"Hey, Boss!"

Chris Pacci broke into a smile as he saw Tony walking towards him. "Not your Boss anymore, Tony!"

"Huh," said Tony. "I figure your first Boss is always your Boss. Good to see you. How's the nursemaiding going?"

"I'll have you know," said Pacci with dignity, "That teaching newbie Federal Agents is an important and stimulating job." He grinned at Tony as he continued, "But being an instructor here does have some similarities with kindergarten. So what brings you to Quantico?"

"Checking out a lead on a cold case. I thought I'd look up my Jedi Master."

"Yeah?" asked Chris sceptically. "You want to try that again my young Padawan?"

"Buy you a cup of coffee?" suggested Tony. Chris nodded and let Tony take him to the cafeteria.

"Kate Todd," said Tony deciding to come to the point once they were sitting with their drinks.

"What about her?"

"How's she doing?"

"Why do you want to know?" asked Pacci.

"Gibbs has taken a shine to her."

"Really?" said Chris with speculation in his voice.

"Not in that way," said Tony. "At least, I don't think so. He thinks she'd be a good fit for the team."

"He does?" asked Chris. "Thought you had young McGoo now."

"McGee," corrected Tony. "But I like the way your mind works. Yeah, we've got McGee but we're thinking of going up to a four man … four-person team."

"Makes sense," said Pacci. "I reckon four is a good number. So, why Todd?"

"We ran into her on our first ever case," said Tony. "Seems that Gibbs kept in touch with her. Knew she'd joined the Agency and suggested her for the team."

"You have doubts?"

Tony shrugged. "I trust Gibbs' judgement but …"

"But?"

"She didn't approve of me when we met," admitted Tony. "Think she had me taped as a playboy. And she was … adversarial."

"I didn't know you were such a diplomat," said Pacci.

"So I'm guessing nothing's changed?" asked Tony.

"Not really," said Chris before engaging the sense of fair play which was integral to the man. "But, think about it. She's older than most of the other students, has been holding down a highly responsible job and has a wide range of life experience. It's not surprising that she tries to take the lead."

"Well …" began Tony.

"Reminds me of another late entrant," continued Pacci. "Someone who'd had experience of three police forces before joining NCIS."

"I wasn't that bad," protested Tony. "Was I?"

"No," agreed Chris. "I think you're an instinctive team player. Don't think Todd has ever played team sports."

"No," said Tony thoughtfully.

"But she's got potential," said Chris. "All that life and work experience. Profiling training although it might be a little out of date now. And she's got a different view of things."

"The feminine touch?" asked Tony.

"No," said Chris firmly. "Not that she's not a woman, of course. She's sceptical, not willing to take things at face value. And she has compassion and empathy."

"She sounds perfect," said Tony.

"Well, she's not," said Chris. "That compassion and empathy? - she needs to channel that because they could lead her astray. She relies on her … well, she wouldn't be unfeminine enough to call it her gut … but her instincts. Which is fine, but she needs to use her brain as well. She has her prejudices which can also take her down a wrong path. You said she had you pegged as a playboy?" Tony winced as way of reply. "That's one of her prejudices. I'm guessing she's had some bad experiences with men and she projects those on to all the men she meets. She comes from a large family which struggled financially so she distrusts people who come from money."

"No wonder she didn't like me," commented Tony. Chris shrugged. "But you think she can get over all that?"

"If I didn't, I'd have recommended her training be terminated," said Chris. Tony believed him. Pacci was the kindest, gentlest person he knew but he could be relentless in the pursuit of what he believed to be right. "On the right team, and managed right, she could be a great agent. She just needs to know that she isn't one yet."

"And you think the MCRT is the right team?"

"Could be," said Chris. "But it would be a challenge but I think she'd do best being put on a high profile team – it wouldn't faze her like it would other Probies."

"OK, thanks, Boss."

"You don't look convinced," observed Chris.

"I'm not. But I trust your judgement and I trust Gibbs'. I'll make my mind up after I speak to her."

"She's walking towards us now," said Chris, "You can do it now if you want." Tony didn't disagree and stayed where he was. "Kate," said Pacci as she drew near to their table, "How did the map reading exercise go?"

