I want to thank everyone who has reviewed. McGeeksGirl,(chat later), Athea, Crawcolady, Little Bear, Sun, LadyBath,fantasdncer, cato,scousemusik,tealrose,hostaqueen, and guests and all of yous that are not mentioned!
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Ducky heard...a woman's voice? Another woman's voice rose in response to the first. "By any chance do you know if your pursuers are of the female gender, Timothy?" He looked down at the sleeping boy to realize he was still sleeping. Tim muttered as his head rolled from side to side. "Oh. I am sorry, Tim. Keep sleeping. Don't let me interrupt you, sweet boy." Ducky sat; silent and still…listening for more intruders and silently praying for Gibbs' immediate rescue.
/
As soon as Gibbs tapped on the brakes Tony exited the car and hit the ground running. His feet touched on the asphalt of the parking lot in front of his apartment, his gun drawn. He crouched behind the car the same time Gibbs yelled for him to take cover. "Secure the area, DiNozzo!"
"Okay boss!" Tony frazzled; realized what he said. He did not look to see Gibbs' response but kept his eyes on his apartment.
"Gibbs. The front door of my place is open."
Gibbs was now crouching beside him, behind the car for cover. "Uh-huh," he said calmly,scanning the area.
A man was walking his dog a few doors up from Tony's, oblivious to the recent gunfire that erupted in the area just minutes before. Gibbs blew a shrill whistle to the man. Once the neighbor saw Gibbs' gun he high-tailed.
/
Tony crossed the threshold of his apartment first, followed by Gibbs, their guns extracted from their holsters.
"Tony?"
"Wendy?"
"Tony!"
"Hey…Erin?" Tony replaced his gun in his holster. "How did you find us?"
"Tony. Who's Erin?" asked Wendy. Her arms were crossed in front of her chest, her jaw clenched,her gaze fixated on her fiance.
"I'm Tim's." said Erin. "And…I have my ways of locating my lost, hidden love." She coyly grinned towards Tony.
"Tim who?" asked Wendy raising her hands in the air. Her voice was getting louder with each demand.
Wendy and Erin stood in the foyer of Tony's apartment. They both glared at him with their hands on their hips. Gibbs walked past Tony to finish securing the rest of his apartment giving Tony an expression of sympathy before he exited the room.
"Wendy meet Erin. Erin, Wendy." The girls exchanged looks of impatience and distaste before they both brought their attention back to Tony.
"Where is Tim?" asked Erin to Tony.
"Where is who?!" asked Wendy, exasperated.
Tony stepped in front of Wendy grabbing her arms. "I'll explain everything, there's just something, well, someone I have to check on. He's under my protective custody. I've been working—didn't you get my call?"
"Oh, no! Don't give me that! I know this is all a...ploy. I've been calling you for three days now and this is the first I see of you. Is this your way of ditching me before the wedding? How can you have cold feet already, DiNozzo!?"
Gibbs' eyes were as wide as Erin's when he reentered the room. He stood behind Erin looking over her shoulder at Tony, earnestly. "You two gettin' hitched?" asked Gibbs. He secured his weapon as his head bounced from Tony back to Wendy waiting for an answer.
Erin smiled, her perfect white teeth bright; almost glowing. She glanced around the room, observing the different expressions of surprise, anguish and anger. She drew her shoulders to her ears and snorted, "This is getting good."
Gibbs sighed, as if uninterested in the soap opera unfolding in front of him. "Ducky?!" he called.
"Gibbs? We're in here!" They all drew their attention to the door of the crawlspace located on the far wall of the living room.
Gibbs was the first to reach it, squatting in front of the door to help Ducky out. An older man grunted and groaned as Gibbs assisted him, pulling him up by the arm. Duck's clothes were rumpled and sweat stained. Perspiration dripped from his face. "Ahh, thank you-"
"Tim?" asked Gibbs to Ducky. Tony was already pushing past the older man entering the crawlspace and calling Tim's name.
"Tim?!" Erin followed. "Do you mean he's in there? What happened?" Erin didn't wait for answers as she followed Tony.
"The young man has a high fever, Jethro. I believe he is fighting a simple infection that has been exacerbated by the extreme heat we had to endure while waiting for your arrival. I have come equipped with antibiotics which I will now administer to him but I am afraid I am plum out of fever reducer. Jethro. This young man needs rest if he is going to get better. His life has been one upheaval after the next-"
Tony and Erin resurfaced, dragging Tim by his wrists. "Do you have any fever reducer stocked in your apartment, Detective DiNozzo?" asked Ducky.
Erin knelt on the floor by Tim's side, stroking his hair. Tim was in a deep sleep.
"Uh? Fever reducer?" asked Tony.
"Yes. Motrin or-"
"Here Mr. Duck." Erin, handed the medical examiner a small white bottle that jiggled with the sound of pills. "I always come prepared. Lately Tim is full of surprises. How bad is he Mr. Duck?"
Duck appeared hesitant to answer the young woman, stuttering as he looked to Gibbs for guidance. Gibbs' expression was stern and unresponsive as he kept his focus on Tim.
