Catalyst 15/?
Mar. 2nd, 2013 06:24 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
emerald_green37
Tim was more than a little annoyed when he arrived in the bullpen and walked straight up to Gibbs' desk, dropping the report on the wooden surface. Gibbs looked up as he leaned forward, their heads almost touching. "So much for rule four, right?"
Gibbs didn't react to the anger, keeping his voice too low to be heard beyond them. "Superseded by rule eighteen and nobody knows details."
"Yet."
"He's getting out of prison this week. A fact you forgot to mention."
Tim shook his head. "It's my problem, Gibbs."
Gibbs had a lot to say on that subject, but he decided to let the Director have the first crack at him. Unfortunately, the man in question came down the stairs, putting on his coat.
Vance pointed at McGee. "I've been summoned to the Hill. You do not step foot out of this building until I get back."
The last thing Gibbs wanted was any kind of delay. "Leon..."
Vance understood, but sitting at the big desk meant dealing with the politics. "I should only be gone an hour, two at the most. Finish the paperwork on the Carter case so we can put that to bed and concentrate on this."
It was a strange hour and a half as Gibbs stared at McGee, Tony and Ziva watched Gibbs watching McGee and McGee ignored them all.
In the quiet, the ding of the elevator one floor up could be clearly heard and three heads swiveled around to see who arrived, the metal doors just barely visible from down in the bullpen. Tim had still not looked up when Vance stepped off the elevator, but Gibbs crossed over to his desk and grabbed him by the elbow, propelling him over to, and up, the stairs. Tony half stood, wanting to follow, but Gibbs just shook his head at him.
When it was just the two of them in the bullpen, Tony looked over at Ziva. "Any ideas? Gibbs has been giving Probie weird looks for days now."
"Not weird." Ziva thought for a moment. "More like a lion, ready to devour his prey."
---NCIS---
Since Palmer had scooted out to make a phone call, Ducky took a tray full of samples up to Abby's lab, only to find her staring at her computer screen. "Abigail?"
"What did Tony do to McGee, Ducky?" She turned and threw her arms around him. Sitting on a stool, she didn't tower over him, so she buried her face against his shoulder. "Tony's scared to find out, but what if he does it again? I don't want Tim hurt but I don't want the team broken up, either."
"Tony?" Ducky sounded thoughtful and not totally surprised and Abby pulled back to look at him.
"Duck-man, what do you know?"
The older man looked thoughtful. "Honestly, my dear, I am not sure what I do know. All I do know is that it has Jethro rather disturbed and has something to do with young Timothy and a gentleman named Patterson."
"Patterson? Jack Patterson?"
"No, I did ask, and it has nothing to do with that poor, unfortunate man and I have been through every case since McGee joined the team. I can find nothing."
Now that she had a name, Abby was frantically typing and Ducky pulled up a chair to join her.
---NCIS---
Vance left his door open, knowing that Gibbs and McGee would be arriving momentarily, possibly followed by DiNozzo and David. It was just the two, however, and Gibbs started talking the second he was through the door.
"I want a protection detail for McGee the second Patterson is out of prison and McGee is moving in with me tonight."
"No."
They were expecting him to object, but that this vehemently. Gibbs poked him in the chest. "This is not open to discussion."
"The hell it's not." Tim pushed the hand away and started pacing. "It's my life and I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself."
"No one is suggesting otherwise." Vance cut in before Gibbs could say anything. "But you can't stay on guard 24-7. No one can. If you don't want to stay with Gibbs, what about one of the safe houses? You choose the agents you're comfortable with."
"For how long? I'm not going to live like that, hiding behind a bunch of guards in a hidden little apartment. We don't even know if he's going to try anything. I'm not the green rookie I was. If he comes after me, I'll be ready for him."
Gibbs finally lost it. "Damn it, why are you being so stubborn?"
"I learned from the best." McGee was breathing hard and turned to Vance. "If Patterson actually does something after he gets out, we'll deal with it, but I'm not going into hiding before anything happens, Sir." The sir was almost an afterthought as McGee headed for the door.
