Chapter 4

AN: All right guys, if I keep going my epilogue is going to be longer than my initial story. Thanks, Acrwdof1, for the story ideas. I hope you like what I came up with. JL

Gibbs stood for a moment, watching Ziva exit the building and his life. He felt very empty and hurt. He had lost 2 of the most important people in his life, in the space of an hour. And, it was all his fault. In Tony's case, he had not trusted enough. In Ziva's case, he had trusted too much.

Tim looked at the man before him. And, for the first time, he felt pity for Leroy Jethro Gibbs. Tim shook his head.

"Get back to work!" Gibbs roared before he stormed off to get coffee.

McGee stood and watched Gibbs leave. He made a very important decision in those few seconds.

When Gibbs returned to the office, he saw a box sitting on McGee's desk. All the agent's belongings were in the box. Gibbs looked around for the agent for a moment or two. Then he decided to go back to his desk. He would just sit and stew until McGee showed up again.

Tim emerged from Vance's office a few moments later. He looked down into the bullpen as he descended the stairs to see Gibbs waiting for him.

Gibbs waited until the agent got to the bottom of the stairs and walked into the bullpen before he spoke.

"What do you think you're doing?" Gibbs demanded.

Tim looked at Gibbs for a moment. He no longer saw a man he could trust. He no longer saw a man he could believe in. And the realization saddened him, greatly.

"I just put in for a transfer." Tim stated.

"Transfer! Nobody leaves my team without…." Gibbs exploded, shocked at the young agent's reply.

"You are not the same man I came to work with, Gibbs.: Tim started. "I don't know if it was the explosion, I don't…I don't get it." He paused. "The agent I knew before the explosion…before Ziva, that agent would have never, ever doubted Tony."

Gibbs opened his mouth to speak.

Tin continued. "That man wouldn't. That man would have backed Tony to the bitter end. He trusted his agent." He shook his head. "I don't get the hold Ziva…."

Gibbs temper flared. He couldn't help it. He didn't like to be made the fool. He snapped back at Tim.

"That's not why I let her go. Tony never trusted her anyway." Gibs stated, falling back into defense mode.

Tim couldn't believe his ears. "Tony told you Ziva held a gun on him! And YOU were willing to get that go? Let him go? You had to get her side, Gibbs? Ziva had no side! She held a gun on federal agent. What in that entitles her to a side?" He paused. "And the kicker is, Ziva didn't protest the point! I never heard it! She never denied it, Gibbs! Never! And you let Tony walk away."

It's not that…." Gibbs started. He was having déjà vu, recalling the conversation he and Tony had just had in Vance's office.

"It IS that simple, Gibbs." Tim retorted. "A matter of trust…Yes or No…black or white."

"There is more to it than…." Gibbs said, almost as if he was trying to convince himself as he said it.

"Well, I'm going to make things really simple for you, Gibbs." Tim said as he slipped his jacket on. "I cannot work for someone I don't trust." He shook his head. "I don't trust you anymore."

Gibbs opened his mouth to speak.

"I won't be giving a notice." McGee said as he picked up his things and headed for the elevators.

Tony was told about Ziva and her departure from these great United States as soon as Vance got back to his office. He wanted h agent to be aware of the danger.

Tony immediately had his landlord replace his door with a steel one. And he had double deadbolts put on that. Tony had always slept with a gun under his pillow. He now also kept a gun in his bathroom on a top shelf. He added one in his living room. Placing it in the hiding place he had under his piano.

Tim called Tony on his way out of the building and asked if he had an opening on his team.

TBC