Sorry I'm such a slow writer, I am truly amazed at those who have multiple stories going and are able to post every day or almost every day. I think I have a good excuse though. I have been in Alabama for the past few days, and WOW. It is very sad to see and hear about all the devastation. Keep them in your prayers.

And thank you for your sweetness (did I just make that word up?) and patience. :)

Gibbs walked into interrogation with a box and set it on the table. He came to stand beside the man that had been brought in hours before. Gibbs began taking items out of the box and throwing them on the table. Evidence bags were first, items from the first crime scene, then email printouts, and finally a Colt revolver.

Jerry Niles stared as Gibbs continued to place items on the table, each piece of evidence a nail in his coffin.

"Agent searched you house and car, Jerry. You really should do better job of disposing of criminal evidence. Thought you would have learned that by working here. We have all the evidence you stole, we have emails from Carrol demanding blackmail money after he caught you taking bribes."

He picked up the revolver.

"This has been fired recently. One bullet for Carrol, one for Teal, and then this one."

He brought one more item out of the box, a glass jar holding a mangled, bloody piece of metal, and set it on the table.

"This was the bullet they dug out of Special Agent McGee's knee several hours ago. Didn't do too much long term damage but he's got a bad infection."

Jerry was a little wary of the calm in Gibbs voice. He had expected Gibbs to come in and throw him against a wall.

"Yup," Gibbs continued "We have all we need. Slam dunk for the prosecution."

"Then why am I here instead of in lockup?" Niles finally asked.

It happened so quickly Niles barely had time to think before Gibbs had grabbed him by the shirt and brought him inches from his face.

"Because my agent is in a coma, not even able to breathe on his own and I want to know why!"

Niles flinched at the rage in his voice. Gibbs threw him back in the chair and backed off a little trying to control himself. Vance was watching and he didn't want to give the director a chance to pull the plug before he was done, he hadn't brought Tony or Ziva in for that very reason. He leaned back in.

"You wanted us, my team, dead because we were too close on the case. I get that, it's what scum does. But instead of just trying to gun us down you allowed you mentally deranged nephew to beat a man almost to death. Not even over the case, over something that happened 25 years ago when he was a child. Why? You questioned him, you knew he didn't know where the evidence you were looking for was and yet you still let Danny break him down, use his guilt to make him suffer. I want to know why."

Niles glared.

"I have nothing to say to you Gibbs. You and your team mean nothing to me, why should I care what happens to them, any of them?"

Gibbs didn't have anything to say either because in truth he wanted to punch the man. He silently started to load the evidence back in the box.

"Your nephew is crazy and the defense is going to run with that, but you? You have no excuse. "

He put his hand on Niles' shoulder, finding and squeezing not so gently on a pressure point. Niles winced as Gibbs leaned in and whispered.

"And you won't last long in prison."

Gibbs stepped back into the hall. He was immediately flanked by Tony and Ziva.

"Ok Boss, you wouldn't let me talk to Jerry Niles, but you'll let me go in with you when you talk to Larson right?" Tony said hopefully.

"And me Gibbs" Ziva jumped in.

"Nobody is talking to Larson." Vance said suddenly coming up behind them making Tony jump.

Gibbs gave him a death glare.

"Excuse me Leon?"

"Rhonda from psych services came down to evaluate him and deemed him an immediate risk, so we've contacted the Northern Virginia Mental Health Institute. That's where he has had previous treatment and they've just arrived to pick him up."

"Director Vance-"

"That's not-"

Tony and Ziva both started to protest, but Gibbs held his hand up to silence them.

"I just want a few words with him Leon."

"One minute Gibbs."

Gibbs stepped into the second interrogation room and shut the door leaning against it. Vance was just outside talking with the attendant sent to get Larson. They wanted to begin their long trip back and Gibbs didn't have long, but he wanted to say a few things to Larson and wanted to see his face when he did. The man in front of him was a little unsettling. His eyes were completely blank and he was rocking back and forth knees to his chest with his arms wrapped around them. He wasn't saying anything but he was breathing heavily. Gibbs got in front of him and knelt down to catch his eye.

"Tim McGee tried to save your sister." He said letting those words sink in.

"Liar"

Danny's head shot up for the first time. Gibbs ignored the outburst and continued.

"He was trying to pull her out that's why he was pulled in. He wouldn't have been in the hospital at all except for trying to save her."

Danny started shaking his head violently.

"No, no, no, no-"

"You tried to destroy him for something he had no control over, but it didn't work. He is going to survive."

Vance opened the door.

"Gibbs-"

Gibb stood up.

"My agent is a fighter and he's going to fight his way out of this, in spite of you."

He left Larson yelling angrily and struggling against the two men who had come to pick him up.

Gibbs sent Tony and Ziva home knowing they would head to the hospital instead. Tony had resigned to spend every spare moment there until and especially after his friend woke up and thinking Ziva didn't need to be home wallowing in guilt he dragged her along as well.

Gibbs spent the rest of the night filling out paperwork and the next morning went home to shower and change clothes. Afterward he headed to the hospital and found Ducky, Ziva, Tony, Palmer, and Abby still sitting in the waiting room.

"Thought I told you two to go home" he said to Tony and Ziva.

"You did, but you knew we would come here anyway." Tony retorted.

Gibbs grunted and turned to Ducky.

