A/N: McGee's dad mellows here. There's some nice McAbby here too. There is a little more drama coming, but I'll try not to drag it out too long. I see these NFA challenges. How does one get involved with that? And let me know if you are still following this. I hope I haven't lost you. Sheila

Uncommon Minds

Chapter 10

There was a clicking sound near his ear and McGee opened his eyes. Big green eyes and a red, generous mouth were staring back at him. "Abby?"

She smiled wide. "Every time I come to see you, you're asleep, and then the nursing staff or Gibbs makes me leave. I'm not leaving this time."

He furrowed his brow in confusion and then turned his head to see that she had handcuffed herself to his bed. He blinked. "Seems a bit drastic."

"I just want to sit with you for awhile."

He smiled. "You can stay as long as you want, Abs."

She reached over and patted his cheek. "I was so scared. I can't tell you how relieved I am that you're okay."

"Me too."

"You're my hero, Tim."

He chuckled. "Hey, Abs, if your plan is to sit there and smile at me and tell me how great I am all day, I'm all for it."

"There are so many thoughts in my head and feelings in my heart. I feel like I want to have a hundred different conversations with you all at the same time. I don't know what to do."

He shook his head. "No serious conversations yet. We're not at our best right now. I'm not sure either one of us knows what to say."

"Okay Tim, but remember all those times I told you that I loved you?"

"As much as puppies. I remember."

"It turns out that I love you more than puppies. Much more. You should know that is an amazing thing for me to say."

He took her hand. "I love you more than puppies too."

She chewed on her lip. "We'll talk about it more later, right?"

"We will."

She lightly placed her free hand on his chest a few inches below his wound. "Does this hurt?"

He grimaced.

"You're kind of hurt everywhere."

"I'll be okay."

"How was seeing your mom and dad?"

He smiled. "I'm sure Sarah was on the phone telling you all about it."

"Your dad's hard on you."

"He gets worried. It sounds worse than it is."

She frowned. "Sarah says he's so caught up in his expectations of you that he can't seem to see what you've become. You're a grown man, Tim."

"Abby, it's okay. He's scared and worried. He has a daughter who won't talk to him and a son he hasn't seen in three years. He feels like he failed, and he can't come to terms with it. As hard as he is on me, he's harder on himself. He and I are alike in that we both hold ourselves to high expectations."

"You're so forgiving."

"He tries really hard. When he figured out he couldn't mold me into his Navy legacy, he tried to let go of all expectations, but instead he merely grew expectations that I would only be happy if I was the antithesis of Navy. He has yet to find a center. I'm not being clueless, Abby. Seriously. He loves Sarah and I so much but he just can't seem to get it right. It eats him up."

She sighed. "At some point though, you need to set a limit. I mean, really."

"I know."

"You're a very sweet man, Tim McGee."

"They'll be here soon. Do you want to meet them?"

She looked down. "What will your father think about a goth girl handcuffed to your bed?"

Tim puzzled over it. "I don't know. Let's find out."

She bit her lip.

"Abs, are you worried about my parents? You shouldn't. They'll be just fine."

"It's not that. I just remembered that I forgot to get a Caf-Pow before I chained myself here, and I threw the key out the window. I didn't leave anything to chance, but now I'm without provisions."

He laughed. "Only you would throw the key out the window."

She shrugged. "It's okay. Ziva's bringing a metal detector later on to find it in the grass."

Good plan, Abs. But, since you're trapped for right now, let's pretend that's it's a challenge, a trial by fire. You can show me how devoted you are to saving me by being caffeine free for the day."

She smiled. "Like maybe a Hamas military group handcuffed me here, and it's my job to be brave and selfless. I like it."

"And your courage and grace is helping me to hold on until help comes."

"Yes! The nurses will be Islamic fanatics. You have the best ideas, McGee!" She reached over and kissed him on the cheek.

….

Gibbs positioned himself near the elevator. He looked a little conspicuous in his wheelchair, but all he had to do throw people a look and they left him alone. Finally the elevator doors opened, and Commander and Mrs. McGee stepped out. The Commander saw Gibbs and stopped. He leaned over to his wife, "Honey, why don't you go ahead and spend some time with Tim? I need to have a word with the Gunny here."

