Ok so here we are at the final chapter. Sorry for making you wait. I have been off writing angsty McGee porn (who knew?) and moving my stuff onto a new site NFA Community (NCIS Fanfic Addition) but here it is and I hope you like it. Let me know.

Timothy McGee slept on.

At one stage early on Commander West had broken off what she had been saying and went over to Tim, gently tipping him over onto the couch so he lay sprawled out in a more comfortable position. She slipped off his shoes, and spread out a light blanket over him. It was as she lifted his head slightly to place a pillow under it that he seemed to almost wake and smiled in his sleep 'Willow' he mumbled before abandoning himself to the soothing healing darkness once more. She smiled and placed a quick affectionate kiss on his forehead to the astonishment of those in the room.

And so it was that much of the work conducted over the next few hours out of the Commanders office was done with a large NCIS agent fast asleep on her couch.

He slept on through briefings with several trusted advisors. He slept on through several small discrete teams of NCIS agents being deployed at sites around the base. He slept on through Jeffrey being removed from the Commanders basement confinement and formally arrested. He slept on through surveillance cameras being re directed and several base employees being followed about their activities.

Gibbs in a brief moment of respite watched his slumbering junior agent and quietly wondered exactly what had gone on between the Commander and Timothy McGee. Watching him sleep as he had done a thousand times before it seemed unlikely. With his full lipped, boyish features innocence seemed to radiate out in a protective aura around him. Then McGee had smiled quietly to himself in his sleep and suddenly there was little doubt that it was definitely a man and not a boy sprawled out on the Commanders couch. To Gibbs it was fairly clear that McGee was either having a rather racy dream or he was beginning to come around after a couple of hours solid slumbering.

'I really should wake him now. He wouldn't want to miss the most exciting part especially after the price he paid for the information. Besides we are going to need him for the next bit.' The Commander stood up from her chair and made a move towards McGee but Ziva beat her to it.

The Commander smiled. She liked Ziva. She was strong, intelligent, decisive not to mention beautiful. She could understand now why Tim hadn't even blinked at some of her own forceful ways. If he worked with a woman like Ziva all day he would be accustomed to it. Willow watched as Ziva hurried over to Tim and thought about how quickly Ziva had angered in the sight of Tim's pain. How she had become so frustrated so quickly at the thought of being left out of a situation that had resulted in him being hurt. She smiled to herself as she wondered if there wasn't something going on between them. Something that even dear Timothy didn't even realize.

Ziva knelt gracefully to the floor and gently shook McGee's shoulder. "McGee it is time to get up now'

McGee smiled, gently inhaled and with his eyes still closed sighed 'Ziva'

Ziva blinked and waited a moment for McGee to continue. When he didn't she realized that he was still mostly asleep. She smiled realizing that he seemed to know the way she smelt. She considered her own thoughts on McGee's delicious smell from earlier that morning. At least she wasn't the only one who was thinking it. Perhaps they all had been spending a little bit too much time together. Then why wasn't she drifting off in rhapsodies about the way Tony smelled? Or Gibbs?

She turned and gave Tony a quick smirk before leaning in close and started whispering something breathily into McGee's ear.

'Ummmmm, snaggilyy morrrnngggg ffunn……' McGee's smile grew wider as he mumbled something incoherently to Ziva before his eyes suddenly shot open and he gasped 'Ziva'.

McGee sat up suddenly, so suddenly he clutched at his ribs and his head simultaneously and grimaced while blinking groggily around the room.

Tony laughed. 'What on earth did you say to him to get him awake so quickly?'

Ziva just smiled suggestively 'You will never know Tony' She gave McGee a quick peek on the cheek and smiled at him' Good morning sleepy head. It is time for you to get up and help catch the bad guys now. We have all been watching you sleep for far too long.'

McGee was watching Ziva in startled apprehension as his pleasant dream from earlier had coagulated into Ziva whispering naughty things in his ear. Oh my God had she heard what he thought he had said back to her? Had he said something or was that just in his head? He watched her and as she showed no signs of shock, disgust or hilarity decided she hadn't.