Kate didn't answer directly. "When did you say that the sensitivity training was happening?" she demanded. She swept on before Chris could answer, "The men on my team assumed that as a woman I'd be incapable of reading a map. Said it was a proven medical fact that women don't have a sense of direction and that they should take the lead in the exercise. Idiots! I'm perfectly capable of reading a map."

"Actually," said Tony, "I think I saw something that suggested that men might have a better sense of direction. Something to do with testosterone."

Kate glared at him, "Testosterone is to blame for a lot of things! I bet it was a man who wrote that article. Where was it? GQ?"

Tony suspected he'd seen the report on TV but decided not to admit that, "I think it was research by the Norwegian University of Science and Technology," he said pleasantly. "But I expect it was led by a man. After all, the Scandinavians are renowned for their gender bias." He smiled sweetly.

Kate's eyes narrowed as she considered this response but Pacci intervened before she could inadvertently scupper her chances of being offered a plum role with NCIS. "This is Special Agent Tony DiNozzo," he said. "Agent in Charge of the Major Case Response Team at the Navy Yard."

"Oh," said Kate.

"We've met before," said Tony continuing to smile pleasantly. "On Air Force One. You used to work on the President's detail, I believe."

"Yes," said Kate still uncharacteristically lost for words.

"Agent DiNozzo wants to speak with you," said Chris getting up to go. "Good to see you, Tony."

"And you, Boss," said Tony.

"Boss?" asked Kate as she watched Pacci leave. "Agent Pacci is your Boss?"

"Used to be," said Tony, "He was my first supervisor when I joined NCIS. It's still habit to call him Boss. So, NCIS – how's it going?"

"Fine. Good," said Kate.

"Despite working with male chauvinists?"

"I wouldn't say they're chauvinists," said Kate trying to be fair, "I think they just need a little re-educating."

"I see," said Tony. "Tell me, what do you know about the MCRT?"

"I know it's Agent Gibbs' team. I mean, the team that Agent Gibbs is on," said Kate. "I know that it deals with the big cases and that it's got a high success rate."

"Agent Gibbs has suggested that you might be a good fit for the team."

Kate smiled. "Did he?"

"What do you think? Would you be interested?"

"It depends," said Kate. "What would you see my role being?"

Tony smiled again, even more pleasantly this time. "You would be the Probationary Agent on the team," he said. "You'd be learning how to put into practice the FLETC training." He relented a little as he saw Kate's pleased look fade. "But you bring useful experience with you. The Secret Service background could be helpful and I understand that you have profiling training. That's something which we don't currently have on the team. Gibbs and I tend to rely on our instincts but we should probably use a more scientific approach."

"I could help with that," agreed Kate.

"So you would be interested?" asked Tony.

"I could be," said Kate.

Tony laughed. "Agent Todd, you do know that probationary agents don't get a choice of their assignment? I'm not asking you these questions because I'm negotiating with you but because I don't want to offer a position on my team to anyone who isn't 100% committed."

"I would be," said Kate hastily. "I would like to work on the MCRT."

"OK," said Tony. "We've added another member to the team. He's also a probationary field agent but he's been with NCIS some years working as a case officer at Norfolk and doing some TAD with us. He'd be senior to you. Can you cope with that?"

"I'm guessing you're telling me that I would have to," said Kate.

"You catch on fast, Agent Todd," said Tony approvingly. "I don't want to mislead you about the nature of your position on the team."

"I understand."

"Having said that, I believe in using the talents of team members. If someone is best in a particular area I will let that person take the lead in that area whatever their seniority."

"Right," said Kate looking brighter again.

"But the buck stops with me," said Tony. "I'm in charge. Understood?"

"Understood."

"Good. The final assignments are up to the Director but I'll ask that you be assigned to the Navy Yard."

"Thank you."

"See you in a month or so," said Tony standing up and shaking Kate's hand.

NCISNCIS

Some weeks later, the MCRT had four members.

"Come on, McGee," said Tony encouragingly, "It's PT this morning. Agent Gibbs is waiting for us."

"Right," said Tim looking visible nervous. "Er, he won't kill me, will he?"

"No," said Tony, "He won't do that. He hates filling out those 'accidental death' forms."

"Oh," said Tim apparently not reassured by this answer. "Wow," he continued.

