Scandal 15

"That was a rough time for us." Tim admitted softly. "Every week the tabs were obsessed with getting dirt on him. They were following his every movement. Poor Nate couldn't get a coffee without getting papped. Six times in one night, he was followed as he attempted to come home. In the end, he ended up hiding out in his office because he didn't want to lead them back to me. To my apartment in Silver Spring."

"What finally made them back off?" Gibbs asked, looking his teammate over. Tim looked sad, retrospective and he flinched at Gibbs' question. Gibbs couldn't for the life of him remember the time when Nathan Taylor was all the media talked about. But admittedly, he never did pay too much attention to the news when it came to politics. Sure, he'd have the news on for background noise and he'd half listen if he heard a story pertaining to the USD Navy or Marine Corp, but that was it. He much preferred to read the paper on a Sunday and spread it across his day. He worked in Washington DC, the politics capital of the world. He didn't need it in his head, 24/7.

"Believe it or not, unknowingly, it was Director Shepard." Tim smiled forcefully. Sure, Tim knew both men had their issues with the woman who was once their boss. Their issues were very different. Tim suspected Gibbs' issues were about the past and whatever they had been up to back then.

Whereas Tim's issues were more about her treatment of him. She would constantly speak down to him, treat him disrespectfully. Treat him like he was stupid, never mind the fact that he had two degrees. Most of all, she never came out and said it directly, but she had implied it enough that she did not approve of him, his lifestyle, his choices or his choice in a life partner. That didn't even take into account the issues that Tim had with her in regard to their team. How she had forced Ziva on Gibbs, not giving him a choice. How she forced Abby to do forensics for her and expect her not to say a word. Like she had sent Tony undercover with no back up and no support, for her personal vendetta against an international arms dealer. For how she forced them to do her personal bidding in said vendetta. For how she constantly excluded Tim from operations and then tell Gibbs that Tim had called in sick or refused to be a part of the case. How she was constantly trying to drive a wedge between their team. But most of all, in hindsight, he realised, it was because she took uncalculated risks and put the people he cared for, the people whose back it was his job to watch. A job he took seriously and suspected that she did not. "Ah ... it was her death, actually." Tim finally finished. It wasn't like both Gibbs and Tim didn't know that her death in the line of duty had created a media storm. Gibbs sat pensively; he was sure that Tim didn't know the real reason why the former director had chosen to go out like that. On her own terms. "She didn't care much for knowing, what she knew about me. She made her opinion quite clear, after only being in the office a week. If my relationship ever came to light, I would be terminated from my position within the agency."

"She could never legally do that, Tim." Gibbs fumed in anger. He had known that his former flame and the former Director had given Tim a hard time, but he had never suspected that it was all because she was bigoted and homophobic. "That is discrimination, you know that."

"She made it quite clear. It would not be for my life partner or lifestyle choice. Conduct unbecoming ... is the term she used, alongside bringing the agency and its reputation into disrepute." Tim whispered softly. He could see the fury cross Gibbs' face. "After the mess with Sarah, she made it clear, she was looking for a reason to get rid of me."

"Is that why you called in sick a lot, back then? You wanted to be away from her?" Gibbs asked, his voice harsh and low. Tim flinched; he was suddenly worried that Gibbs was angry at him.

"I was never sick." Tim answered firmly and defiantly. "I was told on multiple occasions that my services were not required on certain ops and cases."

"Tim?" Gibbs' voice seemed strangled, like he was grasping at straws, trying to wrap his head around what he had just learnt. "I ..."

"Save it, Gibbs." Tim huffed. In his fraught mental state right now, he couldn't take one more apology from his boss. "I need some space."

Tim had taken himself off to his bedroom and locked the door twenty minutes ago and Gibbs had helped himself to another cup of coffee, before pacing along the length of the back deck overlooking the water. He had been replaying the conversation in his head with Tim. Everything he had just learnt about his former lover was so foreign, but he was inclined to believe Tim over his memories because he knew, that Tim McGee didn't lie.

The harsh shrill of his cell phone jarred him out of his retrospective and back to reality. Looking at the caller ID, he grimaced. DiNozzo. Not who he really wanted to deal with right now.

"Yeah, Tony." He answered into his cell, instead of his usual greeting. He was tired and he was beginning to believe that Tim's physical stress was catching up with him.

"Ah, hey, boss." Tony's unsure voice filled the line. "Is everything ok? Because Ziva and I are at your place, and it's all shot up."

"Fine, Tony." Gibbs huffed out in a reply.

"Also, not to worry you while you're dealing with your house, but McGee is missing." Tony rushed out. "Zee went by his apartment and he was gone. His place was trashed. front door was broken off its hinge and the whole place was trashed. Every fabric item was shredded with what looks a like an extremely sharp knife. TV ripped of the wall, DVD player in a thousand pieces. His electronics are either gone or broken."

"Shit!" Gibbs cursed. "Get in contact with Balboa and let him know to get a team over there. Notify the Director and stay there, I think we all better have a sit-down chat."

"So?" Tony asked, he had heard Gibbs, but he could barely believe his ears. The words Gibbs was saying made sense, but he could scarcely believe that Gibbs seemed so unaffected by his words. The Gibbs he thought he knew would have been royally pissed if someone shot up his house. But this Gibbs, he didn't seem to care.

"You and Ziva wait at my house; I will be there soon." Gibbs huffed, reiterating his edict to Tony and he didn't wait for Tony's answer, as he closed the phone on him.

Sighing Gibbs got to his feet and headed into the house, from where he had been seated on the deck and took himself over towards the small hallway that led to Tim and Pete's bedroom. He knocked on the door gently and waited for Tim to answer him. When he knocked once more on the door, Tim appeared at the door. "What do you want, Gibbs?" Tim asked sullenly. Gibbs quickly explained the situation, the one with his apartment in Silver Spring and the one with their team. "Tony and Ziva are going to have questions."

