Okay everybody,

I am so sorry for the delay in my story, but I hit a major road block about seven chapters in and no matter what I tried I could not go any further. I, however, loved this story and after all this time I had an epiphany! So I changed a few things in the first few chapters and I included Ellie Bishop in the story this time (she wasn't around when I started writing this). Anyway…I hope you enjoy it and I will try my best to update on a regular basis.

Sorry for any grammatical errors. It gets very loud around my house when the kids are out for summer vacation and it makes it hard to concentrate.

December 23, 2014

0900 Hours

Tim sat at the red light humming softly to the Christmas music that was playing on the radio. The early morning sun was shining brightly on the new fallen snow, causing the landscape to sparkle like it was draped in diamonds.. He smiled to himself as he took in the beauty. His mood that morning was high. He was taking his father to the hospital for his final chemo treatment. The Admiral had been showing a vast amount of improvement and the Oncologist repeatedly threw out the word "remission" when he talked to them. Tim had been there every step of the way for his treatment and the two of them had finally started to have the father-son relationship that Tim had craved all of his life.

The light turned green and Tim turned onto John's street and made his way down the long winding road. John McGee always insisted on privacy and when he bought his house in Magnolia Heights Community he purchased all the land in the cul-de-sac to insure that no one built a house next to him. Tim pulled into his father's driveway and stared up at the dark house. He looked down at his watch and frowned. His Dad should have been up and moving about by now…they had to leave in twenty minutes. Tim shut the engine off and got out of the car. He shut the door and paused, staring up at the house for a moment. He chewed nervously on his bottom lip…something seemed off. A blast of icy wind cut through his coat and sent a shiver rippling through his body. He shook the negative thoughts from his head and jogged up to the front door.

He knocked loudly on the heavy oak door, "Dad," he shouted through the door. "Dad, you up yet?"

The door creaked open slightly beneath his touch and his stomach tightened with a sudden fear. Tim had his gun pulled before he even realized what he was doing and he quietly pushed the door open the rest of the way. As soon as he entered the kitchen he felt his blood run cold. The place was a mess. All the contents of the cabinets, drawers and refrigerator had been carelessly dumped onto the floor. Tim's heart slammed in his chest as he realized what he was looking at…a crime scene. Quickly he pulled out his cell phone and dialed Tony's number before quietly inching his way through the destruction of his father's home.

"Hey McGoo," Tony answered cheerfully. "What's up?"

"I need back up," Tim whispered.

"Back up? Where are you? What is wrong?"

Tim froze when he heard at the soft creak of wood, but continued once he realized that it was only the wind blowing the opened front door. "I'm at my Dads," his voice was low and dangerous as he took in the utter destruction that surrounded him. All of his dad's books were torn to pieces and littered the floor beneath his feet, along with pictures in broken frames and all of the Navy memorabilia that once hung proudly on the wall.

"McGee!" Tony shouted as if he had called his name more than once. "What is wrong?"

"The place has been tossed," Tim replied softly as he crept into the study. "I need b…" Tim words were cut short as his eyes scanned the study and were immediately drawn to the lifeless form that lay in the center of the destruction. "Oh no!" Tim gasped as he dropped the phone to the floor and rushed over to his father's side. "Dad!" He shouted as he knelt down next to the bloody, beaten man. John blinked his eyes several times before he was able to focus on his son's face. "Dad stay with me," Tim shouted. He removed his coat and began to put pressure on what appeared to be a large stab wound to his father's torso. Tim's eyes burned with tears as he took in the countless cuts and bruises that covered John's body.

John groaned slightly and tried to squirm away from his son's touch. Tim looked away from his father's pale face and to the phone he had dropped a few feet back. He could still hear Tony shouting on the line, "McGee answer me!"

"I need an ambulance!" Tim shouted before turning back to his dad. "Come on Dad…stay with me."

