Disclaimer: I do not own anything you recognise!

Authors Note: THIS IS A CHARACTER DEATH. Do not read if you do not like. It was a response to a challenge.

'Why are we here?'

'Because Gibbs told us to check this place out.' Tim replied.

A petty officer's body had been found in a warehouse complex. He was surrounded by crates with drugs so a full scale search was being carried to see if there were anymore illegal substances in the vicinity. Tony and Tim had drawn the short straws and were overseeing the search.

Tony looked up from were he was examining a crate. 'No one's here. No one has been here for months. We had to break into this warehouse just to check it. Not to mention the layer of dust coating everything.'

'So?' Tim replied from his position across the room. 'Some one may have used a key. Or…'

'Be quiet McKnow-it-all.'

Tim looked over at Tony, ready to retort when he spotted the man approaching him from behind. Light from a window reflected off the gun in the man's hands.

'Tony!' Tim yelled. Seeing Tim's panicked look, Tony began to turn, drawing his weapon as he went. He was not fast enough. The bullet entered his left shoulder, and exited to end up in a nearby crate. Tony collapsed, his gun slipping from his hands as he fell.

The pain was intense, but not so much that he missed the shots fired by Tim. Then, what seemed like ages later, Tim's head entered his sight range. He placed his jacket on Tony's wound, trying to stop the bleeding. 'Tony? I've called for help; they'll be here in a few minutes. Gibbs is on his way too…Tony!'

'What…Probie?'

'Hang on, the paramedics are also here. Come on!'

'D…doing…my…b...best McGee.' Tony coughed out. A short silence occurred and Tony began to realise how serious his injury was. 'Tim…If…'

'No. I will not let you do the whole touching goodbye thing. You're going to be fine and that's that.'

Tony gave a weak laugh. Before he could comment, the sound of sirens had Tim turning his head. Ziva and Gibb's voices could be heard calling for them.

'Tony. Help is here.' He looked Tony in the eyes, leaned back onto his heels and smiled. 'We're going to be okay.'

Just then a single gunshot rang out though the warehouse. Tim jerked from his position in front of Tony. He looked at Tony in shock as slowly, a patch of red began to appear on his shirt. Then he turned his head slightly as though trying to make sense of what happened. He looked at a spot behind Tony mouthed a word-a name, and began to fall sidewards.

Tony was in shock. He tried to make sense of what happened but failed, the blackness he had been holding at bay taking over his mind. The last things he heard were gunshots and two voices crying his name and the name of the man lying beside him.

********

The darkness was everywhere. Tony was trying to fight it, but couldn't find the strength. Then, he began to make out, voices, calling his name.

'DiNozzo. You don't have permission to die yet.'

'Tony! Come on, wake up. We need you…'

'Tony…'

'Anthony, my boy. Please come back.'

The voices gave him strength and he fought the darkness and began to return to his team.

********

The first thing he saw when he opened his eyes was light. Cringing, he closed them again. But someone in the room had seen it, and that voice asked-no, demanded he reopen then.

'DiNozzo. Open your eyes.' The voice-Gibbs? growled. Reluctantly he opened his eyes again and looked into Gibbs' concerned blue eyes.

'Boss?'

'DiNozzo. You had us worried for a bit there.'

Tony looked around the room. There was Abby, asleep in a chair while Ducky's voice could be heard talking to the doctor. Tony could even see Ziva, standing guard outside the room. But there was someone missing…

'Boss? Where's…McGee?'

Gibbs diverted his eyes unable to look Tony in the eye. 'It's not good, DiNozzo. He's…he's on life support.'

'How…' Tony then remembered the last moments in the warehouse. 'There was someone else in that warehouse…'

Gibbs nodded. 'He was a better shot then the first guy. You were shot in the shoulder. McGee…Tim was hit near the heart.'

Tony was speechless as this all sunk in. 'But there's still a chance…right?'

