Early Sunday Morning
Alright, Tim. You have to do this. And the coast is clear. You knocked out the security cameras. You've temporarily disable the emergency alarms. You've mapped out the places hidden from the guards. You've got the bolt cutters. You're in all black, and your completely covered so no hair or any forensic evidence will be left behind. All you're doing is taking a look. Relax. I know, I know, it's illegal, but you know you have to. Why? I don't know. It's the dreams. I have to do it, because of the dreams. You're just going to look. No big deal. You're not stealing anything. You're not breaking anything (except a lock or two). You're not hurting anyone. You just need to see. I just need to see them.
McGee took a deep breath, then emerged from his hiding spot in some bushes beside the road. It was just after 3 am on Sunday morning, and McGee, who should have been dressed in his pajamas, was in all black. Just below his black beanie, was a set of wild green eyes that his coworkers wouldn't recognize. Below those, was a tight black hoodie, black cargo pants, and black combat boots. In black gloved hands, he tightly gripped a dark blue backpack. Within it was a camera, bolt cutters, a knife, flashlight with red cellophane duct taped over the lens, Ziva's lock-pick kit, a can of spray-on industrial lubricant, and one pound of fresh fish.
Quickly ducking beyond the street light's glow, he jogged towards the tall cement wall painted with blue. He cautiously approached a small door in the wall and began to unzip his backpack. He pulled from it the bolt cutters and the lubricant spray, then heard the ominous rumble of a car.
McGee hit the ground, his body making a soft 'thud' on the grass. Thankfully, between the street and his position was a low hedge, hiding the NCIS agent from the headlights as they swept past him. He could almost hear his heart pounding through his chest.
Quickly, he regained his composure and hustled to the door. He took one look around, then sprayed the hinges of the door liberally with the lubricant. After stuffing the can back into the backpack, he then snapped the lock off with the bolt cutters. Carefully, he pulled the door outwards. The lubricant proved itself as the door swung open without even a creak. He replaced the bolt cutters in his bag, slung it over his shoulders, then closed the door behind him.
The red glow of the flashlight filled the noisy hallway. Pipes and the backside of glass tanks ran the length of it, and McGee's nose wrinkled at the fishy smell. A cacophonous sound resonated as all the pumps and filters hummed. He mentally noted where he was from the blueprints he'd downloaded earlier that night. Left. Right. Left. Left. Under the pipes. Down the steps. Right. Up the steps. Door on the right.
Using the same tactic he had before, McGee placed the flashlight in his mouth, sprayed lubricant onto the hinges of the door, then pulled Ziva's lock-pick kit from his backpack. He made quick work of the lock, mentally thanking Ziva for the lessons she'd given the whole team earlier that month. The door swung outward and McGee clicked off his flashlight, stowing it in the pocket of his cargo shorts.
He cautiously peered out of the door and into the large hallway beneath the deep blue glow. McGee listened for the guards, but all he could hear was the bubbling of the filters. As the young agent stepped out into the hallway, his gaze swept upwards, toward the transparent walls that reached the ceiling. Then he spotted it. Hanging from the center of the ceiling of the large hallways was a sign.
Sharks
Turtles
Gift Shop
Dolphins
Seals
McGee nodded to himself, and he hurried off down the dark halls of the aquarium.
XxXxXxXxXxXxX
Saturday Morning
I am but a lonely king upon this wandering sea
Ruler of nothing above and nothing below
From the deep I feel their pleas
As a being within me, begins to grow
McGee's eyes snapped open. Heaving, his sweat covered chest shook with each labored breath. Slowly he glanced around, his vision taking in the reassuring sights of his bedroom. The sheets were twisted tightly about his body like a net. It took several minutes for his heart rate to slow, but even when it did, he felt that something was off.
But, McGee had grown accustomed to this feeling in the past few weeks.
Quickly he rolled over to his nightstand, grasping blindly at the pad of paper and pen, almost knocking them to the floor. As he switched on the lamp, he noticed his hands were shaking. Another relatively new development he'd grown used to. Rapidly he jotted down what he'd heard in his dream.
'I am but a lonely king upon this wandering sea
Ruler of nothing above and nothing below
From the deep I feel their pleas
As a creature within me, begins to grow'
He frowned at the words, then flipped through several previous pages. All seemed to be stanzas from poems. As he wiped more sweat from his brow, he read the last few nights of what he'd heard in his dreams.
Wednesday
Save me, man upon dry land
Hear my cries, for we are same
I pray to feel you take my hand
And show me where we tried to remain
Thursday
Feel me in the sea
Feel what once was ours
Because we both yearn to be free
For the sea within our veins does course
Friday (Tonight)
We were in love, before
You and I, below the tide
Now hear my call from distant shores
From what you really are, you try to hide
The young man tossed the notebook back onto his nightstand with a groan and relaxed back onto the bed. What on earth is going on with me lately?