Gibbs gestured toward the waiting room and the Commander led the way. He paced for a moment, and then decided to sit. "I presume we're going to have a little talk about Tim."

Gibbs nodded. "I would like that."

"I'm too hard on him. I'm controlling. I need to let go so he can live his life."

"I think you want him to be happy."

John McGee looked Gibbs in the eye. "With all due respect, he's my son and I know him a lot better than you do."

Gibbs nodded. "And with all due respect, I have spent the last 7 years with him 60-80 hours a week. I have a perspective."

McGee nodded. "I know. I'm being resistant. I've had seven years of you being touted as the most remarkable man on the planet. It, uh…chafes. But you do know him better than I do now, and I should listen."

Gibbs regarded him for a moment before talking. "Commander, you see a new crop of young officers every year on your ship. Some of them look promising and some just leave you shaking your head and wondering what they were thinking at OTS. Maybe they're nervous, young, or hesitant. It's hard for you to imagine him or her being in command of a box of Jujyfruits, let alone a Navy vessel."

"I know what you're talking about."

"So you spend a year with them and at end, it turns out there were a few surprises. Some couldn't hack it and went home. Some of your rising stars turned out to be duds. And one or two of those who left you shaking your head ended up surprising you."

McGee drew in a deep breath. "I can think of a few instances."

"First time I saw Tim, I thought there was no way he was going to end up anywhere other than in Cybercrimes. He was…so green and nervous and young. But like those new officers that surprise you every once in a great while, your son showed a great deal of heart and determination. Plus, he's brilliant and he'll walk through fire with anyone on my team."

"Okay. I want to know more."

"He's quite good in the field. He watches my back and I trust him completely. This latest case was…one of the worst, and Tim was put in the middle of it. He doesn't just have heart and determination, Commander; he's one of the most courageous men I've ever worked alongside."

The elevator opened again and Director Vance came out with a satchel under his arm.

Gibbs gestured toward him. "Commander McGee, I want to introduce you to NCIS Director, Leon Vance."

The Commander stood up and shook hands with Vance.

Vance nodded. "Commander, I've booked us a conference room down the hall. I know your schedule is tight, but Special Agent Gibbs thought I could read you in a few cases where your son had the greatest impact."

"I would like that."

"Good," Vance smiled. "It would be my pleasure. I'll be right down the hall."

Vance walked away. McGee looked at Gibbs. "You did more in 7 years than I did with him for an entire lifetime."

Gibbs shook his head. "That's dangerous thinking, Commander. He came to me with all the right stuff. That was your work. All he needed was the opportunity to grow."

"I never seem to get it right with him."

"Stop trying so hard, Commander. He knows where he's going. I think he just needs you to listen to him. He's not a confused kid anymore. I have no doubt that his numerous talents could be used anywhere, but this is where he wants to be. Plain and simple."

Commander McGee nodded and then started down the hall. He stopped suddenly and turned around, "He listens to everything you say. I'm more than a little envious of what you have with my son."

"I won't lie. I think of him, like all of my team, as if he was my own, but that doesn't mean he isn't yours as well. We don't need to compete, Commander. There's room for both of us, don't you think?"

"You're asking a Navy officer to share his most prized possession. It's a bit of a stretch, Gunny, but I can tolerate it because I know you'll watch after him."

Gibbs raised a hand. "Commander, one more thing before you go. When you do visit your son this afternoon, you will find a rather unique young woman wearing a spiked collar handcuffed to his bed."

McGee scowled.

"I urge you to not react when you see this. She's very important to him and to me."

A grin crept onto his craggy features. "That must be the elusive Abigail Scuitto. Tim's been talking about her for years. He's been asking me for strategies on winning her heart for some time. Last time we talked, he was working on playing hard to get with her. Maybe, I'm not so out of the loop."

Gibbs' eyebrows went up as the Commander turned and walked away.

…

The commander walked into the hospital room having spent the last two hours being read in on some of his son's cases. It had been both a humbling and a proud experience for him. His nervous, sensitive son, who'd grown up collecting phobias and anxieties like they were baseball cards, had grown into a talented federal agent. It amazed him that he hadn't taken the time to really pay attention.

