CHAPTER SIXTEEN
"Well, the best I can say is Agent McGee is still alive." The doctor looked exhausted, his face gray with fatigue. "He's lost a lot of blood. We nearly lost him twice on the table. The bullet ricocheted around some, nicking his spleen and liver, puncturing a lung, and barely missing his heart. It did a lot of damage. However, we have another problem. The bullet is lodged right by his spine. There's too much swelling for me to easily reach it so for the moment, it's better to leave it where it is."
"But will he be okay?" blurted Abby, twisting her hands. "He's gonna be, right?"
The doctor grimaced, running a hand across his bloodshot eyes. "Miss, I don't know. Right now, his condition is very precarious. I don't know how much damage might have been done to the spinal nerves. There are simply too many unknowns. He is on a ventilator and the next twenty-four to forty-eight hours are critical. If he survives, his chances increase significantly. But," he sighed surveying the intense faces before him, "There are no guarantees. Has his next of kin has been notified?"
"We're working on it," replied Vance.
The doctor eyed him wearily. "I hope it won't take too long."
Gibbs stepped forward. "Can I see him? Just for a second."
At first it looked as though the doctor would refuse, but he studied the intensity of the man before him then nodded. "For just a moment. He's in recovery. Come with me."
Gibbs glanced back at his team. He could read the hope etched on their faces, as if he could perform some miracle and ensure McGee's survival. He knew he didn't have that power. No one did, save God, but he wanted McGee to know, even if was deep within his subconscious, that he wasn't alone. That his team had his back and always would.
xxx
The waiting room outside the ICU was empty when Admiral McGee and Lt. Owens arrived sometime after seven that morning. The admiral looked around and felt a certain level of satisfaction and relief that none of Tim's NCIS team appeared to be in the vicinity. He figured they'd be hovering around Tim's room twenty-four seven. Guess they didn't care as much as they professed.
He and Owens stood outside the observation window. The nurse had told them she would take the admiral in to see his son whenever he was ready. Staring at his son, buried in a tangle of tubes and wires, Admiral McGee wondered if he ever would be.
"I know I've said it before, Admiral," said Owens quietly, "I really am sorry about what's happened to your son, but it wasn't your fault."
The admiral gave a short laugh. "No, Jason, I know I didn't personally that pull that trigger, but Tim took a bullet meant for me. A father is supposed to protect his son. Not the other way round." His voice was not quite steady. Owens glanced at him.
"I've been a real asshole to Tim," continued Admiral McGee, staring through the glass. "I never treated him like I should have. Always expected what he couldn't give. I wanted him to be like me. I know everyone thinks I'm punishing him for not going to the Academy. But, it's so much more than that."
"Sir?"
"Jason, you're Navy through and through. The Navy is your family, right?"
"Yes, sir. No doubt about that."
McGee nodded. "Mine too. And that's where the trouble lies. As you know, my father was an admiral, as was his before him. There have been McGees in the Navy since almost back to the Revolution. I wanted to continue that tradition with Tim. But, again, it was more than that."
Owens said nothing, just waited expectantly.
"When I was young, like Tim, I didn't get along very well with my dad either. He wasn't around much, always off at sea. Didn't have a lot of time for his family. But my mother, as crazy as she is, is a strong woman. She dealt with it and made sure we appreciated what we had." He rubbed his eyes for a moment. "Then I went to the Academy and everything changed. For the first time in my life, I saw respect in my father's eyes. Oh, that's not to say he wasn't proud of my accomplishments before that, but now, now he saw me as an equal. An officer in the United States Navy. Our relationship changed dramatically from that day forward. We finally had something in common. We bonded in a way that had been impossible before. And that, that is what I wanted with Tim. When he rejected any idea of attending the Academy, it's like he rejected me. Rejected the opportunity to finally establish the kind of relationship we both wanted. And that hurt. Far more than I ever wanted to admit."
Owens shifted, his eyes slid from the admiral to Agent McGee's still form beyond the glass.
"So, what about now, sir? If he lives, I mean."
The admiral stared hard at his son for a long moment. "It's going to be different, Jason. It has to be. I've been a fool. Wasted an entire lifetime trying to form Tim into something he was never going to be and then resenting him for it. I don't even know if he'll forgive me for being such a bastard, but I've got to try. I want my son back."
