Fascinated Man

by channelD

written as: a tag (I guess) for the two-part season six episode, Legend. At the time that I wrote this, part 2 had not yet aired. This isn't to say that I thought this would happen. But it could be out there in the universe of possibilities.

rating: K plus

genre: drama

words: ~1250

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disclaimer: I own nothing of NCIS.

And Abby said, "It's just that…the last time you guys went to L.A., one of you didn't come back." --Legend, part 1

Another Los Angeles day dawned, and Gibbs and Tim reappeared at the run-down location that housed NCIS' Office of Special Projects. The day was hot, even for May. Both men were already sweating, but while Gibbs tugged at his collar and mentally added the heat to the list of reasons why he didn't like L.A., Tim was beaming.

Gibbs could tell what was on his agent's mind: Cool toys inside.

The OSP team was already at work when Gibbs and Tim entered. Macy looked up from her computer and nodded to them. Gibbs grunted, while Tim's eyes glowed. Clearly, Tim found the wondrous tech gadgets no less fascinating than he had the day before.

Part of Macy's team was already out in the field, trying to track down the arms smuggler. Tim hovered in the background, watching the work on the tech gadgets. Gibbs looked over Macy's shoulder, watching her while she worked, although she did her best to ignore him. When Gibbs, from time to time, looked in Tim's direction, he could almost see the gears turning in Tim's brain.

He's doing more than absorbing this, Gibbs thought. He's figuring out how they work—down to the level of how mirrors refract, or Google map images are pulled in, or however this magic works. And yet, even understanding it, he's still fascinated. And I don't even know the names of these gadgets.

As if reading Gibbs' thoughts, one of the agents at the console of a gadget turned to Tim. "Like to try it?" he offered.

"Yes. Oh, yes," Tim whispered.

Poor kid probably wasn't this excited on his first date, Gibbs thought.

Tim sat down and slowly, but steadily, worked the unfamiliar mouse. At first his movements were hesitant, but soon he'd tiled window after window onto the monitor. He quickly learned how to erase the borders and blend the images. There was some unevenness and a bit of distortion at first, but he reasoned his way around that without any help.

"You're a natural, McGee," the OSP tech agent smiled.

"You guys have the coolest job!" Tim enthused.

"I can always use another hand here, Tim," Macy called from her desk. "If you're interested in a job."

"He has a job," Gibbs said quickly. He didn't miss the fact that Tim's face had brightened at Macy's offer, and then fallen at Gibbs' statement.

"Aw, she was just being nice, boss," Tim said when he and Gibbs went out for lunch. "I don't think Macy really meant to offer me a job."

"She meant it," Gibbs sighed.

"But, uh, like you said, I already have a job. And it's a good job," Tim said with extra emphasis.

"McGee—" Gibbs began, then stopped himself. Fortunately, Tim was distracted by a pair of pigeons that had dropped onto their outdoor table and were greedily approaching his sandwich. Am I nuts? Encouraging him to take the job if he wants to? I don't want him off my team!

If he wants the OSP job badly enough, he'll take it without any encouragement from me. Got to admit, Macy does inspire loyalty in her people.

"Could use you out in the field, Tim," said Macy without preamble the next day.

"Really? Me?" Tim was surprised at the reluctance in his voice. Yes, he liked the full range of his job, including the field work, but…toys!

"Yes, you," Macy said over even Gibbs' surprised look. "We're so close to solving this case. I think plugging in someone who can look and act like a tourist, at that suspected souvenir shop, will do the trick."

"I'm your man, then," said Tim. He still hadn't made up his mind about the job offer, but just in case Macy was serious, it would be good to show his dedication.

It started off well. Tim was used to undercover work, and playing a wide-eyed tourist in the biggest city on the West Coast was hardly an act for him. "Entering the shop now," he murmured into his mike.

"We see you," said agent Kensi, back at the OSP office, a smile in her voice.

Tim allowed himself a fraction of a smile, thinking of his image showing up on the toys, several miles away. Then he forced his face back to neutral. "Shop owner's at the back of the store, with someone. No one's at the front register."

"They only use the front register at peak times," Kensi explained.

A clerk came up to Tim. "Can I help you find something, sir?"

"Yes," Tim said easily. "I'm looking for something that my sister might like. She's 23, and never been to the West Coast." He'd looked away while speaking, his eyes casually sweeping the shop. "Something funny, maybe. Not racy. Maybe silly. Or else pretty."

He didn't see the gun that the supposed clerk pulled out until too late.

"TIM!" Kelsi screamed in his ear.

Perhaps the gunman had spotted Tim's earwig. Not that a lot of innocent people didn't use them these days. Perhaps he just had a sixth sense about cops. Some criminals did.

In the end, it didn't matter.

Not at all.

Tim didn't stand a chance.

When Gibbs walked into NCIS HQ in Washington three days later, Abby was waiting in the squad room with Ziva and Tony, who looked as pale as she did. "Oh, Gibbs!!!" she cried, throwing himself into his arms, tears gushing. "Why did you guys ever leave here? Why? Why? Why?! I told you I had the feeling that one of you wouldn't come back!"

"I know, he said softly, and kissed her cheek. "I remember."

"Boss, McGee…" Tony said, clumsily. The words were like weights in his mouth.

"He's doing better," Gibbs said heavily. It was just as hard for him to talk about it. "Last night was hard on him. They almost lost him again in the hospital. That's the third time he's crashed. But…they're optimistic. He took three direct, close-range hits, but the bullet-proof vest made them non-fatal. Damaging still; particularly the hit over his heart, but…thank God." Video technology was all well and good, but seeing one of his people gunned down…and him miles away, and unable to do anything…that was one of the scariest experiences of his life.

And to think I argued against putting him in a vest. Macy insisted, saying he was new in town.

I owe her. Man, do I owe her.

"Do you think he's going to want to stay on in L.A. with those guys and that geek stuff?" asked Tony, looking a little relieved now.

Gibbs smiled just a little. "I asked him that yesterday. He said Washington is his home. OSP would always seem like an arcade to him. He didn't want to be an undercover person all the time with no fixed identity. He wanted to be himself."

Abby hugged Gibbs again, hard. "What's that for?" he asked.

"For being the boss that Tim wants to follow," she said, blinking back tears. "Gibbs, Tim is giving up the toys so he can keep working with you."

Gibbs was startled, but saw Tony and Ziva nodding and smiling. Huh. Maybe Macy's not the only one who does good work sometimes.

-END-