John reached up a shaky hand a grabbed Tim's wrist, "I'm sorry," he choked, splattering blood across Tim's face.

"Dad, no," Tim's voice cracked as he took his father's hand in his and gave it a gentle squeeze. "You have nothing to be sorry about. Just hang in there for me."

A single tear fell from John's eye and he smiled sadly, "So much…to be…sorry for... never…wanted… you involved."

"Involved? Involved in what?" Tim asked.

John arched his back as he tried desperately to take in a breath. He was dying and Tim knew it. "Dad…Dad?"

John's soft green eyes caught Tim's, conveying an emotion that Tim had never seen in his father before…fear. "They…will come…fo…for you. I…I'm so sorry…son. I'm sorry."

Tim swallowed hard, "Dad who did this to you? Who will come for me?"

John's body began to relax and his breathing became shallow and choppy, "the…the code…the code."

He could feel the life slipping away from his father and he wasn't ready to let go, "Dad…Don't go. You have to hang on. Please."

"I didn't know," John whispered.

"Didn't know what?"

"It…It's s…so big. S…so many…people. So many…lies. I'm s…sorry. You…don't deserve…this."

"Dad you aren't making any sense," Tim said shakily as he applied more pressure to the wound and wondered where in the hell the ambulance and his team was. "I don't deserve what?"

The sound of footsteps in the hall caused Tim to look up just in time to see a masked man appear in the door way. Instinctively Tim reached for his weapon, but he wasn't quick enough and the masked man lifted his own gun and fired a single shot. Tim was knocked to the ground from the impact of the bullet to his upper right chest. The world seemed to come to a standstill as he stared up at the ceiling trying to process what had just happened to him. Every breath he took was excruciating and black spots danced before his eyes. His breath came in quick short bursts as he realized he was about to die right next to his father and he had no idea why.

The shooter slowly made his way across the room until he was hovering within Tim's eye line. The man smiled through the mask, "that was almost too easy John." The man said with amusement.

"Leave him…alone!" John choked. "Please."

Tim stared blankly at the man, still not registering what was happening. The gunman stared back at Tim with pure hatred in his chocolate brown eyes. Tim's vision began to blur as the pool of blood beneath him grew in size. The shooter knelt down next to Tim and poked his bullet wound with the muzzle of his gun. Tim grunted, not having the energy to actually scream. "You have no idea who your father really is do you?" The man taunted. Tim just started at him blankly. The man chuckled, "You would be surprised to know the secrets that he has kept from you." He cocked the hammer back on the revolver, "Unfortunately you will never know. Such a shame too, because I would love to see the disappointment on your face."

"You…are a coward!" John said defiantly. "Y…you are worthless!"

The man turned his attention from Tim to John, "says the man who lied to his family his entire life. You put your son in danger and didn't even have the balls to tell him that he was involved."

"He's…not involved…you…d…dick."

The shooter shook his head, "You can lie to little Timmy hear, but you can't lie to me John. I happen to know he is the only person on this planet that can break your code. And well…I can't let him do that. You won't tell me where you hid the code, so I have to insure your boy here can't expose our group. We have worked too hard to let a little punk ass brat bring us down."

"P…please don't do this." John begged. Tim had never heard his father beg before and it tore at his heartstrings.

The shooter feigned boredom and let out an exaggerated yawn, "I'm bored with you now John." He lifted his gun and fired a single shot into John's head.

Tim gasped and tears began to freely flow down his face. The bastard just murdered his father in cold blood and now it was his turn. The shooter placed the muzzle of his revolver to Tim's forehead, "I'm sorry kiddo, but I can't let you get your hands on that code."

Tim squeezed his eyes closed and waited for the end. He felt cold and alone as the last moments of his life played out before him. Images of Sarah, his mother, Delilah and his team flashed through his mind as the last seconds of his life ticked away. He heard the hammer cock back on the revolver and he held his breath and said a silent goodbye to all those that he loved.