Saturday 17 March: 18.45

Gibbs watched him in his medically induced sleep, watched the slightly erratic peaks and troughs on the heart monitor, and the reassuringly steady rise and fall of his chest. When did Tim change? When did the shy, stumbling, stammering, greenest of green case agents become a man of such strength and courage? He had endured thirty hours of unrelenting torture, and survived. The steel was there right from the start; Gibbs had seen it the first morning in Norfolk all those years ago, when he'd got in Tim's face and waited for him to back away, to show fear. It hadn't happened and that had been the moment when Gibbs had decided he would find out more about Timothy McGee, Case Agent, Norfolk Naval Station.

The steel Gibbs had seen back then had been honed on the whetstone of grief at the loss of people close to him, witnessing unspeakable acts of violence, facing danger on a regular basis, dealing with disappointment in his love life, and even putting up with Tony's wisecracks that sometimes went too far. Through it all Tim had done his job, and done it incredibly well; he'd gained confidence, and given the way he'd come through this ordeal so far, he clearly had reserves of physical strength that even Gibbs hadn't imagined.

"Duck, is he doing okay?"

"As every hour passes he gets a little stronger Jethro, the sedation is giving his heart the best chance to settle into a regular sinus rhythm."

Gibbs glanced again at the monitor. "Still doesn't look right."

"Because it isn't. All the electric shocks he was subjected to took a terrible toll on Timothy's heart, and quite rightly the doctors here were reluctant to shock him again, so they're keeping him sedated and allowing Timothy's body every opportunity to heal itself."

Ducky hoped he was giving his old friend the reassurance he clearly required. Gibbs wasn't alone in needing some words of comfort. If he was honest Ducky would admit he'd have liked someone to offer him a few words of solace. He could look at Tim now without feeling physically sick, but that hadn't been the case the first time the doctors had allowed visitors.

When Ducky had walked through the door and seen Tim lying in his cocoon of burn dressings, rows of stitches criss-crossing his skin, his throat darkening with the bruises inflicted by the hands of another so-called human being…The monitors told him their own story, blood pressure way too low, heart-rate erratic, temperature too high… He looked as if he had been to the gates of Hell and been pulled back just before they opened up…Without thought Ducky had moved closer to the bed and started talking; oft-told tales that he was sure Tim had heard before, but all that mattered was that he filled the silence.

Learning that Tim's torment had taken place in absolute silence had almost broken Ducky's resolve that he would be the strong one, the one who held it together while Gibbs and the others took the time they needed to come to terms with everything they had heard since arriving at the hospital.

Tim had been taken immediately to the ER, away from their sight once more; this time they knew he was receiving the very best care possible.

Ducky and Abby had arrived with Tim's grandmother, there had been hugs all round from Abby, relieved beyond words that Tim was safe. But the joy of those initial greetings soon faded as the minutes ticked away and there was no news from the medical staff beyond 'we're doing everything we can.'

In the waiting room Abby had taken Penelope Langston to one side and asked her to share stories from Tim's childhood. It seemed Penny had an endless supply of stories about her grandson, and Abby was only too happy to be distracted by learning more about her best friend. She was also happy to keep Penny away from the conversations she knew would be going on at the other side of the room. Director Vance had arrived to give Gibbs and the others some detail about Mawher's interview and Abby knew Ducky had information that Penny most definitely did not need to hear, not until they knew Tim was going to be okay.

Gibbs had already liaised with Vance to set up security details round the clock, and he'd agreed to the double-teams that Gibbs had requested. Security at Bethesda was better than at most hospitals, but they'd let someone get to Tim once, and as far as Gibbs was concerned it wasn't going to happen again.

Vance sat beside Gibbs as he started to give details of Mawher's interview. "He's a real piece of work Gibbs, seemed convinced through the whole interview that he was going to have time with Ms Sciuto."

"Never going to happen Leon."

"I concur. Shaw did a good job with him, kept that carrot dangling so he kept talking."

"Does he know who's behind this?"

"No…some guy he met in prison put him together with Warren. But there's money around; Mawher was paid well, first off Warren had him hack into NCIS, and I've got Cyber Crimes closing that loophole. Then Mawher was given a bonus to clean up after them at the safe house, he'd done that kind of thing before I've been told."

"Yeah, crime scene clean-up, it was his job before…he said he saw McGee."

