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"Finally some quiet," Ziva muttered, relaxing back in her seat. She had just turned the volume on the radio completely down. They could no longer hear their partner as he went door to door talking to the residents of the gated community. McGee agreed that is was peaceful. About five minutes later, his brain kicked in and he realized that Tony, his partner, was out there trying to find a terrorist and they were leaving him without backup! To hell with that! He quickly grabbed his phone, syncing it with Tony's comm. feed and pulling out his headphones. "What are you listening to McGee?" Ziva asked. It was only then he looked at her and noticed a book in her hands.
"Oh, it's a new podcast on (insert techno-babble here). Are you sure it's a good idea to leave the radio off?"
"Please McGee, do you not also enjoy the lack of Tony's voice? Do we not hear enough of it in the office? He is just talking to people. I do not need to hear another jaguar try to get him in satchel."
"I think you mean cougar and sack. But if you're sure..."
"Of course I am sure. Enjoy your podcast."
Tim made sure his phone was tilted away from the woman as he put the earbuds in his ears. He also made a note in his phone of everything Ziva had just said and what time it was. He knew he was taking the coward's way out. He knew he should be arguing with her, but as much as he hated to admit it, strong women still intimidated him. He didn't want to risk the fight. So instead, he leaned back, closed his eyes, and let the sound of his partner talking wash over him.
McGee continued to listen for another hour before he realized he would have never been able to do this. Tony was all charm and bravado as he BS-ed his was through the community. Not only that, but he came up with the cover stories so fast. Tim always wanted to be the one going undercover, but he was man enough to admit he'd never be able to do what Tony was doing. He'd never be believed by anyone either. He had always been a terrible liar. No wonder no one ever wanted him undercover. You had to be able to adapt so quickly that he would never survive.
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That night after work, McGee found himself standing outside Tony's door, a large container of egg drop soup in one hand and a supersized box of Creamsicles in the other. He debated with himself for a minute before gathering his courage and knocking on the door. Tony answered a minute later in a red Ohio State t-shirt and his black, NCIS sweat pants. His eyes lit up when he saw what his partner was holding. "I love you Probie," he squeaked out, letting the man into his apartment.
"You might not feel that way after I tell you what I came here to say," Tim replied as he moved to the kitchen, putting the popsicles in the freezer and the soup on the counter. Tony gave him an inquisitive look and the younger man took a deep breath before beginning. "I figured it'd be easier to do this now because you can't really talk, so I'm just going to spit it out, no sugar coating. First, I need to apologize. I'm sorry I've been such an ass to you since Ziva joined the team. I look back and am appalled with myself for how I treated you when you were in charge of the team. I used to listen to you. You're my superior and you've taught me a lot, helped me a lot. You've never treated me like a subordinate though, not really. You've treated me like a kid brother and I know neither of us has had that kind of relationship before so it took me a long time to realize it. And like a big brother, you've always been there for me - the first time I killed someone, when Sarah was in trouble, when Abby broke up with me, both times - when Kate died. But I haven't been there for you. I wasn't there for you when Paula died or when Jeanne left. Something broke in me when Kate died. I realized how close I'd come to dying, how close you'd been to dying. I mean you had just recovered from the plague and you still took that bomb out of my hand.
"When Ziva came and she couldn't seduce you, she was such a bitch to you. She totally intimidated me with the constant threats and the deadly glares. I just followed her lead because I couldn't have you close anymore. I couldn't go through it again - losing a partner. So I took the coward's way out and pushed you away. I hurt you so that I wouldn't get hurt one day if you did die. But today made me realize something. I still care about you. it would still gut me if anything happened to you, especially if I could prevent it from happening. I've been a jerk and I've been stupid and jealous and we could have lost you today and you never would have known how sorry I am for all the times I hurt you. You'd never know how much I appreciate the fact that you're always there for me. You're my brother Tony and I promise to do better by you."
