I own nothing, i don't own NCIS and it's a shame. If i have, i will gave Tim McGee a lot more of backbone. I am not an American native so you will have to excuse me for the grammatical errors. Take place after Mexico events.
Thanks to my beta blanket8713 .
I'm sorry for the delay. I hope that I could updated more quickly.
Now I hope that you will like this chapter.
When Ziva arrived at her desk, she was sent immediately to the lab. The younger agent finished his tasks but kept his eyes down. He didn't want to draw the attention to himself.
At that moment, he received a phone call on his cell, and retreated to the break room for privacy.
The Italian was torn between respecting his teammate's privacy and prying to solve everything. He now knew what was eating Tim McGee but he didn't have a clue why he was so angry with them.
He didn't lie to Abby if McGee left the team, he would never forgive her. He could sometimes be harsh and insensitive, but he would never risk his teammate's life.
He hoped that Ziva could be more threatening to Abby than Gibbs and maybe she'd never do anything like that again.
The young author came back from the break room almost giddy with excitement. Tony approached his colleague's desk and waited that he made eye contact with him before starting.
Tony : McGee, can we have dinner only you and me tonight? What do you say, Man ? Pizza and beers my treat?
Tim : Hum, I'm sorry not tonight, I had already made some plans...
Tony : Maybe tomorrow night?
Tim : Why Tony?
Tony : I think we need to talk, please.
Tim didn't know why he nodded if that was the tone, he didn' know if it was the please or the puppy eyes but he couldn't say no to the old man.
They worked a long time when the Israeli came back to her desk, filled with fury. She was so angry even Gibbs hesitated to talk to her.
They worked in an angry atmosphere, but they were almost ready to make an arrest. The victim's younger brother who was 8 at that moment came back to avenge her sister. She had committed suicide last year.
Gibbs : OK, Gear up. McGee, did you find this damn address?
The expert computer was still typing and ignored the Team Leader. Then he tapped a last touch and started to gear up. He calmly went to the elevator and waited for his teammates.
Tim : I found that damn address, received the warrant and studied the house plan.
The Team Leader was nervous. He didn't want to show but he had to know where was the young rookie agent who couldn't talk without stuttering was.
They arrived to the suspect's house. The Team Leader and the SFA took the front door, Ziva and Tim took the rear door. The operation was almost a success when the suspect threatened Gibbs with a gun. Only Tim had a clear view, the other three held their breaths. They had no idea what McGee's frame of mind but eventually he saved the Team leader's life.
The older man tried to talk to the younger man, tried to thank him but he never made eye contact with him.
/********************/
They arrived to the bullpen, spotted the medical examiner waiting for them .
Ducky : Ah, how are you all faring? How are you feeling?
Gibbs : Everybody is fine, Duck. Don't worry. What do you want?
Ducky : I wanted to ask if Timothy would like to have a cup of tea with me before he leaves for the night.
The ex-marine was about to protest but spotted the smile from his agent and let him leave with his old friend. And if the older man can talk to him to probe his mind, it would be a perk.
/*********************/
They chatted a bit then Tim looked at his friend and started to gather his thoughts.
Tim : Ducky, can I tell you something that you can't repeat for the moment?
Ducky : Of course, you can tell me anything. It will be between you and me only.
Tim : I trust you. It's more difficult than I imagine. I 'm gonna quit NCIS.
Ducky : Oh my...! May I know your reasons?
Tim : I'm tired to be the fifth wheels on the team, to never having respect from my team. To still be stuck at my desk, I'm a field agent, not a cybercrime one. After Jethro, I had some doubts that they had my six but I always tried to find them some excuses. Now, I can't. I risked my life for Abby and nobody asked me how I was doing except you. Gibbs didn't care.
He explained with his word the events in Mexico.
Tim : Do you know what were the first words that Gibbs said to me «Where is Abby?» .That's it and he never talked to me except when he gave me orders. To appease his conscience, he states that his door is open but it's for his favorites, not for me.
Ducky : Oh, Timothy.
