A/N I've noticed that there were words missing throughout the chapters in this story. I fixed it, and I hope it works. So sorry, now the story should make more sense! I'm currently working on the next chapter, but it will take some time to complete. Thanks to all who took the time to read and review! It is very much appreciated!

It had been a long day at work at NCIS in the ShapeShifter Elite Division or SSE. It was a top secret ops he was a part of in NCIS and Timothy McGee was exhausted. His boss Leroy Jethro Gibbs along with Director Steve Borden of the NCIS/ SSE Division had them all working almost non stop for weeks with only an occasional nap and tons of coffee to keep awake. No one had any normal sleep. But for them, what was normal? McGee asked himself, smiling inwardly. McGee noticed the case they were working on was hitting Gibbs hard. An agent was murdered, a shapeshifting agent like themselves, but from the Norfolk Virginia Division. Gibbs had known the Agent he nicknamed the "crotchety cougar"and his family for years, and he was determined to put the scumbag who murdered him behind bars. And he would. With the help of his team. Now Agent Ethan Giles could rest in peace.

Any case that was deemed "paranormal" or "supernatural" (Director Leon Vance from NCIS preferred "unusual") was given to the SSE. He and Director Borden often collaborated together on which cases would be handled by Vance and his civilian agents, and which ones Director Borden would be given. McGee still remembered his big head slap from Gibbs two years ago when he had remarked that a case was quote "Cool! Just like the X files!" Even DiNozzo had given him a high five for that one and DiNozzo also earned a Gibbs slap when he whistled the X files theme. Hell, THEY themselves were X files, McGee thought. After all, they were shape shifting wolves the size similar to a small pony. Gibbs was a huge silver gray one and DiNozzo was dark brown. McGee was a lighter brown than Dinozzo. "The wolf pack." That was what Director Borden called Gibbs and his team collectively. McGee was proud to be part of it.

It was time to head for home, but he didn't want to. It wasn't that he didn't like or enjoy his private beach house, he did. He just wanted more than himself for company. He sighed. Well, You can't always get what you want, he chided to himself. That was life. He secured his desk then made a beeline for the elevator. He stepped out into the parking lot and headed for his midnight blue "bumblebee" Camaro ZL1. He was tempted to head for Abby's lab before leaving but decided against it. He knew she was swamped with a mountain pile of evidence to sift through and then when that was done and processed she would make a detailed report for the SSE. She too was determined to see the murdering scumbag went directly to jail.

Abby now had someone whom she could trust to work with her, and McGee was glad she did. Angela Callaway was also amazing at forensics ,and she shapeshifted into a stunning Lynx. Abby absolutely loved her sister in law. Angela's husband and lifemate Mark was a 6' 8" shapeshifting black panther SSE Agent who often worked with Gibbs. He also was Abby's brother. Abby discovered quite some time ago that she was adopted and had done an extensive search for her family. She had found Mark, then found out she had another brother,Hugh Toorop. Hugh had told her about their parents, and what had caused their deaths. He also told her that their birth parents had adopted Mark as a baby. She loved both of her brothers, and they were protective of her as McGee was.

Hugh was another shapeshifting SSE Agent. He was a black and silver wolf, and he and Mark always worked together. They were ex Navy Seals, and the top sniper/hitman team. They never missed a target. Ever. Gibbs had a deep respect for both of them and their abilities.

The word lifemate suddenly entered McGee's head. That word always seemed to come up when he was thinking about Abby. Actually ever since Director Borden's wife Gabrielle had told him that he had a lifemate and found out it was Abby. Every shapeshifter had one, Gabrielle informed him. She knew all about every existing shapeshifter and had a room of files to prove it. There was more detailed information on her laptop along with a detailed list of all shapeshifters and their lifemates. Director Borden and Gabrielle were on that list. They were wolves also, Steve a black one, Gabrielle a red haired one.

Gabrielle told McGee that even with that detailed list, the "paired" couples should be entitled to some free will. She felt they should be together because it was their choice, not just because of a list. That was easier said than done, McGee thought. True lifemates were drawn to one another, and desired only to be with their intended. McGee had found that out the hard way when he had tried dating others. It had always ended disastrously. He still remembered the stinging slap he'd received when he'd told his date that the thought of sleeping with her was repulsive to him. That had been a thought that was supposed to have stayed in his head, not said out loud. He truly hadn't meant to say that or to hurt the girl's feelings. But he had. He felt horrible about it and gave up on dating ever since.

Another reason for the files on shapeshifters was because Gabrielle was a skilled Doctor who also handled all their medical care along with their Medical Examiner and Doctor Donald "Ducky" Mallard. There was a private hospital connected to the building used for all shapeshifting Agents. Any other hospital was not an option for them. They couldn't afford to have any civilian Doctor or anyone else for that matter discover who and what they were.

A civilian had murdered Agent Giles. Was it because he'd discovered that Agent Giles was a shapeshifter? McGee hoped not, because if that were true all shapeshifters could be in jeopardy.

A thought kept nagging at him, and McGee didn't like where that was taking him. His gut told him it could be possible that Agent Giles murderer could be connected to Gen Tech, a lab where he had endured excruciating torture eleven years ago. Occasionally, he still had nightmares or flashbacks re-living that time. Another reason why he was reluctant to head home. But what choice did he have? It was nearing midnight, and he knew he could use a day or two just for sleep.