His gaze broadened to encompass the whole room including the Commander and the rest of his team watching him.

'Arhh Good morning?'

'Actually McGee it is good afternoon. You have been asleep for a few hours but it looked like you needed it.' Gibbs was glad to see a sense of alertness had already returned to McGee's eyes, although whether that was due to the aftershocks of whatever Ziva had said to him or really being refreshed from his sleep Gibbs wasn't sure. It didn't really matter really as long as he was back to firing on all cylinders.

'Afternoon? I haven't missed it have I?' McGee suddenly felt panicky and stood up quickly from the couch, stepping away from the coffee table where his breakfast meal had been cleared away hours earlier.

'Don't panic. No of course you haven't. That's why we woke you. We need you up and ready.' The Commander soothed and McGee relaxed, taking the chance to rub the sleep from his eyes. 'Are you sure you're ok? The Commanders question resulted in everyone turning and appraising him.

McGee considered for a moment. He was dressed in his own clothes, with his friends and team mates, safe from immediate harm. He had had at least some decent sleep and what felt like several plates of food. His ribs ached slightly while the welts on his chest stung but nothing debilitating. While he had felt better he had until recently felt considerably worse.

He smiled 'Lets do this'

Gibbs laughed while Tony and the others surged towards McGee bundling him out the door of the Commanders office.

'Everything is waiting for us in the Central Command Surveillance Room. It's not quite your MTAC but it's the closest we've got and I think it will do' Commander West strode confidently down the hallway with the rest trailing along behind her.

Tony suddenly grabbed McGee's arm and dragged him to a standstill in the hallway. 'McGee, look before we do this, before time gets away from me again I just want to say one thing' McGee was impatient wanting to see what his programs had uncovered and ..

'McGee! Tim, please I'm trying to say something important.' McGee turned at Tony's use of his first name and looked at him. 'I'm listening'

'Ah well I know Gibbs says that to apologize is a sign of weakness but I have to say to say it.' Tony took a deep breath. 'I just wanted to say I'm sorry.'

Tim thought about this for an instant and came up blank 'Sorry for what?' His brow furrowed in consideration.' I was the one who withheld information from you guys. I should have tried harder to phone you earlier….'

'Sorry for what? Sorry for What? You don't even know? I have been here feeling terrible, despicable all morning. And now you don't even have the decency to remember what I'm apologizing for?' Tony was starting to waive his arms about, all his tortured thoughts of the morning building into frustration.

'First you disappear, then your back and you're ok but acting weird and then you're not ok. You were hurt during the night and you wouldn't have been if it wasn't for me.'

'Ohhhh' Tim realized what Tony was trying to say 'The door'

'Yes the door. I tricked you outside and then shut the door. It was silly. I opened it ten minutes later so you could come in but apparently you were already gone by then. And I just wanted to say I'm sorry. It was a silly mean thing to do to a friend.' Tony bowed his head a bit and looked contrite, which was spoiled by him peeping up through his eye lashes to see if McGee would accept his apology.

Tim smiled and thought of the long night that he had had. Both the good and the bad.

'It's ok Tony. I know you didn't mean for any of this to happen. Really I do. I would appreciate it if you didn't shut me outside in the cold nearly naked again though.' He laughed and Tony relieved stepped in to give McGee a big hug and a slap on the shoulder.

'Owww Tony you're hurting me' McGee squirmed in Tony's embrace as his aching chest protested the treatment.

'DiNozzo are you touching him again?' Gibbs smirked as he walked past the two men hugging in the hallway, glad to see his team back together again with all their quirks.

'Yeah Boss. Can't seem to help myself'

'Man your worse than Abby with her hugs'

'Sorry Probie I forgot about your ribs. Oh man. Abby! You really should call her. Gibbs phoned after we found you at the Commanders house to tell her that you were ok but she doesn't know about any of the other stuff. She was so mad at you!' Tony grinned in anticipation of the call McGee would have to make.

