The Bonds that We Save: Chapter Two
Two weeks later
Saturday
Arthur pulled at his lead eagerly, before stopping to smell an interesting group of weeds. Tim laughed when the puppy sneezed, shook his head, and then kept walking. According to the vet, the German Sheppard was around six months old and had no microchip. Thankfully, his father had said that they could keep the little guy. Tim had named the pup Arthur after King Arthur, one of his favorite characters. The last couple of weeks had been quite the adjustment period for the four of them. Gibbs and Tim had even built a dog house for Arthur to sleep in.
That had been the plan anyway, but when they had put Arthur in the backyard that first night, the dog had barked and yelped up a storm until they had relented and let the puppy inside in order to keep in good standing with their neighbors. Arthur had slept at the foot of Tim’s bed that night and every night since. During the day, when Tim was at summer school, Arthur was more than happy to run around outside, though; it was just at night that the dog insisted on sleeping in the house. Not that Tim was complaining. Truth be told, since the puppy started sleeping in his room, he had only had one nightmare. And when he had woken up with his heart pounding and his hands shaking, Arthur had been there, licking the tears off his face. Tim had petted the little fur ball until he had calmed down and was able to go back to sleep.
It was a sunny July day, without a cloud in the sky, and Tim was taking Arthur for his daily walk. Summer school had started this week; Tim would be dropped off by his grandfather at school around eight in the morning and then be picked up around one. He would eat lunch, and then take Arthur for his walk. The pup loved going for their afternoon strolls, Tim only had to touch Arthur’s leash and the pup would start barking and running back and forth from wherever Tim was to the front door.
Jackson always stayed at home. Arthur liked to take very long walks and it was usually too much for his grandfather to walk that distance. His father had said he could take Arthur to the park, as long as he came right back. The park was only a few blocks away, so round trip, including letting Arthur sniff every tree and frolic in the park, it took about forty-five minutes.
They were just passing the covered bus stop at the far end of the park when a voice called out to him. “Tim.”
Tim turned and then stopped with a gasp. Everything around him went silent and his focus narrowed to the slight woman standing under the overhang.
“Mom,” Tim whispered.
“Hey Timmy. How are you?” Cathy said walking forwards, stopping just in front of him.
“I’m … I’m okay,” Tim said his voice breaking. He stepped forward and his mom wrapped him in a hug.
Tim held his mother tightly for a long moment then took a step back, but kept a hold of her hands. “I can’t believe you’re here.”
His mom led him to the bench and they both sat down, Arthur laid down next to Tim’s feet and started chewing on his leash. Tim just stared at his mother for a solid minute, and took in how good she looked. She had gained some much needed weight. Her blond hair was longer, it was also clean and styled. She wore a long skirt and a short sleeve shirt that were obviously new and looked expensive. Tim hadn’t seen his mom this healthy in a long time. Finally, he said, “How are you?”
“I’ve been fine,” Cathy said with a bright smile, reaching over and tucking a lock of hair behind his ear. “I like your hair. You’ve grown it out.”
Tim nodded and then swallowed hard before asking, “Where have you been all this time?”
Cathy’s face fell just a bit and then she said, “Oh, Tim, I needed to get better before I came back. You can understand that, can’t you?”
Tim nodded. He did understand … in a way, but … it didn’t take away the hurt. He wanted to ask how she could’ve left him in that hotel room, but he was afraid of the answer. Afraid he was the reason. Afraid of making her mad. Afraid of her leaving again.
The silence lengthened between them, and finally, Cathy said, “I’ve been clean for almost six months.” She turned her arm up, and Tim could see that all of her old track marks had healed and there were no new ones.
Tim’s smile widened. Six months was the longest his mom had gone without using in years, and reaching over, he gave her another hug and then said in a tear-soaked voice, “Wow, that’s so great, mom.”
Her smile was as big as his when they drew back, and she said, “I wish I could take all the credit, but I checked myself into one of those really nice rehab clinics. They gave me the tools I needed to stay clean, once I was out.”
“That’s good, mom, but … where did you go after that?” Tim asked, once again dancing around the answers he really wanted to know. Why did you leave me there? Why did it take you so long to come back?
Cathy’s face lit up, and she said, “As soon as I left rehab, I wanted to get as far away as I could from my old life, and I ended up in Arizona. Oh Tim, you should see the house I rented us. It is lovelier then anything we have ever lived in.”
Tim had flinched a bit, when his mother had said she wanted to get far away from her old life, but she didn’t seem to notice as she talked about her new life in Phoenix. When she continued to describe the house in detail, Tim slowly realized she expected him to come live with her in Arizona.
“We won’t have to worry about money for a short time, so I was thinking about going back to school. I always wanted to finish my degree, and now I can. And Tim, I have already checked out the schools, they are so nice, you will love them and…”
“Mom, wait, I can’t go with you,” Tim interrupted her speech.
Her face immediately clouded over. “What do you mean? Of course you are coming with me. I’m your mother.” She started to look upset, but then she smiled in relief. “Oh you’re scared that I am going to take Liam back.” His mom reached up and laid her hand against the side of his face and said softly, “Don’t worry, baby, I’m done with him and men like him. It’s just going to be you and me from now on.”
Tim felt shock roll over him when he realized his mother didn’t know about Liam. “Mom, Liam …” Tim stopped and had to clear his throat, trying desperately not to think about the last time he saw his mother’s boyfriend. Liam’s empty eyes open, staring at nothing, a bullet hole in his forehead. “Liam died,” Tim said baldly.
Cathy jerked back, sitting up straighter, all the color running out of her face. “How … how do you know?”
“I was there. They were looking for you and thought I would know where you were,” Tim said and then gave her a truncated version of what had happened.
