a/n - Trying to pick up speed on this one so I can start the slash sequel to my gen story, My Father's Keeper. Enjoy, even if someone has lousy timing g.

McGee's car was repaired and returned just after lunch, but Gibbs was unhappy with the lack of clues or suspects in the vandalism. "Damn it. Leon, there has to be something."

"You read the report, yourself." Vance was worried too, even if he didn't announce it. "No fingerprints or evidence on the car, just four cut valve stems. There's no security camera coverage where he was parked, hell, we don't even know when it happened. Truth be told, we can't even be sure it's connected to your outing or Sutton's case."

"What else would it be?"

"Aren't you the one with the rule about never assuming?"

"Just what are you suggesting, Leon?"

That got a raised eyebrow in response. "I am suggesting that you'd better keep your head in the game. You won't do either of you any good if you start losing your cool. This is an op, remember? Remember?"

Gibbs finally gave a short nod which did little to relieve Vance. "Yeah, sure, I remember."

"Be sure that you do. Just keep your eyes open, and both of you park in the main garage near a camera from now on."

Convinced that there had to be some evidence that had been missed, Gibbs' next stop was the lab. The music was blaring and every table in the lab was covered with bagged debris from the raid Balboa's team had made that morning. "Abs, tell me about McGee's car."

She looked annoyed at the interruption. "Kinda swamped here, Gibbs, and I already gave my report to Vance. There was nothing to find, no fingerprints except for McGee's and that was on the door handle. All I can tell you is that it wasn't a serrated blade that cut off the stems. Oh, and the valve stems weren't there."

"You haven't found the pieces that were cut off?"

Abby shrugged as she pulled results from the Mass Spec. I guess when they cut them off they took them."

"Wouldn't all that have taken longer than just stabbing a knife into the tires?"

"Yeah." Abby walked over and picked up the bag containing the remains of the valve stems that had been removed when the tires were repaired. "Maybe the knife they used didn't have a good point on it or wasn't strong enough." She opened the bag and handed Gibbs one of them. "It wasn't just one cut, they had to work at it."

He took the small but sturdy rubber tube that she held out. Designed to attach an air hose to the tire, they were the weakest point of a tire. Abby was right, the cutting motion had been choppy rather than one fluid motion. "Was the blade dull?"

"There'd be tearing if they used a dull knife. Maybe they were at an awkward angle or they weren't very strong." Another machine beeped and Abby turned back to her work. "I'm sorry, there just wasn't anything else to find. Besides, it's not like the damage was all that much, the tires were fine."

Gibbs returned the evidence to the bag. "That's not the point, Abs." She was already distracted by her new results and didn't notice when he left.

-NCIS-

After a long and boring day making a dent in the paperwork backlog, Gibbs was glad to tell the team to call it a day. With Jett in the backseat of his car and Tim following behind in the Porsche, they set off to Rock Creek Park for a run before heading home.

They were half way through their run before Tim started laughing. Gibbs watched for a minute before curiosity got to him and he broke down. "What/"

"When was the last time any of us were running through Rock Creek Park without an evidence bag?"

Gibbs started chuckling and before long he was laughing so hard he had to stop running. Bending over, hands on his knees, he tried to catch his breath while Jett pranced between the two men. Always glad to see the older man laugh, Tim reached out and tapped the plastic container clipped to the leash that dispensed the bags to clean up after Jett. "These bags don't count."

That set Gibbs off again, and the two of them were laughing so hard they weren't prepared when Jett circled around them, tripping them with his leash. Landing in the leaves, it quickly became a free-for-all as they threw handfuls of leaves at each other and at Jett.

Eventually they tired, still smiling. Gibbs was supporting himself on one arm and used the other hand to reach out and pluck bits of leaves out of Tim's hair. "I can't remember the last time I laughed that hard."

There was a gentleness in his eyes that Tim was seeing more and more and he returned the smile. "Then it's been way too long." Anything else he might have said was stopped by a canine belly flop across his midsection. Sprawled across McGee, Jett rolled onto his back for his expected belly rub which he received in stereo.

