Disclaimer - I do not own NCIS


A/N - Thanks to everyone who has read and reviewed this story. I had hoped to work some more on this chapter before publishing it, but a little family crises has occured, so I've decided to publish it now as it is, so if there are any errors, I'm sorry. I will try and update as soon as I possibly can. Please, please, bear with me.

Thanks...Ann


Tuesday seemed to arrive super quick for the team and with a sense of déjà vu, they trundled into the training centre just before 0800 hours. Just as they approached the room, Tony pulled on Tim's arm.

"Hey, Probie, you're sitting next to Gibbs, make it happen!" he whispered firmly.

Tim scowled and nodded. There was no point in arguing with Tony when he was using his 'Senior Field Agent' voice, especially when Gibbs was on their six. He entered the room first and sat in one of the middle seats.

Tony gave a small smile and was about to take the outer seat next to Tim when Ziva brushed past him and took it, leaving only two chairs together. He shoved his hands in his pockets and immediately pulled a face at McGee.

"Ow!" he yelped as Gibbs slapped his head and then took the remaining outer seat.

"Sit down DiNozzo, the quicker we can get this started, the quicker we can get out of here," Gibbs growled.

Tony winced, rubbed the back of his head and with an indignant huff, threw himself down on the remaining seat.

"Good morning everyone! It's so good to see you back here again. I hope that you had a fabulous day yesterday with all your crime and things! At least the horrible Monday has gone and Tuesday is here. So, we've got lots to cover today so onwards and upwards!"

As he smiled broadly, he pulled his chair and sat down in front of the team and clasped his hands and sat for a moment preparing to begin.

"Tony, what would you say if I told you, that the shirt you were wearing, made you look gay?"

Tony laughed aloud, "Ha! Me? Gay? I'll have you know that this shirt cost nearly 400 bucks and is hand made. I pay for quality and for clothes that…do not make me look...gay"

Tim sniggered and Tony glared at him, "at least I don't use 'lotion' like you Probie!"

"Or have a manicure!" Ziva added

"Hey! I'm not the one who's wearing a gay shirt!" Tim protested.

"People, let's just stop!" Baxter said firmly.

"I am not wearing a gay shirt Probie!" Tony barked as he whacked Tim across the head.

"Ow! What was that for?"

"For calling me gay!"

"Tony, there is no need..." Baxter said putting his hand up.

"I didn't call you gay, I said your shirt was gay!" Tim snapped

"My shirt is not gay!"

"Is it a new shirt Tony?" Ziva added

"No, I've worn it before, feel the material though, it's really silky, very breathable close to the skin," Tony said seriously holding his arm out to Ziva.

"Oh, can I feel?" Baxter asked.

"That shirt is so gay" Tim giggled.

"Probie will you..."

Jethro Gibbs whistled loudly making everyone stop immediately and turn their heads in his direction and seeing the look of anger on his face sank into their seats and held their heads low.

"The...uh...purpose of my question, was to see what the response was and to highlight that commenting on something such as a person's clothing can sometimes be considered as sexual harassment. That is what we are going to look at this morning, verbal conduct, which is considered sexual harassment."

As the tense silence continued, Baxter stood up and retrieved a marker pen from the flip-pad stand and flipped over to reveal a fresh sheet of paper.

"So, people, what other things should you not discuss with your co-worker?"

With no response Baxter sighed,

"Okay, let me reframe that question for you guys, what kinda things would you not be happy with if someone commented on them to you?"

There was still no response. Baxter paced up and down, determined to make the team deliver. As the silence continued, he eventually admitted defeat.

"Sexual favours people!" he barked and raised his hands in the air.

"If you're asking no, but if Ziva was..." Tony said quickly, laughing out loud.

Ziva leaned over to Tim, "Did he say favours or flavours, because I am aware that condoms..."

"Favours! Ziva, favours!" Tim snapped quickly before she finished.

She raised an eyebrow and nodded to herself and slouched in her chair.

"What I mean Tony, is that asking for sexual favours is considered red light behaviour and a blatant example of sexual harassment!" Baxter explained calmly, before he turned his attention to Ziva.

"Officer David, did you have a comment or a question?"

Ziva pouted, "Providing sexual favours has been a Mossad interrogation and undercover technique, which has been proven successful, on a number of occasions."

