Disclaimer: see my profile.

A/n I'm planning this as a short story, two, maybe three chapters. Please enjoy.

Timothy McGee closed the last file regarding their latest case and dumped it into his outbox. He sighed and stretched his arms over his head. He glanced over at Gibbs's desk. His boss had left early for a change and McGee figured that he was home working on his latest boat.

"You okay," Ellie said from her desk.

"Yeah, just thinking about Gibbs."

"He seems fine since the burial."

"You know better than that, Bishop."

She pondered Gibbs's empty desk for a minute. "I suppose you're right. Still, you know he won't talk about it."

"I know."

"Look, we can't force him to confide in us."

"What do we do?"

"The same as always, we do our jobs better than he expects."

"Yeah, I guess you're right," Tim said with a weary smile.

"So," Ellie said as she rose to her feet. "Have you found anyone to take our sixth ticket for Comic-con?"

"I have someone in mind, but I haven't reached him yet. I'm going to try again before I go home."

"Oh? Who is it?"

McGee smirked and Ellie's nerves jumped at his expression. "I think I'll wait to say until I talk to him."

"McGee."

"Don't worry. I'll be right back."

He left her at her desk and walked through the bullpen to the breakroom. Two agents occupied the room, one at the snack machine and the other reading a novel with a hamburger and fries on the table. He smelled the food and his stomach growled. He looked at his watch and realized that if he didn't hurry, he'd be late for dinner. Normally, missing Delilah's cooking meant that he'd partake of leftovers late at night. This night, he wanted her specialty fresh. She made amazing lemon chicken and wild rice, and he meant to taste it hot off the stove.

He realized that he was distracted by thoughts of his stomach and if he didn't step it up, Bishop might leave. He pulled his phone from his pocket and dialed a number he'd memorized years ago.

"Spencer Reid."

"Hey, it's Tim."

"Timothy McGee?"

"Yeah, don't sound so surprised.

"Sorry, it's been a while."

"You're the one that disappeared without a word, except to Emily."

"Had to get away, you know why."

"Yeah, I know why. You okay?"

"No, but I'm back to work tomorrow. We'll see how it goes from there?"

"Have you talked to JJ?"

"No."

McGee decided to let it go. Spencer would talk when he was ready. In some ways, he reminded McGee of Gibbs.

"I have a suggestion that'll brighten your day."

"I'm listening."

"Do you have tickets for Comic-Con this year?"

"No, I don't want to go alone. I've alienated most of my friends, due to the demands of my job and asking anyone at work is – awkward and futile depending on the person."

"Good," McGee said happily. "I have an extra, All-Access ticket with your name on it."

"All-Access," his friend repeated with a squeak. "Don't toy with me, Tim."

"Wouldn't dream of it."

"How did you score six All-Access Passes?"

"Jimmy knows a relative of Stan Lee and she hooked us up."

"Who's going?"

"Delilah, Jimmy, Me, Breena, and Ellie."

"You talked me into it."

"That was too easy."

"Why?"

"I know you love Comic-con, but I also know that you've had a rough year. I thought I'd have to push harder."

"I'm not saying no to a free All-Access Pass, Tim."

"All right, I understand. Think about your costume, okay. I'll email you all the details."

"Fine. How are the twins?"

"Amazing. You need to visit them."

"Soon."

"Look, I have to get going," McGee looked at his watch. "I promised Delilah I'd pick up diapers, milk, and bread on the way home."

"All the essentials for a young family."

"True. See you later, Spencer."

"Bye."

McGee hurried back to the bullpen for his bag and to sign out of his work computer. Bishop glanced up as he entered and studied him with raised eyebrows. "So?"

"So, I talked to a friend of mine, Dr. Spencer Reid and he's agreed to join us."

"Wait." Ellie held up a hand as interest flared in her eyes. "Didn't I hear you talking to Jack about him the other day. She asked you if you'd heard from him and you said no, but you were sure he was okay."

McGee's eyebrows went up. "You heard that?"

"Yeah, I was in the ladies room and when I came out you were in the hallway going the opposite direction. It was right before the interrogation with that drug dealer who sold the overdose to Petty Officer Lloyd."

"Right. I just can't believe you remembered it."

"I did because you both sounded concerned and I wondered if you were talking about a missing person and if I could help and then I got distracted.

"No, he's not missing. He went on a voluntary sabbatical."

"Why?"

McGee shook his head. "I can't tell you. It's a personal thing."

"Okay, but why ask him if he's on sabbatical?"

"Because he's back, and I thought going to Comic-Con would be fun."

"I see," Ellie said. "So, what's he like."

"He's an FBI profiler. That's how Jack met him."

"How did you meet him?"

"It was seventeen years ago when I was finishing my degree a Johns Hopkins. He was a guest lecturer."

Ellie's eyebrows went up in surprise. "Is that so?"

"Yeah, Spencer is a genius and a child prodigy. He'd earned three doctorates by the time he was twenty-one. He has multiple BA Degrees as well. He has an eidetic memory and is the fastest speed reader I've ever met."

"Hm, sounds intriguing."

"Well, he's smart, but he's also a huge comic book fan, and he's an amateur magician."

"Seriously."

"Yep," McGee said and he fought to keep the smile off his face at Bishop's peaking interest.

"Well, then I guess I'd better be prepared for anything."

"Yes, you should."

"Right, well, I'm out of here. I'm beat and I'm starving."

"Yeah, I need to go as well. Delilah will skin me if I'm late and don't have the excuse of a case."

