Bitten by Shelbylou and Smartkid37

Episode tag – Royals and Loyals

Summary – The ability to listen is a learned skill and all it takes is one moment of ignorance to cause serious damage to someone close. The question is…Can that damage be repaired?

Tim sat at his desk typing up his report. It had been a long week but the case had turned out to be more interesting than he ever imagined. CIA, MI6 and the red tape from dealing with the British Royal Navy had left them all feeling slightly shell shocked. He leaned back and scratched at his hand again, frowning when he pulled back his sleeve and saw that the small insect bite on the juncture of his hand and wrist seemed redder and more inflamed than usual. It was typical, the offender must have found the only unprotected patch of skin and dug right in because the gloves and his jacket protected the rest of the area.

The itch from one bite kick started another and he reached down and scratched at the side of his leg where another bite resided. Between the two of them, they were driving him up the wall with the itchy soreness was there.

"Flea's, Probie?" Tony asked from his desk. "I can suggest someone to fumiga….OW!"

Ziva's grin as she swatted the back of Tony's head was priceless and Tim couldn't help but laugh as she once again, blew on her hand. Ziva had been filing away her report in the cabinets between the boys' desk and had been worried about the fact that Tim had been scratching at a bite that should have gone down already.

"You don't get to do that." Tony fumed. "Got it? You. Don't. Get. To. Do. Th…..OW! Damn it!"

"No, but I do, DiNozzo." Gibbs smirked from the other side of Tony's desk. "Your report finished?"

"Nearly."

"Then you better get back to it." Gibbs glanced across to Tim and noticed the way he was scrutinizing his arm. He walked over and grabbed it to look at the bite. "Go see, Ducky, Tim."

"Um..It's fine, Boss. I've taken something for it already."

"No up for debate. Go on." Gibbs walked back to his desk and sat back and watched until Tim had disappeared into the elevator. He glanced down at his desk and saw two reports sitting there, one from Ziva and one from Tim. "Ziva, pack up and go home." Gibbs ordered.

"Boss? Come on, I can do this in the morning." Tony argued as Ziva switched off her computer and picked up her coat and bag.

"You'll do it tonight, DiNozzo. McGee and Ziva got theirs to me already. No reason why yours shouldn't be here as well."

"Come o…." Tony was cut off by the glare that Gibbs sent his way and started to type furiously on his keyboard.

"Good night, Tony. Oh.." Ziva bent down close so she could whisper to him. "Stay away from my desk."

Tony growled as Ziva left and turned back to his report wondering how he could find out what had happened between Ziva and her South Beach interest.

"Don't even think it!"

"I wasn't thinking anything, Boss."

"Report. One hour!" Gibbs turned back to his own machine missing the look that Tony threw his way. "Watch it, DiNozzo."

"Well, Timothy. It looks like you've been scratching at these for a wee while." Ducky said as he inspected the bite on Tim's leg. He had already seen the one on his hand and had ordered Tim to roll up the leg of his pants once the young man started scratching again. "You know you really shouldn't scratch because it will only prolong your discomfort. I take it you cleaned the bites?"

"Yeah. I washed them with mild soap and water before patting them dry." Tim shrugged. "That's what my Mom used to do when we were kids."

"Quite right. Now, I understand that you have quite sensitive skin, so I suggest mixing a paste of Bicarbonate of soda and water. Apply it to the bites and when it dries, it stops them from itching so much. Failing that, Calamine lotion will work just as well."

Tim nodded and hopped down off the table. "Thanks, Ducky."

"You're welcome. I take it you have taken anti-histamines as well, my Boy."

"Yeah, I've been taking Benadryl but it doesn't seem to be working." Tim smiled ruefully at Ducky. "Guess I'm not that lucky, huh?"

"No, it would seem not. Come and see me again tomorrow and I'll see about finding you something stronger than Benadryl."

"Thanks. I better get back upstairs before Gibbs hunts me down."

"Go on. I shall see you tomorrow."

Tim made his way up to the Squad room to grab his gear. There was no reason for Gibbs to keep him and he hoped and prayed that Gibbs wouldn't keep them any longer because exhaustion was starting to take its toll. As he waited for the elevator, he was hit by the memory of the body in the mosquito infested, stagnant water.

"Fish him out." Tim remembered the request and felt the nausea rise at the thought of the scummy water. It was disgusting and the thought of having to go in sickened him at the time.

"Um, Boss. This really is a hazmat situation. You know, they did red-tag this hot tub for mosquito larva. I think we really should call..."

"Yeah, that would have been the correct procedure, but his words had fallen on deaf ears. He shouldn't have listened and insisted on calling someone out, oh yeah, that was the very thing that he should have done instead of listening to his Boss. The bites reminded him of their presence once again and he fought the urge to scratch. He leaned against the wall next to the elevator waiting for it to come with own suggestion of the hazmat team, running through his mind whilst wondering why it was always him that ended up with something that would irritate his skin.

"Get in the hot tub, Tim."

Wow, hadn't that been the kicker. The real cut down that he hadn't been expecting; well, okay, he had been expecting it because since when did Gibbs listen? But, he'd followed his orders, put on the boots that had been handed to him and stepped into the putrid water. It had been hard to ignore the fact that the water came over the top of the boots and rendered them useless as the water seeped into the bottom of his trousers and filled the only protection he had. 'What a good little lemming I am' he thought as the elevator doors opened and he stepped in.

What he hadn't told Ducky, was the fact that the water had irritated the skin on his legs and the rash had only just faded thanks to the cream and bath oil that his doctor had prescribed. Now he'd been let with two god-awful bites that were relentless in their attacks. If he were to be honest with himself, the bite on his leg hadn't itched until now, but given the fact that the rash was irritating as hell, it wasn't a big surprise. It was only now, that the itching had localized itself and revealed another little bite. Mind you, he had felt them both at the time and slapped at the stinging he felt, but not before the bugs had their fill.

The doors opened to the squad room and he padded out feeling more and more tired with every step.

"McGoo, you okay?" Tony. asked as Tim plodded past him. "You look like you could sleep for a week."

"Yeah, just tired. Boss, you need anything else?" Tim waited for Gibbs to finish scrutinizing him and saw the slight nod.

"No, go on. Get some rest."

"Thanks. See you tomorrow." He switched off and reached down to grab his bag but a wave of dizziness over took him.

"Tim?" Gibbs had seen the slight waver and was looking at Tim with worry in his eyes.

"I'm good. Just more tired than I realized, I guess." With that, he walked over to the elevator without another word feeling more lethargic than he had in a while. Damn, it's been a long week.

Is Tim hiding something?

Is there more to this that meets the eye?

Will the team realize what's wrong with their team mate?

Hmm, interesting. Hold on to your hats, because this ride's only just beginning.