"I'm not ready for this." Tim sighed as he looked at himself in the bathroom mirror.
Saturday morning had come way to fast for Tim. It had been four days since Hannah had been killed, three since they got Maddie back from Eric. Since Tim and Maddie, along with Carrie once she had been discharged from the hospital had been staying with Gibbs. After the funeral Carrie and Maddie were moving back into their home now that it was cleaned up from that horrible night. Tim would be moving in with them for a few days until Maddie was more settled. Tim was loving staying in Gibbs' home. They were taking things slow, Gibbs letting Tim set the pace.
The team had been stood down from the field until Monday, allowing them to catch up on paperwork and also all get to know the new members of their family. Maddie spent a few hours a day with each of them so they could all get to know their honorary niece - and granddaughter according to Ducky. Tim or Carrie were always right there as well.
Gibbs stood in the doorway, leaning against the door jam. "It's not for another five hours why are you getting ready now?"
Tim looked at the older man through the mirror. "I just needed to shower. Was going to dress in sweats until it was time."
Gibbs nodded as he stepped into the bathroom and stood behind Tim, his hands on the younger man's waist. Tim was only wearing a towel hung low on his hips.
"Are you hungry?"
Tim shook his head as he turned in the man's arms and wrapped his own around Gibbs' neck, pulling him closer for a kiss. Before it could get too heated Tim pulled back. "We need to talk."
Gibbs really didn't like the sound of that. The last time Tim had said they needed to talk was the night before and it was about Tim moving in with Carrie and Maddie for a while. Gibbs knew eventually he would be losing Tim back to his apartment, but he had been a little sad - and not admitting it out loud - that it was happening so soon.
Tim could sense Gibbs still so he continued. "Carrie let me know she told you about David."
"Oh."
"Yeah." Tim smiled at him before dropping his arms. "Let me get dressed. We can talk after."
Ten minutes later they were both sitting on the couch, coffees in hand. Ziva and Abby had taken Carrie and Maddie for a 'girls' morning before the sadness of the afternoon so it was just the two of them in the house.
"David and I were together for two years."
Gibbs nodded. "She told me that. Also said when you broke up it hurt you."
"Yeah." Tim frowned, staring into his coffee cup. "He uh... I found out he was cheating on me... with a woman."
"Damn."
Tim bite at his lower lip and nodded. "Yeah so I confronted him. He denied it of course but when I showed him I had proof, he went balistic, said I was spying on him. I wasn't, he was just arrogent enough to leave pictures they had taken in our apartment. Found them while I was cleaning, shoved into a book."
"How do you mean he went balistic?"
Tim reached up and rubbed at a faint scar just above his right eyebrow. "Threw the book the pictures where in at me. Not sure he actually meant to hit me or not but once it did and he saw the blood he panicked, started apologizing. I told him to pack a bag and get the hell out."
"Good." Gibbs' hand hovered over the scar. He had seen it so many times over the years, always wondering how it got there, always assuming it was a childhood injury.
Tim grabbed Gibbs' hand with a smile and kissed his knuckles. "A week later was Hannah and Carrie's wedding. He showed up with the girl and Carrie kicked them both out."
Gibbs was shocked. It had only been a few weeks before the team had met Tim. "She was protecting you."
Tim nodded as he still held Gibbs' hand. "Her parents weren't happy but they understood once Carrie explained. I've seen and talked to him once since, when Maddie was born. He is now happily married to another man."
Gibbs shook his head but didn't comment as Tim laughed. Feeling adventurous and still not wanting to think of what was to come that afternoon, Tim took both their cups and sat them on the coffee table before straddling Gibbs on the couch. Gibbs moved his hands to Tim's hips and circled them around to his lower back. They hadn't sat like this before but Gibbs didn't seem uncomfortable with the younger man in his lap.
Tim kissed Gibbs while his hands sneaked under the hem of the man's shirt, lifting it as he ran his hands over Gibbs' stomach and chest, playing with the chest hair. Gibbs groaned as he deepened the kiss, his hands moving down to squeeze Tim's ass. Pulling back from the kiss, Tim yanked at Gibbs' shirt and the older man quickly raised his arms so the shirt could easily be removed and tossed to the side.
Gibbs' hands returned to Tim's ass at the same time as their mouths came back together. In the last three days since they had admitted their feelings and got Maddie back, they had stolen kisses in the dark but nothing beyond that. This was the first time they actually had time to themselves and if Tim wanted more, Gibbs was not going to stop him. Tim was just reaching for the other man's belt when he heard the front door. He froze but didn't move from Gibbs' lap.
"Boss! Probie! You guys still... whoa god I'm not looking!"
Tim pulled away from Gibbs and looked up to find Tony standing in the foyer with his hands covering his eyes. Smiling Tim looking back at Gibbs and with a shrug then went back to kissing him.
"Oh come on Probie!"
This time it was Gibbs that pulled away. "Thought you weren't looking DiNozzo."
"I wasn't but I thought you'd stop and get dressed, not start making out again!"
The men on the couch looked down at themselves. The only article of clothing missing was Gibbs' shirt. Tim hadn't even undid the belt, though his hands were still positioned over the buckle.
