Tony would have staggered back and fallen onto the floor if his desk hadn't been behind him. He sat back onto the hard surface with Abby's arms and legs wrapped around him.
Hotch eyed the newcomer carefully. From what he could see of her she had her own style. In that way, she was very much like Penelope. He wasn't able to form any more conclusions as she hadn't said anything apart from screaming Tony's name. He glanced over at Penelope and smiled. He remembered when he hired her. People had warned him that he would regret it and one day it would come back and bite him on the ass. So far that day hadn't come. She was one hire that he never regretted. Her searches had helped them out so often, finding leads that they needed to move forward with cases. Penelope Garcia had never let them down.
Tony slowly managed to untangle himself from his happy goth. A smile graced his face as he introduced old friends to new ones. He hoped that they got on, especially Gibbs, Reid and Hotch. He would like the four of them to spend time together outside of work.
'Abs, I'd like you to meet the BAU, they are Spencer Reid.' His smile brightened as he looked at the younger man. 'Aaron Hotchner, known as Hotch, Jennifer Jareau, everyone calls her JJ, Emily Prentiss, David Rossi, Derek Morgan and the wonderful ray of sunshine Penelope Garcia.'
The smile left Abby's face briefly at the introduction the last woman received, what was so special about her? Tony hadn't known her that long. She put the grin back on and waved at them all. 'Hi.'
'You're pretty wonderful yourself Tony.' Penelope walked over and pulled him into a tight hug. 'You're the best student a girl could ask for.
'Student? I though Tony was….' She suddenly stopped talking when Ziva and McGee appeared in her eye line. They still had no idea that he was now studying to improve himself.
'Penelope is helping me. She is teaching me the fine art of computers.' Tony turned to explain to Abby, one of his arms wrapped around the brightly dressed member of the BAU. 'She's designed an amazing movie trivia game that is a typing tutor, just for me.'
'You're learning how to use a computer?' Tim couldn't help but laugh, he then suddenly stopped when the other only person that is laughing was Ziva. The newcomers just glared at him. The look that scared him the most was the one he'd received from Gibbs.
' Tony's doing very well; it's a joy to teach him. It helps that we've also gone out to see a movie afterwards, so he is not overloaded with geek speak. I am hoping that we can make it a regular thing, even when this case is solved. I'd like to keep in touch. I don't want you to forget about me.' Penelope rested her head against Tony's shoulder.
'How could I ever forget about my computer Goddess? I love to go to movies with people who love them as much as I do. I think a regular movie date night sounds like a great idea.'
Abby didn't like how close Tony was with them especially with all the problems he was having with the troublesome twins. Would this make him want to leave NCIS? She took hold of her friends hand and tugged at it. 'If you asked me, I would've taught you about computers.' She pouted.
'Well, I didn't actually ask her. She overheard that I needed to take some courses, and she offered her wonderful services and I accepted. As amazing as It seems I am learning.'
'Did Vance threaten to fire you if you didn't improve your ability on computers?' Ziva tried to make it sound like a joke but failed.
'No, Agent David I didn't.' Vance suddenly spoke up, Ziva and McGee jumped as they hadn't seen him arrive. 'Agent DiNozzo is an excellent investigator. This agency needs people like him. What he is doing is working on an one of his weakest areas. You both should follow his example.' The director glared at them both.
'I have no weak areas.' Ziva cockily replied.
'Everyone has them Ziva; only arrogance makes you think you don't.' Gibbs added. 'I would definitely take a look at yourself again, and I am sure you will see areas that you need to improve in.'
The ex-Mossad turned and sent a nasty glare over to Tony. This was his fault. He was still trying to make himself look better, by making them look bad.
'Let's get back to the investigation.' Tony wanted to get them out of this situation that could easily deteriorate and back onto their joint case.
Hotch moved over and started to explain where they had got up to. Tony pulled out his notepad and skimmed through the notes he had made on those files. He hoped that Gibbs or the others could come up with some helpful suggestions.
XXXXX
It was lunch time when Ziva and Tim went looking for Palmer. They needed to get away from Tony and his ever-growing fan club. They did need to talk to the assistant ME anyway. They hadn't seen him since the last time they had been in autopsy discussing their plan.
'There you are Palmer.' McGee called out as they walked in.
