They were on the road by 0700 and ate their breakfast burritos from Elaine in the car, taking Gibbs truck as Gibbs had predicted that at some point through their time away they would need the truck because of the snow. Gibbs' first pitstop was for coffee and Tim was eternally thankful. Tim had barely slept a wink and when he did sleep, he was plagued by nightmares. The nightmares he'd had were a mishmash of Nathan Harper and his past relationship with Sean. Talking with Gibbs the night before had stirred them up in his brain and somehow mixed them up into one ball. He did remember that at some point through the night that Gibbs had reached out and steadied his hand on Tim to try to get him to stop shaking.

"Sorry if I kept you awake last night." Tim had said and winced at the thought of breaking rule six again. "Didn't mean to. Nightmares, you know?"

"It's ok. You can't control if you have nightmares or not, Tim." Gibbs replied. "It's not like they're irrational nightmares. You deserve so much more than what life has given you, Tim."

"We both do." Tim replied, thinking of the heartache that Gibbs had experienced losing Shannon and Kelly. "We both do." He repeated.

They arrived in Stillwater just before lunch, pulling up in the driveway of Jethro's childhood home. The two men made light work of their bags, Jethro taking their bags upstairs, dumping his in his childhood bedroom and Tim's in the guest room across the hall from his. As he walked past the upstairs thermostat, he nudged it a few degrees higher, noting that Jackson had been upstairs already today and turned the heating on low. His father never turned the upstairs heating on unless he had overnight guests.

Back downstairs in the kitchen, Tim started a pot of coffee and upon closer inspection of the fridge found a note left addressed to them from his father. Following the note, Tim opened the fridge and found the two homemade sub rolls Jackson had prepared for them earlier, for their for lunch. Pulling them out, he warmed up the broiler. He put the subs on a tray and popped them in, quickly toasting the bread and melting the cheese.

"Thanks Tim." Gibbs told him as he came into the kitchen, just as Tim was plating up the subs, fresh coffee already on the table. "You didn't have to make lunch; I could have done that. You're our guest."

"Nonsense, besides Jack made the subs, not me." Tim replied as a matter of fact. "I just warmed them up and made a pot of coffee. There's a note on the fridge for you."

Gibbs went over and looked at the note his father had left for them. Basically, it was welcome home, lunch was in the refrigerator and season the steaks for dinner. Jethro rolled his eyes at his father's predictability. Seasoning the steak on his first night home is always his job. Things hadn't changed since he left for the Marine Corp.

After lunch, Tim and Jethro headed out the back to make sure there was enough firewood chopped and split for the couple of days' worth, at least. Tonight, Jackson would watch the news like always, taking note of any forecasts of blizzards or storms and advise them accordingly. "Does Penny and Ducky know where you really are?" Gibbs asked, breaking Tim's focus on staking the split wood by the back door.

"I'll tell Penny when I email her tomorrow." Tim answered in an exasperated tone. He had known that the question would be coming, and it seemed as if Gibbs had deliberately waited until they were in Stillwater to ask it.

"So, I made reservations at the steakhouse in Harrisburg for seven tomorrow night, did you still want to try the saloon bar too?" Gibbs asked him, redirecting the conversation away from his family.

"Yeah, I'm good with that." Tim told him, truthfully. He wasn't a big drinker, but he'd like to be able to enjoy himself a little more. Having Gibbs also relax was very important to Tim too.

"Thought we'd book a room at the hotel across the street." Gibbs suggested, "Going to the new fancy steakhouse and Saloon, don't want to worry about a DUI getting back to Stillwater. It's a two hour drive each way."

"Good idea, boss." Tim chuckled, then laughed harder. "Oh no, imagine Vance's reaction to that!"

That set the laughter off in Gibbs too. "Is a double ok with you? Or do you want your own room?" Gibbs asked the younger man, seriously. They'd shared before for work and it had been fine, but this wasn't a work trip. He was still worried about Tim but didn't want to push the envelope too much. "You could meet someone at the saloon, you never know."

"Me? Pick up someone in a bar?" Tim asked incredulously. "Double's fine, unless you think you'll meet someone." Gibbs scoffed at Tim's suggestion. "I wouldn't even have a clue how to meet someone in a bar. Always met people either through school, mutual friends or even that one time I met someone online."

"So, no cheesy pick-up lines just waiting to be used like in Tony's repertoire?" Gibbs asked, his voice teasing the young man lightly.

