7

Earthdragon, sprouthater and Gail, thank you so much for reading and taking time to review. I wanted Ellie to be the one who took Rivkin out because she's got no history with him, I hope your cold's better sprouthater, and Gail; I live in England and we won't get Season 12 until January so I hope there are some good McGee moments, but I'll have to wait to see them!

My thanks to new followers and those who have put this story on their favourites list, one more chapter after this and we're done!

Monday 17 November: 04.35

"Jethro, there really is no reason for you all to wait, look at them, they're exhausted. When he's out of the OR Timothy will be sleeping for some hours, you should all go home, I'll call you when he wakes."

"Not happening Duck, and I don't remember you getting much rest the last few days."

Ducky gave a tired smile. "True enough, however I find the older I get, the less sleep I need." He looked around the waiting room, at the tired, tense faces, all doing their best to stay alert long enough to go in and see their friend.

Ducky had been very worried when Tim was wheeled into the ER just under four hours ago, he looked so pale, gaunt, his breathing so ragged, his wrists a bloody mess and then he saw the gash on his side where Rivkin's bullet had grazed him, it was unfair, so much pain…There was an oxygen mask on his face, much needed fluids being delivered by IV, and a team of emergency personnel ready to do their work. Ducky had stepped back and watched them carry out their life-saving work with practised ease, and a great deal of skill.

Tim was examined, assessed, the wounds on his wrists were cleaned and dressed, he had X-rays, a CT scan, and was on his way to the operating room to have the bullet wound treated when Gibbs and the others arrived. Abby had been waiting patiently with Jimmy at her side, and she gave them all a huge hug when they walked into the ER waiting area. "Thank you! I knew you'd be in time, but…it was so close and I kept thinking, what we would do if…?" Gibbs held her close and kissed the top of her head, he'd tell her just how close one day, but not right now.

"That's a question for another day Abs. Duck, how is he?"

"I'm not going to lie, he's very ill." He heard the sharp intakes of breath all around him and saw Abby's lip tremble. "Come now, you must have known he couldn't come away from his ordeal unscathed. Timothy was already unwell, and his incarceration, the neglect he has suffered, and the additional injuries…he will require a great deal of care, and we all know he's in the very best place to get whatever he requires. He's in the OR now, when the surgeon is done Doctor Chisnall tells me Timothy will be in the ICU for a day or so, I suggest we all move to the waiting room there and wait for more news."

They'd waited with varying degrees of impatience, and a sudden flurry of activity told them Tim was being wheeled along the corridor and into the ICU, Ducky was on his feet immediately and signalled for them to wait. "I'll see if the doctor will let me go inside, and I'll bring news."

Monday 17 November: 04.50

Tony's hands were shaking and his mouth was dry, he looked at the clock again, how long did it take to find out how Tim was doing? He needed to know, he had to see him, to tell him he was sorry, sorry his actions had put him on danger, sorry Rivkin hurt him so bad, sorry they didn't find him faster…Gibbs would be mad at him if he knew he wanted to apologise, but sometimes, what else was there to say? He'd put his best friend in harm's way and he had to let him know how much he hated what had happened.

Ducky stepped into the room, knowing they'd all be reading his face, trying to get an idea of Tim's condition from Ducky's demeanour. "First of all let me reassure you, the news is as good as we could hope." He smiled as he felt the sense of relief suffuse the room. "I would have been here a little earlier but I wanted to call Penelope first, she'll be on her way as soon as she can get a flight. Now, you want to know how he is." Ducky sat down and smiled, taking hold of Abby's hand. "I know having Timothy in the ICU is troubling for all of us, rest assured it is a short term measure, they want to have him on a ventilator until his breathing can be regulated, his lungs have taken a fearful battering and breathing unaided will take a great deal out of him, for the time being his doctor wants his body to get as much rest as possible."

"You warned us about pneumonia Duck, how bad?"

"It's bad enough Jethro, listen everyone. I am sure Timothy will make a full recovery, but it is going to be hard work for him and after the last few days…We can't know everything he went through, he's in no position to tell us; what the tests have told us is that he is undernourished, dehydrated, where his wrists were bound they have become infected, the bullet wound mercifully was superficial, however he lost some blood which in his current condition he could ill afford."

"Son of a…he left Tim without food…if he wasn't dead…" Tony couldn't sit still any longer, he started pacing around the room suddenly unable to contain his rage against Benjamin Rivkin.

"Tony, not now, let's hear Ducky out." Gibbs led Tony back to a chair, unsurprised to feel the tremors shaking his body. "He's going to make it Tony, with all of us at his side, he'll get through this, do you hear me?"

Tony nodded, keeping his head down so no one could see the tears he'd been holding in since they burst through the door and for a heartbeat or two he'd thought Tim was dead…

Monday17 November: 07.20

"Penny's due around nine, so be prepared for more fussing. Abby went home so you're safe for a while…Tim, we were so scared, I…we…we need to be here, to see you're safe, so if we get on your nerves, bear with us okay?" Tony rested his hand on Tim's, careful not to touch the dressings on his wrist, or to disturb the IV line. The initial shock of seeing his friend with a machine helping him breathe had worn off, to be replaced by a deep-seated sense of gratitude that he was still here, still fighting. Tony was mindful of Ducky's warning that Tim had a way to go before he could be considered out of the woods and he could see for himself that Tim's temperature was too high, his blood pressure too low.

"You've looked better kiddo, you know that right? When they let us in here, and Abby saw you, she cried…who am I kidding, I did too, you got real sick real fast Tim, shouldn't have happened, we let you down." Tim didn't move, Tony wasn't expecting him to, he could wait, watching Tim's chest rise and fall in a regular rhythm would be enough for now. There'd be time to talk later when the antibiotics had done their work and Tim's lungs were strong enough to do their job without help. "I know it feels bad right now Tim, believe me I know…the plague…it was a long time ago, scars will always be there…You'll need time, and you're going to take every minute."

