Actions

Work Header

Rating:
Archive Warning:
Category:
Fandom:
Relationship:
Character:
Language:
English
Collections:
Peja's Wonderful World of Makebelieve Import
Stats:
Published:
2020-11-04
Words:
840
Chapters:
1/1
Comments:
1
Kudos:
7
Hits:
980

Conversation 2: At the Watering Hole

Summary:

Ducky enjoys McGee's company
Series is Ducky/Gibbs

Work Text:

Conversation 2: At the Watering Hole
by S

Donald Mallard sipped at the amber liquor in his glass as he watched Tim McGee do the same. "Not quite your drink, Agent McGee?"

"I...well, I've never been a big drinker. A few beers once in awhile when I was at MIT. My parents weren't much on alcohol."

"Ah your parents. Are they still alive?" Ducky peered through the lenses of his glasses.

"No, sir. They were killed in a crash by a drunk driver. They'd just taken me to register at MIT and they were on their way home." McGee valiantly tried another sip of the scotch.

Carefully, Ducky took the glass from the younger man's hands. "Dear boy, I am so sorry. That must have been...painful."

McGee bowed his head. "It was. For awhile I didn't want to continue my studies, but then my Aunt Gwendolyn convinced me to go on."

"Your aunt?"

"She...well, she was somewhat like your motherâ€"strong but there were times when her memory wasn't...good. We found out later she had Alzheimer's. She died not long after I graduated."

"Was she your maternal aunt?"

"Yes. She wrote me letters nearly every week while I was at school. Sometimes there were only a few words, but she never missed. I even spent some of my holidays with her. She'd thump me one if she caught me drinking or swearing, but then she'd apologize with tears in her eyes. I still miss her."

Ducky finished the liquor in his glass then set it down on the table. "I understand, my boy. It isn't always easy with Mother, but I would miss her greatly. I know it will come soon enough."

McGee grimaced. "Like with Kate. I...I still wonder if I'd found the right frequency faster if maybe...Gibbs wouldn't have had to shoot the transmitter and maybe he'd have concentrated on Ari....."

"McGee...Tim, I'm not going to preach at you about it being her time and all that philosophical jargon. You hurt; we all do. We lost someone we cared about. It happens in the military and in investigative work more than it should. I've had so many young people on my table, people who should have lived long, productive lives, but for some reason they didn't. If I had any answers, I'd sit up on top of one of those mountains and dispense sage advice."

"I can just see you with a long beard and wearing a toga!" McGee chuckled.

"A toga? Not anymore, dear boy, although at one time I did have decent legs. In fact, I used to wear shorts to work on an extremely hot day. Jethro wasn't amused. I told him that his legs weren't as good as mine!"

McGee covered his mouth with his hand. He could just imagine Gibbs walking into NCIS headquarters wearing shorts.

Ducky glanced at his watch. "Oh dear, I really do have to leave. It's been nice chatting with you, Tim. The next weeks are going to be difficult. I hope if you need someone to talk to, you'll just ask. Perhaps we can help each other get through this."

"I...Thanks. I...you didn't tell me about your relative who was 105," he reminded the other man.

"Oh dear, I didn't. Well, perhaps another time?"

"I...I'm not busy this evening. Could I come back to your house with you? We could pick up some Chinese or something so your mother doesn't have to cook. My treat." The round face took on an earnest look.

"That's an excellent idea. I believe we were scheduled to have leftovers anyway and I know of an excellent Chinese takeout restaurant not far from here. My mother loves Chinese, the spicier the better!"

"Really? I go more for Cantonese."

"Her mind is not too good, but her stomach is excellent!" Ducky admitted proudly. "Don't worry, this place has several different styles of cooking. I'm sure we'll find something for all of us."

"Good. Then after dinner you can tell me about this 105 year old paragon," McGee teased.

"I said he was virile, not a paragon. Anyway, you should ask Mother. I believe she dated him at one time. He was a distant relative of hers." The older man smiled at his young friend. "Shall we go? I do believe I'm hungry."

McGee smiled back. "I just realized it, but so am I. Feels good."

"Ah, dear boy, you've just acknowledged the greatest lesson of all: 'Life goes on' and that's as it should be." For one moment he hesitated and then continued, "By the way, I should tell you that my mother confiscates all the fortune cookies and then keeps the one she likes best." McGee chuckled out loud. That felt good too.

The End