Baxter stared wide eyed, "You would sleep with someone to get evidence?"

As she nodded in agreement, Tony stared open mouthed. His eyes glazed over and he grinned,

"So, Zee-vah, have you ever...interrogated anyone...before?"

Ziva looked at him seductively and licked her lips, "I have broken many men, Tony, some built like you, through...effective...interrogation"

Tony whined and he closed his eyes for a moment and savoured the mental image he was having in his mind of a naked Ziva, asking him questions whilst licking the back of his neck and stroking his...

WHACK!

"Aaaooowww...bossss!"

Tony rubbed the back of his head furiously at the spot where Gibbs notebook had collided with it. Hard.

"Stop picturing your co-workers naked!" Gibbs said

Tony looked at him bemused, "How..."

Gibbs scowled at raised his eyebrow and Tony sighed and folded his arms.

Baxter Murray rubbed his brow with frustration and placed on hand on his hip.

"Getting back to our learning points people, just to make it absolutely clear, NCIS protocols do not condone the use of sexual favours or the promise of sex as acceptable behaviour either with co-workers or with suspects. Are we clear on that?"

The team, with the exception of Gibbs nodded and Baxter sighed,

"Okay, Agent Gibbs, can you think of any other examples of inappropriate verbal behaviour that could be considered harassment?"

Gibbs remained silent, defiantly not participating. Baxter decided to pursue a response, any response.

"If I asked you about your sex life Agent Gibbs, would you consider that sexual harassment?"

Tony began chuckle and then started choking uncontrollably. One look from Gibbs calmed him down rapidly and he sat with his head hung low, desperately trying not to hear or see anything that would set him off again.

Gibbs frowned at being picked on, "Look, Murray, you can ask any damn question that you want, that doesn't mean you're gonna get an answer. You seem to have all the answers, so why don't you just write 'em all down and then cut us loose?"

Baxter pouted, "I do have the answers Agent Gibbs, but that is not the point in training, the point is to make sure that you learn, so that we don't have another 'Jardine' incident!"

Raising his hands in the air, Gibbs continued to protest,

"There wouldn't be another 'Jardine' incident if the Director had let me handle this. I would have dealt with these three and then it would have been over and done with and wouldn't have happened again!"

Tony, Tim and Ziva winced and shuffled in their chairs, knowing exactly how their boss would have 'corrected' their behaviour.

"Well, I have my orders from the Director, and I cannot let you guys sneak off early."

Gibbs bit his bottom lip and took a few moments to think. He couldn't stand sitting for two solid hours doing nothing and he was growing increasingly intolerant of the nauseous personality of the facilitator weasel. Acting on his gut he stood up and faced the team,

"Okay, I say we are finished for the day, let's go!"

Like sheep they followed him quickly to the door. Baxter Murray leapt and stood in front of the door his arms outstretched.

"NO! I cannot let you leave here! We still have another hour and a half at least to go!"

As Gibbs glared hard at him his confidence began to diminish,

"I...I...I've got a super task all planned out...I had...candy...as rewards!"

"What kinda candy?" Tony sneered.

Gibbs turned his head and Tony immediately went stone-faced as Gibbs scowled at him. Turning back to Baxter whose outstretched arms were beginning to tremble with fear, he spoke quietly and firmly,

"Murray, listen to me carefully, I'm giving you to the count of three to step aside and let me and my team get back to work."

Baxter swallowed hard, "Agent Gibbs, what about Jenny?" he whined.

"One!"

"This is really going to screw with my training plan you realise that?"

"Two!"

"What will you do if I don't move?"

Gibbs narrowed his eyes, "oh trust, me, you really do not want to find that out!"

"Th..."

Baxter jumped quickly to the side and folded his arms and began to pout.

"Fine, okay, go ahead, but I will have to report this to the Director!"

His words trailed into the empty training centre as the team were already half way down the corridor, smiling with silent gratitude to their team leader.

"Uh, boss what you going to say to the Director when she asks for a reason why we left early?" Tony asked as he slumped at the back of the elevator.

As Gibbs whacked the button he smiled wryly, "Bite me!"

Tony, Tim and Ziva smiled and a contented grin grew on Gibbs face.

In the training centre Baxter Murray paced the floor with his cell phone to his ear.

