Two weeks after, four weeks before the explosion

"How has your anger been, this last week, Tim?" Dr. Jay Block asked. As he had taken Tim on as a patient, he had been granted clearance to listen to all of Tims problems, otherwise Tim would not have been able to get the full benefits of the therapy he had requested.

"It has been fine, until I see one of them three idiots." Tim was still very angry with Dance, Lohman and McCord. "I haven't lost control all week, unless I choose to let go."

"That's good, Tim. How and when are you choosing to let go?" Tim had lost control at a National Security Council meeting, screaming at the three men, and almost the President herself. With the threat on his life, the life of his girlfriend, along with numerous friends, no one held his outburst against.

"Through my workouts. The Marine PTs put me up against marines and we fight until I'm exhausted, or until I feel better, it's normally fatigue that wins," Tim said.

"OK, Tim, you are doing it the right way, focussing your anger, and letting it out consciously, rather than bottling it up and letting loose without realising it. However, I'm concerned about your method." Tim looked at Jay, wondering where this was going. "How long do you think you will stay angry? We both know some people are never arrested, we never catch them. How long will you put your life on hold for this man?"

"If he's not caught, God only knows what kind of damage he will do to NCIS and to the country." Did this man not realise who they were talking about, Tim thought.

"That's not your job, Tim, or your concern. Let others do their job, you do your job. If you let yourself be distracted, you will make mistakes. You told me he threatened to destroy you, well, he's doing a good job without even being in the city."

"What the hell does that mean?" Tim snapped.

"You are imploding, Tim. Your anger is distracting you. You spend more time at work, more time at the gym, less at home. You have a girlfriend, you have hobbies. When was the last time you went to the theatre? Had friends or family over? Cooked for pleasure rather than necessity?"

"Your point?" Tim growled.

"He's winning, right now, as we speak. He's not the one in therapy, he's god knows where right now, probably living it up thanks to a bank account we don't about. Even if he is planning something, he knows we will be using facial recognition at stations and ports to catch him." Jay hoped his bluntness got through to the man. "He had three days to get out the country before anyone noticed anything. The chances are, he headed to a country we don't have an extradition treaty with, and will lead a very nice life. While you sit here, and watch your life crumble while you focus on the wrong things."

"So its wrong to want to catch a traitor?" Tim was getting angry.

"At the cost of your mental well being, physical health, your career and your girlfriend, you are damn right, its wrong!" Jay shouted.

This worked. Tim sat back, shocked. This was the first time Jay had ever raised his voice at him, even though he warned him about the "tough love" approach he sometimes took with the most stubborn patients he had.

"My God, Tim! Your job is Head of Intelligence, NCIS! Your life is Cassie! That SOB is not your responsibility! He's Interpols! He's the FBIs and CIAs! You don't have to fix everything! You don't have to clean up everyones mistakes!" Jay hoped this method worked, his others had failed.

Tim sat there in shock, hearing this from the normally quietly spoken man hitting him like a sledgehammer.

"You would have to give up your job, and probably sleep, to clean up after every agent who has screwed up somewhere in their career! You want to know your screw up, Tim? I'll tell you! Not killing him! Shooting him in the knee cap rather than between the eyes! That's yours mistake!" Jay took a deep breath, getting himself back under control. Tim had done good work, but was only addressing his symptoms, rather than the disease.

Jay watched as Tim processed everything that was yelled at him, Jay regretting having to do it this way, but after three sessions over the last three weeks, helping Tim deal with everything, from Adala to this, Jay realised Tim was not used to failure, or at least, things not going his way. The two men sat in silence, one in self reflection, one in observation, both thinking deeply. The silence continued for the next few minutes, broken only by the sound of breathing. Jay watched as realisation hit Tim, he just hoped it didn't break him.

"I'm not responsible for his actions. I don't control the CIA and FBI. I have to let it go." There it was, the truth of the matter. Tim could only blame himself for his own mistakes, not someone elses.

"Glad you realise it," Jays tone much softer than before. "It's natural to be angry about the situation, but taking on the responsibility to resolve it, to shoulder someone elses burden and blame is not. How do you feel, now, remember, emotional and physical."

"Better, I feel lighter, and, sounds stupid, but like I can breathe easier. I still angry, but that is about the man generally, not the situation." Tim admitted.

"I can accept that, Tim. The anger will fade, acceptance and time will deal with it. But, you need to take your life back. Go to the theatre, spend time with Cassie, cook, do something other than work and worry. Like I said, I don't do medication if I can help it, but here's your prescription." Tim wondered what this would be. "Bake cupcakes, muffins, heck, a chocolate cake, but something for your staff. They will have felt your anger and frustration even if you haven't directed it at them. OK?" Jay hoped the baking would help him relax and help repair some bridges the last week had damaged.

"Yeah, that I can do. Thanks, Jay." Tim hoped people could forgive him for the last week.

"Same time next week, Tim. You have a lot of responsibility with your job, and with the current situation, I want to see you once a week until I feel that you are coping better than you have been." Jay wasn't as worried as he made out, but he'd rather Tim took his frustrations out in here, than on some poor junior analyst who said something Tim didn't like.

"Got it." Tim accepted this, hoping he would have good news over the next couple of weeks.

Later that night.

Cassie inhaled deeply, smelling apple cinnamon muffins in the air. She knew what that smelt meant, Tim was baking. She smiled, her man had barely cooked in two weeks, and when he had, it had been plain food without the normal flair he put into it. She wondered what was for dinner tonight. Opening the door, Cassie saw the worktop before she saw the chef.

"What the hell…" the kitchen looked like a cake shop. There were tupperware boxes stacked on top of each other, filled with muffins, along with cookies and what looked like a chocolate cake with vanilla icing. "Tim, please tell me you are doing a bake sale?" Cassie had no clue what had gotten into her boyfriend.

"Well, I'm baking, but I'm not selling the cakes, I'm giving them away." Tim moved to kiss his girlfriend, but was stopped by the hand raised in front of his face.

"Your lips touch mine when they are not dusted with flour, sugar and who knows what else." Cassie could see the difference in him, he seemed happier and less troubled than when she had seen him leave the apartment that morning. "Is dinner in here somewhere?" she asked, hoping not to order takeout again.

"Yeah, butterfly chicken with a cajun sauce, wedges and pan fried vegetables." Cassie smiled, glad to have her boyfriend back.

"How long until everything is cooked, including the cakes, muffins and what not?"

"The chicken will be another forty minutes, the wedges and veggies won't take ten minutes." Tim turned around, to carry on preparing more muffin mix.

"Well, I'm getting in the shower, and if you want to kiss me anytime soon, I suggest you join me." Tim hadn't quite heard Cassie, but as he saw her undressing on her way into the bedroom, he quickly caught on to her suggestion. Putting the chicken on the timer, he moved quickly.

They ate dinner late that night.

Authors note: McGees place can be found at

pinterest com/ Mcgee is my fave/

lose the spaces, and include the .