Tony DiNozzo loved undercover work. One would be hard pressed to find an agent in NCIS or any other American Federal agency who loved the thrill of going undercover. Whether he was acting as a drug dealer to gain information on a drug smuggling ring in the Navy or if he was pretending to be a Gunny and flirting his way out of trouble, the thrill of undercover worked agreed with Tony. He had never thought that an offer to work undercover would make him want to vomit.

Undercover work was meant to be an escape from real life; a way to pretend to be someone else. To be someone with different dreams and passions. Someone with a different reality. It was not meant to make you fear that your secrets would be revealed. Tony doubted anyone would really care. They were used to him shagging anything wearing a skirt, adding 'just anyone' to it shouldn't be a huge deal but this was America. Everything is okay as long as you're a straight white man. He was scared of giving that up. Working for the Baltimore, Peoria, and Philadelphia PD's and NCIS had shown him what happened to people without that privilege. Kate's reaction to him kissing a transwoman was bad enough and had set him up for 10 years of being steadfastly locked in the closet.

Coming out as bisexual had never been an option. Just because it was legal and he could legally marry a guy doesn't mean it wasn't dangerous. When he was working for the Philadelphia Police Department he could have been fired for being bisexual. He'd known hundreds of homophobes over the years too, homophobes who could at the very least make his life miserable with the comments. At the worst he did not doubt that some would have had any problems 'accidently' shooting him.

Called up to MTAC with the keywords 'undercover' and 'special case for the director' had originally made Tony pretty excited. He'd raced up the stairs in front of a chuckling McGee and and a bemused Gibbs. Ziva had just raised an eyebrow in the slightly terrifying way that reminded Tony that it had not been all that long ago that she was a professional assassin.

He slid into MTAC trying to keep his excitement under wraps but he couldn't help grinning at Director Vance and bouncing on his heels and McGee came to stand beside him, just far away enough that he wouldn't be caught by any flailing arms. Gibbs and Ziva stood a little further away, directly in front of the Director, awaiting their assignments.

"I'm glad you look so excited DiNozzo, you'll be in the centre of this case." Vance said, a slight smile on his face.

"Undercover work. I love undercover work, you know how much I love undercover work, boss." his head slightly turned towards Gibbs and he was grinning like a child. Approaching 40 he was still a big kid. Kate had once summed him up perfectly as an 'X-rated Peter Pan'.

Gibbs humored the Special Agent with a smile. "How about you get excited after you hear the damn case, DiNozzo." If he had been closer he would have expected a head slap from his boss; as it was he took an unconscious step away from him to avoid the sting of a hit. He walked straight into McGee, whose hand touched his waist to avoid a more damaging collision. Tony felt the fizzle of excitement at the point of contact. He slightly leant into McGee's hand before reprimanding himself and stepping away.

"Careful McHandsey." he said, being sure to not look at Tim. No one could know of the highly inappropriate affection he felt for his colleague. He couldn't help but act like a teenager with a crush whenever he was around the man. He had lasted 12 years without anyone guessing, and the awful crush had lasted as long as he'd known the younger agent. It had started out small, an ignorable attraction to the once shy and nervous probie, and was now all but one step away into painful unrequited love. He'd kept the charade up for 12 years and all he needed to do was keep it up until he either moved to another team or retired. Except whenever he was offered another he declined and he couldn't keep pretending it was because of Gibbs. He wanted to be close to his Probie.

The agents in MTAC rolled their eyes and focused their attention on Leon. Tim had taken another careful step back, to avoid arm flailing and being stepped on whenever Tony avoided getting smacked.

"As I was saying," continued the Director. "I have a special assignment for you all. Yesterday two known assassins were found dead. On them were papers which lead the FBI to believe that their next targets were Navy. We don't know who those target or targets are, neither do we know who has employed them. Their laptops were sent down to Abby and between her and the forensics team at the FBI we have come to understand that there is to be a meeting between the assassins and their employer next week. We believe that they have not already met"

It was left unsaid that two of the agents would be acting as the assassins. Tony straightened, hoping to be picked as one of the agents, he knew he had more chance if both assassins were men. He was eager to not be one of the two agents doing background work. They had undertaken a mission like this before, many years ago when there was still sexual tension between himself and Ziva. Something which he wish he still had, it would be far simpler than the ever growing infatuation with McGee.

"Who are the assassins?" asked McGee, bringing Tony back to Earth.

