a/n - This is it, the final chapter. Tim was probably too easy on Abby, but isn't he always? Thank you all for your wonderful reviews, they do make my day. I hope you're joining me for Left Behind.

It was still dark out when a touch on his shoulder roused him slightly. Tim could just make out Gibbs' features in the light spilling in from the hallway. "I'm on my way into the Yard. Palmer's here, in case you need anything."

Tim struggled to remember what he was supposed to do. "Harvey?"

The hand from last night was back on his head, keeping him still. "Later, call him later, but only if you feel up to it." Gibbs watched for a moment as McGee drifted back off before leaving the room.

Palmer met him in the kitchen, the younger man liberally lacing his own coffee with a great deal of cream and sugar, after he'd diluted it with warm water. Gibbs smirked, but didn't say anything as he poured his own cup and started drinking, it – straight, strong and hot. "I saw there were eggs in the refrigerator, Agent Gibbs. Do you know how McGee likes them fixed?"

He knew the boys tended to favor breakfast burritos when they traded off buying food in the mornings, but Gibbs had also spent several days in Los Angeles with McGee and remembered his usual morning order. "He'll tell you anything is fine, but he likes his eggs over easy and his bacon crisp. Hash browns are in the freezer, and there's a new bottle of ketchup in the cupboard."

"Ketchup?"

"His dad was Navy." Gibbs finished his coffee and set the cup in the sink. "I'll probably be seeing both of you in a few hours."

"Agent Gibbs?" Palmer was sure that McGee was supposed to stay put today.

Gibbs grinned as he explained. "McGee is going to call Harvey, probably while he's still at the table. He's going to get frustrated with talking Harvey through what McGee wants him to do, and he's going to insist on coming to the Yard to run the search himself."

"And that's okay?"

A week ago, Gibbs wouldn't have bothered to explain. "He may be out of the field for a while, but when it comes to the computer, McGee is a better agent one-handed than anyone else there. I don't have a problem showing some of the vultures that McGee's position on my team is secure. Just stay in the bullpen with him if we're not there and don't give in too quick." The grin widened. "Don't want him to know we're expecting it."

The morning sun woke Tim and he carefully stretched as he sat up. There was some tingling in his shoulder, which told him the nerve block was beginning to wear off. Palmer arrived at the door before he tried to stand up, and under his watchful eye, McGee washed up and dressed. Once Palmer was satisfied with the incision and had his arm strapped back into place, they both headed for the kitchen, Jimmy's steadying hand on McGee's back.

"You sit down and I'll fix you some food. There's coffee, but Gibbs made it so do you want me to water it down for you?" The shudder and the look were enough to convince him and Jimmy handed over a straight cup before starting the food.

After a murmured thanks, McGee quietly enjoyed his coffee while Jimmy cooked. The eggs were just sliding onto the plate when Tim spoke up. "Jimmy, I want to thank you for all that you've done to help me. There's probably a good chance I wouldn't have survived without your help."

"Tony was with me when you called. He knew exactly what to do, and your team..." Jimmy faltered for a second, then decided to push ahead. "Your team didn't hesitate, even though they didn't know what was going on. All they knew was that you were in trouble and needed help. Maybe you underestimated them?"

"Yeah, maybe I did." When Tim couldn't open the new ketchup bottle, he had to wait for Jimmy to break the seal and it gave him a minute to compose his thoughts. "The more I thought they didn't care, the more I pulled back and kept problems to myself. The more I kept to myself, the more they thought they were respecting my privacy."

Jimmy handed over the open bottle. "I think everybody is glad that's one cycle that got broken." McGee quieted and Jimmy was pretty sure he knew who the other man was thinking about. "Even Abby's had a wake up call. I heard that Agent Gibbs really laid down the law about how she was treating you."

"Really?"

Washing the pans gave Jimmy something to keep his hands busy. "Ducky told me that she got really quiet after Gibbs scolded her. Not the mad kind of quiet," Jimmy hurried to explain, "but the embarrassed and really thinking about what she'd done kind of quiet." Wanting to fill the awkward silence, Jimmy let the question bubble out. "What's the thing with the ketchup? I mean Gibbs got a new bottle for you and when I asked him, he just said that your dad was in the Navy."

