Author's Note: Hi again everyone! I'm back! I'm sorry that it took me so long to update this chapter, but I had to put some serious thought into it! In this chapter, as you can guess from the title, Gibbs apologizes to McGee, and you'll just have to read in order to find out how things turn out in the end. I hope that you enjoy! And thank you for your patience and the wonderful reviews. They make me look forwards to typing the rest of my story and reading the rest of the reviews!

Missing McGee Chapter 9

Gibbs apologizes

After McGee had reached the NCIS van with Ziva, he let out a sigh of frustration. He was irritated that his boss, Gibbs, hadn't shown the slightest bit of concern for him when he fell down the mossy cliff.

McGee wondered if Gibbs even cared for him at all.

As if she were reading Tim's thoughts, Ziva told McGee, "He really does care about you, you know."

"Hmm?" McGee asked, trying to process through his tired and worn out brain the words that Ziva had just spoke to him.

"Gibbs." She replied, choosing to ignore his fake ignorance. "Gibbs really does care about you, just like he cares about everyone else on the team."

"Thank you, Ziva," McGee replied, not really sure what to believe.

McGee had had a bad week so far. On every single day he had been yelled at by his boss, and today he received the worst lecture from Gibbs yet. McGee remembered Gibbs' exact words that were directed at him…

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

"Don't you ever think before you act, McGee?"

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

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

McGee sighed out loud again. Ziva noticed and picked up on his sigh almost immediately.

"You still don't believe me, do you?" she accused.

McGee was taken back by Ziva's sudden question, but he wasn't really surprised. He knew that Ziva would notice that he was upset about something more than just falling downhill. Leave it to Ziva and Ducky to be the only people on the team who picked up on his distress and worry for him. He was glad that she noticed his distress, though.

"It's not that I don't believe you, Ziva…" McGee trailed off as he tried to recollect his thoughts. "It's just that I don't know if Gibbs really cares about me or not. I mean, heck, who am I kidding? I know that he does care to some degree, but it's like I don't know to what degree he cares for me, individually. Gibbs probably thinks that I'm useless to his team now because of this mess!" he exclaimed.

"McGee! You know that's not true!" Ziva turned around and stared at McGee in the eyes.

"Gibbs is a good man, even though he can be tough to deal with sometimes or hard to listen to or obey at other times. I know he cares for us, and although you might be having a hard time believing that, I know that on the inside you know that he cares for you too. So don't you dare think that he doesn't care for you! I know he cares for a fact Tim, because he came back for me when I was in Somalia. He actually cared enough that he wanted to avenge my death! And if he hadn't cared so much, then I…" Ziva trailed off, with a look of fear on her face as her head turned to look to the side.

McGee paused from bending over to retrieve the spare camera from the back of the NCIS van. It was not often that Ziva talked about her torturous experience overseas in Somalia, and McGee immediately stopped what he was doing because he knew that it took something serious to make Ziva to talk about that experience.

"You don't have to talk about it, Ziva, if you don't want to. I don't want to force you to talk about something in the past that you don't want to relive through again," McGee reassured Ziva, walking towards her with a solemn and concerned expression on his face. He hadn't meant for Ziva to bring up her traumatic experience; that wasn't what he had meant to do at all.

"Thank you, McGee. I… I just don't want to talk about it right now…" she sighed.

"It's okay, Ziva, I think that I can understand where you were going with that. You know that you are a very close friend to me, right?"

Ziva just nodded her head and continued to fix her eyes upon McGee's as he continued talking.

"Good. I said what I said earlier because that was on my mind. I trust you Ziva, and I know that you have never broken a promise to me or anyone else on the team for that matter, so I know that what you said was true. It's just hard for me to feel like Gibbs cares about me like he does for you or Abby or Tony for that matter when he's yelling at me like he did earlier today," McGee responded.

Ziva nodded her head in sympathy.

"I do trust you, Ziva." McGee raised his eyes to look at hers. "If you say that Gibbs does care about me, then I believe you, not my own opinion." McGee finished.

Ziva glanced at him from the corner of her eyes as the smallest of smiles cracked upon her face. She nodded her head in a sign that she acknowledged what he was saying.

"Now I suspect that Gibbs himself will be coming up personally to bring us back down to the crime scene if we don't hurry up here," McGee said while smiling at the same time. He knew that Ziva was right, and that Gibbs did care for him, but he was still uncertain up to which degree Gibbs did care.

