VERY DIFFERENT MEN
By
Ashleigh Anpilova
Gibbs and Tom Morrow are quite different, but they complement one another.
A Gibbs and Tom Morrow centric gen story.
Written: November 2010. Word count: 1,200.
Gibbs returned to the squad room after visiting Autopsy. As he reached his desk, he saw McGee was scribbling a note. "That for me, McGee?" Gibbs asked.
McGee looked up. "Yes, boss. Er, Gibbs. Er -"
"The message, McGee?" Gibbs guessed what it was; he'd been expecting it for a while.
"Director Morrow's assistant called. The Director would like to see you as soon as possible." McGee screwed up the note he'd written and threw it into the trash can.
Gibbs nodded; he'd been right. "Thanks, McGee." He turned towards the stairs, stopped and turned back. "You heard anything from DiNozzo and Kate yet?"
McGee shook his head. "No. Do you want me to call them?" His hand was already reaching for the phone.
"Nah. Give them a bit longer." Gibbs turned back towards the stairs and headed up them, taking them two at a time.
He strode into the outer office. "Director wants to see me," he said to Tom Morrow's assistant.
She smiled at him and picked up the phone. "Agent Gibbs is here to see you, sir," she said. "Of course, sir." She put the phone back down. "Do go in, Agent Gibbs."
Gibbs nodded at her. "Thanks." He paused just for a second with his hand on the door handle, then knocked once and went in.
"Ah, Jethro," Tom Morrow stood up as Gibbs went in. "Do sit down," he said, nodding at the chair in front of his desk.
"Thank you, sir," Gibbs said. He sat down and waited for his boss to return to his seat.
For a moment or two Tom Morrow sat in silence and just looked at him. Then he sighed softly and picked up his pen. "I've had a call. In fact I've had several, but there's one in particular," he said.
"Yes, sir."
"I imagine you can guess from whom?"
Gibbs wasn't sure, but he thought he heard a faint touch of humor in his boss's tone. "Yes, sir. Reckon I can."
"Senator Adams is not happy. He is not at all happy. In fact that's putting it mildly. He's very unhappy with you, with your team and with this agency." As he said the last two words, any hint of humor there may have been in Tom Morrow's tone vanished.
Gibbs gave a mental shrug. "Didn't think he would be, Director."
His boss stared at him. "You arrested his son."
Gibbs nodded. "Yes, sir. He tried to interfere in my case."
"So I understand. The Senator isn't quite as concerned by the fact that you did arrest his son, between you and me, he believes it might do him the world of good. However, it is the manner in which you did that has annoyed him. Was it really necessary for you, Agent Gibbs, to gatecrash the Senator's party in order to do so? Could it not have waited for a more appropriate moment? Later in the day, perhaps? After all, you do not suspect Christopher Adams of the murder, do you?"
Gibbs shook his head. "No, sir. I don't. But we were there. Adams junior was there. It made sense."
Tom Morrow sighed. "And was it also strictly necessary for you to 'threaten' several of the Senator's guests?"
"Wouldn't say I threatened them, I just -"
"Suggested unless they also wanted a trip to the Navy Yard that they had better stay out of your way?" Tom Morrow's tone was clipped. "And was it also quite necessary to have your gun in your hand? Agent Gibbs, the people at this party are very influential indeed. I have had several calls already about your behavior and attitude. Do you not think I have better things to do with my time than sooth feathers you have ruffled?"
Gibbs looked at his boss. "If Adams had been plain Mr. Adams rather than Senator, I'd have done the same thing. Didn't think I was meant to treat Senators any differently than anyone else when it comes to a crime."
Tom Morrow sighed. "You're not, Jethro - and that is what I told the Senator."
Gibbs raised an eyebrow. "Did you, sir?"
Tom Morrow stood up, moved to the shelves that held his supply of liquor and poured whiskey into two glasses. He returned to his desk and handed one to Gibbs, who nodded his thanks. "Yes, Jethro, I did. Not quite in those terms nor so succinctly, but I did make it quite clear to him that his son could not expect special treatment just because of who his father was. And I told the SecNav the same thing."
Gibbs swallowed half of the whiskey. It was far smoother than the kind he normally drank. "The Senator said he was going to call the SecNav."
"He did; as did several of his guests. Jethro," Tom Morrow sat on the edge of his desk, "I like you, I respect you and the way you work; I do not wish to interfere in the way you run your cases and your team."
"Appreciate that, sir." And Gibbs really did appreciate it. Tom Morrow was a damned good director. He did what he had to do to keep the Agency running smoothly while letting his agents get on with their jobs and he only interfered if absolutely necessary. Gibbs was well aware there were times he made life a lot more complicated for his boss, but he rarely mentioned the fact.
Gibbs liked and respected his director. They were nothing alike, not really. Tom Morrow could and did play politics; Gibbs didn't have the patience to even try. Tom Morrow was extremely good with words, thought before he spoke and used them well; Gibbs just spoke as he seemed fit. Tom Morrow was more than content to spend his day at his desk, doing paperwork, having meetings with other Agency directors; Gibbs got restless if he didn't get out of the office at least once a day. And those differences just scratched the surface, and yet the two men had a good relationship, a strong working relationship, with trust, liking and mutual respect on both sides.
Tom Morrow smiled. "I know you do, Jethro. I -" The sound of the phone ringing interrupted him. He picked up the receiver. "Tom Morrow," he listened for a moment. "Yes, Alice, I'll speak to Senator Whyte. Please ask him to hold the line for a moment. Thank you." He stood up and moved back behind his desk.
Gibbs was already on his feet. He drained the rest of his whiskey and put the glass down on the desk. He nodded at Tom Morrow. "Thank you, sir," he said, turning to go.
"Jethro." Gibbs turned back. "Perhaps you could expedite Christopher Adam's release?"
Despite Tom Morrow making it a question, Gibbs knew his director well enough to know it was something he rarely received from his boss: an order. He nodded. "Already in hand, sir."
The corners of Tom Morrow's mouth twitched a little. "Thank you, Jethro," he said and nodded. "Please put the Senator through, Alice. Senator Whyte, what may I do for you?" As Gibbs closed the door behind him he heard his boss say, "Agent Gibbs was doing his job and carrying out my instructions."
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