'Great. Just great.' McGee sighed realizing he had another task before he could settle in front of his machines

'I would recommend going heavily on the being tortured part, rather than the spending the entire night in the company of the Base Commander part' Tony grinned gleefully, happy now that the status quo of McGee being in the awkward position had been re established.

'Oh Oh and when you are done there I have to tell you about The Fight! Over You!' Tony was practically hopping from one foot to the other in his excitement, his quiet contriteness now completely washed away in a sea of mental images of struggling, hair pulling snarling woman.

'A fight over me? What are you talking about DiNozzo?' McGee furrowed his brow and unintentionally pouted at Tony in his confusion, who simply continued his excited tirade.

'By the way that Commander is a piece of work. I'm glad it was all just a cover! She looks like she could eat poor little Probies like you for breakfast!'

'Is that so Agent DiNozzo?' Commander West stood sternly behind him, a small smile on her face.

'She's behind me isn't she?

Tim smiled at the Commander then at Tony 'Yup' He then stepped away leaving Tony to squirm under the Commanders intimidating gaze and picked up his treasured cell that had also been lately returned to him.

'Abby?'

McGee pulled the phone away from his ear as a screech of accusation pierced his ear drums. He pulled a deep breath and launched into a highly edited version of the nights events, not pausing to take a breath until the trail of angry words on the other end started to fade out and was replaced with 'He did what to you? Are you ok Timmy really?' and finally 'Make sure Gibbs gets those dirt bags.'

'McGee! Come on. We have already sat around watching you sleep now lets get this done so we can go home!' Gibbs was waiting impatiently at the end of the hallway, along with Ziva and Tony, whom Commander West had harried along up the hallway like a sheep dog,

'Abby. Abby. Abby! I have to go. Yes I'm fine I have to go. I will call you later. Yes. No. Yes. No. What? No.' Tim sighed and was tempted just to flip the phone shut and end the call like Gibbs did but he knew that would simply cost him later. 'Abby I'm going now because I have to. I need to catch the bad guys remember and then we can all come home? I will speak to you about all this later. Bye'

McGee finally was able to join his colleagues and he settled himself in front of the central computer. Six smaller screens were arrayed in banks on the large wall allowing for multiple views of computerized information or live feeds of video footage.

'Come Timothy let loose those dogs of war of yours.' Commander West stood imperiously before the multiple linked video screens, a startling vision in scarlet red against the light filled screens. 'Show me the genius I know you to be!'

'All I'm saying is that I just don't see McGee and the Commander … you know getting it on.' Tony whispered loudly to Ziva as they stood at the back of the room watching the final drama unfold. Tony was once again back onto his most recent favorite subject and emphasized just what he thought would be getting it on with his eyebrows. 'She is so…...

'So what Tony?' Ziva had decided she liked the Commander. She was a strong woman who was willing to take risks and stand by her decisions.

'Well you know she's the Wicked Witch of the West. She's strong and dominating. She would scare him not attract him. And she's much older. And she just isn't McGee's type.

'McGee has a type?'

Tony continued on ignoring Ziva 'And McGee is well… he's a Boy Scout, he's a Goody Two Shoes, Mr By the Book. He is not the sort of guy to get down and dirty with a woman like her. Trust me. I know my Probie.'

Ziva considered quietly the character of the man she had sat across from for three years. 'I'll bet you $50 bucks he did.'

Tony smiled. 'It will be a pleasure taking your money off you Ziiiiva.'

'By the way what did he say to you when you were whispering in his ear before? I couldn't hear it. It wasn't something dirty was it?'

Ziva just smiled at Tony and considered what she would buy with Tony's money that would aggravate him the most.

Perhaps a yearly membership to the Washington based Thom E Gemcity Fan Club? So Tony would know where to attend the monthly meetings to discuss the various fictional characters and how they could be used as examples in everyday life.

