Chapter Two
Tentatively, Tim walked up to the admitting desk and gave the nurse his name. Following her to the room given to him, McGee had to smile. Livie was skipping towards him. When the girl saw him, she gave a squeal of delight and ran up to him for a hug.
"Are you here for treatment, too? Yuck, you're all wet," she told him.
"It's the first day of my treatment and it was snowing when I got here. First snowfall of the season," he replied.
"Great, I love the snow! You can do all sorts of things with it, like make snow angels and build snow forts. I have treatment every three days and this one's the start of my cycle. How about you Tim?" she prattled excitedly.
"I have treatment every three days too. It would seem that we're on the same treatment cycle," was his reply as he tried to hide the sympathy he felt for her.
"That's great! We can be buddies," there was a pleading note to her response.
"We can totally be buddies," he agreed warmly, giving her a smile. Livie practically vibrated with excitement.
Smiling fondly at her young patient, the nurse gently shooed her out so that Tim could get changed. When she got to the door, Livie turned and gave him a big Betty Boop wink before running off to her calling parents. Laughing, he waved goodbye before closing the door. It was hard to see such a cute little sprite going through such a hard battle, but if she could be that strong so could he. Tim thought to himself as he put on the hospital gown.
After re-opening the door, he crawled into bed and waited for the nurse to return. The team had called him earlier to let him know that they would be by after work, due to a case they had just gotten. He promised them it was all right. With nothing else to do, he hauled out the book he brought in his overnight bag. Because it was his very first treatment, the doctor had wanted Tim to stay overnight so that his reaction to the medication could be monitored.
A short time later, a nurse came in and checked his vitals. Even less time passed before Doctor Summers arrived with an IV. The doctor told him not to fight any of the symptoms, and if for any reason he became worried with what was going on, not to hesitate to call the on-duty nurse. Tim watched the needle slide into his arm, wishing his family had not been delayed at the airport by a heavy snowfall in their area.
It was when he was left alone that Tim began to feel sorry for himself. He knew that his friends couldn't just drop everything to be with him, but it was hard doing this alone. So, he began sulking. The funk had been broken by the most unexpected scours.
"What're you doing here, Livie?" he asked when she suddenly showed up at his door, "I thought you were getting treatment."
"Of course I am getting treatment silly, why do you think that I'm dragging the bag around?" she replied, rolling her eyes as she pointed to the IV poll.
"Aren't you worried about getting sick while you're wandering around?" he asked.
"I won't lose my cookies for a bit. I learned to know when I'm going to start to yak; besides I wanted to be here for you. You're all alone for your first time and you shouldn't be. That would be no fun. Now scoot over," she told him. Unable to trust his voice, McGee pulled back the covers and shuffled over so she could crawl in. The nausea hit shortly after that and despite having a light breakfast, so he lost it all and more.
Rubbing his back as he dry-heaved the way her father for her did, Livie soothed her new friend through it all. When his revolting stomach settled down, Tim turned away from her, ashamed that a child had to help him. Affronted by this, she immediately told him to knock it off. She understood what he was going through and he needed someone to be there for him. Besides, Livie said he would be returning the favor soon. Far too quickly, that was true her thin body shuddering with every heave. Gently holding her, Tim help the child ride the nausea out. After, she fell asleep, fatigued by the demands of her body and from the powerful drugs in her system. He softly sung her into a deep sleep with a lullaby that his mother used to sing to him.
Her parents had worriedly watched the whole thing from the doorway. When their daughter had found out that Tim was all alone, she insisted on coming over. They had finely given in when she pleaded that the man was her friend, and friends stuck together. She had taken a shine to him and that was rare, so they took her to his room. It had been difficult for her not having a normal life and seeing so many of the friends she had made, lose their struggle. They could not help but to smile as he sung her to sleep. Mouthing thank you, her father gently scooped his daughter up and carried her to her own bed. Tim was drifting off to sleep himself when he here a familiar voice.
"Hey probie, lose your hair yet?" Tony asked.
"No, I have not," he said, trying to sound gruff but failing miserably.
"Sorry we couldn't be here earlier, McGee," Ziva told him.
"It's alright, I found a friend," Tim started to say, but the rest of what he was going to tell them was cut off by another round of vomiting.
The nausea had hit when he first smelled the coffee in Gibbs' hand and when his boss moved closer, it finely triggered the heaving. Embarrassed, he stammered out an explanation. He wanted to say he was sorry as well, but didn't, knowing how his boss felt about those.
Shocking everyone, Gibbs went into the bathroom and poured out his coffee. Coming out with a wet paper towel, he gently wiped the spittle from Tim's mouth. The man's actions had suspired everyone. When Tim ducked his head in embarrassment, the older man gently lifted his chin so that their eyes met, and he told him not to be ashamed of needing the help.
They talked for hours. Telling him about the new case, both Tony and Ziva whined that they had to do the computer stuff themselves. Abby fussed and doted on him, making sure that he was comfortable, even offering up Bert. Tim gently refused, saying he would rather visit the farting hippo in the lab. Gibbs asked about his new friend and they all smile at his disruption of Livie.
When they noticed Tim starting to fade on them, Abby tucked her friend in and gave him a big kiss on the cheek. Ziva playfully gave him one on his other cheek. Bashfully, he said good night as Tony tried to get a kiss from the women. All he got was a light smack on the head for his efforts. When the nurse came in later to check on the sleeping man, she could not help giggling when she saw a lipstick stain on each cheek. The next day brought a good surprise; his parents and sister had managed to get out. There was a break in the weather and they caught the first flight out.