“They know about the money. They know I have it,” Cathy whispered in shock. “We have to go. They could still be watching you,” she said, standing up and looking around frantically. “Don’t worry, baby, I’ll keep you safe.”
She reached for his hand but Tim stood up abruptly, almost tripping over Arthur and causing the puppy to give a low whine. “I can’t go with you; I have to stay here with my dad and my grandfather. I can’t just leave them.”
“What is that supposed to mean? You think they love you more than me? I am trying to save your life. I came all the way back here just for you. Do you know how much time and money I have spent just to get here? You need to come with me,” Cathy said her voice rising with each sentence.
Tim took a step backwards. “I know you love me mom but I can’t just leave. I want to stay. I have a new life here. You could stay here in D.C. Gibbs would help you. He could …”
His mother took a step forward her face now flushed with color as she lost her temper and interrupted him. “I can’t stay here; I want to go to Arizona. After everything I’ve done for you. After everything I sacrificed. I raised you for the first twelve years of your life, and this is how you repay me? You’ve only been with your father for six months. Where is your loyalty? If you truly love me, you will come with me now.”
Tim felt sick at her words. Trying to placate her, he placed a hand on her arm. “Mom, I do love you, but I can’t just leave. Please come with me and let Gibbs help you.”
Cathy turned the tables, and with a twist of her arm gripped his forearm tightly. “Help me? Are you kidding me right now? He wouldn’t help me with anything other than a jail sentence.”
The grip on his arm tightened until it felt like a vice, and Tim said, “He would help you … Mom you’re hurting me …”
If anything his words caused her to tighten her grip until Tim felt her nails bite into his forearm. “Why are you always making everything so difficult? God damn it, you are such a pain in the ass sometimes. How about you make my life easier just for once? How can you treat me like this after everything I’ve done?”
Tim felt his heart break due to her words. He wasn’t trying to make his mom’s life harder. And isn’t his mom coming back what he had prayed for the last six months? His mom finally drug free, with a home to live in, and a place for Tim to go to school, and for them to have a good life together was everything he had wished for growing up.
Even as those thoughts raced through his head, Tim realized something: He had changed in the six months since she had abandoned him at that motel, and what had once been his fondest wish was now paled in the face of what he had. He still loved his mom, and wanted her to be a part of his life, but he wouldn’t throw away his father and the family they had in order to have that.
With guilt rolling through him, Tim squared his shoulders and said, “I’m sorry, mom.” He couldn’t help but wince as her face twisted into an angry mask and her nails dug further into his skin.
“I am your mother. You will come with me,” she said in a voice that had Tim’s anxiety skyrocketing. He only ever heard her use that tone of voice a couple of times in his life and only when she wanted instant obedience. When she started pulling him towards her car, Tim realized she meant to make him go with her whether he wanted to or not.
Tim heard the rumble of a bus as it pulled abreast of the curb behind them, and he knew he had to get away from her as quickly as possible. Although small in stature, she was still stronger than him. Tim knew he would never be able to physically hurt her even if it meant he could escape, so his options were limited.
Just as he heard the bus doors open, Tim yanked his arm away causing her grip to loosen and her nails to scrape down his forearm, leaving bloody scratches behind. Scooping up Arthur, Tim ran to the bus and hopped on; digging into his pocket with his free hand for the loose change he had on him. He dropped the coins in the slot and took the first seat.
“Tim, wait!” His mother shouted as she climbed on the bus. She looked distraught.
“Hey, lady, on or off, I have to keep a schedule,” the elderly bus driver said, annoyance in every word.
Cathy pulled a piece of paper out of her pocket and pressed it into Tim’s hand. “This isn’t how I saw this going. I’m sorry. Call me please.” Then she hopped off the bus, and just stood there on the sidewalk as it pulled away.
Tim opened his hand and saw that written in blue ink was a phone number. Taking in a shaky breath, Tim tried to hold onto the squirming puppy as he shoved the paper into his pocket. He hoped that wouldn’t be the last time he saw his mother, but he was afraid it might be.
~NCIS~
At times Ian O’Shaughnessy felt that if he didn’t have bad luck, he wouldn’t have any luck at all.
Take this morning for example. Dr. Manning had returned unexpectedly from his sabbatical and so, O’Shaughnessy had to take care of him. Then he hadn’t even had time to get rid of the body, so he would have to dump it later for now it was wrapped up in the cool of the basement. Hopefully, he got a chance to move it soon. Otherwise it would start to stink up to high heaven. Then this afternoon, just as Tim McGee was going for his walk with his newly adopted fleabag, O’Shaughnessy’s car refused to start for the second day in a row. It had broken down yesterday and Ian thought he had fixed the problem after changing the battery. He couldn’t fail two days in a row. He had fiddled with it for about a half an hour, before giving it up for a lost cause. That was when he glanced down at his watch and realized that it had been forty-five minutes since Tim had left. He should’ve been back by now.
Fear had crawled up his spine as he half-jogged half-ran towards the park. He got there just in time to see a slight woman fitting Cathy McGee’s description get into a red sedan and drive away. When she drove past him, he almost pulled his gun and took his chances on hitting her from this distance, but then he realized she might not have the journals on her, and getting those back was the only thing that would satisfy his boss. Even as fast as she was going, he could tell she was alone in the car. So wherever Tim was, he wasn’t with his mom. They still had that advantage.
As he walked back to his rental house, O’Shaughnessy felt the weight of his cell phone in his pocket. He needed to give Shea a call, but he knew the man would not be happy. As he stood in his driveway, he thought briefly about making a run for it, packing up his stuff and leaving, and just hoping that Shea never caught up with him. Then he remembered Shea’s last phone call to him and how his boss had specifically asked how his mother and sister were doing. The man didn’t really care, but Shea had been sending a message, and Ian had heard it loud and clear. Even though the hit man was no longer in Chicago, his mother and his sister were, and they were the leverage that Shea used to keep Ian loyal.
