Title: By the Pricking of My Thumbs, Epilogue
Disclaimer: Don't own, just playing, yadda yadda
Hope requires the contender
Who sees no virtue in surrender
From the cradle to the bier
The heart must persevere.
Book of Counted Joys
Monday
A soft rumble of familiar voices pulled Tim McGee from the depths of his slumber and he slowly opened his eyes. He was rewarded with a cry of surprise.
"Timmy!"
"Hi Abby." He felt himself pulled into a tight embrace and groaned before he was quickly released.
"Sorry, sorry. I…we were all so worried about you, Tim. You have no idea-."
"I think I might," he said with a weak smile. "How long have I been here?"
"Two days. You were asleep all day yesterday," replied Ducky as he stepped into Tim's line of sight.
"Feels like it was longer."
"I'm sure it does," said Gibbs as he stepped up next to Abby. "How are you feeling?"
"I'm…not sure. A little stiff, I guess. Wrung out." He tired to remember the last time he had seen Gibbs. "You…don't know what happened to me, right?"
"I'm afraid not, Timothy," replied Ducky. "And I am terribly sorry that you had to go through such a terrible experience, but at least now you are finally on the mend. I just wish that I had noticed sooner that something was wrong."
Tim heard the guilt in Ducky's voice and shook his head. "Not your fault, Ducky." The M.E. merely nodded, but he still appeared unconvinced.
"The doctors are still going over your test results, and they still haven't found anything. You are a genuine medical mystery, McGee," said Abby. "I can't wait to get you back to my lab and-."
"Abby."
"What, Gibbs? You mean you don't want to know? What if it happens again? What if-?"
"Don't think it will, Abbs. C'mon. We need to get back to the office." He patted Tim's shoulder. "Take care of yourself, McGee."
"Thanks, Boss, I'll try."
"I need to go as well, Timothy, but I'm sure I will be back later this evening."
"Thanks, Ducky, for everything."
The trio left and Tim turned his attention to the remaining people in the room.
"You guys OK?"
Tony managed a dry chuckle. "Yeah, Probie, we're fine."
"So you want to tell me what actually happened?"
"We…do not think you will believe us, McGee."
"Yeah. It's kind of…weird," said Jimmy, unable to meet Tim's gaze.
"You mean, weird like some creature latching on to me and sucking my energy?"
Their reaction almost made Tim laugh. Three sets of eyes suddenly widened and met his own.
"You…how did you…?"
"Kind of hard not to notice, Tony. Especially after it got so strong I couldn't stay awake." Tim grimaced. "And really hard not to notice when you made it let me go."
"Oh, God…you felt that?" asked Jimmy. He looked like he might be sick.
"Yeah, but even before that I was aware of it, even though I couldn't do anything. It was…talking to me, in my head." He shuddered at the memory. "It told me I belonged to…it."
"Damn, Probie..."
"So what was it? And how did you all know enough about it to get rid of it?"
The three glanced at each other and after a brief but silent conversation, Jimmy started to speak.
When he finished, Tim could only stare in shock, and was only able to respond after a few tense moments of silence.
"So it was just…bad luck? We're not going to find these bodarachs everywhere there has been a murder, right?"
"Doubtful," said Jimmy, who still looked worried about McGee's expected response.
"Good." He stared at the still too tenses faces and smiled. "Thanks, guys. All of you, but especially you, Jimmy. Thank you." That elicited a genuine smile from Jimmy and Tim felt his chest loosen just a little.
"McGee…"
Tim looked up at Tony and saw the guilt painted across his partner's face.
"I know, Tony. You didn't mean for anything to happen. I don't blame you…but next time?"
"Yeah?"
"You can search the creepy basement."
Tony grinned. "You got it, Probie."
"You should rest, McGee," said Ziva. "We will be back tonight." She leaned in and kissed his cheek. "It's good to have you back."
"Thanks, Ziva."
She and Jimmy left, but Tony lingered.
"Tony? Something wrong?"
He laughed softly. "No, not anymore, Tim. But do me a favor? Don't ever do anything like this again, OK?"
"Not really planning on it."
Tony's face sobered. "Seriously, man. I…I mean, you were dying. I don't ever want to see that, OK? So take care of yourself, and I promise I'll have your six."
"You usually do, Tony."
"Only usually?"
"Don't push it," Tim said, and grinned.
"You got it. Oh, and Probie?"
"Yeah?"
"You still owe me a game."
Tim chuckled as Tony waved and left the room. He leaned back against his pillow and sighed. It was good to be on the way back to normal.
XXX
Dr. Abernathy sat at his desk, studying the records from his most puzzling and frustrating case to date. He could not, for the life of him, understand what had happened with Timothy McGee. The man had been healthy, then near death, then on the way to recovery, all within a couple of days. It made absolutely no sense…
A soft knock on his door roused him from his abstraction and he looked up to see an unfamiliar woman in hospital scrubs standing in the door way.
"Yes?"
"I have the most recent results from Mr. McGee." She stepped forward and handed them too him. He scanned them and started in surprise. "Why didn't we see this before?"
"I don't know, sir."
He sighed in relief. This might very well explain McGee's case, but why had it taken so long to find it? He would have to investigate, but for now, and for at least one set of worries, his mind could be at ease.
"Thank you. I'm sorry, but I haven't seen you around here before, Nurse…?"
"Ryder." She smiled, revealing perfectly white teeth. "But you can just call me Lou."
XXX
Jimmy walked into autopsy, expecting to be scolded for being late, and was surprised to find that Ducky was still dressed in his street clothes and was sitting in front of his computer, typing slowly.
"Doctor Mallard? What's going on?"
"I am working on the form to initiate my retirement," said Ducky, not bothering to turn around.
"You're retiring? Why?"
"I am afraid that I am no longer as mentally acute as I should be, Mr. Palmer. It's time I left before I cause any permanent damage."
Jimmy's heart sank. "This is because of McGee's…illness, isn't it? It's not your fault, Doctor Mallard. There's no way you could have known what was wrong."
"And how can you be sure of that, Mr. Palmer?"
Jimmy slowly reached into his pocket and touched the disk that he now carried with him everywhere. Could he…?
He glanced over towards the corner of autopsy, to the resident that he had been able to see since his first day, yet no one else could. A presence so familiar that he had almost taken it for granted. The presence, an older man in a Naval Officer's uniform, returned his gaze, then glanced toward Ducky, and nodded.
Jimmy steeled himself for what was to come. It was time to save someone else.
"Doctor Mallard?"
"Yes, Mr. Palmer?"
"There is something I need to show you…"
XXX
Max Griffen surveyed the house site with a feeling of disgusted amazement. How was it that a one-hundred year old, solidly built house had suddenly fallen in on itself with absolutely no warning? He was going to kill the housing inspector. If he could find him.
He made his way over toward what was left of the house and looked down into the basement, or what was left of it. Amazingly enough, the stairs were still in place and, after testing them, he descended to take a closer look. He had only descended a few steps when he heard someone call him.
"Max? Where are you?"
He sighed. It was that worthless building inspector; time to give the man a piece of his mind.
"Coming, Rick," he yelled and started to turn when he felt something gently brush his cheek, almost like the caress of a lover. He flinched back and ran up the steps, away from the place that had suddenly given him a rabid case of the creeping heebie jeebies, as his father would say. When he reached the top of the steps, he was so focused on leaving that he didn't even register the sound of a soft voice, barely a whisper in the wind, that only spoke one word:
Mine…
THE END
A/N: Many thanks to Sergeant Conley for giving me the inspiration for this story. I hope it was worth the wait ;D
