Chapter 10

Gibbs and Tim pulled up to Tim's apartment building. Tim's eyes were closed.

"You're home, McGee."

"I don't like this, Boss. I really don't."

"It'll work out."

"No...I don't think it will. I..."

Tim looked at the sideview mirror, opened the door and got out of the car as quickly as he could. Gibbs watched him run into his apartment. He hoped this would work out.

x.x.x.x.x.x.x

Tim stopped at his door. He didn't want to go inside. He didn't want to face what he knew would be in there. No matter what Gibbs said, he wasn't sure he could hack it. This childhood terror had been stronger than he was...without fail.

But nothing would happen if he didn't open the door and go inside. ...so he did.

Instantly, he felt the chill of Mit's presence. It wasn't a physical sensation.

It was evil.

"Ah, Tim. You're back. I didn't like it when you ran away."

Tim said nothing.

"I want to show you something, Tim. Come to the window."

Tim resisted, but his feet moved of their own accord, and he walked to the window.

...but for once, he didn't try to look through it. He focused on the window...and the reflection he could see.

Mit looked very solid in the window. Not just a reflection.

"Are you surprised? I like it. Don't you?"

"No. No, I don't like it, Mit."

Mit's eyes narrowed.

"That makes me mad, Tim. You know what happens when I get mad?"

Tim tried to stand his ground, but he didn't say anything because he was afraid his voice would shake.

"I'm sorry, Tim, but you've gone too far. You don't want me around and I don't like that. I don't think we can be friends anymore. So..."

There was a flash of light that hit Tim like a hammer and then lights seemed to explode in his head.

...followed by complete darkness.

x.x.x.x.x.x.x

"This has got to be the weirdest thing I've ever done on a stakeout," Tony said.

"Why?" Ziva asked.

"Because I'm watching McGee's apartment to see if a monster is going to show up in his mirror or in his window. That's bizarre, Ziva!"

"Yes, but...what explanation is there that fits with what we have seen?"

"I don't know...but a monster in the window?"

"Wait. He is inside. He does not look happy."

"I wouldn't be either, if I were in his place," Tony said. "...actually, I'm not too happy right now."

Ziva went very still.

"What?"

"Look at the window, Tony."

Tony aimed the camera...and then pulled back and swore loudly.

"What the..What is that?"

"A monster," Ziva whispered.

...and then a voice came through...

"Ah, Tim. You're back. I didn't like it when you ran away."

Tony looked at Ziva. She stared back.

"He's real."

"Yes."

"He's not in the window, though. That's...something...real, Ziva."

She nodded. Tony reached for his phone to tell Gibbs that they'd got proof...but then, he heard Mit speaking again.

"...I don't think we can be friends anymore."

There was a burst of light from the apartment. It resulted in a squeal of interference in the microphone and shorted out the camera.

"Whoa!" he said and dialed more quickly. "Boss, something just happened in there. Get inside. Now."

Gibbs said nothing, but Tony knew he'd be moving. He and Ziva exchanged one more glance and then got up to run across the street themselves. The equipment was fried. There was no point in staying here. Besides, they had something to do.

x.x.x.x.x.x.x

Gibbs burst into Tim's apartment, and saw a prone figure on the floor in the darkness...and another figure standing facing him.

It looked like Tim, but it wasn't. There was something in the way he stood, something in the eyes. Gibbs drew his gun.

"B-Boss...don't. You don't want to..." The voice started out quavery, but then, he started to laugh. "Sorry. I can't pull it off. I'm relieved that you think you know who I am...because I couldn't bear being that sniveling little man." He laughed again. It was a sickening sound. "He's such a weakling. No better now than when he was a ten-year-old."

"Who are you?"

"I'm Mit, of course. Little Timmy's dear friend." The loathing was palpable.

"What did you do to him?"

"Nothing much...just used him a bit. I've been trying to get out of that mirror for years."

"What are you?"

"A demon? A devil? I prefer a shaytān...perhaps even a jinn. Those come closest. I think you'd call me evil, for sure. ...but I don't think that's so bad. After all, do you really want someone like him around in the world?" He pointed at Tim's unmoving form...and it twitched. "He's such a wuss."

"Yes, I do. Much more than I want you, actually."

The eyes...the eyes that should be Tim's eyes, but weren't in the worst way. They narrowed and almost seemed to turn red for a moment.

"Well, you're too late," he said, almost hissing. "I've been planning this ever since he first pushed me away. I was so close to getting him before. So close." Mit's teeth clenched in fury. "And I got close to him a few times after."

"His sleepwalking?"

Another horrible smile on the not-Tim's lips.

"Bingo. You got it...but it took too much energy and I had to rebuild it every time he resisted. That's what the walking was, you know. His resisting. It wasn't me forcing him to walk. He was trying to get away from me. Can't imagine why."

"Really."