"Aboard ship, condiments are their own food group." Tim smiled at the memory of meals fixed by their father. His sister had taken the use of condiments to a fine art, her pizzas were a sure sign of that, but he'd never realized how much ketchup had become a comfort food for him. At least not until he thought about Gibbs making a special trip to the store to make sure he had a fresh bottle. Feeling secure and protected, Tim reached for his phone. It was time to bring down the two women who had hurt his family by risking his life. With the phone on speaker and on the table, McGee spent the next thirty minutes trying to talk Harvey through what Tim thought was a simple search. Finally, he gave up and told Harvey he was on his way in.

Remembering what Gibbs said, Palmer spent a few minutes fussing about him leaving the house before agreeing to take him to the Yard.

DiNozzo looked up and grinned. "Probie, my man." He reached over and held out his hand. Ziva grumbled and handed him a twenty dollar bill while Gibbs just shook his head.

McGee stared at them before shaking his head. "Do I even want to know?"

"Ziva is taking us out to lunch, McGee." Tony pulled Tim's chair out for him.

Grateful to sit down, Tim didn't argue as he started to boot up his computer. "Okay, but it's kind of early for lunch."

Tony's hand moved up from the back of the chair to McGee's shoulder. "Whenever you're ready, but don't push it too hard. You've just started recovering."

"Agreed, McGee. Let us be your legs today. Would you like some coffee?"

"Thanks, but maybe later Ziva." He was already engrossed in the file Harvey had started and missed the exchanged smiles as his team watched him settle in. It was less than an hour later when he gave a soft yell.

"Yes."

Gibbs looked up. "Find something already, McGee?"

"Gloria Harden was originally Gloria Mason."

"Yeah, her maiden name." Tony's reminder was gentle.

McGee wasn't done. "In between there she married, divorced and then retook her maiden name again."

That stopped DiNozzo. "Really? Damn, how'd we miss that?"

"Marriage lasted less than six months. She was only twenty when she dumped him, but get this: she attended college under her married name until she was expelled for selling essays. It's the same college Capt Andrews attended before she enlisted."

Gibbs was already on his feet. "At the same time? Can we prove they knew each other at college?"

"Same time, same dorm and Andrews' GPA dropped so much after Gloria Mason Cooper Harden was expelled that she lost her scholarship and had to join the Navy to finish her degree. Mrs. Harden's ex-husband died in prison about fifteen years ago, but his bank account is still active, very active."

The printer was already spitting out McGee's findings and Gibbs started handing them out. "Ziva, start tracking that bank activity. DiNozzo, let's get something solid from the college. McGee, let's go see Ducky."

Gibbs parked himself on one of the other tables as he watched Ducky and Palmer carefully cut away the heavy gauze wrapped around McGee's lower arm. He looked closely at the crisscrossed angry scars, overlaid by the fresh surgical incision. He'd never known just how bad the original injury was and realized that the young man never wore short sleeves anymore, even during the hottest days of the summer. "Has Abby ever seen those?" Even before McGee shook his head, Gibbs had his phone out and was summoning Abby down to Autopsy.

While they waited, Ducky started tapping at McGee's upper arm, working his way down until Tim could no longer feel the pressure. "The nerve block is resolving right on schedule, Timothy. Now, I don't want you to be stubborn when you start hurting, young man. It's important that you not stress those nerves."

"He'll take his pain meds, Duck, I'll make sure. What about the scarring, can anything be done about that?" Gibbs had his share of scars, but they paled in comparison to the raised, red keloid scars he was looking at.

Ducky bent closer to take a better look. "Have any of your doctors discussed treatment options with you yet, McGee?" Behind them, Abby quietly arrived and listened to the answer.

"I've had a couple of appointments with a plastic surgeon. He's recommending multiple laser treatments, but it has to finally heal first. Besides, insurance doesn't cover it and I've only been able to start saving up the last few months."

