Rating: M

Characters: Leroy Jethro Gibbs, Tony DiNozzo, Tim McGee, Abby Sciuto, Ducky Mallard, Jimmy Palmer, Ziva David, Leon Vance, OMC, OFC

Pairings: Gibbs/Tony

Warnings: Rape/non-con, torture, violence, trauma, angst, slash, swearing, mild Ziva bashing (She behaved horribly towards Tony at the end of season 6. I never liked her after that.)

Spoilers: Parts of the end of season 6 and the beginning of season 7

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, I just like to play with them.

NCISNCISNCISNCISNCIS

"Hey, Abby," McGee said tiredly, entering the lab. "I just..." his voice trailed off as he saw the collected evidence on the table; some spread out, some still boxed up. Cuffs, collars, a blindfold, earplugs, whips, various sex toys, enemas, diapers and candles.

McGee swallowed, fighting hard to keep his emotions in check. Every one of these items had been used on Tony at some point. With some items, their purpose was clear. With others, how they were used was left almost entirely to Tim's imagination, which was almost more horrifying.

"What is it, Tim?"

McGee looked up at Abby, who stood unmoving at the other side if the table, a barely perceptible tremor running through her body. She projected a controlled calm; a thin veil barely concealing the storm of emotions behind it. Somehow, McGee found this even more disconcerting than her usual hugs, weeping and fast talking.

"Yeah...uh...Gibbs said he'll be down to see you in a little while. I'm heading to the hosptial now to meet him and visit with Tony."

Abby nodded rapidly, twisting her hands together. "Tony will be all right, won't he?"

McGee walked up to Abby, untangling her fidgeting hands and holding them tight. "I don't know, Abby. I'm sorry, but I can't promise you he'll ever get back to who he was. All we can do right now is be thankful he's still alive."

Abby sniffled, her mask starting to crack. "How was he? When you saw him, how was he?"

"Abby, I only saw him for a minute. I was kind of distracted arresting Ellsworth," McGee explained.

"But you must have noticed something!" Abby insisted. "I need to know, Tim! Even if it's bad news, I...I just want to know how he is."

McGee looked down, chewing his lip thoughtfully before responding.

"It's like he's a blank canvass, Abby," McGee finally answered. "He seemed...innocent."

"You mean like a baby?" Abby asked, eyes unconsciously drifting towards the diapers on the table.

"I guess," McGee shrugged, feeling a little sick to his stomach as the realization hit him that Abby's assessment just might be correct. "Like I said, I only saw him for a minute, so -"

"No..." Abby shook her head, finally allowing the tears to fall. Her face nuzzling into McGee's chest.

McGee rubbed soothing circles on Abby's back, not caring that she was smearing mascara all over his clean white shirt. Truth be told, if it weren't for the fact that he felt he needed to be the strong one now, he'd be crying too.

"What's gonna happen to Tony now?" Abby asked, her voice muffled.

"I don't know," McGee replied, giving Abby a soft kiss on top of her head. "But he's gonna need a lot of help. We need to be strong for him, Abby."

Abby nodded into McGee's chest before pulling back and giving his arms a tight squeeze.

"Then go see him, Timmy! And tell Gibbs to hurry back here so he can go and tear those monsters each a new asshole!"

"You got it, Abby," McGee said with a sad smile, reaching in for one last hug.

NCISNCISNCISNCISNCIS

"Can I come in?" McGee asked cheerfully, knocking on the door frame of Tony's room.

Almost immediately, McGee regretted knocking, as Tony's breath hitched into hiccuped whimpers, and his body rocked from side to side.

"Shh...don't be afraid, Tony." Gibbs soothed, gently rubbing along Tony's arm with one hand, while motioning for McGee to enter with the other. "This is Tim, and he's a friend."

Tony looked up at McGee. As watery green eyes focused, fear and suspicion seemed to change to a tentative trust. Perhaps Tony recognized McGee as the man who took Mark Ellsworth away in handcuffs.

