Authors Note: Tony's degree , his masters is in forensic accounting not psychology but he could be working on that as well. Goofed I think and mistyped it unless I didn't mention it yet. Also Gibbs had to confront Ziva and McGee without Tony being in the building to try and make things right or better for him.

Gibbs walked down the stairs from the directors office with copies of the papers from Tony's desk. He took a deep breath and then whistled sharply. "David, McGee conference room 1 now."

Ziva mouthed to McGee "What is going on?"

He shrugged and replied "Have no clue."

A member of Balboa's team was listening in and smirked. She thought god help you two, last time I saw Gibbs that pissed was when Ari Haswari was bothering him and then he killed Kate Todd. It wasn't pretty. Then she went back to typing on her computer and running financials for their case.

Gibbs waited for them to enter the conference room and slapped the file down on the table. " Do you have any idea what is in this folder?"

McGee blinked. "No boss I have never seen it before is it a case?"

Ziva said " Since when does NCIS use bright red folders, that is not one of our standard issue files."

Gibbs replied "Well then let me fill you two in. Officer David let's begin with you. Work begins at 7:30 am unless you inform the senior field agent or team lead that you will be late. You refused to do so to Tony and here is the paperwork. Also looks like you left early several times whether your case reports were completed or not. Hmm 4:00 and 5:00 seemed to be the pattern. Also you proceded to clean your gun and your knives in the bullpen while refusing to speak to Tony or begin work when asked. That is insubordination."

Ziva stood up from the table. "Gibbs, you cannot be taking this seriously. We all know that Tony was playing at being the boss until you came back. He is the class clown and not a competent team leader."

Gibbs looked at her. "Sit your ass back down in that chair before I put it there Officer David. I don't want to hear another word out of your mouth right now."

Then he turned to McGee. "I expected better of you Tim. You worked with Tony longer and with Kate. Tony helped you with your firearms proficiency so you could meet baseline qualifications." " Senior Field Agent status must have gone to your head . You told Tony that the Director wouldn't seriously make him the boss if I didn't come back from Mexico. Something about your MIT skills being better served as team leader. Tony may not have a degree from MIT but he has a hell of a lot of street smarts and sense about people and that is something you can't teach anyone. Some people have it for this job, it's called instinct and it's just there. He jokes around to put victims and people at ease with law enforcement. I have solved more cases in shorter time since I have worked with him than before he came to me from Baltimore. "

"I don't know what was happening here while I was in Mexico , but I should have been clearer with both of you. You were to respect and follow Tony's orders as much as any of mine. I don't even know what I want to do with you but I want you both down in the evidence locker organizing it for the remainder of the day."

Ziva looked at Gibbs. "That is scut work for probies. "

Gibbs looked at her. "You do not want to push it right now Officer David, I could have you sent back to your father on the next plane to Tel Aviv instead, I am sure the director would back me on that. Want to go to MTAC and find out?"

Ziva opened her mouth and closed it.

McGee said "I am going to the evidence locker boss. I'll have my cell on if you need me."

Gibbs nodded " Good answer Tim. I am going to be handling cold cases from my desk. "

McGee headed to the elevator quickly without looking at Ziva.

Ziva exhaled and also went to the elevator. This was temporary she knew it until Tony snapped out of his little mood. She would do what Gibbs wanted and he would see what an asset she truly was to NCIS.

Ziva said " Why did you fold McGee, you know Tony is just having a pity party for himself. Gibbs will realize this in time."

McGee looked at her. "Ziva I am this close to being fired, do you really want to go back home to Mossad again? I know when Gibbs is pissed and he is right now. This is not a joke or something he will get over in a day. We hurt Tony. He was devastated when Kate was killed, didn't want another person on the team and yet he let you in because he had no choice ."

"What do you do, instead of trusting him? I let you manipulate me into turning my back on him when he needed us most. Had he not felt alone and like nobody had his back he might not have gotten sucked into the Le Grenouille disaster. Why did he, because he thought Director Shepard was the only one who had his back here. We sure as hell didn't."

The ride to the basement was silent for the rest of the way.

Abby's Lab: Gibbs walked in and turned Abby's music off. He said "Abby I need to talk to you."

She replied "What about?"

He said "Did you really put a sticker on Tony's shirt that read "Trainee one day while I was in Mexico?"

Abby blinked. "It was a joke because he forgot a Caff Pow when he came down to ask me for a ballistics report. He didn't say anything but he also didn't seem hurt."

Gibbs said "Show me your computer monitors Abbs."

She shrugged and clicked the screens over to his pictures.

"So you had these up the whole time I was in Mexico? And Tony had to see them everytime he walked into and out of your lab?"

Abby swallowed. "You weren't here, they were up because I missed you. What's wrong with that?"

Gibbs sighed. "Abby it was a slap in the face to Tony. Not the back of the head, that is a wake up call. You humiliated him by saying he would never be good enough to take my place. Plus you were on a sugar rush and caffeine high from hell or so I have heard. He may not come back after he is done with a vacation and I can't say I blame him . You were like a sister to him Abbs and you turned on him. Think about that and how you can make it right."

Tears began to flow down Abby's cheeks. She pushed some buttons on her computer and deleted the monitor pictures of Gibbs replacing them with ones of Tony and Bert her farting hippo. "Is that better Gibbs?"

He said "It's a start Abby but I'm not the one who needs to see them right now. "

She sighed "I know you're not. I hurt my big brother , I hope he can forgive me."