As Ziva left to start down the trail towards the crime scene once again, McGee finished grabbing his gear and started to talk to himself in his mind.

Speaking to himself mentally, McGee thought, "Well I know that I'm more than just his employee, and I'm more than just everyone's "Probie" by now, but who am I to the rest of the team? I know that Ziva's my friend, Ducky's another close friend and mentor to me, and Tony… well, I think that we're in a love/hate relationship with each other, and I know that he loves teasing me along with giving me a hard time but we're still friends of a kind of sort, and as for Abby…" McGee trailed off, not knowing what to think about his relationship with Abby.

"I think that Abby is…, no, I know that Abby is the friendliest Goth that I've ever met, but I think that she's also a really good friend. Obviously, we don't have anything romantic going on with each other anymore like we once used to, but I think that we're still close friends. And as for Gibbs…" once again McGee trailed off, but this time he didn't hesitate for as long. He half smiled as he shook his head once in disbelief, but the smile was still there when he looked up again.

"Gibbs is my boss, but he means more to me than I originally thought. It seems that he's kind of like the "papa bear" on the team, and he really does remind me of a Grizzly bear at times." McGee chuckled at his last statement, but he continued to think about how he perceived Gibbs in his brain.

"What am I even thinking? Gibbs is a Grizzly bear? Wouldn't Tony get a kick out of that one! I mean, Gibbs can be really tough and have a nasty temper on the outside, but on the inside, he's actually a nice kind of guy. He has his soft spots just like everyone else does. I wonder if he has a soft spot for me?"

While McGee was still busy thinking to himself, absorbed in his thoughts, he didn't notice that Gibbs was standing a few feet away from where he was, watching with a smile on his face as Timothy was unloading the extra gear from the NCIS van.

Gibbs had ran into Ziva less than a minute ago when she was returning down the trail trying to find him. She asked what he wanted her to do next, and Gibbs simply replied that he wanted her to help Ducky process the crime scene at the very bottom of the ledge where Tim had fallen down. Ziva nodded her head in agreement and then continued on her way. Then Gibbs had continued to hike up the rest of the trail towards the NCIS van.

And now, here he was, watching his youngest agent babble to himself about seemingly pointless conversations.

Gibbs decided that if he needed to apologize, now was the time to do it. There would be no turning back, and he knew it. Although Gibbs knew that he would be breaking his own rule # 6 ("Don't apologize; it's a sign of weakness.") when he apologized to McGee, he knew that it needed to be done. Gibbs wanted to make up for the way that he had been treating his youngest agent all week. So without a further a do, Gibbs slowly started walking towards McGee.

"McGee," Gibbs called Tim without any hesitation.

"This is going to be hard to do," thought Gibbs.

"I wonder what he wants with me now," McGee thought to himself, worrying about what he had possibly done wrong. "Did I mess up again?"

Tentatively McGee answered "Yes, boss?" then thought to himself once again, "I hope I don't sound too nervous. Gibbs will surely notice that's a sign of weakness."

Gibbs instantly noticed the tone of worry and anxiety with which McGee responded to his call.

"Are you done unloading your gear yet?" Gibbs asked with a threat in his voice.

"Umm, yes, actually, I am." McGee responded. "I'm sorry that it took me so long, Boss. I promise that it won't happen again. I just…"

Thwack!

McGee was never able to finish his sentence as Gibbs gave him a strong head-slap to the back of his head.

"What was that for?" McGee asked Gibbs, a little irritated that he had been Gibb-slapped for apparently nothing. What had he done to deserve a head-slap this time?

"Rule #6, McGee- Don't apologize, it's…"

"A sign of weakness," McGee joined Gibbs in saying the end of his rule. "I guess I needed that. Thanks, Boss." McGee finished with his eyes looking at the ground in embarrassment.

Gibbs stared at McGee in surprise. How did he know the ending to Rule #6? Oh. The answer was obvious and Gibbs was surprised that he didn't think of it sooner. Timothy McGee had probably apologized so many times in his life to him and the rest of the members on the team that Gibbs had head-slapped him too many times to count, and as a result he memorized Rule #6 completely.

Gibbs sighed. It was in McGee's nature to apologize for every mistake that he made, for everything that went wrong (even if it wasn't his fault), and for every time that something bad happened, like Kate's death, or even when the team was separated when Vance separated them. McGee was a kind, caring person like that, and he would always apologize even when it was unnecessary. Gibbs just couldn't learn to accept that. He knew he still had to teach McGee that he didn't need to apologize for everything that went wrong or every mistake that he made. McGee still had a long way to go. Gibbs sighed again.

