Author's note: Hello everyone! I'm sorry that it took me so long to update this chapter. This chapter features Gibbs' thoughts concerning the way that he treated McGee all week. I hope that you enjoy, and please don't forget to review!

Chapter 8

Gibb's thoughts

Gibbs' mind was racing at full speed as he hiked back up the trail through the forest, hoping to catch McGee at the NCIS van.

Gibbs was not a man of many words. Ducky was the complete opposite. Ducky loved, absolutely loved to talk whenever he had a chance especially about a story of his own but he knew when to remain silent. Ducky was talkative, but he didn't ramble on like Abby tended to do. And Gibbs respected him for that. The one thing that Gibbs respected the most about Ducky was that everything that Ducky said had a meaning to it and every sentence was either full of wisdom or something that would make anyone smile. Ducky's words were filled with honesty and sincerity, and no one could take what he said for granted.

As Gibbs reflected on what Ducky had said to him just moments before, he realized that all of it was true. McGee was a fellow human being just like he was, and everyone- including himself- often made mistakes from time to time. But as Gibbs dwelled on that last thought further, he realized that McGee hadn't made any mistakes at all during the past week. The only crime that McGee was guilty of committing was coming into work late and then falling for one of DiNozzo's pranks again.

Gibbs chuckled to himself out loud. He grinned to himself as he remembered the look on McGee's face when his computer had locked him out after three unsuccessful tries of trying to log in. Gibbs finally had something to laugh about this week. McGee, his computer know-it-all, who had a Masters Degree in computer forensics and was an absolute geek, had finally been locked out of his computer. Of all things! That was the simplest mistake that could happen- unsuccessfully trying to log in and then being locked out as a result. And McGee of all people had made that simple mistake- that was history being made in the Headquarters of NCIS.

Gibbs knew that McGee was super smart, in fact he was most likely smart in terms of at the genius level or higher, but that didn't mean that he wasn't gullible. Gibbs smiled again, looking back on how McGee hadn't even noticed the unplugged network cable wire and remembered hearing Tony laugh out loud. McGee had fallen for the prank hook, line, and sinker! Gibbs chuckled softly to himself again. But that smile quickly faded when he recalled how he had treated his agent that morning.

Gibbs hadn't realized up until now just how harsh and cruel his words had been. Where had all of that anger and irritation come from? Well, that question was easy to answer. His anger had been directed at the current case, not the team. But looking back, Gibbs discovered to his horror that he had redirected the full fury of his anger from the unsolved case to McGee. McGee was innocent! He hadn't done anything wrong except for arrive late at work and fall for the prank that Tony pulled on him. Tony! Gibbs paused in thought for a moment as a new conclusion came to him.

The only reason that McGee hadn't been able to log onto his computer and start working right away was because he fell for one of Tony's pranks. Tony was responsible now. If Tony hadn't pulled that prank, then McGee wouldn't have had to come up to him and ask for the authorization to log into his computer.

Gibbs shook his head in frustration. For once, today, he realized that his judgment had been wrong. He had gotten angry with McGee when really he should have gotten angry with DiNozzo. It really wasn't McGee's fault, and yet he had proceeded to yell at him anyways.

Gibbs continued to shake his head in frustration as he continued to reflect on how he had treated Timothy McGee throughout the week. He had yelled at him practically everyday now, it seemed. On Monday, Gibbs had yelled at him for being late. On Tuesday, he yelled at him for not working fast enough; on Wednesday he had yelled at him just because. Gibbs realized that out of everyone on the team, McGee was the one that he piled most of his accusations on top of, and McGee was also the one person on the team that Gibbs had yelled at the most.

Then on Thursday, Gibbs had been angry that not a single lead had been found, and he thought that it was McGee's fault because he wasn't working hard enough and because most of the leads were generally found through his computer. So Gibbs had yelled at Tim in front of the rest of the team and had made him stay behind at work after everyone else, including himself, had left the office. Gibbs had left around 11:30, but he had no idea at what time McGee finally stopped working and left the office.

Then he had yelled at McGee again today… in front of the rest of the team again. Gibbs sighed out loud. To be yelled at by someone was one thing, but to be yelled at by your boss in front of the rest of your teammates and friends… that was even worse. It was demoralizing and it had to have been embarrassing for McGee aside from hurtful.

Once again, Gibbs was horrified to hear the words that had come out of his mouth in an angry rampage at McGee. He couldn't believe half of what he had said. First, he had criticized McGee, then questioned his experience and his intelligence, then insulted him, then questioned his intelligence once more, and questioned his role on the team. As if that wasn't enough, he proceeded to question his ability to work, he had put more pressure on him to find a lead, he had told him how disappointed he was with him in particular, and then even gone so far as to tell him that he'd done enough damage already and that he had failed. Ouch. That had to hurt. What had made matters even worse was the fact that he had yelled at McGee in front of the rest of his teammates, or his friends and colleagues. Gibbs was shocked as the full realization of what he had said came to him. How had he let his anger get out of control like that? How had those vile, cruel lie-filled words even managed to escape from his mouth?

