12

A/N: This story has come to an end. I thought I would have two chapters left, but found that I only needed one. The ending is meant to be beautiful but a little bittersweet. I hope that it makes sense that McGee's life can't be what it was based on the events of the story. Thank you to every one who has followed this story. Let me know what you think about how this ends. Sheila

The Unbearable Lightness of Being McGee

Chapter 11

Tim sat leaning forward, his hands clasped tightly together to belay any trembling in his limbs. She was a frightened girl who seemed to be in way over her head as to the task she'd been given. It was clear that she was a pawn in her father's game, and the truth of it left him speechless. It was abuse on a level he'd never imagined. "Evie, maybe we should call your dad and clarify things. I bet he thought I was someone else."

The idea appealed to her and she nodded.

"Do you have a cell phone with you?"

She shook her head. McGee licked the perspiration off his upper lip. He did have a cell phone, but he was using it to broadcast to the FBI. Breaking that link wasn't a good idea. He heard a sound at the front door and his head jerked in that direction. Evie sucked in breath. He turned back to her. "Stay calm, Evie. I think this is a friend. I'll make sure he doesn't bother us. Don't move."

McGee got up and slowing moved into the entryway. Gibbs was standing there. McGee winced. He stayed at the doorway to the parlor so he could keep an eye on Evie. "Go away. You can't help."

"We do this together."

He stood there like a statue and a swell of anger rose up in McGee. "I don't need you, Jethro!"

"You're not disposable!"

McGee shook his head in frustration. "No time to argue!"

"Agreed." Gibb strode past him. "Introduce me to Evie."

The girl stared at Gibbs wide-eyed when he walked in the parlor.

Tim had no choice but to follow him in. McGee crouched near Evie. "It's okay. Jethro here is my friend. He wants to help."

"I'm supposed to push the button. Daddy will be so mad if I don't push the button."

Gibbs knelt down in front of her. "Somebody gave your daddy the wrong information. McGee is not the guy who put your brother in jail."

"Daddy doesn't make mistakes."

"Would he want you to get hurt?"

Evie stared at him and then slowly shook her head. "I take care of him. I cook and I clean."

"Exactly! He wants you safe. And he's going to want to know that someone lied to him about McGee."

She nodded.

"Evie, can you give me the control in your hand?"

She seemed hypnotized by Gibbs' soft voice and piercing blue eyes. Slowly, she reached for him and offered no resistance when he lightly picked it from her palm.

McGee sighed deeply.

"Tim, you better check out the charges strapped to her."

He moved forward, sitting next to Evie. "Hold still, honey. I just want to see how we're going to get this off of you."

Gibbs sat back and pulled out his cell. "Hey Tobias, she gave up the trigger. Your people can come in."

Before he could hang up, McGee's head snapped up. "Jethro, it's still primed."

Gibbs cursed. "Stand down, Tobias! It's still primed to explode."

"Then get out of there, Jethro! Bomb squad is here. They'll take over."

Gibbs looked at McGee. "Get up, Tim, and move toward the door. Bomb squad's taking over."

Tim shook his head. "I'm not leaving her. She's scared to death. The ordinance suits are going to scare her."

"Don't be stubborn!"

"Learned from the best," he mumbled as he studied the wires.

"McGee!"

Tim turned sharply. "Find scissors. I think we can cut this off without detonating it."

Gibbs got up just as two members of the bomb squad came in wearing moon suits and carrying equipment. "We need cutters!"

One of the moon suits stopped in front of them. "Both of you out. Now!"

"Cutters!" Gibbs insisted.

The other suit went up to Evie and she started moaning in fear. Tim rubbed her arm. "It's okay, honey. They just want to get this off you."

She clutched McGee's arm tightly as he showed ordinance expert where they could cut the vest. The expert nodded and handed the cutters to McGee. He wasn't bomb squad, but he could certainly cut with a lot more mobility that a man dressed in an ordinance suit. McGee licked his lips, taking it slow as he cut in and around wires. Around him, no one spoke. Even Evie stopped whimpering. McGee made a final cut and the vest started to slide down her chest. Gibbs was there to help him catch it. Together, they carefully slid it off Evie's torso. Once it was free, one of the suits was there with a metal box. Gibbs laid the vest inside, and the box was closed. The suit disappeared quickly out the door.

Evie still clung to McGee as FBI and NCIS swarmed Ducky's parlor. It was only when McGee spied Fornell that he felt assured that she would be treated gently. DiNozzo came in, shook his head at McGee, and simulated a head slap. Then Ziva came over, kissed him on the forehead, and wagged a finger at him, all without saying a word.

