Twisted Justice (an NCIS story)

Twenty-Three

Throughout the day McGee woke several times much to the delight of his visitors. He smiled and tried to act like nothing was wrong, but there was a sadness in his eyes that no one missed. In the end it became a game of pretend. Tim pretending that everything was fine and everyone else pretending not to notice that it wasn't.

Toward the end of the day Sean made up his mind. Tim had fallen asleep so his teammates had scattered their separate ways though still keeping close.

"Olivia I need to talk to him."

"I agree Sean." She stood on her tiptoes to kiss him. "I'll be back soon."

Sean walked into the hospital room and quietly closed the door behind him. He sat down and leaned back. It wasn't long before Tim stirred. He took in the lack of visitors, his dad, and the closed door. Tim didn't look at him, knowing the conversation that was coming.

"You want to tell me what's on your mind son?"

"Same thing that's always on my mind Dad."

Sean was quiet. Then he started to speak.

"Tim I know you've struggled with this a long time, and I know-"

His voice started to break.

Tim looked up alarmed; his dad rarely cried.

"Dad I'm sorry I didn't mean-"

Sean held his hand up silencing him.

"I know you feel responsible but if you never believe another word I say I need you to believe me when I tell you it was not your fault." His voice choked off. "Please"

Tim swallowed.

"I try Dad."

"I know you do Tim. You know I'll help you anyway I can."

"I know."

"Your team would help too if you would let them."

Tim didn't say anything so Sean continued.

"You have to let them son, you could try to do this alone and you might very well succeed. But if you let people who care about you in, that doesn't only help you, it helps them as well."

Tim looked up.

"Thanks Dad."

Sean nodded and leaned forward

"And let me tell you something else boy, it you ever, ever do anything else that leaves your mother a crying mess with me again so help me..."

Tim tried to laugh but his ribs kept him from doing it too long.

"At least the girls weren't here right?"

Sean leaned back and smiled.

"Thank God for small mercies."

Gibbs and Ducky arrived at the hospital and met Sean walking outside.

"How's it going today?"

"Eh, ok. I tried to talk to him, but I think he still feels he's too blame for the drowning back then. He just can't wrap his mind around not being responsible. He's so logical and methodical about everything. I just can't..."

"If I may interject," Ducky started to speak and Gibbs silently calculated how long he should let the Scotsman talk before he routed the conversation back to where it needed to be. He was pleasantly surprised to find as Ducky talked this might actually be more than a little related.

"There's a book call 'Too Soon Old, Too Late Smart'. The author, a West Point Graduate, makes an excellent sometime over looked point. We cannot remove with logic ideas that logic did not put there in the first place. These are emotion he is having and of course they are illogical why should they be emotions and logic are on two different sides of the brain."