With a heavy sigh, he pulled out his phone and dialed the number he knew by heart. “Hey, it’s me. I need to speak with the boss…”
~NCIS~
Tim shifted nervously, glad that Arthur had settled down on the floor next to him and had fallen asleep. The bus was mostly empty with only a few people scattered throughout. The bus driver kept looking back at him through the rear-view mirror. Tim tried to ignore the almost constant surveillance, and instead he squinted at the small bus route that was displayed at the front. He needed to get off this bus and find a way to call his grandfather. Tim should’ve been home by now; Jackson would be worried, and the last thing the elderly man needed was to run around the neighborhood looking for him. Tim couldn’t help but feel ashamed that once again his past was putting his new family in danger.
When the bus driver cleared his throat, Tim grimaced, not looking forward to whatever the man had to say to him.
“We usually don’t allow non-service animals on the bus.”
Tim slunk down further in his seat in embarrassment and said in a low voice, “I’m sorry.”
“I’m going to let it go this time because it looked like you were in some trouble. Do you know where you are going?” the older man said. “I could call the police if you need me to?”
That made Tim sit up straight. “No, no, I’m fine. My friend lives near stop ten.” He didn’t want the police involved, not with his mother back in town.
That seemed to settle the driver’s curiosity, and he asked Tim no more questions. Thanks to the map, Tim saw that this bus’s route went within a few blocks of Ducky’s house. He would go there and call his grandfather.
Twenty long minutes later, Tim was emotionally and physically exhausted. Due to the fact he was carrying a still sleeping Arthur, arms hurt as he walked up onto to Ducky’s porch. Knocking on the door, Tim was just hoping that the MD and Jude were home; otherwise he didn’t know what he would do next.
The relief he felt as Jude opened the door had tears coming to Tim’s eyes just at the sight of his friend.
“Kid, are you okay? What are you doing here?” a very confused Jude asked as he ushered him inside.
Arthur, waking up upon hearing Jude’s voice, started struggling in Tim’s arms. Unclipping his leash from his collar, Tim lowered the pup to the floor, and asked, “Can I get him a bowl of water? I also really need to use your phone to call my grandfather. He’s going to be so worried about me.”
“Yeah sure. You know where the phone is. I’ll get Arthur some water,” Jude said, giving Tim a quick hug and then calling for Arthur as he walked into the kitchen. The pup followed very enthusiastically.
Tim, with what felt like the weight of the world on his shoulders, went into the living room, and picked up the phone and called his grandfather.
~NCIS~
Jude set the bowl of water on the floor, gave Arthur a quick pat on the head, and then worried about Tim, headed towards the living room. He had looked in rough shape, scared and anxious in a way Jude hadn’t seen him in awhile. Both of them had been making progress thanks to Dr. Patterson, and the fact that they had more stable home lives, but as he watched Tim pace back and forth he couldn’t help but think his friend seemed just as twitchy as when he had seen Tim sitting on the bench outside the library, all those months ago.
“What did your grandfather say?”
Tim stopped pacing and said, “He’s coming over after he calls my father.”
“You’re hurt,” Jude exclaimed as he rushed over and gently grabbed a hold of Tim’s injured arm.
“It’s just a couple of scratches,” Tim stated, with a distracted shrug.
“Kid, you’re bleeding. Not only that if those scratches aren’t cleaned out, they could get infected,” Jude said, gently laying his arm around his friend’s shoulder, and led him towards the kitchen.
Clearing off the kitchen table that served as his desk, Jude pulled out a chair for Tim and then went to the hall closet and got the first aid kit, which the Doc kept fully stocked. Sitting down, Jude drew Tim’s arm towards him. Giving a low whistle, Jude set to work cleaning the wounds and the dried blood off the skin. Tim winced a bit when Jude used some antiseptic but other than that, he was unusually quiet. His friend could definitely be on the silent side, but around Jude, the kid could be a chatterbox.
So when he finally spoke, Jude was relieved. “You’re good at this.”
It was Jude’s turn to shrug. “Growing up a lot of times we couldn’t afford a doctor, unless it was downright serious, and then we would go to the local clinic. Medical stuff interests me. Always has, every since I was little, so I would pay attention to the nurses and doctors that helped us. I also tried to read everything I could on first aid and the like. Before …” Jude trailed off, trying not to think about why he stopped going to school.
“Have you ever thought of becoming a doctor or a nurse?” Tim asked quietly.
“Nurse actually,” Jude said a bit defensively. He had been given crap about that from his old school friends, as they didn’t see it as being manly enough.
Tim smiled for the first time since he arrived. “That’s cool. Have you talked to Ducky about it? I bet he could steer you in the right direction.”
Jude grimaced. “I gave that dream up a long time ago. To be a nurse, I would need a degree. Degree’s cost money and I am not about to ask Ducky for it. If I mention that I want to be a nurse, Ducky, being the generous person he is, is going to offer to help. I don’t want to take advantage of him. He has done too much for me.”
“Jude …” Tim started but then stopped when Jude shook his head. He knew what Tim was going to say but his mind was made up. Tim didn’t understand. Tim was Gibbs’ son, so of course Gibbs and Tim’s relationship was different than his and Ducky’s. What was he to Ducky? Ducky was Jude’s guardian until Jude was eighteen. That’s it.
He sat back and, changing the subject, said, “That’s about all I can do. They are not very deep but they must hurt.”
“Thanks.” Tim gave Jude a half grin and drew back his arm.
