Disclaimer: I don't own anything NCIS, it's all property of CBS and whatnot, so don't sue.
Chapter 5: A Dark Past Revealed
After Dr. Hess was done with his examination complet with X-rays, he handed Jimmy a hospital gown to wear for the time being.
Jimmy managed to put the thin garment on by himself, eventhough Tony had moved to assist, biting back the agony this caused before he gently laid down on the hospital bed.
Dr. Hess pulled Tony aside to discuss Jimmy Palmer's current condition.
" I can't be certain until the X-rays come back, but, your friend there's made of hard stuff. He suffered one hell of a beating but, nothing appears to be broken, maybe one rib dislocation but, the damage shoulde heal up just fine if he takes it easy. I'm more concerned about the burns on his torso and the bruising around his throat."
Tony nodded before he turned his concerned gaze to the young man curled up on the bed, who's brow was knitted in supressed pain.
" How could someone do that to their own brother?" Thought Tony as he eyes the painful swallow Jimmy took, the bruises growing even more livid against his pale skin.
An hour later, the doctor and some nurses were done patching Jimmy up.
With a tiny groan, Jimmy hoisted himself up onto unsteady feet, his upper body was partially mummified by two layers of medical gauze, for both the tazer burns and his bruised ribs.
Tony was immediately at his side, ready to be there in case Jimmy's legs failed him.
Jimmy sent Tony a warning look, his jade green eyes flashed with a dangerous light for a brief moment. Tony felt his heart freeze at the look, if only for a second.
However, just as quickly as this look had come into the young man's eyes, in vanished, being replaced by a sheer anguish and defeat that was so powerful in it's misery that Tony had to look away.
" C'mon, let's get out of here." He said quietly as he led the way out of the ER.
Jimmy nodded mutely and followed Tony, albeit very slowly due to just how much abuse he'd suffered.
By the time they'd reached Tony's car, Jimmy's complexion had grown to a pale paper white, his whole visage screamed of agony.
Finally, Tony had had enough of the soicism.
He lashed out and gripped Jimmy's arm, being careful to be gentle but firm.
He felt the muscles go wire tight beneath his palm, Jimmy opened his mouth to protest but, Tony beat him to the punch.
" Take it easy man, all the warning looks in the world aren't gonna stop me from being worried. So, let me help you in whatever way I can, and stop sending me the that "Death Glare" of yours." Said Tony, feeling encouraged by the tiny little ghost of a smile that dance across his charge's bruise and pale face. But then, the mask of melancholy returned and Jimmy's eyes fell to gaze at the ground before he spoke, his voice a whispery rasp.
" Fine."
Satisfied for now, Tony nodded before he opened the passenger side door of his car and helped Jimmy into the seat before he walked around to the driver's side and got in himself.
Then, they were off, Tony's car gracefully weaving its way out of the hospital parking lot.
For the better part of eternity, they drove in silence before Jimmy spoke, his voice a harsh croak.
" Keith... he knows where I live."
" Then you're staying at NCIS. It's the one place we can all keep an eye on you." Said Tony immediately.
Jimmy nodded mutely before turning his gaze to the window before he spoke.
" My brother's always hated me, eversince I was born, he blamed me for our mother's death, and as I found out last night, he still does."
The shrill sound of tires screeching against asphalt filled the air as Tony foot slammed onto the brake.
Thankfully, they had come to a halt near the side of the road.
Tony gawked at Jimmy with wide, disbelieving eyes.
" What?" asked Tony, his voice merely an octave above a whisper.
" Our mom, she bled out after I'd been delivered. Keith blamed me for taking his mom from him. My dad and grandma were the only two people in the world who ever loved me growing up. Dad he, tried to control Keith but, my big brother was filled with so much hatred and rage towards me, maybe even the whole world that, there was nothing anyone could do. Then, everything changed. I was thirteen, I came home from school one day and found my father in the livingroom, laying in a pool of his own blood. He'd been stabbed multiple times... I knew it was Keith who'd done it. And I... I was so terrified that Keith was still in the house that I dropped everything and ran to my grandma's house. When I got to my Grandma's, I was so releived when she answered the door. I started crying, I told her what had happened, she called the police. They came and took us both into protective custody while they sent out a manhunt for Keith. That night was the last time I ever saw home, from the back of Protective Services car. After that, me and grandma, we changed our names and moved around for a while before it was only me wandering from place to place. Then, I got accepted to medical school and after that, found myself a job as Dr. Mallard's assistant at NCIS." Jimmy's trailed off, he was finding it difficult to speak, because of both the bruising around his throat and the pain of having to relive one of the worst days of his life.
Tony Dinozzo was rendered speechless, for once in his life.
After an eternity, Jimmy spoke.
" We should hurry, Gibbs'll be expecting you." He said quietly.
That seemed to snap Tony out of his stupor.
" R-Right." He stuttered before he turned his car back on and pulled back onto the road back to NCIS.
The rest of the drive was made in silence, with Tony glancing at his passenger at almost every waking second.
When they finally reached NCIS, Tony was out the driver's side door and around to the passenger side in an instant.
This time, Jimmy just gave him a sad, defeated look as he allowed Tony to help him out of the car. He did however, insist on walking on his own.
When they got to the building, Jimmy turned to Tony and spoke, his voice barely a raspy whisper as they stood before the elevators.
" Tony, I told you what I told you in the car so that you could tell him for me, I think in a few more minutes my voice'll be totally useless... I'm just gonna go lie down somewhere."
No sooner had these words been spoken, the door opened to reveal a very miserable looking Abby Scuito who, at catching sight of Jimmy, let out a little sob and them pounced on him, pulling him into a fierce embrace.
Tony was about to pull Abby off of the injured man when Jimmy gave him a reassuring look before returning Abby's hug.
After several minutes, Abby pulled away, a look of fierceness in her eyes.
" You coming to my lab and staying there, and you won't argue." She spoke, looking Jimmy straight in the eye.
Jimmy gave her a tired smile and nodded his head as Abby clasp his hand in her own and all but dragged him into the elevator she'd taken to get up to the lobby.
Before the elevator doors closed, Jimmy pinned Tony with a poignant look.
Tony gave a small nod before he boarded the other elevator that would take him up to the bullpen.
He had some startling new information to relay to the rest of the team.
And they also had a wayward older brother to catch before he struck again.