Author's Note:

Disclaimers : I do not own NCIS but I do … so … love them.

I'VE REWRITTEN THIS CHAPTER IN THE PAST TENSE and REPUBLISHED IT… So please comment if it is better and please offer constructive advice on how to correct it if necessary. This is my first attempt at writing in the past tense, so please be patient with me…. Thanks! And thank you for the great reviews already posted on this chapter...

Summary : Tony leaves the office after being reprimanded by Gibbs and then something incomprehensible happens. Introduction of a new character who will be paired with one of the 3 NCIS men. Rating T for now. Will change it if and when necessary.

Enjoy…. And Review ASAP…. Thanks!

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Tony was driving faster than usual and he knew that that was probably not a good idea, considering that there was a blizzard going on outside and visibility had been reduced to a maximum of 10 yards. But Tony didn't care just then because he was angry, very angry. He'd done an excellent job of covering up his feelings at the office, laughing and joking in front of Ziva and McGee. But Gibbs shouldn't have spoken to him like that, especially not in front of the rest of the team. After all he was Gibbs' senior field agent!

How am I ever going to gain the team's respect if Gibbs keeps reprimanding me like that in front of them!

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Tony was so pre-occupied with his own thoughts that he didn't notice the dark SUV tailing him. The handsome, medium built man in the SUV was glad that Agent DiNozzo was finally on his own and out in the open. He had thought that Tony would be heading home as it was already after 9pm. But no! Agent DiNozzo was heading to the outskirts of town.

This is even better than anything I could have planned. Thank you DiNozzo, for making this so much easier for me, the man grinned as he overtook Tony and sped up, so that he would be a few miles ahead of Tony.

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Damn it, did this crime scene have to be so far out of town and did I have to do this on the coldest night of this year?! Tony groaned in frustration as he headed for the crime scene. As he sped along the winding, slippery roads he thought back to the events of that afternoon.

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"DiNozzo! Stop messing around and start sketching!" Gibbs growled as he pulled the collar of his NCIS Jacket up, to ward of the cold.

"But Boss!" Tony moaned.

"But nothing! Either focus on the case or get the hell off my crime scene." Gibbs shouted and than he glared at Samantha Crowley, a local LEO who had called the crime in. She was standing next to Tony, practically throwing herself at him.

Tony gave her an apologetic smile and said, "Thank you for the information. I'll aah, call you if I need anything else."

"Call any time, even if what you need has nothing to do with this case…" Samantha replied in a husky voice, before walking away.

Tony watched the sway of her hips and grinned 'Oh babe, I will definitely be calling you!'

"DiNozzo!" Gibbs growled again, totally loosing his patience.

"On it Boss!" Tony replied as he focused on the crime scene. He removed his gloves despite the cold and started sketching the scene.

A Lt. Ethan Johnson was lying face down in the snow, in a ditch next to Freeway 74. This was a treacherous stretch of road, all curvy and windy, made worse by the steady snow fall over the last couple of days. His car was lying on its side a few feet away. Initial indications were that he had misjudged a curve in the road and lost control of the car. As the car capsized, he was flung out and landed in an awkward position, which snapped his neck.

"Done yet, DiNozzo!" Gibbs growled as he came up behind Tony.

Tony jerked and spun around, "Done, Boss." He replied as he closed the sketch pad.

"So what you waiting for? Help McGee to bag and tag! Do I have to tell you everything?" Gibbs growled as he walked away from Tony.

McGee looked up at him and Tony just grinned, even though he was starting to find it hard to just shrug off Gibbs' comments. He placed the sketch pad on a rock at the side of the crime scene intending to collect it when they cleared the scene.

And that was the biggest mistake that he could have made, because he all but forgot to grab that stupid sketch pad as they left the scene. So back in the office, Gibbs' mood deteriorated moving from mild annoyance to down right fury.

"You what?" Gibbs growled.

"I may have left the sketch pad at the scene." Tony cringed, waiting for Gibbs to smack the back of his head. But Gibbs didn't even lift his hand and that scared DiNozzo more then anything else.

"Great! If only all agents operated like you. Why, then we would be leaving evidence behind at every crime scene. And what the hell, we could even leave the God damn body's behind! What do you say DiNozzo? Should we start operating like that from now onwards." Gibbs asked as he threw his hands up in the air.

"Boss, I'm sor.." Tony tried to apologize stunned and hurt by Gibbs' tirade.

"Shut up DiNozzo! This is a first strike against you. You mess up again and you're off my team!" Gibbs threatened as he brushed past Tony, mumbling something about needing coffee. Ziva and McGee, who had initially been enjoying Tony's discomfort were suddenly taken aback by Gibbs' threat.

"Tony, Gibbs is just in a bad mood. He didn't mean that." McGee quickly said as he glimpsed the stricken look on Tony's face.

"Yes. You know how Gibbs becomes if he has not had his regular dose of caffeine." Ziva chirped.

"Of course I know. Boss will forget all about this by morning." Tony grinned back, trying to minimize how hurt and embarrassed he really was.

Tony focused back on the road as he upped the heat in the car. It's so damn cold! I should have just kept my jacket on! Tony growled as he accelerated in the hopes of getting to the crime scene quicker and then getting back to his warm apartment before midnight.

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Back at the NCIS head quarters in the autopsy lab, Ducky informed Gibbs, "Lt Johnson died of a broken neck. He was dead the minute he hit the ground. I have sent blood samples and his stomach contents up to Abby. Once the results of the toxic screen are in, we'll know whether there was any foul play involved."

"Okay!' Gibbs replied as he made to leave autopsy.

"Oh! Jethro, I was meaning to ask you something." Ducky hesitantly said.

"Yes, Doctor?" Gibbs asked as he looked his friend in the eye.

"Yes, well. Regarding Anthony, don't you think that you were rather harsh with him today, both at the crime scene and again in the office, in front of everyone?" Ducky asked as he started stitching Lt Johnson's chest cavity closed.

"I'm trying to toughen him up. He is my senior field agent and the best agent I have. I need him to grow up and stop goofing around." Gibbs replied as he took a sip of his coffee.

"And you think that this is the best way to do this?" Ducky questioned.

"Well, it worked for me!" Gibbs replied as he walked out of autopsy.

"Jethro, what may have worked for you may not necessarily work for Anthony! I just hope that your tactic doesn't make him doubt himself as that will probably lead to him making more mistakes. And then you will become angrier with him." Ducky voiced his concerns to Ethan as he continued stitching his chest closed.

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On Freeway 74, the man in the SUV parked his car in a secluded spot along the freeway. He sat patiently waiting for Tony to get closer, his rifle poised in his hands.

Yes, keep speeding like that! You're almost there. Just a bit further, DiNozzo. Yes, that's it! The man grinned as he took aim at Tony's front, left tyre.

Tonight you die, you bastard! The man growled as all traces of humour left his face. Then he squeezed the trigger.

He watched in perverse pleasure as Tony lost control of the car. The car skidded and rolled twice, before careening across the freeway. It hit into the barrier at the edge of the road, breaking through it, before rolling over again and plunging into a ditch.

Than the car exploded into flames!

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Author's Note :

That's it for this chapter. Let me know what you think about it! Thanks…