Never Take Anything for Granted

It was either the soft tapping of the rain on the bedroom windows or another nightmare that woke McGee from his temporary sleep, but he was too tired to try and work out which. He had been laying on his bed for seven hours, ever since Gibbs sent him home from the navy yard, and had only just managed to nod off when he was thrust back into reality.

Five or so sleepless minutes passed as he layed there alone and in the dark, with the rain leaving patterns in shadows on his wall. If he wasn't in so much trouble he would have probably liked the peace that the rain brought, but nothing could shake him from the thoughts that were running through his head.

A sudden banging stirred McGee and his eyes widened as he realized that someone was at his door. It took him no longer than five seconds to narrow down the list and realize that the only person that would knock at his door at two in the morning would be DiNozzo. He rolled over to face the window and wrongly assumed that if he ignored the problem it would leave him alone.

"I know you're in there, McGee" But once again, he was wrong, because DiNozzo never left anything alone. "Don't pretend you have a social life, I know you too well."

Tim rolled his tired eyes and got out of bed before padding out of his bedroom and towards the front door. When he reached it, Tony seemed to be silent, so he leaned against the wall and waited to see if he had gone away. That's when the banging and shouting resumed.

"C'mon, McGee, let me in."

Tim was quite happy to leave Tony out there banging and shouting all night, but he knew that if he did he would have to face his landlord, and that guy was scary. He turned and opened his door just wide enough to see through and looked at his visitor who was peering around the door frame at him looking slightly worried.

"You didn't come here to share good news, did you, Tony."

"Was that a statement or a question?" The older man looked sympathetic and gazed at McGee until he broke and walked away from the door leaving it slightly ajar. "I don't have good news, but I have some bad."

"Why doesn't that surprise me?" McGee walked over to the fridge and took out two beers. His soft, defeated voice shocked Tony. He hadn't seen him like this since he was a Proby and had shot the cop, and that left him in a horrible place for weeks after the case had closed.

"The FBI are trying to get a warrant for your arrest. The case has been handed over to them, it's a conflict of interest thing.. Gibbs is trying to stall them and I was sent over to warn you." DiNozzo took a bottle of beer from McGee and quickly glanced over the apartment. "You really should invest in a couch."

If Tim could count on anything it was Tony's comic relief to cheer him up. He grinned through his terrified eyes to the best of his ability before sitting on the floor and leaning against the kitchen cupboards. DiNozzo joined him and scooted over as close he could get before smiling at McGee and adding "I really wish I could say it will be ok, McGee, but whoever this guy is, he is good."

McGee leaned into DiNozzo's shoulder as he felt an arm rest along his shoulders. "How long do I have?"

"Enough time to get some sleep before you get taken into custody." McGee looked up at Tony with his helpless green eyes. "Not that you could possibly sleep at a time like this."

McGee rested back against Tony and sighed. "Why does it always end like this, Tony?"

"I can distinctly remember the last time, McGee, and I was the one that got hauled into a cell."

"No, I mean like this." He nudged further into DiNozzo, who suddenly caught onto what he was trying to say.

They sat in silence for a while, both of them trying to composite a reasonable answer to what was almost a rhetorical question. DiNozzo rested his head on McGee's hair and rubbed his arm through his T shirt. He had been in this position a few times now, and he knew what he had to do to help McGee out of his dark place. He leaned closer to in to Tim when he heard the first of his light sobs and planted a kiss on the top of his head. Tim sat still, eyes wide and breath jumping in his chest.

"McGee."

"Yeah?"

"Can we move please? I can't feel my backside."

McGee chuckled and pulled himself to his feet before helping DiNozzo up, leaving their bottles on the cold tiles. The silently walked into the bedroom and Tony removed some of his clothes before they settled beside each other in bed.

A good ten minutes of silence passed before McGee noticed Tony's slow breathing and knew that he had fallen asleep. He wouldn't hold it against him because he knew how hard he was working on the case, so instead he just layed and watched him sleep.

"I don't want to use you, Tony." McGee whispered to his sleeping friend. "But you're the only one that takes the pain away."

Tim sighed and pulled the blanket further up them both before returning to watch Tony. His eyes studied every part of him that wasn't obstructed by the blanket and finally came to rest on his peaceful features, and McGee envied how he could sleep at a time like this. If there is one thing that Tony is good at, it was sleep, and that brought the first sincere smile to his face since before he was given the bad news.

"I love you, Tony."