A/N: Glad you all like the story so far. This chapter builds on the Gibbs/McGee friendship and starts to open the lines of communication between them. Disclaimer: Once again, I own nothing NCIS.

Gibbs shuddered, finally awakening from the nightmare that had gripped him. He flipped on the light by his bed, and swung his legs over the edge. Resting his elbows on his knees, he looked at the clock by the bed. 6am, he had to be at work soon. He felt the panic rising in his body, knew he was on the verge of yet another attack. He put his head in his hands and tried to calm down, but it wasn't working. He needed to talk to someone - anyone. He remembered the conversation he'd had with McGee the previous evening, picked up his cell, and hit the speed dial for Tim's cellphone.

Tim was already awake, getting ready for work, when he heard his cell ring. Wondering who could be calling so early, he looked at the number, then quickly answered. "Hey, boss, we got a case?" he asked.

"No, McGee, no case. I just... I needed to talk to someone. Think I'm having another panic attack. I had a nightmare and woke up feeling like this. I need help, Tim."

Tim listened to Gibbs' breathing, it was just like in the elevator the day before, shallow and rapid. "Yeah, sounds like it is a panic attack boss. It's OK, just try and get your breathing back under control. You're hyper-ventilating a little, so just try to relax. Can you tell me what the nightmare was about?" Tim asked, hoping to get to the bottom of, at least this particular attack.

"Can't remember, just remember... water. Darkness. Can't get out!" Gibbs replied, the panic in his voice rising. "Gibbs. Listen to me." Tim said, forcefully. "You need to breathe, you're alright. Everything's OK. You're safe."

Gibbs began to calm down, and said, "Thanks, Tim. Hey, hope I didn't wake you." Tim smiled and replied, "No, I've been awake for a while. I set up a remote search to go through Richmond's co-workers and friends, and flag any that have records. I got a couple of hits so I'm sending the data to my office terminal. Should be there when I arrive at work."

Gibbs smiled, it was just like McGee to figure out something like that. "Nice job, Tim. I'll see you at work." Feeling calm, Gibbs hung up the phone, and began preparing for the day ahead.

Gibbs arrived at the office before any of the team had got there. He slipped behind his desk, opened a drawer and pulled out a small photograph of his late wife and daughter. "Oh, girls. It's times like these I really miss you two. I still love you, so, so much it hurts." he muttered under his breath. His thoughts were interrupted by the arrival of Ducky, who wandered over to his desk.

"Morning Jethro. I thought I'd ask how things were going, any progress yet?" he asked, keeping his voice low, in case any of the team happened to walk in. "On the case, apparently McGee has some new information. As for that other thing, yeah, there's a little progress. It's slow, but at least it's progress." Gibbs replied, not looking up. Ducky leaned over, looking at the photograph Gibbs still held in his hand. "Your girls?" he asked quietly.

"Yeah, this whole thing with Maddie has really hit home just how much I miss them." Gibbs replied. Ducky smiled, before heading down to Autopsy.

No sooner had he left, than Tony walked in, carrying two cups of coffee. He placed one on Gibbs' desk, and said, "Thought you might need this, boss. You've looked like hell these past few days. Everything alright?" Gibbs looked up at him, quickly tucking the photograph back into the drawer of his desk. "Yeah, everything's fine DiNozzo. Will be even better when we close this case. Thanks for the coffee though, appreciate it."

Tony nodded and then walked over to his own desk, dropping his backpack and sitting down. Something wasn't quite right with his boss, but he couldn't place what it was, so he decided to keep an eye on him. A few minutes later, Ziva arrived, and shortly after, McGee was present. They began running through the matches that McGee's search had found, and one by one, they all had an alibi that checked out. All except one, a certain Adam Preston. "Bring him in here." Gibbs said, sending McGee and Tony to pick him up. They had also discovered that the project Richmond was working on was currently in the development phase, not something he had been assigned by his employer, all information he was working on for them was accounted for, and he had taken no copies, either electronic or paper.

