Burnout

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN NCIS, PERIOD.

Chapter 13: Endings

Four months later

Tim completed consoling with Dr. Cranston. She recommend that Tim stay single for a while and learn how to trust women again. The team attended consoling sessions with Tim by suggestion by Jenny and Dr. Mallard. The team is really close now and stronger than before.

Sarah had her surgery, and she is in remission. Tim was thrilled that his sister is a fighter just like he is. Tim even got a new house and adopted a cocker spaniel that Tony recommend to him. Gibbs recommended Tim getting the best security system on his house. Ziva offered to open his heart to new women, but Tim told Ziva that he wasn't ready just yet but he let her know when he is ready. Ziva nods as she understands this from years of abuse that Abby placed on him.

Team Gibbs, Ducky, and Palmer is at the court house as Abby's trail is almost over. Abby is standing next to her public defender. Tim has a stern but solemn look on his face as he testified against Abby. It was uneasy at first as Abby's lawyer tried to use psychological warfare against him. The prosecutor cut all of that nonsense. Even when Abby took the stand the prosecutor showed everyone even the jury what kind of person Abby is. The guy that was with Scutio during the kidnapping took a deal with prosecution and testified against Abby.

Abby had a few outbursts in court that landed in contempt and thrown in jail. Even when Tim was on the stand, Abby was furious with him that she went out of control and tried to hit Tim in the face. The bailiff and Gibbs stopped Abby in time.

Abby got a guilty verdict to everyone's relief as Abby had another outburst. It took the jury 20 minutes to deliberate the verdict. "You are idiots for giving me guilty verdict. I will be free one day". Abby said to them as the bailiff and three police officers take her out of court.

Tim sighs as he is deep in thought. Gibbs looks at Tim. "Something wrong Tim"? Gibbs asks Tim. Tim looks at Gibbs. "Why is she crazy instead of the nice and sweet former colleague that we use to know"? Tim asks them.

This question takes the members of Team Gibbs by surprise. Ducky looks at Tim. "Timothy, the mind of a person changes over time. You saw how controlling Abigail saw while the rest of us saw the angelic side that she had used as a mask to cover her true motives". Ducky said to Timothy.

Tony nods to Tim. "Yeah Tim, plus the next woman you like or even fall in love with will have to be peer approved by us and your family". Tony said to Tim.

Tim nods to Tony. "I have to open my heart eventually, but when that day comes, I know that the right person will come". Tim said to them as he looks at Ziva.

It is the night before the sentencing day. Sarah is at Tim's house. She notices Tim writing down his statements for the judge. "Hey there Tim what are you doing"? Sarah said as she has a short bob hair style. Tim looks at Sarah. "I am trying to figure out what to say to the judge tomorrow regarding Scutio's sentence. Do you have something to say to the judge as well"? Tim asks Sarah.

Sarah looks at Tim with a grin on her face. "Yeah throw her in jail and throw away the key for 20 years. She forced you to marry her for Christ sake". Sarah said to Tim.

Tim looks at Sarah as he remembers about the wedding. "Sarah, that wedding was annulled about 30 minutes after I got rescued. I don't want to ask for a lenacy on her. I want to ask that she gets help and get put in a psychiatric prison with heavy monitoring instead of a regular prison". Tim said to Sarah.

Sarah looks at Tim with a perplexed look on her face. "That's your big heart talking again, you don't need to think of her over yourself. Scutio is the department of corrections's problem now". Sarah said to Tim.

Tim looks at Sarah as she is right. "Sarah, she could be a threat to herself and others. You were there in court. She had outbursts in court especially the day that I took the stand. She even had an outburst about the verdict. I don't have any regrets about arresting her, but I do have some regrets on dating her". Tim said to Sarah.

Sarah nods to Tim as she nods in agreement. "Your right Tim, I worry about you though". Sarah said to Tim as they went to bed for the night.

The next day at the courthouse, Tim and Sarah are sitting with Team Gibbs. The judge looks at them. "Before I make the decision on your sentence, I will hear recommendations from witnesses and the prosecutor. The floor recognizes Ms. Sarah McGee to the stand". The judge said to them.

Sarah stands up as she has a modest navy dress with flats as she went to the podium. "At first thought, I want her to be sentence to 20 years and have them throw away the key. Tim said things having regrets on Scutio. The big regret for me is meeting Scutio because she treated my brother like second rate citizen. I can't say what regrets Agent Gibbs and the other agents that know her, but she broke the law and she should be punished". Sarah said to the judge.

Sarah hands her statement letter to the prosecutor and went back to her seat. "The floor recognizes Special Agent Timothy McGee". The judge said to them. Tim got up with his statement. Abby looks at Tim as she ponders what Tim has to say.

"When I thought about what to say about Scutio's sentence, I had to do a lot of thinking. I thought about all the years I have known her, how she was acting in the past few months, and how she acted during the trail. I even thought about long term in the future and what will happen to other people and to herself. I regret dating her, but I don't regret meeting her because it lead to working with Gibbs, Tony, Kate, Ducky, Jimmy and then Ziva. From the people that know me best, I have the biggest heart in the world, and I put other people before myself. Sending to send her to prison and throw away the key without a second glance for 20 years would be the best according to some people. However by the way she was acting and her mind being shown, I think the best place to send Abigail Scutio is to a psycharitic prison where she can get help and monitoring. Most people say that I am a forgiving person, but I can not forgive her for years of abuse, blackmailing me, kidnapping me, and the forced wedding. I am not asking for her to get a slap on the wrist. Hearing that guilty verdict is justice enough. Perhaps with time in a psychiatric prison, Scutio can become a better person". Tim said to the judge as he takes his seat.

Everyone including Abby is taken back on what Tim said. As the other witnesses and prosecution make their statements on Abby's sentence, the judge dismissed everyone for an hour recess.

In the hallway, Tony looks at Tim. "That took a lot of courage to talk about her sentence". Tony said to Tim. Ziva looks at Tim. "Yeah, that was your tiger heart talking". Ziva said to Tim. "It's lion, Ziver". Gibbs said to Ziva.

About an hour later, everyone is callback in the court room. The judge comes back to the room. "After hearing the statements from witnesses and the recommendation from the prosecution, I have made the decision on your sentence. I do not know what was going in your mind to abuse your victim for 12 years and appearing nothing was wrong to others while the victim was with them. Matters of the heart is something not to be forced on a person. Loving someone is by choice and will. You took away the choice and turned it into control. I sentence you to 20 years in prison, and you will receive psychiatric consoling. This court is adjourned". The judge said to them as he pounds the gavel.

Abby has a speechless look on her face as she realizes that Tim's statement was trying to help her. Abby looks at Tim as she has hurtful look on her face. The bailiff takes her back to the transport to prison.

Gibbs looks at Tim. "Are you ok"? Gibbs asks Tim. Tim looks at Gibbs. "I am not sure, Gibbs. I only hope that she will get the help, and maybe she won't be a threat to herself or others". Tim said to Gibbs.

Tony looks at Tim as he sighs to him. "You are the worrier of the team, and yet you are the heart of the team, Tim". Tony said to Tim. Tim nods to Tony. "Let's go", Tim said to them. They left the courthouse as they notice the bright blue sky with no clouds in sight. As Gibbs got a phone call of a new case to solve, Tim is ready to get back into work once again.

End Story