A/N: I thought I would assist Glasberg and company with a missing tag to tonight's ep, Devil's Trifecta. Seems like they forgot to put in the conversation that 'Chucky' had with Gibbs. It's short and not particularly clever, but satisfies my need. Enjoy. Sheila

Devil's Due

He was on his third attempt at reading the same paragraph on his computer screen when he heard, "Tired, McGee?"

His head popped up, startled. "No Boss, I'm not tired! There would be no reason for me to be tired! I slept last night! That's all! Just sleep! Honest!"

"Whoa, McGee, slow down there," Gibbs said as he eased into his chair. "Look at the clock."

McGee squinted at the time in the corner of his screen. It read 10:36 p.m. He looked up, blinking. "It's late."

"Yup. Everyone else went home hours ago. So what are you still doing here?"

McGee looked down at his keyboard. "I don't know."

"Tim, look at me."

He focused bleary eyes on Gibbs. "I didn't sleep with her, Boss. I know it looks bad but nothing happened."

"I know."

"Really? You believe me?"

Gibbs chuckled. "Yeah, I do."

He groaned, his body relaxing into the chair. "I thought Fornell was going to shoot me today."

"Well, Tobias takes Diane very seriously. She broke his heart, you know."

"She kind of gets under a person's skin."

"Oh, I know."

"Thanks for understanding, Boss. It would kill me to think that you thought…well, you know. I have way too much respect for you. I suppose I better get going."

Gibbs watched McGee gather up his things and stuff them into his backpack. "McGee?"

He turned. "Yeah Boss."

"What did happen?"

McGee sighed and dropped his backpack onto the floor again. He sat back down. "I don't know. Um…she said she was overwhelmed and felt bad about Fornell getting shot at, and then she said that Victor was thinking of leaving her, and then she made me hug her, and when I did, she kinda' wouldn't let go."

Gibbs chuckled. "She did that to me once. Three months later, I put a ring on her finger."

McGee winced. "Well, she wasn't after all that. She just wanted to talk, and after awhile, she was sort of likeable, you know. It was…sad to think that she might have another failed marriage."

"She chose you for a reason."

"Chose me? I don't think so. You and Fornell forced me to take her home. Remember?"

"She knew that you were kind of person who would listen and wouldn't judge. She has a lot of defenses, and she doesn't share easily."

McGee looked at him for a moment. "I don't think she talked to me because I was anything special, Boss. She talked to me because we have something in common."

Gibbs frowned. "Which would be…"

"You. She isn't really invested in her marriage. She wants Victor to be someone he's not. I think that someone is you."

Gibbs looked at the ceiling.

"Boss, I know you like redheads, and who you marry is…really none of my business, but um, you really oughta' think this through, you know."

"There's nothing to think through. She's already married, McGee."

"That might just be a temporary circumstance."

Gibbs grinned. "Maybe you're just testing me because you're the one interested."

"Please!" McGee groaned. "Fornell rode me all day. Said I cuckolded him. I had to look it up. Boss, I don't cuckold anybody. The truth is that your ex-wife could chew me up like an after dinner mint."

Gibbs laughed. "Okay. No more teasing."

"But you'll think about it before you get married again."

"I'm not getting married, McGee."

"Promise?"

"Yeah."

McGee sighed and picked up his backpack again. "See you in the morning, Boss."

Gibbs smiled as he watched him leave. "Hey McGee!"

"Yeah."

"My ex-wife knows a good catch when she meets one. She doesn't cuddle with just anybody. You're going to make someone a wonderful husband one day."

McGee snorted. "Yeah, one day."

"Tim, I think that day's coming for you sooner than you think."

….

The End