He took several deep breaths. None of which made him feel any better. He tried again. Nope, not feeling better. His hands were still shaking as he pulled the covers over his body once more, frowning slightly at their damp state from his sweat.
He stared silently at the ceiling for an hour, listening to his heartbeat, until he heard his phone ring.
"McGee."
"Probie! Did you forget?"
"Forget what Tony? What time is it?"
"9:00. I know, I know, it's early for a Saturday."
"What do you want Tony?"
"Dang McGee, you really did forget, didn't you?"
"Forget what?" McGee annoyingly blurted.
"The aquarium! Remember? Abby hounded us for hours all last week to go with her. Something about a pregnant narwal or something. I don't know. We're meeting there at 10."
"Oh." McGee vaguely remembered. For the last few weeks, he had been in a daze from a lack of sleep, and the odd literature themed dreams he'd had.
"Sooo… are you going?"
"Yeah, sure Tony."
"Alright! At least I won't be alone with ninja woman and Abby. See you at 10."
"See you."
McGee hung up, tossing the phone with a thud somewhere by his feet on the bed. Reaching up, he rubbed his eyes, trying to rid himself of the words he'd heard in his sleep.
The aquarium? On one of the only days in the past month we've been able to sleep in? No, Tim. It wasn't like you were sleeping anyway. You'll just have more dreams about the mystery voice speaking odd poetry. Seriously, what is wrong with you? Why can't you just be a normal human being? Why can't you just have normal life and dream normal dreams?
Sighing, McGee rolled out of bed.
"MCGEE!" Abby screamed as she hurled herself into McGee.
"H-h-ey Abs." He muttered, face turning blue. Over Abby's shoulder he could see Ziva and Tony approaching around the parked cars in the lot of the aquarium. Tony, in a light jacket and jeans was rubbing sleep from his eyes. Ziva, who was in her telltale cargo pants and a thick flannel, looked perky as ever. Abby released McGee and took a deep breath.
"Okay! So we're going to see the baby beluga! Then we'll look at the seals! Then we'll see the little turtles! Then the dolphins! Oooh! I want to pet a dolphin! Then the sting rays… Timmy? Are you okay?"
The group looked at McGee, who was doubled over, hands on his knees. His head was spinning and he could feel pressure building up in his chest. It felt oddly similar to… a breakup? A broken heart? Sadness? Depression? Tim, what the hell is wrong with you?
Hurriedly, he straightened up and forced a grin.
"Sorry, just didn't sleep much last night. Ready to go?" He asked.
Abby squealed, then grasped both McGee's and DiNozzo's hands and pulled them along. Both men looked back at Ziva with 'help me' expressions. Only McGee noticed the questioning look of concern Ziva sent him.
The aquarium was more than crowded. Pictures of whales, dolphins, random fish, and other creatures adorned the blue walls. Dark blue wave designs wound their way past glass tanks and doors. McGee squinted his eyes at the sound of everyone talking at once.
Beneath the ocean themed decorations in the large halls were spectators from all around DC and the neighboring areas jostled close together, attempting to edge their way for the first look at the pregnant beluga; this included Abby. The group walked past booths and exhibits about ocean life, the environment, and small displays of sea creatures. After leaving Abby to hold their spot in the line (which was more like a mob), Tony, Ziva, and McGee headed deeper into the aquarium.
They passed tanks filled with jellyfish, tropical fish, eels, turtles, and even sea horses. McGee shoved his hands into his pockets to hide their shaking.
"Oooh!"
Both men turned to their partner, surprised looks on their faces. Ziva had gasped, brought her hands up to her face, and was looking ahead of her with childlike fascination. And in a moment that confused both agents, she turned to them, speaking adamantly.
"Can we see the seals? Pleeease?" Tony raised an eyebrow and looked sideways at her. McGee was almost forced to double over again. The pounding in his chest returned, but he kept his composure.
"Suuuure Zee. McGoo, you wanna see the seals?"
"U-umm, Okay." The younger agent stuttered. Tony looked from one partner to the other. Here was Ziva, acting like an enthralled six year old, and McGee was acting… well, more McGee-ish than normal.
Tony sighed. This is going to be a loooong day DiNozzo. Good thing you brought that flask.
Ziva grabbed McGee's hand, very similarly to the way Abby had earlier, and pulled him along. Tony hung back and took a swig from his flask.
