A/N: I am really struggling with my muse right now. Took forever to get this out and it was at the expense of more important things that needed doing. I hope that it feels right. Please let me know if you are still with me. Sheila

A Man Left Behind

Chapter 6

She stood in the doorway, her eyes soft and red. "Kort is jamming the bugs for now. It's too easy for us to make a slip…on a day like this. It's windy. They can tell themselves that is what is messing with their frequencies. We can talk if you want."

Tony lay in his bed staring up at the ceiling fan.

She shifted against the doorframe. "Gibbs won't speak to me. He just sits in the sand and stares out at the water."

"Leave him be."

"We can't do this, Tony. We can't isolate."

He sat up. "Come here."

She shook her head. "No."

He nodded and got off the bed. "I'm sorry. I just want to hug you, my sweet girl."

She let him fold his arms around her. He buried his face in her hair. "Gibbs needs to be alone right now. He doesn't know how to share this kind of pain. Trust me. I was there when Kate was killed. I know him."

She let out a ragged breath. "Please don't leave us, Tony. We need you so very much."

He rested his chin on top of her head. "I said some harsh things the other night. I'm sorry for that. I don't know what our future holds, but I guess we just have to take it one day at a time."

"Should we call Abby?"

"God no. We can't tell her something like this over the phone."

She looked up at him. "The beast called. He wants to have dinner with Laurent and I tomorrow night. I get the feeling that he would be most pleased if Laurent couldn't make it."

He stared back at her. "I'll kill him with my bare hands first."

"I think I can get him to give us McGee's body."

"It's not going to happen.

She pulled away. "I'm not asking for your approval."

"But I'm telling you that there is a limit and this is it. You are not going to spend time with him."

"We need to bring him home!"

Tony slammed into the wall with his palm. "Not like this!"

"Hey!" They both turned to find Kort standing there. "Even a jammed signal can pick up this nonsense. Take it outside!"

Tony took her arm and pulled her out onto the deck. She pulled away and trotted out to the sand. "I don't want to fight, Tony!"

He followed her. "Then stop it with the Mata Hari routine. It's not going to happen!"

"Leave me alone!" The wind whipped her hair across her face.

Gibbs was on his feet and heading toward them. "What the hell is going on!?"

Tony pointed. "The beast wants to have dinner with her! You know what that means!"

Gibbs turned to Ziva. "I expected that."

Tony threw up his hands. "Well, it's not going to happen!"

Gibbs kept his eyes on Ziva. "Yes, it is."

"Are you insane!?"

Gibbs glared at him. "Stop acting like a jealous boyfriend. Ziva understands this kind of dance better than either of us."

"What are you saying?!"

"I'm saying that this ain't her first rodeo. There are ways to do this where you don't have to compromise every part of yourself, and Ziva knows all of them."

She folded her arms. "Thank you, Gibbs. At least one of you has faith in me. I will set this up."

"No. We think it through. I'm tired of rushing headlong into everything."

Ziva shook her head. "Let's get it done! I hate this place! I hate everything about it. I just want to get him and bring him home."

"We all do."

"We don't say his name. I don't think I've heard his name all day. We don't talk about him."

Gibbs turned on him, finger in his face. "You ready for his funeral, DiNozzo 'cause I'm not! I don't talk about him 'cause we don't know anything yet. I don't talk about him 'cause we have to stay focused. If Saldana gives us a body, we can take him home and we can remember him like he deserves."

Ziva bit her lip. "He's right, Tony. We have to hold it in until we're home."

Tony took a deep breath and looked out on the water. "I thought I would be better at this. I knew it was coming, and I knew it would be tough, but I thought I could handle myself."

Gibbs walked over and surprised him by putting a hand on his shoulder. "You can. We all can. Imagine him talking in your ear. I do it and it helps. He'll tell you what to do, how to handle this. Listen to him."

Tony winced and stared at the surf. Gibbs stood next to him silently, only shifting when Ziva came around to the other side and hugged him tightly around his middle.

…

He felt something warm and rich in his mouth and he struggled to swallow, choking wildly. His eyes opened and he found himself in a large bed with two women staring at him, one with a spoon. "You are not a baby, American. Surely, you can swallow a little broth."

He looked around wildly. The hardness of his cell had been replaced by the opulence of a beautiful room. "What? Who are you?"

The woman in charge smirked at him. "Do you prefer the stench of your cell?"

"I don't understand."

She nodded at the other woman as she got up and paced the room. "Keep feeding the idiot."

Both women were Latina, but the sharp-tongued one was tall with a mane of wild hair and yellow-brown eyes.

This time he welcomed the spoon, swallowing a rich broth of chicken broth with flecks of potato. She pulled up another, but he stopped her. "Please! Where am I? What is happening?"

The tall one advanced on him. "We are your new captors!"

