Chapter Five

"He's doing better, temperature's 100.2."

A voice I'd never heard before...a woman this time, was she talking about me? I had a moment of panic, was I still in the cage? No...I could tell, I was in a bed...the smell was gone...had I made it to the hospital at last? Doing better...sounded good...I felt better...still so tired...sleep a little longer...

"See, I told you, I saw his hand move."

"I think you may be right Abigail, patience my dear. He has been through a terrible ordeal, let him rest..."

They were here...I wasn't alone any longer. I should tell them...thank them...soon...

It was quiet, and dark...not the cage, no please not...wait, my eyes were closed; time to open them...it seemed to take a long time, and a lot of effort just to get them open. Wasn't dark, not daylight, didn't hurt my eyes, not like before, wasn't alone either.

"Hey Tim; good to have you back."

"Good...be back Boss..." I wanted to say more, but I started to cough, couldn't stop.

"Steady, here, ice-chips, they'll help." He held a tiny paper cup to my mouth and allowed a few ice chips to pass my lips, felt so good.

"Thanks..."

"Any time, if you need more let me know."

I smiled a little...at least I think I was smiling, hadn't done it for so long..."Not for the ice...for...Devoisier. He was going to kill me..."

"Not on my watch Tim, wish we could have got to you sooner."

"I'm just...glad you got to me..." I could feel my eyelids starting to close again...how could I be so tired when all I was doing was sleeping? There was a question...I had to ask a question...what...

"Tricia…Greg? They were...are they?" I could feel my heart beating faster, Gibbs leaned closer and took my hand in his.

"They are fine Tim, they took a good dose of Sevoflurane and Nitrous Oxide, were out of it for a few hours, but they're back at work."

That was all I needed to know...

Daylight this time, Gibbs was gone, but I wasn't alone.

"About time, do you have any idea how tedious it is watching you sleep?"

"Tony, how could McGee know such a thing? He cannot watch himself sleep."

"True; I should tell Abby."

He was gone before I even had chance to say a word. Ziva was smiling but she looked tired…

"I'm not going to hurt him Tony, I just want to…oh Tim, it's so good to see…"

I braced myself for an Abby hug, but she stopped at the bedside and simply held on tight to my left hand…I was puzzled…she always hugged everyone…I took a good look; she wasn't wearing make-up…shadows under her eyes…they all looked beat…somehow Gibbs and Ducky had got into the room too, don't know how they managed it but I was glad…it was good to see them…

"So McSnoozy, Gibbs says you talked to him last night, you going to talk to us anytime soon?"

I'd been so intent on just looking at everyone, relishing the fact that I wasn't alone, that I'd forgotten…

"Out of…practice…thank you…for getting me…out of there." My voice…didn't even sound like me.

"Here Timothy, some juice, just a few sips…that's right, gently does it." Ducky held the straw to my mouth as I drank the orange juice, tasted good.

"Thanks Ducky. How long…the cage, how long?"

Suddenly it seemed like no-one wanted to talk, Gibbs broke the silence.

"Four days, you were gone four days, this is your third day in the hospital."

"Three days..." I didn't understand…had I slept that long?

Ducky let me take another drink. "You have been very ill young man, your wound was infected, you had a high fever, it took a long time to get it under control." He put down the cup and gave me a warm smile. "It's marvellous to have you back lad."

"We should have got to you sooner Tim; my stupid fault, it took me hours to remember about the coffee, and the brake lights…"

"Stop it Tony, it wasn't all on you. I was so clumsy cleaning up the audio…I wanted to find you Tim, to have you home…I was all fingers and thumbs…" Abby was still holding on to my hand so I gave her a reassuring squeeze.

"You found me, that's what matters."

"Thanks to you Tim." Gibbs was smiling down at me. "When Ducky called from the hospital to ask why you hadn't arrived, we thought there'd been an accident. Metro PD found the EMTs out cold, no sign of you in the ambulance; there was no physical evidence, nothing that could lead us to you. The first days after you were gone…they were as tough as anything this team has had to deal with."

"You were looking…wasn't sure…" I didn't realise I'd said it aloud until I saw the shocked expressions around me.

"McGee! Why would we not be looking? You are part of this team, a friend…we would never have stopped searching, however, without your guidance we would have taken longer."

"Sorry Ziva…it's just…too much time to think I guess…I was so confused…then Devoisier said…runt of the litter…he's right too, look at me…"

Tony raised his hand and shook his head, he looked upset. "If you didn't look so sick I'd be head-smacking some sense into you. The runt! How the heck do you think we knew where to send the chopper Tim? Even when we knew it was Devoisier who had you, and we started to look at his holdings, any place where he could be keeping you…he and his brother own so many places in the Tri-State area…you could have been anywhere, it would have taken us days to search them all. But you told us, a container…narrowed it down, once we knew where his shipping company had their storage area, Director Vance approved a heat-seeking helicopter…the rest you know."

"You mean that, about the Morse Code, it really helped?"

"Cracked the case wide open McDevious. Tim, listen to me…when we found you…for a few minutes we were so happy…Devoisier was dead thanks to Gibbs' Ninja sniper skills, the other two were cuffed and ready for transport, you were safe. Only…you weren't, not right away…when I got to you…you were burning up…I thought we'd taken too long…"

I almost felt like pinching myself to be sure I wasn't dreaming, that this really was Tony talking. They had been searching, all the time I was gone…I could see that now, small wonder they all looked so tired…

"But you hadn't…you got to me as soon as you were able…I think, even when part of me wasn't sure you'd be searching…I think deep down, I knew you were…that's why I tried to give you some help…"

I saw Ducky take a quick look at the door. "I think we are about to be ushered on our way, we were given five minutes, and I rather think we've outstayed our welcome."

"It's been great to see you…thank you, all of you for getting me out of there, and for staying here with me, it means everything to me…and guys, you should all go get some sleep, you look like you need it."

I closed my eyes and smiled, allowing their expressions of outrage to wash over me, they wouldn't admit it, even to themselves, but they needed rest…I felt a light kiss on my forehead…Abby…I drifted off to sleep once more, safe in the knowledge that I wasn't on my own…

THE END