DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN ANYTHING!

~NCIS~

Ron Sacks had thought a lot about the situation between his colleagues and McGee. Thought about how to approach it—whether to talk to McGee out right or go to Tobias. It wasn't that either man was unapproachable; Ron just wasn't sure how to start the conversation. Ron had always been a reserved man, not given to anything anyone could call displays of affectation or caring for any co-worker. In a job where partners became brothers and sisters and leaders became mothers and fathers, Ron had always held himself back. He knew that people thought of him as an uncaring, rather cold man and he had never given them reason to think anything else. They were wrong. It wasn't that he didn't care. It was that, at times, he cared a little to much. Especially at a time like this.

The elevator dinged then and McGee got off. Ron was up and across the bullpen before Tim got more then a few steps away from the elevator.

"Hey, McGee, got a minute?" He asked.

Tim blinked at him. "Uh, sure." He said, a little apprehensive. Sacks and him had never really talked before. Tim couldn't imagine what they had to talk about now except Sacks' two colleagues.

Ron decided to follow Gibbs and Fornell's example and pressed the button for the elevator. When the doors opened he waited for Tim to get back on and then followed him. As soon as the car started to move, the threw the emergency button and then turned to Tim. He stared at him for a minute, wondering how to start this kind of conversation. He decided that blunt was probably for the best. "Tony didn't do it. He's not the one who took apart your chair." The words were out before he could stop them. That was certainly not what he had meant to say!

"I don't want to talk about it!" Tim exclaimed, glaring at him.

"McGee..."

"I especially don't want to talk about it with you!" Tim interrupted, reaching out to push the emergency button.

Ron wasn't sure if he should be insulted or not.

The doors opened and Tim started to leave. "You don't have to worry about them anymore." Ron said, causing him to pause. "I'll take care of them."

Tim looked horrified. "Don't." He begged. "Please don't get involved." Tim stopped. "It's just a little hazing." He continued after a second. "I got to expect that, right? Especially me." It hurt almost as much to say those words as it had to hear them. It shouldn't he had heard them before. Many times before, from his own father. Tim honestly didn't know why it hurt so much. He had thought that those words and ones like them had lost the power to hurt him long ago.

"It's not just some hazing, McGee. It's gone beyond that. Now it's destruction of property and assault of a federal officer."

Tim smiled sadly. "You're the only one who thinks so, Sacks."

Ron watched him walk away, wondering what he meant by that. Had Tim talked to someone already? Ron knew that Gibbs had gone to find Tim. Had Tim told him what was going on? No. That couldn't be. Gibbs may be self-proclaimed bastard but there was no way he would brush aside the safety of one of his team members. That was just not possible.

Ron sighed. His talk with McGee hadn't gone as well as he had hoped. McGee had asked him not to get involved but Agent Harris and Agent Donnelly were his responsibility. Ron was Fornell's senior agent. It was his job to keep the other two in line, especially when dealing with other agencies. Their behavior reflected back on him and...he was out of excuses of why he was going to get involved. The truth was, Ron didn't like bullies. He especially didn't like bullies who used their badges to hide behind. Ron would talk to his two subordinates and tell them to lay off McGee. Anything else would have to wait until the case was over. They may be complete asses but they're very good at their jobs. But as soon as this case was over, Ron would make sure that they were booted out of the FBI. Harris and Donnelly gave all of them a bad name.

~NCIS~

Tony watched as Ron got up and walked so fast he was practically running and push McGee back on the elevator he just got off of.

"What the hell is that about!" Tony exclaimed, raising half-way out of his seat.

"I do not know." Ziva said, still looking at the closed elevator doors from her own desk.

Harris and Donnelly just looked at each other, bewildered.

"Well, don't you think we should find out!" Tony reached for his phone, intending to call his Probie.

"No, Tony." Ziva stopped him.

"Someone took Probie's chair apart, Ziva!" Tony argued."What if Sacks—'' The elevator opened before Tony could finish his sentence. They all watched as Tim started to walk out and then stopped as Sacks said something else, causing Tim to turn back. They talked for a few more minutes then Tim started back toward the bullpen, Sacks standing in front of the elevator.

Tim stopped when he got to his desk, looking at the damage done to the electronics, a little uncertain. He wasn't sure what he should do.

Tony stood up the rest of the way, wanting to talk to Tim about what had happened, wanting to explain. Before he could, Sacks came up behind Tim,

"Gibbs sent all the information to cyber crimes."

Ron didn't say anything else but Tim took it as he should go to cyber crimes and help out. "Thanks." Tim said as he turned and left.

Tony watched him go and promised himself that he would get the whole mess straightened out that night after work. He wouldn't make his Probie believe him when he told him that he hadn't done that to his chair. And he would also find out what had changed his best friend so much. Tony would go to Tim's apartment and he wouldn't leave until he got some answers!

Ron waited until Tim was out of earshot before he faced his two partners. "Harris and Donnelly, with me!" He barked at them. Ron didn't wait for them, just turned and stalked away.

~NCIS~

"This will teach that wimp to tattle on us." Harris muttered as he fiddled with the nasty little surprise he was preparing for Tim in his workshop. "Still can't believe he had the nerve to turn us in." Harris picked up a knife from his work bench and started to strip one of the wires that were connected to a medium size square block.

"Are you sure you're doing that right?" Donnelly asked from beside him, a little apprehensive. This was the worst prank they had ever pulled. It kind of worried him. Not doing it, of course. Just getting caught in the crossfire.

"Yes, I'm sure I'm doing this right!" Harris snapped. He put down the knife and picked up a pair of pliers, clipping the end of a red colored wire. His tanned fingers twisted the wire onto the block. "I have done this before, you know." He said condescendingly.

"I'm just asking, okay? If you're not careful, you could cause a lot of damage."

"Do you want to do it!" Harris exclaimed, whipping around. He glared at his friend with angry blue eyes. Donnelly was starting to annoy even him.

Donnelly held his hands out in front him. "Hey! I just don't want to end up as mincemeat, alright?" Donnelly wanted to get back at McGee as much as Harris did. He just didn't want to get blown up.

Harris forced himself to take a deep breath and let it out this could get a little dangerous if he didn't stay calm and concentrate. "It just has a little charge." He said, turning back to his project. "There's not enough here to seriously hurt someone. Just gonna do a little bit of damage to that car McGeek's so proud of."

"Are you really sure about the charge?" Donnelly asked.

"I'm sure. It wouldn't even do that much damage if it did happen to go off prematurely." Harris assured him.