AN: So, this is the end...

It's been a great run and I just want to thank everyone who has reviewed, followed and favorited this story. Thank you all for reading!

Disclaimer: I really hope that by this point no-one is under the impression that I own NCIS in any way, shape or form; because I don't.

The walls were all a uniform cream color and the doors blended right in with them, the well dressed man noted as he was escorted through the halls of the institute to his destination.

Stopping at a door like all the others the man and his guide entered.

"Abby." The man said politely.

"McGee." The woman seated at- and handcuffed to- the single table in the room all but spat, she would have done more but that was what the cuffs were there to prevent.

"Your doctors-"

"Are all idiots! I'm only here because of you! Go away!" Tim ignored the outburst and simply began again.

"Your doctors all believed we should talk, that it would help you get over some of your... unresolved issues."

"I have nothing to say to you! You faked your death and left me holding the bag. How could you?! I thought we were friends!" Tim took a seat across from the distraught woman, and then had to pull his chair back as she tried to kick him.

"Abby..." Tim warned but was ignored by the enraged make-upless Goth, like normal whenever he tried to tell her something.

"Everything was just fine- Perfect!- before you had to go and ruin it. I hate you! I never want to see you again! I never want to speak to you again! What did I ever do to you to warrant such cruel treatment from you?!" Tim sighed and rubbed his temples while looking over at his former coworker's doctor standing in the corner and taking notes.

"Abby... You're the one who put yourself in here, and it could have been a lot worse..."

"You mean Vance's petty threat to have me charged with treason and sent to Gitmo? Yeah, I figured out that was a total bluff weeks ago. I'm not stupid, you know." Abby preened as much as she could without the use of her hands at her own supposed cleverness.

"Actually, it wasn't. Director Vance had to pull a lot of strings to have you committed rather dragged off never to be seen again. You interfered with the internal management of a Federal Agency when you buried those complaints against you, Abby, and that's not even mentioning the reports and documents you diverted and rewrote to make yourself look better. Those are serious crimes, you're lucky to be in here and not somewhere much, much worse." Abby just glared as hard as she could as her former doormat as he told her truths she would rather ignore.

"You've changed, McGee, and not for the better." She growled out and Tim shook his head sadly.

"You're only finally seeing me for who I really am, Abbs." Abby barked a harsh and derisive laugh at that and Tim stood with a weary sigh.

"For what it's worth- and though you don't actually care for it or want it- I forgive you everything you've done, Abby, but that's not to say that all is forgotten- you burned your bridges with me a long time ago and I don't see them ever being rebuilt. You're very ill and I only wish I'd realized it earlier and been able to get you the help you needed sooner, but the past is just that and there's no going back." Tim turned to the door but stopped before he reached it at the small voice coming from the vicinity of the table.

"Is that it? Are you just going to leave me here like everyone else has? No-one cares for me anymore, Timmy, even Gibbs has stopped coming in for visits. Something about refusing to pander or something. Won't you help me get out of here, McGee? For old times sake?" Tim turned back to see Abby hunched in on herself looking small, fragile and sincere; but he'd been suckered in by that look far too many times to fall for it now.

"Goodbye, Abby. Maybe we'll see each other again once you're well." Stepping out into the hall, Tim only caught a small portion of Abby's... very explicit rant about his ancestry, his reproductive prospects and his general demeanor.

"Agent McGee?" Tim opened his eyes, unaware he had closed them, and took a step away from the wall he had rested against after escaping Abby's presence. He looked at the doctor who had followed him out and gave a halfhearted smile.

"So, how well do you think that went?" The doctor gave Tim a small but reassuring smile as they began heading towards the exit.

"It may not seem like it right now but she it doing much better than when she first came here, and your visit will- hopefully- help her get over some of her ingrained belief that she's omnipotent and invincible." Tim coughed quickly to hide his dark chuckle at the thought of Abby finally seeing herself for who she really is and taking responsibility for her own actions.

"Well, we'll see. We can always hope." He said to cover the moment, they shook hands and parted ways, one headed back to their recalcitrant patient and the other vowing to never step foot in that building again.

NCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCIS

It was a bright and beautiful Friday afternoon and every member of the MCRT was looking forward to not being on call that weekend.

Tim sat typing away at his computer, only occasionally looking up to meet the eyes of someone starring- most had accepted his resurrection for what it was, an undercover mission completed successfully, but a few still felt the need to reassure themselves visually that he was once again with them in the land of the living(Tim was just glad that, after three weeks of being back, the stares had dwindled down and he no longer had a parade going by his desk everyday of people just wanting to say hello)- and looking forward to the plans he'd made for the weekend.

"So, McGee- my good old partner, good old pal- a little birdie told me that you're going on a 'book signing' this weekend." Tim schooled his features to blank before lifting his eyes to take in his SFA leaning against his desk and said nothing, knowing that it would get under Tony's skin faster if he remained silent.

"Come on, Mr. Gemcity of international fame, drop me a bone here! What are you really doing this weekend?" Tony leaned in, getting excited over all the illicit, illegal or just plain noteworthy things his partner might be getting ready to do without him.