"Christopher and Robert Hall." No one in the room had heard of them. So known, but not on any major watch lists. Military targets must have been a new thing for the pair. Tony shuffled a little in his excitement, he had a far better chance of deep undercover work with ZIva out of the picture.

"Brothers?" McGee asked.

"Husband's. You and DiNozzo will be taking them on. The both of you will be in the hotel which the client, known as 'Mr Flores', has chosen to meet in for 3 days. We believe the target will be high profile so I expect the room will be bugged."

Tony took in a sharp intake of breath. Pretending to be McGee's husband, and sharing a room let alone a bed with him was going to be nigh on impossible. He could barely keep his hands off the man now, sharing a bed and pretending to be in love with the younger agent could end everything he had been trying so hard to erase.

"Is there a problem DiNozzo?" The director asked, frowning at the agent. DiNozzo grimaced, feeling as if everybody in MTAC including the agents running the computers bordering the room now thought he was a homophobic asshole.

"Do not tell me that you are a homophone, Tony?" Ziva confronted him, frowning. Tony had always been very liberal and this sudden hesitation surprised everyone.

"N-No." The sudden stutter and nervous laughter he had developed was not helping his cause as he forgot to point out Ziva's mistake. "Just I don't think this is the kinda job for me. Maybe Gibbs should do it? Gibbs would be great!" He nervously grinned at his boss.

"Don't you think I'm a little old to be playing McGee's husband?" Gibbs asked, pointing out the obvious. Gibbs usually didn't miss anything and he knew DiNozzo wasn't homophobic, so he was unsure why he had suddenly developed a hesitation to it.

Tony refused to turn around and look at the subject of his crush. He couldn't bare to see the look of disappointment across the man's face. He knew that McGee was a strong proponent of LGBT rights and had plenty of friends who were gay. Thinking that his friend was homophobic would hurt him, and Tony never wanted to be the cause of any of Tim's pain.

"No, boss. It's fine, I'll do it. If that's still okay?" He turned to the Director to ask his question, knowing that he was the man with the final decision.

The Director nodded and turned to the rest of the team to set out the plan for the mission. With such a short time frame to prepare in it was important for every detail to be memorised. Tony dared to glance at McGee who was now slightly behind him. He was staring at Tony with a look that Tony couldn't quite translate. It seemed a little like, regret, disappointment, and the look you get when you realise someone you thought you knew well is not who you thought they were.

~Tony~Mcnozzo~Tim~

Bags packed and in the trunk of the car, DiNozzo and McGee had been equipped with expensive looking suits and an arsenal of weapons suitable for assassins. The majority of which would be kept in the car; locked away as to avoid suspicion for anyone watching them.

McGee had been quiet for the past few days, probably still upset at Tony's poor timing of gay panic. He hoped that the next few days he'd have a chance to prove that the reluctance he had felt was nothing more than shock, at the same time not revealing his true reasons. They had a few hours drive to Charlottesville, where their client had booked a room for them in an inn which they had been assured was the best in the area. Stuck in traffic on the I66, Tim had hardly said a word. Tony wasn't sure if he was angry with him or disappointed, he wasn't sure what was worse. Finally Tim spoke.

"Twelve years today."

"What?" Tony was disappointed with his lack of eloquence. The first time McGee had started a conversation with him in 3 days and the only thing he could say was 'what'.

"Twelve years to the day since we met." Tim clarified, looking away from the road to gauge Tony's reaction.

"You remember the day we met?" His mouth was hanging open, gobsmacked that Tim would remember. That was before he even became a probie with MCRT, just a rookie agent who'd thrown up at his first taste of fieldwork. Tony remembered the day well.

"Yeah, first day I met Gibbs and the day I knew I wanted to work with MCRT. You don't forget the first day you meet Gibbs." Tim chuckled at Tony, whose face had spread into a smile. He was smiling but his heart had dropped into his stomach. For a second, just for a second, he'd thought that maybe it had something to do with him. Maybe he'd had left just a fraction of the impression on Tim that Tim had left on Tony. He felt the bitter twist of disappointment low in his stomach, and the heat of shame, that he'd let himself believe it, in his chest.

Tony turned away, towards the window looking out at the halted traffic. "Yeah, I guess it is."

Tony cheered up as the traffic started to move again, and Tim had become more talkative. They were back in the their usual state of teasing friendship. The situation would never be perfect, not for Tony, but this was as best as it could possibly be. Two friends sharing laughter being as close as possible, and Tony got to pretend that it was something more, just for a few days. He'd make the most of it. It would kill him slowly but the closeness it afforded him may have been worth it.