"Still don't understand why you had to deprive yourself of a good night's sleep, Ducky." Tony objected as the M.E. sat quietly in the passenger seat of the car. Tony's hands gripped the steering wheel, white with tension as he imagined the reaming out he'd be getting from the boss for this. He was supposed to be watching out for Ducky until they caught whoever had kidnapped, beaten and maybe even tortured, as far as Tony imagined; his teammate. Tim McGee hadn't said a word to Tony about what they'd done to him. So, the older of the two agents was left to an uncontrolled imagination running wild on possibilities and with the boss and the M.E. being very hush, hush about it, the direction of that imagination had become very unsavory, indeed. This was only serving to send Tony's anger and restlessness through the roof, making him jumpy at best.

"Anthony, since you are charged with being my watchdog until this whole horrid mess is over, it was much simpler for me to accompany you. I am perfectly fine." Ducky replied soothingly.

"Try tellin' that to Gibbs." Tony muttered half under his breath as he parked the car and stepped out so he could continue to guard the M.E.

It was a moment of silence as Ducky got out of the car and walked over to the younger man. Finally, the M.E. responded. "Don not worry, Anthony. I most certainly will tell Jethro as much." Ducky assured him firmly.

"Tell me what, Duck? What the hell are you two doing here at this hour?" Gibbs rounded the car from behind them and demanded to know.

"Oh, Jethro! I see you could not sleep either. Just as well, we can all go check on young Timothy's progress. I am sure he'll be most happy to know that we have not abandoned him after all. I shall endeavor to get an update from the night shift on how he is faring." The M.E. stated calmly as he marched on ahead into the hospital; leaving behind two silent agents in an atmosphere that was tinged with the guilt that came with Ducky's declaration; rather than anger that anyone was awake at this time of night.

Tony breathed out a sigh of relief as he trudged along beside his now silent boss. Their walk into the hospital was thankfully just as silent, as both had lots on their mind. Even the elevator ride up to Tim's floor was completed in silence. That silence turned eerie as they reached the nurse's station in Tim's section. Ducky was looking decidedly unhappy and the nurses weren't looking any happier themselves.

"What's going on, Duck?" Gibbs asked firmly.

"It seems that Timothy has checked himself out AMA, Jethro." Ducky sadly informed him.

"What?" the Team Leader's bark left no doubt he was angry at the news..

"Why?" Tony stood at Gibbs' shoulder glaring at everyone who happened to look his way, equally pissed at this turn of events. "And why didn't you call one of us?"

"Agent Gibbs? Agent DiNozzo?" the new voice turned their attention off the harried nurse and onto the Doctor in scrubs who'd just called them by name. "Agent McGee left strict instructions that you were not to be woken up just so he could return to work. He promised me that he was going straight to his job and would be sitting down at a desk; not doing anything strenuous, by any means."

"And you just let him go?" Tony demanded.

"Agent DiNozzo. It is not within my power to deny a patient his right to check out AMA. I did, however, strongly advise him to get to his own doctor later today and remain under his advisement and care. I also advised him to stay with someone for the remainder of the week; just until he's back on his feet."

"The agents guarding his door?" Gibbs demanded.

"They drove him where he was wanting to go, I promise you that. They stuck to him like glue." The head nurse threw in there with complete seriousness. "And they weren't happy about his decisions, either."

"As in more than one?" Tony questioned.

"Yes, Sir. They wanted to discuss his determination to go back to his job with you, Agent Gibbs, but Agent McGee was quite adamant that you were not to be disturbed. He said he wasn't trying to hide his decision from you; just that he refused to let you lose sleep over it."

"Hmm." the Team Leader grumbled. "Anything else?" Gibbs' tone didn't hide his displeasure but it had no more anger in it. He couldn't fault the man for his reasons behind his actions or the nurses either.

"No, Sir."

"Talk to me, Ducky"

"It is my understanding, Jethro that Timothy was not sleeping very restfully. It is quite possible that he felt the need to be doing something useful in solving the mystery of who it is that did this to him." The M.E. reasoned in an attempt to diffuse the situation. "Whatever the case may be, gentlemen, the worst thing we can do is berate him for it. We must support him through this." Ducky looked at Gibbs pointedly, reminding him that he wasn't just referring to the case or even just Tim's physical injuries.

Looking back at his friend, Gibbs understood the M.E.'s unspoken message. Not only that, he agreed with it. He wouldn't berate the agent. But that didn't mean he wouldn't talk to him. Silently, he nodded in agreement. They would need to see Tim in person before they could possibly know what was going through the young man's mind and where to go from here on this subject.

