A/N: So, this is my first true fic, please be kind, I'm new to this so characters might not be 100% accurate. Also, I own nothing NCIS, although I wish I did.
It was three days after Gibbs and Maddie had nearly died in the car accident, and Gibbs was already back at work. The Director had offered him a week of leave, but he had refused, especially after what had happened the night after the event. He'd woken up to find himself in the grip of a panic attack that took around an hour to subside completely. Even though he was back at work, it still played on his mind, and the following two nights, the same thing had happened. As a result, Gibbs was tired, and more irritable than usual.
They were working the case of a Navy officer who had been killed in a hit and run. Things weren't all they seemed though, the officer in question was working on some highly classified material and when they searched his home, they found some case notes to be missing. The officer, Daniel Richmond, lived alone, and had no immediate family, so Ziva and Tony were out interviewing his co-workers and friends to try and figure out who might want him dead.
Gibbs sat at his desk, rubbing his temples, trying to stave off the headache that had been threatening to emerge all morning. McGee looked up from his computer and saw that his boss was in some discomfort. "You OK, Boss? You look a little off, today." he said, not expecting to get much of an answer from the senior agent. "I'm fine McGee, just a little tired." Gibbs responded, becoming irritated. He hated people worrying about him, and he was angry with himself that he'd let his mask drop and shown he was vulnerable.
"You sure, Boss? Cause, you know, you could always take that leave the- "
"McGee, what part of, I'm fine, don't you get?!" Gibbs interrupted. With a sigh he stood up, and began walking from the office. "Going for coffee, go check on Abby while I'm gone, McGee." Gibbs said as he made his way to the elevator. He could feel the onset of a panic attack, he needed to be alone to ride it out. What he didn't expect was for McGee to be all of two steps behind him, and end up in the elevator at the same time.
He leaned against the cool metal of the walls as the doors slid closed. He shut his eyes, hoping to beat off the panic before it took hold completely, but it was too late, realising there was no way out, he hit the elevator's emergency brake. His breathing became shallow and rapid, and his skin drained of colour. McGee looked at him, and was instantly worried. "Boss, you OK?" he asked, placing a hand gently on the older man's shoulder. "Maddie..." was all Gibbs said in response.
"Maddie? Boss, Maddie isn't here. Are you alright?" McGee asked again.
"Get Maddie, make sure she's OK."
McGee realised then what was going on. "Boss, it's alright. Maddie's fine, she's safe. You're safe." he said, gently turning Gibbs to face him. "I promise, you're safe. It's OK."
Gibbs seemed to relax, and suddenly his eyes snapped open. "McGee?" he said shakily.
"Yeah Boss?"
"You tell anyone about this little incident, and you'll be riding a desk so long you'll have splinters in places you don't even want to think about. Please, can we keep this between us?" He looked at his junior agent pleadingly, and McGee was shocked at just how vulnerable his boss was right then. He gulped, then said, "I- I don't know if I can Boss, you should probably get some help to deal with this." Gibbs was startled, McGee would never normally willingly disobey an order from him.
"Please, McGee. Look, I-I'm going to go see Ducky about this later. But can you please not tell Tony or Ziva, and especially not Abby? They'll only worry, it won't do them any good to know." McGee sighed, then nodded.
"OK, Gibbs. I won't say anything. You have my word."
Gibbs smiled, then flipped the emergency brake and set the elevator back in motion.