On Monday morning at NCIS head quarters, in the Director's office, Gibbs sits is stunned silence as he stares at Director Morrow.
"Excuse me sir, but you want us to what?" he asks as he realizes that the director is serious and there may not be a way out of this.
"Jethro you will take your team on a team building trip. This is a requirement of our Psychiatric Department. Prior to going on this trip you and everyone on your team will be interviewed by a Department appointed psychiatrist. This is necessary in order to evaluate your stress levels and make recommendations to you about the best way to deal with your team. The evaluations will start this afternoon, so get your people ready." Director Morrow replies.
"Sir with all due respect, I know how to handle my team and I don't need a shrink messing with their heads. I understand our stress levels and I will monitor their reactions to stress and take the necessary actions. No shrink who has not been out in the field can understand what we go through." Gibbs says forcefully as he stands up and starts to pace. Director Morrow watches him for a few moments not surprised by his reaction. Gibbs is a quiet man with a unique, if rigid management style. He has a good handle on his team and resents interference of any kind. Asking him to talk about himself is like asking a fish to breath on land. But there is no way out of this situation and maybe getting Gibbs to open up will be the best thing for him.
"Jethro just go with the flow. Opening up to an outside observer will help you to see things from a new angle." The Director says as he tries to allow Gibbs to give in gracefully.
"Okay, DiNozzo, Todd and McGee can speak to the shrink but I do not see why I have to." Gibbs says as he looks at the Director.
"Agent Gibbs, this is a direct order. So you will report to the psychiatrist when the time comes. You are not the Director here and therefore it is not your prerogative to decide what is and what isn't necessary for you." The Director says as he turns his back on Gibbs knowing that Gibbs will have no choice but to obey a direct order.
"Yes, Sir." Gibbs answers in frustration at this new development as he glares at the Director's back. He hates having people telling him how to do things especially things that he knows he is good at. Worse than that, he hates people trying to analyze him and poke and prod at things he would rather keep to himself.
"Where and when is this team building session supposed to be taking place." Gibbs asks accepting that the best thing to do is to get over with this as quickly as possible so that he can get back to the real job of solving crimes. And who says that he will have to reveal anything to the shrink.
"You will be going to Herrington Manor State Park for 4 nights starting on the 25th. You will have no communication with the outside world and you will have to perform specific tasks each day. This trip is meant to horn your survival instincts and to help you with delegating and sharing of tasks as well as seeing the strengths and weaknesses in each agent. You, DiNozzo, Todd and McGee will be going on this trip." the Director replies as he turns around and looks at Gibbs.
"What about Ducky, Abby and Jimmy?" Gibbs asks.
"Ducky and Jimmy will be attending a 2-day ME seminar in California over the weekend and Abby is attending a 2 day Forensics Conference in town on the 26th and 27th. She'll be back here in the lab from Sunday." The Director replies.
"That means that the whole team will be out. What if an urgent case comes up?" Gibbs asks hoping to somehow get the trip postponed.
"Then the team of Agents from Norfolk will come in and assist us but you and your agents will be going on this trip. I suggest that you inform them immediately so that they can prepare for it." Director Morrow says as he leaves the office.
"Yes, Sir." Gibbs says as he follows the director out of the office.
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Back in the bullpen Tony walks up behind Kate and silently tries to remove a paperclip that has landed in her hair. She does not know that he is behind her and she suddenly jerks her head up as she closes the file she is reading from. Her head connects with Tony's nose and as he shouts out she spins around rubbing her head.
"I think you broke my nose." Tony says in a nasal voice as he holds onto his bleeding nose with his hand.
"Well what the hell were you doing standing behind me like that?" Kate retorts as she continues to rub her head.
"I was trying to remove…" Tony says as he sees Gibbs coming up behind Kate looking curiously at him.
"Remove what?" Kate asks as she gets annoyed. "Oh never mind, just stay away from me." Kate shouts as she turns around abruptly and knocks into Gibbs causing his coffee cup to be knocked out of his hand.
Oh no! Tony and Kate think as Gibbs glares at both of them. Gibbs without coffee is like a wounded bear on a rampage. And he would be worse today considering the weekend they had just had.
"Sorry Gibbs. I'll get you another one." Kate quickly says as she tries to wipe the coffee stains from Gibbs' shirt and she glares at Tony who in return gives her an innocent, hurt look.
