Author's Note - Optional Rant - NOT required reading.

For those of you who still feel that Tim is JUST a junior agent and does not have sufficient training to be a team leader, well whose fault is that? Gibbs and Tony have had 6 years to train Timothy, and apart from Tim doing a 4 months stint as SFA while Gibbs was in Mexico, there has really been no training at all.

Gibbs never did any undercover work at all, that I am aware of. Tony either worked alone or went undercover with Kate and later Ziva. Tim apparently was only good enough to be the Office Lackey and work those infernal machines that Gibbs hates so much.

No, wait, there was one case where Tim went undercover as his alter ego Thom E. Gemcity (Friends and Lovers - season 4), but I don't think Tim has done any other Undercover work since.

Tony and Gibbs should be severely reprimanded for falling down on the job!

OK Rant over.

Authors Note - This is a fairly quiet chapter. Tim confronts Gibbs and chooses his team members. Abby's reaction to all this, will be in Chapter 5, I promise!

DISCLAIMER - NCIS still does not belong to me. It belongs to Sean Murray's stepfather, Donald Bellisario.

Chapter 4

Sometime after the lunch hour had ended, Gibbs discovered Agents McGee and David sitting at their new desks in the Bullpen, looking through personnel files.

"I thought I told you I didn't ever want to see your face in this place again, McGee!"

While Tim and Ziva both jumped when Gibbs' voice started haranguing them, Tim was determined to not get angry. He knew that Gibbs was just trying to get him all riled up so that he could be fired from the agency. Tim had learnt more than just criminal investigative skills while on Agent Gibb's team. He had also learnt how NOT to treat his teammates, and he was determined to do a much better job than Gibbs had done.

While Tim did not want to have too many rules, he did know that his very first rule was definitely going to be - No head slapping allowed.

"Good afternoon, Agent Gibbs." Timothy drew on his new found strength as a team leader and greeted his former boss.

McGee had already internalised the fact that Gibbs was now his EQUAL and was no longer his boss. Gibbs had not yet aware of this fact, let alone accepted it, and he still thought of McGee as his junior agent even after six years.

"You disobeyed a direct order. I fired you. McGee! Why are you still here?" Once again, Gibbs had his hands on Tim's desk and was leaning over Tim in a threatening manner. Tim did NOT cower back in fear.

"My health is more important than your dead body, Agent Gibbs. That tub was flagged as hazardous and needed to be cleaned up by a HAZMAT team before anyone went wading in it. The better question to ask is, Why did you not accept my warning about health and safety? They are in place for a reason and not just to annoy you.

"The reason I am still here, because Director Vance believes I am ready to be a team leader and he has given me a new team. Agent David is now my Senior Field Agent, and we are currently looking for two more agents."

Gibbs was shocked to hear that his former probie had been promoted 2 steps to that of team leader. "You are nowhere near ready to be a team leader, McGee. You will go down and I will make damn sure that you go down and when you do, I will also make damn sure that you never work for any federal agency or any law enforcement office ever again." Gibbs growled as he leaned closer to McGee in a very threatening manner.

"Agent Gibbs!" The Directors voice was right behind him, so Gibbs knew that Vance had overheard that last threat to McGee.

Gibbs straightened up. "Yes, Director?"

"My office, now!" growled Vance.

Gibbs gave McGee one more ice cold glare and then went upstairs to the Directors Office.

Tim took a few minutes to recover from that diatribe by Gibbs. When did Gibbs start hating me? he wondered.

Tim had a pile of personnel files on his desk, and he was currently reading the personnel file of Probationary agent Ned Dorneget. The man was somewhat awkward, but he did have degrees in both criminal psychology and forensic science. Dorneget had also shown initiative by completing the FBI profiling course. Dorneget would be very useful as both a forensic specialist as well as a profiler. Add to that, the fact that Ned had also shown his eagerness to be a field agent on a major case response team, Tim decided that he would be a good choice.

"Ziva, what do you think of Ned Dorneget as our team forensic specialist and profiler? I know he is awkward, but he kind of reminds me of what I was like when I first started here."

Ziva smiled.