Tony watched the older two men have a silent and obviously private conversation and the questions in his head multiplied, but still, he kept quiet. He'd been bothered by the silence on this case, especially given that it was Tim they were talking about here. The more they remained tightlipped, the worse Tony's mind imagined Tim had gone through. And about the utmost worst he could imagine was… Oh, dear God! No! Don't tell me probie was…No!..."

Without another word, Tony turned and stalked down the hall and got back on the elevator. He needed air. But, even more than that, he needed to punch something.


Ziva entered the squad room almost in a state of distraction since her thoughts were pulling her in several different directions. That distraction dissipated when she noticed the squad room was not empty. "McGee?" she asked in complete shock. Dropping her backpack, she walked to his desk. "Why are you here? Are you alright enough to be here?"

Tim blinked, coming back to the here and now, looked up at the sound of Ziva's voice and smiled softly. "Hey, Ziva. I'm okay. Why are you here at this hour? It's not even 2 in the morning. You should be home in bed asleep."

"I am here because I could not sleep. We have to find who did this to you and staying at home doing nothing while I can not sleep is not accomplishing anything." She answered firmly.

Tim breathed out a sigh borne of exhaustion and emotional overload. "Yeah. Same here."

"So, you were not sleeping in your hospital room at all?" she questioned.

Tim looked down at his desk. Sure, he'd been sleeping; but it was restless and full of the instant replays of what that bastard had done and said to him and he wasn't that much of a glutton for punishment to just continue to lay there and suffer through it.

"McGee?"

"Not restfully." He admitted quietly. He turned to his computer and got back to his search. There was something he was missing, he just knew it. There was a key piece to this puzzle somewhere, he just had to pull it out of his head to put it use.

Ziva looked at him as he turned back to his work. He didn't look well at all. He was covered in sweat, his hands were shaking, his eyes were several shades less than bright and his face was pinched with pain. Looking harder, she even noticed he was trembling. The look in his eyes just now had been hearbreaking; no longer shining, it hadn't been hard to see the wealth of mixed emotions residing there and coloring the tone of his voice to match. Taking a deep breath drenched in anger, she looked around for his protection detail; finding them , thankfully, still on duty , one of them steadfastly standing watch from the edge of the squad room by Gibbs' desk while the other sat perched on the window sill by the stairs to the Director's Office.

Launching herself to her feet, she headed in the direction of the agent closest to her.

"Ziva." Tim called out somewhat quietly, without even looking at her.

"Yes, McGee?" she stopped and looked at him.

Turning in his chair, he looked her straight on. "Let it go. Please. They're doing their job and I'm doing mine." He watched her as she thought through his request.

She watched him as he waited for her answer. His eyes were begging her to let him do this his way. They were still full of something she couldn't quite fathom and that spoke volumes of his efforts to keep going. It was obvious he was not putting his health first and that bothered her, but there was little she could do about that. He was safe here and even with that safety net around him, his protection detail was still doing their jobs. She could find no fault with that. "All right. But, I can not guarantee Gibbs will be so understanding about this. Ducky, either." She warned. "I am not even sure Tony will be too happy."

"No, I'm sure they won't be. But, thank you." Tim replied with a small smile. He turned back to his work.

"McGee. Since you are safe here and you are with me, now. I believe your protection detail and mine as well, can go home." She suggested.

"They won't go until Gibbs or Vance tells them to. Not that I blame them, I wouldn't take that chance either. But, they're more than welcome to go take a break." Tim replied as he looked up at first one of the agents and then the other.

Nodding slightly, all three agents left the squad room to take a long overdue break.

"McGee. How long have you been here?" Ziva asked him as she returned to her desk and sat down behind it.

"I'm not sure. Couple of hours, I guess." He answered calmly as if they had been talking about the weather.

"What is it you are doing?" she asked with genuine interest.

"Documenting. Searching for clues." He answered quietly, not willing to answer that with too many details.

"Is there something I can do to help you?"

"Thank you, but no. I got it." Again, the edge to his voice even as he attempted to respond in a way she would know he was appreciative of her efforts, spoke of what he wasn't sharing.

"Just what is it that you 'got', McGee?" came the angry voice of one very not happy Leroy Jethro Gibbs. While he'd promised Ducky he'd save his reaction for when he saw Tim in person; he couldn't stop the anger from escaping at the sight of his definitely not well agent. Hearing the conversation between him and Ziva had tampered with the heat of his anger, but had not completely doused it.