As he started to put the medical supplies back in the first-aid kit, Jude finally asked what he’s wanted to know since Tim had shown up. “What happened?”
His friend shifted nervously, looked away; he seemed like he didn’t want to answer. When Tim’s eyes finally drifted back, Jude caught his gaze and held it.
“I saw my mom today,” said Tim with disbelief in his voice.
Jude felt something tighten in his chest. Tim’s mom was trouble, but at the same time Jude knew how desperately Tim wanted to see her. Jude glanced down at Tim’s arm, and then looked back up and asked, “Did she do that?”
Tim quickly moved his arm hiding it in his lap, and before his friend even spoke, Jude knew the answer.
“She didn’t mean to. She was scared. I told her about Liam and how I was almost killed. She was worried that I was still being watched, so she wanted me to go with her,” Tim said defensively.
Jude wanted to argue that with Tim, but he knew he needed to give the kid space. He said, “It’s a long walk from the bus station. Are you thirsty?”
“Yes, thank you,” Tim said gratefully.
When Jude returned with a glass of water, Tim took a long drink. Jude watched him fiddle with the glass, and he waited. A few minutes later, his patience was rewarded.
“Even before she found out about Liam, my mom wanted me to go live with her. She has a house and a whole life planned just waiting for us,” Tim said as he reached down and picked Arthur up. The pup had been exploring the kitchen and living room and had finally returned to chew on Tim’s shoelaces. Tim picked up Arthur and gave the pup a snuggle avoiding Jude’s gaze.
“Did you want to go?” Jude asked softly, trying to keep his opinion about Cathy’s offer out of his voice.
Tim gently stroked the top of Arthur’s head a couple of times and then he answered, “Before she left me, having my mom clean and sober, a home of our own, and a life with just the two of us was all I wanted.”
“And now?”
Tim finally looked up and met Jude’s eyes. “I’ve changed. Now I have my father and grandfather and a life here. I have you and Ducky, Tony and the rest of the team. I have a family. I can’t just up and leave that all behind. But at the same time …” Tim stopped and continued to pet Arthur.
“But at the same time you feel guilty,” Jude finished for him.
“I do. I have you guys. Who does she have? No one,” Tim said despondently.
“Tim, you are not responsible for her. She made her own choices and she continues to do so,” Jude said gently, not wanting to make Tim defensive but wanting him to see that his mother was just reaping the consequences to her own decisions.
Tim squirmed a bit, but then conceded Jude’s point. “I know that. I do. But she came all the way back to D.C. for me. Plus I just feel I owe her.”
Jude knew he wasn’t going to convince Tim. Just hearing him concede that his mother had some part to play in her problems was more than the kid would’ve admitted just six months ago.
Hearing a familiar rumble outside that let them know Jackson had arrived, both Tim and Jude stood up and went to let him in.
~NCIS~
Walking into the bullpen and taking a seat at his desk, Gibbs looked over at Tony and Ziva to see them hard at work on the various cold cases that they had been assigned. They had just finished a case earlier in the week, and now they were keeping busy with older files. Gibbs picked up his coffee, and his shoulder gave a twinge, but other than that subtle reminder his wound was healing up nicely. His family had settled back into their normal rhythm, although adding a four-legged member had been a bit of an adjustment, but Gibbs thought the pup was good for Tim. Arthur was a constant companion for his son; the dog was always at Tim’s heels. Gibbs knew Tim didn’t have any real friends at school. Although Tim now had Jude as a friend and they talked on the phone whenever they could, but Jude was often busy studying for his GED. So having someone to, talk to even if that someone wasn’t able to talk back, was good for his son.
Gibbs was just reaching for his desk phone when his cell phone rang, and he wondered if their time working cold cases was over.
Seeing his father’s name pop up on the caller ID had Gibbs’ gut going into overdrive.
“Hey Dad, what’s wrong?” Gibbs asked in lieu of saying hello. What Gibbs heard next had him standing and grabbing his coat.
“What!” he exclaimed causing both Tony’s and Ziva’s to whip their head around and stand up, concern on their faces. “Where is he now? Meet me there. We’ll figure out what to do next. Be careful. We don’t know who else has cottoned onto the fact that Cathy’s back in town.”
Gibbs hung up his phone then, walking towards the elevator, said, “Tony, Ziva, tell the director I am taking the rest of the day.”
“Boss, wait,” Tony said, jogging towards his boss, he and Ziva slipping on just as the elevator just as the doors closed.
Gibbs pushed the lit ground floor button again, knowing it wouldn’t get the elevator down any faster, but he couldn’t help it.
“Boss, what’s going on? Cathy McGee is back?” Tony questioned, a look of concern on his face.
“According to my father, she approached Tim when he was out for a walk with Arthur. He hopped on a bus to get away from her and ended up at Ducky’s. I’m going there now. See if you can pull up any footage from the park. Maybe we’ll get lucky and we will get a license plate. I know they have recently put cameras in as the play structure kept getting vandalized.”
“Of course,” Ziva said, pulling out her notebook and writing down the pertinent info.
“Sure boss,” Tony answered automatically before asking, “Is Tim okay? Maybe I should go with you, in case any of Shea’s men show up.”
The elevator arrived, and Gibbs exited as soon as the doors opened. Gibbs considering Tony’s question, flashed back on how close both Tim and Tony had come to being killed thanks to an unexpected ambush. So he nodded to Tony. “Grab Ducky on your way out. It’s one of his days to be in autopsy. He’ll want to be there as well.”
“Ziva…”
Ziva interrupted and said, “I will stay here and get started on finding any footage from the park and start searching local hotels for a woman matching Ms. McGee’s description.”
Gibbs nodded his thanks and the three parted ways in the lobby.
