Perspicacity

Gibbs watched Tony, Ziva, Tim, and to a lesser degree Abby. There was something wrong. He knew it, but he couldn’t figure out what. It was like the team was falling apart. No one was talking to anyone. They all responded to his orders, of course. They wouldn’t dare otherwise, but something was seriously wrong with his team, his family.

They weren’t accomplishing anything on the case because they were too wrapped up in whatever was bothering them. They’d already been at this case for a week. Another day wasn’t going to make or break it at this point. Growling, Gibbs ordered. “Everyone, go home. My place, 1400 tomorrow.”

“Uh, Boss? Tomorrow’s Saturday.” Tony reminded him.

“I know.” Gibbs glared at Tony until he got the message.

“Your place, 1400. Got it.” Tony repeated, expecting a head slap.

“All of you.” Gibbs glared at his whole team. “Bring Abby too.” With that he stomped off to the elevator and headed for home thoroughly annoyed with the team for letting whatever personal problem affect their work.

On his way home, he picked up what he would need for a team barbecue since he wasn’t about to tell anyone on the team what the plan was with the way they were behaving. He wanted them to think they were in trouble. He’d hoped that would make them fix whatever the problem was before tomorrow. If it wasn’t fixed by tomorrow he’d have to bang a few heads around until they fixed it.

Ziva, Tim, and Tony all looked at each other before heading for the elevator and Abby’s lab. “Do you think he suspects?” Tim asked as they exited the elevator and into Abby’s lab.

“How could he?” Ziva responded cockily.

“Gibbs knows everything probies. Why else do you think we’re to show up at his house on Saturday?” Tony snarked at them, before commenting under his breath, “I can’t believe you two got together.”

“Hey, Tony.” Abby greeted ignoring the others as they entered her lab. “What’s up?”

“Gibbs has requested your presence at his house at 2 o’clock tomorrow.” Tony replied knowing he was about the only one who wasn’t Gibbs that Abby wasn’t pissed at given the current situation.

“Just me?” Abby asked.

“No. All of us are going.” Tony responded softly.

“Oh. I won’t go then.” Abby spitefully offered practically sneering at McGee.

“I don’t think so. Gibbs seemed pissed when he ordered us there and he specifically included you. You better go.” Tony stared hard at Abby until she realized how serious he was.

“Fine.” She huffed. “Now shoo. I have work to do.”

Rolling his eyes, Tony left. “Ziva, McGee. You too.” He called over his shoulder.

Holding the elevator door open for McGee and Ziva, he then set it for the garage. As he headed for his car, he tossed the following recommendation at McGee and Ziva. “I suggest you two figure out whatever your issue is before tomorrow. I can guarantee Gibbs will force it if you don’t.”

With that, Tony jumped in his car and headed for his apartment. He needed to relax if he was to survive tomorrow.

Gibbs put the groceries away in the fridge for use tomorrow and headed down to work on his boat before going to bed.

In the morning, he fixed his coffee just the way he liked it and started on preparations. He wasn’t much of a cook, but he could make a mean barbecue. He’d picked up watermelon and potato salad and some other items on his way home yesterday. They just needed to be pulled out of the fridge when the team arrived

Next, he started warming up the barbecue grill, so that it would be nice and hot when his people arrived. His door was still unlocked as per usual, so he expected the team would just enter his house when they arrived. As expected, Tony was the first to arrive.

Tony nodded his head in greeting to Gibbs when he found him in the backyard. Gibbs finished what he was in the middle of and then turned to Tony. “Report.”

“Told them to work it out before they came.” Tony simplified.

“Good.” Gibbs nodded.

Sprawling across one of the chairs Gibbs had set up in the backyard, Tony looked the perfect picture of relaxed. Gibbs knew though that this thing that was affecting the team was eating at him too, even if he wasn’t directly involved.

Next to arrive was Abby who eagerly jumped into Tony’s lap to hug him while he was sitting in the chair.

“Hey Abbs. Oof.” Tony greeted and complained as she landed in his lap. “Wouldn’t you be more comfortable in your own chair?”

“Nope. I might have to sit next to them.” Abby pouted.

As Gibbs listened content to let people sort things out for themselves for now, his perspicacity kicked in as Abby’s comment made it clear that Ziva and McGee were at the center of the disruption to the team. It became even more clear just what they’d done, when Ziva and McGee arrived at the same time.

He frowned at McGee. No wonder Abby was so upset with McGee and Ziva. McGee had broken up with her over rule 12 and now he was practically flaunting it in her face that he was with Ziva which was more in violation of rule 12 than Abby was. As much as he complained about feeling like a high school principal with Tony and Kate this was a million times worse.

With the arrival of Ziva and McGee the conversation went from relatively cordial to completely awkward. Finally, Gibbs couldn’t take it anymore. “Enough!” He yelled.

Everyone stopped what talking they were doing and stared at Gibbs.

Gibbs struggled with what to say. Words weren’t his best trait, but he finally continued with. “I consider all of you family, but if you guys can’t keep this out of the office I’ll be forced to separate some of you.”

Everyone started clammering at once except for Tony.

“Stop.” Gibbs commanded before the noise got to be too much for him to handle. “Ziva and McGee, I know you’re dating. If you can’t keep your relationship disputes out of the office. I’ll have to have one of you transferred. I trust you’ll be able to work things out so that I don’t have to.”

Ziva and McGee spluttered shocked that Gibbs knew. Abby smirked at them, she kind of hoped that they wouldn’t be able to keep it out of the office and Ziva would get sent away.

Gibbs wasn’t finished though. Turning to Tim, he glared. “And you need to apologize to Abby and explain properly why you ended things with her or you will be the one that is sent away.”

Abby gasped shocked. “No! Not Timmy! You can’t send Timmy away, Gibbs.”

“Now, talk this out people.” Gibbs glared at each of them in turn. He hoped they would fix this. “I want to enjoy this barbecue. I don’t want a repeat of this week ever.”

Leaving the three junior members to work things out, he headed over to Tony. “Are you ok?”

“Never better.” Tony responded with his classic smile designed to put everyone at ease. It had never worked on Gibbs.

“Be serious.” Gibbs grumbled.

“I’m fine, Gibbs. I’m just worried about them like you.” Tony offered with a comforting smile.

Gibbs grunted.

Tony continued. “I hope we can go back to being a family. I missed it this week.”

“Me too, Dinozzo. Me too.” Gibbs agreed.