Tim felt his heart stop. He had known this would be coming, but still he'd remained determined to carry on. He'd had plenty of time to think on this and he already knew that whoever had done this was on a personal vendetta; which meant that only Tim would be able to figure out who he'd pissed off and hopefully would be able to remember how, when, where and why. Seeing an extremely upset M.E. descending on him along with Gibbs, almost in stealth mode, Tim felt the weight of his anger as well. Ducky's silence was unnerving to say the least.

"While I am most displeased by this, Timothy, I do understand it. However, I insist you allow me to check your vitals, at the very least. Do come down to my office, won't you?" Ducky finally spoke as he stopped in front of Tim's desk, his eyes boring holes into Tim's.

"Thank you, Ducky, but I…" Tim stopped, tripped up by his lack of strength or energy to move.

"But, what, young man? Surely you do not mean to…" the M.E. misunderstood Tim's hesitation which only made things worse and made Tim feel twice as bad.

"Ducky." Gibbs bit out sharply as he strode over to the M.E. and whispered calmly in his ear as his anger left him and concern took its' place. "Look at him, Duck. He can barely sit up. Don't think he could handle walking down to your office right about now."

"Ah, yes. I do apologise, Timothy. Let me retrieve my medical bag and I will return to do a cursory look and see how you really are doing." The M.E. bustled from the squad room and took the elevator down

Tim seemed to literally sag in his chair at the M.E.'s departure. Feeling wrung out and exhausted, he didn't even pick up on the anger and concern that was mixed together in his teammates as they stood around him waiting for him to explain his choice to check out of the hospital and come back to work.

Finally, Tim realized someone was missing. "Is Tony alright?" he questioned with the ummistakable traces of worry in his tone.

"He's fine, why?" Gibbs asked.

"When was the last time anyone saw him? Normally, he'd be right here with you guys. Have you checked on him lately?" Tim pushed, in a rare moment of assertiveness.

"No, need, Probie. Here I am." Tony replied from seemingly out of nowhere as he rounded the corner from the stairs and sidled up to his own desk and settled down in his chair. "Although, I would love to hear why it is that you are here."

"Got work to do to find this guy." Tim's voice had taken on an edge that none of them recognized but were aware they'd just heard it from him a short few moments ago as well, which did nothing to make them feel better on his behalf.

Seeing Tim return his attention to what he was doing and apparently almost ignoring the boss, worried Tony even more than he already was. He found himself watching Tim, even though he could only see the younger man's back. He noticed his teammate's posture wasn't anything close to normal, slouching was a generous term for it and the knowledge that Tim was here to push himself to find whoever had done this despite the night he'd just been through, only served as a sharper reminder of what their focus was.

Still, something needed to be said. Getting up out of his chair, Tony walked over to stand in front of Tim's desk. "Hey, Probie. What can we do to help you figure out who this is?" he asked him quietly.

As he continued to insert search perameters into his document, Tim wouldn't look at any of them. Letting out a huge sigh, he finally answered his teammate's question that had the ummistakable boatload of concern within it. "Nothing, Tony. There's nothing you can do. I appreciate you asking though."

Tony was still reeling from what he believed to be the truth of what Tim had experienced at the hands of the bastard who'd kidnapped him and so he had one question he felt needed to be answered now to test the waters, so to speak, on what his imagination had filled in the blanks with. Besides, it seemed as though Tim needed a hand out of the pit he was on the verge of falling into. "Probie, why is it you think we can't help you with this? We solve cases like this every day, don't we?

Tim's eyes snapped over to him almost instantly, the anger almost jumping off of him, Surprisingly enough, the younger man remained speechless and actually hung his head and lost even more of the battle to stay upright in his chair at this point as he listed to the side, the confines of the chair arms literally holding him in place.

"Ziva. Tony, go check on Abby. Make sure she's alright. Find out why the hell she's still here. " Gibbs ordered without turning his attention from his youngest agent.

As his other two agents vacated the squad room, Gibbs walked up to Tim's desk and gently took his agent by the arm. "Hey. Can you sit up at all?"

"Yeah, Boss. Sorry. I'll be fine. I just need to…" Tim began to answer as he tried to work with Gibbs' help to sit back up straight. He was soon interrupted.

"What you need to do, McGee, is stop pushing yourself and let Ducky make sure you're all right. Then you need to get some sleep and not at your desk." The boss ordered as he got Tim resettled in his chair. The strain on his agent's face said more of the struggle it was continuing to be than any words could have.