Although she would keep the members only I Love Thom over sized soft cotton T-shirt herself - to sleep in. Only because it would be comfortable. Of course.

The Commander continued to stand behind McGee as she watched the far left screen tracing where the final money transfer would occur, and consequently where McGee would siphon it away from. His hands flew as he directed his legion of programs across several locations, gathering evidence, shutting off alternate escapes, misdirecting communications.

'I want to make sure that you make them pay for what he did to you, Timothy' The Commanders voice this time had dropped to an insistent angry hiss as she leaned towards McGee.

McGee turned for an instant and locked eyes with Willow, then he turned back to his keyboard and screens before saying quietly to her 'I will make sure they pay for what he did to you'

She smiled at him though he couldn't see it as he watched the data flow across the screens. It was kind of eerie with the bright screens as they threw the information across the darkened room. Willow stepped forward in anticipation and as she glanced back at McGee she could see the information scrolling in miniature across the still glossy surface of his pupils. An almost perfect collaboration of brilliant man and perfect machine.

'Can you hear it Commander? The hiss of cold steel as your sentries approach. Can you smell the hot black oil bubbling as your guards move into formation protecting your gates?' Tim dramatically formed the questions in response to the movement in front of him, his voice growing slowly louder in his excitement.

She watched on the other screens the tiny black smears as several small teams that had been positioned around the base moved in on various locations, alerted by McGee's tracking viruses uncovering boxes of drugs and falsified authorities bearing her so called signature.

'Go! Go! Go!' Willow could hear the group leaders as they issued their commands and surged around their prey.

'You'll be able to smell the smoke from their villages burning and hear their screams before you see them. Their children's children will whisper your name in Fear.'

McGee was getting really carried away now as his fingers flew across the keyboard.

The Commander threw back her head and laughed. 'Oh how you do delight me Timothy!'

'Ahhh ok maybe now I can see it …. a little' Tony admitted watching the interaction between the two of them as they shared a sort of private world with each other.

And suddenly it was over. The teams began reporting in with their arrests, while others acknowledged discovering the hidden stockpiles of drugs that had been in the process of being transported. McGee had traced the falsified records and documentation and had secured the money that had been about to change hands.

Days of paperwork and processing was still in front of them given the scope of the operation but much of it could be handled by the local NCIS agents. The Washington team could complete their reports from Washington.

McGee sat alone for a while in front of his computer feeling a bit dazed. It was over. They could go home. He could go home and finally sleep in his own bed. He turned and looked around the room and noticed that the Commander had slipped out.

He took the opportunity while Gibbs was on the phone arranging flights home and Tony and Ziva were talking with the local NCIS agents about the operation to step outside for a moment and speak with Commander West.

With Willow.

He saw her standing alone at the far end of the corridor, looking out the window. He walked quietly up beside her and stood there for a moment enjoying the view.

She turned to him and smiled' Well done Timothy' She looked up the hallway to see if anyone was watching and she leaned in for a kiss. Nothing earth shattering but warm and affectionate none the less. Tim smiled down at her as he broke the kiss and opened his mouth to say something. 'Shuush' Willow placed her finger over his full lips halting him. 'Before you start I just wanted to say Thank you. Before you came here I was locked into this whole Wicked Witch of the West thing. I thought I was doomed to just whittle out my days drowning in administration. But now I feel invigorated. Set free if you like. There is life in the old dog yet.'

Tim nearly laughed aloud at this vital woman considering herself an 'Old Dog'

'There are also a few people' Willow paused and looked at Tim a small embarrassed smile on her face 'a few men who I should call. They probably think I just didn't care enough to return their calls, their flowers and cards. But now I know then at least I should let them know. Even if it is too late.' She smiled a little sadly at this thought and Tim tipped her chin up.

'Hey, you never know what is around the corner. And I have to say that I am glad that it was you that found me and not Gibbs or some security patrol. Some of it was even fun.' Tim looked at the Commander and smiled 'The forklift I mean.'