"See you later."

"Bye."

McGee packed up his laptop and grabbed his jacket from the back of his chair. He was about to hurry in the direction of the elevator when Jack entered the bull-pen from the direction of her office. "Hey, McGee," she greeted.

"Hi, Jack."

"You leaving?"

"Yeah, I have to make a stop at the market and if I don't hurry, I'll be late."

"I'll walk you to the elevator."

"Sure."

"So, I talked to Spencer. He called to say he's back from his sabbatical."

"I know, I talked to him too."

"Yeah, he said you offered him a ticket to Comic-Con."

The elevator arrived and McGee hit the button for the first floor as Jack stepped on with him. "Is that a problem?"

"No, but I thought you might ask Abby."

"I thought about it, but then I decided that Spencer needed the distraction after what happened in February."

Jack reached over and pushed the stop button. The elevator car shuddered to a halt and McGee's eyebrows went up. "You learn that from Gibbs."

"Yep."

McGee stared at her then realized if he hit the button to send the elevator to the ground floor, she'd likely stop it again. "All right, Jack. What is it?"

"You tell me."

"I asked Spencer because he's more upset than he'll admit, and not because he's in love with JJ. His mother's not doing well, and frankly, I thought I could distract him."

"By setting him up with Bishop."

"What? No!"

"Tim."

He shifted uncomfortably in the stuffy elevator. He was going to be late enough to seriously irritate his wife. "Yes, you're right. I thought if I introduced them, they might hit it off. Ellie's beautiful, and more importantly, she's smart and she's into comic books."

"I'll grant you that, just be careful."

"I will."

Jack started the elevator. "Sorry to keep you. I know Delilah and the twins are waiting."

"It's okay. Thanks, Jack."

She winked at him and got off the elevator on the next floor. He watched the doors closed and tried not to think of what might happen if Spencer and Ellie didn't hit it off.

CMCMCMCMCMCMCMCMCM

"Sorry I was late," McGee said two hours later when twins were asleep.

"It's okay. I know I still get jumpy when you don't come home on time and I don't know you're on a case. I still flash back to the three months you were in Paraguay." Delilah said.

He reached for her and cupped her face with his hands. "I get it, which is why I try not to worry you."

"You do, and I need to move on. It's been over a year now and – "

McGee leaned in and kissed her. "No, you don't need to move on," he made quotes with his fingers. "I was tortured physically and you were tortured mentally. Honestly, you amaze me with your strength. You didn't know if you'd ever see me again, and yet you never lost hope. In fact, every night on that ship I'd think of you and I could swear that I could hear you telling me to never give up hope. You kept me from giving in to complete despair, Delilah McGee."

She blinked away tears. "I couldn't give up, not with the babies on the way. I had to believe."

"I'm glad you did. Now, why don't I clean up and you can tell me about your day."

She told him about her day of paperwork at the DOD and he laughed because he knew what it was to have days of paperwork, and no case to break up the monotony.

"What did Lisa say about the twins? We're they good?"

"Johnny was, but as usual, Morgan was the trouble maker. This time she crawled under our bed and got her pant leg caught on a screw poking out of the bed frame. Lisa said she nearly called you, but then she was able to get her free and pulled out from under. Of course, by that time, Johnny was screaming and she had two very upset toddlers on her hands for about an hour."

"What are we going to do with Morgan?"

"Don't ask me. She's your daughter. She has your talent for trouble."

"Dee!"

"It's true. Anyway, you know how great Lisa is with them. She got them calmed down and by the time I got home, all was well."

"Good."

"So, tell me about your day."

He went through the day and she listened in silence until he mentioned Comic-Con and Spencer Reid. "So, I called him and he agreed."

"He's back. That's great. I was worried about him."

McGee closed the door of the dishwasher and set the cycle. He grabbed a glass of ice water and followed his wife to the living room. He flopped into his favorite easy chair and turned to take Delilah's hand after she rolled up beside him.

"He sounds better than he did three months ago. I think he's working out his issues."

"I hope you're right."

"I am. I invited him to come to see the twins and he agreed. I thought we could have dinner one night."

"I think that's a great idea.

"Did you tell the others that he's joining us for Comic-Con?"

"Ellie knows, but I haven't had the chance to tell Jimmy?"

"What did Ellie say?"

"That he sounds like an interesting man?"

Delilah eyed her husband and whatever she saw in his face narrowed her eyes. "What are you doing, husband?"

"Lying here enjoying a quiet evening with my wife."

"Ha, that's not what I meant."

"What do you mean?"

"I don't like your innocent tone, Tim. You have something up your sleeve."

"No, I don't," he lied smoothly while looking at the ceiling instead of his wife.

"Then, why don't you make eye contact with me."

He lowered his gaze to his wife and met her questioning stare. "All right, I thought that if Ellie met him that she might – I don't know, take his mind off JJ."

"You want to set them up."

"Why not?"

"Because he just found out that JJ's loved him for fifteen years and never told him."

"Yes, and you know very well that he'd never act on it, Dee. He loves Henry and Michael and he'd never do anything to break up her family."

"I know, but – well, I suppose you're right He deserves to be happy."

"Yes, he does."

"I hope your plan works."

"So do I."

"Come on," Delilah slapped his leg. "The kids are asleep and I want some personal time with my gorgeous husband.

Tim levered to his feet with a groan. "I suppose I have enough energy to fulfill my duties as a husband.

"You're a laugh a minute, Timothy McGee. You never say no to a little action."

"True," he agreed and made her laugh.