School

Timmy had always had his reservations about school. He'd barely made it through elementary, and junior high. High school, he decided, was the worst that had been thrown at him yet.

Out of the three DiNozzo children, he was admittedly the brightest. They were all smart, heck, Abi was a straight A student, and Tony would have been if he actually paid attention in Maths. But Timmy was just that bit sharper, or 'nerdier' as his elder brother put it. He'd graduated top of his year, every year. Tony never let him forget that.

Whatever it was, he knew it would put him in line for the usual abuse. Because there was plenty of seniors, and juniors, and probably even sophomores, who shared his brother's opinion on his hobbies. Online gaming, and book reading, and a love of all things fantasy did not go down well with the mainstream problem was, Tony knew the line and Tony was only joking, as he often promised. At school, Timmy was at the mercy of the bullies, and he hated it.

It was difficult. Tony was the golden child, smart, good-looking, and the quarterback for the school team. Everyone loved Tony. The girls swooned, the jocks were his brothers, the nerds brown-nosed, the teachers fawned. Abi, well, she was in a league of her own. Always surrounded by friends, sassy, clever, and a cheerleader. His siblings practically screamed ' High School Stereotype'. The good ones anyway.

Timmy had always been able to hold his own, at least in conversation. He'd inherited his father's sharp tongue, and mother's sarcasm, and used it often. It was very little use, however, when your head was halfway down a toilet. His father did try; he spoke to him, and promised him that it was just a phase, it was just high school. But what did he know? He'd been what Tony Jr was now; he'd been the bully. His mother soothed him and tried to build a little self confidence, but he doubted she'd ever been in his shoes; his mother wasn't one to be pushed around. He loved them both, but sometimes, felt more alone than ever speaking to them.

So it was that Timmy turned to the best person he could think of; his namesake. The McGees saw more of him than they did of both his brother and sister combined. Timmy passed it off as simply wanting to see Jen, but in reality, it was a safe haven for him. Uncle Tim had no problems sitting discussing the latest patches for any game the boy mentioned, going as far as to enthusiastically show him his newest mods. Aunt Abby always had something new, and of course, uber-cool to show him. Last time, she'd shown him some ace reactions, much to his delight. The pressure to do well, to conform to the family, was lifted the minute he crossed the threshold to the house, and all taunts of 'Geek!' and 'Nerd!' disappeared. Here, geeks were the norm, and he loved it.

He spent more and more time at the McGee's as the taunting at school continued. His mother and father continued to pester him with questions, but he simply shook his head; 'No, everything's fine!'. Because in reality, his aunt and uncle had instilled a new found confidence in him.

Being geek was perfectly okay. More than that. It was far better than any other stereotype. As the months passed, the quiet Timmy slowly disappeared. Instead stood a cautious, but determined Tim, who hid behind his books with a large smirk. He could sit and banter with his father during a film, or rebut one of his mother's jokes. So his brother could mock, and his sister could roll her eyes, and the bullies could tease.

But when the basketball captain announced over Facebook that he rather liked men, much to everyone, including his own and his girlfriend's, surprise, Timmy had nothing to do with it. It was most definitely not him who'd put the mutated sea-monkeys in his sister's locker, and put large spiders in his brother's lunch. And the video of the football team running from the showers, screaming and naked, as loud bangs and flashes went off behind them, that had nearly five thousand views on YouTube?

He supposed he'd take credit for that one. With a thank you note on the side, to a Mrs A McGee.

I did realise that I've portrayed Tony and Ziva as rather terrible parents in this one, which was not intended at all.

I was wanting to play around with Timmy's character a little, him having the least story-time of the brats. And it's not that Tony doesn't speak to him. I just always picture Tony as the kind of Gibbs father, y'know? ' Get on with it and tell them where to stick it!' would be a somewhat-suitable Tony reply. And I really do think that, especially through their equally nerdy love of movies, father and son would get along rather well. But Timmy's at that awkward phase, and we all know how Tony took to 'Elf-Lord', so that relationship sort of sits on the backburner for now. When he gets older, I suspect, he and Tony will be just fine ;)

As for Ziva, I think that she would probably understand her son more than her husband, but Timmy would have had enough of the 'Mummy's boy' bullying to know that confiding in Ziva may only draw more taunts from his big bro. Besides, Ziva doesn't even know what an Elf-Lord is -_-

SO. I like my rather geeky Timmy (: It's a nice way to draw in McAbby too, because I think Little!Tony would have quite a close bond with Gibbs, likes his father, and probably Abi would too. But Abi's a girl. Everybody loves a girl.

ANYWAY. Enough drabble! Criticise and tear me to shreds! You know how I love it ;)

Shalom.