Gibbs shook his head. 'His family are here. They're going to turn the life support off tomorrow…'

Just then, Ducky returned to the room. 'Anthony. How do you feel?'

'Fine. I want to see Tim, Ducky.'

'Now, Tony do you think that's…'

'Please, Ducky?' The look on Tony's face suggested he wasn't going to give up without a fight.

Ducky relented. 'I'll talk to the doctors and his family and we'll see what they say.'

'Thank you.' Tony then closed his eyes and let the darkness retake him.

********

The next day and Tony found himself sitting at the bedside of what used to be his friend. He knew that once he had finished here Tim's parents and sister were coming in to turn his life support off. They had told him to take his time. Tony did not have to wonder why.

He looked down at the man, lying so still and found himself comparing him to how Kate looked. He sat there for ages, not speaking, just thinking. Then, he found himself talking.

'Probie. I never thought…' he stopped, unable to continue. 'I met your parents. Damn, McGee, but your mother is hot! Well, for a woman her age she is…' breaking off, he smiled sadly at the thought of what Tim would have said to that.

'Guess what I trying to say is…Thanks. You kept me alive in there and it's going to cost you your life.' Tony wiped away the tears that were starting to fall. 'And Tim? I'm…sorry.'

'Not your fault.' Tony turned and saw Gibbs was standing at the door. He opened his mouth to protest but Gibbs kept speaking. 'McGee…Tim would have stayed no matter what. Even if the bastard you shot you had killed you Tim would have stayed until we arrived. And he would have still been shot.'

'Maybe not fatally.' Gibbs just glared at him. Tony looked back at the figure laying on the bed, the man who was still technically alive but was already mourned.

Ducky poked his head into the room. 'Anthony, it's time. I need you to come with me so they can…' Ducky trailed off, clearly unwilling to continue.

Tony nodded. 'I understand, Ducky.' He stood up and Gibbs grabbed one arm and began to help him out.

Tony was quiet as Gibbs helped him back to his room.

'He saw Kate, at the end.' Tony suddenly stated.

Gibbs jerked in surprise nearly letting go of him. 'What?'

'Before he fell, he mouthed her name. He was looking at a spot behind me and mouthing her name.' Tony looked at Gibbs though his half closed eyes. 'Think they're together?'

'And planning their revenge.' Tony gave a humourless smile and together they returned to his room where Abby and Ziva were waiting.

********

Time moved on, but it seemed the team never did. Probie after Probie was assigned to Gibbs' team and Probie after Probie quit or asked to be transferred. Tony returned to work and Tim's desk sat empty, unused and untouched.

Abby stopped playing her music, Ziva and Tony no longer fought, Ducky rarely told his stories and Palmer seemed to be in a permanent state of shock after assisting with Tim's autopsy.

And Gibbs found himself in his basement, drinking his bourbon trying to ignore the pain of having lost another team member. Then, one night he was staring at his latest boat and an idea dawned on him. Smiling for the first time in weeks, he began to work on his idea.

********

'Boss, why are we here?'

Gibbs glanced at Tony then continued down the docks, followed closely by the rest of the team. Finally he stopped in front of a hand made boat which had its name covered by a NCIS jacket.

'What is this Jethro?' Ducky asked.

'My latest boat.' Gibbs then removed the jacket covering the name.

'Probie.' Palmer read.

'Why does McGee get a boat named for him. What about Jenny? And Kate?' Ziva asked.

Abby answered before Gibbs. 'But it's not just for Timmy, is it?' Seeing Gibbs nod she continued. 'Wasn't Kate a Probie of sorts when she started? And we all know Jenny was Gibbs' Probie.'

Ducky smiled. 'A fitting memorial. Shall we board her?'

As the team boarded, they noticed there were paper bags placed all around the boat. 'What are they for Gibbs?' Ziva asked.

'Seasickness.' And for the first time since Tim's death, the team smiled at a memory of him.