Pre-episode scene for Bounce. The current story is the cliff-notes version; the plot is all there, but I was in such a hurry to get it down that I didn't do as much exposition as I would like. I'll probably edit this and post an expanded version in the future.

When Tim got the call, he was not surprised to hear that DiNozzo was roaring drunk. He was also not surprised that the call was made for begging a ride.

McGee was girding himself to extract that bar's name from his alcoholic partner when he heard the sounds of a minor tussle on Tony's end. It appeared someone was wrestling the phone away from him. Probably the bar tender.

The idea was dispelled when a loud, bright, "Moshi, moshiiiiiiiiiiii!!" led to the iPhone flying through the air. McGee recovered it from under his bed, bewildered.

"Who is this?" he demanded.

"Ohhh, we're from Japan! From NCIS in Japan!"

Oh, God. The reps from Japan, and Vance had had Tony show them DC....

Of course, he had taken them to a bar.

"I see," he said. "Is Tony there?"

"Oh, yeah, yeah! He's right here, he wants you to give him a ride --" There was a pause, followed by juvenile sniggers.

"I know what he wants," McGee replied wearily, feeling the beginnings of a headache behind his eyes. At least the man on the other end was coherent; Tony could barely string three words together right now, and getting any useful information out of him would be a nightmare.

He translated the bar's name from the slurred words and said a curt goodbye. He'd been awakened rudely, and needed to get dressed.

Tim was glad that the bar wasn't that far from his building and not only because he could walk there, but because the car ride back would be short. There was no way he was going to drive all the way to Tony's home when DiNozzo was drunk.

When he walked through the entrance, he became aware of a blur of movement flinging itself at him; and out of reflex, he threw himself to one side. Tony missed him by a mile, and landed in a heap on the floor.

"Damn," Tim muttered, nudging him with one foot. The heap did not respond.

"Damn," Tim said again. "Gibbs will be pissed."

He bent down next to Tony's prone form, and took a pulse before dragging one of Tony's arms across his shoulders. With a grunt, he pulled Tony to his feet. The Italian swayed for a moment but regained some sense of equilibrium. Still, McGee was stuck supporting most of his weight.

Somehow, Tim wasn't surprised to see what appeared to be the establishment's owner heading towards him, her slender face stormy. He groaned; he didn't want to handle this.

"I'm so sorry," he said when she came within ear shot. "If he's caused any trouble --"

"Not him," the owner said dryly. "His...friends."

"I hope they're picking up the tab."

"They will be." She unclenched her left fist, and held out the keys to Tony's car. "He handed them in when he came here. I think he wanted it this way."

Tim accepted the keys. "It wouldn't surprise me. Thank you."

Tony had been quiescent throughout the brief exchange, which Tim was grateful for. But the sound of McGee's voice had stirred him, and now he raised his head and tried to focus his eyes.

"McGee?" he asked.

"Yes, Tony," McGee said, locating Tony's car key with his free hand. God, he loved being left-handed.

"McGee, let's go back to your place," Tony slurred. "I mean, I just, I want --" And he reached out with his hand and cupped McGee's face.

He wouldn't, Tim thought. He's drunk, not stupid, he wouldn't try that here--

Something should be clarified in McGee's defense. It had been a month and a half since their Christmas vacation, and that was the last time they had been intimate. Tim had simply grown unused to the idea of Tony actually making romantic gestures; by February, he had completely given up. This was why he was completely unprepared for Tony kissing him.

But it happened -- and for a long moment, all they did was stand there, with Tony slipping his arms around McGee's neck and trying to give him some tongue.

Tim could feel his ears and neck burning. Conversation had ground to a complete halt in the bar, and everyone was staring at them.

He wrenched himself away, and thought, to hell with Tony's dignity. He bent, grabbed Tony's legs, and bodily heaved his partner onto his shoulder.

"I should make you walk, you idiot," he snarled and headed for the door.

