Dead Man Walking

Written for the NCIS Titular Challenge and as a hangman prize fic for thecookiemomma. Yeah, I know, took me long enough…

Genre: Horror/Mystery

Characters: the MCRT (season 12), OCs

Rating: FR15

Warnings: Well, it's horror. Take a guess.

Summary: What's dead stays dead…or not.

Disclaimer: All recognizable characters are the property of their respective copyright holders. No infringement intended. The original characters and places mentioned are the product of the author's imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to those living, dead, or undead is completely coincidental.

"Whatever happens, death is not the end."

Lucien Celine, The Serpent and the Rainbow

Prologue

It was a beautiful autumn day.

Tony DiNozzo took a moment to enjoy the sights and smells that the day brought with it as he climbed out of his car. He had just parked it in front of McGee's building, part of his plan for their first Saturday off in a month. He intended to rouse the younger man from whatever geekery he would undoubtedly be engaged in and convince him to join Tony on a trip into the mountains to take in the fall splendor. McGee's car was still in its parking spot, and he could see a light on in one of the windows of his apartment, so he knew his partner was home and this wasn't a completely wasted trip.

As he walked towards the building, Tony reflected on the week they had both had, certainly one of the strangest in a while. It had started with the usual dead body, but that was the end of normalcy. Finally, by Friday, they had to admit that the case wasn't going anywhere: no suspects, no leads, no real evidence, not even a clear cause of death for said dead body. Gibbs had been beyond frustrated, that was clear—and frankly, not that unusual—but eventually he had declared they needed to sleep on it and come back fresh on Monday.

Tony had agreed wholeheartedly with that assessment.

He entered the building and climbed the stairs to McGee's floor, already planning his spiel to get McGee to agree to the trip. The younger man had been a bit off all week, even though he had claimed nothing was wrong, but Tony had sensed that this case had disturbed him more than usual. Tony planned to use the trip to get McGee to open up a little so Tony could help him deal with whatever it was that was bothering him.

Tony reached McGee's apartment and knocked loudly, expecting a grumpy reply from within before McGee would open the door and reluctantly let him in. He was surprised when the apartment remained silent, and knocked again, louder this time.

Nothing.

After checking the hallway for signs of possible witnesses to uninvited entry, Tony pulled out the spare key to McGee's apartment and unlocked the door before stepping inside and closing the door behind him.

"Rise and shine, McGee," he called out, expecting to see McGee stumble from his bedroom in response, but the man failed to appear. The apartment was silent, and an uneasy feeling began to creep into Tony's gut.

"McGee? Tim? Are you here?"

He started to walk towards McGee's bedroom and had made it to the door when he froze at the sight in front of him. McGee was lying on the floor in a crumpled heap, silent and unmoving.

"McGee!"

Tony immediately pulled out his cell phone and called for an ambulance as he crouched down and grabbed McGee's shoulder, rolling him onto his back. McGee's eyes were open, wide and unseeing, and Tony's heart leapt into his throat.

"Oh, God…"

Tony put his finger's against McGee's throat, searching for a pulse. Nothing. He pressed harder, hoping that he'd find something, weak but still there. Please, still there…

Nothing.

"Emergency services, how may I direct your call?"

Tony barely heard the voice as it asked again, his attention fixed on the still form of his partner. He desperately checked him over, trying to detect any sign of life, and finally came to one horrible conclusion.

Tim McGee was dead.

TBC…