"Tim," his dad called out before entering the room.
"Dad, Mom, you made it," Tim smiled as he was engulfed in a hug.
"There was a break in the weather," his mother told him.
"Well, I'm glad you're here. Where's Sarah? I thought that she would be here too," he asked, confused by her absence.
"Hey, Tim," she said timidly, coming out from her hiding spot.
"Sar, come here," he told her, opening up his arms for a coddle.
"Oh, Tim," she cried as she latched on to him.
"Hey, it'll be alright," he told her, ignoring the soreness it had caused.
"Alright!? How can you say that when you're so sick?" she went off in typical fashion.
"I can 'cuz my sis is here," he told her, glad that she was feeling a bit better.
Sarah harrumphed and held on tighter. Tim tried to ignore the pain her hug caused. She needed to know he was alright and the doctor warned him of bruising anyway. After his sister disengaged from her strangle-hold, Tim's parents told him they were taking him out for breakfast. Not wanting to disappoint them, Tim agreed to going out, even though all he wanted to do was go home and curl up underneath the covers. Even the smell of food nauseated him, but Tim managed to get a bite down. His mother tried to get him to eat more, saying he lost weight, but he just couldn't do it. After a few hours, his dad noticing how pale their son was, and suggested they take him home to rest.
After losing the little food he had eaten, Tim grabbed his pajamas and curled up underneath his covers for a nap before his friends came over. Jethro jumped up and snuggled in beside him. Tim normally would have never allowed the dog on the bed, but he didn't know how long he would be able to take care of him, and the dog's presence was comforting. Dr. Sommers had said it was alright for light duty, so Gibbs allowed himself to be talked into letting Tim help Abby, and do the ever-neglected paperwork. So, dragging his butt out of bed, Tim got ready for work. The double duty with his friends and his family knocked the stuffing out of him and he was feeling it, but his pride refused to allow him to stay at home when work had been so fiercely won.
Grabbing his hairbrush, he started on his routine until he got a shock. The brush had taken a clump of hair with it as he pulled it through his hair. When he tried to comb over the spot, all he did was pull more hair out. Slamming the brush down, Tim forced himself to get a handle on his anger.
Humiliated an hour later, he walked into the bullpen with the bald spot in full view of everyone. Nobody said anything about it but he could feel the sympathy looks. The get well soon cards and hope you feel betters were bearable, but the looks directed at his head almost made him run for the safety of his one person that had made it all bearable was Tony of all people. After seeing his teammate's desolate look, the man had taken a long lunch and when he got back, Tim was flabbergasted.
"Tony your… why..." he stumbled out.
"Well, I couldn't let you have all the fun now could I?" he asked.
"Thank you," Tim got out, on the verge of tears.
"It was nothing," Tony replied, rubbing his shaved head.
"After work, could you? I mean, if you're not busy?" he tried to get out, motioning to his own head.
"Yeah, sure buddy," Tony smiled, knowing what his probie was trying to ask. "You know, I think Cynthia is in love with you, McGee."
"What?" he sputtered out.
"Thanks to you, we have handed in more paperwork in half a day then we have all month," Tony told him seriously.
"Yes, McGee, she was giving you quite the look," Ziva teased him.
"Back to work," Gibbs told his team, smirking the whole time at their accurate teasing. He had been proud of Tony when he had come back from lunch. The man had pleaded to his boss for a little extra time at lunch and Gibbs was glad he listened to his gut and granted the request.
Fortunately for Tim, the team had not quite headed back to their own desk, because the only thing that had kept him from cracking his head against his desk as he collapsed was Gibbs and Tony catching him. After gently laying the unconscious man on the floor, Gibbs called Ducky while Tony undid the buttons around Tim's collar. Ziva placed her bundled up coat underneath McGee's head as a pillow, and then let out a gasp as she got a better look at his chest. Tony swore when he opened up the man's shirt a bit father. Tim's chest was black with bruises. Gibbs stared at the bruise in shock, the situation bringing up old wounds.
Swallowing the gasp at seeing his colleague lying on the ground, Ducky allowed his training to take over. Instructing Jimmy to take vitals, he attempted to get a coherent story out of the traumatized team. Seeing Tim fall, then finding the bruise, had frightened them badly and they all started to talk at once. Cutting them off, the coroner asked if anyone had called an ambulance. Looking around, they realized in shock that none of them had thought to call 911. Hearing a voice, Ducky looked around and recognized a young man from another team that Tim had got to know well, because of a mutual love of electronic toys. He told the coroner he had an ambulance coming. Thanking the young man, the doctor got back to his patient.
After going to Tim's desk and retrieving a list of the medications he was on, Ducky got his vitals and didn't like what he discovered; the man's blood pressure was low and his heartbeat was weak. Grabbing Tim's coat, Jimmy gently placed it on him, trying to warm him a little. Smiling at his assistance thoughtfulness, Ducky helped him keep the agent in their care, as comfortable as possible. When the paramedics arrived, Ducky gave them a dizzying run down of the powerful drugs in his system. It was the coroner's biggest fear that the cocktail of drugs would, instead of saving Timothy, cause problems. Following the paramedics into the ambulance, Ducky left Gibbs and his team to follow in the car. After they made some painful calls to his family.