A/N: Hey...I am sick. And much like the previous chapters, proof-reading hasn't been done. It will be eventually, but right now, I just do not care. Lol.

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"She seems like a really nice girl, McGee," Gibbs said as they rode back toward the bar.

"Thanks, Boss. She's really great. I don't deserve her," a small smile played on his lips as he concentrated on the road before them.

"Yeah, ya do," Gibbs told him. McGee looked over at Gibbs and the look of surprise on his face make Gibbs smirk. "Thanks for invitin' us out to meet her."

"Thanks for agreeing to come," Tim told him sincerely. "It really means a lot to me."

Gibbs shrugged, "Just don't spread it around; people might start thinkin' I'm not such a bastard after all." Tim let out a small laugh.

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Monday morning...

McGee was ready to leave for work, but crept quietly back toward the bed and leaned over to kiss Kendra on the cheek. She stirred. "Sorry. Didn't mean to wake you," he told her. "I've gotta go in. But you can stay as long as you want, as always."

"Mmm...kay. Love you," she said sleepily as she snuggled back down into her pillow. "Oh!" she cracked open her eyes again. "Andy gets out today. You comin' over tonight?"

"'Course. Want me to bring dinner?"

"That'd be so awesome, baby," she lazily grinned before settling back down. He smiled at her before turning to head out. He locked the door behind him and made his way to the car.

*~.~*

"You're here kinda early, Tony," McGee noticed as he entered the bullpen and set his back pack down beside his desk.

"It's not early," Tony squinted up at him from his desk. "So I've been curious; who's this Andy person Kendra had to go see?"

"One of her students," he said as he sank down into his chair. "She got into a wreck and broke her leg in three places."

"Andy's a girl?"

"Her name is Andrea," he cocked his head, pursing his lips as his insinuation. "She's getting out of the hospital today and Kendra offered her to stay at her house while she recovers."

"That's a little...generous," Tony said suspiciously.

McGee sighed. "Kendra's known Andy since the girl was fifteen," he explained. "On her sixteenth birthday, her parents were killed in a plane crash on their way into town to see her."

"That's harsh," Tony winced.

"Well the worse part was the fact that Kendra had no idea she'd run away from home right before they'd met. Her parents hadn't seen her for nearly a year. When she found out, she called them right away and they made the plans to fly in and get her. So she's kinda felt this obligation for her, whether she knows it or not. She always made sure she stayed in school, held down a job at Kendra's studio, and kept her in dance to keep her out of trouble. Andy's like her little sister; that's why she's taking care of her."

"Okay, Probie. You've convinced me."

"Convinced you of what?" Ziva asked as she entered the bullpen, depositing cups of coffee on each of her teammate's desks.

"That Andy's a girl," Tony smirked.

"You thought she was not?" she shot him a questioning look. Tony made a face at her. "She said, very clearly, that she promised she would sit with her. Did you not hear?"

"It was kinda loud in there..." he squinted as his eyes darted around sheepishly.

"I think you just hear what you want to hear, Tony," she smirked.

"That's simply not true," he defended.

"Oh I dunno, DiNozzo," Gibbs said as he made his way to his desk. "She may be on to somethin'."

"C'mon, Boss, why are ya sidin' with Ziva?" he nervously grinned as he held his arms out in question.

Gibbs shrugged, "She brought me coffee." His desk phone rang before the senior agent could protest further. As Gibbs answered it, Tony shot a menacing glare at Ziva. After a moment, Gibbs hung up the phone and stood, "Missing Navy Petty Officer," he announced. "Blood in her apartment. McGee," he grabbed a paper out of the fax machine and handed it to him, "You and DiNozzo head over there; check it out. Ziva, call her family, friends, co-workers; anyone she might have been in contact with in the past week. I'll be up in MTAC."

*~.~*

"Looks like it'll be about a twenty minute drive," McGee said as he looked at the directions in the passenger seat.

"Wish I hadn't skipped breakfast this morning," Tony said.

McGee turned to look at him, "Why'd you skip?"

"Nothing appetizing in the vending machines," he replied flatly.

Tim looked at him, confused for a moment. Then he came to a realization, "How early did you come in, exactly?"

Tony glanced at him, then back to the road, "Early enough to have missed breakfast. Doesn't matter, really. I'll grab something later."

"I missed breakfast, too," Tim admitted. "I was a little distracted this morning."

Tony got a mischievous grin, "Oh yeah? Spend the night at Kendra's, did ya?"

"She spent the night at my place, actually," he replied. "But no, that's not why I skipped breakfast. Well, not really. I've just been a little...nervous lately."

"Spill it, Probie," Tony pried.

Tim sighed in resignation. "You like her, right?" he looked over at him.

"Kendra? Yeah. She seems really great. You're not thinkin' she's a spy or anything, are ya?" he joked.

"No...no, nothing like that," he laughed.

"So why are you so nervous?" Tony glanced at him again.

"I uh...I'm gonna propose to her," he said shyly, glancing at at him almost as if for approval.

"Really?" he was genuinely surprised. "Even after all the marriage warning Gibbs always gives us?" he smirked.

"Pretty sure his first one was fine," Tim reminded him. "And yes, I'm serious. I really love her. I've never felt like this with anyone; she's perfect."

"And she really seems to care about you, too," Tony added. "I definitely approve, McGee, if that's why you're tellin' me."