"Not even one good liner." Tim huffed dejectedly. "Probably why I'll end up spending my life alone."

"Tim?" Gibbs voice turned serious, immediately dropping the teasing tone he'd used seconds earlier. "You'll meet someone, there's someone out there for you. You just need to loosen up a little. You're really tense. I'll tell you what, if someone does catch your eye, I'll be your wingman."

"Wingman?" Tim asked, amused at the thought of Gibbs being his wingman, before realising that the Boss must know something about picking up women because he'd been married four times. 'Women don't just get married for something to do.' He thought to himself, when thinking of Gibbs' ex-wives and the very few stories they'd heard about Shannon.

"Yeah, believe it or not, I do know how to be a good wingman." Gibbs jested and Tim attempted to take the axe from Gibbs for his turn, of which he refused. "I'd say ask Tobias, but he didn't listen to me when I warned him off Diane, so his judgment is questionable."

"My turn, Gibbs." He told the older man firmly, taking the axe from Gibbs for his turn to split the logs. "Same deal. Although I'm not really sure how much of a good wingman I'd be."

"You'll be fine Tim." Gibbs told him, but deep down, Gibbs was mentally planning to focus on finding Tim someone he could broaden his sexual experiences with. To take away the temptation of Gibbs wanting to personally teach the younger man everything he'd learnt, himself.


Dinner was a lively affair, Tim and Jethro got a decent fire roaring early and decided to have dinner ready by the time Jackson walked in the door. Jethro and Tim had taken a four-minute drive up the main highway to Benton, the next town over to pick up a case of beer and couple of bottles of bourbon from the bottle shop. That was the one thing that Stillwater lacked, a bottle shop to buy alcohol.

"Something smells delicious." Jack called out as he entered his home by the back door.

"Go wash up, Dad. Two minutes until dinner." Gibbs told his father. Jack noticed that Tim had dragged the tray table over to his favourite recliner and set it up with cutlery and a cold beer, whilst his son Leroy was setting the coffee table to eat at, presumably for himself and Tim.

Returning from washing up, Tim ushered Jack into his favourite chair. "Relax Jack, dinners on us." Jack looked down and spied a piece of steak in his favourite cut, baked potatoes, char grilled carrots, peppers, and a mushroom and green bean mix that had been sautéed lightly in garlic butter.

"This looks just as delicious as it smells, thanks Tim." Jack told him with a sniff as he sighed appreciatively at the plate in front of him.

"Hey, I cooked the steak." Gibbs jested at his father.

"Yes, you did," Jack conceded. "But I know for a fact, the vegetables were all Tim's doing. You had nothing to do with them." Winking at the young man.

"Busted!" Gibbs winked at Tim and smirked at his father. "Told ya he'd know it was all you."

"Tim you're welcome here, anytime." Jack said appreciatively as he took a bite of the assorted vegetables on his plate. "What trouble did you boys get yourselves into this afternoon?" Jack asked the duo, taking a sip of his beer. "Besides that, huge stack of split firewood in the alcove on the back screened porch.

"Not much else." Gibbs grumbled to his dad. "Going to Harrisburg tomorrow night, try that new steakhouse and saloon. Probably going to stay the night up there."

"Don't drink too many boys." Jack warned them. "I won't bail either of you out of jail but have yourselves some fun."

The trio watched the news broadcast and weather forecast. They weren't predicting snow in Harrisburg, which was good and the snow in Stillwater wasn't predicted until Sunday night. Which made Gibbs happy because he hated driving from Harrisburg to Stillwater in the snow.

After dinner, Jack took the dirty plates and nudged his son to give him a hand with the dishes. "If you two don't need me Gibbs, I'm going to send that email now, rather than tomorrow." Tim said, excusing himself from the room. Not only should he get the email out of the way, in case Penny tries to call him and personally chastise him for not going to see his sister. He also wanted to give the father and son some much needed alone time together.

"Go on McGee, email Penny and Ducky so they don't worry about you." Gibbs instructed.


"Quickly tell me, what's the deal with Tim?" Jack asked. "That boy seems so lost. He isn't the happy go lucky kid I met last time."

"It's complicated, Dad and it's extremely private to Tim. But I'm handling it." Gibbs told his son.

"Are you going to be ok sharing a hotel room with him tomorrow night, Leroy?" His father asked. "There's some tension there between the two of you. Sexual tension, perhaps?" He asked, gauging his son's reaction.

