Disclaimer: I do not own NCIS.
Warnings: Mentions of child abuse, over-protective Jimmy.
A/N: Two in one day, go me!
A Painted Story
Chapter 2: The Blind Always Sees
When Jimmy Palmer came to NCIS and met team Gibbs he knew something was…off...with the youngest member of the team - he was too…polite…timid, especially for someone who worked with Gibbs and Tony DiNozzo on a daily bases.
Agent Timothy McGee's entire demeanor seemed very familiar and realizing why it was, something inside of him flickered on.
A feeling he never thought, he of all people would ever possess so strongly. That feeling grew inside of him a little more every day; and finally came to the forefront the day he made a discovery in the showers of NCIS.
Jimmy made a face at the feeling of mud oozing in between his toes. He couldn't wait to hit the showers, and decided it was the last time he turned his back on Tony…ever.
The young assistant sighed in relief when he entered the showers, anticipating the warm water sliding over his body and washing everything away, stopping short when he heard a sound.
"Hello?" he called a bit cautiously, listening for the sounds of running water. What he heard instead, was a sob or whimper, he wasn't sure which, but it made him worry all the same.
He followed the sound to the last stall on the right and peeked inside, his eyes widening at the sight. There, curled up in the corner, his body shaking and soft whimpers escaping him, was Agent Timothy McGee.
"N-No," the Agent whimpered, and bending down in front of the man, the assistant could see tears falling down the other's cheek.
"P-please d-don't. Please."
Jimmy wasn't even aware that he had moved until he was at eye level with the Agent.
"McGee," he said softly.
McGee whimpered and pressed back against the corner.
Gently and almost instinctively Jimmy placed a hand on the other's head and smoothly ran his fingers through the short hair.
"It's okay," he soothed. "It's okay. They're gone, no one going to hurt you."
He stayed that way for nearly thirty minutes, covered in mud, kneeling on the bathroom tiles, speaking comforting words, until finally McGee blinked up at him.
"Palmer?" McGee said.
"Hey," Jimmy smiled, "welcome back"
"You're covered in mud."
Jimmy laughed. "You can thank Tony for that"
McGee gave a small smile, before his face became closed off, an action Jimmy was very familiar with and as such knew what to do.
"McGee, I know."
McGee looked at him curiously and confused.
"Your childhood, it wasn't a happy one, was it?"
McGee paled and looked like he was going to start hyperventilating.
"Y-Y-Your n-n-not g-g-going t-t-to t-tell them, a-a-are y-you?" the Agent stuttered, his eyes impossibly big and teary filled making him look younger then he really was, and it also stirred that feeling inside him, making it grow stronger.
It was easy to figure out who 'them' was, and Jimmy was surprised that 'them' didn't pick up on the signs, he did and he's only been here for about three months!
"No," Jimmy said, "I'm not going to tell them."
McGee looked like he didn't believe him, and Jimmy became set to prove him wrong.
And Jimmy does, over and over again. They become closer, not that anyone from the team notices, and if they did they say nothing about it.
Jimmy soon becomes the person McGee calls when he has nightmares-they call them nightmares because McGee wants to believe that's all they are. When the nightmares become too much, Jimmy spends hours at the other's apartment lending a comforting ear.
The young assistant met the man and woman that loved McGee, but McGee was afraid to call them parents; he met the sister who McGee so furiously tried to protect.
Jimmy saw all that was Timothy McGee.
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