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It was hours later after the whole Cape Fear and Pinpin Pula mess along with the shocking news that Gibbs had quit NCIS for good that an exhausted and disheartened McGee finally got home, armed with his backpack and the bloodied tie that Tony had dumped on his desk after using it as a handkerchief to stop his bloody nose which McGee had caused when he’d accidentally crashed into him when they’d met each other just outside Autopsy.
And right now, McGee felt completely numb.
He dumped his backpack onto his bed before heading for the couch, his mind still running wild.
Why had Gibbs quit without even saying anything to them? Had something happened while he was in the coma to make him realize that his team wasn’t so important anymore and that he should get out while he still had the chance?
McGee didn’t know what was going on and he doubted that all the questions he had would ever be answered. He then glanced at the tie Tony had used as a hanky and saw the dried blood on it, Tony’s own blood. Normally, he would have gotten a new one or thrown it in the wash but right now, it didn’t matter.
Gibbs was gone, their lives were screwed up beyond any understanding and McGee wasn’t sure how they’d all cope now that their fearless leader and the one person they all respected had just left NCIS.
And starting tomorrow, when he went into work, McGee was no longer going to be the Probie. In fact, he would become the new Senior Field Agent while Tony would become the team leader.
It was so shocking to be thrown into the deep end at such short notice but McGee knew that in order for life to get back to normal, they’d all have to do their own fair share of the work and help each other out whenever it was needed.
McGee then got up and headed for the bedroom yet again before gathering up all his ties. He looked at them for a long second, lost in thought.
To him, they were reminders of what he’d originally been when he had first started at NCIS and then joined Gibbs’s team in Washington D.C.
A lot of good and bad memories lay based around those ties.
But the last few days had shown him that he needed to grow up, become more mature, develop self-confidence and stop being a goddamn doormat to everyone including Tony.
Besides wearing ties is Tony’s own style and he can keep on doing that for as long as he feels the need to, McGee thought and then headed for the bin where without any regrets, he threw all of his ties inside it before closing the lid.
It was time to act like an adult and take charge of situations, not to stay a mumbling, submissive guy for the rest of his life or career as an NCIS Special Agent. McGee then fixed his short and suddenly realized that he didn’t miss his ties.
Also starting tomorrow, he was going to be wearing completely different clothing compared to the uptight suits he’d originally worn when he’d first started working for Gibbs.
The ties were destined to be confined to the past.
And he didn’t need them for support or to look cool anymore.
He was fine the way he was.
Fin