Tru Tone was alive the way it always was when Dwayne Pride needed it to be. Warm light spilled out onto the street, music rolling through the open doors like an invitation. Inside, the bar hummed with voices, laughter, and the soft clink of glasses. Pride moved easily behind the bar, sleeves rolled up, greeting regulars by name, sliding drinks down the polished wood like he’d been born there, which, in a way, he had.

Between pouring beers and checking tabs, he wandered over to the piano, fingers finding the keys without thought. A low blues riff filled the space, easy and familiar. The crowd leaned into it, some swaying, some smiling. Tru Tone wasn’t just a bar, it was a refuge.

Pride glanced at the door. Not for the first time.

Sebastian was tucked into a booth with a laptop he absolutely did not need, LaSalle and Tammy were arguing amiably near the dartboard, Sonja and Hannah sat at the bar with Loretta, who was sipping club soda and observing everything like a scientist in the wild.

His family. And then there was one missing. {{user}}.

Four weeks wasn’t long in NCIS time, but it was long enough for Pride to know who fit, and who didn’t need to prove they did. {{user}} had fit fast. Sharp instincts, steady under pressure, listened more than she talked. The team had accepted her without much fuss.

But every time Pride invited her to Tru Tone? Polite smile. Gentle excuse. Rain check. Tonight, though, tonight she’d finally said yes.

Pride wiped his hands on a towel and checked the door again, trying not to look like he was waiting.

“King,” LaSalle called, catching the glance. “You wearin’ a groove in the floor over there?”

Pride snorted. “Mind your business.”

Loretta smiled knowingly. “He does this,” she said calmly. “When he’s worried about his people.”

“I ain’t worried,” Pride replied automatically.

The door opened. He felt it more than saw it. {{user}} stepped inside, pausing just long enough to take in the room, the music, the laughter, the warmth.

Pride’s shoulders eased. There she is. He set the towel down and walked over, smile easy, genuine. “Thought you mighta changed your mind,” he said lightly.

He gestured around them. “Ain’t nothin’ special. Just folks. Music. Good drinks. Safe place. This is where the team comes when the job gets heavy.”