A/N This series focuses on tags, mostly one shots for episodes in Seasons One and Two. It came about because it struck me as I was watching these early episodes yet again that for a police procedural drama, there are an awful lot of times when procedures, even laws are ignored. So as the show enters its 13th season I can't help wondering if the writers had focused more on making sure that protocols and procedures were observed, including the chain of command, in those first couple of series how it would have impacted on how the show, how the team evolved.

What if Director Morrow had been a lot more hands on with his MCRT and Gibbs didn't have carte blanche to flout the rules for the sheer heck of it. What if he'd been made to follow procedure too?

This series consists of tags from season 1 & 2 and each tag is a stand-alone vignette, at the end of each tag everything will revert back to normal canon again.

Warnings: Since I am mostly focusing on the faux pas and failures to follow procedure don't expect there to be a lot of warm and fuzzy team moments although Tom isn't as averse to handing out 'good jobs' when they're warranted as Gibbs so there might be a few sappy moments.

Disclaimer: These characters don't belong to me – if they did I'd make sure they observe the law and procedure a darn sight more than they do. These tags are purely for entertainment purposes and as such I don't make any money from them.

Series: There's Always Tom Morrow

Chapter Title: Hit The Road Jack…

Episode: Yankee White

Characters: Tom Morrow and Leroy Jethro Gibbs

Director Thomas Morrow sat at his desk, reading thorough the reports from the MCRT case of the terrorist attempted to kill the President. When the Naval Commander Ray Tripp, filling in for the rostered Football Carrier who was ill, was poisoned there had been an ugly three way agency brawl over who would head the investigation into his death, since it had occurred on Air Force One just after he'd eaten lunch with the President. Dr Donald Mallard or Ducky to his friends, of which were many and eclectic, had swung the ball firmly into NCIS' court by having the Kansas coroner (an old crony of his) hold the body and therefore the plane and had refused to allow anyone to remove Commander Tripp until Gibbs, Ducky and DiNozzo had managed to get a flight to Wichita, Kansas. This had resulted in them being able to gain control over the crime scene, commandeer the plane and the Commander and fly with the body back to DC.

Naturally the Secret Service wanted control over the investigation since they were tasked with the President's protection but apart from investigating fraud of US currency and cyber manipulation of the economy, they weren't equipped to investigate death scenes such Cr Tripp's untimely death. The FBI insisted that it was their bailiwick since it involved the President, while NCIS asserted that as Tripp was Navy it put the investigation firmly within their jurisdiction. Since it was a high profile case, which could potentially be an attempt to assassinate the POTUS no one wanted to let go of it and unbridled ambitions came to the fore.

The three federal agencies were like a pack of mangy, ravening hyenas, desperately fighting over a bone but NCIS had managed to get the upper hand by getting hold of the plane and therefore the crime scene and custody of the body. As Ducky had demonstrated so amply, it isn't what you know so much as who you know, which allowed NCIS to emerge victorious. Plus, once you've won the battle you needed to keep your guard up so the prize wasn't snatched out from under your nose. The 'you snooze you lose' principle. And as the winners knew only too well, it was a no-brainer that when the higher-ups got involved, deals and coalitions would be formed by enemies agreeing to work together to thwart Gibbs. It was inevitable that NCIS would run point in what became a three agency investigation.

As Tom had pointed out rather smugly to his colleagues, his agency had the body and the rest of the forensic evidence too. Gibbs, Ducky and DiNozzo were damn good at their jobs and more than a match for the other alphabets. Oh yes, he'd been aware of how they pulled the switch at Andrews and conned the Secret Service and the Fibbies into thinking they had got one over on them and had custody of the body. Of course anyone that knew Gibbs would have known that there was no way in Hell that Gibbs would give it up to the FBI once he had it and the director knew that the former gunny was a ruthless SOB. Still, the director never realised just how much or how damned far he was willing to go to win their inter agency pissing contest over jurisdiction until he read Agent Axelrod's report. It detailed his late night mission to retrieve a body bag thrown out of a moving FBI vehicle and onto the beltway. Lifting his phone, he instructed Cynthia to inform Gibbs he wanted to see him ASAP.

Gibbs strode in. Nonchalant as per usual, ubiquitous cup of coffee in hand and with that air of arrogance that riled the FBI and often his fellow team leaders to the point of distraction. Gibbs was good and he knew it. Still the man had gone too far and Tom was going to tear the former Marine a new one that was big enough to fit his size twelve director's black Salvatore Ferragamo loafer into it. Maybe two!

"Sit, Gibbs. I've just finished reading Agent Axelrod's report of his contribution to the case. I just want to check the facts with you as the lead agent in charge of the investigation."

Jethro shrugged in lieu of having to make a verbal response, sipping on his coffee. Morrow swore that if they drilled for blood all they'd find in Gibbs' veins would be thick black tar.