Gen Tech. Known to the world as a research lab, but Tim knew better. Gen Tech. His hands were shaking and he couldn't bring himself to start his car. He lay his head on the hands that gripped the steering wheel and took a deep, calming breath. Maybe he would close his eyes for a few seconds.

Gen Tech. The tormentors. The pain. Oh, God, the pain...

Naked. Cold. And in pain. The torment wouldn't let up. Beatings. Constant beatings. Demands, no, shouts.

"SHIFT! CHANGE, DAMN YOU!"

He wouldn't. He refused. No matter the pain. No matter what they did to him.

The needles hurt. It hurt so bad. He felt like a pin cushion.

"Let's see if this concoction will make him twitch!" Laughter.

"We need to find something to make him shapeshift."

"So far, NOTHING! Cooperate, damn you!" Beatings. More beatings. His blood spattered everywhere, and poured from his skin. He could even taste it.

He welcomed the abyss of unconsciousness. But not his tormentors.

"Wake up, WAKE UP, damn you!"

More beatings. Then came the broken bones.

"SHIFT, DAMN YOU TO HELL! Thwack!

A heavy object breaking kneecaps. Fingers. Toes. And any other bone they could think of to target. Bone crunching sounds. His bones breaking. It made him vomit. They didn't like that. It got them mad. Screams. His. That got them mad too.

"You are SO weak and PATHETIC! Look at you! You disgust me!"

When would this end? He wanted to die. Just to stop the torture. The pain. If only there was relief from the pain...

Arms lifting him. Another scream torn from his throat. Flashing blue and red lights that pierced his eyes like a bunch of needles. It hurt.

Voices. Different voices. Gibbs? No, he had to be imagining things. Unconsciousness. Blessed unconsciousness...

"Mr McGee!?" A security guard was tapping frantically on the car's window. "I heard screams. Are you okay? Mr McGee?"

Tim blinked, then looked around in confusion. He rolled his window down.

"I'm okay, Sam, thanks."

"You sure? I heard screams. I thought..."

"It's okay Sam. I'm fine." He started his car. "Take care Sam."

"You too Mr McGee."

Tim wiped the beads of sweat from his eyes and forehead. He would need to speak with Gibbs and Borden. They needed to know. He swallowed hard. Tomorrow. He'd deal with that tomorrow.

He headed for home, parked in his driveway and entered his dark, lonely home. He took a nice, hot shower, it always helped calm and soothe him after a nightmare or flashback episode. He dried off, and put on some comfy boxers and a green tee, then brushed his teeth. Now, he needed sleep. He settled down on his comfy bed to give it a try. But he just couldn't. He was more shaken from the flashback incident in the parking lot than he realized. He wished he could be in Abby's lab. He could concentrate there. Focus. Keep his mind from going chaotic. He smiled and shook his head. Tortured in one lab, but felt safe in another. Oh, the irony, he thought, shaking his head.

As usual, thoughts of Abby came to mind. Abby. His lifemate. Yeah , sure. What a pile of bullshit, he tried convincing himself. But deep in his subconscious mind, he knew Gabrielle was right. She was his true mate. He felt that deep in his soul. But it seemed as if Abby didn't see it or feel that way. She had made it abundantly clear she didn't want a relationship with him. Okay, maybe she didn't put it so bluntly, but then you didn't need to be a rocket scientist to get the "blues clue." Tim refused to beat a dead horse, and he wasn't going to beg either. Abby didn't want him as a mate, and he was going to have to come to grips with that fact and learn to accept it. Suck it up, as Gibbs would put it. It wouldn't be easy, but he was determined to try.

He would have to learn to enjoy the solitude when he was home even though all his life he'd wanted his own family. He would have to accept that that was never going to happen. Not for him anyway.

Tim was a shapeshifter with unique abilities. To shift into an animal, and communicate telepathically with other shapeshifters. Lifemates had their own "private telepathic "channel" or path that only they shared. He'd seen that with Angela and Mark, Hugh and Aurora, Steve and Gabrielle. He wanted to experience that too with Abby. He wanted that with every fiber of his being.

Stop the pity party, Tim, now, he reprimanded himself. Stop thinking of things you cannot change, or have.

You should be proud of yourself, and your abilities. He smiled. He had one other unique ability. Well, more than one. He could use his head as a map, and "see" the imagery in his mind and give the needed info,directions, and coordinates to anyone who asked. He could also "zap" images onto computer screens just by thought. Everything he saw daily, every crime scene he'd processed, people all around and whom he interacted with was all filed away in his head. If he noticed anything suspicious, he could "zap" it onto any monitor and study it. Same with people, or suspects. Crime scenes and maps also. He was a walking gps navigation system and camera rolled into one. His unique ability had put past killers behind bars.

He remembered Gibb's and DiNozzo's reactions the first time he zapped something onto the plasma instead of bringing it up from a computer or click of a mouse. DiNozzo's face had been comical with his wide eyed stare, and jaw opened wide in shock. Even Gibbs had reacted as if he was a bit freaked out by it, and that shocked Tim. DiNozzo's reaction he could see, but Gibbs rarely was shocked by anything he saw or heard.

Tim looked out his window towards the ocean. He watched the powerful waves pounding huge rocks. The ocean also could help keep his mind from getting too chaotic. He lay down on his bed, and this time, when he closed his eyes, he was able to sleep.