Vance hadn't been able to see McGee since he'd been rescued, but he had some inkling of what Gibbs and the others had seen when they found their team mate; he could understand only too well the struggle they were having coming to terms with everything that had happened. They needed detail in order to make sense of the suffering.

"Apparently Warren offered Mawher even more money to do a clean up after…at the studio. He took him there to see, Mawher thinks he wanted to show off his handiwork. Seems like he expected Mawher to be impressed, only it had the opposite effect, turned his stomach."

"So why didn't he come to us right away?"

"Says he was scared of what Warren and Costero would do to him if they found out…but he started to think about being charged as a conspirator in the murder of a Federal Agent."

"And Abby…he was thinking about her too."

"Can't deny it, but he gave us what we needed, that much will count in his favour when it comes to sentencing, but I'm not making any deals Gibbs, he will be charged to the fullest extent of the law."

Gibbs had given a brief nod of agreement. "So long as he goes to prison for a very long time."

"He will Gibbs."

Vance had left for the Navy Yard, promising he would be back after he had sat in on the interview with Costero. Ducky moved closer to Ziva, Tony and Gibbs, he had things to tell them that he didn't want anyone else to hear.

"The good people back at NCIS began looking into the backgrounds of Warren and Costero even before Mawher's interview was complete. Warren...he was a person of interest in a series of quite dreadful murders. Metro PD were sure he was an accomplice of one Lester Jarrom, currently serving life without the possibility of parole..." Unexpectedly, Ducky seemed lost for words.

"Tell us Duck, what did Jarrom do?"

Ducky glanced over to the two women in the corner, both still engrossed in each other, if they weren't listening he could continue. "His victims...Jethro, they were burned, stabbed, cut so many times...all over their bodies, except..."

"Their faces."

"How did you know Ziva? Of course, you got to Timothy before...Jarrom's final indignity, the one he saved until the last. He cut out their eyes as the ultimate act of violation; then the coup de grace, a scalpel blade to the throat and their torture was done."

Tony gripped his Styrofoam cup so hard it splintered and the remaining contents spilled on the floor. "Damn it! Those bastards were planning to do that to Tim?"

"They did not Tony; we got to him in time; that is where our focus should be..."

Ziva knelt beside Tony and helped him mop up the spillage, thankful to have something to do, however trivial.

"Warren chose Tim for a reason Duck, someone else is behind this, someone with money."

"I'm sure you are right Jethro, perhaps Director Vance will have more information later."

Another hour had ticked away minute by tortuous minute before the door opened and a petite Asian woman walked into the waiting room, making directly for Penny. "I am Doctor Raulia; you must be Agent McGee's grandmother."

"Yes, please tell me, how is he, can I see him?"

"I'll take you to him right away, he's in the ICU. So it's family visiting only."

"Then these people must come with me, they're family too."

With an understanding smile Doctor Raulia had led them to the ICU, talking as they walked; most of the words washed over them…Tim was breathing unaided, there were going to be tough times ahead for him, he would need lots of support when he regained consciousness. As they filed in to see Tim the words became meaningless; everything about the way he looked was wrong…but for one thing, the most important thing of all, Tim was alive.

After a brief visit they left Penny and Abby sitting with Tim, Doctor Raulia had given them some leeway for an initial look at their friend, but she wasn't prepared to have more than two people at the bedside.

During the afternoon they had taken turns sitting with Tim; Penny wouldn't leave him, but all her words seemed to have deserted her when she saw her grandson looking so damaged. Each of his team mates were sure to keep up a steady stream of conversation, hoping that somewhere in his deep sleep Tim would know he was not alone.

Vance had returned and spent a few minutes with Tim, he had been visibly shaken when he joined the others in the waiting room.

"It's lucky for Costero we conducted his interview before I saw Agent McGee…not sure I'd have been able to keep my hands off the whining bastard."

Gibbs laid his hand on Vance's shoulder. "No one here would have blamed you if you, whatever you did."

Vance shook his head. "Wouldn't have helped; like I said to you Gibbs, by the book. I do not want Costero or Mawher walking away from this on a technicality."

"You can take my word Leon, they wouldn't be walking anywhere."

Vance didn't offer any admonishment to Gibbs, how could he? He was the Director of an armed Federal Agency, supposedly able to deal with everything from politicians on the Hill to high-level terrorist threats and take it all in his stride, yet he could feel his blood boiling at the injuries suffered by one of his people.