Within a few minutes, the house was empty again, save Tim on the couch and Gibbs standing in the doorway to parlor. "Please Jethro, this is no time for a scolding."

Gibbs sighed. "I don't want you acting invincible. That's my shtick, Timmy."

"Yeah," he nodded. "Like I said earlier, I learned from the best."

Jethro shook his head. "I don't know what to say. You're getting better, and my feelings for you haven't changed, but it's like I don't know how to talk to you anymore."

Tim got up, exhaustion etched on his face. "It's not your fault. It's mine. I've changed. It's all of these weeks of uncertainty and fear. I'm tougher, more stubborn."

"We're butting heads constantly."

McGee touched his arm. "Don't be so afraid of it, Jethro."

"I'm not sure what to do."

McGee leaned in. "Right now, I need you to go out and find Everett Wallace and destroy him for what he did to his daughter. Nobody can make that happen like you can."

"And you?"

"I'm going to stay here and get strong, and start acting like a man who's got a future in front of him."

Jethro narrowed his eyes as he studied him. Finally, he just nodded and headed out the door.

….

Evie's brother Errol got stopped within the first hour, her cousin was already in custody, and Everett Wallace got stopped at the Tennessee border four hours after a bomb was removed from his daughter's chest. All of them were dragged into NCIS for interrogation. Gibbs and Fornell double-teamed them. Some men shoot birds for sport, but Gibbs and Fornell were in their glory when breaking stupid and evil men. It wasn't a real challenge; it was a bit like shooting fish in a barrel. The only one with any real intelligence was Everett Wallace, but his idiot son and nephew quickly abdicated in interrogation. Gibbs had allowed DiNozzo to prime them with his absurd and nonsensical interrogation style, and by the time, Gibbs and Fornell showed up, the two fools were dying to provide a rational version of events.

Once cornered, Wallace started naming names, and by day three, they had six more suspects in custody; all of whom shared both Wallace's feelings about the Navy and his interest in munitions. DiNozzo and Ziva directed search teams out in the field while Gibbs and Fornell pounded at the men verbally.

Gibbs never went home during that five days. Developments came too fast, and he was overwhelmed with a desire to destroy this domestic terrorism cell. At odd hours, he slept on Abby's futon. He ate out of vending machines or when Tony and Ziva shoved sandwiches into his hands.

Gibbs could've gone home. They continually urged him, but he couldn't tell them that the house felt empty without Tim there, and he had no certainty that this would ever be rectified. McGee was changing. He understood that, but he had no idea what that meant for him. In the past, conversations like that generally led to wives packing their bags and hiring lawyers.

Gibbs called Tim daily to check on him and give him updates on the investigation. McGee sounded happy to hear from him, but said little other than assuring Jethro that he was fine. For the first time since he'd known McGee as a probie, he had no insight into the man.

After five days and nights, everyone had been interrogated, charged, released, or processed. It was midnight, and he still sat at his desk, a lone lamp illuminating him. Fornell and Ziva had gone home hours ago. Tony stayed, unable to go home unless his boss was okay, but Gibbs didn't appreciate his efforts. He drove him off with sullen and hostile behavior.

Still DiNozzo didn't go far. He sat in the lobby waiting patiently for a gray Porsche to pull up. Tony smiled when Tim came into the lobby. He was definitely looking better. A week ago, it seemed like a stiff breeze would bowl him over, but now he looked almost like the man who'd worked on his team the last eight years.

"I hope it was okay that I called."

"Absolutely, Tony. He sounded exhausted on the phone, but I had no idea he hadn't been home in this long."

"He seems really sad, Tim. Is everything okay between the two of you?"

McGee nodded. "That's what I'm going to try and fix. Go home Tony. You all worked your asses off. Sleep for a few days. I'll take care of the boss."

DiNozzo grinned. "I'm taking direction from my probie now. Don't know if I can live with that."

Tim playfully pushed him toward the door. "Call me in a couple of days and we'll watch some of your crappy films."

Tony turned and pointed a finger. "I'm going to remember you said that."

…..

It had been several weeks since Tim had been at NCIS, but it felt like months. Fighting for his life had happened in slow motion; every minute and hour accentuated with fear and pain. Sometimes, thinking about returning to work had felt so unlikely that it was painful to even contemplate. Now, he could entertain those thoughts again, and it felt both exciting and scary. He had no problem going back to the work, but he was a different man now. He'd survived so much, and while, this latest crisis was over; he still had a good chance of developing cancer. The rest of his life was going to be punctuated with cancer screens every six months. His mortality would always hang around his neck like stone.

