<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><span style="font-size: 15px"><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#99ff99">Sarah nodded as she listened to her brother speak. And when he was finished, she hugged him once more, and then smiled and motioned to the door. "Food, shower, sleep. That's an order, Tim." She knew that he was reluctant to leave her, and wasn't surprised when he kept talking and seemed to be trying to stall. "I love you, Tim. Now, go. Take care of yourself for a few hours. I'm just gonna turn on the TV in here and sleep for a few hours. I have another surgery late tomorrow morning, and then after that, I'll be loopy for about an hour or two on pain meds."<br/>
<br/>
"I promise that if I need something, I'll call someone. </span></span></span><span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(153, 255, 153)"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><span style="font-size: 15px">After the surgery tomorrow, I'm gonna call the Admiral. Good night, big brother.." Once her brother had left, she wasted no time and grab the list of names and phone numbers that were on the bedside table, and a few moments later, found the number she had been looking for, and dialed. Even if her brother thought that he needed to be alone while he fully grasped the gravity of her situation, she knew better. When the phone rang, she smiled, and wasted no time launching into what she needed. <br/>
<br/>
The conversation went well, and she was grateful.</span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><span style="font-size: 15px"><span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(153, 255, 153)"> A few minutes later, when she hung up, the smile on her lips was wider, and she replaced the phone on the hook, closed her eyes and fell asleep, knowing that Tim would be taken care of.</span><br/>
<span class="fixed-color" style="color:#99ff99"><br/>
____________________<br/>
<br/>
Abby hadn't wasted any time after getting the call from Sarah. She had listened to the younger woman talk, and could tell from the sound of the girl's voice, just how worried she was about her brother. And when their conversation ended, she wasted no time, grabbed Bert and her keys and purse,</span></span><span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(153, 255, 153)"><span style="font-size: 15px"> and quickly headed for her car. She picked up some food for her friend, and then </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 15px"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(153, 255, 153)">took a shortcut to Tim's place, and picked the lock with some tools that she kept in the trunk. And within a few minutes, she had gotten into his place, and she closed and locked the door once more.<br/>
<br/>
A few moments later, she sat down on Tim's couch and set down a bag of his favorite food on the table, and then saved her tools in her purse and set her purse down on his coffee table. Once that was done, she sat down on his couch in the living room and cuddled Bert close, as she waited for her friend to get home. Sure, this might not be the<br/>
best way to be there for her friend, but she damn sure wasn't going to let Sarah down, or Tim. A little while later, she heard him pull into his driveway. </span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(153, 255, 153)"><span style="font-size: 15px">And she remained<br/>
seated on the couch and continued to cuddle Bert. <br/>
<br/>
One thing she was grateful for, was that this was one time Tim probably wouldn't have a gun on him. Well, at least she assumed that he wouldn't have a gun on him. And when she heard him walking up to the door, and then he </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 15px"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(153, 255, 153)">unlocked the door and stepped inside, she knew that he was being cautious. Her car that was in his driveway was one that he wouldn't recognize, as she'd just gotten a new car. So, trying not to alarm him anymore than he probably was, she got her cell phone out and then typed up a quick message.<br/>
<br/>
To let him know that she was inside. </span></span></span><i><span style="font-size: 15px"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(153, 255, 153)">Timmy, there's a reason why the lights in your place are on. I don't know if you're armed, but don't shoot. - Abby.</span></span></span></i><span style="font-size: 15px"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(153, 255, 153)"> She sent her message and then looked up when he walked into the living room. She gave him a small smile and then got to her feet, Bert still in one of her arms as she approached him. She didn't waste any time and wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tightly. "Sarah called me. She said that you needed a friend. Needed a cuddle, and asked if I was available. I always am for you."<br/>
<br/>
"I told her that I was more than happy to help. I'm here, Timmy. And I'm not going anywhere unless you ask me to leave. But at least not for a few hours. You're gonna eat, get that shower, and then rest. I'm here for you, for whatever you need. Sarah, too. But right now, I'm more worried about you. So, tell me what you need.." She said, and stood on her tiptoes and kissed his forehead, then she pulled back and smiled at him.<br/>
<br/>
___________________<br/>
<br/>
Ziva smiled softly as she watched Tony sleep. She reached out and with a gentle touch, pushed the little bit of hair that had fallen in his face, out of the way. And if her hand lingered a little longer, and caressed his cheek, hell, both of his cheek's while he slept.. Well.. that would be her little secret. Seeing him like this was an eye opener. He tried to act tough and like he didn't need anybody, and she was well familiar with that, as she did it herself. But she had also seen the look in his eyes, which begged her not to leave him, and make him be alone. <br/>
<br/>
And so she stayed. She also found herself caring more for him than she had cared for anyone in a long time. And, it scared the hell out of her. When he curled into her, she moved her hand from his cheek and took one of his hands into hers. And after carefully kicking her shoes off and placing them and her gun out of the way on the floor, she shifted in his bed, and rested against one of the pillows that he wasn't using. She kept his hand in hers, and within a few moments, laid down beside him on the bed and she found her eyes closing as she leaned in a little closer to him.<br/>
<br/>
Ziva had meant it earlier when she said it had been a long time since she'd taken care of someone, and she'd missed it a lot more than she had realized.<br/>
<br/>
___________________<br/>
<br/>
Kate moaned against Jethro's lips when he kissed her, enjoying the bit of roughness in the kiss, and knew that they both needed it. That they both needed each other. When he took her hands into his and guided them to his shirt, she wasted no time and immediately tugged at the material, up and over his head, and then tossed it aside without a care <br/>
in the world. And once the shirts were both out of the way, she took his hands and squeezed them once, and then released them. Then, her hands returned to his body, and she began to caress the skin of his chest.<br/>
<br/>
She let her fingers skim and explore, even as their mouths remained locked together. And when he rubbed against her, she couldn't stop herself from responding in kind, nor did she want to, as she rubbed back against him. When he didn't try to go farther yet, she followed his lead and kept kissing him, even as she slipped her tongue into his mouth and kept running her hands on his exposed skin. Unable to help herself, she ground down onto him, pressing their bodies together, and enjoying the way he felt, and how he made her feel.<br/>
<br/>
While they kissed, Kate reached for his hands again, and brought them to her own body and placed them at the bottom of her shirt, giving him permission without words, to remove it. She reluctantly pulled back from the kiss, but lifted her arms over her head, to make it easier to remove her shirt, if he wanted to do so. She couldn't hear anything, couldn't hear herself. It had been a long time since she had felt this way, but the way her chest heaved and the way her face flushed with heat.. She was familiar with how he made her feel. <br/>
<br/>
The brunette was sure that her breath was coming out in gasps, and the grin on her lips was sure to let him know that she wanted more.. needed more.. but was happy to go at whatever pace he was the most comfortable with. Even though they hadn't done more than hold hands, kiss, and rub against each other, she was already eager for more. Eager <br/>
for him.</span></span></span>