TRUST YOU WITH A SECRET

AUTHOR'S NOTE/DISCLAIMER

This popped into my head while watching the ep "Alibi". Belongs Donald P. Bellisario. I only own the plot. Refers to child abuse.

"Anthony, what are you doing here? Is everything okay? Your meeting's not until tonight," a man noted and Tim started a bit, though he tried to hide it. Tony was in AA? He didn't seem to be an alcoholic. But maybe it started recently. Since Ziva left, he thought. He knew that the other man didn't like change and he could sometimes get self-destructive.

"Oh, I'm fine. It's work," Tony responded. Crap. Didn't mean to worry him, he thought to himself.

"All right. you need anything from me or Reverend Wilkins?"

"No. Thank you." With that, the man left to mingle among the people that were milling about.

"Tony, do you have a drinking problem?" Tim asked. Maybe that's why he's been acting so weird. He's drying out, he thought. It'd also explain why he didn't have a car yet: his license had probably been revoked.

"No. It's nothing," he responded.

"It's something. Look, there's no shame about getting help for a problem. It's very responsible and-" Tim continued.

"I don't have a drinking problem," Tony interrupted.

"Well, what am I supposed to think?" Tim pointed out. Fair point, he thought to himself and then let out a sigh.

"I don't have a problem with alcohol," he assured.

"Narcotics? Gambling?" Tim surmised. Those are the only reasons for him to need a support group. Everything else in his life is great, he mused.

"No, McConclusions," Tony responded. "I've been seeing the group here ever since Senior popped back into my life a few years back," he explained.

"I…don't understand," Tim confessed.

"Can I trust you to not tell anyone? I mean, it Tim. This isn't one of my pranks," Tony commented.

"Yeah, of course. I'll always have your six," Tim promised.

"The meeting tonight is a support group for adult survivors of abuse. Physical or otherwise," Tony admitted. Tim's eyes widened and his mouth dropped. Abuse? Tony had been abused? Yeah, he had been annoyed by his father's reappearance in his life, but he had never indicated that the man had been abusive.

"Oh damn, Tony. If I had known, I wouldn't have let him get anywhere near you," Tim told him, his voice apologetic.

"It's okay. Gibbs knows what happened, which is why he hovers whenever Senior's around. Though he does seem to have changed," Tony assured him.

"But you're not completely convinced."

"No. And this group…it helps me to voice how I'm feeling and to deal with it." Tim nodded.

"Okay." He was honored that Tony had chosen to trust him with this and he wasn't ever going to break that trust.

THE END