Chapter 5

Returning to the mortal world always zapped Tim's strength, doing so with his boss and two friends in tow drained him even more, as they left the Ne'er he stumbled.

"You ok McGee?" Gibbs asked.

"Tired," Tim said, it had been daylight in the Ne'er when they left and it was now dark in D.C. they had come out the same place they'd entered and the cars were still there.

"Maybe you should rest up." Gibbs offered.

"No…not now…Abby I need your help." Tim said turning to her, "Do you know of anyone in your circles who is dabbling in ancient pagan magic?"

"I can ask around, see if anyone knows anything." Abby said heading to the back seat of the car.

Tim climbed in the back handing Gibbs the keys on his way past, "I shouldn't drive boss." He said and climbed in the back, by the time Tony got in shotgun, Tim was asleep.

"Call Vance." Gibbs told Tony as they headed back to the naval yard, "Need to fill him in."

Pulling up outside NCIS, the security guards took one look at Tim asleep in the back of Gibbs' car and bit back a smile, "You been working your team hard again Agent Gibbs?" Harry asked.

Gibbs smirked, "Teenagers!" he said nodding his head towards Tim with a grin.

Harry didn't get it but figured he'd go with the joke, "They been running your team ragged again."

"Yeah," Gibbs said as he drove into the yard.

Tony sighed, "That was close."

Gibbs glared at him, "Wasn't lying DiNozzo." He said. He turned and shook Tim on the shoulder, "Tim, we're back, you need to wake up now."

"Give me five minutes Pix…" Tim slurred half asleep.

Tony stood behind Abby, "This is gonna be good." He whispered in her ear.

Gibbs stepped back from the car. "GRAB YA GEAR!" he yelled.

Tim shot up grabbed his bag and tried to get out of the car, forgetting he still had the safety belt attached he looked up with a glare as both Abby and Tony were laughing.

"No fair Abs!" Tim griped as Vance walked over to them.

"Sleeping on the job Agent McGee?" He asked a twinkle in his eye.

"Shu'up Leon." Tim growled.

Leon looked at the others, "Did you drive straight here?" he asked.

Gibbs nodded, "Tim insisted said he needed to see you."

"We need to get him down to Ducky, he'll need checking over bringing the three of you back by himself what was he thinking?" he snapped.

Tony helped Tim out of the car, "No….Leon….wait…Morrigan…"Tim said and passed out again.

Leon blanched and helped with Tim, "Let's get him to Ducky and we can talk." He said.

They got him into the elevator and the doors closed, "He wasn't this tired when he brought us through the first time?" Tony said

Vance nodded, "My sister was helping him, she knew he was coming, I take it she didn't let on when he saw her."

"The red-head?" Gibbs asked.

Vance smiled, "Yes Jethro, the red-head."

"No she made it look like Tim had done it himself."

Leon smiled, "She always like boosting the little one's confidence." He said.

"Will he be ok?" Abby asked worried.

"Yeah, he'll learn from this Ms Sciuto, just like you did when you were a child."

"Notta kid…!" Tim grumbled as he tried to wake up.

"Come on McSleepingbeauty, gonna have Ducky check you out." Tony said as the doors to the elevator opened on the autopsy level.

Ducky looked up as the team walked back into the autopsy. "Timothy, my boy are you alright?" He asked as they gently helped him to a spare slab and lifted him up.

"'ust sleepy duck…" Tim sighed and yawned.

"He's a bit dehydrated; he pulled the team back to this side of the Ne'er by himself." Leon told Dr. Mallard. "He is too young, however, my sister didn't tell him to call her for help and he tried it himself."

Ducky nodded and took his vitals, "I'll give him an I.V of fluids, let him rest here for a bit, he should be alright."

"No…Leon, Morrigan, she's working with a mortal…"Tim yawned again, "She's got higher help…Abby's looking but I don't have the power to call Morrigan."

"Sleep little one, I'll deal with this." Leon said carding a hand through Tim's hair as he closed his eyes.

He motioned for the others to leave and they followed him.

Abby got off the elevator at her floor promising to keep her lab locked and any information would be taken to Gibbs and Vance directly.

Tony, Vance and Gibbs walked into Vance's office and he locked the door.

"OK," Gibbs said after a moment's pause, "Who is Morrigan and why is Tim so scared of her."