"Hey, Tony," McGee greeted softly, so as not to upset his friend by coming on too strong. "Gibbs has asked me to stay with you while he takes care of a few things.

"It's okay, Tony," Gibbs reassured him, giving McGee a sideways hug; an uncharacteristic gesture that surprised McGee. "Tim will keep you safe. I trust him, and you can too."

Tony's lips turned up into a faint smile as he reached out his slender hand, weakly grasping at air until McGee laced their fingers together. McGee tried to hide the horror he felt as their hands touched. Tony really was skin and bones, and his gaunt, sunken features, looking at the world with a child-like uncertainty reminded McGee just how helpless he was.

Gibbs placed his own hand over Tony and McGee's, as if to reinforce the established bond of trust between the three of them. This seemed to work, as Tony's breathing steadied, and his smile now seemed more genuine.

"I gotta go now," Gibbs said, giving their hands a final pat. "I'll be back later, Tony. Tim will be here to take care of you until then."

Tony let out a weak moan, looking from Gibbs to McGee with a smile.

McGee looked down fondly at Tony before turning to face Gibbs. "I'll call you if anything comes up."

Gibbs nodded appreciatively. "I'll be back tonight."

"Bye, boss."

NCISNCISNCISNCISNCIS

A few minutes later, a nurse entered with some food and set it on a tray table near the bed.

"You might want to start with the Jello," the nurse told Tony. "See what your stomach can take before trying anything heavier."

Though his face was turned towards the nurse, Tony's eyes were fixed on the ceiling.

"Thank you," McGee answered for Tony.

"Sure." The nurse gave a sympathetic smile, then departed.

"Tony?" McGee waited until his friend's eyes were focused on him before he continued. "I'm gonna sit you up now, okay? The bed will move a little. Don't be scared.

McGee didn't know if the warning was really necessary, but given Tony's mental state, he didn't want to take any chances.

Once Tony was upright, McGee positioned the tray table over his lap and lifted off the lid. On the tray was some apple juice, Jello, mac and cheese, green beans and mashed potatoes. None of it looked particularly appetizing. The mac and cheese looked gritty,the green beans seemed mushy, and the gravy on the potatoes had an odd smell.

"All right, Tony. How about we start you off with some Jello," McGee said, peeling back the foil. Taking the plastic spoon out of its wrapping, McGee placed the spoon in front of Tony and waited for his friend to start eating.

Tony stared helplessly from the tray to McGee, his chest rising and falling rapidly as he struggled for breath.

Trying his best to remain calm and think of what might be upsetting Tony, McGee thought back to the evidence he and Ziva collected. The dog dish! Of course! Tony had been treated like an animal during his captivity. He probably didn't think he was allowed to feed himself - unless he was shoving his face into a bowl of food, which McGee would not let happen!

Standing up, McGee leaned over, pressing his forehead to Tony's and holding the older man's face between his hands.

"Calm down, Tony," McGee cooed. "It's okay. Shh...It's okay, Tony. I'll feed you."

It took a few minutes for Tony to finally calm down, but it happened. And once McGee felt Tony was out of danger, he sat back and began feeding him.

McGee's heart clenched as he watched Tony accept the food like a little baby bird. Tony; the man who helped to shape McGee into the agent that he was. Who, despite the constant teasing over the years, was a fiercely loyal and devoted friend. If McGee were being honest with himself, he'd even go so far as to say that Tony was his best friend.

Tony had always been so strong. He'd overcome so much! McGee always believed Tony could survive anything life threw his way and come out stronger than before.

Yet here Tony was. So small, helpless and scared, with no recollection of the man that he was; or even that he was a man at all. Abby was right. At this moment, Tony really did remind him of a baby.

As McGee took a napkin and wiped a bit of stray Jello off of Tony's chin, and Tony's eyes looked up and him with innocence and trust, McGee made a silent promise to his friend.

"We're gonna get you back, Tony. You might never be 100% again. But maybe you can at least stop being afraid. Maybe you can remember that you have friends who love you."