An hour and a half later, Gibbs stood outside Interrogation, planning his strategy. Preston worked in the company's mail room, he was barely eighteen and Gibbs' famous gut was telling him it was highly unlikely Preston could kill a man.

He walked into the room, set the file he was carrying on the table, and sat down. He pulled out Richmond's photo, and placed it in front of Preston. "Recognise him?' Gibbs asked.

"Yeah, that-that's Daniel Richmond. Nice enough guy. What's he got to do with my being here?" Preston stuttered.

"He is currently lying on a slab down in our morgue. I want to know how he got there." Gibbs replied. Preston looked visibly shocked. "I, I can't believe it. I just spoke to him last week. He seemed fine then. How did this happen?"

"That's what I want to know. Your file says you and Richmond had an altercation a few months ago. Can you tell me what that was about?" Gibbs stated, his voice calm and collected. From behind the two way mirror, Tony and McGee watched the interrogation take place. McGee smiled, seeing how different Gibbs was now, compared to how he'd sounded on the phone that morning.

"It was, it was nothing really. We were out at this bar with a few mutual friends, and he was drunk, made some remarks about a female friend of mine I didn't take kindly to, we traded punches for a while, then he went home. The next day he came to me and apologised, and it was water under the bridge." Preston explained. Gibbs nodded, "You have any idea of the stuff he was working on?" he asked. "Not really, I just deliver the mail, don't really have much of a security clearance. I do know he was working on a project of his own. He was developing a new microchip system, where tiny chips could be placed on bullets, and they could be traced back to the firearm they came from. I don't know how it worked technically, but I know it was a big step, and he was going to speak to his bosses about it next week."

"Anyone else know about it?" Gibbs pressed. Preston gulped, "Just me. Wait, there is one other guy who found out. Leighton Marks, a guy Dan worked with. He used to work in ballistics, claimed what Dan was saying wasn't possible. Seemed pretty jealous, would harass Dan at his house, demanding to see prototypes and stuff."

Gibbs nodded, turning to the mirror he said, "OK, we're done here. DiNozzo, escort Mr Preston out, then put out a BOLO for Leighton Marks. I want him in here ASAP."

Tony exited the viewing room, and escorted Adam Preston out of Interrogation. The rest of the day, the team tried to track down Leighton Marks, and after an afternoon of coming up empty, Gibbs sent the team home.

A few hours later, he knocked on the door of Tim's apartment, carrying a six pack of beers and some Chimese food he'd picked up on the way over. Tim opened the door and was surprised to see Gibbs standing there. "Hey, come on in boss." he said, leading the way to his living room.

"So, what brings you here?" McGee asked, knowing that with the events of the past few days, there could be any number of reasons.

"Wanted to talk to you. Clear a few things up. Might help me get over this panic attack stuff." Gibbs said, opening a couple of beers. McGee looked at him curiously, his boss wasn't one to risk drink-driving. "I took a cab over." Gibbs said, as if reading Tim's mind.

"Oh, I see. So, what did you want to talk about?" Tim said, taking one of the beers. "You know about Shannon and Kelly?" Gibbs asked, bracing himself to tell the stories he'd much rather leave untold.

"I know the names, and I know they were your wife and daughter, but that's about it."

Gibbs sighed, and then began explaining about their deaths, and the aftermath of those events. Eventually he finished, and said, "So, you see, when Maddie came to me for help, well... She's the last link I have to them. I wanted to protect her." Tim nodded, and shifted the conversation onto a happier topic. The two talked for a couple of hours, when Gibbs suddenly said, "I think I'm ready, Tim."

"Ready for what?" McGee asked, the statement taking him by surprise.

"I think I'm ready to tell the others about this whole situation. If I don't have some weird nightmare than induces a panic attack tonight, then tomorrow, I'll tell them. DiNozzo has his suspicions, I can tell. It's only a matter of time before they all find out." With that, Gibbs stood up, and headed for the front door. "Thanks McGee, this has definitely helped." he said, then pulled out his phone to call a cab.

TBC

A/N: So, another chapter down, I think I've got about 3 more chapters before this gets wrapped up. Please review! :)