A finger snap and Jett was back on his feet, allowing Gibbs to pull Tim upright and the three began to leisurely walk back to the parking lot. A large lunch brought from home and an afternoon of paperwork meant that neither man was particularly hungry and once home they found themselves sitting on the front steps, chatting with the neighbors and eating ice cream.

The brown sedan at the end of the street caught Gibbs' attention as he discussed with Larry plans to build several compost bins for the neighborhood leaves that would be falling soon. Larry's wife, Susan, was asking Tim's opinion on bulbs she wanted to plant in the strip between the sidewalk and the street. Mrs. B joined them and soon the two women were in a serious debate about color choice and Tim wisely kept his mouth shut, not adding anything to the conversation until Kyle and Martin arrived from their evening walk.

"Hey, Martin, the ladies want to add some flowers out there." He pointed out the area in question as he, too, unobtrusively watched the car sitting down the street. As expected, the professional landscape designer was willing to jump right in and discuss options with his neighbors and Tim was able to relax and lean back against Gibbs.

Even with the knowledge they were being watched, it was a peaceful evening. Gibbs sat on the top step with Tim sitting between his legs and two steps below him, allowing the younger man to rest his arms on Jethro's legs as he leaned back. The rest of the neighbors were sitting or standing in a semi-circle around them with Jett in the middle and enjoying all the attention.

Mildred was the first one to call it a night, with Susan only a few minutes later, dragging her husband home with her. Kyle and Martin didn't last long after that, Kyle steering Martin has he sketched out his ideas for the new, joint flower garden. Finally alone, Jethro leaned forward, pressing his face against the side of Tim's. "Let's give Sutton's man a show." He stood and pulled Tim upright before they headed into the house, Jett at their heels.

Plans were quickly made as they walked upstairs. Tim entered the bedroom first and turned the bedside lamp on, aiming it towards the window that overlooked the street. Next he moved to the window and pulled down the shade but didn't close the curtain, giving their viewer a perfect silhouette as Jethro came up behind him.

After nuzzling Tim's ear, he turned them so they were facing each other, and in profile to the window. Jethro slowly unbuttoned Tim's shirt, allowing it to drop it to the floor before he trailed his fingers back up Tim's arms. Tim was trembling as the light touch moved from his arms to his shoulders, up his neck before gently touching his cheeks and pulling him in for a tender kiss.

When the kiss finally broke off, Jethro pressed his forehead against Tim's as they both fought to maintain self-control. Still struggling to control his breathing, Tim started his part of the plan and helped Gibbs remove both his polo shirt and undershirt, running his fingers through Jethro's chest hair as soon as he released his grip on the shirts.

Gibbs stepped closer to Tim, pinning his arms between them before walking him backwards and away from the window. When the back of Tim's legs hit the bed, Jethro eased them both down and turned off the light, ending the show.

Both men froze, Tim on his back, Jethro resting on his arms, their faces only inches apart while their lower bodies touched. It wasn't totally dark in the bedroom, light from the streetlamp combined with light from the hall to give a soft glow to the room.

The rational corner of Gibbs' mind reminded him that he needed to roll off his young agent, but the second he shifted, their groins brushed together. Gasping, he couldn't stop his hips as they rolled forward to press against Tim's.

Tim moaned as he bucked up against Jethro, spreading his legs. Their lips were almost touching when his phone started to vibrate and dance across the nightstand. Gibbs jerked back, as if startled to find himself ready to ravage the younger man, and rolled off of him. Stunned to be suddenly free, Tim automatically picked up his phone and looked at the display.

"Abby."

Hearing that, Gibbs moved off the bed and retreated to the bathroom, not turning on the light until the door was closed behind him. From the safety of the small room he listened as Tim answered the call.

"What is it, Abby?"

"Yes, Jethro was with us today... that's right, we shortened his name to Jett."

"Why would I bring him down to visit you if you won't even talk to me?"

"I'm sorry you feel that way."

Listening, Gibbs heard the sound of a deep sigh before the phone was dropped back down onto the nightstand. Turning the light off, he eased the bathroom door back open and watched Tim for a moment as he lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling.

"I"m sorry." Jethro didn't wait for an answer before he retreated to the downstairs couch.