'Yeah……. the Forklift. That was great.' Willow ran her hot eyes all over him as they said their goodbyes.

Gibbs watched as McGee and the Commander talked quietly together at the end of the corridor. They were standing close together, leaning in towards each other with plenty of eye contact and quiet smiles going on.

Well whadda yah know? McGee did sleep with her. Gibbs smiled to himself and then shut the door behind him firmly as if he had just stepped out.

'You ready to grab your gear and start heading home McGee?' Gibbs called loudly down the corridor and watched the two suddenly straighten up and away from each other. Gibbs turned to give them another moment of privacy and shouted through the door to Ziva and Tony.

McGee jogged back up the corridor alone and joined Gibbs as Ziva and Tony came out of Surveillance and they all headed towards the elevator.

'Well I must say that has to be a record' Tony said smugly 'We have been here what just over 24 hours and here's the case all wrapped up?'

'No thanks to you DiNozzo.'

'Well actually Boss, if I hadn't shut McGee out then he wouldn't have been picked up by the Commander and then seen by Jeffrey and then got the information needed to solve the case… and …' Tony trailed off as Gibbs slapped the back of his head

"Shutting up Boss'

'By the way DiNozzo, Don't think I have forgotten about a suitable punishment for you pulling a stupid prank like that on McGee. I know you didn't mean for all this happen but it was still irresponsible and you are a Senior Field Agent. And since it was your Junior Field Agent who suffered the consequences of your actions then I have decided that outside of all field operations your roles will be reversed. For a month.'

Both Tony and McGee stared at Gibbs. 'Reversed? For a month? What do you mean Boss?'

'I mean that Tony will be riding in the back of the truck. For a month. Tony will go collect lunch and or dinner when required. For a month. Tony will lug all heavy equipment onto any site. For a month. Any cleaning that needs to be done will be done by Tony. For a month. If anyone needs coffee, Tony will get it. For a month. Need I go on?'

Tony and McGee stared at each other as the long lists of activities Gibbs punishments affected rolled out in front of them.

McGee tried to smoother his delight in the face of Tony's misfortune but just couldn't manage it. 'Oh thank you Boss' This was almost worth getting beaten and whipped for!!

"Don't thank me, McGee' Gibbs rolled his eyes. 'It's not a present for you. It's supposed to be a punishment for Tony'

'Oh yes Boss. Of course. Thank you Boss' McGee promptly shut up least his joy spoil the moment.

Tony sighed as he considered the long month ahead of McGee lording it over him. Still it was McGee. He would probably feel bad in a week and within two he would be helping Tony with his 'punishment' anyway.

The elevator doors opened and the four of them stepped forward as Commander West crossed towards them, looking for a final glimpse of dear Timothy.

Tony smiled up at his friend, and clapped him on the back.' Well I have to say McGee I don't care what sort of punishment is handed out to me, I'm just glad you're ok. You're never to disappear like that again on me you hear?' Tony was speaking sternly to McGee and poking his finger into his chest to prove his point. 'I was really worried. We all were really worried. Although the whole you supposedly sleeping with the Commander thing really threw us for a loop there for a while'

'Oh I never said I didn't sleep with her, Tony.' McGee smiled and blew the Commander a kiss as the elevator doors closed and she laughed and waived back.

A ruckus of denials, laughter, accusations and astonishment erupted in the elevator as the team made their first step towards traveling home.

'Do you guys know I know how to drive a forklift now?'

'Don't forget Tony I want my $50 bucks!'

Thanks guys for reviewing and your support otherwise I wouldn't of finished this story. Special thanks to streak13, denouement intruder, Paragon Dragon, Enthusiastic Fish, iheartgibbs, Ozgeek, Thesilentshogun, sitting onthesideline, lady,of,silver, Cabot007, Special agent Al, Moms 5th child, Miss Abby Taylor,Ravyen10

I will be starting my next story soon so keep an eye out– You've got to fight for the right to party! (That's the title – and the attitude!)