Finding Tim

He had been working on his boat when the call came. He looked at the screen and saw that it was McGee. Irritation flared in his chest, quenching the fear in his gut. His heart was telling him to ignore the call as punishment for him not helping DiNozzo, but his gut was reminding him that Tim would never have called him unless it was an emergency. His gut won.

"What, McGee?" his voice came out harder than he meant it to be

"B'ss...indsmehlp..." Any irritation he had felt for the kid was immediately killed when he heard this quietly slurred mumble. His gut twisted again.

"What McGee? Say it again." He was already getting his gear together, quickly grabbing his badge, gun and first aid kit, panic and adrenaline fuelling his actions.

"...hlpb'ss..." His mind rocked. McGee never asks for help. Something was seriously wrong. This mumble was, if possible, even quieter.

"McGee! Where are you?" He runs out the car, feeling his fear dramatically increase as he waited of an answer but only got sallow raspy gasps down the phone. After what seemed like hours he it came.

"...hmm..." He was at home. He pulls out of the drive.

"Ok McGee. I'm on my way. I want you to stay awake, ok McGee! Stay awake! McGee! McGee!" He gets no response, which pushes him to drive even faster his mind working a mile a minute. What was wrong? What had happened? Why did Tim call him for help? Where was his girlfriend... what was here name...Chelsea? He listens to the shallow breathes over the loud speaker, then hating himself ended the call. As soon as he had rung off, he dialled Zivas number knowing see lived closest to Tim.

"Ziva David" He can hear the tiredness in her voice, it was, after all, 1 o'clock in the morning on her day off.

"Ziva, I need you to get over to Tim's apartment now. He's in trouble. I'll meet you there." And he rang off. As soon as that conversation was over he rang for an ambulance, for although he had no idea what had happened, he knew that Tim would need assistance, if he was still alive, he shook his head. He couldn't think like that. After a short 911 call he rang his senior field agent.

"DiNozzo" Again he heard the tiredness.

"Tony I need you to make your way to the hospital." the more he thinks about the situation the more worried he becomes.

"Why boss? I'm fine the docs said so." He can hear the confusion in Tony's voice that shows he still has a mild concussion.

"Call a cab and get over their DiNozzo. I think Tim's been hurt. I'll be sending him to Bethesda. I need you to be there when he arrives." A second for the shock of the statement to sink in then;

"On it boss." And he hangs up.

He toys with the idea of ringing Abby, but until he knew what he was up against he didn't want to face her.

He pulls into the apartment car park and spots Ziva stepping out of her car. He glances at her before sprinting up to McGee's flat, Ziva on his heels. The apartment door is shut so Ziva quickly picks the lock. The door swings open and they gasp. They are unprepared for the scene that's before them.

McGees pale form slumped against the wall, limp hands on his solar plexus, no longer trying to stem the flow of blood out of his body, a bloodied phone in his lap. A snail's trail of blood coming from the kitchen. Silence apart from the plop, plop, plop of his blood dripping from his shirt to the puddle he is sitting in. The apartment, minus the blood, was immaculate. Not a thing out of place apart from Tim.

Gibbs ran towards him, intent on helping him, pulling out gauzes from the first aid kit. He checks his pulse and is relieved to find a pulse, all be it weak and thready. He lays Tim down and presses the gauzes onto the wounds. Tim groans. Ziva checks the apartment before joining them, and helping to apply pressure.

"There's no one here Boss. There's nothing out of place anywhere apart from the kitchen. A knife and a smashed bottle where the blood trail starts." He looks at her. "Gibbs, Chelsea isn't here. It is highly likely that...this was her...you know the statistics..." she trailed off, a dark look on her face. He doesn't have time to reply before the paramedics arrive and push them out of the way. They start muttering medical mumbo-jumble, as Gibbs and Ziva look hopelessly on.

Suddenly McGee was on a stretcher being carried outside, passed the curious eyes peeping around curtains. They followed them down, back to the car park. Gibbs tried to force himself onto the ambulance but the medics wouldn't let him, Tim was too unstable so he was forced to travel behind them in his car.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Tony was waiting for him outside the hospital, his shock evident as he looked at him. Gibbs looked down and only then did he notice the blood that had soaked itself into his clothes. They walked into the hospital together and asked after McGee's state. Gibbs wasn't happy with what they were told;

"Special Agent McGee is in surgery for internal bleeding as well as stab wounds. The blood loss is considerable, but he was alive when he got here. That all I can tell you until his family gets here." The nurse has a nervous look on her face which was enough for them to realise that something was hinky. Usually when they came to the hospital the staff were not too concerned about following protocol with the team, but now they both felt that something was different.

"Fine" said Gibbs "I'll ring is sister and get her down here." The nurse nodded with a small sad smile.

Gibbs went outside leaving Tony in a waiting room. Pulling out his phone he decided that he should also ring Abby, Ducky and Vance.