"He threatened me darling, I tried to be brave like you said, but he practically had me in a headlock!"

He continued to listen intently, before he responded.

"Tomorrow we'll do the non verbal behaviours and then I'll introduce the role-play, if you could be here tomorrow that would help me so much honey. I so need you by my side to face up to that horror!"

He sighed and began to blush, "Yes I know, working as a team means together everyone achieves more, yes honey, I know that...okay...I'll see you tonight...bye!"

Ending his call, he then stabbed the buttons on his cell phone and with narrowed eyes waited for a response.

"Hi Cynthia, how are you today, isn't the weather just glorious? I need to speak with the Director right away honey; my unwilling students have just walked out!"

As he waited to speak to Jen he snorted defiantly, "Big bully!"

Jenny Shepherd sighed as Cynthia put the call through to her office.

"Mr Murray, what seems to be the problem?"

When Baxter had complained to the point of exhaustion, Jen closed her eyes and held her head in her hand.

"Okay Baxter, they have just short of another hour, I'll have them with you within the next fifteen minutes, if you could be ready to continue then."

Jen banged her receiver down hard and then slammed her hands on the desk before springing to her feet and storming out of her office. Grabbing onto the railing she yelled at the top of her voice.

"SPECIAL AGENT GIBBS!"

The bullpen went silent and Tim, Tony and Ziva froze. Gibbs slowly turned from his computer screen and calmly gazed upward.

"MY OFFICE...NOW!"

He grinned, stood up and walked smartly to the stairs, his eyes on Jen as she stormed back into her office. Without a glance to Cynthia he walked straight into the office, banging the door behind him.

"You wanted to see me...Director?"

Jen folded her arms, still seething with anger. She took a few calming breaths before she made eye contact with him.

"Explain to me why you decided to walk out of the training centre before the end of the session?"

Gibbs raised his eyebrows and chuckled, "We'd learned all that we needed to for the day!" he replied sarcastically.

"This is not a laughing matter Jethro! I am ordering you and your team back to that training centre, where you will stay until 1000 hours. Do I make myself clear?"

"We are not going back in there today!"

"I mean it Jethro!!"

"Come on Jen, we're talking just over half an hour here, what's the point?"

Jen narrowed her eyes and stood her ground firmly, toe to toe with Gibbs.

"The point Special Agent Gibbs, is that I am damned well giving you an order and you better damned well follow it!"

He returned her steely stare and then smiled coyly, "And if I don't?" he teased.

Jen softened and return her own coy smile, before she turned and flicked through some papers on her desk.

"If you don't get your ass back to the training centre Jethro, then I will personally see that SecNav sponsors and ensures your attendance on this!"

She held the flyer out to him. He took it, still smiling and began to read it. The smile quickly faded into a scowl and he swallowed hard,

"You wouldn't!" he said quietly.

"You bet your ass I would Jethro! NCIS' new Leadership and Management Program, designed and delivered by Baxter Murray, a five day residential course at Quantico. Just the thing I would think for a team leader who thinks it's okay to disobey a direct order from their Director!"

Jen grinned as she continued, "Don't think I don't know, that you will do whatever the SecNav orders you to do Gunny!"

Gibbs sighed, "Jen, come on, just cut us loose for the day...huh?"

She shook her head from side to side and after a few tense, silent moments of hard staring at one another, Jethro Gibbs realised that, yet again, he had lost the battle. He stormed from her office as angry as hell, slamming the door hard behind him.

He walked quickly to Tony's desk and barked loudly.

"You three with me!"

Tony, Tim and Ziva followed in his trail towards the elevator.

"Gibbs, tell me we are not going back into training, please?" Ziva pleaded.

He raised his eyes to the ceiling and spoke with a firm voice,

"You three give the training weasel everything he wants to know, otherwise, after I shoot him, I'm gonna shoot all three of you!"

Tony gulped, "The Director pretty pissed huh?"

"Not nearly as much as I am Tony" he growled.

Tim frowned as the elevator continued to take them down towards the training centre,

"Did Baxter say that he was getting someone to help him tomorrow?"

Tony nodded and Ziva shrugged her shoulders.

Gibbs stretched his arms behind his back and rolled his head from side to side, preparing for another stint of sitting idly doing nothing.

"That's all we damned well need. Baxter Murray times two!"

To be continued...