I went to update my Friends and Enemies story tonight but ended up writing this oneshot instead. Ah well.

This is set probably midway season 4, if not a tiny bit earlier. Hope you enjoy.

"Hey! DiNozzo!" Tony startled awake to the sound of one very angry Leroy Jethro Gibbs. He looked around, slightly disorientated as he took in his surroundings; a dimly lit bullpen in NCIS headquarters, moonlight beginning to show throw the large glass panel windows. But the most noticeable, and probably most worrying feature, was his Boss, standing over him and looking completely PO'd.

"Yeah Boss," said Tony breathlessly, quickly attempting to look alert and diminish the sleep from his eyes.

"You found our missing petty officer?" Gibbs voice was quiet, but deadly.

Tony knew what was coming, but had no way to avoid it. "No, Boss." He began typing away at his computer as he spoke, checking the BOLO.

"Found the guys that took him?"

"No Boss."

Gibbs leaned down, splaying his hands on his agent's desk and looked directly into Tony's eyes. "Found out why he was taken?"

It was at this moment that Ziva returned, walking purposefully out from the elevator. She opened her mouth to report, but seeing the tension hanging in the air she remained silent.

Tony paused a moment with a sigh, refusing to look away with a grim expression on his face. "No Boss."

Gibbs started in a whisper, "Then what gives you the right," he stood up and raised his voice angrily, "to take a damn nap?!"

"Sorry Boss, won't happen again," Tony muttered, giving up on the BOLO and opening up his black book of street contacts.

"Yeah, well, that's what I thought last time. And the time before that." Gibbs looked at Tony searchingly, covering up the small pit of concern deep in his gut with an angry glare. "You been working over time for the last few weeks?" His question was sarcastic - he already knew the answer. But Tony answered anyway.

"I have not Boss."

"Then sleep on your own damn time!" Gibbs snapped before turning and marching back to his desk and facing the plasma. There was a moment of heavy silence before Gibbs spoke up again. "Ziva, you going to tell me what you got or is sitting silently more helpful to this case?"

Ziva, who had been watching Tony carefully, shook herself out of her reverie and faced Gibbs. "Petty Officer Reginald's wife had plenty to say, though not much of it was useful. They had been taking a break," Ziva's expression turned slightly confused at the term but she continued nonetheless, "and she had been staying at her sister's for a week, which is why she had not filed a missing person's report."

"So we still got nothing," summarised Gibbs, shooting one more unhappy glance at Tony. The younger man was now on one of his mobiles, speaking quietly.

"Well…" Ziva found no appropriate answer and trailed off. Finally she said instead "where is McGee?"

"Helping Abby," replied Gibbs simply.

Suddenly Tony stood, removing his holster and dropping it on his desk. He took the cell phone he hadn't just been using from his pocket and placed it in his drawer before making his way out of the bullpen.

"Hey! Where do you think you're going?" called Gibbs. Tony stopped to look back at his mentor, a resigned look on his face.

He opened his mouth, shut it again, raised his hands slightly in a desperate gesture and finally replied hastily "appointment. Sorry Boss." He then rushed off, slamming his hand against the elevator 'down' button. Gibbs stalked after him but only made it a few steps before Tony was in and the doors were closing.

Gibbs let out a sound of annoyance before walking back to the bullpen, barely noticing as McGee entered from the other side, looking weary. Gibbs felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up - he was being watched. Looking up knowingly he saw Director Shepard, looking down on the team from the mezzanine. Even from below, Gibbs could see her body language as disapproving. He frowned up at her. She frowned back. An unspoken agreement passed between them and Gibbs grabbed the coffee off of his desk before heading for the stairs.

"Something on your mind Director?"

"I see you're pushing your agents as hard as ever, Agent Gibbs." Jenny stood by her desk, resting one hand on the polished surface, as Gibbs walked into the room and faced her.

"Keeps them sharp," he replied impatiently. Jenny studied him, causing the ex-marine's annoyance to grow. "You have something against the way I lead my team Jenny?"

The NCIS Director held her ground and replied curtly "I just think you might want to give a little leeway to Agent DiNozzo. Not everyone can survive on caffeine alone you know."

Gibbs' eyes narrowed. "I'm trying to keep Tony on his toes, and frankly, he's been letting me down lately."

"He's had it tough," replied Jenny calmly.

Now it was Gibbs' turn to study the Director. "Is there something I should know about, Jenny?"