Gibbs growled and stormed out after him, catching McGee just as he was getting to the stairs and dragging him to the elevator. Vance had to laugh one he was alone. He wasn't quite sure what was going on, but he hadn't seen Gibbs that riled up since the last time his ex-wife was in the picture.
---NCIS---
Past cases eliminated, Abby cast her net wider, looking for any Patterson that might have crossed paths with McGee at some point. A sealed file on a former security guard caught her eye. The investigation was classified, per the direct order of then Director Tom Morrow, but the court records were not. Only the victim's name was blacked out of the public records.
"Looking at the original charges, his victim must have been pretty badly hurt, Ducky." Abby chewed on her thumb, not wanting to think about the possibility that the unnamed victim was one of her best friends. Hoping for a rebuttal, she looked over her shoulder at Ducky.
Ducky was more talking to himself than to Abby. "Jethro assumed I knew because I am 'his' doctor."
She still didn't want to believe it. "McGee? But, Ducky, this was originally classified as a hate crime. That means the victim was attacked because of race or..."
"Or perceived sexual orientation." Ducky remembered the rumors back then. "Oh, Timothy."
Abby was staring at the dates of the original arrest and teared up. "I yelled at him for not going to the hospital to visit Tony, Ducky. I yelled at my best friend after he'd... he'd..."
"There, there, my dear. I'm sure McGee doesn't hold it against you." Ducky reached out and laid his hand over Abby's to stop her as she continued to open files. "I believe we've pried enough into his personal life."
"Yeah, I guess you're right." Abby stilled, but the last file she'd clicked opened anyway. Detailed medical records were protected, but this was a simple approval for a consultation. Unfortunately, Ducky recognized the name of the physician and couldn't hide his reaction. Abby saw him suck in a breath at the doctor's name and before she even thought about what she was doing, she'd pulled up his bio.
"Ducky?"
"I know, my dear."
"Ducky, this guy specializes in repairing genital injuries in soldiers. Why would he... oh, Timmy." She was silent for a moment. "Just because he's sweet and cuddly, why did people think McGee was gay when he joined the team?"
"Because Tony told them he was."
Abby and Ducky spun around to see Jimmy at the door, looking embarrassed at his outburst. He shrugged and blushed. "Sorry, I was wondering where Dr. Mallard went and then I heard Abby ask and I think I'm just going to go back and..."
"Oh, no you don't, Jimmy." Abby ran over and grabbed his arm, dragging him into the room. "You tell us everything you know.
Jimmy took one look at the two determined faces and spilled everything he'd heard about the joke Tony had played years ago.
---NCIS---
Gibbs frog marched McGee into the elevator, slamming the emergency stop as soon as it had started to move. He crowded Tim into the corner, demanding answers. "Do you have a death wish, is that it? You want to fight it out with Patterson to prove something? How can I protect you if you won't let me near you?"
"I can't." Tim shoved Gibbs back to have enough room to breathe. "I can't, don't you get it? Every night, every damn night I go to bed remembering your hands on my body. Every morning, I wake up aching to have your cock buried in my ass. It's all I can do, not to throw myself across your desk and beg you to take me again, I can't stay in your house, in that bed, without making love to you again." He reached out and flipped the elevator back on. "I can't."
---NCIS---
Tony looked up as Vance came down the stairs, briefcase and coat in hand. Usually the only time the Director used the stairs was to talk to Gibbs. "Sir, I thought the Boss..."
"Is using his office." Vance was hoping that meant Gibbs was talking some sense into the normally practical young man.
Before DiNozzo could question the Director, a Gothic bullet shot out of the back elevator, aimed directly at Tony. Ducky and Jimmy were at her heels trying to calm her down.
It was the arrival of McGee that stopped the confrontation from happening. They all watched as he stormed off the elevator, Gibbs several steps behind him. It didn't take long for Gibbs to catch him, grabbing his arm and spinning him around.
"Neither can I."
"What?" Tim sounded frustrated and exhausted.
"Neither can I."
"What?" This time he sounded hopeful.
Instead of repeating himself a third time, Gibbs went for a more practical approach, pulling him close and kissing him – hard. Tim froze for a split second before throwing his arms around Gibbs and returning the kiss full force. The only sound in the rest of the bullpen was that of a toothpick hitting the floor.
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