Title: "Certain Expectations"

Rating: FR13

Genre: Drama, Episode Tag, Family

Characters: Leon Vance, Timothy McGee

Summary: Vance reflects on the decision he made, asking McGee a question that bothered him. Episode Tag to The Good Son.

Notes: Written for Tony's Tuesday Review at NCIS Verse.

WARNING: Contains Season 9 spoilers.

Vance looked up from the picture frame at his desk when the door to his office opened. The cemented pensive expression on his features cleared when he saw McGee step in with a bulky folder in his hand.

"Good evening, Director," McGee said, feeling a bit self-conscious. "I was told that you wanted to see the reports on the case?" Vance nodded morosely. He treaded towards the desk, careful less he disturbs the unsettling silence in the room, and then handed the file over. When the Director began leafing through the pages, he took it as his cue to leave. "Will there be anything else, sir?"

His words, however, fell on deaf ears. Vance blindly, but intently, skimmed over the words inked on the sheets of paper. Mike Thomas…charged with assault with deadly weapon as a juvenile…confessed about the murder of—He stopped. He lifted his head slightly up, and in doing so caught a glimpse of his family's picture once again. The smiles on his children's faces caught his attention, and it revived the doubts he had toiled all night to bury. "What I did," he began so quietly, but firmly, that it deceived him into thinking that his thought was still inside his mind, "was it wrong?"

The confusion and surprise that carved McGee's eyebrows and reflected on his eyes told him otherwise. "Sir?" the young man asked.

"I need an honest answer, Agent McGee," Vance told him.

"Did…did you mean the arrest this morning?" McGee asked apprehensively. Vance continued to stare at him. He understood his answer. He glanced downwards, uncertain on how to respond. He wanted neither to mislead him nor offend him. Making up his mind, he shook his head softly. "No," he said. "No, it was not."

Vance allowed the reply to sink in before nodding. He took a deep breath, and then released the young agent from his gaze. "I hope so," he said. "I hope you're right."

They remained in silence for a short while, one contemplatively so while the other, patiently. Soon, the latter spoke. "He won't resent what you did," he said upon observing the look on the Director's face. "If he knows you did it for him, he'll understand in time."

Vance smiled bitterly. "In time," he repeated. He paused, wondering about how things between him and his brother-in-law would be the next time they meet. He recalled the way Mike regarded him. He was terrified, he knew, and like a deer caught in a trap when Gibbs and DiNozzo showed up in his living room. "Understand. That's not definite," he added. "Disappointed? It's probably a better word. He was expecting I can save him, but I let him fall."

"Sometimes there are people helped better by letting them go," McGee spoke out. He regretted it when Vance glanced at him. "I'm sorry."

"No need."

"I just meant," McGee began again, more tactfully this time, "everyone learns to be better people by facing what's in front of them. The support from their family from a distance, I think it helps a lot."

The smile on Vance's face grew full. "You're speaking as if from experience, McGee," he commented.

"My mother and my grandmother weren't particularly happy when I joined NCIS," McGee answered simply. "But I really wanted to, so they let me."

"And your father?" Vance asked, knowing that it was something he was leaving out.

"He was upset," McGee replied as if it was nothing but a fact. "But, he didn't really want anything to do with me for some time, so he was not even keen on expressing that." He shrugged. "He'd given up on me. It was fine."

The curl of the man's lips died down to a ghost of a grimace. Mike's reaction came up to mind again, coupled with the somberness of what McGee related to him. Did he really make the right choice, he wondered? "You do not have to answer if you do not want to," he said. "About your father. Were you disappointed in him for letting you go?"

McGee pondered about the question. Then, he answered. "Honestly? I am a little bit, but not as much as I am to him. I guess it's because I'm still wishing that things will change between us. I still think it's possible." He turned towards Vance. "But Mike…he always had you ever since you met. You were there as much as you could. You protected him as much as you could. No son could turn his back on a father with a love like that."

The anxiousness and uncertainties he felt were allayed with the young man's sentiment. He knew Mike was capable of forgiveness, and he trusted that it was a virtue he would extend towards him in the near future. "Thank you, McGee," he said with a smile.

McGee reciprocated the expression. "Is there anything else before I leave, sir?" he asked casually.

"No, that's it," Vance said. "I appreciate the help."

"You're welcome, sir. Good night." McGee swiveled around and started to walk out.

"Oh, and McGee?" The young man turned around. "The job in Okinawa…"

"I still want to stay here, Director," McGee said.

"I wanted to say that I've sent someone else," Vance said.

"Oh. Okay. That's good."

"But—I need a liaison to go to Greece. You're on the top of my list of people to send. I do hope you consider this one."

McGee appeared hesitant, though the smirk on his face betrayed that. "I'm starting to think that I'm not wanted here, sir," he joked.

"It's not that, McGee. Believe me," Vance said. "I am just confident that you are ready to handle a team of your own." McGee shot him a stunned look. "I need a new team in Los Angeles. Going to Greece for a while will prepare you for the job. After a year or less, when I hear you're more than ready, you'll be shipped back here—and be stationed in LA. Hetty will take good care of watching over you. I'll make sure of that."

McGee took a moment to take it all in. "I will think about it, sir," he said sincerely.

"Please do," Vance said. "One last thing, McGee." He paused. "Your father. He's missing out on an opportunity to get to know what you've become. I hope that will change, too."

Appreciation for the sentiment lit up the young man's face. "Thank you," he said.

Vance nodded. After that, McGee took his leave, closing the door behind him. He did not know how Gibbs would react to his decision, but he thought it was necessary. Like Mike, although they chose different paths to walk on, it was time for McGee to move on and learn. He expected that the young man would excel at that.

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