Warnings: Slight spoilers for "16 Years"

A/N: I loved this episode, it had my laughing and crying. I'm still ticked off at Gibbs. He treated everyone except Abby last night like dirt. What happened to the Gibbs that sat with Tim in the hospital? Or hugged Ellie in the elevator last week? He was AWFUL to Ducky. On the plus side I have highly enjoyed all the McNozzo the last two weeks. It's my favorite part of the show so I am a happy fangirl :).

"You're Being Stupid"

Tim was startled when Tony handed him the keys to drive back to NCIS from the crime scene. Two hours they'd been trying to find the bullet that killed their victim and after coming up empty handed—well, Tony had managed to get another splinter—they decided to head back to D.C. But Tony usually drove them everywhere. "Ah, everything okay?" Tim asked, watching as Tony opened the passenger door and climbed inside the car. Not getting an answer, Tim climbed into the car with his partner. He shut the door and started the Charger up.

Halfway back to D.C, Tony finally said, "Leah went back to Boston. She took Jack two days ago and went to her parents."

"She just wants her parents to be a part of Jack's life," Tim offered. "It's just a visit."

"Not this time," Tony said, rubbing his temple. "She didn't purchase a return ticket."

Tim blinked, surprised. Delilah had said that there was something going on with Tony and Leah, but Tim didn't think that it was so bad that Leah had pretty much moved out. "What... what happened?"

Tony sighed. "We got into this big fight about how I'm never home to help her with the baby. She said she feels like a single parent half the time. I told her that she knew what she was signing up for when we got married...apparently that was the wrong thing to say. Next thing I know she has a suitcase packed and is out the door with the baby. I've only talked to her since she landed."

"I thought... I thought things had gotten better since you got back from Los Angles," Tim said, still trying to process what Tony was saying.

"Guess not," Tony said with shrug. "Maybe people were right, maybe we did rush into this whole marriage thing."

Tim shook his head. "No. You've just... you've just hit a hard time. You know things like that happen. When Delilah first went to Dubai it wasn't easy for us, we argued a lot while she was away and we even thought about breaking up at one point."

Tony's eyes went wide for a second. "You never told me this. What made you change your mind?"

"We both agreed that the relationship was worth it. You need to call Leah."

"And what the hell do I say? Sorry... but I don't see my job changing anytime soon.."

"Remember what everyone told me last week? Compromise."

Tony looked away. "How the hell am I going to compromise? This is my job. I work crazy hours. And with Gibbs even more crankier than ever that is not about to change."

Tim took a deep breath and thought about it for a few moments. He wasn't the best one to offer advice, but he had to try, or Tony was going to make the biggest mistake of his life. "What about hiring her a nanny? You know, someone to help her out so she isn't feeling so overwhelmed?"

He fell silent again. Tony stared out the window not saying a word, for at least ten miles. "What if that doesn't work, Tim?" the senior field agent questioned, softly. "What if my marriage really is over?"

Of all the questions Tony could have possibly thrown at him, this was not the one that Tim was expecting. "Come on, Tony, you can't be serious. Your marriage is not over!"

"Feels like it is, Tim," Tony replied.

"Did Leah actually say it was over?" Tim asked.

"No but I think a one way ticket to Boston speaks for itself."

"Call her."

"She probably won't answer."

Tim slammed on the brakes. The car rocked forward violently before coming to a stop. "Okay, enough. Stop making excuses. Pull that phone out right now or I'm going to use my knife to pry that splinter out of your finger!"

Tony sheepishly pulled his phone out and found Leah's number in his contacts. "Alright, alright! I'll call her! Don't get your panties in a bunch, McGee!"

Beginning to drive again, Tim thought about plotting out a new book while he drove so he wouldn't be listening in on Tony's private conversation. When he was certain that Tony had hung up, he ventured to ask, "So?"

Gently, Tony put his cell phone back in his pocket. "She's home. Her parents purchased her ticket and she flew home this morning."

"She's home? See, that's good news!"

"Her mother said we were being stupid."

"Oh, well, I wouldn't... I wouldn't say that... overreacting maybe."

Tony grinned. "It's okay to say it, Probie. I was being stupid."

Tim felt a small smile spread across his face. "Tony. You were being stupid."

"What happened to your finger?" Leah asked first thing when Tony got home.

"Gibbs macheted a splinter out," Tony said with a wince. "Granted we needed it for the case but you know Gibbs... doesn't necessarily have the softest touch."

Leah frowned and instructed him to sit down on the sofa. She went to get the First Aid kit and peeled the badges back that he'd done a patchwork job on. "You should have had Ducky or Jimmy look at this."

Tony shrugged his shoulders. "It wasn't bothering me, when the splinter was in—Abby had a home remedy that took it out painfully. Gibbs couldn't wait for it to work the second time around."

"You had two splinters?" Leah inquired as she dabbed the cut with some hydrogen peroxide.

"Yeah... you would think I had learned the first time," Tony said with a soft chuckle. He watched as his wife cleaned the cut and then used some gauze and tape to bandage his finger. "You know, this is the most civil conversation we've had since Halloween."

Leah finished dressing his wound and raised her eyes to look at him sheepishly. "I know. It's my fault, too. I haven't made life easy for you. My hormone levels are all over the place, I'm exhausted—Jack... he's a lot of work. I know that you never intended for me to feel like I was alone..."

Tony sighed and opened his arms to her. She collapsed against him, burying her face against his shoulder. He held her close. "I don't want to be an absent father, Leah. That was my dad. I hated him for that. I promise, I'm going to be here for you on the weekends and nights that I am home. But... Tim gave me an idea... a good one. How about a nanny? Someone to help you when I'm not around? Jack is going to need childcare when you go back to work next semester anyways."

"We can get a nanny—on one condition."

"And that is?"

"She is not prettier than me."

He laughed and kissed the top of her head. "Deal."

She sighed and snuggled closer to him. There was something else she had to get off her chest, something that had been eating at her since they had gone to Gibbs' house weeks ago for a cook-out. "Tony. Gibbs isn't... he isn't being this distant because of me is he?"

Tony frowned. He wasn't sure what was going on with Gibbs. At first he thought it was just him, but Gibbs had been snarky and snippy to all three of them that week. According to Ducky, Gibbs hadn't been every nice to him either. Besides Abby, Gibbs wasn't acting like his old self towards any of them. "No, you're not the root of the problem. I'm not sure what is. I don't think he's healed from his injuries and I think that's pissing him off."

Leah closed her eyes for a moment. "My dad was a bear when he had his knee replacement two years ago. No one could talk to him without getting their head chewed off."

"Ah, so this is a phase and it will pass?"

"I hope so. Jack needs his Grandpa Gibbs."

Tony didn't say it, but he needed Gibbs too. This new Gibbs was not working out... for any of them. Leah shifted when the baby cried from the nursery. He shook his head and slid her off of him. "I got it. I owe you a few of these feedings."

Leah smiled, tired, and laid down. "Okay. Bottles are in the fridge. Thanks, honey. I'm just going to take a nap."

Chuckling, Tony watched as she fell asleep. He pulled a blanket over her and kissed her cheek. "I love you, bella." As he walked away to go get the baby, he could have sworn he heard her say I love you back.