DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN NCIS OR ANY OF ITS CHARACTERS!
ECHO IN MY HEART
A Tim and Linda story
Ch1
His blood pumping with the rush of adrenalin pulsing Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo, gun held at the ready, made his way into position on the alley side of the building. His partner and Special Agent Timothy McGee had pinpointed the headquarters of their targets by cross referencing their cell phone calls and the hits made by the renegade ROTC students that decided to play at 'war, killing a handful of individuals they labelled as terrorist threats.
Knowing they were well armed the agents all wore their bullet-proof vests under their NCIS jackets. Tony signalled to McGee to go on the opposite side of the building. While they secured the front, their boss Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs and probationary agent Ziva David were making their way to similar locations in the rear.
When he got into position, being able to see anyone fleeing or entering the front or the door facing the alley Tony informed his team mates through his wrist mike. "Probie, you in place?" Tony asked wanting to make sure everyone was where they needed to be. Gibbs and Ziva both checked in quickly.
Not hearing an answer after Tony's request, Gibbs barked, "McGee, you ready?"
Silence answered in all their earwigs but was soon replaced with the sharp sounds of gunfire. The three agents raced to find the source, each dreading finding their co-worker lying dead.
Tony spied two suspects nearing the form he recognized as Tim's. "STOP NCIS!" he shouted out, his gun pointed at them and his finger ready to snap off shots if they gave even the slightest hint of not complying. Any thoughts they may have entertained to rebelling were cut short as Gibbs and Ziva appeared on the scene guns drawn.
The suspects dropped their weapons and laid face down with their hands behind their heads. Ziva came near kicking their weapons out of reach. She stood over them eyeing her partner's body. There was a fair amount of blood under his head and what appeared to be a bullet wound near his ear.
Gibbs and Tony cleared the building calling for an ambulance and backup as they exited. They came out to find the suspects cuffed and Ziva tending to McGee.
"Come on McGee. I know you can hear me," they heard her coaxing him to regain consciousness. Relieved that he was alive, but still concerned by the lack of any response, they felt a chill travel down their spines.
"Come on McNapper," Tony urged trying to cover his own concern.
Gibbs could only look with worried eyes, not willing to verbalize anything. The lights and sirens of the ambulance brought them all to Tim's side. The suspects were mostly dragged out to the vehicle waiting to take them to NCIS, while the paramedics rushed to reach Tim.
They quickly assessed the injuries and made up compresses to stop the bleeding. One hurried back to retrieve the gurney knowing it was vital to transport their patient to the nearest hospital as fast as possible.
While he was waiting for the gurney to arrive the other paramedic started gathering the pertinent information that Gibbs solemnly supplied. He let them know he would contact Tim's family personally.
Tony and Ziva gave a last worried look at their friend before he was rolled away to the ambulance. They went off to get the cars and return to work to wrap up what they could and then get to the hospital as quickly as they were able.
In the bullpen they busily finished up their reports about what had happened. Ziva suddenly looked up, "Tony?" she called to gain his attention.
"Yeah, Zee?" he answered distracted.
"I had just thought of someone we should call and tell about McGee," she wondered if she was right about notifying his girlfriend.
Tony looked up puzzled momentarily, but it finally clicked. Tim had introduced everyone to Linda a few weeks earlier.
He had known her since high school. They had dated since the end of their senior year until they graduated from MIT. But that was when their lives led them off in different directions. Tim headed for John Hopkins and Linda pursued her career in computers.
They had been reunited when she won a contest set up by Tim's publisher. It gave them a night sharing dinner and memories. Tim had been ecstatic about seeing her again.
The love story worked big for his publicity and Linda had been good natured about all of it. Tony couldn't help but feel a bit jealous that his Probie seemed to have found his soul mate, again.
Now though, came the most difficult task of being a federal agent. Making the call wasn't an easy task, but as senior field agent Tony considered it his duty.
Finding the number he lifted his phone and began to punch the digits. He hesitated slightly, his finger bent over the last number before he took a deep breath and straightened his finger pressing the button. He sat back and prepared to give her what few details he could.
