A/N: First, we'd like to apologise for the delay.

Next: We'd like to issue the following warning: This chapter includes a very angry Tim McGee. That is a creature seldom seen and even more seldom supported by the team and team leader.

Shall we see where having an angry Tim McGee in the mix takes us?

Suddenly, only Abby, Tim and Pam were left sitting there with Ducky and Gibbs.

The atmosphere in Ducky's backyard changed instantly as if to warn of the storm ahead. Tim had seen it coming and found himself frozen in place as the fear of being backed into a corner resurfaced with nothing else accompanying that fear that would help. Pam had tried to reason it out earlier and what she'd said had made sense but he still hadn't been able to wrap his mid around what he was going to say to Abby that would be remotely suitable. No matter how much he tried; no matter how much he listened to those who tried to help, the words just simply weren't there. Tim knew that Gibbs understood where he was coming from and wasn't trying to be cruel or cold about the whole thing, but Tim doubted that the man understood what it was like to be at such a loss for words that it actually gave you a headache trying to think of something to say. The position he was in was terrible and unique to a fault, meaning that no one had been in his shoes. Maybe, just maybe, the man would be able to offer a little sage advice to kick start this talk he obviously wasn't going to bet out of.

From where he stood near the picnic table, he watched as Abby looked to Gibbs with an irritated look and Tim got the impression that she felt like she'd been cornered against her wishes. He looked over at Pam, caught her glance and smiled reassuringly at her. Feeling infused with a dose of courage, he straightened up before taking deep breath and as he exhaled, he took the plunge into the unknown territory that sparked a little fear. Gibbs and Ducky had stayed where they sat while the others had left, so Tim settled for walking over to the man so that he could speak his peace.

"Boss, got a minute?" Tim asked knowing…hoping, that Gibbs would completely understand his polite request for a private conversation.

Gibbs looked at his agent and noticed Tim seemed uncomfortable in his own skin. It was almost as if the clocks had turned back and his youngest agent had been sent back to the days where he was nervous around the team. It was strange because Tim hadn't been this nervous all day. The look on his agent's face unsettled Gibbs slightly. It was now obvious that despite knowing that this talk was coming, this young man wasn't prepared for it. Maybe he needed to get something else off his chest first. He nodded at the younger man and got up to follow him into the house.

"Excuse us, please." Tim quietly requested from Ducky and the ladies who silently watched them go into the house.

"Ducky, surely, he can't be that unwilling to talk to me!" Abby complained. "How am I supposed to fix things between us, if he won't even talk to me?"

Pam silently watched the interaction between Abby and the M.E. with a quiet, reserved interest. She needed to see where things were between these two and Tim and so settled back to listen to the conversation. There was little doubt that Ducky was extremely objective where this team was concerned, but there was still an uncertainty that lay deep underneath as to exactly how he dealt with Abby.

"Abigail, you must exhibit a modicum of patience, my dear. Let Timothy deal with this in his own way. I am certain the two of you will work this out, so long as you realize things are very different between the two of you now."

Pam remained silent and still in the hope of fading into the background as a silent observer. It was hard though and as much as she tried to keep her anger down, she felt the pull of the strong emotion towards Abby's selfishness flare up. At least now Pam knew what she was up against. Tim's team would be there for him, but who would be there to make sure what happened in Mexico didn't happen again. Hell, who would be there to make sure that Abby's hurtful putdowns and resentful treatment that she had heard so much about, didn't happen again? Who was going to protect her boyfriend from the one person that he should never need protecting from?

Pam mentally kicked herself for asking herself those questions. Tim was a grown man. He didn't need anyone to help him with this from here. He'd only needed someone to let him know it was really okay to stand up for himself when it came to Abby and Gibbs.

Gibbs stopped inside the living room and quirked his eyebrows at his agent who suddenly needed to talk to him about talking to Abby? What the hell was up with that?

"Talk to me, McGee."

"Boss, I appreciate everything you and Ducky did to get the team together today and for helping Pam and I out with Vance."

"What's the problem?"

"It's Abby." Tim dropped his gaze to the floor and waited for the backlash that he was sure would be coming. He was pleasantly surprised when Gibbs didn't even raise an eyebrow and carried on talking to him in a calm tone.

"Yeah, McGee, I figured that much out already. What about her?"

"What am I supposed to say to her?"

"That's your problem?" Gibbs asked incredulously. "McGee, I can't tell you what to say to her."

'Boss, I know , it's just… I told you where I was comin' from. I thought you understood." Tim tried to clarify where his mind was at without spelling it out completely.

