The lab was almost silent; the only sounds that could be heard were Abby's muffled sobs. What they had just watched had rendered each of them speechless.

They had witnessed every blow, every kick, every wave of invective to which Tim had been subjected. The four masked men had abused Tim, both physically and mentally, allowing him momentary respites from their physical brutality in order to fill his ears with their vile accusations. He had been stripped down to his boxers, Tim had fought them every inch of the way as they pulled of his clothes, getting in some hits of his own, but he was never going to be able to stop them; it was four against one. They had tried to make him admit that he had done the loathsome things of which he stood accused; but even in the face of such savagery Tim had maintained his innocence.

"You think if you keep…kicking me I'm going to say I did it...not going to happen. I have never in my life harmed a child in any way…and you can do whatever you want to me…you won't get me to lie."

There had been another kick then, and Tim blacked out briefly, the camera moved in closer, and Freeman leaned down to slap Tim's face and wake him again.

"Oh, I think we can come up with a few ideas that might get you to see things our way. Things are going to get pretty bad for you; I want you to know that."

Tim slowly turned his head and stared at his tormenter.

"Pretty bad...try having people…you admire and respect...believe… you could abuse children…try looking in their eyes...seeing nothing but hatred and contempt...it doesn't get worse than that..."

Freeman and Shaw dragged Tim from the ground and both delivered blows to his chest, Tim staggered back against the Porsche, his head struck the hood with a sickening thud; he fell limp to the ground and lay motionless.

"That's enough Mitch! Let's get him to a hospital."

"No! I told you, we need to make an example, show everyone what happens to people who mess with our children. Quit whining and help us get him in the truck."

The screen had gone blank for a moment, and then another image flickered onto the screen. It was still displayed there now; Tim bound to a tree, blood and bruises all over his body, that crudely painted sign shouting out its lies. They stared at the screen, each of them lost in their own horror at what they had witnessed; but each of them fully aware that their horror could be nothing in comparison with what their friend had endured.

Gibbs finally broke the silence.

"We don't tell Tim about this, not until he's stronger, understand?"

He was answered by a series of murmured agreements and nods of assent.

"Fornell, where did you get this?"

Watching the attack on McGee for a second time had made Fornell feel even sicker that he had when he had seen it earlier today; knowing that the blame for all this lay at his door had made it almost unendurable. But if McGee could survive what he had been through, then the least Fornell could do was bear witness to his endurance.

"It was sent to us by Americans Against Predators; they run a legitimate internet operation; trying to intercept groomers in chat rooms. They co-operate with law enforcement, nothing vigilante about these people. This footage was posted on their site Saturday; but they didn't view it until today. As soon as they saw it they took it down and informed the FBI."

Tony was struggling to deal with this latest news.

"That…that's been out there since Saturday? Out there for everyone to see?"

Fornell was grim faced.

"Afraid so, DiNozzo; Jethro, I'm so…I started all this…"

"Don't! You may have started it, but I didn't stop it…and I could have, so no saying sorry…sorry doesn't stop this, sorry doesn't take us back and let us make different decisions…it doesn't stop Tim hurting…"

"But it's my fault."

"And mine Tobias…I'd let them take ten years off my life to make it like it never happened; but we screwed up and because we did a good man ended up like that."

He pointed toward the plasma.

"We can't undo what we did; all we can do is be there when Tim needs us.

"Gibbs, Gibbs, they found…oh no…"

Agent Durden had come running into the lab, but stood paralysed by the image on the screen.

"That…that's McGee?"

"It is."

"Those men…Shaw, the others…they did that?"

"Do you have something?"

Durden managed to tear his gaze away from the screen.

"Yes; they found the Porsche. At a breaker's yard in Anacostia; a buddy of Freeman's…said Freeman asked him to crush the car, it's been under a tarp since Saturday…says he didn't look at it 'til today. When he saw it, he remembered the police bulletin, called Metro. Our techs are bringing it in now."

Gibbs looked around at the still shocked faces in the lab.

"We'll get to that in the morning; it's not like we don't know what happened."

"No Gibbs…I'm not going to sleep tonight after seeing that; I want to see what Freeman did to Tim's car."

"You sure Abs?"

"Yeah…Gibbs…how could they do that? Why? Tim…he could have died…"

The tears were flowing unchecked down her cheeks; she'd doubted Tim, right in the beginning, because she couldn't doubt Gibbs. With every kick and punch on that awful film the guilt had been driven into her very soul, she abandoned her dearest friend, and as a consequence, she almost lost him for ever.

In the end they all stayed, no one wanted to go home, close their eyes and see those pictures again and again. They waited for Tim's car to arrive, stood by Abby as she tenderly swept a gloved hand over the dent on the hood that had been left when Tim's head made contact. They shared Chinese food, coffee, lots of coffee and were together at the moment in the early hours of the morning when Abby found the program that Freeman had put into the Porsche's onboard computer.

"It cut the power completely, no way could Tim have got it started again; the whole system would have to be re-booted. He was a sitting duck out there; just how they wanted him, alone, and miles from help…they should be…"

Ziva took Abby's trembling hand in hers.