Tony wrapped his arms tight around the younger man. "Thanks little bro," he whispered with a squeak.
A full minute later the two pulled apart and McGee took another deep breath. "I have just two things left to say. I'm an idiot. Kate, bless her, was an idiot too. We took you at face value and never looked deeper. After listening to you today, I decided to do a full, comprehensive background check on you. I'm honestly surprised you didn't whack me every time I mentioned my two degrees, seeing as you have four more than I do. Plus, I can barely manage to speak Spanish, so how you speak six other languages is beyond me.
"I looked up the SFA requirements too. You never should have promoted me when Gibbs was away. I sure didn't deserve it, I wasn't qualified, and I know now there was a lot of work you just did yourself instead of giving it to me. I'm sorry I gave you such a hard time then too. Kate would probably tell me I have some sort of superiority complex." The younger man stopped, taking a moment before speaking again. "The point is, you are so much smarter than we ever knew, ever gave you credit for. Kate and I, hell even Ziva, we never looked passed the frat boy to see the real you. The fact that I didn't shows just how much I still need to learn to be a good investigator."
"What's the other thing Mcfession?" The older man squeaked.
"Fair warning - you're going to be angry. Again, I'm sorry. I will take whatever punishment you deem fitting." Tim took a moment, steeled himself, and quickly shouted, "Ziva turned off the volume." Before Tony even had a chance to react, he rushed ahead and said, "We were in the car and we were getting tired of listening to you go on and on and Ziva thought it'd be a joke to turn the sound off. So she did and I agreed - for like five minutes before I realized you were looking for a terrorist who'd already killed three people. So I hooked the feed up to my phone and listed to you with my headphones. It's one thing to play a prank, but it's another to leave your partner in the field without backup. And it goes against every agency protocol. She left it off for two hours. Tony, I'm sorry I ever thought it was a good idea. I mean that. But you're still my superior and I promise to start acting like it and I like I said, I'll take whatever reprimand you want, without complaint."
Tony's face was red with anger. He grabbed his jacket, stuffed his feet in his sneakers, grabbed his wallet and keys and stormed out. McGee fell back onto the kitchen stool in shock. He'd honestly been expecting the other man to punch him in the face. Eventually, he got up, put the soup in the fridge, and left.
Tony barged into Gibbs' house, slamming the front door behind him and stomping down the basement stairs. Gibbs took one look at his SFA and knew something was seriously wrong. "I want her gone!" He tried to shout, but with his throat the way it was, all Gibbs heard was "gone."
"Can you repeat that?"
"I want her gone," Tony signed. "I don't care how you feel about her. Either she leaves or I do!"
"What are you talking about? Things were fine when you left the office."
"Yeah, and then McGee showed up at my place to confess. She turned the volume off! I was out there looking for a murderer and she left me defenseless! If anything had happened, I would have had no backup! Thank God McGee took his head out of his ass and was listening on his headphones. She left me without back up two hours Gibbs! I'll deal with the Probie's punishment, but I want her gone. This is just the worst in a long line of crap. She can't change. It's been years and she still pulls this? I said it before and I'll say it again. She has no reason to be on this team and if you don't get rid of her, then I'm leaving. I'll even go back out to sea if I have to. At least out there I know I have to depend on myself only. I don't go around thinking someone has my back when they don't.
"It's Friday and we're off rotation this weekend. You have until Sunday night to decide because first thing Monday I'm going to IA." With that statement, Tony turned and left the house, leaving Gibbs standing in his basement dumbfounded.
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Inevitably, Monday morning came and Tony's voice had mostly healed. He was also the only one in the bullpen when Ziva arrived. "Good morning Tony. Where are Gibbs and McGee? Is there a case?" She asked as she set her bag down.
"They're waiting for us in the conference room. Follow me Agent David," he replied as he stood.
"Why are you being so formal? Has something happened?" She asked, catching up to him.
