Chapter Text
Tim McGee sat quietly at his desk working on financials for the team’s current case. He checked the numbers against similar entries in previous months as he looked through the bank records, but nothing jumped out at him as being significant. He checked every one though, because he knew if he didn’t, Gibbs would make him redo it. Going over financials was boring enough without having to do it twice. He glanced over at Tony who was working on… well, something. Who knew what he actually did... if he did anything at all. He looked like he was concentrating though, so Tim suspected he might actually be doing something, but he employed the same focus to goofing off as he did to working so who knew? Kate was going over phone records and she concentrated on her task.
Tony’s desk phone chose that moment to ring and he picked it up. “Veeery special agent DiNozzo,” he crooned. “Yeah?” he said after a moment. “Really?” He listened intently. “That’s great. Pick you up at seven?” He grinned as he listened to the other person speak. “All right, see you then.”
He hung up the phone with a grin.
“Another hot date, Tony?” Kate asked.
“You know it!”
Tim resisted the urge to sigh audibly, lest Tony hear him and start ribbing him for his lack of a social life. Tony had been relatively quiet today so Tim didn’t want to get him started. That was one of the very few benefits of Gibbs being in a bad mood. Tony tended to be quieter. Of course, it depended on the level of bad mood, too. There was Gibbs’ ordinary, everyday bad mood and then there was his really bad mood. Tony didn’t ever seem phased by Gibbs’ everyday bad mood, but he was by the really bad moods.
In the few months Tim had been on Gibbs’ team, he’d been rattled a lot by Gibbs’ moods. Sometimes it seemed that, at any moment, the man was going to either kill you or burst into flames and Tim was never quite certain which to expect. Tim wished he had some help in navigating the storm that was Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs, but most people were just as afraid of him as Tim himself was. Tony seemed to be the only person not afraid of him most of the time, and even sometimes, Tim could see fear in Tony’s eyes. When he had tried to ask Tony for assistance, he just ended up sounding like an idiot and wasn’t able to adequately express that he needed help. Tony had that effect on him. He didn’t mean to sound like an idiot, but Tony’s confidence and swagger just left him feeling inept and out of his depth. It made Tony calling him ‘Probie’ sound even worse than it should.
There were some days Tim didn’t know what to do, how to do it, or where to turn. Tony and Kate were teaching him the job, and they would answer questions about the methods and techniques of the job itself, but it was everything else that Tim struggled with… like the moods of their boss, dealing with LEOs, dealing with witnesses, suspects, and the like. Tim didn’t always know what to say or how to handle certain situations and he was often thrown in headfirst.
Gibbs was very much a sink-or-swim kind of boss, and that wasn’t working for Tim. He was afraid any moment, his boss was just going to look up at him, glare, tell him he wasn’t cut out for this and kick him off the team. He’d heard that the team had been a revolving door with agents leaving because they couldn’t handle working for the toughest team lead in the agency. Tim felt like he was already halfway out the door on the bottom of Gibbs’ boot.
Tim didn’t want to get kicked off the team. He didn’t want to be found wanting. He’d already figured out that working for the most demanding team lead in the agency would do more to help his career than anything else would. He wanted to succeed, he needed to, he just didn’t know how.
Abby always said that Gibbs was sweet, but he didn’t seem all that sweet, not even to her. Tim had seen him give her kisses on the forehead or cheek, and it was obvious he favored her above everyone else, but Tim couldn’t figure out why or how. What made Abby so special? He didn’t dare ask Abby that question. She could be sensitive and would probably take offense and ask why he didn’t think she was worthy of Gibbs’ sweetness. On the other hand, she’d worked here for a while, so maybe she and Gibbs had just had a chance to get to know each other.
The lightbulb went on in Tim’s head. Abby had worked here for a few years, maybe she knew of someone who could help him out. It was worth a try. Maybe… just maybe, there was someone who could answer some of his questions and help him acclimate better, and hopefully help save his job before Gibbs fired him.
~*~
Later that day, he escaped down to the lab where Abby was gazing into the microscope. He couldn’t tell what she was looking at, and he really didn’t care.
“Hey, Abs,” Tim said as he walked in.
She hit a key on her keyboard which turned the music down to a dull roar. “Hey! What’s up?”
Tim hated being asked, “What’s up?” He never quite knew how to answer that because nothing was really up. He took things too literally, he supposed. Aloud he said, “Just checking to see how you’re doing.”
“Aww, that’s so sweet. I’m good. You?”
“I’m fine. Uh… listen, I need your help.”
This snapped Abby up from her microscope. She smiled at Tim. “Anything for you, Timmy. What’s up?”
For a moment, Tim considered changing his mind. Being called Timmy made him feel like a little boy, inferior to everyone in every way. He knew she didn’t mean it that way, but it still irked him. Realizing that it wouldn’t solve his problem though, he did his best to just shrug it off. “I have questions about things… job things, agent things, you know, stuff experienced agents know. I feel like I’m spinning my wheels and I don’t know what to do. I was wondering if you knew anyone who could maybe take some time and help me out. Someone nice and patient and doesn’t mind questions.”
“Oh, you want a mentor.”
“Yes!” Tim exclaimed, grabbing onto the word. He didn’t know why he hadn’t thought of it himself, but that was exactly what he needed.
Abby smiled her brightest, warmest smile. “Oh! I know the perfect person to mentor you. Give me a couple of days to work my magic.”
“Who?” Tim asked, definitely curious.
Abby’s smile didn’t diminish. “Let me ask first and see if they’re willing.”
“Can you at least tell me if it’s a man or a woman?”
“Well,” Abby said, dragging the word out, “no, actually I can’t. There are two people who I think would be perfect, but it depends on which one is willing. I don’t want to tell you who they are in case they don’t feel comfortable taking on the role of mentor. That would be awkward, but one is a man and the other is a woman. Let me ask and if not one of those, I know of someone else who might be perfect.”
“All right,” Tim said slowly. That sounded reasonable. He wouldn’t want to make someone uncomfortable knowing they didn’t want to mentor. It was better to not know.
“Leave it to me. Now, go. I have work to do.”
“Thanks, Abs. Good night.”
“Night,” she said, giving him a big hug before he left.
Tim would just have to wait to see if either of Abby’s perfect people were willing and able.