he spots Tim sitting in a corner, his eyes glued to the table in front of him, barely touching his food. Approaching him, his own order in hand, Tony greets him. "Hey. McGee. Fancy meeting you here."

Startled, Tim looks up from the table and finds Tony already sitting down at the booth with him. "Tony."

"You sound surprised." Tony manages to get out around the mouthful of sandwich he's just taken in.

"I can't remember the last time you willingly ate here." Tim admits to his reason for his reaction.

Now taking the time to swallow his food and take a drink before he answers, Tony's response is more orchestrated. "Ah, but that's just it, my friend, this is the new me."

"Right? Okay where is he?" Tim asks with a completely straight face.

"He?" The older man's eyebrows arch in genuine curiosity.

"The real Tony." The younger man throws back at his lunch companion.

"Ha. Cute. All kidding aside, Tim. How are you, really?"

Taken aback at this caring Tony he's rarely seen before, Tim thinks on the question for a long minute before answering with brutal honesty. "After the fun that was yesterday, you mean? I'm fine. Wait, is that why you're here? Did ….you know what, never mind." Tim sighs. He knows Leroy sent Tony to check on him and while he can't blame him, in a way he wishes his lover would have faith that what was said this morning would stick.

"Gotta hand it to you, Probie. The way you went off on Abby? Whew! Loooong overdue, buddy." Tony says before taking another bite of his sandwich, although watching Tim like a hawk.

Without a word, Tim gets up from the table and walks away, leaving Tony struggling to figure out what the hell just happened. Thankfully, Tim is back in less than two minutes and all plans to get up and scour the place for him evaporate into thin air. "Where the hell'd you go, McGee?"

"Tony, this thing with Abby…it's not…it's nothing to celebrate." Tim rebukes the idea, still not happy with the way he handled that mess.

"Just as long overdue as our match in the ring last night." Tony continues explaining the 'get out jail free card' he's handing his friend now, as if Tim hasn't spoken or even interrupted him to walk away momentarily.

"Tony" Tim shakes his head. He doesn't want this going any further. It should be a dead issue by now.

"And man, judging by the steel in those punches…."

"Tony!" Tim is practically hissing now as he leans forward into Tony's space, trying to keep things quiet.

"Huh? What?"

"I REALLY don't want to talk about this anymore." Tim implores him.

"Oh. Right. Sorry." Tony sighs as he sets his food down and interlaces his fingers together around his sandwich. "But, here's the thing, Tim. We kinda have to."

"Why?" Tim's honestly clueless as to what his former partner is referring to. That makes him wary of this out of the ordinary meeting.

"Well. What exactly are you going to do the next time you come face to face with her?"

*******NCIS*******

Gibbs watches his Senior Field Agent return to the squad room within the appointed time he'd been given to go grab lunch and get back, bagged sandwich in hand. While the look on the younger man's face is almost unreadable, his walk is calm and there's nothing about him that rings any alarm bells, so there's a sense of relief coming on that the older man welcomes.

Setting the boss' sandwich down on the older man's desk, Tony gives him a look that says everything's cool and returns to his desk without a word spoken. He knows that when the boss looks at the sandwich, he'll know who ordered it for him and that everything is in fact, cool. Tony appreciates the chance Gibbs just gave him to talk with Tim and bond with him, especially in the wake of the crappy start to the week the two of them have had compliments of Tony's temper tantrum.

As expected, with a short nod of appreciation, Gibbs settles in his seat with his lunch and smiles broadly to himself when he sees what's waiting for him inside the outer wrapping. Unaware that he's being scrutinized by his own Senior Field Agent now, the Team Leader lets his eyes close in a moment of silent thanks for the man who's become so much a part of him that he's still trying to accept all the goodness that comes with him, before he opens his eyes again and digs in to the bounty in front of him.

