forget that Vance already knew?"

"Ducky too." Gibbs admits quietly.

"That's right! He lit into Abby about it when you took us down there to talk about it!" Tony recalls vividly now. "But, wait a minute! Where was all this recollection when Tim needed to know it was safe for him to talk to us about it; that we'd have his back?"

"Forgotten." Gibbs surmises regretfully.

"You're telling me that every single one of us forgot? How is that even possible? And if Ducky knew, why's he been actin' like he hasn't known?"

"Too much goin' on. Tim changed jobs; wasn't around, so…"

"And because we didn't see him very often after that, it faded into the background. But why didn't Ducky ever say anything? You're telling me, he forgot, too?"

Tony's observation and follow-up question doesn't really surprise Gibbs. The fact that it confirms his own confusion tethers his mood below the happy line and it comes through in his quiet tone. "Seems that way."

"So, all this boils down to none of us being there for McGee because we all forgot about the whole mess?" Tony zeros in on his Team Leader's own personal point of contention with this problem. "Yeah." Gibbs admits as they reach the coffee shop

Grabbing hold of the door handle and pulling on it, Tony offers his professional opinion on that response. "Crap!"

"Yeah. Somethin' like that." His boss surprisingly agrees as they step into the place and let the discussion drop for now. As well as he knows his Senior Field Agent, there's no doubt in his mind that this will not be dropped again until they've made the effort to check on Tim more thoroughly in terms of where he's at with this ordeal and their failure to be there for him.

Minutes later, with coffees for the team in hand, as well as their own, the two of them make their way back toward the office Gibbs is quick to revive the discussion, tired of not having a clearer picture of what's going on with his kids. "What's botherin' you this mornin'?" "Me? Nuthin'." Tony answers almost automatically.

"That why you haven't sat still for ten minutes or gotten a single case read through?"

Now Tony breathes out deeply. He knows the boss isn't blind but he also knows the man doesn't abide well with them sticking their nose into other's business, now that he's worked to improve the way he runs things with the team. But, this is Ziva and Tim he's worried about – and that makes it different because they're family. Still, he struggles to put into words that won't sound like he's being his former nosey self that never stopped to respect other people's privacy if he wanted to know badly enough what was going on with them. This time; he's purely concerned about his friends.

"Thought I told you there was nothin' to tell." Gibbs reminds Tony of his remarkable mind-reading ability.

"Can't ask me not to worry about them, Boss. Feels like I just got Tim back. Now I'm losin' him again. This time for good."

"Don't count on that." Gibbs encourages.

"You're thinking he'll be back." Tony's surprised to hear that. He knows that Gibbs won't fight Tim on whatever career path he's on now. Still, it does Tony's heart good to hear what Gibbs' gut is obviously telling him since that is one thing that is rarely wrong.

"When he's ready."

"You know something you're not telling me?" Tony asks without hesitation.

"Ziva's not leavin'."

"I know. She says Tim doesn't want her to give up the job she loves workin' with the people she trusts. Can't say I'm not happy about that. Losin' one of them's bad enough, but both?" He lets that unsavory thought drop right there. It's one road he doesn't want to travel.

"That won't change." Gibbs reminds him as he deliberately re-addresses the fact that Ziva's not going anywhere. He wants Tony to focus on this thread of the conversation for a reason.

"McGee wanting her to stay here? Yeah. I figured that, too. And they'll have to come back together to keep their relationship going." Tony verbally surmises. "Which is why you think he'll be back."

The look on Gibbs' face says Tony should have already figured that much out.

"Right." Tony huffs out. "Obviously you think there's more to it than that, though."

With a serious expression that inadvertently lets Tony see just how much the older man's been thinking about this, Gibbs offers more of his gut feeling on the subject. "His future's here. When he's ready, he'll figure that out."

"Kinda puts us back to your original question, don'tcha think? I mean, maybe if we hadn't forgotten – if we'd taken the time to let him know he could talk about it – maybe he'd have come back to us without having to go through all this?" Without actually leaving the team, even?"

"Tony." Gibbs breathes out tiredly. "Tim left the team for a hell of a lot more than us not letting him talk about what happened down there."

'Yeah. I know. But that sure as hell made of a pretty damned big contribution. It had to be really rough going for him, ya know?"

Gibbs nods in silent comprehension and appreciation for the younger man's agreement. With the nightmares and the migraines, not to mention the need to bully the hell out of the boxing bag, there was no doubt that that was an understatement. The unbridled anger and written proof of Tim's deeply hidden pain and anger had set it up as irrefutable proof, etched in concrete.

