This is my first NCIS fanfic. After reading some amazing stories on here, I got inspired. This story is complete. I should be able to post a chapter a day (work schedule permitting). Reviews and constructive criticism are always welcome.

Disclaimer: I own nothing of NCIS (except the series DVD - LOL!)

Please enjoy!

Leroy Jethro Gibbs sat at his desk, enjoying the momentary silence. His team had just wrapped up a lengthy case and only had the paperwork left to do. Gibbs looked around the bullpen. Anthony DiNozzo was at his desk, actually working on his report. The other two desks were empty for the moment. Timothy McGee & Ziva David were delivering the last of the physical evidence to lock up.

He brought his attention back to his own report. Yeah, the down time was going to be nice and rightly deserved.

The main elevator gave a "ding", alerting Gibbs to outside company. Always curious about what other teams might be doing, he lifted eyes to see who would be coming out of the elevator and was surprised at what he saw, three men in Air Force uniforms exited accompanied by a security guard.

He was even more surprised when the security guard pointed the three towards Gibbs. As the men walked over, Gibbs stood. That famous gut of his telling him that, whatever this was, it was not going to be good.

DiNozzo noticed his Boss stand up, but before he could ask the three airmen were at Gibbs' desk.

"Are you Special Agent Gibbs?"

Gibbs looked over the man that had addressed him. He was dress with Staff Sergeant's markings, about five foot eight, clear hazel eyes, light brown hair barely visible under the cap he wore as part of his uniform. "Yes, I am. What is it that I can do for the Air Force today?" He tried to sound non-defensive, but it was a gut reaction when a different branch of the military came into your stomping grounds.

"I am Staff Sergeant Roger Ferris. This is Senior Airmen, Aaron Williams," the dark skinned soldier on the left nodded, "and Airman First Class James Settie," the one on the right nodded. "We are here for Timothy McGee."

Gibbs narrowed his eyes. "Why?" This time he made no attempt to hide the dangerous tone in his voice. This made DiNozzo decide to stand up as well.

The two airmen behind Staff Sergeant Ferris exchanged confused glances. Roger replied, "You mean you haven't been informed?"

Gibbs opened his mouth to respond, but Tim and Ziva came around the corner.

"Ziva, it's not that big of a deal, really."

"McGee, she seems to be a nice girl and she is definitely interested."

"Ziva, I'm just not ready ..." McGee stopped dead in his tracks, halfway past his desk.

Roger had turned to look at him while he was walking into the bullpen. He took a step forward, "Hey Tim." His voice was gentile and hesitant.

McGee took one step back, "Roger ... W-what." He stopped and tried again with a little more force to his voice. "What are you doing here?"

Ziva looked from Roger to McGee. She was going to ask Tim about his friend, until she took a good look at his eyes. McGee was terrified, not just scared, but absolutely terrified. Ziva scowled and stepped in-between McGee and Roger.

DiNozzo had also noticed the terror in McGee's eyes immediately on seeing Roger. He didn't get a good feeling about this guy before, now he down right didn't like him. Trying to get Tim's attention off of the guy, he asked a question of his friend. "So, you guys know each other?"

McGee nodded slowly, never taking his eyes off of Roger. It was Roger who responded, "Yeah, we went to school together."

DiNozzo had a very bad feeling about that little piece of information. He looked over to Gibbs and found the same feeling reflecting on his boss' face. Tony needed confirmation, "MIT?"

McGee still never took his eyes off Roger, he wasn't even blinking, but actually voiced a response. "El-elementary."

Gibbs didn't like anyone to intimidate his team, unless it was him, but this went beyond intimidation. McGee looked like a scared rabbit ready to bolt. Gibbs couldn't help but feel angry. He had brought McGee onto his team as a very, very green rookie and had watched him develop into one hell of an agent. He would never admit it out loud, but watching Tim grow as an agent was like watching Kelly learn and explore her potential. To hear him stutter, something he hadn't done for years, showed just how afraid he was and it was making Gibbs blood boil.

Roger, had also not taken his eyes off of McGee. "Tim, we're here to take you into protective custody." He took another step forward.

McGee took another step back. While DiNozzo and Gibbs exchanged glances. Protective custody?

