AN: If you've never read anything by me before, I encourage you to read my profile (it's short, I swear). This idea popped into my head while I was out of town this weekend. Seeing as I'm now home and it's still there, I just have to write it. Originally, I was thinking it was going to be a one-shot, but since it's going to be longer I decided to have some fun with the POV, something I experimented with in my last story as well. I am going to do my best to actually write this entire thing and get it up before 10x20 airs tomorrow since it seems as though that might change things further.

MN: I forgot how exhausting it was to deal with AJ hanging out with her big sis. I'm exhausted and going to bed. She can take full responsibility for this drabble.

Disclaimer: If I owned NCIS, things would be so much different.

Dedication: For JenJen who encourages me.

Spoilers: Minor through current.

UPDATE: I decided to add a list of the rules that I used in this story as chapter 8 so you can reference them easily. I suggest pulling them up in a new tab so you can click back and forth as you read.

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"That's it." Gibbs slammed his fist down on his desk causing the two agents bickering in front of it to jump apart and turn toward him.

"Boss?" Of course DiNozzo couldn't see anything wrong with his behavior.

Gibbs stood, moving into the space between the two agents' desks and bodies. He glared at Tony first, then turned to stare down Ziva. "I've had it. I thought you two were finally growing up but the last two weeks all you've done is squabble. At the crime scene, at interviews, hell you got into it in interrogation! Grab your gear and come with me."

As the pair scrambled for their bags and sidearms, he turned toward the remaining member of his team. "McGee, make sure everyone's paperwork gets submitted and go home."

"Yes, Boss." At least one of his agents knew how to listen and follow instructions.

He retrieved his own gun and bag and stalked toward the elevator, confident that DiNozzo and David would be right behind him. The elevator ride and following walk to his truck were completed in silence. He tossed his gear in the bed and glared at the pair of his subordinates until they did the same.

Once all three were squished onto the bench seat of the cab, Ziva between himself and Tony, Gibbs started the engine and pulled out. He knew exactly where he was going. It was just where he'd intended to spend the weekend himself, but now he was going to have to sacrifice his retreat. He'd driven the same path dozens of times, so he let his mind wander as he drove. Besides, when his mind wandered he came off as contemplative and he knew the idea of him thinking made DiNozzo uncomfortable.

Not as uncomfortable as things were getting in his bullpen, however. He didn't know what had happened, but it needed fixed. It had been better for a while. Then Tony had killed Rivkin and it had gotten really bad. Even after he'd gone after her in Somalia things were tense. Slowly, the tension had eased. Then, after the bombing, it had almost been like the two had matured by a decade. Until whatever had happened two weeks ago. He'd tried to ignore it. He had known for years that the pair had some unresolved…something. He wasn't sure exactly what it was, but he knew that to resolve it they were going to have to break rules. And at this point, he didn't care. They were already breaking Rule 15. What was one more?

DiNozzo and David were two of the best agents he'd ever met individually. But, together, they were a force. Their case closure record spoke for itself, even when he'd left and Tony had been in charge. But if either of them were absent, the team struggled. They pushed one another. And it worked. Usually.

The competitiveness between the pair was usually an advantage, but they were now moving past competition, past the animosity they had had previously and were now approaching full-fledged malice. It was affecting their work. Hell, it was affecting the work of half of NCIS.

After a two hour drive which probably should have taken much longer, Gibbs slowed the truck to a stop and shifted into park before getting out. By the time Ziva's boots crunched onto the gravel, he had grabbed DiNozzo's bag and thrown it at him. Taking the hint, his partner hurried to grab her own backpack.

He stared at the agents, making eye contact with one then the other. "There's food inside the cabin. No cell service. I'll be back for you on Sunday evening and if you aren't being civil to each other by then, I'll shoot you both myself."

He pitched a set of keys in their general direction before he climbed back behind the wheel, shifted into gear, and pulled out, kicking up dust and gravel in his wake.