Chapter Three
Saturday
Arthur pulled at his lead eagerly, before stopping to smell an interesting group of weeds. Tim laughed when the puppy sneezed, shook his head, and then kept walking. According to the vet, the German Sheppard was around six months old and had no microchip. Thankfully, his father had said that they could keep the little guy. Tim had named the pup Arthur after King Arthur, one of his favorite characters. The last couple of weeks had been quite the adjustment period for the four of them. Gibbs and Tim had even built a dog house for Arthur to sleep in.
That had been the plan anyway, but when they had put Arthur in the backyard that first night, the dog had barked and yelped up a storm until they had relented and let the puppy inside in order to keep in good standing with their neighbors. Arthur had slept at the foot of Tim’s bed that night and every night since. During the day, when Tim was at summer school, Arthur was more than happy to run around outside, though; it was just at night that the dog insisted on sleeping in the house. Not that Tim was complaining. Truth be told, since the puppy started sleeping in his room, he had only had one nightmare. And when he had woken up with his heart pounding and his hands shaking, Arthur had been there, licking the tears off his face. Tim had petted the little fur ball until he had calmed down and was able to go back to sleep.
It was a sunny July day, without a cloud in the sky, and Tim was taking Arthur for his daily walk. Summer school had started this week; Tim would be dropped off by his grandfather at school around eight in the morning and then be picked up around one. He would eat lunch, and then take Arthur for his walk. The pup loved going for their afternoon strolls, Tim only had to touch Arthur’s leash and the pup would start barking and running back and forth from wherever Tim was to the front door.
Jackson always stayed at home. Arthur liked to take very long walks and it was usually too much for his grandfather to walk that distance. His father had said he could take Arthur to the park, as long as he came right back. The park was only a few blocks away, so round trip, including letting Arthur sniff every tree and frolic in the park, it took about forty-five minutes.
They were just passing the covered bus stop at the far end of the park when a voice called out to him. “Tim.”
Tim turned and then stopped with a gasp. Everything around him went silent and his focus narrowed to the slight woman standing under the overhang.
“Mom,” Tim whispered.
“Hey Timmy. How are you?” Cathy said walking forwards, stopping just in front of him.
“I’m … I’m okay,” Tim said his voice breaking. He stepped forward and his mom wrapped him in a hug.
Tim held his mother tightly for a long moment then took a step back, but kept a hold of her hands. “I can’t believe you’re here.”
His mom led him to the bench and they both sat down, Arthur laid down next to Tim’s feet and started chewing on his leash. Tim just stared at his mother for a solid minute, and took in how good she looked. She had gained some much needed weight. Her blond hair was longer, it was also clean and styled. She wore a long skirt and a short sleeve shirt that were obviously new and looked expensive. Tim hadn’t seen his mom this healthy in a long time. Finally, he said, “How are you?”
“I’ve been fine,” Cathy said with a bright smile, reaching over and tucking a lock of hair behind his ear. “I like your hair. You’ve grown it out.”
Tim nodded and then swallowed hard before asking, “Where have you been all this time?”
Cathy’s face fell just a bit and then she said, “Oh, Tim, I needed to get better before I came back. You can understand that, can’t you?”
Tim nodded. He did understand … in a way, but … it didn’t take away the hurt. He wanted to ask how she could’ve left him in that hotel room, but he was afraid of the answer. Afraid he was the reason. Afraid of making her mad. Afraid of her leaving again.
The silence lengthened between them, and finally, Cathy said, “I’ve been clean for almost six months.” She turned her arm up, and Tim could see that all of her old track marks had healed and there were no new ones.
Tim’s smile widened. Six months was the longest his mom had gone without using in years, and reaching over, he gave her another hug and then said in a tear-soaked voice, “Wow, that’s so great, mom.”
Her smile was as big as his when they drew back, and she said, “I wish I could take all the credit, but I checked myself into one of those really nice rehab clinics. They gave me the tools I needed to stay clean, once I was out.”
“That’s good, mom, but … where did you go after that?” Tim asked, once again dancing around the answers he really wanted to know. Why did you leave me there? Why did it take you so long to come back?
Cathy’s face lit up, and she said, “As soon as I left rehab, I wanted to get as far away as I could from my old life, and I ended up in Arizona. Oh Tim, you should see the house I rented us. It is lovelier then anything we have ever lived in.”
Tim had flinched a bit, when his mother had said she wanted to get far away from her old life, but she didn’t seem to notice as she talked about her new life in Phoenix. When she continued to describe the house in detail, Tim slowly realized she expected him to come live with her in Arizona.
“We won’t have to worry about money for a short time, so I was thinking about going back to school. I always wanted to finish my degree, and now I can. And Tim, I have already checked out the schools, they are so nice, you will love them and…”
“Mom, wait, I can’t go with you,” Tim interrupted her speech.
Her face immediately clouded over. “What do you mean? Of course you are coming with me. I’m your mother.” She started to look upset, but then she smiled in relief. “Oh you’re scared that I am going to take Liam back.” His mom reached up and laid her hand against the side of his face and said softly, “Don’t worry, baby, I’m done with him and men like him. It’s just going to be you and me from now on.”
Tim felt shock roll over him when he realized his mother didn’t know about Liam. “Mom, Liam …” Tim stopped and had to clear his throat, trying desperately not to think about the last time he saw his mother’s boyfriend. Liam’s empty eyes open, staring at nothing, a bullet hole in his forehead. “Liam died,” Tim said baldly.
Cathy jerked back, sitting up straighter, all the color running out of her face. “How … how do you know?”
“I was there. They were looking for you and thought I would know where you were,” Tim said and then gave her a truncated version of what had happened.
