Tim McGee

Ducky had already gone home, heeding Jimmy's suggestion with surprisingly little protest. She decided she would deal with things here, at the office, first.

She looked around the bullpen. Just one of her colleagues remained, though not the one she would have thought.

He sat at his desk, staring blankly at his computer screen. He looked incredibly sad, incredibly disappointed. And she feared that perhaps he might even be becoming disillusioned with his decision to join NCIS. She couldn't let that happen.

"Tim?" she said gently.

Timothy McGee looked up, startled out of his trance. He listened carefully, turning his head. "Tim?" she repeated.

Tim gasped as he realized he was hearing Kate's voice. "Timothy, you're losing it," he muttered to himself.

"No, Tim. You're not losing it. It's me, Kate. Really," she said, laughing softly, trying to set him at ease.

Tim blanched as he looked around and his eyes locked with Kate's apparition.

She moved over to his desk, watching him as his eyes followed her every step. "I wanted to make sure you were okay," she said. "Just wrapping up some loose ends before I go."

"Loose ends?" he asked, still not quite believing his own eyes.

"I know that Tony and Gibbs are okay, I mean, I was on the roof with them. But when I was killed, you were still on the ground. I didn't know if you were okay or not. I see you are, though. Nice shooting, by the way."

Tim smiled weakly. "Thanks. I got one of them, you know. I didn't know at first if I did, but I got him." Kate grinned proudly. "I know. You've turned into a crack shot, McGee," she said, winking.

She suddenly turned serious. "Tim, go over to my desk. There's something in there I want you to see."

Tim looked at her like she'd gone daft. "Kate, I can't do that. That's… well, it's your desk. I can't just go rummaging through it. I mean, do I LOOK like Tony to you?" Kate giggled at this. "No, Tim, you definitely do not look like Tony. Really, go ahead. I want you to. It's for him, too."

Tim got up cautiously, looking around to make sure nobody was seeing him. He needn't have worried - he was alone in the office.

He sat down after a great deal of hesitation, then carefully pulled open the drawer that Kate was directing him to.

"Good, now pull out my sketch book."

Tim looked at her blankly. "Kate, that's your private property. I can't go snooping in it. You'd kill me. I mean, if you weren't already dead, you'd kill me." Kate shook her head. "Tim, you've got to start learning to take a few risks now and then. Anyway, I'd only kill you if you were doing it without my permission. And you never would have done that anyway, I know that."

Tim reached in, and pulled out the book in question.

"Now turn to page 17, and 18."

Tim glanced at her, curiously, then opened the book. He gasped as he looked at the first page.

There were two sketches, one on each of the pages she'd pointed him to. The first was of him, sitting at his desk, looking up. His expression was bright, and his mouth held a broad smile that reached all the way to his eyes, crinkling them in the corners. He looked completely and utterly happy. "When did you do that?" he asked, awe-struck.

"Last month. You and Tony were joking around in the office between cases. It sounded so good to hear you laugh that way, like you felt like you finally belonged here. You do, you know. You're one of us now. It's not exactly blood in, blood out. But you earned your place here, you paid your dues."

"Tell Tony that," Tim snorted, rolling his eyes. Kate laughed. "Look at the other sketch," she encouraged him. Tim looked down, turned the page, and gasped again. "Oh, Kate," he breathed, nearly speechless. "I don't know what to say."

The second sketch was one of him and Abby, sitting side-by-side in a restaurant booth. Tim's arm was wrapped around Abby's shoulders, and they both held a look of unadulterated delight and contentment in their warm smiles. Abby's head was tilted sideways, towards Tim, and his cheek rested against her hair, as they posed, as if for a snapshot of happier times.

"When was this?" he asked. "Come on, you don't remember?" she said, teasingly. Tim looked down again at the page. His eyes lit up with remembrance, suddenly. "That little pub we went to, to celebrate my birthday. You guys blew me away with that one. I didn't even think anyone knew or even cared when it was." Kate shrugged, winking. "Abby knew. And we all cared, trust me. But it was Tony's idea." Tim glanced up, his face reflecting shock. "You're kidding," he said. Kate grinned. "Nope. He said," she laughed, lowering her voice to a mock-masculine tone, "Well, I guess Probie's here to stay. Might as well give him a proper welcome." Tim laughed out loud. "That sly bastard," he said, shaking his head.

Kate grew serious. "Tim, take care of Abby?" Tim looked up at her. "Of course I will, you know you don't even have to ask that, Kate." Kate frowned slightly. "Yeah, I know. And I know you've been spending a lot of time together since I died. But it's just that… you guys have been wasting so damn much time. Life is just too short, Tim. You have to take your happiness where you find it and hold on to it with everything you have. It's too fleeting. You make Abby happy. And I know she makes you happy, too. If I wasn't already dead, she'd kill me for telling you this, but she loves you, Tim." He looked at her, his eyebrows halfway up his forehead. "She told you that?" Kate smiled an enigmatic smile. "Nope. Ghosts know these things." Tim nodded, still shocked. "So, then… you, uh… you know that I…" he stammered. "You love her too? Of course I do. Even if I wasn't a ghost I'd be able to see that. And I did, too." Tim paled slightly. "I see," he said, sounding weak all of a sudden.

Kate cleared her throat. "Oh, and do you think that maybe, you could, well…" she trailed off, sounding unsure of her request. "Well, could you look after Tony and Gibbs too? They're so angry right now. I don't want them to get all stupid and reckless. Can you maybe keep them reeled in or something?" Tim gave her a blank look. "Me. Keep Tony and Gibbs reeled in." His voice was dripping with skepticism. "Now I KNOW you're joking. They'd crush me like a bug, Kate. I'd be joining you on the other side within the week." Kate shook her head. "They respect you more than you think. They'll listen to you, you just have to be subtle about it, that's all. Trust me, Tim. You can do this. You have to stop doubting your own abilities. I mean, it's been over a year now. Do you really thing you'd still be here if you didn't have what it takes to be a good agent?"

She paused, then changed the subject suddenly. "I want you to take those sketches, and keep them, and take the ones I drew of the others and give them to them too. They're my gift to you. Everyone is in there. Even Palmer," she said, whispering secretively.

"Reeeeeaaaaaaaally," Tim droned, a mischievous eyebrow slowly sneaking up his forehead. Kate would have blushed if not for the fact that she was a ghost, and as such had no blood supply. "He's a good kid. And Ducky likes him. He does good work here. And do not beat him up again, Tim." Tim scowled. "Kate, I didn't lay a finger on him. Did Abby tell you otherwise?" Kate waggled her eyebrows. "Some secrets do go to the grave, McGee."

She started to fade away, as she said to him, "Don't give up your dream of being here, Tim. This is your destiny, never forget that. I'll always be with you, as long as you remember me."

Tim blinked, and shook his head, as Kate disappeared.