Disclaimer : Still own nothing, but seasons 1 - 5 on DVD. Maybe I'll buy season 6 someday.
Warnings : Violence, language.
Author's Note : Wow, had a surprising number of people pop in to follow the story. So thank you to everyone who's following, favoriting and reading. Also, huge thanks to Seleya889 and Precious Pup for dropping me a review. I appreciate your thoughts.
Guess I must hate editing since I got another chapter out for this one. Next one should wrap this one up, I think. Should be up fairly soon.
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"I thought you were dead," McGee repeats, the little color remaining on his face drains away. He stares at the shredded spot of fabric on Tony's shirt, two tattered holes right above his heart.
Since he's communing with partners past, Tim waits for Kate to appear. The trio might as well have a reunion before he joins them.
"You're kidding, right, Probie?" Tony's easy smile fades when he realizes Tim isn't. Carefully, he unbuttons a few on his shirt to expose tanned flesh marred by blossoming contusions. "Shit, Tim, I thought you knew. Abby bet me twenty bucks that you wouldn't notice a vest under my shirt. Guess she was right."
DiNozzo laughs, but McGee doesn't.
"You got shot," Tim explains, struggling against the nausea. Dumb luck and a wager are the only reasons DiNozzo is still alive.
"And?" Tony asks, refastening his shirt. He frowns, likely at the destruction of his designer clothing.
"You could - ," McGee stops, knowing there is no improbability, "you should be dead."
"Well, I'm not," DiNozzo responds, flatly "so how about we get out of here, okay?"
Expecting some sort of emotion, Tim stares at Tony's face. McGee is surprised when only annoyance touches his features. Having just cheated death, DiNozzo exudes nothing.
Tim gives up trying to make DiNozzo understand his mortality.
"What's the plan?"
"I couldn't call Gibbs before I got on the boat. So I need to get to the radio. Those three are in the control room, probably plotting who to whack next." As McGee swallows hard, Tony smiles apologetically. "I need you to make a distraction so I can get to it. There's no way I can take all three of them at once."
"Why don't we fight them together?" Tim asks, watching Tony consider his offer. Just DiNozzo begins to speak, the boat rocks, doubling McGee over the hardwood floor. He heaves, but there's nothing left.
"Don't tell me you get seasick," Tony admonishes.
McGee doesn't say anything.
As perspiration runs down his face, Tim tries to ignore the bounce of the yacht under his knees. It only makes the bile climb his esophagus quicker.
"Shit, McGee, you can't fight anybody," DiNozzo continues, eyeing Tim's pale face. When stomach acid threatens to dissolve his tongue, McGee knows his superior is right. He's not convinced he'll even make a good distraction.
"Okay, Tony," McGee rasps, "what do you want me to do then?"
The boat bounces, Tim's stomach churns again and DiNozzo squeezes his shoulder.
"Just make a bunch of noise." Tony crouches, untying the ropes around McGee's wrists and tucking the ends into the younger man's hands, "Wait until someone gets close before you release your hands. Attack, only if you need to. Surprise is really what's going to be on your side. If all fails, throw up on them."
Tim laughs quietly, watching DiNozzo grin. "Tony - ."
"We're going to be fine," DiNozzo interrupts, moving towards the door. "I've got your six, Tim. Just give me a few minutes."
Nodding grimly, McGee hears the lock engage on the door as Tony disappears. The crushing isolation catches Tim off-guard, nearly consuming him. While DiNozzo may be nonchalant about his own survival, Tim could never face Gibbs alone.
If anything happen to Tony, McGee's fairly certain sure he won't have the opportunity.
Closing his eyes, McGee remembers the night he caught Gibbs talking to Kate's empty desk. On a late night shortly after her passing, Tim turned back to retrieve a forgotten coat. When he saw his boss facing Kate's empty chair, McGee had hidden just behind the partition. He hadn't wanted to eavesdrop, but he couldn't leave without Gibbs catching him. So he hid, listening while Gibbs talked to Kate's specter about how she'd managed to change the world, the team, even him.
Tim doesn't want to think what Gibbs would say to Tony.
Against the wall for leverage, McGee pushes to his shaky legs. The boat sways, almost taking him down again. Propped up against the desk, Tim breathes hard, looking out the window and focusing on the white wakes. The shore isn't visible any longer.
