Chapter 3- The Letters.

To Supervisory Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs, Major Case Response Team

From Special Agent Timothy McGee

Gibbs,

The last four years spent on this team have been the most difficult years of my life, as well as the most rewarding. With that, I must tender my resignation as a member of the MCRT.

I have made the decision to leave the Team and the city after looking at all the facts that are in my possession. Neither Special Agent DiNozzo or Officer David have expressed interest in transferring from the team, and my chances of promotions have been at zero for some time now. To that end, I have accepted a position with the DEA/NCIS Joint Task Force in San Diego.

Thank you for everything over the last four years,

Yours sincerely,

Timothy McGee

To Supervisory Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs, Major Case Response Team

From Senior Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo

Gibbs,

I'm leaving the team and moving to New York to work for the IRS Task Force. I know you want to hate me for it, but the truth is I can't keep working here for you. I need to find a new team who won't demote me for no reason other than they want the job back that they walked out on.

Anthony DiNozzo.

Abby,

Please don't me mad with me. I can't stay here and still be the best agent I can be. I know that you will worry about me, and about Jethro. I have already found a walker for him in the day, and a park where I can take him in the evenings.

I know you. You want to go and yell at somebody. You will want me to come back and everything will be the same as it was. I'm sorry, Abby, but not this time. I have to take this job, because I want to, and I need to. I have to know what it's like working with other agencies, and with different people. It took awhile for you to get use to me, and Ziva, and Jimmy. You will have to give the new team time to get to you know. Call me if you need me,

Love,

Tim.

Abigail Sciuto let the tears fall onto the handwritten letter, now knowing how much she will miss her best friend.

To Ducky,

I will miss you. You have been a friend and mentor during my time here. You never expected more than I could give, and were always grateful when I did. For that, you have my thanks.

Please keep at least one eye on Abby for me, she will take this the hardest of all of you. Gibbs will no doubt shout and scream, but the man just does not like change. Help him where you can.

Tim

To Jimmy,

I know me and Tony weren't always the nicest to you, in fact, at times, I think we were mean and bullying towards you. For that, I am sorry.

Abby won't be the nicest person to be around for a few weeks, don't take it personally. Ducky will look out for her, you need to look out for Ducky, he will want to push himself to protect her and Ziva, you need to do the same for him.

If you feel like you are drowning, remember, I was the youngest and greenest one there before you, you just need to learn to swim.

Tim

To Director Vance,

Thank you for the opportunity. I know that moving me from the MCRT is the best thing for me as an agent, but I do feel like I am being a crappy friend to the rest of the team.

Ziva will never show it here, but she will be very angry with me for not telling her I was planning to leave. Abby will probably be in tears for a few days, and plaster my picture all over the lab. Jimmy will be more awkward than usual, Ducky will be Ducky and Gibbs will give you hours of grief over the issue.

Thank you, for the opportunity to work on the task force, and for the kick in the ass to get my career moving forward again. I hope I can make you proud for the confidence you have shown in me.

With many thanks,

Timothy McGee.

To Mom and Dad, and Sarah

By the time you read, I will be in San Diego, and Mom will still be crying about her baby leaving. Keep a lookout for Sarah, she will keep burning the midnight oil if you don't check on her. Sarah, go and have dinner with Mom and Dad more than once a month. Remember, their food is free, plus, Dad will will slip you a handout that he thinks Mom doesn't know about.

Dad, I really hope I've made the right choice. I know you think I should have stayed with Cybercrimes when I got transferred, and you still think I should be doing anything other than MCRT, we'll see if you were right.

I love you,

Tim

"Well, you slip your daughter extra money, do you?" Alice McGee smirked at her husband.

"Like you don't do the same thing?" Fired back Admiral John McGee, rereading the letter from his son. John McGee could do nothing but smile. It made him smile that his son, a masters degree in Computer Forensics, qualified cyber technician and analyst, lover of all computers and technologies, would always right letters home, never emails. "Don't look like that," seeing the worry on his wifes face. "Tim has done the right thing, San Diego will do wonders for him, you'll see." The commanding officer of the American second fleet had no worries about his son.

John McGee had wanted his son to join the Navy, but he knew the inner ear condition he had developed due to his car accident at 16 had ended that career before it had begun. He had watched his son develop into a fine young man, college educated, federal officer, and now, a man who was making decisions for his career and his future, while still worrying about others. "Yes, I have no worries about my boy." He thought to himself.

"What do you want me to do, Gibbs? I've given them their orders, they wanted the jobs, they got the jobs, my job here is done," Vance was smiling at Gibbs when he said this.

"I want you to put my team back together, this isn't the first time you destroyed it," Gibbs was not happy with this new development. Neither of the two men had arrived at the Bullpen yet as they were with Human Resources updating their files and contact information. "Why did you this? More punishment for me, huh?" Gibbs could not see the transfers for what they were.

"Always about you, Gibbs, isn't it? Never them." Vance would have been astonished at the mans hubris if he hadn't known him for so long. "They both deserve promotions, and need transfers. McGee has been with you for just over five years, DiNozzo for more than eight. In any other agency and any other team, they would have been transferred and promoted, possibly more than once. Director Shepard kept the team together for you, not for them." Vance had been shocked to read how many transfer requests had come in for both men, not to mention the promotion that DiNozzo had turned down for team leader position in Rota. "McGee is one of the most organised agents we have, he knows Washington bureaucracy and understands the Internet and technology like very few others. DiNozzo is an undercover expert, invaluable to more than a dozen task forces, and not a speciality always needed here. I will not let the talents these two men possess be squandered because you don't like change." Vance would not let himself be swayed by Gibbs. "My orders stand, whether you like them or not. But, I have done you a favour, Gibbs." Vanes predatory smile came out once more.

"What kind of favour, Leon?" Gibbs didn't think he would like this favour.

"Last time, you bitched and moaned about the three people I transferred to the MCRT. Let's see you do better," Vance know the man would not like the next he said. "Pick two people to join you and David, one must be a senior special agent, Ziva is still Mossad, and can't do the job DiNozzo was doing, no matter how well trained she might be," Vances smile had stayed on his face the entire time. "You've got a week to get your team filled out, until then you are off active duty, I'll get Balboas team to cover for now." With that, Vance sat back in his chair, enjoying the look on Gibbs face. "Dismissed." Vance said, while pointing at the door. Gibbs stormed out of the room, wanting to say a few things to his very special agent and his probie.

Office Ziva David watched as Gibbs stormed out of the directors office, the fury evident on his face and in his actions. Gibbs paid the woman no attention as he entered the elevator to head down to Autopsy to speaks to Ducky, knowing that the man might provide some insight as to why the two men would do this to him. But Ziva already knew.

She had seen the two men change in the years she had been at NCIS. Tim had changed the most, and for the better. She remember the young man who was still new to the job, and was always worried about letting Gibbs, and the rest of the team, down. She had seen Tony mature, his jokes becoming less frequent, his attitude being less confrontational. Yet, she had also seen the issues the two men had.

When Gibbs had first left them, the two men accepted their promotions without issue. But their demotions following Gibbs' return had caused some problems. They were both use to giving orders, rather than taking them. They had developed their own shorthand, with Tim being able to anticipate what Tony would ask for before Tony had even thought about it. She had seen the struggles Tim had with being moved to the bottom of the ladder once more. She had told him he should have applied for promotion, either in Washington or elsewhere, but she never believed him when he said that this team was where he wanted to be.

She now saw that Tony had been as equally unhappy here as Tim was. She knew that before he left, she would need to speak to him.

Alone.