He rose up on his elbows. "Why?"

"The questions! The arrogance! Only from an American!"

The breath rose weakly from his chest. "Why?"

She shook her head, deflating slightly. "We saved you from the courtyard so that you could serve the people of Berumi."

"How?"

"As I see fit." She dropped into a chair and folded her arms. "Eat the soup. You are only bones."

McGee caved and allowed the woman on the bed to feed him the rest of the soup, but his eyes stayed on the angry one. The woman feeding him wiped his chin like a child, and on another day, he would've felt embarrassed, but he barely could marshal the strength to sit upright.

"What is your name?" He said softly to his nurse. She looked back at the angry one in confusion.

"Her name is Consuela and she doesn't speak English."

"And your name?"

She tossed her hair. "I am Eponine."

McGee frowned for a moment. "Paolo has a daughter named Eponine."

She shifted in her chair. "The old man mentioned me?"

"Yes."

She shrugged. "He was probably unkind in his thoughts of me. He didn't think much of me."

"Where's Paolo? He is here too?"

"No, he is not here. You are here instead of him."

"Please! Enough of the riddles! What is going on?"

She chuckled. "I bet you loved him. Everyone loved him. My amazing, talented father who hypnotized the world with his prose and his earthy wisdom."

"Where is he?"

"He is dead, you idiot. He traded his life for yours."

McGee slapped the clean sheets on his bed. "No!"

"You were just another pawn to him."

"Enough! Talk to me or get out!" Emotion rose in his throat.

She didn't move but Consuela got up slowly and left the room. For a long while, the two of them glared at each other in silence. Finally, Eponine sighed. "We knew the date of his execution, and we put everything into a plan to get him out. Not just because he was my father. We'd heard that the International Red Cross was sending a human rights team, and we knew they would never be allowed into El Corazon. Our plan was to get the old man out and have him meet with them. He could give testimony. News of the atrocities in this country would reach the world. A week ago, he balked. He insisted that you would be the better witness. You were younger, your memory was sharper, and you're American. Your story would mean something in the United States."

"He's really dead?"

"His execution was scheduled for this morning. My people argued with him forever, but he was steadfast. You were the one who could make a difference."

"He went to the courtyard?"

"All we could do was provide him with a friend for his final moments instead of a sadist."

Dry sobs heaved from his chest and he clutched at the sheets on the bed.

"We smuggled you into a resort hotel: the same hotel that houses the human rights team. I will be making contact with them, and arranging for you to videotape testimony for them. They can not get you out of Berumi. You are not saved. Eventually, Saldana's people will find you. We are not strong enough to protect you, but we can offer you a better ending than they will. You have a few days at the most."

He slowly turned onto his side away from her.

She stood. "For what it's worth, we have malaria medication for you and we will keep you well-fed. Consuela will stay with you while I make contact with the someone from the team."

He said nothing to her when she left.

…..

Ducky was out on his balcony, his bowtie still sitting in his lap. He'd made several attempts to prepare for the day, but he felt such a heaviness in his chest. Jethro woke him out of a sleep to tell him that McGee was presumed dead and the mission had shifted to one of recovering his body. The old man had suffered many losses. He didn't fear death. It was a natural extension of life. More than that, McGee's death meant that the poor boy's suffering was at an end.

Still, his pragmatism couldn't defeat the sadness in his heart at saying good-bye to the fresh-faced young man he'd known for so many years. He knew that if a body was recovered, his young friend would tell him a story of cruelty that would leave him breathless and he wasn't looking forward to that.

A knock sounded on his door and he sighed. He'd missed the meetings this morning with the human rights team. They were good people, but they were constrained by the byzantine rules of international relations, and he found their inaction stifling.

He opened the door to one of the younger members of the team and an exotic looking woman he'd never seen before. "Camille, I apologize for not coming down today. I have some things on my mind."

"Dr. Mallard, we have a big problem. Can you come with us, please?"

She looked very stressed.

"Camille?"

"Bring your bag, Doctor."

The woman with her looked up and down the hall nervously.

"Can you tell me anything?"

"Just come." She tugged on his sleeve.

He grabbed his bag and followed the two women down the hall and up an elevator. He tried to question her, but the other woman put her finger to her mouth sharply. He followed them into a room with the shades drawn. Someone was sleeping under a large comforter. He looked at the women. "Do I have a patient?"

Camille grabbed his arm. "I don't know what to do. This is Eponine. The man in the bed was rescued from El Corazon. If I tell the team leader, he won't let us help him. We can't get involved with anti-government forces. It's puts our mission at risk. We could all be arrested and I have tried to explain that to her, but she insists we interview him. I came to you because I have a feeling he is the man you have been seeking."

