"Ziva….. you're not going to believe me …..but I have a Dragon in my pocket I want to show you"
Ziva smirked and looked at the large and extremely long bulge in McGee pants.
"Really it that what you call it? Dragon? And I thought you were just pleased to see me"
Ziva smiled naughtily at him and Tim just rolled his eyes "No not that…. I mean I am pleased to see you but…"
Tim grabbed her arm and pulled her further away from any prying eyes before digging into his pocket and pulling out…
"MCGEE! That is a …. A… Dragon!" Ziva stared in amazement
Tim huffed in exasperation. "Yes Ziva, I know. That is what I have been trying to tell you"
Ziva stared at the tiny miniature dragon standing on McGee's outstretched palm. Tightly curled up it would be perhaps slightly larger than a large man's fist but with its long neck and tail extended it was about the length of a standard ruler.
Ziva leaned in fascinated as the small creature moved craning its neck to look back at her before extending and flapping its wings in alarm as she leaned too close.
"Shussh its all right Darius…." Tim soothed the little beast and ran his finger down it sleek neck. Ziva watched as the little Dragon arched its neck and made a sort of crooning sound in response to McGee's touch.
"It likes you?"
Tim glared at Ziva before turning his adoring green eyes back to 'Darius'
"Of course he likes me. He knows that I like him, don't you Darius? Yes whose the most beautiful little dragon in the world? Yes you are! You know you are don't you"
Tim lifted his hand and brought the dragon closer to his face as he admired the little creature who preened and shimmered its blue and green scales in response to the admiration.
Ziva threw up her hands and walked away for a moment just to get some sense of reality.
"Ok so can I ask how you happen to get hold of what appears to be a real live dragon?"
Tim held his trouser pocket open and the little dragon flexed it claws and climbed back into the warm Tim smelling darkness curling up to sleep, the tip of its barbed tail peeking out of the top.
"Well Tony and I were at the BioMedic Engineering Laboratories today asking them about the contract they have with the Navy to provide vaccinations against chemical weapons. You know following up on the threats issued on the Jackson case? Anyway Tony was flirting with our guide Lisa who was giving us a tour and I was more interested in some of the other work that they do. I sort of lingered in their computer science department, they walked off and suddenly I was lost. I ended up in what must have been their Restricted Area. There was all this really interesting stuff and then as I was about to go and call Tony to give me directions back to wherever he was I saw this clear case with a single egg in it.
It wasn't an ordinary egg. It was large like the size of an ostrich egg and so beautiful as if it had been rolled in blue and green glitter. I had never seen anything like it. I …. couldn't help myself. I opened the case and I touched the egg, just with the tip of my fingers to see what it felt like. As soon as I did it seemed to react to the heat of my hand and it cracked open.
And there he was. Just sitting all curled up blinking up at me. He just looked at me and I knew I had to take him with me."
"So you stole him? McGee! They will be looking for him"
"Ziva I couldn't leave him there to be experimented on? To be locked up in a cage for the rest of his life? To be measured and studied and poked with needles and who knows what else. Besides I can't explain it but he is MY Dragon. I just know he's meant for me!"
Darius squirmed in Tim's pocket unsettled by the anger and Tim laid his hand over the bundle and patted him distractedly.
"Still a little Dragon must be very valuable. They will come looking for him once they realize he is missing. You both could be in danger!" Ziva was worried that McGee didn't seem to understand the situation. She had seen many people killed for things much less valuable or wondrous.
"That's just it. After I left I told Tony I was going to check something else out and meet him back at the car. A couple of hours later there was an explosion at the Labs and the section I found him in was one of the one most damaged. I just spoke to the Fire Chief and so far it seems accidental. Someone was a bit careless with some extremely flammable material during on of their experiments and it spread quickly into their storage area. With all the noxious material they had in there the blaze was difficult to control. They got the people out as they had some warning but if I had left him he would have died in the explosion, trapped in his cage. I'm sure they think he burned in the wreckage. I know I'm going to need to be careful but no one knew I was down there and no one has asked me any questions. They are too busy trying to clean up the mess from the rest of the fire. They must have had hundreds of projects and millions of dollars of destroyed research to worry about before wondering what happened to this little guy."
