A/N: Jenny didn't die or become sick in this story.
Five Years Later
Tim walked off the elevator into the bullpen. It had been three years since he'd taken over the MCRT. It was still hard to believe sometimes that he'd made it to this place. When he started with Gibbs, he was a stuttering, green as can be, probie. Now what was Gibbs', and then briefly Tony's, was now his.
It had been difficult when he first took over. He was so afraid he'd fail. He'd reached and exceeded his dream and that was in some ways more scary than not reaching it at all. He was afraid he would screw up monumentally and get fired, or worse, harm a member of his team. But he didn't. He believed he did well, and obviously the director did to or she wouldn't have let him reign for the last three years.
"Good morning, Tim," Ziva said, unknowingly breaking her boss' thoughts on the past.
"Morning, Ziva," Tim said with a smile. Clearly, Ziva had stuck with him after the others left. They'd gotten to be very close friends. They'd both felt abandoned when Tony left, feeling the loss of two members of their team within a short period of each other. Abby, Ducky, and, Palmer had stuck close as well, but it was harder for him and Ziva because they had to virtually start from scratch, getting to know and trusting new people to have their backs.
"Morning, Boss," a man with dark shaggy brown hair and brown eyes, who looked to be in his mid thirties said.
"Brooks," Tim said with a smile. Connor Brooks had been with the team since about a month after Tony left. Tim picked him himself on the orders of the Acting Team Leader that trained him, Brian Logan. Logan had told him that he was the one that was going to have to live with this agent when he finally left, so it should be his choice. Logan had been a good man. He'd really gotten Tim ready to take control of the team.
Tim looked towards the desk of his last teammate, Jason Ralph. He was a bit concerned. Ralph was probably the most reliable agent he had punctuality wise. He was never late. Like Tim, Ralph preferred to be an hour early than ten minutes late.
Ziva noticed her boss' concerned look. "He called a few minutes ago. He had car trouble."
Tim nodded and began to settle down at his desk. He'd just powered up his computer when his phone started ringing. He immediately answered. "McGee. Yeah, no problem," he said before hanging up. "Let's go. Dead marine."
"I shall call Ducky," Ziva said as she grabbed her gear and stood up.
Tim grabbed his own bad and led the way to the elevator. As he did he ran into his remaining agent.
"Boss, I'm so sorry I'm late," Ralph, a man in his late twenties to early thirties, with reddish blonde hair and blue eyes said frantic.
"Ralph relax, you're barely late. I just got here myself. However, you're headed right back for the elevator. We have a case."
"Right," the man said before turning around and heading back to the elevator.
Xxxxxxxxxxx
A half hour later, Tim and his team were at the crime scene, a wooded area just behind the victim's home. Tim approached Ziva. "What do you have?"
"His name is Lieutenant Christopher Talen. He was found by his wife," Ziva said sadly. No one should ever have to find their husband like that.
"Have you talked to her?" Tim asked.
"No, not yet," Ziva said.
"Okay, I'll do it once I speak to Ducky. Start helping Connor with bagging and tagging," Tim said.
Ziva nodded and went to do as she was told.
Tim walked over to where Ducky was with the body. "Can you tell me anything yet, Ducky."
"Not much, but I believe I can say that our victim was killed sometime late last night. I will of course no more when I get him back to Autopsy," Ducky said, never taking his eyes off the body.
Tim frowned slightly. Ducky seemed to be studying the body, more so than he normally would. It was like he was looking for something. "What's going on, Ducky.
Ducky finally looked at the young team leader. "I apologize, Timothy. When I heard the Lieutenant's name, I got a sense of Deja vu."
"You know him?" Tim asked as he bent down.
Ducky shook his head after a moment. "I'm sure not. It's probably just a similar name. Anyway, back to this poor man's murder, it looks as though he was stabbed several times. There is a lot of blood. There are some cuts on his arms as well, consistent with defensive wounds. I'm afraid I can't tell you anything else at this time."
"Okay, thanks, Ducky," Tim said before walking away. He walked back towards the house. When he got there, a woman with shoulder length brown hair with puffy eyes was waiting on the porch. "Hi. I'm Special Agent McGee. I'm very sorry for your loss, Mrs. Talen."
"Thank you. He didn't deserve this," Mrs. Talen said in a cracked voice.
"Would you be able to answer a few questions?" Tim asked as gently as he could.
"Yes, of course. I'll do anything I can to help you catch this monster," she said as she wiped her eyes.
"Was your husband having problems with anyone?" Tim asked.
"Only with me," she said sadness and bitterness in her voice.
"Mrs. Talen, I don't want to pry, but…"
"But our problems make me a suspect. We were having problems, but I loved my husband," she said with irritation in her voice.
"Ma'am, I can understand that you're upset, but I need to know so I can eliminate you," Tim said gently, but with a touch of firmness.
"Fine. Chris was acting weird lately. He'd take phone calls at all hours. I'd hear him screaming sometimes on the phone. He'd also take off at times without telling me. I thought he was cheating on me. We fought even last night over it. He wouldn't tell me what was going on, so I walked out. I wish I hadn't now," Mrs. Talen said.
"I have to ask. Where did you go when you left?" Tim asked.
"I went to my parents'. I can get you their number," she said.
"I'd appreciate that, thank you," Tim said.
She nodded and went inside.