"One thing Costero did give us, in between trying to convince us that he was a victim in all this." He saw the looks of disbelief all round him. "Oh yeah, tried to tell us Warren had threatened to kill him if he left the studio…didn't wash with any of us. You know they chose that place because it's soundproofed, wouldn't matter how loud someone screamed, there'd be no one to hear…"

It was a sign of his concern for his friend that Tony didn't even notice he'd just been given the opportunity to make a movie reference

"Director, you said Costero gave you something."

"Yes Agent DiNozzo, he did. He confirmed that Agent Agyeman was absolutely right to shoot Warren. Costero said he'd just been given the signal to increase the voltage, in Agent McGee's condition he wasn't likely to have survived if Warren had shocked him again."

Tony clenched his hands into fists again; the tensions of the last two days were catching up and every muscle seemed to be aching. "I wish I'd killed the bastard, maybe then I wouldn't feel so useless."

"None of us has any reason to feel useless Anthony. You all helped to bring Timothy back to us, you will protect him for as long as necessary and you will be there for him when he needs a friend; and make no mistake, he will need his friends in the days and weeks to come."

It was just after six thirty in the evening when Abby managed to persuade Penny to go with her to the cafeteria for something to eat. Gibbs had sent Tony and Ziva to join them, and he and Ducky watched over Tim.

Saturday 17 March: 21.00

Saturday 17 March 2012

Weekends are hard, knowing some men are having visitors, but I'm not allowed any. I always find these days tough; and this time it's even harder…Waiting to hear from Melissa about what the lawyers said, more waiting, it's like being in Purgatory…it's all I seem to do…wait. I'll know soon, Monday, that's not so far away. I'll know for sure, just have to get through another day.

Landon closed his journal just as the lights went out; he leaned down and put the book on the floor. Sleep wouldn't come easy, he knew that, his head was full of half-formed images of McGee writhing in agony and screaming for mercy. Landon wanted those images to have detail; he wanted Jarrom to tell him every minute detail of what Warren had done to McGee. Was he dead by now, or was he still getting the treatment he so richly deserved? Landon lay fitfully on his bunk; he didn't want him dead, not yet, it was too soon. He wanted him to suffer for as long as Warren could make it happen…after all Landon had suffered day after turgid day in this place, a few days of pain ending in a merciful death was the least McGee owed him.

Saturday 17 March: 22.15

Gibbs hunkered down on the couch; he knew he'd sleep tonight. Tim was 'stable', normally he hated that apparently meaningless word hospitals used to describe a person's condition, but in Tim's case being stable was the very best thing he could be. His heart rate was starting to settle down, and best of all, his parents had arrived at last. They'd had what must have seemed like an interminable journey from Brussels, with flight delays and fog at Dulles holding up the landing they must have felt like they were never going to see their son. Unsurprisingly his mother had cried when she saw him, yet she had hurried to his side and kissed his cheek, whispering "I love you' over and over…the surprise had come when Gibbs had seen tears in Admiral McGee's eyes, and he'd seen hesitancy too.

"Don't hold back Admiral, he needs you now more than ever; talk to him…seems to me you should have plenty to say."

"He looks…what do I say?"

"Not for me to say, you should be proud of him, coming through what he has…"

"I am proud! Always…"

"Don't tell me…tell him…"

Gibbs had left the McGee family to have some time together. He entered the corridor to find new agents on duty. Peter Rowan and Chloe Agyeman had taken over for the night shift.

"You two well rested?"

"Got eight hours today, we won't let him down Agent Gibbs."

"I know."

As he walked out of he hospital Gibbs started to unwind for the first time in days, he had no qualms about leaving Rowan and Agyeman on duty, not only were they well rested, there was something more…they had been on watch when Tim was taken and they had seen first-hand the results of that slip-up. Gibbs knew they would do everything in their power to keep Tim safe. Right now Gibbs trusted them more than anyone outside his team. They would watch Tim from the corridor and Tim's family would watch out for him at his bedside, he could go home and sleep. He'd ordered Ziva and Tony home an hour ago, he wanted them sharp for the morning, they had a very important job to do, first thing tomorrow they would drive out to North Branch Correctional Institution in Maryland and interview Landon Grey.