Tony ignored Wendy's glare, though he could feel her eyes boring into his back. "Come on." he said to Gibbs and Ducky ignoring the pleas of the girls. "Let's get Tim back into bed so he can get the rest he needs and we can get this all sorted out." Gibbs helped Tony lift Tim by his arms, each draping one over their shoulders.
"Be careful of the dead body, Jethro!" said Ducky.
"What body?" asked Wendy and Erin simultaneously. Tony addressed the girls indirectly, keeping his sites on his bedroom door. "Anyone who is not a Baltimore detective or NCIS special agent or a medical examiner or a…Tim…needs to leave these premises immediately."
"But, Tony!" cried Wendy.
Tony?" asked Erin. Erin stepped closer to the men and touched Tim's cheek. Tim was unaware of her presence, his chin resting on his chest, his eyes closed.
"Leave Erin. You're jeopardizing your life and Tim's."
"And, Wendy?" asked Tony.
"Yeah, DiNozzo?"
"I'll call you when I can." Ducky entered the bedroom first followed by Tony, Tim and Gibbs. Gibbs shut the door behind him after giving the girls one last look, to be interpreted as a look of warning, before disappearing into Tony's bedroom..
/
Tony and Tim were moved to a new safe house within the next hour where Ducky stayed the rest of the night keeping watch over Tim to make sure his fever broke. Gibbs returned to DC with the evidence he and Tony had collected during the day leaving a promise he would call him as soon as he knew anything. He could not hide the eagerness to close the case and get Tim out of harm's way and see the kid's life get back to normal.
Tony phoned Danny and told him he'd be out of town for a few days. Danny asked if he was celebrating with Wendy over their good news and Tony didn't clarify leaving it at that. He hoped Wendy wasn't angry enough to snoop around and call Danny asking questions.
It was now twenty three hours and nineteen minutes and ten seconds that Tony and Tim had been relocated and Tony was bored out of his freaking mind. He had checked on Tim every twenty minutes for the last three hours hoping he'd be awake for some company but all he found was a snoring, scruffy teddy bear of a man sprawled across the king-sized bed. Tony had valiantly taken the single size mattress and glad he did seeing how much Tim liked to utilize his sleep space. Twenty two minutes and sixteen seconds later Tim woke finding Tony in the living room sorting laundry; the two pairs of tube socks, I pair of boxers, one pair of jeans and three shirts that he had quickly packed from home sat in a pile on the couch.
Tim looked dazed walking into the room, staying silent as he dropped himself onto an opposite chair. Tony folded his boxers laying them on the folded jeans then rested his elbows on his knees.
"You good Tonto?"
Tim nodded, as he rubbed his eyes, trying to wake up. He couldn't seem to stop yawning as he ran his fingers through his hair, then carefully stretched his arms above his head.
"Was…was that cop dead?" asked Tim.
Tony hesitated then answered. "Yup."
"I'm sorry-"
"No, Tim. You have no need to be sorry."
"Is Zoe-"
"Zoey is still swimming laps in her fish bowl. Dr. Mallard told me how worried you were for her." He made sure Tim noticed the pride in his smile towards him.
Tim blushed and stared at the pile of clothes. His voice was shaky when he spoke. "She's just so…vulnerable and…innocent."
"Yeah…Kinda like you." Tony mumbled to himself.
"Gibbs thinks Danny is playing a big part in all of this." said Tony.
"Do you agree?"
Tony shrugged. "Yeah. Well, maybe—I dunno. But you're the one taking the brunt of all of this whoever is responsible. So I promise, I'm not leaving you again."
Tim smiled looking at Tony until he returned the smile.
Tim yawned again then ran a hand over his face. "Wow, I need a shave."
Tony brought his attention back to his folding. "We're going to have to go Paul Bunyan style for a bit. We have no shavers here."
Tim sniggered, "Paul Bunyan. You're funny."
Tony smiled. "Hey do you remember Erin at my apartment?"
"Wait, what? She was there?"
Tony nodded. "She found you. I think she likes you." Tony wagged his eyebrows then tried to discern Tim's reaction in his sleepy-eyed expression.
"I really like her, too, but I don't know, I'm not sure she's the one for me. No real reason…Just that...It feels like she comes on too strong. It seems she doesn't trust me."
"Yeah, I think I know the feeling." Tony rolled his eyes ruefully.
"Whadya mean?"
"I'm supposed to be getting married within the next year."
Tim raised his eyebrows, and tilted his head. "Really?"
"She was there; too…Wendy is her name. You were still out of it. She was acting a little…psycho. I'm glad you didn't have to see that." Tony grinned, trying to keep it light. He remembered how much he wanted to check on Tim's condition but how Wendy stood in his way demanding his full attention and acting jealous because Erin had been in his apartment. The whole incident embarrassed him in front of Gibbs and Ducky; who he hadn't even been introduced to yet. It must have left a bad first impression to the distinguished medical examiner. "I'm getting the feeling she doesn't trust me, either. Looks like we're in the same boat." Tony frowned.
TBC
Expect some good-quality McNozzo time coming up.