Palmer was glad that he had his back to them. It gave him a few extra seconds to get himself together. He only hoped he could carry on with this charade and collect more information so they could finally stop this idiotic plan the two of them had cooked up.
'What can I do for you both?' Palmer smiled at them.
'Have you thought more about what we discussed?' Ziva demanded she wasn't there to sugar coat things.
'Sorry, I haven't. I have some exams coming up, and I've needed to study. Don't you think that it would be best to hold off while you're working with those profilers?'
'No, it's perfect. If they see how incompetent Tony is, and if all the lies happen around them it will make our case all the stronger.' McGee added excitedly.
'I agree with McGee.' Ziva jumped in.
'Did you see how embarrassed Gibbs and the Director were when they talked about Tony studying something as simple as computers. They had to turn it around on us because we're so much more advanced than Tony. We're much better agents.' Tim turned to look at Ziva. 'You overheard Vance say that he wanted more agents like me and less like Tony. I have the complete skills that NCIS look for in their best agents.'
'When did he say that?' Palmer couldn't see the Director blurting that out where anyone could over him.
'He was near his office.' Ziva answered evasively, a quick glare at Tim meant that it wasn't something he should have told anyone.
Palmer guessed that meant she was spying on the Director.
'Mr Palmer where are…' Ducky's voice faded off as he walked into autopsy and noticed that his assistant wasn't alone. 'Ahhh Timothy, Ziva I didn't know you were here. I thought you would have been at lunch with the others.
'Uh we were just leaving, we had other plans so we couldn't join them.' Tim smiled as he pulled Ziva from the room.
Ducky turned to Jimmy. 'Would you mind telling me what is going on?'
'I think talking to Agent Gibbs would be the best thing to do.' Palmer stuttered.
'Very well, I will do so immediately, and he'd better have some answers. There is something strange going on around here.'
XXXXX
As soon as Palmer could he'd let Tony know that they needed to see Director Vance. It was obvious that Ziva was keeping her hand in with her former Mossad skills, spying. There was no way that Vance would have said that in public so that she couldn't have overheard him. She and Tim seemed to have so much confidence in believing that they were irreplaceable. He was amazed at their arrogance. Whenever something negative about them was pointed out, it was all done to make Tony look better. That it was not actually about their skills. They totally ignored how the BAU respected Tony, and didn't play along with when McGee and Ziva tried to put their team-mate down.
XXXXX
Hotch watched as Agents McGee and David carefully. He couldn't believe how they acted towards Tony especially in front of another agency. Did they do this all the time? Did the other agencies join in? From what he had seen from DiNozzo was that he had been friendly, apart from after the attack by Slack's. Hotch shook his head and kept the smile from his face, ever since he heard Tony call him that it had been stuck in his head. Tony had also shown a lot of insights, and it was clear by his assignments that he understood the behavioural aspects of their jobs. It seemed as if his teammates, and he uses that term lightly, that they had no idea what he was capable of. He was not happy at leaving Tony with these people. He was very concerned about the younger man's safety, especially for Reid. The man he loved didn't have many friends outside the BAU. So Tony's well-being was very important to him.
There were no problems with anyone else, and it was clear that the Director could see that there was a situation with two members of the MCRT. He hoped that it would be taken further and that if it carried on correct punishment would be handed out, like a dismissal. His mind wandered back to Tony's teammates, at the moment he couldn't see what skills they had to make them as important as they thought they were. It would be interesting to watch them as they investigated together.
XXXXX
Spencer pulled Tony aside. He cared for the other man and needed to voice his concerns.
'Tony, I'm worried about you?'
'Me, why?' Tony gave Spencer his full attention. He didn't know why his friend would be concerned over him.
'Agent's David and McGee, and your safety. We're worried that they won't have your back.'
Tony knew that he needed to talk to Gibbs and the others. It wouldn't be long before they spotted that more was going on. He didn't want this to be the case they tried to sabotage. They couldn't be that stupid, could they?
'Spence everything is fine.' Tony smiled brightly at him.
Spencer's eyebrows furrowed as he frowned. No matter what his friend said, he and the others at the BAU weren't going to leave Tony alone with his so called team-mates. They would talk to Gibbs and Director Vance if they had to. This wasn't something they were going to leave alone, especially him.