"Dad!" Gibbs whined, rubbing the back of his neck in frustration. "We'll be fine. There is no tension." He denied. He knew it was a lie and he knew that Jackson knew he was lying too.

"Nothing wrong with finally moving on from Matt, or even from Shannon." Jackson told him. "Tim's a good man and I like the boy. You could do worse."

"Dad, Tim's my agent. He's my subordinate and my responsibility." Jethro explained to his father.

"You're not going to tarnish their memories by finding happiness with someone else, Leroy." Jackson told his son truthfully. "Matt made you promise him that you'd go on living, not just going through the motions. Shannon didn't want you to linger on either, wallowing in your grief for her. I heard her tell you once, the Thanksgiving of '89, I think it was. Hell Leroy, it doesn't even have to be Tim. Just promise me you're open to the idea of someone."

"Tim did promise to be my wingman." Gibbs told his father in a sing song. "Maybe I'll meet someone tomorrow night, stranger things have happened."

"Best you get yourselves two rooms then." Jackson jested. "Although a little tumble in sheets could be good for the boy too. Might relax him a bit too, he's wound tighter than a corkscrew."

"Dad!" Jethro scolded his father. "This conversation is over!" Not wanting to out Tim's sexuality or his less than professional feelings about his agent to his father.


Tim opened up his laptop and clicked on the mail icon for his personal email address and quickly typed out a new email message:

" TO: .profPLangston

CC: .DMallard

FROM: .TMcGee

SUBJECT: Vacation Mandate

Dear Penny (and Ducky),

I hope you are both well and I hope Ducky arrived safely into your lovely company, Penny.

I am sorry to tell you, I did not go to visit Sarah, as I said. Please do not be angry at me for lying to you both. I do not have the mental capacity at the moment, flying anywhere during this vacation mandate just seems like too much for me to deal with. It is just too much energy and I much too overtired. As much as I long to see you and miss you dearly Penny, I have as much desire to see Sarah in Australia as I do to travel all the way to Scotland.

I know you're both going to be worrying about me being by myself, but I'm not alone. Gibbs has asked for my help with installing some electronics for Jackson at the store and I reluctantly agreed. I was quite content with staying at home, but Gibbs made me come with him to Jackson's (he said it's because he and Jackson need a buffer, but I don't believe that to be the full truth.)

My vacation time will be spent here with Jackson and Gibbs in Stillwater. Gibbs told me to reassure you both that I am ok, and you needn't worry about me. Gibbs will keep me in line. How much trouble can I get into in Stillwater, Pennsylvania?

We arrived in Stillwater this morning and only having visited here once before, I have forgotten how cold it is here already. Tomorrow Gibbs and I are going into Harrisburg to try a steakhouse for dinner, I will pick up some extra layers to keep myself warmer while I am there, and Jackson has loaned me some warmer gear until then. Although, I was hard at work this afternoon chopping wood, I did not need them. But Gibbs told me we chopped enough wood to only need to do it every couple of days. I will still freeze without them, so I'll pick up some new gear, which I am overdue to buy for myself anyway.

Maybe I should allow myself a little extra weight for the winter. I never had this problem when I was heavier. I promise you both though, that I'm ok and if I wasn't, I am sure Gibbs would be on the phone to Ducky, regardless of the time difference. We three know what he's like.

If you need me, I will be contactable on my cell or at Jackson's home or store, Ducky has the numbers.

Love Tim.

P.S Tell that bonehead sister of mine, I wasn't amused being left with the grunt work from her decisions. It seems now I've shipped her belongings to her, she's back to having forgotten I exist.

"Tim?" Gibbs asked, knocking on the door as he stood at the door jamb. He could tell he had interrupted Tim's thought flow but Tim quickly hit send, anyway. Looking up at Gibbs too quickly, he caught his neck and shoulder shudder and jarred them in an unnatural fashion. Gibbs winced as that simple notion of looking up and seemed to strain his neck and shoulder. "Ooh, that looked painful. I was just coming up to tell you to feel free to help yourself go the shower and what not, both up here and in the kitchen. Bathroom is that door at the end of the hall, in case you had forgotten from last time."

"Thanks." Tim said as he tried, unsuccessfully to rub his sore neck. "Yeah, was painful."

"My guess is you found muscles you never knew you had, when we were chopping that wood today." Gibbs teased the young man. "Come on, leave that email. A hot shower will loosen up those muscles, before a relaxing night's sleep. You'll be good as new by tomorrow."

