Summary: A foe from Tim's past resurfaces, turning his life upside down, and threatening to ruin him.

Notes: WEE Fic for Gallatea. She requested a Tim-centric fic with losts of angst, and the team being supportive. I hope you like it!)

Chapter 1

It was nearly midnight when Tim finally trudged into his apartment. Every part of his body ached, and he'd been waiting all day to take a hot shower and lie down. He dropped his gear by the door and went right into his bedroom. He stripped his clothing on the way to the bathroom, leaving a trail on his living room floor. He turned on the shower and stepped into the steaming water. He sighed contentedly as the water hit the tense muscles in his back. He would sleep well tonight.

After his shower, Tim pulled on some comfortable sweats and plopped into his computer chair. He always checked his personal e-mail before he went to bed, and as tired as he was, felt as if he must check it. He pulled up his inbox and scrolled through dozens of e-mails from department stores promising door-buster deals and 80% off select items. His eyes rested on an unfamiliar e-mail address, with a blank subject line. Curious, he clicked on it.

Tag – You're It. You have 24 hours to complete your assigned task. You know the consequences of failure.

AF

Tim sat completely still, staring at the message on his screen. How could this be happening? He'd made himself virtually untraceable. There's no way AF could have found him, not after all this time. Tim downloaded the ZIP file attached to the message, and opened it. In it he found his assignment, and several images. His heart leapt into his throat as he scanned through the images. AF had gone too far this time.

He closed the file and opened his desk drawer. He opened up a brand new flash drive, and downloaded the file onto it. When it was finished, he set several encryptions on his home computer, and shut it down. He got up and took the flash drive into his bedroom. He went to his closet and pulled out an old computer bag that he'd stashed in the back. He kept his old IBM laptop in it from college, in case of an emergency. It was virtually untraceable. He slipped the flash drive into the side zipper pocket, and secured it. He set the laptop bag on the bed, and packed a duffel bag with a few changes of clothes. He took his badge from his pants pocket, and set it on his bed, along with his sidearm. Then, he reached into his nightstand and took out a notebook. He wrote a note, and left it on the bed next to his gun. Taking one last look around his apartment, he picked up his bags and left.

NCISNCISNCIS

The next morning, 0900 hours

"Has anyone heard from McGee?" Gibbs said as he entered the bullpen with his third cup of coffee. He'd been checking his watch every 10 minutes, and staring at the elevator. McGee was over two hours late.

"Haven't seen him since last night, Boss," Tony said. "Probie-Wan is late, huh?"

"Call him, DiNozzo," Gibbs ordered.

Tony dialed his friend's cell phone number. He was dismayed when Tim did not answer. He looked up at his Boss.

"No answer on his cell, Boss."

"I have tried his home number, with no success," Ziva chimed in, hanging up the phone.

"Ziva, go to McGee's apartment, see if he's all right. If he is, get his ass here."

"Yes, Gibbs."

"What should I do, Boss?" Tony asked, just as concerned as his friends were that Tim was missing.

"Work on reports for now."

"On it."

NCISNCISNCIS

Ziva drove faster than ever to Tim's apartment. She saw his car in its assigned space when she got there. She would kill him with her paperclip if he was still in bed, and she'd driven here for nothing. She went up to his floor and found his door. She knocked first, hoping he was there. When he didn't answer the door, she took out her lock pick kit and opened up the door in record time.

The apartment looked relatively untouched as she moved through it. She recognized the clothes McGee has been wearing the previous day, strewn on his living room floor.

"McGee?" She said loudly. She checked the kitchen and bathroom. Finding them clear, she moved on to Tim's bedroom. His bed was not slept in. The knot in her stomach tightened when she found his badge and gun on the bed, with a note.

Guys,
I'm sorry, but I had to leave. Don't try to find me. I have to do this on my own, and I don't want any of you to lose your jobs for my mistakes. I'll miss you all.
Tim

Ziva immediately called Gibbs.

"Gibbs, we have a problem."

"He's not there, is he?"

"No. His bed is not slept in. He left his badge and gun behind, with a note. He's gone."

"What do you mean, gone?"

"He left a note. Something is not right, Gibbs. We have to find him."

TBC...