Ziva looked doubtful. "Still you must be very careful."
McGee smiled at her "I will. That's why I'm telling you this. It's nearly the end of the day. I need you to tell the others in the team. Ducky and Palmer too. I don't care what you tell them. Just get them to my apartment tonight. I want to tell them about Darius so that they can help me hide him if necessary and well …..as I plan on keeping him they will probably find out soon or later."
Darius wriggled again and peeked his tiny sleek head out of McGee's pocket to look at her. Ziva tipped her head on the side. It was almost as if she could hear him in her head somehow… asking … please?
Ziva nodded and walked away in a daze. She needed to gather everyone together to show them McGee's new pet dragon. Right. OK.
"Hey Ziva! What were you talking to McGeek about?" Tony nudged her curious as to what brought about the stunned look on Ziva's face.
"McGee showed me the dragon he had hidden in his pants pocket" Ziva kept walking
Tony laughed "No seriously"
Ziva turned and looked at Tony very seriously "McGee showed me his dragon …he had hidden in his pants. I was very surprised."
Tony stared at Ziva with his mouth hanging open "McGee did WHAT?"
Ziva smirked "It was about this long"
Tong gulped "McGee has a foot long dragon.. in his pants?"
"Yes Tony he does. Now if you want any more questions answered you are going to have to come to his apartment tonight. He has promised to show it to everyone."
Tony was amazed "McGee is doing what?"
Ziva just sighed "I'm going to get Abby and the others. I'm sure she will want to see McGee's dragon"
Ziva walked off with a smirk. She was sure curiosity alone would get Tony to McGee's place especially once he knew Gibbs would be coming too.
McGee looked around at his crowded apartment. His very crowded apartment. Gibbs and Abby were sitting on his kitchen bench and Ducky, Palmer and Tony where scattered about his main room and had managed to grab a seat using the chairs from his writing or computer desk. Ziva was perched on his writing desk patting Jethro's furry head while he stood in the middle feeling nervous.
"Ahem" he cleared his throat. How should he start?
"Do you want some music or something to get started McGee?" Tony called out helpfully.
Gibbs frowned at Tony "What do you think this is a strip tease or something DiNozzo? McGee has something important to tell us"
"Ahhhh well Ziva said that…. Never mind" Tony glared at Ziva and she smiled and wiggled her fingers in a wave back to him.
"Okay well I figure I should just show you." Tim gave a little whistle and called out "Darius"
Suddenly a sparkling swirl of shining blue and green soared off the top of McGee's large book case and landed on his fist.
There was a course of shocked oohhh and ahhs until Gibbs broke through with a 'What the Hell is that!"
Tim smiled "Everyone I would like to introduce you to Darius. He's my dragon."
After a quick double take Tony shot Ziva a narrow eyed look.
'You didn't happen to have Darius there hidden in your pants pocket this afternoon did you McGee?"
Gibbs gave Tony an odd look before returning his attention to the little dragon.
Ducky pushed his glasses back further up his nose. "Well well McGee you have quite a find there. Thank you for choosing to show me such an amazing thing.My, my a miniture dragon or is that a baby dragon?"
Ziva soothed Jethro as he whined in confusion at the reptilian strange smelling thing on his Masters palm.
Abby stared in wonder at the beautiful creature currently preening on McGee's palm. There was no other word for it. The little dragon was running the hooked tip of its long snout along the edge of its wingtips and polishing its scales with the length of its sinuous neck. In the light the scales shimmered blue and then changed to a deep forest green before returning to sky blue again. The dragon looked up at Tim with its intense emerald green eyes. The black pupils of the dragon's eyes were long and diagonal like a goats and showed an obvious intelligence.
Tim smiled fondly "He wants to look pretty for you all so you can admire him"
Abby suddenly leapt off the bench and lunged forward her hands outstretched "Oh please let me look at him! He's so amazing. I have never seen anything like it!"
Her sudden enthusiasm startled Darius and he reared back and hissed at her snapping his sharp teeth, his little wings outstretched beating the air ready to take flight.
"Oh" Abby skidded to a halt just in front of McGee and pouted. "He doesn't like me"
Darius cocked his head and assessed Abby before sheathing his hooked claws, turning and stalking his way up Tim's arm. Darius after several circles around finally settled curled up on Tim's shoulder with his tail wrapped firmly around his neck and crooned nervously into his ear.
