Trial by (Camp)fire
Summary: Gibbs decides that Tim and Tony need a Marine-ish bonding exercise. Warning: discussion of spanking of adults. Don't like? Don't read!
Disclaimer: I don't own them, I just play with them.
A/N: This is part of my 'Lessons' series and builds on a larger plot arc. This takes place shortly after the events in Tangled Webs.
Warning: This story is part of a discipline series that contains the spanking of adults. If you have a problem with that, click on that 'back' button now. You've been warned.
Gibbs glanced in the rear view mirror. Tim's restless fidgeting had caught his eye. Two hours into the early-morning drive, the destination still unknown to the younger man, he was clearly trying to decide if falling asleep was allowed.
A sideways glance revealed that Tony had no such qualms, and was sleeping soundly with his head resting against the passenger-side window.
Gibbs smiled to himself, amused by the difference between his two boys.
DiNozzo had been the one who had protested loudly when he had woken him up with a 5am phone call and orders to cancel any plans for the weekend and be downstairs ready to go in ten minutes, dressed casually and wearing hiking boots. But once he had realised that Gibbs wasn't going to explain, and wasn't going to change his mind about whatever he had planned, he'd settled down and let Gibbs take control. Now, he was relaxed enough to doze off.
McGee had made less of a fuss about the unexpected excursion. However, he'd spent the entire trip watching him with a rabbit-like alertness, unable to relax in the face of uncertainty.
Without warning his passengers, Gibbs veered off the highway onto an unpaved country road. As expected, the rough transition awakened Tony, who looked around in obvious confusion and rubbed at his head, which had bumped loudly against the window at the jolt. He pretended to ignore the not-very-surreptitious 'where the hell is he taking us' look that the two younger men exchanged. After a few miles, he turned the car onto an even bumpier dirt track.
Finally, he pulled off into a small clearing, nodding with satisfaction that it was still unchanged from how he remembered it. The narrow stream burbled merrily in the warm sunshine. A stone-ringed fire pit showed no signs of recent use. When he shut off the engine, the silence was almost deafening.
Gibbs popped the trunk and got out without a word, smiling at the frantic scrabbling with seatbelts as his two agents hastened to join him. By the time they reached his side, he had already hauled two rucksacks out of the trunk and dumped them unceremoniously on the ground. He shoved a bed roll at each of the younger men and slammed the trunk shut.
'I'll be back for you Sunday evening.'
He turned towards his still-open door, ignoring the outraged but incoherent complaints. He reached under his seat and pulled out a satellite phone and an extra battery and passed them both to McGee.
'That's for emergencies only. And no, being left out here does not constitute an emergency. If you use that thing, one of you had better be bleeding.'
'Boss?'
Gibbs got in behind the wheel. Before he slammed the door shut, however, he took pity on McGee's stricken expression and decided to explain.
'Survival training. Have fun, boys.'
He gave them a sideways smile, hoping to convey his confidence that they were up to the challenge he'd surprised them with.
Gibbs cut off their loud protests by pulling his door closed and starting the car.
The looks on the two men's faces as he drove away almost made him relent, but he forced himself to keep driving.
He'd been considering taking Tim and Tony out for some Marine-style teambuilding since he'd found out about DiNozzo tormenting his partner with exaggerated accounts of discipline he'd received at his boss's hands. McGee's more recent lack of confidence in his partner, which had resulted in a painful and worrying spider bite, had convinced him to do something sooner rather than later. He wasn't overly concerned – it was more sibling bickering than a serious inability to work together, but they could definitely use a refresher course in the importance of teamwork, and being able to depend on each other.
Hopefully, the next three days would be enough to remind them how to play well together.