"Yes, he does. And like you, he will learn and become much a better agent." Ziva's smile broadened, "and since he is gay, he will not be hitting on me all the time. I believe he will be a good choice, Tim."

Tim was pleased. Now he had only to find one more agent. Preferably a weapons specialist. He opened a new personnel file.

Dwayne Wilson, former Marine. Graduated first in his class at FLETC and the ONLY federal agency he had applied to was NCIS. His reason for doing so was because an NIS agent had cleared his father of murder during the Vietnam war, and thus he was inspired to be a criminal investigator and help military personnel who could not help themselves.

Tim showed his file to Ziva. Her eyes lit up.

"I remember him. He was visiting from FLETC during that Bank robbery that was actually a hit."

"Yes, he had some interesting insights as well. I think he would be a good choice. What about you, Ziva?"

"I liked him. He was nothing like Tony, he didn't have an ego and even though he's a former Marine, he is nothing like Gibbs either. I agree. We can at least give him a try."

Tim nodded his head and put Wilson's file to one side as well. He had chosen his new team, with some input from his SFA, and now he just had to inform the Director.

Tim walked upstairs and asked Pamela Cook, if the Director was available. Cook was just about to say that he was not available, when the office door was flung open and Gibbs stormed out.

"I guess he is available now." Cook remarked, and sent him in.

"Agent McGee. How can I help you." Vance asked with a smile and indicated that McGee should sit down.

Tim handed him the files of the two agents that he and Ziva had chosen for his new Team.

"Director Vance, Ziva and I have chosen these two agents for our new team. They are both probationary, but I know we can both teach them everything they need to know."

"Agent Dwayne Wilson and Agent Ned Dorneget. Did you know that Ducky's psych evaluation of Probationary Agent Wilson was quite similar to that of Agent Gibbs'"?

Tim shook his head. Vance continued.

"That was mostly because Wilson and Gibbs are both former Marines."

Opening the second file, Vance pursed his lips.

"Agent Dorneget? That's an interesting choice. May I ask why?"

Tim blushed. "Because he reminds me so much of me when I first started here. I used to be just as awkward and green as he is. Also he has forensic science and profiling expertise and that will mean we can do a lot more analysis out in the field without having to come all the way back here to do the lab work."

Vance smiled.

"Now that is exactly the kind of initiative I like to see. You have my permission to assign those two agents to your new team. I will advise the HR department. And Tim? Congratulations on forming your new Team. I know you will do a great job."

"Thank you, Sir. Sir, if I may ask. What about Gibbs and his threats? I am sure he will not stop at just one threat. DiNozzo is more than likely to be teasing us - especially Dorneget - as well."

Vance frowned.

"Like I told Gibbs, if he cannot keep his team, ie, Agent DiNozzo under control, Gibbs will find himself forcibly retired and DiNozzo will be either fired from NCIS or transferred to another office that is NOT in DC. This is Gibbs' absolute last chance. Yes, he has the highest solve rate in this office, but he breaks the rules and cuts corners to get that solve rate. That will no longer be tolerated - by ANY team."

Tim nodded. He got the message loud and clear.

Vance smiled again. "Congratulations on your new team, Agent McGee. You can use tomorrow to get to know your team members, tell them what you expect of them. and perhaps start some basic training. Your team will officially start work the day after tomorrow. Dismissed."

Tim left the office with a huge smile on his face. He passed DiNozzo sitting at his desk with a not-so-happy look.

"Hey Probie?" Tony asked. "Why are you splitting the team up? You split up my family. You are so going to pay for that."

"Tony," replied Tim."I did not split the team up. Gibbs did that all by himself, when he fired Ziva and I from his team. You were there. You heard him do it. Thus, it has been made perfectly clear to me that Gibbs hates my guts. Why else would Gibbs have totally ignored my warning about the hot tub and those HAZMAT warnings. They were not there for decoration. They were there for a reason. I was offered the chance to lead my own team, and unlike you, I chose to accept. And I am not your probie, Tony. So you no longer have any right, to ever call me that again."

Tim spent the next hour locating Agents Dorneget and Wilson and advising them that they were now officially part of Team McGee and that they were to report to him at 0800 hours, the next morning.