Tim reached up and stroked the little dragon soothing him "Yes, yes I know she can be a bit scary sometimes… but she doesn't mean it… no she just likes you… yes thinks your wonderful… don't you Abby?"
"Yes" Abby muttered a little uncharitably still hurt and feeling that McGee should be soothing her feelings not the little dragons.
Darius's nervous crooning changed to a sort a grumbling purr and the little dragon nuzzled and gently nipped Tim's ear affectionately.
Tim smiled and nudged the dragon "Hey stop that!"
Gibbs was still just staring. He knew that McGee operated in a different world to him a lot of the time but this? This was wayyyyyyy out there.
"So are you going to tell us how you happen to have what appears to be a miniature dragon currently sitting on your shoulder?"
Tim repeated the story he told Ziva earlier and explained how he had asked Ziva to bring them here tonight so they could help him hide Darius's existence and keep him safe.
Abby pouted "So why did you show Ziva the dragon this afternoon? Why didn't you show me?"
Tim smiled "Sorry Abby. Well I figured that you of all people would be super excited about seeing a real dragon and you might make a scene and it would be easier to do that here than at work. Especially as I'm trying to keep this a secret."
Abby was slightly placated by Tims explanation and returned to her position on the kitchen bench.
Ziva looked at the little dragon who was now calmly watching everyone from his perch.
"I do think he seems happy with you McGee. He seems even more comfortable than he did this afternoon"
Ziva reached out a tentative finger slowly and Darius allowed her to stroke his sleek shining neck.
"Oh he's warm! I though he would feel cold… like a snake but he's warm to touch" Ziva cautiously stepped in closer to McGee as Darius leaned out and sniffed Ziva, taking in her scent.
Abby pouted a little and snuggled into Gibbs as the little dragon seemed to accept Ziva's touch.
"Ouch!" Ziva exclaimed in surprise as Darius suddenly snapped out with his little sharp jaws and snagged some strands of Ziva's hair.
Abby smirked and tried to hide her smile.
"Oh sorry I should have warned you about that. It seems he is making some sort of nest …. In my cap on top of the bookcase. I caught him taking some of Jethro's fur out of his brush earlier."
Ziva rubbed her head and frowned a little at the dragon looking at her with her hair still in its sharp teeth. "That's alright. Next time I shall remember to tie my hair back"
Darius tensed and leapt off McGee shoulder and flew up to the top of the book case, deposited his treasure and then flew back to land with a little skid of his claws on the hard floor. Everyone leaned in to watch as the little dragon, obviously aware of its audience stalked in a proud circle parading in front of everyone, his claws clicking on the floor and his long tail swishing and lashing behind him. He finished off by rearing onto his strong hind legs flashing his cobalt blue belly and making a small bugling trumpet sound.
"My, my he certainly has personality doesn't he?" Ducky sat down on the floor and extended his hand palm up.
"Darius, my name is Doctor Mallard but everyone calls me Ducky."
The dragon cocked its head as if trying to understand and looked at Ducky.
"I don't think he's going to talk to you Duck" Gibbs said laughingly
"Yes well you never know Jethro. I never thought I would be here even looking at a dragon so I might as well introduce myself."
Darius came over towards Ducky looking at him with his emerald eyes.
"May I examine you, most wondrous creature?" Ducky politely asked
Darius seemed to consider for a moment and when Ducky made no sudden moves he came and stood in front of Ducky and reaching out nudged him with his beak.
"Would you look at that?" Palmer gasped and Gibbs glared at the young man to shut him up.
Ducky gently ran his hands over the little dragon and peered closely at his claws and the hooked wingtips before moving on to study the strong barbed tail. Suddenly Darius hissed and bit Ducky sharply on the finger.
Ducky immediately withdrew "Oh please accept my apology Darius. I didn't mean to prod you like that." Ducky bent his head and the dragon studied him for a moment before seeming to accept his apology. With a flash of his jeweled wings he swept up off the floor and returned to his perch on Tim's shoulder.