The room was quiet. His wife was out in the waiting room talking to Sarah. His baby-faced son was quietly sleeping. A raven-haired woman was resting her head against his side, her arm handcuffed to the railing. It looked so peaceful. John McGee had no context for understanding why the woman wore such clothing, but he knew that his son loved to talk about her.

He sighed deeply. There was no need to wake the boy. There was too much to say and he didn't possess adequate language for it all. Staying in D.C. right now would be helpful to no one. He needed to digest this new thinking about his only son. Commander McGee decided he would start with a letter, and then he would concentrate on listening to Tim when he called. His wife, Becky, had been telling him this same thing for years.

He was ready to turn and go when the raven pigtails popped up. Amazing green eyes turned in his direction and an equally amazing smile. "You must be Commander McGee."

He let himself smile a little. "And you, of course, are the lovely Miss Scuitto."

"I suppose it's time to say good-bye to Tim. Unfortunately, I didn't really think through the whole handcuffing myself to the bed idea. The key is somewhere out on the front lawn of the hospital. Sorry."

"It's okay. I didn't want you to wake him anyway. I can see from here that he's going to be okay."

She nodded. "He's sensitive but very strong at the same time. It's one of my favorite things about him."

"I guess I'd have to say the same."

"Do you want me to give him a message?"

"Just tell him his old man thinks he's remarkable. Tell him I couldn't be prouder."

She smiled. "He'll like that."

"And Abby, the next time I'm in town, I would really like to take you and Tim out for dinner."

"I'd like that, Commander."

"Take good care of him, Abby."

She lifted Tim's hand and pressed her cheek to it. "I will, Sir."

…

Sebastian sat in front of him, but Tim couldn't seem to get his arms to reach him. He wanted to scratch, claw, and pummel the man, but he was paralyzed. Instead, Sebastian just sat there, grinning. In that smile, McGee knew that Sebastian had Sarah and Abby and Ziva. In that smile, Sebastian was telling him that he could do whatever he wanted. Sebastian planned to enjoy himself for a long time at McGee's expense. No quick or peaceful ending. It would be interminable until McGee could do nothing but beg for death. The anguish enveloped him and he screamed.

"Hey McGee, it's okay."

Tim opened his eyes, breathing hard, to find Gibbs standing over him. "I'm sorry Boss. I wish I had a better handle on these nightmares. When I killed him, I thought they would be gone too."

Gibbs nodded and slid into the chair next to his bed. "It doesn't work that way."

"You never saw your family killed, but you had nightmares about it?"

"I still do sometimes."

Tim thought about it. "And when you do, you pick yourself back up and keep going, don't you Boss?"

"Maybe it's a Marine thing. I don't know. Giving up never felt right."

"I was right to kill Sebastian, wasn't I, Boss?"

Gibbs sighed. "I wish you had, Tim, but he hung on. He's upstairs in intensive care."

McGee jerked his body upward and howled as the many stitches pulled at him. Gibbs put an arm on him. "Stay down. It's okay."

McGee's breath got shallow. "He's upstairs and he's breathing. Why? It can't be good for anyone that he stays alive. Tell me why he gets to live. I don't understand it."

"We kill when we have to, Tim; not because it's convenient or rational. His life wasn't ours to finish."

McGee looked up at the ceiling. "He'll get better."

"And he's going to be on death row. The evidence is everywhere."

"Boss, every time you've said he can't touch us, he does. There are infinite ways for him to manipulate and hurt. Don't forget that he manipulated three different people to hurt us. He never lifted a finger."

"He's unconscious, his heart's bad, and he's as weak as a kitten. I'm not underestimating him, I'm just telling you that he's a man. Nothing more. He's not supernatural."

"I know." The dark circles that had grown under his eyes in the last few weeks seemed to deepen as he spoke.

Gibbs frowned. "You won't sleep well tonight. I should have waited."

"I don't need that kind of protection, Boss. I really don't."

"If you need to talk, McGee, I'm right here."

McGee nodded and then turned his face away. Gibbs could the peace of the last few days draining from his face.

…..

TBC