It Happened: NCIS

Chapter 53

Melissa's POV:

"Yeah. I know I missed you too, Jimmy. Jimmy? Jimmy, please don't cry again."

I laugh as I walk away to start putting the clothes and items that Tim used at Gibbs away.

It's nighttime now. We've been laying in bed together happy that we have each other in our life again. We made a pact that next time, which we hope there isn't a next time, but if he ever has to go into a program again, I will go with him. He agreed. We don't ever want to go through something like this again. With the kind of friends, we have beside us, we won't have to.

After we made our pact, Tim thought it was a good idea to call the ones that didn't know that he was alive again. I shouldn't be saying again, but what else can I say? I experienced a funeral and the mourning. It was like he was really dead. That was the whole point, so I don't know what else to say.

He talked to Ducky already because he knew that conversation wasn't going to involve too many tears. While I can hear Jimmy has been trying to collect himself for the past 20 minutes.

"I... I love you too Jimmy. I know. I'll see you tomorrow Jimmy. Okay, goodbye."

I laugh as I move to the closet to hang a few items. "I guess he was happy you're back."

"No kidding. Hey, speaking of back, what was Sean doing here?"

I walk out of the closet and grab his pants and pajamas that need to be folded. "He was saying goodbye. He and his wife are going back home to live the rest of their lives."

"Wait, he got married while in Witness Protection?"

"Yup. Also, he found out he has a half brother with a daughter. Her name is Brooke. They're heading to New Jersey to meet up on their way back."

I look in the mirror to see his reaction. He looks so confused. "Oh, wow." He clears his throat and sits up. "I wish he would have stayed a little longer so I could thank him for his help on this."

I chuckle. "I don't think that would have been a good idea. He was a little shaken up that you were still alive. He just found out."

"You mean he didn't know?" I shake my head and he laughs. "Oops. I guess it's a good thing I called Ducky and Palmer then."

"I think so." I continue folding his clothes. I'm happy to be doing this again. I don't have to look at his clothes sad while reminiscing. Now, I can just reminisce and make new memories.

"Hey, what is that?" I look at him from the mirror and see him pointing to the silver chain that I completely forgot about.

I sigh thinking about the moment that was given to me. I thought I had it figured out when in reality I had no idea what was going on around me.

"That's Tony's father's class ring on a key chain." I can see out of the corner of my eye he's more confused than he was before.

He gets up and makes his way over to where I'm standing. He picks up the key chain to examine it. "Were you two..."

"No," I know what he's thinking. "that was never on the table. He just gave it me as reassurance that he would come back after going after Juice. I didn't want him to promise me he would come back, so he gave me that instead."

Tim can hear the annoyance in my voice. "Baby,"

"Yeah," I stop folding clothes to give him my full attention. "I think that's something I should apologize for too."

"No, no." He puts the ring down so I can have his full attention. "You thought I was gone forever, and you didn't want to be stuck feeling pain for the rest of your life. I understand that and it's nothing to forgive."

He sighs and thinks about what he's going to say next. "Don't you think you should lighten up on Tony. We've all been through a lot and there's no right way to handle these things."

I roll my eyes. "Yeah, but the difference is he knew you were alive and still got involved with me."

"He didn't know the whole time and you're giving me too much credit. He told me about having a crush on you when you two met. He saw the way I felt about you and it was the first time ever he decided not to interfere. I don't know what it was, but he did. I noticed that and I just never heard him talk about a girl out loud the way he did you."

When Tim says all this, I remember the way Tony was so gentle with me. I think he always was. He was gentle with his words and the way he would hold my hand. I guess Tim is right if liked me in the way even in a little bit.

"Okay," Tim puts his hands on my shoulders. "let me ask you this. Did you see yourself dating Tony six months from now?"

I shrug. "I don't know. Maybe."

"Did you think about ever being engaged to him?"

"What?"

"I'm not here to judge or be mad. I'm just asking."

I think about it and I have to be honest with him. "No."

"So, you never thought about being married to him?"

"No." I didn't have to think about that one. It was never in my mind. The future with him never was a thought because I just didn't think about him that way.

"Do you know why?" He asks and I don't know what to say. I just didn't think that far ahead because he didn't make me feel that way.

Tim sighs. "It's because you and I both know that you two weren't meant for each other. You and I are, and he is with someone else. You know who I'm talking about."

I know exactly who he's talking about. I questioned it the first day I met the two of them. I just never thought about it again until the day I saw them in the hospital together. All the other times, they told me there was nothing there. I believed them and didn't think about it.

"I have to fix this don't I?"

He shakes his head. "He won't make the first move. You know that."

"Am I going to have to deal with you being right all the time now that you're back."

He smiles and pulls me to him. "Well, it wouldn't hurt since I was never right before." He gently kisses my lips. "But let's worry about it tomorrow. I want my first day with you to just be with you."

I smile. I agree with him. We're us now and I just want it to be about us right now. "I bought a bunch of TV dinners if you're interested."

He kisses me again. "I love you. Come on."

He takes my hand and we walk downstairs together. I've missed this with him and could only ever do this with him.

There was never a future with me, and Tony and I recognize this now. He may have known Tim was alive, but he was only acting on feelings he pushed back for years.

How can I hold him accountable for this when I am no better than he is?

Well, at least I have plans tomorrow.