"Listen, McGee, I didn't come here just to head-slap you for not heading to the crime scene already. I… I actually came here to apologize to you."

McGee nearly dropped the replacement camera he was holding and turned around and stared at Gibbs in shock. Gibbs wanted to apologize? To him? McGee knew that something was not right. Why did Gibbs want to apologize… (he still couldn't get that fact out of his head. It was so unusual! So bizarre) to him of all people? What had Gibbs possibly done wrong that he needed to amend? And why did he want to apologize to him? McGee was dumbfounded and couldn't do anything else but continue to stare at Gibbs in the face.

Gibbs took in Timothy McGee's reaction with interest. "He must be so confused by now," he thought. Gibbs continued to watch McGee as he stopped what he was doing and stared at him in shock.

"Oh yes, he's definitely confused." Now Gibbs knew for certain that his youngest agent was mind boggled. Was he really that surprised? Apparently so. Gibbs knew that he was a human being and that he had made mistakes before, but did McGee know that? The more Gibbs thought about it, he realized that he had apologized at least once or twice to everyone on the team except for McGee. No wonder he was so confused!

When McGee realized that he was staring at Gibbs he stopped. A tinge of crimson started to run up his cheeks as he said,

"Oh… okay. I'm sorry for…oh shoot! I did it again, didn't I? I'm sorry for saying sor… Agh! Not again! Sorry! No! What I meant to say was I didn't mean to stare at you, I mean, I did, but… oh! I can't say a single thing right today, can I? You know what I'm trying to say, right?" McGee's cheeks had turned a bright shade of pink by this time, but he could do nothing to hide it.

Gibbs couldn't help but chuckle to himself when he saw just how hard of a time McGee was having, trying not to say "sorry". McGee was epically failing.

"It's alright, I know what you mean, and you don't have to apologize for doing anything." Gibbs started. "I'm the one on this team that has to apologize to you for all of the mistakes that I've made this week, McGee." Gibbs made sure that he emphasized the fact that he was the one who needed to apologize to McGee, and that it was not McGee who needed to apologize to him.

McGee stared at the camera he was holding but asked Gibbs,

"What do you have to apologize for? I'm the one who has made all of the mistakes this week. I mean, first I arrived late to work, then I fell for Tony's stupid prank, and finally, I fell down a cliff and broke my camera. It was NCIS's camera, actually," he said.

Gibbs was about to interrupt when McGee continued,

"But you haven't done anything wrong. You need us to find answers to this case, and we need a lead so that we can find the answers to the case and solve the crime. We need a lead first before we can find the murderer and put him in jail. But I'm the one who's the most responsible for finding the leads the leads this week, and I haven't found a single one!"

McGee suddenly realized that he was rambling on about his personal thoughts to Gibbs and stopped speaking. But Gibbs motioned for him to continue on, and so McGee continued to talk to Gibbs indirectly.

"I haven't found a single lead all week! I know that this case is a really hard one, but that doesn't mean that I shouldn't have found anything by now! I mean, everyone on the team has talents, but I know that my specialty is when it comes to computers, and this is what this case is about! This case has brought leads that can only be found on the computer, but I haven't been able to find anything at all, whatsoever! And cybercrimes, or computer forensics, is the area that I excel in! In general, I can find most of the clues in cyberspace, and I generally excel in finding those clues! But for some reason, out of all weeks, this week has to be the one week where I can't find anything at all! And when I came in to work late, and when I fell for Tony's prank, I did nothing but delay the rest of the team from finding a case. I'm the one who has made all of the mistakes this week, not you, boss." McGee finished.

Gibbs grimaced and looked at his youngest agent once more. Was this truly how he felt? Gibbs felt bad for not apologizing sooner. He needed to clean up this mess between himself and his youngest agent now, and not a moment later. Gibbs walked towards McGee and placed his hand upon his shoulder, and then said,

"McGee."

"Hm? Oh, yes boss? What is it?"

Gibbs sighed. Now came the hard part. Once he had made eye contact with McGee, he looked at him and said,

"McGee, I need you to listen to me. You are not responsible for the fact that we haven't been able to find any leads on this case so far. I know that you have been working hard, but over the last week I took that for granted, and I chose to ignore your health and decided to focus on finding a lead instead. At the time, I was too upset over the young cadet's death, and I let my anger and frustration control how I felt and how I acted. You need to know that you are not to blame, and that I don't blame you for not finding a lead earlier, and that instead you should blame me. I've been taking this cast way too seriously, and for me, it's become personal. Heck, I've broken one of my own rules! Do you remember rule #10, McGee?" Gibbs asked, already knowing the answer.