Gibbs barely remembered the look of hurt that had come upon Tim's face. McGee's face was a world of hurt and pain. As McGee had trudged back towards his desk, Gibbs remembered seeing the usual bright, cheery optimistic spark that could always be found in his eyes die out and disappear. McGee's eyes, his bright, cheery, optimistic and expressive eyes had faded to a dull and dark grayish green, a color that Gibbs had never seen before. And his expression! McGee's expression said it all. His head was drooped and his cheeks were tainted pink from embarrassment, but the worst part of all was the look in his eyes. Gibbs briefly caught a glance of pain, despair, hopelessness, hurt and self-doubt. McGee looked as if he was a puppy that had been kicked to no end and then abandoned on a curb in the rain.

Gibbs felt really bad for treating his youngest agent like that now. He had treated McGee like dirt, that's what he had done. And he had implied that McGee had failed and that he was a disappointment and that the only reason he was on his team was because of his computer skills and his smarts. All of those were lies. How could he have been so oblivious to McGee's thoughts and emotions? How could he have treated his youngest agent like dirt every single darn day of the week? Why hadn't he noticed the dark circles caused by lack of sleep on McGee's face earlier? And why didn't he ask McGee what time he went to bed last night? Why had he allowed himself to ignore Tim's pain and hurt all week especially after telling him that he was a disappointment and had failed? Why had he allowed himself to treat McGee like a failure, like something or someone unimportant all week? Why hadn't he shown more concern when McGee plunged over the cliff, possibly leading to his death? Why hadn't he noticed McGee at all or even acknowledged his presence in a good way?

Gibbs felt overwhelmed with guilt as he thought about the cruel and heartless way he had been treating his youngest, possibly his smartest agent all week. Gibbs was ashamed. He had treated poor Timothy McGee like crap, with pure disregard and spite and anger and criticism all week. He had hurt his youngest agent severely with his harsh and thoughtless words, and he had then chosen to ignore his McGee's pain.

A sudden sense of urgency came quickly over Gibbs, as he realized that the first thing that he wanted to do was apologize to McGee for what he had said earlier. By now, it might be too late! McGee had the option of choosing not to forgive Gibbs, but deep down inside, Gibbs knew that McGee wasn't the unforgiving type. That was the last thing that McGee would most likely do. But still… the sooner he apologized to him, the better.

Gibbs winced when he remembered some of the exact words he had said to McGee just a little less than an hour ago…

"McGee! How could you be so gullible!"

"Aren't you supposed to be the smart person on this team?"

"Do you ever think before you act, McGee?"

"Isn't that what you're on my team for? To be smart enough to operate that d*** piece of technology and find the leads to the case?"

Ouch. Gibbs winced again even harder when that last sentence replayed through his mind. But there were still several sentences that were even worse.

"You should've had something by now, d*** it!"

"Can't you do any better than this?"

"Stop delaying this case any further and get to work!"

"You've done enough damage already as it is today!"

And then came the worst two sentences of them all…

"You've failed, McGee! I can't be any more disappointed in you than I am right now!"

Gibbs was silent for a good couple of minutes as he hiked up the rest of the trail. He had almost reached the NCIS van when he paused once more. It was either now or never. Gibbs actually wanted to apologize to McGee for the way that he'd treated him that morning. McGee meant more to him and the rest of the team than he would ever realize.

McGee was special, he knew that already, but that didn't mean that he shouldn't know just how important he was to the team and how useful he was not just because of his skills. Gibbs had chosen McGee for a reason. For several reasons, actually.

First, there was his determination- McGee had a strong sense of knowledge of what was wrong from right like no other that Gibbs had ever seen before, and McGee was willing to stand up for what he believed was right no matter what the cost, even if it meant more ridicule or hazing or if it meant losing his job.

Then there was his one-of-a-kind demeanor with everyone on the team- McGee was the friendliest field agent on his team. He was the first person that had accepted Ziva for who she was, and he also had enough patience to put up with Tony's endless nicknames and pranks and even hazing at times.

And finally, amongst many other wonderful qualities, McGee was patient but he was also smart. Super smart. Gibbs didn't know just how smart McGee was, but he knew that he was smart enough to have earned a Master's degree in computer forensics and cyber crimes amongst much more knowledge. But Gibbs saw a bit of himself in McGee- McGee listened to his gut, even though at times every factor was leading against it. McGee was also a man of his word. The only time that Gibbs could remember McGee telling a lie was when he was trying to prove that his sister was innocent,, not a murderer. And he had been right.

McGee was also loyal to his family. Even though he had a rocky relationship with his dad, he still loved him and put his family's needs above those of his own at times. He did the same thing for his friends, Gibbs realized. Gibbs wondered just what exactly McGee had done over the past week in his attempts to please him. That man, his youngest agent, amazed him more and more every day.

Gibbs had reached the top of the trail by now and the NCIS van was in sight. Now was his chance to apologize.

By this point in time, McGee had earned a special place in everyone's hearts on the team, including Gibbs'. And Gibbs needed to let him know just how much he meant to everyone not just because of his IQ level or skills, but because of his personality and who he was.

Hopefully he was not too late.

And so we end chapter 8! Please don't forget to review! And thank you for the reviews so far! They encourage me and inspire me to continue writing!