"How's he doing? "

"Not very well Jethro. He isn't allowed many visitors and his parents are sitting with him now. The pneumonia has not responded as hoped to the antibiotics. If anything his breathing is worse, his lung collapsed again and had to be reinflated."

"Is the swelling going down any?"

"That is the bright spot in this whole day, the swelling has decreased and if his breathing stabilizes in the next 24 hours they will take him back into surgery."

Gibbs looked over his exhausted team.

"Ok this time I mean it, go home and get some sleep, everyone."

"Jethro I don't think-"

"Gibbs!"

"Boss I can't-"

"It wasn't a discussion; go home, get some sleep and then you can come back."

More argument seemed to be building up, but one Gibbs' glare and it was soon over. As everyone left he sat to continue his vigil.

Ducky caught Ziva outside before she left.

"Something is troubling you my dear. Something beyond what is on all our minds."

"It is nothing Ducky, thank you."

"If you don't mind my saying so you seem almost…guilty."

She started and he hastily continued.

"I don't mean you are guilty, but it looks as though you feel that way. You realize nothing you could have done would have prevented this."

Ziva smiled sadly and put her hand on Ducky's face.

"Ducky I did something that caused McGee great pain and I cannot think he will forgive me."

Ducky pulled her over to a bench and they sat down.

"Tell me." he said simply.

So she spilled out her story beginning with when they were knocked out and ending with the rescue. Half way through the story Ducky had put his arm around her and pulled her close. By the time she was done she was surprised and little ashamed to find tears running down her face. They continued to sit that way for a few moments before Ducky asked a question he hoped would not drive her away.

"Ziva," he said carefully, "I'm sure you have seen people mistreated before, probably much worse than this. Is there any particular reason this is so different?"

"It is true and I have never enjoyed the experience. Rarely however have I seen a friend... Colleagues, fellow Mossad officers, but not necessarily friends."

"McGee is so," she was moving her hands and seemed to be struggling for the right words, "so gentle. The men I have seen tortured were hardened and they were being broken for a reason, to gain information. This was so pointless. McGee was being beaten for something that happened when he was a child."

She shook her head.

"I cannot face him."

"Ziva, you surely know Timothy will not blame you" he chided gently.

"That is what Tony said." She said softly.

"This would be an excellent time to listen to Anthony, my dear."

She stared off in the distance.

"We will see."

Sean came out into the waiting room rubbing his eyes. He came over to Gibbs.

"Agent Gibbs it doesn't look like you've slept at all."

"I could say the same for you."

"You'd be right."

They sat in silence for a while then Sean spoke.

"Every time I came out here your team was here. We um, we appreciate that."

"We're a team, Tim is their friend."

"I know. He cares a lot about this group, speak very highly of all of you."

"He's a fine agent. I'm glad to know him."

Sean smiled

"We appreciate what you've done for him Agent Gibbs. I've never seen him as confident as when he joined your team. Every time we saw him he was more self-assured and happy. I thank you for that, bringing out the potential we knew was there."

"It was my pleasure."

He paused.

"They said he's worse today."

"Yeah he had a bad night. Lungs got worse. Watching your child struggle to breathe …"

He took a shaky breath.

"He's resting a little better now; at least the swelling is starting to go down. They hope they can do surgery tomorrow, depending on how well he's breathing. I was about to send Olivia to a hotel to rest for a while. "

"Why don't you go with her? I'll sit with him for a while." Sean started to shake his head so Gibbs continued.

"It won't help him for you to be exhausted."

Sean studied him not looking convinced and Gibbs was about to try again when he saw a small nod.

"You're right."

Sean was quiet again then got up

"We'll be back in a few hours."

"Take your time."

It took a little more convincing to get Tim's mom to leave his side but much like his son Sean was a man whose decisions were largely driven by logic and he carefully and patiently laid out every reason and point why they should take a much needed break until Olivia finally gave in though Gibbs suspected it was because she was simply too exhausted to argue further.

When they had gone Gibbs settled by his agent's bedside and silently studied the young man. He hadn't realized it was possible but McGee looked even worse than he had the day before. He was so still and pale. Gibbs leaned forward and grasped his hand.

"Maybe you didn't hear me yesterday but I didn't give you permission to die and I certainly didn't give you permission to get worse."

No movement. Not that he had expected it, though it would have been nice.

"It wasn't you fault Tim." He said softly.

He was sure McGee had heard that many times in his life and yet Gibbs had a hunch he would need it many more and he still might not believe it even after all that. He was stubborn, in a less traditional way than Gibbs, but stubborn none the less.

He brushed some hair back from his forehead and was saddened to find it still much too warm. Tim was young, too young to be like this with tubes in his throat and IVs in his arms. Gibbs leaned back and sighed. The rise and fall of McGee's chest would have been more comforting if he knew that McGee was breathing under his own power.

"I wish you had come to me Tim. About the accident, about Larson, about Wilson. There were so many chances for you to come to me. Why didn't you?"

He sighed.

"I'm sorry Tim, I should have seen it. You were clearly upset and I didn't even see it."

Gibbs pulled out resignation letter he had kept with him since the day they found it.

"You do help people Tim, a lot of people, and you're crazy if you think you can get off my team that easily." He said as he tore it up.

So as I said this was late and I have just found out I have to go back to Alambama tomorrow, so the next chapter might be late as well.

Thank you all so much for reading, it means so much to me. Abby hugs for everyone!