Gibbs let out a sigh of frustration as he ran his hand through his hair. "Yeah, McGee. I understand. Doesn't mean I think you should treat this like any other casual conversation. Just be straight with her and stand up for yourself."

"What if…"

"No, McGee. Just do it." Gibbs told him in his low, serious voice that breached no argument.

"Boss." Tim's quiet pleading betrayed how upset he was and at that moment in time he couldn't help but feel like a small child attempting to confide in his parent.

"What's the problem?"

"Does she even know…?" Tim asked hesitantly. Gibbs was struck by how his kid's heart was currently residing on his sleeve.

"Spit it out, Tim. Does she know what?" the boss pushed.

"Never mind. I'll go talk to her." Tim replied meekly and turned to head back outside.

"McGee!" Gibbs called him back before he'd taken more than a half-dozen steps.

Tim turned back and stopped, waiting for his boss to speak his mind.

"Thought we were past this." The older man gently admonished.

Tim took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Gibbs was right, they had gotten to where it was a hell of a lot easier for him to talk to Gibbs but this was so personal and he hadn't wanted to seem weak for worrying about it. "Yeah, Boss. We have. I just…"

"Need to get something off your chest, so spill it. Stop tripping yourself up just to get it out."

Tim walked back over to his boss and shook his head sadly. Now was the time to open the floodgates and spill his guts. "I don't know if she's even aware of what that trip did to me. Not that I'm trying to wallow in it, but…"

"Relax, McGee. She knows." Gibbs jumped in to try and reassure him. He was mentally head slapping himself for not realizing Tim needed more time to work through his broken relationship with Abby and hated the fact that he might have been hasty in his decision to have them talk so soon. The whole situation had, after all, been extremely traumatic for this young man and no one wanted him to think they didn't understand that., most especially, Gibbs himself. Having been privy to Tim's trust when he finally did let go of everything he'd tried to bury from the experience, the boss wasn't about to let this kid think for a minute that all of that had been forgotten or downplayed as unimportant.

"You talked to her." Tim reasoned with trust.

"I did. Now it's your turn. Tell her what's on your mind. Go on. Get it over with." Gibbs instructed with a slight grin in an effort to try to ease Tim's nerves. There was no time for back peddling now and he knew, that the only way forward was to get things in the open…..no time like the present, might as well rip that band aid off fast and get it over with.

"Thanks. Boss." Tim offered up a rueful smile and walked out of the door to try to take control of his fate, at least where his relationship with Abby was concerned.

Out in the backyard, Abby had quietened down as the knowledge that this wasn't going to be an easy fix seeped into her mind. She had been let alone because Ducky had gone into the house to fix a new round of drinks for everyone and noticed that Pam had silently accompanied the M.E. to help him. As she walked back outside with the drinks, Tim walked out of the living room with Gibbs trailing behind him, and reached out to take the tray of drinks with a kiss to her cheek. The couple smiled chastely at each other before starting to follow Ducky outside.

Pam stopped in the hallway and watched as the man she'd come to love deeply and completely ambled outside towards his former girlfriend so that they could talk. All of a sudden, Pam was struck by an uncomfortable feeling of intrusion knowing that Tim and Abby's relationship had pretty much ran the gauntlet over the past few years and Tim didn't need to be focusing on anyone but himself for this conversation.

"You don't have to stay in here." Gibbs said quietly as he stepped up beside her in the hallway.

"I'd rather not be in the middle of it. Tim needs to concentrate on working through this without worrying about me." Pam explained quietly. "Thank you for what you did with Director Vance today, Agent Gibbs."

"You're welcome. Treat McGee right and you and I'll get along just fine." Gibbs quietly warned.

"I plan on it, Sir.

"Don't call me Sir."

"Oh, Right. I forgot." She said with a small smile.

"Mmn. Hmm." Gibbs answered and returned her smile.

"At the risk of insubordination, Agent Gibbs? I"d like to say the same thing goes from my to you, as well." Pam brazenly threw out there.

"I can appreciate that. It won't happen again. You have my word on that." Tim's boss vowed.

"That's good to know. Mind if I ask you a question?" Pam asked with just a touch of nervousness.

"About?" Gibbs asked her in return while returning his watchful gaze to his people out back.

"You and Tim."

"I'm listening." Gibbs had no idea where this was going but the soft, kindly woman in front of him who had managed to win the heart of his youngest agent, obviously knew exactly what she wanted to say. He dragged his eyes from the group out back and looked her straight on as he waited to hear what she had to say.

