Catalyst 5/?

[emerald_green37]

 

 

 

It was tempting to ignoring the knocking, but McGee knew Tony wasn't about to leave, so with a heavy sigh he opened the door. As expected, DiNozzo was standing there with beer and pizza. "Tony..."

 

"Hey, you need to eat, McSkinny." Tony gave a grin that didn't reach his eyes as he came in and dropped the pizza box on the kitchen counter. "I'm in the mood for a movie, you got any science fiction? Of course you do, so pick something out, already."

 

"Tony, you hate sci fi. What's going on?"

 

"I don't know, man. You tell me." Tony looked deadly serious as he sat on the sofa and studied the other man. "You're in trouble, aren't you? 'Cause Gibbs is pretty freaked out and he never freaks out."

 

"It's nothing, Tony." Tim tried to distract the other man with plates, but it didn't work as DiNozzo dug in his heels.

 

"Nope. Can't be an 'it' and a 'nothing' at the same time. That would be like matter and anti-matter existing in the same space. Can't happen."

 

Tim narrowed his eyes at the reference. He'd always suspected there was much more of a nerd hidden in his partner than the other man would ever admit, but he couldn't afford to get distracted. "Okay, it was something that happened a long time ago, but it's over. Unfortunately, Gibbs just found out."

 

"Must have been pretty bad to have the Boss tweaking out about it now."

 

"It's over, Tony. Leave it alone."

 

Tony recognized the warning, but he had to know. "Was it something I did?"

 

"Leave it alone, Tony."

 

The non-answer was an answer in its own right. "I'm sorry, man." He stared at McGee, noting the stiff posture. "I'm not real good about knowing when I cross the line, so next time knock me back over it, okay?"

 

That got him his first smile of the evening as Tim picked up his beer. "Gibbs has decided I need more physical training, you might regret that, DiNozzo."

 

Tony returned the smile, feeling something inside him relax just a bit. "I'll take the risk."

 

They ate in silence for a few more minutes as Tony looked around. McGee was still in the same tiny apartment he'd rented when he first transferred to the team. The writing desk had been replaced by a sofa, but little else had changed since that first time he and Kate had broken into the place all those years ago. "Why are you still here, Tim?"

 

"What?"

 

"This apartment, you can afford better, you certainly deserve better, so why haven't you moved?"

 

Tim set his empty bottle down on the floor and leaned back in the sofa. "With the hours we keep I'm not really here that much and I use my money for other things."

 

Tony thought about his own place. It had been tight when the building went condo, but purchasing his unit had been the best decision he'd ever made outside of taking Gibbs up on his job offer. His sanctuary had kept him sane through some pretty rough times. "You deserve a place where you can unwind, recharge your batteries. Not settle for someplace you can catch a few hours sleep in."

 

"I do have a place." The concern from his partner prompted a confession he never thought he'd make to the other man. "I've never told anyone, never even added it to my personnel file, but instead of renting a bigger apartment, I bought a vacation home. It's about a two hour drive from here so it's close enough that I can go out there a couple of times a month but far enough away that I can put the job away for a day or two."

 

"Wow, really?" Tony was surprised, but now that he knew, a lot of things made sense, including the cheap apartment, but especially how the other man seemed to bounce back after a few days off. He held up his hand as if making a vow. "I won't bug you about it or go behind your back to track it down."

 

"Thanks, Tony." McGee chuckled and shook his head. "Every time we get a case out of town, I think we're going to end up there and I'll have to explain it to everyone."

 

"Even if we end up working a case right down the street, you don't have to say anything."

 

"It's a little town, Tony. Bigger than Stillwater, but somebody would be bound to recognize me." Tim shrugged and opened a second beer. "If it happens, it happens, but until then I'll enjoy my privacy."

 

 

---NCIS---

 

 

By the time the weekend came, McGee was a nervous wreck. Three trips to the range, daily sessions in the gym, Gibbs had touched him more that week than in all the years he'd known the man. He'd gratefully escaped to the Delaware coast and the little cottage he had purchased several years ago. Like he'd explained to Tony, the monthly mortgage kept his apartment budget limited, but every time he pulled into the dirt road, it was worth it.

 

Part of him half expected Tony to show up, but the other man kept his word, allowing Tim the time and the solitude to sort out the changes in his life.

 

Telling Gibbs about the attack had been terrifying, but cathartic. Unfortunately, it had also brought up a lot of the anger and pain he'd been forced to lock away. Tim knew that he had to get a handle on what had been stirred up. His friendship with Tony had matured and strengthened over the years and the other man didn't deserve to be punished for something he knew nothing about.

 

Then there was the more intimate changes. Gibbs had been right, that had been Tim's first time bottoming. His first sexual experience with a man at all, actually, and it had sent his world on end. Was he gay, was it just Gibbs, were questions he thought about every night. Laying in bed he could still remember the feel of the thick shaft buried deep inside him, Gibbs hands rough against his sensitized skin, his warm breath against his neck. He didn't think he could ever walk back into that house without throwing himself at the other man.

 

It was a three mile hike between his cottage and the beach, enough to keep the price down, avoid most winter storms and give him plenty of exercise. Standing on the shoreline, feeling the cold wind on his face was both invigorating and calming. By the end of the second day he had no answers about the changes in how he felt about Gibbs, but at least he could breathe.

 

 

---NCIS---

 

 

"Good morning, did you have a good weekend, McGee?"

 

"Yes, I did, Ziva. Thank you." Tim dropped his backpack under his desk and sat down with a smile as he booted up his computer. "What about you, did you enjoy our time off?" He smiled and listened as she talked about her weekend, but didn't offer any details of his own. When he looked up, Tony gave him a knowing smile and he nodded in return as Gibbs walked in with more case files for them to review, starting the work week.

 

It was mid afternoon before he and DiNozzo were alone in the bullpen. Tony looked around before coming over to sit on the corner of his desk. "Your weekends away do you a lot of good, McGee. I always figured you were getting lucky somewhere, but it's the getting away, isn't it?"

 

"Yeah. Don't get me wrong, I love my job and I love you guys, but going out there lets me shed all the bad stuff we deal with every day."

 

"Your own fortress of solitude?" Grinning, Tony leaned over and clapped his arm. "I'm glad for you, man."

 

 

 

Comments

[merzibelle]

Somehow I don't think it'll be hidden long... and poor McGee, midlife crisis time, eh?

[emerald_green37]

You know he just jinxed it by admitting to anyone that he has it. Maybe not midlife, but some sort of crisis. Now, will life ever give him a chance to sort it all out?

[merzibelle]

OH you know it. And this is you... you're going to put him through hell first!

[emerald_green37]

Well.....