Title: Brothers in Arms 4/4
Author: Ceindreadh
Email: Ceindreadh@eircom.net
Summary: Tim needs to deal with the aftermath of Probie
Warnings: spoilers for Probie
Disclaimer. I don't own the NCIS characters, I'm only borrowing them, and I promise to return them in minty fresh condition when I'm finished.
Notes: Thanks to FatCat for her title suggestions. Also thanks to Lynda and MJM from the specialops chats for advice regarding guns and guns handling (even if I didn't use as much of it as I thought I would)
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Previously on NCIS - Tony took Tim to a firing range to help boost his confidence. On the way home, they stopped for gas and Tony walked straight into the middle of a hold-up.
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Straightening up, Tony backed away from the guy on the ground, keeping him covered. "I think it's time we called in the cops to deal with this dirt bag," he said. "Sir, do you have a phone?" He turned a fraction to glance at the storeowner, only to yelp in pain as a glass bottle smashed into the side of his head.
Blood mingled with wine and poured down the side of Tony's face as he slumped to the ground. The last thing he saw before he passed out was the so-called 'scared girl', the remains of the wine bottle in her hand, reaching down to pick up the gun from his suddenly nerveless fingers.
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Part 04
Tim splashed some water on his face and looked at himself in the mirror.
"NCIS Special Agent, Tim McGee," he said out loud before laughing hollowly. "What a joke." He dried himself with some paper towels, his mind made up as to what his next course of action needed to be. He'd apologize to Tony for wasting his time this weekend, and first thing Monday morning, his resignation would be on Gibbs's desk. It would be the best thing for all concerned. Tony and Ziva wouldn't have to worry about being backed up by a Probie who couldn't fire his gun...Gibbs wouldn't have to worry about a member of his team killing another innocent person...and he...he wouldn't have to point a gun at another human being ever again.
The decision made, Tim felt as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. True, there was a twinge of guilt left there, a sense that he'd be letting down Gibbs, who had shown enough faith in him to bring him onto the team in the first place...that he'd be letting down Tony, who had done so much to train him and was doing his best to help him past this hurdle. Abby and Ducky, Ziva, even Jimmy, they'd all been supportive of him in their own way when he'd needed them, and it'd be a wrench having to say goodbye to his friends. "It's for the best," Tim told himself as he headed back towards the car. "They'll be better off without me." His hand brushed against the gun at his hip. Tony had been right, the gun did feel like a part of him, but it was a part that Tim would gladly have amputated.
As he neared the car, Tim glanced over at the store, freezing in horror as he saw Tony - his weapon trained on a kneeling man - and completely unaware of the young woman behind him who grabbed a bottle from the counter and swung it at his unprotected head.
Tim didn't even stop to think. The gun was in his hand, even as he ran to the door, slamming it open and yelling, "Federal Agent, don't move!"
Time seemed to slow down as Tim took in his surroundings. Tony was lying in a crumpled heap on the floor. Blood was streaming down the side of his face, but Tim could see that he appeared to be breathing. Standing over Tony's prone figure and holding what looked like his gun, was the woman Tim had seen hitting Tony. Up close, she was younger than Tim had first thought, probably still in her teens. Her hands were shaking as she clutched the gun, which was now pointed in Tim's direction.
Out of the corner of his eye, he could see a young man on his knees, the same man that Tony had been covering, and therefore not to be trusted.
"Drop the gun," ordered Tim, trying not to think about what he'd have to do if she didn't obey. He wasn't sure if he could shoot a woman, even one who had a gun pointed at him.
"I...I..." the girl stammered.
"Just shoot him, Janine you stupid bitch!" This came from the kneeling man.
"Troy, he's a Fed...I can't!"
"So was the other guy, didn't stop you killing *him*!"
"It was an accident..." Tears were starting to run down her face. "I didn't mean to kill him, I just wanted to stop him shooting Troy."
Her hands were shaking wildly now, and Tim knew that she could easily pull the trigger by accident if she wasn't careful. "Janine," he said, soothingly. "I'm sure it *was* an accident. You didn't mean to hurt my friend." He took a step closer to her. "I'm sure you never wanted to get involved in this robbery in the first place, right?"
Janine nodded her head slowly even as she took a few steps back. "It was Troy...it was his idea. I...I just wanted to get something to drink, but he said he didn't have any cash...I just want to go home..."
"Bitch," snapped Troy. "Doesn't matter whose idea it was. You went along with it, so you're just as guilty as me. And I'm not the one who's just killed a cop. You might as well kill this one too, they can't fry you more than once."
"Don't listen to him, Janine," said Tim, as calmly as he could, even though his heart was pounding. "So far, nothing you have done is irretrievable. My partner isn't dead...you haven't stolen anything...yet. If you put down the gun and let me call an ambulance for him then I'm sure he'll be all right. Help me to help him, and that'll count a *lot* in your favor...just put the gun down and step away and we can sort all this out. I promise you, this can all be worked out...but you have to let me help you...you have to put down the gun.
Tim could see that she was wavering and he took a step forward, knowing that if he'd misjudged things and she *did* pull the trigger, then he'd be a dead man, with Tony soon after.
"I know that you're scared," he said softly. "I know that you're afraid that you've done something so bad...so terrible that the rest of your life is going to be marked by it forever. And if you shoot me, then that'll be true. But it doesn't have to end like that. All you have to do is put down the gun." Tim took another step towards her and reached out his hand.
