Spoiler for season 6 episode Capitol Offense

"Gibbs," said Director Vance coming to stand in front of Gibbs' desk.

"Director," said Gibbs. He raised his head to look at Vance but kept his finger on the report he was reading to signify that he was busy.

"Change of plan," said Leon, "I need you this morning." He saw Gibbs open his mouth to object and forestalled him, "no argument. Senator Adler is paying us a visit this morning. I want you in the meeting."

Gibbs continued to stare at the Director while Agents McGee and Bishop looked at one another incredulously. Why was the Director, apparently of his own free will, involving Gibbs with politicians?

"Senator Adler has just been appointed to the Senate Committee on Armed Services. The Committee is minded to look at expenditure …"

"Good," said Gibbs, "tell him we need more of it."

Vance ignored this contribution, "until recently Senator Adler was on the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence."

"Gets around, doesn't he?" said Gibbs.

"That committee makes recommendations about our budgets," continued Vance.

"Like I said. Tell him we need more," said Gibbs.

"Adler has been supportive of maintaining federal agency budgets," said Leon. He raised a hand to prevent any more comments, "and we - and by 'we' I mean the Secretary of the Navy and me – want to keep him on side. We need more friends in government."

"So you want me to play nice with him?" said Gibbs.

"You can do it," said Vance, "you saw the President a couple years back."

Gibbs raised an eyebrow. This was undeniable although it wasn't a favourite subject of the MCRT as McGee still had a tendency to go into shock at the memory of calling the President of the United States a wiseass.

"Special Agent Donovan was due to come to the meeting with me," said Vance, "but his testimony in the Rogerson case got brought forward. Makerson is still out with the flu."

"So I'm the only one left," said Gibbs with a half-smile.

"'Fraid so," said Leon, "you didn't think you were my first choice, did you?"

Gibbs relaxed as he realised that the Director was desperate rather than insane. "OK," he said agreeably, "what do I need to do?"

"As little as possible," said Leon, "the Senator wants to get a feel for what we do as an agency. He's reading our reports but he said he wanted to see what it looked like on the ground. Just be ready to give some examples of the cases we've had."

"When's he coming?" asked Gibbs.

Before he could answer, Leon's cell rang. He answered it and then said, "Now. He's coming up in the elevator."

"How many people is he bringing?" asked Gibbs.

"Just one," said Vance, "his assistant Chief of Staff. Mark Solomon."

The elevator dinged to announce the arrival of the guests who were shepherded out by the Director's PA.

"That's not Mark Solomon," said Gibbs.

"Director Vance," said Senator Adler as he strode forward to shake the Director's hand, "it's good of you to meet me. I want you to know how much I appreciate the work that your agency does. And I hope …" he trailed off. It wasn't often that the Senator found that the attention wasn't on him but now he saw that everyone was looking at his companion. "Wow," he said, "folk don't usually get bored with me this quick!"

"My apologies," said the Director pulling himself together, "I must have misunderstood. I thought you were bringing someone with you from your office."

"I have," said the Senator, "this is …"

"Tony DiNozzo," said Gibbs.

"Of course," said Adler, "I'd forgotten that you know Tony."

"Senator, Mr DiNozzo, shall we go up to my office? Senator, this is Special Agent Jethro Gibbs. He'll be joining us for the meeting. We can arrange a tour later if you would find it helpful," said the Director.

The Senator smiled in agreement. Tony also smiled but in a way that avoided meeting anyone's eye. Everyone on the floor watched as the visitors made their way to the Director's office; it was unusual for the visit of a politician to cause so much interest.

"Please, sit down," said the Director gesturing to the seats around his conference table. Gibbs noticed that Tony took one quick assessing look, no doubt taking note of the changes that had been made since the last time he had stood there. Tony took a seat next to the Senator and opened his briefcase. His eyes widened in shock and he closed it again quickly but not before the watchful Gibbs had spotted what looked like a pair of ladies' panties nestling within.

The Senator had held his hand out but Tony shook his head slightly and Adler withdrew it.

"So, Director Vance," he carried on smoothly, "why don't you give me a brief overview of what you see as the remit of NCIS? And what challenges you face in fulfilling that remit."

Gibbs tuned out as the Director launched into his speech about the problems facing a modern day federal agency. He continued to stare at Tony but his gaze was not returned as his former agent listened with apparent rapt attention to what was being said. It seemed that the Senator was less enthralled and he interrupted after a few minutes,

"That's fascinating, Director Vance but I wonder if I could get Agent Tibbs' view. From the coalface, so to speak?"

"Gibbs," said Tony in a low voice.

"What?" asked Adler.

"Gibbs. It's Agent Gibbs. Not Tibbs."

"Are you sure?" asked the Senator. Tony nodded and the Senator continued, "Agent Gibbs, forgive me. I'm afraid I'm not very good with names. Which is a bit of a problem in my line of work and why I have people like Tony to hold my hand. I could have sworn I'd read something about an Agent Tibbs …" Tony coughed and shook his head slightly. "Anyway," continued Adler, "Agent Gibbs, please, do tell me how you see the work of NCIS in the present day."

The Director held his breath and hoped he hadn't made a huge mistake in inviting Gibbs to the meeting.

"Well, Senator," said Gibbs, "I think the work of NCIS is ever more important today. There are so many threats facing our nation and we need to be in a state of preparedness."

"I couldn't agree more," said Adler leaning forward to show his earnestness. "But tell me, do you think we need so many different agencies involved in the fight against those threats? Don't you feel that it would be better to have just one agency? To prevent duplication of effort? Ensure proper sharing of information?"

