NB: I don't own anything of NCIS :(

Thank you to all of you, my readers. I hope I'll never disappoint you :)

Thank you so much to my BR USA123. Without your precious advices, this FF would never get so many reviews and compliments. You're amazing! :)

"Choices & Consequences"

Chapter 4.

"Ask Ziva... No, ask Vance. She would lie to you to save her worthless a**."

Tony's words kept echoing in Gibbs' head on his way from the coffee shop to NCIS HQ.

I thought I knew everything that happened in Israel... I was with Tony all the time except for a few minutes while I was on the phone with McGee, the Team Leader reflected while he got into the elevator.

Tony had just been interrogated by Eli and had asked for a few minutes alone.

He pushed the button to the third floor.

I saw him entering the bathroom so I went out. I stopped on the building's external stairs and called McGee.

He leaned his head against the elevator wall.

I was looking the garden below so I didn't see Tony leaving the bathroom. If Tony told me to ask Ziva, it means something happened between them while I was not with him. Did she enter the men's room again?

The elevator door opened and Gibbs left the machine. He walked towards his desk and noticed that McGee was following him with his stare while Ziva didn't even looked up from the file on her desk.

Tony was used to it. I'm sure that wasn't the problem... and not even part of it, he silently chuckled.

Gibbs put the cup of coffee on his desk and sat down. His eyes met McGee's. The younger man looked uncomfortable and worried. Gibbs raised his eyebrows.

"Boss, Director Vance wants you in his office immediately," his new SFA announced.

The older man nodded and quickly left the bullpen.

At least now I'll finally know why my SFA left.

NCIS Director's Office.

Gibbs opened Director's office door and was greeted by Vance and the SecNav Davenport.

This was not about DiNozzo.

"Gibbs." Vance nodded and gestured for him to sit at the conference table in front of his desk.

"Agent Gibbs." Davenport nodded as well as he took place at the head of the table.

"Sir," Gibbs replied, sitting down on his right and in front of Vance.

"We've got a situation we want you to investigate," Vance announced.

"It's a long running case that we've being monitoring for years," the SecNav began and saw the Team Leader slightly raising his eyebrows.

"I think it's the weirdest case we've ever had," Vance added and got a nod from the SecNav in agreement.

"What's the matter?" Gibbs asked. He hated stalling.

"Data theft," SecNav replied.

"So a mole."

"But not a normal mole," Vance shook his head.

"What do you mean, Director?" Gibbs asked, surprised.

"He or she steals top-secret NCIS, Navy and Marine Corps data but, as far as we can tell, does nothing with it."

At these words Gibbs frowned. "So these people steal our secrets but don't use them?" he clarified.

"Exactly," the SecNav replied. "It seems someone wants to know what we do for Navy and Corps operations and deployments, but then nothing happens."

"It doesn't make any sense," Gibbs agreed.

Both the other men nodded.

"How did you find out about this theft?" Gibbs asked.

"Our computer techs noticed an intrusion in our system. They tracked the signal, but unfortunately these people are really good. The signal jumps back and forth between the US, Europe and Middle East. Nothing we can nail down." Davenport explained.

"The last lead brought us to Denmark but it was a dead lead. That computer belonged to an elderly woman who uses her PC to buy cross-stich schemes and exchange recipes with other old ladies all around the world," Vance added.

"When our techs catch onto the signal, the leak stops for months," Davenport added, shaking his head in frustration. "They must be really good 'cause we can't locate the origin. We're not able to find the NCIS Office from which this leak starts."

"We are contacting all NCIS Team Leaders around the world," Vance informed Gibbs, who was glaring at him. Ignoring the look, Vance continued, "All of you will be investigating your respective offices. You can't ask your Agents' help since any of them could be the mole."

At that moment, the SecNav's cell rang. After a brief talk, the man left the room, leaving Vance and Gibbs alone.

"You're asking all Team Leaders to investigate and spy on their own Agents, Leon?" Gibbs asked as soon as the SecNav closed the door. Vance nodded. "We can't do that... and you know it."

"These are your orders and this is what you're going to do, Agent Gibbs," the NCIS Director firmly said.

They stared each other for a brief moment then Vance got up, walked across the room, and sat down behind his desk. "That's all, Gibbs."

"No. It's not all," Gibbs took a step towards the Director's desk. "We need to talk about my SFA."

"McGee? What did he do?" Vance innocently asked.

"DiNozzo," Gibbs corrected him, barely hiding his anger.