Janine burst into tears, the gun falling from her hand as she collapsed to her knees sobbing loudly.
"It's okay, Janine," said Tim, relaxing slightly, "It's going to be all right."
"Bitch," snarled Troy, "I'll kill you!"
Things seemed to happen in slow motion as Troy lunged for the fallen gun. Tim grabbed Janine, pushing her out of Troy's line of vision, before turning and bringing his weapon to bear, his computer like mind already calculating vectors and speeds and just knowing that Troy would be able to get a shot off first.
A shot rang out.
"Nobody calls my partner a bitch," said Tony. He was still prone on the ground, but it hadn't affected his aim as he neatly put a round through Troy's ankle with his own gun.
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An hour or so later, the police had arrived and were taking statements from all concerned.
Tim had given a full report to the officer in charge, leaving him in no doubt about his opinion that Troy had been the leader and Janine an unwilling accomplice. He didn't know if it would make a difference, but he'd promised Janine, and while he'd have said anything to get Tony and himself out of trouble, Tim still felt he owed it to the girl to try.
Troy had been carted off in an ambulance, alternately cursing and screaming and blaming everybody bar himself for his downfall.
Tony had also been examined by the paramedics and now he sat on the steps outside the store, a large bandage covering the side of his face and looking a little paler than usual
"Hey Probie," said Tony when he noticed Tim coming over. "How're you doing?"
Tim sat down beside Tony. "I'm sorry Tony...I know I should have handled things differently." He jumped as Tony swatted him on the head.
"Now what have I told you about second guessing yourself, Probie?" said Tony. "You managed to talk down a gun toting criminal without getting yourself or any other innocent party hurt. That's a good result in anybody's book, kid, and don't you forget it." He was silent for a few seconds before continuing, "To tell the truth, if our positions had been reversed...if I'd seen somebody pointing a gun at you, chick or no chick, I'd have shot her....no second chances, no talking...but in this situation, a scared kid like that...it'd have been a 'good' shoot...but the wrong call to make. The thing about this job Tim, it's not always the right thing to shoot first in a given situation...but sometimes it's necessary. A good agent is one who can tell when it *is* the right thing." Tony punched Tim lightly on the shoulder, "And that's why you'll make a good agent."
There was silence between them for a while before Tony continued, "Anyway, you'd better get going." He pulled his car keys out of his pocket. "Betty, that cute paramedic *insists* that I get checked out in the ER before I drive anywhere. Personally I just think she's using it as an excuse to get me inside her ambulance, but who am I to argue with a pretty lady." He held the keys out to Tom, "I warn you, if you get a single scratch on my car when you're driving back to the city, I will smack you silly, tell Gibbs you spilled his coffee, *and* tell Abby that you were the one who sat on Bert and broke him."
"But Bert isn't broken?"
"No, but he will be if you damage my car!"
Tim took the keys, "You're sure you're okay?"
"I'm fine kid, a few stitches and a bit of rest and I'll be good as new. Heck, I'll probably only have a small scar, maybe one just big enough to act as a chick magnet until it fades."
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Twenty years later, Tony's scar had indeed faded and was only really noticeable when he made a point of showing it off to people while telling them the story of its origins.
Tim had noticed that Tony's contribution to the incident seemed to grow in direct proportion to the prettiness of the lady he was telling the tale to, but he didn't mind not getting his fair share of the credit. After all, Tony had done enough over the years to deserve his moment in the spotlight. The drawerful of medals that Tony had accumulated in his own right over the last twenty years, was more than testament to that fact.
A shadow loomed over Tim as he at his lunch in his favorite restaurant.
Looking up he saw Tony who smiled as he said, "Hey Probie, mind if you join you?" Without waiting for an answer, he hooked a chair with his foot and lowered himself into it.
"How often do I have to tell you, Tony," said Tim, with mock severity in his voice, "That's *Director* Probie to you, DiNozzo!"
Tony laughed as he grabbed a handful of fries off Tim's plate. "You know, I'm not sure I'll ever get used to you being the NCIS Director. To me, you'll still be the wet behind the ears Probie who showed up on our doorstep one day and we didn't have the heart to turn away." He grinned to show there was no ill will behind the comment and then crammed the fries into his mouth.
"I wouldn't have made it if it hadn't been for you," said Tim, soberly. "It should be you sitting in the Director's chair, you've got so much more experience..."
"Don't make me smack you again, kiddo. I'd be totally useless at the job. I'm a field agent; I couldn't deal with all the paperwork. Heck, there's only one person that'd be worse than me in the job, and that'd be Gibbs!"
Tim laughed along with Tony. Gibbs had in fact been put up for the post of Director many many years ago after his bad knee had finally enforced his retirement from active duty. He had lasted less than a month before steps had been taken to remove him from his position before he pissed off the directors of every single agency in the US intelligence community.
Gibbs had then taken a position as head of training NCIS agents, with special responsibility for firearms. There had been an amazing increase in firearms accuracy of the agents that passed through his special training program. There had also been a sizeable increase in the numbers of caps and PDA's requisitioned by those agents as well.
"Anyway," continued Tony, "I always knew that you had it in you Tim."
"Even when I didn't believe in myself," said Tim, quietly.
"That's what partners...and friends are for."
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The End
Author's Chapter Notes:
Tony tries to help Tim get over the events of Probie, but has he done enough?