"He's never finished his second book." Pam told him sadly.

"Why not?"

"That's what I wanted to ask you. Tim won't talk about it, except to say he has no intention of writing ever again."

Gibbs frowned. Tim was a writer at heart. Sure, the team had given him hell over his first book, He'd gone through so much hell over it that he hadn't even realized the boss had his book before the others had even found out he'd written it. Gibbs had been impressed with it. He'd mean what he told Tim's publisher, he didn't think Tim needed any help selling his book. It was really good. But now? There was something nagging at the back of his mind about the subject of the second book that he just couldn't quite put his finger on…..Why did it ring a bell? What was it about it that was nagging at him? Wait a minute! That was when that crazed fan of Tim's had killed those two people and had come damn close to killing Abby, too!

"You remember?" Pam asked

"Yeah. I remember. One of the fans of McGee's first book took it literally and became so obsessed with the story, he tracked McGee down where he lived, went through his trash, got his typewriter ribbon, which gave him the second book and all of his notes for it. He killed two people that he thought were planning on taking Tim out. He even tracked Abby down and held her at gunpoint. We barely got there in time."

"Oh, my God! We can't talk him into getting back into his writing after that. With innocent people getting killed and Abby being put in danger like that; It's obvious his heart's not in it." Pam said sadly. "I didn't know."

"Give it time." Gibbs suggested quietly

"The way Tim hangs on to guilt? Time won't fix this, Agent Gibbs. I'm not sure what will." Pam reminded him sadly.

"Don't give up on the idea. Just be patient. Writing's part of who he is. He'll find that place where he's comfortable with it again, when the time is right." Gibbs' sage advice sunk deep into her mind.

"Patience, I can do." Pam said with a smile.

Tim and Ducky arrived in the back yard with the drinks and settled into seats. Tim reached over and grabbed one of the glasses off the tray and tried to shake the feeling of trepidation that he was feeling. He decided that he'd be best taking the bull by the horns and let Gibbs' advice soak into his heart as he got the ball rolling.

"Abby, I'll be honest with you. I have no idea what to say to you, right now." Tim told her with a blunt honesty that he knew would sting more than he ever intended it too.

"McGee. I've had everyone telling me how bad I screwed up and I get it. I'm really sorry for the way I acted while we were in Mexico."

"Do you really think that's where this started?" Tim asked.

"No. I know I haven't always treated you right. I know I talk before I think sometimes and I usually only care about getting what I want. I am sorry, McGee. I'll try harder from now on."

Tim was silent as he tried to process this 'new' Abby. It just didn't feel as though it was enough and felt like she was just trying to pacify him. Still, he had to find a way to move them past this – for everyone's sake.

Doesn't mean I think you should treat this like any other casual conversation. Just be straight with her and stand up for yourself.

I want my team back….
... you've gotta move on.

Taking a deep breath, Tim did what he needed to. There was a lot riding on this ad there was no way that he was going to screw it up. He thought back to what was at stake.

The team working together again

The team being able to reunite and knit itself back together

His own ability to stand up for himself?

He had to make sure that all of that was taken care of so that every single person that had been affected could finally move on.

"Abby. As long as you mean that because it comes from your heart and not because anyone told you that you had to say it, then we can start making this work. At the end of the day, we still have to work together and the team is depending on us to be able to do that without any of this lingering between us."

"So, then you forgive me?" Abby looked at Tim with hopeful eyes.

"I'll work on it. As long as you keep your word and work on doing better." Tim cocked his head slightly and sighed heavily. "It doesn't mean everything's fine between us though, Abby. Far from it." Tim warned.

"I understand, McGee. Really, I do."

"I sure hope so."

"McGee, can I ask you something?"

"About?"

"Did you really tell Gibbs that you'd rather go back to Cyber crimes than be assigned to protect me again?" The question had been burning in the pit of Abby's stomach since she found out about it and she wanted nothing more than to take away the pain that she had caused her friend….friend? Was he still her friend?

"Does Gibbs lie?" Tim asked with an aggravated huff. He hadn't wanted to ever talk about this with her.

"No, he doesn't."

"Then you have your answer." Tim said with steel in his no nonsense tone.

"Oh." Abby felt tears prickle at the corner of her eyes and blinked furiously to clear them.

"Anything else you need to ask me? I'd appreciate it if you'd ask me now."

"Okay. You and Pam? You're really serious?" Abby asked. Tim narrowed his eyes at the disbelief that dripped from her every word.

