Gibbs slowly walked through the squad room, towards the Avengers. Loki and DiNozzo were still standing behind him, Loki looking a bit queasy and DiNozzo rather astonished. Bishop and McGhee, seated at their desks, were both regarding the Avengers with totally different expressions. Bishop looked very wary and was leaning back in her seat while McGhee was actually half rising from his chair, staring at Stark with his jaw dropped.

Gibbs came to a stop before the Avengers and lifted an eyebrow at them. Thor looked down uncomfortably.

"I'm assuming you're Agent Gibbs," Stark declared.

"Why are you here?" Gibbs asked, moving his right hand behind his back. He stuck his pinky finger and his thumb out of his fist and waggled his hand slightly. Then he pointed to his left and upwards, hoping his team got the message.

He inwardly grinned with Bishop picked up her phone and began to dial.

"I thought I just said why," Stark said. "We're here to take over."

"That's what I said, when I first showed up," Loki told DiNozzo in an undertone. "It'd didn't exactly work then, either." DiNozzo snorted.

Gibbs looked past Stark, at Thor. Stark followed his gaze. "Yeah, Point Break told me."

DiNozzo frowned. "Point Break's a movie. It's the one with Keanu Reeves and the surfer bank robbers in the presidents' masks." He started to say something else about the film, but Loki elbowed him into silence.

Stark grimaced and looked back at Gibbs. "We will handle this case from now on."

Gibbs allowed a slight smile to touch his lips. "No."

Stark cocked his head. "What was that? No? Maybe you didn't hear me."

"I heard you," Gibbs enunciated. "It's you who didn't hear me."

"Gentlemen," Director Vance called from the second floor. "Is there anything I can help you with?"

The Avengers all looked up at the director as he started down the stairs, his eyes pinned on the Earth's Mightiest Heroes. Gibbs glanced at the group again, taking in their gear. All of them, with the exception of Thor, were dressed in civilian clothing, but Gibbs could see their weapons. Agent Romanoff wore a double holster, Barton had his quiver slung over his shoulder, and Stark was wearing aligner bracelets on his wrists for his Iron Man suit. Captain Rogers had his iconic shield strapped to his left arm, and Thor was carrying Mjolnir. The scientist Bruce Banner was the only one without a weapon on him.

"Yes, actually, there is something you can do for us," Stark said to Vance. "You can tell your lap dog here to hand over the Samson case."

Bishop flinched and DiNozzo and Loki both stepped forward, coming to stand behind Gibbs with their arms crossed over their chests. Both of them were glaring daggers at the Avengers.

Stark looked arrogant and confident, like he had every right to walk over anyone in his way. He was just as annoying as he had been all those years ago.

"Mr. Stark," Vance said. "Agent Gibbs is NCIS's best agent, and I will look the other way if he decides to kill you here and now."

"We won't," Romanoff said.

Vance just looked at her. "Agent Romanoff, S.H.I.E.L.D. does not have jurisdiction over this matter. It will remain our case. If you'd like to help, you're free to do so, but NCIS will continue to work on this case."

"DiNozzo," Gibbs said. "Show the Avengers to the door, please."

DiNozzo stepped forward. "This way, if you please. The exit will see you now."

Barton pushed DiNozzo away and the agent scowled. "Hands off, Katniss."

"Katniss?" Barton repeated, glowering at DiNozzo. "Katniss?"

"Yeah," DiNozzo affirmed. "Bow and arrow, shoots stuff. Remind you of anybody?"

"Look, you're dealing with the glow stick of destiny here," Stark said, interrupting Barton and DiNozzo. "Everyone knows NCIS just isn't suited to these types of cases. The world is changing, and you guys just aren't changing with it. So, Agent Gibbs, just leave saving the world to the professionals, okay?"

That was the last straw.

Bishop practically leaped over her desk, her fist smashing into Stark's jaw as she landed on the other side. The billionaire stumbled across the aisle into Tony's desk, his eyes stunned. The other five Avengers jumped as Stark looked back at Bishop in amazement.

Loki felt the corners of his mouth twitching into a grin. By Asgard, did he love that girl.

"Man," DiNozzo said softly. "I'd hate to be on the end of her punch."

Stark worked his jaw back and forth experimentally as he regained his balance. "What was that for?"

"Insulting Gibbs," Bishop snapped. "Insulting NCIS. And just being a jerk in general. Do I need to go on?"