"You'll find out in a minute," he said as he led her to the conference room. He opened the door and motioned for her to enter. Inside the room both Gibbs and McGee were sitting at the table, as well as Director Vance and a man she'd never seen. He sat on the same side of the table as her team mates, the Director at the head. Tony pulled out a chair for her opposite the mystery man, who Tony sat next to once she was seated.
"Agent Ziva David, this is a formal inquiry into your actions on October 10, 2010, which is being recorded for official purposes. Present at this inquiry are NCIS Director Leon Vance, Supervisory Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs, Senior Field Agent Anthony DiNozzo Jr, Special Agent Timothy McGee and I'm Agent Seamus McCallan, Internal Affairs. I will be asking the questions. Agent David, will you answer all questions honestly and truthfully?"
"Yes," Ziva replied, her eyebrows knitting together in confusion.
"Good, let's begin then," Agent McCallen said. "Agent David, on October 10, you were investigating a domestic terrorist group, is that correct?"
"That is correct."
"And on that day, you and two of your teammates, Agents DiNozzo and McGee were sent to the gated community Royal Woods in hopes of getting a voice print match to the voice of the terrorist left on the recording at the radio station correct?"
"Correct."
"Please explain your role in that operation."
"Myself and McGee were waiting in the car, listening to Tony as he went door to door to get the voice-prints. We were to back him up if he needed assistance."
"Do you understand that is agency policy to have your partner's back in the field? You are not to leave them alone without some form of communication if possible."
"Yes, I know."
"Then perhaps you can explain why you broke protocol and turned off the volume of your partner's feed?"
Ziva's mouth would have dropped open in shock if she had not had years of training to hid her emotions. "It was just a joke. McGee and I were tired of listening to Tony speaking so I lowered the volume. He was in no danger."
"You lowered the volume to a point that you could no longer hear anything. As for your other comment, were you not looking for a terrorist? Someone who had already murdered three people. I find it fascinating that you say that's not dangerous. And how did you know he was in no danger? Did you have a visual on him the entire time he was getting the voice-prints?"
"No, we did not."
"So you left your partner, your superior officer, in the field looking for a murderer and a group of terrorists while you sat relaxing in the car?"
"I was not relaxing! I was watching the area for signs of danger."
"Signs of danger in the book you were reading?"
"McGee!" She shouted, shocked he would have reported her. Two could play this game. "Well McGee had on headphones. He was listening to a podcast."
"I wasn't listening to a podcast," McGee said softly. "I was listening to Tony. I just didn't want to get in a fight with you. Especially not after what you said about him."
"Agent McGee has already met with us and received his punishment," Agent McCallen interrupted before Ziva could start to rant. At that point, the director and the rest of the MCRT stood.
"Agent David," the Director said, "You are hereby suspended for one month without pay. At the end of your suspension, we will meet again to discuss your future with this agency. Please turn in your badge and gun. You will then be escorted to your desk to remove your personal effects before being escorted from the base."
Ziva was about to protest until Gibbs himself held out his hand. She couldn't control the look of betrayal that flitted over her face. Silently she handed him her badge and gun before security entered and took her from the room. Gibbs' heart broke as he watched her go, but there was nothing he could do for her now. He was furious that she, of all people, would leave Tony alone while he looked for a terrorist. Ziva would be shocked to find that when she returned, she was off the MCRT and if she wished to keep working at NCIS, it would be in intelligence only, after a refresher course at FLET-C. Once word of what happened got out, no one would trust her to have their back in the field. She had once asked Gibbs to choose between her and Tony. He'd chosen Tony then and he'd done it again now. He wouldn't get rid of him for anything or anyone in the world, not even the girl who killed her own brother for him. No matter how he felt about Ziva, DiNozzo was his partner, his second in command, the man he'd personally recruited. Through thick and thin, and some pretty awful treatment, Tony had stuck by him, kept him going. In their job, trust meant everything and once it was gone, there was no getting it back.