McGee awoke with a start almost pulling the IV's out. Screaming out in pain as the pain rushed into his newly awakened nerves and battered body.
Suddenly the door opened and the nurses and a kind looking doctor where there doing their best to calm him down. It wasn't until he heard a familiar voice that Tim calmed down and realized he was safe at last.
“ It's ok Tim your safe. Your alright let the doctor and the nurses help you.” Gibbs said softly in Tim's ear calming the young man instantly. His frightened eyes searched for Gibbs immediately finding him on the side of the bed holding his hand.
“B..B..Bo..Boss I'm sorry!” Tim said softly his throat hurting really bad, as a single tear fell from his eye. Gibbs heart ached to see the pain, sorrow, hurt, and disappointment in his young man's eyes.
“Tim you have nothing to be sorry about. This wasn't your fault. If anyone is to blame its me. I should never have hurt you. I know that I told you that apologizing was a sign of weakness but its not when it comes to family. Your my family Tim. I will explain later but for now you need to rest and the doctor needs to examine you.” Gibbs let go of McGee's hand and turned to leave as the tears threatened to fall. It took all he had to keep from crying as his heart was torn asunder by what he saw in Tim's beautiful green eyes.
“ Don't go please Gibb's. Please stay. I need you” Tim pleaded almost silently but the touch of his hand on Gibbs arm stopped the older man and he heard Tim's plea when he looked back into his eye.
Without out a word Gibbs took McGee's hand in his and sat down next to the bed the doctor and nurses working around him and at last Tim drifted off into a deep sleep.
“Special Agent Gibbs can I have a word with you in private?” Stephenson asked
“ What ever you say to me you can say here I'm not leaving my agent is that clear doctor.” Gibbs glared at the young doctor who wasn't fazed at all by his look.
“ Fine Agent Gibbs. I just thought you would want to know that this wasn't the work of one person. There was at least 6 people involved in this.”
“ How do you know that Doctor?”
“ Because your agent wasn't the first and unless these animals are stopped he won't be the last. I know of at least 6 other men that have been raped in the last couple of months. I don't know how long this has been going on but they are escalating and the next man they rape and brutalize may wind up in my morgue and I want to keep that from happening.”
“What do the locals say about it?”
“They either don't know or don't want to know. Maybe they are even in on it themselves. Because it keeps happening. You know the law. I have to report it to the authorities but in your agents case I don't have to report to the local authorities. You can take the case over. Or have another agency get involved. You asked how I know about the rapes. Its because I was one of the first victims I know about. I treated the other five men including your own now. I haven't been here but about six months when one night it was storming out and I was on my way home when my tire when flat out in the middle of nowhere and I was picked up by a stranger. Being new to town everyone was a stranger. He was going to take me home but we stopped for coffee and a bite to eat. That must have been when he drugged me. Because after that I don't remember anything. Next thing I know I woke up hung up in a dark room. I was blindfolded and gagged. I was naked and thats when the rape and beating started. I don't know how long I was raped and brutalized but when it was finally over I woke up naked and in a field. No one here knows about it. I never reported it. I was to humiliated to. I was afraid if I did they would find out and come back and finish the job. When the next man was brought in. I knew instantly what had happened to him. His beating was worse than mine. I don't know how many men raped me or the others but I know how your agent is feeling. I just wanted you to know that I am here if you or him need to talk. I still have all the rape kits that I did on the other victims including my own. If you need then to help your investigation just ask.” Stephenson said quietly as his own tears stained his face. The pain and horror of what happened hitting the young man hard.
Gibbs felt for this young handsome man to have been brutalized like that and to go thru it over and over as more victims came to be known. Suddenly Gibbs stood and wrapped his arms around the young doctor as he comforted him. Gibbs didn't know how long they stayed there locked in that embrace but when they parted he looked down into Tim's green eyes and saw the tears staining his pale skin.
“It's ok Tim. I'm not going anywhere.” Gibbs said taking McGee's hand not realizing he had let go of it when he was comforting the Doctor.
“It's ok Boss. I heard what you said doctor. I know how much admitting to what was done to you hurt. Seeing me here like this brings back memories doesn't it?” McGee said letting the compassion he felt for the Doctor be heard in his voice.
Surprising both men Stephenson bent down and kissed Tim's bruised lips and upon releasing the kiss he turned and kissed Gibbs. Both kisses held in them a little passion. Turning and rushing from the room,Stephenson didn't see the look of surprise and shock between the two men.
“That was a surprise.” Gibbs said.