"We have talked about this Abby; they will receive justice…I too would like to inflict the pain on them that they inflicted on my friend, but I know, as do you, that Tim would not wish for that to happen. He would want everything to be done correctly, and we must abide by his wishes."

"I know Ziva, but that Freeman guy, he wasn't even really bothered about the children…he was pissed because Tim got him into trouble at work, that can't be a good enough reason to do what he did."

"Men like him; they do not need a reason…they just need weak minded men to help them…come Abby, let us go home, maybe we can visit Tim later today."

They'd all gone home, Vance had told them not to come in to work, so they'd grabbed what sleep they could, and later that afternoon they all went to Bethesda. Tim had persuaded his parents to take some time off and revisit some of their favourite places in DC, and the team had been given special permission to visit together.

Tony pushed open the door to Tim's room, and peeked inside.

"Hey, you're awake! Come on guys, he's awake!"

Tim was indeed awake, and looking just the tiniest bit better; he smiled, and winced a little.

"I keep forgetting not to do that…it's good to see you…"

"It's better than good to see you Probie."

Tony's expected wise-crack never came; he was too overwhelmed, finally seeing Tim alert and aware; he contented himself with laying his hand lightly on Tim's arm.

"I've missed you."

"We have all been missing you Tim…you are feeling better, yes?"

"Yes…I don't remember much of what happened, snatches here and there…then it's gone again…Ducky says that's normal…"

"Indeed it is Timothy; don't press it, when you are ready…and as I said some details may never return."

Tim tentatively lifted his hand and stared at the torn fingernails and bruised knuckles.

"I…I think I tried to…stop them…"

"You did Tim, you fought hard."

The words were out of Tony's mouth before he could stop them. Tim's eyes opened as wide as they were able.

"How? Oh no…they filmed it…I…I saw a camera…never thought…"

His eyes searched their faces…they'd all seen it, seen more than he could remember…Gibbs swiftly walked round the bed and head slapped Tony, he laid his hand on Tim's shoulder.

"Take it easy Tim, we've seen it…and you know, watching it, sickening as it was, it made me proud…more proud of you than I've been any day since that time you spoke out at the awards ceremony. You didn't give in, through all that pain, you wouldn't tell them a lie; that takes a special kind of courage."

Tim shook his head slowly.

"Wasn't brave…was true…I'm so tired of all this Boss…having to pretend at work…that I don't see them looking at me."

Ziva sat beside him.

"Who is looking at you? I will kick their ass; give me their names Tim, I will deal with them."

"No point…you can't stop what people think…Durden; what he said was bad, but at least he said it to me. Some of them, I can feel them watching me, and I know what they're thinking...no smoke without fire. They hurry out of the washroom when I go in, some days I have to force myself to go to work…That's what I've been living with every day Boss...then this...when does it stop?"

Gibbs didn't have an answer, right now he didn't have a single word of comfort to offer. Abby handed Tim a drink of water, and he accepted gratefully.

"One thing I remember…wish I didn't, I saw the ropes…I thought…"

Abby gently took his hand in hers.

"Don't Tim, please…"

"I thought…they were going to lynch me…and I didn't care…I wanted it to end…to never see that look in anyone's eyes again…then when I woke up, and I saw Mom and Dad…saw how they looked…I knew I couldn't let them win; Neville…the men who did this…but it's so hard…'

Abby leaned in to kiss Tim's head, and Ducky whispered to Gibbs.

"This is too much Jethro; Timothy can't take any more, if he finds out that film has been available on the internet. I fear this could break him."

"He won't break Duck, not Tim…he's been beaten down about as far as any man can go, not just by these sick bastards…but his dad's right, Tim won't give in to these people…tough as his life is going to be from here on in, he won't stop doing what he feels is right…"

Gibbs watched as Abby, Tony and Ziva closed ranks around Tim, making sure he had drinks, plumping his already plump pillows, Tony giving one of his endless movie monologues...acting out the parts, doing the accents, when he got to Tommy Lee Jones' speech from The Fugitive, and Tim corrected his accent again, Gibbs relaxed a little. Maybe they could make this work; as a team, if it was what Tim wanted.

Gibbs knew he was right, he knew how important the team was to Tim, and he had absolutely no doubt how important Tim was to the team...but he had to be sure; Tim had been to hell and back recently; did he still see his future with them?

"Tim; have you thought about what happens next?"

"That's pretty much all I have been doing since I woke up…When I get out of here, I'm going to stay with Mom and Dad for a while, Sarah will be back from Europe by then, we haven't been together in a long time. Director Vance said I could take all the time I need…but I'm coming back…I have to …I hate the way some people look at me, what they think about me. But I know, and the people who truly matter to me know; I did nothing wrong. If you all help me, and I don't mean kicking ass Ziva; I think I can live with the…what did you call it Ducky?

"The sick, twisted misconceptions of the dregs of society."

"That's it, I can't walk away from NCIS, it's what I do, and it's who I am….and I still think I can make a difference…help people. So long as that's true, I'm going to carry on."

THE END

"The beauty of the soul shines out when a man bears with composure one heavy mischance after another, not because he does not feel them, but because he is a man of high and heroic temper" Aristotle