*******NCIS*******

Shortly after returning to his desk at the end of his lunch hour, Tim is unexpectedly summoned to the Director's office. When he arrives, he's startled to find that he's not the only one to have been called up to whatever this meeting's about. Taking in the sight of his former Team Leader and Tony, Tim sighs nervously. Suddenly, he's got a bad feeling about this.

Thankfully, it's a mere moment later before Vance is opening his door to them and ushering them in- gesturing towards the comfortable couch and extra chair rather than the more formal conference table at the other end of the room. Once they're all seated; with Tim and Tony on the couch while Gibbs takes up the spare comfortable chair, Vance pulls up one of the chairs from the table and sits down on it as he glances at all three of them in turn.

With a heavy sigh, Vance turns his attention to Tim as he finally speaks. "I brought you all up here because we need to put this to rest. Agent McGee, as you recall, not too long ago, I reminded you that there isn't much that goes on in this building that I don't see. With that being said, let me say this. I'm happy that you've finally figured out what you needed to. Nice to see you not fighting with yourself anymore." Watching the young man closely, Vance lets that sink in for a minute.

Tim stares at him in shock. Is he saying what it sounds like he's saying?

"Frankly, I was getting ready to tell you to figure it out already since you were really beginning to look like hell when you walked in here every morning. Obviously, you've managed to work it out for yourself and quite well."

"Yes, Sir." Tim acknowledges the man's attempt to look out for him, even if the intensity of the scrutiny he'd been under while unaware leaves him feeling a bit creeped out. He's careful not to look at either of the other two men in the room with them right now.

"Another reason I wanted to talk to all of you is because I owe each of you an apology. I apologise to you Agent McGee for laying into you the other day for what I know realize was Agent DiNozzo's own adjustment issue which he brought down on you. And I apologise, Agent DiNozzo for not coming to you personally. Each of you was blindsided by something that had no place here. I apologise. None of which is in either of your files, by the way."

Now, it's Tony who's looking at him in shock. With a smirk now aimed in Gibbs' direction, the Director continues on. "Seems to me that everything has been kept separate from work without any issues, until now. And since this is not only not your doing – but also a clear example of why an agent's private life is no one's business, we're not even having this discussion, although I will say, I apologize for any embarrassment my assumption that your personal relationship was with Agent DiNozzo."

"What?" Tony's shock is a momentary slice of humor that soothes the tension in the air.

Into the silence that comes on the tail of Tony's response, Vance and Gibbs share a silent look that speaks volumes. Neither will address the now obvious issue of why the Team Leader pushed for such a quick transfer of his best technical leg of the team. After all, the whole point to this is to put it all back under that rock labled personal for the reason that it's no one else's business.

Turning his attention back to the younger man at the heart of the matter, Vance continues on. "Obviously, I've been going over things since your kidnapping, attempting to resolve what to do with Ms. Scuito. Agent Gibbs, Agent DiNozzo, you work closest with her so your thoughts and opinions on the subject are paramount to any decision made here. However, since you were most affected by her actions, Agent McGee, your thoughts are as well."

Tim shakes his head as he looks back at the Agency Head. "No, Sir. I don't want that on me. I would appreciate it if whatever happens with her now remain out of my hands completely."

"Meaning you trust me to deal with her effectively enough that she's not getting away with it, but it doesn't have your name on it anywhere."

"Yes, Sir."

"I can appreciate that, Agent McGee."

"Same here." Tony chimes in. "I think if she sees or feels like we're in this in any way, she'll rebel even worse. Kinda the opposite of what we're hoping for, right?"

"All right, then. At least toss me your suggestions." Vance pushes. "This isn't something this Agency has had to deal with before. There aren't exactly any protocols for this kind of thing."

"You already told her the Agency doesn't support her behavior. That sounded like a pink slip to me." Tim quietly offers. "I'm pretty sure it did to her, too."

"If you clear it with Legal, that would probably be best, Director. It's like Tim said, you've already verbally tipped in that direction, so…."