While Tim was in the hot shower Gibbs raced downstairs to the main bathroom and grabbed the liniment oil from the medicine cabinet, along with two ibuprofen for Tim's pain. He nudged the thermostat a couple of degrees warmer and noticed that Jack had banked the fire and was now in his bedroom with the door closed, which prompted Gibbs to close the lights on his way up the stairs. Not planning to return downstairs until the morning.

Tim returned to his room, clad in a pair of blue check cotton boxers and a towel, which he was using to dry his hair. "Gibbs? What ... ?" Tim asked, surprised to find Gibbs in his room.

"Thought I'd help you with your neck pain. First up ibuprofen, take them or I'm calling Ducky." Gibbs threatened him, handing him the tablets and water. He knew that Tim wouldn't want to have Gibbs call Ducky, especially since he'd just reassured him and Penny that he was ok via his email. "Next, take a seat on the bed. It's easier to have you lay down, but after everything you've been through with that Harper, I want you seated."

"I can lie down." Tim offered, automatically. Gibbs emphatically nodded no to the younger man.

Tim wordlessly sat on the foot of the bed. Gibbs sat behind him, his legs stretched out either side of Tim's and he ensured to keep his body a respectful distance away from Tim's, despite his baser desire to get closer. "Tim? May I touch you, now?" He asked in a whisper, waiting for Tim's answer before he began. "I won't be touching you anywhere else but your neck, shoulders and shoulder blades. You have my word, so you can relax. You are safe." Gibbs vowed, the last thing he wanted to do was remind Tim of that animal who'd molested him. Or worse trigger nightmares worse than last nights.

"Ok." He told Gibbs. "I trust you." He told him. Gibbs heart swelled at hearing the trust that Tim had in him. All he had to do was make sure to keep his libido in check and any evidence of said libido away from Tim's body.

"Anytime you even think that you need me to stop, say the word and all actions stop." Gibbs told him as he warmed his hands and poured a small amount of the liniment oil on his hands and covered the palms of his hands with it. He began on Tim's neck. At the base of his skull, working his deft fingers into his flesh and his muscles, relaxing Tim in the process. "How's that pressure?" Gibbs asked, afraid that he was being too rough.

"It's ok, you can go harder if you like." Tim replied and Gibbs could barely keep his mind in check. Gibbs' fingers and thumb massaged harder into his skin and muscles, working through all the kinks and knots out.

Tim let out a small moan, followed quick by another, as Gibbs hit a particularly hard knot. Tim had given massages to the people he let get close to him - Sean and the few women he'd been intimate with. But he'd never received one before and certainly not from his boss. Lately, though he'd felt like the lines were blurring a little between the two of them.

"Right there." Tim panted out hotly, his breath hiking in pleasure. Not only was it the sweet spot for the pain he was feeling in his neck, but it was also sending shivers all over his body. The good kind. Tim had to resist the urge to call out, as his body's nerve endings came online, and his libido checked in. He tried to discreetly move arms to taper the evident arousal in his shorts, but Gibbs was working on his shoulders and as much as he tried, Gibbs kept pulling his arms back by his side.

Gibbs scooted forward an inch instinctively, without a thought, he knew exactly why Tim had wanted to move his arms. He could smell the sweet scent of their mutual arousal in the air. At first, he thought it was just him, after all he was hard as a steel rod, and he was sure he was surely leaking everywhere. Luckily, he still had his boxers and jeans on.

Tim leaned his body back into the massage, which gave Gibbs a good view of the front of Tim's lean, taut body. Tim's shorts tenting under his ministrations. Gibbs felt his own body twitch at the sight of Tim's hardening manhood, clad in cotton shorts. His hairless chest, taut stomach, his cotton boxer shorts stretched tightly against his manhood. Gibbs needed to stop. He needed to be the responsible one, he wouldn't let himself become a monster like that man who molested him. Tim was clearly aware of what they were both doing, and Gibbs swallowed a groan of his own arousal at that thought. The thought that Tim might want him as much as he wanted Tim.

Tim's eyes caught the crystal blue iris's belonging to his boss and saw a flash of wanton desire pass through them before they locked on with his own. "You are doing, ok?" Gibbs asked, his own breath hot in Tim's ear.

"Fine." Tim panted in reply, as Gibbs scooted another inch closer. "Want me to do you?" Tim asked the older man, not so innocently.