"There a reason you're here so early?"
"Uh... it's ten?"
Tim looked at his watch and nodded to Gibbs that Tony was right. With a deep sigh and one last kiss Tim removed himself from Gibbs lap and stood up, handing over the tossed shirt as he did so. Gibbs stood and pulled his shift back on before grabbing the now cold cups of coffee and heading for the kitchen, followed by Tim.
"You can open your eyes now DiNozzo."
"You sure?"
"Why take a chance, you know the layout of the house enough to get though blindfolded."
They heard a huff before Tony joined them in the kitchen, hands no longer covering his eyes.
"The girls not back yet?"
"Do you really think we would have been on the couch like that if they were?" Tim gave him a questioning look.
"Point taken." Tony shrugged. "Maybe you should start locking your door Boss."
Gibbs and Tim looked at each other. It was Tim that spoke. "He's got a point. Locking the door would insure nosy family members didn't barge in.. or sneak in to get pictures."
"I wouldn't do that."
"No but I would!" Abby came bouncing into the kitchen, followed by Ziva, Carrie, and Maddie.
"Daddy look what Aunt Ziva bought me!" Maddie held up a stuffed hippo. "I named him Charley."
"You already have a dragon named Charley." Tim smiled down at his little girl, his hand smoothing hair out of her face.
"Oh." Maddie looked thoughtful for a minute before looking at Gibbs with a smile. "I'll call him Gib!"
That got a snort from Tim and Tony, and aww's from the ladies. Gibbs hide his amusement behind a fresh cup of coffee.
By the time eleven rolled around everyone was gathered at Gibbs' and ready to head for the church. It was only a twenty minute drive but Tim and Carrie wanted to make sure everything was perfect, and make sure Hannah's mother didn't try to change anything. When thy all arrived the only other person already there was Carrie's sister Denise. Denise was David's twin sister, married to her husband of twelve years with four kids of their own. Aaron and the kids were nowhere in sight.
"Julie and Austin are sick." Was Denise' only answer as she hugged her sister and then Tim before scooping up Maddie.
Denise was introduced to the rest of the team before she and Carrie took Maddie to sit down. Tim was staring up the isle of pews at the pictures they had picked to show Hannah. But his eyes were unfocused as he stared at the closed casket. That had been one of her many wishes. No matter what, Hannah did not want an open casket at her funeral. Tim felt arms around him and he leaned into the touch as Gibbs kissed his temple.
"Nobody is ever ready for this." Gibbs whispered in his ear. "I'm right here for you. We all are."
Tim nodded and with a watery smile he followed Carrie and his daughter up to the front. They still had some time before guests were actually to arrive. When they started too Carrie and Tim stood by the doors to greet them. Many were neighbors, co-workers, and other friends. David showed up with his husband and Tim just gave him a small smile, his own hand being held by Gibbs as the older man stood behind him for strength. Seeing this David gave him a nod and moved on.
When Mary and Richard showed up, Mary completely ignored both Carrie and Tim and headed for a seat. Richard shook Tim's hand and kissed Carrie's cheek without a word before following his wife. Tim sighed. "This is going to be a long day."
"It's always a long day when you have to deal with Mary Barclay." Carrie muttered as the last of the guests arrived and they could all finally sit.
The front pew sat Carrie and Tim with Maddie between them. Gibbs sat to Tim's other side, while the team and Carrie's siblings sat in the two pews behind them. Across the isle was were Mary and Richard sat, rigidly. Tim was satisfied to know Mary was probably very pissed off at the moment, knowing the woman was missing her beloved bingo club. Tim figured it served her right for treating her own daughter the way she had all those years.
Many who knew Hannah stood up to tell a story of two, including Tim and Carrie. Even Maddie had wanted to talk about her mother. When she had burst into tears and ran for her daddy, Gibbs held them both through the waves. By the time the service was over Tim's eyes had ran out of tears. Not everyone at the service followed to the cemetery, it was mostly family and the closest friends. By the end it was just Tim, Carrie, Maddie, and Gibbs still standing at the grave site. The rest had all headed for the diner outside of DC that Tim had rented for the evening. Maddie was hugging Carrie's leg and her thumb was in her mouth.
Tim was leaning into Gibbs' side, not ready to go but it was getting colder as the sun got lower in the sky. After they said a last silent goodbye the four of them headed for the last car there - Gibbs carrying Maddie when the little girl started drifting to sleep. When they arrived at the diner more stories about Hannah - and Tim - growing up were told. More stories about Hannah and Carrie together, about Hannah as a mother to Maddie.
By the time it was going on eight in the evening Gibbs drove the three of them back to Carrie and Hannah's home. Gibbs only stayed long enough help them settle in. Carrie seemed very quiet and reserved as she moved through the house and Tim kept an eye on her. Maddie settled instantly into her own bed once again. By nine Gibbs was saying good night to Tim with a kiss before finally leaving. Tim checked on Maddie and Carrie once more before heading to the guest room just across from Maddie's room - and not getting any sleep that night suddenly being in bed alone.