"Well I have to say I'm not an expert but drawing on my small knowledge of crocodile anatomy I would say that Darius is in fact a she and not a he"
"Really" Tim reached up to his shoulder and pulled Darius off to look at him… er .. her
"Are you a girl dragon Darius?" The dragon looked at Tim and preened its sleek neck under his gaze.
Tim smiled "Oh yes you are aren't you? I don't know why I didn't figure it out before. Such a pretty dragon you are. The prettiest dragon in the whole wide world. Yes you are." Darius shimmered under the praise and crooned lovingly back at Tim.
"Yech. I think that dragon is in love with you McGee." Tony was pulling a face at the adoring little dragon and its master.
"Hey you're just jealous because I have a dragon and you don't" Tim frowned at Tony and Darius swiveled her head around and stared at him.
"Why would I want a flying reptile that nibbles my ear?" Tony was beginning to wish the dragon would stop staring at him. It was making him nervous. And its teeth looked sharp. Jethro suddenly went and sat beside McGee and after looking up at the dragon turned to look at Tony too, growling softly. Woah were they all ganging up on him?
"You're kidding right? Surely as a kid you wanted a dragon? Just to see one? Fly on the back of one? Have an adventure with one?" Tim was amazed. Surely Tony could understand wanting a dragon?
"Sorry Elf Lord Dragons weren't really my thing. Although as dragons go I suppose its ...err ...very nice" Tony decided it would be best to be friends with the dragon. Darius seemed to accept the small compliment and stopped glaring at Tony. Jethro too stopped with a small whine.
Gibbs decided to interrupt.
"Okay okay so let me see if I have got this straight. Basically you have a pet dragon that you stole from a research laboratory that is going to live in a nest in your NCIS cap at the top of your book case. And you want us to help you keep it a secret?"
Tim walked into the kitchen and fed Darius a scrap of raw meat he had been going to use for a beef stir fry. Darius threw back her head and snapped it down before nudging McGee for more.
"Ah well yes that's pretty much the situation"
Gibbs thought about this for a moment. He had a boat in his basement and a stolen classified file in his sock drawer. Who was he to say no?
"Alright then McGee as long as it doesn't interfere with your work then I suppose I'm in"
There were murmurs of agreement from around the room. Abby leaned over the bench "McGee?"
"Yeah?"
"Do you think I could feed Darius some of that?"
Tim smiled "I'm sure that would be ok. Just no sudden moves until she gets used to you."
Abby smiled and held out the scrap of meat to the little dragon in her flat palm. Darius looked at her then looked at Tim who was smiling then looked up into Abby's green eyes. Slowly carefully she primly leaned her long neck out and took the meat from Abby's palm.
Abby grinned "THAT is SO cool!"
Tim grinned "I KNOW"
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"No! McGee! Look out!" Tony screamed as the two armed men flashed past him as he wrestled with a third. He knew that McGee was alone in the alleyway and unarmed after his gun had been knocked off the edge of the building they had just climbed down from. He handcuffed his guy to the fire escape and set off at a run around the corner.
Tim whirled at the sound of Tony's warning to see the armed men approaching him guns raised as he blocked their path.
"STOP! Federal Agents!" McGee's voice roared down the alleyway snapping off the brick walls with the whip crack of command.
He raised his hand palm extended as if his very gesture would be enough to halt the two men's progress. A huge wall of wind slammed through the alleyway as if gusted from mighty wings. The two men skidded to a stop in confusion staring at the commanding presence of the man with the intense blazing green eyes.
"Got yah" Tony pounced on one man and McGee suddenly snapped out of his trace and grabbed the other as he tried to bolt past. Pushing the wriggling man down onto the ground with his hands twisted behind his back to wait for Ziva and Gibbs, Tony panted from his mad dash and nodded at McGee.
"That was some trick. You're going to have to show me how you did that some time."
McGee smiled nervously "If I honestly knew Tony I would tell you"
Tony smiled "Hey maybe you could work it into your next L.J. Tibbs book. You know take down two armed men with the palm of your hand?"
Tim turned his beautiful intelligent and now striking emerald green eyes onto Tony and smiled.
"You know Tony I think I might do something different with my next book. Instead of a detective story I'm thinking of writing a fantasy book about Dragons. And the adventures of the people they are linked with."