Insidious
by channelD
written for: the NFA Tim in Peril challenge
rating: T
genre: drama
warning: domestic violence
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disclaimer: I own nothing of NCIS.
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Chapter 1
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"…and that's the sum of the lieutenant's financial records," Tim said, standing hands on hips before the plasma screen. Taking care not to look anywhere but straight ahead, he waited, listening, hoping for Gibbs…Tony…Ziva…any of them to say, Good job, McGee or Well done or even just Well, that solves that mystery. But it wasn't forthcoming.
"So what was she doing with all that money she withdrew?" Gibbs asked.
"Uh…"
"Trace it, McGee!" his boss snapped. "David—We do know about the down payment made on the car she didn't pick up. Go talk to the dealership."
Tim frowned, just a bit. He wouldn't have minded being given a field call on this fine October day. But no—once a digger of electronic data, always a digger, so it seemed.
That's all I'll ever be to them: a geek. I don't have what it takes to be a real LEO.
Where had that come from; that sudden doubt? He couldn't think what that might be.
A real LEO would have his talents evident. He wouldn't have to keep proving himself.
There it was again! Swallowing, he went back to his work. Or tried to.
"Everything okay, Probie?" Tony asked.
Tim looked up. Gibbs had left the room. Ziva likewise had departed quietly. "Sure. Why wouldn't it be?"
Tony leaned back in his chair, studying him before answering. "How's Ms. DeeDee?"
"Great. DeeDee's great."
"It's just that…you've been dating her for over a month, now, and usually your girlfriends break free and run off screaming before this point," Tony said, his eyes twinkling.
"Thanks a lot," Tim snorted, feeling his face go red. It was true, DeeDee Alanson was one of the longest relationships he'd ever had in his short, sorry love life. He'd been infatuated with her ever since the pretty, strawberry-blond grad student had moved into his apartment building. That she was building up a dog-walking business had given him a chance to get to know her. And that led to dating. He sometimes had to pinch himself to realize his good fortune. For now, DeeDee was his…all his.
"Oh, I didn't mean anything by that," Tony added. "She seemed nice enough, the one time I met her. I wish you two luck. Hey; Melanie from Legal and I are going to that new Ethiopian restaurant in Georgetown Friday night. You two want to come with?"
Tim shook his head. "I know DeeDee would say 'no'. She says it's too early in our relationship to spend time with other couples; she wants me all to herself right now."
Tony smirked. "Women. Okay then. Another time." His phone rang and he turned to answer it.
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When Ziva returned, Tim was out at lunch. Tony was dining on a microwaved bowl of soup at his desk. "In all of your boyfriends," Tony said without preamble, "did you ever tell any of them that you didn't want to go out with other couples; that you just wanted to have him for yourself?"
Ziva considered the broken syntax for a moment. "Perhaps, once or twice. It is nice to be alone with your loved one at times. Are you having relationship troubles, Tony?" There was almost a wink in her voice.
"Me? No! Ha ha. I never have troubles. No, it was something McGee said to me."
"McGee is having troubles with DeeDee? That is a shame. She seems nice. And she loves his dog."
"I don't know that they're having troubles, exactly…"
"Still, they have been dating for more than a month, yes? McGee's girlfriends do not usually last that long."
"That's a rather callous way of putting it," Tony said with a frown.
"Ah, let me guess. You used the same words to McGee, did you not?"
"I'm sure I used at least one different word in there," Tony huffed. "Why are we so involved in our little Probie's love life, anyway?"
"I am not involved in it at all," said Ziva, proudly. "I am happy that McGee has found someone. You are the one who keeps sticking his noose in where it does not belong."
"The expression is, 'sticking his nose in,' and no, I do not."
"Never known you to stick your nose in, Tony," Gibbs said, coming by. "Though sticking it into your work now and then would be a good thing."
"On it, boss," Tony called, and proceeded to get busy.
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Gibbs sent Tim down to Abby's lab in the afternoon to confer on an issue with her. Tim went with reluctance; it seemed to him that his Goth friend had been giving him the cold shoulder recently. Why this could be, he didn't know, although he had spent an hour here and there searching his memory for any offence he might have given her.
"Oh, it's you," Abby said coldly, when Tim entered. "I was hoping for…Ziva, or, or, Tony."
"Tony?" Tim scowled. "How can Tony help you trace a computer worm?"