"I'm not a liar. I'm a lot of things, but not that. There's no need for lies. I bided my time...and it worked."

"How?"

"That's for me to know. This time. I'm free."

Mit whirled around in a circle, laughing, and a strong wind hit Gibbs, forcing him to step backwards a few steps.

"Come on! This is fun!" he said, almost giddily.

Another burst of air knocked Gibbs back and he dropped his gun...or rather, it felt like it was ripped from his hands.

"Stop!"

The voice wasn't from Gibbs...and he couldn't say why he knew it, but it wasn't from Mit either. It was trembling and weak.

The wind died down suddenly.

"What?"

Tim started to push himself up off the floor...but Mit grabbed him and yanked him to his feet. Gibbs took a step forward but a single blast of wind knocked him off his feet.

"You do not dictate to me anymore!" Mit shouted. "I'm in control now!"

He shook Tim like a rag doll...and Tim seemed unable to fight against him. In fact, Gibbs thought he was looking almost translucent...and Mit was looking more solid.

Tim looked back at Gibbs for a moment and took a deep breath and nodded.

"Now!" Gibbs shouted, hoping that Tony and Ziva were in place.

They were taking a gamble anyway. Mit didn't like the light. He was a reflection...or he had been. ...and Tim had used that as a guide to taking him down...and as a guide to MacGyvering something useful. It had actually been amazing watching him work dismantling some high-intensity lights to create a...weapon of some kind. Tim had tried to explain it, but it had gone over Gibbs' head.

The sudden shining beams refocused Gibbs. He dove for his gun as Mit began shrieking in pain. Gibbs grabbed it and turned, catching a brief glimpse of Tony and Ziva aiming the...lasers? ...at Mit. Suddenly, Mit grabbed Tim and dragged him out of the front room into the bedroom..

"I won't go back!" he shouted. "I won't!"

"Stop!" Tim shouted again. "No!"

A wall of wind kept Gibbs from following.

"You're mine!"

"Not now! Not ever!"

There was a high-pitched scream and then an explosion of light.

...and the wind vanished.

Gibbs ran into the bedroom...and then into the bathroom.

"Boss!" Tony called.

"In here!" Gibbs shouted.

Tim was in a heap on the floor, between the wall and toilet. The mirror in the bathroom was in pieces. Tim's breathing was erratic and there was a long thin cut on his forehead, blood running down his face.

Tony and Ziva crowded into the small room, looking around wildly.

"Where is he? Mit? Where is he?" Tony asked.

"I don't see him anywhere," Gibbs said.

"That does not mean he is not here," Ziva said, her eyes narrowed suspiciously.

A weak hand touched Gibbs' arm. He looked down and saw Tim's eyes. It was most definitely Tim and not Mit.

"Gone..." he whispered softly.

"Mit?"

Tim nodded.

"Permanently?"

"I don't know..." Tim's eyes rolled up in his head and he sagged lower, falling unconscious.

"What happened in here?" Tony asked.

"Don't know, Tony. We can worry about that later. Get him to his bed."

Tony nodded and slipped the little laser-thing into his pocket. He and Gibbs got Tim out of the corner and then Ziva helped them get Tim into his bedroom. The cut wasn't deep. They got the bleeding stopped quickly, but they called Ducky to have him come and check Tim over.

They were all bursting with curiosity about what had happened...and they all wanted to know whether or not Mit was gone for good.

"This place...it does not feel the same as it did," Ziva said as they sat beside Tim's bed, waiting for him to awaken, watching Ducky evaluate Tim's status.

"In a good way or a bad way?" Tony asked.

"In a good way, I think. The last time I came here...it was...oppressive. Now, it is...empty."

x.x.x.x.x.x.x

"Timothy?" Ducky asked, shaking him gently. "Timothy?"

Tim's eyes opened slightly once more.

"Ducky?" he asked. "How did...you get here?"

"You've been asleep for quite some time," Ducky said with a smile. "How are you feeling?"

"Sleep..."

"All right, lad. Go ahead. Conversations can wait."

Tim sighed and fell asleep.

"What happened?" Ducky asked.

"Mit came...out of the mirror," Tony said. "Or out of the window, I guess. He shorted out the camera and the microphone. He was..." He looked at Ziva helplessly.

"It was as though he was sucking the life out of Tim to make himself more powerful. I did not like seeing McGee so weak."

Tony nodded. "Then, he took Tim into the bathroom. We heard a scream, an explosion...and we found Tim alone in the bathroom when we got in there. I don't know what happened."

"Very well. We should keep a close watch over him, but he is not seriously injured. The cut looks worse than it is."

"Is Mit gone, Ducky?" Tony asked.

"I couldn't venture a guess. We'll have to wait for Timothy to awaken."

They all stared at the slumbering figure. Whatever secrets Tim still kept were locked inside until he woke up.