Thank you everyone, for the reviews. Many hugs to you all. And to respond to a question, I don't think there will be any ships in this fic. Just a friendship, angst, whump fic.
And because I forgot this in the first chapter,
Disclaimer: I do not own NCIS or any of the characters, I don't own Tim, Tony, Jimmy or any of them (Sadly enough) *sigh*. I'm only venturing into DPB's sandbox.
Enjoy, and reviews are greatly appreciated all.
Ten Hours Earlier
Leaves fall from the sky like rain. But softer, gentler. The wind whispers to the trees, caressing their arms and then slowly, seductively, slipping the leaves off the branches like a loose coat. The leaves tumble downward, spiraling as the wind changes direction, joining leaves from sister trees in the air. And they all fall. A multi colored downpour, full of bright reds, soft oranges, and yellows of every shade.
The leaves descend upon the earthbound, yellowing grass. And carpet it thickly and unevenly. It's quiet in the woods, so quiet. A somberness, combined with a lighthearted feeling hangs in the air, as only the woods can produce. A well-worn dirt path winds through the woods, weaving around the trees. It's only just visible through the thick layer of fallen leaves.
A young woman runs down the path, she sways her head smoothly to the beat of the music from her iPod, ear buds placed delicately in her ears. Her steps are even, practiced, and she doesn't even look to find the path, she's so used to running this route. Leaves are kicked up with every one of her steps and swirl around her ankles a second before she takes a new step. A slight smile slips onto her lips and she turns up her music a bit, she gazes around in wonder at the glass window of leaves, the sunlight filtering in and casting an almost dreamlike quality in the wood.
She doesn't see the thick branch, shrouded by the leaves, that lies over the path. Her feet don't clear the branch, but catch upon it. With a surprised look flashing upon her face, she tumbles head over heels down a hill and lands soundly in a large pile of leaves. And something else. Something that broke her fall.
She sits up and rubs her head, trying to see straight. The world still spinning end over end. She puts out a hand to help herself up and touches something clammy, wet and squishy. She withdraws her hand and looks to it. Red. She looks down to her front, where she collided with the leaf pile. Red. She looks toward the object, uncovered by her rough landing.
Blank, unseeing eyes stare back at her. A drop of blood drips onto the pale, statue-esque face, and a glob of coagulated blood dribbles out of the stomach and onto the Naval uniform. The heart of the body no longer pumps but lies still in the body's chest. The still figure's rib cage no longer rises, he's still. Her own heart hammers in her chest and her breath catches in her throat. She's frozen in shock. But then she thaws.
A shrill, terrified scream echoes throughout the wood, tearing the peaceful silence into a million tiny pieces.
***********
"What's with Rock Creek Park?"
"What?" Tim looked up at Tony's question with a confused expression on his face. He gestured to the body, "Focus Tony. We have a job to do." He knelt back down and took another photograph. Tony made a face at his turned head, but went back to sketching the scene.
"Seriously though. What draws psychos to this place? It's not like the sign has 'free body dumping here' written on it." Tony peered toward the body and shifted slightly to the right, to get a better view. Tim sighed and turned around.
"You're exaggerating. We don't find that many bodies here."
"Remember your crazy stalker fan?" At this statement Tim's face became unreadable and he turned back to the corpse. "-And that congressman who dumped his lover's body here? And all the cases that aren't in our jurisdiction. And just last week!" Tony began sketching again, backing up slowly as he continued speaking. "Rock Creek Park is a hotspot for weirdoes, they should charge people for bringing a body to stash. It's a goldmi-Aah!!" Tony yelped and lept back as a person snuck up behind him and slid a hand onto his shoulder. Tim stood quickly, his hand immediately sliding to grip his firearm. Ready to draw. He relaxed as he saw Ziva, and went back to taking pictures. Tony however stood in the same position he had sprung into, one hand on his gun and the other held protectively in front of him.
"For the love of-didn't you learn any manners in Israel, Ziva?" Ziva smiled slyly at his reaction, a pleased look on her face.
"You should not be the one speaking about a lack of manners, Tony." She gave him another smug grin, congratulating herself for keeping her skills sharp. But her smile faded a bit at having to relay her results. "I was not able to discern the killer's footsteps from any of the others on this trail. It is actually quite a popular route for runners, I have actually been planning to try it sometime." She looked around admiringly. "And about your question-"
"What?"
"About the park, yes?"
"Alright, ninja. Hit me." Tony looked to Ziva and Ziva gave him a baffled expression.
"I thought you wanted an answer, why would you want me to hit you?" Ziva's brow furrowed in confusion, her dark eyes thoughtful. Tim turned toward her from where he was still crouching.