She walked around to her chair and sat down casually. "All I'm saying is he's been putting in more hours then you think, and after his decision about Rota - "

"Rota?" Gibbs cut in, his eyebrows knitting closer together. "Rota as in Spain?" Jenny's eyes widened at his reaction and she pursed her lips. "What about Rota?"

"I… assumed he would have told you by now," admitted Jenny almost sheepishly. Gibbs stepped forward, looking as serious as ever.

"Told me what?" he asked, leaving no room for deflections.

Jenny stared at him for a moment, contemplating, before her shoulders sagged slightly, indicating her resignation. "After you returned from your little holiday to Mexico…" she paused, looking mildly apprehensive. "Tony was offered his own team."

"In Spain?" Gibbs stepped back, desperately trying to absorb this new information. Tony had been given his own team?

What is he still doing here?

"He turned it down," answered Jenny, watching his reaction carefully. "I know he'd wanted to keep it quiet at the time, but I thought, by now… Well like I said, I thought you knew."

"What were you doing sending him to Spain Jenny?" Gibbs sounded angry, but as Jenny observed his suddenly agitated body language, she couldn't help but wonder if maybe he was… uncertain. Was the famously tough Leroy Jethro Gibbs scared of losing his agent?

"While you were gone, Tony showed exemplary potential," said Jenny, defending her decision. "I thought it was about time he made full use of it."

Gibbs turned so he was no longer facing her, his eyes drifting around her office as he spoke with a sigh. "He is a damned good agent." After a pause he turned to face her once again. "Tony turned it down?"

Jenny nodded. "He said he was worried. About you." She half-smiled as Gibbs' eyes widened in confusion. "Which I don't doubt. But I think it was more than that. When I gave him the orders, his reaction was… Well a bit like yours. I don't think DiNozzo felt quite ready to leave the nest, so to speak."

Gibbs shook his head, running a hand over his mouth as he tried to take it all in. Really he shouldn't have been so surprised. Tony was an excellent agent and knew how to handle himself under pressure. Naturally his talent would show when put under the spotlight.

But thinking over the past few weeks, Gibbs knew something had changed. Tony still worked hard and his intuition, his gut, was as impressive as ever. But the senior field agent was beginning to slow down. He wasn't as quick as he used to be with obtaining the information needed for a case. He was taking more and more naps around the office, yet half the time he didn't even seem to be there, and the dark bags under his eyes had only grown. Was it that he was regretting his decision to stay? Were doubts hindering Tony's performance?

Gibbs contemplated this silently, Jenny waiting patiently for him to speak. Finally he voiced his concerns, though not in so many words. "So what the hell happened to him?"

"What do you mean?"

"DiNozzo sure as hell ain't living up to those standards now." The frustration Gibbs had been feeling lately leaked through to his words. "Before I was gone, I would have vouched for Tony any day of the week, but now half the time he doesn't even show up to work!" He slowed down, reeling his emotions back in carefully. "Maybe he should have taken the offer," he admitted sourly. "I don't have much use for an agent not even willing to do the work."

Jenny suddenly looked defensive, and she sounded firm when she answered. "As I said Gibbs, Tony is putting in more overtime then you think."

Gibbs stared at her, finally reading between the lines. "What have you got him working on that's so important he goes to an 'appointment' in the middle of a kidnapping?" His anger was flaring once more. He didn't appreciate anyone overstepping the line with his agents, not even the director of their own agency.

"That is not for your knowledge, Agent Gibbs," Jenny replied coldly. "But let me just say that an occasional break at his desk would not be unhelpful." Gibbs opened his mouth to take the matter further but she cut him off abruptly. "You have two other very competent agents at your disposal. Take advantage of them while Tony is unreachable."

"Never be unreachable," growled Gibbs.

"Rule three, I know," said Jenny seriously. "I remember that one well. But I'm afraid you will have to make an exception." With that she looked to her computer and began to type away dismissively. Gibbs took a moment longer to scowl at his boss, but recognising the conversation would go no further, turned on his heel and left the office. The door slammed behind him despite Cynthia's protests and Gibbs stalked across the mezzanine to the steps, watching over his bullpen as he did so. Ziva and McGee were deep into a discussion at Ziva's desk, a file open between them. They were working hard to find their missing marine. But glancing at Tony's now empty desk, Gibbs couldn't help but think it wasn't quite enough.

So, thoughts? Criticism is always welcomed.

Feel free to follow me on Twitter, my username is NerdBurga on there too - anyone who follows me can write me a prompt/request for a oneshot they want me to do. Thanks for reading!