"No, Boss, I can't I need to find…." Tim shook his head in denial of the boss' orders.

"Yeah, McGee, we do need to find who did this. So, tell me why you would tell Tony that they can't help you figure it out." Gibbs asked calmly in a rare show of patience and compassion on Tim's behalf.

Tim looked at his boss full on. "It was personal. We both know that." He reminded the man in a quiet voice that came close to breaking. Unable to maintain eye contact at that admission, Tim dropped his eyes, closing them in exhaustion and pain. Having to speak of the personal nature of the attack on his person, had brought the emotional reaction back with it and as much as he hated it, it was hard to put it away this time.

Gibbs watched Tim struggle to stay afloat amidst the crap this attack and talking about it was submersing him in and had to give the kid credit. He was doing a hell of a job keeping it together. But, that didn't change the fact that the boss was pissed at Tim for disregarding his health the way he had.

"Don't ever check out AMA again. You understand me?" the quiet yet firm order brought a ghost of a smile to the young man's face.

It was nice to see that the boss cared enough to get angry at him for it. "I promise I'll talk to you before I do." Was the quiet and shocking compromise he got in return. The bigger surprise was Tim's eyes that came back to Gibbs', looking him straight on, daring him to deny him the right to that decision.

With a soft chuckle, Gibbs nodded. "Fair enough." He stood back up, his eyes meeting Ducky's from where the M.E. had silently been standing, waiting for the two agents to get done talking. "He's all yours, Duck. I'm goin' for coffee. McGee, you do as Ducky tells ya, no argument!"

Watching the boss walk out of the squad room, Tim let out a sigh of relief. He thought sure he was gonna get yelled at something fierce and it hadn't happened. Looking at the M.E. now, as the older man approached him, he could only smile. That smile turned to a frown as he remembered what ungodly hour it was. "Ducky, I'm really sorry they got you up out of bed like this." Tim was horrified.

"Nonsense, dear boy. Our Anthony was quite unwilling to remain resting on his laurels while there is a slimy bastard such as the one who did this to you, on the loose. And since he and I are 'buddies' for the duration of this matter, there is nothing else that needs to be said on the subject." Ducky replied calmly. "Now, let's see how you're really doing shall we?"


Tony and Ziva smiled at the sight of Abby sleeping soundly on her futon in her inner office. Her watchdog, Agent Murphy was still as vigilant as ever and it was only Tony and Ziva's joint assurance that they would relieve him for a few minutes that allowed him the freedom to accept the chance to take a break they were pushing on him.

Left alone in Abby's lab, they found themselves not wanting to talk for fear of waking the exhausted woman who had finally found sleep. Looking at her instruments, it was clear that the results weren't available yet. There hadn't been much evidence to go on; just Tim's clothes and whatever fingerprints Abby could get off them and off Tim's skin. But, there hadn't been any fingerprints found other than Tim's. So, whoever had done this must have worn gloves. It was the only explanation of how they could have gotten Tim out of the car and onto Gibbs' lawn without leaving fingerprints.

Which left Tony wondering about the car. None of Gibbs' neighbors had been awake at that hour and the bastards behind this had been fairly quick and nearly silent about it; the only noise had been the car door slamming and the tires peeling, when they were done and almost completely out of sight. Tires peeling! Looking at Abby's computer, Tony could see she was already running the search through her databases for the match to the tire marks left in the street outside Gibbs' house.

"We need to talk to Tim." Tony said quietly as Agent Malone came back to take up his post as Abby's guard. "Don't tell her we're here. Let her rest." Tony requested as he and Ziva headed out, back to the squad room

"Ah, Anthony, I need your help, if you please. We need to get Timothy to the conference room that has the long couch in it. Would you help us, please?" Ducky asked by way of a greeting when Tony and Ziva returned to the squad room.

"Sure, Ducky. We'll help get him there. C'mon, Probie. Up and Adam." Tony quipped.

Tim offered an exhausted small smile as he stood with the help of his friends and teammates and returning Security detail who silently joined in the effort. Slowly they trudged their way to the elevator , boarded the thing, and then got off it and made their way to the conference room they sought. It seemed to take them forever and in fact did take them a good twenty minutes to accomplish the task; but were happy with the results.

Stepping back from the sofa, they had to smile at the already sleeping agent, gripping the extra pillow they'd given him like he would a teddy bear, if he'd been a child.