"Tony is not stupid, McGee!!"
"I never said he was," Tim said, shrinking back a bit,
"You got that right, mister! Tony has plenty of smarts!"
"Why are you mad at me, Abby?" Tim pressed, although a small voice in his mind said, if she's mad at you, it's probably because you said something stupid. Like you often do. "Forget it. I'm sorry." He said in the next breath.
"I hope you are," Abby grumbled, appearing slightly mollified. "Pull up a stool, and let's get to work."
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It was late when Tim got home. The living room lamp, which was on a timer, was on. Jethro met him at the door with a soft woof.
"Hey, how are you boy?" Tim asked, giving the German shepherd enough scratching to make the dog wiggle all over in delight. "Did you have a good day? Give those squirrels in the park a good chasing?"
DeeDee had left a note for him in the kitchen. I left you a portion of the lasagna I made in the fridge. Just microwave it. Next time, can't you give me more notice that you're not going to be home in time for supper?
The words sounded a little harsh, but her usual smiley face drawing was at the bottom, above her signature. He couldn't stay mad at DeeDee. He couldn't even get mad at DeeDee. She was the best thing to ever come into his life, bar none.
He watched TV for awhile, and then read a few chapters in a book. Just about the time that he was getting ready for bed, a knock came at his door.
"DeeDee!" he said in some surprise. As always, she looked ravishing, wearing a tight-fitting turtleneck and designer jeans.
She swept past him, not waiting for an invitation to come in. Jethro rose and wagged his tail. "Timothy, I cooked dinner for you. I would have expected you to come by and say 'thank you', at the least."
"Uh, I'm sorry. I should have. But it was after 10 when I got in, and—"
"—and you didn't think. Well, I know how my sweet man loves to eat, and I'm sure my lasagna drove all thoughts from his mind," she said, pulling his head down to her height for a kiss.
"It did," Tim admitted. DeeDee was a pretty good cook.
"But you still should have come up to see me. Bad Timothy," she scolded. "You know I can't exist without seeing my Timothy."
She was getting a little grabby. "Uh, DeeDee, it's midnight and I do have to work in the morning. Early."
She looked him in the eye. "What is more important to you, Timothy? NCIS, or…" she pulled him in for another kiss.
This was not the first time she had asked him this trick question. But it was only Tuesday night, and he did still have days of work ahead. "Not tonight, DeeDee. Sorry."
Her face darkened. "Most of my former boyfriends knew where their priorities were," she snapped. "Where do you see our relationship going, Timothy?"
"Um…" All his time spent reading women's magazines, and Tim was still flustered that he only thought like a man.
"Well, you just think about that, bud," she said, though she bent down to give Jethro a friendly scratch behind the ears. "I have a feeling I'll just be too busy for you for the next couple of nights. Maybe Friday…"
"Friday?" Tim perked up, remembering. "Hey, there's a new Ethiopian restaurant…a friend and his date are going…maybe…"
"Oh, no, Timothy," DeeDee said, now purring. "I don't share my time with you with anyone else. And I would hope you'd feel that way, too. I want you all to myself."
"Of course I do," Tim said automatically, but feeling he probably meant it. Why wouldn't he want to be alone with her?
"Just you don't come home late again without telling me," she scolded once more as she went out.
"I'll try."
"Don't try. Just do it. I would think someone as supposedly smart as you could figure out how."
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The team was out in the field the next day; the weather now cool and damp. A double homicide in Rock Creek Park, possibly related to their current case, kept them busy. At one point Tim slipped on mud and the NCIS camera he had been holding went flying.
Gibbs retrieved it from a patch of wet grass. "Mind taking a little more care with agency equipment, McGee?" he frowned.
I would think someone as supposedly smart as you could figure out how. "Sorry, boss," Tim said, blushing. "That was stupid of me."
Gibbs gave him a sharp look; the bit after the apology was unusual for his agent. "Clean it up, and get back to work."
"Yes, boss."
Tim went back to snapping the scene. At one point he nearly stepped on a piece of evidence that Tony was about to bag, causing Tony to yell at him.
"Sorry, sorry," Tim said, his face red yet again. "I'm just stupid."
On the way back to NCIS, Tim sat quietly, ignoring the others, as if something had embarrassed him supremely. He couldn't have put his finger on it if asked. There was only the lingering, nagging, feeling that he was, indeed, stupid.