My Brother, My Friend by ceilidh
A/N: Well, here we are - the end of another story. Thanks to all of you who have taken the time, and trouble, to leave your comments, suggestions and encouragement. They have all been appreciated, and I hope you've enjoyed reading this story as much as I've enjoyed writing it.
So, there's just this one last chapter left, for Tim and Sarah to reflect on what's happened between them. I wanted them both to enjoy it, too, so there's a reference to another of my all-time favourite scenes. I'll just say it's one of Tim's finest moments from season two, and let you enjoy the memory when it comes :o)
As always, I hope you enjoy. Thanks again for sharing this story with me, and I hope to be back here soon :o)
My Brother, My Friend
Chapter Eleven - McHero
She'd done it in her own unique, little sister way, of course, but – yes, thank God. She'd done it. His little sister had selflessly taken one for her long suffering brother.
She'd lost the pizza.
Well, for the sake of accuracy, she'd eaten it, rather than lost it - and if he hadn't been so tired, Tim McGee might have pursued that pedantic detail further. Right now, though, he was too sleepily happy to bother. Thanks to Sarah's cast-iron stomach, and a merciful sloosh of mouthwash, that pizza, and its truly awful stench, were gone.
She'd even given his bedroom a quick spritz of freshener, too, just to chase away any lingering tinges of tuna-wrapped chorizo.
She'd also refilled his glass of water, and made sure that the apartment was securely locked up for the night. Just like her brother, Sarah McGee didn't do anything by half-measures.
Now, snuggled up in his haven of warm, comfy, lavender-tinged peace, Tim knew he could finally settle down to sleep. Eyes closed, and under a pleasant hum of painkillers, he was pretty much there already.
"Tim?"
Then again, he dryly reflected, maybe not. And after scoffing down that truly revolting pizza –
"Sarah, if you've come down with colic after eating that thing, you're on your own, and- ow!"
Gently rubbing his ribs, Tim then glared, as best he could, into a grin of mischievous innocence.
"You know, it's a federal offence to pinch a federal agent-"
It wasn't, of course – although right now, that law to protect him would come in damn handy. Some respect would be nice, too, but – yeah, who the hell was he trying to kid?
"Yeah, bite me-"
Oh yes, she had such respect for him. Well, okay, two could play at that game.
"With all that junk sloshing round your bloodstream? I'd rather bite Tony-"
"Really? Hey, you could put that in your next book!"
"Sarah-"
Okay, so she'd still sniggered against his chest, but that no-nonsense, big-brother tone had still worked – for all of ten seconds.
"Tim?"
'Aw, for crying out loud, what now?
"Mmm?"
"Did you really tell Director Shepard to stick it?"
Blinking back at her, totally thrown, Tim then smiled at the return of an especially priceless memory.
He'd been shaking like a leaf, of course, when he'd said it, but everyone in MTAC had still stood to applaud him, and – yes, he'd remember that day, and the proud approval he'd seen on Gibbs' face when he'd returned, for the rest of his life.
Prompted by a thankfully gentler nudge in his ribs, Tim let that smile widen to a happily proud grin. Oh, he was going to enjoy this!
"No, Sarah, that was the SecNav-"
He'd kept that answer cryptic for a reason. To his brotherly mischievous delight, it had worked. Sarah was staring up at him now, in such disbelief that, for a full ten seconds, she was speechless.
That was nice, of course, but – well, re-living that wonderful memory was going to be even better. And while she was way too old now for a bedtime story - hell, just this once, he'd gladly make an exception.
"Tony had gone missing, during an assignment where he'd gone undercover. This was shortly after I'd joined the team, and - well, I was still pretty green then. So I was left behind while Gibbs and Kate went out to look for him, and - well, she kept calling for Gibbs, disrupting our investigation, and hampering our search for Tony.
She wouldn't let it go, and she made it pretty clear that she didn't want to talk to me. So I called Gibbs for advice, and - well, it was his idea. He told me to say it-"
"But you actually told her," Sarah broke in, grinning up at him with a new, if mischievous, respect.
"My big brother told the Secretary of the Navy to stick it! Hey, respect for the geek-boy!"
If he'd not been so tired, or enjoying the memory so much himself, Tim might have chastised her. Instead, he glared at her, as best he could, before helpless laughter took both of them over.
"She's still scary, though. Director Shepard, I mean. I don't think even Gibbs would want to argue with her too often," Sarah said at last – dissolving back, into helpless giggles, for the mischievous whisper which then tickled into her ear.
"You're scarier-"
Still giggling, Sarah then glanced up at him, raising her eyebrow in another challenge to his loyalty.
"So you reckon I could take her? And the SecNav?"
"In a heartbeat," Tim grinned, winking at her, before yawning through an equally playful afterthought. "In fact, right now, you could probably take me-"
Sensing the real tiredness behind his light-hearted words, Sarah let that teasing pass without a reply - her smile fading slightly as she watched his eyes close again, onto a face that was still pale with pain.
He was hurt. He needed rest, and she was stopping him from finding it. So instead, in thoughtful silence, she lay watching him until her brother drifted, still smiling, into a sanctuary of healing sleep.
A brother with so many responsibilities. So many burdens. So many people, herself included, all relying on him.
He had a different name, too, that went with every one of those responsibilities, and colleagues, and friends. McGee. McGeek. McGoo. Probie.
Another quietly joined them now. It was so simple, and she knew he couldn't hear it to appreciate it. But as Sarah McGee smiled, and proudly kissed her sleeping brother's cheek, she knew it suited him perfectly.
"Sweet dreams, McHero-"
As she settled against him, Sarah didn't see the smile which now broadened across her brother's face.
McHero?
Given all those countless, less flattering alternatives - yeah, Tim McGee decided, he could live with that.
