So, after you guys gave the spoiler about Tim's dad finally making an appearance, I went googling. I found this site: /2013/02/25/ncis-season-10-spoilers-jamey-sheridan-cast-mcgee-father Just in case anyone else was curious. I hope that not only the actor, but the writers go back to what has already been mentioned about Daddy McGee ... consistency would be nice.

In my opinion, it would be nice to see a relationship that couldn't be fixed. Not all parents are good people ... they show it enough in the cases that the team work, but everything always ends up sunshine and rainbows when it comes to the team.

Well, I'm going to stop before I really get going on that rant. Hope you all enjoy!

The sounds of the Marsh reached them first; pitiful crying and moaning, yells, screams, and begging.

They had to scramble up a slippery embankment. Once they were standing on top, they could see the Marsh spread out before them ... and all the people being held down by their regrets. There seemed to be thousands upon thousands of souls stuck.

Tony turned to Ari. "How are we possibly going to be able to find him in all of that?!"

"The same way Archer found him ... his light."

Tony took a step back horrified. "Wait a second! Are you saying I'm the reason Archer came after us? Because Tim shared his light with me!? Because I was too weak ..."

Ari strode over to Tony and grabbed him by the arms and shook him. "Enough! If we are going to walk into the Marsh, we cannot have our own regrets weighing us down!"

Tony pulled away from the Israeli. "I have to know! Before we take one step more ... please."

Ari sighed and then ran his hand through his hair. "Yes. It was because Neri shared his light with you that Archer knew he was back in these lands." He rushed to continue when he saw the crushed look on DiNozzo's face. "That confrontation was going to happen sooner or later. At least now we both have a way to locate him."

"How?"

Ari smiled. He turned to look at Tony. "Feel for him."

"What?"

Ari cocked his head to the side, trying to find different words for what he wanted to express. He settled on a version of Tim's own words. "Reach out with your heart. You have a part of him inside you."

Something clicked inside of Tony. "He shared his light with you, too, didn't he?"

Ari's smile widened. "Yes, so now, you and I finally have something in common."

"So that's why the two of you are so connected."

"Indeed he did DiNozzo. Now, are you ready. Concentrate. Between the two of us, we should be able to find him in no time."

Tony nodded and closed his eyes, trying to remember how to reach out with his heart. He was having trouble at first, since his heart was something that he protected very aggressively. However, all he had to do was think of Tim; his generous spirit, his faith in his friends and humanity.

The heart of a lion ... As soon as Tony thought those words, he felt the pull of his friend. "Found him! I've found him! Ari!"

"Yes! Good! Come on." Ari took three steps, then stopped and turned to Gibbs. "Do no get distracted. You may be tempted to help other souls, but if we are to save Neri, we must have a single-minded focus." He kept eye contact with Gibbs the entire time, know he would be the one most tempted. "I understand this will be hard for you, but ..."

Gibbs nodded. "I understand."

"Good." Ari turned back around and took off, Tony right at his heels. Gibbs and Ziva were only a few steps behind.

Ziva walked next to Gibbs, she noticed how he was keeping his focus on Ari's back. So as not to become distracted by the other souls, she thought. She shifted her own focus forward and let a soft smile show. Seeing Ari and Tony practically side by side made her happy. I wonder if things could have been like this in the living world? Maybe if we could have had Tim actually interact with Ari ... who knows. She sighed to herself, but kept pushing forward.

They past by many souls, but none acknowledged them nor did the team give them any notice. They didn't stop until they heard a familiar voice ... one that stunned the rest of the team.

"It's your fault! If you wouldn't have moved, you'd be dead instead of me! I was more important to the team! It should have been you!"

Tony was the one who asked, "Is that Kate?"

Ari turned to them. "No. It is just a physical manifestation of someone that holds regrets for Neri. It could be someone dead or living. Remember this is what he feels, what he perceives. It doesn't have to be anything actual, just something that weighs on his heart. Understand?"

When he received three nods, he continued. "I want you to take a look around, very quickly, before we get to Neri ... to prepare yourselves for what you will see."

They followed his instructions and finally took a good look at the marsh. They had tuned out the voices they had heard before, but now ... now they looked around in stunned silence.

There were the souls that were stuck in the marsh; some up to their waist, others to their knees or chest, still others all you could see were their hands. Then you had the manifestations of their regret pushing on them, holding the soul under the water - some one at a time, others had multiple manifestations. The entire time the manifestations were saying terrible things to the souls they were torturing.

Some of the souls were fighting back, pleading their case or apologizing. Others were just quietly accepting the barrage, offering no resistance to their regret.

A soul had made it almost completely out of the water, but then hands shot out from underneath and dragged it back down.

Once he felt they had absorbed enough, Ari spoke to gain their attention. "Come, let's move on."

The three once again nodded and they moved as a unit.

It took only five more steps and they were able to see Tim. However, Kate had morphed into Erin Kendall. She was holding Tim by the scruff of his neck. "How could you let me die! You were right there ... right there! And you did nothing! You are pathetic!" At her last words she pushed Tim under the murky water. "You should be dead! Not me!"

