A/N: Short chapter, I know, but I wrote this really randomly last night and I thought you guys might appreciate an update :3 I'm sorry it's been so long, but this is actually the first thing I've been able to write in almost two months. I've had a major creative block; I haven't even been able to draw. So if this sucks, I'm sorry :(

XXX

"Aren't you going to answer that?"

Tony glanced around. They still didn't know what had happened or who their attackers were, not to mention where they were now. "Let's get in the car. We're vulnerable here."

Tim shrugged, climbing to his feet. He nearly lost his balance as he stood, a result of his broken ankle. Tony caught him before he fell, supporting his friend with his right arm and pocketing the vibrating phone with his left. The two of them hobbled up the beach to the car, the black paint just beginning to warm in the early summer sun.

Tim leaned against the vehicle, his small groan more of a reflex than an expression of pain. Tony nervously stared at the bleeding injury.

"How are you going to get around on that foot?"

Tim scanned the wound, grimacing at the idea that entered his head. Then again, he supposed it wasn't any worse than snapping his own ankle.

"This is probably going to hurt." He bit his lip and withdrew the pocketknife slowly, blood dripping from the blade. He then placed one hand on either side of his foot, setting his jaw.

"Oh God, McGee. I can't watch thi-"

A sharp crack interrupted him, and he clamped a hand over his mouth and tried to keep breathing. Tim was wincing visibly, but the action appeared to have been successful; the bones, while still partially visible, were no longer jutting out from his skin. He tested the ankle, applying a bit of weight at a time until he was sure he would be able to stand.

"Should we go?"

He walked calmly past Tony and opened the passenger door of the car. Tony remained frozen until McGee called, "DiNozzo!"

Tony turned. "Tim."

"Yes?"

"You just manually realigned your ankle bones."

"I noticed that."

"And then you walked on them."

"Very observant."

"That isn't normal."

"Neither is drowning."

"There's something wrong here."

"Did you really just figure that out?"

Tony shook his head and walked around to the driver's side of the car. Tim climbed into the passenger seat and shut the door.

They did their best to remember the way back to the road, but it took nearly twenty minutes to find the right trail. Once they were back on the highway, though, Tony retrieved his phone.

"Who are you calling?"

"Gibbs."

"Why?"

"He's worried. He called almost forty times."

Gibbs picked up between the first and second ring. "DiNozzo!"

"Hey, boss."

"Where are you? You two okay?"

"Well-"

"We're fine, boss," Tim answered, snatching the phone from Tony. "Sorry we didn't pick up, we had terrible reception."

"What happened at the scene?"

"Just kids, nothing there."

"Then why were you gone all night?"

"We were going to head back right away, but we were both too tired to drive. We got a few hours in, and we're on the road now. We just got cell reception back."

"I thought your cell was supposed to have a better signal than Tony's."

"It got thrown in a lake, boss."

"It got what?"

"DiNozzo pushed me in."

There was a suppressed sigh from the other end of the line before Gibbs said, "Fine. Just get back here ASAP."

Tim replied with a "Yes, boss," despite the dialtone.

Tony looked incredulous. "What was that?"

"What was what?"

"Why did you lie to Gibbs?"

"What were you going to tell him? 'Hey, Gibbs. Tim died, but he's okay now.'"

"Bad things come from lying to Gibbs."

"I know that, but how can we tell the truth when we don't even know what it is? I don't know what happened back there, and neither do you."

Tony was dissatisfied. It was written clearly on his face.

"Look, let's just get back to D.C.. We'll figure out what to do."

"Fine," Tony sighed. "I just hope you know what you're doing."

XXX

Gibbs snapped his phone shut and looked at Ziva, who was listening intently. She had been as worried as him.

"They're fine," he growled as he left the room, probably in search of coffee. She stood and headed down to the lab to assure Abby that Tim and Tony were safe, as the Goth had been beside herself. It was odd, but she'd had a real gut feeling that something was very wrong.

It was still there.

XXX

A/N: I would love you forever if you reviewed! :D