Tim shook his head, trying to clear it as he felt himself being dragged across the floor. The sound of the metal of the wheelchair as it scraped across the concrete was enough to cut through his confusion. Greta was talking under her breath.

"You've got too much of your father in you, Tyler. I can't have my sweet boy back until I whip that demon right out of you. Then you'll know how much your mama truly loves you."

There was a flash as the light reflected off the syringe and Tim quickly went limp. He could only observe as he was released from the chair and the straps were changed around. Prior experience had told him that the paralysis would be brief and it was, the ability to move was already beginning to return as he was hoisted up by a winch. Focusing, he could hang on with his uninjured hand, protecting his wrist as best he could. His toes were barely touching the ground by the time she was satisfied.

"Greta, you don't have to do this."

-NCIS-

The black sedan slid to a stop next to the police car, the occupants jumping out before the engine fully died. Gibbs held his badge up as he circled around the car. "Gibbs, NCIS, what have you got?"

"Larry Radford, Chief of Police. We've only got five realtors here in Front Royal, and only one handles rentals. Her office is right over there."

Once inside the cramped office, Gibbs shoved the sketch of Greta under the lone occupant's nose. "Did you rent a place to this woman?"

The woman leaned back and slowly took the picture. "Why, that's Nona Jones, she's an artist. I rented her the warehouse over on Seventeenth and Oak. She said she needed a lot of space to get ready for her next showing. Is there a problem?"

Gibbs didn't even take the time to glare at her before he was back out the door.

-NCIS-

"Greta, please, you don't have to do this."

"All I ever did was try to take care of you, Tyler, but you wouldn't listen to me. You wouldn't eat the good food I fixed you, and then you moved away and wouldn't let me take care of you. How could you let strangers do that? They didn't know you like I know you. They couldn't possibly take as good of care as I do. Now, Mama's gonna whip you and when you've been punished enough, then we'll have a nice meal together just like we're supposed to."

The first strike with the whip whistled before it hit, spinning him partially around. He concentrated on trying to move his legs, but it was still too soon. After five or six hits he could feel moisture on his back and was afraid he was bleeding. His right hand was wet also, but he was afraid to look. Blood or sweat, either way it made it harder to hang onto the leather that suspended him, but he tightened his grip. So far the brace on his wrist was protecting it, but he knew that if his right hand slipped, the results could be devastating.

She was screaming at him to beg for forgiveness, but he wouldn't give her the satisfaction. Finally, after one particularly hard hit Tim was able to lift his legs and let the momentum swing him around to face her.

The one sport McGee had excelled in as a teen had been wrestling and he kicked out, wrapping his legs around her. It was a strange version of a submission hold, but Tim held on as she fought to break free. Not even when he saw movement out of the corner of his eye did he let go.

-NCIS-

Gibbs stopped the car at the base of the driveway and the police cruiser parked next to him. Two more patrol cars rolled to a stop along the broken down sidewalk. Gibbs, Tony and one of the officers crept to the front entrance while Ziva took the second officer and the Chief around to the back.

Gun at his side, safety off, Gibbs worked his way closer, making sure he wasn't visible from any of the dirty windows. About half way to the building he could hear the angry screams of a woman. When he heard the sound of a heavy impact against flesh, he took off running, Tony at his heels.

He made it to a small window and smashed it in with his elbow. Gibbs would have considered it justified to take the shot, but the blows were moving McGee around too much. Cursing, he and Tony ran for the heavy door, the officer a few feet behind. They were only able to pull the door open a few inches. The officer dropped down and pushed with his legs while Tony wedged his shoulder in the small opening and joined in. The barrier slowly gave way, but it was a horrifying few seconds as they watched Greta hit Tim over and over with a leather whip.

"Rollins, get away from him."

Neither Tim, nor his attacker, seemed aware of their presence and just as the door broke free, Tim managed to turn the table on Greta. Her neck was tightly trapped by McGee's legs, but she was screaming and clawing at him, digging deep gouges in his calves. His only grunt of pain was when she ripped the foley catheter out of him.

Her movements were slowing from a lack of oxygen just as the door broke free. They ran across the room as she finally dropped to the floor.

"McGee."

"Probie."

The back door was securely chained and Gibbs just got a glance at Ziva climbing through a tall window, obviously being boosted by the two local LEO's. He let the officer with them handcuff Greta as he and Tony went straight for McGee.

"Easy, kiddo, we've got you." Gibbs gingerly supported McGee as Tony cut him free. "It's all right, it's over now."

"Boss?" Blinking as he struggled to stay conscious, Tim looked up at Gibbs.

"Yeah?"

"I'm... I'm suppose to tell you."

"Tell me what, Tim?" Gibbs glanced over at DiNozzo, who looked just as baffled.

Tim stared at Gibbs, not wanting to see the condition of his own body. "I think she hurt me, Boss."

Gibbs couldn't help but bark out a laugh. "Yeah, Tim, I think she did."

-NCIS-

"What is taking them so long?" Abby paced back and forth in the waiting room at Bethesda.

Jimmy tried to reassure her. "Abby, the helicopter only landed a few minutes ago. "They haven't even had time to evaluate him."

"Who's with him? He shouldn't be alone. Jimmy, who's with him?" As her voice got louder, Jimmy tried to calm her down. "Gibbs flew with him and Dr. Mallard met the helicopter, remember? They're both with him. Tony and Ziva are driving back with the prisoner and they'll be here soon. The Director is getting her committed."

"She should go to prison for what she did to McGee."

"With any luck she'll spend the rest of her life in a facility for the criminally insane. Let's just concentrate on McGee, okay?"

-NCIS-

Gibbs was forced to step out while the took x-rays of McGee's wrist. He was still pacing in the hallway when Ducky arrived back from the lab. "Well?"

"Good news, Jethro. Timothy refused to eat or drink anything while he was her prisoner so he wasn't poisoned at all. She did give him a rather strong dose of that chemotherapy drug that she'd stolen, but the effects are already starting to dissipate."

Gibbs let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. "Thank God."

A nurse poked her head around the corner as the x-ray technician left with the portable machine. "You can go back in now."

They followed her back through the maze of room as she explained. "He's exhausted from his ordeal and from being drugged repeatedly and his muscles are quite stiff. Luckily the worst of the damage is what he can't feel."

What he'd thought was terrible a short time ago was now a relief. "So he's in no pain?"

"Just some slight discomfort from the catheter not being properly removed."

Gibbs sat on the offered stool near the head of the exam table. Tim was laying on his stomach as the doctors carefully cleaned each of the whip marks on his back and the fingernail gouges on his lower legs.

Finally safe, Tim was drifting in and out, but opened his eyes when he felt the reassuring weight of the hand on his head. "Boss?"

"Hey, McGee, how ya' doing?"

"I'm hungry."

Gibbs shared a smile with Ducky. "We'll see about getting you something to eat as soon as they're done working on you, okay?" Tim nodded and Gibbs watched him for a minute. "That was smart, not letting her feed you."

Tim's eyes drifted closed, but he explained softly. "I could tell she'd poisoned all the food she tried to give me. I figured I'd be better off taking the punishments rather than risking whatever was in it. Most of the time, she'd just slap me."

"What set her off at the end?"

"She was going to put a feeding tube in me because I wouldn't eat. I couldn't risk it."

"That was smart, real smart." Gibbs leaned close. "I'm proud of you, son. You did good. Now, just rest. You've earned it."

a/n - What a ride, thanks for sticking with me. I thought about Gibbs taking the shot, but I wanted Tim to have saved himself. Besides, Greta is too twisted to waste. Don't know when she'll be back, but she's biding her time, waiting for the right moment.