XXXXX
Gibbs was on his was to Leon's office, it sounded as DiNozzo and Palmer both had things to say. As he walked into the lift, Ducky joined him. As soon as it started the ME leaned over and stopped it and then turned to glare at his friend.
'Is there something you want to talk about Ducky?' Gibbs smirked.
'What is going on with you all? Why is my assistant involved?' Ducky demanded. He hated that it seemed that everyone else but him was trusted to be a part of whatever was going on.
'We were going to tell you. We do need your help, but everything has happened so quickly.'
'You can tell me now then.'
'McGee and Ziva want to get rid of DiNozzo.' Gibbs replied simply.
'Why on earth would they want to do that?' Ducky thought that they were a family, what had happened to change that.
'It seems as if they don't like how Tony has changed. It has meant that he isn't joking around and is getting more respect.'
'But Anthony has always been respected, after all he is a skilled investigator.'
'I agree with you Duck, but it has recently come to light that they have never thought of him as an equal.'
'Jethro, he isn't an equal, he is there superior. He is you senior field agent. Where has all this come from?'
'They tried to get info from Abby when that didn't work they went to Palmer. I can't tell you all the specifics, as some of it is up to Tony to tell.' Gibbs waited for Ducky to nod. 'They assumed that Palmer felt the way they did because of the moniker that Tony had given him.'
'Mr Palmer loves that Anthony calls him that.'
'I know that.' Gibbs took a deep breath. 'This part is going to be hard to hear.'
'Very well Jethro I have prepared myself, please carry on.'
'They've come up with a plan to sabotage a case and put the blame on DiNozzo.'
'What are you saying exactly?' Ducky asked not liking where it was going.
'They're want to make him look incompetent and a liar. They've already asked to be given some of his old files for training purposes. Palmer went to Abby; they came to us, and we all went to Vance. We did hope to have more time with Tony working with the BAU, but now the cases have crossed they could start their plan anytime now.'
Ducky saw the look in Jethro's face as he talked about his 2IC. 'Has something happened between the two of you, something of a personal nature?'
'Yeah, uh,' Gibbs rubbed the back of his head. 'We talked and we're going to try a relationship.'
'Well, that is good to hear. Now I am willing to help in any way I can to stop this hair brained scheme those to idiots have come up with. They haven't even thought about the victims of the case they are going to ruin. So, we are going to the director's office now then?'
'Yes Ducky, we are.' Gibbs chuckled.
XXXXX
'Ducky knows everything apart from your studying.' Gibbs whispered to Tony as they stood in Vance's office.
'Dr Mallard have you been brought up to speed? Vance asked him.
'If you mean about those miscreant's idiotic plan, then yes I have.'
'Very well, I believe Agent DiNozzo and Mr Palmer both have things to say.' Vance glanced at both men.
'You first Jimmy.' Tony indicated to his friend.
Palmer smiled quickly at him. 'This is something you need to know Director.'
'Please continue.'
'Ziva and Tim came to see me. It seems that Ziva overheard you talking to an unknown person, and you said that you wanted more people like McGee than you did Tony.'
Vance caught the look on Tony's face and knew that he needed to explain that comment. He turned to Gibbs. 'That comment was completely taken out of context. I have no idea how she accidently overheard that as it was here in this office with Gibbs. I'll make sure to get this office checked for bugs.'
Gibbs turned to Tony. 'It was taken out of context. Leon was saying that he would rather have an office full of him and McGee's, than you or me.'
Tony stopped to think. 'Yeah, an office full of us'es might be a bit of a nightmare.' He agreed.
'I may not want an office full of you Agent DiNozzo, but I would want you or Gibbs to lead the investigative teams. Admittedly now I wouldn't want any McGee's in this office, not only because of his attitude. I can't believe he thinks that he is so good that gives him reason to ruin someone else's life, or destroy a case. We're here to help.'
'Thank you Director.' Tony was glad that he had all this support. He just wished it hadn't been necessary.
'Now you have something to say?' Vance asked.
'Spencer came and saw me. He and the other members of the BAU are worried for my safety. They could see that McGee and Ziva had a problem with me because of the way they talked. It wasn't subtle. I don't think they are going to leave me alone. They are the best at what they do; it won't take them long until they figure that more is going on.'
'So, suggestions anyone?' The Director looked around.
TBC