Tim chooses that moment to start yelling.
"Hey! Hey! Hey guys! Can you come here?! Hey! Hey!" he calls, kicking over the tiny desk chair. As the boat rolls, he allows its momentum to carry him into the wall, the noise echoing through the small office. His body slick with sweat from both effort and sickness, Tim slams himself against the door.
As the lock disengages, McGee finally loses his balance. When Costa and Davis appear in the doorway, he's on his knees, coughing. Tim's stomach can't figure out that it's already empty.
"Seasick, huh, fed? What do you want? Some Dramamine?" Costa snickers, crossing the office in a single step.
"P-p-please," McGee pleads, sounding pitiful without trying.
Costa laughs again, using his foot to push Tim over. With his new position as an advantage, McGee kicks his legs to sweep Costa's out from under him. The thug falls, a sickening crack sounds when his head connects with the desk.
"You son of a bitch," Davis curses, incredulous eyes on McGee.
The agent starts upward but Davis dives forward, shoving Tim against the ground. With his arms pinned beneath him, McGee struggles to free them from his weight and the loosened rope. Davis lands a solid punch to Tim's face, stunning him momentarily.
McGee shakes it off before Davis can hit him again.
As he springs off the floor, Tim's chest collides with Davis', sending him backwards. Pulling the ropes off his wrists, McGee scrambles from the floor and drops into a fight stance. Davis guards the door, his fists ready.
"I'm going to make you hurt," Davis delivers his threat, voice deep and controlled.
Tim swallows hard, a shiver traipses down his spine.
Charging forward, Davis launches a fist at McGee's face. Unable to dodge, it connects in the same spot as the last one. As he blinks to clear his vision, Tim sees the white stars that always show up in old cartoons. He's always thought they were the creation of an overzealous animator.
When the last one melts away, the boat rocks and McGee stumbles into a well-timed dodge. Tim lashes out, connecting his fist with Davis' abdomen, hard. Barely fazed, the other man punches McGee in the stomach. With a new assault on the poor organ, McGee drops back to his knees, gasping for air.
Davis backhands McGee before he can recover in time. Blackness edging into his vision, Tim leans forward on his hands, feeling the cool hardwood floor under his fingertips. The metallic taste of blood touches his tongue and he wonders if his teeth are supposed to be loose.
Not moving for several beats, Tim's brain inexplicably dredges up physics again. Newton's first law slides into his head, taking up all the space he'd use for a plan. A body in rest tends to stay at rest. He pushes with his hands, only managing a few inches before darkness flirts with him again.
He stops moving. The first law blasts through his mind again, but Tim can't be bothered.
Physics melts away and McGee wonders how Tony is managing. Out of nowhere, he remembers Gibbs' conversation with Kate's ghost. As unconsciousness reaches after him again, he contemplates what his boss will tell his and Tony's.
When Davis steps towards him, Tim's train of thought derails. His muddled brain resets, starting back at Newton's first law.
If he's at rest, he'll remain at rest. If he's in motion, he'll stay in motion.
Fighting the inertia and seasickness, Tim pushes first to his knees and then his feet. Sinking into a fight stance, McGee's mind goes blank. When the boat pitches again, his stomach turns, but he stays on his feet. Davis rushes forward, catching McGee by the collar.
A fist connects with his face, Tim blinks awake in the hallway. Trying to chase the stars from his vision, McGee can't focus when the bright sunlight assaults his eyes. A cold breeze chills his burning skin, icing every impact he's taken. McGee doesn't realize what's going on until he hears the quiet lapping of the ocean.
"Let's see if you know how to swim," Davis laughs, hauling the half-conscious agent towards the water.
Tim kicks out, connecting with Davis' shin. As the man howls, he releases his hold on McGee and the agent slides to the deck. Dazed, Tim crawls back towards the protection of the cabin but Davis grabs his foot, pulling him towards the edge.
A blur bursts out of the cabin, rushing the pair. Before McGee can blink, Tony punches Davis, sending him reeling. The thug stumbles backwards into the railing. Seemingly unable to stop, DiNozzo continues forward towards Davis.
