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Epilogue

Two Weeks Later

Things had been pretty quiet for the MCRT since Tim got his field duty clearance, one possible kidnap for ransom that turned out to be an angry ex-husband taking his daughter away from the family home; and a depressingly simple murder, a drunken argument that got out of hand. They were all completing the formalities on the latter case when Gibbs got a call.

"Gear up! Dead Navy Sailor, alley, North-East DC, let's move!"

Gibbs let Tony drive, he had a cup of coffee to finish, and he had some thinking to do…Things weren't the same, that was obvious, Tim was back but things weren't like they had been before. Maybe it was asking too much for everything to go back to how they had been; they'd all been through a life-changing experience, Tim most of all…He'd lived through dying, and not many people get to do that; small wonder he had turned to a therapist…and now Tony was seeing someone too.

That had taken Gibbs by surprise, and it had shaken him, he thought he knew his team, but for months Tony had been suffering and he never saw it. Sure, Tony liked to hide behind the face of a clown, and that's exactly what he'd been doing all these weeks, joking around, pushing Tim, supporting him…They had all been so wrapped up in Tim, his struggle to survive, then his long laborious path to full recovery, that they'd lost sight of what all this was doing to Tony. If the memory of watching Tony pumping life into Tim's heart wouldn't leave him, Gibbs couldn't help thinking how much more vivid must that recollection be to the man who held Tim's lifeless body in his arms and dragged him from the water.

Gibbs felt as Team Leader there was something he should be doing, but what could he do that would make things better? Maybe doing nothing was the best option right now. Ducky had warned him that he would need to be patient, and that had never been his strong suit...but he could do it, they'd waited so long for Tim's return to full fitness, he could wait a little longer for his team to be back to how it was...

As the truck pulled up next to a Metro PD cruiser the rain that had been threatening all morning started to fall.

Tony pushed open his door and called out to Tim.

"Looks like I get to see if you meant it."

"Meant what Tony?"

"Hah! I knew you'd forget; a rainy alley…pretty much like heaven you said."

Tim grinned as he remembered that first taste of the outside world after days of being confined to the hospital. "So I did, and you know what Tony, it's pretty close…"

"Hey! You two, remember we have work to do? I know your crime-scene technique is a little rusty Tim, but you won't find anything standing by the truck."

"On it Boss."

Tim was still smiling as he carried the crime scene kit over to the body. He knew it wasn't appropriate at a sombre scene such as this, but he couldn't subdue the sheer exhilaration of being part of the team again. Now if only Tony would stop being so...careful around him the whole time, if he could talk with him more often the way he had just now, then life would be so good.

Their examination of the scene had suggested that Seaman Gonzales had not been killed in the alley, but they gathered all the evidence they could and headed back to NCIS.

Tony and Ziva were supposed to be calling the Seaman's crew mates, but Tony had been distracted by the appearance in the bull pen of Callie Jenks, Temporary Personal Assistant to Director Vance, and according to Very Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo, smoking hot! He shot up from his chair and was firing up the DiNozzo charm, this woman he had to date...

Gibbs was about to call him out, to remind him that he was on the clock, when Tim returned after collating the evidence with Abby. Gibbs saw Tim cast a quick glance in Tony's direction, and a slightly wolfish smile crossed his lips...Gibbs sat back and waited to see what happened.

Tim walked back to his desk; he slowed his pace as he came close to Tony and Callie. Tony was in full flow...

"So that's your favourite movie, really? No way! It's always been my favourite too, Sleepless In Seattle, it's like the most romantic, amazing movie ever. I could watch it over and over."

"I have it on DVD, if you wanted to watch it together...sometime, maybe..." Callie couldn't believe her luck, all the girls in the temp pool were a little sweet on DiNozzo, they would be so jealous when they knew she was going on a date with him.

Tim stopped in his tracks, placed his hand lightly on Tony's arm and smiled warmly at Callie.

"You should definitely go out with Tony Ms Jenks, I can guarantee a date with DiNozzo will not disappoint, the first time he kissed me...when his lips met mine, it was...oxygen; my whole life changed, a new world opened up for me."

Tim had managed to maintain a straight face, but he knew that wasn't going to last long, so he made his way to his desk, ducked behind the monitor and started typing.

Callie was already heading for the elevator. "I had no idea...if I had known I wouldn't...see you around Tony."

Tony watched her go without a word, then he turned toward Tim, his expression one of utter astonishment; he tried to find the words, but no sound came out. Gibbs was grinning, he hadn't seen Tony in that state since Tim told him he had a tattoo; his grin got wider when he saw Ziva's face, she was staring at Tim with wide-eyed surprise, a smile starting to form on her lips.

Tim peeped from behind his screen. "You okay there Tony? You look a little out of breath...want me to help with that?" He puckered his lips and blew a kiss in Tony's direction.

Finally Tony's vocal chords decided to work. "After all I did for you...you...she was hot McFibber."

"Hey...I don't lie Tony, did you or did you not kiss me?"

"Yeah, but...not kissing like...kissing! I am so going to get you for this, when you least expect it, there'll be payback."

Tim's smile was wider than ever. "Bring it on Tony, I'm ready."

Gibbs leaned back in his chair with a real sense of satisfaction, it wasn't going to be back to how it was before; his team was going to be even better than before.

THE END

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