"I'm not gonna have this conversation with you, Abby. If you have something that you need to ask about work, I'll do what I can to answer your question. But, my personal life is off limits." Tim told her without backing down.

"Oh. Okay, Then I guess I have no questions for you." Abby answered. Her voice was full of hurt at his blatant dismissal.

"Then we're done?"

"Yeah. No. Tim, I'm really sorry. I know what happened in Mexico was really dangerous and I never meant to put you in that position."

"I find that hard to believe considering that I tried to talk you out of it. You took that as an another excuse to talk to me like I was dirt on your shoe and walk all over me. I was just your doormat. You had plenty of time to think about what you were doing but it was just another chance for you to get your own way without consequences."

"I've been suspended for a month! If that's not consequences, I don't know what is!" Abby complained loudly.

"We both know that if Vance hadn't gotten that complaint from the Mexican government, none of this would have ever come to light."

"You could have made sure it did. Why didn't you?" Abby asked.

"You wanna know why I didn't rat you out?" Tim asked with both surprise and a hint of anger

"Yeah, McGee. I do."

"Obviously, you've forgotten who we work for."

"What's your point, McGee?"

"My point, Abby, is "you rat, you fry." Tim glared at her and wondered how the hell this bright, forensic scientist could be so air-headed sometimes.

"That's it? That's why you didn't rat me out?"

"Part of it."

"McGee, just tell me, already!" Abby's impatience grew to the point that she was getting frustrated. She was trying her hardest to push it back down so that it wouldn't become a problem.

"Doesn't matter." Tim skirted the issue.

"McGee!" Abby objected loudly but was silenced when Tim stood up suddenly.

"No! This stops now. You're not railroading me to get what you want, anymore, Abby. We're done with that!" Tim's harsh tone tore at her heart and the tears that she'd managed to dampen spilled down her cheeks.

"I'm sorry. Oh God, I'm so, so sorry."

"Damn it! It's not enough. Don't you get it? Don't you understand this isn't one of those times that you can just say you're sorry and then act like it didn't happen?" Tim threw back at her.

"Why won't you accept my apology?" Abby felt her breath catch in her throat. "Please, Tim. Please. I don't know what to say anymore. I don't know what to do. I'm sorry."

Tim sank back down in the chair and ran his hand through his hair with frustration. This wasn't going to give them assurance that the team could work together. His anger at what she had done had surfaced with a vengance and he knew that it wasn't going to help.

"Look!." He glanced at Abby and waited for her to raise her head. She never did which did nothing to quell his fury. "Abby, damn it, look at me!"

Abby raised her head in shock and tried to focus on him through tear blurred eyes.

"I don't know what you want from me. I really don't, but I'll accept your apology." Tim conceded

Abby sniffled. "You will?...Sorry, McGee, please. I'm sorry. I need you to know; to see how sorry I am."

"Let me finish. I don't know whether I'll ever be able to trust you again but if that day ever comes again then you can't keep betraying it the way you have. I won't be able to be so forgiving next time. Regardless of what else you may think of me, I'm not made of steel."

"I'll try. I really will." Abby said with a deep rooted honesty.

"Yeah, I know you will. But whether or not it'll be enough is another story. If that trust can ever be rebuilt, then it's gonna take time. You need to step back, Abby. You need to treat me with a hell of a lot more respect on the job than you have been. As bad as Tony razzes me, he still treats me with a hell of a lot more respect then you do. You need to fix that, within yourself, Abby."

"I can do that." Abby nodded her agreement.

"Can you? You think you can? Because I gotta tell you, I think you're gonna struggle."

"Maybe I will, but I'll try my hardest. I don't want this to come between us anymore and I'll do what I can."

Tim started at her for a second before standing up. "Come between us? There is no us, Abby. We're both part of Gibbs' team and he doesn't deserve this getting in the way of our job. Ziva and Tony don't either. For them, I'm willing to let this go, here and now. I don't know about you, but I like my job and the team I've earned a place on. I'm not gonna screw with that. But, you know what Abby? I'm not gonna let you screw with it either."

"I get it, McGee." Abby said meekly.

"You better because there won't be a next time. I'll leave it that we can work together. Nothing more, nothing less. One more thing. I'm in love with Pam, Abby. Don't screw that up for me because you've decided you want everything the way you want it. If you can't deal with Pam and I being together, then, just do us all a favor and keep your distance. But, I hope you're not gonna be that petty. I hope you're gonna work at making this work, for all of us."

"I will, I promise." She sat and watched as Tim walked into the house and made a silent vow, that no matter what, she would give it her best shot.