Gibbs had a pretty good idea why. "You mean since Jethro went to his new owners?"

"Yeah." Tim looked up and saw Abby standing behind Ducky, staring at his arm.

"That looks really bad, McGee."

Palmer spoke up for the first time. "It is really bad, Abby, and we still don't know if this surgery worked."

Eyes wide, she kept glancing between Ducky, Palmer and the mangled skin on McGee's arm. "What if it didn't work? What will happen then?"

Jimmy knew McGee would try to downplay it, not wanting to upset her, so he answered before Tim could open his mouth. "They might try again, but chances are that if this didn't work, then nothing else will and his hand could be paralyzed."

"I'm sorry, McGee." A tear worked down her face and she bit her lip to keep it from trembling. "I guess as long as I never looked at it, I could pretend that it wasn't so bad, but it really was, wasn't it?"

"Yeah, it was," Tim reached out with his right hand, "but I'm gonna be okay." She let him pull her into a hug.

"You promise?"

"Gonna do my best."

She returned the hug gently. "Gibbs told me about Jethro's new home. You did better at that than I did. I didn't care about anything except being right. Can you ever forgive me?"

"Of course, Abs. Tell you what, the next time I go out to visit Gary and Karen, why don't you come with me? How does that sound?"

Her enthusiastic nod slapped her pigtails against his face, but he didn't mind.

It was almost anti-climatic when Mrs. Harden arrived at NCIS. Vance asked her to come sign the papers to release her husband's body and she arrived within an hour. She didn't seem concerned when the Director escorted her into a conference room. "Will this take long? I have to choose the flowers for the memorial service."

"Of course not, we just have to clear up a few details." He opened the door and Gibbs looked up from the papers he had spread out on the table.

"Hello, Mrs. Harden, or should I say Mrs. Cooper?" She froze, then sat slowly, listening as Gibbs continued. "I must congratulate you. Slipping some money out every month to stash in your ex-husband's account was brilliant. It also proves intent and planning. All we had to do was follow the money to Capt Andrews. If it wasn't for that, we would have never found the money she hid in her aunt's estate."

"I want a lawyer and a deal."

"No deal, lady. I've got enough to convict both of you. Maybe the two of you will be cellmates." Gibbs stood with a smile. "Your lawyer can meet you for your booking."

Two weeks later:

Gibbs looked up as he front door closed. "Hey, McGee, how did your appointment go?"

Smiling and wearing a standard sling, Tim leaned against the counter watching Gibbs pour two cups of coffee. "See for yourself." Biting his lip in concentration he supported his left hand with his right as he slowly moved each finger on his left hand.

"It worked." Breathing out, Gibbs leaned against the counter next to McGee. "What happens now?"

"Lots and lots of therapy, and then we'll see. Dr. Morrison said it's up to me at this point."

"Us, you mean." Gibbs laid a hand on Tim's shoulder, guiding him to the table, already set for the Pizza that would be arriving with Tony and Ziva. An old wooden box was sitting in the center of the table, and had been for the last week, but Gibbs had made no effort to explain it before now. Once Tim was seated, Gibbs sat in the chair next to him and picked up the box.

"Boss?"

"This was my grandfather's, and now I want you to have it, Tim." He held the box still while Tim opened the antique latch. Once the latch was open, the box unfolded to reveal an assortment of small tools, brightly colored threads and feathers. Tim recognized it immediately.

"Wow, a fly tying kit."

Gibbs was pleased at the recognition. "You've seen one before?"

"My uncle used to tie his own flies. He took me fly fishing with him one summer." Tim let his hands trail over the well polished wood. "This is a family heirloom..."

"Yeah, it is."

A piece of Gibbs' heritage that would help one of his sons recover the dexterity in his fingers, Tim smiled in understanding. "Thanks, Boss, this means a lot. This Spring, when I have enough flies ready, would you go with me to try them out?"

Gibbs squeezed the base of McGee's neck. "I'm looking forward to it, Tim."