Vance looks to Gibbs for his opinion and he's not surprised to hear it when he gets it. "They're right, Leon."

"You been talking about this among you?" Vance wonders without accusation.

"No."
"No"
"Hasn't crossed my mind." Tim says without thinking about it. "At least not that part of this whole mess."

"But, some part of it has?"

Tim shakes his head. "It's nothing, Director. No, we haven't discussed Abby's future or question of one with the Agency."

"And yet you all agree. Interesting. Okay. That's it. Thank you for your time and again, my apologies to each of you."

Tony and Tim get up and head out without looking back. Gibbs can see Vance is chomping at the bit about something and wants to know what it is now. He waits until the younger ones are gone before he shuts the door and turns back. "Somethin' else on your mind?"

"What part?"

"Not mine to tell, Leon."

"Gibbs."

"He said he's handlin' it!"

"You're right."

"But you want details because you think it's gonna affect his job performance."

"You gonna stand there and tell me that his personal issues haven't affected his job here recently, before he sorted them out?"

"Nothin' I wasn't on top of, Leon. Gotta give 'em room to find their own feet."

"That what that was, Gibbs?"

"You have a point to make here?" The Team Leader asks darkly.

"Yes. Agent Gibbs, I do." Vance firmly replies, his authority prevalent in his tone. "I don't want any more loss of productivity or effectiveness on the job due to personal issues!"

Nodding shortly, Gibbs heads to the door. With his hand on the knob, he turns back to his boss. "Who called us away from us doing our jobs for this meeting?"

Silently, he's gone from the room, the door snapping shut behind him, leaving behind a very frustrated Agency Director who knows he's just put his foot in his mouth while trying to resolve the issue at the same time. Sitting down in his chair, he lets his head fall back with a thump. "Damn it!"

*******NCIS*******

Feeling surprisingly lighter about everything now, Tim returns to work without any more thought given to the subject of Abby or what she pulled. Returning to his desk, he finds a list of things there that he's expected to do before he leaves for the day. With a smile, he digs in, anxious for the day to be over with. After all, he's got seriously romantic plans for tonight.

******NCIS*******

Boredom has never been her strong suite. She's had a hell of a crappy morning but she's bound and determined to have a better rest of the day. And now that she's hungry that bordom has Abby's thoughts of what to eat casting over a very wide net of choices based on her experiences with getting lunch in D.C. for years now. After the morning she's had, she's not going to be denied her favorite lunch at her favorite place to eat it, especially since it's late and the lunch crowd should be long gone by the time she gets there. With that thought in mind, she heads to the Yard. After all, she's been banned from the office, not anywhere else, right?

*******NCIS*********

The afternoon's going by fast and as he heads out for his afternoon break, the anticipation of dinner with Leroy puts a bounce in his step and a lightness in his heart as he walks to the coffee shop. Since moving down to CyberCrimes, he hasn't made a habit of leaving the building on his fifteen minute breaks, but today, he needed to stretch his legs and feel the fresh air infiltrate his lungs even though he'd done that at lunchtime earlier. While it's not stuffy in the basement, since the very nature of their work requires the temperature to remain cool for the computers, it is stifling and fresh air is a definite cure-all.

As he walks, his thoughts return to the discussion he'd had with Tony at lunch earlier, because Tony had brought up a very valid point.

***Flashback***

"Admit it. It's somethin' you're gonna need to be prepared for – if you don't want to be losing your cool with her again like you did yesterday. We all know you, man and you are not happy when you're this pissed at someone. Come to think of it, you're not happy when you're pissed at someone, period. So how are you gonna prepare for the next face to face with her?"

Tim has no answer for Tony's question because it's not something he's taken any time to think about since all hell broke loose around him yesterday.

"You haven't figured that out because you haven't thought about it." Tony reasons out loud.

"Haven't exactly had a reason to, Tony."

"No. I guess not. But, she's not going anywhere."

