WARNING: Luke is back, so this chapter is going to contain references of child molestation.

In fact, we are going to get several memories ... they are going to come fast and furious in this land ... expect many more revelations before they move on.

Well, I'm going to shut up and let you guys get to reading.

Standard disclaimer: I own nothing, I am not making any money.

Ziva kept talking to Tim, but never being a great conversationalist, she quickly ran out of things to talk about.

Tony may not have been able to help Tim directly, but he knew how to assist Ziva. He sat down by her then started bringing up movies, throwing barbs or jokes, anything to help the conversation going.

Ziva looked at her partner and smiled her thanks. They started into their usual banter, which made it easier for Ziva to keep talking.

Gibbs watched over his brood and started to notice something the other two seemed to be missing, Tim was responding to Tony's comments.

Tony would make one of his smart-ass remarks, Ziva would snark back, then look down and talk to Tim to draw his attention. He would smile or nod, then Ziva would look back to Tony to continue the conversation. Neither of them noticed that Tim was looking right at DiNozzo when he talked, then nodding to Ziva when she spoke him.

The first real flutters of hope worked its way into Gibbs' heart. He sat back and enjoyed the show, a slight up-turn at the corner of his mouth showed the first good feeling he had since Tim's soul had been taken.

In the middle of a debate about what is the greatest film ever made, Gone with the Wind or Rocky, Tim closed his eyes and let out a loud groan.

Ziva and Tony stopped talking, while Gibbs came over to stand by the trio.

Ziva put her free hand to Tim's cheek. "Easy my friend, listen to the sound of my voice only." She squeezed her arm closer around the boy, but it didn't seem to be helping this time.

Tim's pained voice was small, but it felt like he was yelling with what he was saying. "I ... I have to ... help them ... because ... I'm just ... like them ... a terrible, terrible ... person ... no better ... than ..."

"Open your eyes and look at me." Ziva said quietly, but firmly.

Tim's eyes fluttered open and it took him a long moment to focus on Ziva's face.

"You are a very good person."

Tim shook his head. "No ... I ... for what I ... let happen ... for ..."

She blinked in shock as she realized what he was talking about, when she did she became very angry, but knew to control it. After a deep breath she responded calmly. "No. You are not at fault for what that man did to you."

Tim's eyes were starting to turn glassy and his team was worried that he was about to relive that horrible memory again.

"Tim! Listen to me, you are not to blame ... you did nothing wrong ..."

Ziva's pleading didn't work, his eyes fully glassed over and they experienced the now familiar scene shift. However, instead of being on the dock like they were expecting, they were inside a house.

This was different from the house in Tim's first memory they had shared, this one held the warmth that a family home should be infused with. Tim was sitting in an upper hallway, looking through wooden railing. Team Gibbs followed his gaze to watch a much younger Penny busily cooking away.

There was a knock at the side kitchen door and before Penny could respond, it opened revealing a very flustered, but familiar looking woman. They quickly realized it was Tim's mother.

"Barbara? What are you doing here?" The team could tell that Penny was being polite, but barely.

"They've lost contact ..." Barbara sat heavily in the nearest chair.

Penny sighed deeply. "We've been through this before. Being a Navy wife, you have to understand things like this are going to happen." It sounded as if she was explaining something to a small child for the umpth time.

Barbara shook her head. "No ... this time its different ... I can feel it." She placed her hand over her abdomen. "I think I'm pregnant."

That made Penny freeze in her tracks and up in the hallway Tim gasped.

"I thought you two weren't going to have any more." Penny took a disapproving tone.

"We weren't going to! It's not like we were trying!" She put her head in her hands. "What am I going to do?! Terry told me that they think something's wrong."

"Damn him. He shouldn't be telling you anything."

"Why?! Why shouldn't I know what's going on?"

"What can you do from here? Worry?" Penny sat down, reached out and patted her daughter-in-law's arm. "Just calm down. We'll take it one day at a time. Why don't you spend some time with Tim?"

Barbara shook her head.

Penny let out an annoyed breath. "Well, then let me make you something to drink. I've found this new tea that is supposed to be very calming."

Tim stood and went into his room. This room fit him perfectly, it was neatly kept, but showed his personality in every corner. On the walls were pictures of Eisenstein, an internal diagram of a Navy ship, the list of Boy Scout values, and lots of first and second place medals and trophies.

Tim paced for several minutes, then he put on his shoes, grabbed a jacket, then climbed out his window. He went into the backyard, got his bicycle then took off down the street.

The scene shifted and they found themselves at the dreaded docks, Tim standing and staring up at the yacht, taking deep breaths to calm himself. When he felt ready, he slowly climbed the ladder. As soon as he reached the deck, he grabbed his stomach as it churned.

Tim forced himself to stand straighter, marched himself to the door and pounded on it. At first there was no answer, so he tried again ... and again. He was about to give one last effort when the door swung open and a very drunk Luke was looming over him.

"Well, well, well. Look who's here." His words were so slurred that Tim wasn't sure what Luke was actually saying.

"I didn't tell! Not anyone! Why is my dad missing!?"

Luke leaned heavily against the door frame. It took a moment for him to come out of his stupor and come up with a lie. "We didn't get to finish what we started. Have to say that was pretty clever of you to pretend to get seasick."

"But you said that as long as I didn't tell anyone nothing would happen to my dad! You never ..."