Tim gave a smirk and leaned in closer to the older man, looking around as if to assure himself that no-one was listening, and spoke in a whisper too soft for Tony to believe he'd heard what he had.

"What?!" The SFA asked, hoping that he had heard wrong and his partner would be up to something more exciting.

"He said he's releasing a new book, DiNozzo." Gibbs said with a smirk as he signed off on the last of Tim's reports, releasing the younger man for the weekend ahead.

"Oh." Tony gave Tim a sad look, like a puppy that had just been kicked or a child who had just lost the ice-cream from their cone, and moved to his own desk.

Tim just laughed at his teammate's antics and pulled an author's copy of his new book from his bag.

"Here you go, Tony, the very first copy of the last of my Tibbs series." Tony looked over in surprise as he moved to take the book, looking it over with interest. He always liked being the first to have something.

"You're done with Tibbs? But I thought..." Tony looked confusedly over at Ziva who finished Tony's thought for him.

"We never thought you'd put an end to your writing, Tim. It is a... jolt."

"Shock. 'It's a shock', Ziva. And I'm not stopping my writing, I've just finished my contract on this series and can now work on my next one- I did promise them a second series if you'll recall. I may write some more Tibbs in the future but I'm not planning on it at the moment."

"A new series?" Tony perked up at that, wondering what his Probie would write about next.

"Yep. With all the downtime I've had recently I've even made some great headway on the first two books in the series. 'Living on the Edge' will be the first one. And if you read what I just gave you, Tony, you'll also get an introduction to the new team my stories will be revolving around." Tim stood then from his desk and grabbed his pack ready to make good his escape before Tony or anyone else began looking at the summery of his new book since Gibbs had already told him he could go once his reports were signed.

"I'll see you all on Monday. Oh! And the repairs are almost done on the House, so if you want to drop on by... feel free." With a final smile and wave Tim made it into the elevator just as Tony began reading the synopsis of the story on the dustcover.

"I don't believe it!" Tony yelled as he threw the book down with a disgruntled look and began pounding on his computer keys far harder than was necessary to complete his work.

"It can not be that bad, Tony. What did it say?" When she didn't receive an answer she stood and retrieved Tim's new book from Tony's desk and began reading the summery herself, her quiet laughter just made Tony even more sulky than he already was and got her a raised brow from their boss- Seeing this she began reading out loud.

"'While undercover on a mission to seduce the beautiful daughter of a dangerous arms dealer known as La Lezard, or The Lizard, Special Agent Tommy is nearly killed when his car is blown up- while he is supposed to be in it! Now, presumed dead by his team, Special Agent Tommy must find a way to keep both himself and the woman he has come to love alive while trying not to tip his hand as a Federal Agent- though it may already be too late. Then, from out of nowhere, in steps CIA Agent Trevor McKenzie who has managed to infiltrate the infamous La Lezard's organization. Can these two great Agencies work together long enough to see that justice is done and Tommy restored to his team in one piece? Read and find out in a story critics are calling a roller-coaster ride of unimaginable delight!'" By the time Ziva is through Tony was nearly growling, and Gibbs had to duck his head to hide how amused he was.

"So, his next series will be about his adventures with his CIA team... I can't wait to read all about it." Ziva said slyly as she laid Tim's new book back down on Tony's desk and went back to work.

Tony paused in his typing to absorb what his ninja-like partner has just said and a slow grin began to spread over his face the more he thought about it, Tim had said the new team he'd be writing about would be in this book...

With happy thoughts looking forward to finally finding out some of the secrets Tim had been keeping from him, Tony finalized his reports and began trying to decide which movies he'd like to spend the weekend watching in that amazing theater he had mostly all to himself.

"Hey, guys! What do ya think about a movie marathon on Saturday? We can start with a little Bogart in just about anything and move our way up through the times till we get to Bruce Willis in 'RED'. We can have a full day of seeing to bad guys get their asses handed to them by the badest of the bad!"

"Why would we want to watch bad guys beating other bad guys?" Ziva asked, genuinely confused.

"No, Ziva, its not bad guys versus bad guys. It's guys who are bad for the bad guys..." Gibbs just shook his head as he tuned out whatever rambling discussion Tony was attempting and thought about his team as a whole.

Damn but it felt good to have them all back together, and no more secrets between them as well.

NCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCIS

"So, did they buy it?" Kevin asked as he pulled away from the curb.

"Yep! They all think I'm spending my whole weekend at a release party and book signing." Tim leaned over and gave Trent a peck on the cheek before swiping the dossier the other man was holding and perusing it himself, looking for any new data.

"I can't wait to be a character in your book, Tim, the wife and kids are all already excited about it; though they were confused when I told them I'd be named Francine. Did you have to make me a woman?" Kevin snorted his laughter at that, happy that his character was named Kenny and definitely male- though he wasn't looking forward to the fanfictions he knew would one day be written about Kenny and Francine being in a relationship, but it couldn't be helped he knew.

"So, any changes to the plan?" Tim asked as he closed the dossier.

"None. You hack the systems, get the information we need and get out." Tim snorted.

"As if it's ever that easy." Everyone laughed at the old joke and settled more comfortably into their seats.

The more things changed the more they stayed the same.