Monday 17 November: 19.45

"He looks better, not so pale and Ducky says his temperature is falling, slowly, but at least it's in the right direction." Ellie leaned against her husband, relieved to have his strength by her side. "You should have seen him Jake, when we got inside the stable, he was on the floor…so still. For a second I think we all thought…"

"Ellie; honey, you're exhausted. Agent McGee's doing well the doctor said, I think you should go in, say goodnight and I'll take you home."

"His sister's in there with him, I…I don't want to disturb her."

All Jake wanted to do was take his wife home and hold her when she cried herself to sleep; he knew she would, as soon as the shock of the day's events hit home. She loved her new job and had rapidly come to care very deeply for the people she worked with. He'd rarely seen her so content, and to see her devastation today had shaken him to the core, he knew though, that to get any kind of rest Ellie needed to see McGee without the glass barrier between them. "I'm sure her sister won't mind, go Ellie, I'll wait here."

Ellie walked into the room, quietly and slowly so as not to disturb Sarah McGee, as she approached the bed Tim's sister looked up and gave a welcoming smile. "Hi…I guess you're Agent Bishop, Tim told me you'd joined the team."

"Eleanor…Ellie, I wish we could meet under better circumstances. I…I didn't want to intrude, just wanted to say goodnight to…"

"Please it's no intrusion, I love that his friends care…" She slumped down into the chair and her body started to shake as she tried to hold her sobs inside. Ellie rushed to her, stopped beside her and held on close until the tears subsided. "S…sorry…Tim, he…he's my big brother, always looks out for me, he's the strong one…people think I'm strong, it's all show…with Tim, it's on the inside, people underestimate him."

"I haven't known him long, but it's long enough to know he's an amazing guy; he's going to be okay Sarah."

Sarah smiled through her tears. "Gibbs said the same, and Abby, she told me Gibbs is always right."

"Then it's a shoo-in." Ellie got to her feet. She should be going, but it felt wrong to leave Sarah like this. "If you want, I could stay a little, sit with you."

"I'm good thanks; Mom will be back soon, she just went to the cafeteria."

"In that case." She gave Sarah's shoulder a gentle squeeze and took a step closer to the bed. Seeing Tim close to, hearing the soft hissing of the ventilator and the beeping of the monitors…she felt her heartbeat racing, he was so sick…Ellie wouldn't show her fear in front of Sarah, she was already dealing with as much as she could bear, instead she laid her hand on Tim's forehead. "Sleep well McG…Tim, you're doing great. I'll see you again tomorrow, goodnight."

Monday 17 November: 23.10

"Do you see Gibbs, his pulse is stronger, see?"

"I see it Abs, he's going to beat this." They were careful to keep their voices low, the only reason Ducky managed to get permission for them to stay this late was that they promised to be as quiet as possible. Tim needed rest, and that meant come midnight they were being kicked out so he could have a night without disturbance.

Abby tore her gaze away from Tim for a second to give him a smile, there'd been precious few reasons to smile since Friday evening and it felt like they were all gradually getting used to having a reason to smile again…early days, he kept reminding himself of Ducky's warning not to expect too much too soon. Gibbs knew Abby was hoping Tim would open his eyes, he also knew it wasn't going to happen, not today, maybe not tomorrow, his body had taken a beating, from inside and out, and he wasn't just hurt, he was exhausted. They were going to leave him on the ventilator until the morning; keeping him reliant on the machine might hinder his long-term recovery.

"It won't be easy for him Jethro, for a short time he might struggle to breathe with anything approaching normality. He will most likely have a dreadful cough, and he'll be easily tired." Ducky's words echoed through Gibbs' mind. It seemed cruel, after everything he'd already been through, that Tim had such a hard struggle ahead. "You can do this Tim. You'll have help every step of the way."

Tuesday 18 November: 07.25

For fifteen minutes the soft hiss of the ventilator had been replaced by ragged uneven breaths and Ducky almost wished they could leave Tim on the machine. For a time Tim's doctor had been thinking the same thing, his temperature had started to rise again in the early hours, the infected wounds on his wrists were proving to be problematic and they were keeping a close eye on his blood tests, the last thing he needed was for a local infection to become systemic.

"You don't need me to tell you this is temporary Dr Mallard, Tim's lungs will take time to work up to anything like full capacity, we just have to be sure his coughing reflex is working, don't want a fluid build-up. We'll start him on a humidifier regime soon and that will help."

"I know you're right, and were I in your shoes Dr Rafiq I'd be saying exactly the same thing, However, it doesn't make it easier when one cares about someone who is suffering." Ducky had another concern too, Penelope Langston would be here soon, and if he was struggling to see Tim as he was, how much harder would it be for his grandmother to watch?

Tuesday 18 November: 08.40

"There you have it, more waiting I'm afraid." Ducky was sitting at Gibbs' desk, having given them all the latest on Tim's condition, they'd be going to see him later, Abby had already spoken to Sarah, and they were going to work out a rota to be sure Tim wasn't left alone.

"Duck, you said his temperature was up again, should we be worried?"

"It is a matter of concern, but Timothy will remain in the ICU until his condition stabilises, and rest assured he will be monitored every minute."

Tony found himself taking deep breaths, keep calm, he's doing okay…if he kept saying it to himself he'd believe it, wouldn't he?

The sound of the elevator doors opening didn't disturb any of them, lost as they were in their own thoughts, digesting what Ducky had told them. "Good, you're all here." Leon Vance strode to the desks occupied by his best MCRT. "I want you all to come up to my office, there's something you should see."