Tim : You know before I was jealous that he was so close to Abby or Tony. That they were his favorite. But now, I am grateful that I' m not a part of this family. You know what I am to them?
Ducky : No, I am afraid not.
Tim : I'm a tool. A convenient tool. Someone that you used when you need and left without care when you're finished. So now I'm tired, stressed and for the first time, I need to think about myself.
Ducky : Oh my dear ! I never dreamt that you would reach that point.
When he saw the stunned face, the Scottish man explained further.
Ducky : I'm well aware with your difficulties in Mexico. Jethro made Abby confessed yesterday. I never expected that you had so much resentment about the rest of your time on the team. I know that a lot of people wronged you and I hoped that you would let them make amends to you...
Tim : I'm sorry Ducky. I don't want to be rude but I don't need them to apologize or whatever. If they apologized, I will forgive them; you know me. They would try to be more careful for a time but they would forget all their good resolutions.
Ducky : I can understand that you want to leave the team, but why leave NCIS. It's your dream.
Tim : Do you know why I wanted to be a cop and especially a Navy Cop?
The older man was surprised by the change of the topic but tried to cover it.
Ducky : No, I am not sure why.
Tim : I lost my best friend when I was 8 years old. We were Navy brat. His name was Henry. Henry Hopkins. We were in a group of 5 friends. All geeks. Melanie, Terry, Matt, Henry and me. He and I were the younger ones. He and I had more than one thing in common. We were the older brother, the favorite target of our father. The living punching-bags. We had to protect our family from them.
Ducky : Oh Timothy! I had no idea.
Tim : Well, I never tried to advertise it. Anyway, his father punched him too many times one day, he died from an internal bleeding. When it occurred, I promised him that I will become a NIS agent to prevent this type of thing. To prevent guys like us from be victims...
Ducky : How long? How long did you suffer?
Tim : Until I left for college.
Ducky : Did he touch Sarah?
Tim : He tried one time but I protected her. And he never tried again. But he found a new form of torture. He privileged her. She became the favorite. When I decided to turn down the Academy, he disowned me. It doesn't matter that I can't stay in a Ship. Never mind that it was his fault, I was the useless one.
That's why I need to leave the team. All my life, I've been submitted to this treatment and its need to end now. At this rate if I stay, I'll be tortured; lost myself or end dead. That's why I'll leave NCIS, I could go on an another team, but it will be like a demotion and I didn't do anything wrong.
Ducky : I'm so sorry that you had to suffer. And I hope that if you perused your mind that you will remember me!
Tim : Of course, Ducky. I'll never forget you. You are the only one in this building that I completely trust. I was afraid that you would be angry with me. I hope that we will still see each other.
Ducky : Don't worry. You are my friend Timothy. A good man.
/*******************/
After the paperwork was finished, the Team leader let them go. The first one to leave was Tim. The other two followed, leaving together. The Italian wanted to speak with the Israeli. They arrived at the restaurant, ordered and he tried to talk to her.
Tony : Ziva, talk to me.
Ziva : I wanted to kill her, you know. Really kill her. She is impossible.
Flashback
Ziva arrived at the lab, she was surprised to hear Abby crying. Yesterday, when she saw her, the Goth was full of life. But now, she was sad without makeup. The lab was silent and it was disturbing for the Israeli.
Ziva : Abby! How are you? Can you tell me what happen?
Abby : ZIVA, you scared me to death! Have you come to yell at me, too!
Ziva : Why would I want to yell at you? What did you do?
Abby : Tony didn't tell you?
Ziva : He came back angry and pissed off at Gibbs. But no, he didn't tell me anything. So shall we talk?
The woman in front of her was nervous and never made eye contact with her. She wanted to sick her... No, shake her, yes that was it. She really wanted to shock her; but she knew she had to be patient with the goth. She mentally reviewed what she could do to the Goth to make to tell her the truth.
Ziva : Abby, can you tell me what this is about?
The lab rat was afraid. The Israeli was an ex-assassin. She prides herself on the fact that she can kill anybody with a paper-clip in eighteen different ways; but at the same time, she promised to Gibbs that she would own up to her screw-up.