"You, protect me?" McGee's voice dripped with sarcasm.

"Please Tim, it's for your own good." Roger took another step forward, now bumping into Ziva, but still had his eyes glued to McGee.

"My own good? You mean like last time!" McGee also, took another step backwards, his voice was starting to gain volume and pitch.

Roger closed his eyes, realizing his mistake in wordage. "Tim, I ..."

"No!" McGee yelled, practically screamed, bringing everyone on the floor to a stand still. "I'm not going anywhere with you!"

"I'm going to have to agree with you." A voice projected down from above them, however, nobody bothered to look at Director Leon Vance as he came down to the bullpen. "Staff Sergeant Ferris, tell me why the Air Force feels the need to tell me what do with one of my agents."

Roger hated to break eye contact with McGee, but he knew he needed to address the NCIS director. He turned half way to face Vance, "We have a case and evidence suggests that Tim may be in danger."

DiNozzo took this time to work his way over to McGee and reached out to touch his arm. Tim jerked back as if Tony's touch had burned him, "Whoa, easy buddy, it's just me."

"T-Tony? Sorry, I didn't mean ..." McGee's eyes were so full of raw emotions, hurt, anger, fear, and ... shame? Why shame?

"No problem Tim." DiNozzo reached back out and grabbed McGee's upper right arm and this time, Tim let him make contact.

Vance narrowed his eyes, he didn't like anyone telling him that he couldn't protect his own, "What evidence?"

Roger gave a glance back to Tim, "Sir, you have received the orders from my commanding officer and the preliminaries of our case." He really didn't want to get the specifics of the case with a floor full of agents listening.

"Yes, Staff Sergeant, I do and I already have my people looking at it. What we can't seem to find is a connection to either this agency or to Agent McGee. Now, unless you show me that connection, you are not walking out of here with my agent."

Roger sighed, he knew this was going to be hard on McGee without all of his co-workers finding out about what had happened all those years ago. He took a quick look around the bullpen. Roger had checked up on the team, so he knew who they were. Ziva David, former Mossad Officer, hadn't stopped scowling at Roger and looked like she was ready to show him exactly everything she learned in Mossad. Anthony DiNozzo, ex-cop and senior field agent, was totally focused on Tim, trying hard to keep him grounded in the here and now. Then there was Leroy Jethro Gibbs, team leader, who looked more like a very, very, very pissed off parent than a team leader.

Roger almost smiled. Tim is definitely going to need the support, ... "Is there somewhere more private we can talk?"

Vance nodded. He looked over to DiNozzo and David and gave a short jerk towards the inner elevators.

Both nodded. Tony gave McGee's arm a quick squeeze, "Come on Tim"

McGee gave a weak nod and the two started walking to the elevator. Ziva didn't move until the doors opened. She never took her eyes off of Roger until the elevator doors closed.

The Airmen went to move, but Vance stopped them. "Wait."

Vance, Gibbs and the Air Force men all watched as Ziva led the way while DiNozzo guided McGee down the hall. Tony had kept a hold of Tim's arm and was quietly talking, not letting Tim get lost in the terror of his memories.

Once Vance was sure his three agents were in his office, he turned back to the others. "Alright." He turned around and headed towards his office.

The Airmen followed, with Gibbs bringing up the rear. Airman Williams noticed the small smirk on his superior's face and was confused. This protection detail was defiantly not going the way it should. Why would the Staff Sergeant be smiling? "Sir?"

Roger gave his subordinate a quick glance as they walked up the stairs. "It's good to see the kid finally get some support. Lord knows, he's never had any when we were growing up." The airman nodded back.

Gibbs overheard the Staff Sergeant's comment and gave a puzzled frown. He always thought McGee had a supportive loving family and Tim did nothing to dissuade that belief. It's the reason he always kept a step back with Tim. Tony, Ziva, even Abby, needed a parental figure and Gibbs was compelled to filled that need. But, McGee … Gibbs had never wanted to interfere with a good family. He was just as proud of McGee as his other 'kids', in some ways more, because of how far he had to come to reach his goal. He knew McGee looked up to him, but Gibbs made sure to keep it as a mentor, not a father figure, Tim didn't need one. To think that he might have been wrong ...

No. The Staff Sergeant must be talking about something else.