"It means, to tell him, Ziva." Her smiled at her.
"Then why didn't he just say that?" Ziva still looked confused. Tony groaned.
"Just tell me Ziva."
Ziva gestured around her, "Look about, Tony. What do you see?" Tony grinned at her.
"I get it, gonna be all mysterious and speak in riddles. Alright." Tony took a quick glance around him. "Trees."
"Cover. You're just running in the woods, one person can keep watch, dressed as a runner. And keep the beach clear-"
"Coast."
"Yes, that. Keep the coast clear so the other person can bring in the body. There are many of hiding places, and it is farther into the park, so there will be less of a chance of being caught, or spotted." Ziva finished and then took out a few evidence bags and some yellow, numbered markers. She started away from Tony and toward Tim, scanning the ground.
"Personal experience, Agent David?" Tony called out to her, a wide grin on his face. Ziva half turned back and gave him a mysterious look, before resuming her search. Tony chuckled, and Tim smiled as he stood and stretched his legs.
"Wonder where Ducky is?"
"He and the Autopsy Gremlin probably got lost on the way here. They're probably arguing about the direction right now." Tony commented, Tim laughed softly at the airy response. A branch cracked behind them and they both whipped around, hands laid upon their SIGs.
"Ducky." Tim sighed with relief, Tony turned slightly to Tim.
"I hate the woods, so much." He gave the trees a look of disgust before turning to Ducky and Jimmy. "Body's over here, Ducky." He nodded toward the prone figure upon the ground. Ducky and Jimmy made their way over to the body and surveyed it.
"The poor lad." Ducky commented sadly, shaking his head. "Dumped unceremoniously into the woods, like garbage. Don't worry, we'll get you home soon enough." He said soothingly. "Mr. Palmer."
"Yes, Doctor?"
"What do you observe?" Ducky looked to Jimmy expectantly. Jimmy raised his eyebrows in surprise, but took a step foreword and kneeled next to the body.
"Looks like a stab wound, into the...I'd hazard a guess, the abdomen?" Jimmy looked to Ducky, and Ducky nodded encouragingly. "It also looks like he suffered a whack to the head too. Though I don't know if it killed him, we'll know more once we get him back." Jimmy again looked to Ducky, who smiled.
"And about the position of the body?" Ducky prodded gently. Jimmy examined the figure, a serious expression on his face, his tongue poking out slightly in concentration.
"He wasn't stabbed here."
"Good. Why?"
"Well the body's sort of contorted, it's not a natural way to fall. Even if you were stabbed and clubbed over the head. And there should be more blood if he was stabbed here. It's soaked into his clothes, but there isn't any on the ground. It also looks like he's in the later stages of rigor mortis." He added, poking the man in the arm.
"Well done, Mr. Palmer! You'll be a fine Medical Examiner one day soon. Now, the liver probe. Jethro will be here soon and he'll ask-"
"Hey Duck. Palmer didn't get you lost?" The team and Palmer jumped as Gibbs seemingly appeared behind them, an ever-present cup of coffee in his hand.
"Hmm. I was not expecting that question, I was thinking more along the lines of, 'What's the ToD, Duck?'" Ducky inserted the liver probe into the body. He knew there was a rare smile sitting upon his friend's face, which would soon disappear. A rare eclipse, which the team would miss. Ducky smiled as he figured the time of death. "Looks like the lad was killed, about twenty seven hours ago."
"And the cause?"
"At the moment, I'd hypothesize that the stab wound was the fatal blow. But I'll know for sure once he's home." Ducky stood, just as Jimmy returned with the gurney. Ziva stepped foreword slipped on a pair of rubber gloves and searched his pockets. She frowned.
"No identification, Gibbs." Ziva turned to Gibbs and gave a shrug, Gibbs turned to Ducky and nodded, and then headed toward the vans, Tim, Tony and Ziva tailing close behind. Tony looked toward the young woman, the runner who had found the body and was now walking out of the woods.
"Does she know anything, Boss."
"Nope."
"Oh, a random body of a sailor, creepy woods-" At this statement, Tim looked to Ziva and made a face, she giggled and a grin slid onto her face. Tony frowned at them and continued, "-a witness who knows nothing, and now he has no ID. Sounds like a Stephen King novel. Maybe we should stay in pairs, watch your back, McGee. You're wearing the red shirt." Tim looked to his shirt.
"Tony that's Star Trek, what about you? You're the one everyone wants to frame for murder."
"Hey! That was only twice!" Tony complained. Gibbs rolled his eyes sensing an argument beginning to form.
Smack! Smack!
Gibbs smiled as the two men stopped bickering, but even that satisfaction couldn't quell the uneasiness he felt stirring in him.