Ducky took a moment to digest it, and then he pulled away from her. He hurried to the bed and pulled back the covers. The figure in the bed stirred and his eyes opened. Ducky's breath caught. "Timothy!"

"Duck?"

A Berumian woman came in and began talking to Eponine in Portuguese. Eponine stepped forward. "His fever has started again. Do you have analgesics with you?"

"Dr. Mallard, I need to report this to the team leader."

He turned on Camille. "You will not say anything to anyone about this! Do you understand? This man is in grave danger."

"We are constrained by our mandate-"

"You are supposed to help us!" Eponine pointed a finger at her. "What good are you to us if you do nothing?!"

"Camille, you will return to the team and tell them that I am feeling under the weather but nothing more. No one will be at risk. I will take care of this."

"What can you do?"

"Just do what I say."

She closed her eyes. "Okay. I'll let you handle this."

"Good! If there is anything to be said to the team leader, I will do it. Now please go. You have work to do."

She nodded and edged away from Eponine as she went to the door. After she left, Eponine cursed loudly in Portuguese and then glared at him. "None of you care! You will leave my country at the mercy of a tyrant!"

He ignored her and grabbed his bag, climbing onto the bed beside McGee. "I need some light!"

She reluctantly turned on the light and paced restlessly as he examined McGee.

Ducky pulled the sheet off his torso and sat back. "Oh Timothy! I don't even know where to start."

McGee moaned. "How can you possibly be here? Nothing makes sense in my head."

"Let's work on getting your fever down and then we'll talk."

….

Gibbs could hear voices arguing inside the room as he pounded on the door. Tony tapped him on the shoulder, but Gibbs shook his head. Interdyne executives would definitely not be kicking down doors.

Finally, the door opened and Ducky peered out. "All three of you! We can't afford a spectacle."

"All I got was a message from you saying that it was urgent that we talk."

Ducky ushered them in urgently. They found an angry woman standing there, hands on her hips. "You will get us all killed, old man."

He turned on her. "Shut up, Eponine, before I have one of these nice people do it for you."

"Who is this woman!?" Ziva asked.

"She is both parts hero and witch, but she brings us a miracle."

Gibbs froze. "What does that mean?"

"His fever is high so I have him cooling in the bath. Please be gentle with him."

"Duck?"

"It's him."

Gibbs pushed past him and Tony started to follow, but Ducky caught his arm. "Give him a moment, Tony."

Inside the bathroom, Gibbs pulled back the shower curtain and found him sitting in murky bathwater. His thin torso was mottled with bruises and cuts. McGee lifted his head and stared. "Boss?"

Gibbs knelt. "Hey."

McGee frowned. "There's something wrong with your eyes."

"Contacts."

"And your hair?"

"It's a disguise."

"I don't like it."

Gibbs smiled. "Me neither."

McGee sighed. "I'm sick. Malaria."

Gibbs reached over and patted his damp cheek. "It's okay, Tim. We're going to get you well."

"Eponine says they'll find me soon."

He shook his head. "We're not going to let that happen."

"I'm not going back to El Corazon."

Gibbs cleared his throat. "I left you here, Tim, but that's not going to happen again. Do you understand? You don't have to worry about anything 'cause I'm taking you home."

McGee's chin trembled. "It wasn't your fault, Boss."

"Doesn't matter really 'cause it happened and it shouldn't have, and now my job is to get you home."

McGee nodded. "I'd like that."

Behind them the door opened, and Tony and Ziva piled through. "Sorry Boss. We had to see for ourselves."

"I'm not exactly dressed for visitors."

Ziva smiled through tears. "I think you look beautiful."

Tony shook his head. "From my perspective, I think I need to kick some asses for what they put you through."

Ziva could only get close enough to grab his leg. McGee startled. "Ziva!"

"Wait 'til I get the boss out of the way, Probie. I'm going to reach in and give you a big, wet, sloppy kiss on the mouth."

"Boss!" McGee gave him a stricken look.

Before Gibbs could respond, the argument in the bedroom heated up again.

"Get these people out of here!"

"They can help!"

"The American belongs to me and I say get them out of here!"

"He is not a possession!"

Gibbs was on his feet and pushing past Ziva and DiNozzo. He didn't stop until he was nose to nose with the wild Eponine. "You saved my agent, and I will be forever grateful, but be clear, Lady, that man doesn't belong to you. He's mine!"

She glared. "My father died so he could live. He will do what is necessary to help my nation. That is his only mission."

DiNozzo and Ziva came out of the bathroom supporting a robed McGee between them. She pointed at him. "He owes his life to Berumi."

Tony screwed up his face. "Who is this woman?!"

Ducky looked up as he helped Ziva get McGee into bed. "Her people got Timothy out of El Corazon. They want him to give testimony before the International Red Cross, but the circumstances of his escape makes it too dangerous for the team to interview him."

