Nearly there gentle readers, and I'd just like to thank everybody who's stuck with it so far. We're on the home stretch now, only one more part to go which I should be posting in the next 24 hours.
Enjoy!
Title: Desperate Measures
Chapter: 06/07
Author: Ceindreadh
Email: Ceindreadh@eircom.net
Website: n/a
Permission to archive: Yes to WWOMB, anybody else, please ask first.
Fandom(s): NCIS
Genre (general, hetero or slash): Slash/Action/Angst
Pairing/Characters: Tony DiNozzo/Tim McGee
Rating: FRT
Warnings: slash and violence, oh my!
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 Beta'ing
Previously on NCIS. Tony followed a suspect named Andrews, into a building. Andrews got the drop on him and handcuffed him to a radiator before setting the building on fire. McGee showed up in the nick of time but was forced to smash Tony's hand in order to free him from the cuffs.
Later in the hospital, McGee told Tony that Gibbs already knew about their relationship.
Desperate measures
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"Either spit or swallow, McGee."
McGee's mouth was nearly burnt by the coffee by now, but he quickly swallowed it down. "I...I...Boss, it...we..."
"Don't worry, McGee, you're not in trouble."
"Boss, I swear we've never let it interfere with our work."
"I know that McGee," interrupted Gibbs. "That's why I never said anything. Heck, if anything your work has improved. DiNozzo's reports were certainly never as coherent and prompt before he started getting you to write them."
"I don't write them, Boss, I mean, that is, I *type* them up, but Tony tells me exactly what to put in."
"Easy there, like I said, I know it hasn't affected your work...until today."
McGee's heart sank...this was it...now Gibbs was going to read him the riot act...and the worst thing was, he totally deserved it. Somebody who hadn't been sleeping with Tony would have made a different choice...the *right* choice...
"I'm sorry, Boss," said McGee. "I...I know I screwed up. And I fully accept whatever reprimands or punishments you want to dole out."
"I've already told you, McGee. You didn't screw up. You made the best choice you could under the circumstances, but it *was* influenced by your relationship with Tony, wasn't it?"
McGee nodded his head slowly. "I...I couldn't do it Boss...I mean, I kept thinking how much it'd hurt him...and then if he lost his hand he'd lose his job and he loves being an agent and I couldn't take that away from him...even if there was only a small chance to save his hand...I...I had to take it..."
"You should never have been put in that sort of position. *Nobody* should have to make a decision like that about somebody they're intimate with." Gibbs took another drink of his coffee.
"I swear it won't happen again. I...I'll transfer to another team...another posting."
"Oh you can be sure it won't happen again. Look McGee, I have no problem with you and Tony being together. I think you're good for each other. And I have no problem with you both working on my team, because you're both damn good agents, and I've no intention of losing either of you." Gibbs knocked back the last of the coffee. "But I'm damned if I'll ever send the two of you out in the field alone together again."
"Boss?"
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"So I mean he didn't seem pissed off or anything," said McGee, "And he hasn't really mentioned it since and he's even been bringing me coffee and everything while I've been waiting here."
"Maybe he's just lulling you into a false sense of security, and then *bam*..." Tony yawned involuntarily and could feel his eyes closing. He forced them open again. "What...what about Andrews?" he mumbled tiredly.
"Don't worry about him," said McGee, "He won't be bothering anybody...not anymore..."
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
McGee had driven the car around the back of the building and then around again, but there was no sign of either Tony or Andrews. He cursed under his breath as he pulled in to the curb, wondering what to do next. Just as he was about to phone Tony, he saw Andrews come running out of the front door of the building and heading straight for the alleyway where he'd parked earlier. There was no sign of Tony, and McGee bit his lip, wondering what to do next. Finally he climbed out of the car, and gun at the ready, made his way cautiously over to the alley.
Keeping close to the wall, McGee glanced down the alley. Andrews was busy removing bags from the back seat of the car. Even as McGee watched, one of them fell and split open, spilling wads of cash out onto the ground.
That was enough for McGee. Raising his weapon he stepped into view. "Federal Agent," he called, "Step away from the vehicle and put your hands in the air."
Andrews whirled around grabbing for his gun. McGee instinctively pulled his trigger. Andrews's gun went flying through the air, and Andrews himself collapsed to the ground clutching his hand. "You bastard, you shot me!" he groaned as McGee approached, still covering him.
"Yeah, well you tried to shoot me!" snapped McGee, trying to hide how surprised he was at actually having hit Andrews. True, he'd been aiming for a body shot, but nobody needed to know *that*.
"Where's Tony...Agent DiNozzo?" asked McGee, circling around Andrews.
"Who?"
"He followed you into the house."
"Oh...you mean that dumb agent who tried to catch me?" Andrews laughed through his pain. "Well let's see...right about now, I think he'll be starting to feel the heat..." There was a sudden explosion from the building.
McGee gasped in shock, "You left him in there?"
"Yeah...and he's gonna be burning up real soon if you don't go and rescue him...except of course then you'll have to let me go...so what's it gonna be? Me or him..."
"Both," snapped McGee. He grabbed Andrews by his good hand, and forced a handcuff around it. The other cuff got snapped around the inner handle of the car door. Just to make sure, McGee grabbed the car keys from the ignition and shoved them into his pocket. "The cops will be here soon," he said, "So will the fire brigade. You won't get away with this."
"Bastard!" screamed Andrews.
McGee could hear the rattling of the handcuff chain as he rounded the corner. He stayed on the street long enough to contact the emergency services, then taking a deep breath...he ran into the by now burning building.
- - - - - - - - - - - -
"My...my hero," mumbled Tony weakly. "So...so Andrews...he's in custody?"
"Ah...not exactly," said McGee, a little shame faced. "You see, the building was on fire...and the car was pretty close to it, and...and it looks like some debris got carried by the wind and landed on the car...set it on fire..."
Tony's eyes widened, "You...you mean..."
McGee nodded, "The cops showed up just after the petrol tank had blown. Andrews...or what was left of him, he's in a drawer down in Autopsy now. Ducky and Palmer did a very thorough post mortem on him. Like I said, he won't be bothering anybody...not anymore."
Tony couldn't help but laugh, "Talk...talk about poe...poetic justice..."
McGee leaned down and kissed him on the lips. "Now you do as Gibbs said and rest."
"Only...only if you rest as well..."
"I promise, as soon as you're asleep I'll go home."
Tony nodded tiredly and let his eyes close. The last thing he heard was McGee saying softly. "I love you Tony."
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To be concluded
Author's Chapter Notes:
Tony has been in dangerous situations before, but this was one of the worst.