"Do not get personally involved in a case," McGee responded. "But you have every right to be involved! I mean, this case really hits home, but,"

McGee was not allowed to finish his sentence because Gibbs wouldn't let him.

"Don't try and defend me, McGee. I know that this case is a really hard case to handle, but it hits home for everyone else aside from me. What I really wanted to tell you is that I'm sorry for the way that I've treated you for the last week, McGee. You are one of my finest agents, McGee, and you have no idea just how much we need you as a team, or how much I need you on our team!"

McGee paused and stared once again at Gibbs as he spoke and as his volume increased.

"You bring the best out of each and every one of us on the team, and you have patience for DiNozzo that I swear I can't find in anyone else. We need you, McGee, not just because of your professional computer skills or your degrees, no, we need you because of who you are as a person. We need you for your kind demeanor, your patience, your determination, your confidence, and for the person you are. We all need you on this team- Ducky, Abby, Ziva, Palmer, and even Tony. You are a d*** good agent, McGee, and I have no excuse for treating you like crap this week!"

McGee stared in shock as his mind fully comprehended what Gibbs was saying.

"I know that I never apologize, and that apologizing is a sign of weakness, but I need to do it now," Gibbs stated. He had a look of concern mixed with regret on his face as he continued to speak to McGee.

"I'm sorry for the way that I've treated you this week, McGee, and I want to apologize for the words that I said to you earlier this morning. And I apologize for not paying closer attention to you in general. You are more than welcome to stand up to me when you think that what I'm doing is unfair, or if you think that what I'm saying is wrong. So don't feel like I'm right all of the time, McGee, because I'm not. I know that I've treated you like crap this week, and I need to ask your forgiveness. Can you forgive me for the way I've treated you this week?" Gibbs finished, nothing but sincerity and honesty in his voice.

McGee was speechless. For once, he didn't know what to say. Gibbs was right- he had treated him like crap this week, but all of that didn't matter right now. What mattered the most to him was that Gibbs had apologized to him- and asked for his forgiveness. McGee already knew that in his heart, he had already forgiven Gibbs, but he wasn't so sure of whether he really wanted to do so now.

"But I do forgive him," McGee thought to himself. "I know that he's treated me like crap, but hey… at least he realized it! How many bosses apologize to their employees when they've made a mistake? And Gibbs never apologized. But he just did! And he apologized to me! How can I say no? I think that Gibbs really is sorry, because I can hear the sincerity in his voice. And he's promised to change his ways… I know now what I'd going to say."

Breathing in deeply, McGee looked at Gibbs and then told him,

"Thank you, boss, but truth be told… you have treated me like crap this week, and it hurt! Not just mentally or emotionally, but physically as well. I know that I've made mistakes before, and I know that I am smart when it comes down to finding clues on the computer, but that doesn't mean that I don't try harder to fix my mistakes or find new leads when leads have already been found. Up until this point, I didn't know how much you cared for me as an individual, but now… now I know just how much you do care. And Boss… I just wanted to let you know that… I forgive you. And thank you for apologizing. I think that things are going to be better now between us, and I hope that I can develop a better relationship with you, and I hope that I can get to know you better more as a friend than just my boss."

With that, McGee walked over to Gibbs and gave him a hug.

Gibbs had braced himself for the worst, but receiving a hug from McGee was the last thing that he was expecting. At first, he didn't know what to do, but then he felt his defenses slide and then he returned McGee's strong hug.

"Thank you, McGee," Gibbs responded, his voice almost nearly cracking.

"You're welcome, and thank you for having me be on your team," McGee replied to Gibbs, then broke off the hug.

For a moment, neither man spoke, until Gibbs replied, "I'm looking forwards to a better relationship, McGee. You know that my back door's always open, right?" he asked.

"Yeah, I know." McGee responded.

"Alright then, let's get back to work. We have a case to solve." Gibbs spoke then headed back the trail like nothing had happened, but McGee knew better.

"Looks like today might just be a good day after all." McGee told himself. And so far, it was looking better.

Author's note: I hope that everyone enjoyed that chapter! Please feel free to leave a review if you liked it or not. The feedback is greatly appreciated!