Admiral McGee turned and spoke softly to the nurse. She smiled and led him into Tim's cubicle then left. Outside the glass Owens stiffened as the Admiral laid a hand on his son's brow and leaned forward to whisper something to him.
Slowly, he curled his hand into a tight fist, then Lt. Owens turned sharply on his heel and stalked away.
xxx
Tucking his shirttail into his trousers, Tony hurried back to the ICU. He hated leaving Tim for even a minute, but sometimes even the call of nature couldn't be resisted. The ICU nurses would only allow him inside to be with McGee for five minutes every couple of hours, but still, he hated leaving his post outside. The team had eventually decided that it didn't make sense for them all to stay. There was still much work to be done back at NCIS, so they agreed to take shifts. Tony wanted to be first. He thought Gibbs might fight him for it, but after all, Gibbs had ridden in with McGee in the ambulance and stayed through the night. He might not admit it, but Tony knew the boss was exhausted. However, he wouldn't be surprised to see Gibbs back soon.
He turned the corner and stumbled to a halt. Lt. Owens stood just a few feet away, waiting for the elevator. Owens turned his head and regarded Tony calmly.
"Hello Agent DiNozzo. Glad to see you NCIS people didn't abandon Tim completely."
Tony gritted his teeth so hard his jaw ached. "What the hell are you doing here, Owens?"
Owens shrugged. "Not much. Admiral McGee is with his son. I'm going for coffee."
Tony's eyes flicked to the ICU entrance at the end of the hall. He turned back to Owens and then gave him a wide grin.
"Gee, Owens, I guess your days of Number One Son are numbered. That's too bad since you and Daddy Dearest deserve each other. You're both a pair of SOBs." Tony felt a surge of triumph as Owens' face reddened.
"And now with Tim the Man of the Hour, where is that going to leave you? I mean, I'm pretty sure you weren't the one who tracked down the killer and you certainly didn't put yourself in harm's way for your beloved admiral, now did you? No, that was some computer nerd who according to you, hardly knew which end of the gun to shoot."
Tony took several steps until he was toe to toe with the seething Owens. "Tim McGee is one of the bravest men I know. He took a bullet for a man who wasn't good enough to clean his boots and if I had my choice, neither you nor that scumbag admiral would be allowed with a hundred miles of Tim."
Owens eyes narrowed then he laughed. "You NCIS guys really think you're something, don't you? Defending poor little Timmy McGee. Well, you know something? The only reason he was shot was because he was stupid. A good agent, somebody who actually knew what the hell they were doing, would never have been so sloppy. Frankly, he deserved what he got."
Tony never even paused to take a breath or give it conscious thought. Instinctively, his fist shot out and caught Owens squarely in the face. Tony experienced a distinct sense of satisfaction as the cartilage of Owens' nose gave way beneath his blow. He stepped back avoiding the gush of blood.
"You sonofabitch!" snarled Owens pressing his hand against his face trying to stem the flow. He started towards Tony, murder in his eyes. Tony was ready for him.
"Stop right there."
The force behind the command was enough to bring both men up short. Neither had noticed the elevator door open, but they backed up a step as Gibbs strode out, glaring at both of them.
"I don't even want to know what the hell is going on here." Gibbs snapped his gaze to Owens. "Go downstairs and get that looked at. You're a mess."
"But…!" Owens was not going to give up so easily. His breath came hard and fast.
Gibbs glared harder. "I said, go get that looked at. Now!"
Owens stood fuming for a moment longer before yanking a handkerchief from his pocket and pressing it to his battered face. He turned briefly to Tony, his eyes dark with fury. "You'll regret this DiNozzo." Then, he stalked into the waiting elevator.
As the doors dinged shut, Gibbs turned his attention back to Tony.
"Boss…listen, I know I shouldn't have but…"
Gibbs held up a hand, then clapped it on Tony's shoulder and smiled. "It's about time."
xxxx
A/N: Thanks again for all the great reviews, favorites, and follows! Hate to say it, but I have to leave town again tomorrow (son's graduation – last one! Whoohoo!), so it might be awhile before the next update. Sorry for the delay but I'll get the next chapter up as soon as I can.