He grinned a little at the single desk lamp illuminating Gibbs' desk among the sea of desks. When he walked into the bullpen, Jethro was sleeping, his head resting on folded arms. McGee was tempted to put his arms around him, but Gibbs was not in an environment where he was safe enough to startle.

He knelt in front of him and whispered. "Jethro. Jethro, wake up."

The sharp blue eyes blinked open. When he recognized McGee, he sat up. "What are you doing here?"

"It's time to get you home."

Gibbs shook his head. "I don't need…you don't need…"

McGee ignored him as he gathered up Gibbs' coat. "Come on. My car's illegally parked."

"We need to talk." Gibbs said.

"And we'll do that at home 'cause I know you don't want a tow truck hooking up to my Porsche."

…..

The ride home was silent, and as they walked up the steps, Jethro was surprised to see Junior wagging his tail at the door. Gibbs stopped to rub the dog's ears, and he followed McGee into the kitchen. There was the aroma of delicious home cooked food and Gibbs moaned. "What happened in here?"

McGee smiled. "My mother taught me how to bake bread this week. We baked a loaf of something she calls honey bread in your kitchen. It's more than a little addictive. I also learned my mother's famous bean and ham soup recipe. I remember once eating in a diner with you, when you got excited about old fashioned bean and ham soup."

"What's going on, Tim?" Gibbs felt lost in his own home, but he was too exhausted to muster up more than confusion.

McGee put a bowl of steaming soup in front of him and cracked open a beer. He sliced bread and put a plate of it next to the butter dish. "We'll talk, Jethro. Do me a favor and eat some good, hot food. Okay?"

The smells were too inviting and Gibbs lost himself in the creamy, smoky bean soup. McGee watched him for a few minutes and got up. "Come upstairs when you're done."

Then he disappeared. The neglect of the past week overwhelmed him, and Gibbs didn't get up until he downed two bowls and three slices of the sweet brown bread. Upstairs, there was more new smells. He followed the scent of the seashore to the bathroom and found McGee inside tending to a hot bath. He looked up. "Take off your clothes, Jethro. I ran you a bath."

He frowned. "I don't take baths, especially perfumed ones."

Tim grinned, shaking his head. "You're too tired to win this power struggle, Jethro. The only thing funny in this bath are some salts from the Dead Sea. It's very soothing…and very manly."

"I like showers."

"Get your damn clothes off already."

Maybe he was just too exhausted or maybe there was something in McGee's tone that moved him. In any event, he stripped as ordered and climbed into the hot water. He moaned as the water enveloped his stiff body. The salts made the water soft and it felt good.

Tim pulled off his shirt and grabbed a soft sponge. He submerged the sponge and pulled it up, dripping, and then began sponging Gibbs's chest and arms. Jethro looked up at him. "What's going on, Timmy?"

"I'm taking care of you."

"Why?"

Tim sighed as he submerged the sponge again and began to caress Gibbs' neck. "You worked very hard this week and caught bad guys, and we're all safer because of it. And I love you."

Jethro caught his hand. "I'm not the man you deserve."

Tim shook his head. "We're not going to have that conversation again. You're exactly the man for me."

"We've been butting head like a couple of bulls. It'll become too painful. You're going to leave eventually. This is the way it happens every time."

"I'm not a wife, Jethro." Tim freed his hand and ran the sponge down Gibbs' leg.

"You're changing, Tim. You said so yourself."

Tim nodded. "This experience has forever changed me. I'm tougher, more of a match for you actually. I think that's good for both of us."

Jethro narrowed his eyes in confusion. "You don't want out?"

Tim ran wet fingers through Gibbs' hair. "You're mine, Jethro. I thought it was good enough when you claimed me, but now I realize how important it is that I claim you too."

Gibbs said nothing as McGee's wet thumb traced his mouth. "I went to see the doc today."

Jethro blinked. "You should have told me."

"I did. Left a message on your phone a couple of days ago. I knew how busy you were."

"I'm sorry."

"My tests are clean. I'm good…for now."

Jethro sighed. "Thank God."

Tim leaned forward, massaging Jethro's chest with the sponge. "I get a full cancer screen in six months and then every six months after that. I can never have children. Eventually, there will be tumors of some kind. It's almost inevitable. I don't know if I am a man with one year left to live or fifty. I'm not much of a catch."