“They know about the money. They know I have it,” Cathy whispered in shock. “We have to go. They could still be watching you,” she said, standing up and looking around frantically. “Don’t worry, baby, I’ll keep you safe.”
She reached for his hand but Tim stood up abruptly, almost tripping over Arthur and causing the puppy to give a low whine. “I can’t go with you; I have to stay here with my dad and my grandfather. I can’t just leave them.”
“What is that supposed to mean? You think they love you more than me? I am trying to save your life. I came all the way back here just for you. Do you know how much time and money I have spent just to get here? You need to come with me,” Cathy said her voice rising with each sentence.
Tim took a step backwards. “I know you love me mom but I can’t just leave. I want to stay. I have a new life here. You could stay here in D.C. Gibbs would help you. He could …”
His mother took a step forward her face now flushed with color as she lost her temper and interrupted him. “I can’t stay here; I want to go to Arizona. After everything I’ve done for you. After everything I sacrificed. I raised you for the first twelve years of your life, and this is how you repay me? You’ve only been with your father for six months. Where is your loyalty? If you truly love me, you will come with me now.”
Tim felt sick at her words. Trying to placate her, he placed a hand on her arm. “Mom, I do love you, but I can’t just leave. Please come with me and let Gibbs help you.”
Cathy turned the tables, and with a twist of her arm gripped his forearm tightly. “Help me? Are you kidding me right now? He wouldn’t help me with anything other than a jail sentence.”
The grip on his arm tightened until it felt like a vice, and Tim said, “He would help you … Mom you’re hurting me …”
If anything his words caused her to tighten her grip until Tim felt her nails bite into his forearm. “Why are you always making everything so difficult? God damn it, you are such a pain in the ass sometimes. How about you make my life easier just for once? How can you treat me like this after everything I’ve done?”
Tim felt his heart break due to her words. He wasn’t trying to make his mom’s life harder. And isn’t his mom coming back what he had prayed for the last six months? His mom finally drug free, with a home to live in, and a place for Tim to go to school, and for them to have a good life together was everything he had wished for growing up.
Even as those thoughts raced through his head, Tim realized something: He had changed in the six months since she had abandoned him at that motel, and what had once been his fondest wish was now paled in the face of what he had. He still loved his mom, and wanted her to be a part of his life, but he wouldn’t throw away his father and the family they had in order to have that.
With guilt rolling through him, Tim squared his shoulders and said, “I’m sorry, mom.” He couldn’t help but wince as her face twisted into an angry mask and her nails dug further into his skin.
“I am your mother. You will come with me,” she said in a voice that had Tim’s anxiety skyrocketing. He only ever heard her use that tone of voice a couple of times in his life and only when she wanted instant obedience. When she started pulling him towards her car, Tim realized she meant to make him go with her whether he wanted to or not.
Tim heard the rumble of a bus as it pulled abreast of the curb behind them, and he knew he had to get away from her as quickly as possible. Although small in stature, she was still stronger than him. Tim knew he would never be able to physically hurt her even if it meant he could escape, so his options were limited.
Just as he heard the bus doors open, Tim yanked his arm away causing her grip to loosen and her nails to scrape down his forearm, leaving bloody scratches behind. Scooping up Arthur, Tim ran to the bus and hopped on; digging into his pocket with his free hand for the loose change he had on him. He dropped the coins in the slot and took the first seat.
“Tim, wait!” His mother shouted as she climbed on the bus. She looked distraught.
“Hey, lady, on or off, I have to keep a schedule,” the elderly bus driver said, annoyance in every word.
Cathy pulled a piece of paper out of her pocket and pressed it into Tim’s hand. “This isn’t how I saw this going. I’m sorry. Call me please.” Then she hopped off the bus, and just stood there on the sidewalk as it pulled away.
Tim opened his hand and saw that written in blue ink was a phone number. Taking in a shaky breath, Tim tried to hold onto the squirming puppy as he shoved the paper into his pocket. He hoped that wouldn’t be the last time he saw his mother, but he was afraid it might be.
~NCIS~
At times Ian O’Shaughnessy felt that if he didn’t have bad luck, he wouldn’t have any luck at all.
Take this morning for example. Dr. Manning had returned unexpectedly from his sabbatical and so, O’Shaughnessy had to take care of him. Then he hadn’t even had time to get rid of the body, so he would have to dump it later for now it was wrapped up in the cool of the basement. Hopefully, he got a chance to move it soon. Otherwise it would start to stink up to high heaven. Then this afternoon, just as Tim McGee was going for his walk with his newly adopted fleabag, O’Shaughnessy’s car refused to start for the second day in a row. It had broken down yesterday and Ian thought he had fixed the problem after changing the battery. He couldn’t fail two days in a row. He had fiddled with it for about a half an hour, before giving it up for a lost cause. That was when he glanced down at his watch and realized that it had been forty-five minutes since Tim had left. He should’ve been back by now.
Fear had crawled up his spine as he half-jogged half-ran towards the park. He got there just in time to see a slight woman fitting Cathy McGee’s description get into a red sedan and drive away. When she drove past him, he almost pulled his gun and took his chances on hitting her from this distance, but then he realized she might not have the journals on her, and getting those back was the only thing that would satisfy his boss. Even as fast as she was going, he could tell she was alone in the car. So wherever Tim was, he wasn’t with his mom. They still had that advantage.
As he walked back to his rental house, O’Shaughnessy felt the weight of his cell phone in his pocket. He needed to give Shea a call, but he knew the man would not be happy. As he stood in his driveway, he thought briefly about making a run for it, packing up his stuff and leaving, and just hoping that Shea never caught up with him. Then he remembered Shea’s last phone call to him and how his boss had specifically asked how his mother and sister were doing. The man didn’t really care, but Shea had been sending a message, and Ian had heard it loud and clear. Even though the hit man was no longer in Chicago, his mother and his sister were, and they were the leverage that Shea used to keep Ian loyal.
