A/N Another short chapter, but there's only one left after this.

Chapter Seven

"But...that looks like a damn ka-bar; it can't be a demon-killing knife!" Dean protested to Gibbs as he went to join the older man where he stood over the dead demon and the equally dead sacrificial victim.

"The blade is," the taciturn man stated with a shrug.

Tim heard, his mind programmed to pick up Gibbs' voice, and some part of him was shocked that Gibbs had knowledge of demons, but his attention was on Sam, on holding him and kissing him and making sure he was safe. Sam had bruises, Tim could feel bumps as he ran his hands over the body he knew so well, but everything seemed intact.

"Ten fingers, ten toes, yes, the stick between his legs is there, too," Sam murmured. Tim gave a half-laugh, half-sob and clutched him to his chest. Sam ached a little from being beaten and then thrown around by invisible powers, but it was all in a day's work for him. Seeing Tim, stunned and walking into the hail of bullets the demon had been firing? That was new. And horrible.

Support arrived, announced by sirens wailing, the doors having become unblocked with the demon's demise, and Sam was descended upon by paramedics as he was the only one still lying on the ground. Looking across at his brother, he huffed that Dean was able to brush them off and move into the background. The medical personnel pushed Tim aside, and, keeping his attention mostly on Sam, he moved over toward where the rest of his team now stood together.

"Boss?" Tim checked in as he approached.

"We're good," Gibbs replied.

DiNozzo was speaking softly into his phone, summoning Ducky, and Ziva was frowning and studying Tim. Gibbs put his hand on Tim's back briefly, letting it drop only when Tim nodded to him in acknowledgement of the supportive gesture.

Tim's head continued to nod as he watched the medics finishing checking Sam, allowing him to get up. He wanted to ask his boss how he had ended up with an ancient weapon designed to kill demons, but he figured that would have to wait for a lot more privacy. He contented himself with staring as Sam went to stand with Dean.

~~~SPNCIS~~~

"Where the hell were you, man?" Sam asked Dean lowly.

"Cas needed a favor," Dean said in a clipped voice, obviously trying to end the conversation there. Sam wasn't about to drop it, though.

"What was more important than what we were supposed to be doing here?" Sam snapped. Dean shoved his hands in his pockets and looked away.

"It's your fault," Dean muttered.

"Excuse me?" Sam's eyes widened.

"You. All this crap with Tim, dude. You...you put ideas in his head," Dean mumbled. He shuffled his feet uncomfortably. Sam's jaw dropped.

"He... What did he do, Dean?"

Dean clenched his jaw and refused to answer.

"Did Cas...put the moves on you?" Sam felt hilarity bubbling up inside him. He knew it was half due to the relief of surviving, giddiness from adrenalin, but he also had watched Cas watching Dean for so long that he'd suspected the feelings the angel had harbored for his brother were more than fraternal.

"He doesn't know what he's sayin'. He's just... I don't wanna talk about it," Dean snapped. Sam clamped down on his laughter, his shoulders shaking but no sound emerging. They stood in uncomfortable silence.

"You could do worse," Sam finally offered in a low voice. Dean turned on him, getting aggressively in his face.

"We are not discussing this!" Dean hissed. Sam sniffed, compressing his lips, and turned his attention back to Tim.

~~~SPNCIS~~~

Tony drew Tim aside. "I've just got one question, McGee," he said. Tim nodded, his gaze never leaving where Sam was talking with Dean. The paramedics had apparently cleared him, but Tim was still breathing in Sam's presence, alive and well. "Are you a pitcher or a catcher?"

Tim turned his head and stared at DiNozzo. "Really?" He asked in total disgust. He shook his head and walked away, moving to be with Sam and reassure himself yet again the hunter was truly okay. Sam saw him coming and moved to intercept him halfway across the warehouse, hugging him when they met.

"Thank you, baby. Oh god, when I saw you walking into that gunfire..." Sam squeezed him tightly, taking Tim's breath away. Tim could feel Sam shaking and knew his own knees were wobbly.

"I know, I know," Tim whispered. They broke apart and let go of each other reluctantly. Sam nodded toward where DiNozzo was watching them, and Tim sighed and inclined his head, indicating they should approach Tony. "Tony, this is Sam. Sam, Special Agent Tony DiNozzo," Tim introduced. Tim gave Tony a hard look. The men shook hands.

"Pleasure to meet you. You're not...what I expected, but I'm glad Tim's happy," Tony said sincerely. He'd been totally thrown for a loop by Tim's revelation, but he had recognized how content Tim had been since he'd been seeing his mystery love interest, so he set his confusion aside for the moment.

Ziva approached and Tim introduced her as well. She shook Sam's hand and gave Tim an approving look. He chuckled, understanding that Ziva's attraction to muscular, powerful men meant that while she found Sam to be to her own taste, she also thought him a good match for Tim.

"I've heard a lot about you guys. I hope we can get together sometime, now that you know," Sam offered quietly. Tim stepped closed to him and let their arms brush. Sam leaned into the contact, itching to wrap his arm around Tim but self-conscious for both of them.

"That will be a good thing. McGee has told us nothing about you," Ziva agreed. Tim shrugged uncomfortably.

"This that guy you wanted me to meet?" Dean asked, approaching the group.

"Yeah. Dean, Special Agent Tony DiNozzo, Tony, Sam's brother, Dean," Tim offered.

"Whoa, McMatchmaker, you know I'm not interested in experimenting," Tony protested, but it was Dean who replied.

"No, uh-uh, I'm no qu-" Dean broke off and glanced at Tim. "I am not into guys. I just like movies, and Tim said you do, too."

"Hmm. Okay, so, best Bond."

"Connery, but Daniel Craig is pretty cool."

"Favorite tough guy?"

"Tied, Clint Eastwood and Charles Bronson."

"A little obvious, but okay..." The pair moved away, still talking.

Ziva studied Sam. "You will take care of McGee."

"Yes," Sam replied, and the protectiveness overwhelmed his concerns and he put his arm around Tim and they drew close, Tim's hand immediately going to Sam's waist and gripping tightly. Their heads inclined toward one another and Tim watched the approval in Ziva's eyes, smiling slightly.

"You guys should ghost out of here," Tim whispered. "We have to wait for Ducky and finish with the scene. It'll take a while. You and Dean could go to the apartment if you want."

"That sounds good, baby," Sam turned his head to whisper the response in Tim's ear and he let his lips linger in Tim's hair for an extra moment. Tim ached to turn and wrap both arms around Sam, but he knew he had to finish his job. With a final squeeze, Sam released him and wandered back to Dean. Within a few minutes, they'd quietly left the warehouse.

~~~SPNCIS~~~