"That you know of." Tim suggests.

"Right. And if there's even a remote chance that you're gonna bump into her, wouldn't you rather be prepared than not?"

"Yeah." Tim sighs tiredly. "Yeah, I would."

"But?"

"But, I have no idea what I'll say to her."

"Because Gibbs is right - you are still pissed at her."

Instantly Tim is on his feet, hissing into Tony's personal space. "Not talking about it here, Tony."

"I'm sorry. Look I'm just tryin' to help you here, Probie."

"You're here to tell me I shouldn't be pissed at Abby for what she did." Tim challenges the older man.

"Hell no, Probie! It's about damned time you stood up to her shenanigans!"

"No worse than not standing up to yours all this time." Tim reminds him quietly, no heat left in that memory.

"Exactly! So don't you dare waste any time feeling like you were wrong to go off on either of us!" Tony throws back at him in a hushed tone as he leans closer to the younger man across the table.

"Is that what you think I'm doing? Tony, I don't feel like I was wrong to go off on either of you. I was wrong in the where and how that I did it in" Tim corrects him quietly. "But you're missing the point here."

"What point am I missing?"

"You think I'm pissed because of what she did to me."

"Well, yeah."

"Yeah? Was that why I got pissed at you the other night when you threw that punch and ran off at the mouth after you stormed my place demanding to be let in? Think about it, DiNozzo!" Tim hisses before he walks away, heading to the order pick-up counter.

With a verbal, tired sigh, the older man catches up to him. It's no surprise that the first few blocks they walk heading back to the office are completed in silence. But, as usual, silence isn't something Tony's comfortable with for very long and this time is no different. "You were pissed that I hurt Gibbs."

Tim appreciates that Tony's not asking him if that's the case, but rather, telling him that he understands. "No argument here."

"And you getting kidnapped like that scared the hell outta Gibbs."

"That's putting it mildly." Tim replies with the utmost seriousness.

"That's why you can't forgive Abby yet."

"Never said I didn't forgive her, Tony."

"Okay. But, that's why you're still pissed at her."

"Damned right! Ler….Gibbs has been through enough pain and hell in his lifetime. We're the last people on earth that should be subjecting him to anymore! He trusts us!"

"Easy, Tim. I get it now. Really. And I agree." Tony attempts to pacify the obviously upset younger man. "Didn't mean to get you all riled again."

"Again." Tim sighs. "You're right. I made a promise to let this go. So, I'm asking you, Tony. Let it go."

"No sweat, man. Honestly, just checking on you."

"I appreciate it." Tim offers a half smile as they reach the building and head in. Thankfully, once they've signed in and reach the elevator, they find it empty and are able to ride up together. The ride is quiet, until, that is Tony pulls a page out of Gibbs' playbook, snapping the elevator into its' off position, throwing them into near darkness.

"Something wrong, Tony?"

The older man looks at him with obvious scrutiny, not saying a word.

"Tony, c'mon, you're starting to freak me out here. What the hell's goin' on with you?" Tim demands with obvious nervousness.

"Just tryin' to get a read on this new you, Tim."

"You lost me."

"Yeah, I guess we did – off the team, at least. But, that's not really what I'm talkin' about here."

"Okay. I'll bite. What are you talking about?"

"You call him Leroy at home, don't you? Wow, I can't believe I just said that. 'At home' while referring to the two of you." Tony rakes an agitated hand through his hair.

"Are you asking me if this is the real deal, Tony? Because I thought I already made myself clear on that." Tim replies with aggravation prevelant in his tone.

"Give me a break here, Tim. I'm trying to wrap my head around some things I never expected to see happen." Tony implores his friend. "I'm concerned. About both of you. He's always been such a straight guy with an abundance of appetite for red-headed women, ya know?"

Tim sighs as he leans back against the wall, his hands in his pants front pocket. "Yeah. I know. Trust me, I know."