With a heavy sigh, he pulled out his phone and dialed the number he knew by heart. “Hey, it’s me. I need to speak with the boss…”
~NCIS~
Tim shifted nervously, glad that Arthur had settled down on the floor next to him and had fallen asleep. The bus was mostly empty with only a few people scattered throughout. The bus driver kept looking back at him through the rear-view mirror. Tim tried to ignore the almost constant surveillance, and instead he squinted at the small bus route that was displayed at the front. He needed to get off this bus and find a way to call his grandfather. Tim should’ve been home by now; Jackson would be worried, and the last thing the elderly man needed was to run around the neighborhood looking for him. Tim couldn’t help but feel ashamed that once again his past was putting his new family in danger.
When the bus driver cleared his throat, Tim grimaced, not looking forward to whatever the man had to say to him.
“We usually don’t allow non-service animals on the bus.”
Tim slunk down further in his seat in embarrassment and said in a low voice, “I’m sorry.”
“I’m going to let it go this time because it looked like you were in some trouble. Do you know where you are going?” the older man said. “I could call the police if you need me to?”
That made Tim sit up straight. “No, no, I’m fine. My friend lives near stop ten.” He didn’t want the police involved, not with his mother back in town.
That seemed to settle the driver’s curiosity, and he asked Tim no more questions. Thanks to the map, Tim saw that this bus’s route went within a few blocks of Ducky’s house. He would go there and call his grandfather.
Twenty long minutes later, Tim was emotionally and physically exhausted. Due to the fact he was carrying a still sleeping Arthur, arms hurt as he walked up onto to Ducky’s porch. Knocking on the door, Tim was just hoping that the MD and Jude were home; otherwise he didn’t know what he would do next.
The relief he felt as Jude opened the door had tears coming to Tim’s eyes just at the sight of his friend.
“Kid, are you okay? What are you doing here?” a very confused Jude asked as he ushered him inside.
Arthur, waking up upon hearing Jude’s voice, started struggling in Tim’s arms. Unclipping his leash from his collar, Tim lowered the pup to the floor, and asked, “Can I get him a bowl of water? I also really need to use your phone to call my grandfather. He’s going to be so worried about me.”
“Yeah sure. You know where the phone is. I’ll get Arthur some water,” Jude said, giving Tim a quick hug and then calling for Arthur as he walked into the kitchen. The pup followed very enthusiastically.
Tim, with what felt like the weight of the world on his shoulders, went into the living room, and picked up the phone and called his grandfather.
~NCIS~
Jude set the bowl of water on the floor, gave Arthur a quick pat on the head, and then worried about Tim, headed towards the living room. He had looked in rough shape, scared and anxious in a way Jude hadn’t seen him in awhile. Both of them had been making progress thanks to Dr. Patterson, and the fact that they had more stable home lives, but as he watched Tim pace back and forth he couldn’t help but think his friend seemed just as twitchy as when he had seen Tim sitting on the bench outside the library, all those months ago.
“What did your grandfather say?”
Tim stopped pacing and said, “He’s coming over after he calls my father.”
“You’re hurt,” Jude exclaimed as he rushed over and gently grabbed a hold of Tim’s injured arm.
“It’s just a couple of scratches,” Tim stated, with a distracted shrug.
“Kid, you’re bleeding. Not only that if those scratches aren’t cleaned out, they could get infected,” Jude said, gently laying his arm around his friend’s shoulder, and led him towards the kitchen.
Clearing off the kitchen table that served as his desk, Jude pulled out a chair for Tim and then went to the hall closet and got the first aid kit, which the Doc kept fully stocked. Sitting down, Jude drew Tim’s arm towards him. Giving a low whistle, Jude set to work cleaning the wounds and the dried blood off the skin. Tim winced a bit when Jude used some antiseptic but other than that, he was unusually quiet. His friend could definitely be on the silent side, but around Jude, the kid could be a chatterbox.
So when he finally spoke, Jude was relieved. “You’re good at this.”
It was Jude’s turn to shrug. “Growing up a lot of times we couldn’t afford a doctor, unless it was downright serious, and then we would go to the local clinic. Medical stuff interests me. Always has, every since I was little, so I would pay attention to the nurses and doctors that helped us. I also tried to read everything I could on first aid and the like. Before …” Jude trailed off, trying not to think about why he stopped going to school.
“Have you ever thought of becoming a doctor or a nurse?” Tim asked quietly.
“Nurse actually,” Jude said a bit defensively. He had been given crap about that from his old school friends, as they didn’t see it as being manly enough.
Tim smiled for the first time since he arrived. “That’s cool. Have you talked to Ducky about it? I bet he could steer you in the right direction.”
Jude grimaced. “I gave that dream up a long time ago. To be a nurse, I would need a degree. Degree’s cost money and I am not about to ask Ducky for it. If I mention that I want to be a nurse, Ducky, being the generous person he is, is going to offer to help. I don’t want to take advantage of him. He has done too much for me.”
“Jude …” Tim started but then stopped when Jude shook his head. He knew what Tim was going to say but his mind was made up. Tim didn’t understand. Tim was Gibbs’ son, so of course Gibbs and Tim’s relationship was different than his and Ducky’s. What was he to Ducky? Ducky was Jude’s guardian until Jude was eighteen. That’s it.
He sat back and, changing the subject, said, “That’s about all I can do. They are not very deep but they must hurt.”
“Thanks.” Tim gave Jude a half grin and drew back his arm.