"I told you because you're my friend, Tony. And I was pretty sure that if you thought I was making a mistake, you'd tell me."

"Are you afraid you're makin' a mistake?" he asked with a furrowed brow.

"Not at all," he replied confidently.

"Well, there ya go, then," he smirked. "Did you buy a ring yet?"

"Last week," he admitted. "It's in my desk; the drawer that's now locked, as I'm sure you've realized by now."

"I haven't snooped around your desk in a while, ya know. Only when I think you're hiding something or I run outta stuff to give you crap about," he said playfully. McGee decided to ignore the already obvious fact. "You gonna let me see it before you give it to her?"

"If you want," he replied. "When we get back, if we have time."

"When are you gonna do it?"

"I'm picking up dinner tonight to bring over to her place. Thinkin' about doing it then."

"That's...pretty huge, Tim," he told him. "Just stop bein' nervous. If you throw up, it'll ruin the mood."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence."

Tony laughed at that, "No, really, you'll do fine." He patted him on the shoulder for good measure. "But let me make a suggestion as to what you pick up for dinner..."

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"What do ya got?" Gibbs asked Ziva as he entered the bullpen and made his way to his desk.

She stood as she began, "I talked to several people the Petty Officer was very close to. It would seem no one has seen her in the past 36 hours. Last place she was seen was leaving a cafe alone after meeting with friends."

He glanced at the two empty desks, "They back yet?"

"They took the evidence they picked up at her apartment down to Abby," she informed him. "But I have the memory cards from their cameras," she loaded one into McGee's computer and pulled them up on the big screen.

*~.~*

"Ow, Abby!" McGee rubbed his arm where the forensic goth just punched him. "What the hell was that for?"

"For not telling me about your girlfriend! And not inviting me to come meet her with everyone," she pouted.

"C'mon, Abs," he defended. "How am I supposed to introduce you? Don't you think it'd be kinda awkward to bring my ex-girlfriend to dinner with my current one?"

"I'm not your ex-girlfriend, Tim," she said; her features softening a bit. "I'm your friend. You don't really look at me everyday and see me as just your ex, do you?"

"'Course not," he said. "It's just...well, I don't wanna lie to her and I'm not sure how comfortable she'd be with the fact that we're still pretty good friends."

"So she knows we dated and that we still work in the same place," she concluded.

"Yeah."

"Well wouldn't she be more suspicious if she found out later that we're friends? Or were you just planning to, like...stop hanging out with me?"

"I plan to talk to her about it," he defended. "I just...haven't had the chance yet and dinner was sort of short-notice."

"Maybe you should let me talk to her," she suggested.

"No!" he said a little louder than he intended.

This is when Tony decided it was time to step in. He placed a hand on Abby's shoulder, "Look, Abby; this isn't just some random girlfriend. It's a serious relationship and you need to let him handle it."

Abby's eyes shifted back and forth between Tony and Tim, then sheepishly she looked down slightly. "Geez, sorry... I didn't mean to sound so...demanding. I've had like four Caf-Pows today already and I'm really on edge." She looked back up at McGee, "I'm sorry, McGee. You know I wasn't trying to be a bitch, right?" He blinked at her a few times. "I just...felt a little left out is all. I thought we told each other everything. That you trusted me..."

"I do trust you, Abby," Tim said with a furrowed brow. "But I really need you to trust me to do this my own way. Okay?"

She raised her brows and nodded. "Am I...still allowed to give you a hug?"

"Of course," he let out a small laugh.

"Just no groping," Tony smirked. "You can save that for me." McGee shook his head at Tony as Abby gave him a hug. "Now get to work, Abs! We have a Petty Officer to find."

"Aye aye!" she saluted and turned back to her computer.

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6 hours later...

"Hey Kendra," Tim talked into his cell phone after ducking away into the stairwell. "How's Andy doing?"

"She's ready to check out. Everything okay at work?"

"Actually, that's what I'm calling about," he said regretfully and sighed. "I'm not gonna be able to come by tonight. I'm really sorry... An officer's life depends on us continuing to look for her."

"It's okay, Tim," she assured him. "Andy's craving pizza anyway. I'll just order in."

"Are you sure? I could try and run something by..."

"Really, baby, it's fine! I had a long day training Andy's understudy anyway. We're both exhausted. We'll probably watch a movie, pig out on pizza and pass out on the couch."

McGee smirked, "I still feel bad for ditching our plans."

"You're not ditching...and plans made mid-waking aren't set in stone. I promise I won't hold it against you," he could hear the smile in her voice. "Besides, I've got tomorrow off. You can make it up to me by bringing...whatever meal you get out of work closest to," she laughed.

"Have I ever told you how awesome you are?"

"I'd be more awesome if I offered to make you dinner instead of telling you to bring it."

"You're a dancer; not a cook...no offense," he laughed.

"Oh ho! I see how it is, Mister! Just wait till I get my hands on you..."

"I can't wait," he grinned.

"Mah-Gee!" Gibbs' voice sounded from the stairwell door and Tim spun around.

"Uh...I gotta go. I'll call you later," he abruptly ended the call. "Sorry, Boss."

"Save DiNozzo from his failed attempt to crack into Dwight's accounts," Gibbs told him as they headed back toward the bullpen. Walter Dwight was one in a long list of suspects they'd compiled that day. Since they'd received an untraceable phone call an hour ago demanding they cease their investigation, the clock was ticking to save the Petty Officer's life...

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tbc