Epilogue

Monday...

Tim took a breath and looked at himself in the mirror. He knew he wasn't ready for full time. He knew he wasn't ready for anything other than desk duty right now. He knew all that, but he also knew that he was really glad to be going back to NCIS. He didn't want to give that up, and Gibbs had decided that he wouldn't have to.

Now, it was time to overcome the anxiety and take the first steps back.

"Are you ready?"

Tim turned around and looked at Delilah.

"I don't know. Do I look ready?" he asked.

Delilah rolled over to him, pulled him down and kissed him.

"You look fine."

"But do I look ready?"

She smiled.

"You look ready for what you'll be doing. You don't necessarily look ready to start wrestling yet, but you look ready for work."

Tim smiled back. "A diplomatic answer."

"Of course," Delilah said and then she got serious. "Tim, I'm just glad to see you doing so well. If it weren't for the fact that I know you really want this, I wouldn't care if you went back to NCIS."

Tim leaned down and kissed her.

"Thanks."

"Now, you don't want to be late and I don't want to be late, either. I'll see you tonight."

"I'm glad you're back here."

"Me, too."

Tim headed to work.

x.x.x.x.x.x.x

He stood outside the building for a few minutes, just staring at it. Had he made a mistake? Should he have listened to Gibbs? Maybe this wasn't what he was supposed to be doing. Maybe he was just asking for trouble by coming back here.

He felt in his pocket for the nitroglycerin spray. It was there. He hadn't had to use it in weeks. He knew that was the idea, but still...

"Hey, McGee! Back to work?"

Tim jumped a little and looked back over his shoulder. Sure enough, Tony was walking up the sidewalk to join him.

"Yeah. Just part time. Just desk duty."

"Doesn't matter! You're back, and that's what matters."

"Maybe," Tim said, unable to keep the anxiety out of his voice.

"No maybes about it, Tim. It took, what, five minutes for you to have a heart attack. Now, it's time to walk back into the building and you aren't allowed to take any more than five minutes."

"I don't think it works like that," Tim said.

Tony started to propel him forward.

"Yes, it does. It does because I say so. Come on!"

Tim allowed himself to be directed into the building. They went through security and up to the bullpen. Tony, then, pushed Tim to his desk and made him sit down. Then, Tony sat at his desk and grinned.

"What?" Tim asked.

"That's what was missing. Glad you're back, Tim."

Tim smiled.

"Thanks, Tony."

He took a moment to look around the room. Then, he put his hand over his heart and felt it beating. It felt normal. Maybe it wasn't completely. Maybe it never would be completely, but it felt normal.

Just a few minutes had dramatically changed his life, but he hadn't been required to face them alone. Not those minutes or any of the minutes after.

Tim looked at Tony

Yes, he was glad to be back. No matter how long it took to get all the way back, he was ready to work at it.

That was what mattered. He just needed to remember that.

FINIS!