A/N: I'll admit - Michelle's job situation - is completely made up - bear with me.

Short chapter - by design.

The return to work two days later goes without anything out of the ordinary happening and before too long, life settles into its daily unpredictable grind mixed with efforts to take time out of that to do something different and uplifting. Tim and Michelle manage to squeeze in the time to move into a bigger apartment, leaving both of their smaller places behind and thankful to have both the NCIS team and the McGee family on hand to help.

Inspired both by Michelle's efforts to have dinner with everyone and the time spent together with them all while they finished moving, dinners with the team start to become almost regular with at least one being pulled together every three weeks or so. Soon, it's something they all look forward to, even Gibbs.

As the weeks go by, Tony can't help but begin to tease Tim about his 'married' look. It's a good laugh for all when Tim turns the tables on the older man and suggests that he's possibly a tad bit jealous.

"What? No way, Probie! I'm just tryin' to figure out what a great woman like Michelle actually sees in you!" Tony jibes.

To which, Tim replies with a straight face. "Of the qualities that draw a bright woman to a man, truthfulness is equaled only by kindness, courage and a sense of humor."

"You got that out of a book!" Tony accuses him amidst Ziva's chuckles and the boss' smirk.

"Hey, at least I read them." Tim jokes back. "Maybe you should try it. Dean Koontz – the one I got that from – might be a good place to start. You like mysteries, right? Who knows, you might learn something."

"Wait, she sees all that – in you?" Tony asks in mock surprise as if the words Tim quoted have just caught up with him, even as he deliberately turns the tables back on Tim by ignoring the dig about his never reading a book.

"Cute, Tony, Real cute." Tim smiles back. He relishes the banter and he knows the Senior Field Agent gets a kick out of it as well.

Trying to hide his smirk behind his coffee mug, Gibbs manages to growl. "Work, people."

With amused grins, the team settles down to start their day.

*****NCIS*****

Six Months Later:

It's been six blissful and busy months since he and Michelle got married and Tim wouldn't change a single day of it. Then again, maybe, just maybe, he'd rethink his decision not to let the team in on this possibility, rather than hold it inside in hopes the day would never come. He knows it was selfish of him to hope that since the fact that this day has arrived means Michelle's dream has come true; the dream she's had since before they met and one he has no desire whatsoever to take away from her. He's known the possibility of this day coming has been lurking in the shadows for almost two years now. Still, he can't help but feel sucker punched now that it's arrived.

He's struggled with this lead weight in his gut all day today and even the others had commented that for the first time in over a year, he genuinely did not seem happy. Sitting here in his car, staring at the door to the house he's come to, Tim can't find the energy to move. He's deliberately kept this possibility buried under the 'vague possibilities' in his mind; never thinking too seriously on it, for fear it would force it to become a reality. Now, it's become a reality without his help. And he's here because for him there is no other choice. It's time.

He thinks back to the conversation he and Michelle had on their honeymoon and he realizes that this is the moment she'd almost let rule their lives. Gibbs had been the one to see more objectively then. Maybe the man will be just as objective about it now that it's about to become their reality.

Sighing deeply, he takes the key from the ignition and gets out of the car. Locking it up, he heads to the house, entering it quietly as he seeks out the one he's come to talk to. He hopes against hope that this will not turn out as painful or as bad as he fears it will. Somehow, he doesn't quite feel the brightness hope usually brings to his optimism Come to think of it, he's not feeling any of that right now, either. Any way you slice it, this is gonna hurt like hell.

****NCIS****

Though Tim's visits to his house aren't as rare as they used to be since he'd first asked Gibbs' opinion about his marrying Michelle, they were still few and far between and always about something serious enough that a phone call would not have sufficed. This time, judging by Tim's downtrodden look, is no different. Wanting to avoid any tension building silences, he jumps right in. "McGee."

"Hey, Boss."

"Somethin' on your mind?"

"Do you remember talking Michelle out of calling off our wedding?" Tim gets right to the point, or as close to it as he can comfortably get for starters.

Gibbs' answering look says it's not something he'd forget.

"It's not a hypothetical decision anymore, Boss. Michelle finally got the promotion she's been dreaming of and working for.

"Don't sound very happy about it, McGee."

"It's not that. I'm really happy for her. She deserves this. She's worked really hard for it."

"What's the problem?"

"The job comes with a transfer. – the University of Wisconsin."

Gibbs pauses to look back at him with scrutiny. He knows this change is huge and that regardless, Tim's made up his mind about this long ago and that despite the fact that the young man hadn't expected a change in Michelle's job to mean having to move clear across the country, Tim's determined to stand by his wife's right to have her own career and accomplishments within it. That doesn't mean it's easy for him. Everyone who knows him will know it's the hardest thing he'll ever have to do. His heart goes out to him but his pride in this young man grows with leaps and bounds. It takes a lot of courage, commitment and love to do what Tim's about to do. Obviously the young man has character enough to encompass all three with abundance. "When?"

"First of next month." Tim admits quietly, not quite able to hide the sadness this new change is bringing to his heart.

"Three weeks."

"Yeah. Haven't said anything to anyone yet. I thought you should be the first to know."

Gibbs nods in appreciation for the respect Tim has shown him with that decision. "Take care of telling Vance tomorrow, 1st thing."

"I will, Boss."

Tim nods and turns to go, his heart up in his throat. Taking all of the steps there is to climb toward the kitchen, he stops in the door way and turns back around, freezing in place at the sight of the boss man genuinely looking sad. Still, he has to say this before he leaves. "Boss?"

Gibbs silently looks up at him, waiting to hear him out.

Tim knows he's probably wearing his heart on his sleeve right about now, but he can't help it. "Thank you. For everything."

The depth of Tim's voice makes it clear he's not just talking about this conversation but about all the man standing before him has done for him over the years, as well.

"Not gonna be the same without you, Tim."

Choked beyond the ability to reply, Tim can only nod in understanding as he turns to walk away.

.