"Sure," said Gibbs, "so long as that agency is called NCIS!"

The Senator laughed and Vance gave a polite chuckle. "And so, Agent Gibbs," said Adler, "what, in your experience, has been the biggest problem you have faced in your fight against crime in … say … the last ten years."

"That's easy," said Gibbs, "losing my best agent."

Tony's head swung round to look at Gibbs for the first time since he had arrived at NCIS. A pleased smile swept over his face before he turned back to the Senator.

"Oh yes," said Adler, "I remember now. You know, Director, I tried to persuade Tony to go after NCIS about that."

"Senator?" said Vance with an air of polite interest.

"Yes. I thought he had a case for constructive discharge against you," said Adler with a slightly menacing smile.

"What?" asked Vance shaken out of his politeness.

"Sure. Transferred at a moment's notice like that. It didn't seem reasonable to me. I thought he could prove that you were creating intolerable working conditions." Vance simply stared at the Senator who then continued, "You mean you weren't trying to get him to resign?"

"Why don't we have that tour now?" said Tony brightly.

Adler stared at the Director for a moment or two but then nodded. "Great idea," he said enthusiastically. He stood up, gripped Tony's shoulder and said, "NCIS's loss was my gain."

NCISNCIS

Meanwhile in the squad room Ellie was thinking about their visitors.

"So, that's Gibbs' first Senior Field Agent," she mused.

"Technically he was probably the second," corrected McGee, "Stan Burley was here first. Although I'm not sure if he and Gibbs were a two man team in which case Burley probably wouldn't have been a Senior Field Agent."

"I've never heard anyone talk about Stan Burley," said Bishop, "whereas there's been a lot of gossip about Tony DiNozzo."

"Nothing changes," said McGee wryly.

"He's very good looking," said Bishop, "gossip got that part right." McGee nodded distractedly but continued to look at his computer screen. "Although the tie didn't go with the suit," added Ellie.

"What?" asked McGee.

"That suit. Very nice. That tie. Also very nice but it was green."

"So?"

"So green tie doesn't go with blue suit."

"Senator Adler," said McGee in triumph as something came up on his computer, "I knew I knew the name!"

"Well, yes," said Ellie, "he's the Senator for New Jersey."

"No, no that," said McGee, "he went to Ohio State University."

"So did lots of people," said Ellie.

"No, he was Tony's frat brother."

"How do you know that?" asked Ellie.

"He dated Kate. You know, Kate Todd."

"Tony did?" asked Ellie in surprise, "I thought Gibbs had a rule against that."

"No, not Tony. Well, at least I don't think so. No, Steve Adler dated Kate for a while. She and Tony played round with that for a time."

"Why?" asked Bishop.

"It was the sort of thing they did," said Tim vaguely, "one-upmanship. You had to be there to understand."

"And did you?"

"Did I what?"

"Understand?"

"No, not really," admitted Tim, "Let's just say their relationship was unique."

"And was he a Senator then?" asked Ellie, "I mean Adler, not Tony."

Tim peered at the biography he had brought up of Adler, "No, he was a lawyer. Working at a big firm here in DC. He left a few months later after he dated Kate and went to New Jersey. Ran for office the following year and won."

"And Tony works for him?" asked Ellie.

"Guess so," shrugged Tim, "although I never really figured Tony for a politician. He …" Tim broke off as he saw the Director coming down the stairs with Gibbs and the visitors. He stood up and held out his hand as Tony approached his desk, "Nice to see you, Tony," he said. Tony stared at him and, for a moment, Tim thought Tony didn't know who he was, "Um … Tim McGee," he added.

"Tim," said Tony with a smile, "I hadn't forgotten you. I don't think you can ever forget your first Probie! Looking good there, Tim."

"Thanks, Tony," said Tim wondering why he missed being given a mcnickname. "You're looking good yourself." Even as the words came out Tim wondered if they were true; Tony was as well-dressed as always (although Ellie was right about the mismatched tie) but he looked tired and tightly wound. He wondered if that was the look that all Senators' aides wore. Gibbs interrupted his thoughts.

"We're taking the Senator and To-DiNozzo on a tour. You can convene the mutual admiration society later."

Tony shot Tim a glance of rueful understanding before going to stand with Adler.

"I'd like to take a moment to look at the monument to those who NCIS lost in the explosion," said the Senator.

Vance and Gibbs nodded although both wondered if this was just the politician at work.

"This way, Senator," said Vance courteously.

Gibbs manoeuvred himself to stand next to Tony in the elevator.

"Got a photographer waiting?" he asked in an undertone.

Tony turned to look at him, an eyebrow raised in question.

"Great photo op," said Gibbs.

Tony stared at him, "No, no photographer," he said, "perhaps you should be doing this job instead of me, Agent Gibbs. You seem to have an eye for it."

As they walked out to the monument, Gibbs asked, "so this is what you do now, is it, DiNozzo? Schlepping for a politician?"

"It's a bit more than schlepping," said Tony mildly, "and you know, politician isn't a dirty word." Gibbs shrugged. "Although I can see why you might think so," continued Tony, "there was a Senator wasn't there? A while back. Killed his Chief of Staff. What was his name? Patrick Riley?"

"Kiley," corrected Gibbs curtly.

"Oh yes, former Marine officer, wasn't he?" Tony smiled at Gibbs. Gibbs glared back remembering how annoying Tony could be.

"Anyway," said Tony, "as part of schlepping for the Senator, I went to Norfolk Navy Base with him. This Petty Officer told me … STEVE! Look out!" Tony threw himself at the Senator as a shot rang out. They both tumbled to the ground as Vance and Gibbs drew their weapons looking for the shooter.