"Special Agent DiNozzo is not your SFA anymore, Gibbs. He's a Team Leader now."

"I want to know why he left. He—"

"I offered him his own team and he accepted the assignment."

"Why?! Why did you offer him a team?"

"Do you think he didn't deserve it?" Vance challenged the older man.

"No," Gibbs shook his head. He took a deep breath, moved a chair in front of Vance's desk and sat down. "DiNozzo is ready to be a Team Leader and I'm sure he'll do a great job."

"So, what's the problem?" Vance kept pretending to not know why Gibbs was so upset.

"Tony should have taken my place when I'll retire."

"And maybe he will," Vance raised his eyebrows. "Did you want him to wait 'till you decided to retire? Don't you think it's a bit selfish, Gibbs?" And with these words the Director earned a trademark Gibbs' glare that didn't affect him a bit. "Tony had to put his life and career on standby until you had enough of working?" Vance stood up, rounded the desk and perched on it in front of Gibbs. "The Hawaii Team is a good place to start and to improve his skills as Team Leader, though we both know that he doesn't need it."

"So why?"

"What are you looking for Gibbs?" Vance suddenly asked.

"I talked to Tony last night and he told me he left because he can't work with me anymore," Gibbs stood up and started pacing the office. "He doesn't trust me anymore and—"

"And I'm sure this was like a punch in the face for you."

"Tony told me he can't trust me because, after I learned that Ziva was following Eli's orders when she saved me from Ari, I took her back on the Team," Gibbs added and Vance nodded "Why did you tell him?" the Team Leader asked and the Director was surprised by the pain in those words. He expected anger, but not pain.

"I thought you had told him. Then, when I found out that DiNozzo didn't know anything, I felt he needed to know."

They stared each other for a brief moment, then Vance asked, "Why didn't you tell him?"

Gibbs stood up headed towards the window. "Because I knew Tony wouldn't understand," he said softly.

"Or you knew that DiNozzo would understand too much?"

Gibbs turned and stared at his Director.

"You knew Tony'd understand that you let your paternal feelings for Ziva influence your decision and you didn't want your SFA to see you vulnerable and manipulable," Vance added as he walked over to the older man.

Then the phone on the Director's desk rang. It was his secretary reminding him of his meeting with the Secretary of Defense at the Pentagon, so Vance quickly grabbed his suitcase and walked toward the door.

"Leon," Gibbs called him just before he left. "Tony talked about something that happened in Israel and told me to ask you. What was he talking about?"

Vance just shook his head. "You should ask Ziva."

"Tony said it would be better if I asked you," Gibbs replied as he met Vance at the door. "If it's something that made my SFA leave, I need to know. STAT," he added, regaining his usual confident tone.

After looking at his watch, Vance answered. "We'll talk about it, tonight. Now I really need to go. Kayla and Jarred will spend the night at their friends' so I'll be at your place at 2000."

"Okay," Gibbs nodded as they walked towards the elevator.

"Do you have a DVD player?"

"A DVD player?" Gibbs asked surprised. "Yes. Yes, Tony got me one for my birthday but I never use it."

"Is it hooked up?" Vance asked with a half-smile and got a nod from Gibbs. "Good. See you tonight, Gibbs," he said before pushing the bottom.

The elevator door closed and Gibbs stayed there staring at it and wondering what Vance was going to show him.

Honolulu International Airport.

Tony felt both relaxed and excited as he entered the airport in Pearl Harbor. He immediately collected his suitcases and was about to leave the airport to look for a cab when he heard someone calling his name.

The new Team Leader turned and found a beautiful woman smiling at him. "Are you Special Agent DiNozzo?" she asked though she already knew the answer.

"Yes, and you are..." he smiled back.

"I'm Jo," she answered a bit nervous. Tony raised his eyebrows so she added, "I mean, I'm Special Agent Josephine Green and I'm here to drive you home or the office. As you like it," she added.

"Shakespeare?" Tony asked as he followed her out of the airport.

"You know Shakespeare?" she asked pleasantly surprised and got a nod from Tony.

"So do you," he added as he put his suitcases into the truck of her Jeep.

"Majored in English Literature and Creative Writing," she explained as they both got into the car.

"Good. So you can unleash your imagination and use your talent to create perfect fake ID for when we go undercover."

She regaled him with a wide smile as she started the engine and left the airport. It seemed that Jo already liked her new Boss.

"So, office or home?" she asked.

"Office," Tony smiled. "Duty 'oer pleasure."

TBC

I hope you liked this new chapter.

Please review and let me know what you think.