She sighed one time, squared her shoulders and turned towards the other woman.
Abby : Something bad happened when Tim and I were in Mexico and it was my fault. You know how Timmy can be when he is insecure. He was clingy, despotic so I was mean to him...
Ziva : If it was just that, he wouldn't stay mad at you and to all the team. I don't think Tim is clingy and despotic when he is insecure as you put it. McGee is one of the best men I have ever known. Anyway, can you finish your tell?
Abby : Well, we were in the field with the class...
Ziva : Wait a minute... Wait a minute. You were teaching your class in the field? I didn't know you had to be in a dangerous situation while you were in Mexico? Did Vance and Gibbs knew that before they sent you?
Abby : No, I decided to go by myself. I was so sure that nothing could happen to us that I ignored McGee's advice. I was so sure. So we were in the field when the Reynosa cartel threatened us to kidnap us. I don't think that they wanted to harm us, just to scare us...
Ziva had a murderous frown on her face. The Goth was afraid to continue, she already lost the respect from Ducky and Gibbs, her friendship with Tony. At the same time, she knew that it was one item on the list to her salvation, she had no choice. She took a big breath and keep going.
Abby : They wanted to hold us for ransom, but Timmy proposed his life in exchange to save the students and me. He was brave...
Ziva : So you tell me that you risked your life, the student's life and McGee's life because he was clingy to you. I never knew that you were a field agent.
Abby : I'm confused, you know that I'm not a field agent.
The ex-Mossad agent carried on like nothing.
Ziva : How long ago and why did you never come with us on the field? I know next time that we had a hostage-taking, we should send you. You'll talk to them and we could resolve all our investigations without shoot at someone.
Abby : That's really mean.
Ziva : But had you any idea what you caused. McGee never talks to us anymore. He is secretive and withering into himself...
Abby : It's whitdraw.
Ziva : Yeah, Whatever. You caused this Abby, you need to solve it. If McGee leaves, it will be your fault. Or maybe this was your aim. That McGee leaves the Team so you'll become the computer guru on the team. You hate him this much that you want him to leave.
Abby : Of course not. He is my friend, my best friend. How could you think that?
Ziva : You claim that he is your best friend but you never prove it. You love to cause him harm, you made fun of him daily. So the question is how could you call him like that?
Abby : So for you, you are pure as the driven snow? You love to threaten him, you mocked him. So you can't lecture me about how I treated Timmy. I know him better than you, so don't tell me how to be with him...
Ziva : EXCUSE ME? Are you kidding me? You are so selfish. Yeah, there was a time that I didn't know how to treat teammates. At Mossad, we were taught that it was dangerous to care about our partners. All of them were killed or became traitors. My own brother was one of them. Gibbs, McGee and Tony are my teammates. The ones that can have my six on a field. The ones that came to Somalia to rescue me. McGee was the first one on the team to accept me. Even if he was hurting about Kate. You, with your selfish ways, are destroying this. So yeah, I will lecture you if I had to.
The lab rat was stunned to hear the emotions display on the other woman's voice. She realized that even if that the Israeli was stoic most of the time, she felt strongly for the team. She had screwed up big time. She doesn't know what she had to do. She had many things to be forgiven for.
End of Flashback
/****************/
Ziva : After that, she apologized like it would be enough. Now, I need to know what Gibbs is going to do about her. I'm mad at her, but I mad at you also.
The brunette man was startled by her statement.
Tony : Why? I didn't do anything.
Ziva : Exatly! You told me to let Gibbs handle it. And he didn't do anything. How are you expecting McGee to know we had his back, if we don't talk to HIM?
He sighed longingly and grabbed her hand.
Tony : Boss can't do anything officially without throwing Probie to the wolves. But you are right, that's why I invited him to dinner tomorrow. I need to talk to him. And I hope that I'll change his mind. I don't know why he so mad with us but I hope that we didn't drive him out of the team.
This statement left them with a sour taste in their mouth.
Are they going to resolve their issue? If yes, do you think that Tim would stay in the Team?