As he started to put the medical supplies back in the first-aid kit, Jude finally asked what he’s wanted to know since Tim had shown up. “What happened?”
His friend shifted nervously, looked away; he seemed like he didn’t want to answer. When Tim’s eyes finally drifted back, Jude caught his gaze and held it.
“I saw my mom today,” said Tim with disbelief in his voice.
Jude felt something tighten in his chest. Tim’s mom was trouble, but at the same time Jude knew how desperately Tim wanted to see her. Jude glanced down at Tim’s arm, and then looked back up and asked, “Did she do that?”
Tim quickly moved his arm hiding it in his lap, and before his friend even spoke, Jude knew the answer.
“She didn’t mean to. She was scared. I told her about Liam and how I was almost killed. She was worried that I was still being watched, so she wanted me to go with her,” Tim said defensively.
Jude wanted to argue that with Tim, but he knew he needed to give the kid space. He said, “It’s a long walk from the bus station. Are you thirsty?”
“Yes, thank you,” Tim said gratefully.
When Jude returned with a glass of water, Tim took a long drink. Jude watched him fiddle with the glass, and he waited. A few minutes later, his patience was rewarded.
“Even before she found out about Liam, my mom wanted me to go live with her. She has a house and a whole life planned just waiting for us,” Tim said as he reached down and picked Arthur up. The pup had been exploring the kitchen and living room and had finally returned to chew on Tim’s shoelaces. Tim picked up Arthur and gave the pup a snuggle avoiding Jude’s gaze.
“Did you want to go?” Jude asked softly, trying to keep his opinion about Cathy’s offer out of his voice.
Tim gently stroked the top of Arthur’s head a couple of times and then he answered, “Before she left me, having my mom clean and sober, a home of our own, and a life with just the two of us was all I wanted.”
“And now?”
Tim finally looked up and met Jude’s eyes. “I’ve changed. Now I have my father and grandfather and a life here. I have you and Ducky, Tony and the rest of the team. I have a family. I can’t just up and leave that all behind. But at the same time …” Tim stopped and continued to pet Arthur.
“But at the same time you feel guilty,” Jude finished for him.
“I do. I have you guys. Who does she have? No one,” Tim said despondently.
“Tim, you are not responsible for her. She made her own choices and she continues to do so,” Jude said gently, not wanting to make Tim defensive but wanting him to see that his mother was just reaping the consequences to her own decisions.
Tim squirmed a bit, but then conceded Jude’s point. “I know that. I do. But she came all the way back to D.C. for me. Plus I just feel I owe her.”
Jude knew he wasn’t going to convince Tim. Just hearing him concede that his mother had some part to play in her problems was more than the kid would’ve admitted just six months ago.
Hearing a familiar rumble outside that let them know Jackson had arrived, both Tim and Jude stood up and went to let him in.
~NCIS~
Walking into the bullpen and taking a seat at his desk, Gibbs looked over at Tony and Ziva to see them hard at work on the various cold cases that they had been assigned. They had just finished a case earlier in the week, and now they were keeping busy with older files. Gibbs picked up his coffee, and his shoulder gave a twinge, but other than that subtle reminder his wound was healing up nicely. His family had settled back into their normal rhythm, although adding a four-legged member had been a bit of an adjustment, but Gibbs thought the pup was good for Tim. Arthur was a constant companion for his son; the dog was always at Tim’s heels. Gibbs knew Tim didn’t have any real friends at school. Although Tim now had Jude as a friend and they talked on the phone whenever they could, but Jude was often busy studying for his GED. So having someone to, talk to even if that someone wasn’t able to talk back, was good for his son.
Gibbs was just reaching for his desk phone when his cell phone rang, and he wondered if their time working cold cases was over.
Seeing his father’s name pop up on the caller ID had Gibbs’ gut going into overdrive.
“Hey Dad, what’s wrong?” Gibbs asked in lieu of saying hello. What Gibbs heard next had him standing and grabbing his coat.
“What!” he exclaimed causing both Tony’s and Ziva’s to whip their head around and stand up, concern on their faces. “Where is he now? Meet me there. We’ll figure out what to do next. Be careful. We don’t know who else has cottoned onto the fact that Cathy’s back in town.”
Gibbs hung up his phone then, walking towards the elevator, said, “Tony, Ziva, tell the director I am taking the rest of the day.”
“Boss, wait,” Tony said, jogging towards his boss, he and Ziva slipping on just as the elevator just as the doors closed.
Gibbs pushed the lit ground floor button again, knowing it wouldn’t get the elevator down any faster, but he couldn’t help it.
“Boss, what’s going on? Cathy McGee is back?” Tony questioned, a look of concern on his face.
“According to my father, she approached Tim when he was out for a walk with Arthur. He hopped on a bus to get away from her and ended up at Ducky’s. I’m going there now. See if you can pull up any footage from the park. Maybe we’ll get lucky and we will get a license plate. I know they have recently put cameras in as the play structure kept getting vandalized.”
“Of course,” Ziva said, pulling out her notebook and writing down the pertinent info.
“Sure boss,” Tony answered automatically before asking, “Is Tim okay? Maybe I should go with you, in case any of Shea’s men show up.”
The elevator arrived, and Gibbs exited as soon as the doors opened. Gibbs considering Tony’s question, flashed back on how close both Tim and Tony had come to being killed thanks to an unexpected ambush. So he nodded to Tony. “Grab Ducky on your way out. It’s one of his days to be in autopsy. He’ll want to be there as well.”
“Ziva…”
Ziva interrupted and said, “I will stay here and get started on finding any footage from the park and start searching local hotels for a woman matching Ms. McGee’s description.”
Gibbs nodded his thanks and the three parted ways in the lobby.
Chapter Three