McGee tried to keep up with Ziva as she jogged along, the ex Mossad agent laughing as they left the main building of the aquarium and headed outside. The concrete pathway, bordered by bushes and little signs with information on aquatic wildlife, led up and around a large rocky pool surrounded by a five foot thick glass wall. Greenish water lapped about lazily as a few seals lounged on the rocks, not giving their spectators any attention.
Ziva threw herself against the glass wall, resting her chin on the top as she stared down at the seals. In her eyes, was pure adoring bliss.
"Aren't they adorable, McGee!"
Tim nodded as he cautiously walked up to the glass. With shaking hands, he grasped the top of the wall. Closing his eyes and leaning down, the young agent pushed his forehead against the cool glass. I can't do this. I need to leave.
"McGee! They're looking at us!"
As he opened his eyes slowly, he saw that Ziva was in fact right. Where the seals had been blissfully ignorant (or apathetic) to the countless humans' presence around them before, now they were all looking in the direction of Tim and Ziva. The former's brow furrowed. One seal in particular, seemed to be looking right at him. Right into his eyes. No, that can't be right. What are they interested in?
McGee focused. The seal was, without a doubt, staring directly at him. McGee expected it to be a passing gaze; a momentary glance, but no. The seal continued to stare deep into his eyes. Ziva glanced at him as she saw his hands shaking on the glass wall.
More seals were coming out of the water from the great depths of the tank to rest on the rocky platform. McGee could hear the crowds' excitement at seeing so many seals being active. Apparently this was unusual. As McGee tried to shake the longing 'broken heart' feeling that hadn't left, he heard two aquarium employees talking as they passed.
"I don't get it Deek, they've never acted like this! They're all just staring! I mean look at that!"
"You're not kidding Santio. What do you think would make the seals do that? Woh! Yeah, they're all coming out of the water!"
Tim had had enough. Or, he thought he had enough. He attempted to turn from the seal tank and head back inside. Maybe tell the others he wasn't feeling well (which they would have believed), and head home. But McGee simply stood, staring back at the seals, unable to move. All of them, including the young ones, had scrambled out of the water and were now sitting together, staring at the NCIS agents with unwavering eyes.
"McGee? Are you okay? Your hands are shaking." Ziva softly placed a hand on McGee's, slightly rubbing his knuckles with her thumb.
"Wow!" one of the acquarium attendants called out, pointing. The seals, almost in unison, silently turned from their watch of McGee, and lumbered back into the tank. Except for one. The one that had been watching McGee remained.
And it remained for one hour until Ziva literally pried McGee from the glass wall, and led him, as if he were in a blind stupor, towards the inside of the aquarium.
One Hour Later
"Hey Zee. McGoo. Enjoy the s-seals? (hiccup)" Tony asked, unsuccessfully trying to hide the whiskey on his breath.
"They were…" Ziva began, turning to Tim, who just stared past Tony and Abby, who was clutching a bulging plastic bag.
"They were… nice." She finished, still watching her partner closely. She could still hardly believe they had watched the seals for nearly an hour.
"Yeah, well, I think we're good to go. Abby covered the whole aquarium, and there's a Die Hard marathon on at 1:00."
McGee nodded, remaining mute, while Abby couldn't hold back.
"I got you presents!" The forensic scientist all but yelled.
"Yeah… she got you presents." Tony repeated, feeling the empty flask in his jacket.
In a blur, Abby reached into the bag, pulling from it a small plush shark.
"Ok Tony, you already saw this, but this is for you. And…"
She fished around in the bag after handing the senior agent the stuffed shark, who held it out away from his body as if someone had dropped a baby in his lap.
"And this is for you!" Abby handed Ziva a stuffed baby turtle, which Ziva took with a smile that reached her ears. She immediately nuzzled it up under her chin.
"Thank you Abby!"
"You're welcome. And Timmy…"
McGee's heart was pounding. Even though the plasting bag was opaque, he knew what it would be. He just knew. The 'heartbreak' feeling intensified and tears gathered in his eyes. Still, he didn't speak. He just couldn't.
"It's a seal!" Abby exclaimed, holding it out to him. McGee just stared.
"You know McAntisocial, when someone (hiccup) offers you a gift, you take it." Tony quipped. Abby's face immediately darkened.
"You don't like it McGee?"
"N-n-n-o. I do like i-it. T-thanks Abs." With a shaking hand, that the whole team blatantly noticed, McGee took the plush seal, cradling it as if he held a child. He stared into the black marble eyes. Give me answers. Please, I need answers to this heartbreak.
Again, this story has been inspired by Enthusiastic Fish's 'Far Frae Ev'ry Strand' and 'On My Journey Home'.
You should seriously check them out, they're amazing.