When Tim was pulled up again, his manifestation changed again, this time from Erin to Petty Officer Cove, one of the men who had died at Landon's hand.

"You and your stupid book! If you were any kind of a real writer, you would have used your own characters! Then I'd still be alive! It's your fault that I'm dead ... your fault!" He thrust Tim down, once again submerging the boy.

Ziva had to look away. "Has he been going through that this entire time?"

Ar nodded. "I'm afraid so, sister." He fell silent for just a moment, as he considered their next step. "We have to approach this carefully. Even though these are just manifestations, they can take on a will of their own. They don't want anything to interfere with the punishment they are doling out."

As they slowly approached, Tim's manifestation once again changed ... this time into Abby.

"Wait! Abby's not dead." Tony exclaimed.

Ari shook his head. "No. Remember, these are Neri's regrets. It can be anything or anyone ... living or dead."

The Abby manifestation's screeching caught their attention. "You shot a poor, defenseless dog! How could you?!" She dunked him, but this time the manifestation stayed as Abby. "You let me put myself in harm's way! Just because you offered yourself as a hostage, doesn't make up for what you did!" Another dunking, a little long this time, but it was still Abby when Tim was brought up.

"You never take good care of me! No wonder Gibbs' doesn't love you like the rest of us! You'll never measure up!"

Gibbs stopped moving and stood grounded to his spot. "Does he really think that I don't ..."

Before anyone could answer him, Abby changed into Gibbs. "I'm sorry I ever brought you on my team! You're worthless! Always have been always will be!" Tim was once again thrust under the water, even longer than before.

This time when he was pulled up, both Ari and Tony grabbed at their hearts. It was Tony who spoke. "He's changing ... he's losing his light."

"It's your fault Kate is dead! You can never protect Abby properly! Mawher, Landon, Thorson,in Mexico, you let me down each and every time!"

Gibbs was shocked, then he was angry. He didn't care if Tim hadn't acknowledged him yet, he was going to make Tim see him, one way or another. He barely heard the rest of the team call out to him as he stormed past Ari, Tim his only focus.

The manifestation of himself was holding Tim underwater, so Gibbs knelt down and reached under the water with his hands. He pulled Tim above the water, holding both sides of the boy's face. "You listen to me right now! I never held you responsible for Kate, NEVER! As for Abby, she is responsible for herself! She has made choices that not only put herself in danger, but you too."

Tim eyes were unfocused and moved as if they were trying to figure out where the sound was coming from.

"I know you can hear me! Don't ever forget, you belong to me! Remember! I told you that when you became part of my team ... part of my family. And you are, Tim! I may have been bad at showing it, but I am going to spend the rest of my life showing you just how important you are to me! How proud I am of you!"

Tim's eyes finally stopped searching and landed firmly on Gibbs' ice blue eyes. "Really?"

Gibbs smiled. "Yes, Tim, really. I ..." he never got to finish what he wanted to say. A pain shot through his back and it took his breath away. Suddenly he was being lifted away from Tim, and he realized how much his chest hurt too.

Archer's horrible laugh filled the air. The team watched in horror as he rose from the depths of the Marsh. He speared Gibbs' with one of his legs, then lifted him away from Tim. He flung Gibbs loose, sending him flying towards his team.

Gibbs landed hard, Tony and Ziva rushed over to him. They looked at their boss, terrified, neither knowing how to stop the damage from being skewered ... but they tried.

"Ziva, use your jacket for the front! I'll lift him and use mine for his back!"

"Tony ..."

"Just do it Da'vid!"

She did as she was told, but in the back of her mind, she knew it was hopeless. Once they had everything in place and she was putting pressure on Gibbs' wound, she turned her head to watch her brother.

"I knew you would find him for me." Archer's pig face laughed.

Ari started to respond, but was cut off by a voice coming from behind Archer.

"That's enough!"

All eyes were drawn to that voice, even Gibbs who was only semi-conscious.

It was Tim. He was pulling himself out of the Marsh. He was on one knee, but as he stood up, he grew. Changing from a child to the adult and friend they all knew. Also, as he grew, a light appeared around him. It started as just a faint outline around his entire body, but its intensity was increasing second by second.

Archer just laughed, then snarled. "You! This is all your fault! I'm like this because of you!" He then charged Tim.

Tim's light kept growing. He opened his arms wide. as if waiting for a friend to hug him.

Archer roared in anger. He pulled two of his legs back, ready to deliver a killing blow.

"McGee Move!"

"Probie, get out of the way!"

However, their words fell on deaf ears. Everyone watched as Archer's legs reached Tim's body, but instead of piercing him, the legs froze in place.

Tim was ablaze with his light. The brown mousey hair was now blonde and blowing around as if caught in wind. His green eyes glowed and looked like stained glass when the sun shines through it.

Gibbs watched on, unable to do or say anything, knowing that he was dying. Suddenly, a blinding, pure white light grew out of Tim. It looked like a sun that was expanding, as the sphere of light grew and enveloped everything in its path.

Gibbs thought it was the most beautiful light he had ever seen. That was his last thought before the light enveloped him, then he knew nothing.