"He states that you ordered him to follow the FBI mortuary vehicle that the FBI assumed was transporting to the FBI lab the remains of Commander Tripp but in fact the body bag actually contained Special Agent DiNozzo inside which you had switched to give you sufficient time to get the real body back to our morgue When you felt that you and the real cadaver were far enough away from Andrews Air Force Base to avoid being detained, you rang DiNozzo on his cell while he was in transit. According to Agent Axelrod, your intention was to deliberately blow his cover so that the FBI would know that they had been duped. Correct so far?"

Gibbs nodded, still not bothering to speak. He was not a Chatty Cathy. He did however have a smirk on his face, clearly amused by the situation that had unfolded.

"Axelrod further states in his report that you told him that when the FBI tossed the body bag out onto the road that he was to retrieve DiNozzo. Is that true?"

"Yep, sounds 'bout right."

"Good God man! What were you thinking?" Morrow yelled at the SSA. "You placed DiNozzo in danger – what if he'd been hit by a car, what if he'd been run over by a semitrailer before Axelrod could reach him? What if Axelrod had gotten skittled playing Russian roulette with the traffic? It was especially dangerous at night when visibility was poor. How did you expect a dark blue body bag to show up on the road at night?" He glared hard at his agent who looked far from repentant.

"You failed in your duty of care and placed both agents in grave danger. While there are situations where that may be unavoidable, this clearly was not one of them… no civilians were in imminent danger."

Tom took a breath before demanding, "Why not simply have Axelrod collect DiNozzo when the van arrived at its destination? It would have avoided placing him…them in danger. It was completely reckless and stupid."

"I couldn't wait. I needed DiNozzo to search Tripp's apartment." Gibbs argued. "Don't like sitting around on my ass when there's an ongoing investigation."

"If it was that damned important to start searching, then why didn't you get off your ass and do it yourself? I understand after bringing the body backed to autopsy, you badgered Ducky for his findings and when you were told they wouldn't be available for hours you laid down and rested on an autopsy table. You could have done the search then or you could have ordered Agent Axelrod to carry out the search. There is no justification for you endangering DiNozzo like that – he's far too valuable to be treated in such a cavalier fashion. Or Agent Axelrod for that matter."

"He's fine. Don't see why you're makin mountains outta molehills, Tom. Besides, DiNozzo knows how to conduct a search properly, he's good at his job. Don't trust Axelrod."

"Yeah, and that concerns me that you can't see what the 'fuss' is about. They're all just toy soldiers for you to move around on your game board to help you reach your objective, aren't they? You've lost sight of the fact that your agents are living, breathing humans who hurt and bleed. Good heavens, DiNozzo was totally helpless inside that body bag. He wouldn't have been able to see oncoming vehicles to try and avoid them, even if he could take evasive measures inside that damned restrictive bag. You're damned lucky he wasn't killed by your idiocy," He shouted at his subordinate, fuming that the dumb ass seemed secretly amused.

"Never lost an agent, Tom."

"Yet, Gibbs and this time was pure luck, nothing more… but everyone's luck runs out, sooner or later. There's always a first time. As Ducky would say, pride goeth before a fall, Senior Special Agent Gibbs. Consider this an official warning; you blow an agent's cover again for a petty reason and I'll have you permanently working as Ducky's autopsy assistant scrubbing floors. Are we clear?"

"Clear Director."

"Good, now go and arrest Fornell for reckless endangerment and attempted murder of a federal agent. I'll have Legal see if we can charge the bastard and make it stick. At the very least, it will make him think twice about messing with one of my agents in the future. Oh and wipe that smirk off your damned face, Gibbs. I'll be requesting that Legal review your actions in the matter, too. So don't be surprised if you get hit with a charge for reckless endangerment too, Gibbs."

Tom felt a modicum of satisfaction at the flicker of concern that crossed the face of the team lead. Good! Serves him right, the cold reptilian bastard.

As Gibbs strode to the door and was opening it, he fired his last salvo. "Oh and Gibbs, tell Special Agent DiNozzo that I want him to report to the ER for a full examination and documentation of injuries sustained as a result of Fornell's reckless and criminal actions. I want medical reports, the whole kit and caboodle. Do I make myself clear?"

"Perfectly, Director Morrow. But why can't Ducky do the examination? DiNozzo's got work to do."

"Are you questioning a direct order, Jethro? If Ducky could do it, I'd have ordered him to. It needs to be an impartial examination by a third party if it's to stand up in court. Besides, Ducky is on my shit list for going along with your idiotic plan and doing nothing to stop it. Tell him from me that I'm pissed and I'll be making my displeasure known, at my convenience. Now get out!"

The End

End Notes

Well there it is. The first one is fairly short and sweet. I've been sitting on these tags for about six months, slowly adding to them and I was hoping to have them complete before I posted but I'm in need of some inspiration. If there was a procedural boo boo that bugged you in an episode during S1 or S2 feel free to let me know your suggestions but do it in a PM please. It might end up in a tag IF I haven't already written one for that particular episode. I have over half written so far.

I'm hoping at the end of each tag to leave readers wondering how the ending might have changed canon. I look forward to your thoughts!