Gibbs choked on his answer, hearing Tim ask him that loaded question, in that sultry tone of voice. He reluctantly let Tim down, not trusting his voice or his libido, he shook his head no. He ran his hands down Tim's arms, lightly caressing the inside his wrists, before moving on to his palms and onto Tim's long, delicate fingers. "All done. Night Tim." he wished the younger man and quickly made his escape back to his own room.

Gibbs quickly darted into his room as soon as the door to the guest room was closed. He grabbed his sweatpants and made his way to the shower. Turning the water on, he stripped off his clothes, being extra careful to remove his sticky boxer shorts that were soaked with his leaking fluids from having his hands on Tim's body.

As soon as he was free, he stepped under the spray and leaned against the tiled wall, bracing his body on one arm. His mind was fantasizing about going back into Tim's room and picking up where they left off. He suspected that Tim had a pretty decent package underneath his shorts. He'd seen the outline of his impressive cock when Tim had leaned back into him. He began paying with his own balls and managed to climax without ever touching his cock.

Meanwhile, Tim lie back in bed with the lights off, his hard member peeking out of the top of his shorts. Knowing how he'd struggle to be quiet and not wanting to wake up anyone, he kept flicking his mushroom head hard, reciting the periodic table in order, then alphabetically and then in numerical order, begging his body to co-operate with his brain.


Morning came and although Tim had slept, it wasn't a peaceful sleep. Both men had woken up early. Coming down the stairs for coffee in their sweatpants and socks. Jackson was cooking breakfast at the stovetop, bacon under the broiler and frying up some hash browns and eggs, while the toaster browned the bread on the counter behind him. "Morning boys." Jackson greeted them cheerfully, noting that they came downstairs together, both wearing their NCIS sweatpants and thick socks, with white tees.

"Morning Jack." Tim said politely, while the younger Gibbs man grumbled at the coffee maker, trying to urge it to go faster.

"Mornin' Dad." Jethro grumbled, focused on getting his caffeine fix in order to focus on the day again.

"How'd you boys sleep?" Jack asked them.

"I slept fine." Tim told him and it was specific. When he did sleep, it was fine, what little sleep he had.

"You look like you haven't slept at all." Gibbs told his younger subordinate. To Jethro, Tim was always gorgeous, but he looked exhausted and run down.

"I'm fine." Tim persevered with his charade, not willing to give in that easily.

"I have no doubt you're fine, Tim." Jethro whispered to him, giving him elevator eyes. "But I've seen you well rested and I've seen you going on day three with no sleep and I've seen you like you are right now. So tired an exhausted, you're almost dead on your feet. Generally, that happens around day ten of little to no sleep."

"I'll be ok." Tim said not meeting his boss' eye, so he couldn't tell that Tim was lying. But Jethro knew.

"Humour me, go have a nap." Gibbs requested softly, stroking the back of Tim's hand gently. "For me? I'll even cook you a hot breakfast in return."

"Won't help." Tim retorted and Gibbs implored him with a look.

"Sleep now, or tonight will be cancelled." Gibbs threatened taking another step into the young man's personal space, their bodies almost touching. "Want you well rested, you got that?" he asked, a mere inch between their lips now.

Tim closed his eyes, trying to contain his emotions as he reined them in. "Yes boss." he sighed softly, and Gibbs gave him a rare megawatt grin, before sending Tim into the living room and back upstairs to rest.

When Jethro returned to the kitchen, his father was grinning at the silly grin that his son was still wearing. "Yeah right, as if that's a purely a working relationship, Leroy." Jack teased him. He had enjoyed seeing his son get up close to Tim. He'd been pleased that he'd been able to see the sparks there, between the two men.

Tim laid there, tossing and turning, still unable to sleep from his recurring nightmares. He tried all the techniques he could think of to distract himself. He even thought about focusing on other people, and that didn't help, either. He heard Gibbs on the stairs and thought about feigning sleep, but he had a policy not to lie to Gibbs. He'd been laying there for an hour. Gibbs silently opened the closed over, not sniped door to check on his young friend. Seeing Tim lying there, eyes wide open having not slept, he took another step into the room. "Thought I told you to have a nap."

"I told you; it wouldn't work." he retorted, with a satisfied smirk.

"If you pass out tonight, I'm leaving you where you fall. I'm not picking your ass up." Gibbs told him, offering his hand to help the younger man out of bed.