Tony followed Tim's gaze and saw Agent Todd was already in the gymnasium and was practising her splits. He looked down at his baggy shorts and tee-shirt and wondered why Kate preferred to wear her extremely form-fitting leggings and top. Tony decided it was not an area where he and Kate would ever agree but he was fairly sure that she would not approve of Tim's appreciative stare.

"Eyes front, Tim," he warned. "That's just an NCIS agent warming up."

"Yes," said Tim distractedly. "I've never seen such a flexible one."

Gibbs strode up to them. Tony still had him in charge of the team's physical fitness. "McGee, you're with Kate. Tony, you're with me. In the ring."

Tony nodded somewhat uneasily. There was something predatory in Kate's cool look towards McGee but he decided he couldn't do anything about that for the moment as he needed to focus as much as possible on the contest with Gibbs who toyed with him for a while, allowing him to land some punches before taking him down.

"You could give me the illusion of being better than you," said Tony plaintively as he stared up at Gibbs from the floor.

"Where would be the fun in that?" asked Gibbs.

"Fun?" replied Tony. "You think this is fun?"

"You love it," said Gibbs.

Tony didn't admit it but he did enjoy the sparring sessions with Gibbs. He knew that his hand to hand skills had improved immeasurably over the years of fighting with Gibbs and that he was a match for most people, just not Gibbs. Occasionally he did get the better of his Senior Field Agent and he relished those times. Today was not one of those days and he rolled over on to his front the better to see how McGee and Kate were getting on. He winced as he saw McGee sail over Kate's head and crash to the floor. From the sweat pouring off his body, Tony guessed this was not the first fall Kate had inflicted on him.

"She's good," said Gibbs as he also watched the other team members.

"Ruthless," said Tony.

"Hmm," said Gibbs. "I think McGee's holding back."

"You think he's letting her do that?" asked Tony as Tim was thrown again and pinioned to the floor.

"He's being a gentleman," said Gibbs. "Don't think he's ever grappled with a woman before."

"Oh, I don't know," said Tony thoughtfully, "I think he's had his moments."

Gibbs glared at him, "Not that type of grappling."

As they watched, McGee seemed to decide that being a gentleman was too painful and he took Kate off guard and brought her to the floor where she lay grinning up at him. Gibbs and Tony walked towards them but Tony was interrupted by his cell ringing.

"Not bad, you two," said Gibbs as he drew near. "McGee, that was a good throw at the end."

"Thanks, Agent Gibbs," said Tim. "I haven't wrestled with a girl … woman before."

"I'm not a woman," said Kate.

"You're not?" said Tim in patent disbelief.

"I'm an NCIS special agent," she replied.

"Who's about to go out on her first case," said Tony as he stowed his cell phone away. "Come on."

Tim groaned as he dragged himself to his feet and then found himself on the floor again as Kate took advantage of his standing in front of her and kicked him in the crotch.

"Should've worn a cup," shrugged Gibbs as he prepared to walk towards the changing area.

Kate jumped to her feet and clapped her hands together in satisfaction.

"Agent Gibbs," said Tony. "Call Ducky."

"What?" asked Gibbs. "Why?"

"I think Agent McGee needs medical attention," said Tony frowning as he looked down at Tim writhing unhappily on the floor."

"I'm … fi-ne …" Tim managed to gasp.

"You're not fine," said Tony. "Agent Gibbs – Ducky, now. Please!"

When Tony spoke in that tone of voice even Gibbs jumped to obey. Kate stood uncertainly, not sure what was going on but hesitating to go and change.

"Special Agent Todd," said Tony. "Go home."

"What?" asked Kate.

"You heard me. Go home."

"But we've got a case," said Kate.

"It wasn't a suggestion," said Tony. "You're suspended. Go home."

"But …" said Kate. "Why?"

For answer Tony pointed to McGee who was still breathless from the pain he was in.

"It was a jo…"

"Don't tell me that was a joke," said Tony. "Go home. Call me at 07.00 tomorrow. I'll have decided by then whether or not you will be returning to the team."

Kate stared at Tony. Gibbs had finished his call to summon Ducky and he jerked his head slightly to indicate that she should go.

"You take your instructions from me, Special Agent Todd," said Tony. "Not Agent Gibbs." Kate opened her mouth to try and explain but Tony cut her off. "Believe me, Special Agent Todd, at the moment I really, really don't want to hear anything from you. Go!"

Kate went. Quickly.