This story is based on an unused fiction exchange prompt from the wonderful channeld. She has been an inspiration and support to me ever since I posted my very first fanfic back in 2008. Tragically she was taken from us on 7 November 2012; this story is my tiny way of saying a very big thank you to her for everything she did for me.

Here's the prompt. Rocket boy: Tim gets a chance to work with and fly with a jetpack on his back…under more dangerous conditions than he was led to expect.

Now here's the first chapter

Eyes Turned Skywards

They were coming, they were quiet, really quiet, but he always knew when they were close. He tried to ignore the pain that seemed to burn into his very soul; he lay still and waited, maybe this time they would leave him alone, walk by and let him be…so many times he'd tried to get away and every time they'd pulled him back, held him down, hurt him…over and over…how long? How long had they been doing this? He'd lost…time…time didn't mean anything except more pain…they held him so he couldn't move, pushed tubes down his throat 'til he thought he was choking…pierced his skin…so many times…

He'd tried to fight them, only there were too many of them, so many voices whispering, cajoling…what did they want from him? He wouldn't talk, couldn't…just thinking took too much of what little energy he had left…

Could he make one last effort to get away, if he escaped their clutches would the pain lessen, would he care? All he wanted was peace….there was no peace, only noise, pain, so much pain…

Dark…it was always dark, he was cold…or hot…he could never be sure, there was no rest. Over and over the masked men held him down, did unspeakable things…for hours…maybe days, he didn't know, one thing he did know, he couldn't do this any longer, it was too much and he wanted it to stop…

Close…he could feel they were close, there was a hand on his arm. "Get off me." He shouted as loud as he could, it wasn't loud, barely above a whisper, his throat hurt so bad.

"No!" It was the light, burning into his eyeballs, sending shards of pain through his skull. He could feel the sweat running into his eyes, or maybe he was crying, he'd long since given up trying to be strong in front of them, they'd seen him for what he was when the overwhelming pain had wrung screams from his battered throat.

Why did he still call out? No one could help him, he'd called out for them, for Gibbs, Tony…all of them; his family…things were so bad he'd even begged for help from his dad…none of them came, he'd been abandoned…

Wasn't it time to give in, to let them take what they wanted? He was hurting so bad…Enough, he'd had enough…

"Stop…please…can't do…this…kill me…please…"

His eyes closed and a trembling hand reached out for his.

"Gibbs, why doesn't he recognise us? He opens his eyes, but it's like he doesn't see who's right beside him."

"Abs, he's been to hell and back, God knows what he sees when he wakes up." He stood behind her, put his hands on her shoulders and kissed the top of her head. "We need to give him time, be here for him."

Fresh tears fell down her cheeks. "He promised me…it's been ten days Gibbs, and he's still so sick…"

He had no answer for her; no words to salve the hurt of watching someone she cared for suffer the way Tim was. The haunted, pain wracked shell sleeping fitfully in the High Dependency Unit of Bethesda Naval Hospital was a world away from the elated young man who had sat with him in Director Vance's office five weeks ago.

NCIS NCIS

"Seriously Director? You want me to go undercover?"

"We do Agent McGee. I have spoken with Agent Gibbs and we are agreed that NCIS has no agent better qualified for this assignment."

Tim's enthusiasm was dampened just a little; he was pretty sure what this was going to be about, but even so, he was going undercover at last. "Is it computers?"

Gibbs smiled, he'd told Leon that would be Tim's first question. "After a fashion; but a very special kind of computer."

Vance picked up the remote from his desk and activated the plasma screen. Tim turned round and was amazed when he saw his own presentation on jetpack flight.

"You know more about jetpack technology than anyone at NCIS, and we need you to use that knowledge to get us into Inanna Industries."

Tim sat up straighter in his chair. Inanna was doing some exciting work on remote flight technology, technology that required a lot of computer back up.

"What the heck kind of name is Inanna? Some kind of Elf Lord thing McGee?"

Tim grinned. "No Boss. Inanna is the Sumerian god of the sky, Inanna Industries is a well respected company in the field of jet flight...why does NCIS have an interest in them Director?"