"Understatement of the year there, Tim." Gibbs quipped at him with a small chuckle. "We have two choices; one we go back to mine and talk there, or you can stay here and set up a video link."

"Let's just go back to DC. Vance and Porter should have almost finished with the emails, by now." Tim huffed, in a resigned tone. "I can stay at Nate's apartment."

Gibbs and Mark quickly made plans to return to DC. Mark didn't like the idea of the meeting his team at Gibbs' shot up house, so he suggested that they meet at the Navy Yard. Gibbs quickly sent Tony and Ziva a message with the change of plans, and he sent some additional text messages to Abby, Ducky and Jimmy, before opening his cell and called Leon Vance and updated him. Leon sighed and informed Gibbs that President Andrew Taylor had made a formal request for the Secret Service to take over the protection of Tim.

Sarah had interjected on behalf of Tim and had negotiated that Gibbs would join him, to keep NCIS in the loop. As well as the fact that Gibbs would never just turn his agent over to the Secret Service. But first, they would return to Dc, to a team meeting. One in which the Director and SecNav would also join in on.

As soon as they were packed up and Tim had readied the house for their absence, they hit the open road. With Mark driving them back to Dc, while Gibbs sat in the back with Tim. The two of them continuing to make their way through the leaked emails that were now blasted all over the internet, as well as the media.

"... 'If by a "Liberal" they mean someone who looks ahead and not behind, someone who welcomes new ideas without rigid reactions, someone who cares about the welfare of the people-their health, their housing, their schools, their jobs, their civil rights and their civil liberties-someone who believes we can break through the stalemate and suspicions that grip us in our policies abroad, if that is what they mean by a "Liberal", then I'm proud to say I'm a "Liberal." ' ― John F. Kennedy.

Babe,

I have no doubt. I can feel it in my bones. You will be great, no matter what you do. This legacy you seem so hell bent on having politics, it has already occurred. You're the grandson and son of two former presidents and I have no doubts, that when the time is right, you will be a third-generation president of the US. Something, that has never happened before in the history of our great nation. It's not just a dream anymore from the scared twenty-year-old kid confessing his deepest darkest secrets, fears and reams to his lover on a twin bed, in a dorm, on campus at MIT.

Not only will you be president, but hopefully, you will be out too, a loud and proud, gay president. Our hope for a brighter future. Our future. Together.

JFK had the right idea. The right semblance of liberal. I see so much of what he embodies in you. ... (Insert a dirty blonde comparison comment between his blonde and yours here... haha!)

His blonde said "I'm selfish, impatient and a little insecure. I make mistakes, I am out of control and at times hard to handle. But if you can't handle me at my worst, then you sure as hell don't deserve me at my best." ― Marilyn Monroe

And your blonde agrees wholeheartedly.

" ... The rights of every man are diminished when the rights of one man are threatened." ― John F. Kennedy

Unfortunately, we still live in a world all too similar to the time when JFK was the president. Homophobia and every other kind of phobia towards our country still exists. Yes, we have the same rights as others now, but a large portion of the population is still phobic. It is getting better, but we have a long way to go yet.

Tim"

Gibbs laughed out loud, freely and wholeheartedly at Tim's comparison between himself and Marilyn Monroe. "Never in my wildest dreams would I ever imagine comparing myself to Marilyn Monroe of all people." He huffed out in laughter.

"I was getting my point across. I couldn't exactly make an explicit comparison when Tony was hovering over me trying to read my email." Tim defended his words.

"Speaking of Tony. I am going to take the hard line with everyone. But especially with him, Tim." Gibbs promised him. "If he says one word out of line, I will deal with him. Promise me you will tell me if he makes even the slightest homophobic comment. I will not be tolerated."

Arriving at the Navy Yard, Tim was flanked by Gibbs and Mark. Both Vance and SecNav Porter met them in the foyer just inside the security desk. Quickly passing through the security, Mark was not impressed that he had to check his weapon in and would not be allowed to carry, before both SecNav and Vance intervened, explaining to Kieth on the desk that Mark was there in an official capacity.

Before Tim could blink, that matter had been dealt with and he was being ushered upstairs, straight into the Director's office. Inside the office, Abby, Ziva, Tony, Ducky and Jimmy were waiting for them. Pamela, Vance's PA, she had laid out coffees, water bottles and pastries for them. Gibbs and Mark ushered Tim into a seat, at the head of the table, before quickly taking a seat either side of Tim.

Tim let out a tired sigh and gently rested his head back into the chair and looked to the roof. He felt safe and secure. He didn't realise how tense he had felt, returning to DC, until they were safely back aboard the yard. "You doin' ok?" Gibbs asked Tim, under his breath. So far, no one had said anything in the room. The awaiting personnel already had their pastry and coffees or water, Gibbs had shoved a pastry in front of Tim, while Mark had pushed the water bottle towards him, encouragingly. Before each man had retrieved their own food and preferred beverages. Tim gave Gibbs a small smile, but it didn't reassure Gibbs that Tim was ok. Gibbs did recognise the look. It was a look of caution, of worry, of foreboding. Gibbs reached over and put his hand on Tim's forearm in a comforting paternal manner. "It's going to be ok."

Tim took in what Gibbs was saying and what he wasn't saying. "I know you're scared, but I am here, and you will be ok." Was what Gibbs wasn't saying.

"I guess now that we are all here, someone should begin." Sarah Porter announced softly. Her look was pointed between Gibbs, Tim and Mark. Gibbs patted Tim's arm once more and leaned back in his chair.

It was time to take the hard line, something he shouldn't have to do, but felt he needed to do, before anything else unraveled today.