Tony’s knock seems to have startled McGee, but then so does his genuine smile when the knock is answered. “Hey McGee, Ziva and I are about to watch the new Star Trek movie, you wanna join us?”

“You’re watching Star Trek?” McGee asks skeptically.

“As re-imagined by JJ Abrams. Explosions and fast paced actions scenes are always cool. Besides, Chris Pine is kinda hot.” Noting the continued hesitance Tony shakes his head, “We’re snowed in here McGee. We’ve got popcorn and beer. I even convinced Gibbs to stop by later and drink one. Come be sociable. If the Boss can do it I can promise it isn’t going to kill you.”

“I didn’t say I wouldn’t come, and it’s not like you haven’t surprised me lately but I’m honestly shocked you’re watching Star Trek.”

“Bite me Probie. Movie starts in fifteen and we’ve only got a six pack so if you want a beer you better arrive promptly.”

“Which room?”

“Mine.”

McGee nods and Tony heads back to his own room. Ziva is sitting cross legged at the foot of Tony’s bed with the popcorn on a chair beside her when Tony returns. He considers trying his newly acquired braiding skills on her but figures he’d loose a finger. Instead he crossed to the mostly-closed adjoining door and slips into the other room.

Gibbs is still on the phone with Abby so Tony signs instead of speaking, “Closing the door. Join us later. We have beer.”

“Soon” is the only response.

He slips back through just as Ziva gets up to let McGee in. After a little awkward shuffling on McGee’s part the popcorn is moved onto the bed and Tony is stretched out beside a once more seated Ziva.

Tony is a little surprised given the early tension that he and McGee are soon laughingly fielding questions about the movie from Ziva.

Well laughing until Ziva snorts and declares, “He is above compensating.”

“Over compensating,” Tony corrects absently, agreeing. Kirk is clearly over compensating.

McGee however splutters, “Where do you get that?”

Tony hits the pause button but lets Ziva field the question.

“He is asking his friend for emotional support and suddenly he has to look at and make passes at every female in the vicinity? It is classic over compensation.”

“Makes for a good cover too,” Tony provides absently. “No one expects to meet a ‘girlfriend’ if you’ve got a new girl for every day of the week.”

“So that’s what you were doing? Over compensating?”

“Is it over compensating if it’s intentional?”

“So you meant to seem like an anchorless asshole of a cad?”

“A cad? Seriously McSnooty, it’s not nineteen fifty-five. Like I said no one expects to meet a girlfriend if they don’t stick around.”

“But why lie? Why not just not say anything? It’s not like Kate or I announced it to the office every time we met someone new.”

“Active camouflage requires an active effort. I learned early on in a policing environment you don’t want people even thinking you might be queer. And as previously stated you sure as hell didn’t discourage the notion. And as for Kate, as much as I loved her Kate could be a real bitch. She clearly had no real inkling of why Voss bothered me but she sure as hell had no qualms using it to apply a good switch kick in the balls.”

He watches McGee silently digest that information for a moment before he notices Gibbs’ silent entrance and decides to change the tone of the whole situation, “As for your precious James T. Kirk I claim no knowledge of the original but this one has it bad for his friend. And not just because of the ‘look at me notice everything female that moves’ act. He beats the unbeatable test and the first thing he does? Touch his friend. Not that we’ve got to that part yet… The plaintive little heartbroken, ‘be safe’? And the furtive but urgent eye contact in the auditorium… There are others but I’m ruining Ziva’s movie viewing experience as it is.”

“You’re saying Kirk is a manwhore because he has a crush on McCoy?!” McGee snaps in obvious disbelief.

“I’m not sure I’d call it a crush. It seems to me it’s reciprocated, but we’ll have to let Ziva judge.”

“The doctor did invite Kirk to ‘study his ass’ which would seem to be a clear indication to me, but I could not be certain yet. We shall see,” She takes over the remote and resumes the film.

Tony glances at Gibbs and savors the genuine smile he finds there. He’s given Gibbs the Kirk/McCoy lecture twice. He is after all really fond of this movie. Something about the cocky but vulnerable hero triumphing where cooler heads fail. Besides it made an excellent example in the attempt to explain obvious subtext in mainstream movies.

Noting that the others are absorbed so intently in the film they still haven’t noticed him Gibbs signs, “Is tonight the night?”

“The night?” Tony signs back.

“That you give McGee a clue that we’re together. You see them,” He waves at the screen, “as us. I know you do.”

“Maybe. You share certain similarities with Bones.”

Gibbs just silently shakes his head fondly.

Ziva pauses the film again and turns a smug look on McGee, “They are most definitely an object.”

“An item,” McGee and Tony correct in stereo.

“Because he made him sick?” McGee asks with palpable disbelief.

“He joined up, if I am understanding correctly, because his divorce left him with few options. At this point he seems to have made good on the opportunity. He has after all been given a sought after posting. Risking that position because his friend is dejected? To me that indicates deeper feelings.”

“He smuggles the kid onboard because he gives him the puppy dog eyes McNearsighted. He’s got it bad.”

“Indulgence doesn’t always mean romantic interest. Gibbs lets you get away with all kinds of things when you give him the puppy dog eyes.” Gibbs chuckles at that and McGee turns toward him with a terrified look, “When’d you get here Boss?”

With just a glance of confirmation at Tony Gibbs deadpans, “A while ago. Couldn’t risk Tony using the puppy dog eyes.”

McGee splutters but Gibbs just opens a beer.

“Like the puppy eyes work when you don’t want to give in,” Tony huffs.

“You claiming I’m indulgent DiNozzo?” Gibbs growls but he’s grinning.

Tony crosses to Gibbs’ side, waits for him to take a long slug of his beer before divesting him of it, “Not at all Boss.”

Ziva turns and watches McGee. Who suddenly starts laughing, “Good one guys.”

Gibbs just stares at him.

“Good what McSkeptic?”

“Good joke Tony. You two? You’d kill each other.”

“What makes you think that Probie?”

“You- You’re a needy hyper active puppy!”

Gibbs’ expression so clearly says “so” that Ziva snorts.

“Rule twelve?” McGee tries again.

Both Gibbs and Tony laugh at that one. Tony offers Gibbs a quick kiss and his beer back before returning to sit on the bed.

“The things you learn on a snow day, huh Probie?”