Vance clicked the remote on his desk and they all turned again to the plasma. "This man, First Lieutenant Chris Preston was found murdered last week. We didn't get to hear about it because he's Air Force, but…" Vance clicked again and a page of computer code filled the screen. Tim leaned forward to get a closer look.

"Doubt even you can make sense of this McGee, it's encrypted; Air Force turned it over to the Pentagon's cyber techs, and they've managed to get in, but only at a low level. One thing they did discover was that Preston was communicating with a Navy officer, no identification as yet. The other thing they found was a number of references to Inanna, Preston was on secondment with them, test pilot for the rocket packs, seems he was worried about something."

Tim was puzzled. "So how come we don't go over and talk with the CEO, see what he has to say?"

"We don't have enough to go on at this stage, if there is a problem inside Inanna and we go in too early…" Vance didn't have to go on. Tim knew they could spook whoever was behind any potential problems at Inanna.

Gibbs pulled his chair closer to Tim. "They're looking to put someone on the inside, only it has to be someone who knows what he's doing. I've seen your jetpack presentation; you're the man for this job, no doubt about it."

Tim was stunned; at last he was getting a chance to go undercover…and jetpacks, it was a dream come true. Vance smiled knowingly at Gibbs; this was the exact reaction Gibbs had told him to expect. Vance coughed theatrically and changed the display on the plasma once more.

"Agent McGee, are you interested in this assignment?"

I…interested? It's…I never would have imagined…"

Gibbs shook his head and smiled at Vance. "I think you can take that as a yes."

Tim blushed; he hadn't stumbled over a sentence that way in years. "Director, I want this assignment, absolutely, yes I want it."

"Very good. We're playing catch up here because the DoD already tried to get a man inside, there's a vacancy in the lab at Inanna but their guy didn't get past the interview. From our point of view the good thing is no one else got through either, now before they re-advertise you need to get in there, and convince them you can do the work. Think you can do it?"

"To get into a company at the cutting edge of jetpack research? Just watch me!"

"Just so long as you're a little more articulate than you were just now you should do fine." Vance nodded in Gibbs' direction. "He's all yours Gibbs."

"Here's what we do Tim, I'll let Tony and Ziva know what's happening and we'll set up some lines of communication. Take the rest of the day to hand off your reports and searches to the rest of the team, you'll need some time to read the case file, check out the Inanna website and the job description. First order of business; get down to the lab and have Abby get started on a cover ID for you."

Tim grinned and almost leapt out of his chair. "On it Boss!"

As Tim disappeared, almost at a run Vance turned to Gibbs with a broad smile on his face. "They still think no one knows they're dating again?"

Gibbs nodded. "Oh yeah; guess it's true what they say, love is blind."

NCIS NCIS

"Tyler Mason." Tim liked the sound of that, they'd tried out a few names but everything sounded…off; this one had a ring of truth to it. "That's the one Abs, now you can start on my background history."

Abby had initially been as thrilled as Tim by the news that he was finally getting the opportunity he'd always craved, the chance to show he could work undercover. He'd looked so happy when he came bounding into the lab that she'd been carried along by his mood, especially when he told her about the jetpacks, but now…undercover meant out of contact, and they'd only just started to get together again.

"Tim…"

He turned away from the computer screen and noticed her sombre expression. "Hey Abs, what's wrong?"

"I'm being silly, and selfish. I want you around all the time, being able to see you every day, be with you after work…"

He took the initiative for a change and gave her a hug. "I love being together too, but you do see Abs, I have a chance to find out why Lieutenant Preston died, there may be no connection, but if there is we have to try and find it."

She hugged him tight, trying to imagine what it would be like not to see him for days, maybe weeks…"Promise me you'll be careful, working undercover can be dangerous."

Tim gave her a gentle kiss and cupped her cheek, staring deep into her eyes. "I promise, but seriously Abby, I'm going to be doing geek stuff in just about the geekiest place around; what could go wrong?"