"Oh, but we didn't get to all the rules ... didn't have the opportunity." A wicked smiled came to his face. "Real men always finish what they start."

Tim swallowed hard. "I-if we f-f-finish, y-you'll b-bring my d-dad h-home."

"Sure kid." Luke stepped back to let Tim come into the cabin, but he paused.

"H-how d-do I k-know y-you'll k-keep y-your w-w-word?"

"Ah, so you have learned something, very good. Well how about this, you come here every weekend for one month. If I don't have your dad back to you by then, you can stop."

Tim debated it, fear written all over his face and his body was shaking, but he nodded his agreement.

"Good boy. So why don't you come in and we'll get started."

"S-so t-t-t-this will b-be w-week one?"

"Oh no. This is a down payment. See, I need to know that you'll be a man of your word. I could start working on bringing your dad back and then you don't show up next week. You show me your serious and I'll be just as serious."

Tim couldn't seem to get his feet to move.

"What? Backing out already."

It looked as if his foot weighed a ton as he took his first step towards the door. Eventually, he made his way into the cabin of the yacht, Luke closing the door behind him.

The scene shifted once again. Tim was in an out cropping of tress. His bike tossed to the side while he was on his knees throwing up. Once he was done, he picked himself up and pedaled his way home.

It scene faded out, leaving the team once again shocked.

Tim was staring past Ziva's shoulder, not focusing on her. "What I let him do to me ... and my dad ... he ..." his eyes glazed back over and a new memory started.

They were back at Penny's house and Tim was again in the hallway, watching a scene unfold in the kitchen. His mom and dad were arguing and Penny was trying to be referee.

"You have no right to tell me anything! You just run off! You say you're going on missions, but I know that's just your way of getting away from me!"

"Barb, you have no idea what you're talking about!"

"Oh no, Vic! What about that poor excuse of a son you have! You dump him on me and go have your fun! No wonder he's such a wimp!"

Penny jumped in, trying to make her voice heard above the other two. "Barbara! Don't talk about Tim like that!"

Victor flushed with rage. "I'll make a man out of him yet! Once I get him back to Luke ..."

"Back to Luke! You can't even do it yourself, figures! It takes a man to make a man, no wonder your son is such a loser!"

"Stop it you two! Tim doesn't deserve to be brought in the middle of your fight!"

Neither of them listened to Penny, even though her voice was just as loud, her pleas went unheard.

"Doesn't matter anyway! Your buddy went and blew himself up!"

"What?!"

"Barbara!"

Tim's mother sneered at her husband. "Oh, you haven't been told.? His boat went up like fireworks, and him with it. Looks like you'll have to pawn your responsibility off on someone else."

Vic sat down heavily in a chair while his wife and his mother kept fighting.

Tim retreated to his room. He quietly closed the door, and with his back towards the door he slid down to a seated position. He gave a small smile as a tear worked down his face. Then his expression changed and he angrily wiped at his face. He didn't move and stared off into space, however the memory didn't fade.

Ziva walked over and knelt in front of him. "Tim?"

"It's wrong. Only terrible people are glad when someone dies. I shouldn't be glad, but I am and that makes me a terrible person. My dad must have known all along, that's why he never wanted me ... why he doesn't love me ... because he knows I'm a terrible, horrible person."

Ziva grabbed his face in her hands and gave him a slight shake. "You listen to me. You are the best person I have ever known. You would never wish harm on anyone ..."

"But ..."

Ziva raised her voice slightly. "However, there is nothing wrong with being glad that a monster is dead."

"I ..."

"Nothing!" Ziva leaned in and kissed his forehead. "You were very brave and selfless to sacrifice yourself to help your father. You are NOT to take any blame on yourself for what that man did to you, either time." She could see that she wasn't getting through to him, so she tried for a different approach.

"You think I am a good person, yes?"

Tim nodded to her.

"Well, I am very happy to hear that man is dead. Does that change your opinion of me?"

He vigorously shook his head.

"Then it should not change your opinion of yourself either, no?"

Tim wore a shocked expression as he considered what Ziva said. "I'm not a bad person?"

Ziva did not respond, knowing it was a rhetorical question, she let him analyze more.

"I'm not a bad person." It was said as barely a whisper. When he said it again, it was louder and stronger. "I am not a bad person." He looked directly into Ziva's eyes. "I am not a bad person."

"Not now, not ever."

Tim leaned into her, hugging her tightly, repeating the same phrase over and over. The memory finally faded away as Ziva scooped Tim up into her arms and held him tightly.

She turned to face Tony and Gibbs. She had tears streaming down her face, but her eyes blazed with with the anger and hate they all felt. She stroked the boy's back and kept him close until he calmed.

Tony and Gibbs retreated to their sleeping bags, both laying down and staring up into the strange sky.

"I wish that man was still alive."

"Tony ..."

"I'd love for him to feel even just an ounce of the terror he put Tim through."

"You'd never get the chance."

Tony rolled on to his side to face Gibbs. "Don't give me all the bull about ..." He took one look at his team leader and realized the man wasn't talking about rules and regulations. The set jaw, the narrowed eyes, and balled fists all meant that there wouldn't have been anything left for Tony after Gibbs would have got through with him.

Tony rolled onto his back again. I thought I knew Tim inside and out, boy, was I wrong. If we ever get the hell out of here, I'll ... well, there's going to be some changes.

Both Tony and Gibbs laid quietly next to each other but were miles apart.