Written for the prompt NCIS, Gibbs, Gibbs' Rules at fic promptly.
There were many rules that Gibbs lived by, the man had been a Marine after all, rules and regulations were like breathing to them. He had never resented the rules he had followed them, and even adding his own rules to live by. Becoming an NIS Agent he had brought some of his own rules to the table, and by time NIS had transformed into NCIS his rules were legendary. You couldn't work for the agency and not know at least one of Gibbs rules, whether you were a clerical worker, lawyer, security personnel or even the janitor.
Gibbs stared at Tony's desk across the bullpen kicking himself for his actions, for breaking one of his own rules. You don't waste good, rule number five, the rule he had quoted to Tony when he had first brought him to NCIS. He'd told DiNozzo that he was good and that you don't waste good, but that was exactly what he had done. It was like a twist to the gut with a knife when he had realised what he had done, even if it wasn't completely his fault. His temporary Senior Field Agent looked up almost as if he could feel Gibbs' stare and was met with a glare, as though everything was his fault, although Gibbs knew that the blame rested with him and the rest of his team.
Getting himself blown up wasn't something that he had had any control over, nor had his amnesia been his fault either, but his actions once he was released from hospital were his own. He didn't remember much of the last fifteen years, he had small flashes of knowledge here and there but not enough to stay at NCIS. He had needed to heal, so he had intended to join Mike in Mexico for a while, he had handed the team over to Tony with the words 'You'll do', not the best endorsement he could have given the man.
He couldn't take full responsibility for the teams actions while he had been away, but his words certainly hadn't made Tony's lead easy for him. His actions when he returned to the team properly were deplorable as well. He didn't even speak to Tony about his resuming command of the MCRT, instead he just took his desk back, dumping Tony's belongings on his old desk without even a word of thanks for keeping the team together while he had been away.
Tony seemed to have taken it all in stride though, and hadn't complained once about his demotion, or the words being thrown at him by McGee about not being able to lead a team. He really should have realised that there was something wrong, but he hadn't, he had just thought that Tony was falling back into line as his loyal Saint Bernard.
When the Director left Tony's transfer paperwork on his desk he realised what he had done. He'd broken one of his own rules, he'd pushed Tony to the side and wasted good. He could have taken a new team or arranged for Tony to have a new team, he could have spoken to him about the whole situation, but he hadn't.
Tony was gone now though, having accepted the offer that the Director had given him, Team Lead in Rota, Spain. Tony deserved the job, he really did, but still Gibbs regretted that he had gone. Gibbs had considered calling him to apologise, but he wasn't quite ready to admit his weakness to the other man. It did make him think of adding another rule though, sometimes you're wrong.