Another picture had been moved! That's two in one week! Doesn't Mom realize there aren't enough pictures hanging up for this not to get noticed? He asks himself as he takes the latest one moved; down and studies the wall behind it; sure enough; the tell-tale signs are there; less then perfect sanding; half-done putty applied to the hole. Yup; that's what I heard last night; Dad punching through the wall; again.

Once again; he is awoken by the yelling; it's only 9 pm and they're fighting. Holding his hands over his ears; underneath his pillow; doesn't stop the pain he feels in his heart; or the tears from flowing down his face; why do they fight like this? Dion't they know how sick it made him feel inside? Don't they care that they were tearing his life apart right in front of him? Didn't they realize how much it had hurt him to think; even for a second; the first time he'd found a hole repair; that his dad was hitting his mom? Sitting up with a jolt; he realized; he'd just heard it again; another fist going through yet another wall.

Jolted awake; with sweat pouring down his face; He woke up so suddenly; he felt disorientated. Hating the fact that his bad childhood memories had come back to haunt him; he got up out of bed; knowing it would be hell trying right away to get back to sleep; a sleep he wasn't sure would be peaceful anyway. Making his way to his kitchen; he set the coffee brewing. As he waited for it to get done; he noticed the time. 2 AM. Damn.

Another picture to have to move! Damn it! Stop! Why do you have to do this? Why can't you just love each other? His anquished questions; screamed out as they are; instantly drowned out by the screaming match in progress in front of him. Soon; as usual; he was scooping up the baby; quickly carrying her away from this nightmare. Tucking her safely away in his bedroom; he fixes her bottle; changes her; and croons her back to sleep in safety. Such was the routine now; not weekly; but daily. With no concern for each other or for either the child watching in horror as his life was being shredded right in front of his eyes; or for the helpless baby that needed rescuing every night.

Suddenly; he was jarred from his despair. That noise; once again; heard loud and clear; as yet another hole was punched in the wall! This time; his mind seemed to snap and he ran out of the bedroom and began to scream. Suddenly, his screams stopped in mid -motion as he felt himself struck hard across the face. Falling to the floor; he writhed and rolled in both physical and emotional agony. Vaguely; he's aware that the baby is being taken away; the fighting is escalating as the baby is now being held in the midst of the fight; something he always tried to prevent. Needing to do his job; he tries to pick himself up off the floor; only to be knocked down again; and just when he thinks the worst is over; he hears a thump; and the baby screams in holy terror Blackness swallows him whole.

Snapped awake by the pain; with sweat just dripping off him; he sat up; and realizing he in fact; had tears rolling down his face; he wiped them away with his shirt. Unwilling to be pulled back into that place; he got up and brewed some coffee. While he was waiting for it to brew; he checked his watch. 1:30 AM. Damn.

2:15 AM

For the rest of this side of the world; the lights are out and the bodies are slumbering away in peaceful dreamland. Except for the now wide awake man who decides it's time to work on his boat some more; since it's the only thing that gets him through times like this.

And except for the young man who has braved the drive and the possible wrath of the man; who even though had offered to listen; probably didn't mean at this time of the night. Maybe it would make it better; that he doesn't want' to talk; he just wants; needs the silent company this trip to this house would almost certainly guarantee.

As he works the hand tools to the boat; he feels the peace and calmness slowly; very slowly return to his soul. He allows his mind to wander off in search of something much more pleasant to think about. It's a while before he's cognitive of time and place again; suddenly realizing he's no longer alone.

Snapping around in preparedness to defend himself; Gibbs is quickly brought up short by the sight that meets him. Sitting on his basement steps; in absolute silence; lost in his own tormented thoughts, as the tears rolling down his face give testament to, is one Tim McGee.