Here it is! The readers have spoken, and I have provided my lovelies with more material! I'll admit I wasn't too sure about continuing, but I hope this lives up to everyone's expectations!

Here it is!


A true friend never gets in your way unless you happen to be going down.

- Arnold Glasow

It has been three months since McGee was 'assaulted'. That is the word everyone uses because no one wants to say 'rape', even if it's what really happened. 'Rape' is too strong, too harsh. It leaves a sour taste in your mouth, makes you feel awkward. You still sit up late, long after he's gone to bed, listening for a nightmare. You have been living with him for the last three months: partially Gibbs' orders, partially your own initiative. You are thankful to have been the first one to find him. He would've been mortified and ashamed if Gibbs had found him, and Ziva would have insisted on bringing everyone in against his wishes. For all your previous teasing of him, you know he looked up to you, and you cherished that to a point. It made you feel important.

After the first night back, the first nightmare, McGee managed to convince himself that everything was fine. He acts as though he is not perturbed or anxious, but everyone can see it. They can clearly see he's had trouble sleeping, that he is nervous, fearful, near paranoid. They can't really blame him. After all, his 'attacker' (a drug lord named Jeffrey Lionel) is still alive, despite your best efforts to deprive him of that luxury. He was in the hospital for quite a while, then was sent to jail to await trial. There is a veritable laundry list of charges against him, all with extremely good evidence against him. The only foreseeable problem is the trial.

You aren't sure McGee is ready to testify, and that time is coming fast. Secretly, you are terrified that he will try to open up to you before the trial, perhaps to trying to get it off his chest beforehand to expel some of the emotion. You don't know if you can handle knowing everything that happened. The few horrifying details you have are more than enough. The secret of everything would be far too much. You get the feeling that he wants to tell you, but he always backs down before he gives in. It must be a terrible weight, this secret of shocking violence and violation.

You just want things to go back to normal. You want the easy joking and camaraderie of three months and a day ago. Part of you wants to grab him and shake him and tell him to go back to normal, but the rest of you knows it won't work at all.

So you moved in with him, creating a nest of air mattresses, blankets, and pillows in the living room, staying up with him when couldn't sleep and soothing his nightmares when they cropped up.

One such night, shortly before the trial, McGee has one of these nightmares. You have become tuned into these nightmares, waking easily at any unsettling noise he makes. You wake quickly, going to his room and gently waking him. You withdraw your hands as his eyes open, knowing that he would want to control and touching immediately following such a dream. His eyes are wide and fearful for a few seconds before he realizes where he is. He lets out a shaky sigh and pushes himself into a sitting position, pressing close to you.

"I'm really sorry, Tony," he mutters.

"For what?"

"For waking you up."

"Don't worry about it, McGee. It's fine… really. What happened?"

"Nightmare."

"Obviously. What about?"

"What do you think?"

"You know what-"

"Yeah… yeah, I know. I just… I just… I dunno. I relived it… again."

He looks away, embarrassed. You carefully ask, "Wanna talk about it? It might help."

McGee shakes his head, saying, "No… not really. I… don't think I'm ready."

"You're gonna have to tell them everything at the trial. You know that, right? It might make it easier if you tell someone close to you first…"

He ponders it for a moment before saying, "I can't tell you everything… I'm not ready yet… but I can tell you… it's really weird though…"

"Go ahead. It's okay."

"I… I'm really afraid to be left alone anymore. I used to love solitude, but now it terrifies me. I see him in the shadows, waiting to hurt me again… And even though I don't wanna be alone, I don't… wanna be touched if I didn't start it. Even Abby's hugs freak me out anymore. I'm just… just so…"

"That'll all go away in time. It can be fixed with a little therapy and repetitive… stuff."

McGee smirks briefly, and you heart leaps. It's the first peek at true smile you've seen from him in months. The younger agent has turned red. He murmurs, "Will you stay here tonight?"

"I already stay every night, McGee."

"No… I mean… will you stay here tonight? With me? I'm hoping it will keep me from having any more nightmares… I dunno…"

"I'll get my pillows," you answer.

He seems to relax even as you get up to leave. You have mixed feelings. You hope this tactic keeps his nightmares away, but you're almost afraid of it becoming a nightly happening. What if someone found out? You don't have anything against gays, but you're decidedly straight and want people to continue knowing it. You shake the misgivings from your head and go back in. McGee doesn't need your insecurities right now, not when he's struggling with his own. He is already curled up under the covers, his back against the wall. (He moved everything around to make sure he could do this.) You carefully place your pillows on the bed as he looks up at you.

"Thanks, Tony. I really appreciate this," he says quietly.

"It's what friends are for, Tim."

Another smile. Your lips quirk upwards as you get into bed beside him. It's a little awkward at first, but you just think of it as sharing a hotel bed with someone. Stick to your side, and it's fine. Not permanent… except you're not sure how long this will last. You look over at McGee and find he's fallen asleep already. Insomnia and nightmares can really take it out of person. Before you put your head on your pillow, you whisper, "I'm not gonna let you keep going down, Tim. You have to get better soon."

You both sleep soundly for the rest of the night.


I hope it fulfilled all your hopes and dreams =]

Keep an eye out for the next chapter! And Christmas cookies to anyone who can tell me the significance of the suspects name!