"Morrigan is a Celtic God, she one of the highest of the Fae. She is charged with keeping the balance of power, to have her involved in this is big, but worse the accusation that she is working for or being manipulated by a mortal."

"How much damage can she do?" Tony asked.

Vance smiled a cold cruel smile, "Remember Atlantis?" he asked.

"The mythical city, that sank?" Tony asked.

Vance nodded still smiling the same smile, "Wasn't mythical, it was a real island near Greece, Morrigan was controlled by a human king, named Durga, he wanted her power, he fell in love with her and then spurned her, she doesn't like being used, so she got her revenge."

"And this time?" Gibbs asked.

"If you can find and punish the person responsible for Judson's death, the mortal person responsible, maybe we can persuade her to let it go."

"You think it'll be that easy?" Gibbs asked.

"Nothing is ever that easy." Leon replied with a sigh.

Tim woke up to find Ducky watching him sipping a cup of tea, "Timothy, would you care to join me?" he asked.

Tim sat up and rubbed his eyes as Ducky held a cup out for him.

"Please." He did feel thirsty although truth be told he'd kill for a Hairy Ogre Hangover, but he'd never admit it, tea was good too, he surmised.

He sat up and stretched, "Where's the others?" he asked.

"Abigail is in her lab, looking for someone you asked her to find, the others are upstairs with Director Vance, being filled in on someone called Morrigan."

Tim choked on his tea. "M…Morrigan?" he waited as everything became clear. "How long have I been here?" he asked.

"Just a few hours my lad, apparently taking your team through the 'portal'?" He stopped for clarification and then continued as Tim gave it, "The Portal zapped your strength, and your aunt helped you through the first time." Ducky told him.

"Aunt Fall, she never said…I…I thought I had…" Tim's face fell, "No matter how old I think I am I'm still a child." He stood up and paced the room. "I can't help if I'm too young to do anything." He stropped.

"Timothy, May I suggest if you want to be thought of as an adult, that you act like one." Ducky admonished.

Tim stopped and realized he was acting like a teenager, "I'm sorry Ducky, I…I don't know why I did that."

Ducky smiled, he could honestly see why Vance called him little one. "Maybe you should head upstairs and see if you can help the others now you are fully recovered." He prompted.

Tim nodded, "Yeah, thanks Ducky." He said and headed for the elevator.

Walking from Autopsy to the elevator that would take him to the bullpen via the back entrance, Abby caught him, "Timmy, I think I may have who we're looking for, you heading up to Gibbs?" she asked.

Tim nodded, "I am you wanna tag along?" he offered, she smiled took his arm and they walked to the elevator together.

As the doors shut Abby turned to Tim, "I know this must be unsettling for you," She said, "I just want you to know I remember the dreams you had about your parents and I know how much you hurt, I did think it was just a dream, but now I know it's real I want you to know I'm here for you." She offered.

"Thanks Abbs." He smiled as the door closed.

Walking arm and arm into the bullpen Gibbs smiled, it was nice to see Tim so relaxed and although he knew that Tim and Abby weren't a couple anymore it was nice to see that they still had a close friendship.

"What'ya got Abbs." Gibbs voice floated across the bullpen.

Abby smiled, "I had a call from one of my contacts." She said walking up to him and grabbing the clicker for the plasma. "Petty office Jake Stevenson, I called Carol and she said he'd been pretty heavy into black magic and Paganism he was also on the same ship as Judson Stillwell." She said with a smile on her face.

"I need to go back, I'll show Rage, see if he recognizes the man. If he does we can bring him in boss."

"For what?!" Gibbs asked.

The trio stopped and looked at him.

"I know you want to clear your brother McGee, but so far all we have is that 'spooky' stuff of yours, I need something that will tie Stevenson into Stillwell's murder. Otherwise this is going to just end up a cold case pretty quickly."

"Tim, go see your brother, get verification on the I.D. Abbs, forensics, anything that will tie Stevenson to this case and no Carol's say so won't do. DiNozzo…Look through the files, see if there were any grievances filed against Stevenson by Stillwell, a reason that Stevenson would want to murder Stillwell…." Gibbs said.

They all started to move. "And People…." Gibbs said, they all stopped, "Just because we are looking at Stevenson for the normal angle to this case, do not rule out anyone else as a suspect." He advised.

A chorus of "Yes Boss," and "Yes Gibbs." Met his ears and he watched as his team went their separate ways.