The remainder of the walk is completed in silence but at least Tony's mood seems to have improved slightly since he'd been given the outlet to discuss the situation. Now maybe, they could focus on work; at least for now, until Ziva and Tim get back.

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

0600 Thursday Morning

Still unsettled with Ziva's absence and Tim's looming departure for training that genuinely has him concerned, Gibbs arrives at work a little earlier than usual, with his glaring screw up with Tim still on his mind. The training Tim is most likely getting ready to be given will, he figures to the best of his ability, be focused on undercover work. Realizing in hindsight, that he's failed Tim here quite unnecessarily is a bitter pill to swallow. But the truth remains that for at least a few of the times he'd sent Tony and Ziva after a witness – leaving Tim chained to the desk for no immediate reason, could have very well made enough of a difference to have prevented this turn of events.

Almost absently strolling off the elevator when it reaches his floor, Gibbs freezes at the edge of his work space when he spies Ziva already at work behind her desk. From the looks of it, she's cleaning out her emails, a cup of coffee and a breakfast burrito still steaming where they sit on her desk. Obviously, she hasn't been here long.

"Ziva."

Glancing up from her task, she acknowledge him, with civility but little else. "Gibbs."

He knows she's still upset over the lack of answers to her questions she'd called him with Monday night and so he doesn't press the issue of her mood. Still, he is concerned, about her and about Tim. Yet, something in her demeanor holds the rest of his questions at bay. Without saying anything further, he goes to his own desk and gets busy, leaving silence the sole witness to this less than normal atmosphere between them. All too soon, the elevator dings yet again, bringing it with this time, Tony and Dwayne together. With pleasantries exchanged, they both get settled behind their respective desks and silence once again settles in; this time much more comfortably and short lived.

"So, Ziva. How was the day off? I mean days off?" Do anything exciting?"

Exasperated even though she knows it was coming, Ziva looks up and over at him. "Tony. I will tell you about it over lunch. That is what you want to hear, yes?"

"Yeah! I mean thanks, Ziva." He's beaming at her from behind his own desk, but is quick to return his attention to his work now that he's gotten that from her.

Neither of them notice Gibbs glaring at them from his own work space. It's not that he minds their plans to have lunch together. Rather, he's less than happy about them discussing the expectations of having a private conversation – publically. His gut tells him that the conversation will include Tim and he hopes like hell that the young man will be joining them and keep things on an even keel around here before he leaves. Man, he must really be needing a vacation if he's worry about stuff like this! With a mental shake of his head, he returns his own focus to work. Before they realize it, the morning is gone and lunch time has arrived. As Tony and Ziva head off together, almost silently, Gibbs watches them go, hopeful that she'll open up and let Tony be the friend he's desperate to be – for both her and Tim.

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

"Pretty cold in the squad room this morning, wouldn't you say? Tony asks almost nonchalantly as he and Ziva walk to the nearby hot dog vendor where there's a place to sit down.

"No. I was comfortable. You …were cold?"

"No, Ziva. I'm talking about the air between you and Gibbs. What, you pissed at him or something? You've barely spoken to the man all morning and you've been gone for two days."

"Tony …"

"You're pissed at him for Tim's sake. For all that's going on with Tim because of Gibbs."

Looking around at the crowded area, filled with employees and military personnel all enjoying the weather and the chance to have lunch here, Ziva gets to her feet. "Let us walk."

Tony's quick to join her, no argument to be had. Obviously, he's hit the nail on the head and she's willing to talk to him. As her friend and Tim's, he's ready to hear what's on her mind. When she relays her conversation with Gibbs from Monday night, he's not really surprised; at least not at the boss' answers. He is; however, shocked that Ziva had cornered the man from out of the blue with the probing questions. Honestly, it blows him away.

Then again, it brings a sense of logic to the Gibbs he saw the following morning and for the rest of the time Ziva was gone. Obviously, she'd gotten him to begin looking inside himself for the answers. That much had become obvious with their discussions those two days. Sharing that much with Ziva now, seems to calm her inner frustrations and even some of her residual anger.

"Thank you, Tony. For telling me this. I know it was not easy."

"Easier than letting things get worse, Ziva. For any of us." Tony reminds her quietly. "So, now that you're back in D.C…dinner tonight? You, me and the Probster?"

Ziva shakes her head.

"C'mon, it'll be my treat. Honestly, this time. I promise not to stiff you guys with the check."

"That is not it, Tony." Ziva stops and grabs his arms, bringing him to a standstill.

"Ziva?"

"Tim did not fly back with me."

"What? Why not? You're starting to scare me a little. What's going on?"

With a shaky breath, Ziva looks away.

"Ziva, talk to me, damn it! Why wouldn't Tim have flown back with you?"