Tony and Ziva had reached the hospital and saw Linda walking in the door. They hastened their steps to catch up to her and lend their support.
"Hey Tony. Ziva," she greeted them trying to keep the tears from falling. It was evident by the puffiness around her red-rimmed eyes that she'd already suffered a good deal of crying.
Standing on either side of Linda they walked inside to find where Tim was. As if on cue, like always, Gibbs was there to greet them.
"I was coming down to give you a call," he shook his cell phone. "No reception in this place."
"I do not think you are supposed to use them in the hospital," Ziva explained.
"Yeah," Gibbs clearly wasn't in the mood for that conversation. "Come on," he waved his hand for them to follow.
"Boss?" Tony stopped him and nodded toward Linda who wasn't sure she was prepared to see Tim lying on a hospital bed with tubes and wires everywhere.
Gibbs motioned for Tony and Ziva to come closer. "He's in ICU bed seven. Third floor." They nodded and headed toward the elevators. Before one arrived to take them up they saw Gibbs approach Linda and put an arm around her shoulders as he talked softly to her. A looked passed between the two agents who weren't sure what to make of the kind gesture Gibbs offered to the woman.
Gibbs hadn't shared an opinion of her with anyone, though that wasn't much of a surprise, since he was fairly tight-lipped about most things. He found her to be a bright independent woman who was a good match for his young agent. Linda had the confidence to care for him without being overbearing or demanding too much from him. He hoped that the both of them could build a good future together, something he once had with Shannon.
Gibbs approached Linda who looked on the brink of falling to pieces. He put his arm around her shoulders not only to offer support but also to comfort her.
"I won't lie to you," he told her softly, at least soft for Gibbs. "He's in a coma and not responsive to outside stimuli. Despite that he's fairly stable. He's breathing on his own, which is a good thing."
She could only stare at the lead agent, her tears misting her vision. Images of her love so recently rekindled being snuffed out in an instant flashed. She felt herself being led down the hallway, the lights almost blinding her as they reflected on her tears.
Gibbs handed her a tissue so she could momentarily clear her eyes. Taking a few deep breaths she listened as he told her that Tim would be okay.
Lying in his bed, Tim could hear the voices around him. Ever since he first saw the suspects at the scene he'd been unable to say a word. He couldn't tell Tony or even Gibbs he was in place; the men had been standing too close.
Ironically he thought it was the crackle of his earwig when Gibbs demanded to know where he was that alerted the men who shot at him.
Remembering those shots ringing out, he realized he'd been hit. He knew he wasn't dead, though he couldn't really feel his body. His hearing worked just fine; his mind was still sharp; and he felt warm, so his heart must still be pumping.
He guessed he should be grateful that he didn't feel any pain. In some ways it would be nice to just lay there and not feel anything, but the voices kept encouraging him to come back, open is eyes and talk to them.
He recognized the voices: Gibbs, Tony, Ziva, Ducky and Jimmy. All of them filled with worry and anxiety. There was one voice though that moved him more than all the others. It had come to him recently. It called to his heart not just his mind.
Linda. Hearing her talking to him, telling him she missed him and needed him, made him want to come back; but he couldn't find his way. Her voice took him back in time to when they first met face to face and all the feelings that awakened inside him as they shared time together. Even in his deep sleep he could feel her with him, like her heart beat answered his own.
Three words she whispered in his ear caused his heart to stop and his breathing to cease for a moment.
She watched him seeming to be in a dreamless sleep. He was still the man she loved and she knew more than ever that would never change. Having lost him once when life sent them off in different directions, she couldn't bear the thought of losing him again.
She placed her hand on his and squeezed lightly. She ran her other hand over his head, brushing it off his forehead. She leaned in closer and whispered, "I love you."
Suddenly monitors began to beep and nurses rushed in to check things out. It was only a few moments' time before they all relaxed seeing things were back to normal. After double checking all the lines and making notes they left them again.
Linda narrowed her eyes at Tim a smile playing at her lips. She wondered if he'd responded to what she'd told him. It wasn't the first time she told him, but if it would bring him back she would tell him a thousand times over.