Gibbs slaps Kate's hands out of the way and walks past her to his desk. Can this day get any worse? And I'm supposed to go out in the wilderness with these two. He thinks as he sits down and accesses the e-mails on his computer.
When he sees that both agents are still standing there, he raises an eyebrow at them and snaps, "DiNozzo clean up your face. Kate, I don't think that a fresh cup of coffee is going to magically come to you, and where the hell is McGee?"
Tony and Kate jump into action, both affirming that they will be right back and indicating that McGee is in the lab with Abby going over the evidence from the burglary one more time.
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Back at the apartment, Sasha gathers her files and places them into her bag. She looks at her appearance one more time in the mirror and is glad to note that she feels and looks more like herself. The puffiness around her eyes is gone as is the bruising on her cheek. The split lip is healing and she is able to cover it with makeup. The only thing still visible from her attack is the band aid at her left temple and the persistent headache which varies in intensity from hour to hour. She makes her way to Jason's room and takes his Superman key chain and places it in her bag. I just need to keep something that you are so fond of close to me, baby, so that I can feel close to you. she thinks as she takes as deep breath and she grabs her car keys and leaves the apartment. As she drives to NCIS head quarters, she thinks about the people that she will be seeing today and she decides that she needs to learn as much as possible about them. She is not too concerned about DiNozzo, Todd or McGee. She is however a bit nervous about being with Agent Gibbs. But this time she will be the one in control and she will be the one asking the questions.
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Back in the bullpen, Gibbs calls his agents together and informs them about the psychological evaluations and the team building trip.
"Sounds like its going to be lots of fun, Boss." Tony says with a broad grin on his face.
"Tony, it's the middle of summer. It's going to be hot and sticky and there are going to be insects and all kinds of creepy crawlies and we are going to be outside sleeping with them." Kate says as she shudders.
"No communication Boss. Do you think that's a good idea? What if something happens?" McGee says horrified by the idea of being away from his electronic gadgets.
"No McGee I don't think it's a good idea. But of what use will your cellphone be if there is no network coverage?" Gibbs says harshly wondering whether he needs to explain every little thing to these agents. "Besides, each of you will be carrying your own gear so there won't be space for anything that is not essential. Abby should give each of us GPS trackers and she should monitor the route. If we are in one place for too long or if we get separated she will know that something is wrong."
"mmm Boss, do you expect something to go wrong?" McGee asks thinking about his exercise induced asthma, a condition which he has not mentioned to any of them.
"McGee we will be outside, away from civilization with no back up and the possibility of injury at every turn. I'd like to know that we have someone watching our six if anything does happen." Gibbs replies impatiently.
"Right boss," McGee replies and makes a mental note to carry his inhaler on this trip.
"Why do we need to have psych evaluations?" Kate asks. Why indeed, I've had enough of psychiatrist to last the next year, Gibbs thinks as he pictures Sasha Martins as she was when she can out of the bathroom. She has been plaguing his thoughts for the whole weekend.
"It's a new requirement of working at NCIS. Just don't get too cozy with the psychiatrist. One visit annually is all that is required." Gibbs warns as his desk phone rings.
"Gibbs." he answers.
"Agent Gibbs, the psychiatrist is set up in Director Morrow's office. Could you please send Agent DiNozzo up now, followed by Agent Todd, then Agent McGee and then you may come up."
"Fine." Gibbs replies as he hangs up. "DiNozzo the psychiatrist is waiting for you in the Director's office. Kate you're next and then you McGee." Gibbs says as he takes a slip of his coffee and realizes that the cup is empty.
"Wish me luck." Tony grins as he makes his way to the Director's office. Kate just rolls her eyes as McGee fidgets with his PDA.
"Kate, you and McGee speak to Abby and put a list together of everything that we will need for the trip. Also get Abby to test the GPS trackers and have them ready for us. I want two sets of trackers per person and ask her for a panic button as well there is such a thing. Each of us will be carrying some ammunition and remember Rule no. 9." Gibbs says as he makes his way to the elevator with the intention of getting his drug of choice, strong dark coffee.
"What is rule number 9?" McGee asks Kate as the elevator door color behind Gibbs. Kate rolls her eyes and says, "McGee, it means always carry a knife. Really McGee you need to start taking notes if you can't remember these things." Kate says as she walks away from him.
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