"Wait, has he hurt you already because of one of them?" Tony demands with brotherly outrage.

"His ex-wives, you mean? No! And stop acting like you expect him to at any minute, Tony! We're both adjusting to the changes in directions our paths have taken. It hasn't exactly been a genie doing the work, you know."

"Aladdin, you're not, Probie. I'll give you that."

"Cute, Tony. Real Cute."

"Look, all I'm saying here, Tim, is that I can see that you two care about each other."

"Nothing new there." Tim reminds him seriously.

"Meaning?"

"Meaning it's deeper than that and you can see it but you're trying not to admit it because then it will actually sink in that it is very much real and solid, not just some fly by night fling like you're used to having with women."

"Ouch."

"No, Tony. I don't mean it like that. I'm not trying to be hurtful here. I'm just trying to say that I understand where you're coming from. In fact. I think I understand now, where your knee-jerk reaction to finding out about the two of us came from and why you're so frustrated about this."

"Oh yeah? Do tell, Professor McKnow It All." Tony snipes with a touch of sarcasm as his defensive walls begin to self-erect quickly.

"Tony. You and Ziva have been dancing around each other with enough sexual tension to cut through with a knife. The naïve little probie you thought knew nothing, learned a long time ago, how to read more than what you see and hear into the world around you. You want a relationship with her and she probably wants one with you but Rule 12 says you can't. And the fact that both of you really want to stay on Gibbs' team says you won't be able to in the future either. It has to be very frustrating. So frustrating you're beginning to believe her when she says she and you are just friends and always will be 'just friends'."

Eyes wide with surprise that Tim knows him better than he'd given him credit for, Tony silently nods tightly. Stepping forward, he flips the switch on the elevator, sending it on its' way to where they need to go. Deep bonding moment is over, time to get back to work.

***End Flashback***

Tim sighs deeply now as he walks. He feels for his friends. He really does and maybe there's a way they can handle this without forcing them to remain stifled in their personal lives. It's something he'll think on and talk about with Leroy. The older man is the one who can make things happen if and when changes are needed or requested.

By the time he's arrived at the café, Tim's mind is once again on his lover and the magnificent relationship they've cultivated so far. Even the line, as long as it is where it wraps around the last row of tables by the door, doesn't sour his mood. It does however, curtail his plans for the coffee. He doesn't have this kind of time to waste. Turning to go, he's stopped in his tracks by an all too familiar voice.

"Ma Gee." Abby's pronouncement of Tim's name is layered so thickly in bitterness that it makes Tim's skin crawl. She quickly approaches him, intending to herd him into a corner.

Turning back to look at her, he frowns. Frankly, he's surprised she's addressing him at all. The fact that she is though, is giving him the open door he needs to say what needs to be said. With his eyes flashing angrily, he fires his warning shot, reluctantly stepping into her personal space to keep it quiet. "Stay away from me, Abby. Stay away from Gibbs."

"How dare you!" She hisses angrily, trying like hell to keep this just between the two of them as they step away from the line of people now.

"How dare I what? Love him? Care about him? Do everything to make sure he's never hurt again the way you hurt him with your little stunt?" Tim quietly demands to know.

"How the hell did I hurt Gibbs? Abby throws at him scornfully.

"Wow. You having to ask the question says it all, Abby. But, just so we're clear? You put him through the potential loss of another agent – and yeah, I'm no longer on his team – but once you've belonged to him – always and you know that! You thoughtlessly caused him a hell of a lot of worry and anquish! What, he hasn't lost enough people in his life? You had to make him think he'd lost another one?"

"I didn't tell Kenny to do what he did to you, McGee!" With her glare and her swishing pigtails, she's the picture of a pissed of high school kid trying to get the last word in. Around her, unbeknown to her, several people in line can't help but grin at the impression she's giving.