“ Yes but it was nice. I've never been kissed like that before.”
Just as the words left Tim's mouth he found Gibbs looking at him with a look on his face and in his eyes that he had never seen before. He didn't understand what he saw there maybe it was his imagination or the medication making him see things. It was there and a second later it was gone. Tim was still baffled by Gibbs expression as he fell back into much needed and deep sleep.
When he was sure that McGee was deep in sleep, Gibbs got up and silently left the room. Moving to a more private space, since his office wasn't available, the stairwell closest to McGee's room so he could watch the door and still remain invisible.
When Gibbs was satisfied he pulled out his phone dialed Fornell's number and told him the situation.
“My God Gibbs, that boy of yours is a tough one. I will have an agent I trust come get the kit and evidence and make sure only a tech I trust will handle everything. That kid has been in some bad situations but this has got to be the worst. I'll make sure that no one knows whose case this is. McGee doesn't need people knowing what happened to him.” Fornell told Gibbs anger coloring the man's voice.
“Thanks Fornell. I know McGee will appreciate it and so do I. I owe you one. I need one more thing from you.”
“Ask Gibbs whatever you need. Anything for that young man.”
“ I need three undercover feds here at all times. One posing as a nurse, one inside McGee's room at all times and one outside the door. They are to let no one except the doctor and the nurses in that room. I will be here and Ducky will be checking up on him till we can get him moved to Bethesda. I don't want to take a chance that those animals will come after him when they find out that he is a federal agent. Also any changes to his meds are to be cleared with Ducky before they are given to him. Also I will have a list of the nurses and the doctor with photo's in case they try to get to him that way. “ Gibbs said letting his anger color his voice.
“Not a problem Jethroe I have the perfect people. They all owe McGee and your team. I'll brief them and have them at the hospital within the hour.”
Gibbs gave Fornell the address and name of the hospital, then returned to McGee's room. Checking on his agent, Gibbs dialed the last person he would inform. Of McGee's condition.
“Director Vance?”
“This is Vance. Gibbs is that you?”
“Yes Leon its me. I need you to listen and don't stop me till I am done. This is very important. Do you understand Leon.” Gibbs growled.
“Yes I understand what is this all about?” Vance asked anger coloring his voice at being spoken to like this and being told what to do.
“First is this a secure line?”
“Yes but I don't see what that has to do with anything.”
“ You know McGee has been out of touch the last couple of days. Well we all thought he was there somewhere. It wasn't until this morning that I found out what happened to him. I got a call from someone telling me if I wanted to find one of my agents to go to I-75 and the junction of Hwy112. I did and just as I got there an ambulance was pulling out. I stopped and talked to an officer there Joshua Wilson and asked him what had happened he told me they found a man out in this field naked and beaten he was taken to the local hospital. Then he made some crack about how he didn't know fags could be federal agents. He said that any man that got raped wasn't a man at all. I clocked the bastard.
I found out when I got to the hospital I found out McGee was in intensive care and that he indeed had been raped multiple times by a bunch of animals. They beat him tortured him and I don't know what else those bastards to one of my agents but I swear Leon I'm going to kill them. I need you to give both me and McGee some time off so he can recover. I don't want the rest of the team knowing what has happened to him. It would kill him if they knew. I also want him to talk to someone we can trust, that can help him through this. He already blames himself for letting this happen to him. I can't lose him Leon.” Gibbs almost pleaded. His heart full of anguish at what had happened.
Leon heard the hurt and pain in Gibbs voice. It touched him in a way that most things never did. He knew that Gibbs was still dealing with this latest case of a child being hurt. Now dealing with what happened to McGee. He knew that Gibbs considered his team his surrogate family and someone hurting them especially McGee really hit him hard.
“I know the perfect person to help McGee with his mental recovery of this. This young man had almost the same thing happen to him a couple of years ago. He is very trustworthy in this type of situation. He helps men both gay and straight or bi get through being raped. I'll give him a call as soon as we get done talking. Now what else do you need Jethroe?”
Gibbs heard the anger in Vance's voice as he continued, “ I have already let Fornell know the situation him and his people will handle the investigation and they are on their way to guard McGee so there is someone with him at all times. Also they will be collecting the evidence. Also the young Doctor taking care of McGee has been through this same experience and so have some other men. He has collected evidence from them and himself. I am going to have Fornell's people take a look at it and see what they can come up with. We can't let them get away with this Leon.” Gibbs said.
Author's Chapter Notes:
Tim's hurt by Gibbs harsh words leaving him open to a nightmare he only hopes he will wake from.