With sadness written all over her face, Ziva looks at Tony once more as she speaks, her voice quiet and full of regret. "Because, Tony. Tim is not coming back."

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

Exactly 8 days later:

2100 Hours Friday Night

It's been a hellishly long boring eight days since Ziva's return to D.C. Word quickly spread, once Ziva had given Tony permission to spread it – two days later, that Tim McGee wasn't coming back; not to the Navy yard and not to D.C. The young agent had had enough and was ready to start his new life – or at least the next chapter of this one.

The news, when it had finally crossed his desk; hadn't come from Ziva or even Tony or Vance. Instead, it had come indirectly from Abby two days after Ziva returned from her days off. He'd already let his team go for the night that Saturday night by the time word had been passed to him that he was needed down in her lab and so, he'd gone down there.

He hadn't known what to expect when he got there, but he'd never expected a tear-streaked and shaking Abby huddled in her chair inside her inner office. Quietly closing the outside lab door behind him, he'd traversed the distance into her inner lab and walked up behind her, placing his hands on her shoulders. Something he hadn't done in a very long time. "Abby?"

As he waited for her to react to his attempt to comfort her, his eyes had happened on the computer screen in front of her and what was on it had thrown him for a loop.

Abby:

Ziva said you wanted another chance to talk to me – something about apologizing for stuff you put me through?

I'm sorry. But, I'm all talked out.

I need to shake this from my boots and get on with life.

That's why, as I'm sure you know by now, I'm not coming back to D.C.

I'm already settling in to my new apartment with what few days I have left before I start work.

I already had everything packed up anyway. Ziva is taking care of everything from her end. Because she supports my decision; not because I forced her into cleaning up after me – if that's what you're thinking.

We all have regrets, Abby and I'll admit that one of my biggest is that ours was such a rocky and hurtful relationship that couldn't be salvaged any further than what it was.

But at least we can still be friends as we work to rebuild the trust we used to have in each other, right? If we can't. I'll understand. After all, trust is very hard to earn back.

As for talking about this further – there's no point. What's done is done and you've already apologized for your part in it – months ago.

I'm not wearing any halo's Abby. There's been plenty I've done and said that I shouldn't have over the years. Things I shouldn't have done and should have said, too.

Things I should have handled differently; most especially with the way you never took me seriously – even when I was assigned to protect you. Especially then. You used to ask me what I'd wish for if I had one wish. That, Abbyis my answer.

I wish you had taken me as seriously as you've always taken Tony and Gibbs.

Yes, that was that important – not for my sake – but for the team's. The agency's. And I'm hoping that above all else – this upheaval has at least taught you not to make that mistake with anyone else assigned to protect you. Remember this – no one is ever asked to take that assignment – that doesn't have the training to do the job.

Friends, always (I hope)

Tim.

************

Movement from Abby's shoulders' underneath his hands had brought Gibbs back from reading the email but it was her quiet words that pierced his heart.

"I screwed things up with him so badly."

"Abby…" he'd made no further attempt to speak because while she was right, she was also suffering for it enough. Hell both his kids had suffered enough for it. It was time to put it down and move on. Tim was right about that.

Seeing his surrogate daughter in this state, yet resolutely pulling herself together, had brought a small smile back to his face. The time he'd spent too angry with her for words had been gone for a while, leaving his paternal instincts towards her firmly in place. Watching her get to her feet and physically stand tall, despite the obvious trouble she was having with unresolved emotions surrounding her relationship with Tim and how she had and hadn't handled it, had made him proud of her as she regained her mental footing. "I'm alright. Now."

"I know." He'd kissed her cheek and headed back out, only to stop in his trek at the sound of her voice.

"He's right, you know. It's time to let it all go."

"I know." With a soft smile for her, he'd headed out.

Sighing out loud into his empty basement now, Gibbs wonders why he's thinking back to six days ago. Things, after all, have begun to settle into their new routine as much as they possibly can be given that it's been a real kick in the teeth not to have Tim in D.C. anymore. A blind man can see how unsettled both Tony and Ziva are with this new development, though they have become nearly inseparable after work.

He knows it's because they're still working together to finish moving the rest of Tim's things and getting Ziva settled back into her own apartment now that she no longer has Tim's to go home to. When had the private lives of his agents become such intense focus for him, anyway?

Scoffing at himself for this new trend of his, he almost misses the sound of footsteps overhead as they approach his basement door. Warily, he reaches for his gun since he's not expecting company. With his hand on the weapon, in full preparedness to shoot, he holds his breath while the door at the top of the stairs opens to reveal the last person he's expecting to see at nine at night.

"Tim?"