Gibbs grabbed the back of his neck and pulled him in for a kiss. McGee sighed into it, all remaining tension broken. Finally Gibbs broke away, but held his face close. While I'm a little broken up that you can't bear my children, I think you're a fine catch, Timmy."

McGee laughed and splashed water in his face. Gibbs grabbed him and pulled him into the bathtub on top of him, both men laughing. They wrestled a bit over space, but finally were able to wedge in together facing one another. This time, McGee reached for Gibbs and kissed him deeply. When he broke away, he looked at him closely. "You're sure?"

"We're in this together, my love, and I wouldn't have it any other way."

McGee nuzzled his face into Gibb's wet neck, and trailed his hand down his chest, settling his hand firmly on Gibbs' cock. Gibbs threw back his head and groaned. "Timmy, there's hardly room for this."

McGee nibbled on his ear. "I just want to take care of you. We'll save our grand passion for another night. Of course, maybe this might inspire you to build a hot tub on the deck."

Gibbs held him tight as Timmy brought him quickly to a release. Then Gibbs laid his head against the ceramic tub, panting in short bursts. "We're going to get right on that hot tub idea."

For a while, the two of them lay together in the cooling water, lost in thought. Then Tim lifted his head from Gibbs' chest. "I don't want that award or the ceremony Sec Nav has planned. Can you get me out of that?"

"You deserve that award, Tim."

"I just want to go back to work."

"They'll blame me for this."

Tim began teasing the skin in the crook of Gibbs' neck with his teeth. "That's never bothered you before."

Gibbs shook his head. "You're going to be trouble, Tim McGee. I see that now."

McGee grinned. "I think you like trouble, Jethro Gibbs.

….

McGee looked up when Ziva came in. She had her hair pulled tight in a ponytail high on the back of her head. He loved that hairstyle on her the best. It made her look so young and fresh. She winked at him before dropping her backpack into her chair. "How are you today?"

"Feeling good."

"Good to hear, McGee."

"Let me know if you need help with case files. I'm finishing up the rest of Tony's files. I should have time later on this afternoon."

She smiled. "I'll never understand your ability to do endless paperwork."

He shrugged. "You guys really had to pick up the slack while I was gone."

"Which we were happy to do."

"What were we happy to do?" DiNozzo asked as he sailed by.

"McGee thinks he needs to overcompensate by doing our paperwork because he was gone so long."

"Hmm. Well, it only seems fair."

She snapped a rubber band in his direction. "It does not!"

"Hey! That's enough out of you, you little Israeli vixen."

Tim grinned as his two teammates regarded each other warily. He had no doubt that they were both contemplating counterstrikes.

"Probie, tell her that you don't mind helping with paperwork."

"I'm just happy to be back.

"Hah!" She said. "That is hardly a bringing endorsement."

"Ringing endorsement," McGee said automatically.

"Whatever! We shouldn't take advantage of McGee's goodwill."

"Not on my watch anyway." Gibbs appeared in the bullpen. "Don't worry about Tim helping out with paperwork. He is perfectly capable of setting his own limits."

McGee nodded. "Yup."

"Where were you, Boss? Showing up kind of late today."

"Junior needed his heartworm test."

DiNozzo made a face. "I figure that would be McGee's territory…sort of."

Gibbs raised an eyebrow. "Really? You need a rundown of how things work in the Gibbs-McGee household?"

"Well, if you're offering…"

"I'm not!"

McGee leaned toward Tony. "He's nuts for Junior. Dog lives like a king."

Gibbs looked at him out of the corner of his eye. "Got a problem with that, Special Agent McGee?"

"Nope. I think it's sweet."

Gibbs cleared his throat and buried his face in his email.

DiNozzo made a face. "Gibbs…sweet?"

McGee nodded. "You'd be surprised."

"You want to walk home, McGee?" Gibbs growled from behind his computer screen.

McGee sighed. "Damn, it's good to be back."

"I was just thinking the same thing, Tim." Gibbs murmured softly

McGee nodded and returned to his paperwork.

DiNozzo watched the whole exchange and winked at Ziva. The magic of the Gibbs team was still there. It had shifted a bit. There were new dynamics. McGee had grown a confidence he never had before. He had a hard journey yet to travel, but he no longer seemed overwhelmed by it. Gibbs maintained his edge, but he was softer now and he looked better. His eyes were clear these days and the smell of bourbon no longer oozed out of his skin after nights of hard drinking. DiNozzo marveled over the fact that he'd just caught him blushing over his love for a dog. They'd been a family before this and were a family still, but they were tighter now. To Tony, it seemed as if they understood better how to slow down and cherish the beauty of every day.

…..

The End