Directing Chaos

Rifiuto: Non Miriena

Summary: What if Tim was the Director of NCIS and Ziva the Director of Mossad? How would their paths have crossed and how would their agencies have handled the chaos undoubtedly bound to follow?

A/N: Who's alive? Who's dead? This is AU, after all...

"I don't see why you're so upset that Daddy-"

"I'm not upset with Dad, Sarah." He replied, heading up the stairs towards the Director's office.

"Are you sure, Timmy?" He turned to her, grabbing the handle of the outer office.

"Yes. Sarah, why are you pushing this?" She watched as he yanked the door open and turned, heading into the small office where his assistant, Maura, worked. The college student sighed, rolling her eyes as she rushed to catch up. The smaller office was empty; it was, after all, a little after four in the morning. Why Tim wanted to be in the office so early though, went beyond Sarah's rational thought at this time of day. She quickly followed, sticking her foot between the doors to his office before they closed on her, and she kicked the door open, slipping inside as it closed softly behind her.

"Why aren't you-" She found her brother staring out the window, lost in thought. Though she could see his features, warped in the window's glass, she couldn't read the emotions clearly in his eyes. A sigh escape her throat, and she went to the sofa in the far corner, dropping onto it. When Tim turned, it was to seeing his sister lounging on the black leather sofa, her messenger bag dropped unceremoniously on the cushion beside her. He studied her for a moment, before moving around his desk and going to her.

"Look, Sar, I..." He stopped, struggling to find the right words. "I guess I've just started to fully accept that to Dad, I will never be good enough. That in his eyes, I will always be a failure." His sister sat up, reaching out and taking his hands as he took a seat beside her.

"Oh Timmy, you're not a failure. You're the director of one of the five most important federal agencies in America! And Mama and Penny and I... we're so proud of you!" He sighed, letting Sarah wrap her arms around his neck. She rested her head on his shoulder, sniffling. "I'm gonna miss you, brother. I love you."

Tim squeezed her gently, pressing a kiss to her temple. "I'm gonna miss you, too. I love you, Sarah."

In four weeks, he'd be taking his baby sister to the airport, to board a plane for Israel. Sarah had gotten accepted into a study abroad program- she would be spending the next semester in the Israeli state, studying at Tel Aviv University- and Tim had never been so nervous. Since their father was full Navy, the siblings had grown up turning to each other, becoming the other's confidante, their best friend; Tim had always been Sarah's protector, and now...

He pulled away, standing. "Come on," She took his hand, letting him pull her to her feet. "Let's run out for a cup of coffee."

Sarah stopped as he led her to the door. "But what about-"

"I'm the director, Sar. Besides, work doesn't officially start until oh-seven-hundred. We've got time."

Leroy Jethro Gibbs was a man of few words- but more often, complete and total silence- and he spent more time observing than talking. He had been there through four directors- Director Ed Kenneth, Director Tom Morrow, Director Jenny Shepard, and Director Leon Vance- seen his share of directorial scandals shake NCIS and leave it standing, but this... the sight of this kid, one of his kids, in the director's chair... took his breath away.

He looked up as the elevator doors opened and someone stepped out; Kate Todd soon entered the bullpen, dropping her gear by her desk and picking up the coffee Gibbs had set on her desk. "Thank you, Gibbs." He nodded, his gaze returning to the desk that had once been Tim's. It now belonged to Agent Delilah Fielding, who'd been transferred from the DOD, little over two months ago. Kate followed his gaze. "Doesn't seem real, does it? That McGee's-"

The two looked up as the elevator doors opened again and the man in question stepped out, his sister in tow. The younger McGee was spending the day with her brother, shadowing him essentially, because Sarah- like her brother- wanted a career in law enforcement. Which was partially why she was going to Israel- she had been accepted to the law enforcement program at Tel Aviv University. Tim said something and Sarah giggled, squeezing his hand. The siblings gave both GIbbs and Kate quick smiles as they passed, heading back up to his office.

Once they were gone, Kate spoke up. "Do you think he's doing good, Gibbs?"

The older man glanced at her. "He's doing fine, Kate." He replied, though he was worried too. It was only Tim's second month as Director of NCIS, and so far, things had gone smoothly, aside from SecNav Jarvis threatening to remove "that kid" from his position because he didn't think Tim was good enough, and wanted someone with more "experience"- but in reality, Jarvis wanted someone who would bow to his every whim, like Shepard and Vance had. And partially because a small part of Jarvis knew that Tim would never do as the SecNav wanted, and he was scared of losing his influence over the Naval agency.

But other than that, things had gone pretty smooth. As Tony and Delilah finally entered the bullpen- engaged in conversation- Gibbs couldn't shake the feeling that things for Tim were about to go from smooth to rocky in hours.

"I still think you should call Daddy-"

"Don't, Sarah." She sighed, rolling her eyes from her place on the leather sofa, where she was working on her final report for her last class of the semester. Ever since Tim had started at NCIS, Admiral McGee had done all he could to make sure his son knew that he was nothing more than an overpaid "paper-pusher," and since finding out that Sarah wanted to follow in Tim's footsteps... well, in short, an argument had broken out over dinner two nights earlier, when the siblings had gone to Alexandria to have dinner with their parents, resulting in the Admiral threatening to disown Sarah if she didn't agree to his terms in regards to her education. Tim had stepped in, protecting his sister as his father- a known alcoholic- had raised his hand to hit her, taking the assault.

"But Tim-" He met her gaze.

"No. I'm not calling Dad. Not after what he did two nights ago." She groaned, though she understood why her brother was reacting the way he was. When John McGee had discovered that his son had become the Director of NCIS- because Tim had kept it from him, and Sarah had spilled the beans- he'd blown a gasket. What had started out as a tense family dinner had ended in a screaming match between father and son, culminating in John disowning his only son and Tim storming from the house, returning to Georgetown that night.

It had been Sarah's fault; Tim had asked her to keep it a secret, and instead, she'd cracked under their father's stern gaze. But Tim didn't hold it against her, he never could. No, Tim held it against his father for being the heartless bastard he was. As of two nights ago, Timothy McGee may have his father's name, but he was no longer a member of the McGee family- not that either Sarah, or their mother, Megan, thought that way. He was still a part of their family, even if John wanted nothing to do with him.

Tim sighed. "I'm sorry, Sar, I just-" He stopped, as Maura poked her head in.

"Director, there's someone from the Israeli Consulate on the phone. Says their director wants to talk to you." Tim quickly glanced at the time. When had oh-seven-hundred rolled around? Tim glanced at his sister before nodding.

"Thank you, Maura." As the woman ducked out of the office, Tim gave his baby sister a smile, before picking up the phone. "McGee."