Tim's reached the end of his endurance for public disclosure or displays of emotion. Firmly, he tosses her the grenade that he knows will destroy the bridge between their old relationship and he's more than ready to face the fall out. For Leroy, he'll do anything to prevent the older man from any more of the hurt this person put on him. "Maybe not, but you set the stage for it. I'm only gonna say this once, Abby. You can tell yourself that you didn't ask him to do what he did, all you want – you're still completely culpable for what happened. Stay away from Gibbs. You don't get to hurt him again. Especially on my watch."

Her hand draws up into a fist and her arm tightens like a bow ready to launch its' arrow. Before she can do anything further, he's gone from her space, suddenly and forever out of reach.

Walking away, Tim's mentally winded and emotionally blindsided since he hadn't expected to see her in the coffee shop so soon after the events of yesterday. He feels a wave of gratitude towards Tony and his thinking ahead earlier today. In quick succession he blinks away the haze in his vision brought on by his anger and concentrates on putting as much distance between himself and Abby as he possibly can. Brushing up against someone on his way out, he absently apologizes to them while he keeps on going, not even hearing them when they react or registering the familiarity they carry with them that's evident in their tone

'Tim?" When they get no response from him, they turn to the one left behind in the uncomfortable and unfriendly scene they've just witnessed from afar. As they move, they're watching and scrutinizing.

Abby's frozen in place as she silently watches him walk away, her anger the only visible sign she's not a statue, until, that is, an oddly familiar voice that she hasn't heard in a long time shocks her into looking in a new direction.

"What the hell was that about?"

*****NCIS*****

Having run later than usual this morning, Sarah McGee was still rushing to meet up with her grandmother who hates to be stood up. Finding the coffee shop she'd just been startled to see her brother going off on his former girlfriend just before he turned her way and stormed past her on his way out just now, not even sparing her a glance. All thoughts of meeting her grandmother temporaily forgotten while her curiosity gets the better of her, Sarah quickly makes her presence known to her brother's co-worker, speaking before she thinks to filter her words or her tone. "What the hell was that about?"

Abby's mind recalls the owner of that voice with a wave of shock. Sarah McGee?

Directly behind them a silent yet angry woman watches the scene unfold more, her own burning question escaping with all the venom within the scope of her wrath.

"What did you just do to my grandson, young lady?"

*******NCIS*******

Walking into the house at exactly 1900 hours, the soft soulful sounds of Lee Greenwood begin to fill the air, immediately stopping Leroy in his tracks as he pauses to listen; the words quickly embracing his soul.

You believe,
that I've changed your life forever
And you're never gonna find another somebody like me.
And you wish,
you had more than just a lifetime to give back all I've given you and that's what you believe.
But I owe you
the sunlight in the morning
And the nights of honest lovin that time can't take away.
And I owe you
more than life now, more than ever
I know that it's the sweetest debt I'll ever have to pay.

Silently, he feels Tim approach him from behind and lovingly wrap his arms around him, letting the words continue flowing around them, as together they let the words infiltrate their minds and souls.

I'm amazed
when you say it's me you live for
You know that when I'm holding you you're right where you belong
And my love,
I can't help but smile with wonder.
When you tell me all I've done for you 'Cause I've known all along that I owe you
the sunlight in the morning
And the nights of honest loving that time can't take away.
And I owe you
more than life now, more than ever
I know that it's the sweetest debt I'll ever have to pay.

His eyes blurred with unexpected moisture, Leroy unconsciously leans back against the strong, loving support that hasn't let go of him yet. Unwilling to disturb the words of the beautiful message that Tim's obviously offering him in the most loving way he can, Leroy can only bask in this priceless moment as his own heart fills to the rim with love and admiration for this man.

'Cause I owe you
the sunlight in the morning
And the nights of honest loving that time can't take away.
And I owe you
more than life now, more than ever
I know that it's the sweetest debt I'll ever have to pay

As the words and music notes fade away, the couple is locked n each other's arms, frozen in time as the magic of the moment lingers