"McGeeeeeee!" Tony tried to thrash his legs, but couldn't rebel against the arm clamped across his legs.

"Shut up," Tim snapped, jerking his shoulder into Tony's stomach. The older man groaned, and went limp.

They made a minor spectacle as they crossed the parking lot, but McGee was too angry to care about the stares. He knew that Tony was too drunk to know what he was doing, but that didn't help the sting.

"I knew it," he muttered. "God, I knew it, and you've been lying to me you son of a bitch --"

They reached Tony's car, and McGee set him on his feet. He straightened, and Tony grabbed his shoulders.

"I never lied to you," he said quietly. "Couldn't. Not ever."

They stared at each other; and McGee noticed as if for the first time, that Tony had the greenest eyes of anyone he had ever encountered. It would have been a moment of tenderness if Tony's eyes hadn't rolled into his head. McGee caught him before he went limp, and simply leaned him against the car as he unlocked the passenger door.

He managed not to hit Tony on the head when he wrestled his partner into the car, but it was a close thing. "You'd better not throw up," he said as he buckled the seat belt. Tony did not reply.

--------------------------------

McGee realized that there was a certain sequence of events to their relationship, as he dragged Tony up the stairs. Tony would give him a cold shoulder for weeks, force McGee to give up all hope of gaining back what they had had; and then Tony would come on to him again, make him doubt everything. It was pathetic if only because McGee couldn't make himself stop wanting, even just a little.

"Stupid," he muttered to himself, though now the insults were directed inwards. "Stupid, proud, blind --"

"Gnngh," Tony said.

"Shut up," Tim replied out of reflex.

They reached his door without major incident. Tony wouldn't stop moving though, in spite of not doing it very well. The problem lay in trying to keep him from knocking into the walls, and waking Tim's neighbors.

Eventually, Tony settled on leaning on McGee and hugging him from behind. It made the simple act of getting out his key very difficult for Tim, since Tony was right there, hugging him, breathing on his ear, biting his neck. Or, trying to bite his neck. It started out with teeth, but always seemed to end with Tony sucking on sensitive skin, making Tim drop his keys twice. The second time, Tony slipped a hand between his legs and slammed him up against the door.

"Tony," McGee grated. Dammit, but Tony was much stronger than he was. All that damn muscle, and -- "Tony, not here --"

Tony pressed his right leg in between McGee's thighs, and blew softly along his jaw before nestling more kisses against his neck. "Then open the door," he said slowly, sliding his second hand in between the wood and McGee's stomach.

Tim swore, (quietly) and shook out his keys again. This was ridiculous. He wouldn't have believed it if it were happening to someone else, but here it was.

He finally managed to unlock and open the door, with Tony grabbing his ass and kissing him the whole way. McGee managed to twist away and shut the door, but that only put him in the exact same position as before.

He closed his eyes and shuddered as Tony pressed against him. Had it really only been a month and a half? Tony's hips felt good against his ass; an erection would have been even better, but it would be difficult with all the alcohol in the man's system.

God. How long had it been since he had sex with anyone except Tony?

"Tim," DiNozzo moaned, and another shudder went down McGee's body. Tony might not be hard, but Tim was, and oh this was just such a bad idea.

"Tony --"

"Mmm."

"Tony, we need to stop --"

"No," Tony said.

"Tony, I mean it -- quit!"

Stop, he had to stop, they had to stop. They couldn't afford this, not now.

With a bitter groan, Tim twisted away from Tony's tender hands and warm mouth, and leaned against the wall. Tony grabbed the door to support himself, and gave Tim a wounded look.

"I can't," McGee said to the silent question. "Tony, I just -- I can't. Not now."

Tony looked away, and then back.

"I never lied," he said. "McGee, I never lied. I meant it, everything I said, everything I wrote."

For a moment, Tim couldn't breathe. The memory of the love letter was too vivid. He closed his eyes, and couldn't control the unbearable happiness sprouting in his heart.