"That's a very good summary," DiNozzo muttered.

"All right, so it's a showdown between your team and mine," Stark said to Gibbs. "I think we all know how this will end."

Thor grimaced and backed away from the two groups.

"Thor, what are you doing?" Barton asked.

"If you think I am crazy enough to side against Agent Gibbs, then you are the one who is insane," Thor said. "I will sit this one out." He set his hammer on the ground.

Banner sighed. "Tony, does it really have to come to this?"

"Banner's right," Rogers said. "Tony, there's another way to handle this."

"I have another idea," Gibbs spoke up. "Stark, come with me."

Gibbs headed towards the elevator and, after a glance at the Avengers, Stark followed.

McGhee stepped around his desk and came over to Loki and DiNozzo. He hesitated a moment, then said to Loki, "I understand why you threw him out a window."

****

Gibbs pressed the button for the second floor, but as soon as the elevator started, he flicked the emergency stop switch and the elevator car halted, the lights dimming. He turned to Stark, who was starting to look a little uncomfortable.

"I'm not handing over this case," Gibbs told him. "A Marine is dead, and we're going to catch who killed him. Until then, I am running lead on this case."

Stark sighed. "Agent Gibbs, you don't know what you're dealing with. I know, I know: the world of superheroes is new to you, but –"

"New?" Gibbs repeated. He smiled grimly. "All right, then. Let's pretend you're right. I've still got an expert on that scepter on my team, who we've been dealing with for a while now."

"You mean Reindeer Games?" Stark clarified. "Agent Gibbs, you don't mean to tell me you actually trust him?"

Gibbs studied Stark. "Yes, I do," he said.

Stark shook his head. "I'm telling you, he's just playing you and your entire team. He'll betray you. I promise you."

"Stark, we can either be enemies or allies," Gibbs told him. "You can leave here, without any part of this case, or you can work with my team, following my lead, to retrieve the scepter, as Director Vance suggested. That's the only deal you will be getting from us."

"I don't play well with others," Stark said.

"Yet you're an Avenger."

"Only because of Loki."

"I'm willing to work together on this case," Gibbs told him. "But with NCIS running point. You may assist. That's the only deal I'm giving you. Take it or leave it."

Stark snorted. "Yeah, right. No. My team will solve this case and save the world again. It's what we do. NCIS doesn't have jurisdiction over cases involving saving the world."

"We do when it involves a dead Marine," Gibbs shot back. "And since this case does, it will remain ours. If you won't agree to work under us, you and your friends can go home."

"Oh, yeah? And who's going to make me? Look, I can retrieve those case files whether you want me to, or not. I have friends in high places. They'll have you removed from this case and it will be turned over to the Avengers."

"You have no jurisdictional authority here, or anywhere," Gibbs told him. "You're a last resort team that comes in when there's complete chaos."

Stark just made a face. "Just give me the case, Qui-Gon Jinn."

"Stark, you listen to me!" Gibbs shouted, startling the billionaire. "I am not giving you this case, and that's final. Do you understand?"

"I understand that you think that," Stark retorted. "What you don't understand is that this case is bigger than your team can handle, Agent Gibbs. I am doing you a favor. Let me take this case off your hands, so your team doesn't get in over their heads."

"And I am doing you a favor, by not arresting you for impeding a federal investigation."

"You know what?" Stark said, flipping the emergency switch and starting the elevator up again. "I'm calling Fury, and he will tell you just who this case belongs to."

/**/

Man. NCIS v. the Avengers....

What did you guys think? I'd love to know your thoughts on this chapter! 

So, we got to see Gibbs going up against Stark, arguing for jurisdiction over the case. That was...interesting, to say the least. What do you think will happen next? 

So, this week, I've decided to ask what are your thoughts about Ducky, since I've run out of the main NCIS characters. I know he hasn't been in it that much, but what do you think of the scenes he's had, interspersed throughout the book? 

Thanks for reading; please comment and vote! 

So, I've got a favor to ask of you guys. The Fiction Awards 2019 have just opened up for nominations, and it would make my day if you nominated Special Agent for Best Fanfiction. Here's the link; the rules for nominating are listed in the "Nominations" chapter. It doesn't take long!

Link: https://www.wattpad.com/story/184629964-the-fiction-awards-2019

Thanks again!

Skylar Wittenborn