"Then I will find another way to use him!"

Ziva put a finger in her face. "Stop talking about him like that! This man is our friend."

McGee struggled to lean up on his elbows. "Stop the fighting, please. Eponine is right. Her father died to save me, and I owe him."

Eponine turned to Gibbs. "You have no resources in this country. I am the one who got him this far. How will you get him out? You can't fly him out. Airport security has tightened considerably since your little escape a few months ago. Will the U.S. Navy come for you? Huh? If your country cared, he would've been released a long time ago. So what is your plan? For a few thousand dollars, I can find you a boat small enough to evade Saldana's Navy, but will it be big enough for a trip all the way to Brazil in shark-infested waters. Tell me of your amazing plan to get this man home."

"You and I want the same things, Eponine. We both want Berumi free from Saldana. We have to learn to work together."

She pointed at McGee. "He knows what happens in that prison. He holds the most powerful stories of the human rights violations. Do not tell me that he is not important to my nation's future."

"He is not the enemy. He is a good man who has been through hell, and he is our friend. I understand how important he is to Berumi, but you must understand how important he is to us. Once we understand each other, we can work together."

"You need me more than I need you, American."

"Don't be so sure, Eponine."

…..

Gibbs paced the balcony in the dark, peering into the bedroom. "He's so restless in there. Why isn't the medication working?"

Ducky sighed as he fingered the shot glass full of whiskey in front of him. "He's malnourished and probably battling several secondary infections. It will take a few days to see real improvement."

"Paolo! Paolo!" Came muffled shouts from the bedroom.

"That man really meant a lot to him."

"Of course. He was the only kindness Timothy encountered in a world of terror. Their bond would've been strong."

Gibbs paced in silence while Ducky downed his shot of whiskey. "You don't have a plan, do you?"

"Does that bother you, Duck?"

Ducky took a deep breath and poured another drink. "Not tonight."

"Paolo! Please talk to me."

Gibbs shook his head and went into the bedroom. "McGee, can you hear me?"

McGee lifted his face from the pillow. "Paolo?"

Gibbs sat down on the bed beside him. "No, it's the boss."

McGee rubbed his face. "I got confused."

"It's okay. Paolo was a good guy."

"He was like you, Boss. He guided me. Helped me when I was lost."

"I'm grateful you had him there for you."

McGee frowned. "Why are you here? You're undercover. You're supposed to be an Interdyne executive."

"Not going to leave you alone again especially not with the she devil."

"Eponine has lost a great deal, and she's right about me owing her something. I do. I'm going to do what Paolo would want me to do."

He patted his arm. "You should rest, McGee. The sleep will help you get better."

McGee caught his hand and squeezed it. "I know you don't have a plan, Boss, and it's okay. I've spent a lot of time preparing for the end, and I am at peace with it."

"Well, it's not okay with me."

He shook his head. "Dying with me doesn't help anyone. There's no point to it. If there's no way to do this, then we accept it and say good-bye. You have to think of Tony and Ziva. What about Abby? Losing both of us would destroy her."

"Would you leave me if our situations were reversed, Tim?"

McGee hesitated. "I don't know how to answer that."

"It's complicated, isn't it?"

He nodded.

"Alright then. You sleep and I'll think. Hopefully, I'll have a plan by the time the sun comes up."

….

Ziva stood on the deck in the cool evening breeze and watched the two men face off in the surf. Despite the fact, they were only in it up to their knees, they were soaking wet all over. Tony had taken Kort down there in the roar of the waves to tell him that McGee was alive and it hadn't gone well. Ziva suspected that Kort said something insensitive because Tony tackled the CIA agent with a shout very early in the conversation. They'd rolled around in the wet sand for a few moments, but eventually they both gotten to their feet and tried again. In the wind, Ziva could catch pieces of their angry exchange, but they had taken to circling each other warily rather than engage in further assaults.

"Ziva?"

She turned to find Laurent.

"What's going on and where's Gibbs?"

"Do not call him that!"

"I apologize. Hanson. Where's Hanson?"

"You are tired of fighting with him. He's too rigid. He only sees one solution. You realize that he is obsessed with the retrieval of the American, McGee. Because of that, you have asked him to move into one of the hotels in town."

"I don't understand."

"You don't need to. Your job is to follow our directives to the letter and that is all." She noticed that Tony and Kort had ceased their posturing.

"I never meant for any of this to happen."

She narrowed her eyes at Laurent. "You are weak and greedy. You couldn't foresee this because you focused only on your own needs. I don't care about your apologies. I don't care if you become a better man. I only care that you are an effective tool in our mission."

"What do you want me to do?"

On the beach, the two men were standing next to each other, engaged in deep discussion. She relaxed. "You will know soon enough, Laurent. Please go inside and leave me in peace."

…..

TBC