McGee lies on his side, lazily watching the fight unfold. As his head spins, Newton's first law falls off the carousel.
As a body in motion, Tony will stay in motion until - .
DiNozzo collides full-force with Davis, using two hands to shove the other man into the ocean. There's a loud splash, Tim struggles to his feet and barely makes it to the railing. Gripping it with white knuckles, his eyes search the sprays for Davis.
"Tony - ," he chokes out, the boat's bounce and headshots make him dizzy. "He's - . You - . He's - . You - . Tony, you just - ."
"Yeah," DiNozzo shrugs, watching a cloud pass over the sun. "He was about to do the same to you."
Off the water, a light breeze tousles McGee's hair, chilling him to the bone. As he watches the white wakes disperse behind the yacht, there's no movement on the water.
Davis is gone.
"Thanks, Tony," he says, sickened by his relief at another man's demise.
"I'd say you're welcome," DiNozzo smiles, glancing at McGee's mournful features, "but you probably don't want to hear it."
Tim shakes his head, wishing he could forget the violent death he's just witnessed. At the office, Tony is lighthearted, hilarious, and maybe even fun, not that McGee would admit that to anyone. But since he turned up undead on the boat, DiNozzo radiates a dangerous energy that leaves Tim on edge.
Tony scans the horizon. At least, McGee thinks he's searching for something. Right now, Tim doesn't care. His vision's blurry and his face aches. When he touches his cheek, he winces. He wants to ask Tony if his teeth are supposed to be loose, but decides against it.
"I got a message off to the Coast Guard," DiNozzo states, pressing his lips together when he notices the bruises blackening on Tim's face. "There's someone in the area, but they weren't sure how long it'll take. They couldn't get an exact location."
"Well - ," McGee starts, the boat's rock doubles him over.
"Just relax. We'll wait for them here," Tony responds, placing a hand on Tim's back. Eyes on his knees, McGee nods since movement doesn't sound particularly appealing.
Tim thinks he sees someone approaching, though with the haze in his vision it might be the door to the cabin. Not wanting to break Tony's concentration, he stays quiet, breathing slowly.
"Freaking fed," Simon Baker roars, stepping out of the cabin into a bright patch of sunlight. "I can't believe you're still alive. It's about damn time I end both of you."
Baker grins broadly, seemingly enjoying himself as he swings his aim between the two agents. From Tim to Tony and back again, Simon might be playing eeny-meeny-miney-moe for all McGee can tell. Tim watches Tony's jaw set and his muscles tense, as he plans to rush the kingpin.
When the gun finally lines up with his heart, McGee's mind goes blank again. For all the times he's almost died today, he always thought there'd be some great epiphany or he'd finally understand the meaning of life. Instead, he realizes there is nothing in that moment before death.
He sprints across the deck at the man holding a gun.
Equilibrium skewed by the boat compounded with his head injuries, McGee careens wildly away from his target. Anticipating a head-on opponent, Baker squeezes off three rounds that miss Tim by miles.
With that distraction, DiNozzo shoots across the deck, pouncing on Baker. The two scuffle, Tony's hands forcing the gun skyward. Three more gunshots blast through the stillness and the gun falls, useless.
"Bastard," Baker growls, winding his arm for a punch.
DiNozzo beats him to it, landing a fist squarely to the nose. There's a stomach turning crack that leaves McGee gagging. As blood slides in rivers from his nose, Baker manages to catch Tony in the jaw. In response, DiNozzo levels a savage kick to Simon's stomach, sending him stumbling towards the railing.
Steadying himself against it, Baker reaches under his shirt.
"Tony!" McGee yelps, even though DiNozzo already knows.
Before Baker can retrieve his weapon, Tony grabs his hand, wrenching it towards him. Out of instinct, Baker bucks back against the chrome rail, knocking the pair off kilter. As Tony tries to correct their path, the kingpin lurches backwards again.
"Tony!" Tim yells, tearing across the deck.
Watching helplessly, McGee sees DiNozzo and Baker disappear over the railing. When he finally reaches the spot, Tim is just in time for the spray to fill his shoes.
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So love it? Hate it? Indifferent?
I try not to ask for reviews. I'm just curious about this style since I don't usually use it.