A/N: Another update! I know you all have been waiting a very long time for a new chapter, and I'm glad you stuck around. You have no idea how grateful I am that so many of my readers kept my stories on alert all these months.

Review Replies:

Carneu: Thank you for considering this a favorite!

Crawcolady: I know nearly two years isn't the definition of "soon," but here's the update you've been waiting for!

Notquitearockgod: Yeah, I made it obvious that Shannon is Shannon Gibbs. Tim, however, never met her so he won't make the connection for a while.

None: There's lot of things in Milwaukee to have Tim check out. Way too many to pick from.

Caillyn Mastyn: I hope you're still sucked in! I'm pleased whenever I get someone pulled into a genre they don't normally read.

Gottahavemyncis: Quite a few dead characters will make an appearance. Gotta wait to see who they all are.

Blinddivinity: Thanks!

1sunfun: Thank you!

Amariecoughlan: Here's your update!

Now that my tradition of replying to the reviews of this story is out of the way, onward!

Event Nine

Tony sat at his new desk in discomfort. He hadn't expected to get his own office when he accepted the Director's offer, but that is what he got. His own office and the desks outside would be populated by his team once he selected them.

"You don't look too happy," Ziva commented from the doorway.

"This isn't the way I expected to get my own team," Tony explained.

"Tim would be happy for you, Tony. Don't forget that."

"I know," Tony said. He pushed his foot off the leg of his desk so he slowly spun in place. "It's just... Tim should be here to take my place on Gibbs' team as Senior Field Agent. He worked his ass off to get on and stay on the team."

"Agreed. However, I must accept the position in his absence. I do not think Gibbs could handle all three of us leaving the team at once," Ziva said. She approached Tony's desk and sat in a guest's chair in front of it.

"I doubt that'd matter much longer, Zee. Have you seen how he's been acting with Abby lately? It's like he knows he won't be around to give her her Caffpows anymore. I think bossman is considering retiring for good."

Tony and Ziva both went silent after Tony's observation. Everything was changing. Even agents on other teams have been noticing differences in how the MCRT was interacting with each other. News of Tony and Ziva's relationship had already made its rounds in the scuttlebutt. Abby had been mentioning to people that she was considering caving to Director Vance's insistence that she have an assistant. Ducky was giving Palmer more and more duties that hinted at Ducky's own desire for retirement. It was like Tim McGee was the glue that was keeping everyone around and his death caused everyone to scatter.

"Sarah called me to say she's almost done unpacking her things at her new apartment. She's happy she got this far done before the new semester begins at the end of the month and wants to celebrate. Any ideas?" Ziva asked, breaking the silence.

"Tim wanted to take Sarah to some new bar downtown for the longest time. Apparently it's got this geeky theme going on. Let's go there," Tony suggested. "Sarah will know the place as soon as we mention it."

"Sounds good," Ziva said, trailing off.

"I should get back to reading these personnel files before Vance starts assigning people to me at random," Tony said.

"Good plan. He might assign a few problem people to you as a lesson on procrastination," Ziva said while standing up. Tony gave her an innocent look at the mention of procrastination. "Don't give me that. I know you better than that. You procrastinate at every opportunity."

"Only when it doesn't matter. Now get going before I get a call from Gibbs wondering where you are."

"I will say hi to Jimmy for you," Ziva offered with a smirk, hinting at where she was going next.

"Thanks," Tony replied. He let out a heavy sigh and picked up the stack of files on his desk, missing the small frown Ziva gave him before leaving.

"Dr. Mallard has be more forgetful than usual lately," Jimmy explained as he rushed around the morgue to collect different pieces of paper that belonged to the file Ziva was there to pick up. "I think he forgot you were coming down to collect this today."

"It is no issue to wait, Jimmy," Ziva placated.

"I know. I know. You're working a cold case because Gibbs needs time to select more team mates. I just..." Jimmy stopped mid step and sighed in a way that reminded Ziva of Tony's morose mood from earlier. "I am thinking Dr. Mallard is taking Tim's death as a sign that he needs to move on from NCIS."

"You are not the only one to think that. Quite a few others have noticed Ducky's disconnection from his work. He does not tell stories like he used to," Ziva said.

Ziva walked up to Jimmy to give him a once over, concern growing on her face. Everyone was so focused on Abby, Tony, and her own grief over Tim's death, she realized, that others were being neglected. She had yet to see anyone outside Tim's family approach Jimmy, Ducky, or Gibbs.

"Jimmy, how are you?" Ziva asked.

"I'm fine. I'm just buried in so much paperwork from Dr. Mallard forgetting it all that I'm a bit exasperated at the moment," Jimmy chuckled, absently running a hand through his hair.

"No. I mean, how are you?" Ziva repeated.

Jimmy inhaled sharply, registering what Ziva was asking, and looked at the floor. Tears began to form on the rims of his eyelids.

"Breena's been worried. She claims I haven't been eating much lately. I don't notice a difference, but of course I work so much that there have been days where I ate nothing and didn't realize it until I went to eat dinner," Jimmy said. "I think she's about ready to make me take a leave of absence."

"It is hard to move on from a death when it is senseless and has no meaning," Ziva offered.

"But that's just it, Ziva. It was an accident. Tim died in a car accident. There's nothing about it that would require demanding any kind of justice, so why am I so hung up on it?" Jimmy said, raising his head to look Ziva in the eye.

"Tim was our friend, Jimmy. Not a stranger from a case that we'll forget about in a month's time. Not a coworker we barely say two words to when we share an elevator. Our friend. Someone we shared holidays and birthdays with. Someone who helped us change our car tires. Someone who brought us soup when we were sick. Tim was someone we cared about and someone who cared about us in return. His death means something to us," Ziva said, tears forming in her own eyes. "I would be more worried if you had stopped caring already."

Jimmy nodded repeatedly, running the back of his hand under his nose as he sniffed loudly. Ziva gave Jimmy a few moments to gather himself before stepping forward and pulling him into a hug. So many had been offered to her since the day the accident happened. She could return them.

The two of them jumped away from each other in shock, both letting out yelps of surprise, when an autopsy drawer door slammed open across the room.

"One would assume that does not usually happen," Ziva said as she and Jimmy stared at the open drawer with wide eyes.

"No," Jimmy shook his head as he slowly started walking towards the drawer.

"Could Ducky have not latched it properly?" Ziva followed behind Jimmy.

"I suppose so, but the doors are heavy. A gust of wind from the AC or refrigeration unit shouldn't have caused that," Jimmy explained over his shoulder.

At the drawer, Jimmy took a look inside. Seeing it empty, he closed the drawer and made sure it was latched.

"I'll mention it to Dr. Mallard. He hasn't told me of any issues with the doors, but I may have forgotten."

"Very well," Ziva nodded. She let out a shutter of a breath as she remembered what she saw in the mirror of Tony's kitchen. "I'll go back to the Bull Pen and give you some time to collect your paperwork. Let me know when you're ready."

"Of course, Ziva," Jimmy said.

Jimmy turned away from the drawer to give Ziva a proper farewell, paying no mind to the 107 on its door.